Rise Up : )

Always up to something

God You have been stirring something in me and I finally know what it is. It is a burden. A burden for my homeland, a burden for my people, a burden for my lost relatives and family. I have never yearned to go back to Hong Kong this way before. When I was a foolish teenager, I longed to leave this place. When I left, I yearned to visit my friends and the pleasures there. When I lost touch with most of my friends, I have stopped thinking about it. Then You saved my soul. You turned my life around and You gave me a godly man to serve alongside with. You sent me on missions for 3 months in foreign lands with strangers and You used me. I was on my way back to the States after 3 long months in Central and SE Asia bouncing between 6 nations. Incidentally, one of them was Hong Kong. So I shared with my dad who was there to see me for an hour. Then, You let me cross path with a taxi driver. I asked him if he had given his life to Jesus and to my surprise, he said yes! He said he went to church but is discouraged. Right there, You told me to encourage him to be a bold believer and to go back because You are calling him back. It was such a simple encounter yet profound for me. Let's fast forward to just a year back, Lord, You gave me a dream. My pastor, yes, Bob, was showing me something about Hong Kong and I said well, you will need a plan and connections to make it happen. He said, well, you are going with me. And You remember what I did in my dream..... LAUGH! I woke up thinking... UH OH, I just laughed at God... Then, http://witnesshk.com/... and one of my good friends who's like a brother became a believer, and on and on and on and on..... Yes You have successfully bombarded me! Lord, What is it You want me to do? Please make it clear. You know what I would LOVE to do is to lead worship at a Passion conference for the Chinese people in any part of China. ;) I'm JUST SAYIN!



A beautiful song in Mandarin - Jesus I need You

please pray - it's time again

Tomorrow M and S will come visit again. We are going to try focusing on salvation and Jesus' Deity. Please pray earnestly:

1. the Holy Spirit will cover and engulf my house
2. all 8 children will be protected from all evil
3. that God will equip us with His armor so we can stand firm
4. Jesus will reveal Himself through the Word, through us, and through miraculous ways
5. to remember this is indeed God's battle
6. that we will be open to the Spirit's prompting
7. that every evil presence and spirit around M and S will not be allowed to follow them in
8. for mercy and grace upon us
9. keep our focus on His prompting, His Words, and the Truth
10. keep our focus on the topics we studied, and that the Spirit will bring those knowledge into our lips
11. keep the Word of God open and flowing and have the courage to say NO to the other sources when brought up

LORD GOD, I confess that we fall short of Your glory and Your majesty. Have mercy on Your servants! I know this is a real spiritual battle and that our Enemy even at this hour is prowling around like a hungry lion, just waiting to injure us. But I know You are stronger and higher than the Enemy. You are bigger and You are more powerful. I declare Your Kingdom in our lives and thank You for going before us in this battle. It is not our battle. It is Yours. You have the Way to M and S hearts and You have plans for their lives. LORD protect our children, be with them as we meet. Cover them with Your Spirit and calm them. Especially our younger ones LORD, help them to be content and satisfied. Build a wall of fire around our house so no evil things can ever come near. Post Your Guards at our door posts and defend this place. Be among us and speak through us. Bring up the knowledge we have learned in Your Spirit and Your Word so we can stand firm against them. Penetrate their hearts and souls with Your Sword. Impress upon hearts so our brothers and sisters in Christ will pray like wild fire for us. God thank You for doing a mighty work. You are the most awesomest EVER. AMEN.

episode 3

Dan David - Messianic violinist

please pray Mondays at 11am -Noon

This started when M and S knocked on the door a couple of weeks ago on Monday around 10:30am. I was with my mentee and I just did not want to turn them away! My grandma is a JW so naturally I told them. With the intentions to overwhelm them with questions, they decided they would do some research and come back to do these "bible studies". I invited another sister in Christ from the seminary to couple with me. For until the day they stand up and leave for good, Lord willing, we will continue to pray, learn, fish, and plant the Truth.

The last part of 2John gave me doubts when I had first invited them in and back the next week. Especially in verse 10 and 11, "If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, do not take them into your house or welcome them. Anyone who welcomes them shares in their wicked work."

With godly counsel from countless women, prayers, and discernment for this situation, here are 3 things I have learned:
1. pray and know God's will in the situation
2. the study bible - inviting them with a special blessing, to approve of their ministry, letting them teach without opposition etc is dangerous
3. inviting people of different faiths, with the intentions to fish for their souls, into your home is not a sin

So, since then, I have been reading articles, books, testimonies, listening to sermons so we can better stand for Christ and what He died and rose again for. These ladies are real people with real hurts and souls.

