missions... i love!

I'm trying to get my practicing done for Vine Band touring, but I need to get all this processed first, so here we go. 2 blog entries in 2 days! Woohoo! :)

You know it's funny... 4 years ago, I was trying to go to China to work in an orphanage of disabled kids, and it fell through. Now, 4 years later, I get to go to 2 different sites to work with 2 different groups of disabled kids! I ended up at a Children's Home in the Philippines. Looking back, I probably wasn't quite ready to go to China to work with abandoned children.

So from Mar26-28 I got to go to Langfeng, and then Apr1-6 I was in Hengyang. One was a foster home with 20 some physically disabled kids, and the second was a ministry ran inside a government run Welfare center. In the latter, we got to work with 135 physically and mentally disabled kids. Both were amazing.

One thing that kept resounding in my head was Mother's love. That's something I don't talk about... and haven't touched on in a very long time. God reminded me of my very own abandoned child and through each baby held, each coo heard, each finger pull, each smile received... God restored them into my heart. He taught me to love these kids and babies, and through it He taught me how much He loves me. Through teaching me to love these abandoned kids, I saw God's love for my own. There is no need for me to be sad, or feel like I've missed out because God is love, and my child rests in God's perfect love.

God has given me a Mother's heart, and I know that is from Him and He as well has the heart of a Mother. We always talk about the Father heart of God, but God is both a Mother and a Father to us. As the babies in the room cried, or with every tug on my shirt or arm... I got a glimpse of the Mother's heart of God. The tender side of wanting to scoop us up and hold us until we stop crying, or to just listen to the stories that must be shared, or simply just to give the hug or cuddle that is wanted. I wish my arms were big enough to hold them all in my arms, but they are not, and I had to hold them one at a time.

One of the things that touched my heart the most was walking with a child who's just learning how to walk. Just holding her arms and steadying her as she walks up and down the corridors and around the room. As her and I walked, God spoke. He told me that's how it is when He's trying to teach me something new... and as I try to learn to walk in the new things on my own, He's holding me and keeping me steady. He's ready to catch me when I get tired and just want to plop myself down right then and there, whether it be to catch my fall or to hold me up and get me to keep going. Through out the whole process though, He doesn't let go... and His grip is strong, no matter how hard we pull or try to let go... He hangs onto us. :)

I thought I had missed out, but I know that I haven't at all. God gave me a very special glimpse into His heart for me and for my child. Through each child I met during those 2 weekends, I got back a piece of my own... and it restores my heart and gives me a peace that I just don't quite know how to explain or describe. God is good!

Do you know that it is really hard to sulk at God, and be angry at Him? That's what I wanted to do today... just sit and be angry with God, and it is not working out so well.

The school front is looking rather bleak... CUHK has outright declined my application. HKU has given me no offer or a spot on the waiting list. She did say that there would be another 2 rounds of offers still... and that my chances aren't exactly zero. She was waaaay nicer than the lady at CUHK and waaaaay more encouraging! I've been trying to complain to God, and demand answers from Him... but it hasn't been working so well.

First of all... we had this conversation on the weekend already. I already told God yes or no from HKU I will still love Him, and trust in him. He asked me time and time again on the weekend "Do you trust me?" I told him I do... so I will continue to trust. God's track record in my life is 100%.... he has NEVER failed me, and He will NEVER fail me. Therefore, I will trust.

Second of all, he reminded me of something. When I was having doubts about leaving HSBC, he gave me this scripture "But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have become convinced of, because you know those from whom you learned it." ~ 2 Timothy 3:14 He reminded me of that night... and the reassurance He gave me, and the peace that accompanied that reassurance.

I'll be honest, it hasn't been easy. I'm not tired... my eyes are puffy because of the crying. I'm leaning on my God to carry me through this, because there is no backup plan. School or no school, God's plan is my plan... and that's all that matters to me. I know that God has a plan for me... and I know that it's gonna be crazy, so I will keep going like He has asked me to do.

On top of loving me... God gave me something really precious on the Hengyang missions trip, so with that I will keep going. (Will share on that in a later blog!) I know that it is a good God who loves me, and that He will neither leave me nor forsake me. He will carry me when I am weary and unable to walk. So... once again being angry at God fail... learning more about how much God loves me and how much He just wants me to let go and trust in Him... definitely win-win!

after 1 month...

So, one month of unemployment has ended. All supporting documents have been submitted, and in 2 weeks time, I have my interview with HKU. Prayers much appreciated.

Anyways, in the past 2 weeks, I've encountered the word "steadfast" numerous times, most often in the context of the "steadfast love" of God. It got me thinking about what is the exact definition of steadfast, so as always, I check one of my favourite reference sites... dictionary.com. According to dictionary.com steadfast means:
1. fixed in direction
2. firm in purpose, resolution, faith, attachment, etc
3. unwavering

This got me thinking, God's love is directly fixed on me, with the sole purpose of loving me, and it is the same yesterday, today and tomorrow. Nothing I do or do not do can change this fact about God's love for me. When it comes down to it... it's a concept of God's love that is rather hard to fathom... because we ourselves as humans are unable to love unconditionally to the same extent that God is able. I'm learning to see that at different stages of our lives, we gain a new understanding of God's love for us. Yet even through these different stages of life, by the time we leave this world to be with Him in heaven... we would still not have grasped the extent of His love for us. It is not until we leave this world to join him in heaven, that we will be given the full revelation of His love for us.

That's pretty crazy...

update for the masses...

ok... so I thought I would put up an update before the month of january ended.

So... as of tomorrow, I am no longer an employee of HSBC. A couple months ago, while I was in the midst of looking to switch teams at work... and then thinking about whether to take the permanent contract that they have offered me for my current team... God asked for my job. Well... he didn't directly ask me for my job, but He got right up in my face that night and asked me what I was doing. He had given me a calling, a direction, and I was about to forget all about it in a pursuit for a better position and more money.

This past month I've been working on applications to go back to school... to pursue a career in Social Work. Completely unrelated to math... I know! Yet, I am at peace knowing that this is a step that God is calling me to take... whether I'm actually suppose to go back to school or not... I'll know when I get my acceptance, or lack there of. I trust that God is calling me to follow him by leaving HSBC, so I am at peace knowing that He is in control, and He taking me to exactly where he wants me to be.

At the moment, online applications have been sent, references requested... and I just need to mail in my supporting documents. Then the waiting game begins. :)

3... 11... 23... and 40

3 more days left to 2009
11 days until Pyoo gets back to HK.. :P
23 days left of work at HSBC
40 more days until I get on a plane for New York...

seems like everyone around me has been counting down to things... so I've started my own stash of counting down... :P

a much needed update...

