Because of Jesus, There Can Be Rejoicing in the Midst of Sorrow

One of the 3rd grade Malawian girls, Alicia,  from ABC Christian Academy passed away from malaria, and went to be with Jesus on Wednesday. I received this sweet story this morning from an email that included a letter written by Nell Chinchen:

One of the new teachers Christy [Borders] said she was worried about how to tell her first graders. She said she sat them down in a circle on the floor and told them that Alicia had gone to heaven to be with Jesus. She was astounded when they all began clapping their hands! Rejoicing that Alicia was in heaven! Isn't that amazing that so much faith can be instilled in a little child.

May we, too, rejoice in the thought of being with Jesus, just like these precious children.

Please keep Alicia's mother and the school in your prayers as God continues to comfort during this time of grieving.

Peace for Malawi

 As soon as I heard these words I sat down and wept and mourned for days, and I continued fasting and praying before the God of heaven. And I said, "O LORD God of heaven, the great and awesome God who keeps covenant and steadfast love with those who love him and keep his commandments, let your ear be attentive and your eyes open to hear the prayer of your servant that I now pray before you day and night. . . Nehemiah 1:4-6

Malawi is on my heart as I've been receiving e-mails from students, asking me to please pray that God would give them peace during these fearful times. For more information about the violent rioting currently happening, read here.
I would ask you to join in prayer with me, pleading God's mercy upon Malawi, that God would bring peace to this country and that He would turn the evil things that have been happening there for His good. . . He Who has most definitely done it in the past is able!! May all find all their peace in the only place in which true peace is found -- in our precious Jesus. . . for he himself is our peace.

O Lord, let your ear be attentive to the prayer of your servant, and to the prayer of your servants who delight to fear your name, and give success to your servant today, and grant him mercy. . . (v.11)

The Word of God Does Not Return Void!

 "My counsel shall stand, and I will accomplish all my purpose." Isaiah 46:10

The first missionary to Korea, Robert J. Thomas, was ordained on June 4, 1863, at a little church in Hanover, Wales. He and his wife left in July, sent by the London Missionary Society, arriving at Shanghai, China. His wife died soon after arrival. In 1866, having evangelized for a few months in Korea and learning the language, Thomas rode the American ship, General Sherman, along the Taedong River (where the capital of North Korea is today). The Sherman became grounded on a sandbar. The Korean soldiers on shore were suspicious and scared. They boarded the ship waving long, flashing knives. When Thomas saw that he was going to be killed, he held out the Korean Bible to them saying, "Jesus, Jesus." His head was cut off. Twenty-five years after Thomas' death, someone discovered a little guest house in this area with some strange wallpaper. The paper had Korean characters printed on it. The owner of the house explained that he had used the pages of this book to paste on the wall to preserve the writing. Not only the owner, but many of the guests would come in and stay to "read the walls." This was the Bible that Thomas had given to his murderers.   Voice of the Martyrs, August 1997

Please pray!

Please keep me in your prayers as I consider joining a TIMO team that will, Lord willing, be heading to Tanzania in 2012!

Finish the Mission!

Let the peoples praise you, O God; let all the peoples praise you! Psalm 67:5

Child of God, You Have a Beautiful Portion - a Beautiful Portion FOREVER!

"Our God is a safe portion, a secure portion. He is a portion that no one can rob you of. He is a portion that none can touch or take from you. He is a portion that none can cheat or spoil you of. God is such a portion, that no friend, no foe, and no devil can ever rob a Christian of. O Christians, God is so yours in Christ, and so yours by covenant, and so yours by promise, and so yours by purchase, and so yours by conquest, and so yours by marriage union and communion, and so yours by the earnest of the Spirit, and so yours by the feelings and witnessings of the Spirit, that no power or policy on earth can ever pilfer your portion, or cheat, or rob you of your portion. He is not only our God for the present, O no! He will be our God for ever and ever. If God be once your portion, he will be forever your portion."

Thomas Brooks, cited in Voices From the Past: Puritan Devotional Readings

Christ, Our Eternal Joy and Hope

Right now I'm on Easter Holiday in Kenya, visiting Kibera, the largest slums in Africa ( http://old.aimint.org/can/story/mother_of_hope.html)
My mind is processing all I saw today. But I return with a deeper understanding of HOPE. Christ is our only hope. . . Christ is Kibera's only hope!

Our future with Christ transforms how we view the present. Our joy isn't chained to our relational status, television size, or health because we know that this life is a passing mist that will soon be burned away by the glory of heaven. We can patiently endure heartaches and headaches because we know that glory is coming. Thomas Watson said, "Whatever change or trouble a child of God meets with, it is all the hell he shall have." We may have trouble now, but it is all the trouble we will ever have. We may have sorrow now, but it is all the sorrow we will ever have. We may be under pressure now, but it is all the pressure we will ever have. Eternal life is ours, and the prospect of eternal joy fuels our present joy.

--Stephen Altrogge, from "The Greener Grass Conspiracy"