Next time I come…

DRa has exactly 120 days before his big wedding day. He shares his story of how he proposed to his girlfriend.  He’s releasing his book on the “5 Pillars of Manhood” later this year, which are principles he learned during his courtship with his fiancé.  

When I saw Christi in the summer, I told her “Next time I come, I’m coming back to get you.”  Long distance relationships are challenging.  For example, learning how to listen well, compromising on a 17-hour time differential, and realizing that Skype is poor substitute for the real thing. But the biggest challenge for me was the time, the days that passed between us before we could be in the same space.  Three months later, I found myself back in Seoul where I left my heart. This time I was on a completely different kind of mission.

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Cafe Prayers

Daniel Ra reminds us that a little prayer can go a long way in times of need.

“The LORD is good, a refuge in times of trouble.  He cares for those who trust in him.”  (Nahum 1:7)

One of the things I love about going to the café is that you never know who you’ll meet. You can strike up a conversation with someone at the counter, bump into an old friend, nod your head at the regular who always sits in the leather chair in the corner. Each café has its own flavor and culture.

I met up with and old friend to catch up on the progress of his new non-profit organization. Something about fresh brew that stirs up the creative juices. As we were sharing about our hopes and dreams, a woman sitting next to us asked, “Do you guys believe in God? I didn’t mean to eavesdrop but I could tell.”

Then she asked us to pray for her. She worked in communications at an entertainment company, but she just got laid off from her job. She happened to be at this café to scour the internet for job opportunities. 

 My friend and I simply asked God to encounter her, to meet her needs, and give her peace during this challenging season.

How many of us could use a prayer like that? As we were praying, I noticed the lyrics streaming in the background:

Hold your tears, put your worries behind

The time has come, to be with me
So you can feel, show your smile
Put your worries behind, now take my hand
And feel my heart, so you can see
And i wanna feel this way
If i haven’t fallen in love, would you stay with me tonight?
So there are no more goodbyes, can you ever understand?
How you’re always in my heart, put your arms around my soul
Til i get to you

It was a song called “Hold Your Tears” by Clazziquai Project, but I felt like God was sending us a message that he’s with us. I know that when I’m in trouble, a little prayer goes a long way in giving me hope.

INTERACT with this story: In honor of DRa’s cool testimony, when was the last time you prayed for a total stranger?  Please tell your story by leaving a comment below!

Humility

One of my favorite life moments is when I drive my Grandma home from a family gathering or church service.  As we coast down the freeway, she would tenderly hold my hand while praying over me.  We would catch up on life, and she would drop knowledge with a sagacity that only grandmothers can possess, drawing from deep wells of experience and hardship.  Normally I just listen, carefully.

Last Sunday, the lesson of the day was, “Daniel - Rule #1: Humility.  Rule #2: Humility.  Rule #3: Humility.” 

This is was a theme for us ever since returning home from my travels around the world doing mission work in developing countries.  I believe she wanted to make sure I didn’t let it get to my head or puff up my pride.  Her mantra was to always give God the credit and to honor those around you.

We were talking about this while on Vermont Avenue ready to hop on the 10 East.  Our car idled behind a white van belonging to LA Busan Presbyterian Church.  We chuckled at the sight because my Grandma is from Busan, S. Korea.  Then just as we merged onto the on-ramp I noticed the bold decal on the side of the vehicle.  In large, navy, cursive type, it simply read, “Humility.”  

God or odd?

The Woman in the Green Sari

Our good friend Daniel Ra is a pastor and missionary based out of Los Angeles.  We are so blessed that he will be sharing some of his incredible stories of how he’s witnessed, first hand, God showing His love and working miracles around the world.

My friend and I were in Dharmapurri, India, approximately 4 1/2 hours south of Bangalore.

We were invited to minister among the street people - destitute, hungry, outcasts. We shared a message of God’s love and prayed for the sick and discouraged. We distributed delicious rice and chicken curry made by the women from the local church. Many people filled their plates and took it back to their loved ones hidden in the shadows.

There was a woman in a green sari who approached me with twinkling eyes and a youthful smile. She was mute, a leper, but a beautiful woman in her 70s. There was an instant connection. At one point she grabbed my head with her crooked hands and kissed me on both cheeks. I was moved by this generous act of love lived out by this humble mother.

The next morning, our team sponsored an outreach to widows. We pooled together about $200 which afforded us 5 kg of rice for 150 widows registered with the ministry. After the worship service, we divided the group in half, my traveling partner taking one side while I took the other. Praying for 75 widows was physically exhausting, but spiritually rewarding. I prayed for protection, provision, and the power of God’s love over each person. It just so happened the woman in the green sari was in my section, and I prayed over her…[click “Read More” below to continue]

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