Depth and Intimacy...

Hello, friends!

First of all, thanks to everyone for the birthday wishes! I'm really happy to be 39. God was good to me at 38 and I expect more of the same for this year. 

I'm not really one who celebrates my birthdays much but one of the traditions that I've adopted over the years is having a word or phrase for that year. Since my birthday is so close to the beginning of the yeah, I usually give myself until the my birthday to pick a word or phrase. It's sort of like my New Year's resolution of sorts. Usually, I start thinking about my word for the year in November or December but I'm definitely glad that I waited until my birthday to "lock it in." 

The original plan for this year was for this year's word to be, "Be Prepared." Not only is it the Scout Motto but it also reflected how I wanted the year to go. I found that in 2023, I was doing a LOT of stuff. Between family, work obligations, coaching soccer, leading scouts, and training for triathlons, I was doing all the things but it didn't feel like I was doing them well. The idea of "Be Prepared" was that I wanted to actually prepare for the work ahead of me, not just do it the best I could and hope that it was good enough. That inevitably would have led to me cutting back in some places so I could do fewer things well, which I was OK with. 

However, things changed at Staff Conference. The final afternoon of Staff Conference, there was a time of "impartation." We were asked to ask God what He wanted to impart to us, then have someone pray that blessing over us. While I was listening, I heard the words "depth and intimacy." Those were words I wasn't expecting but words that I gladly had prayed over me. 

As I've reflected on those words from Staff Conference, I think they work really well with my original idea but change it slightly. I still want to do more than just doing the tasks set in front of me. However, instead of focusing on doing the things better, I think that "depth and intimacy" is an invitation to define what that "better" is. What does it mean for me to not just do a task but seek a real connection with whatever task is put in front of me. 

One example that I've been using has been bedtime. The kids always want us to stay in their rooms for a few minutes while they go to sleep. Because I'm trying to be a "good dad," I'll stay in there for a few minutes but I'm not necessarily present. I'm usually playing a game on my phone and waiting for the time to pass so I can get out of the room while still doing my duty. Lately, with this emphasis on depth and intimacy, I've been trying to not just stay in the room but really be there, using the few minutes we have as an opportunity to connect with the kids at the end of the day. It hasn't been perfect (sometimes the kids just need to go to bed!) but it has been good. 

So, here's to a year of depth and intimacy. I'm hoping that this year brings not just lots of stuff being done, but lots of connection with people and Jesus in a real way. 

Have an excellent day! 

~Adam 

Staff Conference 2024!

Hello, friends!

First of all, Happy New Year! May 2024 beat 2023 in every possible way for you and yours.

As your reading this, the snow is continuing to fall here in Omaha. We got about 6 inches earlier in the week and are expecting about that much today. This means that for the kids, they begin their semester with 3 snow days in the first week.

However, cold and snow bound is not how Megan and I started the year. Nope! We got to start our 2024 in shorts and sunshine.

Every 3 years, InterVarsity gathers so of its staff from across the country for our National Staff Conference. Because of COVID, last year's conference was pushed to this year, meaning for 5 days, Megan and I, along with roughly 1400 of our coworkers, were in Orlando, Florida, connecting with God and one another.

To be honest, I've lost count of how many Staff Conferences attended. Apparently, we missed SC20 because Jonah was born but I'm pretty sure I remember being there. However, is possible that I'm thinking of a different conference and they're all just running together. =0).

Regardless of whether this was my 5th or 6th conference, it was still so good to be there and God really showed up. Here are a few highlights:

- ISM Pre-Conference! SC24 started on the 2nd but Megan and I came in a day early so she could attend a pre-conference for international student ministry staff. Even though she's not explicitly ISM anymore, she still wanted to connect to old friends and I got to tag along. It was tons of fun hanging out with them as they celebrated together on the night of the First but it was also great that I had the day to myself on the Second while they were in meetings but SC24 hadn't officially started yet.

- Seeing old friends! One of the best things about being at Staff Conference is that you get to see old staff colleagues you haven't seen in a while. I help host an event for Asian American staff who have been on staff for 10-18 years and it was so good to see my friends. Our current staff team also played a game where we tried to get photos with people who used to be on staff with us in the Central Region. That was a ton of fun too. Even if it was just for 30 seconds, reconnecting with other staff in person was an absolute joy.

