IT'S AN ILLUSION. DIMLY IN A MIRROR. YEAAAHHHH.
http://vimeo.com/62103528#
Tuesday, March 19, 2013
Monday, March 11, 2013
What is Holy
I recently heard a sermon at GMC on this and it blew me up.
Our bodies are like the outer court. The inner court is like our mind, our will and our emotions. But the Holy of holies is our SOUL, where the Spirit of God himself has come and now dwells!
People were allowed to worship, serve, fellowship, and do all the "churchy activities" in the outer courts. Some of them were educated and privileged enough to have their thoughts, emotions, and lives dominated by Godly traditions in the inner courts. Then, there was only one man who could actually come before the presence of God. He had to wash himself like 50 times and offer spotless sacrifices on top of all the other things he had to do. All their experiences with God were mad limited, but that's the best they could get. WE DON'T HAVE THIS LIMITATION.
How often do we still remain in the outer courts, or even in the inner courts, while the Holy of holies remains unreached? IT'S AVAILABLE. THE CONSUMING FIRE IS THERE. IT BESEECHES US TO BECOME ONE WITH HIM, NOT OUR OWN. IT'S EVERYTHING IN LIFE THAT HAS MEANING. JOY, UNSPEAKABLE JOY. NO MORE SOUL-SEARCHING, BUT SOUL-FOUND.
It helps our self-image to know that the Holy of holies is in us. You. And me.
Now watch me (him) work.
--
"Don’t you realize that all of you together are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God lives in you?" 1 Corinthians 3:16
"And so, dear brothers and sisters, we can boldly enter heaven’s Most Holy Place because of the blood of Jesus. By his death, Jesus opened a new and life-giving way through the curtain into the Most Holy Place. And since we have a great High Priest who rules over God’s house, let us go right into the presence of God with sincere hearts fully trusting him. For our guilty consciences have been sprinkled with Christ’s blood to make us clean, and our bodies have been washed with pure water." Hebrews 10:19-22
Saturday, March 17, 2012
The Thickness of Logs
As I look around me, I see imperfection more clearly than I have ever before.
Obviously no one will ever be perfect, but it's a curious feeling of noticing it.
There is an odd struggle of wanting more for others and still being able to love them for who they are now.
I wonder if Jesus struggled with this, and how he was able to cope with it.
I gots a lot of giant logs blurring my eyesight right now...
I need someone, a Lumberjack of sorts, to break em down for me so they become specks.
Obviously no one will ever be perfect, but it's a curious feeling of noticing it.
There is an odd struggle of wanting more for others and still being able to love them for who they are now.
I wonder if Jesus struggled with this, and how he was able to cope with it.
I gots a lot of giant logs blurring my eyesight right now...
I need someone, a Lumberjack of sorts, to break em down for me so they become specks.
Tuesday, November 29, 2011
Hunger Sauce
Recently, I was super hungry, so I ordered chinese food to my dorm. The whole process was so quick and painless that it actually bothered my consciousness for a split second, and got me thinking.
What would that even feel like, to forego sleep due to hunger?
To lay restless because your body lacked the energy to activate the proper sleep function?
In my world, we eat and don't eat for the oddest reasons sometimes.
It's hard to fully appreciate the meals that go into my stomach, even when I am engorging the food.
Food is one of the great human equalizers, reminding us how
What happened to my thankfulness? Where did my satisfaction go?
The ability to be satisfied is there. It's all a matter of perspective.
--
"Hunger is the best sauce." -Matthew Henry
Proverbs 27:7 says, “One who is full loathes honey, but to one who is hungry everything bitter is sweet.”
"The rich forget their privileges, the comfortable forget their ease, but those who suffer savor even small graces. I need to take note of my afflictions while savoring God’s present graces and gospel promises." -Joe Thorn
What would that even feel like, to forego sleep due to hunger?
To lay restless because your body lacked the energy to activate the proper sleep function?
In my world, we eat and don't eat for the oddest reasons sometimes.
It's hard to fully appreciate the meals that go into my stomach, even when I am engorging the food.
Food is one of the great human equalizers, reminding us how
What happened to my thankfulness? Where did my satisfaction go?
