It is written

     Something tells me that you, like me, may have been facing into an "east wind" recently.  I did learn something, that when the suggestion comes, "Life is too hard", the response "To live is Christ and to die is gain,"  clears the field marvelously.  "It is written" is still victorious strategy.

      We are looking into purchasing an apartment in a beautiful mountain area in the suburbs.... an area we drove through for the first time yesterday.  Prayer appreciated!

      I hope all of you have read about John and Betty Stam, who were martyred not so far from here on December 8, 1934.  The story of how their baby girl miraculously survived has always thrilled me; and  I admit I am partial to Betty's poetry.  The inspiration of their lives and death was a legacy from my youth, which is worth sharing .... maybe through this song Will Houghton wrote "in loving memory of John and Betty Stam": (Sorry, regardless of how I arrange lines, they are always thrown on the page willy-nilly.  I am helpless before machines.... Any ideas?)

                                               BY LIFE OR BY DEATH

So this is life, this world with all its pleasures,

Struggles and tear, a smile, a frown, a sigh,

Friendship so true, and love of kin and neighbor?

Sometimes 'tis hard to live--always to die!

The world moves on, so rapidly the living

The forms of those who disappear replace,

And each one dreams that he will be enduring--

How soon that one becomes the missing face!

In life or death--and life is surely flying,

The crib and coffin carved from the self-same tree.

In life or death--and death so soon is coming--

Escape I cannot, there's no place to flee--

But Thou , O God, hast life that is eternal;

That life is mine, a gift through Thy dear Son.

Help me to feel its flush and pulse supernal,

Assurance of the morn when life is done.

Help me to know the value of these hours,

Help me the folly of all waste to see;

Help me to trust the Christ who bore my sorrows,

And thus to yield for life or death to Thee.

In all my days be glorified, Lord Jesus,

In all my ways guide me with Thine own eye;

Just when and as Thou wilt, use me, Lord Jesus,

And then for me 'tis Christ to live or die.                        W. H. Houghton

Fresh Inspiration

     This afternoon (don't believe the date/time labels....this is China!) I finished reading Vanya by Myrna Grant.  The first (of how many times?) I read it was long ago in a remote mountain village in Mexico, and an indelible mark was made on my life.  Today I realized that the summer preceding my mother's death in the fall of 1972, saw the promotion from the cross to the crown of life for China's illustrious  Watchman Nee, and 45 days later, Russia's illustrious "Vanya". Watchman Nee was "in chains" the entire life span of young Vanya; but what struck me was the great suffering and great joy these two fifty years apart in age had in common, in their uncommon love of Christ.  Both have left us a tremendous impetus to strive for the high calling of God, taking the bitter cup willingly.  Vanya wrote : 

                                            Fearsome waves over us roll

                                           Joy and courage fills our soul.

Having seen with his eyes the glory of the New Jerusalem, and experienced miracle after miracle, he faced his martyrdom with this verse he put at the end of his last letter: "Be faithful unto death and I will give you the crown of life."  His goal is expressed in his own words:

Let Christ's love

In our hearts burn

As the lighthouse beacon glows

That friends and foes

May always learn

How great is Christ Jesus' love.         I.M.

The last message I heard here was striking in that the theme was the four faces of the living creatures in Ezekiel and the four creatures in Rev. 4:7 (same creatures in both ) and how these illustrated aspects of Christ that applied to our lives as well.  The first was a man and that illustrated "The Son of man"; the second a lion which illustrated the King (Matthew's emphasis), the third was an ox showing servanthood, and I was so sorry to leave before I found out what the eagle represents.   All this was so aptly illustrated as to be enthralling.

A heart-warming incident for our children as they were walking down the street was hearing strangely familiar music and turning to see a blind man boldly playing the great hymns of our faith on his erhu!   Touched, they approached him, enjoying the rare moment of Christian music on the street.

Where oh where have my little dogs gone?

Defining Moment

     Who am I?  That is something hard to define, (as one realizes when trying to do a profile!).  Who I am should be defined in the light of the love of God, and in the same light I should see everyone else on earth.  Furthermore, it is easy to talk about things like faith, grace, and love, but aren't they hard to define?  I have collected what I deem  some of the best definitions, gleaned from favorite authors, and will gladly share them with you hoping you will be blessed, but would like to ask that you do me a favor and contribute any excellent definitions you can come up with to add to the list.  Will you do that?

