Should I keep this memory?

No one has heard this side of my story yet. A lot of different things in my life have taught me different things. But this one had not brought itself out till lately. It's not like it was on the priority list even for me till I kept encountering it. You might be waiting to know what this is. Asking the question, "Is it a family issue," "is it an insecurity?",... To be honest, when I tell you some of you might want to gag, burst out laughing and seeing it from someone else's perspective does make this thing look a lot sillier than it really is. It is a door. This door, for a whole lot of my life had grabbed the power to control how something would turn out. Would this door protect me? Would it stand and defend me? Would it thrash onto the floor and let me face life alone? It had a choice to make, but only according to who was standing on the other side of it!
You see, like me, it was powerless as well. It couldn't defend me or protect me or hide me from the world for a while as I took a moment to breathe.
It was a lifeless piece of plastic that had come to be a part of my life.
So today I ask the question, this door still stands, some adjustments made to it, but still stands, should I keep the memory of all that has happened, and what could potentially have been prevented, if I had a different door, a door with character and strength and power to protect me when I needed it most?
All I want to do sometimes is to hit and break this door for all the painful memories. But it had been brought to my life based on a financial and easier decision than custom making a door. But also because this door taught life lessons that other doors or things wouldn't have.
This door reminded me to be cautious, to not be naive, to be confident but humble, to stay in the presence of Jesus, to not alienate myself and to trust people one by one.
I think the pro's have a greater effect or me than the cons'. So should I keep the memory that makes me more powerful, authentic and reachable today or forget one that made me shake, cry and long for something more or different?
A lot of the times I have to write about a painful incident. I have to let out the words of frustration and hurt, to move past my indecisiveness. And this revelation just helps me rest in the decision that even when I am weak and am going through a hardship, then in fact, I am strong cause I am in Him.
It reminded me of Paul, this is what he wrote;


2 Corinthians 12:7-10


"To keep me from becoming conceited because of these surpassingly great revelations, there was given me a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me. Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong."


If my memory can be related to the thorn Paul had to live with and my victory allows me to boast in the One who stands taller and stronger than a door, should I keep the memory that will keep me humble, relatable and strong? 

When the crowd drives you up the wall- Challenge or Opportunity Part 5

Recently a friend of mine showed me this video that she was going to show in the class she was teaching. I think it will help to watch this so I can get to what i am trying to say.



Sometimes when they tell you to venture out to see something new, it may just be the thing you are looking for, craving for or something that you turn out to like or love.
While this stands, a lot of the times there will be a crowd and you often find this with close or large families or people that are nosy in general and haven't accomplished much themselves. They find it approved or very necessary to tell you something about you that is very wrong in their perspective or that whatever you are doing is not going to work, that they have lived longer and know better than us.
I want to encourage you to not worry about those people. They have worthless countless words that have no value if you don't allow it. I know for me I am doing something that is very different, out of the box and there is no position title to it. As an Indian girl born in Dubai, I am pretty much asked to live the life that any Indian girl would be asked to live. Even as a youngee (youngster) I knew I was searching and looking for something different, wanting to live differently and achieve something that was out of the ordinary. I am still on a path of achieving something that has not been thought of before on my side of the world.
So when the crowd tries to drive you up the wall, stand for what you believe in. Let people's comment and opinions be only that and nothing more. The voices will dim down and you will get to where your heart has longed to get.
At the same time, you achieving anything cannot be about taking revenge or showing those that have hurt you or those that not supported you in your decisions that you got there. According to Philip Baker's book, "Decisions of Daring Acheivers", a research shows that ten percent will disagree with you on any decision you make.
What you heart is burning to do and achieve, do it because that is the call on your life and that God has helped you get there. All the negative people and the obstacles along the way helped you stand even more for what you believe in, than get agitated and get lost in translation.
In your present situation, if there is a crowd driving you up the wall with every small decision that you make, remember to make them stepping stones to your step forward, allow them to say their words, consider what you think you need to consider and let the rest go and walk on with confidence and joy in your heart.
Last thing I want to say, be ready to do the work. Otherwise, its a dream unachievable!

