may God be seen

Week of July 17
My Struggles are About Him
by Max Lucado

What about your struggles? Is there any chance, any possibility, that you have been selected to struggle for God's glory? Have you "been granted for Christ's sake, not only to believe in Him, but also to suffer for His sake" (Philippians 1:29)?

Here is a clue. Do your prayers seem to be unanswered? What you request and what you receive aren't matching up? Don't think God is not listening. Indeed he is. He may have higher plans.

Here is another. Are people strengthened by your struggles? A friend of mine can answer yes. His cancer was consuming more than his body; it was eating away at his faith. Unanswered petitions perplexed him. Well-meaning Christians confused him. "If you have faith," they said, "you will be healed."

No healing came. Just more chemo, nausea, and questions. He assumed the fault was a small faith. I suggested another answer. "It's not about you," I told him. "Your hospital room is a showcase for your Maker. Your faith in the face of suffering cranks up the volume of God's song."

Oh, that you could have seen the relief on his face. To know that he hadn't failed God and God hadn't failed him--this made all the difference. Seeing his sickness in the scope of God's sovereign plan gave his condition a sense of dignity. He accepted his cancer as an assignment from heaven: a missionary to the cancer ward.

A week later I saw him again. "I reflected God," he said, smiling through a thin face, "to the nurse, the doctors, my friends. Who knows who needed to see God, but I did my best to make him seen."

Bingo. His cancer paraded the power of Jesus down the Main Street of his world.

God will use whatever he wants to display his glory. Heavens and stars. History and nations. People and problems.

Rather than begrudge your problem, explore it. Ponder it. And most of all, use it. Use it to the glory of God.

Through your problems and mine, may God be seen.

AMEN! *blushed*

My update:
I decided to talk with the HR anyways after contemplating for quite some times, so we'll see what happens...
So sad to hear and see all the news today is about bombing that happened yesterday at Jakarta. Thank God really for my dad's visa. It's like right on time, He got before all this happened. Must be harder to get it now.
When talking with my parents yesterday, I sense they still want me to be here. I was again of course upset especially with my mom, because why wouldn't they just support my decision and said: Yes, i know it's gonna be hard but we're going to go through it together. And besides, to my defense: God's protection is not limited to people staying in the United States!!! *arrrghhh* I'm so emotional. And other thing: do you think i'll be fine and happy having the "security" here but knowing that my mom and dad are not.

:( *confused*

He calls my name :)

I'm sooo happy that i got to record baby maxie saying nanananana :D
I listen to it over and over and over again and it makes me happy!

So during one of my quiet time, i came to realize God must've been feel same way. How he longed for all of us to call His name :)
Just my two cents, for those of you who feel or are drifted away from God, He's waiting for You to call His name :)
and God's name is certainly not like my name, I can't do anything. But His name is powerful!

My dad is going to apply us visa today in indo, im quite nervous.
I know He is too :)
so i prayed to God for calmless and peacefulness for all of us, knowing & trusting it in God's hands, whatever happens God knows best -> it's really hard to say that :( But He indeed knows best. I can't argue nor deny it.

YOUR NAME - Paul Baloche

Jesus, in Your Name we pray
Come and fill our hearts today
Lord, give us strength to live for You and glorify Your Name

CHORUS
Your Name is a strong and mighty tower
Your Name is a shelter like no other
Your Name, let the nations sing it louder
'Cause nothing has the power to save but Your Name

AMEN! *blushed*

the Not so Secret ;)

Starbucks:
Cap'n Crunch (Not on the menu) but it is requestable :)
It tastes exactly like the cereal
It is actually Strawberry's cream frappuccino with toffee nut & java chip

Jamba juice:
White gummy (as in gummy bear); also red gummy
Pink Starburst
Amazingly tastes exactly like it :p

Gchat non-listed emoticons:
>.< = WINCE
+/'\ = COWBELL
}:-) = DEVIL
V.v.V = CRAB
:() = MONKEY
:(:) = PIG
< / 3 = BROKEN HEART
:-x or :* = KISS
: { = MOUSTACHE
:'( = CRYING
[:] = ROBOT
~@~ = POO

ENJOY :)

God is cheering for you!!!

By Max Lucado

If your God is Mighty enough to ignite the sun, could it be that He is mighty enough to light your path?
God is for you. Not "may be," not "has been," not "was," not "would be," but "God is!" He is for you. Today. At this hour. At this minute. As you read this sentence. No need to wait in line or come back tomorrow. He is with you. He could not be closer than he is at this second. His loyalty won't increase if you are better nor lessen if you are worse. He is for you.
God is for you. Turn to the sidelines; that's God cheering your run.
Look past the finish line; that's God applauding your steps. Listen for him in the bleachers, shouting your name. Too tired to continue? He'll carry you. Too discouraged to fight? He's picking you up. God is for you.
God is for you. Had he a calendar, your birthday would be circled. If he drove a car, your name would be on his bumper. If there's a tree in heaven, he's carved your name in the bark. We know he has a tattoo, and we know what it says. "I have written your name on my hand," he declares (Isa. 49:16).

