LIFE AS A CLIMB

The other day, some friends took me on what I thought would be a short climb. We parked the car and took a look at the summit. We got out our climbing gear and started putting on our boots and gathering what we needed in our backpacks.

It doesn’t seem that far or that difficult. Good! I thought.

During the winter, I had suffered a knee injury and subsequently felt a bit out of shape. In any case, I was looking forward to something simple.
We started walking uphill, and it wasn’t long before my legs began to hurt and I was having a hard time breathing, but I was still hopeful it would be a short climb. Then the path changed into a rockier, winding trail. We were still surrounded by tall trees that kept us from seeing any kind of view around us. I knew we must have been making some progress, judging by the time, but it wasn’t until we came out of the woods and stopped by a gorgeous lookout point that we could actually see the progress we’d made and how far we still had to go in order to reach the top.

Those few minutes spent admiring the breathtaking view of the lake beneath us, taking a picture and a sip of water, encouraged us and gave us the feeling that we were doing well and making progress, even though the summit still seemed quite far.

Then the path turned into a genuine climb, and I could feel myself beginning to panic a little. The sky had been gathering dark clouds, and a few raindrops started falling, making the rocks slippery. We met others along the way, some experienced climbers, some attempting the hike for the first time. The uncertainty of the weather made everyone feel some trepidation. The rain didn’t last long, but the clouds remained. It wasn’t an easy climb, but the view got more intriguing and majestic over time. It definitely made it worth it all.

At one point, on a particularly difficult passage, my more experienced friend whispered in my ear, “You’re doing well, you know. There are others climbing today who are having a much harder time.” Those few words had a profound effect on me: they turned my gaze away from myself and my personal struggle. I took a look at a girl climbing for the first time, who looked worried. She was slowly making it too, helped by her friend. I smiled at her and said a few words. What a help encouragement can be: “A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in pictures of silver.”

And finally, the top!

There’s always something exhilarating about reaching the summit, no matter how tough the climb, but this time a magical sense of peace filled my soul and brought tears to my eyes. I was able to see the path we had taken to the top. Many turns were needed in order to get up here, and they had made the journey richer—not easier, but definitely more interesting and exciting.

On the way back down, I couldn’t help but reflect on some of the events that have taken place in my life. When you are in the thick of the forest and on a hard uphill climb, it’s often hard to make sense of things or understand where you’re standing or to gather the strength and conviction to keep going. All you can feel is the sweat, the strain, the tiredness. In that moment it’s so easy and even understandable to give up and turn back, and to be honest, a few times I have been so tempted to.

What has kept me going has been Jesus and His Word, as well as the encouragement and support of dear friends along the way.

Face the Wind

If a bird is flying for pleasure, it flies with the wind, but if it meets danger, it turns and faces the wind, in order that it may rise higher.—Corrie ten Boom (1892–1983)

You gain strength, courage and confidence by every experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face. You must do the thing you think you cannot do.—Eleanor Roosevelt (1884–1962)

The things we try to avoid and fight against—tribulation, suffering and persecution—are the very things that produce abundant joy in us. Huge waves that would frighten the ordinary swimmer produce a tremendous thrill for the surfer who has ridden them. “We are more than conquerors through Him” in all these things—not in spite of them, but in the midst of them. A saint doesn’t know the joy of the Lord in spite of tribulation, but because of it.—Oswald Chambers (1874–1917)

—

Deuteronomy 20:4 ESV / For the Lord your God is he who goes with you to fight for you against your enemies, to give you the victory.’

Philippians 4:13 ESV / I can do all things through him who strengthens me.

John 16:33 ESV / I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.”

2018 - SHINE! The Whole World Mobilising Children and Youth

Click here for more pictures

PAINTING A RAINBOW FROM LIFE’S DARKEST STORM

I first learned about Fu-Hua Chuang when my family and I watched a documentary that featured several severely disabled yet talented young people. I was struck by the radiant smile that seemed to illuminate her whole being, reflecting the inner beauty of her soul.

In 1994, Fu-Hua was a lively and promising ten-year-old Taiwanese girl who ranked at the top of her class and dreamed of becoming an artist. But tragedy struck when she and her family were caught in a house fire. Although all of them survived, Fu-Hua slipped into a three-month coma caused by smoke inhalation. When she regained consciousness, it turned out that the poisonous fumes had irrevocably and radically altered Fu-Hua’s life, leaving her blind, mute, and paralyzed from the neck down. Aside from head and neck mobility, the only physical ability she retained was her hearing.

