Ok, so I've been having a tough time being able to get stuff done these last two months as my computer is old and fragile, having survived off of a diet of Metamucil and oatmeal for it's last 6 months. It is a geriatric friend with an aging motherboard, a slipped hard disk, and a broken power switch. I still love him though. Anyways my friends of the awesome persuasion got me a sweet new cpu that can destroy planet with it's glory so that when I go to Taiwan I can function. Just imagine having no internet, a non-functioning cpu, and no car trying to survive for three months as an online college student. THIS IS TRULY A GREAT DAY FOR HUMANITY!
Anyways! So I have this blog, and as of Friday, I'll be in Seattle, one of the top Wifi cities in the nation. Thus I can update my blog, write to people about how awesome God is and why I'm bad at Spanish. For now I have to catch up on a kaboodle of things, but I'll have a massive life update in a few days. A ministry update. My sweet prayer letter... and such!
I am also dating the prettiest girl in the world now. Crazy that out of 6 billion options, roughly 3 billion possible, the prettiest one chose me. Eh... life is sweet.
Wednesday, December 1, 2010
Saturday, October 23, 2010
Somebody wanted to kill meee
“I’m gonna smash that [Expletive Deleted] piece of [Expletive deleted] over his [Expletive deleted]. I’m gonna kill that [Expletive deleted] cop!”
I sat in the lower floor of the cramped EMC pregnancy center lifehouse. A full size bunkbed, table, and couch took up the majority of the narthex sized living room. I sat on the couch thinking, mulling over life in a world of my own. Apparently walking back and forth with a megaphone, an unmarked white van, and casual conversation had lead the drug dealer next door to believe I was a police officer. A black, angry, ghetto thug. He gathered a small group that fluctuated between 2-4 people over the course of an hour and a half. I had no idea the cop reference was about me
until a somewhat excited and speedy Dave came downstairs.
“So Jake, that black guy out there thinks you’re a cop and is saying he’s going to smash you over the head when you come out.”
“Oh… uh…”
“Come upstairs Jake, we gotta go.”
“Dave… doesn’t that guy wanna kill me?”
“You’ll be allright!”
I thought to myself… the black man doesn’t want to kill Dave. So I feel as if his feeling of safety and motivation is more warranted than mine. I much rather would stay inside, we had bars on the window and uh… light bulbs? So I’m not gonna lie. I hesitated. Dave went upstairs, and I sat there. I’ve never really been afraid for my life or anything like that.
I guess I wasn’t afraid for my life. I just didn’t want to be annoyed. Like knowing you have to take the trash out, your mom’s screaming to hurry up, and you are on the phone with a really attractive girl making progress toward understanding her heart. Yet in the background is a piercing call to empty the trash receptacle sounding forth louder and louder. The concept of getting into a bloody street brawl was like an annoying nag. The screams had gone on for awhile, violent and angry
I listened.
“That piece of [Expletive delted] cop is gonna [Expletive deleted] die…” screamed the angry lover of Tupac, hater of Faith Hill into my bedroom window.
“I don’t wanna get stabbed right now, that’s kind of exhausting, like fighting for my life is kind of obnoxious.” I thought to myself.
Let alone it was rude to let the drug dealer perpetuate a sterotype, he certainly could do something like hug Mr. suspected police officer. It would help public relations a ton. Truth was I did have to go outside and up the stairs to the second floor. There was a very low gate offering pathetic piece of mind. A midget could comfortable see over it, and respectably the late Gary Coleman would have stood a head taller than Mr. Wilson from Home Improvement at this gate.
Yet, I wasn’t called to be a wuss. I was called to be a Christian. Work to do, shanks to dodge, ya know? So I walked up the stairs, didn’t make eye contact with the official spokesperson for Haterade. A friendly Mexican gang member stood next to him, also discussing the latest trends in Cop management, and how much they love government spending. I quickly entered the main floor, where most of our makeshift staff and several others from EMC made plans.
“So that guy out there wants to kill me.” I said…
“ Yeah it’s true.” Affirmed Dave, lending his strong moral support.
Then everybody left for the van.
I know it might seem strange of me to hesitate to walk out to the van. Something was just plain uninviting between the Mexican and the angry drug dealer. Yet once again, I had to go out for ministry. So I made my peace with God, walked outside. Nervous, even a little shaky, I walked out through the small uncomforting gate, down the sidewalk, and between the two rageaholics.
