Encouragram

Leading worship is hard, sometimes even stressful at times when you're not prepared. You have to practice, learn the order, PowerPoint, chords, get your team together, know the beat, know the songs, prepare your heart, pray, have the heart of worship, be able to lead people, not get distracted by school, homework, when someone shows up late for practice, what songs to choose. It's hard. But seek peace and pursue it. Pursue it with all your heart with all your soul and with all your mind.

I don't know what you're struggling with right now, I don't know what's been going on in your life, but I pray, that you will have the heart of worship this Friday. That you will be able to sing and shout out His Name, Knowing that because of His Grace and His Mercy, you can stand there, in front of the crowd, UNASHAMED.

You have an amazing voice and God gave you that voice to lead His children into worship. So that everyone can glorify Him. Use the gifts He's given you to use it for the Kingdom of God. "Don't prostitute your gifts" (Z). I see your eagerness of learning more about God. Learning more about Him. Giving up everything in your life for Him. You welcome everyone and you never bring anyone down when something goes wrong. You're an amazing worship leader, and you always encourage people. You have a passion for God and a passion to find His Everlasting Love. I know I tell you this all the time but I know that God is going to do something great with our worship team. Our entire worship team members. I know that, if we continue to seek Him, truly with a pure heart, He will use us. I really love the small worship team and how we can all connect. I find happiness in being a worship leader by your side. It's the 5th week of this six weeks and I'm busy with a load of school work. So you probably have a lot of homework and tests too, so I hope you make time for God and that you'd continue to be an AWESOME WORSHIP LEADER!

                                                   Your Friend,

                                                                 Josh

"Let everything that has breath praise the LORD. Praise the LORD"

                                     Psalm 150:6

"Be Still, and know that I am God"

God is good. God is good.

His love never fails, it never gives up.

We ignore, while he calls.

We fall, He picks us back up.

We're called Sinners, as He's called Father.

We speak out lies, deceitfulness, hate. He speaks with wisdom, forgiveness, love.

He shows us the ways, with his Grace and Mercy.

He's our Abba, our Father.

He's the Lord of Lords, King of Kings.
He created the heavens and the earth.

He Spoke And It Became.

He named each and every star out there

He knows the number of hairs on our head.

World, the Universe, Everything, is just in his palm.

The demons shudder because they know He's Real.

Real.

Real and as True as can be.

He's our Defender. Our Saviour.

He is Mighty to Save, because he CONQUERED death. 

Satan tempted Him, but Jesus prevailed.

Jesus came into this world, humbled and in human form.

He talked like we talked, he felt what we felt, he walked like we walked.

He got whipped, beat up, punished for the things we did.

He became Sin who knew No Sin.

The World may hate Him, but He continues to Love.

He came to save, not to condemn.

He is compassionate, righteous beyond all compare.

He is our Yahweh, Yahweh forever and ever.

Our God is good. Yes, He is Good.

(:

Management.

It's going to be one long week. I have 5 projects or so and some reports due this week. I'm already stressed out and I'm doing poorly in school. My sleeping schedule is messed up, I barely get any sleep, and I feel so crammed and tangled in school. I do my studies and homework in the morning, before devotions, but everyday, I wake up later and later, doing my homework. I stop my homework at 5:30 and start my devotions, even if I don’t finish. But I’ve been waking later than 5:30.

My eyes are dry. My mind is heavy. There’s a voice that tells me too go back to sleep. Just shut my eyes for a second. Just a second. But then I’ll wake up an hour later, I might sleep longer than a second. I have homework. I have studies.

I’m just simply tired.

School seriously consumes me. I have to mange my time. I need too. I am going too. I need more time with God. I’m busy with friends, school, church, and all these things. I’m just running around everywhere.

“Cease striving and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.”

                                                  Psalm 46:10

Be still. Yes. Know that God is our Provider. Lover. Defender. He is our God.

Honestly, I feel like I don’t have time. I still have tons of homework left.

Manage Time. That’s important. Make time for God. For God has time for us. He carries this whole world in the palm of His hands, yet he still listens to the very soft voice of each and every one of our prayers. How amazing is that.

