[From my last e-mail newsletter] Out with a bang.   Today [6/15/12] I get on a plane for home.  Ending usually means slowing down, but what does that even mean to Him?  In the past week it's meant that 2 new brothers have joined the family!  Hopefully I will have more time to tell you the details later, but I just wanted you to rejoice with me that He is mighty to save!  Troubled hearts have found their rest.  Thirsty souls have found their river. I'm leaving here with praise in my heart.  As I begin to look back and reflect, a song of thanks wells up inside of me.  I hope in the upcoming weeks and months I can express even a fraction of what He's done here! I'm excited about seeing many of you soon.  Thank you for sharing with me in all of this.  All of the guys in this picture are Brothers (including newbies Liao and Lucas on the far left and far right!), and your lifting and support have played a vital role in their eyes being opened to the light.  Thank you from the bottom of my heart. Gotta go get ready.  See you on the flip side!

I Smell Baseball...

This is how I know it’s spring. Sure, there’s an official date on the calendar, but this is my marker.

They say smell is the closest sense tied to memory, and when the weather starts changing and pollen starts flying, I think of baseball. Ah, those good ole days in high-school when you knew the sound of the ball coming off of the bat would be more than enough to carry you through the rigors of schoolwork to the glory days of summer.

Yes, it’s springtime in Nanchang. Hallelujah. Even though nobody knows what a baseball is here, my internal calendar has turned the page. Now I feel as though I’m rounding second and heading for third in the school year.

To continue with the analogy, I feel like I’m in a bit of a pickle (for the real baseball fans). Not only has spring been triggered in my mind, but summer as well. Back in high school, I managed to still complete my work while dreaming of lazy days on the golf course, but now I’m faced with the challenge of staying completely invested in lives here. This requires a bit more effort than a measly research paper…

The good news is that we’re seeing really cool stuff here. It’s easy to keep your head in the game when you’re seeing living proof of the Father moving in people’s hearts. We’ve been privileged to see more new hearts come to life this semester! Even more brothers and sisters are going deeper in His Word. Exciting!

Then there are the days when life feels routine. My mind wanders to being home with my fiancé and reconnected with so many people, but my prayer is that I would live these next two months with purpose. We’ve seen plenty to give thanks about, but we’re believing for even more. After all, what good is reaching third if you don’t make it to home?

I’m thankful for so many of you who run the bases with me. It’s great to be on the winning team with you.

A seed?

"This is what the Kingdom is like..."

I'm sure all of the whispering stopped. Ears perked up as the listeners of the parable waited to hear what the Teacher would use to compare to that great eternal reality that they were so hungry to know.

I wonder if He paused. And if so, I wonder what word they expected to hear. Maybe it's like a hurricane that sweeps in and leaves undeniable evidence of its existence? Or what about an earthquake that shakes lives from their crippling hopelessness?

"A man scatters seed on the ground."

A seed? I can see the listeners' eyes grow wide as they consider the fragility of not just a seed, but a mustard seed. Is it really possible for the Kingdom to not take root? Or even worse, is it possible for the seed of the Kingdom to be choked out by a weed? Once again, the great Mystery alluded them, as they looked for something naturally overwhelming and missed something supernatural subtle.

I must admit, my own logic struggles with this as I look around at the weeds. They seem to loom so large over the people I pass by on the streets everyday. The most heart-churning weeds, however, are the ones I see in my students' eyes. They bear a level of pressure and responsibility that leaves me silently shaking my head. So common is the story of someone receiving the seed with gladness, then asking themselves, "What would this mean for my future?" Hope gives way to practicality and they go plowing along with their lives.

Perhaps that's why He is calling us to our knees in a strong way this semester. Scripture calls us to "make straight paths in the desert" and to "strengthen the arms that hang down." We've realized that our response shouldn't be to sit back and watch the grass grow, but to grab the machete we've been given and use it. Weed-chopping is my new favorite hobby. We have hope of a great reaping in the Springtime!

Take heart

On an introspective note, I've been stirred about protecting seeds in my own life. I believe the seed analogy applies to His truth growing in our hearts as well. Sometimes I want His voice to come shouting from the heavens and knock the chopsticks out of my hand, but again, it's funny how He compares truth to a seed. May I never forget that the power in that seed makes hurricanes and earthquakes pale in comparison!