I now know Exodus a little better.
Strange to stand between two forces, two people who have a vendetta to end me. Pulled in absolution to end my life.
The Israelites walked through the dead sea thousands of years ago. I think I’ve missed that. I don’t stop to think about it often. I read through Exodus like a VHS set on fast forward. Maybe that’s why God tells us to meditate. To dwell on the fact that millions of people crossed in haste a sea. Waves parted into walls on the left and the right. Maybe the Israelites could see massive fish, old sunken ships, fossils, rocks, sea shells, coral. It would have been foreign, alien. They escaped danger to enter into this new world and leave Egypt, through an unexplored foreign path, only to arrive on the other side in a wilderness.
Shocking. World shattering. As a little child you could have seen your imagination lived out, conch shells bigger than heads, sea anemones, urchins, crabs. Then I remember that the sea parting was the relieving part! Pharoh’s armies pursued behind them…
This all reminds of a psalm that means a lot to me… It says in Psalm 77:19-20
“Your path lead through the sea, your way through the mighty waters, though the footprints were not seen. You led your people like a flock by the hand of Moses and Aaron.”
Psalm 77 talks about all the incredible accomplishments of Exodus, and ends by telling us that God knew what He was doing.
I safely arrived at the white van. Looking back at the violent hoodlums. Wondering what to do about them. Thurstin our body guard, and Chandler the brave cameraman took cupcakes and gave them to the two guys. They promptly ate them. So Chandler gave them more. The yelling faded. The drama over. The night went on and we traveled to Times Square once more. Ministry went on. No shanks were used.
In the dark moments of life it’s easy to get caught in fear, to believe in a terrible future, where pain and suffering have rigged the path. Yet God kicked up the dust, crushed some footprints into the ground, and marked a path beautiful and poetic. The most dangerous place is safe when in the hand of God. As the waves of life surround us we can firmly, and confidently remember, that God has a plan. Sometimes it is so crazy, so risky, so epic… it is underwater. It is where we last look. It is when we are at the precipice of hopelessness a way will open up. That… that is glorious. I hope those two guys get saved. They were a little offset by cupcakes. Maybe that act of love will win the day.
I sat in the lower floor of the cramped EMC pregnancy center lifehouse. A full size bunkbed, table, and couch took up the majority of the narthex sized living room. I sat on the couch thinking, mulling over life in a world of my own. Apparently walking back and forth with a megaphone, an unmarked white van, and casual conversation had lead the drug dealer next door to believe I was a police officer. A black, angry, ghetto thug. He gathered a small group that fluctuated between 2-4 people over the course of an hour and a half. I had no idea the cop reference was about me
until a somewhat excited and speedy Dave came downstairs.
“So Jake, that black guy out there thinks you’re a cop and is saying he’s going to smash you over the head when you come out.”
“Oh… uh…”
“Come upstairs Jake, we gotta go.”
“Dave… doesn’t that guy wanna kill me?”
“You’ll be allright!”
I thought to myself… the black man doesn’t want to kill Dave. So I feel as if his feeling of safety and motivation is more warranted than mine. I much rather would stay inside, we had bars on the window and uh… light bulbs? So I’m not gonna lie. I hesitated. Dave went upstairs, and I sat there. I’ve never really been afraid for my life or anything like that.
I guess I wasn’t afraid for my life. I just didn’t want to be annoyed. Like knowing you have to take the trash out, your mom’s screaming to hurry up, and you are on the phone with a really attractive girl making progress toward understanding her heart. Yet in the background is a piercing call to empty the trash receptacle sounding forth louder and louder. The concept of getting into a bloody street brawl was like an annoying nag. The screams had gone on for awhile, violent and angry
I listened.
“That piece of [Expletive delted] cop is gonna [Expletive deleted] die…” screamed the angry lover of Tupac, hater of Faith Hill into my bedroom window.
“I don’t wanna get stabbed right now, that’s kind of exhausting, like fighting for my life is kind of obnoxious.” I thought to myself.
Let alone it was rude to let the drug dealer perpetuate a sterotype, he certainly could do something like hug Mr. suspected police officer. It would help public relations a ton. Truth was I did have to go outside and up the stairs to the second floor. There was a very low gate offering pathetic piece of mind. A midget could comfortable see over it, and respectably the late Gary Coleman would have stood a head taller than Mr. Wilson from Home Improvement at this gate.
