Psalm 63, 365 DAYS OF LOVE #340

NOTES: ¹ You, God, are my God, 

   earnestly I seek you;
I thirst for you,
   my whole being longs for you,
in a dry and parched land
   where there is no water.

 ² I have seen you in the sanctuary
   and beheld your power and your glory.
³ Because your love is better than life,
   my lips will glorify you.
⁴ I will praise you as long as I live,
   and in your name I will lift up my hands.
⁵ I will be fully satisfied as with the richest of foods;
   with singing lips my mouth will praise you.

 ⁶ On my bed I remember you;
   I think of you through the watches of the night.
⁷ Because you are my help,
   I sing in the shadow of your wings.
⁸ I cling to you;
   your right hand upholds me.

 ⁹ Those who want to kill me will be destroyed;
   they will go down to the depths of the earth.
¹⁰ They will be given over to the sword
   and become food for jackals.

 ¹¹ But the king will rejoice in God;
   all who swear by God will glory in him,
   while the mouths of liars will be silenced.

ACT OF LOVE: Today, I went to Ruby's Night with CSF board. While waiting for a table, a few of my friends saw a gumball vending machine where the gumballs were only 1 penny. Since I had a plethora of pennies with me, I gave my friends a bunch of pennies to get all the gumballs they wanted! Lol
Also, our beloved CSF advisor is leaving for St. Louis, Missouri soon, so we decided to pay for her lunch! (collectively)

Psalm 63, 365 DAYS OF LOVE #339

PASSAGE: ¹ You, God, are my God, 

   earnestly I seek you;
I thirst for you,
   my whole being longs for you,
in a dry and parched land
   where there is no water.

 ² I have seen you in the sanctuary
   and beheld your power and your glory.
³ Because your love is better than life,
   my lips will glorify you.
⁴ I will praise you as long as I live,
   and in your name I will lift up my hands.
⁵ I will be fully satisfied as with the richest of foods;
   with singing lips my mouth will praise you.

 ⁶ On my bed I remember you;
   I think of you through the watches of the night.
⁷ Because you are my help,
   I sing in the shadow of your wings.
⁸ I cling to you;
   your right hand upholds me.

 ⁹ Those who want to kill me will be destroyed;
   they will go down to the depths of the earth.
¹⁰ They will be given over to the sword
   and become food for jackals.

 ¹¹ But the king will rejoice in God;
   all who swear by God will glory in him,
   while the mouths of liars will be silenced.

ACT OF LOVE: Today, my friend IMed me with a prayer request about his friend. He had just shared the gospel with one of his friends from school, and she was amazingly interested and really willing to listen! He was so shocked and encouraged, and asked me to pray for her. Also gave him a passage suggestion for her to read as a beginner. 

*BTW I got into Carnegie Mellon!!

Psalm 62, 365 DAYS OF LOVE #338

NOTES: The sermon today was mainly focused on 2 Timothy 2:
¹ You then, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. ² And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable people who will also be qualified to teach others. ³ Join with me in suffering, like a good soldier of Christ Jesus. ⁴ No one serving as a soldier gets entangled in civilian affairs, but rather tries to please his commanding officer. ⁵ Similarly, anyone who competes as an athlete does not receive the victor’s crown except by competing according to the rules. ⁶ The hardworking farmer should be the first to receive a share of the crops. ⁷ Reflect on what I am saying, for the Lord will give you insight into all this.
 ⁸ Remember Jesus Christ, raised from the dead, descended from David. This is my gospel, ⁹ for which I am suffering even to the point of being chained like a criminal. But God’s word is not chained. ¹⁰ Therefore I endure everything for the sake of the elect, that they too may obtain the salvation that is in Christ Jesus, with eternal glory.
 ¹¹ Here is a trustworthy saying:
   If we died with him,
   we will also live with him;
¹² if we endure,
   we will also reign with him.
If we disown him,
   he will also disown us;
¹³ if we are faithless,
   he remains faithful,
   for he cannot disown himself.

