Adventurous Life, Abundant Life
Suk May Yei / Pastor of Prayer and Care
Photo by Josue Isai Ramos Figueroa on Unsplash
“I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.” John 10:10b
“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the Lord. “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.” Isaiah 55:8-9
Thank You, Lord, for blessing me with a trip to our Wesleyan church family’s General Conference in St. Louis! Thank You, Lord, for bestowing and pouring so much into me through the Conference while also granting me this precious opportunity to witness the Church’s very solemn “Affirmation of Beliefs” moment. Praise the Lord!
The Lord further showered me with adventurous moments too, but He then turned them all into abundant, eye-opening and enriching memories, more than I could imagine – Praise the Lord!
Adventurous Moment: Dropped off my car as usual at the parking hotel at 3:30am to catch the first flight in the morning, not knowing that the flight was just cancelled a bit earlier.
The Lord’s Amazing Blessings: Turned out that at the hotel I met a pre-Christian lady who happened to be on my new flight that I could chat with and plant some Gospel Seeds in her all the way from Buffalo to Chicago!
Adventurous Moment: Weather between Chicago and St. Louis was so severe that shortly after we were airborne the pilot was already announcing to prepare for landing - with an unusual endnote: “Make sure you know where the exits are!”
The Lord’s Amazing Blessings: In the midst of this bumpy ride with heavy thunder plus sharp lightning shaking and banging on the plane; no fear but all the peace that I could have from the Lord (John 14:27) … just felt like having the privilege to visualize Moses’ solemn walk up Mount Sinai to receive the Lord’s Ten Commandments (Exodus 19)!
Adventurous Moment: Landing in St. Louis with significant delay, while my cell phone battery started running low. It meant I could go nowhere until it was charged!
The Lord’s Amazing Blessings: No time was wasted while charging! I had a fruitful spiritual conversation for one hour: A disciple who no longer lives in Buffalo called, telling me how all the recent devastating news woke him up and ignited his sense of urgency to go deeper in Christ in order to share the Gospel with more lost souls!
Adventurous Moment: On the train from the airport to the Conference hotel, there were no passengers except me and a homeless couple (wife looked pretty weak on wheelchair)!
The Lord’s Amazing Blessings: The Lord urged me crystal clearly, “Love them in my name, speak to them!”; which I did. I gave them a track, shared the full Gospel, reiterated God’s love and pointed them to find a church that values them as the Lord’s creation. The man read the track word by word in tears and told me that he had once accepted Christ and got baptized. I saw a glimpse of hope in his eyes when I left the train! May this couple restore their intimate walk with the Lord!
Adventurous Moment: Arrived at the Conference hotel – but they could not check me in until hours later!
The Lord’s Amazing Blessings: While praying and figuring out what to do next, I came across a leader who invited me to join them for dinner. So blessed for this unexpected dinner fellowship that I could listen and learn from this team of devoted leaders!
Adventurous Moment: In the middle of one night, someone attempted twice to enter my room. Attempts failed though!
The Lord’s Amazing Blessings: “In God I trust … what can mere mortals do to me (Psalm 56:4)?” Those non-stop door buzzing sounds just woke me up much earlier than I planned and resulted in giving me extra time to finish my morning devotion!
Adventurous Moment: Return flight: this announcement was made when it was about time to board: “Severe weather is moving into the airport area quickly, stay away from all the glass (windows) immediately!” What came next was not boarding but another four-and-a-half-hour delay!
The Lord’s Amazing Blessings: The Lord just allowed me to see from the terminal all the sudden darkness, downpour, heavy thunder and lightning; so that I could understand how much He had protected me when I landed days ago! I arrived in Buffalo at 2am, finally got to the parking garage and found out that someone was leaning on the car next to mine - smoking and trembling. Thank You, Lord for the driver of the hotel shuttle – He stayed alert, watched, and made sure I left the parking lot safely before he returned to his normal duty!
I am very grateful for all that the Lord orchestrated in just one trip to strengthen my spiritual muscle!
Thank You, Lord! Also thank you for brothers’ and sisters’ tremendous prayer support! God is Love (1 John 4b)! There really is no coincidence in the Lord and all things happen for a reason. Christian life to me has never been boring but rather full of excitements, purposes, inner peace and abundances; all for His Glory! Thank You, thank You, Jesus! Praise Him for all!