When God writes your love story

Hi everyone, my name is Joey and I am a prayer manager at the prayer center. I will love to share my love story to you all today :)

Last Wednesday, the last day of 3 years together with my boyfriend, Alvin, he got down on one knee, under the Brooklyn Bridge, overlook the beautiful sunset of NYC, and he asked me the most beautiful question of all time, "Will you marry me?"

I was in tears, couldn't even say a word, just nodding my head, lol! There were so many things running through my head at that time, all I can think of is, Jesus, You are good, all the time.

To be frank, I went through a lot of broken hearts before I met Alvin. I would spent time feeling sad about my loneliness, cried myself to sleep over boys who do not love me back. Sometime I feel like he was the right person but it was just at the wrong time. I did not understand why God will allow me to be so lonely and broken, yet He promised that He has the best plan for me. However, I did not know that all the while, Jesus wanted me to know that right thing in the wrong time is still a wrong thing.

There's one night when I was crying and praying in the balcony of my dorm in the heart of the city of Malaysia, God gave me a peace to trust in Him. I committed myself to Him, let go completely the pen of my love story to allow Jesus to write one for me. I still remember doubting Him that He will take away my feelings toward a particular someone at that time completely but I promised to keep on trusting.

I committed myself in doing morning devotion early in the morning at the balcony, praying while the sun was rising. I volunteered to help out a missionary from the states who were serving in Malaysia at that time. My heart was occupied by Jesus every day. I was very busy but I was full of joy. I found love and joy that I will never find in an earthly relationship. Little did I realized, I had completely let go of thinking about boy friends or liking someone who will not like me back.

I heard of people saying, "when you stop thinking about dating, that guy will appear". I guess, love is waiting till you are ready, till is right. And I met Alvin. I did not have any feelings towards him at first, we were just friends. I love being with him. He never lead me on emotionally, instead he protected me like how a brother of Christ should protect their sisters in Christ. We are both crazy about Jesus and as times passed by, I started to have strong feeling towards him.

However, the feelings I have is different. There is no scary moment or sadness, it was just pure joy and peace. Even though we knew at that time that we like each other, we decided to wait and pray since he would be going to school in New York while I was in Virginia. Jesus makes things beautiful in its time. This is true! Despite of long distance, my feelings towards Alvin grow stronger each day and finally he asked me to be his girl friend after talking to my parents. As an engineer who loves logic, Alvin is not boring at all. He is so romantic and he makes me fall in love more and more each day. Most importantly, with his leadership in the relationship, we fall in love more and more to our first love, Jesus Christ.

I am thankful for all the blessings from my beloved families and friends. And I am amazed and beyond grateful to my sweet Jesus.

I love this quote from Brooke Fraser, my favorite singer:

I could write a million songs about the way you say my name
I could live a lifetime with you and then do it all again
and like I can't force the sun to rise or hasten summer's start,
neither should I rush my way into your heart

I am glad that I waited for the Lord, and when God writes your love story, He will blow your mind away ;)

Love,

Joey

Watch and pray!

"My soul is very sorrowful, even to death; remain here, and watch with me." And going a little farther he fell on his face and prayed, saying, "My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will." And Jesus came to His disciples and found them sleeping. And He said to Peter, "So, could you not watch with me one hour? Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak." Matthew 26:38-41

While I was reading this passage today, I was reminded of the importance of watching and praying. Jesus encouraged His disciples to watch and pray with Him before He was taken from them to be crucified. As I read that passage, I wonder, "if Peter had watched and prayed that night, would he still have denied Christ three times? Would Peter had the strength of God to overcome his fear that caused him to deny Christ?"

Ephesians 6:10-12 says, "be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power. Put on the full armor of God so that you can stand against the devil's schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of the dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms." 

After reading these passages, I have to confess that I have depended on my own strength to fight against sin far too often. As a result, I have doubly failed. First, I do not have sufficient strength to fight against sin. Second, I have declared independence from God the moment I depend on my own strength. Instead, I should acknowledge my total dependence on God. In Matthew 26, Jesus did not ask Peter struggle harder in his strength. Instead, He called Peter to watch and pray! Oh how we need to just let our guards down and allow the Spirit to work within us!

1 Corinthians 15:50-57 says, "I declare to you, brothers and sisters, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed--in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. For the perishable must clothe itself with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality. When the persishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying is written will come true: "Death has been swallowed up in victory." "Where, O Death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?" The string of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God! HE gives us Victory through OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST.

"Father, forgive us when we depend on ourselves for strength. We acknowledge our desperate need for You. Far too often have we depended on ourselves--in our struggle against sin, in our ministry to honor you.. You have said in 1 Peter 4:11 that we should depend on you for strength and for words. Forgive us Father! We let our guards down in Your presence, and acknowledge our total dependency on You! Fill us with the Spirit. Stir within us a sense of dependency on You every moment! Father, we praise You for You give us victory through our Lord Jesus Christ! Breathe upon us O God! We pray these things in the mighty name of Jesus! Amen!"