S.L.O.W down.. it's friday..

TODAY'S WHISPER: Don't wait for a brick to hit you

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TODAY'S VERSE: Jeremiah 2:25a [The Message Bible]: "Slow down. Take a deep breath. What's the hurry? Why wear yourself out? Just what are you after anyway?"

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A young and successful executive was traveling down a neighborhood street, going a bit too fast in his new Jaguar. He was watching for kids darting out from between parked cars and slowed down when he thought he saw something.

As his car passed, no children appeared. Instead, a brick smashed into the Jag's side door! He slammed on the brakes and backed the Jag back to the spot where the brick had been thrown. The angry driver then jumped out of the car, grabbed the nearest kid and pushed him up against a parked car shouting, "What was that all about and who are you? Just what the hell are you doing? That's a new car and that brick you threw is going to cost a lot of money. Why did you do it?"

The young boy was apologetic. "Please, mister...please, I'm sorry but I didn't know what else to do," He pleaded. "I threw the brick because no one else would stop..." With tears dripping down his face and off his chin, the youth pointed to a spot just around a parked car. "It's my brother, "he said. "He rolled off the curb and fell out of his wheelchair and I can't lift him up."

Now sobbing, the boy asked the stunned executive, "Would you please help me get him back into his wheelchair? He's hurt and he's too heavy for me."

Moved beyond words, the driver tried to swallow the rapidly swelling lump in his throat. He hurriedly lifted the handicapped boy back into the wheelchair, then took out a linen handkerchief and dabbed at the fresh scrapes and cuts. A quick look told him everything was going to be okay. "Thank you and may God bless you," the grateful child told the stranger. Too shook up for words, the man simply watched the boy push his wheelchair-bound brother down the sidewalk toward their home.

It was a long, slow walk back to the Jaguar. The damage was very noticeable, but the driver never bothered to repair the dented side door. He kept the dent there to remind him of this message: "Don't go through life so fast that someone has to throw a brick at you to get your attention!"

God whispers in our souls and speaks to our hearts. Sometimes when we don't have time to listen, He has to throw a brick at us. It's our choice to listen or not...

--anonymous

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TODAY'S PRAYER: Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for Your mercies toward me which are brand new every single day. Teach me to slow down and keep pace with the needs around me, so that Your name be glorified as I listen, watch, and show Your compassion unto others. In Jesus' precious name, amen.

don't keep in mind, keep it in the heart.

TODAY'S WHISPER: Speak the truth... with love

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TODAY'S VERSE: Ephesians 4:15 [New International Version]: "...speaking the truth in love..."

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In our everyday conversations, especially in "heated" discussions, most of us strive to be right. We know the truth, and we want to make it plain and known, but we usually forget that, to be receivable and provoke desired results, the receiver needs to feel genuine love surrounding it. Love is the carrier (transmitter) that takes truth and inserts it in the receiver's heart.

While trying to strongly defend our statement, we tend to use our position of authority, or rely on any other authority to make our point clear, not accepting anything else in the discussion. Our point is made, and since we believe it is the truth, we firmly stand and don't allow any opportunity to simply receive the other person's ideas, suggestions or disagreements.

We may be right concerning the truth we are sharing, but we may be missing the fact that only God's love can make that truth smoothly inserted in the other person's heart. Truth can stay accumulated in people's minds, but that will not transform lives. What resides in our heart is what will definitely change us.

When we open our hearts to love, God's Spirit moves and provides the power needed for transformation. When we are willing to love and forgive, we allow God to move on our behalf and change the negative to the positive. What we thought was impossible becomes possible with God's power.

Choose today to speak love. That's the key to your everyday success.

-- Brother Abnel

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TODAY'S PRAYER: Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for the opportunity to know the truth through Your Word. I believe Your truth shall set me free, and I ask for Your guidance today. Help me to always be sensitive to other people's needs, and to let Your love fill everything I say, do, and act upon. I thank You for the transformation that is taking place right now because of Your truth, and I praise You for the results. In Jesus' precious name, amen.

wednesday oreadi..

ok.. im falling sick again.. after the lethal black peppery hotplate steak at hougang on sunday nite, slight sore throat on monday to erupted inflammation now. bad bad n no more good food for me for at least one more week! argh!

n today's feeling feverish oreadi. no good sleep coz i tink i woke a few times attempting to vomit coz of the suffocation at the throat. haiz. my stupid bad throat. if today is not wat it is, if not by request, i would be at home lying on my comfy bed in the rainy weather. even though the throat will stil be as disturbing.. but in the aircon here makes it worse!

but im still feeling blessed today becoz.. expected scolding from big shot becoz i unknowingly sat on sometin for too long. for the 2nd time! stupid me. but he didnt.. thank God! Now am praying this wont be picked up by the *you know who* so i wont kena issue. please God, continue to bless me. =)

missing u..

the day has come... n gone.

a mixture of feelings churning inside..

i couldnt imagine the day to come

when i'll have to leave behind the ppl i treasure

my family..my sisters..best buds..n beloved frens..

i might not be able to control my tears anymore..

i muz learn to control my emotions nonetheless..

