Cultivating gratefulness in life

This is what people of all walks of life need to learn - regardless of one's culture and religion. Benedictine monk Brother David Steindl-Rast shares (from 04:27) how to cultivate a heart of gratitude.

The Game with Minutes (by Frank C. Laubach)

THE GAME WITH MINUTES

By Frank C. Laubach (1953)

CHRIST IS THE ONLY HOPE OF THE WORLD

‘Disillusioned by all our other efforts, we now see that the only hope left for the human race is to become like Christ.’ That is the statement of a famous scientist, and is being repeated among ever more educators, statesmen, and philosophers. Yet Christ has not saved the world from its present terrifying dilemma. The reason is obvious: few people are getting enough of Christ to save either themselves or the world. Take the United States, for example. Only a third of the population belongs to a Christian church. Less than half of this third attend service regularly. Preachers speak about Christ in perhaps one service in four—thirty minutes a month! Good sermons, many of them excellent, but too infrequent in presenting Christ.

Less than ten minutes a week given to thinking about Christ by one-sixth of the people is not saving our country or our world; for selfishness, greed, and hate are getting a thousand times that much thought. What a nation thinks about, that it is. We shall not become like Christ until we give Him more time. A teachers’ college requires students to attend classes for twenty-five hours a week for three years. Could it prepare competent teachers or a law school prepare competent lawyers if they studied only ten minutes a week? Neither can Christ, and he never pretended that he could. To his disciples he said: ‘Come with me, walk with me, talk and listen to me, work and rest with me, eat and sleep with me, twenty-four hours a day for three years.’ That was their college course—‘He chose them,’ the Bible says, ‘that

they might be with him,’ 168 hours a week!~

All who have tried that kind of abiding for a month know the power of it—it is like being born again from center to circumference. It absolutely changes every person who does it. And it will change the world that does it.

How can a man or woman take this course with Christ today? The answer is so simple a child can understand it. Indeed unless we ‘turn and become like children’’ we shall not succeed.

1.     We have a study hour. We read and reread the life of Jesus recorded in the Gospels thoughtfully and prayerfully at least an hour a day. We find fresh ways and new translations, so that this reading will never be dull, but always stimulating and inspiring. Thus we walk with Jesus through Galilee by walking with Him through the pages of His earthly history.

2.     We make Him our inseparable chum. We try to call Him to mind at least one second of each minute. We do not need to forget other things nor stop our work, but we invite Him to share everything we do or say or think. Hundreds of people have experimented until they have found ways to let Him share every minute that they are awake. In fact, it is no harder to learn this new habit than to learn the touch system in typing, and in time one can win a high percentage of his minutes with as little effort as an expert needs to write a letter.

While these two practices take all our time, yet they do not take it away from any good enterprise. They take Christ into that enterprise and make more result full. They also keep a man’s religion steady. If the temperature of a sick man rises and falls daily the doctor regards him as seriously ill. This is the case with religion. Not spiritual chills and fevers, but an abiding faith which gently presses the will toward Christ all day, is a sign of a healthy religion.

Practicing the presence of God is not on trial. It has already been proven by countless thousands of people. Indeed, the spiritual giants of all ages have known it. Christians who do it today become more fervent and beautiful and are tireless witnesses.

Men and women who had been slaves of vices have been set free. Catholics and Protestants find this practicing the presence of God at the heart of their faith. Conservatives and liberals agree that here is a reality they need. People who are grateful for what this booklet has done for them are ordering wholesale quantities to give to friends. Letters from all parts of the world testify that in this game, multitudes are turning defeat into victory and despair into joy.

The results of this program begin to show clearly in a month. They grow rich after six months, and glorious after ten years.

Somebody may be saying, ‘All this is very orthodox and very ancient.’ It is indeed, the secret of the great saints of all ages. ‘Pray without ceasing,’ said Paul, ‘in everything make your wants known unto God.’ ‘As many as are led by the Spirit of God these are the sons of God.’

