Happy Bday................to myself! haha!

Today marks the starting of the 3rd year (and 2 years old) for me in Christ!

Its 2 years liao... not too long nor too short... and looking back at this past 2 years there's so much things that happened in my life...

There's mountaintops where irrepressible joy could be found, yet there are also a number of deep valleys that shaped how i think and feel forever...

I wanna take this time (and space) to thank those who have really impacted me throughout this 2 year's walk with God.

Let's start from the very beginning.....

Firstly, i wan to thank and affirm Pooi yee, cos she is the one who invited and brought me to Hope church. If she didnt take that effort to invite me, i wont be here today loh! Haha come to think of it, everything seems to be so flowing in God's plan. Thank God for you, and also wanna affirm you for being a helpful sister to the unit. Continue to grow in God and love your people, and make an impact in SP!

2ndly, i wan to affirm Jorris. Jorris is the person who shared soooo much after the service 2 years ago that convinced me to accept Christ into my life. I wan to thank you for your sacrificial heart, and also teaching me how to be a 'planning' and organised person while i was your sheep. Although you always kena targeted for our jokes, but i believe that the guys under your care genuinely appreciates what you have done for them. Its not easy to lead a whole group of guys, especially when u are not of the same gender. But you took up the challenge and lead us well. You have impacted us so greatly such that some of your qualities have been seen in our current leaders after you left. Thank you for what you have done!

3rdly, i wan to affirm Soh Yi Heng Barnabas. As my 1st shepherd, you have took great pains to help me in my new faith, and build the foundations in my heart. I thank you for the shepherdings that built up my faith in God, for the foundations stayed with me even today. I have to admit that i am quite rebellious towards the end, but still thank God for your patience and love that you show to your sheep. Continue to exhibit and spread the love of God to your people as well as in NS!

4thly(?), i affirm Jeremy Kiu! Hahaha! Kiu is still my shepherd till today, and i still remember the time when we were spiritual buddies. Haha we shared the distinction of emoness and did some realllyyy stupid stuffs every saturday after service (in the past). You are someone who knows me well, up to the extent that can 'blackmail' me with my own secrets! I thank you for being a faithful brother-in-Christ, and i believe i have learnt a lot through sharing life with you. Continue to serve God wholeheartedly, and i believe God will shower us with blessings in SP! Jia you!

Of cos, there's still more people who have impacted my life in one way or another in this 2 years. I thank you all for your influence in my life as well. You noe who you are! Hahaha!

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God, i still remember the vision you have for me. Sometimes, i would forget, while other times i will remember it and be motivated by it. There's still much to change, much to surrender and be taken away in my life, for when i see myself with the standard of Yours, i see much flaws and aspects that must be get rid of. God help me, change me into a better servant for You and Your Kingdom. Purify, and take away the rags; for only a pure vessel can be used by You.

Last year was dominated by restoration. Let this coming year be a year of advancement in my walk with You. I need to catch up a few steps with You, Jesus!

20.06.09

There is a closet, with its door tightly shut.
It has not been open for ages, subjected to abandonment by its owner.
Now, the owner is being advised to open it up once more,
and what he found was
several skeletons and parts of bones.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
Time to clean it up i guess.

Sometimes i will just run away, away from problems and past experiences. Yet, some of them gradually came back to haunt me, over and over again until i learn to face it and deal with it. Its not easy to change, its not easy to forget and relive the things that happened. We need to face it, with courage and with God. For God called us to be overcomers and conquerers, not one who will run away when a wall of difficulties stands in front of us.

It is written,

(Romans 8:35-37 - Amplified Bible)

Who shall ever separate us from Christ's love?
Shall suffering and affliction and tribulation?
Or calamity and distress?
Or persecution or hunger or destitution or peril or sword?

Even as it is written, For Thy sake we are put to death all the day long; we are regarded and counted as sheep for the slaughter.

Yet amid all these things we are more than conquerors and gain a surpassing victory through Him Who loved us.

13/14/15 June 09

God is amazing! Great things happened over this weekend...

Firstly, my mum called me before service to ask how i am, and how's life here. And then she actually encouraged me to pray! Haha God is working in her heart, i can sense that she is softening up more towards Him.... Yay! Haha!

And service is really touching! Full of points for me to touch on and apply.. and of cos to joke with the brothers in service! Haha! Wonder who are the 4 guys ah... Must be people in my unit la... Really thank God for the fruitful service!

And on to Sunday.....

Had a fruitful meetup with NS bros and Bao ren. God blessed us with a wonderful time of fellowship filled with lame jokes and some games...

But the most amazing part came later in the evening..

Some committee members for the MCG went to Angel's house to create props for the games this tuesday, and the workload seemed so heavy that everyone believed that we gonna drag home the props to finish up. But God intervene and helped us to finish it by 9pm! Thank God! Our work will never be in vain when we serve Him with the right purpose! What seemed impossible to complete is completed right before our eyes! Amazing....

(Philippians 4:13)
''I can do everything through Him who gives me strength.''

(Mark 10:37b)
''All things are possible with God.''

Wanna affirm Han yang here for being a devoted brother; he went all the way from his home in Bedok to Hougang just to meet us in time for fellowship. And later contributed his efforts in making the props even when he is not part of the games committee. Thank God for you bro!

May the Name of the Lord be praised!

12 June 2009

Time passes by so quickly, soon i will be 2 years old in Christ...

Looking back at this one year and 354 days, i would say its has been a turbulent journey filled with high mountains and deep valleys. So many things have happened within this short period of 24 months. I thank God for His grace and patience, because i am really indebted to Him...

