Beauty in creation

Hello. It has been a pretty long summer. I wasn't planning on posting anything on this blog until September when I settle in to Dartmouth and can set my server back up (that is why none of the songs work right now...) However, Donna recently encouraged me to keep posting on this blog so I'm writing to share about my experience yesterday. Yesterday I took a trip out to Massachusettes with Joel for a personal retreat. We spent the day hiking and fully soaking in the beauty of the Appalachian Mountains. Being in that place, I couldn't help but marvel at the beauty of God's creation and stand in awe of my maker. Having grown up in the city, many times I find it hard to identify with passages or songs that relate with God through nature. Yesterday, however, was an awesome time to be a witness to that beauty and be reminded again of God's grandeur and presence. I feel as though I had grown comfortable with the idea of an immanent God but forgot that he is also a holy God, worthy of reverence and awe. As I trekked through the forests and streams of the mountains, my heart resonated with the song You Do All Things Well by Chris Tomlin.



Truly the author of beauty does all things well.. =)

Praise Set

Hey Crew,

Dan asked me to lead praise this upcoming week and I'm really pumped to be worshipping our God together with y'all!

Here are the songs for this week:
1) Forever by Chris Tomlin
2) Your Grace is Enough by Chris Tomlin (I was at this concert! haha)
3) Mighty to Save by Reuben Morgan
4) The Same Power by Hillsong London (bridge only)
5) God of Justice by Tim Hughes


I love all of these songs because they are so Christ exalting in their lyrics and really sets a vision of the glory of God. In particular, I want to highlight God of Justice. The chorus goes: "We must go. Live to feed the hungry, stand beside the broken. We must go. Stepping forward. Keep us from just singing, move us into action. We must go"

It reminds me so much of Isaiah 61: "The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the LORD has anointed me to bring good news to the poor; he has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound."

This is our God. At the very apex of human & divine history, he crushed his own Son upon the cross so that justice would be done, and then raised him from the dead 3 days later in victory over sin and death. Because of the Gospel, we have freedom to proclaim liberty to the captives and to trust in God's final healing over this broken world.

As N.T. Wright states: "The message of the resurrection is that this world matters! That the injustices and pains of this present world must now be addressed with the news that healing, justice, and love have won...Easter means that in a world where injustice, violence, and degradation are endemic, God is not prepared to tolerate such things - and that we will work and plan, with all the energy of God, to implement victory of Jesus over them all."

Clinging to the Cross

Hi everyone. There hasn't been any updates on sets in a while since we've been having interfellowship large group. A song I would like to share that has been touching my heart this week is a song by Tim Hughes featuring Brooke Fraser called Clinging to the Cross. These days I am reminded frequently of how little strength I really have. I find myself constantly falling short of God's standards when I try to reach them through my own efforts and remember that it is only by grace that I am declared righteous. So what else can I do but cling to the cross? The song brings me back to how humble and poor I really am and magnifies the greatness of God in the work Christ has done for me.

Clinging to the Cross - Tim Hughes (feat. Brooke Fraser) - Holding Nothing Back

Works of God. Week of 3/23/09

Hi everyone :]

As you guys have received in the email, today's praise set is

Till I see you, God of this City, Consuming Fire, and Everyday.

The general theme we (Jacky, Seongwoo, and Dolly) picked was how we live out our lives for God.

We also picked God of this City, since Eddie will be sharing about the Philadelphia missions and that was the sort of theme song for the mission.

Also, personally I think the praise set reflects upon how awesome God's works are. Especially after seeing God's working hand at the missions, I cannot help but praise Him for all He does and for simply who He is.

From Till I see You- "I will live to love You, I will live to bring You praise, I will live a child in awe of You"- this certainly reflects each one of our heart when we stand mesmerized at the overflowing love of God and His wonders.

I hope that today as we praise we will put our hearts on each line of the songs and make them our confessions to God. Holy Spirit will reign and open up our hearts for the message as we correctly and truthfully give worship. Yup! that's who we are--spiritual leaders! So be perked up and see you all bright and happy at the practice!!


Till I See You - Hillsong - Look To You


God Of This City - Chris Tomlin (Bluetree) - Hello Love


Consuming Fire - Hillsong - Look To You


Everyday - Hillsong - Everyday

New Authors!

