Life After God

"My secret is that I NEED GOD-that I am sick and can no longer make it alone. I need God because I no longer seem to be capable of giving; to help me be kind as I no longer seem capable of kindness; to help me love, as I seem beyond being able to love." Douglas Coupland, Life After God.

Hello pilgrims and friends. You are my ever present reminders of God in my life. Thank you for your words that reach to me in so many ways.

A highlight this week for me was lunch with Syracuse Professor of Economics Dr. David Richardson. As he shared his encouragement for me to cultivate this new identity away from ministry. I was moved that he would pour into my life without any agenda apart from offering time as we shared a meal and our hearts. He reminded me of the Pauline enfranchisement that encourage and honor a younger Timothy(I Timothy 4:12). I pray we continue to build our relationship together.

I wanted to give a special birthday wish to my beautiful wife Jamie Ong who did wonderfully as she participated as a Hydrology "Expert" in a mock trial. She was wonderfully brilliant as she spoke about well meters and other "hydrology" stuff. Special thanks to Chi, Jenny, Lawrence and Melanie who came from NYC to Syracuse to surprise her for her birthday.

Jamie reminded me this week of the purpose God has for me in Syracuse. This week I was reminded of the position of ministry I had in NYC was orchestrated by Him. It is His. His. His only. Not mine. God did not have to choose me to do the work where I was able to experience so much of His power. It was His invitation. It was His mercy that made a simple ragamuffin of faith into such an instrument.

I am reminded of His Lordship...He gives and takes away...and to this...I am reminded, that He too left home where seraphims and angels adored and worshipped Him to arrive here among us for the greatest pursuit of us....to really suffer the emptying of His glory so He can fulfill the painful and wondrous work of the Father. So, I pray that I am reminded of this...that I am here...and I am called to pursue God and pursue people. Nothing else matters...

Despite the initial resistance and the resistance for me to enter in...I have taken a tentative step to serve this summer with the Syracuse Alliance Church as I have been asked to partner with some of the youth workers and prepare summer activity with the youth. I will be coordinating several prayer walks with the workers, parents and youth. At the end of the summer I hope to coordinate an evangelistic youth outreach. After the summer I am praying to see where I will as I am exploring other possibilities of ministry in Syracuse. Pray for my service to this community. I really see God's commitment and His heart for the church...may I serve this team out of a reverence towards God.

Asian American Laity Project
The Prayer Letter went out to my closest friends and I am hoping that they will account for half of the funding for the launch of the PaLM Asian American Laity Project. I just found out that Asian American Ministry bloggers DJ Chuang and David Park will be coming to Eastern Chinese Bible Conference to participate with us on a Roundtable discussion regarding Asian American leadership and Laity formation. Thank God for this new development and may it be a springboard for the project and also for us to talk about some strategy for this ministry. The reality is that despite all these developments, I need to find the funding and I have to be diligent in the next three months to come up with the funding for this project.

The Journey of a Servant Website is 85% completed and will be up soon. It is one week behind schedule but I pray that it will be an opportunity for me to promote the Asian American Laity Project and a forum for Asian American Christians to discuss some of the important issues surrounding leadership and serving in an emerging and ever-changing culture.

Refl3ctions 3
The planning for the third Refl3ctions Asian American youth outreach event is in the works and we are planning for June 17th as the date for the outreach. Pray for our planning as we are inviting a speaker and have confirmed a special music guest. Pray for finances and for the support of the local churches as the youth come take this event as a way of reaching their friends!

OneHouse
I have been invited to speak for One House, (here is a flyer from last year's OneHouse event) this second annual event in September. The evening is focused on a profound mission of Christian unity and social justice. These are two of my passions on this journey. Pray that I be filled with the indwelling of the Spirit as I speak to my brothers and sisters. I will come up with a theme and talking point this week.

Hofstra New York Summer Conference
I have come up with the overall outlines for my talks at this year's New York Summer Conference Youth Track. I am so excited that I have this opportunity. As I am preparing for this conference. It is the largest Chinese conference in the states! Pray for preparation and for a deep meditation of the words that I will be sharing.

Teen Eastern Chinese Bible Conference
TECBC is less than three weeks away and I am so looking forward to spending Memorial Day weekend with these lovely little ones. I will be doing a workshop on preparing for College. I will be reunited with so many of the teens who I have seen grown. Pray for the speaker, leaders, the coordinators and for the youth who are coming as God prepares another generation of believers to be transformed by the hearing of the word.

Jesus Day
I just received a call from the coordinators for the Jesus Day in Brooklyn Technical High School and they ran into to some scheduling snags, I am not sure if I will be speaking there next week. But I might come to speak for Stuvesant High School if this falls through. Pray for the planning go according with His perfect will.

Misc
Pray for my friends' who have parents who are undergoing chemo therapy...for their families...that in the midst of these tears, there is comfort...and hope.

Pray for Jamie as she wraps up her studies and heads into the summer with an internship at beautiful Skateatenales for water treatment. Pray for our summer in Syracuse filled with nourishment from our marriage and worship of Him.

Pray for all our friends getting hitched! Special love to Duncan and Jennifer, Timothy and Heather, Hungy and Lillian and Harvey and Amy, of course to all the newlyweds! Blessings!