Espresso for a Woman's spirit

http://www.desiringgod.org/resource-library/conference-messages/suffering-for-the-sake-of listening to Joni Erikson Tada, she has been so much and has so much insight. Of course there is much blessing in her life but i'm convinced that even if not, she will still be cheerful. As she says, the suffering is not the event but the attitude to the event that needs to be submitted to our Lord. It's been a hard few weeks of struggling with the attitudes of old. A critical spirit, a grumbling spirit. Old feelings resurfacing. And remembering that the grace of God has brought me so far and He promises to continue guiding me along.

We are either the cockroaches who hide in the dark and when the light comes on, scurries away and hides under the rock. Or we are the moths that get attracted to the light when it is when it is dark outside. Moths are nocturnal insects and are attracted to light. They are migratory insects and fly during the night where the light of the moon gives the moth the ability to fly in a straight line. _______________________________________________________________________________ John 8. Jesus is the light of the world. The darkness of the world is comforting to the cockroaches who are people who love the sin and darkness of the world and run from the light. Whereas the true believers are those who love the light and flock to it. Like the moth, we are active in the darkness and are directed to a straight path by the light which in this case is the person and example of Jesus. 

Corrine May My daughter tries to draw a butterfly with her crayon and crooked lines And she's crying cos she just can't get it right so I wrap her tiny hand in mind to guide her with her heart's desire And she smiles as her dreams take flight Perhaps that's how it is on this labyrinth road I just need to let Him guide my soul God writes straight with crooked lines He takes the mess we make in life Turns our groaning into perfect rhyme hidden by the veil of life, The wisdom of His love's design God writes straight with crooked lines I've had days as dark as smoke When it hurts too much to hurt and it felt like the pain would never end searching for answers but finding jokes limping along the winding road certain He has let me alone when it's hard to trust there's a greater plan Like a child, I just have to hold His hand.  God writes straight with crooked lines He takes the mess we make in life Turns our groaning into perfect

Heb 2:18; 4: 14-16 Believers must be alert to the devil's schemes. However our approach to temptation and spiritual warfare must be guided by biblical teaching. 1. Each reponse Jesus made to the devil reaffirmed his deep commitment to God. 2. Jesus responded to each temptation by quoting the Old Testament. 3. Jesus resisted the devil's advances. A significant part of spiritual warfare is resistance. There is much truth in the adage " Just say NO" Jesus immediately resisted the tempation 4. We must remember that bring tempted is not a sin. We might have the impression that the more conformed we are into Christlikeness, the less we will be tempted. The truth is that the more Christlike we become, the more subtle the temptations - like eating bread or taking a bite from an apple. The devil often begins with the seemingly insignificant. 5. Jesus entered the desert with the anointing of the Spirit, full of the Spirit, and led by the Spirit.

My slant on the creation question comes from my medical training. I remember first learning embrology ( the development of a human being from it's cellular origin ) during my first year in medical school and being intrigued by the complexity of our creation. How we go from 2 small cells to develop into a fully formed human being and having specific times for specific things to happen so that other things can occur. For example, did you know that the heart as we know it was formed from a tube that turns and fuses at specific times during the development. On another note, it reminds me about amazing every baby that is born is and if even one small mistake could result in open a fatal condition ... and hence every healthy birth is a miracle in itself .. So who says that our Lord is not into miracles now???!!! Further on from that, I also learnt the complexities of our human body such that everything has it's place and however every function in the body is interelated so that i

A lot of talk has been swirling around about a recent weekend sermon.. To cut a long story short, we are admonished to be less picky about out life partners. Side one argument - but the men are not initiating Side two argument - the women are too picky Actually I think the actual argument is.. do I be content in my singleness and wait for THE ONE or do I feel restless and go and look for someone. This applies to both men and women actually.. but of course the bulk of the burden is on the men cos if the men initiated, then there would be less necessity for the women to put themselves in a postition to "look" but either way, I think at a point of time, we all get " lazy" - the sin of sloth.. The question then is what do we do with our time and energies while we wait .. do we use our time to serve the Lord or do we use the time to look or do we use the time to enjoy ourselves.. I guess the wise answer is all 3 .. the question is how much of e

