BYBS - My Life Now and Then

Actually I planned not to post this meme. My life has been complicated these few past days so it's a bit uneasy for me to count my blessings. But then I realized, yeah, life must go on. We can't just sit there remembering the pain and bitterness, cause we'll left so far behind then. Life will always go, leaving all of those who don't want to walk with it.

Couple days ago, my publisher sent me a sample of my book that will be published. Well, at first, I thought that it was just an ordinary book so I didn't have to check it out immediately, moreover I had soooo many things to do. But you know, when I opened the email and looked at the book sample on my laptop, OMG... I was speechless. It was more beautiful than what I could ever imagined. Honestly. I supposed that I have a good feel and good taste in judging something. And I always have reasons to criticize many things I encounter in my life. But that time, I had no words to say at all!

Well, this book has been my prayer for a long, long time. And God has answered me. Ones may consider a published book as an achievement or kind of, but I don't. I prefer to believe that it's a perfect gift from above, and cometh down from The Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning (James 1:17).

This book will always be an evidence of God's mighty work in my life. Cause I know myself well enough. Who am I? Where I came from? Nobody knows. It isn't too important so ones must know it, till God brings me His miraculous wonderful works. He grants me the talent to contemplate about many things, and to write it down as a result of my loneliness. I'm an introvert so you can imagine what type of person I am. A loner, so you can count my friends with your fingers because I do have not much. There are times in life that I regret many things when I looked aback, but now, when I figure out what has happened, I understand that God has done everything to form and shape my life. While I'm still in His process, may I have to pass through the bads, the bitterness, the pains, the grieves or any other not-so-good thing, but now I start to see His perfect ways.

I have no idea about what awaits me next, but I believe He'll never leave me or forsake me. He guarantees my life. Even before time began, my life was in His hands. So I supposed that He'll accomplish His great works in me. I just want to become what God created me to be. My life is not about me anymore, but I am about to live out God's purpose in me. I know it's far greater than my own fulfillment, my career, or even my happiness. I was once distracted out from His way. I knew that I wasn't about to do His will, but I kept pushing on it. Afterward, after experiencing life without God's guide, I eventually knew that it was a great mistake. I was really sorry but I couldn't return anymore.. So that's why I realized indeed the importance of the continuous walk with God.

If you supposed that you have no certain purpose to live out, why don't you ask your Creator? As what Rick Warren says in his book Purpose Driven Life, you didn't create yourself, so there is no way you can tell yourself what you were created for. All you have to do is, begin anything with God, cause it all starts with Him. For in Him we live, and move, and have our being (Acts 17:28).

Don't forget to count your blessings!

Happy Sunday, everyone..

PRAYER OF ST. FRANCIS

I always love to read about prayers. Besides The Serenity Prayer, the prayer of St. Francis is one of my favorite. (Well, although it's not too easy to live out a constant prayer life). I often encounter obstacles: being lazy, procrastination, feel too tired, and things like that. But, I'm growing in the process, you know. I've arrived at the point when I totally surrender all to God and say yes to Him, whatever it may take. It's not my will anymore, but His. Let His will be done in my whole life.

I know if I follow His ways, I'll reach the best life I always dream of. Not by my power nor by my might but by His Spirit. In every circumstance I face, I just want to experience God and His Name is glorified, that's my prayer for Him. Oh, let my life be a living sacrifice before Him..

Please meditate this prayer with me..

Lord, make me an instrument of your peace,
Where there is hatred, let me sow love;
where there is injury, pardon;
where there is doubt, faith;
where there is despair, hope;
where there is darkness, light;
where there is sadness, joy;

O Divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to console;
to be understood as to understand;
to be loved as to love.

For it is in giving that we receive;
it is in pardoning that we are pardoned;
and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.

A Link

Looking for a site which can 'equipping and encouraging those who minister the children'?
I found a link : kidology.org.
This link provides many useful lessons, ideas and links.
Enjoy!