- Miraculous Healing! I woke up Wednesday morning with a pretty bad migraine. I get them a lot less than I used to get them but they still crop up every now and again. It's usually from dehydration, a change of weather, or some combination of the two. I skipped the first morning session to sleep but wanted to get down to the second morning session. I'm glad I did. The theme of the season was praying for the next generation. One area where we were called to pray was for healing. As we were praying in small groups, I felt the invitation to ask for my own healing. As my colleagues prayed for me, I was immediately healed. It was pretty great.

- An Impartation! Thursday's afternoon session included a time for us as staff to receive a word from God and to be prayed over by other staff. First of all, it was so cool to see Megan pray for other staff as one of the designated prayer ministry folk. The other thing that was so great was hearing a word from God. I really believe God wants me to pursue more depth and intimacy in my life, but just doing the right things but seeking depth and intimacy with God in the midst of right actions. 

- Travel! Y'all, do you know know how easy it is to travel without kids?! We sat in an exit row for one of our fights. I got to take a nap! I didn't have to share my rye chips with Jonah when they passed out the snack bags on Southwest because he can't eat the Cheeze-its! It... Was... Glorious... =0).

Special shout out to my in-laws who held down the fort with the kiddos here in Omaha so Megan and I could attend. They're the real all-stars of the trip. It was a great time and I'm excited for what God will do in IV and through IV between now and SC27.

Have an excellent day!

~Adam

Rich Villodas, our speaker

Connecting with Asian American staff

IV president, Tom Lin!

Merry Christmas!!!!

Hello, friends! 

Just in case yours copy got lost in the mail, here's our Christmas newsletter for the year! 

Have an excellent day!

~Adam

Progressive Dinner!

Hello, friends! 

Last week, our family got to take part in one of my favorite Nebraska IV traditions, the Progressive Dinner! We gather students from all over the state and progress from place to place for each part of the meal (appetizers, main course, and desserts). I love this event because it's a great way for students from different campuses to get to know each other and connect in a fun way. It's fun seeing students meeting new people and even getting dressed up for a "fancy" party. 

We knew things would be a bit smaller this year with all of the transitions in the Nebraska area, but we still felt the invitation to gather students, staff, faculty, alumni, and volunteers. We had people present from Metro Community College, Bellevue University, UNO, Creighton University, and University of Nebraska, Lincoln. Instead of using 3 different places for each course of the meal, we had appetizers in one part of our partner church, the main course in a second part of the church, then we all went to our coworkers house for desserts. 

One of the students who came is a Nigerian international student, ChiChi, who had just arrived 4 days before the dinner. She was invited by her roommate, Shelby Little, who is a student intern with InterVarsity at Bellevue University. ChiChi prayed that God would bring an African woman to the dinner for her to connect with as she adjusts to the United States. Jacinta is a Kenyan woman who was an international student over 20 years ago. She was set to come to the dinner but was feeling tired on a Friday night, but as she laid in bed God told her she needed to get up and go to the dinner. They met and connected so well. It's a great example of how this dinner has provided life long connections between people who wouldn't have a chance to meet otherwise. 

The kids also had a great time. They love running around and meeting new people. They REALLY love seeing some old friends, particularly the Bellevue women's basketball team. 

Have an excellent day! 

Wrapped!

Hello, friends! 

One of the most fun days of the year during the holiday season is Spotify Wrapped Day! This is the day when Spotify users all over the world find out just how much they've been listening to Spotify as well as their top artists and songs. It's a fun day for Spotify users, even if it doesn't really mean anything ultimately. 

The whole Omaha Leong family shares one Spotify account, which leads to some pretty interesting and hilarious results. A few of the highlights: 

- This year, I posted in the top .05% of all Kelly Clarkson listeners on Spotify, amassing nearly 2000 minutes of listening time. While this is quite an achievement in of itself, including over 2 extra hours of Kelly Clarkson listening compared to last year, I can't help but be a little disappointed. My goal was to reach the top .01% this year. To the roughly 10k people around the world who listened to more Kelly Clarkson than me, I salute you. 

