Seeing the beauty of God in others....

lessons in life....

these past days have been quite inspiring. You ever enjoy
just enjoying people? Enjoying and appreciating what others
have been through in their own personal journeys? I love being inspired by others. That is what I've been able to do these past few days. I've had some awesome conversations and hanging out times with some new and some old friends. I'm leaving for Los Angeles in two weeks and have been trying to say some goodbyes
(God be with you) before I left.

I don't know but I think I met Diane a year ago at a small group at church. I've been seriously inspired by her life and have developed a deep respect for her as a person and women of God. I mean this gal has gone through some seriously painful and challenging life situations and yet she is still praising God and moving forward in her faith. From the death of a parent, to having to nurse her dear sister through an almost fatal cancer, to having to deal with the challenges of Silicon Valley work demands, pursuing her passions in starting her own business for God and being a faithful daughter, sister, girlfriend, etc... wow. I was
just in awe standing there listening to her share her heart and gratitude toward God in the midst of all her trials and pain. Is God good or what? Praise Him! That conversation did something in my heart, I guess just a deeper respect for what many women have to go through & the strength they have to carry that I guess many don't know or understand sometimes.

I've been able to connect with my acting agent alot more. He's gone through some major STUFF this past month. We've been talking about spiritual issues for more than a year now and God has been moving in His life in powerful ways. We watched Constantine together and discussed the spiritual concepts and realities in the movie together. I ended up sending him the "Purpose Driven Life" and a book on "Spiritual Gifts" because I believe he has the gift of discernment and the word of knowledge without knowing it yet. Well, he shared how he has been reading the Gospels and just as he started getting into it, he got into a near fatal car accident. The witnesses said he should have been dead, yet he made it out alive. He told me how he had just put on a Christmas ornament angel into his car to hang & was praying for God's protection. When he got out the hospital he went to the junk yard to see his car. It was completely totaled and both sides were caved in at 90 degree angels. He went through the wreck to dig out the angel ornament. In the email he wrote me, "I knew it wasn't my time yet, God was watching over me with His angels" he's now awakened to a new spiritual level and realizing God's purpose for his life. keep praying for my acting agent. God's moving in his life big time. I love how God is faithful, how we works in every life, in every way. it never ceases to amaze me. He can always turn what the enemy intended for evil for good. amen.

tonight i had dinner with a long time friend from junior high. ha..i use to have a crush on this gal from like the 8th grade through my junior year in high school :P since then we've always had a great friendship through the years. We ate at this new singapore joint in san jose and got caught up. Man, its been 2 years since we've talked! It was sooo awesome to hear how God has worked in her life. She is a Catholic Christian and is much more discreet about her faith and yet it is still deeply rooted in her. She knows Jesus in her own way and I so very much respect her genuine faith in God. She also has gone through lifes trials. And just both of us sitting there sharing about how "dysfunctional" both of our families are & yet how faithful God is, I love it! It's been years, but it felt like we had not seen each other only for a few months. I love those kind of friendships. The ones where there is deep connect, a history behind the friendship that can only come through shared experience and life together. The ones where you can look back and laugh, cry and appreciate. She was so in awe of how God has been taking me around the world to different nations, yet, I was probably more in awe of her passion to help those in need, her simple dream to become a nurse and just hearing how she sacrificed her independence to move back home with her single mom to take care of her and her little sisters. That's love. It was awesome to see how happy she was to own her first brand new car (Toyota mini tcion), make her own payments and feel good about saving on gas mileage. It was great to just see her happy and thankful to God for saving her life from a near car wreck she told me about and taking each day for the best it offers. I was able to share my share of stories and trials...& that is what friendship is about. Loving, listening and being there for one another on life journeys.

I also went to Youth for Christ's Super Sunday at Great America. wow, it was like a San Jose youth pastor and youth group re-union. I saw Ted and Sandy from SJCAC, David Huynh and his new girlfriend and the TAPC youth, Pastor Bryan Zaler, Ed Black, Kevon Saber, Jose Erazo, Pastor Ben Guerro, Justin Eldred, Big Chief Maurice Miller, Pastor John Delke and so many others. Not to mention about 2500 youth and a few hundred giving their life to Jesus! I love it! It was like eventhough I haven't been doing much youth ministry in San Jose this past year, God reminded me that He's still into the business of REVIVAL and is continuing His work of unity and power with the youth pastors I've duked it out with in the trenches the past 6 years. Yes, I BELIEVE ...REVIVAL IS COMING TO THE YOUTH OF SAN JOSE. That day I was so encouraged and thanking God for the good men and women of God who are STILL FAITHFUL to serve the young people eventhough they have not seen the PROMISE, they are still SERVING. Faithfulness is a beautiful thing. Consistency is an intangible virtue that brings forth the glory of God's love. I saw that in the hearts and the eyes of faith in each one of those pastors. As tired as they were, I could still see their passion. Seeing that was worth more than hearing a thousand perfect sermons. Passion never gives up.

I'm tired. I better hit the sack. I love You Father. Thank you for friends. Thank You for those who are faithful, who truly love You, who persevere, who never give up, who find beauty in the ashes, who are courageous and strong. The human heart in love with God is one of the most magnificent wonders to experience. No wonder You are in love with us. I see You God in the testimony of each of your childs lives and it amazes me. It makes me stand back and go....wow....God you are soooo good. :)

posted by Jaeson Ma @ 6/06/2005 10:27:00 PM