22, Single, Greater

Hola everyone, it's been my usual tradition to post something after my birthday just to say, "yes it's been a week, and you might've missed it". I come from a family that doesn't celebrate birthdays much, so my birthday was pretty much the same as my normal days. (the last time  my sister and I tried to organise a surprise birthday party for mom, it almost put me into an argument with dad *true story)

I've posted on my path, but...
I thank y'all for your words of encouragement, your thoughts and even for your gifts that soon to be delivered *muahahaha (assuming they were sincere).
I don't know why I thanked you sarcastically, but maybe it's because now I'm in Palembang right now where people talk like this all the time.

Arriving in Palembang right before Christmas 2014 gave me a chance to join Gereja Mawar Sharon (Rose of Sharon Church) Lighthouse's Christmas Celebration: Precious Moment.
The lead Pastor, ko Maxi Eduard Lonta, who spoke as that day's preacher ministered a really anti-mainstream message of Jesus Christ.

Rather than speaking the typical 'heart-warming' message of Christmas, he spoke the message of repentance continued with the message of salvation through Jesus Christ.
I saw this preacher got so fired up and shared the gospel, so I was like "preach on, pastor" almost all the time. I can say one thing for sure, this guy preached what God put in his heart.
I said, "I want to see how God uses this church, which is pastored by someone brave enough to speak out the message of repentance boldly" and I pray for it, I really do.

I'm grateful to meet someone who isn't sugar-coating the Word of God at my community.
This opportunity is really helping me to keep holding onto what I believe, as well as to find my own greater calling.
Currently I withdrew myself from my social medias (I'm still using some though, ain't gonna be a shut-in), which resulted me to have more self-control, more time for other useful activities, and even enabled me to reach serenity in living my life, HA!
But seriously, because I check on my news feed less, I become more spiritually and mentally fit when meeting my friends or having a one-on-one session. I think, being absorbed too much into these medias will only cause us to lose our Spirit-driven self control.

Especially when I was struggling in deciding my future career. If I were given a chance to do anything (without any consideration, it is), I would like to answer: "a pastor" or "a preacher".
Coming near to the end of my study in Malaysia, I struggled even harder.
My dad is a businessman and I'm the first child in my family.
It means my parents kinda have an expectation on me to own a business.
After months of praying, finally in January, I let go of my own ego.
Ego, you said?
Yes, because as I said, me being a pastor (in my own version) is egoistic.

Only right after I said to God, "If there is something I learn by not running away from what my parents told me, so be it, God", I saw where God wants to lead me to.
What if there is strength that I need to embrace along my journey?
What if there is a specific advantage God wants me to have by following this plan?
What if God's plan A is something I always refused to even consider?

I was reminded greatly, especially by GMS's fasting movement with the tagline "humility comes before honor".
"Humble yourself, Indra", I told myself.
I'm finding out God's purpose for my life in more specific ways and I would like to write a post about it when it becomes clearer.

Then I started 2015 with a unique circumstance, where we 'celebrated' our New Year in SGH Hospital, as my twin sister collapsed due to partying too much *yea right
We love this girl so much, to the extent that one of us wore a Stitch costume for her.

Jadi ceritanya gua ga ke Batam sendirian.
Anyway, muka Bri sangat menghibur di sini.

Mission Accomplished ya kawan2 :D

Hate me as you want, I'm posting it anyway.
Wellney 15:13 Greater love has no one than this, that a brother put on a Stitch onesie for his sister 

Entering the age of 22, I felt like thanking Vedo Irawan for the first Leonis FC jersey he gave to me last year. Same number, eh?

Thank You, Jesus for my 22 years.
I know I've made the best possible choice to believe in You and trust You with my whole life.

One of the most often wishes I got recently was "cepet dapet jodoh ya" while I'm like "nah, not so soon, dude" hahaha.
Not that I don't support the gift of marriage, really, I'm all in for a godly marriage, but I don't agree with how most of us see the gift of singleness.

Truth be told, single is underrated.
There is this trend, or pattern, occur among us to treat singleness as a disability - an incomplete state of life - or even a problem.

"I'm just joking about it"
Okay, it's cool
But doesn't it still treat the gift of singleness wrongly?
It affects our perspective about singleness, much.

