Hi everyone! For those of you that follow me, I have decided to change blog sites. I think I have found another blog that has better options. Here it is:
http://runningtheracethelifestory.wordpress.com
Please be sure to check it out and subscribe to my e-mail list. Every time I write a blog, it should be sent to your e-mail. I'm still working on getting myself familiarized with wordpress so be patient with me. I hope that you've enjoyed following me and will continue to do that with my new blog.
Thank you very much!
Heather
Monday, December 13, 2010
Saturday, November 13, 2010
Spiritual battlefield...
I have to apologize for not writing a blog entry in a long time! I have been extremely overwhelmed lately and have been in a war, spiritually speaking. I mean this so very bluntly. Many people do not realize that we have a battle to fight in our daily lives, whether for ourselves or for others. Too often we go about our normal routine so unprepared and blinded by the fact that Satan is doing everything he can to destroy our lives. Wake up people! There is a battle going on – and it’s the battle between the God’s army and Satan’s army. The bible is very clear about Satan’s tactics. As it says in 1 Peter 5:8, “Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.”
Going back a few months, I really believe God has been preparing me for this spiritual battle I have been experiencing. Before I dive into this, have you ever prayed a prayer and had an expectation of turning out the way you want it to turn out? Allow me to be transparent. Last summer, I was camping for a week with my parents up in northern Wisconsin. It’s a beautiful state, by the way! I spent a week in a deeper relationship with the Lord. I spent more time in prayer, bible reading, living in simplicity (no phones or technology), and allowing myself to be still and being open. I distinctly remember expressing my discontentment in my relationship with the Lord. It wasn’t because I lacked the disciplines in my bible reading and prayer life. I felt like I was spiritually growing. Rather, it was because I wanted MORE! I just wasn’t satisfied. I wanted God to dig deeper, wider, and longer into my life. I desired for my relationship with Him to continue to get stronger and stronger! I remembered my prayer to God regarding the desire to experience something so powerful. At the time, I was thinking about the disciples healing people and witnessing miracles. I wanted to experience what Jesus’ disciples experienced. Little did I know what I was getting into, but God knew and just smiled.
Let me just tell you that Satan will do everything he can to shoot lies, confusion, hate, insults, temptations, mixed emotions, setbacks, hopelessness, and so on to throw us off. What are we to do when that happens? As human beings, we are so weak, vulnerable, and sensitive. I have been attacked by anxiety a couple of times here and there. It was really uncomfortable and stressful! I had to learn to depend and trust in God with His Truth no matter what attacks was being thrown to me. Quite honestly, there have been times when I felt confused. During that confusion, I turned to the Word to seek for His truth and prayed for His truth. God revealed His truths to me and built me up. I knew I had to continue to nourish my life with His truth constantly because Satan can just come at any moment to throw me off. I am reminded that to be able to withstand the attacks, I must always depend on God’s strength and use every piece of His armor – the armor of God (Ephesians 6:10-20). What are they?
1. Belt of TRUTH. Satan will fight us with lies and sometimes the lies sound like the truth (we must believe in God’s truth to defeat that).
2. Breastplate of RIGHTEOUSNESS. Satan will attack our hearts where our emotions, self-worth, and trust are located (God will protect our hearts).
3. Footgear of READINESS. Satan wants us to think that telling others about God is worthless and hopeless (God gives us motivation to proclaim who He is to others).
4. Shield of FAITH. Satan will insult, tempt, and setback our lives (God helps us to see beyond our circumstances and know the victory is ours).
5. Helmet of SALVATION. Satan will make us doubt God (God will protect our minds).
6. Sword of SPIRIT. Satan will attack us (God gives us the Bible to use as a weapon against those attacks).
We all experience some type of challenge in our lives. If you feel discouraged and defeated, don’t. It is easy to be frightened by the wickedness we see all around us and feel overwhelmed by the problems we face. Evil seems to feel stronger than we are, but rest assured, God is even STRONGER! Knowing that God has an eternal purpose for us will help us through these difficult times. 1 John 4:4, “You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in your is greater than the one who is in the world.” Don’t lose hope. God will conquer all evil and His Spirit and His Word lives right in our hearts!
Dear Lord God, sometimes life is just a big struggle and there are days when it just feels too difficult. Help us to always know that you are with us and will give us the strength to persevere. You always have a lesson for us to learn, so help us open our hearts and minds to see that. And help us to be ready, suited up in the armor of God, and prepared to fight the battle. This will be an ongoing battle until the day that Jesus Christ returns to conquer evil once and for all. The victory is ours, Lord! Thank you, in Jesus’ name, I pray, AMEN!
Going back a few months, I really believe God has been preparing me for this spiritual battle I have been experiencing. Before I dive into this, have you ever prayed a prayer and had an expectation of turning out the way you want it to turn out? Allow me to be transparent. Last summer, I was camping for a week with my parents up in northern Wisconsin. It’s a beautiful state, by the way! I spent a week in a deeper relationship with the Lord. I spent more time in prayer, bible reading, living in simplicity (no phones or technology), and allowing myself to be still and being open. I distinctly remember expressing my discontentment in my relationship with the Lord. It wasn’t because I lacked the disciplines in my bible reading and prayer life. I felt like I was spiritually growing. Rather, it was because I wanted MORE! I just wasn’t satisfied. I wanted God to dig deeper, wider, and longer into my life. I desired for my relationship with Him to continue to get stronger and stronger! I remembered my prayer to God regarding the desire to experience something so powerful. At the time, I was thinking about the disciples healing people and witnessing miracles. I wanted to experience what Jesus’ disciples experienced. Little did I know what I was getting into, but God knew and just smiled.
Let me just tell you that Satan will do everything he can to shoot lies, confusion, hate, insults, temptations, mixed emotions, setbacks, hopelessness, and so on to throw us off. What are we to do when that happens? As human beings, we are so weak, vulnerable, and sensitive. I have been attacked by anxiety a couple of times here and there. It was really uncomfortable and stressful! I had to learn to depend and trust in God with His Truth no matter what attacks was being thrown to me. Quite honestly, there have been times when I felt confused. During that confusion, I turned to the Word to seek for His truth and prayed for His truth. God revealed His truths to me and built me up. I knew I had to continue to nourish my life with His truth constantly because Satan can just come at any moment to throw me off. I am reminded that to be able to withstand the attacks, I must always depend on God’s strength and use every piece of His armor – the armor of God (Ephesians 6:10-20). What are they?
1. Belt of TRUTH. Satan will fight us with lies and sometimes the lies sound like the truth (we must believe in God’s truth to defeat that).
2. Breastplate of RIGHTEOUSNESS. Satan will attack our hearts where our emotions, self-worth, and trust are located (God will protect our hearts).
3. Footgear of READINESS. Satan wants us to think that telling others about God is worthless and hopeless (God gives us motivation to proclaim who He is to others).
4. Shield of FAITH. Satan will insult, tempt, and setback our lives (God helps us to see beyond our circumstances and know the victory is ours).
5. Helmet of SALVATION. Satan will make us doubt God (God will protect our minds).
6. Sword of SPIRIT. Satan will attack us (God gives us the Bible to use as a weapon against those attacks).
We all experience some type of challenge in our lives. If you feel discouraged and defeated, don’t. It is easy to be frightened by the wickedness we see all around us and feel overwhelmed by the problems we face. Evil seems to feel stronger than we are, but rest assured, God is even STRONGER! Knowing that God has an eternal purpose for us will help us through these difficult times. 1 John 4:4, “You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in your is greater than the one who is in the world.” Don’t lose hope. God will conquer all evil and His Spirit and His Word lives right in our hearts!
Dear Lord God, sometimes life is just a big struggle and there are days when it just feels too difficult. Help us to always know that you are with us and will give us the strength to persevere. You always have a lesson for us to learn, so help us open our hearts and minds to see that. And help us to be ready, suited up in the armor of God, and prepared to fight the battle. This will be an ongoing battle until the day that Jesus Christ returns to conquer evil once and for all. The victory is ours, Lord! Thank you, in Jesus’ name, I pray, AMEN!
Sunday, September 19, 2010
The Life to Choose...
Luke 9:23-24, "Then he said to them all: 'If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will save it.' "
Jesus' words surprises a lot of us, even the high priest, Pharisees, and Sadduces during his days on earth. I mean, how many of us don't want to save our own lives? We tend to hang onto it with deep passion. We strive to build up our lives with our own purposes with anything we can think of - our reputation, our families, our friends, our careers, our accomplishments, our health, our recreation, our things, our ideas, and so on... Honestly, I can think of some things that is difficult for me to let go of and recently the Lord spoke to my heart (again) to challenge me. It hurt and it's hard, but it's not impossible.
What things, people, or idea do you cling to in this present day to define your life - makes you feel alive? (Take a minute to think about this). Now, ask yourself this: Am I attached to these things, people, or idea? Whether your answer is a yes or no, now ask yourself this: How do I measure my own reaction if God takes these things, people, or idea away from me? These are what we've created as our idols when fill ourselves with these false props to make us feel good, feel alive, feel like we're worthy. God says there's a better way and this way requires change, sacrifice, and leads to life. How?
Jesus says we must stop clinging to these things, but here's the catch. He actually condemns us of this natural tendency. God must first take them away, and we must let go of them. You may think that hurts and it's true because it's the only life that we've ever known. The truth is that the things we fill our void with in this world will never truly satisfy and it's always temporary. And that's the problem, we seek fulfillment in unworthy things - things that will not last.
I'm thinking about the things that I love to do such as running. I have often wondered what if one day I'm not able to run anymore. Whatever the reason may be, I just cannot picture myself not running. The thought is depressing for me. I remember a few times when I had ailments that prevented me from running for a few days, such as sickness or low back pain. I felt devastated and it brought me much closer to the Lord in showing me the true meaning of where my heart is at the moment. I know that running is just simply a pleasure that I have in this world, but it's not the ultimate thing that will last. Yes, there are many days I run for the joy of the Lord. It's my time of prayer and meditation. What I need to remember is that it's not the running that makes me feel better, but it's Jesus that came in and fills my soul. Life is so much more than just running and that's JESUS!
You may genuinely feel like you're losing your life when you let something go, but ultimately it's a way to save it according to Jesus. Jesus says to loosen your clutch and to let go. When you truly begin to do that, you will begin to experience the true life God wants you to experience! Maybe it doesn't make sense to you now, but eventually it will! The Lord will show you when you keep seeking Him with all your heart (Jeremiah 29:13). And remember that God's ways is always right:
Proverbs 14:12, "There is a way that seems right to a man, but in the end it leads to death."
Jesus' words surprises a lot of us, even the high priest, Pharisees, and Sadduces during his days on earth. I mean, how many of us don't want to save our own lives? We tend to hang onto it with deep passion. We strive to build up our lives with our own purposes with anything we can think of - our reputation, our families, our friends, our careers, our accomplishments, our health, our recreation, our things, our ideas, and so on... Honestly, I can think of some things that is difficult for me to let go of and recently the Lord spoke to my heart (again) to challenge me. It hurt and it's hard, but it's not impossible.
What things, people, or idea do you cling to in this present day to define your life - makes you feel alive? (Take a minute to think about this). Now, ask yourself this: Am I attached to these things, people, or idea? Whether your answer is a yes or no, now ask yourself this: How do I measure my own reaction if God takes these things, people, or idea away from me? These are what we've created as our idols when fill ourselves with these false props to make us feel good, feel alive, feel like we're worthy. God says there's a better way and this way requires change, sacrifice, and leads to life. How?
Jesus says we must stop clinging to these things, but here's the catch. He actually condemns us of this natural tendency. God must first take them away, and we must let go of them. You may think that hurts and it's true because it's the only life that we've ever known. The truth is that the things we fill our void with in this world will never truly satisfy and it's always temporary. And that's the problem, we seek fulfillment in unworthy things - things that will not last.
I'm thinking about the things that I love to do such as running. I have often wondered what if one day I'm not able to run anymore. Whatever the reason may be, I just cannot picture myself not running. The thought is depressing for me. I remember a few times when I had ailments that prevented me from running for a few days, such as sickness or low back pain. I felt devastated and it brought me much closer to the Lord in showing me the true meaning of where my heart is at the moment. I know that running is just simply a pleasure that I have in this world, but it's not the ultimate thing that will last. Yes, there are many days I run for the joy of the Lord. It's my time of prayer and meditation. What I need to remember is that it's not the running that makes me feel better, but it's Jesus that came in and fills my soul. Life is so much more than just running and that's JESUS!
You may genuinely feel like you're losing your life when you let something go, but ultimately it's a way to save it according to Jesus. Jesus says to loosen your clutch and to let go. When you truly begin to do that, you will begin to experience the true life God wants you to experience! Maybe it doesn't make sense to you now, but eventually it will! The Lord will show you when you keep seeking Him with all your heart (Jeremiah 29:13). And remember that God's ways is always right:
Proverbs 14:12, "There is a way that seems right to a man, but in the end it leads to death."
Monday, August 2, 2010
Priorities in this Life...
Ecclesiastes 3:9-15, “What does the worker gain from his toil? I have seen the burden God has laid on men. He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the hearts of men; yet they cannot fathom what God has done from beginning to end. I know that there is nothing better for men than to be happy and do good while they live. That everyone may eat and drink, and find satisfaction in all his toil – this is the gift of God. I know that everything God does will endure forever; nothing can be added to it and nothing taken from it. God does it so that men will revere him. Whatever is has already been, and what will be has been before; and God will call the past to account.”
