Psalm 71

1 O LORD, I have come to you for protection;
don’t let me be disgraced.2 Save me and rescue me,
for you do what is right.
Turn your ear to listen to me,
and set me free.3 Be my rock of safety
where I can always hide.
Give the order to save me,
for you are my rock and my fortress.4 My God, rescue me from the power of the wicked,
from the clutches of cruel oppressors.5 O Lord, you alone are my hope.
I’ve trusted you, O LORD, from childhood.6 Yes, you have been with me from birth;
from my mother’s womb you have cared for me.
No wonder I am always praising you!7 My life is an example to many,
because you have been my strength and protection.8 That is why I can never stop praising you;
I declare your glory all day long.9 And now, in my old age, don’t set me aside.
Don’t abandon me when my strength is failing.10 For my enemies are whispering against me.
They are plotting together to kill me.11 They say, “God has abandoned him.
Let’s go and get him,
for no one will help him now.”12 O God, don’t stay away.
My God, please hurry to help me.13 Bring disgrace and destruction on my accusers.
Humiliate and shame those who want to harm me.14 But I will keep on hoping for your help;
I will praise you more and more.15 I will tell everyone about your righteousness.
All day long I will proclaim your saving power,
though I am not skilled with words.t16 I will praise your mighty deeds, O Sovereign LORD.
I will tell everyone that you alone are just.17 O God, you have taught me from my earliest childhood,
and I constantly tell others about the wonderful things you do.18 Now that I am old and gray,
do not abandon me, O God.
Let me proclaim your power to this new generation,
your mighty miracles to all who come after me.19 Your righteousness, O God, reaches to the highest heavens.
You have done such wonderful things.
Who can compare with you, O God?20 You have allowed me to suffer much hardship,
but you will restore me to life again
and lift me up from the depths of the earth.21 You will restore me to even greater honor
and comfort me once again.22 Then I will praise you with music on the harp,
because you are faithful to your promises, O my God.
I will sing praises to you with a lyre,
O Holy One of Israel.23 I will shout for joy and sing your praises,
for you have ransomed me.24 I will tell about your righteous deeds
all day long,
for everyone who tried to hurt me
has been shamed and humiliated.

On days like this, I wonder what can be done to feel better. Random, nonsensical thoughts are just running through my head. 

Don't be a generation of complainers, instead, be a generation that speaks encouragement and blessings at all times.

Be the ones that inspire and aspires to be a good example for many to follow

Be the ones that speak wisely, not with idle words. As out of the heart, the mouth speaks. Guarding our hearts, not allowing worldly attitudes creep into it.

Be the ones that speak life, not with spikes and curses. There's power in our spoken word and this power can build, as much as it can destroy.

Be the ones that make a change, not whining and pinning that there's nothing you can do.

Can one man make a difference? Yes. One at a time.
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Just finished reading this book called "Heaven is for Real" a true account of a little boy, who got really sick, went to heaven during the surgery and then came back to Earth and in random moments, or triggered, shares about it.

I was totally amazed by the book. Words cannot describe what I feel, but what I do know is that its amazing in Heaven.

The boy's child-like faith, constant reminder of how much Jesus loves us and how huge God is never fails to touch my heart. Every chapter is amazing and the encounters are beyond imagination.

Throughout the book, I am constantly amazed by the child-like faith the little boy had. The author narrates him usually speaking with a matter of fact tone, with all sincerity and honesty.

I started to evaluate my own life.

After being a Christian for donkey years, have I turned into a professional Christian? One that knows scriptures and promises of Jesus, yet without encounters and personal experiences with the Most High.

I faintly remember praying the most child-like faith prayers when I was a baby Christian.. "Gentle breeze as I sleep through e night" "Stop the rain as I'm leaving for sch, continue e rain only when I am back in shelter"

And these prayers were answered for me, not just once, but many times! Maybe most people would say, "That's good, God is building up your faith to pray and to believe in Him." But I guess its also because of the child-like faith that I had, absolutely believing that God will hear and answer my prayers.

When was the last time I prayed and God answered?

Has my relationship with God become an act of works? Do I do it because I have to... Or because I want to?

When in a close relationship with someone, they are constantly in your thoughts and in your speech. They are the first people that you turn to, no matter what you feel.

Has God been sidelined in my life? Am I still fiercely guarding the spot that God rightfully remains in my life, or have I allowed other things to take over Him?

So many questions, thoughts and feelings from a simple short book.
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Can mental strength be linked to discipline?

Just witnessed a bunch of X-Country Runners from Nan Hua High School pushing the chairs back to their original places as they are leaving the cafe in MacRitchie Reservoir.

Seems like a rare phenomena as its something not common in my school.

Not sure if there's a direct correlation between mental strength and discipline, but I feel that students who are mentally stronger, tend to be able to disciplined.

Somewhat, I realized when I was in e Army, I was able to push myself easily, beating my timings whenever I ran and pushing my body to the limits. It was all linked to the discipline of my mind and body.

