bullet points.

Behind on posts? No problem. Here are a few of the highlights to catch you up!

Timeline:

- I am in Fredericksburg, VA from May 10-June 24th
- I will return to Bangkok, Thailand, on June 24th with Stephanie Battleson for 6 more months of ministry.
- Claire will leave Bangkok to return to the US (with a one-week stop in Germany to visit her sister) on June 30th.
- While in Bangkok I will continue my work at the BSC and Rahab, and also join the LifePoint staff and begin serving with them in a more direct capacity.

Purpose while home:

- I want to be able to connect with people who have been praying for and/or sponsoring me during my last year! If you would like to get together and hear about what God has been doing through your obedience in sending me... please call or email me!
- Encourage, serve, and spend time with my church family (Spotswood).
- Spend some quality time with my genetic-family :)

Needs:

- I need to raise $1,900 for the round trip flight (IAD--> BKK and back), about $600 for health insurance while I am there, and $500 for my first month back in Thailand. Total financial needs: $3,000.
- If you would like to be a part of my 6 month extension in Thailand, please click the "Get Involved" tab at the top of my blog for details.
- The BSC where I have been volunteering the past year will be subsidizing my living expenses beginning at the end of July. This is a huge blessing as it has halved the amount of money in sponsorship I need to raise. I am very thankful for their investment in me!

mother's day.

I'm baaack (and will stay back until June 24th)!

Sorry for some of the confusion surrounding my return... As Mother's Day is past, I can now reveal the truth in full-disclosure! I surprised my mom (and dad and younger brother) on Mother's Day with a surprise return. They weren't expecting me until later in May and I needed to keep it a secret as long as possible :)

It was totally worth it!

Sunday was a beautiful and priceless moment. I loved being able to surprise them (their faces were ones of complete shock!) and it really appeased my ornery streak.

This first week back, ie: "family-week," has been a wonderful time to relax with the fam, grandma, (+ a little trip to visit folks at church and my FCS family!) and tomorrow I'll get to meet my niece for the first time!! This cushion week is also allowing me time to recover from jet-lag and re-adjust to America. So far, it's been a smooth transition... aside from my sleeping patterns being a hot mess, but that will work itself out in time, I'm sure.

I'm looking forward to getting to connect with many of you starting next week! My first week back at Spotswood will be this Sunday, May 19th. Hopefully I will be able to see and hug many of you there!! Shoot me an email or text (I have my old/same phone number) if you'd like to schedule a time to meet up/catch up/get coffee/etc.

See y'all soon!!

tweet that.

Louie Giglio recently tweeted, "It might be less about 'what' you're doing and more about the character you're letting God shape in you while you do it."

Thank you, Louie, for successfully articulating my last year of growth and lessons into 140 characters or less.

[drop the mic]

So often, so often, we get caught up in the "what" we are doing for God. Is it flashy enough? Spiritual enough? Relevant enough? We believe this lie that we have to get to a certain place or be doing a certain thing to have "meaningful ministry." Or perhaps we believe the lie that if it's hard, it's not where we're "supposed" to be. It's actually relatively easy to sabotage the work that our Father wants to do in us by missing the point: that the work He wants to do is in us.

Yes, God wants us to be obedient. But ultimately, we're going to be usable vessels when we are conformed in His likeness... Which will happen when we allow ourselves to be changed and sanctified and participate in that process.

As long as we're tied to these bones, we're going to struggle. But let's make it a struggle about the "how" and not the "what." Instead of getting our panties in a bunch about where we're serving or what we're doing, let's just do it! Wherever you are, be there. Be a missionary. Be obedient. Use your gifts. And see what God teaches you in the process. It's not about arriving at a perfect place and then being able to serve. It's about serving where God has, in His sovereignty, already placed you.

vlog: rahab

I really don't know where to start with how much I love all the ladies at Rahab. Needless to say, the decision to buy some gifts from them was easy. Not only are friends back home getting wonderful jewelry, but they are simultaneously supporting a ministry which provides a livelihood for women who want to get out of the bar-scene.