Life is supposed to be so much fun! This is a special gift from God! Yet, so many of us don’t’ seem to feel that way. We complain here and there that it’s just work. Like you, I’ve been there and sometimes I still feel that way. I remember a time in my life when I felt unhappy. I was just unhappy with everything. What confused me is that I was a Christian and I was feeling this way? Deep down inside I knew that something was wrong. God wants me to live life to the fullest and I felt like I wasn’t. It was just too much work and I wasn’t motivated to do anything. This is when I dug deep down into my heart and examined it. I gave my heart of stone to God, so that I can get a new heart of flesh (Ezekiel 36: 26-27). Please understand that this was not an overnight change – it took years, and my heart is still at work in the hands of God.
One of the things that I’ve come to understand is how I choose to live my life to glorify God. The question that I was faced with myself is this: Is your heart in the right place in following God? At some point I thought it meant total sacrifice in everything – meaning I had to give up what I loved to do and the desires I had in life. In some cases this may be true, but what it truly meant is that are my priorities in order? We are called onto this earth to know God and make Him known to others. We are called to a loving relationship with God, go into discipleship, and make disciples! And this happens everywhere! Don’t miss out on the opportunity that you have in your current situation to serve Him!
There are things I truly enjoy in this life and desires that I have in my heart. I know that God wants me to take pleasure in these things as long as I have Jesus as my focus. I have discovered that real pleasure is found in enjoying the things I do as gifts from God. A good example of this is this: I love to run. I used to run for the sole purpose of keeping in good shape, being the best, and using it for my glory; and many times, running felt like it was just work because I was obsessed with when, how, where, how many times to run. Now, I truly love to run because running is my time with God in prayer. It is pure enjoyment and a time for me to feel free. It brings me a deep sense of pleasure and intimacy with God. It is no longer my obsession; rather it’s a God-obsession.
So whatever you are doing – whether it’s a job or things you enjoy – do it all for the glory of God. My job is work, but I truly enjoy it because I know God has placed me there to share the Good News to people that I am around with. There were several instances that I had an opportunity to share God’s love to my students in the classroom, through e-mail, and in person. Just knowing that I am there for a reason, and that’s to do everything I can to glorify Him. It’s no longer work; rather it’s an investment. Just remember this: It’s okay to have fun with what you enjoy in life as long as we abide in Him and our priorities are in order! I seek every opportunity to share the love of Christ and my prayer is that you will too.
1 Corinthians 10:31, “So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do; do it all for the glory of God.”
Lord God, I pray for everyone that reads this and examines their hearts about their relationship with you. You have given us the blessing to enjoy what life has to offer as long as we continue to abide in your ways. Maybe some of us right now feel like life is just so much work; help us to find the true pleasure. Maybe some of us truly enjoy life; help us to remember to keep you our focus and continue to follow you. I thank you, Lord, for everything! Thank you for the life you have given us on earth and the everlasting life you have in store for us! Thank you for your love, mercy, and grace! Amen.
Life is supposed to be so much fun! This is a special gift from God! Yet, so many of us don’t’ seem to feel that way. We complain here and there that it’s just work. Like you, I’ve been there and sometimes I still feel that way. I remember a time in my life when I felt unhappy. I was just unhappy with everything. What confused me is that I was a Christian and I was feeling this way? Deep down inside I knew that something was wrong. God wants me to live life to the fullest and I felt like I wasn’t. It was just too much work and I wasn’t motivated to do anything. This is when I dug deep down into my heart and examined it. I gave my heart of stone to God, so that I can get a new heart of flesh (Ezekiel 36: 26-27). Please understand that this was not an overnight change – it took years, and my heart is still at work in the hands of God.
One of the things that I’ve come to understand is how I choose to live my life to glorify God. The question that I was faced with myself is this: Is your heart in the right place in following God? At some point I thought it meant total sacrifice in everything – meaning I had to give up what I loved to do and the desires I had in life. In some cases this may be true, but what it truly meant is that are my priorities in order? We are called onto this earth to know God and make Him known to others. We are called to a loving relationship with God, go into discipleship, and make disciples! And this happens everywhere! Don’t miss out on the opportunity that you have in your current situation to serve Him!
There are things I truly enjoy in this life and desires that I have in my heart. I know that God wants me to take pleasure in these things as long as I have Jesus as my focus. I have discovered that real pleasure is found in enjoying the things I do as gifts from God. A good example of this is this: I love to run. I used to run for the sole purpose of keeping in good shape, being the best, and using it for my glory; and many times, running felt like it was just work because I was obsessed with when, how, where, how many times to run. Now, I truly love to run because running is my time with God in prayer. It is pure enjoyment and a time for me to feel free. It brings me a deep sense of pleasure and intimacy with God. It is no longer my obsession; rather it’s a God-obsession.
So whatever you are doing – whether it’s a job or things you enjoy – do it all for the glory of God. My job is work, but I truly enjoy it because I know God has placed me there to share the Good News to people that I am around with. There were several instances that I had an opportunity to share God’s love to my students in the classroom, through e-mail, and in person. Just knowing that I am there for a reason, and that’s to do everything I can to glorify Him. It’s no longer work; rather it’s an investment. Just remember this: It’s okay to have fun with what you enjoy in life as long as we abide in Him and our priorities are in order! I seek every opportunity to share the love of Christ and my prayer is that you will too.
1 Corinthians 10:31, “So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do; do it all for the glory of God.”
Lord God, I pray for everyone that reads this and examines their hearts about their relationship with you. You have given us the blessing to enjoy what life has to offer as long as we continue to abide in your ways. Maybe some of us right now feel like life is just so much work; help us to find the true pleasure. Maybe some of us truly enjoy life; help us to remember to keep you our focus and continue to follow you. I thank you, Lord, for everything! Thank you for the life you have given us on earth and the everlasting life you have in store for us! Thank you for your love, mercy, and grace! Amen.
Monday, June 28, 2010
2010 Jamaica Mission Trip
On the left side photo, you see our Deaf Teen Quest group with the Jamaican staff and students at Caribbean Christian Centre for the Deaf. It was funny watching our students getting on the plane for the first time in their life. There were a mixed set of emotions as well as pure excitement. Mostly because we did not really know what to expect. The plane ride was new for some of us. Being out of the country is a first for some of us. Experiencing a brand new culture is definitely new for most of us! I've been on two missions trip before, however, this was my first time leading. It was a completely different experience for me. I mean, who am I that God would choose me to lead this trip? I am far from being perfect, though I am a work in progress! Don't you ever wonder why in the world God would choose us to do a specific task? I know that I often wonder about that. I sit here utterly amazed that God loves me so much and trust me that I would carry out His work. This happens as a result of faith, trust, and obedience. I can think of a person in the bible, a man named Moses. Exodus 3:10-12, "So now, go. I am sending you to Pharaoh to bring my people the Israelites out of Egypt. But Moses said to God, 'Who am I, that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the Israelites out of Egypt?' And God said, 'I will be with you. And this will be the sign to you that it is I who have sent you: When you have brought the people out of Egypt, you will worship God on this mountain.'" Here we see a glimpse of God calling Moses to take the people of Israel out of Egypt and later to the promise land. Moses was far from perfect. He made many mistakes. Actually, earlier in his life he murdered an Egyptian for abusing one of his Hebrew people. To make matters worse, he actually hid the Egyptian in burial thinking no one saw him. He also had many weaknesses. For example, later on he complained that he was slow in speech and felt he couldn't talk fluently. Moses asked God to find someone else to speak for him. By now, don't you think God was burning in anger? Yet, God worked with him and provided what he needed.
When I was asked to lead the Jamaica mission trip, I felt a little bit overwhelmed. Lots of doubts came running through my mind. For those of you that know me well, I'm a very shy person and the thought of stepping up into a leadership role and making decisions terrified me. Despite of what or how I felt, I knew God has called me for a purpose. Luke 9:23 says, "Then he said to them all: 'If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.'" Sometimes in life the Lord challenges us to do certain things and he wants us to respond. The Lord wants a YES or a NO. The Lord will still carry out His work regardless of our decisions because he knows who will respond to His calling. I chose to respond to the Lord's calling because I want to see the glory of His kingdom even if it means getting out of my comfort zone. As a result of this mission trip, I have grown and I have learned from my weaknesses. What are some areas in your life that you know the Lord is calling you to do, but you feel like you're struggling?
Now, about the mission trip. It was very humbling, powerful, and inspiring. It was an awesome experience for our Deaf teenagers because many of them never really knew what it was like in the rest of the world. Some of our teenagers come from broken families and very little income. To my inspiration, one of the teens that came from that background actually promised not to say that she is poor. Despite of living on less, there seems to be more happiness flowing in the air. The first two days we arrived, we were all hot, dirty, and sweaty. Our rooms did not have air conditioning, the temperatures were scorching hot, and shower pressures were very weak! We detached ourselves from any technology for a week. Though we were living on a lot less, the love of God was very evident! Our time and investment in building relationships with the Jamaican students by showing the love of Christ made a huge difference. Relationships were formed and lives were transformed. It was truly inspiring to be a part of God's chosen vessel to witness this work. It was hard to say goodbye to each other. There was a lot of hugging and flowing of tears.
Here are my final words. How have you responded in God's calling in your life? What are you going to do about it? God has special plans for each of our lives and he wants our commitment. Are you willing to say YES? There's no maybe in God's plans. It's either YES or NO. My prayer is that it's a YES and in turn, you must put your faith, trust, and obedience in the Lord.
Lord God, I pray right now for those who are struggling in responding to you right now. Whether it's making a commitment to follow you as Lord and Savior or to continue to obey your calling in each of their lives. Yes, it is going to be a challenge, but I know that no matter what, the victory is yours, Lord. We are victorious in Christ. Satan has no power or control over us when we choose to have faith, trust, and obey in you, Lord. Thank you so much for your love and grace. Continue to lead me and others in your direction, even when it's hard. Give us the strength we need to fight the good fight and to follow you. Thank you, Lord. In your holy and precious name, I pray, AMEN!
Wednesday, June 23, 2010
The Fruit of the Spirit
“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other.” ∼Galatians 5:22-26∼
As we grow in our relationship with the Lord, we find that our desire to please Him increases as we grow closer and closer to Him. We are not perfect, by nature, but we can grow towards perfection by allowing the Lord to transform our lives on a daily basis. We must always take the first step in this direction. I can think of many faults I have to work on and I wish I didn’t have them. I also know that through my imperfection, I am made more perfect according to His purposes (2 Corinthians 12:9). The Lord wants to use our weaknesses to develop our character and deepens our relationship with Him.
A group of us went on a DTQ missions trip to Kingston, Jamaica recently. The theme of the week was the fruit of the Spirit. Even though we were going to Jamaica to minister and develop relationship with the students from Caribbean Christian Centre for the Deaf (CCCD), I knew that God was also going to work on our lives as well. And sure enough, God started early! After receiving our boarding tickets, we went to the baggage drop off line. The lines seemed cluttered and it is easy to cut people off. Our group was standing in line and about 15 minutes later someone had cut us off! I was stirred by anger and I felt like I was going to pick up a fight with the lady. We were neck-to-neck for the next 30 minutes or so competing to beat each other to the check-in counter. Deep down inside I knew my attitude and motives were wrong. “But, it’s not fair! I was there first!” I replied back to myself. I was being stubborn and rebellious. The teens going on this trip saw that and were discussing how unfair this lady was being to us. There was a warfare going on inside of me. Finally, another leader told me, “Why don’t you just let this lady go. It’s not worth it.” This leader was with me side by side in competing with the lady. “I know it,” I said. I backed off and let the lady go. The Lord was teaching me how to be patient and be in self-control. It wasn’t easy, but it was the right thing to do.
Another lesson that I learned is the power of love. It’s amazing when you are willing to invest your time and energy in developing relationships with others; you begin to see the difference being made. I’m not boasting about this topic, but we (DTQ) have been told by CCCD how the students have been affected due to our time, energy, and relationship we invested in one week of their lives. They have never experience this type of relational ministry compared to other ministries that have come to their school. There was a young mature girl whose brother was recently killed by a gang member a few weeks prior to our visit. She’s the only Christian in her family and she was devastated! We invited her to join in our devotional time one evening. I shared a short message regarding running the race for the prize that lasts (1 Corinthians 9:24-27). I used this comparison as to preparing and running in a marathon. It was a perfect comparison. And it impacted this young girl so much that she realized that she should not give up in the race that she’s running for Jesus. Since her brother’s death, she has been in the valley of depression and lost hope. That message was for her and a smile formed on her face, not only that evening, but the rest of that week. This is the power of obedience and love. Other students at the school felt so connected to our team and was literally running across school campus and climbed the fence as we rolled away in the bus to the airport. Lives have been impacted due to Christ’s genuine love!
The mission trip to Jamaica was an awesome experience. It is truly humbling to be a part of a different culture and a different environment. It doesn’t matter how rich or poor we may be, because if we strive to be more like Christ, we will be satisfied in any situation. Love is a powerful thing. If you have never experienced an international mission trip, I would deeply encourage you to do so. Our teens within the DTQ ministry has been impacted and they realized something about themselves that is truly humbling. What area in the fruit of the Spirit do you need to work on?
As we grow in our relationship with the Lord, we find that our desire to please Him increases as we grow closer and closer to Him. We are not perfect, by nature, but we can grow towards perfection by allowing the Lord to transform our lives on a daily basis. We must always take the first step in this direction. I can think of many faults I have to work on and I wish I didn’t have them. I also know that through my imperfection, I am made more perfect according to His purposes (2 Corinthians 12:9). The Lord wants to use our weaknesses to develop our character and deepens our relationship with Him.
