Today has been a long day for me. I had to go for a Youth Leadership Conference called "The Habitudes Experience" at Bethesda Cathedral in Bedok from 9:30am to 4:30pm. Though it was tailored for the youths, the contents of the workshop also spoke to me a lot as an adult. Some lessons served as reminders while the rest were some challenges I received as the session moved along. I will share some of these lessons in the next few blogs.
I want to testify about something that happened to me during the conference which speaks clearly about this God I am worshipping and serving. It basically showed me that He is very much alive and real. I just stood in awe when this dear brother came and spoke to me after I came back from the lunch-break.
I knew him from a related course that I attended with a dear friend a couple of weeks back. Anyway, I was sitting down just listening to the band rehearsing when he approached and told me that he had a word of assurance for me.
I was a little skeptical when I heard that and I basically asked what was the word of assurance targeted at. What he mentioned next struck me - he told me I need to stand firm with regards to the situations at home and also in my life. Wow!
I asked him next why these two areas. He basically said that when he shook my hands as we greeted each other before the conference commenced, he felt the Lord had a word for me. He did not want to tell me immediately as he needed to confirm what exactly was the word of assurance. It became clearer as time went by.
Well, I shared with him about mum's health condition. I did not share about the other issues I am struggling with in my life. This dear brother, who is a Youth Pastor, told me I just have to let go of my own effort in dealing with this situation and leave it to God to carry on from here onwards. Funnily I shared this last sentence to my dear friend's sister yesterday when she was encouraging me after hearing about mum. Anyway, I told this dear Pastor that I am trying but it is not as easy as just letting it go... afterall it is my mum we are talking about here.
Well, what was said to me kept me thinking throughout the whole afternoon. First of all, I have not spoken to this dear brother since the last course. He would not have known about mum or anything about me. Secondly, why was it that after ordering lunch with the rest of my church youths and ministry helpers that I decided to go back to the church alone while the rest chose to eat their food at the coffee shops or the void deck? Now I know the reason and it is truly awesome. Thanks and praise to my God Almighty!
Another incident which happened after the conference and on my way to a gathering also showed me how wonderful God is. It was a pot-luck affair. Since I had no time to cook I decided to buy some food at Heartland Mall in Hougang. After that I proceeded to the bus-stop and realised that there were no buses to my friends' place. While thinking of an alternative mode of transport, I asked the Lord to help me. Almost immediately after I finished that brief prayer, a phone-call came in.
A dear brother called and asked whether I needed a lift and enquired where I was. The amazing thing was he was fetching his wife to her parents' place, which was just opposite the Mall, to collect some stuff. Amazing, right?!
What happened since noon had been overwhelming for me! I told the Lord this in one of my prayers during the conference - I need to learn not to let struggles in my life affect my general mood. Basically not to be childish in my attitude towards trials as I have mentioned in my previous blogs.
I take comfort that the Lord is by my side all the time - sometimes I feel that He is far away and that He is not listening to my cries for help. Well, that is what I think but in actual fact, He has not left me at all. He is truly Emmanuel - God with us!
I shall leave it as that for tonight! Glory to God forever!
"Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be men of courage; be strong." 1 Corinthians 16:13
"Strengthen the feeble hands, steady the knees that give way; say to those with fearful hearts, "Be strong, do not fear; your God will come...... he will come to save you." Isaiah 35:3-4
I want to testify about something that happened to me during the conference which speaks clearly about this God I am worshipping and serving. It basically showed me that He is very much alive and real. I just stood in awe when this dear brother came and spoke to me after I came back from the lunch-break.
I knew him from a related course that I attended with a dear friend a couple of weeks back. Anyway, I was sitting down just listening to the band rehearsing when he approached and told me that he had a word of assurance for me.
I was a little skeptical when I heard that and I basically asked what was the word of assurance targeted at. What he mentioned next struck me - he told me I need to stand firm with regards to the situations at home and also in my life. Wow!
I asked him next why these two areas. He basically said that when he shook my hands as we greeted each other before the conference commenced, he felt the Lord had a word for me. He did not want to tell me immediately as he needed to confirm what exactly was the word of assurance. It became clearer as time went by.
Well, I shared with him about mum's health condition. I did not share about the other issues I am struggling with in my life. This dear brother, who is a Youth Pastor, told me I just have to let go of my own effort in dealing with this situation and leave it to God to carry on from here onwards. Funnily I shared this last sentence to my dear friend's sister yesterday when she was encouraging me after hearing about mum. Anyway, I told this dear Pastor that I am trying but it is not as easy as just letting it go... afterall it is my mum we are talking about here.
Well, what was said to me kept me thinking throughout the whole afternoon. First of all, I have not spoken to this dear brother since the last course. He would not have known about mum or anything about me. Secondly, why was it that after ordering lunch with the rest of my church youths and ministry helpers that I decided to go back to the church alone while the rest chose to eat their food at the coffee shops or the void deck? Now I know the reason and it is truly awesome. Thanks and praise to my God Almighty!
Another incident which happened after the conference and on my way to a gathering also showed me how wonderful God is. It was a pot-luck affair. Since I had no time to cook I decided to buy some food at Heartland Mall in Hougang. After that I proceeded to the bus-stop and realised that there were no buses to my friends' place. While thinking of an alternative mode of transport, I asked the Lord to help me. Almost immediately after I finished that brief prayer, a phone-call came in.
A dear brother called and asked whether I needed a lift and enquired where I was. The amazing thing was he was fetching his wife to her parents' place, which was just opposite the Mall, to collect some stuff. Amazing, right?!
What happened since noon had been overwhelming for me! I told the Lord this in one of my prayers during the conference - I need to learn not to let struggles in my life affect my general mood. Basically not to be childish in my attitude towards trials as I have mentioned in my previous blogs.
I take comfort that the Lord is by my side all the time - sometimes I feel that He is far away and that He is not listening to my cries for help. Well, that is what I think but in actual fact, He has not left me at all. He is truly Emmanuel - God with us!
I shall leave it as that for tonight! Glory to God forever!
"Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be men of courage; be strong." 1 Corinthians 16:13
"Strengthen the feeble hands, steady the knees that give way; say to those with fearful hearts, "Be strong, do not fear; your God will come...... he will come to save you." Isaiah 35:3-4
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