My Foreign Friend

So for those who didn't know,

mi Pop's friend's son, DongHo, came to visit NY and stay with his dad in his duration here.

mi Pop's requested i accompany him, befriend him, show him the ropes, ya kno da deal.

in the beginning, i will admit...... i was a bit hesitant.

Afterall, during the time i was taking 20 credits for school... where would i find the time? or how could i make any? =\

it was our family's annual Christmas dinner and my father had invited them over, which was where i first met the dude.

and since then, the rest became history. =)

He left this afternoon, and i will admit.... i was hesitant to let him go!~ lol =\

i'd driven him to the airport and watched him walk off past the boarding gates...

it felt almost like a krn drama...... "ahnyung~ jal ga, kiyuk hae...sarang hae" lol

something like that~

we made a great bond, and so i'm dedicating this sappy blog to the brother =)

it was weird how well we got along, being that he was way more culturally korean than i, and how we've only known each other for 2 months.

we've learned alot from one another.... spiritually, mentally, culturally, etc.

for one thing... he's the only dude i'd ever really called or saw as "hyung", which is a title given to your elders or people who are considerably older.

as weird as it was for me... he wasn't someone who demanded my respect but earned it. He made me feel comfortable and a sense of honor to see him that way... a friend and an older brother figure.

being that i grew up with older sisters, the natural desire for a male sibling is... natural.

ne way, 

one thing he said to me before he left, that sort of humbled me and led me to praise my God.... was how much confidence my life gave him to have more faith in the same God that i serve.

He said out of all the things we've learned from one another, it was a stronger faith that he cherishes the most. My only thoughts were.......... thank u God~ thank u so much!!!

i'll always cherish the month of Jan and Feb of 09 with my "foreign friend".

the days he'd just come over to watch Will Smith movies, the nights we'd go worship at "the Gate" (Friday nights @ Times Sq. Church).... Korean BBQ, Dallas BBQ w/ Esther, Misun & Yungha, going to nrb and watching how true koreans roll with a mic and a karoake machine (it's ridiculous, just have your cameras out)lol..... sigh*

"God bless you hyung, u da man.... God made u to be an awesome testimony of His love and grace. Shine your light.1"

"Blessed Be Your Name"

this week has been compacted with classes, appointments, assignments, and such.

and it's only Wednesday.  -___-;;

but being that it's currently Wednesday night, it's technically Thursday!

and Thursdays have become the new Friday~JAKNO!

it's 11:30 p.m. approx. and got in from classes not too long ago. Had a crazy yet productive day, academically that is.

at which by the end of the day i realized i haven't quite minded God too much, i mean it happens but i had a moment.

I had forgotten tonight was when the Hunter IV chapter met for "LCC" (Life-Changers Cafe'). I was not planning on going but i ended up entering the clubspace right when it started! As if God was unnoticeably drawing me to worship Him and not forget Him.

i was blessed.

just something i thought was blogworthy and hope that it encourages people to not only notice God but to give God worship even in the midst of chaos within ourselves or from the world, He's always in control.

even in the little things.

January and February has come and gone, seasons will change, and though the world around us moves without notice or throws us around as it goes... 

our God is everlasting, unchanging, and all around us. =)

"Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever." -Hebrews 13:8

"Naked I came from my mother's womb, 

       and naked I will depart.
       The LORD gave and the LORD has taken away; 
       may the name of the LORD be praised."

