Wonderful Batam Break

Monte and I spent three wonderful days at Batam View Beach Resort on the 7 – 9 Dec 09. Although it was peak season, the place was quiet during our stay. Besides relaxing and soaking up the holiday. We set aside time to seek the Lord together in prayer.

"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."

Lamentations 3:22-23

This powerful verse speaks of the Lord’s unending mercy and grace. His faithfulness never fails. As long as we have breath, we will proclaim His greatness and goodness through all generations. We continue to lean on His arms of love in complete trust and faith.

Lord, Am I Climbing

“Then the spiritual climb could continue when physical movement was impossible?” – Amy Carmichael

These were the words of Amy Carmichael (1867–1951), a Protestant Christian missionary in India. She wrote some time after she was badly injured by her fall in 1931, which left her bedridden much of the time until she died in India in 1951 at the age of 83.

Amy Carmichael went to India in 1895, and served in India for fifty-six years. She served without furlough and authored many books about the missionary work.

Carmichael opened an orphanage in Dohnavur and founded the Dohnavur Fellowship. This mission society was devoted to saving neglected and ill-treated children. 

In 1931, Carmichael was badly injured in a fall, Yet after her fall she wrote, “Then the spiritual climb could continue when physical movement was impossible?”

Carmichael often thought of life with the Lord as “mountain climbing.” Prior to her fall she wrote these words, "God of the Heights, austere, inspiring . . . Loosen me from Things of Time; Strengthen me for steadfast climb. . . . Not for me the Things of Time; God of mountains, I will climb."

But then many years after her fall, she still wrote, “Then the spiritual climb could continue when physical movement was impossible?”

It is amazing that she was in her bedridden state that she said: “Lord, am I climbing?” 

She could not climb physically but her spirit man was so strong. Her deep desire to pursue God could not be stopped by her physical limitations. 

She kept the fire of God burning so strongly that long after she passed on, she continued to inspire people to love and serve the almighty God.

We want to climb every mountain that God presents to us. He leads us by the hand as we navigate through every crag and boulder. 

He who is faithful will keep us from falling. He will keep our feet from slipping. He keeps us safe and secure in His strong and loving arms.

Lord, let us climb higher. Grant us supernatural strength. Let us reach for the stars. Let us see Your plans And purposes fulfilled in our lives. Let Your dreams come true. Let Your will be done.

Sources:

Much of this information on Amy Carmichael was taken from:

“Amy Wilson Carmichael (1867–1951),” Theology thru Technology (http://www.tlogical.net/biocarmichael.htm).

Frank L. Houghton, Amy Carmichael of Dohnavur (North Harrow, UK The Dohnavur Fellowship, 1953; Fort Washington, PN: Christian Literature Crusade, 1979).

Perfection has its Price

The Lamb of God who was slain from the foundation of the earth is our perfect sacrifice. God gave us His very best, the perfect sacrifice of supreme purity and richness. A sacrifice that is packed with His great and boundless love. Every sacrifice that has ever been made can never be compared to this ultimate sacrifice because the Lamb of God is perfect. Perfection has its price. God in His love gave us His best because He first loved us with His everlasting love.

Encouraged by Every Testimonial

I have enjoyed vocal training immensely. God has opened doors that I could never imagine. On 23 Nov 2009, I received a testimonial from an attendee of my Vocal and Singing Techniques Training Workshop. It read:

“Dear Jee Fong,

I never realised how we can easily spoil our Vocal Cords without knowing it until it’s too late. I now know that taking care of our Voice is quite simple if we were taught the proper Vocal & Singing Techniques. Some of the Techniques you shared with us during your Demo Session was quite simple to practice & proved to be effective.

Thank you for sharing and I wish you success in your vocal training workshop.

Sincerely,

Richard Tan”

I am thankful to everyone of my vocal trainees or workshop attendees who took their precious time to pen down testimonials which I would put on my vocal training website. I am greatly encouraged by each one of them. God has helped me to grow and develop in my vocal training endeavour over time. I continue to rely on the grace of the Lord to offer what He has placed in my hands back to Him again.

