Caught in the rut of bZ bZ ...??

WOW! It has been far too long since i last updated my blog! I have been wanting to add The Lord's impression on me for 2017. Well, more than three quarters of 2017 is going to be over!!! very scary..

Hmm..... i enjoyed the intense bible reading in the beginning part of the year and was able to upkeep the schedule of reading the bible in a year til something came up. Nevertheless, i managed to get to the book of Judges 7.

Very excited and enjoying the something that came up: studying Masters in Arts (Counselling and Guidance). The delving into the program and the work that comes with it has been an eye opener for me. Though the duration is quite long, 3.5 years, it's going to be a nice, contemplative and rewarding journey of learning, discovering and unlearning.

I am also elated i could have the chance to go for a week of silent retreat at Chiang Mai. Another experience with God unveiled to me while walking through the labyrinth. It was amazing! I then began doing it at my own home: plainly pleasurable and gratifying to the soul. The recording below is just one of the many reflections i have had while i was there for the week.

The year 2017 (1)

It has been five very long months since I have last written. My life has still been eventful of God's presence and I am truly thankful and very grateful.
The first quarter of 2017 is just over. I was still planning to pen down my resolutions and before I even did that, in a flash, three months have already passed!

Answered prayer of my friend's job provision led me into year 2017 and encouraged me to press on in prayer for the lost. The deep compassion for the lost has always been upon my heart. The year ended with the conclusive study of Revelation in 2016, a spotlight on the reality of Jesus' coming and the end of the world for all mankind. It really pains me to keep being reminded of my family and closed ones who still refuse to choose Jesus. How could I communicate to them the reality of the end of the world, the impending absoluteness of Christ's coming and the eternal separation of humankind from God for those without Christ? Lord, have mercy on them. On one hand I wish Christ would come very soon so I could be in heaven with Him. On the other hand, I wish Christ would delay His coming as there are plenty who are yet to receive Jesus into their lives.

2017 is a year much looked forward to as there are going to be new specialised learning in the pathway and new relationships going to be built. And with this new venture, another avenue of knowing deeper of Him. He knows best and He is sovereign and loving, I trust Him completely with my life and what He would want accomplished in and through my life to fulfil His ultimate purpose for mankind and for His glory.

Jesus the Lamb of God Who takes away the sin of the World! Praise You!

THE LORD PROTECTS

It has been three years and four months (returned on 26 June 2013) since I returned from community service work in Delhi. I 'commemorated' today reminiscing God's protection over me in the very rough and harsh environment, weather and culture - a culture especially disturbing for women.

The more difficult my situation was, the more assured I was of His presence, care and love upon me. These days, I miss those days which I felt God's familiarity and communion constantly and intensely. I could never forget that one whole month which I cried every morning. Yet I had to appear at the community centre as if everything was as usual, and, thanks to God, no one noticed my puffy eyes under my glasses. And, that's too, by God's grace.

Like all sane people who go overseas, I was insurance covered, and, very grateful to God I did not have to claim a cent from my insurance. Likewise while I was in Cambodia doing community service work, God protected me and provided for me, the insurance providers of both gained from all the profits of my premium paid. Since The Lord watches over me and protects me, even in a difficult place like India, can I not trust Him for all my travels? Thus, I was very determined and convinced to rely on God for protection from any possible hiccups whenever and wherever I travelled and not on any insurance coverage. If God protected me from any harm in tough places like Cambodia and New Delhi, the same God protects me wherever I go. HALLELUJAH!

All my travels from then: Mauritius, Seoul and Jeju, Guangzhou, Indonesia, Taiwan, Japan, Australia and USA, The Lord protected me.

The Lord's preeminent presence is the most lasting memory engraved in my long term memory of my stints in Cambodia and India. It has changed my life and my life is never the same. Psalm 136.

Food, Food Food

Chicken Biryani was never in my diet before 2009. Had never had thoughts of cooking too. Below is a pot of chicken biryani I've cooked and it is not the first pot, neither it is any less than the tenth pot. Naturally, for close friends who have known me enough would know my stint in India had changed my life in a positive and negative way. And, I would say, for diet, it has expanded my food choices and awakened my latent desire to cook food, and not only edible food, but delectable food.

As my work was held solely at the slum environment, eating food from there regularly was inhibited. We were all encouraged to bring our own lunch, and indeed, it is a common practice there to bring lunch to work. That led me to having prepare and cook lunch in the morning. It was such a hassle and irritant for me since I never have had to cook in the morning, as it was not my practice in my home country to do so. It was a struggle and laborious toil that weighed heavily upon me as a missionary in India amidst all other adjustments I was coming to terms with.

