Coffee & Honeycomb: truth

Showing posts with label truth. Show all posts

BOOKS OF THE SEASON : MARCH 2014

Sunday, March 16, 2014

A good book can make me so smitten. :) Reading has always been a favorite hobby of mine and I can get lost in a story for hours. Lately, I have been indulging in these reads and I am so, so, so thankful for strong Christian female authors who remind me of my identity as a daughter of God. Here are a few that made me feel alive in this season. (Fun fact: I am never one to read one book at a time. I am always elbow deep in multiple narratives.)

COLD TANGERINES : SHAUNA NIEQUIST
You all know what a big girl crush I have on Shauna Niequist, when I saw that this one was less than $3 for the Kindle version, I couldn't resist myself. I read this one last semester and it was a quick one to go through. It's random vignettes of her life, but you find yourself nodding along because it's chock-full of such true words. It makes you want to be thankful for even the very air you are breathing!

"You have stories worth telling, memories worth remembering, dreams worth working toward, a body worth feeding, a soul worth tending, and beyond that, the God of the universe dwells within you, the true culmination of super and natural."

THE GOOD & BEAUTIFUL GOD : JAMES BRYAN SMITH
I was given this book as a Christmas gift my sophomore year, and it drastically changed the way I practiced my spiritual walk. It taught me to slow down and shifted the way I view God into the one Jesus knew. The one who is good and beautiful. :) Each chapter goes through a different facet of God (loving, just, faithful, etc.) It corrected so many of my false views of God with new ones. :) I try to read this at least once every year, and I learn something new each time. I don't think I will ever get tired of reading it.

RESTLESS : JENNIE ALLEN
It's funny that I initially picked up this book because the cover caught my eye at a book store. They say to never judge a book by its cover, but for this one, I am very happy I did. :) I flipped through it and continued to read the synopsis on the back cover because the design inside was just beautiful. I purchased it because the synopsis was about being restless for wanting live a life the way God intended. It was the perfect read to accompany me as I entered in my second semester of senior year. It made me fall in love with the story of Joseph all over again, and more importantly, the God of Joseph. It reminded me that God is intricately writing a story for me using all of my gifts, pains, weaknesses, and strengths. All of it.

ANYTHING : JENNIE ALLEN
I love the way Jennie Allen writes and after "Restless," I wanted to read more. I just started on Friday so I'm only in the beginning of it, but I can never seem to put it down. Allen is so vulnerable in this book and really makes me question if I know God or if I just know about God—and why that difference is important. She shares on her own personal walk and random encounters with people along the way that have revealed God in unexpected places. I'm praying that as I continue to read this book, paired with my daily QT, God will reveal more of Himself to me and help me to live with freedom like I never have before.

:) I hope one of these pique your interests! Like I said, I like discovering new books so if you have any recommendations, feel free to leave a comment and tell me what books you are enjoying!

GUEST POST: IN ITS TME

Saturday, February 15, 2014

Hello, Coffee and Honeycomb readers! I am so excited to be taking over Jenny's blog today. Jenny is one amazing soul and friend to me. She's full of encouragement, wisdom, and love and that's something I hope to be each and every day. But you knew that already, didn't you?

It's friendships like these that make me grateful for the blogging community. Because it really and truly is a community. One of the greatest lessons I've learned from blogging is the importance of being honest, open, and raw with your readers. While it's the hardest kind of post to write (can I get an amen?), it's also one of the most rewarding. These kinds of posts really open the door to friendships. They let you readers see you for who you really are, as a real human, and a relatable person. Plus, as a writer, they also help me process my emotions and deepen my faith, too. They let me get things out, help me admit my fears, help me process the events in my life, and help me realize how much what I need to work on. So if you ask me, it's a win-win situation. But it's a lot easier said than done, right? And that's why I'm here today. I'm here to encourage you to share your heart. I'm not pushing you to reveal your deepest darkest secrets (privacy is also important!) but I am encouraging you to be honest with your readers and friends. Be honest, be open, and be ready for all of the love that you'll receive. Be ready friends, because love is on its way. That said, Happy Valentine's Day! I promise I had no intention of writing a post like this with such crazy timing. I guess you could say love is in the air (and so are my terrible cliches and puns…). Thanks again for having me, Jenny!

FOR YOUR FRIDAY.

Friday, January 31, 2014

My friends and I are graduating this May (!!!), and we're kind of just meandering around, figuring out how to walk within this season of uncertainty. In previous years, our "next steps" were always planned out for us; we knew what was expected of us and success was neatly packaged in a simple GPA. But now suddenly, that security and set routine is going to be stripped from us, and we need to figure out where to go from here. We're all unsure where we're going to be four months, one year, and five years from now. Will we be in grad school or working? Will we find a job we love or will we be miserable? Will we be married or single? Will we still be faithful or lost? Will we be satisfied or discontent?

