Knowing The Risk & Reward

If you're an entrepreneur or the one who are in your journey toward your goal, there's a great insight from Prime Time with God I wanna share with you here.

We often feel confused whether we have to go ahead, take a break or even back off from the 'game' we're playing in life. But this insight -hopefully- gives you a good perspective to think about before you decide anything..

Enjoy!

"David asked the men standing near him, 'What will be done for the man who kills this Philistine and removes this disgrace from Israel?'" (1 Sam 17:26).

Every entrepreneur must determine the risk and reward before entering a venture. This is not the only consideration. We must determine if God is leading us after we consider all factors. We also must consider if the timing is right to proceed.

David was a young shepherd when he was bringing food to his older brothers in the army. He had already killed a lion and a bear during his days as a shepherd. David understood the risk/reward principle. When he heard about Goliath and that no one was willing to fight him he was angry. However, he didn't just respond out of pure emotion. He asked a very important question. "What will be done for the man who kills this Philistine and removes this disgrace from Israel?" He got the answer he was hoping for: "The king will give great wealth to the man who kills him. He will also give him his daughter in marriage and will exempt his father's family from taxes in Israel." (1 Sam 17:25).

Do you see the reward? He gets financial wealth, a wife, and no longer has to pay taxes! What more motivation does a young Jewish boy need? Does this take away from the spiritual significance of the story? Absolutely not.

The religious spirit always tries to make the business side of faith evil. Money and profit is not evil. It is the love of money and the pride of life that gets man into trouble. David understood the proper balance of these co-existing to accomplish God's purposes. To avoid getting into trouble simply ask this question of yourself: "What is the true motive of my heart?" If it does not have the spiritual element balanced with the business element, you may be in trouble. Ask God four questions before you proceed in any venture:

1) Is the Holy Spirit leading me?

2) Is this the time to be involved?

3) Is the risk and reward worth it?

4) Do I have what is necessary to be successful in the venture with God's help?

After you've asked these questions, go about your task with all your heart..

BYBS - Count My Blessings!

After being absent for a few weeks, here I am posting my blessings for BYBS meme.

I am addicted to digital scrapbooking (again!) these past days, so yeah.. I think this is such a creative way to blog my blessings this week.. :).

If you want to know more about Blog Your Blessings Sundays, please click here..

Hope that y'all have a blessed weekend!

The Power of Crying Out

I am a real dog lover.
From them I've learned a lot about life. Friendship, loyalty, love, cheerfulness, happiness, even a new way of thinking and seeing something!

You may have known that dogs are loyal. There's no doubt about it. But more of it, I like the way they see everything around them. Dog lives in the present. They enjoy anything around them, without ever get worried about tomorrows. If you take your dog for a walk, you'll see that they are interested for everything. They like to smell the flowers, they like to investigate, they'll chase whatever gets their attention, the follow their instinct, they really live in the present!

Especially puppies. Puppies will take anything they've got as their toys. Anything. Whether it a comb, brush, pillow, tie, blanket, pencil, old newspaper, anything in this world are indeed a puppy's toys! We have a puppy here who likes to bite everything, including our hands and feet! It's waste to tidy up the room if you get your puppy there, because they'll easily find a way or two to screw it up again!

Like I say above, or if you read my posts before, you'll know that we found a puppy that we care for eventually. Her name is Velve. (I named her after the Spanish term 'vuelve' that means return, cause she has returned my cheerfulness -smile-). Oh my, I can't imagine a naughtier puppy than this one. Even my mom has sooo many scars because of her biting and nails' scratches on her hand. Oughh, sometime I feel that I want to put this tiny monster down, but every time I look at her face, I'll always feel a deep sympathetic. I love her so much, no matter how naughty she is.

Couple days ago, she cried out loudly. By hearing that, I immediately jumped out of my bed, ran to her and found out why did she scream like that. And I got my mom stood behind her, told me that she tried to 'escape' when my mom hold her with her hand (My mom got stroke so her left hand has been immovable), cause she wanted to open the door for somebody was there. It's too risky to let the puppy runs outside the house. And the result was, she fell down and got pain. My mom was incapable to handle her because of her 'actions' that were too much.

I realized that I always run out to get my dog anytime they cry. Sometime they cry for an uncomfortable situation, but other time, they cry for an unimportant thing because of their stupidities. But still, I'll get them immediately by hearing their screaming.

