Alright, it’s Saturday, October 31^st, 2009.  Happy Halloween everyone.  I just woke up after some of the best sleep I’ve had in awhile.  You can say that this is the conclusion of one very eventful week.  I had 2 exams that were enough to drain all of my energy and yet, that was only the beginning.  There were papers, lab reports, project modules, engineering problem sets, and a load of other assignments waiting to be completed also all in one week.  That was just for class too; I forgot to mention other items that were required outside of class.  Literally, there was something due every day this week for every single class and then some.  It was indeed tough, but praise God as He was able to pull me through it all successfully and now I’m sitting here, finally, with some downtime and a chance to finally relax (and write stuff here also). 

I’m sure a lot of you have gone through similar weeks like this.  And often times these weeks place a lot of stress and worry on many.  “Worry” definitely crossed my mind more than once this past week.  And as I was coming back to campus from Los Angeles the other day (with all of my work for the week completed, thank goodness), I had a chance to really reflect on how I handled everything this week.  To be honest, while I was able to successfully complete all my work, I do feel that I could have handled my worries a little better.  That’s when I began to think about a lot of occasions where I’ve heard about the nature of our worries and how we should handle them.  Since I like music, we’ll start with that.  By the way, the Jason Mraz song I used for the blog title is something that constantly reminds me about how to handle my worries XD. 

In case you haven’t noticed, I do listen to a lot of country music.  Hey, it sounds good to me, that’s why I listen to it.  But anyways, I love the second verse of “So Small” by Carrie Underwood, and it goes like this: 

It’s so easy to get lost inside
a problem that seems so big at the time
It’s like a river that’s so wide
it swallows you whole
While you’re sitting ’round thinking ’bout what you can’t change
and worrying about all the wrong things
Time’s flying by
moving so fast
You better make it count ’cause you cant get it back 

This certainly applies to many of you, and if you’re a student like I am (or even if you’re not), it’s more than likely applied to you several times.  Often times we tend to get lost within our own problems and it ends up consuming us to the point where we lose sight of everything else that matters more.  At the same time, as Pastor John mentioned in another one of his messages, we often worry over a lot about things we have no control over (if we did have control over something, we’d do something about it right?).  Not to mention that worry doesn’t really change anything about anything, nor does it allow us to do things that could actually make a difference.  Big example is often worrying about the past and future (the wrong things to worry about).  It’s very common for many of us to think constantly about “what could have been” or “what could be.”  Truth is, we can’t change the past for it has already happened.  And we can’t control the future for we don’t even know what it is.  All we can do is make today count, which is hard to do when you’re consumed in worry.  And yep, time moves quickly, so there’s no reason or time to worry about anything else that we can’t do anything about while we could be making today count.  As j-pop superstar Hamasaki Ayumi also said on her CNN TalkAsia interview (I’m a big fan of Ayu XD): 

I don’t know yet, I don’t know about the future, I don’t know about tomorrow, I can just control today or present right now…I don’t want to think about the future too much, because present is the most important for me…always…

Jesus himself teaches us in Matthew 6:25-34, as he says: 

That is why I tell you not to worry about everyday life – whether you have enough food and drink, or enough clothes to wear.  Isn’t life more than food, and your body more than clothing?  Look at the birds.  They don’t plant or harvest or store food in barns, for your heavenly Father feeds them.  And aren’t you far more valuable to Him than they are?  Can all your worries add a single moment to your life? And why worry about your clothing?  Look at the lilies of the field and how they grow.  They don’t work or make their clothing, yet Solomon in all his glory was not dressed as beautifully as they are.  And if God cares so wonderfully for wildflowers that are here today and thrown into the fire tomorrow, He will certainly care for you.  Why do you have so little faith?  So don’t worry about these things, saying, “What will we eat?  What will we drink?  What will we wear?”  These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers, but your heavenly Father already knows all your needs.  Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and He will give you everything you need.  So don’t worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries.  Today’s trouble is enough for today.  (New Living Translation) 

Haha, I don’t think I really need to explain that.  Jesus said it all in a very crystal clear manner ^^.  Jesus is AWESOME ^^.

Point is, worrying over all the wrong things that you can’t change, never really does anything positive, so there’s really no reason to worry.  But even if you are consumed in worry because we all are at one point (we’re human, we all are at one point, that’s what makes God’s grace even more awesome), try remembering Matthew 6:25-34.  As God knows our needs and He will provide them and get us through any sticky situation.  After all, He pulled me through this rough week, I was able to successfully complete everything I had to do, and I found so much comfort in the fact that He was with me the whole time.  It’s a big factor that has shaped how I look at things ever since I was born again.  So, let’s not worry, for God is with us ^^. 

