King

"The hands of the king are healing hands, and thus shall the rightful king be known" 

JRR Tolkien, Lord of the Rings

Been a season of refreshing the soul,

and Tim Keller's "King's Cross" has been life-giving!!

In so many ways, and let me just share some...

The gospel isn't advice: It's the good news that you don't need to earn your way to God; Jesus has already done it for you. And it's a gift that you receive by sheer grace - through God's thoroughly unmerited favour. If you seize that gift and keep holding on to it, then Jesus' call won't draw you into fanaticism or moderation. You will be passionate to make Jesus your absolute goal and priority, to orbit around him; yet when you meet somebody with a different set of priorities, a different faith, you won't assume that they're inferior to you. You'll actually seek to serve them rather than oppress them. Why? Because the gospel is not about choosing to follow advice, it's about being called to follow a King. Not just someone with the power and authority to tell you what needs to be done - but someone with the power and authority to do what needs to be done, and then offer it to you as good news.

Jesus is saying, "Knowing me, loving me, resembling me, serving me must become the supreme passion of your life. Everything else comes second." 

The king is calling...now, will you follow?

"I've come home at last! this is my real country...This is the land I've been looking for all my life"
C S Lewis, Chronicles of Narnia

Loved as you are...

Because today...the reminder is that the gospel is Good News,
not just to the perishing...

It is a heavenly Love song...
From God to His beloved...us...



The kingdom story is about restoration, redemption, Love
He has made all things new

God cares!

Wanted to write another long post...but i'm kinda exhausted today...
But...spotted this awesome video...may it speak to us all...deeply

thoughts that linger

One of the ways that God speaks to me, is when stuff lingers...
I mean, I think that it's natural, when stuff linger; they matter,
I've stopped doubting, started asking more of God each time it happens
I want to know what God is teaching so that i can learn...

I've been thinking hard on several topics & enjoying it...=)
I think there is a certain pleasure & joy in the rigours of the mind
taking a prolonged think on a subject so that more facets take shape
It intrigues me, how many things have multiple angles...

As I was thinking on personal vision & God's timing,
it also struck me that selfish desires & fear surely colour my thoughts
But when things are surrendered back, it becomes clearer
& I think that there are some walks that need to be shared

I'm thinking that...in life, we're called upon to have many things...
A vision, dreams, plans, desires, relationships, "be a leader"...etc
while that helps some people, for others, it greatly hinders...
I've seen examples of both driven & non-driven individuals,
and i do not think one is better than the other...

The driven person is typically, also fighting a battle with himself,
they have many dreams, desires and aims, but they frequently fall prey to "more"
trying to acquire what they do not have, in hope that the next goal is better,
If this is not watched out for, all we build is a self-centered gospel...
one based on tangible achievements, one based on looking "successful"
it is a house of mirrors that may not show up true character within

The non-driven individual is almost diametrically opposite...
they appear to have no plan, are haphazard, living for the moment,
because they fail to see ahead, they frequently repeat mistakes,
go through lessons again, beat themselves up for those,
and it leads to a cycle of berating themselves, being their own worst enemy
They live life to the fullest now, but think that they scarcely have a future hope

Are either of these good or bad? Is any one of these better than the other?
I think that...those are the wrong questions to ask...
If we think on it, those are behaviours that we are born with,
yes, we will grow, learn & mature, but we each have a personality,
that will always show up in the way that we do things...

But as i've been thinking on it...driven or non-driven is not the issue,
if we look at both of those examples, there is a certain bent towards..."self"
the driven man, becomes proud, almost narcissistic...building up "self"
the non-driven man, compares with others, tears himself down...
while it is undoubtedly painful, it is still a relentless focus on "self"

So...I think that the greatest gift we can give any individual,
is the ability to realise that we can break out of any such cycle,
that we do not have to be self-centered or anthropocentric...
but we need to learn to be God-focussed (Theocentric)

If...in each of our situations, we learn to focus on God,
and not ourselves, I think that we would learn better lessons...
about ourselves, about God, and about how He is constantly moulding us

As i've been grappling with such questions,
I've also been hearing God speak, so allow me to share...
I'm not sure anyone can be shoe-horned into categories...
I have a driven side and also a side that is not driven,
& i puzzle myself too sometimes! HAHA! =)
But in application of the above,
I realise that "self" needs to be surrendered,
so that God can speak clearly...

And yes, as I've been seeking God, it's clear He is speaking,
the question He always asks is..."Are you listening, Rudy?"

...If you seek great things for yourself, thinking, “God has called me for this and for that,” you barricade God from using you. As long as you maintain your own personal interests and ambitions, you cannot be completely aligned or identified with God’s interests. This can only be accomplished by giving up all of your personal plans once and for all, and by allowing God to take you directly into His purpose for the world. Your understanding of your ways must also be surrendered, because they are now the ways of the Lord.

I must learn that the purpose of my life belongs to God, not me. God is using me from His great personal perspective, and all He asks of me is that I trust Him. I should never say, “Lord, this causes me such heartache.” To talk that way makes me a stumbling block. When I stop telling God what I want, He can freely work His will in me without any hindrance. He can crush me, exalt me, or do anything else He chooses. He simply asks me to have absolute faith in Him and His goodness. Self-pity is of the devil, and if I wallow in it I cannot be used by God for His purpose in the world. Doing this creates for me my own cozy “world within the world,” and God will not be allowed to move me from it because of my fear of being “frost-bitten.” 

Taken from my devotional "Utmost for His Highest" Nov 10, 2011

I've no real ambitions when it comes to work & life, 

I dislike standing on a stage, I shy away from applause and grandstanding,

I much prefer a shadow role, one like sound, photography etc

Yes, I can do public speaking/singing, but I do not really enjoy it...

But i realise i can communicate onstage...

So i do it only...but firmly and foremost on my mind, it's for Christ's glory 

I've no real desire to change the world by having mega rallies, 

and going to the world to speak with millions hold little appeal...

My gifts and talents lie more in caring for individuals, 

I desire depth, to really know one person, more than getting to know hundreds

Parties sap me, but having just one good conversation helps alot! 

