As the fog has moved away from my brain and jet-lag has begun to pass...I have had many thoughts that I have processed and still many more that I am processing.
HERE ARE JUST A FEW THOUGHTS I HAVE HAD:
1. I have developed an addiction to oranges. I'm not sure where it came from but the 1st Thursday I was in Asia, I reached for a bowl of cute lil oranges and I haven't stopped since. In fact, it got so bad that my friend pre-arranged for the guest house in Thailand to get oranges for me. And tonight as I went into publix, guess what was on sale...clementines. They are almost like the lil oranges I was snacking on. ALMOST but not quite.
2.I also developed a deep liking to this Apple cinnamon wassail that was being served in some super cold areas where they only had a fireplace to warm up next to. It was super delicious!
That is what I am drinking in the picture I'm posting to Flickr so don't get any rumors started that I got a little crazy in Asia. It's WASSAIL!
Now onto the real revelations: Col. 4:2---devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful.
I believe that my time in Asia allowed my heart to truly begin to realize that it has not been thankful or watchful at crucial times. It is amazing what prayer does to your heart and to the things your eyes see. Below is just the iceberg of things that my heart and eyes are watchful for and thankful for.
I am so thankful to have had the time to spend with my mom and a close mentor/friend to travel with me as my heart and eyes took in all that we saw. I count that a treasure and do not take that for granted.
I am so thankful to be a Christ-follower and be able to share what that means
to me with anyone God brings to my heart and across my path. I learned that this is not the case for everyone and I learned just a sample of what that feels like.
I have learned so much about prayer. How much it impacts an area to be opened to Him and how important it is for people's hearts that they have been prayed for. I heard stories from Christ-followers all over Asia that shared about how things had happened because people had been praying over their community or people had been praying for a certain home or people had been praying for their government. The hope was not placed in what they could do with their words...the hope was not placed in what their government could do for them...their hope was placed in what God could do. It made all the difference for the places and people we visited.
We visited communities that to our knowledge had no believers living in it. It was the first time I had ever experienced that. We prayed as we walked through those communities.
We visited with followers that had only told a few other people that they were believers and would not tell their family members. They were living in places that were very difficult for them to be a Christ-follower and were unable to worship with other believers because it would be a risk to do so.
We visited in Bangkok---a city of 12 million people---and less than 1% were Christ-Followers.
OH but Chris is at work in that city! We saw amazing things happening in the prisons of that city. I have read accounts in scripture how God has worked in prisons before...He is in the business of setting captives free...so I'm not sure why I was amazed to visit a prison and see how Christ is at work in a unique way. But that is exactly what I was..Amazed. I left that prison with tears on my face...I knew I had been with fellow sisters in Christ. Below is a picture taken in front of the House of Blessing. It is a club and halfway house for prisoners who have come out of the prison and found new life in Christ but are trying to figure out how to live in their newly acquired freedom. I was talking with one of the men who runs the center and discovered that Brentwood Baptist had given Hope for the World offering towards the completion of this center. It was amazing and I was so happy that my church was a part of this project. The persons that are in the picture with me are 2 of the workers for the center and my mother and I. The 2 workers are married and the girl that is in the picture was in prison 8 years ago. While in Prison, she became a believer and felt called to go to Bible school and go back to the prisons to disciple and work with other prisoners. She is amazing!
Over the course of 2 weeks, I met and interviewed over 20 people that live in Asia and live out their faith among the nationals of their country. I wish I could tell you all that I heard and saw on this blog, but some of the stories would put those people at risk. It was an amazing opportunity and God is at work in Asia in ways that blow me away. I am excited to see how this experience has re-shaped me to allow Him to work in and through me in Brentwood,TN.
More stories to come...
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