Faith cannot be felt, but can be seen and grown

What is Faith?
Faith is that glimmer of hope that burns in your soul, that is yet to be seen

Faith is the mustard seed of steadfastness, that could move mountains of obstacles

Faith is the shimmering shield that you carry as your armor to bounce back the fiery darts of the enemy

Faith is believing; believing God for who He is and what He can do

Faith is patience; patient in waiting for God to act

Faith is courageous; courageous  in doing the right, and going forward with God given strength

Faith is Abraham-the man who didn't back away when God asked him to sacrifice his beloved son

Faith is Mary-the young woman who surrendered to God's will to become pregnant knowing well the cost and ridicule she'd face in her community

Faith is the woman who was told no hope, yet reached out and touched the hem of Jesus robe

Faith is not at all the fussy feeling that goes up and down to suit your moods

Faith is the foundation that keeps you and me alive when things around go swirling

Faith is something that grows with intimacy-Intimacy with the LORD!

Precious Thoughts for the Day

         Presently, at our women's Bible study on Thursday nights, we are following Beth Moore's book, Breaking Free. I consider to be blessed to learn from Beth Moore whose passion for God vibrates through ever word she writes and so contagious that you are set on fire for God. Beth's story is a great display of God's amazing handiwork of bringing beauty out of ashes. If what she potrays herself as true and genuine, then she's God's trophy suited to be placed on the upper shelf of the awards cabinet.

         It's God's grace that I didn't go through the trial she went through and I'm thankful for that. But at the same time, seeing her heart ablaze for God and love for the women who had undergone similar trials like hers, I wish I had similar trials so that I'm on fire for God like her. Yes, it sounds silly and outrageous for who in the world want to go through the heart-breaking circumstances and bondage she suffered from. But see where she's now and who she has become? I'm not talking about how great her ministry is, or what a great author and Bible teacher she had become. No, not at all. I'm pointing to the woman she had become to serve the Lord with such a passion and obedience. That's what is amazing.

But years back when she was walking through the valley of destruction or crawled in her pit with self-loathing, she wouldn't have ever imagined to become a woman after God like this. But God knew. He knew what she would become when she yields herself to Him to remold her life. No doubt He heard her Why?s and Why me?s countless times, but He chose to remain silent for He knew she would never understand what He's trying to do with her. Today, freed from bondages, Beth is offering some great thoughts  from the Word and her experience that are very helpful to understand trouble and tribulations.

1. God never allows or appoints a fire unless He can bring beauty from the ashes. " In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that your faith- of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire-may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed." 1 Peter 1:6-7.

2. We cannot avoid fiery trials-
     a)  God is much more interested in our callings than our comfort.
      b) Even faithful people go through tremendous difficulties.
3.  The purpose of the refinement is always to make us.
      a) Objects of beauty
      b) Recepients of reward.
         " and into the inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade-kept in heaven for you," 1 Peter1:4.
         " Instead of their shame my people will receive a double portion, and instead of disgrace
           they will rejoice in their inheritance; Isaiah 61:7a
4      One primary purpose of fiery trials is to surface the dross.
5       We cannot often refuse the fire, but we can refuse to be refined by it.
6        Sometimes our fiery trials are absolutely necessary to fulfill our calling.
         We see the last statement becoming a reality in Beth's life as well as many great servants of God, whether they're known or unknown to the world.

These thought I consider to be treasured for it gives us a right perspective of trials. Sometimes they are necessary  to fulfill our calling. Cross was necessary for Christ to become the Saviour of the world, evern though it cost him lots of physical and emotional suffering. He had to suffer so that you and I can live. It was His call and He willingly surrendered so that we can live a victorious life under His lordship on earth as well as in heaven.

A Crown of Beauty, instead of Ashes

            I thought of blogging on the lesson 6, we're studying in our Women's Bible study on Beth Moore's book, Breaking free. Last week lesson was so intense and memory provoking that I could pr feel the heaviness of the subjects pressing on my back to curve down. Yes, it dealt with child abuse, betrayal and loss which many women had faced in their lives and how the severity of it had crippled them and put them in captivity. I could almost touch the blackend nature of the subject hanging over my head as I sat and studied the lesson.

