Raphael Zhang

Learn more about Raphael Zhang and check out Raphael Zhang’s contributions to YMI over the years.

Posts

Two men exchanging coffee - giving more than you recieve

What Really Happens When You Give More Than You Receive

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We know this saying well: “It is more blessed to give than to receive.” (Acts 20:35) But why? Isn’t that counter-intuitive? After all, when you give, you deplete your own resources—be it physical, monetary, or emotional.

God is Not a Perfectionist

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“Another morning and I wake with thirst for the goodness I do not have,” writes the American poet Mary Oliver. This was a line that resonated with me for several years.

I Didn’t Choose to be Gay

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I did not choose to be attracted to people of the same sex. I had an ordinary childhood in an ordinary home. My father and mother, along with my grandmother, loved me and did their best to provide and care for me.
Beers being raised - struggling with alcohol

My Struggle With Alcohol: The Spirit That Never Satisfies

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I used to drink a lot. Once, I had one too many that I stumbled about the streets and passed out outside a shopping mall in the wee hours. Some kind strangers woke me up and asked if I needed to be sent to the hospital.

3 Beautiful Truths about Broken Relationships

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Have you ever wished for a perfect relationship with a family member, friend, or romantic partner? One where you are completely understood and loved by the other person in the exact way you want, and vice versa?
hands and clock

Is God into quick fixes?

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Have you ever wondered why God intervenes in some situations quickly while in other situations, He doesn’t seem to do anything? Why are some people healed instantly, while others take a much longer time—and some are not healed at all?