T.H.E. Camp 2012

a little overdue. but better late than never :)

camp was God's grace right from the preparations before camp, during camp and right up till today. I pray that the fire still stays in our hearts and that it would burn brightly.

it was encouraging to see each person come and be a part of the camp. the camp committee really did a good job and i think God also opened the way as we trusted in Him. He provided a venue, provided the speaker, Pastor Daniel Tan, and most importantly, He called the people :) in about less than three weeks.

there were times of uncertainties and stress along the way; money, payments, sponsorship, pull outs, etc. but God proved to be sovereign over these things. no problem too big for Him :)

I enjoyed the fellowship with the people :) getting to know some better as well as strengthening the old friendships. there was a sense of unity and genuine relationships built. camps have that ability to bring people together :) and I pray that these friendships continue to grow throughout our uni years.

That's our theme for this year. N.O.W. It's to remind us of the urgent times we live in. Pastor Daniel did a great job with the sessions. He began with very fundamental things for our faith in the first session about "Hearing God's Voice". Because when we are in a two way communication with God personally and intimately, we will know His will. He gave very practical ways to this. First knowing how God speaks: through the Word of God, prayer, Holy Spirit, people, dreams and visions, circumstances, and sometimes in the audible voice :| (whoa, i wonder what that would be like). He taught us then how do we listen to God's voice? We need to take on the right postures: Seek, Surrender (humility), Silent (to listen), Stay (to wait and dwell in His presence) and to have hearts that are like good Soil (hearing and obeying the word).

The second session was about the Narrow Way which echoes our theme that there is no other way but through Christ. There's the Broad way and the Narrow way.

Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it. 

Matthew 7:13-14 

It was a reminder that we cannot live our lives any way we want or do things just because the world is doing it. It meant living in Christ, following His word rather than the word of the world. Muuuch easier said than done, but we do not walk alone, nor do we walk by our own strength. God grants grace for us to finish the race, to walk this journey with Him. The narrow way is only possible through Christ :)

The third session was entitled "Disturb Us, Lord". It challenged us to live for a cause that is bigger than ourselves. To look beyond "me" and to look to God. When God disturbs us from our comfortable and safe lives, how do we respond? Taking the encounter of the first calling of the disciples in Luke 5:1-11, where Jesus came into the boat of Peter, taught the crowds from it and later told him to put out to sea and let down their nets for a catch after a loooong night of catching no fish. When Peter obeyed, they caught a crazy amount of fish. This opened his eyes and he fell at Jesus' feet knowing that Jesus was more than just a man. Jesus then calls Peter to follow Him and that He would make them fishers of men. Peter left all he had and followed Jesus. Our response, when God comes into our lives and rocks our boats is to start small - obey. Jesus came into their boats and told Peter to 'put out a little from land', God doesn't always come in all His glory with a mission impossible task right away to us. It's when we start obeying Him in the little things that He then gives us bigger tasks. He knows how much we can handle. We then need to go deep! Jesus told Peter to go deep and to let down their nets for a catch. Peter's answer was, "Master, we have toiled all night and caught nothing; nevertheless at your word word I will let down the net." He was listening to Jesus teaching the crowds prior to this and because of that, it gave him the faith to obey. We need the word of God in our lives, to convict us to go deeper than we normally would, to try again even after a whole night of catching nothing. The last thing is to surrender all. Right after catching the mother load of fishes, their eyes weren't fixed on their success, instead their eyes were fixed on Jesus. It was a reminder to us not to let our success take us away from God. Humility. So, start small, go deep, surrender all.

The final session was about How do we Shine? Pastor Daniel brought us back to the point and purpose of the church. He said the church is the hope for the world. The world can only see Jesus through us. No other way; only through us.

Let your light shine before all men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven. 

Matthew 5:16 

How do we shine? Be genuine, let people see Christ in our lives. Don't just do things so that we can preach to them. Don't do things with ulterior motives. But love, because Christ first loved us. Love because that is what God calls us to do; to love God and to love others. Give what you have, not what you don't have. We'll never start if we keep saying, "Let me have this first, then I will..." or "I don't have anything to give." Give what you have :) God is able to provide for our needs. We need to stretch out our hands and lift others up. We need to touch lives, not just meet their physical needs. The human being is more than a body, it has a soul. People need acceptance and freedom for their souls. Lives are never transformed by silver or gold, but by the touching of the human soul. So, let's go and shine our lights. :) Pastor Daniel said, "You say 'turn on the light' and 'turn off the light' but no one says 'turn on darkness'. Light always conquers darkness. It's when the light doesn't shine, that's where darkness is."

Let your light shine :) We live in urgent times. May all who see our lights, come to God.

Dear God, thank You for camp, for Your word spoken and each and every person. Thank You for the work You have done in our lives. Help us to continue running the race and going through the narrow way with You and with the people You have brought alongside us. May we continue to spur and encourage one another until we reach our goal. You are our goal. Lord, I pray that we will have the same love and passion You have for others in our lives that we would see the world through Your eyes. Commit each one who was a part of T.H.E. Camp 2012 into Your hands and pray that You continue draw us close to You. In Jesus Name, Amen :)

unconditional

Their pace was slow, unrushed, as they walked silently side by side. She was thinking of what she should say; He did not force her to say anything, just patiently waited.

