Wednesday, October 31
smiley
help me to trust.
Monday, October 29
with all my heart
finally 2 of my tuition kids are going for their final battle! the math paper tomorrow! thank God for seeing me through tuition with them despite my exams and busy schedule. both of you, jia you!!!!! do Your best.. NUS! yay! S/U option! so happy that NUS decided to allow us to see the grades of the previously S/U-ed modules and decide whether we want to retract our S/U option. amazingly, for one of the modules (real estate and investment law) which i S/U-ed because i didn't think i could do well for that, i just checked and i got an A-!!!!!!!!!!! yay!! so retracted my S/U option!! so i'm in quite a happy mood now! the other module i S/U-ed (contemporary physics) i got C+, so left is as S/U module. my physics really cannot make it...
dinner at cicada with 4 friends last saturday... it was a nice romantic place... anyway, it was wl's birthday dinner so she decided that we all had to wear skirts or dresses! guess what i wore?!? thank you for the dinner treat. God loves you with His unchanging and everlasting love. <3
i was just flipping through the pages of my little black diary book... reading the verses inside.. at the bottom of the pages meant to be used for noting school stuff, this was the verse i used:
Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men
Colossians 3:23
Lord, forgive me for all the times when i do things to seek the applause of men, the approval from men, the smiles of men and the praises of men. teach me Lord, to do everything with all my heart, as doing for You, not unto men. the greatest reward is in heaven, which You have already prepared for me, so as i await that day in hope, teach me to seek only Your praise, Your applause, Your smile, and Your approval in all that i do... and to do everything unto Your glory and not my own.
He reminds me that as i study, as much as i don't exactly totally enjoy studying, that i should study for Him. grades don't matter to God. what matters is that i reflect God in the way i go about stuyding and fulfilling my responsibility as a student. many times i get sucked into the whole "must do well" syndrome, and when i don't do well, disappointment sets in... i think i got to learn how to enjoy the process of studying! (:
exams are so close, coming up and ahead. scary.
my bahasa indonesia is so lousy!!
help me to trust.
Sunday, October 28
stained glass masquerade
Stained Glass Masqueradeby Casting Crowns
Is there anyone that fails
Is there anyone that falls
Am I the only one in church today feelin' so small
Cause when I take a look around
Everybody seems so strong
I know they'll soon discover
That I don't belong
So I tuck it all away, like everything's okay
If I make them all believe it, maybe I'll believe it too
So with a painted grin, I play the heart again
So everyone will see me the way that I see them
Are we happy plastic people
Under shiny plastic steeples
With walls around our weakness
And smiles to hide our pain
But if the invitation's open
To every heart that has been broken
Maybe then we close the curtain
On our stained glass masquerade
Is there anyone who's been there
Are there any hands to raise
Am I the only one who's traded
In the altar for a stage
The performance is convincing
And we know every line by heart
Only when no one is watching
Can we really fall apart
But would it set me free
If I dared to let you see
The truth behind the person
That you imagine me to be
Would your arms be open
Or would you walk away
Would the love of Jesus
Be enough to make you stay
help me to trust.
letting go-
Jesus take the wheeltake it from my hands
i can't do this on my own
i'm letting go.........
help me to trust.
Saturday, October 27
silence
Our days are lived in a noisy world. In the age of information, we are daily bombarded with an endless flow of words clammering for our attention. Because of the growing claim over our time and attention, and the increasing stress levels in our lives, we are forced to be constantly chatting-hearing and talking.We need to rediscover our need for silence. The wise man in the Bible wrote that there is "a time to be silent and a time to speak" (Ecc 3:7). Regular periods of silence are essential for healthy and holy Christian living. But why is this so?
At some point or other, each of us has probably enjoyed the silence of a remote place (such as a mountain or dessert). Such moments of silent contemplation tend to bring us face to face with eternity and help us to think about God and the meaning and mystery of life. Having experienced the refreshing potential of silence, we begin to realise that it is in silence that we have our most profound experiences. When we see a beautiful scene, we often break into words describing our delight and the beauty of what lies before our eyes. But when it is really breathtaking, it literally takes our breath away. The most breathtaking experiences are experienced in silence.
Likewise, the most painful experiences are also experienced in silence. When we are in pain, we cry aloud and scream. However, when the pain is the greatest, we often experience it - in silence. The heart may crack noisily, but it always breaks silently. The greatest of our sufferings is wrapped in silence and offers an opportunity for us to discover profound meaning and life-changing love.
This is to say that silence helps us to go through some of the deepest of human experiences. Without it, we are more likely to live superficial lives.
When Christians share about their experiences they sometimes talk about the silence of God. God is silent not because He has nothing to say, but in fact, He is silent because He has something to say. And we can only hear what He has to say if we join Him in His silence. This may be because when He speaks, God is often heard in a gentle whisper. If the noise levels around us and in us are not turned down, and if we don't stop speaking, we may miss what God is saying to us. Too many words can stiffle the word from God.
