My Christmas

This Christmas period, I spent much of time in church as usual, which has been the case since i accepted Christ more than 3 yrs ago, n a decision i have never regretted. :) Went for 2 christmas services this yr, though i watched the same musical n heard the same sermon twice within 2 days, i didn't get sick of it at all, but instead i just learnt to appreciate the effort my church put into the production n on both days the presence of God was just so tangible to me, especially the scene where the angel appeared to Mary and called her the blessed one, highly favoured by God, i could just feel God's presence all over me....a sense of peace that just flowed into my heart. The musical this yr was a really spectacular 1, with laser beams n fireworks, n funny song n dance items by our talented actors..haha..

Today, thanks to pple like yuhao who came early to book seats, we actually got to sit in the front section right in front of the stage! So blessed, thanks again :)

And also thanks gary n meiling who so kindly drove all the way back to Expo after having their lunch to fetch me back after my meeting. Thanks guys for the blessing :)

Well, we had an er...interesting conversation abt maids...mini maid...dutch maid...hmm..got quite confused abt wat drink they were talking abt..until i realised they were talking abt the drink brand minute maid...sigh..must be getting old...hard of hearing le...

then in the evening, went to watch king kong with ivan n my mum...for once i think my mum really enjoyed the movie cos she never left her seat once to go to the ladies..hee...i really enjoyed the show though some parts were a little scary n i cried nearing the end of the show cos i was just so touched by how much king kong wanted to spend time with the gal even though he knew he would be 'caught' in the end...but well ivan had a totally different view abt the show from me...sometimes wonder how come we are siblings yet so totally different..n pple find it so hard to believe when we say we r siblings...haha..but somehow despite the differences, we get along really well, after going to CHC together. Remember used to be so jealous of him when we were kids n we fought very often then..n then subsequently as we grew into our teens we hardly talked to each other n did our own things, but coming to church changed all that quite a bit, i guess what really changed our relationship was God, and we had something in common now which kinda made things better. God mends broken relationships, just like the musical depicted today about the dysfunctional family, God knows when we need a miracle n He will do it in His timing. God i put my trust in u for my hopes n dreams...Amen

Don't really know what's wrong with me these days...just sinking into depression..Lord help me get out...

One of my favourite songs..

I GIVE YOU MY HEART

THIS IS MY DESIRE
TO HONOR YOU
LORD WITH ALL MY HEART I WORSHIP YOU
ALL I HAVE WITHIN ME
I GIVE YOU PRAISE
ALL THAT I ADORE IS IN YOU

LORD I GIVE YOU MY HEART
I GIVE YOU MY SOUL
I LIVE FOR YOU ALONE
EVERY BREATH THAT I TAKE
EVERY MOMENT I'M AWAKE
LORD HAVE YOUR WAY IN ME

(GIVE YOU MY HEART…)
(GIVE YOU MY SOUL…)

The Jewel in my heart

I came across a blog by 1 of our church members with a similar title last night, no offence, but i really feel this is the most suitable title for my blog tonight.

I've been doing most of my QT in the afternoon these days, cos it's the school hols now n i'm really grateful for it cos it really allows me to rest n give God more of my time. Last wk's sermon really spoke into my heart, when Pst Kong shared about fear, cos it's something that God had been speaking to me abt during my QT on thu n fri, n i would just spend a really long time crying n crying.

Well, today was no exception. As I had my Cross cd in my radio playing away n i was praying in tongues, God just came into my rm n whispered in a voice so softly n gently, "you are more precious to me than rubies, more precious than gold, you are a jewel in My Palace.." at that point, tears just kept streaming down my face n i stopped praying in tongues, cos i just couldn't carry on...

Yes, we are all jewels in God's Palace, we are all so so precious to Him, so precious that He was willing to send His only Son, Jesus Christ, to die on the cross for our sins.

But most importantly, God has to be the Jewel in our hearts. Let Him be Lord in our lives today.

Father, You are the Jewel in my heart. Let it always stay this way.

1st time at Expo...Bro Victor n Sis Yvonne's wedding

Haven't really blogged much these days and there are so many things i wanna write abt..Bro Victor and Sis Yvonne's wedding, our 1st svc at Expo, my first time at Expo and our 1st prayer meeting there...wonder how i should start..guess i'll just try to round up n summarise things a bit..

My 1st time at Expo was on last Wed, 7 Dec 2005. Honestly, from what happened that day, i realise that one shouldn't assume things too much. Right now, my family's staying at changi village for the time being till the renovation at our place is complete. So i live the nearest to expo, and it would take abt 45 min to reach the place by bus n mrt. What i didn't expect was a traffic jam all the way from PIE to the tiny one-way road from Changi Village! On the bus, i started to panic cos i was actually supposed to help to book seats that day, but after a while, i stopped n just started praying for the peace of God to come into my heart n for help from others to help in the booking of seats n also that the jam would clear quickly. In the end, what was supposed to be a 45 min journey took more than 1 hour n 15 min! When i got to expo, honestly i had no idea how to go to hall 8, but fortunately, there were so many pple going in that direction that i managed to get there safely..hee :) When i went into the place n sat down, i was just so amazed cos the place was done up so nicely, it almost felt like we were back at Jurong west, n seeing so many members that day just made me realise how big our church was. Sometimes, looking at figures on the screen don't have as much impact as actually seeing the actual number of pple. I just felt so excited when i was there on that wed cos i knew we were moving on to the next level, another chapter of our church's history, before we get our own building in the marketplace.

