Friday, January 27, 2012

Lesson # 1: The Blue Man




Hello lovely peole, I am so sorry I haven’t written in a while…I have no excuse, I have, well I was busy, then I became free and really lazy,haha, but mostly because I wanted to write something really special and meaningful, not just another blog entry.

Since time is on my side, I decided to do this new thing called ‘Reading’ and not just Facebook Statuses or Archie Comics, but real stories books with..stories in them..It has really been a while for me,haha

Anyway, I heard rave reviews from friends about this author Mitch Albom, and decided to give his books a try. I started with ‘The Five People You Meet in Heaven’, and honestly…It Blew Me Away…


Now I know a lot of people say great things about a lot of things, sometimes too much to a point that nothing seems so great anymore. But really, this isn’t one of them. I was a non-reading post-reader and this book was my first in a while..But the second I opened it, I could not put it down (except when the clock was screaming 4am or 5am), yet, the story would play through my mind throughout my day and, it all just kinda became real to me…

Let me explain why,
Now I know most of you barely know me, and why on earth should you take my word as truth, but if you hate spoilers, please, read, the, book, now! But if you don’t go on ahead and read my post =)

The story’s basically about this man, Eddie and his life (well more like death). He dies, and before he reaches ‘heaven’, he needed to meet 5 people whom all had a lesson to teach him about his life. Five very crucial and significant lessons.



Lesson # 1 by The Blue Man
First line that hit me was when the blue man said that in ‘heaven’ (not actually heaven, just a made up version of it), when you first arrive, you can’t talk. He smiled and said,

1.)
“It helps you listen”

They go on talking and then he says something that really was revelational,

2.)
“Strangers,” the Blue Man said, “are just family you have yet to come to know.”

And finally ends it with
3.) “No life is a waste,” the Blue Man said. “The only time we waste is the time we spend thinking we are alone”


My Point of View:
1.) I really felt like lately God has been speaking to me about the importance of listening to people. I remember these tweets that really spoke to me

"Be a good listener. Your ears will never get you in trouble." - Frank Tyger

''The first duty of love is to listen.'' Nicky Gumble

And it’s so true. Sometimes, listening is all we need to do. I do believe there needs to be a time to talk and respond, but the power of truly listening and processing and just putting thought and heart into what someone else tells you is so much more worth it than just reacting to words.

All must be done in balance obviously, but, just listening every once in a while, to
everything (tone, body language, gestures, language, etc…) and you’ll really know the person a lot more =)

2.) Sigh, I think God really gave me a heart to be friendly and family to people. When I read that line about strangers being family..It was bizarre, because it’s like I have had those thoughts before, but never phrased in that sentence,haha (feeling slightly plagiarized!)

I am a big family gal. I love the thought of gathering together and just feasting, talking, joking, hang out, sharing…And it’s strange cause I’m an only child and now it’s just my mom and I at home. All the people I do dos with are ‘strangers’, well they were. Now, I could *never* imagine life without them. And it’s not like with friends,
the people in my life whom I am very close to are my family. I would die for them, give my kidneys, loan all my money, do *anything* out of love, because, that’s exactly it, I love them so much… =_)

I think it’s important to never underestimate a relationship& to
just put hope in it, to see new people as family yet to happen =)

3.) My almost whole teenage life I grew up crying every night to the thought that no one really wanted me and that I was going to die a lonely old person.

My biological parents gave me up (never tried to raise me) and, my father chose alcohol over me and eventually died because of it…Now it’s just me& my mom and as much as I try not to, the thought of “What if she dies tomorrow?” always plays through my head.

God has been good to me, in that He fills me up with so much reassurance and love that even though I don’t have specific answers, I can sleep through the night knowing 
“I’m okay, God Loves Me”.

We need to remember that God Is Enough. And that obsessing over ‘what ifs’ are really not worth it. He made us, this life was meant to be us& Him. When we die, we go back to Him. People come, but people go, and that’s a definite. What or more like Who stays, is God =) Never live life missing out on that. It’s just such a shame and pity and a huge huge loss. It’s just not life without God. And you wouldn’t know it unless you know Him. He, is, SO Wonderful…


Yes, there are 4 other people, I know,hahah..I’ll get to them later on. Just hope you’ve learnt something from this entry =)



Friday, October 21, 2011

This Blew My Mind (and Heart) Awayy...

