Friday's Fave Five #73

It's time for another Friday's Fave Five (hosted by Susanne at Living to Tell the Story).

My Fave Five this week:-
1. Lunch at Pizza Schmizza. Fun at Oaks Amusement Park. Dinner at Panda Express. We had a great time celebrating our Before-Back-to-Homeschool weekend :)!

2. Our 14th year of homeschooling took off to a great start. Both boys are doing well and getting all their stuff done by lunch time :). 

3. My husband and I have enjoyed watching our 13 year old son's football practice. He has had lots of fun and has been a great asset for his team. We're excited about their first game tomorrow.

4. Praise God! He answered my prayers once again in a way that's beyond what I asked or imagined. "Now to Him Who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within us, to Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen." Ephesians 3:20-21

5. Today, my husband and I celebrate our 21st anniversary! How blessed I am to be married to my best friend/the love of my life/my spiritual mentor/my hero! 21 years already :)? I guess time flies while we're having fun... Everyday with Eric is a celebration ♥! May Christ always be glorified in our marriage and our family!

 

Christ-centered Marriage

“Blessed are the husband and wife
who humbly dedicate their lives and their home to Christ
and practice the teachings of Christ in their home
by being unselfish, loyal, and loving.” Author Unknown

This coming Friday, my husband and I will be celebrating our 21st anniversary. I can never thank God enough for how He has blessed my marriage and family. I love this quote because I wholeheartedly agree with it. Christ-centered marriages are successful, lifetime-lasting, blessed marriages! Both my husband and I are far from perfect but we both love the Lord and put Christ above all else. "A cord of three strands is not quickly broken." (Ecclesiastes 4:12b) Christ holds us together through trials and storms. When your spouse's goal is to please and honor God in all he does and says, you definitely benefit and are blessed beyond measure. And vice versa. I'm so grateful that I'm married to a man after God's own heart. I keep telling my husband that I feel like I'm the most blessed wife :). We sometimes fail in our attitudes, actions, and words but thankfully, we are pretty good at forgiving :). Great marriages take lots of prayers and lots of work...ongoing work ("practice the teachings of Christ in their home").

Unselfish
Love is not self-seeking! "Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests but also to the interests of others. Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus." (Philippians 2:3-5) In my opinion, self-centered people should never get married. I believe most problems in marriages can be traced to self-centeredness/selfishness. Jesus said it is more blessed to give than to receive. In your relationship, are you more interested in giving/serving than getting/demanding or the other way around?

Loyal
Love always trusts! Husbands and wives need to be able to trust each other completely. Loyalty is the key. Keep your heart loyal/faithful to God ("humbly dedicate their lives and their home to Christ"), your spouse, and your family always. Guard your eyes, ears, lips, hands, and heart from temptations and avoid putting yourself in vulnerable or compromising situations. Not even flirting.

Loving
Love like Jesus! Unconditionally, selflessly, and sacrificially! God spells out what true love looks like in 1 Corinthians 13:4-7.
Love encourages rather than envies
Love notices rather than neglects
Love comforts rather than complains
Love appreciates rather than aggravates
Love makes sacrifices rather than makes excuses
Love seeks to understand rather than demands to be understood

I'm truly blessed to be married to my best friend/the love of my life who is as much a Jesus freak as I am :).

You're invited to share your thoughts about the quote above on your blog and then link up your post here. To learn more about "In Other Words"(what it's about, how it works, and how it originated), visit here.

 

This post is also linked up with Faith-filled Friday @Beholding Glory, Spiritual Sundays, Sharing His Beauty @The Beauty in His Grip, Playdates with God at The Wellspring, and "Hear It, Use It" @Graceful.

Take My Life and Let It Be

Take My Life and Let It Be (originally written by Frances R. Havergal, 1836-1879, sung by Chris Tomlin)

"So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God." (1 Corinthians 10:31) Soli Deo Gloria! To God alone be all the glory!

"For Christ's love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died. And He died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for Him who died for them and was raised again." (2 Corinthians 5:14-15)
I dedicate myself completely to Your glory and service, Lord! Take me, mold me, and use me, please. In Jesus's name, I pray. Amen!

Friday's Fave Five #72

It's time for another Friday's Fave Five (hosted by Susanne at Living to Tell the Story).

My Fave Five this week:-
1. I'm glad that my daughter is taking Krav Maga (Israeli self-defense). Very practical and effective :)!

2. At a Twitter party yesterday, I won $50 JCPenney gift card.

3. "Get to Give"! Hoops of Hope founder Austin Gutwein is celebrating his new book "Live to Give" with a give-back giveaway. One winner will receive a Kindle Fire and have $250 donated on their behalf to the charity of their choice! Click to enter and for more info.: http://litfusegroup.com/blogtours/13528976/livetogive

4. I'm excited about the new game show, "The American Bible Challenge". You can read about it and enter to win a The American Bible Challenge t-shirt and a Zondervan NIV Quest Study Bible at http://fivesavedbygrace.blogspot.com/2012/08/the-american-bible-challenge-and.html . Ends 8/31

5. My 19 year old daughter, Alyssa, entered Intel's A Momentary Lapse contest. Please view and vote for her entry (Slow Motion Basketball...only 1 min. 8 sec. long) at http://youtube.com/myinteledge?x=us_showcase_2091_4. Thanks so much! You can vote once per day through Sept. 11th.

