Emma: Where is the fruit?

I've been reading through Matthew recently... the incredible stories of the life & ministry of Jesus. Matthew 5-6... I've read that passage before but it just hit me so hard as I read through it this time. 

We are supposed to live as the salt & light of the world. I want to live as a light so that others may see Christ and give all the glory to God, not me. Jesus teaches in this passage about sin, loving your enemies, living sacrifically, how to pray, serving God above all things, not being anxious, and building my life on the rock of Christ. 

The morning I read this, the Holy Spirit really convicted me! I was convicted about bearing fruit in my life. Jesus said, "You will recognize them by their fruit." (Matt 7:20)

What is the fruit of my life? I can be doing ministry, but still living selfishly or distracted. I realized this is why my relationship with God must to be number one! If i want to bear genuine, lasting fruit in my life, I need to daily spend time with God. 

We learned a lot about this in AOT (Advance Operations Training), but I think that when a slot of time isn't prepared for you to have a quiet time & it's up to your discipline to spend that time with God, it can be easy not to make it a priority or lose focus. However, I've been learning that my daily time with the Lord is crucial. I want to bear fruit in my life that comes out of the abundance of the love & joy i experience daily in my love relationship with God. I am grateful for my relationship with God and how He sustains me every single day.

-Emma

NT365 participant, Asia Pacific Rim

Healthy Teaming: Julia

Ministering with longterm workers in my country has been such a blessing. I've been able to observe the aspects of everyday living while working as a team. Each family & individual is unique & essential. This team seems to be a healthy team & is a framework of what healthy teaming look like. They have become like family to me and for one another, pointing each other to Christ & loving the Kingdom work they are involved in.

-Julia

NT365 participant, Asia Pacific Rim

Never a waste: Julia (NEEDS PICTURE)

For the past couple weeks, I have been attending English corners almost everyday. I am constantly sharing my story & who Jesus is. I have connected with many students about struggles I have experienced. The students can relate to my story, often feeling caught up right in the middle of their struggles. Through this, God has been showing me that the years of pain, loneliness and depression I experience were not a waste. The days where I felt like I couldn't live anymore, now are being used as a purpose in my life. For His glory!! I am able to point students to Christ and speak into their lives in a unique way. Sharing that God has a purpose for their lives and that He loves them so, so much! God doesn't waste anything. I am living in His grace in this present moment. 

-Julia

NT365 participant, Asia Pacific Rim

His Mercy & His Word: Jessica

Over the last couple weeks God has been teaching me more about His mercy & His word. I am in awe of how gracious God is. He has completely redeemed me though I do not deserve it. His mercy abounds deeper than I know & it is not dependent on me, but rather on His unchanging character. 

I have also been reminded that His word is not only trustworthy but also everlasting. In my quiet times I have been thinking a lot about how the things of this world are temporary. It is a blessing from God to have the relationships & possessions, but they do fade away. It is a comfort to me that the greatest thing I have will never fade away, because my God is everlasting & His word endures forever. (Isaiah 40:6-8)

-Jessica

NT365 participant, Asia Pacific Rim

Part of the work: Adrielle

A passage that has stood out to me recently was Isaiah 42:5-8. It's incredible that the God who created everything and has dominion over all of it, allows me to be a a part of His work in spreading the Good News to the ends of the earth. He could definitely do it all on His own if He wanted, but He chooses to let us be a part of it so that He gets all the glory. 

I love the image of Him holding my hand. I know that He is always with me and will never leave or forsake me. He doesn't just send us out and say, "Good luck!" He sticks with us & guides us though every step. that is so encouraging!

-Adrielle

NT365 participant, Asia Pacific Rim

Changes in normal life: Camille

Ministry has looked quite different during Ramadan. During the day, hardly anyone will be in the restaurants or shops. As you walk along the street, many places are closed. It's hard to do life as normal during the day.

