Tuesday, December 27, 2011

snowflakes.

like the fat flakes that shower down endlessly from above,
such is the abundance of God's relentless love.


but I don't want it to so quickly melt away,
just like I wish this wasn't already my last day.
(in Michigan/with my parents)








Hmm. Not sure where that came from. I'm definitely not a poet o.O

Sunday, December 25, 2011

[p11] the bottom of our joy.

(started/saved on 4/10/11)

For our evening session, we had...John Piper! That was kinda exciting, since I knew a bit about him, a ton about how awesome he was (at least from people I knew and respected), but I'd barely read or heard anything by him. His sermon (which you can still listen to!) was SUPER GOOD. It was about getting to the bottom of our joy...basically, when we examine our hearts, what is the eventual root cause of it all? Of everything? The example he used was: say we're happy because we get a good grade on a test. Why does that make us happy? Because good grades = good job opps. Why does that make us happy? Because good job opps = better life, happier parents, etc. But at the very end of the chain, what is the root of our joy? What is our purpose in life?
Piper's main point, basically, was that it pretty much comes down to two things: it's either us or God. And if it's not God, it won't prove to be enough in the end. I have more notes in my old planner (which is not currently with me), but I think he made a few points about how God glorifies us and also how it's even more awesome that God is ultimately made much of. It was reaaaaaally good. Very convicting and also encouraging. (Just click the link and listen yourself! :D It's a blessing that it's saved online for future/repeat listening.)

The only other thing I remember now from Saturday night was that Chris Tomlin led worship, anad when we sang "Spirit Fall", at the end, we just kept singing, "Spirit fall, Spirit fall, Holy Spirit fall, fall on me." Man, was it a beautiful sound :) Loving Father, I hope it was sweet music to Your ears as well.

[p11] carry Your name.

(started/saved on 4/10/11)

So all I can remember now is that this was the last session of Passion on Sunday morning. Can't even remember anything from the worship session anymore, just Louie Giglio's message (but that's what was good!). I just remember he started by listing a TON of brand names and names of rock stars, and then talking about the concept of carrying a name. These names (Nike, Puma, Louie Vuitton, Gap, Obama, Lady Gaga, Justin Bieber) only carry any weight or import because of those who carry them--us. Even though the names are famous, they are only this way because we choose to make them that way. Whether we're wearing them, going to their concerts, voting for them, or just talking about them (most likely in a positive light)...we are carrying their names. We are making them known more. We are showing others through our words and actions that we support those names, we love those names. I mean, we each have names, and I think it's easy to see and understand how much of our identity comes from our names.
(and you can kinda see where Louie was leading up to here)
But when we stop and think about it, about our lives--just a vapor in the wind, yet our only chance to witness to lost sheep in a dark and broken world--whose name should we be carrying? Whose name, above every other name (even our own)? Jesus Christ. He alone is worthy of all the glory, honor, and praise.
Why?
Because He obeyed the Father perfectly, suffering the most excruciating death, that we may have true life through Him:

"Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to His own advantage; rather, He made Himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled himself by becoming obedient to death—even death on a cross!
Therefore God exalted Him to the highest place and gave Him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father."
-Philippians 2:6-11

:)
And then I remember Louie announcing that we had raised more than enough to fund a 5-year translation project to translate the Bible into the Koso's native language (hmm, wonder how that's going. Haven't prayed over them in a while >.<), which was awesome! And he also introduced a new project, to raise money for rubble-removing machines for Haiti. Which, as I can see from the do.something.now website, was also accomplished! Along with their other projects. Man, God is good. Praises be to Him :)

Sadly, I can't really remember anything else from our small group time after that first Friday night :( but I do remember we took a group picture and just kinda wrapped up. I know they said that we would get a lot out of small group, but I also know it varies.
After Passion was over, we all went to lunch at Corner Bakery, and we met Jason's friend Katie! From Ohio. That was pretty neat :) and...that's all I can really remember right now >.<
But overall, I am just really, really thankful for the chance to go to Passion this past year :) for its proximity to us, for people who just kept suggesting for me to go (Daniel Kim), for rides and hotel accommodations...so good. I don't know if/when I'll get to go again, especially if they don't plan on returning to Fort Worth (maybe I'll fly to Atlanta one year!), but it was just such a powerful experience. The worship was so amazing (and the music still moves me deeply and brings me to my knees), the speakers made points that I still remember, and overall everything just made me fall even deeper in love with Jesus. What could be better? :)


Praying for Passion 2012!!

[p11] do something now.

Okay. So I hate saved drafts just sitting there (for my blog or my email) because I never got around to finishing what I started...so I'm forcing myself to finish these last 3 posts about Passion, even though 8.5 months has definitely put a lot of distance into my memory of it, sadly. I'll pull what I can so that I don't eventually forget it all :( Aileen, if you're reading this, hope it helps get you even more excited for next week! :)


(Yep...started/saved this on 4/10/11)

After the afternoon session let out, we had a three-hour break before the evening session. I took this time to check out the 268store (which sold Passion merchandise, like CDs, books, sermons, shirts) and the adjacent Go Center, which had a lot of different displays, focused towards the Koso people. I spent a while just looking at merchandise, especially this one book that documented their world tour, literally to cities ALL OVER the world...like in Japan, Singapore, Brazil, Ukraine, etc. Really awesome and mind-blowing, seeing that the Spirit of God is definitely moving and working in the young hearts in all those places :) ahhh, gives me chills! Even now.
I also spent a while just reading about the Koso people, as well as reading about the other projects that the Atlanta Passion 2011 attendees had raised money for. So encouraging :) I also ended up giving some for the Koso Bible translation (and it felt good!), and then I spent some time in the pillow/prayer area over them. Being by myself during that time was refreshing, actually :)

The other thing I did for the rest of my free time that day was go to the prayer room, which I really enjoyed (and recommend!). It was just a room set up with candles and different stations with different things to pray over--personally, locally, and globally. It was just a really good time of prayer :) and the last room, with just a big cross in the middle, was really powerful. Thankful that I got a chance to stop by there :) prayer rooms are always so awesome!

december 25th

Merry Christmas! :) forcing myself to at least post something on my blog, which has been inactive for much longer than I would like, sigh. God has really been teaching me what it looks like to be disciplined in studying (since He and I both know that my grades have never resulted from super intense studying...more from His grace, all the way). I was telling a friend about my past week and realized that I've spent about 10 or 11 hours a day studying/reviewing science material. WOW.

Praise God for study breaks! :) also, can't wait for onething in three days....ahhh!
Hopefully, 2012 will bring more blog posts from this end. We will see.