Entering 2011 with a Bounce in our Feet

This is the last day before 2011 comes rolling in. As I reflect on all that has transpired in this year, I stand amazed at the faithfulness and goodness of the Lord. He sees Monte and I through our challenges. We lean on the strong arms of the Lord for His sustaining power brings us strength and hope daily.

The road ahead may be tough but we have purposed in our hearts to focus on the Lord. We take one-step at a time placing our full confidence in Him, our covenant maker, our helper and source of strength and eternal hope. He is the reason why we are entering 2011 with a bounce in our feet and a song in our heart. Thank you, Lord!

Food never Fails to do the Job

I captured Mickey in this picture when I was feeding him. He responded immediately to my command to sit. Food never fails to do the job. He is simply adorable.

Heart Melting Moment

Mickey was looking on sadly as I took my departure from my parent's flat. That was one heart melting moment.

He has a Part in This

I am thankful for the opportunity to embark on the Advanced Certificate in Training and Assessment (ACTA) programme this October. By the Lord’s grace, I have cleared two of the six modules. A week ago, I headed to the Institute of Adult Learning to collect one of the certificates.

I thank God for Monte who has been instrumental in encouraging me to go on the ACTA programme. He has a part in this. I could never have done it without him. He is concerned about every aspect of my life and well-being. Love, support and encouragement are some of foundational stones of our marriage. He does not stop at believing but he goes all out to help me reach my full potential.

Pure Nostalgia

The Restart Button

There is no limit to the number of times one can press the restart button of our life. Starting life anew takes on a great significance for everyone who truly puts his trust in God. A God of second chance; a God who would never break a bruised reed. He restores the broken walls of our life and makes all things new. A God of hope and strength. A God of who aced in performing miracles and wonders.

The days ahead may not be all rosy but the Lord promised us His holy Spirit, who will guide and lead us to the purposes and plans that God has in store for His precious children. We press ahead in courage knowing that the God who began the good work in us will bring it to completion.

He Wants Us

The Lord wants us. He multiplies our gifts and talents and uses them for His glory. Some of us are good at working with children, others with teenagers and young adults. Some are good at relating to the elderly. No matter what our strength is, it is never too small and insignificant. The Lord will use them all.

A person with a megawatt smile exudes a sense of warmth and very soon the ushering team leader will come a knocking to see if you would be keen to be a part of the ushering team. I have seen church members who do their part in washing communion cups.Others have availed their help to arrange chairs before a service.Loving service is an act of servant hood. The mark of a leader is servant hood.

The Lord wants our faithful love and service. He wants our allegiance. Serving God is for our own good as we mature in the Lord through serving the body of Christ. We develop strength, tenacity and learn to relate to our brethrens when we work as a team. Serving God will enlarge our capacity to embrace and accept people who may be different from us.

Living In Exciting Days

On my way out of flat today, I ran into my elderly neighbor at a nearby playground. We chatted a little and she was asking me if I am aware of a church that has a Cantonese service and I promised to check for her. Apparently, she has been going to a church in woodlands with her daughter and husband. She is looking for a church nearer home.

In our conversation earlier today, I learnt that my neighbour’s husband is battling cancer and it has taken a toll of him. Meanwhile, upon her daughter’s invitation, that elderly couple have been attending the Cantonese service at the woodland church. I was also glad to clarify some misunderstanding on giving when she queried. I am glad that she opened up to me.

My run in with my neighbour is an answer to prayer. Monte and I will pray as often as we can that the Lord will use us as His vessel. At times when the opportunity arises, I seize the opportunity and make friendly conversations with people in the neighbourhood and my dear husband would tease me and call my the MP of Sengkang. Please do not get me wrong, I am no MP. What Monte is trying to drive at is that “I seem to be talking to everyone.”

A friend once shared that she would pray daily for the Lord to lead her to someone each day where she can point that person to Jesus. Being a carrier and courier of God’s presence takes on meaning when we allow the blessing of the Lord to flow through us.

One to two weeks ago, a christian neighbour who is residing near my block came to me and openly share some private medical condition without my asking. She is still in the midst of consultation with the specialist but she had the faith for the Lord to touch her. The Lord brought people into my path.

