Joseph Model- Deaf Ministry

What is Joseph Model?
It is a model of a stanger coming out of prision, out of inaccessibility into an all access. Joseph was the only non-Egyptian who jumped quickly from the prision into a position next to Pharoah, a baddest guy!

Why did this Joseph Model formed?
It was formed because no one is able to satisfy the position with qualifications of a discerning and wise man "to collect the one-fifth of the produce of the land of Egypt in the seven plentiful years". -Gen41.33

Why did Joseph needed to do this thing?
"Because the thing is established by God, and God will shortly bring it to pass". -Gen41.32

Why does this Joseph Model fits the Deaf Minstry so well?
Deaf people have been facing the spiritual famine! What would they do? Of course, they will come to look for the food without expecting to find a Church, a Spiritual Family. They would come to receive the spiritual food and go back to their home to get hungry once again! The cycle continues until they give up. How did this cycle ends? It ended when Joseph revealed his language and identity, welcoming them into their new home! They didn't feel like they have left their home because Joseph is in the authority of the land under Pharoah. Thus they felt as if they dwelt under their own in the land of Egypt.

When did this Joseph Model ends?
It ended when they forgot to honor Joseph, the non-Egyptian. Thus they resumed the inaccessibility for the Israelities. They dwelt under bondage once again. Then God sent Moses to rescue them from the inaccessible Egyptians.

"And this advice was good in the eyes of Pharaoh and in the eyes of all his servants." -Gen41.37

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Use Your Clog Remover

Our tub is flooded! It takes a day and a night of waiting before I could see the water disappear into the drain. Before I take a shower, I cried for the Drano Max Gel. And it came.

How may I help Mr. Drano Max Gel as it works on my bath tub? I may help him by waiting. He simply needed an hour of silence before I may bring a potful of hot water. I had to surrender my desire to shower to earn a clean and effective showering.

In the same way, the Holy Spirit is trying to work in us, removing any clogs in our lives that prevented us from absorbing the Living Water. We often enjoyed being in the presence of the Living Water, but we didn't take time aside to absorb It. We enjoyed the miracles around us, but we didn't take time to see how they impacted and changed our lives or the lives around us. We didn't take our time to absorb the Living Water before the next outpouring came, thus we faced the clogging problem. It forced us to take a step back and call for the Holy Spirit to the work as we wait.

Psalm 46:10 reminded us to stay still as we wait for Him to add more Living Water into our lives. The Holy Spirit is cleaning us from the tough clogs.

Seek and remember the Lord as you wait.

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Be Physically Homeless & Mentally Wealth

My parents once said to me, a young lady, "Come and follow us". As a minor, I had no choice but to follow them all across the city in Riverside, California. We moved from Motel 6 to Motel 6 with our things abandoned in a storage. After three months,when credit card became an issue, we finally moved into a camping ground and planted our tent there. We moved from a campground to campground for two months. Our homelessness ended after one more month of motel 6 after camping thanks to our para-legal attorney who filled out bankruptcy for my dad.

Through that journey, I learned something valuable from a well respected coach. I learned how to possess that mental wealth. Afterall, our coaches probably taught us how it is 90% mentally and 10% physically that get the athletes into the top. In the same way, my coach taught me how live my life to the full when I was homeless with my family.

He took me to the weightlifting room afterschool to train me off-season in plyometrics. We had a short conversation in between short breaks for recovering periods. I shared with him about the move into a campground. He was one of the few who knew about my situation at that time, I trusted him enough to know that he won't panic. So I shared. Do you know what he said to me? He said the only one word that impacted my life drastically, "FUN!!!" At first, I was shook off by it. After few seconds, the bulb lits in my head. I went back home, the campground, with a completely different perspective. After that I began to look forward to being home to talk, hike, bike, read and etc rather than longing for an escape.

In the same way, I believe that Jesus wanted to tell us, "FUN!!!" He wanted us to have a different perspective about giving up the wealth of this world to follow him. That is mentally wealth. And our mentally wealth on the earth shall lead us to possess the eternal wealth.

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Spiritual Seniority

Spiritual seniority occurs within us when we felt as if we have a privileged status owing to length of continuous service. We began to take things easy, reducing our enthusiasm for any God-given challenges. We began to be complacent before the transit and it triggers the danger of temporarily not being at our spiritually best.

When do we face the danger of being spiritually seniority?

We may be in brink of claiming God's yearlong promise, moving into a new family or roommates, enrolling into a new job, college or military, or entering a new level of our spiritual journey when we experienced the spiritual seniority. Afterall we have been in it for so long, we excused ourselves. Enough is enough. But is it? What about our best?

Naturally we are all excited when the new things are tangible. We easily forget to finish hard what we have started with our last kickings. We may aim a step ahead as we are finishing our high school, leaving our old roommates, or leaving our old ways. We began take our assignments easy as we end our schooling. We began to stop communicating with our old roommate as we communicate with our new roommates. We began to stop fighting against something that caused our bad habits as we start a new habit, leaving a room for temptation to reform our bad habits.

