I was reminded this past weekend of the meaning of fellowship. It was so refreshing to visit San Antonio and be reunited with my UTSA friends. I did as much homework as I could before the weekend came so that I could relax this weekend, and I'm glad I did. Friday night, we ate at a restaurant called Los Robertos, and let me tell you, they had the best burritos I've ever eaten in my entire life! To end the weekend, Kevin, Ryan, Loren, and I ate there again. Two nights in a row..it was gross, yet so good at the same time. This restaurant was so good that it inspired Ryan to start his food blog, so be on the look out.
Food aside, a picture of fellowship was drawn that had slowly slipped from me - fellowship beyond clutter, distractions, borders, or restrictions of a campus. This fellowship is organic, real, and it's authentic. Fellowship is so much more significant, simple, and sufficient than any school organization. It's a body of believers united by Him whom we walk with.
Sometimes I just need to remember to step back a bit. The complications and logistics of ministry can so easily take away from the purpose which we are called to. Last night we worshiped God together and simply loved each other as we prayed out loud for God to move on our campuses in UTSA and UT. It was encouraging and refreshing. I pray that God can continue to move students to passion wherever they are and restore purpose in our lives.
Saturday, November 14, 2009
Sunday, November 8, 2009
How he Loves
I've had countless encounters within the past week where I'm just reminded of how blessed I am to have such amazing parents. To conclude the Asian-ness series in Epic, Carita Chen talked about the importance of honoring God and your parents at the same time. Even though I didn't feel like I related to a lot of the "typical Asian issues," I was still reminded of how I need to honor my parents by showing that I love them.
Honestly, that's something I struggle with a lot when it comes to my relationship with my parents. I love my parents, they know I do, but expressing that to them is another story. Whether it's through email, phone, or text, this semester so far has shown me how much they value communicating with me. It's pretty funny, the emails and texts that I get from them. One random morning, my mom sent me a text saying, "Put God first." I smiled, and just went back to sleep.
Understanding the ways my parents show love towards me has helped me to feel their love so much more, especially now that I'm away from home. My mom likes to send me short texts and emails asking how I'm doing with school work, while my dad likes to buy me things, heh. My dad is a lot like me in the sense that he probably doesn't like to express how he feels towards me in the father-son situation, but when it comes to buying me stuff, he doesn't hesitate. This past summer was one of the first times in my life where I had genuinely sought out advice from my parents for my spiritual life. It started with me asking what books to buy. For example, I asked my dad what the best study bible was, and he bought an ESV study bible for me the next day. I asked him what books I should read, he found his C.S. Lewis books and gave me his copy of Screwtape Letters and Mere Christianity that looked like it was 30 years old. I asked him which devotional books he recommended, and he subscribed to Table Talk for me within a week. (BTW, I recommend that monthly devotional magazine to anyone who is looking for one with quality material.) My dad's concern for my spiritual life, as witnessed through his recent purchases for me, shows how he loves me.
The other day I talked to my parents about my relationship with a particular person who happens to be a good friend of the opposite gender. That was interesting. I have never talked to them about anything that deep. It was like I had just learned how to doggie paddle, and I deliberately jumped into the middle of the ocean with a foam noodle to keep me from swallowing too much salt water. But all in all, it wasn't suffocating or drowning. I felt closer with my parents as I slowly found my footing in the not-so-deep ocean floor. They gave me Godly advice on relationships that I truly value. Again, I'm thankful that I have two Godly parents who are able to pray for me and give me perspective. Hearing their perspective on my life was enlightening, and reminded me of how they love me.
Amidst all of these eye opening experiences, I was awakened even more as I listened to the devastating, yet life-giving story of a senior who has been visiting Epic the past couple weeks. His story reminded me how blessed I am to have parents who love me...to have parents who pray for me...to have parents who I can speak English with...to have parents. I don't want to say too much, and I don't want to spoil his testimony for you (he is going to be sharing at Epic this Wednesday), but what would you do if you lost both your parents unexpectedly within one year? To lose one parent would be both devastating and heart-breaking. To endure the loss of both would require persevering strength and endurance. It may even require one to reevaluate their faith in God. To see him hold back his tears was like watching a broken levee hold the vast ocean. I usually don't cry in public and I didn't of course, but I've never had to hold back tears so hard. I respect him so much for the pain and losses that he has endured.
All in all, the story of his painful losses and the subtle love from my parents as I've experienced through their limited love languages reminds me of the Creator how He loves me immeasurably in every single love language ever created. <3
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(my dad is in the picture up top! and do you like my perfect grammer??)
Honestly, that's something I struggle with a lot when it comes to my relationship with my parents. I love my parents, they know I do, but expressing that to them is another story. Whether it's through email, phone, or text, this semester so far has shown me how much they value communicating with me. It's pretty funny, the emails and texts that I get from them. One random morning, my mom sent me a text saying, "Put God first." I smiled, and just went back to sleep.
Understanding the ways my parents show love towards me has helped me to feel their love so much more, especially now that I'm away from home. My mom likes to send me short texts and emails asking how I'm doing with school work, while my dad likes to buy me things, heh. My dad is a lot like me in the sense that he probably doesn't like to express how he feels towards me in the father-son situation, but when it comes to buying me stuff, he doesn't hesitate. This past summer was one of the first times in my life where I had genuinely sought out advice from my parents for my spiritual life. It started with me asking what books to buy. For example, I asked my dad what the best study bible was, and he bought an ESV study bible for me the next day. I asked him what books I should read, he found his C.S. Lewis books and gave me his copy of Screwtape Letters and Mere Christianity that looked like it was 30 years old. I asked him which devotional books he recommended, and he subscribed to Table Talk for me within a week. (BTW, I recommend that monthly devotional magazine to anyone who is looking for one with quality material.) My dad's concern for my spiritual life, as witnessed through his recent purchases for me, shows how he loves me.
The other day I talked to my parents about my relationship with a particular person who happens to be a good friend of the opposite gender. That was interesting. I have never talked to them about anything that deep. It was like I had just learned how to doggie paddle, and I deliberately jumped into the middle of the ocean with a foam noodle to keep me from swallowing too much salt water. But all in all, it wasn't suffocating or drowning. I felt closer with my parents as I slowly found my footing in the not-so-deep ocean floor. They gave me Godly advice on relationships that I truly value. Again, I'm thankful that I have two Godly parents who are able to pray for me and give me perspective. Hearing their perspective on my life was enlightening, and reminded me of how they love me.
Amidst all of these eye opening experiences, I was awakened even more as I listened to the devastating, yet life-giving story of a senior who has been visiting Epic the past couple weeks. His story reminded me how blessed I am to have parents who love me...to have parents who pray for me...to have parents who I can speak English with...to have parents. I don't want to say too much, and I don't want to spoil his testimony for you (he is going to be sharing at Epic this Wednesday), but what would you do if you lost both your parents unexpectedly within one year? To lose one parent would be both devastating and heart-breaking. To endure the loss of both would require persevering strength and endurance. It may even require one to reevaluate their faith in God. To see him hold back his tears was like watching a broken levee hold the vast ocean. I usually don't cry in public and I didn't of course, but I've never had to hold back tears so hard. I respect him so much for the pain and losses that he has endured.
All in all, the story of his painful losses and the subtle love from my parents as I've experienced through their limited love languages reminds me of the Creator how He loves me immeasurably in every single love language ever created. <3
------------
(my dad is in the picture up top! and do you like my perfect grammer??)
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