God's Love

I think it will be my first time I share about my life, but I think it’s the right time to tell everyone about God’s love for me. Today I’ll be leaving Singapore after my 4 years of education here. Looking back, seriously lots of wonderful stuff have happened. But before I thank everyone and everything in this lion city, it will be good if all of you guys know my pre-spore life.

I was always dreaming upon going to Singapore for a scholarship since secondary two SMP 2 in Indonesia. “It’ll be cool if I got a scholarship. It’s a scholarship, man!!” tht’s wht I thought at first. Then when I was SMP 3, everything started. To be honest, I was quite kiasu on that time. Taking extra lesson for scholarship *which is proven to be a waste of money*, reading those English newspaper, and watching channel news asia everyday. Crazy rite? Hahahha My school firstly was one of the schools registered for the SJI scholarship placement. To make story short, I passed the first two tests and was selected for interview. On that faithful day, I still remember that they asked me about my family and I told them that I have a daughter. I WAS TOTALLY CONFUSED AND I THOUGHT DAUGHTER is the same as LITTLE SISTER!! Hahahhaha as expected they got stunned for a few seconds and they were seeing each other. XD

Continuing the story, actually there are 10 people got accepted into the interview. However finally only 8 got the scholarship. One of my friend and I didn’t get the scholarship. It was kind of sad on the announcement day, lucky for my friend to be absent from school on that day, I was the only one with no sense of joy there. To make things worst, some of them are really my best friends and I though now I would be left behind in Indonesia.

Yet human will is great. It is not Albert if I give up. I decided to take my best bet for the Asean Scholarship *with my friend who didn’t got accepted too. And guess what? The Singapore embassy replied my mail and they said I was not applicable for the Asean scholarship for some reasons, even before I took their test, yet my other friend got the acceptance letter and she could take the scholarship test. It was one of my devastating moments in my life. I felt that God is seriously punishing me for something that I have never done.

But God is good! Right guys? ^^!! During my June holiday before SMA (high school) started, on one evening, someone called me. She is my friend’s mother. Let’s called this friend of mine as AA. AA was my kindergarten and primary school friend and he was my neighbor before. He is my good friend, even until now!! Hahaha (he is my roommate now ;p) However he moved to Jakarta after we graduated from primary school and I have no contact with him since then. I was in amazement that her mother called me out of sudden on that evening. Shockingly she told me that she got news about that I was rejected from SJI scholarship *gossip spread fast everywhere uh?? :p* and she asked me to join the ACS (Independent) scholarship test which would take place in Surabaya. (AA got the scholarship to ACS at Jakarta already.) Evermore she offered help to send the application as she has a relative who is living at Surabaya.

Making this story short again, I got my ACS scholarship at Surabaya. I still remember the date to be 1st October 2006. :D!! I thank God that I got this scholarship to SINGAPORE at last!! Hahahaha

Maybe some of you are wondering right now? What’s so special about this scholarship to ACS (Independent)? One word: NEVER DESPISE JESUS AT ALL!! NEVER!!! I almost cried when I got this scholarship, especially after I saw it with my own eyes and found out the details about this scholarship!

Ephesians 3:20 (New International Version)

20 Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us,

When we have God’s vision, God wants to make sure that it must be bigger than your vision. We must believe that He can do more that what you want. For my vision upon this scholarship, I only had vision upon getting a scholarship to Singapore! I’m not specific enough!! God wants to give me better that what I dreamed for. Here is God’s gift to my life:

1. God wants me to learn about perseverance. When you have a vision, it is often not easy to reach the destination. God wants to test you whether you are capable and worthy enough of reaching the vision. I failed twice, miserably, but God taught me to try it for the third times with even greater energy and enthusiasm.

