LOVE BEYOND LIMITS

Consistently thinking of others and trying to meet their needs, especially when that involves personal sacrifice, is a tall order! It’s so easy to be lazy, selfish, and self-centered. Most of us are that way naturally. Our first reactions are usually about ourselves—what we want and what will make us happy. But with Jesus’ help, we can develop new habits and reactions, which with time will help us become more loving and caring individuals.

It’s human nature to be self-preserving, self-seeking, self-satisfying, to put our own needs and happiness first. But the Bible promises, “Anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!” Jesus challenges us to manifest deep, sacrificial, impartial love for others, even though He knows such love is far beyond our human capabilities. But He can help us break those natural circuits and rewire our minds and hearts to do His bidding, which is to love others.

Jesus told His original followers, “Your love … will prove to the world that you are my disciples.” The love Jesus’ disciples had for one another, their friends, and even strangers, drew much attention and was a powerful example to others of God’s love.
To become the new creation God wants to make you, it takes a willing mind and heart, a believing spirit, prayer, and following through with many small deeds of unselfish love. Then you will find yourself thinking more of others, feeling their needs more readily, and having more genuine concern for their happiness and well-being.

When you give of yourself, when you go out of your way to be a friend, when you spend time with someone who’s lonely or comfort someone who’s sick, when you sympathize and help someone with their problems, when you make someone feel needed, you will find that it brings you a special kind of satisfaction and reward of spirit. Through performing these little acts of love and unselfishness, you will be blessed personally with happiness that can’t be gotten any other way—the happiness of knowing that you have been a blessing to someone in need.

—

John 13:34-35 ESV / A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”

1 Corinthians 13:4-8 ESV / Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never ends. As for prophecies, they will pass away; as for tongues, they will cease; as for knowledge, it will pass away.

Colossians 3:14 ESV / And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony.

REAL FRIENDS

When I was a teenager, I thought I knew it all. I was full of insecurities, but I was also full of opinions—strong ones! Looking back, I feel sorry for my parents. I’m sure I wasn’t an easy child to raise, especially as a teen. I didn’t like the fact that I had stricter parents than some of my friends did, and I pulled away from my mom and dad, as many teens do. I was sure my parents didn’t understand me, and I was right—they didn’t! None of their other kids were anything like me. I questioned everything and had trouble keeping rules. However, although I was tough on the outside, all I really wanted deep down was to find someone who truly understood me.

One day I found myself at a gathering where I was the only teenager. While the adults talked in small groups, I sat off in a corner by myself, watching, until a woman named Joy came over and struck up a conversation. Eventually, I opened up and told her about all my troubles. I half expected her to lecture me, but instead she just listened. I could tell that she genuinely cared about getting to know me, and never once did I feel she was putting me in my place or trying to change my opinion; she simply tried to understand me.
That conversation was the beginning of a friendship that continued through thick and thin for seven years, until Joy passed away. We would take long walks together and would sometimes write notes to each other about things that were harder to say in person. Even after she moved to a distant city, we kept in touch by phone and mail. For much of those seven years, Joy was so sick that she could have died at any time, but I never heard her complain. She was always bubbly and had a passion for people.

Joy taught me something important—that it was okay to be myself. And in the process, she also taught me to try to understand people in a deep way, to look beyond their appearance and sometimes even what they say, to accept them for who they are and show them unconditional love. Though we all seem so different, we’re all made from the same stuff, and we all need love, understanding, and acceptance. When someone sees our need and fills it, we blossom.

—

Proverbs 18:24 ESV / A man of many companions may come to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.

Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 ESV / Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their toil. For if they fall, one will lift up his fellow. But woe to him who is alone when he falls and has not another to lift him up! Again, if two lie together, they keep warm, but how can one keep warm alone? And though a man might prevail against one who is alone, two will withstand him—a threefold cord is not quickly broken.

John 15:13 ESV / Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends.

BEING A FRIEND

When Jesus told His disciples, “There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends,” He was literally describing His upcoming death on the cross to save humanity. The subsequent events proved that He was willing to give up everything for us, His friends. Jesus’ love is perfect and His friendship is perfect.

I’ve sometimes wondered what my actions would be if I were in a situation where I could save a life by giving my own; but of course I know it’s not so likely that I’ll ever be tested in such a dramatic way. The challenges I’m likely to face are more prosaic, and the opportunities for “laying down my life” that come my way are more mundane.

