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Dearest Friends, I just wanted to start out by thanking all those who entered our writing contest. I was overwhelmed by the huge amount of entries that we got in. Most of the entries came from people that had heard about our contest over the Internet! I also wanted to tell all of you what a blessing you have been to me. In this past year of publishing Christiana, I have received many letters from you. Sometimes with a suggestion, exhortation, or constructive criticism, each note has been a great encouragement to me! I love every one of you, you are all precious! It is so nice to know I have so many kindred spirits and sisters in Christ. Won't it be so amazing when we all actually meet in Heaven?! This is going to be the last issue of Christiana that I publish. But don't worry... don't throw this issue down in despair! Christiana will continue. (Lord willing!) Even though I could not continue to publish it, the Lord has provided someone to take my place as publisher. Heidi Barry, my co-editor, is going to take over Christiana. I am very excited to see what the Lord is going to do through Heidi, He has given her so many wonderful talents, (as well as an incredible sense of humor, which makes her a delight to have as a friend!) and she also has one main quality that I do not possess in the least--organization! Now I will tell you a little bit about how all of this has come about. As many of you know, I have been praying for quite some time about whether or not it was the Lord's will for me to go overseas to serve Him. Well the Lord has answered my prayers in a very real way. A couple of months ago I applied for a summer missions trip to East Asia. I had been praying for many months about where the Lord wanted me to go for the summer. I looked into several possibilities, and through the direction of the Lord and my parents I chose this one. I was really attracted to this ministry because of their focus on direct, personal evangelism. While I am over in this country I will have the opportunity to share the gospel with those who have never heard of the one true God. I will spend time developing relationships with the nationals, and then Lord willing through God's strength lead them to salvation. The people in the country where I will be staying do not have free access to God's word. They are so hungry for it; the field is white, ready to be harvested. I would ask that you please pray for me, and the others that will be going on the trip. Pray that the Lord will work through us, and that many will come to know Him as their Lord and Savior. If even one person comes to know the Lord, the whole trip will have been worth it. But many are being led to the Lord right now. As I have been thinking and praying about this upcoming trip, one thing really struck me. Do I hunger for the word of God as much as I should? I have such ready access to His word, and sound teaching, yet do I avail myself to it? Do I sit and absorb the beauty of the Lord? He has given me so much, yet I take it for granted. How often do I take for granted my relationship with the Lord? I do not treasure it as I should. He is the Treasure that we seek. He should be my all in all, He is my whole reason for living. Life is meaningless without Him. My whole life is in Him. Recently a young gentleman asked my dad for permission to enter into a courtship relationship with me. Because of this exciting new development in my life and my upcoming trip to East Asia, it seems that it is the Lord's timing to pass the torch of Christiana on to someone else. Lord willing I will still be part of Christiana. I would like to keep writing for it, but as a contributor, not as the editor. I am entering into a new phase in life. A very exciting phase. My prayer is that I will follow my Savior each step of the way, and not try to step ahead of Him. As you well know, almost every single one of my letters to you have been about waiting on the Lord. It seemed that I would always be waiting! If you are in a waiting stage now, be patient my sister, trust in our Father, He does indeed know what is best. And when your waiting time is over, you will rejoice exceedingly in His goodness. (Of course you don't have to wait until your waiting time is over to rejoice exceedingly in His goodness! Rejoice now as well!) Draw close to Him. Dwell in the secret place of the Most High, and you will abide under the shadow of the Almighty! My prayer for myself, and for each one of you is well stated in one of my favorite Jim Elliot quotes: "Father, make of me a crisis man(woman). Bring those I contact to decision. Let me not be a milepost on a single road. Make me a fork that man must turn one way or another upon facing Christ in me." With much love,
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