[I've blurred their faces for protection & privacy purposes]

Quite a few women from the States have had their wedding and bridesmaids' jewelry made through Rahab. What a fabulous idea! Pry, one of the girls, is a fantastic designer. She works with the bride to come up with the exact design/style and then the girls make it. So all you engaged people out there... keep Rahab in mind!

[Me sporting my new necklace... with it's creator!]

Today there was a missions team from Michigan (quite a large and international group!) who came to Rahab and provided us all with a tasty pizza lunch... They also coaxed the girls into teaching them the Thai-version of the "chicken dance." It's not an interview or anything spiritual, but it does give you a glimpse into how fun they are!!

vlog: moni

This week I've been taking advantage of having time off from teaching to prepare for my visit home... (read: gift shopping!) After a week of brainstorming and bargaining I'm happy to report I'm half-way finished. Shopping is hard work. Thankfully, though, there are some special places and people who have become close to my heart who have businesses here. I love when gifts are not just gifts, but are also meaningful. For a few posts leading up to my return, I'd like to highlight a couple of the people and ministries where I purchased your gifts! (Also, if you have any specific gift requests, make sure you send 'em soon!)

This post, you're in for a special treat. My scarf/soap selling friend Moni at MBK Mall graciously allowed me to interview her so that you can put a face with a name... and a face with your gift! I have mentioned her previously in my blog here and here. I wanted for you to hear, from her, one of the struggles of being a Thai Christian, and also how you can be praying for Thai believers. As soon as you watch the video, you'll know why I love her so much!

Before we parted, Moni insisted on giving me a bag filled with scarves leftover from her scarf inventory. She told me that she wants to be able to bless some of you who have so sacrificially supported and sent me. I think a large portion of my bag is home will just be soap and scarves... I can only imagine what the customs folks will be thinking!

If you are one of the people who receives a scarf or soap, please remember to pray for Moni. Pray for her life to continue to be a light here to bring hope to her people.

dishes.

A break from the serious and spiritual...

A brief narrative on dishwashing

Since being back in my lovely C3 room, I have devised a make-shift kitchen for myself. Although the sole baking-worthy toaster oven is on the 2nd floor, I can at least make and prep everything in my room now. I added some shelves, cleared off some space, and made a nice little nook. It's nice to be able to bake cookies, make oatmeal for breakfast and yes, even bake bread! But the downside of lots of baking is... lots of dishes. Thus the conundrum, where to wash them?

[Please pay no attention to the pink wall, I had to press pause on painting and this is the lonely remaining pink wall in my room...]

With only a bathroom sink that clogs as quickly as restaurant ketchup bottles, I had to improvise a little. I needed to have a space that was big enough to do large quantities of baking-dishes... and that could accomodate butter and flour chunks being introduced down the drain. So, voila! Here you have it, my kitchen sink:

Yes, I'm sure the inventors of the “fahk bua” (or as it's commonly known by expats, the "bum gun"*) never expected it to be used to wash dishes, but... it works!

As I sit on the toilet lid, scrubbing my pans, I imagine I've been transported into the Boxcar Children... complete with bent spoons and a chipped mug! While it does make me feel terribly rustic and domestic, I am looking forward of the luxury of using a dishwasher again. (Shout-out: America!) All you people with real kitchen sinks: go take a moment to look at it and be thankful. And maybe drink some water from the faucet while you're at it as well!

___
* I am currently entertaining an idea to do a multi-part series on unusual uses for the bum gun. If you would like to make any suggestions, I'd be happy to include them... should this piece ever be published :)

wide open spaces.

It's hard to believe that in less than a month I'll be boarding a plane to return to a different land of the red, white and blue. It'll have been a year since I saw many of you. A year. As I've been thinking and trying to prepare my heart for this homecoming, I have a request: give me space.

Give me space to be different. Yes, in most ways I'm still very much the same, but living internationally has and is changing me. I feel like I've changed inside, though I'm not sure how exactly to articulate it... I have met people, had conversations, and watched my world both shrink and grow simultaneously. To steal one of my favorite Thai phrases, I feel "same, same, but different."

