Addison's journal

So this weekend my Bible study fellowship will be going on a retreat up in the mountains of Southern California.  A retreat is a time for getting away from the busyness and distractions of daily life and “retreat” to a place where we can think about our holy and mighty God in the midst of his magnificent creation.  Our pastor and other speakers will give messages on the topic of the attributes of God, which will be powerfully sobering.  Just thinking about the fact that the eternal and living God who created the universe sacrificed his Son to reconcile sinners to himself, it’s amazing to me that such love exists.

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

Hmm… somehow I have neglected my blog for quite a while. So much has happened in the past month or two. There was the Volleyball Tournament back in April, where the church’s college ministry played volleyball to fundraise for short term missions.  I was on team “Sowing Machine”, because we want to sow the Word of God, which is the Gospel that is proclaimed.  Just thinking about all the teams that are going to all these different countries really sets my mind on what the most important thing is, preaching God’s words.  It really brings me joy to know that people are reached by the good news in these foreign countries and missionaries, some of whom I know well, are encouraged.  Yet, sometimes I dwell too much on the fact that I am not going on a missions team this year and forget the reality that the missions field is not limited to some far off country, but is wherever I am right now.  That anti-social classmate, that career-driven friend, that strange next door neighbor, that stranger sitting next to me on the train; these are all people in my missions field.  Do I really care about them enough that I would share with them the good news that promises eternal life, of which I am a believer?  Yes, it is my desire to see them saved, through which the name of Christ is honored.

Last Sunday, the sadness of Spring Break ending was coupled with an excitement for the beginning of a new quarter. Over break, I had the privilege of co-leading worship during the Good Friday service and singing in our church choir on Easter Sunday. On the Saturday in between, I had a lot of fun playing with the kids at our Easter Picnic. People got wet, and some people got really wet… it was great!

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!

The quarter is finally coming to an end. Having finished my finals, all I have to do now are a few short summaries, then it’s pack up and go home! This past quarter has been a real blessing, in terms of school and ministry. I was able to finish strong and keep a cool head, even with two finals and a term project due, all on Monday. The Lord has given me strength to endure, and even when my own strength fails, He is there to renew me. This past weekend was all running on fumes for me, and I have no idea how I was able to finish the project and prepare for the two finals, except that I received supernatural endurance.

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!

So due to security concerns, I’ve added password protection to my photo gallery. Just let me know if you want to see the pictures, and I can e-mail you the password for each album.