Family/Birthday Lunch

...and there were five.

Today is Sunday. At our fellowship this morning it was Chinese Thanksgiving (why it's the day before Halloween/last Sunday in October - I don't know). They talked about having a thankful heart and what that looks like. So afterwards the 7 of us went out to eat KFC by choice of our Boy G. Since it was Thanksgiving Josh (another new foreign teacher on our team) instated the American tradition of everyone saying one thing they were thankful for.

Different students said things from family to our teachers, to Him, but the one that stuck out to me was one of our new sisters. She joined two days ago! She wasn't even supposed to go to lunch with her other friends who were eating with Josh, but was invited at the last minute. As they talked the Father opened up a door for Josh to share His story. She nodded along intently. By the end of lunch, she said "my roommate and I have been talking about this and we've wanted to do it, but we dont' know how?!" After a class that seemed like forever, Josh and our Boy was able to meet up with her and explain the "birthing" process. "She was His long before we sat down" Josh said. Her and her roommate had another teacher from our org. two years ago and had been considering and thinking about it since.

Today at lunch she sat down and as she started to describe what she was thankful for she just started crying. "I'm just so thanks to G for this new life." She went on to describe how the past year had much more than she anticipated and was really rough.  He has given her a new start and forgiven her and she was gasping for air. That's a thankful heart.

As I sat back at the table and looked around we had 2 foreign teachers and 5 new brothers and sisters that have all been added into the family in the last year. Two of them in the last month. My heart began to wake up to the amazement of the work He is doing and has been doing here. It's the redeemed. It's the Family table of the redeemed. Some who are 20 years old and others who are 2 days old - but 7 highly loved and valued individuals who have nothing but Him and are pretty excited about that.

I'm very excited and thankful for the new team that has come this year. Some of them have got passion and excitement and are expecting bigger things that I could have imagined. It's awesome because as good as last year was, I was trying to make this year like last year, but He's stepped up His game and the branches hang low with fruit. I asked for it but didn't practically expect it. It's a birthday semester. We've celebrated 4 teachers physical birthdays, and at least 3 or 4 students new birthdays. Plus, we've got one and maybe the start of a second pregnancy class going on for all the fetuses that are soon to be born into our Family.  It's not over yet, and we need more Thoughts. This comes after a really rough 2 weeks for all of us and still is in the midst of battle, but births in battle are well worth the pain.

We want ACTS like the past. Numbers added daily... we're asking for it. He wants it. Lets give Him the imagination and ideas He deserves.Thanks for your Support and Love. Look at what He's doing through us...but mainly look at Him.