Dear Father, I love the teaching style of Jesus, particularly because He used parables to make illustrations, and from these parables, so much can be deduced. Today, I pondered the Parable of the Talents, which says: “The kingdom of heaven is as a man travelling into a far country, who called his servants and entrusted his goods unto them. He gave one five talents, another two, and another one. The one with five talents traded and gained five more talents, and he that had received two also gained two more. The last one did nothing with what he was given…” However, between the periods of receiving the talents and the reward lies a season of struggle. Such great conversions are not instantaneous; if they were, they would all have brought back returns. And perhaps the five talents measured as returns for the five given were not a literal representation of how his harvest was without losses. Perhaps, in the process of conversion, he gained some harvests and some lessons. And perhaps both the losses and the fruits are counted as gains in this kingdom. In seamlessly telling the story, He had no intention of bypassing the struggle; He left us to discern the various ways in which it applies: that both the fruits and the losses are counted as gains in this kingdom, so long as we proceed-- not to bury what has been entrusted to us, but to put it to use. I’d like to write You about the struggles and the losses I’ve encountered, and how all people see are the fruits. But do I need to? When most of all, You see how in the midst of all these, I’ve grown.

Are there Japan's in the house? 父なる神様へ 私はイエス様の教え方が大好きです。特に、イエス様がたとえ話を用いて物事を示されたことが好きです。そして、そのたとえ話から、実に多くのことを読み取ることができます。今日、私は「タラントのたとえ」について思い巡らしました。それはこう語っています。「天の御国は、旅に出る人が、自分のしもべたちを呼んで、自分の財産を彼らに託したようなものです。彼は、一人には五タラント、もう一人には二タラント、そしてもう一人には一タラントを与えました。五タラントを受け取った者は、それを用いてさらに五タラントを得、二タラントを受け取った者も、さらに二タラントを得ました。しかし、最後の者は、自分に与えられたものを何もしませんでした……」 けれども、タラントを受け取る時と、その報いを受ける時との間には、苦闘の季節があります。このような大きな変化が、一瞬のうちに起こるわけではありません。もしそうであるなら、彼らは皆、同じように実りを持ち帰っていたことでしょう。 そして、五タラントを与えられた者がさらに五タラントを得たということも、彼の収穫に一度も損失がなかったことを文字どおり表しているのではないのかもしれません。もしかすると、変化していく過程の中で、彼はいくつかの実りを得ると同時に、いくつもの教訓も得たのかもしれません。そして、この御国においては、その教訓も実りも、ともに「得たもの」として数えられるのかもしれません。 イエス様は、物語をあまりにも自然に語られたため、その過程にある苦闘を省くつもりはなかったのだと思います。むしろ私たちに、それがどのように当てはまるのかを見分ける余地を残されたのではないでしょうか。つまり、この御国においては、実りも教訓も、ともに得たものとして数えられる。ただし、私たちが、託されたものを土に埋めてしまうのではなく、それを用い続けるならば。 私はあなたに、私が経験してきた苦闘や、そこから学んできた教訓について書きたいと思います。そして、人々の目に映るのは実りだけなのだということも。 けれども、私はそれを書く必要があるのでしょうか。 何よりもあなたは、そのすべてのただ中で、私がどれほど成長してきたのかを ご覧になっているのですから。

Dear Father, I love the teaching style of Jesus, particularly because He used parables to make illustrations, and from these parables, so much can be deduced. Today, I pondered the Parable of the Talents, which says: “The kingdom of heaven is as a man travelling into a far country, who called his servants and entrusted his goods unto them. He gave one five talents, another two, and another one. The one with five talents traded and gained five more talents, and he that had received two also gained two more. The last one did nothing with what he was given…” However, between the periods of receiving the talents and the reward lies a season of struggle. Such great conversions are not instantaneous; if they were, they would all have brought back returns. And perhaps the five talents measured as returns for the five given were not a literal representation of how his harvest was without losses. Perhaps, in the process of conversion, he gained some harvests and some lessons. And perhaps both the lessons and the fruits are counted as gains in this kingdom. In seamlessly telling the story, He had no intention of bypassing the struggle; He left us to discern the various ways in which it applies: that both the fruits and the lessons are counted as gains in this kingdom, so long as we proceed-- not to bury what has been entrusted to us, but to put it to use. I’d like to write You about the struggles and the lessons I’ve encountered, and how all people see are the fruits. But do I need to? When most of all, You see how in the midst of all these, I’ve grown. Translations; Slide 1: English Slide 2: French Slide 3: Bengali Slide 4: Hindi Slide 5: Urdu #LettertoGod #stewardship #purpose #gifts #talents

