... study ... study .. study ....

Wow! In this generation that is bombarded by temptations of free "flow" of broadband ... facebook-ing ... computer games ...BGR (if u dont have a bf / gf at 14 or 15yrs, u r a geek, not normal), hang out with friends or roam the shopping malls, or as a group rent chalets to hang out, BBQ, karaOK the night away, gym, basketball, football, badminton, reading love novels, sms, talking on the phone on top of the many tuition and homework ... how to separate from all these and have heart to focus on studies? Hhhaha ... no wonder 24hrs is NOT enough to use. The youths today have much more things on their plate its just so difficult to study .. and this is on top and above the struggle with laziness, no mood, sian, language barrier or limitation .. and the feeling of forever sleepy ...

So, last Sunday in our youth meeting, I invited 4 "speakers" to share their experience how to study, how to prepare for exam and how did God help them in their studies. The "speakers" are actually the youths themselves ... Li Chin (this one last min kena tarik in), Kelvin, Jing En and Yeak Ming ... and oh yes Wee Xiang who also gave lots of input especially on how to study Accounts. Thank you very much for being sporting and sharing yea ... :0

Well, I didn't want to share how to study from my own experience because then it will sound like their own Mom at home "singing songs" to them ... I am very sensitive and careful here because I am older than some of their mothers ... I dont want to be another mother to them ... but their friend ... to share and have fun with ... :0

I can conclude that there are 3 main points that is similar from all the 4 sharing how to study :

a) Relationship with God
It is only with and by God's grace that we can study -- to have mood to study, know what to focus on to study .... only Holy Spirit can help us and empower us to fight the temptations ... the bed calling out to us .... come come come ... come to me ... the sms non stop coming in .... tv, computer games ... "facebook-ing" instead of really face the book to study .... aaahhhh ... how? Only Lord in His mercies can help us ....

I remember my form 6 days ... if it is not because of God, I can never make it ... I will never be able to focus and study ... my motto then was : study hard and study smart .... only God can help us to study smartly ....

In the mist of crying out to God and drawing near to Him .... we personally encounter and experience God - then God is no longer a second hand encounter ... or we will cross over from becoming God's grandchild to becoming God's bao-pei ... the apple of God's eye.

b) STUDY!!!!!
Yes .. we envy those who score As .... but when we compare the way they study and the amount of time, afford and energy put into the studies verses what we put in .... we have to say that that is why our result is like that ... no need to be jealous ... it is hard work .. our "speaker" who score straight As in his SPM says that he can shut himself in his room for whole 6hrs and study! We need to work hard friends ....

All of them shares that they set for themselves goals and target for them to achieve in their studies to push and motivate themselves ... and off course ... in the mist of doing so, they also have targets and goals for their life .. m sure they do not live irresponsibly ... drifting in and out of life ... living and doing as they please .. when they like ... but ... with responsibility towards the life and resources that God has blessed them in order that the blessings of God will flow in a greater manner ...

Responding to my question what shall I do if I have no mood to study --- one of the "speaker" replied ... "no mood still need to tell myself must have mood .... cannot depend on mood to study and live!" ... Yup .. that's sounds real fact of life ... imagine we go to work and that day we have no mood to work ... we can call in to say that we have no mood .. hence not coming to work?? Off course NOT!!! For now ... the job for youth is FULL TIME Students = full time studying ... so ...

c) Friends

Think that this is also a core point ... that is why we have the saying birds of the same feature flock together right? Right kind of friends is important because the power of friend influence is the greatest at this stage of life .... friends are the best people in the world .... not even parents can replace that ... right young people?

So, when we hang out with friends who study ... their performance in studies will give us motivation to study hard so that we will not be left behind in our studies and revisions ... friends will help us when we do not understand or do not know how to do Maths .... I love it when Kelvin says hanging out with the right friends is very important and had help him a lot cos ... when they study, they will study hard .... when they play, they will also play hard ... so ... when they study .. they will include him .. and when they play they will also invite him to play hard!

I strongly believe in right company of friends .... and good friends ... we need to be wise ... cos this will impact and change the course of our life and future! This is why the Bible says : “Bad company corrupts good character.” ( 1 Corinthians 15:33)

So, dear young ones ... what else can I say ...your brothers and sisters have said them all ... and I also echo the verse that Li Chin leaves with you .... and trust that when seek Him first ... He will surely help you and bless you .. give you what you need!

Jia You! May you offer your studies as a living sacrifice of worship to your God!!!