Thanksgiving Day Reflections

Dear Praying Friends:Thanksgiving Day afforded me time to reflect upon the last eleven months and bring you up to date at the same time. Let me begin with God’s goodness to our entire family. Since our wedding (39 years ago on November 24th), he has protected us, provided for us, and proved his faithfulness year in and year out. He has done the same for Sarah and Brandon, who were married in July, 2005. Brandon, who is in his third year at Reformed Theological Seminary in Charlotte, North Carolina, also works part-time for the seminary’s virtual campus. Sarah serves as the assistant to the director of admissions. They are blessed with good fellowship with other seminary couples and at their church. Dori and I continue to attend Trinity Presbyterian Church in Charlottesville. She serves on the worship committee and sings with one of three chorus teams; I attend meetings of the world missions team when I am in town. That brings me to God’s protection during travel. Conferences, preaching, teaching, and other ministry kept us on the move. Here’s a short summary. January: Orlando*. February: Taiwan – four weeks. April: Charlotte, North Carolina*, and New Haven, Connecticut. May: England and Scotland*. June: Chapel Hill, North Carolina. July & August: Dori to Shanghai and Loyang (where she helped with an orphanage), China, and then to Taiwan to join Wright; Wright to Macau, Hong Kong, and Taiwan (to teach two short courses for China Evangelical Seminary). We each stopped in California on the way home (China ministry meeting for Wright; visiting family for Dori). Dori was away five weeks; I for seven. September: Princeton, New Jersey. October: Colorado Springs. November: West Hartford and then New Haven, Connecticut; New Jersey & New York City*. December: I’ll go to Chapel Hill again. In January and early February, I am to teach another seminary course in Taiwan. (* = with Dori). Meanwhile, Dori keeps the house running, meets with a couple of Chinese women, and helps me advise the under-graduate, English-speaking Chinese Christian Fellowship at U.Va. Their annual Christmas party will be here next Tuesday. She also plays hostess to a steady stream of guests. We’ll have a Chinese couple with us for Christmas, and a young woman from China for the New Year’s weekend. When I am home, she takes marvelous care of me! In between trips, and by and personal visits and email while away, I have tried to handle the work involved in leading a multi-faceted ministry with a dozen associates and staff in England, Canada, Taiwan, and the U.S. It’s been a new and stretching experience for me, since I didn’t plan all this growth, and don’t possess administrative gifts. I derive immense delight from our colleagues, who are all first-rate. Dori’s been a great help, too. Bopping around the globe does make study and writing a challenge, but I have seen some progress revising the Greek-Chinese lexicon of the New Testament, and have completed a number of book reviews, articles, and chapters for a book on China, some of which are posted on the newly-expanded China Institute Web site (chinainst.org ). My first book in English, The Lord’s Healing Words, came out this fall, and initial responses have been encouraging. You can order a paperback or electronic version from AuthorHouse.com/Bookstore . These 180 meditations on what the Bible says about physical, mental, and spiritual health have the potential to help a person experience significant change. The Biographical Dictionary of Chinese Christianity (bdcconline.net ) has become a major part of my life. Though our superb Chinese Managing Director does most of the work, as General Editor I am responsible for representing this strategic project and serving the world-wide team of coordinators, writers, and supporters. The BDCC is the flagship project of Global China Center, the more academic arm of our ministry (globalchinacenter.org ). The goal of all this activity, of course, is to help build the church of God among the Chinese. What a privilege to be a part of one of the most amazing movements in Christian history, and to meet with some really marvelous people! Although we certainly lead an interesting life, it’s clear to me that our principal pleasures come from those whom God has allowed us to know – including you! We wish you a blessed holiday season, especially as we contemplate the sending of God’s Son to us this Christmas. As we grow older, and begin to see our sins a bit more clearly, the mercy of God becomes increasingly precious. “Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift!” Yours in the greatness of his grace, Wright