The Phil Files

For two years, I have read and studied the Bible with young people in Asia over Skype. It has been wonderfully effective. I have a daughter in the faith because of this tool. Her name is Karen and she is the sister of Melody. I actually met her when Skyping with Melody 18 months ago. I can still remember her peering over her sister’s should and smiling and giving a gentle wave and saying, “Hello!” Several months later we began reading online and she confessed her faith in Jesus and gave her life to him baptism a couple of months ago. This trip allowed me to be with her face-to-face for the first time.

Karen teaches several hours south of Chiang Mai, but came her to spend time with me and be a part of the equipping times with the interns. Melody is also here going to the university. While Skype is a great tool, there is nothing that takes the place of face-to-face time.

After preaching Sunday, I went to the Makro (Thai version of Sam’s Wholesale Club) and shopped for food with the Chinese girls. Melody, Karen, and Sonya wanted to prepare Chinese food for the interns and me. It was a “real trip” watching them all in action. You learn alot about folks by being around them in the ordinary times of life. You learn a great deal about their personalities, how they interact, and how they conduct themselves.

For a guy who hates shopping, it was really interesting and fun. But again, it was about getting to know Melody and Karen at a day-to-day level. Their personalities are very different. Both are smart and driven. Both are precious to me after two years of Skyping with them and reading the Bible with them.

I had met Melody on my previous trip and God attached her to a special place in my heart. Watching these two sisters shop for 2 1/2 hours at the mall on Saturday and doing the same at the Makro on Sunday afternoon was great. They each had different tasks, as did Sonya and Constance, and we blitzed through there grabbing fresh vegetables and meat for the food that would feed us the next several days.

Then, because we could not find a red taxi, Karen — in her typical take charge fashion — looked around the parking lot and found a guy who looked Chinese and had a friendly face. She went up to him and his wife and asked if he would take us back to The Christian Zone where we were staying. He did! This is Karen. She is a force of nature — but more on that later.

This means that in two days, on consecutive afternoons, I went clothes shopping with Melody and Karen (Chinese sisters), in a huge Thai mall, with me as an American “father-type” wandering around after them. Then we added Sonya and Constance — an intern from Singapore — and hit the Makro shopping the next afternoon. What a cross-cultural learning and relational experience! Then we went back to the zone and prepared food — well I didn’t do too much preparing, but they certainly did, and I enjoyed the eating part of it.

After supper, we read the Bible together, talked about what was important and then late in the evening, Karen and I walked Melody back to her dorm so she did not have to walk that long way alone after dark. It was great conversation both ways.

Monday was focused on getting the intern equipping portion of the time here started. With airport introductions, shopping trips, and time at the zone already, the door was open to talk about important things. A wonderfully mature Christian of Chinese descent, from Australia, whose husband was German is joining the group, too. Her son and Thai daughter-in-law are very important parts of the church here, and she is moving here to be part of their lives and watch her first grandchild be born this next year. We call her MomaZone.

Robert gave a brief introduction to the internship and what the focus would be. Then we lead the equipping time together during the “Inspire” time of the devotional. We did 5 loaves and 2 fishes and then Robert had me talk about the whole heartlight.org and verseoftheday.com adventure to help them see that Jesus still did that amazing kind of thing today. Then he showed a powerful video about believing and then seeing by a National Geographic photographer. Powerful and great. He went over some orientation stuff, then we had prayer together and then lunch.

After lunch, I spent a great deal of time talking with Karen. We were trying to read 1 John together, but then a question would come up and as Karen said, “We would fly away” for awhile and talk about her life and the big decisions she has to make and the things she wants to happen.

At age 8, Karen began to take care of Melody and their brother alone in a small village in southern China. Her parents lived 90 minutes away and sent them some money and occasionally they would go to town and see their parents. Mostly they lived alone — all alone. To understand Karen, you have to realize she has been a mother who shopped, washed, cleaned, cooked, and nursed herself and two siblings since she was a little girl. They were alone because of the China policy about 1 child per family and for economic and family reasons. Karen is determined, talented, and goes non-stop at full throttle. She is perceived sometimes as a little bossy, but she has the warmest heart and really tries to mother everyone. She is great with little kids. So we shouldn’t be amazed, these she and her brother and sister growing up alone won most of the awards at school without a parent to help, clap for their achievements or be there to help their hurts. They lived in an old house with a dirt floor and electricity for a light, but no running water. Their years as children were filled with hard work and some very scary times. They are remarkable … and Karen deserves much of the credit, as does our Father in heaven who preserved them through some very difficult times.

