Opening New Doors

Oh college...why does thou have to be so crazy? Actually it depends on how you look at it or how many classes you're taking. As for me this is the first time I'll be taking 6 courses. Through my freshman year I only took 5, so this year is deff. going to be one interesting roller coaster ride. New teachers and new subjects weren't much of a hassle since I've gotten used to change in that aspect. But no matter how I look at it I find that although I might not have that they didn't give much homework, I still had tons of readings to do. As much as I love to read, reading about Kant and utilitarianism wasn't exactly how I pictured spending my afternoon. I guess that's what I get for wanting to be a Lit major. I'm not complaining, just reflecting. I realized that as I grow older more responsibilities are put on me.
Looks like the same thing is happening in my Spiritual walk. As a new season begins I wonder what sorts of things God will give to steward. I'm really looking forward to what He is going to do this semester! He's deff. opening new doors for me, so this will look very interesting :)

Reflection from a Year

It was around this time last year when I headed out to college for the first time.  Everything was new, unfamiliar, and confusing. I had no idea what I was doing or getting myself into. Being called to a country and not having a community to help me out was very difficult. But God had it all planed before I even had a glimpse of it.

I remember who I was when I first moved here. I found myself looking for different things in all the wrong places. I put my hope in people that did not fulfill my expectations. I was left disappointed...

As our ministry director spoke about the Emmaus road on Tuesday night, I am reminded of my first days here. oh btw for those of ya'll who don't know, Emmaus is the name of our campus ministry here in Korea. It was our first large group meeting of the semester and our director Erin spoke. Many people came out to check out what we were about and so she thought she'd explain why we were even called Emmaus to being with. She explained that it comes from Luke 24 "The Road to Emmaus" where the disciples encounter Jesus as they were walking down the road, but they didn't realize it was Him. This happened after Jesus died and rose again. The disciples, at this point, were left disappointed because they had hoped that Jesus would be the one to redeem Israel (verse 21). To their dismay, He died, (from their point of view anyways) They were just so disappointed because they put their hope in Jesus and He didn't push through with it.

That reminded me of my own walk when I first came to Korea. I knew God wanted me to come here, and do the things He has called me to do, yet I was feeling like I was all alone in this big world. I remember telling myself I wasn't ready for college and that I was so far away from people who truly loved me. It was hard for me to accept that I would be all alone from now on. I didn't know how hard it was to go grocery shopping, doing laundry, cleaning, and studying all by myself. I felt so detached from the world as if I was just another person in a sea of faces. Even though I was surrounded by people most of the time I felt like I was in my own little world. This wasn't what I expected college to be, where was all the fun things people told me about? The Revivals that happens on campuses, the many lives that get saved, the hanging out with friends all day long, and not to mention the "ultimate sleep over ever!  "Where was all that? I remembered wondering if God left me in the dust never to experience anything good again. None of my expectations were met and I was left disappointed...

But then later down the road to Emmaus, after the disciples expressed the way they felt, they had fellowship with Jesus, then realized it was Him all along, but before they could do anything about it He disappears!

Our Ministry Director said that it’s as if disappointment blocked the disciples' eyes from seeing Jesus being right there before them. And honestly I could relate well to that. But then what the disciples didn't realize was that Jesus did not only come to redeem Israel, but the whole world.

I know that my disappointment blocked me from seeing Jesus those past few months of being a freshman. It kept me from seeing the whole picture like the disciples did. I would have not known that God would shift my heart as I walked with Him. In verse 32 the disciples asked each other "Did not our hearts burn within us while he talked to us on the road, while he opened to us the Scriptures?" And that’s exactly what God did during my first year of college. I would have never guessed when I flew in to Korea that the bigger picture He had for me would look like this. He has given me an amazing community to help me grow in Him daily. I have been blessed with amazing friends, but they are pretty much my siblings. God is always true and faithful to His promises and like He said, He will never leave us nor forsake us. No matter how tough life gets, He's always got us. I am thankful and grateful for every second of my time here. Every moment of everyday He had already planned out for me. All I had to do was trust Him.

So no matter how crazy things might seem like in the natural world, God’s plan is always far greater than ours. :)

Like our Inheritance

Alright folks! I'm back again and so excited to see what God will do this coming semester! I think this is the first time in my life that I ever wanted school to start so badly! I know that God will continue to take us from glory to glory and it's so exciting I can hardly wait!!!! Prayers are appreciated from friends and family across the world. :)

I've only been back for a few days and already I'm being affirmed by God and others of the amazing things that are up ahead! Just today I was having lunch with a friend to catch up on what has been going on each other's lives for the past two months we haven't talked to each other. And It was just such a blessing to hear what God is doing in her life and her family's. I was very encouraged for sure.

                Then for some random reason we talked about the card that they gave me at the beginning of last semester. This card allowed me to get discounts at many restaurants and other various places outside of campus. I had it all along, I carried it in my wallet, I knew it gave me discounts but I didn't know for what places and where. Then at the end of last semester I found out that it gave discounts to A LOT of the places we went to often! All that time I could have gotten discounts at so many places. Talk about saving money! But the thing is, I didn't know about it. I didn't know how to use that card, or where to use it... Then it got us thinking about the sermon at church this week. Where our pastor talked about God's word being our inheritance and how important it is to hold on to our Father's words. Then I realized that in a way that card represented our inheritance. But because I didn't know where to use it or how to use it, I missed out on a lot. Just like our inheritance in God's word. Most of the time we don't even know what He has given us or how to use what He has given us. Often times we miss out on so many things because of ignorance. I find myself thinking about that lately.... do we read our Bible as a check list in the morning, or do we truly seek out what's going on in His heart. Last year I learned that the more we get to know God the more we get to know who we are. Just a little something to think about.

So are we honestly missing out on God's gifts for us because we are just doing the same thing everyday to please God then cross it off our to-do-list? He has so much in store for us yet we just don't know about it.

