This has just been a great week, but starting with the biggest news of all.
MY BEST FRIEND IS ENGAGED! his name is ryan, and he just proposed to his girlfriend today by driving down to montgomery to propose. he decorated her bed with rose petals and posted pictures of other asking-proposal-methods. really complicated, but I spent my time with him and dedicated it to documenting the entire thing. i'm totally stoked. wouldn't it be awesome to be a best man? I think I'm thinking too far ahead now.. but just to be at the wedding would already make my day. They settled on a date for the wedding already. May 28. I have already set aside 400 dollars for the plane ticket to virginia if neccesary. I must also remember to keep them in my prayers. haha but I think it's safe to say I won't be hearing from them for a few days now.

ryan really knows how push me to question my intentions and re-evaluate my interests. i guess a currentl dwelling thought on my mind is whether youre ready to date, why date, what should you seek in a relationship, and who. I won't digress too much right now, but I will say that the asian culture I was brought up in taught me to gain financial security before even putting a toe over the line into dating territory. that just isn't so true anymore. True, I've dated, but sometimes with less mature intentions. I would never say those relationships were a mistake; they helped shape and mold me into the more mature man I am becoming, but ryan's proposal alongside many successful relationships I keep hearing about are making me re-evaluate my interests and intentions. I guess a note of advice to myself now and in the future is to try to keep from immediately rejecting ideas that do not follow my readily accepted values. that means, don't turn your face the wrong way when something is looking you dead in the eye. ok, bad analogy.

A Few Other Recent Thoughts:

• Glee made a cover of Lean on me. Tis one of my favorite songs
• talked to esther about "taking initiative". and also talked to Andrea about it to. Decided, guy's should take initiative, and girls should stop complaining. (Girls are stupid; they complicate life :P)
• Recently discovered that a new friend of mine is a Digimon Fan. *excellent* (in a mr.burns'-y scheming way)
  
• VASA formal was a blast. still awaiting our G-photos, but I can say the night was without a doubt an experience. Also, aaron can "dance", but only if you stand `5 meters from him, for your own safety :P
• Thanksgiving is coming up and that means black friday!
• I bought a pair of jackets and track pants from oldnavy/gap for very low prices. made me happy haha. along with a watch and a beanie online.
• Still praying for Ulises. Extremely happy that he accepted Christ. Watch over him.
  

dudee, I can't study anymore. Well, honestly I really wasn't studying in the first place. Now to pose question for you; What is the BEST thing that can happen in a GiG? :) This year I have been blessed to a GiG (Group Investigating God) Leader. One of the people I've been leading a GiG with is named Ulises, and tonight, he accepted Christ into his life! Am I happy? no.. but ecstatic? YES!

Two days ago, an event called After Dark was hosted here at the aTm campus at Reed Arena. After Dark is a traveling concert with a speaker geared toward spreading the good news through the act of building a cross onstage; the message itself is shaped around "That's My King" and very powerful and moving. However, that Monday, Ulises was busy with school work and couldn't go. Here was a text message from the Tuesday morning after:
Sarah: Yes of course! 9:18 AM Me: g to know someone is praying :)

I was really praying that I would be able to relay the same message to him.. someday, but I still had no idea what God had in store for me, or him for that matter. Who knew that night (Tuesday night), everything would change for him?

Tuesday night is the weekly Breakaway Ministries Bible Study. Breakaway is the largest student-organized bible study in the world. Tonight, I decided to sit alone away from others for the sake of spending quality time with God without the justifiable influence of surrounding friends. The message was about not planning without God's will. For me, the message was similar to other messages that I had heard in the past, but I still prayed that God would allow me to apply the message and use it for His will. Who knew that prayer would be answered so soon?

I went back after Breakaway to my room. Tuesday November 3, 2009 was Silver Taps, a night held once a month dedicated to past Ags and Aggies who have passed away. Ulises's room faces the direction of the event so he had to keep his lights off in respect, but because my room faces away, I have the ability to keep my lights on. So I invited him over to my room. At first I thought it was just a friendly conversation. At first, we were talking about  food and discussing the content of corn dogs. It seemed like this conversation would be like any other small talk.

But God had other plans.

He then, out of nowhere, asked for advice. The topic was completely out of blue, so I asked God to speak through me and just use me in a most pure and glorifying way. I prayed very quickly to be used by God and for Him to speak truth and gratitude through my words and speak to his heart. What started as advice turned to a discussion of leading a Christ-centered life. Then that led to a defining of God's will. Then God just blew me away. He applied that night's Breakaway message to the spiritual conversation. We were talking about planning, hoping, and longing about our future. We were talking about pausing during our lives, knowing tomorrow is not set; that our knowledge is limited because we know not tomorrow. And then we discussed God being the only being who knows our future, the only one who decides that we live and what we do with our lives. Then we realized, everything and all praise should be to Him and that His will is all that should be planned upon. Yes. God applied the message in the most meaningful way possible. Yes. He spoke through me.

And then Ulises, asked that I present the Gospel. The good news. Ulises said that everything was starting to click. Everything started to make sense. He prayed with me for guidance, for understanding, for trust, and for love and grace. Tears trickled out of the corners of his eyes. I felt the spirit in my tiny 11x11 foot room, but it didn't matter how it happened, because the Holy Spirit was there. I spoke to him about the Gospel after his prayer. And the most fearful moment of us came upon me. "Do you believe Jesus Christ Died for our sins? Do you believe you are saved and forsaken in Christ? Do you believe in the God who sacrificed himself for you?"

"Yes", he said. The rest is history. :)

Ulises Perez was saved at 12:10 AM on November 4, 2009. God used me in the greatest way possible. Am I happy? no.. but ecstatic? YES! Once again, I ask, What is the BEST thing that can happen in a GiG? I don't know the answer this question, because I can't plan any further than the now. I must live in the now, but that won't stop me from giving my praise to the great almighty God! Good Day!

So I guess now is a good of time as any to blog about just what's been going on. Have you ever had to make a decision that you didn't want to make? Or better yet, have you ever had to do anything that you would rather not do? This is the type of decision is the one that hurts to make. At the same time, its the type of choice that you know you have to make, and the voice telling you to follow your desire echos in the back of your mind.

HEADS UP! That voice isn't your best friend; it is temptation. Temptation plagues me when I go through my worst trials. Temptation doesn't arise when a certain situation puts me in a tight spot. Temptation surfaces when my desire draws me in the wrong direction.

I've been fighting temptation for a while now, and now is the time to reveal the truth. I want to go the other way and give into my sin. I want temptation to be my mistress. I want her to be by my side while we converse and sink deeper into desire. But I know better.

I made a decision to stick by the righteous path. I believe in the truth. I have faith. I trust in His amazing grace. In the end, the decisions we make on this earth don't matter anymore to this world or the people in it. What matters is His judgement. I plan to stick by my decision to walk away from that which pains me to reside by because I know that God's love for me overpowers all the sorrow I could ever feel. He feels my pain and He continually calls to me to face any troubles I have head on because He offers me a reward x-fold better than any desire on this earth. He is too good to me and I am unworthy. He is by my side and I will chase for all my days.

Ok, I will speak on real terms now; my decision, or better yet, our decision, is the right one. I foresee awkward moments. I see there being times where I feel deserted and no one is around to help, but we all know that isn't true. I have all my friends. I have you, and God-willing, I have your prayers. I want to be with her, but I must be reminded to look to Him first and he reveal the greatest love this world has ever known.