Book Review: Making Sense When Life Doesn't by Cecil Murphey

About the book:

Beloved author Cecil Murphey empowers readers to discover the good in every situation and to make life better because of adversities.

Sometimes life gets messy. It’s cluttered with too many demands. Companies downsize. Love relationships end. Trauma hits. When chaos erupts, every person has a choice to make—to decide whether it’s the worst time of life, to find comfort in the way things used to be, to move on because change is forced, and then resent everything that happens, or to say, “This can be the best time of my life. I can try the things I wanted to do but never did.”

In Making Sense When Life Doesn’t, Cecil Murphey’s compelling stories, hope-filled insights, and gentle encouragement move readers with messy lives to the stunning realization that life won’t ever be perfect, but it can be good…even exciting!

Meet Cecil Murphey:

Cecil Murphey has written or co-written more than 125 books, including the bestsellers 90 Minutes in Heaven (with Don Piper) and Gifted Hands: The Ben Carson Story (with Dr. Ben Carson). His books have sold in the millions and have brought hope and encouragement to countless people around the world.

Murphey stays busy as a professional writer and travels extensively to speak on topics such as writing, spiritual growth, caregiving, significant living, sexual abuse, and recovery.

Prior to launching his career as a full-time writer and speaker, he served as pastor of Riverdale Presbyterian Church in Metro Atlanta, as a volunteer hospital chaplain for ten years, and was a missionary in Kenya for six. For more information, visit www.cecilmurphey.com

MY REVIEW:
This book reminds me a lot of The Noticer by Andy Andrews. “After all, every one of us is always in a crisis, coming out of a crisis, or headed for a crisis. Crisis? That's just part of being on this planet.” (The Noticer, page 83)

It seems that life gets messy, sooner or later :). You may even be experiencing its messiness right now. Don't lose hope. In Making Sense When Life Doesn't: The Secrets of Thriving in Tough Times, Cecil Murphey offers wisdom, practical insights, and encouragement to help readers get excited about living their lives, not in spite of crises, but because of crises. We can use our trials as lessons from which we learn and grow stronger.

There are 58 chapters in the book. Each chapter is short and concise. When I was reading, I felt like I was being given a pep talk by a coach on the game of life. Each chapter ends with a sentence or two that captures the heart of that chapter (a take-away point). I'm a bit curious why the author who used to be a pastor, scarcely quotes Scriptures in his book. Maybe he doesn't want to appear too preachy? Mr. Murphey uses real-life stories (of his own and others) as examples to demonstrate his points. He repeats several times that he is a serious Christian and for the most part, he seems to have Biblical worldview on life in general. This book covers many topics such as failure, change, rejection, pain, mistakes, waiting, exercise, forgiveness, secrets, jealousy, anger, enemies, power, success, principles, and more. It's an easy read and it's motivational. I appreciate the author's transparency and his sensible advice.

"My hurting friends don't need my advice; they need my compassion." (page 71)

"If I expect certain behavior that I don't get, I can become angry. Or, I can change my expectations." (page 116)

"I need my opponents. They often speak the truths that my friends won't." (page 134)


~I received a complimentary of this book from Litfuse Publicity Group in exchange for my honest review. The opinions are my own. You can find more reviews on this book here.

Book Review: Living by Faith by David Venable

This book was written to be used as weekly devotions for 78 weeks. However, it can easily be used for daily devotions. Even though these devotions were originally given as sermons, they do not sound preachy at all :). Each devotion starts with a Bible reference for reading and meditation and ends with a prayer. Each devotion is about 2 1/2 to 3 pages long. It's easy to read and the author gets the points across quite effectively.

Living by Faith addresses how faith affects different aspects of Christian living, such as trials, temptations, giving, worship, unity,...even voting. The author shares his own experiences, offers practical insights, and encourages readers to live for God and live by faith. Faith is the backbone of Christianity. The author shows us how relevant faith is to our daily life and how we can apply God's principles while living a life of faith and obedience. When I was reading the book, I felt like an older brother in Christ was just having a conversation with me, giving me great advice. This is an encouraging devotional that will help strengthen your faith and challenge you to grow closer to God!

"We need to reckon ourselves dead to the world in Christ...Our real life is in heaven, not here. Do not compromise eternal life for an earthly reward. It is not worth it." (p.33)

"Jesus came to save us from our sin. He did not come to save us from trouble...The Christian life is the most difficult of all to live. It is the narrow way, not the broad road. You must die to self, not indulge self." (p.205)



~I received a copy of this book for free from the author in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.

