Few days ago, my secondary school friend asked me how I celebrated Valentine's day and what Valentines day meant to me. Pretty unexpected.
After I shared with her, she asked me so what did you do for Valentine's day last year and how is that different to this year. Pretty unexpected.
Did not know where she was going with it. I on the other hand tried to recall last year, and funny enough I told her about what I was up to on Valentines Day last year and she laughed so hard, she almost choked. Pretty unexpected.
Then she looked at me saying,"you're not serious are you??!!"
Basically, one year ago on Valentines Day, I spent the day helping a friend put together a Valentine's Day Quiz. I spent the morning compiling questions similar to that of the board game "Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus". And the rest of the day, I was practising this quiz on people to see if it was workable. That's what I remember from last year.
It sounds so silly where this conversation was going but God used it as an inroad for me to talk about my faith.
Her next question was : "why were you doing the quiz? what was it for?"
I shared with her it was for a friend's church meeting (actually it was an Outreach but I didn't use that word!!) and they were having a valentine's celebration. And well, that started us off on a conversation about God and love, and later on what following Jesus meant to me. She was just really puzzled and at awe to this aspect of the Valentines Quiz for a Church Meeting and she just dug deeper.
And we talked abit about my work, and what I do for church. We also talked about life, and how to survive life in this post modern world.
And finally, she asked, "so you don't need to be loved by people, just God? How can life be so simple?"
Then I shared with her about John 3:16, and shared with her about what Valentine's Day means to me. It was more than just being loved by someone and being remembered and appreciated. And sharing a love story of God's pursuit and love for her when he gave up everything for her. In PDA lifestyle, A = active obedience. I was faced with a choice. Do I go further and ask her if she wants to receive Jesus and ask her what love means to her. Do I ask her if she's looking for something or someone?
We're talking about my secondary school friend here. Not a stranger. Someone whom I have known for a long time, and whom I used to torture teachers with, play tennis with, talk about boys with, go to parties with and skip school with. She'll think I'm some looney talking her into being a Christian after all this years..
Well, think God knew what was going through my head. And she was the one who asked me: so, you really believe this God is real and I should give it a go? Pretty unexpected.
Erm...and I was being either silly or dumbfounded. And my reply was : "why not?"
Then she shared with me about how she was feeling empty on Valentine's Day etc, and it made her think about true love and about life.
Guess we can all relate. The world is looking for love in all sorts of things and people. There is this rush to find "the one", yet this ONE is Jesus. When she asked me if I have found "the one", it was pretty easy to say YES. Kinda in the same way I guess that in a life partner, the concept of ONE is important. That we love ONE person, not be double minded and have feelings for more than one person at the same time. It breeds the whole sense of loving God or our partners WHOLEHEARTEDLY 100% :) As we are one with Christ, so we are also one with each other. ONE true heart for God. One true heart for each other.
Today when I reflect back on this conversation, and how she is a step closer to God, I remember her last question : "So Val, how is life different then for you? How do you see life each day in what you do? It must be difficult not being out there in the corporate world when everyone we went to school with is building a career?"
I see life as a journey, as the great adventure. And that is how I see following Jesus is. The journey is unpredictable, full of detours, surprises - sometimes even distractions BUT I know as Scripture tells me that I can have confidence in the One who is leading the way. And at different spots, He will look back and asks me whether I am still willing to follow Him wherever He takes me.
"Unless there is an element of risk in our exploits for God (exploits for God = my whole life from a Val perspective), there is no need for faith." - Hudson Taylor
My friend is giving God a go...and I am awestruck in the way God can use such a silly conversation as an opportunity to share the gospel, and my life. Pretty unexpected.
Pretty awesome.
PDA lifestyle ROCKS!
After I shared with her, she asked me so what did you do for Valentine's day last year and how is that different to this year. Pretty unexpected.
Did not know where she was going with it. I on the other hand tried to recall last year, and funny enough I told her about what I was up to on Valentines Day last year and she laughed so hard, she almost choked. Pretty unexpected.
Then she looked at me saying,"you're not serious are you??!!"
Basically, one year ago on Valentines Day, I spent the day helping a friend put together a Valentine's Day Quiz. I spent the morning compiling questions similar to that of the board game "Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus". And the rest of the day, I was practising this quiz on people to see if it was workable. That's what I remember from last year.
It sounds so silly where this conversation was going but God used it as an inroad for me to talk about my faith.
Her next question was : "why were you doing the quiz? what was it for?"
I shared with her it was for a friend's church meeting (actually it was an Outreach but I didn't use that word!!) and they were having a valentine's celebration. And well, that started us off on a conversation about God and love, and later on what following Jesus meant to me. She was just really puzzled and at awe to this aspect of the Valentines Quiz for a Church Meeting and she just dug deeper.
And we talked abit about my work, and what I do for church. We also talked about life, and how to survive life in this post modern world.
And finally, she asked, "so you don't need to be loved by people, just God? How can life be so simple?"
Then I shared with her about John 3:16, and shared with her about what Valentine's Day means to me. It was more than just being loved by someone and being remembered and appreciated. And sharing a love story of God's pursuit and love for her when he gave up everything for her. In PDA lifestyle, A = active obedience. I was faced with a choice. Do I go further and ask her if she wants to receive Jesus and ask her what love means to her. Do I ask her if she's looking for something or someone?
We're talking about my secondary school friend here. Not a stranger. Someone whom I have known for a long time, and whom I used to torture teachers with, play tennis with, talk about boys with, go to parties with and skip school with. She'll think I'm some looney talking her into being a Christian after all this years..
Well, think God knew what was going through my head. And she was the one who asked me: so, you really believe this God is real and I should give it a go? Pretty unexpected.
Erm...and I was being either silly or dumbfounded. And my reply was : "why not?"
Then she shared with me about how she was feeling empty on Valentine's Day etc, and it made her think about true love and about life.
Guess we can all relate. The world is looking for love in all sorts of things and people. There is this rush to find "the one", yet this ONE is Jesus. When she asked me if I have found "the one", it was pretty easy to say YES. Kinda in the same way I guess that in a life partner, the concept of ONE is important. That we love ONE person, not be double minded and have feelings for more than one person at the same time. It breeds the whole sense of loving God or our partners WHOLEHEARTEDLY 100% :) As we are one with Christ, so we are also one with each other. ONE true heart for God. One true heart for each other.
Today when I reflect back on this conversation, and how she is a step closer to God, I remember her last question : "So Val, how is life different then for you? How do you see life each day in what you do? It must be difficult not being out there in the corporate world when everyone we went to school with is building a career?"
I see life as a journey, as the great adventure. And that is how I see following Jesus is. The journey is unpredictable, full of detours, surprises - sometimes even distractions BUT I know as Scripture tells me that I can have confidence in the One who is leading the way. And at different spots, He will look back and asks me whether I am still willing to follow Him wherever He takes me.
"Unless there is an element of risk in our exploits for God (exploits for God = my whole life from a Val perspective), there is no need for faith." - Hudson Taylor
My friend is giving God a go...and I am awestruck in the way God can use such a silly conversation as an opportunity to share the gospel, and my life. Pretty unexpected.
Pretty awesome.
PDA lifestyle ROCKS!
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