What Friends Mean to Me

Many beautiful quotes are on friendship. But I am not a kind of person who simply believes all of them without experiencing it myself. What friends mean to me? Who are my friends? Those questions were looming in my mind, as I was editing an article about friendship for my church’s website.

I believe most of us unconsciously make differences between friends and close friends. To me, friends are those I hang around with. We share common interests, talk about a lot of interesting things and do some activities together. They are friends to me. But I realise that even though they are my friends, it doesn’t necessarily mean I can talk my problems with them.

My close friends, on the other hand, are those whom I can always share with, whom I turn to when I am faced with challenges. Their existences affect me as a person. In other word, I do consider their opinions in decision making, and their lifestyles can easily influence me.

To be honest, I do choose my close friends. I don’t mean to boast, but it is true that you can easily be my friend but not be my close friend. You need to gain my trust to be one. And that’s the reason, I do hurt when I realized those whom I thought close friends were actually not.

What I am saying here is actually the reflection of H2O’s value, Accepting. I accept everyone to be my friends but I don’t accept everyone to be my close friends.

It sounds harsh, huh? But even the bible warns us to choose our friends carefully (Proverbs 12:26). If I translate the verse into my daily life, it says to me that I am supposed to choose my close friends, who can influence me with their thinking and lifestyle.

On the other hand, accepting means to accept everyone inside out. I am learning how to accept everyone completely as my friends. What I mean by inside out here is that I don’t want to smile to a person but I actually curse him or her in my heart.

A word “curse” simply means the opposite of “bless”. If you don’t bless a person, the other only possibility is that you curse that person.

But how about those who do not accept us? Those who are not worth of our acceptance? Do we still have to accept them? What if they even harm us? Stabbed behind our back?

One amazing part of Jesus’ teaching is to love your neighbours, including loving your enemy. Again, if I translate it to my daily life (I’m not a bible scholar though =P), enemy includes those who reject you, those who you thought friends but they had stabbed behind your back, and even those simply hate you for no reasons.

You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you. (Matthew 5:43)

Now consider why Jesus would want us to love others even if they persecute us! The answer is as simple as to practice God’s love. Weren’t we once God’s enemy? Yet He accepts us! Were we actually worthy of God’s acceptance? No! What do we have to offer when we were living in our sinful lives? Nothing!

We have received love from God, and that should be our power to love others.

Yes, I choose my close friends. But I don’t have a choice to choose my friends. Because by His love, it is enough for us to even love our enemies. He wants me to change my enemy attitude inside me to be a friend attitude.

Yet, when you realise, it is not a mere God’s command. Because to do God’s command, it does take faith. It is by faith that we see God is taking care of everything, including our heart, disappointment and anger. It is by faith that God’s love is able to change our situation, even to change from an enemy to a friend.

Pursuing God’s Promises

Too many of us as Christians have been in the stage that we specifically question our dream, vision or life purpose. I’m no exception. I know that my life is to glorify God. But the next question is that how do I glorify God? And that’s what I have been thinking of. God’s way in my life, my dreams, my ministry. I asked Him which things in life I should pursue.  Which things does God want me to do? Which things does I myself want to do? The difference between them is a simple fine line, isn’t it?

As I prayed and looked for an answer, I was reminded of one word. P R O M I S E. I shall pursue His promises in my life!

When I first settled into my apartment in Japan, I started with arranging some stuffs that were left behind by the previous owner. The apartment seems to have been reserved specially for exchange students. I suppose there were 2 or 3 people before me having stayed in my current apartment. So I was quite lucky that they left some useful stuffs behind. I didn’t need to buy new ones.

A couple of months after the new semester has started, I was browsing my small bookshelves for a book to read. Unexpectedly, I found some new note books which I had put into the bookshelves last time. I’d forgotten! I didn’t know I had them. Well, I knew I had arranged them, but I forgot! So instead of using the new note books, I had been taking notes in an old used book. Well, I did tear up the first few written pages, and started writing on the blank page, but still it was a book that someone had used it!! (now you know how stingy I am >___<).

See how silly I could be! Those new books had been sitting all along on the bookshelves! And the fact that I stay here only for 1 semester means that I won’t use them at all, if I don’t use them now. Getting so agitated, I plan to rewrite all the notes for half of the semester! For the sake of using a new notebook, why not? My ego really challenged my logical thinking.

