Friday, January 29, 2010I have too much of it. Too much time, and not enough work.
Usually, people complain about the opposite. But when I think about the workload I'll inevitably have for the rest of my Penn life, I'd really like to take another course or something.
I think it's kind of ridiculous. I stay up late but don't do anything productive because during the day I've already done all the productive stuff for the next week.
I wonder what God wants me to do with all of this time instead of freaking out about it.
Usually, people complain about the opposite. But when I think about the workload I'll inevitably have for the rest of my Penn life, I'd really like to take another course or something.
I think it's kind of ridiculous. I stay up late but don't do anything productive because during the day I've already done all the productive stuff for the next week.
I wonder what God wants me to do with all of this time instead of freaking out about it.
10:04 AM |
Tuesday, January 26, 2010Proposition: God is worthy to be praised.
Reason #1
Says: God is faithful to provide new mercies for every new day's struggles, whether they be in having to write 500-word personal statements or two-reason essays and detailed descriptive outlines.
Does: Gives thanks and glory to God for His everlasting faithfulness.
Reason #2
Says: God is patient to equip me through every day's trials, to prepare me, adjust me, and repair me so that I can become the person He wants me to be.
Does: Comes a tiny fraction of the way in expressing the praise due to the Lord for His unchanging love and constant overflow of grace.
Praise the Lord!
Reason #1
Says: God is faithful to provide new mercies for every new day's struggles, whether they be in having to write 500-word personal statements or two-reason essays and detailed descriptive outlines.
Does: Gives thanks and glory to God for His everlasting faithfulness.
Reason #2
Says: God is patient to equip me through every day's trials, to prepare me, adjust me, and repair me so that I can become the person He wants me to be.
Does: Comes a tiny fraction of the way in expressing the praise due to the Lord for His unchanging love and constant overflow of grace.
Praise the Lord!
1:11 AM |
Thought of the Day: "Over the slow fires of misery that he learned to keep banked and the heavy pressure deep within him, his innate qualities of patience, tolerance, forbearance, and forgiveness were tempered and refined."
Abraham Lincoln had a mess of a marriage. Who knew? I sure didn't. From the way that he has been portrayed in history as a strong, capable, and respectable man, I had no idea he struggled so much in his home life.
I'm not married just yet, so today's devotional reading spoke more to me about just the people that God has placed in my life. What I've gained from it is that a pain-free relationship is basically no relationship at all.
Sometimes God puts people in our lives, or us in theirs, to adjust us and equip us. He puts us with people who bring out the worst in us, so that He can bring out the best in us.
Isn't God so perfect in bringing us through these trials so that we can endure them and be refined? The fires of misery of some relationships will only serve to strengthen the characteristics that God wants to bring out in us.
"Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him." - James 1:12
Praise the Lord! =)
Labels: A Godward Life
1:05 AM |
Monday, January 25, 2010I'm not sure if I've ever wanted something this bad, or if I have ever felt so convicted or so passionate about a certain goal.
Sometimes I wonder what would happen if God were to close this door. I mean, what would be the point of my getting so excited about something and, in the end, not getting the opportunity to do it?
I spent my weekend writing my résumé, my CV, my cover letter, and my personal statement. The more I work on my application, the more I want the internship.
I'm praying that the Lord will give me the right heart going into this.
Every good and perfect gift comes from Him.
Sometimes I wonder what would happen if God were to close this door. I mean, what would be the point of my getting so excited about something and, in the end, not getting the opportunity to do it?
I spent my weekend writing my résumé, my CV, my cover letter, and my personal statement. The more I work on my application, the more I want the internship.
I'm praying that the Lord will give me the right heart going into this.
Every good and perfect gift comes from Him.
9:00 PM |
Sunday, January 24, 2010Praise God!
I have housing in Rodin next year! =)
We have a three-bedroom quad for us four Whartonite ladies. I'm so excited about God's provision in something as crucial as housing. I wanted to make sure I would have a quiet work environment for my ridiculously heavy workload next year, and the four of us will all be taking our business fundamentals in Wharton so studying will have to be done together!
I'm glad that God's given me such a wonderful balance between my church life, school life, and social life. While living in a completely Wharton quad may seem like a Type-A overdose, I feel like the four of us all have enough in common and enough differences to actually make this work.
I'm continuing to pray for His faithfulness to keep working in us though. We hear back from Harnwell tomorrow (Harrison's World Cinema program has already said no), but I think I'm already too excited about Rodin to think about living in a four bedroom quad or anything else in Harnwell.
