Tuesday, February 12, 2008

Pod-Casts and links

I've been listening to pod-casts for a few weeks now. Mostly, I'm listening to sermons on topics I'm interested in or teaching. Now I'm on one! How humiliating. So, here are three links:

1) Pastor Enoch Liao on "Good Suffering"-- I'm listening to this now. This is the pastor of my congregation in Chinatown with a reminder of how you apply the gospel in your life to times when you suffer so that you can do anything as you follow Jesus, even if it's hard. I have the blessing of hearing good preaching almost every week.

2) Me on Project Destiny-- a presentation on the community directed ministry I'll be helping to lead this summer. This is more of an advertisement for prospective counselors, but it sort of gives an idea of the burdens behind the program that consumes my life and the lives of my co-laborers almost every summer.

3) www.project-destiny.com -- the web site for PD that includes information and recruiting materials. If you are interested in serving as a counselor for Boston's Chinatown youth and sharing Christ with them, look here.

Change is in the Air... again

I was just looking at pictures of my friend's new baby girl. It's surreal seeing him holding her-- head small enough to fit one of his hands. My friend is a video gamer-- he spends a lot of time playing World of Warcraft; but his life is about to be changed in a huge way. When things change, people get stressed about it. This reminds us, however, that while change can be stressful, that doesn't mean it's bad. As a matter of fact, they've been looking forward to this stressful change for a while now.


I wonder what life will be like in five years. Already, things are a lot different than what I pictured two years ago. Seminary? It thought I would be a teacher for life! Moving out of Chinatown? I wanted to live in this neighborhood for good and never move out. Now, I've tentatively set a move-out week for June. Yep... it's funny the unexpected turns life can take when you decide not to take control. Sure, it's possible to plan out what you want to do with your life and go hard after it, ignoring things like God tugging at your heart ; but like an unexpected baby that comes your way, the things you never asked for, but which God does want for you, are far better than anything you can come up with on your own. So-- how long will I live away from Boston? What kind of job will I take? How will I be as a student? And what would it be like to have my life changed like my video-gaming friend? I'm not really sure... I just wonder.

Tonight, we had our final meeting of the Chinatown Public Library Study before the public presentation. We've narrowed the focus down to 4 sites (Parcel P12, Parcel A, Chinatown Gateway, Tufts Parking Lot on Hudson). After the meeting, I got to talk to a woman named Marie, from the residents' association. She was telling me about the importance of younger community members being active so that associations and councils could continue to be relevant to the changing needs of the neighborhood. I'll attend one of their meetings tomorrow to see what they're talking about and to meet people

Other stuff:
1) I'm still awaiting word from Gordon-Conwell. All my applications, financial aid forms, and taxes have been filed... just...waiting...
2) I'll be leading a small group of 8 ninth graders this weekend at our youth group's winter retreat! Please pray for me to have energy, enough sleep, love, and wisdom to know how to minister to them. Also, pray that the gospel would work its way into their lives as a result of this coming weekend.