The Lord made a good habit out of me through this initial unwelcome ordeal. Over time, I learned and picked up this now-treasured discipline of preparing and cooking my lunch in the morning and bringing home-cooked yummy and healthy food for lunch to work on a regular basis.

Besides this treasured routine, the stint awakened my awareness about communication skills, both spoken and written communication. Lots of people communicate in a super indirect way. This is a practice foreign to me with my 'straight to the heart of the matter' family communication background. It was difficult for me to be conscious and cautious to hear what is not said. In fact, it was stressful to me to be alert to inferred/ implied messages presented to me.

However, God is good, He helped me along as I reflected and deciphered on some information given to me that required beyond the superficial understanding. The learning process is still ongoing as I came to reconcile with the reality that many people tend to communicate in implied and reserved manner.

Birthday Passage 2016 - Eph 2

Thank You, Lord, for Ephesians 2. The message is not new, but it is an opportune time to be refreshed by the fact that, 'for through Him we both have our access in one Spirit to the Father' Eph 2:18.

Praise The Lord Jesus (through His sacrifice on the cross) I could have direct access to the King of kings and Lord of lords and the Creator of all!!!

Who am I/ what am I to be given such a privilege! I have DIRECT access to Someone much much bigger than a big shot! And He is much much greater, much wiser, much more patient, much more knowledgeable, much more anything in the world, yet He grants me DIRECT access to HIM, 247!!!

Thank You, thank You, Lord, for such a privilege bestowed on me.

My 2016 birthday prayer: to put a smile on God's face through my life;
to know/ understand God's plan for my life in where He has put me and walk in His plans and purposes to glorify Him.

Psalm 121:5

God never fails to watch over us in our most recent journey in the West.
While waiting for a bus that took ages to come, our first morning and second day in LA, we waited under the rain with our umbrellas. He sent someone to alert us that the particular bus we have been waiting for would not be turning up till late afternoon!

In another occasion, while waiting for another bus, not realising we were waiting in the wrong direction, He sent someone else whom we could ask for confirmation (bus stops at LA is usually quite empty) only to realise we were indeed waiting at the wrong side of the road.

In San Francisco, though the bus stop was crowded, the whole lot of us was waiting for the same train without noticing there's a sign that says that particular train we were waiting for was not running through that road on that day. Again, God sent a lady to inform us that train wasn't going to come for our trip to the Ferry Station, and to our amazement, the lady only spoke to us! And, with the detour to take the metro as a result of it, we were brought to the exact ferry station that we planned to go but which didn't know how to get there, and, on top of that, we could catch the ferry as intended. How wonderfully blessed!

I can't help but marvel at the Lord's watchful eye over us and His great concern of our time and program on those days and beyond. Hallelujah!

GOD's MAGNIFICENT CREATION

Wonderful weather and a very pleasant state:

Last week in West America

Deeply thankful to Him for blessing us with a safe and enjoyable trip!

Beyond all I could ask or imagine

It was ten years ago, in year 2006 that I left to go Hope Village Prey Veng in Cambodia to serve in an orphanage that housed more than a hundred children and 16 staff.

A particular girl caught my attention on the first day that I landed there. We were playing captain's ball and the girl's charisma and sporty flaire resembled me when I was her age. The zeal, excitement and skilful hands at the game were so much of mine when I was in my teens. She has no parents, only an aunty. Over the two years that I was there, I remember vividly in one of the Khmer New Year, when more than half the children were brought home By their family members to celebrate Khmer New Year, she was waiting patiently for her aunty to come and fetch her. When her aunty arrived, I could see her beaming smile, the overwhelming joy and relief that she was going to go home and celebrate this festive season, even though it was only for half a day.

She has been a good learner and obedient and she has since grown to be a sweet young lady. It was never in my wildest dream that some of the children could come and visit Singapore with all expenses covered by sponsors. It was an official trip where they had to follow the program of attending intensive learning to speak English lessons daily and for her, learning to bake lessons as well and this program lasted for two months. And it so happened I was back in Singapore between my teaching commitment in India, divine bestowment!

She had since started working for about a year and it was a stunningly pleasant surprise she and another girl came to Singapore last April for a week for their Khmer New Year break! It was such deep joy to know both of them are still walking closely with The Lord and she is leading worship in church almost every Sunday.

On top of these, besides visiting Sentosa with them, they came and visited my home after dinner at West Coz cafe. It was never in my wildest imagination that I could have them step into my house! It was terrific time together with them and with two other sisters (co-workers before) chatting and updating one another of God's goodnesses.

"Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us, to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever. Amen." (Ephesians 3:20-21)