Justin Taylor, writing with for The Gospel Coalition blog, summarizes Jeremy Lin's difficult rise to make any NBA team and recent advancement to the limelight.  More importantly, he also shares a little of Lin's faith in Jesus.  During an interview while Lin was in college at Harvard, he describes how basketball and faith were integrated in his life.  

"Society focuses so much on individual stats and wins and losses.  To a certain extent, you can control those things.  But to play for God means to leave the records and the statistics up to Him and give your best effort and allow God to figure out whether you win or lose, whether you play or shoot the ball well that game.  So I just try to make sure that I work hard and in a godly way.  I prepare myself as well as I can, and at every point during the game I try to submit myself to God and let Him use me."  (Evangelical Portal Interview)

Please pray for Jeremy as he has risen to stardom and grows in influence in the lives of Taiwanese young people!  

If you want to read more of the interview about Lin, click on the following links: Interview Part 1 and Interview Part 2.  The Gospel Coalition article is "The Faith of Jeremy Lin: An Interview."

Prayercast has produced a great video to share ways to pray for Taiwan.  Please become a prayer partner for Taiwan!  If you would like to receive prayer updates, send me a message through the partnership page and we will include you in the monthly updates.  

Jeremy Lin is interviewed by ESPN about his recent success with the New York Knicks.  It is really fun to see him do well recently after being cut by several teams over the past couple years.  He is turning out to be a great basketball player and honor for many Taiwanese basketball fans!

I've just returned from a three-day retreat for our students, and we are excited to have had 14 students and six leaders.  We had a great time of fellowship, planning for the semester, personal prayer time, and sightseeing in the local area.  I am very excited that relationally, logistically, and spiritually, we are starting the semester with a good foundation. And today the students started classes! 

-Jeannie

Dear Praying Friends, 
 
On my "real" desktop, I have a verse that reminds me of what I desire my determined purpose to be:
 
"[For my determined purpose is] that I may know Him (Christ) [that I may progressively become more deeply and intimately acquainted with Him, perceiving and recognizing and understanding the wonders of His Person more strongly and more clearly], and that I may in that same way come to know the power outflowing from His resurrection [which it exerts over believers], and that I may so share His sufferings as to be continually transformed [in spirit into His likeness even] to His death."  (Philippians 3:10, Amplified Translation)
 
This verse is the Spring Semester Theme for our Navigator Fellowship at National Changhua University of Education, which beings with our 3-day "Kick-Off Retreat" tomorrow. This verse is also the daily prayer focus for the Taiwan Navs during March and April.
 
As you read about Paul's determined purpose, would you pray it becomes ours as well?
 
Thanks for bringing us before the Throne,
 
Dan and Grace

This Saturday afternoon (2/18), New Life will have an outreach event at Central Park. We will meet in the Upper Room at 3:30pm to pray and gather materials and leave at 3:50 to go to Central Park. We will walk around the park, make friends, and hopefully have opportunities to share Good News with people we meet, and invite them to our anniversary service the next day. The outreach will last until around 5:30pm.

2/18 新生命將會在中央公園分享福音。下午3:30，我們會在11F的會議室集合，禱告和拿需要的東西，在3:50去中央公園。我們會在公園附近走走，交朋友並希望有機會與我們見面的人分享福音，並邀請他們到我們隔天的週年記念曰。福音分享到下午5:30左右。

This Sunday (2/19), New Life will celebrate its 3rd Anniversary! We hope you will be able to invite family and friends to join us. After the worship service, we will have a pot luck meal. Because we are anticipating a large crowd, plan to bring enough food for yourself and several others. We especially will need main dishes.

2/19 新生命將慶祝三週年的成立。我們希望您可以邀請家人和朋友加入我們的行列。敬拜後，我們會一起享用 “分享餐”(每人帶一道菜/甜點來分享)。因為我們預測會有許多人，請帶足夠的食物給您自己和幾個其他的人。我們特別需要的是主菜。

Dear Praying Friends,
Do you remember those first few hours, or days, when you became aware of all Jesus had done for you on the cross?  Isn’t it breath-taking, as you think back to the moment you realized how he paid the penalty for your sin.  Then the ensuing feeling of gratitude and peace that followed when he filled your desperate need with his grace and freedom.  It is very exciting to remember our personal stories and also observe God unfolding a new story of grace before our eyes in a friend’s life!  

Thank you for praying for us in the Brothers’ Discipleship House!  We have been praising God this semester for opportunities to be used together as a team to lead our classmates and friends in Bible discussions about Jesus.  We are seeing students regularly return to interact with God’s Word as Jesus feeds the deepest longings of their hearts.  

It has been a huge blessing for me to walk with James (Guanyu), Andy (Yuanrong), Charmy (Fangen), Joseph (Pingchuen) and a few of the ladies as they learn to guide their classmates to examine the Bible.  I have witnessed their growing enthusiasm to share the gospel.  God has also been teaching us how to patiently explain his Word as we live out Christlike lives around campus!  I am particularly thankful that each one of these guys are being equipped for a lifetime of personally following God and helping others know Christ too.  Thank you for your precious prayers!  