With the excitement, I often failed to kick in some areas of my life as well. When I was in high school, I ended my senior year with my first two B's, leaving me with 3.9 GPA on my high school transcript. When I was in college I ended my 1st semester of my senior year with 4 B's and 1 A, leaving me with 3.796 GPA which is only 0.004 away from being a Summa Cum Laude. Surely I don't care about those GPAs, but I certainly care about my spiritual GPA. I want to be in the mountaintop for my spiritual journey.

Get rid of our spiritual seniority. Finish well and start well.

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Empty-Handed, Motorcycle Gone

"If I let these dreams die
I lay down all my wounded pride
If I let these dreams die
Will I find, that letting go lets me come alive?

So empty my hands
Fill up my heart
Capture my mind with You"
-Empty Hands, Tenth Avenue North

One and half years ago, I dedicated myself to the Lord. I told Him that I will surrender everything, but begged Him to let me keep one thing, my new motorcycle. At that time I haven't gotten a motorcycle license and wasn't able to ride it on the road yet. Before Jan 2009, I have been riding it in the parking lots at Gallaudet. Few months later, I finally rode it on the road, even to my internship site at T.C. Williams High School. I looked cool with my baby. Sometime in the summer time, after riding it on road for few months, I finally told the Lord that I am willingly to dedicate it to the Lord.

It doesn't end here! I faced some trails that summer. My car was totalled and a friend broke her 4 ribs in PA when I was on way to NY for DiamondTriathlon (women only) with 2 friends to cheer for me. My motorcycle key was lost twice, so I had to call for same locksmith twice, costing me $205 + $205. I began to get nervous about my motorcycle. I prayed about giving it up. But the people encouraged me, "Great bike!"

Forward 6 months, I attended Beautiful You conference. Lisa Bevere showed off her 250cc Ninja. Inspired by our likeness, I decided to wear tattooed Harley Davidson long sleeve shirt on the next day. This led me to a divine appointment with 2ndtheif motorcycle ministry at Ebenezers service when they saw me wearing this short as I led ASL worship. I was amazed by how God had blessed me through this bike.

Forward a year, more stories had been added to this bike. I'm much more attached to it than I was 2.5 years ago when I told the Lord, "everything, but this bike". I have been telling Him that giving up this bike is the last thing I would do. But God didn't even tell me to give it up. He encouraged me to keep it through the people around me.

It was until last Saturday that I began to realize that it is time. The insurance bill is absurdly $1,064 a year plus oil change plus more, which is almost equal to the bike itself. It's been itching me. I decided to grab a repellant. And decided that selling it is the right thing to do. I felt the peace. It's too late for me to change my mind. It's like I just decided to do the thing and then I realized that God affirmed it. Clever! Now my "but" is no more. Even my license plate is no more! It was stolen right before I sold it, leaving me with no license plate to cherish. It is all sold and all gone.

It was sold to a decent guy, Burton, last night for the very price I asked although I expected it to go down few hundred bucks. He is 29 years old who took a motorcycle class 10 years ago! Boy, he must have been waiting a long time for this. He wanted 2008 Ninja or this, so specific! I told him a lot about my baby, well who wouldn't? I explained him about the key, the body crack, the gas cap, and etc as if I'm a mother who opens her scrapbook about her baby, entrusting him.

He got the title and everything, but the bike remains for one more day. And tonight it will be long gone. Burton is it's new owner and my new friend. We will keep in touch via email, like an open adoption. It's a new experience!

"Being empty-handed and alone frightens the best of men. It also speaks volumes of just how confident they are that God is with them." -A Tale of Three Kings

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Ignore and Continue

David saw that the men did nothing for 40 days before the Philistine who took his stand. Sure he is huge, but nobody did anything to confront the eye sore. Everyone ignored the problem rather than butting it! But not David.

David began to inquire the men around him, "What shall be done for the man who kills the Philistine and takes away the reproach from Israel?" David was merely trying to solve the problem with his question.

His eldest brother felt offended. In his anger, he said, "Why have you come down? And with whom have you left those few sheep in the wilderness? I know your presumption and the evil of your heart, for you have come down to see the battle." Wow David's own brother even bothered to count his sheep and considered it as "few worthless sheep". I don't know about the "wilderness". But I am certainly that his brother exaggerated about David's duty. Or maybe he doesn't understand his duty for he is an army not a shepherd.

Nevertheless David continued to speak in the same way. The men responded in the same way, but the words were repeated among them. They somehow got their way to the king, Saul. So he called for David. They discussed about David's experiences. David mentioned all about how the Lord has helped him. Not his army experiences, but his shepherd experiences when the Lord was his "army". Then Saul said, "Go, and the Lord be with you!"

David ignored his brother's remark about his own resume and continued with the Lord's resume as he kept his integrity. So be it!

Ignore the seen and continue with the unseen.

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Prophetic Friends

A prophetic friend is someone who will utters divinely inspired revelations into your life that will completely changed your life.This kind of change is uneasy. It will cause us to bend our knees before God in our tears. It will cause us to be restless in the Spirit. It will cause us to waste away in our weariness from the inner pressure. All we wanted to do was to escape from it all, but we couldn't. We had to press through the season of change.