Besides, rent for a three-bedroom quad is only four or five hundred more a year than my current Hill double.
God is so good. =)
I have housing in Rodin next year! =)
We have a three-bedroom quad for us four Whartonite ladies. I'm so excited about God's provision in something as crucial as housing. I wanted to make sure I would have a quiet work environment for my ridiculously heavy workload next year, and the four of us will all be taking our business fundamentals in Wharton so studying will have to be done together!
I'm glad that God's given me such a wonderful balance between my church life, school life, and social life. While living in a completely Wharton quad may seem like a Type-A overdose, I feel like the four of us all have enough in common and enough differences to actually make this work.
I'm continuing to pray for His faithfulness to keep working in us though. We hear back from Harnwell tomorrow (Harrison's World Cinema program has already said no), but I think I'm already too excited about Rodin to think about living in a four bedroom quad or anything else in Harnwell.
Besides, rent for a three-bedroom quad is only four or five hundred more a year than my current Hill double.
God is so good. =)
9:39 PM |
Tuesday, January 19, 2010There's a summer opportunity to work with an education foundation in rural China.
I'm praying God will open the door if it is His will for me to serve in that way.
I'm relying on His provision. He knows that He has placed such a burden for China on my heart.
All I can do is keep praying for Him to reveal His will for my summer.
I'm praying God will open the door if it is His will for me to serve in that way.
I'm relying on His provision. He knows that He has placed such a burden for China on my heart.
All I can do is keep praying for Him to reveal His will for my summer.
6:21 PM |
I purchased the all-access pass of Passion 2010 for myself and to share with my sister Sarah, who has been such an inspiration to me.
I recently downloaded the video of the Francis Chan main session and eagerly began to play it.
I feel like the word of the Lord never gets old. His truth never loses its sweetness. I want to have the reverence and trembling toward God's word the way Francis Chan was talking about. I want to tremble before the Lord the way Peter and the disciples did after witnessing the Transfiguration.
I want to be reminded of my insignificance so as to truly live my life in daily surrender to His glory.
I recently downloaded the video of the Francis Chan main session and eagerly began to play it.
I feel like the word of the Lord never gets old. His truth never loses its sweetness. I want to have the reverence and trembling toward God's word the way Francis Chan was talking about. I want to tremble before the Lord the way Peter and the disciples did after witnessing the Transfiguration.
I want to be reminded of my insignificance so as to truly live my life in daily surrender to His glory.
1:00 PM |
Thought of the Day: "Let us learn to discern whether the words spoken against us or against God or against the truth are merely for the wind- spoken not from the soul, but from the sore. If they are for the wind, let us wait in silence and not reprove. Restoring the soul, not reproving the sore, is the aim of our love."
One of the biggest struggles I've had in my attempts to evangelize is that against the unbelief of people who have been hurt by life. These people have what John Piper calls "sores" from the trials and struggles of this broken world. With these sores, they have spoken out against God in a way that has offended me. Sometimes my first response is to tell them to grow up and just see the light. Sometimes when people complain to me that if God were real, He wouldn't have let so-and-so happen, I want to just admonish them for thinking they could know better than the Creator of the universe.
The Bible, however, speaks clearly to this in the story of Job. In a mix of RSV and NIV translations, Job 6:26 reads, "Do you mean to correct what I say, when the speech of a despairing man is wind?"
When faced with grief, pain, and despair, people often say things against God that they don't usually mean. Such words are wind, and will quickly blow away. Our duty, then, is to wait silently out of love for these words to blow away. A time will come when the people who suffer will understand how meaningless their words of despair and bitterness were in the light of God's glory and abundant grace.
Praise Him for His provision. :3
One of the biggest struggles I've had in my attempts to evangelize is that against the unbelief of people who have been hurt by life. These people have what John Piper calls "sores" from the trials and struggles of this broken world. With these sores, they have spoken out against God in a way that has offended me. Sometimes my first response is to tell them to grow up and just see the light. Sometimes when people complain to me that if God were real, He wouldn't have let so-and-so happen, I want to just admonish them for thinking they could know better than the Creator of the universe.
The Bible, however, speaks clearly to this in the story of Job. In a mix of RSV and NIV translations, Job 6:26 reads, "Do you mean to correct what I say, when the speech of a despairing man is wind?"
