It is by grace we have been saved

andrewnacho: the only life worth living is one lived in relentless pursuit of Youthen to realize in...

Mon, 27 May 2013 04:02:32 -0400

the only life worth living is one lived in relentless pursuit of You
then to realize in the end, it was You pursuing me all along

"The reason for much of our anger and much of our bitterness in a crucible of suffering is God prying..."

Mon, 27 May 2013 03:59:54 -0400

““The reason for much of our anger and much of our bitterness in a crucible of suffering is God prying open our hands and taking away something we’ve held onto more tightly than Him.””

- Tullian Tchividjian (via raisingmywhiteflag)

I would like to proclaim to the world that Joelle Cheng is the most selfless, loving person in the...

Thu, 09 May 2013 01:26:00 -0400

I would like to proclaim to the world that Joelle Cheng is the most selfless, loving person in the world and that I appreciate her SO SO much. I didn’t know where else to put it publicly (I don’t like making facebook statuses), so I am posting on tumblr for all to see. And Joelle, I know you will probably never see this unless you somehow know my tumblr or someone shows you, but Imma still post anyway!

Let me elaborate:

She spent over 5 hours from 4:30-10:00 pm helping me clean my room and she did my laundry with me. Note: this was no ordinary clean up/laundry day. Because my room was infested with bed bugs (floormate transferred it to our room…), we got our room treated today, but afterward, we had to wash all of our clothes. When I came back, our entire room was covered in debris and all of my & my roommate’s things (clothes, shoes, stuffed animals, suitcases, boxes, etc.) were mixed together in a huge pile. So, I had to sort through all of those things, vacuum the floor, move our beds/desks back into position, and wash all of my clothes.

But that’s not the point of this post. My point is that Joelle selflessly helped me with all of it: she helped sort/wash/fold my multiple loads of clothes, picked up things while I vacuumed, moved around furniture, made my bed, etc. She never complained or hesitated to help, and I didn’t even ask her to do most of the things that she did for me. She gave up 5+ hours of her day, during dead week while studying for finals, to help me with all of my things. That is sacrificial love right there. I don’t think I know anyone else other than my mom who would that that for me so willingly. And I’m seriously so in awe that God has provided me with such a beautiful, loving friend in my life. She reflects Christ’s image so well and I am sooo blessed to have her as a sister. Jesus, thank you so much for bringing her into my life. :)

Joelle better have the most loving, appreciative husband in the future because she is such a wonderful daughter of Christ. To any guy out there, you would be so, so lucky to even have her as a friend, let alone girlfriend. I will personally screen the people who like her to make sure she gets the best hehehe.

Okay, this is so long and I could write so much more but I will stop now. Point is, I LOVE YOU JOELLE CHENG, YOU ARE THE BEST FRIEND EVER <3

“Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.” - Romans 12:12 God, You...

Wed, 08 May 2013 02:34:00 -0400

“Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.”

- Romans 12:12

God, You have been testing me sooo much in my patience these last few weeks. Bed bugs, broken computer, sickness, and fires right by my family’s house? And all of that right before finals? It’s been hard. But I know that You will provide. I know that You are faithful. And I know that You are trying to teach me something through all of this. Please help me be patient with Your plan through all of this with Your joy, hope, and strength. I trust you!

"My faith rests not upon what I am, or shall be, or feel, or know, but in what Christ is, what He has..."

Mon, 29 Apr 2013 00:44:55 -0400

“My faith rests not upon what I am, or shall be, or feel, or know, but in what Christ is, what He has done, and what He is now doing for me.”

- Charles Spurgeon (via jspark3000)

"We can think of our inadequacies as terrible defects, if we want, and hate ourselves. But we can..."

Thu, 25 Apr 2013 19:52:25 -0400

“We can think of our inadequacies as terrible defects, if we want, and hate ourselves. But we can also think of them affirmatively, as doorways through which the power of grace can enter our lives.”

- Gerald May, Addiction and Grace
(via imsicknasty)

"It’s a most distressing affliction to have a sentimental heart and a skeptical mind."

