In John Ortberg's book "The Life You've Always Wanted', his chapter on prayer is called Interrupting Heaven. He shares insight from Revelations 8 about rumbles of thunder, flashes of lightening and great earthquakes happening as a result of the prayers of the saints mixed with the smoke of incense. Usually we think of events on earth being interrupted by actions from heaven, but here it is the other way around. The Bible gives us a glimpse of how all of heaven stops so the prayers of the people like you and me can rise to God. They are heard and they matter. Prayers of real human beings interrupt heaven.
With this in mind, how necessary and how powerful it is to be able to lift up our burdens, feelings and requests before God! And let me assure you, we are not short of prayer requests.
Please pray for...
The two TC rallies coming up on Jan 31 and Feb 7 - That they would run smoothly and be an encouragement to upcoming participants.
TC volunteers and coaches - That they be constantly fed and nurtured by God, so that they may serve with an overflow of God's abundance. Deeper intimacy with God = deeper impact on others. That they be strengthened and encouraged at this crunchtime before TC.
TC participants - That they come with an open heart to hear God and to want change in their life. That they will come with a hunger for Jesus.
Protection from spiritual warfare - That we would be protected by God to do His work, that we would overcome any obstacles that come our way.
*rebecca
- - - - - - - - - -
Sat Jan 31 at Mississauga Chinese Alliance Church 7:00-8:30pm
Junior Worship Team, Pastor Ho-Ming, Testimonies and more!
Sat Feb 7 at Toronto Chinese Methodist Church 7:00-8:30pm
Senior Worship Team, Pastor Arthur Wong, Media Team, Testimonies and more!
Spread the word!!
Friday, January 23, 2009
Tuesday, January 13, 2009
Do it as unto the Lord
Every day I drive to and from work along Victoria Park, in this small business area just south of Denison, there is this hardwood floor store. Outside of this hardwood flooring store is this guy who stands at the curb, holding his big signs about how the flooring is really cheap. The first few times I saw him, I thought to myself, man that is one sucky job. Sometimes I've seen people in costumes at the curb when Dominoe's has pizza sales, and I've thought the same thing. Those times it was some teenager doing it, probably earning a few extra dollars.
This time however it was a grown man doing it. I wonder if he's the one who owns the store. And after the first few times I saw him, I realized he wasn't just doing this for a one-time sale. He was there every single day on the commute to and from AFC. He's quite passionate about it too. Or at least it seems like it. He's very animated in his hand gestures, motioning people to come in. Heck, if I needed hardwood flooring I would check this place out!
This guy really seemed to enjoy his job. Even though it wasn't the best job, or the most interesting. He seemed to really put his heart into it.
Another time I was at Holt Renfrew at Yonge and Bloor. A well-dressed gentleman opened up the door for my friends and I. He was dressed in a pinstriped suit, welcomed us warmly and did the same for all the customers. I thought to myself, I wonder how much he gets paid to do that job. Maybe if I got paid $20 an hour I would welcome people warmly into Holts too.
A friend of mine who worked mentioned how nice that guy was at the door. She then told us that he was just doing it voluntarily. He actually owned some high-end restaurants in Toronto, and he just happened to enjoy greeting people at Holts. He did it purely "for fun".
These individuals really make me reflect on how I do my work. Would I do it for free? Would I do it the same way if no one were watching?
Would you?
Then I remember our Pastor reminding us in one of his sermons to always "do it as unto the Lord". Whether you are doing work for yourself, with no one watching, or with everyone watching, you should do it as unto the Lord. When I consider this, it totally revolutionizes the way you approach your work and how you do it.
Those two guys mentioned before, I don't know fully who they're working for or their motives, but they remind me that I need to do strive towards excellence. They remind me to do my best even when no one is watching. And ultimately, they remind me to do it as unto the Lord.
*rebecca
- - - - - - - - - -
"Work willingly at whatever you do, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people." Col. 3:23 NLT
- - - - - - - - - -
I used to have this roommate who doesn't clean up after himself or do any housework. I dreaded walking through the kitchen and living area just because I knew there would be junk lying around everywhere, cobwebs on the ceiling, dirty dishes in the sink and expired takeout containers in the fridge. I remember so many occasions where I was cleaning and he'd sit on the couch reading magazines and lift his feet when I'd sweep the floor near him. I couldn't believe he wouldn't help me and I began to grow bitter. For a while, I'd be upset about him each time I cleaned and hold it together at all other times and put on a smile and live joyfully in the Lord.
