Hello Post it's been a long time.
Just wanted to free flow. What has been going on in my life, well a lot actually. I just got back from an amazing trip from the Philippines where I got to experience poverty up close. Not only was I able to experience poverty but I got to see God's people doing something about it. I believe God can end poverty. But for some unknown reason beyond you and me, he wants to include us in His great work.
It was my first mission trip of any kind. In college I avoided mission trips, not sure why. Maybe because I never wanted to be sent permanently. But now I am hooked. Send me on another mission trip soon. It's just amazing being in God's presence and his work all day every day. We had a missionary from China come speak at our church recently, he is looking for short term missionaries , I immediately wanted to go. We are having a meeting with him this Wed to discuss.
I hate crying, but I have been crying a lot lately. I cried when I gave my Philippines presentation, I cried last Sunday after the missionary shared his testimony about China. Not really sure what is going on, I think it is God stirring my cold, cold heart.
The devil is real, I truly believe that. As soon as I came back from the Philippines, I was kind of on this spiritual high. The devil hates that and I believe that he tried his best to bring havoc and mayhem into my life as quickly as he could so I would stop being joyful. It worked. But through God's grace I feel like I came out it stronger and I think maybe my family did too.
I met a woman in the Philippines named Nelly. For some reason I love that name. I was seated next to her on both plane rides over to the Philippines. We got to talking and I found out she sponsored like 10 children over her life. This trip to the Philippines was her 5th! During our conversation I kept thinking what a strong wonderful woman. I immediately wrote down in my journal, that I bet I could bench press over 5 times what she could, but the strength of her spirit dwarfed mine.
We became pretty close on the trip though she didn't speak much, I don't either for that matter. But I shared about her during our wrap up session and I shared about her at church a couple weeks ago when I gave my testimony. But I left out the most important part.
During one of the days over there Nelly asked me how many people she thought were on that plane where we were seated next to each other on. I said, “I don't know 700”?
Then she said, “Do you think it was a coincidence we were seated next to each other?” I guess I didn't give it much thought.
Before we went on the trip to the Philippines, the group that was going shared some exchanges over email. I wrote about how I was worried about the heat in the Philippines since it’s my kryptonite, then I wrote something pretty poignant, I said even though I am always physically hot, I am spiritually cold and have been struggling spiritually for awhile now. Nelly said since she read that email God put it on her heart to pray for me every day. And she did, during her walks she would pray for this stranger from across the country she didn't even know.
I was blown away, still am. I am convinced that her prayers helped me meet and experience God all the more during my time in the Philippines. She and I still exchange emails periodically. She emailed me today and said that she still prays for me every day. What a wonderful woman! Mary and I call her the grandmother we never had. I hope we can visit her one day in Florida. She worked for Disney World and offered to be our tour guide. How much would the kids love that! God bless you Nelly! You bring tears to this cold hearted man’s eye.
Just wanted to free flow. What has been going on in my life, well a lot actually. I just got back from an amazing trip from the Philippines where I got to experience poverty up close. Not only was I able to experience poverty but I got to see God's people doing something about it. I believe God can end poverty. But for some unknown reason beyond you and me, he wants to include us in His great work.
It was my first mission trip of any kind. In college I avoided mission trips, not sure why. Maybe because I never wanted to be sent permanently. But now I am hooked. Send me on another mission trip soon. It's just amazing being in God's presence and his work all day every day. We had a missionary from China come speak at our church recently, he is looking for short term missionaries , I immediately wanted to go. We are having a meeting with him this Wed to discuss.
I hate crying, but I have been crying a lot lately. I cried when I gave my Philippines presentation, I cried last Sunday after the missionary shared his testimony about China. Not really sure what is going on, I think it is God stirring my cold, cold heart.
The devil is real, I truly believe that. As soon as I came back from the Philippines, I was kind of on this spiritual high. The devil hates that and I believe that he tried his best to bring havoc and mayhem into my life as quickly as he could so I would stop being joyful. It worked. But through God's grace I feel like I came out it stronger and I think maybe my family did too.
I met a woman in the Philippines named Nelly. For some reason I love that name. I was seated next to her on both plane rides over to the Philippines. We got to talking and I found out she sponsored like 10 children over her life. This trip to the Philippines was her 5th! During our conversation I kept thinking what a strong wonderful woman. I immediately wrote down in my journal, that I bet I could bench press over 5 times what she could, but the strength of her spirit dwarfed mine.
We became pretty close on the trip though she didn't speak much, I don't either for that matter. But I shared about her during our wrap up session and I shared about her at church a couple weeks ago when I gave my testimony. But I left out the most important part.
During one of the days over there Nelly asked me how many people she thought were on that plane where we were seated next to each other on. I said, “I don't know 700”?
Then she said, “Do you think it was a coincidence we were seated next to each other?” I guess I didn't give it much thought.
Before we went on the trip to the Philippines, the group that was going shared some exchanges over email. I wrote about how I was worried about the heat in the Philippines since it’s my kryptonite, then I wrote something pretty poignant, I said even though I am always physically hot, I am spiritually cold and have been struggling spiritually for awhile now. Nelly said since she read that email God put it on her heart to pray for me every day. And she did, during her walks she would pray for this stranger from across the country she didn't even know.
I was blown away, still am. I am convinced that her prayers helped me meet and experience God all the more during my time in the Philippines. She and I still exchange emails periodically. She emailed me today and said that she still prays for me every day. What a wonderful woman! Mary and I call her the grandmother we never had. I hope we can visit her one day in Florida. She worked for Disney World and offered to be our tour guide. How much would the kids love that! God bless you Nelly! You bring tears to this cold hearted man’s eye.
6 comments:
:)
thanks for sharing your heart. i plan to go to the philippines again in june.
that's awesome Jin, I'm glad to hear that God's been doing some good stuff in your and your families life! I can totally relate to you in this blog, and I hope God continues to bless you.
Thank you guys.
That's great Pastor Joe! Is it a mission trip?
yes, mission trip. dennis kang is a great fighter.
Yeah Dennis Kang went to our church for a while.
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