Have you had mouth ulcers before? I am sure the feeling is terrible. For me, it affects the way I eat. Food become difficult to chew and taste not quite the same, at times I have to turn sideway to avoid contacting with the sore spots. For most times, I would use salt water to rinse the mouth. On other occasions, I would use the toothbrush with some salt on it and brush onto the wound (not recommended for all). That of course is painful for a while but most times it get healed much faster.

I do a lot of training in schools so if anything affects my public speaking, I see to it that it gets resolved soonest possible. Lately, I tried that on one but it backfires for the first time. I thought it would healed faster like before but hell no, it got worse and the next day, when I see into the mirror, the ulcer has spread to a elongated shape (following the pattern of my toothbrushing). I was devastated and rinse the mouth with salt water several times a day. 

I also had some cold spells (not sure if it was the swim with my kids) in my body added on. So, I boiled water with ginger slices into it and drank the whole part to expel the "coldness" in my body. Of course, my prayers help the most !

I am quickly reminded of an article I wrote quite some time ago about "Out of mind, out of sight". You see, as these ulcers are inside the mouth and not visible from our eyes, I got preoccupied with other things and totally forgot about it. The more I do not see the wound in the mirror, somehow miraculously, it heals better. 

When you do not think about something (say a problem that bothers you), it quickly disappear from your sight/attention.

So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.2 Corinthians 4.18

The future of what we want - ulcers recovered is that part which is unseen and what is seen - the ulcers when we look into the mirror is nothing but temporary phase. So, it makes perfect sense to give it as little or no attention as possible. That includes not thinking, whining or viewing it in the mirror. That is not to say one ignores the treatment of the wound. On the contrary, I increase the rinsing, stay away from my favourite spicy food and fried rice or tofu. I make a conscious attempt to drink more water than before. 

Thank you Lord for I am made perfect in your creation! I am going to change the wordings I used to pray from now on. The words - heal, to be healed,etc means that the body was dysfunctional to begin with, certain parts that need to be healed, restored,etc. That goes contrary to what God creates us from the beginning. 

Then God said, "Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness, so that they may rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky, over the livestock and all the wild animals, and over all the creatures that move along the ground." Genesis 1.26

If we are created in God's image, then we cannot be sick or injured in a spiritual sense. So, the more we dwell into our sickness, injuries in the physical sense, then we are using the power of Man to resolve it. That is limited power. 

John 7:24 - Judge not according to the appearance, but judge righteous judgment.

Appearance is what we men use our human eyes to judge, which means we draw conclusions on what's happening based on the circumstances we are in. If you are out of job, lack of money, lost a relationship, health impaired, etc, don't you tend to blame it on your circumstances ?Did you not say things like;"If only I am born in a family with xxx, then I would be better!"

Recently, I had a eczema attack which was on one of my calf and around the toes area for another leg. Imagine the difficulties in walking with the sandals. On top of it ,I had foot fungus as well. Like a conspiracy, all 3 came about the same time. Argh.............

Of course, I am frustrated and unhappy but soon I realised losing my emotional control would means surrendering to these evil diseases and I am not going to let them win! My thoughts affect what I would say to myself and then churn the corresponding actions. So, despite the weepy wounds, I took up the courage and wrap it up with a bandage and head for the road. It was an excellent run and on the journey, I kept telling myself I am perfect , constantly reminding myself not to keep checking out the wounds. In the army, we learn to camouflage ourselves so as not to be seen by our enemies. It is the same here, we must not expose ourselves to the injuries, the matters that bother us but instead conceal it. 

Again, this is not an attempt to avoid it , procrastinating or being lazy about resolving it. Instead, treat it as a constructive way of turning the situation around. Do not make it the first topic when you catch up with your friends/ loved ones. Did you catch yourself saying:" You know, this and that happened to me lately, ain't I unlucky?"

