Life Adventure Awaits You

i am a creature of habit.
i love being comfortable.
i love knowing what's going to happen next.

in my high school years, i realized how boring i was.
i came across this epiphany as i was driving to and from school.
if point A is my house
and point B my school,
there are many many ways for me to get to point B from point A, and vice versa.

i noticed... that i only took one route. one and only route.
that was the first route i ever took and that was the only route i took.

when i realized that i can take OTHER routes,

and when i did take the other route,
i somehow felt uncomfortable... but at the same time, it felt exhilarating.

this is just one small example of how i live my everyday life.

i also realized i am very solid, loyal, and constant.
that's my cover for being timid, afraid, and boring.


as time passed, i hoped to break out of that comfort zone.

but it was only good for hoping; i never experienced full freedom from fear of trying new things.

fear of failure,
fear of loss,
fear of change,
fear of unfamiliarity,
fear of everything and anything

i still have this great fear. i never got over it
and i think i will have this until i die.

i also have this secret longing to liberate myself from that...
and
try new things
experience the unexplored
visit random places
live life instead of living in fear

however, something's been holding me down;
shackled my ankle to my comfort zone.

-`-`-`-`-`-`-`-`-`-`-`-`-`-`-`-`

but now i have something in my heart that i didn't have before.

i have a strong desire today to put my foot down.

i believe that God is with me so whom shall i fear?
what would stop me when my God is with me?

when moses led the israelites out of Egypt,
God was with him through good and bad.
He always provided.
food, water, shade, warmth, protection

but when he died, joshua had to take on all the baggage.

i imagine that must have been a burden.
he probably wasn't 100% comfortable to take on this new life.

but in Joshua 1, God himself encourages Joshua, telling him...
"I got your back, son. I got your back."

Joshua 1:7-9

⁷ “Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, that you may be successful wherever you go.
⁸ Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful.
⁹ Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go.”

Maybe... just maybe,
i should embrace the life adventure that awaits me.

i need to women up.
get out of my comfort zone
knowing that my future is in God's hands.


Here i come:
getting a new apt
studying for OATs
applying to graduate school
standing up for myself
making big decisions using the discernment that comes from God...

blessed

if you've been to the beach,
you'd know how tiny a single grain of sand is.

if you've held a grip of sand in your hands,
you'd grasp how infinite amount of single grain it takes
to make up the beach you are standing on.

and remember... this is not the only beach that exists on this Earth.

now, if you've pictured all this,
you can imagine
how grand of a covenant God made with Abraham.

Father of all nations, Abraham was blessed with a covenant
that God himself will surely bless him and make all his descendants
as numerous as the stars in the sky and the sand on the seashore.

stars in the sky are a different story, but to focus on the sand...
to count your blessings as much as the sand on the seashore!

imagine that!

Abraham was a man of Faith.
but he wasn't perfect.

from what i know, his father was an idol maker.
time back then, you do what your dad used to do.
Abraham worked as a idol maker.

but he is the father of Faith, not because he is great,
but because God had called him to be faithful.

who are you?
what type of person are you?
but does that matter?

what matters is not the above,
but who God calls you to be,
how you will obey His calling.

when God called him out of Ur to go to the land unknown,
Abraham obeyed.

imagine... if God tells you right now to move out of your comfort zone
but doesn't tell you a destination to go to,
what would your reaction be?
would you do it?

well, this man...
he obeyed.

God always commands people to emigrate if He wants to use you.
it's clearly shown in
Moses... when God called him to lead Israelites out of Egypt,
and delivered them to the Promise Land;
Joseph... when he was sold by his own brothers as a slave, spent time in jail as a prisoner,
and became the highest official to rule Egypt;
and
Abraham... when God called him out of Ur, his hometown for making idols,
and made him father of all nations.

[Hebrews 11:8]

⁸By faith Abraham,
when called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance,
obeyed and went, even though he did not know where he was going.


if you are in a life turmoil right now, out of the comfort zone,
be glad.
God is moving you
God is preparing you
and He is using you.

Abraham left, as the Lord had told him to.

Abraham waited.
God promised him descendants.
but until he was 100, he didn't have any son.
God had promised when he was 75.

for 25 years... Abraham patiently waited.

for an old man.... waiting for a son...
25 years is probably like 10,000 years.

but, Abraham, did not doubt.
he persevered.


Ultimately, God blessed Abraham because of his faith.
The product of his faith was demonstrated in the 2 things Abraham did,
that i have difficulty doing...
He had obeyed and persevered.