Dear Father, I love the teaching style of Jesus, particularly because He used parables to make illustrations, and from these parables, so much can be deduced. Today, I pondered the Parable of the Talents, which says: “The kingdom of heaven is as a man travelling into a far country, who called his servants and entrusted his goods unto them. He gave one five talents, another two, and another one. The one with five talents traded and gained five more talents, and he that had received two also gained two more. The last one did nothing with what he was given…” However, between the periods of receiving the talents and the reward lies a season of struggle. Such great conversions are not instantaneous; if they were, they would all have brought back returns. And perhaps the five talents measured as returns for the five given were not a literal representation of how his harvest was without losses. Perhaps, in the process of conversion, he gained some harvests and some lessons. And perhaps both the lessons and the fruits are counted as gains in this kingdom. In seamlessly telling the story, He had no intention of bypassing the struggle; He left us to discern the various ways in which it applies: that both the fruits and the lessons are counted as gains in this kingdom, so long as we proceed-- not to bury what has been entrusted to us, but to put it to use. I’d like to write You about the struggles and the lessons I’ve encountered, and how all people see are the fruits. But do I need to? When most of all, You see how in the midst of all these, I’ve grown. Translations; Slide 1: English Slide 2: French Slide 3: Bengali Slide 4: Hindi Slide 5: Urdu #LettertoGod #stewardship #purpose #gifts #talents

Dear Father, Yesterday, I learned that there is a Jewish rabbinic belief that the Amalekites were associated with sorcery and could disguise themselves as animals. I don't know how true this is, but I pondered on it, particularly because Your instruction to King Saul, when he was commanded to destroy the Amalekites, was to “Go and smite Amalek, and utterly destroy all that they have, and slay both man and woman, infant and suckling, ox and sheep, camel and ass.” There are other instances where You gave similar instructions, but this one stands out to me, especially because Saul disobeyed: “And spared the best of the sheep, oxen, fatlings, and the lambs, and all that was good, and did not utterly destroy them.” Sadly, all that seemed good to them was included in the instruction for destruction. What if there was more to the destruction of the animals than the superficial destruction of animals? What if, in their disobedience, they opened themselves up to witchcraft? One of the greatest obstacles to obeying divine instructions is our need to understand and make sense of them. In doing so, we sometimes modify them, often without realizing that there may be a bigger picture on the other side of our obedience. And In our lifetime, we may never fully comprehend the consequences or obstructions caused by our disobedience because, for us, it may just be a harmless and continual exchange of devotion with You for rest, and many other scenarios that apply. But perhaps the biggest problem with our disobedience is that we do not always see the bigger picture. Translations; Slide 1: English Slide 2: French Slide 3: Bengali Slide 4: Hindi Slide 5: Urdu Slide 6: Portuguese #LettertoGod #obedience #consequences #instructions #devotion

Dear Father, Yesterday, I learned that there is a Jewish rabbinic belief that the Amalekites were associated with sorcery and could disguise themselves as animals. I don't know how true this is, but I pondered on it, particularly because Your instruction to King Saul, when he was commanded to destroy the Amalekites, was to “Go and smite Amalek, and utterly destroy all that they have, and slay both man and woman, infant and suckling, ox and sheep, camel and ass.” There are other instances where You gave similar instructions, but this one stands out to me, especially because Saul disobeyed: “And spared the best of the sheep, oxen, fatlings, and the lambs, and all that was good, and did not utterly destroy them.” Sadly, all that seemed good to them was included in the instruction for destruction. What if there was more to the destruction of the animals than the superficial destruction of animals? What if, in their disobedience, they opened themselves up to witchcraft? One of the greatest obstacles to obeying divine instructions is our need to understand and make sense of them. In doing so, we sometimes modify them, often without realizing that there may be a bigger picture on the other side of our obedience. And In our lifetime, we may never fully comprehend the consequences or obstructions caused by our disobedience because, for us, it may just be a harmless and continual exchange of devotion with You for rest, and many other scenarios that apply. But perhaps the biggest problem with our disobedience is that we do not always see the bigger picture. Translations; Slide 1: English Slide 2: French Slide 3: Bengali Slide 4: Hindi Slide 5: Urdu Slide 6: Portuguese #LettertoGod #obedience #consequences #instructions #devotion

