Awake my soul- God's Mercy Reigns

"If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things?" Romans 8:31-32 (My theme verse for the past 2 weeks)

Ka Toht Krab! 'I'm Sorry' in Thai for failing to blog for quite some time now. God has opened so many opportunities; it has been a whirlwind last 2 weeks for my team and I. The middle of week 5 and the Lord's mercy and grace is clear and it is evident that he is with us. Convicted hearts, answered prayers, and sharing the gospel have been the theme of the last 2 weeks for our entire team. Moving forward with ministry these past two weeks, my science faculty ministry team has been targeting about 10 guys; 5 freshmen and 5 sophomores that we met during week 1. After the 60 or so students we have met, the Lord has been pressing upon our hearts to pour out into these men, investing our lunch's, afternoons, dinners, and late nights spending time them and trying to love and serve them as Christ did to us. Their interest level is also a sweet gift from the Lord, and a willingness to make time for us and allow us to talk, play and come into their lives has been very impacting.

The Complex: KKU Mess hall where our team eats lunch

Let me just summarize some highlights from last week leading up until now. Amongst the constant sweat, redundant food choices, and a massive language barrier, the Lord has given us an inmeasurable amount of strength and provision. Everyone has been relatively healthy, aside from a few stomach issues I'd rather not get in to, and everyone has been safe. We still need a great amount of prayer to make it through these next 3 weeks as our bodies will begin to wear down, get less sleep, and the devil will try to use our physical weakness to distract us from reflecting God's glory. 

At "Transformers 3" together last night

Last week, our ministry team had the amazing opportunity to do what we came here to do, share the gospel with the lost world. Each of us had the chance to share our testimonies of what God has done in our lives, and how he has changed our hearts, given us purpose and meaning to life, and most importantly share how we are sinners and Jesus is the only one who has paid our merit/or sin on the cross, that we are free from sin, and reconciled to the one True God. The trust we have built was evident in their reaction to us sharing. It was last Monday & Wednesday we were able to share with 3 different students; all 3 have which never heard the gospel before. Praise the Lord. For the first time in my life it became a reality that this is what we were made to do. This is why we are alive. To reflect his glory, to make his name known, and enjoy him forever! Currently, our ministry leader has began studying the bible with one of them, and the two others we are still building deeper relationships with and pouring out Christ's love in them, by God's grace alone. 


Another God-given opportunity last week was our invitation to a family 'cookout' in the countryside of Khon Kaen. With 5 sophomore students, we made a road trip about 30km outside of the city from 9:00-4:00. It was an incredible time to spend fishing, cooking, and eating with our new friends and their family and God used it to bring us closer with those guys. The countryside consisted of mini ponds, rice fields, and beautiful grasslands. Isan food was served which was interesting to say the least. We tried our best to make it look like we ate a lot. 

Finally, we had the chance to visit one of the local orphanages which we spent around two hours playing with 2-6 year olds. Our hearts were broken for them, as we had to leave, seeing the love and desire to be held, played with, and talked to. Almost every girl wanted to adopt a foreign orphan when they get married. It was a sorrowful sight to see, but the Lord broke our hearts even more for the need for laborers of these unreached people groups. It seems like each and every day, the Lord is directing our teams' hearts for the need of laborers overseas to give up our comforts in America for the gospels sake. 

God is personally shaping me in enormous ways. Constantly showing me every facet of my sins, and in every way. Whether is be seeking the approval of man, using God for my own glory, comparing myself to others, pride, and selfish motives, the Lord is daily showing me my brokenness and my need for a savior. He is also revealing to me a vision of what my future will be; whether it missions or a life sold to ministry in America, I will follow where he leads me. "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the father except through me." Our mission as Christians is to take this news to these dying immortal souls all over the world so that will not perish for an eternity, but see the amazing grace Christ freely gives.

Matt Fransisco (Team Leader COB staff) vs. Nai (Ministry Team leader COT staff)
 At science faculty Ping Pong practice:
   Nai 21 Matt 10
Nai 21 Phil 03
Nai 21 Luke 03
Thailand > America @ Ping Pong

Please continue to pray for us our last two weeks of missions. There is still a lot of work to be done for our 10 target students, and the gospel desperately needs to be heard. Pray that the love of Christ is evident in our lives as we minister to these students day in and day out and that we will take every opportunity to know Christ and make him known, to all nations! Sinner rejoice! Our God and Father love us so much, words can't describe his goodness that he has poured out upon our team. Hope you all are rejoicing every day in knowing such a sweet, all-powerful, loving, infinitely wise, Father whose mercy never end, never fail, and last for eternity. Please keep Bill, Phil, P. Nai, and myself in your prayers (science ministry team), that the Spirit will speak to us and through for God's glory and that he would awake our souls to awake others souls. I love you team. 

"Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? No, in all these things we are more than conquerers through him who loved us. For I am sure that neither life nor death, nor angles nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord." Romans 8:35-39