Saturday, April 25

I saw my nephew Jerald just now at the nursery ward just now. He's so adorable. He was sleeping when I was there and its such a blessing to see a new born baby sleeping so peacefully. Well, i think i'm still soaking in the excitement of being an uncle.

May the Lord bless him as he grows up to be the fine gentlemen :)

Two of my must-visit places this holiday break: Night Safari and Singapore Botanic Gardens. Guess as a Singaporean, it'll be a shame if i haven't visited iconic places in Singapore when thousands of tourists visit each year. Well, they may be tourist attractions but still, as a Singapore, I should at least visit them once so that i can be informed when a foreigner ask about it. I've stepped into Botanic Gardens before but that was part of a amazing race game during a camp and i was only at the peripheral, so i wouldn't consider myself to have explored that place.

Will make those 2 places my aim this coming break :)

jel; 9:16 pm

Thursday, April 23

was again very blessed by pastor benny's teaching today. I was inspired by the example he gave that regards our faith journey as a relay marathon. Our heroes of faith in the past have run the race, completed their part of the relay and has since passed the baton to us, this current generation.

Like in a relay, those who have completed their part would watch their counterparts complete their part of the race after they had passed on the baton. What happens after they passed the baton is out of their control. Control of the race lies in the hands of those who are holding on to the baton. Whether the baton drops or gets passed on to the next one depends the current and next generation.

Our forefathers are watching us as we run this race now in our generation. We are the ones holding on the baton. How are we handling this baton that was passed to us? Are we going to drop it or continue to run the good race and complete it well?

Something tugged in me when these questions were posted by pastor benny. The choice is mine to make. As the scenes of our forefathers watching us came into mind, it inspired me to carry on the good race that they're completed. Not because of obligation but because they're my inspiration to run that race that God has set for me, to complete my race well and pass the baton to the next generation.

I've decided that it is going to be a good race that I'll choose to run.

jel; 10:51 pm

Wednesday, April 22

I was very blessed and refreshed by Pastor Benny's teachings on Heb 9,10 today. Thank God for using him to open up scriptures to share with us.

35So do not throw away your confidence; it will be richly rewarded. 36You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised.
- Heb 10:35,36

Very blessed by this verse tonight. It refreshes me to press on and continue to do his good works and to persevere in doing God's will for me. For what we look forward to is not the rewards that are temporal but those of eternal value.

Hope it'll bless those preparing for the exams and the rest of us as well :)

jel; 11:18 pm

Sunday, April 19

recently i'm sure everyone would have heard about susan boyle's amazing performance on britain's got talent and have probably contributed to the 30 million (and counting...) hits on youtube. I guess whats really amazing in this 'ugly duckling-turned-Cinderella' story is the how most people would have underestimated her potential based on her looks. It wouldn't have created such a phenomenon if her looks were half as good as elaine page's. What caught my attention out of susan was her confidence in spite of the jeering that she received even before she sang. She knows her talent and is totally secure with who she is. Against the odds of the audience, she overcame all the negativity and presented her best, not for the motive of proving them wrong (she doesn't need to) but more so to pursue the dream she always dreamed of...

for that, she won the hearts of millions all over the world. what a wonderful testimony of how one can overcome all odds to fulfill your goals, only if you stay confident and secure in who you are.

jel; 11:51 pm

Wednesday, April 15

always have to remind myself not to live my life in the middle, not a luke-warm Christian living a life wanting to run for God but yet stuck by the circumstances of life. Like the lyrics of the song "Somewhere in the Middle" by Casting Crowns

Somewhere between the hot and the cold
Somewhere between the new and the old
Somewhere between who I am and who I used to be
Somewhere in the middle, You'll find me

Somewhere between the wrong and the right
Somewhere between the darkness and the light
Somewhere between who I was and who You're making me
Somewhere in the middle, You'll find me

Just how close can I get, Lord, to my surrender without losing all control

Fearless warriors in a picket fence, reckless abandon wrapped in common sense
Deep water faith in the shallow end and we are caught in the middle
With eyes wide open to the differences, the God we want and the God who is
But will we trade our dreams for His or are we caught in the middle
Are we caught in the middle

