Thursday, December 31, 2009

Partly inspired by Siying's post, partly inspired by a sermon Pastor Ben preached about the importance of giving thanks. So right now, on the last day of 2009, I present to you a list of people I'd like to thank.

Daddy God. What an awesome year this has been. It has really been a year where Your salvation and free favours profusely abound in my life! From the awesome dare/caregroup You have given me to my year-end exams... You have been so faithful even though I have been faithless so many times. Its hard to believe how next year can be any better, but I believe that the path of the righteous shines brighter and brighter(Proverbs 4:18)! Lord, since you answer exceedingly, abundantly, above all that I can ask of you(Ephesians 3:20), keep me in your rest, that I may be a glorious testimony to Your love. No doubt, every good thing this year is all Your doing. Thanks again, Daddy God.

My family. Without my mum, I wouldn't even be in the youth ministry now! Thanks for arranging for me to attend youth ministry-related events again and again even though I wasn't too keen on doing so. Thanks for going over and above for me in everything I need. I think I have the best sister and grandparents in the world! I feel so privileged that I can talk with my sister about almost anything. My grandma cooks the most amazing dishes every day. She is the reason my home is as lovely as it is! My grandpa is always willing to help the family with anything(memories of the hours he spent waiting for me while I was having tuition pop up now)! I really have an awesome family. Not to mention my cousins Markus, Joanne, Hui Hao and Wan Qi, as well as my fun and caring aunts and uncles. Abba Father, keep them in Your divine protection, always!

My dare/caregroup leaders. From DARE: Keon and Lydia. Lydia is the first youthgroup leader I was placed under, and is probably my first friend in the ministry as well. Maybe she didn't see herself doing anything above the ordinary for me, but I'll always remember the care she showed me while I was under her wing. Keon took over from her. He really made me feel welcome in the group, and is a leader I truly respect. From Arrow: John and IReen. John is an awesome guy: we have many interests and he's helped me with many of the questions I've had in my walk with God. He is really a guy you can depend on and have fun with! And what can I say for IReen? She has made an impact on the many people who have been in her caregroup with her friendly, approachable personality and deep wisdom. Thank you all, for deepening my walk with God. Always keep the zeal you already possess to shepard God's beloved youth!

My daregroup. Adeline, Linus, Hair, Justin, Yanping, Mindy, Siying, Yinlin, Yeu Mahn: thanks for brightening up my life. You all were one of my first friends in DARE and I thank God that you have continued to be such a light in my life. I can rely on every single one of you and each of you have given me strength when I have felt down. Thank you all so much!

My caregroup. I love and am grateful to my whole caregroup, but I want to highlight certain people whom I am really thankful for. Dave, Denise, Yong De, Shawn, Joel, Johannah, Zenda, Kai jie, George, Charmaine: You all really proved me wrong when I thought to myself that Arrow will never be as awesome as DARE. Each of you have built me up since the start of this year, and are awesome friends. Thank you for the commando friendships which you have shared with me!

My friends. Mikhail, Mahavira, Wei Sheng, Shazreen. Thanks for keeping in touch even though its been three years already, Mikhail. Maha, Wei Sheng and Shazreen: thanks for befriending me even when I was kind of like an outcast in my class. I really appreciate it!

My class. My only regret was not opening up sooner. All of you are wonderful people!

My PW group members: Clara, Yiu Si and Eugene. All of you (especially Yiu Si)have done so much for the group in PW that I feel like I did too little in comparison! We may not have seen eye-to-eye through it all but I'm thankful for the chance to work with you all. I enjoyed it! I couldn't ask for a better group.

My CCA. Awesome bunch of people. Thanks especially to Heidi who taught me the basics of debating, and Stella and Clifton for being good friends.

My teachers. Too many to list, from K1 till now. All of you have taught with zeal and tried to make lessons interesting too. Especially Mdm Yeo, Ms Wei Ling, Mr Surhan and Mr Low Jun Meng. I respect each and every one of you. In fact, I am considering teaching as a future profession!

My pastors, especially Pastor Prince and Pastor Ben. Thank you for sharing the deep revelations that God has put in your hearts. I have benefited so much from your ministry!

Not too long a post, and I'm very sure that there are many more whom I'd like to thank. But this year has been awesome, and I'd like to thank the people in my life who has impacted my life. Daddy God, thank you for an even better 2010!

Abba, You love me.
7:02 PM

Saturday, December 26, 2009

Our Lord is come

I love Christmas. Any day during which people remember Jesus is a day I like! Here's a little poem (posted two days late) from me to you, sibling in Christ!

Some view Christmas as a feast; there's food and drink galore.
Some view Christmas as parties, gifts and friends but nothing more.
But we who know the truth, let us sing and praise with joy!
For many years ago upon this night was born a Boy.
Our humble Saviour, He was born in a manger lined with stone.
That on the cross He'd die for us, our sins taken as His own.
For this reason we have hope for all eternity:
Jesus and His finished work forever set us free.

Once, not too long ago, I looked forward to Christmas for only one reason: TOYS! I still remember that awesome Power Rangers mecha I received one year(1997?). Sure, I knew that Jesus was the meaning behind Christmas but that was just head knowledge, a little tidbit kept at the back of my mind. I enjoyed the good food, I enjoyed the parties and got the same thing every year: temporal happiness. 'Cause when the tree is dismantled and the decorations kept away, life went on as normal.

