Year 2013

I haven't been posting a lot of my thoughts on my blog recently because I just have TOO MUCH un-blogged events!!!

One good blog post takes an average of 3 hours to write...It requires research (so that I don't talk rubbish), review (to make my sentences cogent) and remembering (I blog history...LOL).

This is really random. I was just blog surfing again and I found an awesome prayer made by one of my friends whom I greatly admire (rather secretly...LOL) for her simplicity in philosophy and profundity in faith.

She made a prayer for 2013 and I was really inspired by her words:

"If 2013 will be green pastures, may Jesus be my Good Shepherd; and if it will be a storm, may I walk on choppy waters with Him. In Jesus' name I pray, amen."

I really love her faith and her way of viewing life. Reading her blog always inspires me and sometimes makes me smile to tears :') HAHA!

Anyway, I realized I didn't "paper-ize" my 2013 resolutions. LOL! It's a really simple resolution. I used to write looonnnggggg lists of stuff I wanna do but it seldom gets fulfilled. LOL! True story? haha!

Before I start on my 2013 resolution, just wanna thank God for 2012...

2012's been a year where I've spoken DEEP into people's lives.

Amazingly, God has opened many people's hearts to me. I am also amazed at how some of my NTU friends will air the secrets of their heart to me.

From there, God's love, wisdom and life-giving words just flowed through me :) I'm really thankful for all these opportunities to minister :)

Also want to thank God for Gabriel's salvation! :) YAY! :D Words and tears simply fail to express my joy when I know a friend whom I deeply love is now in love with the One who loves him since the beginning of time. :') I make things sound so complicated eh? LOL!

I never expected to be such good friends with Gabriel...and I really didn't expect myself to bring this distracted (by studies and worldly affairs) boy to church. HAHA!

Yeah, I'm really glad :) I really love him and now that I know I'll see him up there, it's simply heartwarming. haha!

He's now more or less settled in Heart of God church and undergoing follow-up and soon, BMT (Basic Ministry Training). It's the beginning of a lifelong journey with Christ :) Here's a pic of us :D haha

Me & Gab in Heart of God Church :)

He'll stay. I know it. I feel that a conviction that has been planted in his heart supernaturally :) He'll be an awesome leader one day :D

Lastly, wanna thank God for my family who has stood by me for like...23years? Haha! Their unfailing love and acceptance has made me who I am today.

My parents' steadfast walk with God is also one of the key factors in building a Godly and strong family like ours.

I wanna grow up and be like them :) 脚踏实地 and firmly planted in God's word and His family :D

Yup...as for my 2013 resolution, it's really simple :) This year's resolution is a God-placed thing in my heart on the 4th of January 2013...but the story ain't short. LOL! Here goes...

Throughout the week, this song "Shine for You" by Hillsong United kept playing in my head. It's a really, really OLD song that I used to hear in my lower secondary school days like...10 years ago. HAHA!

I finally decided to seek God on it. I know songs, prayers and people that flash across my mind are usually dropped by God :)

Yup, as usual, went into my room, locked it and began praying and worshipping with my guitar. I was actually doing a lil' thanksgiving :D Haha.

I was praying my heart out when I suddenly confessed "Let me not focus on man's limitations and imperfections but be caught up with God's limitless perfection." This echoes the Holy Spirit's cry within me for this season of rest.

I met Regina recently and she was excitedly telling me what God is doing in her life and in Bethel :)

She told me “Many leaders and good friends of mine have given up on Bethel. But God has not given up on Bethel. God still has a plan for the people in Aljunied and He’s going to use Bethel to bring it to past.”

Those words pierced me. If God didn’t give up, why have I given up? It’s because I’ve been looking at the human imperfections and limitations!

God loves to involve imperfect humans in His perfect plan...and really, through our imperfections, that's how God shows His perfection.

Things aren't exactly smooth in Heart of God church either. Where there are humans, there'll be hurts, ungrounded judgements and problems.

Regina also said something else which really reminded me of my leadership motto "we are called to build lives, one at a time, with whatever God has given you and not look at the mess and get discouraged!"

All these ran through my mind in that instant, in my room, with my guitar and heart laid at God's throne.

I felt God's probing question to me "Amidst all this mess, will you still serve me? Beyond the politics and ruckus, will you be My hands and feet and do faithfully what I've called you to do?"

At that moment, this song just popped into my head and I began singing it again and again and again and the heaviness of the words began to sink in...

This little light of mine

I'm gonna let it shine

Ohh...This little light of mine

I'm gonna let it shine

This little light of mine

I'm gonna let it shine

Let it shine...let it shine...let it shine....

As I was worshipping with these lyrics, God dropped me an impression...

I saw a dark, dark world with little spots of lights littered all round. Those were light beacons that were shining in a darkened world.

It's like you're sailing in completely dark waters and you see a beacon of light kinda thing? I don't know how to fully depict what I saw but...yeah, you get the idea. HAHA!

The question is "Am I gonna let my light shine?" Am I gonna let it shine in spite of other light beacons not being turned on? Just because some church leaders are not shining properly, does that mean I don't shine and get discouraged because they don't shine?

After this impression, I immediately realized that the song "Shine for You" was totally part of the message! Part of the song lyrics are:

I look across the world

Let us shine for You, Lord

The whole world is Yours, and I

Wanna live for You

The first line spoke to me "I look across the world" and it immediately hit me that I was to shine for God in CHINA TOO! LOL!

It's like duh...but when it all adds up this way, it's simply....GOD.

Yup, my lil' 2013 resolution is to simply...LET MY LITTLE LIGHT SHINE! :)

No matter how small or little my light may be, it still makes a difference! And when all the little lights shine together...We will illuminate the whole world :)

Lemme end of with a little scripture that sorta jumped out at me while I was doing my quiet time in a cold, chilly China.

"Watch, stand fast in the faith, be brave, be strong. Let all that you do be done with love."

1 Corinthians 16:13-14

Love is the medium for your light to travel :)

Yup :) LET YOUR LIGHT SHINE! :)

Have a blessed 2013! :D