Value ‘All’, not ‘Some’

I came across a reading in a Christian bookstore today. I’m not sure what the title was, it was pretty much about wholeness and broken-heartedness. There was an interesting line that caught my eyes, it said, Value All Relationship. I kept on reading the passage, and to be honest it speaks personally to me.

Most of us unconsciously do value more our relationship with people that we are close to. Nothing’s wrong with it! Nothing’s wrong with spending quality time with right people. But there is another thing we do need to realize.

Did you know that there is a chance to share the love of Christ to people that you are not really familiar with, to people that you don’t even care about? But the fact is that God has put the right people at the right time in your life.

Don’t you know that it’s not a coincidence that you meet your uni friends, your co-workers, your boss, those people that you often meet but you hardly think of, or anyone that you can even think of but you had never thought of before.

I don’t know how you would put “value all relationship” into action. But Holy Spirit speaks to me in a specific area, that I don’t need to argue or bargain anymore. Just spend time with them as you do with your close friends.

I don’t know about you guys. Does God lead you to someone you know today? Don’t ignore the calling. I pray that He will remind you of someone that is in need of His love today. Amen.

Help is on the Way

Gosh! I really love this song. Help is on the Way by Michael W Smith. What a song! It strengthens my spirit and it challenges me to believe that help is really on the way!

…He sees your tears
He fights your fears

Hold on
Help is on the way
Help is on the way
He said He never leave you or forsake you
Stay strong
Help is on the way
He said He’ll help you
Just reach out
and take his Hands…

You guys should listen to this song. Check out this link

When Girls are in Love…

There is an interesting statement when I was reading a book talking about woman’s soul.

Girls become prettier when they feel loved. When they are in love.

I was thinking.. how could that be possibly true? You mean because you are on cloud nine, everything seems so beautiful and therefore you smile a lot than before, and here you go, you become prettier.

Oh… yes, I am sceptical about that. If that is so true, I will suggest everyone to quickly find someone to fall in love.

But I am thinking that it might be true when it comes to the One who has loved me first. Yes, I am talking about Jesus! Honestly I had never viewed God in a romantic relationship. To fall in love with Jesus? How about putting it in a nicer way.. to love Jesus?

I really mean the words “to be in love with” when I discovered these feelings of mine. A feeling of acceptance that I am accepted the way I am. A secure feeling that everything will be alright. An urge to come to Him and talk what I have gone through today. A longing to know what He thinks of me. A desire to be still and find rest in Him.

I do feel loved.

Hmm… now it does make sense to me. You smile too much. You hope always. You feel free. Your inner strength emerges from within.

What makes you more beautiful than being like that?

Merry Christmas, oops, Happy Birthday Jesus

Hohoho…

Do you agree with me that Christmas is always associated with Santa Claus… hmm… Christmas tree, mistletoe, presents? or even snow?

I mean… White Christmas?

Too bad… I live in Australia. It’s always summer at Christmas time. Back to my country Indonesia, don’t even dream about white Christmas. Lying on equator, Indonesia is blessed with warm weather throughout the year. Snow? Stop dreaming!

I watched a news program this morning. It reported on a well-known shopping centre in Jakarta having set a snow machine to produce fake snow at Christmas time (gosh, it’s indeed a PR tactic to draw public’s attention =D ). The falling snow comes three times a day for only ten minutes. The fake snow was actually snow-like bubble bath used in movies, but hey, people love it.

The meaning of Christmas is getting more vague. It is a holiday season in some countries and it’s been many years that Christmas is not a celebration for Christian only. It’s for everyone who wants to have it. And nothing’s wrong with it.

But what I am concerned is that we lose the meaning of Christmas itself. No matter what Christmas is all about, no matter what makes you excited about Christmas, can I say Christmas is Jesus’ Birthday?

Yes, friends, it’s about His birthday. By right we should come to give Him a present. We know that He has given us ‘present’ first. Above all the very reason He was born is ironically to die for us! He who has loved us first is the initiator, the reason why we could love God, serve Him, forgive those who hurt us. It’s because He has loved us first.

Reminded of the youth service I attended in Bethany last Saturday, the pastor challenged the church what thing we would offer for our Saviour. What Christmas present would you give, Church?

For me I committed, no-no, recommitted… that I would give my youthful lives. It’s not as simple as saying “use me, Lord.” But it does imply obedience in it. When I said it, I know that it spoke personally to me. I can’t describe what I truly feel, perhaps these two words will do, a calling and a choice.

“She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from his sins.” Matthew 1:21

Merry Christmas everyone and Happy Birthday Jesus =)

No guarantee!

Have you ever wondered how much God has loved us? Pondering the answer of this question, I know that it could be found when looking at the cross. I read this quote some time ago (I can’t remember the exact phrase though), if you want to measure God’s love, look back at His ultimate sacrifice upon the cross. Measure it!

I am longing to know deeper His love beyond the cross. As I believe Matthew 7:7, when I seek I’ll find… He will let me find Him.

He speaks to me through verse 1 John 4:19
Annice,
I have loved you
even before you knew Me
I have loved you
even at the time you rejected Me
When I chose the cross,
there is no guarantee that you will love me back
But I still chose the cross,
and my love remains the same for you

I am amazed.

What has drawn me to Jesus? It’s His love! No matter what story I have told you guys (read: turn to God), His promises in my life are simply a reflection on God’s great love.

Stand Out, Tell your Story!

