-
Christian Chat is a moderated online Christian community allowing Christians around the world to fellowship with each other in real time chat via webcam, voice, and text, with the Christian Chat app. You can also start or participate in a Bible-based discussion here in the Christian Chat Forums, where members can also share with each other their own videos, pictures, or favorite Christian music.
If you are a Christian and need encouragement and fellowship, we're here for you! If you are not a Christian but interested in knowing more about Jesus our Lord, you're also welcome! Want to know what the Bible says, and how you can apply it to your life? Join us!
To make new Christian friends now around the world, click here to join Christian Chat.
A
I was lying on my bedroom floor Saturday morning after some prayer, because, you know, the floor is a great place to be. Anyways, almost a year ago I read Matthew 26:30 over and over again because I was frustrated and yet curious about the opening line. "And when they had sung a hymn, they went out in to the mount of Olives." This took place straight after the last supper, Jesus broke the bread, declared the blood of the new covenant and that one of His own disciples was to betray Him, and with all this heavy in His heart, He still had it in Him to sing a hymn.
Finally, Saturday morning, I felt prompted to ask that question burning in me for so long. I prayed, "Jesus, why did you sing those hymns, what were you feeling or thinking as you did this?" Straight away I was reminded of my Study bible so I pulled that out and read the foot notes. Apparently it was Jewish tradition to sing Psalms 113-118 on the evening of the passover, known as the 'Hallell'.
That very morning, before this all took place, I posted something on facebook about breakthroughs, which lead me to Psalm 118. I went over that Psalm over and over again, thinking there is so much about breakthrough riddled through it, I was thinking I could just copy and paste the entire Psalm on my status.
Now that boggled my mind. Probably one of the last songs to ever escape Jesus' lips before His death and resurrection was a song of breakthrough.
And I think to myself, I hope when I am facing the death of something, the death of my negative thinking, the death of old behaviours, the death of a false perception of myself or the nature of God, will I sing before I see the breakthrough? Will I sing a song about the breakthroughs of the past to stir the faith for the breakthrough I haven't even seen yet? When bad news is heavy on my heart and I'm feeling weary walking in the promises that haven't fully come to pass yet, will I still sing?
Finally, Saturday morning, I felt prompted to ask that question burning in me for so long. I prayed, "Jesus, why did you sing those hymns, what were you feeling or thinking as you did this?" Straight away I was reminded of my Study bible so I pulled that out and read the foot notes. Apparently it was Jewish tradition to sing Psalms 113-118 on the evening of the passover, known as the 'Hallell'.
That very morning, before this all took place, I posted something on facebook about breakthroughs, which lead me to Psalm 118. I went over that Psalm over and over again, thinking there is so much about breakthrough riddled through it, I was thinking I could just copy and paste the entire Psalm on my status.
Now that boggled my mind. Probably one of the last songs to ever escape Jesus' lips before His death and resurrection was a song of breakthrough.
And I think to myself, I hope when I am facing the death of something, the death of my negative thinking, the death of old behaviours, the death of a false perception of myself or the nature of God, will I sing before I see the breakthrough? Will I sing a song about the breakthroughs of the past to stir the faith for the breakthrough I haven't even seen yet? When bad news is heavy on my heart and I'm feeling weary walking in the promises that haven't fully come to pass yet, will I still sing?
A
Lately I've been having issues with my violin playing, I play with the worship team for church, and being Pentecostals, we're all quite comfortable with the fact that I don't have any notes or sheet music before me, I improvise the entire time. This set up is frightening as well as exciting 99% of the time.
When the Lord invaded my life and claimed me as His own, I told myself I would always and only play my violin for Him. That all songs were an expression of praise and love to Him. As soon as I did this, I found I could improvise to the worship songs I was listening to with ease and that I could hear the melody to accompany before I had the chance to play it.
I was a closet violinist for ages and only for the past couple of months or so have I joined my church worship team. Everyone seems to think my violin playing sounds good, but I have grown frustrated as of late. I get frustrated making mistakes, sounding bad and hitting the notes wrong. I became more concerned whether I was offending people's ears rather than worrying about the only audience that matters, the audience of one. The one I have to stand before when all is said and done and give an account of my life.
I was frustrated at myself, because I so wanted to come to that place like the old days. Where it was just me, the Lord and my violin.
Last week, I listened to some preaching about worship by Misty Edwards that gave me that shaking I needed. Feeling prompted to and feeling sheepish, I came back to my bedroom, and I blind folded myself with a scarf. I stood in the middle of my room, and didn't put my violin under my chin until I heard the Holy Spirit give me a song.
From there I played, and it was scary because I couldn't see what I was doing, I couldn't see my surroundings. It took me awhile before I stopped freaking out, itching to take the scarf off, and focused on listening rather than determined to play based on sight and with many peripheral distractions.
There was such a freedom in it I haven't felt in a long time. It became raw, and it felt true, honest. I got notes wrong and I realised that my ears were still in tact and my windows weren't shattered just because of a few mistakes.