Be Still Sunday

Then Sings My Soul Saturdays - Above All

Wow.. it's Saturday again!
This Saturday I'll post Above All by Michael W. Smith.



Here's the lyrics so as you listen to this song, you can sing it with me.. :)

Above all powers above all kings
Above all nature and all created things
Above all wisdom and all the ways of man
You were here before the world began

Above all kingdoms above all thrones
Above all wonders the world has ever known
Above all wealth and treasures of the earth
There's no way to measure what You're worth

Crucified laid behind the stone
You lived to die rejected and alone
Like a rose trampled on the ground
You took the fall and thought of me
Above all

For more Then Sings My Soul Saturdays, visit Amy here.

THANKFUL THURSDAY

Though today isn't my best day, I try to be thankful, cause I realize that thankful is a way to enjoy life and draw more happiness and blessings into this life.

So, these are the blessings I wanna share with you...

I am thankful for my blog award I received

I am thankful for my husband who always understands me. Anytime I got headaches, he's always there, take all the responsibility in doing the chores

I am thankful to have best friends, though just a few but really are friends indeed

I am thankful for Christian bloggers that really bless me through their writings

I am thankful for my health. These few past days I've been in not-so-health condition but I can go through this week pretty well..

I am thankful for my Bible. Every time I read it, I always get new enlightenment, courage and blessings

What are you thankful for this week?

For more Thankful Thursday, visit Iris here.

MY FIRST AWARD

This is my first blog award I received from Sue at My Road As I Travel It.
Aww.. it's such a big honor!

The award Sue has given me is called Mirror Award, a blogger reflecting God's light, as she said, 'There are quite a few blogs that I have been reading over the last year or so that have at different times really said something to me, had a true message of God for me. So my award is about thanking those people and providing the encouragement to keep on blogging for Jesus'.
I hope that my blog is really worth it:) and I pray that through this blog I can share my story about how awesome and good and wonderful God is even though so often I am weak and silly and do so many mistakes..

Thanks again, Sue. Thank you also for sharing the faith along this blogging journey..

10 THINGS ON TUESDAY

It's been a long, long time since I posted my latest meme. Yeah, the world has been moving so fast for me these pasts weeks :). But the situation is getting normal here. So I think it's time to back to my old habits : blogging!

Here's what I thankful for this week..
1. I am thankful for my new position as drama teacher at a private High School here.
2. I am thankful for my dog Madeline
3. I am thankful for my published book
4. I am thankful to have a brand new insight about God's will in my life
5. I am thankful for the cloudy and rainy days these few past days
6. I am thankful for my brother's coming after few months no see each other
7. I am thankful for family
8. I am thankful for my best friend Della who is always there to help me doing many good jobs in our church stuff
9. I am thankful for my hubby who completes me
10. I am thankful for my health. Many are sick because of the weather's change here so it's good to stay healthy


For more 10 things on Tuesday, you can visit Xbox wife's link here

SELF ACCEPTANCE

Many today have found that acceptance of their real selves is definitely a not-too-easy thing. So did I.

Somewhere in the past, I used to believe that my parents accepted me just because I did a good job, or because I had a good manner, or because any thing I did that pleased them. Shortly, I felt accepted if I was doing good only, not because of who I really was. And, unfortunately, I felt the same way about God. I thought He accepted me because of any good things I did, or because I didn’t distract from His ways, or because I walked in love with all my neighbors. I used to look at my parents’ face to see the value of myself there, but I barely found it. As they disappointed, I knew that I wasn’t valuable enough. I wasn’t accepted the way I really was. And so if I got distracted, or if I did mistakes in my life, or if I started to get mad to somebody, I started to feel that I wasn’t accepted by anyone, including God. People would always have hated me, left me abandoned, and I’ve got to feel rejected.

So sad, wasn’t it?

Wrong perception of self acceptance will govern one’s behavior. It will also mess up his/ her life. It diminishes confidence, faith, even hope for future. Oh, what a really important issue is the way we accept our selves!