Book Review: Great Day Every Day by Max Lucado

Can every single day be a great day? Even those days when everything seems to go wrong? According to Max Lucado, the answer is "yes!" It depends on our perspective. This book is an excellent book of encouragement. Mr. Lucado directs readers to embrace God's perspective and to focus on God's grace, mercy, peace, hope, purpose, and promises, instead of any challenges we may face. He also shows us examples from Jesus and other real life people such as "the Society of the Second Mile" (demonstrating a servant's heart/kindness).

I've always enjoyed reading Max Lucado's writing. This one is no exception. He's a gifted writer who has a great sense of humor. I sometimes laugh out loud while reading his books :). He occasionally uses sarcasm and exaggeration. I like "Daily Compass", the section after each chapter, which sums up the take-away points. At the end of the book, you will find insightful discussion questions for each chapter and Scripture reading suggestions for digging deeper into God's Word. In addition, this book includes a bonus section called, "Change Your Day, Change Your Life: A 30-Day Journey” written by Lance Wubbels and based on the Grace-Oversight-Direction formula (Saturate Your Day in His Grace, Entrust Your Day to His Oversight, & Accept His Direction). It is there to help readers apply the concepts learned in the book through daily exercises including Scripture, prayer, and practical application. Great Day Every Day is an easy, encouraging, and enjoyable read!

Some of my favorite quotes from the book:
"To take up the cross, then, is to take up Christ's burden for the people of the world." (p.90)
"Daily do a deed for which you cannot be repaid." (p.101)
"If today were your last, would you do what you're doing? Or would you love more, give more, forgive more? Then do so! Forgive and give as if it were your last opportunity. Love like there's no tomorrow, and if tomorrow comes, love again." (p.105)


~I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze®.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. 

Shelter Me by Selah

"He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord, 'He is my Refuge and my Fortress, my God, in Whom I trust'...He will cover you with His feathers, and under His wings you will find refuge; His faithfulness will be your shield and rampart." Psalm 91:1-2, 4

I'm very saddened by yesterday's tragedy (shooting in Aurora, Colorado). Please continue to pray for the injured (physically and emotionally), the families, loved ones of the victims and the gunman: http://prayersforaurora.com/ . Yet we know we can always trust God who is our Refuge and Strength. 

Trusting God doesn't ward off evil and suffering
but trusting God gives us hope and life everlasting.

"Surely God is my salvation;
I will trust and not be afraid.
The Lord, the Lord, is my strength and my song;
He has become my salvation."
Isaiah 12:2

"Find rest, O my soul, in God alone; my hope comes from Him.
He alone is my rock and my salvation;
He is my fortress, I will not be shaken.
My salvation and my honor depend on God;
He is my mighty rock, my refuge.
Trust in Him at all times, O people;
pour out your hearts to Him, for God is our refuge."
Psalm 62:5-8

Friday's Fave Five #71

It's time for another Friday's Fave Five (hosted by Susanne at Living to Tell the Story).

My Fave Five this week:-

1. Last weekend, we had fun playing Super Scrabble (Eric got 94 points twice!)...checked out a Krav Maga class...enjoyed yummy burgers and fries (cajun style) at Five Guys...shopped at Goodwill...then back to Scrabble and Krav Maga practice at home :).

2. A Thai Christian made the largest Bible in the world (5.2x7.2 ft.) to attract Thai people to read God's Word!

3. Datenight at Golden Leaf Thai Cuisine. Fabulous food...fabulous time with my fabulous hubby ♥!

4. Watching fireworks with my family. We think we had the best seats in town (since we live on a hill with a panoramic view) :).

5. I shared my testimony of God's goodness and faithfulness during my week in Thailand here. The theme of the week was: "With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible!" (Matthew 19:26).

Impossible? For Man, But Never for God!

 "With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible!"
~Jesus (Matthew 19:26)

Where do I start? June 2012 was a month to remember. On June 5th, I received a phone call from my aunt in Thailand informing me that my dad had been in the hospital for the past 2 months; he was very ill and was not expected to be alive much longer. He suffered from a stroke, diabetes, high blood pressure, liver damage and kidney failure. The next day I received (via Facebook) two photos of my dad lying in a hospital bed looking so different from what I had remembered (I had not seen him in 20 years). I was in tears. He looked thin/bony. I wanted to go visit him so badly. My husband and I took our sons to go get their passports made that day. However, we were told that it would take 4-6 weeks for their passports to arrive. We also looked at the cost of 5 plane tickets and realized that we couldn't afford it. We prayed and asked others to pray for God's will to be done. Finally, we decided that I would be going alone. Our travel agent gave us 2 options: leaving on Thursday and arriving on Friday there or leaving on Sunday and arriving on Monday there. The second option was a little cheaper and had less layover stops. Nevertheless, we prayed for God to direct our every decision. And He did. We felt led to go with the first option (you will see later how thankful we were for God's perfect timing). I left on June 14th and arrived in Thailand on June 15th near midnight. My aunt picked me up at the airport.