What are my plans for the rest of my downtime?  A trip to the spa with a good glass of wine sounds good right about now.  Haha, just kidding.  Just rest, maybe going out for a little shopping, playing some bass, and of course, church and hanging out with everyone from Xaris ^^.  Love you everyone ^^.

Best wishes and God Bless ^^.

Praise God for today!  Despite having a boatload of assignments due in a short time combined with an extremely tight schedule that was packed full, I managed to get quite a bit done today.  Shows how much God really works in your life and pulls you through even the stickiest of situations. 

Anyways, over in Louisiana recently, an African American man and a Caucasian woman fell in love and decided to get married.  Shockingly, the justice of peace who was asked to help make the marriage official refused to let them marry.  When asked why, the justice claimed that he was concerned for their potential children.  Their potential biracial children would apparently suffer socially so claims the justice and that’s why he refused to grant marriage to the couple. 

Now of course, this is an unacceptable act regardless of the justice’s feelings.  Fortunately in the meantime, the couple can still get married as long as they find a different justice.  But this story really stood out to me, particularly because I have a mixed ethnical background myself (Japanese, Caucasian).  And I had a chance to read an article by Patrik Jonsson from the Christian Science Monitor titled “La. [Louisiana] interracial marriage: Is life tougher for biracial kids?” relating to this story.  Jonsson made some interesting points, and since he’s basically talking about people like myself, I thought I’d share a little of my own two cents. 

Jonsson starts off by referring to the mythical “tragic mulatto” by saying: 

Research on mixed-race children once focused on the social and psychological problems that can arise from not feeling like a full member of any racial group. That notion permeated early 20th century American literature through the figure of the “tragic mulatto,” who did not fit in with either the black or white world. 

So now you’re probably asking, was I myself ever a “tragic mulatto?”  Actually, when I was kid, I was at times.  I wouldn’t call it “tragic” or anything, and it didn’t really impact me to point of having psychological problems.  But I guess you can say that I did have a little issue with “my ethnic identity” and also how it related to other kids.  Most of the kids I went to school with were either full Asian, full white, or full something else.  There weren’t that many mixed kids if any, at least to my knowledge.  Myself, I think I understood who I was in terms of my background.  But often times, when asked about my ethnic background, I would usually reply “Asian” or “Japanese” as that was the one group I closely related myself to.  I guess I was trying to fit in with most of the other kids I knew at the time.  I would also check the box “Asian/Pacific Islander” when taking standardized tests (nowadays I check “Other”, like most mixed Asians do, haha). 

But at the same time, I knew that I wasn’t full Asian.  I mean come on, does my name look like an Asian name to you?  Haha, even though I would call myself an “Asian”, the fact that I knew I was only part Asian did make me feel a little uncomfortable when talking about my background. 

Despite all that though, it was never really a critical issue.  I still made friends and hung out with many different kids at school.  That’s the nice thing about California is the diversity.  So, even though I may have had a “tragic mulatto” status at times in my life, it never affected me to the point where it got serious.  Furthermore, just as my own “tragic mulatto” story is now a thing of the past, so is the “tragic mulatto” myth in general.  As Jonsson further continues in his article:

But loosening of marriage laws and more-accepting social mores have transformed perceptions of multiracial families. For one thing, there are now 7 million mixed-race kids in the US, up from 500,000 in the 1970s.  

A 2008 study of 182 mixed-race high school kids in California found that these kids didn’t focus on exclusionary features like skin color or hair texture when thinking about themselves, but instead, they appeared to feel that their heritage made them “unique.” 

The kids are able to “place one foot in the majority and one in the minority group, and in this way might be buffered against the negative consequences of feeling tokenized,” the study authors wrote in the Journal of Social Issues. The students surveyed included those with mixed Asian, Hispanic heritage. 

Heehee, now THAT’s more like it.  Indeed, this definitely nails how I feel about my background now.  The uniqueness that comes with being a descendant of two different kinds of people and being able to associate with two or more different cultures is a true blessing from God, of which I am very thankful for ^^.  And especially with the diverse world that we live in today, we don’t even have to be ethnically mixed to enjoy and associate with many different cultures.  Yale student Phoebe Hinton adds on with a pretty nifty quote from her own blog stating: 

I am lucky enough to have an excuse flowing in my veins to do whatever … I want: there are some things white people do and … I’ll do them. There are some things black people do, and … I’ll do them. 