2. My scholarship was under the Integrated Programme (IP) system, which was a newly established during that time. That system enables me to skip O level examination (which I heard was quite painful and hard) and continue directly for IBDP. It means more time for many other things. From these free times available, God taught me to love photography and love Him more. I became heavily involved in photography, which led me to win the 3rd and 4th position for the ASIAN GEOGRAPHIC photojournalism 2008. God wants me to be closer to Him too. I became heavily involved in cell group and ushering ministry at church. I love those free times. :D:D

3. ACS (Independent) Boarding school (only for ACS (Indep) student) is one of the best hostel in Singapore. Unlike other hostel, the ACS hostel room is much bigger, fully air conditioned, free laundry, cleaning service, and has a toilet on each room. More importantly it has a lot of other facilities like Gym, Squash court, Synthetic grass field, Television, and many more!

4. Funny reason but true, ACS (Indep) is a safe place from all ghost stories!!! Unlike some of the other hostel, which was build upon a graveyard, ACS (Indep) boarding was build upon the solid rock of Christ!! Hahahah ;p

5. ACS (Independent) IBDP, though it is just a newly established national IBDP school, the first batch result showed that ACS (Indep) is one of the best in the world for IB school, making it hard for people from O level to come in into this school. I was fortunate to be in the IP system, which led me directly to ACS IBDP without any O level result.

6. ACS (Independent) IBDP building is newly built and has almost all the best facilities in Singapore, including fully-air conditioned classroom, and library that is as cozy as the Bugis National Library.

7. ACS IB curriculum, unlike normal Junior College and secondary school curriculum, teaches the student to be whole rounded. I learnt that mugging must be followed by social skills. IB taught me to express myself better, not just studying and make friends with books.

8. The ACS culture!! Hahaha this is one of the most fun part. Typically ACSian is popular for their craziness and how sociable they are. They are famous for going all out. Hahahha^^!! I got caught into that culture. It is lovely and I really thank that I got this culture. I was not an intrepid guy before and I was a quite person. My exposure to a lot of friends both international students and Singaporeans has changed me sooo much. Now one of my favorite hobbies is making a lot of new friends and trying out new adventures. I am no more afraid of changes and always stepping out of my comfort zone.

9. AND THE BEST PART IS, I found out about City Harvest Church from my friend at boarding school. And from that moment of time, my love and understanding of God have grown significantly, surpassing my expectation. Thank you my seniors for introducing me to CHC!! Such a wonderful church with lovely people who love Jesus sooo much!!! XD!!!

So God is good. He knows what we want, but God wants to give more. So be glad, Our Jesus is AWESOME!! :D:D

Be blessed

Auf Wiedersehen

(2 hours writing this!! >.

God's Love part 1

I think it will be my first time I share about my life, but I think it’s the right time to tell everyone about God’s love for me. Today I’ll be leaving Singapore after my 4 years of education here. Looking back, seriously lots of wonderful stuff have happened. But before I thank everyone and everything in this lion city, it will be good if all of you guys know my pre-spore life.

I was always dreaming upon going to Singapore for a scholarship since secondary two SMP 2 in Indonesia. “It’ll be cool if I got a scholarship. It’s a scholarship, man!!” tht’s wht I thought at first. Then when I was SMP 3, everything started. To be honest, I was quite kiasu on that time. Taking extra lesson for scholarship *which is proven to be a waste of money*, reading those English newspaper, and watching channel news asia everyday. Crazy rite? Hahahha My school firstly was one of the schools registered for the SJI scholarship placement. To make story short, I passed the first two tests and was selected for interview. On that faithful day, I still remember that they asked me about my family and I told them that I have a daughter. I WAS TOTALLY CONFUSED AND I THOUGHT DAUGHTER is the same as LITTLE SISTER!! Hahahhaha as expected they got stunned for a few seconds and they were seeing each other. XD

Continuing the story, actually there are 10 people got accepted into the interview. However finally only 8 got the scholarship. One of my friend and I didn’t get the scholarship. It was kind of sad on the announcement day, lucky for my friend to be absent from school on that day, I was the only one with no sense of joy there. To make things worst, some of them are really my best friends and I though now I would be left behind in Indonesia.