You might think you need an outlet to let go the negative emotions but confessing it (complain and ruminating about it) only make the matters worse. You enlarge the problem, magnify it and attempt to use own intelligence to solve it. You asked question like :"why me, God?" Your mood is down and you become lethargic , not wanting to do anything. Your state of mind is negative and that starts a whole vicious cycle.

I am grateful I read a blog on treating eczema lately and tried some of the recommended ideas such as using vinegar and applying moisturisers onto it. It lessens the pain definitely and I kept praying for the perfect body that God has created in me. If I am perfect, then eczema has no place in my body, it has to leave sooner rather than later. 

You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect. Matthew 5.48

I now understand better, we bear the genes of our father, as he is perfect, so are we. 

Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. James 1.2-4

This verse is probably one of the hardest to stomach for most people (myself included on many occasions).How can we stay joyful in moments of our trials? It seems contradictory.  The trials that we had were disguised or packaged as a test of our faith.  Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see. Hebrews 11.1

​Think deeper. If we are confident in what we hope for - good health, money, relationship, then would we be sad, angry, frustrated,etc ? Again, see not in your human eyes but cast your net wider and further. The future is bright and the solution is already here. This part means the most to me since it affects how I pray and how many prayed as well. 

To ask God to heal us - to be healed, to ask God for more money - to have money, etc is to imply that we do not have (signs of lack) all these things in the first place. But are we not created in perfect health, prosperity, etc? If this statement holds truth, then where is the lack coming from? 

Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours. Mark 11.24-25

Read this verse as many times as possible (I am humbled and reminded to visit this verse again and again in my tribulations). It says you have received it not WILL BE RECEIVING! Not something coming in the near future like a queue in progress (my initial thoughts about this verse). To bring the future (what you want) to the now ,the present moment (experience it all our senses - see, hear, touch, feel and taste). When the feeling becomes second nature, then our reality would have expressed what we asked for. So, I would stop asking God to heal me, to provide me with more money, with more opportunities, etc but rather simply thanking him for all the gifts (all that  I want has come true). 

Last Monday, as usual, I was taking my son to school. We were almost near to his school and there was this narrow path that we need to take. Suddenly, I saw a shiny 20 cent coin on the grass patch. Without hesitation, I picked it up and took this opportunity to educate my son about God's promise. 

He was surprised because he saw it too and I supposed that goes to the throngs of people that walked passed too. Why didn't they pick it up, I wondered, not once but many times? Could it be they were too shy, can't be bothered with small change like this or fail to see it ?

The reason does not matter, I guess since I won't know it from them. It is through God's grace that he wanted me to have it and I had it indeed in my pocket. I kept a box in the house and shared with my two kids that each time either of us pick any amount of money, it goes into this God's coin box. The kids were keeping count who got more.

More importantly, I wanted them to know God's promises never fail, it will come and our job is to keep on believing it. How it happened and when it happened is God's work, something much higher than us. We just take care of the "what" do we want part of the deal. Even the "what" I want in life posed as a daunting task to many people.

They may be in trouble of any kind, relationship, money or health but asked them what they want, they still cannot provide a clear answer but continue to whine about the unfortunate state they are in. 

I particularly like this verse - But whoever looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues in it--not forgetting what they have heard, but doing it--they will be blessed in what they do. James 1.25
lThe important messages in this verse are

1. Perfect law - this is the law of liberty one the when abides will liberate us from our situation. 
2. Continuity - Believing it once is not enough, we are creatures of habits, we returned to our former self the minute we are not conscious of our new behaviour. We need to continue believing regardless of the situation we see
3. doers of the words - merely listening to the words of God but lack practice (works of faith) is enacting this bible verse - 
Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. James 1.23-24

Faith in God's work is not the same as physically performing the task. If a person is financially behind, getting dressed up, driving a nice car but lacking the change of mindset that he is rich is nothing but a transient act of folly, an act that will soon diminish as soon as his money runs out to support his act. The action (hardware) must be aligned with the mind (software).

