Journeying together

Yes! It is Sunday and another week as ended while yet another has begun.

 

Just as I realised that this is also being blogged onto the Seaweed Soup blog site, I guess I should firstly mention what a blessing it was to have been at the OCF meeting on Friday. I was having quite a horrible week, or maybe even two weeks and was seriously considering NOT going. I would go into detail but I feel that perhaps I should not dwell on all those horrible "memories" but instead Praise the Lord for the refreshing Bible study we had. I think it was so appropriate to be reminded of some of the Bible passages since even though I have read them over more than a couple times (though probably still not enough times), being reminded of basic principles surely is ALWAYS important.

 

I had been struggling in the particular area (as unfortunately I am sure many other people also struggle in this area) of spiritual discipline and I wish there was some way we could all actively help each other better, though I cannot think of a convenient but still practical and beneficial way of doing so. If you think of anything, please let me know.

 

I wish we could have longer more personal Bible studies or maybe if we were all to be more honest, open and personal in our discussions. I still feel like I talk too much in our little group and feel slightly strange since in groups like these, I'm usually the quiet one though I guess I hate the awkward silence more than I hate to talk in bigger groups. I mentioned, I think, to a few of the Seaweed Soup group as well as to my dear friend,Michelle Hey, who recently left, how much I really miss GOOD Christ-centered as well as personal conversations. Michelle, I don't know if you read these blog things but if you do, I really appreciated having you around to talk to about those things we talked about. It was especially good to talk about the things that we have both gone through and understand in terms of things that go on in O.M., on the Doulos, etc. I only wish you could stay here longer but I know that you need to be back in Australia to encourage and build up the people around you there, as well as study (of course). After you left, I have to admit that even though I have been surrounded by quite a few close friends, I have felt somewhat "alone" in the sense that it was hard to talk about things that were seriously on my heart. How do we find the balance between sharing concerns and almost gossiping? How to find the balance between informing someone of tragedies and judging for them? How do you know if you're sharing the burden with someone whom you know can HELP you carry it instead of bringing that person right down? I guess we just all have to pray for wisdom and discernment.

 

By the way, since I'm writing this public blog, I might as well put it out here: if there are any girls (and girls only) who are either in London or Bromley who might want to have a more one-to-one Bible study, I wonder if we would be able to do that on a more regular basis or something as I am sure it would be beneficial for both of us. Do email me or something.

 

Just one more thing before I 'sign out', for those of you reading this blog from some other far away place (i.e. Singapore, USA, Australia...wherever), just wanted to thank you especially for your faithfulness in prayer and support. If you do have a spare moment or two, perhaps you wouldn't mind adding to your prayer hit-list (as I am sure you MUST have one), you could prayer for a few of my friends who have not yet accepted Christ: Trish (Raised as a Catholic but claims to be an Atheist), Vini (Hindhu), Claire ("no view"), Rebecca ("no view really") (the 4 names mentioned above are some of my Mathematics buddies studying with me in Kings College London) and also please for another friend who lives quite close to me in Bromley named Anastasia who is Russian and was a former classmate who is trying to also get into Kings College. There are a couple more people but in the interest of allowing you to pray more specifically for these people, I will leave it here for now.

 

Trying to remember you all in my prayers and please do keep in touch to help me do so.

 

Because of Jesus,

Debbie

 

 

 

 

Yup! It is the start of a BRAND NEW YEAR and I guess when I say ready to roll..I literally mean roll. I'm sure all you all understand what I mean (the food, the very very good food!).

 

In short, I had a really wonderful Christmas spent with my immediate family being myself and my two loving parents. It wasn't perfect (a bit cold, perhaps a little TOO quiet...) but it was great! Spain was awesome. I especially enjoyed Barcelona since that was the first "port of call" that my parents went to work in just after they got married and I hadn't been there before. I esepcially enjoyed the Gaudi architecture, I never thought I'd be so excited about buildings but they were really amazing.

 

I think the bext part of the holidays actually was the time my family and I spent calling everyone we possibly could. Some of the hotels that we stayed in had wireless internet access and I brough my laptop along where I have two programs (voipcheap & skype) that made it possible for us to either skype other people or call landlines in certain countries for free. Amazingly enough, most of the people we wanted to call were in the countries that the call was free so I think on Christmas day itself we attempted to call 27 people to wish them a Blessed Christmas. It was WONDERFUL ABSOLUTELY WONDERFUL to be able to talk to so many people that we don't usually get the chance to. If any of you (whom we called) are reading this, PRAISE the LORD that we got through to you. What a tremendous blessing it was alone to hear your voice and to be able to celebrate the wonderful occasion and to remember Christ's birth together!

 

More personally, I actually finished reading through Proverbs, which ended with of course with chapter 31. It looked to me like a list of New Year's resolutions and I think really ended the year well with something like a reality check. My dad, if you have heard, always says that he doesn't like making New Year's resolutions because it makes us look back on the last year and see all our faults and failures where we really should be looking ahead in anticipation for what God has in store for us and for what we can DO this year for HIM and for His glory and for His Kingdom! People keep asking me my New Year's resolutions or at least what I expect for myself this coming year... it's not an easy question to answer but I guess in the light of what I've been reading and learning about in my time with God is that I HOPE and PRAY that He will grant me wisdom that I will live for HIM wisely in being HIS daughter. "Charm is deceitful and beauty is passing but a woman who fears the Lord, she shall be praised" Proverbs 31:30.

 

This year I am determined to read the Bible from cover to cover and not only to just READ through it but to really soak it all in. I'm so excited about it since who knows what "effects" it will have on me by the time 2008 comes! I really do envy those sometimes who have such an intimate relationship with Christ and who has a memory of an elephant in being able to memorise the scriptures to their own advantage. I hope and pray that I will be able to "boast" in that one day. I guess I am now just really thankful for all my accountability partners out there who have been so faithful in holding m up in prayer and for encouraging me in this constant battle of righteousness and holiness.

 

As usual, (and I won't have to explain any more I don't think), I've kinda gone off somewhere into my own little world. Praise the Lord for a New Year. I do hope and pray that all you wonderful people had a most joyous time and that this joy will not end for He is our Joy and is ALWAYS with us (Emmanuel).

 

Because of Christ,

Debbie