Thanksgiving Letter: From my heart to yours

Dear Sisters and Brothers:

“Grace and peace to you from God our father and the Lord Jesus Christ”
-1 Corinthians 1:3 and 2 Corinthians 1:2

A couple of years ago we gathered at Ying’s house, I mentioned that I would greet you like that in the New Testament. Now I had the opportunity.

1.What is the best to give to our children?
I have been following your babies’ pictures online very closely. Clearly every one of them are dearest to your hearts and I was also blessed while looking at them. I can’t help noticing that they, as a generation, are soaked in new clothes, new toys and the tremendous amount of love from parents and grandparents. Have you ever thought about what is the best to give to them? College tuition fund? While I know some smart kids dropped out of high school. Big house? Is this our sons and daughters will thank us for at our funerals?
Going through 2009, I have my own answers to these questions. I am now wholeheartedly waiting and welcoming my children to our lives. I felt I am already familiar with them though I have not officially met them. Ying, you are right. We do have names ready and I am the only one have names before being pregnant.

2. Year 2009 and me
Going into 2009, I didn’t know how to handle six Saturdays in a week. I visited many places, many companies, and many things visited me, including depression and death. However, 2009 is the best year in my life so far. Having no job and only two prayers from my entire year got answered is the best thing ever occurred to me. Like Piao Hong summarized a long time ago: “How can you born again? You have to die first.”

I got to know many interesting and successful people in the bay area. Their life stories inspired me. What define me are not a job, a title, a car or a house but my loving and giving Character in God. My security is not in a predictive paycheck but in my relationship with the trustworthy God. Does He really care for my emotion pains? Yes, He does. He knows the maximum I can take, and He occasionally gave me just enough to keep my hope up.

It is easy? No. Many times, I wanted to pray, please I just want to be mediocre, give me a boring job, I will live my life that way to the end, never complain. While something else happened I prayed instead: May your will be done in me.

When the project of making a new me underwent for sometime, God started to make suggestions, how about giving me your dream? Talent? Time?..... I ran away the fastest I can and hide. God, please, could you consider my feelings? This is the path I chose, could you please just bless this one? Why didn't you answer my prayers? I saw a picture of a little girl, holding a hand with a giant but they were facing opposite directions.

My husband came back one day with an invitation to a biblical counseling class offered at the Stanford University. At that class, my heart completely melted. The class was taught by a husband and wife team. The husband talks about the scriptures and the wife talks about testimonies and life implications. Often in times I want to imprint every word she said in my mind. When she introduced the topic for next class, I almost want to ask: “Could you tell me now?”

Little by little I realized giving my passion and talents to God is safer than I hold them myself. Plus I don’t know what to do with them. God’s kingdom is probably the most trust worthy investment in this world. So I repented and decided to obey. God I love you, I give you all I have, but…

What made me finally come to the commitment is the living scarifies of others, such as Kungli and our bible teachers. The love attracted me to completely submit myself to King of Kings. I don’t want to live in a selfish pit anymore, if God wants to use my life to accomplish something, then I delightfully give it to Him.

At the beginning of 2009, I was told that a decision made in 2009 will affect the next 10 years (http://agapehousenet.blogspot.com/2009/05/by-and.html). I was not interested in the concept when it was first introduced to me. If you read my life story to this far, then you know I am not same anymore.

3. Job, career, you and me
I am grateful that God did not give me those jobs I am begging for, because they are not what I like and limit the scope of what I can do. I heard so many times: I work just for paycheck now. If I got rich or when I retire, I will do what I like. I used to think this way too. This year many people retired from GE, what did they do? People are lucky if they know or remember what they like to do after finishing a so-so job for the life long.

Life redeemed by Jesus’ blood is precious. Talking to God, you will find something you enjoy, with decent pay, having a meaningful purpose, creating impact and benefiting others. Thousands have done that, so can you and me. Giving ourselves to God does not mean we all go to seminaries. God is more creative than that.

4. Beyond

I truly love and care you all in my heart. I always remember we 一张桌上吃饭， 一个锅里喝汤的日子。
Here is the best I ever learned and I want to tell you: Christmas is still a miracle. Bible conveys a love story. God is still working hard to reach every one of us. Meet Him in person and life will be changed.

Life is short and it has only one way ticket. Thanks God that we become one family in His love.