May Days

I would have to say that the month of May would be the most eye opening month for me throughout my freshman year. I'm sure each month played a significant role in my spiritual growth, but it was this very merry month where in God showed me how powerful it is when His people prayed. It felt like the month went by rather fast, yet I learned so much in such a short period of time. God showed Himself in my life so evidently that there was no reason for me to doubt His love, goodness, or faithfulness. He is just so good that I honestly can't do anything, but praise Him for all He does for me. So as I write this story sit back and relax as I share the awesome things God has done in my life. :)

Through the semester I just felt God's presence more and more as I got to know Him. Each week as I spent more time with Him and I got to know who I was a bit more as well. In each area of my life that I chose to surrender, He took it and used it to magnify His glory. But on this particular month God asked me to surrender my room to Him during a worship service at church. Funny thing is that at the beginning of the semester I gave it up to Him I told Him I wanted to make that a place where my sisters could come and find comfort. When they are going through a rough day, doesn't want to deal with their roommate, or just want to talk, it would be the first place they would think of. So when He made His request I was a little confused, because I already told Him once before that it was His already. But then He calmed my mind and spoke clarity to my heart. He asked me to give it up for a place for prayer once as week. I willingly agreed not really knowing what I got myself into. After the service I told a leader who encouraged it and set a time with a few of the girls from my small group. We planned to start it the upcoming Monday. I was delighted to know that a few people were willing to make it at such a short notice.

But then on Saturday it started off pretty typical, running to get errands done, chilling with friends, then I had to go to another town for a goodbye party for someone. But after hanging out with friends I wasn't feeling so good and Katherine called me cuz she knew I was going to the train station and she was heading out of the dorms at this point cuz she was going to have dinner with one of the brothers. Then out of nowhere I suddenly didn't feel loved ...which doesn't make sense...cuz I know soo many people care about me and God loves me soo much that it lead His Son on a cross! On our walk to the station Katherine could tell something was wrong with me. She asked and I told her. She said she knew there was a reason she felt like God was telling her to give me a call and walk together that evening. She encouraged me and affirmed my identity in Christ and in the body of Christ. She comforted me and just loved on me till we got to that brother's house. I felt sick and didn't think I could make it to another town for the goodbye party so I canceled and just had dinner with my friends near campus. We talked about what I went through and they advised me not to let the enemy steal my joy and not to let him doubt who I am in Christ. After we split I went home and as I walked I pictured myself sleeping when I got home...but then I saw this vision of a demon strangling me. I broke down in tears shivering not knowing what to do. The only thing I could think of after prayer was calling one of my sisters named Anna. I told her what was going on and that I was on my way back home. She told me to meet her at the dorm lobby. When I got there we went to my room and I told her about the vision and what I felt. She asked me different questions to get the story right then she said that because of the prayer meeting that was going to take place..the enemy was scared and he was trying to shake me in any way I could to stop it from happening. So we then prayed over me, and my room. Funny thing is that when we prayed we prayed for my room to be a place of comfort and growth. (The same thing I offered my room to God as.) We also prayed that my room would be a room that was set apart. It would be a place where even when none believers stepped in, they can tell it was different. After that I was ok and I rested and went to church the next day. I was fine that day, but when Monday rolled around, the same oppression hit me soo hard! I didn't know where it came from or how. And it wasn't in the form or people not loving me, but rather the lack of communication I had with some of them etc... I prayed all morning even during class. I focused every single bit of energy I had and lifted up the prayer meeting that was going to take place in a few hours. I thought maybe if I left my room the oppression would leave and I could focus more and pray clearer, boy was I wrong. I felt just the same maybe even worse as I ran errands. After coming out of one of the stores I decided to text Anna telling her my situation. She then texted back and told me to praise Him despite what is happening, she added more encouraging words that made a shift in my heart. After reciving that message the song on my ipod switched. and it started with "The enemy's been defeated and death couldn't hold You down." I listend to that song as if it was the key that broke open the chains of my prison cells. I ran/skipped all the way to my dorm praising God and I blasted that song in my room for the rest of the day. During the prayer meeting 3 of my sisters came and we could tell it brought a change in our realationship with one another as sisters and for the rest of the campus. We knew revival was coming so we were contending for it. A week later my small room was filled with 9 girls all worshiping and crying out to the Lord. Talk about a God of multiplication! Our prayers were heard through the hallways and courtyard of the dorm buidings. We knew we were heard and that people's hearts were going to start turnning towards Him. We were all filled with the fire of the Holy Spirit and didn't care if people were annoyed by the noise. We were there to battle for each soul in the building, and we weren't going to be silent about it. After the prayer meeting, one of my sisters named Jessica told us how her heel has been hurting for the past two weeks so we all prayed for her . After the first time prayer for her she said it was 30% better so then we prayed again, after that she said it was A LOT better. Then another sister told her to get up and walk. So Jessica did, she paced around my small room filled with girls and with each step she took she felt the pain strip away! By the end she was jumping and felt not a single pain in her heel! It was amazing as it boosted the confidence of every sister in the room! Not only did it do that but it also brought us together in a tie we can't explain. The day after one of my friends told me how our prayers echoed through the halls and how she felt our floor just be filled with fire from the Holy Spirit! It was amazing! When people from our ministry heard this, they began their own prayer meetings that brought about amazing results as well! We continued on doing this until I had to move out of the dorms, with each week we expected more, hoped more, and felt more of God's presence. From the first prayer meeting to the last my room has become a place of shelter, and comfort for every sister or friend that came. When some of my sisters woud come in they would say how comfortable they feel being in my room. They felt like it was their room and how they could freely do what they could without being scared of what I thought. Each time they would ask how I made it so comfortable I would tell them, my room is basked in the Holy Spirit (no joke) cuz it was prayed over and has been set apart from the very beginning. No wonder it was a place of oppression earlier in the semester, cuz the enemy knew what kind of a palce it would become in the future. Now it made sense why I would only be attacked in my room. I never knew what God could have done with just a small dorm room and all because I was willing to give it up for His glory. :)

More things happened through the days of May more healings, revelations, and miracles. All too much to fit into one blog post. But all I can say is that each time we prayed He listened and answered them. To be honest if I wasn't praying or contending for something I was praising Him for the amazing things He does and continued to do! He is just so amazing that I can't even begin to describe Him in words. He is just soo awesome! I'm going to wrap this post with this, if you are still praying for something to happen in your life or someone else's don't ever be fed with the lie that God is too busy or that He doesn't hear your prayers. He hears them all right, more than you know. So keep on praying, and contending, and always remember to never give up. Be reminded of my May days. :)

Blessings on ya'll!