As time passed and her friends and former classmates gradually forgot her, Fu-Hua slipped into deep depression that spiraled into suicidal thoughts. What hope was there in a wheelchair-bound existence, dependent on her mother to dress, feed, and help her with all the basic necessities of life?

It was a Christian television program that pierced through Fu-Hua’s anguish, inspiring her to put her trust in God. As her faith grew, so did her hope; and from her hope, three dreams emerged—to attend university, to become a writer, and to spread love to every corner of the globe. Between physical therapy sessions, Fu-Hua listened to over 300 audiobooks, which enabled her to build academic competence and graduate from high school. Then her teacher helped her gain entry to university, where Fu-Hua has since been pursuing her bachelor’s degree.

Through a painstaking process of moving her head to communicate in Morse code, Fu-Hua has also composed over 300 poems that articulate with optimism her struggles, faith, and experiences. Using this same method, Fu-Hua has also given motivational speeches at high schools across Taiwan and China. Through her speeches, she has touched thousands with the message of God’s love and hope. Her dreams are coming true!

Fu-Hua had every reason to give up on life, yet she not only chose to live but to make encouraging others her purpose. While her life will always be fraught with pain, difficulties, and struggles caused by her physical condition, Fu-Hua says, “Life is a path. At times we encounter pain, failure, and sorrow, but if we have faith, the future is always bright.”

—

Micah 6:8 ESV – He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?

Matthew 7:13-14 ESV – “Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few.

Proverbs 14:12 ESV – There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way to death.

SQUEEZED

There have probably been times when you’ve felt like you’ve been squeezed to the last drop and you didn’t have an ounce of strength or willpower left. The apostle Paul admitted to “despairing even of life,” and I’m sure that many of us have gone to those depths at one time or another. We’ve reached the point that we felt we couldn’t even bear to get up in the morning and face another day, and maybe you’re going through something like that right now. Perhaps you have been for a long time.

But here’s the important part: Despite Paul’s trials and tribulations—both in the form of outward persecution and in the form of inward despair, discouragement, and doubt—he held on, declaring that, “I don’t care what happens to me, as long as I finish the work that the Lord Jesus gave me to do. And that work is to tell the good news about God’s great kindness.”

That’s a good one for us to remember: “I’m going to keep holding on no matter what happens. I’m not going to let it deter me from the life path God has given me.” That’s the kind of determination that kept Paul going, so that even though he was “perplexed,” he was “not in despair.”

“Stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.” How can you be unmovable? By holding on to the Rock—Jesus. Everything else is unstable and can get washed away when the waves of life toss you to and fro. The only thing that’ll stay right there and won’t budge an inch is Jesus!

And don’t worry if you don’t think you’re strong enough to hold on, because you don’t have to be strong in yourself. God will give you the strength. All you have to do is put your will on His side and want to hold on, and He’ll give you the strength to keep holding on even when you don’t think you can anymore.
But you do have to determine in your heart that you’re going to follow God no matter what. As Isaiah said, “The Lord God helps me; therefore I have not been disgraced; therefore I have set my face like a flint, and I know that I shall not be put to shame.” He must have been going through a pretty tough time, but he was determined to hold on regardless; and if you do the same, you won’t be ashamed either.

When your life is burdened with problems, it’s natural to wonder why. One reason for problems is that life itself is a constant struggle. Wherever you are, whoever you are, whatever your job, this life, living on earth as a human being, involves a lot of problems, period. And believe it or not, that’s God’s plan.
Sometimes we’re tempted to wonder, How can I manage this? It’s just too much! We can be comforted to know that God allows this as part of His plan for us. He sometimes allows us to see the mountain ahead of us so we’ll come to the end of ourselves and acknowledge that we can’t do it on our own without His help.

If the problems were any smaller and we thought we might be able to handle them, we’d be tempted to try to do it in our own strength. It’s just human nature. But if it gets so difficult and so big, that’s often the point at which we truly commit all things to Him.

Regardless of how we may happen to feel, if we love God and are walking by faith and following His Word, then we know that our relationship with Him is firm. And we certainly know that His love for us is unchangeable, unwavering. He says, “I have loved you with an everlasting love. The mountains may move and the hills disappear, but even then my faithful love for you will remain. I will never leave you nor forsake you.”

