Breakthrough!

It's the day! Christmas BIG Days are here!
Santa Claus is coming to town with some elves!
41st Day is back in full power storming the gates of hell!
But most importantly breakthrough is here!

The Big Rocks

The past two weeks have been crazy busy! But super fun and, more than that, empowering! Parachute Band, Zone Camp, Getting Started, great weekend services, preparation for the upcoming events in December, etc., etc., etc.

After stopping to thing for a while, I am remind me of a short story I once heard--something that has helped me over the past years during busy times like this.

One day a wise teacher was speaking to a group of his students. He pulled out a one-gallon, wide-mouthed mason jar and set it on a table in front of him. Then he produced about a dozen fist-sized rocks and carefully placedthem, one at a time, into the jar. When the jar was filled to the top and no more rocks would fit inside, heasked, "Is this jar full?"

Everyone in the class said, "Yes.""Really?" he asked. "Let's see." He reached under the table and pulled out a bucket of gravel. Then he dumped some gravel in and shook the jar, causing pieces of gravel to work themselves down into the spaces between the big rocks. Looking carefully from face to face, he smiled benevolently and asked again, "Is the jar full?"

His class was catching on quickly. "Probably not," one of them answered."Very good!" he replied. He then reached under the table and brought out a bucket of sand. He started dumping the sand in and it went into all the spaces left between the rocks and the gravel.

When he was finished he onceagain asked, "Is this jar full?""No!" the class shouted. "Excellent!" he replied. Then he grabbed a pitcher of water and poured it in until the jar was filled to the brim.

Once again looking intently into the eyes of each student, he asked, "What is the point of this illustration?" One eager beaver raised his hand and said, "The point is, no matter how full your schedule is, if you try really hard, you can always fit some morethings into it!" "Aha, that's very good!" the teacher replied, "But let us look a bit deeper. This illustration also teaches us a higher truth: If you don't putthe big rocks in first, you will never get them in at all!"

This week, I'm excited to have all my big rocks in place--a very long time with God during rest day, some EV/integration outings, preparation for VBS and some other things. It's going to be a great week ahead. =)

Upsize 700! Breakthrough 1000!

okay, so I haven't written in what seems like ages, it's been busy but I'm going to make up for it. This is the first of many entries...

In faith we wrote down in the order of service last week that we would announce this weekend that we would breakthrough 700 in the youth attendance... God is truly a God who can do exceedingly, abundantly, above all that we ask or think...

Last weekend we not only Upsized 700 with an attendance of... wait... drumroll.... 747(!!!) but the whole church broke past 900 with an attendance of 950!!! Woohoo! Not only are we celebrating a milestone victory but 1,000 is so near--I can almost taste it!

The thing is, it's not about the number and yet it is--facts and figures can be done by many people... but every number is one life closer to God--a seed sown, a heart touched, a life changed. I do this because my life has never been the same since I met Jesus. It's been one exciting journey and what's even better is the present will pale in comparison to the future. Most importantly, we are not just focused on getting converts here, we are talking about disciples--people who are growing in their walk with God, people who will give up and sacrifice for God, people who will live their lives surrendered to and radical for God.

Just a little bit more, we will soar through 1,000. Pastor shared recently that many years ago, in 2004, when we were still maybe around 200-300 youths (?) and still in Henderson, he marked down in one of his sermons that the church would breakthrough 1,000 in 2007... Wow... =) What an exciting time to be in--I am glad to be here to see that prophetic word come to pass! =)

On to a church of 3,000 strong!

A Close Encounter

My mom came down last week and shared with me something about the explosion in Manila a few weeks ago...

It all started when my very talented and artistic but not very financially-aware sister wanted to deposit a check into someone's bank account. She didn't know that a check could be deposited at any bank branch and thought that she had to go all the way to the branch where the person opened the account; so, she borrowed the family driver and my dad had to drive.

My parents headed to Ayala Mall where my mom got off to buy some groceries. For some reason, she did not feel like going to the grocery because there was too little on her list (you must understand that my mom likes to grocery shop for fun and does so every other day, so this in itself is very unusual).

My mom went to the mall area thinking that she would shop for some shoes instead but she again decided against it--another very unusual thing. She then called my dad who was driving around the area and told him to hurry up and pick her up. My sister then called to say that she was done with her banking and would drop the driver off at the mall area. The driver came followed by my dad.