Give me space to have matured. I have had to do everything on my own this past year. There's been no hand-holding or coddling. I've had to feel the full brunt of the consequences of my actions, be they good or bad. I feel capable and confident in allowing myself the experience of both messing up and working with God to fix it... that's the place where growth happens.

Give me space to fail and be imperfect. As much as I wish I was returning a perfectly holy and sanctified person completely complete and not lacking in anything... that's not true. Don't put me on a pedestal. Don't expect that I have arrived. Or that I'll never make a bad call or put my foot in my mouth. I'm still very much a work in progress.

Give me space to explain. I'm not always going to have neat and tidy answers for you. As much as some things have been cleared up in my head, as many (if not more) have also been complicated. I'm sorting it out. I'm trying to understand and to process. So be patient with me as I try to answer and communicate my heart with you.

Give me space to just be Liz. As much as Thailand has been a defining part of my life, it's just a piece of who I am... not my sole identity. And while God has used this place and this experience to grow and use me, I am more than just the "Thailand" part of me. Yes, I know I'll have lots of things to share, and yes, I want to talk about Thailand. But know that I'm okay with not always talking about Thailand. I'm okay being "just Liz."

[month ten]

I feel like as soon as I bought my ticket back to America, time has been whizzing past! So, here I am, with only one "month update" left before I return state-side. Can we just take a minute and let the fact that I've been here ten months sink in??

Okay, so here are 4 highlights from the last month (I didn't always remember to take pictures, so I'm borrowing some from my friends... thanks friends!)

1. Beach: Koh Samet
A 2.5 hour van ride out of the city, and we arrived at this lovely island. It was full of character, Songkran festivities, and not so many tourists. Plus, we travelled everywhere by truck. Trucks, trees and the sea. It does my heart good.

[A few of my lovely sisters in Christ // L-R: Claire, Erica, Diane, Aom, Chelsea, Me, Monica // Photo Credit: Erica Pope]

[While riding in the back of these didn't provide much protection against the children with hoses spraying us, it was totally worth getting wet! And as most of the roads were dirt/mud, they were the perfect transportation choice.]

[We went to a fire show... and met one of the fire-breathers! He let me hold his fire-torch for the picture. I love fire... // Photo Credit: Erica Pope]

[Photo Credit: Claire Cecil]

[Photo Credit: Erica Pope]

[The waves on this beach were very placid, perfect for our canoeing excursion! // Photo Credit: Claire Cecil]

[Boat trip home after a lovely 2-day trip! // Photo Credit: Erica Pope]

2. Songkran

If you're not sure what Songkran is... check it out by clicking here! If you don't want to read all that, here's the short version: It's the Thai celebration of the new year, spanning 5 days where people throw water (or powder) on you and sometimes... there are bubbles. I wish I could make it sound more spiritual than a giant water fight with hundreds of your fellow Thailandians... but that was pretty much all it was. It was, hands down, my favorite Thai holiday. What a blast!

Part I: CentralWorld

[Photo Credit: Erica Pope]

Part II: Water Park!

[Claire and I joined some of our LifePoint family for a day trip to a near by roof-top waterpark! Complete with slides and a lazy river. Only $3. One of the perks of living in a big city.]

3. Family Dinner Night
We have a new and awesome family (the Hoods) who have come to the Guesthouse as Guesthouse managers. They are Australian, so fun, and have three adorable sons. Their first act as Guesthouse manager was to rename the Guesthouse from "Guesthouse" (because really, we aren't "guests"... we live here) to "Community House". If you know me, you know how important community is, so, needless to say, I'm excited about the change! We had our monthly family dinner night this month which included a full house (The 5 Hoods, Lorena, Betty, Luke, Patrick, Claire and I... plus a guest appearance from Bakery!). There was mexican pie, deep dish chicago-style pizza, baked beans, nutella stuffed cookies, brownies... so much food. But more than the food (and the food was definitely a highlight!) it was a wonderful chance to get to connect with this family and hear their heart for the Lord and ministry and how God brought them to Thailand and to our Community House!

