Happiness

I'm so happy! I have a class in an hour and i haven't even finished my notes (almost done).. Have been stalling because I had a lovely surprise today! I just received my notebook!!! Expected to receive it next week but am getting it earlier than I thought I would!
so it's just absolutely fantastic.. :)
The possibilities are just endless. :)

Thank you God for the notebook.

OM Teen Street

Am going off to OM Teen Street soon! Just can't wait to see how everything's going to be.
OM Teen Street is a camp/conference for youths specifically aged between 13-18 years old.
This year it'll be held in STM Seremban from the 3rd-8th of December. OM Teen Street is organised by OM (my favourite missions organisation - I'm biased) and has been running very successfully for the last couple of years in Europe. It's also been running in different part of Asia and it's the first time we're holding it in Malaysia.

The response here has been awesome... 3 weeks before the closing date was due, all 150 places were taken up!!! Was a bit sad as I wanted to see more teens from my church going. Due to the awesome response, the organisers are planning to enlarge it so that 450 ppl are able to participate in Teen Street next year!!!
TeenStreet is really about the teens. All the programmes are fun, interactive, and geared towards what young people are into today. Will write more about the highlights after camp. :)

So... what is 25 year old me doing at a Teen Camp??? I've had the privilege of being asked to be the Service Team leader. :) The Service Team are basically people who are going to be the hands and feet of TeenStreet. We plan the logistics of the camp, help with the setups for the workshops, sports and prayer stations, the TNT (Teen Needs Teens) run and Jungle Time (The cafe and organised chill out time). Am just so excited and thankful to be a part of the team - and that the church has released me to be a part of it. It's been great to work alongside with other ppl from other churches who are so on fire for Him. I've got a fantastic leader who's just so enthusiastic and has a great servant leader's heart. Working with people like this is a refreshing change. :)

Dear God,
Just want to commit the upcoming TeenStreet to you. Thank You for the privilege of just serving you.

Singles at the CrossRoads

Have been reading 'Singles at the CrossRoads' and I must say that it's one of the better books I've read about relationships..

Really recommend this book to anyone who's Christian and single(or dating as well!).

Some of the issues addressed
Gift of singleness (It totally has a different perspective from mine about this topic)
Romantic love (I was surprised of certain things that I learnt)
Is there a specific person God has created for me?

After many years of listening to BGR forum.. Reading books on relationship, this book has pretty refreshing and freeing perpectives to offer.

Will blog some things that struck me if I ever find the time and effort to do so.. :)

Overwhelmed

It's been rather overwhelming at times. Agree with Ps Elisha when he sent the SMS the other day - am just having too many commitments and too many meetings. Some days, I feel like am drowning. Have been sick too - so that's perhaps added to this sense of being overwhelmed.

Surprisingly, when I was talking to John online today, I could honestly tell him that I'm doing great -sick and all(I didn't tell him i was sick).. Funnily, he asked me why I was doing great(ppl just normally leave it at that -but trust John to do something different. :P )... After thinking about it - I answered - I'm doing great because I AM surviving despite everything. :) Because of Him who loves me and holds me in the palm of His Hand, who speaks in His still small voice when I just need to hear from Him, who I know is with me and seeing me through this time...

Thank You God for just being who You are and that You are walking alongside me always - just as you've promised.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY SUE ANN!!

A very HAPPY BIRTHDAY To my dear Friend Sue Ann!
Thank You for your friendship and your input into my life. Thank You for encouraging me to be more like Jesus in your own special way. :)

Stages of my life

This seems to be a common pattern of my life.
I go through the following stages:

1. The super busy stage(Easter period and end of the year especially) - wake up, plan work for the day (otherwise not effecient enough and things just don't get done as much), bury myself in work until it's lunch time, grab food for meals, work some more, meetings every nite and lots of stress, and just go home to collapse and sleep. And throughout all this, pray hard that I don't get sick (am just prone to get sick in this period - little wonder why :P)

2. Busy stage(Most of the year) - wake up, work, go home, on nites when don't have meeting, just do a bit of reading (as I'll be too tired to go out to hang out with friends) and sleep.

3. Ok stage(Once a month if I'm fortunate enough) - wake up, work go home, no meetings for a 3 nites in a row, just spend times in the evenings to catch up on sleep or relaxing or reading or watch the occasional DVD..

4. Relaxed stage (Rare event) - Hang out with friends, get enough sleep, enough rest, satisfied with the amount of material that I get to read.

