STRUGGLES

I wouldn't be honest on my blog if I always wrote about all the great things happening here. God is doing some amazing things and I am thankful to be a part of it. I know that God wants me to be here another year because HE clearly opened the door for me to stay (not many people got that opportunity). I am just trying to cling to knowing He has a plan for me to stay and it must be a great one.

This past week was a struggle. It really didn't all just happen within a week but I think many things continue to mount and then one day you just realize you are being buried by struggles and are trying to find a way to dig yourself out of them. Right now is one of those times. I will list a few of those struggles in hopes that some of you that read will lift them up in prayer.

1. Piaw- the young lady that was baptized recently and that I have discipled for about 4 months is currently in southern thailand. I don't know all the details but she went there for the holidays to be with some friends (that are not good influences) and has not returned. That means 3 things. She has been out of church and Bible study for over a month now and she didn't take her Bible with her so she hasn't read God's Word. She communicates with me very little and I am heart broken. Please pray that she will return soon and that she will return to church and Bible study. I used to study the Bible with her every Tuesday so pray that we will return to that soon. The life she lived and friends she hung out with before coming to Christ were very rough.

2. The little church that I am a part of here lacks many things. I do love the people and the community feel of a small church. Recently several people have left the church (and they are people that were quite involved) so this will take it's toll on the church. My prayer for Canaan is that 20 Thai's would rise up at this church and be faithful to come and lead this church. Right now there are about 20-30 people on an average that come to church each Sunday but the faces change on a weekly basis and many people stroll into church 1/2 through the service and some just in time for lunch. There are only about 5-10 Thai faces that remain the same. I am praying for 20 faithful (almost every week) Thai believers and then the other 10-20 faces can add to that number. There are lots of other needs too but let's start here.

3. I have felt discouraged about discipling Thai believers lately. Discipling is actually my favorite thing to do. I love it and I actually think I am fairly good at it (not bragging- I just feel like it is one of the gifts God has given me). One thing I have seen in the past 2 years is that Thai people don't like to make commitments and especially if it means work like memorizing God's Word, setting a goal each week to grow in their walk with God and a goal to share in some way with others. It is like pulling teeth sometimes to get Thai people to set a goal and then to see them follow through with it. If I look back on my past 2 years of discipling many different Thai believers I have only had one person that studied with me faithfully for 4 months straight every week (and that was Piaw). Please pray for the following.

Aajaan Lek (professor Lek at Sripatum University)- She became a believer this past summer but has been on and off to be discipled. She is still in the picture but it has been almost 2 months since we met last. The typical routine with her is we meet for 2 weeks in a row and then she cancels for about 3-4 weeks and then she reappears. As long as she is holding on we will continue to hold our end strong too. We are scheduled to meet with her every Monday so pray for Mondays that she will come and that it can become routine!!

Nice and Ann- These are 2 young ladies that graduated from Sripatum University just a few months ago. Both of them don't have work yet so they have lots of free time. They do come to church faithfully every Sunday but are not part of a cell group/Bible study. I have discipled these girls many times in the past but it is hard to keep a routine with them. My hearts desire is to meet with them again every week but I want them to pursue it. I want them to feel a need to have something more than just church on Sunday and to be challenged to grow otherwise it is just my goal for them and not their goal and their hearts aren't it.

That's all I will write about for now but there are so many more things I could add to it. Please pray and look for a future post of how God answers it.