what it all comes down to

there's nothing more attractive than a person who prays and knows where their strength comes from..though they pray behind closed doors, they exude an aura words cannot express which no mimicry can match - simply because those who don't pray cannot see it to mimic it. these people know the best investment that yields the best return. If I want to be a prayer warrior, I must pray like a prayer warrior and act like one. Pray boldly without ceasing, and in action, not worry about the rest but leave it all to God. God is in charge of the big picture.

everything takes time, and there is a time for everything....one must be persistent. Just like King David, who chose to constantly look up higher to God's mightiness and mercy rather than his imperfections and weaknesses.

just putting into words my revelations for today
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Source: via Maggie on Pinterest

they say beautiful breakdown..because you see, the ugliness must be broken for a beautiful restoration. 

as we welcome the 2012 olympics..

"In athletics, if you come up against a particular high hurdle that you have to jump, you take a longer run! If you want to vault over it, you go further back. You do not try to lift yourself up over the high hurdle from which you are on the ground. The further back you go, the longer you run, and the momentum will carry you over."

-  Dr. David Martyn Lloyd Jones 

family

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SOMEONE told me about an old man who had lived his life unable to read or write. He was so ashamed that he spent much of his energy trying to hide this fact from others instead of seeking help. I was shocked..'this really happens in Australia??". It's sad because someone is born with so much potential but because of neglect it has become a disability by default. There are cases of the government neglect, but most cases of neglect begin from unstable family conditions...and this really saddens me. When you get to the root of the matter it's the families that need to be restored. The father needs to step up into his role as leader of the family, one which comes with great responsibility but also great joy, privelege and honour. The mother's broken heart needs to be restored so she can love her children. The 21st century has gone through a lot of different fears and unfortunate events, but rather than terrorism, infectious diseases and unexpected natural disasters and other threats to physical harm, I think one of the most unfortunate things is the fragility of families. For this is the reason why kids are not being nurtured and flourish as they should. Parents who are unable to solve their issues are unable to look after their kids because they already have the burden of their unresolved personal issues. Today a lot of the focus may be in being financially ready for a wedding day, but being emotionally prepared for marriage is time and time again what married people say is required for a happy marriage and ultimately a happy family.

I feel kind of powerless writing about such topics on this blog at times, because of my sheer futility in this area (I mean I'm not even married myself haha..)...and I question myself as to why I'm writing about it at all. But people write to express their ideas and this has been a thought that has grown in my mind over the years which I had wanted to address in writing sometime, even though I may be the only one reading this. I guess it's an area I've grown passionate about over the years, since I've thought about it alot since seeing different types of issues having the same negative impact on families. My ongoing prayer is that families within our communities, nation and throughout the world begin repairing and blossom with respect and love. May all children have an opportunity to flourish in love.

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a love of candles

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MY LOVE of candles goes back to sixth grade.
I used to find comfort in collecting things wherever I went. It began with favourite cartoon clippings carefully cut out from newspapers, which I'd neatly arrange to fit into my small cardboard box. One day, they disappeared (actually mum removed them..I think she got a bit worried I was spending time doing such things rather than being active). Then one day someone gave me a candle as a gift. Then I was hooked...I started collecting, then my friends started giving me candles as gifts. I never lit them up worried that I'd set the house on fire. Later on, to my dismay, I let go of my candle fetish after mum convinced me it was extra stuff that I never used, and plus we were moving so the less stuff we had the better. I can't remember if I gave them away or threw them away but a part of me cried inside because over the years I had attached myself to them. After that, I stopped collecting. As an adult I understand the practicality of NOT collecting and forgive my mum for coercing me to let go of my candle babies...sigh.

Recently I started my candle loving again, lighting one almost every night. I fall asleep as I watch the shadows of the flame dance on the wall and the scent permeate the air to envelope me. There's something magical about it all.

tonight is such a melancholy night I feel nostalgic all around...

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                                                                           Source: Uploaded by user via Tina on Pinterest

advice yay or nay?

