Friends,
I haven't posted here in a little while but hopefully you've gotten email updates about the recent gatherings we've hosted? An encouraging time that leaves us with MUCH to keep asking the Lord for....
Number one: ask that the Lord would continue to bring to their minds the truths they heard about the need for a Savior and how Jesus is the fulfillment of our great need and all the scripture's prophecy.
With this, please ask that these friends would return from semester break with interest.... we would love to see these friends gather together to listen to all 100 lessons (that have been translated into Uyghur as well! If you have Muslim friends, this is an excellent resource.... available in English and several other languages now.) Pray that the Father would move their hearts to come, gathering together!, to hear and be drawn to him by the truth of his word!
May it be, Lord, for your glory!
Sunday, December 25, 2011
Friday, November 11, 2011
Allah, The Great Deciever
I've been talking with my tutor about lies.... she's telling some big ones to her mom this semester, living in fear that her school will find out she's camping in the dorms without paying, and living hundreds of miles away from the guy she says she thinks she wants to marry, but can she trust him?
Many people in our line of work have read a book that explains three different paradigms of thought for most people around the world: honor/shame (our Muslim friends), guilt/innocence, and fear/power. I've tried to poke at another possibility with this friend of mine..... How do you have relationship (with God or anyone) if you don't have trust?
And this is huge for our Muslim friends because one of the 99 names for Allah is "The Great Deciever".
I mentioned this to my dear tutor friend, M, with whom I've been chatting about this. She was surprised... (there's so much that she doesn't know about her own religion!) Pray that she would wrestle with this. Ask that she would become dissatisfied, disillusioned with Islam.
Muslims are taught that they just need to submit to Islam without questioning it, without critiquing it's reasonability, historicity... One great thing we've got going is that we're a 2 day train ride from the home province of Islam, of these students. Some of them are willing to go public in dating relationships here, and they would never do that in XinJiang. We're praying for a similar daring-willingness to begin to dialogue abut Christianity, and openness to see the holes and error in Islam.
For anyone interested: here's a long write up about this name from a Christian apologetics view, and here's a Muslim defense.
Many people in our line of work have read a book that explains three different paradigms of thought for most people around the world: honor/shame (our Muslim friends), guilt/innocence, and fear/power. I've tried to poke at another possibility with this friend of mine..... How do you have relationship (with God or anyone) if you don't have trust?
And this is huge for our Muslim friends because one of the 99 names for Allah is "The Great Deciever".
I mentioned this to my dear tutor friend, M, with whom I've been chatting about this. She was surprised... (there's so much that she doesn't know about her own religion!) Pray that she would wrestle with this. Ask that she would become dissatisfied, disillusioned with Islam.
Muslims are taught that they just need to submit to Islam without questioning it, without critiquing it's reasonability, historicity... One great thing we've got going is that we're a 2 day train ride from the home province of Islam, of these students. Some of them are willing to go public in dating relationships here, and they would never do that in XinJiang. We're praying for a similar daring-willingness to begin to dialogue abut Christianity, and openness to see the holes and error in Islam.
For anyone interested: here's a long write up about this name from a Christian apologetics view, and here's a Muslim defense.
Wednesday, November 9, 2011
The Nature of Love
We are glad and hopeful for a new opportunity that the Lord seems to be opening up for us...
We will begin soon meeting weekly (for just 3 weeks to start, to see how it goes) with our tutors- the girl who has tutored me and her boyfriend who tutors my hubby- for something like premarital counseling. (You can see their pic on our family blog, posted earlier in Oct.) They have been dating three years and broke up a short while ago for just a few days, but it was difficult enough that they expressed interest in meeting with us to talk about their relationship.
So how do we counsel pre-Christians to love each other selflessly? 1 Corinthians 13 is simply NOT accessible to us or to them apart from Christ. But we’re still planning to start there and try to point out our total inability to love like that..... but that great changes can take place in us not when we simply try to love like that... but instead when we first realize that we have been loved like this. Would you ask for clarity in communication and that they would see Christ in the Word and even evidence of Christ in our own marriage? Many things that seem so cool to us, strike them differently (ie. Daddy serving his family pancakes on a Saturday morning.... not, “he takes joy in serving his family” but “why is he doing a woman’s job?”). Would you ask that the Lord would penetrate their hearts and give them understanding? Ask that the Lord would draw them to himself as he lures them with his True, Eternal, Saving, Forgiving, Perfect Love.
Monday, November 7, 2011
biz bek hoshal boldok
Thank you friends for praying for the party in our home yesterday! We had a great time. It seems like our time together was truly marked with sweet joy. Such a grace from God! We thought guests would arrive around noon or a little after, but instead 8 girls were here at 10:00 am to help prepare food.
It was great that we got to host these friends without having to prepare all the food (just the shortbread cookies, brownies, lemon cake, banana bread!) and it was a special joy sharing the hosting responsibilities with our tutors who were the ones who invited all their friends.
There were 18 guests for lunch and almost all of them stayed till well past dinner time playing games, singing, a little bit of dancing, and lots of nibbling goodies and laughing and fun.
We are asking the Lord to bring move in these friends, to give them hunger to learn more about Christ. But we also don't want them to feel pressure to attend a Christmas event we host, because we've hosted this event for them for their holiday.
Would you ask for wisdom for us as we plan a study for this Christmas season? Perhaps we will have a party with them with celebration and some brief explanation of Christmas earlier in December and then we can invite everyone there to come to a more detailed study of what Christmas is for after that? (We also have to balance what we possibly can do schedule-wise.) We're unsure right now, how this will turn out, but we are eager for the Lord's leading for us and revelation for these precious friends!
Thank you for joining us in prayer!
It was great that we got to host these friends without having to prepare all the food (just the shortbread cookies, brownies, lemon cake, banana bread!) and it was a special joy sharing the hosting responsibilities with our tutors who were the ones who invited all their friends.
There were 18 guests for lunch and almost all of them stayed till well past dinner time playing games, singing, a little bit of dancing, and lots of nibbling goodies and laughing and fun.
We are asking the Lord to bring move in these friends, to give them hunger to learn more about Christ. But we also don't want them to feel pressure to attend a Christmas event we host, because we've hosted this event for them for their holiday.
