May 18 - Chapter 18

Chapter 18 marked the second half of Paul's second missionary journey. 

In Corinth - from Athens, Paul stayed with Aquilla and Priscilla

 - from Macedonia, Silas and Timothy joined Paul

 - the disciples met Justus and Crispus

 - Gallio refused to judge Paul 

 - Sosthenes was beaten

In Ephesus - Paul left A & P (later on met Apollos) 

In Caesarea - Paul greeted the church

In Antioch - Paul spent some time there 

In Galatia and Phrygia - Paul strengthened the disciples

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Have you noticed that in this chapter, most of the names mentioned were names of people who were believers of the same faith? I wonder what Paul, Silas and Timothy must have felt upon seeing them. They travelled from city to city and they knew that there were only going to be three types of people, those who couldnt care less, those who persecute and those who encourage. Chapter 18 was all about encouragers. 

When I met Deepthi in uni, I thought she was just any one's typical quiet (but crazy), timid (but funny) and geeky kind of girl. I befriended her because we shared the same likes and dislikes =p I got to know her more in the 2nd semester of our freshman year and I found out that her dad's a priest of an orthodox church in North London. So I was like :O hehe. It was cool actually. We get to talk about stuff like, Sunday school songs, bible readings, youth groups, concerts and so much more.

Recently, her ex-boyfriend got married to a girl he barely even knew. It was an arranged marriage held in India. I found out about this early this year and boy was I so upset for her. Deepthi and her "boyfriend" was already planning to get married after our graduation and then her world fell apart when he went back to India and obeyed his parents' wishes. He got married last Thursday. 

I wasnt physically there for her when she found out about the engagement but I sent her the book that I always read when I feel like the world is turning against me.. "When God is Silent" by Charles Swindoll. She still holds on to that book. I remember crying so much myself when Dr. Nabhani, humiliated me infront of my PP groupmates. That problem was not as bad as her one now but I probably did cry as much as she did. Hehe. She was there for me, comforting me through texts and the whole lecture period the next day.

I guess that is how we are as Christians. We consider each other as brothers and sisters and so we treat each other as one. Just like Paul when he travelled from region to region - we must be good encouragers to our brothers and sisters in the faith!