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Words of Wisdom

Thursday 28 February 2008 . 11:04

"There is always the danger that we may just do the work for the sake of the work...This is where the respect and the love and the devotion come in - that we do it to God, to Christ, and that's why we try to do it as beautifully as possible!"
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I know i know...

Tuesday 26 February 2008 . 22:42

sorry everyone... i know i haven't written in quite a while
I've been really busy with the Lenten Talks. I just came back from Day 2, and man was it good or was it good?!?! amazing!!!! God's really working!
yesterday we had a few problems with sound and lights... but today everything just worked perfectly!!!! :)
Anyone who hasn't yet attended our Talks of In The House try not to miss out! Honestly!!!! Just come once, just come check it out.... I challenge you!
The video below shows the atmosphere we have at the Lenten talks... i honestly felt all this yesterday and today!!! There's this much energy!!!!!!!



P.S.. about the last post of "Its my Life", for those of you who didnt realise, they are not the real lyrics of the song. They have been changed.
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MY Life...???

Friday 22 February 2008 . 08:56

This is the video "It's My Life" of Bon Jovi... I would like you guys to give this song a new meaning, found in the lyrics below. Have a look, and tell me what you think. xxx





This is a song for the broken-hearted
A silent prayer for the faith-departed
I ain't gonna be just a face in the crowd
You're gonna hear my voice
When I shout it out loud

It's my life
And it's now or never
I dread living this forever
I wanna give meaning to my life
My heart is like twisted highway
St Francis said to do it God's way
I wana give meaning to my life
I want a life

This is for the ones who fall to the ground
For all those who keep falling back down
Tomorrow's gonna be a brighter day
If you just Trust you will hear God say

"It's your life and it's now or never
If you trust me you will live forever
My Son died to give you life
My heart is like an open highway
I'm always here, I'm here to stay
I will heal your hurts and give you life
Just trust Me"

Just come to your knees at the start of your day
You stand up tallest when you kneel down and pray:

"It's my life
Lord I offer it to you,
Do with me all you want to
Cause I want a meaning in my life
My heart is like an open highway
I want to do all things Your way
I want to give meaning to my life
It's my life
And it's now or never
This one step is a step forever
Cause I want a meaning in my life
My heart is like an open highway
I want to do all things Your way
Cause I want a meaning in my life...

Be My Life!"

5 comments
The Reason...

Wednesday 20 February 2008 . 19:34

No long posts today since i'm mega busy. The Lenten Talks are round the corner, and there's lots of work still to be done.
So here's one of my favourite videos. I know most of you have already seen this video countless times, but personally, I never seem to watch it enough. Each time I watch it I learn something new. Each time it seems more powerful than the time before. have a look. Let it be a prayer for this time of lent.

Gbu all...
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What a weekend...

Monday 18 February 2008 . 00:38

Hello all...
I don't know who still reads this blog of mine, but i'm still gona post, if not for anyone, for anyone who accidentaly ends up viewing it!! :)
So... slum survivor is over, and for those of you who would like to know what happened in detail visit www.slumsurvivormalta.blogspot.com
It was a hell of a weekend, but amongst the hell we managed to see many many blessings!!!! Night 1 I didn't sleep a wink!!!! a whole mix up of emotions inside of me; challenge, exhaustion, responsibility, hunger, cold, rain, the shed falling to bits, and noise of course (Hacienda is very very noisy all night long...). However we all grouped up, cuddled up, and warmed up in card board all night long!!! Just in case Jonas ect miraculously happen to read this blog, Thanks so so much for your comic relief and for mistaking me for food!!! :)
Saturday dawned and we had to build our sheds from scratch. However, we learnt from our mistakes, and built it stronger, better, and much more sheltered (Thanks ben for the amazing work of art! No one ties knots like you do!!!).
But... I didn;t last too long on Sunday. My stomach let me down. It collapsed just like our 1st shed did. I was very very ill... and although the spirit was very much indeed willing to hang on and keep slumming for Kenya, my body was weak, and Dad picked me up at 7pm. Quoting the Doc "You ate something LETHAL to your stomach!" ... i wonder what that could have been... rice???
Amongst all my tears, I decided to go home. I honestly didn't want to leave, but I couldn't imagine myself fighting the cold, responsibility, hunger, and nausia all night! Thank God dad took care of me, and as soon as I got home (apart from emptied my stomach a few more times) i konked out till 7am Sunday. Still... nausia did not stop me for too long, cause I was back in the slum at 8.30am!! :) Yep, I actually had colour in my face, even though I was living on a meal less than the others! This morning was great. As soon as I arrived i caught up on everyone's state and on the night experience. Mass was awesome and the priedka was so touching! Also... we counted the donations!!!! God is truly a God of providence!!!!!! We actually reached our target (or round about there..!).
What i learnt from this experience... That with God and though God ALL THINGS ARE POSSIBLE!!! I also confirm my point that NOBODY DESERVES TO LIVE IN SLUM CONDITIONS! ITS THE WORST THING THAT ANYONE CAN LIVE THROUGH!