Like everything Karen tackles, she knows what she wants and what she believes. Her faith is the same way.

At 4:00, Melody came in from the university and we all three began to talk about important things. Then it was time for dinner and they launched into that with gusto along with Sonya and Constance. Karen, of course, was in charge. Another delicious dinner with lots of laughter and talk. Ven, the other guy in the group is a great young man from Malaysia, and he was very much a part of the dinner proceedings and conversation. We all visited, then Karen and I walked Melody back to the dorm talking about boyfriends, how and when I knew I was in love with Donna, and things they don’t have a dad they can talk to about this kind of thing. Late back to the zone to make sure Karen was in OK and then I walked to where I was staying.

Tuesday was a great day. We all boarded Robert’s truck and headed to Phaoyo to eat Brick Oven Pizza and visit a mission team there. Along the way, we stopped at beautiful waterfalls and took pictures for a few minutes, then Robert and I led the “Inspire” devotion for the day. Robert talked about the amazing way God had brought each of us together to this point from Singapore, Malaysia, Australia, Austin, China, and Abilene. How his plan had made this happen and how so many little things had to work just right for it to be so. Then I talked about Psalm 139:13-16 and how God knit us together in our mother’s womb and had a plan for us and knew us before we were even born. This is a very big leap of faith for some of the Chinese to believe — that there would be God who could know everyone and care for everyone. Then Robert came back around and talked about as we were in this circle that we were like a reed basket that God had woven together. Some of us long time Christians, some new Christians, and some seeking to understand and have their hearts open — all praying together with open hearts. It was precious and powerful.

Another hour down the road, we came to the Pizza place. It was a three hour experience. We ordered and ate, then as the Pizza place cleared out, the owners brought us samples of new things on their menus and we began to visit with the mission team there.

The Chinese girls played with the three little boys and the boys were delighted to have someone besides their parents playing and speaking English with them. This allowed for some great side conversations and prayers with the mission team and exposed the interns to another group of believers. Karen met Haley, a single young woman living passionately for God and part of the team. It was a special blessing for her because she saw another strong, forceful, passionate single Christian woman of God to help her know she wasn’t alone in being a strong woman who knew what she wanted in life.

The trip back was rainy and cold for Thailand. Some were in the truck and then we rotated and some of us were under the cover in the back, scrunching in tight to stay warm. Ven shared his story with Melody on the way back. It was story that faith is not always easy and yet it is worth the effort and God is real and good and close, especially during the tough times. I could not ask for her to hear better things as she struggles to believe and I know she heard them.

We got back late, ate dinner at an open market, and then went back to the Zone. Karen and Sonya and I read from the book of James and prayed together before bed — rich discussion and such honest prayers! Karen has been so special to remember Megan, whom she has never met but only seen in pictures, praying that God heal Megan’s problem she is facing right now and that the doctor visit goes well Friday. It was a sweet and emotional way to end a long day — I left the interns at 11:30 for my walk to where I stayed a few doors away.

I know this is a lot and probably confusing. But I wanted to get it down before I forget it. In between the words are tender and sweet moments with each intern, Robert, my Chinese girls, MomaZone, and God that can’t be put into words.

My prayer for them, these precious young adults both believers and those struggling to believe, is what Paul promised the Philippians in 1:6: that God will bring to completion what he began in them! This is my heart’s longing.

For those who are not yet part of my family of faith, I yearn for that gap to filled soon.

For those who are strong in Christ, I pray that God use them mightily.

For Robert and Jan and their family, good health and powerful ministry.

For those at home in Abilene, grieving for Matt Phillips, comfort and thanksgiving.

And for my family, healing and health and adoption.

By God’s grace,

Phil

Today was an incredible special day, full of emotion, reflection, and grace. Thousands of miles from home, I have prayed and tried not to worry about my daughter’s health problems. Prayers were made by elders at two churches for her as she looks at going to a specialist this week. I preached in Chiang Mai, Thailand, with a room full of people who were not Christians 17 years ago when I first visited here — most of them first generation Christians. In addition, several precious young women who are from China and are studying here were also present. One is a daughter in the faith, others I hope to be soon. But I felt nervous speaking because I felt so much was on the line with every word.