I prefer to journey with people through life...living through my life,

pointing the way, supporting those who need, spurring those who struggle

I fight for the underdog as much as I love those who are brilliant stars...

But...and this is another clear application for me...

knowing all of the above about myself, does little...

if it prevents me from taking a step of faith when God calls

I quote from my devotional above again...

I must learn that the purpose of my life belongs to God, not me. God is using me from His great personal perspective, and all He asks of me is that I trust Him. I should never say, “Lord, this causes me such heartache.” To talk that way makes me a stumbling block. When I stop telling God what I want, He can freely work His will in me without any hindrance. He can crush me, exalt me, or do anything else He chooses. He simply asks me to have absolute faith in Him and His goodness.

So yes, i'm learning this lesson in this season in life...and as i posted the video yesterday, truly, let me learn what it means to live fully with You in my life Lord! =)

snowballing...

Hmmm...wonder of wonders...
A tiny little speck is turning into a snowball of uncontrollable motion,
I wish I really could just tell everyone to just relax and take that chill pill,
It's not like i'm dead (yet) or anything remotely close...
I'm just taking some steps in that totally expected direction,
and I'm kinda surprised at the effect that it is having...

C'mon, this is my journey to steward right?
Isn't my journey, mine to walk through properly?
I wonder why people are telling me that it is a bad time,
that i'm inconveniencing others, and all that jazz...
please lah...if you really saw how hard this is for me,
how much more soul searching I need to do...
then maybe you'd realise...what you see as "inconvenience",
is what i'm going through daily...magnified a hundred times

I take nothing for granted, not anymore...
and I wish that for everyone too...
that we would wake up to smell the roses,
take time to bask in the gorgeous sun, or play in the rain,
give thanks for the tiny things, like colour, or dew or pain,
We give thanks for too little, complain too much and blame too often

And where i am right now is...bemused
because i see people telling me, but...we do not go there...
you need to do this, then do this, and then do this...
and then finally you can go do this...
Well...maybe we have tried to box God up for too long,
and that's why we see Him, sense Him...less and less...

No no no...i think that God exists outside of our comfortable boxes,
I think that He is inexplicable, and therefore sometimes, incomprehensible,
because we struggle to understand Him, that's why we try to control everything else,
well...maybe not so...maybe God in His sovereignty, chooses to break our boxes,
throw us outside of our safe little confines, so that He can show us the wonders out there

This reminds me of Noah's ark...
How claustrophobic it must have felt for all those animals and Noah's family,
from freely roaming the earth, to being cooped up in an ark,
possibly no real sunlight since it was raining so much...

And then I marvel as I imagine their wonder of seeing the rainbow,
and then of the freedom of being set free FROM the ark...
The ark saved them, but it was not meant to hold them forever...
it was mainly to keep them safe for awhile...

I wonder, how many of us are staying in Noah's Ark,
because we have been there so long, we've forgotten we're made for the world?
Not for ourselves, not for our pleasure, but for the King's Glory!
To proclaim Him, make Him known, and let the nations be glad

I think this is something valuable, not to be forgotten...

Selflessness

I love public holidays, mainly cuz i get to sleep in happily! =D

Woke deciding that i needed to get this out today,
and while it's not an original thought,
it was a wonderful reflection and something mighty helpful!
Read this in my devotion...

"Perhaps the quality of love that embodies all the others is selflessness, or not demanding our own way. We can't fake selflessness for long because eventually our human nature kicks in and tires of putting others first. True love is difficult to keep up because it requires constant checks on the deep-down condition of our spirit. Most people are too...well, selfish, to put much effort into it.

We can be fooled into thinking mere affection or giving a compliment or thinking good thoughts equals love. However, love gives up its comforts to meet someone else's needs, and not just once or twice, but over and over again with relentless faithfulness. Love extends itself to others instead of hoarding its goodness, and sacrifices itself in favor of someone else. Unselfish love is redundant, really, since true love cannot be selfish.

Developing a lifestyle of love takes time to learn because we prefer to receive love rather than give it, that is, until love is perfected in us. If you want to appreciate giving more than receiving, take heart in the unselfish direction that one desire is already leading you, and ask God for opportunities to develop selflessness." 

Taken from my devotional, November 6th...thank you Lord!

"Love is not measured by how many times you touch each other

but by how many times you reach each other" 

Cathy Morancy

wonder...

And if you were filled with the wonder of the wanderer, what would you wonder?

There is a certain mist or fog that is getting thicker...
and because it doesn't clear up...
it is just getting murkier and more stinky...
Some say it's just the haze, i think it's something more

I'm sensing that one day, when it emerges...
the Loch Ness monster will be a huge...disappointment
more than a figment of imagination,
it will appear just like a vapour, and vanish just as quick

And sometimes, i wonder...what would the wanderer feel?

The ease by which the embankment becomes a floodplain,
it's something i've never seen so I'll not expect it...
but now that i know it can and will happen...
the waiting for that tidal wave seems pretty much...suffering

yet, when it happens, and it shifts everything,
will I want to be around to help pick up those pieces?
some go about leaving nary a ripple...
others leave a tsunami trail, nothing is ever the same

Oh, to wonder, just like the wanderer...

there...like catharsis; words, songs & inspiration flow...
but they flow on & on, never staying long, never pooling up,
as if there is some incessant force urging it on...
but all it really is, is a restlessness within, that is not filled...

anytime there is that hole, that emptiness within,
whatever else that creeps in to fill that, that is sin to us...
no matter how good, how beautiful, how breathtaking,
and how can you sit in the seat of mockers, when you know...
you know where that hole is, in relation to your own life...

Wander, Wonder, Wanderer...journey away no more. 

don't know why...

Tomorrow, November,
Begins the last 2 months of this year,
a year in which i've spent 5 months out with an injury,
yet been to the US, Malaysia to come
yet had Vietnam cancelled, Dec marathon...prob not running,
and lots of other disappointments...along the way

I like this Coldplay video, because sometimes...
I really wish i could live life backwards...
running through and savouring the moments in reverse,
i wonder what i would have seen then,
and what i'd catch that i first missed



Sometimes it feels like running in circles, chasing shadows...
Go so far and then back to the start,
run a race and then remember it's part of the whole race of life
And sometimes, we fail to see what we ought,
but we see what we'd rather not...