Would you ask for wisdom for us as we plan a study for this Christmas season? Perhaps we will have a party with them with celebration and some brief explanation of Christmas earlier in December and then we can invite everyone there to come to a more detailed study of what Christmas is for after that? (We also have to balance what we possibly can do schedule-wise.) We're unsure right now, how this will turn out, but we are eager for the Lord's leading for us and revelation for these precious friends!
Thank you for joining us in prayer!
Saturday, November 5, 2011
Feast Day at Our Place
For many Uyghurs, Islam is much like Catholicism was to the mafia guys in "The Godfather" movies. Even though they have many misteresses and kill guys daily, a crucial unifying bond that's vital to their identity together is that they go by the name "Muslim".... and if you mention any critique of Islam it's like insulting their mama. Don't go there.
This week is a Uyghur festival, one of their most important holidays. Korban is a feast day whose meaning originally comes from the story of Abraham offering his son Ishmael (in the Koranic version) to Allah, but for most of our Uyghur friends, this celebration is simply a day to enjoy traditional food and music and be together with Uyghur friends and family. And this year, for 10-15 students, the party's at our place. We're excited!
We’re opening our home for our friends who are univ students and I think they're pretty excited to come hang out in a family home (versus the dorm) and be with our zany kids and eat their favorites... polo (like rice pilaf with meat, carrots, onion) and lots of fruit, veggies, nuts and loads of Western cookies and banana bread that i've been preparing for days.
Most of them probably have never read the suras (verses) in the Koran that talk about the sacrafice this holiday supposedly commemorates and most of them probably don't care... but we are still hoping for opportunities to point to “the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world!” Here's a post that explains a bit more about the traditional/Islamic view of the Korban holiday.
Our friends will be coming around noon and will stay till... the party ends. Will you please pray that the Lord would make his presence thick in our home, that we would be able to demonstrate his love, speak his truth and proclaim his grace to these precious friends!?
One more specific... would you ask that there would be friends who come tomorrow who would be made curious, hungry, thirsty, to hear more of Christ... ask that they would be willing to join us for a study, introducing the true significance of Christmas, that we hope to host in our home this Advent season.
Thank you for joining with us in the harvest work for his glory!
Wednesday, September 28, 2011
Mark 12
I read Mark 12: 28-34 yesterday morning and was really gladdened by those words. I hope you can take a look too and pray with us that the Lord will move Uyghurs like he moved that one scribe. The passages says that this scribe could see that Jesus answered well (the discussion, debate between Jesus and other Sadducees) and then, at the end, Jesus said that he answered Jesus' question wisely and that he was "not far from the kingdom of God."
I wish this account didn't end there. I wish verse 34 was followed by a verse 35 that shares about the wild welcome of this scribe and his whole family, his whole town coming to Christ. It doesn't say it there in Mark, but we can pray that it would be written in the lives of Uyghurs in China- that many would not be far, and that they would even enter into the kingdom of God through Christ and that there would be great rejoicing and widespread turning to Christ among the Uyghurs of China.
I wish this account didn't end there. I wish verse 34 was followed by a verse 35 that shares about the wild welcome of this scribe and his whole family, his whole town coming to Christ. It doesn't say it there in Mark, but we can pray that it would be written in the lives of Uyghurs in China- that many would not be far, and that they would even enter into the kingdom of God through Christ and that there would be great rejoicing and widespread turning to Christ among the Uyghurs of China.
Thursday, September 22, 2011
400- 1000
We've heard estimates that there are 400-1000 new Uyghurs students on a university campus nearby. Would you please pray with us that the Lord will open doors to enter into this community of students? Because they are minorities, and these students especially cannot speak Chinese or English- only Uyghur- they stick together very closely. May the Lord make an inroad for his name!
There are very few foreigners who are serving the Uyghur people who can speak any Uyghur. Would you once again ask for grace for us in language study (this semester will be the heaviest load I've yet taken in language- phew!) and will you pray that the Lord will open doors for relationships, opportunities to shine his light and share his love with these needy, new friends?
I hope to get some pictures soon so that you can join me on a virtual prayer walk on this campus! Stay tuned...
There are very few foreigners who are serving the Uyghur people who can speak any Uyghur. Would you once again ask for grace for us in language study (this semester will be the heaviest load I've yet taken in language- phew!) and will you pray that the Lord will open doors for relationships, opportunities to shine his light and share his love with these needy, new friends?
I hope to get some pictures soon so that you can join me on a virtual prayer walk on this campus! Stay tuned...
Wednesday, September 21, 2011
Tuesday, September 20, 2011
Fresh Fuel
The Finish the Mission conference is set to be held by Desiring God in Minneapolis this next weekend.
Might you find (make?) time to tuck away a bit and let yourself be challenged, refreshed by these messages? We are eagerly looking forward to these words to be presented and praying boldly that the Lord will use this time to rise up many new workers for his harvest field!
Here's the link to watch the messages by live streaming: http://desiringGod.org/live
Might you find (make?) time to tuck away a bit and let yourself be challenged, refreshed by these messages? We are eagerly looking forward to these words to be presented and praying boldly that the Lord will use this time to rise up many new workers for his harvest field!
Here's the link to watch the messages by live streaming: http://desiringGod.org/live
Wednesday, August 24, 2011
new semester, new friends, last year
The students will all be on their way back to town in the next week or two. We are so excited to see our friends again and so eager to get back into the swing of hard and heavy language study.
My husband has begun studying Uyghur with a new tutor and in discussing language study materials, he just mentioned that he'd like to study the Bible. What a wonderful surprise that this new friend, was eager to get to read a U Bible and study it with my man. Please pray that he would be opened, awakened from the dead just like Lazarus. Oh that Jesus would call to this friend and bring him to new life, new hope, faith in Him!
For me, I am hopeful for a new year: because of family responsibilities, this will be my last full-time year in language study. I struggle so much to be diligent in these studies because I have very few people to speak/practice with I am very distracted with lots of responsibilities (sweet children!) at home. But this year is crucial! May the Lord enable me to apply my mind to these studies, to persevere through the infant stage (feeling soooo dumb!) and may I too be able to study Scripture and proclaim at least some of the truth and greatness, the glory of Christ, by next summer! It will be a miracle. This is a Very Difficult Language. But miracles are just His line of business and I am boldly asking for just that.... miraculous grace to study well and have my mind and tongue and ears and heart receive and hold onto this language!