The Elastic Band of Love

Monte and I were in courtship between 1998 to 1999 and on 20 March 99, we were united in holy matrimony.

One of the activities we enjoyed during courtship was bicycling. Monte bought me an elastic band (as shown in this post) to prevent my jeans from being dirtied by the bicycle oil. This elastic band of love is significant because it shows the care, concern and love in a tangible way. Oftentimes it is the little things we do for our loved ones that leave a lasting impression. I continue to cherish this relationship that the good Lord has blessed us with. Each day, we allow the hand of God to lead us on in this amazing journey of love.

God Works In Mysterious Ways

While Monte and I were off at Asia Pacific Theological Seminary between June 2000 and April 2001, the Lord opened doors for us to minister in unexpected places.

One Sunday morning, we visited the church near the seminary. After the time of praise and worship, announcements were made and a lady approached me to minister in song. I was stunned. Bear in mind that we have never been there and no one knew us. I accepted the invitation gratefully.

God often works in mysterious ways. He springs surprises on us when we least expected it. Serving the Lord is not cumbersome. It is fulfilling and enjoyable. It is an honour to serve the King of this universe.

Thank You So Much, Lord

This afternoon, I was conducting a vocal and singing techniques training workshop at St John’s St Margaret’s Church. At the end of the training, what echoed in my heart was the reality that I could never have done it apart from the Lord’s grace, strength and enablement. I was greatly encouraged by every participant who came. I continue to thank the Lord for the wonderful opportunity to do what is close to my heart. Thank You so much, Lord.

God of All Seasons

Spring, summer, autumn and winter. The season of abundance, season of lack, season of vibrancy, season of dryness, season of expectancy, season of idleness, season of unspeakable joy and season of sadness. 

The Lord walks us through each and every season. A God of faithfulness, true and just in all His ways. As He unfolds His plans and teaches us many lessons from each season.

Our love for Him deepens as He pours His mercy and grace into our lives. Someone once said that tough times do not diminish the presence of God. The same hand of God that shape and mould us will also cover and protect us in the toughest terrain.

Scrumptious Birthday Dinner

Last Thursday night, Monte brought me to Fiesta Brazilia at United Square for my birthday celebration. The food was superp. Rounds and rounds of passadors wielding rotisserie-grilled meats; beef, lamb, sausages, pork, chicken and fish. We were so stuffed up that evening. What a scrumptious dinner!

Monte makes special effort to source out places we can go to for my birthday, our anniversary and valentine's day. I appreciate his love and thoughtfulness.

Isaiah 40:31

Isaiah 40:31

"But they that wait upon the LORD

shall renew their strength;

they shall mount up with wings as EAGLES

they shall run, and not be weary;

and they shall walk, and not faint"

“Did you know that an eagle knows when a storm is approaching long before it breaks? The eagle will fly to some high spot and wait for the winds to come. When the storm hits, it sets its wings so that the wind will pick it up and lift it above the storm. While the storm rages, below the eagle is soaring above it. The eagle does not escape the storm, it simply uses the storm to lift it higher. It rises on the winds that bring the storm.

When the storms of life come upon us and all of us will experience them, we can rise above them by setting our minds and our belief toward God.

The storms do not have to overcome us, we can allow God's power to lift us above them. God enables us to ride the winds of the storm that bring sickness, tragedy, failure, and disappointment into our lives. We can soar above the storm.

Remember, it is not the burdens of life that weigh us down, it is how we handle them.”

~ Author Unknown ~

Beautiful APTS

Monte and I spent about ten months between 2000 to 2001 at Asia Pacific Theological Seminary (APTS). It was such a beautiful place. I have very fond memories of our time there. The Lord opened the door for us to be there. Those were very precious times where we experience the hand of God as fairly new married couple.

