faith.hope.love

Inspired

2010-07-11T22:45:00.002+10:00

I've found a female worship/song leader I really admire and am inspired by: Kari Jobe

Recent songs that I've really been touched by:

PURE

Your love is pure your love is precious your love is all i need
your love is pure your love is precious your love is all i need
your love surrounds me your love astounds me your love is everything.

i run to you my heart is weak i cling to you your all i see
it's my hearts desire to be close to you cause here in your arms i'll find my strength.

your love is pure your love is precious your love is all i need
your love surrounds me your love astounds me your love is everything.

i run to you my heart is weak i cling to you your all i see
it's my hearts desire to be close to you cause here in your arms i'll find my strength

and....

THE MORE I SEEK YOU

The more i seek you,
the more i find you
The more i find you, the more I love you

C:I wanna sit at your feet
drink from the cup in your hand.
Lay back against you and breath, here your heart beat
This love is so deep, it's more than I can stand.
I melt in your peace, it's overwhelming
(From Top)

Chorus:4x

This tweet made me sigh and smile at the same time

2010-06-28T23:25:00.003+10:00

Max Lucado:

"Sitting in the purse department watching my wife Denalyn stalk her prey. These purses don't stand a chance. She has her game-face on"

Max Lucado:

"Why another purse? I've used the same wallet for a decade. If I say something, she'll ask me how much I spend on golf. So, I just sit and wince"

Max Lucado:

"Leaving purse store. Denalyn is smiling and I'm thinking that a woman who can put up with me for 29 years deserves any purse she wants"

=)

God has humor and He does funny things

2010-06-28T22:51:00.004+10:00

Synonyms for HUMOR:

amusement, badinage, banter, buffoonery, clowning, comicality, comicalness, drollery, facetiousness, farce, flippancy, fun, gag, gaiety, happiness, high spirits, jest, jesting, jocoseness, jocosity, jocularity, joke, joking, joyfulness, kidding, levity, lightness, playfulness, pleasantry, raillery, tomfoolery, whimsy, wisecrack, wit, witticism, wittiness.

Synonyms for FUNNY:

absurd, amusing, antic, blithe, capricious, clever, diverting, droll, entertaining, facetious, farcical, for grins, gay, gelastic, good-humored, hilarious, humdinger, hysterical, jocose, jocular, joking, jolly, knee-slapper, laughable, ludicrous, merry, mirthful, playful, priceless, rich, ridiculous, riot, riotous, risible, screaming, side-splitting, silly, slapstick, sportive, waggish, whimsical, witty

God has been teaaching me several lessons in the last month or so. I've learn that when you open your heart to correction, you basically risk being hurt and exposed. But the risk is worth it because it brings about growth and it teaches you to be humble and less prideful.

I shared this at Sunday Morning Prayer at Church the other day.

Three things Gods been revealing to me:

1- Not to be selfish (don't make yourself a throne)
2- Martha & Mary principle
3- To take part in the Church family, not just in YD

I'm gonna talk about point number 3 and share how God has humor and how he does funny things. After sharing at Sunday Morning prayer, in particular about point 3. During the prayer circles at Church. One of the Pastors at Church asked me if I could back up for him this coming Sunday. (For those who don't know him, he basically has a worshipp team with members that are mainly adults). Then, in the afternoon service I was sitting and watching the worship team practice for the afternoon service and Kuya Prody, Tita Nanette and Tito Jimmy asked me to back up with them to help them out, and I replied saying "no it's okay it's a family thing" as I saw their kids and nephew playing for them also. Then Tito Jimmy said something that just made me laugh and smile to Heaven... He said "are we not family?"

LOL. so I ended up backing up for them. God is so funny. When He wants something for me, He'll make it happen through any shape or form.

He makes me smile.

I had a really great weekend! Bible Study, Sleep over watching Modern Family at the Verzosas, Armory Cafe, Archery, Ikea Dinner and Photos with my closest friends!

Chocolate Sundae

2010-06-28T22:37:00.003+10:00

Tomorrow will be exactly a week of being twenty-three. Quite amazed at how fast five years can go.

