The one in Traverse City, Mi

We're up in Traverse City, Mi for summer project.
Students arrived yesterday, but we made it up Tuesday night.
The trip had its mishaps, as to be expected with a newly potty-trained Halle, but it wasn't terrible.

i came to Traverse city as a student for project- a summer that was one of the most influential summers of my life. So, we're excited to be here to minister to students and see what God does.

We're also excited for what God will do in our lives.

Coming into the summer, Soo & i were filled with some anxieties.
When we first got our placement, i was disappointed to see how few staff were on the project, and to not recognize names or see many young kids... Then found out we still stayed in dorms here and wasn't sure how our kids would respond.

As the months went by, i found myself trying to see positives and try to encourage Soo about the summer- which maybe she didn't need.

So far, everything has been GREAT!

Being on a smaller project is SOOO good for us. i think a larger project would have been intimidating & overwhelming. A smaller staff team has allowed us to get to know people better. Every night it seems like Soo is commenting on how nice people are - not sure what she was expecting other staff to be like...

Halle has got along REALLY well with the other kids. There is a 4 yr and 2 yr old + some older kids- and she loves them all. She also has enjoyed the staff. Josiah is all smiles - most of the time at least.
We are so thankful!

Halle has done fairly well with her potty training. It's funny, when we say Halle used the potty people cheer, but when i come out and say i used the potty, Soo just laughs...

After the first couple nights, the kids have slept pretty well too.

i like that we don't have a tv in our room and we have people around us, and will have a pretty set schedule.

This may have not been what i would have planned for myself, but exactly what God wanted for us!

TC itself is beautiful. Lake Michigan is gorgeous. It is filled with cool little coffee shops, unique restaurants, parks & beaches. It should be fun for Soo & the kids.

Mostly, i'm looking forward to connecting with the Lord, developing some friendships, investing in students(including an international), sharing the Gospel, and growing.

Thanks for your prayers.

the one on our anniversary

He who finds a wife, finds a good thing
and obtains favor from the Lord
   ~ Proverbs 18:22

Remembering our anniversary is as easy as 1.23...

Soo has survived 2 years of being married to me... she deserves a medal...

So today, of course, i am thankful for...

1. i found a wife... God has shown me favor

2. Soo. she is not just a wife, she is my friend & lover. Many daughters have done well, but she excels them all. Not any woman would do, God prepared Soo especially for me

3. The privilege & honor to be a husband. Of all the millions of men in the world, God chose me to be Soo's husband - to serve & love her - of which i do a horrible job

4. For 2 years with Soo.
    They haven't all been fun moments. There have been conflicts & tears. There have been misunderstandings and frustrations. i wouldn't trade a moment (Though at points i want a redo).

5. Soo's patience, grace & forgiveness

6. A wonderful wedding with wonderful friends, a great photographer and good weather... even if the catering was awful - at least we got a taco truck

7. An amazing honeymoon in Prague & Paris

8. God's gift & design of marriage

9. for all the relationships that didn't work out before Soo

10. That God is with us in marriage, leading us and taking care of us

11. That God is using marriage to refine us, show us sin and make us more like Christ

12. For the love Christ has for the church, which is so much greater than i have for my wife

Thank You Lord for Soo, for our marriage, for this family.
You are good

The thing about plans ( a devo on Proverbs 19:21)

Proverbs 19:21

Many are the plans in the mind of a man,

but it is the purpose of the Lord that will stand.

I normally think of this verse when I think of wickedness. People with wicked plans will fail. We can trust God to be in control. Hitler failed, Stalin failed, God prevails!

But now I am seeing this in light of me.

I have many plans, some seems good, most… perhaps all certainly are not evil or bad. Yet, many plans don’t come to pass.

But the purpose of the Lord always comes to pass.

His will can not be thwarted.

He knows His ways, He fulfills them.

He knows what is best – best for His purposes- and that is what matters.

Not my purposes, His purposes.

Not my plans, His purposes.

So when I have a simple plan of reading my bible and someone calls and wants to talk… I have to admit this is His plan and accept it.

When I think I will get some time to work and my wife is not feeling well and I need to take care of her and the kids, this is from God.

When I plan to meet some friends and I am stuck in traffic, I must take this from God too.

And then there are big things...

You may have plans to be a mom or a dad or you may have a plan to get married. There is certainly nothing wrong with that, in fact it is a good thing. But God fulfills His purposes.

You may have had a plan to go into missions, but God didn’t provide the support. His purposes stand.

Can there be comfort in that?
(this is not something i may say to someone in the midst of suffering).

Nothing is out of God’s control.

