Our Team

Most of you probably already know that Michael and I are on a long-term team. We have been together for about 4 years now. Our projected launch date is January 2014 and we plan to move somewhere in SouthEast Asia. There are 6 of us on the team. If you don't already know them, please allow me to introduce them to you.

Gavin & Lauren Pinkston

Gavin was Michael's best friend growing up and through college - also the best man in our wedding. He graduated from Freed-Hardeman with a double major in Missions and Pre-Med. He will graduate this weekend from medical school (in Memphis) and will soon begin his residency in Greenwood (or ville...can't remember which), South Carolina. Lauren is his beautiful bride of one year. She also graduated from Freed, with a degree in education. She has been a teacher in Memphis (quite a challenging job) for the past year, and I think has plans to get her Master's in Education when they get to SC.

Aarek & Jen Farmer

Aarek was one of Michael's closest friends in college. He graduated from Freed with a degree in education, and up until recently has been working as a teacher (also in Memphis). He recently accepted a position as Youth Minister for the Great Oaks church of Christ in Cordova. Jen graduated from Florida Southern and is now almost finished with a Master's in Counseling from Harding Grad. They plan to be in Memphis until we move overseas.

and here's a pic of Michael and me...

Gavin has a small window of opportunity between finishing med school and starting his residency, and we decided to use it for a survey trip - a chance to check out some of the countries we are looking into and seeing if we are being Guided anywhere.

But, when people are trying to Reach the Lost, it is never as simple as it sounds. The Enemy has been doing all he can to keep us from going on this trip. From problems with our school here in China to political problems in Thailand to problems booking flights, suffice it to say, we have been fighting a battle. But the One in charge is taking care of us, and we WILL be going on this trip! The four members of the team who are living in the States will be landing in Vietnam on May 31. Michael and I will meet them in Phnom Phen , Cambodia on June 6. In addition to Vietnam and Cambodia, we will also be visiting Laos.

We are so excited to enter this new phase with our team. Our launch date is approaching a lot faster than we thought it would, but we are ready to begin a Good Work!

Please Think of us as we prepare for and go on our trip. Please Ask that we will be Guided to where He wants us to be. This will most likely be our only chance to visit these countries before making a decision on where we will be living in the future. Please Ask that He grants us Wisdom to know His Will.

Thank you for your continued Thoughts for us and our work here in China!

Putting a Face to the Name

Some of you receive newsletters or updates from us occasionally that ask for your Thoughts for some of the students we have made relationships with. (If you haven't, I'm asking you now!) I would like for you to have a face in mind when you are Thinking of these precious students. I will introduce them below.

DREAM

(Dream is seated on the front row, farthest to the right - black long-sleeves)

Dream is my sweet friend that I mentioned in my last blog (if you missed it, check it out here...or just scroll down!). She is a freshman English major. She wants to be an English teacher. She is one of the most thoughtful students I have. Last semester, she was the first to reach out to me and make an effort to form a relationship. We have had many talks recently about Important Things, and she has noticed the difference that They have made in my life. She has shown an interest in the Son and last week, I gave her a Book that was in English and Chinese. The Seed has been sown. Please Ask that it will be Watered and He will give increase. I want so badly for her to know the Truth.

LISA

(Lisa is closest to the camera

- stripes and pointing a gun at you!)

Lisa is a close friend of Dream's. She usually comes to lunch with us on Fridays. She is also a freshman English major. She has not necessarily shown as much interest, but she has been there to hear mention of the Son. She is a sweet girl that loves life. Please Ask that her ears are open to what she has heard, and that her heart will be soil for planting.

CHEN SHU (pronounced Chin Shoe)

(Chen Shu is seated in the middle)

Michael first met Chen Shu last semester. He was by himself, walking back to our campus. It started raining and he didn't have an umbrella. Chen Shu came up to him and offered to walk him home with her umbrella before she even knew that they were heading to the same place. That's just the kind of girl she is. She is a junior Broadcasting major. We have gotten to spend quite a bit of time with her this semester. We have had lunch together, she has been to our apartment to teach us to cook Chinese dishes, and she invited us to be a part of her class project (we had to be on a TV game show of which she was the hostess). Please Ask that her eyes will be open to notice something Different about us, that we will have opportunity to talk to her about Why we are different, and that we have at the very least made an impression in her life for Good and Truth.

