Jak's favorite place to play. This is behind our house where the laundry water runs out.
20.5.07
19.5.07
Taste and See
I just finished an e-mail Anda Brown sent and I am completely inspired by what Rich Mullins called “This reckless ranging fury that we call the love of God.” I cried as I read her e-mail and continue tearing up as I write this. Most of you know Anda, but for those who do not let me give you a little blip about her life. Anda is married to one of my favorite people presently still breathing, Randy Brown. The decision by Anda to say yes to marry Randy has resulted in a wonderful and intense marriage (aren’t they all), 5 kids (I don’t know about the intensity level of this but I now have a ton of family members that I can ask. By the way we are at 20 nieces and nephews now thanks to these family members. Hmmm…I think I remember all their names), a change of churches, and a number of moves all closer and closer to “the hood” in Ft. Worth. Oh, and the last move was into “The Hood.” Now Randy works as a doctor in the public clinic nearby and they are reaching out to their neighborhood by discipling young men and teaching them how to read. They are also taking steps to bring pastors and leaders from the community together in order to see the community changed.
So why the tears when I read her email? Yes, I am inspired by what they do, but that is not what brought me to tears. The tears are when I hear that people steal from them, try to throw a brick at them, “borrow” money that they know will not be paid back, etc. and this is all from the people they are in the process of loving. Don’t hear me wrong; the tears are not out of concern or sadness about their suffering or difficulties. My tears come when I get a taste of Jesus in their life. I use the word “taste” here very purposefully because their story is giving me an experience of Jesus that cannot be described by my “knowing.” When I see how Jesus takes a normal person like Anda or Randy and makes them “reckless” and “raging” in their love for those God has called them to, that love becomes much more than my mind can process. In her writing, I can smell, taste, and feel their love for the people of Como. This love is so raging and reckless that the processing of it overwhelms my emotions, and I must tear up.
When the Psalmist says, “Taste and see that the Lord is good,” (Psalm 34) the Psalmist is not just using these words as a nice way to describe the process of acquiring more info about God. We are not only to know but also to taste that the Lord is good. God is much more that your mind can process and He is gracious to allow us to experience him deeply through our senses. Tim Keller (church planter in New York) asks why does Jesus continue to characterize His salvation as wine? Why does the Bible continually talk about Christianity as a feast? These terms are chosen with great purpose. Randy and Anda understand that what they are inviting the people of Como to is the greatest draught of wine ever and the tastiest morsel ever prepared. Were I to ask them to describe what has brought them to this love for their people, they would fail miserably if their descriptions did not include sensual words like Jesus uses all the time in the New Testament.
So I read the stories Anda writes, and I leave the table full. Satisfied. Can I go as far as to say intoxicated? But it is not Anda. And it is definitely not Randy (he is kinda dorky when it comes right down to it:o)) “Taste and see that the Lord is good.” You also were made to hunger and thirst for Him. Our job here in Thailand is to find a few Thai people who will taste this and be changed forever, hungry for His feast forever. Thirsty for this cup that only His sacrificial love could provide. This country will be changed by wine and feasting. I am convinced of this. Please pray for hungry people.
So why the tears when I read her email? Yes, I am inspired by what they do, but that is not what brought me to tears. The tears are when I hear that people steal from them, try to throw a brick at them, “borrow” money that they know will not be paid back, etc. and this is all from the people they are in the process of loving. Don’t hear me wrong; the tears are not out of concern or sadness about their suffering or difficulties. My tears come when I get a taste of Jesus in their life. I use the word “taste” here very purposefully because their story is giving me an experience of Jesus that cannot be described by my “knowing.” When I see how Jesus takes a normal person like Anda or Randy and makes them “reckless” and “raging” in their love for those God has called them to, that love becomes much more than my mind can process. In her writing, I can smell, taste, and feel their love for the people of Como. This love is so raging and reckless that the processing of it overwhelms my emotions, and I must tear up.
When the Psalmist says, “Taste and see that the Lord is good,” (Psalm 34) the Psalmist is not just using these words as a nice way to describe the process of acquiring more info about God. We are not only to know but also to taste that the Lord is good. God is much more that your mind can process and He is gracious to allow us to experience him deeply through our senses. Tim Keller (church planter in New York) asks why does Jesus continue to characterize His salvation as wine? Why does the Bible continually talk about Christianity as a feast? These terms are chosen with great purpose. Randy and Anda understand that what they are inviting the people of Como to is the greatest draught of wine ever and the tastiest morsel ever prepared. Were I to ask them to describe what has brought them to this love for their people, they would fail miserably if their descriptions did not include sensual words like Jesus uses all the time in the New Testament.
So I read the stories Anda writes, and I leave the table full. Satisfied. Can I go as far as to say intoxicated? But it is not Anda. And it is definitely not Randy (he is kinda dorky when it comes right down to it:o)) “Taste and see that the Lord is good.” You also were made to hunger and thirst for Him. Our job here in Thailand is to find a few Thai people who will taste this and be changed forever, hungry for His feast forever. Thirsty for this cup that only His sacrificial love could provide. This country will be changed by wine and feasting. I am convinced of this. Please pray for hungry people.