I'll let the video speak for itself... =)

Hope it'll bless you..Remind you of the Greatness of our God =)



Glimpses of Heaven...








Obviously not reall, haha..Print screened the visualizer off Itunes..Still pretty amazingg thoughh..Gets your imagination goingg.. =) #heavenisreal

Thursday, October 13, 2011

This one's for you and me

Haha, I know I've been on a high uploading songs lately, but with this one, I just had to...It grabbed my attention so strongly, that in my tiredness and busyness, I told myself "I will not be able to sleep if I upload this now!!"


This song 'Lighters' is actually *really* beautiful (I know I've been using that adjective a lot lately, but I'm honestly at a loss for words right noww,haha..just bare with me pleasee!) Though the song's muddled with Eminem's rapping and all (completely destroys the song!), I absolutely love the chorus! Speaks to me so much! And it's definitely an anthem I relate to with my friends and family =)
 
Feel like when Jesus comes back for His own, this would be one of those songs playing in the background...and when we hear it and sing it to one another and ourselves, a sense of hope& accomplishment would arise within us...


Just Picture: Us looking up to our King and hearing Him say "Well Done Good and Faithful Servants =)" 



Tuesday, October 11, 2011

Black Bird



This song is too sweet..haha

Not a song that speaks to me personally, but I do see images of a lot of people in my life who silently cry for a song like this to be sung to them..Though seemingly sad at the first glance/impression, the song promises a lot of hope, and a sudden but slow strength starts to arise within you...Something a lot of people secretly want (and need) in their lives..

My prayer with this song is to hear it as if God were singing it to you...Reminding you of your potential and purpose...Smiling warmly, nodding His head approvingly and releasing you to fulfil your calling..

Enjoy, Be Blessed =)



Blackbird singing in the dead of night
Take these broken wings and learn to fly
All your life
You were only waiting for this moment to arise

Blackbird singing in the dead of night
Take these sunken eyes and learn to see
All your life
You were only waiting for this moment to be free
Blackbird fly, blackbird fly
Into the light of the dark black night

Blackbird fly, blackbird fly
Into the light of the dark black night

Blackbird singing in the dead of night
Take these broken wings and learn to fly
All your life
You were only waiting for this moment to arise
You were only waiting for this moment to arise
You were only waiting for this moment to arise




Thursday, October 6, 2011

See The Way



This song never fails to make me cry& smile &..sighh...God is so amazing..and beautiful..and incrediblee =) Haha..
I'm in loveeeeeeeee =) <3


See the way
He holds the stars in His hands
See the way He holds my heart

Just one word of Your mind were the heavens made
Just one breathe of Your lips the foundation were there
When just one dream in Your thought
You have wanted me
Just one pulse of Your heart
Your were wound in me



Yeah
For God is a Lover
Looking for a lover so He fashioned me
God is a Lover
Looking for a lover so
He formed my heart
God is a Lover
Looking for a lover so He fashioned me
God is a Lover
Looking for a lover...


Just one pulse of Your heart
I am in love...


There's nothing like You& I =)


Monday, October 3, 2011

And I Thank You...




There are so many things in this life that I really want...

But because I don't have
these things-because I haven't [yet] received them (or when I see others having what I want), I feel like I don’t deserve it…

I hate that I feel the way I do; it makes me feel small…Like I can’t dream or hope

But then I look at God…with Him all it takes is one look and He knows everything…And it doesn’t end there…To Him, He understands how and why I feel the way I do…He understands it better than I myself do…And it’s not silly or irrational to Him…He always tells me “If it matters to you, then it matters to Me”

As for me feeling undeserving…He does His best each and every day to change that….I can’t begin to describe how much gratitude and love flows through me when my Father tells me I deserve all I want…That He wants to give me *everything*…He wants me to know I’m worthy of His blessings =)

