The other frogs said, "Did you not hear us?"

         A group of frogs were traveling through the woods, and two of them fell into a deep pit. When the other frogs saw how deep the pit was, they told the two frogs that they were as good as dead. The two frogs ignored the comments and tried to jump up out of the pit with all their might. The other frogs kept telling them to stop, that they were as good as dead. Finally, one of the frogs took heed to what the other frogs were saying and gave up. He fell down and died.
        The other frog continued to jump as hard as he could. Once again, the crowd of frogs yelled at him to stop the pain and just die. He jumped even harder and finally made it out. When he got out, the other frogs said, "Did you not hear us?" The frog explained to them that he was deaf. He thought they were encouraging him the entire time.
 [Short story from the unknown author.]

This story teaches two lessons:

•  There is power of life and death in the tongue. An encouraging word to someone who is down can lift them up and help them make it through the day.

•  A destructive word to someone who is down can be what it takes to kill them.

Be careful of what you say. Speak life to those who cross your path. The power of words... it is sometimes hard to understand that an encouraging word can go such a long way. Anyone can speak words that tend to rob another of the spirit to continue in difficult times. Special is the individual who will take the time to encourage another.

C.S. Lewis said to J.R.R. Tolkien, "Published it."

One of my favorite authors is C.S. Lewis. His full name is Clive Staples Lewis, but when he was four years old, he suddenly announced to his mother, father, and older brother that from day forth he would no longer be known as Clive, but rather as 'Jacksie'. Then from Jacksie to Jacks and then, finally, to Jack. One day, Jack interrupted his father in his study in order to announce,

'I have a prejudice against the French'.

When his father asked him why, he replied,

'If I knew why it would not be a prejudice.'

This is the story as told by Alan Jacobs in his book, The Narnian: The Life and Imagination of C.S. Lewis. But what I'm going to share with you all here is not about the topic 'Be proud of your name' or 'no prejudice please', (though I will someday) but just for fun and to tell you about how bold and smart was young Jacksie. Now, if you meet somebody like him in this modern day, how would they react if you comment them about their works? "You stupid!” "How dare you?!"
Well, probably his friend a professor just like Jacksie at Oxford University dare to take the risk to comment on C.S. Lewis's writing. One of his friends was J.R.R. Tolkien telling him that some of his writing is weak and need to be improved. Every Thursday, he and his friends including Tolkien would gather together, have a drink and talk. They would read passages of their yet unpublished works and comment on each other works (fiction-writing).

It was Tolkien who challenged and encouraged Lewis, an avowed atheist, to explore Christianity. It was Lewis who 'barged Tolkien into seeking to have it (his story) published, which eventually he did, in 1938: the story was called The Hobbit.' (As told by Alan Jacobs) It was because of encouragements and support toward one another that make this unknown professor became one of the greatest writers in the history. Lewis wrote 'The Chronicles of Narnia' and many more, meanwhile Tolkien also wrote many more books such as 'The Lord of the Rings'.

Encouragement leads to great things. Encouragement turns lives around. 'Encouragement is oxygen to the soul' said George Matthew Adams. It is the encouragement from her family that makes Datuk Nicole Ann David became The World No.1 Squash player. It is the encouragement from his father that makes Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamad loves reading and eventually became Prime Minister. It is the encouragement from his sisters that make my mother the Greatest Mother in the World.

It is the encouragement by his friends that make Allan the best in his work; from mere contractor to successful supervisor in building construction- my friend Allan was a poor man, didn't go to school, only have one pair of shoes for 1 year usage and have a 'piece of property'- old bicycle. His treasure is his friends who never fail to help and encourage him. 'I have another one', he said to me, while pointing his finger up to the Heaven above.

Encouraging others is a noble job. We need to remind ourselves that there is no more noble occupation in the world that to assist another human being, to help someone else succeed.

The Letter from Timothy to Paul (Fiction)

From Timothy, a servant of God. To Paul, my dear father,

I give thanks to God, whom you and I serve with His grace, mercy and peace. I thank him as I remember you always in my prayers night and day. How I long to hear your voice, wipe your wounds and tears. You have written to me letters of encouragement when I really needed it the most. I’m cherishing every moment we spent together.

Back then I was timid, shy and very new with this ministry. But because of your words, my attitude is never been the same. My joy is complete when I except Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior through your ministry. I still remember how I met you on your first mission trip, where you stop at my hometown, Lystra and that's the first time I heard the Good News was preached with power and authority.