Today, i have a sense of loss...
and rather than ignore it, i think it's time to live in it,
work through it, and then learn out of it

I mourn the loss of every wasted moment,
and the dreaded ticking clock...
it can never be taken back,
yet i know that i've spent each moment as i chose...
that cannot be taken away from me

We will naturally have many things to regret,
And i surely do...a broken foot,
a colossal price to pay,
my worst ever physical injury in all my life...
took me out for months,
& i suffer the effects even now from the weather!

Missing out of Vietnam, leading a sports mission trip,
and why? because of the foot also...
So many things to regret, be angry about, get upset...
but no longer, i think those were hard moments but i've had good ones too!

The 5 month break was a good one, a needful one,
discovered the depths of friendships...
those who cared and those who mattered most
Remembered my frailty yet God's goodness,
and it gave me a sense of how to minister...
even if i were ever incapacitated...

It also showed me my natural bent...
the one to serve, the deep love that is within,
the part of me that is fiercely loyal,
and the strong independent streak

It's been a really fruitful few months back,
leading change, and seeing God work in NTU
and in individual's lives...
I wonder how much they even see the change...
yet i do, and i give thanks for it! =)

In the 5 months out, it only deepened my desire to pray,
the sense that prayer is not an "add-on"
but it truly is the greater, invisible work...
the hand of God that is present yet unseen!

These last 2 months are gonna be fast and furious,
Preparing for summit, youth camp,
a christmas that is as good as over...
and then Crusade META conference...

Setting the platform for transformation,
trusting to see the King's Glory!
and working hard at it!
Gosh...it's gonna be a rush!

Amidst all of these...
Lord, I give you all my moments again,
the bad, disappointing, terrible ones,
and the good, fabulous & thrilling moments
In your hands, you craft them all into your beautiful tapestry
Thank You! I Love You

What can i give you?
What can i say?
This is my song of worship to you =)

Musical highway

haha! today was a little funny and freeform! =)
Been on a little youtube ride and it's been so fun i think i should share some of it! =D

Started with this today, a new song from Mercyme, but the funky tune grew on me
(it may grow me out of it though! HAHA!)



Then the funkyness got me reminded of this!



And also...this!



& i ended on this nice lil note! =D
Steven Curtis Chapman, singing about his daughter!
LOVE IT!

Gonna move...

Kinda taboo to start a post this way...
but when everything everyone is looking for is just...change
Is it an innate discomfort at being...who God made us to be?

There always seem to be people around who are wandering about,
lost & uncertain, not finding their way but still pushing forward...
We see it in the rat race, that push to attain that million, that house...
that promotion, that grade...we want to "make it"

But what if those crazy things get us even more lost?
and I mean this in the eternal sense...
Maybe the most insidious lie is that we can make, move, attain all,
that in our hands we can create all we need or buy it...
However, what if this is all false?

I think that we really really are forgetful creatures,
running back to place our security once again on sinking sand,
but once that crumbles, we once again have no more such security.

That's the problem.

I kinda think differently about this...
In life, i value my pathfinders & signposts
If i were to liken myself as an individual,
I'd wanna be a tracker...

I'd trace the ancient paths, to discover the pearls of wisdom,
to find out the WHY behind WHAT we do...
I see God's Word, the bible as my signpost, a chronicle of faith,
it shows me what happens to those who follow God, and those who don't

Eventhough i'm good at leading change, i think that needs to be God-led,
As we follow God, we'd know that we're going in the right direction
If not...it'd just be like those mentioned above, a rather senseless wandering

I value pathfinders; people who have been constant in their love for God,
through the painful moments, through the good ones too
They evidence a faithfulness, a fidelity that echoes their deep Love
Pathfinders in my life have blazed the way...
they've shown me what it means to have a personal relationship with God,
how to really seek Him with ALL my heart,
and in doing so, they have given me the best lessons ever
That with God, all things are truly possible
and I need to value & guard this relationship with Him...

So many things will determine to steal that place of priority,
interesting new experiences, delightful pleasures,
there are so many appeals to our senses...
even the guarded soul would be under siege
what more the battlefield for an unguarded soul
no wonder we are told to put on the Armour of God!

I'm determined to move with the Spirit of God,
not just cave in and do stuff that is comfortable,
I need to follow the way with God in this picture,
not just move to what "everyone else" is doing,
I know where the firm foundation is...
so that means forsaking all other distractions...

I ask for simple faith, some trials to keep me sharp,
Love enough for every moment,
A desire & depth of relationship that surpasses mere friendship
Thank You Lord

In Christ Alone

Rarely do i have such wonderful days to sleep in,

rest this tired body, the aching foot, the joyful yet weary soul...

When i decided to follow Christ wholeheartedly, 

giving my every moment, spending my vocation serving others,

I probably didn't count on all these things i'd see & know,

and it has been a wondrous journey! =)

I've been so richly blessed beyond measure!
Yes, here in this expensive and inflated country, 

My means are meager, the sum i earn - a mere pittance,

however, i count it a blessing that...with little...

i still have the desire to give, the desire to bless other nations,

raising kids like my world vision one, 

and of course other missionaries who find it even harder than me,

Why are we not richer with our giving,

why do those who have more, find it harder to release it? 

Questions that blight my soul...

because I see injustices that shouldn't happen

But...there are days that delight my soul, 

when i see someone rise up, and make a stand, 

choose to use what they have to make a difference...

Today, i'll celebrate one celebrity example =)

Brian Littrell, who used to be part of the Backstreet Boys,

you brought a deep sense of home to me when i heard this,

it's not a new song, but you did a beautiful rendition of it! 