I wanted to go visit my dad immediately but my aunt said it was too late and told me to wait until morning. Early Saturday morning, we went to visit my dad (he was already moved from the hospital to his house). A little background story: My dad left my mom, my brother, and me when I was in junior high school. He remarried and had 2 children with his new wife. He stayed aloof and uninvolved with my brother and me. I personally forgave him a long time ago. I wrote him letters, sent him pictures and gifts, shared my testimony and gave him a Gospel tract. But I have no idea if he did read my letters/the tract or if his (unfriendly) wife kept them from him. He never wrote me back or called me. Now back to the morning I visited him... I tried to share with him about salvation through Jesus Christ. I touched him and kept talking to him but he did not open his eyes or respond at all. I was quite discouraged. Yet I would be seeing God's fingerprints everywhere during my week in Thailand. This post will be way too long if I write about all the details. Therefore, I will try to make it concise and only mention the main things. If you have any questions or are confused, please feel free to ask me. 

My aunt and her family already booked a reservation at a beach resort (before she knew I was coming). Since I stayed with my aunt, I had to go along with them. My friends (whom I had not seen in 20 years also) set up a get-together at a restaurant on Sunday night (after we came back from the beach). After dinner, I wanted to go visit my dad but my aunt said that she had to go to bed and get up early to go to work the next day (Monday). Again, I couldn't do anything but comply with her. That night, I couldn't sleep at all. I stayed awake all night long and prayed (for my dad, my family back in America, my relatives, and others). At about 4 a.m. (on June 18th), my aunt's cell phone rang. My half sister called to tell her that my dad passed away. I broke down sobbing, wishing I could have spent more time with him. I did not know what to think about his salvation. 

When I was in the USA and was unable to go visit my dad yet, my husband and I (and probably others, too) prayed that the Lord would send a Christian to share the Gospel with my dad. I didn't know how or if the Lord would grant that request. On the first night (the same day my dad died) of his funeral (which took 3 nights plus a day of cremation), I was sitting alone out in the temple's courtyard because I requested to be excused from all of the Buddhism ceremonies. While the people listened to the monks' chanting, I was praying for them to be delivered from that bondage and to come to know the true God. A lady (whom I did not know but recognized as a friend of my dad's wife) came to sit opposite of me. She asked me if I was a Christian. I was taken by surprise. I said yes! She then said she also was a Christian but my dad's wife didn't know. She told me that she went to visit my dad when he was still in the hospital and shared the Gospel with him. She said he didn't open his eyes but when she asked him if he believed in Jesus, he squeezed her hand. I couldn't believe my ears! I kept thanking God out loud! Both she and I were crying because we were totally overwhelmed by how awesome our God was. God was so gracious to me; He sent that lady to let me know that my dad did indeed have the opportunity to hear the Good News about Jesus Christ even when I couldn't be there to personally tell him yet. Truly amazing!!! I was and still am in awe at how God showed His love and power. He filled my heart with peace, hope, and joy. I have been sharing about this God-ordained encounter and this testimony of God's faithfulness, grace, and mercy! Everyone who has heard it is amazed, too. To God alone be all the glory!!!

What a whirlwind week of emotions, activities, and reflections! The theme of that week was definitely this: "With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible!" (Matthew 19:26) I am still amazed by how God worked everything out. Only God knows whether my dad was saved or not. I, of course, would like to think that he was (the Thai lady assured me he was), especially after all that God allowed me to experience. My heart is overwhelmed with gratitude. Nothing is impossible for my God!

"God is bigger than any limitation, circumstance, impossibility, or insufficiency you may be facing." (Nancy Demoss)

You're invited to share your thoughts about the quote above (Matthew 19:26) on your blog and then link up your post here. To learn more about "In Other Words"(what it's about, how it works, and how it originated), visit here.

This post is also linked up with Faith-filled Friday @Beholding Glory, Spiritual Sundays, Sharing His Beauty @The Beauty in His Grip, Playdates with God at The Wellspring, and "Hear It, Use It" @Graceful.

Friday's Fave Five #70

It's time for another Friday's Fave Five (hosted by Susanne at Living to Tell the Story).

My Fave Five this week:-
1.  Free e-book, "When You Ask Why" at http://www.newleafpublishinggroup.com/promo/when-you-ask-why/

2. My daughter is hosting a giveaway for Natalia, a nine-year-old orphan. Please consider giving to help this sweet girl! $5 earns you an entry to the giveaway. Thanks!

3. I shared my thoughts about this quote here:

“Farewell, vain world; my soul bids you adieu.
My Savior taught me to abandon you.
Your charms may gratify a sensual mind,
but cannot please a soul for God designed.”

          ~David Brainerd

4. Game Night with the international students. We had so much fun!

5. This video: This Is Discipleship 
Note: Please turn off my music playlist at the bottom of this page before starting the video.

