Friday 19th Update: Cosmic art

I just wanted to blog about an interesting piece of art I bought, it's awesome cause that's an understatement, the guy who did it was British and he painted it with spray paint and stencils and made it in 5 minutes. I watched the whole thing. Here are some pictures. The highlight of my time with Terry and Matt today. It depicts the NY skyline but with some really cool scenery and in neon colors. Scifi - ish.

Thursday 18th Evangelism Update

I've been doing good this week with blogging. I've remembered. Anyway, since today was a rainy day, we had to go to a different campus (one that would actually allow us inside).

So we went to Hunter's College. It was weird... the building had a subway entrance in it so we just ended up right in there. Anyway, long story short, the students really liked when we did Soularium with them. If you don't know what that is, it's a set of photographs that are numbered and the questions go like this, cause it's a photo survey:

What 3 photos does your life look like now and why
What 3 do you want it to look like and why
What photo do you think represents God and why
What 3 photos best symbolize your religious experience and why
What 3 photos symbolize what you want your religious experience to be and why

(while writing all this information down at the same time)

If they seem interested or you know a way to lead into talking about the KGP, then after those questions, go for it. We had a girl really interested who was really emotional and excited to know Christ but she didn't want to go fully through with it because it was all too much at once and she just wasn't really mentally ready. Perhaps she was and was just stalling... people think life will be lame after accepting Christ, as if it's a question of giving up fun. But I don't think that was really her main issue. She really wants a relationship with Christ, and didn't know how to have it because it felt like there was a locked door in front of her. What's interesting and amazing is that she said she was praying in the hall about that very issue when she turned the corner and saw us with our Soularium laid out on the table.

We talked with many others but none accepted Christ. There were a lot of Hindu-influenced people who thought God was in everything and thereby reduced to a non-thinking entity confined to being nothing more than "cyclical" and "alive" and "it is what it is".

In any case... a very productive day. God again proved to me that what I emotionally deemed impossible is quite possible.

Wednesday 17th Update

I just wanted to vomit up some random details of my life and what happened today even though no one's reading. Today, we did evangelism on Polytechnic University, a division of NYU. Engineering school... get your degree, and get out. Little on-campus housing = little campus involvement in clubs from students. So the students aren't mostly accustomed to talking about religion or having it surface outside of school.

So today at Polytech, (we were doing surveys on religiosity) and my friend did a survey with this guy who wasn't really involved. I'd say that he was isolated and a little lost, but he did at least identify God as his friend and helper. We got his contact info, and we'll follow up. We really wanna go through the 4 spiritual laws with him (the gospel summarized). Anyway, my friends Alex and Andrea actually brought some guy to Christ today. They went through the KGP (4 spiritual laws) and they were talking about God's love and salvation and rescue and he said "yeah i really want that" or something like that and they prayed a prayer with him. So that was awesome and we were really excited about that. I mean hey, Christ does amazing things and His power is present and working, and we were honored to witness that.

I myself had an interesting conversation with a Hindu man. We both parted with mutual respect for each other. Both I and he agree that a personal, meaningful faith is essential and that to say you believe something but not actually really care about it or use it is a tragedy.

Let's just say that today I also learned that life is full of highs and lows you can't foresee. And for my mistakes and the times that I hurt people, intentionally or not, I am so sorry...

Tuesday 16th Update

Hello! Hey you guys, just wanted to say the past few days have been really stressful for me, I've just been feeling upset about myself, and Christ has already given me tools to self-examine, and basically the cause is that I base my self-worth in things like photography skills and my positive attributes. I act like they make me so great, that I get absorbed into them and pay more and more attention to them until it becomes an idol. It's what I live for, day to day. But I've been depressed the past few days because I can see that others really care about this city, genuinely, and aren't faking it. I've faced the realization that I don't care about a lot of these people (lack of compassion) and I'm not the only one who feels that way.

Now, whenever I have an issue like this, God always throws something in my face like a quote or a book or something that answers my dilemna exactly. The answer came in the form of "Questioning Evangelism" by Randy Newman. There's a whole chapter about how as Christians, often we just don't care about people. We might say to ourselves, well, they deserve Hell for this reason or that reason. However, God is described in the book of Jonah as being concerned about Nineveh as being a "great city" worthy of pursuing, despite its evil. The solution, according to Newman's book, is to pray for compassion. I'm doing that this week, and afterwards. Please pray for me, that I might care enough for this city that I have an impact. That what I do is for God and not for my own confidence in my own ability and human effort (read Galatians and you'll understand my drift). The proper order: Pray, get peace, then get results. Not: pray, get results, then get peace. You see, it is not about us. Do not wait for God to "come through for you" in the one way you expect and want and prefer. He has His own plans, and they are more than adequate for changing the world. READ Habbakuk 2:3.

Color and Jewelry

Color and Jewelry
Originally uploaded by Spartan038Luke

I took this photo on Coney Island today. Bought something for my girlfriend. Shhhh don't tell anyone ; ) Anyway, I love this photo. I bought a hat there today too. It's kinda Italian looking, brown wool, kinda like a fedora. It's definitely me. New York is great! I <3 NY

NYC Update 1

Hello all! I've been in New York since Tuesday and it's Saturday now. I'm writing just to say everything's great. I'm going to keep you posted. My main battle right now is pain, in my back, neck, and feet. However, as I move on campus, it will probably become my fear. However, I should hope that I love God enough to tell others about Him if the opportunity arises.

I'm loving the photography opportunities. Hoping I can go check out the camera store for a used lens. Made a friend, Jon Chen, he's a pretty cool asian. He knows photog. Thinking of going with him.

I can see how long-distance relationships are hard. Fortunately, this is why I think mine will be ok: it isn't based in physicality. It's founded in our love for Jesus and the core of who we are in front of God. We know we're helpless without Him. Life just falls apart and means nothing without Him. And 5.5 weeks is not that long of a time. ESP in New York, the city where everything flies by and you don't know what hit you. I've already come close to being temporary road meat. And they'll definitely hit you! No worries. Live or die, it's all for Christ. I really don't know which is better. Although I'd have to say I prefer living still, simply because, I'm selfish. After all, my life is not my own. But everything relates to Christ. I am not "suddenly getting philosophical", as some say to me. If you do not let Christ define everything, you're looking at a warped picture of reality.

I've been slowly but surely focusing on God... little by little. I can't seem to slow down. Between taking photos and simply walking, I haven't had a spare moment! I only yesterday was able to write my letter to my girlfriend. So haven't had much time. But God should be first. And please pray that He will become so real in my head and in my life that it scares me. I really don't have an easy time praying. It's a battle to even concentrate and believe it. -G

Emotions & what to do with the dang things!

Ok so this year, literally I heard this theme echoing in every one of my classes and even in Bible study. Literally people, unrelated, said this theme throughout this semester so much that it had to be God speaking to me. And it was wisdom, and here's what the theme was:

No emotion is wrong. How we choose to express that emotion is what is right/wrong.

I think there's so much power in that statement! It breaks it down! We often fire responses back at people without thinking about it, and no wonder we feel like we're rushing through our days and time's flying by! Cause we never think about the emotions and emotional choices we make!

If you and I were to stop and think when we were starting to feel angry, and instead voice our feelings by saying "I" statements like "I feel very worthless when you _______", it takes away the offensive nature of our comments like "I can't believe you're so lazy!"

Your emotions are normal and valid. Just be sure to express that emotion in ways that express you, not degrade another. You can be expressive without being offensive.