And i heard you won a Dove award? Well done! Keep shining for Christ! =)

The dancing enhanced the whole message, 

but really...it was the lyrics that hit me most...=)

So beautiful...thank you so much Lord Jesus

If i've forgotten to say it often enough recently, I LOVE YOU

In Christ alone will I glory

Though I could pride myself in battles won

For I’ve been blessed beyond measure

And by His strength alone I’ll overcome

Oh, I could stop and count successes like diamonds in my hands

But those trophies could not equal to the grace by which I stand

Chorus:

In Christ alone

I place my trust

And find my glory in the power of the cross

In every victory

Let it be said of me

My source of strength

My source of hope

Is Christ alone

In Christ alone will I glory

For only by His grace I am redeemed

For only His tender mercy

Could reach beyond my weakness to my need

And now I seek no greater honor in just to know Him more

And to count my gains but loss to the glory of my Lord

Stay on the anvil

Stay on the anvil

makes me think...

Wow...this is 33mins long, but really impactful & thought-provoking...
Do we have the tenacity to go on asking important questions like he does?

Gosh...I'm really very angry...
angry at you, crazy, stupid, reckless driver!!

How could you be such an irresponsible person?
Your lane is a NON-TURNING LANE!!
There was a stop line, a speed camera,
and a turn signal that was RED!! RED!! HELLO!?!?

The cars with the right of way were still going,
us pedestrians (also with the right of way)
were happily walking with our green man

And you...numbskull...
you had to shoot a red turn signal?!?!
& in your panic when you saw the oncoming cars
you SPED UP when heading towards us?!?!?

You really should not be on the roads...
It's not a matter of having your triangle plates up,
it's not a matter of lack of awareness...
please...in your hands...the vehicle was a weapon!

YOU almost KILLED a whole bunch of pedestrians with your driving!
For the safety of everyone, and most of all for yours...
you should just GET OFF the roads!

Yes, I'm angry, and that's why i'm ranting...
but gosh...my sore ankle is reminding me that i have a right to be angry!
I really wanted to throw my drink at your car...
if you hadn't sped off, i'd have done that instinctively...

You broke so many traffic regulations,
almost knocked down people,
then sped off like a coward after the fact...
dude...you shouldn't be on the roads...
please get yourself off it for everyone's sake...

*ANGRY*

“Because children have abounding vitality, because they are in spirit fierce and free, therefore they want things repeated and unchanged. They always say, "Do it again"; and the grown-up person does it again until he is nearly dead. For grown-up people are not strong enough to exult in monotony. But perhaps God is strong enough to exult in monotony. It is possible that God says every morning, "Do it again" to the sun; and every evening, "Do it again" to the moon. It may not be automatic necessity that makes all daisies alike; it may be that God makes every daisy separately, but has never got tired of making them. It may be that He has the eternal appetite of infancy; for we have sinned and grown old, and our Father is younger than we.”
― G.K. Chesterton

On a flight of whimsy today, maybe i'm here, maybe i'm there...maybe i'm totally nowhere...who knows?

Emancipation

Did you ever see as He does...

from the first light of dawn to the last one of dusk

Can you ever hear those cries that pierce, 

when nowadays, we live with our ears all stuffed...

Will we ever feel like He does...

or do our hearts only cringe for ourselves, and no one else...

Faith as a child...

Following...not trying to do our own thing

The pride of man makes following hard,

especially when we desire our own interests more than His

Watch...to see Him at work

Unplug...to listen

Remain Tender...so that you'd feel as He does

 

Rest...to remain, to abide, to stay in that place who only One reigns.

pinched

Whatever happened to uncomplicated obedience?
Maybe in all our smarts, all of our cleverness, we have lost this simplicity.

I think it is a shame...
and i think that it is my shame too...

If I had been faithful to follow,
maybe i'd be on a distant shore already,
ready and doing all that I envisioned over there

But really, who is to know?
Maybe my light & momentary trials are lighting a path untrodden
As I see the fruitfulness within my team,
the Joy of spending our efforts doing the right thing,
I think that all the efforts to restructure and to reach NTU has been...wonderful

Yes, it has taken alot out of me,
and it continues to be a strain, yet...
the Joy deep within is also there and never fading!
I'm thankful =)

Of yesterday, and the events that happened...
sigh...i wonder...and i wonder...
but is this one of those things that i'd never know?
really really dislike the way things turn out...

I always feel an affinity to the old testament prophets...
how did they find the obedience to do such bold, yet weird things?
How did they allow themselves to be ridiculed (Hosea), made fun of (Noah),
degraded (Jeremiah), stoned, shamed, mocked and most of all...
how many tears did they shed...?

My devotion today stood out for me...
The "Go" of Renunciation | My Utmost For His Highest

I think that i've come to the point where i understand...
tears can be selfish ones, or tears can be selfless ones...
& really...those shed on behalf of others always play a role far greater than we know,
I wonder in my darkest times, as i do this for others...
does anyone do it for me?
As unimportant & as irrelevant as that question may be...
I still feel it, maybe because when i reach such moments...
I know that i've reached that place of God where...
there is a glimpse of what His Love did on the cross...
the depth of His anguish...not just pain, but real soul deep wrenching
maybe, when we have finally plumbed such depths...
maybe then...do we finally understand calvary Love.

My confession...there are times that i want to feel God badly,
but I want it on my terms...i wish that He would send somebody tangible to do it,
someone to say those right words, provide the presence i need, that helping hand,
the whiff of kindness, the warmth of a smile, the sunlight that breaks through the clouds
& there are gracious wondrous days that this silent prayer is answered...
but of course, there are others that it isn't...

I don't rant & rail...and I've come to appreciate His sovereignty & Love.
Sometimes i realise that just looking to my own needs is what is making me whiny,
and other times, it's the sudden realisation that i'm missing God in all of this...

I like this different version, because it exhorts the character of God,
before we begin to sing of how Great He truly is!



Today...even though it still is...I give You Thanks...cuz i see your Hand

bad days...

of all the days in the world, today turns out to be one of the worst...

Started with the discovery of duplicity, deceit & deception,
triple whammy of utter badness...

Continued when that time which held so much promise,
turned out to be an unexpectedly demoralising and painful...

And maybe cuz of all that, began to feel a pincer of pain in my chest,
what started as just an ache turned into an almost tangible pain & weight,
Culminating with the heavy headedness of a monstrous headache upon leaving campus...

Now, in thinking and looking back...
I can release everything and give it back to God...
But the starting point is still tender & painful...
so much so...that i need to articulate it to help myself out...