A prophetic friend doesn't make you smile in self-glorified and waste away from God. A prophetic friend doesn't make you blame or condemn others, forgetting about ourselves. A prophetic friend doesn't make you complacent so that we shall not move as God moves. But a prophetic friend ignites you to press through a new season, to soar higher above the storms.

What is it like to have a prophetic friend or to be a prophetic friend for someone?

I found it funny that when my prophetic friend pushed me, one may or may not know that it was a revelation from God. So I moved in anguish, telling my friend that it was a prophetic word. One doesn't say that it was the word from the Lord, but I knew. My friend didn't mean to share those prophetic words, but out of one's authentic heart those words came even when one doesn't want to push. It all came out of obedience. Those prophetic friends will always be cherished, I held them close.

It doesn't require us any spiritual formula for us to be a prophetic friend for someone. In fact, sometimes I didn't know that my words were prophetic until I saw my friends move in anguish, praying harder. That made me pray harder as well. I have no control over those prophetic words. But out of my heart they came. I never asked for them. I simply asked God to guide my words and my life even when they are senseless.

David never asked to be a king. Samuel never asked to be a prophet. Esther never asked to be a queen. Moses never asked to be a leader. Deborah never asked to be a judge. Nobody asked to be something different than who they wanted to be. But all they did was loving the Lord with their whole heart.

Maybe you want to be someone who God doesn't want you to be. Maybe you tried to copy the spiritual formula from someone else, but God had the different spiritual formula for you. Maybe you intendly hurt yourself for God when God has given you a cross to take up with Jesus as partners, not without.

We needn't beg Him to allow us to share the prophetic words, but beg Him for a prophetic friend who will push us into the right direction. So that the flow of the Spirit may come in the due season.

Jesus never called himself a prophet, but he shared prophetic words with everyone around him. Go and be healed. Get up and walk. Leave and follow me.

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Delete Your "Can't Do's"

This morning I have been praying about my motorcycle. I recognized that there are many "can't dos". I debated against myself whether keeping my motorcycle is out of my faith or out of my self-confident in my faith. I believe that I have come to the conclusion that I kept it out of my own confident in my faith.

What did I mean by my own confident in my faith? I think it is as confusing as when Abraham learned that he had to "kill" his own confident in his faith. He believed in a promise given from God that he will have a son and so he did! But when God told him to sacrifice his son. He could've said no because Isaac was what God has promised to him. So he could have had his own confident in his faith to refuse. But he decided to get rid of his own confidence in order to obey because he believed that God has a better plan somehow. Maybe He will resurrect his son. Who knows? Well God didn't resurrect his son because He had a better plan. And He saved Isaac from the death under his father's own hand.

A dawn came to me that I don't have to own motorcycle to remain in faith. After I chat with my future roommate on the way to Spiritual Mentoring workshop in Falls Church, VA about the decision I felt the inner peace. Now I think I knew what I had to do. Delete the can't dos. I cannot pay for this. For that. And for those. I can keep on saying "I can't do" or decide to do something about it. Solve the problem. Solution: sell it.

Are you facing any "can't dos"? Delete it somehow. Remove it from your thoughts and let it be filled with "can dos". Or remove something in your life to be able to add something.

Everything is possible with God.

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Break Free

Isaac wanted to bless Esau, but he cannot. So he cleverly reversed a small portion of Jacob's blessing for Esau's sake. Isaac said to him, "Suffer a little and then break free!"

Esau wept to his father Isaac. Esau begged for another blessing. Although Isaac knew that he cannot bless him, he gave Esau the right to break free his yoke. If you read carefully, you will see that Isaac hinted Esau, "By your sword you shall live, and you shall serve your brother; but when you grow restless you shall break his yoke from your neck."

Unfortunately Esau decided to hate Jacob for it rather than thanking his dad for giving him a free pass. He could have served Jacob a little while and then go free. He may triumph over Jacob saying, "Surely, our father had blessed you. But he also blessed me by releasing me from you so that I could also receive a blessing."

In the same way, God gave us all a free pass. It is up to us to choose whether we shall fill ourselves with the bitterness and hatred or allow ourselves to suffer a little and then break free.

Break free!

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A Choice

We all have a choice.

We can identify with the widow who willingly gave her dollar away to follow Him or with the wealthy young man who walked away from following Jesus to keep his earthly possession.
We can stand with the weak, the poor, the hungry and the lame or stand with the proud.
We can hold on to our joy as we boldly face the storms or hold on to our happiness as we take a short cut.
We can maintain our hygiene and health habits to take care of ourselves or maintain our idleness to entertain our carnality.
We can identify ourselves with Joshua and Caleb who boldly believe in God's promise or with 10 spies who didn't believe.

We all have a choice in everything we do. Make a choice today.

"There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way to death." -Prov 14:12

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312 Azusa Revival

The life of William Seymour is unique. He sat alone by the door out of the Bible college classroom. He prayed for 5 hours daily, later he added two more hours. He was one of the few among the many who didn't speak in tongues when the new movement began. Who is he that brought the revival to 312 Azusa Street that lasted for 3 years?