I assumed this experience with God. He can't help hearing our crying. I'm really sure that. What I dealt with dogs, I believe God will do likewise. He hurts when His people get hurt. He can't wait for answering our prayer, but sometime He delays. I know that He must have reasons for that. He won't do it incoincidently. History has proved it. Whenever God made a delay, He was doing a miracle. As time goes by, I started to see it in my life. The longer He delays, the bigger the miracle.

When Abram got his son, for example. Can you see the miracle there? A son from a 90 years conceived mother? Or when Jesus delayed to come to Bethany, when Lazarus was sick. What He did then? He raised him from the death! It wasn't enough for Him just to heal him. It was too ordinary. (But they needed something more hurt and bad in their circumstance to receive the miracle). If you are dealing with delaying, just believe that God's preparing a great thing for you. He'll reveal it when the time comes. He's keeping the answer till you're ready for that. So, get prepared for His surprise. He wants us to know Him in a new and better way than what we have known about Him.. Never be enough if it comes to knowing Him. We need to know Him more and more and more through our experiences..

Oh, please, I can't be preaching here :). Just want to share my experience. If my dog cries, I'll immediately get it, wherever it is. I'll never delay even a second to get 'em. I can imagine how's my God reaction if He deals with the same problem. He'll jump over to get you, my friend. So, don't be ashamed. Keep crying till your prayers get answered..

Happy Sundays, everyone..

He Knows My Name

Actually, I wanted to post this on Then Sings My Soul Saturdays meme, but I'm late. Has been so busy all day long. Yeah.. but, I keep pushing to post this song. I love this song, although I can't find any better video than this one on YouTube (yeah, it's not bad either).
Here I post the lyric so you can sing with me.. :).

I have a Maker
He formed my heart
Before even time began
My life was in his hands

He knows my name
He knows my every thought
He sees each tear that falls
and hears me when I call

I have a Father
He calls me His own
He'll never leave me
No matter where I go

He knows my name
He knows my every thought
He sees each tear that falls
and hears me when I call

Do you get what I mean?
Every time I feel sad, abandoned, or hopeless, I remember this song and I feel strong and get refreshed again. My life was in God's hands, even before time began!

Many people fail in life because they think their lives aren't going well. I do feel the same often time, but I keep remembering that struggles in life does mean something. It can be used to increase my capacity to handle my dreams. If I strong enough, expanded enough, the time will come when everything will get better. The best is yet to come!

Thanks Jesus for calling me Your own, and thank You for never leave me alone.
Thank You also for hearing my calls and prayers all the time.
I thank You for everything You've done in me!

Self Expression!

As a romantic person, I always admire beauty. I love music, movies, books, paints, pictures, any other beautiful things!

Scrapbook has been my hobby since few years ago. Although sometime I feel that I have no enough time to do my hobby, I still love to 'sightseeing' or do blog walking to my favorite digiscrap site.

For some people, doing hobby is a wasting time activity, but for me, it's a good thing. It's a self expression, creative job, and such a fun thing. Even, doing my hobby is one of the reason I survive! :).

If you are like me, love to capture your moments through scrapbooking, you can visit Scrapbookflair.com, one of the best digiscrap site, which provides free embellishment and any other thing relating to digital scrapbooking.

The Work of God

God takes ordinary people and does extraordinary things through them because of their devotion to Him. A look at the 12 men Jesus chooses to be His disciples does not reveal a "Who's Who" in Judea. Rather, the men seem to be unknown and undistinguished.

The work of God does not depend on talent or intelligence. Different people have different strengths, but God uses all of us to accomplish His purposes. The body of Christ is made up of many parts -- some highly visible, some hidden, all useful. God makes the most of the talents and spiritual gifts He has given each of us.

This is an insight from crosswalk.com.

I absolutely agree. Sometime we think that we can't do any useful or meaningful works for The Kingdom of God. In fact, the work of God doesn't depend on our talents or intelligences. Each of us has special purpose, tasks and destiny to fulfill. We are different, but we do have one purpose in God : glorifying His Name through our lives.

I learn not to worry about who I am anymore. Yes, am still discovering myself. Am still finding who I am in Him. I also still need to know about many important things in my journey, but I learn to surrender my life to Him. Have been soo tired to count on myself and lean on my own understanding. I still haven't seen my future clearly yet, but it makes me keep hoping. And my hope in Christ won't be disappointing. All I need is just patience. Waiting for His perfect time to reveal all the best He has in store for me.