DEFINITIONS

LOVE   

(1)  The passion of self-giving

(2)  The overflowing result of one person in fellowship with another.

FAITH

(1)  Taking God at His word

(2)  The open hand receiving Christ

(3)  The faculty of realizing the unseen

(4)   Saying "amen" when God says something

GRACE

(1)  The other word for love, speaking of the initiative of God

THE GLORY OF GOD

(1)  His love;  perfected love

FORGIVENESS

(1)  The fragrance a flower leaves on the heel that crushes it

PATIENCE

(1)  The principle of delayed gratification

(2)  Staying in God's crucible until His purification is finished

MEEKNESS

(1)  The inwrought nature of Christ which qualifies him that possesses it to share the throne of the Lamb

HUMILITY

(1)  The natural response of being in the Presence of God

JOY

(1)  Not the absence of trouble, but the Presence of Christ

(2)  The sign that we are really living in God's wonderful love, and that love satisfies us

Quotes for Today

     Here is a quote I ran across:  "America, you have aborted your children, now your children will abort you."  That's clear enough, and I wonder..... what of China with the cry of its abandoned unborn? 

      On a different note, I've been researching a little on some heroes of the past, and want to ask if any of you have, or have read, a book about Ernest George Fenton Hall, a WW1  fighter pilot turned missionary to the Amazon Indians of Brazil...a "corn of wheat" that early " fell into the ground and died".   I would like to read his journals. 

     All I have been able to find  was one quote, which indicates something about his character:  I have sometimes a sort of fear,"Well, if I surrender everything I know to him, I won't have anything left to surrender!"  (Speaking, of course, about things spiritual, points in which we find ourselves not surrendered.)  But somehow there always seems to be something new to give Him, and when you get into the habit of it, there's nothing so joyful as hauling out some skulking Agag and hewing him in pieces before the Lord (it sounds a bit bloodthirsty, but I'm sure Samuel enjoyed it--even if Agag didn't!)  Well, anyhow, these  " Agags"  have nothing to be said for them.  They are a bad old crew.  Many of them are very moral and respectable Agags.  Some of them are very laudable and pious Agags.  But all of them are kings of Amalek--Amalek, the flesh, the first enemy that attacks God's people when they escape from Egypt!"

      Highly interesting is the account I have just read of William Threfall (Born 6-6-1799), a Methodist missionary martyr.  I must give his testimony as a 17 year old:  I verily found that I was altogether unlike God; and that it was impossible for me to live or die happy except my sins were pardoned, and my soul converted from a  love of sin to a love of God.  I thought if any were reprobated to that place "where their worm dieth not and the fire is not quenched" I was surely one of them.  I was often led to wish I had never been born or had died in infancy.  I frequently strove to stifle my sensibility of danger by associating with the gay and careless, or by reading plays and novels. This had the effect of hardening my heart and darkening my mind.  It was the way to endless ruin; it led me farther and farther away from God and from happiness.  But still I knew there was a day fast approaching, a day of trial which I could not escape; and this was a sting to all my sinful pleasures and foolish diversions, even when my companions thought me the most jovial of the party.  But the Lord called a relative at a few minutes' notice into the invisible world to give account to his Maker.  This awful providence had a powerful effect upon my mind.  I thought, "If the Lord were to call me to account suddenly, I am sure to perish for ever and ever.  my feelings were aroused and I began to pray..."if I am not indeed out of the reach of Thy mercy, look down upon me and save me, for if you call me hence I shall be lost to all eternity.  If Thou canst, soften my heart, break down my pride, subdue my stubborn will, and make me a new creature..."  I was much tempted to give up praying, but I thought again "I cannot but hope there may still be mercy; therefore I will never cease praying and if I perish, I perish."   My heart still hard, I heard a sermon on the Prodigal Son.  I thought his prayer would just suit me.  When the preacher came to speak of the compassion of the Father, I could hold out no more for weeping, my hardness gave way, and my soul was dissolved in penitential tenderness.  While he spoke of the love of God to poor sinners, my soul was set at liberty.  I felt and saw God was reconciled....He was my Friend; neither was I afraid for the Lord was my Refuge and Strength.