The plate you fill is the life you save! 10 of us lived a weekend like this... these people have to live a lifetime...



Just a short Thank You note... to my very special mums who took very special care of the slummers and myself over this weekend... You know who you are! Thanks for everything!
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Challenges...

Friday 15 February 2008 . 07:04

it is 7:05 am and as most of you know today Slum Survivor starts. As much as excited, i'm almost scared. my biggest challenge this weekend is to endure the hunger and not complain about it! trust me... its not easy.
i keep thinking about the billion people who live in real slums. its easy for us cause we're living the weekend knowing that we'll be back home in no time. These people are doomed to live all their life this way.
Honestly... no one deserves to live this way.

Ill post when I'm back home on Sunday. Do come and support us throughout this weekend!!!!! and please do keep us in prayer!!!
All for God!!!!!
Gbu!!
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Prayer...

Thursday 14 February 2008 . 09:00

Hello everyone!
I'm so sorry I havent updated in ages, but i've been so mega busy with Slum Survivor and Lenten Talks coming up plus catching up with family friends and uni... insane!!
But anyhow... things are just falling into place miraculously, and I truly believe that if we weren't doing it all for God none of the things planned would happen! and most importantly, prayer is the key to everything!

Prayer: Many of us just don't see any use in prayer. Its like you're talking to the wall. or if we're used to saying the rosary or our father, then its just a repetition of sensless words. Well... not really. Prayer is so much more than that. Believe it or not its a two-way conversation. To pray you dont have to say the usual hail Mary's ect... you can just talk and be with God. Its like siting on the sofa with your best friend. Just.. talk. Tell God Hi, thank him for the things that happened throughout the day, tell him how you feel about the things that didn't go to well. Even though He knows what you feel and think, still... tell Him! God's our father, He's caring, loving, understanding, and He loves hearing us. However, after telling Him everything, we must give Him some time to speak too, and He does this in so many different ways!!! it could simply be a sudden sense of peace in your heart, or a scripture verse that seems to be the answer to all the things you've told God! Just give Him time...
Think about it... Jesus Himself prayed very very often. He found His strength in His prayers to the Father. Before every big event, Jesus prayed. During His fasting in the desert Jesus prayed, and that was just before He set out on His mission. Before the Passion Jesus prayed in the Garden of Gethsemane, He told God exactky how he felt, and he cried and sweated blood with fear!! Its a REAL conversation with God, MORE REAL than most of us think!! Still ... Jesus prayed ... so if He prayed what in the world makes me think I don't need to pray??
It doesn't have to be anything grand... just a prayer. Daily prayer is important, it keeps us in constant contact with God, it makes us sensitive to what God wants from us, and it gives us the srength to face the day.


Also, sometimes it happens that we get so caught up in doing things for God that we end up simply doing them. We end up doing them with our own strengths, not depending on God, and that is when we start getting tired, frustrated, and we feel incapable of doing the job. Which, funnily enough, we ARE incapable of doing, cause we can only do things through God's strength! It is important to keep these two things in mind; to do whatever we do FOR God and WITH God's strength.

My morning prayer is this:
"God, please take control of my thoughts, words and actions throughout this day. I pray use me to spread Your Word and who You are."
And something else that's coming to mind is something Mother Teresa once said, that the more things we are called to do, the more we need to pray!



The new website is up www.y4jmalta.com and I encourage each of you to check it out! P.S... I'm on the front page! haha!!!

GBU all!!!!
xxx
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adrenaline on the rise!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Sunday 10 February 2008 . 12:51

The count down is on!! Slum survivor in 5 days' time, and In The House in 2 weeks!!! AAA!!!
If only you knew how many things r still left to done... and if we stopped to think with our own miserable human mind we'd give up right away cause everything is humanly impossible to get done bny the deadlines!! BUT... we've got God on our side, and NOTHING is impossible for Him! That's exactly what keeps the excitment going... and each of us is positive that both activities are going to be a BLAST!!!!! :)

Oh happy day guys!!!!!! woohoo!!!! God's awesome!


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God understands...

Friday 8 February 2008 . 16:03

a very good friend of mine sent me this... have a look... it says it all...

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Slum Survivor

Thursday 7 February 2008 . 08:37

Only one week to Slum Survivor guys, and preparations are on the roll! We're all so very excited! For those of you who don't know what it is, my friends and I, we're going to spend a week-end living on the Baystreet Terrace in Slum Conditions (no mobile, no chnage of clothes, no shower, limited meal of rice and lentils, a shed we build ourselves with scraps we find around the place, ect...). Its not going to be easy, but we're doing it to make people aware of what goes on in Malta and overseas. Our mission is also to raise money for an orphanage in Kenya... so we need all the support we can get!!!!!

Its a serious event, and its a sad one really, cause in this day and age its hard to believe that people still do live in these conditions. With 12 Euro we can keep a child alive for a month! And what is it we do with 12 Euro... buy credit maybe?

Let's all unite on this week-end, and let's support one another in prayer especially!!!!

"The plate you fill is the life you save..."