Why? Why...WHY?
Why did you have to deceive me this way?
I can't even tell if the pain was from the initial duplicity,
or did it come from the resulting cover up...

The "acting-as-if-nothing-happened"was sickeningly familiar,
in fact, i guess i remembered it...but i wished it weren't real
no wonder there was that bad taste in my mouth...
I recognised it at the time, even though i could not pinpoint it.

And the thing that puzzles me...
weren't you the one who mentioned & protested,
against the way people were treating people?
Yet you're the one doing it now...

Even if you were never to say it...
I sense it, feel it & can even taste it...
and honestly, it's bitter & sour...
but that doesn't even match up to the pain i feel...
my individual pain...
and the pain that i feel on your behalf...

few things, and few days are like this...
curled up, fetal, almost wishing it were all a dream,
maybe a 12hr sleep will give me strength to face tmr...
maybe...

Upset max... »:((( URRRGGGGHHHHHHHH!!!!

Wendy asked some questions of us today...

And as I pondered them, 

I realised that...there ought not to be days that are ordinary,

yet, so often, it's so easy to overlook and to miss the miracles of God

Each day is a majestic picture that God paints...

yet i miss the beauty of it when i'm dragging my feet...

eyes looking, yet not seeing with wonder...

Mind on the next thing...

not absorbing the colours God places in my life...

I know this happens to me...

does this happen to you too?

A song that came to mind, 

beautiful in it's fullness of expression, 

not just the singing or the music,

but the visual imagery of skillful lyrical composition

Thank you God

You give me reason to be thankful

even when i forget to be so...
who am i, that you are mindful of me?

You who made the mountains and the sea
Measured out the universe and You made me
Echoes of the voice that called the worlds to be
Reach throughout the ages and now speak to me
You're my Creator King

You who made the valleys and the skies
Displayed Your love on far horizons and before my eyes
You who lit the stars and set the dawn in time
Called them all by name and now You whisper mine
You're my Creator King

Who am I that You are mindful of me? Yeah
Who am I that You sent Your love on me?
You're my Creator King

You who made the darkness and the light
Sun and moon to watch the day and guard the night
The hand that stretched the Heavens like a canopy
Reaches down to cover and watch over me
You're my Creator King

Who am I? Who am I that You are mindful of me?
Who am I that You sent Your love on me?
Who am I that You are mindful of me?
Who am I that You sent Your love on me? Yeah
You're my Creator King, You're my Creator King
You're my Creator King, You're my Creator King

In my brokenness...complete

I feel so...stuck

I ought to be at Playmax yesterday & now, serving...

Was asked to be...at various times, security, group host, etc...

All good, all fabulous chances to meet people and to share the word

But today, i'm so unready, unprepared, and really...totally unloving...

why? 

Maybe...somewhere in this, i'm struggling...

I've always been the Paul kind of person...

By all means, save some...so i try anything...

But today, i can't bring myself to do that...

how come?

I've spent a whole week, a whole month, maybe longer...giving

& the more i cheerfully give, the more i realise, people need more...

they want more fun, more games...more comforts, more luxuries

but they need more of mercy, more of grace, more of Love, more of Jesus

I struggle today...maybe because i see of how much the gospel centers on man, not God

We package it in fun, wonderful sights, awesome sounds, music that is great...

but we forget the the depth of words, the compelling actions of Christ that lead us to worship

In all of our playfulness & freedom with the gospel, we have lost sight of Christ...

His goodness, His Love, our sinfulness, our unworthiness...

We kind of think we have a right to the pleasures we do...

forgetting that we have no rights other than death if sin had it's way with us.

Apart from Christ...we are nothing...
In Him, we are His children, a royal bloodline, but one meant to bless not hoard.

I think i cannot be there today because i'm spent...

But i suddenly find that...maybe i do not want to be spent like this anymore

"So what if the well fed church in the homeland needs stirring?

They have the scriptures, Moses, and the prophets, and a whole lot more"
Jim Elliot

I miss the kids in cambodia, simple, loving, hungry but wanting God

Why is it that there is so much here, yet we want more? 

And how come they have so little there & yet are so satisfied...

I think of the worldvision boy that has grown up with me over 7 years, 

and i see how that has been an investment of money & time that has borne fruit,

but why do we waste so much here? Trifling with games, spending on food, 

drink, merry making, shopping...what a waste...an utter waste...

"Too long have we been waiting for one another to begin!
The time for waiting is past! ...Should such men as we fear?

Before the whole world, aye, 

before the sleepy, lukewarm, faithless, namby-pamby Christian world

we will dare to trust our God...

and we will do it with His Joy unspeakable singing aloud in our hearts"
C T Studd

I hope that the lives I pour into here in affluent Singapore will not stay the same,

My best wish is that we would break out of our selfish, conceited toying with pleasures

To look upon the needs of those around us, 

not the needs of the same rich, abundant people we surround ourselves with...

but those who are genuinely struggling, for love, for food, for survival...

I miss seeing true compassion, miss seeing people who weep for the lost,

miss those who willingly give to those who cannot return the favour, 

miss the genuine affection of love that looks only to God, not man,

miss seeing people acknowledge God turning up in their lives...

If I were in God's shoes...might i feel like this?

Lonely...is this the loneliness God aches with when His children turn away?

Angry...how did God bury His old testament wrath with new testament Grace?

Distant...is this what He feels when people forget Him for the pleasures He created?

Unappreciated...because like the lepers, most take for granted what it cost the Saviour...

Broken...because nobody helped, they either threw stones, spat or kept away...

Love...because He doesn't fail to Love...

because even with all of this, God is God, He still Gives, Loves...

I'm a flawed, broken vessel, 

prone to wander, prone to moments of weakness, 

but i have the honesty & desire to use each ugly moment to grow

may my ugliness, flaws, weaknesses & peeves shape me into Your instrument

In...my...brokenness, complete...because of You

Elizabeth Elliot on her husband Jim Elliot...

"Jim's aim was to know God. 

His course, obedience - the only course that would lead him to the fulfillment of his aim.

His end was what some would call an extraordinary death,

although in facing death he had quietly pointed out that many have died because of obedience to God.