I’m going to manage my time. No more caffeine. No more long naps. I want more time with God. That’s what I want.

Passion

Pastor Jason came back a few days ago. He was on a missions trip in India for 10 days. He shared his testimony today instead of doing a sermon and just listening and looking at the pictures in India convicted me to continue to live my life for God. I’m being discipled by Z. Not mentored. There’s a difference. Being discipled means that I’m taking a path toward ministry. I don’t know what. But I’m in that path. When Pastor Jason (PJ) first said that he was going to India for missions and that he’d be glad to take anyone. I felt so compelled to go. Even though it’s during a school year. I talked to PJ about it and he said they were looking for an adult, someone older instead. That he wasn't exactly doing missions, but searching to find an organization they could reach out and connect to.

Yeah, of course I was sad when I knew I couldn’t go. But I continued and I still continue to pray. Pray that I’d be ready for anything God has for me.

He said next year. Next Year. They will send a team out there next year. I talked to Jason and thanked God for protecting him and his family. I said that I’m always open and ready if you need an extra member on your team.

Yeah, I’m young. I’m 16 going up to 17. I’m still in high school. But in thte living and holy Word, it has spoken:

¹¹ Command and teach these things. ¹² Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith and in purity. ¹³ Until I come, devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to preaching and to teaching.

                                                ~1 Timothy 4:11-13

When you see The Poor. The Lost. The Wicked. The Sinful. What do you see?

I want to share. Share the love that God has given to me. I want to reach out. But fear creeps in. PJ had fear too. Fear of illness. Food. Hospitality. Low-quality of everything. You have to give up everything. EVERYTHING.

Either you love God or you love the World. You cannot choose both, because

"No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money.

                                                ~Matthew 6:24

I pray everyday, every morning. Asking God to use me whenever there is a chance. An opportunity. That if there is anything in the way, Anything, take it away…

That is a hard prayer. I couldn’t even say that when I first started devotions. I’m scared that I won’t be happy. I’m scared of the unknown. But as I live and walk my life with God, I can say it with confidence. That if there is one thing that I love, one thing that separates me and Him, that’d he take it out of my life, Because I want to truly live my life for God.

So I guess today’s testimony was a little boost in my confidence in serving God. I want to help those Kids. I know God gave me the gift of connecting with kids. They’re innocent. Oblivious. Always out there and never caring what other people think.

Pray

Seek &

Discover

from a pure heart. 

Exhausted

It's finally Friday. Finally. It's been one long week and I'm seriously just running on coffee.

I finally got to sleep for more than 5 hours and it's 5:15 A.M.

I don't know why, but I've been irritated by everyone. I was talking about it with some of my friends and they all have been annoyed lately by people. I don't wanna talk, or hang out with people. I feel so empty inside. Like I don't have that passion anymore to do anything. Maybe cause I'm super exhausted or something. I don't feel like playing guitar. Not even do anything but lay in my bed and close my eyes.

I know satan has his ways and he comes at you hard when you're weak, but I still read my bible in the mornings. I still asked God to keep me away from any temptation for I know that satan will take any chance to cause me too fall into sin. I didn't write a blog this whole week and I apologize for it. Life's so stressful. 

This Sunday, our youth Pastor spoke and he challenged us. Challenged us to share the Word, His Love, at least one time this week. Every morning I prayed that He will use me. That he'd take my offering, me, so that I may be used in the Kingdom of God. That if there is any chance I see, any opportunity, that I'd make a fool out of myself for a sec and share His Love. I prayed. I hoped. And I waited. I still haven't shared and it's already Friday. This doesn't mean God's not using me, as for what most people would think, but just not at the right now. Z said his mom said, if you pray and pray everyday for Him to use you, that you'd pray wholeheartedly, and even though nothing happened, God will be glorified. Just continue to have faith and hope and love. I can't wait till this day is over, after youth, so I can just go home and sleep. 

Anyways, nothing really happened this week, and I'm so tired I can barely think. Some days I felt like not doing my devotions, but I still woke up, sat down and read. I still got on my knees, humbled, asking for Him to reign in me. Because I know, I Know, that I cannot survive a day without Him. For I hunger and thirst for Him.

