Don't Live in Hindsight

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The alarm clock sets off and you realize it's Monday morning. You start wishing and counting the days before it is Friday again.

 

Then there's the perennial need to have a vacation after a vacation. You come home from a vacation immediately hoping and anticipating for the next one.

 

We all love to do this, don't we? While it is not wrong to look forward to events, we must also not dread the 'in between'.

 

Life happens whether we like it or not.  If we remain passive about it, we are simply wasting our lives away.

 

I love what writer Jennifer Lee says. "Let's not wait until we come across an old photo, only to realize we walked right past the happy that was in front of us all along". It's so true, isn't it? We rush the days ahead yet we look back with longing hoping to turn back the time. The irony of our lives.

 

Don't waste your life wishing for a better tomorrow and regretting yesterday's mistakes.

 

Hindsight is a painful teacher.

 

So whether you are reading this post on a Friday or a Monday, I pray that you enjoy Today.



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Circle Maker Series: Experiencing the Breakthrough

I want to close our Circle Maker Series by sharing a story about breaking the sound barrier as shared in the Circle Maker book.

 

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In the world of aviation, the sound barrier was once considered the unbreakable barrier. Many engineers believed that Mach 1 (the speed of sound) represented an impenetrable wall of air, and dozens of pilots who died trying to break the barrier solidified that belief. At low speeds, the shock waves are a non-factor, but as an aircraft reaches higher speeds, new aerodynamics is introduced.  When a plane approaches the speed of sound (or Mach 1), shock waves increase and cause the pilots to lose control. The buildup of air pressure in front of the aircraft causes a wave drag.  And because the air on top of the wing is traveling faster than air on the bottom, it basically results in a catastrophic nosedive.  The British, among others, put a hold on their attempt to break the sound barrier when their prototype self-destructed at Mach .94

But that did not keep a young American pilot named Chuck Yeager from attempting the impossible. On October 14, 1947, a four-engine B29 took off from the California desert.  As his plane hit Mach .965, the speed indicator went haywire. At Mach .995, the g-force blurred his vision and turned his stomach. Then, just as it seemed as if the plane would disintegrate, there was a loud sonic boom followed by an almost instantaneous and eerie silence. As the plane crossed the sound  barrier, 761 miles per hour, the air pressure shifted from the front of the plane to the back.  The shock waves that had buffeted the cockpit turned into a sea of glass.  Yeager reached Mach 1.07 before cutting his engines and coming back down to earth. The unbreakable barrier had been broken.

Just as there is the sound barrier, there is also the faith barrier. That is the point where we have seemingly reached a wall in our spiritual journey. The point when we start to feel that our prayers are not going anywhere. Breaking the faith barrier often times feels like breaking the sound barrier.  Difficult to almost impossible. 

If we want to experience supernatural breakthroughs, we need to pray through. It may often feel like we are about to lose control and things are falling apart, but that is when we need to press further and pray harder. If you allow disappointments and doubts to stop you from praying through, then we experience a nosedive in our spiritual journey and our dreams end there.

If you want to experience a Supernatural breakthrough, you need to pray through

Do not give up. If there is one thing that we need to remember from the Circle Maker series is that giving up on prayer should never be an option. You never know when you're just a prayer away from the promise. 
 

Just like the story of Chuck Yeager, we need to wait for that ‘Sonic Boom’ experience in our spirits.  It may be the moment when the Lord answers your prayer or the moment when we have peace knowing that our prayers are in the Lord’s hands and will be answered in His perfect time. That is the moment when your frustrations turn into quiet confidence.  That is when we know we have experienced a breakthrough.

 

As we enter the holiday season, remember that the best gift that you can give yourself is the gift of hope. Prayer develops our faith, and with faith comes a renewed sense of hope. Never give up on the Lord, because He will never give up on you.

 

Romans 12:12 "Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer"

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Circle Maker Series: Praying Through

Every night before going to bed, I would pray and lift up my concerns to the Lord. I have a number of prayer items that have been there for as long as I can remember.  Do you also experience drought in your prayer life sometimes? When it feels like you are just going around in circles and nothing is happening? Well, you need to read this.

I will start this post by sharing two stories. One from the Bible and one from the Circle Maker book.

Story 1: Luke 18: 1-5    

The Parable of the Persistent Widow

One day Jesus told his disciples of a story to show that they should always pray and not give up.  "There was a judge in a certain city," he said, "who neither feared God nor cared about people. A widow of that city came to him repeatedly, saying, 'Give me justice in this dispute with the enemy.'  The judge ignored her for a while, but finally he said to himself, 'I don't fear God or care about people, but this woman is driving me crazy. I'm going to see that she gets justice, because she is wearing me out with her constant requests!'"

Story 2:  In standardized math tests, Japanese children consistently score higher than their American counterparts. While some assume that a natural proclivity toward mathematics is the primary difference, researchers have discovered that it may have more to do with effort than ability. In one study involving first-graders, students were given a difficult puzzle to solve. The researchers weren’t interested in whether or not the children could solve the puzzle; they simply wanted to see how long they would try before giving up. The American children lasted, on average, 9.47 minutes. The Japanese children lasted 13.93 minutes. In other words, the Japanese children tried 47 percent longer. Is it any wonder why they score higher on math exams? Researchers concluded that the difference in math scores might have less to do with intelligence quotient and more to do with persistence quotient. The Japanese first-graders simply tried harder.
 

