VUU Commencement 2026

 Virginia Union University

The Extraordinary Ordinary

Often, I hear people emphasize that we must go beyond what is required—that we must always do "extra." Yet, the true goal is not a choice between meeting a requirement and exceeding it; it is the mastery of both.

    Returning to the basics and faithfully meeting a requirement is, in fact, more vital than simply going beyond it. It is within the discipline of the ordinary that we often discover the extraordinary. Merely "doing more" should not be the pursuit; the true aim is to achieve excellence within the bounds of one's environment.

    I encounter a similar sentiment in the claim that we should seek inspiration rather than information. This is a false choice. We require both the foundation of truth and the spark of wonder. To frame these as opposites is a specious rhetoric—one that sounds profound but lacks the substance of reality.

---social media version---

The Extraordinary Ordinary

We are often told to "go beyond" or choose "inspiration over information." But these are false choices. True excellence isn't just about doing "extra"—it’s about the faithful mastery of the basics. It is within the ordinary that we actually discover the extraordinary. We don't need to choose between requirements and going beyond, or between being informed and being inspired. We need both. Don’t let flashy rhetoric distract you from the power of a solid foundation.

#Philosophy #Mindset #Excellence #Leadership #Growth

From Dust to Mystery

My love and passion for poetry dates back to my childhood and school years. Everything I see and experience becomes a subject of my reflection and my poems. Much time has passed since those early days; I spent years in the business field, traveling extensively throughout Latin America and the Caribbean. Eventually, I transitioned my career to teaching and research, but my love for poetry, literature, and philosophy remains. To me, life is philosophy.

Some years ago, I published my first Korean poetry book, YOU ARE DUST. Now, incorporating my work on mindfulness, I have published an English version: FROM DUST TO MYSTERY. This new collection transforms my original Korean poems and introduces new ones shaped by my unique life experiences.

 

The first section of this collection traces the emotional seasons of life. Moving Like a Stream through The Season’s Turn, these verses capture the delicate balance of Brief Sparks and the grounding presence of the Mother Valley. It is an exploration of Fusion, Not Fission—a gathering of fragmented experiences to discover how we remain Above, Below, and Together even when walking an Unmarked Path.

Part 2 is the fruit of a dedicated forty-day journey of stillness and intentional Pause. These poems serve as a meditative compass, navigating the vast landscapes of Truth, Time, and Uncertainty. From the existential weight of Hevel and Mortality to the civic echoes of Politics and Justice, this collection seeks Integration amidst the Chaos, ultimately finding a sense of Maturity and Healing in the everyday. 

  

Internet Security

 

This time the focus of training was AI-based scamming.

The Double Embrace

I’m returning to a book proposal I started some time ago, making it my primary focus for the summer. Research often ebbs and flows, sometimes pausing for good reason. Writing comes easily when there is clarity, evidence, and an audience waiting—and I am now fully committed to this project. There is no rush; my goal is to create a high-quality, sustainable, and immersive book.

2 Corinthians

I finished proofreading the typeset page of my new book, Treasures and Thorns: A Concise Critical Commentary on 2 Corinthians. I noticed only about 20 mild typos. Otherwise, the page is clean.

New article

 Excited to announce my new article is out! 📖 "Holy City in Matthew 4:5 and 27:53" in the latest Studies of Biblical Interest.

Read more: www.biblicaljournal.org

The Fourth Horizon

I’m thrilled to share a major milestone: the first full draft of my manuscript is complete. This project has been an ambitious and adventurous journey. I’m opening a new window into the mental world—treating it as a vital avenue of study that has been missing for too long. My work suggests this field must be engaged alongside other methods to be truly understood. The cover you see here is a tentative, "imaginary" placeholder for now. My next steps involve refining the manuscript and finding the right publisher to bring this vision to life. Time to celebrate this progress!

Updates on a book project

 📚 Big Project Update!

I am excited to share a major milestone in my ambitious book project, "The Fourth Horizon: The Mental World as a Critical Lens for Hermeneutics and Homiletics."

In this work, I tackle six substantially difficult topics and texts from across the biblical canon:

• The Destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah (Gen 19)
• The Narrative of Ruth and the Restoration of Naomi (Ruth)
• The Concept of Hevel in Ecclesiastes
• The Canaanite Woman’s Encounter with Jesus (Matt 15:21–28)
• Jesus’s Departure and the Way to the Father (John 14:1–14)
• The Manifestation of God’s Righteousness (Rom 3:21–26)

I have officially finished drafting every chapter except for the final one! At this pace, I expect to have a complete book draft ready in just a few weeks. It’s moving fast, but I’m not writing from scratch—I’ve been working from a strong foundation of research and structure I already had in hand.

A tentative cover

Rooted: The Matthew Edition

  

 

I received four gratis author copies of the devotional journal ROOTED, published by the Bible Society in the UK. I was invited to contribute six short critical devotionals covering Matthew 5:1–16:20. I love this style of writing, as it incorporates both critical interpretation and practical implications. A week ago, the package from the UK arrived empty with the envelope torn open and the contents missing. I reported this to the sender, and this time, the copies arrived safely via priority mail.

*Six devotionals on Matthew 5:1-16:20.