Do I dare?

The last week we started to plan and pray over the work of INTERACT 2013. At the same time God has been speaking about reaching the most unreached parts of Thailand with the Gospel of Jesus. One area to work with National Pioneer Workers has been becoming more and more urgent for us: Ubon Ratchathani (อุบลราชธานี).

The challang is that among 21 million people in Issan (Eastern Thailand), there are only 0.15% Christian. And in the province of Ubon Ratchathani (อุบลราชธานี) among 1.6 million there are only 0,115% Christians.

As we work on the plan for 2013 we ask ourselves; Do we dare to go for it?

I am recalling the motto of William Carey 1790:

One thing is certain: We need both God and ... many many people's participation to do this. We have a big and important calling on our table. Do we/I dare to move forward? Ingvar

This weekend in Omkoi

This weekend we have been in Omkoi. We really felt 100% welcomed to be in Omkoi 180 km southwest of Chiang Mai. Here is a Bible school, Hostel and Church with about 400 members.

I preached today in English, Anna translated into Thai and ..... a man translated into Pow Karen. So we were three speakers. What the pastor finally said I do not know, but the people were blessed. They are used having one speaker and two interpreters. And .... God's Word spoke their heart language. That was clear.

We were encouraged by their devotion and hunger. Our prayer is that the whole of Thailand will be blessed by what is happening among the Karen people in and around Omkoi.

After this weekend, I cannot help to be even more called to minister more among the youth and leaders of Asia. They are eager and looking for help to "bloom". To pray for and bless leaders who are in key positions ..... I am most happy. Anna and I drove tonight the 180 kilometers down the mountain, back to Chiang Mai, full of hope and joy. Ingvar

Love God and love my neighbor. Full stop!

It is not so strange that Jesus gave us one commandment containing all the commandments which was given to Moses:

Love God ...... and love your neighbor as yourself.

If we love everything else falls into place.

Jesus himself, God as man, loved us unto death upon the cross.

There is such explosive power in love, something which is effortless but yet so difficult.

But I sense the difficulty lies in that we make it complicated.

We check to see if the object of our love is good enough to waste some love upon.

We try to figure out if our love will be received, even before we give...

We tick off our list of offenses and see if ‘our neighbor’ is repentant enough for a dose of love.

We demand first and then make a choice to give or not!

Can you imagine if God would have loved in this way. Then there would be no hope for us all.

Last Sunday I visited a friend and she put on the film ‘‘Father of Lights’’ by Darren Wilson. I highly recommend viewing this film. It touches deep, so deep it even hurts, and puts a lot of our values on edge. 

My mind made a journey to memories when Ingvar and I have seen the power of God’s love totally melt down opposition. Where love forcing its way through our heart like a mighty river, changing people and situations, healing wounds and diseases in a moment. 

We have seen the miracles, we have tasted the power of love, what is it that hinders us to live in it constantly? I will write more about this but there is a key in Prov 4:23 Above all, keep your heart, because out of flows the issues of life.

Now back to the present time: One of ‘’the families in crisis’’ whom have been in our fellowship for some time, our plan A was to love  without expecting anything in return, to love despite of what we saw was most unloveable. We had no plan B. The miracle happened. That love touched him so deep that he took a step right into Daddy’s arms. This reminds me about ‘‘the prodigal son- embraced by Dad’’.

I feel that I need to come back to the simple foundation of what mission is, but also the reason why we are here on earth: Love God and love my neighbor. Full stop!!

In His Love Anna

Planning and Side effects

This time of the year (Aug-Sept), we work a lot with praying and planning for 2013. This evaluation of our involvement is becoming more and more necessary and vital. Good planning is biblical. God is a God of order. Often we ask ourselves:

• Where are we going? Our Vision, Our Goal.
• How will we reach it? Our Mission.

But another issue that has become more and more relevant to me is:

• What are the side effects? Both negative and positive.

We live in a complicated world and we affect others, more than we think. Others opinions are not our master, but it is healthy to take a look at our side effects at the time of planning, so we make sure they are positive.

The other night Anna and I watched the Singapore's Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong speak. His determination, skill and charisma gave us a lot of courage and hope. He gave positive Side effects far beyond Singapore. He believed in 3 words:

Hope

Heart
Home

With an open heart for God and people we can see many positive side effects around us. We can have a testimony that makes a difference. Ingvar

Junctions in Life

Sometimes in life, we come up to small junctions and we have to choose. But these choices are easy. And sometimes in Life, we come up to big junctions and we have to make big difficult choices. Which way to go?

This is not a bible study, only a few words that has been speaking to me:

• Be prepared: Junctions will come.
• Let The Word of God give light. There are signs along the way.
• Pray. The Holy Spirit is our spiritual GPS (Global Positioning System).
• Have Prayer supporters and Intercessors.

Anna and I received an E-mail another day:

"We follow you on the blog. One of our members in the Church got a computer from her grandchildren. Now she is reading your blog. She is 84 years old. It is interesting and exciting to follow you in spite of the distance. We pray for you every day. "

Isaiah 40:11 is still speaking to us: "And gently lead those who are with young".

Coming up towards a junction and make a sudden turn can be dangerous for others who follow us or are besides us. 

Jesus, our Good Shepherd, leads us gently. We need also to lead others gently. Because they have also ….. have small once around themselves. Ingvar

Mother`s Day and ..... are with young.

Yesterday we celebrated Mother's Day in Thailand. Also that the Queen turned 80 years old. All Churches in Thailand celebrate this with great reverence and gratitude.

Many of us are right now standing up against many challenges. New school classes, new working teams, new pressure, new …. Many things wants to create worry and fear in us: What will happen? How can we cope?

We, mission leaders, are also facing many challenges from the society, from the Church, from others and from ourselves. But, we have a Good Shepherd.

Before we left Sweden the 5th Aug we were standing praying with some believers and …. Isaiah 40:11 came alive for us:

He will feed His flock like a shepherd;

He will gather the lambs with His arm,

And carry them in His bosom,

And gently lead those who are with young.

The word gently can especially strong to us. He leads us gently because we have many young followers.

We are not all mothers, but we are all leaders in different ways for others, young followers. Many are looking up to us for guidance, care and spiritual food. God help us to be spiritual parents with the same attitude as our Good Shepherd Jesus is for us. Ingvar

On the way From Sweden To Thailand

We are right now in Copenhagen on the way to Asia. We look back on a good summer with work, fellowship and relaxation.



Look forward to see you and minister together in Asia again, this fall.

One Word has touched me lately:
….the Kingdom of God is not ….eating and drinking,

but righteousness
and peace
and joy in the Holy Spirit.
Rom 14:17

Anna will stay over one day in Bangkok for work. I will continue to Chiang Mai.

  Have a good Sunday. Ingvar & Anna