Do I hang out with my friend who’s going through a rough patch and isn’t particularly fun to be around at that time, or do I make excuses and try to avoid him? Do I visit my friend when she’s sick—not just once at the beginning, but regularly, if needed? If I got a ticket to a big game, but my friend didn’t, would I be willing to give it to him? When my friend gets an incredible work or vacation opportunity, am I genuinely happy and excited for her, or am I jealous of her good fortune? When my friends’ choices of restaurants or activities are different from what I would have liked, do I always expect them to accommodate my wishes?

Opportunities like these for “unexciting” sacrifices come up on a daily basis and are more valid tests of my character than hypothetical life-and-death drama. I’ve certainly not arrived yet, and working on this issue of Activated has inspired me to try harder to be the kind of friend who, as the Bible says, “loves at all times.”

—

John 13:34-35 ESV / A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”

Galatians 6:10 ESV / So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith.

James 2:14-17 ESV / What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him? If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and filled,” without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that? So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.

ONWARDS AND UPWARDS INTO THE NEW YEAR

A quick glance behind…
If you feel that you have made mistakes, taken wrong turns, even failed miserably at this or that, you’re in good company. Many of God’s heroes in the Bible did those same things, but they learned from their mistakes. And God came to them, sitting in the midst of failed dreams or disappointed hopes, and gave them a new reason to live.

That’s what He can do when we give up on our own plans and projects and decide to try His. He gives us goals to help us grow and move in the right direction, and then He helps us attain them. Give Him your heart and life, and let Him give you all the good things He has planned for you.
—Nana Williams

Learn from yesterday, live for today, hope for tomorrow.
—Albert Einstein (1879–1955)

The world is a book and every step turns a new page.
—Alphonse de Lamartine (1790–1869)

A story is told of an elderly woman who slipped and fell on a busy street. Several people quickly went to assist her, but she was already hoisting herself back up.
“I’m all right,” she assured them. “I always fall forwards, never backwards.”
When we’ve “taken a fall,” instead of dwelling on the mistake or hurt, let’s make it a fall forward by learning from it and looking to the future.
—Abi May

A steady look upward…
We are given a fresh start not only at the beginning of the year, but every morning when we wake up. We have the chance to start anew and make things right.
—Mottos for Success

To improve the golden moment of opportunity and catch the good that is within our reach is the great art of life.
—Samuel Johnson (1709–1784)

Look upon every day as the whole of life, not merely as a section; and enjoy and improve the present without wishing, through haste, to rush on to another.
—Jean Paul (1763–1826)

Let us labor to be like unto angels, “strengthened with all might,” walking about the world as conquerors, able to do all things through Christ which strengthens us.
—John Trapp (1602–1669)

All of us carry the future in us, the hopes, the dreams, the good and the evil, the potential to create a better world, if we can only make the right choices, if we are only willing to pay the price, to search for the goal and reach out for it.

We all search for love at some time or other, and so love will come to us. But how will we treat it when it arrives? For love might come to you as a princess, or as a beggar, or a slave; majestic and glorious, or uncomely and in rags, and void of respect. Though we cannot choose who we are when we are born, and what kind of life we get born into, still we can choose how to live our lives and what kind of person we will be when our earthly path ends.
—Colin C. Bell

I am willing to go anywhere, anywhere, anywhere—so long as it’s forward.
—David Livingstone (1813–1873)

A teacher took her primary school students to the assembly hall for a lesson with a difference. Standing at the foot of the steps leading up to the stage, she asked, “Is anybody good at jumping?”
Quite a few young hands shot up.
“Well,” she continued, “could any of you jump from the floor here up onto the stage?”
No hands went up this time.
“I can,” said the teacher, “and I’ll show you how.” Beginning at the foot of the steps leading up to the stage, she hopped onto the first step. From there she hopped onto the second, and so on until she reached the top.
Many things can only be accomplished little by little, step by step. When a task looks daunting or the way ahead too steep, just take it one step at a time.
—Abi May

Lord, when you call us to live and work for you,
Give us the wisdom to remember
That it is not the beginning
But the faithful continuing of the task
That is most important in your eyes,
Until we have completed it to the best of our ability;
Through Jesus Christ, our Lord,
Who laid down his life for us
In order to finish your work.
—Sir Francis Drake (c. 1540–1596)

—

Acts 2:38 ESV / And Peter said to them, “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

Matthew 24:22 ESV / And if those days had not been cut short, no human being would be saved. But for the sake of the elect those days will be cut short.

