Destined Destiny

 

Hannah +Ronald

It has been quite a few years that I ‘began’ to attend my friends’ weddings. Whenever when they exchange marriage vows usually stats ‘richier or poorer, healthy or sick…’ it makes me feel something stuck in my throat. Here is single the most incredible promise any human being can ever make! It always amazes me how God can bring those totally different two people from totally different places (sometimes literally from the other side of the earth)and let them say that very vow to each other. It’s a mystery to me.

Ps 16 : 5   Lord, you have assigned me my portion and my cup you have made my lot secure.

When God has determined that something is mine, I have no need to guard it in the sense of watching it for fear it will escape. That’s God’s job. On the other hand, when God has decided that something is not for me, then I must submit to his plan and willing to release it. I will need God’s supernatural intervention to help me to let go, but I know his empowering grace is always available for the asking. I mean, if that person is the one God prepared for you, that person will desire you back when he/she recognise the real you and your value. If not, why being bothered about losing what is not from God? You do not have to compete for it, so resist the urge to compete against others for ‘their’ destiny.

Not only in romantic relationship, but in everything in life is the same. Will I be upset because something I could not grab slipping out of my hand, or will I trust God’s sovereignty in giving me what is best for me? Where is God in the picture? Rather I heard of numerous testimonies saying “It wasn’t me, I know. It was God!” for getting that promotion, for receiving that high mark in studies, for doing something incredible that he never thought was possible!

Romans 8 : 28 we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him.

Isaiah 14 : 27 For the Lord almighty has purposed, and who can thwart him? His hand is stretched out, and who can turn it back?

Even when Pharaoh was refusing to let Israelites go free, God was in control. It was him who allowed all things happen. Even when all the disasters stuck this godly man name Job, God was behind the scene, knowing all things and still in control of all things. There is a season and reason in everything God allowed happening, to those who love him. Whatever God has for you, you will get it.

2 Cor 9:8  God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times; having all that you need, you will abound in every good work. 

Remain Blessed.

The word of season

If God brings you to it, He will bring you through it. 
 Happy moments, praise God.
Difficult moments, seek God.
Quiet moments, worship God.
Painful moments, trust God.
Every moment, thank God.

Why worry for nothing?

Even though I cannot complain about being a community nurse because we have no night shift, we are to work on sundays and saturdays once 6 weeeks. This has been always difficult situation, not only because I have to be ON many times on sundays but more so because I LOVE churching, worshipping God, and be with my lovely kids.

Whenever I am shifted on sunday, I was madly looking for someone who is kind enough to swap with me. This was challenging process because most of my colleagues have family and kids too. I had to work on one sunday as I could not find anyone to do me a huge favor, it was an absolutely suffocating experience. I was driving around and working yet my heart and brain was full of what-may-be-happening-by-nows. I was at my wit’s end when I was to work again this sunday!

Finally I approached my boss, being as polite as I know how. Is it absolutely necessary for us to work on sunday every 6 weeks? Because it is seriously hindering my very important part of life, and I would do anything if only I can be released from working on sunday. She said, that’s very hard request..but I know church is very very important to you. I said, yes, it is! yes, it is! She said, what about working on saturdays? Sure, I don’t mind working on saturdays instead of sundays.. Right! I will take note of that from next time….My eyes poped out! “Are you serious?” Then she said. “Why did you worry for nothing?”

 Working as a nurse for 4 years, I have worked on sundays only within 5 fingers occassions. But I know it didn’t come easily. I had to have that much of determination.  Once my boss did not allow me to go for the mission trip. I resigned. God gave me a much better job and I am happily working there until now. Of course, the process of it wasn’t as simple as “I resigned.” But at the end of it, if we honor God he honors us back for sure. he owes nothing to nobody.