Of course, we have ideas and expectations, but nothing is concrete anymore. As frightening and daunting as that is, it's also not a bad place to be. Just because we wander and seem to be walking towards steps of mystery, we aren't lost, nor are we off track.

God says that those who commit to the ways of the Lord, he will make their paths straight (Proverbs 3:6). I want to cling to this truth and enjoy this season of uncertainty I am in... Truly enjoy it and not try to muddy it up with my own plans/rules/systems.

Here are today's sweet words for you. (I really need to hear them, too.) You can do whatever you wish with the below image! Pin it onto your Pinterest board, print it out and post it in your room, make it your phone wallpaper, or do absolutely nothing at all. It's just a little something, something to get good vibes in the air.

Happy Friday! :) May you choose to trust in Him and walk by faith even when you only know the next few steps ahead. May you lean into that uncertainty and resist the urge to control the situation yourself. May you discover sweet intimacy as you depend on Him.

FOR YOUR FRIDAY.

Friday, January 24, 2014

January can get kind of busy. The kids are back at school, it's a new fiscal year at work, and all those resolutions you made a few weeks ago seem to have a hold on you. In the midst, busyness can stifle God's voice. Before we drown ourselves in our overbooked schedules, let's not forget that we have a God who wants to fight and is more than able to fight for you—you need only to be still. That truth took a load off my shoulder! I know I have the tendency to be overambitious in the beginning and say "yes" to so many things, only to be bitter and burnt out by the end. What a relief it is to remember that stillness and nothing-ness can be a strength and even productivity! I'm holding fast to that truth today, which brings us to our Friday quote...

Here are today's sweet words for you. You can do whatever you wish with the below image! Pin it onto your Pinterest board, print it out and post it in your room, make it your phone wallpaper, or do absolutely nothing at all. It's just a little something, something to get good vibes in the air.

Happy Friday! May you choose to be still this weekend—whatever that looks like— and allow God's hand of power and might to move deep and wide in your life. Cheers!

DAY 23 : I WILL NOT GO UNLESS YOU BLESS ME

Thursday, October 24, 2013

This past weekend, our church hosted its annual Revival, a 3-day event strategically placed mid-way through the semester, to open up a space and time for students to be revived and refueled. It's filled with sermons, prayer, and worship. It's a grand time. (:

This year was my fourth one. It is also my last one as a student, and my favorite one.

The sermon from the first night really struck a chord with me and reminded me of this series so I wanted to share a bit about it here. The speaker, Reverend Charlie Dates, spoke on Geneses 32, when Jacob wrestles with God... Genesis 32 begins when Jacob is in the middle of the night hiding from enemies and running away. We meet him sending off his family across a river.

Verses 23 and 24 read, "...he sent over all his possessions. So Jacob was left alone..."

Reverend Charlie Dates pointed out this redundancy as a literary device to emphasize the state of Jacob at this time. He was stripped away of all his physical comforts, his possessions, as well as his emotional and relational support. Jacob is stripped, empty-handed, and alone. At this moment, is when God chooses to meet him and wrestle with him.

The text says they wrestle until daybreak and as God tries to end it, Jacob holds on and says one of most profound and telling requests.

He says, "I will not let you go unless you bless me."

When we are stripped away of everything, our innate need and deepest cry of our heart reveals itself — to be blessed by God, to be seen by God. Can I say that again? When we are apart from all the comforts and securities this world can offer us, it is at THAT moment our true and real and personal need and desire is to the surface. To be blessed by God. To be seen by God.

And isn't this what we've been talking about this whole month? I had never read this passage this way, and that particular point cut away at me just as the Word should. I felt so known and understood and rebuked, too. My whole life pattern has been to maximize comfort, maximize security... meanwhile stifling the voice and power of God.

In this passage, God reminds me that He meets me when I am stripped away of everything. That he must take everything in order to give me everything. I want to learn how to daily take everything so tender to my heart and lay it before Him at His feet... ready to be filled with more of Him. More of Him.

DAY 22 : SIN RUNS DEEP

Tuesday, October 22, 2013

Yesterday was cliche fall weather in Urbana-Champaign. Burnt orange leaves on the ground with sporadic gusts of wind that blew the leaves whichever way, and a huge, golden sun warming everything in its reach.

I had plans to eat lunch with a girlfriend of mine and we went to a new pizzeria/cafe on campus called the flying machine. We parked a bit away from the shop so we walked through downtown Urbana, enjoying the scenic view around us.

We first ordered our drinks — coffee drowned with brown sugar for me, some exotic tea for her pretentious taste (just kidding) — and split a pizza. We found a table and took our seats, and over a creamy, meaty Mediterranean slice of pizza, we started to exchange different significant childhood stories that we are convinced started this trajectory we now call our life story, our life path. Those 'moments' that made us who we are today. (Casual afternoon conversation. Her and I clearly can't do 'small talk' really.)

