Summer

I finished my last final on Thursday. I can honestly say that this was one of my most favorite semesters of any school ever (not including grade school because nothing is better than recess). I loved the material that I was learning. In fact, I was blessed by the lectures, the professors who taught them, and even the times I spent studying the material. During lecture, I would sometimes get those chills because I would suddenly be reminded of the truth of God's mighty powerful, magnificent, awesome, sovereign grace and mercy and love. Ok fine, I can only remember one time. It was when my reformation professor told us the story about how right before John Hus was burned at the stake in 1415 (with Wycliffe's manuscript bible used as fuel), he prophesied, "in a hundred years, God will raise up a man whose call for reform cannot be suppressed." Lo and behold, exactly 102 years later in 1517, a man with a hammer nailed the 95 thesis on a church door in Wittenburg. His name was Neo, or better known as Martin Luther.

Mm mm mm.

Learning what I wanted to learn was definitely surreal, and of course exciting. Now, that doesn't mean I was a perfect student (or on time all the time), but compared to the old general biology student, this new kid had something called [divine] motivation. It goes something like this:

The Voice: "Why. Why are you playing Mario Kart right now? You do NOT need to get 3 stars for every race."

John: "C'mon, I just need to finish 4 more in mirror cup and I'm done."

The Voice: "Don't make me say it."

John: "No. No no no."

The Voice: "You're in GOD SCHOOL!

John: "Ahhhhhhh!!!"

The Voice: "You're getting PROVIDED for this! Change the world my BUTT! What happened to picking up your cross and following DAILY?!"

John: "Ah dang it. Fiiiiine!"

The Voice: "That's more like it. Go do your Daily Scripture Interpretations..."

John: "Oh ohhh. I'm almost at the finish line!"

The Voice: "NOW!!!!"

Hm. Indeed.

But as much as I loved school, summer. And yes, that right there was a complete sentence because any sentence with "summer" is complete in my grammar book. Summer. I was summer. I'm gonna go summer. Summer breeze is. If summer, then. Why yes, summer. Summer really is something else. It's so liberating, at least when you're in school because (as d.drum.c reminded me) summer for people without school is business as usual... wow. That's unthinkable, but I know it's coming soon for me so I better sit back, relax, and cherish these moments while they la...

Welcome to New Life Children's Bible Camp!

Where your kids will have new life at a bible camp!

Welcome to the High Seas Expedition!

Where your kids will experience the deep, rolling waters of God's love.

Welcome to Summer Missions!

Welcome to Summer Retreat!

Welcome to Summer Festival!

Welcome to Summer Jobs!

Welcome to a full summer of service!

Welcome to Dongmakgol!

Welcome HOME!

... oh. right.

And so it begins...... matey!

Mission Monday VI

08/07/2009

Speaker: Missionary Kang

Background: Central Asia/Ministry Director. Graduated from School of Dentistry in Seoul National University. Served in Uzbekistan for 10 years.

• "The only way to change is to deny yourself."
• He attended a huge missions conference recently for Chinese and Korean missionaries.
• Many people had gathered to worship and pray together.
• First, the Koreans were called to pray - they prayed standing up, some with hands raised, and in KM style
• Next, the Chinese were called to pray - they prayed on their knees with tears; they prayed like their life was on the line
• He was amazed at the difference in spirituality between those in the Chinese mission field and those elsewhere (what they've seen and experienced spiritually)

• Man's thoughts vs. God's thoughts
• After the fall, Adam was ashamed of being naked vs. God created him naked
• Man begins to think things are sin, which were not before
• Being weak is not a sin - "when I am weak, then I am strong"
• God uses our weaknesses for His glory

• Christians have a calling to abandon the world and be "life savers"

-------

He said many other things, but I was so into his storytelling (including some vague analogy to a Korean movie about a tsunami) that I didn't take good notes. I didn't fall asleep. I think.

...

The times they are a-changin'.

Mission Monday V

08/06/2009

"... persecuted, but not abandoned..."

Speaker: Chinese Missionary D**** X**** (via translator)

Background: the younger sister of P**** X**** who was the mentor to Brother Yun (Heavenly Man). Saved at the age of 17, she has endured persecution in the house churches in China.