He and the the other men with whom he died were hailed as heroes, 'martyrs'.

I do not approve. Nor would they have approved.

Is the distinction between living for Christ and dying for Him, after all, so great?

Is not the second the logical conclusion of the first?

Furthermore, to live for God is to die, 'daily', as the apostle Paul put it.

It is to lose everything that we may gain Christ.

It is in thus laying down our lives that we find them."

I'm a child of God,
Grace, Mercy & Love are His hallmarks, 

may they be mine too...

Thoughts; put into writing...

This blog is cathartic, and helps me clarify my thoughts

Just today, something interesting came to mind. I've found it simple to encourage by instantly saying the first thing to come to mind, it is usually the best & sincerest thing, and it naturally comes out well!

But I suddenly noticed this other, curious habit also...
When I have something difficult to address, I'll take the time to pen it down and i'll agonise over every word, every phrase, cut it, mould it, pray over it, delete it, use the clearest words possible, so there would be no misunderstanding possible...it is just something i do, and i've done it for as far back as i can remember, but i've really...hardly ever thought it was anything unique.

But yes, someone did ask me before, WHY do i do such a tedious thing? Why not just speak immediately when i feel strongly about something? Why do i hesitate & ponder over it? Bring it to writing and then speak?

Hmmm...i think that was a pretty good question! And i think i've the answer now...

To begin with, i think that words are a gift from God, they can build up yet they also easily tear down(& i think this is more true in fact!), and maybe because i've seen the destructive power of words, i consciously try to be careful to use it well, to encourage & build up people, more than to criticise or to lash out at people, & of course, I fail frequently too...but putting this in place helps me grow

Another reason why i agonise over words used is that, sometimes, there is this human nature to think things through, BUT only partly (but we think we thought it through!! irony! haha!)...and we fail to see it fully. Putting it down in paper helps me complete my thoughts and see where i might be missing the point and just going off randomly (thereby making no sense!) It does more justice to a situation and helps me see if i'm just making a mountain out of a molehill!

And yeah...today, i sort of had a little revelation on the bus back...cuz this old memory suddenly came back, of how i once read that the ancient bible scribes, because they revered the bible, and because of the immense respect they had for the Holiness of God, they would pray over every word, every pen stroke, and how they would ritually cleanse themselves so that they would write it correctly and not misrepresent God! And i suddenly had that epiphany, that what i was doing was divine also...no, i'm not being blasphemous here...but i mean it this way...

The writer is being moulded by bringing each word to God, allowing Him to sanctify as they write, and crafting the words as led by God. In it, inherently, the writer is absorbing more of the truth of God, owning and appropriating it more deeply, and ultimately, they end up being shaped by God because of their immersion in such an intense activity!

I just spent a whole afternoon crafting several different documents, each to clarify & help me process, and i've discovered...that for each one of those documents, even as i've crafted them...the initial thoughts and the end result have become pretty different! Each has become more loving, clearer in it's challenge, and more honouring to God.

And the thing i give thanks for the most, the writer has also been shaped and moulded in agonising through each of these documents.

This has been a precious, lovely day. Thank You Lord! =) Love you! =D

What Faith Can Do...

Some songs are just...RICH with meaning, this is one of them...


ok...i'm sick, time to sleep...





Everybody falls sometimes
Gotta find the strength to rise
From the ashes and make a new beginning
Anyone can feel the ache
You think it’s more than you can take
But you're stronger, stronger than you know
Don’t you give up now
The sun will soon be shining
You gotta face the clouds
To find the silver lining

I’ve seen dreams that move the mountains
Hope that doesn’t ever end
Even when the sky is falling
I’ve seen miracles just happen
Silent prayers get answered
Broken hearts become brand new
That’s what faith can do

It doesn’t matter what you’ve heard
Impossible is not a word
It’s just a reason for someone not to try
Everybody’s scared to death
When they decide to take that step
Out on the water
It’ll be alright
Life is so much more
Than what your eyes are seeing
You will find your way
If you keep believing

Overcome the odds
You don't have a chance
(That’s what faith can do)
When the world says you can’t
It’ll tell you that you can!

I’ve seen dreams that move the mountains
Hope that doesn’t ever end
Even when the sky is falling
And I’ve seen miracles just happen
Silent prayers get answered
Broken hearts become brand new
That’s what faith can do
That's what faith can do!
Even if you fall sometimes
You will have the strength to rise

radicalis...

Notice carefully what you do not see...

Paint a picture, it's not about me

Embrace the differences, sense the brokenness

If you catch sight of the scars, know that they mould humility

Perhaps we believe that dependence on our self is a strength,

but, have you even considered...that may be the path away, instead of towards?

Consider, with an open heart...how Love acted, what it did...

it saw the clamouring crowds, calling for a King,

then...was sent, a tiny baby, son of a carpenter, not highly exalted,

when flocks gathered, He gave & gave, then went away...

up a mountain, across a lake, into Samaria, where no one else went...

Authentic discipleship means following the Master's voice,

It was not a journey that led to a palace, but one that led to a cross

It didn't mean the acclaim of a respectable, all-knowing prophet or teacher,

but it was the humble truth & miracles of someone who was different

We forget that...& instead of an abandoned heart, following Christ

We have hearts desperate for comfort, desirous of trinkets,

We play with these cheap baubles and leave deep treasures unmined,

We taint our hands happily slinging mud, when we ought to be Joyously giving thanks

Do we know what is actually real? and what is truly death?

Death cannot touch this body without Christ's say so...

We've forgotten that to LIVE is Christ,

so we live powerless lives...

fearful in the face of trials,

caught up with discovering our place among others,

not seeing that our identity is only measured in relation to Christ

So much else is all...sinking sand

I wanna be near...near to your heart,

loving the world, hating the dark

I wanna see dry bones, living again...

singing as one...

Hallelujah...

Holy Holy...God Almighty,

the Great I AM,

who is worthy, none beside thee...

the Great I AM!

Awestruck & blown away...

Was just listening to some awesome bands today...

And I realise that awesome music hits me deep,

but not as much as the lyrics...

and then again...not as much as when i know the story behind a song

I think...i LOOK for that, i need to know the story...

because in hearing the story behind a song,

it causes it to come alive...even more

Gonna share one of my favourites today...

