Encouraging Testimonies

Dear family:

Way back in August, I had meant to share God's blessings to us, but I didn't get to. But I guess, now in this Thanksgiving season, it is appropriate to recount God's blessings especially in the month of August.

August has been such a full month for me. Two other churches and our church was working together to hold a combined VBS. What a delight it has been to meet two other Sunday Shcool teachers - such outstanding women from whom I have been learning so much. On the first Saturday in August, we had a 5-hour VBS training workshop. We wondered about how many youth volunteers we could have since we come from small churches. When we had our VBS on the 13th and the 14th, we had about 15 youth helpers. That may not seem much to you from big churches. But for us, that was huge, and we praised the Lord.

The first week of August week, of course, was the sisters' reunion. I don't know when I had such fun and laughter as I did with the sisters. We laughed, we joked, we shared, we took pictures and on and on. I am so thankful to God for my sisters. I really appreciate that 1) they have such a bright outlook on life - always smiling, always laughing, always looking at the world in a positive way. 2) they are creative problem-solvers. If they can't do something they had planned, they think of other things to do. 3) They are resourceful stewards of what God had given us. My family was surprised to learn that when we stayed from Monday to Thursday in Indiana, we went out to eat only once. Leave it to my resourceful sisters to figure out how to feed us and still save money!

By the way, my sister-in-law, who has a print shop is doing Halabuji and halmoni's biography. I was reading what she had typed so far and I was so moved by the tributes that my siblings had written - they could write books on their own! We should be praying for the LORD to see this biography to completion and that all who read it will be blessed and inspired.

Psalm 37:23 reads "The steps of the godly are directed by the LORD. He delights in every detail of their lives." During the sisters' reunion, aunt Grace had mentioned how flaxseed is so good for you, and I had wanted to get some, but totally forgot about it. Then, few weeks later, I was at a luncheon to encourage a fellow sister in the Lord who was having some health issues. At the luncheon, another sister in the Lord brought a bag of roasted flaxseed to give to the lady with the health issues. Not only that, but this sister brought an empty bag of flaxseed to explain what it was and how you can roast it and so forth. I was thinking, "Isn't the LORD such a God of deatils to remember how I had wanted to get flaxseed, and had forgotten, and then the Lord brought this lady to show me the empty package!

At the gathering, the hostess also shared some encouraging testimony. Her husband had been laid off suddenly about several months ago. Also, around that time, his Dad had passed away. And, as they were remodeling their home, the builder decided to sue them. Needless to say, they felt pressure from all sides. Yet this lady, Jodi, shared, that the time her husband was laid off was so good for them as a couple. Since their marriage, he had always been traveling as a salesman. But for the first time, they were able to be together - they had Bible study, they shared, spent time together. Jodi says that her husband now is on fire for the Lord.

Also, when her husband was laid off, Jodi thought that they should stop tithing, but her husband said, "No, we should continue." so they still tithed. And recently, her husband got a new job, that pays twice as much as the previous job, and her mother-in -aw, sent a check in the mail. This mother-in-law is so stingy she never gives, and yet she sent a check for the fmaily to spend. It was the same amount as the amount of the tithes that they had given to the Lord since the lay-off.

What an amzing and and awesome God we serve! And how faithful he is!

I just wanted to share these because it encouraged my heart so much.

Love in Christ,

Hae Kyung