Thankful Thursday

God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Psalm 46:1

... for He hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. Hebrews 13:5

♥ I am thankful to God for sustaining me through another week. God is my refuge and strength daily and I am comforted that He never leaves me nor forsake me.

♥ Thank God for friends who suggested that I should cut down on work this week in order to rest and recuperate. Thank God that working freelance give me this flexibility and thank God for customers who are understanding.

♥ I am thankful to God that though I am weak, He is strong and His strength is made perfect in my weakness. Thank God for giving me grace and strength to cope with various challenges daily and to live for Him and serve Him.

♥ Thank God for strengthening me over the last few days and enabling me to know daily that His grace is sufficient for me. Thank God that I am feeling so much better today.

♥ I am thankful to God for my Pastor and friends who prayed for me, watched over me, shared my burden and suggested ways I may cope better with my health and other challenges in my life.

♥ I am thankful to all of you for praying for me and encouraging me.

♥ I am thankful to God for my mother's love for my family and her wonderful care upon me daily even as I seek to take care of her. Thank God that my sister's family came over recently and we have had a wonderful Mother's Day with my mum. Thank God for nieces and nephews who bring so much joy into my mum and my life.

♥ I am thankful to God for preserving some ministers, missionaries and their family who are serving God in Myanmar during the severe storm. Thank God that He preserves us until our tasks are accomplished here. Thank God that we can have the sweet assurance that should any of God's people lost their lives in natural disasters, they enter immediately into the presence of God. Let us pray for all families affected in Myanmar and in the earthquakes in China that many may know the saving grace of God and find consolations and restoration in Him.

♥ I am thankful to God that through weak health, He is teaching me many lessons about His love and faithfulness daily. God's presence with me and His Words comforts and strengthens me, and give me courage to face each day.

♥ Thank God that despite weak health, He enables me to serve Him in little little ways daily at home, freelance work, church work and even through this blog.

♥ Thank God We serve such a wonderful God and we can have the assurance that He is working all things for His glory and our good. What a mercy!

♥ I am thankful to God for so many friends I have come to know through blogging. Your friendships and writings have enriched my life is so many wonderful ways. Thank God for making this possible. Thanks for your friendships and wonderful support!

How about you? How has the Lord blessed you through the past week?

Thanks for stopping by. Hope you have a blessed and thankful day!

For more participants of Thankful Thursday, do visit Iris at Sting My Heart. It will be a very blessed and spiritually uplifting experience for you!

He carry the Lambs in His bosom

I read this encouraging devotional this evening and was reminded once again of God's love and care upon us.

In these recent weeks of poorer health, I am thankful to God that He is keeping me near to Him and strengthening me daily.

In my many years of struggles with bipolar disorder, depression, stress, panic attacks, etc etc, I am very conscious of my own weaknesses.

Some friends have told me over the years too that they think I am very weak.

Some friends think I am very weak physically because I am easily tired and can't endure as much hardness as them.

Some friends think I am very weak mentally because they know I struggled with several prolonged clinical depression over the last few years. To them suffering from depression shows a weakness of mind and character. They have no knowledge or understanding of clinical depression or mood disorders.

Some friends think I am very weak spiritually because they know I have many struggles while they live a relatively carefree life with little struggle or difficulties. To them having struggles in life shows a lack of faith in God. They have little understanding that we are through much tribulation to enter into the kingdom of God and we are in a spiritual warfare daily.

I know I am weak in many ways. And I am thankful that there is One Who will always love me no matter how weak I am. In fact because I am weak, He is especially tender towards me. Because I am weak, His strength is made perfect in my weakness. This person is my Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Thank God for carrying me in His bosom and enabling me to know His love and presence with me.

Today, if you are hurting, depressed, lonely, forsaken or suffering in some ways, know that there is One Who loves us tenderly. Our Lord Jesus Christ laid down His life on the cross for us to save us from our sins and we are precious to Him. Call upon Him and He will answer you. Like a lamb, He will carry you in His bosom. He will never leave you nor forsake you.

“He shall gather the lambs with his arm, and carry them in his bosom.” - Isaiah 40:11

Who is he of whom such gracious words are spoken?

He is THE GOOD SHEPHERD.

Why doth he carry the lambs in his bosom?

Because He hath a tender heart, and any weakness at once melts his heart.

The sighs, the ignorance, the feebleness of the little ones of his flock draw forth his compassion. It is his office, as a faithful High Priest, to consider the weak.

Besides, he purchased them with blood, they are his property: he must and will care for that which cost him so dear. Then he is responsible for each lamb, bound by covenant engagements not to lose one. Moreover, they are all a part of his glory and reward.

But how may we understand the expression, “He will carry them”?

Sometimes he carries them by not permitting them to endure much trial. Providence deals tenderly with them.

Often they are “carried” by being filled with an unusual degree of love, so that they bear up and stand fast. Though their knowledge may not be deep, they have great sweetness in what they do know.

Frequently he “carries” them by giving them a very simple faith, which takes the promise just as it stands, and believingly runs with every trouble straight to Jesus. The simplicity of their faith gives them an unusual degree of confidence, which carries them above the world.

“He carries the lambs in his bosom.”

Here is boundless affection. Would he put them in his bosom if he did not love them much?

Here is tender nearness: so near are they, that they could not possibly be nearer.

Here is hallowed familiarity: there are precious love-passages between Christ and his weak ones.

Here is perfect safety: in his bosom who can hurt them? They must hurt the Shepherd first.

Here is perfect rest and sweetest comfort. Surely we are not sufficiently sensible of the infinite tenderness of Jesus!

