Sunday, August 29, 2010 I'm a senior
It's another one of those time where I need to blog cause school's starting soon and just want to set some goals and objectives.This semester, will definitely not be easy with production modules, writing modules and some heavy readings modules. And the fact that exams are back to back with camp, youth christmas and christmas isnt going to make things any better. Nonetheless, please do not be mistaken that I am dreading anything. Seriously, I've been quite peaceful at heart with it, and taking things as they come :) It's just the sort of anticipation of being stretched yet also knowing that somehow God'll show how wonderful and faithful He is.
I know this semester I probably have to handle more BIG Es, and I am convicted to be more hardworking in prayer against it and to bring me through these times without too much damage.
Another exciting semester ahead, and with God. Delights.
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Thursday, August 26, 2010
I was googling around to find out how to create a certain effect for videos.From what you see, you cant exactly express them in 'words', google it and find an answer.
Amazingly, no I did not really found what I wanted, but I chanced upon this instead.
Clean - Part 1 from Church on the Move on Vimeo.
(love the way they do song transition at 10:12~)
Church on the move check what they've got to share.Probably what we do week in and out but from another perspective, it's always interesting to learn from others :)
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Saturday, July 17, 2010 星期五的怀念；星期六的陌生
星期六； 回到原本的生活节奏几年下来的规律，5个月的变化，变成一种想念，也是一种莫名的害怕
觉得很陌生
本身不是一个很social的人
星期五；有想念上海的cg
可惜没办法继续的侍奉， 没办法目睹physical growth
但我很虔心的知道神会照顾好她们
我可爱的她们一定会成长
ber, claire, edith, huan
知道我没有忘了你们
i'll be waiting to hear stories of breakthrough from you girls!
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Wednesday, July 07, 2010 theology?
What do I think affects who I am/ What do others think affects who I am"Do you think you are ______?" (As 某某某 say that you are ______)
If yes, are we willing to change that way? We change to the way we want ourselves to be
If no, will you change to go against the way people think you are? We change because other people 'make' us to
In any case, there is change. But does it starts from you or others?
Entirely not making sense- I am lost in my own wordings...
I'm reading this book called 'Letters from a Skeptic', an apologetics.
Battles freewill, characters of god, and lots of those commonly asked questions by believers and non believers alike.
Theologically simplified, but I find myself having to reread a few paragraphs to understand.
Labels: God
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Wednesday, June 30, 2010 God is Good
The Story of Zac Smith from NewSpring Media on Vimeo.
Labels: God
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Wednesday, June 16, 2010
why would God care?why would God care?
why would God care?
But he really does care.
Unashamed - Starfield
I have not much
To offer You
Not near what You deserve
But still I come
Because Your cross
Has placed in me my worth
Oh, Christ my King
Of sympathy
Whose wounds secure my peace
Your grace extends
To call me friend
Your mercy sets me free
And I know I'm weak
I know I'm unworthy
To call upon Your name
But because of grace
Because of Your mercy
I stand here unashamed
I can't explain
This kind of love
I'm humbled and amazed
That You'd come down
From heavens heights
And greet me face to face
Labels: God
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Wednesday, June 09, 2010 super stm
I thought I had some revelations/thoughts going on like a couple of seconds ago before Steven Furtick's page finished loading on Safari. Now I forgot what it is...(1 minute later)
I remembered!
Again I am questioning myself on how much can I contribute/impact lives in my remaining time here in Shanghai.
I feel incompetent to various things:
1. I have yet to train someone to take over my role of guitarist
2. Huan have yet to be HS baptised
I know these things will come back to 'haunt' me.
And as I reflected and thought through, I got this assurance from God that He's doing something, He's having something in mind. I'll just do what I have been doing, He'll show me...
God, swee la~!
-
Steven Furtick's
The greatest problem of American Christians when it comes to the Bible is not that we are not deep in God’s Word. The problem is that we are not active in God’s Word. We have a lot more revelation than our current level of active application. And revelation without application leads to stagnation.
Hebrews 4:12 tells us that the Word of God is “living and active.” The Bible was never meant to simply be a source of passive theological epiphanies that we gain as we delve deeper into it. It was meant to be a force that penetrates and delves deep into us and activates action.
