jihaekim

how coool. and its a good song.

Fri, 03 Dec 2010 13:43:09 -0600

how coool. and its a good song.

my heart is still in Guatemala.

Wed, 13 Oct 2010 12:31:29 -0500

my heart is still in Guatemala.

I love coffee dates. There’s just something about sitting in a small coffee shop catching up...

Fri, 10 Sep 2010 13:44:00 -0500

I love coffee dates.

There’s just something about sitting in a small coffee shop catching up with friends.

I got to do that last night with my best friend and it was FANTASTIC!

"They need God more than they need you."

Sat, 10 Jul 2010 00:04:00 -0500

That was something I needed to hear.

There was a sense of bitterness in my heart for having to leave Honduras. I wasn’t ready to say goodbye to the relationships I had formed with the girls at Casitas, but I’m constantly being reminded that this isn’t my trip - I’m just a small part of the plan God has for these girls.

It didn’t seem fair that I had to leave them and hearing them say that they didn’t want me to leave broke my heart. What I needed to be reminded of was that even when I leave, God will still be working in their precious hearts.

They definitely need God more than they need me and hearing that was humbling.

Not bad, just different.

Mon, 28 Jun 2010 22:52:09 -0500

One thing we learned about missions at orientation was that things in other countries aren’t bad, just different. I didn’t really have to tell myself that while I was in Honduras because I just expected to be thrown into a completely different culture, but I’m constantly reminding myself that now that I’m in Guatemala.

I miss Honduras. I miss my team, the kids, the girls at Casitas, Roberto, the translators, and just the warmth of the culture. I’ve been in Guatemala for three days now and as much as I love it here, my heart just longs to be back in Honduras. I knew that serving this summer would be life changing, but I didn’t realize that a part of my heart would be left in Honduras. I’m constantly thinking about the girls at Casitas and the kids at Nueva Esperanza and it breaks my heart to know that I might not ever see them again. I know it’s not a bad thing to miss them, but it’s hard to love on the kids here in Guatemala without thinking of my kids back in Honduras. Please pray that I would love on the kids here wholeheartedly and that I would serve Him faithfully.

Things in Guatemala that aren’t bad, just different:

The weather: It’s so different than Honduras! Honduras is ridiculously hot and humid and Guatemala is rainy and cool/cold. I guess the cool weather is a nice change, but it rained ALL DAY today and it was somewhat miserable. I guess it’s a tradeoff
The people: The people in Honduras are so incredibly warm and affectionate. They greet you with a hug and kiss on the cheek and I started to really love that. The people here in Guatemala are all really nice, but they don’t greet with a hug and a kiss. I miss it.
The kids: The kids that we worked with today are so different than the kids in Honduras. We went to a Buckner community center and taught English. The biggest difference is that these kids come from families and all seemed content. I guess what I really miss about the kids in Honduras was that they were so open to being loved on because they rarely get the attention and love they desire.
The driving: As crazy as driving is in Honduras, I miss it. I miss the constant honking, driving an inch away from other cars, and the fact that there isn’t a speed limit or any rules. I’m sure my life is in less danger now, but I miss the excitement and nervousness of being in a car in Honduras.

In Honduras it was obvious that our purpose for being there was to love on the kids unconditionally and to show them a tiny glimpse of the love that God has for them. But because the kids we’re working with here are more well off and know who God is, it’s hard to see how God is going to use us. As much as I love teaching English, I feel like there has to be more as to why God brought me to Guatemala. And I know that they still need to be loved on, but it’s hard to see the need after being in Honduras. Please pray for my heart. That I will be able to serve and love the people of Guatemala unconditionally.

I miss Honduras.

Mon, 28 Jun 2010 00:27:20 -0500

I miss Honduras.

Flexibility.

Mon, 31 May 2010 17:03:00 -0500

Flexibility is the most important thing about missions and my Guatemala team and I have definitely been learning that.

The plan was to leave for Guatemala two days ago, but who would’ve thought that a VOLCANO WOULD ERUPT! How ridiculous is that?! Seriously, I didn’t think those words would ever come out of my mouth. So our flight was then rescheduled til Sunday, but because of tropical storm Agatha, our flight was again rescheduled til Wednesday. At that point the plan was to go to Honduras if our flight on Wednesday was cancelled. And then today at 3pm, we got calls from American Airlines saying that our flight for Wednesday was in fact cancelled. We’re not sure what the plan is now, but we’re praying that we’ll somehow be able to make it to Guatemala.