When the crowd drives you up the wall, whatcha gonna do?

PS. try some hot Kool aid! :P

When your ground is no more... Challenge or Opportunity? Part 4

"Your house is up for sale!" said the email. I read through the email again, as though in shock. My eyes now scrutinizing every word written, as though they were charging at me with a sword. It didn't occur to me till ten minutes later that, that message was for me. But the words didn't pierce me. They just floated around in the air till they were no more. They hoped to make me feel homeless again. They hoped to place another burden on me. They hoped to poke me till it hurt me in my core. 
And those words had once captured me. But this time... 
Even before the problem was presented to me, the solution was given to me. 
When the ground you stand upon and live upon is going to be no more, what are you going to do? How are you going to react? What are your next moves? 
I will always believe in being pro-active then lazily sitting in the room that will soon not be yours anymore. 
Your eyes twitch in tension, your toes started dancing unrhythmical. You look up from the computer, keenly and desperately trying to find a solution. Other than that your face remains calm, your body still and your heart finds focus. 
And then He said, "When your ground is no more, when your security in this world is no more, when your success isn't found here, your testimony stands completely heavenly, full of grace, full of love. When your ground is no more, you stand". 
If Jesus makes something beautiful from nothing and was able to make us from sand... when my ground is no more, His presence is my home. 
Yes, they say you can't live on love alone. It is true, but with His love came wisdom and strength to move forward till you reach your true destination.
Fear is not your companion. Worry is not your blanket. Tears are not your portion. 
When you believe you have better, bigger things waiting to be discovered... you know that Jesus is your prize. His word is your food. His victory is your portion.
When your ground is no more... when you have lost your ground more than once... you know that you will gain back what is yours! 
My house situation is my opportunity to show off the true foundation I stand on. The faith that pushes me forward and the Love that stands beside me in everything. That is a true and beautiful opportunity!

The smallest person in the room- Challenge or Opportunity? Part 3

Picked out the hottest dress in your closest? Or got a new hairdo? Lost 2 kilos and feel like a million bucks? Next thing you know, both doors to the room fling open, there's smoke machines on either sides... and you catwalk down that little alley strip, hoping everyone is turning towards you and staring in awe and amazement? Picturing it yet? Good.
All right now imagine all three situations, but there are no smoke machines this time, you fling the door open yourself, you catwalk down that alley strip and your foot trips over the other... this time everyone is staring but it's not in awe... that, with a little less exaggeration would be me! I may even laugh a little loud at something that isn't funny so that people think that I am having fun or have potential to be a cool person in their mind. If you are honest enough, you would admit to being silly like this, sometimes. Okay, well maybe its just me!
You see in both situations people have already stereotyped you and put in a box. But more than them, you, have stereotyped yourself and put yourself in a box and are desperately trying to get out of it. Or maybe you love being there just a tad too much!
Here's a reality check, most of us place ourselves in the wrong box. 
For me, my mental, very untrue, stereotype is that I am the smallest person in the room. In the past, this has been my biggest challenge ever. I would be part of a conversation and not say a word. I would be part of a brain storming meeting and never contribute any of my ideas, cause I am, well, the smallest person at the meeting!
I know that a lot of my past experiences, cruel comments and even my culture and upbringing took a part of me grading myself this way. 
 I even made some logical explanations to my actions. I was in fact the youngest person in this room. I maybe the least educated, the least experienced, I have been broken too many times to find any self-confidence somewhere in there, no one really took me under their wing and taught me or helped me to cross sides. It seems so, that these were all but mere excuses not to break out of my shell. I am shy, I am timid, I am insecure, I am not that kind of a leader, blah blah blah! 
But I imagined, dreamed, procrastinated and hoped the opposite all the time! 
You may have heard the saying fake it, till you make it! 
You don't feel like a leader? You don't know if you can finish what has been given to you? You don't think you have anything to contribute that is worthy of mentioning or being heard? 
Well fake it till it all makes sense!
Heck, put on those pair of boots till your shoulders are straight and your head is held high! Research, prepare, rehearse till it makes sense in your head before you present it at a meeting! 
You may fall a few times but trust me, have a go again and again! Don't give up! 
I also realized that God created something strong out of my weakness. 
It caused me to be a really good listener. To catch someone's vision or dream and present it well. To slowly praying in public, and commenting when i was sure of something, even blogging and tagging people so they can read this!
If you feel like you are the smallest person in the room, you are there because you can and need to conquer it. By conquer, I don't mean pick up a sword, the war is on! I mean, take a step back, read yourself. Find the negatives and positives and start working on them.
There are three things I have found key to conquering this:
First of all, Humility! God has had to do some major cleaning up to be able to make space for this department. And let Him!
Next, Discipline! Create some routines in your time frame that will help shape what you are hoping to change about yourself.
And finally, Perseverance... Our generation is probably one of the most laziest group of people I have ever met. Including myself! We quit when we are a step away from reaching our goal. Even if you fall down, fail, don't impress your boss, persevere to making your challenge, your opportunity to building and creating something new, fresh and anointed!


