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Easter series: Three truths to peace (my earthquake story)

“Attention please: Due to the earthquake, the train will be stopped temporarily.”

Earthquake? What earthquake? I was dozing off in the underground train to the airport when the train stopped with the sudden announcement.
I looked out the window. Dark. Surrounded by the underground tunnel.

The announcement repeated in loops; reinforcing the fact.

Somehow there’s still internet reception, so I googled “earthquake Taiwan”. Found out there’s a 6.1 magnitude earthquake somewhere.

All the passengers were quiet. Are they “seasoned, earthquake-experienced” Taiwanese? I wondered.

“Lord, help us to be safe,” I prayed in my heart.

I didn’t feel any tremors. But uncertainty hangs in the air. Will we be ok? How bad could this be? Movie scenes of people trapped in rubble flashed through my mind.

“Lord, whatever it is, You’ll be here with us to go through it,” I prayed with assurance, and to assure my heart.

Then came the second announcement: “All trains service suspended. Please alight from the train.”

Droves of people trudged out the train with their luggage. Some went straight up the elevator, while I stood there on the platform with my husband wondering, where do we go now?

The third announcement came: “All passengers, please leave the train and platform for your safety.”

We doubled it outta there. Managed to hail a Uber after no taxi was available due to the sudden surge of passengers (or those who weren’t fleecing victims with hiked-up fees). Thank God, we’ve made it to catch the flight with merely half an hour between reaching the airport, dropping off our two big cycling bags and boarding the plane! Somehow, we miraculously boarded the plane.

“Thank you, Lord, thank you, Lord, thank you, Lord,” I prayed.

The next day, as I sat quietly back home in my living room, thinking of the incident, I can’t help but proclaim, “I’m glad I have God.”
Because—who do I pray to and go for help?

When we’ve exhausted all human efforts, and our last string is frayed to a point of breaking, where and who do we go to?

For me, knowing who God is—omniscient (all-knowing), omnipotent (all-powerful), omnipresent(all-present); gave me the absolute, irreplaceable assurance that when things are beyond my control, God is still in control of everything. Even things I don’t quite understand.

It’s in times of desperation, when all hell breaks loose in our fallen world, I know without an ounce of doubt that He will either bring me out of it or through it. He is the only certainty in this life.

And if that earthquake day is my last day, I know where I’m heading to.

And though far from perfect, I did all I could in my life that hopefully counts in eternity.

These three truths: about the Almighty God, the death and resurrection of Jesus, and living with what really matters in mind, formed a foundation of peace in me which (when I remember to stop striving and fretting!), I fall back on time and again when things in life get crazy…or “earthquake-dy”.

Speaking of crazy, here’s a text conversation about that earthquake incident:
Friend: “Thank God for His covering! These moments feel like a lifetime when your life flashes before you.”
Me: “I didn’t have that moment. Just thinking of how to pee if we r crashed in. 🤣 (Sh*t that goes through my mind when in danger.) 
And that I have God. Period.“

You know the story of how Adam landed us in the dilemma we’re in—first sin, then death, and no one exempt from either sin or death. That sin disturbed relations with God in everything and everyone, but the extent of the disturbance was not clear until God spelled it out in detail to Moses. So death, this huge abyss separating us from God, dominated the landscape from Adam to Moses. Even those who didn’t sin precisely as Adam did by disobeying a specific command of God still had to experience this termination of life, this separation from God. But Adam, who got us into this, also points ahead to the One who will get us out of it. Romans 5:12-14 the Msg

Now may the God of peace, who through the blood of the eternal covenant brought back from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep, equip you with everything good for doing his will, and may he work in us what is pleasing to him, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.
Hebrews 13:20-21 NIV

Further reading:

Why Easter in 2 minutes

The first man and woman God created fell for Satan’s deception; sin entered man and the world. 
That’s the start of the separation of an eternal, loving relationship between God and man. 
Satan = death, eternal separation from God and eternal suffering and pain. 
God sent Jesus to the world. 
Jesus Christ is the promised Messiah and Savior of the world.
Three days after His crucifixion and death on the cross, Jesus rose from the dead (resurrected)
He laid down His life and died for us (a sacrifice) and paid the full penalty for the sin of mankind.
With the resurrection, Jesus defeated Satan and the power of sin and death. For all who believe in Him will restore that eternal loving relationship with God and have eternal life in Christ Jesus. 

