Thankful Thursday: My Unlikely Favorite Day of the Week

Thursdays are my favorite day of the week.  Before I tell you why, and before I tell you about my Thursday today I need to give you some background information.

I used to HATE Mondays… that morning brought with it more loathing and disdain than any other morning of the week.  Because I hated Mondays so much Will and I renamed the days of the week:  Mundane Monday, Tubular Tuesday, Wonderful Wednesday, Thankful Thursday, and Flippin’ Fantastic Friday.  Thankful Thursday is my favorite day of the week because you can always be thankful.  You can’t always force your day to be Tubular or Flippin Fantastic, but you can always be thankful for things.  That well never runs dry.

So today was Thankful Thursday, my favorite day of the week.  I spent the whole day nauseous and/or with a headache.  Even as I write this my body still feels faintly as though it is moving. Reason being that today I was traveling, and I happen to be prone to motion sickness.  The first leg of the trip set the pace for the rest of the day and did me in.  The fam jam, Cue Cue and I all piled into the little compact car this morning. 

We decided to take the mountain road and not the express way. Word of advice: don’t do that.  Driving in China is crazy enough; throw in mountains and curves and you have yourself a recipe for blowing chunks.

Before you get too concerned…. I did NOT vomit… but I might have felt better if I had.  On that 3 hour drive I had a squirming child in my lap, who was also motion sick.  In fact I had to hold a bag in Ariel’s face for a good portion of the drive.

After a pause for lunch it was on the road again. This time I was catching a bus by myself to meet up with Kate and Alex for our excursion to Beijing this weekend.  On the bus I sat by a man who is a police officer.  He and I tried to talk some, but wo de zhongwen bu hao (my Chinese is bad). 

Mr. Police Man and I were sitting in the front row.  At one point while we were sitting there waiting to leave I looked up and there was this guy just staring at me.  He proceeded to motion things to me.  My reaction was to ask Mr. police man what was up.  I am used to people staring at me, but not in this manner. Mr. Police man told me to ignore him, so I did.

Apparently that only spurred on crazy admirer man because he came on the bus and started talking to me.  He ended up asking me out or to go get a drink with him.  I answered that one with a no for sure. 

Anyway I survived the bus ride that kills your tailbone, is full of violent movies, and plenty more fighting motion sicknesses.  I made it and met up with Kate and Alex.  Tomorrow we head out!!!

On a really encouraging note: Mr. Police Man saw me reading my Bible on the bus.  So he asked me what book it was.  I know the Chinese words for Christian and Jesus so that is what I told him.  He seemed to understand, AND THEN HE TOOK THE BIBLE AND TRIED TO READ IT!!!!  He gave it back and that was the end of that.  But the ironic part is that I was reading the parable of the sower.  I hope that encounter was a seed for Mr. Police Man, and that it fell on fertile soil.  Too bad I didn’t have a day of Pentecost moment and break out into the tongue of Chinese on the bus…. But that would have been illegal and I was sitting next to the “long arm of the law.”  I suppose Dad was looking out for me.

Today has been a day filled with prayer.  I needed it to stay focused on things above and not my nauseous state or the fact that I was going to get in too late to skype my mother…. I needed to stay in communication with Dad in order to remain Thankful.

That is why Thursdays are my favorite…. Most things today were less than ideal, but in those moments I could be thankful that I wasn’t actually throwing up.  I am thankful for Mr. Police Man.  Thankful for my trip.  Thankful that I am in China. I am thankful that I am saved.

Pray for safe travels, and that I keep my head in the present not on getting home in 3 weeks.

Well, that’s all she wrote,

Devra

What's Happened Recently in China

So this last weekend Kate and Alex came and visited.  That was a lot of fun.  I taught English on Saturday morning.  I had room of 50 Chinese middle school students that I taught all on my own… let me tell you what Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes is a hit. Oh and so is the hokey pokey.  Especially when the crazy foreign teacher (that’s me) puts her whole self in and shakes all about like I am having a seizure or something.