As a Christian, we know that we are called to be salt and light of the world. When it’s translated into my language, the way we live should reflect a life for Christ. We should stand out because our life is made different. But I believe there is more things that we can do apart from living in a good way. We need to be proactive in a way that we are courageous enough to preach the Gospel.

I am not a good one to set an example in this case. I am learning as many people are. I am often put in the situation where people get interested in my stand on faith, religion, belief, you name it. Too often I don’t even know where to start to tell my story and to argue why I believe Jesus. Yes, I admit I am Christian. I admit that my life has been transformed because of Christ. But I wonder why I can’t invite them to Christ when there is a chance to talk about your religion – or in other word to talk about God’s goodness?

To be honest, I find it hard when I have to share to those people that I know them quite well, but in the first place they have no idea that I am Christian. Oh well, they might know that I am a churchgoer. But they have no clue that I would love to talk about God in my daily life.

A religious fanatic, Annice? I used to be afraid when people confront me with this question. You can’t be that fanatic! Everyone has their own belief. This statement have been looming in since I became Christian three years ago.

What if that person has hard feeling toward me? What if we become awkward after talking about it? What if he thinks I am a Jesus freak that knows nothing except the fact that my belief is superior than others? What if and what if… Too many what if’s! And I know it for sure that I have to shake them off when I truly believe that Gospel is good news for everyone.

I was thinking that I was just being cautious not to hurt people’s feeling. But the thing that I didn’t realise I might have taken away a person’s possible chance to know Jesus by not talking about the Gospel.

It’s hard. You don’t even know the clear line between privacy and preaching the Gospel, and I don’t want to be trapped on one side either. But if you think carefully, what will be more personal than your own salvation. What will be more ‘privacy’ than the fact that you have been redeemed through Jesus? After all we just need to gain enough courage to tell how amazing God is and His work in our lives.

Despite having this thought, I am not yet qualified to be called ‘courageous’. I am learning to be one. I will prepare my story so that I will be ready when I have to tell how I came to know Jesus and also how my life has been transformed. Preparing my faith statement that shows who I stand for, I will be ready.

The Worst Day?

There is a day when I thought, this is my worst day ever. You know when the thing that you never imagined before came up all of sudden. It was just unexpected. Was it good? It wasn’t good for me since I wasn’t prepared. Losing my grip, I have no clues.

It is hard. Reminding myself all the times, God is still in control. For He knows this day would happen in my life, He is in control. It is not the worst day, I keep on saying it to myself. Not even a bad day! You know what a bad day is… when you don’t even know that you are walking outside God’s script. That… you can call it a bad day!

As I am confident that I am walking in Your script, everything happens for a good purpose. Oh, Lord.. I wonder how I need more faith, more love, and more hope. I can’t imagine how I live without You. I would be too frightened to even pass a day.

The Stickiest Glue

What do you reckon the strongest glue ever?

My Papa would say Alteco is the strongest one. I reminisce how he used that glue to stick the-impossible-to-be-fixed stuff. And you know, he didn’t even let me touch the glue. How protective he was! He thought that it would have been that harmful if I had touched the glue.

Anyway, enough with the intro. I imagine that the love of God is like the strongest sticky glue in the world. Haha… don’t ask me why I could have thought of such analogy. But this is how I feel, whenever I feel far from Him, this glue would just pull me together. Stick me, it wouldn’t let me go. It’s just captured me.

This glue never loses its capability. Even before the object is drawn back, it wouldn’t lose its stickiness. It would stick you back. You wouldn’t need to reapply it.  It always remains strong. Strong enough to stick you.

Oh, how many times I have failed, yet His incomprehensible love just drew me closer. Sometimes I do not understand why some unpleasant things happened to me. But realising that during my hard times, I’m always found in His love… I guess they are worth experiencing after all. I enjoy the moments when I keep falling in love with Him.

Apology to the Abandoned Blog

“I am abandoned”

Yeah, my blog cried out. Oops sorry. It was just whenever I was about to publish something, I always ended up clicking ’save’ instead of ‘publish’. Believe me, there are 6 drafts saved in my blog. None of them has been edited since my first time writing it. Very bad me!

So let make this happen today. I will make this draft achieve its ultimate purpose, which is to get published.

Oh well, what can I say in this post?

First, let me update me with my status at the moment. I mean what I am doing now. I am in the middle of doing my 2500-word research paper for Public Relations unit. And you know how many words I have done so far… 400 words! I feel like crying but too bad no tears come out!! Huh!

Anyway, I have been busy these days with ‘innumerable’ activities. Sometimes I just feel that time flies away too quickly. Then the next minute I just realised that I have no need to complain, instead manage my activites better. I have quitted my part-time job and I am doing work experience instead. I attend church every Saturday and some other church activities on Sunday. Okey, so am I whinging? Everyone has the same time 24 hours. So? I guess I just have the tendency to look back when it comes to the responsibility that demands my time a lot.

That’s all -a few update- from me. Short and perhaps sweet. Actually I still want to share some other stories telling what I have been doing during these times. Oh, not now, maybe another time =D

*back to assignment*

Guidance from the Start

I was somehow afraid and worried about ’something’. But God told me, “Annice, you asked My guidance before. Trust Me, I’ve been guiding you until this moment.”

That answer eases my heart. I remember I asked God to guide every step I took in this matter. I should have seen it! He heard my prayers. He has been guiding me because I asked Him to. And He wouldn’t stop to guide me because He just loves me so much!!

Why couldn’t I see it? I guess… instead of looking at His promises, I had been looking at the situation that didn’t support me.