Hi all,
Please pray for Paul and myself as we go for our photoshoot this Thursday. It's raining and thundering outside now as I write this, so please pray for good weather for us!
Also, our hdb balloting results will be out this Wednesday. There were more than 10,000 applicants for 438 flats all over Singapore. Out of the 438, there is only 1 in CCK that we are looking at. So please pray for favour and God's will to be done.
If you're reading this after these have passed, no worries, because God works beyond the boundaries of time!
Thanks in advance!!
-Sarah
Monday, May 11, 2009
Thursday, May 7, 2009
Please pray for my cousin
Hi guys, my mum just informed me that one of my cousins (her brother's son) got an overdose on panadol and was admitted to hospital. They suspect that he is having depression because he's still waiting for university results and some of his friends already have been accepted. He took 35 tablets of panadol. His parents might refer him to a psychiatrist. His family is Buddhist.
I was very disturbed and upset upon hearing this, not only because he's my cousin. Actually we aren't close at all, because of some family problems earlier, so the extended family isn't as close. But even if we're not close, it is still upsetting to hear that my cousin is in depression. But more disturbing is because I don't see why he should be in depression. Is it that society places too much pressure on all of us, that there is no room for failure at all? Is it his parents that have been pressurizing him too much? Or is it simply just a lost boy without God, without any meaning in life or achievement to place his identity with, and without his possible university education, life has no meaning for him?
It's so depressing. It's probably a combination of reasons. Low self esteem, lack of family support or encouragement, too much pressure, and others. But all rooted in the fact that God is not in his life. And it's so sad. That when I compare my life in God, I feel so immensely blessed. It's not that I have found God, but that God has chosen me. My blessings are many and countless. But yet, there are people out there who are lost and without hope in their life. And they need God.
It may be easy to say, what is a university education in Singapore? At most don't study university lor. Just start work or do a diploma. But then it's different for everyone, people with different circumstances and pressures and expectations.
Anyway, just want to share this, hope that when you read this you could also pray for my cousin and his family, that they will get to know God and be saved, and hope that God will use my family and also bring other people to reach out to them.
-Sarah
I was very disturbed and upset upon hearing this, not only because he's my cousin. Actually we aren't close at all, because of some family problems earlier, so the extended family isn't as close. But even if we're not close, it is still upsetting to hear that my cousin is in depression. But more disturbing is because I don't see why he should be in depression. Is it that society places too much pressure on all of us, that there is no room for failure at all? Is it his parents that have been pressurizing him too much? Or is it simply just a lost boy without God, without any meaning in life or achievement to place his identity with, and without his possible university education, life has no meaning for him?
It's so depressing. It's probably a combination of reasons. Low self esteem, lack of family support or encouragement, too much pressure, and others. But all rooted in the fact that God is not in his life. And it's so sad. That when I compare my life in God, I feel so immensely blessed. It's not that I have found God, but that God has chosen me. My blessings are many and countless. But yet, there are people out there who are lost and without hope in their life. And they need God.
It may be easy to say, what is a university education in Singapore? At most don't study university lor. Just start work or do a diploma. But then it's different for everyone, people with different circumstances and pressures and expectations.
Anyway, just want to share this, hope that when you read this you could also pray for my cousin and his family, that they will get to know God and be saved, and hope that God will use my family and also bring other people to reach out to them.
-Sarah
Monday, May 4, 2009
Online Spiritual Gift test
Thanks Jonathan for sharing with us the powerful sermon on spiritual gifts. Indeed God created us each uniquely and has given us gifts and talents to help us fulfil our purpose and destiny in Christ. I must say that I have been encouraged by the sharing yesterday to always reflect on my heart condition when serving God because it's all about the heart of service. It is not how much you can offer but how much are you willing to offer. I hope you were touched by God too in some way or another yesterday. :)
Thanks Emma too for posting up the notes too! Haha, the comic so cute!
