Apostle Paul's Logic in 2 Corinthians 12

"Therefore, in order to keep me from becoming conceited, I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me. Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. But he said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.' Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong."
- 2 Corinthians 12:7-10


What D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones thinks the apostle's logic was in that passage:

1. Conditions are always changing, therefore I must obviously not be dependent upon conditions.
2. What matters supremely and vitally is my soul and my relationship to God--that is the first thing.
3. God is concerned about me as my Father, and nothing happens to me apart from God. Even the very hairs of my head are all numbered. I must never forget that.
4. God's will and God's ways are a great mystery, but I know that whatever He wills or permits is of necessity for my good.
5. Every situation in life is the unfolding of some manifestation of God's love and goodness. Therefore my business is to look for this peculiar manifestation of God's goodness and kindness and to be prepared for surprises and blessings because 'His ways are not my ways, neither His thoughts my thoughts'. What, for example, is the great lesson that Paul learned in the matter of the thorn in the flesh? It is that; 'When I am weak then am I strong'. Paul was taught through physical weakness this manifestation of God's grace.
6. I must regard circumstances and conditions, not in and of themselves therefore, but as a part of God's dealings with me in the work of perfecting my soul and bringing me to final perfection.
7. Whatever my conditions may be at this present moment they are only temporary, they are only passing, and they can never rob me of the joy and the glory that ultimately await me with Christ.

from Spiritual Depression by D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones
(I highly recommend it for any believers!)

An OT Moment

So most of you guys probably know that I'm studying to become an occupational therapist. What an occupational therapist does... just ask me in person if you want to know (it will take me some time =P)

Anyhow, I totally had an OT moment (better than a Kodak moment) today and wanted to share it! So I work at this academy called Reading Town where I tutor children in English and math either one-to-one or two-on-one. I had this one student in kindergarten for the past few weeks. As I have been learning more about pediatrics at school, I've come to notice that he may have some sensory issues. He puts things like eraser, tissue, his hand, etc. in his mouth constantly and displays some behavioral problems. So being an OT student, I tried some strategies I've seen/learned at fieldwork to help him with his behavior problems. I would make him jump up and down if he was getting really tired/unfocused, then he would BURST up with energy. So definitely this kid has sensory issue and is highly sensory seeking (sorry for all the terminology ionno how else to explain it concisely). Anyhow, so afterwards I was telling my boss about his behaviors and she told me that he had the same issue during the summer session and that his mom is actually planning on getting him evaluated. I tried to explain what the cause of his behaviors may be and when his mom came in, the boss asked me to explain to her what I had explained. So I did. And his mom was telling me that she's been noticing his abnormal behaviors and that has heard from a teacher that he may have sensory issues, but she didn't quite understand why. So I tried to explain to her as much as I can within my scope of knowledge and she nodded saying it makes sense. And at the end of the conversation, she burst in tears in saying that it was reassuring to hear me explain this to her because she just had absolutely no clue before! And of course I teared up a little. She thanked me for letting her know and giving her even a little strategy in giving him some sensory input. And honestly, at first I was hesistant about letting her know because some parents are very sensitive and would rather not hear from others that their kid has a problem. But this lady was so grateful and was planning on taking him to get tested.

And yeahhhhh... It was such a blessing to be able to share the little I know to make someone else feel more at ease, to be used in a way that I didn't think I was capable of. I definitely am so blessed to be pursuing a career that I find passion and love for! Thank God for leading me to this path. Lord, please use me to be a blessing to others as You have blessed me with this wonderful gift.

Justification By Faith

(From October 28 devotional of My Utmost His Highest By Oswald Chambers)

For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of His Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by His life. —Roman 5:10

I am not saved by believing; I realize I am saved by believing. It is not repentance that saves me, repentance is the sign that I realize what God has done in Christ Jesus. The danger is to put the emphasis on the effect instead of on the cause. It is my obedience that puts me right with God, my consecration. Never! I am put right with God because prior to all, Christ died. When I turn to God and by belief accept what God reveals I can accept, instantly the stupendous Atonement of Jesus Christ rushes me into a right relationship with God; and by the supernatural miracle of God’s grace I stand justified, not because I am sorry for my sin, not because I have repented, but because of what Jesus has done. The Spirit of God brings it with a breaking, all-over light, and I know, though I do not know how, that I am saved.

