Taking a break from my assignment :)
Staying in Singapore away from my family has helped me to appreciate the comfort of my home, my mum's cooking, the air-con, my dad's car, my bed....
Coming back to Singapore means I have no choice of food but hawker food. Been living on that for the pass 7 years, wash my own clothes, walk to the mrt, survive on fan even on a hot day, school work and waking up early most of the time! trap in the confine of four walls. How I dread to go back when I think of this...sigh.
One more week to go.
The pass week has been heaven. I've been so pampered by my mum.
I said I had a craving for century egg, and today I saw a whole lot of them on the table haha...
I told her I felt like eating fried egg for dinner today, and she specially fry for me even though thats like 5 dishes already...
She cooked my fav dish and because of that I overeat...again...how not to when it's so yummy. I eat up the sauce too...
I thought of the ipoh beancurd while doing my assignment this afternoon, and she bought them. I think it must be God or just a mum's instinct to read our minds :)
I used to love eating out because we used to eat in most of the time, now after having eaten hawker food for the pass 7 years....I shudder at the thought of eating out. Even a fried egg and a simple plain dish taste better.
Strangely, I enjoy doing my assignment here...maybe it's the food and the comfort...or just my mind free from work and studies.
Thank God for New Creation and you guys, I would not have survived Singapore if not for this =)
Sunday, December 28, 2008
Thursday, December 25, 2008
How's 2008 been..
It's been a year of good endings...I would say that it's been a tough ride for me at the start of the year esp having to juggle both my new job and studies, the challenges that kept coming my way seems like a battle I've been constantly fighting all these years. But it all came to an end at the end of this year.
For all that we go thru the Lord is preparing and building a solid foundation in us.
Just before I left for home, I received a letter that brought a smile to my face. It was this same subject in the letter I receive a day before camp that brought tears to my eyes. I'm simply amazed at how timely things can be. "Grace has been extended to u indeed" was the reply Coach Jo-Ann sent me. Someone who has been walking this journey with me. We question God sometimes His timing, but I've learn to just trust Him and be confident that it'll all work out for my good.
When I follow His decision, led by the peace and life in me, He makes all good abounds towards me. Whatever that has troubled me in my job, has become a blessing for me. Thank god for a boss who prays for me :) To me the greatest blessing is to be in a job you enjoy, can grow in, and have the same vision as the boss. Simply because we spend most of our time in our job. Seek to know where He wants you to settle in because it either makes you a better person or it takes the life from you.
It's interesting the ideas that I have in mind were the things my boss is implementing. I'm going to have a class of my own instead of splitting and sharing the kids daily. My colleague loves the cartoon 'Smurf' and I quite like it too, so we're choosing that as our main name =) Boss chosed Brainy smurf for me :( hoping now I could go back and change it. The five kids my colleague text me yest were all the kids I had in mind. My colleagues and I initially plan to take turns to choose hehe..Amazing. So far only 5 kids at the start of the year =D with 3 teachers haha~
What's more amazing is my brother bought a new computer at home. On my way home, I was thinking of the hassle I had to go thru to go to my aunts place to do my assignment. Never in my wildest imagination I would have thought of this. He bought it only for only $600. It's brand new plus it comes with a printer. The shop was clearing their stocks:)
Thank God for the close friends he has kept strong and the new people he has brought into my life. In fact, a large part of my frens are the ones I just got to know this year. I wouldn't have walk this year with so much memories without them.
Looking forward to a year of growth! =D Grace IS with us!
Picture : My nephew "Where's your head?"=)
Friday, December 12, 2008
Purpose Ignites Power
I did a random search for the word 'Purpose Power & God' after my previous entry and this was the first article I found. It's interesting how similar the things that were spoken in this entry with what the Lord showed me at the final part of my previous entry :) along with some gems I never did see before =) Illumination. Hmmm...How true. Heh~
"When I walk in the desires of my heart, He gives me supernatural strength and love to do what I'm called to do. When there's purpose, there's power to do what He has called you to do. Just caught this =)"
There ‘ARE MANY’ Christians today without purpose, without vision, and without a quest for destiny; and the end thereof is to perish and destruct. As we humble ourselves and pray for a deep abiding hunger for God - a one on one personal relationship, not to be confused with the blessing of God, or the knowledge of God, but for God Himself; as the hunger fills us so too will the purpose. The purpose and will of God will ignite within us as we earnestly seek the God of things, not the things of God (Matthew 6:33).
Any foundation that is not built on knowing God is a false foundation. Many confuse the knowledge of God with knowing God – there is vast difference! Hebrews 11:10 begins to point us in the right direction. Abraham knew not where he was going, but he knew what he was looking for. "For he was looking forward to the city with foundations, whose architect and builder is God." Our ultimate calling is to ultimately believe. Relationship produces understanding, which produces vision. Abraham knew only what was in his heart and he was willing to forsake all to pursue it.
As Abraham, we too are seeking a city with foundations and the foundation of the city in which we are to abide is Jesus. The strength and type of any building is its foundation. Our spiritual lives are a reflection of the foundation underneath us, the invisible strength upon which we stand. "No man can lay a foundation other than the One which is laid, which is Jesus Christ" (I Corinthians 3:11).
Relationship produces vision and vision produces power. We need a continual God given revelation of what we are to pursue and truly come to a place of trust where we lean not unto our own understanding. There are times ahead in which this revelation will become increasingly important. "Unless the Lord builds a house, those who build it labor in vain" (Psalm 127:1). "I can of my own self do nothing…"(John 5:30).
Most of us are not receiving revelation before we pray or before we enter into an endeavor, and consequently our efforts are in vain. We need to come into a God given vision and purpose, EVEN IF IT IS SLOW TO UNFOLD, for as we seek first the Kingdom of God, all things shall be added unto us. God wants us to come as little children, "…except ye turn and become as little children, ye shall in no wise enter into the Kingdom of heaven" (Matthew 18:3).
We are being brought into the Kingdom as we find our appointed places in God. We are now beginning to be caught up in the whirlwind of the Holy Spirit. As with Abraham, God is shattering our earth bound natural existence that is keeping us out of the Kingdom and the supernatural plan and provision of God. We are God’s planting and we will begin to flourish as His Kingdom comes. As the call upon our lives takes form, and as we move into the place that our Father has prepared for us, we begin to enter into His Kingdom. Our Father is now gathering us who are straggling and bringing us into line according to His purposes.
Awhile back my wife and I saw an excellent movie entitled ENEMY AT THE GATE. The World War One story line revolved around the Russian Army's historical defense of Stalingrad as a last line of defense against German invasion. The movie, whose events were based on historical fact, serves to illustrate a major point in understanding purpose and destiny and its relationship to God’s power operating in our lives.
As the battle progressed, it became apparent to Russian military leaders that the battle was no longer simply a battle for a city, but of much greater importance, a battle for the country; the dire consequences of which meant German domination. As knowledge of the greater importance became known among Russian ground troops, their routine fighting and somewhat mechanical defense of the city transformed into a mission with great purpose and passion. A new invigorated purpose ignited a strong action, the results of which were the turning point of the battle and eventually the war. The greater purpose released an invigorated passion, which turned the tide of battle.
True passion can only be ignited by purpose, vision being the ultimate motivator. Now translate this into spiritual terms and the spiritual energy of a God appointed destiny: "Men perish without vision." God’s vision within the heart of a man is the strongest motivator any man will ever know while walking this earth. As the historic World War One example reveals, purpose ignites power. We have come to the prophetic hour in time in which our purpose and destiny can be found with great clarity as our hunger for God grows.
Let us look at another point that ties into vision and purpose: "Fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom." The fear of the Lord is earnestly hungering for Him, walking in obedience to His direction, worshiping and being in His presence, accepting Him on His terms, and ultimately seeking His power and purpose to work in and through us. Simply stated, Fear of the Lord in a Biblical and Spiritual sense IS obedience and compliance to God’s agenda, which IS our destiny.
When we operate in a true fear of the Lord, there is a oneness between us and God that unites God’s purpose and power in our life – the place where we touch true God breathed, God inspired destiny; the type that changes circumstances, people’s lives and moves us into the ORDAINED plans, purposes, and POWER of God. True fear of the Lord establishes (releases) the Authority of God in us. Scripture tells us that God’s people perish for a lack of knowledge or, said differently, God’s people perish for a lack of knowledge of the Spiritual Authority and purpose God desires us to walk in. Purpose ignites power in a natural sense, just as God’s purpose ignites supernatural power is a spiritual sense. When we move in God’s purpose (our destiny), we can expect all heaven’s backing; we can expect to be able to accomplish what we, on our own, are not capable of accomplishing.
"The Lord looks down from heaven on the sons of men to see if there are ANY WHO UNDERSTAND, any who seek God." If we seek, we have a Biblical promise that we will find our purpose and authority. POWER FROM HEAVEN CANNOT COME WHERE THERE IS NO ESTABLISHED AUTHORITY, AND AUTHORITY CANNOT BE ESTABLISHED LESS WE SEEK HIM FOR IT. Seeking Him, establishes the Authority through which the power can operate.
God is calling the Church to walk in and live in His anointing (for us) and not be satisfied to simply sit under the anointing of another on Sunday morning.
The word of faith movement taught us to know who we are in Christ, now our Lord desires us to know who He is in us. When WE begin to know Him and who HE is in us, and GAIN KNOWLEDGE THAT HE WANTS TO WORK THROUGH US, we will begin to see HIS PURPOSE AND POWER OPERATE IN US.
When we truly recognize that it is not about us, but Him who lives in us and His will, we can with confidence speak His word into circumstances by the leading of His Spirit and see the circumstances change – "Whosoever shall say unto this mountain..." (Mark 11:23).
Until now, we have been content to have the Lord revealed TO US, but the day has arrived that he wants to be revealed IN US. This new wine will require new wineskin. God doesn’t simply want to bless us, he wants to inhabit us: Better said, and contrary to present Church doctrine, He doesn’t want to improve us - HE WANTS TO REMOVE US! He wants us doing what He does, saying what He says and STRATEGICALLY moving away from the Church mindset of being blessed, to being a blessing!
"His intent was that now, through the Church, the manifold wisdom of God should be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms, according to his eternal plan which he accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord" (Ephesians 3:10).
"Through the Church," which is God’s people, is God’s "manifold wisdom," which is God’s word, being made known to THE ENEMY AT THE GATE. With this in mind, now understand Luke 10:19, "Behold, I have (GIVEN UNTO YOU POWER) to tread upon serpents and scorpions, and (OVER ALL THE POWER OF THE EMENY), and (NOTHING) shall by any means (HARM YOU)."
Vision, or a sense of purpose should become our quest with our Lord. It is the ultimate motivator and will bring a quality of life that cannot be measured in words. When we grasp God’s vision for our lives, especially as it relates to specific purpose, a supernatural spiritual energy is released in us TO PERFORM THE PURPOSE. As you touch this energy you will find that it transcends spirit and releases a natural physical energy that will touch your mind and physical body, just ask Moses, Abraham, Joshua or Caleb.
AWAKEN! AWAKEN! NOT ONLY TO THE SPHERE, BUT TO THE FACT, THAT I HAVE GIVEN YOU SPIRITUAL AUTHORITY AND PURPOSE. AWAKEN EARLY TO UNDERSTAND THE SPIRITUAL AUTHORITY I HAVE GIVEN AND THE SPHERES OF ITS APPLICATION. I MAY SPEAK BUT A SINGLE WORD FOR YOU TO KNOW WHERE YOU HAVE BEEN GIVEN POWER TO PRAY AND SPEAK MY WORD.
"When I walk in the desires of my heart, He gives me supernatural strength and love to do what I'm called to do. When there's purpose, there's power to do what He has called you to do. Just caught this =)"
----------------------------------------------------------------------
"Where there is no vision the people perish: but he that keepeth the law, happy is he" (Proverbs 29:18). "Enter the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way easy, that leads to destruction, and those that enter by it ARE MANY" (Matthew 7:13).There ‘ARE MANY’ Christians today without purpose, without vision, and without a quest for destiny; and the end thereof is to perish and destruct. As we humble ourselves and pray for a deep abiding hunger for God - a one on one personal relationship, not to be confused with the blessing of God, or the knowledge of God, but for God Himself; as the hunger fills us so too will the purpose. The purpose and will of God will ignite within us as we earnestly seek the God of things, not the things of God (Matthew 6:33).
Any foundation that is not built on knowing God is a false foundation. Many confuse the knowledge of God with knowing God – there is vast difference! Hebrews 11:10 begins to point us in the right direction. Abraham knew not where he was going, but he knew what he was looking for. "For he was looking forward to the city with foundations, whose architect and builder is God." Our ultimate calling is to ultimately believe. Relationship produces understanding, which produces vision. Abraham knew only what was in his heart and he was willing to forsake all to pursue it.
As Abraham, we too are seeking a city with foundations and the foundation of the city in which we are to abide is Jesus. The strength and type of any building is its foundation. Our spiritual lives are a reflection of the foundation underneath us, the invisible strength upon which we stand. "No man can lay a foundation other than the One which is laid, which is Jesus Christ" (I Corinthians 3:11).
Relationship produces vision and vision produces power. We need a continual God given revelation of what we are to pursue and truly come to a place of trust where we lean not unto our own understanding. There are times ahead in which this revelation will become increasingly important. "Unless the Lord builds a house, those who build it labor in vain" (Psalm 127:1). "I can of my own self do nothing…"(John 5:30).
Most of us are not receiving revelation before we pray or before we enter into an endeavor, and consequently our efforts are in vain. We need to come into a God given vision and purpose, EVEN IF IT IS SLOW TO UNFOLD, for as we seek first the Kingdom of God, all things shall be added unto us. God wants us to come as little children, "…except ye turn and become as little children, ye shall in no wise enter into the Kingdom of heaven" (Matthew 18:3).
