Grace

Posted by Young the Amazing at 12:17 PM 5 comments

Hello again from Florida! :d

Yesterday was a not so good day, and a good day.

As with every Monday, we started off with worship and intercession, which normally is a great time for me where I spend intimate time with God. However, I just felt apathetic that morning. Apathy through praise, and apathy through the intercessory prayer. So that was a little disappointing. The teaching was interesting, but felt repetitive with some of what was taught before, so felt a little apathetic to that as well.

Then we moved onto recreation, but it was really hot and humid that day. :<

I was looking forward to my CR [community responsibility, like a job I have almost every day (Tuesdays are reception, and I have access to a computer to be able to write this :d)], which was dinner prep., which I really like. Another student however, wasn't doing so well so I decided to trade CRs for that day (to 'miscellaneous/misc.' CR).

It sucked.

At this point, I had a small headache building, and I don't deal with mental pain well at ALL. So I was left at a house to bring chairs out into the front of yard in the heat and humidity, waiting for the other two people to come back from their air conditioned car and buildings to pick me back up.

As you guys know, I'm not the most physically fit guy out there. ;d

In my sweaty, tiring misery, I was reminded of why I was there. I volunteered myself to do this. I could have just not traded jobs, and I would be comfortable in the air conditioned building, having fun cooking. I would have access to cool water and some advil and whatnot.

I chose to do this. Knowing that my job would probably be more tiring ('misc' CR people don't know what they do until day of), I traded jobs so that my fellow sister would not have to go through this because I felt that I was able to do this with more grace and to give her rest with an easier/more restful CR.

I had to remind myself that I wasn't doing this for recognition or any king of 'good job for working so hard' [and nor did anyone say such, though they probably don't know what I did exactly], but instead for God. So I brought out the chairs, telling myself of why I was doing this, and to do all things well, for I do everything in and for Christ.

Through the headache, heat, humidity, work, I was so close to just stopping what I was doing and just to give up/take the easy way out. I was reminded of Paul, however, when he had complained to God for a problem to be taken away from him. God replied, "My grace is sufficient."

That was probably the biggest thing that prevented me from just breaking down after what had happened throughout the day. That phrase just kept going through my head as I had to move things out of the closet to put the chairs in, only to put everything back in there again [and I VERY MUCH dislike the repetitive moving of furniture].

I was tired, sweaty, pained, unappreciated, and just wanted to break down and cry, but God's grace was sufficient. It is sufficient. And that undeserved favor WILL be sufficient for me in all I do.

I know it sounds whiny here, but that wasn't the attitude I showed through the day [I consciously decided to be polite/kind/amicable, even though I was often wanted to act out in tired frustration], and I am just so thankful that I was able to get through by His grace.

Though I may not have 'felt' God, I know by faith that he was there with me throughout that day. I know that it was by His grace that I was able to finish the work I had put myself in.

Praise God.
:3

PS: There are two DTS groups running at the same time: the regular DTS, and the Sports and Fitness DTS (guess which one I'm not in 8D). The S&F DTS are going to Morocco, and we are going to Tunisia.

Yay for Tunisia. :d

Keep this in your prayers, please~

Posted by Emma Hartman at 9:10 PM 3 comments

Hi guys,

I don't know if you remember the friend that I brought to Friends' Night, named Young, from the library at Hope. He was the one who got all of the PMC category questions right when even we didn't know, haha :D Anyways, he's leaving next week to go into the Korean military for his mandatory 2 year service. He's not exactly the military type, and he's much older than most of the guys who go into the military, so he'll probably have a pretty hard time. I just want to ask if you guys could remember to pray for him occasionally over the next few weeks... and years. Thanks :D

Emma <3

Posted by Yongsoo at 10:06 AM 1 comments

Just a quick reminder to those who didn't get my e-mail (Sorry I might not have everyone's email or mightve missed a few names.)




There is a PRAISE NIGHT this coming saturday the 17th @ PMC starting at 5:30pm!

I am expecting everyone to be there because its emphasis is on our event, Miles 4 Missions.

Thanks

Sorry if this is late notice. I sent out an e-mail bt hoep you guys all got it

God's Timing

Posted by Emma Hartman at 9:14 PM 3 comments

Alright so, thanks for praying for me about the American Friend Coordinator position, but unfortunately, I didn't get it. I had a really hard time the past three weeks, and a lot had to do with that position. I waited for a week longer than the employer said it would take to get back to us, which means my Spring Break was riddled with extreme stress and anxiety. I could barely sleep all week and stayed home most of the time. Then my parents were hounding me to be more responsible, but I was too stressed and anxious to follow through, which led to more hounding. Anyways, last Tuesday, I finally got the email that I hadn't gotten the position. Needless to say I was pretty crushed. It only added insult to injury that the person who did get the position is one of the only people on campus that I actually thought of as a pretty good friend. It gave me some pretty negative thoughts and I've been trying to deal with them this week. Anyways, this whole debacle has forced me to think about God's timing.