We discussed unhealthy relationship stories, views on the church, home dynamics... and while she was lost in one of her stories, she paused for a moment... as if she was going down a memory lane of pain and hurt, but could walk through it confidently with 20/20 vision. She looked back up and said, "It was such a small instance, but it affected everything. Man, sin runs so deep." I responded by just nodding silently, taking it all in, and projecting that truth onto my own stories, too. She was right. And however we landed into this odd, personal, and reflective conversation in a casual pizzeria on a sunny autumn day, we faced-to-face with the truth of humankind.

Sin runs deep in your family, in your city, and in your country... and it also runs deep and wide in your heart. And because we were never meant to live with sin or brokenness, because our fragile bodies and souls were made for the garden of Eden, we run around like self-righteous but headless chickens finding ways to bring some sort of restoration back in our hearts, families, cities, and countries...

It's important to know your story, to reminiscence on your past and walk down memory lane, to be able to recognize in your own life that sin really runs deep. And then, take time to glance at yourself and lament at the ways sin wronged you, but then gaze at the cross because where sin runs deep, His grace is found.

Today, I'm thankful for autumn, thankful for coffee, thankful for good friends... But I'm even more thankful for every way God uses little things to remind me of His infinite grace and redemptive story.

DAY FOUR : WHISPERS

Friday, October 4, 2013

I think living out of our belovedness means to know and believe that God loves us — every part of us, all the time.

I think we believe God loves us for the potential we have, or for those few and far in between times we act "obedient" and "lovable." I think we believe God loves us for who we will become, and that he is simply tolerating who we are now.

And while it is true that God is pruning you and shaping you to be more like him and to have a heart that moreso resembles his, he loves you infinitely, now. Even at this exact moment.

He loves you when a curse word slips out of your breath, or when you cheat on that hard exam, or when your thoughts are consumed with idolatry and bitterness. He loves you when you fall into yet another unhealthy relationship, when you oversleep, or when you talk back to your parents. He loves you when you're failing and everything you do seems to go wrong. He loves you then.

Not only does God love you in those moments, but he also loves you the SAME amount as when you THINK you are "obedient" and "lovable." Like when you're serving His children, reading the word, or practicing patience, His love is the same. His love is constant and unchangeable.

Do you believe that?

It's true — and not only true in the vaguest and most universal way, but also in the most unique and personal way to you. God's love is for you. You just gotta grab it. Not just once, not just twice. Not just on Sundays. But every day, every hour. Every time it seems the world is telling you you are not enough — not pretty enough, not smart enough, not good enough — that's when you need to grab it most.

Hush those worldly voices and listen to the one and only's voice that matters. Because every day, every hour, he is actively whispering love into your soul. Do you feel it?

*FIND THE ENTIRE SERIES HERE.

DAY TWO: FATHER'S ARMS

Wednesday, October 2, 2013

Recently my pastor had a baby daughter named Eden. (Yes, like the garden of Eden.) I think she is three years old now, and she is the cutest bundle of flesh and bones I have ever seen. She sports an awkward bowl cut and has pale pink lips that always seem to form themselves into a pout. Often her hands are filled with food or someone else's iPhone playing a re-run of Blues Clues. Eden is a ball of sass and baby fat, and she knows how to use all of it to charm her way into whatever she wants — usually it's food or Blues Clues.

If you want her to like you, you must play hard-to-get. Hugs and kisses must never, ever be freely or easily given. She'll smell your eagerness a sanctuary away and use it against you. I learned that the hard way.

Some Sundays I'll arrive and see that she is just having an awful morning. Her cheeks are stained with dried tears and her fists are clenched tightly. Temper tantrums, they call it. She'll shoot an evil glare your way if you even just look at her the wrong way. On those days, even Blues Clues and candy can't bring her to a smile. The only thing that really seems to work is when her dad picks her up and holds her in his arms, slowly rocking side to side.

There was one Sunday when I witnessed that exact moment and it was something so intimate and biblical it stayed with me for weeks. Her dad bent down and swooped her up from the ground and into his arms, and I saw the physical transformation take place as her frown was immediately replaced with a content grin. It was as if he scooped her out of her complete angsts and misery in exchange for fresh air and warmth. She knew she was safe in her father's arms. She felt comfortable, whole, and good.

That moment stayed with me because it was true for all of us. Something magical happens when we know we are in our father's arms. Comfort, safety, and peace come to mind.

Now I know father analogies are always tricky because a lot of us don't have great relationships with our dads nor do we want to compare God to our dads. We live in a broken and fatherless generation. But God made us with the innate need and desire to be accepted by our dad, maybe not our worldly dad, but our Father almighty. And this is our story, too.