WENDY

I think this one is fairly obvious!

Wendy is another one of my freshmen English majors. I had the opportunity to spend a Saturday afternoon with her a couple of weeks ago. We were able to talk for a couple of hours and really got to know each other. Without any prompting from me, Wendy asked me what I Believed. I was, of course very happy to share with her. In response, she told me that she "believes in science" (something they are encouraged to do in this society). She has such a good heart. Please Ask that she will open her heart to search for Something More and that the Words I spoke to her will land in good soil.

Of course there are other students that I have formed relationships with (one of which is Vivian - but I don't have a picture of her yet!). Please Think of all of them, but especially name these precious souls by name. Thank you for your continued Thoughts for the Work here. May His will be done and His name honored!

There Is A War Being Waged

*Disclaimer: I did not write this to offend. I wrote it to make you aware. There are also some generalizations in here that most definitely do NOT apply to everyone I know back home. I wrote this from my heart.

Dream is the student that I have grown the closest to over the past year. We have been talking and spending a lot of time together lately. We have lunch together every Friday. Last Friday, after lunch, we took a walk and ended up talking for around 3 hours.

Dream's family is Buddhist. As a part of Buddhist and Chinese culture, she prays to her ancestors. Dead people. She asks them for blessings, good health, and success in life. Her prayers fall on deaf, dead ears.

My heart breaks.

I love her. I want so badly for her to know the Truth - for her to be able to lean on a Living Rock, for her to be able to speak to Someone who hears.

There is a war being waged. I am a soldier. I am fighting. I have been wounded. I do not ask for an award, or for recognition. All the award and recognition that I need and desire come to me readily from the One who sent me into this battle.

But as my heart breaks for Dream, my heart also breaks for others - for so many of my "Christian" friends back home. They are living in their nice two-story homes, buying new furniture and clothes, going out to eat at expensive restaurants, working hard every day at jobs that will not last past this life, going to "church" on Sundays and Wednesdays and thinking this is Life. They do not even know about the war. They say that they are needed at home to work and support those who go, and also to reach the lost in their own communities. But where is the support? Where is the reaching out to the lost? They do not know there is a war, because they are not fighting in it.

I pray that when Michael and I move back to the States in less than two months, that we will not sink into lives of comfort and forget about the war and those who are fighting in it.

I have a friend who is in the army. He is in the Middle East now. He receives many packages from home and many messages of encouragement. I cannot help but think that the battle that I am fighting in is so much more important. Like I said before, I do not need award or recognition. I just want those back home to realize that there is a war being fought for souls - souls who are dying everyday without ever even hearing the name of their Savior, souls that are praying to dead people who cannot hear them.

When will we wake up and realize that we were not put on the earth and given the Truth so that we could live lives of comfort and mediocrity. We have been called to fight!!!

From prayer that asks that I may be

Sheltered from winds that beat on Thee,

From fearing when I should aspire,

From faltering when I should climb higher,

From silken self, O Captain, free

Thy soldier who would follow Thee.

From subtle love of softening things,

From easy choices, weakenings,

(Not thus are spirits fortified,

Not this way went the Crucified,)

From all that dims Thy Calvary,

O Lamb of God, deliver me.

Give me the love that leads the way,

The faith that nothing can dismay

The hope no disappointments tire

The passion that will burn like fire,

Let me not sink to be a clod;

Make me Thy fuel, Flame of God.

-Amy Carmichael

Waiting on God

I got an email this morning. It was from one of the two organizations I have applied to for a job. To summarize, they received many resumes from people who were better qualified and experienced than I and I would not be receiving an interview opportunity. I have been feeling down all morning. I wanted that job. I needed that job. We move back to the States in two months and we haven't exactly made the kind of money in China that can sustain us without income for a few months when we get back.

I'm waiting on God.

When we decided to move to China, I left a good job that I really enjoyed. I didn't make a lot of money, but it was enough. I left that job saying that, because we were answering His call, when we came back to the States, He would provide and bless me with a new job, maybe even a better job.

I'm waiting on God.