Yet, I wasn’t called to be a wuss. I was called to be a Christian. Work to do, shanks to dodge, ya know? So I walked up the stairs, didn’t make eye contact with the official spokesperson for Haterade. A friendly Mexican gang member stood next to him, also discussing the latest trends in Cop management, and how much they love government spending. I quickly entered the main floor, where most of our makeshift staff and several others from EMC made plans.
“So that guy out there wants to kill me.” I said…
“ Yeah it’s true.” Affirmed Dave, lending his strong moral support.
Then everybody left for the van.
I know it might seem strange of me to hesitate to walk out to the van. Something was just plain uninviting between the Mexican and the angry drug dealer. Yet once again, I had to go out for ministry. So I made my peace with God, walked outside. Nervous, even a little shaky, I walked out through the small uncomforting gate, down the sidewalk, and between the two rageaholics.
I now know Exodus a little better.
Strange to stand between two forces, two people who have a vendetta to end me. Pulled in absolution to end my life.
The Israelites walked through the dead sea thousands of years ago. I think I’ve missed that. I don’t stop to think about it often. I read through Exodus like a VHS set on fast forward. Maybe that’s why God tells us to meditate. To dwell on the fact that millions of people crossed in haste a sea. Waves parted into walls on the left and the right. Maybe the Israelites could see massive fish, old sunken ships, fossils, rocks, sea shells, coral. It would have been foreign, alien. They escaped danger to enter into this new world and leave Egypt, through an unexplored foreign path, only to arrive on the other side in a wilderness.
Shocking. World shattering. As a little child you could have seen your imagination lived out, conch shells bigger than heads, sea anemones, urchins, crabs. Then I remember that the sea parting was the relieving part! Pharoh’s armies pursued behind them…
This all reminds of a psalm that means a lot to me… It says in Psalm 77:19-20
“Your path lead through the sea, your way through the mighty waters, though the footprints were not seen. You led your people like a flock by the hand of Moses and Aaron.”
Psalm 77 talks about all the incredible accomplishments of Exodus, and ends by telling us that God knew what He was doing.
I safely arrived at the white van. Looking back at the violent hoodlums. Wondering what to do about them. Thurstin our body guard, and Chandler the brave cameraman took cupcakes and gave them to the two guys. They promptly ate them. So Chandler gave them more. The yelling faded. The drama over. The night went on and we traveled to Times Square once more. Ministry went on. No shanks were used.
In the dark moments of life it’s easy to get caught in fear, to believe in a terrible future, where pain and suffering have rigged the path. Yet God kicked up the dust, crushed some footprints into the ground, and marked a path beautiful and poetic. The most dangerous place is safe when in the hand of God. As the waves of life surround us we can firmly, and confidently remember, that God has a plan. Sometimes it is so crazy, so risky, so epic… it is underwater. It is where we last look. It is when we are at the precipice of hopelessness a way will open up. That… that is glorious. I hope those two guys get saved. They were a little offset by cupcakes. Maybe that act of love will win the day.
Thursday, October 14, 2010
Holocaust
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JFxylUv3mVk
Leave - By Glen Hansard, read this to that song for extra kicks and giggles...
I feel like a moron. Insensitive really.
My generation of Christianity is known for either associating with social justice or ignoring it. This week in New York City, my heart was crumbled and softened as I saw the finality of abortion.
I will never forget walking around the corner of a worn down building in Brooklyn to see David Pomerantz on his knees pleading with a young mother. Desperate, frantic even as he told the mother he would help her adopt the child, help her pay for it, help her choose life. Pleading for her to get a free sonogram with us and see her child. To know how important this decision she is making is. How final. He pleaded and pleaded trying everything and as her hardened heart stood unbreakable amidst the pleas Dave eventually just tried to tell her the harder truth.
He told her about abortion, how they do something so unnatural, so horrid. How they begin by scraping around in the womb of a woman with a round blade to remove her child, the life inside of her. He told her about how the doctors take the cut pieces of the fetus and reassemble them on the operating table just to make sure that they didn’t leave anything behind. Tears began to pour down the mother’s eyes. Her heart softening to the strong intense message. Yet she couldn’t hear anymore, stopped her ears, and ran in.
Dave got up and looked at us, tear brimmed eyes. Dave said he would remember that the rest of his life.