1 Corinthians 7:25-27 (ESV)

25 Now concerning the betrothed, I have no command from the Lord, but I give my judgment as one who by the Lord's mercy is trustworthy. 

26 I think that in view of the present distress it is good for a person to remain as he is.

27 Are you bound to a wife? Do not seek to be free. Are you free from a wife? Do not seek a wife.

Does it sound like Apostle Paul was against the idea of marriage?

Nah, verse 28,

28 But if you do marry, you have not sinned, and if a betrothed woman marries, she has not sinned. Yet those who marry will have worldly troubles, and I would spare you that.

So...

It's good with your dream of marrying someone, but don't you know that it's good that you are single too?

Many things have happened to me, but I remain the same on my standpoint about this matter.
I may not be a suitable person to talk about relationships, marriages and stuffs, but let me talk from my own experience in the efforts of setting myself apart for God: Singleness is not a disease. Singleness is gold.
(you may see my 22 years without having dated anyone as my advantage or my disadvantage, your call)

Greater life doesn't occur only when "two become one", there is greater purpose when "one stays as one" as well.

When we say "Christ is enough", then in ALL seasons in our life, He never ceases to be enough, whether you are single or married.

Isn't it the best choice you've ever made to stay single rather than to marry wrong person?
The Bible said it best:

Better to live on a corner of the roof than share a house with a quarrelsome wife - Proverbs 25:24

But y'know what? Rather than marrying wrong person, it is worse to be a wrong person to get married to.
So don't be that kind of person, period.
Become someone whom you want to marry wants to marry.

I know this ain't gonna eliminate your question "when" or "who".

Having this kind of faith - that trusts what God speaks about singleness - won't make all your questions go away.

I believe that faith is not eliminating all the questions that might come up, it is trusting your questions to Someone with the highest authority.

The opposite of faith is not doubt, it’s certainty. - Anne Lamott

Nevertheless, as Pastor Steven declared: It's gonna be worth your while!

So even if there were times I asked "oh really, God?", I ain't rushing, no matter how many people that came and told me to do so (true story). Instead, I'm kind of able to figure out how my older friends feel during this situation.
To remain sanctified, complete in God's love and pure before God, should be our main concern.

I don't want to skip my current season, I'm embracing my season!

Ecclesiastes 3:1

For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven:

Set Apart

Happy summer break, Monashians! Congratulation for clearing another semester of hardships, tears and sleepless nights, ancora imparo, ain't it?
I'mma make my holiday productive as usual, starting with reading these books, especially The New Answers 1 that I had actually read few chapters and gave up because the content requires high level of intelligence (and I said I study engineering?)

Fit to be Tied - Bill Hybels
The New Answers 1 - Ken Ham
Blink - Malcolm Gladwell

I spent my first hours of liberty by watching The Undertaker's (WWE) matches though.
Don't judge me, he is a legend

A little bit throw back:

Jansen Karim Zebua (Head of Praise and Worship Ministry) and Angelia Margaretha Wirawan (Head of Vocal Ministry) invited me to come to a worship seminar and it turned out that it was run by Worship Central.
Now we have Worship Central Malaysia *clapping sound effect

Can't say I'm a hardcore fan (like I am to Elevation. Speaking of which, EW will be releasing new album called "Wake Up The Wonder". Order them, you must.), but I do listen their songs, especially Spirit Break Out.

I met with Luke Hellebronth, his wife, Anna Hellebronth and Stewart Mcilrath.

Maaf gua sama Angel kurang tinggi

The better news is that they open Worship Central Academy in Malaysia, check it out HERE to apply.

I'm utterly excited, as I'm passionate about being a Youth Pastor or Worship Pastor (those are the things what God has planted in my heart), I might be able to fulfill this calling after I've been working for some time though (makanya cepet lulus dulu, dra).

So this opportunity is like a pathway to my calling and ummm, I'm negotiating with my parents about this academy, so please keep praying for me, will you? Appreciate it much, thank you :).

Anywayyy, they were selling the T-shirts and CDs. I, when looking at 'Set Apart'-themed goods, I was like "let's get as many as we can" (still wonder why I was not permitted to bargain).

Yang mo pinjem (CDnya) kasih tau ya

Speaking of set apart, I was introduced to the term "set apart" by my friend 2 years ago. Truth be told, even before that, I actually knew the older version of it: "sanctification" (yea, I'm old school), which is from the Hebrew word, Qadash.
This is one of the rhema I received when I was younger and, uh oh, I'm so into it.