Dear Father, I have questions from a Scripture which says, “if he did not spare the ancient world when he brought the flood on its ungodly people, but protected Noah, a preacher of righteousness, and seven others.” It states that Noah was a preacher of righteousness, which could mean, the people who were destroyed were not left without a word to turn them from their unrighteousness. Still, only Noah and his family were saved. Does this really mean there was no one else who, on the strength of his relationship with You, received information that could have saved himself and his family too? Was it a matter of the voice of the majority often carrying the greatest influence? I would like to infer that the ark was no secret at all. For something that had never existed before, its construction may have been public knowledge. And yet, not one more soul was saved. Or perhaps this was about the arrogance of intelligence--that dismisses as unreasonable anything that is beyond the natural. It’s sad to communicate this, Father. I see the very same pattern in the world today: preachers of righteousness, seen as fools for committing to build for a cause the world does not yet understand. “Why should we prepare for a flood when we’ve never even seen rain?” Living as though all they know is all there is to know about a life they have no idea how they came about living. And others who know, but would rather ride the train of the majority. How difficult can it be to seek You out for ourselves? Yet, while in uncertainty, we make decisions and leave matters of eternity to chance. What if, just what if, the flood was true, and the fire the Bible prophesies is also true? Perhaps history will repeat itself again. Translations; Slide 1: English Slide 2: French Slide 3: Bengali Slide 4: Hindi Slide 5: Urdu Slide 6: Portuguese #LettertoGod #Noahstory #theflood #unrighteousness #biblestory

Dear Father, I have questions from a Scripture which says, “if he did not spare the ancient world when he brought the flood on its ungodly people, but protected Noah, a preacher of righteousness, and seven others.” It states that Noah was a preacher of righteousness, which could mean, the people who were destroyed were not left without a word to turn them from their unrighteousness. Still, only Noah and his family were saved. Does this really mean there was no one else who, on the strength of his relationship with You, received information that could have saved himself and his family too? Was it a matter of the voice of the majority often carrying the greatest influence? I would like to infer that the ark was no secret at all. For something that had never existed before, its construction may have been public knowledge. And yet, not one more soul was saved. Or perhaps this was about the arrogance of intelligence--that dismisses as unreasonable anything that is beyond the natural. It’s sad to communicate this, Father. I see the very same pattern in the world today: preachers of righteousness, seen as fools for committing to build for a cause the world does not yet understand. “Why should we prepare for a flood when we’ve never even seen rain?” Living as though all they know is all there is to know about a life they have no idea how they came about living. And others who know, but would rather ride the train of the majority. How difficult can it be to seek You out for ourselves? Yet, while in uncertainty, we make decisions and leave matters of eternity to chance. What if, just what if, the flood was true, and the fire the Bible prophesies is also true? Perhaps history will repeat itself again. Translations; Slide 1: English Slide 2: French Slide 3: Bengali Slide 4: Hindi Slide 5: Urdu Slide 6: Portuguese #LettertoGod #Noahstory #theflood #unrighteousness #biblestory

Dear Father, My big brother taught me something, and today, I came across it in Scripture. When Samson was about to be born, an angel appeared to his mother, saying, “Behold now, thou art barren, and bearest not: but thou shalt conceive, and bear a son.” It gets interesting when, after she narrated this to her husband, Manoah prayed, saying, “O my Lord, let the man of God which thou didst send come again unto us, and teach us what we shall do unto the child that shall be born.” And He came. This Scripture speaks to me because I often have dreams at night that later come to pass. However, I have noticed that they are often progressive; they reveal themselves in fragments and scenes, and sometimes, I am only able to make sense of a dream after it has recurred two or three times. I never knew there was more to this, even as it relates to dreams, until I was taught about relationship and interaction with You. How aware are we that we can make requests and follow up on something we do not yet fully understand? Perhaps we often run with incomplete information because, when You say, “Go,” You are also interested in telling us “How?” and “When?” And an ongoing conversation with You becomes a pathway to a deeper relationship with You. Is this not also true of our relationships? A break in communication with someone we love may raise cause for concern. Except we do not believe in what we build with You. How best can I communicate this? That scenes of dreams are pieced together and in reality they sometimes occur at once. That You reveal secrets to the ones who always come knocking. Translations; Slide 1: English Slide 2: French Slide 3: Bengali Slide 4: Hindi Slide 5: Urdu Slide 6: Portuguese #LettertoGod #relationship #interractions #dreams #vision