As time went by, I started to see God’s love. He showed Himself up to me and got me think that I had been wrong. In Him I’ve always been accepted, no matter who I am, what I do or how I look, the superficial things which have always been being my way to accept other people. I realized that God knows who I really am, even before I was born. Even when I failed Him, He won’t stop loving me. Even when I fell, His plans for me won’t be failed. Even when I was wrong, or coincidently displayed my weaknesses, He let me know that He’s strong and He would direct me through the way He wants me to go.

The acceptance of myself doesn’t depend on how I look or what I do anymore, but more depends on how great He loves me and His willing to die for me. I know that someday I’ll be fallen, I may fail Him, I may do something silly, I may still full of weaknesses, but as big as my stupidity, as that big is His love for me. I know it for sure. I am acceptable, not because of anything I’ve done, but because of the great things Jesus Christ has done.

For whoever who are still in process of their selves acceptance, if I may recommend, simply come to the place where anyone is always welcome. Anybody is accepted in Christ, no matter what ever happen to them in their pasts. You don’t have to be perfect to come to Him, all the thing you need is just your willing to believe. It’s that easy.

A Link

Are you looking for activity ideas for your church program?
I found a link that probably useful : sugardoodle.net
There you'll find oodles and oodles of interesting ideas!

Enjoy!

BYBS - Something I May Not Understand Now (But I Will Hereafter)

'What I do thou knowest not now, but thou shalt know hereafter'

John 13:7

This is the verse of our Bible reading this morning. Yes, I have to admit it. So often, I have no idea about what is on God's mind when He allows something bad happens in my life. I'd like to ask Him this kind of question 'Why me, Lord?, Why don't You stop this pain?' But the answer, as you may know, is commonly silence.

God seems to be silent and put no attention of what I am facing. For so many times, I have to struggle alone, without any guide or clues or counsels. I often questioned where was He in that kind of circumstance. Now I understand about yeah, why does He allow bad things happen in good people's life like me :).

I learn that every single day is a chance to take an action. A chance to make a choice. A chance to do God's word. A chance to show my kindness. A chance to do something good. Even, when I'm in trouble or pain.

God does work in His mysterious ways. I've never understood why He wouldn't just tell me what on earth He's designing for my life. Why He keeps the secret for Himself about what awaits me ahead. Why He keeps silence for a while (that sometimes feel forever!) and doesn't answer my prayers. When you walk through all the pain, you know that it's uneasy to hold on your faith and keep focusing to where the journey is heading for. You'll be focusing on the pain and the hardship you are facing.

Well, when I read the verse above, I immediately realized that, yeah, my life is just for a while, a temporary life, it's not forever to be here on this planet. My focus should not be on what I suffer here, but on the glory I'll receive if I can pass through the tests, whether in my life here or later in eternity. I may not understand what's in God's mind about what is happening to my life, but His promise that I shall know hereafter is enough to make me hold upon Him. Simply having this insight has relieved my desperate soul. I know that this journey has to begin with a step with God. A giant step by myself alone means nothing compares to a baby step with Him. From now on, I promise to keep alert to whatever He wants me to do. I believe if He leads me through a way, He'll give me the strength to finish the journey. I haven't finished my journey yet, I even have no idea which way He'll guide me to, but one thing I know, He's leading me to a perfect beautiful destination He wants me to be. Although I have to pass through all the darkness to be arrived there, I know I'll be safe and secure, cause I know He's always there for me.

God bless me with everything new. I am thankful for everything I have in my life, including anything one can't buy with money. I know what I am to do, live a life that will spread out peace, goodness and love, things I can't do if I don't have it within myself. Like I ever wrote here, I want to contribute something good to this temporary life. I just want my life to be an inspiration to encourage other people to know God and develop a deeper relationship with Him.

Probably, count my blessings will be a good way.. :)

Happy Sunday, everyone!