I wonder if what we need is to gain a true understanding of what “depth” actually means. Deep teaching and preaching is not when I give my people insights they have never heard of before that will never be seen again when they disappear into vacuum of their minds or a drawer that holds all of their sermon notes. Deep teaching is teaching that enables, equips, and empowers people to live in light of the deep truths they are encountering.
The point of the study of the Bible is not to learn things you’ve never heard of before but to begin living in a way nobody has seen before. And this can only be the result of active engagement with God’s Word, not merely increased depth in God’s Word.
Romans 12:2 (New International Version)
2Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.
You know, in China, it's hard cause in many ways you want to live like a tiong, so that you wont loogie (lose out)
This verse has been a constant reminder, even when people comment that "You very effort leh"
Your capacity as a leader, a spouse, a parent, or an employee might be adequate right now, but it will be inadequate momentarily. The needs of those around you will constantly demand you to produce at a higher level. For this reason, we must have a healthy obsession with improving everything we do every time we do it. Not for the sake of pride. But for the sake of those who need us to be at our best and continually improving on our best.
There is a potential danger with this mindset. We can become so busy constantly obsessing over being better that we do not take the time to adequately celebrate and appreciate where we are and how far we’ve come. This danger is real. We must continually be thankful for what God has done in and through us.
Food for thought!
Labels: God
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Sunday, June 06, 2010 You make me proud
As much as I feel pity that I cant be physically part of comm care today, I am glad it meant so much to the people that benefited through this effort and more importantly, those 800 of you guys and girls that made all these possible.Like what Shirls said, it's going to be a great eye-opener for our youths. Our apathetic(?) youths- yes, it's a generalisation.
Seeing the number of status change in facebook, blog posts about serving the community, I guess in one way or another, God tugged the hearts of many of them today, about reality.
Together with the whole City Harvest saga, and some media that do not seem to be very objective in their reports, I felt really hearten that in some way or another, we're helping to improve the 'image' of being Christians. I fall into this whole like 'why they always attack Christians...' thing, but that also means that we're doing things right and the devil coming to mess things up.
Labels: God
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Monday, May 31, 2010 iheartrev
I kind of laughed at the fact that the congregation just overpowered Joel Houston with their spanish(?) version of "From the inside out"...Then I just sang along in Spanish (got some Il Divo practice going on in the past!) and thought, how amazing God is.
Philippians 2:9-11 (New International Version)
9Therefore God exalted him to the highest place
and gave him the name that is above every name,
10that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,
in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
11and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord,
to the glory of God the Father.
I have been watching the i heart revolution series online...
makes me think...makes me think
Labels: God
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Lost&Found
Couple of hours ago, shared with silly about the lost sheepCouple of hours ago, dewen asked about what made me kept the friendship i have with silly.
Today on Steven Furtick's blog, I came across this post of his...
Just because they left doesnt mean you lost
The other day someone brought up the name of a person who had left our church. Then they mentioned another person who left. Soon I chimed in about two or three people who had left, and before I knew it, I felt that old familiar sick to the stomach feeling…the feeling of failure.
Thousands of people have become a part of our church over the last 4 years. And, hundreds of people have left our church over the last 4 years.
But just because someone has left your life doesn’t necessarily mean you lost.
Some people leave because their life situation changed, God has work for them to do elsewhere, or their part in the story is simply over.
And even when someone leaves on more negative terms, that doesn’t mean you can’t rejoice in the part of their life that you did impact in a positive way.
I’ve had a few men who served in close proximity to me who ended up really going off the deep end spiritually. Watching the progression of how they left the church, destroyed their marriages, and seemingly gave up on God broke my heart. I did what I could to bring them back. It didn’t work. They’re gone.
I felt like I had lost. Did any of the investments I made in them matter? Was it all for nothing? Was all my preaching, teaching, and praying in vain?
I refuse to see it that way. I’ve just got to believe that God’s Word doesn’t return void, and there may come a day that all the seed I’ve sown will produce a harvest. I won’t let the devil tell me that I’m a loser or a failure because not everyone who is a part of my ministry completes their 180 degree transformation. Even Jesus didn’t have that kind of success rate.
Maybe sometimes God just allows me to help redirect someone back to Him in smaller increments-1 or 2 degrees. That counts for something too. Maybe He won’t always allow me to witness the complete success of someone I’ve invested in.
But if I’m faithful and obedient, my work in the Lord is never in vain.