Another highlight last week was Bro Victor n Sis Yvonne's wedding. I've always enjoyed attending weddings, especially the holy matrimonies cos i know God's presence is there, especially that day, i could just sense God smiling down on the both of them, n i could just feel His presence so strongly when Sis Yvonne walked along the aisle. She looked so beautiful that day in her wedding gown. I've always thought that Sis Yvonne looks very sweet, n she has a beautiful nature that just draws u to her, but on her wedding day, i think her beauty was really magnified :) So glad that we got to take pictures with the couple later n i got the chance to stand next to her in the picture :) . Though i don't get much of an opportunity to speak to Sis Yvonne much, but each time i do get to speak to her, i always feel so encouraged. I remember the first time i met her was about 3 yrs ago, after a prayer meeting at CHEC, when sis selena introduced her to us n a few of us took the train home together, n i remember telling her that i was in children's church ministry n i hoped to join choir in future, n she smiled n said 'same as me'. Really happy for the both of them, a truly anointed couple. :)

Guess i'll continue the next time, getting a little tired..

There are times bad things will happen to us, but God will use these things and turn them around for our good, and His Name will be glorified.

Memories of Jurong West..moving along with God to Expo

Here I am, sitting at my computer, listening to my Cross album, while typing this blog. I just simply love this album, whenever I'm happy I'll put it on, and when I'm down, it's the cd i'll just keep on playing over n over again. I love my church n over this coming weekend, we'll be moving to expo! Time really flies, still remember when i first came sometime in March 2002, i was just so in awe of everything in the building, from the auditorium in B4 to the lobby to the toilets. Prior to coming to CHC, during my 1st semester in NIE, I would take bus 179 every morning n i would notice this building being constructed n somehow there would be a sense of curiosity in me towards this building, n during the few short months after that, i realised that the building was already completed! And i thought it was really beautiful. The sense of curiosity in me towards the building never subsided, but it was always there.
From the beginning, there was always an attraction that i felt towards the church but i was never invited to go until one day, when Sabrina invited me to go. Though i wasn't quite used to the praise and worship, but when i heard Pst Kong preach that day, i knew i wanted to stay in CHC for the rest of my life, it was like i had found the right key to unlock the lock inside of me. I just felt like crying at the end of the sermon n there was something i felt that i didn't quite understand then, but right now, i know that it was the presence of God.
I just kept on going back n it hasn't always been smooth, but i know that i need God in my life and i need so much more of His presence in my life to help me to keep going on.

Our church building in Jurong West holds lots of memories for me, but i believe our next phase in Expo will be even greater than what we are doing right now, n i am looking forward to moving on with God to greater heights in our new premise.

Dear God, i just pray that You give me the grace to keep up with You as You bring our church to greater heights, n not be left behind. This prayer i pray also, for the other believers in our church. Amen.

God, our Refuge

In God is my salvation and my glory; The rock of my strength, And my refuge, is in God.
Psalm 62:7

I will say of the Lord, "He is my refuge and my fortress; My God, in Him I will trust."
Psalm 91:2

The God of my strength, in whom I will trust; My shield and the horn of my salvation, My stronghold and my refuge; My Savior, You save me from violence.
2 Samuel 22:3

I WANT MORE OF YOU

I WANT TO KNOW THE ONE
WHO HOLDS MY HAND
IN THIS RACE THAT I RUN
MY HELPER AND FRIEND
HOLY SPIRIT I'LL LOVE YOU TILL THE END

I WANT MORE OF YOU O LORD
MORE OF YOU IN MY LIFE HOLY SPIRIT
LIVING WATER FLOWING FROM WITHIN
AS I YIELD MYSELF TO YOU
MOVE IN MY LIFE LIKE NEVER BEFORE
MORE OF YOU HOLY SPIRIT
MORE OF YOU HOLY SPIRIT
MORE OF YOU HOLY SPIRIT
(MORE OF YOU )

Doing it His way

Today the first highlight of my day was my colleague, Sharon's, holy matrimony. It's actually my first time attending a holy matrimony outside CHC, so i was pretty curious about how different it would be. I thought the process was more solemn than how our church conducts ours, but i thought it still went well n i respect the way the ceremony was conducted. Maybe it's because i'm older now or more mature, but i'm beginning to appreciate the way traditional churches conduct their services too, n i thought the best n sweetest segment was when the groom sang a song for his bride as a special item for her. :)

Coming from a background where i attended 3 methodist schools in a span of 12 years (long huh?) from primary school till my JC days, attending chapel every Mon morning, i was rather shocked when i came to CHC for the first time n saw our church's praise n worship cos it was very different from my 12 years of chapel. Although i have never admitted this outrightly to anyone before, but in my heart, especially as a young believer, there was a tendency for me to compare how chapel in school was carried out to the way service was carried out in church n how our auditorium looked in church compared to how our chapel in school looked n i would then conclude to myself that my church's style is so much better n that it suits me better. Now when i think of it, i wonder how i could be so childish then?!

Actually, different churches do things differently, n it's not about how hip the music is or how funny the preacher is, but it's about listening to God and doing what He has called us to do. I feel that there is no style that is right or wrong, but the most important thing is to do it God's way, how He wants us to do it. If u try to copy someone else, u might not get as good a result as the other person, because u did not hear from God personally n it was just merely copying.

It is not about style, but it is all about Jesus, doing it His way :)