Are You A Narcissist?

You Are Occasionally a Narcissist

While you have healthy self esteem, you're really not that full of yourself. Compared to most people, you're quite humble! Though occasionally, you can't help and reflect on how great you are. There's nothing wrong with being proud of yourself - as long as you don't let it go to your head!

Are You a Narcissist?

Stoplight Faith

Please... don't blame me if what I do is just copying this devotional. Yeah, although I may worth it, but I'm not fully guilty. I love this devotional which has brought me a big enlightenment so I supposed I have to post it on this blog.

Let's read it together and meditate it as well. This article widened my horizon also about what risk is. I've just caught the idea that sometime I have to see the way God sees life instead of keeping the wrong perspective of mine. With Him, anything risky can be a giant faith leap, and valley can be a place of springs. We have no idea about what He is providing for us, but we keep complaining and murmuring and sighing in living this life, eventhough we know that He is with us!!

Thank God He is sooo patient and full of mercy and grace..

"And he did not do many miracles there because of their lack of faith" (Matt 13:58).

You can learn a lot about people in traffic. For instance, I observe a lot when I see 20 cars in one line and only 3 cars in another. The reason for the longer line is these people want to make sure they get to make their turn after the light. I, on the other hand, want to get through the light first, then I will worry about making the next turn. This is a difference in risk taking tolerance, or perhaps faith; or even some might argue with me that I'm operating out of presumption versus real faith.

No matter which person you might be in this situation, it is sure that faith is often spelled R.I.S.K. When the priests carried the ark into the Jordan River at flood stage there was a risk they could lose the ark to the Jordan River. However, that is not what happened. "And as soon as the priests who carry the ark of the LORD, the Lord of all the earth set foot in the Jordan, its waters flowing downstream will be cut off and stand up in a heap" (Josh 3:13). God changed the entire environment and made it possible to walk across without the pressure of wading through the powerful water only when they took the first step.

Risk means there is a potential for loss. However, when God leads us to take a risk, then He is there whether we succeed or fail. He is there in the success and He is there in the failure. If He leads you to take a risk it may not always succeed in the way you think. In fact, it could even fail.

The only true failure is when we fail to take the risk when God is leading us to do so. Sometimes the fear of failure is the greater obstacle than the risk itself.

Has God called you to step out in an area that requires risk? This could be the place He wants you to move. Ask Jesus to give you the courage to step out.

A devotional from Prime Time with God

Walking Through The Valley of Baca

Well, again.. I read a devotional I used to receive from Prime Time with God and felt as if God Himself was speaking directly to me through it.

Ough.

I tend to think about any bad things when it comes to adversity. I then started to compare my life with anybody else whom I basically don't know how they life goes actually, consider myself as the unlucky one, right while God is preparing something good and wonderful and beautiful amazing blessing for me. Oh my..

If you are like me, feel like entering a place called valley, desert or sort of it, please read this devotional with me. Hope you'll get courage and peace also to walk through the darkness.

"Blessed are those whose strength is in you, who have set their hearts on pilgrimage. As they pass through the Valley of Baca, they make it a place of springs; the autumn rains also cover it with pools. They go from strength to strength, till each appears before God in Zion" (Ps 84:5-7).

There is a spiritual law in the Kingdom of God. Every great leader in the Kingdom will pass through the Valley of Baca. Baca means to weep. It comes from the Hebrew word,bakah (baw-kaw'); a primitive root; to weep; generally to bemoan.

However, Baca is also a place of springs. There is nothing better on a hot day when you're thirsty and weary than to drink water from a mountain spring. It refreshes. It renews. It gives you a second wind to continue your journey. Those who commit themselves to a pilgrimage with God will experience the Valley of Baca. But in the midst of Baca they will discover that in this valley they will also drink from a very special spring that refreshes with a different kind of living water.