-Job 1:21

Recovery or Recession?

saw this in the paper the other day~ i thought it was pretty hilarious.

with all the current events going on, the jesters of media like these tend to pull a quite witty approach to the lighter side of societies failures.

the other day our new president signed a $787 BILLION stimulus bill into law.... where in the meantime, i thought we were still on recovery from the $700 Billion bailout plan... what the hey? -___-;;

“What makes this recovery plan so important, is not just that it will create or save three-and-a-half million jobs over the next two years…it’s that we’re putting Americans to work doing the work that America needs done…in critical areas that have been neglected for too long" - Pres. Obama

and if you as a taxpayer or someone who's just interested, want to know where your taxes or your parents taxes are going.... you can look here =)

http://www.recovery.gov/

accountability on government? or so they say...

now i'm not too big on politics but i stay informed with my current events, due to my daily commute on the train and the 50 cents that gives me the world, through the "NEW YORK POST" of course.

even though, the "conservative" paper or any paper for that matter is not much of a reliable or accurate source... it nonetheless keeps me occupied =)..... and informed, DUH!

with rumors that 14% of NY stores or businesses are closing down this year is a BIG, HUGE number.... people are starving.

People need recovery from this recession.... that technically has only begun and already more than 10 million jobs lost!

it's affected my friends and family and me.

broke as a joke doesn't even comply.

with this stimulus bill out to do extensive recovery for the next two years and ripple into the future years, it has shed light to the dark corners of the world and our hearts.

with different perspectives, i can't help but to look through the lens of Christ and as Christians, how could we not?

dang.

^"7For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. ⁸But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that. ⁹People who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge men into ruin and destruction. ¹⁰For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs." -1 Timothy 6:7-10

the word of God pierces man.

where does man invest their faith into?

surely, not into their bank accounts.... cause if so, ur life is dissipating like ur money.

if this recession doesn't affect you directly, it will affect you indirectly.

pretty much why this topic is BLOGWORTHY!

whether through your own budgeting or your parents; whether physically or spiritually.... we're all part of the same whole.

these are perilous yet golden moments for Christians to shine the unchanging and stability of hope in Jesus!

my man Piper, with boldness and conviction, welcomes the recession and thus sees it as a "THANK YOU GOD!" healthy occurrence..... i say, "werd"!

"Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will still remain" - MAtthew 24:35

"Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus"

"The Lord is my light and my salvation;
Whom shall i fear?
The Lord is the strength of my life;
Of whom shall I be afraid....

Wait on the Lord;
Be of good courage,
And He shall strengthen your heart;
Wait, I say on the Lord!"

spending time before the Lord this morning and was humbled by this passage and more.

felt like blogging before the day began rather than when it ends.

immensely gratifying, that i get to wake up instinctively rather than waking to the annoyance of my "OH HAPPY DAY" alarm. =)

when i woke up this morning, i felt that struggle again.... a battle for my mind, a constant battle i must say... relentless really.

so i spent a good portion of my morning infront of the Lord asking for help and strength.... and came across one of my favorites that has ministered to me throughout the years... Psalm 27 (above).

The Lord speaking to me and telling me to just "wait".... on Him.

that if i'm going to have any kind of stronghold, let God be my stronghold and my light in the dark places.

Confident that the Lord is the strength of my life, there is none i shall fear, not the devil himself.

so many times do we forget our purpose in life... entangled in the vines of worry and doubt that choke us....forgetting where the Lord has brought us from, and where He will bring us.

"We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all." (Is 53:6)

"Return to the LORD your God,

for He is gracious and compassionate,

slow to anger and abounding in love"  

(Jl 2:13)

we only get one chance to live and eternity hangs in the balance.

how will we spend our time here on earth?

perhaps the better question is who or what will we spend our lives for on earth?

all that we do, all that we are.....

sigh*

Jesus, i give you me.....

Turn your eyes upon Jesus,
Look full in His wonderful face,
And the things of earth will grow strangely dim,
In the light of His glory and grace.

Lord, I Give You Me

So it's about 11:40 P.m. (and that's how i feel right about now)

got back not too long ago from class.

have an 8:10 A.M. class 5 days a week. 20 Credits this semester.

Tues-Thurs i get home around this time due to my pm classes. Praying for physical and mental stamina. (Colossians 3:23)

read some of my fellow bloggers blogs. 

feeling encouraged and blessed and inspired and tired.

although my Pastor insists i keep up with my blogs despite demanding schedules, it's become a healthy habit to set aside some time, meditate, reflect & blog.

