Tag: dream

Don’t Lose to Temporary

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Are you losing hope in your current situation? You feel like you can never get out from it? I have my own share of struggles also and everything just looks so blur as to how I will be able to overcome those. I was so encouraged and reminded by these lines from a movie which are also based on Biblical principles. Indeed, only God knows how we will be able to overcome. We just have to stop losing our self to the worries but instead surrender everything to God and just let Him work in our life.

How do we not lose our self to the temporary? By being rooted into the Word of God and prayers. Only God can truly assure and secure us of what lies ahead. We just have to trust Him!

inema isa matter of what's in the frame and what's out

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Enough Day Dreaming

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When I was in my younger years, I used to play “pretend” a lot. I pretended to be a teacher or an office girl. As years passed by, my interest for computers grew when my uncle gave us our very first desktop computer. I decided to pursue a degree on computer rather than pursuing my second interest which was journalism. I felt like I got so exhausted with my 5-year degree that I badly wanted it to be done. I didn’t care anymore about my grades, all I wanted was to pass and graduate.

Between the time I was playing pretend to the time I finished university, I rarely dreamed of big things. At some point, I had some dreams which I think were more of imaginations. You know, the kind you just day dream about but you really did not do anything about it. Most of the time, I only thought of what’s real in front of me – to graduate and have a job. That’s it. No long term plans. Nothing.

And then, big change happened. The small city girl had to make the biggest move of her life. I had to live in a city where I never wanted to be. Although looking back now, I’m glad I took that step of faith. (Thank God for that very good job offer!) The circumstances that God allowed to happen between that time and now had taught me to become a dreamer.

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God inspired me to dream not just to have a list I can check for every item I’ve accomplished. God inspired me to dream because I need to live a life that will increase my faith and allow me to experience God each day. He inspired me to dream of bigger things because I need to depend more on Him in doing things I can never do just on my own. God inspired me to dream that I may learn to step out of faith when He asks me to leave my comfort zone. He inspired me to dream that I may never live just for myself but also for other people.

You don’t need to be in a certain place or situation for God to cause you to dream bigger. You could be at the lowest point of your life or at the peak of your career. You just have to own that dream and trust that He will enable you to achieve it.

When God inspires us to dream, we have to act upon it. It’s time we stop day dreaming and allow God to really work in us and through us. When you think things are just so impossible to do, that’s when you can truly see and experience how real God is. He loves impossible. He loves big dreams. Because that is His expertise.

Today, I challenge you to challenge God. I dare you to ask God to increase your faith that He may be able to inspire you to dream, and not just simply dream but to dream big. It will be an exciting journey with God! 🙂 🙂 🙂

Asking for MORE

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Last year, I asked God to test my faith. Not to give me what I want but to see more of Him. I get to know God more each day when I read the Bible but I wanted more. I wanted to know and experience God more in my own walk with Him. And so, I prayed for Him to take me to a more deep faith.

That’s 5 “more” there…

Just like when Elisha asked Elijah a double portion of his spirit, I asked God for more of Him.

Just rewinding a bit in 2012…

God gave me this burden to consider going for a full time ministry work. It is a privileged joy to be able to serve God fulltime.  However, I also wanted to fulfill my own dreams for myself and for my family. I can’t see my dream getting realized if I’ll go fulltime.

In a retreat that year, we were asked to write something that we want to surrender to the Lord. Right there, God asked me to surrender my plans and dreams to Him, to just totally let go. It broke my heart. As I wrote and committed it to the Lord, I was in tears. I felt like a portion of me was taken away.

After that, I just told God, I have done my part, now do Yours.

Forwarding to 2013…

There were no doors opened for a full time ministry work. God even gave me a better opportunity for growth in my IT career. It was a dream role I never thought I could have. I thought maybe God wanted me to stay after all. I got so energized with my work that somehow I forgot that desire of going full time for a ministry.

Then latter part of the year, a door for a ministry job opened. Work in my company became stressful and “spiritually” exhausting. I applied for the ministry opportunity. I considered resigning.

Not certain if I’ll be accepted for the position, I took a big leap of faith and submitted my resignation. And on my last day at work, I received the news for my ministry application that I was not accepted.