It was either Friday or on the message, I forgot, that the speaker taught about using our Gifts. Whatever it is, use it for the glory of God. And that hit me. I started thinking about gifts and talents that I have. I can't think of any. I seriously can't. I prayed about this and I asked that He'd open my eyes on the gifts He has given me. That'd be able to use it. I don't care what gift He gave me, I just wanna know what it is, and use it. Maybe it's too obvious for me to see what that is.

Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God's grace in its various forms. ~ 1 Peter 4:10

Other than being tired, I actually had a good week. I thought about things a lot since I mostly laid on my bed. Even when you're weak and tired and exhausted from this world, continue to walk with God. Continue to chase after him because when you finish the race, he will say "Well Done, Good and Faithful Servant"

I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith

   ~ 2 Timothy 4:7

I'm too tired, I just started typing this random blog and I have to go right now. So I know that my grammar and sentence and stuff probably doesn't even make sense, so sorry.

Life is Like a Cup of Coffee

A group of alumni, highly established in their careers, got together to visit their old university professor. Conversation soon turned into complaints about stress in work and life.

Offering his guests coffee, the professor went to the kitchen and returned with a large pot of coffee and an assortment of cups - porcelain, plastic, glass, crystal, some plain looking, some expensive, some exquisite - telling them to help themselves to the coffee.

When all the students had a cup of coffee in hand, the professor said: "If you noticed, all the nice looking expensive cups have been taken up, leaving behind the plain and cheap ones. While it is normal for you to want only the best for yourselves, that is the source of your problems and stress.

Be assured that the cup itself adds no quality to the coffee. In most cases it is just more expensive and in some cases even hides what we drink. What all of you really wanted was coffee, not the cup, but you consciously went for the best cups... And then you began eyeing each other's cups.

Now consider this: Life is the coffee; the jobs, money and position in society are the cups. They are just tools to hold and contain Life, and the type of cup we have does not define, nor change the quality of life we live.

Sometimes, by concentrating only on the cup, we fail to enjoy the coffee. Savor the coffee, not the cups! The happiest people don't have the best of everything. They just make the best of everything. Live simply. Love Generously. Care deeply. Speak kindly.



Created by an unknown author. http://www.Spiritual-Short-Stories.com


We only have ONE life. Savor it. As we have our walk with Christ, we tend to look left and right and we pick up things along the way. We have God. He is our Provider. Author of Salvation. What more do we need?

Encouragram

Bro,


I know you're struggling with giving up something you value and you have great importance to it. It could be the devil at work, trying to pull you away from God. Or a test for God. A test of faith to see if you truly love Him. I know you value that one thing a lot, but remember that everything in this world is temporary. Don't give in, bro. Don't give in. I'm praying for you hard. Hard. Get on your knees and beseech the Lord of Lords and the King of Kings and ask for him to live your life. To finally let go of everything. I know God is going to use you, that is, if you stay in the path. Continue to have hope, faith & love. You have a passive talent and a passion to learn. You are going to be an amazing leader of the youth when I leave. Go. Search. Don't find God just cause, but truly have the heart to seek Him with all your heart, soul and mind. This world can bring happiness. But God can bring eternal Joy. 

                                                          Always in my prayers,
                                                                          Joshua Cheng

NO.

Satan has us in his wrath. His palm is his temptation and he can overcome our will in just a touch. A touch of a finger. We feel like its too much to keep away from him, so we just give in. Give in into the evilness the world gives. The world shows and displays for all too see. We're in this container. We can't get out because we so deep into sin. So drenched and entangled in that it's like quick sand. The more we move, the more we go in, so we just stay still. Sinking in slowly and slowly as it devours us. We think it's hopeless, hopeless to even try to get out so we just continue to live on lives like it's One Big Junk. Like there's no purpose for me. you. them.

But there is hope. I know because I have seen His Love. I have seen what he can do. I have seen that His Love can conquer over those sin like it's nothing. They aren't even comparable to His Love. God's Love.
Yes, since my whole life, I've been giving into sin. All the pride, jealously, lust, anger, impatience, gossip and all these things. But I finally said No. No to Satan and his minions. NO.