Anyway, I have found a free online spiritual gift test which I feel gives a better evaluation in terms of highlighting the area of service we can look into after knowing what our gifts are and also cautioning us of areas we might overlook and hence resulting in us misusing our gifts. Check it out! You can send me a soft copy after you do it and I can help consolidate everyone's analysis. :) http://www.churchgrowth.org/cgi-cg/gifts.cgi?intro=1
Not forgetting the...
5 basic steps to discover your gifts:
I. Be open and explore all possibilities. Break out from all self impose limitations.
II. Experiment with all the gifts (Never know till you try)
III. After trying, examine your feeling (If it is something God wired you to do, you will enjoy it. It will not be a duty but an enjoyment/fulfillment doing it)
IV. Evaluate the effectiveness of what you doing. (What you enjoy doing may not be what others enjoy it – ensured others are ministered)
V. Expect confirmation; God’s confirmation. [(1) Feedback from people (2) Prophetic exhortation]
Cheers,
Serene
Thanks Emma too for posting up the notes too! Haha, the comic so cute!
Anyway, I have found a free online spiritual gift test which I feel gives a better evaluation in terms of highlighting the area of service we can look into after knowing what our gifts are and also cautioning us of areas we might overlook and hence resulting in us misusing our gifts. Check it out! You can send me a soft copy after you do it and I can help consolidate everyone's analysis. :) http://www.churchgrowth.org/cgi-cg/gifts.cgi?intro=1
Not forgetting the...
5 basic steps to discover your gifts:
I. Be open and explore all possibilities. Break out from all self impose limitations.
II. Experiment with all the gifts (Never know till you try)
III. After trying, examine your feeling (If it is something God wired you to do, you will enjoy it. It will not be a duty but an enjoyment/fulfillment doing it)
IV. Evaluate the effectiveness of what you doing. (What you enjoy doing may not be what others enjoy it – ensured others are ministered)
V. Expect confirmation; God’s confirmation. [(1) Feedback from people (2) Prophetic exhortation]
*Courtesy of Emma's notes. :)
Cheers,
Serene
Sunday, May 3, 2009
SQUARE PEGS IN SQUARE HOLES
Audio preaching by Pastor Benny Ho
Story: Pastor at a dining event and the lady that dish out chicken. (1 piece per person)
Romans 12:6-8: Then having gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, if prophecy, according to the proportion of faith; or ministry, in the ministry; or he who teaches, in the teaching; or he who exhorts, in the encouragement; or he who shares, in simplicity; or he who takes the lead, in diligence; or he who shows mercy, in cheerfulness.
(1) We have different gifts as …
- God has design everyone differently
- To have less friction. God creates square pegs to be placed in square holes and not square pegs in round holes.
- Our gifts that are given by God compliment each other to fulfil our potential inChrist bringing the church and community to greater heights.
Sadly we live in our self impose limitations and never live to our potential, above and beyond.
Ephesians 3:20 Now to Him who is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us..
(2) Purpose determines potential.
- Purpose always begins in the mind of the creator.
- Purpose precedes production.
- Purpose creates the design.
- Everything begins with purpose in the mind of the creator and ends with purpose fulfilling its destiny.
- Everyone is created with a purpose. Hence if you and I are not living to our potential, not fulfilling our purpose, we are abusing it.
If we are the child of the most high, then our potential is most high.
Ephesians 2:10: For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to good works, which God has before ordained that we should walk in them.
(3) We need to get to our fullest potential by being in your STRENGTH zone. (Do less for more)
Acts 6:1-6
- in the early church the apostles are the one taking care of everything in a church as there is no blueprint for them to follow.
- the apostles discovered they are called to teach the word, they realized they should not spend too much time on the widows. (Verse 1)
- they focus on their calling and the Word of God is increasing and the number of disciples multiple exceedingly, resulting in a breakthrough in the church (Verse 7)
Therefore:
- Take note of your strengths and deploy them accordingly to edify others
- Focus on your strengths and not shortcomings
- Always remember that God will not call you to do something that He did not giveyou the talents to do it.
