Xin Nian Kuai Le! (Happy New Year!)

For those who haven't heard yet, I am planning to move back to the States after this school year. It's not because I don't like China or am sick of it or anything like that. In fact, the decision to move back to the States is harder than the decision to come to China was. Coming to China, I had a job and a place to live and an established community. Currently, I have passed up the chance to renew a contract here in China, but don't yet have a job in the States. To think that I don't yet have anything to return to makes me feel strangely...naked. My security has been stripped away, and I'm stepping out wearing only faith in a God who has promised to provide as I follow Him.

I have a plan, but nothing set in stone. A few years ago, God placed on my heart a dream to open some sort of educational business. Over the years, He has molded my heart and morphed the dream to focus more on people living as foreigners in America--specifically, Chinese immigrants and their children. After living in China for 4.5 years, I know how it feels to try to learn a new language and culture...I know what it's like to feel stupid all the time, no matter how hard you work to adjust. I want to help people going through this same exasperating transition.

Currently, my radar is set on Chicago. There is an organization already established there whose mission is to serve Chinese immigrant families and share the Gospel with them. I'll keep you posted on how that pans out.

In other news, my New Year's Resolution is food-related. I love that the Holy Spirit doesn't just stick to the realm of my "spiritual life". My whole life is His, so He has the right to convict in whatever darn area He chooses! Recently, He has been convicting me in regards to my sugar addiction. My resolution is to exercise and tone my self-discipline muscles, which have become quite flabby (along with some other literal muscles!!)

Last thought from one of the books I'm currently reading. (Surrender by Nancy Leigh DeMoss) In one chapter she is discussing the idea of a bond slave, one who would choose to submit his entire lifetime to his master. In discussing the shift in the church from "full surrender" to "commitment" she quotes Josef Tson. "Translators (of the Bible) did not like the term "bondslave" to be applied to people. Who wants to be somebody else's slave? Therefore, they replaced it with "servant." Again, a reflection and demand of the independent spirit! In the Greek, "slave" is doulos; a "servant" is diakonos. In the Greek Bible one never, never diakoneo to God--one never serves God; one only duoleo to God--that is, one slaves to God." (pg. 71-72) 

Here's to a year of learning to truly duoleo!