Category Archives: Devotion

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Thankful Thursday: Given Skills and Abilities

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I am at week 2 now on study of Matthew with HelloMornings Fall session. In this one of the Gospels, I have been reading until chapter 7 and I realize how detail Matthew wrote down each of Jesus’ teachings, warnings and commands.

This morning, I read from my NLT Application Life Study Bible and there is a little bit of introduction to Matthew and what God had done in his life: gave him new life in Christ Jesus and changed him eternally.

This paragraph came to my attention:

Matthew’s experience points out that each of us from the beginning, is one of God’s works in progress. Much of what God has for us he gives long before we are able to consciously respond to Him. He trusts us with skills and abilities ahead of schedule. He has made each of us capable of being His servant. When we trust Him with what He has given us, we begin a life of real adventure. Matthew could not have known that God would use the very skills he had sharpened as a tax collector to record the greatest story ever lived. And God has no less meaningful a purpose for each one of us. Have you recoqnized Jesus saying to you, “Follow me?” What has been your response?

What had been my response to Jesus’ calling?

What a big question today.

My response to His calling is my little Yes and thanksgiving to His calling. Back in 2005, He called me to follow Him to serve Him. Since then my life is totally an adventure with Him!

I had no idea since the beginning I started studying English when I was at Junior High School. I had a very strict English teacher at my 9th grade. She told us to use English every time at her class. And English is not my first language. I was encouraged to participate at English Speech Contest. What?! Go figure! But I had a friend who was there with me and helped me with my speech and encouraged me to try. I did not win but I am glad I tried.

Then when my family moved to the capital city and they sent me to a public high school where my English teacher asked me to be her assistant for 2 years. And there were some opportunities for me to tutor some elementary students learning English who went to International Schools.

My love of learning English kept growing and came to my mind that I would sharpened and improved my English by going to University studying English literature or similar study. My plan was that so I could go overseas continue my study to be Fashion Designer, and to get a better job than in my country, also to help my parents.

All those happened in time before I came to trust in Jesus. I was not a believer and follower that time.

I came to know Him and trust in Him 14 years ago. Surely God has beeen working in my life way ahead of schedule, way ahead of my own plans.

I am not an English Literature expert, nor a Fashion Designer. But I am able to read, write and speak English. I still love designing buy not fashion, but designing cards & scrapbooking. I can teach my daughters and friends, and also we have crafting time together. Something good comes out of that. I am not yet as good as others, I am willing to still learn from others and willing to try.

“For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him.” (Philippians‬ ‭2‬:‭13‬ NLT)

Stepping our of my comfort zone and dreams is scary but God is ahead of me. I want to trust Him leading me to live as He has planned for me. I am doing what I do now is because I am trusting in Him, because of He is the who gives me the desire and power to do what pleases Him. I cannot imagine if I kept pursuing my own desire to be a fashion designer or an English literature expert without Jesus and not knowing God’s calling.

Today, I am recalling all those series of events that happened in my life and reflecting where I am now and what God has called me to do right now is His plan all along since the beginning.

I am thankful for His gifts in my life. I am thankful for every skill and ability He has given in my life to use them serving Him right here, right now from home and when we are on the field.

I am thankful for every opportunity He has given to me to serve.

I am thankful for His calling, plans and schedules in our lives.

Friends, when God says, “I have a plan for you and your future.” He means it. Do you trust in Him? Do you trust Him with all your skills and abilities?

What God’s given skills and abilities are you thanking Him today?

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Tuesday Thought: Seeking The Immanuel

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God is with us here on earth, every single day, every single moment. He sent Jesus, His Sone, whom we called him Immanuel to be with us. Seeking the Immanuel is only through reading the Bible, His living word.

This is the first week I start the HelloMornings new session challenge. We are studying from the book of Matthew for the next 6 weeks. I got the HelloMornings Power Pack, this is packed with a lot of resources for my God Time, Plan Time and Move Time. Kat Lee, from Inspired To Action, did a podcast about what HelloMornings is all about. You can click here to listen to the podcast and to check out her awesome blog!

