Reflections:  I have been thinking last couple weeks how I get satisfied with seeing God move a little.  Being comfort with my daily life with Jesus when there is so much more of God at my fingertips, if only I will ask Him.  I was struck by this when reading in Mt 4 about Jesus 1^st preached…”the kingdom of God is at hand.”  Its within reach and yet I get satisfied with a little.  God’s wanting to redeem people, cities and nations. Why don’t I see it happening?  Have I been comfort and satisfied with just a little when there’s so much available?  Its bringing me to repentance and seeking the Lord that I would hunger after His presence more & press into asking more, expecting more.  Because there’s so much of God wanting to do, if only I will seek Him first.

Praises

• God opened the door!  Since being here I have been praying about how I can be a blessing in the community, particularly the neighborhood slums.  Thanks for praying that God would open doors because He did! A Thai took me into a couple slums & there’s a small school in one of them.  The principal happens to be the slum ‘village’ leader & she welcomingly is opening the school DOORS on Sunday afternoons for me to teach English to kids.  A Thai missionary staff & I have been doing it for 2 weeks so far and it’s a blast!  We plan to do it for 4 weeks and then evaluate it with her.  We have had about 20 eager & energetic kids each weekJ My main purpose is to build relationships w/people!
• Friendships!  I feel like some friendships are developing!  Thank you for your prayers!  Eve, my roommate, ‘ran’ into a friend from her village that moved into our complex.  Yiam, and her husband, Joem, are very social and we have spent some time with them and their friends.  They are all in their late 20s, in careers, and being together has brought much laughs as they want to learn English, as I want to learn Thai.  Pray for God’s spirit to move among our time together.
• Blessed with rocking teaching!  Was so sweet to listen to a week of teaching on Worldview by Darrow Mueller and then attend a conference last week on Transforming Cultures by George Otis Jr.  I learned a ton and am so thankful to receive good teaching & be challenged in what I believe.
• Visit to Pattaya:  I went for a weekend to visit bar girls project & slum kids project of YWAMs.  I love hearing stories about how God works & calls His people to places.  So, I was inspired with time in relationships with the missionaries there, as well excited in my spirit about how God is working and bearing fruit of redemption, hope, love, in a city that filled with vile evils.  One boy in the slum particularly stood out to me that had this little joy amidst his environment.  His mom, sister, and grandma are prostitutes.  His dad sells drugs and one of his eyes is blinded from a time his dad threw glass bottle into his eye.  The parents won’t let him go to school because they use him to beg on the streets.  In this situation, the missionary is trying to work with parents to allow him to go to one of our homes, but the parents don’t want him to leave.  Please pray for him that he is released into one of YWAM’s homes of love & joy for at-risk youth and into God’s love. 

In Jesus life there was none of the pressure and rushing of tremendous activity that we regard so highly today. A disciple of Jesus is to be like His Master.  –Oswald Chambers

Lord, show me what I need to cut out of my life so that I am not rushed this holiday season.  I want to feel your presence & hear your voice through the day.  I want to take time to be a model of your love like you were when you were on this earth.  This Christmas season I want to be drawn into the quiet place of worshipping and loving on you because you came to bring salvation to the nations & me!