I realized that it's not possible to be bitter about one thing and still be in Christ for everything else. My bitterness towards cleaning spilled over to the rest of my life and ate away at me slowly. Because I wrote off one person as lazy and inconsiderate, I began to label and judge other people.
So often, we complain and complain about not getting what we want or the bad situations we're in, thinking 'woe is me' and then wonder why we don't feel peace when we finally come before God.
I believe God uses the not-so-enjoyable tasks in life to tell us a story about the state of our relationship with Him. Some are able to genuinely find peace in any situation while others, when doing the not-so-fun things, suddenly experience the consequences of the lack of reconciliation in their lives.
'Do all things without complaining or arguing
that you might be blameless and harmless
children of God in this crooked and perverse generation
among whom you SHINE as lights in this world...' -PHI 2
*sam
- - - - - - - - - -
Pray for TC!
This week please pray for coaches! We have 48 teams altogether for jr and sr and each team needs two coaches. Right now each team has one coach, a handful have two coaches, and 7 jr teams do not have a coach at all. If you do the math, that means we need a lot more coaches! Let's continue praying that God will provide willing and able people who can help coach!
This time however it was a grown man doing it. I wonder if he's the one who owns the store. And after the first few times I saw him, I realized he wasn't just doing this for a one-time sale. He was there every single day on the commute to and from AFC. He's quite passionate about it too. Or at least it seems like it. He's very animated in his hand gestures, motioning people to come in. Heck, if I needed hardwood flooring I would check this place out!
This guy really seemed to enjoy his job. Even though it wasn't the best job, or the most interesting. He seemed to really put his heart into it.
Another time I was at Holt Renfrew at Yonge and Bloor. A well-dressed gentleman opened up the door for my friends and I. He was dressed in a pinstriped suit, welcomed us warmly and did the same for all the customers. I thought to myself, I wonder how much he gets paid to do that job. Maybe if I got paid $20 an hour I would welcome people warmly into Holts too.
A friend of mine who worked mentioned how nice that guy was at the door. She then told us that he was just doing it voluntarily. He actually owned some high-end restaurants in Toronto, and he just happened to enjoy greeting people at Holts. He did it purely "for fun".
These individuals really make me reflect on how I do my work. Would I do it for free? Would I do it the same way if no one were watching?
Would you?
Then I remember our Pastor reminding us in one of his sermons to always "do it as unto the Lord". Whether you are doing work for yourself, with no one watching, or with everyone watching, you should do it as unto the Lord. When I consider this, it totally revolutionizes the way you approach your work and how you do it.
Those two guys mentioned before, I don't know fully who they're working for or their motives, but they remind me that I need to do strive towards excellence. They remind me to do my best even when no one is watching. And ultimately, they remind me to do it as unto the Lord.
*rebecca
- - - - - - - - - -
"Work willingly at whatever you do, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people." Col. 3:23 NLT
- - - - - - - - - -
I used to have this roommate who doesn't clean up after himself or do any housework. I dreaded walking through the kitchen and living area just because I knew there would be junk lying around everywhere, cobwebs on the ceiling, dirty dishes in the sink and expired takeout containers in the fridge. I remember so many occasions where I was cleaning and he'd sit on the couch reading magazines and lift his feet when I'd sweep the floor near him. I couldn't believe he wouldn't help me and I began to grow bitter. For a while, I'd be upset about him each time I cleaned and hold it together at all other times and put on a smile and live joyfully in the Lord.
I realized that it's not possible to be bitter about one thing and still be in Christ for everything else. My bitterness towards cleaning spilled over to the rest of my life and ate away at me slowly. Because I wrote off one person as lazy and inconsiderate, I began to label and judge other people.
So often, we complain and complain about not getting what we want or the bad situations we're in, thinking 'woe is me' and then wonder why we don't feel peace when we finally come before God.
I believe God uses the not-so-enjoyable tasks in life to tell us a story about the state of our relationship with Him. Some are able to genuinely find peace in any situation while others, when doing the not-so-fun things, suddenly experience the consequences of the lack of reconciliation in their lives.
'Do all things without complaining or arguing
that you might be blameless and harmless
children of God in this crooked and perverse generation
among whom you SHINE as lights in this world...' -PHI 2
*sam
- - - - - - - - - -
Pray for TC!
This week please pray for coaches! We have 48 teams altogether for jr and sr and each team needs two coaches. Right now each team has one coach, a handful have two coaches, and 7 jr teams do not have a coach at all. If you do the math, that means we need a lot more coaches! Let's continue praying that God will provide willing and able people who can help coach!
