Very often we talk about how faith must lead to action. But we usually miss out the most important step of faith - which is to abide in Him. It takes a lot more faith to stop and lay down all our own plans and desires to wait for His plans and instructions. It’s easier for most of us to just start doing and doing, usually on our own strength, cos we feel more secure when things are moving along. But in the end we bear bad fruit like tiredness, discouragement, anger etc... Only when we abide in Him and seek His ways and then carry them out in His strength and according to His timing will we naturally (and easily) bear truly good fruit! PTL for His faithfulness!! :)

Most of you who know us probably won't believe this but our sweet little princess had the messiest room in the house! Tried many times to get her to tidy up but unless I do it with (for) her, she'd never ever get started.

Anyway yesterday for her QT she read about how Jesus told the children to come to Him and I explained how He's never too busy for us cos He loves us very much. In response, she decided she wanted to dance for Him. But since it's a school holiday the boys had taken over the living room with their games so there was no space. I suggested that she could make space in her own room and she went off immediately to clear it!

About 10 minutes later, I went in to take a look and was amazed to find that more than half of the clutter had been cleared away and I could walk across the room without kicking into something!! And she said she had even finished dancing for Jesus too!! Now, that's something of a miracle!!

I could never get her to clean up but Jesus did with His love!!

Actually I wanted to start typing my reflections from our Chennai trip but I ended up reading through old journal entries (from 2003-2006)!! Can't say that the time was wasted cos I'm so thankful as I am reminded of God's love and faithfulness through the years... *sniff*


So anyway, just to satisfy the task-oriented side of me, I will post a short entry here before I sleep. Haha!


Yesterday both boys had to eat lunch in school and wait for me to pick them up. Jesse had to stay late in class as his teacher wanted them to finish off some work. By the time he got down to the canteen, most of the stalls were already closing. Jakin told him to try the chicken rice stall and thankfully the uncle had 2 packets of rice left. He even sold both to Jesse at $1.50 (instead of $2.40 cos it's normally $1.20 per pack)! Later, Jakin 'confessed' that he had been praying for Jesse that he would be able to get some food at that stall!


Another wonderful testimony of his childlike faith!! :D

"Why do the opposition candidates keep saying PAP this no good, that no good? When we had elections for head prefect in school, the nominees never said anything bad about each other. Even children know how to behave properly, why can't the adults?!"

Lord, please let those who are Your servants be a good testimony and their words and actions be pleasing to You. May all that they say help to build and encourage rather than tear down!

No, I'm not shy to declare my age. In fact, I'm thrilled to be crossing over this landmark age! :D

And with this coming of age ;)
I'm starting to realise that
time is short.
So I don't want to waste any of it! I want everything I do to count... towards eternity!

Amazingly, God had planned for me to learn this lesson exactly during my birthday month! 
Somehow, a lot of stuff just started to fill up my calendar for this month and as I listed them all out I found that they were all things that I had heard clearly from Him about (ie these were all things that He had told me to do or get involved in!) I have never faced such a personally challenging month before (at least not that I can remember) where almost everyday I had a workshop or meeting or teaching or ministry work to attend to. So at the end of Feb, I laid them before Him and asked Him to accomplish all these through me, then I focused my time and energy on completing each task one at a time (well, sometimes a few at a time as I'm pretty much a multi-tasker). ;)

By His grace, I'm almost done with most of them (with just 2 days left to the month)! And PTL cos the outcome for many of the items far exceeded what I could have imagined! (I actually wrote out every item and how His hand was upon each one in my physical journal but I won't bore you with the details here. He he!) And best of all, even though I must confess I had very little sleep on most nights, His peace and joy have been my constant companions.

Well, over the past few days, He has been showing me how pleased He is with my birthday present to Him (ie devoting my birthday month to Him). He opened my eyes to see how He had been showering me with birthday presents throughout the month (incl actual presents from people who don't usually give me birthday presents and all these gifts are things that I need but have never told anyone before, an old friend visiting me and reliving old times together, even people whom I'm not close to wishing me happy birthday and surprise birthday celebrations by 2 different groups of people!)

Now as I look at my Apr calendar, it's also getting quite full. But I'm looking forward to it with excitement and anticipation as I know He will continue to do great things through me and I will grow even more in faith and intimacy with Him. So I guess it's the start of a new phase of my life. May the next 40 years be used mightily for His glory alone! 

Everything I do, I do it for You! :D

We're discussing the book 'Having a Mary Heart in a Martha World' during this year's moms' group meetings. And this week, we covered chapter 2 which is titled 'Lord, don't You care?' (Luke 10:40). In response, we asked God to show us how He loves us. I was so touched by all the different ways that He showed His love to each of the moms - through pictures, songs, Bible verses and reminders of past experiences of His love (such as healing, rain stopping).

