sammmmy boy!

Crazy Love Part 3 Mercy

As I was reading this chapter there was a section that really stood out to me and I had to go back and read it a couple of times to just have it sit and sink into my head. 

“No one is good except God alone” (Luke 18:19). 

So why does God still love us, despite us? If God’s mercy didn’t exist, there would be no hope for us. No matter how good we tried to be, we would be punished because of our sins.

It says “All our righteous acts are like filthy rags.” Pretty much our good deeds can never outweigh our wins.

(Here is what made me just stop and re-read)

God’s mercy is a free, yet costly, gift. It cannot be earned. Our righteous acts, just like filthy rags, certainly don’t help us deserve it. The wages of sin will always be death. But because of God’s mercy sin is paid for through the death of Jesus Christ, instead of the death of you and me.  

While reading this I can’t just help but feel so…. unworthy? but yet He just continues to love us no matter what. 

I’m just blessed that I have the freedom to pray to God freely, read the Bible whenever I can/want and read books like this to get to know Him even more and in a clearer way. 

I hope I can continue to walk with Him and to not stray away. He is my priority as other things will fall in place behind Him. 

can’t wait to read chapter 4 tomorrow =D 

Crazy Love Part 2 

we must not forget that we never know when our last day is on this earth. 

“It’s crazy that we think today is just a normal day to do whatever we want with. To those of us who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there,  carry on business and make money,” James writes, “Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes” (4:13-14). 

1 Corinthians 10:31 says, “So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.” 

i have to remind myself of this when i pray before i eat. i always pray before i eat as a habit instead of really meaning what i say. 

*are you ready?*

in this chapter it talked about a guy named Stan Gerlach, a successful businessman who was well known in his community. Stan was giving a eulogy at a memorial service when he decided to share the gospel. At the end of his message, Stan told the mourners, “You never know when God is going to take your life. At that moment, there’s nothing you can do about it. Are you ready?” Then Stan sat down, fell over, and died. His wife and son tried to resuscitate him, but there was nothing they could do - just as Stan had said a few minutes earlier. 

(i had to take a second before i kept reading because it just shocked me how that just happened)

Matthew 10:32-33: “Whoever acknowledges me before men, will also acknowledge him before my Father in heaven. But whoever disowns me before men, I will disown him before my Father in heaven.”

life happens so quickly. And it could happen to any of us just like Stan. In the words of Stan Gerlach, “Are you ready?” 

While reading this chapter, i tried to really soak in the meaning of life and the time we spend on this earth. while being in korea i’ve been trying to venture out and spend more quality time with God and really get into His word. i admit that i haven’t been able to go to church as often as i wanted to, but i will not just stop and fall. i will find other ways during the week to soak into His word at home or at a coffee shop. 

i just wanted to say thank you God for always being there for me and never judging me for who i am or what i’ve done. you are truly amazing. period. 

Crazy Love part 1

Just started reading this book by Francis Chan. The first chapter just started putting things back to reality for me and had me open my eyes again. 

-question of the day- 

To just read the Bible, attend church, and avoid “big” sins - is this passionate, wholehearted love for God? - Francois Fenelon, The Seeking Heart

this question has got me thinking and made me realize that i’ve been feeling like something is still missing. 

I wanted to just step back for a second and soak in how AMAZING HE IS! he is the creator of all living and non living. we cannot fathom how great He is. 

The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands. Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they display knowledge. There is no speech or language where their voice is not heard. Their voice goes out into all the earth, their words to the ends of the world. - Psalm 19:1-4

In the first chapter there is a part that says this…

- God is eternal. Most of us would probably agree with that statement. But have you ever seriously meditated on what i means? Each of us had a beginning; everything in existence began on a particular day, at a specific time.

- Everything that is, but God. He always has been, since before there was an earth, a universe, or even angels. God exists outside of time, and since we are within time, there is no way we will ever totally grasp that concept….

This section brought me back down to earth and humbled me. Forgetting that there is no way “I” will ever totally grasp Him and know ALL about Him. 

everything happens for a reason

• God has given me a lot of blessings
• i’ve been blessed with great friends who are genuinely great people
• interesting things have happened since being back and i’ve been happy about it
• i’ve been realizing that i’ve been growing and maturing so much in the few years that i can’t help but be happy =)
• i feel like my family has gotten closer and happier. i love it!
• today my dad made me a sandwich and he just had such a happy smile on him that i couldn’t help but just smile and just enjoy the sandwich he made me. =P
• there are certain things happening while i’ve been back that makes me want to stay and try some “things” out, but…. hey again everything happens for a reason. i believe if it wasn’t for korea, i couldn’t have talked to some people =P 
• i can’t wait to continue my life and excited for the future that is to come!  

home sweet home

i haven’t updated in awhile, but yeah i just got back home in the OC to see friends and family and just to relax

i’m going to devour everything in site! i’m going to anything and everything while i’m here back home =P 

oh how i’ve missed my bed sooo much especially my pillow! haha i don’t know why, but i really missed my pillow

i’m pretty majorly jetlagged so i’m up in the morning and going to run some errands. gotta renew my gym pass for the month and pay some clothes to bring back home =P 

it’s gonna be a bit hard to see people as i am limited in transportation since i don’t have a car to drive anymore. =( hopefully people will come and see me! =) 

i seriously thank God for all the things in my life and my safe flight back home to just be with family. i miss just sitting around with them and laughing with them 

gotta spend my time here at home efficiently so that i can do everything i possibly can within the time here 

for the people in cali let’s play and get together!!!!

one thing on my mind

patience…

i really need to work on it… like realllllly need to *sigh*

gonna be a stressful weekend

- i finish my work by the end of this week on friday

- i gotta move out my place by the weekend of this week.

- i gotta find a new place (which i haven’t yet) by the end of this week.

- i gotta make sure my private tutors are gonna follow through so i have enough income for the time being until my parents get here in december for family vacation time.

oh jeez gotta do work son!