Gems for the Heart

The Grandiose Wedding

2011-05-02T10:04:00.007+08:00

Let us rejoice and be glad
and give him glory!
For the wedding of the Lamb has come,
and his bride has made herself ready.

(Revelation 19:7, NIV)

The world turns her eyes once again on the royal wedding. I thought it was just a while ago, the grand wedding was featured in every media coverage for a long period. I was just a young girl. The most talked about occasion on the lips of romantic people. That were the parents of the latest royal newlyweds, Prince William and his beau. Now the glamour belongs to their son and his beautiful wife.

Wedding – some like it simple. Many plan for the grandest occasion. Once in a lifetime. I don’t know about guys. Girls dream of the most romantic do. The dress – oh, that dream dress. I remember my own search for the ideal dress I wished for, and I never really found it here in this part of the world. I only drooled over it in magazines. I managed to settle and made peace with one and wore it on my wedding day. Yes, I was being complimented. My mum-in-law loved it. There was a whole lot of preparation to think through and about together with my fiancé then, and some major decisions with our parents. It was a tedious process of getting ready for just that one day.

The constant reminder to me was not to lose joy in the elaborate process and not to lose focus on the more crucial part – the marriage, the relationship. My fiancé and I talked through a lot of things during our courtship and some of these issues were discussed with greater intensity when we attended pre-marital counselling. The entire preparation entails great effort and deliberate thoughts and actions. My perfectionism and creative side longed for many aesthetic details which I eventually let go due to lack of budget. Nevertheless, it still turned out to be a grand do. The best part of it all, was not all the aesthetic fringes. It was the preparation of the spirit. That moment of standing in the presence of God and worshipping him as he joined me and the man whom I love was an indescribable unity. Simply awesome.

Great rejoicing and gladness filled the air. Weddings – what a glorious occasion! I cannot help it but to think of the Grandest of all weddings. My limited mind cannot imagine the grandiose feeling nor atmosphere of Christ coming back for his Bride. Are you ready?

The verse today urges us to rejoice and be glad, to set the tone to glorify him. We should be ready, but are we? Here is an imagery of our intimate relationship with Christ. How will we look like, be like, when he comes? Are we looking into the important details of preparation? Or losing track concentrating on the insignificant fringes? Is our heart cleansed and excited to welcome the grandiose occasion?

This is a constant personal challenge to me. I urge you to think through and get ready. Be the most beautiful bride, set apart for our Glorious Groom.

Glorious Lord, make ready my heart and spirit as I await the Day. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

In The Darkness

2011-04-24T08:22:00.003+08:00

“Woman,” he said, “why are you crying? Who is it you are looking for?”

(John 20:15, NIV)

In the dark of that very early morning, the hurried footsteps could be heard in the quietness. Her heart was filled with anxiety. Her hope was almost lost. She was hanging on a thread of the least that was left in her heart. She needed to find the body. One last hope. Just one more to bang on.

To her horror when she reached her destination, the stone was rolled off. The entrance of the tomb was left opened. She panicked. Her only remaining hope. It was gone! The body of the Lord she loved was not there anymore.

She hastily ran to the other men and announced the shocking news. Two men immediately set for the site and soon found the truth. It was gone. The body – it was gone! In the midst of the emptiness they only saw the strips of linen and burial cloth for his head. She was not imagining. These men witnessed it too. The empty tomb.

While the men left, she remained at the spot crying. Her whole being was flooded by a gush of sorrow unspeakable. She stood in the darkness of the wee hours of the morning weeping in tremendous sorrow. Her last hope vanished. She must have stood there confused, afraid and helpless.

A sudden voice interrupted her weeping. She looked up and saw two angels. They asked her, “Woman, why are you crying?” She replied quickly, “They have taken my Lord away and I don’t know where they have put him.” She felt another presence and another voice interrupted her again, “Woman,” he said, “why are you crying? Who is it you are looking for?” “Please, sir, tell me where…I’ll get him,” she muttered in between her sobs.

Jesus then called her name, “Mary.”

In the dark hour and amidst the quietness, I instantly heard him asked me the same question, “Woman, why are you crying?” “I am here.” I felt a sudden closeness of my Lord and heard my name. That was enough. It was suffice to reassure me that he will take care of everything. In the darkest hour. In the darkest night. He is there – always. I may not realize his presence when I am caught in the deepest sorrow, pain, confusion and anguish – just like Mary at the empty tomb. When I thought my last hope was also gone, he appeared. He resurrected it.

That’s the power of his resurrection. He died a cruel death but on the third day, he rose again. He caused the darkest night to break forth with the dawn of his light. He is risen. All hopes are found in him.

We stand here today to celebrate the power of his resurrection. That same power still works today. He did not die in vain.

The power of his resurrection lives in us. Blessed Easter!

The Beauty of Wrinkles

2011-04-18T08:24:00.005+08:00

Yet you, LORD, are our Father.
We are the clay, you are the potter;
we are all the work of your hand.

(Isaiah 64:8, NIV)

Our van stopped at a junction and an advertisement on the billboard caught my eye. It publicized a beautiful girl with flawless complexion holding on to a peeled mask of her older face – one which is wrinkled and drained by the years. An attractive discount offered for a makeover boldly printed at the bottom. What is new? The lure of the commercial world of our era is ever seeking to be more convincing.

My husband instantly commented, “The older face looks so much better. It is carved by character.” I looked again at the billboard and thought that’s pretty profound in the words of my wise husband. The older face looked more real, down to earth, though a bit wrinkled but possessed the grace of aging. That’s a certain kind of beauty which is unexplainable. It has earned its glory through the hard years of life. The younger face displayed was so flawless that it makes it so fake.

A bookmark given by a friend many years ago tucked in my bible read:

Today I saw a lovely thing…

A tree,

Sculptured and turned,

Weathered by the winds

And storms of the years.

I thought of you…

How time and hardships

Can work grace and beauty,

When lovingly fashioned

By the MASTER’S HAND

I know you are precious in HIS sight…

TO GOD BE THE GLORY!

by Glenna Oldham

We do not have to fall into the trap of the unruly commercials. Our beauty and worth are determined not by the cosmetics and outer adornment. It is the Lord’s beauty filling our life as we spend time with him regularly and allowing him to gently mould and fashion us according to his purposes. Because we are his, we are called “precious and honored in his sight” (Isaiah 43:4). This is the key text of GEMS which I hold strongly too as God spoke to me many years ago that how many women are destroyed simply not knowing this truth. As daughters of the King, we must recognize our precious worth in and to him.

As we age (which is inevitable), know that the glory and beauty of the years are characterized in our face. When you look into the mirror and find facial lines as the pages of your life chapter turns, know that the Potter shapes us into his masterpieces – every piece intend to depict his character if only we allow him.

Precious Gems, we don’t stay young forever. Whether you are 10, 20 or 30 now, the number will continue to increase and we cannot live in denial. We must glow with his radiance whatever age we are. Our character is carved. To the beautiful girls of God, we all say - Amen!

Father, as I look into your eyes, I see such beauty. Fill me with your beauty anew daily. Let me be your confident girl in every season. Let those who look at me see your beauty and grace. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

She Is Waiting

2011-04-11T09:33:00.007+08:00

They cried to you and were saved;
In you they trusted and were not disappointed.

(Psalm 22:5, NIV)

A small girl looked around in the crowd. She scanned for her daddy. He was here a while ago. “Where is he now?” Her heart grew with anxiety as her search continued in vain. She was hopeful although still waiting – with an increasing fear.

She trusted he would come back but he still hadn't show up. All sorts of thoughts kept rushing into her mind.

“How long more has she to wait?”
“Daddy won’t leave me. He promised.”
“But where is he?”
“ I've been a good girl. I always tried to be the best to please him. Maybe I messes up things once in a while, but as much as I can and know how, I will be obedient.”
“He can’t possibly leave me now.”

Her tears dropped. “Daddy, where are you?”

She sat at the pavement and waited. She remembered what he always said, “If you get lost, please don’t wonder around. Stay where you are and wait for me. I will come back for you.” She wiped her tears. She told herself to be brave and whispered, “Daddy, don’t take too long.”

Have you ever felt like the little girl? Somewhere in life’s crowd you got lost. You lost sight of God. Your hand slipped off his. You are alone and fearful. You don’t think your cry will reach him in this massive crowd. Your heart thumped with greater anxiety as you are surrounded by the unknown. You wish you could just catch a glimpse of him but you see nothing. But you remember his promises.

“I will not leave you nor forsake you.” (Joshua 1:5)
“As surely as the sun rises, he will come…” (Hosea 6:3)
“Be strong and take heart, all you who hope in the Lord.” (Psalm 31:24)
There are endless reassurances in his word.

How often do our minds wonder like the little girl and get anxious. The psalmist tells us when we cry to him and trust him; we will be saved and not disappointed. God is true to his word and is not a liar (Numbers 23:19).

He will fulfil his promises. Just wait for him. We may not understand his timing. Many times he trains us to be strong and courageous in the waiting. He stretches our faith and in the process we really get to know who our God is. So as I speak to myself, I like to encourage you too, hang in there…he will surely come!

Heavenly Daddy, here am I waiting…for you to come rescue me, comfort me, heal me, [fill in whatever your need is]. I trust in You, You and You alone! In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Leave a comment: what is God’s promise to you and how do you conquer your fear?

In His Name

2011-04-04T09:34:00.001+08:00

May the name of the God of Jacob protect you.

(Psalm 20:1, NIV)

“Aunty Senina, Aunty Senina, Aunty Senina…” little Kael called incessantly the moment we connected. The barely 3 year old could not pronounce the “l” despite his mum corrected him a few times. Thus my name change. His chubby little finger hooked onto mine and dragged me all around to tour his house as we met for the first time. His friendliness warmed my heart as he opened up to me so quickly. Soon I was his buddy for the weekend. My name was buzzing in the air the entire time. Kael and Aunty Senina were inseparable. Aunty Senina’s name never left Kael’s lips. This name became the the name which carry much power. His mum would use the name to get him do something when he refused. The name got him going.

“Your name will be useful for a while after you leave this weekend,” chuckled his dad. “I am sure we can get him to do things by just mentioning it,” he continued. What power in that name for Kael’s little world!

A few days after my return of that short trip away I read Psalm 20. Verse 1 begins with an exhortation of God’s name. It says this name “protects”. That was comforting to me as I was still nursing my gastric reflux. No matter what happens, I can call on this name, the name above all other names to protect me. It is not just any name. It is not Aunty Senina in Kael’s little world for a weekend. This awesome name is the One who saves. The Everlasting One.

I must admit I was a bit tired of answering Kael after some time. But God never gets tired when we call his name. His name makes our enemy trembles and flees. Psalm 20:7 declares that, “some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lord, our God.” It is not in the physical magnitude and massive weight that we should rely on, but our reliance is in placing our trust in his majestic name. The mention of his name guarantees our protection. I am reminded of many boys who would use their daddies’ names when they are being bullied. “I will tell my daddy!”

How about us? We can always tell our Daddy too. Just declare his name!

Let us sing his name. Let’s shout for joy unto his name. Let’s lift up the banner in the name of the Lord (Psalm 20:5). Remember David overcame Goliath in the name of the Lord!

Abba Father, Yours is the Most Beautiful Name of all. The name which is above all other names. Today I declare your power in my life, the trusted name of all generations. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Comfort in Suffering

2011-03-28T00:05:00.000+08:00

My comfort in suffering is this: Your promise preserves my life.

(Psalm 119:50, NIV)

Is there comfort in suffering? Sounds oxymoron, right?

We can’t ignore the voice of our own body to slow down. The last weeks I've been so caught up with different issues that it was very hard to guard my stress level. Although my mind knew I need lots of space to slow down but circumstances didn't seem to permit. Fine, maybe I’ve failed to organize my mind and time efficiently. A whole lot of emotional entanglement was thrown into sorting out all issues. I wish I could have handle all life’s going in a better way. My gastric discomfort was the first warning. It was too mild for me to get worried over as I was nursing my back muscle tension. On the spiritual realm I was fighting battles as I stand in the gap as an intercessor. What a ground I've given away to allow the enemy to attack.

The next thing I found was a brand new condition my body was suffering. Gastric reflux. It last whole day and night. One week passed, then another, then another. It was still persistent. I couldn't eat and sleep properly. My most basic needs were deprived. Completely debilitating!

The desperation for God’s deliverance increased. I wanted to hear his voice not only in all the initial issues I presented him, but also in my present suffering. And he spoke in Psalm 119:50. The comfort is his promises. While I struggled to keep my focus in him and things above, he reminded me to remember his promises. But what are those promises? I began journalling them as I opened the bible. His assurance calmed me. These aren't just empty words.

They are words of life.
They preserve.
They heal.
They give hope when the dark cloud is hanging over.
They are light when we are walking in a long lonely dark tunnel.

I immersed myself in those promises and remember that God is a covenant keeper. Surely I must trust him with all my heart and lean not on my own understanding (Proverbs 3:5).

What are you suffering? The good news is there’s comfort. Yes. You read correctly. Comfort in suffering. Oxymoron but that's exactly what the verse states. Look up his promises. Call to remembrance what he has already spoken. Confess them. Claim them. Charge them into your spirit today!

Dear Lord, in my suffering, I remember Christ who first suffered for me. His sufferings delivered me and redeemed me. Thank you – today, I can safely walk in those promises of your victory and deliverance. Lord, lift my spirit up! Give light to my eyes, strength to my body, and a heart to store all of your promises. I regain my ground and close the door to the enemy who seek to kill and destroy. I place my trust in God, my Saviour. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

The Comfort in The Light

2011-03-21T00:05:00.002+08:00

let us walk in the light of the LORD.

(Isaiah 2:5, NIV)

Poof! Not again. The electricity was cut off a few rounds that day. It was already night. The whole house was swamped over by darkness. My husband quickly reached for the candles and lighted them. The household was turned into a warm cozy ambience as some would say with candle lights. But I don’t particularly like the dim candle light, the small yellow fire burning and all our shadows cast on the walls. Maybe for a little while is fun. I could use it to teach some science and play some shadow games with the children. But not for the entire night. I like the clear brightness of the fluorescent lighting where I can see with clarity and move freely.

In the process of getting more candles lighted, the electricity came on again. So it was just a short spell this time. Phew…I sighed a big relief. “How good it is to be in the light,” I commented. Instantly, the thought struck me. “Oh yea, it is so good to be in the light that a short stint of darkness causes so much discomfort.”

God has shown us the way – the path of light in him. I cannot imagine still living in darkness and groping aimlessly with fear and anxiety, without God. The prophet Isaiah gave a strong call, “let us walk in the light of the Lord.”

God’s light enters our life the moment we call him, Lord and Saviour. But we have to choose to want to walk in it. Psalm 119:5 tells us that his word is a lamp for our feet, a light on our path. The Word of God gives us direction and guidance. It is liken to the light which shines at our feet as we walk on the path of life. Walking in his light is a sure comfort knowing that Someone is always watching over us and keeping us on track. It is reassuring to know that we will always have enough light for our steps so we will not fall off. Even if we do fall, the light will govern us so strongly that we will be able to get up quickly and continue with it.

When we are living in the Light, we will recognize the slightest darkness that comes over us. It makes us so uncomfortable we want to be delivered immediately. That was the case for me when the electricity was cut off. This is such a reminder that as children of light, we can no longer live in darkness. But how many people are still trapped in darkness? Let us be urgent to be agent of deliverance.

Dear Lord, Grant me the power of your light to be your agent to rescue many who are still in darkness. Today I thank you for shining your light at my path. If I've gone a bit off track, gently bring me back. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

The Songs of Life

2011-03-14T09:48:00.004+08:00

The LORD your God is with you,
the Mighty Warrior who saves.
He will take great delight in you;
in his love he will no longer rebuke you,
but will rejoice over you with singing.

(Zephaniah 3:17, NIV)

While I desperately needed God to come through in the various personal situations, he directed some cases to deal with in others’ lives. My eyes switched from my own troubles to the pain others are carrying. As I listened to each talked about their big problems which entails such deep distress and pain in the mind, soul and spirit; I kept reminding these dear ones there is no problem too big for God, our Saviour. That truth resonated in return to my own ears.

As I struggle in my own thoughts while I grapple with different issues in my life and interceding for these dear ones I requested God to give each a song. We need to hear a new song from him in our different seasons. He promises in the verse above that he is with us, and he saves for he is the Mighty Warrior. He saves irrespective of our troubles. He does not just save, but continue to take great delight in us as he showers us with his songs of love and deliverance. So I pray:

For the emptiness of the soul, he sings a song of love.
For the broken hearted, he sings a song joy.
For the distress, he sings a song of peace.
For the lost, he sings a song of hope.

There are still many songs available from heaven. One to suit each of God’s children in each season. There is the song of freedom, the song of deliverance, the song of faith, the song of victory, and the list is endless.

I confessed and claimed the verse one night. Then I slipped into dreamland. I dreamed that God’s angels sang in my living room while I was getting ready to bed. It was a sweet song. That night before I slept, I was in distress.

At bedtime my children would often request, “Mum, sing us a song.” Mum’s soothing voice calms and comforts. But, our Father's voice is the most powerful in whatever capacity you need.

What song(s) do you need? Place a request now with your Father and hear the music play. Just listen…

Dear Lord, what song are you singing over me? Let me hear it. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Every Life Counts

2011-02-28T10:31:00.002+08:00

Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart;

Jeremiah 1:5, NIV

The door of the clinic opened again. The young woman with her entire family – I assumed the young man is the husband, the older woman her mum and another woman with a child is her sister as they happily exchanged conversation with excitement. She was 5 weeks’ pregnant. I sat quietly and shared her joy as I was reminded of my own experiences.

Another young lady who was chattering loudly the entire waiting time with her friend was called in. She was very pretty and doubled with her loud voice inevitably caught my attention. As soon as she had gone in, the nurse called me to get ready as my turn was next. I moved to the seat right by the entrance to the room – the seat for the upcoming patient. Every time I sat in this clinic, my heart would be filled with such gratitude for four child births that God had seen me through. Today I sat here, waiting for my annual health check (I am not pregnant, in case you are wondering :). Every child’s birth had been significant milestone in our family and spiritual journey. Each has brought such unspeakable joy into our lives.

As my eyes scanned through the waiting room and caught sight of different expressions, I saw in this crowd of people - we were all so similar yet so different. We are women. Some young while others’ wrinkles had carved their character. Some seemed serene while others seemed anxious.

The door opened again. I overheard the doctor announced, “You are pregnant.” The door closed again. Shortly, it opened again and I overheard the patient’s indication of not wanting the child. My heart sank. The door closed again for a long while. I prayed silently.

The young pretty lady walked out. This time her face downcast. She was totally different from when she was waiting. Her jovial self was gone. Her face cringed. I looked at her with deep pain. Obviously, I do not know her nor her actual situation. Otherwise, I would throw my arms around her. I shot another quick prayer for her and went in. The rest of the day and week, I asked God to protect her and guide her to do the right thing. Every mistake must be redeemed. It must not be followed by another mistake. She may have her struggles but that little innocent life in her womb has a destiny, for God knows and set apart every child before conception and birth.

I know of someone who braved through her situation when the man she loved left her when she was pregnant. She delivered a sweet little girl and didn’t want to make another mistake. She repented and redeemed her joy in the Lover of her soul. No birth is an accident. You and I were carefully planned and purposed for his glory. You may not be in that lady's position. Or, you may be the subject of the rejection. Know that God knows you right from the beginning and his eyes have never left you. Experience his love as he sets apart - you, his child for a great purpose.

Join me in prayer to save an unborn child and pray for that young lady that she may meet Jesus if she hasn’t known him yet.

Father, it is so good to know you set me apart and has a plan for me. I pray also for this lady I chanced upon and asked that you will hear her cry. Deliver her from darkness and lead her to your Light and cause her to make the right decision. Protect the unborn child. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

I Can’t Trust God…!