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will make your paths straight." ~ Proverbs 3:5-6

So in the past little while, God has really made this verse come to life. He has shown me what it means to live out this verse... in the area of relationships.... or to be more specific in a boy. :P

Let's back track. So growing up in church, having read most of the popular "Christian dating literature"... I was taught early on that I needed to have "a list." I was taught that in order to keep from compromising or worse yet.. "settling" I needed to determine early on all the characteristics that should be desired in my future husband. So like most girls, I too had a list. A couple of years ago... well.. in the aftermath of my last serious relationship, I pulled out the list and riped it up. I don't remember what induced me to do that... but I remember that moment very distinctly. I pulled out the list, riped it to shreads, and told God I'm tired of handing him a check list and praying for a check list. I basically told God that since He knows me best, then He will know and understand exactly what it is that I need, and I'm gonna stop telling Him how to do his job. So that night, I handed the daunting task of finding "the one" into God's hands. I don't think I had any idea what I had just gotten myself into with God...

Now, I don't want to paint a flowery picture of how everything works out just because you hand over this area of your life to God. That is not how life works. I struggled just like every normal girl in the limbo of wanting to give God complete control and wanting to take things into my own hands. I still made mistakes, and I still made poor choices. I still gave away parts of my heart that I probably shouldn't have, crossed boundaries that I shouldn't have... struggled with finding my identity in Christ as opposed to finding it in a significant other. If anything, letting God have complete control, the struggles of insecurity and loneliness only seemed to increase.

So in the past little while, while I have been trying to lay everything down before God, learning to find God in EVERYTHING, learning to praise God in the good and the bad... and learning that He IS everything and that He is IN everything as well; God has been orchestrating a story that has completely blown me outta the water. I've been given full permission to blog about this from Paul (and shall be known as Pyoo from henceforth), so I shall.

So Pyoo (whom I affectionately has described as "self proclaimed best friend" to those at home) and I found ourselves in a place where we needed to DTR (define the relationship). Well, after a rollar coaster ride of emotions and confusion after a certain event which I have kindly named "Pyoo's dropping of the A-bomb"... we had a talk. During the talk we acknowledged that there seemed to be a little bit more than just friendship brewing, but we wanted to have God's full blessings before proceeding with anything. We saw that God had really placed similar burdens/passions on our hearts, and callings which were also very similar. One thing that really stuck out to me that night was that we really felt that God was calling us to travel the road less travelled.... but we weren't sure if that meant we were gonna travel that road together. So began the journey to praying for God's confirmation that this relationship was part of His plan, and that He was gonna bring us together in marriage.

For me, God had already given me my Bible passage of confirmation. So in the past month, I simply watched that passage come to life in Pyoo, and in our friendship. (2 Corinthians 1:20-21) Along with more passages and confirmations from God, He really gave me peace in my heart. In this time... in many many funny ways from God that probably only I would understand, I got my answer. I also learned that we girls really do have it easy. :) With God's peace, I was okay with waiting for the most part... I had my impatient moments... :P I wasn't really allowed to say anything about what God had spoken or revealed... and had to wait silently for Pyoo to hear from God. So on Halloween, God spoke... and so begins the next phase of this journey together, with full confidence that this journey leads to marriage... but more importantly an eternity in heaven with God. In the mean time, while on earth, we've been given the honour of walking this journey together... and that's pretty exciting!

I could have never ended up here on my own... and we could never have ended up here on our own without God. It was God who orchestrated every single part of this friendship and now relationship... and it was definitely Him who brought us together. Hahahaha... let's just say that if God hadn't intervened, I'd still be trying to run away from Pyoo.... :P

And God said yes...

"For no matter how many promises God has made, they are 'Yes' in Christ. And so through him the 'Amen' is spoken by us to the glory of God. Now it is God who makes both us and you stand firm in Christ. He anointed us, and put his Spirit in our hearts as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come." ~2 Corinthians 1:20-22

The road of obedience is hard... but I've tasted and seen "what is to come" and I want to see more! Since the only way to see more, is to take this next step in obedience, I WILL do it. I know it will be possible because I will not be going alone, nor will I have to act in my own strength. Let's be honest, I ain't got no strength... it's all God. ALL GOD!

taking new steps forward...

so begins another month... august. I can't believe that July has already come and gone... I have already returned to Edmonton and come back to Hong Kong. What a trip!

Before I left, I think God had already started to change me. Before I left I wrote the following:

"I don't like where I am right now... so by the process of elimination, that only leaves me with once choice. I MUST keep going forward. Regardless of how scared I am, or how unwilling I am at times... it is the only choice that makes sense. It is the only path that is lit up... the only path has teeming with life and hope."

That is what I have been trying to do. To go forward with my life... which all started even before I left for Edmonton. In the last several weeks, I have been learning to step out in obedience, learning to follow God's still small voice, learning to sort out my own thoughts from the pulling of the Holy Spirit. The result? A joy and peace that can only come from God. An outcome that screams that the hand of God is over my life!

While in Edmonton, God allowed and created the platform for reconciliation. He allowed for me to complete the process of healing He has started in Hong Kong. It is now finished, the wall of anger, bitterness and hatred has been broken down. In it's ruins sprouts new life, new hope, and new friendship.

Back in Hong Kong, I've decided to apply the same principle to work. I'm so tired of where I am... so I took the plunge. Gonna give something else a try and see what happens. I've told some of you of certain openings elsewhere that I have been approached to think about. So I thought it about it this week.. as in I really thought about it. I've decided... why not. What's holding me back?!

Basically, the one thing that I have been learning is this: the smaller I become, the stronger I feel. The more I lay myself down, the more confidence I gain in God's hand over my life. I like to make excuses to get myself out of doing things I don't like... one of those things is stepping forward. I get myself into places or situations that I don't really like, but make up excuses for why I don't get myself out of them. Really, it was just out a fear of the unknown. Yet, as I stop making these excuses and stepping out, I am learning that there is nothing to fear when God is in control.

A time of change is coming in my life, I feel it, and I'm sooooo excited for what is coming. I have no clue as to what it will look like, but I'm very certain that it's gonna be beyond my wildest imagination anyways! So forget giving God the steering wheel, I'm abandoning ship altogether and jumping into God's ship instead.

the learning continues...

I think I'm learning that just because I've told THE story doesn't mean that I get to shut myself up and become a hermit... even though that is what I really want to do. I'm learning that just because I've shared doesn't mean that it's never going to haunt me ever again. I'm learning that just because God's used my story to encourage others doesn't mean that I don't need others to come along side me and encourage me in return.
Sharing what I thought was my deepest darkest secret has left me feeling rather naked and vulnerable. Except there are 3 things I can do from here... I can turn around and go back to where I came... which is in hiding with my shame and condemnation. I can stay where I am, scared outta my mind and feeling lost, or lastly, I can suck it all up, take God's hand and keep walking towards the promises He has spoken over my life.
I refuse to go back to that prison of lies. I don't like where I am right now... so by the process of elimination, that only leaves me with once choice. I MUST keep going forward. Regardless of how scared I am, or how unwilling I am at times... it is the only choice that makes sense. It is the only path that is lit up... the only path has teeming with life and hope.
The irony of it all at the moment, is the fact that I will be returning to Edmonton next week for a visit. I will be returning to the place where most of my pain and disappointment lie. To be honest (sorry to everyone at home..) but a place... where at this moment in my life, I really don't want to be in. HK is freedom, Edmonton is prison... but I know that I must go. I also know that I must go joyfully with God as my strength. He will go before me, He will go with me, and He will continue to be there after I leave.
I will not go back with my head low, but I will walk into that place with my head held high, my heart on my sleeve and the Spirit of God in me. I will not let my past dictate who I am, and I will not be a prisoner to my past. I'm not that person anymore, God's made sure of that. I will cling to my identity in Christ... and that alone is who I am. What God has given me, no one can take away!

