a mess of grace

Some of the highlights of 2006, and the great grace of God in my life:

january & february

The weddings of my friends in Minnesota: Paul & Samantha and Matt & Lisa, and the joy it was to watch these couples make covenant and express love to each other, and to hear the testimonies of lives who had been influenced by them. Especially Paul & Samm's wedding, because they had been single for longer before marriage. I heard the living examples of this truth: "A life poured out is the greatest life, it is the only life".





march

Seeing Damien Jurado play live in St Paul, and everything that happened surrounding and following this show, was an expression of God's grace to me, including a greater love for independent music, deeper longing for reflection and beauty and other people who share that room for thought and creativity. Also, Damien Jurado is patient, calm, gracious, and On My Way to Absence is a brilliant album. This was an amazing show.




april

My first mac. This has changed the way I do life, correspondence, learning, reflection, solitude, and was a great grace to me.


may

Completion of a course entitled "Perspectives on the World Christian Movement" which revolutionized the way I perceive God's purposes in the world, his heart for the nations, our longing for his return and our desire to see the joy of all peoples for the glory of His all powerful name.


june

meetings with the company that is designing our new website and delight in learning more about the strategy, design, and innovation that goes into such a complex project. Excitement about how the Lord might use these meetings as our new website lauches soon and as he equips me for the future.


july

A 27-hour 27th birthday, during which I flew to the islands and read my book of the year before visiting my grandparents and relatives. We hiked volcanos, ran errands together, talked about our heritage, shared stories, looked at old photographs, and saw His grace spilled out over generations.




august

Surprised by grace in the process of sending a letter out. Connecting with old friends on the phone and in person to learn that people I grew up with and went to school with are having babies, getting married, getting divorced, doing ministry, becoming pastors, moving, struggling, rejoicing, trusting him.


september

A very special trip in which I felt more at home and more a foreigner at the same time than ever before in my life. A flood of questions of what it means to be half-asian, to be a child of God, to be an ambassador of the ministry of reconciliation, and to be a woman of hope.


october

An amazing show by my friends in Velella Velella, and the freedom to dance and be freed from inhibitions. Joy.


november

Being challenged by friends and loved beyond my expectations in an amazing trip to Seattle. Seeing the way Mars Hill Church uses art in their services and space. Driving to the airport with one of my favorite people and seeing God answer our prayers when we were brought into complete dependence on His grace.


december

On the first, a four hour conversation about art, design, the Word, evangelism, film, and beauty. On the 31st, the end of a conference full of the grace of God and charged with tools to help me fight against lies and sin and to enjoy the great promises that make me a partaker of the divine nature through Jesus Christ.