Fruit Of The Spirit

Monday, May 23, 2011

Browsing Memphis ... the few last days

I wrote this blogs a few months ago , but haven't publish it ...............

4th March 2011

Well, as most of you know, my time here in Memphis is coming to a close. In fact I have…. about 3 days left. Something like that. So… I’m walking around with my eyes wide open. Trying to remember every detail. Somebody asked me what my eyes are trying to memorise in the time that I have left. Here’s what I told her: ”I’ve thought a lot about your question… what are my eyes trying to memorise… And I keep going back to the drive on Poplar Road . Frankly, it’s not a beautiful place…. it’s one of the poorer State in America. It’s kind of like ipswich compare to Brisbane city ... But… that’s I think one of the things I’m going to remember: the restaurant, Pho Saigon ,the beautiful peoples in my life , the part where i got drunk and was carried on my cousin's back at one moment and the next moment down the gutter somewhere,… I’m also memorising long drives from Memphis to Chattanooga , ..Miami and back. Some days you can see them so clearly… surrounding the city (and whenever I do see them clearly, I start singing Psalm 125 “As round about Jerusalem, the mountains give defense, Jehovah is her people’s guard and lasting confidence”). Some days they are invisible, some days they peek out of wisps of fog. I’m also memorising the street as seen from the front of my cousin's place

I wrote a list of things I want to do before I leave. It has things on it like, “watch the sunset and catching up with Jasmine and Dustin all night” or “eat chicken salad and sandwich at Chattanooga , the most unusual chicken salad i ever seen and tasted in my whole entire life " makes us crack up laughing everytime i remember it .

and attend church with both my aunty and cousin Phuong...But I’ve realised that the things I’m going to miss most, are the “mundane” things that I do everyday. Like sitting with my relatives talking to them , playing hilarious card games.

It’s time to go – I’m sure i will be back to the States. But it’s sure gonna be hard to leave….

Sunday, March 13, 2011

The Great Escape 1982

1975 , life wasn't as easy for those ex servicemen to remain in the country . As i mentioned before my dad was an ex-navy , but after the collapse of Saigon every men , no matter what their degrees or positions .. all are classified as one , low key workers. Struggling to survive in a corrupted communist country .

The year 1975-1979 was the years most people only remember as the country's most darkest moment . Disasters , stalvations and proverty. I was born in the year of 1978 .

1983 , after the birth of my brother Nhu . My family and relatives plan their escape ...we call ourselves boat people.

No escape would be complete without the strength of seeking freedom by boat people. ..

No words could describe how terrifying boat people suffered on that unforgettable escape.
The fall of Saigon was the beginning of our adventures to the unknown future. Some of us made it, but others were gone forever!

Leaving the homeland on a little wooden boat with an old rebuilt engine, . Days and nights went by, then the engine suddenly stopped. We were floated by the wind without food and water. We dealt with fear from the crashing waves every minute. While hearing those sounds we grew worried, and felt like the monotonous tone and rhythm of a boring song playing over and over again never ending. Besides, we suffered the storms, the robbery, the rape repeatedly. My family was amongst those who have lost their love ones.Like other lost wives, children, parents, relatives. Some of them were abducted, others killed and buried at sea.

I was only 4 , i remember when they took my sister away .. she was only 15 years old , amongst her were my cousin in law .. and 2 more woman i cannot remember their names .

After the abduction they led us to Cokra Island for us to die , the stillness of the water the sound of the crickets was as torturing as ever as we awaited for whatever would happen to us next .

No more tears on those faces, no more crying or complaining, but holding our breaths to face the unfortunate fact and built up the strength to beat the fate.

We had to survive, maintaining our lives to tell the world our tragedy and what hardship boat people endured. We finally made it.

I remember I have accept Jesus into my life was on the 24th July 2007 .

For over 4 years of becoming a christian I still have not actually experience the supernatural of God in my life ..I truely have a desire to feel , hear and draw closer to my Father in Heaven.

