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 :)

21: thanksgiving

Almost five years ago, Spotswood hired a new college pastor. As I was one of the lone college students, he wanted to meet with me to talk about Spotswood's college ministry (which was pretty non-existent at the time) and the possibility of serving as a student leader to help reach out to the UMW campus. 

At the time, I was involved in a couple para-church Christian clubs on campus. Through our talks, this pastor (who we all now know and love... Pastor Doug), explained to me the importance of being invested in the Body. He asked me to pray about being fully committed to serving in and through the Church, instead of trying to split my time and waffle between commitments to different groups. At first, though reasonably presented, his request sounded odd. Being in many Christian clubs was very much a part of the college Christian culture I was in. However, as I prayed about it and talked it out with my mentors, they affirmed the decision I felt God was leading me towards, which was this:

That someday (quite soon), I would be graduating. My relationships with those clubs and groups was short-term at best. But, my relationship with the Church is eternal. As a believer, I am a part of the Body. I can either start owning that, and be an active member, or not. It wasn't just about my time or about choosing to be on leadership. For me, it came down to this decision: Am I going to love the Church? I chose yes.

Since that decision, God has given me a huge heart for His Bride. As my view of the Church changed, so did the way I viewed and did ministry and missions. Being a part of a local Body of believers became non-negotiable. Finding ways to use my gifts in the Church became a joyful challenge. Fast forward to 2012. My first month in Thailand, Claire and I were asking the pastor of LifePoint, David, about joining the Church. Why? 

As I was reminded again today in my NT reading, we are a part of one Body. There is both a responsibility and joy that accompanies connectedness. In the past five years, there have been many times when I've been able to witness the diversity of God at work within the Body of Christ. And it is beautiful. We're a messy broken people, but we are also dearly loved. It has been my greatest joy to serve the Lord, not on my own, but through the partnership and Body of Christ. I am so thankful that God saw fit to place us and grow us in the context of a Body.

1 Corinthians 12:14-20, 23-27

Even so the body is not made up of one part but of many. 

Now if the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,” it would not for that reason stop being part of the body. And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,” it would not for that reason stop being part of the body. If the whole body were an eye, where would the sense of hearing be? If the whole body were an ear, where would the sense of smell be? But in fact God has placed the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be. If they were all one part, where would the body be? As it is, there are many parts, but one body. 

...But God has put the body together, giving greater honor to the parts that lacked it, so that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other. If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it. 

Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it.

Today marked my second Thanksgiving* in Thailand (we figured we're already 12 hours ahead, why not 5 days?). Throughout the whole evening I couldn't decide if I wanted to laugh or cry. It was an it's-so-perfect-it-hurts kind of nights. There we were, 16 Americans, doing what we love best: baking, playing games, watching Christmas movies, eating turkey..., as family. I'll always be a part of the universal Church, but it is also a singular blessing to have been able to spend the last year and a half involved with LifePoint (my local church). I am looking forward to the day when all my spiritual family will be able to join and feast together at the Marriage Supper of the Lamb! What a happy, happy eternity that will be.

And speaking of feasting, here are some pictures of our tasty food... to get you motivated to start thawing that turkey and stocking up on stuffing! (And because no "Thanksgiving Post" would be complete without gratuitous pictures of food.)

Happy Thanksgiving!

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* For more details on our Thanksgiving, check out Steph's blog! [click here]

25: coffee shops and classes

I know I'm a little partial, but I really love the LifePoint Cafe (previously called "Cafe Boly"). It is a cute little nook with lots of sunlight, great smoothies, and cute pillows. The pictures really don't do it justice, but here it is!

All the profits from the Cafe go towards ministries that help women who want to get out of the sex industry and/or have been trafficked. As if we needed an excuse to buy another drink or tasty pastry... 

[making my favorite smoothie: peanut butter banana. yum!]

For the last four months, I've been going to help at the Cafe on Thursdays, but starting this month, I had to switch to Tuesdays because of my schedule. Today, I had a special treat, Tiffany joined me! (I help Tiffany cook at her place on Fridays for Unite.) Here were the results of our labor...

[cranberry bliss bars] 

[pumpkin scones]

[strawberry lemonade cupcakes]

This is where the magic happens! It's LifePoint's humble closet-turned-kitchen... Can you spot our brave little toaster oven amidst the mess? Thankfully, with four hands, we got things cleaned up twice as quickly.

[baking buddies!]

After a full day in the kitchen, it was back to the BSC for my 5:00 and 7:00 classes. Both of my classes had 6 of the 7 students show up. I like it that my classes this term ended up being a little smaller (I've had some classes with as many as 24 students!) because I really can get to know them better.