HOW WE WIN THE GAME WITH MINUTES

Nobody is wholly satisfied with himself. Our lives are made up of lights and shadows, of some good days and many unsatisfactory days. We have learned that the good days and hours come when we are very close to Christ, and that the poor days come whenever we push Him out of our thoughts. Clearly, then, the way to a more consistent high level is to take Him into everything we do or say or think.

Experience has told us that good resolutions are not enough. We need to discipline our lives to an ordered regime. The ‘Game with Minutes’ is a rather lighthearted name for such a regime in the realm of the spirit. Many of us have found it to be enormously helpful. It is a new name for something as old as Enoch, who ‘walked with God.’ It is a way of living which nearly everybody knows and nearly everybody had ignored. Students will at once recognize it as a fresh approach to Brother Lawrence’s ‘Practicing the Presence of God.’

We call this a ‘game’ because it is a delightful experience and an exhilarating spiritual exercise; but we soon discover that it is far more than a game. Perhaps a better name for it would be ‘an exploratory expedition,’ because it opens out into what seems at first like a beautiful garden; then the garden widens into a country; and at last we realize that we are exploring a new world. This may sound like poetry, but it is not overstating what experience has shown us. Some people have compared it to getting out of a dark prison and beginning to LIVE. We still see the same world, yet it is not the same, for it has a new glorious color and a far deeper meaning. Thank God, this adventure is free for everybody, rich or poor, wise or ignorant, famous or unknown, with a good past or a bad—‘Whosoever will, may come.’ The greatest thing in the world is for everybody!

You will find this just as easy and just as hard as forming any other habit. You have hitherto thought of God for only a few seconds or minutes a week, and He was out of your mind the rest of the time. New you are attempting, like Brother Lawrence, to have God in mind each minute you are awake. Such drastic change in habit requires a real effort at the beginning.

Many of us find it very useful to have pictures of Christ where our eyes will fall on them every time we look around. A very happy hobby is to collect the most friendly pictures of Christ, pocket size, so that we can erect our own shrine in a few seconds.

HOW TO BEGIN

Select a favorable hour; try how many minutes of the hour you can remember God at least ONCE each minute; that is to day, bring God to mind at least one second out of every sixty. It is not necessary to remember God every second, for the mind runs along like a rapid stream from one idea to another.

Your score will be low at first, but keep trying, for it constantly becomes easier, and after a while is almost automatic. It follows the well known laws of habit forming. If you try to write shorthand you are at first very awkward. This is true when you are learning to play a piano, or to ride a bicycle, or to use any new muscles. When you try this ‘game with minutes’ you discover that spiritually you are still a very weak infant. A babe in the crib seizes upon everything at hand to pull himself to his feet, wobbles for a few seconds and falls exhausted, Then he tries again, each time standing a little longer than before. We are like that babe when we begin to try to keep God in mind. We need something to which we can cling. Our minds wobble and fall, then rise for a new effort. Each time we try we shall do better until at last we may be able to remember God as high as ninety per cent of the whole day.

HOW TO TRY THE EXPERIMENT IN CHURCH

You have a good chance of starting well if you begin in church—provided the sermon is about God. When our congregation first tried it, we distributed slips of paper which read:

GAME WITH MINUTES

Score Card

During this hour I thought of God at least

once each minute for…………….minutes.

Signed………………………………………………..

At the opening of the service the pastor made this announcement: ‘Everybody will be asked to fill this score card at the end of one hour. In order to succeed, you may use any help within reach. You may look at the cross, or you may leaf through your hymn book or Bible, looking for verses that reminding you of God.’

The sermon that Sunday explained how to play the game. At the end of the hour, the Score cards were collected. The congregation reported scores ranging from five to sixty minutes. The average was forty-four minutes, which meant 73 percent of the hour. For beginners this was excellent. Such an experiment, by the way, will encourage the congregation to listen better than usual, and will remind the preacher to keep his sermon close to God.

If you score 75 per cent in church, you can probably make a rather good score for the rest of the day. It is a question of being master of every new situation.

Never use a score card more than an hour, and not that long if it tires you. This is a new delight

you are learning, and it must not be turned into a task.