I have always believe I am blessed by God and will keep on picking up money. My goal is a ten dollar note and I am certain, without a shadow of doubt, it is in my possession. The time for it to manifest in my material world depends on the intensity of my faith and the timing of God. I need to be patient and listen for his signs and wonders. Could he wanted me to have more, many times more than just ten dollars? 

Maybe, picking up money may not sounds like your cup of tea ! Choose something else that you like and pray for it and then watch it unfolds right in front of you. Write down your experience like I do and soon your confidence will grow, your hunger for his words will increase and bigger blessings will come to your life.

​God bless you.

Since my last few posts about being lucky, I have been consciously on the lookout for signs and wonders that will befall upon me. Then again, timing is always on God's side. It has been a few days but pretty much nothing happened until today.
I am not disappointed but in full expectancy of receiving it. Guess there is an element of truth when they say luck is when preparation meets an opportunity. 

This morning, while on my way to work, I spotted a 20cent coin in the drain and like an experienced coin picker, I automatically bend one leg into the drain and pick up the dry coin, happily tucking into my pocket. I find it amazing that God's timing can be so perfect. What if I had taken the cross over bridge and I would probably have missed it , wouldn't I ? 
Why at the particular timing , that spot ? What happened to so many people who passed it by each day? Did they not spot it like I do ? Still, I am convinced "I had" picked up a $10 note and the first thing I did was to text my wife, "Honey, look how great God is to me. I picked $10 today!!“But concerning that day or that hour, no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. Mark 13:32 
Another thing happened this morning as well. Since changing my diet to a near vegetarian style, I have discovered I had more energy than before, sleep less and always hungry for more food. I was attending a parenting session and the trainer whom had seen me several times since last year commented that I looked radiant.

I remembered clearly I jot down these exact words in one of my goals list. The words I would hear would be :You look radiant. Oh my god, I almost blushed as I wasn't expecting such a compliment at all. Not forgetting I went cold turkey to quit my coffee, dairy products and meat all at one go. Imagine if you had been taking chicken (my favourite) for so many years and suddenly, drop it immediately. No withdrawal symptoms of any kind and I felt lighter and healthier as well. 

In other words, WHAT we need to do is to be clear what we want in life. State it positively, Feel it as if it is already in our possession (money in the hand, bank account, compliment from someone, etc) and repeat it day, noon and night. Let the emotions run high - excited, happy, relieved, peaceful, etc. Let it overwhelm you so much that because it had happened, the problems you are facing now is gone. And if the problems is gone, would you still be whining and complaining? 

Would your face not put on a smile, feel light hearted or simply feel peaceful things are going the way it is ? 

Excerpts from I am discourse - you know the condition that existed today in the lack of employment (replace with other lack that you faced - financial, relationship, career, etc), don't you accept that into your world for one moment. It does not make any difference what the rest of the world is doing, you have the Authority and Power in your Life stream to bring yourself into the desirable employment (replace with your wish here) , and there is nothing in all human creation to prevent you from doing it. Mankind who do not understand this Great Law will experience the other, but that is not your fault, and that is no reason that is no room , there is no employment. 

Call it swimming against the current, being rebellious, take the path less travelled or simply out of curiosity, I urge you and humbled myself once more to stay on this course. To defy the world masses and withstand the stares, criticisms and lack of understanding from others (including your loved ones) can make this journey harder than it seems. 

I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us. Romans 8.18

Is it not tormenting to do the things and stay obedient even if you feel like giving up? Is it not painful that you have to bear the agony of uncertainty (waiting period) and eagerly awaiting for the end results? Think of a caterpillar going into a cocoon before the transformation into a butterfly. It takes about 4 weeks for the caterpillar to hatch from the egg and then go into the pupa in its chrysalis. Like the pregnant woman, the birth cycle takes an average of 9 months, anything before is consider premature birth. After the impregnation is done, there is nothing left to do except to wait for the arrival of the baby. 

In wanting what we want, it is the same. We have to concentrate on the goals at hand, feeling it has been achieved, living through it mentally, seeing ourselves behaving the way we are when we had achieved the goal. Who will we talk to? How is our expression? One of excitement and joy , surprise or emotional ? Neville said to condense it into a single sensation and focus on that. 