A group of us went on a DTQ missions trip to Kingston, Jamaica recently. The theme of the week was the fruit of the Spirit. Even though we were going to Jamaica to minister and develop relationship with the students from Caribbean Christian Centre for the Deaf (CCCD), I knew that God was also going to work on our lives as well. And sure enough, God started early! After receiving our boarding tickets, we went to the baggage drop off line. The lines seemed cluttered and it is easy to cut people off. Our group was standing in line and about 15 minutes later someone had cut us off! I was stirred by anger and I felt like I was going to pick up a fight with the lady. We were neck-to-neck for the next 30 minutes or so competing to beat each other to the check-in counter. Deep down inside I knew my attitude and motives were wrong. “But, it’s not fair! I was there first!” I replied back to myself. I was being stubborn and rebellious. The teens going on this trip saw that and were discussing how unfair this lady was being to us. There was a warfare going on inside of me. Finally, another leader told me, “Why don’t you just let this lady go. It’s not worth it.” This leader was with me side by side in competing with the lady. “I know it,” I said. I backed off and let the lady go. The Lord was teaching me how to be patient and be in self-control. It wasn’t easy, but it was the right thing to do.
Another lesson that I learned is the power of love. It’s amazing when you are willing to invest your time and energy in developing relationships with others; you begin to see the difference being made. I’m not boasting about this topic, but we (DTQ) have been told by CCCD how the students have been affected due to our time, energy, and relationship we invested in one week of their lives. They have never experience this type of relational ministry compared to other ministries that have come to their school. There was a young mature girl whose brother was recently killed by a gang member a few weeks prior to our visit. She’s the only Christian in her family and she was devastated! We invited her to join in our devotional time one evening. I shared a short message regarding running the race for the prize that lasts (1 Corinthians 9:24-27). I used this comparison as to preparing and running in a marathon. It was a perfect comparison. And it impacted this young girl so much that she realized that she should not give up in the race that she’s running for Jesus. Since her brother’s death, she has been in the valley of depression and lost hope. That message was for her and a smile formed on her face, not only that evening, but the rest of that week. This is the power of obedience and love. Other students at the school felt so connected to our team and was literally running across school campus and climbed the fence as we rolled away in the bus to the airport. Lives have been impacted due to Christ’s genuine love!
The mission trip to Jamaica was an awesome experience. It is truly humbling to be a part of a different culture and a different environment. It doesn’t matter how rich or poor we may be, because if we strive to be more like Christ, we will be satisfied in any situation. Love is a powerful thing. If you have never experienced an international mission trip, I would deeply encourage you to do so. Our teens within the DTQ ministry has been impacted and they realized something about themselves that is truly humbling. What area in the fruit of the Spirit do you need to work on?
Tuesday, April 27, 2010
By faith...
Hebrews 11:1, “Now faith is being certain what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.”
Has the world lost faith in the One that matters the most? The One that I’m talking about is Jesus Christ. From the beginning creation of the world, God showed that he loves us abundantly and wants to take care of us. We see evidence of that throughout the Bible. Here are a few of them:
The Universe – by faith we realize that God is the creator of the Universe; God didn’t create everything by what is visible, but through His commands!
Noah – by faith Noah obeyed God and built a huge ark. God warned that he would send heavy rains and would flood the earth. Noah and his family were ridiculed for such a crazy idea.
Abraham – by faith Abraham traveled through the land without knowing where he was going. He simply obeyed and God led him to the promised land, which he made his home like a stranger in the country. By faith, Abraham believed that he would have a son even when he and his wife, Sarah, was past age. God later tested Abraham to offer his son as a sacrifice, but God stopped him.
Moses – by faith Moses grew up refusing to be known as the Pharaoh’s daughter and left Egypt not fearing the King’s anger. He persevered and led the Israelites out of slavery.
Israelites – by faith these people passed through the Red Sea on dry land, however, when the Egyptians did, they were wiped away and drowned. By faith the walls of Jericho fell down when the people marched around it seven times.
There are countless of stories in the Bible that demonstrates people’s faith. As I think of the world today, I often feel like I’m a stranger in this country. Even though it seems like home, but it really doesn’t feel like home. I am here just to serve God and try my best to obey Him. God simply asks for my faith in Him in everything that I do. The word “faith” sounds so simple, yet we make it so complicated. As a human tendency, we say we’ll do this or that IF that happens, but WHEN it happens we say no way! Well, I don’t want to be that kind of person. Sometimes it can be frustrating not knowing what to expect, but doesn’t that make it exciting at times? Sometimes we think we know what we are doing, but little do we know God has other plans (Isaiah 55:8). This happens to me very often and has happened to me again just recently. After shaking through my own doubts, I choose to trust and believe in the Lord. I know that God has great plans for my life (Jeremiah 29:11) and I’m here to say that God has great plans for your life as well! The Lord will take care of you no matter what situation you are put in right now!
If you are expecting to see the outcome, I might have to disappoint you because sometimes God just requires our faith even when we don’t understand or see it. Just remember that God is fully in control of everything, through good and evil. A good example of this is Abraham. God promised him that his genealogy of people will be blessed, but he died before even seeing that. Faith – this is what God loves about us – our own faith in Him!
In closing, Hebrews 11: 39-40, “These were all commended for their faith, yet none of them received what had been promised. God had planned something better for us so that only together with us would they be made perfect.”
Has the world lost faith in the One that matters the most? The One that I’m talking about is Jesus Christ. From the beginning creation of the world, God showed that he loves us abundantly and wants to take care of us. We see evidence of that throughout the Bible. Here are a few of them:
The Universe – by faith we realize that God is the creator of the Universe; God didn’t create everything by what is visible, but through His commands!
Noah – by faith Noah obeyed God and built a huge ark. God warned that he would send heavy rains and would flood the earth. Noah and his family were ridiculed for such a crazy idea.
Abraham – by faith Abraham traveled through the land without knowing where he was going. He simply obeyed and God led him to the promised land, which he made his home like a stranger in the country. By faith, Abraham believed that he would have a son even when he and his wife, Sarah, was past age. God later tested Abraham to offer his son as a sacrifice, but God stopped him.
Moses – by faith Moses grew up refusing to be known as the Pharaoh’s daughter and left Egypt not fearing the King’s anger. He persevered and led the Israelites out of slavery.
Israelites – by faith these people passed through the Red Sea on dry land, however, when the Egyptians did, they were wiped away and drowned. By faith the walls of Jericho fell down when the people marched around it seven times.
There are countless of stories in the Bible that demonstrates people’s faith. As I think of the world today, I often feel like I’m a stranger in this country. Even though it seems like home, but it really doesn’t feel like home. I am here just to serve God and try my best to obey Him. God simply asks for my faith in Him in everything that I do. The word “faith” sounds so simple, yet we make it so complicated. As a human tendency, we say we’ll do this or that IF that happens, but WHEN it happens we say no way! Well, I don’t want to be that kind of person. Sometimes it can be frustrating not knowing what to expect, but doesn’t that make it exciting at times? Sometimes we think we know what we are doing, but little do we know God has other plans (Isaiah 55:8). This happens to me very often and has happened to me again just recently. After shaking through my own doubts, I choose to trust and believe in the Lord. I know that God has great plans for my life (Jeremiah 29:11) and I’m here to say that God has great plans for your life as well! The Lord will take care of you no matter what situation you are put in right now!
If you are expecting to see the outcome, I might have to disappoint you because sometimes God just requires our faith even when we don’t understand or see it. Just remember that God is fully in control of everything, through good and evil. A good example of this is Abraham. God promised him that his genealogy of people will be blessed, but he died before even seeing that. Faith – this is what God loves about us – our own faith in Him!
In closing, Hebrews 11: 39-40, “These were all commended for their faith, yet none of them received what had been promised. God had planned something better for us so that only together with us would they be made perfect.”
Wednesday, February 10, 2010
God versus the world...
As I take a look around the world that we live in, I am astonished with all the things people crave. Power, money, sex, materialism, security, love, and the list go on and on… What is heart-breaking is that I see Christians falling into this trap of what the world supposedly say will satisfy us. What ever happened to the simplicity of life? Whatever happened to believing in God, through thick and thin? Whatever happened to prayers in school? What ever happened to saying the pledge of allegiance? Whatever happened to discipline and accepting the consequences of our actions? Whatever happened to saying ‘In God We Trust?’ In America, we are losing our focus in the One that matters the most. The first president of the United States, George Washington, was a faithful man who prayed before God prior to every battle. He was a great inspiration and role model to many people. I’m confident that because of his faith in God, he kept pressing on knowing that God was in control. I read that he was never wounded in battle and that all the bullets that fired at him only hit his clothing. Simply amazing and obviously protected by God!
There was a young man of the Bible named David. He was a man described by God himself as a man after his own heart. David was the greatest king of Israel. David’s life shows us that God greatly desires our complete trust and worship. There was a time when Israel needed to face the Philistines in battle. A Philistine soldier named Goliath stood out and challenged the men of Israel to fight against him. Goliath was a huge man who was over nine feet tall! He wore helmet and armor weighing about 125 pounds and held a spear which weighed at 15 pounds! He also wore some type of bronze covering his legs and carried a javelin that hung on his back. Simply put, Goliath was a big man who appeared very strong. Goliath challenged the men of Israel to find one man who would be willing to fight him. The losing team would become subjects (become servants) of the winning team. No one from the Israel tribe dared to step up and take on the fight against Goliath. No one except one man…David, who was a shepard. David was nothing like any of the soldiers of Israel. He was just a handsome boy and probably thought of, by the men of Israel, as oblivious to what appears to be reality. He was a blessed musician and poet. He knew that God was in control and trusted that God would give Israel the victory. He believed that God would stay right by him. The men of Israel scoffed at him and didn’t believe he could defeat Goliath. After some convincing, Saul, the king of Israel at the time and the soldiers let him go fight. David defeated Goliath simply as he is (no protective wear) and a staff with 5 stones in his pouch! Here I am thinking how much we can accomplish if we just trusted God! If David trusted in God, then why can’t we do the same?
David trusted in God, but also made a lot of mistakes. He sinned many times but was quick to confess his sins. He wasn’t just confessing because it was the right thing to do, rather it came right from his heart. His repentance was genuine. Even though he suffered from the consequences of sin, he still took joy in forgiveness. David was a man who lived with great zest! Like David, I want to live my life to the fullest in serving God with all my being. I once read a quote from Saint Irenaeus, “The glory of God is man fully alive.” Each and every one of us was created to do something awesome! God meant for us to experience the true nature of ourselves in which He created us to become, however, because of sin we are just dragging along. It doesn’t have to be this way. Yes, we live in a sinful world and face temptations everyday, but I know we have an awesome and forgiving God who loves us so much! There is no way in the world we can be perfect without the help of the Lord, Jesus Christ. So the next time you come face to face with the choices this world has to offer, think about whom you are serving. Are you serving God or man? How much of your time do you spend with your eyes focused on getting an education, earning a living, establishing a career, building a home, staying healthy, and achieving your goals versus the amount of time you spend on your eyes focus on Jesus and His mission? It isn’t wrong to earn a living, build a home, or stay healthy; but Jesus’ followers cannot make these things as priorities if we are considered disciples. Discipleship isn’t about making a home in this world, it’s about preparing for another. It’s about investing in the kingdom of God rather than the kingdom of this world. Every time we face with the choice of settling into this life and striving for the kingdom of God, remember what matters most. We’re on a journey and we simply cannot settle here. There is something so much better in store for us and God promises us that!
There was a young man of the Bible named David. He was a man described by God himself as a man after his own heart. David was the greatest king of Israel. David’s life shows us that God greatly desires our complete trust and worship. There was a time when Israel needed to face the Philistines in battle. A Philistine soldier named Goliath stood out and challenged the men of Israel to fight against him. Goliath was a huge man who was over nine feet tall! He wore helmet and armor weighing about 125 pounds and held a spear which weighed at 15 pounds! He also wore some type of bronze covering his legs and carried a javelin that hung on his back. Simply put, Goliath was a big man who appeared very strong. Goliath challenged the men of Israel to find one man who would be willing to fight him. The losing team would become subjects (become servants) of the winning team. No one from the Israel tribe dared to step up and take on the fight against Goliath. No one except one man…David, who was a shepard. David was nothing like any of the soldiers of Israel. He was just a handsome boy and probably thought of, by the men of Israel, as oblivious to what appears to be reality. He was a blessed musician and poet. He knew that God was in control and trusted that God would give Israel the victory. He believed that God would stay right by him. The men of Israel scoffed at him and didn’t believe he could defeat Goliath. After some convincing, Saul, the king of Israel at the time and the soldiers let him go fight. David defeated Goliath simply as he is (no protective wear) and a staff with 5 stones in his pouch! Here I am thinking how much we can accomplish if we just trusted God! If David trusted in God, then why can’t we do the same?
David trusted in God, but also made a lot of mistakes. He sinned many times but was quick to confess his sins. He wasn’t just confessing because it was the right thing to do, rather it came right from his heart. His repentance was genuine. Even though he suffered from the consequences of sin, he still took joy in forgiveness. David was a man who lived with great zest! Like David, I want to live my life to the fullest in serving God with all my being. I once read a quote from Saint Irenaeus, “The glory of God is man fully alive.” Each and every one of us was created to do something awesome! God meant for us to experience the true nature of ourselves in which He created us to become, however, because of sin we are just dragging along. It doesn’t have to be this way. Yes, we live in a sinful world and face temptations everyday, but I know we have an awesome and forgiving God who loves us so much! There is no way in the world we can be perfect without the help of the Lord, Jesus Christ. So the next time you come face to face with the choices this world has to offer, think about whom you are serving. Are you serving God or man? How much of your time do you spend with your eyes focused on getting an education, earning a living, establishing a career, building a home, staying healthy, and achieving your goals versus the amount of time you spend on your eyes focus on Jesus and His mission? It isn’t wrong to earn a living, build a home, or stay healthy; but Jesus’ followers cannot make these things as priorities if we are considered disciples. Discipleship isn’t about making a home in this world, it’s about preparing for another. It’s about investing in the kingdom of God rather than the kingdom of this world. Every time we face with the choice of settling into this life and striving for the kingdom of God, remember what matters most. We’re on a journey and we simply cannot settle here. There is something so much better in store for us and God promises us that!