All I know is for the rest of her life. She will remember that.
It’s haunting.
Haunting to know that every girl who walks into that clinic could be a life lost.
It hit me. The severity of it all. The reality of it all. Abortion is a holocaust.
My friend saw a bag of dead babies being carried out the back. Surreal that it is even possible. It seems so barbaric, murderous, like John Wayne Gacy Jr., Ted Bundy, and Jeffery Dahmer made a family business. It is the haven of serial killing. It is death, it is brutal, and I knew it was evil.
My entire life, I knew abortion was wrong, I believed it. I talked about how it was wrong, knew facts, loved the sinner but hated sin… yet the gritty New York City Streets showed me firsthand the horrors of this generation. Sanctioned government murder. Millions.
MILLIONS.
These babies aren’t just an inconvenience, as we would be told, if given the chance we would see them by the identity they inherently have. Dave was an infant once, I was an infant once, your best friend was an infant once.
Suddenly the words social justice seem less like a sterile attempt to save the world as the life of a human being DOES depend on this.
Yet we didn’t just offer help to mothers. We offered the gospel. New Life.
And my heart was broken time and time again. This week 25 woman decided to get a free sonogram, to keep the child. That is incredible. It’s beautiful. I can’t help but shed tears though for the empty. For the mothers that toss and turn at night divest of the one bright spot in a dark painful life.
That is heartbreaking.
And for not ever really seeing that. For it not being real. For not praying for mothers to keep children with fervor. I feel like a moron.
It's like seeing the holocaust, and not doing anything.
Leave - By Glen Hansard, read this to that song for extra kicks and giggles...
I feel like a moron. Insensitive really.
My generation of Christianity is known for either associating with social justice or ignoring it. This week in New York City, my heart was crumbled and softened as I saw the finality of abortion.
I will never forget walking around the corner of a worn down building in Brooklyn to see David Pomerantz on his knees pleading with a young mother. Desperate, frantic even as he told the mother he would help her adopt the child, help her pay for it, help her choose life. Pleading for her to get a free sonogram with us and see her child. To know how important this decision she is making is. How final. He pleaded and pleaded trying everything and as her hardened heart stood unbreakable amidst the pleas Dave eventually just tried to tell her the harder truth.
He told her about abortion, how they do something so unnatural, so horrid. How they begin by scraping around in the womb of a woman with a round blade to remove her child, the life inside of her. He told her about how the doctors take the cut pieces of the fetus and reassemble them on the operating table just to make sure that they didn’t leave anything behind. Tears began to pour down the mother’s eyes. Her heart softening to the strong intense message. Yet she couldn’t hear anymore, stopped her ears, and ran in.
Dave got up and looked at us, tear brimmed eyes. Dave said he would remember that the rest of his life.
All I know is for the rest of her life. She will remember that.
It’s haunting.
Haunting to know that every girl who walks into that clinic could be a life lost.
It hit me. The severity of it all. The reality of it all. Abortion is a holocaust.
My friend saw a bag of dead babies being carried out the back. Surreal that it is even possible. It seems so barbaric, murderous, like John Wayne Gacy Jr., Ted Bundy, and Jeffery Dahmer made a family business. It is the haven of serial killing. It is death, it is brutal, and I knew it was evil.
My entire life, I knew abortion was wrong, I believed it. I talked about how it was wrong, knew facts, loved the sinner but hated sin… yet the gritty New York City Streets showed me firsthand the horrors of this generation. Sanctioned government murder. Millions.
MILLIONS.
These babies aren’t just an inconvenience, as we would be told, if given the chance we would see them by the identity they inherently have. Dave was an infant once, I was an infant once, your best friend was an infant once.
Suddenly the words social justice seem less like a sterile attempt to save the world as the life of a human being DOES depend on this.
Yet we didn’t just offer help to mothers. We offered the gospel. New Life.
And my heart was broken time and time again. This week 25 woman decided to get a free sonogram, to keep the child. That is incredible. It’s beautiful. I can’t help but shed tears though for the empty. For the mothers that toss and turn at night divest of the one bright spot in a dark painful life.
That is heartbreaking.
And for not ever really seeing that. For it not being real. For not praying for mothers to keep children with fervor. I feel like a moron.
It's like seeing the holocaust, and not doing anything.
Wednesday, October 6, 2010
Taiwan Support Video!
