half way done!

Hello Everyone,
Sorry it's been awhile since I've done a "real" update (other than pictures or prayer requests). Things are going well here in Taiwan. Here are some highlights (and lowlights) from the last few weeks....
- completing the NET TESTAMENT!!!
- studying the book of Exodus for 50 hours last week! (literally 50.... we keep a time log)
- sharing Christ with a new friend Darren, at the ROCK coffee-bar - for more info, check out
my prayer requests page
- being able to spend time and connect deeper with a girl I'm discipling - Mandi (pictures of
her, and info about her on prayer requests page and photo page)
- have a couple of really good evangelistic conversations with my new friend Patient, who's
interested in coming to our coffee-bar, and has lots of questions about the Bible... the
reason she had to leave last time we were talking was because she was going to visit a
church with one of her Christian friends... woohoo!!!
- sharing about YWAM's Discipleship school, in my church yesterday
- leading worship for our SBS, and teaching team.... and singing on worship team at church
- seeing a Moody professor/friend, who's been speaking all over Taiwan (saw him Sat. 7/31)
- great late-night talks with my 2 roommates (form Taiwan and Vietnam)

- buying my plane ticket to visit home!!!
- continuing to make deeper connections with people at church - it is truly a HOME church now! My group of friends at church - enjoying bowling in honor of Tom and Sarah moving to Japan. We're sad to see them go, but praying the move helps Sarah's health!


- finding out my town, Danshui is the largest place for idol production in all of Taiwan
- sitting next to a lady on the train last night who had scars from self-mutilating temple
worship all over her arms, neck, legs, even her fingers.
- finding out my little sister is nearly as tall as I am, and will reach me by the time I make it
home..... this is a low-light for me... but a very high high-light for her... goodness!

Thanks for trackin' me down - hope you're enjoying a wonderful week. Please feel free to leave a comment, or question. I'd love to hear from you.

pictures from Taiwan

Just wanted to show you some recent pictures from Taiwan also... it's been awhile since you've seen anything new! :)

our entire SBS class (staff and students) 2010


Our SBS classroom where I spend at least 3 mornings a week in class, and many more hours studying! (Taken Friday, July 16th after class)

view off our 7th floor rooftop


worship team practice at my church in Taiwan!


enjoying some traditional Vietnamese food cooked by my Vietnamese roommate!

Chris - a Taiwanese friend that I'm discipling (also goes to my church in Taipei). See last post with prayer requests for information about Chris and his sister (Alice), both of whom I'm discipling. :)

updated prayer requests

Hey all,
It's been awhile since I've updated this blog because I'm using my website more often now, and life is intensely busy with SBS.... not that that's a good excuse, but it's the truth. Just wanted to share some recent prayer requests with you. :) I originally sent this to my church family in the US, so if you don't know who "Pastor Jeff" is; it's the senior pastor at my home church. And "matt Hulst" is another YWAMer, who's now living on the same base as I am, and is from that same small-town church in Iowa (crazy! Yea - we live in a small world). Thanks for your prayers and support as I dig into God's word and love on His people!

As I prepare for a test over the entire New Testament this morning, I wanted to let you into my world here in Taiwan. Yes, I study the Bible everyday, but God is moving outside of that as well. I appreciate you as a church home, and some of my most faithful prayer warriors.....THANK YOU!! Here are some specific ways in which you can be covering me in prayer.

Michael (21) and Chris (22)– Two Taiwanese guys that I’ve built relationships with; both are believers. Pray as I continue to pour into them, and disciple them that they will understand Christ and grow to love him more as they watch my life. Michael just got back to Taiwan after going to university in Pennsylvania, USA and would like to get plugged into an English speaking church this summer while he’s home!