I've been dwelling on it, and its a bit like life. Am I going to be more worried about offending peoples ears, or playing the melody of life that has already been played for me. Am I going to be an instrument hiding in the other sounds of life, or am I going to boldly make my sounds heard? Am I going to walk by sight, or by the leading and prompting by my Heavenly Father's voice through the Holy Spirit?
It's 10:30pm, I've been up since 5am, I should be in bed. Late night ramblings.
When the Lord invaded my life and claimed me as His own, I told myself I would always and only play my violin for Him. That all songs were an expression of praise and love to Him. As soon as I did this, I found I could improvise to the worship songs I was listening to with ease and that I could hear the melody to accompany before I had the chance to play it.
I was a closet violinist for ages and only for the past couple of months or so have I joined my church worship team. Everyone seems to think my violin playing sounds good, but I have grown frustrated as of late. I get frustrated making mistakes, sounding bad and hitting the notes wrong. I became more concerned whether I was offending people's ears rather than worrying about the only audience that matters, the audience of one. The one I have to stand before when all is said and done and give an account of my life.
I was frustrated at myself, because I so wanted to come to that place like the old days. Where it was just me, the Lord and my violin.
Last week, I listened to some preaching about worship by Misty Edwards that gave me that shaking I needed. Feeling prompted to and feeling sheepish, I came back to my bedroom, and I blind folded myself with a scarf. I stood in the middle of my room, and didn't put my violin under my chin until I heard the Holy Spirit give me a song.
From there I played, and it was scary because I couldn't see what I was doing, I couldn't see my surroundings. It took me awhile before I stopped freaking out, itching to take the scarf off, and focused on listening rather than determined to play based on sight and with many peripheral distractions.
There was such a freedom in it I haven't felt in a long time. It became raw, and it felt true, honest. I got notes wrong and I realised that my ears were still in tact and my windows weren't shattered just because of a few mistakes.
I've been dwelling on it, and its a bit like life. Am I going to be more worried about offending peoples ears, or playing the melody of life that has already been played for me. Am I going to be an instrument hiding in the other sounds of life, or am I going to boldly make my sounds heard? Am I going to walk by sight, or by the leading and prompting by my Heavenly Father's voice through the Holy Spirit?
It's 10:30pm, I've been up since 5am, I should be in bed. Late night ramblings.
A
Lastly, before I pass out, I just wanted to say I'm so proud of Tintin. What a better way to announce that publicly than in here, where it all started? God has been moving in his life so much lately, and I can't help but sit back, laughing from joy and yet looking on with amazement.
When we see each other next, I'll make sure to give him one big koala hug, and perhaps a hug on behalf of each CC member that has supported and encouraged us along the way. That's a lot of hugs, but I think I have what it takes to fulfil such a task. There might be some beard stroking and head patting along the way, maybe even some raspberries for his neck, but I think it can be done. I am willing to do such things.
Christian, you are a wonderful blessing and a generously bearded gift in my life.
When we see each other next, I'll make sure to give him one big koala hug, and perhaps a hug on behalf of each CC member that has supported and encouraged us along the way. That's a lot of hugs, but I think I have what it takes to fulfil such a task. There might be some beard stroking and head patting along the way, maybe even some raspberries for his neck, but I think it can be done. I am willing to do such things.
Christian, you are a wonderful blessing and a generously bearded gift in my life.
I have grown up in a bustling, noisy, crowded and polluted city all my life. The only time I enjoy nature is when I have travelled abroad because the air is cleaner, less dusty, less noisy and less polluted.
And all these comments about that hawk make me miss it.
And all these comments about that hawk make me miss it.
There is only one solution for this problem: Move to Tennessee! We have so much fresh air here that even in the big city of Nashville they have fresh air.
It is like a breath of fresh air.
M
One year ago today, my dad died. I had to look up his obituary to know it was today.
I think I've been sad over the idea of him, rather than really missing him. How do you miss a person you barely knew?
I've been mourning the loss of a dream...the loss of the naive hope that someday he'd get clean, someday he'd realize he loved his kids, someday he'd snap out of it and come back to be my dad again. It was insanely hard to have that hope, however unfounded and silly, ripped out from under me. I didn't want to accept it- I'm optimistic to the point of insanity, I suppose, but I kept hoping, even as he lay in the hospital dying, that there would be some change of heart, some dawning awareness, some scrap of remorse for what he's done to his children simply by not being present.
I've thought a lot about this, since. A whole stinking lot.
It doesn't matter if he had any remorse or regrets before he breathed his last. I don't know who he was by the end, but I know I held a special place in my heart for him, regardless- no matter who he started out as, no matter what he went through or what he did or who he became, he is a part of who I am.
He may have been overcome by darkness, but he lit up the world through his children, and his grandchildren. He had something beautiful in him, and we all got it in different ways- creativity. I think it's time I let go of who I had hoped my dad would become, and thank the Lord for the father I did have, and the traits he passed on to me and my siblings. We're all a little strange, a little goofy, and a little bit like...him.