2 Peter 3:3-4 ESV / Knowing this first of all, that scoffers will come in the last days with scoffing, following their own sinful desires. They will say, “Where is the promise of his coming? For ever since the fathers fell asleep, all things are continuing as they were from the beginning of creation.”

THE JOURNEY TO SIMPLICITY

The other day I was listening to a Christian radio program on the way to the gym. Each day they ask a question for their listeners to respond to, either via phone or their Facebook page, and the topic that day was: “What do you look forward to?”

The answers that listeners were sending in were simple, yet refreshing. For example, one woman said she looked forward to having a cup of tea at night once her children were in bed.

It got me thinking about the simple things in life. Essentially, that’s what we all generally look forward to—the little things. A hug after a long day. A cup of something hot in the morning. The sun shining again after a rainy patch, enabling us to finally hang our laundry. A comfortable bed to slide into at night. A refreshing shower. A freshly mowed lawn. A meal out.

I like to see these small things as being as much a part of God’s love for me as the bigger gifts He sometimes sends my way. As Robert Louis Stevenson put it: “The best things in life are nearest: breath in your nostrils, light in your eyes, flowers at your feet, duties at your hand, the path of right just before you. Then do not grasp at the stars, but do life’s plain, common work as it comes, certain that daily duties and daily bread are the sweetest things in life.”

Sure, sometimes we look forward to big and exciting things, like an upcoming vacation. But more often than not, it’s the simple day-to-day things that bring us joy and put a smile on our face. I’m reminding myself that I need to think more about those things, appreciate them more, as they get so easily lost amidst the craziness of life. It’s not a new realization by any means. It’s just one of those principles of life and happiness that easily fade out of focus when so many bigger and more stressful things are obstructing my view or weighing me down.

I decided to start small. I took that woman’s advice on the radio. I set aside a few minutes to relax with a cup of tea that night after the kids were in bed, and I enjoyed every sip!

I’m on a journey to find simplicity in my spiritual walk as well. The simple things in life make me happy. Perhaps my simple things will make God happy too?

—

2 Timothy 3:17 ESV / That the man of God may be competent, equipped for every good work.

2 Peter 1:20-21 ESV / Knowing this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture comes from someone’s own interpretation. For no prophecy was ever produced by the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.

1 Thessalonians 2:13 ESV / And we also thank God constantly for this, that when you received the word of God, which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men but as what it really is, the word of God, which is at work in you believers.

PERFECTLY IMPERFECT

I went to the Farmer’s Market this morning and was so pleased to find a good deal on some organic produce. When I got home and pulled the tomatoes out of the bag, however, I realized that some of them were too squishy to use, and I had to cull out the bad ones so they wouldn’t harm the others. As the saying goes, “One rotten apple (or in this case, tomato) spoils the whole bunch.”

As I examined the tomatoes, I was surprised by their many imperfections. I’ve been used to going to the grocery store and finding piles of perfectly shaped fruits and vegetables. However, when I cut one of the “imperfect” tomatoes in half and took a bite, I was amazed at the flavor. I decided that in this case “imperfect” can definitely be better.

We often judge by appearance, but looks can be deceiving. Often, those apparently perfect pieces of produce have much deeper flaws that can’t be seen. It could very well be that they have no bug bites because they have been sprayed with chemicals whose long-term effects might be worse than the insects. The processes used to speed their growth probably affected their flavor as well. Judging between the imperfect, organic tomatoes and the seemingly perfect ones in a supermarket, the imperfect is definitely better.

God could have created a perfect world with perfect people, but He allowed man to have a choice. After the fall of man, imperfections entered our world, and man began to have to deal with problems, disease, bugs, and pain.1 But all of these imperfections drive us back into the arms of our heavenly Father. If the road were perfect and our path without difficulties, we would never find the better way to the perfect place He is preparing for us.

Sometimes, people think they can get along without God. It is only when we take a good look at our imperfections that we see the need for a Savior. Then we open our heart and receive the greatest, most perfect gift of all.

So give me the imperfections of life. Give me the odd-looking produce. Give me the rocky path. Give me all the problems and weaknesses that drive me into God’s arms. Because I know how imperfect I am, I am thankful for a perfect Savior who looks at me through the eyes of love, and whose perfect love has changed my life.

