Renny Indrawati
I give thanks very much for all prayers that are lifted up for me. I have been far away from my home for approximately four months, and God has helped and given me His mercy so I can hear Shepherding Word via internet. I believe that my main need is perseverance in shepherding.If we are shepherded well, Jesus as Great Shepherd will be able to do all things in our physical and spiritual life.
It is all that I can bear witness. I give thanks for all God's mercy, the ministry of the pastor and his wife in the Word and intercession prayer, and prayer and support from my mother, my siblings, and congregation. I also give thanks for the ministry for broadcasting service for us who are shepherded in far distance.
God blesses us. Thank you.
- The Lord has helped me so I could get internet access not more than six days after my arrival in dormitory.
There was no internet facility in the dormitory where I lived for the first time and it needed two weeks to register and install a new internet channel. Besides, it needed a contract for two years, and the fine had to be paid if the contract was broken before the two years. As the matter of facts, I could live in the dormitory only for six months, and then I had to seek another place to live by myself. Thus, if I had had to wait for the two weeks internet contract, I would have moved from the dormitory and paid the fine because of the broken contract.
It was only because of God's help that finally I could find USB modem with contract I could break anytime without any fine. Besides, the internet access could be used that day, right after I registered. Praise the Lord, I could commit the service via internet. I still could use it when I moved to an apartment near my college in November. - God's help in determining laboratory and counselor professor.
Receiving the announcement that I had to study in Japan, I did not know what subject I would receive. I looked for the information and tried to be placed in Bio Science Laboratory, but I was placed in Inorganic Chemistry Laboratory. I was disappointed at that time and still hoped there was a change because it did not suit to my hope and my knowledge background. I thought it was a wrong study program, but the Lord reminded me to surrender. Now, after my arrival in Japan, I give thanks to God because of all His good plans.
Study system here was in laboratory from Monday to Friday, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. I have heard that Japanese do not have habit to prepare themselves to go home before 5 p.m. I heard that the fastest time to go home for them is 6 p.m. according to the professor and the condition of the laboratory. It had happened that the professor got angry to a student older than I who went home before 5 p.m.
I asked God that I could keep on committing the broadcast service. It was outside my mind that my professor said that I could go home at 4.45 p.m. at the first day I joined the class, and I did not need to be bound by the time but it depended on the research I had to do. I give thanks to God because I still had enough time to go home and commit the broadcast service. Furthermore, I heard that there were many students in Bio Science Laboratory (the study program I had wanted before) who went home late at night.
I think that this mercy is the part of God's good plan and a warning that I should not rely on my own strength. God rebuked me because it was a self-pride at the time I had thought to take the study program in Bio Science Laboratory due to I felt able in it. He reminded me to surrender always. There is a wide chance to rely on His mercy, wisdom, and help in the time I receive something that is not in line with my thought. - God's protection in the middle of friendship crises.
I really feel that the work of Shepherding Work through three main services, youth service, fasting prayer service, and night prayer service is able to help me from bad friendship. I cannot say the detail but at least God has delivered me from bad friendship two times.
I confess that I was not watchful at the third time. The owner of apartment, where we hired, made a little party to eat together on Wednesday, December 22, 2010. He had said that he would bring alcohol, usual drink for Japanese, and my Indonesian friend would bring meal and juice. The prayer service on Tuesday evening had reminded me to pray earnestly so bad things could not happen.
In my activities to prepare all things on the Wednesday evening, I only had a little time to pray to ask God's help. At the party, I and my Indonesian friend chose canned drink whose picture was fruits. I thought that it was fruit juice my friend brought. Drinking it, I felt something strange happened. My face became red and hot. Afterward, my friend found the alcohol content in the canned drinks. I could not say anything at that time.
I remembered that I had prayed in my heart "God, please help me" before I drank it.I give thanks to God because I did not lose my consciousness at that time, only my face became red and hot. Not mention being drunk, I usually cannot breath well after consuming fermented cassava. I remember that I could not breath well for some hours after consuming few cookies containing rum, even I had to go to hospital. I could not have imagined what to do if God had not helped me at that time or if I had not been able to breathe well.
It is all that I can bear witness. I give thanks for all God's mercy, the ministry of the pastor and his wife in the Word and intercession prayer, and prayer and support from my mother, my siblings, and congregation. I also give thanks for the ministry for broadcasting service for us who are shepherded in far distance.
God blesses us. Thank you.