I began to sense that God was taking things out of me that didn’t belong, and it was a pretty uncomfortable process.

As these things were going on, God showed me a piece of His heart.  The piece he showed me was the Uyghur people in C-Town.  He showed me just a glimpse of how much He loved them, and I’ll never forget the day that I was walking home from a popular Uyghur restaurant in our area, and He spoke to me, “I AM going to use you to reach these people.”  After He spoke those words to me, passion began to well up inside of me for the Uyghur’s.

I would hang around the restaurant more, and begin to talk to the different people at the restaurant.  I became very good friends with the owner’s son “Corbin”, and I began asking him how to say things in Uyghur.  I felt like I needed to learn this language, and there was something inside of me that was good at learning it.  One night Corbin joked around, and said that Jesus has given me a gift to learn their language.  I thought this was funny because I stink at Chinese, and my Uyghur is much better than my Mandarin.  That’s Dad’s grace for you.  My Uyghur isn’t amazing or anything, but now I can say things to those who don’t speak any English, and it allows me to have a more deep and meaningful relationship with them.

The Holy Spirit has been pouring out ideas and vision for how I can be involved with these people more.  One night, God gave me an idea of learning more of their language through passages in the Bible.  Even though Corbin is a muslim, he was okay with this idea, and as we were looking at popular parts of the book, I saw his face change, as the Holy Spirit poured out His love.  Corbin told me that he must read more of the Bible!  I’m going to find him a Bible that he can read in his language.  Corbin is open, and he’s really hungry for the truth. *Please keep him and his family in your thoughts.

Since I’ve been here in America this year for the Christmas season, I feel like a holiday sponge, trying to soak in as much of the Christmas spirit as possible. I want to feel as much anticipation as I can! From cutting down a tree, to playing Christmas carols for hours at a time, I’ve done everything short of participating in a live nativity scene in order to get into the Christmas spirit. And for the first time in years, it feels like Christmas.

It makes me wonder what would happen if I lived all of my life like this. What would result from living in a constant state of anticipating something great? I think that it would have to depend on what I believed God is capable of. Do I truly believe that He is doing something in my life that is worthy of anticipation and that He’s leading me somewhere that I want to go?

Recently I was thinking back to when I first signed up with Campus Target and was in Asia for the first time. It was an exciting season of my life, filled with anticipation about what might result from the decision I had made to go. Leading up to that point, I had been discovering for the first time in my Christian life the depth of God’s love for me, and so I went into that experience with a willingness to do whatever He asked of me, no matter how extreme or out of my comfort zone it was. After a lifetime of straddling the fence, I finally whole heartedly surrendered to His will. And the natural outcome of that was anticipation; I knew that I could trust Him, and I knew that He was good. Therefore, the road ahead was worth anticipating. And for the first time, I felt truly alive.

Part of the joy that comes from knowing Him is discovering how good He really is. It’s not until you know deep down in your heart how much He loves you that you start to anticipate His plans for your life, and in turn begin to truly live.

It makes me extra thankful this Christmas to think that the only reason I can know Him the way that I do, and the only reason I have hope and anticipation for the road ahead, is because of the King that was born in the manger, who would be the Savior of the world.

I hope that your Christmas is filled with peace & joy as you remember why we have lives worth anticipating.

So this is just the beginning of what we call our “training group”. Now that they believe and follow God with their lives, we will get together and have fellowship with them every week. We share how we are doing, sing songs to God, Cast Vision of God wanting to know everyone, teach them 1 lesson each time like Holy Spirit, Jesus first, time w/ God, Grace and so on and practice then set goals for our week (who we will share with and train) and pray together for the week to commission each other out. They will be simple and straight from the word so that as they are sharing (and already have been) with their friends and family and when they come into the family they can pass on the same simple lessons and have church:)
Hoagie and I are very excited for how God will use this group and them to multiply and reach thousands for Him! Please keep this time and these 2 brothers in your thoughts and ask God to have His way in them.

We love you so much and thanks for being a great support to us. Hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving, but didn’t eat too much turkey. We
definitely ate too much pumpkin pie this year…..;)

Recently I tackled my first big home project; painting the bathroom. When we moved in the bathroom walls were the color of unhealthy urine; dark, cloudy looking yellow. So we went to Lowe’s, picked out some new paint, and bought some supplies. I put on an old pair of jeans and got started. I began putting the painter’s tape around the trim and found it invigorating. I started painting around the edges, dripping paint all over my hands and in the bathtub, but I was still energized! And as I started using the roller, it was almost intoxicating. I lost track of time and worked through lunch and the entire afternoon without even noticing! Even when I knocked the paint tray over and spilled half a quart of paint down the sink, I was still loving life. Later, after finishing, I was literally watching the paint dry on the walls, soaking in the feeling of accomplishment.