Here is a write up from APTS’s website http://www.apts.edu/index.cfm?menuid=9&parentid=7

“Asia Pacific Theological Seminary is located approximately 250 km (150 miles) north of Manila just outside Baguio City , the chief vacation city and "Summer Capital of the Philippines." The campus is situated high on the Cordillera mountain range offering unsurpassed scenic beauty.

Although the campus is located at an altitude of 1630 meters (5,300 feet) above sea level, it is just minutes away from schools, churches, and transportation facilities. Baguio City, with a population of 350,000 is served by a daily flight and regular bus service from Manila. Baguio is known for its many colleges and universities, fine restaurants, shopping malls, recreation facilities and unique local handicrafts. With its low crime rate, the area provides a comfortable and secure setting for international students.

The APTS campus is well known for its garden-like environment. Flowers abound throughout the campus and the grounds are well maintained.”

Celebrating Life

This life that our maker gives is precious. The great irony is that for many, they do all they can to prolong it. Some people may be physically ill but their determination to fight the disease is so strong they will lay their hands on the best medical help and medication in the quest to keep living. On the other end of the spectrum, there is another group of people who do not want to live and some of have taken drastic steps like committing suicide to end their lives. For the will to live is no longer there.

The Bible tells us that God has given us life and as children of the living God, we have full liberty to live life to the fullest. We look forward to each day because we long to see the hand of God in everyday living. We live to celebrate life; we live to celebrate the Lord. God strengthens and empowers us in His love. Just as God pursues us with His love, we respond by abandoning our complete being into the hand of our great and loving God.

Loving Mickey

Mickey is such a lovable dog. My mother constantly mentions that Mickey is like a gold bar to my father, in other words, Mickey means so much to him.

Here is some notable quotes on dog ownership from a website called Dogster

( http://www.dogster.com/ ).

“The psychological benefits of owning a canine are well known. A carefully trained animal companion can offer fellowship, unconditional love, and often a friendship as intimate as any human bond. Dogs can also become an integral part of the family. Indeed, most adults, when asked to recall their earliest memories, will usually mention an encounter with their dog.

Canines also assist us during crises by helping to bear our emotional and psychological baggage. This function has important physiological benefits as well. Studies show that owning a dog—or even being near one—lowers human blood pressure and decreases stress levels. Over the long term this can prevent heart disease and lower health care costs, because dog owners make fewer doctor visits. A good-natured dog can also help fight depression and loneliness—one of the reasons they are used extensively to visit nursing homes and hospitals. Considering the benefits, the relatively nominal cost of keeping a dog seems like a wise investment”

Sources:

I came upon this website called Dogster http://www.dogster.com/ . The writer of this website has an interesting write-up on the “Advantages of Dog Ownership.” http://www.dogster.com/guides/dog_health_and_care/choosing_a_dog/selecting_the_right_dog_breed/advantages_of_dog_ownership

Showering Love on them

I saw this award winning video clip on Dementia on the blog of Blogpastor . http://www.blogpastor.net

It is a heart wrenching clip. The Lord watches over all of us, even when we grow old in the coming decades, we continue to rely and lean on the arms of Jesus. And for those of us with aging parents who are showing signs of memory loss, we continue to entrust them into the hands of our loving God. We continue to love and honour them.

You may click on this link to view the video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9iXPHhfk_7E

The Straits Times featured an article on children who abuse their elderly parents on 22 Oct 2009. I quote: “ALMOST every evening, an elderly man would complain to the police that his family had locked him out of his house.

A case of abuse or a family at its wits' end?

It transpired that the man's family did so as he had the habit of roaming the streets aimlessly and, while in the house, switching the stove on and off. Afraid that he would set the house on fire, his family members locked him out when they went to work and let him back in when they returned home.

The police referred the man to a centre that helps victims of family violence, and a social worker there advised his family to get him medical help.

As the social worker predicted, the reason for the habits that stumped the man's family was that he had moderate dementia. Knowing this, the family supervised the man more closely, but as his condition deteriorated and they could not cope, they sent him to a nursing home.