Not this year. Not another year wasted. NO. I won't give in. NO. I've been fighting temptation for the past months. The many months. Finally saying NO. I say GET OUT. GET OUT OF MY LIFE.

Everyday he tempts me at the times I least expect it, but everyday I grow more in faith. I dwell more into His Kingdom. It brings joy to my soul to know that I can overcome sin. Sin that used to control me but is now fleeing. It still follows me and crouches at my door, waiting for me to fall. But I pray. Everyday I pray at my knees asking for help. Begging God to save me from them. I know there's hope because Jesus conquer death. Death itself. And I know that if we have God on our side, we can overcome anything. ANYTHING.

²⁶ Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”

                                  ~Matthew 19:26

I've been living in joy, in happiness for the past months and it's growing. It grows deeper and deeper into the roots of Love. God Himself.

I guess this is a reminder for you people reading this. The ones that are suffering right now. About to give up. Don't. Because there is so much too see on the other side.

GET UP. FIGHT. GO. RUN.

FINISH.THE.RACE.

"I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith." ~ 2Timothy 4:7

True Worship

It's been a while since I wrote on my blog. I've been so caught up with friends, parties, worship practice, homework this weekend. So I apologize for that.

True worship. I guess Z misunderstood me or something when I wrote that as my status.

Saying that "true worship comes from the heart and soul, not the mind and mouth" 

We can't just blather out words of praise and prayers from our mouth and think with our minds that it's just another routine of church. It has to be true. What we say is true. True from our heart. I was thinking about writing him a message and telling him what I meant to interpret it instead of how he understood it. But I decided not too. Getting into a small argument isn't always the best thing to do. No matter how mad I get.

So on Sundays, Pastor Jason speaks a sermon every morning, and most of the time, Z tells me and Hester that he's got the concept wrong. Basically saying he's not teaching it right. He tells us his reason with a verse or some historical thing back then. We just nod our heads. I didn't say I agree with him, nor did I disagree. He's been reading the Bible since a toddler and he sure knows more about the Bible than I could ever learn. He wants us to get it right, get the concept right, and I know he's doing this out of love. But sometimes, when you try and look for all the wrong things in life, you tend to forget what's right.

I worshiped a little by myself at church yesterday after church while some people were studying PSAT. When I went back home, I got a message. A leader told me she was moved by how I had the heart of worship. How she was moved and that she wanted to learn too. Learn how to lead with a heart of worship. She encourages me all the time and she tells me how people tell her how great I am. How many people look up to me.

But I don't feel great. I don't feel like a leader. A leader who everyone should look up too. It's funny to think that if a person gets all these praises, pride seeps in. But for me, I don't have pride. I don't have pride that I am a leader, that everyone actually does look up to me. Simply because I don't accept it. I don't accept that I am the right guy. The guy where everyone says "I look up to him". Where people follow what I do.

She even told me she looked up to me. Even she does.

This week, I'm leading worship and as always, I'm excited. Excited to lead these people to the Audience of One. But when I get up there, when I put that mic in front of me, I lose it. I lose my focus. I think about the youth staring at me, thinking about what's the next verse, how I'm singing. That's why I turn off all the lights in the room during worship. Because it takes the pressure of me and I can smoothly worship. 

When I'm alone or when there's barely anyone there, I truly worship. Knowing that He is True and there is no one there to accuse me of doing anything wrong.

I have a lot to learn. So much to grow on. I want to learn everything He has to give. So tomorrow's school and another week is starting. But as a prayer request, I ask that I may have the time too wake up in the mornings and Be Still. That I may ready my heart for this Friday. That I may lead with a heart of worship and that the holy spirit may move them through it.

¹⁰ He says, “Be still, and know that I am God; 

   I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.”

Psalm 46:10

Armor of God

This week went back fast and tomorrow's already Friday. Another week gone just like that.
Anyways, tomorrow's Homecoming and I'm pretty excited. A group of us are going and some college people that are visiting are too. Since homecoming is on Friday night, I'll miss youth. ):
I actually want go to youth tomorrow but it's homecoming and it's the my senior friend's last homecoming so I'll just go hang out with them.(:

It's been good for the past weeks. Real Good.