     The next year he wrote in his journal :"I dedicate myself afresh to the great I Am this solemn moment for Thee to live and for thee to die. William Threfall age 18 years and 18 days."   In Africa near the end of his short, adversity-packed life, he wrote:  "As I have rejoiced in past perils, I go triumphant to meet my future foes.  My way is clear, my victory is sure.  Like the Hebrew children, I cannot be burned."  With what courage he faced martyrdom!  There is much in this account of blessing for youth (and the rest of us).  Do you identify with any of this?  God has not changed;  The God of Elijah (who answers by fire!), of the three Hebrew children and of William Threfall (and countless other victors) still lives!  

Wedding Wishes

Lizzie and Justin:

May your wedding day be all roses;          (Song of Sol. 2:1-4)

Mem'ry pictures all sweet poses;               (Eccl. 11:7)

Your love be all Christ discloses;                 (1 Cor. 13)

Your blessing be Asher's from Moses.        (Deut. 33: 24, 25, 27)

Grace and peace from God the Father,

Grace and peace be thine.

May His image, glorious radiance

Ever in thee shine.

Love and joy of Christ the Saviour,

Love and joy be thine;

Manifesting to a lost world

Love better than wine.

Faith and hope grow through the Spirit,

Faith and hope be thine,

Savoring Christ's invitation,

"Dear ones, come and dine." 

In reading this morning in the Bible of a wedding, I sensed that God waits to be gracious and turn our water into wine!  We can't hope to "live happily ever after" in this world, "for whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth", nor will all our dreams come true---still He gives what is better in fulfilling His will, fulfilling His joy!

On home life, the periodicals that are tops are Above Rubies, Keepers at Home, and  An Encouraging Word.  Above Rubies Website is great too.  Enjoy!

LIGHT HOUSE Pictures at last!

     My verse of late has been "Until the day break and the shadows flee away, I will get me to the mountain of myrrh and to the hill of frankincense. " (Song of Songs 4 : 6)  Right there is so much to meditate on .....

      Finally.... we introduce you to our apartment in Light House.  The fifth photo above shows the entrance way, while another shot shows Annelisa holding my prized  flowers in front of the two hidden rooms ( they remind me of The Hiding Place and I sometimes wonder if we will have occasion to hide anyone in them).  The rest show the exterior of the building and a couple shots of our little park (which, typically, takes the place of  a yard for most of us in Asian Village).       In the park by the pond where goldfish were busy, I saw an old woman looking frail, painfully thin, and deeply despondent.  I smiled and nodded in passing.  Twenty minutes later I had forgotten her as I crossed on the stepping stones through the water to where she still sat.  She raised a bony finger and described circles with it (not sure what that meant) so I struck up a conversation as she arose eagerly, face lighting as we exchanged pleasantries.  I had a curious sense of God laying foundations for a bridge to this pathetic soul.....most rewarding!  I reflected on the danger of being so preoccupied with my own issues that I fail to see the pain and need of others. Publish Post

PRAYER

Give me an undivided heart,

     An undistracted mind,

To ever choose the better part,

     Thy matchless Presence find.

Small Sweet Surprises

     Apparently pictures of "Light House" upload invisibly.....we're back to that.   A picture-free pause.....  Well,though nothing momentous seems to be occurring, I want to note the tiny blessings of life. (1.)  My "blue" (looks more purple to me) hyacinth is in full bloom and smells heavenly.  (2.) Out by the exercise equipment I got  a little surprise when an unidentified wild creature scampered by, then turned and came toward me before vanishing.  Wild-creature sightings are rare enough to be pretty note-worthy here, but this was unique in that it was a little yellow fellow the size of a thin squirrel.... a new species?

   (3.)   Next some cute little boys caught my eye.  "Are they twins?" I asked Annelisa.  "Yes- -no! Triplets!"  They were identical and dressed identically, and  I was impressed that the mother, with whom I spoke, managed the little trio so well.  Onlookers coping with their  tots were amazed, remarking that one is all they could ever expect to manage, and that was hard enough.   "The little Emperor" syndrome caused by the one child policy bears much evil fruit; it is always refreshing to see a "large" family (meaning more than one!)

     (4.) This last one is not classed as a small blessing.....it's BIG!  I've been reading a couple of marvelous books :  Living Water  by Heavenly Man (every page seems to flow with grace abundant) and Rowland Bingham : Into Africa's Interior (my special love for missionary biographies aside, this account  portrays the absolutely amazing potential in one life lived for God.)