Here's a final tip: Don't let anyone steal your joy when you do get there! 
You are the smallest person in the room, where are your pendulum controls taking you?

A Sweet Spirit-Challenge or Opportunity?

A few days ago, I was taking the bus to the mall. If you have been in Sydney, you would know what I meant by getting to the bus stop 30 minutes before its scheduled time and sit there praying it show up!
Anyhow, I was in a normal mood... no dramas! Just chilled, relaxing (PRAYING FOR MY BUS) and listening to some music.
As I sat there, a car came and stopped close to the stop. At first, I thought the lady in the car was lost since she was calling someone and looking at a book. And then, she switched her indicators on and decided to settle. She did her make up and kept fixing her hair in the mirror. I then determined that there was something wrong with her car. All right then, she is waiting for NRMA (roadside assistance) to show. But 45 minutes later, there were some angry drivers on the road, honking and rolling their windows down, screaming and swearing. She seemed a little freaked out and not so happy.
All that time (while still praying for my late bus to show), I was thinking I should go ask her if she needs a proper parking spot, she was seconds from churches'. But I was thinking about how she would react to my action.
 I don't know... anyway I told God this... "if my bus doesn't come in the next two minutes I will walk up to her." My bus showed up in that two minutes which i was happy about and also a little confused about whether I should I have walked up to her anyway!
 But as I stood up and waved at my bus... she thought I was waving at her, so smiled and gave me an asian head bow. We smiled eye to eye till I got on the bus.
But I didn't walk up to her? Offer her help? Should I still feel confused?
You see sometimes people don't need help. They have help on the way. They just need some assurance that the whole world won't try to take them out while they waited on help.
I wonder how many times, we plug our earphones into our ears, trying to cut off the noise of the world, on our way somewhere, but in fact all the world wanted was some assurance of our acceptance, our kindness, our gentleness, our sweet spirit to help them go on or move forward.
I wonder if I had created an opportunity to show Jesus to that lady. I don't know, maybe I have sown a seed! Either way, she found what is best about Jesus, His Kindness.
As winter dawn on us, and we wear a million pairs of socks to keep us warm, lets remember to keep our spirits sweet as well.
In a time when people are tired, losing focus, wandering in desperation and feeling low; a sweet spirit can make a world's difference.
Like any other thing, having a sweet spirit is a journey and involves two repetitive attributes.