It becomes the source of "secret things in hidden places" described by the prophet Isaiah (Isa 45:3) reserved only for those willing to journey on the Great Pilgrimage with God. Once you drink from this spring you will be energized in your spiritual man from strength to strength. Each Valley of Baca will result in a new spiritual spring from which you will drink. It is handmade just for you by God. But know this?it will be used to provide a refreshing drink for others you will encounter who are also on their pilgrimage.

Ultimately, Baca leads to the presence of God. There is something about being in a place with God that results in our weeping and crying out to Him. Do you find yourself in this place with God today? If so, know that His springs are also available to you. Ask him today to give you a drink from His spring only available in the Valley of Baca.

We Do Need God

When I browsed internet, I found an inspiring blog by Kenny Corn. This is one of his post. Yes, I agree with him. We do need God. We like to look for Him in so many ways but often forget to come to Him just the way we are.

Oh, I won't to talk more, just read it!

We don’t need more of ourselves. We’ve tried that and it hasn’t accomplished anything but heartache.

We need God.

We don’t need more books about God. How many more books can be written about God that says something nobody else has said? Maybe we could just start reading “The Book of God” called the Bible to find out more about Him.

We need God.

We don’t need more self-help books. Do you think that maybe enough books have been written on how to help ourselves with our problems? There is only one book I know that will ultimately help and that is the written word of God that points us to the Living Word of God. “You shall know the truth and the truth shall set you free” (John 8:32).

We need God.

We don't need more daily devotional books to be published. How many more devotional books need to be written? We don’t read the ones we have already purchased or been given to us for a Christmas or birthday present.

We need God.

We don’t need more study Bibles to be published. Why? Because we don’t use the ones we already have to study the Bible. A new one isn’t going to make any difference.

We need God.

We don’t need more bluegrass, rock, rap, disco, punk, high-church, low-church, mid-church, country & western, do-wop, be-bop, hip-hop, contemporary, blended, traditional, gospel, classical, or polka music in the church. Let's see: did cover I it all? What would happen if we announced in church one Sunday that next Sunday the worship service would have no music of any kind but the service would include prayer and preaching. Thinks anyone would show up for that?

We need God.

We don’t need more of man’s opinions. Look where that has gotten us.

We need God.

We don’t need more web sites and internet resources about God. Technology replaces the personal, intimate relationship and friendship that is supposed to occur between the believer and God.

We need God.

We don’t need more PowerPoint presentations about God. You would think that PowerPoint is the key to church growth and the Christian life. How ridiculous!

We need God.

We don’t need more money to accomplish the work of God. He owns the “cattle upon a thousand hills” [Psalm 50:10]. For those who actually give, it is too easy to give money. God doesn’t need our money. He wants our hearts but we don’t want to give Him that. Why? It would be too difficult and too painful and cost us too much to give Him our hearts. So, in order to ease the pain and the guilt, we slip a little money into the offering plate every Sunday so that the preacher and God will be satisfied for a week.

We need God.

We don’t need more Sunday School/discipleship curriculum to be developed. We’ve got enough already and we still don’t know the word of God and we have too few disciples.

We need God.

We don’t need new magazines to be published with all of the answers about how to live the Christian life. Ever notice how a lot of Christian magazines have those “smiling beautiful people” on the covers and the articles inside the magazines are going to help us through the next crisis that we go through. Just once I would like to see a magazine cover with somebody crying and writing an article discussing how they are still in the midst of a storm, haven’t yet received a solution from God, are desperately crying out for help, yet they are remaining faithful and true to God. “Though He slay me, yet will I trust in Him’ [Job 13:15].

We need God.

We don’t need God to heal our bodies through some “miracle healer” who always says “you gotta have faith; you gotta believe; you gotta send in your money, disguised as a ‘faith seed’. We need God to heal our hearts and our broken lives. And, where does the Bible ever associate money and faith together?

