Happy Birthday Daddy Josh

GaoYan took me to the all you can eat Japanese restaurant for my birthday lunch. We enjoyed four different kinds of shrimp, scallops, oysters, beef, lamb, sushi, sashimi, fruit, 5 cups of soda and so on. I dipped too much wasabi with the sushi. My nose stung and eyes watered. It was a great time! For dessert the cook made bananas and fried ice cream. The cook grilled the bananas then set a ball of ice cream on top. GaoYan whispered, “Don’t tell the people next to us what is going to happen.” The cook took out his bottle of sauce and cigarette lighter, doused the ice cream, and set it on fire. Flames shot up almost to the ceiling. The couple next to us immediately ordered bananas and fried ice cream and got out their camera to take pictures.
Later that night Caleb helped me whip up our last box of brownies as a substitute birthday cake. Caleb loves to “help.” We all sang “Happy Birthday Daddy Josh” and ate brownies with cold milk.

Xuan Zang

Recently my Chinese tutor has been teaching me Chinese history. I am really learning a lot. I have never studied Chinese history because the numerous dynasties and names of emperors or four beauties just go in one ear and out the other.
In sharing the Bible with friends, we are, in a way, asking them to learn our history. I should appreciate more the “5,000 years of Chinese history.”
Perhaps the most popular story from Chinese history is that of Xuan Zang. Xuan Zang left his home at the young age of 13 to become a Buddhist monk. He endured years of studying Buddhist scriptures. In his study he discovered the texts had many mistakes. Xuan Zang decided he must journey to India and bring back the accurate Buddhist texts. Around 627 AD he set out through western China, turning south over the mountains of present day Afghanistan and Pakistan, and persevering through great hardship to finally arrive in India. He returned to China nearly 20 years later with more than 650 Sanskrit texts. Xuan Zang spent the rest of his life translating only a small portion of these texts. In addition, Xuan Zang introduced the Faxiang school of Buddhism to China, which became quite popular in China during Xuan Zang’s lifetime. Faxiang Buddhism quickly declined however after Xuan Zang died.
Xuan Zang’s story is so popular because it inspired the classic fiction novel “Journey to the West.” In the novel the Buddhist monk is accompanied by three disciples: the monkey king, a pig man, and the sand general in his trip to India. If you are flipping through the TV channels in China you are sure to see the monkey king.
Xuan Zang’s life can offer some helpful humble questions in talking with friends about Jesus: Do I need to travel back to Jerusalem to find accurate Bible texts? Why is the life of Jesus and his teaching so popular today?

Happy Father's Day!

Father's Day has never meant much to me. I've never even seen a picture of my biological father, and by the time I can remember anything, I was already on step-dad number two, from whom my mom would soon be divorced. Maybe the first time Father's Day really mattered at all was after I got married and could celebrate with Cecely the life and example of her dad. Still, most years we've been in China, not quite able to make it home before the holiday rolls around in late June.

Not so this year...
We're scheduled to arrive in Little Rock, Arkansas on the evening of June 19th, just in time for Father's Day on Sunday.
And of course, for the first time ever, I'll be on the receiving end of the celebration -- because now, I'M A FATHER! And I couldn't be happier! Really, it's been such an incredible blessing already. A lot of mornings, I'm the first to walk into her room to change her and get her ready to come drink milk with Mommy, and when I see her... and she sees me, and smiles... I almost can't believe my eyes: This is my baby girl! It makes me smile -- more deeply, more widely, and more joyfully than I ever have in my entire life. I love her.

Summer!

We are looking forward to seeing all of you in Tennessee for the SUMMER! It has been a long year full of His Blessing. There have been lots of challenges, but He has provided and seen us through, and we are full of joy. Phoebe is doing good, 12 pounds or so now. The weather is warming up.

We had 21 people at the Hardins this past Sunday. Lots of old, new, and visitors. It was great to see so many. As for new contacts, please keep a guy named Jerry in your prayers. He's a student at school who has shown some promise of late. And also two new girls who came on Sunday. And there may be some other students who are showing some fledgling interest.

Also pr-y that Margaret, Shenli "and them" will continue to meet when none of us are in town for a few weeks. Basically the month of July is the only time we will all be gone, but I would like to hear that they had gotten together on their own during that time. I've made some suggestions for what they could study together this summer when we have gotten together on the occasional Friday.

