Pay attention and observe carefully, practice it personally
Recently, I discovered that there are several channels on YouTube that specialize in taking real-life photos of abandoned castles, mansions, and manors across Europe.
The castle and mansion that were originally decorated with carved beams, painted beams and splendid buildings have fallen into disrepair, and the once magnificent, vast and beautiful gardens are overgrown with weeds. The exquisite and valuable mural furniture in the house was left behind, the famous cars in the garage are still there, the crystal chandeliers and rare old books are covered with cobwebs, the cellar is still full of expensive wines, and the designer leather shoes, dresses, and coats in the wardrobe are abandoned and scattered. Family photos full of warm memories in every corner... are like garbage, slowly weathering and disappearing with the house.
Where has the original owner gone? It is said that some owners died alone, with no descendants to be found, and some owners left everything behind and left with their entire family for unknown reasons.
Witnessing the deplorable current state of everything owned by these wealthy and aristocratic people who were once envied and even coveted by thousands of people, I have to say that no matter how much wealth they once had, they are all gone.
2021年，多位寶貴的朋友去世。其中兩位不僅是我所敬重學習的榜樣，也是我摯友的丈夫。年初，臺灣恩友中心的執牧李政隆兄病逝；年末，美國傳福中心許宗實牧師也被主接走（請看本期P66-68他的最後一封家書）。政隆兄從認識基督以後，就努力為那「最小的弟兄」散盡家財。許牧師跟隨呼召，真正成為眾人的父親，看顧、疼惜每一位身邊的同工與弟兄姊妹，使教會成為許多人真正的家。
What they leave to future generations is an immortal inheritance, just as Paul said in Philippians chapter 3 verse 8, considering the surpassing worth of knowing the Lord Jesus Christ, discarding all things and counting them as rubbish, just to gain Christ.
It has been two full years since COVID-19 has been raging around the world. Entering 2022, we are still fighting against it. For me personally, these two years are extremely important milestones in my life. In 2020, my life focused on repentance, rest, quietness, and trust (the 2020 KRC annual theme), and I fully enjoyed the reorganization of my life by God the Father. In 2021, when the global political, economic and military trends are confusing, the Holy Spirit always reminds me to pay attention to the truth, carefully examine the times, encourage me with "be strong and courageous", and guide me to face my personal life, actions, performance, abilities, and service. The challenges of the past 60 years have truly broken through the limitations of my life in this year.
In 2022, we will face greater uncertainty. No one knows when the epidemic will end, or whether it will end. Unpredictable economic conditions and political situations make the outlook bleak. At the same time, the church is also facing great impacts and tests. Where should we go from here?
After several months of prayer and seeking by KRC colleagues, we were moved by the same sentiment and determined that the theme for 2022 will continue to be "pay attention to the truth, carefully observe the times, and observe what you know and do." We hope to act clearly and courageously through the inspiration and guidance of the Holy Spirit during prayer and meditation when we focus on the truth, understand the truth, and carefully examine the current pulse.
Here, I would like to invite you to join KRC in 2022 to pay attention to the truth, carefully observe the times, and observe knowledge and behavior. Whether it is a magazine or a camp, including the Spring Retreat from 4/7-4/10; the Cultural Practice Camp from 7/28-7/31 (see P62 for details), and the Literary Camp (under planning), we are all looking forward to working with you. Together in this special era, you should focus on the truth of Christ, discern the truth of the era, follow the guidance of the Holy Spirit, walk with God, and be a practicing disciple of Christ in your life and service. We look forward to seeing you at this year’s camp!
Lily Yang
Lily is the founder and CEO of Kingdom Resources for Christ. After spending many years as an executive in large companies, she now serves in full-time ministry, often speaking, teaching, and leading retreats throughout North America and Asia. She also founded and runs the natural and ethical skincare and cosmetics company, LordnLily.com.