[The pizza was super cheesy!]

4. Relationships
I remember Doug telling me once that you don't always choose who you invest in, they choose you. That has been something that I've thought about a lot since being here. Building friendships isn't always easy. The language barrier can be hard. Sometimes we have different interests. But my thought has been that, if God puts a person in my life, I want to be faithful to cultivate that relationship as much as I can. That has meant a lot of surface level investment with a lot of people I only see once or twice. But, sometimes they stick around. God has continued to bring some of the same people back into my life... Air, Kaew and Mam to name a few. I am so thankful for their friendships and for the conversations God opens up for us to have. Like Doug also says, "Quantity time breeds quality time." Sometimes I'm just spending time with them, seeing movies or hanging out. Other times, we have great conversations. Regardless, I hope that through our conversations and life-on-life contact they can see the difference that Christ makes in my life!

[Air and I // Photo Credit: Claire Cecil]

Thanks so much for your 10 months+ of support and prayers! You all are awesome! Praise God for your faithfulness to help further the Great Commission in Thailand.

other thailand bloggers.

Hello friends! I just wanted to make you all aware of some of the awesome folks I've gotten to meet since being in Thailand and their blogs. If you read these posts in your email inbox, you may not ever visit my blog-blog... so I just wanted to make sure you know about these missionaries (ie: your fellow brothers and sisters in Christ). Partly because if you are interested in finding out more about Thailand, they will offer different perspectives. Partly, because God is doing incredible things through their lives and their stories should be shared. And partly (is that enough "parts" to be convincing?) because it will help you pray more specifically for those of us living and serving internationally. As much as I'd love to hoard all your prayers for myself, I don't want your prayers for Thailand to end when I come home. I want for God's people to continue to learn about and love and serve the lost in Thailand.

You can check out the full list on the left side bar of my blog by clicking [here]. I just updated it! The blog titles which have a "*" note missionaries who have returned state-side.

Steph B.

Okay, so she's not in Thailand quite yet, but she's currently fundraising to come and spend 6 months serving here. I've had the privilege and joy of investing in her life... She is one awesome woman. If you're currently in the Fredericksburg vicinity and looking for a way to get involved in international missions, please consider investing in her life and heart for missions. She'll be working as a self-supported volunteer with a ministry called "House of Blessing" which is a large Christian prison ministry in Thailand, and also at the BSC.

Jen McCaman and David McCaman

Love this couple... and their cute son JoJo. David serves as the senior pastor of LifePoint: BKK (my church here). Jen is a fabulous writer and captures living in Bangkok, specifically as a mom, in a beautiful and vivid way. I live here and see her regularly, and still love reading her blog. If you think you can't move overseas to do missions with a little tyke, check out her blog!

And, last but not least, two of my new friends who work with SHE ministries in Phuket who are here in Bangkok doing language school...

Chelsea and Monica

Monica had a wonderful post last month with a specific prayer for Thailand, specifically in regards to the sex-tourism [click here to see post]. It's worth checking out.

Thank you for all your continued love and prayer and support. Your prayers are making a difference and impacting people and situations and conversations in ways that we will never know the full breadth of until we are with the Lord. Keep being faithful to pray and to act!

"The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective." -James 5:16b

tourist.

Most days I take special pride in distinguishing myself from the backpackers and “tourists.” I carry around a small purse or wallet. I don’t ever look at the maps. And I use my classy plastic orange BTS card instead of the temporary 1-trip disposables. I even drop some Thai here and there so everyone knows I’m a native…

But some days it’s fun to be a tourist. Sometimes it’s fun to go new places, take lots of pictures and be a part of other folks experiencing all things “Bangkok.” And when those opportunities come, I’m happy to don my backpack and wander through the fields of farangs.

This weekend was a record-breaker for getting lost, being rejected by taxi drivers, shopping, walking and bartering… but it was such a blast! As much as I hate goodbyes, I love the ways that my life has crossed with so many beautiful people for these brief seasons. Here are two highlights from my weekend as a "tourist"!