Dear Father, My big brother taught me something, and today, I came across it in Scripture. When Samson was about to be born, an angel appeared to his mother, saying, “Behold now, thou art barren, and bearest not: but thou shalt conceive, and bear a son.” It gets interesting when, after she narrated this to her husband, Manoah prayed, saying, “O my Lord, let the man of God which thou didst send come again unto us, and teach us what we shall do unto the child that shall be born.” And He came. This Scripture speaks to me because I often have dreams at night that later come to pass. However, I have noticed that they are often progressive; they reveal themselves in fragments and scenes, and sometimes, I am only able to make sense of a dream after it has recurred two or three times. I never knew there was more to this, even as it relates to dreams, until I was taught about relationship and interaction with You. How aware are we that we can make requests and follow up on something we do not yet fully understand? Perhaps we often run with incomplete information because, when You say, “Go,” You are also interested in telling us “How?” and “When?” And an ongoing conversation with You becomes a pathway to a deeper relationship with You. Is this not also true of our relationships? A break in communication with someone we love may raise cause for concern. Except we do not believe in what we build with You. How best can I communicate this? That scenes of dreams are pieced together and in reality they sometimes occur at once. That You reveal secrets to the ones who always come knocking. Translations; Slide 1: English Slide 2: French Slide 3: Bengali Slide 4: Hindi Slide 5: Urdu Slide 6: Portuguese #LettertoGod #relationship #interractions #dreams #vision

Dear Father, You instructed a young prophet, saying, “Thou shalt eat no bread, nor drink water there, nor turn again to go by the way that thou camest.” But there was an old prophet who came and misled him, saying, “I am a prophet also as thou art; and an angel spake unto me by the word of the LORD, saying, Bring him back with thee into thine house, that he may eat bread and drink water.” But he lied to him. This very act cost the young prophet his life. The unsettling part of this story is that the Scripture refers to a man who caused the downfall of another in the same field he operated, a prophet! I strongly believe in and advocate for mentorship, and a model who has gone before us often has greater influence on our decisions, especially when its a trusted voice. Today, I am concerned about people we look up to, whose words of direction and contributions to our assignment, although genuine, may lead us astray. I think of those moments in our destiny when, in what seems like a dilemma, we must choose between obedience to You and what appears to be rebellion against a trusted voice. And like the younger prophet, we may be faced with the risk of letting our guard down. How can we, in such situations, know which way to go? Especially when what they talk us into is not bad in itself. If a man who clearly heard You fell victim, how can we trust our own discernment? I do not have all the answers, Father. But I have developed a pattern: whenever I experience contradictions, to always check back with You. I believe in mentorship, but I also believe that every trusted voice may not always speak a trusted word. Translations; Slide 1: English Slide 2: French Slide 3: Bengali Slide 4: Hindi Slide 5: Urdu #LettertoGod #mentorship #instructions #dilemma #obedience

Dear Father, You instructed a young prophet, saying, “Thou shalt eat no bread, nor drink water there, nor turn again to go by the way that thou camest.” But there was an old prophet who came and misled him, saying, “I am a prophet also as thou art; and an angel spake unto me by the word of the LORD, saying, Bring him back with thee into thine house, that he may eat bread and drink water.” But he lied to him. This very act cost the young prophet his life. The unsettling part of this story is that the Scripture refers to a man who caused the downfall of another in the same field he operated, a prophet! I strongly believe in and advocate for mentorship, and a model who has gone before us often has greater influence on our decisions, especially when its a trusted voice. Today, I am concerned about people we look up to, whose words of direction and contributions to our assignment, although genuine, may lead us astray. I think of those moments in our destiny when, in what seems like a dilemma, we must choose between obedience to You and what appears to be rebellion against a trusted voice. And like the younger prophet, we may be faced with the risk of letting our guard down. How can we, in such situations, know which way to go? Especially when what they talk us into is not bad in itself. If a man who clearly heard You fell victim, how can we trust our own discernment? I do not have all the answers, Father. But I have developed a pattern: whenever I experience contradictions, to always check back with You. I believe in mentorship, but I also believe that every trusted voice may not always speak a trusted word. Translations; Slide 1: English Slide 2: French Slide 3: Bengali Slide 4: Hindi Slide 5: Urdu #LettertoGod #mentorship #instructions #dilemma #obedience

Dear Father, Edmund Gettier, a philosopher, proposed an addition to the concept of epistemology-- the study of knowledge, when he argued that a person can believe something without knowing it, but no one can claim to know something without believing it. How true is this of humanity? There is also a branch of epistemology called empiricism, which supports the idea that the most reliable source of human knowledge is experience or sensory perceptions. My problem with this view is that it limits the truth of humanity’s existence to what is attainable in his lifetime. I was reminded of Thomas, who, when the other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord!” responded, “Unless I see the nail marks in His hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into His side, I will not believe.” The issue, however, lies not in the limitations that exist in obtaining the experience needed for an unwavering belief in You, but in how willing we are to pay the price to know what we have always believed. It is true that many of us are like Thomas, with certain doubts and confusions, believing in Jesus but not all that He purports to represent. Perhaps this is what Edmund communicates: that there is a risk in believing when sufficient knowledge is lacking. Isn’t this one of the reasons we struggle with our faith? Isn’t this the reason we doubt-- asking questions without necessarily seeking answers? Today, I took it upon myself to reflect on how much I have put into knowing all that I believe about You. Translations; Slide 1: English Slide 2: French Slide 3: Bengali Slide 4: Hindi Slide 5: Urdu Slide 6: Portuguese #LettertoGod #believe #knowledge #doubt #Thomasstory