This past month especially, I have felt very weak in language skills. Discouragement is hard. One local friend here told me that my Chinese has regressed lately and I haven't been studying Uyghur since my tutors have been gone! No doubt, I'm loosing two languages then! Everyday our lives are in Chinese and I so want to proclaim Christ in Chinese.... but even more so in Uyghur, this language that has had Christ named and explained oh so little! Oh for grace! Enable me Jesus, for your glory! Help me be diligent! I really don't want to settle, to excuse myself for any lazy reason. By the grace of God, I can be a mom to our precious children and diligent to apply my mind to language study with the slim hours I have while they sleep. May it be Lord Jesus, for your glory, by your strength!
My husband has begun studying Uyghur with a new tutor and in discussing language study materials, he just mentioned that he'd like to study the Bible. What a wonderful surprise that this new friend, was eager to get to read a U Bible and study it with my man. Please pray that he would be opened, awakened from the dead just like Lazarus. Oh that Jesus would call to this friend and bring him to new life, new hope, faith in Him!
For me, I am hopeful for a new year: because of family responsibilities, this will be my last full-time year in language study. I struggle so much to be diligent in these studies because I have very few people to speak/practice with I am very distracted with lots of responsibilities (sweet children!) at home. But this year is crucial! May the Lord enable me to apply my mind to these studies, to persevere through the infant stage (feeling soooo dumb!) and may I too be able to study Scripture and proclaim at least some of the truth and greatness, the glory of Christ, by next summer! It will be a miracle. This is a Very Difficult Language. But miracles are just His line of business and I am boldly asking for just that.... miraculous grace to study well and have my mind and tongue and ears and heart receive and hold onto this language!
This past month especially, I have felt very weak in language skills. Discouragement is hard. One local friend here told me that my Chinese has regressed lately and I haven't been studying Uyghur since my tutors have been gone! No doubt, I'm loosing two languages then! Everyday our lives are in Chinese and I so want to proclaim Christ in Chinese.... but even more so in Uyghur, this language that has had Christ named and explained oh so little! Oh for grace! Enable me Jesus, for your glory! Help me be diligent! I really don't want to settle, to excuse myself for any lazy reason. By the grace of God, I can be a mom to our precious children and diligent to apply my mind to language study with the slim hours I have while they sleep. May it be Lord Jesus, for your glory, by your strength!
Sunday, August 21, 2011
summer dream
We enjoyed a sweet visit to the land that we love this summer and we returned very encouraged with future possibilities- a particular dream- for our family continuing to serve in ministry there. Would you pray that the Lord would lead us with wisdom as he unfolds HIS plan for us both here and there (same country but hundreds of miles apart)?
Security is tense out there: local believers are often watched and interrogated and foreigners have been forced to leave. We want to be able to minister there for as long as possible, as the Lord wills and we yearn to be able to live there for stretches of time at least, maybe after a few more years of language study and business development here. (Would that the Lord give strength to this business here that it would continue as a work we could do there, and give us a reason, a visa, that would allow us to be there.)
Security is tense out there: local believers are often watched and interrogated and foreigners have been forced to leave. We want to be able to minister there for as long as possible, as the Lord wills and we yearn to be able to live there for stretches of time at least, maybe after a few more years of language study and business development here. (Would that the Lord give strength to this business here that it would continue as a work we could do there, and give us a reason, a visa, that would allow us to be there.)
Thursday, August 18, 2011
Ramadan
We are in the midst of this.... the most holy season in Islam, a time when many (most of our friends here) are simply upholding a cultural-familial norm, but when others are earnestly hoping to find truth. Our Muslim friends fast from sun-up to sun-down, all food and water (they're not supposed to even swallow their spit).
Since Friday is the day most Muslim men pray at the mosque (like Christians attending church on Sundays), we are trying to set aside every Friday for focused prayer for our Muslim friends... most especially during this month.
This link is very informative for what Ramadan is about for Muslims.
This link is a helpful prayer guide for praying for Muslims around the world this month.
Oh that the Holy Spirit would come in power, awakening Muslims around the world to the deadness of Islam and the Life found in the rescue, forgiveness of the cross!
Since Friday is the day most Muslim men pray at the mosque (like Christians attending church on Sundays), we are trying to set aside every Friday for focused prayer for our Muslim friends... most especially during this month.
This link is very informative for what Ramadan is about for Muslims.
This link is a helpful prayer guide for praying for Muslims around the world this month.
Oh that the Holy Spirit would come in power, awakening Muslims around the world to the deadness of Islam and the Life found in the rescue, forgiveness of the cross!
Thursday, July 14, 2011
Finishing...
From two groups we dearly love.
If you have a minute to watch, you'll be encouraged as John Piper reminds us WHY this work is crucial.... what are we doing this for anyway... Caring for, serving, proclaiming Christ among the "unreached"?
One of the reader-prayer-er friends here @ Prayer Fuel is Michael Oh, who will be speaking at this event. We are praying now and will continue, that the Lord would use you mightily... as Amy Carmichael wrote, "Make me Thy Fuel, flame of God."
May the Lord be glorified richly in this time and rise up many more laborers for the harvest. Will you join with us in praying that many new cross-cultural workers and supporters will come out of this time?
If you have a minute to watch, you'll be encouraged as John Piper reminds us WHY this work is crucial.... what are we doing this for anyway... Caring for, serving, proclaiming Christ among the "unreached"?
One of the reader-prayer-er friends here @ Prayer Fuel is Michael Oh, who will be speaking at this event. We are praying now and will continue, that the Lord would use you mightily... as Amy Carmichael wrote, "Make me Thy Fuel, flame of God."
May the Lord be glorified richly in this time and rise up many more laborers for the harvest. Will you join with us in praying that many new cross-cultural workers and supporters will come out of this time?
Sunday, June 26, 2011
Two Goals
We recently heard some friends share about how their passion for church planting among Muslims in China had been greatly stoked, and we left feeling fortified by the simplicity and doability and WORTHINESS of this work and these two simple ways to bless the work here.
Please pray that the Lord would strengthen us after these two, simple, everyday needed things...
(and strengthen you too!)
1. Praying Much... strong, fervent, Word-saturated prayers.
When we pray the Word, it will more easily be on the tips of our tongues...
2. Speaking Much of Christ.... sharing God's grace and work in our lives and looking for ways, open doors to boldly, persuasively proclaim Christ to friends here.