After this past Monday's session, my heart went out to my grandma. In all these years, she has gone knocking on hundreds of doors, I wonder how many followers of Christ slammed the door on her face, or plainly told her, "im saved", or hid from her. Who? Who had the courage and the perseverance to fish for her? I know nothing is coincidental. God, You are stirring yet again, something inside me. I'm Yours and I will do Your bidding. Pour Your knowledge, wisdom, heart, and love in me. Let Your light shine through me. There is nothing too difficult for You. I plead my case before You Lord, look at these people. They are lost and they are led away by false prophets! Have mercy and bring them back! Reveal Yourself to them, speak to them, shake their faiths in these false religions, and change their course. Your will be done. AMEN.

http://4witness.org/jehovahs_witness/jw-witness-door.php
http://4jehovah.org/ex-jehovahs-witness-stories/
http://www.amazon.com/Jehovahs-Witnesses-Answered-Verse/dp/0801077397/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1301715668&sr=1-1
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0xo6FH9tTt4&feature=youtube_gdata_player

wow oh wow

I thank God that He gave me the opportunity to be the Metochai Discipleship Chair this year. It has been so challenging AND rewarding. From giving book reviews to organizing the first metochai retreat, all of it has really been worthwhile. So So so so much fun! God is so awesome. He is constantly challenging me and letting me grow. I am His forever and always. Jesus You are the One true God. There is no other but you.

daddy koo-votional episode 2

they r so cute:



Lord Your will be done. AMEN.

haha funny

i had just written a little column where I mentioned Lady Gaga last month in Metochai newsletter, and thought it was funny to see Jim Daly writing about her.

Here's mine:

As women who fear the Lord, He empowers us to live every way opposite to the configurations of this world, raise up a legacy to push back at what the world has to offer, and sit back to laugh at “the days to come”(Pr31:25) with full confidence in His sovereignty. Last night, I stumbled on a link to the Grammy’s “Lady Gaga’s Egg-citing Costume”. If you do not know what I am referring to, ask a teenager. Today’s role model, Lady Gaga, has a new album called “Born this way” – a message to embrace sin and enjoy life without remorse. Truth? Lady Gaga is just a 24 yr old girl who was hurt by the world, mistaken to be a light for many. Our tunnels may be dark but we follow another Light. As women of Truth, we honor our Lord with the work done in secret (Matt6:3-5); and our husbands, with the discernment and perseverance in support of their Kingdom work (Eph5:21-33); and our children, by continuing to give of ourselves for the greater promises of their own legacies. (Deut6) Let’s run this good race together and be “mistaken” as a light for others. John 5:19-23

Here's Jim Daly:

http://www.focusonlinecommunities.com/blogs/Finding_Home/2011/03/09/lady-gaga-was-not-born-this-way#cf

hehehe... anyway, I rebutted to some of the comments.. it was fun.

God you make me laugh and you give me so much joy. Thanks.

A step UP

Phill had been doing "daddy tapes" for the kids for when he's not home. We started about two years ago i think and these tapes are hard to make and the quality is horrible. With savvy technology, he is now able to produce a video for the kids. Here's the first episode!



And here's a footage of my kids watching it:




Lord continue to help us raise these kids in Your path. Remind us always that they are all Yours and that Your hands are upon them. Remind us of the Hope we have in You and to lift them up to You often. Be gracious to us. AMEN.

Team Hoyt

Kamal Saleem

Phil vischer

"The world doesn't learn about God by watching Christian television, the world learns about God by watching Christians. And that's where we are failing everyday." - Phil Vischer

friday afternoon!

YES it's friday afternoon. It's 73F outside! I guess we've known DFW to be that way. Hot or Cold. Winter or Summer. Either way, it's allergies all year long! LOL

Lately, I have been struggling with control. When I got stressed out as a kid, I used to throw my towels in and pick on someone to fight with. About 5 years ago I learned as a follower of Christ that underachieving or picking fights are neither effective or godly, when I got stressed, I would read and write like crazy. Now, I have apparently picked up another habit of control.... deep cleaning!

So lately, when I stressed out about the homework I need to turn in, or deadlines of the projects, or intensive relationships with family, etc etc, I start cleaning. Now you might think that's a great problem to have, but really, I need to read if I'm stressed out about how I'm going to finish a reading assignment...or sit down to finish my homework if I'm stressed out about that one etc.

I obviously knows about this so God and I are definitely working on it: to balance out cleaning and working and leisure time. Interestingly is also a class I am taking. It's called "Recreation ministry". The first class last Monday was about how lots of adults are imbalanced in their time management. And Metochai last night, was about the "well prepared" woman. We'd love to think we have control, but we don't. We have to be prepared to sacrifice, to pray and fast, to be gracious, to be patient, etc etc etc. Funny how God works.

