Basically, PostSecrets is about totally anonymous people posting their own personal secrets, some melancholic, some light-hearted, some hilarious, some heart-breaking, and so on.
From there, I sojourned on to PostSecret Community, which is a forum where people post their own secrets. Obviously they're anonymous.
As I pored through, I tried to figure out just what was so appealing about this website, that the Blogger people would publicize it. And why did people keep coming back to this blog?
And this word came to mind: Community.
People are hungering for true community. And they will go to wherever it can be found.
And on a separate thread, I was perusing Andrew's blog post on being salt and light in the cyber world. He said this:
With this understanding in how people are proliferating the Cyber world, I believe we (Christians) should and must stay relevant with these changes around us and to capitalise on the Internet as a powerful tool to reach, impact and influence.
What if the Church is able to engage people effectively in the way these politicians do.
Wouldn’t that be awesome?
We need to take the pulpit out of the four walls of the church and into the world.
I was thinking... HOW? :) I was discussing that with Hong Teck many moons ago (such a lovely archaic phrase!) about using cyberspace to touch children's lives.
And I certainly do think that as it stands now, posting Christian articles on the Net (like this article haha), while blessing the Church, and is good in God's eyes...
We could bless the non-Christians too with our postings. :) After all, Christian articles should be some of the finest writings the world has ever seen. Think Lord of the Rings and Chronicles of Narnia half a century ago.
In fact, Tolkien and Lewis had discussed this very issue half a century ago about how to be salt and light in their area of expertise: Literature. One of them had been complaining about the deteriorating state of children's literature... and the other suggested: "Why don't we write our own fantasy novels too?"
And the main reason these two epics have conquered the hearts and minds of millions the world over today is because of the enduring values that both espouse (and won the adoration of geeks the world over... and LOTR is the scriptures of every geek who truly seeks! ;D)
Values such as faith, hope and love. Courage, chivalry, comradeship. Perseverance, pain and patience.
Eternal truths to "mortal men doomed to die".
Parables, not propaganda.
Of course, it helps a great deal that both used their God-given skills to the maximum extent. Stretched themselves fully.
Why am I writing all these? Because of today's sub-district 242. Alan shared with us about his business trip to Shanghai about a week ago, and he said that he learnt a LOT. A lot as in learning to learn.
He shared about faith - wanting to prosper - not as the world sees it, but wanting to prosper for the right reasons - to bless the church, to pastor people without relying on them for financial support so as not to burden them... (even though the Bible says that those who preach the gospel do have the right to be supported by their congregations...)
Also, he shared that in the end, we need to have a vision to want to do something for God. It is the heart of wanting to do something for God, AND the partnership and direction of God that together, we are His fellow co-workers in the specific visions that He has approportioned to each one of us accordingly.
It is the vision that compels us to attempt extraordinary things for God, though we are ordinary people.
As the Navigators love to say, "Ordinary people, Extraordinary God!"
And to quote him directly, we "pray like mad"! :D Because it is so beyond ourselves that we cannot do it at all without His help. In the land of giants, we need His help. I was reading Deuteronomy, and Moses was exhorting the people, before they crossed over into the Promised Land, not to be afraid of the giant people living there, because the Lord was with them.
And to trace what God has been doing in our lives to prepare us for whatever tasks He's given us.
And I believe God is incredibly pleased when we are willing to attempt extraordinarily difficult things, as He so directs. Because it shows that we have faith in HIM. And faith pleases God, no less.
Of course we cannot do it on our own. The Israelites tried taking Canaan on their own when God told them NOT to go in... and they got soundly owned as they fled all the way back to their camp.
What are some of the extraordinarily difficult things that He may be calling you and me to do today?
Like, set up an orphanage in Africa - and the best orphanage in Africa, no less?
Dream bigger!
Like, preaching the gospel to kings and presidents?
Gosh. I inwardly shiver when speaking to my manager, let alone my CEO... kings and governors? Lord, help me!
But He said we will do so!
Ok, it's very long here. But yeah, still masticating on what Alan shared. :) Night and God bless!
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