I never regret the moment when you invited me to join your team on your second mission trip. It is an honor for me to join you in preaching the Good News to the Gentiles. When people criticize me for not honoring God's covenant with Abraham because I'm not circumcise, (His mother is a Jew but his father is a Gentile) you come to my defense and have me circumcised. I have no regret! What is this small sacrifice to compare with the victory prize that is waiting for me on the Day?

As you're faithful to God, I'm ought to be faithful too to the One that unites us. How are you there my father Paul? Though you are persecuted by Rome and arrested as if you are a criminal, in jail with poor conditions; cold, dark dungeon- yet you still wrote letters of encouragement to me and the church. May my brother Luke take good care of you. I'm very sad as I write this letter because I know, you knew it at hand, that you are about to leave this life. Oh how I wish that God would deliver you! But if this is the Will of God, then let it be so, for you have said, 'To live is Christ, to die is gain'.

My father, I will keep in mind what you have taught me. I will save your letters for other generations after me. For they must know that All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful for teaching the truth, rebuking error, correcting faults, and giving instruction for right living, so that the person who serves God may be fully qualified and equipped to do every kind of good deed. Keep praying for me and the church of Ephesus which is where I'm serving now. May the spirit of Endurance in you when you said, 'I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith' be granted to us as we also were persecuted because of Christ Jesus. Amen.

My mother Eunice and elders send their greetings to you, Luke and all the other brothers.
The Lord be with your spirit. God's grace be with you.

...........................................................................................................................................

      Into the mind of Timothy as he received letters from Paul somewhere around A.D. 62-67, knowing that Paul will soon be executed. It's a fictional replied. I just made it, not to be taken as true letter okay? But Paul really did sent letters to Timothy and it is recorded in the Bible (and yes, its original) Paul was truly a man of God and one of the main reason he wrote letters to Timothy was to ENCOURAGE him. Read more of his encouragement in 1 Timothy and 2 Timothy. (In case you don't know, it's in the Bible)

Week 18: Encouragement - What you and I need.

'There is no better exercise for strengthening the heart than reaching down and lifting people up. Think about it; most of your best friends are those who encourage you. You don't have many strong relationships with people who put you down. You avoid these people and seek out those who believe in you and lift you up.' - John C. Maxwell.

When I first said to some people that I 'highly' trusted that I want to write a book someday, most of the respond was, 'You're still young', 'None of your friends done that before... maybe...', 'Just be an average person', 'be a normal person', my mom even said, 'Crazy' and some smile with no responded and zero interest. My dream became shallow, seems like it is impossible because after all what they said was 'blended' with truth such as I'm still young, really none of our close friends ever wrote a book (as far as I know now), and been an average person seems so relevant in this world especially when you're a village boy like me. It's true but why does it discourage me?

When I was almost give up, feeling down and no enthusiasm to achieve my dream, I met up with my close friends whom I also trusted too. Three of us sitting at the open-air restaurant and up dated one another. The conversation was getting to warm up until one of us, (I can't remember who) started to ask this question: What is your dream?

The first person said, "A millionaire" That was kind of self-centered dream I said to myself. But he continued, "I want to further the Kingdom of God by helping missionaries, full time workers and others". This man helping others even before became a millionaire; he's already a millionaire in his mind.

The other person said, "I want to become a praise and worship leader. Going all around the world and proclaiming the Gospel of Peace and the Grace of the Lord through songs and prayers." 'How big it is?", the other person asked. "All around the world, you tell me." Indeed, this man until today is faithfully serving in the church with songs of praise and worship. Anyway you want to place him either back up, lead singer or standing in the crowd; he's faithfully serving the Lord and others.

'How about you?', they asked. "I want to write a book.’ I said. 'Well, tell us what the title is? What kind of book? Have you started it already?... ", they eagerly asked. What they do was this:

• Instead of telling me the impossible, they tell me that I can do it.

• Instead of telling me that I am still young, they said learned and gain more experience you'll success. 

• Instead of deliver me the sinister smile, they genuinely smile and we cheers together for our dream.

• Instead of discourage me with tons of the 'what I'm not', they injected me with the seed of encouragements.