WHILE GOING HOME FROM CHURCH

Can you win your game with minutes while passing people on the street? Yes! Experiments have revealed a sure way to succeed: offer a swift prayer for the people at whom you glance. It is easy to think an instantaneous prayer while looking people straight in the eye, and the way people smile back at you shows that they like it! This practice gives a surprising exhilaration, as you may prove for yourself. A half-hour spent walking and praying for all one meets, instead of tiring one, gives him a sense of ever heightening energy like a battery being charged. It is a tonic, a good way to overcome a tired feeling.

Some of us walk on the right side of the pavement, leaving room for our unseen Friend, whom we visualize walking by our side, and we engage in silent conversations with Him about the people we meet. For example, we may say: ‘Dear Companion, what can we do together for this man whom we are passing?’ Then we whisper what we believe Christ would answer.

WHERE TO LOOK FOR CHRIST

We have a right to use any aid that proves useful. One such aid is to think of Christ as in a definite location. To be sure, He is a spirit, everywhere at once—and therefore anywhere we realize Him to be. Many of us win our game nearly all of some days by realizing His unseen presence sitting a chair or walking beside us. Some of us have gazed at our favorite picture of Him until it floats before our memories whenever we glance at His unseen presence, and we almost see Him. Indeed, many of us do see Him in our dreams. Others, like St. Paul, like to feel Him within the breast; many, like St. Patrick, feel Him all around us, above, below, before, behind, as though we walked in His kindly halo,. We may have our secret ways of helping us to realize that He is very near and very dear.

ON A TRAIN OR IN A CROWD

We whisper ‘God’ or ‘Jesus’ or ‘Christ’ constantly as we glance at every person near us. We try to see double, as Christ does—we see the person as he is and the person Christ longs to make him. Remarkable things happen, until those in tune look around as though you spoke—especially children. The atmosphere of a room changes when a few people keep whispering to Him about all the rest. Perhaps there is no finer ministry than just to be in meetings or crowds, whispering ‘Jesus’ and then helping people whenever you see an opportunity. When Dr. Chalmers answers the telephone he whispers: ‘A child of God will now speak to me.’ We can do that when anybody speaks to us.

If everybody in America would do the things just described above, we should have a ‘heaven below.’ This is not pious poetry. We have seen what happens. Try it during all this week, until a strange power develops within you. As messages from England are broadcast in Long Island for all America, so we can become spiritual broadcasters for Christ. Every cell in our brain is an electric battery which He can use to intensify what He longs to say to people who are spiritually deaf to hear Him without our help.

WHILE IN CONVERSATION

Suppose when you reach home you find a group of friends engaged in ordinary conversation. Can you remember God at least once every minute? This is hard, but we have found that we can be successful if we employ some reminders. Here are aids which have proven useful:

1.     Have a picture of Christ in front of you where you can glance at it frequently.

2.     Have an empty chair beside you and imagine that your unseen Master is sitting in it; if possible reach your hand and touch that chair, as though holding His hand. He is there, for He said: ‘Lo, I am with you always.’

3.     Keep humming to your self a favorite prayer hymn—for example, ‘Have Thine Own Way, Lord, Have Thine Own Way.’

4.     Silently pray for each person in the circle.

5.     Keep whispering inside: ‘Lord, put Thy thoughts in my mind. Tell me what to say.’

6.     Best of all, tell your companions about the ‘Game with Minutes.’ If they are interested, you will have no more trouble. You cannot keep God unless you give Him to others.

WHEN AT THE TABLE

All the previous suggestions are useful at mealtime. If possible, have an empty chair for your Invisible Guest, who said, ‘Wherever two or three are gathered together, I am in the midst.’ Another useful aid is to recall what the Quakers believe about every meal. Jesus told us: ‘Eat this in remembrance of me.’ They think that He meant, not only consecrated bread, but all food so that every mouthful is His ‘body broken for you.’

You might read and discuss this booklet. It helps immediately if others at the table agree to try to win this mealtime together.