Dealing With False Teachers

 ¹⁴ Keep reminding God’s people of these things. Warn them before God against quarreling about words; it is of no value, and only ruins those who listen. ¹⁵ Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth. ¹⁶ Avoid godless chatter, because those who indulge in it will become more and more ungodly. ¹⁷ Their teaching will spread like gangrene. Among them are Hymenaeus and Philetus, ¹⁸ who have departed from the truth. They say that the resurrection has already taken place, and they destroy the faith of some. ¹⁹ Nevertheless, God’s solid foundation stands firm, sealed with this inscription: “The Lord knows those who are his,” and, “Everyone who confesses the name of the Lord must turn away from wickedness.” ²⁰ In a large house there are articles not only of gold and silver, but also of wood and clay; some are for special purposes and some for common use. ²¹ Those who cleanse themselves from the latter will be instruments for special purposes, made holy, useful to the Master and prepared to do any good work.
 ²² Flee the evil desires of youth and pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace, along with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart. ²³ Don’t have anything to do with foolish and stupid arguments, because you know they produce quarrels. ²⁴ And the Lord’s servant must not be quarrelsome but must be kind to everyone, able to teach, not resentful. ²⁵ Opponents must be gently instructed, in the hope that God will grant them repentance leading them to a knowledge of the truth, ²⁶ and that they will come to their senses and escape from the trap of the devil, who has taken them captive to do his will.


ACT OF LOVE: Today, we had a guest speaker during Service who preached about Missions (specifically, missions in Asia). Afterward, there was a table of books and world maps with suggested donations for each. I got a world map and a book titled "Revolution in Missions" and donated $15 (all the money that was in my wallet).

Psalm 61, 365 DAYS OF LOVE #337

NOTES:  Hear my cry, O God; 

   listen to my prayer.

 ² From the ends of the earth I call to you,
   I call as my heart grows faint;
   lead me to the rock that is higher than I.
³ For you have been my refuge,
   a strong tower against the foe.

 ⁴ I long to dwell in your tent forever
   and take refuge in the shelter of your wings.^[b]
5 For you, God, have heard my vows;
   you have given me the heritage of those who fear your name.

 ⁶ Increase the days of the king’s life,
   his years for many generations.
⁷ May he be enthroned in God’s presence forever;
   appoint your love and faithfulness to protect him.

 ⁸ Then I will ever sing in praise of your name
   and fulfill my vows day after day.

ACT OF LOVE: Today was closing night of the Spring Musical, so there was the cast party after the show. However, I sacrificed going to the cast party for a prayer meeting during which I prayed for the fellowship and churches elsewhere.

Psalm 60, 365 DAYS OF LOVE #335 &336

NOTES:  ¹ You have rejected us, God, and burst upon us; 

   you have been angry—now restore us!
² You have shaken the land and torn it open;
   mend its fractures, for it is quaking.
³ You have shown your people desperate times;
   you have given us wine that makes us stagger.
⁴ But for those who fear you, you have raised a banner
   to be unfurled against the bow.^[e]

 ⁵ Save us and help us with your right hand,
   that those you love may be delivered.
⁶ God has spoken from his sanctuary:
   “In triumph I will parcel out Shechem
   and measure off the Valley of Sukkoth.
⁷ Gilead is mine, and Manasseh is mine;
   Ephraim is my helmet,
   Judah is my scepter.
⁸ Moab is my washbasin,
   on Edom I toss my sandal;
   over Philistia I shout in triumph.”

 ⁹ Who will bring me to the fortified city?
   Who will lead me to Edom?
¹⁰ Is it not you, God, you who have now rejected us
   and no longer go out with our armies?
¹¹ Give us aid against the enemy,
   for human help is worthless.
¹² With God we will gain the victory,
   and he will trample down our enemies.

ACT OF LOVE #335: Brought a Banana Milk to school and gave it to my friend who has never tried it before! He really enjoyed it!

ACT OF LOVE #336: Offered to pay for my friend's dinner after the show since he was willing to take me home in PV all the way from Gardena. At first he accepted my offer, but then later decided against it because he wanted to be gentle-manly (lol).

Psalm 59, 365 DAYS OF LOVE #334

MEMORY VERSE: "If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from His love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose. Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus, who being in the very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but rather made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant. And being made in human likeness, he humbled himself and became obedient to death--even death on a cross! Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above all names, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, on heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. Therefore, my dear friends, as you have obeyed, not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence, continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling." Philippians 2:1-12

NOTES: ¹ Deliver me from my enemies, O God; 

   be my fortress against those who are attacking me.
² Deliver me from evildoers
   and save me from those who are after my blood.

 ³ See how they lie in wait for me!
   Fierce men conspire against me
   for no offense or sin of mine, LORD.
⁴ I have done no wrong, yet they are ready to attack me.
   Arise to help me; look on my plight!
⁵ You, LORD God Almighty,
   you who are the God of Israel,
rouse yourself to punish all the nations;
   show no mercy to wicked traitors.^[c]

 ⁶ They return at evening,
   snarling like dogs,
   and prowl about the city.
⁷ See what they spew from their mouths—
   the words from their lips are sharp as swords,
   and they think, “Who can hear us?”
⁸ But you laugh at them, LORD;
   you scoff at all those nations.