Five years ago I was eighteen, I graduated from High School and I got my drivers license.

Five years ago I finished leading my first Bible Study and watched them graduate to YA.

Today, I got my blood test results, everything is pretty much normal apart from my iron level being a little low (due to being sick 2 weeks ago) and my platelet count is borderline thrombocytosis.

Thrombocytosis is the presence of high platelet counts in the blood, and can be either reactive or primary (also termed essential and caused by a myeloproliferative disease). Although often symptomless (particularly when it is a secondary reaction), it can predispose to thrombosis in some patients.

Doctor says she isn't too worried about it but I should get another blood test to monitor it in the next month or so.

Today I got 100% in my "Life of Christ" exam at Bible College.

After Bible College I ate a chocolate sundae - which I had just finished prior to typing up this blog entry - hence the title of this blog.

Today I applied for CITY2SURF! (Well, Grace did it for me cause I don't have a credit card) So excited to do it!!! Grace & I are going to start training for it this Saturday 7am for 7km! It is so achievable!!! GO TEAM!

Got Afternoon Shift tomorrow. yay sleep in!

smile.

2010-03-17T21:54:00.003+11:00

I was meant to upload this poem last week. I was handing out the usual towels, gowns and face washers of a morning shift at work. This patient had a whole stack of poems and jokes (some rude ones too..lol) in his pocket, and he pulled this one out and read it to an audience of 2 other patients, a cleaner and myself. It brought a smile to my face.

This day was an emotional yet felt some sort of fulfillment at the end of it. I'll write more about that day, when I get the chance.

I was suppose to do an AUTUMN CLEAN today when I got home from work.. but I ended up eating then falling asleep... was also suppose to google more pics to give to Yan for my assignment. But only getting a chance to look for some now.

Such a lazy afternoon. Shouldn't of had that nap!

Hide & Seek

2010-03-16T22:25:00.002+11:00

RELAXED. REFRESHED.

Two words to sum up my TUESDAY. Have five weeks off Uni starting from tomorrow! Two weeks Clinical Placement, then 3 weeks holiday, then come back for 5 more weeks of my second last semester at Uni. The year has been passing so speedily, praying that even though the year seems to be going so fast, that during this year I don't miss special God moments.

After Uni, I went straight home, cooked, ate, watched a bit of Fraser and Seinfield and then fell asleep.

Went to Yans place to "work" on my assignment, which we sorta did, but ended up watching a few movies. HAHA. (working on my part of the assignment now...)

I think I needed the "TIME OUT" I've just been so physically tired lately, it was good to sit back and just relax and laugh and cry and find rest.

I love driving by myself (especially at night). It's in the car where I've had so many encounters with God. It's in the car where I find I can pray & sing & talk to God and enjoy His company without any other distractions. Usually I'd hear something or sense what God wants to tell me at those moments. But tonight driving home, I could only hear the sound of my voice as I sang worship songs, I did give Him time to speak. But He was silent. I think He's playing hide & seek.

Having said that. I'm excited to do SOAP tonight as I know He'll reveal something juicy when I seek for Him in His Word...

Songs of Solomon has really opened up and reminded me again of just how deep and how wide His love for me really is.

*side note: bad tummy pains-->drink green tea before bed..

... back to looking for images for my assignment

Beep Test

2010-03-14T20:58:00.005+11:00

My first blog for the year.
Not because I haven't had anything worth blogging about..
Cause so many things have occurred within the last I guess 2 and a half months..
Just haven't really been motivated to post anything up here since my blog page is quite plain and boring..
I wish I was more creative and able to do all these fancy stuff that Yan, Vicki and Beth can do.... (Jealous) But totally admire their exquisite and unique capabilities. I guess I am not wired to be creative in the "design" area of my life. That's totally cool!

Well, I'll keep this short. Just want to post something to remind myself of what I need to complete this week. It's my 3rd week of Uni of my last year of NURSING *fingers crossed* so I totally need to start disciplining myself with time management.

Okay here is the gist of what I need to get done this week, as from March 22- April 2 I'll be on Clinicals doing PM shift. So bummed on missing out on Bible College and Bible Study for those 2 weeks.