Monday, January 11, 2010
Unattached...
I’ve spent four days reading the passage of Matthew 5:38-42, where Jesus talks about retaliation. I’ve come to understand a few things and I would like to share. I don’t know about you, but when I have been wronged by someone, my first reaction is to get even! The natural reaction is to start thinking of a list of ways to get back at someone. It should not be a priority for us to tally up and keep score. Instead, Jesus is telling us to do good to those who wrong us and we need to learn how to love and forgive. This can be a very difficult thing and feel very unnatural. It really is not natural. It’s more supernatural because only God can give us the strength to love others as he loves us. In this passage, Jesus is telling us that our main desire should not to retaliate but to be UNATTACHED. What do I mean by unattached? Let me break it down for you…
In verse 39a, “But I tell you, do not resist an evil person.” Here, Jesus is asking us to be unattached to self. We are to resist evil. However, when evil is against us, we are to counter evil with good. There have been many instances when the young kids hurl insults on me, whether right to my face or behind my back. My first reaction is hurt and confusion. I could have insulted these kids back to “teach them a lesson,” but I don’t. Instead, I’ve chosen to say positive things to and about them. I give the kids examples of how they would like to be treated by others, so they should do the same. And I still spend time with them regardless of how they treat me.
In verse 39b, “If someone strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also.” Here, Jesus is asking us to be unattached to dignity. Our pride is what makes us desire to rise to the top and to make a good impression on others. Rather, we should be humble. As many of you know, I could have been a professional golfer. That is what people expected of me. Because I responded to the calling of God into ministry and my current employments, there are people who are perplexed to my choice in life. I admit, there are times when I feel a sense of jealousy for my friends who are on the professional tour these days because I know I could be right up there with them. I aim not to be concerned with the impression I make with people, but to do what is good. When people offend me in my choices, I turn to my other cheek and turn to God for his view of my dignity.
In verse 40, “And if someone wants to sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well.” Here, Jesus is asking us to be unattached to things. We live in a world that is so obsessed and attached to possessions. We should realize that our earthly possessions are only temporary. What we store up here on earth will not lead us to eternity. I’m not saying that we can’t have things, but rather we should not let it get in the way of our discipleship. I’m a neat freak and everything I own is pretty tidy. I worry teenagers will make a mess in my car or in my apartment. Sometimes I don’t even trust them for the fear of stealing or damaging things. But, you know what? It really doesn’t matter because what I have here on earth does not lead me to eternity. I would rather fight in making that personal sacrifice so that the teenagers will see the love of Jesus in their lives.
In verse 41, “If someone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles.” Here, Jesus is asking us to be unattached to time. For most people, time is very scarce and we must always figure out how to balance our responsibilities. We only have 24 hours a day, no more or less. We are to spend our time for kingdom purposes and that means we are to spend it for others. My schedule is very busy and I sometimes get too focused on getting things done rather than focusing on building up an eternal kingdom. A good example of this is that I sometimes would use my lunch time to get some work done so that I could have that extra half hour of watching television at night. Instead, I am reminded that my time spent with the teenagers during lunch period is much more valuable than my time spent watching television. It is relationships that determine results.
Today, ask yourself where you struggle with the most. It may be one or all of the four. It’s okay. Seek God and he will show you the way in what you should do. God is calling us to do great things in our times spent on earth. Let us do all we can to store up heavenly treasures as we live here on earth. Let’s become a better person and go against what is considered “normal” in today’s society. Jesus stood out in His life because he contradicted what people thought was right. We, too, can stand out and be more like Jesus. Let our ordinary lives be given over to God so that he can make it something extraordinary! Amen?
In verse 39a, “But I tell you, do not resist an evil person.” Here, Jesus is asking us to be unattached to self. We are to resist evil. However, when evil is against us, we are to counter evil with good. There have been many instances when the young kids hurl insults on me, whether right to my face or behind my back. My first reaction is hurt and confusion. I could have insulted these kids back to “teach them a lesson,” but I don’t. Instead, I’ve chosen to say positive things to and about them. I give the kids examples of how they would like to be treated by others, so they should do the same. And I still spend time with them regardless of how they treat me.
In verse 39b, “If someone strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also.” Here, Jesus is asking us to be unattached to dignity. Our pride is what makes us desire to rise to the top and to make a good impression on others. Rather, we should be humble. As many of you know, I could have been a professional golfer. That is what people expected of me. Because I responded to the calling of God into ministry and my current employments, there are people who are perplexed to my choice in life. I admit, there are times when I feel a sense of jealousy for my friends who are on the professional tour these days because I know I could be right up there with them. I aim not to be concerned with the impression I make with people, but to do what is good. When people offend me in my choices, I turn to my other cheek and turn to God for his view of my dignity.
In verse 40, “And if someone wants to sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well.” Here, Jesus is asking us to be unattached to things. We live in a world that is so obsessed and attached to possessions. We should realize that our earthly possessions are only temporary. What we store up here on earth will not lead us to eternity. I’m not saying that we can’t have things, but rather we should not let it get in the way of our discipleship. I’m a neat freak and everything I own is pretty tidy. I worry teenagers will make a mess in my car or in my apartment. Sometimes I don’t even trust them for the fear of stealing or damaging things. But, you know what? It really doesn’t matter because what I have here on earth does not lead me to eternity. I would rather fight in making that personal sacrifice so that the teenagers will see the love of Jesus in their lives.
In verse 41, “If someone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles.” Here, Jesus is asking us to be unattached to time. For most people, time is very scarce and we must always figure out how to balance our responsibilities. We only have 24 hours a day, no more or less. We are to spend our time for kingdom purposes and that means we are to spend it for others. My schedule is very busy and I sometimes get too focused on getting things done rather than focusing on building up an eternal kingdom. A good example of this is that I sometimes would use my lunch time to get some work done so that I could have that extra half hour of watching television at night. Instead, I am reminded that my time spent with the teenagers during lunch period is much more valuable than my time spent watching television. It is relationships that determine results.
Today, ask yourself where you struggle with the most. It may be one or all of the four. It’s okay. Seek God and he will show you the way in what you should do. God is calling us to do great things in our times spent on earth. Let us do all we can to store up heavenly treasures as we live here on earth. Let’s become a better person and go against what is considered “normal” in today’s society. Jesus stood out in His life because he contradicted what people thought was right. We, too, can stand out and be more like Jesus. Let our ordinary lives be given over to God so that he can make it something extraordinary! Amen?
Friday, December 18, 2009
Χριστούγεννα
Is it the Christmas season already? Above is the Greek word for "Christmas." There's no particular reason why I chose to use the Greek word, other than I thought it was cool-looking :) Another year has rolled on by and there are so many exciting things to do! Christmas means different things for people. It’s easy to get caught up in the parties, banquets, shopping, eating, and bunches of fun… Despite of the busyness during this time of the year, we need to remember the significance of this season. And that is…Jesus Christ! It is ironic to celebrate through the comforts of this holiday season, while Jesus was born in a place where most of us would not even consider. He was born away from home after Mary and Joseph had traveled many restless miles wandering through the nature of this world. Jesus wasn’t born in a hospital or even in a secure warm environment. He was born in a barn. I imagine that the barn wasn’t as clean as one would think. What about personal hygiene that most of us are so obsessed about these days? This was the last of Mary and Joseph’s worries because a Savior would be born and has come to redeem the world. Do you think the life of Jesus was ever comfortable? I doubt it. Jesus took his public ministry out into the world. He spent very little time at home. He roamed through the roads, mountains, hills, water, and towns to spread his love and the gospel. Finally, he accepted the blame and took up his own cross for the burden of EVERYONE’S sins. Why did he do that? So that we may have hope and everlasting life!
Let this season be a time of reflection, thankfulness, and celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ. We cannot really celebrate Christmas or the New Year if we are slaves to sin. Materialism, money, and artificial pleasure easily entangle us and crowding out Christ of Christmas. Be careful in getting too busy for Jesus. Take in consideration what the message means to all of us. I must admit that I get excited every year that Christmas comes around. I love spending time with my family during this holiday season. We have our own traditions and celebrations. When I discovered that Christmas Day was going to be different for my family this year…I was disappointed. I’ve come to realize that I truly enjoy the traditions that I have every year, but it doesn’t change the true meaning of Christmas. I shouldn’t be disappointed because there is one thing that never changes…that’s Jesus Christ! Praise the Lord!
A couple of days ago another leader and I hosted a Christmas party for the kids that lives in the dorms here at school during the week. We felt that it would be great to spend some time with the teens. We did everything we could to make it the best party for the teens, but what it really mattered is that we spent time with them like Jesus spent time with the little children. Matthew 19:14-15, “Jesus said, ‘Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these. When he had placed his hands on them, he went on from there.’” I was so exhausted when the night was over! I spent a lot of time preparing, cooking, organizing games, leading games, and playing basketball with the teens. Oh, yeah…when all of that was over, cleaning up all the mess! It was a wonderful night of fun and celebration. My prayer is that I hope these teens will remember the night not because of all the fun they had and the good foods that they ate, but to also remember that they had caring people there in their lives that were willing to sacrifice their own time to be with them. This Christmas season wasn't the only time I spend time with the teens, but it was an opportunity and a privilege.
So, really…it doesn’t matter how Christmas is celebrated this year because there are many ways to demonstrate God’s love for the world in our own lives. Let this Christmas season be the beginning of your new life wherever you stand in your relationship with the Lord. Everyday can be a Christmas Day for you and that is what God desires from us! I hope you don’t get too wrapped up around the things of the holiday season. Rather, I hope you will understand that the Christmas message tells us that God’s grace is greater than us more than we can ever know. For this Christmas, the best gift you can give to the Lord is to accept Jesus Christ as your Savior. Give Him the gift that He wants – your heart, soul, and life! It’s not too late! I hope that you will celebrate Jesus everyday for the rest of your life and extend that love unto other people.
God Bless you during this holiday season!
Wednesday, November 4, 2009
Following the example of Christ...
It’s hard to believe that this past summer has flown by so quickly! Is it just me or does the days seem like it’s passing by within a blink of an eye? Regardless of how slow or fast time feels like, I can’t believe it’s November already! School is in session. The sun rises up later in the mornings. You step outside into the cool and crisp air. The days are getting colder as we get closer to winter! The sun sets earlier in the evening. I’m sitting here and wondering if I have missed anything? Do I take each and every day for granted or do I take advantage of every opportunity? Despite of my ups and downs, I have pure joy in knowing that I have Jesus Christ in my heart! This pure joy becomes a feeling of brokenness as I think of other deaf teenagers that I come across that do not know Jesus Christ. And that is why I choose to wake up each and every day giving everything I have to the Lord.
Here is a link to view the 2009 Eagle Rock Camp video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zEZ5Ia2bvI0; picture slides at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FE7Is4-RP1c. This camp is one of the few camps that Deaf Teen Quest coordinates. We had a fun-filled week with many different activities and worship time. It was awesome! The leaders that bring their teenagers to camp also follow up by investing in their lives after camp during the year. This camp isn’t just a “one week thing.”
Just like many of you, I live a very busy life and it gets busier by the day. I work full time at a deaf school and then for most evenings I teach American Sign Language at a community college. On top of that, I am involved in a ministry called Deaf Teen Quest. It can feel quite overwhelming at times. I do my absolute best to develop relationships with the teenagers, but sometimes it feels like it’s not enough. Working in a school environment has some advantages. I am able to see what the teenagers go through everyday. The sin and temptations consumes them and a lot of times they don’t even realize it. I notice because their behavior shows it. It breaks my heart; however, it also motivates me to display positive images into their lives. As sad as it seems, some teachers seem like they don’t care and all they want to do is punish, punish, and punish. I am a believer in discipline, but I also believe in showing that I care. While I’m here to discipline the kids, I’m also doing everything I can to be involved in their lives. A good example of this is that some days I will sit with the kids during lunch to eat and talk with them. A lot of times I don’t even say anything…the kids do all the talking! I want them to recognize that I’m interested in them. I also try to attend to sporting events to support the teenagers. This is a fun and excellent time to interact with other deaf teenagers, while showing support to deaf teenage athletes!
Despite of everything that I try to do, there are days when I just feel like all of my investment of my life for the teenagers goes to waste. I just don’t see any results and I get frustrated. Really frustrated! It would be easier if I could just do whatever I want and invest in my own time. When I read 1 Corinthians 11:1, which says, “Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ.” We are to follow Jesus Christ’s example in our lives. Sometimes it’s hard and it just doesn’t feel like a difference is being made, but we must have faith that God is at work in other people’s lives. Hebrews 11:1 says, “Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.” I like this verse because God is asking for our absolute faith and trust in Him. As long as we are following Christ’s example, things will work out according to His purpose and plans. It can be mind boggling. I would much rather have faith and not know than to know and not have faith. I think there is greater reward in having faith without seeing!