Alice (21 – one week younger than me!) and Michelle (22) - Two Taiwanese ladies that I’m discipling. Michelle has been a believer for a couple years now, but has recently begun teaching English to some Mormon missionaries (who are all over Taiwan). Please pray she will be wise as she teaches them, and take everything they tell her back to God’s word, and not dwell on the false teaching they try to implant in her mind. Ultimately; pray she stops teaching them. Though she wants to win them for the Lord, she’s still learning and it would be easy to fall into their false teaching if she’s not careful. And Alice, who is not a Christian, I’ve just begun meeting with. Her English is not as good as I thought, but she is Chris’ (guy from above) sister, and so he will come along most of the time to help translate while we talk. This helps me, because things she doesn’t understand, he can explain in a way that makes sense since he knows his sister far better than I do! She is very eager to learn and get to know me – praise God!

Church relationships – I’ve begun to get more involved in my church; Agape International, in the last couple of months. I’ve recently joined the worship team, and relationships are forming and growing. I also prayed the closing prayer last Sunday (off the cuff – our pastor reminds me of Pastor Jeff sometimes) ;)

If you'd ever like updated information, pictures, or see what I'm studying in our Bible School, please stop by my ministry website at: mirandataiwan.shutterfly.com

PS - Matt Hulst and I both say "hi" this time; it's been a joy getting to spend time with Matt and see how God is using him mightily in Taiwan since his arrival a couple months ago!

New Site

Hi all,
Just wanted to let you know about a new website I've created. It's more interactive, and informational about what I'm doing. There are pictures, videos, maps, polls, etc. about my work and life in Taiwan. Check it out, and please let me know what you think, what you would like to see more of, or any other comments. :) Thanks!!

NEW SITE: mirandataiwan.shutterfly.com

I will be keeping this blog as well, but for more in-depth/theological posts. The other website will include shorter updates about my life and work in Taiwan!!

New Route

Hello from Danshui!
Sorry it's been so long since I've written. Here's the bullet point list of what's happened since I last wrote.
- My dad came to visit Taiwan for 2 weeks
- the other 3 DTS staff returned to Danshui, and we had a great two weeks of staff training
- I've changed "jobs" - I'm no longer staffing DTS
- I'm now studying in the School of Biblical Studies (SBS)

Things changed quite quickly. But, we only have 6 students in the DTS that's currently running. And the leadership knew that though our 4 women staff have worked before, and enjoy working together, and are doing well and love staffing DTS; there was the possibility of one of us doing something different. So, after talking to our base director, the leader of DTS suggested that I do the Biblical studies school this year, instead of next year like I was planning. So, after praying about it, and talking to some wise counsel (including family), I decided to go for it. It is a very intense program. Lasting 9 months It's very much a full-time job. I am working 10 hours a day 5-6 days a week. But it's well worth it. Many of the people I know who have completed SBS say it was the best year of their life! (there's a picture of some homework from the first week of class on the left-hand side of this blog page)

I'm enjoying SBS, and though there are many long days, short nights, and lots of hand-cramps because I'm writing all of my homework out by hand (my computer died 2 days before SBS... God works in mysterious ways :) ), I am being stretched in molded in new, deep ways. I've also had many opportunities to share what I'm learning. Just last weekend a Taiwanese friend asked me if I would begin teaching them the Bible!! An answer to a prayer I began before SBS even officially started, and a new adventure I'm anxious to begin. :)

Thank you for your prayers, and continued support. I'm sorry it took so terribly long to update you. More to come.... from Asia.
~Miranda Kay

why I do what I do

I've been back in Taiwan now for nearly a week, and my priority this weekend is blogging and sending a newsletter about the past 2 months that I spent in China and India. So please remember that patience is a virtue - updates are coming!

However, I wanted to pass along something I was given today. It's a note from one of our students from this past DTS. He grew up in LA, California and at the age of 14 became a drug dealer. In the coming years, he went on to lose over $25,000 USD in gambling, work for multiple gangs in LA, stay in juvenile hall for awhile, and even get shot at point-blank range. God's hand of protection has been on this young man his whole life. He's not beginning to realize it.... this is why I do what I do.