Wed, 24 Apr 2013 14:55:24 -0400

““It’s a most distressing affliction to have a sentimental heart and a skeptical mind.””

- Naguib Mahfouz (via redwoodcollective)

A Son (Del Augusta's Blog): 10 GUYS EVERY CHRISTIAN WOMAN MUST AVOID

Tue, 23 Apr 2013 03:52:45 -0400

A Son (Del Augusta's Blog): 10 GUYS EVERY CHRISTIAN WOMAN MUST AVOID:

delaugusta:

So I was hanging out with some christian guys in Davis, CA and I thought I would never want my daughters to date these guys. hahahahah. So I thought, if I could tell my daughters the 10 guys I want her never to date, here’s what it would be. I’ll probably lose guy points for this but please share…

dude… not gonna lie, this is so true.

austinmeetsworld replied to your video: I literally have not been able to stop watching… Did i...

Fri, 19 Apr 2013 05:29:33 -0400

austinmeetsworld replied to your video: I literally have not been able to stop watching…

Did i just get a shout out?? *Austin has a heart attack*

HAHAHA yes you did :D i can’t take the creds for finding it heheh. you da special one

I literally have not been able to stop watching this video for...

Fri, 19 Apr 2013 04:38:24 -0400

I literally have not been able to stop watching this video for the last couple of days… It’s so beautiful. And so sad. But so beautiful. I almost wanted to cry…

Thank you for showing me this, Austin. :’)

“And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have...

Tue, 16 Apr 2013 20:35:39 -0400

“And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm, and steadfast.”

- 1 Peter 5:10

This last week has probably been one of the hardest, spiritually, for me this entire school year. Spiritual battle has never been so real to me, but Nancy reminded me of this verse and it brought me more peace and comfort than I’ve been able to feel for days. Thank the Lord for great sistas who are always ready to listen and encourage :)

Hearing about what happened in Boston today was so heart wrenching, especially after googling it and...

Mon, 15 Apr 2013 20:21:25 -0400

Hearing about what happened in Boston today was so heart wrenching, especially after googling it and watching the video of the live bombing. God, would you make it known that You are still a good, loving Father even amidst suffering and pain, and would You be glorified in this situation. I know You are the Comforter to the broken, and I can only pray that people would come to know who You are through this. You have something good planned to come out of this, I know it. Would Your peace reign down here on earth

WE ARE NO LONGER HOMELESS NEXT YEAR!!!

Sat, 13 Apr 2013 17:54:00 -0400

Joelle, Yehrin, Nancy, and I signed our apartment lease today!

Ahhhh it is such a releasing feeling to finally know that you have somewhere to live next year. We got the apartment complex we wanted, and apparently also the room that multiple people requested, even though we didn’t ask for that room. Amidst everything that has been going on lately, it’s so comforting to know that there’s one less thing to have to think about. Jesus provides :)

I feel like a big kid now.

"If people walk away saying ‘what a church!’ We have failed. But if they walk away saying ‘what a..."

Thu, 28 Mar 2013 02:02:43 -0400

“If people walk away saying ‘what a church!’ We have failed. But if they walk away saying ‘what a Savior!’ We have succeeded!”

- Charles Spurgeon (via theoldnewchurch)

Hallo Vancouver, God has made you quite beautiful :) Oh how I...

Mon, 25 Mar 2013 01:15:32 -0400

Hallo Vancouver, God has made you quite beautiful :)

Oh how I wish I could go touch that snow up on the mountains…

God has continually been reminding me that He lifts every single one of my burdens off of my...

Thu, 14 Mar 2013 06:21:00 -0400

God has continually been reminding me that He lifts every single one of my burdens off of my shoulders. With so many things happening and so many emotions and thoughts running through my head, I’ve been completely drained, both physically and mentally. My mind has been constantly running through my concerns for friends, family, relationships, schoolwork, summer plans, etc. I’ve felt so many attacks lately and I know it’s been a huge, exhausting test of my faith to see how far I’ll push to meet with God even amidst the suffering and the pain.