I always thought that talents, intelligence, and ability matter. I have so many regrets and disappointment buried in my heart. I tended to blame, complain, and critique anything happened to me. I'd never seen it as a God's process in my life. (Oh, how embarrassing has my life been! :)). So I thank The Lord that He has been patient and kind to me. He sent me a puppy. He surrounds me with lovely things I can enjoy. He blesses me with talents and abilities I supposed to use for His glory. He fulfills me with precious info, news, knowledge and promises He knows will be needed for my days ahead of me.

I thank God for being my Lord. In my days ahead of me, I'll do my best and let Him do the rest. I know I am basically just ordinary, but I know that He, Who abides in me is Extraordinary and Almighty, so I can cast all my cares upon Him, and He'll reveal His purpose and intention in creating me as His masterpiece..

Story of Rejection

Do you have account on Facebook?

Since Facebook has become the biggest social network on internet, everybody seems to have an account there. I have to admit that Facebooking is something fun, because you can meet your old friend, your school mate, or anybody around the world you want to befriend with just by a click! Beside, it's also addicting. You can't blame one if he/she becomes addicted to FB, because yeah, it is addicting indeed. We seem to be part of world's citizens by becoming a member of Facebook. We'll know and be known. We can update our status and will be very excited if we get comments from our pals around the world. Facebook does make this world a global village! We can update our friend's latest news simply by one click. Wow.. isn't it a little magic of this modern civilization?

The bad news is, you can remove any of your friend from being your friend. It's your absolute right to choose who you want to befriend with and who you don't want to. You can approve one and ignore other. It's your choice. And, FB guarantees that the network won't publish if you reject someone's request to be your friend. Because, to be honest, it would be so embarrasing if others know that someone does it to you!

Being rejected has never been fun. Even, it really hurts. But in this real world, we'll face this hurting fact. There will be times we'll get rejection from our friend, even removing or denying attitude that we're one's friend. One may not approve your request to be his or her friend. And it's for real. (Oh, yeah, I've gone through this bitter experience! Can't imagine why one rejects your request to be his/ her friend. In fact, we just want to befriend in cyber world!).

But, through this thing I've got a new insight, that we can't count on anyone to keep us smiling. We can't count on other's approvement to make us happy. They can be unkind to us, they can remove us from their list. They can reject our request to be their friend, but we can hold on one truth that in Jesus we'll never be ignored nor rejected. He'll never leave us nor forsake us. He cares for us. He loves us just the way we are, and He accepts us as we are. What a friend we have in Him!

If you ever get rejection, remember that you're not alone. Many people feel the same as you feel. All you can do is simply come to your God, Best Friend, dearest Saviour and Reedemer, because He offers Himself to be your refugee in your hard times. Even, He opens His hands to call us, 'come unto Me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest..' (Matt 11:28). For He dwells in the high and holy place, with Him also that is of contrite and humble spirit (Is 57:15). And The Lord is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart, and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit (Ps 34:18).

Have you ever requested Him to be your friend? Or, have you befriended with Him in your real life?

Extraordinary Challenge for Extraordinary People

Have you ever asked Lord the question 'why do this happen to me?' when you face a big problem? Or when you face something you think you can't handle by your own power?

Yeah, we tend to blame our circumstance whenever we encounter hard times. We think that we can't handle it, we are inadequate, we aren't strong enough, wise enough, and so many reasonable statement will be spoken out from our mouths.

Joel Osteen said in his sermon that our problems define our greatness and our future. We aren't average, we aren't ordinary people so we won't face average or ordinary problems. God won't allow us facing an extraordinary problem if He knew that we can't handle it. But, because He knew that we're extraordinary, and we aren't average so He puts extraordinary problems in front of us, so that those problems won't becoming our obstacles, but our stepping stone toward our successful.

I have to admit that it was so true for me. For so many times, I always measure my problems with my own power. I always think that I wasn't able. I didn't have great wisdom to face big challenges that often come into my life. I wasn't experienced enough. I've been feeling so young, stupid and immature. I used to forget that God is always 'behind the scene' to set everything for my goodness. Everything comes into my life has its own purpose to shape and mold me in order to be an extraordinary person in God's hands.

The bigger is the challenge, the bigger should our hearts become. The harder is the problem, the great also will our characters become. We can't deny the rule. No extraordinary people will face average problem. No, because our measure isn't our own power, because we're limited indeed, but we are walking with The Extraordinary God who isn't limited by our borders.

Anytime you feel that you're facing an extraordinary problem, just remember that you are an extraordinary person. All you need is simply putting on the whole armour God has given to you.
Put on the helmet of salvation: change your mindset. You're not a victim, but a victor. Don't blame it to your pasts, your family or your circumstance. No, one thing we can control freely in life is our mind, so ask The Lord to change your mind to understand His pathways.