Now you might be thinking what God’s promises got to do with a boring story of mine. Well, I simply see that God’s promises are like those new note books.

I remember about Abraham being a father of Israel, Joseph’s dreams about him being a ruler of his own brothers and David’s throne that reigned over Jerusalem. I realized that all started with God’s promises to them. God remembered and fulfilled them. It starts with God’s promise which then works together with man’s obedience and faithfulness, and finally leads to the fulfillment of the promise. Amazing, isn’t it?

Similarly, we can find God’s promises in our life. The very first place would obviously be the Bible.  I do not mean the bible’s functions are like those of tarot card or perhaps Chinese face and palm reading. But what I mean is that the Bible itself contains promises. God’s promises are all written there, and if we simply have a heart that pursues His promises, we will have them. Isn’t it written in the Scripture that if you seek with all your heart, you will find it?

Too often we read the Bible because we feel we have to. Your cell group leader asks you to do so, it’s your daily check list, or perhaps it’s just another a must-to-do routine.

There is also a case where we read verse after verse, chapter after chapter, and yet we don’t see any relation with  your life.

I’ve been through it, and even until now I am struggling and seeing it as a challenge. Why didn’t I ask Holy Spirit to guide me? To help me relate the verse I read to my life. To make me see God’s promises in my daily devotion reading. Isn’t the Spirit my Counselor? He does know which option I should take. And I believe He longs to reveal His ways to me. Doesn’t He help me pray? He knows my prayers before I say them out! He is the One I totally rely on. He Himself even pray for me with groans that words cannot express.

I don’t want to find myself  one day knowing that I have missed God’s promises for me, as I missed out the new note book. I don’t want to find myself keep using the old notebook all along while actually the new note book was provided for me. I don’t want to live in the old “me” while actually I could live in a life of promises.

I don’t want to miss out God’s stored up blessings. Not even one! Especially if I miss it in a place where I’m supposed to know! In an obvious place like the Bible? I wouldn’t want to.

No Fear in Love

I have noticed lately how our past experience affects our life. The other day, I asked my girl friend why she didn’t smile in most of her photos. She then admitted to me that she didn’t like taking photos of herself. She paused for a while before telling her story back in high school, when a class picture was taken.

The picture was printed out, and she somehow didn’t looked good. She looked ghostly white and as you can imagine, she got teased about her ghostly look in that picture. Indeed, that experience has pierced through her heart.

When I looked into my life and perhaps others too, I noticed people could have brought past pains without even realising it. It could be a deep cut in our heart, or simply a small slit. It doesn’t matter how bad the pain was, our heart was once broken.

Those pains might be about our phobia, our failures and disappointments, negative thoughts, or something that we simply don’t want to do without any valid reasons. We are just afraid of being hurt again. Our logical mind is telling us madly. It has happened to you before, and it will happen again.

Honestly, I have fear of feeling hurt to some extent. And I hate to say that I didn’t dare to take a simple step, even though it was as simple as flipping my own hand. It only takes courage, isn’t it? But there was something that had been holding me back. It was the invisible past pain that I had never realised.

In my quiet time, He spoke to me:
You might be vulnerable, Annice
But know that I am your God is strong.

After all this verse speaks personally to me:

There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love. 1 John 4:18

I want, and I will trust God when fear is striking me. I have learned not to fight my fear alone because he will remind me of my past. But when I trust God, I am consumed with His love and thus there is no room for fear.

The Whole Package of Gift

It’s been a while that I haven’t posted any entry. Oh well, it’s not that long actually. Only two weeks since my last post. I just had a sudden urge to write something. Even though it’s hard to pick up one topic among many in my head, I’ve finally decided one.

Ok, let’s go straight to the point of this entry. In short, I feel extremely blessed. Since I moved to Japan, before I go to bed, I couldn’t stop thanking God for the chance I have. To be in Japan, and to study abroad (again!). I somehow thank some people saying how badly they wanted to go to Japan. Other people said how lucky I was to be able to experience study abroad. It made me look back at the past of how I desired so much to go on an exchange. It’s still unbelievable that I am in Japan now.

