Colossians 1:16

If I could get away with wearing this every day in the winter...

Tue, 28 May 2013 17:44:00 -0400

If I could get away with wearing this every day in the winter season, I would

khidot166: Ông nọi vợ ơi, Ngan has a tumblr. Stalking time ^_^ I have my very own stalker. Yes!!

Wed, 22 May 2013 15:12:03 -0400

khidot166:

Ông nọi vợ ơi, Ngan has a tumblr. Stalking time ^_^

I have my very own stalker. Yes!!

divergentofficial: From our friends at the Divergent Movie...

Thu, 16 May 2013 02:04:13 -0400

divergentofficial:

From our friends at the Divergent Movie Facebook page…EPIC.

I normally hate going to the movies but I seriously can’t wait until this movie comes out!!

Overcoming a Lie

Thu, 02 May 2013 20:31:25 -0400

When was the last time you stepped out of your comfort zone for the sake of the gospel? One of the lies that Satan has been using against me is that God prefers working with extroverted people; people whose good social skills thrive in pulling and winning nonbelievers over to Christ. Those who are not awkward at engaging in small talks and make developing new friendships seemingly effortless. Yup. That’s sooo not me. God wired me in a way that I get recharged when I’m away from people rather than from a crowd. I always thought the ideal evangelist is someone who’s a people person, an outgoing extrovert, a go-getter, etc. But lately, little by little, God is slowly crushing the lie. God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit are communal beings. He does not live in solitude but is in perfect community, therefore, his people, in his image, should follow suit. God doesn’t call us to be comfortable and go with the motion but he’s all about loving his people in a way that they can FEEL the love even at our expense. In the words of Francis Chan, nothing we do in this life will ever matter unless it’s about loving God and loving the people he has made. And so, despite my “introvertedness”, I need to be more inviting when it comes to people outside my circle. Been told that when I don’t smile, I look like a serial killer. Lovely.

So, to answer the question that I tossed out at the beginning: yes. I try to avoid awkward conversations at all cost, and so for me to ask someone on a coffee/dinner date that I only meet once or max. twice prior, well it’s kinda a big deal. But God kept telling me to be intentional. People need to know that they are wanted and sought after even if it’s only for friendship. For this reason, I have been reaching out to couple of girls from my church that I don’t know well to jump start this thing. And although meeting corporately provides encouragements to my brothers and sisters, of which I need to do more of, individual one on one meet up is where I will blossom. My prayer as of the beginning of the year is for God to unveil the blinders off my eyes and see the hurt people are carrying around. To go deeper with people rather than staying at the surface where it’s safe. I’ve come to a place where I accepted that this is my God-given personality and this too, is made in his image.

I might sound like a loony but for real, every time I style my hair a different way or decide to not...

Wed, 03 Apr 2013 11:53:07 -0400

I might sound like a loony but for real, every time I style my hair a different way or decide to not wear make-up for the day, I feel unrecognizable and I like it. This is why, to my amazement, when people say hi and carry on about their usual conversation, I am so surprised bc in my mind, I had already magically morphed into a different person. Now I tested this theory out with the Sunday school kiddies several weeks ago. Either Renewal kids are super bright and they see within my soul or I’m delusional and look the same however which way i present myself. Im sure it’s the latter. My incognito mode wasn’t successful after all.

Celebrating my dad’s birthday :)

Sat, 23 Mar 2013 21:48:20 -0400

Celebrating my dad’s birthday :)

Fears

Mon, 11 Mar 2013 02:00:00 -0400

Read somewhere that at birth, newborns have two natural fears

fear of falling
fear of loud noises

Hypothetically if this were true, that makes all other fears a derivative of our surrounding. Not for one second do I believe that God builds us to live in fear. I am not talking about rational fears regarding the fear of the Lord or escaping from danger but those imagined fears. Those fears that leave us crippled and limit our ability to unleashing maximum potential. For me, this is the fear of men, the fear of the unknown, and my personal beast, the what-ifs. Wonder where these fears stem from. From a certain angle I can justify that everyone has them and move on. Learn to live with it sort of way. But to a greater degree, (and this is me trying to strip it down to the core) it is because I don’t believe God is good to me. That he is not really on my side. He throws curveballs and watch how I swing. Is this true? Well obviously not if you ever read the bible.

