I am siting and writing this post in the office or actually I called this office that " our corner". So Eirik Austeng and I were talking, praying for our last week at Hald today. Eirik is my friend, my best brother, my fantastic teammate that I could never and ever forget him. We used this small corner to pray, share, talk and encourage each other many many times.
Feeling in between, it is not that so said but it is also not so happy to say bye to friends in this school and friends this country.
It is funny for me who has been in many different countries and have had faced many farewells in my life and most of my times were quite easy to say bye. But this time is a bit special which I am finding out why I feel like this...
Anyway, I don't find the answer yet. But I found a story of Abraham Lincoln :
The day before his 52nd birthday, Abraham Lincoln left Springfield, Illinois, to become President of the United States. With the threat of civil war looming, he said goodbye to the friends and neighbors who had come to see him off. “I now leave,” he told them, “not knowing when, or whether ever, I may return, with a task before me greater than that which rested upon Washington. Without the assistance of the Divine Being who ever attended him, I cannot succeed. With that assistance I cannot fail. Trusting in Him who can go with me, and remain with you, and be everywhere for good, let us confidently hope that all will yet be well. To His care commending you, as I hope in your prayers you will commend me, I bid you an affectionate farewell.”
Only one thing that I know for now is I will see many of friends once again and again and again and at least we will meet each other again in the Kingdom of God. See ya!!
The great command that Jesus gave to every disciples was " Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit "
Matt. 28:10-11
From this command I divided into 2 commandments.
1. Go means Evangelist- witness - sharing -gospel - talking about Christ etc.
2. Make disciples means training - learning and growing.
Each one of us got has different gifts. I don't know what kinds of Spiritual gifts that God gave you or called you to do. But for me... God called me to make disciples.
For long time ago I thought to gospel or evangelist was the hard task. And I was really thankful that God didn't put evangelist or gospel into my heart but He did put "make disciples" into my heart instead. ( of course every Christians suppose to share about Christ ...but for me "make disciples is like a special calling" )
I got to know some of my friends which God called them to gospel. It is really fantastic to see their heart burning for Christ and want to go out and talk or share about the Good new all the times. Of course it is not easy for them, many times some of them was struggled when God asked them to do some thing that they never did before. For example shouting about Christ on the streets, to proclaim God's grace in the library, shared God's love in the park, in train or even on the bus and so on.
I realized that to train disciples is also not easy. Because we have to take care 2 souls... our own soul and souls of the other disciples.
A pastor name William Carrol said " Yeah!! It is too hard for the flesh and our own strength but nothing is too hard for the Lord " Gen.18:14
I have no exact conclusion for this article : But just so you know that whatever God called you to do, He never leave you to do that alone, especially by your own strength.
Premjai Phantuya, populært kalt Prem, kommer fra Thailand og er dette studieår ettåring ved Hald Internasjonale skole. For tiden arbeider hun på Normisjons bedehus i Mandal.
Premjai har studert kunst i Tyskland og jobber som maler hjemme i Thailand. Hun er også meget aktiv i ungdomsarbeidet i den lokale kirken der. Forrige studieår var hun student ved Hald Internasjonale Senter i Mandal. Dette studieår er hun ettåring ved Hald.
Når studentene er på skolen, har Prem mye ansvar for utstyr og oppfølging av utstyr som sstudentene får utdelt. Hun leder også Praise & Prayer hver mandag, samt rollen som løpejente for resten av lærerne.
Prem jobber ut mars i Normisjon Mandal. Når studentene på Hald kommer tilbake fra praksis, skal hun tilbake til Hald.
Prem fra Thailand har tjeneste i Mandal Normisjon mens hun er ettåring på Hald.
Kristen på pinsevenn-måten
Hilde Halvorsen 01.02.10
Premjai Phantuya – Prem - fra Thailand som for tiden har praksis i Mandal Normisjon forteller at hun liker godt den lutherske læren, men ønsker å leve som kristen på en pinsevenn-måte.