So my pastor asked me to make a video for my church. He is incredible, and I distincly remembering asking him if I should make a uber-conservative church one or just be myself... He told me to go all out as myself... so I made this...
Its so refreshing I can be myself. I really appreciate that about my home church, plus also I enjoy being able to use media to present what I'm doing. The reality is I'm not the most equipped, I used windows media maker and a digital camera to make it, thus the grainyness, but I love doing this. It'd be cool to make cultural videos when I'm overseas...
Anyways I'm in Philly with an incredible family that has adopted me, they are making me dinner, and soon we shall head to NYC. In New York City we are going to take a bus and give girls free sonograms in front of an abortion clinic. Statistically around 3/5 girls decide to keep the child from this ministry. I'm pumped, a little terrified, and hopefully. If anyone reads this, pray for it. The ministry is called save the storks... And it will change the face of pro-life ministry as we know it.
I'm hoping tobe able to start posting and blogging daily soon, I've been divest of internet for like 1 kajillion days (or maybe 20)...
See ya!
Its so refreshing I can be myself. I really appreciate that about my home church, plus also I enjoy being able to use media to present what I'm doing. The reality is I'm not the most equipped, I used windows media maker and a digital camera to make it, thus the grainyness, but I love doing this. It'd be cool to make cultural videos when I'm overseas...
Anyways I'm in Philly with an incredible family that has adopted me, they are making me dinner, and soon we shall head to NYC. In New York City we are going to take a bus and give girls free sonograms in front of an abortion clinic. Statistically around 3/5 girls decide to keep the child from this ministry. I'm pumped, a little terrified, and hopefully. If anyone reads this, pray for it. The ministry is called save the storks... And it will change the face of pro-life ministry as we know it.
I'm hoping tobe able to start posting and blogging daily soon, I've been divest of internet for like 1 kajillion days (or maybe 20)...
See ya!
Sunday, September 12, 2010
SU FRESH!
So we're in an age of information, thus I am trying new ways to communicate. This blog being one of them. I wrote an article yesterday but the internet went out so I'll probably post that later. Tonight I finished a facebook group, join it if you want random updates occasionally on my life (as checking blogs can be a little more dedication oriented)...
Life is good, church this morning was a blasty blast. I got to sing "Alpha and Omega" with the choir, which is a grand ol'e Gaither song I am too young to know. Then my pastor said some hilarious things culminating in "You don't want to the only one at water aerobics who didn't go!" (In reference to the seasoned people in the audience)
A french missionary from Biblical Worldview Missions came. He talked about how we need to be giving, zealous, and the sheer painful cost of serving in a field with few to no results...
That's tough!
Like sobering to think... am I willing to give my entire life to missions... am I willing to give my life to God, even if I don't see results? He preached out of Hebrews 11 today... We all ate lunch together and talked alot about missions and Europe. Ironic that the French people are so tough when it comes to religion, and not to war. Alot of the conversation was about the Americanization of Europe and how it kills French culinary skill... I hadn't thought about how influential the U.S. was...
Then I went to the Asian food store. I always try to buy new products to see what I like and don't like. I really appreciate that in Seattle we have the Uwajimaya, which is as I see it kind of like a Japanese Wal-Mart. Except in Wal-Mart they wear sweat pants and look a little crusty. Everyone in Uwajimaya is proffessional and well... just better kept than your average Wal-Mart customer.
It's incredible to see all the Asiatic cultures, 6 years ago I only saw asians in Uwajimaya, but today I saw tons of genuine Seattlites and I was reminded how incredible a place this city really is. It's so diverse but also aware. People are not as ethnocentric as alot of places I've been too, they see other cultures, they experience other cultures.
I bought some pomegranite Aloe Vera drink, I love Aloe drink... I don't know if anyone has ever tried it... it full of gooey blobs, I imagine I'm drinking jellyfish. Only it doesn't sting going down! HUZZAH!
I also tried an interesting energy drink from Korea... I often try foreign energy drinks. When I was in brazil I repeatedly bought one calle Su Fresh! Hoping it would taste better the third time. NOT SO!!!!
Anyways I bought a drink called Bacchus X (The original is Bacchus D)... I don't like Bacchus but I thought maybe... just maybe, this version will taste unique and interesting. I started drinking and have an uncanny knack for nailing flavors... it is the same flavor as Sweet-Tarts, Dirt, Grass, and Cough Syrup.
