joy is giving-Feb 17, 2011

Hello,

it's starting to feel like Spring..which only means it's starting to feel closer to Boards Step 1. Anyways, although I haven't been faithful in having devotion to God and writing in my prayer journal everyday, it has been definitely helping I believe in my relationship with God. I'm nowhere where I want to be and I don't think I will ever be where I want to be, but it's a journey. Perhaps someday I can take a look at this and see what I was thinking at the time. Anyways, life isn't too exciting and I don't have much to write about my personal life. It's not like I'm traveling the world or volunteering in some foreign country, but sometimes it's the little things in life that really count, like the other night having dinner with Brinja and just spending time with her is something I cherish. I"d say it's even better than traveling alone in Paris or Rome all by myself. Anyways,

this is a page in my prayer journal that i thought I might share. I also read from Matthew Chapter 14 about the miracle Jesus performed in feeding the 5,000+

Dear God,

true joy is giving. You commanded the disciples to "Give them someting to eat." The miracle of the bread and feeding the 5,000 teaches me to "give them something to eat" instead of sending people to someone else when they need to know about God's love. I'm always surrounded by people in need, and You promise you are right there with me. You promise to multiple what small talents I have God-just as you did with the loaves of bread. You declare in the Word, "Give and you will receive." Help me to realize joy is in giving. I can receive more only when I have shared what I have. The more I share with others, the more I can learn from God and the greater my joy can be. You gave Jesus the power to multiply the food. You passed it on to the disciples-they passed it on to the crowd- and now it is passed onto me. Help me to pass it on to my families, friends, loved ones, and even strangers and to those who hate me..so that one day we can share this miracle food together. Amen"

eden

the game

it's not about whether you win or lose, but it's all about how you played the game.

"Make each day your Masterpiece."-John Wooden

I heard the most famous, arguably the best basketball coach to ever live speak my sophomore year while playing on the basketball Varsity for San Gabriel Academy at the Pasadena Civic Center. He was the best coach not because of X's and O's but simpyl because he just carried on his philosophy of life onto the basketball court.

Basketball has been a passion of mine since I was a little boy playing basketball with my brother and his friends in the backyard. Memories playing with my friends on Saturday afternoons to winning championships in tournaments is something I reminsce about all the time, but what I cherish more is the life lessons it taught me about hard work, determination, teamwork, and never giving up. In a way, basketball and it's experiences has a big part in the person I am today.

"Success comes from knowing that you did your best to become the best that you are capable of becoming."

taking time to pray

how often do I pray? I'd honestly say...once a weeek at most, which is sad to say. I've been even having these devotions everyday in the morning, and sometimes I skip prayer and decide to just study the Word. Just from reading the Bible, no one was ever busier, no one ever carried greater burdens than Jesus, but He often took time out to pray! Time after time you see that He got up very early, or went away into the mountains to pray. He was totally dependent on God, leaving his sorrows and fears with God.

I have at times experienced this kind of of prayer, yet I do not know why I do not experience it everyday! It's definitely possible, and God wants you to do it. The silence in my soul allows me to hear the voice of God, yet often I get clouded by the noise and blunders of the unimportant things. True rest and peace are found.

If you read this post Eden, take time to share your needs, trust me you won't be disappointed. Ask for wisdom to deal with the pressures of life, and He will give you rest. Do it...now!

brinja's bright future

Brinja's graduation was great and now she's moving on to the next stage in her life! she's definitely got the greatest family along with such loving friends! Her face just exudes kindness and love with a beautiful shine of optimism for the future! may God continue to bless her!

My greatest fear..

the picture is taken on the Oregon Coast, where I went with my family, my cousin Mike and my aunt, and Brinja. It was beautiful sunset and I just wanted you to appreciate God's beauty before you read my blog.




My greatest fear I've always said was the fear of failure. I can't imagine failing a test, or even medical school. However, the sermon I heard yesterday at the LLU church was about the best thing you can do for your life and the speaker was Randy Roberts. He quoted Francis Chen, and this quote struck home with me, and it might with you also. It is this "The greatest fear ought not to be failure, but the fear of success that does not matter."-Francis Chen.

Again, the greatest fear ought not to be failure, but the fear of success THAT DOES NOT MATTER!"

wow, too many times i'm afraid of failing to be successful at the things that does not matter. The best thing you can do for yourself is to know your purpose. This was the topic RAndy Roberts spoke about yesterday and I 100% agree with him. This is assuming of course that you have taken Jesus as your Saviour and have already decided to start a continual, growing relationship with Him. But back to knowing your purpose, when you know your purpose, remember it, and live it, all you have to be is what He made you to be.

