5 Things Young People Should Do

Being young is a blessing. That's when we have the most energy, creative ideas, and lots of time and opportunities to improve ourselves, because once we hit the marriage life and having kids, we won't have as much freedom as we have now as there would be more responsibilities and priorities.
So, while we're young, here are some things that young people should do (in my opinion) to maximise their potential  :

1. Read a lot

Yes. Read a lot. And it is not confined to reading physical books only, but also online books or articles. Gain as much knowledge as possible and read widely. Reading fictional books such as Harry Potter and Hunger Games are good for your imagination and creativity, however try to pick up other genres such as autobiography of prominent leaders, travelling books, politics, and economics.

 Remember, we are the future leaders, and to be a leader means to be intellectually aware. Plus, we will be able to carry different kinds of conversations with various people if we have a wide knowledge.

2. Show your potential

Enough with sitting quietly and doing nothing. Show what you can do or speak up your opinions. Maybe you are not used to this, but you can always start small. Just be courageous enough to contribute ideas in small group of discussions, probably with your classmates. Once you do it, you will gain the confidence to do more. Stay focused on growing that confidence by thinking positively all the time.

Take lead in group work as well. Maybe as a beginner, you can start off by volunteering yourself to be the notetaker, and then after several experiences and observations on how your friends lead the team, you can upgrade yourself into becoming the team leader. Next, be bold to take up bigger responsibilities such as organising an event or leading a club.

3. Study smart and hard in school / college / university.

If last year you didn't work hard in your studies, stop looking back with regrets. You won't achieve anything. Instead, look forward and stay motivated to achieve better grades and quality assignments this year. Revise everyday and always remember your priorities as a student. If you have done well last year, don't stop working hard. Still, be proud of what you have achieved, but at the same time continue on being excellent. You want to be a master or an expert of your knowledge.

4. Be humble and friendly.

Thank God for where you are today. Your current position is contributed by many people such as your parents, family, lecturers, and friends. Treat them as how you want to be treated. You may be an inspiration to these people and please don't smash their trust in you by acting arrogantly. Smile and be confident to greet people. You may feel awkward at first but you don't know that you may have created a positive vibe and they will have a positive impression on you. Who knows, they are influenced by you to do the same thing as well? Being down-to-earth will bring you far.

5. Seek God

Personally, my spiritual journey is not a smooth sailing. There are times when I experience spiritual dryness and times when I'm all pumped up to experience God more. That's why willpower alone is not enough in this journey, and we need to be led by God's spirit.

Pray and continuously tell Him your needs. The more you seek Him, the more you'll know Him. And the more you know God, the more you'll trust Him.

Indeed, our motivation in life should be God. He has blessed us with so much talent, energy, and opportunities and we shall not let them go to waste. There's a reason for His infinite blessings, which is so that we can bless others in return, and to glorify His name.

To be honest, I'm not spiritually perfect, but I need God to lead and mould me everyday into someone whom He intended me to be.

I hope you are inspired by this post to be a better person be it in your studies, relationships or spiritual life.

Take care and love you!
Michelle.

To change or to remain?

Change. Most of the time it is uncomfortable and not easy. Due to the this, many people refuse to change and stick to their old, conventional ways. I believe these people love to dwell in their past glories as a way of hiding themselves from their present pain. Their lives are at a plateau. No more growth and their minds are still children-like. Well, it is really up to them. They have the freedom to choose whether to snuggle in their comfy blanket or start doing something. Start CHANGING.

As we live through different seasons of life, change is inevitable. It is something that we need to endure in order to grow up and be more fruitful in life.

To illustrate this, Bobby was the fastest runner in his high school. Then, he was selected to represent his school for a state-level running competition. Surely, he is going to compete against the cream of the cream and he cannot train like what he did previously in high school. He needs to gear up, spend more time at the running field, and have a stronger motivation to do his best. See, that is CHANGE. If he does not change, he will be beaten up by other competitors.

Change is a painful process, as you are doing something new and unfamiliar. But, when it becomes habitual, it will eventually be an easy task. My dad always said this to me, "When you are doing something challenging for many times, it is gonna be your second nature to do it at the end."

