Am I really Happy!

Rediscovering the lost art of

being happy

What do you really want? What drives you, motivates you, gets you up in the morning? A job? A dream? A commitment to get good grades, or meet the right person, or earn a decent pay cheque?

Here’s my bet: You do these things because you want to be happy. You work, you earn, you relate, and strive, and set goals because, when all is said and done, you want happiness. And so do I! The map we follow to get there may look different: some of us might plot out a course of professional achievements and financial success, while others seek meaningful relationships or exciting experiences. But the destination we’ve circled in red ink is the same. We want to be happy.

So, are we? Are YOU? My guess is you’ve run into a few dead ends. Things intended to bring you happiness, haven’t. Experiences you thought would satisfy you didn’t. Am I right?

I had only been a Christian for a few years when I realized my own map to happiness had been leading me in circles. I was listening to a speaker at a conference when he shared an illustration that God used to shape my thinking for the next 25 years.

We’re all chasing rainbows, he said, and our rainbows all have little golden buckets at the end of them. For some of us those buckets are labelled “success.” For some of us “popularity” or “physical perfection.” Some simply read “security” or “family” or even “fame.” But those buckets are empty.

This word picture fascinated me because at the ripe old age of thirteen, I had decided that sports, academics and dating the right girl would determine my success in life.

Then I woke up one day as a senior in high school about to graduate, and realized that I had achieved my goals. I had good grades, a pretty girl and athletic awards. And yet, I felt absolutely empty. It was as though I had chased my rainbow to the very end, only to discover that the bucket at the bottom had nothing in it. I realized that my entire perception of happiness had been warped.

So where does that leave us? Does that mean we can never be truly happy? Absolutely not! In fact, God does no less than promise happiness, if we are willing to follow His map instead of our own. Read more at http://www.bible.org.za/articles/rediscovering_the_lost_art_of_being_happy.html

A New Powerful Life Changing Experience

40 Days of Love Campaign

Coming Early 2009 Saddleback’s newest 40-Day Spiritual Growth Campaign!

Unearth the core of Jesus’ ministry in how we show love to the people God has placed in our lives here on earth. This campaign covers every aspect of what matters most. How can we communicate more like Jesus? How do we love our creator, our neighbors, and ourselves?

We invite you to embark on this new journey with us in early 2009. 40 Days of Love is our first new campaign in more than three years! Let’s discover together a love that is patient, kind, forgiving, unselfish and always speaks the truth, all during this six-week journey into the very heart of the matter.

Included in the campaign will be:
The Relationship Principles of Jesus book by Pastor Tom Holladay – broken down into 40 days of reading and six relationship principles.

Six group studies by Rick Warren based on 1 Corinthians 13, plus accompanying small group guides. (with DVD)

Sermon transcripts for six weeks of the campaign

For more information visit us at http://www.purposedriven.com/

Another excelent Tool for Evangelism

Struggle and Triumph DVD
Use Olympic athletes' stories to communicate the gospel.

What is it?
26 minute high-quality DVD
6 interviews and footage of Olympic athletes
An explanation of the gospel by the athletes
An invitation to become a Christian
DVD plays in 36 languages
Created by

Athletes in Action
For a list of languages and a DVD preview, visit http://www.struggleandtriumph.com/.

How to use it:
Give this DVD to people and encourage them to watch it. Use the popularity of the Olympics and athletes to pass out the DVD at sporting events or other outreaches. Be aware, this movie contains footage of Disi Disudonne's experience during the Rwandan genocide.

Why use it:
Olympic athletes are heroes with a unique influence.
This DVD highlights athletes from 6 countries and 6 sports giving it broad appeal.

The athletes' stories are real and emphasize topics that most people can relate to, like loss, pride and public service.
The gospel presentation by the athletes at the end is easy to understand.
Giving away this DVD is a simple and natural way to share the gospel.

Where to get it:

Athletes in Action Store
For orders greater than 50, please contact Shawn.Keith@aia.com.

What people think:
10,000 copies of Struggle and Triumph are available to churches in Singapore and being distributed by the International Sports Coalition.

Campus Crusade in Japan is planning to use 40,000 copies of Struggle and Triumph with the JESUS film in Sapporo, Kanto, Fukuoka, Okinawa and Tokyo.

Campus Crusade in Bulgaria is getting 10,000 copies to give to their Olympic teams, officials and government personnel.

Josh and the Marines

Josh McDowell stretched out on the floor at Los Angeles International Airport near the Korean Airlines gate hoping to get a good nap before the long flight to Seoul.
The Campus Crusade staff member and author slept a bit, repositioning when he woke up, and locked eyes with a group of U.S. Marines who recognized him.
"When I was 13, I heard you speak in Jacksonville, Fla.," one Marine said. "I went home and couldn't sleep until I trusted Christ that night."
The man, now in his mid 20s, grew spiritually through reading one of Josh's books, and 3 of his friends at the airport had also become Christians through Josh's ministry.
The Marines asked Josh numerous questions about Christ and the Scriptures, and wanted advice on dealing with pressure in the military.
You Never Know What's Going to Happen
The encounter assured Josh that people he leads to faith can mature spiritually even if he's not personally able to meet with them.
"I often lead people to Christ who I've only known for a few minutes," Josh says. "You never know when you put your witness out there what's going to happen."
Since Josh joined Campus Crusade for Christ in 1964, an estimated 500 million people have been reached through his ministry, which includes 50 million of his books distributed in 120 languages to 150 countries.

Download a daily prayer guide about Josh McDowell Ministry. http://www.ccci.org/ministries/josh/josh-marines.aspx

Naked-i Magazine for Campus Student

Welcome to http://www.everystudent.com.sg/ -- a safe place to explore issues about life, love and what it might be like to know God. We have featured stories of people's lives that can move your heart as well as articles that can engage your mind in discussion. You can even post questions to us. We are very glad you came!

Hello, wrong picture! wrong photo! la

Praise God for the privilege to partner with Eric Cheah of UFiN to help reach some 140,000 Vietnamese working in here. Eric speaks Vietnamese. UFiN has got Network throughout the country and our partnership will see some 5,000 copies of the Jesus Film DVD being distributed in 2 years.

But, the best part of the trip is.....sure DURIAN. Penang is surely the Mecca of Durian. Must go every June/July. After eating durian in Penang, you don't eat durian elsewhere....Hard to believe! but it's true

Freshman's Magazine

The Most recently published UMove Freshman Magazine....we invite you to post this Magazine to as many University Freshman as possible..Giving the a chance to surf http://www.aibenfang.com/ website to DISCOVER JESUS... and win a laptop and others. This Campaign closes by Aug 8, 2008. Take a look at http://www.aibenfang.com/ yourself...Another Tool to help reach more University Student.

Last nite we were in Campus to visit Freshman and distribute UMove. I met 1 freshman Key Leader. Jessalynn's former classmate - Head Prefect (Ketua Pengawas) but Jessalynn got the most number of "kampung-mate" into 1 room to share and distribute UMove Most freshman we approached were very friendly and receptive. You should try doing it. Highly user-friendly