Everything is in His hands.

He brings his purposes to pass.

We don’t understand, but God does.

It may seem like nothing is working out right, but in fact everything is working out perfectly.

We don’t like it often… but the thing is, we don’t like it because we have elevated our plans above His purposes.

We have to daily submit our plans to the Lord. HE is the King, we are not.

This is not to say He is unkind or merciless. This is not to say we can not beseech God or make requests. It is not even to say we cannot have plans.

But we need to submit our plans.

In fact, we should plan, we should have dreams & desires – but all need to be submitted to Him.

In the Bible, the disciples had plans to rule the government, to make all nations bow down, to rule. Jesus had different purposes. His purpose was to build the church and establish His kingdom in all nations, not one nation, and thru changed hearts and changed lives.

The disciples had plans to rule the world, Jesus had a purpose to save & change the world.

Joseph’s brothers had plans to harm him, God had purpose to use him.

Paul had plans to destroy Christianity, God had purpose to expand Christianity.

Paul had plans to go to Rome to spread the Gospel in Rome, God had purpose for Paul to write to bless the church for ages to come.

Abraham had plans to bear offspring, God had purpose to bless Abraham and the nations thru His work

Satan had plans to defeat Jesus, God had purpose to defeat sin & death

As for me, I may have a plan that I think will best serve God, serve my family & serve me… but I need to submit to the Lord.

I may have a plan to take my wife out on a date somewhere nice, but if she would rather do something else, I need to submit to her.

I may have a plan to read a book with my wife to develop our marriage, but if it doesn’t help us, then I need to submit that plan

Why?

Well, what was the purpose of the plan? The purpose of my plans in this case are to serve & love my wife and to develop our marriage.

But if it is not accomplishing that, then I need to submit.

In all things, our plans should be for the glory of God.

If God has a different desire, we need to submit.

Perhaps I have a plan to share the Gospel with someone. But then my wife and daughter need some help that is urgent. Could it be that God wants me to honor Him by loving my wife?

Perhaps I have a plan to go to a coffee shop and get some quality time reading God’s word – but then someone comes in and we talk for a long time. Could it be that God wanted to use me in that person’s life and thus honor Him?

I am not saying we submit to circumstances.

However, I do believe we need to submit to God.

I find myself getting very upset and very frustrated when my plans are frustrated.

My plans have become an idol.

I am so set on accomplishing my plans, I forgot why I had made the plans in the first place.

I plan to use time productively & wisely for the glory of God.

I plan so I may be a good steward of what God has given me.

Planning is good.

But when a good thing becomes an ultimate thing it becomes a bad thing.

In the end, God’s purposes prevail. And since His purposes are perfect and best- that is a good thing, and we can take comfort in that.

The Good News is: God’s purposes are good, and God’s purposes prevail. We do not need fear or worry in this life, but grow in faith and see His goodness & grace.

Lord, help me in my planning.

May I not plan for my own sake, just what I desire.

But may I make plans with the glory of God in mind.

May I plan for Your honor, not my own.

Lead & guide my plans and give me wisdom in planning.

And then Lord, I submit my plans to You.

May my plans never become ultimate.

May I hold onto plans loosely, always walking with You, waiting on You and looking at You for how You may want to work.

Thank You for being in control.

And Thank You for always making Your good purposes come to pass.

Thank You that You are wise and You are good and You are perfect and You are sovereign. Thank You for Your purposes.

And thank You that You don’t allow the world to run according to my plans.

Have Your way oh Lord in this world and in my life.

Be glorified. Exalt Your Glory, Fulfill Your purposes. May You have first place always.

I submit my plans and hopes and desires to You. Be glorified.

Amen

The things i am thankful for Jan 6

Soo's birthday is just a couple days away... i am thankful for her... (i thank God for her everyday)

Today i am thankful for...

1. God brought Soo into my life. She is His perfect provision for me
2. I am God's perfect provision for her. OF all the people in the universe, He chose me to be an instrument in her life. Thanks for the priviledge and blessing to serve & lead my wife
3. God's sovereignty over our marriage
4. All the relationships that didn't work, all the girls who rejected me... so i could marry Soo
5. That God created marriage and designed marriage

The things i am thankful for on Jan 3

Today was my mom's birthday... didn't get to see her... and since she is in India, and i don't know where, we weren't able to talk either...  but mom i love you! And i am thankful for you.