On Sunday the few of us foreigners met for fellowship complete with pancakes, worship, a sermon that was made by all of us sharing what the Lord is teaching us, and lunch.  That was probably one of the best services I have ever been too.  It was intimate and real.  It wasn’t entertainment.  It was not milky.  It was everyone sharing what they are going through and what they are being taught.  It was so refreshing and replenishing.

Lately I have been needing a lot of rest.  Saturday turned into a day of rest for Kate, Alex, and I.  We rested in God, we rested physically when we passed out for a solid 2 hours in the afternoon, and rest emotionally as we all had fun and let loose.  Pray that I continue to get that rest and that this tweak in my neck goes away...

Also I have been the catalyst for a workout epidemic.  I am proud of myself!  First it was just me, but it has grown to almost the whole household.  Now Lee, Cindy, the kids, and I all do an ab workout together.  Lee and I even run together.  The only hold out is Ben.  I don’t know that Cue Cue has been around when we have done our ab routine. 

Me and the Chicitas this morning

Asian Pose!

A manikin that is the Asian peace sign with abs instead of an upper body...
reminds me of the Thumb-Thumbs from spy kids

Looking ahead:

This weekend I am catching the LONG train ride to Beijing to with Kate and Alex.  We are going to see the Great Wall, do some shopping, worship, pray, be lights, and unfortunately part ways because they are heading home from Beijing.  I will be traveling back all by my lonesome to the family again for a final 2 weeks.

I am starting my first John Piper book, Let the Nations be Glad.  Here are some good quotes:

“A heart for the glory of God and a heart of mercy for the nations make a Christlike missionary.  These must be kept together.  If we have no zeal for the glory of God, our mercy becomes superficial, man-centered human improvement with no eternal significance. And if our zeal for the glory of God is not a reveling in his mercy, then our so-called zeal, in spite od all its protests, is out of touch with God and hypocritical (matt 9:13).”

-pg 54

“We cannot know what prayer is for until we know that life is war.

Life is war.  That’s not all it is.  But it is always that.  Our weakness in prayer is owing largely to our neglect of this truth.  Prayer is primarily a wartime walkie-talki for the mission of the church as it advances against the powers of darkness and unbelief.  It is not surprising that prayer malfunctions when we try to make it a domestic intercom to call upstairs for more comforts in the den.  Dod has given us prayer as a wartime walkie-talkie so that we can call headquarters for everything we need as the kingdom of Christ advances in the world. Prayer gives us the significance of frontline forces and gives God the glory of a limitless Provider.”

-pg 65

(speaking of the armor of God and prayer)

“Then all the precious blessings of life that could be thought of in contexts other than war are drafted for the battle.  If we know the truth, it is for a belt in the armor.  If we have righteousness, we must wear it as a breastplate.  If we cherish the gospel of peace, it must become a solier’s footwear.  If we love resting in the promises of God, that faith must be fastened to our left arm as a shield against flaming arrows.  If we delight in our salvation, we must fit it securely on our head as a helmet.  If we love the Word of God as sweeter than honey, we must make the honey a sword.  Virtually every “civilian” blessing in the Christian life is conscripted for the war.  There is not a warfare part of life and non-warfare part.  Life is war.”

-pg 67

Some Scripture to chew on:

Ps 106:6-8

Both we and our fathers have sinned;
   we have committed iniquity; we have done wickedness.
Our fathers, when they were in Egypt,
   did not consider your wondrous works;
they did not remember the abundance of your steadfast love,
   but rebelled by the sea, at the Red Sea.
Yet he saved them for his name’s sake,
    that he might make known his mighty power.

I don’t want to be like the idiotic Israelites who never got it through their heads that they weren’t perfect and their way eventually always led to unfulfillment and something much less than God had called them out for.

The whole reason God parted the Red Sea is because He had plans to be glorified in their lives by calling them out of slavery and into a life that was fulfilling, radically different, bold, adventurous, and a blessing to those around them.

We mess up, we wander, we forget, and we even forsake, BUT God’s love is steadfast.  He waits for a chance to show His power in our lives.  The question is do we live a life that leaves room for His power and glory, or do we lead a life that shows no evidence of the power and grace of God?  A life all on our own?   A life the rebels from the one God called us out for?