I remember that before i was a believer, i used to go to a megachurch with my secondary school teacher, who is a believer and member of that church. Large numbers of people are gathering outside the hall, waiting to pour into the auditorium when the service starts officially.

I said, ''See, that's the power of religion.''
My teacher replied, ''No. That's the power of God.''

Ya right. Whatever. That's what i thought.

I went to the church for a further 3-4 times, and after that stopped going because i lost interest in it.

However, God continued to stretch out His hand for me to come to know Him. There were lots of surveys, questionnaires and through them, opportunities were opening up once more. I joined a cca camp in school, and from there i came to Hope church where i decided to accept Jesus into my life.

Christ changes life. He transforms a person not by rules, nor by regulations and commandments, but by grace, and by the transforming power that shape people's character.

He does not put a leash of law around your neck, restricting your will or freedom. For people who are under law are subjugated to it without appeal, and punishment becomes a threat and deterrent that takes the form of unpleasant consequence.

Genuine will does not exist in forceful submission. God wants us to be willing to be changed by Him. That's why Christ was sacrificed on the cross, so that a path may be opened to us to communicate and establish a relationship with God through Him. From this relationship, God changes man starting from the heart, that the change may overflow and subsequently affect the external actions and attitudes of a person.

God once changed a man who was doubtful, who said 'i will not commit' right after a sinners prayer, to someone who commits to Him for 2 years. I believe He will change you too.

24/05/2009

Book of Lamentations for quiet time, and i thought not much encouragement could come from a book with such a depressing name.

The book records the lamentations of Jeremiah the prophet, who lived to see Judah come under the foreign rule of the Babylonians lead by Nebuchadnezzar in 586 BC. Jeremiah is called by God to speak to the Israelites who are living in Judah during that time, speaking fervently to repent from their sins. The majority of the population of Judah refused, and thus, met the judgement of God in the form of being invaded and conquered by the Babylonian Empire. The population were later scattered throughout the land, with a significant amount of people being enslaved and deported/exile to Babylon to work as slaves.

Its not doomed for the Israelites after all that had happened. They were allowed to return to their own land in Judah under the rule of Cyrus, whom conquered the Babylonians as prophesied in the Book of Jeremiah.

Nevertheless, i prayed for God to speak to me, to encourage and assure me, and the Lord speaks with these words from the book....

(Lamentations 3:22-27)
Because of the LORD's great love we are not consumed,
for his compassions never fail.
They are new every morning;
great is your faithfulness.
I say to myself,
"The LORD is my portion;
therefore I will wait for him."
The LORD is good to those whose hope is in him,
to the one who seeks him;
it is good to wait quietly
for the salvation of the LORD.
It is good for a man to bear the yoke
while he is young.

(Lamentations 3:57)
You came near when I called you,
and You said, ''Do not fear.''

The last part really speaks to me! Because fear comes to me again... Haha...

Praise God for His timely message from an unlikely book!

Number 50!

Really enjoyed a fruitful weekend!

On saturday, SP witnessed 2 converts! Really wanna thank God for touching the lives of people during the service! I can see so many joyful faces after the altarcall, in my unit as well as some other units as well!

(Luke 15:7)

I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent.

*We still need to repent, and live a repentful heart. For we are only made righteous through Christ alone.

As what Kiu said to us today...

''Yes, we always stress on the importance of what we share, how we share, do this and that to spread the Good News to people around us. But today, we had witnessed how strong and powerful God's conviction is in people's hearts! We can do a lot of things but without the conviction of God in people's heart, it would be futile. Similarly, God's conviction in a person's heart is powerful enough for him to turn to God.''

I thank You Lord, for Your grace and mercy upon all people on earth. You made me a witness of Your love for us when i first come to know You and experience You, and now You have reaffirmed and vindicated me as a witness of Your love, this time in someone else's life. May Your Name be praised, oh Lord! :)

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Today is the day the Lord has blessed! Had a skit rehearsal at Jacob's place and then dinner and fellowship with Jeremy, Gordon and Han Yang after the rehearsal. We went to Bedok Interchange to have our dinner at 8. And while some things are really interesting and funny, i dont think i can share here (Later i kena blacklisted for 'tau pok' ah!). Anyway, we saw something nice today... its a big big watermelon! Heh heh heh....

Ok not this one! This is what was left of dinner for 4 guys. Lying in the center is the remains of 16 'chui kueh', and the surroundings are littered with other remains.....

This is the main highlight! The big big watermelon! The stall selling it has its name on the menu... its 'da4 ci1 gua1'! Ok la kind of an understatement on their part...

Look at the Vitasoy's size in comparison with the watermelon! We are like so stunned by its size! Hahaha!

Ok more of a closeup now! It has peach, nata de coco, lychee and watermelon (duh) inside the spiky shaped watermelon shell.... nice nice!

Too bad cant show the ending though... its kind of gross... hahahahaha!




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The SP brothers (ok la only the 4 of us) have planned to celebrate by end of june, and what is a better way to celebrate other then with the loving custom of 'tau pok'ing someone? Hahaha! We have fixed a new target! Therefore be WARNED! Heheheheheheh....

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21.5.09

I see my beloved brothers and sisters
sacrificing their time till late at night
all to celebrate a birthday of a fellow brother
They boarded the same bus
to the destined same location
And while on the bus
they revealed the cake to him
All this are done in effusive love
love that touches the inner hearts of man
and draws out tears from the brother himself

What could this mean, in the face of a hectic schedule that centres around the period of people's salvation?

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Its day 2 of my fasting and praying schedule! Praise God! Hahahaha! :)