Minister for Community Development, Youth and Sports (MCYS), Dr Vivian Balakrishnan, highlighted this real example on Wednesday in a symposium on family violence, as he dwelt on the principles that should guide agencies tackling the 'scourge' of elderly abuse.”

I do not think we should be quick to throw stones at the abusers. They may be challenged by the stress in life, some having the need to raise their children and look after the needs of their elderly parents. What can be helpful is for us to understand that one day we will all grow old and some of us may be struck with dementia or Alzheimer’s disease. We will then be at the receiving end of such cruel treatment.

We allow God to help us to love our elderly parents who may display some behaviour that they could not help. With love, patience and perseverance, the Lord’s love will flow through us to touch our elderly people.

Love will Find a Way

On 24 May last year, I blogged on how a sister in Christ was praying desperately for his son who had drifted away from God, see http://jeefong.blogspot.com/2008/05/come-home.html

Recently while in conversion with another person, I learned that the son of the dear lady is showing signs of wanting to come back to the Lord. Love will find away. God loves us too much to leave us alone. His heart yearns for His children and He wants to give us the best. The tender heart of God reaches out to all who call upon Him.

Needless Pain

Yesterday Monte and I took time out to pray at the beautiful MacRitchie forest trail. We have always enjoyed prayer walking. Times of prayer are precious moments that we pull ourselves away from the hustle and bustle of life to commune with our maker. We serve a great and mighty God. He is not bound by space and time. We are limited and He is limitless, strong, powerful and awesome. When we pray, the Lord blesses us.  He spares us from needless pain.  When we come to the foot of the cross, our burdens and needs fall away.  The Lord strengthens us from within. We have a friend in Jesus, a friend who is closer than a brother. He shoulders our every pain, fear, despair, disappointment, sadness, frustration and disillusionment. He does not stop there. He fills us with hope, courage, strength, resilience, grace and unending mercies.

He is Lovely

He is Lovely

I can see that you love Jesus first

It's plain to me

And that you sit close and hear His heartbeat

for in your eyes I see shining love

That speak so clear

And I can hear them saying so sweetly

He is lovely, He is holy

Gave supremely, that all men might see

He is gentle, tender hearted

Risen Saviour, He is God

Master maker, life creator

Come and dwell in me

That my heart may know Your tender mercy

Shine through me that all may see

Your love so full and free

And I'll declare Your praise through endless ages

He is lovely, He is holy

Gave supremely, that all men might see

He is gently, tender hearted

Risen Saviour, He is God

The beauty and glory of the risen King is beyond comparison. As we draw closer to the Lord, His loveliness melts away our bitterness and ugliness. His tenderness and graciousness shows us His unending love and mercy. He rules and reigns in all that call upon His great name. He reigns supreme, a God so mighty and yet so meek. We will praise and worship our awesome God for all eternity. 

Lead Me to the Rock

Lead Me to the Rock

When my heart is overwhelmed

Hear my cry, give heed to my prayers

And my eyes are dimmed with tears

O Father, make them clear

From the end of the earth

When my heart is fainting

Let me know that you have heard

Lead me into safety

And lead me to the Rock, the Rock that is higher

Lead me to the Rock that is higher than I

Lead me to the Rock, the Rock that is higher

Higher than I

You O Lord have been for me

A refuge from my enemies

Let me live within Your strength

In the shelter of Your wings

Life is not a bed of roses but the good news is that God in His mercy leads us on to savour all that life entails. The good and bad times, the highs and the lows, the beautiful and the ugly, the exhilarating and the deadness. A vibrant life awaits all who are willing to embark on this amazing life God has for each of us. The Bible is narrative; full of stories. God is continuing to write the story of our life. He alone knows our future and as we abandon ourselves completely to His loving care, we are constantly enveloped by His amazing love. Even the toughest times of our life, the Lord comes through for us. At times our life may seem like it is spiralling out of control but God is always with us. He leads us to Himself, the rock of our salvation. He leads us to the Rock that is higher than I.