Monday: Uni & Bible College, Order more chocolates for fundraising
Tuesday: Uni, go to Yans house so I can communicate what I want for my assignment and with his creative mind design something for me that will give me a DISTINCTION! (no pressure =) ) haha
Wednesday: Work (AM), Call Hannah before she leaves for Solomon Islands), Hand in Lesson Plan (Last SOAP lesson)
Thursday: Work (AM) print assignment, pay for phone bill
Friday: Work (AM), Bible Study
Saturday: probably having worship practice.. not sure if I'm on and some sort of physical activity would be sweet!
Sunday: Church

*MAKE SURE TO DO SOAP EVERYDAY THIS WEEK!

Shout out to PACQUAIO MANNY, continues to shine that Filipino Pride... Wonder if "Mr Philippines wore his jacket today" haha.

Tennis today @ Stanhope was awesome..
Beep Test Level for me today = 3.8

Such a Refreshing Day

2009-11-17T16:23:00.004+11:00

Today I woke up for my last formal exam for the year - Leadership in Graduate Practice. I'm pretty confident I'll pass it, wouldn't have gone out last night with the guys and Ate Mon to have dinner had I not been.

Raj lent me a cd to listen to last night, so I put it on first thing when I got into the car, prayed and lifted up the day to God and was on my way to Uni. Stopped by drive thru maccas along the Cumberland Highway to get a bacon & egg breakfast wrap and then was on my way again.

The songs on this cd is just awesome! Really refreshing. Like water...Worship is refreshing! I didn't even revise anymore of my notes before my exam. As soon as I had parked my car at Uni, I just put the seat back, put the volume up and just worshipped with my eyes closed. Just wanted to soak in every ounce of Gods love till I was full! Soo awesome! I walked into that exam feeling so awesome! And was sure I'd be fine for me exam!

When I got to the exam room, our papers weren't even printed out yet.. so our exam got delayed 20mins. But it was fine! Finished that exam!

When I was walking back to the car I saw Adam and some of the other nursing students in my year. Adam gave a me a huge hug and half spun me around.. =) Aww... made me emotional for that moment... cause I won't be seeing him or the rest of them anymore.. SILLY MSN2 made me stay back an extra year! Oh well!

Anyways, so I was walking to the car and I get a text from Mike asking if I was able to pick up the dog at the pound. Feeling just so overwhelmingly loved and blessed for this day, I ventured off to seek this dog. (LONG STORY OF HOW IT GOT TO THE POUND IN THE FIRST PLACE) But yes alas! We got the dog back! Took me forever to get it into the car.. HAHA.. But it is the sweetest Staffy EVER! I'm going to miss it after Mike comes over to pick up his baby (haha). He must've called quite a bit to check up on the dog the last week or so, cause they knew his name. HAHA.

Anyways.. so I walked to the shops to buy it some food... and Roslyn, Lyn & I showered her... =)

I'm gonna miss her! Even my parents like her.. Mum was like "bakit bumili kang aso pepei" ? TRANSLATED (why did you buy a dog that doesn't bark). Before my mum went to work she even checked on the dog like about 3 times and made sure the gate was locked.. I love my mum! She does have a heart for dogs! HAHAHA.. But she doesn't want us to have one cause no one will be able to look after it.

[I full stalked it from my enclosure, it seems like she's marked her territory... found her sleeping outside the doorstep.. how cuteeeee]

I love this day! I feel so refreshed, after Mike picks up the dog I'm going to get back to reading the Word and just spending some solitude time with just me and my Savior! =)

Jelly Cups & OJ

2009-11-15T20:51:00.003+11:00

I had no idea what to name this blog entry so I named it after what I'm eating.
I have not blogged in like forever!

Got so much to blog about.. but I can't be bothered.. I want a new layout for inspiration and motivation to blog continually.... HRMMM... *Looks to Vicki Veira*

- Slept for 5 hours when I got home from Church today and have not studied one bit!... Hrmmmmm.... Bring on Leadership in Graduate Practice!!!!!

