BROTHERS

growing up as an only child with no male cousins or friends my age, i had always wanted a brother. more specifically, i wanted an older brother. i guess it's rather typical of a girl to want someone to watch out for her. anyway, unless time could be turned back and history changed, it's literally impossible for me to get what i wanted. but this week, i've realized just how many brothers i have in the larger family of God. being the emotionally taxing week it was, God sent various men to support and encourage me, as well as just check up on me to make sure i didn't burn myself out. so although i may never have a biological brother, i now see how God has blessed me with many spiritual brothers. and oh how thankful i am for their love.

Your love has given me great joy and encouragement, because you, brother, have refreshed the hearts of the saints.
~Philemon 1:7~

ROLLERCOASTER RIDE

funny how one moment, i felt like i was on top of things and the next i realized i'm actually at the bottom of a pit.

Hear, O LORD , and answer me,
for I am poor and needy.
Guard my life, for I am devoted to you.
You are my God; save your servant
who trusts in you.
Have mercy on me, O Lord,
for I call to you all day long.
Bring joy to your servant,
for to you, O Lord,
I lift up my soul.
~Psalm 86:1-4~

RUNNING WITH HORSES

so in the midst of some crazy times, here's a verse my best friend sent to me. both challenging and inspiring...

If you have raced with men on foot, and they have made you weary, how can you compete with horses?
~Jeremiah 12:5~

POISON

lesson of the day: even though it may seem like the easier option at the time, resist the urge to sweep small resentments under the rug. they will accumulate and haunt you. and then you won't know how to deal with them. (ok, so maybe i just don't know how to deal with them now...).

i need help.

Love never gives up.
Love cares more for others than for self.
Love doesn't want what it doesn't have.
Love doesn't strut,
Doesn't have a swelled head,
Doesn't force itself on others,
Isn't always "me first,"
Doesn't fly off the handle,
Doesn't keep score of the sins of others,
Doesn't revel when others grovel,
Takes pleasure in the flowering of truth,
Puts up with anything,
Trusts God always,
Always looks for the best,
Never looks back,
But keeps going to the end.
~1 Corinthians 13:4-7~

OUCH

i always remember Philippians chapter 2 as the humility chapter. the first half of it talks about Christ not considering equality with God something to be grasped but humbling Himself to the point of death on a cross. the second section talks about being blameless and pure so that we can shine like stars in a dark world as we hold out the word of life. what i never really looked at was the end of the chapter. on friday, that's what i got to do. and verse 21 hit me hard. basically, Paul was commending Timothy to the church in Philippi as a man worth honouring and he contrasts Timothy's genuine interest in them with the general population who are completely absorbed in their own selves.

thinking about that further and seeing how it came on the heels of the humility blurb, i realized that i'd found the key to increasing humility. to be humble, we must consider the interests of Jesus. in other words, when we care about what Christ cares about, we will be humble. when we take genuine interest in the people around us, it is inevitable that we put our own interests aside. humility, then, is a question of whose interests we take to heart - our own, or God's.

For everyone looks out for his own interests, not those of Jesus Christ.
~Philippians 2:21~

THE 5 W'S

i was reading Genesis 3:1-9 the other day, looking at the fall of man and God's initiative love in seeking Adam and Eve even when He knew they had sinned. i thought about how gracious God is and how selfless He is to give us another chance. then, i saw how God allowed Adam and Eve to come clean on their own accord by simply asking a question ("Where are you?"). and as i thought about God's approach toward reaching people, i saw how i could learn from Him in my own outreach endeavours. so many times, i'm so concerned about the message i want to tell that i don't even think to hear about the other person's story. i realized that i need to learn how to ask more questions 'cuz questions signify interest in the other person. but going deeper than that, i first need to love, 'cuz i can't ask good questions unless i truly care.

But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
~Romans 5:8~

SILVER LINING

so my computer in res is not working and i don't have the time to get someone to fix it... and while i lament not having the convenience of information at my fingertips, i'm learning that it can really be a blessing. for one thing, it forces me to sleep earlier 'cuz i'm not up staring at the screen chatting to people. another thing is that not having it allows me to be more productive with my time. i guess you don't realize how much time gets sucked into this square contraption until you can't use it. i think i'll be glad when i get my computer up and running again 'cuz life will seem more normal. but i think for now, i need the forced discipline so i can actually get all my work done. ;p

oh dear.

The diligent find freedom in their work;
the lazy are oppressed by work.
~Proverbs 12:24 [the Message]~

WHAT'S YOUR MUSIC?

first entry of 2004! let me just say that i am so excited about this year. it's going to be a year of crazy hard work, but oh, it's such a satisfying thing. :)

anyway, this past week, i was hanging with friends from C² at their EWC down at the Sheraton Centre. i couldn't have asked God for a better end to the year or start to the new year. :D

in the final evening session before the new year's party started, the speaker, Dr. Crawford Loritts explained Joshua 1:8. the verse talks about meditating on God's word night and day and the illustration he used really got to me. he said that the word for "meditate" actually means something more like let it be background music to your day. running with that analogy, i think my background "music" is mostly static these days. so my prayer for this year especially is this: that i would immerse myself in God's word so that it can become background music for all my thoughts - because knowing God's word is the foundation to knowing Him.

amen!

Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful.
~Joshua 1:8~