That’s what happened when you asked God to test your faith. Things don’t go your way. But it allowed me to experience God in a very, very, very personal way. Indeed, He wanted me to grow deeper in my faith.

I asked God why He wanted me to resign when He knew that I will not be accepted for that ministry. The response I got from Him – your character, your heart, more important than where you will serve me. The condition of my heart was not pleasing to Him anymore. Disgusting enough that God, full of grace and love had to remove me from something I might not be able to handle.

As I started 2014, I have never been more uncertain with my life. But that’s when deeper faith happens. All I know is that I have a SOVEREIGN GOD who cares for my heart more than what I can bring to Him.

Remember that dream I surrendered in 2012? Years before that, I wanted to apply for a permanent residency in Canada. However, I did not make it to the 2 years of full work experience. I got short of 3 months. I told God that if He really wanted me to apply, He will find another way. Start of 2013, the qualification changed. From 2 years, they only required 1 year. I was qualified. Then, hesitation came. I told God I surrendered this dream to Him already. I’m choosing to go full time.

But God is just amazing. He used someone to push me to apply. Did you ever have that peace that transcends all understanding? I had this sudden peace in me, confirming that I’m doing the right thing. Amazingly, everything went so smooth with my application. And with all the uncertainties I had at the start of the year, I received an email last February. My application for Canada got approved.

I gave God a jaw-dropping expression (literally). A face in awe of SOMEONE I can never fathom and describe but very real, very personal.

I’m excited how this year will turn out to be. 2013 has been a very interesting, growing, exciting year for me. This year, I’m just letting God continue to mold me, surprise me, amaze me, change me. After all, that’s just the way HE is – An Extravagant, Loving Father.

Last year, my theme verse was Hebrews 11:1 as God took me to a deeper faith.  “Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.”

I started this year – no job, plans surrendered, and full of uncertainties. I was only holding on to the ONE certainty in my life, my Lord and Savior Jesus.

This is my theme verse for 2014 – Philippians 3:7-8: “But whatever were gains to me I now consider loss for the sake of Christ.What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. “

Please pray for me as I seek God to give me a fresh vision before I leave for Canada. More than a fulfilled dream, this journey has always been about Him. I just want to make sure that when I move, I have a clear vision to remind me of why I went there in the first place.

Thank you to everyone who prayed with me on this journey. (Philippians 1:3 – “I thank my God every time I remember you.”)

In this life, it only takes a faith as small as a mustard seed to believe that God loves you so much and He cares about you that He wants to be involved in all aspects of your life. God will not force you. You have to decide if you want to believe. (And, I hope you do.)

To the only amazing God be all the glory!

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A Letter To A High School Student

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Dear High School Student,

I am writing this to you because I want to let you know that life after college is not just the life you are imagining right now.

The different professions you know like nurse, engineer, accountant, programmer, teacher, doctor, or banker are not the only jobs out there. There are a lot. Too many that you never thought your personality, talent and skills would be suited for that job.

So while you are still in high school, you need to do your homework.

On school days, be good in every subject you have.  Listen attentively. Study hard. Take note of the subjects you are good at.

On weekends, do something that will develop your other potentials. Get a hobby, read a book, build a webpage, make little inventions, do sport, write short stories or cook your favorite food. Do anything that will not waste your energy and time as long as it is something you enjoy doing.

On your summer vacations, explore different activities. Serve on a fast food, be a cashier of your parents’ business, volunteer in a charity, teach in Sunday school or join a summer camp. Don’t let summer breaks be over without experiencing something that will help you in your future someday.

You need to understand that your college years are crucial to the kind of life you want to have someday. Your parents will not just invest on you with their money but you will also invest your own time and effort for it.

As early as now, you must learn to set a vision for yourself. What kind of work would you want to end up with when you retire? Mostly, the first job is not really the kind of job you want but it would be the first step that would bring you to that vision you have set.

While you are still young, keep the balance of having fun, learning and developing your potentials.

And lastly, always remember that God designed you for a purpose. Don’t ever feel that you lack or you are no better than your classmate. You are unique. All you need to do is to discover what that purpose is.

Think about it. 🙂

Just me, caring for the future generation.

 

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Teach us to number our days,
that we may gain a heart of wisdom.  (Psalm 90:12)