The salvation of God does not stand on human logic, it stands on the sacrificial Death of Jesus. We can be born again because of the Atonement of Our Lord. Sinful men and women can be changed into new creatures, not by their repentance or their belief, but by the marvellous work of God in Christ Jesus which is prior to all experience. The impregnable safety of justification and sanctification is God Himself. We have not to work out these things ourselves; they have been worked out by the Atonement. The supernatural becomes natural by the miracle of God; there is the realization of what Jesus Christ has already done – “It is finished.”

"Come to me..."

How simple that sounds, yet how hard that has been for me! There are so many things I want to fix about myself, and I just realized that I can't. I have tried and tried and I couldn't. But that is exactly why I need Jesus! If I were perfect, I need no savior..

"It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners." - Mark 2:17

Pass Me not, O Gentle Savior

Pass me not, O gentle Savior,
Hear my humble cry;
While on others Thou art calling,
Do not pass me by.

Savior, Savior,
Hear my humble cry,
While on others Thou are calling,
Do not pass me by.

Let me at a throne of mercy
Find a sweet relief;
Kneeling there in deep contrition,
Help my unbelief.

Trusting only in Thy merit,
Would I seek Thy face;
Heal my wounded, broken spirit,
Save me by Thy grace.

Thou the spring of all my comfort,
More than life to me,
Whom have I on earth beside Thee,
Whom in Heav’n but Thee.

White as Snow

From Mammoth last Thanksgiving
I know it's a little fuzzy but FRESH SNOW is SO WHITE!

"Come now, let us reason together, says the LORD:

though your sins are like scarlet,

they shall be as white as snow;

though they are red like crimson,

they shall become like wool.

If you are willing and obedient,

you shall eat the good of the land;

but if you refuse and rebel,

you shall be eaten by the sword;

for the mouth of the LORD has spoken."

- Isaiah 1:18-20

How merciful and gracious is our God!

When His people turned away from Him,

He invites to wash them clean as snow.

He sees no stain on His children,

cleansed by the blood of Jesus Christ.

One of the things God taught me last year...

"Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go." - Joshua 1:9

"내가 네게 명령한 것이 아니냐 강하고 담대하라 두려워하지 말며 놀라지 말라 네가 어디로 가든지 네 하나님 여호와가 너와 함께 하느니라 하시니라" - 여호수아 1:9

With genuine faith in God, nothing should come as a surpise because in the faith lies the truth that all are in His sovereign hands. "Do not be dismayed" turns into 놀라지 말라 in Korean, which I take it as "do not be startled/surprised." This called and still calls for repentance on my part, for not trusting and obeying. Things happen in life, whether it be a traffic ticket or a death of a loved one. But I must remember that He is with me wherever I go...

All by Him

My life started with grace, is sustained by grace, will end in grace.


"In him we live and move and have our being" - Acts 17:28

"In his hand is the life of every living thing and the breath of all mankind." - Job 12:10


I think Matt Redman put it beautifully in this song.


Breathing the Breath
- Matt Redman

We have nothing to give
That didn't first come from Your hands
We have nothing to offer You
Which You did not provide
Every good, perfect gift comes from
Your kind and gracious heart
And all we do is give back to You
What always has been Yours

Lord, we're breathing the breath
That You gave us to breath
To worship You, to worship You
And we're singing these songs
With the very same breath
To worship You, to worship You
Who has given to You
That it should be paid back to him?

Who has given to You
As if You needed anything?
From You, and to You, and through You
Come all things, O Lord
And all we do is give back to You
What always has been Yours

We are breathing the breath
That You gave us to breathe