A Closed chapter…into a new season

It is an emotional day for me. I am about to send off a good friend I met in Bible college. She's heading back to Japan in a few hours …so hard to say ‘Goodbye’! It seems like yesterday while I awaited for a new housemate…Hello then sounded so strange…from an acquaintance to a dear friend for 2 years. We watched each other grow and journey this life together. We laughed, prayed, cried, cooked, shopped and not forgetting those girls giggle…tears just flow as I can see those images flash across my mind.

Harumi: “Hey, remember, you are the one who opened my bank account, can I have the honor for you to close it with me today!” Wow…it is really hard for me to do that! After our morning tea (I baked some pastry and hot English breakfast tea…with music playing…). It’s a joy to spend time with someone so special…oh...it is also her birthday too!

Well, we all need to face reality and realize that some people are in our life for a season. But their footprints will stay forever in our heart. I am thankful for this opportunity to meet so many great individual and do life with them the best I could here.

A closed chapter is not a bad thing – so that one can begin a a new chapter! So I wrote, “My pleasure to do this journey with you here, and to my honor to close this chapter with you here. That means a new season is waiting for you in Japan. There 're still many things to do, places to go, and people to love. Be blessed my princess…”

He is the Light

There is no darkness in LIGHT.

In him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. (John 1: 4-5)

I have been thinking a lot lately. After the journal on the topic ‘shame’, there is a clearer understanding that the reason for exposing our shame and darkness is to give us a new way of living. “He whom the son sets free is free indeed”. When I really mediate upon this verse, it is indeed a very powerful one with great meaning to life. We are called to walk in freedom and not in partial wholeness or with any form of crippling. The reason why we struggle is because we give the evil one permission to take control of our weaknesses! It is a choice. If we are willing to surrender, Jesus will keep us safe and the evil one cannot harm us. Amen

I John 5: 3- 5

“For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments. And his commandments are not burdensome. For everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world--our faith. Who is it that overcomes the world except the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?”

SHAME

1a. A painful emotion caused by a strong sense of guilt, embarrassment, unworthiness, or disgrace. (b) Capacity for such a feeling
2. One that brings dishonor, disgrace, or condemnation.
3. A condition of disgrace or dishonor; ignominy.
4. A great disappointment.

If you can’t talk about it, it will own you.

Last weekend, I attended a Spirit Fire conference that literally changed my mindset in certain area in my life. I do applause the speaker for delivering his sermon in such a direct yet sincere that all can benefit.

Many of us are crippling in our walk because of our hidden shame (secret) in life! We are numbed by the deceptions the devil put in our thoughts and lives. We are ashamed to talk about our shame and therefore, we are not able to really walk free from this bondage that bound us. Total freedom comes only when we are willing to confront those areas that are well-locked in our lives! Well, one might defense by saying, “I did confess my sins or I’ve come clean with God about it!” But think again….did we?

It is an area that the Lord will not force us to surrender or if we choose to hide or conceal it! ‘He has given us this total freedom’! He will not (or rather cannot) force anyone to confess. It is a choice. Many would ask, why in the 1^st place did God choose to trust Adam and Eve, or assumed they will not eat from the tree? Well, the answer is, it is a free-will he bestowed to humankind. First of all, He did not create us to be his puppets or slaves (obey the master’s command), but He has made us His friend so that we can have fellowship with us.

'Anything that is hidden in darkness can only be exposed in the Light'. I can assure you that there is no greater freedom than to reach those keys that locked us in. Only we can have the key to unlock those areas we choose to LOCK (to shut or make secure with; escape is impossible; hold fast)! The question is ‘Do we lock ourselves to feel safe?’ Btw, we lock our possession in a safe place so that no one can steal it or we want to hide/conceal it from other. Then, why do we still choose to lock ourselves (shames, secrets) in for so long? But Jesus said, “I stand at the door and knock. IF anyone hear m y voice an opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me.” (Rev 3: 20) Indeed, he is a perfect gentleman. He is waiting for us to reach out to the door and open it for him to come in. 'It is an invitation not an invasion' (entrance of an armed force into a territory to conquer). Take note, this door has only one door handle, it is your choice whether to open it or not. If you do, he will come in and be with you. However, if you refuse, He is still waiting patiently for you at the door. He never runs out of patient…but we are running out of time. So, the invitation (personal) is sent, the banquet was ready, but it is up to individual to respond!

A Sanitized Generation?

Are we sanitized by what we see, hear or witness everyday? Have our conscious gone cold and we are not able to feel anymore. There are so many horrific, bloody and immoral images that we watch on movies or media. Have you ever wonder if it has silent our God-given conscious in some way or another. What’s our emotion responding when we watch a gothic or horror graphics that do not make us feel uneasy or terrified anymore? So are we numbed to them coz we had too much these days or simply feel it’s not real anymore!

My lecturer shared about his son & friends were playing this computer game which needs them to kill in order to gain points. It includes killing a grandma, knock over a pregnancy woman crossing the street, drive a car thru a person on the road’…etc and the kids are thinking That’s FUN! The other thing he mentioned was, few years back after walking out of a cinema after the movie ‘Silent of the Lamb’; many youth were actually laughing at the ‘killing scenes’ as if it was a funny movie! Well, I must say, it is not funny at all but we really need to be careful what we feed our mind, soul and spirit daily. Don’t allow the right values and morals in life be overshadowed by what is perverted or things that are dark or evil!