Back to what God is doing. We acknowledge that these are signs of God’s goodness. The word of God says that many will call on the name of the Lord in the last days. God will bring people into our paths. They will come knocking on our doors. They want what we have. And that is none other than the precious and awesome presence of the Lord. We are living in these exciting days, the Lord longs to minister in and through you and I.  As I am typing this on my computer, my heart is overwhelmed by the bigness and goodness of our awesome God.

Good and the Bad

Facebook is not new to anyone from a child to a grandparent. Its reach and influence are penetrating into our everyday living. Some speak of fasting from Facebook, which means that he is not going on it for a period of time for reasons known to him.

Recently, the buzz online are the effects that Facebook has on its users especially for those who are heavy Facebook users. To clear the air, Facebook has been a wonderful tool in establishing and renewing friendships and contact with people globally. Here are some good things that came out of Facebook. Families have drawn closer to each other, friendships are strengthened. Bridges were built. Relationships have improved in many fronts. However, it is obvious that anything that may be good and beneficial can also be dangerous and harmful.

This morning, I was tuning in to a mandarin counseling programme on the radio. Please take note that the name of wife in the case is undisclosed for confidentiality. The counselor cited the case of a wife who was contemplating divorce because she was terribly affected by her husband who has been contacting another woman via Facebook in the night. She had trouble sleeping and ultimately contacted that counselor to address the private matter that was bothering her. Meanwhile, the husband was not cooperating because he did not see any wrong in relating intimately to this other woman on Facebook. He may even feel that his wife is unreasonable and sensitive.

The case brought out the urgency to address possible and imminent problems that can emerge with human frailty and the lack of discernment, self-control and vigilance.

It is increasing dangerous to find a pop up to ask if one likes to flirt with a total stranger when all you want to do is to take a look at the birthday calendar. Here, we are talking about the danger when Facebook users can be children. Our children are therefore exposed to unnecessary danger and temptation.

It is for this reason that when I set up my vocal training website, I had to put this down:

PLEASE NOTE

All advertisements & pop-ups are not representative of us!

For the simple reason that I have absolutely no control of any advertisement, that may appear at my website.

Let Everything within me Praise the Lord

The last time when the haze problem was at its peak, I was in the midst of of a bad bout of flu. The haze may have worsened my flu attack. One of the most unexpected thing happened, I completely loss my sense of smell for at least two weeks. Eating was a very different experience because without smelling the food, it does not feel right. When I was hungry, I had my fill but I did not enjoy my meal. Somehow, it was not a complete experience.

In our experience of worshipping the Lord, He makes use of all our senses.  For those who are good at music, we express our love to the Lord through our music. For artists who excel in art, they give their art to the Lord in worship. For actors who are good at acting, they offer their art form to the Lord. Singers sing to the lover of their soul.  Dancers dance for Him.

The Lord engages all our senses to bring us closer to Him.  We give our thoughts and pour out our heart to the Lord.  No matter where we are, and whatever situation we find ourselves in, we declare that everything within us praise and magnify our great and magnificent God.  And the world may see Him through us.

Jolly Good Time

After visiting my parents yesterday afternoon, I made my way to meet Monte in town. I had one of the most memorable and interesting encounter with our adorable mammal friend at the bus stop. He was surely having a jolly good time. He made himself at home; all stretched out and comfortable. He captivated all the people around him. When he attempted to get near us, everyone fled. I have always thought that monkeys are fearful of us but it seems it is the other way round.

Awakened to His Love

Recently, Monte and I were not paying attention to our potted plants and to cut the long story short, they soon withered away. Gardening is work though therapeutic; watering and fertilizing the soil go a long way to keep the plants healthy.

In many ways, Christian life is like growing plants. If we neglect our Christian life, we are bound for sure danger.  Our senses are dulled; vibrancy and joy of the Lord are no longer evident. Life becomes mundane and challenges are magnified out of proportion.

Yet, in all that we may be going through, we are certain that our loving God patiently waits for us. He awakens us to His love. When we allow the gentle nudge of His Spirit to touch us, His refreshing and rejuvenating presence dispel all doom and gloom.  The Lord reminds us that we will triumph in Him. Fear loses its hold on us; our hope is alive as long as we cling on to Jesus.  For our great King surges before us holding the banner of victory over us. We are not alone, the battle belongs to the Lord and for this reason; we persevere and hold on to His truth. We must be strong in His Spirit in these last days when evil prevails in disproportionate extent. In this hour, the Lord declares His everlasting love for us.