The trap...

Lately, I've been feeling like a fly caught on fly paper. Alive... but stuck.

I knew that after sharing that God's work was not done. I knew that God still had more in store for me... and I also knew that my opening that door that my past was gonna come knocking. Yet, as the past comes knocking I find myself getting caught up in it. I'm starting to feel the weight of it once again... I don't like it, but I'm too proud to admit that I'm struggling.

I've fallen back into the trap... of lies from my past. I know I'm being pity... but maybe I need to throw this tantrum at God first. Maybe I need to tell Him how I really feel about all of this. Well... it sucks, and I don't think it's fair!

My head knowledge struggles with this.... because I KNOW God's ways are higher than my ways. I already know that HIS timing is better than my timing. I don't need the head knowledge, and the quoted Bible scriptures... thanks but no thanks. My head's already full of that... but the head knowledge is not helping the pain that is in my heart.

I am alive... because God already gave me a new heart... I just need to get rid of this fly paper which is pulling me down.. and pulling me back from all the promises God has for me.

Wow... I really had to.

So, everyone's been asking me how I feel... I think I've figured it out enough to put it into words. So here goes:

I feel like a little girl who just got everything she wanted for Christmas and so so much more! I feel so loved and I feel so blessed... and I'm just simply basking in how great God is. I feel so small but so privileged.

Do I really have to?!?!?

About a year ago, I wrote this:

This weekend, He taught me that I need to be patient. I need to let Him complete His process of fine-tuning, to let Him finish the cleaning out of all that displeases Him in my life. He came, put His arms around me and said "Hold up there, I'm not done yet, so I can't let you go out there. I need to stay put right where I've placed you, and trust me. I'll get you there when the time is right. But for now just chills right here and do what I've asked you to do."

Lately... God's been saying the opposite.
"If you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place, but you and your father's family will perish. And who knows but that you have come to royal position for such a time as this?" ~Esther 4:14

God's been telling me that it is time. I keep hearing that the time to break the silence has arrived. The time for me to speak has come... I cannot sit on this quietly any longer. The time has come for God to use my story. I have gone through everything, and ended up in Hong Kong for "such a time as this." This is exactly where I am suppose to be right now... and this is where God is going to use my story to impact others.

I don't know when and how this is all going to happen. I know that He's preparing me, and that it's going to be crazy! I am so not ready, but it's burning in my heart. I've taken about half a step out in obedience... and been hit with confirmation left and right that my time has come. It fuels the fire and makes my heart burn even more!!!

I am soooo terrified right now! But at the same time, I am so excited! AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH... the time is coming!!!!

Discipline

³Just think of Him Who endured from sinners such grievous opposition and bitter hostility against Himself [reckon up and consider it all in comparison with your trials], so that you may not grow weary or exhausted, losing heart and relaxing and fainting in your minds.

⁴You have not yet struggled and fought agonizingly against sin, nor have you yet resisted and withstood to the point of pouring out your [own] blood.

⁵And have you [completely] forgotten the divine word of appeal and encouragement in which you are reasoned with and addressed as sons? My son, do not think lightly or scorn to submit to the correction and discipline of the Lord, nor lose courage and give up and faint when you are reproved or corrected by Him;

⁶For the Lord corrects and disciplines everyone whom He loves, and He punishes, even scourges, every son whom He accepts and welcomes to His heart and cherishes.

⁷You must submit to and endure [correction] for discipline; God is dealing with you as with sons. For what son is there whom his father does not [thus] train and correct and discipline?

⁸Now if you are exempt from correction and left without discipline in which all [of God's children] share, then you are illegitimate offspring and not true sons [at all].^B)">(B)

⁹Moreover, we have had earthly fathers who disciplined us and we yielded [to them] and respected [them for training us]. Shall we not much more cheerfully submit to the Father of spirits and so [truly] live?

¹⁰For [our earthly fathers] disciplined us for only a short period of time and chastised us as seemed proper and good to them; but He disciplines us for our certain good, that we may become sharers in His own holiness.

¹¹For the time being no discipline brings joy, but seems grievous and painful; but afterwards it yields a peaceable fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it [a harvest of fruit which consists in righteousness--in conformity to God's will in purpose, thought, and action, resulting in right living and right standing with God].

¹²So then, brace up and reinvigorate and set right your slackened and weakened and drooping hands and strengthen your feeble and palsied and tottering knees,^C)">(C)

¹³And cut through and make firm and plain and smooth, straight paths for your feet [yes, make them safe and upright and happy paths that go in the right direction], so that the lame and halting [limbs] may not be put out of joint, but rather may be cured. (Hebrews 12:3-13, The Amplified Bible)

God has definitely been disciplining me lately. When it first started, oh... how it hurt! But then I read the words in Hebrews... it's only because GOD LOVES ME!!! This gives me joy...

It's time!

"For everyone who continues to feed on milk is obviously inexperienced and unskilled in the doctrine of righteousness (of conformity to the divine will in purpose, thought, and action), for he is a mere infant [not able to talk yet]! But solid food is for full-grown men, for those whose senses and mental faculties are trained by practice to discriminate and distinguish between what is morally good and noble and what is evil and contrary either to divine or human law. THEREFORE LET us go on and get past the elementary stage in the teachings and doctrine of Christ (the Messiah), advancing steadily toward the completeness and perfection that belong to spiritual maturity. Let us not again be laying the foundation of repentance and abandonment of dead works (dead formalism) and of the faith [by which you turned] to God, With teachings about purifying, the laying on of hands, the resurrection from the dead, and eternal judgment and punishment. [These are all matters of which you should have been fully aware long, long ago.] If indeed God permits, we will [now] proceed [to advanced teaching]. For it is impossible [to restore and bring again to repentance] those who have been once for all enlightened, who have consciously tasted the heavenly gift and have become sharers of the Holy Spirit, And have felt how good the Word of God is and the mighty powers of the age and world to come, If they then deviate from the faith and turn away from their allegiance--[it is impossible] to bring them back to repentance, for (because, while, as long as) they nail upon the cross the Son of God afresh [as far as they are concerned] and are holding [Him] up to contempt and shame and public disgrace. For the soil which has drunk the rain that repeatedly falls upon it and produces vegetation useful to those for whose benefit it is cultivated partakes of a blessing from God. But if [that same soil] persistently bears thorns and thistles, it is considered worthless and near to being cursed, whose end is to be burned. Even though we speak this way, yet in your case, beloved, we are now firmly convinced of better things that are near to salvation and accompany it. For God is not unrighteous to forget or overlook your labor and the love which you have shown for His name's sake in ministering to the needs of the saints (His own consecrated people), as you still do. But we do [strongly and earnestly] desire for each of you to show the same diligence and sincerity [all the way through] in realizing and enjoying the full assurance and development of [your] hope until the end, In order that you may not grow disinterested and become [spiritual] sluggards, but imitators, behaving as do those who through faith (by their leaning of the entire personality on God in Christ in absolute trust and confidence in His power, wisdom, and goodness) and by practice of patient endurance and waiting are [now] inheriting the promises." (Hebrews 5:13-14, 6:1-12, The Amplified)

It's time... time to start "inheriting the promises" that God has in store for this generation. Except this will only come through our spiritual maturity. It's time to stop being lazy, complacent, indifferent, ignorant, etc. I say NO MORE to being spoon fed the gospel. NO MORE to going around the same mountains. NO MORE to the same messages of repent of your selfish ways and turn to God. Let's get past all this which we already know and go deeper! How many more times do you want to come crying to God about the same issue? How much longer are you going to wait for God to chase you around for?! Let's do away with the spiritual highs and lows that we love so very much to talk about!