Former slaves gave birth to William Joseph Seymour on May 2, 1870. He lived in a large family that possessed only "one old bedstead, one old chair and one old matress", and he was the eldest sibling. His mother only has a value of 55 cents personal possession. He grew up in different Christian traditions. He left home in Louisana early to flee the poverty. However he later joined the holiness movement and was santcified and called to preach. But he gave up after a severe near-death experience with smallpox, leaving him blinded in one eye and scarred his face. He stopped shaving to cover his scarred face with a beard. Everything went downward for him. But...

Know what?! Something happened in the lowest point of his life. Read on!

In 1905, he heard Pentecostal message for the first time, which ignited him and he began his Bible school under Parham, who was the founder of the Apostolic Faith Movement. All of Parham followers received the Holy Spirit baptism (speaking in tongues), except William. He sat outside the classroom because of the segregation laws. But he travelled with Parham, he preached to the blacks while Parham preached to the whites. Eventually the leaders were suspicious of William for preaching an experience of Holy Spirit Baptism that he had not yet received. That is what those leaders thought. But there is more to it than the inability to speak in tongues and the inexperience itself.

Listen to Seymour tell it: "Before I met Parham, such a hunger to have more of God was in my heart that I prayed for five hours a day for two and a half years. I got to Los Angeles, and there the hunger was not less but more. I prayed, 'God, what can I do?' The Spirit said, 'Pray more.' 'But Lord, I am praying five hours a day now.' I increased my hours of prayer to seven, and prayed in for a year and half more. I prayed to God to give what Parham preached, the real Holy Ghost and fire with tongues with love and power of God like the apostles had."

So while he was in Los Angeles, he moved a church into a home where a breakthough later finally came. When the outpouring came, he preached continuously for three days at the porch toward the people filled into the street. After that he finally received the baptism of power.

They quickly moved into 312 Azusa Street building when they outgrow the home. There the "services at the mission were conducted three times each day at 10AM, noon and 7PM. They often ran together until the entire day became one worship service. This schedule was continued seven days a week for more than three years."

Listen to this: his Holy hunger ignites him to his knees!

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Run the Race

Did we run 1600m or 3200m in high school? Did we run in 1500m, 3000m, 5k (or 5000m), or even 3000m steeplechase in college? Do we really understood what it meant to finish the Hebrew 12 race?

Although some of us did, but none of us ran against billions of runners. Imagine that! We probably ran over some bodies by accident! Sure we did. Stepping upon them as we continued. We bumped into each other by our elbows. We fought.

Let me vividly describe my first championship race experience back then:

Before I began my Track and Field Championships race in southern section, my coach sat down with me to go through the list of runners. He told me to hang out with that crowd not the crowd in the front based on our personal time record. As an inexperience sophmore in high school, I thought I understood. I warmed up, sat on the bench waiting to be checked in, then I entered upon their call. I stood between the correct number order based on the number on our right thigh for 1600m. I heard the gun-explosion after we set our positions as a refree lifted his arm up and I ran among the runners. I cut in strongly toward the curb, elbowing in. As we ended our first lap, I realized that I was among the first crowd. Second lap ended and I was behind the first crowd, running alone. Before the third lap ended, the second crowd passed me. Then I began to kick for the last lap to beat some runners in the second crowd. I kicked hard in the last 100m to beat a runner nearby for a new personal record of 5:53. But it was three seconds off my personal goal. For any races before the championships, the newspaper will print any runners who ran under 5:50, and for this reason it was my personal goal. I was disappointed and yet proud of myself. My coach applauded, but I refused his compliment. I wanted the best.

In the same way, we had to know our crowd of runners to run with. We cannot run with the fastest runners or we will fall below our pace. Nor we can run with the slowest runners or we will not get our personal best time. Do not run alone.

Elbow in!

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Share Our Closet

In our own closet, we may be naked before God. We may dance. We may kneel. Or we may lay prostrate. But in the Church, we sang together in unison. We hold our hands in prayer. We sat to absorb the Words from our preacher. Yet there is a gap between the tiny closet and the bigger Closet.

Paul taught us that we are to be crazy within our little closet. We may wave our hands, crawl all over, or even allow our body parts to move freely in our expression toward God. Paul encouraged us to be decent within the bigger Closet. We share His words to edify one another, pray together to ignite our spirit, or greet one another to form smiles. Yet there is a gap between the tiny closet and the bigger Closet.

Interestingly, Paul also taught us at I Corinthians 14 that our tiny closet are to be shared with unbelievers, "tongues are a sign not for believers but for unbelievers". When our bigger Closet are to be shared with believers, "while prophecy is a sign not for unbelievers but for believers." Don't listen to my comments above. I think I am in an error. But I got to explore into the Words. An idiot is called to be an idioter.

Am I going to invite an unbeliever into my closet? Well, I am willingly to try. If so, then it may be a sucidial attempt. It is just a thought. Thinking without an action.

But we think deeper into His words. We discovered that we are to be matured in our thoughts. Thus, the next verse says that we are to invite unbelievers into our bigger Closet not our tiny closet because they would think we are out of our mind if we crawled and screamed all over the place. Thus no suicidal attempt is needed.