Dear Father, Edmund Gettier, a philosopher, proposed an addition to the concept of epistemology-- the study of knowledge, when he argued that a person can believe something without knowing it, but no one can claim to know something without believing it. How true is this of humanity? There is also a branch of epistemology called empiricism, which supports the idea that the most reliable source of human knowledge is experience or sensory perceptions. My problem with this view is that it limits the truth of humanity’s existence to what is attainable in his lifetime. I was reminded of Thomas, who, when the other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord!” responded, “Unless I see the nail marks in His hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into His side, I will not believe.” The issue, however, lies not in the limitations that exist in obtaining the experience needed for an unwavering belief in You, but in how willing we are to pay the price to know what we have always believed. It is true that many of us are like Thomas, with certain doubts and confusions, believing in Jesus but not all that He purports to represent. Perhaps this is what Edmund communicates: that there is a risk in believing when sufficient knowledge is lacking. Isn’t this one of the reasons we struggle with our faith? Isn’t this the reason we doubt-- asking questions without necessarily seeking answers? Today, I took it upon myself to reflect on how much I have put into knowing all that I believe about You. Translations; Slide 1: English Slide 2: French Slide 3: Bengali Slide 4: Hindi Slide 5: Urdu Slide 6: Portuguese #LettertoGod #believe #knowledge #doubt #Thomasstory

Dear Father, In discussing the life of Jesus, I am first occupied with His purpose on earth and then with the miracles He performed. It is so easy to sum up His entire life in redemption and the working of miracles while not paying attention to His heart. Jesus was perhaps the Man who experienced the greatest disappointment in His dealings with people, yet because of His divinity, we often pay less attention to His humanity. Perhaps the deepest hurt is borne by the strongest hearts and still goes unnoticed. After all, no one goes seeking the weakness in strength. When Judas, one of Jesus’ disciples, went with the high priest and soldiers to betray Jesus, the Scripture says, “Judas came to Jesus, and said, Hail, master; and kissed him. And Jesus said unto him, Friend, wherefore art thou come? Then came they, and laid hands on Jesus, and took him.” Jesus knew He was being betrayed, yet He called him “friend.” If it were not Jesus, I would assume it was a sarcastic word. But it wasn’t. In one word, Jesus revealed the state of His own heart, creating a new pattern for friendship: "Your act of betrayal may have changed you, but it hasn’t changed me." This is very profound because I respond to changing times in my relationships, not just outwardly, but also inwardly. I get hurt, I withdraw myself, I experience disgust, and one thing I would never do is call a betrayer a friend! But perhaps Jesus teaches us to guard our hearts. Perhaps because disappointments may change a man faster than resolutions. Perhaps this is His way of saying, “You can be hurt and still not be changed.” But how many of us bear so much hurt that we do not even recognize ourselves anymore? Father, what is the state of our hearts? Translations: Slide 1: English Slide 2: French Slide 3: Bengali Slide 4: Hindi Slide 5: Urdu Slide 6: Portuguese #LettertoGod #friendship #hurts #weakness #disciplesofJesus

Dear Father, In discussing the life of Jesus, I am first occupied with His purpose on earth and then with the miracles He performed. It is so easy to sum up His entire life in redemption and the working of miracles while not paying attention to His heart. Jesus was perhaps the Man who experienced the greatest disappointment in His dealings with people, yet because of His divinity, we often pay less attention to His humanity. Perhaps the deepest hurt is borne by the strongest hearts and still goes unnoticed. After all, no one goes seeking the weakness in strength. When Judas, one of Jesus’ disciples, went with the high priest and soldiers to betray Jesus, the Scripture says, “Judas came to Jesus, and said, Hail, master; and kissed him. And Jesus said unto him, Friend, wherefore art thou come? Then came they, and laid hands on Jesus, and took him.” Jesus knew He was being betrayed, yet He called him “friend.” If it were not Jesus, I would assume it was a sarcastic word. But it wasn’t. In one word, Jesus revealed the state of His own heart, creating a new pattern for friendship: "Your act of betrayal may have changed you, but it hasn’t changed me." This is very profound because I respond to changing times in my relationships, not just outwardly, but also inwardly. I get hurt, I withdraw myself, I experience disgust, and one thing I would never do is call a betrayer a friend! But perhaps Jesus teaches us to guard our hearts. Perhaps because disappointments may change a man faster than resolutions. Perhaps this is His way of saying, “You can be hurt and still not be changed.” But how many of us bear so much hurt that we do not even recognize ourselves anymore? Father, what is the state of our hearts? Translations: Slide 1: English Slide 2: French Slide 3: Bengali Slide 4: Hindi Slide 5: Urdu Slide 6: Portuguese #LettertoGod #friendship #hurts #weakness #disciplesofJesus