5 basic steps to discover your gifts:
I. Be open and explore all possibilities. Break out from all self impose limitations.
II. Experiment with all the gifts (Never know till you try)
III. After trying, examine your feeling (If it is something God wired you to do, you will enjoy it. It will not be a duty but an enjoyment/fulfillment doing it)
IV. Evaluate the effectiveness of what you doing. (What you enjoy doing may not be what others enjoy it – ensured others are ministered)
V. Expect confirmation; God’s confirmation. [(1) Feedback from people (2) Prophetic exhortation]
Remember: GOD WILL ONLY ASK OF YOU WHAT HE HAS GIVEN YOU.
Battleship versus Cruise ship
Everyone in the battleship has a purpose/ duty. They each have a function to perform. Unlike a battleship, a cruise ship has 500 people lazing on the ship.
1 Peter 4:10: each one as he received a gift, ministering it to yourselves as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.
(4) God is pleased if we use our gifts with the right heart and motive.
- God looks into the heart.
- Note that a ministry is a platform to glorify God not to glorify self.
- Is not for the world to see and for God to see.
- Do not give God a mediocre half hearted effort, do it with heart.
- It is not the size of the task but the size of the heart we put in the task
- Striving excellence with simplicity
Discussion - Our take home ...
(a) Everyone should be given an opportunity to discover their gifts. Every one of us can give opportunities to people around us. (Yi Xian)
(b) 5 steps to discover your gifting (Sarah)
(c) Purpose determines potential. It takes close walk with God to discover God’s purpose in you and obedience to fulfil the destiny. (Paul)
(d) Confirmation from others takes a lot of humility to accept feedback from others. (James)
(e) Everyone has their purposes and potential and everyone compliments one another. (Serene)
(f) The great white shark story putting it in an aquarium instead of putting in the sea - Self impose limitation. Pushing yourself to the limits (Kenny)
(g) Every greatest potential that is brought out, comes with a great mentor and humility to accept people’s feedback. Every service requires the heart to edify others. God looks at our heart when we serve. (Emma)
(h) If not from the heart is not worth doing it. Do less for more (Jonathan)
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
Thanksgiving!
Hey all, remember the student I was talking about on Sunday? God is really amazing. I still have not met her this week for tuition and has yet passed her the cd but God has already started blessing this family in his very own special way. God loves them... :)
So the story goes... This student of mine is really really week in Amath (and that explains why she is so stressed out hehe) and everytime when I have to leave after tuition my mind goes... "Crap think this time maybe will fail again". I know that's very bad of me but honestly, she is that weak in Amath. As I always felt helpless towards this student, I have been praying for wisdom for her and miracle to happen. Cut the long story short, last night her mom msged me and said Melissa passed her Amath and she got a B4! Her mom sounded really pleased and encouraged. When I recieved this msg, I knew it was God! Nobody (not me, not Melissa, not her family) could have caused this to happen. God is working in this family...
All I wanna say is that God just wants us to obey what He has called us to do and He takes cares of everything else. I basically took the step of faith and say yes God I will reach out to this family and before I can do anything, God is preparing the way for me and helping me gain favor from the family! And also God answers our prayer, so let's continue to pray and stay close to God. :) We serve an amazing God right?
I am going to pass her the cd this sat as a gift of encouragement. Continue to pray with me that her family will be touched by the songs inside and more opportunities will be given to share words of spiritual encouragement to the family!
Serene
So the story goes... This student of mine is really really week in Amath (and that explains why she is so stressed out hehe) and everytime when I have to leave after tuition my mind goes... "Crap think this time maybe will fail again". I know that's very bad of me but honestly, she is that weak in Amath. As I always felt helpless towards this student, I have been praying for wisdom for her and miracle to happen. Cut the long story short, last night her mom msged me and said Melissa passed her Amath and she got a B4! Her mom sounded really pleased and encouraged. When I recieved this msg, I knew it was God! Nobody (not me, not Melissa, not her family) could have caused this to happen. God is working in this family...