That's all for now.  Come back again!
Devra

Ps... there is a place at he bottom of he page to put in your email and to receive a notification when I put up a new post.

Idolatry Check

Question:

• What/who is your hope in?
• What/who has gotten you through life?
• What would change about your life with out Jesus?
• What/who is your hearts desire?
• Disregarding church attendance, what/who does the rest of your life, your actions, your time demonstrate praise for?

Hope Now by Addison Road

Please do not take this to mean in anyway that I answer all the above with "Jesus." While I wish I was a picture perfect Christian and could answer them with "Jesus"...that would be lying.  Another thing God condemns. Luckily for you and I Jesus tells us in Matthew 9:13 "Go and learn what this means, 'I desire mercy, and not sacrifice.' For I came not to call the righteous, but sinners."  Not only does Jesus desire mercy, but He already knows we will need it.  He loved us first anyway. 

Jesus called us to: love the Lord our God with all our hearts and with all our souls and with all our minds.  BUT... when we are being idolatrous in the big or small some part of that command is being absentmindedly neglected or maybe even willfully ignored.

So lets run hard after God.  Let songs like the one above characterize our lives.  and songs like this one:

Give me Jesus

Let us follow Hebrews 10:24 and "spur one another on to love and good works." Loving God in a way that fulfills the greatest commandment requires carrying out the second greatest commanded.  It requires other people. We need encouragers, people who will hold us accountable, and people to bless with the love of Christ to name a few.

I will answer those questions and examine my life and my relationships... I challenge you to do the same.  Let's see if we can glorify God with such consistency and authenticity that His glory can't help but shine through us.

Country Roads and Summer Afternoons

So i had a little adventure with the fam jam yesterday afternoon.  As it turns out country drives in China are just as nice as they are in the States.

We went out for lunch, and then we kept driving around out into the countryside.  The views were beautiful.  Green valleys with streams, wild flowers, and crops (i found some wheat and it made me feel at home!).  Ridges of foothills were all around us, and then there were amazing 14,000 foot mountains back in the distance. 

We stopped at this pretty little stream.

Cue Cue (the Chinese helper who lives with the family) and i picked wild flowers for the kids and we picked and ate wild strawberries. while the kids had water gun fights with their parents.

For a while it rained on us.... but mostly it was sunny, beautiful, and a good time.

I hope that i get to come back here again... it is SOOO Beautiful. God's majesty and creativity is all around; we just have to open our eyes to it.  So open your eyes to it today.  See His glory before you.

Tiny little wild strawberries.

part of the valley

Cue Cue picking strawberries

Ariel and some of our flowers

Gabriel with some more of them

We don't speak the same language, but we are becoming friends

Feels like home.... fields of grain. 

Don't forget to take in the many ways that God displays His glory before you.  Some confront you boldly like a painted sunset or a fully lit starry sky.  Others are more subtle and carry with them the satisfaction of finding a hidden treasure, like the beauty of a field of wheat rolling in the wind or perfect rows of corn growing and full of life. Other times God uses these displays to remind us of his attributes.  For example, the sound of a stream.  The water flowing over the rocks to get where it is going brings a sense of peace from my feet to my ears.  Reminds me that Jesus is the Prince of peace.  
God made this world to show His glory, and it does if you let it.  Creation teaches endless lessons about God when we posture ourselves to be taught.  


Rom. 8:19-25:

For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God. For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but⁾ because of him who subjected it, in hope that⁾ the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to corruption and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now. And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies. For in this hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what he sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience.

We are here to be agents of that redemption. Plain and Simple.

What's Going on Beneath the Surface

The nice thing about a blog is that it can double as a journal.  I can use this to record my escapades, but also to process them.  And process I shall do.  I am a verbal processor, so friends bare with me as i take advantage of your listening eyes(since you are reading this not hearing it).  I only have a little over a month left here so I want to make the most of it.

What I have learned so far is that I need to learn the language.  That I need to be praying.  I know it is hard to look at this summer and think “Man, I did so much for the kingdom and saw so much fruit…”  But that is a selfish train of thought, and not how God thinks.  He tells us to seek first His kingdom, to love Him, and love others.  If I do those things and grow in those areas then in God’s eyes (the ones that matter) this summer has been a success.