[Hebrews 6:14-15]
¹⁴saying, "I will surely bless you and give you many descendants."
¹⁵And so after waiting patiently, Abraham received what was promised.


i pray & hope that you and i both reap the blessings Gods is to pour unto our lives
by obeying and persevering without haste.



Genesis 22:17
I will surely bless you
and make your descendants
as numerous as the stars in the sky
and as the sand on the seashore.

God the Artist

Dali. Da Vinci. Van Gogh. Matisse. Monet. Picasso.

Renoir. Rembrandt. O'Keeffe. Raphael.

people i just mentioned above are known everywhere in this world

for the masterpieces they've created.

but i know a greater artist that

surpasses all imagination, inspiration, and intuition.

His name is God.

His very design and blueprint

is flawless, perfect, and whole.

He created the heavens and the earth,

the stars and the sky,

the sun and the moon,

the land and the waters,

and everything in it.

but above all,

He was most pleased when He created me and you.

His masterpiece is me.

His masterpiece is you.

He is delighted in me as He is delighted in you.

He expects us to be up to par of the value we were created of.

we are priceless

because we were created in His Image.

we are valuable

because we were bought at the cost of His Son's life.

we are made the way we are because that was His very design.

He meant to create me this way.

He meant to create you that way.

He has a purpose. He knows what He's up to.

i was a physiological science major at ucla.

the knowledge and information was so overwhelming....

the people competing with me are amazingly intelligent....

there were many times when i was stressed out.

but i NEVER wanted to quit my major.

the very reason is because i was always fascinated by

God's perfect design in everything we are.

all the cells, tissues, and organs work together

so that we may have life.

although cells are the tiniest element,

they are the most complex.

God made it that way.

He knows why He made certain things some way.

because that's the best for us.

i've been a prideful artwork of God.

when He wanted to paint the blues,

i told Him i want more oranges.

when He wanted more reds,

i told Him i want more green.

when He wanted purple,

i told Him no... we need yellow.

when He desires to paint me white,

i continue to indulge myself in black.

staining the canvas.

i don't know anything.

i am not skillful nor masterful.

who am i to tell God what i want in my life?

as i humbly lay down my pride,

i ask the ultimate virtuoso and connoisseur of my life

to paint and design my life the way He wills.

i know the result and the final product

will be phenomenal.

i believe that my life then

will be unfathomably filled with blessings.

i am certain that this

will surpass all artistic value, craftsman and workmanship.

because my God is

flawless, perfect, and whole.

remember.

He created the Universe from Nothing.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Indescribable

verse 1
From the highest of heights

to the depths of the sea
Creation's revealing Your majesty
From the colors of fall

to the fragrance of spring
Every creature unique

in the song that it sings
All exclaiming


verse 2
Who has told every lightning bolt

where it should go
Or seen heavenly storehouses

laden with snow
Who imagined the sun and

gives source to its light
Yet conceals it to bring us

the coolness of night
None can fathom


Indescribable, uncontainable,
You placed the stars in the sky

and You know them by name
You are amazing God
All powerful, untamable,
Awestruck we fall to our knees

as we humbly proclaim
You are amazing God
You are amazing God
Incomparable, unchangeable
You see the depths of my heart

and You love me the same
You are amazing God
You are amazing God

Palm of Your hands

one of my favorite praise song of all time is

hillsong's With All I Am.

-----------------------------------------------------------

into your hand
i commit again
all I am
for you lord

you hold my world
in the palm of your hand
and I'm yours forever

CHORUS
Jesus I believe in you
Jesus I belong to you
you're the reason that I live
the reason that I sing
with all I am

I'll walk with you
wherever you go
through tears and joy
I'll trust in you

and I will live
in all of your ways and
your promises forever

I will worship I will worship you forever
-----------------------------------------------------------

I love the entire song...

but the part where it touches me in the most concrete way is

when it says...

you hold my world in the palm of your hands

this part always blows me away every time i sing it, hear it and think about it.

first of all....

right now, my world is very disorganized and uncertain.

after my dad resigned, my family has taken a wild route

in which we have no direction nor any knowledge of.

for the first time, my parents are going to be separated from me.

for the first time, i have to grow up from their shelter and live like an adult.

(although... this step has been long overdue b/c my parents spoil me.. haha)

for the first time, i am going to be alone. even more scary... stand alone.

this change in my life honestly scares the UNIVERSE out of me. i am not a big fan of change.

just thinking about it makes me toss and turn, sleepless at night.

but i must remember, God hold my world in the palm of His hands and

all i have to do is commit myself to Him.

then i am His forever.