Yet there is a gap between the tiny closet and the bigger Closet. If an unbeliever entered the bigger Closet and received the Christ, then are we here to fill the gap? Yes. What's the gap that we needed to fill? Discipleship-making. How may we disciple a new believer? Take them slowly into our circles, then into our lives, and then into our tiny closet. Take them toward the mountain-top with our mantles on, without killing them.

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Set A Fortune-Telling

"A couple of friends and I began to consider how we could communicate the gospel in the French Quarter. As we looked around at all the tables where people would sit down to have their palms read or fortune told, we decided to get in on the action. So one day we set up a table of our own. Right next to the Voodoo Queen of New Orleans, we put out a table, covered it with a cloth and candles, positioned some chairs in front and behind, and propped up a sign that read "We'll Tell Your Future for Free."
People would come to the table and sit down with curious looks on their faces. "You'll tell me my future?"
"Guaranteed," we would say.
We were tempted to ask them to put out their palms, but we decided that was taking it too far. So we began by asking them a couple of simple questions. These questions were designed to establish the fact that they had sin in their lives so that we could look at them and say, "Your future does not look very good." Then we would begin sharing how their future could change because of Christ's work on the cross." -Radical

At Gallaudet, we once set a booth for "A One-Man Show" comedy night. I waved at a basketball player, drawing his eyes toward the booth as I invited him over. "No, no, that's not me!" He suddenly walked off. Befuddled, I glanced at our flyers on the booth. I saw that the flyers were sponsored by a church and by a campus ministry. I thought, oh no my friend must have seen the "religious" flyers all over the campus. And he must have misunderstood. The comedy night-stand didn't include any short-sermon, it was a pure comedy night.

How may we lure the non-believers?

A lot of them might reject anything that they thought as the "churchy" thing. It is boring. It is a hearing thing. It caused the division within our friend circle. It hurted and rejected our friend. Or one could think that it makes one lame.

I don't know how to lure them, but there is something hidden. Something creative. And something brand new. Treasures are yet to be discovered through prayers, brainstorms, and experiments.

Call People From Graves

"An old preaching professor used to take his students to a cemetery every semester. Standing on the perimeter overlooking scores of headstones, he would ask his students in all sincerity to speak over the graves and call people from the ground to rise up and live. With some embarrassment and an awkward chuckle or two, they would try it. Of course, one by one they would fail. The professor would then look at his students and remind them of a core truth in the gospel: people are spiritually dead, just as those corpses in the cemetry were physically dead, and only words from God can bring them to spiritual life." -Radical

Ask David Platt about that preaching professor and get him to preach at your church. I would love to have a professor like him who would challenge us to experiment with what we can do and cannot do. Through this experiment they saw that they were helpless without God. They also saw that it is harmless to believe and ask. God simply will speak a word and the people ressurected, the mountain moved, and even a donkey spoke.

Crazy people love to hang out with crazies and Crazy-Guy-Up-There!

The disciples were once helpless, "How may we cast out the demons?" Jesus told them, "Your faith is smaller than a mustard seed, but this faith never comes out except by prayer and fasting." -Matt 17:21, the deceased verse for some manuscripts

A dead bird once fell along my path. I spoke in my head, "Get up and fly!" I walked few steps and repeated it. Then several more strides, I glanced behind my back and tried again. This time my eyes were focused upon the deceased and it moved! I was never so sure if it actually moved or if it was the wind. One is never so sure. My faith may be less than a mustard seed. But I believe that I could teach others about it. If William Seymour could teach about speaking in tongues without any experiences then I could! I may be the next preaching professor taking some students to Mt. Olivet cemetery, "Speak over the graves and tell them to get up."

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Try A New Thing

"Yet there shall be a distance between you and it, about 2,000 cubits in length. Do not come near it, in order that you may know the way you shall go, for you have not passed this way before." Josh3:4

You are getting closer and closer, but you got to wait! Joshua discerned that a new thing may come to pass, so he stopped everyone and said, "Consecrate yourselves, for tomorrow the Lord will do wonders among you." They all waited. They all probably expected the old staff trick to do the work! But for us to go through a new door into a new supernatural level, we will need a new key. Just like how we will need a new wineskin to contain a new wine. So they didn't need the old staff trick, but a new way to the similar miracle. So the Lord told Joshua to have the priests bearing the ark to dip their feet into the brink of water. Viola! The water was heaped and the ground was dry! And they went through another adventure! Maybe something worked for you the last time, but didn't work for you now. Let us wait and discern His voice.

The funny thing is that God also did a new way to pour down His awesomeness! He did not let us to venture into a new adventures alone, but He also ventured into His new adventures. With Moses, God came through the strong east wind and allowed it to do the work. But with Joshua, He came through the water and allowed it to stand into a heap. Beautiful elements!

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Life & Ministry Goals

A season of changes is coming into my life this month. I had to reevaluate my life and ministry goals and make some adjustments in order to recreate the flow. With the set boundaries, the Spirit will flow through us. Nehemiah investigated. Job set his prayer routines in the mornings. David walked among the sheep. Daniel recreated his meal plans. Paul changed his travelling companion. Jesus built a team. And Moses delegated his leadership.

