Monday, August 11, 2014

Success Myths Busted

What does it mean to be successful? Here I am at 26 years of age with a beautiful wife, a playful toddler, a full time job, a car and a house we can call home. But really, what does it mean to be successful?


Is it income? Well according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics my income was in the top 10% for 2013 but I still find that I am making ‘just enough’. Somehow whatever raise or promotion you get, your lifestyle tends to just adapt to it. You don’t seem to have the surplus that you thought you would have once given the raise. But really, how high should one’s income be? Is it really important? Halfway climbing the corporate ladder, income doesn’t inspire me anymore. We are all greedy creatures anyway and are never satisfied with whatever we have. It is true that money is quite important as it provides food on the table and shelter above our heads. My wife and I started poor, at one point we had a few cents in the bank. Money nearly tore us apart at times but we are glad that phase was over. We know what it is to have nothing and we definitely do not take things for granted now. Is income crucial? I guess it is in our modern world where you really do need it for most needs and wants in life.


Is getting a job a sign of success? I always thought that having a job was the end of my education and a time for relaxation… boy was I wrong. I ended up working really hard to get recognition and to build a safety net financially. Some weeks I would work over 100 hours. Although I had a purpose, I was tired at the end of the day. After 2 years, my body broke down and I contracted some sort of virus from the hospital where I worked at. The virus caused me some rash and pericarditis and lasted for about 2 weeks. To be honest I enjoyed that 2 weeks as I needed that break so much. No I wouldn’t consider a job a success as given an ideal situation where finance was not an issue, I would rather not work. They say do what you love then you wont work a day. But I can tell you that most of the things I love doing won’t put a cent in the bank.


So does owning a home show success? We started off renting old broken down houses and moved on to renting ‘newer’ homes but ultimately we really wanted a place that we can call home. We pulled our finances together and bought a house for half a million dollars. Although we can call it home, at the back of my mind I know that the bank still owns about 80% of it and I have a long way to go in paying it back. Sometimes I do wonder if owning was any better to renting. Renting did allow us to have more disposable income but owning works out better in a long run when the house prices go up. We hope so anyway. Only time will tell. So I guess owning a home does not really constitute to success unless you are a real estate mogul.


Is education considered a success? I always thought that if you worked hard while you are young, then you don’t really have to when you are older. Well I haven’t found that to be true at all. I worked hard in high school and achieved results that enabled me to do my bachelors degree at Monash University. What I found was that I still had to work hard to achieve good results in my bachelor degree. Although I completed that 3 years ago, worked in the health industry for a while and now starting my Masters degree, I still find it tough to study. I guess working hard when you are young just accustoms you to work harder at your next stage of life. Having said that, education was important in a sense that it opened doors that were not available to me prior to the education. It allowed me to apply for jobs of higher position and gave me more recognition. Without it, I guess I wouldn’t have had the income that I have. And without the income I guess I wouldn’t have been able to have a home. So yes, education is important but I would not say it is success itself, it does however open more doors to success.



But what I really consider a success is having a healthy family. To be honest it is a real challenge to build a healthy home. Marriage for a start is not easy. It does have its pros but definitely has its cons. There are things that we thought we knew about each other only to find out differently after marriage. Sometimes it is not that we hide things from each other but we do change over time according to our lifestyle and circumstances. For example I was never really picky at food and would eat anything that was given to me. Fast track 5 years, I am now picky on some foods and would not eat rice that was too soggy. Sometimes I really do surprise myself at how picky I am. So in reality when we marry someone, we marry them not for who they are at that time, but for who they will be after marriage. The fact is people change over time. Looking at the stats in US for 2011, most marriages that ended up in divorce were separated after 6 years of marriage and officially divorced on the 8th year. I guess it goes to show how challenging the first 6 years of marriage can be. The thing about putting together a ‘system’ that works in the family can take time and for all you know, that system can be ever changing as we ourselves change. To constitute marriage a success, you really have to say that at the end of your life. Meanwhile, we work to the best of our ability.

Monday, January 14, 2013

Hello 2013!!

 Just in 2012 alone I got married, graduated and got my 1st job as a Radiographer. 3 very different but very important events happened in one year not forgetting how they were all perfectly tailored in time. It was as if it had all been planned out for me from the very beginning. I can now see how everything is slowly falling into place, how the pieces of the puzzle are coming together. I am yet to see the full picture but happy enough to see the progress of the pieces forming part of the image.