I know it was only the first response I have received. I know that I will find something eventually. I know that I still have work left to do here in China. I know not to be anxious about anything. I know that everything is in His hands.

I'm waiting on God.

For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for wholeness and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. (Jeremiah 29:11)

He has always provided in the past. I am going to spend a few moments remembering all the times I have had need in the past and how He provided.

I'm waiting on God. And He's always faithful.

China Funnies

Since my last couple of posts have been so serious, I decided it was time for something a little more light-hearted. Enjoy!

The cover of a Chines home decorating magazine. Please look closely at the front throw pillow.

Popular ice cream flavors - red bean and green pea.

At the local Wal-Mart (those are pigs and ducks)...no seriously, this is a Wal-Mart in China.

Not a very clear picture, but in China it is completely acceptable for grown women...and men...to walk around in public in full pajama sets. They wear them to shop, to dinner, wherever...as early as 5pm.

That is a live goldfish in a tiny keychain...PETA would have a fit.

One of the most entertaining parts of China is the Chinglish (an attempt to translate Chinese into English)...if you can't get enough, try chinglish.com

"Nothing is compatable to het beauty Beautipy Your Hair"

What are warm tips???

A message from the ATM...your guess is as good as mine.

and my personal favorite...at the cafeteria of our school....

The food is not great, but it's not THAT bad!!!

Words From the Heart

I always want to be honest with you. I don't want to use this site to make it sound like everything is wonderful all the time and that our lives and our work are perfect. So, to be honest, I am feeling a bit discouraged this morning. We have been here for almost 8 months and have not had one single study. I have also heard that there are some people back home that are criticizing our work. And I'm starting to doubt myself and wonder if it's all been a waste. I know I just wrote about planting seeds, and God's word not coming back empty handed. I know all this in my head, but my heart is having a hard time catching up. We are running out of time, and I'm afraid of being a failure. I know that God didn't send us here to have studies - He sent us here to be His Son to this country and to plant seeds and to simply obey His call. I know that things may happen as a result of our being here that I may never even know about. I know that even if absolutely nothing happens, this year still has not been a waste because I have grown so much and learned so much during our time here. But knowing isn't always understanding. Please Think of us. Please Think about the people we are trying to reach. Please ask that He keep the evil one from us and that we won't get discouraged and give up. We have 2 months left, and He can do amazing things. Please ask that we be reminded of this.

A Heaven-sent Reminder

As some of you may have seen on facebook or Twitter, I've had a pretty rough week.

Some people assume that since we are missionaries, that we have superhero faith and that we never struggle or have difficult times. It's simply not true. A war is being waged (Ephesians 6:12), and as soldiers, we are right in the middle of it - and a lot of times that means getting wounded. (For a really good perspective on peaks and valleys check this out) I have been floundering all week trying to find purpose and motivation. I have been begging God for help. He sent it today.

Jackie (center) is a Brother. Kyle (my brother) met him during his first year in China back in 2005. He lives in Shanghai (about an hour and a half away) and came to visit for the weekend. We had our Family Meeting this morning, and (for security reasons among other things) he is the first Chinese that we've had to attend. Apparently we all had bad weeks, including Jackie, but this is what he shared (paraphrase), "I feel better today. I had a dream last night and it was like He told me to give Him the burden. He told me that I try to do everything on my own and I can't. I need Him."

One of the greatest struggles since we've been here is wondering if we're doing any good, making any difference. Jackie also had some encouraging words on this topic. He reminded us of the quote about 'one planting the seed, and another sowing...' Then he shared his story. The first foreign teacher he had was a Sister. She didn't think he had any interest and probably assumed she would never talk to him again after her year in China. The very next year, another teacher came and Jackie became a Brother. The first teacher wasn't there to see it, but she was the one who had planted the seed. It was a great encouragement to hear this from a Chinese. He also said, "Don't think you're here to help the Chinese. You are here for us to help you." I'm not sure he knew how right he was!

"For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven and do not return there but water the earth, making it bring forth and sprout, giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater, so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it." -Isaiah 55:11

I have to remind myself that my purpose is not to "convert" or teach, that is for God to do. My job is simply to plant seeds - to "proclaim the excellencies of him who called [me]." -1 Peter 2:9