 ⁹ You are my strength, I watch for you;
   you, God, are my fortress,
 ¹⁰ my God on whom I can rely.

   God will go before me
   and will let me gloat over those who slander me.
¹¹ But do not kill them, Lord our shield,^[d]
   or my people will forget.
In your might uproot them
   and bring them down.
¹² For the sins of their mouths,
   for the words of their lips,
   let them be caught in their pride.
For the curses and lies they utter,
 ¹³ consume them in your wrath,
   consume them till they are no more.
Then it will be known to the ends of the earth
   that God rules over Jacob.

 ¹⁴ They return at evening,
   snarling like dogs,
   and prowl about the city.
¹⁵ They wander about for food
   and howl if not satisfied.
¹⁶ But I will sing of your strength,
   in the morning I will sing of your love;
for you are my fortress,
   my refuge in times of trouble.

 ¹⁷ You are my strength, I sing praise to you;
   you, God, are my fortress,
   my God on whom I can rely.

ACT OF LOVE: Today, my friend wanted some help with his college applications. Even though I didn't have much advice to give, I still tried to help him with what I could on his applications and stuff.

Psalm 59, 365 DAYS OF LOVE #333

NOTES:  ¹ Deliver me from my enemies, O God; 

   be my fortress against those who are attacking me.
² Deliver me from evildoers
   and save me from those who are after my blood.

 ³ See how they lie in wait for me!
   Fierce men conspire against me
   for no offense or sin of mine, LORD.
⁴ I have done no wrong, yet they are ready to attack me.
   Arise to help me; look on my plight!
⁵ You, LORD God Almighty,
   you who are the God of Israel,
rouse yourself to punish all the nations;
   show no mercy to wicked traitors.^[c]

 ⁶ They return at evening,
   snarling like dogs,
   and prowl about the city.
⁷ See what they spew from their mouths—
   the words from their lips are sharp as swords,
   and they think, “Who can hear us?”
⁸ But you laugh at them, LORD;
   you scoff at all those nations.

 ⁹ You are my strength, I watch for you;
   you, God, are my fortress,
 ¹⁰ my God on whom I can rely.

   God will go before me
   and will let me gloat over those who slander me.
¹¹ But do not kill them, Lord our shield,^[d]
   or my people will forget.
In your might uproot them
   and bring them down.
¹² For the sins of their mouths,
   for the words of their lips,
   let them be caught in their pride.
For the curses and lies they utter,
 ¹³ consume them in your wrath,
   consume them till they are no more.
Then it will be known to the ends of the earth
   that God rules over Jacob.

 ¹⁴ They return at evening,
   snarling like dogs,
   and prowl about the city.
¹⁵ They wander about for food
   and howl if not satisfied.
¹⁶ But I will sing of your strength,
   in the morning I will sing of your love;
for you are my fortress,
   my refuge in times of trouble.

 ¹⁷ You are my strength, I sing praise to you;
   you, God, are my fortress,
   my God on whom I can rely.

ACT OF LOVE: Today was opening night of the Spring Musical, "Dear Edwina"!! My act of love was encouraging/congratulating everyone who had a solo before and after they performed. Even though it was a small act of love, I tried to encourage all the soloists with a hug and a high-five right before they went on.

*BTW I GOT INTO RICE YAYYYYY :)

Psalm 58, 365 DAYS OF LOVE #332

MEMORY VERSE: "If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from His love, if any fellowship with the spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others. Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus, who, being in the very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in human likeness, he humbled himself and became 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 confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father" Philippians 2:1-11

NOTES: ¹ Do you rulers indeed speak justly? 

   Do you judge people with equity?
² No, in your heart you devise injustice,
   and your hands mete out violence on the earth.

 ³ Even from birth the wicked go astray;
   from the womb they are wayward, spreading lies.
⁴ Their venom is like the venom of a snake,
   like that of a cobra that has stopped its ears,
⁵ that will not heed the tune of the charmer,
   however skillful the enchanter may be.

 ⁶ Break the teeth in their mouths, O God;
   LORD, tear out the fangs of those lions!
⁷ Let them vanish like water that flows away;
   when they draw the bow, let their arrows fall short.
⁸ May they be like a slug that melts away as it moves along,
   like a stillborn child that never sees the sun.