If this spoke to you, here’s a prayer to invite Jesus into (or back into) your life. 

Lord Jesus,
I believe You died for my sins
I am sorry for the things I have done wrong in my life
Please forgive me. I am willing to turn from my way & follow Your way.
Thank you that You died on the cross for me so that I could be forgiven and set free.
I receive You now as my personal Saviour & Lord & invite You into my life from this moment. In Jesus’ name, I pray, Amen.

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Easter series: The Saturday before Easter Sunday most people ignored

Good Friday is the day where Christians commemorate the crucifixion of Jesus and his subsequent death.
Easter is celebrated by Christians as a remembrance of the resurrection of Jesus Christ, where Jesus rose from the dead three days after being crucified on the cross. It’s celebrated on Sunday. That’s why sometimes it’s referred to as Easter Sunday. 

Good Friday is “good” because we know what came on Sunday after the Friday when Jesus was crucified on the cross. We know three days later, Jesus rose from the dead.

We know the final score—victory. 

However, it wasn’t the case back then for the disciples and his friends who mourned for Jesus. Seeing Jesus took His last breath on the cross after being horribly tortured, crucified, humiliated. What happened to the Messiah, the Lord who performed miracles, who loved all, who said He’ll be with them, who’ll save them? He’s dead!  What happened to hope?

Can we imagine what was it like for them on that Saturday? That awful silence of hopelessness. Where’s God?!


 If there’s no resurrection, the entire Christian faith has no unshakable hope to offer anyone. 

But Christians (and even some non-Christians) know. We know the fact that Jesus will come alive three days after He died. And years after years, we have been celebrating and remembering this day we called Easter. If there’s no resurrection, the entire Christian faith has no unshakable hope to offer anyone. I would really then ask, what’s the point of anything?!

We celebrate Good Friday and Easter Sunday. But sometimes we may skip that in-between Saturday waiting room of our lives. 

We may become frustrated. Anxious. 
But nothing is as tragic as losing and giving up hope because we’ve forgotten about that Saturday. The in-between. 

I’m no theologian, but I choose to see a life lesson as to why the wait of that Saturday? Why not resurrect earlier? Perhaps it’s one of God’s ways for us in having faith? In identifying with hopelessness? In joining Him in suffering and through that, develop depth and compassion for others who are suffering? In deepening our dependency on Him? In developing patience? 

Without grasping this, we may get disheartened, disappointed, even furious at God, stomping away from Him when we couldn’t receive “the good life” we want. Maybe we have been faithfully following God when things happened in our life that provoked us to interrogate Him—why are You doing this to me?!

But since we know the final score, let’s persist in faith as we sit, wait, do, lament, hope for whatever we are waiting for. And know that even in the silence of the tomb, God’s with us. 

Waiting is one of the hardest things to do. It tests us. It tests our faith, our resilience, our patience. It reveals to us our relationship with God. It reveals to us who we are inside while we are in the waiting room. 

What’s your waiting room?

Further reading if you’d like:

Why Easter in 2 minutes

The first man and woman God created fell for Satan’s deception; sin entered man and the world. That’s the start of the separation of an eternal, loving relationship between God and man. 

Satan = death, eternal separation from God and eternal suffering and pain. God sent Jesus to the world. Jesus Christ is the promised Messiah and Savior of the world.

Three days after His crucifixion and death on the cross, Jesus rose from the dead (resurrected)He laid down His life and died for us (a sacrifice) and paid the full penalty for the sin of mankind.

With the resurrection, Jesus defeated Satan and the power of sin and death. For all who believe in Him will restore that eternal loving relationship with God and have eternal life in Christ Jesus. 

If this spoke to you, here’s a prayer to invite Jesus into (or back into) your life.

