Wei Jian

Compassion: a God’s love

September 24th, 2009

I love it so much what Pastor Kong said during ministry session last Saturday, about wrestling with God and about God placing a burden in our hearts; a compassion to love. It really touched my heart that I teared and it’s like wha, releasing all out. God is good and we do need it. This is how we are encouraged and comforted.

The burden of a compassion to love has never been so strong if I’ve never stepped into Boys’ Brigade 43rd. God has taught me throughout this journey and at times it’s so tough that I felt so tempted to let go but it is this strong compassion that God has placed in me that keeps me holding on. I did wondered why, why me? Would anyone cares and knows what’s happening and support me? No. But I know this is my journey and God knows and cares.

If you’d ask me if I’ve regretted it? No. There can be a great level of hard pressing moments but there are also times of great rejoicing that I’ve never experienced it anywhere else. No wonder people say mission trip is filled with signs and wonders and more than often awesome! It is really down to the ground when you know you are at your peak that you’ll experience God’s grace. Moreover they will appreciate the little things you do and it really encourage you to do more.

I’ve this church member of which God through him has taught me alot. The most precious one I think is loving unconditionally. For me I’ve this mindset of loving and receiving back if we are that close enough, it has to be two ways but I realized at times I just have to give without weighing whether he has and would give me in return in order to make me feel secure of the friendship. Tempted many times to ignore and let go but the love of God didn’t let me go, therefore I keep on running on.

Guess it is like that, how He first give us that we can in turn give others. 1Cor 13:4-7 is my verses, so personnal and close to my heart. In this moment, not gonna give a second thought but keep on doing what is right for time wait for no one.

Posted in General

We decide our focus

September 23rd, 2009

What we focus is wat we get and it is so important we decide what we focus on. Time and time again this has been sowing a deeper revelation in me. The more the experiences of striving through gave me greater “focus” strength and the easier I know what is good for me to decide on.

Hurt is something inevitable and so is blessing. I feel that often something unhappy strike us, we’ll direct our focus to the hurt and forgetting about the blessings we have had. It can be at a slit seconds when you feel so blessed and the next you are down with the griefs of hurt.

I realized usually is those people that we have given access into our hearts that hurt us the most; those that are close to us. Sometimes you love them so much that you bear with them and thinking about it, I mightbe the one that have caused hurt as well. What to do? We are after all humans but needed to learn to give and take and at times I really cannot take it that I lost my patience. I feel we just have to do out best to make things right and pray for God’s grace to abound in us.

I was just talking to someone and was quite hurt by what he said. I was being doubted for showing off when what I’m trying to do was sharing my experiences. I’m like, “ggrrr!” I quickly stopped the conversation to prevent more hurts from each other. What to do? Choose to focus on what is good then .. So I encouraged myself that my intention was really to do my best to make things right. Bless it, thank God, amen! Ggrr! Hahaa.

So .. Must learn to choose wisely what to focus on.

Posted in General

Memories we share keep us strong

September 20th, 2009

Currently at a wedding dinner and feeling emotional; pondering on the things that have happened and wondering what’s relationship?

You know every time on a wedding dinner, there’ll always be a video to tell guests the lives of the couples. Those are the memories and the past only both of them shared and went through together. To me I don’t even know the couples and I’m like .. “oh ok ..” I’ve no relationship with them.

What keeps a relationship and make the bond strong? Isn’t it the experiences we went through together, be it as a family or friends, leaving in us the memories. We don’t always have each other by our side but memories are always with us.

Psalm 77:11-12
I will remember the works of the LORD; surely I will remember Your wonders of old. I will also meditate on all Your work, and talk of Your deeds.

What’s written on these verses are things that have been passed, the works and deeds of old. Remembering all these allow us to know how blessed we are and help us when we don’t feel the presence of those we missed.

I believe faith and trust are essential in any relationship and by these through the memories we have encourages us in times of doubts and disputes. We are imperfect and I always remember to give and take and of course at times I feel so difficult to give but remembering what Jesus done to me, I managed to do it to others as well.

Security is also very important which I feel that God is teaching me. On dictionary.com security is freedom from care, anxiety and doubt. I think at times I feel too much for someone that I felt disappointed after realizing he/she don’t even feel and care about it himself/herself. I’m too insecure. I think security is letting go and giving them freedom and not having them onto ourselves. It is also giving them room to make mistakes and not weaver and doubt them. This is love.

I often thought that close relationship is one that have each other in mind, having physical touches through their presence, sight, words and actions and feeling important. I thought if only I can experience all these then I’ll feel secure but time and time again I’m reminded that no one is perfect. Gonna learn to be secure, having faith and trust.

Posted in General

Enthusiasm: with ownership

September 19th, 2009

Dear Boys’ Brigade 43rd company boys,

Writing this when I’m in a queue into my church and pondering on what have happened just now in parade. Deep within my heart I’m so thankful to God for the improvements and growth of the company. By the grace of God the games went on smoothly and all of you participated willingly and with enthusiasm. Don’t know about you but for me I’ve found it to be one of the best parades we had. I’ve truly enjoyed the team spirit, fun and joy even though I’m not involved in the games but being there socking in the atmosphere alone has been great.