- We really need to stop putting Ezra on DJ duty. Of our top 5 songs, 3 of them were worship songs (usually listened to by Megan while she's getting ready in the morning), Our top 2 songs were VERY much Ezra. That That by Psy (featuring Suga of BTS) and Stamp on the Ground by the Italo Brothers took our #2 and #1 spots this year. Ezra didn't even discover Stamp on the Ground until after we went to Cub Scout Camp in June and it still managed to reach #1 on our charts. When the boy locks onto a song, he REALLY locks onto a song... 

- We really slacked on our show tunes this year. Last year, songs from Hamilton, Wicked, and Encanto made our top list. This year, they were nowhere to be found. I think this probably goes along with Ezra dominating DJ duties. When we pick the songs as a family, we want something we can sing along to. When Ezra gets ahold of the playlist, it's all about dancing. 

Spotify's Wrapped only takes into account listening between January 1 and October 31 of any given year, meaning all my Kelly Clarkson Christmas music listening won't do me any good in terms of next year's rankings. That means I've got roughly 1 month to figure out how to get my listening up for next year. Increasing by 150 minutes still didn't get me into the top .01%, so there's still work to be done. I guess there's always next year's Wrapped!

Have an excellent day! 

~Adam 

Addresses Please!

Hello, friends! 

We are getting very close to the end of the calendar year, which means it's almost time for us to send our Christmas letters! 

Over the course of the year, I'm sure that there have been lots of life changes for lots of us! Maybe folk have moved! Maybe folk have changed their marital status or the size of their family! They say that the only constant is change, right? 

SO, dear friends, if you've had a significant change in your life over the past year, specifically related to your mailing address, would you be so kind as to fill out the form below so we can make sure our Christmas card gets to the right place? OR, if you've never gotten a card from us before but would like one, you can fill out the form too! 

From the bottom of my heart, THANK YOU for another great year. =0). 

Address Update and Prayer Requests

Have an excellent day! 

~Adam

The Goodness of God...

Hello, friends! 

Every morning, as I'm hanging out with Jesus, I start by thanking Him for the goodness he showed me yesterday. Usually, it's related to good meetings or good work getting done, evidence of the generosity and hospitality of others, and a good night with the kids. It's not deep stuff but it gets me into a posture of gratitude and a reminder of God's goodness before getting into areas of confession and supplication. 

Lately, I've had to work a little bit harder to center myself around the goodness of God. A few nights ago, some friends of ours from church lost their 3.5 year old son to a long term illness. We also know folk who have loved ones battling other illnesses, financial struggles, and the like. That doesn't even get into the fact that it seems like there is real evil in the world, both home and abroad that seems to have gotten worse instead of better. Sometimes, the world doesn't feel all that good. 

I've been reflecting on Theodicy lately. Theodicy, the vindication of God in the midst of evil, is a tough topic. On the one hand, platitudes like, "the mystery of God," "The LORD works in mysterious ways," or things like that are TERRIBLY unsatisfying. Paul talks about the clay not asking the potter, "why have you made me?", the implication often coming from that that we shouldn't questions God's ways or his purposes. I also find that really unsatisfying, not in the least because it assumes that we don't have any agency in our lives. We are not robots or puppets moved around by God solely for his own enjoyment. Sometimes things suck. 

On the other hand, I do have to believe in the goodness of God's plan. I don't like the worldview that says that all of life is meaningless or that there isn't a God who is ultimately in control. If that were the case, the incentives to live a life of love are greatly diminished or subject to my own whims or interpretations. That also seems TERRIBLY unsatisfying. 

Where I've landed on theodicy is that eventually, vindication of God's goodness will come. I don't know when and I don't know how, but I know that it will. There is real evil in the world and while God will eventually be victorious, I'm not privy to when that vindication will come nor what my role in that vindication will be. All I can do is live my life, listening to the Holy Spirit and believing that I will be a part of that vindication. 

You too, get to be a part of that vindication. Evil exists in the world but it doesn't have to win as much as it does. We, especially those of us who are part of the body of Christ, have an obligation to fight evil and be part of that vindication. Aho, may it be so. 

Have an excellent day!

~Adam