 I don’t know where or who I’d be without Him. To me, it’s such a scary thought ...I’m in *SO* deep with Him…I can never go back…And I would *never* want to! He’s all I have and I’m so so glad…

“Love Came Down And Rescued Me, And I Thank You, I Thank You. I Once Was Blind But Now I See, I See You, Yes I See You…”

Wednesday, September 28, 2011

My Heroes :)

Sandra Chin (I've actually met her before&she's the best,haha) 

Kenneth Chin (when he speaks, you will laugh and cry yourself off the chair)

Philip Mantofa (such a cool and amazing man of God :) )

Bobbie Houston (my spiritual momma :) love her..really can't wait to meet her :) )


Priscilla Shirer (she preached a killer message at Hillsong Conference '11!) 

Banning Liebscher (Jesus Culture changed me forever)

Kim Walker (haha! love her! she's just *too* amazingg..I know we could be best buds!)

Darlene Zschech (another momma of mine :) )

Judah Smith (this is my spiritual daddy! love him! :) he's my favourite leader by far! cannot wait to meet him! )

Debbie Prescott (she reminded me that I am valued and worth it :) )

Sam Evans (she invites His presence like none other!)

Brian Houston (my other spiritual daddy! :) )




I have honestly had the most profound privilege of being able to be influenced by such awesome men&women of God in the last year or so.It's like I know God is wrapping all these people up in a pretty little box and going "Here Anne, I know you'll love this one!" and true enoughh,haha!...He knows me too well =) Hard thing though is not being able to meet these people face to face and really pour my gratitude and heart out to them! It's not that I'm fans of these people, I just really like them cause they've change me and my relationship with God...and when a person does that to you, you kinda wanna say 'Thank You!'  Haha...After experiencing three conferences throughout 2011, (Acts Church Conference 2011, Hillsong Conference 2011, Kingdom Women's Conference), I come home so moved and changed and inspired, but sometimes a little sad too, cause a part of me wishes that I could meet and bond with these awesome people...

Then this one night I had a conversation with God =)

Here's sorta what happened:

Me: ...But God, I *really* wanted to give her a hug and speak to her and tell her how when she talked about that bit it *really* moved me to tears...I like *really* want to see her one day and tell her all these things...Can you make it happen pleaseeee??

God: Haha! You really like them don't you??

Me: Yesss!! They're like *so* cool!!! =D

God: Okayhh!! Haha, yeah they are pretty cool =)

Me: So when?!?!

God: Oh, about meeting them?? You'll meet them all for sure one day!

Me: Really!? No!!? When?!?!

God: Haha! When you come Home =) They'll all be here =) I'll introduce you to them =)

Me (teary eyed): Oh, hehe, okay..Cool =)


Home =) I have Home (Heaven) to go to and meet *all* my heroes =) How cool is that?? 
So whenever I wished I knew someone 'famous', personally, I just think of Home and I feel all better =) Teehee =D

Tuesday, June 21, 2011

Hello Hurricane


When I first heard this song, I instantly smiled. There’s just something empowering and assuring about the lyrics and the melody that makes you feel and think that “Everything’s gonna be okay =)”

I know that in every circumstance and season in my life, God has always come through. The good, the bad, the ugly, He’s always been there. And that has built my confidence in Him, to know that however big the storms may be, I can still smile and know I’ve already got the victory =)


"I've been watching the skies
They've been turning blood red
Not a doubt in my mind anymore
There's a storm up ahead

Hello hurricane, you're not enough
Hello hurricane, you can't silence my love
I've got doors and windows boarded up
All your dead end fury is not enough
You can't silence my love, my love

Everything I have I count as loss
Everything I have is stripped away
Before I started building I counted up these costs
There's nothing left for you to take away

I'm a fighter fighting for control
I'm a fighter fighting for my soul
Everything inside of me surrenders
You can't silence my love
You can't silence my love, yeah

Yeah, I said hello hurricane"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kqxpDZfKHJ4

Monday, May 16, 2011

Soul Cravings


Over the past few weeks, I’ve been really challenged and changed by the writings of Erwin McManus in Soul Cravings. Here are a couple of quotes from his book that inspire me to dream and live a purposeful life:

We humans are most alive when we passionately pursue our dreams, live with purpose, and have a sense of destiny.

