My Spiritual Suitcase

ACF fall retreat. cold. rain. hail. fire. friendship. worship. prayer. vulnerability. I'm back from a pretty crazy weekend of retreat. But it has really opened my eyes. Just to share something that really stood out, was the people, the community that i was a part of this weekend. There were some rough times, literal storms, rain and hail, where i was freezing, i was tired, hungry, and i didn't want to go on. It kinda parallels what i've been going through with university. There are storms and rougher waves i've sailed on and sometimes it can knock me down hard. But even though i was cold, chattering and missing home, there was something different. Having people take the initiative, to watch out for me, talk to me, keep me company and encourage me, it was really a great feeling. And just seeing how the upper years were serving us first years, i felt bad, they did so much for us, and we just took it on. I really do appreciate all they've done, f

ever have one of those days? where everything seems to go wrong. like there's a cloud raining and hailing on your face. just when you think you've hit the bottom, you start falling again. today was a bad day. Im not sure what it was, the first half was meh, doing laundry and studying, but as classes started, the downhill spiral just got worse and worse. They can be small simple things, but they can build up and just make it seem like the world is crashing down. Here's mine. It all started with my chemistry lab. Realizing i forgot my lab manual in res after getting to the lab room, i had six, seven minutes to go grab it and come back. Clearly it wasn't possible, and on the way there, it felt like as if i was going to have a heart attack. I ended up getting back in ten minutes, which wasn't that bad, but the ten minutes of running and stress really got to me, i could barely concentrate and focus throughout the entire lab. Just when we thought we were done, we

for the past few weeks, i've been trying out different fellowships and churches and ACF (Asian Christian Fellowship) was the first one i tried out. It really reminded me of home, with the asian faces, the program, how its oriented and planned, and i have to say I'm so glad to have met some of the people here. They've made me feel so welcomed, and at home. I really appreciate those who have made the effort to approach me, whether in person, or on Facebook, and its just been getting more and more reassuring that this is the community i want to stick to for the next four years. Seeing the support and love so early on makes me so glad. I can already see great role models in the fellowship, people i can look up to, people who i could find that would keep me accountable. I went to the Men's Cell tonight, and i have to say, although at first, i didn't really want to go, but I'm glad i got to go. We got to share a few testimonies, get to know each other more, and

I decided to check out a new church during my second weekend at Guelph, and i visited Harvest Bible Chapel, a church in Cambridge that connected Waterloo, Laurier and Guelph which was pretty cool because i got the chance to see some of my Waterloo/Laurier friends. Coming to this church reminded me of home more than Parkview, the church i went to two weeks ago, just from sitting in the seats, sitting in the gym, having to stack chairs afterwards, it was all too familiar. Today, the topic was on "The Christian She-Warrior and Her Contribution to Her Family's Lifestyle." And even though it was based on womanhood, it surprised me how applicable it was in certain cases. I'd just like to share what i got out of it. Proverbs 31:13-19 is the passage they focused on, and basically it described a female figure who embodied full womanhood. 13  She selects wool and flax      and works with eager hands. 14  She is like the merchant ships,      bringing her food from afar. 1

last night I tried out a new university fellowship, "Power to Change", and surprisingly it wasn't like what i expected as fellowship. I personally know fellowship as a time to bond and interact with others, support each other, but when i went, it was like a sunday service, with worship, a speaker and announcements. Nevertheless, God continued to speak to me through every moment. before they started worship, one of the leaders shared a poem she wrote, and although i don't have a copy, it was strong and impactful, on the topic of worship. many of us think that worship may just be the 20 mins we sing on sunday mornings, but as followers, we have to go beyond that. worship is not only singing, its not only playing guitar or the drums, its much more than that. worship should be lived out, each and every day and hour of your life. make it your goal to worship God as you eat, as you drink, as you study, and as you talk with friends. we are here as representatives of

It has been completely my fault that the blog has gone MIA the past few weeks with adapting to the new university lifestyle, managing and tunnelling through the never ending tons of work, but the past few days i've been telling myself to get back to this, and I'm back ! i'll try my best to stay updated regularly, whether if its everyday or a few times a week. What really sparked me to get blogging again was last night when i was flipping through my Bible, and Acts 27:13-26 came along. Before i get to the passage, i want to talk about faith in university. I can definitely tell that this is the biggest test of faith i've encountered, and that first year will shake my faith. Its up to me and only me to keep myself grounded and on track. The past few weeks, i could literally feel my faith be taken apart by the influences that surround me, and my attempts to piece it together before it falls apart all over again. So when I got to this verse, it really spoke to me. Act

#university Here I am. Its day 6 at the University of Guelph, and ever since move in day, there have been so many thoughts running through my mind, and I'm going to use this post to let it all out on paper. University has definitely been the biggest change in my life so far, and it's overwhelming, nerve-wracking while exciting and different at the same time. Responsibilities. When you transition into university, responsibilities are literally heaved on over to you overnight, after that first night, when you wake up, everything is now managed by yourself. From eating to sleeping, studying to exercise, finances and devotions, everything now is all you. Personally i found it overwhelming the days before coming, but once i got here and got organized, it isn't too bad as of now. But something i did struggle with was my spiritual life. The first day or two, i sort of lost it, wasn't doing devos, and still felt disconnected due to my summer trip as well. But I'm slo

its finally here. the big switch, the big transition. Its all going to take place within the next twenty four hours, from the final goodbyes to moving in, settling in and taking in the new environment, having all these new responsibilities heaved onto me, and then finally parting from my family. to be honest, I'm scared, I'm nervous, and to be frank, in this moment right now, I'm shaken. I'm rattled. i don't know what to think, i don't know what to do, i don't feel ready, i feel like its coming on way to fast because it finally dawned on me this morning how fast things are changing. at the same time, i know i'll be fine in the long run, i know that i'll eventually settle in, i'll feel at ease and at home and comfortable with the new chapter I'm about to embark on, but its just in this moment, going through this "metamorphosis" of this part in life, everything is just a blur. with this change coming, comes a new beginning of