- I'm almost finished reading "The Wonder Women of the Bible"... I think I have 4 more women to read about! I've learnt so much..

- Are Daisy & Kuya Roy - PARTY IN BORACAY! Congratulations again!

Hrmm.. I kinda feel lethargic....

I'm out.....

NOTE TO SELF: I love my Bible Study Group! =)

Transformers experience gone wrong

2009-06-26T13:49:00.003+10:00

So I woke up this morning around 10am with a plan. I was going to go to the Stocklands to buy some face masks for the games tonight for Bible Study. I was going to go to the shops, get the masks and go home. Then I was going to catch up on my bible readind, do some cleaning and try and find my camera that ha been missing for about a month now.

So I had a plan for the day....

On my way to Stocklands I had a car accident... (MY FIRST REAL CAR ACCIDENT) totally not my fault! I was driving behind a blue toyota carolla and then the car in front of me veared to the left (not indicating) and so I continued driving forward. Then next thing I know the car u-turns into the top left side of my car, (I BEEP THE HORN) and then next thing I know the impact of the car causes me to end up on the other side of the road driving over the side walk and kerb. Then I hear these noises coming from the car, I was able to get the car back to the other side of the road but totally damaged.. Thank God I came out of that accident without any injuries, just really shaken up and some chest pains. Can't say the same for my dads car. However I would like to know why the airbags didn't pop out! Hrmm... The other driver gave a totally different story to the other police officer. The lady said she was doing to turn right into the driveway.. but why did she have to veer all the way to the left before turning into the driveway without signalling?? Doesn't make sense. But the police officer I gave my statement to, said it wasn't my fault. So just have to wait to call the police station at 6pm to get the incident number etc. My dad was pretty calm about it, which was good. Before I left to go to shops my dad and I had a talk about potential leaders of the youth to lead certain areas like evangelism, worship etc.. which was nice also shared to him how my bible study group is going and stuff.

I've sorta learnt from this experience that accidents do happen. They can't always be prevented. Even in this traumatic experience for me, God reminded me that I can plan where I'm going to go, I can plan the journey to my destination in life,love, career etc. But it will not always be a smooth ride, there will be obstacles along the way, sometimes they might just come out of the blue, but He will always be there to protect me from harm.

I have a great PROTECTOR!

El Chaiyai (The God of my life) - Psalm 42:8

Twenty Two and One Day

2009-06-23T18:53:00.003+10:00

Hi Yan!

I think you're the only one that really reads my blogs here. (I'm so unpopular) HAHA
Thanks for the flowers again! They are my fav!

I'm starting a soup diet for this week hopefully I'll drop a dress size by Saturday for the wedding! =) Which I highly doubt. But I will continue with the soup diet! What brought this about? That suprise bushwalk Joy, Roslyn and Aileen gave me for my birthday. I actually thought they were going to take my horse riding! I was looking forward to it! But hey the bushwalk was fun! Watching Roslyn stack it in the first 5mins, watching joy stack it down a a flowing waterfall/river... HAHA. *Remembers the moment*

BTW! What colour are we wearing? MIDNIGHT BLUE? Still haven't found a dress yet. However I saw a purple one today that was NICE! Really liked it.. but don't really want to wear purple.. but if I don't find a midnight blue one, let's do purple? It's easy for you! You're a guy! BUT hey! If you're my date, you gotta promise that Eugene doesn't make an appearance. But it was nice for Eugene to make a late appearance on my birthday.

Anyways.. okay so Roslyn slept over last night we watched two movies and by the time it finished it was about 3am, so Roslyn slept over! YAY! Then we woke up at 11am.. when I was suppose to wake up at 8am to study for my exam tomorrow.

OH MY!.. My exam... haven't studied one bit! My books are still on the bed from this morning.. What on earth did I do today.. it's 7pm right now..

Meanwhile, I'm quite annoyed that my bestfriend wasn't here for my birthday, didn't even greet me on my birthday and still hasn't greeted me for my birthday. So as a resort I deleted the majority of his pictures with me on my facebook!!!! TAKE THAT!!

Anyways... I should shower... and start studying..