Dear Father, I find the story of Jacob interesting, where he obtained greater flocks from Laban, his mother's brother, as a reward for his labor. The agreement between them was that all the speckled, spotted, and brown animals would be given as Jacob's wages, while Laban would retain the pure colored animals. At first, Jacob admits that his choice of speckled flocks was influenced by what You revealed to him in his dream; however, he also did something beautiful. The Scripture says: “Jacob pilled and set rods of green poplar, and of the hazel and chestnut tree, before the flocks in the gutters, in the watering troughs when the flocks came to drink, that they should conceive when they came to drink. And the flocks conceived before the rods, and brought forth cattle ringstraked, speckled, and spotted.” In the olden days, our ancestors believed that what a mother saw or experienced during conception could affect the appearance of her offspring. The amazing part is that Jacob was not just aware of the analogy between sight and perspective and their influence on outcomes; he went out of his way to build before the eyes of the flocks what he desired to see. Despite having seen it in a dream, he did not leave it to chance. He proceeded and worked towards bringing into his world what he had first seen in Yours. I believe one of the first limitations to fulfilling destiny is not circumstance, but perspective. How can we become what we do not see? These possibilities do exist in Your realm, but to make them a reality in ours, we must first believe it. Translations; Slide 1: English Slide 2: French Slide 3: Bengali Slide 4: Hindi Slide 5: Urdu Slide 6: Portuguese #LettertoGod #believeit #Jacobstory #perspective #mindset

Dear Father, I find the story of Jacob interesting, where he obtained greater flocks from Laban, his mother's brother, as a reward for his labor. The agreement between them was that all the speckled, spotted, and brown animals would be given as Jacob's wages, while Laban would retain the pure colored animals. At first, Jacob admits that his choice of speckled flocks was influenced by what You revealed to him in his dream; however, he also did something beautiful. The Scripture says: “Jacob pilled and set rods of green poplar, and of the hazel and chestnut tree, before the flocks in the gutters, in the watering troughs when the flocks came to drink, that they should conceive when they came to drink. And the flocks conceived before the rods, and brought forth cattle ringstraked, speckled, and spotted.” In the olden days, our ancestors believed that what a mother saw or experienced during conception could affect the appearance of her offspring. The amazing part is that Jacob was not just aware of the analogy between sight and perspective and their influence on outcomes; he went out of his way to build before the eyes of the flocks what he desired to see. Despite having seen it in a dream, he did not leave it to chance. He proceeded and worked towards bringing into his world what he had first seen in Yours. I believe one of the first limitations to fulfilling destiny is not circumstance, but perspective. How can we become what we do not see? These possibilities do exist in Your realm, but to make them a reality in ours, we must first believe it. Translations; Slide 1: English Slide 2: French Slide 3: Bengali Slide 4: Hindi Slide 5: Urdu Slide 6: Portuguese #LettertoGod #believeit #Jacobstory #perspective #mindset

Dear Father, Today, I discovered that there is more to this Scripture than the natural occurrence of Joseph being sold to Potiphar and the jealousy of his brothers. It reveals a known pattern the enemy operates to destroy a man. The Scripture says: “And they said one to another, Behold, this dreamer cometh. Come now therefore, and let us slay him, and cast him into some pit; and we will say, Some evil beast hath devoured him: and we shall see what will become of his dreams.” The pattern is, “Afflict the man, and he will lose sight of his dreams.” Strangely, afflictions may arise in various ways: frustration from the cosmos, discouragement from loved ones, betrayal and unreasonable offences, lack, distractions, losses, or even death. The point is, if it would make him lose sight of his destiny, let us bring it before him. With this, we are naturally ushered into the responsibility of discerning and prayerfully engaging with circumstances that bear natural patterns but may be inspired by demonic forces. Because how do we explain the inspiration behind the thought, “Kill the man, and his dreams will fade”? So, the wrestle does not really seem to be against the man, but against his divine destiny. Through this story, I have learned that we should not go wrestling with a person over their obvious displays of envy, or be discouraged by the hostility of the people we love. If destiny is the plan, its fulfilment must remain the focus, because there will be no fulfilment of destiny without spiritual warfare. Translations: Slide 1: English Slide 2: French Slide 3: Bengali Slide 4: Hindi Slide 5: Urdu Slide 6: Portuguese #LettertoGod #destiny #afflictions #Josephstory #patterns

