Pray for Haiti

I had the opportunity to go on a medical/dental mission trip to Haiti this past spring break. I learned so much, and got to assist with so many procedures including helping to drain a ganglion cyst, prepatellar bursa, and right facial abscess, as well as helping with patient intake.  But it's funny how the seemingly small things that I experienced on this trip touched my heart the most.

While I was helping with taking patient vitals, I got to serve a lady who was not much older than me.  She was wearing long sleeves and pants, sunglasses, and a hat, even in the 90+ degree weather.  All this to protect her skin as best she could, because she was albino.  Her chief complaint was a large mass on her neck, and an even larger one on her back.  But she was covered with cracks in her skin and suffered much from UV light exposure.  I asked her if she used sunscreen, and my translator looked at me in a quandary.  He did not know what sunscreen was.  So, I wrote down her reasons for wanting to see the doctor, took her blood pressure, and had a look at her neck and back.  There was still a very long line to see one of the doctors, so I asked her if she knew Jesus.  She did, and I told her that I was so glad that she is my sister in Christ.  She smiled, and even with her numerous skin lesions, she was so beautiful.  I later learned from the doctors that she most likely had some type of skin cancer, and there wasn't much that we could do for her medically.  Although her time on earth for this season may be shorter than that of many others, I look forward to the day that we meet again in the presence of God.

Later, I got to shadow one of the doctors, Dr. Tom, while he served the wife of one of the pastors.  She came in and told us that she had diabetes, and to my surprise, Dr. Tom asked her if we could wash her feet.  He took out two disinfectant wipes and together we washed this woman's feet and checked for fungus.  When we found some between her toes, we applied some of the anti-fungal cream and gave her the rest of the tube.  I felt so honored to serve her in this way, washing her feet as Jesus washed his disciples' feet (John 13).

If there is one thing that I have learned from this trip to Haiti, it is the joy of serving the Lord by serving others.  I loved getting to share the gospel with the people there, and to see the joy they had when they heard the Good News of Jesus Christ crucified, dead, buried, resurrected, and taken up to heaven, making the way for our sins to be forgiven so that we can be in a loving relationship with God.  Amidst all of the poverty, illness, destruction from the earthquake, there is so much hope for Haiti because of Jesus.  Please continue to pray for the people Haiti, that they would find hope in Christ and that God would continue to strengthen them and be their all in all.  Thanks!

Urbana 12

16,000 participants at Urbana 12 built
32,000 medical kits for people with
HIV/AIDS in Swaziland, Africa

I was so blessed to be able to attend Urbana 12 conference held in St. Louis, MO with my brother this year.  You can read about his experience on the Business Changing the World track here.

As an MD/PhD student with a heart for missions, I went to this conference hoping for direction as to how God can use someone in my position to share His love with the world.  God was so gracious at this conference, connecting me with other medical students, graduate students and faculty who love Jesus and want Him to be glorified in their interactions, research, and studies in academia.  I also got to attend several graduate school and healthcare missions seminars.

One seminar that I am particularly grateful for was Grad School for God's Global Mission by S. Josh Swamidass, an Assistant Professor in Pathology at Washington University in St. Louis.  It was a huge encouragement to see that God can use grad school as a way to prepare me for the future and as an opportunity to serve God while in school.

Coming from Urbana 12, I have a renewed sense of purpose as I continue my studies (only ~7.5 years to go!).  I am hoping to do medical work and medical research as a mission.  Although I do not know exactly how that will look, I can continue to live out Colossians 3:23-24. I can keep studying hard, serving the people around me, and enjoying my time in school knowing that God is with me, giving me strength and guiding me, so that He may be glorified in and through my life.

Parents' 25th Anniversary Slideshow

We recently celebrated my parents' silver anniversary. It was a beautiful celebration of God's faithfulness to our family and of the love He gave my parents for Himself, for each other, for their family, friends, and everyone they meet. My brother, sister, and I put together this slideshow for my parents.  It features photos of our family and friends, and two original songs. Enjoy!

