This painting is an entry from Anissa and her daughter for the “God’s Heart to My Heart Scripture Creative Expression Contest” held by Presence last year. It records an incident that led to a major change in Anissa’s spiritual life.
Have you ever experienced spiritual transformation? Are there any Bible verses that have impacted your life, giving you strength, comfort, joy and hope? Do you hope to turn it into a piece of artwork in order to share the love of the Lord and testify to His power?
During this Easter season, as we reflect upon the high price that Jesus had paid to be near to us, how then can we be too busy or not interested in spending time with the Lord? Let us draw near to our Heavenly Father today, for truly, “he is not far from any one of us.”
This year’s Lunar New Year comes exceptionally early. We have just stepped into a new year, and now it’s time to celebrate the Spring Festival. During the Lunar New Year, Chinese people in different parts of the world will follow the traditions they remember and celebrate. When we say “New Year Blessings” to each other at church, have you ever considered what “blessings” we are talking about? At the beginning of the Year of the Rabbit, let us look at some greetings in Christ.
The traces of God’s intervention in my life have assured me of His resurrection power and faithfulness. He never abandons nor forsakes me. In spite of life’s hurdles, we can stay calm, for we know who’s walking with us. We can rest and be still in Him, and in Him we find comfort and strength.
Hustle-and-bustle is the norm of this generation; everyone is always in a hurry. We are always in a rush, busy to satisfy our wants. Our eyes become blurry, our ears become dull, and we just miss what’s going on around us. We don’t bother to pay attention to nature and the change in seasons. We have been trained since we were young to move fast and to win at the starting point; we were told success meant reaching your goals ahead of others. When we are so busy to find our place among others, we never have a chance to connect with them.
I am a person who values relationships and family. I always hope home is a place of love and the relationships within my family are intimate and warm. There is one particular relationship in my life that I’ve always hoped to mend, moving toward intimacy. This is my relationship with my mother.
My dad is a traditional Chinese guy. He was a hardworking breadwinner, who worked for long hours without any complaints and is mindful of how he lives, and by all means, is a good man. However, as his children, we all enjoyed the time he was not home.
As family and friends gather this season, you may wish to read the four tips suggested by Dr. Agnes Ip on cultivating gratitude and creating interpersonal harmony. We hope that you get inspiration and cultivate a memorable and warm holiday this year.
We all have our own love language, and so do our children, spouses, and parents. If we can understand their preferences and speak their love language accordingly, it can bolster our relationships with warm feelings and joy. For this Thanksgiving season, try to discover the love languages of the people around you and respond with their preference to show your gratitude towards them. Surely, they will deeply feel your love and gratitude!