Also, we would like to give out some Bibles to get some people thinking over the summer...pray we will be directed to the right people to give them to, and that they will read them.

So, as you can see, we have a lot to be thinking about...I didn't even mention us packing and moving to ZUST yet. That's going to happen June 17-18. We could use your prayers there as well.

Who's Next?

Next was baptized Sunday. What a celebration!! Next brought like seven of his friends and classmates we had never met before plus regulars, and GaoYan's Dad had just arrived from the hometown, so we had a little more than 20 people. Next is a senior student friend of Jeff, Cathy, and Tanner. God has been active in his life this year.

These two short emails from Next say a lot about him.

Hi Josh and GaoYan
Thank you for your verses sharing.
Actually i learned more about Jesus Christ who died for us, so i decided to follow the words of Jesus Christ.
one idea is that when i get baptized, holy spirit will dwell on my heart and protect me forever and will have a great impact on my life.
i will be grateful if you can tell more about Holy Spirit.
NEXT

Hi Josh and GaoYan
Thank you for your sharing. recently i am so excited to be Christian that it is hard for me to sleep early.
I am praying for God to change my heart to love him deeper and deeper. and i am eager to establish stronger relationship with Jesus Christ.By the way, i am going to invite 5-9 good friends of mine on Sunday morning.
Is it all right?
best wishes!!

Jeff and Cathy suggested for those who wish to say some encouraging words to Next. Many of his friends spoke in Chinese of their desire for faith, but said they struggled so much to find faith. They were amazed by their friend Next who had decided to follow Jesus.

Next has pursued righteousness, godliness, faith, and love. Next has been called to eternal life in Jesus Christ.

I Timothy 6:11-12 But you, man of God, flee from all this, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness. Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called when you made your good confession in the presence of many witnesses.

Let us be in prayer for Next and let us pray for "Who is next?"

Joy

Joy GaoXing Davis has arrived. At 11:00 pm as GaoYan and I prepared for bed after another long day, GaoYan said "O." We called a car and grabbed the suitcase. The car ride lasted 45 minutes through the tunnel, past West Lake, and to the hospital. By 1:30 am, May 22 Joy was born. Just 2.5 hours! I was not allowed in the delivery room. GaoYan asked for an epidural for the pain, but it was too late. We spent about 6 hours in the hallway waiting for a room after delivery.

We see how God had everything planned out so perfectly. Like the car ride to the hospital was late at night. What if it had been during the day with traffic the trip is an hour and a half? Caleb had just fallen asleep. After living in the hallway for 6 hours we got a two person room, instead of 6 person room plus relatives.

Joy weighed 8.4 jin, that's over 9 pounds.

Out of the mouth of babes

One day in Early March, March 6th to be exact, Jon was outside on the e-bike. He and Hallie were about to go somewhere. Jon was waiting for Hallie and a Chinese girl and her mom walked by. He heard one of them say something like,"...Yeah her hair was all up in pigtails..." . So he chased them down ( he was on the e-bike) and asked where they were from. They are from California.

Anyway, this family has two daughters. Bliss is 10 and Carissa is 5. Both girls were born in the US. They speak both Chinese and English and often mix the two. Jane and her husband Peter went to school in the US and were there for about 10 years. They moved to Hangzhou in July. They live in a building very near ours. Now Hallie and Bliss are big buddies! They play together as much as possible. They are an answer to several of our prayers.

I am still working on the relationship with Jane. We talk while we watch the little kids run around and bother the older girls. One day she asked me if we go to church on Sunday. I answered, "yes" and then asked her if she did. She kinda laughed and said, "no". She said that they did go to a Chinese church some while they were in America. I told her about our meeting and invited her. She did not really seem that interested but maybe someday....

Ever since Hallie met this family, she ALWAYS mentions them when there are prayer requests. She almost always mentions them whenever she leads a prayer. She really wants them to seek Him.

Tonight she went to the store and ate dinner with them. She asked Bliss if she wanted to come on Sunday, she said she did not know; ask her mom. So she did! It was that simple. She just asked. She said it did make her feel uncomfortable, but she still asked.

Jane told Hallie that she did not believe in God yet, so she did not think she should. Hallie said that it seemed like Bliss really wanted to come though. Maybe she will later.

I am so proud of Hallie for taking this step. She has found other small ways to share her faith with her friend and her family. Hallie is only 9, and is still learning and is not a Christian yet, but she knows what is important. We can learn a lot from Hallie.