In addition, we sang songs in Thai, but I knew the words and parts of every one of them in English. Some were modern praise songs. Others, however, were old hymns. One I hadn’t sung in years and I remembered being sung when I was a young boy at a funeral in Oklahoma at funeral I attended with my grandparents. Another was my dad’s favorite hymn, “It is Well with My Soul.” We had just finished a testimony by a Thai man who talked about the difference Jesus had made in his life. His words were translated to me by a young woman I want so deeply to come to Jesus. There was such power in hearing his testimony brought to me in English by someone I wanted so badly to hear and understand them. I had already begun to think how much my dad would have loved the moment and the place, and then we sang his song and my throat closed and tears flowed. I am emotional now even recounting it.

Worried about my own “little girl” — grown and so precious — and worrying about this young woman I want so much to know Jesus and remembering my dad’s death and my precious wife who was with him when he drew his last breath … well, it was a place where grace found me. Some moments, some emotions, are as Paul says in Romans 8:26, “too deep for words.”

I don’t know what your Sunday has been like, but mine was full of emotion and grace and it lasted all day and into the early evening. I have just finished praying for my daughter, joining elders in two cities as we intercede for her to be well — going over Psalm 17 several times to guide my thoughts and prayer. I have prayed for others who are precious to me to come to know Jesus. I have prayed for my home church, Southern Hills, to be blessed and challenged by Mitch Wilburn as he preaches to us today. And as I finish this, I am praying for you, that you are in a place where grace finds you as you read this.

By God’s grace,

Phil

Thirteen time zones away from home and suffering jet lag, I went to Grace International School in Chiang Mai, Thailand, and got a special dose of grace and humility. You work on something, you plan something, you pray about something, but the reality of it doesn’t hit you until you experience from a whole different angle.

We have worked hard at expanding verseoftheday.com into other languages — Chinese, Portuguese, Spanish, German, Korean, and Russian. But the impact of that in other places is hard to gage. But when I went with Robert Reagan to visit the school and eat lunch there after arriving late the night before, I couldn’t help but be touched when I went through the school and people told me one after another that this is how they began their morning each day at school — reading verseoftheday.com. It was made even more exciting because I got to meet with a precious young woman will be translating for us in Thai, which should launch on March 1.

Even now, I have just finished an email to a young, passionate, believer in China who is doing our translation work there. Her passion for the Word of God and for others knowing Jesus is amazing.

And as I get ready to preach in Thailand this morning, my heart is back home with my Southern Hills Family as Mitch Wilburn speaks to them about taking our faith outside the walls of our church building into the world. In God’s twist of humor and faithfulness, Mitch’s missions camp counselor years ago at camp Deer Run, was Robert Reagan, for whom I’m preaching this morning.

What a precious thing God has called us to do and to experience: to change the world in the name of Jesus. And every-once-in-awhile, you get a glimpse of that happening and it is a needed dose of grace and humility. Grace to be privileged to do something that really matters and humility that the King of glory has called us to be His partners in doing it.

 
VerseoftheDay.com in Chinese
Notice the language choices bottom right!

 

I’m up late and celebrating Chinese New Year by anticipating seeing some of my precious Chinese friends in Thailand. In a few hours, I will begin the 25+ hours of flying and waiting to get to Chiang Mai.

As I prepare myself emotionally for the trip, I have hopes and dreams for those I love there. I anticipate spending time with the Reagans and enjoying the Christian zone. But deep in my heart is a yearning to see more of these precious ones as part of my forever family in Christ. And as I think about how long my trip is, I remember the long trip Jesus made and how costly it was for him. He took it so we would know how much the Father loves us and how deeply he wants us in his forever family.

I also carry in my heart concerns for my family at home while I’m away and while we look for the underlying issue that has caused some of Megan’s health problems. My heart runs to Kentucky and my precious son and daughter-in-law and their two foster boys: oh how I would love to see them be part of our physical and forever family! I think of Donna and the busy and challenging week ahead she faces at school. I pray for our my home congregation and Mitch Wilburn’s Sunday time with them — hoping he helps us catch a little bit bigger glimpse of God’s desire to do more than we imagine to reach those who are lost around us.

So please say a prayer — all my bags are packed and my heart is prepped and my plans are made. Come, O Holy Spirit, and make this more than a long trip and a visit from a friend: make it your work accomplished and the Father’s name glorified and the love of the Son experienced.