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Is this the Best of Times? The Worst of Times?

5/31/2017

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Let us all rejoice that this is God’s Time!
 
“But if we are living in the light, as God is in the light, then we have fellowship with each other, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, cleanses us from all sin,”
1 John 1:7 (NLT).
 
“We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith. Because of the joy awaiting Him, He endured the cross, disregarding its shame. Now He is seated in the place of honor beside God’s throne,”
Hebrews 12:2 (NLT).
 
It’s common these days to hear peoples opinions on almost everything. With the pervasive nature of the news and oftentimes social media, we are receiving real-time updates on almost everything! Today, there is no paucity of input and disagreement about all the changes afoot in America. Some say these are the best of times: a dawn of hope and opportunity. Others fear they are the worst: dark and negative.
 
Here at International Students Inc., we’re focused on an entirely different reality. We do our very best to keep our minds and hearts focused on how God is working. We look at everything God is doing through this ministry, both here and around the world, and realize that above it all, this is God’s Time. That’s glorious news––literally. God’s Time is an amazing time to be alive! The Lord of heaven is on the move. He is doing mighty things, granting favor and blessing to those who share His Good News.
 
We want to thank you for your continuous prayers and ongoing support! Friend, we would not be able to do what we do without you! I would like to humbly invite you to keep praying for ISI and to keep encouraging international student ministry in your church and community.
 
I’ve been reminded recently that this is God’s Time by way of Fellowship. God is actively blessing the fellowship model of sharing love and concern, and meeting the needs of students. He has granted amazing results in terms of opened doors, salvations and staff response.
 
Even secular universities are seeing the benefit of fellowship! Not long ago, after a ministry staffer’s departure from a large university campus, the administration told our director, “If another International Students, Inc. staff person ever wants to come work with our university, we’d love to have them come and to give them a space where they can address students’ needs in this way.” What a wonderful endorsement for the ministry!
 
Our ministry fellowship is truly growing at an astonishing pace. In the previous year, over 75,000 students came into ISI’s ministry network. Over 9,500 indicated decisions for Christ. Just in the last five months alone, we’re already far ahead of that pace––not even counting the incredible response we’re seeing on ISI websites. In January, our web response for salvations alone soared to over 1,000 per month, with over 10,000 accessing our sites. Clearly, God is blessing our emphasis on fellowship, as we reach out and share our lives with international students. Our staff are enthusiastic and thrilled. Love opens the door. One of our students writes:
 
“In my life, YOU have made a great impact by being with me and supporting me more than my parents itself. You have shown me Jesus. There is nothing and no one better than Him. I will be forever grateful for you and your contribution. I would have never got to know Him had I not come to the United States. It was God’s plan as I reflect back and connect the dots. Your contribution of interacting with students who come to the United States, introducing them to Christ and building a family relation with them, is something I have never seen. I couldn’t be any happier than by looking for God’s presence in you and your contribution with ISI. If I was asked what heaven looks like, I would say, ‘Wherever my ISI family and friends are that’s where heaven is.’ That’s my preview of heaven.”
 
Please step out of the world’s worries and into God’s Time with us––as we share in the blessing of bringing His Good News to others. Despite all other news, international student ministry is in a golden age of impact and effectiveness. Clearly, God isn’t following the headlines, but making this a glorious time of blessing on ministries that faithfully share His Gospel with the world. Thank you for praying for our ministry as we continue striving to reach every international student for Christ!
 
“But if we are living in the light, as God is in the light, then we have fellowship with each other, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, cleanses us from all sin,”
1 John 1:7 (NLT).
 
For More Information
Have you ever asked yourself if you and those in your church could do more to reach the world for Christ, but felt challenged by the high costs and time commitments of short-term mission trips? There is an answer, and it may be right in your community! Learn more here.



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Finding Power in Weakness

5/24/2017

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Learn more about a ministry friend who allowed his brokenness to help someone else.
 
 “Each time he said, ‘My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.’ So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me,” 2 Corinthians 12:9 (NLT).
 
“Yet what we suffer now is nothing compared to the glory he will reveal to us later,” Romans 8:18 (NLT).
 
No one on this Earth is immune from pain and suffering. In fact, as Christians we should expect to endure “fiery trials.” As Scripture tells us:
 
“Dear friends, don’t be surprised at the fiery trials you are going through, as if something strange were happening to you. Instead, be very glad—for these trials make you partners with Christ in His suffering, so that you will have the wonderful joy of seeing His glory when it is revealed to all the world,”
1 Peter 4:12-13 (NLT).
 
As believers, we must remember that “what we suffer now is nothing compared to the glory He will reveal to us later,” Romans 8:18 (NLT). Not that this automatically makes suffering easier, but it does help us shift our perspective from focusing on ourselves to focusing on the Lord! But, how do we continue reaching out to others when we, ourselves, are going through our own painful trials? So often we think we cannot minister to others when we are going through something difficult. We think we don’t have the emotional or mental strength to reach out because we ourselves are struggling to survive in the midst of our own pain.
 
I want to share the following story with you about one of our ministry friends who decided to reach out to someone else while experiencing a trial in his own life. I hope it blesses and encourages you. Our ministry friend writes:
 
“When my wife and I went through the tremendous pain and loss of a failed adoption, you can imagine the emotional toll it took on us. For me, it affected my spiritual life and made me question God’s goodness and provision. In the midst of my suffering through this, God allowed me to come alongside another young man who was also suffering a loss. The young man, Jeremy, from Taiwan, was dealing with a recent breakup. One night, I woke to my phone ringing. Jeremy was devastated over the break up with his girlfriend and the knowledge that she was now with someone else. I talked and prayed with him, and we set a time to meet.
 
We met regularly for more than a year and were able to walk through disappointments of life together. We read the Bible and discussed spiritual matters, and eventually, he gave his life to Jesus. We continued to meet weekly for Bible study and prayer until the time of his doctoral graduation. Jeremy also got involved at my church and his faith grew as he committed to a small group.
 
Now, Jeremy is married to a Christian woman from China and has two beautiful boys. He and his wife are reaching out to the Chinese in California, where they live, and are following God’s lead for a future ministry in China! I am so thankful to God for the work He is doing in Jeremy’s life and the life of his family. God took a time when I was feeling spiritually empty and allowed my brokenness to help someone in his brokenness.”
 
It’s hard to believe that we can be of any use to God or to anyone else when we are dealing with our own pain. Our ministry friend, in the story above, chose to walk alongside Jeremy even though he was still dealing with the loss of a failed adoption. This story illustrates how He can work through us even more powerfully, during these trying times. All He wants us to do is “show up,” and He’ll do the rest!
 
“Each time he said, ‘My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.’ So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me,” 2 Corinthians 12:9 (NLT).
 
For More Information
Have you ever asked yourself if you and those in your church could do more to reach the world for Christ, but felt challenged by the high costs and time commitments of short-term mission trips? There is an answer, and it may be right in your community! Learn more about our Churches Reaching Nations initiative!


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