Mae Ngad Dam!

I went to the reservoir where the movie "Rambo IV" was filmed with the Thai Staff, and it was so much fun! It was just a get-away for the Thai Staff to relax, and a celebration for finishing off there year on the college campuses! Here are just a few pictures of what went down!

Pii Dew and I on the boat ride out to the Boat houses!

As soon as we got out to our floating houses we began to fish!

New and I getting ready to fish!

Getting a thai wash and massage at the Lake! It was awesome!

The Big fish that took 4 people to catch!

Dad with his trophies!

Pii Lamai and I with our catches!

New showing us his strong man shot with all the fish that were caught.

Kuala Lumpur Towers

I had to go to another country to get a new visa, so my mom and I found really cheap plane tickets to Malaysia! We went to Kuala Lumpur, and were able to see THE WORLDS TALLEST TWIN TOWERS! No joke! It was breath-taking, and so much fun! Here are some pictures of the famous towers!

My sweet photography skills!

Mom caught a photo of me at work! haha!

Bottom view!

The view from the middle bridge looking down!

The view from the middle bridge looking out to the city!

Mom and I on the middle bridge! The tour was awesome!

This is me sporting my Thai t-shirt in front of

THE LARGEST TWIN TOWERS IN THE WORLD!

NICE NAILS!!!

Here is round two of Nice Nails! I love Thailand!

I'm Singing!!!

This video describes my life ever since I left Peru! God is so good through hurtful times and I AM SINGING TO HIM!!! I love you Lord and I lift my voice to worship you!

Under the Sea in Trang

Athletes in Action had a day at the beach half way through our time in Trang! We went to four different beaches, and went into a cave on the first island! It was an awesome day! I love Thailand! The beaches are beautiful!

Wicked the Musical - Wicked on Broadway

I just figured out how to blog videos from youtube.com and I wanted to share my MOST FAVORITIST Broadway Musical! I only saw it once in Atlanta and it was the most amazing thing ever! I loved it! So here is a video clip of the broadway musical- WICKED!!!

Thai National Games 2009

This past week I have been in southern Thailand! The Thai National Games happen every year in a different province of Thailand, and this year it was in TRANG! I went down with a Campus Crusade for Christ ministry called Athletes in Action! Everyday we went around to many athletic events and built relationships with the athletes! We gave them a free DVD about Christian athletes and the Thai's loved receiving them. It has been an awesome experience and I would love to work with Athletes in Action on more projects! The Thai people are very interested in foreigners so it was very easy for me and I had people come up to me and I was able to share with them about being a Christian. It truly has been an overwhelming week of fun watching the games and most of all being able to share my faith with so many athletes! 

Athletes in Action targets athletes because they are respected and honored and it gives them a platform to speak out! I mean we all have been to a sporting event, right? Well think of how many people in the world go to those events and will listen to a famous athlete talk! Sometimes they even share in a gym with thousands of people and talk about their faith in Jesus Christ! Athletes in Action works in 85 countries, over 100 college campus in the USA, and 35 professional sports teams! 

Here is a video of my time...

I just can't get enough of Thailand!!!!

These are a few things that I have had every day since I have been back in Thailand! Seriously I love them so much, I just can't get enough of them. And they are so cheap! I grew up having these and LOVE them so much!

Here is the famous Mama Noodles! Yum yum!

These chips are amazing and I had them all the time at recess at school!

This is somthing I kind of forgot about and now am so happy to have it. I seriously drink it all day long! It is orange juice that you mix with water! I love it!

Rice and Eggs! The BEST dish in the World!

Growing up I was always the girl that got up and made breakfast! Yes mom and dad would make others things sometimes for breakfast. But I LOVED having eggs and rice for breakfast and my sisters would always be eager to eat it with me in the morning before a long day of school! It is one of my most favorite childhood memories! Growing up in Thailand my sisters and I were definitely Asian kids because we all LOVE rice! After being away for so long we all have learned how to make Asian food in the USA. But it was very special for me to come back to my home after 7 years and make my favorite dish ever! I just wish my sisters were here so I could cook for them just like old times!

First fry up some eggs...

Then you add Jasmin rice, salt and pepper...

Then it is ready to be served...

This is the BEST part of the whole dish...

Golden Mountain (Soy Sauce)!

The best in the world!