This video gives me shivers... and it gives me such energy and passion to serve God! I pray that we can all live the Slum Survivor Weekend with these thoughts in mind...
GBU all!
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Footprints in the Sand...

Wednesday 6 February 2008 . 15:16

One night a man had a dream. He dreamed he was walking along the beachwith the Lord. Across the sky flashed scenes from his life. For each scene, he noticed two sets of footprints in the sand. One belonged to him, and the other to the Lord. When the last scene of his life flashed before him,he looked back at the footprints in the sand. He noticedthat many times along the path of his life, there was only one set of footprints. He also noticed that it happenedat the very lowestand saddest times in his life. This really bothered himand he questioned the Lord about it.:


"Lord, you said that once I decided to follow you, you'd walk with me all the way. But I have noticed that during the most troublesome times in my life, there is only one set of footprints. I don't understand why when I needed you the most you would leave me."



The Lord replied,"My precious, precious child, I love you and would never leave you. During your times of trial and suffering, when you see only one set of footprints, it was then I carried you."


1 comments
Appreciation

Monday 4 February 2008 . 15:24

Short but meaningful...
This week I've learnt appreciation all over again. A friend of mine has been abroad for a week, and I'm really missing them, plus I'm sick and mostly alone at home (except for the times I'm at uni)...! We understand how important people really are to us when we don't have them around us. True, sadly I had to learn that the hard way, but we can all learn from other people's mistakes. So, just take my advice on this, appreciate every person around, at every instance you have! Show them and tell them how much they mean to you... don't wait until it's too late!
Gbu
2 comments
2 words...

Sunday 3 February 2008 . 10:59

I just read a comment a very good friend of mine left on one of my previous posts in which she mentions the power and value of 2 simple words: 2 simple words that wrap up sooo many emotions in simply 7 letters - THANK YOU - it means: I'm grateful, I owe you, I respect you, you actually care for me, I don't deserve it but you did it anyway, you spent time on doing something for me; it helps us put away our pride and submit to another person's good deed!

Gratitude is such an indescribable feeling. I tend to say many many MANY Thank Yous, but only because I've been through many things that made me regret not saying a simple Thank You. Some people would tell me that its not good to overuse words because they lose their meaning, however I don't believe that such a powerful phrase could ever lose meaning. It doesn't take much, it can be said in one breathe! THANK YOU. Think about it... how often do we say it throughout our day? Do we say it enough? When we get home from school and find a cooked meal, do we tell Mum 'Thank You'? Even if you don't like the food... don't say "oh my God, out opf all things this you cooked!!". Mum would have spent her time cooking a meal to fill your stomach... be grateful. And be Grateful to God!!! Just close your eyes for a few seconds and think about 10 things you can thank God about today. 10 seem to be too many to think of, but as you start thanking Him you find that 10 are almost too few...

Since we're in Thank You mode I want to Thank each of you who take those 5mins time in your day to read this blog :) Thanks for the encouragement to keep on writing, and thanks for all your prayers! :)

Gbu!!!
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Under the weather...

Saturday 2 February 2008 . 10:10

Good morning my friends!
I chose the above title not for any bad mood reason, not at all, I'm quite bright this morning... but simply because there's a very hectic day ahead of me and to make things worse I'm not too well, and didn't sleep too well either. I used up a whole roll of toilet paper last night blowing my nose constantly!
Throughout this beautiful sunny day, sadly, I'm stuck inside. I have 3 assignments to finish off, and a talk! Yes... tonight i'll be giving the talk at Youth Meeting. It's called STRESS. You see, STRESS causes many many MANY things, and if we don't be careful it can really pull us down in the dumps. Why do we get STRESSED? because we believe we can do everything ALONE! Therefore... A Christian, believing he "can do all things through CHRIST who strengthens [him]" (phil 4:13) should not be stressed, because he's not doing things alone.
Anyway, I'll be explaining things in more detail tonight at Youth Meeting, 7pm, St Micheal's School, Pembroke, together with Sniffs and Sneezes and tissues flying all over the place!! :)
Meanwhile, pray for me that all goes well!!!
Gbu all for now!!!




LYRICS: Be my light in this darkened room * I'm on my face and I'm calling you * I can't fathom all you've done for me * Everytime it finds me on my knees * Like SUNLIGHT in the winter cold * Everything about you, it takes my breath Away...Hallelujah * I tried this once without you and it was my Great mistake...Hallelujah * Questions fade when you invade * You chase all of my fears away * With your love in my atmosphere * All confusion disappears * And nothing but your truth remains * Questions fade, you remain * You are color on a page of white, bright * Like eyes beneath black lights * Like a glowing city on the plains, you call * My name, you call my name *
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I am FREE!!!

Friday 1 February 2008 . 17:34

The title today reflects the end of exams, and my daily decision to follow Christ and be an instrument in God's hands!!!!
I challenge each one of you reading this blog today to play the video below on MAX VOLUME... :) then tell me if you feel free or not!!!!! and tell me how this song makes you feel... personally, it fills me with energy and gives meaning to life!!!!
"Who the Son sets free is free indeed!"
Gbu!!!!!

1 comments