James 1:17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.

But for those fears to remain, it doesn’t sit well with me. Deep in my heart, on some sort of level, I do not trust that God knows what’s best for me. But for me to think that somehow I can outsmart him or know what fits my situation is ludicrous. There is a constant dialogue that goes on in my mind. Negative thoughts, negative thoughts, negatives thoughts. The Holy Spirit raging wars on my behalf and tackles it with Scriptures. I need to give myself at least a fighting chance and provide ammunitions. What are my ammunitions you wonder? glad you ask. It’s scripture memorization of course!!

And now I am totally going off tangent. But that’s the beauty of tumblr or any blogging sites: there’s no written codes. Let’s go back to those fears that have me at a choke hole shall we? There is a knowing that God is good. Even if he condemns the world to hell, he is still good. But I learn it solely from the standpoint of knowledge. On the flip side, I also have tasted how good he is on a personal level. But exactly how deep that level is probably child’s play. “Oh, he heals me, therefore he is good” “He allows me to have a job to pay off my mountain-high student debts, therefore he is good.” my bad, my thoughts are all scattered. Basically what I’m driving at here is perfect love casts out fears. Whoever fears has not been perfected in love (1 John 4:18). You see, the one who KNOWS that he/she is being loved perfectly by God, JC, and the HS should have freedom to live life radically. To not be paralyzed by fear of failure, rejection, acceptance, the unknown, etc… I feel like this is me trying to reach the state of nirvana or something. But can one truly live out 1 John 4:18 on this side of eternity? I think the answer is yes but only by the sheer grace of God Almighty.

The Shack

Mon, 25 Feb 2013 03:06:35 -0500

Paraphrasing/quotation from a Christian novel, The Shack by William P. Young (great read) :

Most birds were created to fly. If you clip a bird’s wings and remove it’s ability to fly, it loses its purpose. We are like birds in the sense that we were created to be loved. So for us to live as if we were unloved is a limitation. That is not what God intented. Pain has a way of clipping our wings and keeping us from being able to fly. And if it’s left unresolved for very long, you can almost forget that you were ever created to fly in the first place. A bird is defined not by being grounded but by his ability to fly. Remember this, humans are defined not by their limitations, but by the intentions God has for them; not by what they seem to be, but by everything it means to be created in His image.

“Father’s Love Letter” My Child,You may not...

Fri, 15 Feb 2013 23:40:47 -0500

“Father’s Love Letter”

My Child,

You may not know me,
but I know everything about you.
Psalm 139:1

I know when you sit down and when you rise up.
Psalm 139:2

I am familiar with all your ways.
Psalm 139:3

Even the very hairs on your head are numbered.
Matthew 10:29-31

For you were made in my image.
Genesis 1:27

In me you live and move and have your being.
Acts 17:28

For you are my offspring.
Acts 17:28

I knew you even before you were conceived.
Jeremiah 1:4-5

I chose you when I planned creation.
Ephesians 1:11-12

You were not a mistake,
for all your days are written in my book.
Psalm 139:15-16

I determined the exact time of your birth
and where you would live.
Acts 17:26

You are fearfully and wonderfully made.
Psalm 139:14

I knit you together in your mother’s womb.
Psalm 139:13

And brought you forth on the day you were born.
Psalm 71:6

I have been misrepresented
by those who don’t know me.
John 8:41-44

I am not distant and angry,
but am the complete expression of love.
1 John 4:16

And it is my desire to lavish my love on you.
1 John 3:1

Simply because you are my child
and I am your Father.
1 John 3:1

I offer you more than your earthly father ever could.
Matthew 7:11

For I am the perfect father.
Matthew 5:48

Every good gift that you receive comes from my hand.
James 1:17

For I am your provider and I meet all your needs.
Matthew 6:31-33

My plan for your future has always been filled with hope.
Jeremiah 29:11

Because I love you with an everlasting love.
Jeremiah 31:3

My thoughts toward you are countless
as the sand on the seashore.
Psalms 139:17-18

