Martha Y.

Today, Martha speaks to us about her love for Denpasar, Bali, joy and gratitude in the midst of tribulation, what she hopes to spread through social media, and how she practices discipleship in her community.

Inspiring biblical passage of the moment: “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understandings, in all your ways submit to Him and He will make your paths straight.” Proverbs 3:5 -6

Spiritual growth focus at the moment: Self Control. I am currently doing some big homework to live and practice in Christ-like qualities. I would like to be more positive and able to encourage more people by showing my self-development as a woman of God.

Profession: I am a full-time housewife, part-time blogger and a baker in Cheese Tart Shop.

Bio: Passionate about Jesus and the Word of God, aspir[ing] to be a faithful housewife, with a balance lifestyle to inspire women to live good, do good and looking good in and out.

When did you first encounter God and how did you encounter Him? I first started to encounter God when I took a leap of faith through being active in youth community from my previous church. It also took me a while to decide before I finally got baptized, in 2007.  Without realizing, it was actually the beginning of my journey into the Kingdom of God. I was experiencing Gods miracle’s and found out how He uses me through the gift’s that I have especially in music as a worship leader. Since then, I feel like I was carrying a big mission in my life. To spread the love and joy that God has brought into my life.

What has helped you grow spiritually in this season? Community and Spiritual parents (from church). I believe God surrounds us with people, not by coincidence. For example, my husband and I have such a lovely family in Christ living in Brisbane, Queensland. I could tell this community has a big part in keep reminding us to stand firm in our faith.

And also, personal relationship with God is important. It is about staying connected with God with our own time. (E.g. praying time, meditate on God’s words before I started my day). Not to mention, as a husband and wife, we have always take time to pray together, e.g. praying time before we go to bed and praying for the food that God has blessed us with before we started to eat our lunch/dinner.

So, by practicing a day-to-day life that clinging to God will always draw us near to Him. And in that moment, without realizing [it], we are actually growing spiritually and [we] act, speak, and think more maturely, as His spirit always lives in us.

Currently reading and what has it taught you? At this moment, I have no specific book that I currently read besides the Bible, and my daily online devotional from Our Daily Bread. But I have received some visions lately that keep nudging me, over and over again.

It is about how we should love people equally as how God approves and loves everyone equally, regardless of race and heritage. God even stands [up] to share His love [with] a sinner, so that they could feel how deep and wide His love is.

If you read the story of how God stands [up] for a woman who had been caught in the act of adultery. (John 8:1-11) You will think Jesus did something insane. When the Pharisees and other guys were judging this woman to be punished. Jesus just asked if anyone there who sinless could throw the stone at her. I mean like Jesus seems like do not care what other people would think by doing such a defend action for this woman who did a sin. But that is God’s love. He stands for her, forgives her and asked her to not do sin anymore. As Peter reveals about God’s love, in Acts 10:34-35, it is true that God does not show favoritism but accepts anyone from every nation; the one who fears Him and does what is right.

“It is true that God does not show favoritism but accepts anyone from every nation; the one who fears Him and does what is right.”

Top Three essentials: Faith, hope and love.

How did God speak to you recently? I could tell God always reminds me about so many things in my devotional/praying time. But lately, I think He makes me see something bigger through the people that I meet and even through a social media. I believe there is no coincidence for anything that comes across in your daily life.

Hobby: I love to write and sing.

Top three practical tips for staying spiritually strong:

First, you have to know your identity. Once you know you are a child of God, you know that you are the ambassador of the Kingdom of God. The way you speak, the way you act, the way you see and live, day-to-day is an actual representation of God’s image. I always put myself as God’s child. I know my Father will be pleased if I could live in obedience, so in order to make me understand that God actually doesn’t mean to take control over my life, I need to put my trust to Him as a father that will always wants the best for me.

Second, of course, stay connected with Him.