Lord Jesus,
I believe You died for my sins
I am sorry for the things I have done wrong in my life
Please forgive me. I am willing to turn from my way & follow Your way.
Thank you that You died on the cross for me so that I could be forgiven and set free.
I receive You now as my personal Saviour & Lord & invite You into my life from this moment. In Jesus’ name, I pray, Amen.

Receive the HopeMail newsletter on Sundays.

I send one article a week exclusively to this mailing list before it’s posted on this site and anywhere else.

There’s no spam. Just honest, useful content to help walk toward a joyful life. Why not join us?

Send me HopeMail!


 

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Easter series: If Jesus writes a letter about suffering and betrayal

Sometimes God speaks in the first person. That’s how personal He is in our relationship with Him. Perhaps, He is speaking to some of you who are reading this. –Dear child,
I’ve suffered. I get it. I get you. I’ve been there. In the darkest pit; in the most traumatic pain. Rejected by those who loved me. 

“I am poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint. My heart has turned to wax; it has melted away within me. My strength is dried up like a potsherd, and my tongue sticks to the roof of my mouth; you lay me in the dust of death. Dogs have surrounded me; a band of evil men has encircled me, they have pierced my hands and my feet. I can count all my bones; people stare and gloat over me. They divide my garments among them and cast lots for my clothing.” Psalm 22:14–18  ESV

But I suffered for a cause—so that God’s will may be fulfilled. 

“Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done” Luke 22:42 NIV

I’ve gone through it all and paid all debts, once and for all your past, present and future wrongs.

“God made him who had no sin to be sin for us” 2 Corinthians 5:21 ESV

Most of all, I’ve made a way to connect you back to God, to an eternal, loving relationship. 

John 3:16 says, “For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.”

I’ve given you the ultimate hope that no one and nothing could ever snatch away from you. The Devil’s scheme is defeated. Death is beaten. 

“But it has now been revealed through the appearing of our Savior, Christ Jesus, who has destroyed death and has brought life and immortality to light through the gospel.” 2 Timothy 1:10 NIV

Suffering will one day cease. 

“He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.” Revelation 21:4 NIV

I’m here, my child. In your darkest pit, I’m with you. Even though you can’t see me, I’m with you, you are not alone. Don’t give up. Don’t lose hope. I love you. I always have; I always will.
You're Gonna Be Ok (Lyric Video) - Brian & Jenn Johnson

I know it's all you've got to just be strong
And it's a fight just to keep it together
I know you think that you are too far gone
But hope is never lost
Hope is never lost

Hold on, don't let go
Hold on, don't let go

Just take one step closer
Put one foot in front of the other
You'll get through this
Just follow the light in the darkness
You're gonna be ok

I know your heart is heavy from those nights
But just remember that you are a fighter
You never know just what tomorrow holds
And you're stronger than you know
You're stronger than you know

Hold on, don't let go
Hold on, don't let go

Just take one step closer
Put one foot in front of the other
You'll get through this
Just follow the light in the darkness
You're gonna be ok

Just take one step closer
Put one foot in front of the other
You'll get through this
Just follow the light in the darkness
You're gonna be ok

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There’s no spam. Just honest, useful content to help walk toward a joyful life. Why not join us?

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Simplifying to a less is more life

My journey of living a less is more life started in 2017 when I sense the increasing murmur of my soul that it-needs-space. I just felt this urge to wanna back off, retreat from the noise of the world: the constant notifications of text messages, 360-degree life demands, the taunting comparison of life and beauty from carefully-curated photos on Instagram, the unending new arrivals from those fast fashion behemoths; even—church. 

All the things that used to command my attention—like moths to light—started to repel me. 

When my world spun out of control two years ago—the noise of our world’s more! bigger! better! faster! added to my chaos, crowding me in. I desperately needed stability, so I ran to God, the One who’s unchanging and certain. The Anchor in this rough sea of life. 

In wanting God; I craved for more solitude and silence. I just felt like pushing the noises away. Instinctively, I started on a decluttering and simplifying mission to purge all that is taking up space in my heart, to reduce the external noises to help increase the internal silence of my heart. And enlarge my space for God. 