I came into D T S seeking change,but in the back of my head i had doubts i could change
. I grew up in my unhealthy lifestyle for 20 years
what was 5 months going to do for me?
But what happened was exactly that. The change i needed came.

God continued to seek me throughout the school never giving up and i doubt he ever will.
With God's love, he has changed what i once thought was unchangeable.
God conveniently placed me in a team with such strong staff and classmates.

Many times i was challenged by even my younger classmates ones say, 5-6 years younger. Amazing.

What i had failed to realize before was all of us come from very different back rounds and pasts, we can still learn so much from each other.
we all here together in this school trying to be closer to God, get into better habits and overall trying to change, our mindset and our lives.


God's love is so strong it can change thing sometimes without you even realizing yourself.
Also with the support of a strong gracious leader and very patient staff you realize that God's timing is perfect, while ours is probably usually not as good as his.

Maybe this next school is God's timing for you to change your life for better!?=)


Thank you JESUS!

Daily Life

Here are some pictures of my daily life here in Taiwan. :) Enjoy!

first, here's the link to a video one of our staff on base made of his walk to work. I walk the same roads, and I thought it might be fun for you to see my walk to work in the morning.

http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#/video/video.php?v=177507237726 friends celebrating a birthday (top L to bottom R)
Martin-SBS student, Miranda-DTS staff, Stephen (missionary not w/ YWAM), Jeanine-DTS student, Becky-SBS student (b-day girl), Lydia-here on her shool of evangelism outreach, Ruth-language team


teaching English to Kindergartners at the elem. school in the mountains nearby

I made dinner for some SBS students - we got creative with our dessert - roasting marshmellows over a candle, with chopsticks. :)

some of the paperwork I have to do for my visas

our neighbor burning money, hoping his prayers rise to the ancestors and gods along with the smoke

Lecture in our classroom

prayer with the week #7 speakers on the last day


helping a student mail a letter back home (notice the iowa shirt)

The last few weeks

Hello Blog-readers, supporters, and prayers out there! I know it's been awhile since I've written about life in Taiwan, and I wanted to update you on what's been going on.

It's been a busy few weeks that have flown by all too quickly. Our students are doing well. Learning and growing, and some of the team dynamics are getting better. Students are working through personal problems, and things God is changing in their hearts, and they're working through conflicts with each other. God is moving!

We are in full swing these last 3 weeks of Lecture Phase, getting ready for Outreach! Our school is splitting into two teams for outreach. I am co-leading with a wonderful lady from Singapore; Rachel. We are taking half the students for two months on outreach where they will be full-time missionaries. They will be living out everything they've learned these last 3 months.

We will be taking our team first to China. For security purposes I can't tell you where, or who we will be working with, and the like. But we will be (mostly) in a city setting, teaching English, and building relationships with individuals we meet. Then in January we will take our team to India. We'll fly into Mumbai, and then move to a smaller city nearby. We'll be based out of that city (Punah), but each week we will travel to a few different villages. In India we'll be doing lots of preaching, teaching, and evangelizing. This month will be a good challenge to all of us, as we aren't used to getting up each night and preaching a full half hour-45 minute sermon, as well as doing music and sign dances, skits, etc.

God has worked a wonder in the finances of this school. India is MUCH more expensive than the countries we typically travel to for outreach. But God has been faithful, and the students and staff who still needed funds for outreach have been proved for. But continue to pray, as we must keep our budget very tight so that we have enough for our month in India. God has also been faithful in my finances, though things are more expensive than I originally thought they would be. In reality, each school is costing me around $3,000 (not including meals), and I thought it would only be around $2,000-$2,500. Pray that God would continue to lead people to share what God has given them, with me for the end of this school and the next. I know God has called me here to disciple our students, and show Christ to the world. And knowing that, I trust that He will provide for all my needs while I'm here. Thank you for being a part of that!

