I Am Koti Hu

Come to my church this Saturday night

Thu, 09 Oct 2008 14:53:31 -0700

Join me on Saturday, October 11^th at 7:00PM in the sanctuary at Westminster Chapel in Bellevue for a special concert. It will feature two Chinese choirs that my parents are a part of as well as my cousin, Jennifer Chu. Jennifer is an accomplished pianist who has studied and performed all around the world. We will also be hosting a reception after the concert in the Atrium.

For All You’ve Done

Thu, 09 Oct 2008 14:50:25 -0700

For All You’ve Done

^“You and your prayers are part of the rescue operation—I don’t want you in the dark about that either. I can see your faces even now, lifted in praise for God’s deliverance of us, a rescue in which your prayers played such a crucial part” (2 Corinthians 1:11 - The message).

How do we live out our faith in times of trial and tribulation? It can be very difficult to pray and worship when things are painful and we are suffering. I have experienced this through out the course of this last year. I felt alone, afraid, and confused as I laid on the side of the freeway just minutes after my neck was broken by whiplash and I was severely paralyzed in a car accident on July 28^th of a year ago. It wasn’t my fault. It made no sense.

The apostle Paul writing to the church in Corinth made it clear that in spite of the horrible trials by fire he had experienced, the Lord had rescued him. He does not say that the Lord shielded or protected him from feeling and experiencing pain and suffering, but instead, throughout the hardships, the Lord was there. How did Paul have this perspective?

^“He comes alongside us when we go through hard times, and before you know it, he brings us alongside someone else who is going through hard times so that we can be there for that person just as God was there for us. We have plenty of hard times that come from following the Messiah, but no more so than the good times of his healing comfort—we get a full measure of that, too” (2 Corinthians 1:4-5).

Paul’s devotion to Jesus completely changed the way he dealt with difficult times. You see, Paul understood what we sometimes forget. The Lord is in control, and his ways are not our ways. Paul was used by God to put difficult circumstances in perspective for the church throughout the last 2000 years. Pain still hurts. It is never wasted. It is never meaningless, but it still hurts!

As I laid in my bed at the hospital, there were a few people who laid hands on me and prayed that God would heal me - Powerful, faithful, and confident prayers. The entire congregation of Westminster Chapel prayed for me as fathers and mothers, sisters and brothers pray for their own. I received hundreds of letters and e-mails in the month and a half I was in the hospital. There were people all over the world praying for my family and I. God used those prayers to give us perspective on the situation.

When I needed it most, my church family was there. When I couldn’t stand on my own, you stood with me. When I was weak, when I could neither see nor hear clearly, you prayed for me. When I suffered, you suffered with me. As Paul wrote, “Your hard times are also our hard times.” You are my church, my family, and you lived this out.

Because of this, my family and I hope you will join us on Saturday, October 11^th at 7:00PM in the sanctuary for a special concert. It will feature two Chinese choirs that my parents are a part of as well as my cousin, Jennifer Chu. Jennifer is an accomplished pianist who has studied and performed all around the world. We will also be hosting a reception after the concert in the Atrium.

There is no possible way that my family and I can properly thank all of you for your support. But regardless, we would like to try. My mom and dad plus their local Chinese community have worked very hard over the past few months to put together this concert of thanks. Not only to thank the church for your faithful support, but ultimately to thank the Lord for his sovereign provision and comfort for us all in this difficult time.

Me n’ Todd :•)

Thu, 25 Sep 2008 17:34:06 -0700

Me n’ Todd :•)

i miss playing

Fri, 19 Sep 2008 21:58:04 -0700

i miss playing

Me!

Wed, 17 Sep 2008 15:35:36 -0700

Me!

He was waiting for me this time. I wonder if we are becoming...

Mon, 15 Sep 2008 19:39:41 -0700

He was waiting for me this time. I wonder if we are becoming close friends?

I am still paralyzed...

Thu, 11 Sep 2008 14:57:33 -0700

It happened in a car accident on July 28th, 2007, in a suburb of Seattle. I was at a standstill when a full-sized pickup truck hit me going 60 miles an hour. My neck was broken by severe whiplash in the force of the collision. I am now C5-6 tetraplegic. It is very difficult.

I used to be a musician, a singer, and guitar player (among other things). I am still a musician, but now I can’t use my fingers, and I can’t walk.

I am 28, I live in constant pain, and I have hope.

kotihu-at-gmail-dot-com

eyethune: Thanks for the idea, Coffee Cozy.

Thu, 11 Sep 2008 14:53:10 -0700

eyethune:

Thanks for the idea, Coffee Cozy.

My freedom, my prison.

Mon, 08 Sep 2008 12:12:34 -0700

My freedom, my prison.

A new fuzzy friend

Sun, 07 Sep 2008 23:55:00 -0700

A new fuzzy friend

280z. Nice.

