One simple verse a thought-provoking moment...

Felt like so long since I have attended a GRYP meeting. I think this is my first meeting of the month or so? Not been able to for the past Saturdays coz of the different events and work. Now I know how it feels to be away for so many weeks. So easy to miss one meeting after another, eh?

This week we have a special guest all the way from the US. Matt Woody, a full-time Book of Hope missionary came and join us for our GRYP meeting. No, he wasn't the speaker of the day or doing anything much, but he was there just to join us for the meeting.

When I was told that he would be joining us, I asked if he could do a short sharing, something that could bless the youth. I decided that we shouldn't miss out this opportunity to catch something from him because I have heard of the ministry that he is in. Matt has been traveling around the different nations, leading mission trips of young people, training them to promote the Word of God through the BOH. He's been to almost 20 different countries during his time with the BOH! I was privileged to have a short chat with him before the meeting to learn more about his lifestyle in the ministry. It was an encouraged for me.

Anyway, Matt shared about Proverbs 16:9 during the GRYP meeting. A verse that has played a very important part in his life, leading him to what he is doing today.

"In his heart a man plans his course, but the LORD determines his steps."

He shared how the Lord has lead him from his own plans to living out God's plans for his life. He reminded us that this verse could very well be an encouragement to us too. Sometimes, we may be planning out everything that we would wanna do but it is the Lord that determines what we gonna do. If God would to reveal to us who we would be in the future, would we turn back and ask God, "God, You sure that's me? Or did You get the wrong person?" Never underestimate ourselves and God's plan for us. We'll never know how He will use us, but we should always be open to let Him to. It's never too impossible to be that person that He has made us to be.

Later that day, I heard someone mentioned how he was blessed by Matt's sharing. This youth was having trouble, thinking of how to bring the BOH into his school to be distributed. But after he heard Matt's sharing in GRYP meeting, he said he knows how to get the books into the school now. Interesting, eh? One simple verse but a great thought-provoking moment for some!

Wanna know more bout what Matt's been doing? Check it out from http://mattwoody.blogspot.com and be encouraged yourself :)

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Lesson from the Land of Middle Earth

Something that I came across from Our Journey. To all the fans of LOTR trilogy...

Remember the 2nd part of the trilogy where Frodo finally came to the point of giving up. The responsiblity of bring the Ring to its origin was really wearing him out. He told Sam that he couldn't do it anymore. That was when Sam told Frodo this:

"I know...By right we shouldn't even be here, but we are. It's like in the great stories, Frodo - the ones that really matter. Full of darkness and danger, they were, and sometimes you didn't want to know the end, because how could the end be happy? How could the world go back to the way it was when so much bad happened? But in the end it's only a passing thing, this shadow; even darkness must pass. Living day will come, and when the sun shines it will shine out the clearer. Those were the stories that stayed with you, that meant something - even if you were too small to understand why.

But I think, Mr. Frodo, I do understand, I know now. Folks in those stories had lots of chances to turning back, only they didn't. They kept going because they were holding on to something."

What are we holding on to? Sam was right. Those people held on to something. Something that kept them going even when everything seemed so messed up or failed around them. They keep on moving forward, not letting the 'turning back' chances to catch up with them.

Everything else might fail us but if we hold on to Him, we will be able to finish the race without losing our medal. Are we holding on to our God and eternal life or are we holding on to something else?

No matter how good, how much you try, make sure you have your eyes fixed. Know what & where we are running to...

"...You know, most of our lives we try to run so fast & run so strong. If we would admit to ourselves we don't want to be winners here... But you know, the only safe place to run is into the arms of God..."
- Martin Smith, Delirious?

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