She cleared her throat and broke the silence. “I’m sorry,” she said. She looked at Him from the corner of her eye to see if He responded.

He gave a gentle “mm” of acknowledgement. He wasn’t angry. Hurt probably, but He didn’t show it to make her feel bad.

“I don’t really know why I didn’t listen to you earlier…I just felt shy.”
“But it was just you, me and her.”
“I know…” she looked down at the ground ashamed.

Why had she acted that way? Why didn’t she just listen and do what He told her to? It was a simple thing, her friend would have understood.

“You know,” He said, “I was really happy when you listened to me about him.”
“Oh,” she replied.

Yeah, she had tried her best to trust in Him in that area of relationships. Her heart had been broken so many times before, she knew that He knew best. She was careful and tried her very best to listen to Him even when it wasn’t what she had in mind. And it turned out good. She was happy and thankful for the outcome.

But why was it so hard recently, to trust Him once again in the little things? Hadn’t she been through enough with Him to know He was real and that He knew what was best? She knew He was real, she knew He was in control. But, but she still…failed.

It came to her, “I think,” she paused, “I think I don’t really love you.” Her face was downcast, they continued to walk.

“I think I love ‘me’ more.” At that her tears started to fall.

It broke her heart, it broke His heart. It broke their hearts. It hurt, it stung, it was painful.

He knew. He had known all along. He knew from when she came to Him in need for His help but put Him aside when things were going well. He knew even when she denied it or was ignorant towards it. He knew even when she had tried to mask it. When she thought she had the whole world (and even her ownself) believing her lie , He knew and saw beyond what others saw.

She felt so ashamed, so undeserving. She wanted to say she was sorry but she had already said that so many times, she wondered if she really meant them.

They continued to walk. “Why was He still here? Why was He still walking beside me?” she asked herself. “Why did He stay.”

“I love you, still.” He said firmly to her.

She closed her eyes. He repeated those words to her, “I love you.”

“I love you unconditionally. I love you in spite of all you are or what you have done. I love you.”
That day, as she walked with Him – He who had walked with her all her life, He who came into her life and turned it inside out upside down, He who watched over her and cared for her, He who cherished her and loved her, He who gave her a purpose to live – as she walked with Him, she was strengthened and renewed by His unconditional love He revealed to her that day.

“Thank you,” she replied quietly. For she knew she didn’t deserve such a love, she didn’t deserve Him. It was that unexplainable thing she had been experiencing in her life called grace.

Humbled.

Grateful.

Loved.

Forgiven.

Redeemed.

Blessed.

These were the things she experienced that day. She didn’t want to go back to the same state she had been in.

She wanted to love unconditionally too, like how He did. She was far from that at the moment, but she knew she wanted to be like Him. She knew that that was who she was called to be like.

We love because He first loved us.
1 John 4:19

PKVUM ♥

PKVUM will always have a special place in my heart :)

We're 60 now :) it simply amazes me how God has been working in and through, providing for and guiding this group of students in Universiti Malaya (who keep changing) for over sixty years! Thank You, God.

PKVUM Theme Song

Lord of Our Campus

Words by Christopher Choong and Marcus Khoo

Music by Marcus Khoo

To think that the Maker of heaven and earth

Would plant a seed for generations

Visions and truths to live and work out

Dreams to impact and rock our institutions

O God, Your kingdom come in our campus

To think that the Saviour who died on the tree

Would give us a vision, our life vocation

To grow in the Lord, to trust and obey

Proclaiming His Gospel to all the nations

O God, Your will be done in our campus

Lord, we come to Your throne

By Your work not our own

On bended knees we bow

Fix our eyes on the cross

As we seek to reach the lost

Lord, we ask this of You now

Shake our lives from comfort

Tear us from complacent lives

Lord, move us and teach us how

That Your kingdom may come

That Your will may be done

O God, You are Lord of our campus

This is our prayer, this is our heart's cry That Your kingdom may come, that Your will may be done here in our campus :)

We'll be celebrating our 60th Diamond Jubilee Anniversary along with Convo Dinner tomorrow night :) We'll be celebrating God's goodness and faithfulness over us.

