Two Years of God's faithfulness in my English teaching ministry: 2nd Anniversary with RareJob today - 08.13.2013

• Conducted lessons with about 800 English learners - mostly Japanese;
• 510 who added me to their bookmarked tutors until last month - July 2013;
• Averaging score of 4.43 out of 5 evaluation in all areas for the past 8 months;
• Some became my friends.
• I would love to know the statistics for how many heard the Gospel, pointed to Jesus, ministered to, heard Biblical perspectives. And adding to the number should be the goal.

I know that the others have greater numbers than I have. But the last two points included above are the greatest of my concern.

I thank the Lord for His great faithfulness (Lam.3:23) in my present teaching job. The Lord had providentially allowed me to teach English for the past 2 years. (Psalm 139:16)

Though teaching English online can be quite a challenge at times, I count this as a blessing for the following reasons in this order:

6. Learning: mostly Japanese culture, little language, and perspective;

5. Home-based work: staying with my mom so she need not worry about me, and working at home is really convenient too, right?;

4. Building friendships: some have become my friends already;

3. Monthly income: at least help and be a channel of God's blessing to my family (some bills, groceries, mom's needs, my nephew's college tuition fee and allowance. etc.);

2. Flexible time: And who doesn't like this anyway? ^_^ But seriously, I love this part because I can do other activities with only-a-little to no-difficulty arranging my work schedule.
My heart delights in God's Word.

Therefore, attending our church's equipping activities is very important to me. And my ease to sign-up in any of them is fantastic! It's such a wonderful blessing from the Lord! Indeed it is an answered prayer. I might only sacrifice earning more, but the things I learn about my beautiful Lord is. . . priceless! 

1. Cross-cultural missions: This is the best thing for me now. I love sharing the Word of God to my students. Telling them about the love of Jesus for them, answering their questions about Christianity according to what God truly says about it in the Bible. Giving them opinions which originated in God's Word. And because Jesus Christ is my Savior and I trust Him as the Lord of my life, I understand that I am an heir of the Abrahamic covenant.

Just a word about this, in Gen. 12:2-3, God told Abraham: 

"...and all peoples on earth
    will be blessed through you."

It's never out of Jesus' mind when He commissioned us in Matthew 28:18-20: "..go and make disciples of all nations.."

Look here with me:
...and all peoples [nations]
on earth [world]
will be blessed [discipled]
through you [go].

God is a God of means. Here's a question, what is the purpose of our tiny lives if not to participate in His HUUUUGE plan? Christ didn't die for our sins just to let us live for ourselves, did He? 

Revelation 7:9 will happen with or without us because God is powerful, almighty, and He doesn't need any of us (Ps. 50:12; Acts 17:25). But by His great grace, He wants to bless our hearts and conform us to the likeness of Christ through the commission, isn't it a delight to serve Him knowing the end of all these is victory and that He will be with us 'til the end of age? (Matt. 28:18-20) We already have this promise as heirs of the covenant. Let's participate in the Lord's Kingdom work! Plus, it is the Great Commission, not the Great Suggestion. ;) Knowing that this is a commission should be enough reason, don't you think so? Guess what, we actually have 6 ways to reach God's world.

Going back, I have to confess, number 3 was really my number one purpose when I started out. But somehow, with this kind of initial prime motive, the Lord started His work in my heart in starting to become a world Christian. Well for the record, I always loved the 2 and 5 factors, then 4 and 6 followed along the way. But number 1 is the last motive I developed in my 2 years of teaching.

I don't know for how long the Lord will allow me to stay in this season of my life. But I'm just grateful to Him for:
-the grace to teach;
-strength to share His Word;
-tests of faith when my connection gets cut or when there's a sudden blackout, etc.;
-His mercies in bringing students to my profile and letting them bookmark my profile;
-His wisdom to teach English, share His Word, defend the Faith, answer questions about Him, etc.;

The Lord deserves the highest honor in all these. He didn't just save me. He also provides for everything that I need - material and not. He also gave a purpose in my life, farther than myself. He also changes my heart and life to a new one, day by day by day by day by day.

All this to the glory of the Lord of my life - my Jesus. My all.

A Perspective on Disappointments

Disappointments are His appointments, it reminds us that (1) we have already trusted in man/ circumstance, (2) there is only One who can never disappoint us and is always worthy to be trusted.

I just experienced earlier, and I guess others can identify too, that sometimes we think certain people already know us well, but in reality, they don’t. This gets exposed when they react to what you are saying as if they really believe that you are thinking in the way that they believe you to think so.

Expectations do disappoint us. This shows us that only God cannot disappoint us. It should point us to Him in trust. I thank the Lord that He knows me through and through. He even knows the number of my hair (Matthew 10:30), He ordained the days set for me (Psalm 139:16), what a comfort. 

I hope that the somehow ministered to you through this, dear reader. Lord Jesus bless your heart!

I wish.

I wish I didn't desire any other..

I wish I didn't need to carry obligations not my own..

I wish I didn't have selfishness and pride at heart..

I wish I didn't need to earn a living..

I wish I didn't need to minister to people..

I wish I didn't temporarily stay on Earth..

I wish I didn't have plans of my own..

I wish I didn't have blind eyes..

I wish I didn't sin anymore..

Lord, all these wishes because I long for You,

and I wish I didn't have obstacles,

that my entire heart be Yours alone.

Not divided, nor tugged.

I can't wait to spend eternity with You, 

my heart hungers, my soul thirsts for.

I wish I never have to sin again,

that my worship be ever pure in Your sight.

Pleasing, sweet aroma for You.

I will not be content,

until the day no other face I behold but You.

But since I'm still a transient here,

let my life be an offered praise to You.

With Your strength, we battle my sin,

With Your power, we fight for your lost sheep.

I wish, when all these be done,

"Well done, my child." be Your response.