Tenants

It's amazing how much God has done for my relatives, particularly my mother's brother's family.

It was awesome to Facetime with them again this morning and I found out a big prayer of theirs (and ours) had been answered.  It's kind of a popular (may not be the right word) thing in China now to own 2 apartments.  One to live in and one completely furnished to rent out (logically, that doesn't work, but anyways).  My uncle bought such a second apartment about 6-7 months ago and we'd been praying for a tenant to quickly rent it.  Month after month, no one did; not many people even came to see it.

I will admit, even when I was often reminded to pray for them, I didn't, not even a short 30-second prayer, let alone pray for them everyday.  I'd only remember when we called them or when we had family prayer time.

But God is faithful, even when we are not (2 Timothy 2:13) and last week, my uncle finally rented it out to a tenant!! HALLELUJAH!!  Now that's off our shoulders and my relatives once again see how God provides.

I like reminders that when we ask, we receive.  God is good.

~CJ

losing things...

So the title doesn't really make sense, but I was never a good title-maker...

I don't lose things that frequently... ok, maybe that's a little too relative, but I don't lose things as often as the other females in my family :P .

However, if I do lose something... here comes "terrific" (as in terrifying) frenzy.

I look EVERYWHERE for that one object... notebook, nail clipper, guitar pick, special eraser, ... occasionally my cellphone or permit, etc., whatever.  It's awful.  I look in every place possible... even the places impossible.  At least, that's what it feels like.  And it often happens when I most need it (of course, that's because you only find out when you need it).

And I've noticed, my problem with losing the object wasn't as big a deal as getting upset about HOW it got lost.  I would always try to figure out who was the culprit of misplacing my necessity, why did they misplace it, and of course, where did they misplace it.  Sometimes, I made the mistake and sometimes others and sometimes no reason could be found for its disappearance or misplacement.  Regardless, I got upset.

Honestly and shamefully, I confess I showed my frustration in an un-Christ-like manner.  In fact, it has happened soo many times, I got fed up with myself.  It's obnoxious to both me and those around me. I wondered how in the world I was going to stop sinning in this area.  Kind of hard when I can't force myself not to lose things.

*ding ding* Why not just ask God to help me find my things?  He never said we couldn't do that!  It would save both me, the innocent bystanders, AND God, the aggravating grief.  

And what do you know?  When I started asking God to help me, HE ANSWERED.  That's not to say, I sat back and waited for my lost things to come floating into my hands, "Ooo, thanks God, that was easy."  No, I still did my part, but calmly asked Him before I started searching, "God, please Please PLEASE, help me find ----. I need it pretty soon but I have no idea where it is.  I'm sorry if I misplaced it and I'm sorry I wasn't more careful, but please help me!"  And I knew I would find it.

Sometimes, within 5 minutes I will find that "thing".  It's amazing, I didn't even have to ask every single person in the house if they had seen it.  Nope, God knew where it was and helped me find it. It saves time and effort.  Other times, I realize in a couple minutes, "Ok, this isn't working, but I don't have to worry.  I'll find it later."  And on my next attempt, I will find it in <30 seconds, or even maybe "chance" upon finding it.  It's so amazing, it's weird.

It's mind-blowing to think, "Wow - God just stooped down to help me find my guitar pick... the little plastic chip no bigger than a memory card... why in the world did You do that, God?"  Why? Because He is faithful to His promises.  He will never back down on His Word:

Mark 11:24 (ESV)
Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.

Soli Deo Gloria,
~CJ

RA Job

Reviving this blog!!!  :D :D

If you didn't know - I'm a research assistant at CollegePlus! and have been for almost 2 months (wow, it feels like it's been forever and yes, I'm the one who's probably editing your template, hehe).

I have heard several times that people applied for that position and it wows me to think God allowed me to be selected for that position.  I know Erica (my boss) prayed over the situation and she says she doesn't hire someone until she gets the "go-ahead" from God to do so.  (We've been praying for a degree consultant and God just answered with the perfect person at the perfect time, when another degree consultant was transitioning to a different department - hallelujah!)

It's also funny (and embarrassing) how I asked God to give me the job, but didn't really expect Him to answer positively.  In fact, I was planning on it not working... yes, I know shameful.

I wonder how many times I've done that and God might have said, "Alright then.  Since you don't believe I'm going to give it to you, I might as well not.  It's not all that glorious if you get something that you didn't have faith for."  Maybe that's not the best way to guess at what God is thinking, but it definitely reminds me to BELIEVE I have received and not worry or keep asking like He won't answer me ALWAYS.

Mark 11:24 (HCSB)
Therefore, I tell you, all the things you pray and ask for -- believe that you have received them, and you will have them.

Soli Deo Gloria,
~CJ