We are being brought into the Kingdom as we find our appointed places in God. We are now beginning to be caught up in the whirlwind of the Holy Spirit. As with Abraham, God is shattering our earth bound natural existence that is keeping us out of the Kingdom and the supernatural plan and provision of God. We are God’s planting and we will begin to flourish as His Kingdom comes. As the call upon our lives takes form, and as we move into the place that our Father has prepared for us, we begin to enter into His Kingdom. Our Father is now gathering us who are straggling and bringing us into line according to His purposes.
Awhile back my wife and I saw an excellent movie entitled ENEMY AT THE GATE. The World War One story line revolved around the Russian Army's historical defense of Stalingrad as a last line of defense against German invasion. The movie, whose events were based on historical fact, serves to illustrate a major point in understanding purpose and destiny and its relationship to God’s power operating in our lives.
As the battle progressed, it became apparent to Russian military leaders that the battle was no longer simply a battle for a city, but of much greater importance, a battle for the country; the dire consequences of which meant German domination. As knowledge of the greater importance became known among Russian ground troops, their routine fighting and somewhat mechanical defense of the city transformed into a mission with great purpose and passion. A new invigorated purpose ignited a strong action, the results of which were the turning point of the battle and eventually the war. The greater purpose released an invigorated passion, which turned the tide of battle.
True passion can only be ignited by purpose, vision being the ultimate motivator. Now translate this into spiritual terms and the spiritual energy of a God appointed destiny: "Men perish without vision." God’s vision within the heart of a man is the strongest motivator any man will ever know while walking this earth. As the historic World War One example reveals, purpose ignites power. We have come to the prophetic hour in time in which our purpose and destiny can be found with great clarity as our hunger for God grows.
Let us look at another point that ties into vision and purpose: "Fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom." The fear of the Lord is earnestly hungering for Him, walking in obedience to His direction, worshiping and being in His presence, accepting Him on His terms, and ultimately seeking His power and purpose to work in and through us. Simply stated, Fear of the Lord in a Biblical and Spiritual sense IS obedience and compliance to God’s agenda, which IS our destiny.
When we operate in a true fear of the Lord, there is a oneness between us and God that unites God’s purpose and power in our life – the place where we touch true God breathed, God inspired destiny; the type that changes circumstances, people’s lives and moves us into the ORDAINED plans, purposes, and POWER of God. True fear of the Lord establishes (releases) the Authority of God in us. Scripture tells us that God’s people perish for a lack of knowledge or, said differently, God’s people perish for a lack of knowledge of the Spiritual Authority and purpose God desires us to walk in. Purpose ignites power in a natural sense, just as God’s purpose ignites supernatural power is a spiritual sense. When we move in God’s purpose (our destiny), we can expect all heaven’s backing; we can expect to be able to accomplish what we, on our own, are not capable of accomplishing.
"The Lord looks down from heaven on the sons of men to see if there are ANY WHO UNDERSTAND, any who seek God." If we seek, we have a Biblical promise that we will find our purpose and authority. POWER FROM HEAVEN CANNOT COME WHERE THERE IS NO ESTABLISHED AUTHORITY, AND AUTHORITY CANNOT BE ESTABLISHED LESS WE SEEK HIM FOR IT. Seeking Him, establishes the Authority through which the power can operate.
God is calling the Church to walk in and live in His anointing (for us) and not be satisfied to simply sit under the anointing of another on Sunday morning.
The word of faith movement taught us to know who we are in Christ, now our Lord desires us to know who He is in us. When WE begin to know Him and who HE is in us, and GAIN KNOWLEDGE THAT HE WANTS TO WORK THROUGH US, we will begin to see HIS PURPOSE AND POWER OPERATE IN US.
When we truly recognize that it is not about us, but Him who lives in us and His will, we can with confidence speak His word into circumstances by the leading of His Spirit and see the circumstances change – "Whosoever shall say unto this mountain..." (Mark 11:23).
Until now, we have been content to have the Lord revealed TO US, but the day has arrived that he wants to be revealed IN US. This new wine will require new wineskin. God doesn’t simply want to bless us, he wants to inhabit us: Better said, and contrary to present Church doctrine, He doesn’t want to improve us - HE WANTS TO REMOVE US! He wants us doing what He does, saying what He says and STRATEGICALLY moving away from the Church mindset of being blessed, to being a blessing!
"His intent was that now, through the Church, the manifold wisdom of God should be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms, according to his eternal plan which he accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord" (Ephesians 3:10).
"Through the Church," which is God’s people, is God’s "manifold wisdom," which is God’s word, being made known to THE ENEMY AT THE GATE. With this in mind, now understand Luke 10:19, "Behold, I have (GIVEN UNTO YOU POWER) to tread upon serpents and scorpions, and (OVER ALL THE POWER OF THE EMENY), and (NOTHING) shall by any means (HARM YOU)."
Vision, or a sense of purpose should become our quest with our Lord. It is the ultimate motivator and will bring a quality of life that cannot be measured in words. When we grasp God’s vision for our lives, especially as it relates to specific purpose, a supernatural spiritual energy is released in us TO PERFORM THE PURPOSE. As you touch this energy you will find that it transcends spirit and releases a natural physical energy that will touch your mind and physical body, just ask Moses, Abraham, Joshua or Caleb.
AWAKEN! AWAKEN! NOT ONLY TO THE SPHERE, BUT TO THE FACT, THAT I HAVE GIVEN YOU SPIRITUAL AUTHORITY AND PURPOSE. AWAKEN EARLY TO UNDERSTAND THE SPIRITUAL AUTHORITY I HAVE GIVEN AND THE SPHERES OF ITS APPLICATION. I MAY SPEAK BUT A SINGLE WORD FOR YOU TO KNOW WHERE YOU HAVE BEEN GIVEN POWER TO PRAY AND SPEAK MY WORD.
by Clay Sikes
(Emphasis in capital letter is by the original writer :))
Thursday, December 11, 2008
To move or to stay
This pass two weeks, there's an unsettledness in my heart if I should remain working in childcare line or move on to a less tiring child related job or try out a different age group in another branch. Now that I've gotten the answer, and my heart is settled =) I looked back to realised how silly for me to even think of such thought. I'm glad I went through this phase too, so I'll not doubt where I am and could give my best to it.
The word unsettled came to me just before I decided to write this. Looked it up in the dictionary and I think it reallly gives a whole lot clue as to how and why I felt the way I do.
Unsettled : If you are unsettled, you cannot concentrate on anything.
I knew in my heart I cannot make a decision when I am tired. Yet my heart was restless. I began to rationalise in the natural. Everyone who had worked in childcare told me not to. Even if you do, maybe part time would be more logical. How I long for that day yet it was not something I could consider now. Could it be the age group I worked with? The younger toddler. My colleague teaching the older ones tell me it's tiring looking after them. All this just confirms how I felt at that moment.
My friends from the other centre teaching the older kids started telling me about their place, how warm and nice their principal is and the people there. They have heard so much about my principal and what a perfectionist she is.
I found out two days back that one of my colleague transferred with another colleague from another centre..My colleague casually asked my boss if I could...She gave me so many answers..bottomline is no and stay. My supervisor summarizes it well, "So simple.You dun have to keep figuring out and could go home and study".
When I knew the answer, I shifted back my focus and enjoy where I was. I knew and trust that my boss knows best and every decision or open door is under His control.
Today was my last lesson for the module 'Infant & Toddler'. My lecturer played a video on Infants and Toddlers in a childcare. Deep in me, I knew I still very much love this age group.
The frustration comes when I starts to reason again...These little ones cant talk back to me. The most they can tell me is "No", cat, duck, dog, bye....
But I know in this pass one year, I've learn a lot thru them. Mostly to learn to communicate to them even when they do not respond, that first comes with knowing them. And most importantly to learn respect especially more with infants.
My heart is settled now where I would want to teach this coming year and because of this, I know I can give my full concentration to it. When I walk in the desires of my heart, He gives me supernatural strength and love to do what I'm called to do. When there's purpose, there's power to do what He has called you to do. Just caught this =)
And with the purpose, it gives you peace and life in every area of your life. I'm happy and well now =)
If people can't see what God is doing, they stumble all over themselves; But when they attend to what he reveals, they are most blessed. (Webster)
The word unsettled came to me just before I decided to write this. Looked it up in the dictionary and I think it reallly gives a whole lot clue as to how and why I felt the way I do.
Unsettled : If you are unsettled, you cannot concentrate on anything.
I knew in my heart I cannot make a decision when I am tired. Yet my heart was restless. I began to rationalise in the natural. Everyone who had worked in childcare told me not to. Even if you do, maybe part time would be more logical. How I long for that day yet it was not something I could consider now. Could it be the age group I worked with? The younger toddler. My colleague teaching the older ones tell me it's tiring looking after them. All this just confirms how I felt at that moment.
My friends from the other centre teaching the older kids started telling me about their place, how warm and nice their principal is and the people there. They have heard so much about my principal and what a perfectionist she is.
I found out two days back that one of my colleague transferred with another colleague from another centre..My colleague casually asked my boss if I could...She gave me so many answers..bottomline is no and stay. My supervisor summarizes it well, "So simple.You dun have to keep figuring out and could go home and study".
When I knew the answer, I shifted back my focus and enjoy where I was. I knew and trust that my boss knows best and every decision or open door is under His control.
Today was my last lesson for the module 'Infant & Toddler'. My lecturer played a video on Infants and Toddlers in a childcare. Deep in me, I knew I still very much love this age group.
The frustration comes when I starts to reason again...These little ones cant talk back to me. The most they can tell me is "No", cat, duck, dog, bye....
But I know in this pass one year, I've learn a lot thru them. Mostly to learn to communicate to them even when they do not respond, that first comes with knowing them. And most importantly to learn respect especially more with infants.
My heart is settled now where I would want to teach this coming year and because of this, I know I can give my full concentration to it. When I walk in the desires of my heart, He gives me supernatural strength and love to do what I'm called to do. When there's purpose, there's power to do what He has called you to do. Just caught this =)
And with the purpose, it gives you peace and life in every area of your life. I'm happy and well now =)
Proverbs 29:18
Where there is no vision, the people perish: but he that keepeth the Law, happy is he (KJV)If people can't see what God is doing, they stumble all over themselves; But when they attend to what he reveals, they are most blessed. (Webster)
Wednesday, December 3, 2008
I feel the stretch
I counted this afternoon the number of things I have to do this weekend after my boss walk up to me with two big boxes for me to decorate adding to the many things I have in mind. I just gave her a 'nice' smile.
"When do you need it by?" Silly question I know. Just for the fun of it. I know her answer will definitely be..as soon as you can. Although bosses sometimes gives you grace of time, but everyone knows it's best to deliver a product as quick as you can. Afterall, I'm going to see her everyday and it's going to linger in me.
So in total I have nine things-to-do in my list.
I really dunno where or how to even start them. I started by borrowing eight art & craft magazine's from the library just now =) Happy that I found them.
I love to do all the things in my list and do it well and pretty for the deco...Haha..and I just realised now I've a test next fri...Oh well...
I'll most likely be a hermit staying at home this long weekend.
Just pray that I'll not lose any more weight. The battle begins this Saturday morning =D
"When do you need it by?" Silly question I know. Just for the fun of it. I know her answer will definitely be..as soon as you can. Although bosses sometimes gives you grace of time, but everyone knows it's best to deliver a product as quick as you can. Afterall, I'm going to see her everyday and it's going to linger in me.
So in total I have nine things-to-do in my list.
I really dunno where or how to even start them. I started by borrowing eight art & craft magazine's from the library just now =) Happy that I found them.
I love to do all the things in my list and do it well and pretty for the deco...Haha..and I just realised now I've a test next fri...Oh well...
I'll most likely be a hermit staying at home this long weekend.
Just pray that I'll not lose any more weight. The battle begins this Saturday morning =D
Monday, November 24, 2008
All things will work out for good this day forward
It was as though a cloud of darkness has left beginning last thurs...it got brighter ever since.
Yesterday, in the confine of my room, I knew in my heart that something has changed in the spiritual realm. I know that all things will work out for my good this day forward. I know that what has troubled me this pass month, when it all came in like a flood, has come to an end.
Let me encouraged you, in this I know. Every strife you face, every problem that lingers, every fear you battle is not natural. Pray in tongues. Go to the Lord and He'll give you rest that will rest all your circumstances. It is so real.
In one day, in one fell swoop, my health was affected. My job suffers hence forth from that. Things got worse. My studies seems overwhelming.
But in just one day, when I found rest in Him, my health was perfect, I love my job and the people(when I was weak, I can think how bad my colleague are heh~), I love my studies. Everything is smooth.
Can it be that I did something to change it? In just one day? Come on. I am not God =) I cannot change the mood swings of my collegues. It's not natural.
Today I step into work knowing that there'll be peace. How true. We only have two kids due to hfmd with five teachers..and not peace because we have no kids.Heh~but I think the Lord knew we needed a break. So happened my boss went on holiday today. So we had such a good time together laughing and working to decorate the place before our boss comes back to lecture us. We even had pizza for lunch :)
I love the people here and i'm really grateful that by the end of the day, I can say that this is the best place I can be. I am blessed to have a boss who's so capable. I've never met anyone like her. She costume design all the clothes for our K2 concert for 10schools. And everyone knows how big the event was, and how succesful I saw it to be last week. I'm just in awe of her.
The bottomline is, in line with my previous entry, do not try to cover or solve the problem you are facing...the back biting of your collegues, your boss...it's never about them. Trust in the Lord. Pray in tongues. He can make your worse enemy love you. He can bring light to your impossible situation. I know it's true because it had happened to me. And they can be your best of frens. My boss winks at me when she saw this ;)
Sunday, November 23, 2008
How it has been this pass month
It's been a month since I last wrote and many times I do wish the Lord has spoken somethings for me to share but days have gone by so quickly that finding time to sit down didn't come easy.
This one month has been a tough month for me. Not many see it or know about it, but what can go wrong went wrong. What I had never experience, I encounter.
Exactly a month back, I had a sharp back pain that land me in my bed immovable for a day. It just came on me one morning I woke up without any reason why. That afternoon, I receive a news that brought tears to my eyes.
Two weeks later, I had high fever for the first time since I came to Singapore.
The following week, vomiting and diarrhea. The last time I vomited was when I was six years old when I was travelling uphill. I always thought I do not know how to, it was so bad that day that it came naturally. I land myself on my bed that night accompanied with fever. Hardly able to eat or walk to buy my food.
That's when the Lord opened my eyes to see the reason for the change. The best time He could catch my attention was when I was resting on my bed. I really needed a change. I'm so tired. I cant work or study in this state. I cried on my bed that night and that's when I hear Him telling me...Come to me and I'll give you rest.
It has not been about my circumstances. It has been about Him. I put on the three cds by Joe Purcell my fren gave me for my birthday that night and I could practically feel life in me and faith coming back. The next morning, still feeling nauseous, I listened to it again before heading to work and I knew something had happened. I was well and it's like a cloud of darkness has left me.
During this period, He was telling me to be focus on what He has called me to do. When I focus to doing what is for my season, there'll be life flowing in all areas.
Last Saturday, sited at the centre top section of Jubilee Hall at Raffles Hotel watching the musical 'Fiddler on the Roof' by my school children, my heart was moved. A great sense of love return for the children and my school came upon me. I love the speech my boss Patricia gave to the audience on how valuable we are even though we may go thru rough times in life...and deliberately adding to her speech a few times 'May God bless you'. I strongly believe Pat's Schoolhouse is successful because there's a God factor in it.
When I was in doubt and became dull and tired over my work and studies, I unconsciously doubt what He has promised He could do it my life. I went back to the One who gives me rest, and He rested my soul and everything around me. The life of God work through us through the desires He has put in our hearts. And if the passion you once have is no longer there, or there is no life in an area of your life...Go to Him and find rest. With rest comes the fullness to do what He has called you to do.
Today I know a change has taken place. I'm happy and well :) maybe partly because it's my off day hehe...but I know my heart is at rest and I know things around me will be likewise.
Grace IS with us!
Wednesday, October 22, 2008
My back hurts...
I've never felt so painful in my life before...
I never knew the importance of a good posture even though i've been educated of it many times.
I've never appreciated my thigh muscles and toes so much as now when I need to pick up things =) All the right techniques to get up sideways from bed that suppose to help lessen the pain dun work when you are in pain. I practically crawled out of my bed. Heh. I was in tears when my landlord pass me the cream for my back.
Maybe this is a 'treat' to rest. The pass one month has been so busy and shorthanded with so many new kids that mc is not something we can even consider. So I wonder sometimes how I should pray. I cant be praying for less kids. More kids means more work ;)
So finally I can get down to listening to the 10 Women's Conference cds that's been lying next to my com for some time...and spent time with Him...
At the same time complete my playkit assignment and write up today..I hope..
And then I can with ease plan and do my shopping for my Birthday Gathering next week. God has been amazingly amazing in how He provided for each and everything for this event. I'm not the sort to hold it in a big scale. Never did anyway. But somehow I felt very led to do it this time and feel something special about it. One example of His faithfulness, I was looking for vase and the first colleague that I asked...her husband happened to be a florist and owns a shop with lots of vase. Heh. It happen to be very near the place i'm holding it too. Maybe I'll share more after the whole thing.
Pray that I'll RECOVER!
Love the weather today :)
I never knew the importance of a good posture even though i've been educated of it many times.
I've never appreciated my thigh muscles and toes so much as now when I need to pick up things =) All the right techniques to get up sideways from bed that suppose to help lessen the pain dun work when you are in pain. I practically crawled out of my bed. Heh. I was in tears when my landlord pass me the cream for my back.
Maybe this is a 'treat' to rest. The pass one month has been so busy and shorthanded with so many new kids that mc is not something we can even consider. So I wonder sometimes how I should pray. I cant be praying for less kids. More kids means more work ;)
So finally I can get down to listening to the 10 Women's Conference cds that's been lying next to my com for some time...and spent time with Him...
At the same time complete my playkit assignment and write up today..I hope..
And then I can with ease plan and do my shopping for my Birthday Gathering next week. God has been amazingly amazing in how He provided for each and everything for this event. I'm not the sort to hold it in a big scale. Never did anyway. But somehow I felt very led to do it this time and feel something special about it. One example of His faithfulness, I was looking for vase and the first colleague that I asked...her husband happened to be a florist and owns a shop with lots of vase. Heh. It happen to be very near the place i'm holding it too. Maybe I'll share more after the whole thing.
Pray that I'll RECOVER!
Love the weather today :)
Tuesday, September 30, 2008
Tithe & Healing [Kenneth E. Hagin]
I love this story illustrated here about a girl who was healed in her mentality when she was once acting and thought like a 3 years old at the age 14years old. It all happened after she went up to altar, got saved and was filled with the Holy Spirit. Later in life she became her own contractor and financier over a building project of few hundred thousands. Just amazes and encourages me to read of testimony like this to know how much the Lord can accomplish in us.
I bought this pocket book by Kenneth E. Hagin on "Obedience in Finances" to make up for the $30 for a free membership card. Little did I know it confirms to me again what the Lord has been speaking to me lately on having a wise and brilliant mind when we are filled with the Holy Spirit. It's long though :)
Yet she'd come by the parsonage on Saturdays and say, "Brother Hagin, we made a few dollars to buy a little food, and here's the tithe. I don't want to wait until tomorrow, because I'll spend it--I know I will--I need it so desperately."
I'd take it, and as she left the parsonage I'd close the door and weep. I know that I had to take it; otherwise, I would be depriving her of blessing and benefits. I've had her come by with a dime, saying. "We made a dollar. Here's the dime; here's the tithe."
Her oldest daughter spent seven years in the first grade and never learned to write her name. She never got out of the first grade. Finally the authorities asked her mother not to send her to school anymore--here was a 14 years old playing with 7 years olds. There was no special classes or state schools for retarded children like her in those Depression days.
In church she acted like a 3 or 4 year old; she had about that mentality. If she happened not to be sitting with her Mother and wanted to get up where she was, she would actually get down and scoot along on her stomach under the pews to get up front. Then she would stretch out on the pew like a little kid and go to sleep.
One night during a revival, this girl went up to the altar(nobody asked her to go) and knelt along with others. She got saved and filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke with other tongues. Instantly there was a drastic change!
Before, she wouldn't bathe. If she got neglected, her appearance would be pitiful. But overnight--the very next night--she came in, sat down, and acted as intelligent as any 18-year-old young lady. Her hair was fixed, she was dressed up, and she looked nice.
We could hardly believe what we saw. Receiving eternal life and the nature of God increased her mentality 90 percent! This was one of the greatest miracle I have ever seen.It happened at the beginning of World Was II. The girl went away to visit some relatives, and while she was there, she acted so nice and looked so nice that a neighbouring farm boy asked her for a date. She had never had a date in her life. They began to like each other, and when he asked her to marry him, she took him up for it. After her husband was drafted, she lived with her mother-in-law awhile, and her mother-in-law taught her to read and write.
I left that church to go into the evangelistic field. In the process of time I went back to help the pastor preach the funeral of one of the elderly people. I asked the church secretary, "Whatever happened to the girl?" She led me outside and said, "You knew that her husband was killed in that truck accident?" I said, "Yes." She said, "Well, because of their construction business, he was heavily insured and she received several hundred thousand dollars of insurance money." She pointed off in the distance and said, "See that housing addition?"
I could see a number of new houses being added to this small town. The secretary continued, "She is building that addition to the city. She is her own contractor; her own financier. She handles all her own money. Think of it!"
I stood there and wept again--this time a different kind of weeping. I was so glad, praise God, thhat I had obeyed God and had taken her mother's tithes. This girl had learned to pay tithes too.
The secretary said, "I'm still secretary of the church. You can count on it, she is on the front pew every Sunday with her two little children. They are the best dresses, best mannered children in the church. Her envelope with her tithes and offerings is always there. Every Sunday" I thought back to where she had come from : Here was a young woman not 30 years old who's building an addition to the city, and when she was 14 years old she had been seven years in the first grade without learning to write her name.
I thought, too, of that Scripture, "The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor..."(Luke 4:18) Hallelujah, God didn't just single her out and say, "We're going to make an exception out of her." No. the same gospel belongs to everyone.
What was the difference?Eternal life. The life of God. It was something that came into her that increased her mentality 90 percent. But not only that--she had been planting seed. She'd been paying her tithes and giving beyond her tithes back when she'd had just a few dollars from her husband's allotment checks. Now she had many dollars, but still she was doing the same thing. Would she every have gotten to that place if she hadn't been obedient in her finances?
I bought this pocket book by Kenneth E. Hagin on "Obedience in Finances" to make up for the $30 for a free membership card. Little did I know it confirms to me again what the Lord has been speaking to me lately on having a wise and brilliant mind when we are filled with the Holy Spirit. It's long though :)
Obedience and Tithing
A Sunday School teacher in one of the Pentecostal churches I pastored in North Central Texas was a widow with five children. She and all the kids would pick cotton for a 40 cents a hundred. They lived in a little old house out behind another house.Yet she'd come by the parsonage on Saturdays and say, "Brother Hagin, we made a few dollars to buy a little food, and here's the tithe. I don't want to wait until tomorrow, because I'll spend it--I know I will--I need it so desperately."
I'd take it, and as she left the parsonage I'd close the door and weep. I know that I had to take it; otherwise, I would be depriving her of blessing and benefits. I've had her come by with a dime, saying. "We made a dollar. Here's the dime; here's the tithe."
Her oldest daughter spent seven years in the first grade and never learned to write her name. She never got out of the first grade. Finally the authorities asked her mother not to send her to school anymore--here was a 14 years old playing with 7 years olds. There was no special classes or state schools for retarded children like her in those Depression days.
In church she acted like a 3 or 4 year old; she had about that mentality. If she happened not to be sitting with her Mother and wanted to get up where she was, she would actually get down and scoot along on her stomach under the pews to get up front. Then she would stretch out on the pew like a little kid and go to sleep.
One night during a revival, this girl went up to the altar(nobody asked her to go) and knelt along with others. She got saved and filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke with other tongues. Instantly there was a drastic change!
Before, she wouldn't bathe. If she got neglected, her appearance would be pitiful. But overnight--the very next night--she came in, sat down, and acted as intelligent as any 18-year-old young lady. Her hair was fixed, she was dressed up, and she looked nice.
We could hardly believe what we saw. Receiving eternal life and the nature of God increased her mentality 90 percent! This was one of the greatest miracle I have ever seen.It happened at the beginning of World Was II. The girl went away to visit some relatives, and while she was there, she acted so nice and looked so nice that a neighbouring farm boy asked her for a date. She had never had a date in her life. They began to like each other, and when he asked her to marry him, she took him up for it. After her husband was drafted, she lived with her mother-in-law awhile, and her mother-in-law taught her to read and write.
I left that church to go into the evangelistic field. In the process of time I went back to help the pastor preach the funeral of one of the elderly people. I asked the church secretary, "Whatever happened to the girl?" She led me outside and said, "You knew that her husband was killed in that truck accident?" I said, "Yes." She said, "Well, because of their construction business, he was heavily insured and she received several hundred thousand dollars of insurance money." She pointed off in the distance and said, "See that housing addition?"
I could see a number of new houses being added to this small town. The secretary continued, "She is building that addition to the city. She is her own contractor; her own financier. She handles all her own money. Think of it!"
I stood there and wept again--this time a different kind of weeping. I was so glad, praise God, thhat I had obeyed God and had taken her mother's tithes. This girl had learned to pay tithes too.
The secretary said, "I'm still secretary of the church. You can count on it, she is on the front pew every Sunday with her two little children. They are the best dresses, best mannered children in the church. Her envelope with her tithes and offerings is always there. Every Sunday" I thought back to where she had come from : Here was a young woman not 30 years old who's building an addition to the city, and when she was 14 years old she had been seven years in the first grade without learning to write her name.
I thought, too, of that Scripture, "The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor..."(Luke 4:18) Hallelujah, God didn't just single her out and say, "We're going to make an exception out of her." No. the same gospel belongs to everyone.
What was the difference?Eternal life. The life of God. It was something that came into her that increased her mentality 90 percent. But not only that--she had been planting seed. She'd been paying her tithes and giving beyond her tithes back when she'd had just a few dollars from her husband's allotment checks. Now she had many dollars, but still she was doing the same thing. Would she every have gotten to that place if she hadn't been obedient in her finances?
Your heart is where real wisdom lies
As I was walking to Sun Plaza yesterday, I was pondering on what I just wrote on wisdom. If being filled by the Holy Spirit gives you a brilliant mind and makes you extremely wise, then how do you become filled? The word heart was also something I've been thinking about after what Elaine told me the other day that wisdom is also translated as having a hearing heart when God asked Solomon what he wanted in a dream. Hmm..I thought that was quite interesting. That many times we associate wisdom with knowing rather than a heart issue.
Interestingly, when I stepped into a Christian bookshop with the intention of only browsing the books, I end up buying one and two mini book to make up for the $30 for a free membership card. The second book that I browse was with the title, "Discover the Keys to Staying Full of God".And of all pages, the first page it open up to was with the subheading "Perfect Wisdom" =) followed by..your heart is where the real wisdom lies. Everything I wanted to know. How not to buy haha~
Put on the new man [your spirit man], which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him. Colossians 3:10
Even in the natural realm, experts say that we only use 10percent of our brian. I believe that if you were using 100percent of your brain, it still wouldn't be able to compete with just 10percent of your spiritual mind. Your spiritual mind has the mind of Christ in it!
