Hello! =)
Hmm.. Jelly since no one replied you.. I shall attempt to answer your question. solitude is like quiet time? Just that they specifically set out this time during the schedule for us to have a time of solitude with God. Where it's just between you and God alone. To talk things out and listen to what he has to say, to seek him and all. Yap that's what it roughly embodies la.
Anyway everyone!
Press on for miracle catch yeas! It's just TOMORROW..
Just to share, status now: Bringing 2 juniors for morning service and 3 friends for youth service. Another 3 are yet to confirm with me. But I'm praying for succes and favour in what the Lord has given to us. Well.. even if your friends are unable to make it, don't fret and don't be disappointed okay? Because as I was reflecting on this whole miracle catch thing, I realised that this thing is not just for the unbelievers, it's also for us christians! You know, if we din have this sort of ultimatum miracle catch weekend thing, I suppose all of us being our lazy maybe even selfish selves, we wouldn't have been motivated to invite our friends to church. Afterall, there's always that "THERES ALWAYS NEXT WEEK" mentality that we have. But what Sarah did with us, making us call and invite our friends and emphasising the importance of sincerity kinda made me realise one thing. That we really have to be proactive and take steps of faith to sow the seeds and reap the harvest that God has intended us to have. Our spiritual daughters won't just fall from the sky if we just keep praying. The bible says Faith without works is dead, how true is this? We can't just keep believing that we are gonna bear fruit when we don't ask. But anyway. since we all have been asking, just an encouragement to you... This miracle catch has opened our eyes to the plentiful harvest that abounds. I feel like we have been made more aware of the critical need to reach out to our friends, and there's this greater sense of urgency. Well, miracle catch is not just confined to this week, if you believe and trust in the Lord, there can be a miracle catch every week! Just trust and obey, and keep reaching out with your friends with sincerity!
Haha, very lor soh right. K la i go study alr. It's gonna be a long day tmr! God bless you all with an abundant harvest!
i'm gaining by reading what your experienced during solitude..yepp..i'm sorry that i've got nothing to share..continue showcasing the 'T' spirit.. yea..but i want to know what solitude is all about..in the whole itinerary for camp starch,i was most interested in the solitude part..i was rather upset to miss it..would a kind soul please tell me??
HI CELL!
im so so so sorry for not updating for such a long time...been really busy at work.
anyway, heres the link to the cell retreat plus cluster camp photos!
HEREand heres the link to our cluster's blog's camp photos..many more.
HEREin case you all didnt know it was out already.
ok gotta run now, sorry ah my lonnnggg post will come soon!!
enjoy the photos!
HI CELL!
im so so so sorry for not updating for such a long time...been really busy at work.
anyway, heres the link to the cell retreat plus cluster camp photos!
HEREand heres the link to our cluster's blog's camp photos..many more.
HERE in case you all didnt know it was out already.
ok gotta run now, sorry ah my lonnnggg post will come soon!!
enjoy the photos!
Hello!
I'm here to post about solitude too.
Well, actually, the past couple of years have been really really dry for me spiritually. I suppose part of it could be attributed to the fact that I felt really lost and din have a direction to head towards. 2005 was a really turbulent and bad year for me in fact - the year I went way off the road and totally strayed from God, living my life sinfully and the way I knew God didn't want it to be. I guess part of it was rebellion as well cos I was just sick of drifting along like a piece of driftwood. Won't go into too much detail about what went last year, but anyway, when the year ended, I told God that I want 2006 to be a new year, a new start for us.
So... about wat sarahmama said bout God doing a work in our lives this year... It really has been true for me. I can see a big transformation in my life. Okay, I won't say I'm totally living by the spirit because that's not true. It was more like I suddenly could discern the right from the wrong and I've been living the past half of the year quite rightfully, though somehow something was lacking in my life and that's the presence of God. So that day during solitude, I flipped open the bible and was talking to God about a lot of things. When suddenly, something popped into my mind: "Everything is permissible but not everything is beneficial." How true is that? I felt that God was trying to tell me that everything i'm doing now may be right, but it may not always be the most beneficial to me cos I haven't been seeking him about it. It's like.. studying. When it's exam time, you know you're doing the right thing by studying, but you may not be studying in the most study-smart manner which would be most beneficial to you. I'm sorry to use such a studious analogy but that was what popped into my mind immediately.