Bottom line: we cannot live the life of our dreams without an irrational sense of destiny.
And all of us have dreams.
More than that all of us need dreams.
Some of us sadly are just sleeping through them.

All of us long to become something more than we are. We are driven to achieve, moved to accomplish, fueled by ambition.


All of us long for our lives to count in some way. We all have an internal need to achieve some kind of success or to somehow find significance. Pursuing the future we desire energizes and inspires us.

Every one of us longs to create even when we don't know exactly what. All of us, at the very least, want to create a better life, a better future, a better us.

A part of growing up seems to be acquiescing to mediocrity. It's death to our souls. When we stop dreaming, we start dying.


There is a destiny that awaits us all. It calls us, and if we ignore it, we are soon haunted by it.

Without dreams we have nothing to pull us forward.

Not only is ambition a good thing; it's a God thing.


When there is no future there is no HOPE.

The maddening reality is that each and every one of us has been created with a soul craving to become-- to become something-- something better, something different, something special, something unique, something admired, something valued, something more than we are.


This is from me:
Here’s the thing, you are given one life, this one chance here on earth to do all that God has call you to do. Don’t waste it. Don’t live a life of regret, but take joy in your day to day living. Do all that you must for your King. “God has given you everything that you need, to do what He has called you to do, and only you can do it” Joel Houston.

Friday, April 29, 2011

Tyra's Essay


I was watching Friday Night Lights (a show I lovee so much!) and this was Tyra’s monologue; her college application essay:

“Two years ago, I was afraid of wanting anything. I figured wanting would lead to trying and trying would lead to failure. But now I find I can't stop wanting.I want to fly somewhere on first class. I want to travel to Europe on a business trip. I want to get invited to the White House. I want to learn about the world. I want to surprise myself. I want to be important. I want to be the best person I can be. I want to define myself instead of having others define me. I want to win and have people be happy for me. I want to lose and get over it. I want to not be afraid of the unknown. I want to grow up and be generous and big hearted, the way people have been with me. I want an interesting and surprising life. It's not that I think I'm going to get all these things, I just want the possibility of getting them. College represents possibility. The possibility that things are going to change. I can't wait.”

Here’s my version:

“Years ago, I was afraid of wanting anything. I figured wanting would lead to trying and trying would lead to failure and failure would lead to disappointment. But now I find I can't stop wanting. I want to travel the world; visit and experience every culture possible. I want to feed the hungry and clothe the naked. I want to teach and be taught by young child about faith, hope and love. I want to meet the famous people I’ve admired and tell them how amazing they are to me. I want to see myself as the beautiful child God has made me to be-to never second guess myself. I want to surprise myself. I want to be the best person I can be. I want to define myself instead of having others define me. I want to grow and have people be happy for me. I want to not be afraid of the unknown. I want to be generous and big hearted, the way people have been with me. I want an interesting and surprising life. It's not that I think I'm going to get all these things, I just want the possibility of getting them. And God represents possibility. The possibility that things are going to change. I can't wait."

Something changed in me when I saw this and when I found my own version of it. I hope hopelessly now, and I don’t feel silly about it. I love that God listens to me, and that’s all I really want; someOne to listen to me =)

Monday, March 21, 2011

One Thing Remains


As I sang to You, You hushed everything else and said

“Listen to my daughter as she sings to me”

My prayers are lifted up to You Lord. Be it this country that I was born in, the city I grew up in, the institute I study in, the church I serve in, the family I live with; whether it be me, I place it all into Your loving hands, believing and knowing, You will work all things good in accordance to Your will.

I trust You Lord. And to some that may not be enough, but it’s more than enough for me.
All I have is Your trust Lord, and I hold on to it so tightly.
May I never forget how precious I am to You.