This time, I'm going to share about it (no, not about The Undertaker)

To be anointed means to be singled out by God for special favours or responsibilities - Steven Furtick

Recently I found out that there are a lot of (new, yet kinda expected) rumours circulating about me (almost like a continuation from what I wrote on my old post).

People think I might have a gift of celibacy like Paul (I got that a lot, for years),

they start to match me with random female friends of mine, 

some even say that my future spouse isn't even born yet, 

or
to the extent where some people really think that I feel attracted to guys (just check my Ask.fm).

- No I don't. In fact, one of my dreams is to marry ONE godly woman and be blessed with cute and adorable children (number of children is TBA).

Jarang chatting, tau2 begini nongol pagi2. Anak komsel macam apa ini?

Di-tag di IG n Path, terus ada yang bilang "denial stage ya?"

The thing is...
I might meet her when I'm 22 (next year dong), 25, or maybe after 5-10 years, whenever God sees fit. I believe by setting myself apart for God, at the same time I'm preparing myself for her, our family and our family's calling.
Don't you see that marriage can't be your goal? It's another level of God's greater calling for both of you.
You shall not just pick up random people, because marriage is about a teamwork, thus a fit helper, an equal partner (Genesis 2:17) is mandatory.

Honestly, while you wonder who I am going to marry, I had prayed concerning this topic years ago. I mean, IF I did have a gift of celibacy, it would be much better if I had heard it from God at the first place. (gua juga cemas woy, beneran ga nikah nih, Tuhan? - just kidding kok. I'm all Yours).

Well, I don't get any affirmation regarding this gift (too bad for those who hope that I do).

So prepare yourselves, y'all, my future spouse is going to be fantastic and amazing (like I am).

Okay, back to the Word.

I will take my stand at my watchpost and station myself on the tower, and look out to see what he will say to me, and what I will answer concerning my complaint. - Habakkuk 2:1

In ESV, it clearly states that this Habakkuk guy 'stations himself', of which I picture the state of being set apart.
It doesn't mean you won't need your friends, mentors or community to discern God's will for you, but it does mean you thirst for God more than anything else in such level of intimacy, urgency and extremity.
(and it doesn't state that Habakkuk brings his Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, Path or electronic gadget with him-Distractions, big time #justsaying)

I believe the key of setting yourself apart is to know God and desire to know His heart more and more each day. By doing so, you'll see that nothing can EVER compare to His love - and this is such a radical theology, because it takes faith for us to really live it - it pleases God nevertheless.
I would say, even my spouse will be nothing, compared to Jesus.

He hath made every thing beautiful in his time: also he hath set the world in their heart, so that no man can find out the work that God maketh from the beginning to the end. - Ecclesiastes 3:11

Don't waste your time by waiting for a wrong person, or worse, by being a wrong person for the right one.

Two weeks ago, in FGCC Fresh Youth Service, Ps. Fu Xie ministered a sermon about becoming someone who you are looking for is looking for (I'm sorry, that was originally in Indonesian), of which I guess I'd heard a similar message from Pastor Andy Stanley "Are you who the person you are looking for is looking for?" (how do I know Andy Stanley? Of course because the fact that he had preached in Elevation before *teteup).
So, are you? and I asked myself, am I?

Quick tips: If you think you're preparing yourself in your singleness for a certain someone, it's great. But what about your family? Do you think you have loved them like how a child should God does? I think they are the most suitable people for you to love before anyone else, second after God.

Singleness is a process of preparation, not an embarrassing state that you need to get over quickly.

Don't try guessing or hastening God's timing for you. 

Heartbreak hurts, man. Be it from people's rejection or God's no.
Can't you just trust God for His plan and His timing for you?
He has your best interests at His heart.

Meanwhile, set yourself apart!
So you don't hinder God's works in you by getting distracted by trivial things.

When you deserve the best, why settle for less? - Bryan Leong

I know I'm kinda unconventional.
I still hold on to my uncommon principles like "my first kiss is my wedding kiss".
Well, that's because I know that I deserve the best, and that's exactly why I said "I am different" (and proud of it yo).
I refuse to settle for less, therefore I trust God with my singleness until it's time.

Be sure of this: when it's time, it's time.