Today I read the account of Jesus walking on the water in Matthew 14. The disciples were in the boat, tossed by the storm and tempest. When they saw Jesus and cried out to Him, He said to be of good cheer, for He was there. At which point Peter, at the bidding of Jesus, stepped out of the boat and into the waves to be with Jesus. But he got distracted by the turmoil around him and began to sink.
I know that God has called me here to Taiwan and it really has been quite an adventure so far!! I am so glad to know that He is here with me and so I can be of good cheer. But sometimes it is easy for me to look at the challenges around me, take my eyes off of Jesus and begin to sink. Then I cry out to the Lord, and he bids my heart to rest in Him. This doesn't mean that the challenges don't need to be dealt with, but that in the midst of it I can "be of good cheer" for He is with me. That about sums up my last month. =)
Overall, the teaching is going well, though. I am settling into my routine and enjoy seeing progress that the students are making. Sometimes they are so funny, I end up laughing in class, especially when teams of students get really into competition with each other in various English games. Most students are just delightful to teach!
I have appreciated seeing a little bit of Taiwan over the past few weekends. One family took me to the zoo, another family took me to Shi Tou (a lovely "mountainous" park in Nantou), and I spent last weekend in Tainan visiting some dear missionary friends. God is so good to send these refreshments to the soul in the middle of busy teaching weeks!!
I'll leave you all with a little poem by Harriet Beecher Stow that has been an encouragement to me recently:
When winds are raging o'er the upper ocean,
And billows wild contend with angry roar,
'Tis said, far down beneath the wild commotion,
That peaceful stillness reigneth evermore.
Far, far beneath, the noise of tempest dieth,
And silver waves chime ever peacefully,
And no rude storm, how fierce soe'er it flieth,
Disturbs the Sabbath of that deeper sea.
So to the heart that knows Thy love, O Purest,
There is a temple sacred evermore,
And all the babble of life's angry voices
Dies in hushed silence at its peaceful door.
Far, far away, the roar of passion dieth,
And loving thoughts rise calm and peacefully,
And no rude storm, how fierce soe'er it flieth,
Disturbs the soul that dwells, O Lord, in Thee.
May God bless you all!
With love,
Christy
Chia Yi, Taiwan