On friday night during worship, I felt like my heart was having this big confrontation with the holy spirit. It was my fears vs letting God freely work thru my life. I was terribly worried about something at that time, and I felt like I couldn't let it all go to him and let God do what he wanted to do. I started doubting God's mercies and his goodness - I feared that the Lord would do something that would be disastrous to me as punishment for my wayward life last year or simply just to teach me some thing in my life. Well, I was struggling really badly and sobbing away during the worship session, and I finally told God: "I'm letting go of my fears and trusting in you regarding the situation, but please don't let anything go wrong." Somehow, I was still holding on to part of it, I guess it's just human nature [my human nature at least] to be slightly skeptical. But as much as I could, I let go of what I could. And the moment I did that, news came in regarding the situation I was worried about and it was good news that totally relieved me of the burden.
Somehow, I feel like God is telling me to let go of all my worries and to cast all my cares upon him cos he is in control of the situation that I'm in.
Aiya, it's so hard to explain like that but God's really doing a mighty work in my life la!
HELLO EVERYBODY...HERE TO OBEY sarah mama'S COMMAND... WELL WE'RE SUPPOSED TO SHARE ABT OUR SOLITUDE W GOD RITE.. HERE GOES.. (shall stop using caps.. it makes me giddy.. im sure u too)Fri nite sarah said smth abt God doing a work of transformation in each of our lives this year.. when she said tt, i felt a tugging in my heart.. and im sure its from the holy spirit. A question suddenly struck my mind.. have i allowed God to transform me so far (i mean this yr)? and i found tt i couldnt say yes to it. The nxt morning (solitude time) , God spoke to me very strongly.. i wanted to settle things out w God cos i knew smth was wrong la.. when i couldnt say yes to tt qns. I jus sat at the rock and waited for God to spk. Looking out into the sky, HE suddenly spoke.. "you've been running the race without me".. tt really left a BIG impact on me.. cos its true. and i jus sat there crying for a while, reflecting on where ive been heading without God. Honestly, this yr is quite a different yr for me.. i feel tt im quite spiritually challenged this yr.. i find it harder to connect to God.. or to even put Him as a priority. I duno if everyone goes thru the same thing, but when i just accepted Christ i was really desiring Him so much, but as time passed by.. tt desire faded.. i meant especially this yr.. tho i still attend svc, go for congre n 288 meetings n stuff.. but there were times when i felt as if im heading nowhere.. Anw, sidetrack a bit. There was once at home, these thoughts suddenly hit my mind.. "is God really real?" "what if He's not?""what's wrong with a world where human rules?" "what if i were to leave a life without God? i would not have so much restrictions, i wouldnt be so tied down by the commitment, it would be so carefree.." For a short moment i really believed in it, believed that there isnt any God.. But then another conflicting thought came, which obviously was from the holy spirit.. cos i started reflecting on how real God is in my life.. and i realized how scary those neg thoughts were.. i didnt expect the evil one to be able to attack me jus like tt.. from then on i prayed abt it all the time, tt my mind be protected.And back to point.. tt morning i could just feel God asking me to run back to Him, just like how i've simply trusted Him in the past with the child-like faith i once had. Btw, alot of times when i felt God's presence strongest is during touchkidz, those kids taught me what child-like faith means (so camy n janelle.. kids arent tt bad okay!!) And i just spent some time repenting before God.. cos there are times when i depended alot on myself n forgot abt Him plus i have to confess tt for the past 2 or 3 mths i read the bible like at most 5 times? i did pray to God everyday la.. but i didnt spend quality time w Him.. tt is my regret.. 6 mths gone jus like tt. But nvm.. it isnt too late to start spending time w Him daily again. Ahahh.. for those of u may not spend tt much time w God at home too, i think u better do. I guess its because i rarely read Hid words that He doesnt spk much to me, thus making it harder for me to connect to Him and easier to wander.. especially when u start to feel like whatever u r doing is purposeless, the best solution ultimately is to come back to God..Another thing God spoke to me is the miracle catch, cos i seem to be forgetting it all the time:p Anw, as i opened my bible, the first thing i saw was the miracle catch card.. read the verse on it (very long, lazy type) i duno what God meant by deep sea, but the sea looked boundless to me.. for those of u who may think u do not have much frens to invite, open ur both eyes bigger O.O ..im sure there are more than enough for us to invite. And because God asks us to let down the nets, we can be assured that we'll get many fishes!