In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.
John 14.2-3

Mansions here also refer to dwelling place but it must not be confused with the extra rooms being built onto the extended family as secular history would tell you.  The bible as Neville said is an allegory , using ancient poems, stories to convey meaning to mankind. The dwelling place here refers to the different emotional states that are available - happiness, joy, peace, abundance, gratitude, etc that we can get into if we want to. We have a choice, one of the most important traits that make us different from other animal species. A lion or tiger wakes up each morning to hunt or get hunted. They live by their natural instincts to fight off their predator or go hungry for the day. It is merely a game of survival. We human beings, made in the image of God enjoy the highest privileges - we can think and we can act according to our choice, although each choice is accompanied by its consequences. 

For a moment, I seem to understand why the Tibetian monks and other enlightened people would choose to stay in the mountains. The external environment shapes our thinking, influence it day by day, conforming us to think and act like the majority. Nobody has stand out from the crowd before and it would be risky to do so. To the asians, this could means a loss of face if one does not succeed using this technique. That's the problem. We misconstrued the real facts and got confused along the ways for many many years. 

While the world now celebrates the like of driver-less vehicles and robots manning the retail shops, in my opinion, the human mind need an upgrade too, the earlier the better. Too many of us still live in the ancient world, trapped by our past, allowing rituals and other cultural doings to affect how we think and act. Like robots, we simply obey, not for a moment asking why. Ironically, if adults behave this way, why are we expecting our children - the generation of the future to be different, to be able to think out of the box? Are we being fair to them when we are still locked in our own myopic way of looking at things? Or are we so complacent that we need a big wave of change from the government, the external environment to hit us so hard before we wake up?

From being able to type my daily post in my previous laptop wherever I go was a blessing. Now, I have to make do here and cherish the moment of my thoughts, finger typing and the monitor screen. I am both excited yet nervous about the results like a child awaiting for his exam results. 

Imagine a world where there is no doubt and everyone has the confidence to do what they are good at. Wouldn't that be perfect ? Too many were beaten by failures and while the fought hard, some gave up after a while, citing family, finances, age, etc that holds them back from doing what they want to. There is a sense of regret in their tone, as if hoping they can get a second chance. If only they are aware of this power within them, within each and everyone of us. That's the beauty, God is fair , he has given this ability to all, regardless of race, language , gender or age. 

Ezekiel 36:26
"Moreover, I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; and I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh.

Think about it. The heart of stone can't feel, they are no different from a robot. Cold and hard. The heart of flesh is soft, capable of emotional feelings - we cry when we are sad, we mourn for our losses, we become angry and frustrated when things are not right, we love our children and we have compassion for the lesser privileged......................................

It is this heart of flesh in humans that make us who we are, to experience the ups and down in this world. God must have a reason for that else with his power , he could have turn all of us into robots. If that happens, then there would be no sin, since all of us are programmed to perform according to his wishes/command. No, he gave us a choice, to be able to experience both the good and bad side of things. 

Decision making then become a daily task that all of us have to make. We decide whether to wake up at 6am or 7am. An hour of difference can means more sleep and rest or starting the day earlier and getting more things done. It is when we attach meaning to the context that makes us feel it is the right thing to do. We find it worthwhile pursuing when we have a vision ahead of us - for the family, for a goal you are after, a belief you have,etc. 

So, I hope we all choose wisely each day and always harbour loving, kind and wonderful thoughts about others and yourself. Have an awesome day !

