Lai Hock

Wow...God, where oh where are you leading me? =)
Today was interesting to the max...and so in-line with all you're doing these days, Lord!

Today was the 2nd time that i had an interesting encounter in the church social hall!
It was just divine that i was where i was, after finishing my chat.

And in walked Lai Hock...

He wasn't much to look at...
A 48 year old man, typically dressed, not too sure of his way,
He wanted the church office but it was closed,
& i'm so glad that we still managed to sit down to talk.

Janell & I were just talking previous to this,
and she mentioned that if it were up to her,
toilet cleaners, and rubbish men would be paid the most,
cuz they do the work that no one else wants to!

And here...in walked Lai Hock,
I've never seen someone positively "glow"
when talking about his 3 day old job,
and showing off his cleaner's uniform...
I saw it...it said, "Professional Cleaning Services"
Was it framed in gold or fancy? No...
but it gave someone his sense of identity.

After 7 months out of a job,
He finally got one, and near his place too
And the thing he most wanted to do...
was to come to church to give thanks to God. Wow...

The backstory that he had,
about being in & out of prison,
serving multiple terms...
being converted in a halfway house.
Always having to struggle with alcohol (even now...)
yet clinging to God. Amazing...

He does not have much...
Months without work...
No handphone...
Bills to pay, on medical treatment still,
and yet, he had just come from helping someone else out...
Someone who had little, just gave of himself, his time...to someone else...
Just rummaging his wallet for the bus ride left him with precious little...
it reminded me so much of the widow and her two mites...
giving all...

It's not what's in our hands, but what's in our hearts that counts

His servant heart...
the Joy of finding a job...
the simplicity he displayed...
the way he asked me to "just keep me in prayer..."
they left in me an indelible impression...
Gosh...i'm amazed at you Lord Jesus.
There is so much more to learn,
more miracles to experience.

I had just shared with Fay,
in ministry, my greatest encouragement is seeing God at work.
And today, i think had a true, genuine New Testament encounter...
I think God knows my heart...and He sent me an angel in Lai Hock,
to encourage, to spur, to just show me what it REALLY means...
I certainly have more than two mites...
I truly am learning how to give of myself more...
give til it hurts, and then give somemore,
watch God show up...

Life has been so interesting lately...
My last post was about blessing those who can't bless us back,
and once again, today it happened! Gosh...
Lord, you're amazing!
And this time, in the interaction, I was the one...poor in spirit...
who was significantly blessed, if only cuz i see how God...
How You TRANSFORM lives! You really, totally, and amazingly do it daily!!

God, you send the most interesting people to bless our lives.
And we're never the same again!

I hope i see you again Lai Hock.

Blessings

Had a moment today that made me go... =|
Like i really did not know whether to be sad onot.

I'm not the most unselfish of people lah,
i wun call myself generous,
i definitely know tons of people more generous,
more giving, more loving than me...

But today...it made me go... =|
Maybe cuz i suddenly saw how dark people can be...
or is it just me?

Do we sometimes choose who we can bless?
And is the choosing based on...
If i give this person this, if i do this person a favour,
is it in hope of getting something in return?
Maybe this person has the capacity to "bless" me in future!
effectively...putting the other person in our debt?

I take what Jesus said & did really seriously,
and i know that He said to love those who can't love us back,
to bless those who can't bless us back.
& i've truly found the Joy in doing that. =)

But being faced with such a harsh reality,
to see that this is really counter-cultural,
makes me sad...cuz it shouldn't be the way it is...
We really have such abundance...
how could we DARE ask for more
when we dun even bless with what we have now!?
GOSH!

So yes, i will bless others,
no matter how much or how little i have, i will...
I will be who God made me to be...unapologetically
& i hope Christ will be shown in that pale reflection tt i try to be.

Little or much is not seen in what we have in our hands...
It is seen in how much we have, in our hearts.

Thank you Lord for gifts...for blessings,
for those who light the way so clearly

Two precious birthdays,
27th & 28th
Two special guys...
i see God's hand on you.

Thank you for teaching me more about Love
than i could properly express in words or deed.
May you continue to grow more & more in Christ-Likeness!

You are blessings, beloved of the Lord, and i'm glad you're my brothers.

Created for eternity

Do you have a sense of destiny?
That maybe you were created for eternity?
that all these petty struggles; wasted emotions?
are hidden markers that mark the way back, where we came from

It feels just like home,
back to the place i belong
a transformation of me
to who i'm supposed to be.

Whoever said this would be easy,
they missed the struggling me...
But now in this process,
i'm beginning to see...

When my heart aches for You,
when my mind runs rings in me,
and the tears begin to fall freely...
that's...that's when it feels just like home

Because this world was never home,
and that's why it doesn't satisfy...
i'd rather be a doorkeeper in Your house,
than have an island in this world.

I'm created for eternity,
and that's where i'm longing to be,
but Home...Home just has to wait,
for now i know...I'm here for a reason, and a season...

Who I am, who i'm meant to be,
it starts now, and continues forever,
who i'm entrusted to love, will continue til then too,
i'd rather it end in Joy rather than heartache then.

So...now i glimpse what it meant for you Lord,
when you spent those 33 years as one of us,
what amazing Love, to endure 3 days of darkness,
to win a victory we never could ourselves...

But really...the sweetest was the journey home
the job done, the season finished...
bringing those You love,
back to the Home that You love...

Thank You for Easter, the cross,
those nails in your hand, your Love, Jesus.
That is why i do what i do...
I'm created and marked for eternity
~rudy~

Focussed on the goal

"I'm not saying that I have this all together, that I have it made.
But I am well on my way, reaching out for Christ, who has so wondrously reached out for me. Friends, don't get me wrong: By no means do I count myself an expert in all of this, but I've got my eye on the goal, where God is beckoning us onward—to Jesus.

I'm off and running, and I'm not turning back."
Phil 3:12-14 (Message)

All or nothing...

Lord, Your Name,
is higher than hope
higher than dreams...
The Name of the Lord

Surrendered...
once again...

Songs say it better

I'll walk with you
wherever you go
through tears and joy
I'll trust in you

And I will live
in all of your ways and
your promises forever

Jesus I believe in you
Jesus I belong to you
You're the reason that I live
the reason that I sing
with all I am

Into your hands
I commit again
with all I am
for you Lord

You hold my world
in the palm of your hand
and I'm yours forever

Lord Your name
Is higher than the heavens

Lord Your name
Is higher than all created things

Higher than hope
Higher than dreams
The name of the Lord

I will seek Your face
Call upon Your name Jesus
All I want is You,
Jesus

I WILL worship, I will worship YOU forever!

QT...ritual or relationship?

D.L. Moody was once asked why he needs to be continually filled with the holy spirit...

His answer: "I leak."

This is real & so true, i leak, we all leak...it's whether we know it,
whether we feel it, whether we acknowledge it.

“The single greatest cause of atheism in the world today is Christians who acknowledge Jesus with their lips, then walk out the door and deny Him by their lifestyle.
That is what an unbelieving world simply finds unbelievable.”
~ Brennan Manning

"We are not human beings living a spiritual existence,
we are spiritual beings living a human existence."

Let's live this life well...=)
What blessedness it is, being able to have a relationship with God!

3 day partial media fast

Had a really good session today...
Chip Ingram said something that really resonated in me, and i'm going on a 3 day partial media fast. And in that time, it's just gonna be an intense time seeking God for the things of Him.

Abide, abide, abide...the easiest thing to do (in some sense) but also the hardest in reality.

Bye distractions, hello High Quality Time (H-QT) with Dad! =)

reallyyyyyy looking forward to this interlude in the middle of a busy season! =)