here are some quick prayer requests:
- that God will prepare the hearts of the students for what they will experience on outreach
- that God will prepare the hearts of the people we will encounter on outreach
- that God will prepare the staff (3 out of 4 of whom are 2st time staff), to lead these outreach teams.
- that God will provide for the school financially, and give us leaders wisdom as to how to best use our resources on outreach
- that God will use these last 3 weeks of lecture to challenge and grow the students, and even call them into the life He has for them
- that God would work out visa issues for some of us still having trouble (Praise God!! My visa issues are nearly resolved. We found a way around something in the process, so I can get my China and India visas in time for outreach)
- that God will give me clear direction for what's next after DTS. I know He's calling me to do an SBS-School of Biblical Studies (a very intense 9-month biblical studies school), but I still am not clear if He wants me in Cambodia or Taiwan.

more visa hassle

I wanted to update you guys on my visa situation. As of now, I'm here with a 60-day, single-entry, visitor visa. That visa is valid no longer than Nov. 10th. I've gone to the hospital to get the health check-up done; that was a story on its own; a crazy afternoon of getting blood drawn, giving a stool sample, getting a chest X-ray taken, getting a skin test, and other various things done to my body. However, the results from the hospital won't be in until Nov. 4th. And, I've recently come to find out that after I get those results it still takes 2-3weeks for them to mail me my physical ARC (Alien residence card) card. I simply don't have that much time left. I thought this was another case of needing to leave the country again, however, by the grace of God we've found a way to work around the system.

So, TODAY I'm headed into Taipei City. I'm going to the ARC office to get my current visa extended. This will give me time to get the test results, and still have the 2-3 weeks leeway that the Immigration office needs, to mail me the real ARC. Yes, yet again, this means more money. But thank the Lord, I'm doing well with my finances. I'm not covered through both this school and the next; but I do have my finances in line for this school. And, God continues to remind me of His faithfulness as He provides when unexpected things like more Visa red-tape come up. This is only by the grace of God that everything worked out so that I was in the same place as another staff member, at the same time. And that when I went to Hong Kong the 1st time I was given THIS type of wrong visa.... any other type this wouldn't be possible for!

Please pray for God's favor as I go to the office today. It's somewhere I've never been before, and I'm going alone. Pray that God will send me to the right teller/worker; someone who will show me grace and favor. And; all in all, just pray that God will allow me to stay in Taiwan without having to leave the country again. Thanks in advance for lifting me to "the throne of our gracious God!!" (Hebrews 4:16)

pictures from Taiwan

I realize that I owe you all a good, in-depth blog post soon. Actually; it's overdue, but since it's already 11:48 pm... tonight I'll just post some recent pictures. Enjoy!


Miranda with Elizabeth (student), Phoebe (staff), and Zoie (student) eating squid mouth at the River Road night market.

YWAM friends at our house for Becky's birthday dinner (L Top to R bottom: Martin-SBS, Miranda-DTS staff, Stephen-MK from Brazil, teaching english in Taipei, Jeanine-DTS, Becky-SBS, Lydia-here on "school of evangelism" outreach;she's here for 2 months, Ruth-Language Learning Team, John - Becky's dad from Canada)



water we DTS women hiked up to 2 weeks ago (following picture is from same day)

We start our grills with hair-dryers here in Taiwan. (DTS school leader's wife, April, starting our fire for Taiwanese-style BBQ)

Students Matt and Jeanine attentively listening to our week #4 speaker talk about the nature and character of God (2 weeks ago)



traditional Taiwanese BBQ - the main way Taiwanese celebrate Mid-Autumn/Moon festival. The plate on the right-hand side contains Tofu skin, fish paste, fish balls, mushrooms, etc.), and yes, that's a squid on a stick in the front there. (2 weeks ago)

Many of you have asked about the flooding in Southern Taiwan. Here's a picture that a missionary from our base gave to me. Taken about 2 months ago when some of our missionaries went down to help with relief efforts.