WHILE READING A BOOK

When we are reading a newspaper or magazine or book, we read it to Him, or at His picture and continue a running conversation with Him inwardly about the pages we are reading. Kagawa says scientific books are letters from God telling how He runs His universe.

Have you ever opened a letter and read it with Jesus, realizing that He smiles with us at the fun,

rejoices with us in the successes, and weeps with us at life’s tragedies? If not, you have missed one of

life’s sweetest experiences.

WHEN THINKING

If you lean back and think about some problem deeply, how can you remember God? You can do it by forming a new habit. All thought employs silent words and is really conversation with your inner self. Instead of talking to yourself,  you will now form the habit of talking to Christ. Many of us who have tried this have found that we think so much better that we never want to try to think without Him again. We are helped if we imagine Him sitting in a chair beside us, talking with us. We say with our tongue what we think Christ might say in reply to our questions. Thus we consult Christ about everything.

WHEN WALKING ALONE

If you are strolling out of doors alone, you can recall God at least once every minute with no effort, if you remember that ‘beauty is the voice of God.’ Every flower and tree, river and lake, mountain and sunset, is God speaking. ‘This is my Father’s world, and to my listening ears all nature sings…’ So as you look at each lovely thing, you may keep asking : ‘Dear Father, What are you telling me through this, and this and this?’

If you have wandered to a place where you can talk aloud without being overheard, you may speak to the Invisible Companion inside you or beside you. Ask Him what is most on His heart and then answer back aloud with your voice what you believe God would reply to you.

Of course we are not always sure whether we have guessed God’s answer right, but it is surprising how much of the time we are very certain. It really is not necessary to be sure that our answer is right, for the answer is not the great thing—He is! God is infinitely more important than His advice or His gifts; indeed, He, himself, is the great gift. The youth in love does not so much prize what his sweetheart may say or may give him, as the fact that she is his and that she is here. The most precious privilege in talking with God is this intimacy which we can have with Him. We may have a glorious succession of heavenly minutes. How foolish people are to lose life’s most poignant joy, seeing it may be

had while taking a walk alone.!

But the most wonderful discovery of all is, to use the words of St. Paul, ‘Christ liveth in me.’ He dwells in us, walks in our minds, reaches out through our hands, speaks with our voices, IF we obey His every whisper.

BE MY LAST THOUGHT

We make sure that there is a picture of Christ, or a Bible, or a Cross or some other object where it will greet our closing eyes as we fall asleep. We continue to whisper any words of endearment our hearts suggest. If all day long we have been walking with Him, we shall find Him the dear companion of our dreams. Sometimes after such a day, we have fallen asleep with our pillows wet from tears of joy, feeling His tender touch on our foreheads. Usually we feel no deep emotion, but always we have a ‘peace that passeth all understanding.’ This is the end of a perfect day.

MONDAY MORNING

If on Sunday we have rated over fifty per cent in our game with minutes, we shall be eager to try the experiment during a busy Monday. As we open our eyes and see a picture of Christ on the wall, we may ask: ‘Now, Master, shall we get up?’ Some of us whisper to Him our every thought about washing and dressing in the morning, about brushing our shoes and choosing our clothes. Christ is interested in every trifle, because He loves us more intimately than a mother loves her babe, or a lover his sweetheart, and is happy only when we share every question with Him.

MEN AT WORK

Countless thousands of men keep God in mind while engaged in all types of work, mental or manual, and find that they are happier and get better results. Those who endure the most intolerable ordeals gain new strength when they; realize that their Unseen Comrade is by their side. To be sure, no man whose business is harmful or shoes methods are dishonest, can expect God’s partnership. But if an enterprise is useful, God eagerly shares in its real progress. The carpenter can do better work if he talks quietly to God about each task, as Jesus certainly did.

