To prepare for life, is to begin to LIVE

Satan really knows how to get to me. Last week, he tried to distract me so that I would not go to the conference. It was just one bad thing after another happening so that by Friday I was reluctant to go to the conference because … I was just so mad at God. 

The conference was just so enjoyable and I came back enjoying, overflowing and just so filled with Christ. 

Now Satan is just trying to stop me from enjoying again. He just puts things in my way, things that frustrates me. And it’s just one frustration after another that I just can’t handle it! 

Lord Jesus, I can’t do this myself. I need you! Lord, bind the enemy so I can keep enjoying you. I want to be one to “Amen the trials” and not be distracted by worldly problems. 

I know that Satan is trying to make me mad at God again. He just keeps doing things to frustrate my enjoyment. It’s working … and I am a bit flustered and just sad, but I know his strategy … so I need to just call on the Lord, punch Satan on the face and just trust in God that everything works together for good to those who love Him. Lord help me to grow in you through every situation, good or bad. 

Lord Jesus, I love you!

-vyl lyn-

This weekend I was just so impressed with the matter of the Lord’s Second coming. Aside from the wonderful people I got to spend time with, the messages are so precious!

There is nothing higher on this earth than to be the generation that brings the Lord back. We hold the trigger to bring Christ back! 

2 Peter 3:9

The Lord does not delay regarding the promise, as some count delay, but is long-suffering toward you, not intending that any perish but that all advance to repentance.

There are some key things about this verse. One is that the Lord’s coming is a promise! So He will come back … but when? Well, that’s up to us. He really wants to come back, but God loves us soo much, that He wants all of us to be with Him! He’s waiting for us! Wow, I don’t want to be the one to delay the Lord’s coming. But you know what, we hold the trigger to bring him back. How?

Matthew 24:14

And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole inhabited earth for a testimony to all the nations, and then the end will come.

The how is the gospel of the kingdom! Wow, we need to preach the gospel of the kingdom! And then … the word “then” in that verse indicates that we are the trigger to being the Lord back. Preach the gospel and then the end will come … God will come!

This is just so marvelous, and it’s just a wake up call for me. I’m not going to start running around campus and be weird and preach. But, my living will be infused with Christ. Out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks. When I live Christ, I will spontaneously speak Christ … like … now. haha. This is just so great!

I just pray that I can be one who is faithful to the Lord. I want to be the generation to bring the Lord back, to hasten His coming!

-vyl lyn-

Nobody is perfect … right?

It’s funny how when you really like somebody, all their flaws disappear. They seem perfect in your eyes, and the only thing that matters is that you are happy spending time with them … nothing less, nothing more.

I am guilty of being super judgmental and finding the flaws … I don’t look for the bad in people … they’re just there lurking in the dark corner of my mind. There are only a few people in my life as of now, whose flaws are hidden and masked by the fact that I like them sooo much, that they are perfect in my eyes. When I’m with them, I’m happy … just happy … and I wish time would stop so that we can talk forever and spill out the secrets of our heart.

-vyl lyn-

Last night I was watching a Hebrew drama for class and I was really into it, so I finished all 8 episodes. It’s a romance story with a TWIST. I didn’t like the twist… at all!
The main characters, Rochale and this Russian guy were in love with each other, but Rochale decided to marry another guy because of family and religious obligations. Messed up!

It upsets me when relationships in television do not work out. Yeah, yeah … unexpected, blah blah. No! I like my romantic stories to always have a good ending. I never get tired of a happy ending. I mean, why should I? After all, the reason that people are so into drama and romance is because we vicariously live through the characters… it gives us … hope?

I was just grumbling all night about the show… haha. Love stories in TV dramas should work out because it rarely happens in real life … (just a personal opinion).

-vyl lyn-

Proverbs 3:5-6 

Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him and He will direct your path.

This semester, everything has been going well. All because … I listened to the little nudge in my heart and just trusted in the Lord.

During winter break, I was going crazy looking for summer internships and looking for a job for this semester. I just kinda gave it to the Lord. Singing hymns as I do my essays, praising Him as I email the professors and just asking Him whether or not He wants me to apply to the internships as I click on each link.

Just by doing these little things, my semester is so much better. It is not without stress, but He kinda walked with me in every step of the way. This week was super stressful: 3 tests, 1 project with classes and work on top of that. Usually, during stressful weeks like this, I would just be an emotional wreck and just stay away from the church for awhile. 

This time, I was just supplied every morning with the word and fellowship with the brothers and sisters! Even though I had a lot of work, every few minutes I would just call on His sweet name “Oh Lord Jesus” and take a deep breath as I’m doing it. It was just so sweet and He really helped me get through this week.

The lab job I have now was one of the ones that the Lord gave me a feeling I should apply to … it turned out to be really great and I have a really superb mentor. And then the internship I applied to, I just found out I got it!! I got into 2 out of the 3 sites of the internship I applied to. I just had to fellowship with my family, some of the sisters in the church about it, and I asked God which one I would choose. I made my decision and I decided to go to the program that is in the University of Washington! 

I pray that the Lord will continue to lead me everyday.

Lord Jesus, I just trust in You!

