greater things have yet to come.

We are a chosen generation, rise up holy nation, God we live for You. You have called us out of darkness, into light so glorious, God we live for You.


"Brothers, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth. But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. He chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things--and the things that are not--to nullify the things that are, so that no one may boast before him. It is because of Him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God--that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption. Therefore, as it is written: "Let him who boasts boast in the Lord." 1 Cor. 1:26-31

i am finally home. after getting back to the states last thursday night, my team and i headed down to florida to report about our journey to beach project. after spending the weekend there, we all parted to go home. it is definitely bittersweet being back. as much as i've loved getting to see my sweet family and friends, i still wish i was in thailand longer. i almost feel like i don't belong here because of how different everything has been and will be. however, as i sit and meditate on the wonderful works of our Lord, i get excited thinking about this year and applying everything i've learned this summer in my daily life.

the Lord has blown me away this summer. i can sit and talk with each of you for hours about everything He's taught me. i wish everyone could have experienced what my team and i have experienced. i expected to learn more about evangelism before this summer and i have...but i never thought i would be able to discover myself and most importantly God in the way i have. i think i went on this trip thinking i knew what i needed to know about myself and about God. i quickly found out i was completely wrong as the Lord rocked my world by showing me the depth of my sin. i realized that i was worse than i ever thought i was. i was able to see sin in my life i didn't think existed...pride being the root of it all. however, the Lord didn't stop there. in the midst of my sin, he showed me the beauty of the Cross. he broke me so he could revive me. he stripped me of my comfort so he could show me how much i really needed him. through this emptiness, i was able to taste the grace of God in a way i've never before. His grace became sufficient. it became abundant. and through it, i was able to find eternal comfort and hope and every good thing i've been given by my Savior.

my chains are gone
i've been set free
my God, my Savior has ransomed me
and like a flood His mercy reigns
unending love, amazing grace.


i also began understanding that i can't ask the Lord to make me more like Him half-heartedly. i can't let go of the things that are easy to let go of and hold onto the ones that are hard. i need to give Him my everything and beg Him whole-heartedly to mold me into His image. and in that moment, i was able to discover the freedom that i'm meant to live in daily. if i surrender every aspect of my life to Him, i'm left with nothing but freedom. His freedom. this is what my God desires for me...to live my life completely surrendered to Him so i can enjoy the gift of life in the beauty of His freedom.

"Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom." 2 Cor. 3:17


thailand and the people i've met there will forever be in my heart. living in the midst of a lost world has put into reality the greater need that's found outside the U.S. there are people who've never heard of the name of Jesus before and who don't know the good news that ultimately brings everlasting joy. i've realized even more now the responsibility i have as a believer to go and make disciples of all nations. it's not about what i can do or say but the willingness to give God to use me in any way for His Kingdom. it's been so encouraging to see that the Lord is moving in thailand. He's still present even in the midst of those who don't know Him. He's raising up leaders and opening doors to make Himself known. the Christian thai's are a prime example. observing their lives this summer has reflected Christ to me and has challenged me to live my life the same way. they have inspired me and encouraged me to give up everything i am for the sake of the gospel. they've exemplified humility to me in a way that's going to be impossible to forget. God is moving. please continue to pray for the people of thailand...Greater things have yet to come and greater things are still to be done in this city. 


although this part of my journey is over, i still plan on blogging about the next chapter of my life. thank you from the bottom of my heart for all your prayers and support. the Lord is so good to me to have brought you all in my life. there's no way i could've been able to experience these unforgettable two months without you all. i'm praying that through my journey the Lord has given you a deeper understanding of His love for you. i hope He has drawn you closer to Him and given you a desire for more of Him each day. i hope you're encouraged to make Him the supreme passion of your life as you learn to love and imitate Him in your everyday walk.

 

                                     the most amazing team i've ever known. i'm so thankful.