The ability to be satisfied is there. It's all a matter of perspective.
--
"Hunger is the best sauce." -Matthew Henry
Proverbs 27:7 says, “One who is full loathes honey, but to one who is hungry everything bitter is sweet.”
"The rich forget their privileges, the comfortable forget their ease, but those who suffer savor even small graces. I need to take note of my afflictions while savoring God’s present graces and gospel promises." -Joe Thorn
Friday, September 30, 2011
Abortion... and the holocaust...?
Friday, August 26, 2011
School Joy
School started this past week and I always enjoy the first week da most. Don't know why, but things just seem to go by WAY slower this week compared to the rest? I mean I've gone to all my classes but I'm sitting here in my dorm with Andrew complaining about the lack of movies to watch. We've gone out to eat like 10 times already. Seeing dem familiar faces again just creates instant gooddd times I guess :).
This week is also about bracing for when our pleasant circumstances start to fade away... we all know the all-too-familiar feeling that's on its way... so we should use the jubilant spirit of these first few weeks to propel ourselves deep into the difficult semester ahead. I have high hopes for the continued love, support, and encouragement amongst the bros.
With academics, my course load is probably the hardest I've had at tech so far. In the past, I was always trying to take some kind of shortcut strategy... delaying harder classes, taking minimal hours, and trying to get those ever-so-fleeting easy professors. Sometimes, there comes a point where there's only treacherous mountain ahead. No more shortcuts, hard teachers, hard classes, just damn. Hahaha but whatever, I'm not trying to avoid it anymore. Whatever happens, I want to try my best and be satisfied at that.
The time I spent this summer working and being exposed to semi-real life helped prepared me for this school year. My classes actually seem fun and interesting so far. Oh gosh, what is becoming of me...
I'm happy to be back on campus though! Cheers to the classmates and friends who I will be sharing this year with!
Posted via LiveJournal app for iPad.
This week is also about bracing for when our pleasant circumstances start to fade away... we all know the all-too-familiar feeling that's on its way... so we should use the jubilant spirit of these first few weeks to propel ourselves deep into the difficult semester ahead. I have high hopes for the continued love, support, and encouragement amongst the bros.
With academics, my course load is probably the hardest I've had at tech so far. In the past, I was always trying to take some kind of shortcut strategy... delaying harder classes, taking minimal hours, and trying to get those ever-so-fleeting easy professors. Sometimes, there comes a point where there's only treacherous mountain ahead. No more shortcuts, hard teachers, hard classes, just damn. Hahaha but whatever, I'm not trying to avoid it anymore. Whatever happens, I want to try my best and be satisfied at that.
The time I spent this summer working and being exposed to semi-real life helped prepared me for this school year. My classes actually seem fun and interesting so far. Oh gosh, what is becoming of me...
I'm happy to be back on campus though! Cheers to the classmates and friends who I will be sharing this year with!
Posted via LiveJournal app for iPad.
Tuesday, August 2, 2011
Tuesday, May 17, 2011
Tee Party
Today, I went to the driving range with a buddy of mine that I haven't seen in ages. He's a younger cat, but in high-school, we hung out all the time... and everyday during summer of my jr year. He's just one of those guys that you can hit off anytime with from wherever you left off. You guys laugh at the same stuff, share interests, and just be straight up ridiculous with. That's so rare to find in life, you gotta cherish those people, no matter what the other differences are.
Out of the 30-something balls I swung at, I ended up hitting probably 5 of them past 50 yards... and STILL got blisters. Screw golf. Still, I've missed these kinds of times and I hope there's more to come in the future. It's been a lawn time buddy. Too lawn. Bahaha.
Out of the 30-something balls I swung at, I ended up hitting probably 5 of them past 50 yards... and STILL got blisters. Screw golf. Still, I've missed these kinds of times and I hope there's more to come in the future. It's been a lawn time buddy. Too lawn. Bahaha.
Friday, May 13, 2011
Trenton
Trenton... what can I say about this guy? A lot it turns out. So one Sunday afternoon at the Brittain dining hall on campus, I met a dude while watching the nba playoffs on the big screen. We struck up a conversation about the game and then got to know each other in the process.
