I’ll never forget that face. I sat in a wicker chair, one hand grasping a microphone, the other palm raised to heaven. He came to me next, as the guitar chords of ‘Goodness of God’ continued to play. A hand touched my shoulder. The prayer spewed out of him- a melody of power and reverence- beauty in a language I couldn’t understand. And yet, it was like I understood it all. He paused, and spoke directly to my heart, “Jesus loves your voice.” The soft trickle of tears turned into a downpour at those 4 words. How could he know, my mind scrambled. How could he know I needed that? How could he know I’ve doubted that? He continued, “He’s pleased by your worship.” Hot bullets fell from my face into my shaking hands.
Thank you Jesus. Thank you God.
Whenever I think of that holy moment, I tear up. A young life leader once told me and my team that when you’re in the presence of the Holy Spirit you live more fully and feel things more deeply. That was one of those moments.
Let me tell you why God is good: every time I feel less-than, unworthy, unseen, or invaluable, He provides a voice of truth to remind me of the same truth I got tattooed on my arm. “El Roi”- the God who sees, sees me. The 4 words Phi Dong spoke that day in an intimate house church room were God’s faithful reminder to me.
“So she called the name of the Lord who spoke to her, ‘You are a God of seeing,’ for she said, ‘Truly here I have seen him who looks after me.’” -Genesis 16:13
The past month of ministry has been incredible. We stepped outside of our normal routine to travel to Chanthaburi, southeast of Bangkok. After two 14-hour van rides, 10 days of ministry and shared experiences, countless card games, and caring for a dog plus two little children, the 6 Thai people we traveled with are now family.
Phi (pronounced like the letter “P”) is a term in Thai meaning older brother or sister. It’s a pronoun used to indicate familiarity among friends. Let me introduce you to the family we traveled with:
-Phi Soa (I consider her the “grandma” of the group. She’s the national director of Athletes in Action)
-Phi Cee and Phi Sam (Our adopted mom and dad- their real kids are Nava and Thara. They both played longball at the games)
-Nava and Thara (4 and 5 years old. They’re little stinkers. Thara teaches us Thai words)
-Phi Zach, Min, and Tub (Min and Tub were involved with longball and Phi Zach was invited last minute by Phi Soa. They are being mentored by Phi Sam and in different places with their faith in God)
The trip was a whirlwind of fellowship, new foods, hot weather, late nights, early mornings, taking pictures with strangers, and learning the Thai language. While the trip centered around sharing the gospel with athletes, God seemed to teach us just as much. Most of our days were spent looking after the little boys (Nava and Thara) while their parents competed. However, we got to meet some incredible people and share the gospel message with over 100 people using gift bags. Because there was so much packed into our 10 days there, I’ve decided to include excerpts from my journaling to share what I was learning, how God was moving, and what the experience was like.
12-09-24
“Parade day!! In our matching shirts and jackets we headed to a FULL stadium where dances and celebrations had started- much like the Olympics. People were definitely looking, saying ‘Farang’ (which means foreigner in Thai) and several people asked to get pictures with us… Then it was go time! We walked onto the field with all the Chiang Mai players. There were a lot of teams- and meeting people from all over was so incredible. We got to see Miss Thailand perform, watch some incredible fireworks, met a girls team, then headed out!”
12-10-24
“I got ripped off by a food stand lady and it left my eyes burning because I knew the price and the 2 Thai ladies were explaining words and numbers and I couldn’t remember how to say ‘20’ because I was so flustered.”
12-13-24
“Today was an overwhelming glimpse of what heaven- and the church- should really look like. After going to the beach for dinner, we sat down as a group and shared what we’re thankful and praising God for. I think we all touched on how this group feels like family. The spirit was so evidently moving- there was an awe and peace amidst us all. Phi Zach shared his testimony and God has moved literal miracles in his life!
12-16-24
“I ended my day with Nava. A simple soul- he knows what he wants and is a constant observer. Him and Thara stood in silence and ate their sweet jelly snacks. When did we lose this contentment? When did we lose the gift of having a sole purpose in our mind and seeing it through? The two of them have been filling my spirit.”
12-17-24
“I still can’t wrap my mind around today… That room was a holy space- the Spirit was so evidently moving. Phi Dong clearly has the spiritual gifts of healing and prayer… His son led us in singing ‘Goodness of God.’ Phi Cee handed me the mic and I helped lead… Afterwards, I kept coming back to the question, ‘Why am I ashamed of what you, Lord, find beautiful? Or what you’ve blessed me with?’”
12-18-24
“Longest day ever. I’ve heard ‘Yellow’ by Coldplay too many times. We stopped a couple times on the long drive back. I napped. I used my acting skills to let the boys “kill” me nearly a million times. And we came home, at 1am, to a surprise Christmas gift from Gary- a ton of baking and cooking supplies.”
I know this is a brief overview of an inexplainable few weeks. There are lessons and memories spinning around in my mind even now. I hope to write more about the impact our Thai family has had on us already. Their generosity, servanthood, and hospitality continue to blow me away and remind me what Jesus calls us to.
Prayer Requests:
Spiritual protection in the midst of (at times, tangible) spiritual warfare. Please pray for protection over our minds, hearts, and home
For our team to be the light of Jesus wherever we go
Financial support for the AIA staff and local missionaries
Health for our team
Continued opportunities to share about Jesus
Learning to rest with the Lord
Wisdom for us all about what schools/where we need to be next year
I’ll never stop being grateful for each of your prayers, love and support. May God bless you in the new year and always remind you that you are seen and loved!
Remain encouraged Julianne! ❤️🙏🏽
~Mrs Crowley