The new year has begun!  In the first few days we have had both warm and cool days.  We have had times of excitement and moments of frustration.  We have heard from friends with good news as well as those who are experiencing the unexpected or worse.  It did not take very long for us to begin thinking once again about the mixture of emotions that life brings.  Today I was reading a blog that talked about one little word that changed the writer’s prayer life.  In addition to rejoicing with those that have joy, and weeping with those facing sorrows, she has been learning to pray for each situation asking: “God, make it count.”  It has made me think about my life and how I want to live in the new year.  My prayer is:  “God, make my life count!”  I need God to show up with His grace when life is tough, so that my life counts for bringing glory to Him.  I need God’s strength to overwhelm my weaknesses so that my life counts in achieving something for His kingdom.  I could go on and think of other ways to express how we want to rely on God so that what we do “will count.”  Will you pray for us and for yourself that what each of us does in this new year will have eternal significance and value.

We are starting the year with grateful hearts as we have heard that there was strong giving to support global ministries in December.  We have not yet heard the final tally, but we thank each one for their generosity that resulted in much of the deficit being erased.  Thank-you God!  Thank-you to God’s people!

This week, our lives are filled with noise.  Politicians are loudly soliciting votes before the January 16 national election.  Taiwan will be electing a new President and National Assembly.  Please pray that God will give people wisdom as they cast their votes.  Pray that Taiwan would come to recognize that true peace and true blessing come from the Creator who is still sovereign in today’s world.

We are also looking forward to telling the story of Jesus’ baptism in two schools and the story of Daniel in the Lions’ Den in another. On Saturday we are hoping children will come to the Happy Camp activity.  The GuangZhao Alliance Church in Taichung is sending workers to teach the children.  Please praise God with us for this help and ask that many children will come and hear about the God Who loves them.