Hello everyone. I was looking for an older message that I shared about my experience when visiting France 🇫🇷. I think with many of us planning trips for the summer, my experience would be helpful to know as an FYI. I haven’t found it yet but this old writing came up in my search for “France”. It ministered to me a lot as I was remembering that time…I hope it blesses you too. Please read the late Dr Charles Stanley’s letter as well. His pastoral letter is even more relevant today.
I just finished an amazing book called “A Promise Kept”. If you want to read a brief recap about the author, here it is:
If you want to read his book, here is the link. It’s a short book: https://a.co/d/cU23ehC
His poem written in the first years of taking care of his wife made a huge impression on me. I just saved it on my phone. It’s a great prayer poem. It’s attached as a photo if you want to save it on your phone too.
In most Confucius-based countries like Korea, women were third class citizens and it’s only in the last few decades that women have acquired tremendous privilege and rights. Therefore seeing a man who sacrificed as much he did to care for his wife is a very, very powerful testimony. If I did my math correctly then he took care of his wife for 13 years.
I thought this was a really good article on the reasons why God heals some people but not others. God didn’t heal his wife but oh wow, he reached so many more people because of his sacrifice and great love.
Growing up I watched the “Little House on the Prairie” series after school. I thought Christian husbands were like that in the show. It is no wonder it was easy to say yes to Jesus when I was asked to say the sinner’s prayer at the middle school summer retreat. My salvation was truly a free gift with no mental wrestling involved at all. My wrestling came afterwards when I became a teenager/young adult. 😅
God is moving mightily in higher education! Yay! This super smart scientist in physics was disturbed by the lack of credible evidence from astronomers about their theories on the origin of the universe and so he got a PhD in astronomy to figure it out himself! His story reminds me of Dr James Tour and other academic scientists in fields like chemistry and engineering who are saying that biology and astronomy sciences are not using the same strict rules like they are using to base their fundamentals and foundations upon. If you have children and adult children who struggle with the origins of life and the Big Bang theory etc, please share this interview podcast with them.
“Dr. Michael Guillen is a physicist, a bestselling author, and a former Emmy-winning science correspondent for ABC News. Holding a rare 3D PhD from Cornell University in physics, mathematics, and astronomy, Dr. Guillen has taught at Harvard University and served as the science editor for ABC News, appearing regularly on Good Morning America, 20/20, and Nightline. Now an internationally respected speaker and writer, Dr. Guillen is the author of several acclaimed books, including Can a Smart Person Believe in God? and Believing is Seeing. He speaks globally on the relationship between faith, science, and reason, advocating for intellectual honesty and the courage to ask life’s biggest questions.”
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/ex-skeptic/id1534623418?i=1000704858083
I’m not sure if you have seen Ray Comfort’s street evangelism videos. They are really good. He often goes to college students. Below are a few videos. Gen Z are so open!
As a Gen X immigrant, we kept many things secretly hidden and learned to not address dysfunctions, problems and traumas. Only recently I am learning to have conversations about it. It’s a lot easier to hide and not talk about things. Anyway, I’m being prompted by the Holy Spirit to learn how to have difficult conversations. It’s a skill. Here is a new podcast that I just discovered if you also want to learn more from those who are steps ahead on why it’s important to address difficult conversations in personal and professional situations. Sometimes you need to confront people. 😓
I told you before that Carey Nieuwhofis another great podcast-pastor to listen to regularly. He always has fantastic and wise guests to learn from.
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-carey-nieuwhof-leadership-podcast/id912753163
May God bless us all in this new week, and show us His favor and love. Have a blessed week!
Sent: Friday, August 30, 2019 6:29 AM
Subject: Good reminder by Dr. Charles Stanley
Good morning ladies! As I was scrolling through my saved messages to find the next chapter of the prayer wife book, I was drawn to this prayer request and update. I remember that we prayed for this lady who died suddenly after contracting a virus that attacked her heart.
This summer I read about a Princeton University’s highly distinguished professor of Physics who died from rock climbing while vacationing in France with his family. I read his obituary because he was my age 47. Another man, my age, from my college died suddenly this summer too. It was shared on our college Facebook group. These two men were successful in their careers and communities.
The greatest legacy that we can leave behind is our prayers because these prayers will go on even after our passing. As the Lord has been preparing my heart for a new academic year of corporate prayer, I saw that whenever we pray we are hitting tennis balls towards Heaven. I want to clutter Heaven’s floor with many, many tennis balls!
However many years we have left on this earth, let’s remember to leave eternal seeds into our families, communities and nation by the prayers we sow while we have breath.
As I was reading Dr. Charles Stanley’s letter attached below, I’m inspired by his message and encouragement. I hope you’ll find it a blessing too.
Begin forwarded message:
Date: July 1, 2018 at 10:54:03 AM EDT
Subject: Prayer update on Liz
Hello ladies. It is with much heavy heart and sadness to inform you that the lady Liz who suddenly became sick, died yesterday. Apparently she was totally fine only two weeks ago. Although no one from our prayer groups knew her, we can identify with her as a mom and wife.
The Holy Spirit gave me wisdom that our prayer groups were brought in to pray for her family members. Please pray for her husband, Ted and their teen son, Christopher (age 15 or 16) who has mild autism and depended on his mom heavily. I’m not sure if she has surviving parents and in-laws but please pray for all her family members and friends who are affected by her sudden passing.
As I was reflecting on this family’s great tragedy I am reminded of Jesus’ words to do the work while it is daylight because once the night comes the work ceases. Our prayers and services for our family, friends and the body of Christ are the work that we can do as long as we have breath in this life. Let us not grow weary.
Attached is the letter I just received from Dr. Charles Stanley ministry and his letter brings comfort and encouragement to my heart as I deliver this sad news. May you be touched too.
John 9:4 (NIV)
As long as it is day, we must do the works of him who sent me. Night is coming, when no one can work.
Journal of Faith 