January 17th we said our goodbyes to Malaysia. But my heart was stuck in Sungai Petani. Reflecting on my time in Malaysia, I began to realize HOW MUCH the Lord had taught me.

He began with my identity by saying that I no longer need to try to be “Lia”, aka, the person I’ve always been. Instead, I get to be who He tells me to be.

I am His daughter.

I am His friend.

I am His beloved.

Then the Lord continued to reveal other beautiful truths to me.
During a Sunday sermon while on our waterfall adventure to Ipoh, the Lord told me that He wanted me to come to Him again to the secret place. He didn’t want me to try to earn His love.
I have begun to grasp that He is my true and perfect lover and bridegroom. I am just getting ready, along with the Church, for our marriage and the feast to come.
He taught me to love others better, flowing from the love He has given me.
He taught me to try again even when the days felt dry and distanced from Him.
He taught me to try again even when the days were overwhelming with the thought of not being or doing enough.
He also taught me that even on those days that He had moved through me, despite myself.

I learned to talk to Hindus, Muslims and Jehovah Witnesses. I learned to love them for their beautiful souls, and not show love to them through the lense of my own viewpoints or agenda.

He also taught me that the most crucial and keystone question is, “Who is Jesus?”

The Muslim believes that Jesus was a good prophet (much like Muhammad), annointed by Allah (the One Distinct God) to teach the world about Allah and to bring the world to Islam.

The Hindu believes that Jesus may be another god, like their gods, who is worshipped and praised by their Christian friends.

The Jehovah witness believes Jesus is a created being; a lesser god who was made to reflect Jehovah (the One Distinct God) to teach the world about Jehovah, teach the world how to obey Jehovah and to free the world from sin through sacrifice.

The Christian believes that Jesus is God; the one eternal and perfect sacrifice bringing us back into the oneness of Himself who is God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit.

All of these descriptions come from what I recall from my conversations and observations of real people whom I have met and spoken with. Many of the words I used here are the same words these souls said to me.

Why does this matter? What about who Jesus is changes anything?

Every religion, every belief system and every worldly office has to contend to this one question: Who is Jesus?

Everything about Jesus matters - change one thing and everything changes.

Once Jesus is just a man, a prophet, or a god then His sacrifice meant little to nothing. Even His life and death and resurrection could not bring us back into relation with God if He was not God Himself coming down in earthly body.

Not only does the identity of Jesus change the truth about His actions to bring us back to Himself, but disagreements on His identity alters the way we as humans receive His salvation.

In Hinduism, one must earn their eternal status.

In Buddhism, one must earn their eternal status.

In Islam, one must earn their eternal status.

As a Jehovah witness, one must earn their eternal status.

(Every individual is different in their viewpoints but these are the truths that I gleaned from personal conversations.)

As a Christian, one is gifted their eternal status.

This clear cut difference comes from the understanding of who Jesus is.

I don’t know about you, but I don’t want to live life trying to earn salvation when I can simply receive the free gift held in front of me.

The lessons God has taught me throughout my two months in Malaysia will carry through the remainder of my “Race” and the rest of my life.

I also made some friends whom I did not want to say goodbye to. My Muslim lady friends who worked at the convenience store right next to me grew very near to my heart and Fatin, my closest friend there, bought me a burger the night before we left. She even rode up on her motorcycle the morning we left just to say goodbye- she didn’t even have work! The other lady worker, Zaty, said goodbye to Rissa and I the night before, giving us each chocolate with a little note on it. She also said goodbye the morning of, though she was working. We even got to pray with Fatin and Zaty. One of my Rohingyan students mom gave me a pipe cleaner bouquet and cried in our embrace when saying goodbye. Our friends at the special need Bakery were so grateful for our help and hugged us goodbyes.

(Me and Mrs Ooi from the special needs bakery. I designed and headed up the upstairs mural project! The finished product!)

(One of my bestest church friends. Lovely Sri whom I’ll miss dearly!)

(My Rohingyan student Kayas and her mom saying goodbye after gifting me the bouquet!)

Thank the Lord for:

• Our arrival in Guatemala! (that we arrived safely, my personal health is nearly recovered from congestion and that we made it through the process of moving through 4 international airports with 37 people!)

Please pray for:

• Our hearts to be dedicated for the work and ministry in Guatemala (my team and I teach English at a Guatemalan school 7:30-5 during 4 days a week).

• For my parents and I to be prepared for PVT (parent vision trip) to come and do ministry with me in Guatemala!

• For my heart and mind and spirit to continue to rely on the Lord in this time of grounding myself in His never-changing love!

May the Lord bless Malaysia and bring revival to His people.

¡Bienvenido a Guate!👋

(Welcome to Guatemala!!😉)

Yours,

Lia