It's time to stop singing empty words, making useless vows. "When you make a vow to God, do not delay in fulfilling it. He has no pleasure in fools; fulfill your vow. It is better not to vow than to make a vow and not fulfill it. Do not let your mouth lead you into sin. ... Much dreaming and many words are meaningless. Therefore stand in awe of God." (Ecclesiastes 5:4-6a, 7, NIV) We've all sang the words, we'll stand in awe of God. We're standing with hands high and heart abandoned, souls abandoned, giving our all to Jesus. Let our lives reflect what we say. We proclaim that greater things are yet to come and to be done. Now let's ALL start living like we BELIEVE what we're proclaiming!

Everyone, I think it's time we shake up this planet with our Faith! The question is are you ready and willing to help with the shaking?!?!

I was having a hard time this week... and by the end of this week, I found myself listening to these words over and over again:

"And I'm so filthy with my sin
I carry pride like a disease
You know I'm stubborn Lord and I'm longing to be close
You burn me deeper than I know
I feel lonely without hope
I feel desperate without vision
You wrap around me like a winter coat
You come and free me like a bird

And my heart burns for you
And my heart burns for you"~Obsession from Delirious

I want my heart to burn for God. I need my heart to burn for God. He must be my Obsession, and nothing else!

it was just TOO funny!

I've decided that it was just TOO funny to NOT share. I actually had trouble holding in laughter during service when this happened, so I'm gonna share it.

So this morning in service, we played Mighty to Save for worship, and then we also played it again as response. We played it last week for service as well.... and then at 4pm we sang it again as the response song. I had just been talking about how many times I've played/sang that song in the past week that morning. So when it started... I really just couldn't contain my amusement with God... and with our worship leaders!

All amusement aside though, I think I may have found myself in a very uncomfortable storm. It is small, but it is there and I feel it. God's been speaking lots in the past several weeks, and I've started to walk out some of what He has called me to do. So I actually find much comfort in these words:

"Savior, He can move the mountains
My God is mighty to save, He is mighty to save.

Forever, author of salvation,
He rose and conquered the grave, Jesus conquered the grave."

Nothing can stop God from fulfilling all that He has spoken over my life. Nothing will stand in the way if it is His will. If He can move mountains and conquer death, He can and will make sure that what He has promised will be fulfilled.

I admit I don't understand at the moment. I admit I may not like any of it at the moment, but I will wait in expectation that God will see it through. I will wait obediently because I know that at the end of it, it's gonna be immeasurably better than I have ever thought of imagined!! I'm sooo excited to see how God is gonna meet me in this storm!

God's given me so much joy lately that I'm having trouble holding it all in! Even in the midst of the storm, all I can do is sit there and smile, because I KNOW that God's in control and that He loves me sooooo much! He is gonna take me where I have never been, and it's gonna be AMAZING!

oh the Joy!!!

MTR Ride out to Kwun Tong - $11.20
Korean food from food court - $50.00
The PURE JOY of finding the giant rubber ducky - PRICELESS!!!!

random train of thoughts...

So... 3 things I've been really pondering on lately.

1. I just got home from my trip to London and Paris several days ago. I think one of the best parts was just to get out of town, and to just be far far away from work. (Despite the fact that HSBC is UK based and that there are more ads for HSBC out there than here at home...) Work has been very stressful for me lately, and I've gotten to a point where I have troubles waking up and getting ready for work. I just don't want to be there. I feel so insignificant at work, and this fact was further affirmed by the fact that by 2 in the afternoon, my supervisor still had noticed that I was NOT at work. This really makes me wonder, "Why am I still there, then?!"
I love being on vacation because it makes me feel so free. Free from the stress and demands of work. Free from feeling like I have to confirm to the ways of the corporate world, free from everything my job demands me to be. Free from the degrading comments of my supervisor and the unspoken demand that I need to pull many hours of OT. Being on vacation I was free from all this, and that is simply why I love being on vacation, where what I do with my time is for me to dictate and not not work.

2. I threw myself a pity party the other day. I had an attack of just really horrible thoughts. My heart was filled with pain and sorrow, and all I wanted to do was cry. It all suddenly made me feel so insecure, and insignificant. These thoughts are still haunting me... I keep finding my thoughts wandering to "It's NOT fair!" Such selfish thoughts... but at the same time, a part of me still wants to demand justice. The logical side of me screams "Grow up, get over it, and move on already!" Except the emotional side of me wants to demand answers and aplologies still.
Some days it still hurts, and it still seems unfair. This was one of those days. It's not that I don't want others to be happy... I mean, I certainly don't want to be haunted by this forever... and therefore do not wish this to loom over anyone else either. But in my immaturity which leaks through at times, I still just want to sulk in a corner and whine about how "it's just not fair!"

3. Culture shock. I think I still suffer the most from culture shock when I step foot back into the HK International Airport. Or perhaps it's simply the immense amount of Chinese people that I'm constantly surrounded by that causes culture shock in me. Going to the Philippines did not cause culture shock, going to a Native reserve did not, London and Paris... nothing. I come back to HK... culture shock. That's seriously not even a joke... I always find that I have to readjust back to HK life no matter how long I was away for.
.... perhaps I have some sort of culture identity issue... *sigh*

"This wasn't the plan... but it turned out so much better."

Haha... it resembles my thoughts so perfectly. Hong Kong was never part of the plan. The plan was Vancouver. It has always been Vancouver. That's been the plan since I was like 14! Except time and time again... it just never happened. Circumstances caused me to not take my acceptance into UBC. Then... God opened the Hong Kong door.. and Vancouver was lost yet again. I tried one more time this past year with my desire to go back to school... but somehow that just never felt right either. So here I am, signed up for another year in Hong Kong.

Working in HSBC was also never part of the plan. I studied math.. in order to finish some sort of a degree. I took the job, with the hopes of getting away from Edmonton and getting my foot into the door for a bigger bank... and dreams of just climbing the corporate ladder through it somehow.. to find a way into an investment bank through it. Actually, bank work was never part of my plan period. I don't know what I had planned for myself... but this definitely was not it.