God obviously has remembered one of my dreams. He fulfilled one and He will fulfill another one. I sometimes think that this achievement is just a package of gift that comes along with a life Jesus gave. You know what I mean, God doesn’t want us to have a monotone life, instead He wants to add colours to it.

Imagine…
If you were a painting, you would be the most nicely put colourful painting ever. Not black and white, nor even sephia.
If you were a piece of writing, you would be the most adventurous story ever written.
Similarly your life in God’s hands

As I listened to one of Kong Hee’s sermons, he said that Christians should be the most creative people on this planet. I couldn’t agree more with that statement! A life with God is an excitement! God who created this whole universe has a plan for each of us. Do you think He gave same boring purpose to any of us? Of course not!

That’s why I know it’s not the end of the exciting part of my life story. Yet this is just a start! I know God will add more colours to my life. He will bring me more exciting one.

This life is such a wonderful gift.
I will live a life for You,
I will shine for You brighter than before
All glory goes to You, my Lord

The Most Romantic Story Ever

I once read a book about women’s soul, and it says there that women love to be romanced. It makes me wonder how true that is in women’s life. Do we really have a room for romance in our heart even more than guys do?

It is an unavoidable fact that the biggest consumers for romantic novels and movies are mainly women. So you might be familiar with a story of a hero that goes through all dangers just to save his woman. That’s probably too much of sacrifice to fit into your ideal romantic story.

Your romantic scene might be as simple as the time when a guy is staring at you and confessing how important you are in his life. Perhaps it is when you have a romantic fine dining with your loved one. Then he suddenly takes out a ring, kneels down and proposes you. Classic!

No matter what story is painted on your heart, there is surely a room for romance in women’s heart. And if you are not aware of it, it might become an unconscious expectation of your love life.

My experience with romance didn’t fit any of my ideal romance scene. I don’t have many experiences though. And that’s why (embarrassingly) I asked God for experiencing a romantic love story in life. I didn’t know how I could have prayed like that. I mean… I’ve now realised that my relationship with Jesus even fits best into my ideal romantic story ever. (Well, I am not saying that you shouldn’t have a romantic relationship other than the one with God, but rather set your heart to love God first before your future life partner)

Jesus was born in this world with a purpose to demonstrate His love. If I could name one of His purposes, that was to die on the cross. He had a choice though, to avoid cross and choose a less painful way of death. I wondered why He didn’t choose that. Then I realised that it takes a very strong man with great characters to be fully obedient to the Father’s will.

And Jesus showed it!

He is the real hero that has won my heart back to the Father. He wants me so much in an eternal relationship with Him. He is staring at me days and night, longing to tell me His thoughts and to bless my dreams and desires. He is full of love and mercy! The real warrior that has rescued me from death to life, from hopelessness to hope, from meaningless life to a life with a purpose!

Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.
Matthew 24:35

I remember what He said. His love will remain the same. He will be with me till the end of time. Amen.

It is by Grace

Yesterday was Good Friday.

Though Good Friday is not a public holiday in Japan, I still strongly feel the essence of Good Friday. All of my Christian friends most likely have attended a Good Friday service, and my church in Perth is holding a one-night camp. And me? I was just staying at home. Churches here do not hold any Good Friday service. Well I suppose it’s because it’s not a public holiday in the first place.

My experiences with going to church in here is totally different from the ones in Perth. I’ve been going to a local church for the first two weeks in Japan. In terms of the number of congregations, I couldn’t compare it with my church in Perth.

I was a little bit shocked when I first came there. Even though I had expected that situation, one question kept on bugging me. Where are the people, God? There are so many empty seats in a pretty small church building. I noticed there was one young girl sitting in the back row of the church. Another question popped up in my mind, where are H2O people (i.e youth) in this area?

I am simply reminded of the very first time when I became a Christian. I remember unexplainable joy filling my heart that day. It’s as though I had found my treasure. That is a life filled with heavenly promises and joy.

Then the hardship came. It was a hard time when I felt like giving up in spirit. I feared many things in life. But in the end I just made it through. At that time I took a commitment for being faithful to Him regardless of the situation in life. Then there were those days when I was so down and felt hopeless. Again, I made it through.