So no matter how much we might feel “squeezed to the last drop,” we’re not alone. His love is there for us—always. If you “draw near to God, He will draw near to you.” A comforting thought!

The next time that something seemingly bad happens to you, look for the divine in it. Look for the soul in the mundane, everyday occurrences of your life. Look for the spark, look for the light.—Leigh Hershkovich

Overcast does not always forecast rain neither does difficulty always forecast failure.—Kevin McKoy

—

2 Corinthians 12:8-10 ESV / Three times I pleaded with the Lord about this, that it should leave me. But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

Romans 16:17 ESV / I appeal to you, brothers, to watch out for those who cause divisions and create obstacles contrary to the doctrine that you have been taught; avoid them.

THE CAVERNS

For my son’s twelfth birthday, he wanted to explore underground caverns near our home. I was less enthusiastic, but despite my efforts to come up with alternatives, he couldn’t be dissuaded, so on a blistering hot day, my sister-in-law and I set out with our three children. Walking into the mouth of a huge cave, my heart was pounding, but soon I was pleasantly surprised to see the gently sloping walkways, clean and well lit. As we descended further, it felt as if the air conditioning had been turned on.

As we read the signs and studied the rock and crystal formations, we began to appreciate rocks in an entirely new light. What might have seemed inscrutable in the darkness, glistened beautifully in the colored spotlights. We spent hours underground and returned to ground level with a new appreciation of the wonders of God’s creation and the breathtaking beauty of hidden things.

I was at a point in my life when I felt like I was lost in some caverns spiritually. My world had flip-flopped and I felt distant from all I had ever known. I also felt quite isolated and purposeless. But a few hours in the caverns helped me to have a new perspective.

One thing I was reminded of is that God is light and in Him is no darkness at all. Even in a place that might seem terrifying, His light is there to guide each step and keep me from falling. Not only does His light protect me, but it helps me to see the beauty that is around. My life is filled with light as long as I am in His presence.

Sometimes God’s path leads to a place in the shadows. It takes time for our eyes to adjust to the changes and see things as they are. But even in the darkness there is growth and beauty and order. Like my son exploring the caverns that day, I realized that I needed to have a sense of fun and adventure.
It also made me appreciate those who had gone before. Someone had gone down into the darkness and had worked to make it a safe place, placing lights and signs. I realized that I needed to spend more time reading devotional material from those who understood the situation I found myself in. They can help teach me some deeper lessons of faith and encourage me to continue to trust God’s loving hand and direction in my life.

—

Romans 8:28 ESV / And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.

2 Corinthians 12:8-10 ESV / Three times I pleaded with the Lord about this, that it should leave me. But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

Romans 16:17 ESV / I appeal to you, brothers, to watch out for those who cause divisions and create obstacles contrary to the doctrine that you have been taught; avoid them.

HARD TIMES

At the time I’m writing this, my car has been giving me trouble. It’s been like this for a while; and whenever it seems like it’s fixed, it’s not long before something goes wrong again. It’s already cost quite a bit of time and money, and it’s looking like more will be required before the root problem is found. When things don’t work the way they should, I get stressed, and this has been my nemesis of late.

Perhaps you’re going through a rough patch too. Or maybe you’re facing a major hardship or heartbreak. Maybe you recently lost your job or someone you were close to. Maybe you’ve been beaten down one too many times, and you just can’t imagine that anything good can happen in your life, that you could catch a break.

Whatever you’re dealing with, you’re not alone. Jesus Himself experienced hard times—He even asked His Father if it was really necessary to go through with His trial and execution.

Sometimes our hardships can be so overwhelming that we become paralyzed. When we feel trapped by fear or grief, unable to take the tiniest step toward recovery, what we need most is a guide—someone or something to give hope and illuminate the path toward healing. It can be a friend, an inspirational book or website, music, or most importantly, God. No matter what our circumstance or difficulty, we can rest assured that God will always be faithful.

If you happen to be struggling today, or if you know someone else who is careworn, then you have come to the right place for healing. I hope my car will—eventually—run as good as new. What is more certain is that God will help you through your difficulty. His Word promises “The Lord hears his people when they call to him for help. He rescues them from all their troubles.”

—

2 Corinthians 12:9-10 ESV / But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

1 Corinthians 10:13 ESV / No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.

1 John 4:4 ESV / Little children, you are from God and have overcome them, for he who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.

IN NEED OF A MAKEOVER?