Sun, 07 Sep 2008 16:15:06 -0700

280z. Nice.

Sr520…from my power chair

Sat, 06 Sep 2008 17:58:47 -0700

Sr520…from my power chair

148th, going to the bank, then to find hankerchiefs :-)

Sat, 06 Sep 2008 16:16:07 -0700

148th, going to the bank, then to find hankerchiefs :-)

eyethune: This little baby Giraffe just leaned to skate.

Sat, 06 Sep 2008 13:36:42 -0700

eyethune:

This little baby Giraffe just leaned to skate.

An article i wrote yesterday

Sat, 06 Sep 2008 13:34:39 -0700

Sweat and tears stung my eyes as I stood, strumming my guitar on stage. A moment, frozen in time, just like so many other times in the 10 years I served as a lead worshiper. I learned many lessons through those incredible experiences. But there was one most important lesson I learned, the lesson that completely changed my life, and utterly altered my view of what it means to worship God with our lives. The Lord is after more then just ‘what we do’… He is after our hearts!

One day, a few years ago, I wandered up the dirt path to the monument that sat on the hill in front of our old student Center. I sat there quietly praying, seeking the Lord. Then, for the first time I read what was carved into the marble. It said:

On this site August 23, 1964 Members for the Westminster Chapel gathered for prayer to claim this property for Christ.

And to His cause of spreading the Gospel throughout Bellevue and beyond to the ends of the Earth.

May Westminster Chapel remain loyal to this cause until Her Lord returns.

One year ago I was in a car accident that paralyzed most of my body, and sadly, I lost the use of my fingers as well. This occurred just before the community life center was opened. I had been looking forward to leading worship in that new space, and had made many plans for that transition. While I was in the hospital I could not stop thinking about who would take over my role in the different ministries that I was involved in. At times, I would even worry anxiously about this. How foolish of me…

This summer was a beautiful display of the Lord’s work among the young people of our church. We went back to crescent bar at the beginning of August for our college retreat called “the heat”. It is a weekend of sun, boats, and jet skis (and bruises!) that our college students look forward to every year. But more than just fun, this is a time of growing in relationship to one another as we fellowship and worship the Lord. I’ve led worship at this retreat over the years, and we’ve had many speakers, but this year was different.

This year both our worship leader, and speaker were students from our college ministry, both of whom met the Lord Jesus, and began to follow him through our youth ministry. Most of our attending students didn’t have to get to know their speaker and worship leader for the first time because they were their peers! Two young men, Andrew S. and Shane K. led the charge. Andrew led us in worship through song and prayer as we sat on the shore of the Columbia River with the sun setting, and the cliffs looming. We sang to the Lord, thanking him for his extravagant, sacrificial love, sending his son to die on the cross for us sinners. We offered our hearts as we worshiped him, giving him praise and glory not only from our lips, but also from our hearts. Andrew skillfully led us. He played and sang with sensitivity to the Holy Spirit, he led with passion making it easy for the rest of us to sing to the Lord.

Then Shane stood up and began speaking the words that God had inspired. We walked through what it means to be a follower of Jesus Christ in every sphere of our lives. Shane helped us to see more clearly who God is, what he has done for us, and how we should respond. Shane has shown a desire for growth and maturity because of his understanding of the Lord’s love and grace. The messages that Shane gave were intense, the words were filled with truth, and his life backed them up.

So 44 years after the Lord gave us Westminster, we continue to work, and serve, and worship him. Are we staying loyal the cause of spreading the gospel? Watching Andrew and Shane, two young men starting to use their gifts for his glory has reminded me that our God is faithful. And even though his ways are not our ways, he knows what he’s doing. Period.

“Jesus replied, “If anyone loves me, he will obey my teaching. My Father will love him, and we...

Fri, 05 Sep 2008 21:45:12 -0700

“Jesus replied, “If anyone loves me, he will obey my teaching. My Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him.”

“Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me....

Thu, 04 Sep 2008 21:43:18 -0700

“Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

“What you heard from me, keep as the pattern of sound teaching, with faith and love in Christ Jesus....

Wed, 03 Sep 2008 21:42:10 -0700

“What you heard from me, keep as the pattern of sound teaching, with faith and love in Christ Jesus. Guard the good deposit that was entrusted to you—guard it with the help of the Holy Spirit who lives in us.”

“This is what the LORD says— your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel: “I am the LORD your God,...

Tue, 02 Sep 2008 21:39:04 -0700

“This is what the LORD says— your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel: “I am the LORD your God, who teaches you what is best for you, who directs you in the way you should go.”

“The earth is filled with your love, O LORD; teach me your decrees.”

Mon, 01 Sep 2008 21:37:19 -0700

“The earth is filled with your love, O LORD; teach me your decrees.”