Backflash

To all my Friends,

My two years in LA is like a theory lesson. I study humility, righteousness, leadership, communication, wisdom, faith and etc. In all, I learned Jesus way of Life. Each of everyone, to me, represents their strongest aspect in life. For example, Robin's strongest aspect is righteousness, Roy's leadership, Olivia's communication and Nova's is humility. Of course, everyone is a complete whole; I am just saying that it is your respective area of forte, in my perception.

What God showed me along the way is that I have to learn from my friends, rather than be an example for them. Instead of using my own opinion to define and formulate the right way of life, I have to let God show me what really is right and God has to do it through His ambassadors on Earth (I mean you kids in LA).

It was not easy at first. Being a stubborn and prideful person, I find it hard to reverse my life, allow others to guide me and alter my ambitions and plans. But after I was baptized, a series of mishaps crushed me mentally. I found myself even more confused than ever and no worldly theory that I adored could conjure an answer. My only alternative at that time was to just let God's will take over my life. I thought I was becoming weaker.

The path to changes was so difficult. On top of that, our God always make us do things that do not make any sense at all. At that time, school and problems consumed my entire life. I was struggling to cope with my examinations and barely doing well in some of them. And at the very same time, He guided me to dedicate more time in His Kingdom. For one, I found myself doing church-related activities at least 4 days a week. In my mind, I told God that this better work...

Gradually, I see amazing changes in my life. To be honest, I really do not know how all these happens but I began to see healing in my surrounding. First of all, I no longer felt troubled or pressured because of worldly issues. Then, I see people closed to me being changed significantly- people whom I cared (or once cared) being healed by God. Finally, He multiplied and developed my talents in areas that I never dreamed before. Frankly, this amazing-ness began to scare me a lot but I remembered someone saying this: "if you don't want God to use you, He won't". Since I really wanted to be nurtured, I continue doing what He sends me to do.

I now understands why He wants me to be a "surrender-er"; He wants to work in my life!
He made me a strong in His Kingdom by instructing me to be weak in this world. I now know why He does not want me to focus on being an example to the world. Only His strength can change my life and make me an example to this world. I was made stronger because I picked up from all my friends. I learned humility- willingness to learn from any people, righteousness- never to compromise on your beliefs, faith- preparing the field for God's rain, wisdom- understanding God's plan in my life.

God also fulfilled my worldly needs. I mentioned that He healed people around me. Further, He handled all my school work. Maybe some people did not know this but I did not earn that honor status. It was given to me (literally). Then recently, I did something I never achieved before in my entire life- getting an A in writing class. By the way, I failed 6 English examinations (common tests and exams) since secondary two. One teacher said my english was hopeless. Well, I am hopeless, but my God is hope-ful.

So I'd like to encourage everyone still in LA to cherish their moments there. Let God work in your life and may your experience there change your entire life. When things get really difficult and you are on the verge of giving up, remember, your God is bigger than what you think He is.

PS: I thanked everyone last week. Even though some did not hear it, I know God will somehow convey my appreciation. Continue being a blessing to other people. Change others like you have changed my life.

Today's sermon in SJ

Today, the preacher's name is Fred Mok. He is from Chinese Christian Church as far as i know after i talked to one of my friend in SJ chruch.

So, he started the sermon by saying automatic-filter. Long short, this filter is an unconscious filter that we develop within ourselves so that we only have close relationship towards certain kind of people. the example is a girlfriend/boyfriend, we all tend to find someone with the same cultural background and for me (i agreed with the pastor said) that man is looking for a girl, who is shorter.

Then that topic was tied with typed-scene. Typed-scene (predictable) is a scene which has a common sequence mostly in the heroic/sport movies. The hero is unconvincing at first, but at the end he wins everything. So the typed-scenes in the bible that were presented are coming from Gen 24 (Isaac & Rebekah), Gen 29:1-14 (Jacob & Rachel), Exo 2:11-25 (Moses & Ziphora), and John 4:1-26 (Jesus & Samaritan woman). The typed-scene here is Well-Woman-Water-Wedding. In all first three scenes, the man sits down beside the well, the woman comes, the man drinks water from the woman, and finally they get married together.

About the last scene, Jesus also sits beside the well, the samaritan woman comes, the water is different because water (spiritual) here is given by Jesus to the woman, and finally Jesus "gets married" with the samaritan woman's "family". This is interesting as we read the verse 13&14, Jesus offers the woman the living water after she refuses to give Jesus drink as He is a Jew. It shows that Jesus doesn't choose who are supposed to receive his grace, it is unconditional love that Jesus gives to the samaritan woman. Jesus doesn't have any automatic filter like us do. The wedding; Jesus is not married with the samaritan woman, but He opens up His heart not only to the woman herself, but the whole community with whom the woman lives. You know right ?!!? when you decide to marry someone, you are not only marrying the girl/guy that you love, but her/his whole family as well.

I think this message is beautiful. although there were some funny parts that were presented in the sermon about this, i could not recall it. Hope we all can learn the unconditional love of Jesus through this typed-scene. (link can be found in www.imeem.com/iecsj with title of "Unfiltered Romance")

God Bless,
Hendra

Learning from the COW :D

Frenz, just recently i watched a television program about COW....so, the program showed me that the were differences between conventional (grain-fed) cows and traditional (grass-fed) cows.

The conventional cows are grown with the purpose of meeting people's hunger need such that these cows are treated in a special way (giving the grain) to produce more meat, but neglecting the basic need of the cow ->> their "Happiness" T_T.... We know that grain is more resourcefull than grass so by eating grain the meat content of the cows will be higher than grass-fed cows. Now,what i meant with lost of happiness is that they are kept in the barn for such particular period until they are ready to be butchered up, the owner of the cow don't care about the cow's value wholefully, just about $$$. Kept in the barn seems fine to us, but what about if you yourself experience it ->> you'll feel really bored and, i am sure, not functioning well physically & spiritually.

In contrast, the traditional cows are grown with the primary purpose of feeding a family. They have been given so much care and respect by the owner because they give food to him/her. The owner doesn't really care about how much $$$ will they get from the cow. it seems like the cows are part of the family, so the cows are "Happy" :) .... one example of happy cow is Kobe cow from Japan. I've watched how Kobe cows were grown before. They are not kept in the barn, but free in the grassland. though we see that there are some markets that sell the meat of grass-fed cows, it doesn't mean that grass-fed cows are used for business purpose only. Plus, the price of the meat is much much more expensive than the conventional cow's meat, not many people are able to eat this kind of meat. Now, from the previous show again, the presenter also showed that the meat of grass-fed cows were more juicy, tender, and flavorfull than the grain-fed ones. The fat content of the grass-fed cows was much less but essential.

My reflection about this is that i want to give more or the best when i feel i am loved/cared. I am sure you all are. No matter how much money are given to me, but if the money cannot buy the true happiness within myself, then i cannot get any happiness. This is the same as God's grace that is given to me. I feel much more in love when i know that God love me first, thereby i am more lively now :) ... that's it. Hope you all also learn from this.

God Bless,
Hendra

Preface... LOL

God can do ANYTHING in your life as long as you are crazily in faith with him. As long as you surrender your life to Him, believe in Him in every step He asks you to make, He will never and never ever disappoint you. If you disagree with me, do you mean to say that our God is a God that is cynical and naughty, a God that likes to play around with His sons like people do in The Sims 3?

Stay tuned for Chapter 1...