Nothing in my life at the moment was how I had planned or imagined it, but it's all turned out so much better. God's taken care of every tiny little detail of my life... now how do I get rid of this one last thorn in my heart?

the new year...

I can't believe that it's been a year since I've left Edmonton and started a new life in HK. This past year has definitely been interesting... (you'd have to ask if you want to know... too much to write all on here.)

A year ago I had no idea what the year would bring, and what would happen when the year ended. Now the year's coming to an end, and I've found myself signing a contract for another year at the same job. So I will be in HK for another year... and feeling the same as I was a year ago.

Same in the sense that I don't know where I will be after this year is over, but different in the sense that I'm very confident that this next year is gonna be another amazing year with God.

friends

I saw this picture in the Standard the other day. It reminded me of friends... 'nough said.

at the bottom...

Home by Micheal Buble... the song that makes me sad. It reminds me of one the most surreal days in my whole entire life up to this point.

~The first time I heard this song was in your car. The first time I heard this song, I started to cry... but no one knew. It was the morning after I found out... the morning when everything in my life came crashing in on me. The start of my long climb back up the steep slippery slope I had fallen down.

I cried because the words were the cry of my heart. They were the words I was crying out to God.

"Maybe surrounded by A million people I Still feel all alone I just wanna go home Oh I miss you, you know"

I wanted to go home to the Father. Never in my life had I ever been so disappointed, so devastated, so lost and so confused. ~

God's been digging deeper... I feel like He's ripping me apart from the inside out. Somedays the pain is so unbearable... and I just hurt. Don't know how to express the pain... not even through tears. So I just hurt.

A Prayer for You

this is actually titled A Prayer for the Ephesians in the NIV, but I thought it was good... so wanted to share it with ya'll.

"For this reason I kneel before the Father, from whom his whole family in heaven and on earth derives its name. I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.

Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen." ~Ephesians 3:14-21

*note: During Paul's time, Ephesus was a major commercial centre. It was one of the greatest trading centres in the Eastern Mediterranean. A large extent of her prosperity was due to its geographical location.

my prayer...

strip me of my friends
strip me of my family
strip me of my dreams
strip me of my desires
strip me of all that i hope for
strip me of my music
strip me of my ministries
strip me of basketball
strip me of hockey
strip me of my academic achievements
strip me of all my head knowledge
strip me of my fears
strip me of my anxieties
strip me of my doubts
strip me of my money
strip me of my pride
strip me of all that pains me
strip me of all that brings me joy
strip me of all that i believe ME to be

what remains will be a slab of clay waiting for the Artist to come and turn it into a beautiful work of art.

what's in a name?!

My 2 worlds have collided lately... with the influx of visitors... and to be honest, it feels rather strange. When I left Edmonton 8 months ago, I didn't think very far ahead. A part of me simply saw Hong Kong as an escape, because in my tunnel vision, I had but one thing on my mind. I needed to get outta Edmonton. I needed to be gone from there... for my sanity's sake! So upon arrival... I made a decision to leave behind the "old me" and start fresh... and one of those things was to stop introducing myself as Cel (pronounced Cil.) This name of mine, is what leads me to this blog entry...

I've been known as Cel for so long now... my family calls me by that name! Call my house and ask for Cel... and you shall get me... (most of the time... given you get the right number and that my family can hear you... hahahaha :P) With the influx of visitors and hearing my friends call me that once again.. (not just online, or in emails but outloud) it feels nice. It's familiar... and it feels right. hahaha... Cece (with the Chinese accent) or Cec... or Ce... is not. They are honestly very foreign and strange sounding to me... sometimes I think to myself... "That's not my name... I have a nickname, I don't need a new one..."

Anyways, that's still not the point. The point is that I can't run away from myself. I can't pretend that a part of me doesn't exist. Haha.. trust me, I've tried pretty hard. The truth is that, everything I've tried to leave behind is a part of me. Always has and always will be. Me going by another name, doesn't make me a different person. :P I'm slowly learning to embrace everything for what it is... part of God's plan for my life. Ultimately it will all be used for His glory. Yes, there are parts that were painful.. and events that I'd rather pretend like they didn't exist in my story... but they do. All these things combined, is what makes it MY story and no one elses.

God is so gracious and compassionate... and as I learn to embrace all that he's given me.. good AND bad... I know that greater things are yet to come! :)

"When times are good, be happy; but when times are bad, consider: God has made the one as well as the other." ~ Ecclesiastes 7:14a

A new door?!??!

8 months... and counting. I can't believe that it's been 8m months... just like that! With 4 months left, I've been doing a lot of thinking about what's next. I've also been doing a lot of thinking about what's happened in the past 8 months.

As I near the end of this contract... I find a potential new door before me. It could be an amazing opportunity if it all works out. Yet, I'm scared that I'll still be miserable. I know that I have a choice to make... and neither of them are easy. Neither of them are set in stone, neither are for sure. They're just possible things that I could do. They are very different from each other. Basically my choices are 1) stay on my current career path and 2) make a career change.

It's doing something familiar in a new place, or doing something new in a familiar place. Bah! I don't like being put in a position where a decision needs to be made. Perhaps this is why God keeps putting me in positions where I have to... I need to learn where my heart lies and where my passions lie. I need to figure what I love doing more. I need to really look into my heart, and into God's will for my life... and see what I need to do.

Prayers please! Thanks!

On Forgiveness...

"When forgiveness finally roots in you, you find you have nothing left to say at all." ~Jenny Schroedel

"When we forgive evil we do not excuse it, we do not tolerate it, we do not smother it. We look evil full in the face, call it what it is, let its horror shock and stun and enrage us and only then do we forgive it." ~ Lewis Smedes

Why is a life of forgiveness that hardest thing to live out? Why is Jesus' example of forgiveness so hard to follow? I have but one word: Pride. My pride stands in my way between hanging onto a grudge and forgiving completely... but I know that God is working on changing that.

smothered with love...

Wow... what an interesting month August has been. I've had some good times, and some... not so good times, but Glory to God through all of it! He has definitely come through for me in a big way this past month! I can't believe that it's almost September... and that my contract here is more than half over!

It has definitely been a very stretching month for me. Thanks for all of those who have informed me of certain news at home. I love you all so much for checking in on me, and for caring so very very much! Even though I was fine, and it didn't bother me at all, it still meant the world to me that so many of you sought me out to make sure that I was alright. It is all because of God's grace that I can tell so many of you that I am fine and that I have moved towards forgiveness. True forgiveness, because I wish them the very best for the future. :) Of course all your caring ended up moving me to tears because it made me miss ya'll so much! I feel so loved!

I can't believe how far God has carried these past 3 years. He has put me in my place this past month. There is indeed nothing that is impossible for God. Despite the fact that having your past creep up on you out of nowhere rather irked me, through it I've truly seen that God is bigger than my past. He's in complete control, and He's known exactly what He's doing since the very beginning. It was so silly of me to doubt and not believe. I'm finally getting my chance to speak my mind... and to reconcile. God showered me with so much grace, it's about time I share some of that grace with others.