Monday, January 5, 2009
Captain training - Sat Jan 10 - TCMC
We will follow a similar timetable as last time, two of three workshops to go to. The one you don't go to you can watch online. Here they are!
Making the Connection (Alvin Lau)
Ever stand in front of a group of people and just wasn't able to communicate effectively? In this workshop, you'll learn some simple techniques that will help you communicate better in front of a crowd/team. Rev. Alvin Lau is the Manage of Youth Ministries with the Baptist Convention of Ontario and Quebec. His wife and 2 children attend Mimico Baptist Church.
Prayer – Does it make any difference? (Sharon Tam)
Prayer is the act of communicating with God, but do you ever feel tongue-tied in his presence? What do you say to the Guy who knows everything? And, if God knows everything, what’s the point of prayer? Is God really listening? Why do many prayers go unanswered? How can I distinguish between what’s coming from my own mind and God’s voice? Does prayer change us or God or both? Why does God sometimes seem close and other times seem far away? How can I make my prayer life more satisfying? Pastors and ordinary Christians alike consistently rank prayer high in importance – and also high in frustration. This workshop explores hard questions that many are afraid to ask about prayer. It honestly admits our common failure and disappointment with prayer and considers some ways to rekindle a vibrant, active, faith-stretching, and fulfilling prayer life. Pastor Sharon Tam is from Mississsauga Chinese Baptist Church and has a passion for teaching, evangelism, leadership development and more.
Building up your team (Gordon Poon)
Do you sometimes find that working alone is more efficient than working with a group of people? When was the last time you got fed up with your group members and did everything yourself? Maybe it was the other way around, where your partner hogs all the works and you don't feel needed or appreciated for your effort. In this workshop, we will be looking deeper into the building blocks of team work. We will learn how to think critically for our team and mobilize our members to achieve a shared goal and vision effectively. Gordon Poon has grown a passion for the arts and the people in the city, ever since growing up in Toronto. In his few short years in pastoral ministry and coaching at Teens Conference, he learned how God can be so creative when he sees young people put their artistic minds into their work. He is currently called to serving the youth in the Church and is continuing his education at Tyndale University College and Seminary for his Master of Divinity degree.
-----
- Continue fundraising everyone! You guys are awesome, I know you can do it.
- Invite your friends to the pre-connect tc rallies on Jan 31 and Feb 7!
Making the Connection (Alvin Lau)
Ever stand in front of a group of people and just wasn't able to communicate effectively? In this workshop, you'll learn some simple techniques that will help you communicate better in front of a crowd/team. Rev. Alvin Lau is the Manage of Youth Ministries with the Baptist Convention of Ontario and Quebec. His wife and 2 children attend Mimico Baptist Church.
Prayer – Does it make any difference? (Sharon Tam)
Prayer is the act of communicating with God, but do you ever feel tongue-tied in his presence? What do you say to the Guy who knows everything? And, if God knows everything, what’s the point of prayer? Is God really listening? Why do many prayers go unanswered? How can I distinguish between what’s coming from my own mind and God’s voice? Does prayer change us or God or both? Why does God sometimes seem close and other times seem far away? How can I make my prayer life more satisfying? Pastors and ordinary Christians alike consistently rank prayer high in importance – and also high in frustration. This workshop explores hard questions that many are afraid to ask about prayer. It honestly admits our common failure and disappointment with prayer and considers some ways to rekindle a vibrant, active, faith-stretching, and fulfilling prayer life. Pastor Sharon Tam is from Mississsauga Chinese Baptist Church and has a passion for teaching, evangelism, leadership development and more.
Building up your team (Gordon Poon)
Do you sometimes find that working alone is more efficient than working with a group of people? When was the last time you got fed up with your group members and did everything yourself? Maybe it was the other way around, where your partner hogs all the works and you don't feel needed or appreciated for your effort. In this workshop, we will be looking deeper into the building blocks of team work. We will learn how to think critically for our team and mobilize our members to achieve a shared goal and vision effectively. Gordon Poon has grown a passion for the arts and the people in the city, ever since growing up in Toronto. In his few short years in pastoral ministry and coaching at Teens Conference, he learned how God can be so creative when he sees young people put their artistic minds into their work. He is currently called to serving the youth in the Church and is continuing his education at Tyndale University College and Seminary for his Master of Divinity degree.