Yet human will is great. It is not Albert if I give up. I decided to take my best bet for the Asean Scholarship *with my friend who didn’t got accepted too. And guess what? The Singapore embassy replied my mail and they said I was not applicable for the Asean scholarship for some reasons, even before I took their test, yet my other friend got the acceptance letter and she could take the scholarship test. It was one of my devastating moments in my life. I felt that God is seriously punishing me for something that I have never done.

But God is good! Right guys? ^^!! During my June holiday before SMA (high school) started, on one evening, someone called me. She is my friend’s mother. Let’s called this friend of mine as AA. AA was my kindergarten and primary school friend and he was my neighbor before. He is my good friend, even until now!! Hahaha (he is my roommate now ;p) However he moved to Jakarta after we graduated from primary school and I have no contact with him since then. I was in amazement that her mother called me out of sudden on that evening. Shockingly she told me that she got news about that I was rejected from SJI scholarship *gossip spread fast everywhere uh?? :p* and she asked me to join the ACS (Independent) scholarship test which would take place in Surabaya. (AA got the scholarship to ACS at Jakarta already.) Evermore she offered help to send the application as she has a relative who is living at Surabaya.

Making this story short again, I got my ACS scholarship at Surabaya. I still remember the date to be 1st October 2006. :D!! I thank God that I got this scholarship to SINGAPORE at last!! Hahahaha

Maybe some of you are wondering right now? What’s so special about this scholarship to ACS (Independent)? One word: NEVER DESPISE JESUS AT ALL!! NEVER!!! I almost cried when I got this scholarship, especially after I saw it with my own eyes and found out the details about this scholarship!

Ephesians 3:20 (New International Version)

20 Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us,

When we have God’s vision, God wants to make sure that it must be bigger than your vision. We must believe that He can do more that what you want. For my vision upon this scholarship, I only had vision upon getting a scholarship to Singapore! I’m not specific enough!! God wants to give me better that what I dreamed for. Here is God’s gift to my life:

1. God wants me to learn about perseverance. When you have a vision, it is often not easy to reach the destination. God wants to test you whether you are capable and worthy enough of reaching the vision. I failed twice, miserably, but God taught me to try it for the third times with even greater energy and enthusiasm.

2. My scholarship was under the Integrated Programme (IP) system, which was a newly established during that time. That system enables me to skip O level examination (which I heard was quite painful and hard) and continue directly for IBDP. It means more time for many other things. From these free times available, God taught me to love photography and love Him more. I became heavily involved in photography, which led me to win the 3rd and 4th position for the ASIAN GEOGRAPHIC photojournalism 2008. God wants me to be closer to Him too. I became heavily involved in cell group and ushering ministry at church. I love those free times. :D:D

3. ACS (Independent) Boarding school (only for ACS (Indep) student) is one of the best hostel in Singapore. Unlike other hostel, the ACS hostel room is much bigger, fully air conditioned, free laundry, cleaning service, and has a toilet on each room. More importantly it has a lot of other facilities like Gym, Squash court, Synthetic grass field, Television, and many more!

4. Funny reason but true, ACS (Indep) is a safe place from all ghost stories!!! Unlike some of the other hostel, which was build upon a graveyard, ACS (Indep) boarding was build upon the solid rock of Christ!! Hahahah ;p

5. ACS (Independent) IBDP, though it is just a newly established national IBDP school, the first batch result showed that ACS (Indep) is one of the best in the world for IB school, making it hard for people from O level to come in into this school. I was fortunate to be in the IP system, which led me directly to ACS IBDP without any O level result.

6. ACS (Independent) IBDP building is newly built and has almost all the best facilities in Singapore, including fully-air conditioned classroom, and library that is as cozy as the Bugis National Library.

7. ACS IB curriculum, unlike normal Junior College and secondary school curriculum, teaches the student to be whole rounded. I learnt that mugging must be followed by social skills. IB taught me to express myself better, not just studying and make friends with books.

8. The ACS culture!! Hahaha this is one of the most fun part. Typically ACSian is popular for their craziness and how sociable they are. They are famous for going all out. Hahahha^^!! I got caught into that culture. It is lovely and I really thank that I got this culture. I was not an intrepid guy before and I was a quite person. My exposure to a lot of friends both international students and Singaporeans has changed me sooo much. Now one of my favorite hobbies is making a lot of new friends and trying out new adventures. I am no more afraid of changes and always stepping out of my comfort zone.

