I will soon be going up to the Bay Area, that hilly country where all the tech firms dwell, and begin my existence as a peon of a large corporation.  If you’re up there, shoot me a line and we can hang out!  =)

p.s. pictures of my trips may (or may not) appear on facebook…

I left Thursday night from LAX on a 4-hour flight to MDW, and after riding the “El” for half an hour, I settled into a comfy hotel.  The interview the next day was challenging and exciting, with a lot of technical programming questions.  They even gave me a tour guide book at the end of the interview, which came in really handy.  I spent the weekend exploring the city of Chicago and its museums and parks, and I even visited The Moody Church on Sunday.  Despite the sub-freezing temperature, I really enjoyed the big city, tall buildings, diverse architecture, convenient public transportation, and the several friends I’ve met there.  I think I would enjoy living there if I work for that company.

Anyway, I’ll try to post some pictures up in Facebook sometime, but for now, must get back to whatever I was doing… that’s right, work…

The major thing that happened within the past month was that about two weeks ago, my younger brother was diagnosed with a really big brain tumor.  That came as no small surprise, but it does explain many symptoms that he’s been having over the past few years.  So since then, my family and I have been busy taking care of him at the hospital, with him undergoing two major surgeries.  Praise the Lord that he has been ok through those risky operations, and he is recovering now at home.  Having a faithful and loving God to rely on gives us indescribable comfort and incomparable strength to endure this trial.  Now I more clearly see and firmly believe that our God is a sovereign and gracious God who hears the prayers of his children.

Now that summer is almost ending, I hope to use the remaining time more productively in reading and studying for leading a small group next school year.  That should keep me busy enough until school starts.

Two weekends ago I went to the Resolved Conference, and that was an amazing blessing.  The theme for the conference was Heaven and Hell, featuring many famous book-writers and pastors.  I’ve learned so much about what the Bible says about the glories of Heaven and the terrors of Hell.  Everyone’s headed to one or the other, which one are you going to?

Anyway, I better get back to packing my stuff.  Oh, and it’s been pointed out to me that I don’t update very often… (big surprise…)  So ya, this post is for you, Kaya.  =P

With all the fun things aside, we were also reminded of the great suffering our Savior endured and triumphed over.  Not only did he bear the wrath of an almighty God on our behalf in obedience to the Father, but he also rose again to display his deity and the acceptance of the sacrificial propitiation by God.   How heavy the cost, yet how glorious the result!  It was a good reminder to me that all the joys of being called a child of God came at the price of Christ’s blood.  I have been refreshed not only by the relaxation I enjoyed over break, but also the thought of a righteous standing before the holy Creator, through no merit of my own but the work of our great Mediator.  What can I ever complain about, given that I’ve been plucked from the path leading to destruction and allowed to travel on the narrow path to eternal life?

In any case, with my schedule for this quarter finally cleared up, I can be more focused on the work I need to do for school and ministry.  Only 10 more weeks until summer, which will be in itself a whole new adventure!

In terms of ministry, the small group Bible study I am leading has seen some growth. I can see that the small groupies are growing closer to each other and are more open to talk about personal issues. Leading them has been a challenging experience, not only in the weekly preparation of lessons from 1 Corinthians, but also in identifying their needs and knowing how to help them. The more I know them, the more I realize that my own experience is not enough to guide them, and only the wisdom and truth found in Scripture is sufficient for their growth. Every week is a lesson in humility for me, as well as a lesson on trusting in and relying on the Lord. I have learned so much from studying the epistle of 1 Corinthians, and have been convicted on many occasions by the truth that it presents. How far we fall short of the glory of God! Yet Christ is the perfector of our faith, and I long for the day of glory that’s promised in Scripture. Maranatha! Our Lord, come!