Am in the super busy stage now (did i mention that it happens at the end of the year?? :P). *sigh*... Am beginning to crave going back to the busy stage ... When I'm in super busy stage and busy stage- I don't have much time to hang out with friends though I long to do so, then when I get to the Ok stage - I just need 'me' time...

Hmmm.. I wonder how different it'll be next year now that I'll be going to STM??

Dear Lord,
Need lots of help now.. Need your strength to just make it through today. Thank you for being with me always and that you've promised to be my help in time of need.

Am going to STM!!!

It's official! Will be going to STM on 8th January! Just had my letter of acceptance from the Bible School yesterday - seems a bit surreal.. :)

Ok... back to work- have Worship ministry, christmas planning, OM Teen Street, PJEFC songbook, Cross Gen stuff to plan out..

Dear God,
Thank you for this opportunity!!

Happy Birthday Little Brother!!

Just want to wish a very Happy Birthday to my brother Sam!!

November's pretty much a birthday celebration month for my family.. :)

Alpha Fever

I'm continually amazed at the things that has been happening in our church this year. What with Reuben Morgan, Footstool Player, Peter Tsukahira, NECF conference and just yesterday Asia Pacific Alpha Conference with Nicky Gumbel and team!
Was helping out with the PA in the chinese chapel and it was just really great to hear Nicky Gumbel speak.. He's a really great communicator..
Now that it's over, people in our church is really fired up about Alpha - especially those that attended the conference..
Okies... that's it for today... have heaps to do - worship leading preparations and JY workshop too!!

Paintballing outing

Went paintballing last Saturday with a group of crazy ppl.. It was really fun!!! Really enjoyed the running around and shooting people.. hehehe..

Thank you God for that great outing.. :) 

HAPPY 21ST BIRTHDAY

HAPPY 21ST BIRTHDAY to my little sister Esther!!!

Big Brother

My big brother has been here for the past week (since last Wednesday). It was great to see him and hang out with him again! Went to Paradise Church Worship concert, went window shopping - looked for headphones, cuff links and all the other stuff that he wanted to take a look at..

Big bro: If you're reading this.. Thanks for being my 'driver' - just like old times . :)

Random thoughts - Applications are sent in!!

*phew* have finally sent in the applications to STM... HAve been running around like a headless chicken since yesterday when Uncle Sam gave the green light... Still have to send in several stuff - but I guess that it can wait until Monday.
God never ceases to amaze me(it's a good thing isn't it) *BIG GRIN*. Have been answering prayers in pretty amazing ways.

Am currently reading: Not too busy to pray by Ps Bill Hybels..
It's been really good simple reading.. Little things continues to challenge me as I learn to talk with God more.

Am...

Am listening to : Nichole Nordeman's new album Brave
Am always just really challenged and ministered to by her songs. Hope to be able to write songs just as great as hers. Her songs just somehow resonates in my soul and looks at issues which I am just facing at the particular point of time.

Am waiting for: Decisions to be made
Sigh. I think God's just teaching me patience... and to continually depend on Him and not on man. Still waiting for decisions so I'll know whether I'll be going in January or not. Praise God for peace that surpasses all understanding - it's ok even though I don't go.

Am frustrated because: I want to spend more time with Him
I wonder how many people can identify with me - I want to spend more time sitting at the feet of Jesus... To know Him, what's on His heart. What's just so frustrating is because everytime I want to do so, something crops up and it's just easier to let my time with Him slide. At the end of the day, I say - I'll try again tomorrow.. and it happens day after day. And because of my frustrations and lack of time with Him, I get grumpier more easily, irritated more easily, moody more easily, judgemental more easily and I lack love, grace and mercy.
I'll continue striving till I spend that time with Him though. With His strength and by His grace, I'll get there one day.

Food Poisoning

Getting food poisoning just is the pits.. Energy feels all sapped up cos you can't eat much, your stomach just feels like it's being pulled apart all the time AND you just feel like throwing up all the time..
I just have one thing to say - I have more empathy for those who undergo food poisoning.. :P

Have learnt one lesson - ALWAYS heat up leftover mushroom soup that's been left out on the table for more than an hour or else you'll barely be able to function for the next 2-3 days.. :P

*SIGH*

Time

Time is so so precious..
It is so sparse nowadays - especially when there are always lots to do(Could have something to do with all the ministries I am involved in).. The worst thing about it is that there are much more that I want to do.. Am just 'envious' of ppl with plenty of time... Wish I could have some of their spare time transferred to me so I can use it for the other things that I want to do.. hehhee

Well... What is it that I am doing nowadays??
*Have been fixing my tooth (which will apparently take until February to finish everything - good news is: doctor says that it is healing nicely and that there are no infection).

