Tuesday, September 17, 2013

Love After marriage (LAM)

We went for a 3-day marriage conference ran by Lorri & Barry Byrne from Bethel. It was a conference that was life-changing. We learnt much about our marriage, reconciled matters which were swept under the carpet, learnt many useful tools for us to live victoriously in this world. What we also got out of this conference were new friends we met and bonded (cos we all shared so vulnerably), old friends whom we connected even deeper.
Marriage is really God's idea; He wants us to experience His love for us through our marriage. I'd been wondering about our marriage and had been thinking about the fact that God allowed me to get married... He has His perfect plan. In marriage, I become a better person (though still ever-growing). In marriage, He allows my husband to sharpen me and to tone me down. In marriage I learn to think for another person. In marriage, with a child, we foster a brand new family unit and we build a new family. 
Thank You Lord for your grace, for Your gift of marriage and most of all, thank You for bestowing me with Gerald as my husband, who loves me, is patient with me, and who makes me a better person through his love. 

Indeed, both of us (two) are better than 1. 

Monday, March 04, 2013

Life is somewhat different...

Our Benjamin is growing up real fast. He is now about 4.5 months, and getting quite chubby. When he is not smiling, he looks serious and intense; when he smiles or chuckles, he melts a thousand hearts, of which the most is Papa & I.




We cannot stop thanking God for Benji, who has been sooooo cooperative whenever we are out (he just sleeps away), and he doesn't really cry or fuss unnecessarily. This was our constant prayer when he was still in my tummy, as we know we don't want our life and ministry to come to a standstill because we have a kid. Thankfully he loves to go out too and he enjoys people playing with him, so he has been quite easy to handle thus far. For this, we cannot stop giving thanks to God for answering our prayers. Actually I feel that having a baby is not that tough actually. I have been sleeping more (except for the night feeds which I have to wake up briefly), cos Baby sleeps, so I sleep. I praise God that He has sustained me and given me strength and tenacity. I know it is His Grace that is so sufficient for me.

Trip to Taiwan:

Inaugural flight to Taiwan




Story of his name "Benjamin"
Psalms 118:15-17

15 Shouts of joy and victory
    resound in the tents of the righteous:
“The Lord’s right hand has done mighty things!
16     The Lord’s right hand is lifted high;
    the Lord’s right hand has done mighty things!”
17 I will not die but live,
    and will proclaim what the Lord has done

Our dear friend, D, texted me one day to ask for Benji's "vital statistics" & a verse which God has given us with rgds to Benji's name. We pondered and thought, there wasn't a specific verse, cos the whole pregnancy was a journey and we had journaled the whole process and all the words and promises which the Lord has given us. One night, I recalled the passage above which I read (along with a couple other verses about the Lord's right hand), and I asked a friend who is a bible scholar specifically about the Lord's right hand. I remembered I was v encouraged then.
As I was sharing with Gerald about this passage, suddenly it struck us that Benjamin means "son of my right hand"! And in my spirit, I knew even his name was picked by God Himself & Benjamin is the son of God's right hand. He will not die but live and will proclaim what the Lord has done - Benji lived alright.

The Lord is good and faithful and He is not a vague God. He plans everything to the tee. We just need to trust Him.

In this journey of having a baby, I begin to feel the sense of belonging and family with Gerald. In the process, Gerald and I have squabbled, stepped on each other's toes even more, etc. But I find myself falling in love with this man I married all over again. He loves me, protects me, and loves our son and protects our son with all his heart. Thank You Lord, for giving me the "reason"for our son: without this wonderful husband You gave me, we wouldn't have our wonderful son.










3 months & counting...

It has been 3 good months... It wasn't as difficult or daunting as I thought, thank You, Lord.
Our little baby is growing up fast & well.
Thank God for the milk supply, as You promised in Isaiah.

Gerald has been such a wonderful daddy - everything he does with regards to you, he does it so excellently.