Things I’ve decluttered (in no particular order)

Social media (not surprising, yes?) 
I’ve been fidgeting with the purpose of my personal social media accounts for a few years. Finally, I’ve taken action on my conclusion that it’s not doing me or people on my friends and followers list any good. I deactivated both my Facebook and Instagram accounts. One step short from deleting them, zapped. 

Text notifications
I learnt to mute all group notifications as chats can turn quite crazy and distracting. And I try as much as possible to not glue the phone to my hand. This helped to retrain my phone-checking habit. It’s ridiculous how phone notifications have tamed man to be so obedient in instantaneously responding to any dings and beeps. 

Airplane mode
After a few anxious tries (of thinking the world would crash without me), I can now easily put my phone on airplane mode or simply be temporarily unreachable when I don’t have to, with ease. After all, the people who need to contact me in matters of real urgency know who else to call to reach me. Those of us who use our phone app to read the Bible might relate to the distractions from the notifications while reading the Bible and listening to His words. Imagine a real-life date when you are talking to someone and that someone keeps checking their phone. 

Put away the phone
As you can see, all the above are related to smartphone usage. Well, the phone might be smart, but the user behaviour is certainly not. The often neck-tilting, head-bowing (ah, worshipping thy phone, are we?), thumbs tapping and people-excluding habit gotta go.

I tasted the freedom of not having to do anything with my phone when I spent four days at The Nest, Maxwell Hill in Taiping (a gorgeous, secluded bungalow lovingly tended by a couple). I didn’t know there is no internet reception there. But, I was glad. Those four days in 2018 were one of the best days of the year where my attention wasn’t scattered.

I was hooked to having such a peaceful focus so I applied this new practice to my daily life—putting aside the phone while I focus on my work, task, or people in front of me. I get so much more quality work done in a day with less tiredness, that’s what I can tell you. 

Clothes
I’m never a big shopper and wouldn’t call my wardrobe as excessive, compared to the norm, I think. But I know I regularly wear only 20% of what’s in my wardrobe. The rest of the 80% are taking up space, both physical wardrobe space, and mind space. To make a decision on what to wear, I need to always go through 80% of clothes I don’t wear anyway. So, I gave away 80% of my clothes, some of which I hung on because it’s so pretty (but I don’t wear certain styles of clothes anymore). I only kept the 20 % that can I easily mix and match and feel comfortable and confident in. You’ll be amazed the relieve of not having to make these outfit-matching decisions daily. 

Stuff at home
Hubs and I gave away more than 60% of our stuff at home. Stuff we kept for just-in-case situations and keepsakes. The chosen ones (hee hee) were things we know we’d often use. Though we gave away stuff, we also bought new stuff to accommodate our desires of having people coming over our home for meals. So we bought more cutleries, plates, and even a TV to run Alpha, Prayer Course or The Marriage Course. Ya, we didn’t have a TV for years. 

Content
Contents about life, growing in my faith, etc. might be good, but may not be the best for me. Too many articles, how-to this, 5 ways that, books, and podcasts. There’s a danger of skipping past what God is trying to tell me, to find quick answers to fix my problems. I wanna get the focus right with God as no one knows me as well as God does. Also, the overloading of content adds to the noise of daily life and takes up time too. So, nowadays, I am more intentional with the content I consume. That’s also one of the reasons I deactivated Facebook. Just too much stuff there. 

Moreism
I want God more in my life. And I often made the mistake of equating it to more Bible reading = more of God in my life. Or boxing God into any spiritual discipline = more of God in my life. I heard of people who went on spiritual retreats thinking because they have extended time (away from their work and chores), surely they will hear God more. But God doesn’t fall into our neat, little boxes. He often just wants us to like a kid, climb onto their father’s lap, and just be with Him. As simple as that.

So, I’m reminding myself to cease striving in this area. Case in point, after one of my Bible reading, I just couldn’t “get” anything to write in my devotion journal. Then, this voice in my head went, it’s ok. And this was my note instead of some deep, reflective thoughts:

Wanting God more in my life is great, but I gotta cease striving for it as if it’s something that I can achieve on my own. 

