Selamat datang Malaysia! - That is Bahasa Malay for "welcome to Malaysia." I just wanted to share a little about what God is teaching me while I am living here in Kuala Lumpur (the capital city). First of all, I am relearning the need for retreat from daily ministry to spend substantial time in prayer, scripture memory, and focused Bible study. We have one day a week off, but even on our off days we still have a lot of things to do and people to meet with one-on-one. When we are doing things all day, meeting people, going places, it is so exhausting, and I need that retreat time to refill
me and let God give me the strength for the next day. God has really opened up a lot of doors for me to meet Muslim women here, which is something that I didn't expect to happen so much in an Asian country. Even though it is a Muslim country, there are so many nationalities represented here. I have met so many people from Iran and Sudan, which seems really random, but they come here for freedom and to flee from war. So most of them are really broken spiritually and physically because they miss their homeland and family. Those are the people God has been bringing into my life, and it has been a blessing to get to know some of them and meet them where they are. There are three Muslim women in particular who are here from Sudan getting their master's degree. I ask that you pray for them all, but I won't mention their names on here. They are seeking truth and come to Bible study...they are so close to accepting Christ! I have asked God to let me see an evident spiritual transformation in each of their lives this summer while I am here. Also, I feel God directing me in regards to my future. Well, at least I have eliminated a few possibilities I had before. I won't go into details about that on here, but I just wanted to praise God for His guidance already. One good things is that I'm not too homesick, which I expected to be a little. I'm too busy and having too much fun to think about home too much. Time is flying by so quickly, and I probably won't want to leave at the end of summer.
I'm expecting great things from God! Here's a verse God has laid on my heart recently:
"Who is going to harm you if you are eager to do good? But even if you should suffer for what is right, you are blessed. "Do not fear what they fear; do not be frightened." But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander. It is better, if it is God's will, to suffer for doing good than for doing evil." - 1 Peter 3:13-17