          But this week's lesson brushes the darkened picture with a  lighter paint that we come to see the silver lining of hope breaking through. Today's lesson talks about honor, to be a bride, to be beautifu, fruitful and to live happily ever after. Aren't these the four things every child born as a girl ever dreamed of whether she was born to a simple farmer living in a small plot of farmland or to a king living in a huge palace with multitude of servants in attendance. It's ever girl's dream and would remain to be the same for ever girl to born in this earth. Why? Because that's how we are wired up,longing to look beautiful, be a happy wife and have lovely and well behaved children and to live happily ever after. However, only a handful are blessed to have the life they dreamed of while some end up having almost the opposite to what they had dreamed of and in between are those who get part of the dreams come through.

The lesson start with the verse, Isaiah61:3 with the phrase; " to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes." to convey how God our creator desires to crown us with beauty, even though circumstances may have covered our head with ashes. Beth Moore takes us through the story of Tamara, the daughter of King David in 2 Samuel 13:19 where she was raped by her own brother Ammon and she ended up living in seclusion as a desolate woman. You don't need to end up as Tamara even if the same fate had fallen on you, if you're in Christ, says the author.

Today's society favors a non-display of emotions even at  funerals. Squelching emotions only stores them in explosive containers, Beth writes. In Biblical times, men and women practiced putting on sackcloth and ashes as they mourned losses or while repenting before God. Satan waits for an opportunity to hammer the victims of abuse with guilt and telling them they'd never regain their honor and dignity. Beth, herself who had undergone sexual abuse as a child knows the weight of guilt and condemnation and how it could turn any person into a captive for some addiction or behaviour for life. But her life is a great example of how God can make beauty out of ashes. She's God's trophy on display. Joyce Meyer who was abused by her own father until she left home at age 16 or 18 is a very good example of what Christ can do with someone who was destroyed and left to be trampled by the world. He stoops down, picks them up, wipes the tear bathed face, forgive them in His grace, bind their wounds and lift them up to be beautiful and to be used for His glory. No one else can ever do what He does and no one else could love anyone like him at all.

Then she talks about being the bride. Though every girl dreams of becoming a bride, not everyone end up being a bride. So many remain unmarried for some reason or another. Many women feel unfulfilled as a single person. They don't feel whole without a husband or man in her life. Not so, says Beth. Though it's natural to feel that way because the world that we live in say so, if we  are destined to be single, (some women are called to be so0 consider that to be a blessing for in that way you can fully devote your self to the Lord. Whether we are single or married, if we are devoted to Christ, He see us as His bride. He's truly our lover of our soul and bridegroom for eternity. Like the bride prepares herself for the groom bathing in fragrant water, let us His brides prepare us bathing in holiness, prayer and humility. A loving bride is willing to go where the groom leads even it seem like wilderness, but if she trusts him, she would know he'll never abandon her. Not all the places he pitches his tent may be favorable in your estimation, sometimes it makes you so uncomfortable and lonely you just want to flee. But you stay, because you know He'd come in search of you even when you leave. Once you're His, He wouldn't want to lose you, so He gets a good grip of you with His nail pierced hand.

Day 3, is about being beautiful. Find a girl who never wanted to be beautiful. The longing is drenched in the air we breathe and the sweat we perspire. If take a count of the number of women enrolled in a fitness class and those walk in and out of hair salons, beauty parlor and designer boutiques, you don't need to be an analyst to tell what their prime aim in life is. To be beautiful. Especially in today's culture and in North America, anyone who don't look beautiful is considered not in the in-group. The truth is not all are born beautiful to look at. I'm not. Are you? I'm short, on the plump side than on the slim side, lazy -eyed, round faced and curly haired. By now, you must have discarded my profile into the garbage crossing out my name for someone beautiful. But I've a husband who loves me and thinks I'm beautiful and two precious daughter who think I'm very beautiful. No they're neither blind nor near sighted. Their love for me makes me beautiful for them. But I was beautiful in so many ways. So are you. Never , never believe anyone saying you that you aren't beautiful and live your life feeling unattractive. Jesus sees you and me beautiful. That's all matters. We need to see us as He sees us. He's more interested in the inner beauty than the outer beauty, the world craves for. So, it's our duty to make our innerself beautiful and the Bible give us beauty tips on it. Christ has washed us clean. So, let us beautify us with His grace and become kind, compassionate, gentle, patient and loving to make ourself beautiful for His glory. The inner beauty is sure to seep through the skin and would add a glow to make our face beautiful too. So, be blessed you who are in Him to be called beautiful and be His bride.