haha. but actually i was quite dissappointed w the response when we gathered tt nite to call our frens.. i referred back to God's promise and asked y didnt i get many fishes??maybe only 3 are coming (those tt accepted Christ during TGIF) and i dont have non christian coming. congrats to u who got gd responses. Was talking to camy tt nite, she was qte dissapointed w her fren's response too. I really duno y leh.. actually it has been bugging me till now, isit because i dont have enough faith?? but i have called many many ppl.. and all rejected immediately. i dont really expect such great result since its so last min.. but i dont even have 1 non christian coming! sob sob. but its not yet 25th.. so still got hope.. hahaha.. but no matter how many ppl i bring on tt day, i will still accept it la.. just tt next time i shall not do it so last min anymore ;p
This is my 2nd post can u believe it! haha. obviously can.. from someone like me.. and i think i talked too much ..ur eyes mus be hurting after reading my post... whahaha.. alrites. im so sleepy.. but hey, i really enjoyed the starchy retreat! haha. Before gg to slp...
CAMP COMMANDANTRESSES... I SALUTE U! Command: "Hormat Camp Commandantesses... Hor-MAT!"(check, up, 2, 3, 4, down!)Nites Babes!
P h o t o s G a l l o r e
I know we're supposed to blog down what we received during Saturday morning's solitude at the beach.. but i shall do this first. hahaha!
Aye aye! I'm finally here to update. Haha... Cell retreat gonna start soon like, in 1 and a half hours time. Excited not?!Must be right... heard it's really gonna be a retreat man.Haha! (:Okay, I hope we go to the beach for solitudeeeee =))
Den maybe we can witness something like that:
So nice right! Haha.. I took that in kuantan when I went there on my field trip in end april. Really cool can experience e grandeur and majesty of God's creation! But ehh in Singapore a bit hard to witness such beautiful sights. hMm.. Maybe we'll see rainbows instead :D
Can sleep in for cell retreat righhhhht?
Let's pray that this cell retreat is gonna be one that's like no other!
One where we're all able to have fun and yet be revealed
things about God that we still do not know.
And let God continue the work that he has done in our lives during
the cluster camp esp thru structure experience and all.
I'm sure all of you have a lot to say about that la.
I sound like sarah mama. Err. But I'm not her!
Haha.. If u still havent figured out, I'm Nessa :D
Aiyerr i better go study before the retreat starts la.
Greetings Civilians. welcome to cell retreat 2006, Camp Starch. This is Camy and Janelle, Camp Commandantesses (female version of commandant) speaking.You have received from General Specific Mak L.S. Janelle an email of the cell retreat's To Bling Rist, as well as directory to the place of the kamp. we'll see you on Friday, 7 p.m. at Daniel Hall, Block 80 (opposite Marine Parade TC) for check in. We're going to have a smashing (literal) good time!
THE POEM
I knelt to pray but not for long,
I had too much to do.
I had to hurry and get to work
For bills would soon be due.
So
I knelt and said a hurried prayer,
And jumped up off my knees.
My Christian duty was now done
My soul could rest at ease.....
All day long I had no time
To spread a word of cheer
No time to speak of Christ to friends,
They'd laugh at me I'd fear.
No time, no time, too much to do,
That was my constant cry,
No time to give to souls in need
But at last the time, the time to die.
I went before the Lord,
I came, I stood with downcast eyes.
For in his hands God! held a book;
It was the book of life.
God looked into his book and said
"Your name I cannot find
I once was going to write it down...
But never found the time"
Just something i thought to be meaningful and to think about.. =)