Prayer & Praise Highlights
Guys’ Bible Study
Guanyu (James), Yuanrong (Andy), Fangen (Charmy), Pinchuen (Joseph) are stepping out in faith as a team to lead their fellow students in weekly Bible discussions.  We are praying that each student would have an opportunity to interact with the Scriptures and Jesus!   
University Student Fellowship
God is feeding the students through his Word!  Each week we have seen new students join us, and then bring other new students, as we examine the conversations Jesus had with different people in the Gospels.  Please pray each student would realize the eternal relevance of Jesus in their lives.  
Chinese Language
Thank you for your faithful prayers for my Chinese language studies.  I am still working hard at practicing whenever I have opportunities.  Recently I purchased a Chinese Bible to help learn God’s Word in Chinese.  Please pray that I can start to internalize his Word in Chinese to be able to share with friends!
Changhua Church
Our Changhua Navigator Discipleship Center is seeking opportunities during December  to share the true meaning of Christmas with family, friends, neighbors, and coworkers.  Please pray for each of us to be brave sharing about Jesus in our ‘insider’ relationships.   
(Church website: www.chnavs.org)  
Dava and I
Thank you for your prayers and encouragement for us as we have tried our best to relate to one another across the Pacific through Skype.  We are praying as God leads as a couple that we would learn to serve and honor him together!  I am very excited to see her again this December!    

Praying Forward:
• Developing gospel relationships with Taiwanese friends
• Home assignment position in NavMissions: Associate Director of Short-Term Missions
• Refreshing time in the Word and growing relationship with God
• Move to Amarillo, Texas to continue to seek God regarding future with Dava
• Resettlement transition and needs
• Developmental training and preparation for future ministry in Taiwan
• Part-time job to supplement support needs
• 25 or more friends to join monthly support and prayer team
Thank you so much for praying for the advancement of the gospel in Taiwan!  I would love to share a little more about how you could join me in prayer.  Please also let me know how I could be praying for you during December.  Have a great Christmas with all your family and friends!  I hope to hear from you soon!

Merry Christmas,  Eric

Prayer video from a couple of friends in Taipei, helping in the Wanhua District.  

Thank you all for your prayers for Trinity Church in Texas that partners with the churches in Taichung each year.  For the first time, the team spent some time here in the fall with students at the PE College and in Beitun with Pastor Phillip (probably a great relief from the summer heat!).  Please pray that the contacts and new believers at the PE College would continue to grow in their faith through God's leading as they study the Bible with Glenda.  Please also pray for those believers living here helping these students grow in their faith: Glenda, Kyle and Jenny.  

Dear Praying Friends, 

Thank you all for your prayers as I made the long journey back to Taiwan. It was great to be home for a few weeks this summer to spend time with so many friends. But I know there were also many people that I didn’t get a chance to visit with while back and hope to be able to catch up with you soon too. I couldn’t have asked for a better time while in MN. The temperatures over the summer were perfect and most of the time with the high heat and humidity, I felt like I was back in Taiwan! I want to share a little of how God refreshed me while visiting and ask for prayer as I seek to follow after Him.

God’s Great Commission
And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” - Matthew 28:18-20

During the short time home, God overwhelmed me through the preaching of His Word and worshipping together in English! While in Colorado, I heard an encouraging message from Jerry Bridges about the Great Commission. He urged us all to PLEAD God for the FULFILLMENT of the Great Commission. As he spoke the words about how God directed Joshua to lead the Israelites in defeating their enemies and settling the Promised Land... I imagined all God has been doing in Changhua over the past several years in my life and the lives of those in our church. God helped Joshua see what He had accomplished (so he could praise God) and then showed him what was still before them to do. While sharing with everyone about everything happening in Taiwan, God reminded me of what He has accomplished in my life and is revealing to me the things He still wants to do for His own glory and from His greatness! He has already taken church-plant in Changhua through many steps that have sometimes brought us to tears, humbled us in our dependence on Him, or given us reason to rejoice together in praise; and is laying before us how He wants to help us continue to walk forward in faith. I am thankful God is faithfully working out his plan in all of our lives. I am also thankful His work is not yet finished (but eager to see the Day!), because there will be so many more Taiwanese worshipping with us for all eternity in heaven! Let’s not forget the hope we have in Christ and keep PLEADING God for the FULFILLMENT of HIS COMMISSION while encouraging one another as HIS DAY APPROACHES! 

Thank you also for many of you who have been sacrificing financially to be apart of the His Great Commission in Taiwan. Over the past two years, God has been faithful in showing me how he provides! I invite you to praise him for his great and timely provision. I also invite you to join me in praying for a few new regular supporters. As I seek to follow God into the future, there is need for growth of new supporters over the next year. Thank you for your willingness to pray and trust God with me as he provides! 

MN, CO, MN, TX, MN …
There were so many things that I would have liked to do while home, desiring most to spend some good time with family and friends. I was able to see my Grandma down in Southern Minnesota. At the age of 92, each visit helps continue to create memories as we face the challenges of old age. My sister, Christina, flew in from Seattle for a short visit. Carolee was in Minnesota and working at the hospital! It’s a great feeling having the entire family together for the first time in several years! It has been good to see some of the changes around town too. Unfortunately, the Twins weren’t really competitive this season, but that also means their tickets were really cheap and I was able to see the new stadium for the first time. Ice cream and dinner with friends have made me think of when I can get back out on the soccer field for some good exercise again.

God has been asking me to step out in faith in other areas of my life over the last year. During these weeks, I was able to spend a lot of time with Dava. If you had an opportunity to meet her while we were in Minnesota or Texas, Dava’s bright smile and joyful attitude would certainly be fixed in your memory! The time together was truly precious after spending many months using Skype to communicate. Please pray for Dava and I as we seek God’s leading for the future and desire to honor him in our relationship! 

Back to Taiwan
The return back to Taiwan seems to come quicker each time I visit. I am thankful for all that I was able to do while in the States and sad for the people who I couldn’t visit. But I am also eager to return to the guys I love in Taiwan. This week, we will start to meet incoming new students. Please pray as I jump right back into the beginning of the school year. Please especially pray for young men to respond to Jesus’ gospel call and commit their lives to him!

In Christ Jesus, 

Eric