Now do these stories tell us? Success is, more often than not, a product of persistence.  In the story of the persistent widow, the Bible was silent on what sort of injustice took place. Maybe her son was falsely imprisoned or maybe a man who molested her daughter was still walking free. Whatever injustice she was facing, it is apparent that the widow will not stop until the judge grants her the justice she is looking for. That is what makes her a circle maker.

In my previous post, i talked about dreaming big and praying bold prayers. Now here's the question we need to answer. How desperate are we for God to fulfill those dreams? How many times are you willing to lift that request up in prayer? How long are you willing to wait?

We all know that God is sovereign and the answers to our prayers do not depend on us. Ultimately, the answer will still be God's decision. But it is also up to us to show the Lord how serious we are with our request.

Pray like it depends on God (because it really does!)

 

If I tell you now that I know a person who can grant your deepest request, wouldn’t you be curious and immediately schedule an appointment with him?  Stop for a moment and consider this.  God CAN answer that desperate dream that we have.  Why aren't we constantly seeking the Lord for the answer?   If we do not pray and seek God like the miracle depends on Him, then our answers will always be out of our prayer reach.

In 1 Kings 18: 41-46, the Bible talked about a story of drought. Very similar to Honi's story.  Elijah went up to Mount Carmel to pray for rain. After each prayer, he would ask his servant to go and look out toward the sea and check for rain. When there was still no sign of rain, Elijah would pray again. He did this for seven times before God sent a terrific rainstorm.

This story reminded me of a story I previously shared about the Jericho Wall. The Israelites had to circle the wall of Jericho for seven days before they were able to break through the wall conquer the promised land. Similarly, there was no tangible difference after Elijah prayed for the first, second, third, until the sixth time. But he persisted until the Lord answered his request for rain after his seventh prayer.  Just like the Israelites, Elijah would have forfeited the miracle had he stopped praying on the sixth time.

Now in my prayer list, there are big and small items. I have a few friends who tell me that they only pray the big-ticket items so that God is no longer bothered by the smaller ones. Here's the next point that i want to share with you.

 

God is great not only because nothing is too big for Him.  He is also great because nothing is too small for Him.

The bible said that there is no sparrow that falls to the ground that the Lord does not know about. I recently found out that the maya bird is a type of sparrow. I guess the reason why the Lord used a sparrow to explain this point is because there are just a lot of sparrows in the world. With all the seemingly more important world events, can you imagine why God would even bother knowing each one of the sparrow?

A few weeks ago, our Pastor shared something with us that made me understand God's heart more.  The Bible says that the hairs on our head are numbered. The Lord did not say they are counted, but that they are numbered.  This means that when a hair falls, the Lord does not say "Minus 1 hair from Fan's head", the Lord will say "Hair #2546 has just fallen". Our hairs are numbered.

Isn't it amazing how God is into the details of our lives? There is nothing too big for him and yet there is also nothing too small for Him.  The Lord listens to all our concerns. May it be our parenting struggles, healing from a serious illness, career choice, or finding the love of our life.  The Lord is interested in all of them.

I urge all of you to pray through the tough times and not give up.  Because, who knows? You may just be a prayer away from the miracle you have been waiting for.

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The Promise of Joy

Psalm 30:5 "For his anger lasts only a moment, but his favor lasts a lifetime! Weeping may last through the night, but joy comes with the morning"

I love that verse. For the darkest two months in my life back in 2006, i remember wondering if i will ever be happy again. I wasn't being melodramatic but that was truly the dread that i felt during those months. For those of us who have gone through severe grief, i am sure you know what i'm talking about. It's very hard to imagine being happy when you're extremely sad.

I dreaded going back to our house with the empty crib and unused clothes. I stayed away from children's parties and toy stores months after Tyler's passing. My heart broke silently as we celebrated with my family and friends on the arrival of their healthy babies. That was really a difficult time.

Then my mom shared Psalm 30:5 to me. That was my comfort and i held on to God's promise of joy each time fear and depression started to creep its way into my heart.  Twenty-two months after that sad December morning, our promise of joy came true. God blessed us with a very healthy baby boy.

Troy is now 5 years old and each time i see him, i am reminded of God's faithfulness in our lives. He is true to His promise and He will never fail us.

Some of you may be going through a difficult time right now. Some may be minor bumps on the road while others may be grave. Either way, rest assured that God is in control so long as you trust in Him. As sure as the morning comes after the night, His promise of joy will come after the sorrow.

Isaiah 43:2 "When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they will not overflow you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be scorched, nor will the flame burn you"

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Bible Reading for Kids

I woke up this morning with Dawn sleeping soundly beside me.  I looked at the time and saw that i still have a few more minutes to spare before my alarm clock goes off.  As i was about to go back to sleep, i was surprised to see Dens and Troy already awake and reading Troy's children's bible. My surprise was not so much that they were reading the bible together, it was more because they were up extra early. If you know my husband well, you will know that sleep is oh-so-precious to him. That is why i appreciate him so much more when i saw that he took the effort to wake up early to have this special time with Troy.

