Just. Jump. July.

by Matt

There are a good number of reasons why July is my favorite month of the year. I have grown to see it as my “home base” — like when I am struggling or in a certain lack, I would just need to endure till the year turns July and God’s tap of blessings would start to cascade through the generosity of His people.

What makes this July blessing extra special is that Serene’s birthday happen to be four days after mine! Due to the proximity of our birthdays, July is the month where people would date us out, treat us, threaten us (nah kidding), and give us love offerings. For the past year that we have been together I have realized that this abundant blessing tend to come twice its normal size, as supposed to when I was still single. This is probably that now people tend to see both Serene and I as “us” instead of two separate persons. I suppose they really wanted to bless us and our ministry. More importantly, I would like to think that people give because they love God. To think that I felt so loved over the past few days already!

I suppose that when we are following our calling, sometimes we just need someone to tell us that we are not crazy. My past few days were so awesome as I felt so loved by God. There was a suddenly influx of pastors that came alongside and shared with me their passion and how God has called them. These people are truly rare as only people who were called at the same phrase of life as me can truly understand me, my calling and my struggles. All other people would just diagnose me as crazy, lack of proper financial planning and… there was a better one; someone told me that I lacked wisdom. These people, in their good will, always suggest to me rational alternatives that are just outrightly contrary to what God told me to do in the first place — which is simply to “get prepared as fast as possible”…and until then, wait for further instructions. God will take care of the rest. I will never forget those words as they are so real that they are the “fire in my bones”, the strength to go on regardless what the rest of the (Christian) world says.

And… the wait is over. Just yesterday afternoon someone called me and offered me a job and told me to meet him at his office on Friday noon. I doubt he knows that Friday will be my birthday. Wow, God is really faithful. He really keeps His promise that there would be a door wide open at the end of the road. I am still stunned. I still cannot believe that it is really happening. I guess this must be the best feeling in the world — to witness the promises of God coming to pass. Sometimes God really chose iconic dates to make you feel so loved :)

This episode of my life has affirmed me in at least four ways:

… to know that the God I serve is that real.
… to know that the God I serve is that faithful.
… to know that the God I serve allows me to hear Him that sharply.
… to know that the God I serve remembers me and loves me that much.

This episode of my life has also changed my paradigm with regards to my devotion to God. I am God’s servant. Due to that fact, it then makes sense to think that my all belongs to God. Now that I have surrendered myself to God, in a very real sense, all that I am is merely “on-loan” from God. All that I have, is the Lord’s. So therefore when it comes to money, talents, spiritual gifts and my time, it is ultimately not how much I give to God, but rather it is how much I want to keep for myself… for survival.

So now, I guess this coming year would be an intensely exciting one for me. If there is one wish that I can make, it would be that I want to love Jesus even more this coming year.

Happy Birthday, Me.