To continue with this cleaning out of garbage that God is so obviously doing this month... my phone died. Hundreds of phone numbers and approx 200 text messages... ALL GONE! Except I believe that it was a good thing. Inconvenient... but good. I am now unable to reach more than half my friends and I have lost all my text messages that I like to read for fun... cause they put a smile on my face. But God's made His point loud and clear. When He said that He was giving me a second chance, a brand new start, a clean slate, He meant it. It's about time I let go of all that I left behind, and it's about time I stop dwelling on all that I miss.

complexities of the female mind...

"Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as braided hair and the wearing of gold jewelry and fine clothes. Instead, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God's sight." ~I Peter 3:3-4

The world tells us that we need to look a certain way, have a certain body type, have a certain type of hair cut, wear a certain type of clothes... and that will make us "beautiful." Oh how often us girls buy into all that, and fall into that trap of lies that Satan has set up for us to fall into. We see it everyday, in the eating disorders, the suicidal attempts, the promiscuity, us girls will do anything to feel accepted and loved. Well, it's breaking God's heart! I know because I feel it and I've felt it for awhile now. God's heart for the broken women of this generation.

He wants you to know that your identity isn't found in these things. Your identity isn't based on what you look like, what you wear, what you own, who you know, who you're going out with or not going out with. These things are a temporary satisfaction! They will never fulfill you and satisfy you the way the love of God will! These things will not comfort you when you are sad, they will not wipe the tears from your eyes. I have been there, and I'm sick and tired of buying into those lies.

I have had it with thinking that I'm not beautiful in the world's standard. I'm tired of being bombarded with ads that tell me I need certain things to make me "happy." I am most fed up with the lies that tell me I need a significant other to complete me. I am lacking in nothing because I am complete in Christ Jesus my Lord! I am complete as I am. I have found joy in God.

My prayer is that the women of this generation will stop buying into these lies, and start pressing into all the promises that God has for us. God has made it very clear that is our inner beauty that is of great worth to God. It does not say in the Bible that how we look and dress is important to God. So stop beating yourself because you don't look a certain way, stop starving yourself because you're not a certain weight, and start to see yourself as God sees you. Not only that, but start loving yourself the way God does! "Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body." (I Corinthians 6:19-20) Please stop cutting or torturing your body because of whatever reasons! You are precious to God, and He loves you JUST THE WAY YOU ARE! And most of all, I pray that we will stop lowering our standards for the opposite sex. If he refuses to see you and treasure you the way that God does, honestly, he's not worth it. Your actions do matter, and the drawing of unhealthy attention is really only going to hurt you in the long run. So I plead that you protect your heart and that inner beauty that God has given you!

I have fallen into all these traps. For the longest time, satan used all of these things to tell me that I was unworthy and that I was not good enough. Well, God's shown me otherwise and I refuse to stay silent any longer. I pray that you too will find your identity and confidence in Christ and in Christ alone. God bless.

scar on my heart

the wounds that no one saw
the pain that no one could feel
the experience that no one understands
left a scar on my heart

the words that cut like a knife
the actions that drew blood
the abuse that brought tears
left a scar on my heart

my scar holds me back... it reminds me to be be careful
but it also reminds me that God is good and He heals

learning to miss...

I missed you today. But I know that you're with God, and He's taking care of you.
Just wished that you could be here, but I find reassurance in knowing that I'll be able to spend eternity with you in heaven. Until then, I'll leave you with God.

The grieving has ended... and I simply miss now. The other emotions have gone as well... all that remains is a longing for your presense. It is okay, because you're in my heart.

I think I'm gonna be okay. :)

"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!" ~II Corinthians 5:17

Wow... so much packing... so much to be thrown out. In the last 18 years that I have been living in Canada, I think I have kept anything and everything that I deemed worthy of keeping. I think I emptied about 5 shoeboxes filled with notes from jr high and up... notes filled with teen angst... mainly about what else? Boys of course. Hahaha... about 20 binders worth of notes, assignments, and random handouts in class... Thank goodness for the digital age, otherwise I think I'd have more photo albums worth of pictures.

It's really out with the old. But not so much in with the new. But I think it's exactly how I'm feeling inside. I'm leaving this old part of me behind for the new person that I've found in HK. I know I'm not the same as when I left only 4 months ago. (Thanks for those who've noticed.) As I pack up all this stuff, and throw things out, I feel like I'm really done with all that used to cause me so much pain. It is truly behind me, and I've embraced the new joy that God's given me. :)

As I sit here, literally in the midst of all my crap, I am lost for words. As I pull up past treasure after past treasure... I wonder why I ever kept all these things in the first place. I've got quite the collection of knick knacks... a little of everything, but for what use?

"Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destory, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." ~Matthew 6:19-21

At first before I came home, I thought throwing all that stuff out would be really hard and going through everything would also be hard, but it hasn't been so bad. Maybe my attitude towards this whole thing has changed. Perhaps, it is because I no longer find comforts in all of these "things." I've definitely overindulged myself over the years, and while it would be nice to keep everything, it is not necessary for my survival. I have been without all of these things the last 4 months, and most of it, I didn't even miss, or remember that I had.

These things that I own did not bring comfort while I was feeling low. It was God, and my friends who were there when I needed a shoulder to cry on, or an word of encouragement. It is not these things that keep me accountable, or these things that define who I am. All of these things and more I've already found in Christ Jesus my Savior, so... why should I be sad at all this? :)

I say this now... we'll see what happens when I can't even keep the little that I wish to take with me. I'll be clinging hard to God's promises for my life. Please pray... hahaha... there's still lots to go through....

simply sad...

I am simply overcome by sadness. It has been a hard week... and everything all together just made me overwhelmingly homesick. My grandpa passed away last week and today was the funeral. There... I said it. How sad is it that I don't feel like I can tell people, but I can post it here on the internet. But I guess that is where the feeling homesick part comes in.
I'm trying so hard, but somedays I still feel so alone. I feel like when I needed a friend, a shoulder to cry on the most, the world walked out on me and left me no one. When I needed just one encouraging word, a hug, or even just a pat on the shoulder, I came up empty. I'm tired of reaching out, can someone please reach in.
I miss having those few numbers that I can call when I'm in need. I miss those who always know when to call and what to say. I really could've used a kind word today... even just a simple text or a missed call to know that someone thought of me today. To know someone remembered...
Maybe I've been too cautious, and not open enough. Maybe I just haven't tried hard enough to open up? I really don't know what else I can do... I've already laid aside my pride and dignity. I really have no more to give... I really don't.

3 times...

Deut 31:6, 7-8, 23

3 times this morning God said "Be strong and courageous"

He said to be strong and courageous because:
~He is with me
~He will never leave me or forsake me
~God will fulfill His promise
~He has gone before me

He also said to not be afraid or discouraged.

I do think that God's made His point this morning. I'm not quite sure what He may be referring to, but when the situation comes for me to stand firm and to be strong and courageous, I shall cling onto the words that He has given me this morning. I'm very excited to see that through it, God's gonna reveal a fulfilled promise! Thanks for the message God!

Against the currents...