Sunday, June 19, 2011
our battle
We’ve known for a while that our Uyghur student friends are all pretty devoted to an Imam (a Muslim pastor-type) here in town. But just recently, we’ve learned more about this guy.
He’s a younger guy from the Middle East who is teaching Arabic at the university where our friends are all studying English (and some of them, Arabic as well.) His wife and new baby are here with him and are quite housebound as the wife speaks only Arabic, no Chinese or English. This teacher is leading an underground mosque, discipling his young followers towards serious Islam, and some are even being seduced with ideas of Muslim supremacy, including violence.
And... our battle is not against this guy. It is against “the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.” (Eph 6:12)
Would you put on the armor of God and fight with us in prayer against these enemies of these Gospel- Islam, Deceit, Pride, Fear of Man? Pray that he and his wife and child would encounter Christ just like Saul of Tarsus did. Pray that there would be a mass turning to Christ among the Muslim students in this mosque, so many of whom have also heard the Gospel and have close Christian friends in their lives now. May the Lord bring his kingdom, open their eyes and ears and hearts to Him!
And... tomorrow my dear friend M is coming over and I have two big points I want to bring up with her... would you please ask for boldness for me and an open, soft, hearing heart for her? She’s returning to her hometown for the summer in just two more weeks and I really yearn that she have some “pebbles in her shoe” to have to grapple in this season home. I want her to have to think critically about Islam, about the “answers” it offers her and the dead-end it brings her to. Pray that the Holy Spirit would work in her and draw her and many with her to salvation in Christ!
_____
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*Uyghurs are ripe and ready to hear teaching on why and how they can be more serious Muslims because their culture tells them that to be Uyghur is to be Muslim. Their government tells them there is no god... (although supposedly they are allowed to be Muslim, though this is for sure not always the case.) As a whole, the 11-12 million Uyghurs are thought to be at least 97% Muslim.
Thursday, June 16, 2011
Studying the True and Living Word
While Uyghur study has slowed to a near stop for me in recent months, my husband has advanced well and is now studying the Word with his language tutors. Obviously, this is good studying for him b/c it's exactly the information he so yearns to communicate with Uyghurs... and simply in the studying, his tutor is being exposed to the Word of God.
But Jesus said that the soil of hearts matters. Please ask that N (the cool guy that lived with us for Feb., who is now my husband's tutor) would have a receptive heart to these Living Seeds of God's Word that he is carefully reading, discussing, teaching to my husband. Ask that his heart would be teachable to the Word of God and that his eyes would be opened to the self-evident truth of the Bible... that by reading it he would see that this book is Truly God's Word!
But Jesus said that the soil of hearts matters. Please ask that N (the cool guy that lived with us for Feb., who is now my husband's tutor) would have a receptive heart to these Living Seeds of God's Word that he is carefully reading, discussing, teaching to my husband. Ask that his heart would be teachable to the Word of God and that his eyes would be opened to the self-evident truth of the Bible... that by reading it he would see that this book is Truly God's Word!
Friday, June 10, 2011
Busy Summer
In just a few days some summer travelers will arrive that we have invited from our company in the states. Woudl you please pray that these guys would serve here humbly this summer and that Christ would shine radically, radiantly in their lives?
Most of their time, they will spend with just a few local Uyghur friends. Ask for grace and peace and patience for them as they adjust to life and different ways of doing things here. And ask for protection for them and for humility and appropriate boldness to proclaim Christ with the local friends we have chosen for them as guides.
Most of their time, they will spend with just a few local Uyghur friends. Ask for grace and peace and patience for them as they adjust to life and different ways of doing things here. And ask for protection for them and for humility and appropriate boldness to proclaim Christ with the local friends we have chosen for them as guides.
Wednesday, June 8, 2011
He's Coming!
We got the call today... Max has decided to accept the job with this local, believer-run company that is just getting started. He's moving from the capital in less than a month.... a few days after he graduates from university in Beijing.
This is really exciting news. Max will be working with 2 expat Christians and a local majority brother (ethnic Han) so he'll be surrounded by and well supported by Christ-lovers in this new chapter of life for him. Please continue to pray that the Lord would open Max's heart to him.
We can't help but rejoice to think that God has chosen Max for this job... and we are so eager to see him come to Christ in this season! Oh that Max's work time here would include his salvation and a rich season of discipleship so that whenever he does move on to different work, he will go out as an ambassador of Christ! As far as we know, Max's entire extended family is Muslim. Would that they see Max come to salvation and all join him too in trusting and treasuring Christ!
This is really exciting news. Max will be working with 2 expat Christians and a local majority brother (ethnic Han) so he'll be surrounded by and well supported by Christ-lovers in this new chapter of life for him. Please continue to pray that the Lord would open Max's heart to him.
We can't help but rejoice to think that God has chosen Max for this job... and we are so eager to see him come to Christ in this season! Oh that Max's work time here would include his salvation and a rich season of discipleship so that whenever he does move on to different work, he will go out as an ambassador of Christ! As far as we know, Max's entire extended family is Muslim. Would that they see Max come to salvation and all join him too in trusting and treasuring Christ!
Tuesday, May 10, 2011
an epic tragedy
The policy of this nation is to allow couples to have only one child. There are few exceptions (in rural areas or if both the husband and wife are only-children) but it is very deeply ingrained in the hearts and minds of the people so that most of the people we talk to tell us they would never want more than one child.
Maybe it sounds a bit sad but overall a harmless policy? It's not. Abortion is SO common. So cheap. People (think they) have no other option... they can't afford to pay the fines for another child and they've been brainwashed (that's my word for it, though I admit bias) to not even consider the possibility of a Creator God.
Killing babies in the womb as if they're blades of grass that simply need a trim has inflicted on this society deep wounds.
We recently heard of a leader say that abortion is a sin that is probably more easily uncovered than other sins. When, in evangelism, 90% of our time can be spent on helping people recognize that they are sinners and need a savior, this sin (and it's scar) can sometimes more easily be found than say jealousy, selfishness or greed.
The horror of it is that this is so accepted, so common, so allll-over-the-place. My neighbor just told me she's pregnant with a second and not sure she wants to keep her baby. I pleaded with her but I'm afraid to see her again and ask how she's doing... My fruit vendor was a bit sick last week and when I checked on her this week she told me she had an abortion. And both of these ladies smile about it with no prick of conscious evident at all. But oh if they could see!!!
