Sufficient Grace

I had a wonderful weekend back in the rural country of Thailand. I experienced taking a bucket shower, swimming in a river in the middle of remote jungle [it looked a lot like the Amazon, I thought], and I managed to survive all the critters and bugs. ;-) I had 2 experiences with gigantic beetles [one decided to crawl up my back] and saw 2 salamanders... Eek! I must say being around lots 'n lots of bugs is definitely not my favorite thing, buuut, who said missionary life was a breeze?

The people I met in the village were all amazing. Something I thought about a lot is how these Thai people are just like you or I. They're just like me... they have real feelings, real emotions, real struggles... and they experience real lonliness. The hardest part about being with these sweet people was that I felt like I couldn't communicate with them in words. Thank goodness a smile is understood by every nation and all people! :-)

Sunday morning I woke up with such feelings of inadequacy. How could I possibily share a testimony about deliverance from fear .... if I was fearful about sharing that morning? Not to mention I was battling lonliness on my own team. I haven't seen the latest and newest movies. I dont know the newest songs. I don't think jokes about Helen Keller and other crude jokes are funny. I felt like a loner and quite the odd-ball. I am a quiet little mouse that doesn't say much. I...I...I. The Thai church started, and as I sat in the back row in the middle of a bunch of Thai ladies, I began to get aggravated. What am I doing here?? I can't understand a word of their language, I have no idea what is being said. Then one of the ladies sitting next to me leaned over and said in her broken English, "He [the pastor] is speaking about Paul and how he said that God says, "My grace is sufficent for you.'" And then it was like something hit me. I closed my eyes and God just spoke to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, Leah. My strength is made perfect in your weakness. Rejoice in your weaknesses [such as being quiet & non-wordy ;-D] bcause that is when the power of Christ will work through you. It's not about you, it's about Christ." Later on in the message, the lady leaned over to me again and said, "Now he's talking about how here in Thailand, we Christians are very lonely because we have to leave all our Buddhist family and friends for Christ." WOW. I thought, "Who am I that I should be sitting here, wallowing in self-pity?? It's not about me, it's all about Him!" From then on, my day was a million times better. Our team got up and sang the song, "Mighty to Save" while Alex played the guitar. As we sang the song, the words, "He can move the mountains" kept ringing in my mind. God can do anything. God can do anything He wants to do. It's because of HIM that I am here in Thailand right now, right here, at this moment.

After the church service, I took my food [btw, Thai food is awesome!] and sat in the kitchen with all the little kids. Though we couldn't understand each other in words, we sat there and smiled at each other. :-) After we finished eating, some of the little kids grabbed my hand and wanted me to take pictures of them. :-)

I met a single, 30 year old girl named Meaw this weekend [her name is pronounced "Meow"]. We picked her up here in Bangkok and she helped us out with translation and stuff over the weekend back in the jungle. She and I had some very encouraging conversations in the truck bed on the drive up there and on the way back. What a jewel she is! We started sharing our testimonies with each other.... and w.o.w., our testimonies are so much alike! She shared with me how she is "fighting" for God's will right now -- she doesn't want to put her own plans into motion, but she wants God to tell her what to do. She shared with me how right now, God is her father and her husband right now. She is HAPPY and content being single right now and she doesn't want to complain if she doesn't have a boyfriend, because contentment is not found in having a guy. Of course if God DOES bring a young man into her life, she will gladly accept that because it'd be what God's will is. She said, "My husband is going to have to be really brave to ask for me, because I won't settle for any typical, 'nice Christian guy.' " We talked about forgiveness and how that it's so easy to become bitter against people that wrong us, but we need to realize that the "wrong-doer" is no worse off or more than a sinner than we are. THE GROUND IS LEVEL AT THE CROSS. We talked about how so often times when we're trying to discover God's will for our lives, we like to ask How? What? Why? When? Where? But the answer is all about WHO! Over and over again, Jesus says in the Bible, "I am." So next time we ask, "God, how am I going to do this? When is this going to happen? Why? Where?", we need to remember that the answer is found in HIM. When Moses was bowing before God at the burning bush, he asked God, "Who am I that I should lead this people? What will I tell them who sent me?" God said, "I am." ...So yes. I love my new friend, Meaw. She radiates with Jesus Christ and I have much I an learn from her, as a fellow sister in Christ.

Some funny things from the weekend:

• I wore a tank top when I went swimming, and a Thai lady saw my really bad sunburn [that I got back in CO] and where the sunburn line stops, and she explained, "Ohhh! You're two toned!" [Haha]
• A Thai little kid asked, "Why are you so small??" [Kristin told the kids that Americans are all tall, and so I confused them that I was so tiny. Haha]