(Taken from CH Spurgeon's Morning and Evening, 14 May, Evening)

May you know God's love in very many wonderful ways today.

Thanks for stopping by. God bless!

Word-Filled Wednesday : I am with you always

And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. ...lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Matthew 28:18-20

The LORD hath appeared of old unto me, saying, Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee. Jeremiah 31:3

Thank God that He is with us always and He loves us with an everlasting love.

For more Word-Filled Wednesday participants, do visit Amy at The 160 Acre Woods. It will be a very blessed and spiritually uplifting experience for you!

Thank you for stopping by. Hope you have a blessed day!

(This photo is taken by my friend and brother-in-Christ, CW Fong. Thank God for his kindness to share this photo with us)

Cultivating Nearness to God in coping with difficulties in life

When we go through difficult times in our life sometimes we wonder why we have to go through them and can any good come out of it.

I live a very checkered life. My life is filled with ups and downs. I love the Lord because He has saved me from my sins and He is my God and Saviour. But even then, my life is not exempted from difficulties, sickness, failures, disappointments, stress, etc etc. I experience them just like everyone else.

As you know, these few weeks have been very challenging for me. I am still learning to manage my bipolar mood swing. I am learning to cope with stressful situations at work and other areas of my life. I have many ups and downs recently.

I often will pray and ask God to help me understand what He is teaching me through them and how best I can grow through these difficult experiences.

I also desire to glorify God through my experiences by doing that which is right in His sight and according to His Words.

Mr John J Murray in his little booklet "Behind a Frowning Providence" which I am still reading, said:

Far more important than any explanation for our suffering is nearness to God in our experience. This is the only way to get things into perspective.

One of the ways that God is helping me to cope with my difficult struggles with bipolar disorder, stress and other difficulties in these recent days, is cultivating a nearness to Himself.

I found that when I bring my difficulties and afflictions to God in prayers and seek to understand His will in them, God draws me nearer to Himself as I sense His presence with me and the good that He is working out of them.

In my weakness, I have experienced His strength, strengthening me and keeping me.

When I feel that I just can't take it anymore, and I go to God in prayers, I found that He in His faithfulness will either work a way out for me or sustains me in very marvelous ways.

Sometimes I can see Him developing certain graces in my life :

Through painful experiences, I see God making me a more tender and compassionate person.

Through very trying and prolonged trials, I found that God is teaching me to be more patient.

Through painful struggles with severe and prolonged depression, our Lord is teaching me to understand a little of His great love when He suffered so much and gave His life for me and how He felt forsaken by His Heavenly Father while He was on the cross.

Through difficult relationships in my life, God taught me the value of forgiveness.

In time of failure and disappointment, God taught me to let go and trust in Him.

Sometimes I see how He is using my experiences to help other people. When others see the way God is strengthening me or delivering me, they are encouraged and strengthened in their walk with Him.

Sometimes God deepens my friendship with family and friends when they share my burden, pray and encourage me.

I am thankful to God for drawing me nearer to Himself and for working many good out of my experiences. Though at times these experiences can be very difficult and painful, but God has been the strength of my heart whenever my flesh or my heart fails.

I thank God for the way He is strengthening my friendship with you and my other friends as you share my burden, pray and encourage me. Thank God for all of you!

Take care. May you have a blessed day!

Thank God I am better

Dear friends,

Thanks for stopping by. Thank God for strengthening me day by day and I am feeling better today.

A special thank you to Tracy, Marja, Stephany, Darlene, Melanie and Acorn, for your kind thoughts, prayers and encouragements. Your concerns and supports to me at this difficult time means a lot to me. It encourages my heart and I know these are tokens of God's love and goodness to me. Thank you for your wonderful support!

Thanks to my other friends who visit this blog and have prayed for me. Although you didn't leave any comment but I know you have visited and prayed with me. Thank you!

I am thankful to my Pastor and other church friends who know about my condition and have been praying for me. Thank God for His faithfulness in strengthening me and helping me to cope better.

I have been resting a lot these few days and have cut down my activities significantly. I am trying harder to slow down. I think I need to have a good break and cut down on anything that may stress me up or aggravate my condition.

I have been feeling very very exhausted and drained. It's like some kind of accumulated tiredness. Thank God for preserving me and enabling me to recognize early that I may be heading towards a burn-out and to take the necessary actions to rectify my situations.

I was too unwell to go to church yesterday but I read the Bible and listened to an audio sermon. God's Words bring great encouragement to me. I know that God is with me and He will strengthen me as I wait upon Him.

I am trying harder to slow down this week. Hope to take a good break to recuperate.

I went for a walk this morning. It was really refreshing. I always love to walk in the nature and see the beauties of God's creations and enjoy the fresh air and sunshine. I think I need to schedule this into my daily task as it will help me to relax and strengthen me physically and mentally :-)

During my walks I usually will see pigeons. They are very cute. This group of pigeons was feeding on some food they found.





















































This satisfied pigeon took its portion and went away :-)

In the Bible, God said that He clothes the lily of the field and feed the sparrow. And not one of the sparrow will be forgotten by God. I am encouraged as I remember afresh that God will take care of me even as I seek to take care of myself. Thank God that He is with me. I am learning to rest in Him daily.

Are not five sparrows sold for two farthings,
and not one of them is forgotten before God?
But even the very hairs of your head are all numbered.
Fear not therefore; ye are of more value than many sparrows.
(Luke 12:6,7)

Thank you once again to all of you, my dear friends and readers. I am thankful to God to find such friendship and support online. Your friendship and support means a lot to me. I thank God for all of you.

Thanks for stopping by. Take care. Hope you have a blessed day!