Would you ask for wisdom for us as we want our lives to be a bold witness to the fact that our God creates life for joy in Him. (our large family stands out everywhere we go)
Ask for wisdom for us to discuss with local friends this restraint put on them and to grieve the corner a few of them feel backed into. Ask for wisdom and boldness.
Ask for help for us... How can we address this with our friends? Maybe we need contacts here... there are good Christian works that rescue babies. We are in way over our heads to want to help address this, to know that we MUST be ready with help, with answers for needy friends.... would you please ask the Lord for grace and wisdom and help for us in this?
Maybe it sounds a bit sad but overall a harmless policy? It's not. Abortion is SO common. So cheap. People (think they) have no other option... they can't afford to pay the fines for another child and they've been brainwashed (that's my word for it, though I admit bias) to not even consider the possibility of a Creator God.
Killing babies in the womb as if they're blades of grass that simply need a trim has inflicted on this society deep wounds.
We recently heard of a leader say that abortion is a sin that is probably more easily uncovered than other sins. When, in evangelism, 90% of our time can be spent on helping people recognize that they are sinners and need a savior, this sin (and it's scar) can sometimes more easily be found than say jealousy, selfishness or greed.
The horror of it is that this is so accepted, so common, so allll-over-the-place. My neighbor just told me she's pregnant with a second and not sure she wants to keep her baby. I pleaded with her but I'm afraid to see her again and ask how she's doing... My fruit vendor was a bit sick last week and when I checked on her this week she told me she had an abortion. And both of these ladies smile about it with no prick of conscious evident at all. But oh if they could see!!!
Would you ask for wisdom for us as we want our lives to be a bold witness to the fact that our God creates life for joy in Him. (our large family stands out everywhere we go)
Ask for wisdom for us to discuss with local friends this restraint put on them and to grieve the corner a few of them feel backed into. Ask for wisdom and boldness.
Ask for help for us... How can we address this with our friends? Maybe we need contacts here... there are good Christian works that rescue babies. We are in way over our heads to want to help address this, to know that we MUST be ready with help, with answers for needy friends.... would you please ask the Lord for grace and wisdom and help for us in this?
Thursday, May 5, 2011
update on Max
I posted about this possibility last month... now here's the latest:
Our good friend Max was offered a job here in our town, working for a company that will also employ believers. We really hope that he'll take the job and get to be influenced in this way, and be near us too so we can enjoy having him over and seize every opportunity opened for us to proclaim Christ to this dear friend too!
Our good friend Max was offered a job here in our town, working for a company that will also employ believers. We really hope that he'll take the job and get to be influenced in this way, and be near us too so we can enjoy having him over and seize every opportunity opened for us to proclaim Christ to this dear friend too!
creative leads
Would you please ask the Father to lead us, give us wisdom, to salt every conversation we have with our language tutors and friends? We know that naturally, they are not interested to hear about Christ. They aren't ready and waiting to study the Word with us.
But we don't want to simply sit back and wait... we want to be pursuing them in prayer, and living lives and speaking words with them that make them thirsty for Christ.
The Good News of Salvation in Christ Jesus is seen as western-tainted filth to these Muslim friends. Ask that the Holy Spirt would work mightily in our friends lives, hearts, minds, and across the Uyghur people, to awaken them to the Beauty and LIFE offered in Christ, found in his Word.
But we don't want to simply sit back and wait... we want to be pursuing them in prayer, and living lives and speaking words with them that make them thirsty for Christ.
The Good News of Salvation in Christ Jesus is seen as western-tainted filth to these Muslim friends. Ask that the Holy Spirt would work mightily in our friends lives, hearts, minds, and across the Uyghur people, to awaken them to the Beauty and LIFE offered in Christ, found in his Word.
Sunday, April 17, 2011
coming from the capital
My husband's close friend from the capital is boarding a train this evening and will arrive at our house tomorrow. He'll be meeting with two guys here in town to see about a new role in a company that we hope to see become a long-term avenue of service here.
Would you ask that "Max" would be drawn to Christ through his potential new work with believers in this company, through friendship with us, through God's Word...?
Would you ask that "Max" would be drawn to Christ through his potential new work with believers in this company, through friendship with us, through God's Word...?
Thursday, April 14, 2011
made needy
My tutor is soon returning from being with her family because a severe health need arose, there was surgery, hard recovery, and now she can finally return to our city to continue her studies.
This is M, my closest uyghur girlfriend in town, who has listened to me blank-faced, with silent expression and silent lips, for a whole year now. Would you ask that she would begin to respond, to initiate, to talk about spiritual things with us? Ask that she would be made hungry, needy, curious for the Word, for truth from God, for help. I pray that she would begin to see that her approaching Allah is pointless- there is no hope, no help, no truth, no grace, no love there for her or her needy mom.
This is M, my closest uyghur girlfriend in town, who has listened to me blank-faced, with silent expression and silent lips, for a whole year now. Would you ask that she would begin to respond, to initiate, to talk about spiritual things with us? Ask that she would be made hungry, needy, curious for the Word, for truth from God, for help. I pray that she would begin to see that her approaching Allah is pointless- there is no hope, no help, no truth, no grace, no love there for her or her needy mom.
Tuesday, April 12, 2011
in his hands
A dear Uyghur friend of ours here in town lost his father suddenly last summer. He shared with us precious pieces of his heart, his story of arriving to his family's home and being the last one to know the news, his sorrow and pain nightly, his loneliness that many of his fellow Uyghur students on his campus don't know that his father passed away simply because it's too painful for him to speak of it.
And then we learned that his father knew was close friends with misny friends of ours who lived in their town a decade ago. Oh God come graciously to this whole family!
This friend left our home last week with a copy of the New Testament and Gen and Exodus in his language. One book, bound beautifully, covered in characters and art that speak his heart's culture and language.... and may the Living Word draw this young man, open his eyes and ears and heart and bind him to Himself too.
Will you join us to pray boldly for this friend? Ask that the Holy Spirit would open his eyes to see the Living Word, Jesus, in the Word of God.
And then we learned that his father knew was close friends with misny friends of ours who lived in their town a decade ago. Oh God come graciously to this whole family!
This friend left our home last week with a copy of the New Testament and Gen and Exodus in his language. One book, bound beautifully, covered in characters and art that speak his heart's culture and language.... and may the Living Word draw this young man, open his eyes and ears and heart and bind him to Himself too.