Haha, pretty nifty.  But anyways, the whole point is this.  Whether you’re a descendant of one ethnicity or several, and if you yourself may be feeling like a “tragic mulatto” out of not feeling a sense of belonging, be assured that there’s no need to feel that way.  As Romans 12:4-5 states: 

Just as our bodies have many parts and each part has a special function, so it is with Christ’s body.  We are many parts of one body, and we all belong to each other.  (New Living Translation) 

God made each and every one of us unique and blessed us in many different ways.  And He did it this way so that we could all bring glory to His name and spread the love of Jesus in a vast and endless amount of ways.  And God blessed you as well with special gifts, because you are one of many different and unique people who belong to the body of Christ.

Let us wish the very best as well as a good marriage to the happy couple in Louisiana.  And may they be fruitful and multiply just as Genesis 1:28 states.

Best wishes and God bless ^^.

Life as we know it, rarely stays as is.  If you’re like me who was once a lost soul and later found Jesus, then you’ve already gone through one heck of a life change.  There’s so much change that occurs in our lives.  Some changes are large, some small, some are overwhelming at first, some are easily grasped, some slowly take place, and some occur instantly and maybe even surprisingly. 

As I was coming home from work the other day, I had a chance to really reflect on how much my life has changed.  And if you read my very first blog entry, you’d see that this year (2009) has had a particularly significant impact on where my life has taken me.  Experiencing the salvation of Jesus and becoming a believer has taken my life in a completely different direction.  A lot of change took place and I’ll admit, I was a little nervous at first.  But despite my initial feelings, I am really grateful that I became a follower of Jesus and I feel really blessed on how God has changed my heart by His grace.

Change for many, is not always easy to cope with.  And often times, we get nervous about significant change if we are comfortable with life as it is.  We know our lives as they are, we know what to expect, and typically we know how to mitigate certain things if we are living in a scenario where everything is familiar.  The fear of the unknown that comes with significant life changes is what worries many.  Many “what if…”or “how will I…” or “will this really be better…” types of questions arise.  And sometimes, those types of questions are enough for us to resist the type of change that could potentially make things better for our lives.

Truth be told, if there’s a kind of change that’s really making you think, chances are, it’s likely a really good opportunity.  Of course, if it involves anything wrong or illegal, then it’s a kind of change that you most likely want to steer clear of.  I tend to think of good change as one door closing while another door opens to something greater.  You may have to leave certain things behind, often they may be things that you’re used to at the moment.  But once you open the other door, you enter into something much greater.  It might not be easy at first.  There will be new things that you may need to pick up on.  There might be a couple bumps and you might have times where you fall and have to pick yourself up.  But in the long run, you will reap many benefits.  You’ll be grateful for the new direction that your life has taken, the changes that took place, and you’ll be living a much better life overall.

The aspects of deciding on a change, whether its right for you, and later coping with it are all of which we must lift up to God.  God will always guide you in the right direction and if He feels there is a change that is good for you, He will guide you to and through it.  As Proverbs 3:5-6 says

Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding.  Seek His will in all you do, and He will show you which path to take.  (New Living Translation)

Once you do go through change, God will always be your source of comfort.  As Isaiah 40:1, and Isaiah 40:10-11 says,

“Comfort, comfort my people,” says your God.  (New Living Translation)

Yes, the Sovereign Lord is coming in power.  He will rule with a powerful arm.  See, he brings His reward with Him as He comes.  He will feed His flock like a Shepard.  He will carry the lambs in His arms, holding them close to His heart.  He will gently lead the mother sheep with their young.  (New Living Translation)

Finally, despite all the changes you may experience in your life, God and His promise will never change, as Hebrews 6:17 says:

God also bound Himself with an oath, so that those who received the promise could be perfectly sure that he would never change His mind.  (New Living Translation)

If you’re reading this right now and you’re in a position where you’re thinking about accepting Jesus into your life, let me assure you that it will be the best change you will ever make in your life.  Even if you’re just remotely considering it, this is one life change that will guarantee you brand new greater direction in your life.  God wants you to be saved and that is one life change that God will always say “yes” to, regardless of who you are or how you’ve lived before.

Some good songs that relate to this topic: 

“Changes” by Chette Dizon

“Breakaway” by Kelly Clarkson (Haha, a little cheesy I know)

“I Hope You Dance” by Lee Ann Womack

Until next time, best wishes and God Bless ^^.     

