I will be here

"I will be here" by Stephen Curtis Chapman is a super beautiful song. I'm sure almost every girl dreams of a sweet guy singing her this song- when she hears it. But what we often forget is how much God has done for us and how he is there for us all the time. Instead of focusing on being romanced by guys, we should seek God's love and approval first and foremost. Guys or girls, friends, and human beings can never make us happy on their own- they all disappoint us because everyone makes mistakes- but God is perfect.
It's hard to find good friends. Even harder to find best friends. Sometimes even best friends leave us or get mad at us, but God is a constant source of love and He will never leave us. When we are mad at the world, He still wants to talk to us. When we are afraid, He wants to comfort us. When we are weak, He wants to hold us.

Here are the lyrics to this song and just listen to it as if God is singing this song to you:
* Because that's how much He cares

Tomorrow morning if you wake up
And the sun does not appear
 I will be here
If in the dark we lose sight of love
Hold my hand and have no fear
'Cause I... I will be here

I will be here
When you feel like being quiet
When you need to speak your mind
I will listen
And I will be here
When the laughter turns to crying
Through the winning, losing and trying
We'll be together
'Cause I will be here

Tomorrow morning if you wake up
And the future is unclear
I... I will be here
As sure as seasons are made for change
Our lifetimes are made for years
So I... I will be here

I will be here
And you can cry on my shoulder
When the mirror tells us we're older
I will hold you
And I will be here
To watch you grow in beauty
And tell you all the things you are to me
I will be here, hmmm

I will be true to the promise I have made
To you and to the One who gave you to me

And just as sure as seasons are made for change
Our lifetimes are made for years
So I... I will be here
We'll be together
I will be here

Psalm 63: 1-5
Oh God, you are my God
Earnestly I seek you
My soul thirsts for you
My body longs for you
In a dry and weary land
Where there is no water
I have seen you in the sanctuary
And beheld your power and your glory
Because your love is better than life
My lips will glorify you
I will praise you for as long as I live
And in your name I will lift up my hands

God please remind us that You want to be there for us no matter what happens in our lives. Teach us to rely on you and you alone. Show us your will for our lives and help us to follow you wherever you lead.

Jesus doesn't love "ME"

How many times have you heard people say "Jesus loves you" or the central key of the entire Bible is Jesus's love for us. "He loves you more than you can imagine, more than you comprehend." He loves ME. He loves you too! So let's have a party. Let's thank Jesus that He loves me because He gave me..

I have no doubt that Jesus does love us. It's an indescribable blessing!
He loves the world incredibly. He created each one of us individuals in His image.
But today I got to thinking, what if "Jesus loves me" is not the message of the entire Bible and not what Jesus wants us to focus on entirely. What if we were deceived by our own selfish minds into thinking that "Jesus loving ME" was what God was about?

If Jesus loves ME and that's the number one theme:
Then why does it say to LOVE YOUR NEIGHBORS MORE THAN YOURSELF.
AND TO LOVE GOD MORE THAN YOUR NEIGHBORS AND YOURSELF.

I thought Jesus loved ME. And if Jesus loved ME why do I have cancer? Why did my dog die? And why did I fail on that test? I thought that Jesus loved ME.

Romans 2:8 says
 "But selfish individuals who make trouble, resist the truth, or sell out to wickedness will meet a very different fate—they will find fury and indignation as the fruit of living in the wrong."

When we think about "Me" too much we become selfish individuals. You can read countless Bible verses demonstrating Christ's disdain towards selfishness. He cannot tolerate selfishness because it is the opposite of His love.

If God isn't about loving us for ourselves then what is God about? God is LOVE. God is graceful, forgiving, King of Kings, Merciful, Alpha and Omega..
What is the theme of the Bible and of Christianity? What should we share with others when we introduce them to Jesus Christ for the first time?

Could it be "I need Jesus"? Could that be it? Could it be that I NEED Christ to save my life from sin and my selfish desires and when I accept Him into my heart and give Him power to change me He will give me a new birth and eternal life forever!

Yes God loves me- but He doesn't love the "Me" we often think about. He hates that me: my selfish, independent, natural, human me that I think I own. God loves me as His child enough that He wants me to recognize Him as a Father so He can take my life and make it something more. He wants me to realize that "ME" by myself is sinful and self-destructing, but Him with me is beautiful.

I need Jesus. You need Jesus.
Without Him, we are nothing. With Him, He can do anything.

Bullet train

Railroads: Bullet trains, Subways, and freight trains travel across the world.

Today I rode KTX the bullet train from Busan to Seoul. I'm not gonna lie, it wasn't as amazing as it was built up to be, I slept through an hour and a half of it. But the train went 200 miles an hour.