 ⁹ Before your pots can feel the heat of the thorns—
   whether they be green or dry—the wicked will be swept away.^[c]
10 The righteous will be glad when they are avenged,
   when they dip their feet in the blood of the wicked.
¹¹ Then people will say,
   “Surely the righteous still are rewarded;
   surely there is a God who judges the earth.”

ACT OF LOVE: Today, I...
-Lent my "Tess of the D'urbervilles" book to my friend for class since she didn't bring hers
-Offered makeup to people who were lacking during the musical performance (eyeshadow, mascara, hairspray)

A Jesus Post

I used to think that I was a pretty good Christian. Then I realized..

-My own personal life does not match up with what most people think of me//I am more preoccupied with sounding good than proclaiming the fullness of the gospel//I am lazy//I worry too much//I love the world more than I think I do//I forget about Christ//I have become calloused to the Crucifixion and the beauty of the cross//My motivations for doing things have become increasing self-centered//I care about getting into a good college with a good name//I love to be loved//I live my life in comfort//I judge Christians and non-Christians alike//I rationalize my sin//I compartmentalize my life//I waste money, time, and talents on myself//I have become comfortable with sin//As much as I hate to admit it, I do care about boys and finding a good boyfriend in the future. And I fantasize.//I am self-conscious about my physical appearance, my academic record, and my spirituality//And much, much more

BUT I ALSO KNOW..
-"I can do all things in Him who gives me strength" -Phil 4:13
-"...in all things God works for the good of those who love him" Rom 8:28
-that He gives us the full armor of God so that we can "take [our] stand against the devil's evil schemes" (Eph 6:10
-I am "fearfully and wonderfully made" Psalm 139:13-14
-"the Lord disciplines those he loves, and he punishes everyone he accepts as a son" Hebrews 12:6
-that "Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners--of whom I am the worst. But for that very reason I was shown mercy..." 1 Tim 1:15
-"if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!" 2 Corinthians 5:17
-labor in the Lord is not in vain (1 Corin 15:58)
-"But God demonstrated his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us" Romans 5:8

Amen.

A Fool for Jesus?

In a recent conversations with two of my friends regarding the balance of a "spiritual life" and an "ordinary life," one said to me:

"I really like the balance that you have between your spiritual and outside life. You're a good Christian, but you still have friends. I think some people think that you have to go 'all in' about your faith, but I think you have to have a balance."

I know my friend meant this to be a compliment and not offensive in any way, but I was actually pretty saddened by this comment. I can't provide much detail into the context of our conversation because it's private and doesn't concern you or me, but I don't believe that my life should be compartmentalized into a "spiritual" one and an "ordinary" one. Granted, I think my friend was trying to say that I maintain my morals as a Christian without repelling all of my non-Christian friends and causing me to lose most of my non-believing friends. However, I actually thought the exact opposite: the whole point of Christianity is to go "all in" with your life in humble surrender to Christ; it should be a lifestyle that transcends all other boundaries and is evident to those around you, especially the nonbelievers. Yes, we should act with discernment and wisdom in dealing with non-believers, and becoming ostracized by classmates probably isn't the best thing to do. But if truly living in boldness and faith by the love of Christ meant losing a few friends and tarnishing my reputation, isn't it all worth it? Isn't that what Matthew meant by storing up treasures in heaven in Matt 6:19-34? And to be honest, I have been valuing my social status and reputation among both Christians and non-Christians too much. It's depressing to see how much I've treasured being accepting into the social norm, when it's so explicitly stated in the Bible that we are to become fools for Christ. Most people view suffering as a bad thing, but didn't Paul call all professing Christians to "join with [him] in suffereing for the gospel, by the power of God, who has saved us and called us to a holy life" (2 Tim 1:8)? Looking back, I have sacrificed the gospel for the sake of my reputation, instead of the other way around. I have not suffered for the gospel, and I have failed to fully live in faith. I have become so afraid of "awkwardness" and being condemned by both Christians and non-Christians alike that my faith has been compromised. It's time that I start decreasing my own agenda and increasing His (John 3:30). I pray that God will rid me of this fear of man and desire to be loved, and that I will live selflessly and boldly for His sake. It's time that I became a fool for Christ.