I feel like I've been growing tremendously in my faith during my walk with God. The devil's been tempting me with the world. Showing me all what I could be doing if I just relaxed and had fun. But it's not fun. Not fun at all. He attacks at me when I'm weak, when I least expect it and that's where faith comes and defends. This is why we need to have our mornings with God. Too prepare us for what the world has to give. The Armor of God. The shield of faith which will be able to extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one.
Every time the devil tempts me, I fall on my knees and pray, begging to get the devil out of this room. My life. That I may conquer over the sinful desires that lay ahead of me, because the battle is won on our knees. On our knees, humbled and broken.


^"7 If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must rule over it.”                               ~Genesis 4:7


You must rule over your sins. Conquer. Destroy. Because the war is already won. Won by the precious blood of Jesus Christ, we just have to finish the race.


Ephesians 6:14-18 talks about putting on the Armor of God.
-Belt of Truth.
-Breastplate of Righteousness
-Our feet ready for the gospel of peace
-Shield of faith
-Helmet of Salvation
-Sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God
-Pray. Pray in the Spirit.


I recite this every morning. Every morning before I leave, I literally say these things in my prayer. Because I know I need them. I know my fortress, my wall of faith, is far from sin and even though it's not the strongest, the firmest there is out there but I do know that I have the heart to go seek Him, to go conquer over my sin. 
Anyways, I really don't have much to say and I feel like I've been writing these post really lazily. I feel like this is a drag during my free time and when I read my blogs just for fun, I feel like it's each recent one is turning into an essay. Like it's for homework when it's not. It's suppose to help me express what I'm going through in my walk with God.


Remember that our God is our Abba. Yahweh. Hosanna. DEFENDER.
There's soo much for me to learn. So much things for me to mature and grow on. I want to find it all sooo badly. But I know it takes time and patience. So I'll wait. Wait for the glory of God.

Well Done, Good and Faithful Servant

It's 5:30. Time for devotions. My time with God. My time where I can spend the early morning and be still. Also the time to put on the armor of God so I can resist the devil's schemes. Resist what he has to offer. Take away my Anger. Jealously. Anything that stains my heart. I'm still on the Book of Deuteronomy and I read chapter 5 today. The 10 Commandments. 


Now it's 7:05, school starts in 30 minutes. I want to get there early, it gets congested on the highway as time goes by and I want to be set and ready before the bell rings. I go out to my car. Blast the heater and warm my hands with my breath. I start out and enter the highway... 
I'm driving on the highway like I always do on a school morning. As I was driving in the middle lane, there was 2 long thick wooden boards and a plastic board (one of those plastics boards used for those portable restrooms) about 3/4 a size of  door just randomly laying on the highway. One wooden board on top of the other. Making one stick out in the air while the plastic board was on top of that.
I wasn't concentrating. I wasn't focused on the road. Just thinking about things that wandered in my mind. Things I wished came true. As the other cars were already avoiding those random objects in the middle of the highway, I didn't notice them until the last split second because of the larger car in front of me. No time to think. I harshly turn the wheel to the right. Not thinking about the cars beside me because if I hit those objects, my car could either get damaged really badly or it my tilt my car and make me flip.
I avoided them, missed them by a foot or so but because of my jerk to the right, I started swerving left and right. I tried to get back on my lane but I couldn't.
I lost control of my car. 
I swerved back and forth a couple of times till my tires got traction and I had control of my car. I went to school and just went on with my day. Like nothing happened.


I didn't freak out during the time. I didn't know what was happening. I was too lazy too care.
But if you think about it....
...if I freaked out and stepped on my brakes, my car would've flipped, hitting other cars beside me.
...if I hit the car to the right, it would've made a pretty big crash.
...if I didn't see those objects in time, I would've damaged my wheels in the middle of the lane.
All of them having a result of a crash somehow. But somehow. somehow I survived. I didn't scratch my car or did I get hurt. I might have hurt my wheels from swerving but that's okay. It's not major.