All I wanna say is that God just wants us to obey what He has called us to do and He takes cares of everything else. I basically took the step of faith and say yes God I will reach out to this family and before I can do anything, God is preparing the way for me and helping me gain favor from the family! And also God answers our prayer, so let's continue to pray and stay close to God. :) We serve an amazing God right?
I am going to pass her the cd this sat as a gift of encouragement. Continue to pray with me that her family will be touched by the songs inside and more opportunities will be given to share words of spiritual encouragement to the family!
Serene
Monday, March 23, 2009
Team Building (Prime Time with God)
TGIF Today God Is First Volume 2, by Os Hillman03-22-2009
"...you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth" (Acts 1:8).
Building a good team is key to the success of any enterprise. Jesus chose twelve unique individuals to build His world-changing enterprise. He intentionally chose several who had similar backgrounds—Peter, James, and John were fisherman. Matthew and Simon the Zealot came from opposing political views. Matthew came from an industry considered corrupt—he was a tax collector. It is clear Jesus chose those who had a skill set first, then changed the character of the individual. He mentored each one.
A good team needs to have team members with different viewpoints as well as those who are specialists in a particular area. It is noteworthy that Jesus chose someone expertise in handling money. Taking a team of twelve around the country required money and the ability to manage it. I'm sure Jesus spent a great deal of time with Matthew mentoring him on the proper use of money. He had to reshape his thinking about money.
Once the team was formed Jesus spent time molding His team into a cohesive unit to operate in unity. He corrected them when correction was needed. He taught them what it meant to love one another. He washed their feet. He taught and modeled servant leadership. Before you put a team together sit down and make a list of the skills you want represented on your team. Then recruit and invest spiritually into your team. Who knows, your team might just change the world, too!
Resource from Prime Time with God (Daily Bread)
"...you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth" (Acts 1:8).
Building a good team is key to the success of any enterprise. Jesus chose twelve unique individuals to build His world-changing enterprise. He intentionally chose several who had similar backgrounds—Peter, James, and John were fisherman. Matthew and Simon the Zealot came from opposing political views. Matthew came from an industry considered corrupt—he was a tax collector. It is clear Jesus chose those who had a skill set first, then changed the character of the individual. He mentored each one.
A good team needs to have team members with different viewpoints as well as those who are specialists in a particular area. It is noteworthy that Jesus chose someone expertise in handling money. Taking a team of twelve around the country required money and the ability to manage it. I'm sure Jesus spent a great deal of time with Matthew mentoring him on the proper use of money. He had to reshape his thinking about money.
Once the team was formed Jesus spent time molding His team into a cohesive unit to operate in unity. He corrected them when correction was needed. He taught them what it meant to love one another. He washed their feet. He taught and modeled servant leadership. Before you put a team together sit down and make a list of the skills you want represented on your team. Then recruit and invest spiritually into your team. Who knows, your team might just change the world, too!
Resource from Prime Time with God (Daily Bread)
Sunday, March 15, 2009
ROR after a year
Hi hi hi!
Think I've been the one taking the most pictures of our cell. But seems like nobody really asked for it hahaha.. anycase, I tried to pick out some of the highlights to share! Enjoy..!
Bday celebration!
And our occasional guest! =)
That's all for now folks =)
Think I've been the one taking the most pictures of our cell. But seems like nobody really asked for it hahaha.. anycase, I tried to pick out some of the highlights to share! Enjoy..!
First Cell in G2, Jan 08
Cell @ YX & Serene new home, Jan 09
Bday celebration! Introducing our very own ROR worship team!
Our post-combine cell supper, Feb09
Emcees preparation for YX & Serene's wedding
Sharon & Yingwei
And our occasional guest! =)
That's all for now folks =)
Susan
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