Faith

I’ve been trying to reach out to a friend with the Gospel. This sounds like something we call evangelism, and because it’s not done by knocking on his door with one hand and having the Four Spiritual Laws booklet in the other, some dub it Friendship evangelism.

Evangelism. A neat word made into a verb by the word ‘go.’ For the record, I’ve yet to experience the fulfillment and joy of leading anyone say the sinners’ prayer; yet to bring anyone to an evangelistic event where he/she responded to the alter call; and no one has ever thanked me for being instrumental in their decision to accepting Christ yet. This, I’m sure makes a convincing curriculum vitae of what a great evangelist I am so far.

Have I ever shared my faith before? Well, I’ve answered questions (tried to answer as best as I could while desperately seeking the Spirit’s wisdom when arrested with such queries), regarding my belief and faith, but never in a decision-making state of the other party, or as an answer to a seeker of the Truth. Most of them are conversational questions which open like, “eh, you Christians do/celebrate/say/believe this/that…why ah?” Unlike some dying soul who cries out, “I need God! I need God!! Show me your God!!!”

The notion of friendship evangelism came about to me better after reading Rebecca Manley Pippert’s classic: Out Of the Salt Shaker, during my early teenage years. So I have invited friends for Methodist Youth Fellowship (MYF) events during Uni days, brought my best friend in college to church before (by accident as we walked pass a place with singing after breakfast one Sunday morning when I couldn’t go back hometown to finish my group work final presentation, and my friend was curiously interested to go in while I was overwhelmed), presented friends with the Bible as gifts and maybe one or two other related deeds. Puny, mundane efforts of someone bearing the mandate tag of ‘salt and light.’ Now if you are in the same boat as me, and have yet to venture out into great (can’t call it greater as what I’ve done is not even great), and better ways in the endeavour as Christ’s ambassadors, don’t take comfort and console yourself to have a fellow comrade like me. You do better, while I strive to do like-wise.

Back to this friend of mine. If you think it cruel to be kind, call him a prayer-target. I’ve invited him to church a couple of times. Good news is, he says, “are you trying to bring me to the Light?” Bad news is, last night when I was talking to him, he said, “you have your faith while I have mine. We are both brought up from different backgrounds. Stop trying to change my faith.” Of course he said it politely, but the message was clear. He also said, “when can I return your CD?” as I’d given him an album by Point Of Grace. It’s neither me nor the friendship he’s rejecting. Sigh!

The term was coined so, when our Lord referred people sent to the harvest field as labourers or workers. It would have been a different game if He instructed, ‘ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out friends into his harvest field.’

How do you then share your faith?
To pun-it, by faith?

“The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few.”

feline shots 2

Faces of stray cats around the office grounds taken at around 6.30pm. Used flash for these shots as the evening light was pale. Think it looks better than the ones taken in the morning in Feline Shots.

flowers + mei

flowers in flash 2

Took this picture on my way to work this morning. The flowers are on the banks of a canal at Kota Kemuning. Wanted to capture the glow of the green grasses in the early sun, but after I wiped my lens, the colours turned a different, harsher hue. Using flash for this picture as I think it gives depth and a spatial feel to the composition. Manual focus is easier to work with through the layers of these tiny flowers.

Wind beneath my wings

You walk and walk. Sometimes it feels like you're walking in a crowd, and everyone knows you by name. You feel secure and assured that pleasant things would be spoken concerning you. You feel belonged and you stand tall. There is peace and sound rapport among those you are in contact with. There are no debts, no enemies, no undone laundry and the car is polished. Well done; You certainly deserve a pat on your shoulders. You feel so good about yourself, life, and the whole world around you. You've got the whole world in your hands, so to speak, and your feet taps to the rhythm of that song playing in your head. Suddenly you hear your handphone beep. You've not had a proper alarm clock since college days. You wake up, yawn, do some stretching and wished you'd ironed your clothes the night before.

abstracts around the apartment

The polycarbonate awning is green during the day. At dusk, with the street lights on, it looks blue.
Fallen leaves swept aside the pavements.

feline shots

Pets! Pets! Pets! Anyone have pets at home? I know there are a few nice fishes buried somewhere in my garden back home, but they have lost much of their lustre by now. Digital Camera Malaysia's mission this month: Pet Portraits. Followed this cat around this morning before clocking in.

natural colours on a rock

flowers in flash

Nature pics at Kota Kemuning

It's a Saturday morning, and I had some things to do in Kota Kemuning. Here are more nature shots taken at the park near the club house.

love grass

It was 10 minutes past 8 in the morning when I arrived office. It felt a little too early to enter, though it would cause a great impression as David is already there. There is a lake nearby the club house which Kak Ina has been recommending I should go to take some pictures. Here's one taken this morning.

sunset at kota kemuning

Kak Ina

Trying a portrait shot. This is Kak Ina, willingly and patiently posing while I try different settings on my camera, being such a novice in this category. Posting this pic here so that hopefully, when there is improvement in the future (and there certainly must and will be...), there is a comparison. First step in portrait pictures (trying to avoid the word photography...).

mum's 59th bday

Blessed birthday, mummy! May God's favour and grace continue to be upon you. Mei and I love you so much! :)