When faced with grief, pain, and despair, people often say things against God that they don't usually mean. Such words are wind, and will quickly blow away. Our duty, then, is to wait silently out of love for these words to blow away. A time will come when the people who suffer will understand how meaningless their words of despair and bitterness were in the light of God's glory and abundant grace.
Praise Him for His provision. :3
Labels: A Godward Life
1:11 AM |
Monday, January 18, 2010So yesterday was my birthday, and thanks to everybody who made it absolutely spectacular! =)
I started and ended the day with people who absolutely showered love on me. :3
After my first GCC service of 2010, which was highlighted by Pastor Barry's wonderful sermon about what it really means to be the church, I experienced for myself the amazing community of brothers and sisters in Christ. Ten of us freshmen went out to New Deck Tavern after service to have an absolutely delicious meal. I only ended up paying $7.52 (which includes tax and tip) for my tomato and cheese sandwich with those deliciously seasoned New Deck fries. It was such a blessing to be able to catch up with my freshmen brothers and sisters. I feel like as a class, we're really beginning to pull together more. I absolutely missed all of them and was so glad to see them again.
After lunch, we all headed over to the Activities Fair in Houston, where I saw some of the rush tables. I've met so many huge fans of AKPsi, Phi Gamma Nu, and Dsp who have really encouraged me to rush, but I realize that my time this week is already taken up by (I love this) church community get-togethers!
Tonight I'm having dinner at Chipotle with Jessie and Christine. Tomorrow night Christine and I are having dinner with Pastor Andy. Wednesday night is the first UP family group of the semester! Thursday night I would've been going to dinner with Jessica Kim if it weren't for my cohort activity, and Friday night, of course, we have FNL Prayer Time.
I'm just so blessed to have such a loving group of people who surround me. After the Activities Fair, I hung out with my girls in Wharton China Business Society Human Resources and we got down to business planning some wonderful events. Afterwards, I went back to my room and worked on applications to residential programs with Amanda Ureña, who I absolutely adore. During that, my Jeff oppa called and asked where I was. When I responded that I was in my room, within minutes a knock came on the door and he stood there with a MOONCAKE!
DID I MENTION I ABSOLUTELY LOVE MOONCAKES? :D
In any case, it's nice to have a big brother who loves the Lord so much and who also is so affectionate toward me. No matter how Jeff Lee belittles his own ability to care for others, he really is the best oppa I could have at Penn. And I respect and admire him immensely. :D
After I kicked him out of the room (I joke! ^__^), I shared mooncake with Amanda and Lauren, who had never had it before, and was thrilled that they liked it! We then decided to watch the Lovely Bones, which was so moving and upsetting, I was very sad. Sometimes I get more depressed than usual about the bad and twisted things that happen in this world. It's just that so many people do things that I can't understand at all. And then I realize how much this world needs the Lord. How all of Earth is yearning for the day when our Savior Jesus returns and makes things right again.
By the time Lovely Bones was over, we girls were all very upset, and felt like we needed a pick-me-up. As such, before we said good night, we had a mini girls talk session, and it made me realize all the more what a tremendous blessing it is that God put girlfriends in our lives. :3
All in all, my 19th birthday was simple, but in its simplicity, God gave me so many reasons to praise Him. He is so good to provide a warm family away from the comforts of home.
Praise the Lord! :3
I started and ended the day with people who absolutely showered love on me. :3
After my first GCC service of 2010, which was highlighted by Pastor Barry's wonderful sermon about what it really means to be the church, I experienced for myself the amazing community of brothers and sisters in Christ. Ten of us freshmen went out to New Deck Tavern after service to have an absolutely delicious meal. I only ended up paying $7.52 (which includes tax and tip) for my tomato and cheese sandwich with those deliciously seasoned New Deck fries. It was such a blessing to be able to catch up with my freshmen brothers and sisters. I feel like as a class, we're really beginning to pull together more. I absolutely missed all of them and was so glad to see them again.
After lunch, we all headed over to the Activities Fair in Houston, where I saw some of the rush tables. I've met so many huge fans of AKPsi, Phi Gamma Nu, and Dsp who have really encouraged me to rush, but I realize that my time this week is already taken up by (I love this) church community get-togethers!
Tonight I'm having dinner at Chipotle with Jessie and Christine. Tomorrow night Christine and I are having dinner with Pastor Andy. Wednesday night is the first UP family group of the semester! Thursday night I would've been going to dinner with Jessica Kim if it weren't for my cohort activity, and Friday night, of course, we have FNL Prayer Time.