When i am His, He never leaves me nor forsakes me. i won't be alone.

secondly...

i am selfish. i only walk with God, when i want to or when i need him.

i get angry, disappointed and discouraged when i see that God is making me walk through hardships. i question His purpose and ask that He deliver me away from the predicament.

second verse of this praise is the true desire i have in God...

i will walk with you... where ever you go...

through tears and joy.

because of my selfish nature, i only desire to walk with God through joys. not the tears. i say.. "God, leave me alone if you are walking through tears. i want nothing to do with it"

i really hope and pray that this second verse becomes my confession and life testimony.

and i will trust Him and live in all of His ways.

right now, this praise is my remedy and comfort and escape from all the mumble jumble i am going through.

i hope you, too, may find true peace in God knowing that we are in the Palm of His hands.

Isaiah 49:16a

¹⁶ See, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands...

happy today

God is always there

to handle all of my emotional roller coasters.

today, i am happy.

i am happy because my God is Big, Great and Strong.

i am Small, Nothing and Weak.

i have problems.

i have complaints.

but He is the solution to my maze

He is the light to my path.

I am happy today because

God is Good.

All the time.

God like Wind

for those of you who didn't know,

i am a PK.

this stands for Pastor's Kid.

God has planned and blessed me before time began

to serve Him as a pastor's daughter.

Yes, granted that there are times when i truly wish God had taken this title away from me,

there are times when i see God's glory revealed through the trials i face.

again, for those of you who didn't know,

my church recently went through a very tough time.

our church always had ups and downs

but for all the series of events, i've always ended up depending on God more.

well this time,

it's a bit different.

it's different because my dad made a difficult decision to declare resignation this past Lord's Day.

i have no idea what went wrong

i have no idea what God had planned for my dad, my family and my church

i have no idea where to go

i have no idea.

my dad planted this church 13 years ago,

with clear and sound vision from God.

throughout the past 13 years,

our entire family had some tough times

that almost risked my faith.

but because God has been holding onto me,

i didn't stray away.

our family poured our heart, tears, blood, and toil

so that God's kingdom may be revealed through our church.

but because of one small and selfish dynamite,

God's dwelling place divided and became broken.

yes, i know God is the Master of the church.

He is the only being with any sort of control.

but to see a church crumble

when my family has put so much into it....

is a very difficult thing to deal with.

because i am in this deep predicament,

i have no strength to carry on.

i have no desire to love.

i have this disposition now that church is a very flawed social gathering

only so that religious people can render their network and perform their daily routine for "God".

it's discouraging to see fellow Christians coming before God without any fear and trembling.

i've got to admit,

this bitterness arises from the hurt i received.

my situation has blinded me from seeing God's grace and love.

it has blocked the entirety of blessings i've been granted all my life.

right now, i feel as though i am stuck in an arid land.

everything so dry

everything so vulnerable, if someone were to light a match,

it will start an unstoppable conflagration.

i can't see anything.

i can't heart anything.

but i realize that the one and only way to cope with this is to walk by faith.

not by sight.

like the wind,

i may not be able to see the miracles i demand to see from God.

but like the wind,

i feel His presence and His authority above all things.

i wait on God

i pray to God.

i will be still and know that He is God.

and i will continue to obey.

1 Samuel 15:22b

²² To obey is better than sacrifice...

it depends

it depends on how i view the world.

if i think i am lying on the ground, i am lying on the ground.

but if i imagine that there's more to the ground i am lying on,

i can rest on the clouds in the sky.

if i see the world around me with hearts full of complaints,

my world will be filled with subjects of complaints.

but if i see the world around me with eyes of faith,

i will only see the works of faithful God.

==================================

God is Everlasting and Everlasting.

He was, and is, and is to come.

He is the Alpha and the Omega.

Beginning and End.

We are finite.

He is infinite.

He knows what had happened.

He knows what's happening now.

He knows what will happen.

just from this,

we can see that He has the experience, the power and authority we cannot comprehend.

God is the designer of our lives. He knows what He's doing.

So even if I feel like i am on the ground, lying down, helplessly...

I've got to remember that God designed the very life i am living.

let's trust God on this one, Anna.

Psalm 91: 14-16

¹⁴ "Because he loves me," says the LORD, "I will rescue him;
I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name.

¹⁵ He will call upon me, and I will answer him;
I will be with him in trouble,
I will deliver him and honor him.

¹⁶ With long life will I satisfy him
and show him my salvation."