He knits us together

I watched the Tim Burton version of Alice in Wonderland, starring Johnny Depp, tonight.  I have to say, the Tim Burton and Johnny Depp duo is a veryyy strange combination.  Talking animals, strange plants, fantastic creatures, and impossible places are very much the norm for them, and Alice in Wonderland was no exception.

But Tim Burton's creativity can't hold a candle to the Lord's.  I looked up some pictures of a few of the weirdest animals to be found - what a sight!  To think that the One who thought up these creatures also thought up me is a rather humbling thought.  Because the thing is, every strange or unfathomable feature on these animals serves a distinct purpose.  And the Lord says that we are worth so much more to Him than the animals - if He took such care to fashion them, therefore, how much more painstakingly must we have been created!

There is not a single detail on your body that God didn't know about before you were born.  There is not a single blemish that He doesn't love and think is beautiful.  Not a single random useless talent, nor a single weakness that doesn't serve a purpose.  We are fearfully and wonderfully made.  No matter what society thinks, no matter what your family, friends, or even you think; God thinks you a wonderful.  And He created you,  wonderful, beautiful, fantastic, complex you, to be you - just the way you are.

Psalm 139:13-16

¹³ For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb.
¹⁴ I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
   your works are wonderful, I know that full well.
¹⁵ My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place,
   when I was woven together in the depths of the earth.
¹⁶ Your eyes saw my unformed body; all the days ordained for me 

were written in your book before one of them came to be. 

Change it up

I've been reading through Genesis and Matthew every morning with my friend, Sarah.  We both have the NIV version, but unlike myself, who grew up with that, it's a very foreign translation for her.  She's used to the KJV version, and so every verse is different to her.  She commented the other day that sometimes she has to read really slowly, because nothing sounds like the way she's used to it sounding.

But I realized something, as we were sitting there reading our Bibles together - Sarah slow and methodical, and me blazing through it.  Change is so important.  So often we get into spiritual ruts - we go to church every week, we read the same translation of the Bible every day, we know all of the "Christian" answers to say.  But when we get into a rut, it's so easy to forget why we're doing what we're doing, or what we're reading really says.

When I was in high school, I would try to buy a different translation of my Bible every year or so.  It's amazing how much more you pay attention when you're not reading the same words you've read your whole life.  But it's so much easier to read the same old words over and over again.  We gloss over the details and tune out the meanings, but then rationalize that it's ok because we're still reading the Bible.

But God wants His word to be a fresh revelation to us every day.  So I challenge you - change up your spiritual routine.  Don't get stuck in a rut.  Buy a different translation of the Bible.  Go to the early service at church.  Move your quiet time outside for a few days.  His mercies are new every morning....don't live your life chewing on stale, worn-out revelations!

Proverbs 1:32-33

³² For the waywardness of the simple will kill them,
   and the complacency of fools will destroy them;
³³ but whoever listens to me will live in safety
   and be at ease, without fear of harm.” 

His yoke is easy

Today has been an awful day.  I've been nauseous, headachey, exhausted, and feverish, switching in a second from burning up to freezing cold.  Korean classes today were interminable - my head felt like it was stuffed with cotton balls, and I couldn't focus no matter how hard I tried.  Every spare minute I had - which wasn't many - I spent sleeping.  All I want to do right now is crawl up into my little hole and never come out.

So anyway, tonight I was down with Sarah, my Bible study partner, to read some out of the book of Matthew.  We just happened to be in chapter 11.  The last few verse of the chapter tell the weary to "come to Him, for He will give them rest."  What a wonderful encouragement!!

God knows that we will get tired.  He knows that the stresses and worries of life will get us down.  But He also knows that He can - and will - sustain us.  So I encourage you, if you are worried or stressed out, if you are down in the dumps, whether it be physically, emotionally, spiritually, or all of the above, to take the Lord's yoke upon you.  Come to Him, because He longs to give you rest.  Let Him do it.  Bring your troubles and pains to the Great Physician, and let Him revive and heal you.

Matthew 11:28-30 

²⁸ “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. ²⁹ Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. ³⁰ For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”

Trust in Him

Well I got my placement today.  I will spend the next year of my life teaching in an all-girls' private high school in Gyeongju, a mid-sized town on the coast of South Korea.  And I'm trying to remind myself that God knows best.

About a week ago, we had to submit placement preference forms.  And I did not get anything that I requested.  I did not get the location, or the type of school, or the gender, or the proximity to other ETAs, or literally anything.  The hardest thing for me is probably going to be so far away from the ETAs that I've grown to be really close with over the past few weeks.

But I have also been praying constantly since I submitted that form that God would put me where He wants me to be.  And I can't help but feel, that He's really waiting for me to just see how I will react.  I went into the placement ceremony with a strange peace, an unnatural peace.  All of the other ETAs were nervous, jittery, on edge....but I was not.  I had basically decided that my year would be what I made of it, no matter where I was placed.

But that was before I was placed.  And now I'm really struggling with accepting God's word.  Especially with Sarah; I feel like I've just found a precious treasure in the form of a like-minded Christian friend, and in two short weeks it's going to be snatched from me again - Sarah has been placed 5 miles from the DMZ, just about as far away from me as possible.

But 1 Corinthians reminds me that even God's weakness is stronger than my strength.  The prayer of my heart since I got here had been that God would put me where He wants me, with the people He wants me around.  So here we go....now it's time to put my words into action.  Is that really what I want?  Or do I just want to think that it's what I want?  Trust in Him, even if it doesn't make sense.  He really does know best, and He really does care for you, and He really will work everything out for you if you let Him.

1 Corinthians 1:20-25

 ²⁰ Where is the wise person? Where is the teacher of the law? Where is the philosopher of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? ²¹ For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not know him, God was pleased through the foolishness of what was preached to save those who believe. ²² Jews demand signs and Greeks look for wisdom, ²³ but we preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, ²⁴ but to those whom God has called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. ²⁵ For the foolishness of God is wiser than human wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than human strength.

Prayer in all things

Last night I had a horrible headache.  We started sparring in Taekwondo, and let's just say that it didn't go so well for me.  My back muscles were all knotted up, my neck was tight, and my head was killing me.  I muscled through it for most of the day, but by the time I sat down last night to study it was pretty bad.

But when I was studying, I was reminded of the importance of prayer.  I commented to my study partner how much my back was hurting me, and the first thing that she asked was if I wanted to pray about it.  It was so cool to see that prayer was her very first go-to reaction, and also very convicting to be reminded that it is not my go-to reaction.

But anyway, we prayed for my back right then and there.  And almost instantly, the pain went away.  Now don't get me wrong, I know that God does not always work instantaneously.  But it was so encouraging to see Him work so quickly and so faithfully.  The Bible says to bring your requests to God in EVERY situation.  Not just the big ones.  Not just the ones that affect a lot of people.  Not just the ones that you've been thinking about for a while.  Every situation.  And, although you might not get the answer you want every time, His peace will always be with you.  That's a promise.

Philippians 4:4-7

 ⁴ Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! ⁵ Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. ⁶ Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. ⁷ And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. 

Back to the basics

I had an interesting day today.  I met my friend, Sarah, outside in the morning before breakfast for a little devotional / Bible study.  We're going to try to continue it every day for the rest of orientation.  It was wonderful to have a quiet time, an accountability partner, a time of prayer before I started my day.  And, although the rest of my day is pretty hazy from a lack of sleep, it was also punctuated by a wonderful peace - the Lord's peace, the peace that passes all understanding.

