I had a good conversation with a student today at dinner. He was talking about the Olympics and mentioned the Beijing Olympic slogan of “One world, One dream”. I asked him what the world’s one dream was. We talked for quite a while and he told me that I have a lot of wisdom. I told him the source of all my wisdom.

I have one prayer request: please pray that I have a good attitude about things. God reminded me that every moment is a choice. Everything that happens to me I have a choice on how to respond to it. Please pray that I will choose to have a positive attitude. Thanks!!!

I would really appreciate your prayer as I try to determine what God wants me to do in the future. In addition to teaching English, I also do freelance work to supplement my income. I just completed work with a client and I’m trying to decide what to do next. Should I seek out another project or go back to school? I’ve been wanting to get a master’s degree as I feel the education would be helpful with future ministry. I’m also thinking that it would be good to complete a significant portion of schooling before I get married. However, I’m not crazy about suspending / scaling back my freelancing work and spending a lot of money in education right before marriage.

The second area that I need direction in is what to do after my time serving in T.I.P. I’m planning on coming back next year but probably not for a third year. I want to say in the ministry and I think I want to stay in a Mandarin-speaking country. Please pray that God would direct me to a ministry and that I would know which one He wants to serve in.

Thanks so much for your prayers!

On an unrelated note, I found a Java-based Bible software that I can run on my phone. So now, I can have the Bible wherever I go!

I saw this pin today and I agree with it completely. Sarcasm is definite a survival skill here in China.

Sunday’s sermon was really good! The passage was on John 14:1-3:

Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me.In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I cam, there ye may be also.

Jesus had just dropped a bomb on the disciples by telling them that he was going away. However, he also told them that he was going to prepare a place for them. I have heard this many times. However, I always assumed that the places would all look the same and be same. However, I began thinking, with the diversity of people, each person unique and different, why would God create our places all the same?

God is creating a place for us. However, he is creating a special place with us in mind. Every place will be different and unique, just for us!

I just got an idea for a book! After finals, hopefully I will have some time to start writing.

I’ve wanted to write a book for quite a while. However, it has been centered around fiction. I enjoy reading and have often been intrigued with the possibility of writing a novel. I’ve started countless ideas, but they usually end up in some dead end where my characters are rather unbelievable and the plot even more so. So, I put the ideas away until I see something that sparks my imagination which I attempt to work into my plot, but nevertheless it results in yet another paradox which I am unable to resolve.

However, I got an idea for a non-fiction book, which I am really excited about. I watched a video on youtube presented by an atheist and septic. He didn’t present any arguments against Christianity, but rather demonstrated how he, as an atheist, was able to convince people that there was a God by playing on their emotions and manipulating them psychologically. This really opened my eyes and revealed to me the problems in today’s church and our society as a whole.

In this sensationalist and individualist society, feelings are valued very highly and are often taken advantage of. When people in the Church are asked how they know God exists, they often respond by referencing a feeling. In addition, people today widely accept debunct theories such a global warming and evolution which uses shady evidence at best and contrived stories at worst. They accept such things due to feelings of peer pressure and intimidation from scholars. However, people simply do not research and find out facts for themselves. Rather they allow themselves to be manipulated by others.

It is a ironic that in this individualist society we are allowing our minds and emotions to be controlled by others instead of seeking out truth for ourselves.

They book that I plan on writing will be dealing with these issues and strive to motivate Christians and non-Christians alike to roll up their sleeves and find out the facts for themselves, instead of checking their minds in a the door.

NOTE: Obviously there might be some flaws in the logic that I’m using in this entry. Once I write this out formally, it will be given much more thought. 2AM is not condusive to thinking

I’m thinking about titling the book “Trusting Echos”