_ If you remember what it was like to wake up at the crack of dawn, and see the twinkling Christmas tree, surrounded by presents then you’ll know exactly what it feels like to be in Vienna during Christmas.

Quaint yellow Christmas-market stalls are sprinkled throughout the city, nestled beside the impressive Baroque architecture. The air is chilly yet it is filled with the warm scents of homemade wine and roasted chestnuts.

The Christmas spirit is definitely alive and well here but let’s not forget the simple things about Christmas. These are the few things I’ve learned about Christmas:

• The birth of our Savior – Jesus Christ: Jesus died on the cross 2000 years ago to give us the best gift of all – Salvation, the gift of eternal life. It is a free gift to anyone. This is the true meaning of Christmas.
• It is a season of giving and sharing - Do you know anyone who is spending Christmas alone? Why don’t you include them in your festive activities and make them feel at home. For many years, I was one of them and I’m grateful for the families who opened their homes for me during Christmas.
• Togetherness: Christmas brings family and friends together, if there is anyone you have not spoken to for awhile, consider giving them a call ; it may put a smile on their face. Spend some quality time with your families and don’t let the tearing away paper gift be the only highlight of the day.

Please feel free to share your thoughts on the meaning of Christmas. Meanwhile, have a very Merry Christmas wherever you are. God bless you.

_ God’s word says to enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into His courts with praise: be thankful unto Him, and bless His name. 

Before this year ends, I encourage you to write a list of 5 – 10 things you are grateful or thankful for. The list will encourage you to spend your next few minutes in gratitude instead of allowing the enemy to plant a seed of despair that you have not made a full use of all the opportunities presented to you this year.

Once you write this list, let’s give God thanks and bless His name for all of your blessings come from HIM.

Here is my list:

• My Father in Heaven: I serve a God who always forgives me and loves me the way I’m. HE is my best friend, my Father and the lover of my soul. Without the sacrifices HE made on the cross for me, I would not be able to enjoy a life filled with HIS peace and joy that surpasses all understanding.

• My family: I’m thankful for the family that God has blessed me with. I’m thankful for a praying mother. I’ve learned so much spiritually through her and without her prayers, I would not be where I’m now. I’m thankful for my supportive and wise father, I have learned much about commitment and sacrifices from him. Last but not least, my brother who is always there for me.  

• My health: It’s so easy to take them for granted but what would you be if you don’t have your health? A wise acquaintance ever said - “What is the use of having money if you ended up using them to earn back the health you lost in search for success?” Health is one of the best gifts we need to cherish.

• My friends: Being far away from my families, my friends are my lifelines; their friendship and constant support are essential in my daily life, I’m thankful for their presence in my life.

• Waking up every morning: Each day I’m given the blessing to wake in good health and on a warm bed when statistic shows that about a quarter million of people don’t get to wake up to see another day. I could have been a part of that statistic but my God keeps me thus I’m thankful for HIS protection.

• Always having more than enough: I have a good reliable car, a safe dwelling I call home and God always equips me with more than enough to pay for bills and the expenses of daily life regardless I’m with a job or without. For that I’m thankful.

What are you thankful for? Why don’t you start your own list now and praise God for all HE has done in your life.

I used to struggle with God’s love for me because I knew my own sins and weaknesses – all the reasons He shouldn’t love me. Surely everyone else wasn’t the mess deep inside that I was. Some people can be full of self righteousness, they seem convinced God loves them the best of all. I wish I have the least of that confidence too.

Why do we have such difficulty believing God could love with that same unfailing love when it comes to the mess or bad we have done? It’s because we relentlessly insist on trying to humanize God's love. We tend to love people according to how they act to us, and we keep trying to confine God in our image and understanding of what love could be.

Remember, human's love is limited but God's love is infinite. We are human and He is God. 

2 Corinthians 13:14 NET
The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all. 

(Article from Beth Moore’s devotional – Liberty)

_ “Just by talking without doing is hypocrite! Not walking the talk is a lie!”

Have we ever found someone in life who does not walk his/her talk or being a hypocrite? Or are we someone like that?

1 John 3:18says: “My little children, let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed and in truth”.

 Rick Warren, in his book “40 days of Purpose” mentioned that “The best way to spell L-O-V-E is T-I-M-E."

Why is time precious? It is because when we give time for others, we lose time for ourselves. Someone can make extra money, but he/she cannot have extra time. When we give time for someone, we are giving him / her one part of our life that will never come back to us. Our time is our life. This is why one of the greatest gifts we can give to someone is T-I-M-E.