However after I'm out of the Army, the mind and body is not as disciplined as before and I do not push myself as hard as before. My mental strength has depleted and my discipline to run just as much, just as fast, has waned.

Discipline is also telling yourself to do what you do not like to do, and you would need a fair bit of mental strength to do that. Its like what the bible says, to crucify our flesh.

How do we develop mental strength? Probably the only way I know how is positive self talk, and the bible is full of promises for us to cling onto, that speaks faith into us.

And I guess to a certain extend, sometimes there's a need to be ruthless on our flesh. In context of running, if I do not push myself and run beyond my comfort zone, I will never improve. However, it is extremely painful to run and stretch the distance, loads of negative self talk, pain and exhaustion comes to the mind.

But it is usually because of that one, or a few, reasons that keeps someone going, pushing beyond the limits.

Perhaps without discipline, I believe one is able to achieve much. But with discipline, the right mental motives and faith as the backbone, one is able to achieve much more.
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Snap out of it.

Its not about how I feel.

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Bible teaches us not to judge, lest we get judged ourselves.

At a course I attended recently, I realized that many of the thoughts, things that I say are actually very judgmental! Based on what I see, I "judged" the person. It may be a reflection of what the person is feeling, but it's not 100% accurate.

That experience got me thinking very hard. I understand that the verse means that we do not condemn another Christian who might have sinned, but we lovingly educate the Christian, in hope of leading the person to repentance. Closely related to discipleship, it is extremely important, however if its not done properly, relationships would be broken and it would lead to disappointments and hurts.

I also realized that sometimes my perspective of someone do affect the way I communicate to that person and it is potentially dangerous as I am not demonstrating love in my actions.

As the younger generations are getting better education and unlimited access on the Internet, it is increasingly difficult to contain and shape them to be of a certain "pattern" and "style". Everyone's into expressing and being themselves.

The danger lies when I become "judgmental" in my point of view and feel that maybe that person is not ready because they did not display a certain "trait". I also believe that if I really want to, I would be able to find flaws in that person, just to justify myself.

But that's being totally judgmental isn't it?


What was going on in the person's mind? What caused them to do what they did? How did they arrive at the decision?

My guess is that sometimes we do not even know the answers to the questions above, and we jump into conclusion. Many times, I have done it myself, often accusing students for not paying attention or being extremely lazy. But usually after probing, its usually linked with something that affected their morale, their emotional well-being.

No matter what, nobody likes to be judged wrongly.

Blogger has launched a new interface and this has caused me to 'blog'

Goes to show how true the statement "Change is Constant" and being human, having new stuffs never fails to excite us.

However, in the midst of all these technological advancements and developments, we should never fail to remember our roots, first love and social contact.

Have we forgotten to appreciate the colours as we walk (or rush) to catch the train or have we forgotten to take a breath of the fresh air in the morning as we take a walk in the park?

With all the convenience in our hands, have we forgotten to write hand written letters and mail them by post, instead of composing messages or emails, mostly while traveling from one point to another.

Has all these advancements made the social relationships closer, or has it driven it further apart?

Yup, I have thousands of friends in my facebook account, hundreds of followers in twitter and tumblr. However when was the last time I met some friends just to hang out, grab a drink and get recharged?

Technological advancements are good.

But nothing beats the human touch.

Kim Jong Kook - Don't Be Good To Me

TRANSLATION:

Stop being good to me
Don't be good to me anymore

Being cold would be better instead
Or being unconcerned would be better instead

Taking off the dust stuck on the hem of your dress
Leaning on my shoulder without a thought as you laughed

It's just a habit, but even though I erase it and spend my day busily
I think and think about it again, like a picture taken with my eyes

Stop being good to me
Don't ever be good to me again
I get on my knees in front of love
I don't have the confidence to be hurt

If your feelings are different
If your feelings are different from mine
When someone asks
I'll introduce you calmly
As just a person I know

It wasn't that I wasn't able to answer
That late night call you gave me several days ago
I couldn't answer it

Because I was drunk and from my lonely heart
I might have thoughtlessly told you that I missed you
Because I thought that by the morning, it would be nothing

Stop being good to me
Don't ever be good to me again
I get on my knees in front of love
I don't have the confidence to be hurt

Because even though I miss you
I can't find the path that leads me back
To when I thought I had the entire world
Through that love alone

Because your feelings might be the same
Because your feelings might be the same as mine
I anticipate and I wait once again
In front of love today as well
Like a fool

I hesitate in front of you again
Like a fool

Couldn't agree more

Saw this online and I thought its quite a good article.