Trenton came down from Chicago with his brother not too long ago, because he said there were supposed to be "better opportunities and real good weather." Funny, because we now both know that the weather in Atlanta is like HOT FIRE THAT SWEATS. What a terrible combo. As we talked about Chicago I got to tell him how much I liked it there when I visited last summer. He mentioned that he was from the south-side, near the area I stayed at in Chinatown once, so we connected on that. Chicago is one of those cities where it feels very homey... and everyone there wants to be there. It seemed like he missed it quite a bit.
As for opportunities, when I got around to asking him, he told me about his dream to become a mechanic. He wanted to go to Atlanta Technical College (hopefully, he said) and one day own his own shop... and he wanted to do it because that was his vision of how he could help others. He said he loved the idea that he could build long-lasting relationships with his customers, one day at a time, fixing their cars and helping them out. All of this, is what he is be working towards now.
That blew me away.
To be frank, this guy was too young... and too good to be working in a dining hall, doing the stuff he was doing, and working the hours he was working. Everyone he meets probably asks him how old he is because he looks like a kid. That's the reason why I ended up striking it up with him in the first place too.
I couldn't imagine being in a position like his, from a position like mine. I always thought there were people who had their dreams and were chasing after them hard, but I honestly didn't know many people personally who did. That might come as a shocker, but it really isn't, considering that too much comfort leads to complacency, cockiness, and whatever other negative c word out there applies. His dream was specific and his heart was set on it. Although I've never wanted to be a mechanic, I wanted to be like Trenton in that moment, having his heart, his desire to serve people one day... driving the things he was doing now. Who knows if he is a believer, but I want to live my life the way he does, for higher purposes rather than earthly ones...
As the game on the screen started to get a bit more exciting our conversation paused for a bit. We both shook our heads in amazement after another Memphis Grizzlies' basket was fueling an improbable underdog comeback. After a while, Trenton said he had to get back to work. While we exchanged our it-was-nice-to-meet-yous... I couldn't help but feeling like I had just met a legend in the making.
I looked towards the screen and Memphis was now on top. Trenton was like the Memphis team, grinding it out against the bigger dogs of this world, and I was rootin for him. There's a reason we always cheer for the underdogs to get to the top. They're the ones who make the most with what they have... when they have any success, they always remember where they came from first and try to identify and give back. May I be someone who always remembers where I come from, making the most of what I've been given.
"As he came from his mother’s womb he shall go again, naked as he came, and shall take nothing for his toil that he may carry away in his hand." Ecclesiastes 5:15
Let's go grizzlies!!
Trenton came down from Chicago with his brother not too long ago, because he said there were supposed to be "better opportunities and real good weather." Funny, because we now both know that the weather in Atlanta is like HOT FIRE THAT SWEATS. What a terrible combo. As we talked about Chicago I got to tell him how much I liked it there when I visited last summer. He mentioned that he was from the south-side, near the area I stayed at in Chinatown once, so we connected on that. Chicago is one of those cities where it feels very homey... and everyone there wants to be there. It seemed like he missed it quite a bit.
As for opportunities, when I got around to asking him, he told me about his dream to become a mechanic. He wanted to go to Atlanta Technical College (hopefully, he said) and one day own his own shop... and he wanted to do it because that was his vision of how he could help others. He said he loved the idea that he could build long-lasting relationships with his customers, one day at a time, fixing their cars and helping them out. All of this, is what he is be working towards now.
That blew me away.
To be frank, this guy was too young... and too good to be working in a dining hall, doing the stuff he was doing, and working the hours he was working. Everyone he meets probably asks him how old he is because he looks like a kid. That's the reason why I ended up striking it up with him in the first place too.
I couldn't imagine being in a position like his, from a position like mine. I always thought there were people who had their dreams and were chasing after them hard, but I honestly didn't know many people personally who did. That might come as a shocker, but it really isn't, considering that too much comfort leads to complacency, cockiness, and whatever other negative c word out there applies. His dream was specific and his heart was set on it. Although I've never wanted to be a mechanic, I wanted to be like Trenton in that moment, having his heart, his desire to serve people one day... driving the things he was doing now. Who knows if he is a believer, but I want to live my life the way he does, for higher purposes rather than earthly ones...
