I'm defined by my relationships.
Because of God, I am a son, friend, disciple, citizen, and servant.

Because of family, I am a son and a brother.

Because of friends, I am, well, a friend.

Pursuits that guide my daily existence.
On Earth as it is in Heaven. The world is broken. There's tension. There's despair. There's sorrow. But... there's a present tense reality called the kingdom of God that is here now but not yet in fullness. There's glimpses of this kingdom all across planet Earth that bring wholeness, peace, hope and joy. Heaven is longing to become one with Earth. The One who was, is, and is to come is making all things new. The reign of God will one day cover the Earth like the waters cover the sea. In that glorious, unreal moment, humanity will look around with resurrected eyes and proclaim that the reign of God is truly, finally, once and for all on Earth as it is in Heaven.

Relationship is the meaning of life. Abstract philosophies and ethereal ideas don't satisfy or quench the undeniable desires of the human heart for relationship. The deepest fibers of our being long for our relationships to be good...with God, with people, with creation. Dare I say that the pursuit of the unholy trinity of me, myself and I leads to nothing more than a life of loneliness, emptiness, and tears. We were made for relationship. Relationship that gives us meaning. Relationship that gives us life.

Living out our original design. Before we declared our independence from our Creator by rebelling in the Garden things were good. Things were how things were supposed to be. When we look to that stain of our past that corrupted every nook and cranny of creation, it's all to easy to focus on our fall, and lose sight of the image. Because whether we believe it or not...more original than sin is the image of God within us. Through doing what Adam could not do, the One familiar with sorrow and suffering restored that which was lost through His life, death, and resurrection. The heavens cry hallelujah.

A high view of God. An adopted son of the Most High once said that what comes into our minds when we think about God is the most important thing about us. Raising our hands to a Jesus that hands out flowers at airports with a fake smile on his face or a Jesus that's dead in the ground is unworthy of the one true God. We need to see God again. As He is. So that we wonder, tremble, and crumble in His presence. And respond with a life of selfless, joyful worship.

Creating culture for the common good. The Scriptures begin with a garden and end with a city. The in-between is filled with human beings building, painting, sowing, cooking, singing, multiplying, writing, speaking, crafting, designing, and millions of other things to create the cultures of every tribe, tongue and nation. We were created to create.

Long obedience in the same direction.  I'm blameless before the holy God, saved by the blood of the Lamb, and a new creation in Christ Jesus. But the war between good and evil still rages on within me. Sometimes I lose a battle, but I've won the war because Jesus conquered sin, death, and the devil. When I fall, when I stumble, my choice is to turn back around and continue pursuing a long obedience in the same direction as Christ completes the work that He began in me. Amen.

The fullness of the Gospel. I don't want to settle. There's always more. More salvation. More revelation. More suffering. More joy. More hope. More love. More, more, more. I'm after the fullness of the Gospel transforming this reality into His Reality and I'm giving my life to do it. Soli Deo Gloria.

lf you want to get personal.
I'm a Christian who didn't grow up in the church or a Christian home.

I'm half Chinese, half Mexican. And I'm trying to figure out what that means.

I don't own a car. And I plan on keeping it that way for life.

I'm really curious about the end of the world.

I love, love, love breakfast burritos.

I live with an international student. He's from Nepal.

I've never eaten a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. Crazy, huh?

I do a handful of other things online, which you can learn about about by learning a little more about me.

Now say hello.
I'd love to hear from you. Ask me a question, share something you're learning, or just say hello.