Hey everybody,

Dan just invited me to share a song that I found today by way of Pandora called "Search me, Know me" by Jonah33. It's a simple song of repentance and the title comes out of my favorite psalm:

" ¹ O LORD, you have searched me
and you know me.

² You know when I sit and when I rise;
you perceive my thoughts from afar.

³ You discern my going out and my lying down;
you are familiar with all my ways.

⁴ Before a word is on my tongue
you know it completely, O LORD.

⁵ You hem me in—behind and before;
you have laid your hand upon me.

⁶ Such knowledge is too wonderful for me,
too lofty for me to attain.

⁷ Where can I go from your Spirit?
Where can I flee from your presence?

⁸ If I go up to the heavens, you are there;
if I make my bed in the depths, you are there.

⁹ If I rise on the wings of the dawn,
if I settle on the far side of the sea,

¹⁰ even there your hand will guide me,
your right hand will hold me fast.

¹¹ If I say, "Surely the darkness will hide me
and the light become night around me,"

¹² even the darkness will not be dark to you;
the night will shine like the day,
for darkness is as light to you.

¹³ For you created my inmost being;
you knit me together in my mother's womb.

¹⁴ I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
your works are wonderful,
I know that full well.

¹⁵ My frame was not hidden from you
when I was made in the secret place.
When I was woven together in the depths of the earth,

¹⁶ your eyes saw my unformed body.
All the days ordained for me
were written in your book
before one of them came to be.

¹⁷ How precious to me are your thoughts, O God!
How vast is the sum of them!

¹⁸ Were I to count them,
they would outnumber the grains of sand.
When I awake,
I am still with you.

¹⁹ If only you would slay the wicked, O God!
Away from me, you bloodthirsty men!

²⁰ They speak of you with evil intent;
your adversaries misuse your name.

²¹ Do I not hate those who hate you, O LORD,
and abhor those who rise up against you?

²² I have nothing but hatred for them;
I count them my enemies.

²³ Search me, O God, and know my heart;
test me and know my anxious thoughts.

²⁴ See if there is any offensive way in me,
and lead me in the way everlasting."

Hopefully, I'll get to post more in the future! :)

Comments!

Hey everyone,

Feel free to leave a comment--it'd be cool to get an idea of who is checking the site out. I have been so blessed so far sharing my insights and blessings with you all. If you have any reflections or blessings that you'd like to share don't hesitate to leave that in a comment also!

The Way of Love. Week of 3/9/09

(1) If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. (2) And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith,(B) so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. (3) If I give away all I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing. - 1 Corinthians 13:1-3 (ESV)

Today during praise at church the song If I Have Not Love by Matt Redman sort of took me by surprise and hit me pretty hard. Based on the passage above in Corinthians, the song reminded me how crucial love is in all things. It sounds simple, but lately I have been so weary and stressed doing Gods work in the various ministries I am involved in. This song reminded me just how meaningless our words and actions are if they are without love. I had forgotten that it is when I do and speak out of an overflow of love for God that I also find joy and fulfillment in my serving.

If I Have Not Love - Matt Redman - Facedown


Receive - Calvin Nowell


How Can I Keep From Singing - Chris Tomlin - See The Morning


Fall - Hillsong United - King Of Majesty

Week of 3/2/09

This weekend I was able to spend some time at home and with my parents. Spending time in reflection in light of spending time at home God impressed on my heart just how much our father desires a relationship with us. It really broke my heart to be reminded just how faithful and loving our God is and how often I turn away from Him and am distracted by other things. This ties in with the Hosea study I've been doing at my church. If you are unfamiliar with the book, basically God tells Hosea to marry an adulterous woman to be a metaphor for His love for Israel. I hope that I can remind myself daily of the love God pours out to His unfaithful children and the cost it took to do so.

Kindness - Chris Tomlin - The Noise We Make


How Great Thou Art - Charlie Hall (written by Carl Gustaf Boberg) - Best of Passion (Disc 1)


Holy is the Lord - Chris Tomlin - Arriving


Faithful Father - Brian Doerksen

Discipleship Week of 2/23/09

This weeks large group focuses on the cost of discipleship, particularly in Luke 14 when Jesus speaks about it.

