Sweet Job Offer. Last conviction changing?

God works in strange and amazing ways in my life - and usually to show me how powerful He is. I have an example from my Bible when I was in China. It reads: "9pm 12/29/00 (I think?) sister is coming to Beijing tomorrow and I have no money to get a cab to pick her up (as I stressed). 11pm 12/29/04 mom just called from US and told me she just put $500 in my bank account." What the?!!

Anyways, my last conviction yesterday is challenged by the recent development from last night. I came home to a Fed Ex packet with the job offer of my dreams in Washington DC. It makes me see the future with more stability, as I can already picture myself building a solid career over the next few decades and loving it! That's definitely new, and makes me see life very differently with this new found stability. There's more to it... but I have to make garlic bread now for the Italian feast my family is preparing for this Christmas evening. More on my job stuff later.

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Praying for God to be gentle

When I was younger, like in high school, my youth group friends and I used to pray dramatic prayers for God to give us trials. We knew that trials would strengthen our relationship with Him, but He would really bring it on! I'm especially sensitive and weak these days, so I've been praying for Him to be gentle with me for now. I'm all for being broken, but I'm kinda already broken and humbled already... and not by circumstances, but by experiencing Him so fully during my time in Creel, in Mexico.

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Nietsche sucks

I just finished reading Nietsche's "Birth of Tragedy" last night. There's this part where he bashes Christianity so badly, but his arguments were pathetic. I could see the lost reading it and agreeing, but we know God from experience, human testimony, and the prophets from across the ages. I'll write more about it when I have the book in front of me later...

Random Thoughts...

Demonic strongholds
Speaking of spiritual (demonic) strongholds in our lives, if Jesus cast out 7 demons from Mary Magdelene (Luke) and "Legion" (for they are many) from the dude at the graveyard... surely I have a few in my life. Seriously. Not like I'm necessarily possessed like Exorcist style, but I'm talking like weaknesses or special ways I am prone to fall to temptation. That's why we all need Jesus.

Humility vs strength
One person seems weak but is strong. Another acts strong but is actually weak. The former is the Christian, and latter is the world.

Creel to Los Mochis to Tijuana, now in SD; Convictions

I just returned to SD about 1.5 days ago, in time to spend Christmas with family. I cut my 2+ week trip short by skipping La Paz and Cabo San Lucas on the Baja Peninsula. It was unrealistic to think I could make it down to Guatemala in that short time, but now I hope to go to Guatemala (or Cuernavaca) this summer to study Spanish.

I have had to much time to think and meditate on what God wants for me here in SD throughout the Mexico trip. Coming back feels like a return from a long retreat and I have many convictions:
(1) Integrate my faith and trust in Jesus into my daily life by being more bold about living for Him, reading the Word at school regularly, and just not being ashamed to be judged by others for my faith;
(2) Maintain my strong work ethic from this past quarter during this vacation, and spend half my days studying and reading my books;
(3) fully launch a company with Danny Cheng that help families cultivate loving relationships within through storybooks and activity guides, ties in with (2);
(4) I am convicted that now, as it has been over the past 6+ months, I should NOT even consider dating. I'm excited and fulfilled with Him alone, and I don't feel like this is the season for me to think about a girl.

SD to TJ to Los Mochis to Creel.

I´m writing from the small mountain city of Creel, in the estado de Chihuahua, deep in the heart of mainland Mexico at the moment. It´s very cold outside, but it´s at the top of the Barrancas del Cobre (Copper Canyon), accessible only by the Ferrocarril Chihuahua a Pacifico. It´s a 3 days journey from CA.

I rode a 22 hr bus to Los Mochis (the turtles) about 6 days ago, spent a night there, then took the train to Creel. The Copper Canyon is supposed to ¨put the Grand Canyon to shame.¨ But, I didn´t think much of it; probably because my sister and I explored Zion National Park a month ago, with similar canyons as here.

This trip is adventurous and fun, but it´s not about the adventure. It´s about getting away from my life in SD, and looking at my problems and daily life from an outside perspective. I´m here to be alone with God, the read his word thoroughly, and think. Man, I´ve had so much alone time to think during this trip. I think about my friendships with classmates, girls, how to be a better student, future direction, and especially about knowing God more and more.

But I´ve also had quite a few adventures already, including a long hike to hot springs 3 days ago, and a 10 km hike to a really really dumb ¨elephant rock,¨which is definitely a tourist trap. 2 days ago, I sat next to Lake Arereko with 2 new German friends and just hung out all afternoon. I met a nice Christian father and son traveling team that invited me to their house in Montana for skiing in 1.5 weeks. A few nights ago, a mariachi guitar player gave me his guitar to play worship songs in front of the hostel... along with puff the magic dragon.

I´m leaving this remote town of Creel today for the beach city of La Paz. I´ve been in Creel for 5 days now because my costs are $8 for a nice bed, and $5 for food per days. Daily costs can be lower than $20 if I stop eating my expensive bistek (steak) for $9 each.