*shudder* I drank it and then read the label. It contained Ethanol... I don't know what that means, but I am from now on reading the labels VERY CLOSELY... (I always assumed that something like that would at least show up on the MAIN INGREDIENTS list)
Also known as Ichabod-F (The Glory has gone out)
I don't mind buying foreign snacks and beverages, when we get to bigger foods, there is alot of commitment and instructions I can't read so I stay away. I tried Kalamari the other day and a couple types of sushi. The bombdiggety...
Eh, I had quite a bit of fun regardless. I really enjoy these foreign stores. I think I'm going to try and get a temporary job at an Asian store in Texas.
Anyways! Things are looking great, one of my greatest supporters gave me 300$ today for my startup fee and it was so encouraging. He's got a heart of gold. I love that someone cares that much about me, like I don't deserve it, and it shows the wonderful grace of God.
I have a week left in Seattle, pray that I can minister to my family and God would continue to raise a support team!
I'm working on an article about the culture of Taiwan, plus also I'mma write one about Seattle, and Texas... I like to study other cultures and compare. With that, have a good life everyone!
Life is good, church this morning was a blasty blast. I got to sing "Alpha and Omega" with the choir, which is a grand ol'e Gaither song I am too young to know. Then my pastor said some hilarious things culminating in "You don't want to the only one at water aerobics who didn't go!" (In reference to the seasoned people in the audience)
A french missionary from Biblical Worldview Missions came. He talked about how we need to be giving, zealous, and the sheer painful cost of serving in a field with few to no results...
That's tough!
Like sobering to think... am I willing to give my entire life to missions... am I willing to give my life to God, even if I don't see results? He preached out of Hebrews 11 today... We all ate lunch together and talked alot about missions and Europe. Ironic that the French people are so tough when it comes to religion, and not to war. Alot of the conversation was about the Americanization of Europe and how it kills French culinary skill... I hadn't thought about how influential the U.S. was...
Then I went to the Asian food store. I always try to buy new products to see what I like and don't like. I really appreciate that in Seattle we have the Uwajimaya, which is as I see it kind of like a Japanese Wal-Mart. Except in Wal-Mart they wear sweat pants and look a little crusty. Everyone in Uwajimaya is proffessional and well... just better kept than your average Wal-Mart customer.
It's incredible to see all the Asiatic cultures, 6 years ago I only saw asians in Uwajimaya, but today I saw tons of genuine Seattlites and I was reminded how incredible a place this city really is. It's so diverse but also aware. People are not as ethnocentric as alot of places I've been too, they see other cultures, they experience other cultures.
I bought some pomegranite Aloe Vera drink, I love Aloe drink... I don't know if anyone has ever tried it... it full of gooey blobs, I imagine I'm drinking jellyfish. Only it doesn't sting going down! HUZZAH!
THE ALOE GLORY!!!!!
Anyways I bought a drink called Bacchus X (The original is Bacchus D)... I don't like Bacchus but I thought maybe... just maybe, this version will taste unique and interesting. I started drinking and have an uncanny knack for nailing flavors... it is the same flavor as Sweet-Tarts, Dirt, Grass, and Cough Syrup.
*shudder* I drank it and then read the label. It contained Ethanol... I don't know what that means, but I am from now on reading the labels VERY CLOSELY... (I always assumed that something like that would at least show up on the MAIN INGREDIENTS list)
Also known as Ichabod-F (The Glory has gone out)
I don't mind buying foreign snacks and beverages, when we get to bigger foods, there is alot of commitment and instructions I can't read so I stay away. I tried Kalamari the other day and a couple types of sushi. The bombdiggety...
Eh, I had quite a bit of fun regardless. I really enjoy these foreign stores. I think I'm going to try and get a temporary job at an Asian store in Texas.
Anyways! Things are looking great, one of my greatest supporters gave me 300$ today for my startup fee and it was so encouraging. He's got a heart of gold. I love that someone cares that much about me, like I don't deserve it, and it shows the wonderful grace of God.
I have a week left in Seattle, pray that I can minister to my family and God would continue to raise a support team!
I'm working on an article about the culture of Taiwan, plus also I'mma write one about Seattle, and Texas... I like to study other cultures and compare. With that, have a good life everyone!
Friday, September 10, 2010
Amalgimation...