We Need Your Mercy

I wrote this song at a time when I was struggling with pride, anger, and bitterness, and was frustrated with myself for it.  I wanted to serve God, but all these things were weighing me down. God graciously reminded me of His mercy and how He has set me free from these sins that He may be glorified.  I pray that this song reminds you of the assurance of pardon we have thanks to Jesus, and of the work that God is doing in us, transforming us to become more like Christ.

"Who is God like you, who pardons sin and forgives the transgression of his inheritance?  You do not stay angry forever but delight to show mercy." - Micah 7:18

We Need Your Mercy

Em                                 G

What is this darkness inside my heart?

Am                         C

How do I let go?  Where do I start?

Em                                      G

The sin inside me has taken hold

Am                                          C

I can’t uproot it by strength alone

We seek to love people for Your fame

But are we just seeking to win their praise?

We hurt each other and shame your name

We say we’re Christians but don’t live by grace

Am                     C            G       D

We need Your mercy, Jesus

Am                    C              D

We need Your grace, O Lord

Am                   C              G        D

We need Your love to change us

Am               C         D                      Em

Your glory to be shown among us

Your body broken, Your blood poured out

Your love has spoken but we still doubt

That you could love us, amidst our sin

Help us remember You took our shame

Em                            G                             D

I want to give my life, a living sacrifice

                  Am7             Em

Holy and pleasing to You

Em                             G

But I need Your to refine

                                            D

My heart, my soul, my mind

                Am7                       (D)

Make me new, make me new 2x

Slow Down

I wrote this song while I was driving on the freeway and a car cut me off. I was tired from work and from all the big decisions I needed to make, frustrated at the driver, and about ready to say some angry things. But God was gracious and inspired me to write this song instead. :) I hope that it encourages you to rest in Jesus and trust that He has saved you from sin and that He is in control.

Slow Down by Tiffany Lim

So many times in our lives we get to a point
When we're going a hundred miles an hour
And life is coming at us way too fast
That we forget about the hope that is ours

Don't give up now, before Him bow
Cast your cares on Jesus, and

Slow down, my friend
Take some time to rest in Him
You don't have to strive anymore

When life gets overwhelming lift your eyes up to the King
For He's the One who holds together everything
And you don't have to worry now; our God is in control
And His promises are good forevermore

Don't give up now, before Him bow
Cast your cares on Jesus, and

Slow down, my friend
Take some time to rest in Him
You don't have to strive anymore

For God already loves you
God's already saved you from sin
Jesus Christ has paid the price
He gave His life for us
Be still and believe

"Cast your cares on the LORD
and he will sustain you" - Psalm 55:22a

F.R.O.G. - Fully Rely On God

My friends and I will be helping with a "one-day VBS" program tomorrow and I'm really excited!  We are using the theme and some of the ideas from this site: http://www.dltk-bible.com/vbs/frog-index.htm.

I wrote a F.R.O.G. story for the toddlers and wanted to share it with you all.  Hope you enjoy it!

Once upon a time, there was a frog named Marcus.  He was a happy frog who loved to jump around on lily pads and splash around in ponds.  Each day, he would wake up in the morning and thank God for the sunshine.  And each night, he would say a prayer thanking God for a good day of catching flies.  Marcus loved to please God, but his family did not.  His family thought that good things happen to you when you do good things, and bad things happen to you when you do bad things.  His family did not understand that God loves us and takes care of us.

One day, as Marcus was leaping onto his favorite lily pad, a thunder storm struck.  Before he could croak, Marcus was whisked away by a flash flood, rain pouring down from the sky and washing him into an unknown territory.  The waters dropped him in a damp and grassy land right on his head.  When Marcus was finally able to stand on his four feet and see straight, he took a look around.  There were no lily pads here, and no ponds.  All he could see for miles and miles was grass, grass, and more grass.  A small buzzing insect flew by his head, and Marcus the frog stuck out his sticky red tongue and swallowed it whole.  The bugs tasted funny here, too.  