When I am looked back at the past, I know one reason why I’m still here until this very day. That’s because God has never let me go nor given up on me!

I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of my hand – John 10:28 (NIV)

Having been living my 4-year Christian life, I have seen many people that seem far from salvation. I mean, for some people their environment, their culture and history (you name it) avoid them to come to Jesus.

Is it hard for them to receive salvation, Lord?

It made me realise that actually at anytime I could have chosen not to follow Him. I might have been in the society that is far from Christ, being isolated from hearing the Gospel, being blinded by many false teachings. But hey, His grace has won it all! I am here being united in Christ Jesus. What can separate me now?

Although my questions remain unanswered, I know it is undeniably grace beyond comprehension.

Have a great Easter everyone!

Compassion, for God is everywhere!

When I listened to Hillsong’s song called Hossana, one word that came upon my mind, it is Compassion!

O Lord, break my heart for what breaks Yours. It brought me to a total surrender. Crying out to Him, I ask Him to renew my heart. Break it too, Lord! So I know how it feels to see the lost seeking for the true God. I earnestly pray for more compassion for people’s salvation, for an unsaved nation, for the place I would be for the next 6 months.

The Gospel must first be preached to all nations – Mark 12:10

Gospel will be preached to all nations. God never works on a marketing area called target market when it comes to salvation.The target is not only to some known countries, not only to a specific human race, nor to those who still haven’t adhered to any religion. God never works that way. For Jesus His target is all nations.

I simply believe wherever God calls you to be, there is a calling in that place. It includes the place where I am residing now =)

Frankly, there is an unconscious assumption in my church society that you could grow spiritually at some given conditions. At first I was swayed by this unconscious point of view. But that’s not true. In every season you have an option whether you want to grow spiritually or not.

I really like this quote: God is everywhere. We just need to make Him visible! (Philip Yancey-Finding God in unexpected places). It doesn’t matter where you are. God is there. Even in the most unholy places! Because in those places, people are looking for love, searching for an acceptance and in a desperate need of hope. And there is a calling in that situation. Because the sad fact is that people don’t realize that love, hope and acceptance can simply be found in Jesus.

In the parable of the lost sheep, Jesus illustrates how happy the Shepherd was when He found the one lost sheep. In the same way, there will be rejoicing in heaven to see one soul saved! God is too happy over one sinner who repents.

When I’m reminded of this truth, I gain a deeper understanding on a God’s calling and I simply long to make Him happy.

Dreaming of Heaven

I always wonder how beautiful it is to see heaven in front of my eyes. When the word “heaven” comes into my mind, I imagine that it is the most beautiful place that I have ever visited (i.e. Switzerland). An eternal dwelling place where people from different nations sing praises and worship God.

Anyway, below is a photo of beautiful view in Switzerland!

I like to listen to Oceano by Josh Groban. I know the meaning is nothing to do with heaven things. But the tune somehow evokes a feeling of serenity and beauty. It’s as though I was in heaven at that very moment.

When I close my eyes, I see…

a grass field and a bridge over the river
I was wearing a white swirling dress,
and I was freely singing,
dancing in front of the Lord…
Enjoying every minute the Lord’s presence,
it was so beautiful.

Some sceptics may think of the very reason the purpose to dream of heaven. Perhaps it’s something that we think it’s too far ahead, we prefer to think about the present fact! But I just believe the present fact that I will end up in heaven one day. And that’s the reason I imagined the unseen fact.

Remember, the scripture says to set our minds on things above, not on earthly things (Colossians 3:2).

When I think of heaven, my earthly matter wouldn’t be as important as I had seen before. My struggle is not too difficult to overcome anymore. Any pains easily go away. When I think of heaven, I could imagine Jesus would embrace me, and welcome me to enter the place called home. My family and friends would also warmly welcome me. When I think of heaven, it reminds me that I am living temporarily. I may hold TR (Temporary Resident) or PR (Permanent Resident) status in earth, but the fact remains… that I am a Citizen. A citizen of Heaven!

Have you ever dreamed of heaven? Let’s start dreaming! You will find that your earthly struggle is not as much as the reward you will receive later. I believe heaven is more beautiful than any beautiful places I have ever visited.

