Tom felt that this dream was more than coincidence and therefore may involve God. Since my involvement in Emmy’s life and the change he has seen in her as a result is causing him to realize that God may be in this picture more than he realized. There was much I would like to have shared then, but I felt this was not the best time.
As we neared the end of the meal, I felt like I was becoming part of their family. And then it happened. It is something that is hard to get your mind around and you are left with the question, “Lord, why me?” Why am I a Christian and not someone else? Why am I serving in China and seeing people come to Christ and not someone else? Why am I sitting here with this family, enjoying this time with them? It is only because of his grace.
Then Tom said, “Steve, we want to invite you to become part of this family as a grandfather to Emmy.” Her real grandfather rejects Emmy because she is a girl, and without realizing it I had accepted Emmy as she was and become the grandfather she wanted so badly. Tom was asking me to become a member of their family unit and fill that role to her. This is an honor that is beyond any I have ever experienced, even greater than when I was accepted as “one of us” at the underground school where I was teaching.
Next Tom asked Emmy to make arrangements with me to come to her home and see how a Chinese meal is prepared and then enjoy the meal and their fellowship. Truly God has opened wide the door for me to spend time with a family that sees value in what has happened in Emmy’s life. I have asked God to allow me to watch him bring four to Christ on this trip. Tom and his wife, Emmy’s father and mother make four. Pray with me that it will happen, but also pray that I might see fruit at the coffee shop. Also pray that those students I work with will also begin to see fruit.
We finished our meal and they took me back to the apartment gate where we stood and said goodbye. It was a very tender time for all of us and we knew we had to spend more time together in the future. Emmy stood near me, deep in thought, trying to process all she heard and experienced during the last four hours.
I walked to my apartment, thinking about the experience. I was exhausted and went to bed, but sleep was slow in coming. The experience was so overwhelming that all I could think of was, “Lord, thank you.” I did go to sleep, but after two hours I was awake and now the impact of what I had experienced hit me. What is this the beginning of, and what lies ahead? All I want, nothing more and nothing less, is to simply be a vessel in the hands of the Lord and experience what he wants to do through me and with me. (I am out of space again. There is one more part.)
As we neared the end of the meal, I felt like I was becoming part of their family. And then it happened. It is something that is hard to get your mind around and you are left with the question, “Lord, why me?” Why am I a Christian and not someone else? Why am I serving in China and seeing people come to Christ and not someone else? Why am I sitting here with this family, enjoying this time with them? It is only because of his grace.
Then Tom said, “Steve, we want to invite you to become part of this family as a grandfather to Emmy.” Her real grandfather rejects Emmy because she is a girl, and without realizing it I had accepted Emmy as she was and become the grandfather she wanted so badly. Tom was asking me to become a member of their family unit and fill that role to her. This is an honor that is beyond any I have ever experienced, even greater than when I was accepted as “one of us” at the underground school where I was teaching.
Next Tom asked Emmy to make arrangements with me to come to her home and see how a Chinese meal is prepared and then enjoy the meal and their fellowship. Truly God has opened wide the door for me to spend time with a family that sees value in what has happened in Emmy’s life. I have asked God to allow me to watch him bring four to Christ on this trip. Tom and his wife, Emmy’s father and mother make four. Pray with me that it will happen, but also pray that I might see fruit at the coffee shop. Also pray that those students I work with will also begin to see fruit.
We finished our meal and they took me back to the apartment gate where we stood and said goodbye. It was a very tender time for all of us and we knew we had to spend more time together in the future. Emmy stood near me, deep in thought, trying to process all she heard and experienced during the last four hours.
I walked to my apartment, thinking about the experience. I was exhausted and went to bed, but sleep was slow in coming. The experience was so overwhelming that all I could think of was, “Lord, thank you.” I did go to sleep, but after two hours I was awake and now the impact of what I had experienced hit me. What is this the beginning of, and what lies ahead? All I want, nothing more and nothing less, is to simply be a vessel in the hands of the Lord and experience what he wants to do through me and with me. (I am out of space again. There is one more part.)
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