Win- Brian Mcknight

2009-06-15T11:56:00.002+10:00

The first time I heard this song was when Ate Daisy sang it at the Christmas party/graduation of the older Yd Leaders back in 2008. It was really encouraging. I love the theme of this song, about the desire not to give up, to never say die even though you've been through the "same old" things over and over again.

The message of this song is so timely for me right now. As there have been several things arising once again that have been oh so familiar. Yet when I reflect back on those times. God has brought me through it. I won't question, I won't doubt that yet again in my present circumstances my God will be there and will see me through.

Many times I often think, it's just so much easier to quit, to give up on certain things, goals, dreams and people. BUT then I realise, where is the challenge in that? How can one grow without any challenges? So I've come to accept that life for me will always present certain challenges I'm meant to overcome together with Him. I've just got to keep my head up and press on toward the goal. I won't pretend that it'll be easy. But at least I know that at the end God won't fail me. He know's the result at the end. Because He has seen the bigger picture.

*SONG LYRICS*

Dark is the night
I can weather the storm
Never say die
I've been down this road before

I'll never quit
I'll never lay down
See I promised myself I would never let me down

(chorus)
So I'll never give up
Never give in
Never let a ray of doubt slip in
And if I fall
I'll never fade
I'll just get up and try again
Never lose hope
Never lose faith
There's much too much at stake
Upon myself I must depend
I'm not looking for a place ashore
I'm gonna win

Won't stop me now
There's still a ways to go
Some way somehow
Whatever it takes I know

I'll never quit
I'll never go down
I'll make sure they remember my name 100 years from now

(chorus)

When it's all said and done
My once in a lifetime won't be back again
Now is the time, for me to stand
Here is my chance, that's why i

(chorus)

Dear Lola

2009-05-02T23:15:00.002+10:00

May 01, 2009

Hi. I'm Joyce Ann, my dad is Bernardo the 7th child out of 11 children from my grandmother (lola). I'm the eldest of two and I am turning 22 this year.

The other night I couldn’t sleep I felt like I needed to write what I was feeling on paper. And so I did. I wrote a letter that I want to share with you all and that I’ve asked my dad to either read out or get one of my cousins to read on my behalf at the funeral.

Lola, I want to thank you for raising up such wonderful children and grandchildren. I especially want to thank you for my dad. Without you I wouldn’t have a dad. A dad that I observe as a good man, a good friend, a good husband to my mom, a good father to both my sister and I, a good brother to his siblings and I believe that he was also a good son to you and lolo when you were both alive. I know that a lot of what you’ve taught him and my other aunts and uncles will remain in them forever and will be passed onto us grandchildren. I’m encouraged by my dads love for you and the rest of the family shown by his generosity and eagerness to get everyone from your family here on this day.

I’m sorry that I didn’t get to visit you often. You were the only grandparent that I remember seeing when I was young. I really wish I could have spoken to you more and got to know you more when you were alive. I respect you and my other lola from my moms side for having such big families. I take pride in telling my friends that I come from a really big family. I want to thank you for the happiness, love, disciplines, wisdom and knowledge that you have passed onto your children because I know in many ways they have passed it onto your grandchildren as well.

I love you lola, you will be greatly missed by us all,

From your grand daughter in Australia,

Joyce Ann Balongoy

s m e l l e m s

2009-04-22T16:00:00.000+10:00

Curling up into a ball and hiding under the covers works for a few seconds...
Blowing amazing smelling tropical punch bubbles works for a few minutes...
Trying to distract oneself from a particular issue works for a couple of hours...
Avoiding the issue works a couple of days...
Denying the need to fix the issue works a couple of months...
Bitterness and resentment can last years...
But trusting in God especially when it comes down to His timing lasts a lifetime...

IN THE END WAITING ON GOD HAS TO BE WORTH IT....

My heart, Your home

2008-07-25T15:46:00.002+10:00

Well it's almost been a month since my last post. Nothing big has really happened within the last month until now! I guess that is why I'm posting.. (haha)

I am so grateful that my God still is the same God He has been towards me ever since I took my walk with Him seriously.