The funny thing is that I still look forward to Christmas due to a gift. The gift of Jesus on the cross. I really thank God that He was so patient with me. My mum, my cousins Markus and Joanne, even my former classmate Liyee: all of them were used by God to show me His love for me. Even after the tree is dismantled and the decorations put away, I'm still filled with joy knowing the truth: out of His perfect love Jesus died for me upon the tree, cursed so that righteousness now adorns me like a robe.

Many people get negative thoughts whenever they hear the word 'Christian'. They may think of greedy churches or hypocrites or negative examples in the media. But I'd like to challenge you today: if you haven't already, give God a chance to show His love for you. He is the answer to your doubt, the perfect love that casts out all fear (1 John 4:18). No challenge in your life is above God's ability to surmount (Matthew 17:20). And above all, He loves you for who you are. So much so that He sent His Son to die for a world where nobody cared about Him.

Merry (belated) Christmas!

Abba, You love me.
6:12 PM

Tuesday, December 22, 2009

God is awesome. So many of my siblings in Christ had an awesome week too, even as I was enjoying myself in Hokkaido. Reading their blogs, I am reminded of God's love for us all.

Abba, You love me.
5:32 PM

Tuesday, December 15, 2009

Today I'll be heading for Hokkaido! Only three things make me kinda sad about it:

1) I'll be missing carolling with my cg

2) I'll be missing the Christmas party with my cg

3) I'll miss THIS SUNDAY'S CHRISTMAS SERVICE!

Oh well. I know that God will give me an enjoyable time in Japan, but I'm still sad that I'll be missing such awesome events. Nevertheless, I will cling on to God's Word:

And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them. (Romans 8:28)

Yup, when you love God, even when you don't see how things could possibly improve in your life, you can be sure that all things WILL work together for your good.

Consider the story of Joseph. At his lowest point, he was a prisoner, put into jail for something he did not do. Yet if he wasn't in that prison, he wouldn't have been able to interpret the dreams of the baker and the butler. If he didn't do that, there wouldn't be anyone to recommend him to the Pharaoh. And Jospeh then wouldn't be poised to save Israel and his family from seven years of famine! (If this sounds confusing, do read his story in Genesis 37-45. Its awesome!)

Even the impossible naturally isn't impossible for God. Its time for us to start believing God's Word radically. Yes, if we lay our hands on the sick, healing SHALL flow! (Mark 16:18)

See you in a week! (if there even are people reading)

Abba, You love me.
10:40 AM

Thursday, December 3, 2009

Just got back from Batam. It was an awesome experience. Praise God!

On the way there, while I was sitting on the ferry, I was praying about the trip. I was worried about whether it would be a good trip. It has been a year but I've not really bonded with my class yet. Suddenly, this question popped up in my mind:

Will you cast out your nets again?

This reminded me of a certain portion of Scripture, so I pulled out my Bible to check:

So it was, as the multitude pressed about Him to hear the word of God, that He stood by the Lake of Gennesaret, and saw two boats standing by the lake; but the fishermen had gone from them and were washing their nets. Then He got into one of the boats, which was Simon’s, and asked him to put out a little from the land. And He sat down and taught the multitudes from the boat. When He had stopped speaking, He said to Simon, “Launch out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch.” But Simon answered and said to Him, “Master, we have toiled all night and caught nothing; nevertheless at Your word I will let down the net.” And when they had done this, they caught a great number of fish, and their net was breaking. (Luke 5:1-6)

Why was I worried that I couldn't bond with the class? Its because I've already tried before, again and again. Thats why Simon's response struck me. He had tried all night to catch fish and failed. He was even an experienced fisherman! He could have fallen back on the memory of his past, wasted efforts and refuse to let down the net again. So why did he try again?

Because Jesus told him to. And once he let down the net again, he received a boat-sinking load of fish!

Beloved, can you trust that God will make all things new? That He can cause your past actions which resulted in failure to prosper? Of course, if you want something which isn't meant for you yet (such as a relationship before the proper time, or bad company), God will keep you from it out of His love for your well-being. But when it comes to things like friendship, He wants only the best for you! And efforts which have failed before will bear fruit once Jesus steps in. I'm happy to say that I've been able to grow a little closer with my classmates during this trip! I'm trusting God that the work He has begun in this area will be completed!

So you've failed before. But when Jesus tells you to cast out your nets again, will you trust Him? Lets walk a deeper walk with our Saviour. He alone can do the impossible.

I was also struck by how happy the orphans were! I expected them to be melancholic due to their lot in life, but they possessed a happiness I've rarely seen in cosmopolitan Singapore. Really made me wonder: do creature comforts equate happiness?

We painted 3 classrooms! On the last day at the orphanage, some people in my class played a game of "kampong soccer" with the kids: tens of people on each side playing football in a clearing in the forest, with the sea serenely watching. Very inspiring. God willing, I'd like to write a poem on that.

Just like HistoryMaker 2009 (the only other camp I had this year), God has been so faithful in everything. Stay restful, for God is the answer to every problem!

Abba, You love me.
6:45 PM