I leave for launch next Monday, and will head out to Zambia a week from today on January 9th! This past weekend, I went back to Bread of Life Church in Torrance, California to share about the World Race with the English and Cantonese congregations. I was mightily blessed to receive prayer and encouragement from members in both congregations, and also from all three pastors (English, Cantonese, and Mandarin).
I first started attending BOL four years ago when I began college at UCLA, and it was in their fellowship that I came to Christ. I shared that this encounter pretty much ruined my life back then, but I was somehow glad for it. And what I didn't realize was that my life had already been ruined long ago, and Christ came to actually build from those ruins. From the moment I agreed to let my Savior have his way in me, I've been asking the Lord what his way would be. I can tell you even now, only four years later, that if you want to see something amazing, dare to ask the Almighty what he can do with just one life. However, I can also tell you that trying to live a life that matters is weighty. Thankfully, we get to fall into the presence of God while he bears that weight with us as a friend, and for us as a Savior.
With the English congregation I was able to talk about the vision behind the World Race, as well as share prayer requests for the upcoming year. I came up with four prayer requests, each representing a group of people to pray for:
1) World Race Group: This includes all the people affiliated with my team (Team Zealous Love) and my squad (Z Squad). Pray that as we go into this journey, we would do small things with great love as we humble ourselves and open our hearts to having the will of God done over our lives. May we would cover one another in grace as we travel and serve.
2) Local Missionaries/Ministries: This includes all the local ministry contacts my team will be working with in a given country. Pray that the hearts of these courageous men and women would persevere. Ask that they would be able to rest and be encouraged by the work that God is doing in His field, and by the presence of more workers to share in their labor.
3) Local People: This includes all people groups that the local ministry contacts are serving. Pray that their souls would be made ready to receive the Gospel, and that the words of Christ be planted deep in soft soil, so they would receive life abundantly.
4) Home Group: This group includes you and everyone else who is reading this back at home. Whether you send or go, pray that you would be encouraged daily to serve faithfully in whatever mission field God has stationed you currently.
I have been blessed to be a part of something great by the members of Bread of Life Church. Thank you all for fully funding me in this journey, faithfully partnering with me on this mission, and sending me out with love.
With the Cantonese congregation, I was limited by time and by my language abilities, so I shared a lot less. But hey, I still managed to crank something out in Mandarin. I've uploaded a video of my sharing here:
