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Friday, 11 August 2006

Currently Reading
The Ragamuffin Gospel: Good News for the Bedraggled, Beat-Up, and Burnt Out
By Brennan Manning
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You know you have been Wheaton-washed when you expect a speaker to say, "Let us pray," as silence is reached in a room full of people...

I read this the other day in "The Ragamuffin Gospel."

The question the gospel of grace puts to us is simply this: Who shall separate you from the love of Christ? What are you afraid of?

Are you afraid that your weakness could separate you from the love of Christ? It can't.

Are you afraid that your inadequacies could separate you from the love of Christ? They can't.

Are you afraid that your inner poverty could separate you from the love of Christ? It can't.

Difficult marriage, loneliness, anxiety over the children's future? They can't.

Negative self-image? It can't.

Economic hardship, racial hatred, street crime? They can't.

Rejection by loved ones or the suffering of loved ones? They can't.

Persecution by authorities, going to jail? They can't.

Nuclear war? It can't.

Mistakes, fears, uncertainties? They can't.

The gospel of grace calls out, Nothing can ever separate you from the love of God made visible in Christ Jesus our Lord.

You must be convinced of this, trust it, and never forget to remember. Everything else will pass away, but the love of Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever. Faith will become vision, hope will become possession, but the love of Jesus Christ that is stronger than death endures forever.

In the end, it is the one thing you can hang onto.

I really needed that.

Wednesday, 09 August 2006

Currently Listening
Feeling Strangely Fine
By Semisonic

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- Closing Time

Your Linguistic Profile:

60% General American English

25% Yankee

10% Dixie

0% Midwestern

0% Upper Midwestern

What Kind of American English Do You Speak?

Hmm... Looks like living in Chicago didn't change the way I talk. That was a big chAAA-lenge. Uh oh...

Orientation starts tomorrow! Eeeek... Excited and scared but trusting in God's provision for me. I've been so blessed this summer to have old friends to come visit me (Semay, Rachael, Jill, Lee, Josh, and Sarah) and to make new ones too. Good times!

Every new beginning comes from some other beginning's end...

Friday, 12 May 2006

Graduated! Crazy, huh? Here's a quick update before I head off to New York City for the weekend... I'm going to the University of Maryland School of Medicine which is right in Baltimore in the fall. FINALLY decided a few weeks ago. I start in mid-August. This summer I'll be home and working at NIH. My lovely roommate, Semay, will be joining me this summer which will help me a lot in the transition from Wheaton to med school.

That's all for now... Questions? Comments?

Saturday, 24 December 2005

^{Luke 2 -}

⁸And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. ⁹An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. ¹⁰But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. ¹¹Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. ¹²This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger."

¹³Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,
¹⁴"Glory to God in the highest,
and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests."

Immanuel - God with us. Peace to you. Merry Christmas.

Thursday, 08 December 2005

Currently Listening
Love Actually
By Various Artists
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An excerpt from an e-mail from my Aunt Mary:

'I heard you got accepted to University of Maryland Medical School. Are you
going there? Your mom said she would sure want you to go so she can keep
an "eye" on you. AHHHH!!! You don't need that. You're much better than
me. They, your mom and my mom, still think we're little kids. We need to
constantly remind them now and then that "WE ARE ADULTS".'

Wow. So true.

One more week and I'll be done! Christmas plans... New York City, as always and chillin' w/high school buddies.