To do the study every morning, I love reading His word from couple different versions of the Bible, Indonesian and English. One of my favorite English Bible versions is ESV, the other one is NLT (New Living Translation). Couple years ago my husband got me ESV Journaling Bible as Christmas present 🙂 I like this Bible because it has extra space on each side of the page for journaling. This where I can jot down anything comes up when I read the passage right away. You can grab one of this amazing Journaling Bible from Amazon.

And a couple of months ago, my friend, invited me to join Journaling Bible Community on Facebook. Oh my! I was surprised with this community! These ladies who LOVE God’s word know how to express their loves through art and craft. They encourage each other through sharing the Word. I am so thankful for my friend and for this new community.

BothHelloMornings andJournaling Bible Community are 2 communities where God has put me there to be encouraged by others to encourage others.

Check them out and see if any of these communities fit for you 🙂

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5 Minutes Monday: Pray with Thanksgiving

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Prayer with thanksgiving.

We pray with thanksgiving because we know who our God is and what He is able to do.

We pray with thanksgiving because we knowing that he is always there with us.

We pray with thanksgiving because we know He listens and answers us according to His will.

And today would you spend your 5 minutes to pray for the people of Aji?

Here’s a little bit about this people group:

Source: Joshua Project

Source: Joshua Project

The Aji are a small community who live in a mountainous area of South Sumatra. They are often called the Haji people because according to a folktale they are descendants of a “Haji” (a person who has completed the Hajj pilgrimage to Mecca). The Aji live in 14 villages. Eleven of the villages are clustered together in the Muara Dua District of southern Ogan Komering Ulu Regency (OKU): Sukarami, Tanjung Raya, Kuripan, Peninggiran, Surabaya, Sukarena, Karang Pendeta, Kota Agung, Pulau Panggung, Pirikan, Telanay and Sukabumi. In addition, there are three Aji villages located outside of the Muara Dua District cluster: Lubar Village in the Simpang District of southern OKU, Rantau Panjang Village in another area of Muara Dua and Palas Haji Village in the Palas District of southern Lampung Regency. (source: Joshua Project)

source: Joshua Project

source: Joshua Project

Thank you so much for praying for God’s presence be there among the people of Aji. Thank you for praying that God will make a way for these people to access in His word in language they understand best in their hearts.

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Tuesday Thought: See Through The Unclear

We came back from Orlando. During our stay there last week, it rained every single day – in the morning, or in the afternoon, or in the evening.

We drove in the heavy rain every day and it was very hard to see the road.

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(Made with #rhonnadesigns)

When nothing is clear in front of us, we have no idea what to do. We feel unsafe and uncomfortable. We cannot make any decisions.

But we have an option to stay positive and keep see the good things in faith. We can keep our eyes on the Father in heaven who is good and who loves us unconditionally.

We can continue to trust in Him who has been with us since the beginning.

We can see good things will come out from the unclear situations for because He is God who will do good things for us according to His love and will.

He has the best plan for each of us even thought most of the time we cannot see it clearly but He will give each of us understanding and knowledge along the way as we are faithfully walking with Him in obedience.

See the good.

You can see the good.

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Tuesday Thought: Enter The Rest

Enter The Rest

Let’s enter the rest…

The rest with the Lord so we won’t fall.

The rest to listen to the Lord’s voice correcting us.

The rest to listen to the Lord’s voice guiding us.

The rest to listen to the Lord’s voice leading us to the right path.

For He is the Creator of everything.

For nothing is hidden from Him.

Let’s enter the rest.

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So let us do our best to enter that rest. But if we disobey God, as the people of Israel did, we will fall. For the word of God is alive and powerful. It is sharper than the sharpest two-edged sword, cutting between soul and spirit, between joint and marrow. It exposes our innermost thoughts and desires. Nothing in all creation is hidden from God. Everything is naked and exposed before his eyes, and he is the one to whom we are accountable.
(‭Hebrews‬ ‭4‬:‭11-13‬ NLT)