Whew, I guess I can consider this the eye of the hurricane, haha.  I’ve had quite a bit of things going on lately, particularly with school.  Fortunately, I get a little more downtime now and a little more time to get my thoughts together again.  Random side notes, I was watching some of Hamasaki Ayumi’s concert videos last night and wow, were they awesome ^^.  I’m currently listening to a remixed version of “Love Story” by Taylor Swift and it’s quite nice actually.  But despite all that’s going on in my life, I enjoy it all because God is good and all that I do, I’m doing for Him.

Anyways, new topic, titled “much needed rest.”  Interestingly, this topic actually came to me last night (Saturday).  I was going to write about it yesterday, but I ended up waiting until today.  Then this morning at church service today, Pastor John gave an entire message on exactly this.  Haha, so I was thinking, “wow, what a coincidence, should I still write about it?”  The answer is, “Sure, why not?”  So here goes.

Let’s start by going to the beginning of scriptures, for a prime example of rest in Genesis 2:2-3:

On the seventh day God had finished his work of creation, so He rested from all his work.  And God blessed the seventh day and declared it holy, because it was the day when He rested from all His work of creation.  (New Living Translation)

Later in Exodus 20:8, as part of the Ten Commandments:

Remember to observe the Sabbath Day by keeping it holy.  You have six days each week for your ordinary work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath day of rest dedicated to the Lord your God.  On that day no one in your household may do any work.  This includes you, your sons, your daughters, your male and female servants, your livestock, and any foreigners living among you.  For in six days, the Lord made the heavens, the earth, the sea, and everything in them; but on the seventh day he rested.  That is why the Lord blessed the Sabbath Day and set it apart as holy.  (New Living Translation)

Now of course, the fast-paced lifestyle of the 21^st Century has obviously changed things.  Sunday, originally reserved as a day of rest, has become just another day of work for many of us.  If this applies to you, take some time to think about why.  Maybe it’s because you have so much work to do with strict upcoming deadlines and you feel that you must get things done now.  Maybe you’re just trying to get ahead.  Maybe you’re afraid that you’ll never get things done if you just rest a little.  Or maybe you’ve procrastinated to the point where you’re cramming everything on your day of rest to meet your Monday morning deadline.

You’re not alone.  It’s something I struggle with too at times.  The anxiety that comes from the demands of our modern world doesn’t make it easy to find even a little rest, let alone a whole day.  And with technology especially, its seems like we can’t even spend one day of vacation in Hawaii without being bombarded with dozens of emails from work or cell phone calls from our co-workers regarding that next big sales pitch or project.

A lot of us tend to avoid rest because we think that we will accomplish more if we go through less downtime.  If you’re a student like I am, you’ve probably tried this and ended up waking up with your head on your desk next to an empty energy drink can.  Truth is, our bodies are not meant to endlessly work without adequate rest.  And if we try to continue working without resting, we eventually crash or even get sick, which leads to unhappiness as well as even lesser productivity than before.  Even things like computers, cars, or machinery, they burn out if they’re used endlessly without downtime.  And if that’s not convincing enough, even God and Jesus took time to rest.  Do you think you can do more work than Jesus?  Hehe, didn’t think so.

But despite our modern world as we know it, it can never override the gentle comfort and extraordinary peace that comes from knowing God and how He passionately works in our lives.  As Psalm 23 says:

The Lord is my Shepard; I have all that I need.  He lets me rest in green meadows; He leads me beside peaceful streams.  He renews my strength.  He guides me along right paths, bringing honor to His name.  Even when I walk through the darkest valley, I will not be afraid, for you are close beside me.  Your rod and your staff protect and comfort me.  You prepare a feast for me in the presence of my enemies.  You honor me by anointing my head with oil.  My cup overflows with blessings.  Surely your goodness and unfailing love will pursue me all the days of my life, and I will live in the house of the Lord forever.  (New Living Translation)

Remember, that God is your provider and despite all the difficulties and struggles that our world lays out on us, He will continue to make sure that we have all we need in the midst of things (read my previous article on struggles for more on that).  So there’s no need to think that we must continuously keep working and working at the cost of our needed rest in order to get more accomplished.  Believe that despite all that you may be going through, God will guide you along the right paths and provide all that you need to live fruitfully.  And when there’s time for rest, there’s no need to feel guilty or hesitant about it either.  God created rest for a reason and also as a blessing, so that we may recharge and recuperate and continue living each day to the fullest. 

This time of year, I’ve certainly had quite a bit going on.  Haha, the gap between blog articles kind of explains that as well.  But knowing that I do everything for God and that God will guide me along has really set a brand new level of comfort and security in my heart.  I don’t really feel as stressed about certain things I used to worry about constantly, especially in regards to things related to school.  And at the same time, when its time for rest, I’ll gladly take it, not only as something I need, but as a blessing.