Higher than the mountains that I face
Stronger than the power of the grave
Constant through the trial and the change
One thing remains
One thing remains

Your love never fails
it never gives up
it never runs out on me

On and one and on and on it goes
It overwhelms and satisfies my soul
And I never ever have to be afraid
One thing remains

In death and in life
I'm confident and covered by the power
of your great love
My debt is paid
there's nothing that can separate my heart
from your great love

Thursday, February 3, 2011

Wish

This may seem a little ignorant, but I was honestly unaware about this phenomenon. Had I known or be informed about at the time, who knows what would have happened. But yeah, news came to me late, and I’m living the shock now =P

Brian Littrell of the Backstreet Boys is a Christian; like a proper gospel singing, Jesus loving Christian…Who knew?! Haha, maybe that isn’t news to you, but I grew up with the ‘Boys’, loved them, wanted to marry all of them (well maybe not all), and to find out that one of them was a Jesus follower all along…It’s mind blowing (literally)...I am so pleasantly and genuinely surprised and inspired =)

Anyway, this one song that’s on Brian’s album ‘Welcome Home’ always puts a smile on my face. It’s like the thoughts in my head were interpreted and then this song was birthed, amazingg. It’s pretty self explanatory, and it’s really how I feel about the past and future sometimes. Hope you enjoy it =)

For just a moment
I wish I could have been there
To see Your first step, hear Your very first word
Tell me, did You ever fall and scrape Your knee?
Did You know Your wounds would one day heal the world?

For just one moment
I wish I could have seen You growing
Learning the ways of a carpenter's son
Just a little boy gazing at the stars
Did You remember creating every one?
If you passed by, would I have seen a child or a King?
Would I have known?

I wish I could have been there
My only wish is to see You, face to face
Wish I could have been there
Just to see You, Jesus, face to face

For just a moment
I wish I could have been there
When You left Your footprints upon the waves
To walk along beside You and never look away
Just Your whisper and the wind and sea obey
To see You feed the people
To feel Your healing in Your touch

To hear you pray in the garden alone
Laying down Your will with each tear
To see You walk that lonely road
Willing to die for me
And in that moment
I know I should have been there
You took my cross and gave Your life
And you live again, oh
And You live again!

Someday I'll be there, I'm gonna be there
I'll see Your face, Your mercy, Your grace
Someday, someday
I'm going to see You, Jesus
Face to face


Wednesday, January 26, 2011

Awakenings



If you don’t already know, I’m a Psychology Major at HELP University (Msia, KL). I’ve just started my new semester and I’m taking this subject called Psychology of Film-it is the most awesome subject ever! Haha, so for this entryI shall fill ya’ll in on how God mind blowing-ly got me to see this one movie in His way.

The movie’s called Awakenings (1990; starring Robert De Niro & Robin Williams-he was serious in this movie). Not many people have heard of it, much less seen it, which is quite sad cause the movie is so so good… So good! If you haven’t seen it, I don’t intend on spoiling it for you but I’m gonna anyway =P If you are interested in watching it and hate spoilers, then you don’t have to read this (you can read it after you watch the movie =P )

Here I go:

It’s basically about this up tight psychiatrist who's put in charge of several seemingly catatonic (deficit of motor activity that can render patient motionless; mute and rigid, and initiate no social behaviors) patients. As he runs a diagnosis on them he finds out that they respond to certain stimuli (when he throws a ball at them, they catch it) and this compels him to look for a way to help them recover from their disorder. He finds a drug that works wonders on them, and all the patients are awakened from their ‘sleep’ and are given a second chance to really live their lives. But as it turns out, the drugs didn’t last and slowly but surely they all depleted back to their original state of catatonia.

That is the whole movie in short =( I know it sounds horrible, cause of the sad ending…but what was a revelation to me was seeing how the catatonic patients wake up and live their lives again. It made me think about the people around us, the people who don’t know Jesus, who may have known Jesus once but have fallen backwards, or the people who do know about Jesus, but not personally. They to me, are like the people in catatonia, basically asleep, not living life the way God has intended them to, not knowing what *living* is really like. Yet, God(like the psychiatrist) still sees hope in them, and believes that they will be revived someday, only difference is He’s the only ‘drug’ that will work on them and that will never fail. To think that once these people get a ‘shot’ of Jesus in their lives, how set free, how alive, how awakened they will feel, it really makes me smile, and makes me want to try harder for them. In the movie, when those patients woke up, they never wanted to fall back into catatonia ever again, cause being awake felt so so much better, and I know once people experience God, really truly, honestly..they’ll never want to go back again.