—

Philippians 2:15 ESV / That you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world,

James 3:2 ESV / For we all stumble in many ways. And if anyone does not stumble in what he says, he is a perfect man, able also to bridle his whole body.

Revelation 21:4 ESV / He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.”

Prayer Points

1. Please intercede for Corps Family:
Bro Vinoth Rao, Bro Kah Loke, Bro Mun Kit & Sis Wai Wai

2. Please intercede for Open Day 2015

3. Please intercede for Corps Family who are not feeling well in health

4. Please intercede for one another

Announcement

1. Explore Weekend (Final Call Today)
Date: 14-16 Aug 2015
Venue: Johor Baharu
RSVP as soon as possible on invitation

3. Women's Camp 2015 (Final Call)
Date: 11-13 Sept 2015
Theme: Who is my Neighbour?
Venue: Hotel Sentral Melaka, Melaka
Open for registration. Closing date 3 Aug 2015.

4. Open Day 2015
Date: 10th Oct 2015 Saturday
Venue: Penang Children's Home
Time: 9:00am - 2:00pm

5. Mission Trip to Myanmar 
Date: 24th Oct - 1st Nov 2015
Limited space. Maximum 15 pax. Cost RM1,600.
Closing Date: 31 Aug 2015

SETTING GOALS AND REACHING THEM

Some people have been so discouraged when they’ve failed to meet their goals that they’ve given up on having any at all, so that they aren’t disappointed by the “inevitable” failure. There’s a lot of advice available today on this topic, and there isn’t actually anything too tough or mysterious about setting and reaching your goals.

Here are five easy steps to follow for success.

Step 1: What are you aiming for? Write down your goals for the year. Keep the list to a few top priorities: Too many can dilute focus and scatter your energy.

Step 2: Take steps—even large, seemingly crazy ones—toward reaching your goals. The important thing is to kick-start the process. The fine-tuning can come later! Try to focus on actions that will advance more than one of your goals at once. For example, taking your kids to the pool or riding a bike with your spouse would promote staying fit as well as spending time with your family.

Step 3: Keep at it. You’ll probably fail periodically, but don’t give up: Pick up the pieces and start again! In fact, if you never fail, your goals are probably too easy and need to be revised.

Step 4: Have fun! Enjoy the challenge! Fighting your fears and weaknesses in order to achieve your goals can be difficult, but it’s also tremendously rewarding. Much of the appeal of running a marathon is the challenge. Make reaching your goals the “extreme sport” of your life.

Step 5: Review the progress toward your goals on a daily, weekly, and monthly basis. If you’re serious about it, you’ll put effort into it. If necessary, be open to tweaking your goals or the action you’re taking to reach them, but be careful to not water down your original goal!

Get Started
So many fail because they don’t get started—they don’t go. They don’t overcome inertia. They don’t begin.
—William Clement Stone (1902–2002)

The beginning is the most important part of the work.
—Plato (428 BC–348 BC)

—

James 1:12 ESV / Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him.

Romans 5:3-5 ESV / More than that, we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.

Galatians 6:9 ESV / And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up.

FORMING NEW HABITS

The month of January, when the new year is celebrated in most of the world, is named after the Roman god Janus. Because he had two faces, he could look back on the past year and forward into the next. He was the god of beginnings and the guardian of doors.
Making resolutions at the start of a new year is an ancient and established tradition. Apparently, the early Babylonians’ most popular resolution was to return borrowed farm equipment.1 We make resolutions, but we don’t seem well equipped to keep them. One reason we have a hard time changing old bad habits or forming good new ones is that sometimes our expectations are too extreme. Instead of making some gradual permanent lifestyle changes, we want instant success.

Fitness guru Jack LaLanne (1914–2011), who continued with his daily exercise regimen well into his 90s, observed, “The average person means well, but they set their goals too high. They [try] it two or three times and say, ‘This is too tough.’ And they quit.”
When I used to do private English tutoring in Indonesia and Japan, I was confronted with this type of unrealistic expectations. Many of my students thought that if they hired a native English speaker to give them lessons, they would learn through some sort of magical osmosis, without doing the homework and study needed to make progress. It just doesn’t work that way. We’re conditioned to want quick results, whereas in reality, it often takes work over an extended period of time to achieve anything worthwhile.