So go ahead.  Take a break from that research paper or math problem that you’ve been working on for four hours already.  That project you’ve been toiling over can wait a little bit.  Walk away from your computer screen, fold up the laptop, and turn off your phone.  You’re not going to do a good job on anything anyways if you’re burned out.  Relax and rest comfortably, knowing that God will make sure you will get everything you need despite all that’s going on.  Refresh yourself so that you can continue living well ^^. 

Best wishes and God Bless.

Hiyas again everyone.  Sorry for the long downtime between posts.  It’s been a busy week, but fortunately, a little downtime from everything else has allowed me to start writing again XD.

OK, so, today’s topic is compassion.  Let me start by thanking Emily for giving me a lot of the ideas for this topic via facebook ^^.  If you read through John in the New Testament, you’ll find a multitude of examples of the great compassion that Jesus possessed.  As Pastor Mark Driscoll mentioned in one of his messages, Jesus basically reached out to some of the “most jacked up”, those who have sinned heavily, those whom most other people during the time would have shunned out, and he approached them all with great compassion.

One example is the woman accused of adultery in John 8:1-11.  Everyone else felt that she deserved to be killed because of her sin.  But Jesus had the unconditional love and compassion to forgive her and not condemn her.  In John 9:1-7, Jesus encountered a blind man whom many thought was blinded because of his sin or his parent’s sins.  But Jesus saw things differently as the man was blind in order to demonstrate God’s power and Jesus went ahead and restored the man’s sight without any reservations.

Jesus reached out to the some of most sexually immoral, those who stole, those who didn’t recognize God’s love, and a whole bunch of others.  But he did it with a ton of compassion nonetheless.  He spread his love to all sinners, he healed those who were weak, he forgave those who repented, and he ultimately died for us so that we could ultimately be saved from sin.  And God sent Jesus to do all these things because He loves us regardless of who we are, just as John 3:16 says.

As Christians, it is our duty to spread the love of Christ to those who don’t believe or to those who may be seeking.  And instead of placing judgment and criticism on sinners and non-believers, we must demonstrate compassion so that those who don’t believe can understand who Jesus really is and what he did.  As Romans 2:1-4 says:

You may think you can condemn such people, but you are just as bad, and you have no excuse!  When you say they are wicked and should be punished, you are condemning yourself, for you who judge others do these very same things.  And we know that God, in His justice, will punish anyone who does such things.  Since you judge others for doing these things, why do you think you can avoid God’s judgment when you do the same things?  Don’t you see how wonderfully kind, tolerant, and patient God is with you?  Does this mean nothing to you?  Can’t you see that His kindness is intended to turn you from your sin?  (New Living Translation).

So how can we demonstrate compassion?  Our church’s very own Pastor John gave a good message on this recently ^^.  Several of ways of being compassionate for someone include simply being there when they need help, listening and hearing them out, trying to understand their situation, providing comfort, providing prayer, and even going further and providing help if you can.  When we were spiritually born again, God gave us a new heart.  A big part of that new heart is the will to be compassionate, loving, helpful, and caring to those who need us, whether they are believers or non-believers.  And ultimately, since Jesus is the main source of love and compassion, it is that compassion that will lead sinners and non-believers to repentance as Romans 2:4 mentioned.  In my case, that’s how it was, and that’s how it is for most people who come to Jesus as well. 

Is there someone you know who is struggling with something?  Do you know someone who doesn’t know Jesus?  Maybe you know about someone who you don’t even know personally who needs help.  Whatever it may be, its time to let your compassion shine and spread the love of Jesus to the world ^^.

Best wishes and God Bless ^^.

Hiyas again everyone.  This blog’s title is relatively short, yet contentment is something that applies to everyone.  We all strive to be content, but it’s not easy when you look for it in the wrong places.  A lot of us tend to look toward worldly material things in hopes that they will bring us contentment.  Getting that new computer, a new sound system, a shiny and fast car, that big screen TV you always wanted, the newest iPod, the list goes on and on. 

While we do need things to get through the day (food, clothing, shelter, etc.), a lot of us tend to look toward shiny luxuries for contentment.  But if you compare the first day you brought home that brand new video game system to some time three months later, chances are, you probably aren’t as excited about it as you were when you first bought it.  That is because material items only provide temporary happiness. 

According to Rick Warren, author of “The Purpose Driven Life”, material things only provide temporary happiness regardless of how fancy they are.  They don’t change and thus, people eventually get tired of them.  As a result, we tend to continuously strive for more, bigger, and better versions of what we have now.  You’ve experienced this before.  It’s why you got so excited when the new iPod models were rolled in while you were still listening to your old one.

