JCA Fall Retreat 2009!

Just a couple of sermons I took notes on, and was moved by. Enjoy =]

"Maximizing Your Freedom" -Gal 5:13, Eph 5:15, Jer 29:11

- With freedom come responsibilities, but don't abuse your freedom; don't "freedom overload" E.g. computers, Internet, dating, socializing, studying
- The unbiblical way of freedom; snares:
1) Freedom is doing what I want to do whenever I want to; experimenting
2) What I "feel" like doing; not totally bad, because you may need to experiment things in Christianity like spiritual gifts

Freedom is: 1) the ability to say "no" to less valuable things and say "yes" to more valuable things, and 2) ability to set your own boundaries in your freedoms
To maximize freedom:
1) Surrender your life to Jesus Christ, for He gives the power to gain freedom.
2) Prioritize: E.g. 1. God 2. Grades 3. Family 4. Friends 5. Dating


"Facing Storms in Christ" - Mark 4:35-41
- We are either in a storm, about to enter a storm, or just got out of a storm
- Storm: v. 35
- Disciples encountered storm in the obedience of Jesus
- If you follow Jesus faithfully, you will face difficulties and trials of many kinds; should be no surprise, for He guarantees this
- Response of disciples: "Don't you care...?"
- Exposes where our faith is, our true theology (-)
- Express their faith at where they're at, no matter where it is (+)
- Went to Jesus (+)
- Jesus was sleeping, paradoxically, because "God never sleeps", but Jesus became a man, our high priest
- Loved us, rescued us, a picture of a loving God to experience tiredness, and later, suffering, trial
- Conquered sin and death
- Is always with us in love, suffering
- God can stop the storm, if He wills
- God is greater than anything in our lives; be more afraid of God, and don't be afraid of the storm.

First Days of Oxford College!

Well, I finally moved in, and became accustomed to this whole college life. I have so much to say!

So my mom, my brother, and I finally headed down to Atlanta, Georgia on August 19, 2009, with an overwhelming number of baggage. My first impression of Atlanta was bland; I thought that it was strikingly similar to New York, with its diversity and huge buildings. But I knew that Oxford College was not here in this city; in fact, it was 1 hour away from Atlanta to Oxford. We grabbed a hotel in Covington, near Oxford, to stay in for one night, since orientation started the day after. A quiet and serene place, Covington is pretty much the closest town to Oxford in which Oxford students can hang out and eat out.

That's the boring part (haha). Now, the next day, we went to orientation in a pretty ghetto yellow taxi. As we entered the campus, the first thing we encounter was a group of girls, holding up a colorful sign that read in bold letters: "WELCOME, INCOMING FRESHMEN! WHOO!", and as we entered and came into their vision, they ecstatically jumped for joy and screamed. I initially ducked my head, embarrassed. Crazy people; that was my initial impression of them. Everyone in the taxi, including the taxi driver, laughed out loud as we slowly found ourselves in a campus filled with greenery.

Despite Oxford College's small size, we got lost as to where my dorm hall (East Hall) was. We eventually found it (in like 10 minutes or so), and immediately after the taxi driver parked the car, three sophomore guys (I already forgot who they were) approached us and helped us out with our baggage, and brought it inside East Hall. I mean, at first glance, it was beautiful; the entrance led to a spacious lobby room, where people can hang out in, with tons of comfy chairs and couches placed all around, and a TV (but I found out it was broken at the moment, and it still is). However, after checking out other halls, I found out that I got the worst hall of them all. Eh. It's fine with me.

I checked in with an RA (Residential Assistance(?) gotta check up on that), who is a sophomore at campus. Her name was Ashley. Sophomores at Oxford College are practically seniors here, because they move out of Oxford into the main Emory campus at junior year. She gave me some orientation stuff, along with my mailbox keys, and most importantly, my room key. I hurried to my room, which was conveniently on the first floor, so I didn't have to struggle carrying my luggage to the second floor.
So my mom, my brother, and I started to organize my stuff in this room. Quietly, but surely.

After a couple of orientation meetings, it was time for my family to leave me behind in Oxford. We didn't cry; in fact, we laughed (sort of). It was the appropriate action for the time being, and I totally appreciated it. A quick shout-out to my mom and Eric! It was the start of my new journey, independent from family, into college.

Ahh... too much to say. Hopefully pictures will do =]

World, stop crashing around me;
Life, stop crushing me;

Temptation, stop seducing me;
Conscience, stop eating at me;

Parents, stop lecturing me;
Friends, stop disappointing me;

Pride, stop making a fool of me;
Prejudice, stop hindering me;

Hunger, stop torturing me;
Satisfaction, stop leaving me;

Hate, stop finding me;
Love, stop losing me;

Me, stop destroying me;
God, save me.

-written by Sang-a Bae : http://prosiac.blogspot.com/2008/12/selfish-words.html

I am blogging at the moment, at 2:27 AM in the morning, because of the clamor within my mind. Everything that's going on in my life--the approaching college life, future, past, present--is increasingly filling up my thoughts. I can't sleep. Words are truly powerful, but not enough to save myself. I practically scream the above, yet even more confusion arises. I cry out for help, for strength, for fixture, yet nothing happens. I wait for the true deliverance, in my futile human's resistance, yet my defense easily crumbles to the ground, and once again, I find myself initially vulnerable and helpless, then indifferent. Having pleaded far enough, I find my soul has fainted, grown weary. And it keeps getting weaker and weaker, as every second flies by.
Despite of all of this, I see a glimmer of hope within my heart. I understand the sovereignty of God, but at the same time, unable to understand it within my own life. I understand His timing, but don't understand His timing in my life. In a sense, my patience is diminishing day by day.
When, God; when?