There are countless people whose lives have been changed by an encounter with Jesus, both within and beyond the context of Bible history.

Paul is often rightly cited as an example of the power of Jesus to transform lives. He was a Pharisee (a member of an ancient Jewish religious group) who was so dead set against the followers of Jesus that he took it upon himself to launch a crusade for their imprisonment and in some cases death.

Yet after “seeing the light” on the road to Damascus and his subsequent dramatic conversion, he went on to become one of the principal leaders of early Christianity. He is credited with writing approximately two-thirds of the New Testament’s text and was undoubtedly one of the driving forces behind the evangelism of the non-Jewish world of the time.

That is one outstanding transformation, and just because it is so outstanding, it can easily seem out of reach. Most of us want to improve ourselves, but we might not consider it likely that we could have such a remarkable makeover. After all, how many of the millions of converts to Christianity each year get their “names in the paper” like Paul, not to speak of the other 2.2 billion Christians alive today?

That’s why looking at some of the other people whom Jesus met can be a little bit more relatable.

There’s the woman with a dubious past who found peace of mind. There’s the tax collector who decided to mend his dishonest ways. There are all the nameless people who were just happy to hear Him speak. There’s the lady who stood up straight for the first time in 18 years. Even Thomas, whose analytical mind was often a barrier, discovered true faith at the touch of the risen Savior.

God’s makeovers happen in ways big and small. “If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation.” The new creation doesn’t usually happen at once, but the more we live in Him day by day, the further we go toward reaching our potential.

—

2 Corinthians 5:17 ESV / Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.

Psalm 51:12 ESV / Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and uphold me with a willing spirit.

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.

UPCYCLED!

It never ceases to amaze me how Lidija, a dear friend of mine, can turn garbage into works of art. As a volunteer, she runs a day center called Koraci (Steps) and organizes art workshops for children, the elderly, the disabled, young people, housewives, etc.

Besides the more conventional techniques, such as ceramics, pressed flowers, and decoupage, I find her upcycled art the most fascinating, almost like a miracle performed each time she puts her hands on something of apparently no value. In fact, I keep a bag by my desk labelled “Lidija,” in which I collect all sorts of cans, broken pieces of glass, bits and pieces of material, discarded jewelry, small cardboard containers, and whatnot. If it wasn’t for Lidija’s bag, these would go in the garbage bin.

Over and over, I’ve seen all of the above transformed into astonishing pieces of art. Lidija’s motto is “Never throw anything away; it can all be used.” People who know her often smile when they see her eyes get that special spark—there she goes again—but she can already visualize what a random discarded object can become.

But there’s another field, even more valuable, in which Lidija practices upcycling, and that is at her workplace. For a few years now, she’s been working in a reformatory for juvenile delinquents, ranging from 8 to 18 years old. These kids, usually coming from the worst strata of society, are like diamonds in the rough; it takes someone with extra eyes of love and faith to see the potential in them. Every time I observe Lidija in action, showering love and attention on these kids, teaching them art, cooking, manners, giving them a hug or an extra snack on the side, treating them like they were her own sons, crying and praying for them, rejoicing when they succeed, well, that’s the best kind of “upcycling” I see!

Thanks to her loving care, some of them have made it to better lives, diamonds in the rough, forever thankful that one day someone picked them from the virtual garbage can and upcycled them!

Upcycling: Recycling means to turn waste into a reusable product or to refurbish a product for reuse. Upcycling, a particular form of recycling, involves turning waste material or an unwanted product into a better-quality product. Upcycling projects can be as simple as folding an old newspaper into a biodegradable flowerpot. Other options include jewelry made from zippers, felted slippers made from the wool of used sweaters, bags made from crocheted strips of plastic grocery bags, and T-shirts turned into trendy children’s dresses.

—

Romans 14:1 ESV / As for the one who is weak in faith, welcome him, but not to quarrel over opinions.

James 4:1 ESV / What causes quarrels and what causes fights among you? Is it not this, that your passions are at war within you?

John 3:16 ESV / For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.

MAKING IT HAPPEN

It is not my ability, but my response to God’s ability, that counts.
—Corrie ten Boom (1892–1983)

Alas for those who never sing, but die with all their music in them.
—Wendell Holmes (1809–1894)

Trust yourself. Create the kind of self that you will be happy to live with all your life. Make the most of yourself by fanning the tiny inner sparks of possibility into flames of achievement.