Since the continuous strive for more and more things ends up being one vicious cycle, you’d think there would be a way to attain contentment that actually lasts.  Well, there is.  And it’s through Jesus.  As Paul wrote to Timothy in 1 Timothy 6:6-8:

Yet true godliness with contentment is itself a great wealth.  After all, we brought nothing with us when we came into the world, and we can’t take anything with us when we leave.  So if we have enough food and clothing, let us be content.  (New Living Translation)

I remember before becoming a Christian, I used to constantly fill an empty void within me using worldly things.  Whether it was through buying better versions of what I owned, to satisfying my own selfish desires, to anything else.  But that happiness either faded or was completely lost at once and I always ended up with the same void that I was looking to fill earlier.  But once I accepted Jesus and God’s love into my life, I retained a happiness that hasn’t gone dry.  As Paul wrote to the Philippians in Philippians 4:10-13:

Not that I was ever in need, for I have learned how to be content with whatever I have.  I know how to live on almost nothing or with everything.  I have learned the secret of living in every situation, whether it is with a full stomach or empty, with plenty or little.  For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength.  (New Living Translation)

Just knowing that God loves you and that He will provide you with a multitude of blessings is not only an amazing source of reassurance, but an amazing source of happiness that never fades.  It’s almost like that feeling you had as a kid when you knew that mom and dad would provide for you and take care of everything.  Truth is, God is our father and He provides for us as His children, and there’s nothing else in the world that can match that. 

Finally, after accepting that Jesus died for our sins, God gives us a new heart.  And that new heart allows us to find happiness in a different way.  And that is through worshipping and serving God.  It’s no longer about fulfilling our needs, but bringing glory to God and serving Him in whatever way that He may want us to.  Living for God’s glory by His grace and knowing that He has good things for us is a source of joy that never fades and completely surpasses any type of temporary happiness found in worldly possessions.  How do I know?  Because I’ve tried and experienced both XD.  Try and experience both to see for yourselves.

Bye for now.  God Bless ^^.

More than once today, I encountered small discussions with others regarding the topic of what I guess you would consider “organized religion.”  Truth is, a lot of people (including myself before I got saved) tend to misconceive that Christianity is in fact an “organized religion.”  Many of these misconceptions most likely stem from what people have seen in Catholicism.  But if you take a look at the non-Catholic side of things and really take everything in with an open mind and open heart, you’d realize that Christianity is in fact completely different from organized religion.

Before I get into this, some of this is based on preachings of Pastor Mark Driscoll, a pastor at Mars Hill Church in Seattle who posts a lot of his messages on YouTube.  Feel free to check out some of his videos as they do provide some great insight on a variety of issues, including those that many may feel uncomfortable about discussing.

What makes organized religion what it is?  Organized religion is filled with a never-ending list of rules, laws, rituals, requirements, and policies that must be adhered to by its followers.  And often times, following these set requirements are claimed as the only way to be loved by God.  In other words, most organized religion will say that one has to EARN God’s love as well as entrance into heaven through their actions and non-actions.  This ends up eventually creating an environment where people feel forced or coerced into following these rules, and as a result, feel like they’re suffering for the sake of religion.  Religious followers tend to feel unhappy and often times following religion simply out of fear of punishment rather than love.  However, that is not what God intended at all. 

Christianity is all about repentance and a relationship with God.  God already loves you unconditionally.  Its not earned, in fact it can’t be earned because we are all sinners which ultimately separates us from God.  There is nothing we can do as humans alone that will make us “deserving” of God’s love, no matter what we do.  But God has amazing grace and loves us all nonetheless.  That is why He sent Jesus Christ to die for our sins and redeem us from sin so that we can accept God’s love which in turn will never grow cold.  And once we accept that Jesus died for our sins and repent, we begin to build a relationship with God.  We serve Him joyously, we love Him, and we allow Him to work with us in our lives because once we are saved, God gives us a new heart.  A new heart that allows us to obey God and to follow God because of His grace and love. 

I used to think as a stubborn non-believer, that Christianity was full of rules that I had to follow and that I was going to feel forced into it.  But after accepting that Jesus died for my sins and allowing God to change me, I began to feel a strong will to just build a relationship with God, to love Him, and to serve Him in a variety of ways.  And I can tell from personal experience, that none of the change I experienced as a new christian was caused by force or coercion.  It was by the grace of God and Him giving me a new heart.