Dens started their daily bible reading around 3 months ago.  Troy enjoys the stories and the time with his dad. He looks forward to it when he wakes up and makes sure the bible is on Dens' bedside before we go to sleep at night. On some nights, Troy would request for Dens to also read the bible to him before going to bed. In effect, he has two devotional time with the Lord in a day! That's double the quota i've set for myself during my 21-day challenge!

They have finished the entire children's bible and are just reviewing their favorite stories now. We have been using My First Bible from Good Books.  It has a lot of colorful illustration and the stories are simplified to make it easier for children to understand. There are a lot of children's bibles out there. Go to the bookstore with your child and have them pick out their favorite. We just might do that again with Troy soon.

Psalm 119:133 "Direct my steps by Your word"

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My 21-Day Challenge

They say that it takes 21 days to form a habit. I am not sure how accurate that theory is but i will put it to a test. Today, i am starting my own 21-day challenge that will end on June 24. I will let you know how it goes.

Habits i intend to develop:

1. Have my daily quiet time with the Lord. I try to read my devotional and bible everyday but I haven't been as diligent as i'd like to. I also have a journal where i write the messages I receive during my quiet time. It can either be quotes from my devotional or verses from the bible. I also list down things that i am grateful for as well and update my prayer request list.
Having my quiet time daily is important. It is a great time of conversation with the Lord.

2.  Exercise EVERYDAY.  I do muay thai (kickboxing) around 3 times a week. I sometimes squeeze in an hour of Yoga on some weeks but not regularly. On weekends, i play badminton but it's also very irregular. For the next 21 days, i plan to have some form of exercise every single day. On days that i can't go to the gym or badminton court, i will exercise at home.

I learned this 4-minute workout recently that is said to burn over 600 carlories. That's what i plan to do on those gym-less days. It's basically just 10 jumping jacks, 10 squats, 10 push ups, and 10 lunges. Do this repeatedly for 4 minutes. You can do it too!

3. Moisturize daily. Whenever i remember to moisturize at night, my skin looks amazingly clear and soft in the morning. I know it has worked its miracle somehow overnight. This is something i need to be more diligent at if i intend to delay the signs of aging for as long as i can.

4. Sleep before 11pm. I contacted hepatitis when i was a child. And ever since, i have tried to take care of my liver by staying away from alcoholic drinks. Another way to help help strengthen my liver is to sleep before 11am. They say that the body (specifically the liver) detoxifies from 11pm to 3am. So my goal is to develop healthier sleeping habits. I think this will be the hardest to accomplish but i will try my best.

5. No colored drinks. I love iced teas! Especially during this hot summer weather - it's always so refreshing. But i also know that iced tea contains a lot of unhealthy liquid calories. Water is still best. I will stay away from colored drinks (i.e. iced tea, artificial juices, coffee, milk tea) for the next 21 days.

Go on and develop your own good habits. Start your own 21-day challenge today!

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He Has Been Good To Me

Do you have one of those days when you feel that God is hiding from you? Why hasn't he answered your prayers? Those days when the message of Psalm 13:1 "How long, LORD? Will you forget me forever? How long will you hide your face from me?" feels more accurate than ever?

After we lost Tyler, we often hear people say how strong our faith in God is. They would say it's a good thing we didn't 'give up' on the Lord. I often wonder why people would say that. I don't really know how to answer them because, for me, there wasn't any other way but to continually trust Him. The last paragraph of my devotion below explains it beautifully and i would like to share it with all of you.
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One of the hardest challenges I’ve faced is finding God in loss. I remember sitting with a mother in a hospital, praying for the recovery of her daughter. The daughter had been married only a year. While delivering the woman’s baby, the doctor nicked something with his knife. Now the young woman was fighting for her life.

Her mother was inconsolable. When we prayed, she felt no peace. Within hours, her daughter was gone. After that, the mother stopped going to church. The young husband was angry and didn’t know how to care for his baby alone. Where was God?

That question is often asked in suffering or loss. And often the only answer appears to be silence. The promises of Scripture fade in the agony of sorrow. The Holy Spirit seems to withdraw from hearts that grow chilly. Where is God when airplanes crash? Where is God when a spouse is unfaithful? Where is God when a baby dies? Where is God?

Psalm 13 echoes those concerns. In verse 1, the psalmist David asks God, “How long will you hide your face from me?” But this isn’t the end of the psalm. Rather, the psalmist goes on to assure us that our God, who is enthroned on high, stoops low to see and hear and know us—even when we can’t see his face and his words are like a foreign language to us.

“I trust in your unfailing love; my heart rejoices in your salvation,” said David (Psalm 13:5). Likewise we continue to love and trust God, not for what we get out of it right now, but because it is the only way to make sense of this life. We trust in God, not because we always feel the wonder of his divine presence, but because there is truly no one else to turn to but God. And in time we will live to say, “He has been good to me” (Psalm 13:6).
- Wayne Brouwer

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