One thing that I am learning, that God has constantly been underscoring the past few days, is that He really does know me better than even I know myself.  He knows exactly what we need, and if we let Him, He will never fail to give it to us exactly when we need it.  He longs to wrap us up in His big, wonderful, loving arms.  He yearns to comfort us when we are hurt, to wipe every tear from our eyes.

We get so worked up about all of the little things, all of the details of life, that we forget about the purpose of life, the Creator of life.  But He never forgets about us.  Open up to Him.  He already knows your inmost being, anyway.  But if you willingly let Him in, He will show you a life that you've never even dreamed of before.  It's simple, really.  God made us.  The creator always knows His creations better than anyone else, and he always loves them more than anyone else does, as well.  So let your Creator love you.  Let Him care for you.  Get back to the basics. 

Psalm 139:1-6

 ¹ You have searched me, LORD, and you know me.
² You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar.
³ You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways.
⁴ Before a word is on my tongue you, LORD, know it completely.
⁵ You hem me in behind and before, and you lay your hand upon me.
⁶ Such knowledge is too wonderful for me,  too lofty for me to attain. 

Best, not good enough

Today did not go at all how I though it would.  It went far, far better.

I was planning on eating dinner, studying for a while, going to my Bible study, and then going to bed.  What actually ended up happening was that after dinner, I went to the Bible study for just a few minutes, and then left early to help celebrate the birthday of one of the other ETAs, who turned 22 yesterday.  Then, afterwards, Sarah, who spearheaded the party, and is also a regular in the Bible study, asked me if I wanted to read the Bible together for a little while, since we missed the Bible study.

We ended up not just reading the Bible; we talked, and prayed, and shared, and connected in a way that I have not done with anyone since I got here.  Not only that, but I got to cheer up a great guy on his birthday, to boot!!  Something that Sarah said when we were talking and reading our Bibles really hit home for me.  She said, "God does not want us to have 'good enough.'  He wants us to have the best."

What a great thing to hear after the emotional roller coaster I've been on the past few days.  I was really looking forward to the group Bible study tonight.  I thought it would be what's best for me.  But it turns out, it was only "good enough."  God had other plans for me.  He knew that I needed to relax and make someone else happy at the party.  He knew that I needed a friend.  He knew that I needed someone to keep me accountable.  He gave me all of that, and more, because He wanted to give me the best, not simply good enough.

I would have been happy with my Plan A.  If I had never gone to the party, never talked and prayed with Sarah after, I would have never been the wiser.  But I have prayed that God would bless me, and He has promised to be faithful to us.  What blessings are you missing out on because you're holding on too tightly to good enough?  Let it go, let Him work; He wants to give you the best.

1 Peter 3:8-12

 ⁸ Finally, all of you, be like-minded, be sympathetic, love one another, be compassionate and humble. ⁹ Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult. On the contrary, repay evil with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing. ¹⁰ For, “Whoever would love life and see good days must keep their tongue from evil and their lips from deceitful speech. ¹¹ They must turn from evil and do good; they must seek peace and pursue it.  ¹² For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous and his ears are attentive to their prayer, but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.”

Do unto others....

This whole weekend, the only thing that I wanted was a friend.  I had too much to do, too much drama to handle, and too few people I felt I could count on.  I would have given almost anything for a friendly note, an encouraging hug, a kind smile.  I started much of the weekend by having a pity party for myself.  "Why does life have to be so hard?" I whined to myself.  What have I done to deserve this??  I was really in a very grumpy and un-charitable mood for the end of the week. 

But then I realized that complaining about life will never make me happy, nor will it make anything any better.  God has called us to love others, no matter how they treat us.  His word says to "do unto others as you would have them do unto you."  And what I really wanted was a friendly note.  So I sat down and wrote a friendly note to everyone in my program....all 96 of them.  It took me several days, writing several hours every day.  It wore me out; I wanted to stop wayyyy before I got to 96.  But I really felt like I needed to do this, so I did.

The response that I got was overwhelming.  By the time I got back from putting them on everyone's doors, I had 2 hand-written thank-you notes on my own door.  Since then I've gotten another one, plus a grand total of approximately 25 email messages, all saying basically the same thing - that I was stressed and tired and worn out, and this note was just the pick-me-up I needed.  It's been so amazingly encouraging.  I'm near tears....but this time in a good way :).

So often we want others to give us the benefit of the doubt, but we judge them by their actions.  We know that stresses in our lives will affect how we treat others; but we forget that it will do the same with others.  Be merciful to people around you.  When you want to do anything in the world but love them, do exactly what you want done to you....and love them anyway. 

Matthew 7:7-12

⁷ “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. ⁸ For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.
   ⁹ “Which of you, if your son asks for bread, will give him a stone? ¹⁰ Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? ¹¹ If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him! ¹² So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.

The storms of life

A few days ago, a good friend of mine sent me an article that he wrote called Defining Moments.  For several days, I was too busy to read it.  Well last night, I was tossing and turning after the events I wrote about yesterday, and so I decided to read it.

His article references Matthew 8, when Jesus calmed the storm.  It centers around the idea that our lives are shaped by unexpected circumstances that come and rock our world.  How we handle them can strengthen our faith and the faith of those around us - or it can weaken it.  He writes, "Each one of them was going about their business when suddenly an unexpected storm rocked their world and threatened their livelihood. Circumstances in our lives will surprise us and will, at times, cost us the possessions we value most. These circumstances are defining moments intended to strengthen our faith and encourage those who have not yet found a personal faith to cling to and call their own. Too often, we forget Who it is that we claim to follow; the One who has the power to calm our storms and reestablish our footing on solid ground."

I feel like I'm going through a defining moment right now.  It's very difficult to handle.  Well-meaning but conflicting advice from friends and family doesn't really help, either.  But God wants us to lean on Him in times of trouble.  Not on ourselves, not on our friends, not even on our family - on Him.

So I encourage you, just like my friend encouraged me: when the storms of life come, don't freak out.  Don't overreact.  Don't fall apart.  Don't run away.  Lean on the Lord, and He will comfort you and protect you and guide you through the storm.  You might not emerged unscathed, but you will emerge alive, and stronger than you were before. 

Matthew 8:23-27

 ²³ Then he got into the boat and his disciples followed him. ²⁴ Suddenly a furious storm came up on the lake, so that the waves swept over the boat. But Jesus was sleeping. ²⁵ The disciples went and woke him, saying, “Lord, save us! We’re going to drown!”
 ²⁶ He replied, “You of little faith, why are you so afraid?” Then he got up and rebuked the winds and the waves, and it was completely calm.
 ²⁷ The men were amazed and asked, “What kind of man is this? Even the winds and the waves obey him!”

Human Wisdom

It's amazing to me how right we can think we are sometimes, and how wrong we in reality are.  Today I learned the hard way just how fallacious human wisdom can be. 

As Christians, sometimes it's so easy to get puffed up with pride at how "good" you are.  You go to church every week, you're in a Bible study, you don't drink, you don't do drugs, you don't swear, you do all of the things that you're "supposed" to do.  And sometimes we start to get a "holier-than-thou" mentality.  Most people try to avoid that, but sometimes it can show up even subconsciously or unintentionally. 