I can’t really have conversations with the people because I can’t speak their language.  There are a lot of things I could do to bless this family but since they have a maid/nanny who does a lot of what I could do.

What I have found out is that this summer is a chance for me to learn, to see for myself what life full time here entails. I am here to prepare for the future and be a blessing to those who I come in contact with.  I am here to smile at people, to pray, to learn, to be as salty and light-giving as I can. 

I think when I sum up everything I am reading, doing, seeing and learning… this isn’t about doing so much as being.  Being someone who knows the Gospel and values it above all else.  Being someone who’s life showers those around you with the love of Jesus.

It is about being someone who walks the walk and does not just sit around comfortably talking with friends over coffee about all the right things.  There will be risks, times that are uncomfortable, seasons that are just downright hard, days when your flesh get the best of you.  There will be cities you don’t like, pollution that makes it hard to breathe/always dreary, and things that are frustrating.

Despite the sense of adventure that being in a foreign country provides the time will come when the newness wears off. 
I know that all sounds really negative; honestly I really am quite the optimist.  I swear. I think that what I am realizing is that this is all a battle, and engaging in it is a decision that has to be made every day.  Seizing the moments and fighting to win (the victory that is already ours in Christ) requires commitment, knocking down walls, risk, sacrifice, and having your joy be in the Solid Rock… your focus on the attributes and promises of God.

The question is will you live for God, for the Kingdom, for Gospel when it isn’t convenient, when it isn’t fun, and when it doesn’t make sense?  Will you put it all on the line knowing some way some how you will be provided for?  Will you be more grateful that you have lived than concerned with laboring to make your life long and cushy? 

These are the things you see here.  They aren’t always dramatic though… living as a Christian here can be just as subtle as in the states.  One can get into a routine, a rut, a comfortable place and be just as unengaged spiritually as a in the States.

At the end of the day being a missionary is NOT about what you did, how many languages you speak, how many tracts you distributed, or how many seeds you planted.  Being a missionary is about knowing and worshipping God.  It is about being not doing, your heart’s focus not your physical location. 

Thanks for listening as I process this summer, and praying for me along the way. I start my journey home a month from today... pray that I maximize the time i have left, seize every moment, and become more like Christ.  

Till next time, 

Devra

My Worship Playlist

I am going to let you all into my brain and heart (scary I know) here very soon.  But as a prequel here are some great worship songs I have been listening to lately:

I Love to Know You by Micah Tawlks Band

I want to know you more than anything
A world that surrounds me, I live in everyday
It doesn’t compare to knowing you

You take me places; I’ve never been before
You showed me visions, only you can give
And I love you when you speak to me, yeah

I want to know you
I love to know you
Everything else I, count as loss
I want to know you
I love to know you
No matter what, the cost

(the cost) Is nothing compared to knowing you
The cost is nothing compared to knowing you

To the Ends of the Earth by Micheal Gungor

Love unfailing
Overtaking my heart
You take me in
Finding peace again
Fear is lost in all You are

And I would give the world
To tell Your story
'Cause I know that You've called me
I know that You've called me
I've lost myself for good
Within Your promise
And I won't hide it
No I won't hide it

Jesus I believe in You
And I would go
To the ends of the earth
To the ends of the earth
For You alone are the Son of God
And all the world will see
That You are God
That You are God

He Reigns by Newsboys

It’s the song of the redeemed
Rising from the African plain
It’s the song of the forgiven
Drowning out the Amazon rain
The song of Asian believers
Filled with God’s holy fire
It’s every tribe, every tongue, every nation
A love song born of a grateful choir

It’s all God’s children singing
Glory, glory, hallelujah
He reigns, He reigns
It’s all God’s children singing
Glory, glory, hallelujah
He reigns, He reigns

Let it rise about the four winds
Caught up in the heavenly sound
Let praises echo from the towers of cathedrals
To the faithful gathered underground
Of all the songs sung from the dawn of creation
Some were meant to persist
Of all the bells rung from a thousand steeples
None rings truer than this

And all the powers of darkness
Tremble at what they’ve just heard
‘Cause all the powers of darkness
Can’t drown out a single word

When all God’s children sing out
Glory, glory, hallelujah
He reigns, He reigns
All God’s people singing
Glory, glory, hallelujah
He reigns, He reigns

The Terracotta Soldiers Chronicles

I have returned a conquering hero.  I may be 5 pounds heavier from all the gross McDonalds that the boys made us eat, but Operation: See the Terracotta Soldiers was a success! We also biked around the ancient city wall!