Dear Father, Today, I discovered that there is more to this Scripture than the natural occurrence of Joseph being sold to Potiphar and the jealousy of his brothers. It reveals a known pattern the enemy operates to destroy a man. The Scripture says: “And they said one to another, Behold, this dreamer cometh. Come now therefore, and let us slay him, and cast him into some pit; and we will say, Some evil beast hath devoured him: and we shall see what will become of his dreams.” The pattern is, “Afflict the man, and he will lose sight of his dreams.” Strangely, afflictions may arise in various ways: frustration from the cosmos, discouragement from loved ones, betrayal and unreasonable offences, lack, distractions, losses, or even death. The point is, if it would make him lose sight of his destiny, let us bring it before him. With this, we are naturally ushered into the responsibility of discerning and prayerfully engaging with circumstances that bear natural patterns but may be inspired by demonic forces. Because how do we explain the inspiration behind the thought, “Kill the man, and his dreams will fade”? So, the wrestle does not really seem to be against the man, but against his divine destiny. Through this story, I have learned that we should not go wrestling with a person over their obvious displays of envy, or be discouraged by the hostility of the people we love. If destiny is the plan, its fulfilment must remain the focus, because there will be no fulfilment of destiny without spiritual warfare. Translations: Slide 1: English Slide 2: French Slide 3: Bengali Slide 4: Hindi Slide 5: Urdu Slide 6: Portuguese #LettertoGod #destiny #afflictions #Josephstory #patterns

Dear Father, I woke up several times at night with a word on my heart. I hope to do justice to it in today's letter, because I fear there may not be sufficient or exact words to describe the meditations of my heart. I woke up today, and I couldn't shake off the weight of Your love. Sadly, as humans, there is not so much we can do, for in understanding love, we perhaps experience the limitation of seeing things through our own lens. How sufficient is our understanding of Your love for us? How much will today's letter fall short in its description of it? Today, I thought about the various dimensions of Your love and the significant difference between them and our perspective of what love is. For instance, humanity's expression of love rises and falls on the basis of conditions and blood relations, and so often, our response to love is based on our revelation of its depths. Apparently, we operate from a limited view if our perspective of Your love is based on our understanding of what love is. Today, I wondered: What would we do differently if we understood love differently? The Scripture says, "God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son..." Would I be right to infer that if You gave up the life of Your Son for us, then You love us just as You love Him? Maybe the closest I can come to describing it is the analogy of a once barren woman who miraculously bore a child in her old age, but perhaps even that pales in comparison. When I began writing today's letter, I knew I wouldn't find sufficient words, and still I wonder: What would we do differently if we knew the depths of Your love for us? Translations; Slide 1: English Slide 2: French Slide 3: Bengali Slide 4: Hindi Slide 5: Urdu Slide 6: Portuguese #lettertoGod #love #loveofGod #conditions

Dear Father, I woke up several times at night with a word on my heart. I hope to do justice to it in today's letter, because I fear there may not be sufficient or exact words to describe the meditations of my heart. I woke up today, and I couldn't shake off the weight of Your love. Sadly, as humans, there is not so much we can do, for in understanding love, we perhaps experience the limitation of seeing things through our own lens. How sufficient is our understanding of Your love for us? How much will today's letter fall short in its description of it? Today, I thought about the various dimensions of Your love and the significant difference between them and our perspective of what love is. For instance, humanity's expression of love rises and falls on the basis of conditions and blood relations, and so often, our response to love is based on our revelation of its depths. Apparently, we operate from a limited view if our perspective of Your love is based on our understanding of what love is. Today, I wondered: What would we do differently if we understood love differently? The Scripture says, "God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son..." Would I be right to infer that if You gave up the life of Your Son for us, then You love us just as You love Him? Maybe the closest I can come to describing it is the analogy of a once barren woman who miraculously bore a child in her old age, but perhaps even that pales in comparison. When I began writing today's letter, I knew I wouldn't find sufficient words, and still I wonder: What would we do differently if we knew the depths of Your love for us? Translations; Slide 1: English Slide 2: French Slide 3: Bengali Slide 4: Hindi Slide 5: Urdu Slide 6: Portuguese #lettertoGod #love #loveofGod #conditions

