Update from Laura

Here's an update from my fiancée on what is happening in her life.

Dear Friends,

I am somewhat afraid to send this e-mail, for fear you will judge me and my decisions. But, I am learning to fear God, not man, as in Matthew 10:28. “Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul.” I am sending this message knowing that my decisions may sound foolish because “the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.” (1Corinthians1:18) So, “I will declare my choice to the nations, I will shout for joy in the congregation” (via this e-mail), worshiping God who has given me something to share with you.

My life will be changing. I have already given my 30-day apartment move notice and I am resigning from Johnson & Johnson in less than two-days. This is a huge step for me; it means giving up everything I have known in the South Bay - success, stability, community - for un-employment and unknown. But where I am going is not as important as the fact that I am going. God has been calling me out, and I am finally standing up - arising - to go.

If I believe that the Lord is Almighty, that He is my Father who gives good gifts to His children (Luke 11:11-13), then I need to “trust in the LORD with all [my] heart and lean not on [my] own understanding (Proverbs 3:5). So, in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, I will no longer allow the Devil to rob me of peace because my “heavenly Father already knows all [my] needs, and He will give [me] all [I] need from day to day if [I] live for Him and make the Kingdom of God [my] primary concern.”(Matthew 6:33) Once I hear the call of the Lord, it is not necessarily the Lord’s will for me to wait for all the details. The devil wants me to wait until I forget I have been called, but the Lord wants me to arise and say “Here I am”(1Samuel3).

The Psalm 37:4 promise, “delight yourself in the LORD and He will give you the desires of your heart,” means He will answer my requests in His good, perfect will and way. Within that promise is incredible freedom to make daily life choices. If Jesus is in my heart, I will not chose things that dishonor Him and He will be with me no matter which path I choose. The Lord knows the desire of my heart is to go to Vancouver, be with Chongsun (my fiancé), and have a job that allows me to joyfully bring Him glory. So, I have decided to leave for Seattle on October 29th to look for a six-month job, then move up to Vancouver and look for a permanent position. God confirmed this decision by granting me a major prayer request, the support of my parents (who wouldn’t normally give their blessing to such an ambiguous, almost un-Asian endeavor).

The above is another season in my personal calling. It is part of every Christian’s calling as commanded in the Great Commission - “therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.”(Matthew 28:19-20) The Great Commission, aka missions, is about passion for the coming King, about a desire to see “[His] kingdom come, [His] will be done on earth as it is in heaven.”(Matthew 6:10) Some Christians are called to go as Missionaries, and some to stay as Senders, to be prayer warriors (Intercessors), Mobilizers (rally the home front and recruit soldiers), or Welcomers (to foreign exchange students and professionals). I know that many of us have already heard this calling on our lives, so I have decided to stop asking “will this be the generation” - Jesus’ Generation? I reject being called Generation Y (or X); this IS Jesus’ Generation. We are part of a generation that is bringing Jesus to every tribe and tongue, so that He will return (Matt 24:14)!

In Him,
Laura Lim