I know that God's timing is usually different than our timing. I know that I want to have things happen for me, success falling into my lap, all right now. I'm very impatient with life. Thus, through this I'm trying to understand that God knows what is best for me and He has a plan already. He knows when and where I'll be best used for His Kingdom, and maybe that's not next semester in the American Friend Program.

So anyways, I'd like for you guys to pray for me that I can listen and be ready for God's plan when His time comes.

Thanks.

Greetings from Florida!

Posted by Young the Amazing at 10:24 AM 3 comments

HELLO EVERYONE!

Just here to bring a news update from me to you. :3

DTS is amazing. Think of our church retreat during August, except for 5.5/6 months.
This is a community of peoples from many different nations (S. Korea, Switzerland, Taiwan, Ireland, Scotland, S. Africa, many different states, etc), cultures, denominations; this is a place where we can all come together from all these different backgrounds, all seeking God. It's really amazing.

It's a great place to learn as well. Yes, there are differences in what each may believe is acceptable/etc, but we don't focus on differences to judge each other, but instead come together, despite our differences, as a united body of Christ. This is a part of why I think this place is so amazing. Multicultural, interdenominational seekers of God. :3

I'm learning a lot as well. Lots of valuable information that's been helping shape my relationship with God, to understand the lines between religion and that relationship, working together in a group, etc. A big thing that I enjoy around here is the opportunity to serve. I serve my room/housemates by cooking/cleaning. I serve the church with community responsibilities, like food prep, church cleaning, etc. I am so glad to be here with all these people who are seeking God.

During our first small group, we had a 'large' group kind of meeting and shared our testimonies. The things I learned was amazing. Truly never judge a book by its cover. You may be a good judge of character, and think you know them, but there are so many things that shaped who that person was, what they went through, it's just amazing that we're all not just messed up rejects of society. It's so encouraging too, that God would use such broken people like us, that he has called each of us to know Him, to have that relationship with Him, and that He would use us to do His work.

I had previous stated that my outreach was Morocco, but it looks like that may change due to the current situations in there [some people were kicked out, etc] and our contact group there is asking for a super small group to go only, since a group of 15-20 westerners coming into a muslim country is TOTALLY not suspicious, AT ALL. ;d
All we know is that it's going to be a muslim country in North Africa. :d
I'm excited. :d

I pray that things are going well with you, that you are seeking God, and that you would not lose faith or trust in the one who is always faithful. :3

PS: Someone tell Danny T that I'm well, and that I didn't forget or ignore him, it's just I didn't have internet until now (one hour at the library XD), and I still don't know his email. :3

Love

Posted by Young the Amazing at 9:22 PM 0 comments

As some of you may have known, our family moved very recently [past few days] into a one-bedroom apartment in the same complex for several reasons. During this time, the entire family was stressed, tired, etc.

Normally, this would be an excruciatingly troublesome period for me, since I'm REALLY lazy, and I get angry whenever people tell me to do physical work. The last few times I've moved resulted in the entire family angry, tired, and miserable because of it.

GRACE OF GOD STRIKES AGAIN!

I've been 'weaned' away from the computer and internet more and more since I've come to know Christ, which is such a blessing. Same thing with games, though I do struggle with it at times. God has also changed me. He has been given me a heart to truly care and love, which I've been asking for from God to help me grow and develop.

This is what I feel happened during this move. Even though I did not want to exert myself at all, God helped me understand that it wasn't all about me, and gave me a self-sacrificing heart during those times for my entire family. By God's grace, I helped my dad move things around, even though I was tired and hadn't eaten that day. I was able to pick up my sister up from school without complaining, and helped her bear along with her own struggles at school, etc.

Even though I was tired, hungry, and would have previously just complained and not have helped at all, by God's grace was I able to love my family, by serving them.

Though I was working, God used this opportunity to really bless me and the family during these times, so I was able to help out in all things without complaining or grudgingly.

Just wanted to share this experience God has blessed me with. :3

Cal State Ghost Town

Posted by Everrecus at 8:11 PM 0 comments

YES!! It feels good being done with finals. One of my finals had the answers on them [ professor accidently gave us the answer sheet version of the test and the sub just told us to use it ] and the other one included one of the students having a seizure. My third final was quite pleasant. TELL ME YOU FUNNY/CRAZY/EMBARRASSIN' stories about finals!! {shout out to emma!!!, we are praying for you}