Hamee and Habee

The Korean words for grandma and grandpa are pretty long (hal-mo-nee and ha-da-bo-jee). There was a time when Isaac just abbreviated them to Hamee and Habee. Well Isaac and Abigail's Hamee and Habee just left after spending Thanksgiving week with us. It was so wonderful to have them visit. They drove up in a car packed with foods we can't get in Redding- it felt like Christmas. Seeing our children with them reminded us what a gift grandparents are. Their love, sacrifice, encouragement, prayers, and faithfulness continually amaze us. We are thankful for them more than words can ever express.

We love you and we miss you already!

"But from everlasting to everlasting the LORD's love
is with those who fear him,and his righteousness
with their children's children..." Psalm 103:17

Thanksgiving

This is our first Thanksgiving in Redding and first away from most of our friends and family. It almost feels feels like we're on missions. Our Heavenly Father is so good and we are thankful for being His children. We are thankful for parents. We are thankful for our kids. And we are thankful for you!

Isaac & Abigail say, "Happy Thanksgiving!"

"Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe, for our God is a consuming fire." Hebrews 12:28-29

Adoption: A Pro-Life Promoter

Many conservative Christians were saddened by the election results earlier this month, mainly because they saw it as a major setback in the battle against abortion. Although Obama has been very clear in supporting "pro-choice" policies, the body of Christ need not be discouraged because we fight from victory and not for it. That is to say, Jesus has already won- sin and death are defeated and life reigns eternal. There are no abortions in heaven. Our responsibility is simply to help that kingdom reality unfold on earth in areas where darkness still remains. (cf. The Lord's Prayer: "Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven")

Voting, signing petitions, and writing our elected representatives against abortion are all important things to do in the natural. But these efforts must be coupled with the spiritual actions of prayer and intercession. We should pray for those in power to be touched by God to protect and promote the life of unborn babies. May we also intercede for lies (specifically that a fetus is not a human life) to be revealed and truth to be recognized and embraced by all people. Let us declare and promote the spirit of life in all aspects of our world.

One practical way we can intercede is by praying for more adoptions. There is a spiritual contrast between adoption and abortion. The former welcomes and nurtures human life while the latter rejects and destroys it. Adoption will become even more important when the practice of abortion is ended. November is actually National Adoption Awareness Month. Let us pray for the welfare of orphans, more loving foster parents, and all orphans to be adopted into healthy families. An organization called Cry of the Orphan seeks to raise awareness and care for the more than 130 million orphaned children throughout the world. Check out their website or watch this video to learn more about it.

Our Mommy

Today is my beautiful baby's birthday! Isaac and Abigail get to celebrate their mother's special day along with their grandparents who are driving up from Pasadena. I am so thankful for Jenney not only as a wife but also as a mother. I won't say she is the best mommy in the world because I don't want to offend other moms. But she is without a doubt the best mommy for our kids. Her love, affection, beauty, laughter, faithfulness, care, prayers, gentleness, dancing, listening, comfort, joy, peace, hugs, stories, nurturing, kindness, snuggles, discipline, kisses, humor, patience, playfulness, cooking, creativity, attention, thoughtfulness, and sacrifice are gifts from above. In fact, they reveal God to us. I cannot imagine life without her...

Mommy even makes (clean) laundry fun!

Happy Birthday, Baby! Thanks for showing us the heart of God as a wife and mother. We love you!

"As a mother comforts her child, so will I comfort you." Isaiah 66:13

Kingdom Economy

On a very basic level, our economy functions on consumer confidence. If people feel good or optimistic about the economy they tend to increase their spending. When there is pessimism or fear of the financial outlook, people consume less. In our current "economic crisis" this simple principle creates a perpetuating cycle of recession. We hear about the crash of the housing market, banks filing for bankruptcy, and higher unemployment rates and begin to lose faith in the economy. We spend less and curb our investments. Businesses then make less money, stocks fall, and our financial fears are intensified.

A sign of the times but not the Kingdom

There is a better way to operate than allowing external circumstances dictate our actions. When our confidence or faith is based on worldly conditions, it is prone to waver. But if our trust is in God, then our behavior should remain constant. Tithing, offering, giving, sharing, sowing/investing are things we are called to do regularly because the economy of the Kingdom is always prosperous. If you are interested in learning more, organizations such as Kingdom Economy, Generous Giving, Good$ense, and Crown Financial seek to equip people to live under God's economy. May we be proactive in our stewardship rather than reactive to the gloomy news of the financial crisis. Faithfulness and generosity move the heart of God!

"I am God—yes, I Am. I haven't changed. Bring your full tithe to the Temple treasury so there will be ample provisions in my Temple. Test me in this and see if I don't open up heaven itself to you and pour out blessings beyond your wildest dreams. For my part, I will defend you against marauders, protect your wheat fields and vegetable gardens against plunderers." The Message of God-of-the-Angel-Armies. "You'll be voted 'Happiest Nation.' You'll experience what it's like to be a country of grace." God-of-the-Angel-Armies says so." Malachi 3:6, 10-12 (The Message)

The Ultimate Pie

Sometimes it's hard to determine whether we are more influenced by our genes or environment. Growing up, I loved eating pizza and meat. That special diet seems to have passed on to Isaac. He consumes disproportionately large amounts of sausage pizza for his age.