Prem er 28 år. Hun rører i grytene. Jeg spør om hun pleier å lage mat hjemme i Thailand. Nei, sier hun. - Er det din mor som lager mat, da? - Nei, heller ikke moren; de kjøper mat ute, det koster bare 5 kroner, mens å lage et måltid selv vil kanskje komme på 100 kroner. Dessuten spiser vi så lite. Jeg kikker på Prem. Jo da, hun er ikke så høy og stor, akkurat, men jeg ser at hun har ECCO-støvletter. Det er ganske dyrt. Prem smiler og kan fortelle at søsteren er freelance-designer for ECCO på Thailand, og sannelig designer hun også for Walt Disney. Det må ligge til familien, for Prem er utdannet innen modern art (morderne kunst) og maler bilder. Hun gikk på skole i Tyskland hvor hun holdt på en master degree, men opplevde at Gud kalte henne til å jobbe med ungdom.
Hald Det ble Hald, ved Mandal. - Hvorfor Hald? - Jeg kjente til Hald fra før, jeg besøkte en kristen venninne der mens jeg bodde i Tyskland. Allerede gjennom misjonen i Thailand fikk jeg høre om Hald. Nå er jeg glad for disse månedene på bedehuset i Mandal mens jeg har praksis. Hun kutter løk og gulrøtter, og heller oystersaus i gryta. Vi skal spise sammen, men har litt dårlig tid, for hun skal rekke et møte i Hægebostad sammen med Oddvar Søvik. Hun vil gjerne høre mer om nådegavene.
Kristen som 15-åring - Jeg ble kristen og døpt samtidig med moren min, da var jeg 15 år. Litt senere ble min søster og bestemor kristen, og til slutt min far. Han døde for to år siden. Vi ble kristne i en luthersk sammenheng, og jeg liker godt den lutherske læren. Vi gikk i en baptistmenighet, men jeg må si at jeg føler nok at jeg ønsker å leve som kristen på en pinsevenn-måte! Hun smiler, et godt og varmt smil, og forteller åpent at hun opplever å ha nådegave både til veiledning, helbredelse, profetisk tale. Hun er spent på hva Gud vil bruke henne til fremover. Prem ønsker å forkynne Guds ord, slik det står i Bibelen, og liker ikke at mye som læres i kirken i dag ikke er i tråd med Skriften. - De unge må få ekte og sann forkynnelse!
Folk hilser ikke Det var ikke noe sjokk å komme til Norge. - Men jeg lurer av og til på hvorfor folk ikke hilser på meg? De bare kikker, og jeg tenker at de kanskje ikke ønsker bli kjent med meg? Hun synes ikke det er så ille med snø og kulde, men gleder seg til varmere tider. Hun kommenterer at folk i Norge snakker om været når de møtes. I Thailand er det slik at siden de er ganske opptatt av vekten og størrelsen, spør de gjerne om hva de har spist siden sist, om vedkommende kanskje har lagt på seg litt – jeg blir helt forskrekket og ler! - Stemmer dette? - Ja, vi tenker mye på vekt, særlig min generasjon, vi vil gjerne være lette og slanke. Hm, da var det sannelig godt at vi hadde masse grønnsaker i denne deilige retten som vi skal spise nå, før de to kollegene Prem og Søvik kjører vestover.
After I got a contact from MNS. U in stavanger that I might help them to translate a book named " En helt overkommelig disippel" by Knut Tveitereid. From Norwegians into Thai. At that time I wasn't sure because my Norwegians was and is not good at all..... However I waited for God's opinion what God think about. I knew myself that I cannot but I believe with all my heart that with God all thing are possible!!!
I prayed a lot and sought Him. Finally I got the answer from Him and also the wonderful encouraging word from John Fredrik Askjera little brother at Hald ( our school), so I said YES!!! I will do !!!
Brothers, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth. But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. He chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things—and the things that are not—to nullify the things that are, so that no one may boast before him. It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God—that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption. Therefore, as it is written: “Let him who boasts boast in the Lord.”
1Corinthians 1:26 -31
To have faith is to be sure of the things we hope for, to be certain of the things we cannot see. It was by their faith that people of ancient times won God's approval. And it is by my faith that this book will win by God's approval too!!!
The deadline for me is coming soon. In the end of February I have to finish to translate this book. Jesus and I by the helping of the Holy Spirit still working hard for that ( or actually Jesus is working hard on me :P Every thing that I am doing, I would love to give all glory to God alone.
Because I am a lone who know my self better how little I am, how weak I am and how nonsense I am. In the other hand God is a lone who know me better how much glorify I will give to Him, how much I love Him and how much I have faith and trust in Him.
“For my thoughts are not your thoughts,
neither are your ways my ways,”
declares the LORD.
“As the heavens are higher than the earth,
so are my ways higher than your ways
and my thoughts than your thoughts.