9. AND THE BEST PART IS, I found out about City Harvest Church from my friend at boarding school. And from that moment of time, my love and understanding of God have grown significantly, surpassing my expectation. Thank you my seniors for introducing me to CHC!! Such a wonderful church with lovely people who love Jesus sooo much!!! XD!!!

So God is good. He knows what we want, but God wants to give more. So be glad, Our Jesus is AWESOME!! :D:D

Be blessed

Auf Wiedersehen

(2 hours writing this!! >.

Clay Relationship

Somehow nowadays I like to recall my old memories about my time while I was still studying at my secondary school at Indonesia. They were fond and memorable memories for me. Miss those times. Hahahhaa but anyway, let’s go back to the main reason, yes, CLAY RELATIONSHIP. for the first time ever, I’m writing about relationship. So fun XD!! Though I’m still single, don’t take me easy. I know a lot too^^! Single doesn’t mean to be lonely right? :D!! (confused with my statement? Readhttp://m3nny5.wordpress.com/2008/12/04/dengerin-ps-jeffrey-rachmat-soal-relationship/ ps: it’s in Indon, so be blessed if u can read :p)

Ok, Let me start as usual with my first-hand experience about life. While I was recalling my secondary school memories, I suddenly remember my final year art assignment for the Final exam. I chose to make a dragon teapot set from clay (one of my masterpiece!!^^) . Before I started making the set, I personally did some researches and chose the best clay material for my dragon teapot set. After I molded the clay into the dragon teapot, I used a 1000°C fire beam to dry my teapot as I wantedto speed up the drying process (before the painting part) unnaturally. However it didn’t turn out very well. As I speed up the process, some cracks started to appear which affected the shape severely. Lucky enough for me to realize that “speeding up” process would give bad result, I stopped and let it dry naturally. After the drying process, I painted them and did some final touch up. Guess what, I almost got a perfect score for it!! Feel so proud :p hmm so guys, get what I mean here? :D

Yes, CLAY RELATIONSHIP. A relationship between a woman and a man is like the clay process above. First thing that you need to do before you start a relationship is choosing the best clay that you can found. A man will indeed choose the most beautiful woman that he can ever found. Same otherwise for woman. But when you choose someone that you are going to be attached with, I bet you will realize soon or later that no one is perfect. You will start to find some flaws from them, and you start to dislike those flaws. But don’t worry, you are in the right track! Why? Because he/she is still a clay! You haven’t molded him/her yet! A relationship will only start when you start to realize each other mistakes and “mold” each other into improvement and development.

Now you know each other limitations and flaws, and you start to mend each other flaws. But again, as you have seen my teapot making process, there is no express or instant way that can speed up the process from molding into perfection without making any crack. If you try to speed up the process, or altering the natural process, you will make cracks and your relationship will be broken. Hence, let the clay ‘dry up” naturally. Perfection is built through time. It is a process, which requires perseverance. Many relationships failed in this moment of “drying up the clay”.

That’s all for my insight this time round. For those who are having relationship, I wish you guys all the best, remember don’t speed up the “drying up” process using unnatural process. Let it flow naturally and enjoy the process. And for those who are still single, keep finding your right “clay”, never give up!! :p

So be blessed guys. :)

Auf Wiedersehen

We are His Guitar

Guten Tag to all of the readers!! Hahahaha It has been more than a month since I wrote my last entry. Now I have graduated from IB and going to enjoy my 8 months holiday at the lovely city, Jakarta.!! Seriously I’m so excited with new challenges ahead! :D :D!!

Anyway, let’s start with this interesting thought that I got yesterday. Few weeks ago, one of my guitar strings got snapped, but since it was exam week I couldn’t go and find a new string. I intended to buy only one particular string that got snapped, but my friend told me it’s better to change all the string, because different brand might create different sound (if you don’t know my guitar is 30 yrs old, including the strings ;p).