2011-02-21T01:28:00.003+08:00

say to those with fearful hearts, “Be strong, do not fear;

(Isaiah 35:4, NIV)

The morning buzzed off with excitement as the family headed for a trip to a nature spot in the little quiet town of Taiping. Anything to do with water is always a fabulous idea for the children. Our company trekked through the woods. We hiked up and down the rocky path while brushing off the tree branches from our way. The adventure thrill increased when someone spotted leeches. Everyone was alerted to beware of that little bloodsucker. I was praying that my little ones would be spared.Soon our feet touched the cool clear waters. The sound of music from the gushing waters was melodious and sweet. It never fails to capture our attention and captivate our senses. There were still some tricky paths before we got to the spot we could call upon for the day’s fun. While Ed and some friends continued to explore further up stream, the rest of us gathered at this really cool point where there was a huge flat rocky spot to sit right in the middle of the stream while water gushed through a slope forming a natural water slide; and a mini pool just in front of the sitting point. It was simply ideal for all – those who just wanted to sit around and watch, for those who couldn’t wait to jump into the inviting waters, some who were so ready to entertain us by their silliness and humor.

While all the excitement was going on, my little girl hung on to me which was not a norm. She was too fearful to do anything in case she meets that little bloodsucker everyone was alerting earlier. My means of reassuring her couldn’t convince her that she would be safe. She crouched by me with her arms tightly locked with mine. Everyone attempted to lure her out her “safe” spot. After all, she is always the one who was looking out for fun and full of faith. What fun was it to sit by mummy and sulk over nothing! So I prayed with her that God would take care of everything. No encounter with leeches. Finally, she overcame her fear and was about to arise to join the fun, I spotted a black thing crept on her inner thigh. “Wait, let me see…” I pulled on her and stretched her limb to investigate. Our worst fear of the day became a reality. Leech! Yes, that little most dreadful creature gripped tight on her little thigh while she panicked. I was dumbfounded for a moment as I was confident God heard this mummy’s prayer just a moment ago. How could he allow this??

That shocked girl was all whines and fuss after the leech finally dropped off. “I can’t trust God with leeches!” she protested loudly. I tried to maintain my spirituality and explained to my best that it was all over. Nothing I said was worth anything then. After all, God didn’t answer our prayer. I fumbled through my words and said, “But you always trust God…” Still upset, she replied, “I can trust him with other things but not leeches!” There were no right words to neither console her nor defend God (if God needed any sort of defending). It took a long while before she struggled through her emotion and joined the rest. The whole day I was left with my own struggles with God as my mind had been going through various issues of trusting God.

At bedtime, we raised the question of trusting God again. Her older sister calmly said, “Perhaps God wanted you to overcome the fear of leeches.” She was silent. It was a sign of acceptance. Otherwise the debate would proceed. Yes, many times we expect God to deliver just the way we expected. For this case, it did seem he didn’t care nor heard our prayers. The truth is I believe it has caused the little girl to know that she is still safe and being guarded. It is no big deal. A bit of blood wasted. There was no pain.

The incidence has left a mark on me. God’s answer may not be to my specific expectation but he surely watches over us while training us to be more courageous. I spoke to my own fearful heart to be strong and do not fear.

Are you struggling with some sort of fear(s)?
Take heart. The Lord is near and will deliver you out of your fear but most often than not, he will allow us to confront it and then conquer it.

Heavenly Father, watch over me and strengthen me as I face my fear(s). Let God arise in my heart for I am more than a conquerer in Christ. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Leave a comment if this post speaks to you. I would like to pray for you.

The Ultimate Lover

2011-02-14T00:05:00.003+08:00

This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us.

1 John 3:16, NIV

Love is in the air. The glaring Chinese New Year decorations have been taken over by little and big hearts hung all over. Malls are adorned by sweet pink and purples, splashed with bright attractive reds. Romantic ideas are introduced and advertised for commercial lures. The commercial world strongly suggests these are ideal presentation of love every Feb 14.

While the world celebrates this crazy little thing called, “LOVE”, yes, I call it crazy because people will do the most crazy thing to impress their supposedly beloved. The ancient path has always been a pathway of love. Not an abstract tone. Christ’s concrete demonstration of love led him to the most powerful act – death on the Cross.

Today’s verse is a concise and profound statement.
How do we know what love is? We know by this revelation of truth. His deep and tangible love is clearly distinguished with all other kinds. His action accomplished God’s purpose – he died so we can live, and live it to the full (John 10:10)

While the world celebrates Valentine’s Day without full comprehension, history tells us there were a few martyrs named Valentine who defended the Christian faith in the early centuries. Their noble sacrificial death was honored on Feb 14. It was not until the 14th century when the legendary romantic facet was introduced. Thus the craze of this celebration peaks through the generations diluting the origin of this honour.

I believe Valentines are heroes to be honoured but they must had experienced the power of their Ultimate Lover, Jesus to come to the point of death for his cause, for “we love because he first loved us.” (1 John 4:19)

What are you celebrating today?
Whether you are all hyped up for a romantic dinner with your beloved, or feeling lonely with no dates, do not forget the Ultimate Lover. He is waiting for you…

My Beloved Lord, I thank you for your everlasting love through such a powerful demonstration by laying down your very life for me. I love you, Lord. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

The Heavenly Canvas

2011-02-06T11:43:00.001+08:00

The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands.

Psalm 19:1, NIV

Three days had gone by. The image I captured as we drove back from the mainland along the Penang Bridge to the island was just a normal splash of colours in the sky of the late afternoon. Yet it remained in my memory for days. The mixture of blue and white background was lined artistically with such graceful strokes of orange streaks. No eyes could have missed that masterpiece. It was gloriously hung above us. Yet many times we overlook the sky, simply because we forget to look up.

It was a rush day being the first day of the lunar new year. The agenda for the next few days had been lined up with full schedule of visitations. I whispered to God every now and then that I would not miss his presence amidst the crowds, noise and heat. The loudness of his presence broke forth through the simplest yet majestic display of the sky. When I spotted the glamorous look, I exclaimed with excitement in the car, “Look! Beautiful!” Clicked. The image was captured. Not in any digital camera since my old one declared its end of life some time ago. Instantly I stored it in my memory.

The power of this panoramic view was amplified when I read Psalm 19 the next morning. Yes, indeed the heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands. The immense space above calls our attention to the glory of God’s creative work. His revelation made known in such radiance in the vastness of the sky. How can we dismiss the Creator of all? I couldn’t help but worship him as his radiance permeated my spirit.

When was the last time you look up the sky and marvel at his art piece?
Let your eyes see the beauty of his work and your heart praises his name.

Creator of all, I heard the skies proclaim your name. Call my attention today to your creative work and let my heart shout your praise. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

I Need Just A Little Bit More

2011-01-28T13:52:00.003+08:00

It is God who arms me with strength and makes my way perfect. He makes my feet like the feet of a deer; he enables me to stand on the heights. He trains my hands for battle; my arms can bend a bow of bronze.

Psalm 18:32-34, NIV

As I watched my husband boarded for his flight 9 days ago, my mind hit the fast speed button to process all that needs to be done while he was away. The list was obviously endless and overwhelming. I spoke to my mind to stay in control and kept whispering to God to help me hold them all in good composure and spirit. The last thing I want was to see in the mirror an ugly grumpy woman. I wanted God to show up in every stop as I press the accelerator pedal of my week. Although I couldn’t envision the sight of rest stops along the week I knew it was crucial to pull up by the side to look up and find help. Indeed I did.

Interruptions.
Inconveniences.
Illnesses.
They mount up as the days took every turn. Every night I prayed it would be a better day the next. Did it get any better? Unfortunately, not. In those disrupting, disturbing and distracting moments God breathed his portion of joy and peace over me. I pleaded to God to make it easier but he didn’t seem to be bothered of the intensity I was undergoing. Oh well, I couldn’t deny the evidence of his presence even though he didn’t answer my pleas.

The long exhaustive Psalm 18 has always been my inspiration to press on knowing that God is my sure help and promise of victory. Surely he will “arm me with strength” again and “train my hands for battle.” Certainly he will empower me to run and stand where I need to be. The small battles of everyday life are the best training ground for God to use to mould and make me to be the woman he wants me to be. I only need to be a willing vessel. Was it fun? Totally not! If I had a choice, I would drive off a different route last week. Not on this narrow highway.

Except for that little part of me which chose to escape the refining fire, the rest of me agreed to stay and watch him fill me with the strength he promised. I joked in the midst of all my stress and pain that people should see me in this mess and they would know I am not a superwoman at all. At that point, my daughter made a simple yet very comforting remark, “But, mum, they can still see your smile.” In that brief moment, I recognized God had given me that little bit more to carry on. After all, I just need a little bit more. My spiritual arms and legs’ muscles are toned as I endured the training. They will be more prepared to handle the heavier weights and bigger challenges of this season.

How are your spiritual muscles? Are they toned and supple?
Or are they in spiritual atrophy?Which route are you driving in life? The easy way out or the ancient narrow path?
Can I invite you to allow and trust God for a spiritual toning and endurance test? Right at the place where you are now. The aching muscles may seem unbearable but remember God’s promises and you’ll be tried and trained for his purposes.

Heavenly Father, grant me the strength for today to do what fulfils your plan and let me arise for a greater cause. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Worth Waiting

2010-12-31T23:30:00.001+08:00

10 See, today I appoint you over nations and kingdoms to uproot and tear down, to destroy and overthrow, to build and to plant.” 11 The word of the LORD came to me: “What do you see, Jeremiah?” “I see the branch of an almond tree,” I replied. 12 The LORD said to me, “You have seen correctly, for I am watching[a] to see that my word is fulfilled.”

(Jeremiah 1:10-12)

Life certainly moves fast in this era. Where did the months go? It’s been almost half a year since I had time to blog. As God’s people I am constantly reminded to slow down and catch my moments with our Father. Easy? Definitely not. Many circumstances stormed into my life like uninvited guests. As much as I would love to push them off and say, “NO”, they came right at my doorstep seeking to rob my joy and peace. God arose in my midst and held all things in his mighty hands! Col. 1:17.

As I step back and look intently at all the happenings, the turns and curves of life’s journey I am grateful for God’s presence and providence. The rough edges smoothened by his grace. The tears wiped when I sought his face. In the midst he threw in some sweet surprises. My eyes have seen the fulfillment of many of his promises.

His words of affirmation that he is a God who will perform his word spoke into my heart again as I read Jeremiah 1:10-12. I am excited as I wait eagerly to watch his word being fulfilled. He can be trusted. It is worth waiting.

At this juncture of crossing over to a brand new year, I am wrapped in his immensity, and to stand in this season seeking to get a better glimpse of his greatness and goodness; and to embrace EMMANUEL – God with us!

What has God spoken to you?
Remember to wait and watch intently as he fulfill what he said.

Happy New Year and blessed waiting…

Heavenly Father, I know your word is truth. Waiting is a tedious process but surely waiting on you will never lead to disappointment. Let my eyes see the fulfilment of your word in my life in this coming new year. In Jesus' name. Amen.

What An Honour!

2010-07-26T00:23:00.002+08:00

I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master's business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you.

John 15:15, NIV

Friends come and friends go. Today, Facebook, Twitter and many other IT technologies has done us a great favor of linking people and helping us stay connected wherever we are in this planet earth. I am amazed at the multitude of friends on our pages. Some figures seem outrageous. Hmm, perhaps we all know their names and added into our lists but how many of these friends do we really know?

Friends. We can’t do without them. Can we? Some people claimed they don’t need friends. Loners. I can’t quite imagine that, as friends are such a crucial part in my life apart from my family. As I reflected on the many friendships I share in this journey of life, I am so grateful for each of them who had contributed in my growth as a person – for their love and accountability. Memories of these friendships flooded back. Then I remember a very special one – my ever faithful friend. How I met him and he pursued me till I opened the door of my heart to receive his friendship. Jesus Christ is his name.

Isn’t this Jesus the Bible talks about Lord and God? It began that way as I thought of our first encounters. As I learned more of him each day and responded to his invitation to draw near, I began to hear his voice in a different way. He isn’t the God who proudly lord over me but he calls me his friend! The Greek translation speaks of this as “friend in the king’s court”. Indeed an honour to be invited into the king’s presence and listens to him. What more into the fellowship of the King of Kings! The privileges of being his friend is endless but this one highlighted in the verse tells us we are been let into his secrets. Servants are been ordered. Friends – given the knowledge of his plans. What an honour to be called a friend of God!

Let’s hang out with this friend who promised to be faithful and true. Have a cuppa with him today and listen to what he has to say – maybe just a gentle whisper of his love, maybe a command, maybe a rebuke in love, maybe a comforting word, maybe an affirmation, maybe no agenda…but just enjoy his loving presence.

I am a friend of God. Are you?

Lord, it is an honour to know you and be known. Thank you!

Who Am I?

2010-07-19T00:54:00.002+08:00

How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are!

(I John 3:1, NIV_

In the attempt of going green, we chose to support the effort of the Friends of the Penang Botanic Gardens Society last weekend in their project, Recycling Craft. My girls and I joined the team of mostly retirees with excitement of learning a new craft and meeting new people.

The lady in charged gave us a briefing and showed us the materials needed which was lots of papers from various sources namely flyers which come into our mail boxes as junk mails and magazines.. Apart from that, were wooden sticks a.k.a. satay sticks, old wires, cardboards and glue. Yes, glue being the only non-junk items. The rest were in line with the 3 Rs of a green environment – Recycle, Reduce and Reuse. The facilitator showed us some displays and we were excited to get to the end result. But every good thing requires some good work. So we set our hands and hearts to follow all her directions. Clumsily we rolled our first paper straws till we got it right before we were given a pile of ready made paper straws. Then we got to the interesting part of constructing a strong base for the baskets (our first item) we were making before weaving tediously. All by papers! In the midst of our deep concentration, the journalists from the newspapers came. Snap! Snap! Snap! Oops, we were on camera.

The journalist interviewed some people. The usual question is “What is your name?” and “What do you do?” My name? Simple. I just introduced myself. But I paused for a short moment before I responded, “I am a homemaker”. In my mind, I thought, “Should I say – homemaker or pastor since I am doing both?” It doesn’t really matter. However, we somehow picked this issue up in the journey home. My girls had a debate of who their mum was! A homemaker, a pastor? Cheeky Chrisa said, “Mum, you should have told the guy that you are a homemaker-pastor.” And he would probably asked, “What?” Then you could say, “A homemaker-pastor-teacher.” Then he would asked again, “What?” And you could say, “Homemaker-pastor-teacher-nurse.” He would then be more confused and asked, “What?” Then you could say, “Homemaker-pastor-teacher-nurse-cook-driver-playmate.” And the list is endless. We all laughed. So “who am I?” Yes, indeed the list is endless as I thought of the different roles I play in my life.

All of us find our significance in the name we carry and the vocation we have. That basically forms the picture of who we are. But is that all? Or is that the basis of our significance? The whole week God captured my attention and whispered to me, “You are my child. All these people you are ministering to – they are my children.” Being children of the Great God we are loved dearly and deeply. What a privilege to called children of God! Note the exclamation marks twice in one single verse. That’s how important.

Heavenly Father, What an honour to be Your child! Write on my heart your promises and remind me of your deep love. Thank you for lavishing your love on me. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

The Ultimate

2010-06-19T02:34:00.003+08:00

“…here is the conclusion of the matter:
Fear God and keep his commandments,
For this is the whole duty of man.”

(Ecclesiastes 12: 13, NIV)

Each day is a brand new day. A new opportunity to grow. New mercy received. Knowledge to pursue. Wisdom to gain.
But with each day, it has its own challenges. Added responsibilities. Increased workload. New visions come before my old dreams are pursued. Issues to think through. Problems to solve.

Days lead to weeks. Weeks lead to months. I still have to embrace each day with the grace of God, welcoming the gift of time with gladness and hope while juggling the balancing act of life.

It is a season of sowing. Though I see nothing, I keep watering. I keep nurturing. I keep loving. I keep trusting. I keep believing – that one day…yes, one day, soon…I will see the fruit of my labour.

While I work in this garden of life, I’ve asked endless questions, but often left unanswered. I seek to understand better different issues, people, situations and even myself, but to find the wise words of King Solomon ringing back to my ears, “…here is the conclusion of the matter: Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man.”

In the closing of the Book of Ecclesiastes, it reinforces the whole thrust of the book – that everything is meaningless apart from rooted in God. The ultimate is to fear and obey him, and be kept in his will. How true is that old saying which goes like this – Do your best and God will do the rest! How clearly and cleverly the writer concluded the book by stating the truth, “For God will bring every deed into judgment, including every hidden thing, whether it is good or evil.” Though I may not understand nor gain further insights to some life issues and difficult people, but I know God is in control.

Have we done our part in this life, to the best of our knowledge and wisdom? And focus on the ultimate – to fear God and obey him? Then the rest is up to him!

Heavenly Dad, take charge of my days. Teach me to always revere you and obey all your commands. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Chill Out!

2010-05-03T00:30:00.000+08:00

By wisdom a house is built, and through understanding it is established; through knowledge its rooms are filled with rare and beautiful treasures.

(Proverbs 24:3-4, NIV)

Chill out! Every yuppie knows this term very well. After a hard day’s work or a week’s stress, it’s chill out time. There’s endless ideas for every individual or group to chill out. This word fades gradually, sometimes instantly when we step into this crazy world called parenthood; and especially for stay home mums.

Every day is a cycle to beat the clock. There’s neither day nor moment when work ceases. It’s a 24/7 duty. No pay. No leave. No glamour. The irony is instead of receiving, this vocation seeks to give, give and give. How that always reminds me of our Heavenly Father. The fact is we cannot deny the frailty of mankind and the limitation of energy we possessed.

It was Labour Day over the weekend. It is a gazetted public holiday. I used to get triple pay when I was working in the hospital. Was I fantasizing of money? No. All I wanted was to chill out! Perhaps I could get a bit of it since my girls were away with grandparents and aunt. The toddler – another set of grandparents graciously took him for shopping. My awaited moment had arrived. Once I finished all the work needed attention, I could chill out. My choice of chill out – a good book, a hot drink in a cool air-conditioned room…complete silence to help me reflect and declutter my mind and refresh my spirit. The inventory began… a mountain of laundry folded and kept, house straightened up, emails replied, phone calls returned…there were more (like mentioned housework is endless – bottomless pit) but that should be suffice for now. Then I heard the car. The boy was back. Soon, another car. The girls were back. The silent mode in the house was instantly switched back to high volume of all sorts of noises. Excited chatters of their weekend which I was trying to keep up with three impatient girls attempting to share all that had happened. In the midst of it, they alerted me, “Mum, we are hungry.” These all happened within the few minutes they stepped into the house, before I could lock the door!

I promised to get dinner ready soon. The boy was excited to see his sisters after being separated for a night and almost a day. A joyful sight to see their reunion. Did I enjoy? Of course, I did. But what happened to my chill out moment? Probably after they drained their energy and knocked off at bedtime. Perhaps. Bedtime routine is always long – cleanup and change, story, prayer. When their energy is drained, mine would too. Most of the time, I beat them to it. Chill out? Hmm…this term was far from reach by then.

Lights out. The girls snuggled by my sides to get their goodnight hugs and kisses after our prayers beginning with the toddler uttering his most sincere prayers with the cutest voice and increasing vocabulary. The sweetness of such moment could only be captured in the memory to be cherished. Many times, I pray I will not be senile in my old age so I can recall these precious moments with smiles and joy. I had thought it was the end of the night. Perhaps there’s still a teeny weeny bit of time left to – chill out. Oh, was I determined or what?! The dark room did not deter the little one from cracking up jokes and doing silly stuff to make us laugh. The soothing atmosphere broke into laughter upon laughter. We were having such a marvelous moment that I didn’t mind we passed bedtime.

Finally when all were ready to plunge into dreamland, they were ushered into bed with joy and peace. As they close their room door and I sat quietly on my bed, I felt a gush of joy and peace leaping in me. I was refreshed in my spirit. My heart was cheerful. Indeed I chilled out. Not the way I intended but God had his way of meeting my need through the rare and beautiful treasures he filled my room with...indeed, we need wisdom and knowledge in building a home, and seeking to understand our position and situation will put things in order. This is such a priceless chill out.

I am building a home, not just a house. What about you? You can’t find time to chill out being a busy mum? Pray for a creative outlet which will make your heart sing and leap with joy; and be energized for a new day.Or perhaps you are not a mum, but you still need to chill out as you build…whatever that you are building – an education path, a career, etc. Make sure you welcome wisdom, understanding and knowledge of the Lord and watch him fill your rooms with rare and beautiful treasures. Enjoy!