Your prayers and support have brought and kept me here. The relationships I'm building are not just mine, they are ours. Thank you for your partnership, and for allowing me to be a light in this place. May God continue to shine brightly through His people!

PS: Please, please, check out Steph's post about a funny "This is Thailand" moment we had today! [click here to read]

26: recovering

This morning I slept in. Embarrassingly late. But I'm claiming it as a recovery day, and therefore refuse to feel guilty. It was much needed and I feel so much better after 10 hours of sleep! That being said, after waking up, getting ready, reading the Word (I finally made it to Romans in my extended* edition of 'Read the NT in 30 Days Plan'!), and doing a minor clean-up job to my tragically trashed room, I headed to the office for a full afternoon and evening of teaching. I forgot to sniper-photograph my students in class to give you sneak peek into the classroom, but classes went well. It's week three, which means that after Thursday I'll be exactly halfway done with my term.

After class, I headed back to my room for a skype date with my dear friend (and one year Bangkok compatriot) Claire. We may have also talked for an embarrassingly long time... but that was much needed, too! It was so refreshing to get to talk face-to-face with her, as it always is. I value and appreciate it so much when people stateside make time to spend time with me. I know it's not easy, but it is a real encouragement. Whether it's as simple as a reply to a post, or facebook message, or as involved as a skype call, I love hearing from you all! Thank you for your continued support, love and prayers <3.

---
* Our church here, LifePoint, encouraged all of us to read through the entire New Testament in the month of October. As it's Nov 18th and I'm only beginning Romans, you can see I got a little behind. My goal is to finish it (and the little bit I have left of the OT from my 'Read the Bible in a Year' plan) before I return Dec. 14th. I share this for accountability purposes... If I haven't finished the Bible before I step of the plane, send me back! Haha!

29: unite

Tonight was my penultimate day baking with Tiff and being a part of LifePoint's Friday Night Unite:BKK events. Seeing everything coming to an end, makes evenings like these all the sweeter.

[photo credit: witt kaminh]

The day started off at the far end of the BTS line, chez Tiffany. We baked mini pumpkin cheesecakes, carrot souffles, corn casseroles, mashed potatoes, and cranberry white chocolate bars. Other folks brought rolls and chicken, watermelon, oranges and some Korean food! It was quite the spread!

Yum. But, as good as the food was... it was not the highlight. As fun as the trivia games were, they weren't either (and that's not bitterness speaking because I didn't know which Thursday in November Thanksgiving fell on...). My highlight for tonight was two-fold: 

1. Three of my students I invited, attended! (I put a * by their names) and 2. I met an awesome girl from Mongolia who came for the first time tonight and we had a great conversation! She's planning on attending more of the programs and services we have at LP. So cool!

[L-R: Mind, Kaew, Me, *Wi, *Kwang and Candy]

[L-R: Me, *Kabil and Joshua]

I love that even though I "just" have 29 days left, God is still giving me opportunities to reach out, connect and share about Him with the Nations! Thank you for your prayers-- keep them coming!

praises.

Thank you so much for your prayers regarding Hua Hin, Mae Sot and so many other things, areas, and relationships. I know that God is answering your prayers because He's doing things I haven't prayed about!! I don't want you ever to feel like you don't know how God is working through your prayers for Thailand, so, here it is: more proof that our God answers prayers :)

Hua Hin

- God has been blessing the relationships built at camp... seven people came to our Friday night program at LifePoint! And others have expressed an interest in getting together in the near future.
- Also, while we were at camp, almost every member of our team was able to share some of our stories and the Gospel. We had so many open doors and opportunities. God is good!
- To read more about Hua Hin from Steph's perspective, [click here]

[Chula friends at LifePoint's "Fear Factor/Costume" Night! I'm the blue cartoon: "Doraemon"]

Mae Sot

- From surprise visits to the clinic to drop-in visitors, this trip was chock full of the unexpected. However, God knew ahead of time exactly what would happen in the three days we were there, and His timing is perfect! (For example: Steph and I being there to help teach classes, freed up teachers who needed to make clinic visits.) From the supplies we brought, to the lessons we taught, God was there.
- And, the lovely Karen children all have nice new pens, compliments of Spotswood (the team brought them during their 2012 trip).
- To read more about our trip, you can check out Steph's post [click here]

[Thailand, and across the river, Burma/Myanmar]

LifePoint

- God is continuing to bring new people through our doors and grant us favor in building relationships. Every week we have new people stopping in for English classes, our Friday programs and Comm110 English classes. It's not about the numbers; it's about being responsible with the people God has placed in our lives. While we never do it as perfectly as we wish... God has been busy producing fruit in the mean time. So, to Him alone be the glory!

