Rule #32, enjoy the little things.

It has been a total energy draining 48hours, yet probably one of the best times I could recall.

1. Cause he's leaving on a jet plane.

It was a great time of fellowship on Friday (the entire day in fact despite the botched job interview I would say). And the evening time with the leaders of the worship ministry and teams just made it even better. The passing on of the vision cast earlier in the year. The heart to heart thoughts and sharing. The fei-lo-ship over steaming boats of veg and meat, well a lot of fishballs actually!

But for me, perhaps is the highlight of sending my brother in Christ off. Unknown to many, Joel was actually set to fly up north for 3-week reservist exercise. Unspoken of, yet I feel for him.
The time away from loved ones and friends, not forgetting cell and church.
The rising up to the occasion to lead a group of men who probably are all older than him by many years.

As for myself though I thank God I probably won't have to go through such situations, I'd always want to be there to see a brother off at the airport right up to the departure entrance. Aside from being there physically, I believe one's presence and willingness to show up at the airport really encourages the one leaving knowing a family left behind remembers him. Hence me making it a point as best as I can, to come down to the east despite its remoteness from the city. If you are reading this, pray for him. Pray for Joel as he goes through a high-key exercise because we don't want to take God's protection for granted.

2. In serving is giving back from a position of receiving

A thank point this week in preparation for cell duty in YAY! An honest concern that finding help with icebreakers and worship can seem to be a challenge. But surely my God is able to do all things, especially those that most glorifies Him. And I don't care who eventually gets the credit. Sure names can be brought up but I know one thing for sure, His Name is lifted high above all in my giving my all.

The willingness to step up and being the lead worshiper.
The willingness to stand on the supporting lines backing up the worship leader.
The willingness to coup up at the back, unnoticed yet faithfully moving the slides.
The willingness to move out of the comfort zone to bring Him due glory.

It proves beyond a willing heart to give. It reflects a receiving posture to give back to the rightful Lord and master. And yes, God came through amidst the united worship of the body of Christ and though the positive feedback of Man, I give my gratitude to the Audience of One whom all the praise and worship is given to. And I can trust my God to draw the members' hearts back to Him slowly but surely. That is my belief.

3.The 24th Birthday Girl

And so the weeks of planning, preparation and squabbling has finally come down to D-Day.
It was this. It was that.
To get this. To get that.

We thought we had it all covered, yet the Lord revealed to us how silly we were through a sudden downpour. The heavy rain caught everyone off guard and threw us off the original plan. We could not explicitly change the plan so with a little tweaking and a whole lot of Oscar-level acting, we staged the birthday surprise in a random location. Haha.

Thereafter things were back to original plan though slightly behind schedule. Nevertheless, I saw how the Grace of God provided for us.

The car when the rain came.
The market where we could take away dinner.
The NTUC where we got last minute items.
The willingness from all to chip in, in one way or another, especially for the big birthday present!

I believe this time, the birthday present meant more than just what one likes or justifies that a costlier gift has more significance. I believe the birthday present, at its cost, revealed just how much love everyone has for our birthday girl. It revealed how much more the Gift of Love from Jesus Christ our Lord is worth. And for that, the birthday present is only but a shadow of how much we cherish our birthday girl.

So now that the countless celebrations are finally over (I think!), a new season is here. To look back in gratitude of one's life in a year is good because one can then look ahead to better year with the Lord! So Happy BirthDAY Sarah (again)! and yes, the Lord be with you and make His face shine upon you! That the Lord grant you favors. That His goodness and mercy will follow you, all the days of your life as you dwell in the house of the Lord!

4. D & J

The Big Day is less than 3 weeks away! I'm pumped up for it really! Especially this coming week with stag/hen night. With cell outing on Sat. Yesterday's gathering of the wedding core helper team was a great time despite the "warm" reception! =D

So yes D&J, I said yes to helping you for your big day. And it will always be a yes for you guys! Both of you are my God-sent guardian angels in the family of Christ and it will be my joy to see you through the joyous day of your lives!

