Calm in the storm

November 15, 2011 · By ·

I am experiencing the toughest season of my life. And I am still in the midst of the storm.

Too much to put it down in words, but it is easy to blame the hb for some, but I know that our lives are a result of choices that we made. And I had a part to play as well.

What we have learnt from this is that we can never depend on our own assumptions, strength, abilities or intelligence…and never take our eyes off God. The positives that have resulted from this is that hb and I have started doing couple devotional time together. I have always been focused on my own spiritual growth and never been a very good team player when it comes to growing together as a couple in Christ.

I am amazed really. Amazed by how much strength and peace that the Lord has given me to sustain me, the joy that I still have in Him despite the difficulties. I am certain that if I do not have God in my life, I would have been crying like mad and panicking like a headless chicken. I did not shed a tear once. And the only response to my panic was to go into prayer. Prayer for the God's hand on the situation, thanksgiving for the daily sustenance and providence. And again God has proven to be so real and faithful in my life, I really felt the words of this verse coming to pass;

Philippians 4:6-7

Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

I will continue running with endurance in this last leg of the race for I know 'Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him.' – James 1:12

Despite whatever I am experiencing, it is nothing compared to the millions of people out there that are way less fortunate than I am. I am still working on the handmades (for fund raising for Children's Hunger Fund) to help me to remind myself of how blessed I really am.

And I know with utmost certainty that I will be able triump over the storm and soon will be able to exclaim that all glory goes to God!

Hebrews 12:1-3

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.

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What about God?

September 28, 2011 · By ·

I showed Kyle this video last week, when I chanced it on a Christian blog that I regularly visit. The scenes in the video are real and were consolidated since the start of 2011 from various news channels.

Some of you may wonder why would I show a 4 year old these (possibly nightmare inducing visuals). It was not done on purpose, I was watching this clip on Youtube when the little boy came along, caught glimpses of it and insisted on watching the clip from the beginning to the end. I figure that this could be educational for him, as I feel that a child of a certain age should learn to be more aware of the world around him. 

The video gave a really sombering perspective of what is happening around us, the natural disasters and dead wildlife etc. Every other week these days, there will be an earthquake, flood and typhoon in some place, and most with a dire aftermath. Us humans tend to get a little immune when these things happen too often, but I think seeing all that happened since the beginning of this year, should really get us to sit up and realise this – Is the world really the same as before and could all these be getting worse?

The first question that Kyle ask after video clip ended was, "Will God save us from these things?"

My answer to him was undoubtly, "Yes of course, as long as we believe that God has send a Saviour Jesus to us who saves us from these terrible things that are happening to and will continue to get worse on earth."

His reply, "Yes I believe in Jesus and I know He will save us."

Such an unwavering pronounce of faith. How many of us can have that same childlike faith that a child has when it comes to believing in something that we do not see or touch?

As a parent, one of my biggest hope for my child is to know God. My faith means alot to me, and have given me alot of hope and strength in my life, thus I hope that my child experiences the same. Some may say this is indoctrination, shouldn't a child have the freedom to choose what he believes in?

Indoctrination is the process of inculcating ideas and attitudes, and it differs from education in the sense that an indoctrinated person is expected not to question or examine the doctrine they have learnt.

I will expect him to question or examine what he has been taught. In fact when the time comes, if he still doubts the truth about what he has learnt about God and life, I will challenge him to ask God Himself show Him how real He is. Of course 'real' in this case really goes beyond only seeing and touching…as I am an example of how God Himself has proven to be so real in my life, without having to see or touch Him physically.

I don't believe that our lives are created by chance or by a collision of atoms/big bang theory.

I hope that by helping my child know his Creator, it will help him to understand the purpose of his existence in this world. Training a child to know God is cumulative. I started reading bible stories to Kyle when he was barely 1 and a half and make a point to consistently set aside devotion time daily with him before bedtime. These resources have been really useful to use during our devotion sessions; The Beginners' Bible, The Jesus Storybook, Gotta Have God Devotions for 2-5 boys, The One Year devotional for Preschoolers. Kyle's favorites are the short bible stories from the first 2 titles.

We often talk about God, His creations, His purpose for our lives. I thank God that He has been answering my daily prayers of helping Kyle grow in wisdom and revelation of Him. Sometime last year, Kyle dreamt of Jesus and 2 weeks ago, he experienced another dream of Jesus again. Some of you who are Christians will know that hearing or seeing Jesus in your dreams is not such an easy thing to have, even when u do ask for it in your prayers.

These days I am really amazed by the things that he says about God and his level of understanding about what it means to believe in God. Often, I am being entertained by original compositions like these…

Untitled from Rachel T on Vimeo.

His question to me that evening after singing a barrage of songs about God and Jesus was, "God is very happy to hear me sing songs about Him, isn't it?"

"Yes, for sure, definitely!"

His reply, "I love to sing songs about God!"

It is really hard not to talk or sing about Him when He has grabbed your heart ever so tightly in His.

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More than lillies in the fields

June 22, 2011 · By ·

I seemed to have lost my blogging mojo for the longest of time. Lots of happened that I am too zonked out to type it all in this space and talk about it.

Huge upheavals in the personal front but I am thankful. Thankful that I am not alone weathering all these storms. I am thankful for a loving family and most of all a heavenly Father that will carry me through all the storms of this life.

 

“Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?

 “And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith? So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own."

Matthew 6:25-34

 

 

 

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