Your time is limited, so don’t waste it living someone else’s life. Don’t be trapped by dogma—which is living with the results of other people’s thinking. Don’t let the noise of others’ opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most importantly, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary.
—Steve Jobs (1955–2011)

Here is the test to find whether your mission on earth is finished. If you’re alive, it isn’t.
—Richard Bach (b. 1936)

Don’t be afraid of the space between your dreams and reality. If you can dream it, you can make it so.
—Belva Davis (b. 1932)

Don’t be too timid and squeamish about your actions. All life is an experiment. The more experiments you make the better.
—Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–1882)

—

Numbers 23:19 ESV / God is not man, that he should lie, or a son of man, that he should change his mind. Has he said, and will he not do it? Or has he spoken, and will he not fulfill it?

Isaiah 45:7 ESV / I form light and create darkness, I make well-being and create calamity, I am the Lord, who does all these things.

1 Peter 2:1-5 ESV / So put away all malice and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and all slander. Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up into salvation— if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is good. As you come to him, a living stone rejected by men but in the sight of God chosen and precious, you yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.

Announcement

Palm Sunday Service
Date: 25th March 2018 (Sun)
Time: 10:30am
Venue: Penang Corps - Worship Hall

Cell Group - NorthEast
Date: 25th March 2018 (Sun)
Time: 1pm
Venue: Penang Corps - Community Hall

Mobilise: Go Children and Youth Weekend
Date: 25th March 2018 (Sun)
Time: 7:30pm
Venue: Penang Corps - Worship Hall

Good Friday Service
Date: 30th March 2018 (Fri)
Time: 8pm
Venue: Penang Corps - Worship Hall

Easter Sunrise Service
Date: 1st April 2018 (Sun)
Time: 7am
Venue: VMCA

Easter Service
Date: 1st April 2018 (Sun)
Time: 10:30am
Venue:  Penang Corps - Worship Hall

ONE MAN’S TRASH

When we lack faith, we miss miracles that are trying to be delivered to us. Life is a lot about having the faith to see possibilities that others might overlook. Take apple seeds, for example. Most people throw away the core and seeds as worthless, but someone with faith as small as that seed might see in them a world of opportunity.

When His disciples were frustrated that they were unable to cure certain diseases, Jesus told them that they were ineffectual because of their unbelief: “‘You don’t have enough faith,’ Jesus told them. ‘I tell you the truth, if you had faith even as small as a mustard seed, you could say to this mountain, “Move from here to there,” and it would move. Nothing would be impossible.’”

Hey, wait a minute! Jesus said mustard seed, not apple seed. Right, but the point was that if we just have a little bit of faith we can accomplish a lot, even move mountains! And that was before the invention of dynamite or huge dump trucks to blast and haul mountains.

Behind my house is an old and venerable apple tree. Come late August the grass below is full of apples, most of them with a worm or two squiggling about, as we don’t use pesticides. The majority is only fit for the compost, but if you cut out the bad bits before the worm has gotten too comfortable, and slice or chop them up, you can make a fantastic apple pie.

This brings me to one of my favorite examples of a man who had a lot of faith to see opportunities in small possibilities. I am talking about John Chapman, affectionately known as Johnny Appleseed. Legends abound concerning this American folk hero, but there is enough truth about his life to warrant retelling:
Johnny Appleseed lived from 1774 to 1845 and came from the area of my hometown, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He collected the discarded apple seeds from the apple cider mills, then cleaned and dried them in preparation for planting. He would put them in a pouch and set off to the pioneer areas out west that were just being settled at that time. He planted apple nurseries with his seeds and nurtured them until they were saplings, big enough to sell or barter for clothes and other items.

This barefoot tree-planting preacher was a welcome visitor to the settlers. They invited him into their homes, glad to hear news from the places Johnny had just been to and the stories he had to tell. He also was a kind of mobile lending library because he had his Bible divided up into sections and would leave one book with a settler home and then exchange it for another book when he passed through that same way again.

Apples from trees that are grown from seeds are seldom sweet, so the apples Johnny grew were usually processed into apple cider (used as a food preservative), and the trees were used to mark land boundaries.

Like Johnny, we can grab ahold of the opportunities that come our way. When the doors or windows of possibilities open to us, we can enter in and partake of the blessings that God has for us and for others that we touch. Realizing an opportunity when it presents itself is just the first step, and then come all the steps that follow to bring that possibility to fruition, not unlike the many challenges Johnny faced nurturing apple trees from seeds.