Messages are sent along the pathways of our brain through neurons that are connected to one another. These like to travel on known pathways, the “comfortable” way, and it takes time and effort to create new ones.

Carlo DiClemente, chairman of the psychology department at the University of Maryland, suggests setting realistic goals and making daily progress to realize them: “We all wish some things. We might say, ‘I wish I were a better parent.’ But that’s pretty vague. Maybe you say, ‘I’m going to count to five before I start yelling at my kids.’ That’s good, but then you discover you need a plan to remind you to count to five.”

Armed with the right goals, the desire, and the persistence, you can form a new habit this year. You can become the master—rather than the victim—of circumstances.

—

Philippians 3:13-14 ESV / Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.

Matthew 6:33 ESV / But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.

Luke 10:27 ESV / And he answered, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself.”

THE CHANGE EQUATION

This is a time of great change in the world—technological, economic, religious, political, business, and environmental. The results are seen in governments, organizations, and in the lives of families and individuals. Although it’s sometimes more evident and easier to recognize and take stock of at the start of a new year, change is actually constantly affecting all spheres of society.

Many people, from religious leaders to productivity gurus to life coaches to political leaders, realize the benefits of change and emphasize flexibility. Everyone knows that it is rough to go through, but when the difficulties are weighed against the benefits that change brings about, most agree that it’s worth it.

Much of the benefit we derive from the changes that come into our lives depends on how we look at them and whether or not we embrace them. As always, our attitude is a key factor. Attitude can make the difference between succeeding despite difficulty or succumbing to it. Life is a journey; and change, even big change, is a part of life’s equation. As we follow God and read His Word, we will find the faith that can help us through difficult times, including times of painful change.
Some factors that have helped me to develop a positive outlook on change include:

• Trying to anticipate the resultant good results ahead. Since there often isn’t any way we can stop change—and if we try, it will knock us over—I’ve found that in those cases the best thing to do is embrace it and go with the flow. Being positive can mean the difference between riding waves of change and drowning in them.

• Asking God to help me to see the benefits of the changes that He’s allowing in my life. When I ask Him for the understanding and wisdom to get the most out of these changes, He speaks to me and gives me the answers that I need.

• Realizing that at times the toughest things that I have to pass through are the things that are the most beneficial for me in the long run. It can be hard to remember this when I’m going through a difficult situation, but sometimes I just need to “hold on,” knowing that once the storm passes, the sun will come out and I will see everything in a new light.

• Connecting with God regularly for my personal encouragement and guidance, through His Word, through meditation and prayer, etc. As destabilizing as change can be, God will always remain our anchor, and His Word will give us faith that will make the ride smoother.

• Remembering that God loves me and cares deeply about me and my happiness and well-being. In His great and all-abiding love for me, He sometimes has to allow something in my life that might not seem good, but that will actually turn out to be an experience of great benefit. Believing that He can manifest His love through difficult circumstances, and having the faith to see that even tough things can be good things, is a challenge, but I’ve found that if I can accept that challenge, I’m well on my way to feeling more comfortable and at peace with change.

Sometimes God simply can’t bring the good that He wishes to bring into our lives without us passing through some pretty stormy times. So if you’re feeling the waves crashing about you, trust Him and have faith that He knows what He’s doing. He desires only the very best for us.

Our days are a kaleidoscope. Every instant a change takes place.
—Henry Ward Beecher (1813–1887)

There is nothing permanent except change.
—Heraclitus (540–480 BC)

O Lord, as the years change, may we find rest in your eternal changelessness. Help us to meet this new year bravely, in the faith that, while life changes all around us, you are always the same, guiding us with your wisdom and protecting us with your love; through our Saviour Jesus Christ.
—William Temple (1881–1944)

Christians are supposed not merely to endure change, nor even to profit by it, but to cause it.
—Harry Emerson Fosdick (1878–1969)

There is One amid all changes
Who standeth ever fast,
One who covers all the future,
The present and the past;
Jesus is the first,
Jesus is the last,
Trust Him for thy future,
Leave with Him the past;
Christ the Rock of Ages,
The first and the last.
—Albert Benjamin Simpson (1843–1919)

—

James 1:2-4 ESV / Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.

Philippians 4:6 ESV / Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.

Hebrews 13:5 ESV / Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.”

