Being Led Astray To Test What Was In My Heart
We all have stories of when we thought we knew for sure God's will for us at a particular time only to find out we were wrong. Let me illustrate by another Ian story. There was a time back at the beginning of my "walk…
Lord, Please Confirm the Book
Wednesday June 10th 1981 Yvonne was praying in her Quiet Time as per usual. She was going through the church directory and praying for people in order. She came to Ian and Tania Vail on the list and started praying for us. As she prayed…
Everyone Knew the Story Word for Word
Allow me to make it clear to you how oral societies work from what I observed working among them. When we worked in Sulawesi, Indonesia among the Rongkong we had to collect and collate language material in order to learn the language. How do you…
You Are Only Halfway Through Your Ministry Ian
I was told by a Deeper Bible participant in Jakarta when the class were celebrating my 63 birthday, “Pak Ian, you are only halfway through your ministry. You have many long years left Pak.” I said, “I thought you liked me.” He said, “We do…
Get Everyone’s Notes
My late Greek Professor, Dr Basil Brown, used the following illustration to explain variant readings to the class. He asked, “If you were attending university or technical institute or teacher’s college and you missed a particular lecture, what’s the best way to get the notes?”…
I met the God I Claimed Didn’t Exist
We are all on this earth to learn the lesson and admit when we are wrong or don't measure up to God’s standard. But in reality there is a step prior to that – admitting that God is a reality. I was an atheist until…
Have You Ever Read the Book ‘Bruchko’
There is another woman called Sherry who lives in Texas USA. She is an intercessor and regularly sat on her lounge floor with a map of world at her feet and laid her hands on the nations of the world and prayed for them. She…
What’s Happened to My Husband
On June 8th, 1981 I was praying at the end of day with Tania. I had been reading a mission book called Bruchko and it had stirred my heart. That day I had been wondering if this was of God and “mission” was for us.…
The Privilege of Giving Someone a Bible in Their Language for the First Time
This last week I have spent being with people who have just received the Word of God in their language for the first time. I was given the privilege of giving one pastor his first copy of the Scripture in Ambai language. It was obvious…
Seeing Connections Everywhere
I trust it will be enough to remind you that the Bible opens in Genesis with a “garden” , “ river” , “fruit” and the “blessings and life flowing” . Note that it closes in Revelation with the same themes. Do you think that is…