1. Ginny's Mom 

I spent most of Friday hanging out with one of my Spotswood/UMW friend’s moms... who became my “adopted mom” for the day (she was in BKK for a wedding). I took her to Wat Pho and the MBK mall to buy some souvenirs. While there, we ran into my friend Moni (click here to read about how we met) who now sells soaps! We bought some (I love supporting Christian business owners, especially in Bangkok) and she even threw in a free scarf for each of us… leftover inventory :)

2. LifePoint HS Team

 
I want to say something quaint like, “They arrived as strangers and left as friends.” But that’s not really true… because they felt like family from Day 1. The team this summer was 4 high schoolers and 2 adults, and it was such a blessing to get to spend time with them. (Even when that required us plowing through droves of people in the crowded alleys of JJ Market!) Claire, Jen and I took them this morning to play with the toddlers at a local private orphanage and then followed it with a meal at our favorite establishment (shout out to Halo Pig!) and shopping at JJ weekend market. Some other LifePoint folks met us at JJ’s and we divided and conquered!

 

[Some of our group... we kept getting separated]

This evening we had an outside “Korean BBQ” style farewell dinner... and yes, I did enjoy the unlimited bacon and ice-cream!

Saying our goodbye's to these lovely women! It was fun to get to spend time with some of my LifePoint: Smyrna sisters in Christ. 

[L-R: Mattie, Adrianna, Me & Kathy]

I am so thankful for this team's joyful obedience to serve our Father through loving the nations and the local church. I know that they were a big encouragement to the BSC through helping with Summer Course and in all the other hosts of things they did while here. It's awesome when believers make the Gospel so attractive that even their God-family is spurred on by it!

preparations.

It only takes flipping my calendar one page to see my departure day. It's so hard to imagine being back in America... I've started trying to prepare myself now and begin processing what it will be like. But I know regardless of my good intentions, some amount of reverse culture shock is inevitable. I want to pack Thailand in my bags so that I can better explain my year here... So I can show you life here. And yet, I feel that even with limitless kilos, I still would have no way to "bring back" or fully explain everything. This blog is my small effort at communicating culture, missions, and me all in one bundle package, but even this does not capture everything.

After talking with some of the missionaries here about my excitement (and yes, even a few fears) in returning state-side, I wanted to share three things that you can do to help make my time easier! :)

- Ask specific questions. As much as I'd love to answer, "How was Thailand?" over and over... It's hard to encapsulate a year in a few sentences. Use my blog (or conversations we may have had) to help you come up with specific things you'd like to know more about. It takes some of the pressure off me so I don't have to scrounge up ways to summarize so much into so little space.

- Tell me about you! I have been able to keep up with some of you better than others, but overall, I feel a little out of the loop (or out of most loops anyways). As much as Thailand has been eye-opening for me, I still care very much about you, your family and what God has been doing in your life as well. I don't want our conversations to just be about me.   

- Help me plan ahead. I want to fit in seeing and spending quality time with as many of you as I can... Partly because my "final return" in December will be tight on time and near Christmas. (If you want more details, I posted about it here.) If you're family, friend or sponsor, you're on the "I want to see you" list! This past year has not been a "Liz & God Solo Show". You have been an integral part of everything that has happened here through your prayers and financial support. I want to get to share stories with you and answer your questions. A lot of people were involved in sending me, so you can imagine how full my calendar could potentially become. If you'd like to meet up when I return, please let me know ahead of time so that I can plan wisely. (I give you full freedom to initiate and be proactive!)

Any other thoughts/suggestions? For any of you who've had to re-adjust after serving abroad, were there any things that really helped your return? (I know Claire would appreciate your tips as well... she will be returning to America permanently at the beginning of July.)

easter.

I feel like I'm never going to fall asleep tonight because I am so full of energy and joy at being able to be a part of the plan and work of God. I truly think there is no greater fulfillment than being where God has called you to be and doing His work.