He takes my breath away

So.... if you have yet to fall in love with Him... our God is amazing!!!!!!!!!!!! He just stinking IS!! I was grading one of my students' journals today at a coffee shop, and reading through part of Mark, and praying, and just spending time with the Lord. I was talking to God about something that's been on my heart and mind all week, and I finally wrote my prayer out to God (helps me process what I'm saying to Him, and helps me go back later and see how He's answered specific prayers). Towards the end, as I've written this nice, semi-formal letter/prayer to God; I got fed up with myself. And said, alright God, you know what's on my heart and mind, so who am I kidding? It's not like you'll only hear the words I say out loud, and not hear the words I'm screaming in my mind. So, I wrote what was really on my heart, and pleaded with God. Being completely real with Him, sharing my insecurity in not trusting him completely w/ this certain area of my life, and asked for a sign. I real, tangible, specific, big sign. I said, "God, you know me, and so you know it needs to be really clear."

I ended, and was about to head back home. But just as I was leaving, another YWAMer, and new friend of mine came in for coffee. We chatted momentarily, and then she discovered something. We both gazed out of the window, in awe at this incredibly beautiful rainbow God had just painted across the sky. She went back to her reading and praying, and I slowly walked outside. The world around me was a blur, and God was speaking LOUD and CLEAR. This was by far the most vivid, full, colorful, and totally complete rainbow I've ever seen. And the sun was already set! God was Saying, Miranda, you remember Noah? You remember how I protected Him, and then gave him a vivid promise through something really tangible? Well, here ya go Noah Rockhill. My breath was literally taken out of me, like someone punched me in the stomach. The Taiwanese couple walking next to me heard me gasp, and actually looked back to make sure I was physically alright. God amazes me; and never ceases to surprise me at how quickly, how incredibly He answers prayer. It was the confirmation I needed exactly when I needed it (if not sooner). Remember His promises..... remember who He is.

WOW!

website

Here's some more information about our base here in Dan Shui, our base website is www.ywamtaipei.com

and our specific DTS website (new) is www.dtstaipei.com

blessings from DanShui,
miranda kay

dreads

Well, my latest endeavor here in Taiwan will begin in about an hour. I'm putting dread-locks in one of the students' hair. Yikes! I'm nervous and excited, and I'll let you know how it goes.

This first week of classes/activities went very well. All of the students are adjusting to each other, and the fast-paced lifestyle of DTS. They've begun reading the books for their first book report (Is That Really You God? by: Loren Cunningham). And they've all begun ministry at the ROCK coffee bar that YWAM runs here in DanShui.

Thanks for your prayers. The students who have been on the fringe, so to say, are doing much better...... getting into the group, talking to people, intently listening to the speaker's teachings, etc. It's incredible to see what God's doing in the hearts of the other students as well. Your prayers are heard, and felt from afar. God is moving in this city. It's wonderful. His truth is penetrating the hearts of the Taiwanese, and changing their lives.

In a few hours I'm taking some of the students into Taipei City, to the largest night market in Taiwan; Shilling Night Market. But for now, I must run to the office and get some saturday afternoon things done. :)

Blessings to you all. Dream big; God is bigger.
Miranda Kay

up for the challenge

Well today was the first official day of class for the new DTS.... and we made it! :) We ended up with ten students; six guys and four girls. The students I wrote about before are here, and settled, but we also have Stephen (from LA, but is Taiwanese and speaks good chinese), Szh Fan (the boys have given him the english name of "Matt") from Taiwan, and Lee Yo Rou (the boys have given him the english name of "jake").