Ye have an unction from the Holy One, and ye know all things. 1 John 2:20
That's not talking about your natural mind. Your last test score proves that. It's your spirit--not your brain--that knows all things. In your born-again spirit, you have the perfect wisdom and mind of Christ. You know all things in your spirit. But if you allow your heart to be darkened, what good is all the wisdom and God speaking to you if you can't perceive it? God speaks to you through your heart
Interestingly, when I stepped into a Christian bookshop with the intention of only browsing the books, I end up buying one and two mini book to make up for the $30 for a free membership card. The second book that I browse was with the title, "Discover the Keys to Staying Full of God".And of all pages, the first page it open up to was with the subheading "Perfect Wisdom" =) followed by..your heart is where the real wisdom lies. Everything I wanted to know. How not to buy haha~
Perfect Wisdom by Andrew Wommack
Your mind doesn't have near the capacity for understanding and processing things that your heart does. Your heart is where the real wisdom lies. As a born-again believer, you "have the mind of Christ"(1Cor2:16) and the Bible says to :Put on the new man [your spirit man], which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him. Colossians 3:10
Even in the natural realm, experts say that we only use 10percent of our brian. I believe that if you were using 100percent of your brain, it still wouldn't be able to compete with just 10percent of your spiritual mind. Your spiritual mind has the mind of Christ in it!
Ye have an unction from the Holy One, and ye know all things. 1 John 2:20
That's not talking about your natural mind. Your last test score proves that. It's your spirit--not your brain--that knows all things. In your born-again spirit, you have the perfect wisdom and mind of Christ. You know all things in your spirit. But if you allow your heart to be darkened, what good is all the wisdom and God speaking to you if you can't perceive it? God speaks to you through your heart
Monday, September 29, 2008
I asked Him, "What is wisdom?"
This questioned became more apparent to me after I read the reply my friend sent me last Wednesday.
"Wow..Words of wisdom..e msg did hit me. Bt i hardly tok to u? Hw u now wats on my mind??"
While I was messaging my friend, something in me felt led to tell him what the Lord had impress on my heart. I was very certain then it came from the Lord but I contemplated for awhile because he was not someone I connect much with. What if I was wrong? I thought. But more than that, I was more curious about his reply on the word wisdom.
What really is wisdom? When or what do I say is wisdom...because sometimes it's just something I randomly say or things I thought you would have already know. How do I make decision that is wise? There are so many proverbs on wisdom but when situation arises, the actions you take is not clearly written in the Bible. How then do I know.
I didn't have a clear definition of wisdom. It was a vague thing I knew to be good if I obtained it. Ask yourself this before you read on. How do you make wise decisions?
From that moment, I set out to ask Him specifically this question. What is wisdom? I knew clearly He would answer me. And He really did and I have never been so clear about it as now =) So here's the story :)
The next day after the sms on wed, I went to do a search on the internet with the key word - What is wisdom. There were of course a sea of results on wisdom..in estimation a total of 320000000 found. Here's a sensible answer on the definition on wisdom :
1) The ability to discern and judge what is true, right, or lasting insight. 2) Common sense, good judgement.
The world definition of wisdom :
Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit; wisdom is knowing not to put one in a fruit salad (Miles Kington, via the News Quiz).
I was in hospital recently, and got to thinking about wisdom. I'm still not sure on what the nature of wisdom is. Is it a state or a process? Is it a quality of thoughts, writings, people or actions? It appears from what people have written that a wise person is one who lives wisely because they have wise values and wise thoughts leading to wise decisions and wise actions....
Wouldn't you be more confused just reading the above? Heh~I did that night.
As I was searching, the Lord impress upon my heart the word Holy Spirit. Still I didn't know why then..
Amazingly, the next day 26th Sept, The One Thing Daily Devotional passage was entirely on wisdom!
God wants us to walk as wise men and women, and not fools. (Ephesians 5:15). Now, He will not tell us to walk in wisdom without showing us how. That is why His Word goes on to say, "Therefore do not be unwise, but understand what the will of the Lord is"
So what is the will of the Lord?...be filled with the Spirit, speaking to one another in psalms and hymms and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord." (Ephesians 5:18-19)
...I also find an inner prompting to make certain decisions which in the end, turn out to be better than anything I could have come up with my own.
As I read on more, there were three things that I realised is much associated with wisdom. His Word, Holy Spirit and godly counsel.
On Sunday, I had an opportunity to lunch with Deacon Jack and his family. He invited me to join him along with his family friend whom I brought to church that day. I declined at first but changed my mind later. I wanted to take every opportunity to hear from this man Pastor has spoken much about. According to the estimation of Pastor Lian, he's the the second wisest man in church :) It was't a spiritual lunch that day haha...but we did the wisest thing that anyone would and that is to take away our left over curry fish head that was so yummy. heh~but what struck me as I lie on my bed that night was a family that is so richly blessed because of the wisdom that was given by God on this man. I opened up my Bible that night and it happened to fall on this passage. Wise people are rewarded with wealth Prov 14:24. What a confirmation.
Yesterday as I was hurrying my way out to work...I randomly grabbed an old edition of the Solid Rock magazine to read on the train. It was the Sept 2007 issue. Pastor's main topic was on Godly Leadership - Following the Anointing Within. Time and time again I go 'wow' at how He opens up His word to me. It's simply to long to type them out but I love this part Pastor begins with,
Many Christians wants to walk in love. But do you notice that there is a place for wisdom and discernment in your love walk? Matthew 10:16" Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves. Therefore be wise as serpents and harmless as doves", The word "wise" here is phronimos in the Greek, which is also the word for understanding, insight and prudence..
We still need to have the Word because the Scripture outlines our direction and purpose, the way the railway directs the train. The Holy Spirit inside you is like the engine of the train where the power to control and propel comes from.
As I flip to the back of the magazine, it was a write up on three leaders in our church and how they lead with wisdom. I already knew by then what the answer was. The way to wisdom is to be led by the Holy Spirit in you. I was so certain then that in each of their sharing, there'll be a main portion about it. How true :)
"Deacon Matthew shared that when he follows the "prompting in the inward witness", even if he's not aware of all the details, things will surface and he begins to see what God wants him to see" Dn Matthew
"When he is faced with difficult decisions, Deacon Chee Ram automatically' goes back to God's Word. "The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of truth, He will lead you to the turth. I remember one incident where I sought the Lord , and He led me to Ezekiel, and based on the Word I read, my conviction about the situation became strong, and there was no problem making that difficult decision. Also, I knew that God would back me up all the way" Dn Chee Ram
"And she ensures that her relationship with God is a two-way street - He leads her through the inward witness and promptings, and she entrust the issues she faces to Him and talks to him about them." Dn Jeannie Yeo
In the afternoon inside the sleeping room after settling down my children to bed, I brought along my Bible with me. I just felt prompted then to read 1 Corinthians. And to my surprise again, the subheading was "Wisdom From the Spirit" (1 Corinthians 2:6-16)
That night, I continued to search on Scipture passages that links Wisdom to the Holy Spirit. I found two verses which sums it all up for me and has helped clear all the questions I have.
I especially love this verse from Daniel 5:14 about the spirit of God in Him and how wise he became. Cool how different version puts it =)
Daniel 5:14 I've heard about you--that you're full of the Holy Spirit, that you've got a brilliant mind, that you are incredibly wise
(MSG) I've heard about you-that you're full of the Holy Spirit, that you've got a brilliant mind, that you are incredibly wise..(ESV)and the light and understanding and excellent wisdom is in you...(CEV) have given you special powers...
Daniel 6:3 Then this Daniel did his work better than the chief rulers and the captains, because there was a special spirit in him; and it was the Kings purpose to put him over all the kingdom.
Isaiah 11:2 The Spirit of the Lord will give him wisdom and the knowledge and skill to rule his people. He' ll know the Lord's will and honor him.
Summary :) If not knowing the Lord's will make you unwise(Eph ), then what makes one wise is knowing His will. The will of the Lord is revealed by the Holy Spirit living in us. He leads and prompts us to make the wisest decision. Consider Daniel who was full of the Holy Spirit and was made in charge of the whole kingdom. I strongly believe he was someone who makes spirit led decision.
There's so many Proverbs and Sciptures on wisdom. It would be impossible to remember them all. But how nice to know NOW that the Spirit in you brings to remembrance ALL things. My msg to my friend would not had been a word of wisdom if it had not come from the Lord. It would just be another passing comment.
Allow the Lord to lead you first in the small things. Follow the promptings of the Spirit. When a bigger promotion comes, the ability to take on that role would not be difficult because He'll still be the one leading you to make the wisest decision =)
While I was messaging my friend, something in me felt led to tell him what the Lord had impress on my heart. I was very certain then it came from the Lord but I contemplated for awhile because he was not someone I connect much with. What if I was wrong? I thought. But more than that, I was more curious about his reply on the word wisdom.
What really is wisdom? When or what do I say is wisdom...because sometimes it's just something I randomly say or things I thought you would have already know. How do I make decision that is wise? There are so many proverbs on wisdom but when situation arises, the actions you take is not clearly written in the Bible. How then do I know.
I didn't have a clear definition of wisdom. It was a vague thing I knew to be good if I obtained it. Ask yourself this before you read on. How do you make wise decisions?
From that moment, I set out to ask Him specifically this question. What is wisdom? I knew clearly He would answer me. And He really did and I have never been so clear about it as now =) So here's the story :)
The next day after the sms on wed, I went to do a search on the internet with the key word - What is wisdom. There were of course a sea of results on wisdom..in estimation a total of 320000000 found. Here's a sensible answer on the definition on wisdom :
1) The ability to discern and judge what is true, right, or lasting insight. 2) Common sense, good judgement.
The world definition of wisdom :
Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit; wisdom is knowing not to put one in a fruit salad (Miles Kington, via the News Quiz).
I was in hospital recently, and got to thinking about wisdom. I'm still not sure on what the nature of wisdom is. Is it a state or a process? Is it a quality of thoughts, writings, people or actions? It appears from what people have written that a wise person is one who lives wisely because they have wise values and wise thoughts leading to wise decisions and wise actions....
Wouldn't you be more confused just reading the above? Heh~I did that night.
As I was searching, the Lord impress upon my heart the word Holy Spirit. Still I didn't know why then..
Amazingly, the next day 26th Sept, The One Thing Daily Devotional passage was entirely on wisdom!
God wants us to walk as wise men and women, and not fools. (Ephesians 5:15). Now, He will not tell us to walk in wisdom without showing us how. That is why His Word goes on to say, "Therefore do not be unwise, but understand what the will of the Lord is"
So what is the will of the Lord?...be filled with the Spirit, speaking to one another in psalms and hymms and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord." (Ephesians 5:18-19)
...I also find an inner prompting to make certain decisions which in the end, turn out to be better than anything I could have come up with my own.
As I read on more, there were three things that I realised is much associated with wisdom. His Word, Holy Spirit and godly counsel.
On Sunday, I had an opportunity to lunch with Deacon Jack and his family. He invited me to join him along with his family friend whom I brought to church that day. I declined at first but changed my mind later. I wanted to take every opportunity to hear from this man Pastor has spoken much about. According to the estimation of Pastor Lian, he's the the second wisest man in church :) It was't a spiritual lunch that day haha...but we did the wisest thing that anyone would and that is to take away our left over curry fish head that was so yummy. heh~but what struck me as I lie on my bed that night was a family that is so richly blessed because of the wisdom that was given by God on this man. I opened up my Bible that night and it happened to fall on this passage. Wise people are rewarded with wealth Prov 14:24. What a confirmation.
Yesterday as I was hurrying my way out to work...I randomly grabbed an old edition of the Solid Rock magazine to read on the train. It was the Sept 2007 issue. Pastor's main topic was on Godly Leadership - Following the Anointing Within. Time and time again I go 'wow' at how He opens up His word to me. It's simply to long to type them out but I love this part Pastor begins with,
Many Christians wants to walk in love. But do you notice that there is a place for wisdom and discernment in your love walk? Matthew 10:16" Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves. Therefore be wise as serpents and harmless as doves", The word "wise" here is phronimos in the Greek, which is also the word for understanding, insight and prudence..
We still need to have the Word because the Scripture outlines our direction and purpose, the way the railway directs the train. The Holy Spirit inside you is like the engine of the train where the power to control and propel comes from.
As I flip to the back of the magazine, it was a write up on three leaders in our church and how they lead with wisdom. I already knew by then what the answer was. The way to wisdom is to be led by the Holy Spirit in you. I was so certain then that in each of their sharing, there'll be a main portion about it. How true :)
"Deacon Matthew shared that when he follows the "prompting in the inward witness", even if he's not aware of all the details, things will surface and he begins to see what God wants him to see" Dn Matthew
"When he is faced with difficult decisions, Deacon Chee Ram automatically' goes back to God's Word. "The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of truth, He will lead you to the turth. I remember one incident where I sought the Lord , and He led me to Ezekiel, and based on the Word I read, my conviction about the situation became strong, and there was no problem making that difficult decision. Also, I knew that God would back me up all the way" Dn Chee Ram
"And she ensures that her relationship with God is a two-way street - He leads her through the inward witness and promptings, and she entrust the issues she faces to Him and talks to him about them." Dn Jeannie Yeo
In the afternoon inside the sleeping room after settling down my children to bed, I brought along my Bible with me. I just felt prompted then to read 1 Corinthians. And to my surprise again, the subheading was "Wisdom From the Spirit" (1 Corinthians 2:6-16)
That night, I continued to search on Scipture passages that links Wisdom to the Holy Spirit. I found two verses which sums it all up for me and has helped clear all the questions I have.
