Sweet Fruit and Sweet Goodbyes

Friends,

My time in Los Angeles is coming to a close. I have immensely enjoyed this experience. To be concise, this week has borne much sweet fruit. I am thankful for all the people with whom I have met and partnered. God has placed a magnificent and passionate team behind me for this coming year.

Someone indirectly reminded me of God's role in this summer. God has challenged me, guided me through, and provided for me. Most of all, He has proved Himself sovereign and faithful. Without realizing it, I have relied heavily on my own energy and enthusiasm to share of my ministry to others. As some of you have already heard, I have been tired these last couple of days and have begun losing my voice. As a result, I am relieved to know I will be returning home soon. I will be meditating on these things as I rest in the coming days.

"If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. My Father is glorified by this, that you bear much fruit, and so prove to be My disciples." ~John 15:7,8

"He will be like a tree firmly planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in its season and its leaf does not wither; in whatever he does, he prospers." ~Psalm 1:3

Please pray these verses for me. I will be flying back to Chicago tomorrow night. Only two weeks remain until I join the staff team on campus. Pray and give thanks for the funding the LORD will provide by then.

By His Grace,

Jon Chen

From Los Angeles With Love

Friends,

It is often overwhelming meeting so many people within such a short span of time. However with each passing week, I am growing in my understanding of the body of Christ. It is certainly a miracle, that we of infinitely varied backgrounds come to dwell on a common rest and find peace with one another and our God.

"And He will send His angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather His elect from the four winds, from one end of the heavens to the other." ~Matthew 24:31

After a busy week so paradoxically characterized by loneliness, I was encouraged by a semi-realization of this verse. From all corners of the world, the LORD has been assembling a ministry team like a giant puzzle. At first, I could not see the purpose behind each seemingly random experience. However, the people from these moments in my life have found their way back into my life at such a crucial and exciting time as this.

"It is grace, nothing but grace, that we are allowed to live in community with Christian brethren." ~Dietrich Bonhoeffer

I will be in Los Angeles until my next post. By His exceedingly abundant grace, I will be very near to funding goal set before me. Get the confetti ready!

By His Grace,
Jon Chen

I apologize for this three week photo drought. It hasn't occurred to me until the end of each week that I haven't taken my camera anywhere. This will change.

Learning to Walk, Then Learning to Stand

Friends,

Wherever you are in the world or in your life, you may understand the struggle that is faith. Some of the things I have investigated thus far this summer are the things that beckon us to have faith, protection behind faith, praying in faith, and the power we can have through faith. As my good friend Alex often suggests, all we need faith. It has not been an easy summer thus far, generally devoid of consistent fellowship and full of excuses to be discouraged. Even as I learn to walk, I am really just beginning to learn how to stand.

"Be on the alert, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong." -1 Corinthians 16:13

It has been most comforting to know that many are daily praying on my behalf. It is even more comforting to know that it doesn't come down to my faith and all of its insufficiencies, but on God's faithfulness.

"The LORD is good to those who wait for Him, to the person who seeks Him." -Lamentations 3:25

I would specifically like to ask for prayer in this area as I continue to learn to walk and stand. I truly value those of you reading and interceding in prayer. Please allow me to do the same by emailing me your prayer needs.

By His Grace,
Jon Chen
chenjonathanillin@gmail.com

Rolling into July

Friends,

I have been blown away by the way that the LORD continues to teach me this summer. This week, I have been blessed by my mother's visit from California. For those who don't know her, she is to me the representation of steadfastness and spiritual intercession. I have no fear of flattering her. If there's one thing she can't do, it's anything requiring a computer, blogs especially.

This weekend, I was fortunate enough to attend the annual Green Lake Retreat in Wisconsin with the Evangelical Formosan Church of Chicago. It is a church I used to call home before it became too much of a burden to drive the distance to Sunday service. The retreat was a great opportunity to catch up with friends with whom I haven't been in touch since I left that church five years ago. It's amazing how this generation has developed such a heart for non-believers.

Yesterday, I turned twenty-two, and I think of how blessed I am to have been given these many days to enjoy this life. As far as I can tell, everyone else I know survived another explosive 4th of July. A good friend of mine prescribed a birthday walk, so I spent the morning walking around Green lake, reflecting on how God has manifested himself this last year in my life. To say the least, I have been given a good life. Thanks for your birthday wishes!

By His Grace,
Jon Chen