Matthew 6, 365 DAYS OF LOVE #330-331

MEMORY VERSE: "If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from His love, if any fellowship with the spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others. Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus, who, being in the very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in human likeness, he humbled himself and became 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." Philippians 2:1-10

NOTES: Treasures in Heaven
    ¹⁹ “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. ²⁰ But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. ²¹ For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

   ²² “The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are good, your whole body will be full of light. ²³ But if your eyes are bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light within you is darkness, how great is that darkness!

   ²⁴ “No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money.

    ²⁵ “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? ²⁶ Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? ²⁷ Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life^[b]?

   ²⁸ “And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. ²⁹ Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. ³⁰ If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? ³¹ So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ ³² For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. ³³ But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. ³⁴ Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

Today, in service, Pastor Dan preached on this excerpt. Even though I've read over this passage many times before, it's always a refreshing experience reminding myself of some basic truths in God's word. In light of recent tragedies and events in the world, it makes my daily worries and problems seem petty. To be honest, this past week I have been pretty self-centered in my time management and attitude. Last Saturday I went on an amazing Mexico missions trip and was ready to dedicate more of my life to God, but once Monday rolled around, I sunk into routine of laziness and worldliness. It's tempting to blame my spiritual dryness on my busy schedule or late rehearsals, but I know deep down that it's because of my own fickle heart. There have been times where I have been even busier than I was this past week, but I made time to spend hours praying and studying the Word. Even with all the natural disasters happening, I have been so caught up in my own world that I have failed to store up treasures in heaven. I know even more that I really can't rely on myself, and that I am always more sinful than I think I am. The good part is that God is always there to bring me back and be an everlasting source of strength and love.

ACT OF LOVE #330: Spent a good portion of my Saturday afternoon cleaning the house even though no one asked me to. I scrubbed the bathroom time floors, cleaned the countertops, and took out trash that was filling up our waste bins. Also, took my dog out for a walk. Now all the bathrooms are super clean!

ACT OF LOVE #331: Donated a whole bunch of books to my friend's fundraiser for Invisible Children. I'm trying to learn to use more and more of my 'stuff' for less selfish purposes.

Genesis 24, 365 DAYS OF LOVE #329

MEMORY VERSE: "If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others. Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus, who, being in the very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being in the likeness of man, he humbled himself and became 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" Philippians 2:1-9

NOTES: Marks of a Godly Woman:
1). Consumed (v.4) Part of God's family.
2). Willing to follow her husband (v.8)
-This was a topic of much discussion, as it's evident that this aspect of being a Godly woman is definitely not popular in society. There were some questions raised about this, and even though I did my best to reference the Bible and answer the questions Biblically, I know I need to study more on this myself. Notes from discussion:
-1 Timothy 2, 1 Timothy 3
-For ex: what if both the man and woman are both doctors and make the same income for the family. How is the woman supposed to 'submit' to her husband when they are financially equal?
-The word "submission" has a negative connotation. Doesn't this seem like the woman should be a 'slave' to her husband?
-What does it mean to submit to your husband?
Ultimately, the purpose of marriage from a Biblical standpoint is to mirror the picture of Christ and the church, which is the bride. So often have we distorted the concept of marriage into a selfish motive, which then results in conflict and confused gender roles. However, the role of the church is to submit to Christ and to follow Him; Christ, in turn, has sacrificed for us and became our protection and head of the body of Christ. Similarly, we are given unique but equal gender roles as man and woman to glorify the name of Jesus; the man is to take on the role as 'head of the household,' and the woman a willing to respect the husband. (Eph. 5:22-33, 1 Timothy 2:9-10, 1 Tim. 3, Prov. 31, Rev. 19:7).
3). Beauty (v.16) : Physically pure
4). Purity (v.16) : Emotionally/Mentally Pure
5). Servant's heart (v.18-20)
6). Desire to become a mother (v.60)
7). Modesty (v.65)
Conclusion: Don't focus on waiting for the right person, but on being the right person.

ACT OF LOVE: Had a sleepover with my two friends, Jackie and Crystal (since Jackie was on spring break and left for Texas today, we decided to have a sleepover for her last night in Torrance). Though there was alot of eating, laughing, and looking up stupid videos on Youtube, I also wanted to encourage the girls by having a time of Bible study and prayer. We studied Genesis 24 and what it means to be a godly woman (based on a sermon from the "Loveology" series. I couldn't find the actual sermon online, though :( ). We talked about Biblically-based roles for women and men, and had some good conversation. I showed them a short clip by John Piper on prayer, and we ended with of time of prayer for each other, the church, America, and global missions.