I especially love this verse from Daniel 5:14 about the spirit of God in Him and how wise he became. Cool how different version puts it =)
Daniel 5:14 I've heard about you--that you're full of the Holy Spirit, that you've got a brilliant mind, that you are incredibly wise
(MSG) I've heard about you-that you're full of the Holy Spirit, that you've got a brilliant mind, that you are incredibly wise..(ESV)and the light and understanding and excellent wisdom is in you...(CEV) have given you special powers...
Daniel 6:3 Then this Daniel did his work better than the chief rulers and the captains, because there was a special spirit in him; and it was the Kings purpose to put him over all the kingdom.
Isaiah 11:2 The Spirit of the Lord will give him wisdom and the knowledge and skill to rule his people. He' ll know the Lord's will and honor him.
Summary :) If not knowing the Lord's will make you unwise(Eph ), then what makes one wise is knowing His will. The will of the Lord is revealed by the Holy Spirit living in us. He leads and prompts us to make the wisest decision. Consider Daniel who was full of the Holy Spirit and was made in charge of the whole kingdom. I strongly believe he was someone who makes spirit led decision.
There's so many Proverbs and Sciptures on wisdom. It would be impossible to remember them all. But how nice to know NOW that the Spirit in you brings to remembrance ALL things. My msg to my friend would not had been a word of wisdom if it had not come from the Lord. It would just be another passing comment.
Allow the Lord to lead you first in the small things. Follow the promptings of the Spirit. When a bigger promotion comes, the ability to take on that role would not be difficult because He'll still be the one leading you to make the wisest decision =)
Tuesday, September 9, 2008
Fatherhood
I had an interesting discussion with my boss this morning as we were sharing about work. She went to sharing with me about how women are a pillar of support to their husband and the measure of their success. And most men focus are in building a successful career.
"Really haha...I just read it this morning", I interrupted her. (wow ..)
"Read?..."She looked rather surprised with my statement.
It was last night while browsing in my school library that I decided to look for something different to read. I chance upon this book called, "The gift of fatherhood" by Dr. Aaron Hass. I thought then it would be interesting to know how does a father feels and what struggles they face with their kids. And maybe thru it I'll gain more understanding of the Father heart of God.
Here's the excerpt I read this morning :
"Men feel good about themselves because of what they achieve. Men derive a sense of satisfaction from the status they attain. That's how we measure ourselves, that's how we determine our success. You don't get recognized by your peers for being a good father. You engender their respect because of how much money you make, how much power you yield, how productive you have been. And we are always comparing. Is his bigger than mine?
...I tell men that having children is potentially psychologically healthy for them. Good fathering implies a willingness to give up some of our self-centeredness. Good fathering requires the defeat of some of our overbearing narcissism. When you are being a good father you are loving another unselfishly, without ulterior motive. And when you are a good father, you will reap the rewards of love and closeness which will more than compensate for what you fear you may lose. You will feel less driven to achieve, less driven to impress"
I would not say I am in the position to know how a man thinks or feels as much as a married woman would =) A large part of my life was spent with my girl frens. Heh. But what went through my mind as I was reading it this morning was that it takes a purposeful effort to understand and relate to your child. Wherelse, for ladies we are naturally born with a nature to nurture. Another thing I saw was the similarity in a father-child r/s to me-others r/s that I could apply.
My dad lost his dad at a very young age. Therefore there was not fatherly figure in his life. He wasn't a Christian when he was young and that makes it even harder I feel at times for him to understand Fatherhood. Expressing love for us in words, touch or affection was not something that came naturally to him. I'm not disappointed at him because I know he loves me. He tells us and shows me in other ways.
But one thing I feel that is lacking in a family today is a fatherly figure. Fathers are so driven to provide. It may be his language of love to the family but may not be the child or spouse love language.
His need is met and not the child. (Just saw this =))...Ever wonder if the father meets the needs of his wife and child, his need for success will come naturally. God's focus has always been for family.
If the love of our Father in heaven could help us withstand the storms in our life, how much better to have an earthly daddy who could reflect His love to us.
It's my heart to see this in every dad. Maybe, we as daughter or son could help our dad in this by first being open to love =)
"Really haha...I just read it this morning", I interrupted her. (wow ..)
"Read?..."She looked rather surprised with my statement.
It was last night while browsing in my school library that I decided to look for something different to read. I chance upon this book called, "The gift of fatherhood" by Dr. Aaron Hass. I thought then it would be interesting to know how does a father feels and what struggles they face with their kids. And maybe thru it I'll gain more understanding of the Father heart of God.
Here's the excerpt I read this morning :
"Men feel good about themselves because of what they achieve. Men derive a sense of satisfaction from the status they attain. That's how we measure ourselves, that's how we determine our success. You don't get recognized by your peers for being a good father. You engender their respect because of how much money you make, how much power you yield, how productive you have been. And we are always comparing. Is his bigger than mine?
...I tell men that having children is potentially psychologically healthy for them. Good fathering implies a willingness to give up some of our self-centeredness. Good fathering requires the defeat of some of our overbearing narcissism. When you are being a good father you are loving another unselfishly, without ulterior motive. And when you are a good father, you will reap the rewards of love and closeness which will more than compensate for what you fear you may lose. You will feel less driven to achieve, less driven to impress"
I would not say I am in the position to know how a man thinks or feels as much as a married woman would =) A large part of my life was spent with my girl frens. Heh. But what went through my mind as I was reading it this morning was that it takes a purposeful effort to understand and relate to your child. Wherelse, for ladies we are naturally born with a nature to nurture. Another thing I saw was the similarity in a father-child r/s to me-others r/s that I could apply.
My dad lost his dad at a very young age. Therefore there was not fatherly figure in his life. He wasn't a Christian when he was young and that makes it even harder I feel at times for him to understand Fatherhood. Expressing love for us in words, touch or affection was not something that came naturally to him. I'm not disappointed at him because I know he loves me. He tells us and shows me in other ways.
But one thing I feel that is lacking in a family today is a fatherly figure. Fathers are so driven to provide. It may be his language of love to the family but may not be the child or spouse love language.
His need is met and not the child. (Just saw this =))...Ever wonder if the father meets the needs of his wife and child, his need for success will come naturally. God's focus has always been for family.
If the love of our Father in heaven could help us withstand the storms in our life, how much better to have an earthly daddy who could reflect His love to us.
It's my heart to see this in every dad. Maybe, we as daughter or son could help our dad in this by first being open to love =)
Monday, September 8, 2008
Nothing is too small
This quote comes at the conclusion of Mrs. Piper’s profile of the missionary doctor to Africa, Helen Roseveare:
"Perhaps the deepest underlying personal factor in Helen's tension was the need she felt to do her very best and, if possible, to be the very best. God called her to Africa where that was not possible. There were continuing lessons for her: learning to treat malaria by symptoms rather than with prescribed lab tests, having to operate without having been trained as a surgeon, needing to make bricks rather than spending the day with patients.
Perhaps that is an issue for some of us--struggling with the reality that God has called us to do less than we want to do or less than what we believe is best. That can happen in any setting. For me, it's been especially true in my years with small children - 'I got a college degree for this?' Maybe the problem is the way we see ourselves. Maybe we think more highly of ourselves than we ought.
If anyone was too good to die, it was Jesus. If anyone should have done greater things than walking dusty roads and talking with people too dense to understand him, it was Jesus. In Philippians 3 . . . is the verse, "that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death" (verse 10). When God called Helen to less than she expected, he was helping her become like Christ, rather than like the best
Faithful Women and Their Extraordinary God by Noel PiperLet’s not worry about being the best, but eagerly give our all to the broad calling of serving...Both taken from http://girltalk.blogs.com/girltalk/page/3
Saturday, September 6, 2008
Marked '08
I would say this was one of my best camps ever. We did nothing particularly spectacular, in fact it was a very restful camp. But it was in this camp I experience His touch so real.
The night before the camp, I receive a news that left me shattered. I've not felt this way for a year and now the feelings are back. I had my assignment still left to complete and my bag left unpacked. In these moments, all I want to do was not to do any of these but I knew I had to. Tears just stream down my face. I knew too I had to get to bed that night.
I sign up to this camp with no expectation but I went with one. It was for God to give me an answer to the situation. I didn't share to anyone about the matter because I know that my answer lies not in talking about it. During the games outing, someone I just got know asked me again what my expectations were. My answer was simply to receive. I did not ask God for new revelation but rather to give me an answer through Pastor's preaching.
The first three days I still didn't have the answer. There was no clarity.
On the last night, I felt impressed to ask Pastor about what he thinks about it. I knew I had to follow the life in me but he was on stage before the final praise & worship starts. Surprisingly, he walked down and I took the opportunity to ask him. What he told me was what I thought I should do. He said it was a confirmation. I got the answer that night. He prayed for me thereafter. The life I sense for the steps to take was the same I had for some decisions I had made. There's finally a clarity to it. I felt victory that night and every feeling of condemnation left me.
I was sharing with Coach Jo-Ann after that about what I should do and what I feel the Lord is saying. As I was sharing, the word faith and purpose came alive to my spirit. She shared to me her portion too of what the Lord is showing her. Much of what was said was confirmation to both of us.
For it to happen the night just before the camp I believe was for a purpose. If it came after the camp, I would not have the strength and clarity to handle it. Just like how Esther was made queen for such a time as that to save the Jews. God has it all planned.
This camp was awesome because of the people. The caregroup grew so much closer. Thank God for Pastor Benjamin who has been a great blessing into my life. Love you Pastor and Pauline.
Not forgetting the kids =) As you can see, most of the pictures is about them haha.. Manage to carry Zoe away from her mum at the final day after an hour of warm up! It's a great joy to know when the kids are comfortable with you when they open their arms to be receive by you =)
Here's a picture we both love :) Mum said she seldom smile directly at camera. Melts me to see her in this picture. Heh..
Playing with the Kung Fu props. "Funny face..."
Self-explanatory haha~
I walked out of the house with uncertainty, but I walked in with clarity and joy beholding a piano in my house! Unbelievable. I really think that God really wants me to brush up on my piano skills. Heh- I understand from the maid this afternoon that my landlord got it as a gift from someone. Indeed, all your household will be bless because of you =D
Sunday, August 24, 2008
Futility of Regret
The human heart is heretical by nature.Popular religious beliefs should be checked carefully against the word of God, for they are almost certain to be wrong.
Legalism, for instance, is natural to the human heart. Grace in its true New Testament meaning is foreign to human reason, not because it is contrary to reason but because it lies beyond it. The doctrine of grace had to be revealed; it could not have been discovered.
The essence of legalism is self-atonement. The seeker tries to make himself acceptable to God by some act of restitution, or by self-punishment or the feeling of regret. The desire to be pleasing to God by self-effort is not, for it assumes that sin once done may be undone, an assumption wholly false.
Long after we have learned from the scriptures that we cannot by fasting, or the wearing of hair shirt or the making of many prayers, atone for the sins of the soul, we still tend by a kind of pernicious natural heresy to feel that we can please God and purify our souls by the penance of perpetual regret.
This latter is the Protestant's unacknowledged penance. Though he claims to believe in the doctrine of justification by faith he still secretly feels that what he calls "godly sorrow" will make him dear to God. Though he may know better he is caught in the web of a wrong religious feeling and betrayed.
There is indeed a godly sorrow that worketh repentance and it must be acknowledged that among us Christians this feeling is often not present in sufficient strength to work real repentance; but the persistence of this sorrow till it becomes chronic regret is neither right nor good. Regret is a kind of frustrated repentance that has not been quite comsummated. Once the soul has turned from all sin and committed itself wholly to God there is no longer any legitimate place for regret. When moral innocence has been restored by the forgiving love of God the guilt may be remembered, but the sting is gone from the memory. The forgiven man knows that he has sinned, but he no longer feels it.
The effort to be forgiven by works is one that can never be completed because no one knows or can know how much is enough to cancel out the offence; so the seeker must go on year after year paying on his moral debt, here a little, there a little, knowing that he sometimes adds to his bill much more than he pays. The task of keeping books on such transaction can never end, and the seeker can only hope that when the last entry is made he may be ahead and the account fully paid. This is quite the popular belief, this forgiveness by self-effort but it is natural heresy and can last only betray those who depend upon it.
It may be argued that the absence of regret indicates a low and inadequate view of sin, but the exact opposite is true. Sin is frightful, so destructive to the soul that no human thought or act can in any degree diminish its lethal effects. Only God can deal with it successfully; only the blood of Christ can cleanse it from the pores or the spirit. The heart that has been delivered from this dread enemy feels not regret but wondrous relief and unceasing gratitude.
The returned prodigal honours his father more by rejoicing than by repining. Had the young man in the story had less faith in his father he might have mourned in a corner instead of joining in the festivities. His confidence in the loving-kindness of his father gave him the courage to forget his chequered past.
Regret frets the soul as tension frets the nerves and anxiety the mind. I believe that the chronic unhappiness of most Christians may be attributed to a gnawing uneasiness lest God had not fully forgiven them, or the fear that He expects as the price of His forgiveness some sort of emotional penance which they have not furnishes. A our confidence in the goodness of God mounts out anxieties will diminish and our moral happiness rise in inverse proportion.
Regret may be more than a form of self-love. A man may have such a high regard for himself that any failure to live up to his own image of himself disappoints him deeply. He feels that he has betrayed his better self by his act of wrongdoing, and even if God is willing to forgive him he will not forgive himself. Sin brings to such a man a painful loss of face that is not soon forgotten. He becomes permanently angry with himself by going to God frequently with petulant self-accusations. This state of mind crystallises finally into a feeling of chronic regret which appears to be proof of deep penitence but is actually proof of deep self-love.
Regret for a sinful past will remain until we truly believe that for us in Christ that sinful past no longer exists. The man in Christ has only Christ's past and that is perfect and acceptable to God. In Christ He died, in Christ he rose, and in Christ he is seated within the circe of God's favoured ones. He is no longer angry with himself because he is no longer self-regarding, but Christ-regarding; hence there is no place for regret.
