Bienvenidos a 2008

2007 Reflection / 2008 Expectation

So as the first month of 2008 is quickly coming to a close, I have two things.

First, I completely failed everything I did in 2007 - everything that counts anyways. I have a list of more than 15 things that I've failed. Then I have only 3 things that were good that came out of '07: my amazing friendship with Amber Turner, my new knowledge of the definition of salvation from high school camp, and my life spared in my car wreck, leading me to the knowledge that everything must be done "from the inside out," as Hillsongs would put it. The only good things that happened to me in 2007 were things that I had no hand in, things that God gifted me with even though I didn't deserve it.

Second, here is what I'm expecting from God in 2008:

1. Reckless abandon
2. Seamless prayer
3. Witnessed glory

My Daddy, the Missionary

Right now, I'm at a three-pronged fork in the road in my life. I need God to direct me as to where I should be employed, where I work now, in retail, or in a bank. I want the retail job and that's where my parents are advising me to pursue (not pressuring me by any means though... I absolutely LOVE my parents)

You know, the funny thing is that God began directing me about four months ago to pray for my parents to become missionaries. This is pretty "radical" so to speak, because my parents are both pushing into their sixties, have been working the restaurant business since before I was born, and are not really too involved in the church because of the restaurant. For many reasons, I want to take the retail job to make enough money to support them for the many ways that they have given and given and given and given and given to me. When I came to the realization that I have to let God take care of my parents instead of me taking it into my own hands, I was forced to back off. But tonight, I learn that my dad wants to go to seminary in America... to study in a foreign country in a foreign language, when he has not even taken a college class before and when the man is turning 60 this year.

And I want to help my dad in this, but first he has to be free financially. I want to set my father financially free.

God, please make this possible for my father. Make the vision of my dad come true... to teach at a university... make his life matter in building Your kingdom.... please Lord.... please.

Attitude is EVERYTHING

"The longer I live, the more I realize the impact of attitude on life. Attitude, to me, is more important than facts. It is more important than the past, the education, the money, than circumstances, than failure, than successes, than what other people think or say or do. It is more important than appearance, giftedness or skill. It will make or break a company... a church... a home. The remarkable thing is we have a choice everyday regarding the attitude we will embrace for that day. We cannot change our past... we cannot change the fact that people will act in a certain way. We cannot change the inevitable. The only thing we can do is play on the one string we have, and that is our attitude. I am convinced that life is 10% what happens to me and 90% of how I react to it. And so it is with you... we are in charge of our Attitudes." - Chuck Swindoll

You Said Ask

My blog url comes from the song "You Said" by Hillsongs... about us asking God for the nations. I was reminded of a Scripture today that perhaps inspired the song, or by "accident" expounds the song:

Psalm 2:8
Ask of me,
and I shall give thee the heathen for thine inheritance,
and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession.