Jesus, Our Great High Priest January 29, 2009

i really love this song below performed by Christian music artists “Shane and Shane.”  ( I<3 Bethany Dillon too) Their voices, their song lyrics just really resonate within my heart towards worship.  God lately has been compelling my heart to be in constant step with His.   This song below really really speaks to my heart…sums up God’s story for humanity, what He has done for us, and How we should respond!   Salvation is Here!  I hope you can be encouraged by it too!

Instructions:  Take 3 minutes to Play the Video Below, and Read the Lyrics Below along with it.  Experience God’s Holy Presence with me

BEFORE THE THRONE OF GOD

Before the throne of God above
I have a strong, a perfect plea:
A great High Priest, whose name is Love,
Who ever lives and pleads for me.

My name is graven on his hands,
My name is written on his heart;
I know that while in heaven he stands
No tongue can bid me thence depart
No tongue can bid me thence depart.

When Satan tempts me to despair,
And tells me of the guilt within,
Upward I look, and see him there
Who made an end of all my sin.

Because a sinless Savior died,
My sinful soul is counted free;
For God, the Just, is satisfied
To look on Him and pardon me
To look on Him and pardon me

Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Praise the One,
Risen Son of God!

Behold him there, the risen Lamb
My perfect, spotless righteousness,
The great unchangeable I am,
The King of glory and of grace!

One in himself, I cannot die
My soul is purchased by his blood
My life is hid with Christ on high,
With Christ, my Savior and my God
With Christ, my Savior and my God

p.s.  don’t you feel in such AWE of our God? I especially LOVE singing “HALLELUJAH” .  it makes me so excited.  if you really really like this song, email me at dianalee1@gmail.com and I will send you the Shane and Shane version that is different than this youtube video…but seriously..a m a z i n g.

shine the light in a dark world. January 29, 2009

I will be a candle in the darkness
I will be the hand of heaven above
I will be a mirror that reflects Your endless love
I will be the hope among the hopeless,
where there is conflict, I will be peace
only by the power of Your spirit living in me

Lyrics to “I will be” ~ Natalie Grant

a thought to ponder… January 27, 2009

“What comes into our minds when we think about God is the most important thing about us”  ~ A.W. Tozer in “Knowledge of the Holy”

THE VISION: PASSION FOR THE NATIONS January 23, 2009

Could it be that God desires to raise up thousands of Chinese-Americans… some to be released into the most neglected parts of the world, and others to live intentionally radical lives in the U.S. with a global vision? Is it upon God’s heart to invite more Chinese-Americans to invest their lives for the sake of the gospel and on behalf of the poor and the oppressed around the world?

God has given Chinese-Americans a unique and strategic role in declaring His glory and displaying His love among all nations. Caught between two cultures, the Chinese-American has the blend of American education and resources together with Chinese family and social values. This bi-cultural identity makes them very suitable for cross-cultural ministry among some of the least reached people groups on earch, whether overseas or here in the U.S.

Our desire is to equip and mobilize this generation of Chinese-Americans to lay down their own dreams and embrace the cause of Christ by taking the gospel into all the world and addressing the pressing global issues of our time. The hope is that this conference will not simply be a one-time event, but will catalyze a movement among our churches. By the grace of God, we believe now is the time for the Chinese-Americans to rise up and take their place in God’s global purpose!

http://www.passionfornations.org/

a massive and much needed update! January 18, 2009

The Lord is GOOD and has brought this year off to a WONDERFUL start.. I get more and more excited everyday when I think about what a great season of preparation/living in God’s kingdom this is

let’s do a bullet-point update, shall we?

FULLER:

• Wow, I am so glad that I am here at Fuller.  Everyday, not only do I learn SO much, but I am meeting SO many wonderful people who’s stories set my heart ablaze.  God has blessed me with the ability to do well in school and to be “steeped” with all the wonderful knowledge and inspiration I am gaining here!
• This quarter I am taking Adult Formation and Discipleship, Medieval and Reformation Church History, and my second quarter of Greek   It’s SO awesome because in one class, i’m seeing what GOD has done in the past and how Christianity has a very very rich history…all pointing to how our God is the same yesterday, today and tomorrow..and then I’m learning about the FUTURE of Christianity and how to continue to reach others in my formation class.

Ministry–  Epicentre Church and Fuller Missions Concerns Committee:

• At the start of this year, not only did I start a fresh set of classes at Fuller, but I committed to a new church in Pasadena–>Epicentre Church.  God’s spirit is moving there and I know that God has called me there to be challenged in turning my eyes outward and upward–focusing on God’s heart for HUMANITY, for the WORLD.  I am meeting with the pastors this week to talk more about my heart for formation/discipleship!  does God have me in store to do ministry overseas one day?!
• I joined an all-woman’s small group and it is exactly where God wants me! they are all about being sensitive to hearing the Holy Spirit and outreach!    it’s really awesome because ill be able to connect the girls to the organization that I also volunteer at — Union Station Foundation, a homeless transitional shelter!
• I just recently decided to be apart of the Missions Concerns Committee at Fuller and it is such a wonderful opportunity for me to use my PR , networking skills, and connect students to missions organizations!  I think God is really also going to really allow my heart to burden for the things he burdens for the more I am exposed to the things that are going on in this world and how we, as the people of God, can connect and be His hands and His feet together   We are having a Missions Fair in April that Hannah and I will be planning for !