In closing, whatever the circumstance, know that God is with you and loves you. God cares for you enough to send Jesus to die for our sins. Jesus carried the burden for us and now it’s our turn to carry the burden for those who need Jesus in their lives. As Romans 5:8 says, “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Let’s follow the example of Christ by dying to self for others. You just may never know when you see the results of God’s work. A couple of weeks ago, I felt like I needed some time to be alone so I did not sit with the teenagers during lunch time. For about a month or two up to that point, I felt like I wasn’t making any difference or that the teens didn’t even care that I invest my life for them. In the middle of that week, I went to the cafeteria to refill my water bottle. As soon as I walked into the room, a few teenagers turned around and were so HAPPY to see me and wanted me to sit with them! At that moment, I felt a pure joy in knowing that I’ve been doing all that I can and these teens do recognize that. I realized that God is at work and I just need to trust in Him. These kids want to be loved and given attention to, just like anyone else that you are ministering to at this moment. Persevere and don’t ever give up! Amen?
Here is a link to view the 2009 Eagle Rock Camp video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zEZ5Ia2bvI0; picture slides at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FE7Is4-RP1c. This camp is one of the few camps that Deaf Teen Quest coordinates. We had a fun-filled week with many different activities and worship time. It was awesome! The leaders that bring their teenagers to camp also follow up by investing in their lives after camp during the year. This camp isn’t just a “one week thing.”
Just like many of you, I live a very busy life and it gets busier by the day. I work full time at a deaf school and then for most evenings I teach American Sign Language at a community college. On top of that, I am involved in a ministry called Deaf Teen Quest. It can feel quite overwhelming at times. I do my absolute best to develop relationships with the teenagers, but sometimes it feels like it’s not enough. Working in a school environment has some advantages. I am able to see what the teenagers go through everyday. The sin and temptations consumes them and a lot of times they don’t even realize it. I notice because their behavior shows it. It breaks my heart; however, it also motivates me to display positive images into their lives. As sad as it seems, some teachers seem like they don’t care and all they want to do is punish, punish, and punish. I am a believer in discipline, but I also believe in showing that I care. While I’m here to discipline the kids, I’m also doing everything I can to be involved in their lives. A good example of this is that some days I will sit with the kids during lunch to eat and talk with them. A lot of times I don’t even say anything…the kids do all the talking! I want them to recognize that I’m interested in them. I also try to attend to sporting events to support the teenagers. This is a fun and excellent time to interact with other deaf teenagers, while showing support to deaf teenage athletes!
Despite of everything that I try to do, there are days when I just feel like all of my investment of my life for the teenagers goes to waste. I just don’t see any results and I get frustrated. Really frustrated! It would be easier if I could just do whatever I want and invest in my own time. When I read 1 Corinthians 11:1, which says, “Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ.” We are to follow Jesus Christ’s example in our lives. Sometimes it’s hard and it just doesn’t feel like a difference is being made, but we must have faith that God is at work in other people’s lives. Hebrews 11:1 says, “Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.” I like this verse because God is asking for our absolute faith and trust in Him. As long as we are following Christ’s example, things will work out according to His purpose and plans. It can be mind boggling. I would much rather have faith and not know than to know and not have faith. I think there is greater reward in having faith without seeing!
In closing, whatever the circumstance, know that God is with you and loves you. God cares for you enough to send Jesus to die for our sins. Jesus carried the burden for us and now it’s our turn to carry the burden for those who need Jesus in their lives. As Romans 5:8 says, “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Let’s follow the example of Christ by dying to self for others. You just may never know when you see the results of God’s work. A couple of weeks ago, I felt like I needed some time to be alone so I did not sit with the teenagers during lunch time. For about a month or two up to that point, I felt like I wasn’t making any difference or that the teens didn’t even care that I invest my life for them. In the middle of that week, I went to the cafeteria to refill my water bottle. As soon as I walked into the room, a few teenagers turned around and were so HAPPY to see me and wanted me to sit with them! At that moment, I felt a pure joy in knowing that I’ve been doing all that I can and these teens do recognize that. I realized that God is at work and I just need to trust in Him. These kids want to be loved and given attention to, just like anyone else that you are ministering to at this moment. Persevere and don’t ever give up! Amen?
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
A "thorn" in my flesh...
2 Corinthians 12:7-10, “To keep me from becoming conceited because of these surpassingly great revelations, there was given me a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me. Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. But he said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.”
We all have received some kind of “thorn” in our flesh during our lifetime that have prevented us from doing something. In this passage, I believe the Apostle Paul may be talking about some type of physical ailment that he was experiencing at the time. It was obviously a hindrance to his ministry that kept him from working. Paul prayed to God three times to take the pain away from him, but God simply didn’t. Whatever the thorn Paul was experiencing made it difficult for Paul because he was the kind of person who is able to achieve things with a purpose and get things done. During this experience, I’m sure he felt frustrated and helpless. Paul was reminded that he needed to trust and depend in God so much more and to remain humble. He realized that he was becoming stronger through his weakness.
In the past couple of weeks I’ve been experiencing a type of “thorn” in my flesh. It started about two and a half weeks ago when my lower back pain was bothering me. I’ve had very light low back pain in the past that would go away in a few days, however, this time it felt different. It became progressively worse. There are many factors that may have triggered it. Regardless of what was happening, the Lord spoke to my heart about Paul’s thorn and prompted me to understand what that means. This painful experience with my lower back really convicted my heart about pride. I have always had the mentality that if I took good care of myself that everything would be fine and that I wouldn’t need to depend on anyone or anything. The past couple days the pain was unbearable and it got to the point where I really had very low mobility and range of motion. I was literally crawling around in my apartment. I couldn’t bend, twist, or move in any way. I finally gave up and text a friend of mine for help. Like Paul, I prayed and prayed to God to remove the pain away from me because I didn’t want to deal with doctors or medicine. Somehow this made me feel imperfect if I “gave in.” God didn’t remove the pain, but he taught me that I needed to recognize my own limitations. I cannot do everything on my own and that there are people who can help me, even doctors! I do not like doctors at all and I do not like medicine, but I had to suck down my own pride. I realized that I needed God’s help even if it’s through doctors.
I have to admit, I like being able achieve things on my own and it was hard to confess that I had a physical weakness. I’m sure Paul felt the same way. He felt the frustration of not being able to do anything. I felt that. Through this experience, I realized that my weakness has helped me develop my character and deepens my relationship with the One who has full control and holds things together – the Lord, Jesus Christ. Life is full of obstacles, hindrances, and setbacks and when they do occur, we must depend on only God. God will give us the strength that we need (Philippians 4:13). We are much stronger when we allow God to have full control than when we are alone. My back pain has not fully gone away. I feel like I’ve been humbled by this experience because it has cause me to re-think about some things. It’s not about what I can do or plan to do because ultimately it can fail. That is why God says to me that His grace is sufficient and His power is made perfect in my weakness. During this time of my weakness, I am turning to God a lot more. I’m not asking “Why?” but rather, I’m asking “What are you trying to say to me?” I believe God has a message to teach me and I don’t fully get it right now, but if I continue to earnestly seek Him, I will come to an understanding.
As I close today, I encourage you to stay positive whatever your circumstance may be. Rather than asking God “Why?” is this happening to me, ask God “What can I learn from this experience?” The man Job (read the book of Job in the Bible if you don't know the story) did not do anything to lose all his wealth, health, & possessions because he did something wrong. God simply allowed this to happen to test his faith in Him. This may be a time of testing for you and me. Hang in there and we will make it through! God Bless you!
We all have received some kind of “thorn” in our flesh during our lifetime that have prevented us from doing something. In this passage, I believe the Apostle Paul may be talking about some type of physical ailment that he was experiencing at the time. It was obviously a hindrance to his ministry that kept him from working. Paul prayed to God three times to take the pain away from him, but God simply didn’t. Whatever the thorn Paul was experiencing made it difficult for Paul because he was the kind of person who is able to achieve things with a purpose and get things done. During this experience, I’m sure he felt frustrated and helpless. Paul was reminded that he needed to trust and depend in God so much more and to remain humble. He realized that he was becoming stronger through his weakness.
In the past couple of weeks I’ve been experiencing a type of “thorn” in my flesh. It started about two and a half weeks ago when my lower back pain was bothering me. I’ve had very light low back pain in the past that would go away in a few days, however, this time it felt different. It became progressively worse. There are many factors that may have triggered it. Regardless of what was happening, the Lord spoke to my heart about Paul’s thorn and prompted me to understand what that means. This painful experience with my lower back really convicted my heart about pride. I have always had the mentality that if I took good care of myself that everything would be fine and that I wouldn’t need to depend on anyone or anything. The past couple days the pain was unbearable and it got to the point where I really had very low mobility and range of motion. I was literally crawling around in my apartment. I couldn’t bend, twist, or move in any way. I finally gave up and text a friend of mine for help. Like Paul, I prayed and prayed to God to remove the pain away from me because I didn’t want to deal with doctors or medicine. Somehow this made me feel imperfect if I “gave in.” God didn’t remove the pain, but he taught me that I needed to recognize my own limitations. I cannot do everything on my own and that there are people who can help me, even doctors! I do not like doctors at all and I do not like medicine, but I had to suck down my own pride. I realized that I needed God’s help even if it’s through doctors.
I have to admit, I like being able achieve things on my own and it was hard to confess that I had a physical weakness. I’m sure Paul felt the same way. He felt the frustration of not being able to do anything. I felt that. Through this experience, I realized that my weakness has helped me develop my character and deepens my relationship with the One who has full control and holds things together – the Lord, Jesus Christ. Life is full of obstacles, hindrances, and setbacks and when they do occur, we must depend on only God. God will give us the strength that we need (Philippians 4:13). We are much stronger when we allow God to have full control than when we are alone. My back pain has not fully gone away. I feel like I’ve been humbled by this experience because it has cause me to re-think about some things. It’s not about what I can do or plan to do because ultimately it can fail. That is why God says to me that His grace is sufficient and His power is made perfect in my weakness. During this time of my weakness, I am turning to God a lot more. I’m not asking “Why?” but rather, I’m asking “What are you trying to say to me?” I believe God has a message to teach me and I don’t fully get it right now, but if I continue to earnestly seek Him, I will come to an understanding.
As I close today, I encourage you to stay positive whatever your circumstance may be. Rather than asking God “Why?” is this happening to me, ask God “What can I learn from this experience?” The man Job (read the book of Job in the Bible if you don't know the story) did not do anything to lose all his wealth, health, & possessions because he did something wrong. God simply allowed this to happen to test his faith in Him. This may be a time of testing for you and me. Hang in there and we will make it through! God Bless you!
Sunday, August 23, 2009
God is what holds us together...
For a while now I've been thinking about how big our God really is and had an opportunity to listen to a couple of sermons about this topic. Two days ago, I went for a really long run, roughly about 20 miles, so yes, it was a really long run! A lot was going through my mind as usual. I took the opportunity to pray about many different things. During this time, I realized that I was able to see more detail about my surroundings. What I mean by that is I've noticed things more than I have in the past year living in this city. I've heard about such and such places, but never really knew where they were. I realized that there is so much more that I can learn about and so much more I can explore. If I was flying on an airplane, I could see the big picture. But if I rode a car, I could see more than I could when I am flying on an airplane. But if I rode my bike, I notice things even more. Then when I run, I notice things even so much more! The point of this is that there's so much I have not seen, yet God knows it all! Why? Because he is the creator of this earth. God is the one that started it all and he is still at work. Our God is truly a BIG God! And if you don't really believe this, then maybe this will convince you...To explain this a little bit more, I think you will be fascinated if you have not heard of this before. Louie Giglio, a Christian pastor/evangelist, gives a sermon about how inconceivably BIG our God really is. Louie talked about how God spoke the universe into being...how he spoke stars out of his mouth that are huge raging balls of fire...and so on. I think you get the idea. Louie then talks about our bodies. I'm already fascinated with this because as an athlete, I'm amazed how much we can push our bodies to the limit! God knitted our bodies into an amazing detail and wonder. At this point, I'm thinking, "No wonder we make things more complicated than we should because we're complicated beings!" Then Louie continues to connect this with how God is really our sustainer. The God who created everything is the God that we can trust because he has the power to hold things together when things seems to be falling apart.
Now, I know the Bible talks a lot about faith and trust in the Lord, our God. If you are like me, there are days when you feel like it's impossible to trust God. Maybe it's because you've been searching for an answer and still am at loss...or maybe something happened to your loved one...or maybe you've lost your job...or maybe God tells you to move to a different country...or maybe you're struggling with temptation...or maybe (insert here with your current reason why you feel it's impossible to trust in God)... I think you get the idea.
Colossians 1:15-17, says, "He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him. He is before all things, and in him all things hold together."
You see in this verse that it is God that is the first, now, and last. He is the reason why we should trust him. He is the Creator. He is what holds us together! I mean that literally, God is the reason why we our bodies holds together. As I was saying before, we are complicated beings created by God. There are so many parts to our bodies that help us function. The human body consists of biological systems, that consist of organs, that consist of tissues, that consist of cells and connective tissues. The most important molecule I want to hit on is the molecule called laminin. Wikipedia describes laminin as this: "Laminins are a family of proteins that are an integral part of the structural scaffolding of basement membranes in almost every animal tissue." In plain english, laminins are what literally holds us together. They hold one cell of our bodies to the next cell. Without them, we will literally fall apart. Isn't that amazing. Laminin is what holds our bodies together...God is the creator of our bodies...therefore God holds us together! If you still don't get it, then take a look of the picture I posted above.
This what the structure of laminin looks like and this is not the "Christian" portrayal of it! If you look up laminin in the scientific/medical piece of literature, this is what you will see. Yet, I am amazed to why many scientists/medical people still doubt God when the truth is right there. The first time I saw this picture, I was amazed that the very core of our beings is the shape of the cross. Isn't it clear to you that our God is real? How can you not believe in that? No matter what, you will always continue to find evidences in life that links to God. I was blessed when I learned about laminin in a way that God continues to prove to me that he's real in my life! And I hope that this has blessed you in a special way as well. God Bless you and see you next time!
