Well...I lost my laptop.
Here's the short version: I was at the 4th annual Homecoming Conference, held at the AsiaWorld-Expo by the Hong Kong Airport. On the second day of the conference, after I got on the bus to leave, I opened my backpack to take out my laptop. It wasn't there. I went back later and checked Airport Security and the Lost & Found unit. It wasn't there. And I'm pretty careful with my laptop.
So, I think it got stolen.
After all that this incident entailed, I attended a few more sessions of the conference. That weekend, I regained a vision for what God's purposes are for the churches in Asia, for my generation, and for me personally.
My laptop is gone, along with two years' worth of photos and journal entries (including many dreams). But, I'm not sad.
Why? Because that weekend, I was able to stand with thousands of Chinese Christians who are living radically for Jesus, and who have been operating for decades with a vision and a conviction that God wants them to bring the gospel to the ends of the earth, and back to Jerusalem.
There is no way that my personal dreams and memories--however great--can compare to the vision and the future of the Church in Asia.
My gaze is set, and I am looking to what lies ahead.
--
There's more to the story. And I know God has a purpose for all that happened.
I had woken up very early that morning, at 3:55. In fact, I'd slept less than 90 minutes, but I was awake and ready for the day before 4 AM. It was strange.
That morning, I had FINALLY decided that I was going to start backing up all the files on my computer. Of course, I had previously thought about this, and had known I needed to do it for a long time. But I didn't actually start until that morning. So, I actually did save some of my Hong Kong photos. But with the speed of the program that I was using, I didn't have time to back up all my personal files and still attend the conference.
Also, thanks be to God (and some good friends), I have continued to have regular access to a laptop to work on.
Here's the short version: I was at the 4th annual Homecoming Conference, held at the AsiaWorld-Expo by the Hong Kong Airport. On the second day of the conference, after I got on the bus to leave, I opened my backpack to take out my laptop. It wasn't there. I went back later and checked Airport Security and the Lost & Found unit. It wasn't there. And I'm pretty careful with my laptop.
So, I think it got stolen.
After all that this incident entailed, I attended a few more sessions of the conference. That weekend, I regained a vision for what God's purposes are for the churches in Asia, for my generation, and for me personally.
My laptop is gone, along with two years' worth of photos and journal entries (including many dreams). But, I'm not sad.
Why? Because that weekend, I was able to stand with thousands of Chinese Christians who are living radically for Jesus, and who have been operating for decades with a vision and a conviction that God wants them to bring the gospel to the ends of the earth, and back to Jerusalem.
There is no way that my personal dreams and memories--however great--can compare to the vision and the future of the Church in Asia.
My gaze is set, and I am looking to what lies ahead.
 |
| Asia, will you be the faithful one? Yes, Lord, we are willing. |
There's more to the story. And I know God has a purpose for all that happened.
I had woken up very early that morning, at 3:55. In fact, I'd slept less than 90 minutes, but I was awake and ready for the day before 4 AM. It was strange.
That morning, I had FINALLY decided that I was going to start backing up all the files on my computer. Of course, I had previously thought about this, and had known I needed to do it for a long time. But I didn't actually start until that morning. So, I actually did save some of my Hong Kong photos. But with the speed of the program that I was using, I didn't have time to back up all my personal files and still attend the conference.
Also, thanks be to God (and some good friends), I have continued to have regular access to a laptop to work on.
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