Well, it's been almost a month and a half since I returned to Korea. While most of this time has been taken in getting back into the swim of things, God has been working in my life as He always does.
What appear to be set backs to man are often the perfect recipe for the Glory of God.
BEST WAY TO MAKE GOD LAUGH: PLAN:
Last year, our Lady Eagle Volleyball team decided together that we were ready for the big time: VARSITY! Previously, because we had been playing with mostly 8th & 9th graders, Junior Varsity was much more our speed, so this was a big step up. I thought I was making this step with at least 7 experienced players. However, within the first two weeks of school, I discovered that for various reasons (moving to the States, grades, changing schools) I had lost 5 of my returning players. One player in particular moved to Virginia, but before she left, she wrote a letter that any coach would love to receive. Her letter talked about all the positive things she had experienced through volleyball and how God had used her time with the other girls and the coaches to encourage her to make better choices in her life. She also spoke of her desire to remain faithful to the Lord in her new school. I know that your prayer as a church body and individuals played a huge part in her life with the Lord, and I want to thank you again for being faithful to prayer. Her moving was a huge loss to our team as she was our best defensive player in the previous season. However, the girls that I do have are willing and enthusiastic even if most of them are inexperienced. I do have three experienced players that have been a huge help to me in teaching the newer girls how to play the game. In addition, this year I have two incredible assistant coaches, Miss Baek (6th grade) & Miss Forner (4th grade). Both of these ladies are experienced players who love the girls and the game. I am truly blessed to have their support facing the unseen challenges of this season. The Lord knows our needs even before we ask.
Our first game is in less than a week. We will be playing the ICS school in Seoul, Korea. I know it will be a great experience for our girls, if intimidating at first. Please pray for us as we adventure into this new stuff together. I want the girls to feel more and more confident as they play the game. The last thing I want is frustration from them or myself. I pray for enabling for them and for us as a coaching staff. Please remember us in your prayers. I desire to show the girls that I love them, and that they are important to God and that He wants to know them.
I'VE NEVER MET ANSWERED PRAYER BEFORE:
It has taken a few weeks to process all that had to be done to start the new school year, There were new staff members and schedules. WOW there were a lot of schedules! New students to enroll, former students to say "good bye" to; curriculum to plan; copies to make; scads and scads of things. An endless stream of questions to be answered and situations to handle. One of those being the lack of a PE teacher for the first 3 weeks of school. Now though, that Korean Thanksgiving: Chu-seok has come I think I am at a point where I can pause for a breather because last Thursday, I met an answered prayer at the airport. Our new P.E. teacher, Aaron Harring arrived on the Korean holiday, Chu-soek, perhaps the busiest traffic day of the year in Korea. It also happened to be the day, Mr. & Mrs. Peterson (principal & wife) and I had to DRIVE to the airport to pick up Mr. Harring. It took us 1hr 1/2 to drive to the airport, and 6 hours to drive home. WOW! I don't ever want to do that again for as long as I live! Regardless, Praise God, Aaron arrived safely and was ready to start school on Monday. Again, thank you for praying for him and for us. Now our staff finally feels complete!
FORMULA FOR WOW: PRAYER x HOLY SPIRIT + GRACE /GOD (to the "nth" degree)
Last year, my discipleship group of Junior and Senior girls prayed consistently for a junior girl, Kris, that she would make healthy choices concerning her family, her own body and her walk with Christ. I knew she had already believed in Christ, but many of the enemy's traps had worked on Kris; he had her convinced that if her own family didn't believe in her no one else would either. We would repeatedly pray for God to remove those lies from Kris and transform her into a mighty woman of God; that she would take a stand of faith at ICS. The 11th & 12th grade girls and I kept praying, seeing no visible change in her. However, Praise God! We had no idea that all of these prayers would begin to be answered after the Junior/Senior trip to Guam last Spring. During that 3 day trip, I had the opportunity to share with Kris how much the Lord loves her and longs to show her His will and purpose for her. She didn't seem to respond, and when we returned to Korea from Guam, things seemingly continued as "normal"; no obvious changes. However, the first day of this fall semester 2003, I received an email from Kris. She told me how she knew that God had given her a "second chance" that day in Guam(we know He gives many more than that). She also told me some of the habits she had miraculously been able to break because of her surrender and repentence; addictions that often take years were healed in a matter of days for Kris as she turned her life and heart over to the Great Physician. I must admit that I cried when I read her email, and as I shared it with other staff members who had prayed with me for Kris, our joy increased. Once again, the Lord, Our God answers us when we humble ourselves before Him.
Yet another glorious work of God is that Kris has repeatedly, eagerly asked about the Discipleship program for the Fall. Last year, I cannot tell the number of times I asked, begged, and tried to persuade her to participate in our group. PRAISE GOD!!!
Speaking of Discipleship...Again this year, a majority of our high school students, Christians and Non-Christians alike have indicated an interest in Discipleship with teachers. I thank Our Lord for His faithfulness in producing in our students only what He can do: the miraculous.
Please continue to pray for the following:
*Discipleship in the High School/Middle School
Students Saved
Students' Lives Transformed
*Increasing Unity of our Staff in Christ
Vision
Prayer
*The ministries of ICS Volleyball (Ladies & Men)
Increased skill and enjoyment
Glory of God revealed in practice and games
Safety as we travel to and from games
*ICS ministry to Parents
Parents saved
Families transformed by the Holy Spirit
Families to be set free from Substance Abuse & Addictions of all kinds
*Ministries outside of ICS
Mission Baptist Church (ministry to the expatriate/military community)
Prayer of Faith (prayer and outreach ministry in Songtan City's downtown bars and clubs)
Migrant Workers (ministry to Korea's migrant community; representing The Philippines, China, Nigeria, Vietnam, and Russia just to name a few.)
Again, I thank you for allowing God to do what He wants to do in you and through you. Thank you for your faithfulness in prayer as the Holy Spirit leads you. Pray without ceasing! Rejoice and be glad!
I pray to remain faithful,
Emily Wiltshire
International Christian School
Pyongtaek, South Korea
zb183@yahoo.com