It makes me think about life. There's so many paths we can take. So many places to travel. So much in the world to see and do. Decisions, decisions, and more decisions.

Life's like the train stations. Sometimes it's hard to know which train you should go on. You never know what will happen if you choose a train until you experience it. Once you choose a train, you can't go back. You buy the ticket and go- no regrets. That train, event, or choice will change your life and shape your identity.

Choosing a major and choosing the person to spend your life with are huge decisions that will forever impact your life. Then you have to choose a place to live. You have to decide what relationships you value. You have to decide what your focus in life will be.

Different trains lead to different places, some around the world. Good decisions can lead to prosperity or happiness.  Some mistakes come with high prices and lead to pain. But all decisions are insignificant, when compared to the one choice that has eternal consequences.

Do we know Jesus Christ and does He know us? There are many gods and many religions but in the end it will all come down to this one thing. How do you know if you know Jesus? Have you experienced agape love that comes only from God and are you learning how to love like Jesus? When you see the hungry, hurting, or the stranger do you see Jesus Christ and help that person? Knowing all about Jesus is not the same as knowing Jesus. You come to know Jesus by prayer and committing time to spend with Him.

Matthew 7:21 “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. 22Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?’ 23Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’

Matthew 25:35-46
“Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. ³⁵ For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, ³⁶ I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’
³⁷ “Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? ³⁸ When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? ³⁹ When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’
⁴⁰ “The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’
⁴¹ “Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. ⁴² For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, ⁴³ I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.’
⁴⁴ “They also will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?’
⁴⁵ “He will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.’
⁴⁶ “Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life.”

It's easy to worry about what we should do in life and about the "big decisions" we need to make like what college we should study, who we should date, and what our major should be. These our important decisions that we should prayerfully consider. But we should be most concerned about our relationship with Christ. When we truly learn to walk with God, so close that we can say He is my best friend, we will have to doubts what His will is for the rest of our lives.

His strength

True love is doing what is best for the other person despite the cost.
Christ ALWAYS knows what's best for us.
His timing is extraordinary.

Today, I was blessed by getting to listen to 4 missionaries testimonies. It was in Korean- but that was no obstacle for God- He provided a translator who whispered sentence after sentence to me so that I could understand. It was amazing- because it was exactly what I needed to hear today.

I have started thinking about Peru a lot more recently. I think about it in the morning, and I think about it before I go to sleep. It scares me and excites me at the same time.

Summer is ending. Everything is changing. It's almost a new school year, a new opportunity to let Christ guide your life.

Jeremiah 29:11 For I know the plans I have for you declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

Isaiah 26:3 You will keep in perfect peace, Him whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in you.

Tonight we spent our last night in Seoul Korea and we went to the tower. I'm getting ready to go to 'Merica in 3 days!

What Korea's Like

I'm already getting used to Korea! I've been here 2 weeks but it already is beginning to feel like home. I hate the food- just can't get over it. But I'm starting to get used to the rush, people everywhere, and walking in hot humidity.
Yesterday our Korean family took us to a Korean cultural and historic center in Seoul. It was amazing. We learned so much about Korean food, culture, traditions, education, and family life.
Today we went to Insador: a tourist place where we walked around and shopped.
Tonight we went to a LONG Korean vespers. It was terrible; I am not going to lie. I tried not to draw during the service but an hour into it, I gave up my "intellectual persona" and started drawing animals.
Here are some interesting things I have learned about the majority of Koreans:
1. Koreans care about everything more than Americans. They care about traditions. They care about reputations. They care about their families, history, their culture, and their elders.
2. Koreans show respect. Anytime you are introduced to a Korean they bow respectfully. Teachers, principals, pastors, and adults or older people in general are highly respected.
3. Koreans are very focused. Children in Korea spend almost all their time studying. In high school, Korean students literally stay at the school from early in the morning to 10 or 11pm at night studying for the test to get in college. Education is a huge deal and Koreans are very focused on what they want in life. They do whatever it takes to get there.
4. Koreans want boys. Men get a lot more respect here than woman. Before coming here we were advised that if we wanted to get anything done for us, we should ask Tj because they respect guys more. Koreans also have special prayers to get boy children.
5. Koreans are very fashionable. I don't know how they do it, because the weather makes me want to wear a pony tail and tank tops all day long- but Koreans are always looking cute with bows in their hair, super short shorts, and long fashionable tops.
6. The Korean dream is very different from the American dream. Koreans want to excel in education so they can go to a good school and get a good career. The college they attend is highly important.
7. Koreans are very touchy. Both boys and girls constantly have their hands around each other and love to hold hands.
8. Everything is not better or more high-tech here in Korea. Compared to America,  many facilities are tiny. Although most places are clean and some technology is better, Korean cities definitely appear poorer than American ones. It's just so squished. Everything is tiny and stuffy. In so many areas, I now understand why Koreans are still looking to America for ideas.
9. In Korea, there are many LONG meetings, ceremonies, and rituals. People have accomplished the skill of listening quietly for hours upon end.
10. Most Koreans are very friendly and welcoming. They are very accommodating and interested in the American lifestyle.