As the game on the screen started to get a bit more exciting our conversation paused for a bit. We both shook our heads in amazement after another Memphis Grizzlies' basket was fueling an improbable underdog comeback. After a while, Trenton said he had to get back to work. While we exchanged our it-was-nice-to-meet-yous... I couldn't help but feeling like I had just met a legend in the making.
I looked towards the screen and Memphis was now on top. Trenton was like the Memphis team, grinding it out against the bigger dogs of this world, and I was rootin for him. There's a reason we always cheer for the underdogs to get to the top. They're the ones who make the most with what they have... when they have any success, they always remember where they came from first and try to identify and give back. May I be someone who always remembers where I come from, making the most of what I've been given.
"As he came from his mother’s womb he shall go again, naked as he came, and shall take nothing for his toil that he may carry away in his hand." Ecclesiastes 5:15
Let's go grizzlies!!
Saturday, April 30, 2011
Prodigal
Some times... for some reason you feel as if you cannot escape God's GRACE... not his wrath, judgement, or anger, but his GRACE.
That's how I feel right now as if the sky is starting to close down on me and wants to crush my deepest inners.
Most of the time, I want to run from it... it seems like the easier, more pleasant way.
But honestly, how can I?
God, I'm here. I will stay here, waiting. Help me to receive. Don't leave me or forsake me. Be with me and comfort me. For you God, are not a God of confusion, but of peace. 1 Corinthians 14:33.
That's how I feel right now as if the sky is starting to close down on me and wants to crush my deepest inners.
Most of the time, I want to run from it... it seems like the easier, more pleasant way.
God, I'm here. I will stay here, waiting. Help me to receive. Don't leave me or forsake me. Be with me and comfort me. For you God, are not a God of confusion, but of peace. 1 Corinthians 14:33.
Saturday, April 9, 2011
Jargs... yarg
Religious jargon gets people lost in translation.
I hope that a bad translator will never end up becoming a diplomat between warring countries because then we'd have a lot of dumber wars than we have now.
That being said, words like "Grace," "gospel," "Jesus," can be such flimsy words without understanding the substance behind them. This is why I think the Bible records so much detail about things like ceremonies, rituals, rules and regulations... they're so long and tedious. These are the old requirements to approach God. This is why we need to understand our separation before we can value our fellowship.
This is why we need to be single for a while so we can value our marriage.
This is why we need to understand people before we judge them.
This is why understanding context is so important in all of life.
Context first... conclusions second. Or else, dumb conclusions.
I hope that a bad translator will never end up becoming a diplomat between warring countries because then we'd have a lot of dumber wars than we have now.
That being said, words like "Grace," "gospel," "Jesus," can be such flimsy words without understanding the substance behind them. This is why I think the Bible records so much detail about things like ceremonies, rituals, rules and regulations... they're so long and tedious. These are the old requirements to approach God. This is why we need to understand our separation before we can value our fellowship.
This is why we need to be single for a while so we can value our marriage.
This is why we need to understand people before we judge them.
This is why understanding context is so important in all of life.
Context first... conclusions second. Or else, dumb conclusions.
Thursday, April 7, 2011
Quote of the day:
This is cool. A dude who is an artistic baller and loves Jesus.
''If I have time to do everything else, I have time to read the Bible,''
-Ziarekenya Smith, young & aspiring designer, of God Inspired Designs.
Remember the name.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/ziaregraphicartist/
Saturday, April 2, 2011
Journey Basketball League
It was really great having fellowship with brothers and some sisters through something as simple as basketball. I realized that having a good attitude can make a world of difference. Let me explain:
Yesterday night, I was having a lot of complaints. I didn't like the team that was chosen for me, the distance, the costs, the amount of time it would take. I almost wanted to tell David that I didn't want to be a captain anymore and be a quitter...