My sincere prayer is for us to honor God, and trust God enough to be bold towards the problems of life. If I give this offering I may have lack of money but I know that my God can sustain me. If I lost this job God is powerful enough to provide me a better job. If I still go for the life group and sunday service even though I am really busy with assignments, I am sure he will bless me with supernatural wisdom and I will be even more effctive. If I make a decision to be a christian despite of persecution from the family, I know my God will soften their heart and one day they also will come to know God. If I let go of this person who seems to be so perfect, God will bring me the one who he has already prepared for me in his perfect timing….that’s we call ‘By Faith’. (Heb 11- today’s connect journal)

Then God’s heart will be filled with joy, because of our trust unto him. We say God is powerful, almighty, wonderful and faithful. Now it’s the time to prove him that we meant it. Every trial is the opportunity to prove our trust unto God.

Anyone, worrying for something? It becomes ‘nothing’ when you give it to the Lord.

Chris_Esther

letter from Seoul 4

Hope Seoul.

Plain fact. 2 members. Joseph, Maria and their son 3yrs-old-Joshua (not Jesus!). Pator chaired, led p&w, playing guitar, backup singing, communion message and offering prayer, preaching, alter call, and closing. Mary did set up, pack up, visualising, Communion preperation, washing up, counting, and KFC- her own son. No joking, it really reminded me of Pator wilson and lailing, it must’ve been exactly like this!

One of the members couldn’t come for some reason. But we had 5 first timers- karen from NG2, young-jin who were accomodating Karen, April and Sean who were with Daniels yrs ago, and me. Joseph has given Karen a sermon note that’s written in english, and I’ve given a simple testimony and played ’amazing grace’ and ‘Family of God’ with Uke. After the service we went for the lunch with everyone together. Pator PAID for all of us!

Some may easily judge by looking at the numbers only. But I should say, well, Hope Brisbane also started from only 2 people. Now 14 yrs later we have 400+ people, no church starts with hundreds of members. Koreans has tendency to prefer a big church. This makes the small church harder to grow especially when their members are only handful and they don’t have their own building. I possibly can’t imagine the tremendous challenges Joseph and Maria might have experienced, and are still enduring. The Hope seoul is 4 yrs old, Joshua their son is 3 and half yrs old. Joseph is working as a part time veterinarian, so he will have more time to run the church. Even though Maria is working as well, Their financial needs are growing as well as their son. (education costs is the main reason why Koreans doesn’t want a baby)

But he said, whenever they have a first time visitor he always buy them a lunch after the sunday service. It is only possible while church is relatively small though. I couldn’t help questioning myself, If God asks me to go to some place and allows me only 2 members for 4 yrs, how would I respond? Will I still be joyful and leading the whole service literally by myself? I may sometimes have to preach to myself in the mirror, or to my cat or to my teddy bear that’s sitting on a chair. Or, would I be squeezing his neck, saying, “God, spit out some members, Now!!”

Last week, I’ve attended the World biggest church. This week, I’ve attended possibly the world smallest church. But, behold, the presence of God is in both places the same. God doesn’t seek to be worshiped by multitudes of people. He prefers the worship that’s given unto him in spirit and in truth. He receives the broken and contride heart crying out to him in desperation. People sees the outer appearance, decoration of the building, programmes they offer, level of the musicians, and achievements of the pastor; God sees the sincereity of heart of the people sitting there. How impressed I was last week when I visited Yoido Full Gospel church, but I realised that the scale of the church and their programmes cannot impress God. Jesus has been only impressed by the FAITH that a desperate centurion had. (Matthew 8:9)

In the beginning of the service in Hope Seoul, we read out the written Vision statement of our church together. This vision, that some may just repeats without much thinking into it, is making a huge difference in the world. Today in this very moment, there are people out there, who are giving up their job and finance for the sake of serving God, Letting go of personal conveniences and positions to be able to spend more time doing God’s business, enduring unbelievable hardships by holding unto the HOPE we have in the Lord. What am “I” doing as a believer of Christ? Am I living like a someone who believes that life in heaven is much better than life in earth? Am I really living like a someone who believes it matters how I live and what I do? Would Jesus be impressed by me in any way?

Chris_Esther