It's beginning to look like Christmas...

This is one of my favourite seasons... Christmas...It's beautiful, and everyday feels so good. The air feels crisp and joyful somewhat... Of course, my special day is around Christmas, so that adds to the celebrative mood...

Another year is coming to an end.. Maybe it's also the time to be nostalgic... 2008 seemed like yesterday when it started... today, it's coming to the end... 2008 has been a memorable and eventful year indeed... The Lord has blessed me overwhelmingly and I can't help but feel so loved and blessed... He gave me a wonderful husband, a great job, a fantastic and fulfilling church ministry, a crazy and committed bunch of people (in ASPT) whom I work with in our ministry, a warm and cosy lovenest, and all the finances we needed to get married and to get our house and all... God NEVER fails and He gives us only the best stuffs...

Our church Christmas celebration is tomorrow, with an exciting programme lined up and a time for people to hear about Jesus @ The Rock.

Here's wishing you, my dear friends, a very blessed and Merry Christmas..

Musings...

God is a faithful God!

On Mon, we had WAM night cum Combined Team Ministry Night... I was very ministered; I was encouraged; I was refreshed by The Faithful God.. I'd been feeling dry spiritually & kinda felt lousy about it... I told God about it that night, and He spoke to me through the Praise & Worship, the words spoken, the sharing... I felt He understood and He cared... I resolved to walk with Him, spend time with Him and keep close to Him... Since that night and since spending better time with Him, I feel joyful, nourished and my soul less parched; I love this feeling!

Gerald is a wonderful husband... I thank God everytime I look at him or think about him.. He is godly, faithful, patient, loving, fun-loving, gracious, appreciative, takes a lot of my nonsense.... and still think the world of me. He encourages me with his love for God. We concluded that we are effective with God at different times: I am used to and probably better at night (though I am not a night owl), he is better in the mornings, and with unhurried time... If I do wake up very early like Jesus and Gerald, I'll be struggling half the time with the zzzz monster and won't be effective... So we decided to do our QTs at different times, and we've been comfortable with the arrangement... I'm impressed that he has been waking up at 6am in the mornings to spend good time with God... and I've been "fed" by God before I sleep and wake up the next day having those words in my heart...

Allow me to continue raving about my husband.. Yesterday, we were on our way home on the bus, and he suddenly said,

"Why don't you go buy a dress...?"

*question mark ?? question mark ??*

I gave him that "HUH?" look... that was quite out of the blue... then he continued, "When I get my bonus, I'll buy a dress for you ok...?"

WOW! Talk about pleasant surprises.... I was very touched, and I felt so loved... Receiving gifts is not my highest Love Language, but it's the gesture and thought of getting me something when he gets his bonus.... that was what touched me more...

We've been staying in our Lovenest for about 2 months now, and we've hosted several groups of people and had friends over, like the Eugene-Choon Yam-HL-Peiks-etc group, care group, Choon Yam's DMM, drama group, Vivian, Yean Shien, ... We love to have people over, to be a blessing and to be blessed... everytime I am in my house, or when I think of it, I can't help but to thank God so much for His Provision and His blessings poured unto us...

Last Sun we didn't go to church... I guess most in the Adults Region didn't too... It was an interesting feeling.. We had an Adults Combined Svc last Friday, 31 Oct 08, at Sing Post.. It was an awesome time and we thank God for His Presence and for all the visitors and new believers! I was very encouraged when I saw many people brought their friends for the first time... that is why we want to do services well. We want to see God touch lives...

A good friend shared these verses with me:

7 "Two things I ask of you, O LORD; do not refuse me before I die:
8 Keep falsehood and lies far from me; give me neither poverty nor riches, but give me only my daily bread.
9 Otherwise, I may have too much and disown you and say, 'Who is the LORD ?' Or I may become poor and steal, and so dishonor the name of my
God.

It's true indeed. In this financial crisis and market turmoil, I believe in this even more - that contentment is great gain indeed. Many people I speak to are thinking deep about their priorities and what life is about... It's an opportune time to shout that Jesus NEVER changes, and He is the same yesterday, today, and forever more, and His Church is truly the institution that will last forever.