2012 was also the first time Steph and I travelled interstate, first to Gold Coast, then to Sydney. Both were very different experiences yet experiences we'll forever cherish together. It was also the year I travelled to Vietnam and experienced a whole new world. Certainly different and humbling yet an enjoyable experience.

On the downside, 2012 was also the year Steph and I got hospitalised for food poisoning and also the year our house got robbed. It was indeed a very traumatic experience, to feel violated at the very place where you feel most secure. It took us awhile to overcome it and I must say it motivated us to look forward to owning our own home. Nevertheless we choose to focus on the positives and use the negative experiences to motivate us to be better.

2013 will be a special year. Definitely a year full of milestones. It is only 2 weeks into January and I already got my first milestone- Director of Life Solution Christian Church. It is certainly an encouragement to what I am doing in church ever since starting the ECHO ministry 5 years ago. The title doesn't mean anything but it does encourage me to continue to build His Kingdom.

2013 will also be the year when we have our first baby. A year when we first become parents. A year when our parents first become grandparents.We are both looking forward to welcoming our baby into this world. Do follow our progress of Baby Sim by clicking the link.
On top of that, we also hope for 2013 to be a year when we will get to purchase our first home and our first car.



Thursday, October 11, 2012

3 Dollars

"3 dollars?" "do you have 3 dollars?". "Oh!" I was unaware of a man who was beside me asking for some cash. I was lost in a daze, day dreaming of useless thoughts that I would pretty much end up forgetting it within the next few seconds. "Sorry mate, don't have loose change". Without any reply, he spontanuosly goes to the next person and repeats the question."Sorry" was his next reply and yet he moves on to the next person.It was at a train station and eveyone seemed to give the same reply. He presented himself in an old blue gym pants, pulled way above his waist which encampassed his big beer belly. Caucassion probably in his mid-fortys with unkempt hair.He wore a black plain T-shirt with a black jumper that was unzipped through the middle obvious that it was not capable of zipping up due to the circumference of his belly. At the back of the jumper was a faded red logo of some bikie club. He was ragged, unshaved and looked as if he has been homeless for a few days. He held a ciggy in his right hand and did not seem to make any eye contact when asking for cash.
He looked lost and I began to wonder what life is like for him. Is he happy where he is? Well he probably has less stress than the majority of society considering less responsibilities ebing homeless. Then I began to wonder, is happiness the most important thing in life? Why then do we strive so hard in life when being happy can be achieved by being contented and being comfortable where we are? Then God soke, and with all wisdom and knowledge, all He had to say was one word; Usefulness. Aha! Alas it makes sense now. It may be good to be happy in life, but the right question should be are we useful to others in life? Being useful in life requires us to have the resource to become useful, which is why we work hard....Why is it then so important to be useful? I guess life isnt just about taking but also about giving.
I guess I can safely say...
COPLACENCY NEVER BRINGS SUCCESS...

Monday, September 13, 2010

Unity

The things we dont see in life.

How do we make a difference in this world?

When the people who want it, dont have the resources?

When the people who has the resources, but dont want it?

How do we find the right people?

As a child, we lack knowledge and energy to make a difference.

As a young adult, we have the energy and motivation but lack the knowldge.

As a veteran, we have the knowledge and wisdom but lack the energy.

But what if we can work together?What if we work as one body? Imagine the things that can be achieved.... Imagine...

Saturday, August 21, 2010

Get Your PS3 SLIM 120GB NOW!!!

The Where AM I? ebook will be pre-launched from today 1pm

What are the advantages of the pre-launch?
1. You get a discounted rate from the original price.
2. First 5 people who buy it goes into a draw of getting the book not only as an ebook but also receiving the physical book for free.
3. first 200 people to buy gets into the draw to win a PS3 slim 120GB

GET YOUR EBOOK NOW AT WWW.DEVOTIONCENTRAL.COM

terms and conditions : Competition closes once 200 purchases are made. Draw will happen after competition closes. Draws will be made based on receipt numbers. Winners will be contacted via email and products will be mailed to the winnder's address. No postage fees will be charged. COmpetition applies only for those who are in receipt of this message. Competition code : prelaunch2010

Friday, July 30, 2010

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Thursday, July 29, 2010

Daily Devotional eBook





Launch Date :
1 OCT 2010





Finding the right devotional material may not be as simple as it may seem. Grabbing one randomly off a shelf without first having someone experienced to review it might be more detrimental than it might be helpful. It is essential that a devotional book is based on biblical standards and not just “good ideas” that someone came out with.

