Month: November 2009

  • Identity in Christ #28 and Pictures!

    28.  I am created for God’s glory (Isaiah 43:7):

     

    What is your purpose in life?  Why are you here?  Apart from God, life seems meant for selfish pleasure, for living up to other people’s expectations, or for making your conscience feel good.  But God has a higher purpose for us.  God’s calling is the same for all:  to love Him and to love others.  But within that call are specific callings for each child of God.  God has given each of us different personalities, gifts, talents, experiences, and desires.  It is as we seek His will for our lives that He will use these different areas to bring glory to His name.  God is the only one truly worthy of our lives.  It is when we set our life for His purposes and His ways that we discover what true life is.  “For you were bought with a price.  So glorify God in your body” (1Corinthians 6:20, ESV).  Please repeat after me, “I am created for God’s glory.”  Amen!

    With some wonderful supporters from Harrisonburg (including Mrs. Lim, Sonia, Ye-Kyung, and Jenna)

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    At Servant’s Retreat with some old school CCFers

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    With Jiae

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    With Esther

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    With Ye Kyung and Shine

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    With Pastor IJ and his wife Aileen

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    With Susy and Kevin… celebrating Kevin’s belated birthday

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    God bless!

  • Identity in Christ #27 and Pictures!

    Today is the midpoint of my trip to America.  Its been good so far and I’ve been blessed to see a number of old friends and relatives.  I’ve put up some of the pictures from the past week… but first another identity!

    I am fearfully and wonderfully made (Psalm 139:14):


    If being made in the image of God isn’t enough, Scripture makes it clear that we were fearfully and wonderfully made.  When we look at ourselves by the world’s standards, we will never be fit enough, smart enough, or attractive enough.  There will always be something imperfect or something that we can’t live up to.  The world has a critical eye.  The world always demands better.  But God makes it clear that He made us fearfully and wonderfully.  He was the one who knit us together.  We are wonderful in His sight.  God detests the labels the world tries to put on us.  He wants us to be secure in Him and who He has made us to be.  He wants us to know we are made in His image, fearfully and wonderfully made, and precious and honored in His sight (Isaiah 43:4).  It is when we praise God for who He made us to be that we are able to see ourselves as He sees us.  And that is when true beauty is revealed.  Please repeat after me, “I am fearfully and wonderfully made.”  Amen!

     

    With Willie, David, and Terrence

     

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    Liz, Priscilla, Patty, and Luice… great to see you all again!

     

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    With my cousin Jessi’s three girls… I felt like I was back with my kids in Korea while playing with them, except it was weird hearing the kids speaking in English instead of Korean

     

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    Unexpectedly, my home church (where I grew up) put my name up on their sign outside

     

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    A couple old college friends drove by and recognized my name and stopped by to hear me speak.  How about that!

     

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    After service with my cousin Joe and older sister Katie

     

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    With my parents’ friends… funny how they are all my age or younger… since I left for Korea my parents couldn’t steal my friends anymore so instead they just lead the young adult small group at church… good stuff

     

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    With Alpha Omega family

     

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    With Minah and Wooj and their baby Jordan.  God is good!!!

     

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    God bless!

  • Pics From America… and North Korea Links/Book Suggestions…

    I’ve been in Virginia for a week now and everything has been going well.  I keep forgetting to take pictures though, my bad!  I’ll be out here for three more weeks.  Enjoy the few pics and please do check out the links and books on North Korea if you haven’t before.

    At Oakbrook Church’s Men’s Meeting… can you find me?  My Dad and I both got to share together and it was a blessed time…

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    With Simon, Sam, and Hoon at Solomon’s wedding banquet

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    With Solomon and his fiance Josephine

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    With Esther and Paul

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    Some good books to read (there are others)…
     
    Chol-Hwan Kang – Aquariums of Pyongyang  (a good introductory book to North Korea, the autiobiography of a North Korean who survived the prison camps and escaped the country)
     
    Soon Ok Lee – Eyes of the Tailless Animals (the most vivid book about the prison camps in North Korea… this book will break your heart and is a must read for anyone desiring to pray for North Korea)
     
    Mike Kim – Escaping North Korea (the most up to date book I’ve found and covers a lot)
     
    Some good videos to watch (again, there are others)…
     
    Children of the Secret State:
    http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=1875007335054132657&ei=Z0v4Ss7XDofCrQLOodgd&q=children+of+the+secret+state#
     
    National Geographic Inside – Undercover in North Korea (Part 1 of 5):
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QQXfMMHV8FM
     
    Inside North Korea:
    http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-5385077659281273870&ei=-0r4SszvC5HKqwKXnuznDg&q=inside+north+korea#
     
    Movie – The Crossing (Part 1 of 10… this is a South Korea made movie based on the stories of different refugees who escaped North Korea, it is very realistic and well made):
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IhahvxABPGQ&feature=related

    God bless!

  • In America

    I just arrived on US soil a couple hours ago.  It feels really weird to be back, much more so than past visits.  I slept a solid 10 minutes during the 12 hour flight from Japan.  I enjoyed the movie Julia and Julie and then shook my head as I watched the demonic Harry Potter Half Blood Prince.  The movie had soul ties, curses/vows, demonic manifestations, cursed charms, spells, all sorts of occult activity.  I had been curious about that movie.   I won’t be showing it to my kids.  Despite the long flight, this evening I’ll be attending the Hillsong United “We’re All In This Together” special showing with my family at the local movie theater.  Good stuff! 

    Real quick, here is my schedule while I’m home…

    November 7 (Sat) – Sharing with the Oakbrook Church Men’s Ministry
    November 8 (Sun) – Guest speaking at Oakbrook Church (http://www.oakbrookchurch.org/index.html)
    November 11 (Wed) – Guest speaking at International Calvary Church’s Wednesday night service (www.icc97.com)
    November 15 (Sun) – Guest speaking at The Journey (http://thejourneysite.org/)
    November 19 (Thurs) – Visiting my sister and supporters in Harrisonburg, VA
    November 20-22 – Seminar speaker and elective session speaker at Servant’s Retreat in Winchester, VA

    I’ll be departing on December 2.  My cell phone number is 703-930-4274. 

    God bless!

  • Last Picture Update Before America Visit…

    I’ll be leaving for America on this Wednesday, November 4th.  I’ll be there for four weeks.  I’ll put up my schedule and contact info in a couple days.  For now, here is one more picture update before I go.  These pictures were all taken by 3rd grader Hae Hyun from Hope Room while I was playing Rummikub with Hae Ji…

    Sun Hee played as my partner

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    Ji Woo with her toy phone

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    Soo Ah

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    Little Eun Suh

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    Her older sister Eun Ji

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    Hae Hyun taking pictures of herself… oh no…

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    A little better?

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    Oh well…

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    Sisters Eun Ji and Eun Suh

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    Not sure what Ji Woo is doing to Eun Ji

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    Sun Hee

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    One more of her…

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    God bless!