Monday, May 31, 2010

Words

2:01 PM 5 Comments
Some people and sometimes us-who-things-we-are-not-like-this-but-truly-we-do-this easily criticize, ridicule and say strong words of dislike because of the belief that telling a person or making them feel that something's wrong about them or how they do things directly is the better option. In some cases it might be but most often, based on my experience and what I've observed, the other party will most likely to just resent because of the feeling of being unaccepted and the "i'm bad and this is who i want to be so deal with it" attitude.

My mom would always remind us (dad, my brothers and I) to encourage and appreciate each other, to find even one single simple thing that we can appreciate from that person before we nicely approach them about their mistake. Honestly, it sounds funny and it's not that easy to do. It takes a lot of self-control to hold your tongue to not to insult and criticize other people, more so to say something nice about them when they do you wrong but it actually works; you can get your message across easier and this way the other person will feel your concern. That person's confidence will be renewed and what you had projected that they are will be instilled to them.

In terms of my journey as a Christian, at times when I stumble, feel discouraged and down, I strive my best to surround my self with other believers and read more about how God had touched other peoples lives. In Romans 1:11-12, Paul said "I long to see you, . . . that I may be encouraged together with you by the mutual faith both of you and me." Surely it feels like you're dragging yourself to go to church, to worship and thank God despite of your troubles but it's an effective way to rekindle your faith and passion. I believe that it's just the enemy's work to make me feel bad and definitely I won't let it win.

Words of appreciation and encouragement are powerful.
Say it; use it more often, you'll be glad you did.

Wednesday, May 26, 2010

God's Song

7:30 PM 1 Comments
A church organist was practicing a piece by Felix Mendelssohn and not doing too well. Frustrated, he gathered up his music and started to leave. He had not noticed a stranger come in and sit in a rear pew.

As the organist turned to go, the stranger came forward and asked if he could play the piece. "I never let anyone touch this organ!" came the blunt reply. Finally, after two more polite requests, the grumpy musician reluctantly gave him permission.

The stranger sat down and filled the sanctuary with beautiful, flawless music. When he finished, the organist asked, "Who are you?" The man replied, "I am Felix Mendelssohn." The organist had almost prevented the song's creator from playing his own music!

There are times when we too try to play the chords of our lives and prevent our Creator from making beautiful music. Like that stubborn organist, we only reluctantly take our hands off the keys. As His people, we are "created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand" (Ephesians 2:10). But our lives won't produce beautiful music unless we let Him work through us.

God has a symphony written for our lives. Let's allow Him to have His way in us. — David C. Egner

Once we stop our own devising,
Quit the schemes of our own choosing,
Cease from all our fruitless striving,
God steps in with grace and power! —D. De Haan

God's ability is not limited by our inability.

***

I got this article from Our Daily Bread, it's an entry for November 20, 2002. I thought of sharing this because it made my day, touched me, reminded me and inspired me.

I have entries that are waiting for me to finish but I know I need to rev up my spirit first before i can do that; so please include me in your prayers as well as our upcoming final exams. Thank you. =)

May blessings be poured upon you as you say your prayers. May the love of God illuminate your life and all that surrounds you.

Sunday, May 16, 2010

Love is Spontaneous

9:26 PM 1 Comments
I have read somewhere, it could be from a text, that love is a decision. I disagree. Love is not love when you have to constantly think about your actions, when you have to consistently try to prove your love for somebody. I'm not saying that you don't have to show your love in deeds but the word "trying" makes it not love because one of the characteristics of love should be spontaneity. Love is not premeditated; it is spontaneous.

"I love God and so I plan to do certain things to prove it. I have to go to church. I have to hold my tongue. I have to love my enemies. I have to do this and that..."

There should be nothing wrong about the statement above but --. Honestly, we really don't have to do anything for Him, more so are the things that we do for Him shouldn't feel like "we have to" because we love Him; it should be I love Him and as a result of that I have done, I did, I'm doing this. Love bursts forth in extraordinary ways and when we look back, we can be amazed by how far our emotions had led us, had drove us to do something.

On the other hand, falling in love could be a choice; we can help love grow. Whether you have just decided to accept the love of God in your life, a follower but had gotten weak or just plainly a curious creature who wanted to take a peek into the world of being in love with the Lord, we can help that feeling grow into a full blossoming, fruit bearing love.

Romans 5:5 reminded us that "God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit". The fountain from which love flows are in God, not in us.

Vernon Grounds from Our Daily Bread shares these points about how to grow in love:

Ponder God’s love in Christ. Take time to reflect on how He gave His life for you. Read about Him in the Gospels, and thank Him.

Pray for the love of God. Ask Him to give you an understanding of His love and to teach you how to live that out in your relationships with your spouse and others (1 Cor. 13).

Practice the love of God. Give of yourself. A newlywed told me he thinks love is practical. He said, “My responsibility is to make life easier for my spouse.” The other, tougher side of love is to challenge each other to act in godly ways.

Love will grow when we ponder love, pray for love, and practice love.

Lord, teach us the secret of loving,
The love we want to give You today;
Then help us to love one another;
For this we most earnestly pray.

Faith, Love, Hope, Shelterwood

8:18 PM 0 Comments
One of the things that I love about blogging is having the chance to see the world without leaving my room. I love to know what's going on out there, to hear stories about how God is working, changing and touching other people's lives, and to do Bible study by reading other bloggers' posts. Blogging is just an amazing way to reach out and meet other Christians.

And one of the great cause/orgs/blogs that I met is the Shelterwood of Doulus Ministries. Pete of Shelterwood left me a comment and asked if I would be interested to exchange links with them...Well Pete, I am not only interested but I am also honored to exchange links with you guys. =D

Visit their blog,which I enjoyed reading, and the site to know more about them.

What is Shelterwood?

Shelterwood is a licensed Christian residential teen treatment facility. Our counseling program is dedicated to helping troubled teenagers find restoration through Christ-centered relationships. We believe that every interaction is a therapeutic opportunity that helps teens change their behavior from the inside out. Shelterwood provides individual, group, and family therapy along with an accredited school and

mentorship program. We treat struggling adolescents that may be spiraling out of control and showing signs of:

  • low self-esteem, depression and suicidal thoughts
  • abuse, anger, oppositional defiance or anxiety
  • drug and alcohol abuse, addictions or rebelliousness
  • academic challenges, learning difficulties and school suspensions
  • low motivation, manipulation, and poor peer choices
  • family conflict and substance abuse
  • Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) or Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)

Restoration & Transformation

Shelterwood offers families of troubled teens a therapeutic treatment plan that is based on the teachings of Jesus including honesty, purity, humility, and self-control. To create change in the lives of troubled teens, our staff try to reflect the love of Jesus. We believe that through the name of Jesus our lives and the lives of the teens can be transformed. Most youth arrive with a great deal of anger and confusion regarding spiritual issues. We expect this hostility and understand their distrust of the religious community. We are intent on loving the students so that they feel heard and able to open themselves to growth in body, mind, and spirit.