Home Scenes

Before we go on to pictures of Light House, it is best to show these scenes taken out the window of, or around our Gudang apartment.  The white dog is Chicken, who is deeplly devoted to us, though he spent only a few weeks of his babyhood as our puppy.

A country couple who had had nothing to eat for two days met Christian and Annelisa and asked for help.  When  taken to a restaurant and asked to choose what they wanted, they demured, saying whatever was cheap.  It was a blessing to be able to buy their meal!

Xixi Wetlands Park

Praise the Lord we now have pictures uploaded succesfully!  Here you see a tower, in front of which anyone who wished could beat rice with a gigantic pestle.  Next you see one of our activities: learning to fly (how's your high jump?)  A pose on one of the bridges shows the children enjoying the bright sunshine.  Last Friday the weatherman said "snow" and God said "sunshine"....and we've had it ever since.

Baby Joseph is in the foreground of the last picture, getting ready to eat.  He was delighted with the books about bears that we gave him.  He looked at the first and said "Wang wang wang!" (which is what all Chinese-speaking dogs say instead of "bow wow wow!")  "No, it's a bear," his mother corrected, "What's this?"and he was shown the next book.  "Wang wang, wang!" he guessed again.  By the third one his "Wang wang wang" was uncertain, and he quickly changed to "Laosu"  (mouse)) while we laughed.  "What does the bear like?"   Joseph (excitedly): "HONEY!"  (in English).   What a cute age he is!

       

Widow Wen

Nothing has come up in my wee garden yet---but since it's only two days since it was planted, I won't give up hope yet.  Well, sometimes we give up on praying about that fast, don't we?

One person who really needs prayer is dear Sister Wen, a Yunnan lady Annelisa and I rescued from drowning when she fell into deep water a few years ago.  She and her husband, a meek, talented man, were house church leaders in the little town of Louping, one of our out-stations. They served us a marvelous feast with plenty of wild herbs the last time we were there in Louping (two or three years ago?).  Then last year her husband fell off a building he was constructing and she was thus widowed.  Life has been very hard for her since then, and a Buddhist man is pursuing her.  I think she's is  "deep water" again and she says she would like to come east and see us. 

I often remind myself of Bro. Lawrence's word " Count as wasted any day you have not spent in loving God."  That has helped me as much as anything.

LOVE REVEALED

Night intercepted by startide;

     Anguish exchanged for bliss;

Death yeilding life everlasting--

     Have you known LOVE like this?

Wounds of His love heal my heart wounds;

     Rebel knows pardoning kiss;

Fear turned to glorious praises--

     Have you known LOVE like this?

Darkness is turned to bright dawning;

     Bitter is changed to sweet;

Weakness is transformed to power--

      What can with LOVE compete?

Longings so deep none can utter,

      Thirst for Life's water spring,

Hunger for LOVE never-failing--

      All met in Christ, LOVE's KING !                   2-8- 2000

Reminiscing

Requests for pictures of Light House cannot be granted at this time, as we are being blocked somehow here in Hangzhou from getting the pictures to print onto the blog.  Hopefully the problem will be resolved, as pictures are worth a thousand words.

My eight-month -old great niece just came through brain stem surgery, and the post-op photo of little Maddy lying there intubated, brought back memories of another very special baby girl looking much the same after open-heart surgery. It looks like Maddy should do fine, unlike our little orphan whose life so impacted mine.  In China, nobody is allowed into intensive care, so that  when I was given permission to enter to see "my baby", all the parents waiting outside wanted me to check on their little ones they were not allowed to see.   Child visitors were not allowed to even enter the hospital, yet miraculously our children were invited into intensive care to see nine-month-old Davonne, who entered the world on my birthday and left on Frank's.  For the record, here is my feeble effort at a word-picture: (please omit if not emotionally stable, or if you dislike "pathos".) 

BABY DAVONNE'S FAREWELL

I see by your faces that you do not know

That this is the last I shall see you below.

On suffering before me I would not know dwell

But gaze on you deeply in lingering farewell.

Oh, MaMa, Big Brother, and Sister so dear,

You dream of my sharing a happy home here;

But I go to a happier home in the skies,

So please do not grieve as you say your goodbyes. 

You'll see me again, when my eyes cannot see;

Life flickering out in such misery:

My arms pinned out-stretched as if nailed to a cross;

You'll suffer my suffering and later my loss.

Mist-clouded these loved eyes so wide and so wise,

As your hands stroke my hands so dainty in size.

