God Chose Us

Isaiah 49:1-6
Islands, listen to me,
pay attention, remotest peoples.
Yahweh called me before I was born,
from my mother’s womb he pronounced my name.

He made my mouth a sharp sword,
and hid me in the shadow of his hand.
He made me into a sharpened arrow,
and concealed me in his quiver.

He said to me, ‘You are my servant (Israel)
in whom I shall be glorified’;
While I was thinking, 'I have toiled in vain,
I have exhausted myself for nothing’:

And all the while my cause was with Yahweh,
my reward with my God.
I was honoured in the eyes of Yahweh,
my God my strength.

And now Yahweh has spoken,
He who formed me in the womb to be his servant,
to bring Jacob back to him,
to gather Israel to him:

'It is not enough for you to be my servant,
to restore the tribes of Jacob and bring back the survivors of Israel;
I will make you the light of the nations
so that my salvation may reach to the ends of the earth'

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Wow!

Isn't it nice to know that God chose us even before we were born? :)

Unlike Sam who was born 2 months premature, I was 1 month overdue!

According to my mummy, it was a cold stormy Halloween evening, with a lady screaming her lungs out next door. Ha ha! sounds so drama.


"It was you who created my inmost self,
and put together in my mother’s womb;
For all these mysteries I thank you:
for the wonder of myself, for the wonder of your works.

You know me through and through,
from having watched my bones take shape
When I was being formed in secret
knitted together in the limbo of the womb"

~Psalms 139:13-15

Song by Natalie Grant "HELD"

Song by Natalie Grant "HELD" lyrics

This is sooo touching. I think back to our mothers -- my mother, who prayed for me when I was born. Think of how much our mothers (and fathers) cared for us.. how much they loved us and took joy at our birth...

Hearing this song (I can share the mp3 if anyone wants..or listen here) I thought back of my mother... and I must say, I NEVER Thought about this before. When I was born I was premature 2 months. So I was a 7-month old baby.. no bigger than your forearm!! So from what I heard and saw in the photographs of myself,.. I had to be fed through a tube through my nose instead of mouth... and my mum stayed in the hospital for most of that month after... instead of going thru the typical chinese post-pregnancy care regime. So... I never reflected much on this before.. my mother's love ever since I was born. And that my life is a miracle. I survived!

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As for the song.. it makes me think what does it feel like to be held? What is it to be loved? That people are so much in need of that. Everyone needs some loving sometimes, and it's always nice to give and also be on the receiving end of something as simple as... a hug!

Read Foxnews article: A hug a day could save your life
View the original Free Hugs Campaign by Juan Mann
View The Gao Brothers' World Hug Day



In the forum above, it says, 777 is a Hug the World day. Well, 7.7.7. here in Singapore is also the Archdiocese Youth Day for all catholics in Singapore, organised by CAYC (Catholic Archdiocesan Youth Centre) at the EXPO.

So it's gonna be one big HUG for us with God.. at the Expo!!!

Who is the Holy Spirit to you?

But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you. - John 14:26

Jesus said that the Holy Spirit would remind us of the things He desires us to know. There are times in our lives when the Holy Spirit speaks into our spirit words designed to encourage us or give us what we need at the moment. That is just one of the roles of the Holy Spirit in the life of the believer. The more you know God's Word, the more often you'll recall verses the Holy Spirit will bring to mind for a given situation. Study God's Word and allow the Holy Spirit to remind you of the things He desires you to know. Os Hillman -

Elena's Sharing

I attended the Novena at OLPS last evening (25 June 2007). There was this priest who was supposed to be our new youth priest but somehow God sent him somewhere to serve. He just came back from his studies from Rome. Somehow, his homily touched me. He mentioned about how we often and tend to judge people. He asked us to tell ourselves that before we ask God not to judge us, we should not judge others.