Legalism, for instance, is natural to the human heart. Grace in its true New Testament meaning is foreign to human reason, not because it is contrary to reason but because it lies beyond it. The doctrine of grace had to be revealed; it could not have been discovered.
The essence of legalism is self-atonement. The seeker tries to make himself acceptable to God by some act of restitution, or by self-punishment or the feeling of regret. The desire to be pleasing to God by self-effort is not, for it assumes that sin once done may be undone, an assumption wholly false.
Long after we have learned from the scriptures that we cannot by fasting, or the wearing of hair shirt or the making of many prayers, atone for the sins of the soul, we still tend by a kind of pernicious natural heresy to feel that we can please God and purify our souls by the penance of perpetual regret.
This latter is the Protestant's unacknowledged penance. Though he claims to believe in the doctrine of justification by faith he still secretly feels that what he calls "godly sorrow" will make him dear to God. Though he may know better he is caught in the web of a wrong religious feeling and betrayed.
There is indeed a godly sorrow that worketh repentance and it must be acknowledged that among us Christians this feeling is often not present in sufficient strength to work real repentance; but the persistence of this sorrow till it becomes chronic regret is neither right nor good. Regret is a kind of frustrated repentance that has not been quite comsummated. Once the soul has turned from all sin and committed itself wholly to God there is no longer any legitimate place for regret. When moral innocence has been restored by the forgiving love of God the guilt may be remembered, but the sting is gone from the memory. The forgiven man knows that he has sinned, but he no longer feels it.
The effort to be forgiven by works is one that can never be completed because no one knows or can know how much is enough to cancel out the offence; so the seeker must go on year after year paying on his moral debt, here a little, there a little, knowing that he sometimes adds to his bill much more than he pays. The task of keeping books on such transaction can never end, and the seeker can only hope that when the last entry is made he may be ahead and the account fully paid. This is quite the popular belief, this forgiveness by self-effort but it is natural heresy and can last only betray those who depend upon it.
It may be argued that the absence of regret indicates a low and inadequate view of sin, but the exact opposite is true. Sin is frightful, so destructive to the soul that no human thought or act can in any degree diminish its lethal effects. Only God can deal with it successfully; only the blood of Christ can cleanse it from the pores or the spirit. The heart that has been delivered from this dread enemy feels not regret but wondrous relief and unceasing gratitude.
The returned prodigal honours his father more by rejoicing than by repining. Had the young man in the story had less faith in his father he might have mourned in a corner instead of joining in the festivities. His confidence in the loving-kindness of his father gave him the courage to forget his chequered past.
Regret frets the soul as tension frets the nerves and anxiety the mind. I believe that the chronic unhappiness of most Christians may be attributed to a gnawing uneasiness lest God had not fully forgiven them, or the fear that He expects as the price of His forgiveness some sort of emotional penance which they have not furnishes. A our confidence in the goodness of God mounts out anxieties will diminish and our moral happiness rise in inverse proportion.
Regret may be more than a form of self-love. A man may have such a high regard for himself that any failure to live up to his own image of himself disappoints him deeply. He feels that he has betrayed his better self by his act of wrongdoing, and even if God is willing to forgive him he will not forgive himself. Sin brings to such a man a painful loss of face that is not soon forgotten. He becomes permanently angry with himself by going to God frequently with petulant self-accusations. This state of mind crystallises finally into a feeling of chronic regret which appears to be proof of deep penitence but is actually proof of deep self-love.
Regret for a sinful past will remain until we truly believe that for us in Christ that sinful past no longer exists. The man in Christ has only Christ's past and that is perfect and acceptable to God. In Christ He died, in Christ he rose, and in Christ he is seated within the circe of God's favoured ones. He is no longer angry with himself because he is no longer self-regarding, but Christ-regarding; hence there is no place for regret.
That Incredible Christian, A.W.Tozer
I was reading this on the train today when it all seems like a whole new light has broke through as to how I saw His Word. I thought I had understood what no condemnation meant but as I checked my emotions this morning, it states otherwise. I wasn't feeling good. I remember messaging my friend last night that I felt bad for somethings, in other terms, regret for my actions. Unconsciously I carried my bad feelings till the next morning. I thank the Lord for this day before I started my day. But still the heaviness made my day hard to begin with until I read this. Little did I see regret as feeling guilty, forgetting who I am In Christ but a way of telling God I've learned. How subtle and deadly it is to our well being. I never saw regret as wrong neither was it right nor good. The story of the prodigal son clearly shows that we can have two respond coming back to our Father. We can either walk back repining over our actions or run back rejoicing knowing full well that His arms of love will always welcome us back.It sounds a little illogical in the natural because human nature always feels better by first feeling sorry for our actions. Doing this will only fret our soul like how one frets it's nerves under tense situation. When I saw Christ holiness over my every regret, the heaviness just left. In fact, work turned out to be very good today =) Had one of my best times with my children today and made a boy laughed so hard. My boss asked me out for lunch today and receive a little bit more insight haha..thank god once again for this place where mercy and grace meets.
Wednesday, August 20, 2008
P.L.A.N.
What are my longings? Perhaps you thought our longings had nothing to do with keeping your life on track. I couldn't disagree more. Your heart is crucial. Psalm 37:4 says, "Enjoy serving the Lord, and he will give you what you want." When we submit to God's plans, we can trust our desires. Our assignment is found at the intersection of God's plan and our pleasures. What do you love to do? What bring you joy? What gives you a sense of satisfaction?
The longings of your heart, then, are not incidental; they are critical messages. The desires of your heart are not to be ignored; they are to be consulted, As the wind turns the weather vane, so God uses your passion to turn your life. God is too gracious to ask you to do something you hate...
God allows you to start afresh at any point in life. "From now on, then, you must live the rest of your earthly lives controlled by God's will and not by human desires" (1 Peter 4:2TEV)
Circle the words from now on. God will give you a fresh scorecard. Regardless of what has controlled you in the past, it's never too late to get your life on course and be a part of God's P.L.A.N.-- Am I fitting into God's Plan? What are my Longings? What are my Ablities? Am I serving God Now?
The longings of your heart, then, are not incidental; they are critical messages. The desires of your heart are not to be ignored; they are to be consulted, As the wind turns the weather vane, so God uses your passion to turn your life. God is too gracious to ask you to do something you hate...
God allows you to start afresh at any point in life. "From now on, then, you must live the rest of your earthly lives controlled by God's will and not by human desires" (1 Peter 4:2TEV)
Circle the words from now on. God will give you a fresh scorecard. Regardless of what has controlled you in the past, it's never too late to get your life on course and be a part of God's P.L.A.N.-- Am I fitting into God's Plan? What are my Longings? What are my Ablities? Am I serving God Now?
Just Like Jesus, Max Lucado
Joy of the finder
It was on the train on Sunday with Kristin that I realised my sermon book was missing! My whole countenance changed.
My thoughts rush back to where I put it. I msg my friend if it was in the car. Nope. I remember. I left it outside Rock at the bench when I went in audi to pass my friend a card. I bought a new note book and kept the old along with it in the plastic bag.
I called Rock bookshop and it was closed.
Monday came, I called them again to help me check and they said it was not there. Called New Creation lost and found dept and they told me the same thing.
My heart just sank.
All the sermon notes and notes that I've kept since New Creation gave us the free diary book two years back is all gone...
I lie down on my bed on Wednesday morning in disbelief. It feels like the day I lost my dog who has been with me for 12years. It's no longer in my life.
I said a simple prayer to God that morning. I know it's impossible but Lord help me find it.
Wednesday afternoon. I receive a missed call and when I called back, the lady on the other line sounded happy. I knew I was expecting a good news and it really was. They found it!!!
Someone returned it that morning. I can't tell you how happy I was.
I can imagine how excited Jesus would be when one soul makes his way to heaven. And I'll never forget the joy I receive that afternoon in finding what's precious to me.
My thoughts rush back to where I put it. I msg my friend if it was in the car. Nope. I remember. I left it outside Rock at the bench when I went in audi to pass my friend a card. I bought a new note book and kept the old along with it in the plastic bag.
I called Rock bookshop and it was closed.
Monday came, I called them again to help me check and they said it was not there. Called New Creation lost and found dept and they told me the same thing.
My heart just sank.
All the sermon notes and notes that I've kept since New Creation gave us the free diary book two years back is all gone...
I lie down on my bed on Wednesday morning in disbelief. It feels like the day I lost my dog who has been with me for 12years. It's no longer in my life.
I said a simple prayer to God that morning. I know it's impossible but Lord help me find it.
Wednesday afternoon. I receive a missed call and when I called back, the lady on the other line sounded happy. I knew I was expecting a good news and it really was. They found it!!!
Someone returned it that morning. I can't tell you how happy I was.
I can imagine how excited Jesus would be when one soul makes his way to heaven. And I'll never forget the joy I receive that afternoon in finding what's precious to me.
listening...
I was asking my colleagues this week if they knew of any rain song that I could use for my story telling presentation this Friday. The first page was an old lady walking home in the rain. So I thought it would be nice to sing a song at the start. Almost everyone gave me the all time favourite childhood rain song, "Rain, rain go away". I wanted something more musical and less commonly sang.
This morning, I woke up with a melody in my heart..."Rain drops on roses..."
Wow :) There's the word rain in the song! Haha..It's from the musical Sound of Music I watched many times when I was a child. I did a search on the full lyrics and it fitted perfectly well with the idea I had in mind.
I just felt that I should write a post on listening to His voice. This whole week I've been thinking of ways to do my storytelling. And i'm amazed at how the Lord has pop up ideas I would never have come out with myself. I realised how much there is to storytelling and how much i've grew to like it. Thanks to my lecturer who has made it so interesting for us that it makes me want to buy up all the cd's and book and tell them to my kids =) amazingly, my boss is sending me for an international storytelling workshop that many have commented to be very good next Saturday. How timely.
Another time was when I had this thought of having an email account for the teachers. Something really rare in pre-school field. The next week, we were told about the change. We were all given a personal email account to apply for our leave and every other matter. That's when I realised there are over 500 staff! How advance it has become. I really like the idea of it as I know Childhood Education will not remain as it is now and will be a field that is internationally recognized and well paid as well! =D
The thoughts or ideas that we have is His way of speaking to us too. You may ask, then how do I know if it's from the Lord or our flesh. You'll know it when the Father speaks. There's no rule to it :) In the area of asking Him for wisdom in a situation, you'll realised that when you obey His voice, there'll be a feeling of joy and peace in that situation.
I ask the Lord for a right book to read just before I wrote this so that it'll tie in with what I wrote and He always never fail to give an answer. Here's a little excerpt from "Just Like Jesus" by Max Lucado :
"Scripture has always placed a premium on hearing God's voice. Indeed, the great command from God through Moses began with the words, "Hear, O Israel : the Lord our God is one Lord". "Happy are those who listen to me" is the promise of Proverbs 8:34. Jesus urges us to listen like sheep...."He who has ear, let him hear what the Spirit says..."
The Lord showed me this when I asked Him something a few days back. Why was the thing you once showed me and I was sure that it came from you, became uncertain anymore. And the answer was because I started to reason.
The answer to many of our problems lies in not talking and hearing from Him. Stop asking what should I do, what if this happens, when or how...but just be still and hear what He has to say. Your father's voice is not too hard to hear and when he speaks, listen and not doubt :)
This morning, I woke up with a melody in my heart..."Rain drops on roses..."
Wow :) There's the word rain in the song! Haha..It's from the musical Sound of Music I watched many times when I was a child. I did a search on the full lyrics and it fitted perfectly well with the idea I had in mind.
I just felt that I should write a post on listening to His voice. This whole week I've been thinking of ways to do my storytelling. And i'm amazed at how the Lord has pop up ideas I would never have come out with myself. I realised how much there is to storytelling and how much i've grew to like it. Thanks to my lecturer who has made it so interesting for us that it makes me want to buy up all the cd's and book and tell them to my kids =) amazingly, my boss is sending me for an international storytelling workshop that many have commented to be very good next Saturday. How timely.
Another time was when I had this thought of having an email account for the teachers. Something really rare in pre-school field. The next week, we were told about the change. We were all given a personal email account to apply for our leave and every other matter. That's when I realised there are over 500 staff! How advance it has become. I really like the idea of it as I know Childhood Education will not remain as it is now and will be a field that is internationally recognized and well paid as well! =D
The thoughts or ideas that we have is His way of speaking to us too. You may ask, then how do I know if it's from the Lord or our flesh. You'll know it when the Father speaks. There's no rule to it :) In the area of asking Him for wisdom in a situation, you'll realised that when you obey His voice, there'll be a feeling of joy and peace in that situation.
I ask the Lord for a right book to read just before I wrote this so that it'll tie in with what I wrote and He always never fail to give an answer. Here's a little excerpt from "Just Like Jesus" by Max Lucado :
"Scripture has always placed a premium on hearing God's voice. Indeed, the great command from God through Moses began with the words, "Hear, O Israel : the Lord our God is one Lord". "Happy are those who listen to me" is the promise of Proverbs 8:34. Jesus urges us to listen like sheep...."He who has ear, let him hear what the Spirit says..."
The Lord showed me this when I asked Him something a few days back. Why was the thing you once showed me and I was sure that it came from you, became uncertain anymore. And the answer was because I started to reason.
The answer to many of our problems lies in not talking and hearing from Him. Stop asking what should I do, what if this happens, when or how...but just be still and hear what He has to say. Your father's voice is not too hard to hear and when he speaks, listen and not doubt :)
Wednesday, August 6, 2008
This season..stand still
It really helps to consistently talk with the Lord about just anything. I find that He is also consistently teaching and correcting me, giving me the right words to speak to others and telling me the next move I should make.