Heavenly Father, establish my life with Your wisdom, understanding and knowledge and fill it with rare and beautiful treasures which will glorify Your name. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

In His Time

2010-04-26T00:30:00.001+08:00

Ignoring what they said, Jesus told the synagogue ruler, "Don't be afraid; just believe."

(Mark 5:36, NIV)

He pushed through the massive crowd. In his desperation, this father made his way right in front and threw himself down at the feet of Jesus. This is the man he needed to see. He heard of his incredible reputation of healing the sick. His only hope. This anxious dad pleaded Jesus to go to his house and heal his ill child. Although Jesus agreed to his plea, they were drowned in the sea of people pushing to get a touch of Jesus. The anxiety of this dad increased with Jesus’ relaxed composure. Jesus did not seem in any hurry at all. He even stopped to attend to other people along the way.

Soon, the worried dad received news from home that his precious daughter died. His only hope – Jesus, was not a hope at all?! Now all he could see and hear was a numb silence in his own spirit. Is there really hope? As he struggled to think rationally, he could hear the commotion around him. “It’s too late.” “Don’t bother Jesus.” “Your girl is dead.”

The message rang in my head and heart throughout this week since I read this familiar story of Jairus running after Jesus to heal his sick daughter to my toddler. Although the words are simpler in his small illustrated children’s bible, the Spirit spoke to my heart with clarity and hope.

How many times we look at our hopeless situation and are left numb?
How many times we see our vision die?

Jairus was standing with his living hope. He was face to face with Jesus. He pleaded. Jesus heard him. But his girl still died!

Have we thought we found hope but to see it slip through our fingers?
Have we screamed at God for deliverance and waited with anticipation, but He seemed to be silent? We thought it’s urgent but He seemed relaxed.

Jesus ignored the commotion and spoke with authority. He said, "Don't be afraid; just believe."

It calls for courage to keep believing which seems hopeless. When we encounter God and hears him, he empowers us to be brave and to continue to trust him even when we are face with impossibilities. As long as we are with Jesus, we are safe. Just believe…

As soon as Jesus reached Jairus’ home, he turned the overwhelming sadness into unspeakable joy. Jesus ordered the girl to get up and walk. Indeed she did!

…when we continue to believe and trust God, he makes all things beautiful in his time. When we wait and trust with believing heart, he turns a bad situation in which we mourn into a ball whereby we can dance. He turns our begging into banquet. He resurrects dead dreams and recover vanished visions.

So, don’t be afraid, just keep believing! A room for miracle to make God famous.

“Heavenly Father, give me strength and grace in the waiting. I know there’s nothing impossible when we are together. In Jesus’ name. Amen.”

Stop and Bless

2010-04-13T21:29:00.003+08:00

The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is on me, because the LORD has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners,

(Isaiah 61:1, NIV)

We grabbed our groceries and rushed to the cashier with the shortest queue. It’s the usual peak hours at the store with consumers coming in after work to do their shopping. We just needed a few items to fix a quick dinner before the man of the house shoot off for an evening meeting in church.

At the payment counter while I was watching closely the cashier keying in the prices and shuffling my stuff away for packing, Chrisa tucked on me and whispered, “Mum, can we do the 2010 Blessing with her?” There was an old lady right after me at the line. We had exchanged smiles earlier. She was very old and I found out later she was 85. A strong and steady 85. A sweet lady with a neat presentation. I thought I would really like to be like her when I grow old.

In my hurried mode, I gave Chrisa a quick reply, “We’ll see…” but the little girl was persistent. She pestered me again. I threw the question back to her, “Would you want to do it?” She gave a quick nod and said, “Yes.” Her respond was quite a surprise to me. Our church had launched the 2010 Blessing during Easter. It is a 3 month community project to bless 2010 people from all walks of life with prayer. Being a young and small church of about 20 odd people, we prayed for this radical move to reach the city with God’s blessings and then watch God unfold his wondrous acts. No doubt just touching a small drop in the ocean yet we felt this intentional effort will compel us to reach out with God’s compassion and propel us into action…to move and bless friends and new contacts.

My gung-ho lass targeted her first receiver with such compassion and urgency. I couldn’t say “no” no matter how hurried I was. So I paid and waited for the old lady to finish with hers. We exchanged smiles again. Then I strike a brief conversation with her and gave Chrisa the opportunity to ask her for a chance to bless her with prayer. The old lady was delighted and agreed immediately. I stood beside my little girl as she prayed for the old lady right there along the corridor of the store.

She taught me to stop in the midst of inconvenience to say a prayer for someone. She doesn’t know the person waiting in line behind us, but she was filled with compassion which propelled her into a simple act of love. She was urgent about her mission.

Is there anyone in need of God’s touch today?
Are we too busy to notice anyone in need?
Or is it our fears which cripple us to move into action?
Pause…in the midst of our busyness and reach out with compassion.
Don’t wait for a convenient time. It may not come by.

Heavenly Father, as You bless me so abundantly, I seek to bless others too. Open my heart to contain Your love. Open my eyes to see beyond every pair of eyes I meet everyday. Let me see what you see. Let me love as you love. Let me move as you lead me. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

What A Wondrous Work!

2010-03-30T18:42:00.013+08:00

For you make me glad by your deeds, O Lord. I sing for joy at the works of your hands.
How great are your works, O Lord, how profound your thoughts.

(Psalm 92:4-5, NIV)

Nine people. One cave. And a sunny day. It was barely 10 ’o clock. It was very warm, as usual, I was sitting in the morning sun.

At 10:30am we would enter the mouth of Gua Tempurung. As we were waiting, I thought to myself, “Bother! Time sure passes s-l-o-w-l-y when you are waiting!" If only 10:30 would come just a bit quicker.

Finally when it did, I joined the rest of the group, standing around a guide who was briefing us on what we were going to be doing and what to expect. I was so excited! Even though I had visited this cave before. The guide was speaking in Malay so I couldn’t understand much but I knew what to expect anyway. We saw another guide gathering some stuff that he would need to take us around in our tour inside the cave.

When we were inside, dim lights guided our path. We saw all sorts of natural sculptures, like an elephant’s head, people sleeping, and hands reaching down from the ceiling. Different shapes of stalactites and stalagmites grew in every direction. Although I have to admit it was rather stinky, it was beautiful!

I thought, “Wow! Isn’t that amazing!" I thought to myself how great God is, that all those sculptures are natural and that God made them just the way they are. I figured and saw how awesome He is and what He can do. If God can make rocks and caves look so beautiful and special, surely He can shape me to be beautiful too, right? 100%, absolutely, positively sure He can!!

So today I pray, that God will shape my life and every one of your lives to be a beautiful attraction to many people, and that they may know that He is really the One who made us all the way we are.

God of Majesty, I praise You for Your wondrous works. Thank You for making this beautiful world and me! Continue to shape me according to Your will and let others see Christ in me. In Jesus' name. Amen.

(This week's devotion contributed by Ashlynn Lim)

All Rights Reserved @ 2010

Clean Up and Clean It Out

2010-03-22T08:02:00.002+08:00

The pile of papers sitting on the table was stacked up neatly.
The toys lined up all ready to welcome a new play.
The miscellaneous stuff all boxed up.
The cleansed fan propelling at high speed sending a cool sensation in the room, circulating the air well. It didn’t give its optimum effect prior this.
Curtains drawn. The bright sun shone through the glass door panels and windows giving a fresh start of the day.
At any glance, anyone would notice the glass and window panes had been given a meticulous wipe to expose the clarity of vision through them.
My feet touched the flawless floors and it felt good walking on the dust free ground.
The ceiling’s natural decorations were taken off – the cobwebs.
Everything looked back at me with a shining stare.

Housekeeping is a challenge when one tries to excel in homemaking. So is a mum a housekeeper or homemaker? Oh, that’s a great difference, isn’t it? Although I enjoy both but I must admit housekeeping is an endless chore. It doesn't make me laugh nor cry whereas homemaking is about people. The mechanics of housekeeping is so routine that many times I am left exhausted trying to keep up with it. I never did and will never, I guess with another five – big and small very active and creative people under my care. The constant activities in the home will definitely not leave things in order for a long time. Hence, 24 hours a day is not going to be ever enough to maintain the standard of a clean house as I thought should be before the nest grew. Nevertheless, I still enjoy and welcome the freshness of the air which greets me whenever I achieve this task, and stared back at the shining floors and orderly environment with sheer delight. My heart seems lighter. My spirit free as I walk through the decluttered pathway of piled up things through the days, weeks, and months.

Ooh, I am not a super clean freak but I certainly love to clean up and clean it out periodically. The space once occupied with clutters and dust sure give a sense of freedom of mind when it’s cleansed and dejunked.

Our spiritual home needs cleaning up and cleaning out all the time all the more.

Then Samuel addressed the house of Israel, “If you are truly serious about coming back to God, clean house. Get rid of the foreign gods and fertility goddesses, ground yourselves firmly in God, worship him and him alone, and he’ll save you from Philistine oppression.” (1 Samuel 7:3, MSG)

Father of All, please spring clean this heart so it will be a comfortable home for you to dwell in. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Call and Colours of the Morning

2010-03-14T13:00:00.000+08:00

And surely I am with you always, to the very end of age.

(Matthew 28:20, NIV)

The song of nature came to my ears as I read the portion of scriptures in the late morning after the house switched to silent mode. It’s always a welcoming change when there’s a constant buzzing sound of children running in the house. They’ve been whizzed off to the botanical gardens with the grandparents.

My ears couldn’t ignore the birds’ songs. Some gentle tweets. Some harsh callings. The various pitches and whistles made a sweet melody.

As my eyes sought to trace them, I caught some beautiful colours against the usual green backdrop. I noticed the changes in the trees. One looks pretty barren in the hot weather with leaves falling all the time. I watched the dry brown leaves descending as they floated in the air carried by the gentle wind and touched the ground. The barren tree has a certain beauty even standing next to the one which still flourishes. Both radiate with elegance in the bright sunny day. Different colours splashed in to cheer these earthly tones. Bright red and blues streaks. Bright yellow with blacks. The kingfisher flew low and perched on a branch briefly. Two orioles were flapping from one tree to another. My eyes were actively following their flight and observing their movements while being entertained by their unending song. In the low were the white butterflies fluttering to and fro gently. On the different divisions of this natural display were the usual mynas, sparrows and crows. The norm of the seemingly ordinary trees was disturbed by these creatures’ activities. As I observed the constant flow of changes taking place this morning under the bright sun, I received a renewal of strength and peace to face the inevitable changes and challenges of life.

Life is a process of change. It is changing all the time. Seasons change. People change. Circumstances change. We need to welcome changes – good and difficult ones with the strength and grace of God. Jesus said, “And surely I am with you always, to the very end of age.”

Do not look forward to changes and chances of this life in fear. God will shield you from suffering, or he will give you unfailing strength to bear it. He will silently plan for you.
- E. Mary Grimes

Just like my morning observation of the trees – one flourishes and one almost barren. Both are beautiful in their own rights. The quiet and painful changes (if the trees could talk) shone with certain loveliness in the bright sun. Their beauty being magnified with the changing colours that splashed in between and the disturbance of noises of the creatures.

What kind of changes are we going through? Or potential changes coming soon? Welcome them with God’s grace and spot the beautiful colours and sweet melody in the midst of trials, difficulties and pain. Let his glorious beauty shine in and through us to achieve his kingdom purpose.

Thank you, Lord that I can welcome the changes in my life, not in fear but in faith because You promised to be with me all the appointed days. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Mummy, Milk… Mummy, Mummy, Milk!

2010-03-09T23:02:00.004+08:00

As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, O God.
My soul thirsts for God, for the living God.

(Psalm 42:1-2, NIV)

Time out is good for me. It is necessary. Whenever I return home, I can see and hear an excited child running to greet me. “Mummy, mummy…” The child will jump on me and snuggled up under my arms. Next, he will burrow his way through while giving me a smile, “Mummy, milk.” Grandparents will always laugh and tease him that he needs his fix. The moment he latches on, he will be contented and enjoy his moment nursing in the warmth of my arms. A typical picture of our home for the past years. This has been the normal experience of nursing four babies till toddlerhood, and one till preschool. The best antidote to soothe a distress baby or wounded child is to nurse him.

The child finds immense comfort and contentment nursing in the mum’s arms. The intimate bond brings forth unspeakable joy. Here in the secure and loving arms of mummy, the child receives gentle whispers of love, assurance and affirmation of his identity. The eyes of the innocent child meet the loving eyes of mum. They exchange smiles. My little one even hums and dances during his feeds. He purely enjoys his moments while being satisfied with nature’s best food. I remember how one of my girls told me, “Mummy’s milk is the best” after tasting cow’s milk for the first time!

One of the greatest joys of motherhood is that God has designed the woman’s body not just with attractive curves and aesthetic assets, but with a higher purpose. To nourish her young! It is an excellent and enriching experience for both mother and child. Along with it is a great analogy of Psalm 42:1-2. Here the psalmist pants for God like the deer pants for the water. It is so similar to the nursing child’s longing after mum’s presence and milk for they satisfy like no other, we should long after God’s presence and living water. Truly none can satisfy like the Giver of Life.

My child would chase me down if he doesn’t get his milk. Are we God chasers?
My child would plunge into my arms once he gets hold of me and he won’t let me go till he is being satisfied and full. Do we hunger and thirst after God and cling on to him till we are satisfied in his presence?
My child will look at me and wait for me to whisper to him my love as he nurses. Do we wait on the Father and hear his whispers of love?
My child has learnt to say, “Thank you, mummy” after he is done. Do we say, “Thank you, God” after we are done for that moment.

O Loving Father, here I come running to You…receive me into Your arms of love and satisfy me. I am hungry and thirsty, for You, the living God. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Follow His Footsteps

2010-03-01T00:50:00.003+08:00

Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.

(Galatians 5:25, NIV)

As I entered Gua Tempurung, a cave in Gopeng, Perak, I was amazed at how God created this magnificent sculpture. That caused me to be very excited.

We climbed. We slid. We splashed in the water. Soon I found myself enjoying the adventure tremendously. But, at one point, the rocks were steep and I was a little nervous. Dad, who was right in front of me, reassured me, “Just follow my footsteps.”

So I copied every position he moved, following him closely. I managed to pass that level!

Just as we follow our elders, parents, leaders or people we truly trust, we must first and foremost, follow God’s footsteps so that we may go in the right way in life. Thus, we will never fall.

Are you keeping in step with his Spirit?

Dear Lord, let my eyes study you and follow your steps closely. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

(This week's devotion contributed by Nathalynn)

Don’t Get Stuck in the Old

2010-02-18T18:20:00.003+08:00

Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, 14I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.

(Philippians 3:13-14, NIV )

The lunar New Year celebration is one big deal for most Chinese here. Whether you think it is significant to celebrate the occasion you can’t escape some traditions. Nevertheless visitation serves as golden opportunity to meet up with family and relatives whom we don’t normally see throughout the year due to our busy culture. As we got ourselves ready for another day of meeting people and sharing the joy of the occasion, the usual call for mummy was heard.

This time one of my daughters whispered to me, “Mum, I need you to help me.” She gave me a serious look. Under her towel wrap, she said again, “Mum, I can’t get this skirt out. It is stuck!” “Stuck? What do you mean?” I gave a puzzled look in return. She undo the towel wrap and truly I was so tickled to see the bright colourful pair of skirt stuck on her. It just couldn’t be removed. We both giggled and thought it was the joke of the year. She had attempted to wear an old skirt which she had outgrown. She has grown. That’s definite. She knew that full well. Somehow that moment, she said she thought she could still give it a try and forced that beautiful skirt up her hip. Horror greeted her when she couldn’t zip up neither could she take it off. We laughed over her silliness as we tried our best to pull off the garment. I reminded her again the stack of appropriate size clothes she has and wondered why she reached out for a smaller alternative. Perhaps it was pretty and she could not let go of it. She took her chance and got stuck!

We yelled for daddy. I needed the extra help. So both of us worked with tremendous effort to remove it while laughing all the way. By then the girl felt awfully silly and a little troubled in case the skirt would not come off. We prayed. We continued the task with all our might, working carefully at every angle and seam till we finally succeeded. We burst into the loudest laughter, and reminded each other “not to get stuck in the old”…leave the past and move on. Put on the new wineskin.

The lunar New Year is a season of newness. Traditional Chinese welcomes new things for the new year. Perhaps some of us are not particular in having new clothes for the season. But it is a good reminder that God grants us newness everyday. A new beginning. A new journey. A new life in Him. A new hope. A new season. No matter how good or beautiful the past season was we need to move on and take hold of better things in the present and even greater ones in the future. Let us echo Paul’s encouragement to the Philippians to forget what is behind and look ahead for the prize.

Welcome the freshness of his spirit and doing in our lives daily.

Heavenly Father, help me to move on and not stuck in the past. I cherish the good memories, but I look forward to the new everyday and move as the Holy Spirit moves. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Intentional Eating

2010-02-01T11:58:00.003+08:00

Take wheat and barley, beans and lentils, millet and spelt; put them in a storage jar and use them to make bread for yourself.

(Ezekiel 4:9, NIV)

Organic.
Less sugar. No sugar.
No preservative.
No articificial flavour and colouring.
Low salt.
Low fat. High calcium.
DHA enriched.

These are some very common health phrases highlighted on grocery packages. Eating right is talked about so frequently over table conversation but generally, people are feasting with all sorts of food now that makes me wonder what are we putting into our body each day. While food and health companies are luring consumers with all their advertised goods, I realized we had gone so far from God’s original plan of eating right. Now we are trying to go back to the naturals and his original plan. He provided all we need when he created the world. Pharmaceutical companies boast of their natural products which give optimum health and aid healing process. Consumers pay through our noses to feel good and have a sense of security that we are in a good state. While some of us need certain supplements for specific reasons, a huge percentage of today’s urban population have neglected good eating habits and many times try to compensate with these health goods. Where have we gone wrong?

All of us need to be responsible for our own diet. It is worship unto God. Daniel was intentional in resolving not to defile himself with the royal food (Daniel 1:8-16) and chose to be nourished with vegetables instead. He proved to be healthier. As God’s child we need to be intentional in eating right. Instead of being succumb to commercial gimmicks, and trying to use short cuts in obtaining good health, let’s evaluate our food diary daily and ask God to help us take care of our body which is the temple of the Holy Spirit. Worship is not just singing some hymns and praises to him on a Sunday. Eating right is worship too.

If we are so used in feeding on junks, let’s ask God to change our taste buds for healthy alternatives.
Yes, I know what you are thinking…it is truly challenging nowadays to maintain constant healthy meals having to take into consideration time and money. But we still need to give our best. Let’s begin with being intentional. Intentional of what we eat which will glorify God as a good steward of our body. We will not be spared from falling ill and death one day due to sin, but while we are living, we are responsible for the food and drinks we consume. Let’s ask God to teach us to be creative in planning our meals.

The Maker of my body, thank you for giving this body. Forgive me for abusing it through unhealthy eating. I resolved in eating right as worship unto you. Help me to plan my meals and not ignore this basic need. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Shh…Look at the Mynah

2010-01-18T01:32:00.000+08:00

Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?

(Matthew 6:26, NIV)

Looking out the glass door…against the usual natural backdrop of our little porch is the mighty old tree which stood strong for ages. Its simplicity never fails to give me calmness and serenity. It’s a home to many birds and the source of the morning music. Oh, I love the chirpings. My ears have been attuned to this natural alarm clock. Ashton loves it too!

A mynah flew over and perched on our black gate. Its movement very quick yet gentle. I moved over to Ashton and softly whispered into his delicate ears, “Shh…look at the mynah…” He mimicked me. We watched the creature intently, following every movement. From the gate, it flew down to the ground inside our compound. It looked to the right, then to the left as if being very careful not to be caught. If only it knew it has been watched.

Slowly it took a step forward. Halted. Looked around again. This same process repeated a couple of times.
Ashton stayed very still and quiet giving full concentration to his lesson for the morning. A natural provision for his curriculum - bird watching. Isn’t it cool to let God be our Teacher and his world is our classroom?! The boy learned to be still, attentive and patient as he followed the bird’s moves. He listened. He watched. Suddenly the mynah bent down and pecked on the remnants of bread left on the floor. “Oh,” The boy exclaimed at the highlight of nature’s show. It ate to its satisfaction before it flew off. “No more,” Ashton called out declaring the end of the wondrous display.