Marcus hopped around for hours until he finally grew tired of green grass.  He sat down and started to pray, "Dear God, I don't know why you took me from my family and my favorite lily pad and brought me here, but please help me fully rely on You."  And with tears in his eyes, he said, "And please help me find my way home.  In Jesus' name, Amen."  Marcus the frog opened his eyes, wiped away one last tear, and looked around again.  The sky had grown dark, the moon had come out in place of the sun, and in the distance, Marcus could see an orange glow that looked like a cooking fire.  Marcus the frog swallowed a sob and slowly crawled toward the orange blaze.

As he drew nearer to the fire, Marcus heard singing.  He could not really make out the words, but it was the most beautiful sound he had ever heard.  Closer and closer he crept, until the singing stopped.  The singer stopped and turned her head.  "Who's there?" she asked.  Marcus froze.  From where he hid, he could see that the singer was an old grandma frog.  She seemed to have a kind enough face, and so he prayed, "God, is this why you brought me here?  To meet this lady?  Please show me what to do. In Jesus' name, Amen."  By the time he finished praying, the old lady frog had already decided that she had not heard anything and began singing her song again.  This time, Marcus could hear the lyrics.

Oh, you know, I know, everybody needs to know
To fully rely on God
You know, I know, everybody needs to know
To fully rely on God

He will help you in your need
He will guide you on your way
He has always been with you
Trust in Him now and alwaysThey were the most wonderful lyrics Marcus had ever heard.  Most of the songs he had grown up with were about leaping on lily pads under the noonday sun.  This grandma frog's song gave Marcus the courage to come out of hiding and introduce himself.  
"Hello, Mrs. Frog.  Sorry if I scared you earlier.  My name is Marcus."  
The grandma frog spun around, "Hello there, dear.  My name is Nancy, but you may call me Nan if that is easier for you to remember.  Have you been hiding there long?  Would you like to come and sing this song with me?"  
Marcus nodded.  
Nan beckoned him closer, saying, "I have been having a hard time with this song, because it's meant to be sung with more than one person!  I used to sing it to my children and grandchildren, but they were all swept away by the flash flood."
Marcus looked at her in awe.  How could she sing such a beautifully happy song when she had just lost all of her family?
Nan cleared her throat.  "The song itself is really quite simple.  The hardest part is believing it's true.  Let's try singing it together."
And so they did, and over time, Marcus began to realize how true the words really were.  He could fully rely on God no matter what happened.
That night, Marcus and Nan exchanged stories about their families.  When Marcus described his mother and father and his favorite lily pad, Nan nearly jumped in excitement. 
"Child!" she said, "Is your father's name Mark by chance?"  
Marcus just stared at her, wondering how she could know that. 
"Marcus, your father Mark is my long lost son!  He left when he got into a big fight with my husband, his father; that's your grandfather.  I think that I know where your favorite lily pad is.  Would you like me to take you home?  I would love the chance to see my son."
This time is was Marcus' turn to jump in excitement.  God had truly answered his prayer!  "Yes!  Thank you Nan!"  Marcus gave her a big hug and cried, "Thank you, God!"

The next day, Marcus and Nan set out for home.  The trek took several hours, but Marcus was surprised by how fast the time flew by with Nan leading the way.  When they passed by Marcus' favorite lily pad, he was so excited he broke into a mad hopping dash all the way home.  He hugged his mom and dad and little frog sister.  They had been inside during the flood, safe from harm, but they had been so worried about Marcus.  Marcus had barely caught his breath when he started telling them about how we can fully rely on God, and how God had answered his prayers, and just as he was about to mention Nan, she showed up at the door.  Marcus' father, Mark, just stood and stared.  
"Hello, son, it's your mother, Nancy.  It's good to see you," Nan said.
Marcus' father inched closer and looked at his long lost mother.  His stare turned to tears, and he hugged Nan.
"Your boy's right, you know, we really can fully rely on God.  I had been praying for years for a way to find you, and lo and behold, your son shows up just when I had lost all hope."  
Marcus smiled, "Nan taught me a song about that!  Want to learn it?"
Marcus' dad croaked and smiled, "Yes, I would like that very much."
So, into the night, they all sang