What’s on my heart is basically, don’t give up on them. Don’t brush them aside thinking there’s no hope for them, or that they are too much for you…Cause He hasn’t given up on them. Keep trying, believe in that day where their eyes will be opened and for them to really *see* God for who He is =)

And if you think you are that person that is 'asleep' and in need of an awakening, God's so ready to revive you. Of all the people whom will never fail, never dissapoint, never hurt...God's perfect, and I know that may seem unlikely, but He is. He's exactly what we're looking and who we need. We're not living till we have Him, till we know Him, trust me on that. It's never too late, give Him a chance =)

That’s just my prayer for all of us. Thanks for taking the time to read my long story. Hope ya’ll have been blessed =)

Here’s the trailer:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FURflBxeTyI
(quality’s bad but it gives a gist to the movie)

p/s: At the Golden Globes this year Robert De Niro was awarder 'Life Time Achievement' (or something like that) for his work over the many years, and he said the best movie he has made out of all was Awakenings. That day was the day I watch the movie, for the very first time..Didn't think it was coincidence.

pp/s: The nurse in the trailer is the voice of Marge Simpson =P




Saturday, January 15, 2011

Perfect Picture


I fell in love with this picture! Every child's gift to God-It's the perfect picture of how I offer my heart to Him =)


It truly may not be much, but it's all I have..And I know He honours it, and He loves that I'm giving all I have to Him =)

Saturday, January 8, 2011

Gratitude:2010; Hope:2011


I was in the car on the night of the 31st (2010), and I was basically thanking God for the year He has given me, and all that I've been blessed with. As my prayer grew, and as I thought through the last 365 days, I was so overwhelmed with joy and gratitude; He has really blessed me, really. I've gotten more than I deserve and, I mean how can that not move you to tears??!

It's frustrating how words cannot express the feelings bursting inside of you. All I know is that all I have thus far, the person I'm becoming, the people that surround me; it's all thanks to God. He orchestrated this amazing life of mine and I'm just the privileged child living it! I still pinch myself all the time, and I've yet to fully take in the reality I'm in and know that God's always going to play a part in surprising me pleasantly (without fail)


There's this one song, by Jesus Culture (amazing worship team!) that summed all my heart hears and feels when I look upon God, especially in relation to 2011. He got great things in store, massive things, and I am so very, very excited =) Can't Wait...


Come away with me, come away with me,
It's never too late, it's not too late,
It's not too late for you

I have a plan for you, I have a plan for you
It's gonna be wild,
It's gonna be great,
It's gonna be full of me

Open up your heart, and let me in



Friday, December 17, 2010

Just The Way You Are



I fell in love with this song, not just cos it's a sweet song..but I had a revelation of who the author(in my head) and singer was:


Just The Way You Are

Oh, her eyes, her eyes, make the stars look like they're not shining
Her hair, her hair, falls perfectly without her trying
She's so beautiful, and I tell her every day

Yeah, I know, I know, when I compliment her she won't believe me
And it's so, it's so, sad to think that she don't see what I see
But every time she asks me do I look ok, I say

When I see your face, there's not a thing that I would change
Cause you're amazing, just the way you are
And when you smile, the whole world stops and stares for a while
Because girl you're amazing, just the way you are(yeah)

Oh, you know, you know, you know, I'd never ask you to change
If perfect's what you're searching for then just stay the same
So, don't even bother asking if you look ok
You know I'll say

When I see your face, there's not a thing that I would change
Cause you're amazing, just the way you are
And when you smile, the whole world stops and stares for a while
Because girl you're amazing, just the way you are
The way you are, the way you are
Girl you're amazing, just the way you are



Someone once told me that a 'Revelation' is aligning our thoughts with what God is thinking, and I know I definitely got that when I heard this song. Though it was sung and probably written by Bruno Mars, to me, it was sung by God Himself =)