I've heard recently of some people who want to do big things, earn big bucks, be real successful in the world, for God (apparently). I don't doubt their motives that they want to do God proud, and that is appluadable, but I doubt they really understand and know what they really want and why they really want to do it. Being successful, ambitious and successful in the market, in my humble view means 2 things: Ministry of Giving and Ministry of Humility. It is a lot of struggle to be in the world but not of the world. It is a constant challenge to consecrate your heart and keep your heart and motives pure and not be driven or lost in the allure of wealth and power. I may not comprehend fully nor live a long time successfully to tell the tale, but I have my fair share of struggles as people perceive that I am successful in the world. If God wants me in where I am, I will give my best and be faithful in eveything that I am tasked to do, but if God thinks I am better off without all that I have, I have to rejoice and be faithful in the small things, and give my utmost best regardless. I learnt from Joseph from the bible. He gave his best, honoured God in all he did, including being in jail... trouble came knocking on his door, yet he always found favour in God's eyes... So, for those who want to do big things for God, ask God to lead and in His timing. Be faithful in what you do now, strive for the best, but everything happens in His time and only if He wills for it to happen... Like I tell people (especially in this financial market), "人算, 不如天算."

Just love Him and accord everything you have to Him... If He thinks you are faithful with the small things, He will task us with the bigger things in His time... be patient... time is our friend...

God is a faithful God!

sick of being sick...

I'd been sick AGAIN... yes, not just again, but again and again... & i simply have no explanation... I fell sick on the week of Sep 6 2008 (when I moved into my new house)... then I fell sick again around Sep 23 2008, and I'd been sick for the past 4 days.... *sneeze* I had fever for the 1st 2 days, body ached like bird, and I thought I'd contracted dengue fever... it was horrible... till I went back to doc and asked her for a jab... Then the flu and cold heightened.... *atishoo*

My boss asked me why, my friends asked me why, my parents asked me why.... I ask myself why... and I can't find an explanation at all...

- lack of rest? Not really... my average sleeping time is about 11pm...
- stress about the financial crisis? Not really too (or so I think)...
- not taking care of myself enough? No leh... I'd been popping vitamins, taking Scotts Emulsion, drinking lots of "cooling" stuff, eating home-cooked (or rather, self-cooked) food...
- ah...maybe the housework...??? Maybe... just maybe... this is the only additional activity in my life that can get quite "siong" when I'm at it... But how bad can washing and scrubbing the toilet and glass shower screen do to my body....? My dear husband has asked me to go easy on the toilet-scrubbing... I am not sure I wanna bow down to the toilet so easily...
- lack of exercise? This is universal, isn't it? But ain't that toilet-scrubbing a form of strenuous exercise? I perspire like bird and feels so tired after that.... doesn't that feel or sound like exercise...? U are free to comment on this...

With this bout of sickness, I stayed in my mum's house for the past 4 days... with ready-cooked food, and my 2 nephews who never fail to entertain me.... My wonderful husband suggested that on the 1st day i fell sick, cos in his absence (to work), he wanted to make sure I was well taken care of...

Back to work tomorrow... my nose & ear are still blocked due to the cold... I'm starting to cough a lil... *cough*.. God, I dunno why.. but You must know what's happening... and it gives me comfort to know that You know why... maybe You are telling me to take care of my body and it manages the past-30 phase....

*sniff sniff cough cough*

Married + Love Nest + Crazy market

As you can see, I am finally updating my blog, and there are 3 topics I will write about today..

Married

I realized my last entry was when I was single, counting down to my wedding. My wedding was GREAT, wonderful, beautiful, ideal (for me), and most importantly, God-filled. God was there on our special day, and He made the world of difference with His presence. The weather was perfect, the guests were unbelievable, and our love was evident. I thank God He touched my family there. Of course, I was beautiful! Hehehe...
Today, I am happily married to the man of my life, who (still) thinks the world of me... Many people ask the same question, "So, how's married life?" And my answer is always the same, "It's GREAT!" Our love has evolved since we 1st got together.. It started as heart-stopping, butterflies-in-stomach kind of love. I don't think that has totally disappeared. I still smile when I see my husband and I still look forward to being with him. Now, it's more down-to-earth, commitment, stable, you-know-you-are-together-for-life, comfortable-being-with-each-other, cannot-bear-not-having-each-other kind of love... I love this man, and love being with him all the time..

