Prayer with conviction...

I'm team-teaching through the book of Philippians at Redeemer this semester, so obviously, I'm thinking about its themes a lot. I've really been stunned lately by 1:19,

...for I know that through your prayers and the help of the Spirit of Jesus Christ this will turn out for my deliverance...(ESV)

I was talking with a brother at RTS a few days ago and we were lamenting the fact that arguments are more common than prayer at seminary. It is very easy to get caught up in a debate about something that this guy is for and that guy is against, but there aren't many people talking about their prayer life. This was a convicting conversation...and it made me realize that I rarely pray with the conviction that Paul did. Maybe if I believed my theology more firmly I would actually pray with more conviction that God will move. Paul (and many others since....so, no, this isn't just for Apostles) prayed like he believed God would move.

What if I prayed more fervently that God would move in Thailand? Or that He would bring revival to the American Church? Or that our support needs would be met? Or...that I would simply see Jesus more clearly?

Lament and Imprecation

The picture to the left is one of the "Red Light" district of Bangkok. There is a tangible, clinging sense of evil in that place. Three of the four times I've been to Bangkok I've prayer-walked through this area with other Christians, begging God to rescue, to heal, and to bring justice.

Lately I've been working through an RTS Virtual course, "Poets", which deals with the poetry and wisdom literature of the Old Testament (particularly Psalms, Lamentations, SOS, Proverbs, and Job). One of the most fascinating and relevant parts of this class has been the lectures on the Psalms of lament and imprecation...in other words, the Psalms that are full of pain (lament) and the Psalms that call down the covenant curses of Yahweh on the enemies of Israel (Imprecation).

These are not always easy Psalms to interpret, especially for comfortable, coddled Americans who see very little injustice and suffering. But as I've watched my truly amazing wife deal with really, really horrible stuff as she helps bear the burden of her clients in a counseling context, as I read the posts and emails of my teammates in Thailand who are entering into severely broken lives, and as I've reflected on my own experiences similar to these, I've really come to love these passages of Scripture. Of course, its not always cheerful to read these Psalms...but there is a comfort in knowing that we can take really hard stuff to our Father. There is something...solid...about saying, "I don't know why things are like this, but I know that You (God) are good and holy and just", in a prayer of lament for the brokenness that we all live in. The Psalms of Imprecation, likewise, are a way of saying, "Your kingdom come...", in a world that is raging against the kingdom of God.

So...we can and should lament at the evil of the exploitation of the poor, of the weak, of the defenseless. We can and should lament at the brokenness and horror that exists in places all around the world (like the picture above). Also, we can and should pray for God's swift and severe justice upon evil.

34%...That feels good.

The last few weeks have been a whirlwind...in the course of the holidays, visiting old friends, and eating too much in too many places, we also had some great time with people who want to invest in the establishment of the Kingdom in Thailand. We're officially up to 34% today! Keep praying for us as we meet with people and tell our story. We're both tired, and school is about to start back in just over a week, but we've been enjoying the process...pray for continued grace in this area, and pray that we will continue to grow closer to God and to each other.

Debunking Common Myths and Leaving

We are here in Jackson, but not for much longer. People ask us all the time when they see us, "How is Thailand?" or "How long are you here?" or "When did you get back?". For some reason, lots of folks think that we already live in Thailand. It's not true, don't believe it...but feel free to help make it a reality (support us!).

However, we will be leaving soon. I will graduate on May 21 and go before the Credentials Committee for my oral exams on June 14. We will have to move out of our apartment by the end of June and the next permanent home that we'll have will be in Bangkok. The reality is starting to sink in that we are quickly coming to the end of a very unique and dear chapter in our lives. Whenever I read a great book, I always try to savor the last chapter for awhile....and I'm almost always sad to read the last chapter. I know that this isn't the end of the book, so to speak, but it feels a little like that. We'll always be able to come back and visit (just like great books) but leaving is going to be tough. Kiki and I have talked often in the past few weeks of how much we have loved Redeemer, Belhaven, RTS and all of our friends. We've found teammates and sending partners and we've made lifelong friends and we've grown as a couple (even through grad school...God is gracious!). So, hopefully we'll savor this last semester in Jackson and really enjoy the remainder of the time that we live here...even as we look forward to making a home in Bangkok.

Belhaven is in Full Swing

All the classes start today and we have our big once-a-semester mandatory hall meeting. This will be the last one I do! I love BU and I love my job, and this is an exciting day for me because I see all my girls at once and get to pray for them briefly. Of course most of the meeting is business, like "if you leave dirty dishes in the sink over night, they will be confiscated" and "there is a swap box underneath in the stairwell but please don't put trash in there!" Here is a picture of my RA's from last semester (one of them did not return and I don't have a pic yet with the new RA).

Surreal.

I just registered for my last RTS classes ever (hopefully).

Want to hear about Thailand?

This is shaping up to be a very busy semester...but we've got time to talk about our calling to Thailand if you want to hear it. Here are a few dates and places that we'll be hosting conversations about the Kingdom (of Jesus) in Thailand...

2/25-27th- First Presbyterian Church of Crystal Springs, Mississippi

3/4-6th- Redeemer Presbyterian Church of Jackson, MS

3/13th or 20th- Possibly at The Vine Community Church of Cumming, GA

3/27-4/3- Trinity Presbyterian Church in Jackson, MS





There are about 3-4 more that I'm waiting for confirmation on, but I'll post those when I get the info. Please save the date of the one nearest you and let's chat...

We're back!

As great as the holidays are and as much fun as it is to see old friends and catch up with them, it is also great to be home. I am becoming more and more of a homebody... I love my own bed; I love my own food; I love my own books and movies; I love having a closet! I love being at rest. That is one of the things I am going to work hard at when we finally get to Thailand--making our house feel like home. It will be different: no kitchen (besides what we build in) no carpet, hard to hang things on the walls, no CLOSETS! But I am confident that I will be able to make it into a home with a little time and energy. Here are some pictures of one of the current missionary's (Mary's) home which will be very similar to ours, if not identical.

Support Progress...

You can also see our support "thermometer" to the right, but here is a more detailed break-down of our support needs and progress:

Remaining Support Graphic