Counting My Blessings

In October this year, I embarked on the Advanced Certificate in Training & Assessment (ACTA) programme. I thank God for helping me to clear two modules thus far.

On 2 Nov, I was on module 2 when the facilitator made a request for us to share something special that we have found out from one of our fellow course mate. Jenny Ong, whom I had briefly been re-acquainted with that day at the training was actually my former colleague at St James Church. When it was Jenny’s turn to speak, she mentioned that I have a good husband. The facilitator quickly followed up with the comment that it was heartening to hear the male species given special mention that day.

Jenny is obviously right. God has blessed me with a wonderful and loving husband. I thank God for blessing me with a God fearing man. I look back to the year in 2008 when we were in courtship, then entering marriage in March 2009. Today, my parents are happy that Monte and I are still blissfully married. This means a lot to any parent on earth because their children’s happiness means the world to them. We learn to cherish whatever time we have as husband and wife and see the hand of God’s love upon us in everyday living. God is good.

Inside Out

He knows us inside out. He sees us through our ups and downs. He lifts us up from the valley and beckons us to return to the flat land when we linger far too long on the mountaintop. Yes, no one else knows us better than Him because He made us and so He knows us extremely well. The Lord Jesus, a brother and a true friend who gave Himself fully to us. He not only wants the best for every aspect of your life and mine; more than anything else, He wants to see us thrive in Him. Vibrant, strong and full of tenacity and grace, He flows through us when we walk in step with His Spirit and live in His will.

The First Light

We experience the greatest darkness right before the break of dawn. Sometimes, the darkness can appear intimidating and daunting. But the Lord says that when His light shines through, not only will darkness be driven away, His pure light penetrates and zooms into the hearts of His beloved. The break of dawn not only brings forth the light of Christ, the Lord floods our hearts with hope, joy and love over and over again. Just like the watchman who yearns for the first light of the morning, we receive the Lord’s unceasing love. We experience His holy and awesome presence increasingly and powerfully each new day.

Vocal Training at His Sanctuary

I had the privilege to conduct four sessions of vocal training at His Sanctuary from 20 Oct to 10 Nov 2010. I am appreciative of the awesome opportunity that the leadership of His Sanctuary has graciously extended to me. I had a wonderful time training and learning with the people. I am encouraged and motivated by their commitment and enthusiasm.

Looking back at day one when the Lord led me on this amazing journey. I see Him at every vocal training session that He opened for me. With individuals, groups, church groups and corporate clients, I am amazed by all that the Lord has accomplished. Apart from Him, I can do nothing.

The Blood that Mends

“When the broken vessel came out of the fire cracked at the lip, the potter had a remedy to salvage it. After he had finished his work for the day, he would go out through the fields and hunt for a small tick-like insect, a fasuka, that lived on bulls and goats. Having found some, he would take them home to his shop where he would keep them in small clay jars or leather bags. Thus when a broken vessel came out of the fire with a cracked lip or some other flaw, the potter would not discard the vessel but would sit at his bench for a great length of time working to repair it. With dry clay powder and infinite patience he labored. Taking the fasuka between his thumb and forefinger, he crushed it. Then he mixed that blood with the clay powder to make a mixture that worked effectively and uniquely as a “glue” into the cracked area.”

The late Dr Sam Sasser in his book The Potter’s Touch succinctly brought out the amazing power of the blood of Christ. He went on to say: “The cross of Calvary provides a glue that works effectively and uniquely in the lives of broken people. How thankful we should be for Christ’s blood, shed at Calvary for our salvation. Stronger than the blood of bulls and goats (Heb 9:12), the blood of the Lamb is God’s provision for cracked, flawed men and women. Jesus Christ shed His precious blood to bring wholeness to all who have been broken and cracked in life’s fire.”

Unlimited Access

Two days ago, Monte and I were out praying at Changi which is one of our favourite haunts. God has given us unlimited access into His presence. Day or night, anytime, anywhere we want to meet Him, He will be there. He will never keep us waiting and wanting. He longs for us. In the quietness of our homes, at our frantic, fast paced work places, or even in a supermarket; all we have to do is to reach out to Him and lock ourselves with Him.