Back Home

Yay! I’m finally back home! As much as I love and miss my family in Korea, it’s good to just get some time with my parents and my brothers. We’ll see what God does here over the summer :) I’m really excited to tell them all my stories!! And not only that, but also for me to hear stories of what’s been going on here. For the next few blog posts will be a recap of the different things that has happened throughout the semester. I know some of you have been wondering what kinds of crazy amazing things God has been doing in our lives in Korea. So I’m taking the time to write it all out for ya’ll. But before I go into all that, I’ll write about my journey back home so it’s actually fresh out of my memory. :)

These past few weeks have been pretty crazy! Saying goodbyes, packing, moving, pulling tons of all nighters, and enjoying every last bit of fellowship with family members leaving us. As a whole it was tiring but fun, yet I felt bittersweet about it all. I knew that it was probably one of the last times I would be able to hang out with them in a while. As I cherished every moment with my brothers and sisters I knew that the time would come when we will be separated by distance. Behind the smiles and laughs, I was sad inside. I didn’t know what I would do once they were gone. I know that God sent them to be a part of my life for a season, but I had a hard time letting go. I know life would be a lot different if they are no longer a part of it. God you have a plan, right? I caught myself asking Him as I walked the busy streets of Seoul. Then suddenly I was reminded of the exact same time I was crying in my bed in Egypt. I remembered feeling the same kind of sadness thinking of leaving my friends in Cairo. I wondered back then if I would ever have friends who would encourage me in my spiritual growth and support me through hard times as I pour into their lives. And boy, was I surprised when God brought amazing people in my life when I came to Korea. He went above and beyond anything I could have ever expected or imagine for that matter and this reminder brought joy and peace in my heart. I held on to that for a few days then it started hitting me again, as friends left the country one by one I couldn’t help but miss them. But thankfully a few sisters spoke life into my life on the few days that followed. My older sister Sue Mie encouraged me by saying that God has established those friendships and it’s not just going to end there, but rather it will get stronger over time. My other sister Jung Mi said that we are stronger when God spreads us and set flames all across the world. And my Filipino sister Jae Ah talked about how important it is to have the mentality that we are sending them off and not feeling like they are abandoning us in any way. All these things started to make sense, and instead of moping around and getting mad at God asking why He’s taking away my friends I would just submit to what He is doing.

I was then reminded of an image my dad shared with me when I was younger about God’s blessings. He used candy in the story so I could relate to it better (this was when I was like 7, ok fine I can still relate to it now.) Anyways my dad said “Let’s say I give you a handful of candy, and you hold out both of your hands to receive it. Now you hands are full, right?” I would then reply by gently nodding my head. He would continue on by saying. “Ok, well let’s say I want to give you even more candy. So I filled a whole bucket of candy just for you.” At this point my eyes would light up thinking about getting MORE candy. “but how can you receive it if your hands are both full?” I remember feeling puzzled at that question. Then he would conclude by saying “that’s similar to God’s blessing. There comes a seasons where you have to let go of a few things for more blessings to come. And although it’s hard sometimes, just trust in Him, cuz He knows what He’s doing.”

Having remembered that and being encouraged by my sisters, my mindset shifted. I knew God wants me home for a season and whatever that reason may be I should be willing to obey. I had to trust that He knows what He is doing in my life by giving Him control. As I said one goodbye after the next I wasn’t feeling abandoned anymore, to be honest I was actually more excited to see what God was going to do in their lives when they head out. Then I gave my friend/sister/mother/grandmother Katherine one last hug and felt not an ounce of sadness, but just peace that I will one day see her again. I’ll miss her a lot just like all the others that have left, but at least now I can be at peace with God’s plans for all of us. I am thankful for everyone who played a role in my life this semester! I will not forget your words of encouragement and how much you have truly felt like a family member in my life. May you be blessed wherever God takes you! Keep shining His light wherever you may go!!

As God wraps up this chapter of my life, I know that the next one will be just as exciting and as original as the one He has written before hand. Looking forward to seeing what You have planned! :D

Ok on the other side of the plane ride, as stepped foot on Philippine soil something stirred inside of me. As I looked around at the people and listened to the language, something in my heart claimed it to be mine. Although Tagalog is my 3^rd language and I hardly ever speak it unless it’s necessary…it was still mine. As none Filipino as I sound, I’m still 100% Filipino by blood and even if I tried to deny that, my looks would always reveal it. Something inside me longed to bring hope to my people, and change things for the better. We’ll see what God does and what opportunities I have in the next two months being at home. If He has showed me different aspects of His character and preformed miracles right before my very eyes in Korea I know for a fact He is the same powerful, and loving God that can do the same here! I’m excited just writing about this! God you have always surprised me! Blow my mind once again, will you? :)

Planted and Growing

Before moving to Korea I wrote a blog post called "Bloom where you are Planted".

I wrote it in hope that despite the trials I was about to face, I knew God had something better for me. Now that I'm on the other side of those pages things have definitely changed from my perspective. Here's a continuation of the tale.

The little flower looked up towards the ray of sunlight, and is reminded of all the rainy days that brought her where she is today. It was during those times where she sought comfort in even just a bit of sunlight she could see in the midst of the storm. Through those days the flower's root's grew deeper and deeper into the soil without it's knowledge. But as it did, it became more beautiful and stronger each passing day. On this particular day the precious plant is enjoying the blessings that came with those times. She couldn't see it then but there was much more in store for her than she could ever imagined. Over the course of time, the flower found other flowers surrounding her and together they become one eye catching batch. The little flower was growing each day and excited about the ones ahead. If surely He had so much more for her despite what she saw back then, she knew He only had greater things up ahead.

So dear friends, despite what you are going through right now, let my story be a living testimony of how God can truly be faithful despite what we see with our own eyes through the hard times in life. No matter how hard the battle, no matter how deep the water gets, and no matter how hopeless we get in our situation be reminded that God has a plan. And He continues to work in and through us even if it's hard. So stay faithful dear ones. Hold on to His promises, and I know that at the end of the line you'll be staying in awe of what He has done for you.

That ends my Freshman Year

What a year! I cannot believe my freshman year is over! It honestly doesn't feel like it's been a year already! I can still remember what I felt a year ago before having friends and going to our college minestry! Has is honestly been a year already?

God has been and continue to be soo good to me. I see blessings and favor pour out on me everyday like rain pouring during the monsoon season. I see His love for me from the smallest thing like not having to wait for the bus for too long to the biggest like getting someone who I have never met before prophecy over my life and speak clarity on all the different things I have been praying about! God is just soo amazing! I honestly would not know what my life would be like if I said no to coming to Korea. If I decided not to follow God's call to come here, would I have experienced all this? I know He would have still used me where ever I went, but I think this is still a pretty awesome path He lead me on. :)

I have learned so much during this season. I've experienced way more than I imagined. It's so funny cuz I saw myself wanting to grow and be a certain way by the end of the semester. And oh my did God answer that prayer, not only was I were I wanted to be, my walk with Him reached a level I never thought existed. I went on walks with Him, and felt the sweetness of His love daily. It was pretty awesome!! Everyday a new aspect of His character was shown to me and I enjoyed every second of it.