I think we need to be careful what we watch and listen. We must not allow the junk or what is wrong to drown the conscious. Allow the Holy Spirit to whisper to our ears: take heed and listen to what He has to say – things that are good, right, pure, joyful, and loving. We need to start now if not it will be too late…and the consequence will be too BIG for us to bear! It’ll take a few generations to undo one generation mistakes! So be watchful for what our youth are watching and playing during their leisure. Otherwise, by the time we realized… It’s GAME OVER!

..::There’s always a natural order::..

I was jus thinking about this incident which I thought might as well share it today. Well, I have an interesting case in counseling. It's about a girl coming to me with her girlfriend issue! She has openly expressed to me about her lesbian practice. She is a beautiful young woman with a combination of looks and talents. To cut the long story short, I have been telling her that if she would be a girl again, there’s a nice guy waiting to date her...

Our team prayed abt it 2 weeks ago for this situation at our workplace. Well, i know the Lord is bringing a change in her. Just this week, there’s a guy who gets really interested in her after a group outing and ‘going after her now’! The true is, no matter how she thinks she is a boy; there is a sense of satisfaction and feeling of being loved within: I read it from her text messages about how he has sent 40 texts in a day to her and had asked her out! He volunteers to pay for her grocery & buy her dinner! Wow…that’s fast I must say. Although, she might be denying it but deep down I know she feels flattered and valued as a girl!

Well, don’t you think it is natural and true that God has created us this way! No matter how hard we try to deny, “Girls like to be chase and Boys like to do the chasing”. Edwin, Cole L, says “A satisfied woman is a one who gets attention from the opposite sex”! It is a bold simple truth. How many times a girl feels unloved or not beautify simply coz she’s not being pursued (No boy likes me at all)! Why boys will always try to go after the most beautiful girl in school? Well, he simply likes going after the best prize to prove his manhood or he just likes the challenge (Once he succeed, He’s the man)!

So boys, don’t be shy to do what’s right! It is not the end of the world if she rejects you…it’s her lost! And…there’s another beautiful girl waiting for a prince to make her feel like a prize, a princess she always wannabe!

‘The promise will make way for the purpose…’

Wow...what a powerful statement! I believe that everyone of us has a promise in our lives one way or another! When we believe it and hold on to it, it'll become a pushing force to drive us to ‘our purpose’! The scripture says, ‘the people without visions shall perish’! No wonder, so many people are crying out daily such as, ‘Why am I here?’ ‘What's the purpose in life? We cried because there is no sense of purpose in this journey called LIFE!

But be encouraged, if God has put in eternity in every heart, He knows and holds our future. We just need to be still to listen to His small voice.

Everyone has a purpose…we must keep our eyes on the ‘promise’ He has made with us - The Cross, the precious blood of the Lamb and the rainbow (after the Noah's flood); they are God’s covenant to us. He has promised never to leave or forsake us. So take heart, His promise will make way for the purposes in our lives.

Patient

Well, still no sign of my bike after 2 weeks of vigorous shopping for one! To be honest, the main reason is that I couldn’t find a suitable 24” bike within my budget! Most of the bikes are 26” which are too huge for me! Talk abt eyes for good stuff, I am frustrated that any bike that I fancy were just too expensive (I can pay for my Dec’ car rego!)I need Endurance & Patience by my sides!

Talk abt patience, I was put to many trials this week that really stretch me! I reckon the Lord is really teaching me to ‘Wait and not rush’! Yeah, I think this is the ‘test’ for me now. A few occasions, I was acting very impulsively to just ‘buy’ the bike but what really stopped me was the circumstances - either the wrong color or out of stock! My good friend & I went around many different suburb malls to look for our bikes for our new hobby…the rate we are going, the interest will die and eventually give up the idea totally!! See this is exactly what the Lord is ‘telling me’! Do you really want it? Can you endure the race? How long is it going to last?

I really think I need to be patient & the only place to learn it is thru live ‘TESTS’!

“Although we must have ‘FAITH’ to move the mountains, but we must have “PATIENT” to see the mountains moved”

FULL ON

Just a thought:

“The evil in our desire typically does not lie in what we want, but in we want it too much.” (John Calvin)

Work is overwhelming for me today, so many ‘fire fighting’ situation at boarding school (place where I work and practice counseling)! I have learned not to be quick to speak and show love and empathy for these new students coming here from Asia to study. It is funny that I forgot that they are just 15-17 yrs old teens who need love, listening hears and someone to laugh with them.

I have to remind myself, “Never allow familiarity to rob us from our call of duty”. We tend to overlook a lot of things coz we think that we have done it so many times anyhow!

In the situation, I remembered that I’m there to communicate love, care and counsel these students not to be angry when things don’t turn up my way or they are simply too noisy! “Boys will be boys and girls will be girls…” & “Teens will be teens…”

It is so wonderfully when one takes time to chat or talk to hear what the other person is saying. Many time, we are quick to say than to take time to listen (hear) attentively. Tonight, this temperamental boy accepts my suggestion of counseling with him. He is so willing to share and wanting me to help him with anger and violent behaviour episodes. Wow, it is so easy to extend my help & didn’t take much effort at all! What a fulfilling evening for me…time to sleep now!