And I rejoice over you with singing.
Zephaniah 3:17

I will never stop doing good to you.
Jeremiah 32:40

For you are my treasured possession.
Exodus 19:5

I desire to establish you
with all my heart and all my soul.
Jeremiah 32:41

And I want to show you great and marvelous things.
Jeremiah 33:3

If you seek me with all your heart,
you will find me.
Deuteronomy 4:29

Delight in me and I will give you
the desires of your heart.
Psalm 37:4

For it is I who gave you those desires.
Philippians 2:13

I am able to do more for you
than you could possibly imagine.
Ephesians 3:20

For I am your greatest encourager.
2 Thessalonians 2:16-17

I am also the Father who comforts you
in all your troubles.
2 Corinthians 1:3-4

When you are brokenhearted,
I am close to you.
Psalm 34:18

As a shepherd carries a lamb,
I have carried you close to my heart.
Isaiah 40:11

One day I will wipe away
every tear from your eyes.
Revelation 21:3-4

And I’ll take away all the pain
you have suffered on this earth.
Revelation 21:3-4

I am your Father, and I love you
even as I love my son, Jesus.
John 17:23

For in Jesus, my love for you is revealed.
John 17:26

He is the exact representation of my being.
Hebrews 1:3

He came to demonstrate that I am for you,
not against you.
Romans 8:31

And to tell you that I am not counting your sins.
2 Corinthians 5:18-19

Jesus died so that you and I could be reconciled.
2 Corinthians 5:18-19

His death was the ultimate expression
of my love for you.
1 John 4:10

I gave up everything I loved
that I might gain your love.
Romans 8:31-32

If you receive the gift of my son Jesus,
you receive me.
1 John 2:23

And nothing will ever separate you
from my love again.
Romans 8:38-39

Come home and I’ll throw the biggest party
heaven has ever seen.
Luke 15:7

I have always been Father,
and will always be Father.
Ephesians 3:14-15

My question is…
Will you be my child?
John 1:12-13

I am waiting for you.
Luke 15:11-32

Love, Your Dad
Almighty God

Mission Trips

Tue, 12 Feb 2013 23:56:00 -0500

Not too long ago when I accepted Christ, we attended my first mission conference. At the time, I had absolutely no interest nor urgency in reaching out to nonbelievers. I do not remember anything from that conference other than this illustration. The pastor was reflecting on the numbers of Christian workers in the U.S. as compared to those among the unreached people in China. So, you’re in the woods and you happen to see 10 men carrying a log, nine of them on one end and one of them on the heavy end. You wanted to help. Which end will you help lift? Although I’m not a very logical person, this is a no brainer. For some unknown reason, this illustration has resonated well with me. Perhaps God was planting a seed in my heart and it took two short-term trips oversea to finally sprout some growth. I have a lot of fears and still a lot of insecurities. But I believe in living your life radically because Jesus lived a radical life.

With that said, God made me Vietnamese for a reason and he has gifted me with language. And although I don’t want to limit him in any way, I would prefer working with the Vietnamese people if I can choose. There are too many shortcomings to list but in my weakness, I am pushed further in my relationship with Christ.

Carlson blogs on the booming generation of short-term missions saying:

What has made all of this possible? Western affluence and airplanes. What once took missionaries months of travel time now takes a day. George Whitefield crossed the Atlantic 13 times in his life! I crossed the Atlantic 10 times last year while eating, getting some work done, and watching a movie or two. What took Whitefield months in travel time on a boat takes us eight hours.”

“Imagine a team from France calls your church and says they want to visit. They want to put on VBS (which you have done for years), but the material is in French. They have heard about how the U.S. church has struggled and want to help you fix it. They want to send 20 people, half of them youth. Only two of them speak English. They need a place to stay for free, with cheap food and warm showers if possible. During the trip half of the group’s energy will be spent on resolving tension between team members. Two people will get sick. They’d like you to arrange some sightseeing for them on their free day. Do you want them to come?”