Oh! AND I found Starbucks! That beautiful green mermaid sign was the best sight I had seen all day.  Better than the Terracotta Warriors. 

Well before this post becomes a directionless rant let me lay out the weekend for you:

Friday afternoon we got on a bus to the city where the train was leaving from.  There were 6 of us going on this journey.  Me and my new Gege (older brother) Lee, the two girls from GA Kate and Alex, and the two boys from GA Josh and McKinnley all met at KFC.  After a quick dinner and watching them play spades we boarded our overnight sleeper train to Xian. 

Riding the train is a lot of fun, but the name “hard sleeper” is deserved.  My hips hurt the next day, felt like they had been bruised lol.  I really enjoy the train. I am excited that I will be riding one to Beijing in a couple weeks to see the Great Wall and all that jazz.

Once we were there the Lord really provided for us quite a bit.  We just decided to go to Xian for the weekend (how crazy is it that we can do that?).  The only plan we had was: see the terracottas.  So as we were standing outside the train station contemplating our next move a man came up to us and started describing this nice hostel, he took us to see it, and even got us a good price.

After we put our stuff in our rooms it was only 9 am so we went to McDonalds for breakfast. We didn’t realize that McD’s was on the top floor so first we walked into a noodle restaurant and nearly died of heart attacks that McDonalds served noodle soup for breakfast!  And thanks to that breakfast our risk of actual heart attacks has gone up… there is a reason I don’t usually eat at McDonalds. By the way, I am fan of a good bowl of rice noodle soup in the morning (good thing since I feel the calling to be here).

After that we asked around and found a cheap bus to see the terracotta soldiers.  While on the bus Lee made friends with a Chinese graduate student and his girlfriend.  Marty was a great man, very hospitable and friendly.  His girlfriend Vicky is one of the most adorable and beautiful Chinese girls I have ever seen, and she has such a sweet disposition. 

Marty ended up hanging out with us all day.  He was our tour guide so we didn’t have to pay for one, and he helped us get student discounts for our tickets!  He was definitely a God-send.  We even got separated from him for a while and after a few prayers were said we managed to run into them again.  Trust me that was a miraculous feet because there were thousands of people there.  What’s more: The next day Marty went to ALL he hotels around the train station looking for us because he lost our number.  When we got back we had a note waiting for us from him.

On that note, let me stop and assess the population situation of Xian briefly.  Xian has about 8 million people in it.  My home town is like 35,000 people.  Talk about a discrepancy!  When we were getting off the train there was literally a mass of people slowly shuffling as one out of the train station… you couldn’t breathe without hitting someone. Lol.  There are people everywhere in Xian.  You find yourself wondering… where do they all come from?!

The best part (ever, in the whole world): is that I am now used to it.  It doesn’t faze me to be the only or one of few foreigners in a mob of Chinese people, hearing Chinese spoken, and only seeing Chinese characters.  I honestly think it will be weird to be back in America where that won’t be the case by the time I come home…. I know I am weird.

In my element and loving it =)

Anyway after the Terracottas we spent the rest of Monday exploring and we stumbled upon Dairy Queen and more importantly on STARBUCKS!!!!  I am sure you have caught the many coffee references I have made in this blog… well I love coffee so Starbucks was such a blessing! Starbucks probably ranks 2^nd on my favorite parts of Xian list (we will get to number one; hold your horses). 

Starbucks looked, smelled, and tasted like home.  It was amazing.  It was soooo clean, and it had a western toilet.  Did I mention that it had great coffee? Because it did.