During this season I've learnt not to point out the faults of others if I see any or to make comments. Because many times we get frusfrated over things that happened at that very moment. And speaking does not help much more than action does. It helps to quietly study the situation and ask the Lord for wisdom in each one of them. I've learned not to ask something in favor for me but to create a situation that will be in favor for me. And it'll be what I wanted initially without having to voice it out. I guess this will have a more lasting value. If we could do just that, then we are really in control of the situation. Or to put it plainly, we gain true respect from others. I was randomly reading my books yesterday and I found something I read to be so true in regards to this. Respect is gain when we are doing it out of excellence. I guess that makes the best leaders too.
Something I thought of after I came home today. If we could serve or work with excellence, it'll not be difficult to hold a higher position with greater capacity of influence. The life of Joseph came to mind. I really believe he was placed where he was to be refine to godliness. And when we pass the test, the Lord can entrust us with bigger things.
Another thing I asked the Lord recently was, "How do I make a decision in any case?" What shall I based it on? And the answer was very clear. To always go by the Word of God. And it has never fail to help me decide.
Stand still, God's beloved. God is your Defender
During this season I've learnt not to point out the faults of others if I see any or to make comments. Because many times we get frusfrated over things that happened at that very moment. And speaking does not help much more than action does. It helps to quietly study the situation and ask the Lord for wisdom in each one of them. I've learned not to ask something in favor for me but to create a situation that will be in favor for me. And it'll be what I wanted initially without having to voice it out. I guess this will have a more lasting value. If we could do just that, then we are really in control of the situation. Or to put it plainly, we gain true respect from others. I was randomly reading my books yesterday and I found something I read to be so true in regards to this. Respect is gain when we are doing it out of excellence. I guess that makes the best leaders too.
Something I thought of after I came home today. If we could serve or work with excellence, it'll not be difficult to hold a higher position with greater capacity of influence. The life of Joseph came to mind. I really believe he was placed where he was to be refine to godliness. And when we pass the test, the Lord can entrust us with bigger things.
Another thing I asked the Lord recently was, "How do I make a decision in any case?" What shall I based it on? And the answer was very clear. To always go by the Word of God. And it has never fail to help me decide.
Stand still, God's beloved. God is your Defender
Saturday, August 2, 2008
live by e life in you
hie guys,
Its been long since I last wrote.yup.=) been pretty busy lately.now that i'm quite settle down for e day, i'll just briefly jot down a little. When I say a little, I can go on and on..haha
There’s just so much in me that I really wish to tell u all,about how real He's been to me lately.e joy he sets in me just makes me want to give out so much...to just keep on serving and spending time with Him without havin to do other things.yeap.pretty impossible though.eheh. I’m also learning to live e let go, “bo chap” life pastor’s has been preaching about and leave em all to jesus.
Just recently, e life in me, e holy spirit has been showing me things my natural self could not.
Last Monday as I was checking my mail, I felt a prompting to open up a mail fwd by my fren annie.she'll occasionally fwd articles by Kenneth Copeland. Sometimes I’ll open em up & sometimes not. But this time I felt like I should open up one of them. It spoke about listening to god's voice. I felt so strongly in me that this was wat he wanted me to do. Then later I started browsing some christian blogs which i sometimes do. And one of e blog i read was about listening to his voice also.hmm. i felt e life in me that this was wat god really wants me to do. i log off e com and toke out my bible. I started asking god, wats e first verse that i should turn to.
He gave me psalms124:4 :
I was amaze at wat He gave me.
“v4. the flood would have engulfed us,
the torrent would have swept over us,
v5 the raging waters
would have swept us away.
v6 Praise be to the Lord,
Who has not let us to be torn by their
Teeth.
v7 We have escaped like a bird
Out of the fowler’s snare;
The snare has been broken,
And we have escaped.
v8 Our help is in the name of the Lord,
The Maker of Heaven and earth.
This is not a verse that I know of, or even a verse that sounds familiar to me. Its not by chance that I turn to it, but by our God who gives His Word in season. It takes e holy spirt in us to do just that. With my natural ability, I wouldn’t be able to see e beauty e bible has. I may take hours to look for e appropriate verse, but just by listening to His voice, it takes seconds.
I felt so strongly too that pastor will be preaching on listening to His Word on Sunday. I did not share to anyone about wat I felt, “fearing” that I may be wrong.haha. And you know wat, he really did!!!
God is awesome isn’t He. Just e week before, he preached on “Let not Your hearts be troubled”(John 14:27) as e theme to live by for e year. It was Sunday that he preached. I came back from Ipoh on a thurs. On Wednesday nite before I was back, I went over to my aunts’ place for dinner, and that was e verse I saw at her dining hall, which really spoke to me. I’ve been meditating on it e whole week, trying to look up for e verse in e bible as well. And I would not have imagined that pastor prince would have actually used this verse as his sermon topic for e week!
Yea people, live by e LIFE in you. Listen to His voice. Cast all your cares upon Him, for he cares so so much for u!
I’m currently doing my attachment in this place called Man Fut Tong nursing home. Yea. It’s a Buddhist organization. Looks really like a temple. But I’ve e temple of God in me.amen.ahha. I was asking god why this place?? I’m surrounded by people who don’t speak e same “language” as me?? But then he reminded me of e first attachment that I went to. My supervisor, who was a really strong Christian, “grounded” me and taught me just so much, not only in my studies but in my walk with Him…..and my second one as well. Now is e time I felt he wanted me to share e gospel to those who need it most with wat I have in me…and he’s going to use me to glorify his name.
Furthermore, my supervisor now is an Indian muslim. Hmm. Well God always turns things around for good. The first day, I felt e prompting to share e gospel to him.I did. And He listen. God move. He wanted to even follow me to church. He even asks me to share e sermon to him on a Monday morning?? Haha. He gave me an A4 paper. Filled e A4 paper w e gospel. Handed to him. And he toke it willingly. Last thurs, he sneak me out early to go for bible study.ahha.yea. and today I told him e reason I’ve e joy in me is because jesus lives in me, and he repeated that to himself as well =)
I better stop here.ahha. yea. Told u all I can just go on and on…..
Good nite.Luv u all! =)
Its been long since I last wrote.yup.=) been pretty busy lately.now that i'm quite settle down for e day, i'll just briefly jot down a little. When I say a little, I can go on and on..haha
There’s just so much in me that I really wish to tell u all,about how real He's been to me lately.e joy he sets in me just makes me want to give out so much...to just keep on serving and spending time with Him without havin to do other things.yeap.pretty impossible though.eheh. I’m also learning to live e let go, “bo chap” life pastor’s has been preaching about and leave em all to jesus.
Just recently, e life in me, e holy spirit has been showing me things my natural self could not.
Last Monday as I was checking my mail, I felt a prompting to open up a mail fwd by my fren annie.she'll occasionally fwd articles by Kenneth Copeland. Sometimes I’ll open em up & sometimes not. But this time I felt like I should open up one of them. It spoke about listening to god's voice. I felt so strongly in me that this was wat he wanted me to do. Then later I started browsing some christian blogs which i sometimes do. And one of e blog i read was about listening to his voice also.hmm. i felt e life in me that this was wat god really wants me to do. i log off e com and toke out my bible. I started asking god, wats e first verse that i should turn to.
He gave me psalms124:4 :
I was amaze at wat He gave me.
“v4. the flood would have engulfed us,
the torrent would have swept over us,
v5 the raging waters
would have swept us away.
v6 Praise be to the Lord,
Who has not let us to be torn by their
Teeth.
v7 We have escaped like a bird
Out of the fowler’s snare;
The snare has been broken,
And we have escaped.
v8 Our help is in the name of the Lord,
The Maker of Heaven and earth.
This is not a verse that I know of, or even a verse that sounds familiar to me. Its not by chance that I turn to it, but by our God who gives His Word in season. It takes e holy spirt in us to do just that. With my natural ability, I wouldn’t be able to see e beauty e bible has. I may take hours to look for e appropriate verse, but just by listening to His voice, it takes seconds.
I felt so strongly too that pastor will be preaching on listening to His Word on Sunday. I did not share to anyone about wat I felt, “fearing” that I may be wrong.haha. And you know wat, he really did!!!
God is awesome isn’t He. Just e week before, he preached on “Let not Your hearts be troubled”(John 14:27) as e theme to live by for e year. It was Sunday that he preached. I came back from Ipoh on a thurs. On Wednesday nite before I was back, I went over to my aunts’ place for dinner, and that was e verse I saw at her dining hall, which really spoke to me. I’ve been meditating on it e whole week, trying to look up for e verse in e bible as well. And I would not have imagined that pastor prince would have actually used this verse as his sermon topic for e week!
Yea people, live by e LIFE in you. Listen to His voice. Cast all your cares upon Him, for he cares so so much for u!
I’m currently doing my attachment in this place called Man Fut Tong nursing home. Yea. It’s a Buddhist organization. Looks really like a temple. But I’ve e temple of God in me.amen.ahha. I was asking god why this place?? I’m surrounded by people who don’t speak e same “language” as me?? But then he reminded me of e first attachment that I went to. My supervisor, who was a really strong Christian, “grounded” me and taught me just so much, not only in my studies but in my walk with Him…..and my second one as well. Now is e time I felt he wanted me to share e gospel to those who need it most with wat I have in me…and he’s going to use me to glorify his name.
Furthermore, my supervisor now is an Indian muslim. Hmm. Well God always turns things around for good. The first day, I felt e prompting to share e gospel to him.I did. And He listen. God move. He wanted to even follow me to church. He even asks me to share e sermon to him on a Monday morning?? Haha. He gave me an A4 paper. Filled e A4 paper w e gospel. Handed to him. And he toke it willingly. Last thurs, he sneak me out early to go for bible study.ahha.yea. and today I told him e reason I’ve e joy in me is because jesus lives in me, and he repeated that to himself as well =)
I better stop here.ahha. yea. Told u all I can just go on and on…..
Good nite.Luv u all! =)
Sunday, July 20, 2008
Be at home in My love
John 15:7-11
But if you make yourselves at home with me and my words are at home in you, you can be sure that whatever you ask will be listened to and acted upon. This is how my Father shows who he is--when you produce grapes, when you mature as my disciples.
"I've loved you the way my Father has loved me. Make yourselves at home in my love.
If you keep my commands, you'll remain intimately at home in my love. That's what I've done--kept my Father's commands and made myself at home in his love.
"I've told you these things for a purpose: that my joy might be your joy, and your joy wholly mature. (Msg)
...Even as the Father has given me his love, so I have given my love to you: be ever in my love. (BBE)
Monday, July 14, 2008
What does work means to you
"Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth...3John1:2"
I was deciding if I should write this entry earlier. As much as I wanted to, I told myself not to for today and should just rest. Later to realised that I actually fell asleep unconsciously on my bed after being awoken by a message on my phone. My friend asked me to check the final draft of our art assignment. Man, was I impressed at our work =) It sort of inspired me to write what the Lord has showed me. Of how I view work and material possessions.I had an encounter with a couple recently at a friend's gathering. They were people I knew when I was still a young girl in my home church. Many people we can see from afar and admire but only the ones that you spend time talking with, shows you what's truly inside them. They were well known people both in my hometown and here. A mansion with everything you would dream of, be it inside or outside of it. So far, I've not seen one like this here. Maybe because of the limited land =)
The lady was very pretty in her picture when she was young. She still is but there was no life or glow in her eyes. The husband somehow looked different from last year. I almost couldn't recognise him. As we talked, I realised his memory has fail him. He told me he was flying to two places this week and was feeling tired. Together someone beside me said, "You should rest". "I cant, I need to work". My heart hurts to see this. I wished they knew there were more to life.
At that moment, I understood what true riches really meant. A life without a relationship with Him is empty. Your priorities change. I lie on my bed that night in my rented room feeling rich. Jesus IS really all I need.
That's when it got me thinking...
I save money to buy the things I want, to pay the bills...and when I get married, to save up for my children's education and to get a bigger house or better car...the list goes on. We are always striving more for a better quality of life. Ever wonder when will it ever stop? Don't it all suddenly seem meaningless to be going after things and not people...
Those things are not bad in itself but when working for it takes priority over spending time with God and loving His people, it reminds me of the person who had everything but the glow in His eyes. The life of God.
I just saw this. You will stop wanting for more when Jesus IS really your everything. You are rich where you are when you have Him. My boss once told me, if not for her youngest son, she would have quit her job and reach out to the needy. I never really did understood but now I do. In loving and giving we find life, in striving and in wanting we look to our needs and fail to see the world around us who needs Him.
Monday, July 7, 2008
someone who believes in you...
I had a good time of sharing with my boss last Fri when she came up to help with the infant side and so did I. Thought I'll share with you some things she said that speaks to me. She had mentioned earlier to me that she had wanted to speak to me. She drew the baby she was rocking to the middle of the room, while I took mine too to face her =) And the rest of the babies surrounded us, while my other colleagues stayed at other rooms.
She corrected me on something and gently explained to me the reason why. Others would have thought she would have sounded me for that. I thought so too and was prepared for it, yet I know her a little better now that she's not that sort. After all she 'scolds' or corrects us quite often. I believe Esther and Jofid would have gotten a share of it even though they'll only part time staff. Heh-
The one thing she said that really touches me was when she told me she likes me. It really didn't occur to me for a boss to tell that to an employee. One may be very careful with telling this as the employee may take advantage of it having known it. Instead of feeling important I felt loved and humbled. I thank god for wonderful colleagues who makes me laugh and that helps me a lot when I'm really tired. I'm certainly not someone who have it all together, she tells me that too. In fact lots of area I still need to work on. I love it when she told me that to really love a person, she'll tell them their mistakes. And she's very direct. I think no one has ever been so direct to me like her before. It hurts at first but I'm used to it now and it helps a lot to correct on the areas she highlight. She once told me I have saving grace haha- Grace :)
She said she have higher expectation on me esp more when I've studied physio before and am a Christian. The next thing she said that amazes me more was because I'm ambassador of Christ in my work place. And our body language speaks the loudest. Wow. Little did she know that I serve in Ambassador(Befrienders) in church. And that spoke volume to me. How true that our non-believer frens sees most how we interact with them and others around us. For a man looks at the exterior.