I had a situation today where my best-laid intentions were seriously misconstrued.  The worst of it was, because it was something that I wrote, not something that I said, I wasn't even around to set the record straight.  By the time I heard about it, it had blown up in my face.  The biggest irony to me is that what was interpreted was not what was meant in the least.  But human wisdom is fallacious, and sometimes even our best intentions will fall flat.

That's why it's so important to seek His face, to gain His wisdom.  The fact that I hurt so many people - especially unknowingly - kills me.  That's something I'll have to live with for quite a while.  But the good news is that God gives His wisdom generously - all we have to do is ask.

But we also have to be willing to listen.  Despite our best efforts, we will still screw up sometimes.  And when we do, we must be willing to let others tell us that we've screwed up.  Listen to people when they point out your mistakes to you.  Don't be pig-headed and insist on your "right-ness."  People are always watching you, even when you don't realize it, judging your Savior by how He is reflected through you - in your successes AND your failures. 

James 1:5
But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all men generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him.

Proverbs 13:10
Do not be wise in your own eyes; Fear the LORD and turn away from evil.

Proverbs 14:8
Through presumption comes nothing but strife, But with those who receive counsel is wisdom.  

Proverbs 19:20
He whose ear listens to the life-giving reproof Will dwell among the wise.

Proverbs 29:11
Listen to counsel and accept discipline, That you may be wise the rest of your days.

Proverbs 29:15
A fool always loses his temper, But a wise man holds it back. 

Little Christs

This week has been brutal.  I've been constantly on the run, flitting between class, and workshops, and teaching, and meetings, and Taewkondo, and GLEE club, and trying to find time to squeeze in making lesson plans and studying writing every day in between all of the other things that need to get done.  And I am tired.  

All I want to do is sleep.  It's been such a hectic week; I can't imagine having another week like this next week.  And to add to that, it's hot and rainy pretty much all of the time.  Everyone has been sluggish and grumpy.  The heat here seeps down into your very soul.  The rain leaves you feeling constantly water-logged.  The weather has a tangible impact on everyone's moods.  Sometimes the lethargy and exhaustion is so think you could almost cut it with a knife.  Korean classes are a drag - especially the last hour (of course that may also have something to do with the fact that our teachers are trying to pound into our heads in 4 hours the amount of information that most students learn in 2 weeks).

I, too, find myself with a short temper sometimes.  I use my exhaustion as an excuse for not exemplifying Christ.  I reason with myself, assuring myself that everyone knows we're all tired and stressed; they'll understand if I don't always react like I should.  Isn't that such a common response?  We're so lazy, really.  So many times as Christians, we only want to show Jesus and love others if it's easy, if we're comfortable.  But when it gets the lest bit difficult, then we start complaining and only thinking about ourselves.

But Jesus died for us.  He prayed for His murderers while He was hanging on that cross, gasping out his last few breathes.  And we were called to be "Little Christs."  Don't you think that means that we should be able to stand a little bit of discomfort and still exemplify Him to others?

Jonah 4:1-11

¹ But to Jonah this seemed very wrong, and he became angry. ² He prayed to the LORD, “Isn’t this what I said, LORD, when I was still at home? That is what I tried to forestall by fleeing to Tarshish. I knew that you are a gracious and compassionate God, slow to anger and abounding in love, a God who relents from sending calamity. ³ Now, LORD, take away my life, for it is better for me to die than to live.”
 ⁴ But the LORD replied, “Is it right for you to be angry?”
 ⁵ Jonah had gone out and sat down at a place east of the city. There he made himself a shelter, sat in its shade and waited to see what would happen to the city. ⁶ Then the LORD God provided a leafy plant and made it grow up over Jonah to give shade for his head to ease his discomfort, and Jonah was very happy about the plant. ⁷ But at dawn the next day God provided a worm, which chewed the plant so that it withered. ⁸ When the sun rose, God provided a scorching east wind, and the sun blazed on Jonah’s head so that he grew faint. He wanted to die, and said, “It would be better for me to die than to live.”
 ⁹ But God said to Jonah, “Is it right for you to be angry about the plant?”
   “It is,” he said. “And I’m so angry I wish I were dead.”
 ¹⁰ But the LORD said, “You have been concerned about this plant, though you did not tend it or make it grow. It sprang up overnight and died overnight. ¹¹ And should I not have concern for the great city of Nineveh, in which there are more than a hundred and twenty thousand people who cannot tell their right hand from their left—and also many animals?”

Carpe diem

Today I started looking back at the notes that I have written.  As of today, I have been writing in this blog every single day for exactly 4 months.  When I saw that, I was utterly astonished.  It feels like I've just started.  Sure, some days have been hard, some days have been fun, some days have been deep, some have been rushed; but all in all, it's been a really incredible experience.  I guess the old saying, "time flies when you're having fun" really is true.

Or maybe we just have a strange perception of time.  I went back and read my first entry, and I remembered how terrified I was of the thought of writing something every single day for an entire year - one year, that was my goal.  And now here I am, already 1/3 of the way finished.  And I wonder where the time went.  So many times I struggle to get through what feels like absolutely interminable days, only to wake up one day and realize that years have gone by. 

So often we're so busy looking into the future that we forget to notice the present.  We plan our lives months and years in advance - what college we're going to go to, who we'll marry, what we'll do for a living, where we'll live.  We spent so much time planning for the next step that we miss the beauty that's happening right under our noses.

But God wants us to live in the present.  He is the creator and master of time.  He controls it, and He can bend it to serve His will.  We, plain and simple, can not.  But we can serve others - and Him.  So stop trying to guess what your future will bring.  Stop trying to manipulate the time you've been given and just enjoy the time you have right now.  He'll take care of the rest.

2 Peter 3:8-9

 ⁸ But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day. ⁹ The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance. 

Prepare the way

There's an interesting passage in Isaiah that talks about smoothing the paths and terrain to make way for the LORD.  These verses struck me as rather odd at first glance.  Why would you want to flatten the land??  Isn't that a big part of what makes up the beauty, the splendor, the uniqueness of it?  Where would we be without lush rolling hills covered in heather, without the fragrant blossoms peppering the crevices of the valley, without the craggy snow-covered mountaintops to look at and admire?

I've always loved mountains - their beauty,  their serenity, their tranquility....a mountain gives me a feeling of peace and contentment that few other places can match.  So when I was reading this passage in Isaiah, my first thought was, "why would we ever WANT to flatten the mountains?  Why is that considered a good thing?"

But then I read it again.  The author is talking about revealing God's glory to others.  And I realized something: uneven terrain makes travel and communication difficult.  Especially in Biblical times.  Rugged mountains can increase exponentially the effort and difficulty it takes to get a message across.  They may have been fun to look at, but in practicality they made the lives of the ancient Hebrews much harder.

So what does this mean for us?  Where is the spiritual bent to my little foray into cartography?  Have we created hills in our lives, mountains that make it difficult for the Holy Spirit to invade our lives?  Do we have obstacles that make it impossible for His messages to reach our spirits?  Wildernesses can exist not only in the physical world, but also in the spiritual one, as well.  Don't let your spirit dry up.  Don't block off God's advances to your heart.  Be sensitive to what He wants to teach you today.  Prepare the way for Him in your life, so that His glory can be revealed.