"The search for God is a reversal of the normal, mundane worldly order. In the search for God, you revert from what attracts you and swim toward that which is difficult. You abandon your comforting and familiar habits with the hope (the mere hope!) that something greater will be offered to you in return for what you've given up." ~Eat, Pray. Love

This is exactly what I've been learning and trying to live out. I no longer wish to conform to the patterns of the world. I want to live the life that God has ordained for me, and not what man wishes me to live. I refuse to let the drive of my life be money (which is not easy when you live in a place like HK) and have my sole purpose be to make as much money as possible. I wish for God to be my driving force, and my sole purpose to please Him and Him only.

I'm tired of trying to do what is "right" in the worlds eye. I'm tired of trying to find what would be most practical. I'm ready to live the supernatural, I'm ready to walk into all that God has in store for me. I'm ready to surrender all I am, to have but just a glimpse of His glory. If His road for me is practical and sane, than so be it. If it is not, I'm willing to go.

I'm going to start running full speed against the currents of this world, and trust that God is going to protect me from the oncoming traffic! :)

"Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to your brother; then come and offer your gift." ~Matt 5:23-24

A few weeks ago, God convicted me that I had unforgiveness sitting in my heart. I am still struglling with this unforgiveness, because I am still clinging onto it. This week, He gave me that verse in Matthew. I've been standing at the altar, trying to offer God my whole life. I keep asking God to use me, to lead me to where He is calling me to be. Yet, I don't feel Him leading me, I don't feel Him trying to use me. I think it's because I haven't dealt with what He has asked me to.

This weekend, He taught me that I need to be patient. I need to let Him complete His process of fine-tuning, to let Him finish the cleaning out of all that displeases Him in my life. He came, put His arms around me and said "Hold up there, I'm not done yet, so I can't let you go out there. I need to stay put right where I've placed you, and trust me. I'll get you there when the time is right. But for now just chills right here and do what I've asked you to do."

So I guess, I will simply enjoy all the blessings that God has poured into my life. Through it, He has taught me so much, and by allowing His Holy Spirit to be in me, I will find the love that I need to forgive and to finally put it all to an end. I will learn to let go of my anger and pain. I will learn to trust God, and as a result others that God has placed into my life. I will enjoy this time where God slowly puts my heart back together piece by piece. There will be times when it gets hard and it will hurt, but I will trust in God. I will trust my maker because I know that He will be as gentle as He can with the fragile pieces.

I have found God here, and I'm loving each and every minute as I learn to fall in love with him over and over again on a daily basis. :)

small things... a world of difference

I miss being Cel... or rather I miss being called that. Hahaha... I guess I can't really miss myself, since I'm with me ALL the time. I can't really get away from myself. I miss the intimacy of nicknames and inside jokes. I miss the relationships and all the memories that comes along with them. I miss the comfort of walking into a room and knowing everyone in it. I miss feeling safe to be who I am. It feels weird at times to be called by my full name... I've gone with using Cel for so long that it takes a little longer for me to register that someone is calling me. Hahaha.... :P

I miss the old, but at the same time, making new relationships has been challenging, yet rewarding. It was been scary, but an adventure. As I get to know people better, I am starting to relax and starting to be more myself. Being riped out from what I am accustomed to has been interesting. I've been learning lots about myself. God moves me to tears almost weekly now. I am in complete awe of just how amazing He is and all that He has done in my life.

As I continue on this adventure God has put me on, I will cling to His promises that there will be more. He will make my life even more abundant and more full. I look forward to watching Him make my life flourish! I know that the road will not be easy, but will simply hold on to His power, His promises and His presense, it won't be as bad as it seems.

a new perspective...

So I went hiking on Saturday. Haha, I guess it has been a really long time since I've been hiking, and for sure I haven't gone hiking in Hong Kong since I was like 5... and that wasn't really hiking back then. So Saturday morning, at the last minute it was decided that we would go to Tai Tam for our hike which was rated as a level 2 hike, with the highest being 3. I figured it couldn't be that bad. Hahaha... oh how I was wrong. In honesty, it was simply the stairs that killed me. But I didn't want to turn around, and the view at the top was definitely was worth it.
It was so nice to get out of the city for a couple of hours. Away from the neon signs, the business, the people, the crowds, the shops... the materialism. It was so nice to be in the "mountain" surrounded by trees, rocks... and things that are green. The city looks so different when you're looking down from the top. hahaha... and it's not the same was when you go up to the Peak either. I mean, there's still that mall up there, with crowds of tourists, and just people. But the trail was pretty quiet, and when we got to the top, it was just us and trees... and powerlines. Hahaha... we HAD to go to the end or turn back, because there really was no other way down.
Then later that night, went to Thirst at church. I guess it's kind of a YIC and YAC combined. Good worship and a very excellent message. God broke me down once again with the words in God of Justice: "Freely we've received, so freely we will give" with respect to forgiveness. God has poured out His forgiveness upon me so freely,and so very generously. Yet, I'm like that servant in the parable, who holds onto that and does not share it with others. I have not shown the same grace and mercy. He took my hand last night and led me into the very depths of my heart where all the anger and hatred was still lingering and poisoning my soul. He said "Now is the time" to let go of the grudge. Now is the time to stop blaming them for my misery. It weighs me down and keeps me from being all that I can be for God. I've bought into Satan's lies that this makes me not good enough to do God's work. I bought into the lies that God's plans for me will no longer be as good as they had been originally. I believed all of the lies that was fed to me.
So now, I've decided to take on a new perspective, and responsibility for my present. What happened in the past will remain in the past, and it does not affect the plans that God has for my present or my future. The past does not make me unworthy of God's presense, or of God's blessing. I'm going to listen to God and start this forgiving so that He can show me all the exciting things that are still to come!

"We must go
To live to feed the hungry
Stand beside the broken
We must go
Stepping forward
Keep us from just singing
Move us into action
We must go" ~God of Justice (Tim Hughes)

endorphines au naturale...

oh dear... I am on such a high right now. Hahaha.... went to play some streetball with some guys from church and their work friends. Definitely not used to this humidity... I felt so gross like within 10 mins! But I was OH SO VERY NICE to play and to get out to do something OTHER than just eat and shop. Don't get me wrong, I love the shopping and the eating that can be had in the H to the K, but at the same time I'm definitely starting to get sick of eating out everyday! (Thank goodness my mom is coming home soon!) I seriously think I ate more healthy living on my own in E-town than now while living with my dad and my brother. I would cook... but by the time I get home after work, I just wanna die. (When you have NOTHING to do... it drains your energy more than if you have a bazillion things to do!)

Anyways, I definitely need to thank God for all that He has done for me. It isn't even just in the last 2 months of providing everything for me, but preparing me all my life for this. I've come to realize that I am definitely an extrovert. I tend to be quiet at first and observe lots, but when that stage is over... I come out! hahaha, I dont know how better to put it. I'm totally a people person, and I'll just get out there and meet people every week. Either that, or I just have a very adaptable nature. I admit that I've become more cautious over the years of who I trust and don't trust, but really I've realized that I'm a very trusting person and that my trust is easy to gain, but hard to get back once it is gone. I'll open my heart up to just about anyone, but if they abuse my trust, see ya later!