How many times God nudges us and whispers, “Shh…look at the bird…”?
If the Loving Creator provides for these creatures and care for their needs, there is absolutely no reason he won’t care for us, his beloved children. We can count on the immensity of his love to be concerned of all our needs. Perhaps you argue, “I don’t want the ‘remnants of bread’…” The Creator of the Universe knows exactly what (and when) we need. Whether it is scraps of bread to fill our immediate hunger, or a piece or two to make us full, or a big sumptuous loaf to lavish us, the Father is always wise to give accordingly. We are definitely more valuable than the birds.

Shh…pause…take a moment and watch the birds…
Soak in Matthew 6:26 and be full today!

Heavenly Father, Teach me to watch and learn. I trust You will provide all my needs as I seek You daily. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Oh, What Big Hands!

2010-01-11T01:00:00.000+08:00

The time ticks away.

Time waits for no man, so they say. How true!
Take it easy. Relax. Slow down. What common phrases. Most of us live lives as though there aren't any hand brakes. We just have to keep going. The feet is on the accelerator all the time. Too many things to do. Too little time. Some dawdle. But some sincerely work so hard yet still can't seem to find enough time to accomplish all the tasks. Perhaps just too much. Is this balancing act an art? No wonder I always see life liken to a dance. Its movements vary but there's a constant flow. Some pauses in between but never too long.

I am wondering how others cope while others are wondering how I cope?! Perhaps it is a disease of post-modernism. Too much work. Too little time.

It is only a week past the new year. My eyes see the dreams and desires my heart contains. A little anxiety as I caught glimpses of potential challenges. My hands may not be strong enough, big enough, and careful enough to hold all. I haven't stop telling the Father all of my concerns. There seems to be silence. It's as though He is listening and smiling in between my talks, nodding in agreement with full understanding. But He is still quiet. My heart beats faster waiting for his response, hoping to tick off every concern with an answer right away. He still didn't say anything. But I sense his quiet presence. While I struggle to comprehend the how(s) and what(s)...I am determine to stay contented knowing my hands may be incapable of handling the all that's to come (and the ones which are already here), yet He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. (Colossians 1:17, NIV)

When he holds all things together, and goes before me, I can always rest assured all things will work out for the good for those who love him (Romans 8:28). Perhaps the Father has pleasant surprises in store for me. I will wait patiently as I await each of them to be revealed.

What about your state? Excited. Anxious. Worried. Carefree. The year always starts with good dreams which our eyes may lose focus as time ticks away into the months...but let's remember the Father is listening to our needs and concerns; and work is already in progress even as we ramble to him. Our days are securely held in his hands. Nothings slips through his fingers.

Some may still stay put in the old. Still riding on the regrets of the past year and rollerskating on the guilt trip. Stop! Pull the brake and cease it. Step into the new and welcome a fresh breath of the Spirit. Isaiah 43:18-19 proclaim, "Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the desert and streams in the wasteland.

Thank You Lord for Your big and mighty Hands. I trust my year into Your big Hands which all power flows. In Jesus' name. Amen.

Bring the Best Gift with You Into the New Year

2010-01-03T01:23:00.006+08:00

Christmas isn't Christmas till it happens in your heart.

Jingle jangle, jingle jangle...is the music till ringing in your heart? The Christmas do is over. We have crossed into a new year. Time waits for no one. Whether we are ready or not, it is here - a brand new year! A fresh beginning. So where is Christ in this new year? How true many remember him, talk about him, sing of him during the hyped up year end holiday each year. I hope we haven't packed him into the closet together with the Christmas tree and ornaments.

I can't forget the moment Ashton swiftly grabbed the gift from my opened palm as I showed Nat the pretty little bronze earrings I got for my sister. He cheekily ran off with excitement as Nat ran after him. I was sure Nat would do the job well in returning me the gift so I can wrap it up nicely for a dear one on Christmas. She took the boy back to me but we only found one side of the pair. The frantic search began. The boy couldn't had possibly lost that earring. I looked high and low. Then I walked the trail from one room to the next. The anxiety increased. I crawled through the path again looking intensely for that tiny thing. Every now and then, I asked the boy, "Where is it?" and he would replied, "There!" There? Where?

You bet. I did pray. I asked God to help me find and I was pretty sure it would be found. Simply because I knew God answers prayers. Afterall, this is a Christmas gift for my sister. It is important. It is not a selfish prayer. As I searched and prayed continuously, a small voice broke through and rang in my heart that there is one gift I need to treasure most - Jesus. I should pursue Jesus endlessly like I embarked on this frantic search. And that I should present this Gift to as many people as I can because this is the best. Through this Gift comes many gifts. What you want him to be, He will be because God is "I AM WHO I AM".

I still haven't found the earring. A friend joked that she should do a treasure hunt. If she finds it, she can have the gift. My sister insisted she takes the other side anyway. So I gave it to her and I prayed she too will find the fulfillment in Christ every time she looks at the incomplete pair.

Do you have the Gift? Where is your Gift?
I hope you didn't leave him under the unkept Christmas tree or tugged in a box in the closet. Or confined in the Christmas songs, or even the Christmas story and sermon you heard.

Bring the best Gift with you into this new year and experience the fullness of his indescribable love, peace and joy.

Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift! (2 Corinthians 9:15, NIV)

Are We Listening?

2009-11-02T11:58:00.006+08:00

The LORD came and stood there, calling as at the other times, "Samuel! Samuel!" Then Samuel said, "Speak, for your servant is listening."

(1 Samuel 3:10, NIV)

The birds' chirping.
The dogs' barking.
The nature's call in the early morning.

Everyday, Ashton awakes to this natural alarm. He excitedly clambered off the bed and looks out the window to trace these noises. Pursing his lips, he uttered "dog, dog"...."berd"... and he will turn to me with a sweet smile and gestured to welcome a new day. This is a norm.

Somehow he just loves dogs and birds. Always looking out for those creatures...almost everywhere we go. The interesting part is this...he understood a dog barks and a bird chirps. So he will imitate those sounds in his cute voice. Cheekily I asked him, "How about Ashton?" I was wondering what he would say. Immediately, he voiced, "thang, thang, thang" while his fingers strummed an invisible guitar. How cute! It dawned upon me he associates the sounds of the animals to music. Those are music to his ears and he has accustomed to it. He has learnt to recognized those sounds so well that even the faintest bark or chirp catches his attention. Every time he hears it no matter how faint, he will look for the creature. I thought what a keen ear this toddler has!

God has blessed us with ears to hear. What are we listening to? It is a noisy world. We hear all sorts of sounds all the time. In the midst of these noises, there is One who is trying to get our attention too. But are we listening?

Samuel heard God calling him. He was deliberate in waiting to hear God. And he heard. And he responded. He was ready to listen.

Do we recognize our Shepherd's voice? Are we accustomed to his voice? How sharp is our ear?
Are we ready to listen?

Perhaps the Lord has a special message for us today. An answer to our prayers, the wisdom we are seeking, the direction we need, a comforting word, an assurance of his love, or just a simple call of our name to remind us he is near. Listen! And listen well.

Lord, speak for your servant [your name] is listening. In Jesus' name. Amen.

Mum To The Rescue

2009-10-26T00:30:00.000+08:00

Trust in the LORD with all your heart
and lean not on your own understanding;
in all your ways acknowledge him,
and he will make your paths straight.

(Proverbs 3:5-6, NIV)

“Mum, please help me.” “MUM…PLEASE COME!”
This is a normal plea in my home. Hah, what will kids do without mum?

This time I found her attempting to do some copy work on art pieces. She was determined to get it right, and I mean RIGHT. She wanted mum to help salvage her almost “ruined” art piece.

Drawing and colouring ranked high in my list of childhood hobbies. Art was my favourite subject in school as I always felt it was a therapeutic session in the midst of textbooks and notes to memorize and apply. I always tell my children I love arts because I can never go wrong. Even if there is a mistake, the artist can always play around with the colours and strokes to cover the error and still produce a good piece. After all, it is art. The creative power lies in the hands and imagination of the artist. I absolutely didn’t have such liberty with other subjects, which I’ve to adhere to facts, formulas or grammar.

As much as I desired for her to try it all out by herself, her persistent pleas were too strong for me to shun her away. So I stepped in and asked what went wrong and how could I help. In her frustration, she told me to redraw the cartoon figure because her piece has been smeared by the pastels. It just didn’t look nice to her no matter how I tried to pacify her. Finally, I agreed to help but working in such a way that she could still own this piece. It’s always tough how much to help a child. As my hands began to move through the paper and putting the strokes in, she began ordering me – telling me how it should be. I gently assured her, “Trust me.”

Obviously she did not trust I will do a good job by the way she was still whining and telling me what to do. My patience was tested. I said again…this time firmly, “Please trust me.” She was too engrossed in her own thoughts and ways to hear my assurance. Her ramblings went on. Feeling annoyed, I turned to her and asked, “Do you trust me?”

I almost thought it was God asking me that question. The whole scenario just flipped. I was the little child pleading for help but many times didn’t trust the Father enough. While He is attending to me and my problem, I was too engrossed to see his act of deliverance. Instead of trusting in his wisdom and ways, I was still rambling away telling him what I think is best.

Have you ever been caught in this same predicament?
God promises his help when we call him in our distress (Jonah 2:2) and his coming and wise actions are certain. But how many times we still lean on our own understanding? When he says, “Trust me, child”, it means it is a done deal! We need to learn to sit back and watch him move and act. To God be the glory!

O Trustworthy God, forgive me for not trusting You. Instead of relying on my own rational thoughts and limited understanding, I want to trust Your wisdom and power to make my paths straight. I do not want to interfere with Your plans and attempting to be cleverer than You. Forbid it, Lord. I hear Your whispers of assurance and I am saved. Thank You. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

My Hiding Place, My Safe Refuge

2009-10-12T01:00:00.001+08:00

For in the day of trouble he will keep me safe in his dwelling; he will hide me in the shelter of his tabernacle and set me high upon a rock.

(Psalm 27:5, NIV)

It didn’t feel as though I rested even though I purposely set aside time to nap one afternoon, just to catch up on some sleep. However, I had one of the coolest dreams. I settled down for my nap after pondering on one word, “rock” and singing just one phrase in my heart, “My Hiding Place, My Safe Refuge” over and over again…with a tune I can’t quite remember now. Interestingly, I dozed off and I saw myself getting ready to preach on this title based on Psalm 27. In the dream, there were a lot of disruptions which had given me some clues in pressing into prayers.

Certainly the Lord had heard my cries and reassured me through the dream. As soon as I woke up, I read through the psalm and found right there in verse 5 which clearly states that God will keep me safe in his dwelling; he will hide me in the shelter of his tabernacle and set me high upon a rock. What can be more comforting and assuring to know he has spoken so clearly!

I’ve been thinking deep on God being the Rock of my salvation. For a long time I see the rock as a concrete strong platform. One which is unmovable and unshakeable. In the book of Psalms, God is liken to the rock. The imagery is repeated in many verses in this poetry book. I sing of it. I talked about it. I claimed it. Then I discovered the rock as mentioned in the bible is referring to the cleft rock. It is not any rock that I had envisioned. Cleft rock is a hideout. It secures from different angles but has a crevice for one to flee in and stay away from danger. This safe shelter is a grandiose natural monument. There is something about rock that when I look at it speaks of incredible strength and durability. As I thought further on God being that sort of dwelling place for me, it opens up an invitation for me, “Come, come right in…” My dove in the clefts of the rock, in the hiding places on the mountainside, show me your face, let me hear your voice; for your voice is sweet, and your face is lovely. (Song of Songs 2:14, NIV)

Under his mighty protection and sweet presence I stand on sure footing too. Whatever the trouble that seeks to send me running away, God provided the shelter of his loving arms to receive me, and comfort me and broaden my path so that I can tread upon. When my heart is overwhelmed: lead me to the rock that is higher than I. (Psalm 61:4, KJV)

We are beaten by the harsh weather of our fallen world which seeks to destroy us in different forms.
Whenever we are afraid, let us run to our Rock.
Let us echo the psalmist prayer when our hearts are overwhelmed.
Never forget the invitation to flee to the Cleft Rock. We will see his lovely face and hear his sweet voice. Oh what a lovely thought! What a promise!

O Mighty Rock, I run to You and seek Your safe refuge. In this secret hiding place, I rest and be restored. Show me Your face. Let me hear Your voice. Oh Lord, I come…In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Dance? What Dance?!

2009-10-05T01:00:00.002+08:00

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. 24Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires.

(Galatians 5:22-24, NIV)

She was ready. All geared up to demonstrate her moves to the teacher.
She squatted as she looked on the older girls rehearsed their steps for the last minute dance performance in a week’s time. The teacher called upon each of the five girls to repeat their movement as she combined some of their individual choreography to form a new piece of dance.

Every now and then Chrisa turned to me and whispered, “When is she ready to see mine?” I gave her the same respond every time, “Wait for a while, dear. You will get your turn.” Then gestured her to watch and continue waiting. She obediently heeded my instruction. The time ticked away. She was still waiting.

Finally, the teacher gave her a quick glance and asked, “Chrisa, are you ready now?” and Chrisa showed her moves with a little pride hidden in her shyness. Unfortunately, the teacher was still concentrating more on the older girls. I could see the little girl’s sadness that she has been overlooked. She ran back to me and voiced her disappointment. Trying not to interfere with the practice, I managed to pacify her to give it another try later when the teacher is done with the rest.

She collected herself and leaned on me for a moment for comfort.
Another chance came…she ran into the group and positioned herself in the formation. When the team was moving in accordance to their formation, she was left confused. She was lost in the commotion. Although the girls were giving her some directions, the teacher obviously didn’t include her in this upcoming dance. She dashed towards me with tears in her eyes and slumped right on me, totally upset! My heart ached with her as she did wait. She has been patiently waiting but was left clueless how to be involved. I calmed her down and wiped her tears. Personally, as I watched this last minute making of dance, I wasn’t too sure if the teacher was going to put Chrisa in as she was the only 6 year-old amongst the older ones, ages 10 and 11. I reckoned the teacher was doing some impromptu planning that she had overlooked the little one’s participation. After all, there was going to be two practices only before they perform in a week’s time. Perhaps she had given Chrisa hope without really considering her role and effort required in the creative piece.

The practice ended. Chrisa was still not in the picture of the dance. I chatted briefly with the teacher and she had thought Chrisa is too minor to catch up with the last minute plan. She realized she didn’t make it clear to the child. An explanation from the teacher pacified Chrisa. She told Chrisa that she is still part of the regular dance team and could work on future pieces. This particular one was too demanding on her due to the shortage of time.

We walked away that day recalling on a verse God has been challenging us to believe in the course of waiting - Hosea 6:3 (which I posted on Aug 18). In the car, I asked her, “Do you know you’ve learnt a great lesson today even though you may feel like you didn’t do anything at all? You waited! That’s a long time waiting for a little girl. That lesson is more important than the dance piece.” Two hours is forever for a minor. She gazed at me with a smile and was proud she passed the test of waiting. She exclaimed, “Yea, we’ve been talking so much on waiting these days in church.” She thought for a moment and knew God had taught her an important lesson – being patient.

Patience is a great virtue. It is a gem in our impatient society. Like “God” (Morgan Freeman in the movie, Evan Almighty) challenged Evan’s wife, “If you prayed for patience, do you think God will make you patient? He will give you an opportunity to be patient.” Here, Chrisa had a great opportunity to learn to be patient. Indeed she made a dance unto the Maker. She demonstrated different moves in her waiting. In her dance, there was an entirety of silence but her heart was trained. Patience was developed. And surely more room was created for further lessons.

We headed for a nice dinner of her choice to reward her patience. She sure enjoyed delayed gratification.

How many times have we waited and it seemed they are all in vain? It seemed like nothing has been achieved.
It seemed unproductive. It was meaningless.
It was tiring. It drained our energy. It muddled our vision.

Seem. Yes, it seems that way. But not the case. Most often than not, we learn many lessons in the waiting. Amongst the many, I am sure patience is one. Patience needs to be cultivated as a child of God because it is part of the fruit of the Spirit.

Are you waiting for an answer from God? Does it drive you nuts in the silence of waiting?
Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord (Psalm 27:14). Our waiting on him always guarantees return – probably not the forms we envision but certainly heavenly blessings. Do not even think that whatever we do in the waiting is not important. God is watching and he will honour accordingly. A surprise may just be at the corner when you least expect it and you’ll enjoy delayed gratification.

Abba Father, grant me patience and give me a trusting heart knowing that my waiting on you will never be in vain. Cultivate in me this prized gem which is so lacking in our world so that others may see Christ in me. In Jesus’ name . Amen.

Curls Or Straight?

2009-09-28T02:50:00.002+08:00

3Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as braided hair and the wearing of gold jewelry and fine clothes. 4Instead, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God's sight.

(1 Peter 3:3-4, NIV)

In the 80s there was a song popularized by Cindi Lauper, Girls Just Wanna Have Fun. As a teenager, I enjoyed the upbeat song to a certain extent though I wasn’t a big fan of the singer. There is some truth in the title. We all want to have fun irrespective of our age. Perhaps just different ways.

Working with youth over the last decade was a great opportunity and tremendous blessing in staying young – at least in the heart. Girls and young ladies talk with great excitement on the latest fashion, hairdo and whatever seems trendy. It is a built-in instinct. Females desire to look nice and pretty. Talk to the most plain girl and you’ll discover deep down the heart she will like to be beautiful too.

Surrounded by three girls at home is sure fun. Never a dull moment for me! From a little toddler and especially when they were preschoolers in their exploration stage, dress-up was a major play. A trunk of mummy’s old clothes and accessories guaranteed hours of fun. Have you watched little girls drowned in the humongous adult’s clothes and clip-clopping on mummy’s big heels, clutched with a huge handbag? A typical sight, right?

My girls have graduated from dress-up play. They share my wardrobe now (except the youngest). As for the hair, they love the curls. They will twist the hair into a bun and let down the big waves after many hours. Recently, I discovered the ancient way of curling girls’ hair – the chemical free method and kind to the pocket too. No wonder the girls all had curled hair in the 1800s. We plotted our hairdo date – mum and daughters’ fun night. As you would have guessed, mum was the hairdresser and my three clients were excited to have their turn. I was a bit anxious of the outcome, just in case I disappoint them. To our great satisfaction, we had beautiful curls and they looked fabulous with the new hairdo. They almost couldn’t believe their eyes as they looked into the mirrors, and instantly giggled and laughed with sheer delight. Since we were attending a drama in a church, they went with this incredible new look. They definitely made heads turned and we could hear the oohs and aahs and wahs. “Did you just get it permed?” Permed? They proudly announced that mummy curled it the ancient way – much to their disbelief.

The curls lasted longer than we thought and the girls were immensely satisfied. Did they feel beautiful? I am sure they do! Oh, what is it about these curls? Some of you may think. Straightened hair is pretty and neat. Arrh…some may argue short haircut is cool and easy. Bangs, or no bangs. Crimp, big waves, small waves and the list goes on as the trends change all the time. Yes, there is a place for fashion. I love fashion. It is art to me. Creativity is at play. There is a lot of fun in playing with colours and shapes. However, there is a limit to keep up with trends.

The Word of God encourages us that true beauty must shines from inside out. As the daughters of the King, we must clothe ourselves with an unfading beauty – a gentle and quiet spirit which supersedes the outward appearance. Too often we spend more time and money dressing up outwardly and neglect our inner beauty. Step into the chamber of God and capture his beauty and behold his holiness (Psalm 27:4). When you spend quality and quantity time with the Beautiful Lord, you will inherit his beauty which cannot be bought over the cosmetic counters, nor be transformed in the hair saloons, neither is it contained in the perfume bottles nor coloured by pedicures and manicures. You won’t find it in the best boutiques or latest cut. The beauty kit is in Him, the Lover of our Soul. Come and find out what he has in store for you as you sit with him daily.

As he makes us beautiful inside, it must always shines out. The inner beauty is not meant to be kept in the secret. I believe every beautiful girl and woman of God will display him as we carry his radiance and countenance. A good gift needs a great packaging too to be completely beautiful. So do take time to groom yourself and be presentable as the King’s daughter.