In one day I had set out to do a task and completed it. With my own two hands, the yellow walls were now gray. The results of my labor were visible, right on the walls in front of me. It made me think about how life is not always that simple. I can’t count how many times my efforts to “fix” the world around me have resulted in unmet expectations and lack the sense of accomplishment that I had hoped for.

Honestly, it makes me feel frustrated sometimes. My striving seems in vain and my hard work fruitless. It makes me wonder what God is thinking, knowing that He has a plan and purpose, and yet results don’t seem to register to me as accomplishment. My tendency is to question what it is I’m working towards or what difference I’m making when things in this world seem to be business as usual.

But I was reading the other day about when King David turned the kingdom of Israel over to his son, Solomon. If that isn’t an overwhelmingly large role to fill, I don’t know what is. Solomon was young and inexperienced, his only qualification being that God Himself chose him, and he had just been placed in charge of a nation as numerous as the dust of the earth. But David’s charge to his son was simple; to know the God of his father, and to serve Him whole heartedly and with a willing mind.

I think what he was saying was that when you give yourself wholly and completely to God, and you live out your days only seeking to do His will, that is the true accomplishment. In that case, when your satisfaction comes from knowing that you’re doing God’s will, then you will always be fulfilled if you’re given totally to Him. Loving Him and following His call becomes the purpose of your life rather than striving to fix things that are beyond your power to change. So as a Christian, it isn’t that I give my life to Him in exchange for tangible results. It isn’t about what I can accomplish at all. He desires simply that I would earnestly seek Him, willingly trust Him, and do these things persistently, having faith that He is sovereignly at work in all things. When the love of God is the result of all my actions, how could I go wrong? How could I waste a moment or do a single thing in vain?

It’s a humbling thought, and not one that comes naturally. But the more that I know Him, the more that I am willing trust His way over my own. And if I miss that tangible sense of accomplishment, there is always a poorly chosen color to be painted over.

So our 2 guy friends, Dahong and Mike, came over tonight to have us show them how to make mashed potatoes and gravy. They had come to our Turkey day party this Sunday and were so intrigued with the mashed potatoes and gravy, so we jumped at the opportunity to teach them American food and invited them over. We got to walk them through making mashed potatoes and let them do each step because they wanted to remember and share it with their families. It was so funny to watch the excitement they had in learning this simple dish. We were having such a blast hanging out with them, eating potatoes (so yummy) and teaching them uno. They have a huge sense of humor and had us cracking up the whole night.
Hoagie started asking them questions about the story we shared of Jesus at our turkey party and what they believed. Right away their eyes light up as if they were waiting for us to ask and so excited that we finally did. They each took a turn and explained to us why they wanted to believe, trust and follow God with their lives. We talked for a little while answering questions to make sure they really understood what He did for them and what it meant to follow Him. It was then that the HS completely took control and fell over all of us! I have never seen two guys so moved & touched by the HS that they were speechless as He moved in their hearts that no words could express. We took advantage of what God was doing and asked them just to pray about whatever they felt was in their heart that they wanted to say to Him. It was so precious as Hoagie and I just got to witness them talk to God for the first time, “Hey, God how are you doing?! I just want you to know I believe I really believe in you and know you took all my bad things away and give me joy to follow you!”  ”I want to know you more.” These were just some of the phrases I can remember that they spoke. GOD IS GOOD! He is calling His children back to himself.

The Lord is really being so faithful to lead us to the right people and pouring His HS over us! We have seen at least 6 people in the the city this last week come to Know God personally! Praise Him! There is nothing better or more exciting then seeing people come into relationship with Him.

It was such an awesome night. Will you commit in talking to God with us for Dahong and Mike? That He would continue to fill them with His spirit as they grow in who He is and share with boldness what He did for their friends and Family. They were so excited and wouldn’t have it any other way then to meet every week to praise God and learn more from the Bible to obey. Little did they know they just asked to start having church!!!

We love you all and so glad we have you to share everything God is doing! Hope you have a HAPPY THANKSGIVING! There is always SO much to be thankful for. What are you thankful for this year?

