Dear friends,
Greetings in the name of God and our Lord Jesus Christ! It is Christmas and New Year again!
Early this year, our eldest daughter, Tiffany, turned 13!! We held an “adult ceremony” party for her. We believe that when a child turns 13, s(he) becomes a young adult rather than a “teenager” and we treat her/him as an adult: capable of taking serious responsibilities and enjoying privileges reserved for adulthood. We firmly believe that if we expect more out of our young people, with God’s grace, they will rise up to the expectation and do great things.
In April, we organized a Family Economic Conference and had the honor to invite Kevin Swanson (www.generationswithvision.com) from Colorado as our main speaker. The purpose of this conference is to encourage families to explore business opportunities suitable for the entire household. There were about 200 people attended the 2-day event. If you missed the conference and are interested in the message, you can still download the free recording or order a DVD here
In May, we visited the Creation Museum in Kentucky. It was a 9-hour drive and we stayed in US for 3 nights. The Creation Museum is an unique and fantastic place. It provides abundant scientific proof about creation describes in the Bible. It provides sufficient evidence about the flaw of evolution theory and explains why science does not contradict with the Bible; in fact, science proves that there is God who creates everything.
In September, Derek, Tiffany and Odelia went to a 2-night Father & Child canoe trip organized by Fair Havens Ministry. We spent a wonderful time with 5 other families at an island campsite at Sucker Lake. We learned how to portage a canoe and it was not easy at all. First night we had thunderstorm all night but we had beautiful blue sky the next day, praise God!
Some of our children started their violin lessons this year. There’s lots of music around every day! In November, their violin teacher, Mrs Varkki, held a Suzuki recital for her students at our church. We all had a wonderful time. Music is such a great gift from God and we thank Him that our children have the opportunity to learn a new instrument and enjoy music.
The girls have also continued their lessons with Sifu Chuck, to learn some self-defence skills and also to raise their level of awareness in whatever environment. They have fun!! Eventually, some of us do want to be good at Wing Chun kung fu. 😉
This year, we see many disastrous things happening around the world. There are civil unrests, Ebola, famine, drought, frequent earthquakes and volcano eruptions, radical climate changes, ISIS massacres, wars, rumors of wars, etc…. We firmly believe that we are living in the biblical “end times”. When would the world end? We don’t know. We see more and more people rebelling against God, diving into witchcraft, occult, and openly worshipping the devil. The Bible has prophesied that these things will happen before Jesus Christ returns and true Christians will be hated and persecuted.
Friends, do not be afraid and troubled when you see big changes coming next year. Get right with God now, and seek first His kingdom. Prepare your soul and mind to glorify God the Almighty even in the very last evil days ahead. You (the whole you, your soul included) will need God’s mercy and protection when persecution and disasters strike. Then, stock up some necessities for your love ones because when the system collapses, it is already too late. Sounds like “doom and gloom”? It is always better to prepare 5 years earlier than 5 minutes late. And it is never too late to seek God.
Merry Christmas to you all and have a blessed New Year!
In Christ,
Derek, Kay, Tiffany, Odelia, Sonia, Viviana, Shoshana, Melody, Joshua, and Caleb
In this coming New Year, may you be encouraged in these Words of God…
Isaiah 60:1-2
Arise, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the LORD is risen upon thee.
For, behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the people:
but the LORD shall arise upon thee,
and his glory shall be seen upon thee.
Psalms 91:1-7, 14-16
He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High
shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.
I will say of the LORD, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust.
Surely he shall deliver thee from the snare of the fowler, and from the noisome pestilence.
He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust:
his truth shall be thy shield and buckler.
Thou shalt not be afraid for the terror by night; nor for the arrow that flieth by day;
Nor for the pestilence that walketh in darkness; nor for the destruction that wasteth at noonday.
A thousand shall fall at thy side, and ten thousand at thy right hand;
but it shall not come nigh thee.
……………………
Because he hath set his love upon me, therefore will I deliver him: I will set him on high,
because he hath known my name.
He shall call upon me, and I will answer him: I will be with him in trouble;
I will deliver him, and honour him.
With long life will I satisfy him, and shew him my salvation.
2 Timothy 1:12
For the which cause I also suffer these things: nevertheless I am not ashamed:
for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that
which I have committed unto him against that day.