My wee hand shall curl so tight round your finger

And squeeze with a love that would evermore linger.

For deep inside I will know you are there,

Will hear your sweet songs and the words of your prayer,

And feel your soft touch on what's left of my hair.

But now is my last time to look in your eyes

Before I'm adopted to a home in the Skies,

Where never are heard an orphaned babe's cries.

So, MaMa, I'm going, but will send back my love

In a beam of pure sweetness from Heaven above.

To that Heaven of Love, I shortly shall fly

To await your arrival---until then, good bye.

On Teaching

During the service yesterday, Joseph, 20-month-old son of Jacob and Rachel, began chanting,"Yi, er! Yi, er!"  (1,2! 1,2!) meaning we had sat long enough and it was time to march out of there.  He is at the cutest stage where all he says and does delights everybody.  After dinner, as is the custom, quite a few did "march" off on a hike.  As they admired the scenery, Bro. Hsi was describing his work to Christian, who was all ears.  At Zhejiang University he teaches not just computer, but artificial intelligence.....this means he was involved in implanting microchips in rat brains, so that the rats could be computer-controlled.  I wonder if he has ever thought of implanting a chip in his second grade son (just joking, but seriously he was confessing in the service that he had failed to properly train Harley, and was seeing the need.)  (Annelisa has a lively English class of two that  Harley is in, Saturdays at our house.)  Well, looking back over raising my two, I feel every  effort should have been toward the goal of raising respectful, responsible, resourceful children... and I wonder what I might do differently now.  I mentioned today that one of my favorite things my mother did for us children, was give us each a plot of land, no more than ten feet by ten feet, for us to plan, prepare, plant and raise garden in.  I was not able to do that for my children..... how happy I would be to have a little plot myself!  (I did go out this afternoon and buy some potted flowers, and some soil and a container for my wee "garden".  I love growing things --no green thumb, though-- and have a need to nurture!)

I close my rambling on a note of praise for this beautiful day.

DAYSPRING

Thou Dayspring from on High,

The brightness of Thy rising

We hail with joyous cry,

Thy radiance us baptizing.

Thou Dayspring from on High,

With joy You make to quiver

Outgoings of morn's sky,

Abounding grace deliver.

Thou Dayspring from on High,

Arise!  Let shadow's flee Thee!

Thy presence ever nigh

In purest light shall free me.

Thou Dayspring from on High,

Dispell earth's deepening twilight.

Shine forth till bye and bye

Thy coming flames the sky bright.

Thou Dayspring from on High,

Blest Light of Life unfailing!

Rose dawning tints east's sky,

Against dark clouds prevailing.            ---3-23-05

Theme Song

What a blessing to find the long-lost theme song of this blog:  God is Love !   Have you heard it?  Oh, I had wanted it so badly!  In the music you can hear the surging of the ocean waves, while the words are so fitting, I'd like to sing for you:

God is love--and like the tide

Flows his mercy deep and wide;

And His grace tow'rd you and me

Is as boundless as the sea.

On the clouds, so dark above

Shines the rainbow of His love;

Praise His name with heart and voice,

God is love--let earth rejoice.

God is love --I will not fear,

For He says, "Be of good cheer."

He will give me what is best,

So in Him my heart shall rest.

On the clouds so dark above,

Shines the rainbow of His love.

Looking up I see and know

God is love, in weal or woe.

God is love---He giveth peace;

Strife shall end and tumult cease.

God who doeth all things well

Will thy doubts and fears dispel.                                                                                                                

On the clouds so dark above,

Shines the rainbow of His love,

He will all His goodness prove,

Hallelujah!  God is love.

                                     --Gertrude R. Dugan

Does it speak to you as though written just for you in this tumultous time?    Remember to seek for the rainbow of His love in those dark clouds gathering overhead!  

LiJin, whose early death capsized the dawning faith of his mother, had an idolatrous funeral.  All the family were idol worshipers, and the mother, stunned by the loss of her son a week after he accepted the Lord, refused all calls from believers.  The latest news is that  when told to consider the hope of her son being in Heaven, Mrs. Wang turned toward the light again, --for neither idol worship nor Buddism hold out such a hope.

We are praying for direction as to where to move next (do we go ahead and buy a larger apartment  now, and if so, where?)  The nice part of moving so much is it makes it easy to get rid of excess stuff, and who doesn't need to streamline?