So last week we had 3 salvtions, and shared the gospel with countless others.  This week, at first, I was easily frustrated when it seemed God was giving us so many people to spend time with, but so few could contact us back, or see us at all.  All of our saved friends were gone or busy this week, one of our saved friends’ Dad texted us saying she wasn’t going to meet with us again and he didn’t want us teaching her any more lessons, and one that was going to come tonight to our Girl’s Night suddenly got busy, and like our friend Jo, said maybe next month we could meet with her again.  So to start, slightly discouraging.  Also, there were many times this week where I just felt distant from God.  I’m here doing His work, but still felt like I wasn’t close to Him.  But after some discussions this week, reading a chapter about it in Experiencing Dad, and prayer, I recognized I wasn’t completely listening to God’s voice.

For some reason, I was being really caught up in non-spiritual things. I felt like which shirt I wore each day, or what I ate, or where I went, were all very spiritual and caught myself up not knowing what I should do.  When I typed out these questions, it seemed evident to me my problem.

“Where does it talk about in the Bible about stupid things like clothes?”

In Experiencing Dad, the chapter talked very little about what God’s voice doesn’t sound like, because in the analogy he gave he said that people who handle money in banks don’t study frauds to know what one looks like, they just memorize every exact detail of the real thing.  So in the same way, we should study God’s Word so we know His voice completely.  In my head I was worrying about what clothes to wear, where I should go, what time I should get up.  But in Matthew Jesus says that we shouldn’t worry about these things, because the pagans do.  From there I recognized I hadn’t been listening to God’s voice, but the enemy’s, and realized I needed to say “No” to what wasn’t based in Scripture regardless of how I feel, because God’s Word is true.

God’s certainly been able to show me what He’s been doing this week—firstly seeing where I needed to listen better and know His voice, but secondly to see where He’s been working.  Where last week we saw the immediate results—3 friends saved on the spot, this week has been more of sharing and seeing people open.  No one this week that we shared with has said no!  There are no rejections of the Father, just inquiries to know Him more!  So we’ve shared, at the end of tonight as Amanda and I were talking, I felt His work was just beginning and I needed to pray for our friends—so I asked for God’s Word not to return void, as He promised, and just go out and work in their hearts.

In a devotional that a friend sent me this past week written from a man who lived over 150 years ago, it talked about the disciples going out and fishing one night.  They had cast their lines out all night—they persevered, they kept going, even though they got nothing the entire time.  But as soon as Jesus came, He just spoke and all the fish came.  So we’re trusting God to water the seeds we planted and to grow them, because as the disciples were fishers of men, so we are, and we’ll tirelessly share the gospel, but we need God to come and ask the fish to go into the net.

May I ask if you’ll join us in prayer this week for the fish to go into the net?  We don’t know who God’s going to lead us to talk to this upcoming week, who will call or text us asking us questions… but we do know God does.  So will you asks Him to show us where He’s working—the fish who are ready to jump into the net and get svd, and for the seed we’ve planted to be watered throughout this week, every seed we planted since we got here, for God to water them?  Then also—for our sister Xiao Ying who’s facing oppression from her father, and our other 3 sisters whom we haven’t met with again yet to free their schedules for us this week so we can share water bptsm and the baptism of the Holy Spirit with them?

And thanks so much, Brothers and Sisters, for joining in with us, in the harvest in the Du. We spread the seed, but God waters and grows them.  So thank you for being here with us and for us through your support and love.

PS-  There’s a new sister as of tonight, and 6 more open people, in addition to mine and Amanda’s 5!  And we haven’t even heard from the boys yet!  So we’re rejoicing– in total these week I know of 3 new family members, 1 brother in GZ, and a sister and a brother here!

PPS-  I also forgot to share with you that our brother Philip got baptized this week by our friends Matt and Drew, and our sister Phoebe got baptized by Karen and Natalie this past 2 weeks ago.  And Karen and Natalie met with Phoebe again today to share about the Holy Spirit!  So even if our friends aren’t receiving these things yet, they’re still going out here in the Du, and I’m sure in GZ as well!