Life Goals:
Investigating my life- I saw that I needed to set some boundaries so that the Spirit may continue to flow. I don't believe that I have any bowel problems although I've been having a problem with a bloated stomach and yellow diaherra this past year. I observed that the problem came up before I preach, before I leave for a mission trip, or etc. It may be a spiritual battle, but what I can do to stop it? I need to change my praying, exercising and eating habits. And let God to do the rest.

-Praying: I've decided to pray for an hour in the early mornings like Job did. I simply get up, drink water, and leave to pray til the clock moved a short hand forward. I also consider blogging as part of my prayer life, so I reset my daily blogging into the top of my priorities.
-Exercising: After praying, I will go directly to either exercise or reading. My goal is to exercise at least 3-5 times a week, probably short exercise on weekdays and long exercise on weekends.
-Eating: I created a dinner plan such as listing this: Monday- chicken legs and veggies, Tuesday- sushi, Wednesday- spaghetti, and so on. With a set goal to eat salad once a while for my lunches.

I'm also looking for a new place where the sun will shine through the bedroom window in August. It's time to change my dwelling place as I will roommate with Heather Suhr. I'm excited about some upcoming food shoppings with her, girls' time!

Ministry Goals:
Investigating our ministry- I saw that there are some roles/plans clutter, which may be normal for the 2nd year of ministry. So the roles/plans needed to be laid down to set some structures, yet continues to be flexible enough to allow the Spirit to flow. We may be too spiritual that we hover from the earth or we may be too structured that we froze in one place.

-Deaf Ministry at National Community Church: (1) Finish Leadership 101 closed captioning process to be able to raise up some Deaf leaders this fall. (2) Back out as a small group leader to be able to advocate other leaders as a co-leader. (3) Jumpstart a Deaf/signers group in NCC Alpha at Ebenezers, starting on September 19th and ending on December 6th, as I recruit few interested leaders. If I couldn't find any, then I might have to lead rather than coordinating. (4) Reform Deaf Ministry plans and connections. (5) Run the 2nd annual 5k Java Jog!

-Deaf Campus Ministries Connection: (1) Hoping to create a partnership with Deaf Teen Quest somehow through a meeting this summer. (2) Create a DCMC logo, and maybe a website host site with a domain name. (3) Establish some clear future roles: Camp coordinator, conference coordinator, mission coordinator, events coordinator, etc. (4) Connecting with other campus ministries and college students. (5) Start a prayer and fast on campus, like IHOP, this fall.

-Campus ASL Alpha: (1) Finish the filming and subtitling process, and submit them to AlphaUSA to be reviewed. (2) Restart Campus ASL Alpha at Gallaudet for the fall, which may be followed by a new discipleship plan to be formed by teaming with a new ministry leader, Heather Suhr, from Ohio.

-IgniteASL: (1) Set the 2nd season of filming project to be done within a full week sometime this August to prepare for a fall semester bi-weekly youth Bible teachings in ASL.

By setting those goals and priorities, we have trimmed down our fats. But to build up our muscles, we have to firmly set our prayer/worship time with God.

Mother-N-GMother Dedication

A working ant found the capstone that reads, "Annella Marie is my grandmother's name. Diane Marie is my mother's name. And Kari Marie is my name. This is the generation of Maries, the middle name."

Then the working ant overheard God instructing him, "Say this to the Queen ant and the working ants, 'The Lord, the God of ants' mothers, the God of Annella, the God of Diane, and the God of Kari, has sent me to you.'" (exo3:15)

So he went to the gatherings and said the exo3:15. Then the Queen ant smiled, "I am reminded of the third Marie's sincere faith, a faith that dwelt first in her grandmother the first Marie and her mother the second Marie and now, I am sure, dwells in her as well. For this reason I remind her to fan into the flame the gift of God, which is in her through the laying on of my hands, for God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control." (2timo1:5,6,7)

After the well-known 2timo1 speech, he called all working ants into their tombs. Annella's tomb was empty, so she might have died and resurrected when my mom was 7. So they found Diane and Kari, the two remaining Maries. Since the ants don't have hands, they laid on of teeth. Thus the fan of flame was passed into their skins. They shouted in pain and hopped off in pain. Roll by roll, the linen fell off down the shoulders and up the thighs. They wandered away aimless, together in the tomb no more.

Now I cannot present the baby dedication as the motherless. But I can present the mother dedication. And this is my Mother Dedication because she will wander off aimless. She gave me to God so that I may wander off aimless, so I shall give her to Him too! And my grandmother already wandered off long ago, so here is my belated GMother Dedication for a grandmother whom I've never met.