Beloved Ones, do not accept any more human limitations because you have made mistakes. Don’t feel you must live in them any longer. Call on the Law of Forgiveness for any mistake. Then call the Power of your “Presence” 
into action to take Dominion and hold It there forever. Then stand by It, unyielding, until the outpicturing of that great Perfection is there forever. It is within your ability, within every one of you, to do it! - I am discourses 

This is probably one of the most beautiful and inspiring phrase that I read this morning! A few key words strike my mind and it connects me to several bible verses that I like to share :

Limitation is basically defined as a limiting condition; restrictive weakness; lack of capacity; inability or handicap. So if someone who lacks a degree may think that the paper qualification is his limitation to get a better job. Or someone who wants to make a million dollars may look at his current bank account, reflecting a paltry sum as limitation to do big things. Whatever it is, most of us tend to use this external limitations as the excuse/reasons for our failure in life. 

Mark 6.34-44 aptly describe the scene when Jesus asked his disciples to provide food for the 5000 crowd that had come to hear him speak. The disciples, in disbelief answered Jesus that to buy bread for such a big group would costs them half a year wages (6.37) and discovered they had merely 5 loaves of bread and 2 fish left, barely enough for themselves less to feed the 5000 crowd. They see the limitations of what their sight provided them; the remaining 5 loaves and 2 fish while Jesus believe otherwise. There were surplus left for the disciples to take away thereafter. (6.43).

The limitations could be a mistake on the human end, as in lacking ability to make the desired income or provide a better quality of life for the family. The head of the family may want to but lack the knowledge and awareness of accessing the latent power within him, yet constantly searching answers on the outside in vain. 

So he become discouraged at work, spending time complaining and criticise anyone who try to contribute or say something positive , afraid that what he say might come to pass. Are we willing to live a life of mediocrity or believe we are the Light and it is up to us to make that decision and conquer the world? 

Law of Forgiveness :
Then he adds: “Their sins and lawless acts I will remember no more.” Hebrews 10.17.

Who remembers our mistakes? It is we find it difficult to forgive ourselves for the mistakes we made even if it had happened many years ago. We blamed ourselves for making it and had the misconceive it is the cause of our today's dire situations (limitations we are in). Since we are not able to forgive and forget, we cannot cross over this mind block and when good things, opportunities come, we subconsciously remember our mistakes and in shame/guilt and other mixed emotions, we persuade ourselves moving forward to do the right thing is wrong. Yet, ironically, we read so often in the Bible and understand intellectually that God has forgiven us, his blood washed us clean and all but still...................

The person that we find hardest to forgive is not others but our very own self. After all, if the other person is not living in close proximity, over time, you might forget about that person. But if it is ourselves, we see our image daily in the mirror, we live in the same body day in night out. Is there any escape?

Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord,Acts 3.19

Unless we change our attitude drastically and amend our ways by forgiving ourselves, we cannot receive the salvation of God (his good wishes -prosperity, abundance, peace, love,etc). Until we have turn the bad into good, evil into positive thoughts, hatred to love and courageous act from fear, we will continue to live in a life of darkness shrouded by doubts, anxiety and without peace.

Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, "Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother or sister who sins against me? Up to seven times?"Jesus answered, "I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times. Matthew 18. 21-22

​This forgiveness duration may differ from individual to individual. Some took a much longer time while others could liberate and forgive themselves and others much quicker. For me, it took me more than 2 years to forget and forgive a past relationship I had. It is not easy but a necessary stage of life that we must all go through. 

Stand by it, unyielding - This is a very powerful word. Unyielding must not to give in nor give up until your goal is accomplished (out picturing of the great perfection). The there (future) we want is here (in our mind's eye) and it is in our ability to bring forth the imagination to the level where we can picture ourselves living the kind of person we want to be. For example, when you win the lottery of $1m, what would you do? Who would you call first to announce? What's the first word that would come out from your mouth when you see the winning numbers matching your ticket?

Walk by faith, not by sight  2 Corinthians 5.7 - for if we walk by sight (like most people do) we would then be checking our bank account for the $1m, the house or car that is yet to appear in the car park lot, etc. We allow our physical senses of see, hear, touch and smell to dictate our feelings that it is not real. It was nothing but a wishful thought and conveniently we forget about it.

When we walk by faith, we know for certainty that the gift of the $1m has arrived not arriving , will be coming as the latter means a gap, separating now and then, here and there. This gap would tear us apart by proving daily, constantly the lack of evidence and persuade us it is not possible, not real, not happening, whatever. 

Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.Mark 11.24

God did not say you will be receiving it, as in sometime in the future or depends on your good behaviour ,etc. We must believe that it is already here in our possession and proceed to intensify our "having that gift" emotions to the fullest, making the sensations of owning the gift so wild and crazy as if it is real. It is real until the out picturing of the perfection is there forever. Today, we might pray earnestly but when tomorrow comes , doubt might set in and we fail to give it a 100% enthusiastic approach towards our prayers, half believing it might not come. The prayer turns weak day after day or like a roller coaster, some day high and other day low.

So how does one increase faith? Think about it for a second. If you are good in something, say swimming and have taken part in school competition and all, you would be confident to say you are a good swimmer. Your trophies, friends that know you always think and say you  are good in swimming seal the gap that make you aware you are a good swimmer. The more you practise, the more good stuff you hear, the more positive experiences you received and that become a strong anchor towards your belief and increase your faith.

But what if you had no prior experience nor trophies nor people saying you are good, sort of thing? Does that mean your goal cannot be achieved ? I believe strongly reading the words of God , meditate on it is a good start. But reading and understand what it says is just pure head knowledge. We need to act on it  for the words to become live. 

Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like.But whoever looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues in it--not forgetting what they have heard, but doing it--they will be blessed in what they do.
James 1.23-26


 The Law of Repetition or affirmation if you like is crucial here. The same verse if meditate on it and apply in different situations will yield different results. That is the power in his words. The world out there will teach you to "act as if " , to carry the part like you want to be. So if you want to be rich, like having a $1m , then you need to dress up, drive that car, etc. The irony is because you lack the money to buy all these material things and that is why you want the money, so how could you then dress the part, drive the part or eat the part for that matter. Others may have results but I beg to differ and I think God's way is usually simple yet effective. He will not give us more stress than we can handle like borrowing money from others just to rent the car or borrow the suit ,etc. It just come across as phony , fake. 

The "acting part" that the Bible is referring to is within the mind and not the "fake it till you make it" on the outer as many think it to be.  The mind is the most powerful thing that we humans have that no other creatures on earth can match up to. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. John 1.3. 

Stay with me and see if I make sense here. Aren't the things we see in our world were first made in our mind or imagined? Whatever we can conceive, we can achieve, yes? It's all in the mind as people would say to each other. And because it is in the mind, the invisible part of our visual world, it kind of become mysterious, hazy and uncertain, making success attempts seems elusive and some say depend on your stroke of luck. This cannot be further from the truth. 

Diligent practice, day after day, night after night, like the swordsman who spend hours honing his skills up in the mountain, we too must not rest on our laurels and take refuge in short cuts and man-made promises to get us to where we want. God has a blueprint already for us, one that guaranteed to work. But we are the operant power and it has to be done only by the individual himself or herself. Nobody can outsource this piece of work to anyone. 

We are more than conquerors in our own journey. Hit it with your best shot!!!

I find this quote very appropriate for this posting. A check with the dictionary shows the meaning of luck :
the force that seems to operate for good or ill in a person's life, as in shaping circumstances, events, or opportunities
When something happened to us and we couldn't quite put a cause to it or it seems uncommon to the common people, we attribute that as good luck (eg. striking lottery) or bad luck (the only one who failed the test). For a very long time, I had been lucky but I would called it blessed to be picking up coins of different denominations every now and then. It could be 10cents to 50 cents or even a dollar at times. I do not really think much about this except knowing with certainty that I would continue picking up coins. 

The level of certainty or confidence increases as each time I picked the coin and recently I picked twice, one 10cents and another 5cents coin. To those who think little of the value of this money, then you would have missed a great lesson. The increment in value of these coins depend very much not on where you are picking, when and how to do it. The secret really lies in the imagination realm as I had repeatedly been saying.

