Each time I sign up for camp, my mind as well as my heart simply expects the usual. You know, meet new people, sing praise and worship songs and then shortly afterwards, listen to sermons, hang out in the cool air until it is past midnight. And most of the time, the reason I sign up for it is always the same; it's because most of my friends, or shall I say my clique will be attending the camp as well. My mind's set to think that each year a camp is organized, nothing new is to be looked forward to. Sure, there will new speakers and different sermons to lend our ears to but at the end of the day, we end up leaving with the same habits and lifestyles we had before the camp. Or at least for me, it was that way.
As for this year's Worship Camp though, I signed up with a slightly different perspective and reason from why I signed up for the many camps before. I signed up knowing that the handful of people I usually hang out with would not be present. I signed up thirsty for God's presence in my life, to change and to mould me into the individual he plans for me to be. I gave myself a chance to expect the unpredictable. To expect more of God's miracles to take place. And truth be told, I was taken aback by how immensely amazing He is. He worked in marvelous ways while we were up in Peacehaven.
For one, I still can't wrap my head around how well we got along with the FGA Singapore group. We were all so alike in so many ways that it was a challenge to tell us apart. It felt like we were one big family, literally, other than being apart of God's ever growing family. From the many friendships that were blossomed, I believe that it's safe to say that we all brought out the best in each other. Three days and two nights together was all it took for a friendship that can last a lifetime to be created. Pretty amazing, I should say. You know how it's like when you sometimes realize awkwardness or you are at a lost of words while having a conversation with someone you just met? Well, with them, it didn't feel that way at all. Any semblance of awkwardness or the feeling of being out of place might have been driven away by God's grace.
Speaking about how marvelous God is, during the last night we spent in Peachaven, he painted the night sky a dark hue of blue and sprinkled sparkly stars that were only visible from where we were. That night, most of us that were still very awake when it was already past midnight, spent the wee hours seated on the concrete bench laughing and singing away. Singing out of tune, that is - which I never knew was so much fun! It was as chilly as it always is during night time and most of us were clad in shorts, a tee and a jacket to keep us warm (it didn't help much, anyways). As chilly as it was, the night's sky as well as the view of the city from the top was too beautiful to pass up and head indoors for warmth.
(via Malisa)
Anyone in their right mind would drop whatever they were doing just to marvel at such a magnificent sight. I would, hands-down!
Picturesque landscapes and perky companions aside, the sermons that were preached too, left lessons to be carried on in the life I now lead. Lessons about none other than the Lord Almighty.
I learnt that, in the topic of The Fruitful Abide
- Fruitfulness will be the inevitable outcome of an interior spiritual life with Jesus.
- It's never impossible to love the fruit of unfaithfulness but when love dominates, nothing stands in it's way.
- Supernatural experience is incomparable to anything else in the world.
- It's about time that in our prayers, devotions and everyday life, we place our trust in His hands and believe in Him.
- "Jesus is the reason why everything in this world exists" - Colossians 1:16
- A false vine is anything that takes the place of God in our lives.
- "God wants to be your source of significance" and in turn, "God wants your sense of significance to come from Him".
- Nothing else should come between my relationship with God nor take his place as the 1st in my life.
Confession time #
Sitting alone in my own quiet space sure does therapeutic wonders. I spent my evening concluding everything God has thought me during Worship Camp which now urges me to rant about a confession I made a few days ago.
I'd be lying if I said that my walk with God is a smooth, never-ending journey because the truth is, it hasn't been for quite some time. My relationship with Him can be compared to a cockroach carefully balancing itself on a worn thread. Even though I make sure that I say my prayers before I fall asleep on my pillow of dreams and when I wake up to the rising sun, I still feel guilty. Cause' what's been missing is my Devotions Time. I have made promises to stick to doing my devotions every morning but someway or another, it never lasts long - things get in the way. And till' today, I find myself constantly fighting for time to spend with God. It's a struggle I face daily.
When it comes to my friends whose walk with God is also on shaky grounds, I realize that it's much easier to encourage them to make time for Him, to do their devotions, pray and do all that kinda stuff than it is to take my own advice. People whom I have confided in say that it's something everyone goes through, but why does it have to be that way? Why does it have to be such a struggle to return the love God has for us? Why is it so hard to spend even a few minutes of our day just to thank Him for all he has done? It's just not fair.
“In the world you will have trouble but take courage for I have conquered the world.”
After reading this quote I found via Google, I'm now more calm and assured that when I set my mind on a goal or something I want badly, it shall be in the palm of my hands.As long as I have God as the wind in my sails.
Out of the blue, I'm now reminded of the saying my Grandma as well as my Dad used to always soothe me with when I'm faced with the feeling of discomfort.
They would say that, "Greater is he within me, than he is in the world".
P.S - This is most probably the first entry I've written about God so I apologize if this post comes off as a little cheesy or whatnot.