It doesn't always feel like this (see post from a few weeks ago). Some days I'm discouraged. Sometimes I wonder if I'm making the right decisions or if I'm doing the "right thing." But then there are days and weekends like this one... when I remember without any doubt exactly why God has me here.

Where to start with Easter? Church this morning... wow. I'm not sure how to capture the power of having so many nationalities (Thai, American, Chinese, Japanese, Burmese) in so many places spiritually (orphaned and adopted, dead and alive, under the law and under grace) all in the same place on an Easter morning, hearing the same message. This morning was a beautiful reminder that our God is not American. He is the God of all nations! 

David (our Pastor) was faithful, as He is every week, in boldly preaching the Gospel. He taught on 7 proofs of the Resurrection and ended with reiterating the Gospel. I want to share one of the things he said at the end that really struck me. He was talking about what we can give God that He has not already given us. Our life... He gave us that. Our time... He gave us that. Our money... He gave us that. Our hearts... but He gave us those, too. The only thing we can give to God that we did not receive from Him is our sin. Wow. Let that sink in a moment. That's the only thing that we have that we earned for ourselves. And that's the one thing God asks for in exchange for His righteousness, perfection, and forgiveness. For us to hand over the filthy rags of our self-made, hard-earned sin. The message of the cross and tomb, truly is Good News for all who hear!

There were so many other wonderful parts to today that I am having trouble organizing due to my enthusiasm. (I've considered just substituting words and sentences with long strings of exclamation points, but I'm not sure how well that would really communicate what I'm trying to share, haha.) But other highlights include: my friend from Thai class coming to church this Sunday! The High-School Missions Team from LifePoint: Symrna arriving in Bangkok and attending service. Our after-church scavenger hunt / "city orientation" for the team. So fun! (We split the HS team into groups with Thais and farangs and gave them a sampling of different places to go and foods to try. What a blast to get to know both the new team as well as some of our visitors better.) One of my new friends here, Chelsea, summed today up well:

"The Gospel fell upon ears who had never heard it. We worshiped beautifully. The message of truth was shared, food and fellowship followed, as did a scavenger hunt all around Bangkok. Laughing the day away with some of my dearest friends here. Overflowing with thankfulness for the life I've found in Him!"

[A few of the many who went on the "city orientation"! Chelsea, Monica, Jack, Nisa, Hailley and Kathy]

I hope that you and your families had a wonderful Easter celebrating Jesus! From Bangkok to wherever you are living and serving, He is RISEN!

good friday.

I think that all of last week's stress and fullness was necessary to help me readjust my focus and put my reliance back on God. Why? So that I would be ready for the appointments He made for me this week.

My heart is so full as I write this post. God has been doing incredible things in Bangkok. I have been overwhelmed and in awe of how He keeps bringing certain people back into my life... and giving me open doors to share the Gospel!

Tonight our theme at Friday Night Life (FNL) was Easter. Every part of the evening pointed first to the cross and then to the empty grave. I was able to share with my group about the significance of Christ's death and resurrection. Without Jesus' death, we would be responsible to pay the punishment for all of our sin, all of our bad. The discouraging part is that despite living a life exhausted for that purpose, we are assured that our efforts will always fall short... but God made a way for another option. An option that leads to life, and hope, and freedom. And He offers it freely to all who will ask.

It was so exciting to see how many people came to FNL. Not because numbers matter, but because it meant that more of my friends had opportunities to hear about the most life-changing news... that Jesus loves them and not only desires to have a relationship with them, but made a way to!

Today was also special because when I first came to Thailand in 2011 with Spotswood, I really connected with four people specifically. Of those four, three were at FNL tonight (Champ, Ting and Song)! It was absolutely incredible to get to see and catch up with them... and to have all of us back in the same place where my journey originally started.

From Aug 2011...

[Song is 2nd from the left in the back row]

[Claire and I with Ting]

[Dylan and I with Champ]

From March 2013...

[Claire and I with Ting, Champ, Song and some new friends we've made from this year!]

[Luke, Song, Teem and I after Friday Night Life]

[John Lapos, IMB missionary, BSC liaison, and our
go-to-for-everything man]