Both my parents were looking for a toilet, but the only one that was nearby was in this small restaurant called Luk Yuen. My mom, being the ultra-hygienic person that she is didn't want to go so only my dad went in for a quick trip to the john. The guard on duty told the driver that he couldn't park there, but he bargained to say that it was only for a short while. Sure enough, after a few minutes my dad came and my parents left the vicinity.

Just a few seconds after the car turned the corner (which was surprisingly free of cars that day) a loud explosion sounded from the area where they had come from and a tower of smoke billowed in the air above the mall. My parents would later learn that the explosion had come from just beside the restaurant where the car was parked just a few seconds before. The car that was just behind ours was completely destroyed. The parking space where the driver would have parked the car if my sister did not use him that day was destroyed as was the bridge that led to the shopping mall. At least 7 people died that day, many more were injured; but my family was safe.

My mom says she felt a prompting in her heart to quickly leave that place that day. It was definitely the Holy Spirit.

How can people say there is no God?

Pushing Against the Rock

one of the stories i really, really like...

There was a man who was asleep one night when suddenly his room filled with light and the Savior appeared. The Lord told the man He had a work for him to do and showed him a large rock. The Lord explained that the man was to push against the rock with all his might.

This the man did, day after day. For many years he toiled from sun up to sundown, his shoulders set squarely against the cold, massive surface of the unmoving rock, pushing with all his might. Each night the man returned sore and worn out, feeling that his whole day had been spent in vain.

Seeing that the man was showing signs of discouragement, Satan decided to enter the picture placing thoughts into the man's mind--"You have been pushing against that rock for a long time and it hasn't budged. Why kill yourself over this? You are never going to move it?"--thus, giving the man the impression that the task was impossible and that he was a failure.

These thoughts discouraged and disheartened the man even more. "Why kill myself over this?" he thought. "I'll just put in my time, giving just the minimum of effort and that will be good enough."

That he planned to do until one day he decided to make it a matter of prayer and take his troubled thoughts to the Lord. "Lord" he said, "I have labored long and hard in your service, putting all my strength to do that which you have asked. Yet, after all this time, I have not even budged that rock a half a millimeter. What is wrong? Why am I failing?"

To this the Lord responded compassionately, "My friend, when long ago I asked you to serve me and you accepted, I told you that your task was to push against the rock with all your strength, which you have done. Never once did I mention to you that I expected you to move it.

Your task was to push. And now you come to me, your strength spent, thinking that you have failed but is that really so? Look at yourself. Your arms are strong and muscled, your back brown, your hands are callused from constant pressure, and your legs have become massive and hard. Through opposition you have grown much and your abilities now surpass that which you used to have. Yet you haven't moved the rock.

BUT YOUR CALLING WAS TO BE OBEDIENT, TO PUSH AND TO EXERCISE YOUR FAITH AND TRUST IN MY WISDOM, this you have done. I, my friend, I will now move the rock."

I like the story because it rings true... so often I am looking for tangible results as a result of the amount of effort I put in... almost like physics--for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction. But it doesn't work that way I've found. We can't move the rock... we weren't asked to in the first place.

It's interesting how, like Pastor How said, God is more interested in our character than our comfort or convenience. I wouldn't have it any other way... yeah.

Zone G!!

Last Saturday was super exciting! Zone G is here and here to stay!

A fully-packed multi-purpose room. A great challenge to be a people competent and capable in the world yet not of the world -- being the generation willing to give the best years of their lives to God just as Pastors did.

If God can create Heart of God Church from 2 people who gave God their all can you imagine what God can do with a whole bunch of us?!

John 12:24 "unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it produces much grain."

Never Too Late

Today, I just finished reading Smith Wigglesworth's biography. It's a must-read!

What a great man of God! His life is a story of miracle after miracle but more importantly unwavering faith in the face of the strongest storms.

Strangely enough, Smith Wigglesworth started out in life as a plumber and only later did he start his ministry. Yet, what God has accomplished in and through his life -- tens of thousands healed, probably hundreds of thousands saved -- is more than most Christians who have walked the face of this earth.