Saturday, July 18, 2009
Walking alongside...
John 15:4-5, "Remain in me, and I will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing."
I had the most amazing time earlier this week with a group of Deaf Teen Quest (DTQ) leaders at a spiritual retreat in Tennessee. Upon my arrival, I looked around nervously and wondered what to expect in the next few days. I did notice the peace and quiet; the views were absolutely gorgeous! There's a main cabin that has a long deck with rocking chairs to over look the mountains miles and miles away. Looking straight ahead, someone tells me that on the other side is North Carolina. "Wow!" I thought. God is so amazing! Really, is there a God that created all of this just for me? I mean, WOW! It was absolutely breathtaking. If you think about it, God has brought each and every one of us here for a reason and none of us is a mistake. I find this very clearly in Ephesians 1:4, which says, "For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight." You may be wondering right now or have wondered why on earth you're here? No matter what happens in your life or where life takes you, know this...God created you the way he wanted and he desires one thing from you.
A loving and intimate relationship with Him. That is what God desires from you. The staple message throughout the retreat was John 15, which talks about the vine and the branches and the importance of remaining in Him. I have read this chapter several times and I can say that it hits the spot in my heart every time. Especially this time, I've lost focus on how important it is to remain in Christ. There have been so many situations and circumstances that I've faced this year which led to discouragement. No matter what, I've held close to God. That's what God wants from me...to remain in Him.
As I look back in my life, I realize that I've been through a lot to get to where I am today. Quite honestly, I still wonder at times where the heck I'm going? Earlier in my life, I wanted to be a professional golfer. God closed the door on that one. After college graduation, I worked several part time jobs not really knowing what I want to do or what God has called me to do. Somehow along the way, I ended up in Master's Commission, a full time discipleship program. I went through that for two years of my life. I returned back home, not knowing what's next in my life. Within 3 months, I moved to a new city and landed upon a new job and a new ministry. This has been a challenging year and I did wonder from time to time if I've made a right choice.
On the third day of my retreat, I was sitting outside observing nature and praying. I spent some time reading a devotional and the Bible. I wrote in my journal and expressed my feelings about all the things I've listed above. Immediately, I heard a silent voice in my heart from God saying, "Be still and know that I'm God." I knew what that meant. For me, it means that I'm heading the right direction and that I needed to stop trying to do thing in my own power and control. God was saying that he knows what he is doing and I just needed to stop trying so hard to figure things out. I know that I'm called doing what I do. For a long time I've struggled with the word, called. The day before, someone said that you're not called until you get there. Somehow that made sense to me. I'm here right now. I'm in the deaf ministry that I know God has been stirring in my heart to be a part of it. Yes, there are days when I don't think I can do the "job," but God didn't place me here because it was going to be easy. Being a follower of Christ means fighting for life and continue sweating it all out in love. You may be wondering right now what God has called you to do. Just know this, if God has been stirring your heart to do some special work for him, obey it even if it doesn't make sense! And when you get to that destination, you have been called by God.
One thing I know for sure in what each and every one of us has been called to do. God has created us to have a loving relationship with Him. You have been called by God to love Him with all your heart, mind, and soul. Whether you're a Christian or not, God fearfully and wonderfully made you (Psalm 139:14) and he wants you to talk to Him, walk alongside him, and to love him with everything you have! Life is full of storms. If you truly know God in your heart and believe in Christ as Lord and Savior, you will continue to put your faith and hope in Him no matter what! My prayer is that if you don't know the Lord as your personal Savior, you will choose to do that right now. Or if you have a personal relationship with Christ, that you will continue to remain in Him and go through a life-pruning process and bear plentiful fruit. The reason for all of this is that apart from God we cannot do anything. God is what holds us together.
Dear Heavenly Father, I thank you for the powerful message of John 15 and the importance of remaining in the vine. I pray for those lost souls in the world, hearing or deaf, to come to know you. I also pray for those who are struggling to continue to put their hope and faith in you alone. Thank you for your wonderful and abounding love. I cannot thank you enough. I give you all the glory and praise, Amen!
I had the most amazing time earlier this week with a group of Deaf Teen Quest (DTQ) leaders at a spiritual retreat in Tennessee. Upon my arrival, I looked around nervously and wondered what to expect in the next few days. I did notice the peace and quiet; the views were absolutely gorgeous! There's a main cabin that has a long deck with rocking chairs to over look the mountains miles and miles away. Looking straight ahead, someone tells me that on the other side is North Carolina. "Wow!" I thought. God is so amazing! Really, is there a God that created all of this just for me? I mean, WOW! It was absolutely breathtaking. If you think about it, God has brought each and every one of us here for a reason and none of us is a mistake. I find this very clearly in Ephesians 1:4, which says, "For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight." You may be wondering right now or have wondered why on earth you're here? No matter what happens in your life or where life takes you, know this...God created you the way he wanted and he desires one thing from you.
A loving and intimate relationship with Him. That is what God desires from you. The staple message throughout the retreat was John 15, which talks about the vine and the branches and the importance of remaining in Him. I have read this chapter several times and I can say that it hits the spot in my heart every time. Especially this time, I've lost focus on how important it is to remain in Christ. There have been so many situations and circumstances that I've faced this year which led to discouragement. No matter what, I've held close to God. That's what God wants from me...to remain in Him.
As I look back in my life, I realize that I've been through a lot to get to where I am today. Quite honestly, I still wonder at times where the heck I'm going? Earlier in my life, I wanted to be a professional golfer. God closed the door on that one. After college graduation, I worked several part time jobs not really knowing what I want to do or what God has called me to do. Somehow along the way, I ended up in Master's Commission, a full time discipleship program. I went through that for two years of my life. I returned back home, not knowing what's next in my life. Within 3 months, I moved to a new city and landed upon a new job and a new ministry. This has been a challenging year and I did wonder from time to time if I've made a right choice.
On the third day of my retreat, I was sitting outside observing nature and praying. I spent some time reading a devotional and the Bible. I wrote in my journal and expressed my feelings about all the things I've listed above. Immediately, I heard a silent voice in my heart from God saying, "Be still and know that I'm God." I knew what that meant. For me, it means that I'm heading the right direction and that I needed to stop trying to do thing in my own power and control. God was saying that he knows what he is doing and I just needed to stop trying so hard to figure things out. I know that I'm called doing what I do. For a long time I've struggled with the word, called. The day before, someone said that you're not called until you get there. Somehow that made sense to me. I'm here right now. I'm in the deaf ministry that I know God has been stirring in my heart to be a part of it. Yes, there are days when I don't think I can do the "job," but God didn't place me here because it was going to be easy. Being a follower of Christ means fighting for life and continue sweating it all out in love. You may be wondering right now what God has called you to do. Just know this, if God has been stirring your heart to do some special work for him, obey it even if it doesn't make sense! And when you get to that destination, you have been called by God.
One thing I know for sure in what each and every one of us has been called to do. God has created us to have a loving relationship with Him. You have been called by God to love Him with all your heart, mind, and soul. Whether you're a Christian or not, God fearfully and wonderfully made you (Psalm 139:14) and he wants you to talk to Him, walk alongside him, and to love him with everything you have! Life is full of storms. If you truly know God in your heart and believe in Christ as Lord and Savior, you will continue to put your faith and hope in Him no matter what! My prayer is that if you don't know the Lord as your personal Savior, you will choose to do that right now. Or if you have a personal relationship with Christ, that you will continue to remain in Him and go through a life-pruning process and bear plentiful fruit. The reason for all of this is that apart from God we cannot do anything. God is what holds us together.
Dear Heavenly Father, I thank you for the powerful message of John 15 and the importance of remaining in the vine. I pray for those lost souls in the world, hearing or deaf, to come to know you. I also pray for those who are struggling to continue to put their hope and faith in you alone. Thank you for your wonderful and abounding love. I cannot thank you enough. I give you all the glory and praise, Amen!
Wednesday, July 8, 2009
Watch, listen, and obey!
John 14:21, “Whoever has my commands and obeys them, he is the one who loves me. He who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love him and show myself to him."
It is interesting to know that being a Christian really isn’t that hard if we would simply obey God’s speaking in our hearts. Too many people get caught up in religion and doing good works as a mean to earn their way to salvation. Jesus wasn’t too fond of religion. He debated against the Pharisees and Sadducees during his days on earth. He knew that they were living hypocrite lives. Jesus walked on earth to show us that the only way to the Father is through Him. And by through Him, we are called to follow His footsteps. It really doesn’t take much and I would like to share a personal story with you that I think fits into this example very well.
The past couple of weeks I have been vacationing and traveled many miles! I traveled, by car, about 3,500 to 4,000 miles in a three weeks span! And summer is not even over yet! I still have many more miles to travel! Anyways, it has been an awesome couple of weeks because I was able to get a break from the everyday busy lifestyle. I experienced a different level of intimacy with the Lord and spiritual refreshment. Typically, my mornings usually start off with a prayer and devotions; and throughout the day, I would meditate a lot. It has been different during my vacation and worshipped the Lord in a different way. As I was traveling throughout the country, the Lord has been speaking to my heart about many different things. I meditated a lot as I was driving. I witnessed God’s beautiful creations. I was blessed by other people with their God-given gifts and generosity. I developed new relationships and friendships with some new people. I experienced some trials and knew that God was strengthening my character. Above all else, I am deeply amazed and in awe of God’s amazing love for His people!
There is one of many stories that I would like to share that I experienced in the past three weeks. While I was staying in the St. Augustine beach area in Florida, I experienced a simple act of obedience even when it didn’t seem like it would make a difference. One hot and humid morning, I was going for an 8 mile jog along the main road just off the beach. Towards the half way point of my jog, I turned around and about a tenth of a mile ahead of me I noticed something unusual on the sidewalk. I thought my mind was playing tricks on me. Am I really seeing some bills on the sidewalk, I asked myself? I had just passed this point less than 5 minutes ago and I didn’t remember passing by anyone or seeing any money on the ground. As I approached closer, I realized that it really was money! I stopped, took a look around, hesitated, and then bent down to pick up the money. It wasn’t much, but it was 5 single dollar bills. My first reaction was, “Yeah!” I mean, who wouldn’t get excited? I was already thinking of the many small things I could buy with $5. A free lunch. Maybe a Trilogy Kombucha tea, which is my favorite drink, but expensive. Maybe some ice cream. Or whatever else…I was excited! I folded up the money and started to run again. As I got back to focus, I saw a woman carrying a bag walking with a little girl ahead of me. I thought, “Could it be that this woman dropped the money?” Even if I did stop by to ask, she may lie about it and say that it is her money. I decided I would just not ask and keep the money for myself. For some reason I was immediately convicted and prayed a short prayer to God. I knew what I had to do. As I approached her, I asked her if she lost some money. Immediately, her hands went into her pockets and she realized her money was gone. I gave her the $5 and told her I found it on the ground. She was saying some things to me, but I was trying hard to lip-read. I’m pretty sure she said that she and her daughter were on their way to the grocery store and that was the only money she had left. I said, “No problem” and took off. I felt relieved, at peace, and was glad I performed a simple act of obedience. I mean, if you think about it, a family might have been in need that day and I was living in abundance. The $5 may not seem much to me, but to another, it’s everything.
Sometimes God uses us in the small things to show others how we are to follow Jesus’ footsteps. Nothing should be taken for granted. If we would just take a step back, take a closer look at things, and ask God for wisdom. No matter how small or large things are, God is always at work. Take a minute and ask God to help you to slow down and take a closer look at things. You may be surprised in what comes your way as God works in strange and mysterious ways! I hope this story has blessed you in a special way and have you thinking about your personal lives as well. God Bless you!
It is interesting to know that being a Christian really isn’t that hard if we would simply obey God’s speaking in our hearts. Too many people get caught up in religion and doing good works as a mean to earn their way to salvation. Jesus wasn’t too fond of religion. He debated against the Pharisees and Sadducees during his days on earth. He knew that they were living hypocrite lives. Jesus walked on earth to show us that the only way to the Father is through Him. And by through Him, we are called to follow His footsteps. It really doesn’t take much and I would like to share a personal story with you that I think fits into this example very well.
The past couple of weeks I have been vacationing and traveled many miles! I traveled, by car, about 3,500 to 4,000 miles in a three weeks span! And summer is not even over yet! I still have many more miles to travel! Anyways, it has been an awesome couple of weeks because I was able to get a break from the everyday busy lifestyle. I experienced a different level of intimacy with the Lord and spiritual refreshment. Typically, my mornings usually start off with a prayer and devotions; and throughout the day, I would meditate a lot. It has been different during my vacation and worshipped the Lord in a different way. As I was traveling throughout the country, the Lord has been speaking to my heart about many different things. I meditated a lot as I was driving. I witnessed God’s beautiful creations. I was blessed by other people with their God-given gifts and generosity. I developed new relationships and friendships with some new people. I experienced some trials and knew that God was strengthening my character. Above all else, I am deeply amazed and in awe of God’s amazing love for His people!