Encouragement can 'water' up people's dream. Encouragement from strangers can lift you up but not for long until it faded away, but encouragement from a friend and the trusted one- lasted forever! Be a person who encourage other to achieve their dreams no matter how crazy or stupid it may sound; because once people have the right dream to benefits other and glorified God added with positive encouragements from the people that they trusted are able to 'move the mountains'.

Be encouraged and encourage others. Don't ever give up on your dreams and share it with the people that you trust. Along the way you may failed and be fail by someone, but don't give up. May you find friends whom you trust and believe in your dreams and always give you the seeds of ENCOURAGEMENTS.

(I dedicate this note to Albert R. Macewell, future millionaire and Souisa Ding, the singer that God loves very much. May your dreams Glorify Jesus Christ. I can't recall very clear what we said to one another that night, but please gives me a message if I wrote it wrongly.)

Faithful Dog, Hachiko

It had been 9 years, yet Hachiko still waiting for his master to go back home with him. His master was a professor in the agriculture department at the University of Tokyo. How he met Hachiko, I do not know... let films or books tell us about it because I can't even remember either how I met Zorro, my cat at the first place.

Their relationship lasted for almost 2 years or less, it was in 1924 that the master first met with this extraordinary dog. During the fellowship, Hachiko and Professor Hidesaburo Ueno became best friend; most of the time, Hachiko greeted Ueno at the end of the day nearby Shibuya Station. Unfortunately for Hachiko, on May 1925, Professor Ueno did not return... their daily routine well, no more. The professor died due to suffered from a cerebral hemorrhage (to be honest, I don't know what kind of disease is this, all I know is that, it's a deadly one) and never again his fellow friend met him again.

Poor Hachiko because no matter how smart a dog can be, they just don't understand what does 'never return' really mean. They know about death, but 'disappear' is out of their dictionary. [Not that I’m suggest that dogs have dictionary, I hope you know what's my point okay] Hachiko also don't know what does faithful mean, all he knew is that he just want to meet his friend- Proffesor Ueno. It's like a baby, when they cry, they just cry without knowing that they are crying. Not until their brain develops into maturity then they will understand that their 'action' is equal to crying. [What I'm talking about?]

Since dog like Hachiko don't understand why they do what they do, he waited for his master faithfully for the next 9 years at Shibuya station, hoping for his master returns. [Oh how I wish someone would do the same for me at the Kuching International Airport constantly for 5 years waiting for my return.]

After his master's death, Hachiko was given away to someone else but he seems to be so faithful. He would routinely escape, returning again and again to his old home. Realized that Professor Ueno no longer lived at the house, due to his animal instinct I guess, he would looking for his master at the train station. Hachiko waited, waited and waited.
His acts of faithfulness attracted the attention of the regular commuters. 'Many of the people who frequented the Shibuya train station had seen Hachiko and Professor Ueno together each day. They brought Hachiko treats and food to nourish him during his wait.' (Quote from Wikipedia)

On 8th march 1935, Hachiko found death on the street near Shibuya. His heart was infected and few yakitori (Japanese for marinated chicken kebabs) sticks were found in his stomach.

Hachiko was born on 10th November 1923 but until now his story was made more alive than his 11 years of living. He is called, 'faithful dog Hachiko' and hundred of dog lovers often turn out to Hachiko as an icon of loyalty.

What can we learn from this story? In Japan, his faithfulness to his master's memory is applied to fire up the spirit of family loyalty all should strive to achieve. Teachers and parents used Hachiko's story as an example for their children to follow. We may not be impacted much by the life of Hichiko because it happens in Japan and only recently made known today. [At least for me] But where else we can find a model of faithfulness. It can be found in the Bible... It can be found in the Book of Daniel. Daniel remain faithful to God.

Week 17: Remain Faithful - For the One who can Save

This song haunted me for days, it begin on Cameron Hill starting last week when I'm away with team. The song title 'We're the Pilgrims on the Journey', its quite an old song which I'm not familiar with; since at my young age, English language is my last (3rd) language besides Iban and Bahasa Malaysia. I remember the first line of the song but I just copy and paste the rest of the chorus;

Oh may all who come behind us find us faithful,
May the fire of our devotion light their way,
May the footprints that we leave,
Lead them to believe,
And the lives we live inspire them to obey.

[Oh how can I make this note fun for reading? I should added fun and funny stories, so that you may not fall asleep on your PC, but this time... can we skip that for awhile?]