The winter break went by super quickly and I have been back in Brandeis for almost three weeks now. Time sure do move slowly in Brandeis … I’m already counting the days until I go back home again. 

This semester is not so bad (YET). I am working in a lab =] and I am so grateful that I am. I learn best by doing … so, this job is a perfect way for me to learn outside of class. My boss has been super nice and super helpful and I have learned so much these past few days. She is guiding me towards doing my own research and collecting my own data. =]

The home meetings, although no longer at the Romero’s, are still really sweet! Now meeting at the Sakai’s, and let’s just say that I love them like family. It’s just nice to have a home to go to Friday nights, eat home cooked food and have fellowship and play with the Sakai’s children … hehe. 

Everyone has been so nice and caring. Although I miss my dad, mom, and bros, I have a big loving family here too!

-vyl lyn-

As I enter into the 20th year on this earth (around 7 am tomorrow), I want to thank all the people who were a HUGE part of my childhood and teenage years. These people are the treasures of my life. Without them (and God) my life will be incomplete. The most important thing I have learned thus far in my life is that God has given me more than I deserve; my friends and my family.

MY FAMILY

Dad, you are the biggest source of encouragement in my life. I love how you always know what to say whenever I come crying to you with my failures.

Mom, you always know how to make me happy. You always cater to my need and you are the funniest person in this planet!
Asen, you spoil me. You always buy me whatever I want, you feed me well, you take me out all the time. Basically, you are the best big bro a rotten kid could ever ask for =]

Ajen, I love how you always deal with my craziness and you never take things personally. I love the late night conversations we have about life… and you always make me laugh.

Mami and Papi (my aunt and uncle), you basically raised me and taught me everything I needed to know as a child. You took me in when nobody else wanted me. I can’t thank you enough for taking care of me when my parents were in America. 99% of the good memories of my childhood were made when I was living with you.

———-

MY FRIENDS

Grace and Esther H, you were the first friends I had when I came to America. You were my first spiritual companions. My first sleepover was with you guys. 11 years ago, now and forever, you both will always be my spiritual companions and someone who will help me grow in life. Grace, you’re the coolest person on the planet and you’re always there for me and you never fail to make me laugh. Esther, you are a pattern to me… you helped me realize that my goal should only be God.

Julia, you are another one of my friend that I have known within the first month of coming to America til now. I remember calling you to go to the grocery store that is literally across the street! I enjoyed living next to you, and I spent every Christmas up to my high school years with you.

Esther K, every minute I spent with you is GOLD. I have known you for 9 years and we are basically … sisters. I am so comfortable with you and you know my deepest darkest secrets. We know each other so well that we can make out the sounds we make when drink water into words -__- craziness!

Kevlin, you always got my back. You are such a bro, you somehow make me laugh and you keep me young. I look forward to exploring the world and the obscure with you.

Jennifer, you always give me such good advice and you’re always there for me when I needed you. You also feed me well and somehow you make me get in touch with my girlie side. haha.

Sam and Tejal, you guys were the BESTEST friends I had in high school. I was mad weird, mad geeky but you were still my friends til now. We are like … the sisterhood of the traveling pants … haha. We all fit into the same pants even though we’re all different sizes… weird huh?

Thu, my wing woman. I loved being your workout buddy, your tennis partner, your track buddy and your “let’s graffiti Ciaccia’s car” vandalizing buddy. haha

Mairead, you are the sweetest person I have ever met. I have always trusted you 100% (although I shouldn’t). You made me love ultimate and the little things you do for me (making me cards, snowflakes, cookies) always make my day =]

Martha, I am married to you, so I’m stuck with you til death do us part. haha. But you are the best wive I could ever have! =] Marf Marf

Katrina, how could I have survived my semester without you as a spiritual companion. The time we spent praying in the morning, sustained me for the rest of the day. Ever since we started to have morning revival together, life was just … sweeter.

Last but most definitely not least… Emily, Sara and Sindhura, you guys are the best thing that happened to me in college. I have the sweetest, nicest, coolest, smartest, funniest, bestest, all good things-est  friends in the world! You have no idea how lucky I am to have you. You always cheer me up when I break down, you always help me out, you guys deal with my craziness and love me for who I am! I must be the luckiest gal in the planet to have friends like you. The three of you taught me to realize that the little things in life matter. You helped me overcome my fears of showing my emotions and being myself. The three of you made the last of my “teenage” year important. I have grown the most mentally, and emotionally this year… all because the three of you showed me the real meaning of love (yeah yeah corny, I know.)

——

OTHERS

Although you are not mentioned specifically in this post, know that each and every one of you shaped my life. With every conversation I make, I have to break out of my shell, overcome my fear of TALKING. I thank-you for helping me grow and for building my self confidence. I am certain that each of you made me smile one time or another … that smile, is the little things that matter in life.

I can’t say that when I was a teenager I did anything crazy that will WOW you. However, I can say that when I was a teenager, I had everything I needed in life to make me happy =]

As I enter into the 3rd decade of my life, I hope that every relationship I make, every friendships I have will continue to grow. My main goal for this decade is to grow closer to God in everything that I do.

-vyl lyn-