The Unexpected Beauty of 2017

Last few hours on 2017. I can hear all the fireworks around the house complex. This year truly holds its own high light. I have been trying to find rest and reflect for the past few days. At last spending some time to detox and find balance in life again. I would like to list down some of the things worth noting down from 2017:

1. Welcome Home
I have been for good since last year but it was just by mid this year that I can finally back pad myself and say, welcome home Elle. Many of us experienced this struggle too I believe, but only by His strength I can go through all these. Jakarta's traffic is still a joke everyday but rather than cursing and crying over the joke, I say grace and pray for this city as I commute back and forth. Going back home and actually living under the same roof with the parent and siblings too were (and are) a struggle, all the curfew, don't do this and that. Not easy, y'all but I chose to see it in a different way. I am grateful that I have people who get my breakfast ready (a very nutritious breakfast unlike those bread and coffee I grabbed every morning in Beijing), people who get my clothes all squeaky clean and ironed. Think of those privileges and be grateful.

2. Working, surviving and striving
It's my first time to get a full time job in Jakarta and well... the first legit job as graduates and all I can say is: cari duit susah. Not "susah" but rather a realisation there is not such thing as luck. You work hard hence you get paid. But beyond just working because I need to, it has taught me more about bearing professional responsibility. Its not the matter of tapping in and out on time or crossing the project list, but rather investing yourself to your work. Own it as if its your own company. Be it 10 clients or 100 clients, own it. I can't be more thankful for having a super sassy yet gracious manager and team at work, they have displayed what it means to be humble #bosslady.

3. Planted and Rooted
Glad to say I have finally come to an end of Sunday hopping sessions and came to a home church this year. You know those Sundays where I have to question: which church should I visit today? So I gave myself a timeline last year, by March 2017 I should have make up my mind and heart. Yes, after much prayers. I am home. Instead of asking what the church can offer me, I told myself to learn more about the church: the vision, mission and actually how the church outreach to the youth. Its not the end of the story yet, praying that soon I can server His kingdom here too.

4. Dreams are meant to be shared
I guess the older you grow, the more you learn that life is meant to be shared. Less of the perfectionist soul, less of my own ego and less of thinking about my own priority. In compare to 2016, I visited less new places this year. I met almost the same faces every working days, the same faces on Friday night and sometime a new faces on weekend. But this year too, I have learnt to let go some of my dreams. Hard to say but letting go of my Sydney dream was the hardest. I have never imagine going back for good means settling down too in Jakarta. It was hard but if you ask me now, it is actually the answer to my other prayer.

So to close down:

Thank you small group Gading family: For growing together, sharpening one another. For the very dearest koko and cici who endlessly poke me genteelly, pointing out my flaws with abundant grace and discipline. Let us grow and bear more fruits  in the coming season.

Thank you to my Yo ladies: For the group of friends who understand the power of coffee in the morning, the 4pm sugar craving and the can't wait for 6pm. Above all, for the friendship I have never imagine I can have from office settings.

and above all thank you, Jesus. 2018, Nothing but deeper in love with Christ. Teach me to be a better version of 2017: to live humbly, to work with integrity, to always be a bundle of joy wherever I go. As cliche as it sounds, let it be more of you and less of me. Let it be your dream and not mine. Take me to places I have never imagine before.

Selah.

My Jar Overflows

How can you serve when...

Your hope bowl is currently empty.
Your faith is hanging loose.
There are more reasons to be grumpy and sing the self pity songs.
The two hours traffic somehow turned you into a beast.

There are days when I question God, how can I serve you Lord in this kind of situation? How can I still work with integrity and actually not lingering around. How can I finish my race strongly? On my way to the Big Bear Heart meeting just now, I was like how can You use someone as weak as ordinary as I am especially when this very low battery body to server the kids this upcoming week? Is that even possible for us to give drinks when your cup is empty?

2 Kings 4:2-3 

Elisha replied to her, "How can I help you?" Tell me, what do you have in your house?"Your servant has nothing there at all," she said, "except a small jar of olive oil."

This verse spoke to me around a month ago and it still warms my hear up until today. See how the widow humbly responded to Elisha. Honey, she is a widow which by norm she belongs to a lower class group at that era. She legitly has nothing like how she responded. But little that you know, she had a small jar of olive oil.

In this season where I have no other jars in my life I realised there is nothing else I can hold on to except this small jar of olive oil which is His words. Nothing else. Just like the widow, I question too how can I serve with my nothingness? It is actually the perfect timing for me to rely on His strength. The source of my living olive oil, only through You my small jar overflows.

Seasons of Life

When people ask “how are you”, honestly deep down I am suffocating in Jakarta. I am still questioning the next step I have to take, a bit of A and a bit of B. But after scrolling through some old photos, a piece of Small Group Wudaokou photo popped out. It reminds me how I used to grumble or even curse myself every time I have to travel 1-hour bus ride from my dorm to wudaokou just for small group. But if you ask me now, I am grateful God put me to grow there and actually meet people whom I hold dearly to my heart up until this day.

But here is my recent realisation: life won’t be forever that blooming spring season but even during the dazzling hot summer days or the bitter winter days, shall we be grateful for the current season of life?