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So the dawning of a brand new day,
the setting in of a brand new week.
Lord I have worries and issues and challenges,
but I have You God.
Choosing between perhaps or Promise, 
I know now it's not about me-conscious,
I know it's about GOD-conscious. =)   

This is Our God

Freely You gave it all for us
Surrendered Your life upon that Cross
Great is the love
Poured out for all
This is our God
Be lifted on high from death to life
Forever our God be glorified
Servant and King
Rescued the world
This is our God

The Joy of going through Pain

Something I have been grappling with of late, the experiences of pain and failure.

Growing up in my first 17 years was not quite so much about failures or pain. In fact, it was a life I was getting used to. Comfortable without lack. Fun without restraints. It was a matter of time before I went full-blown on experiencing "life" at 18, at 21. Until that faithful day I stepped into a cell group; a church service, I have never left for anywhere else and gone to another.

Was it all pure fun and happy moments in the last 7 years? Sure NO. So call that a bad choice? I wouldn't think so. In fact, the numerous painful moments and failures cluttered mostly in my 8 years of walking in the Lord than my 17 years on my own. So why the pain and the failures?

I somewhat gathered that there are two facets in analyzing a failure or a painful experience. One would be the 'me' factor while the other, His agenda. The 'me' factor is simply nothing but a personal choice made at that point in time. No I have not always made the wise choices but each experience only serves to grow me further.

The God factor on the other hand, has always been something that intrigues me because the unique experiences I have received only served to allow me to minister to various people in the body of Christ. I would have looked back countless times in regret over the choices made but God has allowed me to look again, with a different set of eyes. A set of eyes that looked out for learning points, that chooses to keep the pain yet using them to relate to those going through a similar season.

It will always seem to be painful at the point of going through the season yet my Joy must always be in Him. To know that God will not allow any event to take place in my life without it benefiting me in time to come. Surely if God would go as far as giving His only Son for me, how much greater the limit of His love and mercy for me.

With each experience only serves to make me stronger, stronger in the Lord to know who holds my future in His hands and knows the plan He has for me. And I will live to remember these experiences will be used by Him one day to strengthen another in Christ, just as little David did in his life.

Father, help me hold fast to my faith in You. When someone is down, that I will be used by you to build them up and not be dragged down. Cause Your Name is greater and mighty to save. Amen.

It doesn't take much

As I journeyed to the west this morning, I wasn't expecting to think of David (the King).

But He just began revealing so much about this dude whom God strengthened him from young, especially in his faith.

Taken from 1 Samuel 17.

1. Know who you are. Identity. V8,26,36,45-47.
This perhaps was the game changer in the standoff between the Israelites and the Philistines. Sure I think anyone who is familiar with this passage knows that David the young boy did not take Goliath down on his own accord. Given the little odds of winning, David was not the least daunted. Call him ignorant or arrogant, I see him full of faith. Full of faith in a God who is more than able to deliver him.

Goliath saw the Israelites as servants of Saul.
King Saul and Israelites probably saw themselves against the odds in the face of Goliath.
David's brothers saw him as useless to the battle.
King Saul refuted David's request to take on Goliath in his judgement call based on battle experience.

What about David? He simply saw himself as a servant of God. He knew God is One who will deliver him. He wasn't full of pride, but full of faith. An authenticity that reveals itself in the light of a trial.

I suppose this is one of the lessons for me to learn as the camp draws nearer. With a number of tasks and roles unsettled, there are times that I do wonder if I had gone wrong somewhere or perhaps I'm not hearing Him clear enough. I suppose the challenges that come along the way are surely within the Lord's control and there is much more to learn out of them rather simply to resolve them. Admittedly, I wish things would have been gone smoothly. Yet I pray that if this is something God wants me to endure through, then His Will be done.

2. Keep track of what the Lord has done regardless if others are aware. V34-37.
This was probably the substance that gave David the confidence to stand up against Goliath's challenge, to stand before his own King Saul requesting for a go against Goliath.

David had not built a fantastic portfolio till he signed up himself for a job with "maximum life risk". His father and family saw his value as far as a shepherd and a bread runner. King Saul deemed David's odds of defeating Goliath as a sure nil. Goliath saw David as little more than a boy.

