Reflections

All my bags are packed; I'm ready to go.

The van comes to pick us up in less than 2 hours, and we will say goodbye to Hangzhou, our home for the past year. And what a year it has been.

It was not at all what I expected.

I expected to teach, but instead I learned. I expected to reach out, but instead I reached up. I expected to grow, but instead I grew up.

Above all, I feel this has been a year of learning and growing. Maybe God wanted me in China, not so that I could teach others, but so that He and they could teach me. I have learned a lot about myself. I have learned a lot of my faults and short-comings. But more than that, I have begun to learn how to turn them over to the Father, and allow Him to change me for His glory.

I expected to reach people with the Good News. But instead I have learned to let Him Work through me, and to let go and allow Him to bring the increase in His own time and for His own glory. He has taught me over and over to rely on Him. And He has taught me the meaning of His words in 1 Corinthians 15:58

Therefore, my dear brothers, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourself fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.

Although I still have a long way to go, I have grown more than I can even recount. But more than that, I have grown closer to Michael. I have grown closer to my family and true friends. And I have grown closer to my Father.

He has been so good to us. He has been with us every step of the way. He has picked us up when we have fallen. He has blessed us beyond measure. He has led us and protected us and held us in a way that I have never felt before. Thank you, Father, for your steadfast love. I cannot express it in words, but you know what I am saying in my heart.

And to all of you, I want to say thank you. Thank you for reading. Thank you for your encouraging comments. Thank you most of all for your prayers. They got us through some dark and despairing days, and they helped us rejoice even more on some beautiful and joyful days. May He bless us all as we continue to find ways to Obey and Serve.

Survey Trip

We just got back a few days ago from our survey trip. So much happened - there is really too much to tell. Suffice it to say, we learned a lot about each other, ourselves, and the places where we are looking to live. You can follow how things went with these pictures:

After a very long and stressful stay at the airport, we were finally able to fly out of China and meet up with our team. Our first stop was Phnom Penh, Cambodia.

Part of the Grand Palace in PP.

We were all very happy to be together again after nearly a year of seperation. Here we are riding together in a tuk tuk.

Gavin, Lauren & Jen

Kris, Michael & Aarek

As most countries in SouthEast Asia, Cambodia is predominately Buddhist.

Monks making the commute to their studies.

We stopped by Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum - this is where victims of the Khmer Rouge genocide were imprisoned and tortured.

A hallway in Tuol Sleng leading to the cells where prisoners were kept & tortured.

The Khmer Rouge photographed all the prisoners that they put to death. The rooms are filled with their pictures.

After enjoying a few days in Phnom Penh and spending some time with Andrew & Natalie Hayes - Workers in that city - we took an interesting bus ride to Siem Reap, Cambodia.

A village in the countryside we passed along the way.

The boys sampled some of the local delicacy - fried crickets.

After various other adventures that evening (including Aarek singing karaoke, frog hunting, and spider sightings), we settled down in our thatched hut for a few short hours of sleep. The next morning, we awoke at 4:30 to make the 30 minute commute to Angkor Wat in time for sunrise.

We spent the rest of the morning touring Angkor Wat and the other two major ancient temples, Angkor Thom & the Bayon Temple.

After our morning of exploring the temples, we hopped on another airplane and headed for Luong Probang, Laos.

Yet another tuk tuk. We are so excited to be in Laos!

We rented bikes and rode out through the hills to see some of the more rural areas.

We had a wonderful trip. Thanks so much for your thoughts, prayers, and encouragement. We are planning to make a decision on our launch city by January 2011. Please continue to Ask that He leads us where He wants us to go, that He opens doors to allow us to work in that place, and that He begins to prepare us and the people of that place for the time we will be together.

A Decision

Today is June 1. Summer has arrived.

I can remember summers growing up. I usually spent at least one week at Mid-South Youth Camp - the church camp run by Freed-Hardeman. It was a great week of fun, sun, and spiritual growth. At the end of the week, I always felt that "spiritual high" that you often get at camp, revivals, youth rallies, workshops, etc. But after a week or two, sometimes even a day or two back home, that "high" was gone, and life went back to the way it was before.

My life has drastically changed since coming to China. Not outwardly so that you would notice right away, but I think if you spent a little time with me, you would be able to tell the difference. When you are living away from the life that you know and are comfortable with, and more importantly living with focus and purpose, you can't help but feel that "spiritual high" or a feeling of being on fire for Him. About a week ago, I was laying in bed thinking about going home. Our group here often talks about how nervous we are about going home. Although finding jobs and places to live is a big part of that, most of it stems from our finding a new Family to become a part of and a continued since of purpose. Will the changes that have taken place within us keep us from fitting in? If so, maybe that's a good thing? Anyway, I was lying awake thinking about all of this and about how I hope I am able to keep this fire when I go back home - that I won't just slip back into a life of habit and comfort.

Then it hit me. One of the greatest lessons my parents ever taught me is that love is a decision. When you marry, you don't always feel "in love" but you make a decision to love each other no matter what. When you have to be around someone that you have personality clashes with, you have to make the decision to love them as we are commanded to do. In the same way, being on fire is a decision. If we do not consciously decide to be on fire for our Father, we will fall into a lifestyle of being lukewarm. And from reading Revelation, we know that He considers that disgusting. But, if we wake up every morning and decide that today we will live for Him, and we decide throughout the day to speak with Him and seek Him, and we live with a purpose of turning every conversation that we have with others so that it is about Him, we can't help but be lit on fire.

So, as our time here in China nears its end and I think about going home, I'm no longer going to say that I hope that I'll keep this zeal. I won't say that I'm going to try. I am deciding right here and now that I will live each day with Him and for Him, and that all that I do will be with Him in mind.