-----
- Continue fundraising everyone! You guys are awesome, I know you can do it.
- Invite your friends to the pre-connect tc rallies on Jan 31 and Feb 7!
Friday, January 2, 2009
Who are you accountable to?
I recently caught up with a friend who had moved to Vancouver to pursue schooling. He finished that and is now waiting to hear back from the RCMP and this other csi-type place to see if he's been accepted to their training camp or not. He was explaining to me their grueling screening process. One of the aspects of the screening is taking a lie detector test, aka the polygraph. They would ask you about any felonies you may have committed, any small crimes you didn't report, any illegal activities you didn't get caught for, any relatives you have that do bad stuff.. anything and everything they would ask you about, you were expected to spill it, or ruin your chances at getting in.
If he gets in and he moves up the ranks, he would have to take the polygraph a few more times. So he was telling me how it's been messing with his head. He was on this go-train type of system in Vancouver where it's based on the honour system. You buy your ticket, have it on you, but no one checks regularly if you have it. This one time he forgot to buy the monthly pass, and he went on without any ticket/pass. Even though he could've gotten away with it, he knew he would have to fess up to it later. So after his trip he went to buy a ticket just to throw it out after, so he could be of good conscience.
Another time he had a chance to pick up a newspaper from those dispensers for free, but for the same reason as the train ride, he put in the money anyway, so he wasn't feeling like a criminal. Even the people he hangs out with he has to be careful about.. He has to be weary of those who engage in stupid activities, in case he has to 'report' it in his polygraph and rat them out. I guess it's a good thing to get used to.. since if he got accepted and worked as an RCMP he'd have to report and arrest his friends doing illegal stuff anyway.
Not that my friend wouldn't, but he more or less has to live a fairly truthful life, for the sake of his job security. He always has that in the back of his mind whenever he does anything. These RCMP prospects keep him accountable in his lifestyle and decisions. I think it's very common to think it's ok to do something, as long as we don't get caught, as long as it's not really a big thing. But having this RCMP deal keeping him accountable to his actions, I'm sure sooner or later down the road he won't even think twice about not paying for the ride or getting the newspaper. It will be ingrained in his mind to live with integrity. He almost has to un-train his mind of the kind of thinking our society teaches us.
In the same way I consider if my friend lives a more truthful life than some Christians I know. Sure, some of it is out of fear of losing his future job, but I think it still applies. And some of it is out of obligation but he still chooses to do the 'right' thing. I also wonder if some Christians live with this kind of integrity, accountability and transparency. Do we fear God the way my friend fears his future boss? Or rather.. do we love and want to honour God to the extent my friend will go out of his way to make sure he's on a good conscience? Do we have people in our lives to ask us the tough questions, and as a response are we truthful? Are we even truthful to ourselves? Are we the same person no matter who we are with and where we are?
I hope the answer is yes! Or at least that we/you are striving towards living a life of integrity.
*rebecca
- - - - - - - - - -
Compartmentalization.
At my company, we're told by HR that what we do on our own time is private and that it's not the company's problem unless it begins to affect our work. We live in this world where we party so hard on Friday and Saturday nights, doing many things we would never share with anyone, and then show up on Sunday morning at church raising our arms in the air to praise the Lord. We go to family dinners with our grandparents and relatives, put on a smile and pretend we're these great kids when deep down, we know there are so many things we're hiding and are terrified at what they would think if they found out.
I will openly admit that I've struggle with lust and impure thoughts, that I drank and smoked, I betrayed friends and hurt many others, I've had many failed dating relationships, and I've lied to people I'm close to in order to save face. I'm weak and I can't hold it together. I'm older than all of you and should now be wiser but I'm not. I don't have it all together and have no idea where I'm headed and that freaks me out. I've preached to others about faith in Christ while being afraid that they'll see I have none. I've led worship and proclaimed that God is good while not fully knowing it because of the uncertainty I was in.
Being open and honest about who I am, the things I struggle with and the touchy things about me that aren't usually brought up in church doesn't only make me feel like a load has been lifted off my shoulders, it causes me to admit that my life isn't a bunch of small compartments or unrelated segments. I am created in Christ to be WHOLE and there's no way I can break my life into little pieces and expect to be able to hold it together.
*sam
If he gets in and he moves up the ranks, he would have to take the polygraph a few more times. So he was telling me how it's been messing with his head. He was on this go-train type of system in Vancouver where it's based on the honour system. You buy your ticket, have it on you, but no one checks regularly if you have it. This one time he forgot to buy the monthly pass, and he went on without any ticket/pass. Even though he could've gotten away with it, he knew he would have to fess up to it later. So after his trip he went to buy a ticket just to throw it out after, so he could be of good conscience.
