To Our Praying Friends, December 2024
According to the renowned French scientist & philosopher, Blasé Pascal, “The incarnation shows man the greatness of his wretchedness through the greatness of the remedy required!”
Nancy & I are truly enjoying life! This past semester, Nancy had Bible studies on Zoom with moms & their kids from S. Korea: KYUNGA & her kids, HAJUN & CHLOE; MIJI & her kids, SOYOON & UCHEN; and SOYOUNG & her boys, JUWON & JUCHAN. Because Soyoung & her family attend a church in S. Korea, Nancy asked her to help the others find good churches near where they live in S. Korea. Nancy is encouraged that JUN, who is also from S. Korea, continues to love to learn Bible stories (via Zoom), & he tells his unsaved family about the Bible stories. Jun is also now attending a church with a friend!
The names of Nancy’s ESL (English as a Second Language) students who have attended her Bible study this past semester are: OLGA (whose husband died during Covid; she & her 10-year-old son escaped Ukraine on a train at the start of the war); NATALIA & ELENA (from Russia); LEXi, MEIHUA & XIA (from China); TUBA & MARYAM (from Afghanistan); PAULAMI (India); ISABEL (Argentina); NATSUKI, MICHI & YUKARI (Japan); LIYING (China); LARYSA (Belarus); MUNSUK (S. Korea); KARIME (Colombia) and TiNA (Taiwan). This is one of the best opportunities that we’ve ever had to share the Gospel with people from all over the world!
We’ve also enjoyed talking to students at our literature table. For example, a couple weeks ago, 3 students (who looked bratty) were very cordial. One of them said that she was raised Christian, & that she’s trying to determine which religion to follow. Later, KOLM stopped by & said that he was on his way to his Orthodox Church. A year ago, I warned Kolm that the Orthodox Church prays to Mary. This time, I warned him that the Orthodox Church subjects itself to several authorities: the Bible, Sacred Tradition, the Ecumenical Councils, the Church Fathers, etc. – in stark contrast to Sola Scriptura.
Last week, BEN asked what our display question on our lit table meant – [“Have you ever internalized the Christ of Christmas?”] After sharing the Gospel, Ben asked if his friend, who is a Jew, will go to hell. He also grabbed our “John 3:16” handout & said that he would give it to his Jewish friend; and he readily accepted our [Jesus is the] “Bridge” tract. Later, EDWiN (from Colombia) talked to us. I illustrated the answer to the question that we were displaying: “Internalizing Jesus is like a husband who internalizes his wife in his heart…”. Edwin is married to KUMiKO (from Japan) who we’ve mentioned several times in previous prayer letters. Kumiko is a Muslim, & we’ve talked many times about Islam. For example, I asked her: “Did the millions of people who lived before the Koran was written (in A.D. 600 when Muhammad lived) have an authoritative, reliable Holy Book?” When she & Muslims reply, “Yes, the Bible,” I frequently reply: “But the Bible says, dozens of times, that God has a Son, whereas the Koran says that God doesn’t have a son. So, if the Koran is right: 1) God / Allah waited until A.D. 600: to finally tell us that He didn’t have a son; 2) the Bible was wrong from the git go; so, the millions of people who lived before the Koran didn’t have an authoritative, reliable Holy Book. But, thankfully, those millions did have an authoritative, reliable Holy Book: the Bible!”
Later, THOMAS also stopped & talked to us at our lit table for a 20th time. Thomas argued that the Catholic Church teaches that justification happens at the end of life. So, I showed him multiple verses with verbs that show that a person can believe [present tense], now, & have [present tense] eternal life. Thomas then argued, “But a person can quit believing & lose eternal life.” I kindly replied, “But if a person can lose eternal life, then life wasn’t truly eternal to begin with…”. Yi frequently sits with us at our lit table. She’s a young Christian, & we’ve discipled her over the past year. Over Christmas Break, Yi’s unsaved mom, aunt & cousin will fly here from Vietnam, & Yi will be hosting them.
On Friday nights, we’re continuing to work with a Chinese Church. Several years ago, a fellow missionary told us that CAROLE would be a student at CU. A couple years later, she was saved & baptized; now she’s helping to lead the music on Friday nights. This fall, she’ll begin her PhD studies in medicine. We’ve also discipled RiCHARD; over Christmas Break, his unsaved parents will be visiting from China. And I’ve discussed Grudem’s, Systematic Theology with PAUL, as he’s pursuing vocational, full-time service. In previous prayer letters, we’ve asked you to pray that God will save HAiZiNG who attends the Chinese Bible Study every Friday night.
Over Thanksgiving Break, 8 people came to our home: (On the left in the pic), TUBA & her daughter (who are from Afghanistan & they’re Muslims), GRACE (from our church), LEXi & her husband, Xi, (from China), and SANTANU & his wife, PAULAMi, (from India), and SYLViA (on the right; she’s a Buddhist). Before dinner, as I was driving Santanu & Paulami (who are Hindus) to our home, I got to talk about Jesus & resurrection (in contrast to reincarnation)! After dinner & after playing Apples to Apples, as I was driving Xi & his wife home, I got to talk about God, sin & Jesus!
Today, Nancy will celebrate Christmas with her ESL students. And this Friday night, Nancy will go on a decorated house tour with her ESL students.
Our 4 daughters & their families are doing well. Highlights include: one of our grandsons got a full ride to pursue a PhD in the biomedical field; and our 9th grandchild was born. Some of our grandchildren need to be saved, & we all desperately need to be sanctified! Nancy’s mom is doing ok. My 94-year-old dad is preaching on Sunday mornings at his Care Center.
THANK YOU for your fervent prayers & generous financial support! We trust that you will glorify the Lord Jesus throughout this season!
Because of the Cradle, the Cross and the Empty Tomb,
Tom & Nancy Miller (U of Colorado in Boulder)
1634 Zinnia Cir. Lafayette, CO 303 579 1002
Baptist Mid-Missions; P.O. Box 308011; Cleveland, OH 44130-8011
P.S. Our email address is changing from tomnancy@colorado.edu to: ttomnancy@gmail.com