When I got home, I looked up some news about people losing control on the highway. Or somewhere on the road. Something about what to do when you started swerving left and right. All those people either lost their lives or had major injuries. It's scary. What if I died right there and then?

If I died, would I be able to face God? Face His judgement upon me? Or would I be too ashamed. Ashamed of all the things I've done in my life.
Would He say "What have You done servant?" or "Well done, my good and faithful servant."
Would I be able to say 
"I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith." 1 Timothy 4:7?


It's a scary thought. God is coming soon and I can't change that. But I can change my life. Will you be prepared to enter the Kingdom of Heaven?
Death is scary. It's in the unknown and abyss part of our lives. 


But I guess a thing to learn from here is that you can die anytime, anywhere, any day. So don't live your life for yourself but for God. Live your life to fullest, LOL (Live Out Loud) for Christ. The man who was crucified on the cross for our sins. Your life can flash before you eyes and before you know it, you're in judgement before God. It's scary and we don't like to think about it but it will happen, no matter how much we avoid it in our thoughts.


Anyways, I thank God for keeping me safe today and thank God for opening my eyes on my life. Our life is fragile. Our God is Good and our God is faithful. May He be our Yahweh and Father forever and ever.
(:

Go. Share. Love.

Go and Shine. Shine for the World. So they may know that the King is coming soon.

It’s so hard to be an example. An example for the non-believers. Too show them that God reigns in us and He alone can rescue. It’s hard. I know this is a random topic in my blog but I was reading the "Inside ACC" (which is basically an article/newspaper for our church) and it just talked about what's been happening for the past year.
One of the topics was about our youth mission trip. Where we went to Tahlequah, Oklahoma. Someone wrote a small testimony about what happened during his/her time there and it usually says who wrote it but this time it said "Anonymous". I obviously knew who it was after I read it and the last paragraph she wrote reminded me of why we're here on earth:


"The ONE thing that I took from this mission trip experience is GO! Go out and share the gospel with your friends, family, and even the random person standing next to you in the lunch line. Go. Go and pray, begging the Holy Spirit to work through you. Go. Go and live your life for God no matter what He is calling you to do, because He has the perfect plan for your life. Go. 
'Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.'        ~ Matthew 28:19
Because when you think about it... what are you supposed to be doing here on this Earth?"


It kinda correlates with my "Expect the Unexpected" post. About the four commands he gave us.
I know I talk the talk, when I should walk the walk.
I talk of change. But I do not change. I talk about going out there, how I want to help these lost, these people blinded from sin. But I'm scared. Scared of what they'll think of me. What they'll say about me. Call me Crazy. Weird. Freak.


But I guess this is where FAITH steps in. Where I stand my ground. My solid fortress and my God. I want people to come and ask me about Christ when I should be the one telling them about Christ.
It's hard. Intimidating. But that's what the devil gives us. Doubts, thinking we can't do it when we actually can. We have God on our side. We have the God who created all things. From the heavens to the earth. From stars to stars. Planets to planets. What should we be afraid of? Nothing.

Because even God let us know that He is there:


³¹ What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?
                             ~Romans 8:31


---------------I should this. I should take a leap of faith. One GIANT STEP.
So I guess I have a prayer request and it's taking that step. That step of action. Go. Share. Love. That I will go and pray & BEG for the Holy Spirit to work through me.

Love

It's sin that destroys us. Reaps our innocence and consumes our inner being.
Anger. Lies. Lust. Pride. These are the things I suffer with. These are the iniquities that separates me from God.
We all sin. Everyday. Every hour. Every second. 
We're too ashamed to admit our faults, our lies, our frauds. But because of God's mercy and grace. HIS mercy and grace. We, the men and women in this world, have been forgiven. For Christ Jesus, His Son, has came into this world. This world of sin. This world of fault. Not to condemn and judge us, but to save us from our sins.