As the rain and the snow
come down from heaven,
and do not return to it
without watering the earth
and making it bud and flourish,
so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater,
Having trouble selecting that perfect gift for someone?
A friend shared with me a few suggestions:
• The gift of listening. No interrupting, no planning your response. Just listening.
• The gift of affection. Being generous with appropriate hugs, kisses, and pats on the back.
• The gift of laughter. Sharing funny stories and jokes. Your gift will say, “I love to laugh with you.”
• The gift of a written note. Expressing in a brief, handwritten note your appreciation or affection.
• The gift of a compliment. Sincerely saying, “You look great today” or “You are special” can bring a smile.
But as we begin this special month of celebration, why not pass on the best gift you’ve ever received? Share the fact that “the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus” (Rom. 6:23). Or share this verse from John 1:12, “As many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name.” Remind others that “God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life” (John 3:16).
The best gift of all is Jesus Christ. “Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift!” (2 Cor. 9:15). — Cindy Hess Kasper
The greatest Gift that has ever been given Is Jesus Christ who was sent down from heaven. This Gift can be yours if you will believe; Trust Him as Savior, and new life receive. —Hess
I am the one who love to tweet on twitter with some reasons as followings:
I love to read some random ideas of Pastors, Peace makers and Churches.
I just want to know what other people that I never know them thinking about.
There are a lot of good words which encourage me a lot
Today I was sitting on the computer almost all day ( I don't like to do it that much but I don't know why I didn't do some thing else) By the way, I saw a tweet of my favorite young Pastor named Matt Chandler http://twitter.com/MattChandler74 and then a random thinking just came up to my mind..
I knew him via a friend of my Eirik Larsen, he recommended me to listen his preachings.Below is the website...After that I just followed to listen to him always. In each week I needed to know how God used this Pastor to encourage us.
Since I am in Norway over 1 year and since God gave me the wisdom to understand Norwegian. I didn't hear that much a about strong and hard preaching in Norway. Perhaps there are some but don't know where.
Thanks God, I knew my self I am not a kind of spiritual milk and I can receive real food or solid food for my soul. Actually I am really hungry for solid food as well. Many times I would like to give some solid food to other young people by speaking, encouraging but it seems difficult,because I have to be care full. Their spirituals might not grow enough to receive the hard words.
The ideas came: with the example of 2 Pastors:
From a big church in Kr.Sand ( there are many many youth there! )
From Matt Chandler
For example,the topic was about the youth just live together without getting married! So I heard this preaching for long time ago from the first Pastor in Kristian sand. He preached to the youth in his church that " I don't care what the other people think about you or don't except you because of you don't get marry. Anyway this church accept you.... and welcome you always !! we love you and accept you no matter what how you are... God love you anyway and so and so.....( with many beautiful words ) But in the end he closed up with " but it will be much more better for you if you get marry and I believe that God will bless you more than you don't "
His preaching was absolutely true but really soft, mind and be care full.
Almost the same topic. Matt said " Com'on your wife is not your sex toy! or not your slave! she has a soul and she is your soul... you have to respect her!
Matt was also absolutely true but really hard rock, strong and direct!
So both of them are right! What does it mean ?
I think, I knew the reason why the first pastor has to preach soft like that for the youth in his church. Maybe because he knew the positions of them how the level of their spiritual are. They might not ready to eat the solid food.
But the question is how long that this pastor has to give the milk for those youths, if he give only milk for them how strong of their spiritual.
PS. until now he still give milk to the youth in his church.
Think! What will be happened if the first pastor said like this to those youth : You !! you are lier !! you said you are Christian, you belong to Christ! but you just hiding you sin in front of God's eyes. You fool !! why you still love to go to club, drinking, smoking and free sex. You just kidding with God all the time. You idiot!! shouldn't be even here!! Because you are so sinful!! You think on body no it, you just think that is my life I can do what I want. You think,Jesus gave the salvation and that's it!! You!! Sinner how long that you will be like this!! You know what !!?even you sinful but God still has mercy for you ,so he still waiting for you to REPENT !!! Com'on let's throw those sin things and start to come back to him.
Uhmm... what will be happened ?
Oh!! the Pastor is not polite... So stupid.... I don't need to come to this church any more
Oh!!! yah he is alright I am sin, I am lier, I need God's grace and I would like to repent and turn back to God!!