Isaiah 40:3-5

 ³ A voice of one calling: “In the wilderness prepare the way for the LORD;
make straight in the desert a highway for our God.
⁴ Every valley shall be raised up, every mountain and hill made low;
the rough ground shall become level, the rugged places a plain.
⁵ And the glory of the LORD will be revealed, and all people will see it together. 

For the mouth of the LORD has spoken.” 

Be ready

I had a very interesting conversation with a non-Christian friend yesterday about God, and Creationism, and church, and homosexuality, and a host of other things.  It was a really interesting conversation.  But it occurred to me while we were talking, that I almost never have conversations like this with people who don't believe the same things that I do.  And I don't think that I'm the only Christian like that.  Nick even commented to me that I was the first Christian he had talked with who was able to defend her beliefs, and didn't get mad at him because his beliefs differ.

It's so easy for us to talk about God with people who believe in Him, or to tell other Christians that we'll pray for them.  But when we get around non-believers, we shut up tighter than a clam.  We reason with ourselves, saying that we can witness to them with our actions; there's no need to say anything to them.

But God has told us to "Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have." The fact that Nick had never spoken with a Christian who could intelligently explain their beliefs should convict ever single one of us.  The fact that most non-believers assume that talking science with a Christian will automatically upset them should spur us to prove them wrong.

We are not tasked with saving the world.  That's God's job, and I am more than happy to let Him have it.  But we ARE tasked to tell people about Him.  Try to tell someone today.  It doesn't have to be a big deal.  But how can they believe if they have never heard? 

1 Peter 3:13-17

¹³ Who is going to harm you if you are eager to do good? ¹⁴ But even if you should suffer for what is right, you are blessed. “Do not fear their threats; do not be frightened.” ¹⁵ But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, ¹⁶ keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander. ¹⁷ For it is better, if it is God’s will, to suffer for doing good than for doing evil. 

Tumbled in Grace

Camp Fulbright begins today.  It's a 2-week English immersion camp for Korean students that is being held here at Jungwon as a part of our orientation.  Today is day 1, and I'm already overwhelmed.  I have sooo much to do, so much to plan, so much to remember.  So today's devotion was especially poignant to me.  I have taken it directly from "The One Year Daily Grind," by Sarah Arthur.


"It's easy to get so wrapped up in the crazy details of special events, such as vacations or hiking trips or weddings, that we miss God's whispers of grace.  Here are some reflections on that theme from a backpacking adventure I mentioned on July 16 (the intern who planned this trip did not plan it very well, and they ended up starting the day with everything going awry; but God ended up leading them to stumble upon a beautiful little island nestled away in a secluded spot, which is where they ended up spending their trip).

Lord God,
It's an undeserved gift to be here on this surprise island
with its bluffs and cliffs,
rocky headlands and
blue emptiness of waves.
Yesterday, while shafts of lights 
broke through the evening clouds,
we tumbled in iridescent waves, 
thrown like pebbles
into untamed power
of your love for us.
We washed in your cleansing might
like stones worn smooth by grace,
rounded by surf and suffereing,
pummeled to a hily sheen.
Swimming in the temptest, 
we were upheld by the safest 
power I have ever known,
drawn and pulled into 
crashing torrents of beauty,
only to be brought to the shore again whole.
Even now in this hot morning sun,
in this gorgeous glade
with the distant headlands,
beckoning and mysterious
to these gaping travelers,
surrounded by aspens and seagulls,
raspberries and Narnian freshness - 
even now the waves roar 
with a strength more holy than thought.


and I am in awe


of You.  "

Psalm 33:1-5

¹ Sing joyfully to the LORD, you righteous;
   it is fitting for the upright to praise him.
² Praise the LORD with the harp;
   make music to him on the ten-stringed lyre.
³ Sing to him a new song;
   play skillfully, and shout for joy.

 ⁴ For the word of the LORD is right and true;
   he is faithful in all he does.
⁵ The LORD loves righteousness and justice;
   the earth is full of his unfailing love.

Pigs and earrings

I've had Proverbs 11:22 running through my head all day.  I look around at all of these beautiful women and handsome men who constantly surround me these days.  Many of them I would consider incredibly attractive.  And then they open their mouths.

I have never in my life heard so many bad words, dirty references, or inappropriate stories casually discussed as I have this weekend.  Never in my life seen so much partying and drinking.  Now I will certainly be the first to admit that a large reason for that is because I have consciously worked to maintain my innocence in matters like those and not hang out too much with people who enjoy doing things like that.  But nonetheless, it's incredible to me that such a large percentage of my generation not only thinks that behavior like that is acceptable, but it is expected, even applauded.

I think that's why I've been thinking of Proverbs 11:22 all day - that verse says that "Like a gold ring in a pig’s snout is a beautiful woman who shows no discretion."  This verse, of course, speaks specifically about women.  But I think that it can be applied to men, as well.  It saddens me to see behavior like that on such a large scale.  But at the same time, even if we might disagree with what other people do, it's not our job to judge.  All we can do is pray, and love them unconditionally.

My prayer is that God would raise up a generation of movers and shakers for HIS kingdom.  I pray that we would be the ones making the trends, not following them.  That we would take a stand and take back our culture for the glory of the Lord. 

I pray for discretion for the people of my generation.  I pray that those who know God would learn discretion in handling difficult situations, and even those who don't know Him, that they would not try to make a swine beautiful.  We are all beautiful in God's eyes as we are; there is no need to prove that we are worth something.

Pray that God gives you discretion.  Pray that we would no longer put golden earrings in pigs' snouts.  That is the cry of my heart today.

Let Him bless you

One thing that I quickly learned about South Korea is that the entire country lives their life by the seat of their pants.  Few things are planned in advance, and if they are planned, they are only partially planned, or the plans change at the drop of a hat.

This weekend has been no exception.  We left for Donghae yesterday with no idea what the schedule for the weekend was.  They finally gave us an itinerary in the bus; which promptly changed as soon as we got to our destination.  And I have to be honest, it is stressful to me to not always know what's going on.  I'm somehow convinced that if I don't know all the details, don't have everything planned out, everything will explode in a fiery ball of failure and disaster.

But the sun is out, the water is cool, the breeze is blowing, and it's a lovely day today.  It's as if God is saying to me, "Would you just stop worrying about everything and let me bless you?  Have a little faith; it'll all work out."  Jesus said that if we had faith the size of a mustard seed, we would be able to move mountains.  So how little faith we must need, then, not to move a mountain, but simply to enjoy the beauty of one.  To appreciate the tranquility of a sandy beach that God wants to bless us with.  To trust that, even if we don't know what's going to happen, He will work everything out for our best.

Slow down today.  Stop and smell the roses.  Feel the sand between your toes.  Drink in the serenity that living in His protection brings.  Let Him bless you.

Ephesians 3:14-21

 ¹⁴ For this reason I kneel before the Father, ¹⁵ from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name. ¹⁶ I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, ¹⁷ so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, ¹⁸ may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, ¹⁹ and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.
 ²⁰ Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, ²¹ to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.

Seek first His Kingdom....

I'm currently sitting on the beach in a beautiful resort area of lovely South Korea.  The orientation coordinators wanted to give us a break after 2 weeks of grueling orientation, so they treated us to a weekend at the beach.  I've had alot of time for introspection, and my thoughts have turned to my future life, as they occasionally do.