True story, Daniel was a young man when he and his fellow Israelite were selected from the noble and royal family to serve in the royal court. This happens when King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylonia attacked Jerusalem and surrounded the city. 'They had to be handsome, intelligent, well-trained, quick to learn, and free from physical defects' (Daniel 1:4) [If I were the Israelite that day, I would be left behind, because none of the qualifications fits mine] Years goes by, young Daniel become old Daniel and Babylonian empire had fall to the Medes and the Persians empire.

Under King Darius the Mede reigns, he recognized the elderly Daniel's wisdom and planned to put him in charge of all other officials. Jealousy, the officials tried to trap him down. After much attempts, Daniel finally thrown down to the pit filled with lions which cannot be satisfy by 'Mee Maggie' or 'KFC'- they need meats, preferable: Human flesh. He was thrown because he violated the Medes and Persians law which what the king issues cannot be changed, “People could pray to no one but him (the king) for 30 days". You know why he was punished? Because 'He knelt down at the open windows and prayed to God three times a day.'! (Daniel 6:10) The next day when the king checked out on Daniel, he was suppressed to know that Daniel had not been hurt at all, for he trusted God.


What a faithful man Daniel was!
He spends most of his life at the foreign country and still he was faithful to his God. Living in the different culture doesn't make him compromise with other rituals and traditions; instead he was faithful. His enemies sought to find a ground for complaint or against Daniel with regard to the kingdom, but they could find no ground for complaint or any fault, because he was faithful, and no error or fault was found in him. They said, 'We shall not find any ground for complaint against this Daniel unless we find it in connection with the law of his God'. (Daniel 6:5)

The lives of Daniel become a part of the Bible because his life displayed his faithfulness toward God. This is His Story not Daniel's.

Would someone who comes behind us find us faithful?
Can the fire of our devotion light their (this and next generation) way?
Are our footprints that we leave can lead them to believe?
And does the life that we live inspire them to obey?
That's the challenge for you and me this week.

The God that save Daniel from the pit of lions can save us today because He is the same yesterday, today and forever. We may fall into 'the pit' of troubles and bad situations, yes we will as long as we are called 'Christian' in this world, but God can 'shut the lions mouth' and no harm can over take you. They may kill your body but God will save your soul, if you remain faithful to Him.

'Oh may all who come behind us find us faithful'

Week 16: Be Original - Durian cannot become Coconut

(Warning: This is a fiction story)
I asked Durian,’ Who do you want to be; the best durian in the world?’
Durian makes that sad face and said, ‘I want to be Coconut.’

‘Hey, why you want to be coconut?’ I’m confused. First, I thought Durian is the King of Fruit in Malaysia and every fruits want to have that title. Second, I’m confused; why I talked to Durian???

‘Because coconuts are very useful; they can be use for cooking… bla bla.’
I was thinking how in the world Durian know about Coconut so well, I can’t believe this.

‘You’re created as Durian. Be it! Not everyone like you, especially your smell… but most people does. You’re created an original, don’t die shaping yourself to be coconut...  don't copy other fruits.’ I said while looking at 'him' tried to shaping flat 'his' spikes out. Durian then smiles back at me and lo and behold, it was a dream. [Does that sound familiar?]

Eric Hoffer said, ‘When people are free to do as they please, they usually imitate each other’. When Michael Jackson died (or even before he died), many of his raging fan try to imitate him; the way he walks, talks and especially his famous dance ‘Moon Walk’. There’s nothing wrong when we try to exemplify someone else, but there’s a point when we need to realize that who we are is who we are created to be. None like you, you’re custom made. You’re originally made; you’re the only one in all of creation who has your set of abilities.

So stop copy someone else, be original. There are things that you just can’t do or don’t have, don’t worry. You are not created to be all things to all people. But you can be something for some people. Durian cannot be coconut, but Durian is King after all.
‘The copy adapts himself to the world, but the original tries to adapt the world to him’ writes John L. Mason. He continued, ‘While the original is always hard to find, he is eay to recognize. God leads every soul in an individual way.’

“Don't copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God's will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.” (Romans 12:2)

When you become the original you, you will learn to know God's will for your life... and always, God's will is good and pleasing and perfect for you. Do you want to be original? THINK BIG. START SMALL. GO DEEP.