What's the still, small, mustard seed truth He's spoken to your heart that you must guard with your machete and nourish with your water bucket? Be patient. Let it grow. Take heart.

The play by play for the detail people...

Well after a proposal and a company conference in Thailand, I'm finally back in the classroom. I believe my head has almost finished spinning from 13 flights and 3 countries in 2 months. Our team has settled into a groove where we're seeing new provision for a new semester. We believe many new things will come this semester! Actually, our most immediate desire is for new weather! Cold+rain+no insulation= prayer request. We believe the spring will come, along with many things He has put in our hearts. And by "our," I mean my awesome team. We've had really rich time together. I'm so glad He doesn't call us to live alone. I wish you all could know these folks. Thank you for continually lifting us up!

Fruit: A love story

I definitely had big expectations for this past semester. New country, new culture, new job, new relationships. "Fruit" was the word I kept hearing from Him when thinking about what was ahead. Steeped in excitement, I set to work, teaching and casting nets.

Then I waited. Where would this fruit come from? What would it look like?

As certain relationships began to form, I began to see that this was it. Then more and more...and more. In exhilaration, we've been watching planted and watered seeds grow into fruit in the form of new hearts and growth in older ones. Our praise going up hasn't been able to keep up with the grace coming down!

As the semester wound down, I just kept smiling- "I'm really here, and He's really doing what He said He would do." But He wasn't done!

In all of this outward fruit, He was saving special fruit for my own heart. Now, most seeds are planted and sprout in weeks. Others in months, years and so on. This Fall, an 11 year seed sprouted in my life.

Back story. When I was young and dumb (15 to be exact) I made the surprisingly mature decision to go after real beauty. Sure I was attracted to her, but I was even more drawn to a depth that I saw in her. There was a deep rootedness about her. Her heart and character were grounded, and she was (and is) beautiful. To spare you the epic novel I could easily insert here, we dated, broke up, and started dating again right before I moved to China.

Also, If you know me, but not Lauren, I'm sorry. If that's true, then you also probably don't have the clearest picture of me. To continue with the farming analogy, she is the soil that He has used to bring about major fruit in my life. She is the clearest Ebenezer of His love and faithfulness to me.

Ok, so picture us, and picture a seed. In the ground. 11 years. When will it be time? Will it ever be time? These questions have hung over our heads for quite a while, but in a season where I was looking for fruit all around me, ground started to break right in front of me. He used a visit by her in November (part of my blogging delay- sorry!) and a lot of prayer afterwards (another part of the delay!) to show us that part of the fruit that He had planned was, well, us.

Wow... Flight. Check. Ring. Check. Merry Christmas!

She said yes! We're engaged!

It's hard to sum it all up here, but I'll begin and end with fruit. We are overflowing with excitement because we know this is just the beginning of it! Details are still being worked out, but we are rooted and grounded in the One who is Faithful, who establishes the steps of those who commit their way to Him (Proverbs 16). He is the soil that always proves faithful. Amen.

For the detail people!:

Lauren thought I was going to be on a long train to visit some friends in Central China for Christmas. I've had to repent, but it sure got me off the hook for 30+ hours without communication! She was home from North Carolina and had been planning to go see my family on Christmas afternoon. When she came, my mother answered the door and told her that everyone was on the back porch and to go ahead and go out there. She opened the door to the back, but surprisingly she didn't see anyone. I slowly poked my head around the corner, and I met eyes that looked like they were seeing a ghost! She froze, so I had to walk her to the middle of the porch so my cousins (who were hiding behind bushes in the rain!) could take pictures. I quoted lyrics to a song that I wrote her 9 years ago, and after saying a few more things (private!), I dropped to the knee. She actually nodded instead of saying, "yes" but I figure that counts!

We're looking at getting married in the Fall, living in North Carolina for her second year of residency, then returning to China for my second year. We'll keep ya posted!

Peeling back the layers.

In my mind, China has always been an onion. No, it doesn't make me cry, but when I peel back a layer, I find another fascinating layer...and another...and so on.

