GOD AT WORK!

Two of our long time friends have a daughter-in-law who is a wonderful sculptor. Tracy H. Sugg is so very gifted. For those of us who don’t have this artistic ability, it is hard to believe that a person could look at a large lump of clay, begin work and transform that clay into a gorgeous piece of art. To think of something so common as clay that can be made into a masterpiece really is amazing. For years we have admired Tracy’s art. And today when I prepared to write this weekly blog, I thought of how this definitely helps us to visualize how God works in all of our lives. Of course this only happens IF we ALLOW Him to transform us.

Tracy’s art is displayed in so many places, and we get to enjoy the photos as well as these original works of art. However, actually this TRUTH is no different in that God also LOVES to use just ordinary people, and sometimes even very broken people, to carry His message of love and grace to others. Just look at some of Tracy’s beautiful work. 

We can admire these beautiful works of art, but when it comes to people, LIFE TRANSFORMATION is God’s business, and today as I was looking at some recent photos once again I was reminded of this truth in action. One of our good friends in Taiwan has a very tough life story. Mr. T lived through a life of crime filled with a lot of bad decisions. His body is scarred because of injuries inflicted by knives during those tumultuous years. BUT GOD. That’s right, he came to know Christ as his Lord and Savior. Oh, the journey was not a quick fix. We all know that life can be very messy!!! We are all definitely a work in progress. The road has had a lot of bumps and holes in it, but it’s amazing to see God’s grace in Mr. T’s life and in his family. After raising three children, 2 sons and a daughter, as a single father, he continues to see God’s mercy and transforming power alive in his family.

You may remember that last year his son and daughter-in-law gave birth early to twins. Then this year, the grandson was hospitalized for an illness. So life does have its challenges. What a transformation to see this family come from a non-Christian environment and seek to follow Jesus. Mr. T’s mother was a devout Taoist, but gave her life to Christ in her late 80’s. I love to hear her talk about the difference that Jesus makes. The daughter-in-law too is now a believer. Jesus is in the life changing business. In a way, kind of like Tracy, he takes our lives —- nothing special there —- and sculpts and transforms them into something beautiful.

The truth is that we can’t fix anyone, BUT GOD, oh yes, GOD can do amazing things and calls us to jump in with Him to get involved in encouraging others and sharing with them about this awesome opportunity to know God and to have a new beginning.

The photos below are the family sharing special music and leading worship in their church.

Thank the Father for these precious twins. We pray that they will continue to grow up in God’s grace, mercy and peace.

Pray for the T family. Ask the Father to bless them so that they, in turn, can pass along this Good News to others.

Pray too for the daughter-in-law’s extended family to also come to know Jesus.

Pray for their church as they too seek to encourage and journey with the T family.

Pray for Mr. T’s other son and daughter as they too continue to follow Jesus in their work lives, family time, dating life and church ministry.

Pray that this family will have the wisdom and opportunity to share the TRUTH of Jesus with others around them.

SPIRITUAL INVESTMENTS!

All of us have 24 hours in a day, but how we use that time is very different indeed! When we talk about financial investments, we definitely want to make sure that our money grows and we get a good return. However, when we talk about spiritual investments we often are not quite so wise.

In II Corinthians 4:7 the Bible says, But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all surpassing power is from God and not from us. God has made a great investment in our lives loaded with lots of promises on the returns.

In Hokkien ministry, we have so many different kinds of needs. Some involve buildings, others involve resources, sometimes it’s workers, and might even be money just to keep ministry alive. The TRUTH is that we all are broken and in need of a savior. We are much like a broken down house that is greatly in need of repair —- but that is the kind of challenge that God wraps his heart around. Nothing is impossible with him. He invested ALL that he had — he gave HIS LIFE.

Pray with us this week as we remember these needs.

♥ Pray for our workers across East and SE Asia to have wisdom on how to navigate ministry in these challenging times.

♥ Pray for PK island as they work to renovate their newly purchased building.

♥ Pray for additional workers needed across SE Asia Hokkien ministry.

♥ Pray for Hokkien and Taiwan workers ministering to families in prison and those struggling with addictions in East and SE Asia.

♥ Pray for plans for this fall to continue evangelistic venues.

♥ Pray for new believers as the workers across East and SE Asia continue to disciple and train. Now THAT’S a great investment of time and energy.

♥ Pray for wisdom for the HT Church in southern Taiwan to know how to love the people in their community AND lead them to Christ. Pray also for children in this community who have been neglected or abandoned by families.

♥ Pray for health needs of RL as he continues chemotherapy and for his wife, M, as she and their son serve as caregivers.

♥ Pray for ALL OF US in Hokkien ministry to be filled with God’s Spirit as we seek to serve others.

SUMMER IS HERE!

SUMMER IS HERE filled with so many different activities. Among these are the English camps that are scattered all throughout East and SE Asia. Some of our good friends and ministry partners have started a church in southern Taiwan and God is doing ALL kinds of things. Now, it’s summer and English camps are a great way to connect with the community, get to know families and share God’s love.

Pray for Pastor and Mrs. U as they partner with local workers AND mission teams from Taiwan as well as from across the ocean. They have several camps each summer, and this particular camp has about 70 students. WOW! That’s what the family of God is all about!!!

Pray that God’s love will draw people to Himself.

Pray for hurting families in this community to have the opportunity to know Christ and his healing power.

Pray for church leaders as they continue to share and disciple new believers.

Pray for the future of this ministry as workers seek to follow God.

Enjoy their video and thanks so much for your prayers.

 

The Walls Are Closing In

This week I am once again reminded of so much hurt that is happening around me. Whether I mention personal journeys, or Hokkien ministry around the world, we are all facing challenges that we cannot handle alone. Let me be honest, we CANNOT fix people. God is in the life changing business, and the older we get the more we are aware of this. We need each other, and without a doubt, we serve a Lord that never abandons us. He walks with us through the fires of life and through the darkness, and we are forever grateful. He gives us HOPE.

Please pray for unspoken requests that involve death. Today we just received word of the death of two precious people.

Some friends are dealing with addictions that do seem like the walls are closing in. Others are facing life threatening physical issues.

Other friends are facing life issues that never seem to change. They too feel like the walls are closing in. They never go away. Some have serious emotional illnesses and are crying out for help.

Pray for the following families who need the reassurance that God is with us!!! Pray for HIS grace to wrap around these families and bring them peace.

D family, R family, J family, K family, T family, MS family, KY family and AM family

Hillsong has a song out called ANOTHER IN THE FIRE. The lyrics have meant a lot to me. Click on the video below for more.

Another In The Fire

Hillsong UNITED

There’s a grace when the heart is under fire
Another way when the walls are closing in
And when I look at the space between
Where I used to be and this reckoning
I know I will never be alone

There was another in the fire
Standing next to me
There was another in the waters
Holding back the seas
And should I ever need reminding
Of how I’ve been set free
There is a cross that bears the burden
Where another died for me
There is another in the fire

All my debt left for dead beneath the waters
I’m no longer a slave to my sin anymore
And should I fall in the space between
What remains of me and this reckoning
Either way I won’t bow to the things of this world
And I know I will never be alone

There is another in the fire
Standing next to me
There is…