China Update #3

Hello AGPMA Friends and Family,

It is now Sunday morning here in Kashgar and I just finished reading the book of Revelations – 19 months after beginning the Book of Genesis in March of 2006! Wow…what insight my Life-Application Bible has brought me over the past months. Even though this was not my first time to read it, God’s Word has a way of being new and fresh every time I revisit it. It’s so alive and relevant to today!

Way back in April of 2006 when I was in the Book of Joshua, I was comforted with the same words that God used to comfort Joshua. He said, “No one will be able to stand up against you all the days of your life. As I was with Moses, so I will be with you. I will never leave you or forsake you” – Joshua 1:5. These words came to me as I was preparing to make the plans for my traveling more public and putting the team together to make it possible. I was in deep prayer for the words to express what God had put on my heart to do and I found guidance when I looked at the application to this verse…

Every job is a new challenge. Without God, it can be frightening. With God, It can be a
GREAT Adventure. Just as God was with Joshua, he is with us as we face our new challenges. (taken from my Life-Application Bible)

I had been playing around with these very words as I had been studying and speaking on Jim Collins’ book Good to GREAT and Pastor Chip Ingram’s sermon Good to GREAT in God’s Eyes. So I just inserted “Grandmaster” into the name and made it official. I must humbly give the glory to God and the reading of His Word for everything GREAT in this “Great Grandmaster Adventure.” As I think about what is so GREAT about it, two things stand out above anything else – God and the people. I have been surrounded by both everywhere I have been. It is reassuring to know that wherever I go God’s got my back. Yes, there is evil everywhere, but I am a firm believer that “you get what you look for.” So I choose to look for the good in people and to show them God’s goodness in me.

As I read my Bible back in April of 2006, I also focused on Joshua 1:8. This verse has been a personal favorite since my friend and former Pastor, Cliff Poe, taught it in a sermon to our congregation. He introduced it as “God’s formula for success” and it says, “Do not let this Book of the law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it.” Then you will be prosperous and successful” – Joshua 1:8. I gained even more insight when I looked at the application…

So many people think that prosperity and success come from having power, influential personal contacts, and a relentless desire to get ahead. But the strategy for gaining prosperity that God taught Joshua goes against such criteria. He said that to succeed Joshua must do three things. 1) be strong and courageous because the task ahead would not be easy, 2) obey God’s law, and 3) constantly read and study the Book of the Law—God’s Word. To be successful, follow God’s words to Joshua. You may not succeed by the world’s standards, but you will be a success in God’s eyes—and his opinion lasts forever. (also taken from my Life-Application Bible)

Being disciplined to read God’s Word daily has been the single most important thing that I could have committed to to get me to this point in my adventure and, more importantly, to this point in my life. My concerns and fears have been replaced with a deep faith in the Lord. He has unfolded His plan and purpose for my Great Grandmaster Adventure one day at a time through His Word and through all his faithful followers who have contributed through their encouragement, prayers, and contributions. To my family, friends, students, staff, and PMA associates, a BIG thanks for all your support. I want to thank you for the love you have showed me. I don’t know where you are in your faith today, but I encourage you commit to building daily spiritual disciplines into your life. Make it the most important thing on your to do list. You will be blessed and you will be a blessing to others. I am inspired to stay committed to this daily discipline so that I can continue to grow in Christ.

