Your Love Never Fails -Chris Quilala / Jesus Culture

Food for Thought.

"Excellence is the result of caring more than others think is wise, risking more than others think is safe, dreaming more than others think is practical and expecting more than others think is possible."

Howard Schultz

Knowing Him as Baruch

Happy Boxing Day 2010 everyone!

I really haven't loved to be home so much as these Christmas Holidays! December 2010 is a time I will remember, truly reminise about years after because it's been that much of a blessing. Dad in Heaven, thank You! <3

It's already half way the bench mark of my program in London. UWO Education Program at Althouse, frankly not what I'm most fond of, but God has been more then merciful throughout the course of my studies and LABOURING practicums (seriously labouring) the past 4 months. wow :)

God has put me through and in discomfort, living with different people and working under countless authorities to show me how good He REALLY IS. It's one of the most grateful things this holiday season to realize that! What highlight! :D The downside of this would be having hopelessly and bitterly wallowed in ungratefulness and homesickness for over one month before coming back to T.O. God had so graciously comforted me the moment I stepped foot home, reminding me of what is truly important in my life. Just last Wed. I met up with Pastor Sarah from New Hope Church in downtown Toronto (the most life giving and heart pouring transparent godly conversations I've ever had seriously <3>

I shared about reading a called 'Faith Enough to Finish - by Jill Briscoe'. I explained to her about how my life resembled defeat more than victory in Him because I have let the devil take hold of my life and He's been trampling ALL OVER it at the weakest moments in my life of these 4 months in London. Being in close proximity with certain people can be very tough, but as I experienced all that, I found myself full of excuses for waddling hopeless despair rather than asking God for help . Like Baruch in the book of Jeremiah in the Bible, in my mind honestly, I subconsciously gave up on believing that God even existed in my poor circumstances let alone fight the devil. In the book it quoted that 'we would rather live in defeat rather than asking God for help.' Pastor Sarah reminded of which completely began to change how I approached my faith. She said: ' To live is to know God'. It is to understand the possibility to life only through the work and presence of His Holy Spirit. what it means to allow our old self to be crucified with Christ and have Christ's life shine through you. Christ's life aught not to shine through only on glorious Sundays but everyday of following Him. I have been living in defeat for the longest time 2 months ago, self-righteously working out ways to be a blessing to extremely difficult people. My past mentality of being a blessing had been to force myself to love without God who is the full embodiment of love from the BEGINNING. I was reminded that I aught to decrease so that God can increase as He loves through me. I have to let go even of my intentions to love my roomate and let God's plan unfold. I don't know what He does until He does it so because love is a commandment for me only to glorify Him, I need to ONLY be a channel of His love to whoever God has placed in my life at a given time as my neighbour. My trap and I'm sure it is for most of us selfishly ambitious people is to do great things through God but it's wrong. Us fulfilling ourselves is heresy. What God wants more than anything is for Him to do great things through us. It is His heart and mind we adopt. Not our own.

The journey of seeing God's hand in this is detrimental but it is more than a blessing to finally understand what it means when (God says) do not fear for I am with you; do not be afraid for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.

- Isaiah 41:10

I'm beginning to know Him.

what a timely reminder to be thankful, to reflect on hope, on freedom. This is what this season is about it! Thankful, hopeful and free because of what Jesus came to do.

Merry Christmas & a Happy New Year 2011 everyone!!! :)

Amazing things God promises to His people in Psalm 145

.a life of praise as a lifelong response to a relentlessly loving God. This is the way He loves us.

Psalm 145

A Praise of David.

¹ I will extol You, my God, O King;
And I will bless Your name forever and ever.
² Every day I will bless You,
And I will praise Your name forever and ever.
³ Great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised;
And His greatness is unsearchable.

⁴ One generation shall praise Your works to another,
And shall declare Your mighty acts.
⁵ I^{a]" style="font-size: 0.75em; line-height: 0.5em; ">[a]} will meditate on the glorious splendor of Your majesty,
And on Your wondrous works.^{b]" style="font-size: 0.75em; line-height: 0.5em; ">[b]}
⁶ Men shall speak of the might of Your awesome acts,
And I will declare Your greatness.
⁷ They shall utter the memory of Your great goodness,
And shall sing of Your righteousness.

⁸ The LORD is gracious and full of compassion,
Slow to anger and great in mercy.
⁹ The LORD is good to all,
And His tender mercies are over all His works.