NEW YEAR’S DAWN

It was a beautiful sunrise. The pale light of dawn had brightened into a glorious golden glow, kissing the clouds with tints of pink and orange as it heralded the arrival of a new year. But idyllic new year feelings were the furthest thing from my mind. As I watched the sunbeams dance across my hospital bedsheets, my thoughts retraced the events that had brought me there. Two nights earlier, I had suddenly developed an excruciating pain in the lower right side of my abdomen. I was rushed to the emergency room, where I underwent emergency surgery to remove a ruptured gangrenous cyst. Now I faced a hospital stay and several months of recovery.
For the first twenty-four hours after the surgery, I was too overwhelmed to think clearly, but as the pain lessened and the shock subsided, questions came in a flood. I felt confused, discouraged, and afraid.

It was then that I noticed a pair of tiny birds soaring into the dawn, and I was reminded of a verse: “What is the price of two sparrows—one copper coin? But not a single sparrow can fall to the ground without your Father knowing it. So don’t be afraid; you are more valuable to God than a whole flock of sparrows.” It was comforting to be reminded that my life rests in God’s hands, and that He will always be there to help, hold, and guide me, no matter what comes my way. “I, the Lord your God, will hold your right hand, saying to you, ‘Fear not, I will help you.’”

The year that followed proved to be an unforgettable one. The surgery was the first of many health struggles during the subsequent weeks and months, yet I felt Jesus always close by my side, comforting me, giving me His grace and strength, and reminding me of His unfailing love and care. The difficulties and challenges were balanced by countless beautiful experiences, blessings, and joys that gave me a deeper appreciation for life and for the One who does all things well.

As another year dawns, I think back on that New Year’s morning at the hospital. The memory reassures me that my future, while unknown to me, is known to Him. With my hand in His and my eyes on His promises, I can trust Him for the year ahead.

—

Matthew 10:29 (ESV) Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? And not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father.

Isaiah 41:13 (ESV)
For I, the Lord your God,
hold your right hand;
it is I who say to you, “Fear not,
I am the one who helps you.”

Mark 7:37 (ESV) And they were astonished beyond measure, saying, “He has done all things well. He even makes the deaf hear and the mute speak.”

MY LIVING CHINA DOLL

When I was a child, we lived near an apartment complex housing college students. At the end of the school year, the students would give away or sell cheaply whatever they didn’t want to haul home.

One day, my brother brought me home a China Doll plant. My mom, who has a green thumb, said it was a good find. I took it to my room and would set it out on the front porch every few days for some sunshine.

After I’d had the plant for a few months, its leaves started drooping and then falling off until there were no leaves left. When I asked my mom what was wrong, she said it had gone into hibernation. A plant without leaves held no interest for me, so I put it in the backyard with my mom’s other potted plants, and there it stayed for quite some time, leafless and forlorn.

And then, one day, my mom brought a plant to my room. Yes, it was my China Doll, and there were tiny sprouts at the tips of its branches. Soon the sprouts grew into new shoots and leaves, and eventually my plant was in full bloom again. This cycle continued over the years.

I eventually moved away from home and left the China Doll with my mom and her green thumb. In one letter, my mom wrote: “I thought your China Doll had finally died. I almost tossed it, but you know how I hate to throw away a plant. I waited a while, and sure enough, it grew back fuller than ever.”

Last spring, I went to visit my mom. She has more time for gardening now that most of her kids have moved away, and the back yard was beautiful, full of aromatic rose bushes and flower-covered arbors and trellises … and my China Doll was now transplanted into a new pot and was at least four feet tall.

As I begin the new year, some things seem to be hibernating—a few dreams and goals—but with the sunshine of God’s love, the water of His Word, and a little of His tender loving care, they will blossom in His good time. If He causes a simple plant to begin anew and grow stronger year by year, how much more can we expect Him to do for us, whom He loves dearly and for whom He created all the rest?

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John 14:6 ESV / Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.

1 Corinthians 6:12 ESV / “All things are lawful for me,” but not all things are helpful. “All things are lawful for me,” but I will not be enslaved by anything.