The first one is like your pizza base. With no base, there is no pizza. Alright?
- Going back to the presence  of God! When I first started spending time with God, I usually came out really worked up and vulnerable cause He was working with me, in me, creating within me newness. Overtime, you will see that you come out feeling the healing, joy overflowing and confidence taking its stance. When you get there, you will see the sweet spirit of Jesus in you, wanting to pump someone's day or speak love and joy over them.
The next thing, is the actual stuff that goes on the pizza base like the tomatoes, cheese, chicken or even for you BBQ meat lovers... this will make it a full, well done, yummy (even gourmet) pizza.
- Letting Go!
On this journey, you will come across mean or rude or unhappy people in general. Most of the time, their comments can leave you feeling a little down. This can come in any shape or form because the devil knows how to push your buttons and trust me on this journey, he will be waiting to do so.
Here's my advice: Don't hold those comments, remarks, experiences close, rather let them go, release them and release yourself. There's nothing more freeing in not holding what you need not hold onto!

Try this. Go on a journey of entering His presence all the time and letting go whenever and wherever needed!
Over time, you will see yourself become kind to the meanest person in the room! I think that is a pretty cool picture!

So, where are your pendulum controls taking you?

Challenge or Opportunity? Part 1

A lot of us get frustrated at life sometimes... alright a lot of the time! Its like being on a pendulum at the fair that moves so fast, back and forth! We feel like throwing up, we want to quit, run away, leave, abandon, even give up our life cause of the craziness of it all. We feel weak, tired, unmotivated and can't seem to find the purpose of this life of earth. You might even ask, "what good could I possibly bring to this crapy, filthy dump where everyone betrays and hurts each other?" I would not be surprised if you did, cause I asked that question myself a few times.
It was in the darkest and loneliest of my seasons when I asked that question. When I would look myself in the mirror and hate what i saw. When my favorite food or drink or movie or music or place couldn't satisfy me. They were all bland, plain and tasteless to the core.
What on the face of this planet could help me? Revive me? Put a smile on my face and some peace in my heart, so I could get a few hours of restful sleep?
I tried everything in my boundaries and a few beyond them to try and find something.
It came to this one answer every time as I read between the lines of my actions and behavior.  To be loved!
All of the crisis in the world, all the misfortune, all the disaster, all the pain and hurt, they would all diminish, even if slowly,when you are loved. That is a big fat FACT!
So did that mean I had to love myself ? Yes and no!
I mean, trust me I tried with all my heart to see myself differently when I looked in the mirror. I praised myself when I succeeded in something. I told myself I could do it. I can finish this assignment or feel happy when I wanted to. And you can!
But there is one key ingredient. One incalculable, immeasurable, irreplaceable, incomparable, unparalleled, priceless ingredient!
Jesus. His love.
Some of you may go, yeah well I know Jesus, or yes I am saved but whatever or I tried him before and nothing happened.
You can't try Jesus one day and be done with. You have to go on a journey with him.
If you go on a diet, you can't exercise or have diet pills for one day or a week, you have to go on a journey of a new lifestyle of eating and exercising.
I have never heard of one true and honest person who has gone on a journey with Jesus and not felt better or made a 360 change about everything in his or her life.
When a challenge or circumstance is in your way and you've tried everything in "your" rule book and it's going nowhere; give Jesus a chance. Go on a journey with him. If you are on one, but feel like giving up, let me just encourage you don't give up. Finish what you started!

In the beginning of this post I spoke about a pendulum. At the fair, the controls of the pendulum are in the hands of another man. But in life you have authority and power over your pendulum, no doubt everyone has a pendulum in their lives. Question is, what would you do with the controls?

The Choice by Max Lucado

He placed one scoop of clay upon another until a form lay lifeless on the ground.

All of the Garden’s inhabitants paused to witness the event. Hawks hovered. Giraffes stretched. Trees bowed. Butterflies paused on petals and watched.

“You will love me, nature,” God said. “I made you that way. You will obey me, universe. For you were designed to do so. You will reflect my glory, skies, for that is how you were created. But this one will be like me. This one will be able to choose.”

All were silent as the Creator reached into himself and removed something yet unseen. A seed. “It’s called ‘choice.’ The seed of choice.”

Creation stood in silence and gazed upon the lifeless form.