Proximity is our constant urge to be closet to Dad, to touch his beard and to hold his attention. It is a primal desire that we never outgrow. More than doing and performing, we long to be near him. — Kevin DeShazo

In Romans, Paul reminds us that we have been adopted as children of God. We are heirs of his kingdom. And the different groans in our hearts -- frustrations, sadness, anger, confusion -- are all heard by a God who also desperately wants to reach out and scoop us out of our own misery. We were never made to hustle, we were made to be held in his arms. Abba, father. The father's arms are always wide open. Today, I dare you to take a risk and believe that to be true, and run into the set of arms that offer relief and comfort. A place where you can close your eyes and replace that frown for fresh air and contentment.

The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship.[a]And by him we cry, “Abba,[b] Father.” Romans 8:15

*Find the entire series here.

DAY ONE : THE GREATEST LOVE

Tuesday, October 1, 2013

Welcome to the first of "31 DAYS OF BELOVEDNESS."
(I talked about it a bit here.)

There are just some things, or more specifically, truths, I want more of in my life. Things I want to learn, understand, soak, and this month it's about our belovedness. I'm not here to educate or preach, I'm here to walk and wrestle and chew — and I invite you into the process.

This is day one.

I wanted to start the series just by acknowledging who we are, children of God, and praising the only one who can give us that identity.

The song is "TIl I see you" by Hillsong. An involuntary groan comes out when I listen to these lyrics. It is the current echo of my heart:

The greatest love that anyone could ever know
That overcame the cross and grave to find my soul
And 'til I see You face to face and grace amazing takes me home
I'll trust in You

With all I am I'll live to see Your kingdom come
And in my heart I pray You'd let Your will be done
And 'til I see You face to face and grace amazing takes me home
I'll trust in You

I will live to love You
I will live to bring You praise
I will live a child in awe of You

You are the voice that calls the universe to be
You are the whisper in my heart that speaks to me
And 'til I see You face to face and grace amazing takes me home
I'll trust in you

You alone are God of all
You alone are worthy Lord

And with all I am my soul will bless Your name
--
Ps. Happy October 1st! Swing by to IN ITS TIME to see my blog featured for her monthly button swap. Show her some love while you're there. (: She's one sweet, sweet lady.

31 DAYS OF BELOVEDNESS

Monday, September 30, 2013

Last week, life was messy. Both literally and emotionally.

I didn't feel like myself at all. There is a part of me that desperately wanted to erase last week and be extra rigid for the next; to plan out every hour and fill every white space in my planner, to clean my desk, organize my inbox, color-code something, anything. Fix something. But I'm trying to fight that control freak in me, the part of me that wants to play god, and just embrace the messiness. Embrace it because this is life, too.

I like to blog when life looks good, and blogging is an avenue to express my gratitude and passion for the little joys in life. It makes me believe life is full of cupcakes, flowers, and clean dishes. And it can be, but life is also messy and difficult and tiring, and that's not something to be ashamed of or ignored. And it's not something to be controlled. It's something to be recognized and acknowledged because it's what makes us human. Life is hard, but it's also sweet. Sweet and human and frail and real.

I think a huge part of this comes from my heritage. Korean culture is very shamed-based one. You only invite people into your life when the house is clean, grades are good, relationships are stable, and blessings are high. So how do people with such a generationally embedded mindset respond to this? They work extra hard, they throw messes behind closed doors, they study day and night, and they put all their weight on these tangible, visible things. Everything else they hide. But this doesn't make people harder workers, it makes us a very fearful group of people. It turns people into a generation who cannot embrace their weakness, or humanness, and forces them to turn away from their identity, hide behind achievements. And I think it's time we talk about it.

I'll start.

This past week I didn't spend as much time with God and I found myself heavy with insecurity, impatience, and uncertainty. Fear was present in my thoughts, and although I couldn't quite pinpoint the reason for it or locate the root, it was there. I could feel its presence swallowing any truth or love that might have once been. My desperation for love and acceptance was obvious and loud.

I learned that when I am not with God, I search for meaning and identity in things that were never meant to give meaning. Like relationships, clothing, grades, media. I noticed myself eagerly looking for someone to affirm me or give me any kind of signal that I was doing okay.

Henri Nouwen said that we can give the gift of belovedness only insofar as we have claimed it for ourselves. We can only give love to the degree that we believe we are loved. I recognized this truth so much in my life this week, and how important it is for me to receive belovedness first, everyday.

People are writing for 31 days. At first, I didn't know if I had a single topic that could be discussed for such an extended period of time, but as I reflected on this week, I realized there is really only one thing to talk about. That underlying everything I say, I"m always saying the same thing, because I really only have one thing to say. It's about our belovedness, that God loves you.