30 Things to do in 2012!

1. Start spending time with the right people. – These are the people you enjoy, who love and appreciate you, and who encourage you to improve in healthy and exciting ways. They are the ones who make you feel more alive, and not only embrace who you are now, but also embrace and embody who you want to be, unconditionally.
2. Start facing your problems head on. – It isn’t your problems that define you, but how you react to them and recover from them. Problems will not disappear unless you take action. Do what you can, when you can, and acknowledge what you’ve done. It’s all about taking baby steps in the right direction, inch by inch. These inches count, they add up to yards and miles in the long run.
3. Start being honest with yourself about everything. – Be honest about what’s right, as well as what needs to be changed. Be honest about what you want to achieve and who you want to become. Be honest with every aspect of your life, always. Because you are the one person you can forever count on. Search your soul, for the truth, so that you truly know who you are. Once you do, you’ll have a better understanding of where you are now and how you got here, and you’ll be better equipped to identify where you want to go and how to get there. Read The Road Less Traveled.
4. Start making your own happiness a priority. – Your needs matter. If you don’t value yourself, look out for yourself, and stick up for yourself, you’re sabotaging yourself. Remember, it IS possible to take care of your own needs while simultaneously caring for those around you. And once your needs are met, you will likely be far more capable of helping those who need you most.
5. Start being yourself, genuinely and proudly. – Trying to be anyone else is a waste of the person you are. Be yourself. Embrace that individual inside you that has ideas, strengths and beauty like no one else. Be the person you know yourself to be – the best version of you – on your terms. Above all, be true to YOU, and if you cannot put your heart in it, take yourself out of it.
6. Start noticing and living in the present. – Right now is a miracle. Right now is the only moment guaranteed to you. Right now is life. So stop thinking about how great things will be in the future. Stop dwelling on what did or didn’t happen in the past. Learn to be in the ‘here and now’ and experience life as it’s happening. Appreciate the world for the beauty that it holds, right now.
7. Start valuing the lessons your mistakes teach you. – Mistakes are okay; they’re the stepping stones of progress. If you’re not failing from time to time, you’re not trying hard enough and you’re not learning. Take risks, stumble, fall, and then get up and try again. Appreciate that you are pushing yourself, learning, growing and improving. Significant achievements are almost invariably realized at the end of a long road of failures. One of the ‘mistakes’ you fear might just be the link to your greatest achievement yet.
8. Start being more polite to yourself. – If you had a friend who spoke to you in the same way that you sometimes speak to yourself, how long would you allow that person to be your friend? The way you treat yourself sets the standard for others. You must love who you are or no one else will.
9. Start enjoying the things you already have. – The problem with many of us is that we think we’ll be happy when we reach a certain level in life – a level we see others operating at – your boss with her corner office, that friend of a friend who owns a mansion on the beach, etc. Unfortunately, it takes awhile before you get there, and when you get there you’ll likely have a new destination in mind. You’ll end up spending your whole life working toward something new without ever stopping to enjoy the things you have now. So take a quiet moment every morning when you first awake to appreciate where you are and what you already have.
10. Start creating your own happiness. – If you are waiting for someone else to make you happy, you’re missing out. Smile because you can. Choose happiness. Be the change you want to see in the world. Be happy with who you are now, and let your positivity inspire your journey into tomorrow. Happiness is often found when and where you decide to seek it. If you look for happiness within the opportunities you have, you will eventually find it. But if you constantly look for something else, unfortunately, you’ll find that too. Read Stumbling on Happiness.
11. Start giving your ideas and dreams a chance. – In life, it’s rarely about getting a chance; it’s about taking a chance. You’ll never be 100% sure it will work, but you can always be 100% sure doing nothing won’t work. Most of the time you just have to go for it! And no matter how it turns out, it always ends up just the way it should be. Either you succeed or you learn something. Win-Win.
12. Start believing that you’re ready for the next step. – You are ready! Think about it. You have everything you need right now to take the next small, realistic step forward. So embrace the opportunities that come your way, and accept the challenges – they’re gifts that will help you to grow.
13. Start entering new relationships for the right reasons. – Enter new relationships with dependable, honest people who reflect the person you are and the person you want to be. Choose friends you are proud to know, people you admire, who show you love and respect – people who reciprocate your kindness and commitment. And pay attention to what people do, because a person’s actions are much more important than their words or how others represent them.
14. Start giving new people you meet a chance. – It sounds harsh, but you cannot keep every friend you’ve ever made. People and priorities change. As some relationships fade others will grow. Appreciate the possibility of new relationships as you naturally let go of old ones that no longer work. Trust your judgment. Embrace new relationships, knowing that you are entering into unfamiliar territory. Be ready to learn, be ready for a challenge, and be ready to meet someone that might just change your life forever.
15. Start competing against an earlier version of yourself. – Be inspired by others, appreciate others, learn from others, but know that competing against them is a waste of time. You are in competition with one person and one person only – yourself. You are competing to be the best you can be. Aim to break your own personal records.
16. Start cheering for other people’s victories. – Start noticing what you like about others and tell them. Having an appreciation for how amazing the people around you are leads to good places – productive, fulfilling, peaceful places. So be happy for those who are making progress. Cheer for their victories. Be thankful for their blessings, openly. What goes around comes around, and sooner or later the people you’re cheering for will start cheering for you.