Part of our ministry is following up with people that we've met, continuing to develop relationships. But that is so much harder during this time. The colleges are out of session & its just harder to spend time with people. No one is looking to hang out in the local coffee shop.

Where we live has more of a "night culture" anyway... and this is on another level during Ramadan as that's when they are "breaking their fast"... it's almost a party atmosphere. 

Pray for missionaries in our city. 

Pray for divine conversations during this days of Ramadan as many seem more open to spitirual things.

-Camille

NT365 participant, Asia Pacific Rim

God is good: Camille

The Lord has been growing my love for the city where I am & it's people. He has helped me be more faithful in praying for the city. He has helped me seek Him in prayer more & abide in Him through prayer. An ongoing prayer request of mine has been my prayer life... that is would be stronger. God is answering that prayer.

He's also been reminding me to praise His name. I have been filled with more joy lately because of praying and meditating through worship music that is full of praising Jesus. 

God is so good & may be be magnified & lifted high! Praise God for His word and the gift it is to praise Him, know Him, and have a relationship with Him!

-Camille
NT365 participant, Asia Pacific Rim

Breaking the Fast: Cambree

Being in this Muslim-majority country during Ramadan has been an experience. I was shocked to go out during the first day & find the whole city looking like a ghost town. Everyone was either working or sleeping to pass the time. At night thought... the party starts! Shops start opening around 3PM. We walk around & smell a billion different types of food all around us. There are huge buckets of drinks, lots of barbeque, fruit, and lots of interesting looking meat things.

Around 5PM, everyone starts ordering food & carrying it around with them until 6:30... then it's time for breaking fast... everyone eats & it's like the happiness is restored to the city. Everyone is smiling & yelling & talking... amazing to watch!

At the end of Ramadan is the Hari Raya celebration. We're looking forward to that. We've been invited to celebrate with one of our friends & her family.

Please pray for us as we spend time with our friend's family. 

Pray for opportunities to share spiritual truths during this time while they are seeking spiritual insight.

-Cambree

NT365 participant, Asia Pacific Rim 

Endurance for Cambree

My personal time with the Lord lately has left me with one word in mind: endurance. It seems like every scripture I read talks about making it through hard time and for this I am so grateful. This season has been tough but the Lord has been so kind to teach me how to remain steadfast through it all.

One particular verse has stayed with me: Hebrews 12:2. 

My first thought was "Okay... keep your eyes on Jesus!" My second thought was "hmmmm... for the joy that lay before Him..." I have thought about this a lot. 

What was the joy laid before Him? 

What was the thing that got Jesus through the hard times & gave Him endurance?  

I truly, truly believe that WE are the joy that lay before Him. It is no secret that Jesus came to Earth to save us, but this verse puts it in a whole new perspective! Thinking about knowing us personally & saving us brought Jesus enough joy to make it through the worst death in the world. He just loves us so much. This is so sweet and encouraging to my heart. If Jesus can endure hard things for me, surely I can for Him, right??!!

I am determined to fix my eyes on Jesus and not on whatever trial I am facing. I will focus on the joy of being able to share His name with the people here... That is definitely worth every hard moment. And if I have any strength to serve, or any strength to ensure, it is from the strength that God provides. May He be glorified in everything. (I Peter 4:11)

-Cambree

NT365 participant, Asia Pacific Rim

Month of Fasting

As you may know, during this month, close to 25% of the world population has come together for a time of fasting called Ramadan. This is a fast all Muslims are required to participate in, lasting the entire month of March. Starting at sunrise & going til sunset, Muslims will not drink or eat anything... this includes water. 

I recently had the opportunity to "brea fast" with one of my friends who celebrates this time. We went to the Ramadan Bazaar, a large area with dozens of food trucks. Everyone gets their food & finds a place to sit where they can break fast with their friends & family. As we were looking for a place to sit, we noticed it was about to rain. this led to our friend bringing us right outside the mosque. As we walked through the gate, we quickly doned a headscarf & sat down to prepare to break fast. Being right by the mosque provided an amazing way to experience the culture & religion of the people we are living among during this semester.