Sobering, isn’t it? The question that has been on my mind for the past couple of days: What will become of all my short-term “mission” trips? I put mission in quotation only because I believe it is truly missions for my soul. And although I am providing limited aid with my presence there, in the long run, I am the person that reaps the treasures. Time is the key to making disciples for Christ, is it not? Exactly how effective can I be with just two weeks to possibly a month’s stay at a place I won’t call home? I can preach the gospel until I’m blue in the face but to truly make disciples require dedication and consistency.

Come September, I will be heading back to Cambodia, God willing. I don’t know how I could be of any help but one thing I am certain about: Every increased exposure to short-term mission results in an ever increased yearning for more of Christ and in turn paving the way to the door of becoming a full time committed long termer. Maybe. Possibly. He knows.

Interested in more on what Carlson wrote, heres the link:

http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/tgc/2012/06/18/why-you-should-consider-cancelling-your-short-term-mission-trips/

I know I need youI need to love youI love to see you, but...

Tue, 12 Feb 2013 21:48:11 -0500

I know I need you
I need to love you
I love to see you, but it’s been so long
I long to feel you
I feel this need for you
And i need to hear you
Is that so wrong?

Oh oh oh, oh oh oh, oh oh oh

Now you pulled me near you
When we’re close I fear you
Still I’m afraid to tell you
All that I’ve done
Are you done forgiving?
Or can you look pass my pretending?
Lord I’m so tired of defending
What I’ve become
What have I become?
Ooh oh, oh oh, oh oh (X4)

I hear you say “my love is over,
It’s underneath, it’s inside, it’s in between
The times you doubt me, when you can’t feel
The times that you’ve questioned ‘Is this for real?’
The times you’ve broken, the times that you mend
The times you hate me and the times that you bend

Well my love is over, its underneath
It’s inside, it’s in between,
These times you’re healing
And when your heart breaks
The times that you feel like you’ve fallen from grace
The times you’re hurting
The times that you heal
The times you go hungry and are tempted to steal

In times of confusion and chaos and pain
I’m there in your sorrow under the weight of your shame
I’m there through your heartache
I’m there in the storm
My love i will keep you by my power alone
I don’t care where you’ve fallen, where you have been
I’ll never forsake you
my love never ends, it never ends
Oh oh, oh oh, oh oh

Book Review

Fri, 01 Feb 2013 23:53:18 -0500

If you don’t believe in miracles, you need to seriously consider reading Little Princes: One Man’s Promise to Bring Home the Lost Children of Nepal. Conor logs his journey while volunteering at an orphanage in a decade-long war-torn Nepal. What was a three-month volunteering stint to impress the ladies back in the States turns out to be a fight to win back lost children from child traffickers in Kathmandu. It’s filled with suspense, realness, insightfulness, and everyone’s favorite, romance. Grennan has a way with words that I find myself LAUGHING OUT LOUD at times. It warms my heart with the descriptive details about the children at an orphanage called Little Princes. It’s a true testament of how love can lead us to do some unthinkable things. Conor’s love for the young children forces him to break what he thought were his limits. Though it’s quite unbelievable with the level of injustice that still exists in this world, this memoir appeals to me on so many levels. Having worked with children in Cambodia, child trafficking is a growing problem that many Americans are unaware of. The heart that Conor develops over time provides great energy for me. It proves that one man can in fact make a difference in this world. Change starts from within and it naturally oozes out when the heart is overflowing. Which ultimately transforms into action. I’m not gonna lie, the fact that I knew he was a Christian before reading might make for some bias siding but that is beside the fact. I shall now leave you with one of the many hilarious excerpts found in the book.