Dear Father, I desire to be beautiful from the inside out. Cause your face to shine upon me and let your beauty be displayed outwardly. Help me to be wise as I seek to take care of my outward appearance and be presentable as the King’s daughter. Thank you for making me beautiful. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

The Death that Brought Us Life

2009-09-14T03:04:00.002+08:00

…and they forced him to carry the cross. They brought Jesus to the place called Golgotha (which means The Place of the Skull). Then they offered him wine mixed with myrrh, but he did not take it. And they crucified him.

Mark 15:21-24, NIV

The news came. A sad one.
Our cousin in his prime age was called home to be with the Lord after battling for his life the last 40 days in ICU. A more devastating news was the doctors could not find out the problem except to diagnose him as having lung infection. Various tests were negative. A final diagnosis was severe pneumonia.

We made a few calls and rushed down to Kuala Lumpur the next day to pay our last respect and be a support to his parents. It is hard to imagine we will not see him anymore the next family gathering which is normally the annual Chinese New Year season. The funeral was a huge turnout with many relatives and friends. He only has one sister but many cousins as his mum has nine other siblings. It was one of those funerals whereby many attendees were dressed up formally and with a good taste of modern trend. I had thought perhaps that’s the way it is in big city. Then I found out there were local celebrities in the midst whom I only recognized after being made aware of.

A sad occasion as it was but there was a sweet closure for family and friends as we send his body off for cremation and knowing his final destiny was heaven. To a certain extent it was a glamorous funeral with a big gathering of people, soothing music, peaceful sermon, eulogy and lots of flowers and gifts. Although these couldn’t replace the loss of a precious son, brother, or friend yet there were offerings of comfort and peace in the sorrowful event.

My tears dropped and felt such deep grief especially for his parents. It must be horribly painful for the seniors to send off their young. What more their only son! The tiring journey home sent my mind reflecting on many issues. One was the Cross. Upon that Cross was the death that brought us life! It was far from any glamour. He was young and in his prime age too. He died a cruel death.

Death has always been viewed as a dark passage yet we all must walk in it at the end of life’s journey. What a comfort to know there is one extraordinary death which paved the way for us to heaven! His light will shine and greet us and take us to our Father’s House. Jesus was very prepared and ready prior to his death. He talked about it positively and prepared his disciples as they reclined for the Last Supper (Luke 22:7-20).

While many of us fear death, Jesus approached his final day with confidence and certainty in the Father’s will and loving arms. His death gave us victory over sin. We can rejoice because He rose again!

What are we facing today? Remember we are more than conquerors in Christ Jesus. He paid the price with his life on the Cross so we can enjoy the freedom. So face whatever come our way with confidence and certainty of victory because of this extraordinary death. Do not nullify the power of the Cross.

Our Father in Heaven, thank you for sending Your Son to die for us so that we may live a full life. The world may look at death with fear but we rest assured in You no matter what we face in life including death. Give us strength and fullness for this new day. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Composed and Confident in Christ

2009-08-29T15:00:00.000+08:00

'Do not be afraid, Paul. You must stand trial before Caesar; and God has graciously given you the lives of all who sail with you.' 25So keep up your courage, men, for I have faith in God that it will happen just as he told me.

(Acts 27:24-25, NIV)

The Apostle Paul began his life with the Lord Jesus Christ in a most dramatic way. He heard, saw and experienced the Lord in a most powerful tangible manner. That day on the road to Damascus changed his life forever. He was a fighter. He continued to fight, but since then – for a different cause. He received a new sight. One with a divine vision which led him into a courageous mission till the very end.

Throughout his accounts we can see he gave himself no rest. Living a life packed with one sole purpose of making Christ known, yet Paul stayed simple throughout – always rejoicing in the Lord as he rendered his selfless service. His strong unmovable faith always keeps me going in hard times. I love his tenacity and his enduring power; how he pursued his cause without any doubt but with such focus of the end. He was a man who watched the Word became alive; taking hold of the promise of God just as he had been told. No second thought.

In the book of John, the Word became flesh. Every word of God is a living word. It carries the full potential to become alive. It contains the breath of God – it’s fresh!

All of us were traveling along some road when we bumped into this Jesus. Our encounter may not be necessarily as dramatic as Paul’s. Ours may be seemingly normal, or it could be splashed with a colourful palate of experience. In reality, we’ve all come into a new life, having a new purpose, living for a new cause and fighting for what counts for eternity. Life may take us into different turns and junctions which appear dangerous and complicated. They lead to fear and confusion. Sometimes we wish there’s an easier route, or a jeep which will drive by so we can jump in and zoomed off the bumpy road. We wish! Most of the time, we have to walk through it and keep the courage just as Paul did. He wasn’t spared from the trials and hardships. In this verse, he knew for sure he had to face Caesar but he retained his composure and stood in confidence of God’s claim – because he had heard the trustworthy God.

Who or what is your “Caesar”? Are you afraid to face it?

We may be seen as the weaker gender in the world's eye but let us remember we are the King's daughters. Let us not be threatened by whatever opposition that comes our way seeking to dampen our spirit. Wait upon God’s deliverance just as He said it will be!

Gracious Lord, whenever I am afraid, remind me of Your presence. Even though I have to face certain challenges, I trust in You. My composure and confidence are in Christ. I will wait upon You, You’ll come. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Press In, Press On

2009-08-18T15:05:00.003+08:00

Let us acknowledge the LORD;
let us press on to acknowledge him.
As surely as the sun rises, he will appear;
he will come to us like the winter rains,
like the spring rains that water the earth.

(Hosea 6:3, NIV)

The feeling is like I just woke up from a nightmare with some phantom pain. The whole more than two months suffering from back pain has been horrifying. Every morning I woke up hoping it was just a nightmare and it is all over. The pain took many forms – from excruatiating to dull ache, prickly sensation to pressing heavy-like pain which traveled to every part of my body. It was not merely confined to the back – the limbs, head, ears, mouth were not spared. The back which holds the body up when injured affects the entire body and mind. It was tough weeks bearing the great burden on my back. My busy lifestyle came to a standstill (which in many ways is good but almost totally unbearable). My days were reduced to bed rest and physiotherapy. Even when the pain has been significantly reduced, my whole body system was somewhat gone cranky.

Some people with good intention advised me to seek other help – relaxation therapy such as yoga and acupuncture to “reset” my system. Someone said, “You need help. A guided program, you can’t do this yourself.” I knew deep in my heart I can’t do it myself. I definitely need help but surely not any sources which were mentioned. I need divine help. I need my Father.
Just before one of my physiotherapy session, I heard the Lord’s reminder to press in…into His loving presence and keep acknowledging his Lordship and rule. Needless to say, it demanded so much mental energy to stay focus and proclaim God’s power of life and healing in trying times. But there was an urging, “let us” repeated twice in this single verse to acknowledge God – to recognize who He is and understand His nature, and believe the certainty of His presence liken to the sun. My eyes turned towards the glass door of the waiting room as I meditated on His Word and I caught sight of the heavy downpour of rain as I continued to read on the remaining portion of the verse. My heart thumped with excitement as the Lord’s presence rained down at the very spot I was sitting as I bathed myself in His refreshing promise – “ he will come to us like the winter rains, like the spring rains that water the earth.”

All of us feels like giving up one point or another. How many times we gave up too soon? If only we press in a little more, hang in there a little longer…but we screamed, “I’ve no more strength”. It is then we must realize we have our limitations. Scream if you must, “I’ve no more strength…” but call for His mercy and acknowledge He is Lord.
Confess His remarkable power.
Catch His rising presence.
Contain His refreshing promise of blessing.

Precious Gems, will you persevere and press in…and press on no matter what your circumstance is…and your confidence will be richly rewarded (Hebrews 10:35).

Almighty God, Our Deliverer, give us endless supply of energy to press in and press on…till we see You face to face and feast in Your amazing grace. There we will surely find rest and restoration. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

I Will Be Back Soon

2009-08-15T12:38:00.002+08:00

To all God's Precious Gems,

I am so sorry I took longer than I thought to make a comeback. Recovery seems slower than I thought. Perhaps it is God's way of slowing me down :)
Thank you to all who faithfully drop by to pick a gem. I've stored up some great gems the past weeks and will deposit them into your hearts soon. Thank you for been patient. Thank you for your prayers too.

You are constantly in my prayers and thoughts. I would appreciate if you could drop a comment here or, in my family blog chatbox, or a brief email to let me know how you are keeping so I can pray specifically for you...and keep in touch. If you are new, then I would certainly like to get to know you.

Let us consider how we may continue to spur one another on towards love and good deeds (Hebrews 10:24).

Have a great weekend!!

Praise is A Powerful Weapon

2009-07-05T23:14:00.002+08:00

About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them. Suddenly there was such a violent earthquake that the foundations of the prison were shaken. At once all the prison doors flew open, and everybody's chains came loose.

(Acts 16:25-26, NIV)

Rest is not easy when one has pain and discomfort. As much as it is needed the mind tends to focus on the negative in such times. Pain is an incredible distraction to stay focus. Such has been my past week.

My attempts to get a good rest aren’t easy at all. When I thought I had disciplined my mind and body to rest, the nagging pain and discomfort of my muscle spasm kept playing trick on me. The challenging waves of pain and great discomfort overshadow and seek to drown my joy. I know I have to rise above the current to conquer.

One of my bible heroes is Paul, who rose above his challenging circumstances time after time; he was never defeated by difficulties. His perseverance amazes me and courage is far above commendation. I never fail to be encouraged in my spirit whenever I read his accounts. Here in the Book of Acts, he rendered his praises endlessly despite being in prison. That speaks of a deep trust in God. How many of us can say we will lift up our voices in songs in such grim situation? Paul and Silas raised their voices in praise towards heaven and the power of their praises shook the earth and broke the chains of captivity.

It serves as reminder to me every time I underestimate the simplest act of worship – sing unto the Lord. Sing, sing and sing! The power of praise is a great weapon in warfare and an infusion of His joy in uncertainty. As I continue to rest, I seek to sing to him constantly and shift my focus to my Lord.

Is your heart troubled? Is your spirit dry? Are you in some form of pain?
Sing and trust as you live for Him. Watch the unfolding of miracles in your life as you do just that…R.E.S.T. in the power of praise!

REST to me is…Rejoice, Enjoy his presence, Sing and Trust.

Heavenly Father, I will keep praising You every moment. I trust in You. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Are You Resting?

2009-06-29T00:36:00.003+08:00

Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.

(Matthew 11:28, NIV)

Rest is essential.
Rest is a must.
Rest is a luxury to some.

Last week, I was prescribed rest in bed for a few days due to sciatica pain which is a recurrence from my last pregnancy. My orthopaedic surgeon said to me, "You need to rest. I know it's hard with four kids. But that's the main thing." I asked in return, "Entire day?" He responded, "Not entire day only but few days!"

Lying down on my bed, I discovered rest is a discipline. It takes more effort to purposely get a good rest. And I mean good rest for the body - it's like fasting from work.

Rest is holy. It is ordained by God and it is a command. Man is restless. Despite the divine strong call and Jesus' invitation to rest, we are still running around attempting to accomplish so much in a day. In this busy world, we are victims of restlessness. We have to intentionally respond to His call to rest in Him.

Won't you respond to his invitation to rest?
As you can see, this is a very short post as I am stealing a wee bit of time to talk to you and then resume my rest.

Dear Heavenly Father, Tame my restless spirit and cause me to rest. I leave my cares into Your hands and trust You with all my needs. In Jesus' name I come...Amen.

Laugh it out!

2009-06-22T01:40:00.002+08:00

A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones.

(Proverbs 17:22, NIV)

After cleaning our feet, we gathered around the pool of water and dipped into the habitat of a swarming school of hungry fishes. The Garru Rufa. Oh dear, I had not expected it to be so ticklish. Instantly laughter broke out in our midst as we wriggled our toes trying to keep our feet below the surface of water for the fish to feed on the dirt. Fish spa has been popularized much these days for health purpose. In contradiction, some also fear it will be a source of spread of skin disease. Anyway, I am not giving free advertisement on it nor stating any dispute. The Arts and Science Carnival at the museum in University Science of Malaysia presented the theme, “Transformation” – featuring the development of humankind from stone age to space connection. Fish spa was amongst the stations in between the array of presentation.

We decided to give it a go since it was offered at a minimal fee compared to commercialized centres. The mental energy focused on absorbing all the educational information was given a good break in that brief experience. The children were excited – water and fish always attract them. Even my parents who tagged along for the trip were so thrilled.

Endless giggles and laughter…
Funny facial expressions…
Whole body squirming…

It was a moment of family intimacy as we shared the fun. We continued looking around the stations and booths as the children wanted to do so much more before we hit lunch time. I had another meeting to rush to following this visit to the carnival. The sun was hot and I was drenched in sweat (thanks to my active sweat glands). But somehow, a certain rush of joy and cheer filled my being the entire day. As I sang to the Lord while I drove off to the next meeting after settling my children with my parents who graciously agreed to babysit them, I thought what a therapeutic laugh I had earlier. The whole process of laughing it out while the fish nibbled on my feet brought such a sense of wellness in me.

The words of King Solomon in Proverbs are so full of wisdom. A heart which is cheerful is liken to medicine. The common saying of laughter is a good medicine makes so much sense and not to be taken lightly. Scientific findings proved that when we laughed, there’s a boost in the blood flow. A good sense of humour is a good therapy and promotes good health. Many illnesses are stress-related. Medical care these days include “laughing therapy” to help patients’ healing process.

Our society is so stressed out. Every generation is affected – from the youngest to the oldest. There’s endless worries and anxiety in life as we strive for self-actualization. In the race, many forget how to laugh. Seems the most natural thing but joy is lost in the rush.

I’ve always been a serious girl. As the eldest in the family, I grew up watching how difficult life is for my parents to earn a living. I watched the community I lived in fought for survival and striving for the best in life. Being a melancholy, I was a serious student. No nonsense girl. Self-discipline is good but I must confess I only learned to REALLY play and laugh it out in later years. From a serious little girl, I now enjoy the most silly and funny stuff my kids do and say. They make me laugh and brighten my days. Of course, they say mum is funny and silly too. I must say it has been a good lift for the soul and spirit.

Is something eating up your joy?
Is your heart troubled?
Any medical problems which are stress-related?
Perhaps you are thinking that we all have different personality. Some are more serious than others. Yes, that’s true. But we all ought to learn to laugh it out – at ourselves, and our mistakes (and learn from them).

Heavenly Father, Thank You for one of the simplest gift in life – laughter. What a wonder it does to the spirit, soul and body! When it is hard to laugh, cause my eyes to see You and Your purpose. Grant me Your joy as I live for You daily. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Tears to triumph

2009-06-17T23:24:00.002+08:00

You turned my wailing into dancing; you removed my sackcloth and clothed me with joy.

(Ps 30:11, NIV)

Life is busy for everyone these days. I’ve hardly met a person who is free except those retired seniors. Even that, many of them fills their days with endless activities. That’s a choice, I guess. As for most people, we all wish we have more hours each day to accomplish our tasks. Days surrounded by children all the time take a different scenario – they are not just busy but tremendously demanding from all aspects. It’s amazing how these little ones can drain you off. No doubt every day is an interesting day living with children. They are so full of life; ready to receive each day with enthusiasm, soaking in life’s lessons every moment and still have more than enough energy till bedtime. Bedtime – oh, that’s a taboo word for them. They have not finish their last play, read their last story, speak their final words, and share their concluding thought for the night. I am not sure about other mums, but I look forward to bedtime where I tuck them in after a long hard day, kissed them goodnight after prayers, and watched them slip into dreamland and savour the moments of looking at their sweet faces as they lie in bed. Oh, not to mention the quietness of the atmosphere after noise pollution the entire day.

Getting through the night routine itself is a great effort. Cleaning and changing, bedtime stories, bible reading and prayers...before I get to sit down to enjoy some quiet moments to keep my sanity. Many times I slipped into dreamland with them too. Then, to awaken the next morning to go through the whole cycle again. My plan didn't work out one night (in fact, too many nights to count) and threw me off balance for a moment. The cheerful atmosphere took a turn. Nothing seemed to work out the way I had anticipated. Screaming and yelling weren’t the answers as we all know. Yet my composure was lost for that moment. Desperately I looked to heaven for help and quickly shot a prayer to God. Very few words but definitely with great intensity. He heard my cry and turned my tears into triumph. The night ended with a sweet note.

Chaos changed into calmness as we wrapped up the night with me spending some moments alone with each child. Nothing beats the beautiful intimacy of being able to snuggle up with each of them and whispered words of love and affirmation as we said goodnight. Finally, the last in turn took up an hour plus as she needed to talk more. It was beautiful and triumphant as I tucked them all in. Joy filled my heart. God responded to my tears of desperation and caused my heart to dance with joy as I retired for the night.

Perhaps this experience isn't about life and death to cause wailing and mourning. Nevertheless, it was suffice to cause a deep desperation in me at that moment.
Are you hurting? Are you in a pressing need? Do not bottle up your tears.
Cry to God and watch Him deliver you. His deliverance may not be according to our timing but He will surely give you a reason to dance and be joyful again.

Heavenly Father, hear my cry and answer me quickly. I need Your help. Grant me victory. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Lord, Teach Me

2009-06-11T01:36:00.003+08:00

Open my eyes that I may see wonderful things in your law….
Oh, how I love your law! I meditate on it all day long.

(Psalm 119:18, 97)

One of my favourite things as a homeschool mum is to snuggle up with my children with a good book, or should I say a pile of them. I am not talking about textbooks but living books. Books which are cleverly and interestingly written out of love for the subject (and not merely to pass exams). We were nestled behind the last book shelf in the Children’s Public Library, surrounded by stacks of books to appease us of the “lost time” with baby Ashton constantly demanding my attention. That was the most private spot in the library in this school holiday season. Every section of the library was in a mess as it undergo some upgrading and reorganization. Books, books and books everywhere.

Never in any generation is knowledge so easily accessible. The computer age opens up the world to us right at our own home – at the convenience of our space and time. With just one click, we can access any information we need. Kids of this generation talk intelligently on the internet world, which the baby boomers struggle to understand.

Education is no longer restricted within the classrooms and conventional textbooks. Recently, Chrisa, being a tomato lover, craved to know more about this fruit. So we googled and found interesting facts and colourful images of the variety of tomatoes. Currently, my girls are busy with virtual classes on learning Basic Spanish and a book club project. They just completed a free science project on Water; and had enjoyed this new trend of learning thoroughly. I am amazed at the efficiency and effectiveness of their learning in a short time. Virtual education has made its mark in our world today.

Being the school holiday now, the children’s library is busier than usual. Some came to read for pleasure while many came to fill in their reading list/reports for their school records. People are pursuing knowledge intensely. It used to be school-aged kids were facing insurmountable pressure of work overload. Now the preschoolers and babies are victims as well to the so called headstart in education. Whatever you name it, the education market has it.

While Chrisa was enjoying the books she picked for the day, I heard a mum trying to force her uninterested child to learn to read. Perhaps he wasn’t quite ready. Someone once said "for the heart of education is the education of the heart" and Aristotle quoted, "Educating the mind without educating the heart is no education at all". I looked around at the vast spread of knowledge available in the room and the immeasurable contents available through the little neat box – the computer. Mind-boggling thought!

Yet with all these availabilities, I still have to pray, “Lord, teach me.”

True knowledge comes with wisdom and the ability to perceive and understand the truths. Some versions of the bible use the word, “behold” – to take hold on it and look carefully…the spiritual beauty, wonder and profound mysteries hidden in His teachings. This can only be done by divine illumination as we cry out earnestly for his teachings. In the age of great pursuit of knowledge, our desires for God must be deep. We know that what we long and love for, we will think of it all the time. If we long and love God and His teachings, we will pursue with our all. We will echo the psalmist prayers – to uncover our eyes to perceive great and mighty things in his laws and meditate on it all day long. Enlightened hearts will give direction and purpose in life instead of empty chase in the rat race.

What knowledge are we pursuing in life? Where do we begin?

King Solomon stated “the fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge” (Proverbs 1:7)… and “if you call out for insight and cry aloud for understanding, and if you look for it as for silver and search for it as for hidden treasure, then you will understand the fear of the Lord and find the knowledge of God. For the Lord gives wisdom, and from his mouth come knowledge and understanding” (Proverbs 2:3-6).

My Wise Father, give me knowledge and wisdom to apply it in my life. Teach me every moment…In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Marvellously Made

2009-06-01T13:20:00.000+08:00

I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.

