"Lex orandi, lex credendi, lex vivendi."

This quote by A.B. Simpson in his book, “The Gospel of Healing,” shattered me for a moment here…here is it………

  “The questions of God’s will is also made clear. There is no greater word in Christian ethics than “ought”. It is a word of conscience, or law, of everlasting right. It is a cable that binds both God and man. When God says “ought,” there is no appeal, compromise, no alternative - nothing but an absolute obligation to obey. It does not mean that a thing is possible or permissible or perhaps to be done. It means that is it necessary to be done. Not to do it would be wrong.

  And Christ said to these evil men who would put their petty prejudice before God’s beneficent will and His people’s happiness, “Ought not this woman, being a daughter of Abraham,…be loosed from this bond?” That should settle the question of how God regards our healing.” - p. 92 Testimonies from Scripture (the woman with the spirit of infirmities)  

God’s will is for us to be free from evil, from our pain, and from death. Jesus approved of God’s will and said, yeah God wants you to be healed. I know I’ve def fallen into this foolish thought of, “maybe it’s God’s will for me to suffer.” Not talking about living simply, but to be in pain. I God wants us delivered from it, but a lot of times we get stuck in it and become comfortable. Also being in ministry, we tend to excuse ourselves from our own healing…esp inner healing…as we tend to others. I think one of the hardest things for me to do…still today…is asking for people to pray for me and seeking healing from God. Taking this Divine Healing class and reading books like these…has really opened myself up to engage the saints in asking for prayer. It’s been soooo goooood. 

I hate saying good byes…it’s what I’ve been saying for the last three months. Good bye to Omaha…good bye to Minnesota…and eventually good bye to my family in Wisconsin. There you have it…. journey of a man…seeking God…and carrying his cross. Like my bro Cheufue quoting Bonhoeffer today at church….”When Christ calls a man, he bids him come and die.” Suffering is never too far…but I know that Christ is nearer.

I’ve come to realize that ministry is a lonely road that will take you thru many peaks and of course many valleys. He never promised for comfort…he never promised for safety…but he does promise that he will never leave us or forsake us. That is the only HOPE I surely need.

My time here in MN is closing and I’ll be leaving back to Minnesota tomorrow. It’s been a great experience hanging out with the TC Hmong Alliance Youth…seeing how God is blessing and raising leaders thru my boy, McYoung and his ministries…and to see my man Cheufue grow in his calling. 

Working in construction has been a blessing. I’ve learned a lot in demo’ing rooms and using tools…and being away from the comfortable christian church bubble. Another major blessing was just being able to connect and hang out with my cousin Chris who will be going to college this fall. I grew up babysitting him and watching him grow..and now he’s gonna be a freshmen at U of M Duluth. I’m stoked about what God has fro him. He’s a great kid and God is taking him down a road that will be tough, but i’ll keep praying for the Spirit’s guidance. 

I’ll be going to Wisconsin tomorrow…spending time with my family and friends and head out to  Chicago on thursday with my nephew Patric to spend a night with my buddy Nathan. Last time I’ve had quite the experience with Nathan…trying to help a drunk foreign exchange student back to his room…but i’m hoping for a milder time kicking with him before he gets married in September.

Friday i’m planning to drive out to Akron, OH to spend a night at my buddy, Chenzong’s house. idk what Akron has but..it’s Lebron’s hometown…that’ll be cool to see if he’s in town after the olympics…jk. no but i’m stoked hanging out with him too…he came a little after I graduated but I’ve gotten to know him over the two years out of Crown.

Finally I plan to be out in Nyack by Saturday and be able to settle in. Yeap…that’s the plan…it’ll be my home for the next three years…I know it’ll fly by so i’ll need to make the best out of it. I’ll be living a house with my sister and her family…and another young couple….it’ll be a packed house, but I think I’m gonna need the community. 

God’s opening doors and closing doors..but I know he has plans that are unfathomable. I just need to be confident and know that the Lord is with me. 

Well it’s been about 20 days since I left the great plains of Omaha, NE. A quick review - I packed up my things and headed east thru many unexpected interstate tolls and a suuuper long 8 hr drive to Wheaton College to helping Jake (the worship leader I interned under at HAAC (Hmong American Alliance Church in Maplewood, MN)/Voice teacher/good friend/etc.) with the night services at HLUB (C&MA Hmong Youth Conference). After an awesome week of serving high schoolers/middle schoolers, catching up with old friends, going to Joy Yee’s with Kao, Miles, and OG Dan, I drove north to Stevens Point, WI…(took a quick 2hr snooze at a rest stop too). 

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