8: titus women

Today was a full day of baking cookies and cooking quiches for LifePoint's Unite:BKK Christmas Party this evening! As much as I love baking sugar cookies, what I love even more is getting quality time with Tiffany (and occasionally Steve). 

Claire, who was working on a seminary paper, recently brought up in our conversation the passage in Titus where it talks about older women teaching younger women. It reminded me how blessed I've been to have godly women want to invest in my life. The first person who intentionally "mentored" me (besides my mom) was Gina. She didn't meet with me and tell me "how to love my (future) husband and children, how to be self-controlled, pure, busy at home, kind, submissive..." (Titus 2:4-5). Rather, she invested in our relationship and lived transparently in front of me. As she modeled, I learned.

I learned about what it means to be a good wife, and what submission looks like in the good and difficult seasons. I learned to make choices not based on what is easiest, but on what requires more faith. I learned that sometimes, we just have to "do laundry as unto the Lord." I learned these things because, as Doug says, "Quantity time breeds quality time." Praise God for older, intentional, women who are willing to spend time with (and impact!) us young'uns for the sake of the Kingdom and for the glory of God!

[Tiffany prepping the tomatoes for Unite]

Gina always told me we should always try to have a "Paul, Barnabas & Timothy": someone investing in us, someone shoulder-to-shoulder in the trenches sharpening us, and someone we're investing in. I'm thankful that I've been able to have all three while here in Thailand. Tonight was an encouraging affirmation that God is growing fruit in the relationship investments I've made over the last year and a half. And, it was also a good reminder of how much so many people have invested into my life. Thank you.

[Christmas caroling] 

[Delicious sugar cookies... my mom's recipe!]

[L-R: JJ, Me, Aom, Isabella, photo-bomber: Matt]

[L-R: Me, Chao and Steph]

[L-R: Putt-Putt, Me, Pepe, Steph]

[L-R: Kabil, Mark, Me, Joshua]

[L-R: Nat, Me]

Also, for those who have been praying about my foot-situation, my results came back good! The doctor wasn't sure what's causing the pain in my foot (his theory is my running shoe?), but he said while my bone is irregular and therefore weaker than the others, I don't have a visible fracture and there's no tumor. So, that's good news! I'm going to try resuming some light running and see what happens... Thank you so much for all your prayers in that department :)