ku sudah kembali! =)

if you're wondering why the title of this post is in malay, it's because too many of my posts are titled "i'm back!" already =P

ZMax Camp was great! we ended up with 14 campers, as one pulled out because of fever at the eleventh hour. however, as i said to tristan in the chatbox, numbers are not the measure of a camp! i would that God use me to touch the lives of others (especially youths) and turn them to Him; but it's not for me to dictate how it's to be done. we must be faithful in little just as we claim we'll be faithful in much; and even if a single person turns to Christ, the angels rejoice.

i wrote those paragraphs last week. so sorry i haven't blogged yet (to whoever's still reading) but i've been swamped with work!

before i list down all the things i have to do, let me share some great news with you: there was a group of ZMax Campers who came from a certain church: 3 christians and 1 non-christian. well, the youth leader from that church recently contacted me and informed me that the non-christian kid expressed desire to become a christian after coming back from ZMax Camp! =D

i know that for a servant of God, success is measured in obedience rather than results (see Isaiah, called to proclaim God's message to a people who wouldn't hear). nevertheless, my heart is cheered and encouraged because of this camper's response to the gospel. =)

now, what am i so knitted busy about? (knitted is a cognate of darned. it's a joke. nevermind whether it's funny, just laugh.) here's the list:
- closing accounts for ZMax Camp. it doesn't balance by 40 sen! aarrgh! where could that 40 sen have gone? =P
- coordinating and preparing for our trip to seremban in April.
- clearing my email... i came back to over 200 emails in my inbox
- preparing for SCF meetings... i am speaking at various schools every friday up to mid-april. this friday's topic is prayer, at a school in klang.
- planning for camps in May/June. 3 camps there: a Church Inter-Generational Camp, Camp Chit Chat (SU's revamped School-Leavers' Camp), and Sports Camp (an evangelistic camp based on, you guessed it, sports)
- preparing for next week's staff meeting... it's my turn to prepare the Youth Ministry Updates
- preparing to speak at TOMORROW's prayer meeting... this one emergency, external speaker couldn't make it.

since i have my work cut out for me, i'd better get back to it. thanks for reading, commenting, and praying. =)

it's on!

indeed, it is. ZMax camp is on with exactly 15 campers. how cool is that? =)

there are 2 or 3 campers who are non-christians, so do pray for them to be open to the gospel.

pray for myself and my team of staff and volunteers who wil be running the camp, too. we're pretty busy with final preparations now.

pray for a fun and meaningful programme; for campers to learn something even as they enjoy themselves; and for safety, especially in outdoor activities like games, stream trotting, and the night hike.

pray for meaningful friendships to be formed and for lives to be touched and transformed by the hand of God.

will be going off tomorrow til saturday; leaving The Wife and Frodo home alone again. =(

may it all be for God's glory; may His Kingdom come, His will be done on Earth as it is in Heaven.

Amen.

p.s. have u checked out the election results??? exciting changes are in store for malaysia!!! (hopefully). may God bless our land! =)

today is D-Day...

...for ZMax Camp.

the day of decision: will the camp live or die?

i've been calling up every person who has expressed interest in the camp, asking them to confirm if they/their friends/their children are coming.

the cut-off point decided at our camp planning meeting a couple of days ago was 15 campers. if there are 15 or more campers, the camp will go on. if there are less then 15, even 14.9 campers, the camp will be cancelled.

at this moment, the number stands at 9 forms in my hand with another 4 promised; a total of 13.

there is still hope; a boy from last year's camp and his 2 friends, and the cousin of one of our camp committee members and his 2 friends. if one or both of these come through, the camp is on.

for now, all we can do is wait.

and pray.

Jim Elliot

Thank God for a good trip to the south last weekend! =)

we visited 2 SCFs in melaka, visited a youth service in kluang, and spoke at 2 youth services (i was the speaker for one of those), as well as 2 worship services in batu pahat. God is good. =)

last wednesday, i shared at our SU/FES prayer meeting about the life of Jim Elliot... and in one part of my sharing, we looked at some quotes from his journal. since i've already typed them, might as well recycle =P

hey, don't look down on recycled blog posts k. these words are powerful, if u take the time to read them and ponder over them...

He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose.

One treasure, a single eye, and a sole master.

God, I pray thee, light these idle sticks of my life and may I burn for Thee. Consume my life, my God, for it is Thine. I seek not a long life, but a full one, like You, Lord Jesus.

Father, take my life, yea, my blood if Thou wilt, and consume it with Thine enveloping fire. I would not save it, for it is not mine to save. Have it Lord, have it all. Pour out my life as an oblation for the world. Blood is only of value as it flows before Thine altar.

Saturate me with the oil of the Spirit that I might be aflame. But flame is short-lived. Canst thou bear this, my soul? Short life? In me there dwells the spirit of the Great Short-Lived, whose zeal for God’s house consumed Him. “Make me Thy fuel, Flame of God.”

Are we willing to build with a trowel in one hand, while the other grasps a sword?

Father, if Thou wilt let me go to South America to labour with Thee and to die, I pray that Thou wilt let me go soon. Nevertheless, not my will.

How few, how short these hours my heart must beat – then on, into the real world where the unseen becomes important.

Of the coffin: a swallowing up by Life. For this I am most anxious.

...don’t let the sands of time get into the eye of your vision to reach those who sit in darkness. They simply must hear. Wives, houses, practices, education, must learn to be disciplined by this rule: “let the dead attend to the affairs of the already dead, go thou and attend the affairs of the dying”.

“We are the sheep of His pasture. Enter into His gates with thanksgiving and into His courts with praise.” And what are sheep doing going into the gate? What is their purpose inside those courts? To bleat melodies and enjoy the company of the flock? No. Those sheep were headed for the altar. Their pasture feeding had been for one purpose: to test them and fatten them for bloody sacrifice. Give Him thanks then, that you have been counted worthy of His altars. Enter into the work with praise.

I must not think it strange if God takes in youth those whom I would have kept on earth 'til they were older. God is peopling Eternity, and I must not restrict Him to old men and women.

Only I know that my own life is full. It is time to die, for I have had all that a young man can have, at least all that this young man can have. I am ready to meet Jesus.

Wherever you are, be all there. Live to the hilt every situation you believe to be the will of God.

i really admire Jim Elliot for his focus; his single-minded devotion to love, follow and serve God to the very end. i might not fully agree with everything he says, but in this aspect of his life i want to emulate him. google him if u have no idea who he is or what he did. i promise (from my point of view anyway), it's well worth your time to get acquainted with this man of God.