Another time he had a chance to pick up a newspaper from those dispensers for free, but for the same reason as the train ride, he put in the money anyway, so he wasn't feeling like a criminal. Even the people he hangs out with he has to be careful about.. He has to be weary of those who engage in stupid activities, in case he has to 'report' it in his polygraph and rat them out. I guess it's a good thing to get used to.. since if he got accepted and worked as an RCMP he'd have to report and arrest his friends doing illegal stuff anyway.
Not that my friend wouldn't, but he more or less has to live a fairly truthful life, for the sake of his job security. He always has that in the back of his mind whenever he does anything. These RCMP prospects keep him accountable in his lifestyle and decisions. I think it's very common to think it's ok to do something, as long as we don't get caught, as long as it's not really a big thing. But having this RCMP deal keeping him accountable to his actions, I'm sure sooner or later down the road he won't even think twice about not paying for the ride or getting the newspaper. It will be ingrained in his mind to live with integrity. He almost has to un-train his mind of the kind of thinking our society teaches us.
In the same way I consider if my friend lives a more truthful life than some Christians I know. Sure, some of it is out of fear of losing his future job, but I think it still applies. And some of it is out of obligation but he still chooses to do the 'right' thing. I also wonder if some Christians live with this kind of integrity, accountability and transparency. Do we fear God the way my friend fears his future boss? Or rather.. do we love and want to honour God to the extent my friend will go out of his way to make sure he's on a good conscience? Do we have people in our lives to ask us the tough questions, and as a response are we truthful? Are we even truthful to ourselves? Are we the same person no matter who we are with and where we are?
I hope the answer is yes! Or at least that we/you are striving towards living a life of integrity.
*rebecca
- - - - - - - - - -
Compartmentalization.
At my company, we're told by HR that what we do on our own time is private and that it's not the company's problem unless it begins to affect our work. We live in this world where we party so hard on Friday and Saturday nights, doing many things we would never share with anyone, and then show up on Sunday morning at church raising our arms in the air to praise the Lord. We go to family dinners with our grandparents and relatives, put on a smile and pretend we're these great kids when deep down, we know there are so many things we're hiding and are terrified at what they would think if they found out.
I will openly admit that I've struggle with lust and impure thoughts, that I drank and smoked, I betrayed friends and hurt many others, I've had many failed dating relationships, and I've lied to people I'm close to in order to save face. I'm weak and I can't hold it together. I'm older than all of you and should now be wiser but I'm not. I don't have it all together and have no idea where I'm headed and that freaks me out. I've preached to others about faith in Christ while being afraid that they'll see I have none. I've led worship and proclaimed that God is good while not fully knowing it because of the uncertainty I was in.
Being open and honest about who I am, the things I struggle with and the touchy things about me that aren't usually brought up in church doesn't only make me feel like a load has been lifted off my shoulders, it causes me to admit that my life isn't a bunch of small compartments or unrelated segments. I am created in Christ to be WHOLE and there's no way I can break my life into little pieces and expect to be able to hold it together.
*sam
Thursday, December 25, 2008
Everybody's weird
I'm reading this book called 'Everybody's Normal Until You Meet Them' by John Ortberg. In short, it is about community and how we are all created to be in community with other believers. His title is referring to how everyone has an 'As Is' tag on, just like sale merchandise. You know there is something wrong with it.. You just have to find it, or accept what it is. We also have 'As Is' tags too. Everyone has faults, weird tendencies, something wrong with us. Some of us are better than hiding it than others. But we all come with the same tag.
The title makes me think about when March rolls around, when captains meet their team of 20 or so students. It's quite a scary and exciting thing, to have this random group of kids under your care for a couple days. I say scary because you never know what you're going to get! Weirdos, loners, sketchy ones, ones with bad breath, smelly ones, etc. But they are yours to take care of and they are part of your team.
Before you get too weary of the challenge of reaching out to people you may not be comfortable reaching out to, remember that you also were an 'as is' item. We all have sin in our lives that make us not so normal. But God redeemed us and gave us value again. He redeemed you. And you were not cheap. God went really far to reach out to you. Psalm 103:12 says, "He has removed our sins as far from us as the east is from the west." Would you also partner with God to reach out to those on your team?