It’s always a win.
To the silliest, most auntie, lousiest internet ever, craziest NTUC and yoshi xiaomei:
I guess to a point, it's no longer thinking about how to connect you back to God or church though it was the initial intention like the first few times after you left, it's the fun and love we have together subsequently over the N years, mostly at J8... Thank you for sharing your life with me and to me when you have absolutely no obligation to do so. I am glad somehow that you're back, just like somehow I came back and you said it could happen to you too. And it somehow did! Cant wait to meet up with you back at home ground!
Labels: God
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Sunday, May 30, 2010 God spoke
I think I have reached a conclusion :)Labels: God
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Sunday, May 23, 2010 他的理由
It's been a couple of hours already. But I cant seem to settle down...某日某时，好像随时会发生－没有想到会是今天
发生的当下，有一种害怕； 接着是刺激感
过后，
是担心－andrew和家庭会没事吗？
是忧愁－大家还好吗？
是鼓励－神会与我们同在，
是怒冤－讲什么开发，什么自由
我知道一切是神的安排，有他的理由
帖 撒 羅 尼 迦 前 書 3:6-8 (Chinese Union Version (Simplified))
6 但 提 摩 太 刚 才 从 你 们 那 里 回 来 ， 将 你 们 信 心 和 爱 心 的 好 消 息 报 给 我 们 ， 又 说 你 们 常 常 记 念 我 们 ， 切 切 的 想 见 我 们 ， 如 同 我 们 想 见 你 们 一 样 。
7 所 以 弟 兄 们 ， 我 们 在 一 切 困 苦 患 难 之 中 ， 因 着 你 们 的 信 心 就 得 了 安 慰 。
8 你 们 若 靠 主 站 立 得 稳 ， 我 们 就 活 了 。
ps: 事情没有很严重，不要担心...也请大家为我们祈祷 ;)
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Sunday, April 04, 2010 Another Kind of Easter
Another kind of Easter; without elaborate performances, without mind blowing visual and audio technologies, without invite cards and the oh-so-familiar Hall601...
Well I guess without all these, I did spent more time than I used to, to think about what Easter meant to me and give thanks in many ways.
Silly sk koi warrior: i'm really proud of your deliberate steps of rededication :)
Tingting: thanks for being such a great encourager and example to me here in SH (you probably wont get to read this but i want it to remind me in future...)
Tracy: It's your birthday today~ happy 21st and i am always so encouraged by your life as a young leader, facing many pressures yet being a strong and passionate woman of God!
Jia: for being so OBJECTIVE in many ways through our skype shepherding?, and understanding me as a living contradiction.
I played guitar for praise and worship today. I havnt been playing praise songs until I came over and man, strumming is challenging! And I have to also consider the slower pace of reading english for the congregation, which in turn, making me slow down my strumming as well... I shall keep that in mind for the next time I practice!
Andrew shared a really PERSONAL testimony which I really respect him for his courage. He went on to talk about doing our best to live up to the expectations of God, just like the sinner's prayer of 'helping me to be the kind of person You want me to be'. This phrase cannot be just a mere regurgitation, and I thought more so today...
Next weekend is retreat/camp at one of the off shore islands...Ps Jeff will be around, together with James. Oh, and they happened to be looking for some video recording device and so happen I brought my lousy DV to Shanghai...and WA-LA, I'll be doing camera work for retreat, and also playing for praise and worship. LOL~
I'm slightly more than half way through 'have a little faith' by Mitch Albom. And I have been drawing quite alot of insights from it. Issues that seems 'duh' but it really tugs your heart. I'll spend time in a Chinese- European style cafe, built with French and Belgium money, and complete the book! (if possible)
(the little boy has grown older~)
The Rose
Some say love it is a river
that drowns the tender reed
Some say love it is a razer
that leaves your soul to bleed
Some say love it is a hunger
an endless aching need
I say love it is a flower
and you it's only seed
It's the heart afraid of breaking
that never learns to dance
It's the dream afraid of waking that never takes the chance
It's the one who won't be taken
who cannot seem to give
and the soul afraid of dying that never learns to live
When the night has been too lonely
and the road has been too long
and you think that love is only
for the lucky and the strong
Just remember in the winter far beneath the bitter snows
lies the seed
that with the sun's love
in the spring
becomes the rose
The Rose
Some say love it is a river
that drowns the tender reed
Some say love it is a razer
that leaves your soul to bleed
Some say love it is a hunger
an endless aching need
I say love it is a flower
and you it's only seed
It's the heart afraid of breaking
that never learns to dance
It's the dream afraid of waking that never takes the chance
It's the one who won't be taken
who cannot seem to give
and the soul afraid of dying that never learns to live
When the night has been too lonely
and the road has been too long
and you think that love is only
for the lucky and the strong
Just remember in the winter far beneath the bitter snows
lies the seed
that with the sun's love
in the spring
becomes the rose
Labels: God
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Saturday, April 03, 2010 Good Friday-Sat-Easter Sunday
Well, I cant believe that I actually did thought of skipping CG for Alice in Wonderland on Good Friday. I know I'll never do that if it's back in Singapore, then why here in Shanghai...Which, I did went for CG in the end. (cause movie was cancelled)
So I got a book by Mitch Albom called 'have a little faith' while waiting for the bus to arrive. It cost only 10RMB~ haha! I am like into 30+ pages, but I sense a good story coming up.