Chinese and English on my coffee cup... doesn't get much better.

The next morning we got up and after getting ready we all 6 of us had some time together just worshipping, reading, and praying.  Even if the purpose of our trip was primarily tourism that does NOT negate the call on our lives to be salt and light, so we set our focus on God.

That day we ate at McDonalds again… even sat in the same spot.  What we did next was the best part of the trip.  Lies, what we did later… next was just witnessing some fights at the train station when we got our return tickets.  But that day we went up on the old wall that goes around the old part of Xian.  Up on the wall you can rent a bike and ride it all the way around.  It was crazy hot, but that was the best part of the trip.  Despite the low visibility from the pollution, it was aweome to see the city, to fellowship, adventure, take pictures, ect… We were told the wall was 40km; turns out according to google it is actually just shy of 14km.  That is a bit of a let down, but still biking the ancient city wall is a must do if you ever have the chance to go to Xian. 

Continuing on with the chronology of my weekend:

We hit the town… actually we hit the shopping.  We went to this market where we bargained to our hearts content for some super adorable clothes… I know, I know.  But hey I am a girl.  While we were there McKinnley got some “manpris,” which he can surprisingly pull off quite well. Lol.

After all that we showered our grossly sweaty selves and ended up just hanging out at the hotel till 10:30 having ridiculous conversations (about guys and girls, and picking your nose. Don’t ask.).  At which point we discovered a great Chinese place open late across from our hotel.  It was that night we discovered that our hostel was actually in the red light district apparently. For the record we didn’t see anything really.  Just some girls on the street who would walk up and ask men if they wanted a miss.

The next day, Monday, was the day we all began our journeys home.  First the girls, then much later on the boys, then after dinner with Marty and Vicky it was Lee and I turn to begin our trek back here.  That was some journey.  The train was sold out of sleepers so he had the adventure of an overnight ride in bench seats, and then a couple hour bus ride home.  That journey was tiring, but I am glad I am a) small and b) have the ability to sleep soundly in wacked out positions.  I was born to travel. =)

Today has been relaxing, and now that I have wrote out everything that happened in Xian I need to spend some time asking the Lord to help me process everything I have seen, experienced, and learned so far.  I need to prepare to make the most out of the last half of my summer.

Over and out (for now),

Devra

Ps… pray for those who we made contact with this weekend… that the Lord would nurture those seeds.  

My Life as a Jie Jie

Jie Jie is big sister in Chinese.  Here are a few pictures from my time as a big sister here in China.

The girls and I gave ourselves mustaches:

 

This is Gabriel.  He is my bud, and we have a lot of photo shoots lol.

 

Also, yesterday at some point between leaping and landing something went awry during my run.  I tripped on the curb and sprained my ankle… it’s not horrible, but it isn’t comfortable. 

Here is what I am going to be doing this weekend: 

 

I have wanted to see the terracotta soldiers since I saw Tomb Rader.  Get excited to hear about it when I get home, and pray that we travel safely, walk in the Spirit bringing glory to God with how we live, and that God brings people into our path to minister too.

K. Thanks.

Have a great weekend!

Shway Bien= Chinese for "Go with the Flow"

   1) One thing about China, they are ALWAYS building. 

2) The second thing about China, they don’t know how to do so conveniently… I can sleep through the noise of construction taking place 50yds from my window in the morning (and sometimes at night).  But they haven’t figured out how to shut things off for just one building at a time… yesterday it was the water that was shut off, today they have shut off the electricity….

I don’t understand that part about this culture.  BUT…. I am so glad that the Lord has been stretching me because two weeks ago all of this would have been overwhelming.  I would have been so frustrated.  I would have been so irritated that I couldn’t shower, that I couldn’t email… but now I am glad that it was me and not someone else who couldn’t shower, that they all got to enjoy being clean.

I love how you can learn lessons from anything in life if you open your eyes to it. I see the kids and how bound by the immediate, the temporary, their wants and emotions they are… it is crazy to me.  If there is one thing I am learning this summer it is that there is more to life than this world.  I mean more than the food you eat, the clothes you where, where you sleep, your emotions, the internet, the water, and the electricity… life is so much more.  It is about being focused on God and His kingdom, being grateful for simply the fact that you are alive and are saved.