Painting by my eldest sister-
Guitar my brother built-
Weird thing I painted-
I think I've been sad over the idea of him, rather than really missing him. How do you miss a person you barely knew?
I've been mourning the loss of a dream...the loss of the naive hope that someday he'd get clean, someday he'd realize he loved his kids, someday he'd snap out of it and come back to be my dad again. It was insanely hard to have that hope, however unfounded and silly, ripped out from under me. I didn't want to accept it- I'm optimistic to the point of insanity, I suppose, but I kept hoping, even as he lay in the hospital dying, that there would be some change of heart, some dawning awareness, some scrap of remorse for what he's done to his children simply by not being present.
I've thought a lot about this, since. A whole stinking lot.
It doesn't matter if he had any remorse or regrets before he breathed his last. I don't know who he was by the end, but I know I held a special place in my heart for him, regardless- no matter who he started out as, no matter what he went through or what he did or who he became, he is a part of who I am.
He may have been overcome by darkness, but he lit up the world through his children, and his grandchildren. He had something beautiful in him, and we all got it in different ways- creativity. I think it's time I let go of who I had hoped my dad would become, and thank the Lord for the father I did have, and the traits he passed on to me and my siblings. We're all a little strange, a little goofy, and a little bit like...him.
Painting by my eldest sister-
Guitar my brother built-
Weird thing I painted-
M
W
This is something I read during my lunch break. I thought I'd share:
"Nature is hard to be overcome, but she must be overcome. What avails it that you are a Christian, if you are not purer than the heathen, if you deny yourself no more, if you are not more religious? I know of many systems of religion esteemed heathenish whose precepts fill the reader with shame, and provoke him to new endeavours, though it be to the performance of rites merely. I hesitate to say these things, but it is not because of the subject, ─ I care not how obscene my words are, ─ but because I cannot speak of them without betraying my impurity. We discourse freely without shame of one form of sensuality, and are silent about another..."
Back to reading!
"Nature is hard to be overcome, but she must be overcome. What avails it that you are a Christian, if you are not purer than the heathen, if you deny yourself no more, if you are not more religious? I know of many systems of religion esteemed heathenish whose precepts fill the reader with shame, and provoke him to new endeavours, though it be to the performance of rites merely. I hesitate to say these things, but it is not because of the subject, ─ I care not how obscene my words are, ─ but because I cannot speak of them without betraying my impurity. We discourse freely without shame of one form of sensuality, and are silent about another..."
Back to reading!
I was pregnant, like two months ago, but lost the baby. My sister and her husband are expecting one in May, mine was due in June... I lost the baby, a week after telling everyone.
Safe to say, it hurts a lot to see tiny babies, or soon-to-be moms. It sounds kind of mean, but it ruins my whole day.
I miss the baby I never knew.
Safe to say, it hurts a lot to see tiny babies, or soon-to-be moms. It sounds kind of mean, but it ruins my whole day.
I miss the baby I never knew.
Playing hookey today!
Had the option to work a half day or stay home, so I didn't go in since I have many hours of paid compensated leave and a couple weeks worth of vacation saved up.
Thought very hard about cleaning the place up - looks like a tornado hit. Cluttery. No space for my stuff. Grrr....hate having to de-clutter and organize before I can clean.
So...I at least THOUGHT about getting place in order. I unloaded the dishwasher, so that's something. Pork ribs in crock pot (made a yummy mustard based bbq sauce!), an Italian stir-fry for a late breakfast....brunch? Enjoying the cooler Autumn weather....finally a little bit of rain fell in our drought-ridden area.
oh....I feel a random burst of energy. I might get something done after all!
Had the option to work a half day or stay home, so I didn't go in since I have many hours of paid compensated leave and a couple weeks worth of vacation saved up
.Thought very hard about cleaning the place up - looks like a tornado hit. Cluttery. No space for my stuff. Grrr....hate having to de-clutter and organize before I can clean.
So...I at least THOUGHT about getting place in order. I unloaded the dishwasher, so that's something. Pork ribs in crock pot (made a yummy mustard based bbq sauce!), an Italian stir-fry for a late breakfast....brunch? Enjoying the cooler Autumn weather....finally a little bit of rain fell in our drought-ridden area.
oh....I feel a random burst of energy. I might get something done after all!
M
Sorry to hear that Will be praying for your family.
I'm so sorry this happened! It doesn't sound mean, it sounds reasonable- of course it hurts to see new or soon-to-be moms right now.
I'll be praying for healing and hope for you and your husband.
How is your little girl doing? Are things going ok?
Will be praying for your family.I'm so sorry this happened! It doesn't sound mean, it sounds reasonable- of course it hurts to see new or soon-to-be moms right now.
I'll be praying for healing and hope for you and your husband.
How is your little girl doing? Are things going ok?