(Psalm 139:14, NIV)

The long awaited sms came...my friend just received his firstborn. What a joy as we watched him entered into fatherhood. There's always a thrill to hear a birth being announced. Yesterday...oh wasn't it just yesterday when I penned down this account...

Today I watch a capable young girl adorned with an apron fully occupied in the kitchen. She has made herself available for service as a "kitchen police" this month helping Ah Ma to prepare meals as mum rest in her postnatal month. Every morning she awoke at the break of dawn, cleansed and changed waiting for her marketing date with Kong Kong. She crept into my room, collected the soiled nappies and clothes for laundry. It saved Ah Ma a trip of the tiring staircase.

She sneaked in a corner for her quiet moments with the Lord before she quickly completed her daily academic assignments. In between the day, she grabbed a book for a good read, made a dance with her sisters, played a board game, taught her 4 year-old sister reading, writing and math, practised her times-table with an incredible creative idea - cha-cha moves! She urged her sister to dance along. They had a swell time dancing gracefully while doing math. Times-table was a dreadful feat before this!

The newborn cried...she jumped at the opportunity to carry him. How well she handled him - so much more confident than most adults! She sang her own composition to soothe him and he calmed down at the sound of the melody as he snuggled in her arms. She is a big sister for the third time.She helped Ee Ee with the Sunday school preparation before she pulled out all that she needed to bake her own birthday cake. She has always been a leader. I watched her gave orders to her sisters who eagerly wanted to help with the baking. They baked a chocolate cake which was later coated with Betty Crocker's rich and creamy chocolate topping. She carefully sprinkled the silver beads to create a figure of 10 and lots of almond nuts around it. I could see a satisfied look on her face.

It has been a decade since she was born, making me a very proud mum! It seems like a wink of an eye. The day I held her for the first time, I cried the tears of joy and then a gush of anxiety flooded me. Suddenly such a big responsibility was entrusted into my hands. I've been enrolled into the School of Motherhood - an enormous volume of life training modules with no certificates nor graduation; but blessed with a life-time of divine exchanges.

I held in my hands a precious gift from heaven. I have every reason to be thankful as I watch her grow from a tiny tot to a terrific ten. Ashlynn - the strong and beautiful is 10 today!

These words seem so fresh. The year just went by - the terrific ten is extraordinary eleven now!! She has marvellously grown. Life is such a beautiful gift of God. The Maker carefully plan and knitted together this little being from the very beginning and purposed her to be released into her God-driven destiny. His work is wonderful as careful thoughts, wisdom and creativity had been put in to bring forth this life.

How many of us can look into the mirror and boldly profess, "I am marvellously made"?
Do we know it full well that we are "fearfully and wonderfully made"?
The Maker never makes mistakes - what you see is indeed his perfect creation. What He deposited in our core is His invaluable gift to shape us and thrust us into our destiny in Him. Know our identity in Christ and marvel at the gift of life.

What are we going to do with this gift?

Beautiful God, Thank You for making me in Your image. Thank You for life. Today I proclaim Your beauty and goodness in my life. Here I am...use me as You will. In Jesus' name. Amen.

So that God Be Glorified

2009-05-28T03:03:00.005+08:00

As he went along, he saw a man blind from birth. 2His disciples asked him, "Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?"
3"Neither this man nor his parents sinned," said Jesus, "but this happened so that the work of God might be displayed in his life."

(John 9:1-3, NIV)

Dinner was good. We ate at a local famous western food corner. As we walked to get our van, a lame man followed us all the way. His body looked distorted in every way and his face was somewhat scary looking. We were cautious though I didn’t think he would be harmful. Yet I had to be careful just in case anything unforeseen took place. We quickly climbed into our van. The man stood right in front of the front screen and looked in with a strange expression, head crooked and an awkward gesture. I must confess it was a little uncomfortable although we tried to be as natural. He was probably in his thirties or forties. As much as we sympathized with him, we were helpless. I could not help but wonder about a lot of things…which turned into a deep discussion with God.

What happened to him? Was he born such? Who is taking care of him?

Why would God create such being in the first place? Why?? Of course, my instant inner response was - God is sovereign. But then again, I faced a battle of my own mind as I questioned God. My maternal instinct reached into the heart of this man’s mum. It must had been a difficult journey to have and raised him…to see his sufferings and fear for his survival. A series of emotions must have overwhelmed her. It must be painful. How about this man? No matter how ugly he looked and dysfunctional he seems to be, yet he is still a person with human needs. He is still a child of God.

It’s really hard to imagine why God would do this. I am sure He can do a better job in creating. Did He make a mistake and couldn’t undo it? Or maybe it was not congenital? But still God must have allowed this? To look at the man and think that “this is God’s beautiful creation” certainly is a challenge. I know these are silly thoughts about God and all my questions may seem valid in human terms but they don’t change the fact – God is sovereign and He is good. His sovereignty and goodness are far too deep for my limited human mind to comprehend.

I believe this man was “fearfully and wonderfully made” (Psalm 139:14) and his physiological imperfection is an opportunity to display God’s grace. The words of Jesus reminded me that ultimately God uses all circumstances to glorify Himself. I can only rest in His sovereignty and trust that any form of suffering in life provides a platform for God to manifest his grace and compassion. A man of such disability who knows God may well display the strength and beauty like no other normal person can. The effects of God’s power are magnified through such man when he is surrendered to God. However, if he doesn’t know God, it is an opportunity for him to embrace God’s love. That can be another powerful testimony of God’s salvation and love; and can cause ripple effects.

I may not have all my answers as I thought of the man but I know God cares for him. I do not know him even as I prayed for him this week but my Father knows his name.

Perhaps as we look at ourselves or the circumstances we are in, we see imperfections and sufferings too. Instead of fretting in discontentment or throwing our fists at God, or blaming ourselves and sitting under guilt pile…let us turn our eyes upon the Lord and hear his words ring right into our hearts - "but this happened so that the work of God might be displayed in [your] life.”

To God be the Glory!

Heavenly Father, You are sovereign and good. Look upon me with favour and love. Enable me to see traces of Your work in my life and empower me to bring glory to Your name. May my life be a display of Your grace and glory. When I see any imperfect person, help me see him as you do. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Endless Mess

2009-05-18T00:30:00.003+08:00

The Lord is compassionate and gracious,
slow to anger, abounding in love.

(Psalm 103:8, NIV)

My days are filled with cleaning. One after another. Yet the house never seem to be clean or in the “order” I classify as order.
Laundry – never seem to finish. When I thought I just cleared the laundry basket, to see it been filled again.
Dishes – quite the same too. Although the girls have been helping but I still have uncleared sink throughout the day.
What happened to spotless floor? Nay, my doctor and nurses’ friends told me to forget about clean floors once babies arrived. One even suggested I wear carpet shoes so that I will not feel the dust. The baby won't die from some dirt. But my melancholy self thought the more I have to clean up to ensure my babies have clean floor to roam around. Babies – you know they are so susceptible to illnesses. But they MESS UP ALL THE TIME.

My baby was wriggling hard to get away while I was trying to get his bum cleaned up. This is the umpteenth time for the day. I hooked him with my left arm and did a quick wash but clean enough to satisfy me. You’ll be amazed at how much energy the little one possessed. It is quite a workout for me daily. Before I could sigh a relief of getting the task done, he wriggled and crawled off. I went after him to find that he just pee on the floor! And when I finished with that, I stepped on biscuits crumbs. “That could wait…” I thought. Then the five year-old called for help in cleaning up some mess. I rushed off, stepped on a toy which squeaked back at me. I moved the toys to clear the path way. My eyes caught another pile of mess which called for attention. “Not now,” I whispered in my heart. I moved the baby to the bedroom to get him ready for nap. He protested and slipped off from my arms. His sister’s clothes’ shelf attracted him. That’s his new “play area” – simply enjoys pulling the garments off, one by one. The list can go on forever. My heart beat faster and I could feel a rush of my blood. My energy level was diminishing. I was about to sigh and give out a loud scream to God when His Spirit whispered to me, “I am also always cleaning up."

How true! God is in a cleaning business. How many times have I messed up – the words I said, my action and reaction towards people and situations, decisions made, negative thoughts, and ill feelings; and He patiently cleaned up my mess. Instead of striking a hard blow on me, He administered His dose of merciful love. Instead of saying, “Look at you again,” He helped me through without shame and guilt and gave me a clean slate.

Human race is messed up. God in His grace and mercy is cleaning us up all the time. When He is done with one area, He still has many more to deal with us. What a comfort to know He is slow to anger, otherwise we will all be wiped out from his presence!

Do you have anything which requires some divine cleaning? Acknowledge your need of the Divine Helper. Allow Him to clean you up even if it hurts. Don’t struggle and wriggle off his clutch. Stay put as He gently and patiently does the cleaning process. Sometimes it may hurt more because of the consequences we have to bear but trust in His abounding love. He doesn’t jeer but cheer us on.

Loving Father, I come…with this…...(specify your mess). Clean me up. Grant me grace to go through it and soothe where it hurts. I trust You. Thank You for being patient with me. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

In the Comfort of My Father’s Arms

2009-05-10T00:57:00.003+08:00

As a mother comforts her child,
So will I comfort you…...

(Isaiah 66:13, NIV)

Finally my baby settled into dreamland. The sight of a sleeping baby in a calm state is simply speechless. All the squirming and cries eased into a lovely sort of stillness and peace…right in my arms. I can now slow down for a while before he awakes to explore again. He just turned one year-old. So much had happened in the short one year – growing from a tiny helpless babe to an inquisitive little creature engaging in endless explorations and discoveries.

Gratitude filled my heart as I reflected on the past year. On the table, a photo of another baby with a big smile brought a flood of memories of more than a decade ago. They look so alike though of the opposite sex. She was my firstborn. People say to me, “It must be easy for you. It’s your fourth round now.” Is motherhood ever easy? I wonder.

In a world of significance equals success, where does this vocation fit into the picture? Yet no one can deny that “the hand that rocks the cradle is the hand that rules the world” – an extract from the 1800s poem by William Ross Wallace. Wallace recognized the preeminent force in the maternal contribution throughout the generations. And we all know with power comes responsibility. I will never forget the very first time I held my firstborn. Tears flowed. I was struck with ambivalence – unspeakable joy mingled with an overwhelming anxiety. Suddenly I was thrust with an enormous responsibility – a life! So fragile yet so full of potentials.

Amongst many things, the years of mothering are spent comforting the child in one way or another. Right from birth, the infant is comforted in the arms of the mother – being nursed and soothed. Then there are the pains and challenges of growing up as the years go by. How many times we run back to mama’s arms when things don’t go right? Somehow, we find consolation in her. Mother is the icon of comfort.

The female gender is born with the maternal instinct. Irrespective of age and married status, we are gifted to nurture. I watched my own daughters grow. From a tiny tot to preteens now, they naturally have this nurturing behaviour in their play as well as their relationship in the family. So don’t take lightly this inborn trait nor underestimate the power to nurture – whether your own children or spiritual children.

I always believe God extends extra portion of grace to mothers. In the course of nurturing, we are constantly drained from every aspect. We have to receive in order to give…and there’s where Isaiah 66:13 comforts me whenever I feel my energy sapping. Personally, in this season, I am always shifting gears – caring for a baby’s physical needs, to a kindergartener’s inquisitiveness, and to preteens’ emotional development. By nightfall, my tank is empty. In the mentioned verse, the picture of God is painted as a “mother” to his people. That image gives us the feel of gentleness and loving comfort. We have to learn to run into His arms and be rested there. God is the Ultimate Comforter and He fills us afresh the moment we are rested in His arms. Present our burdens, cares and worries. Express our joy and pain. Hear His heartbeat as we rest upon Him.

Today is Mother’s Day. As we reflect on our own role, let us remember to give thanks for the honour to have the power to nurture and be a source of comfort. Perhaps you are thinking of your relationship with your own mum – whether good or bad, give thanks too! There are always the open arms of our Father whenever you need a place of comfort. Don’t stop running into His arms of love because He promises, “…so will I comfort you…”

Loving Father, how good it is to know You are always present in time of need. Thank You for Your open arms. I will run to you - always. Receive me and refresh me. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

The Song from Heaven

2009-04-30T22:09:00.006+08:00

He will take great delight in you,
he will quiet you with his love,
he will rejoice over you with singing.

(Zephaniah 3:17, NIV)

The gentle whispers of the wind gradually turned into pitter patter of the rain. The soothing sound of the rattling rain water broke the silence of the morning. Within a short moment an outpour of rain created such an upbeat of music. My children and I rushed out to our porch and watched the unfolding drama from heaven. Our eyes switched from one point to another as we followed the trail of rainwater from every possible angle. The various sound effects of the rain water as it hit different materials on earth awaken our visual and auditory senses in the sleepy morning. Baby Ashton really loves the sight of rain. Every time it rains, he gets excited and we will take him to the window to watch the rainfall. Other times, we would get him out and let him touch the cool water as it trickled down the porch. He would smile and giggled. We were simply enjoying the nature’s song. My girls couldn’t stand still. Their body began to sway and move to the heavenly music. They jumped in joy and excitement as they wore their raincoat and danced with the umbrella under the pouring rain. Talk about dancing with joy in the presence of God…here we were caught in such a wondrous time. What a delightful sight! What a melody! A perfect symphony.

A sense of joy and vibrancy flooded my tired spirit as I listened to the most powerful music – the rhythm of the falling rain. God spoke right into my inner man as the song of heaven rained down. Nothing beats God’s song – not any in our world of great music.

I used to love to sing to the song, Listen to the Rhythm of the Falling Rain by the Cascades, popularized in the 1960s. Not that I am that old but I was enjoying songs my parents listened to then. I sang because I love the music but the lyrics were just the desperate cries of some hopeless guy:

Listen to the rhythm of the falling rain,
Telling me just what a fool I've been.
I wish that it would go and let me cry in vain,
And let me be alone again…

Rain, please tell me, now does that seem fair
For her to steal my heart away when she don't care
I can't love another, when my heart's somewhere far away.

Generally, people see rain in a gloomy mood and associate it with sad situation. In this 60s hit, rain is called as judge in this sad song. As he listened to the rhythm of the rain, he bathed himself in hopelessness and calling out to the rain, the created element - for justice. Love songs yield to most girls and women. We all sing love songs one time or another. The rhythm of the falling rain is a love song especially sent from heaven from the Lover of our soul. As I listened, I hear his refreshing love notes playing, his power resounding. A certain peace and calmness rested on me as God showered his love passionately. Zephaniah 3:17 has been one of the many meaningful verses to me. In many moments of distress it comforted me, knowing that God delighted in me and actually sang over me. As a mum, I find it easy to identify to the picture of being cuddled and rejoiced over with singing – just like what I do with all my distressed babies. My singing would soothe them and calm them down. Yet this time I saw from a different light from the same scripture verse. The song was not mellowed. In fact, so upbeat to cause such merry dancing. What a glorious heavenly song!

The next time it rains, listen for His voice of love and let your worries and cares be washed away. Or simply be thrilled by the wonder of His amazing love and His shouts of joy over you.

Oh Maker of Heaven and Earth, what a great feeling to know You love me so much. Thank You for taking such delight in me and calming me with Your songs of love. Indeed, I am blessed to be able to experience You in the most natural way. Open all my senses to know and encounter You daily in Your powerful manifestations through nature. I say thanks again!! I am learning to listen to You in the rhythm of daily life. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Keep Checking, Be Back Soon!

2009-04-29T16:10:00.002+08:00

SORRY, Precious GEMS, I am facing some time issue with a lot in my hands and some internet connection as well as computer problems. Thanks for being so patient. I am so sorry to disappoint you with no updates for the last few weeks. But I promise to be back as soon as I can.

May you be found in God's loving presence each day!

Walking In the Light

2009-04-06T00:33:00.000+08:00

God is light; in him there is no darkness at all.

(1 John 1: 5, NIV)

The atmosphere was somewhat romantic with candlelight. Ah hah…not a fine dining with my beloved husband. That would be a luxury.

It was the last Saturday of March. We were doing our part as good citizens of this beautiful world. My daughter and my sister made their statement to fight global warming by casting their votes for Earth Hour, a global event organized by WWF (World Wide Fund for Nature or World Wildlife Fund) annually. We were gearing up for that hour by ensuring dinner and dishes; and showers were done by 8.30pm. Excitement filled the air as the children talked about what they would like to do during that hour. What an opportunity to bring out our beautiful scented candles and let them shine! The simple dwelling became exotic just with candlelight.

What an adjustment even for just an hour! Every time I entered a room, my hand automatically reached out for the switch on the wall, only to remember I was observing Earth Hour just before my finger make a quick tap. Baby Ashton was busy as usual crawling and exploring the house. The darkness did not deter his exploration. My eyes had to be keener in following his active movement, ensuring his safety. Then I smelled a stinky diaper. As much as I was tempted to switch on the light so that I can do a good job in washing his bottom, I wanted to follow through our vote without “cheating”. One of my little helper had to shine the candle light while I washed him. The shadows cast upon the toilet wall entertained this super wriggly baby. Extra checks were done to ensure he was thoroughly cleansed. It was such hoo-ha over this daily norm.

I was really thankful for proper lighting. I am even more thankful for the Light of God and living in the Light. In fact, the verse says God IS Light. Darkness has a representation of hostility and aimlessness in life. It exudes a creepy and evil feel. It speaks of the enemy. The interesting point is when light comes, darkness has to flee immediately. Light, no matter how small instantly overcomes darkness. It never fails to give direction even if it may be just one step at a time. It orders our steps. The power of light erases the works of darkness (Romans 13:12). There is absolutely no room for darkness when light enters.

Walking in the Light gives us confidence and peace simply because we can see, and knowing that our steps are sure and the destiny in God is certain. Harm and dangers may seek to threaten us but surely cannot touch us. We are protected (Psalms 34:7). What a comfort to know that even in the valley of the shadows of death God is with us (Psalm 23:4).

Having lived in the light, any form of darkness will surely cause us to be uncomfortable. The brief one hour without light for me affected my activities. How much more negative impact it would be for our lives if we do not have the Light of God?! Or should I say "if we do not have God?"

Give thanks for his deliverance and let’s remember the lost.

God of Light, Thank You for delivering me out of darkness into Your Light. It is so good to know we can walk confidently and peacefully in our daily lives and towards our eternal destiny. I ask that You will be gracious and merciful to many who need Your Light. Shine, Jesus shine! Fill the land with Your Glory. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Apology

2009-03-30T13:05:00.001+08:00

Dear friends,

I am sorry if you dropped by this morning and didn't find a new post. I am having some problems with my computer. Hence, this came in late.

Have a great week, gorgeous gals! Remember you are loved by the Father.

For A Higher Purpose

2009-03-30T13:01:00.001+08:00

And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.

(Romans 8:28, NIV)

The rain was pouring again. I stood facing the wall of my children’s room watching the rainwater dripped down. Lines and lines forming several trails leaked into the rim of the parquet flooring. As I stepped on it to check further, the water seeped out to form puddles. I am not sure if I have the right to be angry at my new neighbour. I haven’t met them to begin with…but the massive renovation, which began some months ago, has caused a lot of disruptions and inconveniences to the neighbourhood; and especially to us, his next door neighbours. Cement dust, noise pollution and mosquitoes’ breeding ground amongst many others. This week there were flying cement blocks when they hacked down the non-permitted pillars (as the City Council issued a summon and order to stop work) which horrified us. The work is extensive and the plan is not approved as anyone would have guessed.

I was excited when we knew a new family was moving in as that house had always been occupied with new tenants made up of working adults every few months. We never got a chance to make friends. Or should I say we never really had a neighbour. We bear with all the inconveniences when the renovations work begun. The place was tremendously dusty with the toxic cement dust pollution. The children couldn’t recover from their sinus problem. Baby Ashton had prolonged chest infection and was subjected to a lot of medical treatment. I had to consciously turn my sighing to singing, and reminded myself to love my neighbour.

Last night I looked at the trails of water helplessly as the rain poured. Edward is away for more than a week, which means I had to attend to all these arising problems. I whispered, “God, help me” as I attempted to soak up the oozing water from the flooring with some old towels as more water continued to leaked in. This pathetic state happens whenever it rains ever since the neighbour’s roof was torn down and their wall been hacked. The authority had come to inspect the damage and is looking into the matter. However, at this point we still have to bear with the mess. My children had been camping in our room.