Silence enables us to face God and ourselves and come to terms with reality. It also helps us to face others and creates and nurtures authentic relationships. It is odd how people often talk not because they want to communicate something but because they don't want to reveal their true selves or what is deep inside. We often talk because we are nervous. Richard Foster pointed out that we talk often to defend ourselves. When we are silent we fear the vulnerability and the danger of being misunderstood and maligned. It takes guts to be silent.
Jesus is our great example. Though He preached and taught considerably, He also displayed moments of silence - in His regular times of prayer and other occasions. When He was unjustly accused and tried before His crucifixion, He remained silent. Jesus' silence showed a deep trust in His heavenly Father.
Our spiritual lives must be nourished by moments of silence. These must not merely be the result of accidental brushes with silence but by a disciplined practice of silence. We live in a noisy world. We must make sure that our hearts, home, and churches are places where silence is appreciated, nurtured and experienced. Even in our joyful praises we must have silent pauses. Habbakuk the prophet wrote, "But the Lord is in His holy temple, let all the earth be silent before Him" (Hab 2:20) Perhaps he knew that often when the mouth shuts, the heart opens.
taken from "A feast for the soul"
talk talk talk talk talk. fullstop.
Lord, teach me to be silent.
the silence and darkness of the night. nice.
drives away all the worries of the day.
help me to trust.
Thursday, October 25
worth
life is worth the living just because He lives.
help me to trust.
Monday, October 22
alphabets
happy bd to you.couz, thanks for going with me to imm that night though you had so much work to do. haha. it was fun measuring the length of alphabets at imm with you. hope you're coping better and better and better.
help me to trust.
Sunday, October 21
worthy or not
"...Lord i am not worthy
My heart is dark and dirty
Still somehow you bid for me to come
So clothe me in humility...
...May i gaze deeper, may i stay longer
May i press onward to know You more
...Lord, may i remember these moments of surrender
And live my life this way from this day on"
thank you for thoughtfully giving me the lyrics.
i will believe. really do.
in Haggai... i learnt that we do not need to be perfect to serve God. sinful as we are, God still accepts our service. i pray my love for God will never grow cold.
"give me clean hands, O God, give me a pure heart. help me be a child of Yours who seeks Your face O God our Maker."
2 rainbows. beautiful.
help me to trust.
Friday, October 19
unhurried attention
so many things to do. it's only friday and the entire of my next week is already planned. it's packed from morning to night every single day. what a nice week... with His grace, i will survive. ec3304 is really totally above and over my head. i can't understand a single thing. seriously. well.... whatever. just laugh it off.
some portions of the book i read last night... it's about prayer.
-prayer does not mean asking God for all kinds of things, it is rather the desire for God Himself, the Giver of Life.
-when we are converted from self-centredness to God-centredness, we discover true prayer.
-true prayer develops our intimacy with God, pays UNHURRIED ATTENTION to Him and results in our cherishing and enjoying His presence.
-we need to build our lives around prayer (not the other way round). Jesus had regular times of prayer no matter how busy He was.
true. honest. just. pure. lovely. good report. virtue. praise.
help me to trust.
Thursday, October 18
how to care
yesterday i was reading through a book on how to care for others. learnt a few things from it which i thought was rather insightful.
1. care for others because you really care, not because you need to be needed.
2. care for others not because you expect anything in return, but because it is the right thing to do.
3. caring for others at times can mean letting them go, and letting God do the job.
4. caring for others means being there.
as much as caring for others means the focus is on others, if i'm not careful, my focus for caring for others could in reality be myself. self-centred way of caring for others... Lord, make my motives pure.
help me to trust.
Tuesday, October 16
whatsoever
go jo! jia you.go meet with Jesus.
jean. birthday.
friends are presents.
family are presents.
"finally brethren,
whatsoever things are true,
whatsoever things are honest,
whatsoever things are just,
whatsoever things are pure,
whatsoever things are lovely,
whatsoever things are of good report;
if there be any virtue,
and if there be any praise,
think on these things."
Philippians 4:8
help me to trust.
Sunday, October 14
bugs
sore throat bugcough bug
head ache bug
flu bug
go away bugs!
am praying that ruth and kenneth are coping well.
happy birthday to peisi and aunty lai lin.
saw amk today! (:
pastor shane's messages these few weeks have been inspiring.
"I can't, but He can, so I will".
be STRONG.
bought a book. "after the heavy rain".
a book on forgiveness.
cello has a nice sound.
help me to trust.
Saturday, October 13
God's Grace
experienced the grace of God today. God's really gracious to me. grace. His grace. it's sufficient.it's sufficient for me, it's sufficient for you.
it's sufficient to see you through.
to walk the distance.
help me to trust.
Tuesday, October 9
ec3304
the worst paper i've sat for in NUS.
help me to trust.