I'm just so blessed to have such a loving group of people who surround me. After the Activities Fair, I hung out with my girls in Wharton China Business Society Human Resources and we got down to business planning some wonderful events. Afterwards, I went back to my room and worked on applications to residential programs with Amanda Ureña, who I absolutely adore. During that, my Jeff oppa called and asked where I was. When I responded that I was in my room, within minutes a knock came on the door and he stood there with a MOONCAKE!
DID I MENTION I ABSOLUTELY LOVE MOONCAKES? :D
In any case, it's nice to have a big brother who loves the Lord so much and who also is so affectionate toward me. No matter how Jeff Lee belittles his own ability to care for others, he really is the best oppa I could have at Penn. And I respect and admire him immensely. :D
After I kicked him out of the room (I joke! ^__^), I shared mooncake with Amanda and Lauren, who had never had it before, and was thrilled that they liked it! We then decided to watch the Lovely Bones, which was so moving and upsetting, I was very sad. Sometimes I get more depressed than usual about the bad and twisted things that happen in this world. It's just that so many people do things that I can't understand at all. And then I realize how much this world needs the Lord. How all of Earth is yearning for the day when our Savior Jesus returns and makes things right again.
By the time Lovely Bones was over, we girls were all very upset, and felt like we needed a pick-me-up. As such, before we said good night, we had a mini girls talk session, and it made me realize all the more what a tremendous blessing it is that God put girlfriends in our lives. :3
All in all, my 19th birthday was simple, but in its simplicity, God gave me so many reasons to praise Him. He is so good to provide a warm family away from the comforts of home.
Praise the Lord! :3
2:48 PM |
Saturday, January 16, 2010It's happened since I was very little.
And when it does, I look into the Psalms for God's promises:
"Blessed are all who take refuge in Him." Psalm 2:12b
"I lie down and sleep; I wake again, because the Lord sustains me. I will not fear the tens of thousands drawn up against me on every side." Psalm 3:6
"I will lie down and sleep in peace, for you alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety." Psalm 4:8
"But let all who take refuge in you be glad; let them ever sing for joy. Spread your protection over them, that those who love your name may rejoice in you. For surely, O Lord, you bless the righteous; you surround them with your favor as with a shield." Psalm 5:11-12
"My shield is God Most High, who saves the upright in heart." Psalm 7:10
"The Lord is a refuge for the oppressed, a stronghold in times of trouble. Those who know your name will trust in you, for you, Lord, have never forsaken those who seek you." Psalm 9:9-10
Praise Him. :)
And when it does, I look into the Psalms for God's promises:
"Blessed are all who take refuge in Him." Psalm 2:12b
"I lie down and sleep; I wake again, because the Lord sustains me. I will not fear the tens of thousands drawn up against me on every side." Psalm 3:6
"I will lie down and sleep in peace, for you alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety." Psalm 4:8
"But let all who take refuge in you be glad; let them ever sing for joy. Spread your protection over them, that those who love your name may rejoice in you. For surely, O Lord, you bless the righteous; you surround them with your favor as with a shield." Psalm 5:11-12
"My shield is God Most High, who saves the upright in heart." Psalm 7:10
"The Lord is a refuge for the oppressed, a stronghold in times of trouble. Those who know your name will trust in you, for you, Lord, have never forsaken those who seek you." Psalm 9:9-10
Praise Him. :)
9:32 PM |
Friday, January 15, 2010Thought of the day: "God loves to show his tireless power and wisdom and goodness by working for people who trust him."
The closest I've ever come to pulling an all-nighter involved staying up until 5AM to finish a paper due at 9AM. I can't imagine pulling a complete all-nighter. That's horrendous.
The Bible, however, says that our God stays up all night, every night, to work for our good. Psalm 121:3-4 says "He will not let your foot slip- He who watches over you will not slumber; indeed, he who watches over Israel will neither slumber nor sleep."
It reminds me of that story of Elijah facing the prophets of Baal on Mount Carmel. No matter how loudly they cried out to their God, there was no response, and no fire came down. From morning until noon, they shouted. At noon, Elijah began to taunt them, goading them to shout louder, exclaiming, "Surely he is a god! Perhaps he is deep in thought, or busy, or traveling. Maybe he is sleeping and must be awakened."