Our Life Now
Here are a few blips about what we are doing.
Next month Brent is going to start working at Rajaphat University teaching English. What a great way to be a part of the community and meet students and leaders of this community. His language study will continue, but we feel that it is time to move into a phase of establishing more relationships.
Julie and kids finish school next month. Julie continues to enjoy teaching and will be the coordinator of the elementary next year for the Family Learning Center. She is so gifted in what she does for our kids and others through her teaching. She is literally pouring her life into this community (our kids, Thai kids, missionary kids, international kids). She continues to study language and will continue this summer.
Ben and Kate are excited to be out of school for a while. They have developed some good relationships with neighborhood kids and that provides fun and more Thai language practice. Mama Ann and Papa Jack (Julie’s parents) will come for a few weeks this summer. That will be a great time. I think we may do some landscaping and get as much work outta Papa Jack as we can (which, if you know him, is quite a bit).
Jak continues to amaze us with his feats of energy. If it is there, he will climb it: top bunk, kitchen stools, back of the couch, front gate, and dad’s back. He is so much fun to have around right now with his lexicon of English and Thai words. Yesterday he figured out how to lock himself in his room. When this happens, you start by asking him nicely to open the door, then order him to open the door, and finally jimmy the lock because you know he locked the door on purpose in order to have his own private exploratory time in his room.
We take a trip to Kuala Lampur and Singapore next week for two reasons. Our good friend from Ft. Worth, Kenny Kon (he is Singaporean) is getting married and we get the joy of experiencing the festivities with him on this side of the world in KL. Then we take a bus trip to Singapore where we will visit the Toh family (they have kinda adopted us and given us family on this side of the world). We will also be able to get a visa in Singapore so we can stay in Thailand and start work next month. Singapore is one of the closest countries where we can go to and get the visa I need for teaching in Thailand.
In July, Jamey Miller will visit and bring along Yancy and Lanette Smith. Jamey is the leader of our church plant organization SLNI. He will come to bring encouragement and counsel. Yancey and Lynette, members of our church in Ft. Worth, come along for they have been and will be great support for our team. We are excited they are coming.
Please pray for these three things:
1. Pray that Brent’s teaching at Rajaphat will be full of life and that through this we will all (including Ben and Kate) be able to develop relationships with students and young professionals who have open hearts. Pray that this would be a great joy to us all. Please pray for a strong speaking voice for Brent as he is still struggling with his voice.
2. Pray for continued language vocabulary development and ability to hear the language and speak it like a Thai.Pray that Jak’s adoption would be finalized. We keep running into slow processes. Pray that details will work with starting the adoption process with the U.S.
Next month Brent is going to start working at Rajaphat University teaching English. What a great way to be a part of the community and meet students and leaders of this community. His language study will continue, but we feel that it is time to move into a phase of establishing more relationships.
Julie and kids finish school next month. Julie continues to enjoy teaching and will be the coordinator of the elementary next year for the Family Learning Center. She is so gifted in what she does for our kids and others through her teaching. She is literally pouring her life into this community (our kids, Thai kids, missionary kids, international kids). She continues to study language and will continue this summer.
Ben and Kate are excited to be out of school for a while. They have developed some good relationships with neighborhood kids and that provides fun and more Thai language practice. Mama Ann and Papa Jack (Julie’s parents) will come for a few weeks this summer. That will be a great time. I think we may do some landscaping and get as much work outta Papa Jack as we can (which, if you know him, is quite a bit).
Jak continues to amaze us with his feats of energy. If it is there, he will climb it: top bunk, kitchen stools, back of the couch, front gate, and dad’s back. He is so much fun to have around right now with his lexicon of English and Thai words. Yesterday he figured out how to lock himself in his room. When this happens, you start by asking him nicely to open the door, then order him to open the door, and finally jimmy the lock because you know he locked the door on purpose in order to have his own private exploratory time in his room.
We take a trip to Kuala Lampur and Singapore next week for two reasons. Our good friend from Ft. Worth, Kenny Kon (he is Singaporean) is getting married and we get the joy of experiencing the festivities with him on this side of the world in KL. Then we take a bus trip to Singapore where we will visit the Toh family (they have kinda adopted us and given us family on this side of the world). We will also be able to get a visa in Singapore so we can stay in Thailand and start work next month. Singapore is one of the closest countries where we can go to and get the visa I need for teaching in Thailand.
In July, Jamey Miller will visit and bring along Yancy and Lanette Smith. Jamey is the leader of our church plant organization SLNI. He will come to bring encouragement and counsel. Yancey and Lynette, members of our church in Ft. Worth, come along for they have been and will be great support for our team. We are excited they are coming.
Please pray for these three things:
1. Pray that Brent’s teaching at Rajaphat will be full of life and that through this we will all (including Ben and Kate) be able to develop relationships with students and young professionals who have open hearts. Pray that this would be a great joy to us all. Please pray for a strong speaking voice for Brent as he is still struggling with his voice.
2. Pray for continued language vocabulary development and ability to hear the language and speak it like a Thai.Pray that Jak’s adoption would be finalized. We keep running into slow processes. Pray that details will work with starting the adoption process with the U.S.
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