Church
I’m becoming more aware of the noises that can be in the church. Sometimes it gets so busy that at one point in time, I just felt so jaded of it all. I think what I’m trying to say is, I’m sifting through being a church and busy doing church. Huge difference. 

With all these being decluttered, I’m finding myself to be more at peace and less distracted. Granted, I have loads more to declutter—those inner junk, that hidden grieve, that puffed-up pride. But I’m glad I’ve taken the first step and responded to the distress call of my soul to give her some quiet. And to continue this journey of simplifying to a less is more life with my Lord. 

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There’s no spam. Just honest, useful content to help walk toward a joyful life. Why not join us?

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Where does our hope come from?

If you’ve been reading my articles, you’d have noticed that though the theme of my website and newsletter is “read articles and find resources to walk towards a joyful life”—I rarely have “ten ways to find hope in life, five secrets to find joy” kind of prescriptive articles. 
Because—life is anything but prescriptive. 
And—what do I know to tell you what to do?

There are also plenty of those articles on the internet and self-help books. I’m certainly not dismissing the value of those content for I too, at times, find some of them useful for moments in my life. 

At the same time though, I also felt swamped with well-meaning advice, tips and tools and what-have-yous. Sometimes, it even diverted me away from my true Counsellor. 

For who can know us ever so intimately than our Maker? Every worm, every sinew, every desire, every wicked thought, every hunger, every fear—He knew it before we did. Therefore our Maker is indeed the best personalised, bespoke, artisan Counsellor we could ever have. The greatest thing is? He will always come to us from a position of love and our best interests even if it’s sometimes, tough love. 

So what I’m saying is, the core of my articles is distilled into the title of my website: Knowing God—Finding Hope. And it’s in that order. 

And maybe my role is: through my writing, to nudge you to know God increasingly more in whatever ways (I’m absolutely sure God has His divine way for each of us), and through that—to find true, unwavering hope in Jesus amidst troubles—and walk towards a joyful life.

*Image: From The Message Bible, by Eugene Peterson.

Receive the HopeMail newsletter on Sundays.

I send one article a week exclusively to this mailing list before it’s posted on this site and anywhere else.

There’s no spam. Just honest, useful content to help walk toward a joyful life. Why not join us?

Send me HopeMail!


 

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Bye 2018, hi 2019

Here’s my look back to 2018 and look forward to 2019.

My 2018 theme
Rest through soul harmony

I like having a theme for the year. It keeps me focused on one key leverage which pulls every other thing together. Kinda like having a strategy and then aligning the tactical plans with it. 

With this theme, I was more intentional than before to centre my life on God and cultivating a close relationship with Him. 
That was to become the domino effect that caused a chain reaction to all areas of my life.  

More chilled, less rigid (in my “standard”)
I’m a creative person who likes systems. And that’s how I approach my Bible reading and spending *quiet time with God: systematically. However, there were murmurs from my soul which started in 2017, that it wanted to slow down and rest (in God). So, I took action.

In 2018, I learnt to be more chilled and go-with-the-flow-ish, less goal-driven and achievement-centric, which is not my typical Choleric, Type A behaviour. My quiet time because less structured, less measured and sometimes it can just be a time soaking in God’s presence and worship. Probably explains why I couldn’t complete the one-year Bible reading plan. I supposed God knows what I needed most for the season. In 2018 I learnt to: so be it; let it be. 

*An article from CRU.org explained quiet time as “a point during each day when we remove ourselves from the busyness of schoolwork, dorm life, and the ever-increasing demands of Facebook to spend time praying, reading God’s Word, and quietly listening to what God has to say to us.”

Less is more 
2018 was also big for me in “less is more-ism”. I became increasingly less accepting (ha, increasingly less, that’s an oxymoron!) of the world’s bigger, faster, better.