—

Matthew 17:20 ESV / He said to them, “Because of your little faith. For truly, I say to you, if you have faith like a grain of mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move, and nothing will be impossible for you.”

Matthew 13:31-32 ESV / He put another parable before them, saying, “The kingdom of heaven is like a grain of mustard seed that a man took and sowed in his field. It is the smallest of all seeds, but when it has grown it is larger than all the garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and make nests in its branches.”

TURNING DREAMS INTO REALITY

To one degree or another, just about all of us are unsatisfied with ourselves and our circumstances—and that’s not necessarily a bad thing. A certain amount of dissatisfaction is necessary if we’re ever going to make progress. To become all that we can be, we must dream of being more than we are. The problem is, too many of us stop there, in the dream stage. Why do you suppose that is?

More often than not, it’s because we don’t think we have what it takes to turn our dreams into reality. And we’re usually right about that. We can make some changes by sheer willpower or working harder, like reaching a new sales quota or dropping a dress or pants size. But what about the bigger changes, the changes inside that we know would make us so much happier and enable us to truly make a difference in our corner of the world? It’s that kind of change that is usually most elusive.

We’re not good enough, we tell ourselves. We have too many flaws and make too many mistakes. It’s just not in us!

Jesus summed it up so simply when He said, “With men it is impossible, but not with God; for with God all things are possible.” The secret lies in putting ourselves in God’s hands and letting Him do the impossible for us and through us and sometimes in spite of us. We’re small, weak, and incapable, but there is a very big and strong and capable God just waiting to help us.

Be Like Him Christ in you, the hope of glory.
—Colossians 1:27

The secret of a Christian is that the supernatural is made natural in him by the grace of God, and the experience of this works out in the practical details of life.
—Oswald Chambers (1874–1917)

To be like Christ. That is our goal, plain and simple. It sounds like a peaceful, relaxing, easy objective. But stop and think. He learned obedience by the things he suffered. So must we. It is neither easy nor quick nor natural. It is impossible in the flesh, slow in coming, and supernatural in scope. Only Christ can accomplish it within us.
—Chuck Swindoll (b. 1934)

That energy is God’s energy, an energy deep within you, God himself willing and working.
—Philippians 2:13 MSG

—

Matthew 19:26 ESV / But Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”

Luke 1:37 ESV / For nothing will be impossible with God.

Jeremiah 32:17 ESV / ‘Ah, Lord God! It is you who have made the heavens and the earth by your great power and by your outstretched arm! Nothing is too hard for you.

FAREWELL TO AN OLD FRIEND

My elderly mother was on the phone. “The next time you visit, would you mind looking in the garage? Your brother is helping clean it out, and he came across some of your old things.”

What childhood leftovers could possibly remain? When I arrived, there it was: a ponderous manual office typewriter, as sturdy as ever, but a little rusty from three decades of disuse. The sight brought back happy memories. My parents had bought it secondhand to reward me for passing an important exam at age 11. I’d taught myself to type and spent many hours during my teen years hammering out poems and stories.

Before I could reconcile with the idea that my old friend should finally be thrown away, I tried typing on it again. I had forgotten how much force was required to press a key on an old manual typewriter! Maybe it was the old ribbon, but I could barely see what I had typed. Oops, I made a mistake! My right pinkie shot up to fix the mistake, and then I remembered there was no key to delete backwards, that I was back in the day of crumbly typewriter erasers. Hammering painstakingly, I managed to type a few words. A bell sounded, signaling me to pull back the lever that advanced the paper and returned the heavy carriage to start a new line. I had expended a lot of effort and had very little to show for it.

How different it is typing on my tablet! Lightweight and portable, I can take it with me virtually anywhere. I slip it out of my purse, press the power button, and it turns on instantly. A few feather-light keystrokes and the first words form on the screen. One press of the backspace key deletes my mistakes. A few more keystrokes and spelling mistakes are autocorrected. One more click and I save my work. A few more clicks and I can email copies to friends around the world—no carbon paper, envelopes, or stamps needed—and they will get them almost instantly.

Our spiritual lives are a bit like that. God offers us “portable spiritual technology” to use throughout our daily lives—prayer power, a personal relationship with Him, and gifts of the Holy Spirit such as wisdom, knowledge, and faith—but it’s up to us. We can avail ourselves of the gifts He offers, or we can try to manage without God’s help. That sounds every bit as unreasonable as me working today on my old typewriter instead of the fast, easy, and portable tablet. God’s spiritual technology can improve our lives, so let’s use it.