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The Secret Process of Germination

"Only after your seed has been planted and it goes through the process of germination - the outer shell breaks off, the new growth springs forth - will it blossom and produce more fruit.
If you were to ask the seed, it would say, 'I don't want to be planted. It's lonely in the dirt. It's dark. It's uncomfortable.'
Once in the ground, the seed can't see any light. People walk on top of it. Yet the truth is, it's not buried. It's only planted. When it's underground in that dark time, something supernatural happens. Even packed in tons of soil, the tiny seed cannot be stopped. I can imagine the earth around it, feeling something stirring and confronting that bold seed: 'What do you think you're doing? You can't get out. I'm much more powerful than you.'
'No, no, no, I know a secret,' the seed replies. 'I'm not buried. I'm planted. I may be down right now, but it's temporary. I've got the life of God in me. I've got comeback power. I will rise again.'
Sure enough, one day that little seed breaks the surface of the earth. It smiles and says, "I TOLD YOU [emphasize mine] I was coming out.'
The seed is no longer buried. No longer hidden and alone. No longer are people walking on top of it. It's got a new beginning. New potential is being realized."
-It's Your Time, Joel Osteen

A Messy Saturday!

My hunky motorcycle bursts away its chains. I have forgotten to go though the instruction and tightens my chains after 2ndtheif friends warned me about them. Thus they came out of the place after the Guatemala cookout at Dustin's.

After that, many things also fall out of the place! It's like a dominion effect! Eleasha held my Nicaragua bracklet and my watch, which I later forgot to retrieve them. Laura took care of my "HI MOM" pink hat when I abandoned it outside. Dustin, one of NCC's youth pastors, kept my motorcycle in his garage. I grabbed my bike from my friend, who borrowed it, to be able to make it to NCC Saturday pre-service team prayer time. They were half-way through their talk when I got a big wave from Pastor Mike. Then I rushedly sat in the front without interpreter, but Brian volunteered to sign some words he knows. After this the Saturday service begins. With no time to look at the songs, I led worshipping without any clue. Then I realized that the music stand with the lyric sheets was standing on the stage, which was set for me in a wrong place. So I quickly grabbed it from my chair while Pastor Mike made announcements so the music sheets went flying. Now I got to pick them up, but the guy took care of it before I did. Then the offerings begun before I could hurriedly moved to my favorite seat to grab my backpack and get my check out. But it was too late. I had to sheeplishly put my tithe check back into my backpack and let the dominion effect to end at this point! It is a messy day. But nothing is better than singing "God reigns in us". Nothin' may mess with that song. He continues to reign even through our messy days.

I love those days! It is going to be one of my most memoriable day. Laura biked while I reeved my motorcyle slowly by her on way to Guatemala cookout, we surely had fun! Big guys took care of my baby with their muscles. I sure got a lot of attention from the Ebenezers service team. Soon I will holler my 2ndthief friends to give them an opportunity to lend a hand or two. I believe that it is too good to be true. In all of it, God reigns.

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A Timid Dog Attacked

"The Bible tells us that if we do not give up, we will receive the promise. That should be our stand. But, some of us, as I was feeling today, would rather settle for temporary relief than fight on for ultimate victory. I fully understand that - but never settle for less, when our heart is crying out for more. Never allow the enemies of your life to overtake you. I don't care what your enemies are; debt, lack, sickness, division in your family, or just plain weariness. You have authority over every enemy and you can change the situation -every time - if you will continue to fight.

This reminds me of the mom of our puppies that we had a couple years ago. Her name was Princess, and she had always been a very timid dog. She has never barked to my knowledge and sometimes even cowered in the corner. On the other hand, our male, Dudley, he was small, but thought he was the stuff - he would bark and try to pull Princess around by her leash, he tries to attack much larger dogs - he is all bulldog. One day, as Princess was feeding her babies, Dudley was walking around her, just tantalizing her. She took it for about 15 minutes and then with no warning - she attacked! She didn't growl to warn us - she lunged for Dudley with the most frightening bark I have ever heard. Why did she do that? I can tell you.

We as women were created by God to give birth. This not only applies in the natural but in the spirit as well. We are to birth breakthroughs, to release new beginnings into this earth. When Princess saw that something threatened her new beginnings, her promise she had given birth to - she was no longer timid - she didn't stop and say 'hmmm, perhaps he doesn't really mean them harm' no - she did what her instincts told her to do - she attacked what she perceived to be her enemy. (Men, you give birth spiritually too.)" -From A New Thing Ministries

Joseph Wept & Reassured

'When Joseph's brothers saw that their father was dead, they said, "Perhaps Joseph will hate us, and may actually repay us for all the evil which we did to him." So they sent messengers to Joseph, saying, "Before your father died he commanded, saying, 'Thus you shall say to Joseph: "I beg you, please forgive the trepass of your brothers and their sin; for they did evil to you."' Now, please forgive the trepass of the servants of the God of your father." And Joseph wept when they spoke to him.' -Genesis 50:15-17

It hurted Joseph so much to see that they dwelt in the past. Joseph gave everything to them. Joseph loved them. And yet he perceived that they overlooked his love for them. So he wept. Sometimes we love our friends, family, and co-worker that we would give everything for them. Yet they don't perceive. Our hearts simply felt heavy.

Joseph was pained by the evil schemes. He was pained that their brothers choose to believe in them rather than in Love. He was pained that there is nothing that he could do, until their eyes were opened. What can he do?

All he can do is reassure them, "Don't be afraid, for am I in the place of God? But as for you, you meant evil against me; but God meant it for good, in order to bring it about as it is this day, to save many people alive."