Farewell, Vain World!

“Farewell, vain world; my soul bids you adieu.
My Savior taught me to abandon you.
Your charms may gratify a sensual mind,
but cannot please a soul for God designed.”

          ~David Brainerd

The more I know God and the longer I walk with Him, the less worldly things entice me. We, Christ's followers, must examine ourselves. We cannot serve two masters. God or materialism? God or egotism? God or sensuality? Wealth, fame, power, pleasure, and other temptations in this world can never satisfy our soul. Only Christ, our Lord and Savior, can! Don't waste your life chasing after these temporary things! Live for God and give Him your undivided loyalty! Don't let the world and its pursuits come between your soul and Him.

"Then Jesus said to His disciples, 'If anyone would come after Me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow Me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for Me will find it. What good will it be for a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul?" Matthew 16:24-26a

"Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For everything in the world--the cravings of sinful man, the lust of his eyes and the boasting of what he has and does--comes not from the Father but from the world. The world and its desires pass away, but the man who does the will of God lives forever." 1 John 2:15-17

"Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is--His good, pleasing and perfect will." Romans 12:2

We're a new creation. We no longer think the way the world thinks; we embrace the mind and the attitudes of Christ. Our old way of thinking and living has gone, being replaced with the new way of thinking and living according to God's Word.

"When they see a follower of Jesus who is sold out for Christ, living free of legalism and bondage to the world, they are drawn to Jesus. When they see a follower of Jesus living for 'self' and the world, they have no problem rejecting Jesus because it allows them to play the hypocrite card. The world needs us to be an example of living the Bible so that they too are drawn to Christ. They need answers, and for us to say we are "Christians" and live our life in pursuit of personal gain would only be a contradiction to who we say we follow. " ~David McGee

"May I never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world." Galatians 6:14

You're invited to share your thoughts about the quote above (by David Brainerd) on your blog and then link up your post here. To learn more about "In Other Words"(what it's about, how it works, and how it originated), visit here.

This post is also linked up with Faith-filled Friday @Beholding Glory, Spiritual Sundays, Sharing His Beauty @The Beauty in His Grip, Playdates with God at The Wellspring, and "Hear It, Use It" @Graceful.

Friday's Fave Five #69

It's time for another Friday's Fave Five (hosted by Susanne at Living to Tell the Story).

My Fave Five this week:-

1. I had a wonderful time at the Spring Tea with 2 friends last Saturday. The menu was outstanding :). The table settings were so beautiful, creative, and unique. The message was encouraging. You can see the photos here.

2. God is beyond awesome! I've seen His fingerprints in my daily life all the time. Way cool! He is a very personal God. He cares about even minor details of my life. I'm speechless...just so overwhelmed with thankfulness in my heart.

3. French wild blueberry preserves on French vanilla ice cream...Delicieux :)!

4. This article (and video): Why We Got Married by Larissa Murphy. Truly beautiful and inspiring! I cried, of course :). You can also visit here to download a free copy of This Momentary Marriage by John Piper.

"The beauty of the covenant-keeping love between Christ and His Church shines brightest when nothing but Christ can sustain." ~John Piper

5. I've been participating in the "A Photo a Day in MAY" challenge on my photo blog at http://wondersbeyondwords.blogspot.com/ . Fun and challenging :)!

Under Scrutiny

“You are the only Bible some unbelievers will ever read,
and your life is under scrutiny every day.
What do others learn from you?
Do they see an accurate picture of your God?”
by John MacArthur

Whether we like it or not...realize it or not, people read us and notice how we act and how we react. Are we living our lives according to God's Word? Are we extending to others grace and mercy lavishly bestowed upon us by God? Do others see the fruit of the Spirit (love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control) displayed in our lives? I hope and pray that others will see Christ in me. Of course, I am far from perfect. I often fail and struggle. However, I hope that my words and actions, including my failures, will point to the fact that we all are sinners in need of a Savior and that He is my Hope, Joy, Strength, Lord, and Life. Christians either attract unbelievers to Jesus or turn them away from wanting to know more about Jesus by the way they live their lives. Are you passionate about Jesus and the Gospel? People can tell. Your joy and enthusiasm speak volumes. Do you share the Good News with others? Can people see that you're different from the world...that Christ reigns in your life? How do you react to trials and troubles? People are watching. Your response reflects what you believe. Do you walk the talk? If not, hypocrisy will quickly turn people off.

We are Christ's ambassadors (2 Corinthians 5:19-20)! Do we accurately represent Him?
"Let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven." Matthew 5:16
Do our lives glorify Him? What do others learn from us? Faith in the Almighty God or doubt and fear? Eternal hope in Christ or hopelessness and despair? Unconditional and selfless love for all or conditional and selfish "love" for some and hatred/prejudice for others? Are we being light to this dark world?