Romans 6:23 ESV / For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

NEW YEAR PERSPECTIVES

What a crazy year I’ve just been through! In the space of 12 months I left a job I’d had for five years, moved to a new country, went on an emotional rollercoaster, spent many sleepless nights worrying, and on it goes…

I’ll admit it was tough at times to live through, but now, with the benefit of hindsight, I’m seeing things somewhat differently.
It’s true I left a job, but I got a new and better position. Yes, I moved away from my old friends, but I’ve broadened my horizons and already made many new friends in my new situation. It’s been an emotional rollercoaster for sure, but it’s also been a learning experience. I might have worried a lot last year, but here I am at the dawn of a new year, safe and sound. The start of a new year has always symbolized for me a time of reflection and evaluation on the year that’s past, and I’ve learned to cherish my year-end analysis. With the passage of time, perspectives change, big issues turn to naught, fears dissolve, and wounds heal. Perhaps the pithy proverb about “giving time to time” actually has truth to it.

Aside from it lending perspective to life, I find a second major benefit of looking back is identifying what I’d like to do differently this year. On this occasion, two things stand out:

1) I want to draw closer to God, and I want Him to be the one I turn to when I need help. I want that quiet confidence I see in people who have learned the art of depending on God.

2) I want to think less about myself. Too many hours last year were spent worrying about me. Instead, I want to spend some of that time and energy on other people and things that matter.

I don’t know what this new year will bring. I’m sure it will include surprises, joys, sorrows—and sure, most likely even some sleepless nights. But if I can implement these two goals even just a little; if in the heat of the most turbulent moments that this year brings I can manage to remember that my perspective will most likely change in just a few months; if I can keep God and others on my mind, no matter where I am or what I’m doing, then I know this year will be a success!

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Joshua 1:9 ESV / Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”

Ecclesiastes 3:1 ESV / For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven:

Romans 12:1-2 ESV / I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.

SEARCHING FOR EBENEZER

Toward the end of last year, I was haunted by the word “Ebenezer.” It all began when I heard it on a Christian podcast, but the speaker didn’t clarify what it meant. The word stayed in the back of my mind for days, and I wondered where I’d heard it before. My children identified it as the unusual first name of the Scrooge character in Charles Dickens’ famous novel, A Christmas Carol, but that wasn’t the Ebenezer I was looking for.

The mysterious “Ebenezer”popped up again when I visited my daughter during the holidays. There it was, written in bold letters above the entrance to a new shop in the village square. “Ebenezer” seemed to be appearing all around me, but who was he?
The answer came when I was listening to another inspirational audio. Out of the blue, the speaker mentioned the word, and also gave a Bible reference: 1 Samuel chapter 7. I looked it up right away and it turns out that in the passage, the prophet Samuel puts a rock between two places, Mizpah and Shen, after his people had won a great battle against their enemies. This rock was named—you’ve guessed it—Ebenezer, meaning “the stone of help,” and was set up in acknowledgment of and appreciation for God’s assistance. And so it turns out that “Ebenezer” wasn’t a “who” but a “what.”

I can picture myself sitting on top of that big rock. On one side, the year that has just ended, with all of its obstacles and trials and victories and joys. I look back from my vantage point and my heart fills with praise.

On the other side, the new year, full of mysteries yet to unfold. I’m filled with anticipation. If God has always come through for me in the past, surely He will in the future too!

This year, every time a sorrow or difficulty comes my way, I will strive to rely on Ebenezer, the stone of help and the rock of hope. I will make a resolution to face this new year with the expectation that the future is as bright as the promises of God! In the words of David, “I will lift up my eyes to the mountains. Where will my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, Who made heaven and earth.”

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Romans 12:12 ESV / Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer.

Jeremiah 29:11 ESV / 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.

Romans 15:13 ESV / May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.

WALKING WITH GOD

Perhaps you prefer to walk in the early morning, like Jesus who rose a “great while before day and went into a solitary place to pray.” Or maybe you enjoy walking peacefully in the evening. Perhaps your walks are purposeful, part of your journey to work, school, or shopping. Wherever or whenever you walk, you’re following in a great tradition:

Abraham took a walk at God’s command. Moses led the children of Israel on a long trek to the Promised Land. Joshua’s spies were sent to walk through the land. The followers of Jesus walked with Him through Galilee and beyond. The paralyzed man lying by the pool at the sheep market took up his bed and walked after Jesus healed him. Paul walked for God, spreading the Good News throughout Asia.

Of course, not every scripture about “walking” refers literally to taking step after step, but many are references to a way of living. That’s why reminders to “walk like He walked” mean so much more than a mode of getting around.7 So how is our life’s walk progressing?

Look back and remember.
I have been with you wherever you have gone.—2 Samuel 7:9

As we have traveled along the road of life, there have been pleasant places8 and some less enjoyable routes. It has not always been an easy path, but one thing is sure: whether His footsteps beside us were visible or not, God was with us.