However, late into the night... I stumbled onto a Youtube video of some Xavier basketball players. Don't ask me how. They were freaking hilarious though. Basically, they are "walk-ons" or guys who aren't scholarship players. They self-proclaimed themselves as the "three-headed monster". LOL. I couldn't help but crack a smile, and I was definitely taken aback by their upbeat, joyful attitudes. They were simply thankful to be part of the team, thankful to have the opportunity to be a part of a community. Anyways, after this video, I was reminded to be thankful myself for the same things and ditch the negatory attitude as soon as possible. Pretty inspiring if I'd say so.
Yesterday night, I was having a lot of complaints. I didn't like the team that was chosen for me, the distance, the costs, the amount of time it would take. I almost wanted to tell David that I didn't want to be a captain anymore and be a quitter...
However, late into the night... I stumbled onto a Youtube video of some Xavier basketball players. Don't ask me how. They were freaking hilarious though. Basically, they are "walk-ons" or guys who aren't scholarship players. They self-proclaimed themselves as the "three-headed monster". LOL. I couldn't help but crack a smile, and I was definitely taken aback by their upbeat, joyful attitudes. They were simply thankful to be part of the team, thankful to have the opportunity to be a part of a community. Anyways, after this video, I was reminded to be thankful myself for the same things and ditch the negatory attitude as soon as possible. Pretty inspiring if I'd say so.
Wednesday, March 23, 2011
The Stream of Continuous Living
Just as we physically feel dirty everyday and thus require ourselves to shower, we must also similarly be washed and renewed in the blood of Christ daily. His blood became our water. His death became our life.
Sometimes I try not to shower for as long as I can, as nasty as that sounds. You might be able to relate... (maybe) hahaha. It's not that I don't want to, but the motivations for me to shower usually have to push me hard enough out of my usual tendencies towards laziness and contentment with being dirty. I might only shower when it is absolutely necessary- like when I think that others might begin to take notice, or when I finally can't stand walking around in my own sweat anymore after exercise. Can anyone relate? The majority of guys I know are like this... I can't speak for the girls, but I definitely know my fair share who are.
The problem is, I often approach my walk with Christ this way too. The things that bring me back to Christ have similarly been for the eyes of others or when the overbearing guilt of my own sins eventually becomes too much. I might go about, doing whatever I want, giving into my passions and flesh throughout the day. When I come home, I'll distract myself for hours upon hours, knowing in the back of my mind that my soul actually thirsts to spend time with the Living God instead... However, I continue in the things that I feel like I have to do first, and essentially put my life with God last.
Is this wrong? Does Jesus Christ close His arms to me when I keep living my life this way? NO. NEVER. In fact, his arms are open wide.
See? It's renewal that I'm lacking. It's the reliance and dependence that I'm missing. It's the opportunity to put every day in the "good" column, simply because I am living my life for Christ again (for that day), that is absent. Although I am still able to arbitrarily walk with God throughout the day, and worship Him in the things I do, it becomes wearisome after a while without renewal! It then becomes burdensome, if not outright impossible! The dirt in my heart begins to build up and my motivations for coming to Christ slowly become different. Perhaps, one day a portion of my messed up character might show out to someone, causing my fear of man to kick in again, or I might become so bogged down with guilt because of my various sins, that I'll finally begin to cry out for help.
I believe that the Christ is the only one who can bring new motivations into my heart. I have to remember that it isn't the act of touching His robe (synonymous to daily renewal) that changes me, heals me, or forgives me, but it's because of Jesus Christ himself. What do I mean by that? The act of daily renewal has power because the renewal is through Christ.
23 Then he said to them all: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me. 24 For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will save it. 25 What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, and yet lose or forfeit their very self? (Luke 9:23-25)
Sometimes I try not to shower for as long as I can, as nasty as that sounds. You might be able to relate... (maybe) hahaha. It's not that I don't want to, but the motivations for me to shower usually have to push me hard enough out of my usual tendencies towards laziness and contentment with being dirty. I might only shower when it is absolutely necessary- like when I think that others might begin to take notice, or when I finally can't stand walking around in my own sweat anymore after exercise. Can anyone relate? The majority of guys I know are like this... I can't speak for the girls, but I definitely know my fair share who are.
