A place to jot down your random thoughts!
06/22/2006 - JI
Performance review today ar~! Switched from doing years of UI to doing backend; it was a painful switch, but turns out real good! Looking back, I have no regrets. UI development was turning stale; but backend work had a broad spectrum of things to learn! yeah!
06/22/2006 - BM
as much as i call myself "naturally a follower", what makes me a follower of jc in real time?
office finally moving on saturday! trying to juggle among 10+ projects while anticipating 2 days of lost work... so stressed out today. although we always warn each other about how unworthy it is to devote most of our energy/time to work, i feel like being dragged into this blackhole inevitably...
07/06/2006 - JI
Just saw a quote on Our Daily Bread that it takes a storm to prove a real shelter... so cruel yet so true: as a kid, i felt the warmth at home most when typhoon came banging on the windows; as a saved soul now, i feel His presence most when i am struggling in the deep valleys...
07/31/2006
The rainbow overlooking the playing field invigorates my dedication for ark...
08/30/2006
If New Age really is pulling all other religions together to go against Christianity, then Christianity really is the "real one" la!
06/04/2008
CCM Mission trip to San Diego:
Day 1 Friday
- Smooth flight to San Diego airport, tiny attack on the team spirit at the car rental reminds us of the importance of prayer: we were moved from one car to another twice before Thrifty finally decides that we are in the 'correct' car
- Met with local church #1 to train them on gospel-sharing: surprising gift of pre-believers among the small groups, with a perfect chance to share the gospel while going through examples of tough gospel questions as teaching material
- Pray for church unity in San Diego. Politics among the churches not only makes it hard to organize an effective mission trip, but may also drive young believers away
Day 2 Saturday
- Training in morning at Church #2
- Fight the good fight in the afternoon in small groups: some goes to restaurants and talk with waiters as customers; some goes to home visit
- Unexpected coincidences happened to multiple teams: as a result, a stubborn father gets to hear the entire gospel, an ambitious engineer becomes more receptive. Both experienced "that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose"
- Late dinner at a restaurant with unexpectedly many guests removed chance of gospel sharing, but saw leader at work: addressing target's concerns (digestive health problems) with proper credentials (doctor) gain attention and respect in seconds.
- Pray for these restaurant workers -- their stomach health, relationship with their children (generation and culture gap)
- Pray for stubborn father (atheist) whose son is a theology student.
- Pray for ambitious engineer to not put weight on worldly achievements.
Day 3 Sunday
- Afternoon: visited a couple of restaurants
- Evening 2 Evangelistic meetings: almost every stood to calling in the first meeting when topic was on God's love and the program was smooth. Not sure how many were really saved. No one responded in the second when topic was on sin and the program had hiccups -- wrong powerpoint lyrics, messed up skit.
- Team members physically exhausted and so was the leader: "Moses hands grew tired". Desperately saw the need for Holy Spirit's help and seeked prayer support from warriors. Shouldn't have forgotten that they really are part of the team, and they cant help without knowing what's going on.
- Pray for Dr Law he continues to lead other mission trips.
Day 4 Monday
- Half team visited elderly home, half team visited one chinese restaurant with Christian owner:
- Miraculous encounter with lady who feels neglect by Christian son and daughter in law allowed her to spill her heart to us before meeting with Dr Law for dinner where she finally listened and accepted Christ
- Pray for waiter #1, an optimistic guy who claims to be catholic but doesn't need God
- Pray for waiter #2, once a Christian but now filled with hatred and anger against God
- Pray for lady to have a growing spiritual life
- Pray for the elderly to have more chance in contacting Christians and learning about God
Day 5 Tuesday
- Lunch (last meal in SD) - went back to restaurant that we went on sat night. Team member brought owner to Christ - turns out he has built friendship w/ this owner from past trips.
- Pray for seeds of salvation and new fruits to grow
- Pray that we continue to have the heart for evangelism - passion for people's salvation
Day X Today
- J learnt: 1. saw spiritual battle at work along with real need for full preparation and prayer; 2. listen and listen hard -- what are their underlying fears; 3. if you know God asked you to do something, just do it -- regardless how many excuses you can think of, how reluctant you are, and how much fear you have, result = 萬 事 都 互 相 效 力 ， 叫 愛 神 的 人 得 益 處
- B learnt: 1. evangelism really takes (a) effort to prepare (training), care, and practice; (b) time to build relationship, understand specific needs, help people move up the engel's scale; and (c) wisdom in observing, answering questions in the right way. kind of like 飲茶. 2. it's God's work afterall. 3. don't forget the prayer partners!
"God doesn’t shield us from life’s storms; He shelters us in life’s storms."