Before any of this occurred, I was going through a difficult time adjusting to college life. I remember questioning my identity, longing for a community, and figuring out what He called me to do in Korea. Through my freshman year, God answered those prayer requests beyond my imagination. I found my identity in Him in different aspects of my life. As He showed me which role to play in His great master piece, His great love has conformed me to play the part well. At the same time He was molding others to play their part as well. Together we became a family that presented the works of our loving Director. And Before we knew it, it drew people to come and see the production. It was the love between us that attracted them to see what was going on. It was God's love for us that sparked a light in each of our hearts. Little did we know that, that spark was just the beginning of a production He has already written out.

Through this first chapter of my college life, I am learning and experiencing so much! Even though it started of with a rough road, God made my paths smooth later on as I learned to bask in His love (Luke 3:5). With so much that has happened, honestly the only thing I can do is praise Him! Praise Him of all the amazing things He has done in my life, Praise Him for who He is, and Praise Him for what He's done! As I wait to see where He takes me on my next journey, I will pitch a tent and praise Him! As I look forward of what's beyond the horizon, may I hold on to this season and be reminded of it all.

Right now I can't ask God for anything more at this point in time. His love is so amazing, its beyond my comprehension. As I look back at the beginning of college and stand at the end of my freshman year... all my heart longs to do is Praise Him for all He has done. Not a bad way to start off the college years :)

It’s just the Beginning

              It seems like yesterday when I just got off the plane coming back here for my second semester and looking forward to what God had ahead. I can’t believe it’s almost over, and looking back at the things that have happened. Words can’t even describe all the amazing things God has done, not only in my personal life, but in the lives of others around me. This season was just a season of growth for me, just like God told me before I landed on Korean soil once again. But I never thought for the life of me that this is how He would grow me. Many different things occurred this semester ,which I will hopefully be able to share more when I have more time back home to write it all out, but the main thing that totally impacted me this semester was just realizing who I am in Him. What it really meant to be a daughter of the King of Kings. What it mean to relate to him as my Father, my Prince, my Savior, and my Lord. At the beginning of the semester I was pretty much planning my Spiritual growth. Being such a planner, I didn’t realize that I was doing it. I knew He wanted me to grow but how was I going to get there? What did I have to do in order to “change myself” and make Him happy? Did I have to force myself to read the Word every day, go out and always be there for people, and put all my free time into serving Him in all I could do? I’ll admit I was pretty paranoid, only cuz I wanted to make God happier and to show Him that I am growing. Over the course of the semester He began to open my eyes to the truth. And talk about irony, but my mindset was flipped upside down at the 180 retreat! Haha God is so funny. There He basically told me that He loved me and that I don’t have to work to make Him happier and prouder than He already is of me. And from there God just opened my eyes to His blessings for me! I would walk around our campus just touching trees and enjoying nature knowing that He created it for us to enjoy. I would smile up at the sky and be reminded that I might be one tiny person to this world, but He still notices me. :) I can’t help but smile as I write this cuz I am reminded of everything He has done in my life! My walk with Him just gets sweeter everyday as He reviles something new about His character to me each day. I am having so much fun with Him every day! God is such a fun God! He’s def. has a sense of humor and He’s quite the character. Honestly a lot of us Christians sometimes don’t get the fact that we have such an amazingly fun God! Some of us would think it’s such a chore to read His Word and pray daily and think it’s time consuming, but that is the total opposite! It’s not a chore to read God’s word cuz it’s soo much fun! It’s like getting a letter from a friend half way across the world. You know, feeling excited just holding the envelope and wondering what it could say inside? Cuz you know that someone took the time to write something for you. That’s just like the Bible, God wrote that letter for us, shouldn’t we be excited to open the love letter the God of the universe sent us? :) And just spending time with Him doesn’t always have to be the same mundane thing, I mean yes reading the word is important, but every relationship does more than talk to each other day. Go out on a walk and see what God says to you on that walk. Look at the amazing wonders He has created around you. Be thankful for the people that God has surrounded you with that encourage you on your walk with Him. For me, I love making cards or anything creative that says “You are loved.” I love taking time out of my day making cards or little notes for people to show them that they are cared for! It makes me feel God’s pleasure as I make those cards. I feel like He is smiling down on me when I do that. Many times He even inspires me on how to make the card. It’s like project time with me and God, it’s pretty fun. Haha this semester has been awesome. I know for a fact my view of God was not like this before this year started. I would have not known how much fun it is to chillax with God. God is so good :D So as this semester wraps up I am just thankful, for everything: For my Emmaus family who has encouraged me in different times during my way and lead me towards Him, for the growth I have seen in myself, and for the Amazing Love He has for me. THANK YOU JESUS!

It’s been one amazing journey and I can’t wait to see what He has for the next chapter…this is just the beginning. :)

It's a Banquet

Once upon a time in a Kingdom far yet not so far away there lived one BIG family. There were moms, dads, sisters, brothers, aunts, guy cousins, and girl cousins. And they were all the King’s children. One day the King had to go away on business to prepare a better place for His children cuz their place was becoming too small for them to all fit in. The King left a love letter for His children. He loved them so much that it wasn’t just a letter anymore, it became a book. He gave specific instructions in that book of how to live life and get ready for the day He would come back. His children were saddned of his departure, but lived in the hope that He would one day return. Over the years His children waited, but still no sign of Him, yet they were still hopeful. Some of them passed away upon His waiting, but they made sure they passed the book that the King has left to the generations after them. After awhile a few of His children didn’t realize how much He loves them and were filled with lies about who they were and what their Father was like. Because of this many children left the palace in hope to find a better way of life rather than waiting around for the King. They spread all across the land seeking to find happiness according to their desires….

Just a little something I thought would be nice to set the scene. Not too long ago we had our end of the year banquet to celebrate what God has done over the semester and to gather together as one family and have dinner together. None of the work was done by the staff, it was mostly done by our amazing student leaders and students that wanted to help out. It was a beautiful night. As we gathered together getting ready for our big event, everyone did their part and the weird thing about it is, you know how sometimes during an event you get all panicky because it’s almost time to start and people are coming in and you did haven’t gotten things all set up? It didn’t feel like that at all as we got things together. It felt more like a family getting the table ready for dinner. The atmosphere felt like home, and seeing everyone all dressed up felt like we were part of the royal family. I guess that was the whole concept. We felt like royalty as we feasted together! They had a whole program lined up and it started off with praise and worship to our Father. That was a pretty good choice if you ask me. What better way to honor the One who made all this possible and the reason we are gathered together under one roof that very day. As the program progressed, people preformed and we heard people’s testimonies, and I was just blown away. I heard story after story of how God worked in the lives of my brothers and sisters and how this semester was a very impacting one. I just felt very encouraged to see that God was moving in so many of us. It was a good night just filled with tons of joy, laughter, freedom, and love from our Father. I could feel Him smiling down at us as we praised Him each time we preformed or talked about how He has touched our lives. It was a beautiful sight to see His children gather together and just thank Him for all He has done. He’s so awesome!!!!

