Thank so much to everyone who made such a great effort in keep this blog alive over the summer! I believe all of us agree that it has helped us to catch up with one another and share with others how our holiday was going despite being miles apart! I hope all of you have been blessed by this blog in one way or another:) I did! However noticed a trend that when everyone came back to Brissy, the blog died. I figured since it was such a great success over the summer, I would love to continue to keep this blog alive!

So I was just wondering if anyone else is on board this aim of keeping this blog alive??!!

(cos obviously I won’t be able to do it myself!!)

I have decided to add some new features to the blog, so to maybe keep it more exciting! And that would be our new prayer corner for people who need prayer request, and would like the whole lifegroup to pray along side them! Secondly is our birthday babies, this is to remind one another whose birthdays are coming up! Finally would be our currently highlights, which give you insights on what’s the latest happenings in lifegroup and even church wide events. For example, in Judah4 this year, we have planned many cool and exciting lifegroup discussion series for each month!

So stay tuned for more!

People, BE EXCITED! BE PREPARED! God has a great year installed for ALL OF YOU!

I did not go to Bali because my cousin from jakarta and her family came to visit us. She brought her future husband along as well, which really surprised us. He has a good face, tall, kind and patient. I am really happy that finally she found the perfect man for her. We went karaoke, eat good food around surabaya until we became a bit fat and watched movies. I like Avatar =D. Anyway, we agree that my cousin marry him. The wedding will be held on 6 th of november and i can’t attend their wedding because i will have final exams on that day >.<.

I never go to the dentist before because i really had no problem with my teeth. However, i had to go there this time because my last teeth hurts badly. I was really scared when the dentist told me to have a surgery because my last teeth grew horisontally. I always prayed that God take away all my fears and cowardness before the surgery. A week after I had tooth surgery. It went well and it was not as painful as i imagine because the surgeon had given local anaesthetic before. My sister told me that my dad and mom almost cried when they look at me after the surgery. A week after that i can eat again yay =D! No more teeth problem!

And about housemaid… God gave us 2 new diligent housemaid!! Praise God!! I dont have to clean the house anymore =D

So, in conclusion, we have to give all of our worries and fears to God and He will answer our prayers =D

I’m sorry that i couldn’t find the verse that I read before because this happened a while ago.

God bless you all,

Talisa =D

“Quit living as if the purpose of life is to arrive safely at death. Set God-sized goals. Pursue God-ordained passions. Go after a dream that is destined to fail without divine intervention. Keep asking questions. Keep making mistakes. Keep seeking God. Stop pointing out problems and become part of the solution. Stop repeating the past and start creating the future. Stop playing it safe and start taking risks. Accumulate experiences. Consider the lilies. Criticize by creating. Find every excuse you can to celebrate everything you can. Live like today is the first day and last day of your life. Don’t let what’s wrong with you keep you from worshiping what’s right with God. Burn sinful bridges. Blaze new trails. Worry less about what people think and more about what God thinks. Don’t try to be who you’re not. Be yourself. Laugh at yourself. Quit holding out. Quit holding back. Quit running away.

Chase the lion.”

Guys I can’t emphasise enough……THIS IS THE YEAR! Grab hold of a dream God has laid on your heart. Hold it tight and don’t let any lie, any thought, any situation, any circumstance, steal it away from you. And run with it. Run with God and get ready to see how God will do so much more!

Now runner are you ready!!!!!!!

On your marks!

Get set!!

GO!!!!!!!!!!!!

Let’s run together!