My personal experience attests the real-life application of the quote. Our family has been hosting a weekly dinner/Bible study for international students who attend a local university. Most of these students had never read the Bible. However, they become interested in learning about God and the Bible because they like what they see in our fellowship. They are attracted to the love, joy, contentment, caring, kindness, passion, hospitality, smiles, and laughter that they witness. We continue to pray for them that they will choose to surrender their lives to Christ.

The quote above reminds me of several similar quotes:
"I am my neighbor's Bible. He reads me when we meet. He may not even know my name, yet he is reading me." ~Unknown

"We are His word to the world. Are we clearly heard?" ~Unknown

"Of one hundred men, one will read the Bible; the ninety-nine will read the Christian." ~Dwight L. Moody

"You can preach a better sermon with your life than with your lips." ~Oliver Goldsmith

"So let our lips and lives express
The holy gospel we profess;
So let our works and virtues shine,
To prove the doctrine all divine." ~Watts


~This post is linked up with In 'Other' Words @SunflowerFaith , Faith-Filled Friday @Beholding Glory, Spiritual Sundays, Sharing His Beauty @The Beauty in His Grip, Playdates with God at The Wellspring, and "Hear It, Use It" @Graceful.

Live Like That

May everything I say and do point to You, Lord! "I consider my life worth nothing to me, if only I may finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me--the task of testifying to the gospel of God's grace." Acts 20:24

"We must be the same person in private and in public. Only the Christian worldview gives us the basis for this kind of integrity." ~Chuck Colson

"Loving God - really loving Him - means living out His commands no matter what the cost." ~Chuck Colson

A life well lived for God's glory and His kingdom: Chuck Colson, 10/16/1931-4/21/2012

Ultimate Blog Party 2012

Welcome to my blog! My name is Urailak (aka "LivingforGod" around bloggyworld and "Fruit Bearer" on Facebook). I am a Christ-follower, Bible-believer, daughter & servant of the King of kings, the blessed wife of my beloved Godly husband (for over 20 years), homeschool mom of three precious blessings (18 yo daughter, 13 yo son, and 10 yo son), sister in Christ, and friend to all. I have been blogging since 2006 (previously at homeschoolblogger.com). If you are new here and wonder what this blog is all about, please check out my favorite posts (see the right sidebar). I also have a photo blog and a family/homeschool-related blog.

Currently, I'm hosting three different giveaways:
- Win a copy of A Perfect Pet for Peyton by Rick Osborne and Gary Chapman (4/20)
- Win a certificate redeemable for a copy of Miracle for Jen by Linda Barrick (4/20)
- Win a copy of  The 5 Love Languages of Children by by Gary Chapman and Ross Campbell (4/30)

Thanks for stopping by and hope you enjoy your visit !

My UBP Story

                                            
                                            Join me..join me.
                                            Don’t delay.
                                            The Ultimate Blog Party
                                            Is now underway.
                                            What fun it would be
                                            To enjoy visitors
                                            Without cleaning your house
                                            Or dusting furniture.
                                            You can host a party.
                                            You can visit day or night.

                                            You sure will have a ball.
                                            But that is not all.
                                            Oh, no.
                                            That is not all.
                                            Oh, the places you will go
                                            The people you will meet
                                            Imagine the possibilities
                                            How wonderful…how sweet!
                                           
                                            Now! Now! Have no doubt.
                                            There are prizes galore.
                                            Everyone is a winner.
                                            Go check it out to know more.
                                            While you are here…
                                            Oh, what do you say?
                                            Leave me a comment.
                                            Let me know if you may.
                                            Hope to see you around.
                                            Hope you’ll come back a lot.
                                            Oh, I can’t imagine…
                                            Why not?
                                                      
I wrote the above poem (Dr. Suess style) when I joined the Ultimate Blog Party in 2007. I have been a faithful participant ever since. This year will be my 6th year. Faithful...but not "successful" :)! You see? My blog is still not famous or well known. It still doesn't have gazillion followers. Here's the amount of comments I received for each year's UBP post.

2007:8 comments; 2008: 6 comments; 2009: 17 comments; 2010: 20 comments; 2011: 15 comments

Nothing impressive. I'm probably the one to be blamed. I don't have time to visit lots of blogs and leave lots of comments. I am thankful for new visitors via UBP and I do take the time to visit those who have left comments. Several said they would be back but I don't think they have come back yet :). Last year, I even participated through all my three blogs (Living for God, Fruitbearers, and My Father's World). Maybe this year will be different. If not, that's okay. I enjoy the party, anyway. And the reason I blog in the first place is not to become well known or well liked but to draw people to Jesus...to make Him known. Soli Deo Gloria!

Friday's Fave Five #68

It's time for another Friday's Fave Five (hosted by Susanne at Living to Tell the Story).

My Fave Five this week:-

1. I had a wonderful time at the dumpling-making party with some of the international students at a friend's house. I love dumplings :)!

