Have you read any good books lately? What's your favorite? The best books I've read are ones that come recommended by friends.

Charysse lent me a book called "Redeeming Love," by Francine Rivers. An amazing novel -- I highly recommend it to every girl! Actually, it would be great for guys, too, if you like a good cry sometimes and you're not ashamed to carry a book like that around. ;)

It's a contemporary version of the timeless story from the Bible of the prophet Hosea. In this book, a good Christian man named Michael is called by God to marry a beautiful prostitute. She doesn't understand his commitment to her and his unconditional love. Because of her tragic past, she has become hardened and cynical about life, love, and men, and she doesn't know how to accept Michael's love. She fights it, runs away over and over, is unfaithful to him. But Michael is steadfast in his love for her, forgiving her again and again, and showing her what love truly is. She struggles to understand why such a God-fearing, honorable, kind, perfect man would choose to love a "soiled dove" like her. I don't want to give away the whole book, but it's basically about her journey of faith, forgiveness, and love.

This book paints a vivid picture of God's love for us. Like the prostitute, we are unfaithful to God over and over, but he is steadfast in his unconditional love for us. We neglect him, and he waits patiently. We give up on him, but he never gives up on us. We spit in his face, and he turns the other cheek. We reject him, and he loves us still. I don't know how many times I cried while I was reading this book because I was reminded of my sinfulness and depravity, and how God's love lifted me up out of the darkness. (Okay, and maybe also in some parts because it was just soooo romantic.)

"But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us."

--Romans 5:8

Last night we our weekly teen girls' small group Bible study. I told the girls to set their standards high and to be careful not to grow complacent in their faith. At the end of small group, I had them write letters to their future selves (which I'd mail to them in a year), reminding their future selves of how God worked in their lives in 2008, and setting some spiritual goals for the new year. The girls asked, "Bev, what are your goals for 2009? Are you going to write a letter?" And I realized that I hadn't thought about it for myself. Haha, ironic.

It's funny how God can take totally incompetent, inadequate people and still use them for His purposes. :)

So I wrote a letter to my future self.

I'm not a big fan of "making new year's resolutions," but I do think it's important to always strive for something better. In Philippians 3, which we studied that night, Paul encourages us to strain toward what is ahead and press on toward the goal, which is Christ himself. I liked Melody's goal, which she made into a catchy slogan: "more than yesterday." Each day, she wants to improve herself to become a better person than she was the day before.

Last year, I'm not sure, but I believe my resolution was that if God was my best friend like I claimed He was, I should spend time with Him consistently every day. (This is why a blog helps -- you can actually go back and read what was going on in your head at that time.) I think I've somewhat reached that goal -- I've gotten in the habit of spending time with God every night, reading my Bible and doing my devotions. So this year, I want to take the next step and strive for something better -- I want not just to read my Bible, but I want to be transformed by the words that I read. Sometimes I read my Bible like it's a bedtime story, and then I think, "Oh! What a nice story," and then I fall asleep. But I'd like to really read God's words, let them sink in and change me -- what I say, how I act, what I feel, what I do.

And my second resolution is regarding prayer. My prayer life is severely lacking. Paul (the pastor at our church, not the author of the epistles) is teaching a new Sunday School class on prayer, so I'm looking forward to that.

This year was our first time having the whole fam (both sides of the family) over for Christmas at our place! It was chaotic, trying to fit 15 people into our tiny home, but lots of fun. :) We missed Kenash this year though... first year without them. *sniff* We had a traditional Chinese Christmas dinner -- no, not a Christmas ham... Christmas hotpot! :)

And I'm 27 now. When people ask me how old I am, I have to stop and subtract 1981 from the current year -- I stopped keeping track after the teens, I think. It doesn't really matter after that. :) The only important ages to look forward to are 16, 18, and 21. After that, there's nothing until 55, when you get your senior citizen discounts! :P

To be honest, I'm starting to feel old... Everyone has been dropping random hints or pressuring us to have BABIES! Dude, none of my friends (my age) are expecting yet, so I don't know why I feel pressure to. Maybe it's because Tony is 31. The advice I've been hearing a lot is "start early." Part of me is totally ready and excited (shout out to my faaaavorite show, Jon & Kate Plus 8), but a part of me wants to wait. We should enjoy our time as DINKs (dual-income no kids)... I know life will never be the same once you become a parent.

Anyway. God knows what the best time is. When God wants us to have babies, there's no stopping God. ;) So we might as well trust Him in the meantime. Happy birthday, dear Jesus! And now 2009 is already upon us. And I didn't even get a chance to make my pomegranate cheesecake.