Will you join us to pray boldly for this friend? Ask that the Holy Spirit would open his eyes to see the Living Word, Jesus, in the Word of God.
Wednesday, March 2, 2011
lies and love
My tutor has returned from the semester break and she's coming to visit this Friday morning.
She is my closest Uyghur friend here and I really enjoy hanging out with her and learning language from her. But I know that she's not always honest with me. It's a common thing in Uyghur culture- it's nothing to work your conscience over if you need to lie a little or a lot to say whatever people want to hear or whatever will protect your image. Lying is really common.
For example, I asked this dear friend, M., why she wears a head scarf. She hates it when it's hot and is bothered to put it on sometimes so she'd rather just stay inside... so why does she wear it? She told me she thinks its beautiful. She told another friend "because I'm not allowed to wear it in Xin Jiang" (the Uyghur province- and this is true- it identifies her as loyal Uyghur, which the government fears for a few reasons). And she brags to me that her boyfriend has never seen her hair, but I know that this standard / desire for modesty does not affect their entire relationship.
Every single time, except for one, that I have brought up the Gospel or the Word of God with her, she has sat, blank-faced, stared past me and not responded at all. I'm really hoping that if we can talk more honestly, openly about love relationships that this will be a good inroads for Gospel salt on her tongue.
So would you please pray for her and I as we visit this Friday morning? I want to offer to her that I would really be glad to come along side her as a big sister, to hear from her and encourage her in her relationship with her boyfriend (N, who stayed with us during the break.) My husband hopes to talk about the same things at lunch with him next week.
Let's ask the Lord to miraculously open their ears and eyes and hearts to His Love.... his saving grace, his true, life-giving, liberating, good word!
She is my closest Uyghur friend here and I really enjoy hanging out with her and learning language from her. But I know that she's not always honest with me. It's a common thing in Uyghur culture- it's nothing to work your conscience over if you need to lie a little or a lot to say whatever people want to hear or whatever will protect your image. Lying is really common.
For example, I asked this dear friend, M., why she wears a head scarf. She hates it when it's hot and is bothered to put it on sometimes so she'd rather just stay inside... so why does she wear it? She told me she thinks its beautiful. She told another friend "because I'm not allowed to wear it in Xin Jiang" (the Uyghur province- and this is true- it identifies her as loyal Uyghur, which the government fears for a few reasons). And she brags to me that her boyfriend has never seen her hair, but I know that this standard / desire for modesty does not affect their entire relationship.
Every single time, except for one, that I have brought up the Gospel or the Word of God with her, she has sat, blank-faced, stared past me and not responded at all. I'm really hoping that if we can talk more honestly, openly about love relationships that this will be a good inroads for Gospel salt on her tongue.
So would you please pray for her and I as we visit this Friday morning? I want to offer to her that I would really be glad to come along side her as a big sister, to hear from her and encourage her in her relationship with her boyfriend (N, who stayed with us during the break.) My husband hopes to talk about the same things at lunch with him next week.
Let's ask the Lord to miraculously open their ears and eyes and hearts to His Love.... his saving grace, his true, life-giving, liberating, good word!
Monday, February 28, 2011
dreams
We've heard of a study that consisted of interviews with Muslim Background Believers (MBBs) that listed the top reasons why Muslims come to faith in Christ. First of all, most of the MBBs interviewed explained that they heard the Gospel in parts or in whole something like 45 times before they received. And what were the main influences that drew them, led them to be willing to consider Christ?
The love of Christians they knew and dreams of Jesus were the top two (I think, just going on memory here.)
Here is a web site (click for link) where you can see video clips of 5 MBBs who came to Christ after having a dream of Jesus. (Excellent videos!)
We long to see the Lord use whatever means he sees fit to draw these Uyghur friends to himself for salvation, and we know that he will always work in accordance with His Word. We know that the Lord clearly does use dreams and visions in scripture to reveal himself or his will to his people.
Recently, my husband got a call from a guy across town who has been sharing Christ with a Uyghur guy he knows. This friend called to tell my hubby that this young Uyghur guy, TN, who has shown lots of interest in Christ mixed with lots of fear and hesitancy and incomplete understanding, TN had a dream about our friend and houseguest, N. TN's dream was that N was very hungry to know more about Jesus.
N just moved out of our house yesterday morning and we didn't see all that TN dreamed of, but we would still love to!
Please pray with us for N to be drawn to Christ. Ask that the Lord would reveal himself in whatever powerful, tender, true way he wants to, to cause N to see the "light of the glory of the gospel of Christ." Apart from the Holy Spirit opening his eyes, he is dead in his sins and blind to Christ's light. Pray that the Lord would graciously intervene and give him life and faith in Christ!
Ask for TN, who has just returned to the Uyghur province, to be drawn to Christ with clarity and strength. Ask that the Lord would give him courage to believe, even though it will mean opposition and persecution for him. Pray for strong, supportive Uyghur Christian fellowship for him.
The love of Christians they knew and dreams of Jesus were the top two (I think, just going on memory here.)
Here is a web site (click for link) where you can see video clips of 5 MBBs who came to Christ after having a dream of Jesus. (Excellent videos!)
We long to see the Lord use whatever means he sees fit to draw these Uyghur friends to himself for salvation, and we know that he will always work in accordance with His Word. We know that the Lord clearly does use dreams and visions in scripture to reveal himself or his will to his people.
Recently, my husband got a call from a guy across town who has been sharing Christ with a Uyghur guy he knows. This friend called to tell my hubby that this young Uyghur guy, TN, who has shown lots of interest in Christ mixed with lots of fear and hesitancy and incomplete understanding, TN had a dream about our friend and houseguest, N. TN's dream was that N was very hungry to know more about Jesus.
N just moved out of our house yesterday morning and we didn't see all that TN dreamed of, but we would still love to!
Please pray with us for N to be drawn to Christ. Ask that the Lord would reveal himself in whatever powerful, tender, true way he wants to, to cause N to see the "light of the glory of the gospel of Christ." Apart from the Holy Spirit opening his eyes, he is dead in his sins and blind to Christ's light. Pray that the Lord would graciously intervene and give him life and faith in Christ!
Ask for TN, who has just returned to the Uyghur province, to be drawn to Christ with clarity and strength. Ask that the Lord would give him courage to believe, even though it will mean opposition and persecution for him. Pray for strong, supportive Uyghur Christian fellowship for him.