I am thankful for this season and the people who were a part of it. I know that God put us together at this point in time for a reason. As beautiful as it was, we will soon have to part ways and go to where God is calling each of us down different paths. Some of us are staying, others are going off to different parts of the world to spread His fire there. But even though time and distance may separate us we will still be family. :)

As the next chapter unfolds I know for certain that God has planned it all out for us. Wherever we are, whatever we do, He’s there with us. I’m soo excited to see what He has in store for the next semester!!! More God more!! :D Spread us all over the world to set the world on fire for You!!

Sorry!

So sorry everyone! I've been super caught up with school, life, and friends here that I haven't gotten the chance to write a blog post. So i'm super sorry about that! But i will tell you one thing. God is deff. moving! It's pretty crazy! I'm blown away each day by what He has for me! Hopefully once school is over and I have a bit more chill time back home I'll be able to write out the amazing things God has been doing in my life and in our campus!

Blessings!

Definitely a 180

Over the weekend I went on our college fellowship retreat called 180. The whole theme was based on the book of Malachi in where God tells Fathers to turn their hearts to their son and the sons turn their hearts to their fathers. It was such an impacting weekend! I know I will never be the same again! Our speakers did an amazing job on delivering the word of God to us as they talked about turning from deception and turning to Truth. They explain the importance of no longer living as a slave, but living as God’s child. They put a great deal of emphasis on our inheritance as children of God. They declared Truth after Truth and Promise after Promise about who we are in our Father as the lies that used to be a part of us fell to the ground. It no longer was a part of us as we learned more about our Father. We made a turn, a commitment to change from our slave like mentality (like the Israelites had in Egypt) and seek wholeheartedly to know who our Father in order to fully understand who we are in Him.

I know for a fact many lives were changed this weekend. Just fellowshipping with friends after the retreat was a blessing and encouragement to hear how God has changed their lives. Turning from our old ways and flipping our lives 180̊.I can’t wait to hear more! (That’s a hint for my Emmaus friends out there who I am inviting to hang out with me soon! :P ) I know for sure my life was changed. :)

Before I start I dive into the amazing things God did in my life this weekend, I’ll have to tell you what happened a little before. As most people know, I am pretty much a planner. I plan how much work I get done in a certain amount of time, I plan what I do during the week, I plan when I go grocery shopping, or when to clean my room…the list goes on. And being such a planner in many aspects of my life I started planning my Spiritual life too. Which obviously is not very healthy. I knew God was working on my heart in that area, but somehow I was still fighting for control. I wanted to change so badly, but I was doing it all in my own strength. So God couldn’t drive until I let go of the steering wheel.

Before the session started I sat next to one of my older brothers named Song just saying hi and such. He goes “Hey Mary.” I looked at him oddly and said “I’m not Mary…” “You’re not? Isn’t that your name though?” he confusedly replied. “I have been your little sister for almost a year now and you still don’t know my name?!” I asked a little furious as I showed him my name tag. “Ahh! Marie! That’s right!” Before I could say anything more they announced that the session was about to begin so I went back to my seat.

During this session they talked about running from deception to truth and how by not hearing God’s voice first hand we can be deceived by the king of deceptions (Satan) very easily. The heart of that talk was basically fully knowing who your Father is in order to know who you are. We are no longer slaves, but we walk in abundance, we no longer have to beg for mercy, but are filled with grace, and we don’t need to beg for purpose cuz were created for it. As His children we have SO many privileges, but we still act like a slave. I loved the example our speaker gave.

We end up doing this:

“Hey God, can I have some OJ?”

God: yes

“Thanks God!” and then we just look at the fridge...we then complain about how God doesn’t give us any OJ and blame Him for things not turning out the way we prayed for in our lives.

Another image that I’ve heard somewhere came to mind as she was talking. It was like going to our own home and asking our parents if we could sleep in our own beds, or asking them if we could use the stuff in the house to make food. When we are God’s children there is an abundant feast waiting for us!

As I took notes and took in this awesome realization of the Truth I wondered how to apply it in my life. I wasn’t exactly sure how or in what areas…but then when they dimmed the lights for prayers the leaders came up one by one. They called out different situations they felt like the Spirit telling them about. One of the leaders said “I feel like the Spirit is telling me that someone here feels like they have to work for God’s love.” I thought about it and I didn’t exactly think that I was working for God’s love…but then I felt a tugging in my heart, God was telling me to stand up. So I stood up and the leader prayed for me. Interesting thing was… this leader knew nothing about what was currently going on in my life. I haven’t seen her since last semester and she was hitting home as she prayed. She said “Marie, God has made you to be a Mary and not a Martha.” I was shocked…I couldn’t believe that she knew about my struggles. She continued on to say how she felt like God was just calling me to sit at His feet. At that point I could feel the presence of God. I could see myself just sitting at His feet and listening to every word He said. I was so filled with peace and joy right after that. I knew I no longer needed to plan ANYTHING but to just walk with Him. That night I let go of every expectation I had for myself and what others had for me. I stopped working to please God and just be still to listen to Him.

Through the whole weekend that’s exactly what I did. I just sat at the foot of my Savior in every worship and message sessions. I just enjoyed being in His presence and it brought an overwhelming amount of joy that I have not felt in a long time. All the lies that I believed about my identity was all gone. I didn’t have to rely on people to make me feel beautiful, cuz God thinks I’m pretty worth dying on the cross for :) Other prayers were prayed over me and each time it was the same thing. “God wants you to walk with Him, you don’t have to strive.” Which just confirmed it all the more!

