Welcome back

It's good to be back in Thailand.

The first two weeks have flown by. The first week I was getting over Jet lag and moving back into my house. Then there was church camp. Then Suzy, my new roommate, moved in the community--another busy week of getting her connected with the community and moving in. But it's good to be back.

So far so good with Suzy--I've been impressed with her willingness to jump right into the community, and her helpfulness to scrub the house. Especially in a 109* house with 43% humidity. Why has it been so hot this past week?

But like I said it's good to be back. It's good to find 30 cent bags of freshly cut fruit everywhere, and cheap coffee on the street, it's good to eat spicy food and laugh with neighbors. It's encouraging to see how much the new believers have matured, and to be apart of God's Kingdom coming in the slums of Bangkok. It's good to see all the kids who still can't remember if my name is Sara or Christy and now with Suzy in the miss--their all confused. It's good to be back with the team, and it's good to be with the office staff.

It's good to come back and realize how much I love and hope for this place.

Greater things are yet to be done In Thailand

When I moved to Thailand there were no believers in the community I live. Now there is a house church with 7 new followers of Jesus. God is amazing and he has done wondrous things. I love telling the stories of God’s tangible transformation and His glory revealed, but the truth is, for every miraculous story there are 20 more that make me weep in the presence of God. God is good, mighty to save and sovereign, but God is not a genie who grants us every wish. That being said when I came home I was tired. People have commented on the fact that I haven’t blogged in a while and the truth is I was too tired and doubted my voice in the midst of the exhaustion. Although I’ve never experienced as much Joy as when I saw the those living in Thailand become followers of Jesus and although I wouldn’t trade that for anything-- the truth is when I first came home I was too tired to pray for much. I kept my prayers simple. It’s one reason I’m so grateful that God is gracious enough to not depend on my prayers alone—this is why we are called to pray as a community—to lift our voices when others are too tired to hope for more.

This past week I went to a worship night and we sang a Chris Tamlin song with these words

Verse 1.
You're the God of this city
You're the King of these people
You're the Lord of this nation
You Are

You're the light in this darkness
You're the hope to the hopeless
You're the peace to the restless
You are

Bridge:
For there is no one like our God
There is no one like You God

Chorus 1:
For greater things have yet to come
And greater things are still to be done
In this city
Greater things have yet to come
And greater things are still to be done here

Hope arose anew in me. I cried out these words with utter excitement as I prepare to head back to Thailand. I dreamed of what it would look like to see Phothong gambling free where parents instruct their children with love and devotion, where addicts are set free from bondage and forgiveness is a normal part of relationships. Hope arose anew in me as I now have energy again to ask to for these miracles—to be apart of God’s Kingdom coming in full in Phothong as it is in Heaven. I will get tired again, but I pray that you too with continue praying with me. Greater things are yet to be done in Thailand and as a community I hope you will hope with me.