When a promise is broken ... (Part 2)

If you wonder whether God can be trusted and why ... here is the reason. God can be trusted all the time because God is an eternal God. In the Bible, we can see God’s faithfulness is interwoven with His eternity, “Before the mountains were born (or you brought forth the whole world), from everlasting to everlasting you are God.” (Ps 90:2). God’s eternal nature provides stability and consistency. We know when a new government / political party comes to power, or when there is a new boss / CEO, we can doubtless expect changes in the way things are done. If you are in university, you can expect different styles of lecture if the lecturer changes. This is however not the case with God. God is forever God. “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.” (He 13:8). So, He won’t say, “what I said previously would not count, it’s under new management”. No, God would not do that.

God’s intention is to bless people from everlasting to everlasting (Ge 1 - Re 22)

From chapter 1 of Genesis, the first book of the Bible, to the last chapter of Revelation, we are told of the depth and the breadth of God’s desire and intention to bless. You don’t have to believe me. You can look it up yourself. He is eternal and has decided to bless from everlasting to everlasting.

How to "bless" and pray for God's labourers, such as missionaries & pastors?

BLESS -- an acronym to guide your prayer for a missionary or for a people group

B -- Body

Pray for physical health and nutrition.

L - Labor

Pray for their work.

E - Emotions

Pray for emotional health and well-being of the missionary or people group.

S - Social

Pray for their social relations, their families and extended families. Pray that God will keep marriages together.

S - Spiritual

Pray for their spiritual condition.

contributed by CMA missionary Lisa Miriam Rohrick

A vision of 2:22

I woke up in the middle of the night (not knowing it was so), feeling I've had a long sleep. However, as I looked outside, I still saw darkness and so would think maybe I should try to get to sleep again. But I couldn't. Flipping back and forth on my bed, I reached out to have a look at the time and found it's 2:22am. Still trying to sleep, I thought to myself, "2:22am, that's interesting, and what day is it today actually?" I came to a realization it's 2/2. Wow.... that actually got my attention.

I have to give a bit of background. Years ago, I have started to believe when I woke up in the middle of the night feeling awake, it must be God trying to talk with me. I would either pray for someone / something or wait to see what God has put in my heart. Then about 2 years ago, I had a wonderful encounter which led to an extended fast in the next 40 days that, I believe, renewed my own prayer life and my relationship with the Lord and revitalized our church's prayer ministry (not only Cantonese, but Mandarin and North congregation as well). It then helped start a wonderful young people ministry in 2010.

Ok, getting back to 2:22, now here I'm, believing God is trying to speak to me. Then I thought about Psalm (which I read just before I went to bed) and Acts. I turned to Acts 2:22, which says, "Jesus of Nazareth was a man accredited by God to you by miracles, wonders and signs, which God did among you through Him, as you yourselves know". I continued to read in what follows about a quote of Peter's sermon from Psalm 110 which I exactly just read according to my yearly reading plan before I went to bed a few hours ago.... I was more puzzled. After Peter's sermon, we are told 3,000 came to faith. That is the number I've been talking about lately which is approximately how many Cantonese-speaking students are currently in Perth.

I kept an open mind to see what God is about to unfold further. Then I felt very sleepy and slept. 4 hours later, I woke up and felt a need to fast which I did. With an open mind and heart, I prayed to God to prepare my heart for His cause and calling.

Then a highlight came in the evening where we had a special speaker (Dr Ron Walborn) addressing us with Jesus' miracle of healing from Mt 8:1-4. Oh.... it seems to echo what I read in Acts 2:22. Ron then quickly moved onto a testimony about preaching to 10,000 people, 3,000 of whom came forward at an altar call for receiving healing. I felt speechless about all these numbers! I trust God is getting His message across to me.

After the message, I felt at least I needed to let the speaker know God has been using him to minister to me. Ron then kindly prayed for me, for increasing faith, for miracles, for apostolic ministry in reaching the people for Christ's sake.

While I am very excited and touched, I need sometime to digest this.

