Encouraged in China

I am overwhelmed in so many ways today. God is so good- all the time. I am so undeserving of His amazing blessings and yet He lavishes blessing upon blessing. Praise be to the Creator of all things for His infinite power and love. What does He have in store for us tomorrow?

I read the comments back to us and can't believe all these people are interested in our situation- I hope and pray that we are an encouragement to you in some way to help you live out all that God has planned for you and yours. What will it look like in a year or 10 if we follow our Savior where He leads without reservation? Can we do this- certainly not in our own strength- but in His strength we can be and do all He has called us to.

Are we ready to let go of your kids to wherever He calls them? Are we willing to do the hard things, even when it doesn't seem too practical? Ready to step out, in total faith, to walk where He puts our next foot down? It is so hard to do and yet what He wants and requires of those who call themselves His children. Who said the Christian life was going to be practical?

I look at where we are RIGHT NOW and think, "How did we get here?", "What are we doing here, in China, with a new son?" I could not have planned a path like this for our family, both church and biological. This is so much more than I could dream up, but I do think this is exactly where He wants us, even if it is hard to understand what He is going to do with the whole thing. I am encouraged by so many who have been bumped just a bit into a little more uncomfortable place by where God has moved us.

Let's commit to do the hard things that God has planned for us, without complaining, because it is so freeing to be where He puts us, knowing He will provide for our every need when we are willing to follow Him.

We have a new son, something we weren't looking for 9 months ago, but while we pray for this young man, and the rest of our students, let's wait with great anticipation to see what He is going to do with them. But we must not pray for Him to work and then hold them so tightly that we don't allow Him to do with them as He wants.

Could he be doing all this to place John back into a house church in China, with government persecution? Sure, but what a great use of a life. Could He ask you for your life, or luxury, to minister to others far away- sure. Maybe He has that in mind for your children- don't hold them back. Talk about what it might look like if He calls them to something hard. Prepare them today for what might come in 10 or 20 years. Tell them of the joys that come from following Christ to where He calls them.

As I read about Joseph's roller coaster life in Genesis, I think about what God might do with one of my 4 boys- I have another one coming in June. Will He spend them quickly or slowly? Will He allow them to be influential, or plain vessels used up over a very long period? Those answers I may not know for a long time, but I rejoice knowing He can use even a short, fat, broken down pot to encourage others to be used more effectively for His Kingdom.

Let's start to live a little more radically out of our comfort zones and see what He wants to do. Even praying in public in China seems a little strange, but I told T, "If this gets us in hot water, then I'm up for it". I'm not ready to be persecuted, in my mind, but maybe God has something different planned for us.

Thanks again for your comments. I am doing this through my virtual network at PG, so I seem to be able to write whatever I want and it gets through, so if you want to reply Scripture back to me I think it is ok. I know it's ok with me.

Keep the heat on T- she will be ready to post pretty soon, as long as you don't let her off the hook- Kim Young:) She said, "See, Kim said it was ok if I don't".

Blessed in China