We can hear it, say it, sing it a million times but it never really hits us the way it should. But it's the only thing that matters. It matters so much that it should transform everything about who we are... the way we think, talk, get ready in the morning, laugh... It should radiate from the inside out and bleed into everything we touch.

So that's what I want to write about for the next 31 days. I don't have a lot of answers, but I have a lot of thoughts, experiences, and I want to intentionally chew on it for the month of October. If you'd like to join with me on this journey, discover more of what our belovedness means and looks like in our lives, walk with me and we can learn together. :)

FIND THEM HERE:
DAY ONE : THE GREATEST LOVE
DAY TWO : THE FATHER'S ARMS
DAY THREE : SMALL MIRACLES
DAY FOUR : WHISPERS
DAY FIVE : SHARE A LITTLE LOVE
DAY SIX : EMBRACE LONELINESS
DAY 22 : SIN RUNS DEEP
DAY 23 : I WILL NOT GO UNLESS YOU BLESS ME

HAPPY DOWNLOAD / 3

Thursday, September 12, 2013

I know you haven't seen one of these in awhile. Once school started, it became a little bit more difficult to find time to just sit and design something. And then just a week ago, my Adobe trial expired leaving me unable to even create something once I did find the time. I think I am just going to give in and buy the whole suite while I can use my student discount. Til then, downloads may be few and far between...

However! I do have a treat for you today. :) Over the summer, I created two iPhone wallpapers for myself and a friend, and I am happy to share them with you as well. My friend had a genius idea of placing bible verses on her iphone background because she wanted to be intentional about memorizing them. I loved the idea of having truth so accessible to you, so I whipped up wallpapers using her favorite verses and colors.

Your phone background is something you glance at so frequently — to check the time, answer texts/phone calls, or skim your Twitter feed. Since it's a place your eyes frequently wander, it's the perfect place for a bible verse! It's a subtle (and cute) reminder to meditate on the word day and night.

Download instructions are super easy. Just "save image" from your computer or directly from your phone. Then, save it as your wallpaper. Enjoy!

Hope you enjoy! Find more designs here.

LET'S TALK ABOUT BEAUTY. (plus free desktop!)

Saturday, August 10, 2013

I often hear my friends get into conversations about body image. That conversation in "Mean Girls" is NO JOKE.

It's a poke at society, but it's an honest one.

I hear my girlfriends declare new diets, complain about their love handles and blotchy skin, and marvel at Jennifer Aniston's beach bod. Those are my concerns, too. But these thoughts are toxic — toxic to us and toxic to those around us. More importantly, they are not from God.

This summer I worked 50 hours a week. Any time outside of that was sacred for catching up on sleep or just doing things I love. (AKA watching Netflix and eating. Sometimes at the same time.) There was no time to stare at a mirror for an extended period of time or for obsessive self examination. There was barely time to curl my hair in the mornings or pluck my eyebrows. (Do you know how many episodes of "Lost" there are?! Just kidding...) Let me tell you though, it was liberating. I've never felt so free and dare I say it, beautiful.

Without that extra maintenance time, I still liked who I saw in the mirror. On the days I didn't, I just shrugged it off. I would tell myself, you'll get 'em next time, and proceed to scarf a chocolate bar down my throat. (Point of that odd story - I wasn't obsessed with my looks anymore, not that I solved my problems with denial and chocolate. I'm talking about freedom, people.)

Some days I feel like a million bucks - there's an extra skip in my step and I even wink at strangers when I pass them. (Hey, we're being honest right?) On other days, I feel like I'm in debt a million bucks. Make it two million!!! My eyes stay glued to the floor and I fear of being rejected. So why do our moods swing so fast and why can't we feel like a million bucks everyday?

Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised. - PROVERBS 31:30

If our confidence is in our beauty, then our moods will swing daily. We will never feel like a million bucks everyday. Why? Let me reiterate: Beauty is fleeting.

But that's not all... ~~(If you call right now, you can get 3 for the price of 1!)~~

God gave me (AND YOU) so many stories and gifts and talents to share with the world, why limit ourselves to our outer appearance?!

If I was given two minutes to talk about myself (who I am, what makes me come alive, what I'm proud of) I would never, ever talk about my looks. Whether it be a job interview, a talent show, or some random hypothetical situation that I just made up to kind of prove a point, I wouldn't. I don't think you would either. What would you even say? My skin is super poreless. And my facial features? Oh, they're symmetrical. I can already see the people scheming to egg your house while you're asleep. But the reason I wouldn't is not just to avoid an egged house, or because I don't think it's true, but because I have so many other great qualities and stories that I have to talk about. I hope you do, too! And if you don't, start there. Start grabbing onto things that make you come alive and make you proud, and let go of that ridiculous voice in your head pressuring you to look like someone you're not.

Because that's all it is. RIDICULOUS. Tina Fey said it best.