致 "F4.30禁食禱告鏈" 參加者的email

很高興，我們即將一同進入一個對我們個人生命及教會的更新有助益的重要時刻。

在未來數個月，我們將輪流一人一天禁食禱告，為教會、為所認識的人及自己的靈命守望。請參看附上的禱告月曆 (Prayer Link Calendar)，記下你選擇或被安排的禁食禱告日子，來進行禁食禱告。

另外，再次附上禁食禱告的建議日程(Daily Schedule)，幫助你更能善用禁食的時間去禱告親近主。

請留意以下的幾個事項﹕

1. 若果你在所定的日子中（特別日子、家人生日、喜慶時節等），不能參與禁食，請預先以email或電話聯絡一位其他的參加者，互相對調。

2. 在你禁食禱告的那天，若然你發現自己真的無法完成整天3餐的禁食，不要緊，按你的能力及從神的領受，量力而為，不要勉強。總之，鼓勵你當天盡能力去禱告便可以。

3. 當你參與禁食禱告時，請注意﹕ 魔鬼特別會想阻礙你為神國的事去禁食禱告，而加以攔阻。請不要灰心，「故此，你們要順服神。務要抵擋魔鬼，魔鬼就必離開你們逃跑了。」（雅4:7）

4. 我已為你們每一個人禱告，也會繼續為你們代禱。加油！

讓我們一起以信心經歷神！「在至高之處榮耀歸與神，在地上平安歸與他所喜悅的人！」

你的同行者

Andrew

我有一個夢想

我有一個夢想… 我渴望成為一個信心偉人！我願像亞伯拉罕般願意把自己最寶貴的都為主獻上… 我願像約書亞和迦勒一樣，在大部份人覺得無可能的時候，仍能看見只要在神手中，凡事都能…

2008年9月至2009年初期間，很多人人心惶惶，當時的全球性 “金融海嘯” 捲走了不少人的財產，也令很多商家和打工人士為前景惆帳起來，因為多處的公司企業均倒閉或裁員。

在當時，我自己也剛落實一個頗大的決定 – – 為讓我們家庭因有了新成員出生而作出的家庭與工作之適應，於08年10月開始成為教會部份時間的同工 (這想法已於半年前，即08年初已決定，所以與金融海嘯無關)，這舉意味著我們家庭固定的收入將大減，得原來的60%而已，為期接近1年，於09年下半年轉為4天工作。我們的信心要經歷考驗…

當我讀到民數記13章，記載以色列人派探子窺探迦南地的情況，我不禁產生疑問，在多數人 (12位探子當中的10位) 認為不可能遷入迦南地的時候，不論是敵人的數目或他們的身量 (參民13:28-33)，都叫當時準備進入迦南地的以色列民卻步，我好奇為何迦勒和約書亞卻有信心，認為「我們立刻上去得那地吧！我們足能得勝！」，他們的信心從那裡來呢？莫非他們看不見敵人都「身量高大」(32節)？莫非他們不知道對方都是「偉人的後裔」(33節)？

我們再看下去便知道以色列人的小信惹來神的怒氣，但迦勒和約書亞的信心卻取悅神！迦勒的非凡之處在於他專心跟從神 (申1:36)，拒絕以人的眼光緊盯著種種不利的因素，反以神的眼光去看整盤的局勢，「有耶和華與我們同在，不要怕他們！」(民14:9) 結果，神祝福他們和那些對神有信心的人。

回顧過往2年的生活和事奉，我感謝神加添了我們的信心。但我的夢想還未實現，所以我渴望在教會的成長和擴堂的事上繼續經歷神，以神的眼光看… ，而你呢？

The Skinny on Fasting (Skit Guys)

Fasting can be a big question mark in the Christian life. People fast for all sorts of reasons. Watch and see if you fast out of a wrong motive ... ?!

This video is brought by the Skit Guys.

Feeling God's leading in an intimate way (Day 8 & 9)

During this 2nd weekend, I've been feeling great, and have become more and more sensitive to God's leading. Like this morning, as I was praying and reading the Scripture in the very early morning, I have found some treasure - the resurrected Christ commanded the disciples to "receive the Holy Spirit" (Jn 20:22b). On this Easter Day, I suddenly realized that the resurrected Christ has in store for each and every one of His followers that they be filled with the Holy Spirit!