♥Mimi

However, this time, even though I was dragged out of my house to the car, I prayed and talked to God for advise not to recall about the past. He gave me the courage to be myself (not to over react, not to lose my temper, etc.). In addition, He shower me with the heart of compassion towards them, to listen to them. Which, I did! I can’t believe I did!!! Not only that. I get to know how are my cousins doing (Without the feeling of being compared, Thank God). I felt calm for the first time after donkey years. Even better, the adults are welling to talk to me nicely, not “You know, you should blah blah blah like my daughter! She is SOOOOO good in blah blah blah.” I get to know almost each of them better, and hopefully the dispute between them will some how disappear…

What is even better, they treat me now like a grown up. Someone to talk to I guess? I felt God telling me, “See! Compassion wins over negative perspective!” I believe God made me more mature in terms of my thoughts and thinking, and builds my compassion for people. I was trying hard to read the bible, as reading is one of greatest problem. However, I was immediately given the verses I last read three months ago, Eph 4:29-32. Hopefully it will come in handy.

^“29Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. ³⁰And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. ³¹Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. ³²Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.”

- BibleGateway.com

Some people might have not been through or don’t have to go through family problems, however, it is not only in the family members we as Children of God shows compassion too, it is the billions of people out there in the World who requires to learn about compassion too. No matter where, when or who they are. When we pray upon God’s word, and believe that God will help us through the times we thought might be the worst, believe that God can do miracles!

I know this is random, but I some how remember this. “It is not the person God gets angry or upset with, but it is the bad things that they do. These bad things are created by Satan.” Friends, lets conquer our negative perspective with compassion!!! (Ok… This sound so movie like. =X) Well, you get my idea.

God Bless to all,

DC  

My holiday is going not so well. I had been temptated into a lot of things which are against with God. All the time through 2009, I was with you guys, leaders, and sheperd, with everyone’s encouraging and watching, I kept on going closer to God. And i know, yea.. I was so inspired and excited with my plan and our plan just before I come back to china. But things didnt go the way that I expected them to go. For the first month, I felt like I was so free, I dont have to think about whether I’m going to prayer meeting or lifegroup or church, everyday is just holiday, everynight- free! I hang around with my friends everyday, play pool, go to club and bar, drinking, eating. Not thinking about whether what I am doing and saying is reflecting God’s will and rightousness at all.

But it’s not happy at all…I was so not happy. Every night I come back home, lie down on the bad, the feeling of emptyness, brokeness and fakeness come to me. I try to remember what I did in the day, I realise that all I did was so not meaningful and worthy. I was not being me at all. I started looking for the things that can please me. But I failed. Nothing can.

Now it’s been 2 months, I finally found the thing that can make me feel whole, the thing that can make me true and real. It is ONLY GOD. Every night, he talks to me. He breaks my heart into peices and teaches me that what I am doing now is not worthy and right. But I kept on saying no no no to Him, I told him that I wanna have my own life, I wanna do whatever I wanna do, I  wanna be free. But even though I said no to Him, he never leaves me. Just like how he held me tight 2 years ago when I just accepted Him.

I open the bible, He talked to me through it, ” And he will stand, for the Lord is able to make him stand.” (Romans 14:4) I was being so weak and shaken, failing the test that God has put in my life, feeling guilty and lost. But God still keeps on telling me that, He will hold me tight and won’t let me go, he make me stand against the weakness and sin. In Him, I find the true mal and the life that I want.

That’s what I went through in this 2 months, thank God, Praise God.
I’m making a plan to help myself keep close to Him and not turn back again.

How are your holidays going? I cant logon our blog, sad,, feeling so lost and left behind~
If you guys have new exciting story with God, email me~

Love, Mal.

Credit to Gordon MacDonald, “Ordering Your Private World” Symptoms of Disorganization

1) The desk is on cluttered appearance and littered with papers and memos which have not been responded

2) The condition in my car

3) Become aware of a diminution in my self-esteem

4) Tend to invest energies in unproductive tasks

5) Disorganized people felt poor about their work

6) Disorganized Christian rarely enjoy intimacy with God

7) The quality of my personal relationships usually reveals it

We just don’t like ourselves, our jobs, or much else about our worlds Central principle of all personal organization of time is simple: time must be budgeted!!

