God's character building

"We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance. And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation."  Romans 5:3,4

God uses tough times like a refining process to bring out the best in us. He controls the heat, because His goal isn't to destroy us but to develop us. Gold only becomes valuable when the impurities have been removed in the fire!

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William Young found dead at his Chiang Mai home

News just to hand tells of the death of Bill Young, a son of missionaries, and a former CIA operative in SEAsia.
CIA hitman William Young found dead at his Chiang Mai home

I knew of Bill when I lived and worked in Chiang Mai. The story of the circumstances of his death have saddened me. Unfortunately, this story focuses on the negatives of his life, and this too saddens me as there is a lot more to his life than is reported. Also, we can never know the heart of another person no matter how good or bad their lives may look to us. What I do know is that depression can strike the strongest of us and drive us to the brink of despair, which seems to be be what's happened to Bill.

I pray God's mercy on his soul, comfort for his family, and that God would bring great good from his life and times amongst the Lahu and other hilltribes folk of SEAsia.

Also check out the New York Times article: William Young...