I shared to her too about what I've learnt during the four days I was back with my nephew(previous post). She shared to me her life story too and it confirms it. That when Jesus is the center in your life, nothing can move you.
"Do you know how I can handle the centre everyday", she asked me. "I pray every morning before I come to work" =)
Awhile later, the person in charge stepped in and looked worried as we were going to be shorthanded for closing. With calmness, she told her to pray. Have faith =) And the lady is actually from New Creation too. Heh.
I'm grateful to know I'm in good hands. For me to be extended mercy in my mistakes, have taught me to extend it to others as well. It's not easy at times, but what makes me think that it was easy for others as well :) But they did it anyway.
She corrected me on something and gently explained to me the reason why. Others would have thought she would have sounded me for that. I thought so too and was prepared for it, yet I know her a little better now that she's not that sort. After all she 'scolds' or corrects us quite often. I believe Esther and Jofid would have gotten a share of it even though they'll only part time staff. Heh-
The one thing she said that really touches me was when she told me she likes me. It really didn't occur to me for a boss to tell that to an employee. One may be very careful with telling this as the employee may take advantage of it having known it. Instead of feeling important I felt loved and humbled. I thank god for wonderful colleagues who makes me laugh and that helps me a lot when I'm really tired. I'm certainly not someone who have it all together, she tells me that too. In fact lots of area I still need to work on. I love it when she told me that to really love a person, she'll tell them their mistakes. And she's very direct. I think no one has ever been so direct to me like her before. It hurts at first but I'm used to it now and it helps a lot to correct on the areas she highlight. She once told me I have saving grace haha- Grace :)
She said she have higher expectation on me esp more when I've studied physio before and am a Christian. The next thing she said that amazes me more was because I'm ambassador of Christ in my work place. And our body language speaks the loudest. Wow. Little did she know that I serve in Ambassador(Befrienders) in church. And that spoke volume to me. How true that our non-believer frens sees most how we interact with them and others around us. For a man looks at the exterior.
I shared to her too about what I've learnt during the four days I was back with my nephew(previous post). She shared to me her life story too and it confirms it. That when Jesus is the center in your life, nothing can move you.
"Do you know how I can handle the centre everyday", she asked me. "I pray every morning before I come to work" =)
Awhile later, the person in charge stepped in and looked worried as we were going to be shorthanded for closing. With calmness, she told her to pray. Have faith =) And the lady is actually from New Creation too. Heh.
I'm grateful to know I'm in good hands. For me to be extended mercy in my mistakes, have taught me to extend it to others as well. It's not easy at times, but what makes me think that it was easy for others as well :) But they did it anyway.
Wednesday, July 2, 2008
Thrive in adversity [elaine]
I went to the pantry yesterday during lunch time to get myself a drink after the crowd had dispersed. To my surprised, I saw five temp staff line up sited in a row facing my boss. Haha. It's really a funny sight. It was one of the 'imparting' sessions by my boss. You could see that they were listening intently =) I then quietly stood at the side to join in the discussion. After which Elaine msg me, "Your boss is very special" =) Yes, no person in their right mind would love being called to the office and talk to their boss but this boss is just...yep special haha. Elaine however went home to type out most of what she has said =) Thanks so much! I usually write down what she tells me, but I realised I'm not good at remembering the details as much as she did. I think it's really a gem whatever she has written because it's not only what our Pastors and leader's had been telling us in the recent career seminar, it's the key that has made them where they are now. Enjoy!
----------------------------------------------------
Had a chance to chat with our boss over lunch today! together with a few of the other temp staff.. really can learn so much, and i think it's more of her spirit than anything else.. she's a woman who lives out what she believes in, and leads by example. (just like how everyone talked abt catching the spirit of the guy who spoke at last ywa =))
just to write down the things she shared.. we somehow mentioned 'leaders'.. and anita spoke and said, to be a good leader, you have to be a good follower, and good servant. you've gotta go down to their level and try out the things before you ask others to do them, otherwise how can you be sure that it's a good method, or that it even works? be willing to do hands on work, and there is nothing to low for you to do.
what she feels has blessed her is the time she was born - just before the hi-tech age came about, and till now where so many things have become hi-tech, computers and all. for some of the more senior folks, it's difficult to learn the new technology. and for us younger ones, we're in tune with the Singapore system of getting results, of striving to be always at the top. what's gonna happen in the future when everyone wants to be at the top, and no one's happy doing the so-called 'low-level' jobs? everyone naturally has their place, but if all are striving for the same high positions, there's gonna be imbalance and discontentment.
so what can we young ones do? one of the things we can do, as she suggests, is to just hone our relational skills, and to work with a purpose and a meaning in everything we do..becoming the best in smthg isn't what life's about; lots of people in their 30s-40s actually start going more and more on mission trips bcos they found that out, that to give is better, and life is about giving. singaporean parents fret when their kid has a slight cut, but what about kids in India who have to lose a leg? so it's quite easy to spot a singaporean anywhere haha.
for example, if you're doing sales, you first gotta talk to the person and ask questions instead of saying what you think.. find out about their problems, then you can actually effectively suggest to them the materials they need. otherwise they'll just say 'thank you' and 'gdbye' when you're done talking. =)
also was qt surprised when she mentioned she cleans up her own bed in hotel rooms! hahaha. she feels that all people should be treated with respect, not needing them to clean up after u if you can do it yourself. You don't over-dirty your home even if you have a domestic helper, so that when she sees that you respect her and try to help with her workload in that sense, she will respect you in turn. anita doesn't have a maid btw.. haha. a school principal, mum with 4 kids, and having to do all the housework..so many things to do, yet she could still find time to talk and share with us. when i asked her, she just said it's time management, prioritising things you need to finish, and not rushing things that don't. cos there'll never be a time when you actually complete EVERY task you have. i liked that, like Jesus.. always got time to stop just for the Samaritan woman in the midst of a busy day.
also realised that there are people who seem busy and stressed, even though they don't have much work. conversely, people who are somebodies are able to come down to other people's level, to serve, and not act like they are somebodies even tho they are. they are busy people who don't need to show that they're busy.
so we know when it's wise to keep a low profile.. no need to tell the whole world everything, no need to try to be everything, or make your presence known, or even to say too many words, but when help is needed, you're there. my side will be the flip side - to talk more and be socialble haha. she said that many tend to be reserved and on their guard when they talk to new people (that's me..).. and that's not gd. even if you consider office politics.. as long as you're not conscious of politics as you act, it'll be okay. just be yourself, and learn to be more open, more childlike. spending time with the kids now is a great way to develop all these.. learnng how to relate to people.. becos in many senses, adults are not that much different.
on leadership... the best leadership is that by example. and it's really true.. i was thinking of how Jen leads haha.. how he's such a meticulous guy, in music for instance, but yet doesn't impose this on others. this is smthg i'm learning haha. leading by example..
yup, so yes.. we can really thrive on 'adversity', because it's in these situations that we can really grow and be moulded. might be hard, but it just moulds you to be a better person. been reading on short biblios of many many film composers! most have such talent, but had a tough journey, especially during their time when everything was more difficult, tedious, without the current sophisticated softwares.. one of the common denominators is that they REALLY work hard. really really. work for hours, super short deadlines (cos music's apparently one of the last in many a director's mind). many also have great PR skills, having to work with various sorts of people who can't really appreciate good music, and they love what they do and really put all of themselves into it.. one of the many rushes is when the score they compose is finally recorded by super talented musicians who'll blow you off your socks. the feeling's just like magic. =)) wonderful. but they're also the people who stick with what they do, even though circumstances aren't always favourable.. they persevere, and also keep learning.
many things to grapple with! but a journey that will produce a sweet result. :)
Tuesday, July 1, 2008
Love gift
Three things the Lord imparted on me today. Three ways He showered His gift of love and opens my heart to know His heart of love.
I was also reading a book in class today that elaine had long borrowed and finally returned ;) Below in italics are the excerpt I got from the book.
Undeserved blessing. Thank you to whoever you are :) for the love gift you have blessed me with =) You gave me more than money can. I was really surprised when I got a missed call from church twice last thurs. Elaine was with me then and I thought that someone from church might be looking for her but couldn't get thru and so they called me instead. Heh. Never would I have imagine that I would receive a love gift, moreso receiving a call from church for that reason. It was good surprised =D I was all prepared to pay the full camp fees by myself thinking that my previous incident of being blessed to Ben Gen would likely not repeat itself again. Because of this, it makes me want to bless someone else through this means :) The call ready did made my day. Even today when I went to collect, I ended work ten mins earlier (something out of the norm) and the bus came the moment I reached the bus stop. I reached the Rock 5mins before they close.
Michelle McKinney Hammond : Are you aware of the joy that can be found in feeding others with what God has planted inside you? Truly, producing fruit is the greatest part of the blessed life. I love to give things away, anything from a word of encouragement to a gift I know someone will enjoy. I love seeing the look that crosses recipients' faces as they receive. I am fed as I feed others. When I withhold from others, I rob myself of joy.
The reading above is a combination of blessing others with our gifts and also what I caught this week about feeding others. I never knew the joy of feeding in terms of correcting someone at the right time. I was afraid to correct until someone told me to address the problem if I see it. But to have the person telling me back that they have been so blessed by my words bring more joy than if I have kept it inside thinking that it'll hurt them.
Be open. I had a good talk with my boss again today while we had some free time. It's supernatural that I'm actually looking forward to spending time with my boss. She said something really sweet today.."I can be open to you because I know you are a lady after His heart". It so melts me =) what I caught was what Pastor has been preaching that anointing is caught and not taught. I would love to catch the spirit this lady carries. A women I greatly respect. To me, new creation is the best church and she is to me the best boss and this centre is the best place to be.
Regardless. I was sited at the last row in class today on the last sit available. Not too bad. I get to eat my dinner or close my eyes a little if I had to. I did both during the lesson and almost fell asleep. Heh. During break time as I was sited outside with my friends, the teacher saw me and mentioned something to which I heard it as 'Missed class'. My quick response was 'No I didn't, I was behind'. She laughed and said she actually said art class next week and at the same time came to give me a long big hug. My fren looked shocked and so was I. A little guilty after what I did during her lesson. I experienced grace. haha. guess what, I love her now =) Grace truly changes a persons heart =)
Link : Good sharing by Elaine and Esther on what the Lord showed them while working with kids and some funny lines =)
My favourite line from Elaine's post =) :
one new thing i've learnt.. responsibility and commitment. angie mentioned to me b4, to look for in a life partner, that you want someone who's responsible, that even in the times that emotions run dry during the relationship, he won't fail to send you home, won't leave u stranded somewhere, even though he doesn't feel like it.
I was also reading a book in class today that elaine had long borrowed and finally returned ;) Below in italics are the excerpt I got from the book.
Undeserved blessing. Thank you to whoever you are :) for the love gift you have blessed me with =) You gave me more than money can. I was really surprised when I got a missed call from church twice last thurs. Elaine was with me then and I thought that someone from church might be looking for her but couldn't get thru and so they called me instead. Heh. Never would I have imagine that I would receive a love gift, moreso receiving a call from church for that reason. It was good surprised =D I was all prepared to pay the full camp fees by myself thinking that my previous incident of being blessed to Ben Gen would likely not repeat itself again. Because of this, it makes me want to bless someone else through this means :) The call ready did made my day. Even today when I went to collect, I ended work ten mins earlier (something out of the norm) and the bus came the moment I reached the bus stop. I reached the Rock 5mins before they close.
Michelle McKinney Hammond : Are you aware of the joy that can be found in feeding others with what God has planted inside you? Truly, producing fruit is the greatest part of the blessed life. I love to give things away, anything from a word of encouragement to a gift I know someone will enjoy. I love seeing the look that crosses recipients' faces as they receive. I am fed as I feed others. When I withhold from others, I rob myself of joy.
The reading above is a combination of blessing others with our gifts and also what I caught this week about feeding others. I never knew the joy of feeding in terms of correcting someone at the right time. I was afraid to correct until someone told me to address the problem if I see it. But to have the person telling me back that they have been so blessed by my words bring more joy than if I have kept it inside thinking that it'll hurt them.
Be open. I had a good talk with my boss again today while we had some free time. It's supernatural that I'm actually looking forward to spending time with my boss. She said something really sweet today.."I can be open to you because I know you are a lady after His heart". It so melts me =) what I caught was what Pastor has been preaching that anointing is caught and not taught. I would love to catch the spirit this lady carries. A women I greatly respect. To me, new creation is the best church and she is to me the best boss and this centre is the best place to be.
Regardless. I was sited at the last row in class today on the last sit available. Not too bad. I get to eat my dinner or close my eyes a little if I had to. I did both during the lesson and almost fell asleep. Heh. During break time as I was sited outside with my friends, the teacher saw me and mentioned something to which I heard it as 'Missed class'. My quick response was 'No I didn't, I was behind'. She laughed and said she actually said art class next week and at the same time came to give me a long big hug. My fren looked shocked and so was I. A little guilty after what I did during her lesson. I experienced grace. haha. guess what, I love her now =) Grace truly changes a persons heart =)
Link : Good sharing by Elaine and Esther on what the Lord showed them while working with kids and some funny lines =)
My favourite line from Elaine's post =) :
one new thing i've learnt.. responsibility and commitment. angie mentioned to me b4, to look for in a life partner, that you want someone who's responsible, that even in the times that emotions run dry during the relationship, he won't fail to send you home, won't leave u stranded somewhere, even though he doesn't feel like it.
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