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      One Life Experience takes you deep into the heart of Africa on a powerful, moving and unforgettable journey.
   

It’s an interactive, walk-through exhibition in which you’ll get to ‘live’ life through the eyes of an African child - through the eyes of three different children living in Africa.
How they find strength to face each day with renewed hope. From hunger
and heartbreak to hope and optimism, it’s a journey that will open your
eyes and touch your heart.

I was personally reminded of the horrors of the AIDS epidemic ravaging the poorer states in Africa, and isolation and trauma that many go through due to superstition and social stigma associated with the disease. Felt stirred to intercede for this nation, to see the love and hope of God touch lives, and encourage them that though their suffering is  in this lifetime, through Christ there is  abundant joy for eternity in the next.

The Ark remained in the Temple until its destruction at the hand of the Babylonian empire, led by Nebuchadnezzar. What happened to it afterward is unknown, and has been debated and pondered for centuries. It is unlikely that the Babylonians took it, as they did the other vessels of the Temple, because the detailed lists of what they took make no mention of the Ark. According to some sources, Josiah, one of the final kings to reign in the First Temple period, learned of the impending invasion of the Babylonians and hid the Ark. Where he hid it is also questionable – according to one midrash, he dug a hole under the wood storehouse on the Temple Mount and buried it there (Yoma 53b).

A more plausible claim is that of archaeologist Leen Ritmeyer, who has conducted research on the Temple Mount and inside the Dome of the Rock. He claims to have found the spot on the Mount where the Holy of Holies was located during the First Temple period. In the precise center of that spot is a section of bedrock cut out in dimensions that may match those of the Ark as reported in Exodus. This section of the mount, incidentally, is the one from which the creation of the world began, according to midrash (T. Kedoshim, 10). Based on his findings, Ritmeyer has postulated that the Ark may be buried deep inside the Temple Mount. However, it is unlikely that any excavation will ever be allowed on the Mount by the Muslim or Israeli authorities.

Was feeling really low today when I came across this poem…was on an encouragement slideshow website which I highly recommend for others to check out - www.tommyswindow.com

Hope the poem encourages you…

The flowers live by the tears that fall from

the sad face of the skies;

And life would have no joys at all,

were there no watery eyes.

Love thou thy sorrow;

grief shall bring its own excuse

in after years: The rainbow!

See how fair a thing God hath

built up from tears.

- Henry S. Sutton -

"The sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that shall be revealed in us"

- Romans 8:18 -

The story of Noah’s ark is told in the Book of Genesis. It says God saw how corrupt the Earth had become and decided to "bring floodwaters on the Earth to destroy all life under the heavens." God is said to have told Noah, an honorable man, to build an ark 450 feet (137 meters) long, 75 feet (23 meters) wide, and 45 feet (14 meters) high, and fill it with two of every species on the Earth. It reportedly rained for 40 days and 40 nights. After about seven months, the waters receded, and the ark came to rest, according to the Bible.

The Bible states that Noah landed in the region of the ancient kingdom Urartu. Mount Ararat (its name probably a corrupted version of Urartu) has been the focus of those seeking the ark because it—at 17,000 feet (5,165 meters)—is the highest point in the area. A volcanic mountain, Ararat is covered by an icecap from 14,000 feet (4,300 meters) to 17,000 feet (5,200 meters). The icecap is about 17 square miles (44 square kilometers) in size and is as deep as 300 feet (90 meters).

Satellite pictures taken last summer (2004) of Mount Ararat in Turkey may reveal the final resting place of Noah’s ark. The Genesis blueprint of the Ark detailed the structure as 6:1 length to width ratio (300 cubits by 50 cubits). The anomaly, as viewed by satellite, is close to that 6:1 proportion.

(taken from National Geographic News & CNN April 2004)

An image from the June 19, 1949 U.S. Air Force Mission that captured a panoramic view of what is simply called "the Ararat Anomaly".

This satellite view shows Noah’s Ark jutting out from the snow on Mt. Ararat. Image Courtesy of Digital Globe

"The LORD is gracious and righteous;
       our God is full of compassion.

  The LORD protects the simplehearted;
       when I was in great need, he saved me.

  Be at rest once more, O my soul,
       for the LORD has been good to you."

Feeling more motivated today. Once you start and get some writing done, it definately spurs you to keep going. Gosh, there has been so many birthdays over June and July….am going broke! Need to find some casual work…

Had a good time for Care Group at Fook Chun’s house yesterday. We were discussing about the 40 days of purpose campaign and who we were thinking of inviting. I personally have not read Rick Warren’s book on the Purpose driven life. Wish I was in Singapore though, can think of heaps more people that I could invite. 

Should spend some time reading the Bible to get refreshed mentally and spiritually Nothing else works quite like it.

The Shroud of Turin is a centuries old linen cloth that bears the image of a crucified man. A man that millions believe to be Jesus of Nazareth. Is it really the cloth that wrapped his crucified body, or is it simply a medieval forgery, a hoax perpetrated by some clever artist? Modern science has completed hundreds of thousands of hours of detailed study and intense research on the Shroud. It is, in fact, the single most studied artifact in human history, and we know more about it today than we ever have before. And yet, the controversy still rages.

Read more from: http://www.shroudstory.com/
and look at the images below.

We still don’t know how the images were formed. But we are well past thinking the shroud was painted or that it is a medieval fake-relic. Chemistry proves that. We can make a good case that it is a burial shroud of a crucifixion victim. With some historical reasoning we can infer that it might have been used by Jesus.

What I found intrigueing was the fact that every part of Christ’s life was witnessed by man (ie his birth, his childhood, his ministry, his miracles and teaching, and his death on the cross), ecxcept for the resurrection when he rose from the dead.

Wouldn’t it just be like God to leave us photographic evidence of the resurrection thru the shroud? Point to ponder *grin*

I would highly recommend ‘Curious George’ and ‘Flushed away’. Both put a smile on my face, and the characters are quite lovable. Be sure to check out the slugs from ‘Flushed away’ and the songs they sing.

Watching movies are such great forms of escapism! Just for a moment anyway

Blessed day at church today. God never fails to refresh and encourage me when I gather by faith with His people and lay all my worries and fears at His feet, and simply do what I was made to do - worship Him. Am now recharged for the week ahead.

"Better is one day in your courts than a 1000 elsewhere" - amen!

Just had an awesome afternoon jamming with the Church band. They are a great bunch of people, really talented ann giving their best for God

The variety of songs were great - ranged from Paul Blaoche/Chris Tomlin/Tim Hughes songs to Hymns, Hosanna Songs and Parachute band music. Although many of us were tired, we came out of that time truely refreshed and revitalised by God - who needs caffeine? hehehe.

Looking forward to the next one already. Its really an awesome privilege to be aprt of this team and serving alongside such a great bunch, PTL!