It’s a traditional holiday about a great famous warrior who strikes down 9 of the 10 suns that were in the sky.  After he does so, he’s rewarded with a pill that can turn him into a god or an angel, but he doesn’t want to leave his wife, so he doesn’t take it. But because people are trying to steal the pill from them, the wife takes it and becomes a god or angel.  The story varies and you may never hear the same story twice.  No one seems to believe in it anyways, but it’s a reason for families to come together and share a meal and for everyone to give mooncakes to their friends.  What’s a mooncake you might ask?  It’s a small, or sometimes larger pastry-looking thing that is always filled with something different.  When our friends have given us some, we’re never quite sure what to expect.  Sometimes they’re filled with something sweet, like a sweet cream.  Other time they’re filled with meat, sometimes fruit, sometimes something else.  This has opened my eyes and taught me a lot about our friends and what their lives are filled with.

Many of our friends, before we get to know them, we truly have no idea what their lives are filled with.  We find out that some are filled with ancestor worship, some with Buddhism, some with Confucianism, some Daoism, some with believing in themselves, others with nothing.  But some of our friends, like the sweet cream, we find out are already filled with God, like our friends Joana and Zhan!  And such a blessing it is for us to find out we have some Sisters already in the city.  Some of our friends are filled with just a little of God, like our friend Jo.  When we shared the gospel with her yesterday, she realized she didn’t know half as much as she thought she did, and after sharing with us for sometime, wanted to go home and give it some serious thought.  She’s so ready to become a believer!

But most of our friends are all filled with longing.  So many of our friends, like the 14 we had over last night for our first weekly Girl’s Night party, had never even heard of Jesus before.

When we asked if anyone had decided right then they wanted to follow Jesus, one of them spoke up and said that they were all hearing about this for the first time and want to learn some more before they decide to follow it.  Friends like Maggie, Emma, Sophie, and Vivien, are all very eager to know more, and we hope to meet with them in weeks to come and share more from the Bible with them, like the parable of the lost sheep.

Already in our city we’ve had 2 salvations, from our time here in the city, and we’re looking forward to that burning flame to ignite across the entire  campus, for our friends who accept Christ to then set their school ablaze with the gospel and the story of their salvation.  Keep in prayer for the campus and for our friends who are beginning to grasp the gospel, that God will water the seeds we’ve sown and the harvest will come.

I have lived in Asia for over three years now, so I am used to the attention I get while doing the most mundane, average of activities such as walking down the street, or buying a cup of coffee.  I can’t tell you how many times an Asian stranger has asked to take their picture with me…I mean, I do like wearing tinted sunglasses, but I am not a famous movie star or anything like that .  I sometimes chuckle when I think of the number of photo albums I have ended up in over the years…photo albums of people who don’t even know my name. 

So last week when a group of girls came up to me at the night market across from my university, I thought it was for yet another photo op.  I could tell they were really nervous when they approached me…they probably had not spoken to many foreigners in the past…but they definitely relaxed a bit when they discovered that I could speak the local language and that I am a nice person .

McDoogle

Last week I was getting all my finances in order.  I had my money and passport set aside so that I can renew my visa.  I also had money set aside for the cost of my dental bills.  I had it all neatly arranged in different parts of my wallet so that I would be sure to not spend it.  And then, last Saturday, I took it all and threw it on my desk. 

Sunday morning, while riding the bus, my wallet got stolen. Rather than loosing all my money, I only lost about $12, my bank card, and an almost empty eyeliner.  I have no doubt in my mind that the Holy Spirit prompted me to take out most of the money in my wallet the very night before. 

Two days after my wallet was stolen, I met up with a friend that I haven’t seen in over a month (Ivy – I’ve mentioned her in previous blogs).  She had no idea about me loosing my wallet. I mentioned to her what happened and how I felt God prompted me to put all my money on my desk.  Then, as we sit down and eat, she pulls out a gift that she bought me last month while vacationing in another city. A brand new wallet!!! 

At that time, I was hit by the love of God.  I saw how He led me to remove my money the night before, and then how after my wallet was taken from me, He showed me His love and provision for me!  It wasn’t a “yeah…..I know God loves me” moment; it was more than that-so deep and so personal.  It was beautiful!  And I love the way He used my friend, Ivy, to show me His love.

As I think about it, almost a week after everything happened, I’m still amazed by Him.  And, I feel like, daily, I am more aware of the way God loves me.  Often, it’s through the love of a close friend.  Sometime, through a complete stranger.  Or when I’m walking late at night and I look up into the stars and am hit by His glory and His love. It’s enjoying Him through the gifts He has given us. It’s unique and so much deeper than we can even begin to imagine.

So with all of that being said, I challenge you this week to be more open to God’s love.  Be looking for it! 

Amilah