The human mind can never comprehend how mortal beings like us can enter freely into the presence of a holy God who is so pure, amazing and awesome. When we enter into prayer, it is not merely a place of liberty and wholeness, it is also a place of safety and refuge. In our frailty, we can do nothing except through the power and grace of God. We not only see our weaknesses and vulnerability; we also begin to see His greatness and strength to carry us through life’s journey.

In Sickness and in Health

The YouTube is all abuzz with a recent clip called the Peacock Dance. A man by the name of Jiang Ren Rui who went on the show called China’s Got Talent and moved the hearts of millions of people around the globe. He loved his wife unconditionally. A special device that her husband had painstakingly made with his hands overjoyed his wife, who was completely paralyzed except for the ability to make facial movements.

From time to time, we hear about people who abandoned their spouses when a terminal illness strikes. But here is a man who epitomizes what the true essence of the marital vow is by loving his wife ‘in sickness and in health’.

Join me in viewing this is amazing clip of unconditional love which certainly exists today.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6lZpWpWFQrY

Hope Alive

The Lord keeps us going as we walk faithfully and closely with Him. We were once without hope but the God in His mercy poured His life into ours.  Hope begins to grow and blossom.  As long as we have breath, we will not give up believing that God will fulfill His purposes in and through us. Hope never dwindles; on the contrary, the amazing love and power of the living God keeps our hope alive and burning. As we focus on the Lord, He strengthens and empowers us to soldier on faithfully.  We serve a strong and mighty God who loved us with an everlasting love.  He will lead us on in victory.  He will lead us on from strength to strength.

Meeting the Needs of the Elderly

The growing aging population in Singapore has opened up many opportunities for companies that cater to the needs of the elderly, civil societies, industries and establishments to look into meeting and serving the needs of the elderly.

The government is also actively rolling out plans and initiatives to help meet the need of our senior citizens. They are to be commended for all that has been achieved. They continue to improve on the existing infrastructure, facilities and amenities.

Recently, while crossing the road near Ang Mo Kio, I saw a special device at the crossing. When a senior citizen (people age 60 and above) taps his card on it, the crossing time will be extended so that this allows the elderly to have sufficient time to cross over. This is a wonderful and thoughtful.

I have aged parents and I am fully aware of the limitations and challenges the elderly people face on a daily basis. Recently, I witness a scary incident where an elderly woman almost fell off the bus while alighting because the bus driver did not drive near the curb. Most elderly people have knee problems and the distance from the step of the bus to the road is hard to reach.

As we continue to grow as a striving country, we want to serve the needs of all people not forgetting the elderly. Without their sacrifice and labour, we will not be where we are today.

Finishing Strong

We begin each journey with an end in view. The journey that we embark on with the Lord is a journey of hope and boundless possibilities. There is nothing our God cannot do.

Starting well is obviously important but finishing well is also crucial. Not just finishing well, we want to finish strong in the Lord. Some of us have started our journey with God strongly but what is going to ensure that all will end well rests on the bond of our relationship with Him. As we walk in His love, empowered by His grace and guarded by the fear of the Lord, the Lord covers us. We surrender completely to His rule and reign, He covers us in the shadow of His wings and He is faithful to keep us from falling. For the crown of life awaits those who persevere and overcome by the blood of the Lamb.

At Risk Kids

Currently, I am conducting the Tuning In programme at a primary school in Yishun. This is a programme tailored for at risk children. Such programmes are helping secondary school students, but the ideal of reaching out to the primary school children is very significant because it is crucial to intervene in the children’s life as early as we can.

At risk kids are mostly from broken homes. Some are from single-parent homes, orphaned or they have parents who are divorced or are currently in the midst of the divorce proceedings. Some of the children have been abused. Many come from dysfunctional families.

Very often, when the parents are in the battle of a bitter divorce, the kids blame themselves for their parent’s divorce. They are plagued with guilt, as they wrongly perceived that they are the cause of the fallout.

When I relate to these children, it is not hard to pick up signs despondency, sadness and helplessness. When they come to school, they may be happy for a brief moment but when they get home, things remain difficult and they are living with fear, anxiety and misery. As they are still young children, it can be daunting as they are forced to process complicated matters even though they may not be at fault to start. What the kids go through ultimately is translated to poor academic performance.