When I was driving to church, that verse together with the idea of the outpouring of the Holy Spirit and revival have been in my mind. I felt compelled to share that in today's service (even though it's a special Thanksgiving & Testimony Service). Therefore after many testimonies, I boldly as a pastor, rose and did a bit of "wrap up" and pointed out that a powerful Christian witness & life has its root and rests entirely upon the filling and empowerment of the Holy Spirit, whom the risen Christ has promised.

Then I went on (after a few minutes of sharing only) to make an altar to those who would like to live a victorious life and be a more effective Christian witness in their life. At least 12 people responded and we prayed after the service. In particular, I laid hand on each of them, praying specifically as God led me and I asked the Holy Spirit to fill them and to rule their heart and life. These 12 people are made up of some students, housewives, & businessmen etc. This is really an interesting mix (namely, Archer, 表弟, Jane, Terence, Tony, Kevin, David, Kalvin, Tin Lok, Dannie, Stephen, and Malcolm who left earlier). I am so sure it's God's leading and I just learned to be responsive. Glory to God!

More intercessors please ... (Day 5)

Whether you just happen to read this blog entry or you are a faithful follower of this blog (... I doubt whether there will be anyone consistently following this blog ... but anyway), I trust that God has led you in a special way to take part in helping wake up and call the PAC people into repentance, and revival, then in turn changing people's lives here in Perth and beyond.

I've never felt such a need for intercession while I'm on my "journey", at least not the one last year, which was primarily for personal revival. As soon as God has laid upon my heart an unspeakable burning desire to contribute to the revival of His Church, I felt the burden and eagerness to do so in a humble way - with my knees and my stomach. 

However, I have started to feel very discouraged both in and out. I started to feel weak spiritually (that's strange! I thought I should feel great, but ... ), concerned about my health, and even scared to think about how long I have to go ... It seems to me there is no end because today's only the 5th day.

Having said that, I'm confident and convicted that God had truly impressed on me that it's the way to lead the church. To remove the spiritual stronghold/invasion that's been eating into the lives of people, particularly Christ's followers here in PAC, we need to do it in a spiritual way pleasing to God. Kindly pray for me and the "journey" I'm in at the moment, as it's not for my benefit. It's for God's glory.

"Lord, grant me strength to carry this on ... Please start your work sooner here among us!"

奇妙的10月 - 這是我重新學習信心功課的開始

從10月起，我便帶著一個「少許」不同的角色在教會事奉 – part-time的教牧同工。Part-time一般是指時間及薪酬來說的，但我好清楚神對我的呼召，我不願我的part-time影響到我對神（和對教會）的委身，所以這part-time對我來說主要是「收」一半的錢而已。

問題來了，我們一家人的經濟怎辦呢？2008年大部份時間，我都為此禱告，看神是否真的這樣帶領（或只少容許）我們這樣做；我也曾經掙扎過，特別從9月開始打後的幾個星期裡。加上最近美國的次按問題，而致影響全球的金融海嘯，並澳幣急挫等等，都令到我本來的計劃受到影響。我內心的掙扎變得更大，我開始意識到有一個難題正應面急速而來，一兩個星期後，我全家便只能靠我一半的薪酬來過活。

10月終於來臨，在第一個星期的弟兄小組中，一位弟兄為我這樣禱告﹕「求神幫助Andrew重新學習這信心的功課…」這真是神對我的提醒，我已經很久沒有在意識上仰賴神為我們生活上的供應。一來過往幾年的生活真的無驚無險，二來，我認為憑自己能「賺取」到金錢。這個禱告幫我重新對焦，唯一可依靠的是神。

我在10月1日那天還在想﹕「在這個月（或甚至未來一年），我怎樣能得到額外的$1,500來幫補家庭每月的生活開支呢？」結果，在10月的第一個主日，即10月5日，我們即經歷到神奇妙的供應，神奇妙地供應了超過$1,000，我還有甚麼話說呢？

「我的神必照他榮耀的豐富，在基督耶穌裡，使你們一切所需用的都充足。 」 - 腓4:19