Julia Liles – August 2019

Cambodia


Life is for living…

AUGUST 2019


What do we live for? Most difficult circumstances in life cause us to reflect on this question or sometimes people slip into a mundane lifestyle which may also cause them to question their purpose. The life of a follower of Christ is not perfect; it is not without challenges or flaws. We are blessed in the ministry to be guiding our Cambodian friends through what it means to live out a life pleasing to the Lord as described in Romans 14:17b-18; “…living a life of goodness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. If you serve Christ with this attitude, you will please God, and others will approve of you, too.” Too many times we are distracted by things that should not take up our focus, we know that, and yet we continue to allow that to happen. It’s refreshing when we have a change of attitude and recognize the positive impact that has on ourselves and others. I’ve been reminded lately of the hurt and confusion some Christians suffer at the hand of others in the church and I can only attribute this to taking our eyes off of the Lord and become  too focused on self (the hurting) or too focused on others (those causing harm). The reality is, we are all growing, all changing, and all need to have more grace with each other even when people seem to push the boundaries. Christ’s example of love and grace goes above and beyond what we believe is capable. It’s not always easy, but it is essential for unity and harmony in the Body of Christ. In order to function well and be healthy Spiritually, we need to draw closer to the Lord and be strengthened by the truth of His Word because the world will not give up tempting us to walk away from all that is truly good and righteous. The standard is on opposite parallels of the spectrum… So in order to keep the right perspective, we need to be aware of what and who we allow to influence who our lives, in order that we can flourish and encourage those around us to believe in who they can be and live out their unique purpose. So where is your focus and how are you living?     

Please pray for the 2nd part of our women’s seminar which Myra, Chanty and myself will run this week for 2 days. We are blessed that one of the young ladies has already joined our Sunday Worship Service. We had a meeting last week to discuss further plans and it is incredible to see God’s speedy hands in this work! 

I am also incredibly thankful to have my closest friend from Bible college in the UK visit me and the ministry out here. I’ve always referred to Hilary as my little sister and love that she has taken the time to travel to Cambodia and bless me with her company. Together we traveled to the North for a few days to spend time with a British family also from my Bible college who serve in Cambodia as translators. It was sweet to be with my ‘adopted nieces’ and play in the waterfalls and nature which always refreshes me and is a healthy break from the hot dusty concrete city scape of Phnom Penh. I’m thankful to have team mates who support these times of refreshment too. We were also blessed to share of the ministry from our Missionaries in South Africa and guide our Cambodian Brothers and Sisters to pray for the work there. Our church members are becoming more exposed to God’s work worldwide and the impact it is having on them is really wonderful! May we continue praying for all that God is doing in our countries and others around the world. Miracles happen!

Sophal and family

Visiting Sister Sophal with Myra.

URGENT PRAYER REQUEST:

Last month I shared about sister Sophal and her battle with Cancer. Myra and I spent time with her and her family recently. It was a blessed, fun and relaxed visit. We plan to make weekly visits and just bless them in different ways and as Team Cambodia we will offer some financial help too. Myra and Sophal enjoy reminiscing about the past 10 years and it is sweet to hear those stories. Even though Sophal now has a problem with her eyes also, she is determined to enjoy each day and hopes to make a few trips to the seaside and waterfalls whilst she still has the strength. Aware of the situation, I’m so inspired by her strength and faithfulness. She has great admiration for her husband who does so much to help. She adores their son, and continues to reflect on God’s goodness throughout her life. I appreciate Sophal for many reasons and particularly the way she helps me to see things differently, to keep the right perspective and to value a relationship with God above all else. We continue to pray for a miracle in Sophal’s life and we don’t want to lose that hope. Pray with us and if anyone has the heart’s desire to help this family in more practical financial ways, please speak with TCM or notify one of the team here in Cambodia.

Love,

Julia