Taipei 2017

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The Wall and The Wait

Joshua is known as one of the great leaders in the bible. A man after God's own heart, the man who actually "forced" by God to lead His people after the death of Moses. Here I will be sharing what I learnt best from Joshua chapter 6. The fall of Jericho. We all have known the story since those Sunday school days right? Marching around the wall for 7 days and just like that, the wall collapsed. literally.

Here are two things I learnt from this scene. First is the way God works in capturing Jericho. Marching the wall for 7 days? then so what, why would it collapsed then. Simply because from the first place, it has been His battle not the Israelites. God's way in capturing the land is simply the tactic no one will understand. The same goes with our life, for most of the times, we plan and plan leaving no space for His way to take place. May be the wall we have been praying are families who can turn their way towards Christ, may be we are praying for promotion, for a financial breakthrough and all other. We have been asking God how can we win over the Jericho in our life. The wall is simply to high for us to climb, the people are too strong for ur to fight for. But do remember, it has never been our battle from the first place. His way of winning over Jericho is simply a tactic we have never imagined and even consider non sense but He made the wall collapse. Rest assured.

"The the Lord said to Joshua, "See I have delivered Jericho into your hands, along with its king and its fighting men." -Joshua 6:2

Secondly is the waiting period. The fact that Joshua ordered his people to march around the city for six days. On verse 10 it says, "Do not give a war cry, do not raise your voices, do not say a word until the ay I tell you to shout..."Waiting period has never been easy yes? In this case, 6 days can be 6 months or even 6 years until His promises are fulfilled. Perhaps we have been praying for our relatives who have been battling with cancer. Praying for an economic breakthrough for this nation. Praying over a scholarship and the right place to work. We pray, pray and wait. It has never been easy but Joshua commands his armed men not to give a war cry - it speaks about wailing and complaining. Our attitude during the waiting period matters. He wants us to be still during the waiting period, to keep on marching even though our feet are aching, although the scouring summer sun and freezing winter days attack us. It is not finished yet, friends. Please don't lose hope because when the 7th day comes, we will shout. Shout of glory and victory because He won the battle.

This sharing from my small group has touched my life. Hopefully my little sharing can be a little salt out there too. His ways are always above our ways and don't give up guys - do wait until the 7th days. We shall shout victory together. Closing this post with my small group fambam photo. Happy summer break guys!

Project 24

Flowers flowers and flowers,

Who on earth love thee not.

Although your lifetime is short,

Your beauty always empowers.

Hello lovelings, how are you all there.

Did not realise it has been around 9 months ever since I am back to Jakarta. Drum rolls on the endless traffic life, halleluyah! But on this post I just want to take some time to recall on one of my teenage dreams (hah!). Yes, you got it right it’s about flowers.

Back in January 2015, I had this little mission called Project 21. Why is it called 21, simply because I hope to achieve it before I turned 21. The project is all about starting a mobile flower studio. Simply because I love flowers, I mean who on earth does not like it? At that time, florist in Jakarta was not as booming as per today. There was not rangkaian.com nor lovidovi.com, every time I want to buy a bouquet for my mom or grandmas, I struggle. May be because my typical ideal bouquet is The Grounds Florals by Silvia in Sydney, but the combination of whimsical and “inspired by the nature” quoting from Silvia. The struggle did not last long until I found the happening florist in town: Atelier Fleuri. It was love at the first sight every time I scroll through her Instagram feeds. Then after some time, it was Studio Jiro. I started screen shooting their feeds, basically mesmerise over their beautiful creations while I keep on asking myself: where can I get these flowers in Beijing?

I start baidu-ing flower market in Beijing, due to my limited Chinese skills, for the next few months I was left clueless. Tapi tetep gak berenti. While trying to find the flower market, I visited other market to find the flower wrap. Typical pasar hopping dari pasar pagi ke pasar baru, beli brown paper gulungan sampe beli kain goni. Long story short, days before my birthday on July. A friend of mine showed me list of random non-touristy places to visit in Beijing and there at that time, I found the location for the flower market.

No, my Project 21 was not established before I turn 21 but I am glad enough I keep my dream alive. Last year before I before I turned 22, altogether with my 3 other girls we established Fleurdelys in Beijing. The inspiration, energy, and the glory belongs to Him :’) We were able to kick off our first collection on April 2016 just before the graduation season. I tell you, it was not easy at all to start and actually manage everything. From finding the right supplier, designing the card, actually spending hours to create bouquets, and finally delivering it with care.

And yesterday two years after I started Project 21, I had the chance to actually join a flower arrangement workshop with Studio Jiro. Starting the day with roses, tulips, eucalyptus, and hydrangeas – what can be better? It simply reminds me of the dream I hold since 2015. I hope by this year, Fleurdelys can wake up from its hibernating zone and bloom again in Jakarta. I personally never take running a flower studio for its financial gain (tho its a huge) but the joy it brings to the receiver is just priceless. Which is why Fleurdelys tagline is “bringing you the moment to pause and ponder” and flower has the power to do this. I realise how florist in Jakarta is just berjamur dimana-mana right now but I also believe in the uniqueness of each florist. To always stay curious, terus mau belajar, and spend more time playing with flowers – that's my homework for the upcoming months. Thank you Studio Jiro for always inspiring, here is to my upcoming project 24. By His grace.