For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. 12 Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. 13 You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart." -Jeremiah 29:11-13

Isn't that an awesome promise? God has plans for you and I. Like me, if you constantly ask yourself the question, "What is my purpose in life?" I believe God has the answer, seek Him first, with all your heart, and He will surely reveal your plans of great hope and a future.

pure joy

sitting in a desk all day studying can get really tiresome, but whenever I think of this awesome girl it just brings me pure joy and inspiration. there's only so many people that bring this kind of joy! she's graduating tomorrow from dental hygiene, which definitely had its challenges and obstacles but she did super great in school! She's beautiful, intelligent, caring, the best listener, and one hilarious comedian (aalthough you might not know it), and just the everything I could ask for. I'm so proud of her.

We both started school around the same time and I always complained about my school work or how busy it was. She always listened and yet hardly ever complained about her ridiculous teachers or all the problems she had at school. I definitely leaned on her and without all of her support I would have been nowhere near I am today. She only makes me want to do the best! I love her!

Congratulations Brinja on graduating!

now make some money and feed me!

the wisdom of advice

1-27-2011

Proberbs 13:10: Pride only breeds quarrels, but wisdom is found in those who take advice.

Proberbs 11:14: without wise leadership, a nation falls; there is safety in having many advisers

My prayer for today

Dear God,

you are the Ultimate Adviser and you give me advice everyday in Your word, through nature, are also through the kind, loving acts. Help me to listen and take in that advice. Change my heart God, make it pure and true. Help me to trust in all you do and not to be afraid

Today I read the story today about the Storm on the Sea, and the disciples while in the storm became afraid because they forgot you were in the boat! Help me to realize that You'll always be on the boat no matter how bad the storm. Teh disciples forgot your miracles and ultimately lost faith and trust in you. Too many times I have done the same and I try to weather the storm by myself, by my own strengths only to be crushed and drowned by the roaring waves of live. In Mark 4:40, you asked the disciples "Why are you afraid? Do you still have no faith?" This showed by trusting you with our lives there are no reasons to be afraid and worried. Help me to take in your wisdom and to trust You in all of my ways. I love you.

Amen

making an eternal difference

Last week we had a discussion about what it really means to be a missionary/Christian. The question Dr. Soderling poses are questions that we brought up in our discussion such as, “Is our mission just to do good work?” Does being the ultimate Christian mean only to love others?

While definitely loving others is the golden rule and the pillar of our faith, our actions and by witnessing the truth that God loves us should be an action stemming forth from that love. When Jesus was on this earth, he was in fact on a “short-term missionary” and gave sermons, healed people, and performed miracles that drew people in to hear more about God’s love. Jesus cared about the diseases and pains people had, but he cared even more about their salvation! Remember when Jesus healed the blind man, he didn’t say “Now you can see!” but instead said “Now you’re sins are forgiven.” Why do you think Jesus said this?

As future doctors, we will be given tools to heal people and help alleviate pain, yet I believe by being a doctor we are also given an amazing opportunity to reach out to people in their most vulnerable stages of life to make an eternal difference.

bible class discussion

As I sit in the back of Augie's Coffee Shop, facing the red brick wall with dim lighting, I think about last night's discussion in Dr. Sorojkool's class. What does it mean to be a missionary? How can we reach out to different cultures about Jesus without forcing our cultures upon them. There was an article about "anticolonialism" which was pretty interesting. I reminisce back to Korea where I taught a religion class to four adults who were eager to learn English. One was a professor, two business men, and one stay at home mother.

The first day of class I was intimidated, how can I reach out to them? What can I do as a missionary, as a Christian? How can I answer there difficult questions. For example "Eden, will there be people in Heaven that are not SEventh-Day Adventists? Will there be people in Heaven who never accepted Jesus? WHy do people tell us the only way to be saved is being a Christian? What about all our ancestors who never heard about Jesus? Does that mean they will not go to Heaven even if they were very good people?" How does a 22 year old answer life's questions?

The Bible clearly states Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life. The only way through the Father is through Jesus. Salvation is only through Jesus Christ. I remember searching for answers, and I can't remember the specific verse but there was a verse mentioning that God will judge each person according to their heart, their search for truth, and their stage in life.