Dear Father, Sometimes I wonder about the ordeal with Potiphar’s wife, where Joseph experienced a quick transition from being trusted by his master to becoming the offender, with evidence that seemed impossible to deny, even though the accusation was false. The Scripture says, “She said unto her husband, The Hebrew servant, which thou hast brought unto us, came in to mock me: as I lifted up my voice and cried, he left his garment with me, and fled out.” How would he defend himself to a man against his own wife? How strange would it feel to say, “I am the servant, but you can trust me, not your wife”? And so, Joseph was thrown into prison. Innocent, yet factually guilty. I wonder how many have found themselves in such situations, where there seems to be more evidence to prove their guilt than there is to prove their innocence. Sometimes, it may not be something as grave as an accusation of sexual assault or prison sentence, but something else with just as much tension: a wrong judgment or perception of us, false accusations, with evidence in our defense that does not stand a chance of being presented. To be considered innocent a person must prove himself not guilty. And so, we strive with intention to correct the perceptions of loved ones: “There is more to this than you realize,” yet without sufficient evidence. But Joseph walked right into prison. Perhaps he knew that some perceptions are not ours to correct, but Yours. And some accusations are not nullified by immediate evidence that contradicts them, but evidence that is solidified through process and time. Translations: Slide 1: English Slide 2: French Slide 3: Bengali Slide 4: Hindi Slide 5: Urdu Slide 6: Portuguese #LettertoGod #Josephsstory #guilt #perception #evidence

Dear Father, Sometimes I wonder about the ordeal with Potiphar’s wife, where Joseph experienced a quick transition from being trusted by his master to becoming the offender, with evidence that seemed impossible to deny, even though the accusation was false. The Scripture says, “She said unto her husband, The Hebrew servant, which thou hast brought unto us, came in to mock me: as I lifted up my voice and cried, he left his garment with me, and fled out.” How would he defend himself to a man against his own wife? How strange would it feel to say, “I am the servant, but you can trust me, not your wife”? And so, Joseph was thrown into prison. Innocent, yet factually guilty. I wonder how many have found themselves in such situations, where there seems to be more evidence to prove their guilt than there is to prove their innocence. Sometimes, it may not be something as grave as an accusation of sexual assault or prison sentence, but something else with just as much tension: a wrong judgment or perception of us, false accusations, with evidence in our defense that does not stand a chance of being presented. To be considered innocent a person must prove himself not guilty. And so, we strive with intention to correct the perceptions of loved ones: “There is more to this than you realize,” yet without sufficient evidence. But Joseph walked right into prison. Perhaps he knew that some perceptions are not ours to correct, but Yours. And some accusations are not nullified by immediate evidence that contradicts them, but evidence that is solidified through process and time. Translations: Slide 1: English Slide 2: French Slide 3: Bengali Slide 4: Hindi Slide 5: Urdu Slide 6: Portuguese #LettertoGod #Josephsstory #guilt #perception #evidence

Dear Father, Whenever I come across the Scripture where Jacob wrestled with a divine being and prevailed, I am amazed, and I leave thinking that he must have possessed some supernatural strength. There have been many interpretations as to whether it was Jesus incarnate or an angel whom he wrestled with, but the Scripture says, “Then he said, ‘Your name shall no longer be called Jacob, but Israel, for you have striven with God and with men, and have prevailed.’” This clarifies it for me. Although this is not the reason I write to You, I write because I have gained some clarity from this Scripture: wrestling with You does not necessarily imply that Jacob possessed supernatural power, and wrestling is not unique to Jacob’s life. The passage may seem far-fetched until we consider what it actually means to wrestle. The Scripture recounts, “Then he said, ‘Let me go, for the day has broken.’ But Jacob said, ‘I will not let You go unless You bless me.’” I would therefore like to infer that, wrestling with You can involve insisting on something different from Your will. And so, I think about the various ways we wrestle with You: through the choices we make that are misaligned with Your plan for us, our manner of living, our resistance to the assignment You have placed in our hands, or even our reluctance to develop the talents You have entrusted to us. The appalling difference is that Jacob wrestled with You for a good cause, and it resulted in a transformation. But what do we wrestle for? And what implications or transformation does our wrestling produce? Translations; Slide 1: English Slide 2: French Slide 3: Bengali Slide 4: Hindu Slide 5: Urdu Slide 6: Portuguese #LettertoGod #transformation #wrestlewithGod #willofGod #obedience