Being fruitful was the next day's lesson. Fruitful means in the Bible to have children. Without doubt, every girl dreams of becoming a mother one day. This mother -to- be instinct is seen even in the tender years of a girls life, when she plays with a doll, dressing it up in beautiful mom stitched or store bought doll dresses, rocks the doll to sleep, bathes and rolls away the doll in a stroller with her mom beside. So when a woman find herself barren, she is crushed in sadness. In the olden days, even now in some countries, a barren woman is looked down and is made an object to be criticized by family and neigbors. Husbands had divorced their wives for this cause alone. She's considered a bad omen in some cultures.

It was told to be a punishment from God even in the scriptures. In Genesis, 30:1-3, when Rachel bothers Jacob to give her a child, he says, "Am I in the place of God who has kept you from having children?" indicating it was God who had closed her womb. There are other incidents in the Bible which tells the same reason. Though I don't understand why God blesses some with children and some without, I do agree with Beth saying Barrenness does not imply sinfulness. God created every life to be fruitful and multiply, but that may not imply in the physical sense in many cases.

Beth writes that it may imply to invest in something that matters and effective. Our disappointment with God for not blessing us with children may be small thinking , she says. Then she goes on to say how her friends though didn't have biological children, they did have spiritual off springs. Those youngsters who are mentored by godly older women become the spiritual children of these women. In that sense, I realize , I too have many spiritual daugters whom I've a close attachment to. Those in my leaders group, writers group whom I try to mentor whenever I can, I count them as my spiritual offsprings. I hope at least some of them consider me as their spiritual mother too. I'm so blesse to have my God placed among so many lovely and Christian women from whom I too learn so many things. It's a symbiotic growth , I suppose.

Finally, we come to the part-to live Happily Ever After. Who doesn't ever want that? That's every girl and woman's final goal. God's surpassing love can make anyone overcome even the devastating challenges in life. Joni Ereckson overcame her paralysis and became a spoke person for paralysed persons; The horrifying stay in Nazi concentration camp didn't keep God surpassing Corrie Ten Boom's dream nor Mother Theresa amidst deep poverty. The world may cause problems, life may bring traumatizing situations, but nothing could keep God from using someone from any such situation for His glory.
Even if we are not having a life we dreamed of, one day we're going to live the life God promised with much joy and celebration bowing down before Him and worshipping Him seated on His throne. That is to live Happily Ever After. It's worth dreaming of that life and working towards that dream!.

Playing the Game

Last night, we had Games Night for the leaders of our Women's Bible study , for both the morning and evening study leaders. Normally I would have avoided going to such night which say Games. I don't know for some reason, just sounding the word Games make me want to flee, especially it involves any physical exertion. In school, I never got involved in any kind of games except in the marching drill. Yes, my games teacher seemed to like the way I marched, I suppose, she picked me for the marching band. If you think that would have given me such a joy and pride, you're wrong. Instead of being enthusiastic and excited to show up for the practices, I found ways to give lame excuses and got my self out. Result-I lost the only chance of being in a school team. While my friends jumped, tossed and swirled in the net ball court or basket ball, I stood at a distance, behind the barricade line and clapped and cheered them on till my throat got parched.

What about board games? you may ask. Yes, that's my kind of game. I love playing board games. But it doesn't mean I win all the time. I do win at times, and lose also at times. I can take up to lose without a fuss, so it's not a problem to me.

As a child I loved playing snake and ladder and ludo. Those were the two board games that were available for four to five year olds at that time. I still remember the snake and ladder board with short and long ladder and huge snakes criscrossing the board. Oh the thrill it brought when you dice fell as you wanted to climb up the ladder to reach the home sooner. And when the dice fell and turned to show the number to bring you down the longest snake almost to the bottom as you were almost there to reach the square marked 'Home'.

Oh those precious moments of innocent child's jubiliation at winning and pouting face and tears brimmed faces at losing the game make me want to go back to that non-worry stage at any moment. Then came checkers and drafts with black and beige wooden rounds to play on board and I must say I was quite good at playing drafts most of the time.