Speaking of growing…I just returned from my next to the last Tai Chi lesson with Ms. Yu. It was heaven out there, which was surprising because last night a cold front came through bringing with it lots of wind. I was alarmed as I was sitting in John’s Café (which is an open Café) and the wind blew in a heavy sand storm. I got my coffee to go and came back up to my room as quickly as I could. But this morning showed no signs of last night’s storm. Instead, I was blessed with a sunny, crisp, and quiet morning for my next to the last lesson. I gotta tell you that Ms. Yu had her work cut out for her in training this Texas point fighter/kick boxer, self protection instructor, marathon runner, and type-A personality to learn the slow and gentle way of Tai Chi. Every now and then I just wanted to throw a side kick, put someone in a submission hold, or just hit somethingJ! But I resisted the urge and managed to keep myself under control. And I finally achieved sweet victory! Yes…I achieved success in my lesson today as I performed my two forms for the first time to the music with perfect timing. It has been challenging just to learn the forms and, up until now, I have been more concerned with learning them than with the music or the timing. But it all came together in this morning’s lesson. I could almost see Ms. Yu’s feeling of triumph as I closed the form on cue with the final note. I considered telling her that this would be a good lesson to end with, but I kept my thoughts to myself and finished on a high note with plans to come back this evening for my final lesson.

Oh…I want to let you know that your prayers have been answered and I will be returning home without a single bee sting! Those Chinese Fighting Bees had me worried a few times, but we made it through without any casualties (on either side). We did have a few close calls though during one of my Tai Chi Softball lessons when I was forced to use my racket to scare them away. I cranked up the speed and used some Aaron Mireles fancy footwork during that lesson!

Before sharing my next story, I just want to say that it is not meant to offend any of my older students or friends. I just found this a bit humorous and wanted to share…Over the last three weeks Ms. Yu has consistently built me up to Mr. and Mrs. Hu in each of our interpretation sessions. She has said many good things in reference to how fast I learn, how well I perform, and how much better I was than her other students. Well…last week I had the opportunity to go with her to a morning workout in the shopping mall square. This is where many people gather for early morning Tai Chi workouts. At this workout, I had the pleasure of meeting many of the students who she had been referring to in her comparisons. I found it both humorous and humbling when I realized that the students that she was comparing me to ranged in age from 65 to 80 plus! This helped me understand where she was coming from and it brought me back down to earth. Oh well…I guess I am getting older too. At 51, I have made it to what I have heard called the “best side of 50” (I don’t know about that yet, the other side was pretty good). I have met some great role models in my life that have reached this side of 50 and continued to inspire me with their health and youthfulness. I hope to be like them and continue to live a passionate life…only time will tell!

Well…it is now Sunday evening and I just finished my last lesson and said my good bye’s to Ms. Yu. After 18 days and 72 hours of private instruction, I will be bringing home two Tai Chi empty hand forms (to music), a Tai Chi sword form (also to music), twelve Tai Chi softball exercises, and a few more Chinese words like hao which means “good.” Hao was one of my favorite things to hear from Ms. Yu once a move started to come together. Our communication gap was overcome by my desire to learn and her desire to teach. I will miss our daily workouts which consisted of very few words and lots of action.

My China experience has been just what I had prayed for – a time to slow down, to learn the principles of Tai Chi, to spend time in God’s Word, and to seek the opportunity to share His Word with others. I have been challenged in my Martial Arts training in exciting new ways. And I have been called to endure in my faith through some trials. I did make it through all nine Fruits of the Spirit with Ms. Yu and Ms. Wong! I also had some interesting times sharing with other travelers in John’s Café. As the Disney tune goes, “It’s a small world after all.” My first day here I met and exchanged stories with Matt who was from Texarkana, Texas and, throughout my stay, I have enjoyed meeting and sharing with people from all over the world. Like I said before, it is all about God and the people.

It is now Monday morning and I am preparing for my journey home. I have prayed for safe travels, for the people who will sit next to me on my four flights, and for my time in the airport during transitions. I’ve prayed for my team and for my contributors at home to receive blessings from God’s abundance. I have prayed for those of you reading this update, that you will be inspired to make your faith a priority in your lives. I have good news to share from God’s Word for anyone who wants or needs to hear it! Oh…about the end of The Book…Revelations is a book of hope. It teaches that no matter what happens on earth, God is in control!!

To my family…I am coming home! And to my students…I’ll be back on the mat this week! Looking forward to seeing and sharing with you all!!


God’s Love and Peace,


Al Garza


http://www.algarza.com/