Thursday, July 31, 2008

peaceful July 2008

Peace is not when things are smooth and when there are no trials or tribulations or trouble. Peace is when you can search deep into your heart to a place of sufficient grace, bountiful love and the serenity of peace when things fail and when things don't go our ways.

Today is the last day of July and I just felt that alot of things had happened in this month. However, the most beautiful thing will be this; spending quality time with God and time praying and worshipping with friends in the presence of God. A deep sense of God's love overwhelm me this month and I just felt so much in love with God again and again.

Thank God for the chance to go to City Harvest twice this month, to hear Pastor Kong Hee preached again is really refreshing! 3 nights spent at Faith Methodist Church from 21st to 23rd July for the 2 years once Christian Counselling Conference! Meeting Dr. Siang Yang Tan and Dr. Wei-Jen Huang and hearing from them was really really great. Dr. Tan told us a love letter from God to us and Dr. Huang told us some really interesting facts and stories. Both of them psychiatrists are really some godly men who are making a great difference in the marketplace. As I mentioned before, Dr. Tan has the noblest face I ever seen while I must say, Dr. Huang (First time seeing him) is the most humble man I ever seen. Dr. Tan is from Singapore but residing in U.S now while Dr. Huang is from Taiwan and residing in U.S too. Dr. Huang came on stage and just thank God for the chance to minister to us, confessing that he is actually not smart but how very bless he is to be used by God now. I am amazed by his humbleness and the way he talked and know deeply in my heart that God always uses the humble hearts. Guess what, I was elated when Stream of Praise came to Singapore too and Jac and I had a really really great time dancing and worshipping for Jesus.

No wonder I felt so in love with God, so many exciting events and words of God just happened this month! I had spent some quality time praying and crying before the Lord too. Went to Jac place and she really is very nice to me. Cooked 3 dishes and ba ku tea soup for me despite her tiredness. Then as usual, I will asked to listen to Stream of Praise songs and as I listened to one song, "abba father", I cried and cried and cried. God is doing some amazing work in my life, changing me bit by bit. Praise God for his love, visions, peace and presence. I pray that I will not be lazy and will spend time with Him daily. Only then, life can be so fruitful and purposeful. Had some good time praying with Hannah, Huili, Laura, Fayth, June and my cell members this month too. Thank God for the chance to pray with Brandon on the 27th July. =)

Of course, not all things will be smooth in life. I failed my driving test again. Yes. Again. What? Shirley! Auto car you know! Yup, I know. That is why I was quite desvastated this time round to fail my driving test for the 2nd time. I even cried infront of the tester when he went to print out my driving test result. I couldnt believe it. Another round of learning and paying for the expensive driving test. For the rest of that day, I was in a bad bad mood. Getting easily frustrated with people around. I even said "I dont want to learn driving again!" to myself. Thank God, I regain my sanity that very night and got back myself the next day. I searched deep into God's love and peace again and thank God for the lesson to learn. Failures, this is how it feel like, Shirley. I believe God is using this experience to teach me to empathise more deeply with people who fail in exams or anything. Thank you Jesus. Now, I can say and really know the pain.

Just watched 2 movies with Brandon today. "Money not enough 2" is rated 1.1/2 stars over 5 by some review. But personally Brandon and myself give it a 4 stars. Why? Even though its not very very funny and unpredictable. It sent out some very relevant lessons for Singaporeans; The poorest man in not the one without a penny in the pocket but the one with no loved ones around to spend money with; Treasure and love your wife who is there for you through thicks and thins; Be content with what you have; Love and cherish your family especially your mom when they are still around. It did bring some sadness to me when I saw one scene that reminded me that mom is not with me now. Cherish when you still can.

I'm reading "Full service" by Dr. Tan Siang Yang now..... another great lessons to learn.... thank you Jesus. Praise you Lord.

Monday, July 14, 2008

Gratitude

My heart is filled with gratitude for God's love and grace!
This world of efficiency and pace and competitions, it's easy to say that we have achieved some awards, some significant, some achievements by our own efforts. I was tempted to say that I have work hard for my OSAKA Japan convention this year but thank God, Thanks to my manager who is a non Christian who reminded me that it is indeed God's grace that I qualified for OSAKA!
No matter how hard we tried in life, nothing can amount to success without God's grace.
Yes, of course we have to work hard to succeed in life. But without a gratitude heart that says, "Apart from God, I can do nothing" John 15, we are actually putting limits to what God can do in our life. We strive and strive and ended up in more despair because we are never satisfied with achievements, we want more and more... and all these are meaningless.

Thank you Jesus for your grace and thank you all who pray and believe together with me that I can qualified for OSAKA. Thank you so much. =)

I'm so excited that I nearly couldn't sleep just planning my itineraries for Japan! I remember 2 years ago, I went to Sydney convention with God's grace!
I was so excited having to travel alone for 3 days! But this time round, I'm abit sad I may have to travel alone for 3 days again. Nobody to share my joy with, nobody to take pictures with me! Haaa.... But God will work it all out for me! =)

This time round, will be going to Toyko Disneyland, backpacking to Mt Fuji and onsen (springwater bath). Will be more exciting than Sydney! Jac may join me at Japan Tokyo. Let's see if everything work out fine. I know it will =)

Thank you JESUS! =)

At this time when I needed more love, God pour out His love through different people and of cos this special gift from Him. =)

Praise the Lord!