I've been listening to my DAB Podcast (Daily Audio Bible) everyday since the year began as part of my resolution. Being one who commutes countless hours on the not-so-reliable MTA, there's opportunity for me to read, listen, think, watch & react....to life, in the midst of a hectic/planned day. You follow?

Even if it's for only 30 minutes or 10 minutes or 2 hours,

these idle yet not so idle moments in my life, give me opportunity for such as these.

my bible intake, meditation, evangelism, prayer topics, breakfast, extra study time, extra sleep time, etc... are specific examples i guess of how i make use of my time on the MTA, which i spend at least a quarter of my daily life on.

and before i start rambling on here, let me share some food for thought that i've carried this week as an amazing encouragement to how i spend my time here on earth.

I attend "The Gate" on Friday nights at Times Square Church and this past Friday, Pastor Carter Conlin spoke.

this dudes words were piercing the hearts of many, including mine. He usually caters to the older generation, the man being 55 himself.... the approach may be different, but the message is the same. 

Repentance, redemption, & salvation...all freely obtainable/given at the foot of the cross.

the word that night was and always has been a word that's helped build my faith along this walk with Christ.... Romans 8:31-32

"...If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare His own Son, but gave him up for us all--how will He not also, along with Him, graciously give us all things?"

brothers and sisters..... the encouragement here?

self-explanatory. foreal. donedidit. bet. down-pat.

simply amazing.

Pastor Conlin said something that night that i will remind myself whenever something so devastating or tragic or life-threatening happens to me, and i hope for u too.

"the worst thing the devil can do to u, is kill you"

i said, "WAATTTTTT!" r u serious? that's it? lol, i was blown away y'all.

why? cause let me hollatu for a second.

"the worst thing the devil can do to you, is kill you"

in other words,

"Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell." -Matthew 10:28

in other other words,

"...If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare His own Son, but gave him up for us all--how will He not also, along with Him, graciously give us all things?"-Romans 8:31-32

LOL, ya with me now?

it's crazy right? lol

i may not be saying as he did that night, but u get the idea. :)

so many of us haven't really grasped this idea of God being on our side. 

Afterall, we are on His aren't we? the worst place is to have one foot in the world and the other with God. You're either for Him or you're not. Yeup, it's that black and white, & yeup it's that simple.

I want to challenge whomever reads this to take that step of faith and just say "YES LORD"...

co-worker, friend, family member, aquaintance, teacher, son, daughter, Africa, Manhattan, India, next door neighbor, asthma, cancer, diseases, etc.... in Jesus name. Live for His glory, give it all to HIM! 

He's given it all to us.

what are we afraid of?

losing friends? losing face? losing family? being grounded? being expelled? being killed?

sigh*

"Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell."

that's as real as it can get.

there's more in store for us when we die, then when we live.... die to yourself and take up your cross and follow Him, Jesus says.

let's examine ourselves this week. Are we willing to go all the way, are we in it to win it? or giving our halves and not our all for the gospel.

There's a song that God has placed in my heart alongside this message He's given me. I can't wait to share it with my DEM family and let them be ushered into His presence through it. It's the second song on the playlist above, "Lord I Give You Me"... be blessed and remain victorious fam.

Praise the Lord.

"Let all the earth fear the LORD;
         Let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of Him." 

-Psalm 33:8

"LORD I GIVE YOU ME"

Lord, I give You me 
I give You my all 
I hold nothing back 
I'm answering Your cal 
lThough I live or die 
Your glory is my life 
I give You everything 

Lord, I give You me 

Lord, I give You me 
It may not look like much 
I know that I need change 
I know I need Your touch 
Take me as I am 
Place me in Your plan 
That's where I want to be 

Lord, I give You me 
Lord, with every breath 
I'll worship You in life 
I'll worship You in death 
I lay down my allIt's all I have to give 
As long as I live 

Lord, I give You me