It was originally done by John Mark Macmillan,

then the Dave Crowder band did it also...

Both of those were led by the guitar...

Today, i saw one that was led by the piano...

And so...i share this fabulous version by Jared Anderson

It led me deeper & deeper into adoration of God...

if you'd let it...this is a little bit of what worship in heaven feels like =)

The video work was wonderful also!

And yes, this is the story behind the song =)

All to Jesus...I surrender

feeling really jetlagged...but i need to get this down...

Today, i realised something simple, small yet profoundly important.

We can talk about God, the attributes of God, His Character...everything

Yet at the end of the day, we can still miss His heart & the intent of the Message.

I saw this pretty clearly, & it's funny how we can say...
"Let the scriptures speak...",
and yet, totally miss the point when it does.

So yes, let me state this clearly and directly,
Tithes, offerings, etc...those things mentioned today
Those are clear biblical teachings, & to follow them, honours God.

But let me point this out,
if we give the 10% of gross income (tithe) + wadever offerings etc,
we're fulfilling the letter of the Law perfectly...

Yet...fulfilling the Law is wholly incomplete,
we miss the point of the new covenant,
and that is...

When God gave, He gave His BEST, His ALL, JESUS...
He did not hold back or just give 10% of himself,
His GIFT to us was a wholehearted, COMPLETE gift...
And that was the kind of generosity & Love shown to us

Let us not forget that God gave it ALL for us,
we are now His stewards of ALL the gifts that we have,
giving 10% shouldn't pain us one bit...
because we ought to know WHO owns it all & gifts it to us

Our response shouldn't be a stingy, penny pinching calculation, or a 10% thing,
we ought to be asking it the other way round...

If God counted us worthy, valuable & treasured enough to give us HIS BEST,
how can my response to Him be anything less than a humble response to His Love & generosity?

Of all the things in the world...i only want You

Hmmm...had time to think earlier today,

and it was pretty interesting...

Juxtapose that together with the session today,

Silence and solitude, and wow...totally awed

Mmm...guess my own words thru Wendy

and then thru Maverick, hit me again

"Train, NOT try"

"Train to be a disciple, not just try..."

It was so wonderful to be hearing that once again,

not just from them but the response when Wendy asked!

It's just in my wildest dreams that they would remember,

but yes, the youth stunned me today, because they DID remm!

And yes, I guess that's what I really want...

A generation that hears, takes it in and learns

I've been hearing this in so many variations that it's scary!

"What this generation neglects, the next generation forgets"

Edmund Chan

"Today's compromise is tomorrow's standard"

"Our ceiling will be the next generation's floor"

I believe in passing on a legacy of faith & faithfulness,

and I believe in putting in the effort...

and as i've been praying all along...

I really want to see the next generation step up...

and I want to see you be better & more faithful than us...

Please raise up and apprehend your destiny! =)

And I hope it starts once again in the youth,

that you will value the hard work of training in righteousness,

that you will see the value of such schooling in Holiness,

I dislike, maybe even detest the word TRY...
Because it seems like such a kop out...

An excuse, a reason to compromise...

But hey...we are all so much more than that...

and sometimes, the only way to live out our destiny,

is to refuse to make such compromises,

to NOT give ourselves a way out...

My simple way has been to replace the word "try" with "train"...

I'll TRAIN...I'LL TRAIN...

When we put in the effort to honour God,

when we do the painful act of surrendering what's His...

when we train ourselves to live for Him in ALL things...

that's where we begin to see the fruit...

Just like Rob mentioned in the "Noise" video today,

we have TOO MANY distractions,

We've forgotten the ONE,

the main needful thing...

and in doing so, are filling our emptiness with EVERYTHING else...

In this season of prayer & fast...

I think God is saying to us...NO MORE...

NO MORE compromise,

NO MORE easy-way-out
NO MORE but...i can't...

NO MORE fear or closet worries

Take the faith step...overcome that other thing...

that boulder that may seem like it's blocking you,

but is really just a pebble in God's sight...

but how many people are going to take up the challenge?

I hope...many many are...

Because the freedom that Christ won for us,

is not a weak, joyless, drudgery of an existence,

but a FULL, JOY-FILLED, MEANINGFUL life!

=)

Wow! Am i tired out today!

But it is a good kinda tired! =D

Today, managed my first real run! HAHA!
Did somewhere near 3km without stopping,

and this is the best since my broken ankle!

Hmmm...so tmr will be the litmus test!

Will see how sore & aching i'd be...

the good kind, or the...i've pushed too much kind! =P

It's coming up to 6mths since the op...

I really ought to be back to sports soon!

Not competitively but recreationally at least!

Not a moment too soon!
I see some mountain hikes,

white water rafting & rockclimbing ahead,

looking forward to that in the US!

I REALLY hope i can do it!

I'd be so bummed if i couldn't!

So yeah...Colorado, please be kind to me! =)

Got so much to clear in this last week...

but i've gotta press in, the finish line is near!

Push on towards the end,

and the US will be a kind break,

one in which to refresh mentally & spiritually!

Think i'm going to bed with a smile on my face! =D

Through rescued ones...

The strength of powerful lyrics,
is enhanced when combined with a melody...

Yet sometimes, it needs to be stripped down,
in order to catch, the depth of meaning

captured by the author's intent...

All of You is more than enough for all of me
For every thirst and every need
You satisfy me with Your love
And all I have in You is more than enough

You are my supply

My breath of life

And still more awesome than I know

You are my reward

worth living for

And still more awesome than I know

All of You is more than enough for all of me
For every thirst and every need
You satisfy me with Your love
And all I have in You is more than enough

You’re my sacrifice

Of greatest price

And still more awesome than I know

You’re the coming King

You are everything

And still more awesome than I know

More than all I want
More than all I need
You are more than enough for me

More than all I know
More than all I can say
You are more than enough for me

O PRAISE HIM! =D

...to the end

the previous post...

wasn't it plain...EGGs-citing? =P

On a more serious note...