The man who is willing to put in the time and meet the requirments is the one you want to stick around, because tthat guy is making a conscious decision that he, too, has no interest in playing games and will do what it takes to not only stay on the job, but also get promoted and be the proud beneficiary of your benefits. And you, in the meantime, win the ultimate prize of maintaing your dignity and self-esteem, and earning the respect of the man who recognized that you were worth the wait.” 
― Steve Harvey, Act Like a Lady, Think Like a Man: What Men Really Think About Love, Relationships, Intimacy, and Commitment

mmm yay or nay? I'm not a fan of self-help books but this stuff is the same exact advice some guys have given me about guys..I also think it says alot about the book that he wrote it from a christian father's point of view for his two daughters in their twenties. If all women knew these things there would be less heartache. So good guys, keep being nice - it might take you longer to meet someone, but I can assure you, beautiful mature women are looking for the good guys :)


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Job's amazing story

Will your grace run out 

if I let you down  

cos all I know is how to run

cos I am a sinner 

if it's not one thing it's another

you are a saviour

and take brokenness aside 

and make it beautiful

THERE IS one book in the Bible I had almost always overlooked whenever I opened it. Each time I would flip the pages and land in that part, I'd quickly skip it as if it were a contagious disease. I had never read it in full because it seemed so depressing, yet today while reading it I was surprised to discover it ended...as a happy ending. In fact, one of the happiest I had read in the bible. And such a story it is!

So here's how it goes:
Job's life is an ongoing series of unfortunate events (leaving you to ask yourself, can you get as unlucky as this guy?) and he resorts to blaming and resenting God for his circumstances. Just when you're wondering how many more pages of this lamenting....then suddenly you see Job repenting before God. At first God tells him to pray for his two friends who spoke falsely about God. When he does God makes him prosperous two times over. This tells me...God loves it when we pray for others. But Job's post-prayer prosperity are only a preview of greater blessings to come. His family come and dine with him to encourage and support him, leaving him silver and gold jewellery. Not only does he become extremely wealthy, but he is blessed with many children, three daughters of whose names are mentioned. Yet the son's names aren't mentioned. This is a stark contrast from the beginning of the story where the sons are mentioned throwing elaborate parties and being the centre of Job's attention. That was the story up until now.

Now, things have changed. Job gives his daughters an inheritance along with his sons (pretty much unheard of in those days!). What's more, it's even mentioned that 'nowhere in all the land were there found women as beautiful as Job's daughters' (v.15). I was like wow. I'm sure Job didn't pray that his daughters would be the beauty queens of the land...yet God made them the most beautiful not only in their town, but in all the land. Talk about blessings more than you even ask for! Job is also blessed to see fourth generation descendants before he dies 'old and full of age'(v.17)...a lot of great grandkids I bet since he had ten children! and he didn't die just old...but having experienced a full life. Truly, 'The Lord blessed the latter part of his Job's life more than the first' (Job42:12).

To me, this story shows that when we repent, God brings the best into our lives. He blesses us in all areas of our lives and he wants us to let him. He's always waiting for us to repent and come back to him for him to make our brokenness into something beautiful.."He makes everything beautiful in its time" (Ecc 3:11). 

Indeed, the beginning of our journey doesn't define the ending.

It's pretty amazing how Job repents with only a few verses. He doesn't repent for years and years for the many years of bitterness and anger he hurled toward God. He doesn't work tirelessly in the desert for years to earn God's forgiveness. He simply and genuinely repents before God and that is enough for God to accept his heart. God's grace acts immediately to bless him and shift his circumstances. This reminded me of the time I was so caught up in feeling like I had to repent repeatedly after I felt like I was never able to overcome my weaknesses and so hopelessly a sinner. Later on God made me realise first the fight is His, not mine (Exodus14:14). Secondly, all He requires from us is a genuine act of repentance, no strings attached. Then we don't dwell on our sins and our hopelessness but move on focussing our eyes on God who gives us strength and hope to do so. 

Sure, I would never be perfect and even if I didn't commit the same sin again, it's inevitable that I'd commit all sorts of other sin. Repentance is a lifelong cycle I need to consistently engage myself in to reflect on whether I'm living as a child of God, a disciple of Jesus. All God wants to hear is 'I am sorry God' and a heart that is willing to learn from sins of the past. Time and time again, He doesn't condemn but encourages instead...'let's try a little better this time ok? you can do it cos I got your back'. 

This is grace. This is love.  

So thankful for second chances, because if it wasn't for them, I wouldn't stand a chance !
How great is God?

x

it is well with my soul

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“Nature is God's first missionary. Where there is no Bible there are sparkling stars. Where there are not preachers there are spring times...If a person has nothing but nature, then nature is enough to reveal something about God.”    
― Max Lucado


don't like driving home late at night but the greatest thing is coming out of the car to be greeted by the beautiful shining stars in the sky...there are particular nights that this sight is so beautiful they get me all teary. God uses nature to remind us of his love...and lately his love language toward me is the stars in the night sky. He is so good :)

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