He also reminded us about the cross. The vertical bar is about the relationship between God and us. We must never forget about the horizontal bar which is our relationship with others. To me, I realize that the intersection which the bars meet is basically love. The cross will never be complete if we lose either of the bars as there won't be any meeting point. The opposite of meeting is separating. That explains why the cross is so significant. To me, it is not just about Jesus dying for us on the cross. It is also a reminder to me that we do not only meet God, we meet God together with our brothers and sisters. That explains why the two bars meet.

This also reminds me of our relationship with our loved ones. Often, we find it easier to reach out to others or do ministry work. Sometimes, we may be too task oriented that what we do is no longer from our heart. We tend to neglect those who are closer to us and even take it for granted that they are always there. However, one should remind himself that nothing is eternal in the world and life is fragile and unpredictable, including our lives. So, we have to take every opportunity to express our love to our loved ones instead of getting wound up in our mission.

Everyday is a gift from God. It is beautiful to wake up each morning to receive this gift of life as we have not done anything to deserve such gift. Each day of our life is God's gift for us to grab the opportunity to get closer to Him. Moreover, God pours his grace into us through the sacraments, His Word, people, etc....In Singapore, we are indeed blessed that the parishes are accessible. There are even morning and evening masses everyday, indicating God's grace and love for us through the Eucharistic celebrations which some countries are deprived of.

No matter how hard life may seem, never ever give up hope. Life , itself, is a gift from God. Moreover, we are chosen to be His children. We had come into this world naked without anything with us. However, it is up to us what kind of memories and feelings we want to bring with us when we leave. Hatred or love? How about legacy?? Do we keep the love of God to ourselves or to express God's love from our hearts through our words, actions, gifts, talents, etc. to others, leaving legacies behind for others?


Cheers,
Elena

About Ministry and Serving God

These thoughts got me thinking tonight:

Fellowship VS Reaching out (Hospitality, Evangelism)
Personal growth VS Others-focused (Love for self, others)
To receive (aka, to be renewed, refreshed) VS To Give/Serve (Impart, Help..)

And it's not that one of the other is not good. The thing is both are of equal importance and we need to keep that balance in our lives or ministry.

There's so many things that form the foundation of a ministry that we are all constantly needing to work on. It's like a table with 4 legs.. not just one. Things like: Prayer... Mission/Goals... Fellowship... Unity in Vision & Service (all members contributing equally)... It's like the Apostles in Acts.. when they ate and drank together, and shared everything they had. Note "everything".

All these years, ministry has been a tough question. Why do we serve? Is it because we are called? Feel accepted? Feel belonged here? Feel that this is what we want to do for God?

People may not understand, our family & friends may wonder why we spend so much time in church. But that's precisely why - the only sustaining thing that keeps us Going is JESUS. JESUS Called, and we answered. No other reason...

Of course, initially, we may be thinking this is a good place for "ME" to grow and develop friendships.. learn about God.. etc. etc... but it is always great if we grow beyond the ME stage and realise that we come to ministry for HIM... to PRAISE HIM, LOVE HIM, Glorify HIM, and also RECEIVE RENEWAL and empowering from HIM.. WHY? SO that we can go OUT and serve OTHERS.

And so ministry needs to be a place where people can find God... most importantly... Amidst a culture of Joy, Forgiveness, Acceptance, Love, Desire for Growth, Transformation, Seeking God, New life, Changes...

Ministry is always active, alive, growing, needing everyone's support, participation, ownership, belonging... it is never stagnant... and the HOLY SPIRIT which is like a breath of wind.. (never static) is the guiding force in ministry. Not our brains!!!

And for each of us personally to grow in ministry, we need to accept that Change is necessary: New priorities, Dropping of old life (including old patterns, mindset, habits... thoughts..). If you've come to this stage of realisation, i'll give you a big pat on your back.. .because the real journey begins from here!

The real deepening journey (refining by fire) with God begins when we realise our need for God, how sinful we really are, understand the depth of God's love for us personally, and realise His awesome grace and what it really means.

