i'm back from LA. i had a really good time while i was down there. ate at Harris Ranch, Horodi, and El Pollo Loco. went to MGM noraebang and this nice pc bang in Torrance. i ate pat-bing-soo at this nice cafe in Alexandria. but i think of all the things we did, i enjoyed our ride back up to SF the most. i enjoyed listening to korean music, having thought-provoking discussions over thought-provoking issues, and listening to some more hardcore sermon tapes and debates. thanks for a great time chang (even though you made me drive 80% of the time). lol.

so i had a short discussion with my mom after the long journey. we talked about how/why i lost my job, how/why i didn't get the scholarship i applied for, and how/why i cannot go to missions this year. i was really depressed after our short talk. i felt so helpless, just having all these hardships punching me in the face all at once. very discouraging. i was so overwhelmed that i just had to spend some time in prayer by myself. i felt so much better after crying out all of my problems to God.

however afterwards, it was such a coincidence that i ended up listening to a sermon by Tim Keller on "Praying Our Tears." chang let me borrow this a while ago and it wasn't until today that i decided to listen to it. gosh, i have never been so blessed by a sermon in my life! i mean, it was TOTALLY speaking to me and i was able to understand so much of it. it really hit me that God understands all of our emotions b/c Jesus Christ actually came down to earth and experienced everything in his lifetime as well. He knows exactly how it feels to be abandoned b/c He experienced it on the cross. He knows exactly how it feels to be helpless b/c He experienced it on the cross. He knows exactly how it feels to have everything go wrong b/c he experienced it on the cross. God really sympathizes with us. He understands us beyond our imagination. it is ok to pray your tears to God. in fact, we are called to do so! David did it all the time in the Psalms. i'm sure Paul did it all the time as he was suffering in prison. and of course, Jesus did it in Gethsemane, right before he was to die on the cross. but in all cases, the end result was overwhelming happiness and joy that came from God. i apologize for rambling on and on....i was so convicted to share all of this in my blog today. reader, i'd really appreciate it if you can really pray for me. my family is going through many financial difficulties and they seem to be affecting different areas in my life right now. and to end, i highly encourage you to pray your tears to God. He understands and listens. thanks for reading.

Thought of the Moment: Perseverance builds character.
Song of the Moment: Ak Dong Club-Han