So yes that's what Korea's like, or what I have found it to be like.
4 more days then America =)

Help we're Americans

When I walk around in Korea- everyone turns to look at me. They ask me if I want forks at restaurants. They make small talk or try to sell me things thinking I am rich. They think I am special because I am American. They think I am weird.

I've traveled to Mexico, Honduras, the Dominican Republic, and now here. Every country I have been too, people treat me specially. Extra nice- like I am a rich celebrity.

I think they are weird. Why are they so nice? Why do they care so much about us? Why are we so different than them?

We, Americans, are strange people! We are disturbed. We have issues. We walk around thinking that everyone is like us just in different colors. We don't realize we are lost and confused- deceived by some "American dream" while other countries are finding God, truth, and relationships.

We think that everyone dreams like us, loves like us, and lives like us.
We dream about ourselves. We love our sexy girlfriend/boyfriend, until we get tired of them. We live insecure and depressed lives worrying about money and what other people think about us.
We are confused!
We pretend to feel bad for the rest of the world. We might even shed a few tears sometimes but we get over it quickly. We feel bad for the other people and countries because we think they are poor and dying all the time.

We, Americans, are the lost ones. We are the rich ones yet we are the insecure ones. They are happy and we are depressed. They have Jesus and we have ourself and our stuff. Us American Christians fit the Laodicean description perfectly: Revelation 3:14-22.

“Again, the kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and hid; and for joy over it he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field. Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant seeking beautiful pearls, who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had and bought it.” Matthew 13:44

How many of us Americans would sell everything they have for Jesus?
You think that's just a story, just a parable? Do you not think Jesus means what He says? What about when He says it's easier for a camel to go through an eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of heaven? We are rich you know? 53% of the world lives on $2 a day or less, we live on about 100 times that much.

Luke 18:18-20 
¹⁸ A certain ruler asked him, “Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?”.. You lack this one thing. Sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven- then come follow me."

"I've got a sickness and it's called comfort. And maybe I'm just not strong enough to be here" This is why I'm going to Peru. I want Jesus more than college. I want Jesus more than my comforting family and friends. I want Jesus. I'm tired of living for myself. I'm not going to help the hurting- I want to help them- but before I can show them Jesus- I have to find Him more for myself. I'm going to Peru because I choose Jesus; I choose to seek Him more than anything else. I trust Him and I trust He will use me, but I'm tired of being lukewarm.

Spoken Word

James 1:27 ^27 "Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world."

Let us stop with the rules. Let us stop with the judging. Let us bring back Christ's face to the broken and hurting. Church is not school, nor a courthouse of judges. Church is a hospital to give sinners crutches. So they can continue to walk and to run- following Christ's footsteps and reflecting His son.

We must LOVE.

This is so powerful. You can say you don't serve a god- but everyone serves someone. Who do you live for? What would you die for? And what can't you let go of? Because if you can't let go of it, it's holding on to you, and you are captive.  *selfishness *lust *boyfriend * beauty * money *fame * sports * career *success * friendships * pornography * greed * music *video games *theology ... You are serving someone- even if it is yourself.

If you can't give it up, it owns you.

Exodus 20:4 You shall not make for yourself an image in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below.

James 4:3-4   You don't get what you want because you don't ask God for it. And when you do ask he doesn't give it to you, for you ask in quite the wrong spirit--you only want to satisfy your own desires. You are like unfaithful wives, never realizing that to be the world's lover means becoming the enemy of God! Anyone who chooses to be the world's friend is thereby making himself God's enemy.

Col 3:5-6   That is why you must kill everything in you that belongs only to earthly life: fornication, impurity, guilty passion, evil desires and especially greed, which is the same thing as worshipping a false god. All this sort of behavior makes God angry.   Eze 6:8-9 ..How I have been grieved by their adulterous hearts, which have turned away from me, and by their eyes, which have lusted after their idols. They will loathe themselves for the evil they have done and for all their detestable practices."

May we be honest with ourselves about what gods we are serving- and pray fervently to God for His deliverance. Because He is waiting to save you.