Joshua Wang

Last night, I had the chance to hang out with some men from my small group. We went to CrossFit Markham for a fun workout then had some wings down the street. Here's what we did last night: Warm-up Row 1200 m Skill work Chest-to-bar pull-ups Met-con 3 rounds of 3 min AMRAP: 6 alt jumping lunges, 9 deadlifts (185#), 6 pull-ups 2 min rest (Score: 8 rounds + 4 reps) Here's a good article by James Clear about the lessons you can learn from a stained glass artist. He talks about making incremental changes. I love his closing paragraphs: Of course, change isn’t easy — no matter how you do it. Slow gains are boring. They’re unsexy. Nobody writes news stories about them. But moving forward in a slow and methodical manner doesn’t mean you lack ambition, drive, or vision. The stained glass artist has a very clear vision. He knows exactly what he is working toward. You and I can do the same. If we keep making small improvements, then pretty soon we will end up with a be...

Last Thursday at Harvest Young Adults, we continued our series "Taking Care of Each Other" with a session called "Surrendering Anger with Humility". Anger has been an issue I never thought I had, since I often ignore issues or suppress my emotions. I later realized that this too is a form of anger. Here are some lessons I learned to become emotionally fit by understanding and handling anger God's way. Four questions to ask when someone is angry 1. What was going on? 2. What did you do? (response) 3. What were you thinking? 4. What were you really looking for? (Getting to the heart issues) When you're angry, consider: - What idols are being messed with on your life? Eph 5:26 - What do I want so much I'm willing to kill for it? Anger inside the heart is murder - What are the heart issues? Anger usually masks other emotions (e.g. fear) Ephesians 4:31-32 - no room for anger in the Christian life Bitterness is like a weed s...

Revisiting the Parable of the Sower I'm in Luke now (audio Bible) and got the chance to hear Jesus tell the parable of the sower through Luke's account. Luke 8:14 stuck out to me, where Jesus explains about the seed that falls among thorns. And as for what fell among thorns, they are those who hear, but as they go on their way they are choked by the cares and riches and pleasures of life, and their fruit does not mature . At times, it hits me I haven't matured much in some areas. Still the same, or settling for much less. Not willing to take responsibility nor leadership. Not wanting to commit nor bear burdens. One of the causes is a lack of focus. I'm "choked by the cares and riches and pleasures of life". I get distracted too easily and do not remain. What's the cure? Jesus explains in the next verse. As for that in the good soil, they are those who, hearing the word, hold it fast in an honest and good heart, and bear fruit with patience . Wow...

Good soil In the opening of Mark 4, Jesus tells the parable of the sower to a large crowd. In his explanation to his disciples later, Jesus explains: The sower sows the word. And these are the ones along the path, where the word is sown: when they hear, Satan immediately comes and takes away the word that is sown in them. And these are the ones sown on rocky ground : the ones who, when they hear the word, immediately receive it with joy. And they have no root in themselves, but endure for a while; then, when tribulation or persecution arises on account of the word, immediately they fall away . And others are the ones sown among thorns . They are those who hear the word, but the cares of the world and the deceitfulness of riches and the desires for other things enter in and choke the word, and it proves unfruitful . But those that were sown on the good soil are the ones who hear the word and accept it and bear fruit, thirtyfold and sixtyfold and a hundredfold.” --Mark 4:14-20 I w...

Jesus at Gethsemane "Then Jesus went with them to a place called Gethsemane, and he said to his disciples, 'Sit here, while I go over there and pray.' And taking with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, he began to be sorrowful and troubled. Then he said to them, 'My soul is very sorrowful, even to death; remain here, and watch with me.' And going a little farther he fell on his face and prayed, saying, 'My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will but as you will.' And he came to the disciples and found them sleeping. And he said to Peter, 'So, could you not watch with me one hour? Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak. ' Again, for the second time, he went away and prayed, 'My Father, if this cannot pass unless I drink it, your will be done.' And again he came and found them sleeping, for their eyes were heavy. So, leaving t...

Awesome Verse(s) of the Day But as he considered these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary as your wife, for that which is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins .” --Matthew 1:20-21 Workout(s) of the Day Today was my first competition! It was a fundraiser for a friend going to Uganda with Raising the Village . While my brother came first and beat me in both workouts, I had a lot of fun and felt good about each workout. Here's what went down today. WOD 1 3 Rounds for Time 9 Shoulder to overhead (135 lbs) 12 KB swings (55 lbs) 15 Wall ball shots (20 lbs / 10 ft) Time: 7:21 WOD 2 30 DU (double unders) 25 Box jumps (30") 30 DU 20 Pull-ups 30 DU 15 Front squats 30 DU 10 Wall climbs (these were nasty ) 30 DU 5 Handstand push-ups Time: ... forgot :p After the compe...