Isn't it beautiful that our God never sleeps, and He never needs to be awakened? He works tirelessly for the good of those who love Him. In fact, 2 Chronicles 16:9 says, "For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward him." Not only does God not sleep, but His eyes actually go looking through the earth for opportunities to strengthen us and work good in our lives. Not only does He not lounge around, but He also actively pursues us for our good.
God is so great! Praise Him! =)
The closest I've ever come to pulling an all-nighter involved staying up until 5AM to finish a paper due at 9AM. I can't imagine pulling a complete all-nighter. That's horrendous.
The Bible, however, says that our God stays up all night, every night, to work for our good. Psalm 121:3-4 says "He will not let your foot slip- He who watches over you will not slumber; indeed, he who watches over Israel will neither slumber nor sleep."
It reminds me of that story of Elijah facing the prophets of Baal on Mount Carmel. No matter how loudly they cried out to their God, there was no response, and no fire came down. From morning until noon, they shouted. At noon, Elijah began to taunt them, goading them to shout louder, exclaiming, "Surely he is a god! Perhaps he is deep in thought, or busy, or traveling. Maybe he is sleeping and must be awakened."
Isn't it beautiful that our God never sleeps, and He never needs to be awakened? He works tirelessly for the good of those who love Him. In fact, 2 Chronicles 16:9 says, "For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward him." Not only does God not sleep, but His eyes actually go looking through the earth for opportunities to strengthen us and work good in our lives. Not only does He not lounge around, but He also actively pursues us for our good.
God is so great! Praise Him! =)
Labels: A Godward Life
12:00 AM |
Thursday, January 14, 2010I've been reading this memoir called Bound Feet and Western Dress for my History of Modern China class, and it basically tells the story of the life of Youyi Zhang, who had to go through China's first modern divorce.
I just felt so upset and angry and hurt as I was reading that I needed to vent about it. I don't care how lauded her ex-husband was for being a "literary genius" or a revolutionary romantic. What he did was wrong.
A happier post later. :)
I just felt so upset and angry and hurt as I was reading that I needed to vent about it. I don't care how lauded her ex-husband was for being a "literary genius" or a revolutionary romantic. What he did was wrong.
A happier post later. :)
1:30 PM |
Tuesday, January 12, 2010Thought of the day: "Today's resources are for today, and part of those resources is the confidence that new resources will be given tomorrow."
Our God is faithful to provide for us. As Deuteronomy 33:25 says, "your strength will equal your days." God never tests us beyond what we are able to endure, and that means that His wise bestowment is the amount of trouble that we can bear each day, and no more than that.
With each day's new struggles, God gives us new mercies, new with each morning.
What a beautiful meditation to go to bed knowing before the first day of class during spring semester! Praise the Lord, for He is so good.
Our God is faithful to provide for us. As Deuteronomy 33:25 says, "your strength will equal your days." God never tests us beyond what we are able to endure, and that means that His wise bestowment is the amount of trouble that we can bear each day, and no more than that.
With each day's new struggles, God gives us new mercies, new with each morning.
What a beautiful meditation to go to bed knowing before the first day of class during spring semester! Praise the Lord, for He is so good.
Labels: A Godward Life
11:49 PM |
I get so worried about my little sister Anna. Saying goodbye to her today was horrible. I woke up when she did so I could shower during her breakfast and go with Mommy to take her to Math Olympiad and also drop Daniel off in the carpool line.
When I walked in with her to the Math Olympiad classroom, one look at her eyes starting to swell up was enough to bring the tears. Hurriedly, I apologized to her teacher, barely able to see her face through my tears, and explained that I was going back to school today. The teacher, sympathetic, asked if we needed a moment, and if we were bad at goodbyes. I shook my head and said that we'd be fine. I figured it'd be easier for Anna to keep going if she went right into the Math Olympiad test and didn't dwell on the pains of farewell.
I think the main reason why I worry about Anna is because she is so unlike me. When she was younger, I used to get so frustrated in tutoring her, teaching her to do basic things like putting away clothing, showering, and brushing teeth, and supervising her piano because she was nothing like me. For me, being nothing like me is a scary thing. I figured if she was more like me, she'd be more predictable, her choices and decisions would be more like mine, and as such her life, when she's my age, would be like mine- safe, secure, and as a whole, pretty okay.
It scares me that she's so different, because I don't want her to be any less happy than I am, or any less secure, or any less content and confident.
I pray for her and worry about her to no end.
