whhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhow.. (wow)

I was in Minnesota/Wisconsin for a youth retreat with Hmong American Alliance Church (HAAC) for the weekend. I saw God move in many different ways but I will share generally a few ways I saw Him worked. I'm sure you could get 1000000000 different cool God stories from the 250 youth that attended.

Ever had a time when you prayed and asked God with hunger, desire, and passion? Ever had a moment when you knew one of your prayers was just answered and your reaction was "whoooooooooooooooooooooo... (deep breathe) wow God. wow." So many, but I will share the big ones.

He answered very quick. That first moment came Friday night (Saturday morning) at about 1:40am during small groups with a group of 5 men. The Holy Spirit sure did opened everyone's heart. Hearts poured out to each other with pain, struggles, and trials. Living out James 5:12-20 together. Wow. Hearts were opened. Barriers broken. Confessing to one another. Confessing to the Lord. Praying over one another. Encouraging over one another. Wow. This is one of the first times I've experienced all this to as deep of a level as this during a HAAC youth event. Wow.

Saturday night. Props to the LORD for blessing us with His great servant, Xf. Meng. All he did was presented the Gospel. Xf. Meng used one of my favorite stories when explaining the gospel to others (the story of the King taking the whips for his mother). He invited people to respond to the Gospel. Wow. Tears falling down, bawling, crying. I looked up to see the brothers and sisters on their knees and BAM. Slow-mo hits. (Imagine a scene in a movie when something big happens and you hear the sound of a heartbeat and everything slows down matrix style)

I hear a faint whisper in my heart, (You know that I am God. Be still, and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth, aka Psalms 46). I responded with joy: "Yes you are. Yes you are. You will be exalted in the earth and among the nations. This is one of the nations right here, right now at this moment. Thank you for letting me be a witness and a part of this one."

I was filled with joy because I heard and saw the hearts of these young brothers and sisters responding to the power and message of the gospel. Bawling cause they realize their sin and the need for Jesus. Isn't that darn right Glorious?! Yes it is!

One of my buddies, mT (Matthew Thao), came to me and says "Xau man. I'm not an emotional type of guy. Because I'm not crying, doesn't mean that I'm not happy right?" hahahaha, you gotta love mT. Well Matt, for me, it is the same too. I'm not that "outwardly emotional" type either.

I continue the night to sit in awe and in worship with the slow-mo point of view. Psalms 145 comes into my heart again in response.

"13 Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom,
and your dominion endures through all generations.
The LORD is faithful to all his promises
and loving toward all he has made. [c]

14 The LORD upholds all those who fall
and lifts up all who are bowed down.

15 The eyes of all look to you,
and you give them their food at the proper time.

16 You open your hand
and satisfy the desires of every living thing.

17 The LORD is righteous in all his ways
and loving toward all he has made.

18 The LORD is near to all who call on him,
to all who call on him in truth.

19 He fulfills the desires of those who fear him;
he hears their cry and saves them.

20 The LORD watches over all who love him,
but all the wicked he will destroy.

21 My mouth will speak in praise of the LORD.
Let every creature praise his holy name
for ever and ever."

What a way to respond after this, with Fear Factor? Haha, that was probably one of the weirdest transitions ever, but right then before my eyes, the barriers were broken, people were embracing people, the body was united for that one moment in rejoice and worship for the LORD, I saw it.

People were praying earnestly before and now. Seeing God move right before my eyes. We cannot stop praying. He's answered the prayers. Like every typical retreat and/or conference, it turns out to end at the end of the retreat. But the praying won't stop. The desire will not stop. Keep praying continuously, praying without ceasing (1 Thess 5:17)



I added a quote I got from this weekend to my keeper's quote list.

"Going to church makes you no more a Christian, as if going to McDonalds makes you a burger." -Xf. Meng Moua