"I think the first real change in women's body image came when JLo turned it butt-style. That was the first time that having a large-scale situation in the back was part of mainstream American beauty. Girls wanted butts now. Men were free to admit that they had always enjoyed them. And then, what felt like moments later, boom - Beyonce brought the leg meat. A back porch and thick muscular legs were now widely admired. And from that day forward, women embraced their diversity and realized that all shapes and sizes were beautiful. Ah ha ha. No. I'm totally messing with you. All Beyonce and JLo have done is add to the laundry list of attributes women must have to qualify as beautiful. [...] The person closest to actually achieving this look is Kim Kardashian, who, as we know, was made by Russian scientists to sabotage our athletes. Everyone else is struggling."

End quote. (P.s. That book is on Amazon for $4.99 right now! Do yourself a favor and read it. "Bossypants" by Tina Fey. You're welcome.)

Anyway, I hope you hear what I'm saying. I think beauty is great. I think it's human to want to be beautiful and to want to be seen. I'll take it even one step further. I think it's from God that we want to be beautiful and we want to be seen. But it was also a need that is meant to be filled by God and God alone.

And what does God says about beauty?

I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. - PSALM 139:14

God says you are fearfully and wonderfully made. (: Do you believe that beauty is in the eye of the beholder and that the only eyes that matter are the Lord's? I hope so because it's true. It's a truth that I'm still digesting and praying for more of each day.

You are the object of his affection. You are fearfully and wonderfully made. Declare that truth today and allow yourself to believe it! And watch that truth transform your life.

* I whipped up a desktop so we can be reminded of this daily. I just made it mine! (:

DOWNLOAD INSTRUCTIONS: Right click on the image below and click on "open in new tab." This will give you access to the image's full size. Once you are there, right click + save, or directly drag it onto your desktop. Then, make it your wallpaper! 1, 2, 3! (:

JOURNALING IN JULY.

Sunday, August 4, 2013

One of my favorite aspects about journaling is that afterwards, you are left with a collection of all your old thoughts, agendas, and insights. Our ability to retain information and memories is slimmer than we'd like to believe, and a record of old words serve as a time portal back into the yesterday's. Past journals offer perspective: a better understanding of where you are going and an attitude of thankfulness for how you have gotten there.

I looked back at all my journal entires of July on the train one day, and I was shocked of how eventful the month was without even realizing it. As I knew it, another month had just came and went. Weekends seemed too quick and workdays were too long, but as I read through my prayers and recollections, I was reminded of both little and big things that had taken place. I was filled with thankfulness and inspiration. It was cool. (:

Here is a peek at some of my journal entries: (click to enlarge)

If you don't journal already, I encourage you try it for the month of August! If you have ever asked yourself if God's hand is present in your life, this might help you. Journaling forces you to slow down, and in those moments of reflections is when God's presence is evident. You see the promises the Lord has declared over you, and how they are personally manifesting in your life! God is always, always working, slow down or you might miss it.

Journal about anything and everything. (: Talk about the highlights of your days and your weeks, and even vent about the worries that consume your heart. Share your blessings and express your wishes. God hears all of it. I believe that putting language to your emotions has the ability to pull them from the depths and hidden corners of your heart, onto the surface where it's accessible to be touched, processed, and communicated. And when you are able to communicate it with yourself, you are more able to communicate them with God.

Good luck! (:
I'd love to hear your journaling adventures, please share below.

Pay it forward.

Thursday, May 30, 2013

Lately, God has been revealing that there is greater joy in loving others than there is in loving myself. I realize how much time and energy I spend on protecting myself — my image, emotions, reputation, pride, comfort level, etc. And the more time I spend on looking at myself, the less I can see others around me. But if I have faith and believe that my God is a God who protects and provides for me, then there is no need to be worrying about myself at all. Now suddenly I have so much more time to see others, help others, love others...

God said HE IS LOVE. And so if love is the language he understands and embodies, the more I love, the more I understand and know that God, too. Thank you, God, for loving me first, so that I can accept, feel, share, and learn more about love a little bit more each day.

IT'S NOT ABOUT STARBUCKS

Monday, March 11, 2013

I have a thing for Starbucks. (Or have you not noticed?) And as an advertising major, I always stayed comfortable with the reason for that affinity being its excellent advertising. It must be.

And I still do think it kind of totally is. I mean it did completely change coffee culture in America. To not only get people to like the drink in the cup, but be proud for holding that cup in their hand, and creating this habit of staying in the store. It became not only a coffee shop, but a living room, an office space, a hang out. And that's what all brands around the world spend millions and millions of dollars each year trying to achieve. To mean something and be able to express it in words and images and share this idea to the people. And then the hardest part? Be so real that they believe it.

And hey, Starbucks did it. It means something more than caffeine and it has become so interlaced with my own life that I'll drop +$4 on one cup and post a pic on Instagram for the 90th time.