Cherish the Treasure

Lord, we are mere mortal beings who are unworthy and undeserving of all that you have freely given to us, yet You choose to pour Your precious Spirit into our lives. This treasure in us that money cannot buy, so precious and priceless.  Without Your presence in us, we will never last another minute.  We need You, We need Your tender mercies.  We receive grace and strength to live for another day.

You have made us Your habitation, knowing that we are vulnerable to fall or fail along the way. Yet You believe in us and work Your purposes through us.  Break us, mould us and work in and through us this day.  We surrender completely to You.

This Doctor Cares

About a week ago, I brought my mother to National University Hospital for an appointment with the eye specialist due to her upcoming cataract surgery. While in consultation with a male doctor, twice he patted my mother on her shoulders along with a smile. He brought much reassurance to my mother that day. This doctor sees many patients on a typical day, what touches me was the effort he took to bring comfort and reassurance to his patients.  With his little gesture, I can tell that this doctor cares.

A Second Chance

Last Wednesday, the bus I was travelling on passed by the Kaki Bukit Prison School. It is heartening to see the school because it holds hope and restoration for many young offenders who fell at some point in their lives. For some, they may not even be keen to pursue any study because they feel that their life is doomed for sure failure. Bleakness and hopelessness clouded their lives. They do not see any hope let alone the idea of preparing for their future. Yet for some of them, they refuse to give up and hope against all hope. They want to change radically because they knew that they have brought pain not just to themselves but their loved ones. The society needs to make room for them to take another shot in life again. With our support, we can help reintegrate these young people back into society. They deserve a second chance in life. We can show them the light at the end of the tunnel.

I chanced upon an amazing story of the life of Jonathan Tang. His story goes:

“When I was 15, I was expelled from secondary school due to misconduct. My parents decided to send me to Australia to study in a boarding school, which turned out to be a bad move. I got into lots of fights there and was a school terror. When I came back to Singapore for the hols, I ran away from home the day before I was supposed to return to Australia. I bunked at a friend’s place for one month and tried drugs for the first time.

“My friend and I peddled drugs to earn extra cash but we ended up consuming more than we sold. It was so bad that I was snorting drugs more than I was drinking water. One time, I got into a fight and was arrested by the police. They checked my urine which tested positive for drugs and I was sent to the Reformative Training Centre (RTC).

“For the first three months, I had to undergo a reformation programme. The wardens meted out intense physical and mental torture. It was the first time I ever felt fear. Prior to that, I rebelled against all forms of authority — my parents, school and even the police.

“I was given an opportunity to go to Kaki Bukit Prison School but got kicked out soon after for getting into fights. Because of that, I became a condemned inmate and was placed in solitary confinement for nine months. Being locked up 24 hours a day was really hard. I became fearless. Seeing that they were losing me, the wardens adopted drastic measures which involved physical torture. Finally, I broke down.

“Interesting enough, during my isolation, they didn’t give me anything to read except a Bible so I prayed to God and asked Him to save me. I was about to explode. I’d kept a chicken bone and was prepared to fight off the wardens. But when I prayed, suddenly, this peace just overwhelmed me. I threw away the bone and endured the physical torture. When the wardens saw how I humbled myself, obeyed their orders, stayed away from fights and shared my stuff, they set me free from my isolation cell.

“When I was eventually released from RTC after two years, people said that I’ll return within one month ‘cos a leopard never changes its spots. RTC has a very bad record. It’s nicknamed Road to Changi ‘cos nine out of 10 will go back to prison again. It was a big challenge for me to turn over a new leaf. But I started going to church and got enrolled in City Harvest Education Centre (CHEC).

