A while ago I shared something deeply personal to someone I have known for a while an respect thoroughly. And its not something I will normally do, being a very reserved person but I was compelled to due to the nature of our relationship. Don't get excited.
I guess it bears mentioning that she, yes, she is also a christian and I have known her for years and today as I got the response to the email I sent it made me reflect a bit about what she said. Without going through everything she said, she basically called me family. Now i'm not an orphan or homeless or anything, I have a family and I love every one of my sisters, my brother and parents. But this other family is different. I won't say its something I send a lot of time trying to cultivate, maybe I do and just don't know it or won't admit it. In any case it is rather special.
This is one of the things I love about the community of people who believe in and follow Jesus. I've had this same experience in school being part of the VCF, meeting people for the first time, getting to know them and within weeks it feels like we've known each other for longer than in reality. Its very special but not unique. You can get this kind of feeling, in other organisations, other groups, basically get people together in one team to work on a goal and these things form because they spend a lot of time together. While its not unique in its occurrence, its unique in the depth of the bonds that are formed. When someone considers you as part of a 'christian family' its an affirmation that runs much deeper, the depths of which we may never discover.
Thank God for families.
-ONWARD!
Sunday, March 18, 2012
Thursday, March 15, 2012
its march
Its march and I've successfully gone through Matthew. Yay. A lot of insights and a lot of questions but in all it was good to go through it chunk by chunk.
A lot is said about God's love throughout the bible but the thing that I gleamed through the reading is the unrelenting nature of love. God's love for the people. When Corinthians says love never give up, the full extent of what that means is not necessarily appreciated from that simple statement. Love is patient. Love never give up.
The other day I was going through the notes on my phone and found this one "Christian love is a feeling, its an act of the will."
May the Lord bless you and keep you.
-ONWARD!
A lot is said about God's love throughout the bible but the thing that I gleamed through the reading is the unrelenting nature of love. God's love for the people. When Corinthians says love never give up, the full extent of what that means is not necessarily appreciated from that simple statement. Love is patient. Love never give up.
The other day I was going through the notes on my phone and found this one "Christian love is a feeling, its an act of the will."
May the Lord bless you and keep you.
-ONWARD!
Sunday, March 04, 2012
Right Attitude
Mom says to begin again when you fail. And never to get tired of beginning again. It sounds like a good idea but you only live it when you have had the chance to test it out and see the limits of your resolve.
I've been learning how to use my thoughts and words for my own good. Sometimes all you have is you to encourage you and you don't want to be against yourself. So in the face of a big batu (mountain/hill) think of ways of overcoming it and actually see yourself overcoming it. You may not always be successful but that's not the point. The point is to train yourself to think in this way consistently and increasingly or at least that's what I have learned.
Today in church among other things I learned the meaning of dedication and discipline. Pastor says discipline = boring because most of the time you're doing the same thing over and over but that's the only way to get better. And if you keep at it, someone will notice and lots of good things get to happen.
In hindsight I'm really grateful I have this blog to share all these stuff because I wouldn't get the chance or context to share in real life and it helps to document a bit of my life and process. Something for posterity if you like. Have a right attitude.
-ONWARD!
I've been learning how to use my thoughts and words for my own good. Sometimes all you have is you to encourage you and you don't want to be against yourself. So in the face of a big batu (mountain/hill) think of ways of overcoming it and actually see yourself overcoming it. You may not always be successful but that's not the point. The point is to train yourself to think in this way consistently and increasingly or at least that's what I have learned.
Today in church among other things I learned the meaning of dedication and discipline. Pastor says discipline = boring because most of the time you're doing the same thing over and over but that's the only way to get better. And if you keep at it, someone will notice and lots of good things get to happen.
In hindsight I'm really grateful I have this blog to share all these stuff because I wouldn't get the chance or context to share in real life and it helps to document a bit of my life and process. Something for posterity if you like. Have a right attitude.
-ONWARD!