For me, Starbucks is the place where Jesus and I meet and have our best conversations. Lessons learned, healing found, truths exposed. Some small, some big. Both always mattered.

And today, I'm pretending I'm at Starbucks. I'm sitting at my kitchen table -- something I rarely do because my roommate and I are barbarians who like to eat our meals on the couch with feet up and tv on.

But right now I'm sitting here. Headphones plugged in, a cup of coffee in hand, and the Word opened in front of me.

Why? Like I said. This post is not about Starbucks. Not at its core anyway.

It's about Jesus. And how important it is to be taking care of that relationship with him.

In Italy, it's been hard to find that intimacy with Jesus. I stayed in bathrooms, laid in bed, and I told myself it didn't matter the location of my quiet time. Which is entirely true, because one more reason why our God is so great is that he is with us at all times. But the flip side of that same coin is that since we are conditional and physical people, the location of the quiet time CAN matter... If the room is noisy, our ears will listen for people's voices rather than the Lord's. If our bellies are empty or eyelids are heavy, our limited concentration will take us towards dreams of food and sleep, not his Kingdom. Because I am a very conditional and limited person, because I am human, I can't turn my worrisome and anxious heart off with the flip of a switch.

Even though God is with us at all times and we can squeeze in prayers on our walks to school or on the train, He is also our King and not only deserves, but COMMANDS our full attention. And sometimes we can't reach so deep on the train or in the supermarket. Jesus went to the mountain to have his intimate moments — maybe your mountain top is a private room, getting on your knees, prepping with a worship song, lights turned off. Whatever it is, coming back to the heart of worship is absolutely needed.

For me, dates with Jesus at Starbucks worked for us. And today, I woke up and my soul was CRAVING a date with him. And so as silly and stupid as I felt, I put myself in a position where I knew my eyes and ears and heart and mind would be at His fullest attention. So it's not about Starbucks, it's about finding a way to give Him your fullest and undivided attention.

A cup of coffee is just a plus. (;

The Lord provides...

Wednesday, February 27, 2013

"...How much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!" -- Matthew 7:11

We asked for a church, and the Lord delivered so much more. (:

Attending a church in Italy -- let alone finding one -- was more challenging than I anticipated. There were travel excursions planned the first three Sundays in Verona, so we went through a hiatus of no communal worship or service, and I could just feel my soul longing community. Fortunately, through a friend who studied in Verona previously, we got in touch with a few American Christian churches in the vicinity.

We decided to check out a home church made up of two American missionary families. They invited us to evening service — and supper, as well! Kind folks they are. (;

Each week we gather in the family room and sing along to the music/slideshow on the tv screen, listen to a sermon, followed by a home-cooked meal. (: Last week we met two hours earlier to spend more time together. We ate bread, drank tea, played board games, and just enjoyed each other's company.

Sundays with these people have been some of my favorite memories while living in Europe. Sometimes I leave church feeling so overwhelmed with the Lord's love shown through these people. I'm learning more and more why the Lord calls the church beautiful and why he stresses the importance of unity and love within it. Time with the body softens our hearts, allows us to be vulnerable, reveals Christ love in the flesh, reminds us of our purpose, fills us with truth, love, and encouragement, and in turn, reenergizes us to be light in our mission field. And that we can't do it on our own, He never intended it that way. We need the body.

Living in Europe — apart from CFC + LWAC — has definitely developed a new appreciation for a church to call home. For services to regularly look forward to. For a community to worship with. For brothers and sisters to walk life with. For the word preached to prune you. For leaders to hold you accountable. For prayer meetings and revivals to remind you that the Lord wants to transform you. Being here has increased my love and appreciation for the body.

Thank you, Jesus, for your provision. (:

Week One Round Up

Sunday, January 13, 2013

Happy weekend!

I can't believe it's already been a full week since arrival. It feels like time is alwaaays just slipping from our fingers. You walk into one store to look at one thing, you come back out three hours later. A quick bite of gelato? Say good-bye to an hour and a half. Life in Verona is a constant time warp. Or, maybe we're just having too much fun that time is flying by. (; I don't know which is more of the logical conclusion. Anyhoo...

School is now in session so this week was less of the leisure walks and four-hour meals and more... I don't know, school. A very rude awakening that we're not here on just vacation but to "study" abroad. Oh, yeah. Now my days are preoccupied with a four-hour class of Italian 101 from 9am to 1:15pm, followed by a second class from 2pm to 6pm — depending on the day. Classes range from art history, painting, and photography; and each class (usually) only meets once a week. If it is a full day, by the time we get out, the sun has already set and it's time to make dinner and go to bed.