Sometimes, we want to change but we get into a tug-of-war with God - our Godly instincts tells us to give up EVERYTHING for the LORD. And when the Lord calls, we then tell him, wait Lord.. i still need to bury my dead father... It's like this.. when God calls, he promises us NEW LIFE... so our past lives are like our dead... let the dead be the dead.. why try to go back into it? Why daren't we walk 100% with the Lord? And if we already think we are walking 100% with the Lord.. are we really sure of that? How long have we been serving the Lord? less than 10 years. Definitely not 100% yet. I myself am only beginning to discover that I have so many areas of my life that are still not 100% committed to God.

OF course, if you say that 100% commitment means a religious vocation? NO... it really means.. 100% of yielding to the life of the spirit - wherever we are. And this is a call for ALL christians - to be obedient to the Will of the Father, and to be an active and vibrant christian to do His works that has been laid out for us to do. What about the Great commission?

Saddens my heart to think that sometimes people think that total commitment to the LOrd means something NOT for an average catholic but something for religious life,.. or the few holy pious catholic devouts. So with this thinking, if they are not up for religious life, they can just lead life and be 'not so holy'.... but God being a perfect God has created us in HIS Image of perfection. That's why the call for Holiness is so great.

So there is much to do for us.. in ministry.. a constant conversion.. a constant review of our priorities... a constant dedication of our love to the Lord (each week during mass, and our meetings!) and constant communication with our Father each day and every minute of our lives!

If you get what i"m talking about .. it's good.. If not it's alright too.


And Lastly... What IS Love?

Love in ministry is simply loving each other. But just like how we are called not just to love those who love us, we need to think about those who 'do not' love us... WHO are these people? People who do not love ministry-work. Perhaps,.. your sister/brother... your parents.. your friends.. they do not 'love' you like each of us love each other in ministry - because they find your work in church unnecessary - or they don't participate together, not involved.

Therefore, there is a gap there. I find that no matter how much I try to go deep with my friends, those who are not in ministry or in the same faith.. it's so difficult. Yet.. I must still try to love them - and love them more! That means a whole lot of different things. My attitude towards them must change. My words to them must change. I must change in order to Love them truly as God Loved me.

If I did not change my attitude towards them... How can they witness God's love through me?

So to end this post.. I encourage you to continue to seek God. Give Him your Total Trust. Total revolution of negative self thoughts. That's not easy> That's why conversion is lifelong.

So Press on!

Let us run towards the finishing line - for the crown of eternal life that is awaiting all of those who believe in Jesus!

What is your Treasure?

Today, this message just speaks to me 2 times in just this day. First I heard a song by Steven Curtis Chapman, singing “What Now” that we’ve found God… what’s next? Then Jasmine sends this Good News reflection (below) about “Identifying your real treasure”. I mean how cool is that.. it just warms my heart to know that God is telling me to ‘treasure’ him even more.. and that HE is my treasure.. even when I’m feeling like I lack something, that I should realize that Jesus is everything.

This brings us to the reflection verse from 2 Corinthians, that if I must boast, I will boast of things that show my weakness. If not, I would never need God. And if that’s so, I would have missed the greatest treasure on earth. I would have been blind.

Steven Curtis Chapman (All things new album)
"What Now"

I saw the face of Jesus
In a little orphan girl
She was standing in the corner
On the other side of the world
And I heard the voice of Jesus
Gently whisper to my heart
Didn't you say you wanted to find Me
well, here I am, here you are

So what now
what will you do now that you've found me
What now
What will you do with this treasure you've found
I know I may not look like what you expected
But if you'll remember
This is right where I said I would be
You found Me, what now

And I saw the face of Jesus
Down on Sixteeth Avenue
He was sleeping in an old car
While his mom went looking for food
And I heard the voice of Jesus
Gently whisper to my soul
Didn't you say you wanted to know me
Well' here I am and its' getting cold

So come and know, come and know
Know me now
Come, come and know, know me now
Oh, come and know
Come, come and know, know me now
Come, come and know, know me now

http://www.allthelyrics.com/song/219904/


After hearing this song, I remembered one of our sessions with Krish last year I think. We talked about the kingdom of God and the parables Jesus told. And one was about the treasure in the field,... whereby a man finds it and buys the whole field.