Poems from the Past

"Greeting from the Untied States!" wrote a friend recently, and I marveled that with a creative typo she could express more than I could with a well-thought-out paragraph! In reviewing my history, I have come across some poems that I reluctantly share to try to fill in my lack of pictures and adventures. (Three samples follow.)

NEW MERCIES
New are Thy mercies each morning;
Fresh dew Thy grace falls on me,
Bathing my soul in Thy beauty,
Light, life, love, liberty.
Let the bright dawn of Thy glory
All hosts of darkness o'erthrow.
Let Thy sweet sunrise of favor
Life's clouds set rosy aglow.

Let Thy bright rainbow of promise
Span the dark clouds in my sky.
Let raindrops fallling refresh Thee;
Someday Thou'lt wipe these tears dry.
Ever to live in Thy presence--
Now and when dawns cloudless Day!
East clouds I'm watching while longing.
"Come for me with no delay!"

ELW. 8-13-99
Here's one where a bit of Chinese technique was attempted:

MOON SEA

Moon sea;
Silk mist;
Waves free,
Star-kissed.

Moon hides;
Spray chill;
Wild tides
Bode ill.

Fierce gail
Whips shore.
Winds wail,
Waves roar,

Surge, dash,
Beat , rip,
Crash, smash,
Sink ship.

Lone gull,
Wild cry.
Ship's hull
'Gainst sky.

Night flies,
Storm's gone.
Hopes rise
With Dawn.

Storm -dark
Life's wreck:
Sunk, stark,
Lost speck.

Mad waves,
Hopes gone.
Christ saves!
Hopes dawn:

Grace heals;
Faith springs;
Love seals;
Joy sings!

ELW 6-14-99

Trying to put Oswald Chamber's prose into poetry resulted in this:

SHADOW OF AN AGONY

Through the shadow of an agony,
Redeemed and reconciled;
By the tragedy of Calvary
Transformed to be Thy child.
It's by virtue of Thy death that I
Thy life enter into.
In forgiveness, Thy heredity
Makes me a creature new.

Not God's Fatherhood, but Babyhood
Bought back the human race--
Weakest thing in His creation,
Wee Baby bringing Grace!
Absolutely single-handedly
He levered back creation
To a better place than ever was
It's original station.

In the shadow of His agony
I rest me undismayed;
Face dark Suffering's shadows trusting He
Will keep me unafraid.
Shade of Hand stretched caressingly,
This shadow over life.
Understanding baffled, Faith yet stands
Courageous in the strife.
ELW 8-13-99

Misty Botanical Garden Stroll

      Umbrella days, as March tries to beat February, the rainiest February on record save one!  I am looking forward to riding gondolas through the streets, as Hangzhou is transformed into a Venice.  :)  Yesterday we were grateful for  a "cease-fire" allowing a group of us a pleasant stroll among the blossoming trees of the Botanical Gardens, with folded umbrellas.   We enjoyed the respite from the rain, as well as  a relaxing time of sharing, and watching the enormous fish in the pond nibble on bread bits.

      We learned a very appropriate song yesterday, all the words being taken directly from Habakkuk's song of triumph, a favorite of mine.  (Look at his song:  Flowerless Fig tree, Fruitless Feild,  Flockless Fold,  Failing Forces......all those frustrating F's like the big ones my classmate used to write on her paper when asked for her quiz score.....Yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will joy in the God of my salvation!   How about " F" for Fountain of Joy!)  Then the young brother assigned to bring the message shared from his heart burden on prayer, revealing that we do not know how to pray as we ought and have become Laodicean, neither cold nor hot.  He shared his vision of real prayer times when rather than praying for others to hear, we get the ear and the will of God.  As is the custom at the end of each message, others shared what they thought, and it was all agreeing.  I was struck by Bro. Fang's comment: "Our praying is like a boy phoning his father only when he wants money."  I cannot say how melted I was to see God speaking to others the same as to me, and the promise of refreshing showers from Above!  If we draw nigh to God we shall know Him and love Him in increasingly marvelous measure.

      Last Sunday two brothers fresh back from Yunnan laid a fresh burden on our hearts for that province, as they told about the progress of the Gospel in the southwest (Buddist). 

      I am liking  living in our Light House, and Asian Village.  In the morning rain, I walked around it several times praying for the people there, with the thrilling feeling that Christ has come to Asian Village for His Kingdom purposes.  What joy when we are privileged to see Him work!