Hope

“While optimism makes us live as if someday soon things will soon go better for us, hope frees us from the need to predict the future and allows us to live in the present, with the deep trust that God will never leave us alone but will fulfill the deepest desires of our heart... Joy in this perspective is the fruit of hope.”

― Henri J.M. Nouwen, Here and Now: Living in the Spirit

I believe we live in a generation where optimism controls our hearts and our faith is not focused on God's promise but the results of the future to come. I've been thinking about the word hope, and what do I hope for in this life? Hope is a state of anticipation, and it is crucial for healthy human existence, and it is a really important concept in the Bible. I understand one of the Hebrew words for hope is "qavah," which means to wait for a tense expectation. Like a farmer who plants vines in the field and waits for good grapes. I often am hopeful for the next big thing in my life to come, and then I move on to the next big thing to hope for. When I was in school, my biggest hope was to graduate and get an excellent job. After I completed what I hope for in college, I hope to get married (which I'm soon to be!!) and one day start a family. All of these events in my life are good stuff the Lord created for me but is that my ultimate treasure I should hope for? Jesus has explained the real prize is the kingdom of God (Matthew 13:44-46). Our relationship with Jesus, believing he is the LORD, is the ultimate treasure. God came to our world to restore his people that the prophets hoped to come but could not witness it. By the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus, we have a new hope that comes from grace. This grace by Jesus (our living hope) transforms us to be reborn into a new and different kind of humans God created us to be (1 Peter 1:3). 

As followers of Jesus, we are at the already but not yet. We still have to deal with sin that is in the world, but we wait patiently for the one God who loves us will come back and restore his creation the way it was meant to be created. My ultimate hope is to be with Jesus where there will be no more earthly things to rule our hearts. No more sin, cancer, covid, murder, corrupt politicians, social injustices, rape, slavery, and money. I love and need of reminding myself this imagery the author John from Revelation saw of this new heaven and earth is to come. Pray with me as we wait hopefully for Jesus' return.

Then I saw “a new heaven and a new earth,” for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. ‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death’ or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.”

January Updates!

At the start of the spring semester, we planned a game hangout outside the campus courtyard in Plano. SO MANY students came and wanted to hangout after class and later join in CORE groups.

This is Jonathan. Jonathan is a new international student at Collin and moved from Malawi to live with his extended family in America. This has been an answered prayer! Since the winter break, I've asked God to connect me with a foriegn student to befriend and share the gospel with. He is a very deep thinker and a kind friend to hang out with. His presence reminds me of my best friend who also grew up in the same homeland as Jonathan. Truly a blessing to know him.

This is my buddy, Kolton. I met Kolton a few years ago at CTF Wylie when he was a junior in high school. We studied Focus On Jesus (F.O.J) together. Through the past ten weeks, I've become a witness to his discovery of who God is to him and what his purpose in life is. He plans to get baptize and commit his life to Jesus! Praise God!

We're getting close to getting married!!! It's so exciting and in much anticipating for this wedding to come! I look forward to be spending the rest of my life with this amazing woman. Engagement photos soon to come.

A couple of guys from the ministry met up at IKEA and we played an alphabet scavenger hunt game. The goal is to find an item that starts with the letter A and go to Z. If you never been to IKEA the store is originated from Sweeden. 

Two of my guys from the Central Park Campus participating in our TNF replacement, "Deep Dive".

This semester both of my core guys are going over the whole letter of Mark. My vision is for my guys to dig deeper and seek Jesus from their point of view. A number of them have read a few pages of the gospel but have not read the whole book! If are followers of Jesus, we have to understand his true mission and purpose.