Amazing

“Amazing” made the 2012 List of Words Banished from the Queen’s English for Mis-Use, Over-Use and General Uselessness according to the experts at Lake Superior State University. The contributors of the list say that amazing has lost its meaning, but I believe it actually really does an accurate job of describing 2011. If the same fate awaits amazing as other words on the list, then it will be used far less in 2012, and I’d like to give it one last hoorah before its demise. (“Occupy” and “baby bump” also made the list, and I agree that it’ll be just fine if they are used far less in the upcoming year).

In case amazing has indeed lost its meaning for you, it as defined as 1. causing great surprise or wonder; astonishing, 2. startlingly impressive. With that in mind, amazing can accurately describe these things about 2011 in my book:

-There is a church among the Siar people that didn’t exist at the beginning of the year. In October, after years of learning language and culture and months of teaching, missionaries got to share the life-changing and life-saving message of Christ’s life, death and resurrection in the group’s own language. (more on the Siar people)

-The North Wahgi ended the year with questions about whether their works would ever be enough to please God. Prayerfully, a new church will be established among the people as they continue through the Firm Foundation Bible lessons in the next couple months. (more on the North Wahgi tribe)

-The Uriay church was challenged to share their faith with people in their community and members are being trained to teach in their young church. (more about the Uriay people)

-Simbari believers chose to work in the gardens of those who wanted to argue with them about whether salvation was by faith alone or through works. They chose to witness through loving acts, and then got to discuss God’s Word with them. (more about the Simbari)

-Families (from children to grandparents) among the Patpatar people are learning to read their own language through missionary-led literacy classes. This means they can now share in story time and in reading the Bible together. (more about the Patpatar church)

-I’ve shared in these celebrations as a teacher of some of these missionaries’ children and as I’ve gotten to know the missionaries during my time in the country.

I am truly amazed by all these things in 2011, and the wondrous and startlingly impressive ways God is building his church all over the world. I’ll be praying for an astounding (defined as to overwhelm with amazement; astonish greatly; shock with wonder or surprise) 2012.