Today i am thankful for...
1. My mom!
2. The Lord brought my parents together (arranged marriage)
3. The Lord enabled my parents to come to know Him in India
4. The Lord enabled my parents to go to America...
5. That i grew up in America
6. My parents culture & faith & personalities influenced me
7. My parents pointed me to Christ and prayed for me
8. My mom loved & loves me so much, cares so much for me
9. My mom's joy & laughter (And that influenced me too).
10. That my mom played games with me (and my friends) as a kid
11. Opportunity to meet new people
12. Good Steak.


Today is usually a day off, but i heard it was the last day before exams, so i went to campus to meet some students... which was good. i enjoyed my time on campus.
Kinda weird knowing i'll be leaving soon, but felt the need to take these steps of faith and see what would happen.

One student i was very blessed for all the things i have been able to do & experience.

i am blessed... but maybe not why he said.

i am blessed to know God. i am blessed to be saved. i am blessed by God.
And my family is such a great blesssing.
Not because they help me to go places and paid for my schooling and all that... but because they follow the Lord & how they love me...

Mom you were always there for me as a kid.
My friends talk about your lemonade and your doughnuts... and we will always remember you playing parcheesi and charades - esp the time you acted out popeye and got spice in your eye...
You care for us deeply - maybe too much- but we know it is because you love us.
You love God, desire eagerly to grow and know God.
i am thankful for you!

i am also greatly blessed to have a wonderful wife... we were able to go on a lil date tonight... played some ping-pong (Soo played despite being 20 weeks pregnant) and got some wonderful steak... it was amazing.

Parts of today were hard... my back hurt a bit... getting a little anxious about the future... some conflicts... but overall, a good day.
Thank You God!

Thank You Jesus for giving me Life

35 years in the books... Thank You Jesus for giving me life.

35 years is significant... my sister didn't make it to 30, Jesus died when he was 33... i have lived 5 years more than my sister did and have had more than a year than Jesus did too.

Life would be so different if my sister were around... i could imagine her being a great aunt, loving Halle & Soo well... sending a package every month... then again, i wonder if she hadn't gone through what she did, if i hadn't seen her faith, if i hadn't experienced disappointment, if i hadn't experienced death... would i be where i am now?

God gave me life. He created all peoples. God Almighty, Creator of the Universe, Author of all things.

But He not only gave a physical life, He gave me real life, everlasting life, the abundant life.

i may have had a physical body and lived life on earth... but my spirit was dead. My sin brought death. i was enslaved to sin and on path to eternal destruction... Jesus came to rescue me from death & give me life.

Looking back, my life was empty. i went to school, i played sports, i watched tv- but life had no meaning. i felt insecure, unimportant, useless, worthless. i didn't like life- at least my life. i had buddies i guess, but no friends. i could do some things, but i was nothing spectacular. There was no hope... i was just looking forward to death.

Christ established hope, brought me joy, poured out love, changed my life... gave me life!

If you know me, you know i am a sinful person. You know i am selfish. You know i can be impatient & anxious and certainly full of pride. i needed a Savior. God saw my need and sent His Son to die for my sin.
Now, i have life, life everlasting!


Looking back, i can see God's hand on my life. All over the place.
I am Indian.
Born to parents who were arranged in marriage
Indian parents who were Christian
Born in America... in Indiana
in Septmeber... so i'd be younger/smaller than everyone in my class
born ten years after my sister and eight years after my brother.
Born to parents who loved God, loved us, were giving to others.

i went to Purdue
lived in an all-guys dorm
there was a Bible study on my floor
lived on the same floor as Brian Bettag
at the last second he asked me to live with him sophomore year
met his brother Kevin, Kevin's best friend Andy, their co-worker Brack
i got involved in a Christian group i tried to avoid
i joined a Bible study i didn't want to be in, but didn't have the guts to say no on the phone
i made friends who changed my lfie

My sister got cancer.
My prayers weren't answered
i felt forgotten by God... when a friend told me he was praying for me... when my dad told me to keep faith...
i went to a conference around the same time, and learned about surrender
2 weeks later my sister died... i was far away from home with a lot of time to think...
Somehow i wasn't angry or scared... but hopeful... and given new perspective
... and i began praying more

i got convicted about going to the world... i hoped my parents wouldn't like the idea, but they were excited... until i told them i was going - they forgot all about that conversation... then i went... and i went again... had hard times... but God was still leading.

He led me through the book of Acts as i was considering my future... and He led me to Asia...
while in Asia, He laid the University of Michigan on my mind... and when i joined... that was the 1st option they mentioned...

But soon time at Michigan would be up too... and i left the country, just when everything was starting to go well
And though times were difficult, He convicted me to stay... then we started seeing some incredible things happen...
And i committed to 3 more years... with no wife... and after rejection after rejection after rejection... i met Soo... we got married, got pregnant, had a baby(notice no pauses)...