Where your priorities are, there your time will be!! Recapturing My Time MacDonald’s Laws of Unseized Time

Law 1: Unseized time flows toward my weaknesses The author suggests that we should focus our time doing things we are good at with excellence effectiveness. John C. Maxwell, author of “ Talents is Not Enough”, also suggest that focusing time on our strength instead of our weaknesses. E.g. I am a nature flat footer and it’s a weakness in sports. Therefore, I shouldn’t waste my time of working on to becoming a sports star even though I love sport very much, unless you’re really clear that is what God call you for then you should just go for it and God bless you. =)

Law 2: Unseized time come under the influence of dominant people in my world Especially when, as a young person, we are eagle to please people. E.g. Your church friend ask you out for a coffee or your boyfriend or girlfriend ask for a movie while you know you should have preparing for exam on next time.

Law 3: Unseized time surrenders to the demand of all emergences The title speaks for itself. Basically we just say YES YES YES!!! to every invitation that pop up to you at your very moment on doing something important or on your commitment on your schedule. Learn to propose it to later date that fit into your free time in your planned calendar. How time is recaptured? Knowing your rhythm of maximum effectiveness
1) Knowing various tasks you accomplish best at certain time and under certain conditions. E.g.: I read and absorb better at 5-7 a.m. in the morning. I tend to sleep if I have a full stomach of lunch. So, eat less and no reading after lunch. Every evening jogging is important for emotional release before I continue to do revision after a tiring day of studying. Study time on weekdays and play time on weekends. Morning for readings and making notes while afternoon for meeting with people where I am more reflective and insightful while nighttime for self-reflection. Etc. What is yours?
2) Knowing how much sleep you need? According to sleeping specialist, normal human need 3 hours to complete a deep sleep cycle so it’s suggest that you wake up after sleep for 3,6 or 9 hours. Waking up in the middle of deep sleep cycle actually make you felt fatigue and bad throughout the day as if you never sleep. Personally tried this and I find that 6 and a half hours is just nice for me, as a young man =) Take note that do sleep consistently on the same time so that it would not affect your daily rhythm of life.
3) Knowing that you need to regain your strength before Lord! By consistent daily quiet time, reflection of God’s words, praying and worshiping God. It shows its importance in below example. You can’t skip this anyway as a Christian as that’s the purpose of your life. E.g. You went through a funeral in the week. You’ve read a sad novel. You have continuously allowed yourself listening to emotional songs. Conclusion, you are looking for troubles yourself and making yourself emotional. Your life is going be miserable if you don’t turn back to God.
4) I must have good criteria for choosing how to use my time. Challenge is grab the best out of all possible good but not separating out good from the bad.
5) Budget it far in advance. Get a calendar book and fill in all your dates, exams and commitments so that you know it clear that when you are free for emergences.
6) List down your priorities and commitments. List down your priorities of what you are going to focus your time on. List down your daily commitments and weekly commitments that you shall not compromise with any other stuff. Put them all in your timetable and print them. Always have them with your calendar book.

Be Blessed.

Cheers,
Steven

This morning God just rocked my world reminding me about this verse. Let me put it in the Amplified version…

^“Now to Him Who, by (in consequence of) the [action of His] power that is at work within us, is able to [carry out His purpose and] do superabundantly, far over and above all that we [dare] ask or think [infinitely beyond our highest prayers, desires, thoughts, hopes, or dreams]–“

in Acts 2 it says in the last days, God will our out His Spirit on all people. Sons and daughters will prophesy, young men will see visions, old men will dream dreams.

i believe we are in that time.

i believe He is pouring out His Spirit, and He is enabling us to prophesy, to see visions, to dream dreams.

And that’s because He wants us to see, He wants to prepare us… because what God desires to do in and through our lives is beyond our wildest dreams, desires, hopes, thoughts, prayers… and He is pouring out His Spirit and imparting faith so that we may partner with Him to even greater things.