Handsome Samson

My mom LOVES Sam, and talks to him all the time! But I think he is pretty handsome but she thinks he is the best thing EVER! When I showed her this picture she said,

"Wow, he is just so handsome!"

Nice Nails

I went to Nice Nails! This is a wonderful place that many people know about that have been to Chiang Mai! You sit in a big comfortable chair, and then they clean your feet till they are sparkling! Then they paint them and I wanted to get a flower this time! And the best part of it all is that it is cheap cheap!

Som Tam and Wii Night!

Pii BJ and Pii Lamai invited me over to their house to have dinner and to hang out! Pii Lamai asked me what I wanted for dinner, and I responded Som Tom with much excitement! Pii Lamai is one of the Thai Staff with Campus Crusade for Christ that lived in a village growing up and was a World Vision Child. Her and her husband are the Northern Region Directors for Thailand! They have two kids that are very involved as well in the ministry. So Pii Lamai is known for her Thai salad called Som Tom! I love it and have missed it so much! It was such a blessing to go over to their house and she even let me make it with her! Then we played Wii together!

Here is a picture of the table ready to make som tom!

This is me doing the Som Tom dance while making some for everyone! BJ is making sure I don't mess up!

Here is Pii Lamai's SPICY Som Tom. Can you see all the red peppers?

This is Pii Lamai and I playing tennis Wii! She even wore a UNI t-shirt for us!

I love you Pii Lamai!

Welcome to Chiang Mai!

When I got to Chiang Mai there were some of the Thai Staff and Greg and Becky Smith at the Airport to greet us! I LOVED it! I kind of even felt like crying! It was such a wonderful fun welcome home to Chiang Mai! I have not been to my home in 4 YEARS! It was such a exhilarating experience for me! I still have been amazed at all the things that have changed! It truly is a blessing to be home! To be completely honest, ever since I left Peru I have cried every night because I miss the South American culture. But my first night in Chiang Mai in my OWN BED, I went to sleep happy to finally be home!

I LOVE YOU CHIANG MAI!!!

In Bangkok- my first trip to 7-Eleven!

As soon as my parents and I landed in Bangkok, we checked into our lovely Convenient Resort room, and then we walked down the street to 7-Eleven store. They are everywhere in Thailand! It was so much fun to pick out all the things that I grew up on eating! It also has been so WONDERFUL to just hang out with my parents and talk to them about everything. My parents are the most gifted and inspiring missionaries ever!

Dad and I walking to the store and talking!

Making sure I have everything in the store! :)

Dad and I outside 7-eleven with all our yummy goods!!!

Traveling Companions!

It was really fun to travel back to Thailand with Mom and Dad! Over the past 7 years, ever since I graduated high school I have traveled alone. But it was REALLY fun to travel with mom and dad and the trip seemed so short. I didn't even have to worry about where to go and what time, I just followed my daddy, and he carried my passport and ticket. It also fun to have mom because she definitely kept me entertained the whole time. Of course you all know how gifted she is in talking, and so we always were discussing things the whole way. Well expect for when we got to Tokyo, she HAD to blog once we got to the Star Alliance Lounge! This is us on the LONGGGG plane ride to Tokyo!

Kelly Clarkson Concert!!!

I went and saw Kelly Clarkson in Concert at the Iowa State Fair! It was awesome! She is an amazing singer, and it was a really great concert! Here are some pictures of her!

My Wonderful Grandpa!

I went out to my grandparents grave site with my mom when I was in Iowa! It was a very special time! My grandfather- Leonard passed away just a few months ago, and everyone in the family still thinks about him and the impact he made on all of us. He was the most wonderful grandfather, and I am so thankful for his influence on my life personally. I am so thankful that he is in Heaven with my grandma- Lola! I can just picture them sitting with Jesus and having the best time ever!

John Piper and the Prosperity Gospel

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PTc_FoELt8s

Update on Life!!!

This is Lori Christian, writing from the USA! Yes, I know you are probably in shock and I want you to know that it’s been quite the difficult journey for me this past two weeks. Last October, 2008 I joined the IMB mission and left in January, 2009 for South America, and was so excited about serving God with the IMB. Now, 10 months later- God has shown me through my team and parents that the “Extreme Team” was not a good fit for me. Through a lot of prayer and seeking God- we decided it was best for me to return home for awhile. I have decided to resign from the IMB for now.

