Not Just A Fascination, Please!
I'm still very much yearning for a chance to be in the Philippines again, in particularly, Santiago, where our mission team was at for the first 6 days of our trip in the middle of this month.
The whole experience of being there and being involved together with these great people who embraced God's purpose to reach out to the community just stirred up this longing within me. My heart is telling me I want to do more than what we put our hands into for that week. God has opened my eyes wide and what I saw and experienced have made, and are still making, a deep impact in me.
And plus they're celebrating the Cornerstone Church's 5th anniversary with Pst Yang and 'gang' going over just makes my heart itch with the desire to be there.
During the trip, for a few hours after the Sunday Service where I preached at, I had a chance to sit down with Cristina, DaBen and JoBoy from the worship team. We were working on the harmony parts for a song that they're going to teach the new Choir, United Sound, that was to be launched at the anniversary and a combined meeting (Colors) the day before. They were so eager to learn and humbly teachable, it was really pure joy just imparting to them as much as I could.
Sis Jane (DaBen and JoBoy's mom), me, Cristina, JoBoy and DaBen
It's not easy to teach something that you've not been formally trained, but somehow, one thing just led to another that by the end of the session, we not only completed the task, but they were also able to grasp the concept and worked out some parts themselves. I wish I had the time to do more, but God is good. He'll use whatever they've received and multiply it for His glory because of their humility and faithfulness. :D
Last Friday we worked on another one through exchange of email attachments. They seem to have really gotten a hang of it, and just needed fine-tuning for a few notes. I last heard they were progressing well, and the singers are catching the parts. Praise God!
I hope my wanting to attend the anniversary events is not a self-centred wish to see the fruit of my labour. Though honestly, who wouldn't want to witness the fruit of one's labour? But I believe it's more than that - it's to be able to celebrate the success of good friends knitted by the hearts.
Is it true that the first is always the most memorable? Maybe. During and after the trip, I told God that I want it to be more than just memorable. I'm not satisfied with just temporal fascination that's not going to do any good, or cause any permanent spiritual change. Maybe that's why I don't have the desire to travel to different countries for sightseeing or shopping trip - that is, and even, if I have the money.
This trip has definitely changed my mindset on almost everything that I was exposed to. It has enlarged my heart and opened my eyes to see things in a way that is pushing me forward spiritually. I'm still in the process of being transformed and I hope I will faithfully stay on the right path.
I pray that I will not let my current circumstances distract me. On the other hand, I pray that my desire to go will not cause me to 'despise' or neglect what needs to be done back home, especially in my job. I need to let go and commit it to God's plan and timing.
Hence, having said all these, I pray most of all that I will hit the mark for God's calling in my life (still searching), even if the Philippines is not part of the future plans. I will be sad, but it's more important to be obey.
I want to be found faithfully doing whatever I would want to be found doing if Jesus were to be coming again in the next 24 hours.
The whole experience of being there and being involved together with these great people who embraced God's purpose to reach out to the community just stirred up this longing within me. My heart is telling me I want to do more than what we put our hands into for that week. God has opened my eyes wide and what I saw and experienced have made, and are still making, a deep impact in me.
And plus they're celebrating the Cornerstone Church's 5th anniversary with Pst Yang and 'gang' going over just makes my heart itch with the desire to be there.
During the trip, for a few hours after the Sunday Service where I preached at, I had a chance to sit down with Cristina, DaBen and JoBoy from the worship team. We were working on the harmony parts for a song that they're going to teach the new Choir, United Sound, that was to be launched at the anniversary and a combined meeting (Colors) the day before. They were so eager to learn and humbly teachable, it was really pure joy just imparting to them as much as I could.
Sis Jane (DaBen and JoBoy's mom), me, Cristina, JoBoy and DaBen
It's not easy to teach something that you've not been formally trained, but somehow, one thing just led to another that by the end of the session, we not only completed the task, but they were also able to grasp the concept and worked out some parts themselves. I wish I had the time to do more, but God is good. He'll use whatever they've received and multiply it for His glory because of their humility and faithfulness. :D
Last Friday we worked on another one through exchange of email attachments. They seem to have really gotten a hang of it, and just needed fine-tuning for a few notes. I last heard they were progressing well, and the singers are catching the parts. Praise God!
I hope my wanting to attend the anniversary events is not a self-centred wish to see the fruit of my labour. Though honestly, who wouldn't want to witness the fruit of one's labour? But I believe it's more than that - it's to be able to celebrate the success of good friends knitted by the hearts.
Is it true that the first is always the most memorable? Maybe. During and after the trip, I told God that I want it to be more than just memorable. I'm not satisfied with just temporal fascination that's not going to do any good, or cause any permanent spiritual change. Maybe that's why I don't have the desire to travel to different countries for sightseeing or shopping trip - that is, and even, if I have the money.
This trip has definitely changed my mindset on almost everything that I was exposed to. It has enlarged my heart and opened my eyes to see things in a way that is pushing me forward spiritually. I'm still in the process of being transformed and I hope I will faithfully stay on the right path.
I pray that I will not let my current circumstances distract me. On the other hand, I pray that my desire to go will not cause me to 'despise' or neglect what needs to be done back home, especially in my job. I need to let go and commit it to God's plan and timing.
Hence, having said all these, I pray most of all that I will hit the mark for God's calling in my life (still searching), even if the Philippines is not part of the future plans. I will be sad, but it's more important to be obey.
I want to be found faithfully doing whatever I would want to be found doing if Jesus were to be coming again in the next 24 hours.
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