When I reflect on my past, I tend to believe that nature has predetermined my children to crave that special combination of dough, sauce, cheese, and meat. I have tried many a pizza in my lifetime- Little Caesar's, Domino's, Jet's, Cottage Inn, Pizza House, Bell's, Marco's, Pizza Hut, Papa John's, CPK, Sbarro, Chuck E. Cheese, Papa Romano's, Buddy's, Numero Uno, Pizza Papalis, Hungry Howie's, BJ's, Big Mama's, Costco as well as countless others from places like California, New York, Mexico, Korea, and even Russia. All of these pizzas pale in comparison to one type of pie- Chicago deep dish. Uno Chicago Grill, Gino's East, and Lou Malnati's are the gold standard but my personal favorite is actually from my college days in Ann Arbor called Anthony's Gourmet.

A slice of heaven, italian style

Jenney bought me a pizza for my 33rd birthday tonight. My beautiful wife even called Anthony's to see if they would ship one but they never got back to us. Alas, it may be time for a visit to my alma mater...

The Heart of the Father

I just finished reading "Experiencing Father's Embrace" by Jack Frost, founder of Shiloh Place Ministries. He was a pastor divinely called to communicate and reveal the heart of the Father.

Required reading for students
but I would say a must read for all Christians

As a young father, this book has given me so much insight to the heart of God. My affections for Isaac and Abigail are a reflection of God's love for me. I want my children to know, feel, and experience my love for them. I desire every good thing for their lives. I hope they mature into powerful, compassionate, gifted world-changers for the Kingdom. Our Heavenly Father desires the same, and even more. Whenever I think of my kids, I get happy. Do you believe you are God's happy thought? That should make your day!

The Love of the Father

One of the wonderful (and tiring) aspects of this season in our lives is that I have more time to spend with the kids in meaningful, inspiring ways. This is a video of Isaac and me crashing into a pyramid of toilet paper.

<a href="http://video.msn.com/video.aspx?vid=38dd6dc1-fdc8-4a47-9c9a-699bd6778bc3" target="_new" title="Crash">Video: Crash</a>

My love for Isaac and Abigail constantly grows. We have so much fun just being together- usually acting silly. I am not only learning that I am a representation of Abba God to my kids, but also that my Heavenly Father loves me even more than I love my children. That truth is transforming my life. The heart of the Father is pure love, joy, goodness, laughter, and patience for his children. Do you believe that God wants to play with you, tickle you, snuggle with you, share secrets with you, and laugh with you? The Holy Spirit is turning the hearts of fathers to their children, and the hearts of the children to their fathers (Malachi 4:6). Let us turn our hearts and affections to our Heavenly Father and experience his amazing love for us.

Baby Dedication

This morning we dedicated Isaac and Abigail to the Lord at Bethel. It was a wonderful experience for all of us and the church family.

Our two children, freshly dedicated

After the service I was reminded of the passage in Deuteronomy which talked about leading our children in the faith through the Scriptures.

"Fix these words of mine in your hearts and minds; tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Teach them to your children, talking about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Write them on the door frames of your houses and on your gates..." Deuteronomy 11:18-20

In our increasingly secular society, it is becoming even more necessary, as well as challenging, to train our kids in the way they should live. But beyond instilling a set of stories, rules, and principles, I want my kids to know God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit in a loving, personal way. At our church there are testimonies of young children seeing visions, healing people, and hearing from God. Middle school students are even called upon to prophesy over other leaders/pastors at conferences. God is raising up a generation who are naturally supernatural because of their intimacy with our Heavenly Father. May it be so for our kids and yours!

Pray the Vote

Way back in the early 90's, a movement called Rock the Vote was created to get young people more involved in politics using popular artists. As successful as this idea has been, here is an even better one- Pray the Vote.

No matter the outcome of today's elections, it is important to remember that God is bigger than any candidate, administration, party, or country. May we continue to pray for our Heavenly Father's mercy, wisdom, grace, provision, and blessing for the United States and the world.

"Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints." Ephesians 6:10-18

The Call

Today thousands of people are gathering at Qualcomm Stadium in San Diego for the Call California, a corporate fasting and prayer meeting for the protection of traditional marriage and the upcoming elections. There is no question California and our nation need God's help and mercy. Here is a promo video about the event.



If you are interested, God TV is broadcasting the event live on their site from 10 am to 10 pm. May we all join together in a spirit of unity to intercede on behalf of the many needs facing our country.

"If my people, who are called by my name,
Will humble themselves and pray
And seek my face and turn from their wicked ways,
Then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin
And will heal their land." II Chronicles 7:114