As a young Christian I do have doubts and occasionally question myself when speaking in tongue wether or not is the Holy Spirit or is it "me" muttering myself and fooled myself that is the work of the Holy Spirit. It is the Devil trying to fool me , YES it is the DEVIL!! Father please forgive me with such bad thoughts.

Today I have created this blog is for others to see my development and growth in living a Christian life . My walk with God blamelessly and my faith in Him.I'm not a writer nor a great jornalist so please excuse me if some of the things does not make sense, What I write here are deeply from my heart.Let me be a true testimony to witness for those that were like me :)

Let me introduce myself and my background .My name is Thanh Nha Thi Nguyen , such a long name , we all can just refer to as Nha . I was born to a Buddhist family . My life begins in 1978 , the year alot of Vietnamese would remember to as one of the country's darkest year . A year of starvation, proverty and full of disasters .

My father was an ex- navy serving the military before the country's downfall , and mum is just an ordinary housewife .

The First Miracle In My Life

As my dad's 1st baby , i get extra attention and care ,however i was a weak child . I had many sickness happening during the 1st year of my life . One of the deadly one was at the age of 7 months. I have suffered from a pneumonia .Mum dad didn't even have enough money to keep me in hospital ,then how could they afford to cure me?. The hospital fees was traded with rice , just for me to stayed a few nights .

Doctor confirmed that i will die before morning , my breathe was becoming weaker and weaker . Suddenly , till now my parents still cannot explain why..I took the last deep breathe and recover almost straight away.

Is this a miracle? If yes then is this a purpose in my life that God has plan for me to fulfil . If yes God please review to me what do You want me to do in this life .

Fruit of the Spirit - Visible Growth in Jesus Christ
"Fruit of the Spirit" is a biblical term that sums up the nine visible attributes of a true Christian life. Using the King James Version of Galatians 5:22-23, these attributes are: love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness and temperance. We learn from scripture that these are not individual "fruits" from which we pick and choose. Rather, the fruit of the Spirit is one ninefold "fruit" that characterizes all who truly walk in the Holy Spirit. Collectively, these are the fruits that all Christians should be producing in their new lives with Jesus Christ.

Fruit of the Spirit - The Nine Biblical Attributes
The fruit of the Spirit is a physical manifestation of a Christian's transformed life. In order to mature as believers, we should study and understand the attributes of the ninefold fruit:

Love - "And so we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in him" (1 John 4:16). Through Jesus Christ, our greatest goal is to do all things in love. "Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails" (1 Corinthians 13:4-8).

Joy - "The joy of the Lord is your strength" (Nehemiah 8:10). "Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God" (Hebrews 12:2).

Peace - "Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ" (Romans 5:1). "May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit" (Romans 15:13).

Longsuffering (patience) -- We are "strengthened with all might, according to his glorious power, unto all patience and longsuffering with joyfulness" (Colossians 1:11). "With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love" (Ephesians 4:2).

Gentleness (kindness) -- We should live "in purity, understanding, patience and kindness; in the Holy Spirit and in sincere love; in truthful speech and in the power of God; with weapons of righteousness in the right hand and in the left" (2 Corinthians 6:6-7).

Goodness - "Wherefore also we pray always for you, that our God would count you worthy of this calling, and fulfill all the good pleasure of his goodness, and the work of faith with power" (2 Thessalonians 1:11). "For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth" (Ephesians 5:9).

Faith (faithfulness) - "O Lord, thou art my God; I will exalt thee, I will praise thy name; for thou hast done wonderful things; thy counsels of old are faithfulness and truth" (Isaiah 25:1). "I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith" (Ephesians 3:16-17).

Meekness - "Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted" (Galatians 6:1). "With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love" (Ephesians 4:2).

Temperance (self-control) - "But also for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge, to knowledge self-control, to self-control perseverance, to perseverance godliness, to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love" (2 Peter 1:5-7).

Fruit of the Spirit - A Devotional for All Christians
The fruit of the Spirit is a wonderful study for Christians at any level of spiritual maturity. We hope this website provides a thought-provoking devotional and a springboard for growth.