Following organized religion and their rituals does not save you, nor does it earn you God’s love.  God’s grace and unconditional love allows us to be saved from sin and ultimately experience His love of which we can’t earn.  Accepting that Jesus redeemed us and died for our sins and repenting is the only way to be saved.  And once you are saved, God provides you with a new heart which allows you to build a relationship with God and serve God willfully and joyfully, rather than forcibly or while coerced from a list of set standards.  No set requirements, no long lists of rules, none of that, just unconditional love and grace from God regardless of how we worship, pray, etc.  And it is God’s love that brings us happiness and joy.  That is why Christianity is not a religion, but rather a loving relationship made possible by redemption.

Hopefully this has cleared up some misconceptions.  If not, haha, feel free to watch some of Pastor Mark’s videos or check out the other links I’ve posted as well.

Before we close, let us take a moment to remember all those who died in the September 11th attacks 8 years ago to this date.  May God continue to be with and bless the families and loved ones of those who were killed by the attacks.

Until next time everyone, best wishes and God Bless ^^.

Hiyas everyone.  I am currently back in San Francisco and as it no longer really surprises me, nothing really seems to have changed all that much here.  In fact, whenever I come back to the place where I grew up for eighteen years, it always feels like I never left.  The roads, the places, the neighborhoods, and everything at home, it all feels like I had just been here yesterday when I’m usually out of the area for 10 weeks at a time.  Really peculiar I guess, yet its probably common among many people who go away to college.

As I settled back down for my weeklong visit, I started to realize that something was different in terms of how I thought about “what I call home.”  I remember as a freshman in college, I used to only consider Southern California as a “place of study” and San Francisco my only “true home.”  Much of it was probably due to the fact that at the time, while I was settling in alright in Southern Cali, I still had a really strong attachment to San Francisco.  I missed the freedom to move around (I don’t have access to a car in So Cal), my old bedroom, the mild year-round weather, my friends from San Francisco, the places in the city that I used to go to often, my family, and especially my mom’s cooking XD.  Basically once before, whenever I thought of “home”, San Fran was only one place that fit the bill.

I thought that way for awhile and I always dreaded leaving SF, especially after spending long summers there.  But my thoughts have changed drastically this time around and will remain changed forever.  Its still true that San Francisco will always have a place in my heart.  But at the same time, my experiences in Southern California within the four years I’ve been here have gotten me to call a second place “home.”  Yep, sounds shocking to a lot of people who know me XD.  But yep, I think its safe to say at this point, that once I leave “home” (SF) this Saturday, I’ll be coming back ”home” (So Cal) as well ^^.

The song “When You Find Yourself” by Brad Paisley relates very closely to what I mean (although for me, I specifically moved from one large city to another fairly large city XD).  Ultimately in a nutshell, the experience of going away to a new place for college, meeting and developing closer bonds with new friends, finding and becoming part of an awesome community (Hiyas Xaris Church! =D), and of course ultimately finding Jesus had allowed me to experience so much more than I ever have before as well as mold me into a completely different person.  And while I was physically born in San Francisco, being “born-again” in Southern California was the most significant turning point in my life.   And going through deeper experiences and achieving deep change by the grace of God has left me with strong heartfelt feelings and memories of my life’s chapter in Southern California so far.  Thus, because of these experiences, I am more than happy to also consider Southern California as “my home” ^^.

Sounding surprising to some of you?  Haha, well, its all real.  I guess you really can call more than one place “home.”  Yep, I will always love you San Francisco.  And while I may miss my family and friends in SF, as well as the little perks and nostalgia of San Fran, I am REALLY looking forward to “coming home” to Southern California and all the people and places I cherish here ^^.  I do love you Southern Cali and there’s a real good chance that I’ll be sticking around after graduation ^^.

Looking forward to seeing everyone real soon =D!  God Bless ^^.

Lately, I’ve noticed a lot of people have been going through hardships.  Education-wise, financially, with personal relationships, with family, things that are health-related, spiritual-related, and hardships involving other things as well.  Of course, we all go through hardships and trials throughout our lives, and for some of us, certain circumstances make it harder.  Recently, one of my good friends Chette Dizon (links to her blogs are on the right) got me a book for my birthday called “Devotions for Encouragement and Maturity” by Dr. Warren W. Wiersbe.  While I haven’t finished reading it yet, there is one section of the book called “Special Sufferings” that stood out and I think it relates significantly to any situation involving someone who is struggling with a problem.  This section of the book links up strongly with 2 Corinthians 1:8-11, part of Paul’s letter to the Corinthians which goes like this:

“We think you ought to know, dear brothers and sisters, about the trouble we went through in the province of Asia.  We were crushed and overwhelmed beyond our ability to endure and we thought we would never see through it.  In fact, we expected to die.  And as a result, we stopped relying on ourselves and learned only to rely on God, who raises the dead.  And He did rescue us from mortal danger, and He will rescue us again.  We have placed our confidence in Him, and He will continue to rescue us.  And you are helping us by praying for us.  Then many people will give thanks because God has graciously answered so many prayers for our safety.” (New Living Translation)

Dr. Wiersbe adds on by saying that God does in fact permit these kinds of trials to come.  But why does He permit these trials in fact?  Certainly God doesn’t make us suffer just to suffer.  However, as we are servants of God, these trials that God permits are a step toward something greater for us, for our loved ones and our community, and even for the world.  Additionally, as another pastor had stated, it is also a way of strongly developing our faith, our relationship, and our trust in God.  As Paul said, through his struggles, he learned to not to rely on himself anymore, but rather to lift his problems to God, trust Him and let Him “take the wheel” as the famous Carrie Underwood song goes.  In a sense, if we look at the good that can come out of a hardship, we can even look at our trials as not something to loathe at, but rather as a blessing.

At the same time, Paul reassures in his letter to the Corinthians that despite all the trials he faced and how difficult they are, God will never let it be more than we can handle.  Dr. Wiersbe states that while we don’t know what Paul faced, Paul’s struggles were enough to make him feel he was going to die.  But nonetheless, God was in control and He brought Paul through it in the end.  And this, God will continue to do for all those who have faith in Him.

Worrying about my hardships was tougher as a non-believer.  This year in particular, a lot of my struggles got me to the point thinking, “I can’t do this on my own, and yet, I’m so alone, what can I do?”  That was a major turning point that brought me closer to Jesus and eventually I accepted Jesus into my life.  Nowadays, I still face trials and I know they’ll get tougher later on, but I look at these trials as a ways and means to really build my faith and relationship with God.  At the same time, believing that God is in control over everything gives me a strong sense of reassurance that everything will be alright, if not better.

Of course, I’m not saying that one should sit around and do nothing while waiting for something to happen.  We must still take action to get through whatever we’re getting through.  But at the same time, if you are feeling lost and feeling like your trials will get the better of you without doing any good, remembering 2 Corinthians 1:8-11 is a great way to reassure that God will protect you, keep you safe, and that good will come out of your trials if you have faith.

Hopefully you’ve gained a little newfound energy and reassurance if you are feeling worried about something XD.  If not, haha, check some of the links on the right and see if theres anything that might be better XD.  And if you need prayer for anything, let me know as well ^^.

A good song that relates to this is “You’re not alone tonight” by Keith Urban

Til next time, best wishes.  God Bless ^^.

Hiyas everyone! =)

This is my first ever blog entry (not just on wordpress, but in general), so this is merely just an intro to me XD.   My name’s Ken Duenwald as you’ve already seen at the top most likely.  I’m originally from San Francisco and I’m currently living in Southern California.  I’m 22 years old and I am entering my fifth year as a Civil Engineering student at Cal Poly Pomona.  If all goes well, I’ll be graduating in 2010.

I am in fact “Eurasian” XD.  My ethnic background is 50% Japanese, 25% Irish, 25% German.  Imagine the odds of a guy from South Dakota whose dad fought in World War II for the US, meeting a woman from Japan whose dad also fought in World War II for Japan.  Haha, I didn’t even bother to calculate those odds, but amazingly, here I am XD.

Why I decided to start blogging right now you may ask?  Aside from being convinced by one of my friends XD, this year (2009) has been one of my most life-changing years ever.  In April, after 21 years of being a lost soul, I finally accepted Jesus Christ into my life.  By the Grace of God, I received a new heart and new outlook on life.  My views, my ways of doing things, and the ways I handle my struggles have all changed more than ever.  I am really excited to continue to grow in my faith as well as serving the Lord in as many ways as I can.  And with this fresh new outlook on life, I figured why not start blogging about it? 

I enjoy quite a few things, including computers, chatting, hanging out, reading, cooking, MUSIC!, sports, sleeping XD, and most of all, living for and serving our Lord Jesus Christ ^^.  What I’m gonna blog about…well, I’ll know when my thoughts come to me XD.  Oh, and feel free to also check out the links on the right side for some great inspiration as well as other great things ^^.

Thats it I guess.  Looking forward to sharing my thoughts with all of you ^^.  Feel free to message me or add me on facebook even ^^.  Ja ne!