End of 2009, Hello 2010!

This was posted on Jan. 1, 2009 on my xanga:

"Looking back on the year 2008, it was probably the hardest year I've ever had. I went through the most depression stage of my life, academics were incredibly difficult, more family issues ensued, and more. However, through these hard times, I think I have grown the most. God must do whatever it takes to bring me back to Him, even if it means breaking my leg.

So I am here now, it is 2009 and I am excited and kind of nervous about what is to come in this next year. For sure there will be many obstacles. Who knows? Maybe 2009 will be tougher than 2008. I have to admit. I will never forget the year of 2008.

-Paraguay
-Counseling at CPCYG Winter Retreat
-Transfer Apps
-Gaining/Losing Relationships
-Being encouraged by Pastor Paul and Pastor Harold
-Christ and the Gospel being more and more real to me everyday"

I would have to say, 2009 was one of the most memorable and eventful years of my life. Some of the things I can think off the top of my head are:

-Receiving my acceptance letter to UCLA
-Joining welcoming committee
-Experiencing the longest summer break of my life (4 months long)
-Paraguay '09
-Accepting roles are CG officer and small group leader
-Reading ALOT of mystery/thriller books
-CPCYG Summer Retreat, Pilgrim's Progress, getting 1st place!
-1st quarter at UCLA
-Living in the dorms
-Gaining/Losing relationships
-CK and Cho Family visiting America
-CPCYG Winter Retreat
-Christ and the Gospel being more and more real to me everyday

I feel like I always have to add that last one because it is so true. I am constantly reminded of his faithfulness and his unfailing love. One of the craziest reminders about God was shown to me through the seminar at the CPCYG retreat. It basically talked about how huge the planets, stars, galaxies, the universe was. The speaker said that you could fit several billions of earths in the sun. And then he just kept going on about how the next biggest star, you could fit trillions, and then quadrillions in the biggest star ever recorded thus far, and how it ultimately seemed like it decreased the significance of the earth. When you see the biggest star, you can't even see the earth. If the earth is that small, how small are we? And then when we pray to God, for some reason we try to be God's counselor or adviser, trying to teach him how to do his job by telling him to fulfill our requests and then get bitter when he doesn't.

Yet, God still knows us by name. He knows us on a very personal level. He knows us better than we know ourselves. And what an amazing love that is! I don't know about you, but that thought alone humbled me to the ground.

What does God have in store for me in 2010? There's nothing to worry about that because God is sovereign, and He is faithful.

Happy New Year!

-Simon