Aimee also joined in yesterday and drew the following picture:


As we went round sharing, she couldn't wait and kept asking when her turn would be! ;)

So after all the moms had shared, I finally told her it's her turn. She went (all proper and adult-like), "Well, I was drawing a picture of myself. (She pointed at the girl.) Then God suddenly appeared. That's Him over here. (She pointed at the purple blob.)"

Later on, I clarified with her what she had meant by 'suddenly appeared'. It seems while she was drawing herself, God told her to add Him to the picture. As we talked about what  God's message to her through the picture could be, we concluded that He wanted to tell her that He's always beside her.

So to all of you out there who's feeling, like Martha, that God doesn't care and He's not there when you need His help the most, this message is for you too! He's right there beside you, even when you can't see or feel Him (like the purple blob that's not very clear / conspicuous). He is always at work in your life even if you don't realise / understand and He will never leave you!

Here's a little video greeting made by our 3 children, hope you like it:
jesse99.multiply.com/video/item/38/Christmas_2010

With the Christmas period coming, as usual we've got lots of rehearsals, events and performances all lined up (in fact we're in the midst of them already - there's 1 performance tonight!)

So it didn't help when Jakin started off with a fever on Wed which lasted for almost 3 days and now he's coughing. Then Jesse threw up on Thu and had diarrhoea this morning. Job also had a runny nose yesterday and my nose has been blocked this whole week...

Anyway, I'm supposed to lead worship in Sun sch tomorrow and was asking Jesse if he's well enough to play for me. His reply was:

"The only obstacle to serving God is death, but even then we'll still be serving Him in heaven!"

This morning, God told me about my English name - Anne! :)

I had known all along that it meant 'grace'. But I never thought I was very graceful or gracious. Ha ha! Well, He said that it's not about me at all, instead my name is about His grace in my life! And indeed, as I look back, His grace has been apparent throughout. Even before I knew or acknowledged Him, He was already directing my path and providing all the opportunities to know Him as well as to be trained and equipped for His work.

For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. (Eph 2:8-10)

And in more recent years as I obey His call and purpose for my life, I've realised that it is only by His grace that I'm able to do the work that He has prepared for me to do. His grace strengthens me each day in the midst of overwhelming demands and lack of sleep, His grace provides over and beyond my needs, His grace brings people to partner with and encourage me...the list goes on...all these things that I don't deserve and can't do without - His grace!

I became a servant of this gospel by the gift of God’s grace given me through the working of his power. (Eph 3:7)

Anyway, I just did a search to confirm the meaning of 'Anne' and found that it also means 'favour'. And as I scroll through all the verses that contain this word, I am amazed at how undeserving I am and echo Elizabeth who said, "But why am I so favoured?" (Lk 1:43) I haven't done anything to deserve nor do I possess any of the qualities which qualify me for the calling He has placed on my life. To think that He picked me to do such great and mighty things is almost unbelievable! And even more incredible is how weak and helpless I feel when I find myself unable to do them and then He accomplishes these very things through His power in me!! His grace and favour indeed!!!

One more thing - again, it was my mom who chose the name 'Anne' cos she liked Princess Anne (daughter of Queen Elizabeth II). Well, I had known that I'm a princess of God cos He's the King and I'm His daughter. But today it suddenly struck me that I'm not only named after Princess Anne, I AM PRINCESS ANNE!!! :D

Thank you, Father, for loving me so!!!!

That's the meaning of my Chinese name 美韻 (beautiful melody)! And I believe it's God-given cos even though my parents aren't believers (yet!) my mom chose the character 韻 cos she was so impressed by the performance of a Christian group on TV. That group was none other than 天韻 (Heavenly Melody) from Taiwan! She hoped that I would also be beautiful and sing well like the female members of the group. ;)

Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations. (Jer 1:5)

I truly believe that God had called me by name even before I was born. Not only because I have been involved in music (incl singing) most of my life but even more so because I'm doing it for Him! And I've come to realise that it's not just in making music to the Lord that my name is fulfilled, it's also in how I am to lead my life. The Lord just showed me this evening that my life is to be like a beautiful melody played out for Him, for His pleasure and His glory. And the best thing about it is that I can only be beautiful because He is in me and it's His beauty shown through me.

What a privilege and honour to be able to serve my Lord in this way! Thank you, Father for your love! And for choosing me to be your instrument even though I scarce deserve it!