Jesus Christ's kingship will not crush you. He was crushed for you. He followed his thread to the cross so you can follow yours into his arms. -Tim Keller

-milc

my heart will sing no other name, Jesus.

i leave to go home a week from today. it's almost surreal to sit and think about how fast the last weeks have gone by. as i was reflecting over my summer yesterday, i got overwhelmed thinking about how much the Lord has showed me being here. these past two months have been the most challenging yet most incredible months of my life. the Lord has transformed my heart in more ways than one and for this, my heart greatly rejoices in Him.

a couple of weeks ago, our team had the privilege of going to an orphanage where we got to spend some unforgettable time with the precious kids. 

"Let the children come to me; do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of God. Truly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child shall not enter it."

Mark 10:14-16

the past couple of weeks for me has consisted of spending time with the freshman girls. they had what's called "freshy games," which is a competition between each faculty in different types of sports and activities. it was so much fun to be a part of it.

4th of July weekend was a relaxing time with my team as we spent the weekend going swimming and spending the night at a fancy hotel, the Pullman. this weekend was definitely needed and was a great way of rejuvenating. 

as i look back at my summer so far, my heart can't help but overflow with thankfulness. the Lord has been so good to me. His constant love and abundant grace has brought a whole new meaning to my life. being in the midst of a lost world has helped me revaluate my life and the things that are most important to me. i've been realizing more and more each day how important it is for me to constantly be rooted in the Word. i've realized my need for the Lord every second of my life. i've seen how easy it is for me to be swayed by the things of this world and fall so easily to the temptations i'm faced with. i've been learning to dig in the Word everyday as well as treasure His Word for it's the most valuable treasure i'll ever have. what a blessing it is to freely go to my King whenever i want to. also, being around people who have the same heart for the Lord has only encouraged me continually give up everything i am for the sake of the gospel. afterall, there's nothing good in me except Jesus. it's not about what i've done or will ever do but only because of what Jesus chosen to do for me. my heart longs to be more like my Saviors' for in Him, i have everything i'll ever need. 

"If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will find it." 

Matt. 16:24-25

-milc

be still.

"Can you fathom the mysteries of God? Can you probe the limits of the Almighty? They are higher than the heavens-what can you do? They are deeper then the depths of the grave-what can you know? Their measure is longer than than the earth and wider than the sea." Job 11:7-9

as i sit in the nearby coffee shop writing this, i can't help but stand in complete awe of the God i serve. He continues to blow me away by how mysteriously and wonderfully He works all things for His glory. today was a clear indication of His sovereignty and how absolutely perfect His timing is.

i experienced the sweetest moment of my life today as i witnessed a girl (Markii) my ministry partner and i had hung out with once before, came to accept Christ as her Lord and Savior. i wish everyone could have seen every detail of what happened today to know how it was all beautifully orchestrated by God alone. it was a normal day at lunch when Markii came to sit with Aw (my ministry partner) and i. i asked her about her weekend and she opened up about family problems and her own struggles. that's all it took. i proceeded to ask her questions about how she dealt with hardships in her life. she responded by saying that she doesn't feel anything anymore, no emotion, so she distracts herself by listening to music or watching movies to deal with problems. i went on to tell her that even though i can't understand her situation, i get through the good and the bad things in my life by embracing to the only hope i have in Jesus. she went on to tell us that she went to church last week for the first time and it was there that she felt something warm in her heart for the first time. Aw and i looked at each other and we were both thinking the same thing..."It's time to pump the Gospel." afterwards, Aw shared her testimony with her and told her why she became a Christian. Markii kept asking questions about sin, heaven, hell, prayer, the Christian life, and so much more. we answered her questions and used visual diagrams to explain some things. after talking to her for a while, Aw turned to me and said, "Ok. She says she's ready to become a Christian." with my mouth wide open and tears streaming down my face, i held her hands tightly as we got ready to pray. Markii repeated a prayer after Aw as i sat there completely still before the Lord, so amazed at His wondrous work. after we prayed, Markii, with tears in her eyes said, "I felt Jesus." she said she had felt like the Lord had been preparing her for this moment since she was a little girl. she always felt like God was drawing her to Himself but she never found anyone to tell her what that meant. she said she got out of class early today, which was very unusual and although she had already eaten, she felt something leading her to go back to the cafeteria. and when she saw us, she knew she was supposed to sit with us. Aw and i couldn't say anything, we couldn't do anything...except be still.