*rebecca
- - - - - - - - - -
There's a site called postsecret.blogspot.com. It's a site where people anonymously send in postcards revealing deep dark secrets. It has helped many who have no one to talk to and just need a way to get things out. Recently, one of the postcards read the following
'I used to make fun of the kids who were different and considered outcasts and now I teach a class full of them. Everyday I go to school, I'm reminded of what a bad person I am.'
Each time I judge someone, label them or write them off as not worth my time, there are ripple effects which I am not aware of. I have this friend whom I used to talk to a lot but every time he opened his mouth, it would be to say something negative. He complains about every single thing and it's like there's an aura of negativity everywhere he goes. I found myself ignoring his messages once in a while and ranting about him to others. I couldn't believe how negative he could be and how much he can take a very seemingly ordinary situation and pick out all the bad points about it.
I caught someone else talking bad about him one day and my natural reaction was to be disgusted that they were gossiping about him. I suddenly realized two things...
1. Regardless of how this friend acts or how right I may be about him, how I react to his negativity is a direct reflection of my character. If I go and gossip about him, it simply shows how prideful and selfish I am.
2. The love of God shines through in the situation when, by His grace, I desire to understand where my friend is coming from rather than jumping to conclusions about him.
Often times, as soon as we see that someone displays a character flaw in a more obvious way than we do, in order to 'protect' ourselves, we expose it to others as much as we can. The ripple effect of these actions is the destruction of the church.
*sam
The title makes me think about when March rolls around, when captains meet their team of 20 or so students. It's quite a scary and exciting thing, to have this random group of kids under your care for a couple days. I say scary because you never know what you're going to get! Weirdos, loners, sketchy ones, ones with bad breath, smelly ones, etc. But they are yours to take care of and they are part of your team.
Before you get too weary of the challenge of reaching out to people you may not be comfortable reaching out to, remember that you also were an 'as is' item. We all have sin in our lives that make us not so normal. But God redeemed us and gave us value again. He redeemed you. And you were not cheap. God went really far to reach out to you. Psalm 103:12 says, "He has removed our sins as far from us as the east is from the west." Would you also partner with God to reach out to those on your team?
*rebecca
- - - - - - - - - -
There's a site called postsecret.blogspot.com. It's a site where people anonymously send in postcards revealing deep dark secrets. It has helped many who have no one to talk to and just need a way to get things out. Recently, one of the postcards read the following
'I used to make fun of the kids who were different and considered outcasts and now I teach a class full of them. Everyday I go to school, I'm reminded of what a bad person I am.'
Each time I judge someone, label them or write them off as not worth my time, there are ripple effects which I am not aware of. I have this friend whom I used to talk to a lot but every time he opened his mouth, it would be to say something negative. He complains about every single thing and it's like there's an aura of negativity everywhere he goes. I found myself ignoring his messages once in a while and ranting about him to others. I couldn't believe how negative he could be and how much he can take a very seemingly ordinary situation and pick out all the bad points about it.
I caught someone else talking bad about him one day and my natural reaction was to be disgusted that they were gossiping about him. I suddenly realized two things...
1. Regardless of how this friend acts or how right I may be about him, how I react to his negativity is a direct reflection of my character. If I go and gossip about him, it simply shows how prideful and selfish I am.
2. The love of God shines through in the situation when, by His grace, I desire to understand where my friend is coming from rather than jumping to conclusions about him.
Often times, as soon as we see that someone displays a character flaw in a more obvious way than we do, in order to 'protect' ourselves, we expose it to others as much as we can. The ripple effect of these actions is the destruction of the church.
*sam
Friday, December 19, 2008
Unpredictable weather
I usually love songs that have to do with storms and how God takes us through them.
Still (hillsong) paints a picture of oceans rising and thunders roaring, but with us riding the storm with God. Praise You In This Storm (casting crowns) tells of someone who almost gave up in the midst of the storm, but is still able to praise God despite their circumstances. Bring the Rain (mercyme) is about how God is bigger than our pain, and it even goes so far as to asking for rain to come if that is how they can praise the Lord.
Still (hillsong) paints a picture of oceans rising and thunders roaring, but with us riding the storm with God. Praise You In This Storm (casting crowns) tells of someone who almost gave up in the midst of the storm, but is still able to praise God despite their circumstances. Bring the Rain (mercyme) is about how God is bigger than our pain, and it even goes so far as to asking for rain to come if that is how they can praise the Lord.
