My aunt and uncle from 2 blog-posts ago.

(picture is dated. 1/19)

I had lunch with them last Friday and we talked about my future plans. It might have been a polite gesture, but they expressed their concern about my job hunt in the states. My aunt talked about how many kids just sit around home after they graduate from college - her message was not to be lazy. I shared that I consider stewardship of time to be important and, as a result, I strive to work hard but also that, as a Christian, I trust in a sovereign Lord to provide.

I realize that I haven't talked much about these two dear relatives of mine. I've met up with them (mostly their initiative!!) nearly a dozen times this past year. Both are very hospitable and like to talk - my aunt especially. At one point, she even asked if I could hang out just to share the gospel with her. She also asked me if it was too weird for her to check out EBCT since the congregation is young. After sharing with both her and my uncle about sin and its consequences one night, they refused to believe that God would punish people who have never heard of Jesus. Though they are hardened against the gospel and choose to trust in their own made-up God, they are far more willing to listen compared with how they were two years ago when I came to Taiwan with the Winter Team.

My uncle, who I think is a theist now, is becoming more attracted to the practical outworking of the Christian worldview. I know that in sharing the gospel, it would help to be able to communicate what grace, justice, joy, faith, a transformed life etc. looks like, so I hope to be able to show them and explain to them the gospel through as many contexts as possible. Please pray for their hearts to be softened and that I would be a good steward of my time and the gospel as I find more opportunities to talk to these folks.

I also hope to hang out and talk with one of my cousins, though he is slightly older than me. He is a graduate student at a university in Hsinchu (~1.5 hours away from Taipei). My aunt and uncle have been urging both of us to meet up and it really is about time I made it a priority. He has a girlfriend who professes to be Christian, but she might have some misunderstandings. He is also full of questions and doubts about the gospel, so pray for both of them and me as I get to meet up with my cousin!

Ah, the importance of paying much closer attention to what we have heard.