that moment, with the three of us sitting together, holding hands and praising Jesus for our new sister in Christ, was unlike anything i've ever experienced. words can not describe how it was all God. He'd been preparing His daughter since she was a little girl and in His perfect timing, He brought her to Him. i can only imagine what heaven looks like right now as i'm sure the angels are rejoicing over a new saved soul. i praise Him for restoring Markii's life, freeing her from the captives of darkness to His marvelous light, and writing her name in the Book of Life.

Praise His name for He is the only one worthy of all the glory.

                                                                me, markii, and aw

"Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth." Isaiah 46:10

-milc

walk by faith.

today is a special day. my beautiful thai ministry partner, Aw, was born today. aw is one of the most amazing people i've ever met. before coming to thailand, i had been praying for my partner and that God would place me with someone who would inspire me to be more like Him. i'm so thankful that the Lord has answered my prayer. aw's life is a beautiful reflection of God's faithfulness. the way she lives her life completely surrendering every aspect of her life to Jesus is something i'm constantly blown away by. i appreciate how open she's been with me about her deepest desires, her struggles, her weaknesses and so much more. but through these conversations, her trust in the Lord has been clearly displayed to me. after accepting Christ as her Lord and Savior three years ago, she spends her time discipling those younger than her and committing her life to telling others about the infinite love she has found in Jesus. one of the many lessons i have learned from aw is what it means to walk by faith. her contentment in the Lord is evident through her smile and even more through her lifestyle. because of this satisfaction in the Lord, she has the kind of faith that's very rare to find. she encourages me to always trust. just trust...that God loves me enough to work everything for my good. she not only says it to me but exemplifies it through her way of life. there's never a day when i don't find myself amazed at the way she applies her love for the Lord through her actions. it's refreshing to be around someone like her and every time i'm with her, i'm inspired to be better.

                                       

                                                             aw with her sweet dad.

                                                       aw and her disciple P(ms.) Rung.

thank you for being you, aw. you're a sweet blessing to me. so thankful you were born today. i love you very much.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

"Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised." Proverbs 31:30

-milc

your grace is enough.

this past week has been filled with some sweet memories i'll always hold dear to my heart. from listening to convicting sermons, to sharing our testimonies with some of our girls, to some quality pool time with my teammates, to learning how to cook two of my favorite thai dishes (pat thai and guy pat met mamoung), to dancing at the street market...again, to witnessing the most joyous day as i watched people get baptized on sunday, to celebrating one of our team memeber, courtney's birthday, to staying up late with sweet friends and talking about how the Lord is working in our hearts, to being incredibly encouraged by my teammates, to feeling God's presence and His divine plan for His children here, i'm feeling so grateful for the Lord's inexpressible blessings in Khon Kaen.

                                   this night began with karaoke and ended with one of the most
                                amazing talks i've had so far with these sweet girls. i'm so thankful
                                                                   for this night.

                              this picture is for you dad...proof that i try to cook every chance i get :)

                                   these girls are absolutely incredible. they researched and cooked
                                      my favorite dishes for the first time so i can learn to make it
                                                                 when i go back home.

                                           at the street market with some of my favorite girls.

                                abby and i are officially part of this dance crew. we've started a
                                  tradition of dancing with them at one of the biggest markets
                                  every saturday. we've only done it twice but i have a feeling
                                         this will continue for the next few weeks we're here.

