The Uphill Journey

5 months later and Gospel Camp

oggyz — Wed, 11 May 2011 05:25:17 +0000

5 months later, it seems my resolution wasn’t all that strong about keeping this blog updated. I’ll try more from here now..it’s definitely on my list of TO DO’s.

So Gospel Camp — what thoughts do the words GOSPEL + CAMP conjure about in your mind? Think about it for a minute.

Do you see a Gospel Choir spending their weekend practicing at a campsite in hopes of refining their amazing talent for a show? or perhaps a group of school children stuck in some school house in the middle of a wooded area reciting the bible from cover to cover?

Well, I can tell you what my first thoughts were when I first heard the 2 words together — A camping trip disguised as a fun weekend to convert you into a Christian. That was my thought going into my first Gospel Camp that weekend 5 years ago…

I agreed to going through an invitation from a few friends whom at that point I haven’t seen in a few years and reluctantly agreed because 1. I had nothing to do that weekend, 2. I wanted to see where the change that took place in the lives of my friends took place and 3. I got to go at a discounted price.

Something amazing happened that weekend and that thought I entered the weekend with was totally washed away by the time I went to bed that first night. It indeed is a place where the Gospel (Good News) is spread, but not forced upon nor is it the only purpose. The folks actually want to get to know you and spend time with you, whilst having fun. It is a chance to get your questions about God and the Christian faith answered by your peers, not to mention all the various sporting/games that take place in the outdoor environment away from the hustle and bustle of the city. I got my questions answered that weekend…even a few questions I asked no one but God.

The times have changed, here I am 5 years later, writing about my experience to encourage you to go. The fee isn’t discounted any more and the location isn’t even the same. But the purpose for Gospel Camp remains the same, to meet God and to help others meet him. I’m no longer going there by invitations, instead I’ll be there of my own will to hopefully answer your questions and perhaps help you meet God.

Here’s a few snapshots of my time there:

Perhaps my First serious prayer

God Answering my question/challenge to him...by bringing the mic to me

Although this happened in 2007…it may just happen again this year as I’m in charge of snacks >:]

See you there!

Revival

oggyz — Mon, 17 Jan 2011 06:12:39 +0000

HEY!

It has been over 2 years since I last blogged here, I’m surprised this blog is still up and running. As part of my personal revival commitment for 2011, I’m throwing this on the list. I’ll try to blog at least once a month and share my trials, nuggets of wisdom, joys, rants and struggles in continuing grow, not only in the lord, but OLDER as well.

There’s so much I want to write, especially about my recent experience at OIL (One In Love) conference/retreat, but I’ll save it for another time as I need to keep my other commitments I made for 2011.

1. Try to be less of a jerk.

2. No excuses (for anything).

3. Develop my prayer and scripture reading into a habit.

4. Expand this blog.

——-

I’ll end this post with a video/song from Brooke Fraser of Hillsongs United. A song I heard for the first time at OIL and combined with everything I had heard, learned and was reminded of that weekend. It really hit close to home. I hope that in some way or form as you listen to it, similar feelings arise in your heart.

Till next time.

Song of the Week – Oh My God by Jars of Clay

oggyz — Thu, 04 Dec 2008 02:44:44 +0000

I don’t have much time. It’s been a few hectic weeks since my last post and a few more hectic weeks before any real rest. Finals are coming up and I’m just getting back on my feet after surgery. It’s been a long 2008, its almost over, but not just yet.

Today, I’m just going to post my song of the week. I hope that slowly I can get back to a more regular schedule. My walk with the lord has slowed down since my last post, but I’m getting myself back on track. I’ll share more when I finally get past this final hurdle for 2008.

—

The Song of the Week is Oh My God by Jars of Clay. The reason for this particular song is because of it’s awesome build up towards the end…no not really. It’s a song with so much truth and it was recently brought to my attention again and I sat down to listen and disect the words and the meanings of it. It’s definitely one to convict us infallible humans, including myself.

—

“Oh My God” (Jars of Clay)

Oh my God, look around this place
Your fingers reach around the bone
You set the break and set the tone
Flights of grace, and future falls
In present pain
All fools say, “Oh my God”

Oh my God, Why are we so afraid?
We make it worse when we don’t bleed
There is no cure for our disease
Turn a phrase, and rise again
Or fake your death and only tell your closest friend
Oh my God.