Many people become bitter rather than better, when they face problems*, as they refuse to change. Their level of maturity does not level up and growing up is something rare in their dictionaries. I hope we won't be these kind of people. Instead, we'll become more flexible, meaning able to change and adapt fast to the new circumstances and always innovate our ways of doing things. It can be changing our lifestyles like waking up earlier, exercising more, being more relational to people, or spending more time in sharpening your mind and skills.

So keep on doing what's right and really trust God. You may not have the feeling or motivation to do the right things, right now, but just act it out first and have faith that God will fill your heart with the spirits of diligence, patience, and endurance. And finally, God will put the love of doing the right things in your heart. FOCUS ON CHANGE AND YOU WILL GET THE RESULT.

*Inspired by the book "The Purpose Driven Life" by Rick Warren. You should read this gem!

** Im writing this not because I have successfully changed for the better, but I am going through this process and I want to encourage you with these wisdoms too. Be blessed and may God change you.

Dear social media addicts (sometimes known as STALKERS)

2 Corinthians 3:16-18

"But whenever someone turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away. For the Lord is the spirit, and wherever the spirit of the Lord is, there is FREEDOM. So all of us who have had that veil removed can SEE and REFLECT the glory of the Lord. And the Lord, who is the spirit makes us more and more like Him as we are changed into His glorious image."

I got these impactful verses from a sermon video I watched online (I'll post the link below). It's like a slap on my face when I listened to it. Because all this while, I think most of us, including myself, have been trying hard to present ourselves as perfect figures who has it all, be it in social media or even real life. We work hard to impress others when they see our Instagram, Twitter, or Facebook profile. Wanting to be seen as pretty, rich, smart, or wise is our greatest desire.

Excessive focus is put onto the "perfect" lives of others. We are trapped in social comparison and it makes us feel bad of ourselves. I know what am I talking about because I've been through it. Even now, Im still struggling.

I feel like screaming to your face now if you are upset for not looking that pretty as the girl in the Instagram. I feel like scolding you now if you are contemplating on others glorious lives, and thinking hard before you tweet because you wanna be perceived as wise and you are longing for dozens of retweet.

But let me ask you a question.

 DON'T YOU FEEL TIRED??

You are not a model or celebrity.You are covering your face with a layer of airbrush perfection, until you can't even see the amazing and hopeful plans God has for you. You are too busy looking at other people's lives, what they are up to, but you fail to claim the glory God has for you today.

I feel like cursing now but you get me right?

Now get up from your bed, hide your phone or laptop from your sight, and do what you are supposed to do now. This is the day! This is the day that the Lord has made for YOU.God is eager to show you great things He has prepared for you. But He can only show it when you unveil yourself and unblock your sight from these false fantasies. See and show the real things. Do the real things. If now you are in the season of being a student, study well for God's glory. Do what you are supposed to do with excellence.

If you are struggling with addiction to social media and constant comparison, I tell you that you can only break free from it and claim VICTORY over it if you are really serious about it. Tell God desperately with all your heart that you wanna be released from this chain and I believe that He will renew your strength everyday.

What I did was, I fasted from social media for a few days (we tend to compare ourselves with others via social media), and fixed only 30 minutes everyday on it. It is a painful struggle but you will overcome it. There are days when Im unable to control myself, but it's okay. Always bear in mind that what you feed will grow, and what you starve will die. I have deleted my Instagram earlier this year, because I was addicted to stalking 'beautiful' people and you can do it too if you need to. Im not asking you to delete all of your social media accounts, but if you spend too much time on it and it impairs your daily functioning, emotions and spirit, then you know what you ought to do man.

Personally, I can say that I spend less time on Facebook now. When you no longer have the "need" to login to your Facebook, you will feel like a boss. Seriously,  because it no longer has power over you. And my next monster to be shut out is Youtube. Urghh, Youtube is very entertaining to watch btw..

So stalkers, if you wanna live a bigger life, now is the time to uncover your raw and uncut life. I urge you to compare less and contemplate more on God's glory. NOW is the glorious days for you. Stop slumbering in your sweet history and thinking "these good old days...". Today is your good new day! His spirit will fill us with fruitfulness and glory as it says, "And the Lord, who is the spirit makes us more and more like Him as we are changed into His glorious image."

I hope what I am trying to convey here not only touches your heart, but slaps you in the face like what I have experienced. You are meant for a glorious, victorious and fruitful life. Don't let the enemy rob and destroy you. But YOU, have power over them because the spirit of God is in you.




The Sermon