We don’t need more technology to help us relate to God. Through technology, we can read the Bible online, study the Bible online, pray online, give online, go to church online and even be healed online. (Believe me, I googled “online healing”). God forbid that we should actually open a Bible and study on our own, get on our knees to pray, and then get up and actually go to church.

We need God.

We don’t need more super computers to assist us in accessing the technology that promises to help us in our relationship to God, as if more RAM, processors, and hard drive space were the answers to our relationship with God.

We need God.

We don’t need more “star power religious personalities” on blue ray discs, DVD’s, cd, or videos to teach a Bible study or preach to a congregation about God. How did we ever get to the place where some famous personality, in some format of technology, teaches our Bible studies, our Sunday School classes or preaches to a congregation instead of us doing it?

We need God.

We don’t need more sooper-dooper/Xtreme/we are going to blow your socks off/radical/power conferences with the biggest names in show business (oops, sorry: in church growth and evangelism). What if someone had a conference with godly, pure in heart, thirsting for God no-name preachers and teachers? Think anyone would show up?

We need God.

We don’t need more academic degrees to impress everyone that we have learned something about God. Academic degrees have never impressed God. The only degree He requires is the A.U.G. degree: Approved Unto God, Second Timothy 2:15).

We need God.

We don’t need more religious denominational programs to be developed for the church. We’ve got enough programs as it is. How many more programs need to be developed that make (empty) promises and guarantee success but you have to spend the money to buy the program. Programs don’t reach people. People reach people. And, by the way, Christianity has turned into “big business”. You can purchase a Jesus bobble-head, holy bottled water, and “Jesus is my homeboy” t-shirt, all in the name of the “gospel”. You can also have the word of God stamped on the shoes you wear and stamped on the insoles of your shoes so that you can “walk in the Word”. Surely, God must weep!

We need God.

We don’t need more experts about God and church growth. “An expert is someone who knows more and more about less and less, until eventually he knows everything about nothing”.

We need God.

We don’t need more family life centers with weight rooms, exercise rooms, walking tracks, basketball courts, saunas, and whirlpools so that we can isolate ourselves from the world. Ummm………..go ye therefore?

We need God.

We don’t need to know more about what other churches are doing so that we can copy what they do. What God does in one church doesn’t necessarily mean that God will do the same thing in another church. Why did God bless that other church? Never playing favorites, God does have His intimates-those pastors and churches who decide to throw “caution to the wind” and spend time alone with God to develop an intimate and personal relationship with Him. Though God stopped creating on day six when He created the “heavens and earth”, He has never stopped being creative and He has the ability to reveal creative ways to any pastor and to any church who are intimate with Him and want to be used by God to reach their community for Him.

We need God.

We don’t need more self-sufficiency, though we still try to do it by ourselves.

We don’t need more self-centeredness, though we live our lives like it is all about us.

And we don’t need more self-righteousness, though we just can’t admit that we are not right with God.

We need God……

Or

Maybe we don’t.

Oh, reading this post is like being hit by something big right on your head. Maybe you'll be shocked at first, but then you'll awake and accept the statement as a truth of your bad habit so you have to destroy it.

If you interested, just read more posts from Kenny Corn here. He writes many useful posts on his blog!

The Freedom Writers

I believe everyone has a story to tell. And the story will depend on how you look at the life.

I, myself, at some certain points, finally realized that what I used to do in my past was just looking back and regretting my life, even for something I should proud of and thankful for instead of doing something useful through all experiences I had!

Few days ago, I watched 'The Freedom Writers' (a film based on a true story) and felt inspired. How could this Erin Gruwell took the hardship as an opportunity instead of 'just hardship' to change her students' lives? When I watched the movie, I intended to change my point of view. I wanted to change the way I see my life.

Probably, like most of us, I always demand from my surrounds. I demand other people to understand me, forgive me, and try harder for me. I felt like I was drinking the water from the well of Jacob, although I definitely knew it would never have satisfied me. What I did was just to draw attention for me, and anything I did or thought or felt or what really matters was all about me. Myself. I have trapped in doing 'something good, not something godly'. I've run millions of miles without ever gain something important, because I have just run on a treadmill, in other words, I went nowhere ever since.