Psalm 57, 365 DAYS OF LOVE #327&328

MEMORY VERSE: "If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others. Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus, who, being in the very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being in the likeness of a man, he humbled himself, and became 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." Philippains 2:1-9

NOTES: ¹ Have mercy on me, my God, have mercy on me, 

   for in you I take refuge.
I will take refuge in the shadow of your wings
   until the disaster has passed.

 ² I cry out to God Most High,
   to God, who vindicates me.
³ He sends from heaven and saves me,
   rebuking those who hotly pursue me—^[c]
   God sends forth his love and his faithfulness.

 ⁴ I am in the midst of lions;
   I am forced to dwell among ravenous beasts—
men whose teeth are spears and arrows,
   whose tongues are sharp swords.

 ⁵ Be exalted, O God, above the heavens;
   let your glory be over all the earth.

 ⁶ They spread a net for my feet—
   I was bowed down in distress.
They dug a pit in my path—
   but they have fallen into it themselves.

 ⁷ My heart, O God, is steadfast,
   my heart is steadfast;
   I will sing and make music.
⁸ Awake, my soul!
   Awake, harp and lyre!
   I will awaken the dawn.

 ⁹ I will praise you, Lord, among the nations;
   I will sing of you among the peoples.
¹⁰ For great is your love, reaching to the heavens;
   your faithfulness reaches to the skies.

 ¹¹ Be exalted, O God, above the heavens;
   let your glory be over all the earth.

ACT OF LOVE #327: My sister and her family came home for a few days, but I get to spend alot of time with them since rehearsals ended right about the time my nephew had to be put to sleep. Yesterday, however, I got to spend a little time with my nephew and sister, and helped them out by carrying Josiah and helping a little with his bathtime!

ACT OF LOVE #328: During rehearsal, I was kneeling on the ground when I saw that my friend had her shoelaces untied (she was standing), so I tied her shoelaces for her! Lol.

Psalm 56, 365 DAYS OF LOVE #325&326

MEMORY VERSE: "If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any fellowship with the spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others. Your attitude should be the same of that of Christ Jesus, who being in the very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient to death--even death on a cross!" Philippians 2:1-8

NOTES:¹ Be merciful to me, my God, 

   for my enemies are in hot pursuit;
   all day long they press their attack.
² My adversaries pursue me all day long;
   in their pride many are attacking me.

 ³ When I am afraid, I put my trust in you.
 ⁴ In God, whose word I praise—
in God I trust and am not afraid.
   What can mere mortals do to me?

 ⁵ All day long they twist my words;
   all their schemes are for my ruin.
⁶ They conspire, they lurk,
   they watch my steps,
   hoping to take my life.
⁷ Because of their wickedness do not^[c] let them escape;
   in your anger, God, bring the nations down.

 ⁸ Record my misery;
   list my tears on your scroll^[d]—
   are they not in your record?
⁹ Then my enemies will turn back
   when I call for help.
   By this I will know that God is for me.

 ¹⁰ In God, whose word I praise,
   in the LORD, whose word I praise—
¹¹ in God I trust and am not afraid.
   What can man do to me?

 ¹² I am under vows to you, my God;
   I will present my thank offerings to you.
¹³ For you have delivered me from death
   and my feet from stumbling,
that I may walk before God
   in the light of life.

ACT OF LOVE #325: Brought two tiramisu pastries to school and gave them to my friend who LOVES tiramisu pastries! He was super surprised and happy :)

ACT OF LOVE #326: Donated blood for the first time! I got a little nervous just before I was about to donate, but everything actually went pretty smoothly. Conquered my fear of needles and gave a pint of blood to someone in need!