I can't wait to see what God has in store for Heart of God Church! As we commit to give the best years of our still young lives to God, I can't imagine the future to be anything but amazing! If God can accomplish so much through one man whose life was fully surrendered to Him, I can't imagine what He can do with a whole generation--thousands upon thousands of people who have decided to live a life of faith!

Interesting fact. Smith Wigglesworth had a disciple called Lester Sumrall who had a disciple called Ulf Ekman who had a disciple not unfamiliar to us -- Pastor Kong! Then, of course, Pastor How and Pastor Lia are Pastor Kong's disciples... :)

Additional Musings: Pastor How shared about our position in God and Smith Wigglesworth definitely knew that. One night Satan himself came to Wigglesworth's room as he was sleeping. He awoke to the noise in his bedroom but upon seeing that it was Satan, he said "Oh, it's just you" and went back to sleep.

A Reflection on Surrender

Today got me thinking...

As Pastor was talking about totally surrendering to God, I reflected on how my life has evolved to what it is today.

I always tell people I have the best job on planet earth, and it's true. While many people drag their feet to work every morning I wake up with a bounce in my step and not really feeling like I'm headed to work. I'm getting paid to do something I love to do and wouldn't mind doing for free -- what more can a wide-eyed, idealistic girl ask for?

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Speaking of wide-eyed girls, there is a story of a little girl named Jenny who accompanied her mum to the grocery store one day and as her eyes scanned the room, they fell on a strand of pearls that gleamed within the plastic casing that held it to the stand. As her small 6-year old hands cradled the pearls, her mind's eye could see the pearls glistening on her neck--a perfect match for her pink Sunday dress that she loved to wear to church. The only problem was that the pearls cost $10.

When Jenny got home she emptied her piggy bank and found $$3.50 inside. Determined to buy the pearls, she struck a deal with her mum who gave her $2.50 for helping around the house for a week. As Chinese New Year rounded the corner, Jenny finally saved up enough money to buy her pearls. The beautiful pink strand became Jenny's most prized possession. She wore them everywhere and even kept them under lock and key in her dresser.

One night, Jenny's dad came to tuck her in as usual but this night he sat down at the edge of her bed, looked in her eyes and asked her "Jenny, do you love me?" Without hesitation, Jenny pecked him on the cheek and quickly responded "Yes! Of course!" Jenny's dad looked at her with much love and asked "Will you give me your pearls?" A sadness overcame Jenny and her little voice pleaded "I can give you anything... but please don't ask me to give you my pearls" Jenny's dad gently said "It's okay Jenny, I wanted your pearls" and he pulled the covers up to her chin and gave her a goodnight kiss.

Over the next few weeks when Jenny's dad came into her room to tuck her in, he would ask her the same question and Jenny would sadly decline and offer her doll or her pony or her stuffed dolphin. Her dad would always give her a sweet smile, gently say "It's okay Jenny, I wanted your pearls" and give her a goodnight kiss.

One night as Jenny's dad was in the study working, he heard a pair small feet shuffling into the room. Behind him stood Jenny, tears streaming down her face. Before he could ask what was wrong, Jenny opened her trembling hands to reveal her precious pink pearls still wrapped in soft tissue. "Daddy, I love you" Jenny whispered. "I want to give you my pearls"

Jenny's dad carefully took the pearls from Jenny's hands, opened his desk, placed the pearls inside and took out a handcrafted wooden box. He opened the box and lifted up a strand of the most beautiful pearls Jenny had ever seen. Unlike her plastic pink pearls these pearls were heavier and had a glow came from each pearl's core. As Jenny's dad placed the pearls on Jenny's neck, he said "Jenny, I love you. I've been waiting for you to give me your pearls so I could give you these real pearls in exchange."
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I haven't regretted giving up my pearls and I never will... Need I say more...

Maybe I will blog about my plastic pearls one day...

But for now, time to sign off.

A Decision to Blog

I have finally found a peace about blogging.

After hearing even my anti-mainstream sister has a blog, it got me a-thinking about the saying that "everything is worth trying once" -- well, maybe not everything, but maybe blogging.

Besides, for some reason everyone in church seems to be blogging; AND a new generation of non-emo bloggers seems to be up and coming -- more than enough to appeal to my rational side and get my fingers busy typing.

Here we go...