So, for fun's sake, I decided to put in writing a goal - to strike a $1,000,000 in lottery. That would seems like a vast difference from the usual 10cents and 50 cents I picked thus far. "Now I have told you before it happens, so that when it happens, you may believe. John 14.29

This is one of my favourite bible verse and I am with full faith putting it here for all to see. Some said that when you prayed to God, keep your prayers between both of you so nobody knows. But if you do not tell people, and if it takes place, would they not accused you of lying? In order to prove that God's words will never return to him void and that he will accomplish all that we asked of him, I am openly declaring this so that readers can act as witnesses to this event. 

I remembered the first few times I picked the coin, I was ecstatic and found it unbelievable. I mean many a times I noticed the coins were right in front of these people walking ahead of me, why don' they pick it up? What were they thinking? Could they possibly not have seen it and I am the lucky guy? That was many many years back and I had no knowledge of the Bible. 

As time goes by, I just find picking up coins become part and parcel of my life. It is like a telepathic experience where the coin seems to seek me out with that glimpse of shine on the floor and people can walk past them without even noticing. Initially, I found it amusing but slowly over time I came to accept it and it has since then become normal for me. 

That is the same concept as winning a lottery. We probably have not heard of people who win the lottery weeks after weeks  but is that a possibility?  Of course it is but people would rather attribute that to a stroke of luck than anything else. Right this moment, as  I am typing, I am conjuring up an image of me having won the lottery. That is what is the feeling that I would have if I am the winner? And how does one know? As simple as matching the winning numbers with the ticket you purchased. 

I guessed some might think perhaps the way to winning it big is to increase the odds of winning by buying more tickets to increase one chances of hitting the big one. I don't think so. I believe thinking from the winning scene is more important than the pre-win scenario. So, briefly, this is what I would be using my $1,000,000 for :

- A trip to Japan for the family. I just picked up the Hokkaido travel brochure last weekend and my daughter was asking if we could go play some snow. She was simply excited at the thought of that , must be watching too much of Frozen and Olaf, haha.

- A big part would go into my investment - property, forex, stocks,etc. I believe this is the best time to be in the market!

- Charity work/Pro-bono coaching/speaking - Something close to my heart and I want to take more time and planning on this area. Teaching people the skills about changing to a positive mindset, increasing confidence, having a desirable relationship, etc is what truly keeps me going. I love to do more of this on a higher level and not to let money gets in the way for people who can't afford the coaching fees or workshops.

- A nice watch for myself - One that I can pass on down for generation. I like that. 

- A family car - i like the idea of taking my kids around the island, maybe to nearby countries like Malaysia, Thailand, etc with a group of friends, stopping by for some local delicacies and buying some souveniers, experiencing the local culture. really nice !

This is such a wonderful feeling , isn't it ? I am the lucky guy who won the $1,000,000 lottery. Would that change my life upside down? Hmm, I guess the initial moments would be like the first time I found the coin, full of surprise and excitement. And then another coin, a bigger value awaits, the mystery gets smaller, the heart becomes more accepting of it , welcome it in fact and soon it would be another normal day. 

The one picture that kept surfacing in my mind is the scene at the airport, just outside the departure hall. I asked my family to take a picture and i said,"  look here, say cheese" . Nice. This picture I have been rehearsing every now and then and I did it as part of my daily prayer ritual. After sending my two kids to school,  I would take a nice walk around the neighbourhood where it is quiet and peaceful. There are not too many people around except for a few maids taking the dogs out for their morning walk. 

Here's the secret : Joshua 1:8 This law scroll must not leave your lips! You must memorize it day and night so you can carefully obey all that is written in it. Then you will prosper and be successful. The quieter you become, the clearer yo can hear - Ram Dass. Isn't this beautiful and true? We get so caught up with the noises out there , the constant text messages, TV shows, internet, etc that takes away our precious time to be still .The mind behaves like a wild animal, craving for instant gratification. This Law does not operate on our timing but HIS timing. When will God deliver the money to me? I don't know as I had learnt to accept that there is a season for all things. Spring, summer, autumn and winter. They may be late but the seasons will come eventually. In between , we need to be patient and review our thoughts daily, sharpening our focus on our desires, rejoicing in the wish fulfilled and the grace and favour that he has unconditionally pour onto us. 

