Promises and Homework

"When is God coming?" Asked my new friend as we waited for our weekly worship time to begin.


I gave her a puzzled look, wondering if I had heard her right.


"When is God coming?"  She repeated herself, looking around and seeming to expect someone with the name tag "God" to be showing up soon. 

She knew we were here to worship God, but she obviously wasn't sure what that would look like.  Most Buddhists worship things they can see or at least use shrines or statues as reminders.  There was a stark lack of golden images in the room. 

Simple worship at BJD

"He's already here." I responded.

Now it was her turn to give me the puzzled look.

"God is already with us.  He can hear our worship now."  I reiterated.  From there I was able to explain more.

This reminded me of my Thai homework.  In Thai class this week, I will have to share about God's promises. 

The one that comes to mind first is God's promise to be with us always, in Thailand,  America, the air between the two countries, or anywhere else. 

"I will never leave you nor forsake you." (Heb. 13:5) 
"I am with you always, to the end of the age." (Mat. 28:20)

In an effort to be a good student, learn some new words, and see where God would lead conversations, I decided to ask some of my Thai friends what promises come to mind first.  (Homework is as good as any reason to talk about God, right?) 

One friend said knowing he will go to heaven when he dies.  Without a moments thought, another guy said salvation.  One girl in my small group thought about God's promise through the beauty of a rainbow.  God's unconditional love also came to mind. 

As we reminded each other of these promises, a smile formed on each face.  What an amazing God we have!  The only God who can promise these things and carry them out faithfully, whether he's wearing a name tag or not. 

Goodbye Party

Saying goodbye to Brandon, Crystal, Tobin and Kyle.

Laughs and tears.

Joys and challenges.

Successes and frustrations.  

We've been through a lot together as a Bangkok family.  As we sat around recalling favorite memories at our last team meeting, one thing was for sure.  God has grown us all a lot over the past three years. 

Making sure we're not forgotten by signing Kyle's shirt.

He has taken a group of clueless Americans (I say that with as much love as possible) and transformed us into a group of a little less-clueless Americans. 

He has taught us Thai and opened our eyes to important cultural nuances. 

He has broadened our perspective on the world and how He is working in it. 

He gave us reasons to laugh when we had chicken instead of
turkey for our first Thanksgiving.

Enjoying good conversation and food.

He guided outreach teams to northern and eastern Thailand.

He grew our team with the addition of little Tobin Hathcock and other team members.

He provided people, finances, locations, wisdom,  and connections.

He raised up Kyle as a worship
leader and speaker.

Writing a goodbye note on the Hathcock's Thailand map.

He built relationships and led the summer interns through Brandon.

He encouraged and discipled Thais and internationals through Crystal while transforming her into a wonderful mom and helping her navigate big city life with a new baby. 

The list could go on and on. 

But one thing that wouldn't change
is the fact that all these start with GOD. 

Kyle, English students, and

Whether life is continuing in Bangkok or in the States, God will continue to guide, lead, prompt, and work through all of us. 

We are excited with the Hathcocks for their next season of ministry with a Christian camp in Tennessee.  And we are confident God will use Kyle's in college to prepare him for whatever is next.

Praise God for the family he has given us here; bonds that will continue until we see each other next. 

United at the Beach

Thai & international YWAM family

 

"For the body does not consist of one member but of many..." 

This passage from 1 Corinthians 12:14 and the following verses are quite familiar, but as we spent time together at the beach last week, they became real again.

It seemed someone from every part of the "body" was represented.  From the voices who answer the phones and the hands that clean the offices to the fingers that type information for the website and the eyes that spot the ministry opportunities.  From the minds who keep the accountants straight to the tongues that translate for teams.  From the  elbows that work on the cars to the body that sits in YWAM Thailand's National Director seat.

Our body is diverse.  And that's a good thing.  Just as Paul reminds us in Corinthians, we wouldn't be a useful body, actually we wouldn't be a body at all, if we were all an eye or everyone was an ear.  Praise God for diversity!

Before returning to Bangkok, we had some time to share how God had been speaking to us:

"When we say yes to God, we must say yes 100%."

"Thank God that I can serve in a family like this!"

"As I looked out at the ocean and prayed, God reminded me, he loves us that much!"

Proverbs 31: 8-9 "Open your mouth for the mute, for the rights of all who are destitute.  Open your mouth, judge righteously, defend the rights of the poor and needy."

"I feel like God has guided me here (to serve at YWAM) through every step."

"Relaxing like a family here is really important.  Every minute we serve together is important.  There is no job too small for God to notice or so big he is overwhelmed."

"God pressed on my heart this year that I need to be more committed to my church family, learning and seeking the Lord with them."

"I like to see the younger girls and remember when I was a young student like that.  It's good to encourage each other."

"God reminded me with Ephesians 6:5-8.  We are to serve with all our heart."

Praise God for uniting us together to serve him as one body and pour out his love on others in Thailand!  We couldn't do it without each other, and we definitely couldn't do it without him!