In Gary Chapman’s five different types of love languages, one of them is Quality time. Wherever i go, I see people who do not really need expensive gifts as present but just need quality time. Some parents think that by giving their children lots of toys, they have done a good parenting job. Actually, I have found in my children ministry that most of the children were longing for quality time rather than just presents, because as mentioned above, L-O-V-E is T-I-M-E, and vice versa.

Why is now the best time to express L-O-V-E? Because we do not know how long more we have for that chance. Things change, surroundings change, kids grow up, people dying and time goes by. We do not know what will happen tomorrow. If you want to express love, do it RIGHT NOW!!!

 “The best life is expressed through love. The best love is expressed through time. The best time to love is NOW!!!”

( Article is contributed by Limi Halim from her new book - 'New Life')

Today my neighbor randomly invited us over to their home for a meal. It was a nice, warm gesture, and if you are anything like me, I have always wanted to check out the neighbour's house! A house really reflects its owner.

Some houses are super-neat, some (like mine) have a homey mess, some smell like lovely baked goodies, others smell like curries, some houses are loud and boisterous, some houses are silent. Homes are shelters which we spends lots of time dwelling in. They are supposed to provide us with comfort, familiarity, security and times of retreat.

Just like a home, we can dwell and live in the love God has for us, demonstrated when He send His Son to die for us. When we make His love our home where we live and continually turn to, there is no fear. We can be confident He will lead, provide and protect us day by day.

1 John 4:16-18
And we know (understand, recognize, are conscious of, by observation and by experience) and believe (adhere to and put faith in and rely on) the love God cherishes for us. God is love, and he who dwells and continues in love dwells and continues in God, and God dwells and continues in him. In this [union and communion with Him] love is brought to completion and attains perfection with us, that we may have confidence for the day of judgment [with assurance and boldness to face Him], because as He is, so are we in this world. There is no fear in love [dread does not exist], but full-grown (complete, perfect) love turns fear out of doors and expels every trace of terror! For fear brings with it the thought of punishment, and [so] he who is afraid has not reached the full maturity of love [is not yet grown into love's complete perfection].

- Jo Voon

One of my recent missions is to make a perfect pavlova - crispy crunchie shell around a fluffy inside. My first attempt was a complete floppy pancake. So far, i have tried 4 different times, making sure the door is completely shut, varying the temperature and cooking time, etc. Unfortunately, this perfect pavlova has still managed to eluded me.

Coming to the end of the year, we too may look back, perhaps with regret over failures, or disappointed expectations, or unattained achievements. Sometimes we may feel like we're going around the same mountain again or stumbling through the wilderness or tire from our battles.

But we are not alone in all this. In the Bible, David has also walked the same journey. He has been disregarded by family, lost a best friend, backstabbed by someone he'd looked up to, abandoned, fearful, distessed, on the run...

Yet, David did not give up on himself and on God. On the contrary, he strengthens himself by remembering who God is and the awesome works which God has done. Let us keep on keeping on and remember God. He will fight for us and we will be at peace and remain at rest. (Ex 14:14)

Psalms 77:8-14 
Have His mercy and loving-kindness ceased forever? Have His promises ended for all time? Has God [deliberately] abandoned or forgotten His graciousness? Has He in anger shut up His compassion? Selah [pause, and calmly think of that]! And I say, This [apparent desertion of Israel by God] is my appointed lot and trial, but I will recall the years of the right hand of the Most High [in loving-kindness extended toward us], for this is my grief, that the right hand of the Most High changes. I will [earnestly] recall the deeds of the Lord; yes, I will [earnestly] remember the wonders [You performed for our fathers] of old. I will meditate also upon all Your works and consider all Your [mighty] deeds.Your way, O God, is in the sanctuary [in holiness, away from sin and guilt]. Who is a great God like our God? You are the God Who does wonders; You have demonstrated Your power among the peoples.

- Jo Voon

The season of the sale is upon us. We bravely dive into the innumerable sea of shops which are buzzing with throngs of shoppers and loaded with over-the-top décor. We fend off attacks for that car park spot, dodge runway shopping trolleys, and get bombarded with discounts as we search for the present for that person.

Come this Christmas time, you and I have been given the biggest, best-est present of all – Life – through Christ’s work on the cross. We have access to this free gift any time, no matter where we are, who we think we are, the darkness of our past or what the future holds. Thanks to Jesus, we can be filled with life to the fullest.

Revelation 22:17 
The Spirit and the bride say, “Come!” And let the one who hears say, “Come!” Let the one who is thirsty come; and let the one who wishes take the free gift of the water of life.

- Jo Voon