Trying to eagerly answer their questions and sometimes coming up empty handed made me feel less of a missionary. I've been born as a Seventh-Day Adventists, went to Sabbath School every Saturday since I could remember, went to a Christian school my whole life, and yet I couldn't answer one of the first questions an atheist had for me. I truly cared for my students (when I call them my students it seems so weird because they were so much older and I respected them so much), but I truly cared for their salvation, their eagerness to learn about Christianity, and to reconstruct their worldly distorted views of who Christians were. I tried to show them kindness and love, but was never able to answer all of their questions

At the end when I was about to return to the US, the four students wanted to take me out to dinner. We went to a nice Chinese restaurant, and we took pictures, talked about family, and finally talked about our class. Unfortunately, although I wish It could be some happy ending where all 4 were baptized, were still atheists. Yet, they thanked me for showing them kindness and perhaps a different view of Christians and what Christ was all about, love. I tried to reshape their thinking about Christianity as a religion not based on works, but based on love and faith. However, it wasn't until later that I realized whatever I said or my answers was not REALLY missionary work is about.

It is about sharing the truth in love, many people have different gifts in sharing the gospel. For example, some have the gift of music while others have the gift of interpretization. However, as Christians our main principle when sharing the gospel should be based on love, a deep commitment in helping them find what we believe is the way, the truth, and the life. From the New International Version Ephesians 4:15 says “Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is Christ.” In sharing the gospel, it is not forcing our culture upon them but it is essentially an act of love, and by doing this we become more like Christ.

In love, we are called to be missionaries, which does not mean going out to a different country, but really sharing the truth, whether to your brother or to some stranger.

Now, back to the question, to the question that Joel Olsteen couldn't even answer when Larry King asked him, "Can you be saved only through Jesus Christ?" My answer to this is, YES-IT is only through Jesus Christ that we are saved.

HOWEVER, to my atheist friends, Ellen G. White does mention that there will be people in Heaven who never heard of Jesus Christ. Now, what does this mean? Even though there are people who never heard of Jesus, they will be judged according to their search for truth and by what was in their hearts, however, it is still through Jesus Christ that they are saved, otherwise we would all be dead to sin. I am not saying I am biblically correct, but that was just an epiphany i had last night, If you disagree, please enlighten me. :) thanks

my prayer on 1-14-10

this Friday morning,
since the start of 2011 I have been writing in a prayer journal and started off reading Desire of Ages by E.G White. I read the chapter about Jesus' Sermon on the Mount and this was my prayer, which I would like to share with whoever reads this, if anyone does at all. I share this not to show how good of a Christian I am, but how much I am in need of Jesus, and hopefully to make you realize that you need God in your life as well.

1-14-10
Dear God, I have just read your sermon by th eSea and it seems like it was directly speaking to me. I have been known to have too much pride, but God let me make a conscious effort each moment to be humble, for humility is the key to a successful Christian life. Let me realize that I am Your child which is very honorable but at the same time very humbling. I have also wished to reflect Your awesome character, and God help me to do this more than anything else in life. God, let my life, my thoughts, my studiesbe a constant surrender to you. I declare TODAY that I am in Your hands. Against sin, let me feel ain and sorrow so much when I am selfish and turn away form You and Your will. I understand each time I sin I hurt and wound you, so let me hate sin so much and resist its temptations. Through suffering, You show me my weaknesses yet You offer Your power to change. Strengthen m weaknesses Lord as I accept your power. I can do all things through You who strengthens me. To understand and grasp Your infinite love, I am stopping to put self first, and You as the #1 priority in my life. Let me feel true peace, which the only real power for true peace is You in my heart.

Amen

God's image

What does it made to be made in God's image?

I read a book during Christmas break called "The Shack" and although some may not have liked it for other reasons I really enjoyed the dialogue a person has with God in the book. I have also been reading Patriachs and Prophets written by Ellen G. White where she has provided added color the Old Testament and what happened to the stories we have all heard about Adam and Eve, Noah, Jacob and Esau, Able and Cain. I really recommend you to read it and it will give bring a lot more meaning to the old Bible stories. She does a way of making the stories relevant to today and in your life. Anyways, getting back on track, I thought of what it means to be made in God's image and like to share this thought with you.

A birds not defined by being grounded but by his ability to fly.
Remember this, humans are not defined by their limitations, but by the
intentions God has for us, not by what they seem to God, but by
everything it means to be created in God's image.

We often defines ourselves but what we can't do instead of what we CAN do. We forget that we were made in God's image, in the full extent of His love. To me, it's amazing how God created us in His image, and makes me proud of who I am and what I am capable of doing with God in command of my life.

Wish me luck on studying for boards by the way on June 3, 2011! and pray for me, as I'll be happy to pray for you as well! :)