Besides the common weather element in each of these songs, at the core of these songs is a soul who sees that God is bigger than any storm, any struggle that life brings, any circumstance we face. It is only in these difficult situations that we see what we are made of. It is also in these times when we see what God is made of, and how faithful He is. It's only in trying times that our faith is stretched and our eyes opened.
More times than not, we do not have control over our circumstances. The storms that come are never scheduled. And we are never prepared for what is to come. What we do have control over is how we respond, and what we can learn from it.
In John C. Maxwell's book, "Developing the Leader Within You", in a chapter on problem solving, speaks of how many outstanding people have overcome problems in their lives for the better.
I often hear people say.. God does not give you more than you can handle. I'm not sure where the bible says this.. but what I do know is that God sometimes does give us more than you can handle. And it's not to say we are unlucky because of it. Situations that are bigger than what we can handle force us to stretch, grow and learn.
I really like how Mark Hall from Casting Crowns put it, when he describes the premise behind their song "Praise You In This Storm":
*rebecca
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"I lift my eyes up to the mountains -- where does my help come from?
My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of Heaven and Earth."More times than not, we do not have control over our circumstances. The storms that come are never scheduled. And we are never prepared for what is to come. What we do have control over is how we respond, and what we can learn from it.
In John C. Maxwell's book, "Developing the Leader Within You", in a chapter on problem solving, speaks of how many outstanding people have overcome problems in their lives for the better.
"Bury a person in the snows of Valley Forge, and you have a George Washington. Raise him in abject poverty, and you have an Abraham Lincoln. Strike him down with infantile paralysis, and he becomes a Franklin D. Roosevelt. Burn him so severely that the doctors say he will never walk again, and you have Glenn Cunningham, who set the world's one-mile record in 1934. Have him or her born black in a society filled with racial discrimination, and you have a Booker T. Washington, a Marian Anderson, a George Washington Carver, or a Martin Luther King Jr. Call him a slow learner and retarded--writing him off as uneducable--and you have an Albert Einstein. Dolly Parton sums it all up with these words: 'The way I see it, if you want the rainbow, you gotta put up with the rain.' "
I often hear people say.. God does not give you more than you can handle. I'm not sure where the bible says this.. but what I do know is that God sometimes does give us more than you can handle. And it's not to say we are unlucky because of it. Situations that are bigger than what we can handle force us to stretch, grow and learn.
I really like how Mark Hall from Casting Crowns put it, when he describes the premise behind their song "Praise You In This Storm":
If there ever were a test of our faith if there ever were a test of the motives of our worship it is when a storm rolls into our lives. We watched and prayed for a precious little girl named Erin Edwards struggle with a deadly disease for several years. The courage, the witness, and the worship of Erin's mother Laurie inspired this song. Sometimes God calms our storms. Sometimes He chooses to ride them with us. - Mark Hall (Casting Crowns)
*rebecca
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"I lift my eyes up to the mountains -- where does my help come from?
Psalm 121: 1-2
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I sat up one night at the beginning of the school year when I was chair of our Christian fellowship at Queen's and I cried because I was so overwhelmed. In my initial discussion with all the leaders, I found there were so many ideas which were to take the fellowship in various directions. After a few weeks of complete exhaustion in trying to think of fresh new programs, I was at a loss with regards to what I would do next. I didn't know what to feel because I was feeling it all at once. I realized after a while that I simply doubted myself and it was the first time I'd ever doubted my own capability. I sat in one corner of my room curled up in a ball, trembling. I was so scared and I asked God 'what is it that you want me to do!?'
The response I got was so simple. The Lord said 'This doubt you're feeling is EXACTLY the place you need to be in. You're starting to see now that you really can't do it all and that's the beginning of humility.' At that moment, 2 verses came flooding in...
'The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom'
'My [God's] grace is sufficient for you.
My power is made perfect in your weakness.'
I realized at that point that because I was (and still am) so prideful, it's only in the STORM and in the moments when I feel insecure that God is tugging at my heart and truly giving me the opportunity to come before Him and learn to be in awe of Him. It's in the moments when I'm most afraid that I am able to begin to learn to fear the Lord.
*sam
Sunday, December 14, 2008
Cockroaches
Recently I got invited to a group warning people about Destiny's cockroach situation. After rejecting the invitation to the group, I saw it linked on people's status updates and posted as items to be shared. Yikes! Destiny won't be too happy about that. But I guess that's what happens when you have a bad customer experience. Especially since our world is so interconnected.
