come back to your first love.

Sayang Camp 2008
15th December - 16th December 2008

according to a friend it's not considered a camp, cause it's only two days and we stay at a friend's place. he says it's a sleepover party. i still say sayang camp is a camp because there's more than twenty people and we have worship and sessions and bbq and all that! :)

i thank God that camp went pretty smoothly, that no one got seriously injured or anything, though there were some people who fell sick after camp, that He gave us great weather during the games and bbq, that He touched and changed our lives. well, He touched mine! :) there so much to thank Him for.

yew kong's message that night was really good. i'm not just putting in a good word just because he is my brother. but i was really inspired and encouraged by the message, he really shared it from his heart. how cf was back then, the people who left legacies behind, and what cf should be about.

you know how along the way, as the years go by, especially in the cf journey, things get lost along the way (passions, visions, purposes, love, relationships, meaning, etc.) and we pick up other things along the way. and then we feel it's all so meaningless, so dry, we just work out of traditions and because it worked for the years before.

but it's time we stop, and start seeking God for His purpose once again. rewind and look back on what God has done not what we have done. we have to realize it's not what we do, but what God is doing. we need to move according to His direction. we musn't move in our own wisdom and plans, but in His time and His commands.

it's time we come back to God. come back to His love.
understand we need Him, not want Him.

i thank God for sayang camp, thank God for the poeple who came, thank God for His faithfulness and grace.

Lord, thank You for your grace and love.
as you have reminded us of the meaning and purpose of cf,
teach us to be attentive to Your voice and direction.
tecah us to come back to our first love - You.
forgive us for losing sight of You, for chasing after our own goals.
we need You, Lord.

Revelations 2:1-5
“To the angel of the church in Ephesus write:
These are the words of him who holds the seven stars in his right hand and walks among the seven golden lampstands: I know your deeds, your hard work and your perseverance. I know that you cannot tolerate wicked men, that you have tested those who claim to be apostles but are not, and have found them false. You have persevered and have endured hardships for my name, and have not grown weary.

Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken your first love. Remember the height from which you have fallen! Repent and do the things you did at first. If you do not repent, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place.

what a verse to end with. but something we need to ponder and think about. a warning to heed. but our God is a God of second chances.

Let us return to our first love.

i'm scared, so i run

i don't know, i don't know what the future holds.
it's so uncertain. such a blur.

i try to make things better by planning, practicing, preparing.
instead, i should be praying.

next year, next year.
it's going to be exciting, interesting.
but there are things i'm afraid to face.
studies, people, responsibilities, exams, things.

i'm scared, so i run.
i run, i run away from people, away from studies, away from things.
i run but not far enough, not fast enough.

we can never run away forever.

i guess i have to face up to things.

no, i cannot, i must not keep running away.
God doesn't want me to keep running away.

all i need to do is trust Him, allow Him to take it from me.
surrender it all to Him, lay it at His feet.
and listen, listen and obey Him.

“Be still, and know that I am God;
I will be exalted among the nations,
I will be exalted in the earth.”
Psalm 46:10

God's telling me to be still. to stop running. to stop taking things into my own hands - planning, practicing and preparing, to stop trusting in my own capabilities and abilities. He's telling me to acknowledge His Greatness, His Majesty, His Holiness, to acknowledge that He is God. God above the nations, above the earth.

truly, because He is God, there is nothing impossible for Him.

what are my little fears compared to Him?

Lord, teach me to be still before You,
to know and be reminded that You are God,
and there is no other like You.
and because You are my God, i have nothing to fear.
My future is in Your hands, You know my needs and You provide.
You love me and
because You love me, i know my security is in You.
I know I belong to You.
Thank You, Lord.
I commit next year into Your hands.
Guide me, light my path.
Draw me close to You.

a promise for the year to come

phew, what a busy month this has been.

camps, holiday trips, shopping, meet ups, yumcha sessions, biology project, practices, church, prayer meetings, tuitions and lots more.

random note: i don't like tuitions during the holidays. yuck!

but despite the busyness, i am enjoying my holidays and i would rather be it like this forever and i never have to go back to school :)

...

yearight, like that would ever happen.

this holidays, God has been teaching me many many things, reminding me of past lessons, showing me His amazing love and promises, helping me to grow, encouraging me to keep pressing on, and so much more.

and i guess that's more of why i am enjoying this holidays so much.

it's not the activities and stuff to do that's giving me the thrill of holidays, in fact all that get tiring after some time. but it's what God is doing in my life. that's exciting!

i'm so shocked at how super duper fast time flies. the year 2008 is already coming to an end, and pretty soon in comes a whole new year!

i'm already 18 this year! even that is still pretty surprising when i come to think about it.

let's see what God has install for next year :) i am excited!

Dear Lord,
Thank You for bringing me through this year with so much grace and faithfulness.
Thank You for this holidays and all that You've done.
And even as we step into a whole new year, Lord, continue to guide my way and teach my heart to be obedient to Your call.

i love you :)

Isaiah 43:18
"Forget the former things;
do not dwell on the past.
See, I am doing a new thing!
Now it springs up; do you not percieve it?
I am making a way in the desert
and streams in the wasteland.