Hello all. How are you?? What has God been doing in your lives lately? Can I just say, He is so good, isn't He?? He has been working wonders in my life as of late; drawing me ever closer to Himself and revealing more and more of His truth to me. The more I know Him, the more the pleasures of this earthly life lose their luster. To live is Christ!
Regarding China, He has been giving me more direction in that matter, yet, a lot still remains in the dark. How do I get there? What college should I attend? What should I major in, that will get me into China? Where should I get missionary training? How will I ever be bold enough? Well, whaddaya know. Hudson Taylor had the same type questions as I do. Currently, I am reading "The Growth of a Soul" by Taylor's son and daughter-in-law. When I started reading it, I was like, "Wow, this is good!" But as I got farther along, it brought me to tears many times seeing how similar Hudson Taylor's and my situations are. Yes, we are from different eras and different backgrounds, but we have two things in common: a love for God and we both have been sent by God to China. God has been encouraging me so much as I read through this book, seeing Hudson Taylor's sincerity, faith, and love for God, and my heart is so full when I read about his love for China. Over and over, I keep on seeing things that correspond with my heart - loving China so much that my heart almost bursts, knowing I am called to China but perplexed as of how to get there, being faced with doubt and temptation but seeing God reign through it all and strengthen me through it, God answering prayers, and having this same feeling - "I feel as if I could not live, if something is not done for China" (pg 130). What means so much to me is that Hudson Taylor was my age when he received the call from God, "Go for me to China", the same call that I have heard from my Lord. This is why I do not doubt for a second that God has called me, for I have heard it from my God Himself.
China, though people consider it to be a "closed country", is now much more open than it was in the days of Hudson Taylor. I thank the Lord that there are literally thousands of more opportunities to get into the country than when Hudson Taylor was called. Please pray for me, friends. Please pray that God would give me direction towards the path I must take to get there. I quote Hudson Taylor, his words perfectly describing the desire of my heart to you all,
"Pray for me that I may live more and more to His praise,
be more devoted to Him,
incessant in labours in His cause,
fitted for China,
ripened for glory."
(The Growth of a Soul, pg. 127).
Is there anything that I can pray about for any of you? What a joyous thing to have Jesus interceding for us in the presence of God, and that He hears!
"In my distress I called upon the Lord;
to my God I cried for help.
From His temple He heard my voice,
and my cry to Him reached His ears."
Psalm 18:6.
God bless you all!
~Bethany
贝萨妮~
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| Children from Sichuan province. |