Oh my God, can I complain?
You take away my firm belief and graft my soul upon your grief
Weddings, boats and alibis
All drift away, and a mother cries

Liars and fools; sons and failures
Thieves will always say
Lost and found; ailing wanderers
Healers always say
Whores and angels; men with problems
Leavers always say
Broken hearted; separated
Orphans always say
War creators; racial haters
Preachers always say
Distant fathers; fallen warriors
Givers always say
Pilgrim saints; lonely widows
Users always say
Fearful mothers; watchful doubters
Saviors always say

Sometimes I cannot forgive
And these days, mercy cuts so deep
If the world was how it should be, maybe I could get some sleep
While I lay, I dream we’re better,
Scales were gone and faces light
When we wake, we hate our brother
We still move to hurt each other
Sometimes I can close my eyes,
And all the fear that keeps me silent falls below my heavy breathing,
What makes me so badly bent?
We all have a chance to murder
We all feel the need for wonder
We still want to be reminded that the pain is worth the thunder

Sometimes when I lose my grip, I wonder what to make of heaven
All the times I thought to reach up
All the times I had to give
Babies underneath their beds
Hospitals that cannot treat all the wounds that money causes,
All the comforts of cathedrals
All the cries of thirsty children – this is our inheritance
All the rage of watching mothers – this is our greatest offense

Oh my God
Oh my God
Oh my God

—-

Christ the Redeemer

Song of the Week – Worlds Apart

oggyz — Mon, 27 Oct 2008 00:08:48 +0000

It’s been sometime since my last post and for the time being I havn’t much to say. I suppose this is a transitional period for me and I need everything to be totally in the cleared before I write about it, so my post this week’ll only be one of my favorite songs that I’ve kept dear to my heart ever since hearing it back at summer camp in 1997 or 1998 at PS206 with BCCC. I think it’s a song that expresses the battle in all of us, as christians. The battle between the world and our beliefs. It sums it up so well that everytime I hear it, I’m in awe and speechless. I let myself go and lift the words of the song up as a prayer with the hope it’ll be heard and I can carry it out faithfully. One more plus, is this particular version is the extended LIVE ACOUSTIC version. As many of you know, I have a strong preference to live music and acoustic music, thus this can be said to be the ultimate mix of all three worlds together. Awsome song, live recording AND it’s acoustic!

Anyhow, enjoy everyone. The video is alittle low, you may want to turn up the volume a notch. ;]

Jars of Clay – Worlds Apart

—

I am the only one to blame for this
Somehow it all adds up the same
Soaring on the wings of selfish pride
I flew too high and like Icarus I collide
With a world I try so hard to leave behind
To rid myself of all but love
To give and die

To turn away and not become
Another nail to pierce the skin of one who loves
More deeply than the oceans,
More abundant than the tear
Of a world embracing every heartache

Can I be the one to sacrifice
Or grip the spear and watch the blood and water flow

To love you – take my world apart
To need you – I am on my knees
To love you – take my world apart
To need you – broken on my knees

All said and done I stand alone
Amongst remains of a life I should not own
It takes all I am to believe
In the mercy that covers me

Did you really have to die for me?
All I am for all you are
Because what I need and what I believe are worlds apart

Additional lyrics:

I look beyond the empty cross
Forgetting what my life has cost
And wipe away the crimson stains
And dull the nails that still remain
More and more I need you now,
I owe you more each passing hour
The battle between grace and pride
I gave up not so long ago
So steal my heart and take the pain
And wash the feet and cleanse my pride
Take the selfish, take the weak,
And all the things I cannot hide
Take the beauty, take my tears
The sin-soaked heart and make it yours
Take my world all apart
Take it now, take it now
And serve the ones that I despise
Speak the words I can’t deny
Watch the world I used to love
Fall to dust and thrown away
I look beyond the empty cross
Forgetting what my life has cost
So wipe away the crimson stains
And dull the nails that still remain
So steal my heart and take the pain
Take the selfish, take the weak
And all the things I cannot hide
Take the beauty, take my tears
Take my world apart, take my world apart
I pray, I pray, I pray
Take my world apart

Cover Art for the Jars of Clay Compilation Album-- Furthermore: From the Studio, From the Stage

Another talk on godly relationships (a good one)

oggyz — Thu, 16 Oct 2008 02:43:40 +0000

Just a link I stole from Kenny. It’s another sermon on godly relationships, but it’s a good one.