After the unsuccessful soaking of the water with the towels, I taped strips of aluminum foil to the wall to form troughs to drain the water into buckets. The words of Paul in Romans 8:28, “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose” ran repeatedly in my mind as I squatted to finish up the task. It was a moment of helplessness turned into hope in Christ. Any bleak situation surrendered to God will be taken care of despite wordless prayers. Every groan and sigh of helplessness when given to God could well work out for good. A blessing in disguise. Many past experiences proved that this verse is a reality. Although I cannot understand what good can come out from my current situation but I know hope in God doesn’t lead to disappointment (Romans 5:5).

Are you facing discouragement, disappointment, disaster, delay of some sort, or in a dilemma of some kind?
Does your situation look unpromising? Don’t lose hope. Don’t lose your grip on Jesus. Don’t even react negatively, because if you love him, something good is in store – for everything works out for a higher purpose.

Gracious God, grant me Your spirit when I am tired in the waiting and too weak to face the challenges in my life. Give me the right spirit to deal in my situation. I trust Your deliverance and wisdom in turning every detail of my life for Your purposes. In Jesus’name. Amen.

One of A Kind

2009-03-23T01:00:00.000+08:00

Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it. And in the church God has appointed first of all apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then workers of miracles, also those having gifts of healing, those able to help others, those with gifts of administration, and those speaking in different kinds of tongues.

(I Corinthians 12:27-28, NIV)

Irresistible!
That’s how I would describe cheese for my family. I have learnt to love cheese after being a wife and mum, simply because my beloved husband and children LOVE it. We love all sorts of cheese except blue cheese. Our visit to the cheese factory in Tasmania was an incredible experience. The best part of the visit was of course - the sample tasting. The wide spread of delicacy was laid across the counter. One should had seen the excitement and wide smiles on these kids’ faces! Ooh…aah…emm…yummy!! In all we probably sampled fifteen varieties. Left out a few odd flavors like chilly and wasabi. Needless to say, we consumed a lot of cheese while we were on that holiday. Cheap and good.

They requested I bring back this precious gift from my trip to Australia again one year later. I tried my best to accommodate this request. So I packed 12 blocks of different kinds of cheese into the cooler box and flew them back. That was the “gold” they waited for besides their mummy.

Back in the local scene, I always end up grabbing the cheapest off the shelf no matter what my recipe was. It is usually the sliced processed cheddar cheese. Sadly, I have to forgo certain recipes which have cheese specification. Every visit to the grocery store, my kids will lure my attention to check out the different ones displayed. I will always point them to the price tags!

Last week, I shopped alone and decided to give my cheese-crazy family a treat. Mozzarella for the potato jacket. Parmesan for some left over pasta. Dinner was indeed satisfying. The first bite into the serving tantalized our taste buds. They savoured every bit of their portions. Then we experimented the various cheeses with different dish. The conclusion of our dinner was we just have to pick the right cheese for the right dish. Oh well, sliced processed cheddar cheese does the job most of the time but it was not the premium taste and quality on potato jacket and pasta although it is excellent in sandwiches. The texture and taste is simply different in all the cheeses. Not that we don't know but we have to compromise the taste due to budget.

The savoury thought brought to mind the Apostle Paul’s analogy in I Corinthians 12 of the body. Every saint is created with a unique design to fulfill a specific function to build his church. It is meant to compliment each other and never intended for competition. When each of us fit into our design and serve our purpose, we will send sweet smelling aroma and tantalizing taste to a world that needs to see and taste that the Lord is good.

What kind of “cheese” are you?
Which “dish” will you serve best?
Let’s take a moment this week to reflect on our form and function.

Heavenly Father, You are such a Marvelous Maker – creatively fashioning me into one of a kind to serve Your call. Help me to accept and appreciate the person You made me. Equip and empower me as I seek to be united with the rest of the Body of Christ to bring forth Your fragrance and goodness to this world. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

In Him I Trust

2009-03-16T01:00:00.000+08:00

Surely God is my salvation; I will trust and not be afraid.
The Lord, the Lord, is my strength and my song;
He has become my salvation. (Isaiah 12: 2, NIV)

Valentine’s Day just passed not too long ago. Then there’s Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, Teacher’s Day, Children’s Day and the list goes on. I wonder how many women realized there’s also Women’s Day. Yes. A day dedicated to women all over the world. It all traced back to 1910, a German socialist leader, Clara Zetkin declared a day of solitary to mark the fight of women for equal rights. Each year on 8 March since being recognized by the United Nations in 1975, International Women’s Day has been celebrated globally. Some countries marked it as a national holiday.

I stood together with my daughters in the concourse of a mall watching a contemporary dance depicting the life of women. It was a powerful piece as the dancers brought forth the joy and pain of women’s lives. There were a few young men behind me trying to understand the creative moves and made a joke of it. However, when the show ended, they exclaimed, “Power, man!” Hmm, the womenfolk would probably say, “Don’t play, play!”

Throughout the generations women’s needs of respect and dignity have been challenged. Women suffer from different dangers. Wars, discrimination, sexual harassment, rape, abuse, pregnancy and childbirth complications and etc.
Feminist cry out for equal rights.
Modern women strive for significance and success. Thus, believe in a false sense of security; clinging on to career, beauty and fashion, and searching for the right relationship. But have we won?

The world will never be fair if we see from the worldview and adopt her mindset. Tune in to the heavenly frequency and hear God’s whispers of love and affirmation to us. He has a special design and purpose for women.
Eve was declared the ‘mother of all living’.
Sarah had a lovely surprise. She mothered at an impossible age.
Esther saved her people.
Deborah the lady judge conquered the battle.
The servant girl ministered to Naaman.
Ruth’s name is in the genealogy of the Saviour.
Mary was chosen to mother the Saviour.
Mary of Bethany ministered to Jesus.
Mary Magdalene was the first to witness the resurrection of the Lord.
There are many more women in the Bible who has a significant role in God’s plan.

While the world fights for equal rights, know that our trust is in Him. We stand secured in His everlasting love because He is our salvation, our strength and our song. We celebrate the beauty of our girlhood and womanhood (single or married; young or old) in our God. The repetition of calling upon “the Lord” in Isaiah 12:2 reinforces God is our everything. We are saved and strengthened. He is our song – a song represents joy, comfort, peace, quiet confidence within and victory. Let us find our footing in Him and abandon ourselves in His secure arms of love. Embrace our womanhood with grace and destiny in God.

Loving Father, Thank You for your beautiful work in me. You fashioned me so uniquely and designed me for a specific purpose. Unfold each season of my life with Your grace and empower me to enjoy every season of my womanhood. I want to be a beautiful woman who reflects the radiance and beauty of my Maker. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Perspective from Above

2009-03-08T10:43:00.000+08:00

As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts. (Isaiah 55:9, NIV)

Art is one area I feel free to express myself and I think every child needs to have that avenue to express, explore and experiment to connect with herself and the world around her irrespective of the outcome of her masterpiece. Last week, Chrisa created a very colourful picture with pastels for her sister, Nat, who was sick. She diligently filled the art block with a multi-coloured striped vase and green stalks branching out from it. It was supposed to be filled with roses. Despite my early childhood education training which urges educators not to interfere with a young child’s creation, I fell into the temptation of giving my opinion of how to draw a rose. She passed me a piece of paper and I made a quick sketch of the flower from a typical side view. I presented it to her with a smile and a certain pride of a mum. I exclaimed, “See dear, it is so easy to draw a rose.” She grabbed the paper and red pastel from me and responded beyond my expectation. “Mum, that’s not how you draw a rose! This is how a rose looks like.” She drew a spiral line illustrating the flower from the top view. Indeed it appeared superb. I was speechless for a moment. God had to use a five-year old to remind me to look from a different perspective. In this case, to look from above! This is very true in life’s application.

Joy was robbed off me in the past weeks as many distractions cluttered along the way which set me off focus no matter how hard I attempted to stay on course. One major stressor was caring for ill children. Two of them had to be subjected to two courses of antibiotic before the fever could subside. It was round the clock toil of dispensing medicine (which included coaxing the older ones into this dreaded affair and struggling with the baby to keep the medicine in) and soothing their distress and pain. Oh, needless to say – the package included sleep deprivation. My mind was tired, body weak and emotion drained. I hung on to God’s promises of deliverance and my hope anchored upon the Cross. Yet I could not deny I had doubts fighting their way into my spirit as I shielded myself with all his promises. The battle raged in the mind. Certain things just didn’t quite make sense and it was difficult to see how God works. When Chrisa showed me her illustration of her rose and her respond in her firm words, I was nudged in my spirit. God’s ways are just way above mine. His wise thoughts are far beyond my comprehension. I just have to keep believing and trust the One who sits upon the Throne of Heaven because He sees from above.

What’s your perspective in life? In your situation right now?
Where are you looking from?
Facing roadblocks? Seeing nothing? But God knows what’s beyond the roadblocks. He sees everything.

O Mighty God, when days get tough and there seems to be roadblocks, help me to trust that You know what You are doing simply because You see from above. My perspective is limited and I get restless in the journey of faith. Grant me a glimpse of Your perspective and cause my heart to be still and know You are God. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.

Apology

2009-02-23T01:21:00.003+08:00

Dear friends,

I am so sorry I can't publish my thoughts today and perhaps for the next few days. Time doesn't permit me to do so as I care for my children who are sick. I will be back a.s.a.p. once I can get a breather :)

Meanwhile, you have a good week!
God bless!!

There Must Be More Than This

2009-02-16T01:11:00.002+08:00

"Look to the Lord and his strength; seek his face always." (Psalm 105:4, NIV)

The word, "seek" has been in my mind for many weeks. Even the guest speaker in church last week touched on it. Have I not sought him enough? My persistent thought is, “There must be more than this!”

There are continuous debates in my mind pertaining different issues faced.
Unanswered prayers.
Unsettled spirit.
It is a nagging longing.

“Oh God, there must be more than this!”

I heard a voice whispered to my spirit, “Haven’t I showed you this before?”

Four years ago, I read Psalm 105 on the way to my family holiday in Pulau Tioman. I felt as though God was clearly telling me in such a loud voice then, "Look at me, seek me. Receive my strength".

The whole long journey I was asking the same question - "What does it mean to seek You, God?" "Am I not seeking You now?" "Teach me." That was my prayer all the time pleading God in His grace to show me the deep meaning of seeking him.

The best and most enjoyable activity we did as a family during that holiday was snorkeling. The cool amazingly beautiful sea was so inviting that even Ashlynn and Nathalynn were so captivated by the wonders of God's creation. The first four verses we read in Psalm 105 (please read) became alive. We have every reason to "sing to him, and tell of his wonderful acts". We could not stay long on the boat admiring the fishes swimming in the clear waters. The natural instinct was to just jump in and be in it. Nathalynn was very apprehensive being her first time coupled with her reserved personality. I could understand the fear. It must be real because the sea was deep and the experience was totally unknown to her. However, with a little encouragement and assuring help from her daddy, she was soon lost in desiring for more. At every stop at the different bay and island, she jumped into the sea boldly to explore the vast waters all by herself. She was an adventurous 6 year-old.

On a personal note, I was engrossed in the waters too. What I saw on the surface from the boat was nothing in comparison from the experience looking into the deep. Who can comprehend the artistic colours that God chose and painted the depth of the waters? The numerous species of marine life were swimming with such grace. As I snorkeled, I noticed interesting species would make their appearances from the deeper ends of the waters. When I stopped to ask negative questions like, “What IFs?" - "what if my life jacket gave way?", "what if some unpredictable disaster happened?” Such moments hinder my explorations. When I abandoned myself in the experience totally and continued to swim around with the fishes, the desire to want to see more and more increased because the experience was immensely satisfying and beyond words. Nathalynn and I were "seeking" for MORE. The excitement in us increased with every finding. Thus, we just couldn't have enough! We were lost in wanting more of the depth. I was conversing with the Maker all the time - thanking and praising him for every creature his hands had made. In a gentle voice, he spoke to my spirit..."This is seeking for me". The experience will cause you to ask for MORE. In it, you will be thrilled by my beauty, be satisfied by my work. It is an unending journey because your desire will increase with every finding; and you will be drawn with such deep longing.” My spirit was enlightened instantly as the Lord answered my nagging questions on seeking. The journey was also accompanied by his strength. Snorkeling the whole day was tiring but we wouldn’t settle for less. The desire for more drowned our tiredness as we received new strength in every location.

Perhaps some of you are in the same state, or perhaps some find seeking God such a chore, or difficult or boring. Some may be asking for more but doesn't seem to get it. Could it be the Lord is testing how much we desire in the seeking? How deep is our longing? Have we abandoned ourselves in him totally, or are we standing on the "boat" for some reasons? Could it be some of us have passed our spiritual snorkeling season? It is time for diving in the deep sea. An open dive!

"Almighty God, I acknowledge my lack of trust in seeking YOU. I need YOU to teach me in this journey of seeking. Lord, show me deep insights and incredible findings as I long for more of YOU. Give me strength to wait upon YOU. Cause such a deep longing within me that will move me to keep asking for more without giving up. I love YOU, Beautiful God. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen."

The Lover of My Soul

2009-02-09T01:17:00.011+08:00

Chap Goh Meh/Valentine's Day Thoughts...

My mind runs through the women I have met throughout the week. Women walking in various seasons of life. Different ages. Different life passages. They are all across the spectrum. My heart beat faster as I thought and prayed for each of them...

...She sat beside him at the ICU bed. Head dived next to his. Only whispers of desperation heard. Her dying husband diagnosed with brain tumour thriving on ventilator support. They only shared two years' of marriage. She was a young bride and now a highly potential widow.

...She is caring for her terminally ill husband and raising her growing children. I could see and sense her determination to be strong for her family as we talked.

...She was widowed while pregnant with her firstborn. Her husband died in a motor vehicle accident. Now the child is 2. Today, another burden is added on her shoulder. She cares for her aging mum diagnosed with cancer, dressing her wound daily.

...She dripped the eye-drops into her husband's operated eye for cataract. The brief exchange of look and touch of this 2 hourly routine speaks of their committed love over four decades.

...She is happily married. Awaiting her firstborn's arrival. Anticipating the joy of motherhood. Her husband adores her.

...She is elated. She just sealed the deal. The ring is on her finger. He proposed!

...She is ready. Seeking for a life partner. Wondering when she will meet the God-sent guy. Perhaps the man isn't ready, we joked!

...They are supposedly in the normal rhythm. Many young mums desiring to give their best to raise the young.Some pursuing their dreams as they stepped into the working force. One ready for baptism. The other searching for answers of who God is. My preteens maturing in feminity. My kindergarthener with endless questions.

As my prayers go forth for these girls and women of my life, the reservoir of my heart ruptured with a gush of tears. This world is screaming for purpose and compassion.

Overwhelming for a week's encounter.

As the Lunar New Year comes to the end of its fifteen day's celebration, I am reminded of the classic teaser of urging young maidens to throw mandarin oranges into the sea. The Chinese saying, "tim kam chua hoe ang" (throw mandarin oranges to marry good husband) always make us giggle and poke fun at each other. Many of us always think its a foolish thing to do. Definitely more worthwhile to throw oranges into our mouths to quench our thirst, and satisfy our tastebuds! Of course, it was a good excuse for young maidens to go out in the old era. But, for modern urban girls, we absolutely don't need Chap Goh Meh to be an excuse to go out anymore.

Having said that, every human heart still longs for intimate love. All girls desire to marry a good husband though not by throwing juicy fruit into the sea. What a futile effort! As we close the Lunar New Year, another special day will hit the commercial world. The demand of flowers and all sorts of lovely gifts call for the attention of lovers. Valentine's Day is just five days away. Perhaps the economic downturn will affect the celebration this year in a certain degree. Nevertheless, there will still be some trumpeting of the "love is in the air" note.

The Bible is filled with pages of love notes from the Eternal Lover to each of us. We, the female gender shares one common need - a deep emotional intimacy.

From the youngest child to the golden age...
From the happy to the hurting...
no one loves us more than he who lay down his life for his friends (John 15:13). No greater love than this!

His love is more delightful than wine (Song of Songs 1:2). Wine is a symbol of celebration. Wine has healing properties. God's love is far greater than this!! Yes, we need to celebrate Him. He rejoices with us in good days. Yet, His love heals and soothes the pain of the harsh weather of life. Women - young and old...we need to find our way into the bridal chamber and experience divine romance with our Lord, the Lover of our Soul. Our security. Our song. Our salvation. Let us take delight, adore and long after him - "Take me away with you - let us hurry! Let the king bring me into his chambers." (Song of Songs 1:4)

Throughout the ages, his invitation is, "Come!" The delightful longing and adoring affection displayed by the maiden in Song of Songs and the hastening call in Rev.22:17 of the bride give an imagery of that deep longing. The Divine Groom is ever ready and awaiting for each of us. Will you come...into the bridal chamber?

Surprise?!

2009-02-09T01:00:00.002+08:00

You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.
I will be found by you, declares the Lord

Jer.29:13-14 (NIV)

God's promise of hope and prosperity in Jer.29:11 require our action to respond to his invitation to commune with him in verse 12. This week we look further to the following verses 13 and 14. The CONDITION that attached to the action is not just "come and pray to him" but it must come with an earnest search. A seeking heart never stops at mediocrity nor gives up when days get tough. It demands our all. A seeking heart continues to look and search.....and the promising RESULT is we will find him.

Seeking God is a continous effort compelled by love and adoration. It is an endless quest. One that is full of aniticipation and excitement because there is no end in knowing him.

I am reminded of the classic childhood game of hide and seek. Every young child loves to play hide and seek. Anytime my children will jump up when we give this suggestion. It never fails to bring loads of thrill and joy. Oh, they will earnestly look for daddy or mummy. They will diligently look and look till they find daddy or mummy. When they do, they feel so proud and joyful. There are times daddy or mummy is hidden in spots too difficult to be located by the young although daddy or mummy can see the frantic search of the young from our secret hiding place. Daddy or mummy cannot bear to hide too long. We eventually will jump out and exclaimed, "Surprise?!"

This illustration is limited but it gives a glimpse of Jer.29:13-14 for God is waiting to reveal himself to us if our desire in finding him is deep. He will never fail to respond to our deep longing for him. He will certainly amaze us with surprises. Know that God's intention is to bless and prosper us, so let us not hesitate to come to him and look for him earnestly.....for he will not disappoint his children.

How desperate are we in wanting to see him, know him and discover more of him daily?
There are many things we search for in life. Does your quest include him?

May the Lord blesses all of you abundantly in your search for him.

Precious Father, there is a deep longing in me that only You can fill. How my soul yearns for You! Do not hide Your face from me, answer me. Quicken my spirit to know You, hear You, feel You and obey You. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

He is Just a Call Away

2009-02-01T11:20:00.006+08:00

Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you.

Jeremiah 29:12 (NIV)

The declaration of the Lord in Jeremiah 29:11 in our previous post, "God of Prosperity" is followed by subsequent verses which are as important and hold the key to the fulfillment of that promise. For many years as a young believer, I would hear this promise been quoted repeatedly. However, many occasion the subsequent verses were never mentioned. One day as I read the passage again, the following verses 12-14 gripped my heart. This promise comes with a requirement - an ACTION from our part. The only way to know the true success in life is to CALL upon God. The urgency must arise within our spirit to go and approach God; talk to him and his promise is he will LISTEN to us. So many of us complain God doesn't care, doesn't listen, life is so aimless. Question - have we talk to him enough? Listen enough? Then act on it.

In my schooling years, I walked into my house after school daily with the same ritual. Before I even bathed, I would sit beside my mum who worked on her pieces at the sewing machine. My ever patient mum would silently listened to my joy and pain of growing up. She rejoiced with me when I was happy and empathized with me in my challenges. In between my long talk, she would throw in wise counsel, usually only a few words but full of wisdom. Some days I would enter the room without saying anything. Mum would ask without fail, “Don’t you have anything to tell me?” She’s mum! She knows her child well. These are days when I was too tired to talk, too hurt to bring it up or found it too silly to share.

Throughout the past week, the word which brewed in my mind was “seek”. I persistently asked God for a deeper meaning of the word. I found my conversation with the Lord in my old journal pertaining to this very scripture, Jeremiah 29:12 and seeking him.

Cease complaining,
come and converse with the Creator;
cultivate confidence and courage!