I have just one more line left in me for tonight

I wanna be...faithful til the end

ZZzzzzzz

Bulls-eye
Benedict
Over easy
Poached
Smashed
Scrambled

Testify to Love...forever

Love this song too! =)



For the first time in a really long while,
my wanderlust has acted up,
I'm slightly disappointed to miss the Viet Sports mission,
but the condition of my foot means...no such thing

My last mission was leading that staff team to E last year,
and it seems to have been a really really long time ago...

In a month's time, i'll be away for almost a month...
kinda excited...and this time, really looking forward to it
maybe because i'm sure i'm gonna learn & be refreshed,
but probably also because of all the lost mobility this year

I wonder, truly wonder...if...
but i know ...
and ... did, then it'd be nothing short of ............

In God's hands there is fullness of Joy,
and I have that great sense of that
there's really no greater Joy than to see transformed lives,
and today i thank God for you all!

Kevin and Don...Wow...
When I first started mentoring you both individually,
who'd have expected we'd become so close, like brothers,
and go through so much together!

But yes, I want to give thanks to God for you both,
My constant prayer and petition has been to see the next generation arise,
and i've always prayed that the next one will be better & more faithful than mine
And I'm blessed just by being able to catch a little glimpse now!

I see that you both have been leading the GDOP team well!
And though I've not been to any practices,
on Sunday, i saw a foretaste of what you all have put together,
And most importantly, i see that you've imparted the right things!
More than music, more than showmanship...
you both have guided this team to be right in their hearts first,
to allow worship to flow naturally from within...
not to overplay, or to be a star, but to be humble and to let God lead!
This truly blesses my heart! =)

Kevin and Donovan, both of you have grown tremendously well,
through the toughest moments and through the happiest too!
I'm glad that you've shown a resilient faith,
one that thrives in trial or in prosperity!
Continue to be Men after God's heart
and to multiply that into those you pour into also! =)
i'm proud of both of you! =)

You have been a blessing to me! =)

This is a simple thanks, but a heartfelt one!

Avalon-ing with my Lord...

Have been re-visiting Avalon,
And remembering how impactful their lyrics are...
They really say the words i wish to say but never could express! =)

Like the previous song, "Everything to me"
I love these lyrics...

"ask me why He loves me, and I don't know what to say

But I'll never be the same because He changed my life when He became...

(CHORUS)

Everything to me (everything to me)

He's more than a story (more than a story)

More than words on a page of history

He is the air that I breathe (the air that I breathe),

the water I thirst for (water I thirst for)

And the ground beneath my feet

Oh He's everything, everything to me

We're living in uncertain times
And more and more I find that I'm aware of just how fragile life can be
I wanna tell the world I've found, a love that turned my life around
They need to know that they can taste and see
Now everyday I'm prayin' just to give my heart away (give my heart away)
I wanna live for Jesus, so that someone else might see that He is...

(chorus) everything to me...

How beautiful such lyrics are...gosh...

And today...this hits such a poignant note...

Got the news at tea time today...

that Auntie Pat, fellow worker in Christ,

has gone home to the Lord.

She was faithful to the end,

serving at my alma mater,

Fairfield, even in end stage cancer...

It was a shock to hear the initial news,

and now...the quickness of death hits.

Solomon in his wisdom said that there is a time for everything,

and today, i take some time to mourn...

some time to grieve a loss, and a life given up for the Cross,

It is a sober, and a somber moment.

I wonder at my own mortality...

especially as i'm hardly even on my feet properly nowadays,

but...this is not about me...

I think that there is nothing more fulfilling,

than living out the destiny God has given us...

I think that auntie Pat did that well,

in a harsh, ungrateful environment of the schools,

where Chapel was a platform, yet...

heckling, disrespect, rudeness & rebellion were also shown.

The past few REW's i worked with her,

showed me a true heart for students,

a real affection...I appreciate that...

and I hope others see that too...even in retrospect

And lookin' back over my life at the end,

I'll go to meet You, sayin You've been..

Everything to me
More than a story
More than words on a page of history

Everything to me

at the end of this...

i also want to rejoice...because i know she is in a better place,

a place where she no longer suffers,

and she's now able to enjoy her time with the Lord, fully!

='/

It's uncanny how I can feel so much,

yet to some, this doesn't seem to be outwardly obvious...

Well...since this is an Avalon day,

Let me use this as a personal dedication too...

Every thought, word or deed,

no matter how beautiful, meaningful or touching...

would be nothing without the touch of God in it...

And I want to simply live for that...

For Christ, in Him, in ALL that i do...

I live because You do, and because You gave everything for me.

So...with the beautiful lyrics of "Can't live a day"...

I could live without many things...

but not without you Lord...

I couldn't face my life tomorrow
Without Your hope in my heart I know

I can't live a day without You

Lord, there's no night

and there's no morning

Without Your loving arms to hold me

You're the heartbeat of all I do

I can't live a day without you

Jesus, I live because You live
You're the air I breathe

AMEN

Everything to me...

When these days hit...
feel like chopping my foot off...

I think that there is a certain irony to honesty,
but irony is far better than hypocrisy

Wonder of wonders,
would really have loved to be overseas next week
but no...i've to miss church camp for another event

You spoke to me that day,
and mentioned how leaders lead,
and sometimes, no one follows...
I could sense your hurt and disappointment...

well...it's true...
every good leader goes through that...
Where convictions force people into a decision,
and frequently, the narrow road gets forsaken...
why? because the broad road contains more friends and pleasures,
and it is the safer, more appealing route

But the leader has to lead...
Correct, rebuke & encourage...
but always, ALWAYS...pointing the way to righteousness,
the way to God

I'm concerned, just as you are,
I'm flummoxed by my own loves,
but i still believe...
the right things, done the right way...
will bring about the RIGHT fruits...
so...hang in there...
that was for you, but for me also...

I've seen too much compromise already in my short life...
and i've grown disillusioned with the broad road...
I think a life lived safely, is a life not lived at all...
I'll risk it all for Christ, daily...
A life lived to the fullest extent, to the margins
is much better than one which i have too much leftover...
the goal is to be completely spent each day...
doing the right things, for His glory solely...
I fail frequently, but learn daily too...



I want You to be Everything to me...