It's been an exhilarating journey with God in the past few weeks. As someone told me " time spent with God is never wasted"  Allowing God to water the dry heart.. Cos he is the source of living water. John 3, the woman comes looking for water and finds the real source of living water. That we will all draw on our source. Reminders that my gift from God is my nuturing spirit and my availability. And that while taking into account my short comings for which I am thankful for friends pointing it out, I pray that I will rise above that and harnest this spirit to extend His Kingdom.  To enjoy the fruit of the Spirit just as I enjoy the beautiful custard apples bought with love and brought back with love. To revel in the Love of the giver of the Spirit. To remind me to be like the swans that drift peacefully along. Because if I know that God is in control, then I can be as serene and peaceful as the swans. "For I know the plans I have for you, declar

" My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness" 2 Cor 12:9  the words of the Lord through Paul Was reflecting on this after a chat with friends lamenting on the environment of medical training and working in Singapore. Seems like when doctors talk ( in Singapore especially ) there is a whole bucket of grouses.. perhaps it's just the way we are, perhaps the situation is really that bad. Of which, I am probable one of the worse.. as told by a colleague sometime ago " can you stop complaining about everything! "  I'm better now but  no where near perfection (* repent*) These are my thoughts of christianity in medicine Was just thinking about medicine and how those of us who are still walking the straight and narrow path in obedience and service to our Lord are only here by God's grace. The calls, the stress, the studying, the work all takes it's toll on us. I have seen so many fall by the side, some even denouncing the

Have been recently more introspective. For many many years, I have been so busy that I have ignored what I might have done to the people around me, how my actions may have impacted the people around me. Then recently, due to the break, I have suddenly come to appreciate what my actions might mean to the people around me. To cancel on others, to treat people as if they were unimportant; that I was more important cos I was so busy and I was trying to squeeze them into my life... Of course I understand that being busy, that might have truly been the case but there are better ways of doing things.. better ways of showing that you are other person centred.. Not paralysed by fear of what you do or say but being assisted by the spirit to tell us how to act. Now, being on the receiving end, it is just no fun.. it is very self-depreciating.. And the non other person centre way is to react which is my first reaction however reacting just self pepetuates this. And I am grateful to the friends who

Listening to Jeremy Lin's interview on Good tv really reminded me of my own journey this year. It is a reminder that our spiritual journey is the same regardless of who we are, which field we are in, how old we are. Similar reminders from his interview.. How we are always affected by the things that happen in our lives.. like he says when he plays well, he is happy but when he doesn't play well, he is angry and gets upset.. Similarly, how can we be so influenced by the things around us.. tossed about by the waves.. we should have our anchor in God and only in submitting to Him, we do not let the "fear of failure" control us, and only then can we get the ultimate joy and peace that He promises. And very realistically, he also says that he will be struggling with this till he finishes playing..Instead of winning the game, being a " reflection of God's image in the way I treat people " Also, his questioning of why God has let him be in this place

Do we do things out of sensitivity, sentimentality or the force of "should"? Was recently considering this when the 2 words sensitivity and sentimentality came up in a sentence that a friend said to me. She was considering what would be sensitive to be on V day and was asking whether she was oversensitive however she says she is definitely not sentimental- point in note, she would have liked to get me flowers but she doesn't really like them herself..  Thinking of that, brought me to thinking of male-female gender roles. We always think that women are more sentimental than men but recently I have discovered that actually some men are much more sentimental than women.. holding onto old experiences that they enjoyed for a much longer time than women. Perhaps, it's the practicality in women which says.. I can always find similar feelings and quite easily.  Women however are definitely more sensitive than men in general. They have a tendency to be sensitive

You are Loved God's love is different from ours God doesn't just give love - He Is LOVE We are experts at earning the affections of friends, lovers, children and our families. Coming face-to -face with a God who loves us unconditionally sets us off balance. It's much easier to believe, " If I go to church and read my Bible, God will love me." That makes us feel safe because it seems we can control God's love. It's scary to believe in God's conditional love. What if it's not true? then the deepest desire of our hearts can never be a reality. We watch Cinderella and the prince then hope for our own version of living happily ever after. But life disappoints us, and God is our last chance to be fully, deeply loved. So we do everything possible to please Him because even though we've endured many rejections, His would be unbearable. But God is whispering the words to our hearts we long to hear if only we can dare to believe them: " You are lo

