Hello my fellow BO-ers....
it's such a BEA-U-TIFUL sunday today! I really amazed at the things God has spoken to my heart and it would be selfish of me to keep it to myself.... sooo here is my blah of the day....
Today at Nazarene, Pastor Junior spoke about the Greatest Joy. And at one point, he talked about fear. He said " Do not fear life, but put our fear in a living God." It hit me to hard because it's so hard to continuously fear the Lord when we see the happenings of this world. It's so easy to get sucked into the worldly routine and worship God because it's a duty as opposed to truly worshipping Him. And especially when society imposes values, getting high marks in school to get a good career, etc., it's so hard to be hidden in God. And right now, i'm so bound with marks and success that freedom seems distant from me. But I know that our chains are broken because of Christ and freedom is freely given to me and you and everyone. It's just a matter of me stretching out myself to God's hands to grab hold of Him.
So if you are struggling fearing the world and life and being paralysed by it, be reminded that God has already freed us! Amen? AMEN!!!
Here is a section of "Freedom Reigns" by Jason Upton
Where the spirit of the Lord is
There is freedom
Where the spirit of the Lord is
There is freedom
Freedom reigns in this place
Showers of mercy and grace
Flowing from every face
There is FREEDOM!
Love, Janine
Sunday, January 28, 2007
Wednesday, January 24, 2007
Challenged and Healed by God
Before retreat I was spirtually dying and being consumed by the world. I was being consumed by worldly worries. Retreat was a blessing! God really CHALLENGED me. I've been struggling with finding a balance between being under my parents authority and doing what I need to do. As some of you may know, my parents are not Christians and its often a challenge being the only Christian at home. As Pastor phil said: expect conflict to come with glory. Should I stand up and defend who I believe in or should I hide to avoid conflict? I think I know the answer now. I've been so blessed again.
I've never really believed in healing prayers until God really showed me. I was really really sick on Monday with a fever of 103.4 and it seemed to be going up. I couldn't even figure out how to aim a spoon of congee into my mouth. I was so blessed that God brought a brother and sister to me that night and they were praying for me. Tuesday, I no longer had a fever. Prayers do work!!!
Lets continue to pray for unity in our small group. Lets continue to pray for openness, trust and God's guidance.
Pray without ceasing!! (don't know the verse number)
Psalm 118:24 This is the day the LORD has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.
Karen
I've never really believed in healing prayers until God really showed me. I was really really sick on Monday with a fever of 103.4 and it seemed to be going up. I couldn't even figure out how to aim a spoon of congee into my mouth. I was so blessed that God brought a brother and sister to me that night and they were praying for me. Tuesday, I no longer had a fever. Prayers do work!!!
Lets continue to pray for unity in our small group. Lets continue to pray for openness, trust and God's guidance.
Pray without ceasing!! (don't know the verse number)
Psalm 118:24 This is the day the LORD has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.
Karen
Tuesday, January 23, 2007
Is it just me or .... ?
Hello everyone!
I don't know if it's just me... but is everyone getting sick? I have the flu (the doctor said that I'll be sick for a week and a bit)! And I know Tiff and Karen were feeling sick at the end of retreat! (Get better soon, my BO small group leaders -Hahahah Janine, you're so funny)
To everyone who is sick, I pray that you'll get well soon, it's totally not fun getting sick! But hey, at least you're not sick alone, you've got me. You've also got the Father looking out for you. Everyone get well soon! : )
-kams
I don't know if it's just me... but is everyone getting sick? I have the flu (the doctor said that I'll be sick for a week and a bit)! And I know Tiff and Karen were feeling sick at the end of retreat! (Get better soon, my BO small group leaders -Hahahah Janine, you're so funny)
To everyone who is sick, I pray that you'll get well soon, it's totally not fun getting sick! But hey, at least you're not sick alone, you've got me. You've also got the Father looking out for you. Everyone get well soon! : )
-kams
BO
haha it's me again.. it just occured to me...
Beyond ourselves = BO = Body odour...
You know when people's body odour is very distinct and spreads like crazy... It's like our vision for our small group... to be distinct, marked by Christ (have a lasting impression) and spread the Good News, God's love to others!
NEATTTT!!
Janine
Beyond ourselves = BO = Body odour...
You know when people's body odour is very distinct and spreads like crazy... It's like our vision for our small group... to be distinct, marked by Christ (have a lasting impression) and spread the Good News, God's love to others!
