Hello again!

It's been a while since I written here... actually probably more than a month or so since the last update was from Taiwan. Nothing much to write about really other than being an intern at CLBC and working with Andrew Leeper.... But I also been wondering if anyone would like to see me write about my trip to East Asia (not Taiwan..) ..I have my journal with me and some of it would obviously would be in code and a bit hard to read... but it was also a good experience as well.. If interested... please tell me (somehow)... because I'm not going to spend time writing about it if there is 0 views on them... I'll spend about a week or so with one post each day...
OR.... if you think it's a bad idea... you can also tell me as well

Have a good day!

It's almost over...

The message on Wednesday went better than I expected, though no kids came forward, I could tell by the looks of the kids that they had a lot to think about... Lesson was about Noah's absolute faith. It was a bit shaky, but so were my first lessons that I've ever taught so I was a bit relieved that it wasn't a total disaster.

I spoke again on Thursday to my English class, telling them to never give up on learning another language. There's been an obvious improvement in their English since I've been there, the tutor sessions have even bought a girl's score up from a 0 to an 80.

Today was sort of a last day for me. I'll be back in two weeks to say my final goodbye, but as far as working there, it's all finished... Even so, it didn't feel like it since it was Children's Day today and most of the students were with their parents. I was fortunate, however, to participate in their flea market they held at their school. Most of the children were extremely happy to see me walking around and participating in helping them raise money.

Tomorrow, I'll be visiting my grandparents' grave on my mother's side of the family for the first time. Not much to say there... This is the last place of the places that I needed to go...

I'll be on a second site starting Monday... if you want to know where, ask Seth or Brandon... But most people by now should know where it is....

too sleepy to think of anything else or to check grammar on this...

Till Next Time!

Oh right.. I have a blog...

There hasn't been too much going on since the last update...
Every week's about the same... Often going out after church to see where God leads me. Had a few good encounters... and a few blah ones...

The trip itself is starting to wind down... I'm teaching my first devotion in Chinese for the church on Tuesday and Wednesday, so pray that goes well and have people respond to it. Currently, I'm in the process of translating the message from English to Chinese at the moment, but I'm feeling a little bit stressed since I wrote quite a lot down.

Overall, my Chinese have improved on this trip... but not to where I want it to be though. I have started to pick up on a lot of what people say.... especially today's sermon when we had a guest speaker. I noticed he didn't open his Bible along with the rest of congregation and I noticed he talked a lot about himself and a seminary... so basically the lesson today was his testimony.. which I really didn't care about. But he did end with an invitation, so mixed feelings there.... Usually when someone doesn't even quote scripture to support what they're talking about.. I tune them out...

Anyways, that's it for now... I'm a bit too tired to think of anything new right now.... I kept waking up to the bugs biting me again.... stupid mosquitoes >_<

Till Next Time!

And on the 7th day he rested

Yep, noticed that I didn't capitalize "he" otherwise it would imply that I'm God... which I'm certainly not.. (infinitely times not.... maybe even more..)
Anyways, it has felt like a long time since I've last updated... more than a week I think... Last week I was exhausted... mainly because last Sunday I felt that I needed to get out more and decided to hang out with my family on my mom's side... Bad idea... no, not because I don't like them, but I've gotten into a schedule where I rest on Sundays.. basically stay in my room with the lights dimmed, watch tv/get on the computer/anything free... Basically resting up for the next week....

So to sum it all up, last week was a pretty much a bust... A little less patient and a little less willing to be social whenever I went out.... which I tried everyday which also wasn't a good idea since I was ready to collapse on Friday... Although I did interact with a few people in the beginning of the week... the Buddhist didn't count however, since he was doing a ritual which is rude to interrupt...so I gave him a track and money instead...

So currently, I'm resting up for the next week... Watching Toy Story and just taking it easy... Hope the weather's better this week so I can go out and play some hoops with the kids which is where I have the best opportunity to witness..

As for the Japan earthquake, Japan is 1400 miles away from Taiwan... so we were lucky not to get hit with anything. A tsunami alert was in effect on Friday when the earthquake hit, but nothing big fortunately came our way... However, with the nuclear plants in danger of melting down, there is a 10% chance of the radiation reaching us if it does... Small chance, weather is favorable if it does.... but pray that it doesn't... 10% isn't high but it's still a possibility....

Of course, pray for safety for the rest of the trip... anything can happen from here till when I leave... I experienced a small earthquake when I was in Taiwan the last time I came... so again... anything can happen...

Till Next Time!

I feel like I'm thinking like Pastor Brandon...

scary isn't it?
Well, not at his level of thinking currently, more like his first few years at Cross Lanes back in the day... when I was in high school... (has it really been that long?)
Anyways, I remember back in the day... (uh oh.. sign that I'm getting old) when Brandon was trying to use activities to witness and invite youth to church.. such as Halo or basketball or something fun of the sort..

Wednesdays are basketball days, where I take the older kids to the local school and play some hoops with them. I do notice how much more I talk (or shout out) at other kids that don't belong to a church, such as inviting random people to play or just being a lot more open by talking to them... but I do need to be careful since I do represent a church and I don't want to hurt a witness.. But it leaves a lot of opportunities that I've been looking for
There was this huge guy today as well  who was sitting by himself and I was extremely close to talking to him, unfortunately, there were also 10 people telling me to continue playing (which I'm still shooting myself in the foot)

Earlier today I went to get my Visa renewed so I can stay longer... Hard to believe that it's almost been 2 months... definitely over halfway right now... I'm surprised of how fast this trip has gone... Reading back, it seems to drag on and on... probably because I was suffering so much.. But as of now... the weeks are flying by... mostly I enjoy my schedule.. wake up, work out, go to church, go out different subway stops, exploring and having an open heart; go home, sleep... and repeat.. keeps the days busy

I realized recently that my delivery in the Gospel is pretty weak right now, so I bought business sized cards with Bible verses on them so I can use them to help... I can drop them into beggar's hands or just give them out wherever...Even though, I do need to start translating the Romans road as well.