¹⁰ All Your works shall praise You, O LORD,
And Your saints shall bless You.
¹¹ They shall speak of the glory of Your kingdom,
And talk of Your power,
¹² To make known to the sons of men His mighty acts,
And the glorious majesty of His kingdom.
¹³ Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom,
And Your dominion endures throughout all generations.^{c]" style="font-size: 0.75em; line-height: 0.5em; ">[c]}

¹⁴ The LORD upholds all who fall,
And raises up all who are bowed down.
¹⁵ The eyes of all look expectantly to You,
And You give them their food in due season.
¹⁶ You open Your hand
And satisfy the desire of every living thing.

¹⁷ The LORD is righteous in all His ways,
Gracious in all His works.
¹⁸ The LORD is near to all who call upon Him,
To all who call upon Him in truth.
¹⁹ He will fulfill the desire of those who fear Him;
He also will hear their cry and save them.
²⁰ The LORD preserves all who love Him,
But all the wicked He will destroy.
²¹ My mouth shall speak the praise of the LORD,
And all flesh shall bless His holy name
Forever and ever.

a late afternoon reflection amidst the third snow day in London in 4 years

i saw a glimpse of eternity today. it was hopeful. that is why i decided to reproduce this journal entry to this blog of mine, of which i have subconsciously neglected for awhile.

I literally sat in front of my laptop today and Jaeson Ma's phrase on passion suddenly came to me again since 2 weeks ago when I heard Him speak. It was along the lines 'If my passion is not worth dying for, it is not worth living for.'

I knew it struck a cord in my heart, a thick one. I knew God was talking about my relationships and my desire to see reconciliation in my life and in this world. Not only that but seeing relationships being rebuilt and more new ones being built. I know I'm far from being perfect but I know that You are my God (Levitcus 20:24)and you will protect me whenever I take on any challenge You are blessing me with. I love what you can do in them midst of situations, circumstances, and in people when I obey to step out in faith, not fully seeing the end picture of it all. I want to rest not knowing but trusting that you've already answered and made the best decision for your beloved; You have conquered Satan in my situation at the cross. '⁷For God has not given us a spirit of timidity, but of power and love and discipline.' 2 Timothy 1:7 (NASB)
May this be a reminder Lord. May this attitude of obedience be in me as a witness to all of who I live for and what I live for. Let my life always claim victory over fear by Your spirit and bypass it like on eagles' wings (Isaiah 40:31). I trust You.

My Recent LAMENT

I'm on the brink on starting another school year, probably the last school I will have for a while. Just want to jot some sentimental and mindful thoughts down. Here we go..
TEST. wow. nearly never has it been a year that was THIS trying and difficult before, but God chose to have 2009-2010 school year to be the year and not to mention, continuing! When will it end is what I'm thinking to myself? :P

How do I deal with this inner turmoil that my exhausted heart and mind is suffocating in but completely unable to comprehend. The Psalms have been helpful especially Psalm 73 which talks very explicitly God's vindication for those who chooses to live righteously rather than wickedly, but this truth is very slow in connecting with not just my mind but especially my dear heart I find. SIGH.

Faith is being pushed to the limits even more so because it is the only thing now that is still there when nothing else seems to be a testimony of His goodness, His faithfulness and even His power. Now I haven't been speaking like this for a long time, but as I continue to collect my every thoughts at the moment, this is a great lament I know.
It is very hard to sense that God is good, faithful, just, powerful or ever in control when there seems to be a lack of regard for each other in people close me - it's exactly what's happening right now amongst my family; I feel like when we don't care to show love to one another, God is being totally ignored because He is love in character. Don't get me wrong, my emphasis is not being perfect loving because only God Himself can do that. Yet it is on the mere lack of concern of working towards loving people close to us. It feels cold all of a sudden, the lack of love, care, consideration, patience, gentleness and faithfulness. My heart is very tired. Why am I the only one who sees the need of LOVING EACH OTHER in my family? WHY? I feel that my family from my mom to sister to me, we all lack the sense of love but (excuse my harshness) my mom seems to be too internally paralyzed by self-centredness and contaminated by a pluralistic mind (- the lack of regards for the Source of Life) that it really seems like she only cares to love herself. It indeed affect us, especially my sister because she's not grown up yet and can't even understand till later. What do I do? :P

I pray that God will come and save as He has in the past every time!


12 For He will deliver the needy when he cries,
The poor also, and him who has no helper.
13 He will spare the poor and needy,
And will save the souls of the needy.
14 He will redeem their life from oppression and violence;
And precious shall be their blood in His sight.

Psalm 72:12-14 (A true fuel recently as I AM in dire need of every bit of it from HIM!) ;)