When you have a good relationship with someone, don’t you think you will have a better understanding of each other? It is same as how we maintain our relationship every single day, with God. Always take time to meditate in God’s word before you started your day. Pray continually (when you wake up in the morning, telling your gratitude upon the food that God has provided) make sure you prioritize Him in every single day before you start your activities.

Third, speak blessings. Learn to speak to people around you with a good purpose and good intentions. Teach yourself to speak about positive and thoughtful words that could build up people who hear it. If you know your tongue has a power in any words that you say, then walk away from gossip, judgmental conversations. Believe me, when you can practice this everyday; it is going to be a life changing. Even though you are in a tribulation, you can come to God with gratitude [in your] heart. And you will become a blessing for people who were weak and need encouragement in order to support their condition.

“Even though you are in a tribulation, you can come to God with gratitude [in your] heart.”

Favorite Person in Scripture? Noah. I will never miss and forget the story of this righteous man of God, through all the stories that were heard in Sunday school. I adore his faith and obedience, as He did all that the Lord commanded to Him. He is 500 years old when God speaks to him and gives His vision. Noah could just dismiss it, but He chooses to do what God asked Him to do in every single details of it. He is one real example in the Bible that always reminds me, when you obey to God’s words, He will keep you and save you. He will make everything you do prosper.

What do you want people to learn about God when they look at you? I want people to see that God is LOVE. He is real. And His love is for everyone that wants to come to Him. I want people to see through my life how He blesses me with everything, that I don’t even need to speak a word for Him to provide. Even though it is not only about material things, it is about how He gives me the spirit of joy, day to day. It is about how His spirit strengthened me when I am in tribulation of life.

“It is not only about material things, it is about how He gives me the spirit of joy, day to day.”

How do you leave your mark on your community? Discipleship. Since I am committed to serve the young generations in my previous church, I am always longing to extend more love and teaching about His words to people. I always [have] compassion seeing young people repent from their wrong doing and surrender their life to God’s purpose and find their calling.

I simply started by collecting all members’ data (e.g. phone numbers, address, school) [of those who were] coming to our Youth Service, every Saturday. And I text them the invitation of our Youth Service for next Saturday, also following up [with] them when they are not coming to the church. I previously started a small fellowship in my youth community that grew from 3 to 15 people. And even though I have relocated to Brisbane from Indonesia, I have seen some of them grow and have kept continuously doing God’s work through discipleship of their own, in the next generation of youth.

Favorite holiday? My favorite holiday is Denpasar, Bali. I get everything that I need when I visit this wonderful island. They have so many amazing places to relax while we still being able to enjoy the beautiful nature. And not to mention they also have a great shopping experience.

A dream you have?

In ministry: Get involve in a big movement by serving God with the talent and gift that God has given to me across the world. (Specifically, in music)

In Life: Having our (my Husband and I) own business that we can use to extend God’s love to people who come and participate in it.

A special tradition you and your family engage in or keep: Umm, I don’t really think we have one. But what we have is to always keep in touch, in any season. To be there for one another, no matter what.

Question you will ask when you get to heaven? How many people that have encountered God as long as I have, ministered for Him on Earth.

 Thing you want to raise awareness about: Some of us are blinded with all the comfort and luxury things that the world has to offer. It is so rare to see pure love and kindness that comes from someone’s heart, without any conditions. What I want to share through my social media is that all of us are human beings that are created in God’s own image. We are brothers and sisters. We should not hate or comparing to one another, we should lift each other up. Sharing about life that could support one another and gives our love freely to the world, so no one feel abandoned or alone.

“It is so rare to see pure love and kindness that comes from someone’s heart, without any conditions.”

What do you usually do before 9 am? Read my devotional, sipping my coffee and cleaning up house.

Define Christianity in a sentence? For me, personally, Christianity is not a religion, it is a journey, relationship, an experience and a commitment that you make to stand among people and declare that Jesus is the center of your life.

For more Martha:

Instagram: @Marthayunalay 

Until next time, keep witnessing!

XOXO