17. Start looking for the silver lining in tough situations. – When things are hard, and you feel down, take a few deep breaths and look for the silver lining – the small glimmers of hope. Remind yourself that you can and will grow stronger from these hard times. And remain conscious of your blessings and victories – all the things in your life that are right. Focus on what you have, not on what you haven’t.
18. Start forgiving yourself and others. – We’ve all been hurt by our own decisions and by others. And while the pain of these experiences is normal, sometimes it lingers for too long. We relive the pain over and over and have a hard time letting go. Forgiveness is the remedy. It doesn’t mean you’re erasing the past, or forgetting what happened. It means you’re letting go of the resentment and pain, and instead choosing to learn from the incident and move on with your life.
19. Start helping those around you. – Care about people. Guide them if you know a better way. The more you help others, the more they will want to help you. Love and kindness begets love and kindness. And so on and so forth.
20. Start listening to your own inner voice. – If it helps, discuss your ideas with those closest to you, but give yourself enough room to follow your own intuition. Be true to yourself. Say what you need to say. Do what you know in your heart is right.
21. Start being attentive to your stress level and take short breaks. – Slow down. Breath. Give yourself permission to pause, regroup and move forward with clarity and purpose. When you’re at your busiest, a brief recess can rejuvenate your mind and increase your productivity. These short breaks will help you regain your sanity and reflect on your recent actions so you can be sure they’re in line with your goals.
22. Start noticing the beauty of small moments. – Instead of waiting for the big things to happen – marriage, kids, big promotion, winning the lottery – find happiness in the small things that happen every day. Little things like having a quiet cup of coffee in the early morning, or the delicious taste and smell of a homemade meal, or the pleasure of sharing something you enjoy with someone else, or holding hands with your partner. Noticing these small pleasures on a daily basis makes a big difference in the quality of your life.
23. Start accepting things when they are less than perfect. – Remember, ‘perfect’ is the enemy of ‘good.’ One of the biggest challenges for people who want to improve themselves and improve the world is learning to accept things as they are. Sometimes it’s better to accept and appreciate the world as it is, and people as they are, rather than to trying to make everything and everyone conform to an impossible ideal. No, you shouldn’t accept a life of mediocrity, but learn to love and value things when they are less than perfect.
24. Start working toward your goals every single day. – Remember, the journey of a thousand miles begins with one step. Whatever it is you dream about, start taking small, logical steps every day to make it happen. Get out there and DO something! The harder you work the luckier you will become. While many of us decide at some point during the course of our lives that we want to answer our calling, only an astute few of us actually work on it. By ‘working on it,’ I mean consistently devoting oneself to the end result. Read The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People.
25. Start being more open about how you feel. – If you’re hurting, give yourself the necessary space and time to hurt, but be open about it. Talk to those closest to you. Tell them the truth about how you feel. Let them listen. The simple act of getting things off your chest and into the open is your first step toward feeling good again.
26. Start taking full accountability for your own life. – Own your choices and mistakes, and be willing to take the necessary steps to improve upon them. Either you take accountability for your life or someone else will. And when they do, you’ll become a slave to their ideas and dreams instead of a pioneer of your own. You are the only one who can directly control the outcome of your life. And no, it won’t always be easy. Every person has a stack of obstacles in front of them. But you must take accountability for your situation and overcome these obstacles. Choosing not to is choosing a lifetime of mere existence.
27. Start actively nurturing your most important relationships. – Bring real, honest joy into your life and the lives of those you love by simply telling them how much they mean to you on a regular basis. You can’t be everything to everyone, but you can be everything to a few people. Decide who these people are in your life and treat them like royalty. Remember, you don’t need a certain number of friends, just a number of friends you can be certain of.
28. Start concentrating on the things you can control. – You can’t change everything, but you can always change something. Wasting your time, talent and emotional energy on things that are beyond your control is a recipe for frustration, misery and stagnation. Invest your energy in the things you can control, and act on them now.
29. Start focusing on the possibility of positive outcomes. – The mind must believe it CAN do something before it is capable of actually doing it. The way to overcome negative thoughts and destructive emotions is to develop opposing, positive emotions that are stronger and more powerful. Listen to your self-talk and replace negative thoughts with positive ones. Regardless of how a situation seems, focus on what you DO WANT to happen, and then take the next positive step forward. No, you can’t control everything that happens to you, but you can control how you react to things. Everyone’s life has positive and negative aspects – whether or not you’re happy and successful in the long run depends greatly on which aspects you focus on. Read The How of Happiness.
30. Start noticing how wealthy you are right now. – Henry David Thoreau once said, “Wealth is the ability to fully experience life.” Even when times are tough, it’s always important to keep things in perspective. You didn’t go to sleep hungry last night. You didn’t go to sleep outside. You had a choice of what clothes to wear this morning. You hardly broke a sweat today. You didn’t spend a minute in fear. You have access to clean drinking water. You have access to medical care. You have access to the Internet. You can read. Some might say you are incredibly wealthy, so remember to be grateful for all the things you do have.