The smell of fire permeated the air last night as a group of us met in a small house around Seattle Pacific University, we met to talk about God and study the book of Philemon. It's interesting coming from an incredibley intense spiritual enviroment like Word Of Life and attending a college small group. I was blown away by the passion of the groups leader. His heartbeat was that our Christianity would become real, that we would memorize scripture and live for God. It was real encouraging to just sit and listen, to hear about how Paul sent Onesimus back, and Onesimus must have possessed some mad courage cause he could have been put to death for returning. We talked alot about how the tesimony of Paul was so strong it warranted Philemons forgiveness of Onesimus, yet... that wasn't why Paul wanted him forgiven, rather he wanted Philemon to sincerley live out his faith and forgive Onesimus... because it was right. Because it was Christ-like...
About ten of us sat talking, and praying until it was dark... the campfire felt nice in cool night, as the strange sounds of a local grunge band filled the air. It's wonderful to meet Christians in the city.
It occurs to me I have no photo's of my homecity... no photo's in it either...
This is probably the closest I can come too...
A squirrel walked into my living room today, he was rather aggressive. I sometimes wonder if squirrels suffer roid rage in the Seattle area as they are three times the size of East Coast squirrels, unafraid of humanity, and dwell in kitchens.
Not much is happening today. Life is quite an adjustment from the busy 24/7 schedule of camp to the TV laden, occupy and entertain, world outside of Word of Life. I'm beginning to see more and more just how much I love Seattle, the people, the food, the unique flava-flav of a city. I'm so blessed to be here, and even tempted to steal photo's of seattle off of other people sites just to show how beautiful it is. Since I tend to obey copyright laws though I can just use stock photo's :( Camera... that's on my to do list, just for life. I was looking at photo's yesterday and realized I have only a handful with my best friend, and in reality? I need to just have more photo's...
Pray For: Seattle, specifically the Seattle Harvest. I have really developed a heart for this place, the college students, people with piercings and tattoos... Seattle is unlike any place I have been, so diverse and unique, beautiful and modern. Amidst this though it is a dark city, not in violence, but in godlessness... I love Seattle, it is almost unchurched when compared to the South, Philly, New York... Large amounts of homosexuality, drug use, and human trafficking blot the beautiful city. Despite this there are incredible things happening from the wonderful message of Church Unity at First Baptist Church Of Kirkland last Sunday to the Act 29 movement... the future of Seattle is looking brighter but I can't help but shed tears for a people so desiring to know God but so blinded. Anyways we are having an event called the Seattle Harvest, where 200 churchs are uniting to share Christ with friends, family and co-workers. It is an evangelistic rally, that starts as a concert but ends with people knowing Christ. It is beautiful to see that. Pray for people to come to the event which happens in early November (5-7), pray that people get saved as Pastor Greg Laurie shares the gospel, pray that Seattle becomes a changed place...
http://www.harvest.org/crusades/2010/seattle/event-information/home.html
This is a great video on it...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GPua5787lUg
I need to learn Mandarin Chinese... It's known as Standard Mandarin, and apparently quite well spoken worldwide...
Easy, right? Mandarin is spoken by aprox. 1.365 Billion people... I feel kinda weird rounding down millions of people... but writing out the entire number is alot...
Apparently it's a really hard language to learn and master, I am still waiting on my copy of Rosetta Stone, so I am watching Youtube video's trying to pick up the sound of the language and learn basic phrases... Huzzah!
I always right to music and today I listening to Monkey Majik, a nice J-pop blend of music like Jack Johnson and the Canadian band Bear (SIC) Naked Ladies... It actually is composed from two Canadians and two Japanese people...
I like them alot... music means much to me, I listen to lyrics and fit them to memories, to life... life is kind of like a giant music video to me...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Njmp-QGRd0M&feature=related
About ten of us sat talking, and praying until it was dark... the campfire felt nice in cool night, as the strange sounds of a local grunge band filled the air. It's wonderful to meet Christians in the city.
It occurs to me I have no photo's of my homecity... no photo's in it either...
A squirrel walked into my living room today, he was rather aggressive. I sometimes wonder if squirrels suffer roid rage in the Seattle area as they are three times the size of East Coast squirrels, unafraid of humanity, and dwell in kitchens.