Pray for our friends as they participate in this celebration. 

Pray for eyes & hearts to be opened that only Jesus is the true Bread of Life.

-Grace

NT365 participant, Asia Pacific Rim

Social Mapping

Along with teaching English, my teammate & I have been going through a process called mapping. There are three different layers: physical, social, and spiritual. 

The social layer is exactly what it sounds like, talking with students. We survey students with a few questions about their life on campus. The very last question is if they would be interested in practicing English. The hope is that students would be interested in going through Creation to Christ (C2C) stories, while learning English. 

Please join us in praying that God will prepare the hearts of the people that we will meet in the last few weeks. 

Pray they will be open to being connected to Christians here. 

Pray that my teammate & I would be bold and intentional as we go out.

-Kat

NT365/Hands On

Bangkok, Thailand

The Gospel is Precious!

One of my favorite moments recently is when we attended a BBQ with some Thai friends. There were unbelievers & believers present. A close friend we have made came to Christ. I was able to witness her sharing her faith & why she accepted Jesus to her people. It was such a special moment that I praise God I got to be a part of! 

Her eagerness, boldness, and joy to share is an encouragement. I realized that she reflects all of these things because she sees the Gospel how every single believer should: PRECIOUS. 

This is why we go, to faithfully share, to encourage believers to share with their people groups. Oh how it’s going to be so glorious in Heaven worshipping the Lord before the throne with my Thai sisters and brothers!!

-Kat

NT365/Hands On

Bangkok, Thailand

Are you a tiger?? Sharing Can Look a Bit Different Here

Tonight I taught English to two girls. I was talking to one who asked me two weeks ago if I was Christian. She was asking through Google Translate and she ended up asking if I was a tiger. Some fun moments with that... but glad we figured it out.

Tonight, again using Google Translate, I just got to share with her and answer some questions she had. I was able to see what she believes about Jesus while explaining more about Him... and about being a Christian. It was just a really really sweet moment. She’s 12 years old and interested & intrigued. Google Translate is hard to do that with but I’m definitely glad that we got to do that and just be praying for that conversation and for her.

-Darla

NT365/Hands On

Southeast Asia

Learn more about NT365 Gap Year

When You've Grown Up Buddhist

I’ve been meeting with my friend R. She has been told about the truth of Christ so many times, and is currently in a Bible study with others. She’ll go to church sometimes. She does believe in God. Recently, I asked her why she hasn’t made a decision to follow Christ. She said that her family believes in Buddha so she can’t change. For those of us who grew up as Christians, it’s kind of hard to imagine this situation. The simple answer would be, “Well, it doesn't matter what others think... just follow Christ.” 

But it is so much harder to actually do than that to change from a belief in a faith that your family won’t agree with. There are often many different things that can happen. The fear that they will reject you. When you follow this, they can separate from you, some even experience physical persecution because of this. Or even just the fear of following something new and that not many in this country believe in. It is a much bigger decision... in her mind, it isn’t even an option that she is allowed to change. 

Please be praying for her, that she will be able to make a decision to follow Christ. But right now, pray that God will be speaking through the people that she has Bible study with and that their relationships will continue to develop.

-Darla

NT365 Gap Year/Hands On

Southeast Asia

What is Success??

Over the past couple of months, I've been hit with different waves of emotion. Sometimes, we've been having really great conversations with people, and people have been growing in their faith. Other times, we've seemed stuck... people aren't responding to conversations, or people are having trouble growing in their walk with the Lord.

It has made me ask myself the question, How do I define success? A lot of times, I define success as growth or a certain number of conversations had, or a certain number of hearts changed. But I have come to realize that success is none of those things. The definition of success is, Have I been faithful to God today? And if I can look back over the day and say, "Yes," then it was a success, no matter how many people's hearts change.

