Praises stream in...

You just got to pause and let the streams of praise envelop you once in a while.
Apologies... I just don't know how to get the player to centralize and look neat. Anyone knows?

Go Forth

These two days, i had the wonderful privilege of soaking in all about missions from Go Forth. Thank God for those wonderful sessions and workshops. I think beyond the content of the sharings, the speakers' lives radiates the life of Christ and pour forth immense and rich sharings of partnering with God in missions. A few things for now:
1. People really need to know the gospel. There's no hope except in the gospel. The gospel truly saves.
2. Incarnational discipleship. Nurturing and spending time with people are a must. Jesus himself set the model by being God Incarnate.
3. Youths need to know God. There's so much potential in youths.
4. I must read my Bible and read and read and read and read some more.

Life without Jesus is like a donut.

In moments like this, i am so thankful to know God in my youth. I can't quite imagine growing up in this big bad world without the loving Hands of our Lord Jesus to lead and to guide. You see, now that i know God, i don't have to go round searching for another companion to fill up this void. I may FEEL lonely but I am NOT lonely. God's presence is ever near. When i truly experience the love and the warmth of God's embrace, why would i want to search it out in another person that can never truly love me the way God does? Conclusion of the matter: Listen to God who to be your partner.

Because i know God, i don't have to go round trying to prove myself in the world. I may THINK i am worthless, but i am of SO much worth that He gave His life for me. In fact, I am of so much worth that Jesus would give His all just to have me. Thank you Jesus. Life without you is like a donut - there's a hole somewhere.

Far from Home

It is hard to yearn for heaven especially in a land bombarded with present realities that spell no future: internet, playstation, tv and the like. With pleasures that are so fast to attain, how can one ever yearn for the real and true home? Indeed we are far from home, and we need to remember that we are far from home.

Joseph Stowell's Far From Home paints a wonderful and real picture of what it means to be far from home and yet yearning for intimacy with God. In short, the book helped me remember this: There is no short cut when it comes to intimacy with the Lord. Its boils down to the daily communion with Him.

Five truths about intimacy with God (from Stowell's book)
1. Our primary purpose in life is to embrace the transcendent God by faith and to worship Him in purity and service.
2. God intervenes in dramatic ways only periodically and selectively for major purposes in His kingdom and the blessings of His people.
3. God has already done more for me than i deserve.
4. God is probably doing a lot of things that we do not even know about.
5. When God thinks of intimacy, He thinks of a heart relationship with us.

Footprints in the Sand

Popped by HMV and saw Leona Lewis album. Impressed by her vocals and decided to press play. Ah.. footprints in the sand... tt sounds like such a nice title. Track ___. Expected it to be another sappy love song. Wow ...turned out that the lyrics were pretty good too. And then it dawned on me... hey! isn't what she's singing that which i experience from the Lord? How come this sounds so familiar? Then i remembered, this is like the poem Footprints in the Sand. The one where the person noticed after walking a distance on the sand that there was only a set of footprints in the sand and it turned out that it was God carrying him all along. Thank God for such love and care for His people. I think Leona's song probably was sung as a love song, but its lyrics are so apt to God cos there's no one on earth that can compare to Him in the way the song describes.

You walked with me
Footprints in the sand
And helped me understand
Where I’m going
You walked with me
When I was all alone
With so much I no along the way
Then I heard you say
I promise you
I’m always there
When your heart is filled with sorrow and despair
I’ll carry you
When you need a friend
You’ll find my footprints in the sand
I see my life
Flash across the sky
So many times have I
Been so afraid ooh
And just when I
Have thought I’ve lost my way
You give me strength to carry on
That’s when I heard you say
I promise you
I’m always there
When your heart is filled with sorrow and despair
I’ll carry you When you need a friend
You’ll find my footprints in the sand
When I’m weary
Well I no you’ll be there
And I can feel youWhen you say
I promise you I’m always there
When your heart is full of sadness and despair
I’ll carry you When you need a friend
You’ll find my footprints in the sand x 2

Resurrection

Hi guys, it's been a while. I think i really should spend a little more time dusting off this blog and sprucing it up a little for mutual edification. 'll be back with mooe updates and basically just needing to sound my two cents worth in this wide world.

Bible Trails

Nothing beats sheer hard work at reading the Bible. Have been having exciting times studying God's word. A sample of what was covered in just two weeks
1. Foundation class Proverbs - Pride and Humility
2. Bible trail - Jeremiah, Isaiah
3. EYF - Luke 10, Eph 5 and many more
4. Others - Alice Matthews bible conference recordings

So much of the word of God given. Need God to help me to understand the Word inspired by Himself. Context is everything. Realised that understanding the context of the times really helped to apply God's truth in a deeper and authentic manner. Wow. the word of God is an endless discovery...

Joy in the Journey (by Michael Card)
------------------
There is a joy in the journey,
there's a light we can love on the way.
There is a wonder and wildness to life,
and freedom for those who obey.
All those who seek it shall find it,
a pardon for all who believe.
Hope for the hopeless and sight for the blind
To all who've been born of the Spirit
and who share incarnation with him;
who belong to eternity, stranded in time,
and weary of struggling with sin.
Forget not the hope
that's before you,
and never stop counting the cost.
Remember the hopelessness when you were lost?

Many people find their Christian walk dry, dull, lifeless and very dead. But remember the hopelessness when you were lost? When you remember that hopelessness, that hollow empty feeling of searching but never finding, of hoping but never receiving, it would be silly and very foolish to return back to those days of hopelessness right?

There is a wonder and wildness to life and freedom for those who obey. This is really a paradox isn't it, but the only way to freedom is like what this says: only when you obey. In obedience to God will one be awestruck and wild and free to run the race. Keep at this journey and do not stray away.

FAQs

Dear friends, here are answers to a few FAQs for all you need to know about Xiuying in the past few months after graduation.

So what have you been up to?
Oh, i've started working full time in my church since July. In the meantime, i'm applying to Duke programme. Hopefully this falls through. God knows best where i will go next.

What do you do working in church?
Oh, i do everything from washing toilets to mending lights. Just kidding. But in short, basically whatever i've been doing while i was still schooling, that's that, plus a few more other portions that has got to do with impacting lives.

How do you find it?
Learning something new everyday. Exciting and challenging and very humbling.

Are you paid?
Enough to cover my basic allowances. Never in lack.

why youth?

A sister asked me today why do i want to see 10 youths come in to fellowship? I told her i want to see the expansion of youth fellowship. She asked me why do i want to see the expansion of youth fellowship? I told her youths are meant to live for the Lord. And as she elaborated... yes... only a life lived for the Lord is a life not wasted and a life well spent. I want to see youths coming to know God because only that kind of life is best lived.

I remember i prayed to God a long time ago on that fateful night at the traffic junction opposite my house as i walked home from the event "Murdered by Numbers". I prayed and asked God to use me for the expansion of God's kingdom. And now, i really see the meaning of "be careful of what you asked for". God really answered my prayer and opened one opportunity after another to serve Him! He had answered really answered my prayer. Lord, continue to use me for as long as you deem me fit to serve you in this way.