—

Job 28:28 ESV / And he said to man, ‘Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom, and to turn away from evil is understanding.’”

1 Peter 3:7 ESV / Likewise, husbands, live with your wives in an understanding way, showing honor to the woman as the weaker vessel, since they are heirs with you of the grace of life, so that your prayers may not be hindered.

1 Corinthians 2:12 ESV / Now we have received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might understand the things freely given us by God.

FORMULA OF 5—SPIRITUAL GROWTH

He set himself to seek God … and as long as he sought the Lord, God made him prosper.

If you want to be physically fit, you have to eat right, exercise, and put some time and effort into building good physical habits. Similarly, if you want spiritual growth—if you want to be spiritually fit—it will require investing in a spiritual regimen.

Let’s look at five points in a formula for spiritual growth.

Number 1: Connect with God through spiritual input.

Making time daily for godly input and spiritual nourishment is paramount to having a vibrant spiritual life. Jesus affirmed that God’s Word is our source of spiritual nourishment when He quoted the Old Testament verse: “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.”
The Bible is the “word that comes from the mouth of God.” Just as we need to eat physical food every day for sustenance and good health, we need to take in spiritual nourishment every day. If you only have a few minutes to spend with God, don’t skip it and figure that it won’t count or make a difference. Jesus said, “The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life.” Don’t miss your daily infilling of “spirit” and “life.”

Where should your spiritual input come from? First and foremost is the Bible, God’s Word. Another source is devotional, faith-building material (or media) authored by godly men and women. The inspired writings of other Christians can serve to strengthen your faith, open your understanding of the Scriptures, and help you to practically apply God’s Word to your current needs and challenges.

Number 2: Develop an active prayer life.

Prayer is a key component of our spiritual life; it’s how we communicate with God, our Creator. We can speak with Him, praise and worship Him, and tell Him our concerns, troubles, needs, and ask Him for His help, intervention, and strength. Prayer is asking for the will of God to be done, and through prayer, we listen to His voice and seek His guidance, encouragement, comfort, and instruction. Prayer is designed to be a two-way conversation, a means of developing and deepening our relationship with God.

Through prayer, we can cast all of our earthly cares upon His strong shoulders. If your heart is concerned about something, God is concerned too. As has been said, “If something is big enough to worry about, it’s big enough to pray about.”

Number 3: Keep your heart right with God.

The next point in our formula of spiritual growth and health is to stay right with God. This doesn’t mean you have to be perfect. Jesus understands our flaws and human weaknesses, as He experienced life as a human. When He gave His life for our sins, He knew very well that we’d never get everything right, no matter how hard we tried. We can enter into that wonderful place of peace and forgiveness by regularly confessing our faults, mistakes, and sins to Him. We can find peace in His forgiveness as we humble ourselves, acknowledge our faults, and run to His outstretched arms.

Regular cleansing allows your spiritual life to flourish and brings peace. When you know you’re right with God, when you have no unconfessed sin in your life, you’re more apt to come to Him for times of worship and prayer, and you have more faith for Him to bless you and take care of you.

Number 4: Follow God (His Word, voice, and guidance).

Another foundational point for spiritual growth is doing what God’s Word says to do. We are called to obey what God asks of all Christians, as well as His personal guidance and instruction to us as individuals.

We don’t want to just be “smart Christians,” people who know a lot about spiritual things and doctrine and theology. We don’t want to just be able to talk about Jesus and His expectations for His followers. We are to apply the spiritual principles, to be living examples, and that comes from being doers of the Word and not hearers only.

Number 5: Participate in a community of believers.

When we believers are together, we gain a lot. When we have spent time with other Christians worshipping, reading God’s Word, singing and praying together, and confiding in one another, we come away stronger. We are refreshed, our vision is clarified, and we are better prepared for what God will bring into our lives.

It can be a challenge to carve out the time for quality fellowship or to find a Christian community where you feel at home. It is important not only for your personal edification and enjoyment, but it also helps empower you to make a difference in the world.

So to cultivate a thriving spiritual life, put these five foundational points into practice. You’ll be happy with the results.

—

2 Peter 3:18 ESV / But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be the glory both now and to the day of eternity. Amen.

