Sabbath

Today was a good day for the most part.

As a heads up, I'm still going strong on my no shopping agenda, and I've also stopped checking slickdeals which used to be an everyday thing.  Yay.  And replacing it with.... google reader yay. lol.

Sad note, I left my camera charger somewhere... good news I'm going to borrow a charger for now.

But going to the real thing... today a man who shall be called Mr. Y just so in case they don't want to be named gave a very good message about biblical Joy.  It was like God saying Mark, see how important this is.  It's something that I've been thinking about which hopefully you can tell from my previous posts, but this might be the best I've ever heard Mr. Y speak in public.  I've talked to him one on one before, and it's always good, but I was thoroughly impressed, thanks be to God.  He's got a love for Keller haha, which I admire, but basically he broke down joy into worldy measures of joy and biblical measures of joy.  Essentially wordly joy always fail, and if we measure it by the standards of many companies today, joy can't be attainable by those living in terrible conditions, but biblical joy is true regardless of our situations.  He drew mainly from Romans 5 concerning suffering, and that natural progression to hope.

And he even put in part of his personal testimony, and it was powerful.  Our God is truly one worth serving, one... who sustains.

But not only that post Chapel we prayed for Mr. Y, and I was reminded... this is the point of a fellowship.  We aren't people gathering to say look at how well I'm doing, or I'm doing better than it looks.  It's not hey here's my great reputation, it's here I am, a sinner in need of grace.  Here we all are, a community of sinners striving to point each other in the right way... we are... broken.  And praying for each other is beautiful, it's necessary.  Of course in private, but publicly as one body... is beautiful.

And... a clan shall we say the C clan has once again charmed me... haha.  During Urbana I was able to talk to some brother's uncle about various things relating to GCF and just the church in general concerning race divisions.  And it was insightful and beautiful.
Two main points:  Is GCF outward focused, or have we become a prayer group just for ourselves with no outreach?
If GCF is outward focused, then are we driving people away because we use konglish too much, or other asian things that might make people feel unwelcome?

I think these ideas can be expanded not just in the racial context but in terms of sexuality, family background etc.

I always got prayed for by a Mrs. C... random but once again beautiful.  We talked for a bit (which was slightly annoying because I really had to pee right before Chapel started, but I couldn't cause we talked so long) mainly about missions.  Because I think I've been developing two general groups I care about... the urban and the Japanese surprise lol.  But it was helpful and she was like can I pray for you after we finished, and I was like of course.  I love receiving prayer for the most part (sometimes I'm dumb, but always welcome it), and once again I was reminded this is what brothers and sisters do for each other.  I need to end more of my one on one's with people by doing this.  You don't have to just wait until you get home you can do it at that moment.  That being said, I need to do more one on one's with my brothers. :)

Downside of today, I caved and played video games today.  I played this game a couple days ago but couldn't get into it so stopped after like 15 minutes, but today played it for longer.  Sigh.  But I guess baby steps, I don't play games as much anymore.  I've cut out shopping, and I still have been reading, reflecting more, and feeling more alone as people go do stuff and I decide not to do.  But it's good, putting everything in Christ is going to hurt as I die to myself, but it's joyful nonetheless.

I came across a quote today "I believe people see all of the things they will 'have' to give up to be deemed 'good enough'. It's not about what you do or don't do, it's who you Love."

There are a lot of things I wish I read or learned about earlier.  Like Urbana, this book on divorced chilren, a lot of articles, I've been reading lately.  But in the end God's timing is perfect, and I'm realizing how true that is.  I am who I am today because of what I've gone through.  I hate my sin, and I'm learning to hate it more.  I'm learning more about true repentance, and what it means to forgive not only others, but myself in the light of Jesus, but everything... is God lead my friends.  If you are struggling I hope that you can treasure that at least on some level.  I'm not sure if I always did, but even then... God was/is/will be God.

EDIT:
https://urbana.org/urbana-12/seminars
Go here and listen to "What it Takes to Transform a City"  Super legit
And "A Christian Response to Homosexuality" is supposed to be really good, I plan on listening to it tomorrow.