God is so hilarious! Who ever thought that my brother Song’s little mishap would actually be the identity that God was reviling to me over the weekend. God is totally awesome ^_^ So I’m not going to keep trying, but just hold on to His promises, and as I get to know Him more I’ll know who I really am. I wouldn’t have thought before the retreat that I would be changed like this. This girl has turned her heart back to her Father, defiantly a 180 :)

Someone's Watching over Me

It has been one crazy month for me here in the lovely land of blooming cherry blossoms. Just when I would tell myself that I would sit down for an hour or two and write a blog post I end up doing either homework or hanging out with people. I didn’t used to be this spontaneous back in high school; to be honest a lot of the things I did back home were pretty much planned. Most of ya’ll who know me know that I’m pretty much a planner; I still am, but ever since I have gone to college God has been teaching me to plan less, and trust Him to take the lead. It’s not always easy being a crazy college student who wants to take every opportunity and just decide for herself right on the spot. I always find myself trusting God with everything He is doing, and then when I have tons of homework to do I find myself planning not only in that area, but also in every aspect of my life as well, including my Spiritual life. I would end up telling God what to do and how to do it at a specific time, instead of just walking with Him and letting Him guide the way. I end up becoming a control freak about so many things that I end up stressing myself out more than I have to. It’s definitely one of those lessons I am learning here right now. Thankfully God isn’t the kind of god who would smite you each time you try to take things to your own hands, but I had to learn it the hard way.

It all started on Friday morning, where I woke up sleep deprived from studying for my history midterm. My phone said it was 11 o’clock; I had two hours left before my exam. It was raining outside so that did not exactly help with my mood that morning. I woke up a little groggy and slightly upset knowing I wasn’t going to the batting cages with my friends cuz of the rain. I took my history midterm with the strength that God gave to me, cuz honestly speaking I wouldn’t have been able to take that test being so sleep deprived. I ended up going through the motions of the day…still being super tired. I had lunch with a friend still feeling pretty moody cuz the rain hasn’t exactly stopped and somehow I was thinking about how I did on my history midterm. It was Good Friday yet I totally forgot about it until I was reminded of going to church that night with a group of friends. I was exhausted through the bus ride there, I seriously thought about just staying home and sleeping. But somehow as I poured my heart out during worship and my fatigue all melted away. I was filled with so much energy! It was an amazing feeling! And the message also gave me a whole new different perspective of Jesus’ suffering. It was pretty cool.

Then as we were on the bus heading home I told myself I would go straight home and just rest. Although I had energy from the worship I didn’t want to abuse my body cuz I was sick earlier that week. But then somehow (don’t ask me how…) I ended up deciding to go and have dinner with a few friends. We had a great time hanging out playing games first before finding a restaurant. It was fun hanging out with them and just enjoying the conversations that took place. But then after dinner I looked into my bag and couldn’t find my wallet. I took out everything thinking it might just be in the bottom or something, but it was nowhere to be found. We looked around the restaurant and I searched in my pockets thinking I might have just misplaced it, but still nowhere…the group split up; 3 of them went to the games place where we were to see if I might have left it there and two other friends helped me look around the restaurant. Still nothing… I was feeling hopeless; I didn’t know what to do. All my cards were there including my student ID card, my alien registration card, and my debit card. I was starting to panic inside much more than I was reflecting on the outside. We went back to the place we played games earlier cuz everyone else wanted to try all the other games. Around midnight my friends could tell I was getting upset as I was trying to call and figure out how to cancel my cards. After I got the numbers, my friends decided to pray for me. They asked God to give me joy and peace despite the circumstances. I deff. felt peace after that prayer, and enjoyed the rest of the night with them. With the help of all my friends they all contributed to helping me cancel my cards and making me feel better by getting me a stuffed animal from playing the games.

I felt so loved and truly enjoyed my time at karaoke place until 4 in the morning. We were all pretty much beat, exhausted and delusional by the time we all walked back home. But one thing I didn’t anticipate, shocked me beyond belief. As I walked back to my room with a friend we found a note on my door. It told me to pick up my

wallet down stairs…. I couldn’t believe it, was this for real? I thought it was a joke for a few seconds, but then went downstairs to make sure. When my friend and I went down to the information area I asked about my wallet. And low and behold the guy at the information desk handed it over and gave me a piece of paper. The paper showed me who found it and what time the police took it back to my dorm. I was amazed! I couldn’t help but be thankful in awe of what God did! My wallet apparently got to my dorm around midnight! That was around the same time my friends prayed for me! God is truly amazing! Right then I felt like God was saying that I no longer needed to plan things in my life. Cuz I can’t control anything that happens anyways. To hand Him the steering wheel of my life didn’t mean I would lose all my hope, dreams, and things that He planted in me to desire but rather gaining all that and more. God promises us so many things in His word that tells us of His great love. Why do we continue on going with our lives thinking we can do it all, when we can’t even do well in one area. This is a season in my life where I feel like He is just saying “Walk with me, my child.” And I know that everything else will fall into place. So I don’t need to worry, or even plan, cuz Someone’s watching over me. J

And We're Back

And now I’m back here in college after a whole two months of vacation! My crazy adventures are about to begin now that I have returned! With so many things going on since school began I haven’t had much time update ya’ll on my blog; sorry about that. Anyways… thanks for patiently waiting :) Well another season, a new semester, a fresh chapter…is already starting. I don’t have the same fears and point of view that I had the past few months. God has definitely worked in my heart when it came to many issues that I was struggling with. He gave me amazing friends and a strong Christian community to grow with, and now I’m ready for the challenges this semester brings. My friends have been and continue to be a great encouragement in my life. They are all each amazing in their own way. It is just so awesome how God puts so many different people in a certain period of our lives and those are exactly who we need during those seasons. It’s one of those awesome things to praise God about, cuz He knows each person that will be a part of our lives all throughout our lives. Not too long ago, my friends and I sat at our favorite café just talking about life and such. Somehow we ended up talking about how God has brought each of us here to Korea. I was just surprised how God has just lead each of us in His own way. One of my friends wasn’t actually a believer when he stepped into Korean soil last semester yet God did amazing things in his life that was quite the testimony! As I heard one story after the next of how each friend came here I recalled a memory not too long ago.

Exactly a year ago I found out about my university and the possible option that God might want me there. I remembered crying on my bed in Egypt asking why God wanted me in Korea instead of the States like I had already planned. At least in Liberty I already had friends, I knew I wasn’t going to be lost and I would know which classes to take because my English teacher from my school in Cairo prepped me for all the expectations. (She graduated from Liberty) I already had everything planned. I was already accepted to Liberty at this point, yet what was God doing? Did He honestly want me to go to Korea for college, not knowing anyone from that university? Not being assured of ever having friends and the same kind of community I once had in Egypt. More tears fell as I kept asking God many questions. I remembered asking for friends who love Him just as much as I do or even more. I wanted people in my life to encourage me towards Christ, for them to have a purpose in my life and me to have a purpose in theirs. Would I ever have that kind of people in my life? If I did what God asked me to would He really provide like He promised in His word? Many emotions filled my heart, with fear dominating most of it.