What touches me other than the enthusiasm you’ve shown is the ownership of the leaders. Personally I wanna compliment and affirm Kaiyee and Zhongming as they take up the responsibility as squad leaders and lead in the games. I’ve never seen Kaiyee doing such things, I believe he has taken the effort and it was very encouraging. The way he shouted, hahaa and his instructions were clear and precise. He can be a good leader isn’t it? Zhongming has always been exercising his commanding, helping out in gathering everyone and echoing out officers’ instructions. He played a part in getting the company organized. We need such leader isn’t it?

I wanna compliment and appreciate Tzehan for his servant-hood and willingness. Throughout the games I’ve asked him to do alot of things, gather peope, take things and he has never shown unwillingness but serve with pleasure. This is a great attitude of the heart which avails a good leadership characteristic. Continue to be a good example to the rest, jiayou Chairman!

Everyone played a part in a team, imagine a leader without members, how can a team be possible? Everyone has started to learn “follow-ship” and I can see it through the games. It’s a good start, let’s keep on doing it.

What has really overwhelmed me was the smiles on your faces that really encouraged and pleased me, it’s heart warming. Let’s continue to put on this kind of spirit (of enthusiasm), being involved in the activities we have and enjoy through. Nothing is better than making full use of your time, aligning your will with your actions, and enjoying life to the fullest. I believe in any activity there’s an element of meaningfulness if you’d look at it in a different perspective. Let’s have a great journey of life together.

With love,
Weijian

Posted in Letter

Willingness of heart (CQ 09)

September 15th, 2009

To my dear Boys’ Brigade 43rd boys,

Greeting! Great to be writing to you guys. I’ll be committed to write every week and I pray that you’d be committed to read it weekly as well. What will be in the letters will be my feelings and thoughts about all of you, feedbacks for the week and at times some updates on the direction of the company. It’s gonna be great!

It has been an awesome day we had last Saturday at Christ Church Secondary for our Character Quest 09. At first, I believe many of us have doubts if we will even be able to participate due to the shortage of members in the teams but God is good, all 3 teams of 12 boys made it! Thank God! Hahaa.

I feel that you guys have done well, at least better than the previous time. I see some of you taking up the ownership for the team, like Kaiyee, he even had his calculator out! Keep it up guys!

I’ve also asked a few boys how they felt about the CQ and the feedback wasn’t that good, it was just average and the response from some of you during the prize presentation were, “sucks!” Looking at the whole event, I can say that the activities were simple, they didn’t spend much money on the props and equipments, but creative, making use of what they have. Looking at those not attractive set up of the stations if I were you I’d have felt bored and immediately turned off also but what motivate some of the teams? I believe it’s the goal they have set for themselves and the willingness of heart that encouraged them. The purpose for you there is to participate in the activities, whether you like it or not you’ll still have to go through it, so, why not make full use of the time to achieve something, right?

This leads me to speak to you about willingness. Willingness does not come automatically, it is a decision and doing what you like is only “partial willingness.” You will be placed in circumstances where your willingness is challenged and the attitude of the heart shows. Quoted from ‘Leadership excellence’ by Phil Pringles,

“We are energized when our will is engaged. Fatigue follows the unwilling. We are tired when we’re doing what we don’t want to do. If we’d always rather be elsewhere, we’ll never enjoy where we are right now. If we’d rather be doing something else, we won’t have the energy or focus for what we’re doing right now. Aligning our will and our action is basis to successful living.

The willing heart is

· Impelled rather than compelled. Motivation comes from within rather than from some external pressure outside us. ‘People often say that motivation doesn’t last. Well, neither does bathing; that’s why we recommend it daily’ (Zig Ziglar)

· Agreeable, not disagreeable. We all think of the ‘other point of view’ in a conversation, but we decide to focus on points of agreement rather than the points we disagree with. How painful is it when you’re trying to hold a pleasant conversation with a disagreeable person? It’s hard work. The willing heart finds ways to agree and flow with people. Beth Laurie says, ‘Agreeing to agree is a key to astonishing teamwork’.

· Executing, not excusing. The willing heart finds reason to do, rather than reasons not to do. People with excuses reveal an unwilling attitude. Billing Sunday defined an excuse as ‘the skin of a reason stuffed with a lie’. The person who is good at excuses is usually not good at anything else.“

No matter how good and interesting the programme may be, if your will is on something else, to you it’ll only be draggy, lousy and not enjoying. Align your will with your action! Imagine how tiring it is to go against the current? Flow with it! It’s easier!

My boys, let us learn to be willing. Love what we do and do what we love. I’m always hopeful and believe we can make a difference. The company will grow and will always be better. It’ll be more enjoying, fun and exciting and of course hard times will be inevitable but as a team we’ll support each other and do it together. Counting on you.

With love and faith,
Weijian

Posted in Letter