[Comm110 ministry] 

[Unite: BKK "Engineering Night"]

Odds and Ends

- God continues to give me opportunities to love and serve through tutoring and relationships outside of the class and the church. While I haven't arrived (not even close!), it's encouraging and exciting to spend time with people outside of "events" and "schedules".

- God is also keeping us safe, even when we forget to pray for safety! We've been traveling a lot, with plenty of opportunities for things to go wrong... but God has kept us safe (even from a little moto- incident that occurred while Steph and I were crossing the street). 

- In small group, I have been keeping track of everyone's prayer request... and so far God has answered all but one (which is still TBD). What a wonderful testimony to the personal and involved nature of our God.

[Some of the lovely women I tutor weekly]

[Visiting some ruins in the old capital city of Thailand]

Thank you, thank you, thank you for all of your fearless prayers. They are being heard, and they are being answered-- for our good and the Father's glory!

hua hin.

When I was asked to help teach at an English camp for University students, I immediately agreed. What could be more fun than English on the beach?? Especially when the timing bumped up perfectly with the annual LifePoint staff retreat… at the same beach! God is so good like that :)

Our staff retreat was Monday through Wednesday, and was absolutely wonderful. It was a great balance of relaxing, team building and discussing and praying for the future, Thailand and each other. My favorite part was hearing everyone’s testimonies and seeing how—though we all came from different places—God brought us all here and made us family through the same process, salvation.

[Relishing in a fancy American meal, compliments of our church. Yes, there was bacon!]

Wednesday we transitioned hotels to where the English camp would be held. It is full of character (and I mean that in the most genuine way!). It used to be a music school/studio and has been turned into a creative music-themed hotel. Complete with instruments… everywhere! A drum for a table, a piano mounted on the wall and turned into a bookshelf, a guitar neck serving as a door handle… We’re staying in the “Jazz wing” where each room is a different musician/band complete with artwork and playable instruments!

[View from our balcony]

[Beach time with the VanDykes, Steph and Julia!]

 The students (44 students, plus their professors) arrived today, Thursday, and so far it’s been a total blast! The theme for the camp is “English for fun” and today definitely lived up to that. Even fining the students when they spoke Thai (20 Baht per offense) became a fun joke! We ended up collecting 300 Baht by the end of the day… haha. We also played Catch Phrase, Jeopardy, Telephone Charades, and other games. Really, this is my dream camp. English, games, and opportunities to build relationships.

[Telephone Charades]

[My team for the day... Orange Team]

[The most difficult game of Jeopardy... ever. I only knew two answers.]

Please pray that we would be able to build strong relationships with the students here, so that we can have entryways into sharing the Gospel. We’ve already been able to share little pieces with some of the students, but we would all love to share more. Pray that they would see something Someone different in our lives, and that we would be discerning enough to see those moments and brave enough to seize them!

I’m excited to share with you at the end of the week what God does through your prayers over the next two days!

out-of-bangkok.

This past week Steph and I both wrapped up teaching all our Term 5 classes (our penultimate term at the BSC... and my last time teaching on Saturdays!). And tomorrow begins our Out-of-Bangkok experience. Over our break we'll be spending some time in Hua Hin, me for a LifePoint staff retreat and Steph as the childcare aficionado. Then we'll both be helping at an English Camp (also in Hua Hin). After that we'll be heading to Mae Sot to spend some time with the lovely Karen children I was able to meet this past summer. As this is our last break before returning to the States (can you believe it?), we're trying to fit in all that we can. As busy as it sounds, we'll have plenty of time to rest on our long bus rides ;)

Please be praying for us, both for our health and stamina, but also that we can continue to be a blessing and take the Gospel with us wherever we go, despite being "on break".

Please also pray for the LifePoint staff retreat:

- that we would get to develop and build deeper friendships with each other
- that God would use this time to bring increased unity and vision to our team
- that it would be a refreshing time for us as leaders
- that we could be encouraged as we hear more of the work God is doing through His people 

talent show.