Tuesday, February 28, 2012
unfazed
The past few weeks have been really great. Since the last low point things have been looking up. I've learned to stand up for myself and just take more responsibility in my life. I'm reminded to stand+fight and not just accept, excuse my language, crap.
The journey from where I am now to where I want to be is probably long but its one I want to take. I recognise that it may not make sense, I recognise that it may not be acceptable, or may take longer than most people are comfortable with but I've settled in my heart to keep walking.
This morning I got a call that ordinarily would have made my day a whole lot worse but it didn't. I also got a call this morning that always brightens my face.
There are a thousand questions I don't want to answer right now and frankly the best thing anyone can do is just stand by me or get out of my way. I'm not angry just determined.
-ONWARD!
The journey from where I am now to where I want to be is probably long but its one I want to take. I recognise that it may not make sense, I recognise that it may not be acceptable, or may take longer than most people are comfortable with but I've settled in my heart to keep walking.
This morning I got a call that ordinarily would have made my day a whole lot worse but it didn't. I also got a call this morning that always brightens my face.
There are a thousand questions I don't want to answer right now and frankly the best thing anyone can do is just stand by me or get out of my way. I'm not angry just determined.
-ONWARD!
Friday, February 17, 2012
devotions are great [updated]
They say it takes a village to raise a child. Some children don't need so many people, other may require two.
I was thinking the other day how so many people have come into my life and have just been stellar. I have been blessed so much by them just being there and living their life and I wonder if I have been any good to any of them. And I was thinking of something I can do to show some appreciation and have not come up with anything yet but I think its something worth doing. I don't have many friends but the ones I do have are the best and I like them to know that. I really hope this is not one of those good intention things that never see the light of day because that would be really sad.
On something totally random, working with people on something non-trivial is really hard. It really turns me to another person. I haven't figured out if its a good change or not. I certainly am not the reserved, 'anything la' person in this mode. Anyway its good to learn new things.
Still going through Matthew, so far so good. By the way devotions are great. Every day is different. Some days are just wow, other are hmm, and sometimes nothing makes sense and you have to trust that it will make sense at some point or never. It doesn't matter. Someone said 'if you put it in you, (talking about the words of God) God will bring it out of you' or something like that. So yeah. One thing I started doing is reading through and trying to understand the event through Jesus' eyes, from his perspective. It really is different.
[Update]
I found this quote from the desiring God blog and thought I should share. The post is an encouragement to continue reading the bible.
I was thinking the other day how so many people have come into my life and have just been stellar. I have been blessed so much by them just being there and living their life and I wonder if I have been any good to any of them. And I was thinking of something I can do to show some appreciation and have not come up with anything yet but I think its something worth doing. I don't have many friends but the ones I do have are the best and I like them to know that. I really hope this is not one of those good intention things that never see the light of day because that would be really sad.
On something totally random, working with people on something non-trivial is really hard. It really turns me to another person. I haven't figured out if its a good change or not. I certainly am not the reserved, 'anything la' person in this mode. Anyway its good to learn new things.
Still going through Matthew, so far so good. By the way devotions are great. Every day is different. Some days are just wow, other are hmm, and sometimes nothing makes sense and you have to trust that it will make sense at some point or never. It doesn't matter. Someone said 'if you put it in you, (talking about the words of God) God will bring it out of you' or something like that. So yeah. One thing I started doing is reading through and trying to understand the event through Jesus' eyes, from his perspective. It really is different.
[Update]
I found this quote from the desiring God blog and thought I should share. The post is an encouragement to continue reading the bible.
Do not think you are getting no good from the Bible, merely because you do not see that good day by day. The greatest effects are by no means those which make the most noise, and are most easily observed. The greatest effects are often silent, quiet, and hard to detect at the time they are being produced.-ONWARD!
Think of the influence of the moon upon the earth, and of the air upon the human lungs. Remember how silently the dew falls, and how imperceptibly the grass grows. There may be far more doing than you think in your soul by your Bible-reading (J. C. Ryle, Practical Religion, 136)
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