3/12 Mexico Trip

This past Saturday, I went on a one-day Mexico trip to Tijuana. I arrived at church at 5 a.m. to help load the supplies on the bus, and we left at approximately 6am. I had only been to the Tijuana jail before, so it was interesting walking around the village in Tijuana. Before we did anything, they had us all go into the village and actually see the condition of the people we were about to serve. Tijuana was pretty different from San Telmo in that the landscape was extremely hilly, and in the middle of the dirt paths was like a long trench of trash and debris. We made it to like a basketball court where kids were playing, and I met this 8-year old named Yamile (?) and her little brother, Luis. She seemed a little shy at first, but smiled and held my hand as we walked around the village more. After a while, she wanted me to carry her, so I obliged. After a while, though, it got pretty tiring since we had to walk uphill many times, and it was extremely hot. However, I did my best to carry her whenever she wanted me to, even though I was tired. My friend, Crystal, also helped piggy-back her for a little bit. When we finally made it back to the church, I helped out with making lunch (hot dogs and chips/sasla, mandarins, and juice). The kids lined up after the first worship session and we distributed the food (with smiles and "hola"s). After all the kids got food, I went out and ate lunch with some of the kids. They were pretty fascinated with my camera and kept wanting me to take pictures of them. Since I was done with food ministry, I sat with the kids during the childrens worship while they were teaching the kids songs and making crafts. Towards the end of the day, we went to the Terrasa church (where the other half of our team served for the day), had a time of sharing/prayer/preaching by Pastor Paul, and ended with dinner.
Even though I've been on Mexico Missions trips before, I think this trip really taught me how to give myself wholeheartedly for the purpose of Christ. Before, I had gone into the trips pretty self centered, and it is only by the grace of God this time that I was able to establish deeper and more personal relationships with some of the kids. I just felt so much love for all of the children that I met during the day, and saw how fearfully and wonderfully each and every one of them were made. My prayer is that these kids will grow up to become like gold refined in fire; that their hearts will become like fertile soil; that they will bring Light into such a dark place, and that this missions trip will not be wasted.

Explore USC & College Decisions

This is a post about college.

I normally try to keep my posts God-centered, but I decided to do a brief reflection on the past few days with USC and college decisions. First off, I was at USC on Thursday and Friday for the Explore USC program for Presidential scholarship finalists. When I arrived, I was actually pretty lonely because it seemed like everyone else came with their parents, and I had like 4 hours before the Welcome Session. They gave us a list of activities we could do, including Walking tours, Bus tours, Thematic Option presentations, and financial aid info sessions. I went on the Bus Tour, which ended early, so I had quite some time before the next activity was to start. I called up my friend Emi and we had lunch & talked about stuff. Then, I went on the Walking Tour and thematic option. By then, I had met a few people who also came without their parents, but I didn't really get to see them for the rest of the program since we were all different majors. 

After the Welcome session, they divided us up by major and we went to the department head of each college and had a info session. I was surprised to find that there was only one other person in my major, who was a girl who flew all the way from Taiwan to attend this program. After, we sat in a few classes and met up with our student host, who was also a Presidential scholar in architecture. I had dinner with some of her friends, and we had the rest of the night to do whatever we wanted. We went to an ice cream social for scholarship applicants, but not much was happening there. My host eventually took us to a Salsa-dancing night, which was pretty much the highlight of my entire trip. I am pretty embarrassing when it comes to dancing, but it was SOO fun, and the people were really nice and patient with my lack of dancing abilities. I am convinced that my future husband must be able to salsa dance. jk. kinda. Anyways, we came back and we just chatted until midnight or so.

Friday was less exciting; the biggest thing that happened was the scholarship interview, which lasted about half an hour. It was seriously super chill and laid back, and it seemed like they were more interested in answering my questions than asking me questions. I headed back to school after lunch for rehearsal, and ended my day at church. 

When I went to church, I checked my email and found out that I got rejected from UCLA. To be perfectly honest, I was kinda surprised that I got rejected. But, I know that it is all in God's hands, and that if it's His plan for me to go to USC, I'll be happy to do it. I realized that I was upset about being rejected from LA because I cared more about my own pride and reputation than following God's will and being thankful in everything. It's something that I think I will struggle with for pretty much the rest of my life, but I am thankful that he works for the good of those who love him (Romans 8:28).

Psalm 55, 365 DAYS OF LOVE #321-324

MEMORY VERSE: "If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from His love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose. Do nothing out of self ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should not only look to your own interests, but also to the interests of others." Philippians 2:1-4

NOTES: ¹ Listen to my prayer, O God, 

   do not ignore my plea;
 ² hear me and answer me.
My thoughts trouble me and I am distraught
 ³ because of what my enemy is saying,
   because of the threats of the wicked;
for they bring down suffering on me
   and assail me in their anger.

 ⁴ My heart is in anguish within me;
   the terrors of death have fallen on me.
⁵ Fear and trembling have beset me;
   horror has overwhelmed me.
⁶ I said, “Oh, that I had the wings of a dove!
   I would fly away and be at rest.
⁷ I would flee far away
   and stay in the desert;^[c]
8 I would hurry to my place of shelter,
   far from the tempest and storm.”

 ⁹ Lord, confuse the wicked, confound their words,
   for I see violence and strife in the city.
¹⁰ Day and night they prowl about on its walls;
   malice and abuse are within it.
¹¹ Destructive forces are at work in the city;
   threats and lies never leave its streets.