There is one of many stories that I would like to share that I experienced in the past three weeks. While I was staying in the St. Augustine beach area in Florida, I experienced a simple act of obedience even when it didn’t seem like it would make a difference. One hot and humid morning, I was going for an 8 mile jog along the main road just off the beach. Towards the half way point of my jog, I turned around and about a tenth of a mile ahead of me I noticed something unusual on the sidewalk. I thought my mind was playing tricks on me. Am I really seeing some bills on the sidewalk, I asked myself? I had just passed this point less than 5 minutes ago and I didn’t remember passing by anyone or seeing any money on the ground. As I approached closer, I realized that it really was money! I stopped, took a look around, hesitated, and then bent down to pick up the money. It wasn’t much, but it was 5 single dollar bills. My first reaction was, “Yeah!” I mean, who wouldn’t get excited? I was already thinking of the many small things I could buy with $5. A free lunch. Maybe a Trilogy Kombucha tea, which is my favorite drink, but expensive. Maybe some ice cream. Or whatever else…I was excited! I folded up the money and started to run again. As I got back to focus, I saw a woman carrying a bag walking with a little girl ahead of me. I thought, “Could it be that this woman dropped the money?” Even if I did stop by to ask, she may lie about it and say that it is her money. I decided I would just not ask and keep the money for myself. For some reason I was immediately convicted and prayed a short prayer to God. I knew what I had to do. As I approached her, I asked her if she lost some money. Immediately, her hands went into her pockets and she realized her money was gone. I gave her the $5 and told her I found it on the ground. She was saying some things to me, but I was trying hard to lip-read. I’m pretty sure she said that she and her daughter were on their way to the grocery store and that was the only money she had left. I said, “No problem” and took off. I felt relieved, at peace, and was glad I performed a simple act of obedience. I mean, if you think about it, a family might have been in need that day and I was living in abundance. The $5 may not seem much to me, but to another, it’s everything.
Sometimes God uses us in the small things to show others how we are to follow Jesus’ footsteps. Nothing should be taken for granted. If we would just take a step back, take a closer look at things, and ask God for wisdom. No matter how small or large things are, God is always at work. Take a minute and ask God to help you to slow down and take a closer look at things. You may be surprised in what comes your way as God works in strange and mysterious ways! I hope this story has blessed you in a special way and have you thinking about your personal lives as well. God Bless you!
Wednesday, June 10, 2009
Is it really easy to miss?
Matthew 7:13-14, “Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.”
As I was driving to Louisville, Kentucky the other day, I was thinking about a lot of different things and meditating on God’s Words. I do this very often when I drive. Sometimes I wonder how I get to my destination without getting into an accident because I am pretty sure there are times when my thoughts get deeply absorbed. I think about many different things and talk to God about it. I confess, a lot of those things are things I’m struggling with and I’m pretty sure I complain a lot. I just thank God for the patience He has with me! One of the things that came to my mind is where am I in my relationship with the Lord? I feel like such a failure at times. I hate when I fall short in my abilities to please God. Today, I’m not here to talk about my shortcomings, but rather to talk about what God has to offer us. As individuals, we have two choices to choose from. Either we take up our crosses and follow Him or we don’t. The beginning of this step is to accept Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. It’s not about religion or how much of the good thing we have to offer. John 3:16 says, “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” Jesus Christ accepted our punishment, paid the price for our sins, and then offered us the new life that he had bought for us. It’s really that simple!
Or is it? As I was saying, I was driving to Louisville and I completely missed it! To get to Louisville from Cincinnati, you have to drive on Interstate 75 and then it merges to Interstate 75/71 to Lexington and Louisville. As you continue to drive for another several miles, you have to get off on Interstate 71 to Louisville. The problem is that it’s so easy to miss. I wasn’t really paying attention because my thoughts were somewhere else; however, I thought I was going the right way. Interstate 75 (to Lexington) and 71 (to Louisville) splits, but the road that takes to Lexington is wide and easy to follow and the road that leads to Louisville is narrow and easy to miss. I missed the exit and when you miss the exit, it’s pointless to turn back and you might as well keep driving to Lexington and then go to Louisville. That is what I did and it took me an extra 45 minutes to arrive to my original destination. Oh, I was agitated!
When I read this verse about the two roads to heaven and hell, I thought about my travel experience to Louisville. How easy it is for us to believe we’re going the right way, when all along we’ve missed it! The narrow gate doesn’t mean that it is difficult to become a Christian, but that there is only one way to live eternally with God and only few people will decide to walk that road. Believing in Jesus brings us our way to heaven and living His way may not seem popular, but it is the truth. God is offering that to us right now. The gate will not be open forever and when it closes, it will be too late. You may be thinking that your sins are too much to ask for forgiveness, but Jesus says it’s possible and you just have to believe and trust in Him. As soon as you accept Jesus as your Lord and Savior, you are born again! It doesn’t end there because we must daily take up our cross and follow Him. Jesus says in Luke 9:23-24, “Then he said to them all: ‘If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life will save it.’” To be a Christian means to follow the Lord by imitating his life and obeying his commands. Take up your cross and follow him…
You may be thinking that following Christ is costly now. To be honest, it is! In the long run, it is well worth the pain and effort. I encourage you to deny selfish desires for our own way (whatever that may be) and choose the right direction in life that leads to Christ. I strive to do that daily. Yes, I am not perfect, but God knows my heart and my desires for Him. What is your desire? Are you willing to take up your cross and face the cost of following Jesus? It may seem so complicated and so difficult, but it really is that simple if we just only paid attention. You have two choices: take the narrow road that leads to life or the wide road that leads to destruction. My prayer is that you don’t take the easy (wide) road and completely miss the narrow road that Jesus Christ has to offer you! Be ready to accept Him and take up your cross to follow Him!
As I was driving to Louisville, Kentucky the other day, I was thinking about a lot of different things and meditating on God’s Words. I do this very often when I drive. Sometimes I wonder how I get to my destination without getting into an accident because I am pretty sure there are times when my thoughts get deeply absorbed. I think about many different things and talk to God about it. I confess, a lot of those things are things I’m struggling with and I’m pretty sure I complain a lot. I just thank God for the patience He has with me! One of the things that came to my mind is where am I in my relationship with the Lord? I feel like such a failure at times. I hate when I fall short in my abilities to please God. Today, I’m not here to talk about my shortcomings, but rather to talk about what God has to offer us. As individuals, we have two choices to choose from. Either we take up our crosses and follow Him or we don’t. The beginning of this step is to accept Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. It’s not about religion or how much of the good thing we have to offer. John 3:16 says, “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” Jesus Christ accepted our punishment, paid the price for our sins, and then offered us the new life that he had bought for us. It’s really that simple!
Or is it? As I was saying, I was driving to Louisville and I completely missed it! To get to Louisville from Cincinnati, you have to drive on Interstate 75 and then it merges to Interstate 75/71 to Lexington and Louisville. As you continue to drive for another several miles, you have to get off on Interstate 71 to Louisville. The problem is that it’s so easy to miss. I wasn’t really paying attention because my thoughts were somewhere else; however, I thought I was going the right way. Interstate 75 (to Lexington) and 71 (to Louisville) splits, but the road that takes to Lexington is wide and easy to follow and the road that leads to Louisville is narrow and easy to miss. I missed the exit and when you miss the exit, it’s pointless to turn back and you might as well keep driving to Lexington and then go to Louisville. That is what I did and it took me an extra 45 minutes to arrive to my original destination. Oh, I was agitated!
When I read this verse about the two roads to heaven and hell, I thought about my travel experience to Louisville. How easy it is for us to believe we’re going the right way, when all along we’ve missed it! The narrow gate doesn’t mean that it is difficult to become a Christian, but that there is only one way to live eternally with God and only few people will decide to walk that road. Believing in Jesus brings us our way to heaven and living His way may not seem popular, but it is the truth. God is offering that to us right now. The gate will not be open forever and when it closes, it will be too late. You may be thinking that your sins are too much to ask for forgiveness, but Jesus says it’s possible and you just have to believe and trust in Him. As soon as you accept Jesus as your Lord and Savior, you are born again! It doesn’t end there because we must daily take up our cross and follow Him. Jesus says in Luke 9:23-24, “Then he said to them all: ‘If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life will save it.’” To be a Christian means to follow the Lord by imitating his life and obeying his commands. Take up your cross and follow him…
You may be thinking that following Christ is costly now. To be honest, it is! In the long run, it is well worth the pain and effort. I encourage you to deny selfish desires for our own way (whatever that may be) and choose the right direction in life that leads to Christ. I strive to do that daily. Yes, I am not perfect, but God knows my heart and my desires for Him. What is your desire? Are you willing to take up your cross and face the cost of following Jesus? It may seem so complicated and so difficult, but it really is that simple if we just only paid attention. You have two choices: take the narrow road that leads to life or the wide road that leads to destruction. My prayer is that you don’t take the easy (wide) road and completely miss the narrow road that Jesus Christ has to offer you! Be ready to accept Him and take up your cross to follow Him!
Monday, May 11, 2009
Storms in life...
Matthew 8:23-27
Then he got into the boat and his disciples followed him. Without warning, a furious storm came up on the lake, so that the waves swept over the boat. But Jesus was sleeping. The disciples went and woke him, saying, “Lord, save us! We’re going to drown!”
He replied, “You of little faith, why are you so afraid?” Then he got up and rebuked the winds and the waves, and it was completely calm.
Then he got into the boat and his disciples followed him. Without warning, a furious storm came up on the lake, so that the waves swept over the boat. But Jesus was sleeping. The disciples went and woke him, saying, “Lord, save us! We’re going to drown!”
He replied, “You of little faith, why are you so afraid?” Then he got up and rebuked the winds and the waves, and it was completely calm.
The men were amazed and asked, “What kind of man is this? Even the winds and the waves obey him!”
We all experience some type of storms in our lives. There have been times when we may have felt angry, frustrated, worried, afraid, fearful, and so on… Think about the storms in your life-the situations that cause you great anxiety. What do storms mean for us? In Webster’s dictionary storm is defined as the following:
*Heavy rain, snow, or hail with high winds.
*To be very angry (rage).
*To feel attacked by something.
Our lives can be compared to the mother nature of storms. I remember last fall when the city of Cincinnati was attacked by a massive wind and rain storm as a result of the hurricane down south. We had up to 70mph winds and rain was pouring down like crazy. As I was looking outside in amazement, I realized that there was nothing I can do to control the weather. Trees were falling, branches breaking off; personal things around people’s properties were blowing away, and power was turned off. I’m sure there was so much more that went on during this time. It was a crazy moment! The whole city of Cincinnati was without power. It really did feel like a strange time for me as I was without power for one full week. Schools were cancelled and I did not work for that whole week.
How often do we experience storms in our personal lives? Honestly, I feel like it happens quite often. I think there is a reason why that it happens. Most of the times it is because we don’t see things happening the way we want it to happen. Our emotions arise and we feel like we’re being attacked by something, then we blame others. Sometimes things just happen and we ask ourselves, “WHY?” I don’t think we can really control the storms in our lives, but we can control who we can put our trust…Jesus or ourselves.
During that whole week when I did not have any power, things got a lot quieter. I realized that I was living a busy lifestyle that demanded a lot out of me. The minute that got taken away from me, everything felt calmer. It was at that moment when I realized that as soon as I trust Jesus with my trials and tribulations, He calms it down for me.
I believe that Jesus allows storms in our lives so that he can show that He is fully in control and that we must trust in Him. There is often a stormy area of our human nature where we feel God can’t work or won’t work. When we truly understand who God is, however, we will realize that he controls both the storms of nature and the storms of the troubled heart. Jesus’ power that calmed this storm in this passage can also help us deal with the problems we face. Jesus is willing to help if we only ask him. We should never think that Jesus can’t do anything to help us in our trials and tribulations. Whatever your difficulty, you have two options: you can both worry and assume that Jesus doesn’t care or you can put your full trust in Him.
When you feel like panicking, confess your need for God and then trust Him to care for you. Always remember that God is sovereign. God controls the history of the world as well as our personal lives. Just as Jesus calmed the waves, he can calm whatever storms you may face. God Bless you and I pray that you will make the choice to follow Jesus in every part of your life.
In closing, Psalm 107:28-30
Then they cried out to the Lord in their trouble,
and he brought them out of their distress.
He stilled the storm to a whisper;
the waves of sea were hushed.
They were glad when it grew calm,
and he guided them to their desired haven.
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
Great and unsearchable things...
Do you ever get the feeling like you can't fight anymore? Sometimes things goes well and then there are other times when things just feels like it's falling apart. I know that I know that I know everyone goes through this phase in life. If you tell me that you have never experienced this in your life, I will assume you are living in a fantasy world because you're not living it real. Everyday of my life is REAL. I want people to know that it is not always fine and dandy. It's not always like the movies. The past couple of weeks has been a challenge to me. It wasn't because it was hard, but because I catch myself feeling unmotivated and complaining too much. It's almost as if I felt like I've lost hope. A friend of mine e-mailed me at the right moment and gave me a word of encouragement. I have known this friend for about two years of my life and I am so grateful to have a friend like him. I would like to talk about him and tell you why he is an inspiration in my life and how he has encouraged me. My friend name is Anderson and he is from Brasil. I got to know him through the discipleship program called Master's Commission. I was involved in this program for two years and had the opportunity to travel to Brasil twice on a missions trip. It was an amazing experience! Anderson is an inspiration in my life because I see the loving power of God at work in his life. You see, Anderson was a street kid living in Brasil. He didn't have any hope in life. He was involved in drugs, alcohol, stealing, and who knows what else. It's not about what he did, but all about how much God loves him. God was reaching out to Anderson through missionaries in Brasil. God gave Anderson opportunities...many opportunities and he was defiant at times! Anderson had an opportunity to live off of the streets, yet he went back a couple of times. All though this, God still reached out to him. Finally one day it hit Anderson and he decided to take up his cross and follow Jesus. I'm sure he knew it was going to be hard, but he did it anyways. Today Anderson is serving God with all his heart and he is back in Brasil and with Youth With A Mission. I know that God is going to use Anderson in extraordinary ways! He has an amazing testimony I wish you all could hear it...it is amazing!