I’m just sharing it with all you guys, especially those of you who seek to follow god whilst looking for that other half.

It’s a 2 part series, one for the men and one for the women. Beware though, they’re both about an hour long.

—

for the gentlemen on the ladies

The Women Have Spoken By Rev. Seth S. Kim http://annarbor.hmcc.net/sermons/access_full (W)ork on Christ-likeness. (I)ntention is sexy. (F)ear God. (E)xhibt Purpose, Passion & Principle.

—

for the ladies on the gentlemen

The Men Have Spoken By Rev. Seth S. Kim http://annarbor.hmcc.net/sermons/access_full (R)espect Yourself (I)ntimacy with God (N)urture godly character. (G)uard your heart.

——

Song of the week – Create again by Aaron Shust

oggyz — Tue, 14 Oct 2008 08:13:37 +0000

It’s the start of another week, Columbus day went by in the blink of an eye. On my way home today, I was thinking how monotonous my days were, wake up, go to work, go to school, come home, go to sleep and restart. It’s a thought that has been dwelling on me since last week, because I realize I don’t say much on the phone. I looked into that and thought maybe it’s due to my boring days that don’t have anything interesting in them.

Suddenly today, another small revelation came to me. Maybe, just maybe, it’s because there’s part of me that I don’t want to expose to the person I’m talking to, that’s why alot of the crazier, raunchier and sometimes boarder line immoral thoughts don’t come up during our conversations. I think that at times I’m so stuck on the notion that I need to set a good example that I end up losing myself in that mold and not putting forward the more human aspect of myself. I know very, very clearly exactly how far from perfect I am. Daily, I reflect and most of the times I end up overwhelmed at exactly how much I’ve sinned. My only saving grace is that I get another chance tomorrow to change and do the right thing, why? because of this grace I’ve received of course.

“For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” – Ephesians 2:8-10

Slowly, I’m being prepared – the right way hopefully.

The second small reminder I received was this song. I’ve had “Whispered & Shouted,” the album which this song comes from for a few months already, but none of the songs never really stuck me before. It was different today, with the thought of my own monotonous life sitting on the back of my head, this song plays and it was…..refreshing? I don’t even know how to explain it. It’s a good reminder of all the things that the lord has provided, the small things OUTSIDE of our lives. The beautiful weather, the setting fall sun, the slight breeze at dusk, the somber dull atmosphere of the day..it was all part of his creation. Something I, no, WE tend to over look everyday.

I’m very thankful that I was able to realize more of myself and be reminded of his greatness out of such trivial things.

—-

Create Again – Aaron Shust

—-

Separated from night
You spoke and then there was light
They point to You
Divided water from land
Bowing to Your command
They point to You
The sun that’s blazing at noon
And every phase of the moon
They point to You.
A baby’s cry and the way
A sunset closes the day
They point to You.
For You’re the only One worth praising
More radiant than earth and sky
And everyday that I survey Your creation
I see why I see why
God of everything I see,
Come create again in me
You were yesterday
and You will always be
So take each breath that I breathe
And be the life that I bleed
Create again in me
The storm that’s raging at sea
The little child on her knees
They point to You
Your grace that’s poured out on me
The sacrifice on a tree
They point to You
Your Word vaults across the sky
From sunrise to sunset
Melting the ice, scorching the desert
Warm our hearts to faith
(create again in me)

The bottom of the hill

oggyz — Mon, 13 Oct 2008 06:31:29 +0000

I finally decided to start a blog, a fully legitimate blog. I’ve done many posts on facebook and many on xanga, but never truly have I kept a blog with actual content. This time around, I’m going to try and do so.

I’ve known about wordpress for ages, but I never looked into it nor wanted to start one. Tonight, it was different somehow, someway, I felt God telling me to do so, in the spur of the moment after praying for almost an hour.

Hopefully, those of you who’ll find this blog and follow my days, growth, shortcomings, thoughts, ramblings and general comments can walk with me up this hill, this life, I call my living testimony on this journey in an attempt to live the life that Christ has called me to live. I’m sure there’ll be times where I falter, but that’s all part of this uphill journey. So, heres to a new beginning in this attempt to put myself into words.

*cheers* ;]