My flashback ended as I observed my friends around the coffee table. Each had a smile on their face as we all realized the same thing. God planned each of us to be in one another’s lives. When I was crying back in Egypt longing for friends, He already picked out people in my behalf. He was already planning their steps to Korea, already getting them ready for the year ahead. How could I have ever doubted that He would just leave me alone and not provide me with the people I need during this season of my life. He heard my cries even before I prayed them. He knew exactly what I needed and which people would be perfect for that time. I would have never imagined a year ago that I would be sitting around in a café with amazing people who love Christ so much and just encouraging each other in our walk with our Savior. I can’t do anything but just say “thank you” to the One that made all this possible. God is just so amazing! I am just so thankful to have each one of those friends in my life for this season. We are a unique group of personalities that perfectly fit each other for this new chapter up ahead. I enjoy hanging out with each and every one of them in their own ways. With challenges that we are already facing this semester I know that God will use each of us to challenge and encourage each other to grow deeper in Him. I’m excited to see what God holds for these next few months. I know He has amazing things in store and we’ll face it together each step of the way. :)

So when you are in doubt or worry, don’t be cuz God always has plan, and He will never leave His children. He promised that in His word. Take my word for it, having experienced it myself. Always hold on to His word and never let the enemy to fill your mind with lies. God cares about you more than you could ever know. Take that to heart :)

A Glass of Water

As the sunset on that typical Sunday afternoon, everyone got ready for the week ahead; never expecting what would happen next… In just a few short hours the silent night sky was interrupted with the booming noise that came two blocks away from our house along with screams that got louder and louder by the second. The beautiful night sky covered with a blanket of stars disappeared as thick black smoke dominated the clear air.

I was in my room on my computer chilling after a long day when I smelt the smoke from my windows, as if the very smell itself came to tell me of the news. Not long after, dad rushed in the house asking me to call the fire station. I panicked as I fumbled through the pages of the phone book looking for the emergency numbers. I dialed the numbers nervously and waited a few rings before someone picked up. I could hardly get the words out from the shock. Our family looked at the balcony staring at the flames that got bigger and bigger. I felt helpless, I needed to do something…I knew our church was doing something for sure about this, so I told my folks I would go to the church to see what I could do there. So I rushed out the door and ran a block towards our church…not knowing what to expect…

I could see people running the opposite direction from me as I headed towards the church, from afar I could see tons of people gathered around church, some were standing and others were running in and out dropping things off. As I got closer I saw a bunch of the girls from our worship team just agonizing over the events that were unfolding before them. I was just shocked… I could have never imagine such a scene, people were everywhere crying in corners, whaling thinking they have lost their family members, panicking, running, screaming each time a loud bang came from the burning sight. It was unbearable…I could feel my heart beating faster and faster as the situation sank in. My heart went out to everyone around me, and then out of nowhere a rush of thoughts hit me like a train. “What if I was in their shoes?” “What if it was my family member was left behind?” “What if my house was the one caught on fire?” I was so scared…My whole body started shaking as the response to my emotions. My heart sank..I felt hopeless…but then I looked at everyone around me who was actually going through it. I didn’t know what to do but just hug people around me.

Somehow I still didn’t feel that it wasn’t enough, I looked around to see if anyone else needed help. I saw a water container with cups around them, but no one was drinking them or knew they were there for that matter. So my brother and I took cups around to different people who needed water, especially the kids that look terrified. It felt pretty small…yet it was the only thing I knew I could do at that time…It was then where I felt I was finally doing something God called me to. After what seemed like a long transition in college, I finally felt my purpose in life again. And it all just started with a glass of water.

Everything is alright now, they got rid of the fire within 30 mins after it started, although at that time it felt like an eternity. Please continue on praying for the families that lost their homes in this event. Thankfully no one got killed or injured badly. Thank you so much!

Love is in the Air

That time of year has once again befallen us; that time of year when the post office is like busy beehive with all the mail they get. It’s that time where people send cards, flowers, chocolate and anything you can think of to their significant other to show them how much they care. Yes, you’ve guessed it, it’s Valentine’s Day. People gives so much emphasis to it that they would go and do things above and beyond the normal things they do. Just to make sure that the one they love get that three word message. This “holiday” has become so popular in the recent years that a lot of people would have to book certain events months in advance for this day.

People just put so much effort into this one day just to show that they care, but that just got me wondering…do we ever go through that much trouble showing God that we care about Him? I mean I go through life mostly saying the words “I, and me” over and over again with very selfish motives in order to please my desires. Cuz I want to be comfortable and I want people to love me and know that I am loved. And all too often I fall into the trap of wanting the people around me to satisfy my wants and ignore what’s going on in theirs, instead of putting myself aside and putting others first. Jesus shrunk the Ten Commandments for us down to two: Love God and love others (Matthew 22:36-40). And this time of year always gets me thinking, if I have shown love to Christ by loving others. I’m merely human so obviously I can’t love everyone all the time, but Christ is the perfect example of that. So this Valentine’s Day season I am reflecting on how I can take time to actually show others I care about them. I mean if none Christians can do it for the ones they love on this special day, shouldn’t we as Christians be able to do it all the more cuz we have a Savior that loves us soo much that He was willing to die on the cross just to be with us for all eternity? Can’t be we moved by that? That someone was willing enough to die for us. In John 15:13 it says “Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.” There is no grater love than there is of Jesus Christ, why can’t we show Him how much we love Him on this day. To close my thoughts off I’ll end with one of my favorite songs from Tenth Avenue North called Beloved

You're my beloved
Lover I'm yours
Death shall not part us
It's you I died for
For better or worse
Forever we'll be
Our Love it unites us
It binds you to me
It's a mystery

In what ways can we show our love for Him today? and Happy Valentine's Day Everyone!

Picture by Abbie Wright

Freedom!

If you haven't heard the loud cheers and the honking horns from the streets of Egypt to your corner of the world; I am pleased to share the news with you! Egypt's President Mubarak has finally resigned! After about two weeks of dedicated protests the people's voices have been heard and it brought about change that would impact the course of history forever. Thank you so much for all your prayers! I appreciate it from the bottom of my heart. :)

I remember back when I was a junior in high school a friend of mine once prayed that we would be a generation that will impact the world. I have never thought of that before. I never thought of the big picture as a whole when the youth of my generation would make a dent in this world for Jesus Christ. Thinking through these past few weeks with what has been going on in Egypt and being worried about the people I loved that were still there it got me thinking of the big picture once again and was reminded of that prayer. The Egyptian people were sick and tired of their government not bringing about the change they expect from their country. So they took it into their own hands and started the protests. Of course their cries were heard not only in Taharir Square, but all over the world. When it first started they were just ignored and the government didn't think they would cause permanent damage, but as the days went by the people united together and persistently kept on going. They loved their country and could not bear to see the future of their families suffer through what they had because of their government. They took a stand, took a risk that now has affected Egypt forever more.