I remember the first time I met Anderson. He did not speak any English at all! He seemed like a shy kid, yet with a lot of patience. He didn't talk much to anyone...neither did anyone else talk much with him (and I know how this feels...barrier of communication). Anderson walked around with a Portuguese-English dictionary, studying every word he could learn. After a year, I couldn't believe how much he has learned and grown. He was persistent! My second year is when I really got to know him and found him to be a loving and compassionate person. He is an amazing guy with a lot of patience.
Last week Anderson sent me an e-mail about how he almost gave up and allowed the enemy to tell him to quit his life and all his dreams. After a lot of prayer and meditation, he asked himself this question, "How can I kill the promise and the calling of God in my life?" The answer he got was his own pride. This is what he said, "If you don't watch out for your pride, that pride will kill you and just gonna take you away from the Lord." He knew that his pride was just eating him away and he knew that he had to fight against that through prayer. That is what he just did. He prayed for strength in fighting against tribulations and barriers in his life. Anderson's encouragement to me was to not allow my pride to be bigger than God because if I allow that then it will destroy my intimate relationship with Christ and the plans that God has for my life.
Thanks Anderson for sharing this with me. I know that God knows what he is doing because God came in at the right time through Anderson to share this with me. All of us have pride issues that can destroy us. God is bigger than that. God has a great plan for our lives. I see the amazing plan that God has for Anderson's life and I know that God is REAL.
God says that he will do amazing things! Jeremiah 33:2-3 says, "This is what the LORD says, he who made the earth, the LORD who formed it and established it—the LORD is his name: 'Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know.'" And through that, God promises that he will take care of us and have an amazing plan for our lives. Jeremiah 29:11 says, "For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."
God Bless you guys and I pray that you allow God to be bigger than your life troubles!
I remember the first time I met Anderson. He did not speak any English at all! He seemed like a shy kid, yet with a lot of patience. He didn't talk much to anyone...neither did anyone else talk much with him (and I know how this feels...barrier of communication). Anderson walked around with a Portuguese-English dictionary, studying every word he could learn. After a year, I couldn't believe how much he has learned and grown. He was persistent! My second year is when I really got to know him and found him to be a loving and compassionate person. He is an amazing guy with a lot of patience.
Last week Anderson sent me an e-mail about how he almost gave up and allowed the enemy to tell him to quit his life and all his dreams. After a lot of prayer and meditation, he asked himself this question, "How can I kill the promise and the calling of God in my life?" The answer he got was his own pride. This is what he said, "If you don't watch out for your pride, that pride will kill you and just gonna take you away from the Lord." He knew that his pride was just eating him away and he knew that he had to fight against that through prayer. That is what he just did. He prayed for strength in fighting against tribulations and barriers in his life. Anderson's encouragement to me was to not allow my pride to be bigger than God because if I allow that then it will destroy my intimate relationship with Christ and the plans that God has for my life.
Thanks Anderson for sharing this with me. I know that God knows what he is doing because God came in at the right time through Anderson to share this with me. All of us have pride issues that can destroy us. God is bigger than that. God has a great plan for our lives. I see the amazing plan that God has for Anderson's life and I know that God is REAL.
God says that he will do amazing things! Jeremiah 33:2-3 says, "This is what the LORD says, he who made the earth, the LORD who formed it and established it—the LORD is his name: 'Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know.'" And through that, God promises that he will take care of us and have an amazing plan for our lives. Jeremiah 29:11 says, "For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."
God Bless you guys and I pray that you allow God to be bigger than your life troubles!
Sunday, March 22, 2009
Why is training important?
It's been a while since I've ran outside. As a matter of fact, the last time I was in training was last October after I completed the Indianapolis Marathon. I probably ran for a total of two weeks since October until now. I needed a break from running. I continued to exercise to maintain my cardiovascular fitness by other forms of training. This past week I started running again and my body responded with muscle aches and pains. As strange as it sounds, it was an awesome feeling. You know, when we do the same exercises over and over, our bodies get used to it and eventually plateaus. If we're constantly stimulating our bodies with various types of training, we get results. I don't know about you, but I feel so good when I get better and stronger with my fitness levels. I feel like I can accomplish more and push my body to further limits. Maybe that's why I get a rush from running in marathons because of the sense of accomplishment I achieve when I complete 26.2 miles of running. What's even better is when my results shows improvements!
Winning a race requires purpose and discipline and the Apostle Paul makes that comparison of physical training to spiritual training. In 1 Corinthians 9:24-27, the Apostle Paul explains, "Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last; but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. Therefore, I do not run like a man running aimlessly; I do not fight like a man beating the air. No, I beat my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize."
The Christian life takes hard work, self-denial, and grueling preparation. As essential it is to train physically in various forms of cardiovascular and weight training exercises specifically geared toward certain sports; it is just as essential to train diligently in our spiritual lives. We must discipline ourselves with prayer, Bible study, and worship on a daily basis. Without those disciplines, our daily vigor and stamina diminishes. We should not just jog a couple of laps, we need to train diligently! As Christians, when we receive Jesus Christ in our lives, we have set ourselves up for a goal...and that goal is to win the prize that God has to offer us. It's good to have a goal because without a goal the disciplines that we undergo seem like self-punishment. With the goal and desire of pleasing God, we will do whatever it takes to grow closer to Him. If someone has told you that a Christian life is supposed to be easy, they are wrong! Being a Christian requires hard work, discipline, and sacrifice! You will face hard times. You will face persecution in some form. You will face temptations. You will experience pain. You will experience discomfort. I'm not going to lie to you...a true Christian life is grueling and you will get sweaty. It will all be worth it in the end because of God's promises.
Examine your own life right now. Are you developing your spiritual muscles? 1 Timothy 4:7 says, "Have nothing to do with godless myths and old wives' tales; rather, train yourself to be godly." Do you see your own life being transformed? Do you see the grace of God in your life? Do you see bondages being set free? In my own personal life, I am amazed the work God has done in my life because I chose to discipline myself spiritually. I've chose to be obedient to the challenges God has given me. The reason why I find myself in difficult and challenging situations is because I'm responding to God's calling in my life. There are days that seem impossible, yet I am able to get through it because God says he'll give me the strength. I know that God has put me at certain places at certain times because he is developing my character.
When I watch athletes achieve new levels of fitness and performances, I am amazed and find myself asking, "What's next?" I find it interesting to see athletes achieve new records and that goes to show us that we are physically able to get better. We can push our bodies to further limits. The same goes with our spiritual lives as well. We can never reach a limit. We must always strive to get better, stronger, and more ike Christ. Don't just stop today. Keep on going. Keep on moving. Keep on running. Keep on striving! And most important of all, keep on keeping your eyes fixed on Jesus Christ!
Winning a race requires purpose and discipline and the Apostle Paul makes that comparison of physical training to spiritual training. In 1 Corinthians 9:24-27, the Apostle Paul explains, "Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last; but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. Therefore, I do not run like a man running aimlessly; I do not fight like a man beating the air. No, I beat my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize."
The Christian life takes hard work, self-denial, and grueling preparation. As essential it is to train physically in various forms of cardiovascular and weight training exercises specifically geared toward certain sports; it is just as essential to train diligently in our spiritual lives. We must discipline ourselves with prayer, Bible study, and worship on a daily basis. Without those disciplines, our daily vigor and stamina diminishes. We should not just jog a couple of laps, we need to train diligently! As Christians, when we receive Jesus Christ in our lives, we have set ourselves up for a goal...and that goal is to win the prize that God has to offer us. It's good to have a goal because without a goal the disciplines that we undergo seem like self-punishment. With the goal and desire of pleasing God, we will do whatever it takes to grow closer to Him. If someone has told you that a Christian life is supposed to be easy, they are wrong! Being a Christian requires hard work, discipline, and sacrifice! You will face hard times. You will face persecution in some form. You will face temptations. You will experience pain. You will experience discomfort. I'm not going to lie to you...a true Christian life is grueling and you will get sweaty. It will all be worth it in the end because of God's promises.
Examine your own life right now. Are you developing your spiritual muscles? 1 Timothy 4:7 says, "Have nothing to do with godless myths and old wives' tales; rather, train yourself to be godly." Do you see your own life being transformed? Do you see the grace of God in your life? Do you see bondages being set free? In my own personal life, I am amazed the work God has done in my life because I chose to discipline myself spiritually. I've chose to be obedient to the challenges God has given me. The reason why I find myself in difficult and challenging situations is because I'm responding to God's calling in my life. There are days that seem impossible, yet I am able to get through it because God says he'll give me the strength. I know that God has put me at certain places at certain times because he is developing my character.
When I watch athletes achieve new levels of fitness and performances, I am amazed and find myself asking, "What's next?" I find it interesting to see athletes achieve new records and that goes to show us that we are physically able to get better. We can push our bodies to further limits. The same goes with our spiritual lives as well. We can never reach a limit. We must always strive to get better, stronger, and more ike Christ. Don't just stop today. Keep on going. Keep on moving. Keep on running. Keep on striving! And most important of all, keep on keeping your eyes fixed on Jesus Christ!
Saturday, March 14, 2009
DeafTeen Quest Ski Event
Here is a group picture of the teens and leaders that was involved in the skiing event on February 21st. There were 15 of us that went (5 leaders and 10 teens). The leaders and teens came from the Louisville and Cincinnati region. We began our day at 9am where we met at St. Rita School for the Deaf, split into three different cars, and traveled to Lawrenceburg, Indiana to Perfect North ski slopes.
It was a windy, cold, and wet day! Despite the weather conditions, we all had a lot of fun. It was an awesome opportunity for me to connect with the teens. I spent the first half of my day skiing with one teenage girl. I had plenty of time talking with her about many different things as we were waiting in line and in between lifts. I was nervous about giving my time and energy on this one teen, but I discovered that she cared more that I was there for her more than anything. I have known this girl from school and have seen her walk around with a serious look that reminded a lot like me. I also seen this same girl at several deaf socials and she would spend a lot of time talking to me. I’m not that important or cool, I thought, and she’s interested in me? It’s not that she’s interested in me, but because I give her my time. We talk about a lot of things and found out we have a lot of similar interests. I was told by a co-worker of mine that she has never seen this girl smile at school as she did while she was talking to me. I thought that was pretty amazing. This reminds me about a passage in the Bible when Jesus welcomes the little children.
Mark 10:13-16, “People were bringing little children to Jesus to have him touch them, but the disciples rebuked them. When Jesus saw this, he was indignant. He said to them, ‘Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. I tell you the truth, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.’ And he took the children in his arms, put his hands on them and blessed them.”
Teens today crave for attention and the attention they get is not always positive. My role as a leader is to love on these teenagers by being there for them as much as I can! You know, it’s funny, I’m leading a group of girls in the DeafTeen Quest group twice a month and I’m always a nervous wreck! Why? Because I’m the only white girl! I remember asking myself the first day, “What the heck am I doing in Cincinnati!” I don’t think I can survive! I had to laugh out loud because I never thought I’d be in this situation. I have a really tough group of teenagers. Despite their tough exterior, deep down inside I know they are gentle and crave for the love only Jesus can give them. Every teenager is different. I could connect real quickly with one, but with another it takes more work. I realized that cannot just buy their trust…I have to earn it! These girls will do everything they can to test me and my motives before they can even trust me. I’m okay with that. I’ll just be there for them and show them that I love them despite of who they are or what they have done.
Lord, Jesus, I ask that you bless every one of these little children of yours. Protect them from any harm and soften their hearts so they are willing to receive you. I pray for all the leaders out there that give their time and energy with the teenagers. It is your will for these children of yours to come to you and into your kingdom. Thank you, Lord God, Amen!
It was a windy, cold, and wet day! Despite the weather conditions, we all had a lot of fun. It was an awesome opportunity for me to connect with the teens. I spent the first half of my day skiing with one teenage girl. I had plenty of time talking with her about many different things as we were waiting in line and in between lifts. I was nervous about giving my time and energy on this one teen, but I discovered that she cared more that I was there for her more than anything. I have known this girl from school and have seen her walk around with a serious look that reminded a lot like me. I also seen this same girl at several deaf socials and she would spend a lot of time talking to me. I’m not that important or cool, I thought, and she’s interested in me? It’s not that she’s interested in me, but because I give her my time. We talk about a lot of things and found out we have a lot of similar interests. I was told by a co-worker of mine that she has never seen this girl smile at school as she did while she was talking to me. I thought that was pretty amazing. This reminds me about a passage in the Bible when Jesus welcomes the little children.
Mark 10:13-16, “People were bringing little children to Jesus to have him touch them, but the disciples rebuked them. When Jesus saw this, he was indignant. He said to them, ‘Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. I tell you the truth, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.’ And he took the children in his arms, put his hands on them and blessed them.”
Teens today crave for attention and the attention they get is not always positive. My role as a leader is to love on these teenagers by being there for them as much as I can! You know, it’s funny, I’m leading a group of girls in the DeafTeen Quest group twice a month and I’m always a nervous wreck! Why? Because I’m the only white girl! I remember asking myself the first day, “What the heck am I doing in Cincinnati!” I don’t think I can survive! I had to laugh out loud because I never thought I’d be in this situation. I have a really tough group of teenagers. Despite their tough exterior, deep down inside I know they are gentle and crave for the love only Jesus can give them. Every teenager is different. I could connect real quickly with one, but with another it takes more work. I realized that cannot just buy their trust…I have to earn it! These girls will do everything they can to test me and my motives before they can even trust me. I’m okay with that. I’ll just be there for them and show them that I love them despite of who they are or what they have done.
Lord, Jesus, I ask that you bless every one of these little children of yours. Protect them from any harm and soften their hearts so they are willing to receive you. I pray for all the leaders out there that give their time and energy with the teenagers. It is your will for these children of yours to come to you and into your kingdom. Thank you, Lord God, Amen!
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