I will walk among you and be your God, and you shall be My people. I … will hold your right hand, saying to you, “Fear not, I will help you.”—Leviticus 26:12, Isaiah 41:13

Thank You, Lord, for Your presence on my journey.

The Lord shows the way.
The shepherd of the sheep … when he brings out his own sheep, he goes before them; and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice.—John 10:2,4

God will continue to be with us, just as He has always been. He is the Good Shepherd who knows the way.

Always long and pray that the will of God may be fully realised in your life. You will find that the man who does this walks in the land of peace and quietness.—Thomas à Kempis (1380–1471)

When I am with God
My fear is gone
In the great quiet of God.
My troubles are as pebbles on the road,
My joys are like the everlasting hills.
—Walter Rauschenbusch (1861–1918)

Help me, Lord, to follow You.

Going forward means putting one foot after the other.
You do not know what will happen tomorrow.—James 4:14

We look back and remember where we’ve been; we look around and see where we are now; but the place we can’t see—the direction we can’t fathom—is the future. Yet as an old saying tells us, “We don’t know what the future holds, but we know Who holds the future.” Our not knowing the future seems to be part of His plan.

God doesn’t always remove obstacles out of our way before we reach them. Yet when we are on the edge of our need, God’s hand is stretched out. Many people forget this and are forever worrying about difficulties that they foresee in the future. They expect that God is going to make the way plain and open before them miles and miles ahead, whereas he has promised to do it only step by step as they may need. You must get to the floodwaters before you can claim the promise.—Author unknown

When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow you.—Isaiah 43:2

Lord, help me to trust You for what I cannot see.

Walk with God.
We will walk in the name of the Lord our God forever and ever.—Micah 4:5

O Christ, the keeper of us all,
Let Thy right hand guard and protect me day and night, when I rest at home, when I walk in my work abroad, when I lie down and when I rise up, that I may not anywhere fail.
I commit my whole being unto Thee; take charge of me; provide for all my real needs, from this moment forth and always.
—Saint Nerses (4th century)

Walk in the light! Thy path shall be
A path, though thorny, bright;
For God, by grace, shall dwell in thee,
And God Himself is light.
—Bernard Barton (1784–1849)

Lord, help me to walk with You all the days of my life.

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Mark 1:35 (ESV) And rising very early in the morning, while it was still dark, he departed and went out to a desolate place, and there he prayed.

Genesis 3:8 (ESV) And they heard the sound of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God among the trees of the garden.

Hebrews 11:8 (ESV) By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to a place that he was to receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going.

BE AN ICON

The Greek word translated as “image” in most English versions of the Bible is eikon, from which we also get “icon.” It is used in the Bible both literally and figuratively. The Septuagint, the first standard translation of the Hebrew Old Testament into Greek, called Adam “the eikon of God.”

The sculptures, paintings, and carvings in Orthodox churches are called icons, but modern culture also includes a surprising quantity of icons. People who are greatly admired or considered excellent at what they do—entertainers, sports stars, entrepreneurs, etc.—are often considered icons. And then there are more mundane icons—our computer screens are cluttered with those little pictures representing programs and shortcuts. Some icons have even taken on a life of their own, like the yellow smiley face emoticon.
Some people also use the word “icon” to explain the Christian’s role in the world. We are to strive to be images of Christ by doing as He did, or would do today. That’s not a bad idea. If we could see our fellow believers as images of God, it would certainly engender brotherly love and respect. Mother Teresa even took that concept a step further. “I see Jesus in every human being,” she said. “I say to myself, This is hungry Jesus, I must feed him. This is sick Jesus. This one has leprosy or gangrene; I must wash him and tend to him. I serve because I love Jesus.”

Few of us will ever attain to the level of selfless love that Mother Teresa came to symbolize, but we can strive in our own lives to be more like Jesus. We do that by spending time with Him, reading His Word, and practicing what He preached and lived. “All of us who have had that veil removed can see and reflect the glory of the Lord. And the Lord—who is the Spirit—makes us more and more like him as we are changed into his glorious image.”

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Matthew 22:20 (ESV) And Jesus said to them, “Whose likeness and inscription is this?”

Colossians 1:15 (ESV) He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation.

2 Corinthians 3:18 (ESV) And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.