Each student is VERY different from the rest; all have different life stories, family stories, and places that they are in life. The girls are the spiritual leaders, as a whole. But that doesn't mean our guys don't love Jesus. But please be in prayer as the majority of our guys come from difficult backgrounds, all 6 guys are 20 or younger, one is re-doing DTS, and one isn't even a Christian yet... (I'll explain that in a later blog). They're digging right in from the start; this week's teaching is on Hearing God's Voice and the Fear of the Lord. Today was mainly the first. Our base director Don Gillman is teaching this first week. Wonderful stuff. Thank you for caring and for praying for me and the rest who are involved in the school. The following are some specific prayer requests I have for this week.

Please pray for the students;
- that the one who isn't a Christian yet will come to understand Christ's sacrifice for him, and what his role in alife devoted to Christ looks like...... and that the ones who haven't been walking with God recently will be shaken up by Christ; radically changing the way they live out of the overflow of their heart's desire for more of Him!!!!
- that they will learn to love each other inspite of their differences, and include each other in their daily lives/activities
- that they will be bold in the way that they share Christ through their lives and words in the ministries they work in

and for the staff;
- that we will love the students out of the overflow of our love for Christ, and that it would be unconditional love
- that we will wait on the Lord on behalf of our students; and when God speaks, that we will be obedient and bold in speaking into their lives.
- that the students will see Christ at work in our lives, and desire a deeper walk with Him because of that.

visa visa (said in the little ceasar's "pizza pizza" style voice)

I'm back in Taiwan with.... a visa. Not the right one, but a visa. and thank you Jesus, I won't have to go back to Hong Kong to get the new one. I just have to get a health check thing done here in Taipei at a certain hospital, sometime in the next 2 months and then get the visa switched over from a 2-month visitor visa to a year-long ARC (alien residence card). :) More to come about Hong Kong, and the beginning of school. We start bright and early tomorrow.... and I didn't get much sleep in the airport in Hong Kong last night; imagine that, with bright lights on the whole time,and a terribly uncomfortable table/chair to sleep on, and the PA system going off every 15 minutes to remind me of all the ways to not get swine flu. :) Ok, so all of those things are true, but God did grant me small increments of rest, for which I was very grateful for. And I made it through today... but alas, I'm exhausted. But, as I said in my last blog... God is strong in my weakness; and that's true for my physical weakness too. So; I'll trust Him for tomorrow, and know that He is my portion..... physically and otherwise.

Thanks for your prayers. I'm alive, and well, and have a visa of some sort. =)


ps- for those of you who don't understand the title... don't worry. It's just Miranda being tired and punchy..... and knowing Abby will appreciate the joke. :)

pressing into grace

yes, i go to hong kong in a few hours.. and for those of you praying.. THANK YOU.... I'll let you know when I'm back in Taiwan, (very) hopefuly with an official residency in Taiwan (crazy.. I'll be a resident). :)

But... for today. God is strong in my weakness. He's been pounding this into my head for some time, but I've never gotten it. And I still don't, I'm sure. But, I get it more now than ever before. I've always desired strength. I was the tom-boy, i was strong, i could lift it, move it, throw it, hold onto it.... typically. And it made me mad when I couldn't. And in the same respect; I've been doing that with sin. I'm strong enough... or I should be,right?

WRONG!!! God has told me time and time again through His word and through situations that I'm not strong enough. I can't do this. I've tried; a long time. It never works, so why do I think that next time it will? I'll magically be able to overcome things on my own......and when I have Him... why in the world would I want to (do it alone)???

In Chinese they'd call me fong-szzh (crazy). I have the creator of the universe; why do I try to take on that role? He wants to do this for me; why don't I run straight to Him and thank Him for His desire to live in and through me? He doesn't want to be a part of my life, even a big part....He wants to BE my life, my strength, my portion. And I'm beginning to let Him. And it's amazing; So freeing.

So; I'm pressing into the heart of the Father. Pressing into grace.