All glory be unto God!

the non-stop zone

it's already been three weeks of semester, or should i say, it's only been three weeks into the semester... and things have been going on back to back.

i call this the "non-stop zone".

for me as a university student, it usually comes at the end of the semester with the crazy assignment datelines all packed together or when the lecturers all seem to conspire to have tests the same week.

i think non-stop zones are pretty dangerous though :\ if we're not careful.

there's this thing called "burn out" or the more ganas term "crash and burn"

where you just keep running and running till you reach empty.

been there. and it's horrible. 

having people to encourage you and to focus on the right stuff really saves you from burning out. being reminded that it's not by our own strength and abilities we do the things we do, but it is by God's grace and strength we persevere on. and i am thankful for such people in my life.

there's also the "workaholic" syndrome.

where all you do and focus on is - work. you just go from one task to the next, to the next, to the next. it's pretty easy to get caught up in work in the non-stop zone. and it's scary, cause you may sometimes lose sight of the things that matter (like taking relationships and people's needs for granted) or even the purpose of why you're doing something. 

been here too. and it's not a good place to be in.

we do need to take those pauses every now and then, to check whether we're just going through the motions to the point we lose sight and the meaning of living. 

i think momentum is good, but having the right fuel and drive is even more important. in the midst of crazy busy times, it's even more crucial that we have those times where we just sit at the feet of Jesus like how Mary did, just enjoying and dwelling in the presence of our Lord. it's through these encounters we find refreshment and refuge in Him.

He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High

will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.

I will say of the Lord, "He is my refuge and my fortress,

my God, in whom I trust.

Psalm 91:1-2

i pray that no matter how busy we get, that we will always know that our lives have a very great purpose in God. it is more than the work we do or the datelines we have to meet, it is more than our activities and programs, more than the projects and assignments. our lives are meant for so much more, the only kind of life that is truly fulfilling and that really counts is a life lived unto the Lord according to what God calls us to. and that is a life worth living :) and i believe, it is exciting!

may you find refuge and strength in God even as you go through your non-stop zones.

coffee moments

so, i've developed a thing since Camp Camerons to go for coffee on my Sabbath day (usually Sundays), on my own, with my bible and journal, and go on a date with God :) it's been pretty insightful, to look back on the week and chit chat with God about the things that happened, what made me happy, what broke my heart, what distracted me, what was my focus, what i learned, finding out what He thinks, or what He wants me to change and to do, seeking His perspective and His will, etc. i come back a lot more refreshed and orientated for the coming days.

this morning, i looked back on my past three months of break. and it's crazy how time has just flies by. this Monday, i start my first semester of my third year :| a new phase in university, new responsibilities, new challenges, new lives, new relationships, etc. but i look back and i do thank God very much for the old and for the things that have been happening.

this holidays began with PKVUM's CPR in Joanne's house in Melaka with the whole committee (Timothy, Joanne, Noah, Joyce, Abbie, Sarah, Philemon, Deborah, Daniel Hiew, Daniel Wong, Tien Mie) and our FES staff, Swee Kit and David.

we makan makan makan, went to jongker's street, ribut otak (brainstormed) for themes and objectives and for the coming semester ahead, we worshiped, prayed, shared and played :) it was a good time of getting to know each other, bonding and learning to work together as a team, as a family.

then Camp Camerons 2012 - Give me life in Thy ways.

lots of unforgettable moments with the people at this camp. three weeks of being at this "bus stop" where we did a stop and check of our lives. learned a lot about myself (the good and the bad) but even more than that once again experiencing the unconditional love and abounding grace of God.

a start of something new with a very special someone by the name of Ernest Lee.

meet Ernest :) 

he couldn't resist that single promo :P hahahaha (just kiddingg..)

an adventure over at Deborah's beautiful land below the wind, Sabah. with Lydia and Brandon. lovely times with lovely people. :)

a two days escapade and tell all journey with Sue Ann to Melaka. went down to visit Sue Ann's grandma who is the cutest and funniest grandma i've met :) had tons of melaka goodness - chicken rice ball under the tree, cendol, ice cream, etc. am going to miss this girl as she begins her journey as an undergraduate in USM, Penang. take care over there, dear.

weddings and weddings :) Daniel & Nie Nie and Reuben & Lisa. ngaaawwwww :)

daniel and nie nie :) 

reuben and lisa :)

also, have been meeting up with different groups of friends and spending more time with my family. and it's made me more appreciative of the people i have in my life.

i learned many things about myself these holidays. a lot of character flaws, ugly sides, and so on. things i need to work on, change, throw out, refine. all under God's grace and mercy. being transformed by the work of the Holy Spirit as i come before Him in surrender. having Ernest in my life has also taught me a lot about trust and truth, taught me more about loving one another.

i am so humbled by the grace and love shown to me by others. by the ones who have been hurt by me over the years, but who choose to forgive and still love me. i know i've lost some people along the way, and that i do regret :( i am grateful for those who give me the plain truth, even though it hurts and stings, but like bitter medicine, it's for the better. a lot of times i don't know how to go on with the relationship after that, but i guess character changing and refining isn't usually a quick instant thing but a process of making a conscious effort to change. i ask God to fill me with His love and grace that i may be able to love and care for others like how He does.

so, this has been the holiday journey and as i prepare myself for another semester ahead, i am excited to journey with God in this, knowing that He is the author and the perfecter of my faith, of the story of my life :)

and to you out there, to my loved ones, thank you for being a part of my life, for being a part of this journey. i want to thank you and appreciate the marks and impressions you have left in my life, for making me who i am today. although very imperfect still, i am still in the process of sanctification and refining. i love you, very much.

have a blessed weekend! :)