Haven't blogged for donkey years.

A lot of thoughts running through my mind. Sometimes I wish I could select the thoughts that I do not want, and clear them.

But I guess that is why I have to depend on God so much more. There is only so much that I can do. But if He is in the equation, He enables me to do even greater, even more.

I got to to learn to be bolder. Cannot always be that nice guy, especially if I am being put into a position of responsibilities.

Learning to be accepting. There are just so many things happening on the inside of people, that we have no idea of. Man sees the surface, and we make so many conclusions based on it. Though some of them help, it is just surface deep.

What shows on the outside, might not exactly be what's happening on the inside.

There are just so many things happening all around.

Rebuilding the walls, fending off attacks and worshiping Him at the same time.

Quite recently, I was reminded of an encounter I had.

I shared this encounter with my cellgroup, during my first ever birthday celebrations in church.

I saw myself as a painter and there were canvases in front of me. Some canvas were plain, some were torn and some had been painted on before but the colours were dull.

Then I saw the canvases being restored, given a fresh coat of paint. They look brand new.

In my hands was a palette, full of colours. I started adding colours to the canvases and one by one, the vibrant colours filled the canvas.. I was very pleased with the work, the transformation.

Then I heard myself telling my CG members that I want to be a painter for God, adding colours into the lives of others, and watch their lives transformed by the glory and power of God.

Joel
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Your time is limited, so don't waste it living someone else's life. Don't be trapped by dogma - which is living with the results of other people's thinking. Don't let the noise of other's opinions drown out your inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary.

- Steve Jobs
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This deserves another post in my blog.

It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better.

The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat.

I found motivation, 2 yrs ago, by this quote. Today, I'm motivated, once again, to take the step, to trust, to have faith, to learn, to devote. Even if I fail, I know I have tried.

Joel
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I am destined for greatness!

Visualize awesomeness in my life, and God using me awesomely!

I am going to be awesomely used by my awesome God!

This is an awesome day!

AWESOME!

There are wounds that never seem to heal. You would think that everything is fine, until you pick on the wound and it bleeds again.

Maybe it's not as painful anymore, but there's this tinge of emotions mixed together.

Or I should just leave the wound alone.

What are you chasing for in life? Many people chase after their own dreams and aspirations. They seek a good life, one's that stable, secure and well organized.

Their life goes one everyday without fuss and there's comfort, peace and joy in all that they do.

But are they really really happy?

I guess I'd never know the answer.

I have absolutely no doubt that God is a good God and no matter what we choose, He would still bless and prosper us. However we live in a broken down world and there are so many bad things happening all around us. Lives are lost, children being abandoned and people dying from diseases.

Living a stable, secure life does sound enticing. One doesn't have to worry about what to eat, dress and sleep. There's a constant supply of income and an assurance that you are taken care of.

It all sounds like a good and well thought out plan, until one is being asked, "Where is the God factor?"

In all that one does, where is God? Has God been factored out of the equation? Has God lost His place because one didn't get what he wanted and decides to take things into his own hands?

Nothing wrong desiring a safe, stable and secure life.

But where's God in the plan?

Esau factored God out of his life. Caine ran away from God. Their lives wasn't so bad. They built cities, had kings and all the money that they wanted. But God saw their hearts and their carnal nature.

Jacob received his calling and became Israel. His life wasn't as "perfect" as Esau, but Jacob listened to God and was obedient. Seth and his descendants ran towards God, unlike Caine.

What may seem really "fun" and exciting doesn't mean the best option for me.

Where is God in all that I do, in all that I plan? What is the God factor in my life?

For the longest time possible, I have been denying, avoiding. I wanted out, run away, escape from all these. But I was wrong.

God is a God of second chances. God of new beginnings. Old things have passed away, and He makes all things new.

Doesn't matter what has happened in the past. I am now a new creation and God can and will use me. Doesn't matter what I have been through, He can use those experiences and glorify His name. Doesn't matter what I have done, His blood covers my sins.

But what matters is if I am doing what He wants me to do.

I do not have much to offer, nothing great to sacrifice. All I desire is to have a heart after Jesus. One that is pure.

Its never about me. But its about Him.

My life, lived for Jesus and His glory, for people to find God through me.



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Cross of Calvary

What does the Cross mean to you?

I had an interesting dream last night.

I dreamt I was in the mind of Christ as He was being whipped and scorned by the roman soldiers.

I dreamt that He was thinking about me while going through all the physical pain, and He said, "For you, I will go through all these pain and suffering."

I dreamt that He had a smile on His blood stained face as He thought about me, free from sin.

I dreamt that even though I may disappoint and hurt Him from time to time, He still believes in me.

I dreamt that as He's being crucified onto the Cross, He assured me that everything is going to be ok, He's in control.

Jesus had done everything for me. What have I done for Him?

It is no longer I who lives, but Christ who lives in me.

How did Jesus go through all the suffering, and not complain?

He really loves you and me. So much that He laid down His life, just for you and me.

Simple truths, yet so powerful.