Oh, you know, I know, everybody needs to know
To fully rely on God
You know, I know, everybody needs to know
To fully rely on God

He will help you in your need
He will guide you on your way
He has always been with you
Trust in Him now and always

The End

The Burrito Gift

Today, I decided to go to Chipotle and buy myself a burrito.  It had been about six months since I last had a Chipotle burrito, and I was excited.  Like most people who ate at Chipotle during their undergraduate years, I have very fond memories at the place.  Like frantically trying to figure out what kinds of beans and salsas to get without slowing down the line, enjoying tasty food with awesome friends (and a getting a free drink with your student ID :) ).  But this blog post isn't a pitch for the restaurant.  It's about a lady I met there today; a lady I will probably never meet again in this lifetime, but a lady who I hope to one day meet in heaven.

I was walking into the restaurant when this lady approached me.  She looked tired and hungry, sweat shining on her dark skin in the noon heat.  She walked with a cane and an obvious limp.  Her left leg was bent out of shape and she had a bright red hat covering her dreadlocks.  I thought that she might be waiting for a ride, but then she asked me for some change.

I don't know if this is a moral dilemma that many people deal with, but when people ask me for change on the street, I have a really hard time deciding on what to do.  My first instinct is to just drop some change, but then I start doubting myself.  What if they go off and use the money to buy booze?  Or cigarettes?  Or drugs?  Would giving them change really be helping them?  Or would it just feed their addictions and keep them stuck on the street, begging for money?  (One of my greatest regrets is lying to a poor young girl in Indonesia about not having any money because I feared she was being exploited). But then I start remembering how God always commanded the well-to-do to leave gleanings for the poor in the Old Testament.  Or how in Luke 12:33, Jesus says, "Sell your possessions and give to the poor." And then the question becomes, how do I love this person the way that Jesus loves them?

By God's grace and the leading of the Holy Spirit, I made the split second decision to offer to buy this lady some food.  I asked her to come into the restaurant with me, but she said that they don't like her going in there.  So, she told me that she wanted a beef burrito, I went in and got two steak burritos and waters, and came out and gave her some of the food.  As I was dividing it up, I asked her what her name was.  She said her name was Karen and I introduced myself as I handed her a burrito.  Her reaction surprised me.  When she saw the burrito, she gasped and said, "God bless you!" over and over.  It seemed like she had never seen so much food in her life.  I was speechless.  I wanted to say, "Jesus loves you," or share the gospel with her, but it took all of my brain capacity at that moment to say, "Take care," and then hop into my car and drive back to work.

As I was driving, I prayed for Karen.  I prayed that God would be her strength and shield, her refuge.  I prayed that she would accept Jesus as her Lord and Savior.  And I prayed that God would bless the food upon her body, and maybe heal her limp, if that was within his will.  As I look back on the situation, I am a bit sad that I didn't get to share the gospel with her, but through this, I am learning several things.  I am learning to trust that God hears my prayers, and that I don't need to feel guilty for not taking the opportunity to proclaim the gospel to Karen; God can use my actions as well as my words to bring someone closer to a loving relationship with him.

The more times I encounter people asking me for change, the more I am compelled to give.  And the more I read God's commands to give, the more I am amazed at how God frees us up to give.  If I were a nonbeliever, it would be so hard to give to the poor because of the potential for my gifts to fuel illegal or dangerous behaviors.  But because I know that God is in control, I can give to the poor and trust that he will use it for the good of those who love him, just as he promised (Romans 8:28).  And so, I conclude with a beautiful glimpse of what is to come for those who love of the Lord and obey his command to give:

Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world.  For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’ 

“Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’ 

“The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.' (Matthew 25:35-40)