The Centurion Today I started the New Testament on my audio Bible. I'm so excited~! Check out this passage from Matthew 8:5-13. Super cool! When he had entered Capernaum, a centurion came forward to him, appealing to him, "Lord, my servant is lying paralyzed at home, suffering terribly." And he said to him, "I will come and heal him." But the centurion replied, "Lord, I am not worthy to have you come under my roof, but only say the word, and my servant will be healed. For I too am a man under authority, with soldiers under me. And I say to one, 'Go,' and he goes, and to another, 'Come,' and he comes, and to my servant, 'Do this,' and he does it." When Jesus heard this, he marveled and said to those who followed him, "Truly, I tell you, with no one in Israel have I found such faith. I tell you, many will come from east and west and recline at table with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven, while the sons ...

Deezed At the gym today, I saw Psalm 56:4 tattooed on a friend's shoulder. Here's what it says: "In God, whose word I praise, in God I trust; I shall not be afraid. What can flesh do to me?" Deezed. Reminds me of a picture I saw on tumblr . Repentance On the drive home, a passage from Joel 2 stuck out: "'Yet even now,' declares the LORD, 'return to me with all your heart, with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning; and rend your hearts and not your garments .' Return to the LORD your God, for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love; and he relents over disaster.  Who knows whether he will not turn and relent, and leave a blessing behind him a grain offering and a drink offering for the LORD your God?" --Joel 2:12-14 WOD Today's workout looked something like this: Push Press 5 x 95 lbs, 5 x 135 lbs, 4 x 155 lbs, 1 x 175 lbs (lost grip) 5 x 95 lbs, 3 x 125 lbs, 3 x ...

Steadfastness "Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing." --James 1:2-4 WOD Warm-up 2 rounds (with 45# bar) 8 snatch balance 8 Sotts press Clean and Jerk 1 x 95 lbs, 1 x 145 lbs, 1 x 175 lbs, 1 x 195 lbs (PR!) 1 x 205 lbs (fail*), 1 x 205 lbs (fail**), 1 x 205 lbs (fail**), 1 x 205 lbs (fail**) *failed the clean **failed the jerk (i.e. clean PR!) Skill work Kipping HSPU (deficit) Butterfly pull-ups 4 x 500 m run (not for time) 7 mins max burpees (106 reps)

Rest day Today is a rest day, and what an awesome rest day it has been! My caffeine today came only from green tea (no coffee for the first time in a while). I also resisted multiple urges to workout. My body needs the rest. Accidental sin At church today, we heard about how Adam and Eve sinned. One of the things that struck me was the progression of sin. For Eve, she saw, she wanted, and she took (in simple terms). James 1:14-15 says, "But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death." In my own life, I find I don't so much "fall" into sin as I "walk" into sin. In sin, there are no accidents. Accidental holiness In the same way, there are no accidents in our pursuit of holiness. We don't just "stumble" into holiness. We need to toil and strive to be better each day. And to be never satisfied, since...

Spiritual WOD: Abide - John 15 v2 "Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit." Getting "pruned" isn't always fun, but I definitely need it so that I can bear more fruit. v5 "I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing." Abide. I need to be in Christ and let Him rule in me. The fruit of the Spirit -- love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, and self-control (Gal 5:22-23) -- is something I cannot produce of my own strength. I truly need Him. I am deficient, he is sufficient . v7 "If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you." "...and my words abide in you". Treasuring (and memorizing) His Word, which is of indescribable value. I long to long for more. P...

Here is my favorite sermon, bar none. "Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not your life more than food, and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? Therefore do not be anxious, saying 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' For the Gentiles s...

"Strength will rise as we wait upon the Lord" Everlasting God , by Christ Tomlin Content yet pressing on These verses were shared from a friend in my men's group. "You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart." -- Jeremiah 29:13 "Delight yourself in the Lord; and He will give you the desires of your heart.  Commit your way to the Lord, trust also in Him, and He will do it.  Rest in the Lord and wait patiently for Him.  The steps of a man are established by the Lord, and He delights in his way.  When he falls, he will not be hurled headlong, because the Lord is the One who holds his hands.  Wait for the Lord and keep His way." -- Psalm 37:4-5, 7, 23-24, 34 Learning to wait upon the Lord in all things, and that He alone is sufficient. "Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own." -- Philippians 3:12 Content in t...