This book has been reviewed and recommended by many highly regarded individuals including Doctor Steve Kumar, a familiar name in the apologetic world who wrote the book “Christianity for Sceptics”.

This book is not only thought provoking but is also compacted with much depth and insight, yet it is explained in a simple manner that even the simplest of mind would be able to understand and learn from it.

In this highly recommended e-book “Where Am I?”, you will discover how to look at struggles and situations from angles that you have never seen before. This book is truly an eye-opener for all.

WHy ebook? Its because these days people read their stuff on the internet, on their phone and on their ipad rather than physical books. With this devotional ebook, it can be stored in your phone, computer and ipad and read at any time.It is inspirational and has helped hundreds to get back on track. It will be launching in October where you would be able to purchase online with your credit card or paypal account. It is secure and has money back gurantee. Introductory price will be slashed from USD$20 right down to USD$10. Credit cards will automatically convert the currency for you. If you want, you can email me and let me know so that I will be able to notify you when it will be launched to grab hold of the introductory offer. The price is put down to half price for you to be able to have a read at an affordable price so that you can tell your friends about the quality of insight this book offers. This offer is only valid for 3 months after launch date.

Author :
Rev Kelvin Sim had pioneered 2 key churches; one in Malaysia known as Church of Praise Johor Bahru and one in Melbourne, Australia known as Life Solution Christian Church. He is also the founder and director of a Ministry-centred Organization called High Impact Ministries. He has served the Lord as a Senior Pastor since 1988. He is a spiritual mentor to many young servants of God who are currently serving the Lord as pioneers of a church and ministers of the gospel.






Synopsis:


“Where am I?” explores our everyday challenges and helps us to face them from
biblical perspectives. This book exhorts believers to pursue and to persevere in their
faith should they find themselves intensely nervous and also filled with doubt and
uncertainty.

Many examples from articles and personal experiences are used. Quotes are given to
inspire us with wisdom and common sense that can be developed in the course of
the journey. Bible Scriptures are expounded to tackle any related issues pertaining to
the ‘lost’ effect. It shows us that we can get back to a meaningful and vibrant living as
long as we follow God’s track.

“Without the knowledge of where you are, you can’t know how close or far away you are from your destination.” By Ellen Moore


REVIEWS :


It gives me great pleasure to recommend the work of Rev Kelvin Sim. As a writer myself I am impress with his wisdom and insight he brings into the pages of this volume. In this age of confusion his contribution is not only valuable but necessary for the success and progress of Christianity today.
Dr Steve Kumar, Apologist and Author of “Christianity for Skeptics”


Firstly, I want to say that the title of this book is very thought provoking and soul searching as it engages the reader to begin searching his very own life and its journey. It also allows for the reader to empathize with the writer in his personal accounts and experiences of his life’s journey.

Secondly, I want to say that the acronym used, LOST is brilliant as it truly encompasses the whole message and motive of this book.

Thirdly, this book is filled with Biblical references and quotations that would really challenge and inspire the reader to really want to make something of his life.

I recommend this book to anyone and everyone that is serious about God’s purposes and plans for his life and also those who are still searching for their identity in God.

Rev. Peter Misso,
Pastor of 2G Church and a former director of Teen Challenge (Singapore)


"I am very proud to be given a chance to review my good friend's book. The thing that impressed me the most is the way Pastor Kelvin express his sensitivity to hear from God all the time - even from the simplest of events of his life. It is this kind of spiritual sensitivity that makes a man of God. Throughout this book, you will find devotional thoughts based on the Word of God. These devotional thoughts are made real by his personal testimonies and the testimonies of other men and women of God. Whether you are a lay person or a minister of the Word, you will be enriched as you read this book. Because, all of us need to come back to God . . . over and over again . . . "
Rev Yee Tham Wan,
President of Asia Pacific Theological Seminary in Baguio, Philippines

‘Where Am I’ is a well written devotional book with much depth and insight and yet simple, practical, and helpful in facing realities in our Christian walk. Kelvin’s insight and ability to connect biblical truths to the realities of life has made this book a great resource book. I would strongly recommend this book.
Rev Christopher Mun,
Senior Pastor of Tabernacle of Worship, Seremban, Malaysia

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