But even class tends to fly by. First off Italian 101 is less of a college lecture, and more of a continuous game of charades fused with pictionary. Can you even imagine such a thing? I mean, it's a room of fourteen people — who are still hungover from the night before and can't communicate in the same language — trying to formulate their thoughts into sentences. Picture that, and you got yourself Italian 101. But really. There's a lot of funny hand gestures, drawings on the white board, exchanges of confused looks and blank stares. It's because the teacher, Elena, speaks solely in Italian as a teaching mechanism to students who don't know a word of the language (minus vino and ciao, of course). Although there is a lot of time spent on guessing more so than understanding, it is pretty effective because it forces us to THINK in Italian. Sometimes it gets confusing because my brain tends to pull together all my random knowledge of Latin, Korean, Spanish, and English, and then attempt to spit out an Italian answer. Yeah, that doesn't work out too well. The second the languages seem to have distinct rules separating each other, they share the same word for bathroom or cat, tricking you all over again. Over all though, it's a really enjoyable period because everyone in the class is eager to learn the language and is pretty cooperative.

Despite all those hours of sitting in class, no worries, we still manage to have our fun. Something new is always going on — a birthday, a special at a nearby bar, a burning of a witch, a chocolate festival, etc. It's like we're in Italy or something. For example, this week, our teachers took us to a random cafe in between classes for spritzers which was definitely a change of pace. And on Wednesday I took a class on how to make nutella!

My friend Debbie, back at home, told us that she hates words — and the English language in general — so I should stop vomiting now and just throw in some pics for her easy eyes to enjoy. Here we go, Debbie.

Highlights of the week:

Attended a witch burning, which is a tradition in Italy, symbolizing a new year — along with a really long back story.

We went out to dinner to celebrate the lovely Lauren's 21st birthday. Birthday girl below.

La pizza in its maximum glory. MMmmMmMmMm.

Attended the chocolate festival where all these local shops set up booths to sell their different slabs of chocolates and products.
The most delicious plastic cup of strawberries + nutella + cream. I've been deprived of produce for so long that these juicy, fresh strawberries shocked all my taste buds because they forgot what anything besides carbs or chocolate tasted like.

Truffels on hard bread.

This man was doing his own little live infomercial. Quite entertaining because really, who would buy this. It costed like 100 euros or something.

It wouldn't be Italy if vino wasn't offered somewhere within a 2 mile radius. Or, should I say kilometers.

I was THIS close to buying these beautiful chocolate covered heels. But then, I knew I would never be able to eat it because it was pretty to look at, and I would try to bring it back home four months later, whether it was in a solid form or not, and then it would melt all over my suitcase and I'd have to clean it later. And I hate cleaning, so. Just kidding. They were like 20 euros.

Hot Dog ordered one of these things and they were.... the most delicious thing ever. Yup, you got it. You're catching on.

Bought myself a custard-filled croissant because it looked soft and chewy.

My face when I found out it was actually hard and crumbly.

Hot Dog and I went grocery shopping together to cook our first dinner. (: Eurospar is the local grocery store, comparable to a small Jewel.

Literally the most delicious sad we've ever had in our life. Made from scratch, might I add.

Because I'm blogging so much later than the actual events took place, it's getting much harder to recall different things that happened. Hopefully the pictures of the delicious chocolates kept you interested and distracted you from the lack of (poor) writing. Well, at least now that we have wi-fi in our home, we can expect for some more regular posts with relevant insights!

Thank you for following along on my first week here in Verona — and thank you to those who have been continuously praying for my time here. It's sometimes hard to find time to reflect and meditate when there's always something to do, but the Lord has been placing different issues onto my heart that need to be prayed over. Show grace, seek Him, keep fighting. They're the same prayers, but in a much different context.

It's definitely been a roller coaster week for me, spiritually — I'm wrestling with thoughts that are so new and different to the stuff that I'm so used to, and I'm learning I need to depend on Him in ways I've never thought of. Being without a Christian community, things feel a little unstable as of late. But regardless, I know that God will really expand my heart and eyes to new and better things. I can feel it already, and I get pretty excited.

Thank you again for praying for me and this trip. And let me know how I can pray for you. (:

Sweet News

Saturday, December 1, 2012

"Let us acknowledge the Lord; let us press on to acknowledge him. As surely as the sun rises, he will appear; he will come to us like the winter rains, like the spring rains that water the earth." — Hosea 6:3

The Lord truly does answer those who call on Him. I've been searching for truth the past few days, and the Lord found me in my bitterness and replaced anxiety with a stable ground for my feet to walk on. And for that, I am overwhelmed with thankfulness. I am walking with confidence now— not in my own ability, but in His promise and sovereignty.

Such appropriate news for this time. Finals are approaching and I feel so mentally checked out. But it's time to bring my A game. It's time to persevere.

Good luck to everyone with finals! (:
Remember that you are not consumed, the Lord's compassion never fails.