Nitty Gritty Info-fitty

Ok, so yes, another lame title.... like I've said before; maybe God will grant me an abundance of creativity by the end of the year, so the blog titles won't be so odd... we'll see. First off; THANK YOU for your prayers this week. Quite a few things have happened that have been direct answers to prayer, and I know that's not a coincidence. Most of them have been conversations; three with students who are coming this week, and one with Kevin, the guy I blogged about in my last post.

Second; I wanted you to know who I'm working with, and who we're mainly ministering to. The following is a bit of information on each of the people on staff for the Fall 2009 DTS. And following is info about the students coming to the Fall school. Their pictures will put a face with a name, and I've added a picture on the left-hand side of the blog with all the students on one picture, and all the staff in another... so they're always there, when this post is long gone into the depths of the blog archives. :)

STAFF :

Brent and April : Brent is the school leader, and is the only man on staff... pray for him....! :) April will be helping as she can, with the school and staff; but she's in the process of pioneering a ministry that works with prostitutes in Taipei and Dan Shui, so she has her hands full.. They will not be living with the school in our house. They're from America (family.. he's from a dairy farm in PA...we've already shared farm stories. woohoo!)
Rachel : This is her 2nd school staffing, she did DTS directly before she began staffing. She's in her 30's. She's from Singapore, and she's extremely organized. Oh, and she doesn't like fans or AirCon (what they call air conditioning here). Oh yes, and she dyed the tips of her hair green the day I moved in... she's crazy and we love her. :)
Phoebe : From Taiwan, and has been involved with YWAM Taipei for 5.5 years, but this is her 1st time staffing DTS. She's 29, and is dating a Canadian, so she's learning to like hockey. Her father is struggling in the hospital with medical issues related to diabetes.... PLEASE pray for him. He's a Christian, but her mother's not. The first time this happened (the diabetes hitting him all at once), her dad came to Christ, so we're all praying that God will use this time to bring her mother into the Family!
Lily : She's from Taiwan. She's one of the most kind people I've ever met. She is in her 30's, and just finished her DTS. This is, therefore, her 1st time staffing. She and I get along very well; our personalities are quite alike. She calls me "Asia girl." I love her :)

STUDENTS -
Jeanine: A beautiful woman in her 30's from the Dominican Republic. We've talked a couple times already and it's been a blessing. She arrives tomorrow at 6am.
Danny : Oh Danny.... if you live in this house for one day, you'll hear that; probably multiple times. :) We love him, but he's a handful. He's 18 (and loves to tell you he's a man), he's from Paraguay but has lived in Taiwan for 6 years, so when he doesn't understand my English I try it in Spanish, and we're usually ok. :) He didn't graduate from the last DTS, so he's doing it over... not very typical, but Danny's not a typical guy. Pray for him.
Elizabeth : She's 19, and her parents are friends with the base director. She's gotten herself into some not so great stuff, so pray that this will be a time of true healing for her. She's from Virginia, and God also blessed me with a great conversation with her last night. :)
Emily : She's part Hawaiian and part America, but has lived her whole life in Okinawa, Japan; her parents are missionaries there. She's 18, and we have mutual friends from here on the base. We've had a couple of wonderful talks also.
Timy : Timy's from Pennsylvania. He's 19, and has asked more questions about DTS than anyone ever thought possible. We've had a few good talks as well, and he seems like a great guy; God's gunna shake him up. :)
Leo : Leo is a very new Christian, but very excited about DTS. He's only 16, but God has done a work in his (non-christian) parents' heart and they're ok with him taking a year off of high school to do DTS. He's from here in DanShui, and is just a peach of a guy.

Thanks for praying for us all. God hears. Blessings to you as you continue to pursue the heart of the God who loves you more than life!

please pray

Just a quick update from here in DanShui. Today's been a bit of a tiring day; a great beginning to a seminar this morning, and a long staff meeting this afternoon (where we only got one of the three planned things accomplished.... go figure). It was frustrating too, I'm already finding myself getting frustrated because of language barriers.... if only every little phrase of staff meetings didn't have to get re-said in another language. Sigh, but that's my own pride and selfishness and impatience talking. Pray that God will continue to humble me, and help me to realize much of my frustration comes because I'm simply impatient.