I once heard from a customer-service workshop that when you have good customer service, it's not often noted or brought up. But when you have one bad customer experience, it results in at least 10 others knowing about it. 10 incidents of poor customer service could result to 100 people knowing about it. And I guess in this instance, one incident leads to countless thousands of people knowing through facebook. It's crazy!
Not only is it a lesson on customer service, but it is a lesson on the power of reputation and word of mouth. I wonder how many students come to TC and have a bad experience, and tell others, and countless others end up not attending because of it. I wonder how many have heard testimonies of Christians, but then see that their lives don't reflect it and as a result do not hold Christianity as something credible to believe in.
This is a reminder that as captains and as volunteers at TC, you play a huge part in shaping the participant's experience. Huge. You could make or break someone's outlook on Jesus.
Let's make sure we don't let any cockroach experiences into TC! Only good feedback =)
*rebecca
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Just as a disclaimer, even though it is all over the web, I'm skeptical as to how bad the customer experience truly was or if the people who publicized it exaggerated even a bit in order to make more 'noise'. I am making an assumption that there was, in fact, a bad customer experience as I post this response.
The perspective I want to focus on in this case is that of the waitress. In the posted story, it is clear that she doesn't understand the severity of the problem at hand. After being told there are cockroaches in the drink, she initially offers them a 13% discount and, even after the health risks of eating cockroaches are explained, she dismissively tells the customers that if they go to the hospital, destiny will cover their health bill. The root cause of this issue is probably the poor cleanliness of the kitchen but rather than admitting that and responsibly investigating the issue, the waitress attempts to sweep it under the rug by offering inadequate solutions to the symptom.
I remember several instances when I've had to lead worship or share at a big event where I've gone in very nervous and anxious. Moments before going on stage, my heart is racing and I feel like so many thoughts are going through my head all at once. Many times, rather than taking time to earnestly come before God in HUMILITY, I quickly try to shrug it off and hold it together.
I believe we are all BROKEN but rather than honestly taking a look at ourselves to better understand why, we often hurriedly think of a quick fix and move forward as long as our problems appear 'manageable'. God is asking each of us to allow Him to expose what is ugly so we can name it, take responsibility and fully deal with it rather than to sweep it under the rug and get burned for it later.
*sam
I once heard from a customer-service workshop that when you have good customer service, it's not often noted or brought up. But when you have one bad customer experience, it results in at least 10 others knowing about it. 10 incidents of poor customer service could result to 100 people knowing about it. And I guess in this instance, one incident leads to countless thousands of people knowing through facebook. It's crazy!
Not only is it a lesson on customer service, but it is a lesson on the power of reputation and word of mouth. I wonder how many students come to TC and have a bad experience, and tell others, and countless others end up not attending because of it. I wonder how many have heard testimonies of Christians, but then see that their lives don't reflect it and as a result do not hold Christianity as something credible to believe in.
This is a reminder that as captains and as volunteers at TC, you play a huge part in shaping the participant's experience. Huge. You could make or break someone's outlook on Jesus.
Let's make sure we don't let any cockroach experiences into TC! Only good feedback =)
*rebecca
- - - - - - - - - -
Just as a disclaimer, even though it is all over the web, I'm skeptical as to how bad the customer experience truly was or if the people who publicized it exaggerated even a bit in order to make more 'noise'. I am making an assumption that there was, in fact, a bad customer experience as I post this response.
The perspective I want to focus on in this case is that of the waitress. In the posted story, it is clear that she doesn't understand the severity of the problem at hand. After being told there are cockroaches in the drink, she initially offers them a 13% discount and, even after the health risks of eating cockroaches are explained, she dismissively tells the customers that if they go to the hospital, destiny will cover their health bill. The root cause of this issue is probably the poor cleanliness of the kitchen but rather than admitting that and responsibly investigating the issue, the waitress attempts to sweep it under the rug by offering inadequate solutions to the symptom.
I remember several instances when I've had to lead worship or share at a big event where I've gone in very nervous and anxious. Moments before going on stage, my heart is racing and I feel like so many thoughts are going through my head all at once. Many times, rather than taking time to earnestly come before God in HUMILITY, I quickly try to shrug it off and hold it together.
I believe we are all BROKEN but rather than honestly taking a look at ourselves to better understand why, we often hurriedly think of a quick fix and move forward as long as our problems appear 'manageable'. God is asking each of us to allow Him to expose what is ugly so we can name it, take responsibility and fully deal with it rather than to sweep it under the rug and get burned for it later.
*sam
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