Pin down a few words that truly resonates with you when this money -cheque is in your hand. Beside excitement , what else does it make you feel ? A sense of responsibility that you can do something great for your family? A great sense of hope that things have turn around? A renewed optimism about life in general and your mind is packed with activities that you see in others' life but not yours? Think of all the loving moments you can do for others, that act of generosity that you extend out unconditionally, isn't that amazing?

The money, $1,000,000 is merely a means to fulfil that level of emotional states you want, that's all. But to get the money, you must first enter into that state - of being happy, grateful, thankful, peace at heart, overwhelmed, hope, etc. These emotions means different things to different people, so frame it according to your definition. Make it natural. 

Winning the lottery must become as natural as taking a walk or like the air we breathe in. We don' struggle or gasp for air each waking moment. We did it so naturally, as a matter of fact we do not even noticed it, right ? It is the same concept but first we need to breakthrough one winning , and the next and the next.................

Oh, just in case you had a thought that this might be too large a sum or the task might be too difficult to accomplish, remember this verse : Behold, I am the LORD, the God of all flesh: is there any thing too hard for me? Jeremiah 32.27
Do not for a moment doubt the magnitude of this task, sticking to the conventional of incremental, step by step goals. Maybe, I should start with 1000, then 10,000 before reaching 1,000,000. Whenever, we are in doubt, we must stem out that evil thought at all costs, day, noon and night.  Exponential returns can be yours or mine for that matter if we truly believe, walk in faith and not by sight. By sight, it would means looking at your bank account, wondering where is the car, the overseas trip and the myriad of things that have yet to happen. Then you become disheartened, doubt increased and confidence waned, thinking to yourself , maybe luck is shining on others but not me. That cannot be further from the truth. Persists in that thought as often as possible. Focus on one single sensation, say gratefulness and keep thanking God for the favour he showered upon you. 

The more you experience the power and wisdom of God, the more you want it and the more you would share it. It's a gift from God and everyone is included. There are more than enough millions to go round so no need to rush and fear that it would run out. The storehouse of the Lord is filled with abundance, like honey overflowing. Thank you Lord for your blessing!!!
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I would be penning my thoughts on my winning journey as we go along. Peace, love yourself and everyone !

What is deemed as true or false can sometimes be a matter of perception! What you know is known as the truth, for example, if you had run a marathon before, then you knew you could run for 42.195km. Now if this goal is stretch to the extreme like an Ironman event, would you definitely say you can't or a maybe?

It appears what we say to ourselves repeatedly over time is the answers that we feed to ourselves when questions concerning our competence comes into play. The boss asked if you could handle an overseas assignment, take on a new challenge or be the top salesperson,etc. What would your answers be? What if you had no prior experience? What truly makes you certain that you could do it? Where does that bout of confidence comes from?

We take in information through our five senses, mainly see, hear and touch. So if someone made a critical remarks to you at work or at home and over time, you start to think what they say is true. That feelings is horrible, forcing you to surrender and admit your failure. On one hand, you want to fight but somehow you felt weak and this feeble feeling grows over time and before you know it, you had given in and subconsciously allow failure to overtake you.

Yes, she was right! I could not even wash the dishes properly. How could I doe well in this ? We made assumptions like this all the time, drawing inference from one event and extrapolate if we did not fare well in one then the next would be the same. Sadly, this is an unfair statement and we must recognise it is a different context altogether. You may not excel in washing dishes but you are still a good father to your two kids. You may not be a good cook but you are disciplined in keeping fit and healthy. Look, this are two different matters that must not be lump together and assess.

Stop selling yourself short and discredit yourself for the minor things you didn't fare well and magnify it, often out of proportion that you give it so much attention that you begin accepting that is who you are.

You are better than that, way much better !!!

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