Every other Friday evening we have a program at LifePoint called "Unite: BKK". It is a fun outreach event that is meant to facilitate relationship building between us and those in the community. This last Friday, we had a Talent Show... and (wow!) there are some talented folks in our mix. From singing, dancing, dub step, science experiments, cooking, magic and memory tricks to Steph and my "talent" (looking ridiculous on the fly!)... It was a memorable night :)

This month has been chock full of non-traditional blog posts, and today's is no exception. Here's our improv sketch titled: "Helping Hands: Making the Ultimate Sandwich". Enjoy!

Credits
Voice and body... Liz
Hands and arms... Steph

100% God.

Every morning for the last few weeks, (except Tuesdays, which I have claimed as a personal "Sabbath") I go to LifePoint for a 4-hour class (MTS: Missions Training School) which covers topics ranging from personality types, conflict resolution, theology, the purpose of missions, worship, Old and New Testament surveys, and prayer to spiritual warfare. Yes, all that, and then some, crammed into two weeks (with four more to go!). My head and heart have been in overload trying to process, internalize and apply the flood of new information... as Pastor David prayed for us last week, God has been "sharpening my mind and softening my heart."

This morning in my quiet time at MTS, I read Acts 12. The two headers are: "Peter's Miraculous Escape From Prison" and "Herod's Death."

Here are the cliff notes:

Peter is in jail for preaching the Gospel... and Herod's planning to have him killed. The church is praying for him. An angel appears in the prison, wakes Peter up, frees him, and escorts him out of the prison to safety. Peter's response is, "Now I know without a doubt that the Lord sent His angel and rescued me from Herod's clutches and from everything the Jewish people were anticipating." He then goes to Mary's house and his friends are (understandably) shocked to see him. Peter then described "how the Lord had brought him out of prison." 

Crazy story, right? Here Peter is in shackles, with no ability to free himself, help himself, or do anything... and God rescues him! God sends the angel. God releases his shackles. God (through His angel) leads him out of prison and into safety. All God. And when Peter is released, he has one response: tell people what God did. 

Then there's part two. Herod is delivering a public address to the people and they begin to murmur that, "This is the voice of a god, not of a man." And, instead of giving credit and glory to God (where it was do... because God created Herod with his speaking gifts and abilities), Herod is silent. And, "immediately, because Herod did not give praise to God, an angel of the Lord struck him down and he was eaten by worms and died."

What the heck. That is a terrifying mental image. And also a great juxtaposition of two men. One who understood that when God does the work, He gets the glory and one who... didn't.

Through that passage, God reminded me of this:

I was in bondage to sin. I was bound with no hope of escape or release. My verdict had been declared, and it was death. There was nothing to be done, nothing I could do, and nothing the ones I loved could do for me. But God made a way. He sent His Son, to live, die and be resurrected... not because I'm awesome and deserve to be saved, but because through rescuing me from sin, the Father would be glorified. My salvation was a wonderful side effect of Christ's mission: to make much of His Father.

[At the Klong Toey slums. Photo Credit: Brandon Tomlin]

And so I was freed from my shackles and from slavery to sin, and given a new life, new hope and grafted into the family of God. Then, though the Holy Spirit, God gave me the ability to understand the Scriptures. He gave me the knowledge and wisdom I needed to grow in the process of sanctification. He was the One who instructed my heart with the Truth. Then, He gave me a mission to share with others about His greatness, His grace, and His desire for reconciliation... with the end result being: Him creating more worshippers of Himself. He sent me out with His words, to share with people that He made, whose hearts He has been preparing to receive His message. Then, I share His Word with them, and as He promises, it does not return void. He convicts them, instructs them, and woos them to Himself. Then, as they admit their sin and repent and confess Him as Lord... He saves them. Oh, and those spiritual gifts that I'm able to use to build up and encourage my church? God gave them to me. And my talents? Yup, got those from God too. Do you see in this story what I can take credit for? Absolutely nothing. He has done everything.

Doug often mentions that being a pastor is "humiliating" because the words he speaks are not his own, and the work those words do in the lives of people are not his work. At the end of the day, he can take credit for nothing... He can only thank God that he was used, and praise God that He was faithful in pursuing and convicting and redeeming the hearts of His people.

I think it's not just pastors, though, it's all believers. We cannot take credit for anything, because God, through Jesus and the Holy Spirit, has accomplished it all already! When I get to share with someone about the Gospel... it's not, "Yay me! I had an opportunity to share, and maybe I helped convince them to accept Christ!" Instead, it's, "Wow. God loves this person so much that He put me in their path and gave me the opportunity to share the truth about our Creator with one of His creation.*" My response to sharing the Gospel stops being me patting myself on the back, and instead becomes yet another opportunity and reason to worship God.

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* Loosely quoted from Pastor David