I want to tell you a story, a story that brings tears to my eyes even as I write. A story of how God was patient with me, though I was impatient. A story of how beautiful salvation is, and a story of God’s grace to me as a Christian and His saving grace to unbelievers. In 2009 I had the opportunity to go to Taiwan and teach English as a second language, and so with great excitement I started a new chapter in my life. I crossed the ocean with the hope to do great things for God. I am not sure how I expected God to use me, but I remember that I just wanted more than anything for God to be real to me. I remember in the beginning telling God “okay God, how are you using me? I don’t really see it yet”. I was one impatient girl, Psalm 46:10 says “Be still and know that I am God.” I was in God’s will, yet I was not willing to be still and hear His voice. I wanted immediate results but that was not God’s plan.
I remember the day so clearly; it was my first week of teaching. I arrived mid-afternoon at my last school of the day. Everyone was napping and it seemed that there was not a soul awake. The teacher that dropped me off told me she would go find the English teacher. I stood in the office observing the teachers napping at their desks and felt oh-so-awkward (I soon came to embrace the idea of taking a nap every afternoon but during my first few weeks it seemed strange). Finally, the door opened and in walked a young woman. She introduced herself in perfect English “Hi, I’m Crystal, I’m the English teacher”. I was astonished and overcome with joy, her English was amazing! I had spent all week trying so hard to understand broken English and finally here in front of me stood a teacher that spoke English as well as I did.
So, from that first day of meeting our friendship began. Besides teaching together, Crystal and I spent a lot of time together, and in that time we would talk. We talked of many different things. Crystal told me of her hardships, of a husband that had left her, of a son she was raising by herself. We talked of hardships that she had been faced with and yet she had overcome them. I talked about my family, about how our cultures were so different and yet so similar. And then we would talk about me being a Christian and why I might act differently. To Crystal it was a religion, but she watched me. She watched for the little things, how I would act toward the children, if I was only loving and kind to people’s faces and not behind their backs. Crystal told me she had never met a Christian like me, she said “you are different than all the Christians I have met.” I was surprised and ask her “how am I different?” to which she responded “the Christians I know act as if they are better than me and I am not good enough for them”. I was surprised and saddened that that was how she felt Christians had treated her. I thank God that I was able to live as we are told to live in Colossians 4:5-6 “Walk in wisdom toward them that are without, redeeming the time. Let your speech be always with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man”. I was able to make the most of my conversations with Crystal and yet I was able to be gracious and kind. I realized that day that the world does and will continue to judge Christianity by what it sees in people that proclaim Jesus Christ as their Savior.
I remained in Taiwan for two years and during that time Crystal was one of my best friends. She never came to Christ and yet we both appreciated each other. I invited Crystal to my home in Michigan. Two summers in a row she tried to make plans to come but it never worked out. I returned to the U.S. in the year of 2011 to continue my education. Crystal and I kept in touch throughout the year with occasional messages. This spring she sent me a message telling me that she was going to visit me this summer (2012). I was a little bit in shock; I had given up on her being able to come. As my family and I planned for Crystal and her son to visit us, I mentioned to my family that Crystal knows that we are a Christian family but she herself was not a Christian. I also mentioned that I thought that she might be looking for God. My mom told me “I am going to make sure she knows the plan of salvations” I told my Mom that I hoped she would. So Crystal and her son Jordan came. It was an exciting week and we did many American things with her to give her a good American experience. But then we also read scripture together as a family, we prayed before we ate our meals and we were, I hope, genuinely loving to her and her son. One night Crystal and I stayed up late talking and my Mom came and joined us. We were just talking about general things, while I would have loved to stay up and talk with them I needed to get up early the next day. So I left them talking and went to bed. The next day Crystal told me that she and my Mom talked for a few more hours that night and my mom led her to the Lord. I was overcome with joy. Yes, I do wish I had been there, but obviously that was not in God’s plan. All that really matters is that Crystal is my sister in Christ. She can now teach her son about the Lord.
