Two Books at a Time

Suddenly, my two books are taking shape. If it is A5 size, my memoirs regarding mission work in Borneo make up 300 pages and my commentary on John's Gospel (1-12) takes up more than 250 pages. It has been slow progress as I have been working alone. Editing and formatting requires assistance from professionals but I have none. So I prayed to the Lord: "Grant me a personal assistant like You granted to Origen of Alexandria", who had 7 secretaries to write down his sermons and transcribe his commentaries. But I am pleased with my effort thus far. Perhaps, it is God's will that the first is written in English for a world-wide audience and the second on John is in Malay, for those in Malaysia and Indonesia and dare I say in Singapore where you find very few Chinese who know their national language (image: book cover for John's commentary)
But I am not discouraged because one day I will write a commentary on John's Gospel in English as I will do so for John's Revelation. Speaking engagements do not help in terms of writing. I am already thinking and praying of what I am going to preach (3 sermons) in Pulau Banggi, God willing, if I should make it there. I also have a leadership seminar to conduct straight after that, for which I am praying before the Lord whether I could take up since I would be reaching KK late at night on Sunday after my visit to Banggi Island. I trust that in the Lord, I could do all things in His strength. Then, I am praying for next year. I might keep going what I am doing now. Preaching itinerantly and writing whenever I am not travelling. But it will not be the same. I am starting to write two papers for Conferences next year. This year has been missed opportunities but next year I may attend the European Association of Biblical Studies Congress in Germany. There are a couple of regional conferences in Kuala Lumpur as well, one in June and the other in August. Then July's SBL International meeting is in Australia, which is quite tempting as I could pop over to NZ to see my son. "Lord, hear my prayers". "The poor man cries and the Lord listens to him out of His holy hill".