He has always been the God that upholds me..
He has always been the God that protects me..
He has always been the God that has carried me..
He has always been the God that restores me..
He has always been the God that corrects me..
He has always been the God that has guided me..
He has always been the God that has picked me up..
He has always been the God that has showed me glimpses of His purpose for my life..
He has always been the God that has been so gracious when I wasn't deserving..
He has always been the God in my life that has worked mysteriously..

*I guess I am in a grateful mood today*

A LIST OF WHAT GOD HAS DONE FOR ME IN THE LAST 2 WEEKS:

- I have passed all my Units for the first semester of Uni (even though I didn't study enough)
- He has provided me with TWO jobs and now a stable job as an AIN at Liverpool Hospital
- He has given me more opportunities to work at the Childcare Centre still
- He has healed me from my sickness
- He has given me the courage to sing solo in a big crowd
- He has protected me when I made an unconscious decision to get into a car with a stranger
- He has allowed me to create closer bonds with the girls in the YD Leadership Team

That's just a few of the things I am grateful for. There's this song that ministered to me 2 weeks ago and it's still the song I listen to constantly and is currently my favorite.

It is called: My heart, Your home- by Watermark

(Listen to it if you get the chance I'm sure it will minister to you as it did to me)

CHORUS:
Come and make my heart Your home Come and be everything I am and all I know Search me through and through ‘Till my heart becomes a home for You

CHORUS

A home for You, Lord A home for You, Lord Let everything I do open up A door for You to come through And that my heart would be a place Where You want to be…

CHORUS

You are my portion, filling up everything You are the fortune, that’s causing my heart to sing That it’s amazing… That You could make Yourself at home with me

Bible Study tonight!! I should get ready! First night without our youth pastor and the rest of the young adults.... A bit scary because they aren't there, but then I'm kinda excited because I know that God will do some stretching of us highschool leaders tonight in how we lead and how to be responsible. Having a girls sleepover at Church afterwards too! I'm hoping to be able to learn more about the girls and help them in whatever way that I can...

Though I walk to the valley...

2008-06-25T10:12:00.008+10:00

Today I am a 21 and 3 day old "adult?"... I've had this cough and cold for 3 weeks now, and I feel physically weak. I don't usually get sick for this long - max is 2-3 days. Yesterday I woke up and I was trying to look for ways of re-sitting the exam I was to have, as I felt like I couldn't bring myself to sit for it. So I looked online at my Uni Website but then it looked complicated and I didn't have a medical certificate to prove I've been sick. So that cancels that option! So I ended up going to Uni with watery eyes, a blocked nose, a cough and pain to my upper left shoulder. I wasn't able to study properly for this exam either because I just couldn't concentrate properly with these symptoms. So I called my friend and asked if I could feed off his brain before the exam. So I ended up sitting for the exam, I think it was ok? I missed out on two questions because I didn't know them. But hopefully I get that 28% that I need to pass this unit.

ENOUGH ABOUT THAT...

What's happening with me spiritually? OKAY! So I haven't been hearing from God since Sunday after Prayer Mountain. What happened at Prayer Mountain was great, God moved and clearly broke through a lot of things.

The weight of Gods love and His presence brought me to tears...

So I was speaking to a friend on Monday night and he was asking me "how I was" and I told him I was good, that everything’s been great, I feel like I'm having a mountain experience. Then he reminded me saying "do you know what happens after the mountain experience... ?" I finished it off saying "find yourself in the valley".

So it was Tuesday, which was yesterday that I truly felt as if my time on the mountain was over for this season and I definitely didn't want it to be.

A piece of my journal from last night:
MAN! This better not be a valley moment coming up... I've been on top of everything the past couple of months. Please God keep me on the mountain for a little while longer. Please! I'm not ready to go and enter another valley yet. What is it that You want to bring me through this time? What is it that You want me to learn now? What am I going to lose this time? What am I going to gain out of this? I'm physically weak at the moment but my spiritual well-being is still pretty good. Please don't send me to the valley just yet. Not until you've given me back my physical strength to tackle this valley up ahead. I know there's no escaping this valley moment so would You armor me and protect me for what is to come. Please give me strength to be there for myself as well as my family, my friends, my bible study group and the rest of the leadership team.

Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me”-Psalm 23:4

There's a whole lot of different things happening in my life right now, things I am aware of and things I am not aware of. Lord give me clarity to what I see and even more clarity and discernment for the unknown. Don't lead me to this valley blinded. Don't lead me to this valley alone. The last valley I entered it alone and it caused me much pain and it took me a long time to find a way out of it. But above everything let Your will be done.

I kind of feel lonely at the moment. Like I don't have a friend to stand by me, stick up for me, care for me and watch out for me. Please send me a friend. Someone to watch my back as I enter this valley, someone to help guide me, someone to encourage me to keep on going, someone that would help fight alongside me, someone who won't leave me stranded, someone who'll lend a hand when I fall down, someone who'll pray for me and someone who'll blow the horn when danger is approaching. Just please give me someone that is even more than the little I am able to do for others. I need that... I trust You.

“One sees great things from the valley; only small things from the peak.”
G.K Chesterton

When i think about it, the above quote has truth to it. When I look at the things I have gone through in the valley He has not only shown me who I can be, but He has made me that of what He has shown. At the peak of the mountain He also does great things but it was a result of the valley experience. So now I am not so much in fear of going through the valley again as I know that He will show me greater things and do greater things in my life!

“I have a dream that one day every valley shall be exalted, every hill and mountain shall be made low, the rough places will be made straight and the glory of the Lord shall be revealed and all flesh shall see it together.” Martin Luther King Jnr

I guess this blog also goes out to a special and dear friend of mine, who I know is going through a valley moment of their own. May the glory of the Lord be revealed in your life and may He strengthen your heart as you wait upon Him.

He speaks to me..

2008-06-09T19:40:00.002+10:00

It's amazing how someone that is so big, so powerful, all-knowing and I believe is the most famous in the world could have the time to listen to such an ordinary person like myself and be responsible for making me feel 100 times better than I was before I chose to call on Him.

Today I woke up to a reminder on my phone that it was my "full-day fast". For those people who read my blog (which will be very few, because I haven't told much people about it). The leadership team of my youth group YD have been doing a 40 day fast. Today is the 22nd day! I chose to have mine on the 22nd day because it's my birthday number (June 22).

It took me awhile to get started into prayer this morning, so I just made sure the house was clean and my room was tidy. Whilst cleaning I received a text message from Ps. Ernie (a pastor I met when I was doing Missions in the Philippines in December of 07).

The text message read:

"new day, new blessings, don't let yesterdays failures ruin the beauty of today because each day has its own promise of love, forgiveness, joy and success..."

(The text message was incomplete though...the whole message didn't get through to me..)

Nevertheless, I appreciated two things... (1) That the message brought a sense of comfort to me and (2) That Ps. Ernie actually remembered me.

I love how God encourages me through people... I love that!

So I went to my room and laid down in front of me 5 things: my bible, my diary, my notebook, my phone and a pen. I didn't feel ready to pray yet, so I decided to read the last chapters of 2 Chronicles in our church Bible Reading Plan... After that I began to just worship God with song in my room the first song that came to my heart was "A Pure Heart"

A pure heart, that's what I long for.

A heart that follows hard after Thee

A pure heart, that's what I long for.

A heart that follows hard after Thee.

A heart that hides Your Word

So that sin will not come in.

A heart that's undivided

But one You rule and reign

A heart that beats compassion

That pleases You, my Lord.

A sweet aroma of worship

That rises to Your throne.

And that's really what I want to do, have a heart that follows hard after Thee, a heart that is ruled and reigned by Him. After I sang this song in my room about 4 times over I got a text message on my phone, so I checked it and it was the other half of the previous text I got from ps Ernie...

It read: "Have a blessed day with Jesus..."

At that moment my heart just lit up with CHARA (Joy). Yesterday afternoon when I got home from Church and I was faced with a situation that would have been unbearable had it gotten any worse than it had already, my heart felt so heavy, I felt so helpless and I didn't know what to do but cry out to God for help in my room whilst my friends were downstairs eating and watching tv. But today... I just felt God quiet my heart and my thoughts and His peace just covered me.