He says.. learn to wait..be patient.. look up.. and look far..

I'll pray.. we'll be good.

or.. mayb not...

I have this unknown tinge of sadness within. particularly so this week.

each day passes so fast.. weeks gone in a flash..

i feel stupid.and useless sometimes. no matter how small a tin, my little confidence in me gets diminished. n when it happens.. i retreat into darkness. hiding and crying fr within. waiting for the sadness to go away b4 i stand on my feet again. tall. seemingly.

i thank God becoz i have a lot of compassion within. shown or hidden. but sometimes wonder why others dont show as much. mayb i expected too much? it's once again.. reminding myself to wake up to reality. be realistic. be independent. don be too gullible.. don be naive anymore. *slaps*

some days i wake up so tired.. that i wish i can turn back time. but then i think i will make the same decision again. mayb its better if i can fast fwd..but at which stage do i reali wan to be? no answer.. i'll just hav to learn to be happie in the process of living. im blessed nonetheless.

so...what is it that really matters in your life?

TODAY'S WHISPER: Everything meaningful in life involves a process

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TODAY'S VERSE: Philippians 1:6 [The Message Bible]: "There has never been the slightest doubt in my mind that the God who started this great work in you would keep at it and bring it to a flourishing finish on the very day Christ Jesus appears."

TODAY'S SCRIPTURE: Psalm 23

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Today we live in a fast-paced, instantaneous-driven society. We want everything for "yesterday," we consume "fast-foods" and we are dependant more and more on the Internet for fast information at a click of a button. And although some of this progress does have its positive side, it can easily undermine the fact that meaningful things in life do need time to flourish and develop, that life itself is an always-developing process.

Even though our lives might need to maintain a quick pace in many areas, it is highly important that we balance our life through spending quality time and energy on things that do have eternal value. For some things in life are temporary and are only there for our natural life's existence and "maintenance," while other areas --especially our relationships and spiritual journey-- have a far deeper eternal value. The amount of time, energy and resources invested in specific areas will inevitably reflect where our true priorities in life really are.

I encourage you to evaluate your priorities and commit to maintain an eternal-driven lifestlyle. For only those things that do matter in life will never cease. The rest is only temporary.

-- Brother Abnel

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TODAY'S PRAYER: Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for the gifts of life and time. Help me to focus my energy, life and resources on those eternal-based areas that do matter, always being aware of the process needed for their growth and development. I thank You in advance for completing the work You have already started in me. In Jesus' precious name, amen.

TGIF again!

TODAY'S WHISPER: What do you seek?

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TODAY'S VERSE: Matthew 6:33
[New International Version]: "But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well."

[The Message Bible]: "Steep your life in God-reality, God-initiative, God-provisions. Don't worry about missing out. You'll find all your everyday human concerns will be met."

[Amplified Bible]: "But seek (aim at and strive after) first of all His kingdom and His righteousness (His way of doing and being right), and then all these things taken together will be given you besides."

[New Living Translation]: "and he will give you all you need from day to day if you live for him and make the Kingdom of God your primary concern."

[Contemporary English Version]: "But more than anything else, put God's work first and do what he wants. Then the other things will be yours as well."

TODAY'S SCRIPTURE: Matthew 6:25-34

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There's an anonymous e-mail message spread all over the world that reads as follows:

"If God brings you to it, He will bring you through it."
"Happy moments, praise God.
Difficult moments, seek God.
Quiet moments, worship God.
Painful moments, trust God.
Every moment, thank God."

It is more than obvious that GOD needs to be the main subject in all that happens in our life. Especially during difficult times --trials, tribulations, suffering--, seeking God is the key to finding solutions we really need. Jesus said it clear, "...Seek FIRST [God's] kingdom and [God's] righteousness, and all [those other things you need] will be given to you as well." (caps and brackets added)

Let us not forget that GOD needs to be the center of it all. Before seeking anything else, let's focus on seeking Him first and foremost. Everything else will find its proper place at its proper time.

-- Brother Abnel

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TODAY'S PRAYER: Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for the privilege You have given me to seek You on a daily basis. Teach me to rely on You over everything else so that my words and actions may be a positive and powerful influence to the world around me. I give You praise for Who you are, and for who I am in You. In Jesus' awesome name, amen.