An angel spoke, “But what if he … ”


“What if he chooses not to love?” the Creator finished. “Come, I will show you.”


Unbound by today, God and the angel walked into the realm of tomorrow.

“There, see the fruit of the seed of choice, both the sweet and the bitter.”

The angel gasped at what he saw. Spontaneous love. Voluntary devotion. Chosen tenderness. Never had he seen anything like these. He felt the love of the Adams. He heard the joy of Eve and her daughters. He saw the food and the burdens shared. He absorbed the kindness and marveled at the warmth.

“Heaven has never seen such beauty, my Lord. Truly, this is your greatest creation.”

“Ah, but you’ve only seen the sweet. Now witness the bitter.”

A stench enveloped the pair. The angel turned in horror and proclaimed, “What is it?”

The Creator spoke only one word: “Selfishness.”

The angel stood speechless as they passed through centuries of repugnance. Never had he seen such filth. Rotten hearts. Ruptured promises. Forgotten loyalties. Children of the creation wandering blindly in lonely labyrinths.

“This is the result of choice?” the angel asked.
“Yes.”
“They will forget you?”
“Yes.”
“They will reject you?”
“Yes.”
“They will never come back?”
“Some will. Most won’t.”
“What will it take to make them listen?”

The Creator walked on in time, further and further into the future, until he stood by a tree. A tree that would be fashioned into a cradle. Even then he could smell the hay that would surround him.

With another step into the future, he paused before another tree. It stood alone, a stubborn ruler of a bald hill. The trunk was thick, and the wood was strong. Soon it would be cut. Soon it would be trimmed. Soon it would be mounted on the stony brow of another hill. And soon he would be hung on it.


He felt the wood rub against a back he did not yet wear.

“Will you go down there?” the angel asked.

“I will.”

“Is there no other way?”

“There is not.”

“Wouldn’t it be easier to not plant the seed? Wouldn’t it be easier to not give the choice?”

“It would,” the Creator spoke slowly. “But to remove the choice is to remove the love.”

He looked around the hill and foresaw a scene. Three figures hung on three crosses. Arms spread. Heads fallen forward. They moaned with the wind.

Men clad in soldiers’ garb sat on the ground near the trio. They played games in the dirt and laughed.

Men clad in religion stood off to one side. They smiled. Arrogant, cocky. They had protected God, they thought, by killing this false one.

Women clad in sorrow huddled at the foot of the hill. Speechless. Faces tear streaked. Eyes downward. One put her arm around another and tried to lead her away. She wouldn’t leave. “I will stay,” she said softly. “I will stay.”

All heaven stood to fight. All nature rose to rescue. All eternity poised to protect. But the Creator gave no command.

“It must be done … ,” he said, and withdrew.

But as he stepped back in time, he heard the cry that he would someday scream: “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” (Mark 15:34) He wrenched at tomorrow’s agony.

The angel spoke again. “It would be less painful … ”

The Creator interrupted softly. “But it wouldn’t be love.”

They stepped into the Garden again. The Maker looked earnestly at the clay creation. A monsoon of love swelled up within him. He had died for the creation before he had made him. God’s form bent over the sculptured face and breathed. Dust stirred on the lips of the new one. The chest rose, cracking the red mud. The cheeks fleshened. A finger moved. And an eye opened.

But more incredible than the moving of the flesh was the stirring of the spirit. Those who could see the unseen gasped.

Perhaps it was the wind who said it first. Perhaps what the star saw that moment is what has made it blink ever since. Maybe it was left to an angel to whisper it:

“It looks like … it appears so much like … it is him!”

The angel wasn’t speaking of the face, the features, or the body. He was looking inside—at the soul.

“It’s eternal!” gasped another.

Within the man, God had placed a divine seed. A seed of his self. The God of might had created earth’s mightiest. The Creator had created, not a creature, but another creator. And the One who had chosen to love had created one who could love in return.

Now it’s our choice.

