Not that close-knit relationships don’t spring out of discipleship but I must be wary that discipling someone isn’t a disguised way of feeding my own need for approval and adoration.

To God alone be the glory!

Integrity, they say, he’s a one-way guy
Away you can sell him but you can’t buy
The dude is mine, you can cheat and lie
He’s not yours and you can’t deny
Keep him or lose him, make up your mind

Our choices can’t be subject to what is convenient.
Because it wasn’t very convenient for Jesus to die so that we might be righteous.

O God, from my youth you have taught me,
and I still proclaim your wondrous deeds.
So even to old age and gray hairs,
O God,  do not forsake me,
until I proclaim your might to another generation,
your power to all those to come.

Psalm 71: 17-18

Have you heard? The Gospel can be lost in a span of three generations. The first believes the gospel, the second assumes it, and the third forgets, or even distorts it. I still shudder at the thought but I have hope that God is working to raise generations that won’t only be committed to the Gospel, but also emphatically proclaim Jesus to the next.

That’s why I’m so eager to join in God’s work of nurturing faithful men and women who are able to teach others also. This passage inspires me today that I may ask God for zeal in my old age to  “proclaim his might to another generation”!

For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain. If I am to go on living in the body, this will mean fruitful labor for me. Yet what shall I choose? I do not know! I am torn between the two: I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far; but it is more necessary for you that I remain in the body.Convinced of this, I know that I will remain, and I will continue with all of you for your progress and joy in the faith, so that through my being with you again your joy in Christ Jesus will overflow on account of me.

Philippians 1:21-26

Let no one despise your youth; nor age to hinder you.

(Absent: Cherie and Wilfred)

No, it’s not a virgin birth but a Sunday School class.

I’ve grown as a Proverbs 31 woman through them. This morning I put verse 15 — She rises while it is yet night and provides food for her household — into practice and prepared some food for Saturday. I enjoyed it thoroughly!

If motherly love means raising children in the discipline and instruction of the Lord, teaching and guiding them with wisdom and kindness, building a relationship with them, praying for them… I’ve certainly had a God-given opportunity to put words into action with this bunch — loving them differently yet equally.

0700: Wake up, pray and prepare for the day
0800: Get ready to leave the house
0845: Meet Hazel to go for breakfast and interview
1230: Meet Lydia, catch up, make jelly for China mission team & Adidas runners
1500: BAY message and bible study
1745: Meet Graham etc and go for Adidas Sundown
2000: Flag off! Read the bible while waiting
2230: Home sweet home

I was convicted by what we learned on Friday night, that God will give us whatever we ask for in Jesus’ name which glorifies Him, so I prayed and asked for strength. When the day ended, I was thankful that God had indeed sustained me. He used a simple day like that to increase my trust and joy in him!

It’s funny that this week God seems to say, “Well now that you trust me, I am going to give you another long day for I know that you will be able to go through it.”

0630: Dawn prayer in church
0800: Graham’s meeting
0900: Breakfast
1000: Marriage counselling at Uncle Jinx’s
1230: Zip home to cook some food for a friend/Graham goes for band practice
1430: Figure how to get food to church (hmm)
1500: BAY message and bible study
1800: Dinner
1900: Choir practice

I’m glad Jesus says He is the one who chose me and appointed me to bear fruits that will last! If not for that, I would hardly see the point of persevering (least of all through the sheer inconvenience of it). But now I’m assured that these are things he gave me to do and will see to it that I am able to do them.

If you haven’t noticed, we’ve been eating since the day we were born — our stomachs are conditioned to want food and the enjoyment of it, which is quite beside the biological necessity. Likewise, if we feed on God’s Word daily, then our souls will be conditioned to want God’s Word and to delight in his truth!

One essay question in the exam — What does Mark teach about the ‘Kingdom of God’ and the ‘Kingship of Jesus’ — is still making me think today… what does Mark really say about that? I had hurriedly spewed out an answer but do I really know what God reveals about himself in Mark and what is my heart’s response to that?

I had planned to take a break from reading the Bible today, just for a day, to get away from the exam mode (I read Mark at least 5 times in the past week). But I have this compelling urge to go back to the Gospel again to read it afresh, to wait on God in every page and in every word.

If you ask me “How’s the exam?”, my answer is “I don’t know, but I feel God is making my heart more tender, more humble through it.” That can’t be bad even if I fail the exams.

(But I would let you know I’m aiming for high distinctions in the next term ha ha!)

When I tell Graham the story of how rebellious and lost I was, even while professing to be a Christian, he says, “How come your life so drama one?”

I laugh, amazed that this is the power of God, that his grace turned my life around. And now having tasted his wonderful love, I can only want more. 

This might be a good testimony to share with the youths — if God can have me, he can have any one of them. Oh yeah I’ve got plenty of stories to tell.

What a fun book to introduce kids to classic art works with – I Spy: An Alphabet in Art! For an elective in school, I took Arts History and acquainted with all these lovely creations.

I suspect my kids will get a pretty liberal education at home.

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