Monday, October 8
meeting with Jesus
my test today was ok for me. could do most of the questions. but it wasn't a joyous occasion coz the friend i studied with couldn't finish the paper and didn't know how to do many questions........ it's sad. really hoped that she could do it well... she studied. we studied together... but things turned out differently... sk, you must jia you for the finals ok. we'll work hard together... from pastor shane's sermon, i was reminded of what aunty moh keng suggested that we do... to have a meeting with Jesus! had my meeting with Jesus at the void deck of my house over a packet of milo! being still, in God's presence and love, feeling the cool breeze of the day.. nice. go try it! fix an appointment with Jesus in your schedule this week... write it down, meet him over a cup of coffee or hot chocolate in a nice cafe. or coffee shop also can, over a cup of ice milo..
thank you Jesus for seeing me through today's paper. one more midterm tomorrow and it'll all be over.
help me to trust.
Sunday, October 7
rainy day
the Bible is a gem. don't take it for granted. i've got the whole entire Bible in a language i understand. i can read it anywhere. i can buy it anywhere. not so for others in other countries.they stood for 6 hours in the sun worshipping God and reading the law of Moses. they responded to God's word. they were enthusiastic, attentive. they wept. they were teachable.
new building. new hearts. may our hearts beat according to His.
meeting with Jesus. should make an appointment soon.
i have to train my mind to think of things that are right, noble, pure, true, lovely and admirable. my mind has to be saturated with the word of God and equipped with God's word. if i ever get dementia, i pray that i'd never forget God and that i'd never forget verses from the Bible.
remove the 'what about me' question in my life. it's selfish to just keep thinking about myself, how hard i've got to study and stuff. that brings about self pity... there are so many other people out there who are in a more horrible situation than i am in yet can be joyful, maybe they're fighting for their lives, maybe their losing someone they love....
it's a joy to think about others first. Lord, please help me to give more and more to others. to put them before myself. and to put You before them.
all who are studying, jia you.
thank you Lord for giving me the comfort of reading Your word on the quiet bus ride back. comforting! felt safe.
thank you for the bottle of sparkling juice.
no one is good. all of us are bad. sinful people needing the grace of God.
under the tiny green umbrella.
i found warmth.
thank You Lord that i have You.
help me to trust.
Friday, October 5
happenings...
celebrated collin's 21st birthday today. went to an italian restaurant near bugis then we went for dessert at another italian restaurant. food was yummy! thank God for collin, the friendship we share and the moments we had together. it was fun catching up with the rest too. Lord, i pray that You'll watch over them and if ever they need purpose in life, that they'll look for You.scuba diving with the 3 oldies. they really looked after me very well. saw a fish that was in the nemo show.. the one in the tank, who organised the 'ritual' for nemo to go through. saw cuttlefish too! and a huge bumhead fish.. it'll be long before the next trip. got to wait for desmond's nose to get well. thank you 3 of you for the diving trip as a birthday present! and the fabulous company! i've learnt something too: that to start a business, you don't really have to study. the more you study, the more afraid you are of failures.
little pictures of a favourite kid. brightened up my night. shan's birthday was yesterday. treated him to soup spoon today. the soup was good! his company too. rachel's birthday today. hope she decides to become a christian one day. jan finished her exams. yay! charissa still having exams. trust Him. like what she says, He's sovereign. emily can't meet me tmr.. was looking forward to it...
tests tests and more tests. studying studying and more studying. God, please help me be faithful in ministry. schoolwork is just overwhelming. haven't been doing anything well. studies not good, ministry not good, guitar not good, not much time spent with family and friends.. my modules this sem are so difficult. but as i think about it, would my grades be written with the eternal ink? don't think so. studies aren't eternal, so i don't have to pressure myself to do well. just study, and leave the rest to God. Lord, help me focus on eternal things...
even though things seem on top of my head, if i were to sit down and think about it, i know deep in my heart that God's going to see me through. and that brings true peace. thankfully i have Him in my life.
there are evil spirits in the world. but as a christian i don't have to be afraid because our God is greater. He'll protect me and be with me. (: the world is sinful. humans are full of violence and sometimes are really sick in the mind. Lord, this world needs You. looking forward to the day when He comes back again to restore this world to perfection...
help me to trust.
Thursday, October 4
what about me
the little thingsglad she's ok
today
may i learn to remove the "what about me?" question in my life.
doing things that can be seen with the eternal ink.
"What about me" are three little words
That are too often used by man.
But God never meant these words misused.
Not ever since time began.
You can tell by the way a man uses these words,
He's trying to get you to see
That his problems are greater! Just listen to him,
For his next words are, "What about me?"
Let us look at the power in these words
When you use them only for you.
The moment you speak, all you see is yourself
And not what you say or do.
We're not always right, but we're not always wrong,
Many things would be better if we
Would just listen to the words that we've said,
And leave out the "What about me?"
It's not easy to undo the damage we've done
When we walk down this path, you see;
For the other person has a side just as real--
Does he say, "What about me?"
I believe the next time, if we'd look and THEN leap
We'd see where our next step should be,
We'd be much more careful what we say or do
And not whine, "But what about me?"
I'm trying real hard not to use these words
Just to get someone to agree;
Or draw attention to my problems in life
By always saying, "What about me?"
Before Jesus ascended to Heaven,
He said, "I came that all men may go free."
From the manger to the cross, not once did He say
"Heavenly Father, What About Me?"
www.christianstories.com
thanks ls for sharing this!
help me to trust.