*Just finished organising our first PJEFC High Praise- which was pretty successful in my eyes(I had very low expectations- I should've had more faith)..

*Tying up loose ends in the office before the end of the year because..... *drum roll*
I am going to BIBLE SCHOOL in January!!!!! At least, it looks that way... Applications and preparations are currently underway... Have been having discussions with lots of people... Am just tying up loose ends and wait for the final decision from my church board.
Am rather excited... Besides having this wonderful opportunity to study again, there'll be pianos there that I apparently can tinker with(whoopeee!!).. Am hoping to have more time to sit down and write songs too. Heheh - we'll just have to see since I have this knack of getting myself involved in heaps of stuff... *grin*
I'm planning to study Bachelor of Divinity at STM Seremban for the next four years. But I'll be back home for weekends to serve in my church.
So am just looking forward to it all!

Dear God,
Thanks for the wonderful opportunity to study at STM next year.. I continue to pray for Your guidance and leading and Your hand to be upon me.
Thank You so much Father :)

Tooth Job

Finally did something to my tooth.. Had a roller blading accident a few years back and there was a very bad impact on my left canine tooth.
Had my treatment yesterday and it reminded me a lot about the day when I had the accident-the local anaesthetic, the stitches and the blood in my mouth :P .. The doctor had to pull out all the fragments of the root as well as the one that was embedded deep inside... Took him longer than expected.. he was trying to pull it out and crush it... when it didn't work, he had to use the drill -good thing i was on anaesthetic... but when it wore off, it was very painful!! plus it was still bleeding for the next three hours or so... Hate the taste of blood in mouth...
Brought back memories of how eating used to be an ordeal too.. but this time's not as bad as the last time..
Why did I blog this 'gruesome' account?? Because I thank God for bringing me to the doc and for FINALLY doing the treatment.. and that there was no infection affecting my other tooth despite the procrastination... I thank God for bringing the oral facial surgeon and that the clinic was nearby my house (he set up his clinic about under a year ago).. I thank God too for making it much more affordable compared than if I was to do it a couple of years back...

I am reminded in all this, though I had a bad accident, God's still taking care of me.

Thanks Abba, Father.

My Father

This song really ministered to me this morning.. Really recommend it to everyone... Even in this busy time, it was just great to sit at His feet for just a little while and just be in Father's presence. All is right in my world again.. :D


Your Favourite Name is Father - by Newsong
Almighty God, Lord of All Creation
Ancient of Days, The Holy One
So many names You've given us to call You
But the one remains
Your favourite name...

Your favourite name is Father
You love to hear Your children calling
You're there to catch us when we've falling
Your favourite name is Father

Abba Father, Holy is Your name
Abba Father, Holy is Your name

sigh, sigh, sigh..

Fewer,fewer, fewer... That's seems to be the rate that I'm blogging nowadays..
Just going through this 'lazy phase of blogging'.

Busy, busy, busy... That's just about the sum of my life nowadays.. Last week was considered a 'slow' week - was feeling quite weird because of it... This week is almost back to normal..

Conflicts, conflicts, conflicts... Things of this nature seems to crop up frequently - last week none of it happen - so again, it contributed to the feeling of 'weirdness' last week.. This week is back to normal.. And I'm feeling comfortable again (Yes, just call me weird)...

Frustrations, frustrations, frustrations... Am somehow getting this feeling of wanting to do more than I'm doing(Yeah - it's a pretty nutty thing to say since I'm doing a lot nowadays)... And don't know what to do and how to do it.. That prolly sounded weird.. But I just somehow think there's more to it than what I'm currently doing..

Maybe all this is part and parcel of 'post-fasting'..

Reflection on 40 day prayer and fast

Realise *again* that it's been a while since I last posted something up.. I do hope to blog more often... I continue to marvel how time flies..
God's been really good to me in the past month (Then again, He's always good).. As I've just finished the 40 days fast and pray over a week ago, I realise that there was a LOT that He did during that period through me and for me..
During this period:

• There was a breakthrough in an area in my life that I've been struggling off and on for 10 years now
• God spoke very directly into my situation TWICE
• Conflicts and confrontations arose but was overcome
• Felt that I was so much more sensitive the Holy Spirit
• God opened doors for me to minister to my friends whom i've not heard from in a long time..

It was the first time for me to fast for such a long period.. It wasn't all smooth sailing - there were tough days... But on reflection, it was a time of growth in my spiritual life in a different way.. Am glad I did it.