Dear Friends,

In light of the current situation with COVID-19, a group of us Christians are planning a time of fasting and prayer to entreat the Lord, who alone can control the situation. Many are suffering from fear, anxiety, stress, or even loss of their businesses or jobs. Regardless of our opinions on this virus, where it came from or why it is here, we as Christians know that God is the ultimate author of trials and we wish to join together and petition Him. He can do what humans or governments of the world cannot do. Many of us plan to fast from our midday meal on the 14th – 17th of April, and fast the entire day on the 18th. I would like to invite you to join us for as many days as you can, and you can tailor your own fast to whatever the Lord puts on your heart. Here are the main things we will be praying for:

• Peace for fearful Christians
• Provision for Christians who have had to close their businesses or have lost their jobs
• Christian courage to meet the needs of our now fearful society
• An evangelistic spirit in the hearts of us Christians
• That the unsaved will take this time to soften their hearts and minds to the truth of the Gospel
• Safety for those under the threat of domestic violence,
• Encouragement for those feeling hopeless as their broken relationships are even worse now
• Encouragement for those suffering from severe depression during this time
• Strength and salvation for those under great temptation during extra time away from work
• Salvation for those turning to things outside Jesus and the Bible for help, such as addictions to computers, alcohol, pornography, and drugs
• Healing and comfort for those suffering in illness or loss of love ones
• Endurance for front line workers such as medical professionals and even those working hard to keep our grocery stores stocked

I would also encourage you to use this time to:

• Reflect on your relationship with God: are you truly saved? Do you have assurance that God has really saved you?
• Reflect on your life: have you been following God whole-heartedly and trusting Him alone? Is there anything you need to change? Any sin you haven’t let go of yet? “The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much” (James 5:16b), but sin in our lives takes away the power of our prayers.
• Reflect on your relationships with your family and friends: are there any persons you need to forgive or ask forgiveness from? Is there anything you should say to certain people? Is there someone you could encourage? Someone who needs your help?
• Think about who you could share the Gospel with: is there an unsaved relative, friend, or co-worker you could call or email? If yes, then do it!

Perhaps now is the time for the beginning of a revival. Perhaps now is the time for the testing of Christians and their courage. May we pass the test, and be proved faithful to our Savior, Jesus Christ. “For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God…” 1 Peter 4:17

“For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.” Matthew 18:20

“For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.” 2 Timothy 1:7

“Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.” Matthew 6:31-33

“Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.” James 5:16

Please spread the word and invite your Christian friends to join us. Thank you!

 

Sincerely,

Tiffany Chan and Tabitha Koeppel

 

Here’s something I wrote over the weekend:

***

(WARNING: the following might be disturbing to some people, but I trust that it is no more disturbing than Jonathan Swift’s A Modest Proposal, after which my work is patterned.)

A Modest Proposal for Preventing the Spread of COVID-19 to all Humans and Animals, and for Making the Virus Beneficial to the World

By Ms. Tiffany Chan

It is a sad sight that confronts those who enter a place that has been touch by COVID-19. The empty streets, and silent houses, and the occasional dead person on the sidewalk all point to the utter devastation this virus brings. In other places, people turn into animals as they fight for the little that remain in grocery stores; it is even said that people have begun killing each other for a single roll of toilet paper. When people go back home, they are far from happy, even if they managed to take what they want; they are stuck in their homes, faced with themselves for more time than they care for, and haunted by the fear of catching the virus. Many will surely succumb to depression or even suicide.

Read more “A Modest Proposal”

A week or so ago, I went outside with my siblings to take a walk around the back of our 10 acre property. Here are some pictures!

Some pine cones:

(I find that reddish-brown color very pretty!)

And some trees (it’s either birches or aspens):

 

How is your spring coming along?

 

– Tiffany Chan

Happy New Year!

I would like to recommend some great books I came across in 2019; perhaps you will find the time to enjoy them in 2020.

 

Non-Fiction:

What’s Wrong with the World by G. K. Chesterton. Chesterton wrote this book more than 100 years ago, but read it and you will be amazed at how relevant it is to our present age; it is as if he was writing about the problems we have today. Chesterton writes in such a witty way that you can’t help but enjoy his writing. You would be glad you read this book, even if you don’t agree with him in the end. This is a book worth rereading over and over.

Stonewall Jackson: The Man, the Soldier, the Legend by James I. Robertson Jr. A good friend recommended this book to me, and I am sure glad I read it. Perhaps you have heard of Stonewall Jackson, perhaps you have an idea of what he did, but do you really know who he was and what he was like? Pick up a copy of this book, and read about a man who lived only for God, doing his duty at all costs. It is a large book; it might take you some time to go through it, but it will be worth it. There is much to be learned from the life of Stonewall Jackson.

Franz Liszt Trilogy (The Virtuoso Years, The Weimar Years, The Final Years) by Alan Walker. This trilogy was recommended to me by my piano teacher. I thoroughly enjoyed reading these three books. Liszt is a very fascinating person, and so is his life. It is always interesting to read the story behind the music you play or listen to.

Spy Handler: Memoir of a KGB Officer: The True Story of the Man Who Recruited Robert Hanssen and Aldrich Ames by Victor Cherkashin and Gregory Feifer. I have always been very interested in Cold War Espionage, and this year I finally got around to doing a study on it. I thoroughly enjoyed my study; it is all so fascinating, and I learned much about human nature and about what humans (and governments) are capable of. This book by Cherkashin was the first one I read on this topic, and it is a great book; I will definitely be rereading it.  Cherkashin was the (Soviet) handler of high-profile spies such as Hanssen and Ames, and here he documents his experience. If you enjoy books on spies and espionage, you will enjoy this book.

A Spy Among Friends: Kim Philby and the Great Betrayal by Ben Macintyre. During my study of Cold War Espionage, I read quite a few books on the subject, and this book stands out as my second favorite (after Spy Handler). The book is about master spy Kim Philby of MI6, who was actually a KGB agent all along. To me, he is the most fascinating and interesting spy from the Cold War. If you are interested in reading more about him, you can also check out his book My Silent War: The Autobiography of a Spy, which was published by the KGB (!), just so you know, but it is an interesting read as well; Philby had absolutely no remorse for what he did, well, at least according to his book anyways.

 

Fiction:

The Man Who was Thursday: A Nightmare by G. K. Chesterton. Chesterton here again! I discovered him this year, and I absolutely love his writings. This book is currently my favorite novel by Chesterton. It is somewhat fantastical, and is quite an interesting book.

The Phantom of the Opera by Gaston Leroux. This was a recommendation from a dear friend of mine. I enjoyed this book a lot. It is a very sad story; it is also somewhat creepy, and might be scary for some people, but I love the story.

The Mountain Fortress: Escape to the Outback by John J. Horn. If you haven’t heard of John Horn, you really should check him out! My sister did an interview with him in 2017. I love all his books, and I was very excited when I saw that the fourth book in his Men of Grit Series was released in 2019. And I was not disappointed! The Mountain Fortress is just as good as all his other books, full of wit, humor, and good-natured sarcasm. Anyone who likes adventure books with good Christian messages must read this book… and the other three books in the series. You won’t regret it!

 

May God bless you all in 2020!!!

 

– Tiffany Chan