Not much is happening today. Life is quite an adjustment from the busy 24/7 schedule of camp to the TV laden, occupy and entertain, world outside of Word of Life. I'm beginning to see more and more just how much I love Seattle, the people, the food, the unique flava-flav of a city. I'm so blessed to be here, and even tempted to steal photo's of seattle off of other people sites just to show how beautiful it is. Since I tend to obey copyright laws though I can just use stock photo's :( Camera... that's on my to do list, just for life. I was looking at photo's yesterday and realized I have only a handful with my best friend, and in reality? I need to just have more photo's...
http://www.harvest.org/crusades/2010/seattle/event-information/home.html
This is a great video on it...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GPua5787lUg
I need to learn Mandarin Chinese... It's known as Standard Mandarin, and apparently quite well spoken worldwide...
Easy, right? Mandarin is spoken by aprox. 1.365 Billion people... I feel kinda weird rounding down millions of people... but writing out the entire number is alot...
Apparently it's a really hard language to learn and master, I am still waiting on my copy of Rosetta Stone, so I am watching Youtube video's trying to pick up the sound of the language and learn basic phrases... Huzzah!
I always right to music and today I listening to Monkey Majik, a nice J-pop blend of music like Jack Johnson and the Canadian band Bear (SIC) Naked Ladies... It actually is composed from two Canadians and two Japanese people...
I like them alot... music means much to me, I listen to lyrics and fit them to memories, to life... life is kind of like a giant music video to me...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Njmp-QGRd0M&feature=related
Thursday, September 9, 2010
Why this sojourn travel?
I'mma try and update this blog regularly to let people know what my journey to Taiwan is like, what Taiwan is like, what being a missionary is like... I like to write... so it may get wordy. But that's otay! I enjoy it...
There was a song by Creed released awhile back which has a deep powerful line "Hold me now, I'm six feet from the edge and I'm thinking maybe six feet ain't so far down." It's a deep metaphor having to do with decision, choice, consequence, death, and life.
Isn't that true? Some decisions in our live are so powerful yet so small... Only six feet can seperate you from walking off a cliff or staying on safe ground. Even more so consequences are so hard to discern and see, who knows what six feet may bring? So here I am... 23, young, and on the edge of a metaphorical abyss. The dictionary (dictionary.com) defines Abyss as a deep, immeasurable space, gulf, or cavity; vast chasm...
A little over three months ago I decided I would go to Taiwan as a missionary Intern. God made it clear through a lot of things, and I decided to be obediant.
So I've never been to Taiwan. In fact I spent roughly 6 years studying Japanese and for all practical purposes am passionate about the land of the rising sun.
So it would lend itself naturally to ask? What the Ian Mckellan is Jake doing going to the wrong country?
The truth is My passion and desire to go to Japan, was overshadowing a more general yet very powerful desire to go to Asia. Ever since I was a child, a wee lad on me pappy's knee as they say... I have wanted to hit up Asia. Something inside me loved everything about Asia, and I can only compare the feeling to nostalgia. As if I had been there before, as if before I knew it I loved it. Strange isn't it? I don't believe at all I've lived past lives, as I'm a Christian and that don't jive with my Jesus, but I still can only compare my childhood feelings to that of nostalgia... maybe nostalgia is a feeling of comfort that we usally only find in old memories and good times.
I grew up in the Seattle area, some people know Seattle as the land of rain... I always saw it differently. In Sea-tac airport I saw more Asians than I probably did the entire last three months in New York. The teach Japanese in high school (Soon Chinese as well). I saw it as a land of green, refreshed by the constant mist. I always saw it as the last bastion of human freedom and thought as Washington is split between the metropolitan city areas and the eastern rural areas. I grew up around people from China, Taiwan, Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia, Japan, Korea... Asia became my first love. Before I left for the Word Of Life Bible Insitute I was gung-ho on being a missionary to Asia.
Three months ago that passion in me reignited. I realized how much I love people from Asia, from working with the incredible Ji-Sang this summer to laughing at the little mispronounced phrase of a little Korean saying "He so sexty."
As that passion has grown and grown I have become more driven to learn Chinese, brush up on Japanese, get organized, send out letters, and be responsible. And it brings me back again to the abyss...
There comes a point where we can't turn back, where we stand six feet from that cliff... Not all abyss are bad, they are just unknown. I am about to run head on and freefall for two years before I come back to this life. Strange, unique, somewhat terrifying, but ultimatley, I work for God... He has great healthcare, and an even better retirement plan... so all in all? I'm stoked!
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