I loved Peru so much and continue to have a huge heart for the people of Peru and still want to serve God with my life on the mission field. It was extremely difficult to leave, and I really want to return to serve the Lord in South America! To be honest, there is a lot that I don’t understand about why God has brought me back to the USA but I do know that God made it very clear to me. I am still confused about what happened during my time in Peru and need some time to process. The biggest encouragement for me now is to remember that God still loves me and has a plan for me and my life and all that has happened. A verse that is helping me through this time is Romans 8:28-30. I know that God will bring good out of this, but it is just difficult to understand right now when I am facing shattered dreams.

I appreciate so much your support and prayers for me during this past year and want to ask you to continue to pray for me when you think of me. Right now, my plan is to go back to Thailand with my parents when they return in a few weeks and seek God there for His next chapter in my life. I know this is just another step in the journey, and am excited to see where he leads me. My main prayer requests are:

1) That I would be totally open and teachable to learn what God wants me to learn during this time.

2) That God would guard my heart against bitterness for misunderstandings.

3) That as I seek God for what I should do next that I would truly know His plan for me for the future.

4) That during this time of transition, that I could still be available to be used of God in peoples lives wherever I am.

Thank you again for your love and support and I look forward to sharing with you in the future as God reveals more to me my future plans. You all mean so much to me and I still need your love and support of prayers. I thank God so much for putting such amazing people in my life to pray for me and support me in this time.

Only By God’s Perfect Grace and In His Loving Arms,

Lori Lynn Christian

The Biggest Sacrifice? And the 1st Church?

After studying the book of Acts and the missionaries in the New Testament I have learned that sacrifice should be a daily thing. God calls us to give our all in everything to serve Him. For example the apostle Paul was in Lystra just passing through and healing a cripple man. As a result the people wanted to sacrifice Paul and Barnabas because they thought they were gods but they managed to escape. "Then some Jews same from Antioch and Iconium and won the crowd over. They stoned Paul and dragged him outside the city, thinking he was dead. But after the disciples had gathered around him, he got up and went back into the city. (Acts 14:19-20)" This is just an incredible example of sacrifice in many ways. Paul was an apostle, and his desire in life was to present the truth to everyone possible even if it meant to be stoned, beaten twice, put in prison, shipwrecked, almost froze to death and last we just read was left for dead. In verse 19, I just can't get over the fact that they thought he was dead, and left him. Then what does he do after that? Walks back into the city. Paul wanted to people to know about Jesus even if it meant that he had to be persecuted.

All the apostles suffered many things for the gospel of God's grace to be shared. As Jesus Christ last words to his disciples were to "Go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. (Matthew 28:18-20)" After Christ said these clear words of go and make churches all over the world, we then read what happened chronologically next. THE 1st CHURCHES as we read about in Acts. This has been incredible to read and study through my training in Peru and even memorize in Spanish to share with new believers. The 1st churches were planted only because of the sacrifice of the disciples desire to follow Christ command to us.
I think about my life of sacrifice over the past few months, and the extreme sacrifices I have made. I truly convinced that the biggest sacrifice is different for everyone because God has made us so differently. But the hardest thing for you to give up or force yourself to do is what the Lord wants because He wants your everything. Being a Christian should not be easy but a daily sacrifice to the our Lord Jesus Christ.

Acts 20:23-24 Paul says "I only know that in every city the Holy Spirit warns me that prison and hardships are facing me. However, I consider my life worth nothing to me, if only I may finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me- the task of testifying to the gospel of God's grace." Paul considers his life worth nothing? So he can finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus Christ as given Him. Well what was that task he wanted to finish? Well in Romans 1:1-17 Paul is explaining his calling and has a plan as an apostle. Paul says, "So that I may impart to you some spiritual gifts to make you strong- that is, that you and I may be mutually encouraged by each others faith. I am obligated both to Greeks and non-Greeks, both wise and the foolish. I am so eager to preach the gospel also to you. (Romans 1:11-12, 14-15)" Paul knew that he was called to share the gospel and nothing could stand in the way. He also says that "besides everything else, I face daily the pressure of my concern for all the churches.(2 Corinthians 11:28)"

Paul knew that his whole life was a sacrifice to serve the Lord, and was willing to give it all up. Sometimes I think what do I value so much in life that maybe I need to give up to the Lord so I can be more focused on serving our Lord Jesus Christ. How can I serve Christ in a sacrificing lifestyle? If God called me give to up the most important thing to have someone else hear the gospel would I do it? Would you do it?