Saturday, February 26, 2011
worthy
Oh to live with peace and glad confidence that what I am spending my breath, my days, myself on is worthy, eternally worthy.
"... the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each holding a harp, and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints. And they sang a new song, saying, “Worthy are you to take the scroll and to open its seals, for you were slain, and by your blood you ransomed people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation, and you have made them a kingdom and priests to our God, and they shall reign on the earth.”
Revelation 5:8-10
"... the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each holding a harp, and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints. And they sang a new song, saying, “Worthy are you to take the scroll and to open its seals, for you were slain, and by your blood you ransomed people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation, and you have made them a kingdom and priests to our God, and they shall reign on the earth.”
Revelation 5:8-10
Sunday, February 20, 2011
new semester
The past several weeks have been a semester break (mid Jan- end of Feb) for Chinese New Year. Uyghurs don't celebrate CNY but most of our student friends are still eager to return to see their families for the break. My two tutors will return in the next few days and we will hopefully soon get time to catch up... hear about their time off and show off my much-larger-now belly.
Would you please pray for M and G to be drawn to Christ as we visit together, talk about families, eat baked goodies and watch our kids play? Pray that the Holy Spirit would open wide doors for proclaiming Christ to these ladies, neither of whom has previously expressed much interest to hear. Ask that they would leave our times together made thirsty by the salt of the Gospel, that they would hopefully see evidenced, and hear spoken of in our home.
This weekend, the guy who has been tutoring my husband most consistently for the past 6 months is moving back to the Uyghur province to start working. Pray that this friend, M, would not be able to escape all that he has heard of Christ. Pray that the Lord would conquer his fears and prejudices against Christ/ Christians and would not let him rest until he comes to Jesus for forgiveness, life, salvation. Ask that M would meet other Christians in Xin Jiang- even though there are sooo few.
Finally, would you ask for a good new tutor for my husband and a good new study arrangement for me as we transition through a maternity leave season soon. We both are hungry to advance in our Uyghur language skills... looking ahead to spending the summer in Uyghur territory (Xin Jiang).
Would you please pray for M and G to be drawn to Christ as we visit together, talk about families, eat baked goodies and watch our kids play? Pray that the Holy Spirit would open wide doors for proclaiming Christ to these ladies, neither of whom has previously expressed much interest to hear. Ask that they would leave our times together made thirsty by the salt of the Gospel, that they would hopefully see evidenced, and hear spoken of in our home.
This weekend, the guy who has been tutoring my husband most consistently for the past 6 months is moving back to the Uyghur province to start working. Pray that this friend, M, would not be able to escape all that he has heard of Christ. Pray that the Lord would conquer his fears and prejudices against Christ/ Christians and would not let him rest until he comes to Jesus for forgiveness, life, salvation. Ask that M would meet other Christians in Xin Jiang- even though there are sooo few.
Finally, would you ask for a good new tutor for my husband and a good new study arrangement for me as we transition through a maternity leave season soon. We both are hungry to advance in our Uyghur language skills... looking ahead to spending the summer in Uyghur territory (Xin Jiang).
Thursday, February 3, 2011
gender issues
Uyghur women are the cooks and the cleaners in the home. Very often extended families live together to cover responsibilities and just as homes are filled with people, they are often filled with strife.
Harsh relationships between mothers and daughters in law are very common as is domestic violence and child abuse, which usually go unreported and unpunished. (For the most part, abuse in the home is not viewed as a criminal matter in China- for the majority or minority peoples.)
Since N has stayed in our home for the past few weeks, I've felt a bit of the weight of some Uyghur gender issues. The nearest local grocery carries mainly just raw ingredients- produce, flour, oil, eggs- and although we can get some wonderful items to add to this (butter, cheese, pasta and a few more goodies) at another store in town, most every meal is a labor intensive afternoon, and most every snack is home-baked. I'm pregnant, caring for our big kids, and hosting this guest till one month before my due date. And although I'm super blessed to have some local help it's not the same as living with family that can co-host every guest that crosses our doorway.
In our home, I'm not an unappreciated slave in the kitchen. My man helps me kindly and generously. I think his love for me is clearly shown and I know it is gratefully received.... but these demonstrations and understandings are American. I don't know how N. perceives these things. Does he see Matt as a humble servant (like he is) or like an idiot husband who is doing his wife's work?
Would you pray that he would see the grace and love of God displayed in our marriage? Ask for grace for us to serve each other with patience and joy, and to submit to one another humbly, lovingly, scripturally. Ask for help for N to understand that a wife submitting herself to her husband as unto the Lord, and a husband leading as a servant, is a beautiful blessing for a home and family.
Harsh relationships between mothers and daughters in law are very common as is domestic violence and child abuse, which usually go unreported and unpunished. (For the most part, abuse in the home is not viewed as a criminal matter in China- for the majority or minority peoples.)
Since N has stayed in our home for the past few weeks, I've felt a bit of the weight of some Uyghur gender issues. The nearest local grocery carries mainly just raw ingredients- produce, flour, oil, eggs- and although we can get some wonderful items to add to this (butter, cheese, pasta and a few more goodies) at another store in town, most every meal is a labor intensive afternoon, and most every snack is home-baked. I'm pregnant, caring for our big kids, and hosting this guest till one month before my due date. And although I'm super blessed to have some local help it's not the same as living with family that can co-host every guest that crosses our doorway.
In our home, I'm not an unappreciated slave in the kitchen. My man helps me kindly and generously. I think his love for me is clearly shown and I know it is gratefully received.... but these demonstrations and understandings are American. I don't know how N. perceives these things. Does he see Matt as a humble servant (like he is) or like an idiot husband who is doing his wife's work?
Would you pray that he would see the grace and love of God displayed in our marriage? Ask for grace for us to serve each other with patience and joy, and to submit to one another humbly, lovingly, scripturally. Ask for help for N to understand that a wife submitting herself to her husband as unto the Lord, and a husband leading as a servant, is a beautiful blessing for a home and family.
Sunday, January 30, 2011
a Christmas story and prayer points
My closest Uyhgur friend in town is also friends with another m worker who held a Christmas party on Christmas day. The two of these friends cooked together days before and expected to enjoy the well prepared, fun festivities together. But Christmas afternoon, this Uyghur girlfriend and her boyfriend and several more of their friends, didn't show up for the party. Such a disappointment.
