The A-team 2014 Christmas Newsletter

It's amazing to think that we're coming to the end of another year.

Our 2014 Family Portraits

Isaiah had his 16th birthday on November 25th and started at Nanhu Senior High School in August of this year. Although Nanhu is a great school, it has been difficult for Isaiah as he got in through the "PE Track". What he learned this year is that he needed to respect his parents more and their advice to him.  He should have put in more time in his studies. He should have shown more appreciation to his homeroom teacher, Ms. Dong, and his parents.  Even though it has been quite an adjustment being in the PE Class, overall, he sees it as a good thing if he can learn self control and greater motivation towards his studies.  What he sees for this coming year is improvement in the 3S -- School, Sport and Spiritual Life. He needs maturity in all three areas.  He has to maintain a high grade point average for all five semesters of his high school career in order to get into a university of his choice.  The verse he'd like to claim for this new year is II Tim. 1:7 -- For God has not given us a spirit of timidity, but of power and love and discipline. What he needs most is DISCIPLINE.

Abigail had her 15th birthday on November 28th. She is a 9th grader at Xihu Junior High School. The highlight of this year was definitely our family missions trip to the Philippines.  She really enjoyed serving the kids and being a part of the team.  She loved helping with the games and learning all the VBS songs.  For this new year, she has lots going on. In January, she will have her graduation trip. Then in May she will take her very important high school entrance exams. The results of the tests will determine what high school she will be able to enter. That will also determine what she will be doing this summer and the summers to follow  The verse she'd like to claim for this new year is Proverbs 1:7 -- The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge; Fools despise wisdom and discipline. 

Alan continues to teach at Soochow University. As he looked back over this year, many important things come to mind. He helped to get his mom settled into her own place, living with her sister, Ethel.  They are very involved in the senior community and have made so many wonderful friends. He also loved the family missions trip to the Philippines. This has been something that he had wanted to do for a long time. What fun it was to see his children loving others.  He was also very anxious about Isaiah's schooling situation.  This continues to be an area of trust as he knows that for the next three years, Isaiah will most likely not be so free to travel to the States as he will have to stay in Taiwan to train with the tennis team.  It has also been challenging for him as he has had to take a more active role as an elder at HOP.  What he sees for next year is to have men at House of Praise rising up to be more involved and active in their roles as fathers, husbands, sons, employers, employees, and so on.  The verse he'd like to claim for this new year is -- James 1: 19-20 -- This you know, my beloved brethren. But everyone must be quick to hear, slow to speak and slow to anger; for the anger of man does not achieve the righteousness of God.

Lovely was teaching part time at Soochow, but decided not to for the new school year. She always finds lots to things to be involved in. She continues to pray run and actually decided to sign up for a full marathon. Without having the time to train, she finished the race, but not hitting her desired goal. She wanted to finish under four hours. She crossed the finish line -- 4:07!!!!  She was pleasantly surprised to get first place for her age group.  As she looks ahead to 2015, she hopes to continue to speak at the New Beitou Baptist Church and at House of Praise.  If Abigail goes to high school full time, she might start tutoring or teaching again. She wants God to lead in terms of all that she does with her life.  The theme that God gave her for the new year is Hear the word of the Lord and the verse is Isaiah 50:4-5 -- The Lord GOD has given Me the tongue of disciples, That I may know how to sustain the weary one with a word. He awakens Me morning by morning, He awakens My ear to listen as a disciple. The Lord GOD has opened My ear; And I was not disobedient Nor did I turn back. 

As we look forward to 2015, we have chosen Heb. 4:12 as our family verse -- For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart. 

We ask you to pray for us as a family that we'd continue to influence others for Christ and that the word of God would be our firm foundation.  

As we draw closer to Christmas day, we just want to lift up the name of Jesus. He is the Name above every name. And one day, every knee shall bow at the name of Jesus. How we pray that those knees will bow now, on this side of eternity!

We want to wish you all --

Seek Him First!