Thought for the day - Courage What a powerful quote permeating every area of my life. Whether it is in the middle of a tough workout, or when I'm fighting for joy. "Quiet and steady dignity." What a perspective in midst of adversity! 6 a.m. WOD @ CFM Fran 21-15-9 Thrusters (95 lbs) Pull-ups Time: 5:45 (16 s PR) 7:30 p.m. WOD @ Outlaw North Warm-up 2 min skipping 20 lunges 10 beat back 10 v-ups 10 pushups 2 min skipping Strength 5 x 2 Back Squat @ 85% 1 RM Warmup: 45#, 135#, 225# 5 x 2 @ 245# EMOM For time: 200 m run 9 HSPU 9 Power snatch (115#, 135# was rx) 200 m run 7 HSPU 7 Power snatch 200 m run 5 HSPU 5 Power snatch 200 m run

This song is on repeat. Forgiveness "No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord." --Romans 8:37-39 Morning WOD @ random hotel in random city Random exercises on cable machine 10 Rounds (not) for time: Swim 1 length (~15 ft) 10 push-ups Evening WOD @ CrossFit Markham CrossFit Totals 1 RM Shoulder Press (145 lbs, PR!) 1 RM Deadlift (405 lbs, PR!) 1 RM Back Squat (285 lbs, PR!) link to previous scores

Thought of the Day - Discernment "Discernment is not knowing the difference between right and wrong. It is knowing the difference between right and almost right." -- C.H. Spurgeon I need wisdom and discernment desperately.  "Blessed is the one who finds wisdom, and the one who gets understanding, for the gain from her is better than gain from silver and her profit better than gold. She is more precious than jewels, and nothing you desire can compare with her. Long life is in her hand; in her left hand are riches and honor. Her ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace. She is a tree of life to those who lay hold of her; those who hold her fast are called blessed." --Proverbs 3:13-20 Wisdom is invaluable. I would drive (/ run/ explore/ hike/ etc.) for hours just to get these precious jewels. WOD Rest Day. For real this time :) Today, I'm thankful for forgiveness.

"Give me one pure and holy passion Give me one magnificent obsession Give me glorious ambition for my life To know and follow hard after you" One Passion: to know Jesus "But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith -- that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead." --Philippians 3:7-11 WOD w/ The Repenters @ HBCYR For time: 25 jump squats 1 suicide 20 burpees 1 suicide 15 push-ups 1 suicide 10 knees-t...

Protect this house "Above all else, guard your heart for it is the wellspring of life." Proverbs 4:23 Though of the day Integrity. Aligning what you say with what you do. Now go get some! WOD @ random hotel in random city 21-15-9 Push-ups V-ups (1:53) - then - 100 burpees for time (6:46) ~ 1 min improvement from last year . WOD @ CFM Chipper. ~20 mins. Not tough but tiring. Good to be back home :)

Physical WOD 7:15 a.m. in random driveway (post devos) For time: 21-15-9 KB Swings (55#) DB Thrusters (25# DB's) Burpees (Time - 9:49) 1:30 p.m. in the same random driveway (Rak Chazak) 20 min AMRAP (Team WOD) V-ups 30 double unders Spiritual WOD 6 a.m. in house of random driveway Proverbs 11 Psalm 63 Philippians 3:1-9 11 a.m. @ Harvest Bible Chapel in random city Excited! =) So, today, the pastor preached a message from Galatians 4:12-20 on "Directions, Detours and Destinations" from the series "Grace Filled Living". In short, our direction should be a gospel-centred freedom -- to pursue Christ, and not spend too much time in less important things.  We should avoid detours, or temptations that lead us astray. And our destination? For Christ to be formed in us. Are we thirsting for God more? Are we growing in love? Do we grieve over sin? Are we quick to forgive? Do we delight in the body of Christ? Sensitive to His prsence? Yearn fo...

Physical WOD 7 a.m. @ HBCYR w/ The Repenters 20 mins Burpees 5-10-15-20-... (1 suicide in between each set of burpees) Score: 36/40, 176 burpees (prev score: 40/40, 180 burpees) The weather was a bit chillier than 4 weeks ago, and the ground was especially cold. Nevertheless, we were blessed with wonderful weather. Spiritual WOD Victor then shared from James 1:22-25 about being more than just hearers of the word. We often forget who we are and get caught up in the day-to-day routine. I know sometimes I get convicted to change my diet or lifestyle after hearing a talk, then the next day, any remaining conviction vaporized. Thought of the Day - Funerals Yesterday (Nov 10) was my grandmother's funeral. She was one of the most beautiful women I've ever known and loved God so much. During the funeral, there were two conflicting emotions. An emotion of intense sadness and loss. And an emotion of inexpressible joy that my grandmother is now with Jesus. While I ma...