AuthorCliff

Fruit for thought: The Rise and Fall of Mars Hill

F

I recently finished listening to the whole series of podcasts on The Rise and Fall of Mars Hill. It has been a sobering podcast to listen to. I highly recommend for those who are in seminary or going to ministry full-time to listen to. It is a good reminder that we must be mindful of what we are building, which is rooted in Christ. If it is based on our ego, things will not last. One thing that...

Five Books Recommended for Christian Parents

F

Here are a few books I highly recommend for Christian parents. I read them for my M Div thesis. My thesis was persuading how parents should discipling their children, not the church. Book #1 – The Disciple-making Parent by Chap Bettis I never thought my role as a father was to disciple my children until I read this book. When Chap emphasized the Biblical text for parents should be the Great...

Gospel Identity vs Identity Based on your commitment to Jesus

G

This post reflects Tim Keller’s sharing entitled “How a Gospel Identity Grows” around the 15-minute mark. He said that basing our identity on our commitment to Jesus is subtle but vastly different from our identity in Christ (also known as Gospel Identity). How is it different? Tim used Peter’s denial as an example. When Jesus told Peter he would deny Him three times, Peter replied, “Even if all...

Kids, parenting and ministry

K

I may have written this before, so bear with me if you have read it already. Our life decisions will determine the path of who we will become. I know this ain’t rocket science, but I am always amazed at myself for taking this route of being a stay-at-home dad. I admit that most of the time, when I make a decision, I don’t fully know what will lie ahead. I should have read more about...

Our Fear of Being Ordinary

O

I carried them everywhere when my kids were young, like 3 and 1. I would strap the baby on my chest and carry my three-year-old in one arm. I remember a few times, people in the mall would applaud me and call me “super dad.” Being a stay-at-home dad (SAHD), one would think that encouraged me. It had the opposite effect. I never see myself as a super dad or someone extraordinary. As a...

The struggle in doing chores

T

I have been a stay-at-home dad since mid-2009, and there is still one thing that I still struggle with. And that is doing chores. A good example is what happened last night. Because I took the car for maintenance during the day, I didn’t have time to buy groceries. Usually, I shop during the day. So instead of putting the kids to sleep and rest at night, I’ve decided to go for a...

A change in direction

A

I can’t believe I have kept this blog for more than 10 years now. But I started blogging much earlier. My first blog was about my triathlon journey and Ironman training in 2005. Blogging was a way for me to connect with other triathletes and endurance maniacs 😀 Slowly, I started to switch to writing and reflect more about Christianity. And I ended up with this blog. As you can see, I...

Is ordinary good enough?

I

With both kids attending kindergarten, it is time for me to find some part-time work. As I update my resume, I have this constant voice telling me, “you are not good enough. Your achievement is so little. How are you going to stand out?” In life, we are often told or have an inner voice to tell us we need to be special. Even in marketing, you need to be different than anyone else. If...

Basing our identity on our works

B

If God can use David, a shepherd boy, He can use you. Anyone can be used by God You are special, and God has a plan for you. I noticed many encouraging sermons or talks wrapped around these messages lately. That you are special and don’t give up because God can still use you. The truth is that I also based my self-worth on what I am doing and accomplishing. So for the past few years as a...

Chasing the Unknown

C

Hi Wai Jia, I am going to climb the Bluff Knoll today. If you don’t hear me by the end of the day, please call for help. A few weeks ago, Bluff Knoll came up when I was checking out hiking trails in Perth.   It is the highest peak in Western Australia, with an elevation up to 1,065 meters above sea level. I have no idea what to expect. So, I did the best I could to prepare. The week...

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