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XCEL 2011 Promo

Stronger 2012 - Promo

Found: Lost Pictures of New York Blizzard

Story of how an American found a roll of negatives, developed it and eventually finding the owners of the negatives

Found: Lost Pictures of New York Blizzard PART 2

Found: Lost Pictures of New York Blizzard PART 3

Random thought

Pastor Kong truly loves CHC.

After conducting Church Wide Bible Study from Tuesday to Thursday, he preaches live in all 6 services in Jurong West with passion and conviction.

Stirring our hearts, getting ready for Suntec.

Entering the promised land in 2 weeks!

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Lady Antebellum - Things People Say (music video)

Nice song :)

PS-22 Sings Man in the Mirror Tribute to Michael Jackson

What do you see in these kids?

PS22 Chorus "VIVA LA VIDA" Coldplay (acoustic guitar version)

PS22 Chorus "DON'T STOP BELIEVIN'" Journey

The geek in me has taken over.

http://www1.ap.dell.com/sg/en/home/notebooks/laptop-alienware-m17x/pd.aspx?refid=laptop-alienware-m17x&s=dhs&cs=sgdhs1

Buy this for Joel, to express your love for him.

=D

Dream

I dreamt on the way to Church.

The key to forgetfulness is to recreate your memories.

Its easy to forgive, but the hardest part is usually to forget. You forgive the person, but find it hard to forget what the person did.

While recreating memory may trigger a burst of pain, it leaves a bittersweet effect. A new memory is created.

Over time, the hurts and pains are gone and what's left are the newly created memories, good ones, that tide you through.
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Putting God first

Matthew 6:33 - "Seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you."

Very familiar verse, very commonly used by Christians.

Seek first the Kingdom of God. In all that we do, we seek God first. But we do not just stop at seeking God first, we are to seek righteousness as well.

Seeking first the Kingdom of God means putting God first in your life. In your choices, you choose to put Him above everything else.

You make sacrifices and adjustments so that God gets the priority. But if its between honouring our parents and Church? I believe that's when the righteousness part comes to play.

Yes, we still seek God first, but when its something critical at home and it requires your personal attention, I believe the right thing to do is to attend to your household.

But if its something trivial, like a party, I really believe that adjustments can be made to attend Church Services first.

I like what the Message Bible says "Steep your life in God-reality, God-initative, God-provisions. Don't worry about missing out. You'll find all your everyday human concerns will be met"

Righteousness- Morally right, doing what is right, fair and just.

I believe in putting God first and I believe in doing the right things.

Attending Church Service and Cell Group Meetings are vital to Spiritual Growth. Its not just about coming together to meet a bunch of people and have fun together.

Its all about character development and spiritual development.

Through your interaction with members, your character is being challenged. Resist the temptation to gossip about someone else, resist the temptation to ignore those who are different from you.

Take this opportunity to enlarge your heart, to not look inwardly, but to look to the needs of others and to work towards fulfilling their needs.

Its always the easy way out to stay in your comfort zone and do what you love to do. But once you get uncomfortable, you're stepping out, you're growing and developing skills and character. You'll do what you don't like to do and you'll love those who are just so different from you.

So when you have sought after God and His righteousness, all these things will be added to you.

Most people will think of wealth, abundance, material possessions. I believe in financial abundance, but is that what's gonna make you feeling really blessed?

I can be financially blessed, but die without making a single impact on Earth. But if I've made a difference in someone's life, I know most likely its because of my financial abilities.

How can I feed someone, if I can't feed myself?

How can I share the good news of the gospel, when I am suffering and in lack?

Do not worry! Put God first in your life. Stay righteous! God will provide for you and you'll be blessed! There's no losing out when you sacrifice for God.

"So the last will be first, and the first last. For many are called, but few chosen."

Will you seek Him first today?
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Thoughts

At the end of the day, it doesn't matter what my timetable looks like, what I am teaching or what I am doing.

What matters is that

My students gets inspired and motivated to study.

They graduate with good credits, entering a course they desire in ITE, Polytechnics or JC.

They learnt that they are the master of their life and the choices they make today can determine their future.

And they also learn that there's always grace and second chances available for them.

No one's a failure.

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Hillsong - What The World Will Never Take - With Subtitles/Lyrics - HD ...

Dynamic.

Taylor Swift - Back to December

One of my favorite songs of Taylor Swift. =)

Nice scenes!

I've got the strangest allocation of lessons this year.

Geography, Social Studies and Elementary Math for NT.

Hmm......... Strange.

In the year 2011, my resolutions/hopes and wishes are-

1. CGL

2. Get into the Social Sciences of SMU, do well for my mods and get a decent GPA of 3.0 and above

3. Run 2-3x weekly, clocking at least 5km per run

4. Work out/gym 2-3x weekly

5. Get my driving licence

Joel
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RSA Animate - Changing Education Paradigms

Awesome food for thought by Ken Robinson =)

Christmas/Birthday Wishlist!

All I want for Christmas is my 2 front teeth... Not!