As preteen years extended into teen years, reading took over my interest and I spent no time in playing board games after that until I got married. In fact, I played some traditional games like Pallanguli which is played on a wooden board with  two rows of carven cup like slots. The players are expected to fill each slot with six dried tamarind seeds, and who ever is able to do that is considered a winner. I'm not sure whether I remember the game correctly, but something similar to that pattern. there was another game we used to play with another tree's seed, similar to olives.

This one, we played seated on the cement floor and spirting the seed with our thumb and forefinger in such a way, it will go and hit another seed and if it hits, the player takes the hit seed and try to hit as many seeds as possible. The player who gets the maximum number of seeds get to be the winner. It was such an interesting and exciting game too.

Well, I loved to play marbles. Each of us have a favorite marble which we called lucky marble which we usually chose to hit other marbles with. Though I loved playing it, I don't think I was good at it because most of the time I kept losing my marbles to the opponent. But it felt so good to posess large and small glassy marbles in so many colors. Some marbles sparkeled in the blazing sun giving out radiant colors of blue green orange purple glow. Monopoly was unknown to me when I was growing up and as such I never got to play it until I became a parent.

When I got married, my husband introduced me to play chess, and for the first year of marriage until we left for Sweden (one and a half year after marriage) we enjoyed playing chess whenever we got some free time. But all playing stopped when my first child was born. When there was a child to play with, who would want to sit and play chess or any game for the matter. I didn't. For some years it was playing peek -a-boo and blowing bubbles and throwing balls with your kids were the games I got involved.

Then came the time, our girls dragged mom and dad to play Monopoly, Clue, Risk and some card games. As a family we had lots of fun beating each other in the game, cheating at times and rolling with laughter. Those are definitely precious moments I'd want to treasure until my end. The fun and laughter you have with your family is a God given gift. I wonder how many can see that as a gift in this world of hurry and bustle. But if they do, then nothing would they ask for more.

Some times, the life itself looks like a game played by different players of varying interests. At times, it' the game of war between the nations, other times it's a political game between two rivaling parties to win over the polls. Some times husband and wife tend to play the game of love and may even opt to play guesssing  game at times. Well childen too love to play secret games with the parents to avoid being getting into trouble and so it goes on. Whatever we play, it's important that we don't play a dirty game with anyone or against anyone. If we do, we become the biggest losers in the end, even if declare of winning the game.

Whether we are kids playing snake and ladder or adults playing chess or nations playing war games, let that be always a fair and good game. The motivation play a vital part in any game. If played with selfish motive and greed, it doesn't benefit either party. It only bring division and brews enemity. On the other hand, if played fair and good, both the parties do gain respect and comradeship. Winning surely brings joy and losing does bring sadness. In a game one is expected to win and the other to lose. Even the loser realizes that he hadn't lost much if the game played is fair. In contrast, it the game is played dirty, the winner however innings he won, would never reap the joy as someone who played the game fairly. So, let's play any game fair and proper!

The Simplest Things Can be the Most Powerful

It's Sunday, the day to go to church, do the grocery shopping at Jimbo and /or Von's on the way back home, eat some leftover and have aftenoon nap, cook supper, go to beach or walk if weather coorperates, watch recorded session of Hour of Power and go to bed after supper and light reading. That's what my Sunday usually looks like. 

 When I woke up this morning, the ashen sky of San Diego had already smothered the surrounding  area with a mantle of sombre greyness. Going to the beach this evening seemed out of question unless the sun decided to break through the greyness and brightened  the world for those desperately waiting for a dip in the sea or a ride on a rolling wave (surfing) In my case, it would be just a stroll on the beach, barefooted.

It was dristling when we got into the car to drive to church and by the time we arrived there, thin sheets of rain had washed the parking lot clean. Walking in the rain is something I enjoyed as a child and still the child in me took a delight while I walked up to the church door, bothering not to cover my head with my handbag.  By the time we arrived, the worship leader was leading the last song,and soon it was time for pastor Bob to give the announcement and start his sermon.

The title of today's message was Insights into Renewal.... and pastor Bob  was still continuing on Peter's journey to Maturity. The Bible reading for today was focused on John 21, where Jesus meets Peter for the third time after His resurrection. This time few of His other disciples John, James, Thomas and Natanael too were there and they were at the beach after a long fishing night with no catch. Early that morning Jesus shows up and asked them if they've got any fish. No one recognized Him to be Jesus. Only when they threw the net as Jesus instructed and caught multitude of fish in the net, their eyes were opened to see Jesus.