David needed no outstanding resume. He shed off all the battle gear that was placed on him for the caution of what if's. He knew well how the Lord had delivered him previously and will again deliver him this time. He was honed in the very tools and weapons he had from the beginning. He needed no insurance in the ways of Man. All he had in him was the Faith in an Almighty God. Though Goliath was armed to the teeth and even donning on a bronze helmet, David took him down with the sling of a stone right in the forehead. Bear in mind that Goliath had a shield bearer in front of him in addition to the helmet he wore.

David was either the biggest bragger in the world or he was sure of what the Lord can do for Him. Be it a lion or a bear, these episodes in his life served to prepare him for a greater calling. The Lord will finally be exalted in this young boy's fullness of faith and confidence in Him.

Sure I can whine over the seemingly meaningless tasks and chores each day, but could I be missing out what the Lord is doing and preparing me for? Without a doubt, He is able to use any and every event in my life to mould me for the unique purpose He has for me. 

I have begun to see a glimpse of how He has been doing this and I pray that in time to come, may I be humble and submissive enough to allow Him to work deeper in me. 

3. Known by God is far more important than being known by Man. V55.
David the young boy was the youngest of a father of 8 sons. His 3 older brothers served alongside King Saul in the Israelite army and all that was mentioned of David was his going back and forth to tend to his father's sheep.

During the times of peace, hardly anyone who have known or heard of David. He would either be on the move or far out in the pastures tending to the family livestock. Yet for sure, the Lord knew his heart and knew the plan He had for him. David was probably unaware of why the Lord had to put him through encounters with the bear or the lion, and a good chance that no one else knew about it. Yet the Lord had it all planned out perfectly.

David had a heart of humility. All the men of Israel were with King Saul at the battle front yet none of them spoke up about David's bravery against the beasts. I would attribute this to the fact that David had not spoken of these to anyone, not even his father or his brothers. Though unspoken, David remembered well these experiences and clearly, the Lord's hand was on him and delivered him.

The Shepherd's heart. As I pen(type) this down, the Lord just revealed this to me. David was tending to his father's sheep. I'm sure when the bear or lion comes along, David could have avoided a confrontation and allowed the beasts to have their way. But hey! No way David was going to let this happen. He could have gotten away with losing the sheep to the beasts but he had a heart for them. He did not fight the beasts because they turned on him. In fact, he went after the beasts to rescue the sheep.

What good would David be if he was the best slingshot shooter in the world? He could have chosen not to stand up to Goliath if the Lord had not shaped his heart. Seemingly, the battle between the Israelites and Philistines was no business of David's. Yet armed with a faith that is full in the Lord and a heart of a shepherd, David took it upon himself to fight for the Lord. Nope he wasn't coming against Goliath in the name of Israel or King Saul. Simply the Name of the Lord Almighty, the Living God.

Of late, things seemed to be piling up on my plate and it does not help to deal with people-issues at the same time. Having said that, I am reminded that we have our own portion from the Lord, our portion of work, our calling. The Lord knows every bit of work that I do whether I realize that I am doing it for Him or if anyone is even aware of.

The priority for me is to first incline my ears upon His heart, to outstretch my arms to receive His embracing love, to lift up my hands in surrendering my will to do His. And out of these, I believe, is how one's ministry will overflow to minister to people.

Thanks young David. Thanks for being a reminder from the Lord. 

Weary

Maybe it's due to the post-sleepless-night tiredness. Feels quite lethargic and out of focus.

On the other end, I start having qualms if I should do this. Hoped so much for cooperative effort and a slightly more positive response, but I guess it's something for me to learn.  Perhaps everyone else is tired too. Perhaps everyone already has other agenda.

So maybe I'll just go with something small, something simple. After all, the point is that this is done for you right?

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I've actually said all these to someone else and I begin to see what it meant by "live what you preach". How timely a reminder from the Lord. Father, may I never ever miss what You are teaching or doing in me regardless of the situation. I'll still do this, cause I know it'll be better than nothing done =)
 
Cause it's easier to drop everything and walk away.