What can we do? Reassure them.

Oceans Will Part

The song was shared. I believed in it. I held it close. Moses smiled. The story was retold through a song. Of a breakthrough and of a miracle. Israel was dishonored, trapped between the abuser and the ocean. But they saw with their natural eyes. They didn't see. They were going to give up. Their thoughts were limited. Even Moses.

They all didn't see it coming, but Moses believed that God shall deliver us. Thus God revealed His plan through Moses. God whispered to Moses, "lift up your staff". The ocean parted, opening the way to His promise. His grace gave them hope. They come.

Oceans will part nations come
At the whisper of Your call
Hope will rise glory shown
In my life Your will be done

God didn't part the oceans when we are not trapped. The enemies were not being destroyed until we were trapped. And the miracles occured before we were trapped. The pillar of cloud and fire guided us through the day and the night. Then it went behind us to tarry the enemies until we get closer to the trap.

Things may keep getting worse in our natural eyes. We may have a relationship problem, a health problem, an addiction problem or even a financial problem. Remember to keep your eyes on our unseen God and believe that with God all things will get better. That the oceans will part.

Gallaudet Chapel

I have been praying that my body alarm will resume. It had been disfunctional for a while. But this morning I woke up at 4:30 or so. Sleep. Alarm went off at 5:21. Sleep. Then I woke up around 5:30. Watched Children story to kill the time. Then I headed for the Chapel at 5:55.

I entered the Chapel at 6 sharp after seeing only 2 people eating their breakfast at marketplace. Dark. A door open. Two flyers on different chairs.

What should I do here? A bit spooky. Okay. I had to explore and settle. The opened door led me to a room full of catholic stuff. Robe. Candles. Many Mary. And wine in the refridgeator, among grape juice and bread. Lights down and closed door. Okay. Here is Koinonia Logos devotional. Preached the passage. Okay. Here is Galaxy S phone with Bible plan apps. Preached Genesis 46 & 47. Now I am an idiot. Okay. Checking the flyers. Oh I know this guy, awarded for demonstrate the proper values on campus. Um...okay. Prayed over each chairs. Now I'm really an idiot! Now the room wasn't spooky at all, but I am! Said good bye to the Chapel at 7 a.m. Ciao!

Bible Reading Marathon must have the effect! Well the spooky John the Baptist probably preached to the locusts! I guess we cannot escape the spookies. But I sure can grab a short run. Here I go!

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Unclarified Roles

Do we need to clarify our roles? Nah, we can play together like a teammate. It's just like "Don't try to create the game, but let the game flow" and hang it cool! -MYTH

In my senior year, our team had a practice at the end of the season. I was the captain of the team and as we practiced, I corrected a player for her fundamental basketball moves. A cat came out unexpectantly. She growls. I squirted the water gun, but she hissed. So I backed out. White haired coach was left with bewilderment when I walked off the court for the first time. Later, I somehow returned with controlled eyes. Another coach, who knew the factors of my life situations, acknowledgedly allowed me to sit out and watch.

After the practice we had a brief meeting. I probably talked with my coach prior to this meeting or so. I told him that the roles aren't being clarified because she rejected my correction. So we talked about my role. My coach told her that he expected me to aid him in correcting the players' fundamentals and that he considered me as his assistant coach in the practices. We understood. After that, she began to be more appreciative and the problem didn't come up again.

What was the real problem? Unclarified roles was. Maybe your co-workers didn't spread out the tasks. Maybe your roommates refused to purchase toilet paper due to the unfairness. Or maybe your family refused to wash dishes due to the confusion. And if that tension continues due to the unclarified roles. Then maybe you have to make a suggestion, "Can we meet to clarify our roles?"

List them out.

Bible Reading Marathon at Capitol

International Bible Reading Association just presented us an opportunity to become part of consecutive 90 hours of Bible reading all the way from Genesis to Revelation. The reading begins at 6 p.m. (EDT) on May 1st and continues to May 5th at noon. Each volunteers may read for 15 minutes to more than an hour at the Capitol steps.

I believe that I started somewhere in Numbers chapter 14 for I recalled signing, "But my servant Caleb, because he has a different spirit in him..." This statement has helped me to retrace where I had begun. And I must have ended somewhere in the end of 29th chapter for it repeats, "one bullock, one ram, and seven lambs." As I neared the end of my hour, the lady stood behind me waiting with her Bible open. So I guided her as I point the verses as I sign with one hand, so that she may know how to take over as I step aside without pausing. It was simply awesome! I think I presented those chapters to thousands of angels and souls. And I wasn't nervous, not even a bit.

After less than an hour and half of reading, I pondered about the rate of speaking and signing. Did I slowed down the process or sped up the process with my signing? To cut my thoughts, I googled. The studies show that signing conveys information at the same rate as speaking. For this reason, I am equally qualified in timely manner as theirs and they as mine. Yet I think about timing my pastor as he/she reads the specific passage within the Bible and then compare. Can anyone resist a case study?

If you would like to join a Bible Reading Marathon next year, then mark it on your 2012 calendar! You could even bring a youth group to have teens read it out aloud in turns for 15 minutes each.