Despite the crazy day, I was just rejuvenated a few minutes ago when I talked to my friend Kevin. Kevin is a boy that is studying at the largest University here in Dan Shui. He was in an English club (more of a class) that I taught along with two university professors, when I was here two years ago. Anyway; he and I have kept up, via the internet off and on since I left Taiwan last time. And, in talking to him tonight he said he would like to come to the ROCK to see me tomorrow night. He is nervous; because he has lost a lot of his english since we left, because there is no one to practice with. But I'm praying that his fears are calmed, and that I am able to speak to him about why I came back to Taiwan. He is not a Christian and doesn't understand the concept of grace like Christ gives. Please pray for Kevin; that we will be bale to communicate well (with the help, I'm sure, of one of my taiwanese friends), and that through him I will be able to re-connect with the group of students that I got to know two years ago, and that I can share Christ's love and salvation with them!!

To the King,
Miranda Kay

worshiping Him in thought...and more

"let now your church, shine as your bride. That you saw in your heart, as you offered up your life..." Let that sink in....

We serve an incredible God, and I just say that this morning? Man.... I love him! :) And I'm learning more all the time about worshiping Him with my thoughts. I always thought of it in an anti-negative way. Let me explain; I saw worship God with my thoughts as simply NOT thinking about "the bad stuff", if that makes sense. But it's so much more than that. It's about my thoughts being FIXED on Him. Not wavering on His truth. But as usual.... I'm getting distracted from what I really wanted to write; go figure. here's what I really meant to write about.... from my journal yesterday...

... Another revelation, or realization I had today came when my best thoughts and most profound thoughts typically come; when I'm almost asleep. But it was so good, and I knew I'd forget it, so I rolled over and wrote it down quick. Maybe my equilibrium makes me think better when I'm laying down... who knows. : )

In any case, I realized one of the differences between life at home and life here. At home life seems to get in the way of God. Here, life is about God. There, I have to push things out of the way; work, relationships, everything, to get to God, to make room in my life for Him. But here, he's everywhere; He's an intricate part of everything; my relationships, my work. He's in what we study, what we talk about, what we listen to (mostly... with the exception of a country song every now and then. haha), he's in the places we go (again, mostly), He's everywhere. He IS life, he's not some little side-dish that we decide to put on our plate every so often. This is the way life was meant to be!!!! I love it!

I know that this isn't how it should be... I'm simply saying it's what I've realized. I'll let you know how I change that when I get home. But for now... praise God that life is how it should be. :) We serve an incredible God...... I feel like I've been saying that a lot lately; but it's so amazingly true!


here are some pictures I've taken in the last week; enjoy!

the ROCK - the free coffee shop YWAM runs on the busiest street (a night market) in DanShui, where I spend time each Monday and Wednesday night; ministering by building relationships (and teaching minimal english) with the Taiwanese.
Phoebe and I at the staff BBQ Friday night three of my new favorite women - Abigail (Malaysia), Rachel (singapore), and Koala (taiwan). rachel is my roommate and fellow DTS staff


my new little brother; Danny (Paraguayan, and Taiwanese)


please pray for this place... it's near recently dubbed "my spot" where I enjoy spending with the Lord, looking out onto the DanShui river. this is the community of outcasts in DanShui, many have handicaps of all sorts; and have been labeled "crazy"...many are beggars.

so tired!

it's 2:34am.... and I'm tired, my eyes are dry, I'm still hot, and my brain is fried.... I should sleep... how's that for a blog? :) Group culture demanded that I watch a movie (beginning at 12:45am, when I was already drained) with the other women of the DTS staff. And now I'm retiring to a plastic mattress..... sounds wonderful. (that wasn't sarcasm) Thanks for your prayers.. a real blog will come; tomorrow most likely.