When I got my acceptance letter for Fulbright Korea, I honestly was not really pleased to receive it.  I had a life all planned out in Atlanta that I loved and was excited about, and I really didn't want to uproot myself from all of that happiness and contentment.  So then, when I accepted the award, my thoughts went something like this: this was a great opportunity and it was where God wanted me, so I would put my life in Atlanta on pause, go to South Korea, do my teaching thing for a year, then come back and pick up the life that I wanted.

But I keep meeting ETAs who have decided to stay longer than originally planned - two, three, five, ten, even as much as 18 years after they first came to South Korea to teach English, they are still here.  So although I would not stay here an extra year unless I felt it was God's will for me, I am also starting to realize that my plan for my future may not end up looking anything like I plan it be.

But you know what else I know?  It's ok if my plan doesn't work out.  Because my Daddy knows the big plan, and He's charting my life for me, even as I sit here typing this.  He doesn't ask us to know everything; He simply asks us to trust Him and seek Him.  He'll take care of the rest.  And it probably won't look anything like you first imagined it....but it will be oh so much better.

Matthew 6:25-34

   ²⁵ “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? ²⁶ Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? ²⁷ Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?
   ²⁸ “And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. ²⁹ Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. ³⁰ If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith? ³¹ So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ ³² For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. ³³ But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. ³⁴ Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

Not of this world

I had a dejá vu moment last night.  Everyone had had a really stressful week, and classes don't start until 10:00 tomorrow, so many of the ETAs decided to go out and party.  I thought they were going to norebang (Korean karaoke), which I wanted to try, so I decided to go along.  But little did I know, the ACTUAL plan for the evening was to go drink - a whole lot - before hitting the norebang.  Beer, whiskey, soju, the whole shebang....it was all there.

I kept thinking of my time in Spain, when I experienced much the same thing - a typical group of young Americans, in which the majority of them are mainly interested in drinking and partying.  I really struggled adjusting to that scene at first - how do I relate to them if I can't enjoy their forms of amusement?  How can I witness to them if they think I'm just a boring stick in the mud who doesn't know how to have fun?

My father, however, told me something very profound while I was struggling in Spain.  "I understand your struggles," he said. "Been there for a very long time.  Where do you get more contentment? Living in your convictions and relationship, or living in compromise and making a few new drinking buddies?  Its not a debate, and you don't get to determine the winner. Your job is to be a witness, not a winner.  So, you just share what you have experienced. There are only two stories you can tell- yours (because you are living it, and no one can debate that with you), and the Lord's (because He lives in you, and has given it to you).  You are a witness. Not the judge, the jury, the prosecutor, or the defendant. It's someone else's job to determine the outcome, to judge, or to defend."

I ended up leaving the party within half an hour of arriving with another girl who was equally as un-interested in that scene as I was.  And do you know what?  We had a great time.  We walked around for a while, and talked about God, and travel, and boys, and family, and all sorts of other random topics.  It was really great to get to know someone else on a little deeper level here - something I've been missing since I got here.  

Don't be afraid to stand up for what you believe in.  Don't feel like you have to change who you are to "fit in."  Standing out is not necessarily a bad thing.  That's what brings others to Christ - they see something in us that is different from the rest.  Let them see it!  Don't be ashamed of showing your light to the world :).

John 17:13-19

¹³ “I am coming to you now, but I say these things while I am still in the world, so that they may have the full measure of my joy within them. ¹⁴ I have given them your word and the world has hated them, for they are not of the world any more than I am of the world. ¹⁵ My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one. ¹⁶ They are not of the world, even as I am not of it. ¹⁷ Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth. ¹⁸ As you sent me into the world, I have sent them into the world. ¹⁹ For them I sanctify myself, that they too may be truly sanctified.

Fellowship

I was thinking this morning again about the Bible study that I went to on Monday.  It was just so refreshing to sit with like-minded people and share with them who I was - my past, my future, my goals, my struggles, my anxieties - without worrying about being judged. 

I also found the text that we discussed rather ironic.  We were in Philippians 2, which encourages its readers to fellowship with and lift each other up and to stay strong in the faith, even in difficult times.  What a great God we serve!  Our God is one who sends us reminders exactly when we need them.

Fellowship is so important.  And the great thing is that God is not limited by national boundaries.  He has called us to lift each other up, but we don't have to assume that that is only possible when we are in our own native country.  That was one thing I was worried about before coming to orientation - how would I find somewhere to worship in a small town where I didn't speak the language?  Well, instead of bringing me to a church, God brought the church to me.

So I encourage you, find somewhere you can worship with other believers.  It doesn't have to be in an organized church....but it has to be somewhere.  We can't live out this thing called Christianity by ourselves.  We need each other.

Philippians 2:1-18

Imitating Christ’s Humility

¹ Therefore if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, ² then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind. ³ Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, ⁴ not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.
 ⁵ In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus:
 ⁶ Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; ⁷ rather, he made himself by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. ⁸ And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death— even death on a cross! ⁹ Therefore God exalted him to the highest place
   and gave him the name that is above every name, ¹⁰ that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,
   in heaven and on earth and under the earth, ¹¹ and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Do Everything Without Grumbling

 ¹² Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed—not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence—continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, ¹³ for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose.  ¹⁴ Do everything without grumbling or arguing, ¹⁵ so that you may become blameless and pure, “children of God without fault in a warped and crooked generation.” Then you will shine among them like stars in the sky ¹⁶ as you hold firmly to the word of life. And then I will be able to boast on the day of Christ that I did not run or labor in vain. ¹⁷ But even if I am being poured out like a drink offering on the sacrifice and service coming from your faith, I am glad and rejoice with all of you. ¹⁸ So you too should be glad and rejoice with me.

Timely reminders

I was up far too late last night working on a lesson plan that's due today.  This morning when I woke up, I instantly realized that I was going to pay dearly for that decision.  I'm sore and achy and can barely keep my eyes open, and yet I still face 4 hours of Korean language class and 4 hours of teaching workshops.  With my minimal strength, I already feel overwhelmed. 

So today I went looking for encouragement in God's word, the best pick-me-up you could ever find.  I stumbled across this little gem tucked away in 1 Chronicles.  It's so beautiful to me.  A big reason as to why I was up so late is because I chose to take 2 hours off of studying to go to a Bible study.  But it was so worth it.  There is a reason that God says that fellowship with other believers is so important.  We lift each other up and encourage them when times get difficult, which I really needed last night.

So anyway, this passage (especially verse 11) reminded me to seek the LORD first above everything else, and He will give you the strength you need when you have none of your own.  What a timely reminder from the God who is the King of perfect timing :).

1 Chronicles 16:8-11

⁸ Give praise to the LORD, proclaim his name;
   make known among the nations what he has done.
⁹ Sing to him, sing praise to him;
   tell of all his wonderful acts.
¹⁰ Glory in his holy name;
   let the hearts of those who seek the LORD rejoice.
¹¹ Look to the LORD and his strength;
   seek his face always. 

No more coattails

Yesterday I took the bus with a few other ETAs into Cheonan.  While we were riding, we had lots of time to talk, and I got into several conversations about God, or beliefs on other things like dating and how to treat elders and family.  And they were drilling me.