Tutor

• for my part-time job, I am now an official private tutor   I am working with a 9th grader for SAT Verbal prep in vocab, reading comprehension, and writing; a college girl in ESL–writing and grammar; and a 6th-grade girl in math (member fractions and integers?)  It is soo awesome because as someone who LOVES to learn herself, I actually find myself REALLY enjoying motivating others to learn and if I want to go into teaching/training/discipleship ministry one day–this going to be awesome preparation for what’s to come

Other News:

• I am MOVING!  At the end of this month, Ashley and I will be moving into a new apartment 3 miles north from where I live now in the city of Altadena, CA.  I am excited but it will be good to finally be settled down!
• mother is coming to visit me the first weekend in february and sister will come in mid-march!!!!
• www.passionsfornations.org <—exactly God’s heart for me as a Chinese-American for God’s kingdom!

these are the biggest things that God is doing

Thanks for being apart of this journey with me

For HIS Glory,

D

this song absolutely makes me melt…. January 14, 2009

all i want is to hold you forever
all i need is you more every day
you saved my heart
from being broken apart
you gave your love away
i can’t find the words to say
that i’m thankful every day
for the gift

lead me on… i will follow you… January 8, 2009

… have you ever been to church where the pastor/speaker just recently had a baby and as a new parent, can now understand how much more God loves his children, because of how much love they themselves love their child?

I heard a speaker one time talk about how he understood so much more what it really must meant for God to have sacrificed his one and only Son on the Cross, once he himself had a baby son.

now, i personally do not have a child.  but i do have a baby doggie.

every morning i take her on a walk.  and unlike most people, i take her on a walk WITHOUT a leash, because 1) i like to give her freedom 2) she doesn’t like to be constrained to a leash  3) she’s good at following my footsteps

however..things are changing now that she is getting older.  now that she’s pushing 15 1/2 years, she is not able to see as clearly..and that allows her to stray more from me.  i notice how even though she can’t see as clearly, she is still so stubborn to stray away from me and walks into places she is not supposed to walk into!

today i was SO ANGRY because she actually almost walked into the street with busy cars!  IN ONE BIG SWOOP i quickly rescued her with my heart beating rapidly….”why would you not follow me?!” i thought, “  i know where i’m going and you don’t!!!  if you follow me, i will lead you to safety!”

and that’s where the revelation came.

now i began to understand how God feels about us when He asks us to follow Him.  HE knows the way.  We do not.  He simply wants us to trust HIM and follow HIS steps.  He doesn’t want us to stray away from him or walk on our own will because it will ultimately lead to destruction!  He wants us to follow Him because He knows better, He cares for us, and He takes pleasure when we follow Him.

sometimes, just like my dog, we think we know where we are going, but our eyesight is limited.   if go astray from our master, we will run into some bushes, run into some potholes, fall into some cracks, but sometimes, we may even walk into the street with cars coming our way !  how dangerous it is to walk ahead …without following Him.

my greatest pleasure is when I look behind me…and see my beautiful dog sweetly following close behind my feet.  not knowing where else to go, but trusting that I do, and following me as I lead her on.

tomorrow, i’m thinking its time for the leash…..but i always want my baby to have the freedom to choose to follow me.

….and so does Our Master.  He gives us to freedom, without a leash, to follow His Steps.  choose to follow him, today!

“take up your cross and follow ME” ~ Mark 8:34

be careful what you pray for.. January 7, 2009

just how God designed time to come in seasons… i like to think of my life in this way as well.

as this new year has arrived and new quarter at fuller has begun… i believe i am entering a season of discovery.

i like to think of myself as a constant student of life.  constantly learning from the situations i am placed in.  from the people i encounter or am surrounded by.  from the classes i am taking.  from the season i am in.

discovery brings forth understanding.

::smile::  i call this season a season of discovery because i believe God is bringing me into a time of understanding.  as i am seek to learn from the life he has designed for me, i am not only gaining a deeper understanding of self, but a deeper understanding of God as it relates to self. –>  who i am in GOD and who GOD is in me.

i love it here in california.  it’s day two of a new quarter at fuller and i am so very excited about the classes i am taking and the professors that i have.  i see that God has called me to the very place at this very time.  i see such purpose in how what i experience here ultimately prepares me for something greater…

however i find myself in crazy irony, which is how God loves to work.  for one would think that if i’m in a season of discovery and understanding that i would be focused more and more on …well.  myself.

::even bigger smile:: this is where i say, be careful what you pray for.

lately i have been in such a desire to hear from God.  to be in deep communion with him.  to really understand his heart for the world.  to be led by the spirit.  to be mission-minded.  to intercede for other.  to be globally aware.  to be apart of god’s kingdom purposes…

my prayer has been for God to break my heart for what breaks his…

and in just these past few days i have seen and been exposed to the brokenness of this world.  sex trafficking.  radical islam and the spiritual battle we face.  animal cruelty.  despair.  hopelessness.  obsession with consumerism.  …

and i am reminded again and again that this world needs nothing but the love of a savior.  a love it already has but really truly needs to know…

may you all discover that the deep desire innate in every soul to be great..to be known.  to have meaning.  to have purpose.  to say your life was worth living.  … is all found shaping your heart after God’s own heart and allowing God him to break your heart for what breaks his…

home for christmas 2008 January 3, 2009

ACCC REUNION

LEE FAMILY CHRISTMAS 2008

CORTNEY AND SARAH ANN

STEPHANIE, ME & JAIME

HAYLEY AND I

ME AND LEE LEE