Praise God for new friends! Praise God for a new church and for new community! I feel so blessed! Don't get me wrong, I still miss home and all that's been left behind, but I'm learning to be okay as he continues to fill my life with all that I miss. I missed friends, he's definitely blessed me with people to hang out with. I miss just hanging out, and he provides opportunities to hang out at people's houses to just chills. I miss playing basketball and he provides me with good people to let me play with them. I thought I was missing out on Kanye West in May, and well... guess who's coming to HK in 2 weeks! I just don't know how to describe just how incredibly happy and hard these past 2 months have been. I really can't believe that it's only been 2 months!

I don't regret my decision to make that leap through that open door that God's gave me. I feel myself healing and I'm starting to hear my Father's voice in heaven once again. Oh how I've missed His voice. Praise God for always reminding me that He's there, and that He's always been there, and that He's never left. It was only I who did not want Him around.

Hehe... I'm so happy!

freedom...

i've found freedome in animosity. it's a freedom i've never felt before. i'm no longer caught in the chains that you've put around me, no longer silenced by my fear of your displeasure. i don't have to worry about tarnishing that reputation of yours. no more stuck in that prison cell of silence that you locked me up in. i am no longer entangled in the lies that you fed me, no more buying into all the lies that satan wanted me to believe.
i can now share without feeling ashamed, without worrying that you'll find out. there is no biased anger, no trying to see things from your side, no uncomfortable friends wondering if they should take sides, no more screening an invite list. people no longer see me and then see you because they don't know you. i'm no longer the girl with the baggage that is you, because they don't know about us. no more looks of pity because they don't know what happened. i can share openly in confidence because they don't know who you are, they can't put a face to this person that i speak of.
it's helped with the healing. it's given me new strength and it's mended my broken relationship with my father in heaven. i'm learning to see the whole thing for what it was, and it makes me angry and it makes me sick in the stomach. you make me sick in the stomach, but God is teaching me to forgive you. He's teaching me to lean on Him and about his grace and mercy.
the truth has been hard to swollow at times, but i will plow through this because God promised He'll be there no matter what, and the prize at the end of all this is worth it. God will deal with you accordingly and revenge is not mine to take, so no matter how much it hurt i will simply lean on God and He will hold me tight and comfort me and give me peace.

1 month down..

i can't believe that i've been in hk for a month and away from edmonton for only a month. it feels like it's been forever. so much has happened in one month... but at the same time it feels like nothing has happened. regardless, God has been good, and He's constantly reminding that He's got my back no matter what, and no matter what happens, He is never going to leave me, or forsake me. He's there for me, for life! :) i've been taken lots of comfort in those words, especially when i've been feeling so homesick for all my friends, and i feel like i have to go at everything alone now. i know in my heart that God has big things in store for me this year, and that He's going to take me on the greatest adventure i've seen yet... but at the same time i'm still sad, and clinging on to all that i've left behind. i know i need to let go and embrace this for what it is... an adventure. i need to take everyday for what it is and make the most of each one of them.

this is the song that's really touched me lately. it's put God back into perspective for me, and it's been a good reminder that no matter what, no matter where i am, no matter what condition i am in, God has no distance, no time zones, no bed time. God is there always, at all times no matter what. And it's not just when He feels like it, it's 4 life!

4 life ~ naturally seven

Red light, green light, 1,2,3.
F O R L I F E
I got you if you got me.
F O R L I F E
We’ll always be together you will see.
F O R L I F E
You and me were meant to be.
F O R L I F E

Chorus
No matter what you’re going through, I’ll be there with you.
Looking out right by your side, for life, for life.
I’m never too far away, come rain or shine or in pain.
I’ll be there to give you what you need, for life, for life.

Have faith, trust in me, you’ll never have to hurt no more from now on you’ll see.
I got you, if you got me, there’ll never be a lonely road, no.
When you move to the left, call me.
When you bounce to the right don’t forget me.
I’m right here with you, I’ll always come through.
When your tank is low, I’ll gas ya.
Got nowhere to go, I’ll get cha
I’ll see you through, I promise you.

It’s clear, so simple to see, all you gotta do is 1, 2, step and follow me.
To a place, where we can hide away, you’ll find love, peace, and happiness.
For as long as you stay.

You’ll never be the same, it will change you.
I’ll wash away, all that pains you.
Let me take you there, to show you I care.
You can talk to me, I’ll hear you, tell me anything you want to.
All your troubles bring, I got you through anything.

You can call me whenever, life disappoints you and your spirits are down.
I got cha, leave you? No never, I’ll always be there if you want me around

end of the road...

i can't believe that this will be the last time that i will sit here writing this... and that was the last time i will be driving into this driveway... and be coming home like this. it's really just starting to hit me that once i get on the plane tomorrow, the next time i come "home" there won't be this house to come home to. my room won't be upstairs... well it will be, but it won't be mine anymore. my stuff will not be here... there will be no more hanging out here, no more bbqs, no more parties... it's honestly all just starting to hit me. i think i need a moment to absorb it all.
i can't believe that this is really happening... and that this won't be here next time i'm back. i think i need more than a moment... this is so strange... and i can't wrap my head around it all. i know that this will be good for me, and this is an amazing opportunity and it's not something that happens everyday, but it's all just happening so fast. i feel like i didn't even get to say my farewells properly... well some did... and some did not. hahaha... i call it an uneven distribution of time....
this year is going fly by... we shall see what happens when it is all over. right now i'm just in shock i think... i shall go take my moment and enjoy my last hours in this house... because it will never be the same again...

scared stiff...

it's that time... in my decision making where i start second guessing myself as usual. OH MY GOODNESS!!! What am i doing?!??! I'm really doing this.... I'm packing up my stuff and moving to HK... I dunno... it's just insane. can someone please tell me what i'm doing? and tell me that i'm not making the biggest mistake of my life... cause i'm really starting to wonder if i'm doing the right thing... i am so scared right now.
But God opened the door, so there has to be a reason that I'm going through it right? I mean I asked for a door... and it came... so the only logical thing was to walk through it. And now that it's starting to sink in... I'm starting to get scared... and starting to get sad thinking about all the things I'm going to miss.
I think i'm getting cold feet that's all. I didn't think that God would open such a door... I thought I'd move to Vancouver... be "closer" to HK in a sense, but still be able to enjoy the comforts of Canada... maybe i was being too greedy. I need to accept what God has given and be thankful. So I will make the most of this... and I'm sure that God has His reasons for taking me so far away from all of my closest friends...
Well... I hope it all turns out okay... because right now I'm still feeling like I've lost my mind...

finally! an open door!!!

there's finally an open door for me to step through! i can finally leave this city! yay! someone has finally given me a chance at a job in the hk! so i'm getting back on a plane and going back to hk. i'll be gone by the end of this month!

i've finally found a break in the clouds. i can finally leave all this crap behind and hopefully start to fully heal. i've been waiting to get away for a long time, and my opportunity has finally come!