What happened was that "N" (our current houseguest, see below), "the boyfriend", decided to ask the Imam (Muslim pastor) if it was ok for them to attend a Christian Christmas party. He said no, (of course!) This group of Uyghur friends are quite staunch in their Islam and many of them seem to be deepening in their studies, prayers, piety as Muslims. They knew what this party would entail and they did not want to submit themselves to having to listen to a Christian message shared even though the westerners sharing are their good friends.
PLEASE PRAY:
~ These students are minorities in a communist nation and they are Muslim. Both of these factors add up to them often being very easily, wholly swayed by what a leader they respect might say. M. said that she is going to ask for leaders' advice when she's home (right now, for semester break) to see if it's ok for her to study the Bible with Christians at school. Probably 100% of them will say no. But their holy book, the Koran, does in fact urge Muslims to seek out "people of the way" (Christians) and to read the New Testament. Would you pray that my dear friend M. would encounter Jesus somehow and have courage to leave behind everything that would hinder her from pursuing him?
~ Please continue to pray for N who is staying with us now. Since our kids were sick today, we stayed home and listened to a sermon and he asked if he could join in and listen with us. His English is quite poor so it's doubtful that he understood much but it's amazing that he even asked to listen with us! And he hears our every-meal Bible reading, short teaching time for our kids (and ok, for him too!). We love how our second child reaches to hold his hand during prayers. He's never once refused that!
~ Ask that the Lord would move among this whole group of students. One young guy has recently expressed great interest in following Christ but most of them are banded together with great unity under the shared identity "We are Uyghur, We are Muslim." Would that the Spirit of God move mightily, graciously, to draw this whole group to Himself!
Monday, January 24, 2011
houseguests
It's been a busy start to the new year for us.... sorry it's been too long since we've updated you here!
But we are finally feeling settled in our new place and into a mostly regular routine again. We just said goodbye to a new friend who visited our city from the Uyghur province capital. During her 5 day stay in our home, she joined in our meal-time Bible reading and prayer times, saw our love for/ discipline/ and sometimes tired impatience with our kids and heard again about the Gospel of Christ that we hope to adorn. So glad it's not a message of our own goodness "Look how good we are, we're Christians!" but a message of the splendor of a God who would come to rescue dead sinners like us and give us life in Him...
She seemed to track with us as my husband explained "Yes. You're right. The law of Islam and the law of Christianity are very similar. Some subtle differences, but lots of agreement. The place where Christianity and Islam diverge, though, is in what the law tells us... does for us. It doesn't make us holy. We can never make ourselves holy by attaining to the whole law! The law is all that Islam offers.... But in Christ, we have a gift, a gift that we don't earn with our proud hard work, but must be received humbly, in faith. The Gift of forgiveness and righteousness and certain, eternal salvation...."
She told me several times "you don't know what it's like..." to live as a minority in this communist nation that squelches her home culture, outlaws her language from education, bans books on her people's history, forbids conversion to any religion besides your parents'.
Precious Friend, you're right. I don't know how horribly hard it would be to be under all that. But I do believe God does. "Their cry for rescue from slavery came up to God. 24And God heard their groaning, and God remembered his covenant with Abraham, with Isaac, and with Jacob. 25God saw the people of Israel—and God knew. (Exodus 2:23-25) We are praying that she would know God's knowing of her... and that she would have courage to leave all and come to Christ.
Would you please pray for this terrific young woman, "A" ? She headed back yesterday morning on the train to her town, where we know a few Uyghur believers we could connect her with if she's interested. Please intercede with us for her, like Moses did for the Israelite people (Exodus 32-33). We're not asking for the Lord to save her because she's so good, but because she has no hope apart from him.
And for our kind-of cooky friend "N" who is staying with us now. He's a fun, young student in town who chose not to return to his family for the semester break so that he could study more. But the dorms are closed.... so he's at our place for about a month. Pray with us that he would come to Christ in this time! Oh the courage and humility needed for this miracle to happen! Graciously humble him Lord. Draw him to you. May it be so, for your glory!!
But we are finally feeling settled in our new place and into a mostly regular routine again. We just said goodbye to a new friend who visited our city from the Uyghur province capital. During her 5 day stay in our home, she joined in our meal-time Bible reading and prayer times, saw our love for/ discipline/ and sometimes tired impatience with our kids and heard again about the Gospel of Christ that we hope to adorn. So glad it's not a message of our own goodness "Look how good we are, we're Christians!" but a message of the splendor of a God who would come to rescue dead sinners like us and give us life in Him...
She seemed to track with us as my husband explained "Yes. You're right. The law of Islam and the law of Christianity are very similar. Some subtle differences, but lots of agreement. The place where Christianity and Islam diverge, though, is in what the law tells us... does for us. It doesn't make us holy. We can never make ourselves holy by attaining to the whole law! The law is all that Islam offers.... But in Christ, we have a gift, a gift that we don't earn with our proud hard work, but must be received humbly, in faith. The Gift of forgiveness and righteousness and certain, eternal salvation...."
She told me several times "you don't know what it's like..." to live as a minority in this communist nation that squelches her home culture, outlaws her language from education, bans books on her people's history, forbids conversion to any religion besides your parents'.
Precious Friend, you're right. I don't know how horribly hard it would be to be under all that. But I do believe God does. "Their cry for rescue from slavery came up to God. 24And God heard their groaning, and God remembered his covenant with Abraham, with Isaac, and with Jacob. 25God saw the people of Israel—and God knew. (Exodus 2:23-25) We are praying that she would know God's knowing of her... and that she would have courage to leave all and come to Christ.
Would you please pray for this terrific young woman, "A" ? She headed back yesterday morning on the train to her town, where we know a few Uyghur believers we could connect her with if she's interested. Please intercede with us for her, like Moses did for the Israelite people (Exodus 32-33). We're not asking for the Lord to save her because she's so good, but because she has no hope apart from him.
And for our kind-of cooky friend "N" who is staying with us now. He's a fun, young student in town who chose not to return to his family for the semester break so that he could study more. But the dorms are closed.... so he's at our place for about a month. Pray with us that he would come to Christ in this time! Oh the courage and humility needed for this miracle to happen! Graciously humble him Lord. Draw him to you. May it be so, for your glory!!
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