-Ty

NT365/Hands On

Southeast Asia

Strength in weakness

Daily reliance on the Lord is something you learn about pretty fast when you’re serving on the mission field. Following the Lord and walking the straight & narrow is difficult and very challenging at times, especially in this setting. But despite hardships, it doesn’t even come close to how the Lord provides for me spirituality, emotionally and even physically at times.

In 2 Corinthians 12:9-10 it says “But he said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness'. Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.” 

I can’t live a perfect life that will glorify God by myself, that would be exhausting and impossible. But it’s only through Christ that I can do what he has called me to. And not just to do it, but do it with joy, peace, boldness, kindness and humility. 

Yes, hard things happen sometimes but that doesn’t overshadow the amazing work God has done... and is doing. Just like the children of Israel or the prophets wondering/running in the wilderness, the Lord will Guide and provide! 

"And the LORD will guide you continually and satisfy your desire in

scorched places and make your bones strong..." 

Isaiah 58:11

-JD

NT365/Hands On

Southeast Asia

Preparing the workers

Recently, we've been getting ready for more volunteers to come to our area. While planning and getting excited for more people, we've been able to also start training some of the local students to share the Gospel, and further their own relationship with God. It's been really amazing to be a part of a students sanctification process. We have been able to disciple a couple of really specific college students, and they have taken on the challenge. They are getting really excited to help the new volunteers share the Gospel and make friends right away! 

Please pray that these local college students would continue to have more and more courage and confidence to communicate and interact with the American volunteers, as well as other locals as they share the Gospel.

-Ty
NT365/Hands On
Southeast Asia

Take a walk... a prayer walk

Prayer walking for an hour... or even just 15 minutes... can seem hard sometimes. Even just praying for one minute in your room can be distracting. It’s really taught me to just focus on the Lord and not just going about my day as I pass these places, these people, these temples, and the shops, the schools... all these cars and motorbikes. 

All these people that I pass that don’t know Christ. 

But through the power of prayer, things can happen! 

We pray for safety, protection, softened hearts & so much more. As we’re walking around the temples, it’s very bleak and there are so many monks living in there that have dedicated their lives to serving Buddha. Buddha, who isn’t the true God, who doesn’t even hear them. 

The Lord really puts so much into perspective and breaks your heart for these people. As we walk by spirit houses, seeing how people really serve the spirits, giving them offerings, how that dictates their lives. 

Once again... so saddening and such a need for them to hear. 

So, as I go about now, and that as I pray, I can really focus on the need for the Holy Spirit to move in this country, in these people. Praying for more workers to come... for the believers here to be steadfast, faithful to share, and have opportunities to be discipled.  

How about you take a walk around your schools or neighborhood or churches and pray for them? Pray for the people that don’t know Christ. Pray for the believers to have boldness to share.

Pray for other countries. Pray for people who have never once heard of Christ, who will die and never hear about him unless people go and share. It starts with prayer! 

-Darla

NT365 Gap Year/Hands On

Southeast Asia

The Power of the Easter Story

I have a student from the English classes I've been teaching who mentioned interest in learning more about Christianity after hearing the Easter story! I took advantage of that interest and invited her to church... and she came! It was so beautiful watching her sing along to the worship songs that were in her language. We had lunch together after service, and I asked her if she would be interested in a Thai Bible study. She didn't even hesitate when saying "Yes!" Praise God!

Pray that my friend will continue to seek the truth, and that I will be able to encourage her & direct her towards those who will best teach her in her heart language.

-Abby

NT365 Gap Year/Hands On

Bangkok, Thailand

Easter where there is no Easter

While teaching English last month, I was able to to share about Easter. I was able to explain what the holiday is & how we celebrate. Although it is difficult to share with children who don't speak much English, I was able to share the simple story of who Jesus is and color pictures with them depicting the story.

Please pray for the children I was able to share with. Pray for continued opportunity to build on the story of Jesus.

-Darla

NT365 Gap Year/Hands On 

Asia Pacific Rim