I know it may seem silly and a little wrong (seeing as how this is supposed to be a romantic song), but imagine this song being sung from one best friend to another?? Or from a father to her daughter?? It just touched me, and it always does =)

I may, or may not have have my future husband sing this song to me; regardless, anything pales in comparison to Him singing to me =)


He really, really loves me


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1AwPds6U-fU

Tuesday, July 27, 2010

Pillow Talk-Judah Smith


During the recent Hillsong Conference (2010), Judah was invited to speak for one of the sessions. It was a shame that I wasn't able to make it, but I did get a hold of the DVD and watched it here at home. I dont know what it was, whether I was just caught in the moment or whether Judah's speaking just has an effect on me, but I was balling my eyes out. His message spoke to me so intensly, I just...felt moved to write it. And that's (evidently) exactly what I'm doing.


His message basically highlights what happened when Jesus and his disciples were caught in the storm on the way to the other side, and the significance of the scripture. Judah mentions a couple of points:


1.) Even with Jesus, we still have our storms

2.) Sometimes during the storm, we need to get wet

3.) The storm wants our 'awe'-dont give it our 'awe'

4.) We're all at different stages with our walk with God

5.) Jesus slept soundly during the storm


Each point needs elaboration, but if I were to do tht I might write a textbook more than just a blog entry. But what did catch my attention most was the part where Judah mentions how in all 3 books of the New Testament, this particular verse is describe with a slight twist...


Matthew 8:24-27
Jesus Calms the Storm
Then he got into the boat and his disciples followed him. Without warning, a furious storm came up on the lake, so that the waves swept over the boat. But Jesus was sleeping. The disciples went and woke him, saying, "Lord, save us! We're going to drown!"
He replied,
"You of little faith, why are you so afraid?" Then he got up and rebuked the winds and the waves, and it was completely calm.
The men were amazed and asked, "What kind of man is this? Even the winds and the waves obey him!"


Mark 4: 35-41
Jesus Calms the Storm
That day when evening came, he said to his disciples, "Let us go over to the other side." Leaving the crowd behind, they took him along, just as he was, in the boat. There were also other boats with him. A furious squall came up, and the waves broke over the boat, so that it was nearly swamped. Jesus was in the stern, sleeping on a cushion. The disciples woke him and said to him, "Teacher, don't you care if we drown?"
He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, "Quiet! Be still!" Then the wind died down and it was completely calm.
He said to his disciples,
"Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?"
They were terrified and asked each other, "Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey him!"

Luke 8: 22-25
Jesus Calms the Storm
One day Jesus said to his disciples, "Let's go over to the other side of the lake." So they got into a boat and set out. As they sailed, he fell asleep. A squall came down on the lake, so that the boat was being swamped, and they were in great danger.
The disciples went and woke him, saying, "Master, Master, we're going to drown!"
He got up and rebuked the wind and the raging waters; the storm subsided, and all was calm.
"Where is your faith?" he asked his disciples.
In fear and amazement they asked one another, "Who is this? He commands even the winds and the water, and they obey him."


Why this caught me was that, we're all at different stages with God. And sometimes it's when we're caught in a storm that our faith, our walk, our relationship is truly put to the test. The 3 disciples mentioned above, Matthew, Peter & Luke were at different levels of their faith. Matthew at the time may have had faith, but it was probably small and little, thus in the storm that little was begin put to the test, whereas Peter possibly had none, thus causing him to take what Jesus had said question that missing faith. And Luke probably lost his faith in the midst of the storm, ths causing to hear Jesus' reponse as a question to his lost faith.


I was blown away by this string, this painting of a more detailed picture; making it more real to us. We're all facing our storms and struggles, and no one's storm is bigger than another. But the true test is our faith-who do we turn to, what would we do, how much do we really trust God?? I dont believe it's bad in any way, to stumble and fall when a wave hits you, doubt even God would expect us to be on our feet when our boat is shaking heavily. But it's what we do once we've been hit that counts.

A good friend of mine once said, "If He brings us to it, He'll bring us through it"...Dont doubt, just trust. Even Jesus fell asleep in the midst of a storm. He's always in control, always...