And it's at times like this when I hear God's still small voice. "Cindy, was it because of your own abilities or personalities that you made it through life's trials? Was it not because I was there, holding your hand? And will I not do the same for Anna, whom I also love and cherish, who is also the apple of my eye?"
And so I must teach myself, whenever this time comes for me to step aside and go back to school, that my Anna will be just fine, not because she's learning to cope and grow without me by her side, but because God is teaching her to live with Him on her side.
Our God is so good.
When I walked in with her to the Math Olympiad classroom, one look at her eyes starting to swell up was enough to bring the tears. Hurriedly, I apologized to her teacher, barely able to see her face through my tears, and explained that I was going back to school today. The teacher, sympathetic, asked if we needed a moment, and if we were bad at goodbyes. I shook my head and said that we'd be fine. I figured it'd be easier for Anna to keep going if she went right into the Math Olympiad test and didn't dwell on the pains of farewell.
I think the main reason why I worry about Anna is because she is so unlike me. When she was younger, I used to get so frustrated in tutoring her, teaching her to do basic things like putting away clothing, showering, and brushing teeth, and supervising her piano because she was nothing like me. For me, being nothing like me is a scary thing. I figured if she was more like me, she'd be more predictable, her choices and decisions would be more like mine, and as such her life, when she's my age, would be like mine- safe, secure, and as a whole, pretty okay.
It scares me that she's so different, because I don't want her to be any less happy than I am, or any less secure, or any less content and confident.
I pray for her and worry about her to no end.
And it's at times like this when I hear God's still small voice. "Cindy, was it because of your own abilities or personalities that you made it through life's trials? Was it not because I was there, holding your hand? And will I not do the same for Anna, whom I also love and cherish, who is also the apple of my eye?"
And so I must teach myself, whenever this time comes for me to step aside and go back to school, that my Anna will be just fine, not because she's learning to cope and grow without me by her side, but because God is teaching her to live with Him on her side.
Our God is so good.
9:29 AM |
My little sister Anna freaked out today when we stepped into the car after Daniel's tae-kwon-do practice. She told Daddy not to start the car because he would then set into motion my last carride home with them for a long long while.
I told her we can't stop time.
Leaving home is always such a painful experience, and I always end up bawling about it, embarrassingly enough. Saying goodbye is always the hardest part. Living on after the goodbye is so much easier, I feel like, since schoolwork and the busy pace of college life soon takes over.
My sister asked me where home was to me. I told her home is where my heart is, but also where I feel the most warmth. At Penn, when I say I'm going home, I mean a tiny room in Hill College House. But when break comes around and I say I'm going home, I mean to Charlotte, NC, not for the city or the pretty neighborhood and the nice weather, but for the people, my family, waiting at baggage claim to pick me up.
I told her we can't stop time.
Leaving home is always such a painful experience, and I always end up bawling about it, embarrassingly enough. Saying goodbye is always the hardest part. Living on after the goodbye is so much easier, I feel like, since schoolwork and the busy pace of college life soon takes over.
My sister asked me where home was to me. I told her home is where my heart is, but also where I feel the most warmth. At Penn, when I say I'm going home, I mean a tiny room in Hill College House. But when break comes around and I say I'm going home, I mean to Charlotte, NC, not for the city or the pretty neighborhood and the nice weather, but for the people, my family, waiting at baggage claim to pick me up.
12:26 AM |
Monday, January 11, 2010Thought of the Day: Delight in God is our duty.
The way in which we can glorify the Lord the most is to show the world that we are most satisfied in Him, that whatever we do, the glory of God has satisfied the longings of our hearts. When Psalms 37:4 says, "Delight yourself in the Lord," it's not a suggestion, it's a command.
To love God is to enjoy everything that He is, not everything that He gives.
Praise Him!
The way in which we can glorify the Lord the most is to show the world that we are most satisfied in Him, that whatever we do, the glory of God has satisfied the longings of our hearts. When Psalms 37:4 says, "Delight yourself in the Lord," it's not a suggestion, it's a command.
To love God is to enjoy everything that He is, not everything that He gives.
Praise Him!
Labels: A Godward Life
3:50 PM |
3:25 PM |
Sunday, January 10, 2010John Piper writes in the preface of his book, A Godward Life, "Books don't change people; paragraphs do. Sometimes even sentences... much reading of many books may be like the gathering of wood, but the fire blazes forth from a sentence. The mark is left on the mind not by the kindling of many pages, but by the red-hot iron of a sentence set on fire by God."
