Our Time in Singapore Thus Far...

I figured it was about time to update you all on some of the things I learned here in Singapore for the past two months. First of all, I am so glad we came. There are times I am very sad and miss home. But, then, I am reminded of why we are here in the first place, God wants us to grow. And, I can see that happening in just two short months. The culture is very similar to Boston. People are always on the move, working hard to succeed, put on a good face, and attain the prize. As far as adjusting to a new country, Singapore is not that hard to get used to. However, this is where the challenge is for us. We could very easily slip back into the comfortable place we were in Boston. It is easy to get caught up in work, television, shopping, and going out. But, there is this pull from God to do things differently. We have adjusted to the strange foods, the long lines, and many people pushing you in various directions on the train. We have found grocery stores, movie theaters, and even a church to attend. And, yes, we can sleep through the construction going on around us now, no problem.

But, what about the deep stuff. What have we learned while being here? I think I can break it down in three simple things. Love for each other, love for God's church around the world, and love for people that do not know about God. This is what our life is focused on right now. We are so enjoying being with one another in a new way. We have grown closer to one another through our adjustments, including the idea of our little baby coming along. We have had occasional dates, and I can say I enjoy sitting in the office with Chris when he has late night conference calls. Because of the church we have started to attend, we have also been able to grow closer to God. The sermons are powerful and they have called us to repentance and radically changed our thinking about our love for God. We have met people that have embraced us and helped us to feel at home so quickly. In the first meeting with our community group, I was given profound prophesy over my life here in Singapore, and the men and women prayed earnestly for each of us and our baby. It is amazing to see God answer my prayers for a community that truly loves one another and God above all else. It is refreshing to be part of God's church and to know that he takes care of us no matter what country we are in. And, finally, God has burned in our hearts how important it is to share him with others. There is such joy in knowing that people who don't know God will through us. We are excited to see what will happen when this is shared with people here in Asia. There is so much more in store for our evangelism opportunities and we are excited to see what will come of it.

So, I encourage you, if you are given an opportunity for advancing your work life, think about what it could do for your spiritual life. Never respond immediately without listening to what God has to say. Some people may have thought we just moved so that Chris could advance his career. But, in this move, we are learning more about God than we ever thought possible. There is so much that God can do with us when we are obedient to him. And, I'm excited to see what the next year here in Singapore will bring.