Let's we see what the Bible said :
Brothers, I could not address you as spiritual but as worldly—mere infants in Christ. 2I gave you milk, not solid food, for you were not yet ready for it. Indeed, you are still not ready.
1 Corinthians 3:1-2
In fact, though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you the elementary truths of God’s word all over again. You need milk, not solid food! 13Anyone who lives on milk, being still an infant, is not acquainted with the teaching about righteousness. 14But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil.
Hebrews 5:12-14
The last question is : do you want to drink milk or eat solid food for your soul ?
Yesterday we have has a leaders meeting. There were 8 God's workers . We started by reflection of a day.... Normally supposed to be a short speech from the Bible but that morning Hanne showed us a short film which is soooooooo touching in my heart...I cried a bit because God spoke some thing to my heart through this short film :
I think I have to share this funny story at less for me my self.
Today is was quite a good day and quite long long day to work. I started at 10.00 am. til 9.00pm. On every Wednesday we will have " Bønnetimen" or pray time at my office. I waited waited and waited but nobody came until at 8.00 pm. An old man ( around 75 years old) with a big guitar bag and with black color came to my office, so I never seen him in this Bede huset before. Javel!!! I started to greet him. I guess, he was a bit disappointed to see me alone and more than that I look really ASIA ASIAAAA woman !!
He told me that he is a prayer man, walk around from the place to place which has prayer group but normally he went to Filadelfia in Mandal. ( I love Filadelfia ....) I thought WOW !!! God !! Thank you so much that you sent some one just has the same heart like me and same style to worship you.
I was not the leader for prayer but it supposed to be other dame but she didn't come. I said to him that " Ok! let's we do like this, we just let's the Holy Spirit work out and lead us what He need us to pray for. Because I have no idea for now what we suppose to pray" He answer me " it seems ok but I would like to start by singing first and then we pray!" ( I love his style ) actually I love to play guitar when I pray too, but I am not so good to sing in Norwegian!!" I told him
Oh! PS. we have spoken in Norwegian.
" just do whatever the Holy Spirit lead us!!" so,we agree!!
The worship time from the 2 generations start to open.!!! Gringgg!!!! ......He started to play guitar and sang and I started to focus on God but his song......
was like traditional Norwegian melody and the way that he sang,it really really really made me laughing. By the way I said to me self " No Prem you have to control your self!!! stop laughing Focus on God ....Focus on God Prem!!!" but the more that I try to stop to laugh and control my self the more made me laughing at him.
I have to open my eyes and look at him a bit. But he looked really in love in God and suddenly he just shout! out to praise the Lord ( I love his style anyway) I was a bit startled and tried to focus on God once again but it didn't work neither.
Then he start to pray with more power and fire!! I felt my office was really warm ( I still love his style) but it made me more laughing.
Normally I am just like him when I pray but I never expect that I will see such the person like him in this old age and powerful to pray before.
So, I just said AMEN!!!! HALLELUJAH !!! all the time =) ( I love his style^^)
=) Believe or not ...we use about 1 hour to pray for every thing in Mandal but he is the main person who prayed a lot ^^!
If God will angry me about this, I accept and must apologize the old hard rock man for my disturbance!!
By the way in the end we have a good chatting together about our faith !!! ;)
Constructed to give people the illusion of walking on air, "The Walk of Faith" is a platform of laminated glass at the top of a 385-foot tower in Blackpool, England. An Associated Press photo showed a woman at the edge of the invisible walkway, fists clenched against her face, trying to summon the courage to take a step. She had been told the platform was safe, but she was still afraid.
Sometimes we feel that way about our circumstances. Perhaps a serious health problem has caused us to question the power and the presence of God.
It's encouraging to note that Paul's familiar words "We walk by faith, not by sight" (2 Cor. 5:7) occur in his discussion about being "absent from the body and . . . present with the Lord" (v.8). He used a powerful metaphor, calling our body an earthly house that's being destroyed, yet he said we have a heavenly building made by God. He spoke of groaning in our earthly frailty and longing for our heavenly home. He concluded that no matter what circumstances we face, we should make it our goal to please the Lord (v.9).
Our walk of faith can be challenging and sometimes scary. But because God is powerful and present, we can step out in confidence today. — David C. McCasland
The Lord wants us to walk by faith, Because our eyes can be deceived; And even though our path may fade, God's Word can always be believed. --Sper
It is better to walk with God by faith than to go alone by sight.
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