The craziest, biggest, wildest, most far fetched thing you can imagine God doing through your life? He can do and has WAY MORE than that planned. (besides the giving you a ferrari or brad pitt)

you know, judah 4 was started because God gave a young girl a dream, a vision. and then He gave many others that same dream. they shared the dream, they believed in it, they were consumed by it. those men and women took steps of faith. and now look where we are today.

i believe in this generation there will rise up men and women who will dream and be used by God to see their families, high schools, universities, tutorial groups, soccer teams come to know Christ. to start Bible studies, to start life groups, to start churches. to eradicate poverty, abolish abortion, rescue orphans, cure cancer. to see their best friend, sister, brother, teacher come to know Christ. to see nations changed, people saved, the name of God lifted up and the church be answer.

i believe God is saying it’s time to dream again.

2010 is going to be a big amazing incredible year. i believe He is going to bring about SO many things that we can’t even begin to see or understand yet.

i hope you feel as challenged and as encouraged as i do.

so let’s ask God for more of His Spirit. let’s see not just with our natural eyes, but with our spiritual man. and then in faith let’s begin to prophesy what He is going to bring about. to see with eyes of faith a vision of what God can do. to dream big, BIG and BIGGER.

and then see what God will do in and through our lives.

The second day of a new year is a good time to stop, reflect, refocus and consider where we are going. The question for today is not, “Where are you going?” but rather, “Where will you be when you get there?” This morning all of us are taking the first steps on a 364-day journey. Where will you be when you arrive at December 31? What will you do with the gift of a new beginning that God has given you? In order to help us think about this in a practical way.

If you are married, I urge you to discuss these questions with your spouse. If you are in a small group, take your first session this year to go over these questions. Thinking through these questions together will help make 2010 truly life-changing for you.

1. What’s one thing you could do this year to increase your enjoyment of God?
2. What’s the most humanly impossible thing you will ask God to do this year?
3. What’s the single most important thing you could do to improve the quality of your family life this year?
4. In which spiritual discipline do you most want to make progress this year, and what will you do about it?
5. What is the single biggest time-waster in your life, and what will you do about it this year?
6. What is the most helpful new way you could strengthen your church?
7. For whose salvation will you pray most fervently this year?
8. What’s the most important way you will, by God’s grace, try to make this year different from last year?
9. What one thing could you do to improve your prayer life this year?
10. What single thing that you plan to do this year will matter most in ten years? In eternity? In addition to these ten questions, here are twenty-one more to help you “Consider your ways.” Think on the entire list at one sitting, or answer one question each day for a month.
11. What’s the most important decision you need to make this year?
12. What area of your life most needs simplifying, and what’s one way you could simplify in that area?
13. What’s the most important need you feel burdened to meet this year?
14. What habit would you most like to establish this year?
15. Who do you most want to encourage this year?
16. What is your most important financial goal this year, and what is the most important step you can take toward achieving it?
17. What’s the single most important thing you could do to improve the quality of your work life this year?
18. What’s one new way you could be a blessing to your pastor (or to another who ministers to you) this year?
19. What’s one thing you could do this year to enrich the spiritual legacy you will leave to your children and grandchildren?
20. What book, in addition to the Bible, do you most want to read this year?
21. What one thing do you most regret about last year, and what will you do about it this year?
22. What single blessing from God do you want to seek most earnestly this year?
23. In what area of your life do you most need growth, and what will you do about it this year?
24. What’s the most important trip you want to take this year?
25. What skill do you most want to learn or improve this year?
26. To what need or ministry will you try to give an unprecedented amount this year?
27. What’s the single most important thing you could do to improve the quality of your commute this year?
28. What one biblical doctrine do you most want to understand better this year, and what will you do about it?
29. If those who know you best gave you one piece of advice, what would they say? Would they be right? What will you do about it?
30. What’s the most important new item you want to buy this year?
31. In what area of your life do you most need change, and what will you do about it this year?

In all that you do may the name of our Lord Jesus Christ be glorified.

