『我若不信在活人之地得見耶和華的恩惠，就早已喪膽了』

I remain confident of this: I will see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living. (Psalm 27:13)

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As the year of 2011 is quickly approaching the end, I’d like to take this opportunity to share with you my family’s journey in the year. We are grateful to have you as our friends, brothers or sisters to accompany and to encourage my family during our good times and our bad times. Most importantly, we are indebted to our gracious Lord for His provision and protection in 2011.

Year 2011 was quite a challenging year for my family – Our decision to attend a newly established church HoCL and our daughter had her milestone as a college freshman, are key highlights to my family. The decision of leaving a church which we had attended for 10+ years has never been easy on us. We were hesitated initially, of course, because we have to leave our comfort zone. Especially our kids need to separate from their friends at youth group. Before we started this new journey, several families of God got together to pray for the decision regularly.  To be sure, I even asked three things from our Lord to confirm the decision. These three things were answered timely. When January came, we celebrated the new birth of our HoCL church with a grateful heart. As I look back to this boldness move, I can only say it is full of God’s goodness and grace.

The transition of my daughter from high school to college marks the beginning of our empty nesting. To us, this might be just a small step, but to her it would be a giant leap. We asked from our Lord to guide her and to provide her a good spiritual environment in order to nourish her. As the Fall semester ends, we were glad to see her back home “survived”, We thank God for His protection. We understand that not for long, my other two kids would be leaving home too. At that time, we may worry even more but we know God will be their guide if they could follow Him closely. The mixed feeling of parenthood reminds me of God’s love recorded in the book of Isaiah.

“In all their distress he too was distressed, and the angel of his presence saved them. In his love and mercy he redeemed them; he lifted them up and carried them all the days of old. 他們在一切苦難中、他也同受苦難．並且他面前的使者拯救他們．他以慈愛和憐憫救贖他們．在古時的日子、常保抱他們、懷搋他們。(Isaiah以賽亞書 63:9)”

From Israelites’ experience, we can be sure that God is always with us even we are distressed and He lifts us up because He is Emmanuel. What a gracious God we have!

In the middle of this year, we were also experienced the fear of resurrection of my wife’s illness. By God’s grace, we discovered it was not the case after doctor’s extensive examination. Once again we experienced God’s protection in my family. From this experience we can slightly understand the feel of king David’s psalm, “Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.我雖然行過死蔭的幽谷，也不怕遭害‧因為你與我同在‧你的杖，你的竿，都安慰我‧(Psalm 23:4)”

In this Christmas season, let’s remember that He showed us His love by giving us His only son Jesus Christ. Apostle Paul taught us that it is God who seeks us instead of us seek Him:

“But when the set time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those under the law, that we might receive adoption to sonship. 及至時候滿足，神就差遣他的兒子，為女子所生，且生在律法以下，要把律法以下的人贖出來，叫我們得著兒子的名分‧(加拉太書 4:4-5)”

My dear friends, brothers and sisters, I am confident that we will see God’s goodness and grace in the years to come if we continue to follow Him day by day, closely. Let me use this opportunity to say,

May you have a joyful and peaceful Christmas and New Year!

May our Lord be with you and your family, as always!