In America… Waiting to Know the Future…

I’m back in the States for a couple weeks to attend my best friend’s wedding and to spend time with my family.  A break has been needed and it’s good to get away for a little while. 

Before I came to Korea at the end of 2005, God put on my heart an idea of what my first five years of living in Korea would look like.  It was a simple plan with an understanding that God would be building me up during the five years to prepare me for a next step.  I knew I would mainly be focused on my children’s home and Seoul during that time.  Over the years whenever I would try and pray beyond the fifth year, I could never see or sense anything.  It has remained a mystery.  I would guess that perhaps after the five years I would begin North Korea work or would get married or something like that, but those were just guesses. 

God has given me some cool surprises these past few years.  I never thought I would be directing an NGO or helping pastor a church plant that meets in a bar.  But of course during the years before Korea I would have never seen myself doing orphanage work or living in Korea.  And now I wouldn’t trade any of these things for anything. 

I still have no idea what will happen in my life after this year.  God has chosen to remain silent about it.  I’m learning to relax and simply keep my eyes on Him as I pray and wait.  I’ve learned its a lot more fun when He is in control, despite the waiting.  He has never let me down when I’ve given Him control. 

John 3:8 (NKJV) – The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear the sound of it, but cannot tell where it comes from and where it goes.  So is everyone who is born of the Spirit.

–

I don’t know where I’m going
More and more each day it’s becoming just alright with me
Cause when I know where I’m going
My eyes keep me from trusting you

Jason Upton – Blinded

More Amazing Soccer Camp Photos

My previous update of the soccer camp only covered days one and two.  Here are some more pics from days two and three.  Enjoy! 

I love this pic… not sure what this spray was for, but the boy seemed to be loving it

Coach Larry and some of his Spain team kids

Team Germany doing stretches(?)

Or something like that?

Spain and their unity…

One more…

Gotta love the friendly handshakes before the game

Group shot

We took the kids swimming on the afternoon of the last day… for some of the kids, this is their favorite part of the camp^^

Coach Larry with a little more than he can handle

Josh not seeming to have a problem

Nice form!

Yeah, I too joined in on the act… Ji Hoon never stood a chance

Even assistant coach Christy couldn’t help but attack the boys

Don’t worry, the boys got revenge… on Jee

Xae (volunteer Karin’s son), assistant coach Na Rai, and another boy behind them

The championship team each got a new pair of shoes after their championship dinner… kids were happy and so were their homes (shoes are always a need for the kids)

God bless!

Sound of Trumpets

 

At a recent conference Sarah Yang shared this story:  A friend of hers who God was doing great signs and wonders through was asked to be a guest speaker in another city at a conference.  Everything in his ministry had been going great and he had such an anointing that anyone he prayed for would be wrecked by the Holy Spirit.  He went to the conference feeling really good about himself.  He was anointed, people were impressed with him, and he was the guest speaker.

 

During the conference though, he kept hearing trumpets sound at different times… even though no one in the conference had a trumpet and the timing was always odd.  Soon he realized that whenever a certain man entered the conference room, the trumpets would sound.  Where these trumpets were he couldn’t figure out.  But he wanted to meet this man.  He asked a member of the conference team to set up a meeting between him and the man.

 

They met at a coffee shop, and sure enough, just as the man entered the coffee shop the sound of trumpets announcing his arrival could be heard.  Sarah’s friend was amazed.  He immediately asked the man about the trumpets.  The man responded sheepishly, “Oh, the trumpets?”  And he went into the story.  The man told Sarah’s friend how one day he was studying John 15:15 about how Jesus calls us friends.  The revelation that God calls us friends hit him deep and he proclaimed to God that he would try and be the best friend he could be to God.  This man had a full time job and a family to take care of, so his schedule was pretty busy.  But he chose to wake up earlier, at 4am, so he could spend time with God before having to get ready and leave for work at 6am.  Every day he would wake up early and go into another room and sit in a rocking chair next to an empty chair and he would talk with God like he would with a good friend.  He would share with God about his work, about sports, and about the weather.  He would talk with God as his friend.  And he continued to do this each day.

 

Then one day, during his time with God, he heard the door to the room open.  He figured his wife had come to join him.  He heard footsteps come behind him and then a hand rested on his shoulder.  He looked over at the hand and realized it wasn’t his wife, but it was Jesus.  He could see the mark on His hand.  Teardrops began to fall from Jesus onto his shoulder.  And Jesus spoke, “I wish I had more friends like you.” 

 

He said that from that day on whenever he would enter a room trumpets would sound.  Angels were announcing his arrival.  God was honoring him as a close friend. 

 

This man was not a full time minister and did not save thousands of souls.  But he was a friend of God and God treasured him. 

 

So often I get tricked into the lie that I need to be doing things for God in order for Him to be pleased with me and honor me.  But the truth is God just wants to be with me.  The works will come naturally.  But what is always most important is the relationship. 

 

God bless!

Camp Pictures

This past week I was away with my kids at a camp place on the east side of Korea.  We had a great time doing activities together.  I was with the little ones the first two and a half days, and then the older kids for the rest of the week.  A lot of pictures were taken so I’m going to post more next week.  Enjoy the pics!

Joon Hyuk and Jung Hwan after getting their swimsuits on

Kyung Hwan… JM assassin

Ji Woo

Jin Hwa with a friend who joined us

Min Ho… always makes for a cute picture

The kids played dodgeball on the second day

Action shot!

Limbo with Kyung Hwan

Check how low it gets for Soo Ah… she cleared it!

Sun Hee and Ji Won starting the popular team relay race… the kids love this stuff

My team was already winning when it was my turn (hence the lead) and I ran as well as I could in my crocs… and despite not running that fast my kids still considered me one of the fastest people ever… their impressions of me running were priceless…

Myung Bae six eyes… he gets the thumbs up

Da Heen

Eun Ho

Camp fire… they dug the cross outline, put cloth in the rivets, and doused the cloth with gasoline

Pretty cool!

Hae Ran and Kyung Hwan doing the infamous lifesaver relay… only instead of lifesavers it was Korean onion ring snacks and instead of toothpicks they used chocolate peppero sticks… much tastier…

God bless

Costco Run!

This past week a lot of my kids were able to go visit their relatives, but there was a small group of kids who had to remain at the home because of either lack of relatives or their known relatives not being able to have them over.  So I tried to spend as much time possible with the remaining kids and give them some nice memories to be able to share when the other kids would return and talk all about their time with their relatives. 

So for one day I drove five of my kids and a dorm mom (who preferred not to have her photo taken^^) to a Costco that is outside Seoul.  We took a highway through some country area and the kids absolutely loved it.  They rarely get to ride in a car.  They were full of energy and by the ride home I had to turn around a bunch of times to keep order.  Goofy kids.  Reminded me of when my sisters and I would play games that would turn into petty arguments during long rides as a family.  The more I’m with my kids, the more I understand what my parents went through.  =)

Enjoy the pics!

Jin Hwa, Sun Hee and Do Kyoon

Won Bin

Dal Woo

Me and the boys behind me… don’t worry, I was stopped at a light as I took this picture

Jin Hwa and Sun Hee… the Costco food stuffed them!

Do Kyoon and Dal Woo

With Won Bin

Sun Hee helping carry my water

Do Kyoon pitching in… the kids enjoyed being able to help

Sun Hee knocked out afterwards

Dal Woo soon passed out as well… if only I could say the same for the three in the middle…^^

God bless