MERRY CHRISTMAS and a HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Almost exactly a year ago I remember having a conversation/shepherding lesson with some girls I was doing life with. We were talking about what our biggest regrets were in 2008.

And interestingly enough, our biggest regrets were not the things we had done WRONG but the things we had NOT DONE. It was the missed God-opportunities.

It was the excuses we’d made, the fears we’d allowed to hold us back, the inconveniences that we’d found too inconvenient to make us move out of our comfort zones!

This year looking back… I’ve found that it is the same.

There may have been times where I’d made a complete fool of myself, where I’d made the biggest mess up of things, done or said things that I regret… we all wish we could hit the rewind button or turn back time and do things differently.

But what’s funny is that those experiences don’t weigh as heavy on my heart as the times where God had SAID something to me, OPENED doors for me, PROMPTED me on something… and due to fear, laziness, selfishness, greed… I’d not done those things or even TRIED.

very recently I almost missed one of those God opportunities.

i almost missed out the chance to help someone in need (which i know will lead to more open doors into that person’s life) and i’m not proud to say, what would have been my excuse if i’d not helped?

i was actually selfishly telling myself that i didn’t really want to have a conversation with that person, because it would take too much of my time and energy. how ironic is it that i was busy planning how i could grow in God in 2010?? (well here’s an opportunity to start now! God must have been saying)

thank God i heeded the Holy Spirit’s prompting in my heart! or else i would seriously have regretted it the rest of 2010, which hasn’t even started!!!

I really think it is something God is speaking (or SHOUTING to get my attention!) to me about before 2010 comes.

This is what I read last night before I went to bed (you know those times when you read something and you feel like it was written just for you just at the right time??)

“…I think our deepest regrets are missed opportunities. Action regrets taste bad, but inaction regrets leave a bitter aftertaste that lasts a lifetime. Inaction regrets haunt us because they leave us asking, “What if?” We wonder how our lives would have been different had we taken the risk or seized the opportunity.

Failing to take a risk is almost like losing a piece of the jigsaw puzzle of your life. It leaves a gaping hole. When we get to the end of our lives, our greatest regrets will be the missing pieces.“

You know, I believe without a doubt God is sovereign and so He uses EVERY single experience, circumstance, every single day and moment for His plan in our lives. So whether there are regrets that we may have- it’s not too late and you don’t have to beat yourself up over it. God still can use every regret and missed opportunity for His plan in your life. God is a God of second chances and He is master at connecting the dots in ways we cannot understand!

So leave the past behind us, leave 2009 behind us and let me say exactly the same thing I said to those girls almost a year ago: let us seize every God ordained opportunity in 2010.

So make the decision in your heart now, and write it down somewhere, make it part of your new years’ resolutions, post it on your wall!

Determine before God that you will NOT let any fear, any doubt, any inconvenience, any laziness, any selfishness hold you back when God speaks, prompts, opens that door.

i know sometimes we want to stick to schedules, plans and what is convenient. (personally being almost a control freak i LOVE it!)

But something that i have come to realize as I’ve allowed God to throw me in all sorts of situations over the years: the best memories, most unforgettable experiences are the ones we DIDN’T plan.

They’re the ones we went out on a limb on, took a risk, followed the Holy Spirit’s leading, or sometimes for our own good God left us without a choice.

And usually these are the ones we remember forever, and changed us forever.

So as you look forward to and seek God about 2010:
make those plans yes! but remember to leave some room, plan for the unplannable, be flexible, be courageous. walk in step with the Holy Spirit.

Have faith: embracing uncertainty. so in the new year let’s together embrace the uncertainties and the opportunities even when they are out of your comfort zone, confronting your deepest fears, and inconvenient, and see how God will move far beyond what we can ever dream or imagine.

i know that’s going to be one of my new year’s resolutions

oh and if you need any motivation… watch that clip from “Facing the Giants”!

pray for all of you! MISS YOU ALL and can’t wait till you all get back… looking forward to 2010 with you!

much love, cait