From my experience, having a relationship with God feels similar to being a child having a birthday party in Charlie’s Chocolate Factory, if that sense of joy gets multiplied by infinity.
Recently, through serving in the youth group leadership team at Graceway Church, a love of serving God has grown in my heart, and by joining the World Race Gap Year Program, I chose to surrender to God’s plan for me because life will be short: I want to purposefully spend my life loving on people the way Jesus loves me.
Through the World Race Gap Year Program, my team and I will serve in India, Malaysia, and Zambia for nine months to volunteer in orphanages, minister to human trafficking victims, and bring the restorative hope of the Father’s love as messengers of the Gospel.
While serving in India, Malaysia, and Zambia for nine months, I hope to give generously, live radically, and love fiercely, but more importantly, I hope and pray that you too will become madly in love with Jesus and gain a desire to live a passionate life worth living.
Please join me on this journey by subscribing to this blog where I will share the amazing, awe-inspiring love story of the living God at work.
Also, I would love to read your thoughts, stories, or even a quick hello as well, so feel free to comment away!
Now if you want to know more about who the heck I am, read on.
I am 17 years old and will be turning 18 on August 7. Some of the things I love include: spending time with horses, dancing, spending time with friends, going on walks with my mom, doing anything adventurous and outdoorsy, learning, trying new things, reading, or making something.
Soon (in late June), I will be done with my senior year in West High School! Currently, I reside in Southern California with my mom, but I grew up around the Memphis, Tennessee area for the first half of my life.
Michelle is the middle name people know me by, but from now on, I am going by my legal first name: Xi-ming (She-ming).
Why?
As a child, I experienced great shame in my Chinese-Korean Heritage. Being different meant I looked different, didn’t understand the same cultural customs or innuendos, and even smelled different. To me, different meant being seen as weird, strange, an outcast.
The name “Xi-ming” would only be another way for others to tease me.
During those hardships in my childhood, I relied on God’s love and strength. God healed my heart, one which had been black in bitterness, anger, and hideous malice.
In retrospective, I may not have been as compassionate towards others without knowing of Jesus’ compassionate love and forgiveness first. Now, I no longer hold shame for being an Asian American and have found my identity in Jesus!
Posts will be uploaded periodically up until October. While out on the field, posts will be released on a weekly basis.
