SPEAK TO THE DARKNESS

The power of inspiration Jesus answered her, “If you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked him, and he would have given you living water.”  ~John 4:10 There is no subject like Jesus. He is a river that never runs dry! It brings me joy to share with others what I feel God has shared with me. Personally, I find it beneficial to seek Jesus in the everyday moments of life, which is primarily what I write about. In my devotional reading yesterday, I reflected on the story of the Samaritan woman talking with Jesus at the well (John 4:1-26). It’s a beautiful narrative where Jesus arrives at a well in Samaria, thirsty from His journey. A Samaritan woman was present, and Jesus asked her for a drink. Three key themes stood out to me from this story: physical thirst, spiritual thirst, and the power of inspiration. Jesus is amazing—He is bold and brilliant! He has a remarkable ability to offer what is within Him and share it with others. Jesus k...

WASTE YOURSELF Our service to the Lord has its challenges. Discouragement, fear of the unknown, fear of being rejected, being misunderstood and so forth.    We battle each day to destroy the enemy who tries to discourage our purpose and calling from God. I  encourage you to keep praying, keep reading your Bible, keep wrestling, and keep prevailing in prayer, just as Jacob did in the Bible (Genesis 32:22-32 ). From the beautiful story of “Jesus anointed at Bethany" -  “And when Jesus was in Bethany at the house of Simon the leper, a woman came to Him having an alabaster flask of very costly fragrant oil, and she poured it on His head as He sat at the table. But when His disciples saw it, they were indignant, saying, “Why this waste? For this fragrant oil might have been sold for much and given to the poor.” But when Jesus was aware of it, He said to them, “Why do you trouble the woman? For she has done a good work for Me.” ~Matthew 26:6-11 This is the story of a...

PHOTO CREDIT: pinterest.nz We’re on the last few days of 2021, and Christmas time is slowly fading away.  How would you remember it? I have been spending time in God’s Word and reflecting on God’s goodness this year.  A year darkened by the presence of COVID-19 and many lives lost as a result.  A year of many changes that have impacted all of our lives in more ways than one.  Despite all, we are here, we’re alive, and we’ve made it this far.  Praise God! “Giving” is the nature of Christmas time, and receiving with a cheerful heart is even more.    In light of this, I want to share with you a highlight from my Christmas Scripture readings that really encouraged and lifted my spirits up.    Hope it does the same to yours, too! 2 Corinthians 9:15 “Thanks be to God for his inexpressible gift!" (ESV)   In this scripture, Paul is appealing to the Corinthians to participate willingly and cheerfully in giving generously to me...

It’s A New Season - and  Moving Right Along... ”I worship you I worship You The reason I live is to worship You!” I thank God for my journey and for bringing me to a new milestone, a new era of my life, WOW!    Glory be to God!   I celebrated my 70th birthday a week ago with my family and it was a lovely beautiful time.     I thank God that I got to celebrate this milestone with the people I love the most; that Corvus 19 lock down happened while we’re all together as a family.    I’m ever so grateful to you Lord! And now, moving on to face this age thing “head on”.     The world talks a lot about 70 being the new 60, 50 being the new 40 and so on.    Whatever that mean, I think for me it is time to call a “spade a spade”. What does turning 70 mean for me?    Is it time to give up on living life like I used to?    Is it time to lose interest in the things that I have ...

Time of refreshing A  new year always brings a sense of new beginnings.    It is a special time, time for change.   Today is the last day of my weekend retreat at Ngakau Waiora Mercy Spirituality Centre.    I’m here because I’ve been wanting to take a break away from everything.    This place felt like it was just what I needed.   My New Year’s Day devotional reading was from (Ephesians 2:6) and it says, “God has already raised us into new heights in the spirit but, to understand the joy and power of what God has for us, we must be willing to let go of old trappings.” What do I need to change?  I’m sure the answer/s to that question will come but right now all I wanted to do  was to rest, read my bible, talk to God and to have more rest.  Psalm 104:30 says, “You send forth Your Spirit, they are created; And You renew the face of the earth.” (V.30).    God is always restoring and renewing ...

SPEAK TO THE DARKNESS: Looking back, looking ahead...

 Welcome to my blog  January 2018 Happy New Year! Peace, peace, to you and yours. pic taken at Auckland Botanical Gardens August 2017 Psalm 107 says this concerning the children of Israel: " They reeled and staggered like drunken men; they were at their wits' end. Then they cried out to the Lord in their trouble, and he brought them out of their distress. He stilled the storm to a whisper; the waves of the sea were hushed. They were glad when it grew calm,  and he guided them to their desired haven. Let them give thanks to the Lord ..."  (Psalm 107:27-31 NIV) T he people were reeling and staggering under their load. Where and how are we going to find God in the midst of all the noise? But the children of Israel cried out to the Lord in the midst of their distress and God saved them. The storms of life will always compete with our need to hear God’s voice when we need Him. If your life has more storms than stillness, perhaps the Lord is speak...

Welcome to my new blog-post "The Sweetness of God" "Pleasant words are as a honeycomb, Sweet to the soul, and health to the bones."  Proverbs 16:24 image source: www.freepik.com God, you are all sweetness and I love you!   I love to worship God, to talk to him but there are many times I struggle to find the right words to express how I truly feel about him.  It's a constant struggle until I go to God's Word.  It is the best source that provides for my lack in expressing my worship to God.  The following Psalm of David is one of my favourite scriptures that aptly expresses how awesome God's love is: Psalm 36:5-9  (TLB): 5. Your steadfast love, O, Lord, is as great as all the heavens. Your faithfulness reaches beyond the clouds. 6. Your justice is as solid as God’s mountains. Your decisions are as full of wisdom as the oceans are with water. You are concerned for men and animals alike. 7. How precious is your constant love, O ...