2. Som Thum (Thai papaya salad)...so yummy! It made me a little homesick for Thailand though. I haven't been back since 1992.

3. I had fun playing Monopoly Deal Card Game with my youngest son (10). 

4. I like this quote:

"Ever wonder why there were two crosses next to Christ? Why not six or ten? Ever wonder why Jesus was in the center? Could it be the two crosses on the hill symbolize one of God’s greatest gifts? The gift of choice.

The two criminals were convicted by the same system. Condemned to the same death. Equally close to the same Jesus. But one changed!

You’ve made some bad choices in life, haven’t you? You look back and you say, “If only I could make up for those bad choices." You can!

When one thief on the cross prayed, Jesus loved him enough to save him. When the other mocked, Jesus loved him enough to let him. He allowed him the choice.

He does the same for you!" ~Max Lucado

5. After 12 years of doing Steps for Life and being inducted into the Steps for Life Hall of Fame for raising over $10,000 for the Pregnancy Resource Centers, Alyssa (my daughter) is passing the baton to her younger brother. I'm so delighted to see their passion to defend the defenseless and save lives! Please follow this link to visit Isaiah Liljequist's personal web page and help him in his efforts to support Pregnancy Resource Centers of Greater Portland. Thanks!

Have a blessed Good Friday and Resurrection Day weekend! Christ is risen! Let us rejoice and share this great news with everyone!

Never Neutral

“No one can remain neutral regarding Jesus’ resurrection.
The claim is too staggering,
the event too earthshaking,
the implications too significant
and the matter too serious.
We must either receive it or reject it as truth for us.
To remain indifferent or undecided is to reject it.” 

~Mark Driscoll

Jesus' resurrection is pivotal! It confirms His claims to deity and guarantees the future bodily resurrection unto eternal life of all who believe in Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior. It sets Christianity apart from all other religions. Christ is alive; all the founders of other religions are dead. Only Christ Jesus has victory over death, demonstrating that He has power over all things. His resurrection is a provable historical fact.

The above quote reminded me of this quote: "The most powerful thing about the Bible is that it is not neutral---in fact, there is no such position as a "neutral" one. One way or another, we must all contend with its claims. To not make a decision about whether or not it will serve as the authority for your life is, in fact, to decide against it." ~Greg Hall in Already Compromised (co-authored with Ken Ham)

The point is that to not make a decision is the same as to have already made a decision. Once you learn what the Bible says about Who Jesus Christ is, His birth, His life, His ministry, His death and resurrection, you must decide how you will respond. You have a choice to make. Accept Him or reject Him? Your life and eternal destiny depend on your choice. Heaven or Hell? An abundant life with Christ or a hopeless life without Christ? By the way, you cannot just want Jesus to be your Savior but not your Lord. It doesn't work that way. You cannot have one foot in God's kingdom and one foot in the world, either. You're either in or out! You cannot serve two masters.

Jesus Christ, the Messiah, God in human flesh, came to earth to live a sinless life, died in our place to save us sinners, and conquered death by His resurrection to give us eternal life. He did it all because He loves us so much. What will be your response to His love today? Life is short. Death is certain for everyone. I hope and pray that you will choose Christ now before it's too late. "I'm thinking about it" won't do you any good because it means you decide against surrendering your life to Christ at this moment. There may never be another moment...

"For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: 
that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures,
that He was buried,
that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures,
and that He appeared to Peter, and then to the Twelve. After that, He appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers at the same time, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep. Then He appeared to James, then to all the apostles, and last of all He appeared to me also, as to one abnormally born."
1 Corinthians 15:3-8

This post is linked up with In 'Other' Words @Writing Canvas, Faith-Filled Friday @Beholding Glory, Spiritual Sundays, Sharing His Beauty @The Beauty in His Grip, Playdates with God at The Wellspring, and "Hear It, Use It" @Graceful.

O Sacred Head, Now Wounded

Note: Please turn off my music playlist at the bottom of this page before starting the videos.



"They stripped Him and put a scarlet robe on Him, and then twisted together a crown of thorns and set it on His head. They put a staff in His right hand and knelt in front of Him and mocked Him. "Hail, King of the Jews!" they said. They spit on Him, and took the staff and struck Him on the head again and again. After they had mocked Him, they took off the robe and put His own clothes on Him. Then they led Him away to crucify Him." Matthew 27:28-31

Jesus, I can neither love You enough nor thank You enough, but I will neither stop thanking You nor stop loving You! You took my punishment and death. Thank You once again for Your amazing love for me! I love You, my Lord and Savior!

Friday's Fave Five #67

It's time for another Friday's Fave Five (hosted by Susanne at Living to Tell the Story).