Do we dare to commit our whole life to God like this? Sell off our old possessions (our old life) and embrace the new (buy the whole field) with JESUS inside it? It takes a lot certainly and is definitely a recommended journey to make! I guarantee!

“The Kingdom of Heaven is like unto treasure hid in a field.” - Matthew 13:44


And we cry together, Holy Holy,
For there is no other like you Lord
We declare together, You are awesome
And you are to be feared, honored and revered,
You are the Lord

Good News Reflection
Friday of the 11th Week in Ordinary Time

June 22, 2007

Today's Readings:
2 Cor 11:18, 21-30
Ps 34:2-7 (with 18b)
Matt 6:19-23
http://www.usccb.org/nab/062207.shtml

Identifying your real treasures

If we cannot see or envision what our real treasures are, then we're blind, says Jesus in today's Gospel passage. If we consider as valuable anything that can decay or could be stolen from us, we're living in the darkness of a world-view that cannot give us lasting joy.

Look at today's first reading to see how much St. Paul suffered in his passion for serving the kingdom of God. And yet, he wasn't complaining. He knew that his work was extremely valuable. He knew that eternal treasures come from pressing on through hardships and sacrifices and boldly facing danger for the sake of the salvation of others.

Take a close look -- in the Light of Christ -- at your treasures, your real treasures. What talents do you have? They are gifts from God. What pearls of wisdom or gems of unconditional love or diamonds of trust have you gained from hardship? They will last forever and eternally benefit others if you use them well. How do your weaknesses become treasures that glorify God? If you learn from mistakes, or if you overcome a sinful tendency, or if you crumble in trials but return to your daily pressures with strength from the Holy Spirit, you're collecting treasures beyond measure. The value of these treasures is in the good that they do for others.

God doesn't withhold anything good from us. We, however, walk around rotting and empty, unless we open ourselves to receive the treasures of heaven. This requires recognizing their true value in regards to other people. If we value earthly treasures, toiling to collect them only for our own sake, we will have nothing to take with us to heaven, nor do we have anything now that will give us long-lasting joy on earth.

Earthly goods are to be used for the kingdom of God. If we're willing to share them with others, it's not a sin to have them. God wants to be generous with us so that we become distributors of his goodness. Affluence is not bad, but it's also not the real treasure. What we do with affluence produces the true treasures -- or else it decays our souls.

Our souls are enlivened and enriched when our motive for having what we have and for getting what we dream of getting is to help that which is eternal in others. Do we want to use our possessions in the service of God's kingdom? Or are they serving only earthly, temporary, selfish purposes?

Only by spreading the love of God do we accumulate treasures that we'll be able to enjoy for all of eternity. And if we have to endure hardships and make sacrifices to get it done, foregoing our selfish desires for an easy, comfortable life, then the treasures are precious indeed!

Come alive!

There is one thing to be alive for...
And it's to take up my cross and follow you Lord!

Devotion
Hillsong United

Verse 1
I've been running, trying to be one who sees
I've been working, salvation out on my knees
There is nothing better than knowing
That we are redeemed
Unbelieving trusting in creative hands,
I am praying for our world to bow to your plan
And this one thought is unmistakable
I take up my cross and follow you Lord

Chorus
When you stand the tall trees and mountains bow
When you speak the fiercest of oceans is still
And I see the sinner seek devotion
The lost become chosen, and I fall to my knees

Verse 2
Unforgiven, my savior who did not deserve death
He was blameless and I was lost in shamefulness
Undelivered, but it doesn't seem right
Unless I keep my eyes focused on the savior who gave his live
In the middle of a world that denies it believes
It is breaking apart at the very seams
There is one thing to be alive for
And it's to take up my cross and follow you Lord

Bridge
I will take up my cross and follow Lord where you lead me
And I will take up my cross and follow wherever you go

My brother, Victor is going to SFX tomorrow!

Abigail's sharing: It’s a gathering for non-Catholics! He’s moving even without me asking him to…Wow, I’m just so amazed at how God works.