It’s so easy to get frustrated in the midst of everything, but I trust that God does know what’s best for our team. To be honest, when we first found out that our flight was rescheduled to Sunday, a part of me was relieved. I wasn’t ready to leave the country for 11 weeks, and so getting a couple more days in contact with family and friends was good. But now that we don’t even know if we’ll make it to Guatemala, a part of me is starting to get disappointed.

Please pray for the people in Guatemala. Everything is flooded, the rain is causing landslides, and the death toll is rising. If it’s God’s will for us to go and help the Guatemalan people, then I know He’ll open doors for us to go. But if His will is for us to go to Honduras, then I pray that Guatemala will get aid and that they’ll see God in the midst of everything going on.

“God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging.” [Psalm 46:1-3]

"And the mystery is that Christ lives in you, and he is your hope of sharing in God’s glory."

Tue, 09 Mar 2010 15:30:38 -0600

““And the mystery is that Christ lives in you, and he is your hope of sharing in God’s glory.””

- Colossians 1:27b (CEV)

it's REALLY official now - I'M GOING!

Tue, 23 Feb 2010 23:42:11 -0600

I just accepted my invitation to serve in GUATEMALA for two months this summer! I can’t believe this is actually happening and I can’t believe that God chose ME to go to Guatemala to minister to the orphans there. I’m so excited! :)

"3 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of..."

Thu, 11 Feb 2010 22:24:34 -0600

“3 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, 4 who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God. 5 For just as the sufferings of Christ flow over into our lives, so also through Christ our comfort overflows.”

- 2 Corinthians 1:3-5

Don't you just love it when...

Wed, 10 Feb 2010 16:41:00 -0600

God reveals something to you when you least expect it? I DO! I love how He seems to ALWAYS teach me something when I go into a situation with the wrong heart! Case in point, small group yesterday. Let me explain.

At the beginning of last semester, before going back to acts, I decided to do some church-hopping because I felt like I hadn’t found a church I could call home here in Austin. Since I wasn’t plugged in at a church and because I wanted to be a part of a smaller community I decided to join a small group through a campus ministry. I didn’t really know what to expect from it because I didn’t really know the girls in my sg, but I decided to stick with it anyway. Even after I decided to go back to acts and join an acts sg, I still continued to go to this sg because I loved that the discussion was very scripture based.

Well at the beginning of this semester I kinda decided that I would just be in my acts sg and that I would stop going to the other one. I didn’t really have a good reason for not going, but I felt like I didn’t really connect with the girls and that just going to my acts sg was good enough. So I emailed my sg leader telling her that I wasn’t going to be a part of her sg this semester and left it at that. However, she continued to email/text me sg updates and meeting times and what not - I love how persistent she was, even if it wasn’t intentional. I finally decided to just go to the first meeting, and I’m really glad that I did. After sg last night I finally felt like there was a purpose for our sg and that it wasn’t just something I would go to every week. We also realized that we all desired real friendships with each other and that we needed to be more intentional in our relationships. I’m definitely sticking with sg this semester and I’m really looking forward to how God works within our sg! I love how quickly God changed my heart! I went in with the intentions of just going once this semester, but God definitely came through once again and blessed me through sg last night.

I just KNOW God has amazing things in store for this semester - I can feel it.

“For he says, “In the time of my favor I heard you, and in the day of salvation I helped you.” I tell you, now is the time of God’s favor, now is the day of salvation.” -2 Corinthians 6:2

20. go to a park and swing (2/6) Today was a long day. It started off kinda rough with only a few...

Sun, 07 Feb 2010 02:24:00 -0600

~~20. go to a park and swing~~ (2/6)

Today was a long day. It started off kinda rough with only a few hours of sleep, having to finish up my lab, having to go to ochem lab (yes, on a SATURDAY), and having to spend all four hours in lab. BUT being surprised with dinner and a trip to the park to swing definitely made it better. I’m glad I have such amazing people in my life :)

it's official!

Fri, 05 Feb 2010 02:09:00 -0600

My missions application through GoNow Missions is now complete. I submitted the application on Monday night with about 7 minutes to spare. Cutting it close, right? Well the reason I waited til the very last minute was because I wasn’t sure if I really wanted to go through GoNow to do missions this summer. Another opportunity for the summer came up and it was something I could see myself doing (and the process was easier - no application, just an interview). Also, it was in Texas so knowing I would be somewhat close to my family made it more appealing than GoNow. So instead of praying about both opportunities more, I just hoped that the one in Texas would work out because it would be easier.