These are not the sort of people who will just take what you believe at face value.  They will drill you.  They will ask you questions, and want to know why you believe what you believe.  Which is a good thing, but can also be scary at the same time.

Being drilled with questions means that you have to know why you believe certain things.  You cannot just ride on the coattails of your parents.  You have to make your faith your own.  You have to study and pray and dig deeper to find a foundation for your faith, not just a platform for your parroting of beliefs.

Building a foundation is hard.  It's much easier to just say you believe what your parents taught you to believe.  But having a foundation is essential; not only for you, but for the people you come into contact with, as well.  If you meet someone who is searching, who asks questions and drills you about what you believe, do you think that saying "just because" will be enough for their inquiring minds?  Don't risk the possibility of someone choosing not to believe in God simply because you could not tell them why you do.

Proverbs 3:1-18

 ¹ My son, do not forget my teaching, but keep my commands in your heart,
² for they will prolong your life many years and bring you peace and prosperity.

 ³ Let love and faithfulness never leave you; bind them around your neck,
   write them on the tablet of your heart.
⁴ Then you will win favor and a good name in the sight of God and man.

 ⁵ Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding;
⁶ in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.

 ⁷ Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the LORD and shun evil.
⁸ This will bring health to your body and nourishment to your bones.

 ⁹ Honor the LORD with your wealth, with the firstfruits of all your crops;
¹⁰ then your barns will be filled to overflowing, and your vats will brim over with new wine.

 ¹¹ My son, do not despise the LORD’s discipline, and do not resent his rebuke,
¹² because the LORD disciplines those he loves, as a father the son he delights in.

 ¹³ Blessed are those who find wisdom, those who gain understanding,
¹⁴ for she is more profitable than silver and yields better returns than gold.
¹⁵ She is more precious than rubies; nothing you desire can compare with her.
¹⁶ Long life is in her right hand; in her left hand are riches and honor.
¹⁷ Her ways are pleasant ways, and all her paths are peace.
¹⁸ She is a tree of life to those who take hold of her; those who hold her fast will be blessed.

He calms the storms

All day today, I couldn't stop thinking of the storm that came through last night.  It was so scary.  At the same time, though, it was majestic.  It was the kind of awesome display of nature's might that makes it impossible to not believe in a God.

And so then I started thinking about other displays of might and nature - like when Jesus calmed the storm.  That story has always astonished me.  Jesus did not only stop the wind; He also stilled the water.  I remember as a little girl, I would have contests with my friends to see who could skip rocks the most times over the water.  I always lost - I was never very good at skipping rocks - but after we finished throwing rocks, I would always sit and watch the silky ripples that stayed behind in the surface of the water.  Those ripples lasted almost forever.  And any slight breeze would always stir them up again.

Water is not something that can be quickly calmed.  Even little disturbances like small stones or insignificant breezes will upset water for a very long time.  So just imagine how churned up the water must have been in the middle of a fearsome squall.  I imagine something like "The Perfect Storm" - massive waves, as high as buildings, constantly battering the disciples' poor little boat.  And then all of a sudden, at Jesus' command....complete stillness.  What an eerie experience that must have been to witness!!

But then, as I was thinking about that, another thought crossed my mind.  If I want someone in my court in this crazy thing that we call life....wouldn't I want it to be someone who can calm storms by simply uttering a few words?

Luke 8:22-25

 ²² One day Jesus said to his disciples, “Let us go over to the other side of the lake.” So they got into a boat and set out. ²³ As they sailed, he fell asleep. A squall came down on the lake, so that the boat was being swamped, and they were in great danger.
 ²⁴ The disciples went and woke him, saying, “Master, Master, we’re going to drown!”
   He got up and rebuked the wind and the raging waters; the storm subsided, and all was calm. ²⁵ “Where is your faith?” he asked his disciples.
   In fear and amazement they asked one another, “Who is this? He commands even the winds and the water, and they obey him.”

Our Fortress

I have a newly found respect for the Korean rainy season.  In all of my orientation materials, we were warned to bring clothes for the rainy season, which our orientation would be held right in the middle of.  But the first few days I was here, I honestly was wondering what the big deal was.  Sure, it rained at least every other day, and was often overcast when it wasn't raining, but it never rained really heavily, and it wasn't a big deal at all.

Well apparently, THAT is not the Korean rainy season.  Last night I experienced the real rainy season in all its fury.  I was awakened in the middle of the night by horrendous cracking and clanging noises, and the very walls of the building swaying and shuddering.  It was made even worse by the darkness - I could not tell that it was raining when I looked out the window.  I seriously thought that the building was about to collapse.  I kept waiting for an evacuation alarm to sound, to make sure that we all got safely away from whatever evil was trying to torment us.

It was not until this morning that I realized that the thing that had tormented me and terrified me all night, the thing that had frightened me and kept me awake....it was just rain.  It gave a whole new meaning to the Bible verses that describe Jesus as a strong tower, a refuge from the storms of this world.  He is the one that protects us from the withering heat, the steep mountain, and yes, the battering storms as well.  What a comfort to know that no matter what life throws your way....God is bigger.  He will not be broken down.  And, if you're hiding under His wings, neither will you.

Isaiah 24:4-5

⁴ You have been a refuge for the poor,
   a refuge for the needy in their distress,
a shelter from the storm
   and a shade from the heat.
For the breath of the ruthless
   is like a storm driving against a wall
 ⁵ and like the heat of the desert.
You silence the uproar of foreigners;
   as heat is reduced by the shadow of a cloud,
   so the song of the ruthless is stilled. 

He walks among us

I went with a group of other American English teachers to shadow an English teacher at a Korean high school today.  The students' reactions were astonishing.  I've never seen anything like it.  While some of them clammed up from nervousness, and a few simply ignored us completely, the majority of them acted as if we were superstars.

Now, you have to understand that South Korea is the most culturally homogenous culture in the world.  Less than 2% of their population is foreign.  Some Koreans can go almost their entire lives without ever seeing someone from another country.  And to see 17 foreigners, all in the same place at the same time, is almost unheard of.  They were screaming, and running up and touching us, and trying to rub off our freckles, and practicing their English with us, and telling us how beautiful or handsome we all were, and giggling and staring and whispering from behind their notebooks, and all sorts of other things that I'm sure the average American would never even think would ever happen to them.

It was all very strange.  But at the same time, however, it was also quite flattering.  In an effort to improve their English curriculum, the South Korean government in recent years has made a strong push to put a native English-speaking teacher in every single school in the entire country - hence why we were all there today.  The students in these schools know that you have come a long way to help them and teach them.  You might be different, you might be strange, but they respect you for that.  They want to spend time with you, and get to know you better, and learn about your ways that are so strange from what they're used to. 

My experience today made me think about how people acted around Jesus when he walked on this Earth.  I get the feeling that the students' reactions today were very similar to some of the reactions that we might have found about Jesus.  Our Bible tells us that he had a small following of the crazy, "Jesus is a rock-star" students.  The twelve disciples didn't always understand Jesus' ways, but they wanted to, and were willing to sacrifice everything to learn.  But I wonder about the other people who interacted with Jesus.  Some followed Him.  Some knew that He was different, but still clammed up and did not approach Him.  And still others ignored Him completely.

A lot of times it's easy to forget, with all of the iPhones and MP3 players and touchscreens and advertisements and clothes and whatever else gets thrown at us, that Jesus still walks among us.  He did not disappear on that cross 2,000 years ago.  I wonder, if Jesus was the American, and I was the Korean student, which student would I be?  Would I be the one who focused on nothing else, whose sole objective was to get close to Jesus and to get to know Him better?  Would I recognize His greatness, but be too frightened and intimidated by it to approach Him?  Would I even notice Him?  It's an important question to ask.  Because the thing is, it's not a hypothetical question.  He really does walk among us.

John 1:14

The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.

Creative worship

One thing that I was worried about before coming to Korea was how I would find a supportive church environment in which I could worship God.  I feared that the "Christian" atmosphere would be minimal and / or discouraged, or that if there were churches around, all of the services would be in Korean.  And in some ways, my fears have been confirmed here at Jungwon University.  Many of the other ETAs (English Teaching Assistants) are not interested in God, there are no services in English in Goesan, and no services at all at Jungwon.

But I'm learning that worshiping God is not limited to four walls and a steeple with a bunch of people just like you.  I started talking to a couple of other ETAs - whose experiences and personalities are as different from my own as can be - and we're going to start a Bible study while we're here at Jungwon.  The times will undoubtedly change, the locations will probably differ, the people will likely vary, and the topics will certainly diverge...but it will still be worship.

God doesn't want us to follow a script when we worship Him.  He wants us to be creative.  He wants us to worship different ways, in different places, and with different people.  He wants us to break out of our comfort box; to forget the prescribed ways that our culture has taught us to honor Him, and to honor Him with everything around us.  To give Him glory with His entire creation - not just that with which we are familiar.  The Bible simply says to praise the LORD - we are not given rules on how to do that.  So let's get creative.  Let's take back this world and praise Him with every avenue available.  That, my friends, is true worship. 

Psalm 113

 ¹ Praise the LORD.  Praise the LORD, you his servants;

   praise the name of the LORD. ² Let the name of the LORD be praised,
   both now and forevermore. ³ From the rising of the sun to the place where it sets,
   the name of the LORD is to be praised. ⁴ The LORD is exalted over all the nations,
   his glory above the heavens. ⁵ Who is like the LORD our God,
   the One who sits enthroned on high, ⁶ who stoops down to look
   on the heavens and the earth?  ⁷ He raises the poor from the dust
   and lifts the needy from the ash heap; ⁸ he seats them with princes,
   with the princes of his people. ⁹ He settles the childless woman in her home
   as a happy mother of children.  Praise the LORD.

The King of the hills

Yesterday my mother sent me Psalm 121 as a word of encouragement to my email.  This morning, as I was sitting in a strange room with a strange roommate in a strange country learning a strange language, I was hit by a sudden wave of homesicknesses, and so I sat down and really read Psalm 121.

It starts off by saying, "I lift up my eyes to the hills; where does my help come from?  My help comes from the LORD, the maker of Heaven and Earth."  As I looked out of my window at the craggy mountains beneath me and extending into the distance as far as the eye can see, that verse hit me like a 20-pound pot of kimchi.  God is everywhere.  He created everything, and He knows every nook and cranny of this world.  And He has promised to watch over our lives - He will not let our foot slip.

My Bible titles Psalm 121 as a "song of ascents."  I'll never forget a sermon that I heard several years ago.  I don't remember who preached it, or what the general topic was, but I do remember her saying that God never meant us to have a roller-coaster spiritual life, filled with huge mountains and precarious valleys; God meant for us to go from glory, to glory, to glory, to glory. 

On a day when all I want to do is give my family a huge hug and sleep in my own bed, it's so comforting to know that God watches over me every day.  He will keep me from harm; He will watch over my coming and going forever and ever.

Psalm 121

A song of ascents.

 ¹ I lift up my eyes to the mountains—
   where does my help come from?
² My help comes from the LORD,
   the Maker of heaven and earth.

 ³ He will not let your foot slip—
   he who watches over you will not slumber;
⁴ indeed, he who watches over Israel
   will neither slumber nor sleep.

 ⁵ The LORD watches over you—
   the LORD is your shade at your right hand;
⁶ the sun will not harm you by day,
   nor the moon by night.

 ⁷ The LORD will keep you from all harm—
   he will watch over your life;
⁸ the LORD will watch over your coming and going
   both now and forevermore.

Culture-blind

This morning I mentioned in my travel blog how diverse the group of students that I'm here at orientation with are.  There are students that have backpacked through Europe, gone to boarding school in Thailand, volunteered in Africa, worked in South America, and everything in between.  They speak all sorts of languages, have all different types of families, and completely different life experiences.  And the crazy thing is that they only represent a tiny slice of the diversity that exists in the world.  For all their global jet-setting, they are still all Americans - there is an entire globe of different people out there.

And do you know what's really cool?  God loves them all.  He loves the homeless man begging for food on the streets of New York City.  He loves the little 노파 (old woman) bending over a fermenting pot of kimchi.  He loves the scruffy little South African boy playing soccer with his homemade ball.  He loves the Costa Rican schoolgirl in pigtails and a dirty uniform struggling to complete her homework.  He loves the drug lords, the witch doctors, the murders, the imams....He loves them all.  He is, in that regard, very much culture-blind. 

And the great thing is that they can all love Him, too.  There is no requirement that you must be white and English-speaking and tattoo-less and "presentable" to be a Christian.  The Bible says that the whole earth, and "families of nations" can worship the Lord.  God is not a God who can be limited by man-made boundaries or restrictions.  He loves and gives to all of us equally.  Here in South Korea, where I am very much the foreigner and alien, where I am the one out of my comfort zone, that is a comforting thought - and convicting reminder to not judge people too quickly because of how they look.  God sure doesn't.

1 Chronicles 16:23-30

²³ Sing to the LORD, all the earth; proclaim his salvation day after day.
²⁴ Declare his glory among the nations, his marvelous deeds among all peoples.

²⁵ For great is the LORD and most worthy of praise; he is to be feared above all gods.
²⁶ For all the gods of the nations are idols, but the LORD made the heavens.
²⁷ Splendor and majesty are before him; strength and joy are in his dwelling place.

²⁸ Ascribe to the LORD, all you families of nations, ascribe to the LORD glory and strength.
²⁹ Ascribe to the LORD the glory due his name; bring an offering and come before him.
Worship the LORD in the splendor of his holiness. ³⁰ Tremble before him, all the earth! 

The world is firmly established; it cannot be moved.

Interdependence day

I started Korean language class yesterday afternoon, just a few hours after landing in Korea.  Regardless of extreme jet lag, I actually did learn something.  The Koreans have this concept called 우리(uri), which means "our".  They use it with everything - even with something as personal as "my father," they would say "our father."  The most common way to find this concept of uri is when they talk about their nation, 우리 민족 (uri minjog).  Koreans are so proud of being Korean.  And, I suppose because of that, they have an extremely strong sense of national unity.  They will do anything for each other.  They think nothing of giving away their possessions if they see someone else who needs it, or even simply wants it.  It's really quite astonishing how much they care for and support each other.


So then I got to thinking about my country.  Today we celebrate our Independence day.  But it's interesting that almost every American in the country will choose to spend at least part of today with thousands of other people, or at least family and friends.  Telling, isn't it?  Even in America, arguably one of the most individually autonomous nations on Earth, we need each other.  