Testimony: (as before, this is a cleaned up transfer of my notes)

• In the 40's and 50's the C government tried to destroy Christianity
• People were persecuted and put in prison
• The government controlled churches and checked sermons to see that they were in line with the political movement
• So then people began home churches
• In 1958, all churches were closed, but they still met together
• As a child she was sad because pastors were taken to prison
• She wanted to be a bird - "fly to heaven and praise God"

• 1966-1976 - there was a cultural revolution in C
• -> "there is no God", "church is now a museum"
• Pastors were mocked and had to wear signs on their head and clothes
• The church was cold.
• There were many tears - "The house of my God is facing tragedy." like 1st generation of Israelites
• She asked, "What can I do?" and decided,

"I will devote myself and my life for God's church."

• yet she didn't know what to do.
• Others warned her saying that a promise is important, but no one could persuade her

• Her brother was a top criminal (Christian) according to C government.
• She longed for the Living Word
• They were listening to Christian radio on Christmas
• The police caught them and tied them
• A brother told her, "If the police finds you don't say a word even if they break your leg."
• They escaped and ran away to another believer's house
• However, the police came and she and her sister were caught again and put in jail
• The jailer said, "Let's see how long you survive here."
• She realized that her father was already there. (She was still a teenager)
• She prayed, "Lord what's wrong?"

• The next morning the jailer came, took her hand and slammed it against the door, but she didn't say anything
• He got angry and beat her up until she was covered in blood
• To this day, her tooth is sensitive
• He said, "Who told you to preach this Gospel?"
• At the time, she was worrying about her family, but realized she must focus her mind on God
• Then suddenly peace came upon her ("like a baby") and she said, "I'm willing to stay here forever."

• Eventually, the police took them out of jail to another place
• Her father said, "When you hear the bang sound, we will go to heaven."
• She thought, "Then I can't preach the Gospel anymore."
• She remembered her father used to tell her to never shut out the work of the HS - if He tells you something, OBEY!
• So with that in mind, she bravely marched forward (by God's grace) even when the police chased her down.
• She didn't care.
• She was praying and singing, "HALLELUJAH!" and kept at it for a long time as her voice grew louder and louder
• Her father tried to close her mouth and stop her, but the HS rebuked him through other members.

• Later, her sister carried her and took her home
• She prayed, "God I want to preach the Gospel. I promised. But why is it so difficult every time?"
• Then suddenly, she felt a cold feeling in her heart and in her feet and knew that if this continued then she would die.
• Then she realized that if she died now, then she would have done nothing for the Gospel so she prayed,

"If it is because I am afraid of difficulties then please let me stay."

• and the feeling disappeared.

• She hid her criminal brother underground from the government
• The neighbors helped her out
• In the fields that she labored in the children were waiting for her to share the Gospel
• And she thought, "Lord it's so easy when you work."
• She went to other villages to share the Good News
• When a man rebuked her and told her to stop preaching, his mouth moved to the side of his face and he couldn't talk...
• (- _____-) <- [like this maybe? or maybe like] -> (- - __)
• Then the elders rebuked him and told him to repent, and only then they will pray for him and he will be healed.
• He was healed.

• She was persecuted more than 40 times by comm. leader. Later, he died.
• Throughout all this she realized,

"God's grace is sufficient.

Jesus' resurrected life overcame sin and death and defeated Satan.

We must realize this by completely denying ourselves to live in Christ.

Then you will become powerful soldiers for Christ."

• She is now 63 years old and pressing on.

-------

Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.

2 Corinthians 4:16-18

Be my everything.

Morning

The steadfast Love of the Lord never changes

His mercies never come to an end

They are new every morning

New every morning

Great is Thy faithfulness, O Lord

Great is Thy faithfulness

Hiatus

Hi...

atus.

"It's been a long time comin' up here now.
From the streets to the church - all in your ears now."

3 months. It's been 3 months of post college life. But I'll get to that later. I can describe it in full, and at the same time I can't say I know in full. It's like a puzzle. I see what the picture is on the puzzle box, but I would be lying to say I put it all together unless I connect the actual pieces.

As the words and sentences connect themselves...

Hm. I sound like I'm up in the clouds. I can feel it in my face. FYI here's a little secret: The face expression you have when you write is the feeling you will convey to the reader. (Just a small nugget of wisdom I discovered by reading what I write.) If ya don't know, now you know n. So in the first paragraph I looked all types of scholarly and high and mighty, but right now I look like a bum... J-bum... like one who is unable to take off the weights of oppression and rise above the race. H12. At the end of the day, your expression is your expression. Love or hate comes from your love or hate. You are you. Nobody else to sue. Makes it all the more hopeful and glad to be made in His view. I mean image.