3)Another thing about China…. They don’t process food the same way we do.  I stumbled upon the perfect example of this (other than milk in a bag that you don’t refrigerate):

On our way out of the apartment there were these 2 guys BUTCHERING A LAMB IN THE PARKING LOT.  Seriously.  They were pulling the coat off it, the head was just laying there, and blood was dripping from its neck… 

SOOOOO not something you would even dream or imagine seeing in America.  

Yes… this is the place that I want to spend a portion of my life as crazy as that seems.  But man all the fresh fruits and veggies makes the slaughtered animals worth it… Although , I don’t think it is easy to get a steak in China.  BUT I did learn to make some delicious beef kabobs the other day!

Traveling opens one's eyes to many things. China is not America by any stretch of the imagination.  Though I am American I would not be the person I am without China, what I have experienced here, and the things I hope to do here.  

Update on the prayer requests front:

1.       Safety while a group of 6 of us travel this weekend to see the Terracotta soldiers.  (I get to ride my first sleeping train!)
2.       That God would give me a mind to learn like He did Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. That I would soak up the culture and language like a sponge, learning and improving every day
3. Pray for this family as there is a lot of transition going on for them right now.  Claim grace and guidance in the midst of it.
4. This city is primarily Muslim… there are mosques everywhere in this region, and they just keep building more.
•         In John 1 we are told that the light shines in the darkness and the darkness can’t consume it.  Pray that the light that is here would shine brighter and brighter.
•         Pray for the fellowships of believers who are here to be discipled, be bold, and that God would add to their number as He did in Acts.
•         Pray for the workers who are in the harvest field here, and pray for more to be raised up and come.
5. Pray for my focus to be God and glorifying Him in all I do. I may not be able to preach the Good News, but just my smile, the way I serve would bring glory to Him here. Here are some specific things:
•          Servant’s heart
•          Fruit of the Spirit
•          Humility
•          Burden for prayer
•          Eyes to see Him all around me
6. For all the seeds that are being sown by those here short term and long term.

Some of the things on this list were repeats, some of the things weren’t, and some things from the old list (see June 3^rd) weren’t on here.  So anytime I post prayer requests look at it like interest… the old is all there and there are new things that have been added to it. 

Thank you for all your support, and faithfulness in praying for me and reading about my adventures. 

Ps… in case you haven’t noticed I try to make everyday an adventure.

Over and out,
Devra

A Very Chinese and Very Tubular Tuesday

Today has been a Chinese day for sure.  Yes I know I am in China, so all days are Chinese.  BUT this particular tubular Tuesday has been even more Chinese than normal.  Today I learned Chinese, studied Chinese, spoke Chinese, cooked Chinese, and ate Chinese.

See, I told you today was Chinese day.

           

For starters, I now get a lesson twice a week from the Chinese girl who helps with the kids, and helps cook and clean.  That is how I learned some Chinese.  I studied it outside because it was a beautiful afternoon, I just had to go out and enjoy it.

How did I cook Chinese you may ask? Well, let me tell you. 

I was in my room looking up some random Chinese words I remember hearing, and lunch was smelling so good!!! So, I thought to myself, “hmmm…. I know the word for cook ‘zuofan’ so how to ask if I can help…”  Well, thanks to my  handy dandy dictionary (props to Will) I discovered how to ask “Can I help you?”  After rehearsing in my room several times, I went up to the helper and said semi-confidently “Wo keyi bang ni zuofan?” I must have said it close enough to correct because she was picking up what I was laying down. 

So that is the story all about how my life got flipped turned upside down….well not my life, but the potatoes, eggplant, and beef I stir fried did!

 And yes I know the Fresh Prince of Bellaire theme song (but honestly… who doesn’t).

That is how I cooked and ate Chinese. Now as for speaking… I went roller blading at this huge square tonight and got to practice using my Chinese.  One nice thing about my nonexistent Chinese is that when your proficiency is as bad as mine it is easy to get better every day!  I am improving everyday I think, understanding more and more, distinguishing more words when I listen, and maybe even learning to say something knew here and there!