That's how it should be.  Especially as Christians.  God never created us with the intention of having an army of Lone Rangers.  None of this "I worship better at home" nonsense.  We were made for community, made to support each other, made to be and to keep others accountable, made for interdependence.  Of course we all have our strengths - but we also have our weaknesses, and it is only by being the body that we were meant to be that we can truly be strong.  


So on this Independence day, as we celebrate our nation's freedom, our military's bravery, and our citizens' courage, don't forget that freedom does not mean autonomy.  We are still dependent on each other.

1 Thessalonians 5:10-13

¹⁰ He died for us so that, whether we are awake or asleep, we may live together with him. ¹¹ Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing. ¹² Now we ask you, brothers and sisters, to acknowledge those who work hard among you, who care for you in the Lord and who admonish you. ¹³ Hold them in the highest regard in love because of their work. Live in peace with each other.

The sun doesn't stand still

This morning, before I left for South Korea, I was telling my parents about my itinerary, and my dad made a comment that I would basically lose almost an entire day of my life, because of the time change.  And it's true; while it feels like late afternoon on Saturday, it is actually earning morning on Sunday.

I started thinking about when the Lord made the sun stand still for Joshua and his army.  How many of us would like to have time stand still; to have an interminable amount of time to do what needs to get done?  Far more often, however, we lose time, instead of gain it.  How many times have we started a project without ambition, thinking that we have all the time in the world to finish it?  How often do we procrastinate even beginning, thinking that there's no rush, we'll have plenty of time?  And then, all of a sudden, in an instant, time's up.  We've lost our chance.

How many days have we lost because of procrastination?  How many chances have we missed because we weren't paying attention?  Days like Joshua's don't happen very often.  Far more often, we wake up one morning and realize that we have lost time, not gained it.

So my challenge to you - and to myself - as I sit in Incheon International Airport, is this - don't waste your life.  Take advantage of every opportunity.  God intends for us to seize the moment, not ask for Him to stop time.

Joshua 10:1-14

 ¹Now it came to pass, when Adonizedec king of Jerusalem had heard how Joshua had taken Ai, and had utterly destroyed it; as he had done to Jericho and her king, so he had done to Ai and her king; and how the inhabitants of Gibeon had made peace with Israel, and were among them;
 ²That they feared greatly, because Gibeon was a great city, as one of the royal cities, and because it was greater than Ai, and all the men thereof were mighty.
 ³Wherefore Adonizedec king of Jerusalem, sent unto Hoham king of Hebron, and unto Piram king of Jarmuth, and unto Japhia king of Lachish, and unto Debir king of Eglon, saying,
 ⁴Come up unto me, and help me, that we may smite Gibeon: for it hath made peace with Joshua and with the children of Israel.
 ⁵Therefore the five kings of the Amorites, the king of Jerusalem, the king of Hebron, the king of Jarmuth, the king of Lachish, the king of Eglon, gathered themselves together, and went up, they and all their hosts, and encamped before Gibeon, and made war against it.
 ⁶And the men of Gibeon sent unto Joshua to the camp to Gilgal, saying, Slack not thy hand from thy servants; come up to us quickly, and save us, and help us: for all the kings of the Amorites that dwell in the mountains are gathered together against us.
 ⁷So Joshua ascended from Gilgal, he, and all the people of war with him, and all the mighty men of valour.
 ⁸And the LORD said unto Joshua, Fear them not: for I have delivered them into thine hand; there shall not a man of them stand before thee.
 ⁹Joshua therefore came unto them suddenly, and went up from Gilgal all night.
 ¹⁰And the LORD discomfited them before Israel, and slew them with a great slaughter at Gibeon, and chased them along the way that goeth up to Bethhoron, and smote them to Azekah, and unto Makkedah.
 ¹¹And it came to pass, as they fled from before Israel, and were in the going down to Bethhoron, that the LORD cast down great stones from heaven upon them unto Azekah, and they died: they were more which died with hailstones than they whom the children of Israel slew with the sword.
 ¹²Then spake Joshua to the LORD in the day when the LORD delivered up the Amorites before the children of Israel, and he said in the sight of Israel, Sun, stand thou still upon Gibeon; and thou, Moon, in the valley of Ajalon.
 ¹³And the sun stood still, and the moon stayed, until the people had avenged themselves upon their enemies. Is not this written in the book of Jasher? So the sun stood still in the midst of heaven, and hasted not to go down about a whole day.
 ¹⁴And there was no day like that before it or after it, that the LORD hearkened unto the voice of a man: for the LORD fought for Israel.

Cast your cares upon Him

Two months ago I was dreading spending 7 weeks at home after graduation.  I've always kept my schedule really full of activities and responsibilities, and that's the way I like it.  So 7 weeks of absolutely nothing to do - no school, no job, few friends to visit, nothing - filled me with dread.

But today I am boarding a plane to South Korea.  And I find myself wishing for another 7 weeks of doing nothing with the ones I love.  The thought of driving to the airport and actually stepping on that plane fills me with dread.  And I'm not the only one.  Nightly prayers with my little siblings were a very tearful, emotional event last night.

I almost feel like a broken record.  Every time I pray, every time someone asks me what I need prayer for, I always ask for the same thing - courage to go, wisdom to thrive, creativity and patience in the classroom, understanding outside of it, and most of all that God would show Himself to me more and more vividly and that I would become more and more sensitive to His promptings every single day.

I sometimes feel like I should pray for other things.  I wonder if God gets as tired of hearing about the same problems day in and day out as I do about praying for them.  But you know what?  I really don't think that's the case.  1 Peter 5:7 says to "Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you."  It doesn't matter how many times you pray about the same thing.  God wants to hear about your worries, because He loves you.  He wants you to tell Him about your life.

But after we have cast our cares upon Him, it's our job to leave them there.  And, lest I be accused of being hypocritical, I know full well that that is far easier said than done.  But we were not made to life in constant worry.  2 Timothy 1:7 says that "God has not given us a spirit of fear, but a spirit of power and love and self-control."  Hold fast to His promises.  He will protect you through whatever you're going through.  You may not be able to see how He will do it, it may seem utterly impossible....but my God is in the business of making the impossible, possible.  All I have to do is cast my cares onto Him.  

Luke 11:1-13

¹ One day Jesus was praying in a certain place. When he finished, one of his disciples said to him, “Lord, teach us to pray, just as John taught his disciples.”  ² He said to them, “When you pray, say:
“‘Father, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come. ³ Give us each day our daily bread.  ⁴ Forgive us our sins, for we also forgive everyone who sins against us.  And lead us not into temptation.’”  ⁵Then Jesus said to them, “Suppose you have a friend, and you go to him at midnight and say, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves of bread; ⁶ a friend of mine on a journey has come to me, and I have no food to offer him.’ ⁷ And suppose the one inside answers, ‘Don’t bother me. The door is already locked, and my children and I are in bed. I can’t get up and give you anything.’ ⁸ I tell you, even though he will not get up and give you the bread because of friendship, yet because of your shameless audacity he will surely get up and give you as much as you need.  ⁹ “So I say to you: Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. ¹⁰ For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.  ¹¹ “Which of you fathers, if your son asks for a fish, will give him a snake instead? ¹² Or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? ¹³ If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!”