Also been walking around after I get done with my projects at church, if I have the energy to do it... Trying to pace myself and not get burned out too quickly... I keep reading about missionaries being burned out too quickly and have it affect their ministry so I'm currently trying to prevent that.

too many I's, me's, and my's on this one... sorry about it.. I hate talking about myself, but I can't really think around them for this posts... perhaps because I'm exhausted because today was an extremely long day...grammar is also really off as well.. but I blame that on how little English I've been speaking nowadays..

I think that's enough for today...
Till Next Time!

It's been more than a week...

since my last update...
Even so, there isn't much to update on... Whenever I can I try to go other places and see how God uses me outside of the house and church. On the side note, it also keeps me away from the overprotected aunt that treats me like I'm 13 instead of 23...

Teaching ESL is the same.. Kids are forgetting their materials which isn't good. One thing I realize is that the teachers are much more strict and meaner. They don't hold back on their anger and will yell at the kids instilling fear in them to make them improve and not make the same mistakes again... I've also noticed that it works... unlike in the US where every assumes the kid is right and the teacher is wrong. Too much babying the children in the US where they need to be cuddled and protected.... where in Taiwan, if the teacher yells at you.. you screwed up and made yourself and your family look bad...

I've haven't had a really good night of sleep this week... Mosquitoes have been attacking me and waking me up constantly in the middle of the night.. Sorry if it sounds like I'm complaining but it does get on my nerves having to wake up at odd hours of the night..

Other than that... I have nothing new

Till Next Time!

LOL@sin!

I see this issue as a pretty big problem currently in pretty much everyone's life... This doesn't exclude Taiwan or any other country... but I always see this in the U.S. basically because of how much sin is overlooked due to how liberal people are.

The Bible states in Proverbs 14:9: "Fools mock at sin, but among the upright there is favor". To mock is to make fun of, to ridicule, to laugh at... basically to make light of something... We obviously know what sin is, but Satan makes it so oblivious sometimes that it is extremely hard to tell what is sin. I'm obviously not going to tell you what sin is since it pretty much explains itself...

This is a tough issue to tackle since I mock sin myself... But I have started to watch what I watch... One of the programs that I now refuse to watch is Family Guy, which is basically what all college students watched pretty religiously... After being convicted about it since it clearly mocks sin and everything else in general, I stopped watching it. I used to remember what time it comes on, but now, I could care less. However, it doesn't make it easier that all my friends were watching it as well and asked if I watched the newest episode or if I remember "that joke"... which promptly ends it, "sorry don't watch that junk"...

But I also find people starting to mock sins blatantly...  If they struggle with a sin, instead of confronting it, they mock it! They try to make light of their weakness instead of confessing that they actually do have a huge problem on their hands.

As an example, I'll use myself. I'll admit, I had a problem with patience before, it went away during the college years, but I have now begin to discover it's starting to rear it's ugly head again... I've been wanting to get stuff now instead of later.. such as emails, messages, or gifts that I've been meaning to buy for people back home. I find myself hurried, that it needs to be bought today... while I should not exhaust myself by going out of my way but instead pace myself and wait for another day where I wouldn't be as tired (how dumb right?)

That's me, taking a weakness by the handle and overcoming a potential sin (wearing myself out, quicker to anger when I'm tired could destroy my witness)
If I make light of my impatience, I not only lie to myself, but impatience is the opposite of the fruit of the spirit: patience. Impatience isn't necessarily a sin, but if left unchecked could definitely lead to some major problems...

I believe pride could potentially be the worse of this. Not only are you not going to admit that you're prideful because.. well... you're too proud to admit it, but if you mock it, it's even worse... You start making light of this sin.. never to actually confront it and in turn just making your pride grow thinking that you've conquered it, but instead made it worse.

I've noticed a lot of "You're going to hell!" quotes on Facebook these days.... I hate those with a passion.. "but why? it's the truth" .. sure it's true if the person isn't saved... but as Westboro Baptist Church shows it, that is the worse way to witness to someone. Not only that, but they and similar followers of their dirty scheme have ruined countless witnesses around the world... especially at my school... It shatters my heart that people have turned to atheism just to prove this particular group they think is Christian wrong.... The barrier that my campus ministry group and myself faced was set up by so called Christians with their main quote "You're going to hell!" I'm sorry, but every time I hear it, I see people actually going to hell because of that quote. It's not funny at all to me and you shouldn't find hell funny either. There are a lot of people that's going to go to hell because of it and here we are laughing about it... Doesn't sound like a wise Christian at all nor does it display love like a Christian should.

Also remember, by mocking one sin, you're mocking it all.  James 2:10 clearly states it: "For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it." Basically, you're laughing at lust, lying, etc. And by that, you're laughing at the wife that was cheated on and the people that were hurt by embezzlement.

Now you know why laughing at sin is stupid? Sure it's not a sin, but it's completely unwise in the sense. Smart up, and worship God without being a complete fool!