¹⁶ 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. ¹⁷ For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.
                                                        ~John 3:16-17

It's times like this, when we've falling into sin. When the devil got hold of us for a mere second. That we dug a hole. Thinking it's too hard, we dig a deeper hole. A hole till we THINK we can't get out of. We think it's hopeless. It's too much for us. That we just sit in that hole. That sin. Hopeless.
But I'm here too tell you that there is hope. Because "no matter how deep your sin is, His love is always deeper". Keep on going. Keep striving for the one thing that brings happiness. That brings joy in our life. Never look back but look what's in front of us. This world has blinded us with the untrue and devilish things.


Satan may rule the world. But GOD rules EVERYTHING. Even the demons are in awe of him.

^"19 You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe—and shudder!"                          ~James 2:19


Keep each other accountable. I know I say that a lot in my posts, but it's true. Don't just live your life alone. Don't go astray from the flock. Keep each other close. Never letting go of each other. Love one another.
Because...
⁸ Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins.
                    ~1 Peter 4:8
Love doesn't keep a record of wrongs. Doesn't judge. Doesn't look down on you.
Love forgives. It let's us know that people do care for you. That you aren't the only one out there suffering. We all are. 


Pray. Pray for each other.
NEVER. 
LET. 
GO. 
LOVE.
<3

Expect the Unexpected

I just came back from KD, which is a PSAT class and I am exhausted. I usually take a 4-5 hour nap right now but I didn't write a blog yesterday so I want to right now.
Yesterday was a pretty good day. Most of our worship members ate at La Madeleine yesterday for dinner and it was time to socialize and share our week together.

We have only 7 members in our worship. 7. It's a small group but it's good. Easier for us to stay accountable too. During the servant team meeting, Kevin was talking about the formatting and the schedule change for Friday nights. He's changing it up a bit, too see if i'll make the youth more active and able to learn more about the Word. And during that time, he talked about making a Mandarin Class for the international students. Because they feel like they can't fit in our groups, since the English language is the barrier to communication. And Kevin said something about how learning to communicate to these people is like doing missions in Asia. They don't know the Word of God. They just come to church, just cause. It's an open opportunity to go and share.
All my time thinking about how I might consider doing missions. All the time how I think about sharing God's Love. The Chance was always in front of me. I've been thinking about doing missions in other countries. When I realized, why can't I just do it here with these people? Who knows when they will go back to their own homeland?

Justin Wong, talked to me about missions once. How our lives is a mission. That a mission trip isn't going somewhere but it's here. It's in our lives. He asked me the hardest questions ever. I don't remember them but I just remember them being deep and eye-opening. Critical Thinking.
He told me we should be thinking like that. Asking ourselves these questions. (Which I don't remember ): )

Well, basically, our life is a mission right? And this verse -

¹⁹ Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, ²⁰ and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.
                                     ~Matthew 28:19-20


He gave us 4 commands to do
Go. Disciple. Baptizing. Teaching.


What is missions? How do you define a mission trip?
A place to go share God's Word? A church thing where we just to some random location? Do community service? What?


Going to school is a missions trip. Going to work, library, everywhere you go.
You go out there and shine the light. Shine the light for the lost and wicked.
------------------------------------
Anyways, the "Transparency" blog talked about me being scared. Being scared to talk to Z. But it turned out to be just a small light talk. He wanted to know my side of the story, why I freaked out about what happened and stuff. He now knows another part of my life. And he didn't judge. He didn't force me to stop. He just encouraged me. He told me just not to be distracted by it and that if it's in God's plan, it'll happen. 


I guess I don't have to be afraid anymore. I don't have to be intimidated by Z. For I know, he too, is like me. We have so many things in common but he doesn't know. He doesn't know that we think about things the same. He doesn't know that we understand things the same way. He doesn't know that.
But he does know that I want to learn more about God. And he's there to teach me. Guide me. Show me the path. I'm really glad that God put him into my life.


I'm really tired right now. And this post isn't probably isn't the best A+ grammar write-up. Or an encouraging post. But, it's my life. The title was suppose to be for another thing I learned. But, I'm too tired to write. So I guess I'll leave this afternoon with this and write one tonight,


Find a group of friends you trust. Find a group of friends who you know loves God. Hang out. Share. Love. Be Accountable. (: