Oh Korea!

Hello friends!

I'm writing this from a really neat cafe in Yong-In, South Korea!

"Caffe D'ate: Roasting Coffee and Dessert"

Artsy-retro decor

Anyway, it's a super cute place. EVERYTHING in Korea is really cute. Appearance is very important here: people, gifts, packaging, architecture, decor, etc.  

This has been such an example to me of how giftings from God are so wonderful when they are redeemed and properly understood, and so devastating when they aren't. 

Koreans have a gift for making things beautiful and welcoming and perfect. Even their take-out food is wrapped beautifully... almost to the point where I don't want to eat the food and destroy the wrapping.... almost. ;)

They have really got a knack for creativity and creating beauty.

However, the other side of this is that they feel the need to be physically "perfect." In Korea, there is one standard for beauty: thin faces, big eyes, defined chins and cheek bones and noses, and a thin body. If you don't look like that, you're ugly and you need plastic surgery. 

Plastic surgery is huge over here... many parents pay for plastic surgery for their kids as a gift when they graduate from high school. Most people in America try to hide it if they get plastic surgery, but here it's pretty normal and people don't even try to hide it anymore. No one thinks it's wrong. 

I taught on Identity this past week, and it was interesting to hear feedback from the kids. One of the main points I make in the teaching is that our identity doesn't come from what we look like. Our worth doesn't come from our appearance. God created us with care and fashioned us individually, and He doesn't make mistakes... So how does that affect our thoughts about our appearance? What about plastic surgery? 

We asked God to come and give us new perspective, and it was so amazing to hear what He had to say to each individual student and it was encouraging to actually see the difference in how students carried themselves once they had a revelation of how God sees them and an understanding of their value apart from what they look like, what they do, what they have, their mistakes, etc. 

That despite all of these things (or lack of these things), the God of the universe loved them enough to freely give that which was most dear to Him: His only Son. 

What a mighty God we serve! He is so loving and kind!

And I am so blessed and encouraged each day as I get to see Him work in my own life and in the lives of others. What a privilege! :)

This is Kristin. Isn't she beautiful??
When she first came to the camp, she would barely look anyone in the eye. Her hair always covered at least half of her face, and she almost never smiled.
She has grown up hearing that she is ugly, stupid, and will never amount to anything.
This past week I had the opportunity to tell her everyday that she is beautiful, created with great care, and has incredible value.
In the grand scheme of things, it seems like a really small thing. But God has specific plans for the little girl's life, and it begins with her gaining an understanding of her value. That she really does matter, and she is not forgotten. She is not "less than." She is a daughter of the King!
By the end of the camp, Kristin was laughing and smiling with all of us. She had her hair out of her face, and she even walked differently. When I would tell her she is beautiful, she finally said "Thank you" instead of "No, I am very ugly."
God has begun such a work in her heart and her mind! Praise Jesus!

Please pray that this would continue! Pray that God would continue to meet Kristin while she's at home, and that as we continue God's work in Korea, He would be faithful to meet with His kids and change their hearts and minds.

Thanks guys! Love y'all! :)

Learning...

A piece of truth for thought:

God has not asked me to be self-sufficient.

Let that sink in.


God created us for relationship. Healthy relationships are both giving and receiving, which sometimes means being vulnerable with others about our needs. 

Which, for me, is actually pretty difficult.

For some reason, I have been under the impression that in order to receive, I must give. Over the past few days, I have been learning through so many not-so-fun circumstances that this just isn't the case. 

When I see other people struggling, I want to help. Not because I want something from them, but because I see their need and something in me wants to do what I can to make it better. 

"It is more blessed to give than to receive." (Acts 20:35)

And I feel super joyful and encouraged to be able to help other people do what they could not do themselves. 

But when I ask other people for help, I usually think that I am inconveniencing them and being a burden. 

What a binding lie!

We were never expected to be self-sufficient people, and if I don't allow others to help me I am putting myself on a pedestal, waiting to fall. 

It is okay that I can't do everything. It's okay that I don't know everything. And it is completely okay to ask other people to help me in situations like that. 

I don't need to earn it. I don't need to do something in return.
I can simply receive with gratitude and pay it forward.

"This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you." (John 15:12)

Jesus loves me/helps me/stands by me so that I can love/help/stand by others. He is the beginning of paying it forward. 
He helps us out of our junk and out of our selfishness by being selfless, which catches us offguard. It's hard to comprehend because it's so beyond our way of thinking.

"For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord." (Isaiah 55:9)

My natural inclination is that I have to earn love/trust/favor/acceptance/grace. But when I come to God with that reasoning, I'm saying that what was done on the cross wasn't sufficient for me. That I don't need Jesus; I'm going to prove myself. 

"Jesus said to him, 'I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.'" (John 14:6)

If I'm trying to come to God by way of my own righteousness, I'm not going to make it. I won't even come close. Jesus is the only way.

Praise God, because I am pretty awful sometimes. :)


So today, as my car is being towed, I am realizing that I have a lot of really awesome people around me who are more than happy to help me and wanting to get past my stone wall of self-reliance. 
I have been offered rides into town, use of vehicles, help with fixing problems, and it's really been humbling. But...

"...We know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them." (Romans 8:28)

I am so thankful for the lessons that I'm learning. It's proof to me that God hasn't forgotten me and that he is so involved in every detail of my life. :)

People Blessings

I have some thoughts. 


I went to see the movie Battleship the other day, and it was really good! Of course, I would recommend The Avengers first any day, but Battleship was right up there. It was filled with intensity, action, just the right amount of drama...


It really stirred up a fighting spirit in me. I wanted to go out and join the Navy.


But seriously. This is what hit me the hardest. The main character is this self-absorbed dude that hasn't learned to be a mature leader and hasn't learned the value of other people. Near the beginning, he knocks the older techniques and battleships, saying they're like dinosaurs...
So there's a point in the movie where leadership of the group defaults to him. All of their ships are done for, and they're out of options. He has a change of perspective and realizes that their only chance is to go with the old-school way... bringing out the classic battleship and very humbly asking the veterans to honor them by fighting alongside and manning the ship with them. 
In that moment, the two previously-distanced generations join together, locking shields, united under a common goal. There is no judgment or in-fighting; they are joined together, fighting to save the world. 
And they succeed! 
And at that point (through my tears) I realized: This is the heart of God! 
We have such a wealth of wisdom and knowledge, greying and growing slower just within our reach. Our motto should never be "Out with the old, in with the new." These are people who know about life and have a rich history with God, full of His faithfulness and salted with His character. What a privilege it is to move from that foundation, to glean from the stories. 
We might be more tech-saavy, stronger, more in-tune with culture. But we've only just begun. They're closing in on the finish line. 


Lately, I've been so moved with gratefulness that God would give me such wonderful grandparents. They've paved the way for the generations to come with their walk with God and their obedience and love for Him. 


It stirred in me a desire to pray for them, as their precious lives are nearing to a close. That God would continue to draw near to them and bless them. That His face would continue to shine on them. That He would always be their source of life. That he would ease their ailments, physical and otherwise. 


And that as they look at their posterity, their gift from God, they would be pleased. That they would be overwhelmed by God's goodness and the way he fulfills His promises.


Pray for your grandparents! If it wasn't for them, you wouldn't be here! :)


Love y'all!


Stine

Ah, the power of baking soda...

So I've recently been using baking soda. For just about everything. :)

Maybe that's weird... but it's natural. 

Like, in place of shampoo. My hair feels so much more... clean! And healthy. like, naturally healthy. And it doesn't get greasy nearly as fast. 

And in place of face wash. My face feels clean, it's a naturally abrasive, and it doesn't super dry out my skin. I haven't really even been needing to use face lotion that much.

I mean, we'll see. Maybe I'll change my mind. But it's going well so far... :)

I'm not who I was...

Hey friends! 


God is so good... did you know? :)


One and a half years ago He brought me here to Texas and started transforming my life, one day at a time. 


And He brought me some really stellar friends. :)


One of which surprised me with a little something to hang on my wall! :) 

Left side(top 2)- DTS pics; Right(top 2)- SOE pics

Bottom Left: Love feast 11/2011

Bottom Right: Meganne's Rehearsal Dinner 3/2012

Tuesday morning...

Hello party people! :)


I have a new/old roommate! :) Once upon a time in DTS, me and Sarah were roommates... and now we're on staff, and we're roommates again! :) So fun! I've really enjoyed having her around again!

Me and Sarah in DTS :)

We also have a special fan in our room... for some reason, it won't ever point where we want it to point. It has an unnatural affinity to the ceiling...

In other news, my office-mate has been partying it up with VBS stuff for the past two days. She's the fun one around here I guess... :) 

Kathryn and the VBS opossum...

And! My good friend Meganne is back today from her honeymoon! I missed that girl!!! :)

Angie, McKenna, Meganne, Kaleigh, Me, and Juni :)

That's all for today I guess... have a good one, and be blessed! :)

Justine

Weddings are beautiful...

Hello Friends!


After getting back from 5 crazy awesome days in Houston, tying up loose ends, and repacking my bag, I drove back down to Houston for the wedding of one of my best friends! It was such a privilege to be part of such a special day :)

(Me, Juni, Angie, Meg)

We did a lot of shopping! Shopping= happy girls :)

(Angie, Juni, and Me)

We ate a lot of delicious food and got to hang out with Meganne's crazy-awesome family... I love them! :)

Meganne's mom even paid for all of us girls to get our nails done... that was a super neat blessing! :)

Angie and me helping Meganne pick out the perfect dress for her rehearsal dinner.. :)

Me with the beautiful bride at the rehearsal dinner :)

My first time wearing makeup in a really long time... :)

And I did Meganne's hair! Thank you Jesus for helping me not mess it up! haha :)

I walked with a nice guy named Joseph.

Me, Juni, McKenna, Angie, and Kaleigh... The bridesmaids :)

Chilling at the reception :)

(Me, Angie, Juni, Kaleigh,and Macarena)

Celebrating a successful week of celebrating, wedding preparation, shopping, rehearsal dinner, wedding, reception, and send off... whew! :)

Our trek home... my car decided not to start after we stopped for lunch (one hour into the 4 hour trip...). I called my wonderful dad and he walked me through fixing the problem. He's the best! :)

Meganne's mom and sister decided to decorate my car before we left! :) I loved it... so sweet!

All in all, it was a really fun time. I got to spend quality time with some of my best friends in the world, from all over the world. :)

And even though we're all totally different (different backgrounds, different personalities, different work styles, different preferences, etc), we all love Jesus and we love Meganne, so we worked together and had fun together. And by the end of it all, Meganne's family members were trying to convince us to come and live with them. :) haha. 

Anyway, I had a blast. I am so thankful that Jesus lets me travel so much and have such awesome friends. 

I am so blessed. :)