That was my mentality up until last Sunday. The Sermon at church was definitely something I needed to hear. It was titled “Being Tapped by God” (Luke 23:26-32) and PC talked about The Call: To be Prepared, The Call: To Carry the Cross, and The Call: To Weep - to be involved in the Great Commission. After hearing the message I knew that I wasn’t prepared at all. I was just doing what was easier for me and I had totally forgotten the whole purpose of going on missions this summer. I wasn’t going on missions to be comfortable and to go where I wanted to go, but I was going to spread HIS love and to further HIS Kingdom. So after hearing the message on Sunday I knew that I needed to finish my GoNow application and that I would go where He can use me.

So it’s official. I’m done with my GoNow application and I am going to Discovery Weekend next weekend to find out where I’ll be serving this summer. So excited!

One last thing. On my application I got to choose my top 3 choices for where I’d like to go this summer and my first choice was to be an orphan ministry intern in Guatemala. The reason I chose this position wasn’t because it was in Guatemala, but because I really want to work with children - specifically hurting children. I feel like these kids need to experience God’s Love and they need to know just how much they are loved by Him. So Guatemala just happened to be where this trip was but the crazy thing is how God really played a part in this. Last year during a prayer night we had a time of praying for the world and so when hospitality wrote our name tags they wrote a country on it too. Can you guess which country I had? Yep, Guatemala! Isn’t God amazing? :)

one down, 21 to go.

Thu, 28 Jan 2010 01:00:00 -0600

It’s only the second week of being back in Austin but for some reason it feels like I didn’t even go home for winter break. I can’t really tell if this is a good thing, but I think I’m kinda liking the fact that Austin feels like home.

I had a coffee date with my old sg leader tonight and words cannot even describe how amazing it was. God has definitely blessed me with some incredible girlfriends here in Austin, and I am so grateful for that.

#22 is now completed :)

be able to run 10 miles
read the whole Bible
journal regularly
fly a kite
take a photography class
learn how to actually cook
make homemade cards and send them thru snail mail
play a whole game of monopoly
shadow a dentist
get closer to my aunt
eat something i’ve never eaten before
go on a real picnic
make a new friend
send a care package
finish 6 books
send thank you notes for small, unexpected reasons :)
sleep under the stars
make it to ALL my classes (for at least one semester..)
start studying for the DAT
go to a park and swing
be a certified lifeguard
~~have coffee and catch up with a friend i haven’t talked to in awhile~~ (1/27-justine <3)

The fire alarm refuses to die..

Thu, 14 Jan 2010 21:53:00 -0600

So we have a fire alarm that’s in a pretty hard place to get to. It’s only accessible from the second floor but its on the ceiling of the third floor. (The description sounds weird but if you’ve been to my house then you know what I mean). Usually when one of our fire alarms is about to die, it beeps for a few days and then actually dies. However, this one has been beeping for over a month and half and it refuses to die; It is so incredibly persistent. For some reason though, the persistency of the fire alarm made me think about sharing The Gospel. Super random, right? But it made me think of how I need to be persistent when it comes to talking about Christ with others. I can’t just talk to someone about The Gospel and expect them to accept everything I say the very first time. Even though it’s discouraging when people don’t seem to care about what I say, I need to learn to be persistent and to remember that it’s all for His Glory.

“Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” -Matthew 28:19-20

22 in 2010.

Wed, 13 Jan 2010 02:08:00 -0600

So instead of coming up with a few resolutions for the year, I decided to come up with a list of things I wanted to do by the end of the year. Some of the things on the list will be crossed out after one occasion and some will last throughout the year. Here it is:

be able to run 10 miles
read the whole Bible
journal regularly
fly a kite
take a photography class
learn how to actually cook
make homemade cards and send them thru snail mail
play a whole game of monopoly
shadow a dentist
get closer to my aunt
eat something i’ve never eaten before
go on a real picnic
make a new friend
send a care package
finish 6 books
send thank you notes for small, unexpected reasons :)
sleep under the stars
make it to ALL my classes (for at least one semester..)
start studying for the DAT
go to a park and swing
be a certified lifeguard
have coffee and catch up with a friend i haven’t talked to in awhile

summer2010.

