He's Never Gonna Leave Me Dry

It feels as though there has been much more time in between March 20 and April 21, but reality is that it has been just a month and a day since I arrived in Taiwan and there is 8 more months to go. I love it here and from day one I've felt like those that are surrounding me quickly became family. It's a beautiful picture of the body of Christ and a great picture from Acts 4:32, "Now the full number of those who believed were of one heart and soul and now one said that any of the things that belonged to him was his own, but they had everything in common." No, I am not meaning that we like to eat all the same things and study the exact same way, but I don't know that that is necessarily what matters or what we should all have in common. The one thing we do have in common is believing in Jesus Christ! 

The school and place where I live is located in the Danshui District which is in the North of Taiwan and about an hour away from Taipei City. I'd love to share more about the culture, but I believe in this blog post I need to let you know how I really am doing.

I believe there is a reason for me typing my blog today, as I have wanted to for the past couple weeks but just wasn't feeling like I should. I think it's to encourage many of you reading this and for me to be transparent with you. 

The question has often been asked by many of you, "What is the weather like there?" My response is, "It's always raining, and we've maybe had two days of sunshine." You say, "O, isn't that depressing?" It hasn't really been depressing, but I am seeing what a JOY it is!

Why? Because today as I was sitting meditating on these last couple weeks, the Lord reminded me that He is never going to leave me dry. These last couple weeks I have totally turned to self reliance. I've been trying to read the Word and do all my work on my own strength, my own understanding, my own time with the result being; anxiousness + a sadness that 'He isn't revealing anything to me through His Word and I can't connect my heart and mind!' Well, of course I can't--I simply can't do anything without Him, and neither can you. The truth is that 'I am broken, I'm thirsty, and I'm in need of him, I'm desperate for His Spirit.' It's a joy to be reminded by rain, that it's Him who I am in need of. We need to be filled by His Spirit in order to do what Jesus has called us to do. Without being filled, I can't share the gospel again and again without getting sick of it, I can't do anymore studying without wanting to quit and having a bad attitude, I can't walk in the gift of encouraging others or sharing His heart with classmates, staff or Taiwanese without being filled by His Spirit again and again. 

I hope this encourages you and I want to share more about what my day to day life looks like while I am here, but this post could get lengthy, so I have an update via e-mail that I've sent out on what life looks like here, as well as prayer requests. If you want to be a part of that e-mail list, please comment on my Facebook. I am so thankful for many of you who have been supporting me financially and through prayers, every time I think or pray for you, I become overwhelmed by His goodness through you. And just an update of where I'm at in school, we have went through the books: Philemon, Titus, Galatians, Ephesians, Mark, Luke and yesterday we started Acts!

Peace to you my friends, please enjoy this song below. 

'You're never gonna leave me dry, no you don't no you don't, 

Your always willing, my cup you'll be filling."

This song, 'Never Gonna Leave Me Dry' by Cory Asbury was used by the Lord this morning to really speak to my heart, so I thought I'd share :)