Back in gear. Happy back to school! UCs are starting up this coming week, but you see, I will not be participating this time around, no, not I. This is the first September in 17 years of public education that I'm not going "back-to-school." I write this as I artfully dodge 10 pound text books and hosts of office supplies and Revelle (echo. echo. echo.) breakfast burritos and origami knives made out of class schedules and syllabi and virgin longboards launched from fort Peterson. Just a few words to all ya haterz still kickin' it old "school," if I may... na. nanana. nana. nana. canttouchthis.

It feels good and bad. Chorus is necessary. Though I am not physically going to school I still had to worry about school. After spending the majority of summer poring over the application process, I finally submitted my application to Talbot this week. Praise the Lord! It is all in His hands. (This paragraph was written with a big smile.)

Now on to the main dish. The title is a misnomer. (Yes! I finally used misnomer... always been on the look out for that one. *check* next word on the list is platitudinous). Hiatus would mean that there's been a break or gap in the process, but that is not entirely true. The writing process may have been stagnant, but the life behind the curtains has been filling the gap, so to speak. Filling the gap of this cavity. Being shaped and reshaped. Broken and remade. Molded and remodeled. JM18:4 It's amazing to know that our Father is always at work in us. J5:17. All glory to God.

This has been a trailer for more to come. Puzzle pieces are GO!

Don't blink.

Close your eyes. M6:33.

Footprints in the Sand

The walk of a snail. But slow and steady wins the race. Here's a little update for the uptake. I am under heavy pressure right now. But pressure is diamond. bling*

College you've been good to me. They say it's real life from here on out. I say omg. But friends and fan-mily, I do not worry. My mind is clear as if I've poured out my thoughts into a Pensieve. I look back and memories are distant, but Love is nearer than ever.

I had a dream the other day. I was in a room with fellow students and I felt this uncomfortable sense of urgency - as if I had procrastinated for a lab report that was due in one hour, which I had not started. Unfortunately, that was the exact scenario of my dream. This felt so real and I remember thinking that I was going to die and never graduate, and in my state of panic I shoved my lab partners out of their seats so I could finish everything on my own. "Get outta here!"

When I woke up and realized I was at home on my bed I couldn't help but smile real big and stupid-like. "It's over!" That's when it hit me big time - I am done with college! 17 grace-saturated years in the making (including kindergarten my favorite) and it's finally over. WIN!



Just like Fisher's smile at 0:43. It's the smile of knowing that victory is here. You know the outcome before the income. You see the finish line and it's the final stretch. No more pacing. No more tracing the dotted line. No more trailing behind. No more sulking about past faults and mistakes. You just smile because of Jesus and only look to finishing the race. this. is. CAKETOWN!

.

so.

now what?

Now I look back into the Pensieve because I accidentally poured out all my thoughts and I can't remember a single thing... ah, there we go.

For the time being this boy is headed to seminary. Lord willing, I'm aiming for Talbot. I dread the application process because I've dreaded every application process before it. My life is laid bare before the admissions office and scrutinized based on my past achievements and my merit. "Wait, but I heard... everyone gets into seminary." uh, whatever. I pray this will go smoothly and quickly.

Let's see here what else do I remember. Yes. I now have an ice cream. She is pretty cool, but not as cool as luigi.

ew don't touch me.

This will be one grand adventure. I see two sets of footprints in the sand, but our desire is we'll only see One as He carries us through and through. Rules and regulations out of love and honor because Love came down and rescued me.

Here's another memory that's fresh in my mind that I hope can encourage. After a fun filled day at magic mountain with a few of my friends I came home and slept around 2 am. Before going to sleep I prayed, "God, I'm super tired, but remember how I said I wanted to go to morning prayer everyday from now on? Well, I give up because you know how bad I am at waking up. So I give it up to You! Thank You." So I set my alarm to 5 am since mp is at 5:30. That night I had a dream and during the dream I woke up naturally, which is very rare considering I slept so late after a long day. And I said, "If the alarm goes off right now, then I'm going no matter what. If not, then good night world." And the very next second - BEEEEEEEEEEEP~!

OH MY....... LORD I WILL GO! SEND ME! HERE I AM!

So God led me to a blessed time at morning prayer! Praise the Lord!

Let's keep the summer cool for Jesus~ <3>