God Almighty, You are sovereign and knew me before I was born. You have total control over everything I have no control over. Help me continually to give it all to You and help me to let go of these things. I will devote my children and their children unto you all my days. I pray that You will help my children and their children to love you more than anything else and to devote themselves wholly unto You. Continue to bless my relationship with my husband, with Abigail, with Isaac, and with Esther. Give us Your wisdom and grace as we raise these kids You have blessed us with. In Your Son's beautiful name I pray, AMEN.

Quick entry

God bless the 15 CDs that i passed out on friday and bless the ministries that will be using it. Let my song bless the ministers, the ministries, the kids, and the parents. AMEN.

Started a faith journey folder for the kids. God bless these too.

Continue to direct our path as a family. We will go where you go and make Your will known to all. Thank You for letting me and the kids stay in BSF. Let me glorify You with my kids, my gifts, and all I do. I pray for the friends that are in my heart right now for them to continue to seek You and find You. Reveal Your grace to them and overwhelm them with Your Spirit. Help me to be Your vessel and give me Your words for them. AMEN.

aaron gillespie

a "mock VBS" song

I have been taking a 5-day 8am-5pm intensive class for children's ministry this week and I wrote this song for one of the projects. Class started Monday morning, God gave me this song on Monday night, we are presenting it Thur morning. I have to pretend I am teaching at a VBS and I have to effectively deliver the ABC gospel to the kids in different ways. This is one of the ways:

Click on the title to listen

ABC
by Joanna Koo

Admit! Believe! Confess! 2 3 4
Admit I've done wrong and fallen short (rom3:23)
Believe in my heart that Jesus is the Son of God (rom5:8; jn3:16)
Confess I'm gonna sing, and shout, and tell (rom 10:9-10)
him her you and you and you and you (matt28:19-20)
hey hey hey
that Jesus is the One, the Christ, the Lord
the Light, the Truth, the Messiah,
He is the Son of God, the Savior, and King
the River of life, the One lifted high
I won't be afraid to confess with my mouth
that Jesus is the One, the Christ, the Lord

Oh Lord my GOD, You prove Yourself to be glorious and sovereign. Thank You for letting me meet the people in this class and letting me use the gifts You have given me to finish projects. Continue to use me and mold me. I know You see the finish products and I will trust in Your path and believe in Your plans. Help me remember the ways You have blessed me and empowered me. I love Your Son. Amen, AMEN.

You are glorious, my God, my Savior.

Creative ministries using dowel rods

Merry Christmas

The simple nativity story and the history of the line of David still amaze me. the 200+ prophecies that were fulfilled and unfolding even before Jesus was born and died on the cross are still overwhelming every time i read about them. I want to keep it that way for myself and also for my family, and also for my children's families. My desire for my children and my children's children is that they will keep these holy days set apart to honor the One true God, not traditions, idols, people, or things. We really did quite a bit. Just tonight we made a book out of 8 coloring pages and the older two took turns telling each page. The most impressive thing about this is that both of them didn't just make up stuff from the coloring page but cited bible verse after bible verse about Jesus' birth from the books of Matthew and Luke. I truly enjoyed this project. We do not have presents under tree, and no, we are not stingy scrooges or anything, but rather kept the Jesus tree to be something special too. We got them gifts but spread it out to different days. Although on Christmas Day, we did hide them in different places of the house and had a treasure hunt and the kids had a blast. No, we don't do santa. he makes me physically sick. Again, growing up in Hong Kong in a family who worshiped idols and ancestors, I see him just like I see baal. Nothing special, just another idol. I am NEVER going to let anything or anyone steal Him glory ESPecially on holy days such as His Birth and His Resurrection. Jesus deserves the spot light in my heart, in my home, and in the raising of the next generations. He never gets the spotlight like this any other time! and I will keep it that way for Him especially to my children. I want my children to learn to love and serve: the poor, the sick, the confused, the drunk, the homeless, the dying, the lost, the enraged, the orphaned, the ugly, the unwanted, the old, the hungry, the wasted, ..... the ones who no one want to get near... especially on these holy days, to give of themselves instead of getting what they can out of it.

Oh Lord my God, thank You for all You have redeemed in our lives. You are a great and living God who saves. You have won the battle and given us new lives. You have the ultimate sovereignty in our lives and are merciful to Your servant and her children. Lord, continue to raise up a generation who will combat for their Kingdom brothers and sisters from my household. Bless my children and children's children and so forth and bless my relationships with all of them. Help us pass down a legacy and the torch of faith to them. Rain down Your mercy and grace on us. We surrender our will for yours, our desires for yours, and our hearts for yours. Continue to transform and mold us and our children. Let Your Holy Spirit and His work be evident in our lives. Unite us in Spirit, mind, and soul. Use us for Your Kingdom Work and protect us from the Evil One. In Your precious Son, Jesus' name I pray, AMEN.

wow

starts around 1:28



a couple of kids!

prayer for abigail

‎"I also want the women to dress modestly, with decency and propriety, adorning themselves, not with elaborate hairstyles or gold or pearls or expensive clothes, but with good deeds, appropriate for women who profess to worship God. " -1 Tim. 2:9-10

my 5 year old loves to be a girl... something that i struggle to identify with. i love being female but i am definitely far from being "girly". im into competitive sports and not into makeup. im not afraid of what people think of me, not into dressing up, and not into jewelry. does that make me less of a woman? no. not at all. God made me this way, to balance everyone around me and God made my daughter this way to balance me out. i pray for the Lord to bless my relationship with her and for me to encourage her to become a woman who fears the Lord.