All in all, this is definitely my moment, and I am doing my best to make the most of it.  

Glimpse of Nomad's World

In 2009-2010 I was part of an internship through Teen Mania Ministries.  While I was there I was part of a team of callers who spent their days on the phone disciplining teams and preparing them for ministry out in the field that summer.  Our team name was “Nomads” because we are nomads on this earth as members of the heavenly kingdom…. 

Anyway, we would start our day with our awesome cheer that I think really fits my currently life well:

“N-O-M-A-D

We rep the Gospel can’t you see.

Nomads what we’re called to be

It’s Jesus Christ who sets us free..

Preach it!”

Why does that fit my life currently you ask? Despite the obvious, I am in China; perhaps the best way to illustrate my nomadicness is the ever classic you can know someone by the contents of their bag. I have been living mainly form a book bag for the last two weeks (and probably will for the rest of the summer). So the contents of that bag are:

• ·         Shampoo, conditioner, body wash
• ·         Letters from home
• ·         Devotional book
• ·         Bible, journal, and a pen
• ·         A book to read
• ·         Chinese dictionary
• ·         Passport
• ·         Wallet
• ·         Gum
• ·         Chapstick
• ·         sunglasses
• ·         Ipod
• ·         Laptop
• ·         Tennis shoes
• ·         2 outfits
• ·         Shorts to sleep in
• ·         Make up
• ·         Hair ties
• ·         Tooth brush, tooth paste, and hairbrush
• ·         Chargers for various electronics
• ·         And a camel

This is my most recent nomadic journey:

I spent 8-9 hours sweating on a bus all around the mountains. Turns out we got the one that goes all over the place so it took us 8 hours instead of 5.  We knew we were in trouble when the bus stopped for lunch... lol.  We stopped in this little village where they have probably never seen a foreigner, much less had two Americans come buy bananas from their fruit stand.

I was sitting with a little 4 year old named Ma Ping and his mom.  Throughout the day I taught him a song, listened to worship music on my iPod with him (he is from a Muslim family), taught him some English, he shared his snacks with me, he slept on me, and I got nice and sweaty lol.  But by like half way through the ride I earned the title of "big sister" which is jei jei in Chinese.  

Oh and there were whole feathered chickens in the back of our bus... really, there was blood in the bag when we picked it up and handed it to her.  Not to mention you could see the chicken’s feet sticking up over the back seat of the bus.

As for the thoughts of a nomad… well many bus rides make for plenty of time to contemplate. Here is what has been going on inside me, not just around me.

Here's what God has been doing in me…

He was stretching, and now I am starting to submit and relinquish some control

At the beginning of this summer, I always wanted to know what was going to happen next, was worried about having internet, and having a phone.  What it boiled down to was that I was just not serving. Basically, I was being selfish… nothing new there. I am selfish human; praise the Lord, Jesus saved me.

But God in His grace and faithfulness has coaxed me back and I am starting to want to worship Him more, seek His heart, and pray.

It's ok if I don't have internet… I can roll with that.  

If I don't have a phone... eh I will make do.

If I don’t know where I am going to be or what I am going to be doing… I live out of a backpack so I’m basically a boy scout, always prepared.  

Also, I am starting to catch the really American things I do now.  Thinking to myself “oh why are you doing that... you are in china.”  So with a month and half left, I will basically be Chinese when I get home.

It is strange to put my bag on the floor I notice it now. Putting my feet on things, I am starting to catch that too. Crossing the road.... frogger ain't got nothing on me.

Not to mention I won't have the faintest clue what to do with all my heaps of clothes when I get home after this summer of nomadicness, living out of my backpack.

This summer is a good picture to me of just how much I am a nomad on this earth.  I am a citizen of a heavenly kingdom and am here to lead a life that glorifies my King and proclaims His message.

See ya next time… same bat time same bat channel.

Devra

Ps… my backpack. Best $7 at a thrift store I have ever spent. that's right only $7... basically how much i would pay for one in China.