                                          

sunday morning was such a beautiful picture of God's faithfulness and amazing grace. after teaching the missionary kids at sunday school with taylor, i was able to witness one of the sweetest times. this is my ministry partner, Aw's father. after faithfully praying for her father over the past few years, he came to know Christ as his Lord and Savior and was baptized this past sunday. Jesus is apparent in his life through the exceeding joy that never seems to escape his face. i thank God so much for him and Aw.

                   one of our friends, Arm, along with about ten others got baptized. Praise the Lord."...he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us  through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit..." Titus 3:5. 

                             discipleship group and my ministry group, plus some girls abby and i
                                   met at the schools. it's seriously so encouraging to be around these
                                                                     amazing women.

                                princess belle helping abby and i with courtney's birthday cake.

                                   courtney aka birthday girl. so thankful you were born court.

                             continuing the birthday celebration with a little bowling with the team.
                             i honestly couldn't have asked for a better team. i love these people with all
                                                                          my heart.

i'm incredibly thankful for this past week. it has been one of the hardest weeks for me but the Lord has used my brokenness to show me the beauty of His grace. listening to tim keller's sermon on self-forgetfullness last tuesday, the Lord was able to use that talk and the days afterwards to convict me of my pride and selfishness. he showed me the depth of my heart and was definitely breaking me by revealing to me sin in my life i wasn't even aware of. i found myself feeling unworthy and beating myself up for how easily i fall for the things of this world. it was hard to look past my sin and not to feel so hopeless and inadequate in light of all my sin. however, through this conviction the Lord started reminding me of the Cross and how because of His grace, He has set me free from all my sin. learning to gaze at the Cross daily in the midst of all my sin, His grace became that much sweeter and His love that much greater. so i'm learning to be strong in the grace found in Jesus and learning to approach this throne of grace with confidence.

"But because of His great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in our transgressions-it is by grace you have been saved. And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith- and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God..." 
   Ephesians 2:4-8


thank you so much for your faithfulness in prayer for our team. we feel your prayers and are so incredibly blessed with all our supporters. please continue to pray for the relationships we've formed so far and that the Lord would use us in any way to make His name known to those around us.

thank you to my wonderful team. you guys challenge me, encourage me, inspire me in more ways than you know. i praise Jesus for bringing each of you in my life.

and lastly, thank you dad for being one of the biggest blessings in my life. you have always encouraged me by pouring the word of God in my life and always telling me that Jesus is all i'll ever need in this life. thank you for teaching me this lesson ever since i was a little girl. you're a wonderful man of God and seriously one of the best people i know. i'm sorry i couldn't be there to go on a daddy-daughter date for father's day. but know that i was praising Jesus for you the whole day...and always. i love you so much dad. happy belated father's day!

-milc

a life worth living for.

it's 1 am and i'm sitting in the hallway as i write this. i have been trying so hard to think about how to best put into words everything the Lord has been revealing to me this past week. i honestly don't know how to say everything i'm feeling but one thing i know is that my heart is full of joy. we serve such an awesome God, who is sovereign over all and works everything for the good of His children.

this past week has been a step forward in my relationship with the girls i've been meeting at the schools. i can't say enough about how much i love being around these girls and how much fun we have together. one thing i realized this past week is how much i actually care about these girls. that's one thing i didn't think about before i came on this trip. the Lord has given me a burden for them and because of that, i find myself constantly praying for them. although i want to share my faith with them, i know that i have no control over this situation. nothing i say is going to guarantee a difference in someone's life. only the Lord can open and change hearts. He's the ultimate Savior. i'm learning to keep trusting that the Lord has brought them in my life for a reason. all i can do is keep loving and serving them as best as i can. this is teaching me to make humility an everyday part of my life. my life is not my own and because of that, nothing is for my glory.

