O Holy Night

O Holy Night remains my favorite Christmas song. Take a listen and read the lyrics:



O Holy night, the stars are brightly shining
It is the night of our dear Savior's birth
Long lay the world in sin and error pining
'Til He appeared and the soul felt its worth
A thrill of hope, our weary soul rejoices
For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn!

Fall on your knees
O hear the angel voices
O night divine!
O night when Christ was born

Truly He taught us to love one another
His law is love and His gospel is peace
Chains shall He break
For the slave is our brother
And in His name all oppression shall cease

Sweet hymns of joy in grateful chourus raise we
Let all within us praise His holy name!

Fall on your knees
O hear the angel voices
O night divine!
O night when Christ was born

Christ is the Lord
O praise His name forever
O night divine!
O night, O night divine!



I read this article last Christmas, and am reminded of it again as I sing this song: 

http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/tgc/2011/12/23/all-oppression-will-cease-even-in-north-korea/

The article includes this statement: 

"Sin's entrance sent the world careening towards destruction, creating a rift between heaven and earth that required sacrifices, temples, and veils to protect us from the furious heat of God's holiness. The Christ child's entrance into the world set the two on a collision course once again, with the promise that the babe in the straw would reconcile them all, destroying death and sin in the process...There is nothing so liberating as the news that we have a better King and an eternal hope. In spite of their screeching protestations, every tyrant's days are numbered. A King was born in Bethlehem who will one day bring justice and peace."

Read it and join me in prayer this Christmas for North Korea and other nations around the world fighting oppression, war, slavery, natural disasters, poverty, famines, and other forms of unrest. Praise the Lord for the daily blessings we all take for granted, especially our freedom, and let them remind us to pray for the nations. Merry Christmas indeed.

Thankful for His Answer

This Thanksgiving I am thankful. With each passing year, I grow more thankful than the last. This year, I am thankful for the Lord's specific answer to my prayers when I came back from Japan.

I prayed a couple things. First, that He would renew my heart for the women I minister to at Florida State. That one was easy. As soon as I was back with them, I was reminded of what a blessing it is to labor with and for them on campus. Second, I prayed that I would be able to reach the Nations on campus. That one was a little more complicated, but when I met Lusi at the start of the semester and we started reading the book of John together, I saw the faithfulness of the Lord in answering that prayer.

Lusi remains one of the things that I am most thankful for this year! She is a sweet answer to prayer. I look forward to seeing her every week! Keep praying for the Lord to reveal the mystery of the gospel as we read about Jesus together!

Mei and me at my favorite coffee shop in Tallahassee

My final prayer was that I would be able to continue impacting the lives of the Japanese students I came to know and love this summer. I skype with a few of them on a regular basis and we enjoy sharing life together across the world! On a side note, I am also thankful for technology this Thanksgiving!! But would you believe that two of the Japanese women that I became good friends with traveled to America this semester? I've written about Miki's time in Florida in September, and now my friend Mei will be spending a week with me in Tallahassee!! I can't believe it! I serve a faithful God.

Mei will be spending Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Years in Florida before going to Toronto for 6 months of English language school. Please pray for opportunities for us as Summer Friends (our Florida SIJ team) to continue to invest in her life eternally. Thank you for your faithful prayers!!