I tried a new route to Andrew's place today via train, and it's so much more convenient to do transfers with this line. And I get to avoid the crazy human traffic at 人民广场.
I stepped out of 上海科技馆站 and God surprised me with an awesome looking evening sky...too bad I didnt have my camera around to capture a good picture of it.
" You paint the morning sky, with miracles in mind..."
For CG, we watched a movie called ‘Faith Like Potatoes' . Set in Kwa-Zulu Natal, South Africa, this story is about a Zambian farmer who leaves his farm in the midst of political unrest and racially charged land reclaims and travels south with his family to start a better life in KwaZulu Natal, South Africa. With nothing more than a caravan on a patch of land, and help from his foreman, Simeon Bhengu, the Buchan family struggle to settle in a new country. Faced with ever mounting challenges, hardships and personal turmoil, Angus quickly spirals down into a life consumed by anger, fear and destruction. Based on events in the life of Angus Buchan, the book was adapted for the big screen by award-winning actor and director, Regardt van den Bergh, and weaves together the moving journey of a man who, like his potatoes, grows his faith, unseen until the harvest.
Well, I watched with a much 'skeptical' heart cause the pace of the story was too quick and there wasnt enough details to develop the character. Mostly were made up of the very obvious outward expressions of the actors...That said, I guess the production team had to struggle with squeezing in enough content within the 97mins...
But I would say, the movie did bring me back to alot of head knowledge that I have that I need to review again in my heart.
"Are you ready to be a fool for God?"
please allow me to 'emo' (is it so?) for a moment...
Other things, I guess being misunderstood, being skeptical, being oversensitive, being cynical, being negative are all being human; after all, we are human beings.
Looks like (skeptical, yes) I am, in a sense, human. Feeling and going through these...
It could be a self mechanism that makes you want to defend for yourself while you're in a new environment. In some sort of ways, while defending (with a little reflection on my part), I realised that I am not the nicest of people, not the friendliest of sorts, not the most embracing kind... essentially, a great part of me loves being alone (mentally and physically). And I guess it's also hard to understand this part of me, which I dont myself. In many ways, I am a living contradiction. I know people close to me are often 'victims' to my 自闭ness sometimes, and NOW and THIS really makes me grateful for having you guys being my awesome friends!
Part of me feels like I need to explain myself...but the flesh is weak ya' know
Yet again, the above is me being highly skeptical...ignore me~
I assure you that it's only a rant and I'll get by it soon as I pray for forgiveness and for situation to turn around :)
Isaiah 55:7-9
7 Let the wicked forsake his way
and the evil man his thoughts.
Let him turn to the LORD, and he will have mercy on him,
and to our God, for he will freely pardon.
8 "For my thoughts are not your thoughts,
neither are your ways my ways,"
declares the LORD.
9 "As the heavens are higher than the earth,
so are my ways higher than your ways
and my thoughts than your thoughts.
Which reminded me of a conversation about love that I had with Yining a couple of days back...(hellos, if you are reading!)
And this holidays, I thank God for God that He has been very personal to me, especially so these few weeks while I am far from home. Lately, I have been waking up thinking I'm in my own bedroom back in Singapore.
Signs of homesickness, maybe?
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