CIRCLE MAKERS

It doesn’t matter if we are preparing for a test or just trying to remember something important, we are all familiar with drawing circles around important information. Mark Batterson in his book, Circle Maker, does a great job of sharing stories about drawing circles and praying for things in our lives.

In Hokkien Harvest, we have seen many things in our lives that show God’s surpassing greatness and answers to prayer. We well remember the occasion when one of our partners told us that there would be 320 people attending an evangelism banquet. I have to admit, I thought that was the goal, but I thought we would have some empty seats for sure. No sir . . . there were no empty seats and God was there working with families and waiting on us. Then in October and November of last year, we saw the same thing. 120 people showed up at our outdoor evangelism dinner in SE Asia. 20 people came to Christ on that fishing village. AND then moving on to another country, the auditorium was packed for two different events, expenses were completely covered and 108 Hokkien made professions of faith. None of these were first time listeners. Instead, these were people for whom our partners had been praying and sharing God’s love.

We desire to see God answering prayer BIG TIME. We want to see God at work in ways where no one can give credit to man — things that can only be explained by God. We live in a generation of people who seek to earn approval and work their way into positions and fame. We desperately desire to see what God can do not what man can do. Name our heart’s desires, clearly draw circles around hopes, needs and dreams that we have, be courageous and ask God for the impossible. List needs, draw circles around them in prayer and ask God to do what only God can do.

BE A CIRCLE MAKER!

BEING TRANSPARENT

Just wanted to share a short word that I read this week. This has been a tough week for us with challenging news coming from several different sources, so I just want to be transparent. These words were calming for me.

Joy Comes in the Morning

by Tresa Walker 

What makes you happy? Many of us think if we just made more money or could win the lottery, we would be happy. For some, our happiness is based on relationships such as marriage or friendships. For others, happiness revolves around sports. And of course, if we can’t find happiness in other things, we tend to search for happiness in CHOCOLATE!

We all have personal issues that rock our world at times. Cancer, death, pain, strained relationships, heartache, and so many other things affect the happiness of our daily lives. Psalms 30:5 says, “Weeping may endure for the night, but joy comes in the morning.” Unfortunately that does not literally mean we will weep through the night and tomorrow everything will be ok. But instead it assures us that there WILL be a time of joy even in the midst of our trials.

The happiness that things such as money, relationships, sports, and chocolate provide is NOT the same as joy. Happiness comes and goes, but joy is long-lasting and brings true contentment. Happiness causes short-term pleasure, but joy is long-lasting. Happiness isn’t something that you can cling to during the trials of life, but real joy endures the trials. True joy is only found through a relationship with our Heavenly Father.

For Christians, joy is like a bottomless well of water. The water is always there, but we have to lower the bucket to get it. It takes effort on our part. We can’t just turn the knob and expect joy to flow freely. We must make the choice each day to lower our bucket.

PRAY

READ THE BIBLE

BELIEVE

LOOK FOR POSITIVE ASPECTS IN LIFE

DO OUR BEST TO AVOID COMPLAINING

SERVE OTHERS

LAUGH

PROTECT YOURSELF AND GUARD YOUR HEART — Satan wants to hurt

When it seems that your Bucket Full of Joy is running low, go back to the well. Make sure that you are praying, believing, and reading your Bible. Make the choice every day to lower your bucket, and remember Psalms 30:5 which says, “Weeping may endure for the night, but joy comes in the morning.”

We won’t always be happy, but we can still have joy in the midst of the chaos.

Even thought chocolate is really not my thing, I do know that it’s so easy to cling to things in this world for comfort. So these words were a good reminder. Thanks so much for your prayers and for hanging in there with us.

Blessings,

 

 

 

 

A BITTER SEA?

In Taiwan, I often heard people make the statement, “We live in a bitter sea.” And there are times for most of us, that things can get us down. In fact, we are so low that we want to give up. It is in those moments that we DO believe we are surrounded by everything that is bad — a bitter sea.

Living overseas introduced us to a lot of different foods. One of those was BITTER MELON. Now, honestly speaking, a lot of foreigners don’t like to eat that because it is bitter. HOWEVER, it all depends on who cooks it. One of our dear friends, Mr. Tan, is a wonderful cook, and we LOVE his Bitter Melon Squash. He knows just what to do to add that spice to counteract the bitterness. It is delicious and one of Robert’s favorites.

The Lord says in . . . Jeremiah 29:11 For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

You know sometimes things come at us and we are kind of like a well frog . . . we can only see that small circle of sky that is above. And at times like that, life does seem very bitter. In our heads we know that Jesus makes the difference and gives us all we need to counteract the bitterness in our lives. But we do have to believe, don’t we.

We all need encouragement.

We all need love.

We all need support.

In the past few years our family has faced and is facing some pretty big challenges, but the truth is so are many other people. Pray that each of us can be a encouragement for others. Pray that whether in our own community here in the USA or communities overseas, believers can find ways to encourage and support each other. Thank you so much for your prayers, and we pray that this year will be a special journey for you with God.

Pray that we can truly internalize the fact that God loves us so very much.

God is good and we are precious to HIM.

God does not want to harm us, but has plans to give us hope and a future.

I BELIEVE!

LIVING ON THE EDGE

Stephen Hunt said that “If you are not living on the edge, you are taking up too much space” So the call for us as followers of Jesus Christ is to continue to push toward the edge of lostness and need.

Fishing communities on islands throughout East and SE Asia are some of these edges. Thank you for your prayers for workers and teams who continue to take the Good News of Jesus Christ to these places of need.

Please pray for Pastor K and his team who come from their country into another nearby country to partner, share and disciple local villagers. Check out Pastor K as he shares in the Community Good News Church who is the lead team for this fishing village ministry.

♥ Pray for needed resources to be supplied.

♥ Pray for Pastor NBL and the team there as they plan for 2019 ministry.

♥ Pray too local new believers who made decisions during the Christmas season to be          discipled in their new faith.