Anxiety Disorder

 Read John 14 everyday. This chapter changed my life.

Are you on any sort of caffeine: coffee, tea, coke?

I get anxiety attacks with coffee and tea.

Lazy teens

A teen is not a kid anymore. Then again, boys mature about 3 years slower, so just take that into account. 

When faced with lazy teens, we need to find out the root issue — is it a spirit of laziness? It has to be addressed. He needs to know that it is a spirit and not him. And that he has to fight it. And what happens when spirits like that are not warded off. And how they can ultimately possess a person when entertained and given into.

If it’s not laziness, it is a lack of motivation. What do they really have in mind that is really bothering them or they are inspired about and work on that.

Introvert Host

 I’m an intro too.. I started with a Facebook page for those interested.

Perhaps get their input — what would they like to cover during the fellowship - what really helps?

Most important thing is to talk to God — need the rhema word of God for the kairos time you are in. You need to know what God is saying to each individual. 

Don’t meet up for the sake of meeting up but really just fulfil the desires of His heart for the people and being an introvert helps you to log out from the conversation at hand and tune in to what God is saying at that point of time. Try to be sensitive to Him.

Too many people pleasers out there. The hunger for the spirit is real. Give them real, give them God.

Baptism and sinless after

1. Jesus was baptized 

2. Jesus’ disciples baptized

3. Jesus commissioned us to baptize

4. Ephesians 4:22 talks about putting off the old man. 

This means leaving your past behind and you are not that person. Your dead body is buried and you are now alive because of Christ in you. So the devil cannot point his finger at you and condemn you for your past sins because that person is dead, and you are not that person. You are a new creation.

If Christ is in you, Hebrews 6:4-6 says we cannot crucify again the son of God. 

2 Peter 2:

For if, after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in them and overcome, the latter end is worse for them than the beginning. 21 For it would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than having known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered to them. 22 But it has happened to them according to the true proverb: “A dog returns to his own vomit,” and, “a sow, having washed, to her wallowing in the mire.”

1 John 3:

4 Whoever commits sin also commits lawlessness, and sin is lawlessness. 5 And you know that He was manifested to take away our sins, and in Him there is no sin. 6 Whoever abides in Him does not sin. Whoever sins has neither seen Him nor known Him.

7 Little children, let no one deceive you. He who practices righteousness is righteous, just as He is righteous. 8 He who sins is of the devil, for the devil has sinned from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil. 9 Whoever has been born of God does not sin, for His seed remains in him; and he cannot sin, because he has been born of God.

Usually when a person sins after baptism, it’s because they didn’t get it the first time. Either they were not baptized in the spirit and gotten the full revelation or was not fully immersed. Or some was baptized at an early age and understood but did not have the maturity or self control as they were still growing up.

Everyone has sin, that’s why Jesus died but after being born again in Him, there should not be any sin. No kidding.

Moving to Australia 🇦🇺

1 MONTH BEFORE:

Those that shipped their furniture here regretted it — old furniture that have no value here, wanted to have a fresh start but having so many old items, in the end, they end up giving everything away that they shipped here to buy new stuff. One even shipped a piano here, and gave it away for free to buy a new one.

Leave something behind for the people you love and you will miss. Especially family. Because when that time comes to say goodbye, you will want to give them the world.

Take it as a fresh start - a home you can redo from scratch, a new beginning for your family, a new life.

Appliances have different adapters, so keep that in mind too.. don’t bring electronics with Malaysian adapters

Getting Rid of Stuff (In Malaysia):

If there are stuff that nobody wants and you can’t get rid of, there is Salvation Army in Malaysia that will sometimes even come to your house to pick it up furniture for you. I did that before in Malacca. They took everything we needed to get rid of.

There was also a Christian Preloved Shop in Citta Mall near old airport road in PJ that sells second hand clothes and toys.

Take it as giving these items to the Lord as an offering.

Kmart.com.au > Clothes > Sort > Low to High

When my parents go back to Malaysia, my brother would order his clothes from Kmart for us to buy back for him…

Think of it as— your kids get a new wardrobe when they come. They get to pick out a new style, start fresh again, have a new life

Sometimes we need to let go of the old in order to crossover into a new season. It’s painful but it’s going to be life changing.

If you are unsure about whether you should bring or leave behind something, just check the Kmart app and Facebook Marketplace for Adelaide prices.

Toiletries are cheap here too, if you’re not fussy.

3 Weeks Before:

When we first came, all these were either free or dirt cheap:

- furniture

- clothes

- food

- toys

- kitchen appliances, cutleries, etc.

- Christmas decorations

- linen (curtains, bedding, etc.)

Now, I usually buy these in Australia to bring back to Malaysia (other than furniture).

Free Furniture:

When we came here, we almost furnished the whole house for free (aside from my parents’ mattress and bed).

Facebook Marketplace > Furniture

Gumtree > Furniture

Cheap Furniture:

Even if you don’t like the free furniture, you can get decent ones here for a bargain.

New Furniture:

We didn’t buy furniture from ikea.. we bought online.

There are a few websites I have tried and is legit:

Catch.com.au 

Amazon and eBay

MyDeal.com.au

TommySwiss

And there’s Bunnings.