The problem is, I often approach my walk with Christ this way too. The things that bring me back to Christ have similarly been for the eyes of others or when the overbearing guilt of my own sins eventually becomes too much. I might go about, doing whatever I want, giving into my passions and flesh throughout the day. When I come home, I'll distract myself for hours upon hours, knowing in the back of my mind that my soul actually thirsts to spend time with the Living God instead... However, I continue in the things that I feel like I have to do first, and essentially put my life with God last.
Is this wrong? Does Jesus Christ close His arms to me when I keep living my life this way? NO. NEVER. In fact, his arms are open wide.
See? It's renewal that I'm lacking. It's the reliance and dependence that I'm missing. It's the opportunity to put every day in the "good" column, simply because I am living my life for Christ again (for that day), that is absent. Although I am still able to arbitrarily walk with God throughout the day, and worship Him in the things I do, it becomes wearisome after a while without renewal! It then becomes burdensome, if not outright impossible! The dirt in my heart begins to build up and my motivations for coming to Christ slowly become different. Perhaps, one day a portion of my messed up character might show out to someone, causing my fear of man to kick in again, or I might become so bogged down with guilt because of my various sins, that I'll finally begin to cry out for help.
I believe that the Christ is the only one who can bring new motivations into my heart. I have to remember that it isn't the act of touching His robe (synonymous to daily renewal) that changes me, heals me, or forgives me, but it's because of Jesus Christ himself. What do I mean by that? The act of daily renewal has power because the renewal is through Christ.
23 Then he said to them all: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me. 24 For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will save it. 25 What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, and yet lose or forfeit their very self? (Luke 9:23-25)
Wednesday, March 16, 2011
Fickle pickle
Have you ever gotten yourself into a fickle pickle?
Yes, that moment when you don't know which bball shoe model to buy and you end up choosing the "wrong" one. So you end up returning it and then getting a different one. And then you happen to do it again because this time you chose the wrong size. It was too tight and you should've gone for the slightly looser fit. Poor choice! And then your dad is with you when you happen to make this exchange and he sees the extraordinarily-long receipt that shows the previous attempted exchanges as well. Yup, and then it's lesson time in front of everyone in the store!
Ever happen to you?
Well the heart is very fickle. Now you know.
Yes, that moment when you don't know which bball shoe model to buy and you end up choosing the "wrong" one. So you end up returning it and then getting a different one. And then you happen to do it again because this time you chose the wrong size. It was too tight and you should've gone for the slightly looser fit. Poor choice! And then your dad is with you when you happen to make this exchange and he sees the extraordinarily-long receipt that shows the previous attempted exchanges as well. Yup, and then it's lesson time in front of everyone in the store!
Ever happen to you?
Well the heart is very fickle. Now you know.
Tuesday, March 8, 2011
Stop the Candy Shop
An amazing, powerful film to raise awareness and stir action for child sex-trafficking in Atlanta and across the world. This makes me want to throw up... seriously. I have to believe there's some light at the end of this dark, dark tunnel.
Watch:
The Candy Shop from Whitestone Motion Pictures on Vimeo.
Find out more:
http://stopthecandyshop.com/
Watch:
The Candy Shop from Whitestone Motion Pictures on Vimeo.
Find out more:
http://stopthecandyshop.com/
Sunday, March 6, 2011
Good Advice
Don't you sometimes wish you could talk to the most knowledgeable person in the world about an issue you're having?
Well, I sought advice from the most well-respected person I knew for mine and got it. I knew the matter was such a delicate one that could cause all sorts of divisions and defenses... and good wisdom was too hard to find elsewhere... so I went to a guru.
Imagine not knowing someone too well... let's say... you shared the same basketball court with them. For this illustration, let's use Barack Obama. You guys happened to play basketball against each other randomly, you with your boys, and him with his secret agent squad. Then he allows you to be his friend on Facebook because you insta-added him so he wouldn't forget you. 6 months pass by... and you randomly chat him, not expecting him to respond. To your surprise, he responds, and not only responds, but decides that he wants to call you about some of the minor concerns you were having, even though it's 2am and he's at a UN conference getting ready for the next day tomorrow.
