You know the Christmas holidays are near when the lights come up on Orchard Road – stores start putting up their decorations, Christmas music is blaring at you from every shopfront and conceivable  speaker in the vicinity. Get a Christmas tree! Put up the lights! Hunt for gifts for friends and loved ones. Buy! Buy! Buy! The same happening all over the world.

Latreia came together as a group to celebrate the occasion. While we had all of the outward trappings of what Christmas means to the modern world, we came together to fellowship and celebrate the event that forever changed the world – the birth of Christ.

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- adrian t

Just posted this to the alpha@wefc blog. But I’d share it here with you as well:

As a result of Albert being away this week enjoying himself in Hong Kong feasting on durian soup and other such eclectic fare, I sat in on the discussion group he’s leading this Alpha, and a very curious thing happened.. I met myself. No, you did not read that wrong and I’m not a narcissist.. i met someone who reminded me of myself.

We all meet people all the time.. many of these “someones” we meet don’t really register in our conscious minds, they simply disappear when the conversation or meeting ends.. some stay a little longer but out of sight and soon out of mind as well.. some of these someones you actually prefer to be forgettable moments. But how many of us can actually say they’ve met someone who reminds them of themselves.. in every possible manner?

Well, I met someone.. and that someone, coincidental or not, reminded me very much of what I was, how I behaved, how I spoke.. even what I felt, and thought.. right down to the professed principles and beliefs. That someone sparked my curiousity and as i learnt more in subsequent conversation with him, I felt overwhelmed.

I’m sure we’ll soon discover that differences exist because we are individuals and we are unique but I’m curious.. this is a someone who seems to speak, feel, think and behave in exactly the same way I did when I was his age and though I’m double that age now, i still pretty much speak, feel, think and behave the way I did back then. OK, may be a little less rebellion being exhibited now but every bit a rebel (in that I do not conform to the accepted norm, IMHO) and very different from your average church going adult.

J had attended church previously but had left. J had questions.. lots of them.. in his mind. Some of those questions I still entertain from time to time in my own mind but the evening’s topic was on “How Can I Be Sure of My Faith?” and the evening’s experience got me ruminating and when I do that, I do what other Internet addicts do – I start surfing the Net and pulling stuff together just to answer questions in my mind.

So, join me on one of my journeys see if you arrive at the same place I did when i pieced together what I’d read.

(more…)

I am much encouraged and enlightened this morning. It is so easy to be disheartened and give up as an easy way out .. And again God, being gracious, reminding me of this fact in this morning’s QT. I believe it is not by chance but by His divine appointment.

What took long term stamina for me to accomplish?
My work and relationship.

Am I glad that I did not give up? When Have You Persevered?
At work – 4 years in Gravity; 3 years in Fallon & Saatchi; 6 months is China Club and 4 months in Econosto.. long enough to consider “having persevered” ??? ;p

Relationship .. 6 years with 1st boyfriend, 3 years with ex husband.. not long to consider “having persevered” .. and now ???

I have yet to learn perseverance as I give up to hope eventually .. Perseverance is to struggle without bitterness and with God’s grace in difficulties … I m still learning that process.

How often did my mind struggle and said “I can’t do this anymore; yes I can; no I can’t; I’m not quitting”. I have to learn the lesson of persevere many times the painful ways… especially now!

Perseverance Is not optional – there is a time in life when giving up is not an option. Perhaps God asked to restore relationship, to build ministry, to heal n forgive. It is only through the Grace of God and His gift of disciplined perseverance, despite delays that we may meet others in hope.

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Dear Lord,

Help me to learn to rejoice in my suffering, because I know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. Today I pray that I will become a woman of extreme perseverance, not letting difficulties and delays discourage me. I ask especially for persistence that will build my character and give me hope when I am in a “holding” pattern of waiting for things to happen or improve. Help me see that it is actually easier for me to persevere than to live with the regret of having given up hope.


Thank you for your gift of perseverance.

In Jesus Most Precious Name I pray .. Amen

- yvonne k

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