Update

People are leaving, what's new *sighhh*
Yup, my roomate is leaving in 3 weeks :(
My other friend is leaving for good on july
My bff is leaving on december
and so i think maybe this time it's my time too...
I don't know...

I cry myself to sleep last night, asking-pleading God to just let me know what He wants me to do next. The time is so near it scares me... I'm not doing my part to extend my h1b while the time i supposed to do it is NOW! I wanted to wait. I want to wait. For I know that He is always on-time. And so i thought the time is NOW. NOW is the deadline. But all i hear was silence.

I remembered hearing klove sometimes last week about how you know when God's talking to you, how you hear God's voice. I heard bunch of different stories, one that i remembered was this guy sitting on his truck about to use drugs but then God intervered. He said it was like a voice in his heart and life been different ever since. I went to ALCF for their Night of Worship last week and one of the testimony was also about God intervering with lifes and lifes change.

But what about me? How come i haven't heard anything yet God?
Sometimes i wonder if i already know the answer and i'm just afraid to go with it.

The easier life would be staying here, apart from it's hard being away from my parents of course. But here, it seems like my life is set. Yea sure, i'm doing the same routine boring things, but that what makes it so easy.

For good - i have no idea what i'm gonna do
the only happy thoughts is that i'll be with my parents
for all that i know, it won't be the same as having a vacation back
for me it'll be all downgrade
my independence-y of doing things, it'll be gone :(

so i think about it over and over and over, am i stupid or what? to choose the more uncertain path? the downgrade one?! i don't know...

He didn't tell me what He wanted me to do, but He did tell me: "I'll be with you" so that is how i come up with the decision to go back this year. I think...

The sermon last sunday:
Our God is a creative God and He loves us so much that He's willing to change His mind on us that is when we decide or when we want to do other things. He's willing to work with us. And that no matter how wrong the road that we take/took; He can change it. Bad to good. Death to life. Left to Right. Jesus loves me, i just need to trust that. I always think the bad that could happen and because i hated that thing or i'm weak at that; i think God will purposely, intendedly gives me that. Even if He did though, it's not to watch me suffer but because He loves me.

I did ask Him to give me peace so i can live joyfully. and i think He did answered that one through sunday's sermon.
God: "It doesn't matter, na."
Afterall, He did answer...

*blushed*

Thank You :)

We finally finished our 40 days of love :) yayyy!!!

if anything, i learned to be really grateful for friends and family that put up with me, despite all, inspite all... :) i've learned that it's so easy to show love to your loved ones, but not to people that you (not hate) but prefer to avoid *sighhh*

I learned that at times, i could be irritating and annoying and mostly selfish! :(
thank God who never give up on me and unconditionally accepts me.
thank God for friends who tell me what i need to hear not what i want to hear.
and mostly i'm sorry for my dearest loved ones, because on those ugly-times, i've hurt you the most :( i have taken you for granted, the ones who i know, will always be there for me :(

ok enough for the mushy part :'( *tears*
hehehehhe :)
with my other bible study, we're studying a new chapter on spiritual breakthrough... i'm excited! but always the challenge is when you have to do it *sighhh* sometimes i purposely don't wanna be knowledgeable on somethings, because i know, when i know then i'm gonna have to start doing something about it...

but i'm excited to see God's works on us :)
on me: my trust-issue :p

But whatever You do, Lord…don’t leave me the same. - Joanna Weaver (Having a Mary Spirit)

What's your story?

It's a pretty interesting weekend i have :)

I thank God for the opportunity that I can be once again go to disneyworld...
it's a trully magical place :) ahhh... we spent our saturday night watching fireworks at magic kingdom, it's 10 minutes of uuuuuhsss... and aahhhhssss :)

I got to learned about love-lesson over this trip. And it's really hard to love difficult people. But God do it to me every hour, every minute, every second of my life. Thank you God for showering me with Your unconditional love.

and oh, my bff got officially engaged! YAY!!! :D

I looked at the life of others and they seemed to have things plan out already. They are not in the place they were before. They moved on. But when i look at mine, i'm still here... and i don't have a plan, i don't know what i'm suppose to do next...
but this morning God reminded me through today's devotion:
"Stop comparing your story to any one else's story. You are unique. Give God the pen and let Him write the next chapter."

Dear Jesus, I am a witness. A story unfolded and written by Your hand. Give me courage to tell it to someone who needs to hear it. Thank You for being the Author of every chapter of my life. In Jesus' Name, amen.

In the meanwhile, He gave me (us) something to hold on to:
Ephesians 3:20
He is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us

keep P.U.S.H-ing : Pray Until Something Happens :)