“Few places in the world can teach forbearance like Nepal. Let’s say, for instance, that I asked somebody to buy me bananas from the shop next door. In fact, let’s say that I asked him to buy me bananas a week ago—then I reminded him hourly over the next few days. On that one billionth time that I reminded him that he promised to buy me bananas, the man would most likely respond with something to the effect of: “It will definitely happen today, my friend. I swear to you on the life of my son—your bananas will be bought today, in the next hour for sure. Erase all doubt from your mind. In fact, it is actually done already, even as we speak it is being concluded, as sure as the sun rose in the east this morning those bananas will have been purchased. They belong to you now—the shopkeeper has no rightful claim to them any longer. You can open your mouth now in preparation for consuming this banana, which is here, right now. It is in my hand and on its way to your mouth, so I hope that you are ready to enjoy this fine banana. Your teeth may now begin to close as the banana is now in your mouth. How does it taste? Is it very fine?”

What the man really means is: “What bananas?”

You Know

Sun, 27 Jan 2013 18:50:15 -0500

Two simple words. Frightening yet it brings about such reassurance and often comfort to my heart. No matter how dark, how crafty and clever, how well hidden my sins are, God knows.

⁷Where shall I go from your Spirit?
    Or where shall I flee from your presence?
⁸If I ascend to heaven, you are there!
    If I make my bed in Sheol, you are there!
⁹If I take the wings of the morning
    and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea,
¹⁰even there your hand shall lead me,
    and your right hand shall hold me.

Psalm 139

There’s basically NOWHERE I can run that You can’t find me. Where can I flee from Your presence? If I climb the mountain summit, You’re there. If I submerged myself into the ocean, You’re there. If I ascend to heaven, You’re there. If I decide to make my bed in the pit, You’re there. If I go over there, You’re there. If I stay over here, You’re there. If I’m in a stadium among the crowds, You’re there. If I seek solitude in the woods, You’re there. Your omnipresence runs deep and it scares me. To make it more personal and drive it home, if I spend time on the phone gossiping to a friend, You hear me. If I am alone and lost in my lustful thoughts, You see everything. If I share my opinions to everyone, You will be listening. If a negative though form in my head against a brother and I decide to keep to myself, You know. All my shortcomings that people see, You know. All the shortcomings that I successfully hid from the world, You know it also. No matter how dark and deep a secret I have, there’s no way I can hide from You. The picture here is that God is all-encompassing, all-knowing, all-powerful, all-anything and everything.

You saw my unformed body, and said I am fearfully and wonderfully made after Your image. WHAT? Can this be true? It is bc it’s Your promise.

Ezekiel 37:3 And he said to me, “Son of man, can these bones live?” And I answered, “O Lord God, you know.”

Sanctification in Marriage

Sat, 26 Jan 2013 23:11:00 -0500

Sanctification in Marriage:

I have had my fair share of sermons on dating and marriage. But this message by Matt Chandler by and large one of the most sobering messages I’ve crossed paths with. Applicable, Biblical, Confrontational, Direct, etc… just listen

Reckless Abandon: What if...

Thu, 24 Jan 2013 23:16:38 -0500

Reckless Abandon: What if...:

theeddielee:

What if we lived as if heaven was real? What would it look like if we actually lived like Jesus conquered the grave? What if we truly acted like the princes and princesses of the King on high? What if we really lived out our belief in our salvation? And if we truly lived out the reality that the…

elianasg8: God is love.

Thu, 24 Jan 2013 00:11:43 -0500

elianasg8:

God is love.

Where would I be without these two knuckleheads in my life? Not...

Tue, 22 Jan 2013 00:00:00 -0500

sisters in Christ

Trying out the "cutesy" pose

preparing for the BIG day

my partner in crime

❤ ❤ ❤

Don't mess with us.

:)

Where would I be without these two knuckleheads in my life? Not far…not far at all. I dare say that life would be quite dull w/o some added flavors of Tran and Hanna.

