These past several weeks have been some of the hardest I've had since coming to Hawaii. As our movement has been growing, so has the need to pray for spiritual protection. Several of our students have been approached by a cult on campus affiliated with the International Church of Christ. Many of our student leaders, and even our staff team, have been attacked with exhaustion, personal struggles and lies of the Enemy. But in it all, I'm beginning to learn not only how to accept my own weakness, but even embrace it and boast in it. I was sharing with my staff team that I'd been struggling with feeling not good enough, not strong enough, not equipped enough, and Andy encouraged me with saying, "I just got this image of Satan saying all these things to you- that you're not good enough, not strong enough...and you saying 'Well, so what? My God IS.'"
It was such a good reminder that no matter what inadequacies I'm feeling, God is infinitely bigger than all of them. That when we are weak, He is strong because we are actually allowing God to work through us.
A couple weeks ago I flew to Colorado for my friend Jennie's memorial service, and while it was hard and many tears were shed, it was very much a celebration of her life, and the hope, joy and love she brought to so many people. And I believe she was able to do that because she understood that in her weakness, God was triumphant.
In the last page of Jennie's book she wrote before she passed away, she wrote "Life is hard. This world is broken. Most, if not all people, in their lifetime, will have trials that are so horrible that they are left in despair, crying out to God. I have had several of them. But the reason why I'm able to get up every morning and at least try to stay positive is because God promised us that we could do all things through Him, who gives us strength. He just asks us to run with perseverance the race marked out for us...He will be our strength and never abandon us, no matter how tough life gets. I don't know about you, but I don't think I can think of anything more encouraging than that, or anything we could be more thankful for." ~ Jennie Yang
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