So yesterday I bought the whole brand new strings and change all the strings. It was my first time changing my guitar strings, and I did it myself. Kind of funny feeling, as I’m afraid that the strings will get snapped again if I turn the tuning peg too much. But it’s done finally!! Guess what, my guitar sounds nicer now!! More melodious XD!! So what did I get from my experience? It’s wonderful I could say. I love this thought soo much!! Here it goes:

Our life is often like a guitar. God is the musician and our life is the guitar. The strings are the things that we have, such as our abilities, properties, and our belongings. Sometimes one of our strings is ‘snapped’ and God can’t use us to make a melodious sound from the guitar. God needs to change over all of the strings from the “guitar” and change it with the whole new “strings”. It is this particular event that God is taking off all the other remaining strings, which actually are not broken!! In this very moment you will feel very discourage, and sometimes asking ”why all things turn out very bad, even those things which seems ok are taken from me?”

But this is the beautiful thing. When God does that to you, you must be ready that the new strings will be tuned into you, the whole new strings that will bring a new melody into your life. New capabilities, New abilities, and New visions. Be glad guys :D

However take this parable carefully. God needs to turn the tuning peg slowly to get the right tune. Precision is needed here. The tuning process is not easy guys, it takes time!! The new capacities, the new abilities, and the new visions do not come in an instance.

It is the time when the new strings need to be stretched to get the right tune.You need to be stretched to get the right tune! Every turn of the tuneing peg seems to be scary, you are afraid that you will get snapped again. But you need to have faith. You must know that you are getting the right tune. The right tune might just be a turn away before “the string” reaches its limit. More importantly, we all must all know that the God who holds us is a legendary musician, so have FAITH!

“16 You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain” John 15:16

So guys, let’s never give up on God, He has great plan for us, for us to shine for Him. We are His wonderful musical instruments.

Auf Wiedersehen

The Theory of Talents

Hi guys, feel so thankful that God gave me this insight few days ago, just before I got my prelim result. Maybe I should share a bit about my prelim result. Hmmmm if we see it overally, it is not a good result, however seeing myself back then at mid-year, my result has exponentially increase like wonders :D!! Thank you Jesus for the gift!! XD!! Due to that experience of God’s goodness, I got this insight. I hope this post can inspire you guys here.

As usual, I want to dedicate this post to someone again. Ps: Jgn pusing2 am stress lg dong!! :p so, now let me start this ideenkiste. Beware, it is a long post. So keep up! Don’t worry, it’s worth to read this post. Hehehe

This post is titled “The Theory of Talents”. So I shall begin it with a case study. In this world, often we see unfairness everywhere. For a student like me, I often complain “why on earth that guy can excel and score perfectly without giving any significant effort, while myself has extricated all of my sweat and blood, yet no significant result achieved!”. Not fair right?

But God is good to me. In the mist of all my depression and ‘burned out’ feeling, He brings me to a very familiar bible passage from Matthew 25:14-30.

(open this link to read: http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew%2025:14-30&version=NKJV)

Often we take this “parable of the talents” for granted as a responsibility for us to develop the talent that we have. Yes it is indeed true that we need to use the talent that we have and multiply it more and more. But more than that, there are 2 deeper amazing secrets that I found from this passage when I read it closer.

Firstly, we are SPECIAL.

Matthew 25:14

“For the kingdom of heaven is like a man travelling to a far country, who called his own servants and delivered his goods to them.”

I want to put my focus on the diction “travelling to a far country”. Got the hint? Putting it in a real-world context, it is like an American Businessman travels to Indonesia to invest. He will never ever want to go to the “far country”, if there is nothing there. Who wants to put his “seed” in an unfertile soil? No one right?

It is the same with our God. He doesn’t mind taking the distance to “a far country” to equip us with talents. He knows that we are a good investment.He sees the prospect of future in our life! He knows that we are able.

Secondly, it is EASY to expand and develop our talents.

Matthew 25: 27

“So you ought to have deposited my money with the bankers, and at my coming I would have received back my own with interest.”

