A Persistent Valentine From the Heart of God...I Love You!

A Persistent Valentine Message 

From the Heart of God

I Love You

Kathy is a definite fan of Bible Study!!  Another Community Bible Study International study began in our home last week in the book of Colossians.  What a wonderful morning with sixteen women (+ 2 baby girls) ranging in age from 2 months old to 70 years young.  

Kathy's friend K shared her personal story of having three women in the USA who meet monthly to pray for her family.   One of the women, V, visited K six years ago.  They did all the usual tourist things but as they purchased some scarves from a shopkeeper, V became burdened for the man who owned the shop.  

V returned to the USA and wrote K, "I think you should take your husband and go visit this man, I am praying for him.  V went on to say, "He needs to know the love God has for him."  K thought to herself, “How could I ever explain myself and that truth in Thai?  My language is not nearly good enough yet.”

Knowing how directionally challenged K is and how the shops were in a maze of disorganization K wondered how she would ever find the man again. But V persisted and every few weeks over several months V would ask K if she had gone to find the man yet.  

K finally decided to go and find this shopkeeper.  In order to share this story she asked V, "How many times do you think you asked me to find him?'"  “At least 100 times,”  V said smiling.  So finally K took a friend with her to try to find the man in the place where the shops were located. Unfortunately, she could not find him or the shop.  Later she tried again but to no avail.

K knew God had placed the image of the man's face and the shop entrance in her mind.  This past December K was shopping in an area of a local mall featuring Thai handicrafts  when a man started to walk over to her.  To her amazement, the man matched the image God had given her of the shopkeeper’s face.  

K managed to ask in Thai if the man had owned a shop in Ban Tawai 6 years ago.   He replied he did.  He told K it wasn't doing well so he moved to the mall.  K then told him about her friend V who had been praying for him for 6 years.  She also told him how her friend had told her to tell him how much God loved him.  

K asked if he had a Bible.  He said yes and pulled one from his shop but said he could not understand it and that he was a Buddhist.  Then they decided his English was better than K's Thai so they switched to English and K's husband came up and started talking to him too.  They exchanged numbers and names and promised to meet again.  

K brought us a photo of Suphat, pronounced Sue pot.  K asked the women gathered last week for Bible study to pray for him and for her and her husband as they share with the shopkeeper.  

K wrote V and told her they had found the shopkeeper that she was so burdened for and that his name is Suphat.  V said I am now saving my money to visit again when he is baptized.  We are all praying for that great day!

K went on to say to the women gathered for Bible study how Paul, like her friend V, was so burdened for people that he had not met.  Like V, Paul wanted these people he had not met yet, to know the love of Christ.  The women in our study are excited to be studying the book of Colossians in God’s Word and to see how we will apply these same truths in our lives.

Teacher Appreciation Student Speech

Grace International School

I came to Grace International School in 9th grade. Throughout my years here, I have gotten to know many teachers on a deeper level and have been amazed by their dedication, generosity, and love for others. We can not express our gratitude enough for the blessing you have been in our lives.

We all experience bad days. I remember one day in particular,where I just felt like a basket of laundry; mixed up, dirty, and tired. You know those days where nothing seems to go right? Well, it was one of those. I was angry with the world... I didn’t feel like I could go on. But, I remember, one of our teachers asked me if I was ok…that teacher encouraged me and told me that I could make it. That teacher helped me believe that I would make it through and come out like a conqueror. My spirit was suddenly lifted and I felt such a peace and assurance that someone did notice that I existed.

I think that is what is so special about this school, it is the thing that people comment about; that the teachers really do care about their students. You care about our lives, and that is something so precious and valuable, a beautiful thing to be cherished. So we just want to say thank you. Thank you so much.

Thank you for your dedication; for your inspiration to learn and care about the world around us. Thank you that you care about our future and you believe in us. You believe we can do it; that wecan learn and overcome, even if it means enduring our questions and comments. Thank you for loving us and supporting us even when we are unlovable, moody, and irritable.

And thank you for asking about our lives. For your prayers and the countless hours you have spent away from family and rest, guiding us and helping us when we are stuck.

Thank you for preparing us for the future and guiding us in the ways of God.

You are not only self-less givers, but you have been mentors inour lives. You have opened up our minds to new perspectives of the world and have been examples of how we should live.

But most of all I want to thank you for your love for God, andfor the many many sacrifices you have made to reach us. For laying down your time to serve us. Thank you for the lives that you modelin Christ… Thank you for teaching us what is most important in life.You have blessed each one of us in more ways than you could imagine. Thank you for encouraging us to pursue God and seek him with all our hearts. Thank you for helping us see him as a Father, friend, and the greatest King.

For me, you have helped me know that I matter. You have helped me know from the bottom of my heart that God REALLY does have a plan for my life. For me, you have been much more than just teachers. You have been mentors, guides, friends, and acomfort when life seems to be crashing in.

Thank you for guiding us, inspiring us, and shaping us in God’s ways.

Today we want to respect you, support you, and let you know that YOU ARE so valued and loved.