I love how God gives me peace in my restlessness... I love that!

So I continued to pray lifting up whatever God placed in my heart to pray for.

I love the way God reveals His heart through various things when I spend time with Him. Each song that came to my heart as I spent time with Him He would pinpoint a person that either needed the encouragement found in the song lyrics or to basically pray for for a circumstance for that person and declare the promises of God in their life. God is amazing..

I thought I was missing out, when my friends tell me they get visions or dreams from God that show them this and that, and it happens. But I wasn't missing out! God speaks to me in a different way. I just didn't acknowledge that my God has been speaking to me through my worship times with Him, the time I set aside for Him- that's when He speaks to me and that's when He shows me things that He can do through me and for others. So now that I know how He chooses to speak to me, that's what I'm going to do so I can hear Him.

God speaks to me when I'm spending time basking in His presence... and I love it!

I can't believe that God can use me and choose to speak through an ordinary and incomplete person like me. He continues to exceed my expectations and He continues to be patient, gracious and merciful to a person like me who falls short many of the times.

Who am I?

2008-05-31T10:22:00.000+10:00

Casting Crowns - Who Am I Lyrics
Who am I? That the Lord of all the earth, Would care to know my name, Would care to feel my hurt. Who am I? That the bright and morning star, Would choose to light the way, For my ever wondering heart. Not because of who I am. But because of what you've done. Not because of what I've done. But because of who you are. Chorus: I am a flower quickly fading, Here today and gone tomorrow. A wave tossed in the ocean, A vapor in the wind. Still you hear me when I'm calling, Lord you catch me when I'm falling, And you told me who I am. I am yours. I am yours. Who am I? That the eyes that see my sin Would look on me with love And watch me rise again Who am I? That the voice that calm the sea, Would call out through the rain, And calm the storm in me. Not because of who I am. But because what of youve done. Not because of what I've done. But because of who you are. Chorus: I am a flower quickly fading, Here today and gone tomorrow. A wave tossed in the ocean, A vapor in the wind. Still you hear me when I'm calling, Lord you catch me when I'm falling, And you told me who I am. I am yours. Not because of who I am. But because of what you've done. Not because of what I've done. But because of who you are. Chorus: I am a flower quickly fading, Here today and gone tomorrow. A wave tossed in the ocean, A vapor in the wind. Still you hear me when I'm calling, Lord you catch me when I'm falling, You told me who I am. I am yours. I am yours. Whom shall I fear? Whom shall I fear? 'Cuz I am yours. I am yours.

A Stitch in Time..

2008-05-28T20:23:00.004+10:00

Well, today is Wednesday so it must have been two days ago when I decided I wanted to pick up a new hobby.. "knitting" Well don't think it will be much of a hobby.. I went to Lincraft and bought myself a white ball of fluff - otherwise known as a white ball of yarn. Didn't buy any knitting needles as I knew mum had some at home.

So when I got home, went straight to my trusty google homepage and researched on "how to knit". I managed to learn how to "cast on" but that was pretty much it.. I was stumped! Couldn't work out how to get to the next row... It was only yesterday when my sister decided to help me out! So she taught me the "tricks of purling" which I couldn't grasp straight away, but when I did I was on a roll! But made some mistakes along the way and couldn't seem to stop knitting till 1.30am this morning...

Showed my sister how much I did when I got home from Uni.. and she shook her head in disappointment and told me to redo it because it had holes... *shrugs*... with much contemplation of whether or not I should undo the work I had stayed up till 1.30 in the morning to do or not.. I decided if I were to wear this scarf it might as well look decent.. so I redid.. hehe..

and I'm glad I did! It's looking much better now...

Anyways I'm waiting for my sister to get off the other computer so I can hand in my lesson plan and do my assignment....

Oh...! And I also bought a new item from SMIGGLE! (My fav stationary shop) =)

SLEEPY

2008-05-22T00:04:00.000+10:00

Sleepy.... my friend showed me her blog.. not sure why I made one.. don't think I'm gonna use it much..

Uni tomorrow...

sleep time