But the Lord has been assuring me that He is carrying me on His back and that as long as I have full faith and place my trust in Him, everything will fall into the place where He wants it to be. It gives me so much peace just to know that He is willing and able :) I really need to sow more into prayer and reading the Word faithfully and earnestly if I truly want to seek that close intimacy with Him.

“There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.”

-1 John 4:18

josephiinee replied to your post: I think today was the first time in a long time… WHY HAVE WE...

Sun, 10 Mar 2013 06:06:08 -0400

josephiinee replied to your post: I think today was the first time in a long time…

WHY HAVE WE NOT CAUGHT UP YET?! update mee on your lifeeeee it sounds soo exciting!!

ahhh i have so much to update you guys on! God has really been teaching me a lot. tell me when you’re freee :)

I think today was the first time in a long time that I’ve cried this hard for so long. But...

Sun, 10 Mar 2013 05:35:56 -0400

I think today was the first time in a long time that I’ve cried this hard for so long. But they were tears of joy :’) Prayers that I have been sowing so much of my heart into were answered tonight. Seeing God’s hand in healing broken relationships and reconciliation is just so, so beautiful. I’m speechless and my heart is so filled with joy. Thank you, Jesus!!

Appreciation

Fri, 08 Mar 2013 05:17:00 -0500

I really appreciate the small things people do :) Those are always the things that mean the most to me

Opening the door for people, including strangers
Taking care of you when you’re sick. Thanks momma <3
Giving really good hugs when you see each other :) I lub hugs
Insisting on doing something for you just because they want to even though it may not be necessary. I really appreciate Nancy and Joelle because they have endlessly walked me home late at night even though they were tired because they wanted to and they wanted me to get home safe. They’ve never asked, “Oh, can someone else walk you?” or complained about it and always do it with such a willing heart. There’s a huuge difference between doing it out of obligation and doing it because you want to and care about the person. Lately, I’ve realized that the heart really matters to me. I would rather someone not do something for me than do it because they feel like they have to or because they’ll get in trouble if they don’t. That’s definitely one of my biggest pet peeves, so I appreciate it extra when I know they do it because they want to :)
Random sweet comments. Nancy, Dawn, Norah, and I ran into Andrew Song and he completely randomly just said, “You guys are wonderful and you are beautiful.” Like that was seriously the most random thing in the world but it was so sweet because I could tell that he meant it
Generous acts of kindness. Joelle bought me a new sermon notebook because I finished my other one (HALLELUJAH!) and it was completely unexpected because I never asked her to get me one. I only told her that I finished mine and that I hadn’t gotten a new one yet, but she bought one for me. It was one of the most thoughtful things anyone has ever done for me, and my heart was overwhelmed with love <3

I could go on for days, but I would just like to thank everyone who does these things and I know a lot of you that have done this for me may not see this, but just know that I truly, truly appreciate you <3

INCREASE

Thu, 21 Feb 2013 06:29:55 -0500

“Give me faith

To trust what You say

That You’re good

And Your love is great”

How perfect is it that our theme for Living Water this semester is “INCREASE”? It’s been on my heart sooo much this last month, more than I can put into words. Lately, I’ve desired increase more and more. Increase in love. Increase in faith. Increase in intimacy. Increase in joy. Increase in humility. Increase in obedience. Increase in steadfastness. Increase in discipline. All of these so firmly rooted both in and for Him. He is my firm foundation. He is the source of my joy, hope, and strength.

How much the Father longs to have intimacy with us. How much He delights to see our praises lifted up to the heavens. How strong He is made in our weaknesses. How brightly His light shines through the floors of heaven. How gracious and merciful He is amidst all our sin.

AHH God, I want to be intimate with You. I want to see You glorified above all else. Less of me, more of You. Humility. Faithfulness. Steadfastness. Joyfulness.

Hallelujah, all glory to our Abba Father :)