God is still...and is always faithful

November 2016 Chiang Mai, Thailand

(One year in Chiang Mai--To our God be all praise and glory for His provision, comfort, and care)
"O LORD, you are my God; I will exalt you and praise your name, for in perfect faithfulness you have done marvelous things, things planned long ago." Psalm 25
     
     In some ways, it is hard to believe we've been here for a year.  We are feeling much more familiar and at home, but we also realize that we still have much to learn and understand about this place.
      Just after our last blog on the faithfulness of our God, it seemed we were bombarded with some difficulties--again not major--but requiring time, effort, and  some stress.  We had seen God work and provide in many ways as we completed necessary tasks for our stay here.  We were grateful for the faithfulness of our great God.  When we were feeling a little under attack during a rough week, I recalled our blog on the faithfulness of God.  I told several people that I felt as if our words were being tested.  Did we truly mean them?
"Catch for us the little foxes, the little foxes that can ruin the vineyards." (Song of Songs 2:15)  Little foxes are an example of the kinds of problems that can disturb or destroy a relationship or affect our spiritual life when we follow our feelings rather than the facts about God and the truth of Scripture.  Rather than relying on our immediate thoughts, we can verify their accuracy or challenge their inaccuracy by the Word of God.  We need to focus on His words, His truth--not our feelings or emotions.  Kay Swatkowski says we need to Verify and Trust.  First verify our thoughts by looking into God's Word and then trust what He says is true.  Verify and then trust.  2 Cor. 10:5 "May I cast down arguments and every vain thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God and bring every thought into captivity to the obedience of Jesus Christ." For years, this verse has been part of my(Sher) prayer ritual.  When it comes to our own internal thinking process, we are quick to trust, but often we don't verify.  We assume that what we think and feel is accurate, but quite often it is not.  God's thoughts are not our thoughts--His thoughts and ways are higher--different from ours.  (Isaiah55:8-9) Romans 12:2 "Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind."   Challenging our own thoughts is a lot of work--sometimes it's just easier to believe what we are thinking, even if it causes misery.  

Ezra holding his favorite story

So, we reread our words on the last blog--and proclaim: yes we meant every word and no God did not zap us to see if we meant it.  Verify and trust.  God is always faithful, but that doesn't mean everything in our lives will be smooth with no problems.  Jesus said, "In this world you will have trouble."  The challenge is to verify and trust!  We need to challenge our thinking and allow God to refine and transform us through the difficulties.  We had to make an emergency run to the hospital for Dave with kidney stones.  The same week I had to return to the hospital with a bronchial infection--and on that day I fell in our Mubahn where they were doing some construction.  I had a black eye, some cuts and bruises but no broken bones.  Dave has a large kidney stone that cannot be passed, but currently it is not obstructing or causing pain.  Please be in prayer for some decisions in the future concerning all this.  That same week, we had another issue back in the states that was causing us some stress and concern.  But God was faithful in all of it, and we have much to be thankful for in the midst of all these little foxes.  Verify and trust!

Things of Note Recently! 

Dave  and I celebrated one year in Thailand on November 7th.  We went to a lovely resort with beautiful flowers and sculptured gardens.  This is Thailand!  We took a long walk and had a lovely dinner.  

Anniversary Dinner

We were able to, along with Faithful Heart Foundation, to sign an official book in our district government office to express our appreciation of and honor for the king in his passing.  We were very thankful for the opportunity to do this.

We enjoyed(Matthew, Audrey, and Amy especially) a visit form the states with Audrey's parents.

They enjoyed for a few weeks sweet little Ezra! (What we continue to enjoy and thank our God for as His blessed gift). Every good and perfect gift comes from Him!

 We attended a Thai Christian wedding at a church located on the campus of a Christian University here.  It was a lovely service.  We could only grab words here and there (If only they would speak more slowly--ha ha!), but PraJowl (God) over and over--we understood.  Dave took careful notes because just last Sunday he performed his first wedding.  On the first week of our coming, he performed a funeral, and on the anniversary of our first year--a wedding.  This wedding was for a young couple in our church, and it was held at night at the home of the groom's parents.  It was a beautiful evening, the decorations were lovely, and we think it will always be a special memory of 

our time here in Thailand. 

We will not accomplish great things for God here in Chiang Mai, but our prayer is that we will be faithful to the tasks He places before us--that we will be faithful in sharing the love of Christ and of serving others in His name.  We continue to covet your prayers to this end.  Please pray:

• That we will be faithful in the daily, small things
• That we will love and serve those around us with the love of our Savior Jesus Christ
• That the love of our Savior will shine from our lives to reflect on the lives of those around us
• That we will minister effectively to those in our church body--so that they can effectively transform lives through their various ministries. (Col. 3:17)
• For possible medical procedure for Dave in the future--for wisdom and peace
• For health and strength that we might faithfully fulfill our calling here.  Of His calling here, we have no doubt, but we need continual wisdom to discern exactly what that looks like.
• For Matthew, Audrey, and Ezra and Faithful Heart Foundation.  Shirley, one of the directors of the foundation, just came through some surgery with good results--pray for continued healing.
• For Benjamin, the young orphan who is critically ill--a part of Faithful Heart
• Love and prayers!