None of us make it into life, or through life on our own

Parables of talent, taking risk to face fear will lead to growth.

Control. Is there anything harder to release from our grasping hands? I've waged war with the issue of control in my own life and yet I still have to tell my heart to "let it go" and allow God to be fully in charge, especially when wrong is done to me.

But to risk disappointment is better than to have no hope at all, because to risk disappointment is to let faith arise and take over. And as I claim all Your promises, somehow I know in my spirit that You won't disappoint.

Don't just have hope, an inward desire, but also faith, an outward demonstration.
Faith is made complete by what we did

God would never, ever actually ask someone to do this, stops it all, and says, “You passed the test.  You’ve shown your faith.  I’m providing a sacrifice.  There’s a ram over in the thicket bushes.  Go sacrifice that ram.  You’ve been obedient.  I can bless you.”And here’s how James describes the faith and the actions of Abraham. James 2:22.  He says, you see, Abraham’s faith, and his actions were doing together.  And his faith was made complete not just by what he thought, but His faith by what he did.  His faith and his actions were working together. What kind of faith honors God?  It’s a faith that works, even when it doesn’t make sense

People don't care how much you know till they know how much you care. Aside inspiring from afar, also impact by being near.
A sister recently brought up to me her frustrations when her ministry isn't growing, and question how did I have the resilience to disciple or give when the group just isn't on board with what you envision them to be.

I've learnt that not everyone I discipled will be great imitators of Christ, 

but without the passion of discipleship, 

without someone believing in them like how Christ believed in me, 

they can't be.

Obedience when i do not understand.

There were disappointment, and frustrations. However, since through God’s mercy we have this ministry, we do not lose heart.  For what we preach is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake. For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,”made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of God’s glory displayed in the face of Christ.

 But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body.  For we who are alive are always being given over to death for Jesus’ sake, so that his life may also be revealed in our mortal body.  So then, death is at work in us, but life is at work in you.

Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day.  For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.

Lord, more of you and less of myself. What I truly desire to gain is to know you more.
You are the treasure that my heart will be. God, the reason why I was once disappointed could only be because I've given my whole heart into this ministry. For I will not feel this way if I had not been giving my heart and soul into it. I've done my best. I can only water it and do my part to be faithful and hopeful. But only You can make it grow. I will not give up on this covenanted relationship with you and your people.

Help me to love, to see and to give. to always be hopeful in people and believe in them, like how Lord you are to me. I will place my faith in you.

Mother Teresa,

 "A sacrifice to be real must cost, must hurt, and must empty ourselves. Give yourself fully to God. He will use you to accomplish great things on the condition that you believe much more in his love than in your weakness."

I love you Jesus, thank you for loving me exceedingly.

I need You to soften my heart,

To break me apart.

I need You to open my eyes,

To see that You're shaping my life.

I need You to pierce through the dark

And cleanse every part of me.

All I am,

I surrender.

Give me faith to trust what You say

That You're good, and Your love is great.

I'm broken inside, I give You my life.

I may be weak, but

Your Spirit's strong in me.

My flesh may fail, but

My God You never will

 .

My hope is built on nothing less

Than Jesus blood and righteousness

I dare not trust the sweetest frame

But wholly trust in Jesus name