Put on the shoe of peace, so you can take a walk with peace over your heart. People may talk about you behind of you, but you can let it go and your eyes keep looking right on, toward your bright future.

Put also the shield of faith on, because without faith we can't see The Lord. I believe that God has so many wonderful and mighty things for us in store. But all depends on our way of thinking. So let's keep our mind positive so we can see the great things God has prepared for us to enjoy in life.

Don't be afraid of the future. If you know for sure Who is walking with you, and you have asked Him to take the lead all along your journey, you'll be sure that your journey will be safe and blessed. You may fail, you may be stumbled, but God never fails. He holds you in His hands, He keeps you safe and He guarantees your future..

From now on, let's face the extraordinary problems with our new mindset by looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, that we are the extraordinary people of The Extraordinary God!


Inspired by Joel Osteen's sermon.

Equality with God?

This is a devotional from Anchor Your Life, which had greatly blessed me this evening..

"You shall have no other gods before me." (NIV) Exodus 20:3

The first commandment is pretty easy to understand. There can only be one God, one true God the all knowing, all powerful, all present, creator of the earth. Doesn't it seem ridiculous when we think we can actually be God? If the truth be told, many of us spend the better part of our lives trying to be God instead of just letting God be God. We manipulate, we question, we judge and we try to control people and events in an effort to make things happen our way...or at least making things happen the way we think it should.

When have you tried to manipulate a situation so that the outcome is what you desire? How do you try to control people or events so that the life goes the way you want it to go? How are you attempting to be the god of your life?

Say the first commandment as a prayer and let God be God.

There Must Be Something To Be Thankful For In Life!

After what I've been going through, I supposed that what I've to do is looking for anything good, positive and 'enlightened' in order to get a meaningful life..

Yeah, I believe that we all have a story to tell. Even, maybe a great story if we can see it from the right perspective. All stories we have aren't coincident, but happen for a certain personal purpose. I try to look for goodness in my life. I know I'll find it whenever I look for it. I think, life will be more precious and meaningful if what we can do is giving thanks for anything happens in our lives. Yeah, we just see the small part and feel sorry about anything, because we can't see the big picture. Sometime we can't see how close we are to our destination and we'll start to give up (Oh, this is really happening to me!).

I want to get a breakthrough with my old life. I want to change my mind, my way of thinking, my way of feeling, and oh, all the bad habits I've been living with! I want to be more grateful, be sincere, and look for anything good, with Christ's cross on the background. Hope that this new way of living will change my life: from zero to hero :).

Know what, sometime I feel that my hubby's right when he said that I'd apparently have a double personality. Yeah, in a moment I try to save the world, and one moment later, feel that I wanna take drugs! Seriously. You can consider me wise whenever I'm good, but when it comes to be insane, my name will be included in the nomination list. Often think that I have a mental disorder or sort of it!:)

For this BYBS, I want to thankful for my husband. He's such a great husband. He always understands me, loves me for everything I am, and the amazing one, He always willingly shares the chores with me. And all he's been doing is great! Oh, I think I can't get a greater husband than him. He's the best one!
I know there are times for disagreements in us, just like every couple, but it's normal. We've been different from the first time we met! So I have to see the good side of him. We both have to see the good side of us each other. Oh, I wonder how come I often forget how amazing, adorable and lovely husband he is!

I'm thankful for my mom. Although we haven't been 'getting along' in many ways, I think I still have to honor and respect her. It's uneasy. She's my mom and I always hope 'something more' or any best thing from her as my role model. When I didn't get it, I'd be disappointed. But finally, I know I can't change anyone. If I have someone to change, so that one is me, no other. I have to let everybody be themselves, cause I neither can let myself be anybody else (Yeah, we like to 'insist' people to take our own ways. In fact, we are really different. We'll get angry if other people don't be the same with us! We hope everybody understands us because we think they've got the way we're thinking! Ooohhh... actually, who the hell we are! :)). This is something so hard to learn but I finally got it!

I am thankful, among all things, for life I've got from God, who granted it to me with no doubt. And it's my responsibility then to take care for it, keep it good, amazing and pleasant to Him, from whom the blessings come.

And I consider myself blessed!

How thankful are you?

Define 'Happiness'!

People always says that happiness depends on how we see it.
Yeah, they may right. We can look for faults from our surrounding and find them. So do with good things. If we look for them, we'll find them. Yeah, our world is what we make it.