Somewhere between my heart and my hands
Somewhere between my faith and my plans
Somewhere between the safety of the boat and the crashing waves

Somewhere between a whisper and a roar
Somewhere between the altar and the door
Somewhere between contented peace and always wanting more
Somewhere in the middle You'll find me

Just how close can I get, Lord, to my surrender without losing all control

Lord, I feel You in this place and I know You're by my side
Loving me even on these nights when I'm caught in the middle

indeed, i don't want to live with deep-water faith in the shallow end. Let me not be caught in the entanglements of life. Let my life by lived to the max for God. Let me fix my eyes on Jesus, the author and perfection of my faith. Let my faith arise.

My prayers tonight.....

jel; 12:39 am

Saturday, April 11

This Good Friday, let us remember the price Jesus Christ paid for our salvation through the Cross. Let us also appreciate that while the grace given to us is free, it was paid with a costly price. Was reading this article from Keith Maxwell that medically explains Jesus' death.

That really touches me after reading the article was that although there were many attempts to place a cause for Jesus' death, none could sufficiently or adequately explain His death. No bones were broken, fulfilling the prophecy in Psalm 34. Thus it was not man's action nor the tough circumstances of the crucifixion that caused Jesus's death. Jesus laid His life for us. That fulfills the purpose He came for- to die for us and redeem our sins so that we can have the way back to God. He became the ultimate solution for all of us, that whosoever believe Him, will not perish and have eternal life

"The reason my Father loves me is that I lay down my life - only to take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again. This command I received from my Father." (NIV) John 10:17,18

May it bless your heart as you understand this truth this Good Friday!

jel; 12:15 am

Wednesday, April 8

my prayers to all who wants to seek the truth that they will indeed receive the real truth

7"Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. 8For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened.
-Matt 7:6-8

blessed be those who seeks the truth of God in their lives!

jel; 1:35 am

Monday, April 6

i was personally drawn to this true story shared during sermon today.

A man in Bogota, a drug addict, had wanted to commit suicide for up to ten times. But each time, it failed by miraculous chance. He couldn't help but acknowledge that there is someone up in heaven who is saving him from death. He decided to visit a church and from that point on, his life changed. His desire in being understanding God's words led to the curing of his drug-damaged brain. He has since become a pastor leading thousands of Christians and a preacher sought after in international conference.

Why did this story impact me so much?

I was touched at seeing a man, who so wanted to end his life, but was saved simply God's purpose for this man on Earth has not being fulfilled. This man is destined for greater things in God. No one would have know, not including the man himself, the future ahead at that moment. But God know and He will pave the way ahead. That was how this man 'escaped' from the brink of death and walked right into God's will for Him.

That is the reality of God- One who can make all things possible, even if human logic works against it. One who can use the little Man has and enlarge it to be mighty man of God. Never doubt what God can use through you until you allow Him to.

jel; 2:04 am

Wednesday, April 1

attended a briefing today by representatives from university of manchester and after the briefing, i was really looking forward to my exchange trip to manchester...

looking forward to many things:
- the diversified environment of the university
- historical culture of old English
- architectural buildings
- heritage of the different UK cities
- traveling around Europe!!!

really have to thank God for this opportunity to be able to go to University of Manchester. It wasn't my initial choice but somehow, through God's divine arrangement, I secured the place there. And i'm really thankful to know that there are close to 7/8 people going together to manchester in sem 2, but there's still some company.

Its quite interesting whenever i tell others that i'm going to manchester and i'm asked if i'm a man u fan. I'm not even a soccer fan, much less a man u fan. I don't even know what Old Trafford was initially. its alright, i will still visit the place when i'm there and maybe i can catch a few of the players over there if i recognize any.

But it is still 8-9 months to go before i can actually fly there. Meanwhile, i'll appreciate and enjoy what i have in nus right now and maybe spend the rest of the months learning and recognizing the different faces of the man u players. haha

jel; 9:54 pm