As a result, I feel like I should apologize to you if I ever made a statement like, "China is ______." I made many matter-of-fact statements like that before I came here, but what did I know? It would help if you take the statement I made to you, consider the opposite and throw them both in a mixing bowl. That's a great recipe for China.

Okay, context. Last weekend we visited Qufu, the birthplace of a man who is a layer in every good Chinese onion- Confucius (or Kong Zi if you're really wanting to learn Chinese!).

We visited the temple where they worship a man who never intended to be viewed as a god. Yes, the Chinese approach to him is an onion all to itself.

Confucius is buried here....or so they say. Actually our tour guide wasn't even sure, but he is buried somewhere... A bit perplexing, but it did make me think about graves that are definitely empty :)

Overall, I'm glad I visited Qufu. I gained a deeper respect for the Chinese capacity for belief and a deeper understanding of Paul's temple experience in Acts 17. What is this need for worship that is found in every culture? It seems we all share this layer. Could it be made by and for Someone? Hmm.

I think I'll stick with the onion analogy. It's lasted for 13 weeks so far, and I don't see the layers running out anytime soon.

The rest of the trip (for all you picture people)

Qingdao- Northeast China. Beautiful. Put it on your list when you come visit me :)

teaching, dancing

My students and I are mutually fascinated. For most of them, I am their first foreign teacher. For most of them, I'm the first teacher who doesn't read straight out of a textbook. You could say we're in a kind of a dance at the moment.

The goal is English, I tell them, but more importantly, the goal is communication. What a beautiful bridge language can be. "Think guys... think", I always say. They haven't thought about that much before :)

They're full of smiles. They want to learn. They know about as much about themselves as they do about English. They definitely have a lot to learn.

UPDATE

I'm going on another trip! The school is taking us to a city called Qingdao in Shandong province. It's supposed to be pretty cool. I have been going pretty non-stop, so I think I'm ready for a vacation this time. It will be a great time to reflect on how fruitful these first months have been.

I've been rejoicing lately. I've seen the reality of this Hope we confess and have gripped it harder than ever. I'm learning more and more what Paul meant- "I am not ashamed of the good news, for it is the power to save."

I'm so thankful for your support. Keep the comments coming!

I hear ya, Xiamen.

National Holiday was last week (all week!). There have been many firsts in my move to China, but this one stuck out. I actually uttered the words, "I'm not ready for a vacation."

What? Who am I?

New place+new people+new job= maybe I just wanna sit for a while

So when a group of students suggested we all go to Xiamen ("sha-men"), I politely smiled and said ok (that was, of course, after asking "what's Xiamen?").

Good call, Chase. Xiamen, as it turns out, was voted 2nd best place to live in China. It's on an island off the southern coast of China.

Beaches. Check. Seafood. Yep. Starbucks...well duh, I'm there.

I managed to put my Grande Hazelnut Latte down for a few minutes to take some pictures...

The guys:

me, Caleb, Isaac, Emmanuel

They're awesome.

We hang out a lot and have gotten to be great friends.

(and we all have the same Father :))

They had to drag me away from here.

I was in a beach coma.

"Zhong Shan Lu"- a.k.a. Shopping Street.

Every city has one. This one was pretty cool. I loved the buildings. And it was clean!

The aforementioned Grande Hazelnut Latte.

This Starbucks had 4 floors! Be jealous.

Of course, I chose the top floor with the balcony view of the harbor.

Pay attention to the piece of land across the water on the left.

This was on that piece of land- called Liugong.

The island used to house consulate estates from all over the world.

Now all that remain are these beautiful, old colonial homes.

What better place for a coffee shop?

I walked for hours around this island and kept wondering, "where in the world am I?

After several hours of contented exploration, I decided to take a picture. Too bad it was dark by then. Sorry!

Filling in the gaps (again, for the detailed people!):

Although I didn't need a vacation from a change-of-scenery standpoint, I found that it was much needed in terms of relationships. I had been friends with these guys, but the trip gave us a chance to go deeper... a key theme this semester. So many times we want to reach out, but don't take much time to dig down. So we're digging, and wisdom from above has led us here...it's exciting :)

I arrived back in Nanchang and was greeted with 5 new classes (now I have 7 total) of Freshman. I'm now teaching around 250 students! Those classes were great this week. I feel like I'm thriving here. Thank you for lifting me up!