I thank the Lord for the opportunity to be involved with these precious children. The Lord certainly has His eyes on them. I trust that their lives will turn around. They will begin to gain self worth, confidence and someday they can use what they have gone through to help others who are in need.

He is the Reason

God pursues us with His love unconditionally. We can never repay Him with anything that we possess except to love Him more with each passing day. Running to the Lord’s embrace, basking in His presence conjure images of overflowing love and devotion to His loving kindness and tender mercies. We are mindful of His commitment and covenant towards us. He is the reason of our existence. He is the reason why we keep loving and living. He is the reason why we rise with hope and expectancy when dawn breaks. He is the reason for our being. As we trust the Lord wholeheartedly, He pours His spirit on us and empowers us to be all that He desires us to be. All honour, glory and power be unto our God, the God of heaven and earth, the God omnipotent, the God of this universe.

The Humble Homecoming

In my previous post, I touched on the unconditional and undying love of the father. Let us shift our focus now to the repentant son. When he finally came to his senses, he returned home to his father with remorse and shame. He came to the end of himself; the party was over and his life with an utter mess and confusion. He made the best decision and that was to head back home. Deep in his heart, he knew that if anyone was going to rescue him at that unthinkable and deplorable state, that person was none other than his father. He had faith in His father. After hurting his father’s heart, it took the son tremendous courage and humility to make his way home. All pride and arrogance melted away. He gained freedom and hope in his father’s forgiveness and love.

Nouwen noted: “The immense joy in welcoming back the lost son hides the immense sorrow that has gone before.” Unspeakable joy overshadowed sorrow that glorious day when the loving father ran towards his son.

If the prodigal son had entertained fear and doubt, his return would not have taken place. He will be lost forever. Maybe he could end up dead, a vagrant or derange. He overcame because he did not dwell on his failure and loss. He put his complete trust in His father’s love. He was set free through his father’s love.

His Undying Love

Recently, I read an amazing book entitled The Return of the Prodigal Son by Henri Nouwen.  Nouwen quoted Kenneth Bailey that read:

“Kenneth Bailey, in his penetrating explanation of Luke’s story, shows that the son’s manner of leaving is tantamount to wishing his father dead. Bailey writes: For over fifteen years I have been asking people of all walks of life from Morocco to India and from Turkey to the Sudan about the implications of a son’s request for his inheritance while the father is still living. The answer has always been emphatically the same…the conversation runs as follows: Has anyone ever made such a request in your village? Never! Could anyone ever make such a request? Impossible! If anyone ever did, what would happen? His father would beat him, of course! Why? The request means – he wants his father to die.”

All the responses point us to the depth of the father’s love. Pride and anger would have stopped the father from receiving his returning son. Many earthly fathers could have long severed their relationship with such a wicked son but not this father. He did not allow unforgiveness and bitterness to deter him from reconciling with his beloved son. In fact, the word of God tells us that the aging father, upon seeing his younger son was moved to pity and he ran towards him. His love overshadowed any wrongdoing that his son had committed. Love truly covers a multitude of sins. He was determined to tell his son that nothing he has done will ever stop him from loving him. Since the day, the wayward son left home, his father’s hope for his return never dwindled. Love compelled the father to believe the impossible. Love compelled him to put away all pride and bitterness for all that mattered was his desire to see his son again. Love conquerered every conceivable human frailty and failure to reveal the undying love of our loving father. He pursues us relentlessly with His undying love.

Empower Me

The Lord reaches out to us when we cry out to Him. No one else can touch our hearts the way He does. When things do not go well, we need not despair and give up. For the Lord empowers us to live for Him. He works and wills in us every moment of the day to fulfill His good purpose. He empowers us to climb every mountain and scale the highest height. He is more than able to see us through every challenge in our hour of need.

Empower Me

Nobody knows how weak I am

Better than You

Nobody sees all of my needs

Better than You

And nobody has

The power to change me

To what I was born to be

Jesus, be strong in my weakness

Empower me

Empower me

Like a rushing river flowing to the sea

Lord, send Your Holy Spirit

Flowing out through me

'Til I'm living as Your child

Victorious and free

Send the power of Your love

Empower me

Nobody's eyes see through my soul

Better than Yours

And nobody's love can make me whole

No love but Yours

And nobody has the power

To lift me to reach for eternity

Jesus break through all my defences

Empower me

Empower me

Like a rushing river flowing to the sea

Lord, send Your Holy Spirit

Flowing out through me

'Til I'm living as Your child

Victorious and free

Send the power of Your love

Empower me

Happy Birthday, Singapore

For many years, Monte and I have been trying to attend the National Day Parade (NDP) but we were not able to get tickets for it. Every year, we would find ideal locations to watch the fireworks.