Perhaps, you are still planning to go heaven? You may need a traveller’s guide then. I got a wonderful link. Find it here.

What Makes You More Beautiful

What makes you more beautiful? If you are confronted with the question, what would you answer?

Is that when you put on a very nice make up on your face? Or when you feel well-groomed in a particular situation? When you wear clothing that perfectly gives a body shape. When you have fairer skin free from blemishes? Perhaps you look lovely in your photos uploaded in Facebook, and people love them, leaving lots and lots of comments? Okey, I do agree those will make you more beautiful. But, slightly!

To me, the answer would be when you realize how special you are! Wouldn’t you feel that you are the most beautiful woman ever? I give you an example, in a romantic relationship the guy you like cares about you. Among all of your friends, his attention is drawn to you. He even wants to be with you all the times. And the fact that he only thinks of you might overwhelm you, isn’t it?

The message is… You are the one! You are special.

But do you realise that we don’t need to wait for the “perfect man” to come into our life so that we will feel special. Hey, He who makes us the apple of His eyes has already made us special. God has made you special since the time He formed you in your mother’s womb. You are not born to be special, but you are born special.

I once thought that if we are all special, we are not ‘that’ special anymore. Too many ’specials’ equals to common, isn’t it? But you know what, we are not mass produced! God designs us with an innumerable DNA in each cell in the human body. I was told that each of DNA even carries different message which differentiates us from others.

Do you realise that there is a message in our life? A special message as a response to His calling. What makes us so special, Lord, that You even care for everyone of us? What is the reason that You think we are special?

There is a calling in our life that differentiates us from others. A definite purpose, a big dream, a desire of your heart, you name it. They are inside you, and they are waiting to be released…

..in order to make you more beautiful.

“For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.”
Ephesians 2:10 (NIV)

Japan is Not a Right Destination. Oh, It is!

Some of you might have known it that I would be off to Japan for a semester exchange. As I have had my application approved by Hyogo university, I have to be ready to live there. It’s not that long. but as to language, culture difference, anything, I should be ready to make sure I wouldn’t be homesick like my trip last time.

I am going to Japan. I am going to the country where the largest unreached community on earth reside in (check this website ). Some friends concern how my spiritual life is while in Japan as they know that there will be very few number of churches there. Well, honestly it was scary in terms of the church availability there, but surely I know I have to face this challenge.

What would you think of Japan when you first heard about it? A high-tech modern country? A land where Hello Kitty originally comes from? A civilized society with a distinctive culture? Catchy looking Harajuku girls? Nerdy looking otaku?

You may think all of them but you won’t definitely mention that they are religious, or simply that they know Christ. As you might know, majority Japanese adhere to Buddhism or Shinto. Others have no religion.

Japan is my next destination. It’s definitely not a place where you see many churches growing. Not Korea! It’s not a place where you can tour to some holy sites where Jesus’ teaching is believed to take place. Not Israel either! It’s not a place where an inspiring and life-changing conference is being held. Not Sydney!

I don’t even think that I will be exposed to much ‘provided’ spiritual food. You know what I mean, you attend church and you hear God’s word. You have a cell group that will give advice to your problem. You get your cell group leader pray for you (and be responsible for your spiritual growth). You have your church friend send a regular SMS on daily devotional. You have a plenty resources, don’t you?

Really… I can’t even think about all of this privilege while in Japan. I still wish, I pray, that there would be a strong community like my current church, but if there isn’t any..oh well, too bad, I don’t think Japan is a right destination if you expect to grow spiritually in that situation.

I don’t know how I should put my thought. I do believe that we can grow in any season. Regardless all of those facts about Japan, there isn’t any season when I cannot grow spiritually. Time is short. Lord doesn’t think that I’d better have a little ‘break’ in my journey to know Him better. I don’t think so.

Honestly, this is what I feel and believe… I am really stepping out of my comfort zone. In that season, I guess I might not see the church role model I often see here. I might feel isolated as well. I might feel God is far from me. I don’t know. They are all just my guessing. But there is one thing that I am committed to do while in Japan. I will seek God earnestly regardless any situations I am in.

After all, if I am allowed to go there, there must be work to do.

Oh yes, Japan is a right destination!