One of the best book I ever read about happiness was 'Follow Your Heart' by Andrew Matthews. Have you read that book? Oh, it's so inspiring. I highly recommend it for those we are looking for something meaningful in their lives.

Check out these cartoons ..

"They're not happy. They just think they're happy..''

or this one..

Yeah, you got it. Sometime we consider that happiness is something bigger than ourselves, something more important than we've already get, or something 'too high to reach' for most of us, so we have to do something, reach something, own something or pursue something in order to get it.

In fact, deep down in our hearts we know that it's not the big deal. Happiness isn't something we can get by having certain condition, being happy is a situation we can make it - depends on how we choose to see our life..

(oh, please, I won't tell you a lot about happiness. You've read my last posts and knew how was my condition -lol- but I want to share with all of you how a great idea can change our mind. And by changing our mind, we can change our world. Ever consider that?)

People who call themselves “lucky” smile more, talk to more people, make more friends and persist more often – which proves its not luck

-Andrew Matthews-

Yeah, and from now on, I'll choose to be happy.. :)
God bless us, everyone!

Pictures: www.seashell.com.au

Saved By A Puppy!

Well, you may have read my last post. Maybe that was the truest feeling I’ve ever shared with all of you. Oh, to be honest, I couldn’t be that honest speaking out my deepest feeling in my native language :). (For I am so introvert so it’s not my ‘habit’ to share my deepest feeling with someone!).

In my darkest situation, when all was blurred, I was out of my mind, couldn’t think, couldn’t feel, couldn’t say anything, when my heart was empty and yeah.. when I intended to suicide.. (I really meant it!), you know what God did? He sent me a puppy! Yes, a puppy. Can you imagine that?

I felt that I can’t open my eyes that evening. I just lied down on my bed with empty feeling. Broken. Depressed. Devastated. I cried and cried and still felt empty. Hopeless. Desperate.

Suddenly, my husband entered the room and whispered to my ear ‘Kris, open your eyes’.

‘No, I won’t. I can’t’, I replied.

‘Please, look at what I got for you.. Please..’, he insisted.

I opened my eyes and what did I see? A puppy. Very tiny, cute, scared and looked so desperate. I had no idea where that puppy came from. She just looked so scared, sad and miserable.

‘Whose puppy is it?’ I asked him.

‘I don’t know..’, he replied.

‘Where do you get it?’ I asked him again.

‘I don’t know. A little boy (who lives in our neighborhood) just came over and asked whether this is our puppy. He found it was entering his house. He’s never seen this puppy before. He had asked around this neighborhood but nobody knows, so he thought probably she’s ours and take her here..’.

Oohh..

(FYI, people hates dog here, commonly because of their belief , so it’s so rare if one would have dog here, mostly in our neighborhood).

I just woke up, looked at the puppy carefully, and immediately fell in love with her (oh, yes, I’m a dog lover!). ‘So sad.. Let me take care of her..’.

‘You sure?’ my husband asked me in doubt, not to forget the moment I was histerically cried few minutes ago.

‘Yeah, I’m sure..’. Magically, my misery, depression and all kinda worst feeling was vanished, changed by love and compassion for that puppy.

I put her in my embrace, seeing that she was so scared and shy, and found myself was deep in love with her.

Well, maybe this is just a simple and ridiculous story I’ve ever told you, but it was true. I just thought, may that puppy was sent by God to calm me down? Or to remove my depression? Yeah, I have no idea. But one thing I’m sure, that my Heavenly Father has definitely never forsakes me. He always be there for me, works for my goodness, whether I could see Him or not, and, He works in His misterios ways. I may not understand, but what I’ve to do is just trusting Him with all my heart.

Yeah, like a quote I ever read, ‘something commonly gets worse before it gets better’.. In this way, I probably should develop a new relationship with God. I don’t get

His plan, but I understand that He can use anything to get me improving a deeper understanding of His ways..

This idea was just came across my mind: If only God sent me a person or two, I might refuse them. But, He knows the best. He sent me a puppy (that I’ve never got the idea where she came from till now), so I just threw away my misery and filled my heart with love for her instead.

Oh, my.. this was something unthinkable but really, really worked for me..

Have you ever faced something more ridiculous –but worked for you- than my story? :)

Oh, before I forget, I’m really thankful for getting so sweet, reminding and encouraging comments from my dear friends, Fishhawk and Cybercelt. Thank you so much. Your words were so helping. I’m really appreciate that. God bless y’all, my friend. Thank you for being God’s blessing for me..

Am getting better now. Relieved, recovered and blessed.

Unto God be all the praises and honor and glory..