Woopieeee! Christmas! I'm probably the last person on earth to get a feel of the Christmas Spirit.

Every year, without fail, I post my wishlist online, in hope of a kind soul who's thinking of showering me with gifts.

So here goes.

1. Flashy running shoes, size 10.5
2. Hugo Boss T-Shirts, size S
3. Zara Jeans (Slim Fit), size 30
4. Emma Watson's mobile number. :D
5. The Best of Foxtrot by Bill Amend, $77 @ Kino
6. MacBook Pro 17"
7. Fully Equipped Gaming Desktop
8. Bose Speakers
9. A blank cheque to buy everything above :)

Woopieee! Let the blessings come!!

Joel
Hohoho!
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The Presence of God

Its not just how melodious, or lack of it, I sing,
Its not just how fluent or persuasive I may be,
Its not just how the technical details are fulfilled,

But its the love of God, and the love for His people that brings the presence of God into the lives of people.

Joel

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Time flies.

A year has past.

As I look back, I wonder if I have made developments, growth and progress in life.

I've slayed some lions, had victories and humbling times.

I've walked, ran, limped and dragged myself through. I didn't really have a good start in the year 2010. But God is ever so faithful.

The victories, favour, blessings and grace I received overwhelmed me. God is really a good God.

Darryl said 2010 gonna be a year of breakthroughs; it sure is.

I thank God for all that He has done.
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Harry Potter | Marchin On

One of the most awesome Harry Potter videos + the music.

One Republic - Marchin' On.

They are boyband? Not bad for a boyband eh?

Five Loaves and Two Fishes - Corrinne May (Illustrated)

Corrinne May - Five Loaves and Two Fishes

Five For Fighting - Superman (It's Not Easy)

Never tired of listening to this song.

Sunrise @ Bintan

Sitting in a hut, by the beach in Bintan. Its only 5.47am local time, but the sky is bright and clear blue.

I wonder if the sun has risen.

Listening to the waves crash periodically has its therapeutic effects. Who else, but God, orchestrated all these to happen.

He set the skies and oceans in place. The landforms, rock formations and all, He crafted them.

The gentle breeze never ceases, seemingly rushing to another place; carrying a message.

The rustling of the leaves make the trees alive; as though they are communicating with each other.

Dark clouds threaten to overwhelm the blue skies, strong winds beating against the wind struck trees. But out of every storm comes a new story, the silver lining.

When there's movement, there's life. Dead logs, cut up into small stumps, look strong and sturdy. But they are dead. Yet the young shoot of a tree is full of life, bursting forth with leaves, reaching for the sky.

I sit here in the hut, there's so much to be amazed of. Yet why do people choose to be emo about life?

Life is an adventure with God. Yes, things happen and it shakes us. But take joy! You're alive! I'd rather be the young shoot that reaches for the skies. Even though I'll never touch the clouds, but I won't despair; I keep reaching for the skies.

While I may feel stretched, pained and agony, I keep going on. A dead tree is only good to be a stump, you'll never be able to achieve what you once thought possible; touch the skies.

Do not stop believing. God is in control. The universe, the orbits of the planets, distance between each other; all meticulously calculated by God.

He has formed you, thought great thoughts of you.

Don't give up.
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This is my 800th post =)

-

Just came back from 2N1's class chalet. Somehow, 2N1 is still very dear to me. Despite not being able to teach anyone of them Geography in the first term, or torturing them during PE lessons, I do enjoy my limited time with them.

I was quite encouraged that I'm more like a friend to them, and some of them feel more comfortable with me around.

Well, I never had a chance to say, but I am really awesomely proud of 2N1 =)

Travelling

Travelling on the train and buses are somewhat becoming really private.

On the journey, I reflect on my thoughts, actions and future.

As much as I find myself holding on to the past, I confess and visualise a positive future.

Need to lean on God more.
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The Prodigal

Life's kinda too short to be stuck in the past.

I am moving forward, speaking positive confessions, believing in myself and God.

Time to be bold, consecrated and courageous.

Filled with the love of God, receiving and giving His love freely.

I will smile in the face of adversities, strengthen my strengths and manage my weaknesses.

I will be upward looking, not inward; at my own weaknesses and imperfections. God is able and He will.

I will learn from every experience, because He's gonna use them all, for someone that needs and for me to grow.

I will be who God called me to be.

Joel

It's been a million years since I last blogged. Feeling rusty.

Still deciding if I should write about that person. But I think it's rather redundant now. She's not gonna read it and she's happier than before.

Perhaps I just got myself to blame. My actions propelled her away and being 50,000 miles apart, it is really quite difficult to hold on to me; something that hurt you so much all the time.

Recent revelation shook me up a little. I guess I never wanted to know, even though the possibly is great. I haven't really dealt with it and I guess because I'm ready for it, God revealed it.

Was like a floodgate of emotions, but this time, I was able to control my emotions pretty well. I felt stronger and in control.

Thank God for a really understanding friend at that ungodly time.

To you, and you, I am really happy for you both.