Love Nest

We've finally moved into our new home. Yes, it's our love nest. After all the blood-vomitting, cash-bleeding, time-consuming months of renovation and preparation, we finally moved in! Our place is lovely, cosy and ours... We prayed and asked God to let our house turn out nice and ideal... And as what He does best, He did. He gave us a great designer/contractor as well. Having stayed there for 2 weeks, I miss my house when I come to work. Gerald is a wonderful partner-in-housework. He shares the load of cleaning, mopping, fixing. He is a faithful & willing helper indeed. (I do my fair share too!) We are excited to have people to our house, we want our house to be a blessing, to be a refuge, to be a place for people to connect, minister, be ministered, to laugh, love and to cry. We want our house to be a channel where God will use to extend His Kingdom, build His people and cause things to happen. So, we try to make our home guests, visitors, party-friendly.

Crazy market

In the midst of all these, the outside world is in topsy-turvy. The market is in a mess, the crisis is unbelievable and unfathomable. Banks are going bust, everyone else is affected and merging, buying and selling. But deep in my heart, I have this peace and joy, cos I know God is taking care of me, protecting me and watching over me. I feel so privileged to belong to Him, and to walk with Him. He has known everything that is to happen cos He is All-Knowing. He is in control of everything, because He is All-Powerful. I thank Him that I know Him and I am on His side, which is the side that always wins. I pray He will give me success in my work, so that I can be a testimony and so I can give back to Him what He gives me. He is always my Jehovah Jireh (Provider) & Jehovah Nissi (my Banner), and I thank God that His Word is always there, solid and never-changing, for me to hold on to.

"Not one of all the Lord's good promises to the house of Israel failed; every one was fulfilled". - Joshua 21:45

The Lord has blessed me with much, and I can't thank Him enough for them... I urge you to try Jesus; He is better than you think.

18 days more.....

It's 18 days more to.................. my BIG Day!!! I'm getting married, can you even believe the sound of it.....??? getting married.......

It's amazing how the Lord has brought me thus far, to this point when I'm making the 2nd most important decision in my life (1st being knowing Jesus personally)... I am humbled that He chose to let me marry this wonderful man, so I may catch a glimpse of what His love is like....

I have a myriad of emotions within me... nope, it's not the "is he the right man for me...?" or "am i sure I wanna marry this man..?" kinda questions. It's no doubt he is the right man for me, and no doubt that I wanna marry this man... Recently some friends have been commenting (or re-iterating) that Gerald is a really nice and good man - with a good heart & husband-material... Think what i've been feeling are like "oh, I'm gonna leave my parents, how...?", "I've to grow up, how...?" This step is a major step out of my comfort zone... but I remember the night before we got together, that God reminded me unless a kernel of wheat dies and falls to the ground, it will not bear fruit... I know in walking out of my comfort zone, I will learn to be stronger in Him and trust Him even more...

I am excited about marrying this wonderful man, and spending every waking moment with him... I need to stop allowing all the what-ifs and the permutations to eat up my excitement and overtake my joy - the joy that my God has bestowed to me...

Thank You Lord for giving me this opportunity to know You in marriage to this wonderful man You have made for me...

The mystery of marriage...

31"For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh."32This is a profound mystery—but I am talking about Christ and the church. (Book of Ephesians, Chapter 5, verses 31,32

I am catching just a glimpse of the synonym of Christ's relationship with His church, and relationship between a man and woman in marriage. It's really one of a kind, one that is none like any other... It's my privilege that God allows me this opportunity to experience His love on earth.

It is through Gerald that I experience the tip of the iceberg of unconditional love on earth... He is a wonderful man, my other better half whom God has planned to come into my life to make me a better person... The ugly side of me are magnified when I am in a relationship that is so close... but he loves and accepts me as I am, and still thinking the world of me... Unthinkable...

I also experienced and am still learning, that marriage (relationship for now, cos I am not married yet) in God is whole and secured. When both of us individually gets our security from our God, and we come together, there is a lot of security in spite of our differences, misunderstandings, quarrels, mis-readings of each other, etc... but the moment we come together to pray to our Lord, Jesus Christ, everything fades away, and security and love is restored in Him... Again, it is indeed a privilege, that He allowed me to experience such security, wholeness and love...

Last but not least, both of us can never thank God enough that we are in His community, His Family... You can see how much we are loved:


This is the man I love with all my heart and the one who started a new chapter in my life... Thank You, God.