My Fave Five this week:-

1. I finished reading Miracle for Jen by Linda Barrick. Awesome book! You can read my review and enter a giveaway here.

2. Our whole family had our dental checkup yesterday. No cavities for all of us. Yeah :)!

3. Our daughter got her SAT result yesterday. Her score is 2010! We're so proud of her.

4. I had fun playing UpWords with my youngest son (10). He certainly has a way with words :).

5. On Sunday, we enjoyed Hot Pot and a class of Christianity Explored with the international students. Great food and great discussion! Please pray that they will understand the Gospel clearly and that they will choose Christ.

Bonus: While I was enjoying Hot Pot, I got a tiny fish bone or something sharp stuck on the right side of my throat. It hurt and I couldn't reach it. I prayed and prayed (silently). I'm super thankful that the Lord made it go away and I can swallow without feeling anything there anymore.

Book Review and Giveaway: Miracle for Jen by Linda Barrick

About the book:
On the night of November 5, 2006, the Barrick family was driving home from church when their van was struck by a drunk driver. Fifteen-year-old Jen suffered multiple skull fractures and severe brain trauma and was not expected to survive the night. But against all odds, she did. After lingering in a coma for five weeks, Jen opened her eyes and began praying and praising God. She didn't remember her middle name, recognize her parents, or recall that she had a little brother—but she remembered Jesus and every word to every praise song and Scripture she had hidden in her heart before the accident. As any loving mother would, Jen's mother Linda wanted God to heal Jen--make her like she was before. Normal. But a loving God had something else in mind--instead of making her normal, God is making Jennifer--and the whole Barrick family--extraordinary, miraculous. Miracle for Jen is the remarkable true story of a family who overcame tragedy and learned to trust God's plan for their lives in a whole new way.

My Thoughts and Review:
Wow...what an amazing testimony of God's faithfulness, goodness, and power! I love this book! I cried several times while reading this book...yes, it's that good :). Through her mother, Linda Barrick's memoir, Jen Barrick's unwavering faith, heart of gratitude, total devotion to God, and passion to proclaim Christ ministered to me so much. Though suffering from a severe brain injury, Jen's spiritual connection/love relationship with God has remained intact and even grew deeper and stronger after the accident. She could also see Jesus standing right beside her. How precious! She prayed, praised God, worshiped Him in songs, and quoted the Scriptures while she could not talk. God is truly glorified and His power is definitely made perfect in her weakness. Jen's Godly insights and heavenly-minded prayers encourage people around her, including her mom who is at times grieved over what Jen has lost. In her journal (before the car crash), Jen asked God for boldness in sharing her faith. God answered her prayer in a way that nobody could have imagined. God transformed Jen into His beautiful vessel, being used mightily for His glory and for His kingdom. I really appreciate that Linda shares openly and honestly how she feels. As a mother myself, I can relate to her and understand her struggles. At the end of the book, you will find Jen's message sharing the Gospel clearly. Story of God's grace. Story of hope. God is still the God of miracles! I highly recommend this book!

Below are some of my favorite Jen's quotes from the book:
"Thank You for giving me the brain injury." (p. 150...Can you imagine that?!)
"Mom, your problem is that your brain gets in the way. You think too much! You have to just trust God." (p.150)
"If He doesn't heal me completely it's because He has something far greater for me to do." (p. 167)
"I don't feel normal, and I'm okay with that. I never wanted to be normal. And I don't want to be remembered as 'the girl with the brain injury.' I want to be remembered as the girl who loved Jesus with all her heart." (p.244)

Note: Please turn off my music playlist at the bottom of this page before starting the trailer.

GIVEAWAY: You can win a certificate redeemable for a copy of this book. Deadline: 4/20/12

To Enter: Please visit The Barrick Family's website, "Hope Out Loud" and then leave a comment here sharing your thoughts.

For Extra Entries (please leave a separate comment for each one that you do):

- Follow this blog via GFC or NetworkedBlogs

- "Like" my page "Christ Alone" on Facebook
- Follow me on Twitter: @treasuredbyGod
- Share the link to this giveaway post on Facebook
- Tweet about this giveaway on Twitter 

~I received a copy of this book and a certificate (for giveaway) for free from Tyndale House Publishers in exchange for my honest review.

Friday's Fave Five #66

It's time for another Friday's Fave Five (hosted by Susanne at Living to Tell the Story).

My Fave Five this week:-
1. I enjoyed the International House picnic. There was a cooking contest. Lots of yummy dishes from various cultures such as Vietnamese, Chinese, Middle-Eastern, etc. I entered my Thai Green Curry with Chicken. I didn't win. The winner's dish was pizza :).

2. Last Friday night, we (our Bible study/fellowship group including several international students) had so much fun playing ping-pong, pool, foosball, and cool group games! Lots of laughs.

3. I participate in Spring Reading Thing 2012 and posted the list of books that I plan to read this spring here. 

4. March Madness = sledding fun in the snow! I think spring is really confused or has lost its way somehow :). We took advantage of the snow we got yesterday.


5. "7 Tips for Teaching Preschoolers the Bible" written by Alyssa (my 18 yo daughter) is published in The Old Schoolhouse Magazine's March issue.