Hebrews 5:12-14 ESV / For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the basic principles of the oracles of God. You need milk, not solid food, for everyone who lives on milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, since he is a child. But solid food is for the mature, for those who have their powers of discernment trained by constant practice to distinguish good from evil.

Hebrews 6:1 ESV / Therefore let us leave the elementary doctrine of Christ and go on to maturity, not laying again a foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God,

OUT OF MY COMFORT ZONE

Recently, I had the uneasy feeling that I needed a change, but I couldn’t quite put my finger on what it was. I had a nagging feeling, but I didn’t make much effort to do something about it.

Then my daughter Joanna invited me to a special exercise program that covers a variety of routines like toning, stretching, concentration, and meditation. I’m generally not very fond of group calisthenics and initially decided that I didn’t really want to try this out. I preferred to do my exercises alone in nature or at home, to ride my stationary bike, or work out with my tailor-made aerobic program.

She kept prodding. “Come on, Mom. You need to do something different and get out of your comfort zone. Just give it a try. It’ll be refreshing.”

“Leave my comfort zone … it’ll be refreshing” kept ringing in my mind. Perhaps she was right. Despite my preference for staying within my comfy space, I realized that now was time for change.

When I entered the studio, Joanna was all smiles and led me through the introduction: “Oh, I forgot to tell you—the exercises are performed in a hot room, for detoxing.”

Yikes—another no-like factor. I cringed, but there was no turning back.

Now, six months after having committed to do the exercise program twice a week, I am happy that I took the step into the unknown. This seemingly small decision has opened the door to other new ideas, new friends, and a fresh outlook. I feel better physically and even a bit braver to try something new again.
It is easy to fall into a cozy rut. This experience served as a reminder of how vital it is to keep the vision of following God closely and take the time to listen to His still small voice for direction and change on a daily basis. Not only my daughter, but God Himself has new things for me! I realized that I had slacked off, not just in my physical habits, but also in receiving God’s guidance.

I am happy that I climbed out of my comfort zone box and will now try to keep re-examining my daily routines periodically.

—

Deuteronomy 20:4 ESV / For the Lord your God is he who goes with you to fight for you against your enemies, to give you the victory.’

Philippians 4:13 ESV / I can do all things through him who strengthens me.

John 16:33 ESV / I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.”

TEARS AND MENDS

When I was a child, my mother used to keep a pile of clothes to mend, mostly belonging to us kids, by the sewing machine, and she would patiently work on them every Saturday morning. I have many happy memories of sitting beside her and learning simple sewing and making doll dresses. But the most important thing she taught me there was one day when she said: “Life is like this mending I do every week. When something goes wrong, you fix it; then if something else tears, you mend it, and that is how you get along.”

Sure enough, as I grew up, I learned that life is not always like a brand-new cloth. It sometimes tears and it sometimes opens at the seams or loses a button. But like Mom taught me, we just have to try again, or apologize and try to fix the mistake we’ve made and forgive the blunders of others or help them to undo their messes.

Proverbs 27:6 says, “Faithful are the wounds of a friend, but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful.” When I first read that, I was shocked. I had thought that being a friend meant only saying positive things and never criticizing or correcting anyone. I learned I could gain through listening to reproof from the people I knew loved me, like well-meaning friends, my husband, brothers and sisters, and my own grown children.

I realized that to grow spiritually we need input from all sources and that we should listen to good advice and meditate on it for a while, rather than rejecting it out of pride. We can also try to counsel loved ones against continuing on a path that we know by experience will only lead to defeat and heartbreak.

When driving, it is much easier to see the lights from another car than to see our own. The same is true of our own weaknesses and shortcomings. Faithful friends will help us see them and improve. Then we will grow spiritually and become more of what God knows we are capable of being. We will also feel happier and more fulfilled as time goes on, like passing exams in school and moving on to higher grades.

So when something goes wrong, don’t despair. There is always room for improvement. God is in the second-chance business. The important thing is to learn from our mistakes, pass our grades, and move forward. Remember, when something tears, it can usually be mended.

—

Revelation 3:11 ESV / I am coming soon. Hold fast what you have, so that no one may seize your crown.

Romans 16:17 ESV / I appeal to you, brothers, to watch out for those who cause divisions and create obstacles contrary to the doctrine that you have been taught; avoid them.

1 Peter 4:18 ESV / And “If the righteous is scarcely saved, what will become of the ungodly and the sinner?”