From "Recovering Biblical Manhood and Womanhood" by John Piper and Wayne Greudem. (free download) AT THE HEART OF MATURE FEMININITY IS A FREEING DISPOSITION TO AFFIRM, RECEIVE AND NUTURE STRENGTH AND LEADERSHIP FROM WORTHY MEN IN WAYS APPROPRIATE TO A WOMAN'S DIFFERING RELATIONSHIPS A Challenge and prayer... 1. That all in your life - in whatever calling - be devoted to the glory of God. 2. That the promises of Christ be trusted so fully that peace and joy and strength fill your soul to overflowing. 3. That this fullness of God overflow in daily acts of love so that people might see your deeds and give glory to your Father in Heaven. 4. That you be women of the Book, who love and study and obey the Bible in ever area of it's teaching; that meditation on Biblical truth be the source of hope and faith; that your continue to grow in understanding through all the chapters of your life, never thinking that study and growth are only for others. 5. That you be

" For I know the plans I have for you declares the LORD, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future"   Jeremiah 29:11 This was meant to be a quiet birthday... purposely spending time with myself and with God rather than the usual celebrations.. afterall, after a certain age, each year is just another number.  But God in His usual manner, knows better...  And He provided a lovely family in Christ to celebrate with me.. complete with children!  Friends who spring surprises on you that only they would think of and only they would do.. perhaps a bit of that would rub off me... And good conversations late into the night.. Solitude and provision just enough for the ride.   And technology that allows you to remember that you are loved and yet not break the solitude that you so need. A blessing from a friend " May u continue to seek n abide in Him n wait upon His perfect timing as He reveals His plans for u&

Reading " To Love and Pray " by Roberta C Bondi Lent to me by a friend. It was the best expounding on the love of Christ and it's role in our prayer life. He sees love and prayer as the basis, the way of life. And not so much interest in how we should love or how we should pray but the situations and reasoning behind it. In particular, I am struck by the description of our love for God and neighbour by one of the ancient Egyptian monks.. Dorotheos of Gaza. Imagine he asks, thay we have drawn a circle with a compass. God is at the centre, where the point of the compass went. Now imaging that the outside of the circle is the world, and the lives of human beings are represented by many straight lines drawn from the outside to the centre. Notice how as you follow a single line from the outside toward God, all the lines come closer together. This is the way human beings relate to God and to each other, for        " the close they are to God, the closer they become

Thankful Tuesdays I haven't touched the blog for a week. Have been busy even though haven't been at work. Just spending time meeting with people, chatting with no urgency of having to rush off or having to go to work the next day. Am indeed thankful for this break. Helping me to get back to reality of living and what we are living for. Thankful for time spent with family. Often, I worry about being alone and try to plan about how I should live if I am alone but then I forget about enjoying what I have now. How foolish! Thankful to God for opening my eyes.  Thankful for friends who listen, not comment and are there when you need them.  Thankful for the love of God that though not always manifested accurately or in the way that the Lord might have wanted us to do, we can get glimpses of it on earth and through prayer and petition be able to also show some of this love to the people around us.  Thankful for DG members who are growing in faith, some

Title is borrowed from Justina Tey's blog ..makingmum.blogspot.com Have always felt blessed after reading Justina's blog.. she always tries to find something to be thankful for despite the difficult circumstances. However I must also add that unless we are internally thankful for the greatest gift that God had give us - eternal life through our Lord Jesus Christ, we will still be dependent on external circumstances to m antain our thankfulness. Nonetheless, we are people who walk by sight and so it is important to mantain our sight as we grow our faith and learn to walk more by faith than by sight. This CNY there was much to be thankful for.... For the rest that I am moving into... For the company of friends and family.... For the gift of cooking..... And for the simple pleasures of life - flowers, creativity, beauty of nature (man made or otherwise)

Feel blessed to have had a chance to take this break.. started well with a healthy 11km walk at MacRitchie Reservoir experiencin g God's creations and nature. Blessings to have good friends who are with you t hrough the doubting times and love you for who you are and not what you are not. And send you good reminders... Good sermons and reminders from God that He Loves You!

Taken off a friend's FB post... something I need to learn over and over again. . Jeremiah 29:11-13 " For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me and I will hear you. You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart." Some things are beyond planning. And life doesn't always turn out as planned. You don't plan for a broken heart. You don't plan for a failed business venture. You don't plan for an adulterous husband or a wife who wants you out of her life. You don't plan for an autistic child. You don't plan for spinsterhood. You don't plan for a lump in your breast. You plan to be young forever. You plan to climb the corporate ladder. You plan to be rich and powerful. You plan to be acclaimed and successful. You plan to conquer the universe. You plan to fall in love - and be loved forever. You don

Finally found my old blog! I think I might just revive it! Now that I have more to think about and more to say!