Since my return from Passion 2010, I've made it my goal to read A Godward Life, which has 120 daily readings. I plan on reading one each Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday, and posting about that one "red-hot iron of a sentence" set on fire by God in each reading. I pray that God will use these posts to bless you, as well as keep me on-track in my pursuit of a Godward life.
Praise the Lord! :)
Since my return from Passion 2010, I've made it my goal to read A Godward Life, which has 120 daily readings. I plan on reading one each Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday, and posting about that one "red-hot iron of a sentence" set on fire by God in each reading. I pray that God will use these posts to bless you, as well as keep me on-track in my pursuit of a Godward life.
Praise the Lord! :)
7:32 PM |
I always feel bad about making New Year's Resolutions, since at sometime throughout the year they always end up seeming a lot less significant and necessary than they did on January 1st. Because of this inherent weakness of the idea, this year, I have decided to have only one New Year's Resolution that I hope will help any others naturally come into line: to know and love God more fully.
Outside of that, there is a list of books I'd like to read through again by the end of 2010, and they are:
By God:
The Holy Bible (in English and, for the first time, simplified Chinese!)
By Charles H. Spurgeon:
All of Grace, Spurgeon on the Holy Spirit, and The Power in Prayer
By J.I. Packer:
Knowing God
By John Piper:
Don't Waste Your Life, A Godward Life, Desiring God
By Francis Chan:
Crazy Love
By C.S. Lewis:
Mere Christianity, The Screwtape Letters
I've posted this list as a sort of accountability. I'll definitely be posting updates about my progress! =)
I head back to Penn on Tuesday and am super excited for a new semester and ready for the workload. Let's pray for time daily, despite however busy we may be, to reflect on God's goodness and the truth He has revealed to us.
Praise Him!
Outside of that, there is a list of books I'd like to read through again by the end of 2010, and they are:
By God:
The Holy Bible (in English and, for the first time, simplified Chinese!)
By Charles H. Spurgeon:
All of Grace, Spurgeon on the Holy Spirit, and The Power in Prayer
By J.I. Packer:
Knowing God
By John Piper:
Don't Waste Your Life, A Godward Life, Desiring God
By Francis Chan:
Crazy Love
By C.S. Lewis:
Mere Christianity, The Screwtape Letters
I've posted this list as a sort of accountability. I'll definitely be posting updates about my progress! =)
I head back to Penn on Tuesday and am super excited for a new semester and ready for the workload. Let's pray for time daily, despite however busy we may be, to reflect on God's goodness and the truth He has revealed to us.
Praise Him!
7:23 PM |
Friday, January 8, 2010We're watching Julie&Julia and she kept asking what exactly a blog is. :)
[later edit]
I absolutely love my mother. She is just the most adorable woman in the world.
I remember her coming home after her swing-shift at the hospital from 4-11PM on Friday night. We'd agreed to finish Julie&Julia that evening after she got home from work, but I'd fallen asleep in my bed by the time she came into my room at midnight, tiptoeing carefully over my little brother sleeping on his sleeping bag on the floor next to my bed.
I guess for some reason she's been having insomnia lately, but her coming in woke me up, and she whispered, "Jiajia, didn't you say you were going to wait for me? (嘉嘉,你不是说要等我吗?)" Touched and slightly guilt-tripped by this, I crawled out of bed, grabbed my laptop, and set up in my little sister's room down the hall. When I peeked my head into the master bedroom, my dad was sitting up awake in their king-size bed, obviously grumpy about my mom's midnight interruption. My mom was getting ready, and when she saw my groggy face peeking in, she grinned and did a dramatic two-thumbs up. I guffawed.
It's moments like these that make me the most bewildered about my mother, but it's also moments like these that I'll miss the most.
[later edit]
I absolutely love my mother. She is just the most adorable woman in the world.
I remember her coming home after her swing-shift at the hospital from 4-11PM on Friday night. We'd agreed to finish Julie&Julia that evening after she got home from work, but I'd fallen asleep in my bed by the time she came into my room at midnight, tiptoeing carefully over my little brother sleeping on his sleeping bag on the floor next to my bed.