This year, we balloted and won tickets for NDP 2010. We are overjoyed. Today is our country's big day. Happy birthday, Singapore! We are looking forward to the spectacular event of the year.

Each national day celebration brings back fond memories of warm tears that flow down our faces when we sing the national anthem as the Singapore flag flies across the sky. Pride, joy and gratitude overwhelmed each person's heart as we stand united as one people in this wonderful nation.

The Lord has blessed Singapore with an able and honest government. What we enjoy in this wonderful tiny country is a dream to people all over the world. We are blessed with excellent infrastructure, transportation, healthcare, education, housing and amenities. This is a safe place to live and work and build our dream. God has blessed Singapore. It is our shared responsibility and honour to pray for our country and government.

Courage of a Twelve-Year-Old Girl

Last month, I was conducting some comprehension classes to a bunch of wonderful primary six children in a school in Ang Mo Kio. I met a wonderful Indian girl from the class I was teaching. I shall call her Rani. Before each session, I would usually base myself at the school canteen and Rani would always come by and chat with me. Over the years, I learn that kids in lower primary levels are more relatable. Somehow, when they enter the upper primary levels, they grow more inhibited. However, Rani was an exception. She was cheerful, warm and conversational.

Through our little conversation, I learned that her father was chronically ill and he is unemployed. Her mother was the sole breadwinner. She did not come from a well to do family. Huge chunk of the family finance went to her father’s medical expenses.

As I think about Rani, I am amazed by her great courage and tenacity. We are talking about a twelve-year girl and not a grown woman. In many ways, her maturity overshadowed her actual age. She remained strong and focused in the face of tremendous challenges. She continued to perform well in her studies.

Time Alone with Him

As I reflect on my life with Monte, one significant area stands out. That is time alone with the Lord. We do put aside time to be with people but we guard our time with Him. Times of prayer and intercession, time reading His word. We set aside time to seek Him and to listen to His heart. These are times we locked ourselves in with the Lord. We cannot do without Him. In the stillness of His presence, we await for His infilling and empowerment. We wait in His uplifting presence as He fills us over and over again. He is ever faithful and true. We are safe and secure in His loving embrace. We need Him more with each passing day.

His Strength

TWhat does not break us only makes us stronger. Trials, challenges, problems may surface but our spirits are not dampened. The sustaining power of God’s word gives us strength and hope to overcome and triumph in Him. The Lord speaks strength into our being when we cry out to Him in our hour of need. In the face of insurmountable obstacles, the riveting love of God washes us repeatedly.  Plunging us fully in the river of His spirit.  His strength penetrates through our weakness to show His might.  How great is our God.

Incredible Resilience

During Monte and my time in Baguio, Philippines back in the time around 2000 and 2001, one time we experienced rain that lasted for ten days. It was amazing. Sad to say, the rain brought about life threatening landslide in the mountainous region. People were made homeless. The natural calamity brought about much hardship especially for the poor people. However, it was commendable that the people had such incredible resilience. They picked up their broken homes and lives and started all over again. They bounced back. They overcame all odds to stand up on their feet again to rebuild a new life.

The Lord builds us up continually. When we fall and fail, He helps us to stand on our feet again. Through our faith and endurance coupled with resilience, we persevere in our walk with the Lord. We grow from strength to strength. Reaching the finishing line is our main goal. With our hearts open and our hands raised, we posture our hearts toward our eternal God and Father. To whom all glory, honour and praise is due.

His Masterpiece

Yesterday, Monte and I were with Radiant Community Church. We are thankful for the Lord’s opening to bring the word to God’s people. Monte preached on The Greatest Story Ever Told. God is writing the greatest story of all time. That is the story of your life and mine. With open hearts and minds, we allow our maker to do everything necessary to fulfill His purposes in and through our lives. We are His workmanship and prized possession and He wants to present us as His masterpiece.