"Whoever does not bear his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple."
- Luke 14:27.

This is a verse we probably all hear many times but meditating on this chapter for the last week has been particularly humbling for me. I think of all the areas in my life which I still cling to and realize just how imperfect I am. Because of this I am reminded of my need for Christ and the power of the Gospel to effect change in my life.

The Power of Your Name - Lincoln Brewster - Today is the Day


We Fall Down - Chris Tomlin/Passion Band - Best of Passion (Disc 1)


Ready Now - Desperation Band - Who You Are


No Sacrifice - Jason Upton

Week of 2/16/09

Recently it has been really on my heart to really try and commit to being better about my spiritual disciplines. Being intentional about spending time with God consistently. I think in my experience in college, right around this time of year is when I really get lost in the thick of things. Midterms and school work starts ramping up in addition to whatever things I'm involved in. I want to make an extra effort to spend time reading the word, praying, and continually reminding myself of the Gospel and it's truth in my life. I think this is something shared by several people, with people in the ministry committing to basic discipleship training and 20 days with God. I hope that this set is a reminder for me as well as everyone else of the power of the Gospel as well as the personal commitments we have made in light of Christ's sacrifice.

Take My Life (And Let It Be) - Chris Tomlin/Passion Band - Best of Passion (Disc 2)


Only You - David Crowder - Illuminate


King - Tree63 - The Answer To The Question


True Love - Phil Wickham - Cannons

Week of 2/9/09

Hey, here are the songs for this week. Sorry this week has been so hectic.

Unfailing Love - Chris Tomlin - Arriving


All for Love - Hillsong United - Look To You


Your Love Is Amazing - Brenton Brown


Your Beloved

Let's talk about hope. Week of 1/26/2009

I was wondering what songs we should do for this week and I had a tough time seeing where God was leading my heart so I thought back to some of the songs we did last semester. I thought particularly about God of the City, especially after hearing it live at the concert last week. I thought back to the hope with which we sang it at the first large group and all the promises that God has fulfilled since then: several outreach events including feeding 500 at thanksgiving, people committing to serve in various ministries, building up of community, and people hearing the gospel to name a few. I am reminded again of the hope that we carry, not in our own abilities, but in God's grace for a broken people. So with this set, it is my hope that we can all be strengthened by the hope of remembering what is to come. The kingdom of God is coming and will bring restoration, peace, joy, and other such wonderful nouns. Isn't that worth our hope?

Hosanna - Hillsong Live - Saviour King


Sing to the King - Candi Pearson Shelton - Best of Passion CD2


God Of This City - Chris Tomlin - Hello Love


You Said - Shane and Shane - Psalms

Chris Tomlin concert!

Hey all. I am at the prudential center right now waiting for the concert to start. Gonna try live blogging on my blackberry!

Edit:
The concert was amazing. Had such a blessed time being there. I'm gonna post up the song list if you were wondering:
Sing Sing Sing
Your Grace Is Enough
How Great Is Our God
How Great Thou Art
Praise The Father Praise The Son
Jesus Messiah
My Chains Are Gone
I Will Rise
Indescribable
Holy Is The Lord
God Of The City
Forever
All The Way My Savior Leads Me

First large group of the year. Week of 01/19/2009

Wow it's been quite a while since I've posted. I wanted to write some reflections during the break but was away from my computer pretty much the entire time. God has blessed me so much this break. From stretching me and humbling me, to growing me and encouraging me, this break has been a time that I was able to grow closer to Him and strengthen my convictions to know him more deeply. With that, I want to go into this semester focused and prepared for God's will to be done. For the first praise set of this year, I wanted to simply focus on Christ first. To begin the first large group of the semester, I hope we all can remind ourselves once again of the power of the Gospel and our relation to Christ, our savior. I feel that if we can do this, everything else just naturally falls into place.

None But Jesus - Hillsong United - United We Stand


Your Grace Is Enough - Chris Tomlin - Arriving


Unashamed - Starfield - Beauty In The Broken


Majesty (Here I Am) - Delirious? - World Service