It got me thinking, what if we as Christians had that kind of passion for bringing Heaven on earth, to see the lost get found, to continue on "protesting" until our voices get heard all around the world. I'm not saying that we do this in a violent way, or all protest in a square that can fit 3 million people until we get what we want, what I am saying is that what if we all desperately wanted to see change in our world today that we don't stop until we see that happen. What if we all fought for the Kingdom and bring every lost soul to Christ and show the world how amazing our God is. No matter how hard the world might push us down we still seek for a brighter tomorrow just like the Egyptians did. What if our generation devoted our every move, thought, and action fully to our Lord and the overflow of His love for us overflows to people around us; we so long to please no one, but our Creator that we go out of our way to put others first than ourselves. Wouldn't the world see that and wonder what this is all about? Wouldn't that be something that would impact history forever?

Just something I've been thinking about these past few days. Let me know your thoughts on this topic, it would be cool to hear ya'lls responses. Feel free to comment below. Thanks again for all the prayers. :)

Photo by very esteemed photographer from Cairo, Egypt GJ Tesar

Thank You

    To everyone who has been praying for Egypt and my friends I just want to say THANK YOU SOO MUCH! These past few days have not been easy for any of them or even us half way across the world freaking out cuz we can't reach them. But PRAISE THE LORD they have internet now and all of them have contacted me in one form or another indicating that they are in fact safe and unharmed. They are either still in Egypt or flew out with their families. According to one of my friends they do not feel like they are in danger because the people have military protecting them in every single neighborhood in Cairo, and people voluntary looking after their neighborhood taking shifts. She says it's not a protest against religions but between the people and the government. She and a bunch of other friends of mine don't feel threatened at all. I am thankful for their safety and Praise God who has protected them through the whole time. I ask ya'll to continue on praying for Egypt as they are in the midst of what my high school principal calls a Revolution. Thank you once again for praying for my friends' and family friends' safety this means the world to me. So I thank you all and encourage you to keep joining me in prayer.

Home

Home is a place where people usually go to see their family. A place where they are familiar to the environment and would know each little corner and every little store within a 10 mile radius. They are familiar with their environment, the culture, the people, and the lifestyle. It’s a place where they feel comfortable and know the ins and outs of the country. Where most people are given the privilege to live that kind of lifestyle, we TCKs/MKs aren’t. We don’t grow up living in the same place all our life. We can’t go to the same ice cream store we used to when we were eight. Walks through the same park with our families don’t exist anymore. Seasons of the year can change each time Dad announce it's time for another move. Familiarity is a vague concept in our minds just as the word “home” doesn’t ring much of a bell either. We are constantly moving, constantly having to face change: of new addresses, new cities, new cultures, and new people. The packing, unpacking, getting used to the new location, and finding new friends (if there are any) all come with the package of being a TCK/MK. Change is something we are more familiar to rather than the complacency of living in a place we have been so comfortable with.

Although it is hard to move around all the time it’s actually pretty rewarding. As I stay at home through my semester break I am starting to realize how much moving around and knowing so many people all over the world have blessed me. As I went back to my old school this week I thought through the memories I once had there: The things we used to do, the places my friends and I would have lunch, the spot we used to chill and hang out after school. As I passed by the narrow halls of my old school I looked around for familiar faces and found a couple that still remembered me. Little brothers that I’ve mentored in the past or were in the same drama class were all grown up, and still remembered the things that we used to do six years ago. Having to move a lot didn’t just mean goodbyes it also meant that you get to know and meet new people all the time or people you’ve known in your past. I love meeting up with a few friends from my past here and also friends of friends in Egypt. So even though there will be those times that I would sit around missing people from different parts of the globe there will always be a memory of them with me and of me with them. Especially in the Christian circle, you are just tied together somehow it’s pretty awesome. Cuz a few weeks ago I met up with a friend and his family that knew a friend of ours in Egypt. Our families were just able to get along and talk about anything especially seeing what God is doing in our lives and how He got us there. It was pretty awesome cuz we didn’t know this family very well, yet we just clicked like we were just family for being with Christ. It was a pretty awesome feeling.

So over the years I have realized that home isn’t a particular location, although I might still call the Philippines, Egypt, and South Korea home, to me home has become the place that the ones I care about are. It’s the place I had those great memories and cherished those precious hours we spent together. In the end of the line home becomes our ultimate destination; Heaven. Where we will all be together with our King one day.

So now most of you know why my heart and thoughts have been about Egypt these days. And I’m sure if you’ve lived there you would understand what I am talking about. The people there have all been a blessing to us and have impacted our hearts beyond anything we can imagine. As much as we had to leave them at one point they are still part of our lives and with what is going on with the people and the government there we can’t help but think about the people we care about all the time. Thinking if they are alright, if they have enough food (since from what I’ve heard stores have closed down in some places), if the schools have closed down, if they are still living “normally” before all this came about. With no internet connection and just hearing from friends that are updating their statuses for them we don’t know what else to do but continue on praying for them. It’s been a rough week but all we can do right now trust God and believe that He has a purpose through all this. May God keep them safe as this piece of history in the making unfolds.

Happy Birthday Little Brother!

Ok so as most of you know, it’s my baby brother Michael’s birthday today! He just turned thirteen and about to enter his teen age years! I still can’t believe my baby brother is all grown up! It seemed like yesterday I was going to go visit him in the hospital for the first time. I remember my mom telling me to be careful with holding him cuz babies are very delicate, and now he's way taller than me even though I am six years older than him. It seemed like ages ago when he, Josh, and I would be playing together in the snow when we used to live in Korea or drinking hot chocolate together. The good days…well since it’s his birthday I thought it would be nice to just appreciate him on his special day! I love my brother’s artistic ways, how me manages to make art out of anything! I love how me makes me cards on random occasions and how he me paints creative things to light up our house. I love the joyful personality God has given him and I am thankful that he is my brother! I know that these years will only be the beginning of the amazing journey God has for you, Mike. May you continue to be encouraged to run the race that is before you. I love you tons!

Your Sister Always,

Marie