Been reading Exodus...
...without Esau hating Jacob, he would have never met Rachel
...without Rachel having difficulty conceiving, Joseph wouldn't have been favored so much, causing him to be hated
... without Jacobs brothers hating him and selling him into slavery, and Potiphor's wife slandering his name, Joseph would have never had the opportunity to advance as far he did
... without Joseph's power, Israel would have never been in Egypt and become slaves
... without being slaves, Israel would have never been delivered and gone to the promise land
And
without Jesus being wrongly accused, wrongly put to death... we would never be able to receive the blessing of eternal life with God



God's hand has been upon me.
He has led me.
He has been with me.
He has been with me during the hard times and the pleasant times.
He has been with me in America, Asia, Turkey, all my travels.
He has been with me when i was a Jesus freak, when i was apathetic, when i doubted, all the time

He is the source of joy.
He is the source of peace.
He is the source of love.
HE is the source of LIFE!

Where would i be without Him? i don't know.

But i am thankful for all the people He has put in my life.
i am thankful for all the places He has taken me.
i am thankful for the challenges and changes He brought to me.
i am thankful for the trials & difficulties & disappointments.
i am thankful He has changed my heart and changed my life.
i am thankful He has saved me.

John 15:5
Psalm 16
Acts 20:22-24


Thank You Jesus for giving me life!

The thing about raising support

i don't really like raising support. It's awkward.
i tend to avoid awkwardness at all costs.
i mean, a lot of us do. That is why guys don't ask their friends out on dates and girls usually don't say yes. It's why we avoid dating in the office-place. It's why guy's don't initiate with other guys. It's why we avoid eye-contact while singing worship songs. It's why we use the bathroom at home and not at a friend's place. It's why we're careful about what subjects we talk about.

And everything about support-raising is awkward. The phone is always awkward. Talking about money is always awkward. Asking people for help is awkward. Let alone, talking to someone you haven't talked to in a long time or a complete stranger.

Most of the time i see support-raising (or MPD) as a necessary nuisance.
It's important.
i need people to pray for me.
And i need people to support us financially - or i don't eat, i don't have a place to live and i can't fly overseas.
We need partners, because we need the body of Christ and we need community.

Still, i wish there was a better way.


Well, that's not true. What i wish for is: An easier way.


Having people support us is a good way, it is God's way.
The body of Christ is supposed to support one another. We give to others also. And we partner with those who give.

Talking with people about what God is doing, sharing our needs, communicating - that's great. People need to know. People can be encouraged. People can be challenged.


So, when i say a better way, what i mean is an easier way. And my way wouldn't be better. It may feel easier, but it probably wouldn't be as effective- and certainly wouldn't be as good.


The time of support-raising feels useless. i would rather be out doing ministry.
But the reality is: this is a ministry. We get to challenge people to give: to give to God's work, to give to needy nations, to give sacrificially, to give joyfully, to give for God's sake and not for themselves, to give for the glory of God.
(i really need to learn how to convey this again and have this attitude).
It is a ministry because we challenge people out of their comfort zones. And we challenege them to follow God and to give to God.
It is also a ministry because we can make people aware of God's work in the nations and what God is doing and exalt God.
It is also a ministry because we can encourage people of God's faithfulness and power and provision.
It is also a ministry because we can make people aware of the needs of the lost and challenege them to reach out to others

This is an important ministry we have. i need to learn to embrace it. i need to learn to challenge.


It is also a blessing. A blessing to me and a blessing to the people i share with.
i was encouraged yesterday by a response of a friend who responded with "Thanks for asking about support!"
During my initial support-raising process i actually did have a few people thank me for the opportunity to give and support me.
This is a blessing for them. This is an opportunity for them to give to the Lord. It is an opportunity for them to be part of God's work. It's an opportunity to use their gifts. It blesses them as it does us.

And it is a blessing for us to be encouraged by how God uses people in our lives. It is a blessing to see God provide. A blessing to see God's faithfulness, sovereignty and power. And we are blessed by the kind words of encouragement, the love, the prayers and the faithfulness of people behind us. What a blessing indeed!

And it is a blessing because this is where God us right now! He knows exactly what we need. (to help us grow, to help us see Him). He is using everything to work in our lives. He is sovereign & He is taking care of us.

He certainly is teaching me, renewing me & reminding me of things i forogot. i am learning dependence and faith and seeing God even more.

Thank God for His blessing & leading on our lives.

It shows us the Gospel doesn't it? People give up, so we can go out. People sacrifice, so we can live.


MPD is a blessing, a ministry, an opportunity!