My amazing God, thank You for Abigail. Continue to bless our relationship and teach me to guide her into godly womanhood. Continue to work in her heart and reveal Your plans to her. Let Your Holy Spirit work and break her heart of her sins and the world's sins. Open her eyes to the spiritual realms and bless her with gifts that You want her to use for the Kingdom. Help us remember that she is Yours. I ask this is Your Son's name, AMEN.

new song

Started 3 songs last night but only finished one.

Click on the title to listen (skeleton version 1) verses 1, 2 and bridge are not in the recording.

Take Root
by Joanna Koo

v1
You declared
You're the vine
You're Emmanuel
Turned water into wine

v2
You proclaimed
You're the One
The Messiah
and Your Father's only Son

pre-chorus
You have the power
to change me inside out
You are the answer
I know, Prince of Peace
Let me

chorus
take root root root
in Your word
in Your Kingdom
in the solid ground
hang on on on
onto You
to Your promises
Your righteousness

v3
I declare
You're the vine
You're Emmanuel
Turned water into wine

v4
I believe
You're the One
The Messiah
and my God's only Son

bridge
Hide me from the breath of every wind
let my roots stretch deep
Renew my Spirit with Your breath of life
My heart is fixed, O God
I will sing and give praise from within

Lord thank You for this song. Teach me and mold me. Continue to help me to be the wife and mother and follower I am to be. Let me burn with desire to know Your word. Give me a clean heart and cleanse my soul. Let me use the gifts You gave me to glorify Your name. AMEN.

my kids are precious

song

i had written this song several months ago based on nehemiah and jeremiah. i wanted this song to help people pray for their nations and be broken for the sins of their nations. I recorded with my husband's phone and he somehow transferred it onto his podcast. This was the first recording so the quality is not the way I want and there is pretty much no arrangement. It's just me and my piano. There were a couple of wrong chords and I wasn't sure about some of spots. BUT, the message is the same. It's for the nations.

Click on the title to hear the song:

Heal our Land

by Joanna Koo

verse1
Why is justice so far
that we think darkness is bright
absolute truth is nowhere in sight

verse2
Ten rules to set us apart
But on our own strength we fall
So on Christ alone we will call

prechorus
we are Your glorious creation
A chosen generation
by Your grace we give our confession
That we need Your redemption

chorus
Hear our cry
Hear us pray
"Lift our eyes
Upon Your Son

Heal this land
Remember Your people
Break forth in the darkness and
rise to be victorious"

Bridge:
Heal this land
Remember your people
Heal this land


Lord Jesus, thank You for giving me this song. I don't think I have yet said thank You. Mostly because I am not confident about songs I write and am embarrassed about it. But I thank You now. I acknowledge that You have given me a gift in music and I want to use it to glorify Your name. I know You've got a plan for that and big or small, I want to be a part of Your Kingdom work. Forgive me for thinking that the song had stunk and for believing that I am no good at all. Forgive me for always getting discouraged and giving up for weeks before I get back to believing in Your plans. Continue to perfect my faith and work in my heart. I am available for transformation and I want to be renewed by Your Spirit. Lord I am Your humble servant. God I also ask for a helper, someone who will mentor me and help me write. Help me to focus on my spiritual heart and stop being judgmental. To submit to my husband and serve him. Help me with my kids too. I need lots of help there. Give me Your wisdom to raise them to love You and serve others and obey Your word. I also lift them up as we visit the two ladies at the hospice that You will teach us to love them and give us a chance to show Jesus to them. I pray this prayer in the name of Your precious Son, AMEN.

Happy birthday Jesus!

We are doing a combo of the Jesse tree and Jesus tree.... every day in december we do something about Jesus' birth during the day and at night, we sing a carol, light the candle, and read about his birth in a cycle of 10 different books, and we hang an ornament that's related to Jesus' birth on the tree....etc :) will have more pictures later. it's late. gotta head to bed.

Lord have mercy on us. You give and take away. All glory is Yours. Thank You for Your Son and for Your forgiveness. Thank You for paying for our sins. Thank You for being gracious to us and sending us love when we did not deserve it. Let this season be glorifying to Your name. AMEN