Thu, 03 Dec 2009 08:18:00 -0600

Yesterday I went into my GoNow missions interview knowing that missions was definitely an option this summer, but not completely set on going. But once I was done with my interview, I knew for sure that God has definitely put missions on my heart, and that I am definitely doing missions this summer. Recently I’ve realized that when I voice my thoughts and actually verbalize them, I can reach conclusions and figure things out better. So after I actually talked about how God has been working in my life and how He has placed missions on my heart, I was able to come to the conclusions that I am definitely doing missions this summer. BUT I still have absolutely no idea where God wants me to be, so I still have lots of praying to do. I’ll post more details as I continue to go through the process, but if you could keep me in your prayers it’d be greatly appreciated! :)

“Trust in the Lord with all your hear and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight.” -Proverbs 3:5-6

“For Christ’s love compels us, since we have reached this conclusion: if One died for all, then all died… Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ: certain that God is appealing through us, we plead on Christ’s behalf, ‘Be reconciled to God.’” -2Corinthians 5:14 & 20

amazing weekend, stressful week.

Sat, 21 Nov 2009 00:51:39 -0600

I didn’t get a chance to update this week cause i had a crazyyy week, but last weekend was definitely A LOT of fun!

On Thursday night we had a sophomore event to MIDNIGHT RODEO! It was so much fun getting ready with the girls and learning how to 2-step :) And of course the 3am trip to ihop. I love how our class is so united this year and how we actually hang out. We definitely have a lot of catching up to do from last year, but I know for sure that this year is going to be amazing.

I love these girls! Hopefully future roomies<3

On Saturday my freshmen support group went to Mt. Bonnell to watch the sunset and have a picnic. Even though we only have ONE freshmen, getting to spend time with my fsg was very enjoyable - and the sunset was beautiful!

Harrison, Jimi, and I also went to the screening of Brief Interviews with Hideous Men and got to see JOHN KRASINSKI! <3

Last weekend was by far one of the most fun weekends in a long time, but spending the weekend not studying definitely came back to bite me in the butt. I had my third round of exams this week and they did not go so well. However, I’ve been trying to not let bad grades affect me as much as they used to. I know that I still have to study and try my best, but I think being so stressed out all the time showed me that I need to trust that God will provide.

This semester I’m definitely learning to really trust God in all that I do - school, friends, church, everything.

camping trip.

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 13:48:00 -0600

This past weekend the college group at Acts went on a camping trip to Inks Lake State Park. It was definitely a well deserved break from school and everything else hectic that goes on everyday. It was just a good time to reflect and to awe at everything God has created. Man, the stars were absolutely amazing! You could see EVERY SINGLE star in the sky - it was beautiful. It was also a really good time of fellowship and just hanging out with everyone.

So we went to sleep around 2am, and when I got back to my tent, someone had opened up my sleeping bag to sleep on top of. Since I didn’t want to wake them up, I was left to just laying on my sleeping bag with a thin blanket haha. Thankfully it wasn’t as cold as last year, so I was alright.

For our morning devotion we read Romans 12:9-1

“9 Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. 10 Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honor one another above yourselves. 11 Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord.” (NIV)

One thing I took from this devotion was that I need to constantly be attached to what is good. The sincerity of my love is connected to my aversion to evil. This means that in order for me to sincerely love others, I must continue to turn from what is evil. Also, I need to learn to honor others above myself. For awhile I struggled with relationships where I felt like I was giving and not getting anything back. However, we are called to give without expectations of receiving anything in return. This is definitely something I need to constantly be reminded of when it comes to relationships.

I think my favorite part of camping trip was definitely just being able to get away for awhile and to just marvel at His creation.

“Praise Him under open skies, everything breathing praising God.”

photo by JosephKang

if only we knew.

Thu, 05 Nov 2009 03:36:00 -0600

A lot of times I struggle with not knowing the reasons for things that are happening in my life. A lot of times I wonder why God allows me to go through so much confusion and suffering. For awhile, all I ever did was just ask “Why is God letting this happen to me?”

As I was lying in bed, I realized that if I knew exactly why God was doing the things He was doing, I would never see the amazing power of God. I would never get to experience the mysterious ways that He works. I would never get to truly appreciate His love for me. If you really think about it, it’s amazing to see how much God really cares about you during times like those. Because He cares, He holds our hand while we suffer and then allows us to see the purpose of it all. If He didn’t allow us to suffer, we would never really get to experience His power.

“Finally, be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power.” [Ephesians 6:10]