This is similar to the conversation I had with this guru person on Facebook... that then somehow got turned into an hour long phone conversation. The simple fact that this man called me really impressed me and blessed me.
Beyond the fact that he called me, I received so much encouragement and truth from him... it was one of the most overwhelming things. I was truly taken aback by the large amounts of one man's generosity, kindness, affection that he showed me. How was it possible that he would be willing to do this even though he was tired and didn't even know me well? I could not fathom...
My only conclusion was that all of those things I saw in him were fruits from his relationship with Jesus Christ. He had the Spirit... and I'm only thinking this because his relationship with Jesus... is very open. He's a pastor! Even still, he had no other real incentives, rather than to just genuinely help me.
I'm glad I got my question answered, but I think I got so much more out of it. This isn't the first time I've met someone who's made me feel this way, but I was reminded that Jesus transforms people into his likeness. I will become like him through my fellowship with him. I will become like this man too. It's one thing to hear about it, and another to experience it. We've been given a new Spirit inside of us! So... let hope... rise! A hope that does not put us to shame. A living hope.
Well, I sought advice from the most well-respected person I knew for mine and got it. I knew the matter was such a delicate one that could cause all sorts of divisions and defenses... and good wisdom was too hard to find elsewhere... so I went to a guru.
Imagine not knowing someone too well... let's say... you shared the same basketball court with them. For this illustration, let's use Barack Obama. You guys happened to play basketball against each other randomly, you with your boys, and him with his secret agent squad. Then he allows you to be his friend on Facebook because you insta-added him so he wouldn't forget you. 6 months pass by... and you randomly chat him, not expecting him to respond. To your surprise, he responds, and not only responds, but decides that he wants to call you about some of the minor concerns you were having, even though it's 2am and he's at a UN conference getting ready for the next day tomorrow.
This is similar to the conversation I had with this guru person on Facebook... that then somehow got turned into an hour long phone conversation. The simple fact that this man called me really impressed me and blessed me.
Beyond the fact that he called me, I received so much encouragement and truth from him... it was one of the most overwhelming things. I was truly taken aback by the large amounts of one man's generosity, kindness, affection that he showed me. How was it possible that he would be willing to do this even though he was tired and didn't even know me well? I could not fathom...
My only conclusion was that all of those things I saw in him were fruits from his relationship with Jesus Christ. He had the Spirit... and I'm only thinking this because his relationship with Jesus... is very open. He's a pastor! Even still, he had no other real incentives, rather than to just genuinely help me.
I'm glad I got my question answered, but I think I got so much more out of it. This isn't the first time I've met someone who's made me feel this way, but I was reminded that Jesus transforms people into his likeness. I will become like him through my fellowship with him. I will become like this man too. It's one thing to hear about it, and another to experience it. We've been given a new Spirit inside of us! So... let hope... rise! A hope that does not put us to shame. A living hope.
Thursday, March 3, 2011
Quote of the day:
-How, you do anything is how you do everything-
Wow, what a powerful reminder for my life.
Wow, what a powerful reminder for my life.
"Calm Down"
Have I become a person who is continually saying sorry all the time? My actions have been warranting them these days...
Tuesday, March 1, 2011
I came from the dust
Jungmin, my roommate is sleeping soundly beside me right now. As his teeth chatter, he looks oh-so-cute. We got into a little argument today over housing. Good to see him in such peace now.
We won our intramural basketball game to make it into the 2nd round of playoffs. It was so exciting and intense as we played against a team that got two technicals and scratched us up everywhere. Jiwon showed his man side to the other team and we had his back, but nothing happened, which was good lol. Next game should be a lot harder as we face the #1 team in the league tomorrow...
I'm learning a lot. There is truly no growth without hardship. God, thank you.
We won our intramural basketball game to make it into the 2nd round of playoffs. It was so exciting and intense as we played against a team that got two technicals and scratched us up everywhere. Jiwon showed his man side to the other team and we had his back, but nothing happened, which was good lol. Next game should be a lot harder as we face the #1 team in the league tomorrow...
I'm learning a lot. There is truly no growth without hardship. God, thank you.
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