I guess for some reason she's been having insomnia lately, but her coming in woke me up, and she whispered, "Jiajia, didn't you say you were going to wait for me? (嘉嘉,你不是说要等我吗?)" Touched and slightly guilt-tripped by this, I crawled out of bed, grabbed my laptop, and set up in my little sister's room down the hall. When I peeked my head into the master bedroom, my dad was sitting up awake in their king-size bed, obviously grumpy about my mom's midnight interruption. My mom was getting ready, and when she saw my groggy face peeking in, she grinned and did a dramatic two-thumbs up. I guffawed.
It's moments like these that make me the most bewildered about my mother, but it's also moments like these that I'll miss the most.
12:57 PM |
Thursday, January 7, 2010I'm not sure there's a right way to go about talking about everything that God spoke into my life during Passion 2010.
I feel like the Awakening, the theme of this conference, began for me as early as the first session, when God spoke to us through Louie Giglio that we should awaken to the idea that in handing over our lives completely to the Lord, we're trading in something tiny and insignificant in order to gain something huge, amazing, and eternal.
I feel like this past semester at Penn, my first semester at college and in Wharton, has really challenged me to find my place in this world. I feel that there's such tremendous pressure at Wharton to get it right. Do the right extracurriculars, get plugged into the right groups, show up for the right recruiting events, take the right courses, and get the right grades. It's a world that I'm not particularly comfortable in, a world in which success seems to hinge upon all the most unconventional things.
Passion, first and foremost, made me realize that I really need to figure out who I am in the Lord, and naturally, what I should be doing with my life will fall into place.
Andy Stanley told us that in our lives, the biggest mistake is trying to figure out what to do before figuring out who we want to be. My prayer is that the Lord, in this New Year, will help me to develop a better idea of the person I want to be in Him, and help me to mold my identity in Christ through the trials of life.
Every single speaker spoke so much truth into my life. Francis Chan made the analogy between the Holy Spirit and the lady's voice in his GPS. God has a plan for us, and nothing is outside of his expectation or control. Along the way, we will take wrong turns, and we will mess up, but God does not freak out. God does not get unnerved or exasperated. God just says, very gently, "Recalculating."
God will lead us to the place He wants us to be. It may take longer now that we've taken a wrong turn or missed a turn, but Paul says we can be confident that He who began a good work in us will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.
Praise God for that!
Beth Moore told us that God equips us to do His work and bring Him glory by preparing us, adjusting us, repairing us, and filling us.
God uses all of our past experiences to prepare us. Everything that has ever happened to us has been permitted to prepare us fully to bring Him glory.
God also puts us in situations that will challenge us in order to readjust us. Something Beth Moore said that hit me particularly close was that God puts us with people who bring out the worst in us in order to ultimately bring out the best in us.
God mends our hurts and our weaknesses and repairs us. As the Bible said, Jesus is the Great Physician, who came for the sick. In our sickness, Jesus can cure us, and mend us like broken fish nets.
And lastly, God equips us by filling us. We can do nothing without the Lord, and so He pours into us in order for us to really glorify Him.
I think the most amazing thing I experienced during Passion was the love that these speakers had for the Lord and for His word. Beth Moore, when asked how to have quiet time diligently, said that for her, quiet time is not compromised, because there's no game without it. She mentioned a pastor she had once heard who did not eat until he has eaten of the Spiritual food. Beth Moore just seems to have such an amazing faith in the Lord and such a heart for the Lord, it is a tremendously powerful testimony.
John Piper, also, was a very convicting speaker. He shared that our glorifying Christ and our enjoying Him are not two separate things. Instead, God loves us the most by allowing us to see His glory, because in glorifying Him, we reach the apex of our joy. Wow, our God is good.
One other notable experience that broke me for the Lord was a video interview of sorts with a girl named Sam from Guangzhou, China. At the beginning of the video, we were informed that there are 120 million college-aged students in China, most of whom do not know the Lord.
I was just broken by this fact.
I know God has given me a heart for China, but at this point, I have no idea what I will do with it. At times I have considered, after graduating college, just putting everything aside and going back to China to serve in an underground church and reach college students for Christ. I have considered dedicating the rest of my life to serving in underground orphanages across China. I have considered doing international law in order to come to the defense of the orphanages on the China and North Korean border, which are constantly facing the threat of being closed.
God has put all of these ideas in my heart, and most of the time I have no idea where to go from there, but the beauty of it now is that I know that in trusting in the Lord and walking with Him step by step, I will not stray from His will, and I will be given the tremendous peace of knowing that if our God is with us, what could possibly stand against?
Praise the Lord. :)
2:34 PM |