Here in this verse, the master is angry to the third servant. The master says that the talents will indeed GROW by itself IF the servant wants to take a “little effort” of putting it inside a bank for the interest! God wants us to know that even though you don’t do anything great with your talents, just putting it inside a ‘bank”, your talents will still grow! Everyone say WOW!!

Even the smallest thing that you do with your talents, it will expand and develop our talents. However, if you do nothing with them, indeed nothing will come out of nothing. So from today onward, always try to do something with your talents. Never ever leave it.

I believe in His power :)

Now we know that God has indeed put at least A TALENT inside each one of us, and to develop and expand the talents look SIMPLE. However, back again to reality, it is not that easy. Often one might think that he has talent A. but after all his sweat and blood, the result does not show any significant positive result of improvement. Why it happens? Does it mean that one might not have that talent? Or maybe talents are limited to a certain boundaries?

Back again to the bible passage, the first and the second servants have successfully doubled their talents, from five to 10, and from 2 to four. Then the master gives a response to them,

“Well done, good and faithful servant; you have been faithful over a fewthings I will make you ruler over many things.” (Matt 25:21,25:23)

This response from the master is noteworthy to be focused on. I will focus on two part of this sentence.

1. “good and faithful”

Yes, these 3 words are the answer to my question in the beginning of this post. God wants us to keep trying and trying. Perseverance is the key. We might not be able to see the talents multiplying / expanding yet, but one day there will a time when God will let you grow.

2. “things I will make you ruler over many things”

God promises us that if we want to take the effort to expand and develop our talents, He will give us greater talents, which means MORE TALENTS!! The increase is EXPONENTIAL!

Hence, to understand this response, I would like to propose another theory,The Theory of Talents. Enjoy :D

In this world, there are two types of people. The people who are graph A and the people who are graph B. So here are the theories (created by myself, seriously funny *looks like Keynesian AS! But it’s true :p):

1. In any graph, take note that talents do not start from zero. It is indeed true that God has planted at least a talent inside all of us. So it always begins with t₀.

2. Before someone starts to develop their talents, they need to reach time I. And here we can differentiate it into two types of people. Many are blessed to have a curvature of Graph A. God let the graph A people’s talents to be expanded as soon as put a little effort upon what they have. That’s are the type of people that many often have envy upon. But God is good. If you are not in graph A, you are in graph B! you are nowhere else! :)

Different from graph A, the graph B people need to take a little more time to reach time I. Many graph B people give up on their trying when they see no result upon their tremendous effort. But hey, don’t give up okay. You might be just a step away from reaching time I. (see my previous post “Limitation is a MYTH). When you can reach time I, growth is in your hand. This type of people is often called as “The Late Bloomer”.

3. We often question why God give servant A with 5 talents, and servant B with 2 talents, and servant C with 1 talent? I personally agree with what many preachers said that God gives talents according to our capability. So does it mean that we have different capability? Yes, but just at that very moment in time. Back again to the graphs; see the end of the both lines. They arevertical lines. Get the clue?

Yup, God often wants us to begin differently from one another, but you must realize that talents grow and expand exponentially, and the maximum is the vertical line which means unlimited growth. At unlimited growth, the rate of development and expansion of talents is unimaginable.

So no matter how you start with 5 or 2 or even 1 talents, when you multiply and multiply, after a period of time you all will reach the same rate of growth,the vertical line :D.

That’s all for the theory. So in conclusion, for those who think that they are in graph A category, be thankful to God that you can start early and for those who think that they are in the graph B category, keep moving and don’t give up. You might start late, but at the end we all are the same.

Hey graph A and graph B people, whatever graph you are in, always remember God has a purpose for each one of you. God might let you be the A person or the B person, that you will be a living testimonies to the people around you, to show that our God is a great God. Shine guys!! :D

Before I end this extra long post, I want to leave you guys with a bible verse.

Philippians 3: 14

“I press towards the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus”.

So press on guys, never ever give up!!

Be blessed and shine :)

Auf wiedersehen