On being bold.

What should have been:
A: Are you religious?
B: Not really. But I have faith.
A: What's the difference?
B: Faith is trusting Jesus came to save me and religion is working to be saved.

What really happened:
A: Are you religious?
B: ....yeah.
A: Which one?
B: Protestant Christian.

Why do I hate labels and still put a label on myself? What's the point of a label that doesn't say anything about the substance. Need to have more faith so I can trust God when I need to be bold.

150 words.

This is the 150 words I sent to church on 'how God impacted me through this trip to China'. Just wanting to keep myself updated with my reflections on this trip and see how my thoughts progress over time and also let you guys see, if you're interested. (btw it's secretly 162 words or something XD)

When I say ‘I miss China,” it is the two week environment of exploration and serving and the mission team and fellowship that I miss. However, when I was actually in China, it was you, SVPG, that I missed! So much of what I saw and learned, I kept wishing you were there to see and learn with me. But you know what? Here, in Vancouver, instead of two weeks, we get a whole month, even a year, to learn together. If you feel ready to go on a missions trip, please teach us upon return. If you don’t feel ready, please realize that this home is our mission field. I now have a renewed urgency for our growth as a group. Change is a result of steady progression. Let’s keep encouraging each other and learning together (HEBREWS 10:24-25) so that when we’re called, we’re mentally, emotionally, and spiritually ready to just be our uniquely created selves, and go to serve others.

HEBREWS 10:24-25
And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another-- and all the more as you see the Day approaching.

Good night!

On the bus.

Here's a story for you from Tuesday, July 5, 2011.

This happened on the autotune bus (the minibus I took in Hong Kong was number 808 hehe).

So the minibus seats in HK are not individual seats but rather, they are like a booth seat, so the seats are like a soft bench. I'm at the window seat and a young lady is beside me. The bus fills up and finally, this one lady gets on and there's no room left for her to sit but she said she'll just crouch even though many people suggested for her to sit. So this lady crouched in the aisle. Then the bus starts moving because the driver already waited quite a bit for the passengers to arrive. Now, where she crouched was by the stairwell; there are 2 steps of stairs to be taken before reaching the raised seating benches so with the added height, and speed of the minibus on this rainy day, it was quite an unstable place for the lady to crouch. Anyway, so I just watched while all this happened, from my comfortable window seat.

Then the young woman beside me moved over in what little room she could and pulled the lady's arm. The lady, still crouching, refused. So I scooched over a bit too and the young woman pulled at the lady's arm again and this time, the lady came up and sat with us.

I just had to smile a bit. Couldn't help it. The young woman beside me smiled too =)

After all these videos of rude, young Chinese people on busses and around HK, this was quite nice to see. Hope is not lost in Hong Kong =)

Supernatural indeed.

Hello! It's just under a month since I last blogged. Haha. So terrible. And the update I'm writing right now isn't even about the mission trip =P

Anyways so just had worship night with Pi Fellowship and I had to do a sharing. ("had" to. haha. Like it's soo terrible.) Two things I wanted to point out with regards to my sharing: personal + others' opinions.

1.
Personally, I was prettttty nervous every time I thought about planning the sharing out and this morning, I even considered just not doing it at all. I tried to make it professional-sounding + tried to make it structured and all orderly. But then it got too annoying so I just scrapped the whole idea and just presented the Bible verses + the way I saw them through experience and stuff. Super casual. Wasn't that nervous. Did okay. No regrets + got to say what I wanted.

2.
Others' opinions. People were saying they liked my sharing. Someone even commented on how I connected my thoughts + how I perceived things... And that was my previous youth pastor?! And mostly just people saying they really liked my sharing. It was mostly kinda overwhelming. I mean, I understand that responses from people would either be 'it was good' or 'you can improve' (HAHA) but these responses were so...genuine. And as you saw, they weren't just 'good' they were almost 'too' good and it's funny because all I can say is... I don't feel any of it?

I mean I feel happy that people support me + that people were encouraged through my experiences, but I feel like I wasn't even that good? Not putting myself down at all, because I think I did okay, but I feel like here's what I said, and there's how people connected/received what I said, and that part's completely out of my control. I guess this is what they mean when they pray for 'the Holy Spirit to work in our hearts'. Only God can change people so it makes sense if God can affect how we process things as well.

It's both kinda weird and kinda cool. Weird because despite all the support, I don't feel like I'm a super public speaker now even though I feel like that's what I'm supposed to feel or something, and, cool, because I have this peace. It feels different from the peace that comes after accomplishing something or like when school is done and summer begins. Just have a very well-rested, satisfied peace that only comes from God. Thank you (:

Also excellent team work today to worship team + to everyone who came out/brought friends. Hope to worship together with everyone soon.

Hello!

I'm back!! :D

Returned home as of 430pm yesterday and had a good sleep last night. Currently uploading photos and organizing stuff from the suitcase.

Departure!!

It is not 1150am on July 6th, Wed. Meeting at airport at 245pm for a 2 hour flight + ~3 hour bus ride. Excited for culture learning + for the new situations we'll be placed in.

One thing I've learned in Hong Kong is this: you don't know how strong your umbrella is unless a typhoon comes. I know how strong I am; I'm that okay, so-so, kind of strong. But God is strong and I won't see how strong he is unless we face challenges. So here we go! Also please pray for our lesson plan planning!!!!

Photo postcards for China!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/59752548@N07/sets/72157626921352727/with/5844446247/

Thanks to Moses for the cool idea! I knew my random photo taking could be more useful one day haha. Check it out!!

HOW: Please post orders in the Flickr comments, Facebook messages, or to my gmail: ephra.tk.lee@gmail.com . 

WHEN: I'll get back to you after my trip!! (July 20th)