`JOnathan~~

Sunday, August 10, 2008

hello. i just came back from Pastor William's Leaders' Retreat. The theme was "let the weak says, 'i am strong', let the poor says, 'i am rich'"...if i am not wrong. He shared a lot base on his personal experiences and on a book by Joel Osteen entitled: Your Best Life Now.

Thank God for bringing me through this two days. I have had more fun than i have expected. to tell you the truth, i actually grumbled about having to give up my weekend to this retreat before the retreat. Looking back, i never regret going for the retreat.

I learnt that happiness is a choice and any feeling, such anger can be controlled and we can choose not to be irritated. Happiness is a choice, even in down times. Of course, there is a time to mourn but we should not indulge in self-pity and have the mentality, "who could help me feel better?". We need to get out from the mentality and with a positive outlook of life with God, to live a life which GIVES. When we give, God will work within us in His own special way.
He wants to give us abundant life. However, many times, our life is limited by our expectations. We need to learn to enlarge our vision in God and to just trust that He is the God Almighty who is our Provider as well.

I understood this:

"He replied, "You are talking like a foolish woman. Shall we accept good from God, and not trouble?" In all this, Job did not sin in what he said."
Job 2:10 (NIV)

He has the right and desire to bless but whatever He gives, He has the right to take it away. Somehow, what Sarah's brother spoke at the wake continues to linger in my mind, even through the retreat.

I am amazed at how strong they are. I believe they mourned but as they chose to give and encourage the people around Sarah, they are shining with God's glory, which shines brighter than ever, through time as dark as this. They have won a battle, perhaps not against leukemia, but against the devil.

We need to trust in the Lord and His plans for us. We need to believe and act on the belief that in the mist of everything, He will be our "More-Than-Enough" and He never shortchange us.

Jonathan posted at 11:44 PM

***