Yes, sometimes Jesus is not so visible to our sight. We expect Him to show up in a dramatic and miraculous manner. Such expectation make us to miss seeing the Lord in simple things in day to day life- In the beauty of sunflower, in the song of a humming bird, the loving touch of a caring friend, the smile of a jogger passing by, the laughter of children, the advise of an elderly person. If we are humble enough to seek and look, His fingerprints are everywhere to be seen. His message is written across the paddy field to pansies dancing wilderness. We don't need to have mountain top experience to see the hand of God.

Some of us recognize the presence of the Lord only when our nets are full like the disciples. Only when something happen miraculously then we recognize God. Others seek and see God only when their nets are empty. They feel God's closeness only when they're in need, in trouble or in danger. When they need is fulfilled and everything is taken care of, they seem to get caught up with life until the next bout of trouble knock at the door.

What would be my honest answer be, if asked when do I make time for God -when the nets are full or empty? I think, I feel more close to God when my nets are full than when they're empty. However, I need to confess that sometimes I get dragged into get busy to get more fish into the net.  I can become aloof even if I don't get busy too. Being full and satisfied may at times rob the hunger for the Lord. Whether my nets are full or empty doesn't need to come to play a part in our relationship and closeness to the Lord. The time with Him is holy and precious and as long as I remember this unshakable fact, I'm standing firm the solid ground.
"as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, and yet possessing all things." 2 Corinthians 6:10b.
Yes, it doesn't matter whether we are empty handed or mighty in posession; having Him in our day to day lives is that what matters, and that's what counts a lot in heaven's economy.

Counting the precious moments

If I have eyes to see, ears to hear and some quiet time to think, I'm sure to view many of the moments in my life as precious. If we are waiting to see anything special and dramatic to happen to count them as precious, then mostly we'll end up frustrated. But if we take a close look at those happening around us, the day to day, simple ordinary things with a thankful heart and positive attitude, you'll have enough in your basket to consider as precious moments.

Yesterday, surely brought many moments for me to cherish. In the morning, I decided to go for a walk. I could have stayed indoors, done some cleaning, played scrabble on the computer or watched a comedy on tv to doodle my hours after all it looked  a dull and gloomy sky outside, not a favorable morning to go for a walk. Yet, I chose to go and I'm glad that I did.

A bottle of water in my hand and the bunch of keys in the other, I walked out our complex and down the hilll in my grey outfit to suit the weather. Instead of walking all the way down to the stop sign and turn around which I usually do, I decided to cross the street and walk along the cemented bridge leading towards the soccer field. Remembering the assignment I gave my gals in the writers group-to intensify the skill of observation, starting with sense of sight for the first day, I decided to sharpen my sight for the day , at least during this morning walk. And what did I see? Oh loveliness all around me in beautiful colors. Normally I wouldn't have had eyes to see them. But yesterday, I was determined to look at least for the assignment sake. After all I'm the instructor and if I don't do my homework, how do I expect my students to do theirs.

At the foot of the hill leading to our apartment I saw bright white star-shaped flowers on waxy leaved plants spreaded on the ground. Being not a gardener nor having a green thumb, I didn't expect to know the name of the flower. But they looked so lovely and pure close to the earth smiling brightly at the passersby. Wonder how many have noticed them to return a smile or appreciation. But I did and I count that as my precious moment.

Few feet ahead stood a well pruned hedge along the sidewalk with clusters of violet flowers waving in the soft wind. Onto my left along the parapeet wall lining the houses spreaded out a carpet of lily of the valley in glorious bloom. Then, when I crossed the street and walked along the bridge, I had a grand view of well manucured lawn with a million dollar worth houses arrayed side by side far below and across the field. On the other side stood gigantic trees and short bushes flashing with bunches of flowers of various sizes and colors. I could even smell fragrance of jasmine in the air, but wasn't able to locate that familiar plant or flowers anywhere. Bright orange tubular flowers beating the sharpness of Fanta drink in color stood high up and waved softly at me, beside the tree hanging with tiny green coriander seed like fruits. I wished I had some hint of horticulture in my vein to identify these plants to enjoy the existence more. Yes, walking through such loveliness, I count as precious moments for the day for me.