From In the Eye of the Storm
Copyright (Thomas Nelson, 1997) Max Lucado

Give me your Eyes- Brandon Heath

Looked down from a broken sky
Traced out by the city lights

My world from a mile high
Best seat in the house tonight
Touched down on the cold black tile
Hold on for the sudden stop
Breath in the familiar shock
Of confusion and chaos
Are those people going somewhere?
Why have I never cared?

Step out on a busy street
See a girl and our eyes meet
Does her best to smile at me
To hide whats underneath
There’s a man just to her right
Black suit and a bright red tie
To ashamed to tell his wife
He’s out of work
He’s buying time
Are those people going somewhere?
Why have I never cared?

Chorus
Give me your eyes for just one second
Give me your eyes so I can see
Everything that I keep missing
Give me your love for humanity
Give me your arms for the broken hearted
The ones that are far beyond my reach
Give me your heart for the once forgotten
Give me your eyes so I can see

I’ve been there a million times
A couple of million eyes
Just moving past me by
I swear I never thought that I was wrong
Well I want a second glance
So give me a second chance
To see the way you see the people all alone

The safest place to be...

My city is one of the safest places I knew, four years ago. It had very very minimal crime almost nill(then again I was a child and didn't know or hear much). But as we soon discovered there were some that had taken a wicked thought or a stupid movie plot and thought it approved to rape or kidnap a child. It freaked me out to hear things like that cause I had grown up feeling so safe. I felt the safety within my being, in my own land, leave bit by bit as I heard the stories. Today, as I live somewhere else, I thought I was safe till I started hearing the news of my people being caught, beaten, and killed for being our kind. But this time, there is nothing that can take the safety from within my being. You see, I have realized and experienced that Jesus is good. No matter what happens, no matter what I am going through, Jesus is good. He has a brilliant plan for me and as long as He says I have a bright future I will choose to believe that.
I have now realised that the safest place is in His will. When you are in His will, trust me temptation is waiting on the other side but it will not overtake or over power you cause of His hand over your world( Ps 16:7-9). God has been my father and my protector for a long time, in so many extraordinary unimaginable ways.
A God who brought you out of the pit, who healed your burns and loved you so unconditionally will never leave at the last minute. He who started a good work in you, will fulfill His dream of a wonderful future for you. Maybe for some of you it is hard to imagine that He dreams of a beautiful future for you but I stand as a testimony of His love.
The safest place to be at is in His will, where His voice will lead you into the things of life and beauty. Do not be afraid or shattered by the circumstances and temptations in your face. But remember that the Joy of the Lord is your strength. Wondering where you can start? At His feet completely surrendered is the answer. Let Him lead you into the truth and what you can and should do.
I believe that God has given us a mind to understand and apply certain things. He has given us instinct which I think as Christians is driven by the Holy Spirit to act or accomplish something and He has given us a heart to love, forgive and have compassion.
The ingredients to a fruitful and meaningful life is in Him, through Him and for Him and hence making it the safest place on earth. Get it? :)

Psalm 16:7-9 (New International Version)
7    I will praise the LORD, who counsels me;
      even at night my heart instructs me.
8    I have set the LORD always before me.
      Because he is at my right hand,
      I will not be shaken.
9   Therefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices;
     my body also will rest secure,

The Living Room:When your heart needs a father- Max Lucado

"Our Father who is in heaven …” With these words Jesus escorts us into the Great House of God. Shall we follow him? There is so much to see. Every room reveals his heart, every stop will soothe your soul. And no room is as essential as this one we enter first. Walk behind him as he leads us into God’s living room.

Sit in the chair that was made for you and warm your hands by the fire which never fades. Take time to look at the framed photos and find yours. Be sure to pick up the scrapbook and find the story of your life. But please, before any of that, stand at the mantle and study the painting which hangs above it.

Your Father treasures the portrait. He has hung it where all can see.

Stand before it a thousand times and each gaze is as fresh as the first. Let a million look at the canvas and each one will see himself. And each will be right.