I realize now that the way we can make something happen isn't the way we ask or take from life, but the way we give. It does what really matter.

I admired Ms. G (the name her student called her)'s courage and strength and constant intention to make a change on everybody's lives (in her class). And she made it. I recently got the idea that life isn't all about us. It's about cope with the problems, about fighting, about asking for God's will, about helping other people and about give a contributions to others' lives. Sometimes life isn't about asking what you will, but about accomplishing God's purpose in your life. Without these things, we'll feel empty eventually.

Oh, if only more people have willing to contribute a little more effort, passion and time in others' lives, probably this world will never be the same. As Paulo Coelho wrote on his novel, 'one happy soul will make the world better'.

If you are one of those who are asking for what to do in your life, don't just look for what you can do or what needs in this world you can meet, but please, ask for what God has specially provided for you to do. It's far more better, important and fit for your life and for your ministry. Don't just be trapped there doing something you can do well, but do something you can do the best.

If you haven't watched this movie, I highly recommend it for you. Let's get inspiration from anything inspiring and let see what we can do to 'make it happen'.

If you should write your life's story, what kind of story you'll tell the world?

Let's make this world a better place..

Deliverance From The Black Hole

To be honest, these few last months I've been feeling like being in a black hole, a place seems that I can do nothing about my circumstance, with any kind of problems that got me think that there's no way out. Oh, almost feel such as living in the hell!!!

But, after discovering more about my journey, and deepen my relationship with God, I've changed my world. I kept learning about many things I haven't known yet about the special purpose of my life. Glory and praise be unto God, He leads me to a new perspective. I'm sure now that I won't just be survived, but I want my life to give big contributions to other's lives. Probably my black hole experience does intend to influence and change any other people in my life. Have no idea yet about what this journey is, but I know that God has a special purpose He wants to accomplish in me, so I give Him the whole space of my life in order to be blessing and glory for His Name.

When I was checking my email, suddenly a devotional I used to received from Prime Time with God caught my attention. Oh, this insight was so inspiring, encouraging and strengthening my faith to be built in Christ. I know that He doesn't do anything randomly, but He does anything anyway to make a great accomplishment in those whoever willingly want to be vessels He can use...

Here's the insight...

"As I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you" (Joshua 1:5b).

A black hole is a place of total nothingness. It's a time in our life when God removes the resources and supports that we normally rely on to feel secure - our careers, finances, friends, family, health and so forth. It is a preparation time.

When you find yourself in a black hole experience, don't just sit and brood. Take stock of your life. Take a look at your relationship with God.

First, ask God if there are any sins, habits, or attitudes that He might be judging in your life. It's important to discern whether the trial we face is the result of God's discipline for our sin?or if it is preparing us for a future leadership role.

Second, when you enter a black hole, don't trust your feelings. Trust God. Your feelings will tell you, "God has rejected you. Abandon hope. He has left you utterly alone." Feelings change; God never changes. Feelings come and go; God is always with us.

Third, remember that your black hole experience is not only intended to refine and define you; it's also intended to influence and change the lives of hundreds or even thousands of other people. Our adversity is not just for us, but others in our sphere of influence.

Fourth, don't try to hurry the black hole process along. Remember, when Joseph was in the depths of the pit, there was nothing he could do about it. He couldn't climb out, jump out, levitate out, or talk his way out. All he could do was pray and wait upon the Lord.

Fifth, lean on God. Even when you don't feel like praying, pray. Even when you don't feel like reading His Word, read. Even when you don't feel like singing songs of faith, sing. When you pray, don't just talk; listen. Be silent before Him and listen for His still, quiet voice.

Sixth, be alert to new truths and new perspectives. During a black hole experience, God often leads us to amazing new discoveries. A black hole can be a storehouse of unexpected riches for the soul.