My Journal Entry exactly 4years ago

Tue, 15 Jan 2013 02:03:00 -0500

It has to be more. This life. This world. My life. My world. It just has to be more than this. I can’t go on faking any longer. I refuse to sing praise without sincerity, else I’ll just stand there looking at the pulpit indifferent, not fully embracing the words flowing out of my mouth like honey. I refuse to pray for anyone else, unless God burdens my heart to do so. I refuse to pray for useless everyday mishaps for the Lord knows. What I need to be doing now is pray for my salvation. I can’t be living and breathing and not have a reason to live and breathe for. How dare I say that I’ve encountered the Lord Jesus Christ and not be changed? I want to be in bondage of sin no longer. I don’t want to lose my sensitivity toward sin. I want to look at it and scream that I am free. Come down from that pedestal, Ngan. Come down that you may be set free. I need to need God so desperately that I relinquish all control. Then, loving people and earnestly praying for others won’t seem like such a daunting task. It has to be more. It just has to be… Right?

I Chronicles 28:9 (NKJV)
“know the God of your father, and serve Him with a loyal heart and with a willing mind; for the LORD searches all hearts and understands all the intent of the thoughts. If you seek Him, He will be found by you;”

I want to fall to my knees and worship in awe because of who God is; not what He can give. I want to proudly say that I know God and He knows me. I will burn in the pits of hell if I am the way I am and nothing in me exemplify God continuously molding and sharpening me everyday. Honestly, I don’t exactly know what I am hoping to find. Neither do I know what I will do once I actually find what I have been searching for. All I know is that if I continue to live with this mask on, eventually it will devour the very bones of my flesh. I can’t be among the millions who claim to know the Lord and not TRULY know Him. I seek His face and what will I find? Will there be a smile or will He be fuming with anger? I don’t know and I don’t care. I need Jesus. It’s time to take off the mask. I’m suffocating.

Let’s journey into the year 2013, shall we? Dang, reading my old diary makes me want to light myself on fire for the Lord again. The zeal of a young Christian can be such a powerful and dangerous thing. I must confess that the pass couple weeks, I slowly allowed myself to backslide into a fatal territory. I must remind myself daily of what God has done in the past and currently doing now. Reading old journal entries like this one helps tremendously. My pastor once told us that a Christian life is like a yo-yo. Up and Down, Up and Down. Life never stop beating you and throwing in some drama for good measure. But then, there are days when the sun breaks through and you spring back to life for a short while. However, be encouraged that the growth of a Christian is more like in the hands of someone that is walking the yo-yo up an escalator. Your low point now is higher than your high point then. Christian maturity comes with time. And this analogy is always helpful in my dark moments, as there are many weak moments to come (Thanks PC). This Saturday, a group of us will be going to a Prayer Mountain. It terrifies me bc when you deeply seek for the Lord, He will not turn his face away from you. THis is His promise to us. Expecting great things bc we serve a mighty God.

Congratulations. If you have read this far, we are friends. If we weren’t friends before, we’re friends now. Thanks for caring. I hope you feel encouraged by reading my thoughts. Come again. Bye :D

*Note: I hope you guys see how thoughtful I was in not scaring my readers with lengthy entries. Hence the picture that I ripped off of google image.

Photo

Tue, 08 Jan 2013 21:00:47 -0500

Christ was in perfect harmony with God the Father and God the Holy Spirit. The only time that it was...

Mon, 07 Jan 2013 18:12:12 -0500

Christ was in perfect harmony with God the Father and God the Holy Spirit. The only time that it was broken was when he went on the cross for the sake of his creation. How heartbroken he must’ve felt at that time when he took on the weight of the world out of sheer obedience. In the garden he cried out three times, “Let this cup pass from me, let his cup pass from me, let his cup pass from me”. What the heck was in that cup?!? He was in complete anguish that he started sweating blood.

This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, said to me: “Take from my hand this cup filled with the wine of my wrath and make all the nations to whom I send you drink it. When they drink it, they will stagger and go mad because of the sword I will send among them.” -Jeremiah 12:15-16

The wrath of the Almighty God was in that cup. The nails didn’t/couldn’t hold him down; it was pure, sacrificial, holy love that kept him there. Perfect community broken for me and you. This boggles my mind. The more I attempt to dissect it, the more confused I become. Grace. I don’t understand it. I don’t know what to do with it. I don’t know how to live without it. But I will accept it. Thank you Lord!