Joel

Don't write me off just yet (with subtitles)

PoP! Goes My Heart - 80's Parody - Hugh Grant

This is SOOOO awesome.

I have a friend. He's very cool.

He's always hanging around me, encouraging me on. He's the best cheerleader you can ever find, cheering me on during the difficult times.

He's full of wisdom, analyzes every single situation with great detail and gives me excellent advise.

He's full of purpose. When I am tired of what I am doing, he comes on and remind me of the purposes.

He's full of joy. He's able to find joy in the simplest of things, teaching me valuable lessons of being contend with what I have now and at the same time, cherish and treasure valuable things before they are gone.

He's full of character. Even when tough times comes, he doesn't crack or lose his temper. He has reminded me countless of times when I have lost my temper, broke down emotionally and simply drained, that I can be a better person.

He's full of vision. Always believing in the potential of me, and everyone else, he has taught me that with the right amount of encouragement, time and belief, everyone can succeed.

He's full of love. Though I have made him angry many many times, he has not condemned or abandoned me. Though I have hung up on him many times, he keeps calling and messaging me.

He wakes up earlier than me, waits for me to wake and starts the day with excitement together with me.

This friend of mine is amazing.

His name is Jesus.

Do you know Him?

Norwegian Recycling - How Six Songs Collide

This is kinda old, but still nice!

Breakfast In Bed

Such an amazing dog!!

Amazing Dog Tricks by Paige the Border Collie!

This video makes me HAPPYYYYYY!!!

Jie: Why isn't Scout as smart as Paige!? Almost the same family of dogs mah!

God does not need a perfect vessel to do His work. He uses a willing vessel, one that is broken.

The smell a cologne cannot be appreciated if it's not applied by the user. Only when the cologne is released, the fragrance can be appreciated by yourself, and the people around you.

Similarly, the presence and the anointing of God cannot be released if you are not broken before Him.

To be broken is to be humble, willing, and dependent on Him.

The love of God cannot be felt if you are not broken.

How would people know that God loves them if you do not humble yourself and bear with their troubles?

It is in the darkest period of times when we feel the love of God the strongest. It is in that period of time, your friends gather around you and support you. It's during that period of time, when you are all broken and humbled, crying out to God.

In the dark, all you need is a little light.

Are we being the light that shines and guides people to God during their dark periods? Or are we also blinded by the darkness?

The blind sense where they are going through their touch, or walking stick. Even they have a direction, they know where to go.

Do we know where to go when we are blinded? Do we sit down, lament and blame the circumstance, or do we sense what God is doing, where God is leading and how He is leading?

For that one sheep that strayed away, the shepherd would leave the ninety nine behind.

Isn't he afraid that the ninety nine would be scattered?

Psalms 23:1
¹ The LORD is my shepherd;
I shall not want.
² He makes me to lie down in green pastures;
He leads me beside the still waters.

For a sheep to lie down, the sheep has to feel total security and comfort. The shepherd makes the sheep lie down. The shepherd makes them comfortable, feel secure and safe.

How do you become comfortable, secure and safe? When you become broken before God, allowing Him to do a work in your life, in your attitudes.

Brokenness maybe painful, but it releases the fragrance of God that attracts people who are blind, people who are seeking for directions.

The fragrance of God gives them hope, direction and purpose.

Are you going to be the one that makes a difference in someone's life today?

She has to be the cutest, smartest and most creative 4 yr old toddler I've ever seen. Haha..

Back from the Fired Up Camp!

Its probably one of the best camps I ever participated in. It felt like Asia Conference, in a zone level.

Our sessions with Pst MJ and Jason were amazing. It was like a build up on each other and I just got so hungry and thirsty for more of His presence and His Word.

Learnt and got reminded of many thing regarding leadership.

I went to the camp, guarded, ready for any form of sudden "arrows", thinking that it would be a "step out of your comfort zone" camp. But I was totally wrong. Right from the first session, I could feel myself breaking, and desiring for more of Him.

The floodgates opened when Jason ministered to us on the second day. I really cannot express what went on during that period of time, but all I know is that I do not want to depend on my own natural strength to lead anymore.

I desire to move in signs and wonders, in sensitivity towards the Holy Spirit and in obedience to Him.

I could feel what a shepherd should be like, caring and tending for his sheep, no matter what happens.

I could feel the heartbreak and burden for a sheep that's wayward, the love and acceptance for the sheep and the sense of joy a shepherd has for the sheep.

Learnt about leadership too. Achieving the objective that was being set for us.

It's gonna be a greater time ahead!

06 City Harvest Church - Out Of My Hands

Asia Conference 2010 was more than amazing.

First night session felt like the grand finale already. In fact, every single session felt like a home run, increasing the faith and expectancy of every single member.

Believing what Dr Cho prophesied; CHC will be the largest church in the world, led by Pst Kong.

Thus that also meant that the Church and Pastor will definitely go through testings.

And so swiftly, they came.

My stand?

I have my complete trust and faith in Pastor Kong, the Church and the leadership.