Captured in the portrait is a tender scene of a father and a son. Behind them is a great house on a hill. Beneath their feet is a narrow path. Down from the house the father has run. Up the trail the son has trudged. The two have met, here, at the gate.

We can’t see the face of the son; it’s buried in the chest of his father. No, we can’t see his face, but we can see his tattered robe and stringy hair. We can see the mud on the back of his legs, the filth on his shoulders and the empty purse on the ground. At one time the purse was full of money. At one time the boy was full of pride. But that was a dozen taverns ago. Now both the purse and the pride are depleted. The prodigal offers no gift or explanation. All he offers is the smell of pigs and a rehearsed apology: “Father, I have sinned against God and done wrong to you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son” (Luke 15:21).

He feels unworthy of his birthright. “Demote me. Punish me. Take my name off the mailbox and my initials off the family tree. I am willing to give up my place at your table.” The boy is content to be a hired hand. There is only one problem. Though the boy is willing to stop being a son, the father is not willing to stop being a father.

Though we can’t see the boy’s face in the painting, we can’t miss the father’s. Look at the tears glistening on the leathered cheeks, the smile shining through the silver beard. One arm holds the boy up so he won’t fall, the other holds the boy close so he won’t doubt.

“Hurry!” he shouts. “Bring the best clothes and put them on him. Also, put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. And get our fat calf and kill it so we can have a feast and celebrate. My son was dead, but now he is alive again! He was lost but now he is found!” (Luke 15:22–24).

How these words must have stunned the young man, “My son was dead …” He thought he’d lost his place in the home. After all, didn’t he abandon his father? Didn’t he waste his inheritance? The boy assumed he had forfeited his privilege to sonship. The father, however, doesn’t give up that easily. In his mind, his son is still a son. The child may have been out of the house, but he was never out of his father’s heart. He may have left the table, but he never left the family. Don’t miss the message here. You may be willing to stop being God’s child. But God is not willing to stop being your Father.

From The Great House of God
Copyright (Thomas Nelson, 1997) Max Lucado

Jeremy Pearsons At Encounterfest 09

Message: Comfort of the Holy Spirit

I put in all the parts so you can watch the whole thing right here. It was such a beautiful message made spectacularly simple.

Part 1:


Part 2:


Part 3:


Part 4:


Part 5:


Part 6:

My NYE poem--> 2010

He wrote a symphony about me

He wrote a love note everyday

When my world crashed

When all I felt was distress

There was a beam of light

That stayed on beaming into the night

Even in the morning it kept with me

In the afternoon it assured me of it staying till the end

There were a few different thoughts

That described very different things

There were voices that lied

And those that deceived

Anything my innocence would perceive

To find an answer to these feelings

But even in the morning it kept with me

In the afternoon it assured me of it staying till the end

Time has passed and so much gone from within me

But He did write a symphony about me

He still writes a love note everyday

True love stayed on like a beam of light

He stayed on beaming into the night

Now He shines through me

And so much has been given to me

To protect and love someone else like me

Till you know that He will stay 

There He will be as a beam of light

And stay beaming on into the night

Even in the morning He will keep with you

In the afternoon He will assure you of staying till the end

It just so happens He created me for you.

On Aging- Amy Grant

It occurred to me this morning
    as I washed this face of mine,
How quickly come the changes
    with a little passing time
A wrinkle here, a hair turned gray
    a not so lilting step
I see me growing older,
    but i don't quite feel it yet
At times I nearly feel my age
    at others I'm, sixteen,
So full am I of all the thoughts
    and feelings in between

Who would have thought the road of life
Would twist and turn so much?
The journey makes me strong and weak and
     tender to the touch.
And so this day I face the choice
     that I have faced each day,
Will I be open? Teachable?
Unafraid of change?
    Yes.

I will embrace this moment.
Forgive my past mistakes.
And remember that just showing up is
    sometimes all it takes.
I'll seek the kind of beauty
    that time cannot erase,
Wisdom and experience resting on my face.