I think back to three years ago when I was on the other side of the world, asking God when He was going to use me. I marvel at how He still used me though I couldn’t see how He was using me. I have learned so much about God in the past three years. I am truly amazed at His everlasting grace. Grace that He gave Crystal through salvation and grace to be patient with me in my impatience.
I remember the day so clearly; it was my first week of teaching. I arrived mid-afternoon at my last school of the day. Everyone was napping and it seemed that there was not a soul awake. The teacher that dropped me off told me she would go find the English teacher. I stood in the office observing the teachers napping at their desks and felt oh-so-awkward (I soon came to embrace the idea of taking a nap every afternoon but during my first few weeks it seemed strange). Finally, the door opened and in walked a young woman. She introduced herself in perfect English “Hi, I’m Crystal, I’m the English teacher”. I was astonished and overcome with joy, her English was amazing! I had spent all week trying so hard to understand broken English and finally here in front of me stood a teacher that spoke English as well as I did.
So, from that first day of meeting our friendship began. Besides teaching together, Crystal and I spent a lot of time together, and in that time we would talk. We talked of many different things. Crystal told me of her hardships, of a husband that had left her, of a son she was raising by herself. We talked of hardships that she had been faced with and yet she had overcome them. I talked about my family, about how our cultures were so different and yet so similar. And then we would talk about me being a Christian and why I might act differently. To Crystal it was a religion, but she watched me. She watched for the little things, how I would act toward the children, if I was only loving and kind to people’s faces and not behind their backs. Crystal told me she had never met a Christian like me, she said “you are different than all the Christians I have met.” I was surprised and ask her “how am I different?” to which she responded “the Christians I know act as if they are better than me and I am not good enough for them”. I was surprised and saddened that that was how she felt Christians had treated her. I thank God that I was able to live as we are told to live in Colossians 4:5-6 “Walk in wisdom toward them that are without, redeeming the time. Let your speech be always with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man”. I was able to make the most of my conversations with Crystal and yet I was able to be gracious and kind. I realized that day that the world does and will continue to judge Christianity by what it sees in people that proclaim Jesus Christ as their Savior.
I remained in Taiwan for two years and during that time Crystal was one of my best friends. She never came to Christ and yet we both appreciated each other. I invited Crystal to my home in Michigan. Two summers in a row she tried to make plans to come but it never worked out. I returned to the U.S. in the year of 2011 to continue my education. Crystal and I kept in touch throughout the year with occasional messages. This spring she sent me a message telling me that she was going to visit me this summer (2012). I was a little bit in shock; I had given up on her being able to come. As my family and I planned for Crystal and her son to visit us, I mentioned to my family that Crystal knows that we are a Christian family but she herself was not a Christian. I also mentioned that I thought that she might be looking for God. My mom told me “I am going to make sure she knows the plan of salvations” I told my Mom that I hoped she would. So Crystal and her son Jordan came. It was an exciting week and we did many American things with her to give her a good American experience. But then we also read scripture together as a family, we prayed before we ate our meals and we were, I hope, genuinely loving to her and her son. One night Crystal and I stayed up late talking and my Mom came and joined us. We were just talking about general things, while I would have loved to stay up and talk with them I needed to get up early the next day. So I left them talking and went to bed. The next day Crystal told me that she and my Mom talked for a few more hours that night and my mom led her to the Lord. I was overcome with joy. Yes, I do wish I had been there, but obviously that was not in God’s plan. All that really matters is that Crystal is my sister in Christ. She can now teach her son about the Lord.
I think back to three years ago when I was on the other side of the world, asking God when He was going to use me. I marvel at how He still used me though I couldn’t see how He was using me. I have learned so much about God in the past three years. I am truly amazed at His everlasting grace. Grace that He gave Crystal through salvation and grace to be patient with me in my impatience.
"For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure." Phillipians 2:13
{2012}
{2010}
{2009}
Luv always - Lonny
Luv always - Lonny
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