the more i read Mark 1:14 about the calling of the disciples and how they left everything they had to follow Jesus, the more my heart longs for the same dependance on the Lord. i want to forget the things of this world, everything i count precious in my sight, and without hesitation, follow my Savior. the Lord has been convicting me of this message this past week and why it's so easy for me to fall for the things of this world. i know i'm a sinner and will continually fail Him, but i don't want my life to count for something temporary. i know what Jesus has done for me and how He has saved my life. why don't i desire the same thing for others who don't know this good news so badly that i give up everything, even all my dreams and desires, just so they can taste and see that the Lord is good?...and that He is rich in mercy and love for them? i've been thinking about this so much this past week and praying that the Lord would save me from myself and my selfish desires so i can live for something so much bigger than myself. i want a heart that's so consumed by the Lord and His will for my life that everything else fades away.

                                               always encouraged by my ministry partner, Aw

                                            they love throwing the crown, i don't blame them

                                                   bowling with my girls, such a fun night

                                                i love every second i have with aer and kik

                                abby and i introduced our ministry group to some american food
                                    (made from scratch, abby did most of it but i helped too, dad)

                                             my ministry group, these women are a blessing

                                                     baking brownies with mai and ploy

                                          buddhist temple, we got to go in it this past saturday

                                                   on the top floor of the buddhist temple

                                                 meet mac, a famous Thai superstar, oh yeah

                        just swing dancing for the Thais in the middle of one the biggest markets

                                                        i adore these girls so, so much

                                         i touched an elephant for the first time, made my day

the Lord is moving in Thailand and it's evident to see that He has something incredible for this amazing nation. through it all, i'm learning about what it means to be a servant, and being reminded to put my focus on the perfect example Jesus has set for us. He doesn't need me at all and yet chooses to use me in His beautiful story. i'm continually praying that He would use me the way He wants to because after all, He knows the bigger picture and i don't. however, i do know that one day every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that Jesus is Lord! this news is completely worth giving up everything for.

""Then I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and on the sea, and all that is them, singing: "To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be praise and honor and glory and power, for ever and ever!"" Revelation 5:13

-milc

rejoice always.

one week down, seven more to go! even though a week isn't that long, i feel like it's been the longest week because i've experienced so much already. the Lord is already showing me and reminding me of a lot while i'm here and for that, i'm incredibly grateful. i can go on and on about how much i love it here, especially the people. i'm definitely taken out of my comfort zone and because of that, it hasn't always been easy. but being around the Christian Thai's, i'm always reminded of my main purpose here. it's not about me and my comfort but all about Jesus, all for His glory. one of the biggest lessons i've learned so far is what it means to always find joy in the Lord...not just through the happy times but through the hard times as well. the Christian Thai's have given up a lot to follow Jesus and there are some that still don't have good relationships with their family because they've come to accept Christ as their Lord and Savior. but even through this hardship they're facing, they still shine Jesus when they're around me and everyone else. their joy in the Lord is clearly evident for all to see.

                                 meow and jj, love spending time with these precious girls

                                            Thai karaoke is truly the best, especially with Nai

                                                   we love pretzels, we love auntie anne's

                                                    at the snake farm. yeah, snake

                                                                 i promise this is real

                                          the snake is in his mouth as you can see, speechless

                                       great conversations over dinner with these lovely people

                    basketball and badminton with my ministry partners and some of our girls

my prayer this week is for that kind of joy, the kind found in Jesus alone, would be an everyday part of my life. even when things aren't going well at all, i want to be so content in the Lord that my joy in Him overflows from within me. i want to find joy in the fact that i've been taken out of darkness into light, that i've been saved from eternal death, that a sinner like me is forever loved by the King of Kings and Lord of Lords, that the Lord chooses to use me for His Kingdom, that i get to spend eternity with my savior. there's so much to be joyful about because with Jesus as the core of our happiness, we're guaranteed a happy ending. i'm so thankful for this reminder.

"Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near." Phil. 4:4-5

-milc