Welcome to my new blog post - In God's timing, we find our time!   Lake Sentani, Jayapura, West Papua August 2016  I'm writing this on the bus on my way to work on this glorious September morning. Praise and glory to God!    Sharing our stories connects us, and we need to connect. So much happens in our lives, and we find very little time to reflect and share these.  Recently, I was on a trip to West Papua with my church. It was an awesome experience. We had opportunities to pray and minister healing and restoration for those we came into contact with. I literally saw God's healing take place as we laid hands and prayed for people.   What an amazing God! He is loving, tender, gentle and comforting. God has so much to give through us. So, encourage yourself and praise God for what He can do through your ministry. West Papua is a beautiful place. I was touched by the women and children I met. Everywhere I go, I f...

Happy New Year! and Welcome to my new blog-post -   "Make a new start"        2016! A New Year begins…  image source: treasuresofhope Cape Reinga Northland New Zealand Exciting thought for some, though it may not be so for others. Some may say the New Year is not a big deal, it’s just another year. That ‘same-old same-old’ thinking is not an attractive thought. I say that because life has a way of changing us whether we like it or not. And, from my own experiences, some changes are good. And I am excited, well, quietly excited about 2016.   I know I want some changes to happen... I want to be among those who will send encouraging messages to one another to do something about the changes they want to see happen. Our families, workplaces, communities nation as a whole would benefit with some changes. I get inspired by those kinds of people. Here’s a thought: My grandchildren, great grandchildren may read what I a...

Welcome to my new blogpost "I WILL GO BEFORE YOU" image source:writer's own  Every journey has a beginning point and a destination. A good start doesn’t necessary mean a good end for some... We have heard it said that it is good to have an end to journey toward; but it is the journey that matters, in the end…(quote by Ernest Hemingway). Let me say this without discouraging anyone, that the road to heaven isn't always like a walk in the park; it is not always like walking through roads with simple and straightforward directions. Neither is it always like a pleasant walk through fields filled with flowers and birds that sing. Through personal experiences, It is a road that is uphill and full of difficulties, with many trials, temptations and endless enemies who are waiting around every corner to discourage and cause the traveler to give up. But I am still here (and so are many of you) and the journey continues... How have we come this far?  The Word of G...

Welcome to my new blog-post - Looking back, looking ahead image source: TreasuresOfHope -SolosoloBeachSamoa I have a lot of respect for older people, and I always enjoy and benefit from their wisdom. And it was not a fear of aging that kept me from not having senior friends through the years. The truth is, I always felt more comfortable in the company of young people, and I have a lot of fun with them. But the times are changing... Yesterday I opened my mail to find I was the recipient of a Super Gold card. I had mixed feelings, and my first reaction was being speechless and felt some excitement within me. But the other half of me was not sure if  I was ready to accept that in a few weeks' time, I will qualify as a senior citizen. Someone said that age is no respecter of person, and I have personally heard from other people and through my readings that this is a very scary place to be! But God will help us, and He didn't bring us this far to leave us stranded. God is alre...

Welcome to my new blog-post!   "He has filled the hungry with good things and send the rich away with empty hands." (Luke 1:53)  everyday matters Bible for women After opening my bible this morning, I was so touched with a feeling of thankfulness. How uplifting is the sound of God's Word to a weary soul. Jesus promises in Matthew 11, "Come to me you who are weary and carry heavy burdens. Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy to bear and the burden I give you is light."     God loves to raise us up from a place of weariness to a place where we can thrive.  The Bible says that In God's presence there is fullness of joy. Have you been to a prayer meeting where you arrive tired but when you leave, you are energized and fired up? I have been there many times. Which reminds me of a favorite story in Numbers 21:17,  God said to Moses,...

Welcome to my April 2014 blog-post! Big things from small beginnings! imagesource:www.giftinspires.com Prayer helps us connect with God, others and God's plan for our lives. An interesting thing happened to me last week that concerns prayer. I met a mother and her twin babies on the street and when I asked she let me pray for her babies. Two of my colleagues were with me on the day and one of them had a fall and was experiencing some pain and discomfort. We held hands and prayed for her. This week I met a father and his baby (Noah) on the same spot where I met the twin babies and their mother. We got talking and when I asked to pray for Baby Noah his father let me pray for him.  Three things stood out from these experiences with prayer. First, the mother of the twins' response to prayer for her babies seemed like she expected it. Secondly, the colleague we prayed for came back about an hour later and said that her pain was gone. And thirdly, the father of Baby N...

Welcome to my new blogpost! image source: freepicsofcedartrees I got home last night just before my grand-kids arrived  for the weekend. One of them needed a bit of grandma-loving-care (glc). I put them to bed and sat down and told them a story about Jesus as a little boy. Bright eyed at first, but then they fell asleep as I was still talking. Of all the things I did in the week, this was the most fulfilling moment. Earning a living, serving and helping others (church, community) are necessary. But if we miss the moments we are needed most by our families, we will miss the blessings of being part of our families. In my line of work, I come across many parents who are struggling to keep their families together. Some would willingly give up their children because they have had enough. There is either a lack of support in families or parents are beyond the point of helping. They are giving up. A while ago, I read a message by a well known Samoan Pastor who ha...