A Journey to and Lesson from Taiwan

Three times into this small island in the Pacific Ocean has given me lessons in life.
Did I have a heart for these people? No, not until I came close to them, got to know them did I start to love them. They have always been there. I didn't know them until I went to where they were.

Same is true of our God. He is and has always been there, whether we see Him or not. It is not until we come closer to Him, get to know Him that we learn He has always loved us. Seek Him and He promises He will be found.

God is working everywhere. We only need to look around and see where that is. It could be in Taiwan at an orphanage in Lo-Tung; it could be in Tainon where a wonderful lady has given her life saving babies from abortion and helping young girls stay pure.

It could be there is a mission in your own back yard like Mission Adelante in Kansas City, Ks. They are ministering to immigrants coming into our country. Jesus tells us to take care of orphans, widows and aliens.

Yes, God is working everywhere. Look around you. Let God show you where He is working. You may be surprised at what you see.

My New Friends on the Path of Life

"You will make known to me the path of life; In Your presence is fullness of joy;
In Your right hand there are pleasures forever" Psalm 16:11.

Truly the Lord is giving me joy and pleasures with my new friends from Bhutan. As we teach them our language every Tuesday evening and now visiting their homes, God is opening up this path for me to know them. What He has in store for us on this path, I do not know. He has bridged two countries together and I see Him working in the hearts of these Bhutanese. They are coming ever closer to the truth of our Lord and our Living God through the work of the Holy Spirit.

Love is the common demoninator between their hearts and mine. Even though language is a barrier, love goes before words and we are connecting our hearts to each others.

Still Learning About God

Something I know yet I'm still learning about God... He doesn't tell us everything. If He did, where would our faith in Him be?

He is a gentle and compassionate God. He gently guides us into things; not too fast or too slow but all in His timing.

When I moved to Lenexa last year, I prayed and asked God "What will I do there?" Going seemed to be right and I had peace with my decision. God gave me one word "intercity". When I asked what that meant, He was silent.

One year and two intense classes later moving me in His direction, I find myself serving in Wyandotte County at Mission Adelante teaching English to Bhutanese Immigrants. Wyandotte County is a county in the intercity of Kansas City.

Now I had never heard of the Country of Bhutan or the Bhutanese people group - yet here I sit looking into their beautiful eyes teaching them our language. They are very eager to learn as you would guess. Being in a country, not knowing the language can be very intimidating and frustrating. My heart is being opened up by these Bhutanese students. Lal Maya is one of the students and one of my new friends. The Bhutanese have been a displaced people group for the last 18 years living in tents in Nepal which is a small country just west of Bhutan between China and India. They are here getting a second chance to a better life; I can't wait to know more about them and their culture.

I know I am where I'm supposed to be; loving these precious Bhutanese people in a "Mission field in our own back yard". This is a statement from Mission Adelante that clearly defines their ministry.

We serve an awesome God. One that loves us so much. He has a plan and purpose for our life. Let Him guide you down His path in His perfect timing. Enjoy for He wants to give you His best.

FOR BROTHER JIM
(An article written by Henry Van Dyke)
I am standing upon the seashore. A ship at my side spreads her white sails to the morning breeze and starts for the blue ocean. She is an object of beauty and strength. I stand and watch her until at length she stands like a speck of white cloud just where the sea and sky come to mingle with each other.
Then someone at my side says: "There, she is gone!"
"Gone where?"
Gone from my sight. That is all. She is just as large in mast and hull and spar as she was when she left my side and she is just as able to bear the load of living freight to her destined port. Her diminished size is in me, not in her. And just at the moment when someone at my side says: "There, she is gone!", there are other eyes watching her coming, and other voices ready to take up the glad shout: "Here she comes!"

Brother Jim is gone from my sight yet I have envisioned my Mom being on the other side shouting "Look, Here he comes!"

BROTHER JIM

"For this is the will of My Father that everyone who beholds the Son and believes in Him will have eternal life, and I, Myself, will raise him up on the last day" John 6:40 My Brother Jim's last day here on earth was yesterday April 6. He went home to be with the Lord and as God promises, He will raise him up on that last day. The verse given to me last September, John 11:23 "Your brother will rise again" was, I believe, for this very last day in Jim's life and God's assurance that Jim would rise again to meet Him face to face.

God extended His grace to Jim during this trial of illness. Jim, hand in hand with God, walked that journey together. Jim's faith in our Savior was magnified through his weakness. In the lowest valley of Jim's life, he praised and exalted the Lord for giving him this trial. He praised God to all those around him so they could see our awesome God and His compassionate and loving heart.

My time spent with Brother Jim allowed us precious moments to share Jesus and to truly know each others heart. We played Yatzee(a game our Mother loved to play), we talked about old times and new times yet to come. I thank My God for those precious moments.

Because of God's great love and Jim's faith in His Son, Jim is now at home with the Lord resting peacefully in His arms.

Don't Confuse God with Life

Troubles are a part of life yet God is the same yesterday, today and tomorrow.

Our life can change in an instant. Sometimes things happen beyond our control and we are left feeling all alone.

If you were to visit with my brother and his family, you would think "where is God in all of this". Their lives are riddled with so many health issues yet I've never seen stronger faith. They have learned to see past their trials to a loving God who will one day prevail. Faith like this can go a long way in overcoming discouragement when life hasn't worked out the way we thought it should. I'm learning so much about real faith from my brother. Thank you, Brother Jim!

So don't confuse God with life. Instead, embrace Him, seek Him and you will find that God's grace is always sufficient. His arms are always open to give us that grace. But, will our arms be open to receive it?

Leaning on Him

There is a muriel on the wall at my brother's house. It is a full wall showing a forest of trees. Each tree takes on it's distinct shape; some are tall and thin, some more stout extending high above the others, some are bent and curved leaning on the tree next to it, some short - just beginning it's journey upward.

I am reminded of our journey in life. It takes all of us to stand together - in our own uniqueness. As the trees stand together to make their forest, we can all stand together - firm in one spirit, with one mind, striving together for the faith of the gospel.

Philippians 2:2,13 "Make my joy complete by being of the same mind, maintaining the same love, united in spirit, intent on one purpose. For it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure."

Encourage one another in this day. Thank the Lord for His love and let us LEAN ON HIM for our strength.