NEATTTT!!
Janine
God is good! All the Time
yeahhhhh I can't wait to simply hear/read the praises and the struggles we are all facing.... man 1st year is tough but the Lord is really gracious and He's been blessing me, even to today! And I really do hope that you guys challenge your faith.... I've been challenging mine and I don't regret it at all!
Here something that I've been going through for some time and how God was faithful!
So when I was in high school, I served and was really active at church. And I really felt God, like He was alive and always looking after me. And He performed so many miracles in terms of getting last minute preparations done, getting school workload done with incredible marks (all glory goes to GOD), etc. etc. etc.
But after coming to Western, I questioned my faith. Does God really exist or was it principles and beliefs that I grew up during my childhood at church? So the past 5 months was a searching journey, looking through the Bible, asking questions, talking to people, reading my journal... I discovered that sometimes just "feeling God" isn't enough, we need to continuously feed on Him and just have FAITH. It's a simply word yet so hard to act on it. So I tried going back to the basics of Christianity, learning from the start, grow deeply in His Word.... but I still didn't experience God...
...and winter retreat came along. During the saturday night worship, where Pastor Phil asked people to just pray for our cups to overflow, I cried out in my heart for God to fill me with the Holy Spirit. I was desperate to hear God's voice again. Then suddenly my heart felt compelled to ask for prayer to 2 upper year girls sitting diagonal to me.... I thought that I could pray on my own and deal with this with God only! NOOOOOO the tugging continued.. "ok God, i'll go up to the girls and just ask them for a prayer"
So i went up to them, and suddenly, *kazaaaam* I started pouring out in tears... (side note: I almost never cry) and it just came down, never-ending. "why am I crying? I do not feel emotional nor do I feel hurt.... why am I crying?" So we continued praying and I felt sooo relieved, those tears were like burdens carried by God away from me... I felt light and could literally conquer the world.=)
It didn't occur to me until yesterday's women cell.... It just hit me that we aren't alone in our prayers. We do not need to pray by ourselves. Sometimes we need people to pray for us. They are used by God to open our eyes to our very inner being. After some reflection, this verse came up to me "so Peter was kept in prison, but the church was earnestly praying to God for him." ~ Acts 12:5 WOW! There are people praying for you and don't be afraid to ask for it! God has freely given us the gift of free worship through Jesus Christ! Why not accept it?
This weekend has crazily changed my definition of prayer! It's a radical change and I just know that the Holy Spirit is strengthening me everyday and that He is doing awesome work through me!
So that's my schpill for now!
Janine
Here something that I've been going through for some time and how God was faithful!
So when I was in high school, I served and was really active at church. And I really felt God, like He was alive and always looking after me. And He performed so many miracles in terms of getting last minute preparations done, getting school workload done with incredible marks (all glory goes to GOD), etc. etc. etc.
But after coming to Western, I questioned my faith. Does God really exist or was it principles and beliefs that I grew up during my childhood at church? So the past 5 months was a searching journey, looking through the Bible, asking questions, talking to people, reading my journal... I discovered that sometimes just "feeling God" isn't enough, we need to continuously feed on Him and just have FAITH. It's a simply word yet so hard to act on it. So I tried going back to the basics of Christianity, learning from the start, grow deeply in His Word.... but I still didn't experience God...
...and winter retreat came along. During the saturday night worship, where Pastor Phil asked people to just pray for our cups to overflow, I cried out in my heart for God to fill me with the Holy Spirit. I was desperate to hear God's voice again. Then suddenly my heart felt compelled to ask for prayer to 2 upper year girls sitting diagonal to me.... I thought that I could pray on my own and deal with this with God only! NOOOOOO the tugging continued.. "ok God, i'll go up to the girls and just ask them for a prayer"
So i went up to them, and suddenly, *kazaaaam* I started pouring out in tears... (side note: I almost never cry) and it just came down, never-ending. "why am I crying? I do not feel emotional nor do I feel hurt.... why am I crying?" So we continued praying and I felt sooo relieved, those tears were like burdens carried by God away from me... I felt light and could literally conquer the world.=)
It didn't occur to me until yesterday's women cell.... It just hit me that we aren't alone in our prayers. We do not need to pray by ourselves. Sometimes we need people to pray for us. They are used by God to open our eyes to our very inner being. After some reflection, this verse came up to me "so Peter was kept in prison, but the church was earnestly praying to God for him." ~ Acts 12:5 WOW! There are people praying for you and don't be afraid to ask for it! God has freely given us the gift of free worship through Jesus Christ! Why not accept it?
