My Heart Aches!!!

Sorry for the lack of update... I'm been swamped with work, I'm surprised that I'm only a little behind with school work.

Over the last two weeks, my heart ache - to the point it hurts. There are several things that I misses:

1. I miss Thailand, my heart breaks at the sight of the recent political turmoil. My heart goes out to the various missionaries I met over the summer in Thailand.
   
2. I miss the H'mong. Maybe I am falling in love with this particular people group, but I long to pray for them again in Nam, Thailand and China.
3. Of course, I miss Jenny. But I know I'll see her in 2.5 months.

The past two weeks I would fall asleep thinking of these thing...

You Said
By Ruben Morgan
You said, "ask and you will receive whatever you need."
You said, "pray and I'll hear from heaven,
and I'll heal your land."

You said Your glory will fill the earth
like water the sea.
You said, "lift up your eyes;
the harvest is here, the kingdom is near."

You said, "ask and I'll give the nations to you."
oh Lord, that's the cry of my heart.
distant shores and the islands will see your light as it rises on us

It is only Tuesday?!?

The past weekend at the Seminary Fall Retreat was awesome. God is so gracious and even though we feel our council was so disorganized, He carried us through it. I'll share more about the weekend later.

I cannot believe it is only Tuesday. It feels like Thursday already, and it is only first week of class. Bad news. sigh. Thank you, Lord. I'll learn to do the work you have in place for me without complaining and grumbling.

Piety

There's nothing you can ever do to make me love you less.
~God

I'm floored. In our Christian walk we try so hard to put our lives together in order, in a false twisted preception we must have it "all-together" to have a relationship with God. How many times have I heard the excuses: "I'm not spiritual enough to go on the mission trip", or "I'm carrying too much past baggage to serve."

Must we be completely pietist to have a loving relationship with Christ? No. Just take a quick look at the Psalms. Over and over again we see the psalmist crying out to God, groaning in agony, sighing in sorrows.

I am too often guilty of this, putting on a smile and attempting to face life issues on my own. Along with my 'happy-go-lucky' attitude, my business training also prohibits me to publicly express my sorrows. "You are not allow to do that because it brings negativity." I hear the same thing at the church.

I came to a realization after reflecting on my sermon on Psalm 5 that by surpress these feelings of sorrow and agony, one is robbing from the full love of Christ from him/herself. It is in this time of sorrow when the Father wraps His arms around you whispers in your ears, "I love you." It is for your sorrows that Christ stretched His arms on the cross and said "I love you."


Let's look at David and his psalms. He is the king of the most powerful nation in its time, but by reading his psalm one may say that he is pretty 'negative'. This must baffle those in today's business world. How can David rule a nation while he harbours such negativity? Because he knows that by crying out to the Lord, he falls into the embracing love of Christ.

Give ear to my words, O LORD,
consider my sighing.

Listen to my cry for help,
my King and my God,
for to you I pray.

Psalm 5:1-2

So when we face trials and sorrows in life, cry it out to the Lord. This also applies when a friend is faced with difficult times, do not rob them from the full love of our Father; encourge the friend to cry out to the Lord.

I'm absolutely convinced that nothing—nothing living or dead, angelic or demonic, today or tomorrow, high or low, thinkable or unthinkable—absolutely nothing can get between us and God's love because of the way that Jesus our Master has embraced us.
~Romans 8:38-39 (Message)

Therefore, we do not have to have it "all-together" to have a full relationship with Christ. Come to Him with your brokenheart. Fall to His side in pain and sorrows.

Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.
~Jesus, Matt 11:28

This is the essence of salvation: Crying out to God that I don't have it "all-together". I am lost, I am screwed up, and this sinful nature of me has piled up all the junk in my life. And if you don't step in and fix things up, then I am dying here. And in result, He will pour out His love.

Tyndale Seminary Fall Retreat 2006 Promo

Come to the retreat!

Connect

When two people connect, when their beings intersect as closely as two bodies during intercourse, something is poured out of one and into the other that has the power to heal the soul of its deepest wounds and restore it to health. The one who receives experience the joy of being healed. The one who gives knows the even greater joy of being used to heal. Something good is in the heart of each God's children that is more powerful than anything bad. It's there, waiting to be released, to work its magic. But it rarely happens.
~Larry Crabb, Connecting

Currently Reading:
Connecting
by Larry Crabb

That was how I felt over breakfast with Patrick yesterday, and while during the brief MSN chat with Candy. And as I looked back at those conversations, I can see that is what I'll be doing as a pastor, to heal the wounds of souls. I look forward to this season in life as I learn to connect with those around me.

A few other notes:

1. Fall kick-off meeting with the student council at Kaarina's house today, I'm excited
2. Battle wounds from the summer. My back is still infected from a scratch I got from a child climbing on me at the Arts and Sports Camp... it is itchy and it is the size of a fist now. Pray that it will heal soon. Also still suffering from a slight flu for the past 2 weeks.
   
3. My physical report is in, will go see it something next week.
4. Spent my morning under my car, changed the oil and ready for the new Fall term. :)
   

"The End" comes in threes

The End...

The end of the summer internship at the church... but the beginning of a new school term and new responsibilities at church. I'm excited.

The End...

Last night CCSA banquet marks the end of another softball season. Never seem to have enough softball... but it is also the beginning for intramural and varsity sports. I'm excited

The End...

The end of summer. Goodbye t-shirt and shorts weather, goodbye warm oceans water and beaches (well, I said good by to that when I left HK anyway), and goodbye summer 'vacation'... but hello to the beautiful colours of autumn.

There is a time for everything,
and a season for every activity under heaven
~Ecclesiastes 3:1