His encouragement is just simply to stop fretting and complaining. His invitation is "come" - call me, converse with me for I am your Maker. I received my confidence and renewal of courage as a growing child as I talked to mum. We will find as we talk to God constantly, we are cultivating confidence and courage that we never knew we possess.

Just as my mum waited to hear from her eager child’s daily reports, God longs to hear from us all the time too. I am blessed to have a mum who was always ready to listen to me shout my joy as well as ventilate my frustration. We are certainly blessed with an amazing God who is always listening and always understanding. Perhaps for many of us, God is pursuing us like my mum did to me, “Don’t you have anything to tell me?” Do we have anything to come before Him today and pray. He promises – He will listen.

She's mum and knows me well.
He's our Father and knows us full well (Psalm 139).

"My Good Lord, I thank You for the invitation to come and converse with You. How blessed am I. I renew my pledge to You today to call upon You daily and all the time. As I do that, I long to hear You speak to me the secrets of Your heart. In Jesus' name. Amen."

The God of Prosperity

2009-01-26T00:01:00.003+08:00

For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

Jeremiah 29:11

The prosperity icon, adorned with red long suit of the Qin Dynasty, with a black head gear flapping its two ends swayed to and fro the mall. The background was filled with the typical brassy Chinese music ushering in the Lunar New Year. He dipped into his red bag for freebies giveaway for the shoppers, usually some vouchers in ang pows (red packets). For many, he portrays the Chinese Santa Claus. Cai Shen, the Chinese folk hero has many versions of history. He was believed to lived a courageous and victorious life and later regarded as a god - supposedly the god of prosperity.

The lunar new year is an auspicious season. It is one filled with bright colours and noise. Yes, I mean NOISE. Joyful noise of every kind. Weeks prior to the celebration, the merry music ushers in the mood followed by busy preparations - shopping galore, and baking all sorts of authentic cookies. Before our days of modern shopping centers, my mum used to sew a lot of new clothes for relatives and friends months prior the celebration. Tailors would stop receiving last minute orders. People had to plan ahead and send their fabric in at least months before the new year and paid a handsome sum to get quality sewing and design. I got a good glimpse of this because Mum was a seamstress.

Chinese have many kinds of celebrations in a year and this is indeed the highlight of it all. Endless energy and resources are channeled into making it a real happy one as it marks the beginning of a new year which hopefully comes with new blessings and abundance. Blessings and abundance are inseparable with prosperity to the Chinese. These terms are synonyms. Although longevity and health are also important but a whole lot of emphasis is placed on wealth. No one can miss that when you hear the greeting, "Gong Xi Fa Cai" which means a wish for prosperity...and of course, the famous saying that follows is - "hong pow na lai" meaning bring forth the red packet. Money, money!

Every year approaching this season, I would catch myself humming and often singing to the tune of these happy songs. Music is powerful. As a child living in the heart of the Chinese community in the city, I picked up these songs and used to love them though I must confess I find it pretty noisy and irritating now. Nevertheless, unknowingly, I will sing, "Cai Shen tao, Chai Shen tao...Chai Shen tao wor chia ta men koa..." meaning (in Mandarin) God of Prosperity arrives, God of Prosperity arrives...God of Prosperity arrives at the main door of my home.

Oh dear, what was I singing?
Whom did I call upon?
Who is my God of Prosperity? The Qin Dynasty hero whom most Chinese adore?

I felt somewhat guilty for falling prey to the negative power of music (I say 'negative' because music has positive inspiration too). The true God of Prosperity had arrived at the door of my heart and walked right in the moment I received Jesus Christ. There were endless rules to learn in Chinese traditions which I was enslaved in. Despite the fact my parents were not really convicted of all the do's and don'ts but we blindly followed some to ensure we had a "good" year ahead. As a child, I had nothing to lose but everything to gain. New clothes, new shoes, ang pows, good food, and holiday packaged in the festive season. As I mature, I began to question a lot of these traditions which may seem to be clothed with aesthetic presentation like a must to buy new clothes and they must be red or similarly bright in colour. Behind the act, there is an enslavement to be pressured to buy new stuff to forget the past and have a good beginning. Maybe today it is mere excuse for us to satisfy our shopping compulsion. Then, there is the rule of the forbidden broom to be seen nor used even though the place is filthy. Lest the good luck is swept away. Firecrackers that are believed to ward off the evil spirits add to the air and noise pollution. The list is endless. People are trapped in anxiety and fear is instilled instead of rejoicing fully in the festivity.

The power of the Cross penetrates the entrapment of all these beliefs. It brings liberation. The Lord Almighty rules as the God of Prosperity....or should I say true prosperity. His blessings extend beyond the boundary of monetary wealth. Ephesians 1:3-14 is the seal of that promise with our covenantal God. We ought to rest in His covenantal promise of blessings instead of striving in our covetuos problem of believing in the myth of more. God's ultimate intention is to bless us but we are often caught in this unnecessary tradition to strive for blessing. He always plan to prosper and never to harm those who walk His way; and live a life of faith and trust in Him. He declares He knows the plans He has for us. He definitely knows! He is the Almighty who possesses All Wisdom and Power. In His wisdom, He grants us a hopeful destiny.

Traditions are important. They lead us to our roots and help us to appreciate our heritage. A lot of times we will find the fingerprints of our Father as we trace back our roots. However, what are some of the traditions in our life which bind us? Remember, the Lord has set us free.

In our quest and search for blessings, where do we begin our search? Where are we led to? Who is our source? Let us search our hearts and ponder on these questions.

The lunar new year provides a marvelous platform to emulate our God of Prosperity in giving generously and pronouncing blessings to the people we visit. For those of us at the receiving end, we receive gratefully.

Heavenly Father, In You, I rejoice and enjoy true prosperity. Thank You for the freedom and the seal of the Holy Spirit who gurantees me the inheritance of Your endless blessings. Let this festive season be an opportune time for me to be a channel of blessings as I receive my gracious portion from You. In Jesus' name. Amen.

From the Gems of My Home to You

2009-01-25T00:38:00.004+08:00

Here's wishing our dear Chinese relatives and friends...

We wish you a Glorious New Year as you call upon our God of Prosperity to meet all your needs in Christ Jesus! (Phil. 4:19) and believe fully in Him who is more than able to do anything for you - beyond your imagination, guess, or request in your wildest dreams! (Eph. 3:20)

He Gives Good Things

2009-01-19T01:00:00.003+08:00

Fear the Lord, you his saints,
for those who fear him lack nothing.
The lions may grow weak and hungry,
but those who seek the Lord lack no good thing.

Psalm 34:9-10

My daughters came home after their ballet lesson one day telling me that their teacher said it was time to get new leotards. I had thought they needed a change too looking at their faded and overstretchced pieces. The garments had lost their elasticity. I was hoping their use could be prolong as much as possible since these are not cheap goods. I promised to look into the matter. I contacted the "angel" who had been sending us used toe shoes over the time. We never knew this person till we met up face to face one and half-year ago at a youth camp. In our exchange of conversation, we found out that she was the kind soul who was the source of my girls' toe shoes. In turn she was glad too to meet us for the first time. What happened was our mutual friend was the one who had helped to arrange this.

I was privileged to get to know this really nice lady and we talked about dance a lot over the short time together. Apparently she works in a dance school in another city and that's how the supply of used toe shoes came about. We never shun used stuff. Frugal living is good. So this time having known this new friend, I took up her continuous offer for used dance materials. I called her personally to check if there are any leotards available and furnished her with my girls' body measurements.

The weeks gone by and I had no reply from her. I thought perhaps this time I just have to fork out the money somehow to get them new leotards even though the season demanded many financial commitments. A surprise came just before Christmas. A cheque was addressed to our four children. This "angel" friend responded and told me to get the girls new leotards! Yes, my girls are very grateful and beamed with joy as they received their new leotards last week.

It is a promise of God that his children will not lack any good thing. Not just lack nothing. But lack no good thing. He is a good God and He gives good things. The Father never witholds good gifts from His children. He generously lavish upon us. He doesn't just give. He gives what is good. The psalm gives a contrasting picture of the lion, being the ferocious beast with a voracious appetite may still lack and be hungry while those who fear and seek after God will receive the best of his blessings.

We would gladly settle for used leotards but God blessed us with brand new ones. Luke 11:11-13 remind us that every father desires to bless their children, even those who are evil know how to give good gifts to their children. God is good and He gives good gifts. All fathers stand extremely pale in comparison to our Father. No one can compare to His generosity. Is there any desires in our hearts which are not fulfilled? Dare we come before God and ask confidently for His blessings? Whom do we fear and seek after in life? If we fear and seek after the True God, then believe He will bless us with the best. And I like what one of my dear friend said to me, "God has no favourites." However, I do believe He knows what's the best for each child and when is the best time to release that gift.

Heavenly Father, I love you and seek to do Your will and follow Your ways. Teach me to pursue You in deeper manner and long after You always. Thank You for loving me so much and recognize that You will not withold good things from me. I place before You____(your desires) and await for the unfolding of these gifts in Your beautiful time. In Jesus' name. Amen.

Just Enough for Today

2009-01-12T00:32:00.008+08:00

Then the Lord said to Moses, "I will rain down bread from heaven for you. The people are to go out each day and gather enough for that day. In this way I will test them and see whether they will follow my instructions.
However, some of them paid no attention to Moses; they kept part of it until morning, but it was full of maggots and began to smell.

Exodus 16:4, 20

My dear husband promised to take me to Tasmania, Australia where he pursued his bible studies almost 20 years ago. Our hearts were thrilled when the opportunity came one and a half year ago when we took our sabbatical year and rested Down Under for more than two months. In Tasmania, we stayed in Smithon, a small town nestled in the north-west. It was simply lovely to be away from the hustle and bustle of busy cities.

Every morning, my daughter, Nat being the early riser loved to date me for morning walks and get our day's groceries from the nearby store. We would bundle ourselves up snugly and head off in the cold winter mornings just enjoying each other's company while getting to know the little town where her dearest daddy had talked so much about. Indeed everything is simple in Smithon - the place and the people. Friendly faces greeted us everywhere we went. It seemed like there's no strangers in this community. It gave us a very secure feeling to roam around. One of the best thing was to hunt for the best deal in the grocery store daily in the reduced to clear section.

Budget was a crucial matter for us. Every dollar and cent needed to be stretched to the fullest to feed the whole family especially when the currency conversion rate was high. We were very glad and grateful to be able to find food daily at an outrageuos marked down prices. I will never find them in our local scene. It was delightful as we went through the items and picked out our daily needs like bread, authentic Aussie pies, milk and desserts. Often we would enjoy a variety of pies for our meals. One time we indulged in a A$6.00 chocolate mudpie for the whole family at the price of 50 cents! Our Aussie friends marvelled at this particular finding. They confessed they never came across such a cheap deal. We believed it was God's gracious provision for us. Nat had really wished for the mudpie during her stay there and God blessed her (and the whole family since the mudpie was 1kg).

One weekend, we decided to drive 5 hours to Hobart, the capital city of Tasmania. Being a melancholy woman, I wanted to be as prepared as always for the trip. So I insisted to pick up our daily needs from the store before shooting off for the long drive. That would save us some bucks instead of eating at cafes along the way. Lo and behold! The sale section had so much to offer that day. One of them was multigrain bread which we never bother considering since we could not afford it. It was more than six times the price of our usual plain white bread. My eyes twinkled in delight as I chose from the selection. I checked the expiry date. Good news. Still a long way to go. At least long enough for our trip and few days' stay in the city. I grabbed two loaves along with other stuff. Proudly I announced to my husband and kids of my treasure for the day since I am pretty particular about nutrition. Multigrain was definitely a premium choice compared to the cheap white bread.

The next day or two, I discovered to my horror the bread had turned stale and molded. We haven't even finished a loaf! My heart ached with regrets and instantly remembered the words of the Lord spoken to Moses instructing the Israelites to collect the manna just enough for that day. Just like the Israelites, I had disobeyed and collected more for the day's ration. God's instruction in Exodus 16 became alive for me. I was supposed to be resting in the Lord and trusting His faithful and timely provision but had in my own wisdom stored up unnecessary.

We are living in hard times. The global hit by economic crisis causes many to be in despair. Many lost their jobs or experiencing pay cut. Others wondered what entails. Are you worrying about tomorrow? What you will eat and wear? Your job or education? Your future? Matthew 6:25-34 calls our attention to God's mindful provision in the field. He feeds the birds and clothes the lilies. What more - we, as His precious children?! Will He not give us what we need? Perhaps we need to trust Him just enough for today.

Heavenly Father, forgive me for not being able to surrender all my needs. I acknowledge You are the Giver of life and my Gracious Provider. Thank you for supplying all my daily needs. Help me to be grateful. Forbid me to be trapped in anxiety and caught up in the race of greed. Release Your peace and give me a trusting heart. In Jesus' name. Amen.

Sighing to Singing

2009-01-05T02:00:00.003+08:00

I will sing to the Lord, I will sing;

I will make music to the Lord, the God of Israel.

Judges 5:3 (NIV)

My little girl sings to almost anything throughout the day. She is like a Broadway star. Joyful noise filled my home and my car as long as she is present. She makes a song to almost anything she sees and hears. She sings her love to mummy which warms my heart every single time a tune is put together with the words she wants to convey. And oh, that sweet cheerful smile of hers! Sometimes a dance is added to enhance the whole point she tries to communicate. Last week, her singing turned into sighing and then whining because she was in great pain and discomfort from her severe sore throat and fever. Her body was aching all over and her hunger called for her attention all the time but she couldn't eat. That's miserable. The little girl's sighing eventually became whines which was really sapping my energy.

I knew she needed my comfort and care. I told myself to be extra patient because she was in great distress. Any adult would feel awful too. What more for a 5 year-old! "I feel lousy," she would constantly tell me. She would make irritating noises to get my attention. My mercy tank was gradually diminishing. I would close my eyes and held my breath as I whispered a prayer to God to help me contain my impatience and deliver my child from her sickness. Honestly, I thought I was doing pretty well staying calm and composed caring for her till one day I began to feel a stirring of agitation rising within me. Her whines was getting intolerable. She was whining at almost everything. Oh, how I missed her spontaneous singing. Perhaps she has a good reason to behave improper. After all, she is just a minor and was sick.

It made me reflect on my own attitude when I come before my Father. How about you? Is our calling upon him bring delight to his ears or is it irritating noises? Do we make it a point to praise and thank him for every blessing and trial? Trial? Did I say trial?? Yes. Thank him for the trials and challenges that come our way. They are meant to make and not break us. Do we complain and grumble instead of being contented and glad? When we learn to count our blessings, we'll be surprised to find that our spirit is liberated. Liberated to sing instead of sigh. Granted, life is not a bed of roses. There will be constant winds of hardship beating at our face. We may stop singing for some reasons. However, every song that flows from a heart of praise and thanksgiving will never be swallowed by the harsh wind nor storm. Even if it is faint and weak. It will reach the Father's heart. Deborah in the book of Judges made a deliberate choice to sing and make music to God even when she was engaged in battle. Can we echo her, "I will sing..." and witness our misery become a miracle of God?!

Grace, my ex-colleague in nursing always whistled and sang as she went about her duty in the ward. I loved working with her. Her joyful spirit is contagious. Caring for the sick is demanding and draining. But her singing attitude made such a difference to the patients and team mates. The joy of the Lord is her strength. I believe that joy is the trademark of a child of God. Do we possess this trademark? Let us stop sighing and start singing. Before we fret, remember our Faithful Friend...arise and break out in song.

Heavenly Father, fill my heart with songs of praise and freedom. Let my spirit break out in joyful noise and bring such delight to you. In good times and bad times, your joy is my strength. Cause me to see from your perspective. Create in me a singing heart. Let me sing a new song today. In Jesus' name. Amen.

Hope for the New Year

2009-01-01T03:00:00.000+08:00

Let us hold unswerwingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful.

Hebrews 10:23 (NIV)

My energy has been drained for the past weeks. These were indeed long weeks. All I've been busy was dispensing medicine to my kids and soothing their pain and discomfort. Each day I hope they will be better (at this point of writing they are not completely well yet).

My 5 year-old looked at me hopelessly and said in betweens her sobs, "Nothing helps". She had not been able to eat due to a bad throat infection which caused ulcers. Knowing that I was a trained nurse, she had hoped I could do something to ease her pain and agony. I wished I could but all my attempts failed to bring any relief. She was really frustrated as her hunger increased and not even sips of water was gentle enough for her throat. She requested for McDonald's in her longing for food. I looked at her with empathy but firmly told her she would not be able to swallow any burgers or nuggets yet. So I promised her a Happy Meal when she recovers if she would continue to take her medicine. That became her hope. I would remind her every time she whined or agonized in pain and discomfort. Honestly, I am not in favour of promoting fast food but I was equally helpless. So anything that could help to divert her attention of the present pain and helped her focus on the future hope would do for that moment.

Throughout her illness, she reminded me of my promise. I told her to wait...as I was still observing her food intake - the amount and texture that she could handle day by day. She became rather impatient and would whispered to me occassionally, "Mum, you promised..." Firmly I would smiled at her and answered, "Not yet, but I will."

Two days ago, she looked more cheerful and finished her rice so quickly. She must be really hungry after days of starvation. We all laughed at her appetite. That was a relief for me knowing she was recovering. Later I announced to her we would take her for her Happy Meal. The long awaited moment arrived for the little one who was suffering in pain. Her hope became a reality. I watched her enjoyed the chicken nuggets, steam corn to every kernel and sipped her Milo drink with satisfaction. Then of course, she happily checked out the toy which came together with the meal - a cute pink trinket box. I suppose that's the attraction in the Happy Meal for every child.

As I whispered that promise to my child, a soft prompting invaded my heart reminding me of my Father's promise(s). He is true and faithful to his promises. Numbers 23:19 reinforced that "God is not a man, that he should lie, nor a son of man, that he should change his mind. Does he speak and then not act? Does he promise and not fulfil? Life's challenges are real. They are tangible. So are God's promises. They will be reality and manifested in tangible evidences if we don't lose our grip in what we believe. We have to stay focused and fulfilled in the hope we professed in Christ Jesus. A promise is a promise. Our Father will deliver when the time is right. As my child struggled with me, and her own pain...it gave me a picture of how many times we struggle with God, and our own pain in life. But the good news - God is faithful. If we allow God to help us through and obediently follow his will and ways, the promise(s) will be reality in his time. For his time is beautiful.

The year ahead may promises great possibilities and potentials for some. Perhaps for others it may be a dread because of past disappointments and pain. Whichever end you stand, let's be encouraged to know that he who promised is faithful. Our hope is in Christ. Let's not lose our grip and hold on to the Cross as we enter a new year.

Heavenly Father, I place my trust in You and want to be vulnerable in Your Presence. Thank You for the hope I profess in Christ Jesus and the promises You whispered to me. I purposed in my heart to believe in every one of them because You are faithful. I trust Your timing. I pray for a fresh beginning of a new year - one that is anchored upon the Cross. In Jesus' Name. Amen.

The Making of Gems

2008-12-30T22:00:00.000+08:00

Nat handed me the lovely pink journal I got her and requested I write my own devotional material for her and Ash. Then some day I could publish it to bless other girls. Her request turned into pleading. As much as I would love to oblige her or maybe not just an obligation. I would really love to do it. I just cannot see how I can add on another dish on my already overflowing platter. There's a new baby in the family. There's a new church plant. It is a new season with uncertainties. Another task? But there's this nagging longing over the months.

I jotted down in my prayer journal under the list of important requests to God...thinking to myself, "Ok, maybe some day I'll do it. But when? The kids grow so fast." The thought lingered and recently I thought perhaps I should take baby steps. Begin with what I can. Blogging. A simple thought as heaven send those gems into my heart, I will share it through here so my girls and all the special women in my life whom I seek to encourage and bless (but cannot possibly write to all personally) can recieve the gem too. Also dedicated to all the beautiful women God created - He calls you "precious and honoured in his sight".

The world is very attractive and competitive. There are many treasures to sought after but yet there's only one treasure which lasts forever. The famous saying, "Diamond is forever" and it's a girl's bestfriend. However, the eternal gem is only found in God and His precious Word.

"Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal." (Matthew 6:19-20, NIV)

So to all the lovely girls and beautiful women, drop by and pick up a gem for your heart.
Happy New Year!

selina