This weekend has crazily changed my definition of prayer! It's a radical change and I just know that the Holy Spirit is strengthening me everyday and that He is doing awesome work through me!
So that's my schpill for now!
Janine
hello BO! thanks janine for sending that email and getting things rolling! a small group blog is an awesome idea. but it will only work if everyone is willing to contribute. my campus challenge small group started a blog in the summer.. but now it's pretty dead because no one has contributed in a long time. so i encourage you all to post and share your thoughts and prayer requests! i will try to do the same as much as i can..
we had an awesome womens cell last night. sharing about what we learned and experienced at retreat.. went till pretty late. our longest wc ever haha. it was sooo good to hear what the Lord did in the hearts of my sisters. God's hand at work is sooo amazing. when you allow Him to speak to your heart and give Him control over your thoughts and actions.. you will be blessed so much more in return. God really reminded me again over the weekend that prayer is so powerful. a verse i really love in jeremiah..
Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. Jeremiah 29:12-13
it's so true!! never stop praying guys.. be fervent and expect the Lord to answer because He will!
we had an awesome womens cell last night. sharing about what we learned and experienced at retreat.. went till pretty late. our longest wc ever haha. it was sooo good to hear what the Lord did in the hearts of my sisters. God's hand at work is sooo amazing. when you allow Him to speak to your heart and give Him control over your thoughts and actions.. you will be blessed so much more in return. God really reminded me again over the weekend that prayer is so powerful. a verse i really love in jeremiah..
Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. Jeremiah 29:12-13
it's so true!! never stop praying guys.. be fervent and expect the Lord to answer because He will!
Monday, January 22, 2007
It's time to BLOG!
Come one, come all!
Upon request, our small group has started our own blog! Feel free to blog, small group members. Write whatever you want. Express yourself! Share! As Roger says, "What God gives to you is not for you alone. It is for me...and everyone else." I think that's how it goes anyways.
First post will be about....RETREAT!! Retreat was awesome and wish it wouldn't end but it has. There was snow, there was stars, there was worship and there was prayer! God was there as well! What else could you have asked for? Sad that not everyone in our small group could make it but there are still other chances next school year to go! Don't miss out on those ones.
Something I learned from retreat was how we need balance in our lives. If we don't have balance, our walk with God won't be straight anymore, but curved. I guess I have been struggling with balance a lot between school and God. Sometimes I spend too much time on school and sometimes I spend too much time on going to prayer meetings and other types of meetings. This has caused me to sway in both categories. So after the sermon by Pastor Phil and speaking to our counsellor Steven, I have finally realized I need to sacrifice things to gain other things. So please help me out by prayers if you can! Thanks in advance!
I encourage you all to blog as well if you have time. If you need prayer or if you need to share, this is a perfect place! ENJOY EVERYONE!
In Christ,
Jeff (http://j-cheung.blogspot.com/) <-- my own blog if you want to check it out
Upon request, our small group has started our own blog! Feel free to blog, small group members. Write whatever you want. Express yourself! Share! As Roger says, "What God gives to you is not for you alone. It is for me...and everyone else." I think that's how it goes anyways.
First post will be about....RETREAT!! Retreat was awesome and wish it wouldn't end but it has. There was snow, there was stars, there was worship and there was prayer! God was there as well! What else could you have asked for? Sad that not everyone in our small group could make it but there are still other chances next school year to go! Don't miss out on those ones.
Something I learned from retreat was how we need balance in our lives. If we don't have balance, our walk with God won't be straight anymore, but curved. I guess I have been struggling with balance a lot between school and God. Sometimes I spend too much time on school and sometimes I spend too much time on going to prayer meetings and other types of meetings. This has caused me to sway in both categories. So after the sermon by Pastor Phil and speaking to our counsellor Steven, I have finally realized I need to sacrifice things to gain other things. So please help me out by prayers if you can! Thanks in advance!
I encourage you all to blog as well if you have time. If you need prayer or if you need to share, this is a perfect place! ENJOY EVERYONE!
In Christ,
Jeff (http://j-cheung.blogspot.com/) <-- my own blog if you want to check it out
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