Jesus and the environment

Yesterday, Ian and I were about to cross the road to David Jones when this guy from an environmental group suddenly came up and said, "Hey, are you interested in saving the environment? Have you thought about the Great Barrier Reef or the forests in Tasmania?" It got me thinking. What does this have to do with us students? What's the connection between environment and assignments, exams, relationships, or graduation? If you want people to listen, you got to relate to them first. Find out what makes them tick. Then you can communicate your message effectively.

Makes me think about how we sometimes invite our friends to OCF or church without thinking about how it would relate to their life. Or sometimes we make up reasons. "Oh because they have cute girls". "You'll make lots of friends". Not all reasons are bad but most of the time we miss the main reason of why they should come. It is to know and have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. We can't depend on OCF to have this relationship. But we can't know Jesus without fellowship either. Many people are turned off when they hear the name "Jesus". But these same people have needs too. For meaning and direction in life. For a sense of peace and security. As Christians, we should let them know that Jesus is the source of our peace, security, and direction in life. And we do not despair when disaster strikes because we know God is in control and he sustains us through his Spirit. And we show them this through our lifestyle. Then they will go, "Perhaps this Jesus is real, because my friend here is different. Maybe I should go to church to find out".

"…to the weak I became as weak, that I might win the weak. I have become all things to all men, that I might by all means save some". – 1 Corinthian 9v22. To make people listen, we must relate to them. Know their needs. Then we can get our message across.

Back in Adelaide

So many things have happened over the past week or so. The first week itself was a blur of happenings. OCF Welcome Night and Beach Day was a blast! So many newcomers turned up. I was asked, "Of all the newcomers, why did more non- Christians attend the events compared to Christians?" I'm like, "We are supposed to be salt reaching out to non salty people. How can we build up if we don't reach out first?"

I was also caught up in a legal dispute; Mr Will-not-mention-names called a solicitor. To all the people who encouraged me and gave advice, I am so grateful! This matter remains to be solved.

I got a slight fever which lasted for a day. Then my cousin got Hepatitis A. The person who informed me couldn't stop crying. I felt like a 911 operator, telling her to "Calm down, it's alright, an ambulance is on the way" and then calling Kazu the ambulance driver, "We have a code red situation down Henley Beach Road!" My cousin's leaving for home tommorrow, which is so unfortunate, because he had only just begun studying in Adelaide!

Overall, I thank God for teaching me the concept of Long Suffering. According to the preacher Paul Tan (not the guy with the car blog), long suffering is the ability to suffer for a long time. The key is to have patience. You cannot say, "God, please give me patience, I want it now!"

So I will not rush the process. By the time I get the answers to all these things happening one after the other, I would have grown more, spiritually and mentally. All I will do now is:

Trust and Obey
For there's no other way
To be happy in Jesus
But to Trust and Obey

On a lighter note, a friend of mine posted me a link to this very awesome kid drummer on YouTube. His name is Tony Royster, and the video was shot when he was a 11. Man that kid can drum! His special bass pedal has 2 beaters instead of one. His coordination and synchopation beats all the mainstream rock drummers. Imagine if I started playing drums when I was 11 years old.

Last days in KK

Just came back from Shenanigans. My shirt smells like smoke. My heart's beating faster than normal. Feeling slightly tipsy. Drinking isn't prohibited in the Bible, but we shouldn't get drunk. I'm still sober, though I feel a bit high. Vodka lime was sweet. In times like these, it's good to know your limits.

Going back to Adelaide this saturday. This will be a big year. My sis and I will be graduating. Hopefully Josh makes it to Uni. I predict a few tensions this year, but they will be resolved through God's wisdom and common sense. KK has been a blast. Highlights include hanging out with relatives and close buddies. Wonderful feelings and memories.

Moving into a new place with new housemates. Pray that we would gel together and resolve any disagreements with patience and understanding...