My little bro is a non-Catholic so confession on the 2nd day of YISS was his 1st. It was fr. Gerard from SFX who heard his confession and knowing that my Victor was not a Catholic, he encouraged him to go for this meeting. He gave Victor his mobile number but my bro didn’t take it down. =S typical brother!

Anyway! Something amazing happened after YISS. Victor recalled a number and tried his ‘luck’ since he wasn’t sure…and guess what! Fr replied! :)

So I’m so super duper happy and so excited for him! He told me he's going to Holy Trinity for P&W tonight with his friends… I’m so happy!

I just want to ask that you all keep him in your prayers, that God will continue to draw Victor closer to Him.

Thank you all in advance for your prayers and also a special thank you to Rebecca, Victor’s fabulous facil! He told me you’re so cheerful all the time and it really makes people want to share! So thank God for your cheerfulness! :)

Abigail

P&W, AUDIO & ARTICLES store!

Just chatted with Marlene on MSN today - Singapore to Seattle. We're so excited to hear from all of you who went to YISS... can't wait to hear your testimonies and sharings!

Meanwhile... did you all know that I have a server and can store alot of songs and stuff? (although it's almost maxed out now.. if i add a song i have to delete another song).

Here's our audio files and P&W archive links:

http://www.youthariseministry.com/audio/

http://pnw.youthariseministry.com/

http://www.youthariseministry.com/resources/articlesarchive/


God Bless!

When Planting Yields No Fruit

TGIF Today God Is First, by Os Hillman

You have planted much, but have harvested little.... - Haggai 1:6

Have you ever worked and worked only to yield very little from your efforts? Such was the case for the workplace believers during the time of the prophet Haggai. Finally, God spoke through the prophet Haggai to inform the people why their efforts were not yielding any fruit. There was a specific reason this was happening."

You expected much, but see, it turned out to be little. What you brought home, I blew away. Why?" declares the Lord Almighty. "Because of My house, which remains a ruin, while each of you is busy with his own house. Therefore, because of you the heavens have withheld their dew and the earth its crops. I called for a drought on the fields and the mountains, on the grain, the new wine, the oil and whatever the ground produces, on men and cattle, and on the labor of your hands" (Haggai 1:9-11).

God had finally had enough. His priorities were not His people's priorities. So, He withheld in order to get their attention. Zerubbabel was governor of Judah at the time. He was a godly man who sought to do God's will. He listened as the prophet gave these words; then he responded.

Then Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, Joshua son of Jehozadak, the high priest, and the whole remnant of the people obeyed the voice of the Lord their God and the message of the prophet Haggai, because the Lord their God had sent him. And the people feared the Lord (Haggai 1:12).

Sometimes God has to stir up the spirit of one man to initiate needed change. Zerubbabel was that man. Scriptures say, "The Lord stirred up the spirit of Zerubbabel" (Hag. 1:14). God is stirring up the spirit of a remnant of workplace believers throughout the world today. They are seeing what breaks God's heart, and they're responding. Has God placed the spirit of Zerubbabel in you? Are you one who will make a difference for the Kingdom, or are you concerned about building bigger and better barns? The Lord is calling forth His people in these last days to make a difference. Ask Him what He wants to do through you.

Welcome to YAM's new blog!

Welcome! This blog will be a place for us to post our reflections and insights over time... Our online diary of events, testimonials, and reflections!

What will we do with the blog? Share our insights, and have it stored here in an easy reading place for us to go back and read again once in a while. As you know, emails get lost over time.. and website articles are hard to read and update. A blog's most effective.

We can also use it to connect with our overseas friends like Paul in Australia, and over in Philippines, Estie & Patricia!

And so, since i love blogging, i'll post here at no one's mercy! Hahaha... but i invite you to come and read every now and then, and contribute too!

Tis will be our ministry blog so everyone is invited to contribute. If you blog frequently, you can become a co-blogger with me.. if not,... just email me your reflections when you have them, and i'll put it up here..! If you have personal blogs u can link it here too.

So bookmark this page! Add this to your own blog too.

A Cloud of Love for you!

Taken from my office window view!

God Bless!