 ¹² If an enemy were insulting me,
   I could endure it;
if a foe were rising against me,
   I could hide.
¹³ But it is you, a man like myself,
   my companion, my close friend,
¹⁴ with whom I once enjoyed sweet fellowship
   at the house of God,
as we walked about
   among the worshipers.

 ¹⁵ Let death take my enemies by surprise;
   let them go down alive to the realm of the dead,
   for evil finds lodging among them.

 ¹⁶ As for me, I call to God,
   and the LORD saves me.
¹⁷ Evening, morning and noon
   I cry out in distress,
   and he hears my voice.
¹⁸ He rescues me unharmed
   from the battle waged against me,
   even though many oppose me.
¹⁹ God, who is enthroned from of old,
   who does not change—
he will hear them and humble them,
   because they have no fear of God.

 ²⁰ My companion attacks his friends;
   he violates his covenant.
²¹ His talk is smooth as butter,
   yet war is in his heart;
his words are more soothing than oil,
   yet they are drawn swords.

 ²² Cast your cares on the LORD
   and he will sustain you;
he will never let
   the righteous be shaken.
²³ But you, God, will bring down the wicked
   into the pit of decay;
the bloodthirsty and deceitful
   will not live out half their days.

   But as for me, I trust in you.

ACT OF LOVE #321 (THURSDAY): Was at USC for the Explore USC program the whole day. Introduced myself to some people who came without their parents and looked alone. Also, let my roommate use the shower first at night when we were at my host's apartment.

ACT OF LOVE #322 (FRIDAY): At church, I talked to someone who was sitting alone. Even though he had a lot of negative things to say when I asked him about his life, I tried to help him see positively about some things.

ACT OF LOVE #323 (SATURDAY): Went to Mexico for the one day missions trip. Will blog more about this in a subsequent post.

ACT OF LOVE #324 (SUNDAY): Talked to two people I don't normally talk to, and had a fun conversation with them about random stuff. Also, spent extra time taking my dog for a walk since he's been ignored for the past few days (I've been gone, my dad is on a business trip, and my mother is in China)

Psalm 54, 365 DAYS OF LOVE #320

MEMORY VERSE: "If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any fellowship with the spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose." Philippians 2:1-2

NOTES: ¹ Save me, O God, by your name; 

   vindicate me by your might.
² Hear my prayer, O God;
   listen to the words of my mouth.

 ³ Arrogant foes are attacking me;
   ruthless people are trying to kill me—
   people without regard for God.^[c]

 ⁴ Surely God is my help;
   the Lord is the one who sustains me.

 ⁵ Let evil recoil on those who slander me;
   in your faithfulness destroy them.

 ⁶ I will sacrifice a freewill offering to you;
   I will praise your name, LORD, for it is good.
⁷ You have delivered me from all my troubles,
   and my eyes have looked in triumph on my foes.

ACT OF LOVE: Today, in art class, a student accidentally dropped her brushes and cup onto the wood floor. She seemed to be pretty embarrassed by it, so I went and helped her pick up her brushes!
Also, at the end of art class, someone asked for help opening the door since she was carrying alot of stuff. No one went up to help her, so I went and opened the door for her haha.

Psalm 53, 365 DAYS OF LOVE #319

MEMORY VERSE: "If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose." Philippians 2:1-2

NOTES: ¹ The fool says in his heart, 

   “There is no God.”
They are corrupt, and their ways are vile;
   there is no one who does good.

 ² God looks down from heaven
   on all mankind
to see if there are any who understand,
   any who seek God.
³ Everyone has turned away, all have become corrupt;
   there is no one who does good,
   not even one.

 ⁴ Do all these evildoers know nothing?

   They devour my people as though eating bread;
   they never call on God.
⁵ But there they are, overwhelmed with dread,
   where there was nothing to dread.
God scattered the bones of those who attacked you;
   you put them to shame, for God despised them.

 ⁶ Oh, that salvation for Israel would come out of Zion!
   When God restores his people,
   let Jacob rejoice and Israel be glad!

ACT OF LOVE: Brought a Tiramisu cake to school for the purpose of giving it to someone who wanted it. At first, I offered it to a friend in first period who looked like she was having a bad day, but she didn't want it. I meant to then give it to my friend who I knew would like it, but I totally forgot (heh). Finally, I ended up giving the pastry to another friend who didn't have lunch that day.