“At first, I was very quiet and anti-social. I was feeling lonely ‘cos I had to cut off contact with all my friends who were still serving time. But one particular teacher who was my mentor actually stepped past the thin red line into a danger zone that was my personal life. She was the first personal friend I had in three years. She’d call me and just be my friend outside school hours. That was how I opened up and started becoming friendly. I even started joking around. In CHEC, I found a whole new place to fall back on. I had something to look forward to for once.

“Once during school camp, I somehow went mad and started getting very angry and violent. But the teachers were so patient. They acceded to my requests, which calmed me down. I was very touched and after that, I became really committed to change my temper.

“I actually got the date for my Principle Of Accounts paper mixed up so I missed the exam last year. I’ll be taking it this year while I serve my National Service. The school’s very supportive, they offered to give me extra classes. I told my principal that it was too troublesome for them but he said, “No, we must see you to the end.” I was so touched.

“My biggest dream in life has nothing to do with monetary gains. I just want to give back what I have received in my life. I’ve a deep passion to help people like myself — boys in RTC and those whom people have given up hope on. If I can change, I believe others can too.””

Loving Each Other Over and Over Again

God infuses His love into our hearts and that is why we are able to love our spouse over and over again. This love that originates from the throne room of heaven saturates our lives powerfully. God is love and He has the power to bind two hearts together. Once we lose focus of His hand on us, we are in deep trouble. The Lord is not just able to hold a couple together but He leads us to love each other more than the day before. He empowers us to journey on as one by His abundant grace and unending mercies.

The Simple Things in Life

On the evening of 6 September, Monte and I were so glad to catch the Singapore Symphony Orchestra (SSO) at the Botanic gardens. They played to a large crowd. People were mostly mingling with family and friends. The atmosphere was relaxing and pleasant. When the concert drew an end, the crowd stayed on and the SSO had to indulge us with an encore. It was an awesome performance.

For dinner, we had pita bread with barbecue chicken and stewed tomatoes. And we topped it up with a chocolate bar each. The simple things in life can be enriching and beautiful.

Drawing Closer

A listener called in to a mandarin radio station one day while a counselling programme was airing. Her husband travelled overseas for work regularly and she shared that she felt so relaxed when he was away. She felt guilty about it. The counsellor then attempted to share some thoughts on her problem.

Usually when a couple is in the midst of a bitter quarrel or fight, they detest each other’s presence. When the situation blows out of proportion, hatred, anger and resentment build up.

In a Christian marriage, God is in the centre of the marriage, the couple draws closer as the days go by. The Lord is a master marriage builder and He binds us as one in Him. Husband and wife may still have disagreements or unpleasant situations cropping up from time to time but we must never allow the wounds to fester. We open themselves to the Lord’s intervention and guidance. We grow to love and forebear each other. We learn to make room for each other because we are not perfect. And for that reason, we err and sometimes make blunders that we regret afterwards. God in His mercy has given us His word to guide us in His path. When we walk in His light, we then become a beacon of light shining ever so brightly and bearing His eternal glory.

Incredible Love

Jesus reached out to the outcast and despised people when He walked on this earth. Some of the people that He ministered to did not have a good standing in the society then. A case in point was when He ministered to a tax collector. He did not shun the lepers and the prostitutes because He cared for them. He was not preoccupied in keeping His reputation; His incredible love compelled Him to reach out to these needy people naturally. He ignored the wagging tongues of the Pharisees; He was not afraid to stand up for the marginalized.

The purity of His great love compels us to follow after His footsteps. When we walk in His love, our eyes will not be coloured by what we perceive as acceptable. We will not be afraid to relate to people who are chucked away by society.

One time, the Lord led Monte and I to minister to an aids sufferer who had very time to live. He had since passed on. We knew that the opportunity that fell into our lap was not coincidental and when we responded to Him, He led us to a deeper depth of His love.

By being non inclusive and open to minister to people from every strata of society of every colour and code, we begin to display what the true essence of agape love. The incredible love that our minds can never fully comprehend can only be experienced by people who love the Lord wholeheartedly; a people who love because He first loved us.