Kmart has furniture too. But they’re shelving is a bit small.. but similar to IKEA style. 

I’ve not tried Temple & Webster but they should be reliable.

2 Weeks Before:

Packing:

What to bring to Australia: (just my suggestion)

- Something you cannot buy here

- sentimental items

- really good quality or new clothes and stuff worth flying over 

- whatever you need on Day 1 of your arrival (toiletries, clothes)

- Asian food you cannot buy here or cost a lot here (baba curry powder, CNY stuff, ang pow packets (no kidding) etc.)

The stuff that has no value in Malaysia cost a lot here and vice versa.

What to do with the rest:

- sell everything, turn to cash and bank it in

- give away to friends and family 

- give to Salvation Army or that shop in Citta Mall

Bring light weight things, and branded stuff,…

And keep in mind border control rules — No natural or organic products allowed in. My sisters’ family lost a lot when border control went through their bags and threw away a ton of food products when they migrated here. It was very sad because they were expensive health products.

My older sister taught us that whatever happens, never choose ‘nothing to declare’. Always declare medication or supplements or if really nothing, just declare the soil on your shoes because if you declare nothing and they find something, the penalty is very high.

If you’re unfortunate and get a fussy border control personnel,… you will need a letter for medication.

They can be really nice or really mean.

Supplements is allowed but they’re cheap here. I buy supplements here and bring home.

1 Week Before:

Electricity:

Don’t forget to book to get electricity connected in advance — may need to do a fair bit of research as to which electricity company you want. Need to book at least 24 hours before.

Filling up the house:

Urgent (in order):

1. Electric Kettle

- can be ordered online but get them to leave it in a safe place as you might not be around to sign when they drop it off prior to your arrival, or self-collect

2. Mattresses (not necessarily beds, unless you have issues getting up from the floor)

3. 

Also, deliveries can be a life saver. So when we move into a new house, sometimes we preorder and get them to send furniture (online), groceries (Woolworths, Coles) and etc to our house so they arrive on Day 1 or pick them up from the shop if they can’t arrive on a specific day (eBay, Kmart).

Day 1:

Walking into an empty house together as a family is always a life-changing and precious moment. It won’t be empty for long.

Enjoy starting your new beginning here: enjoy shopping and don’t rush into decisions you’re not ready to make, especially if it’s not urgent. Focus on the most important stuff: like mattress to sleep on. Other furniture can get during your first week: don’t stress it all at once. Enjoy the time shopping with the family — moving into a new country is usually a once in a lifetime chance, so make sweet happy memories with the family and thank God every step of the way.

And when you move in, take note which is your rubbish day of the week in your area. The rubbish bin is small but needs to last a week. So take note to put food scraps into green bin and recyclables into yellow bin.

too expensive

Too expensive? This perfect opportunity to teach them about money, and how it works. This is the time to introduce business to your kids so they understand the meaning of profit. They have to learn how to earn money rather than working for money. Empower them by equipping them with the know how to self sufficiency. Teach them to plant things with monetary value and sell them; teach them to bake cookies; teach them to buy and sell items, etc. and they can use that to buy their snacks. Snacks are not out of the budget and not too expensive, they just didn’t earn the money for that yet, which they can freely do.

Toddlers sit in

Having toddlers and younger in a service is relatively easy if you have 5 different things for him:

- are you allowed food or drinks inside? My daughter loves munching on cornflakes 

- if you have space, you can even roll out a small play mat with roads for his imagination to run

- usually a bunch of stationary and blank paper or coloring paper is a good start, followed by sticker books, after that, move on to the toys when he is bored 

- a basket of toys but don’t take them all out at once. Take them out one by one. Give the next toy when he is getting restless. Start with the most boring one and then the better toys last. Hide them all.

- last resort is electronics. If all else fails, he can see photos or muted videos of himself during the week.

Dream them into being

Brittany Parker, Children and Youth Ministry Coordinator, and Homeschooling mother of a large family, Blue Earth, Minnesota:

 I had a dream recently that really put a new perspective on my children’s struggles. 

I was reminded of how God addresses people in the Bible. He calls them what He sees they will become. 

He called Moses to do what Moses was not. 

He called Saul when he was as opposite a potential to be used by God as could possibly be. 

He told a shepherd boy he would be king. 

God is always proclaiming the impossible to the very person who it would seem impossible to. Yet He proclaims the victory that He sees forthcoming in their lives as though it weren’t up for debate. He knows who He called them to be and He believes they will step up to the calling. 

My son struggles with anger and honesty. When I woke from this dream a clear image of him was in my mind.

Terrified for his future if he should stay on his path I was constantly trying to improve him. Help him see his wrong and calling out his failures. 

That morning I began a very new and different tactic. So strange it made me uncomfortable and struggling to find the right words. 

I began to tell my son who He was as Christ saw him- covered by the blood and righteousness of Christ. 

It was hard trying to find moments to speak into his life while still being truthful. But I seized everyone I could. I also began to be silent on much of his shortcomings. 

This has been about 3 weeks now and not only am I seeing changes as he begins to desire to become the boy I describe him to be, but I begin to believe that he WILL become exactly who God meant him to be. 

I don’t know if this helps, but I thought I would share it with you. 💗