I think—in losing things, losing people, death to my misaligned dreams, and losing control (of which I never had anyway) did a brilliant job in making me realise what is really important in life. The first and most important is relationships. First with God, with that, everyone else. I think relationships are the only thing that will last after I die. And I want to leave behind memories with people that they are loved and they are important. But more than the flawed love of mine, God loves them whether they messed up or not. 

Turning points and shifts in 2018

Work
I stepped out from my five years of church communications work with no concrete plans of what’s next. Then with no part of mine in planning—joined a non-profit organisation seven months later. My work’s role purpose is to enhance the fundraising team’s ability to generate funds by writing compelling donor proposals and reports, and innovating the proposals and reports’ processes and systems. 

Write
Mid 2018 was the first time I dared to call myself a writer. When a new acquaintance asked me what do I do, I figured out saying, “I’m a writer,” sounds better than “I’m jobless.” It’s also the first time I have the word “writer” on my name card when I took up the fundraising writing role in the non-profit organisation. So now it’s official. “What do you do?” “I’m a writer.” 🙂

Looking ahead to 2019

My 2019 theme
Training (flex bicep emoji) 

The word “training” became clear to me as I looked ahead to what I want to do in 2019. I think after 2018’s “rest through soul harmony”, God knows I’m more ok with knowing what to drop and what to take on, yet with lesser striving. Hence, training is apt as I expand beyond my comfort zone. 

Health; cycling
I want to be able to cycle, travel and tour around with my husband. That means I got to have endurance and strength: strong core, quads, arm strength (to carry the bicycle up and down staircases!) minus the back and knee pain. 
I gotta train: schedule my workout instead of letting five days slipped by without knowing!

Writing; work
I want to consistently produce a weekly article for HopeMail without burning out in the long run. Work-wise, I want to improve my skills—writing compelling proposals and clear reports which our donors would love to read and take action upon.

I also want to have an accelerated learning curve for fundraising and the organisation I’m working with. Perhaps even tinker with Indesign (design software). Did you know that documents look awesome-r with Indesign? 
I gotta train: schedule regular writing time to practice how I deliver my written messages and to learn new skills. 

Bible reading; prayer
I yearn to draw closer to God. What’s great is there’s no limit to how deep and intimate a relationship with God can be. So I read the Bible—as God speaks through His words in the Bible “to inform my mind, inspire my heart, and instruct my behaviour”. (Borrowing a favourite quote from my pastor.) Where else prayer forms the foundation to everything!

These two spiritual disciplines have yet to be on auto-mode for me. Given the chance on certain days, I’d choose to do other things than reading the Bible. As for prayer, yes, I will still forget to pray and rely on my own wit and strength, resulting in stress and time-wasting.  
I gotta train: intentionally build the habit of setting aside a daily time of reading the Bible. And instead of worrying or doing things my own way, to always pray, pray, pray and let God direct my steps. 

By the way, for my workout, quiet time, and daily reflection, I’m using a habit-building app called Strides and it’s helping to keep me on track. 

Another fantastic way of keeping up with regular Bible reading is to use the app, Youversion. It has a feature for you to invite people to read the Bible together using a Bible plan where you can share your thoughts from the Bible passages with the group. My group has three people. We kept it small to reduce noise. This has worked marvellously for me as seeing my friends’ sharing motivates me to follow the Bible-reading plan daily.

To make prayer an ongoing posture and habit, I’ve set the alarm clock to go off twice a day, reminding me to pause and pray, especially throughout my work day. Something as simple as setting the alarm clock worked like magic. I look forward to increasing the frequency until prayer is ingrained in me and I have a greater sense of abiding and communing with God. I learnt this tip from The Prayer Course: a six interactive sessions for small groups based on The Lord’s Prayer, covering topics such as intercession, dealing with disappointment, learning to listen and spiritual warfare.

Hospitality; care
God is working in me and my husband’s hearts, moving us from a more inward-living lifestyle to outward-living, serving others. Having people over for meals and spills; making time and space for others, etc. 
I gotta train: is there a workout to expand our hearts? 😛

That wraps my look back to 2018 and look forward to 2019. Do you have a theme for your 2019? How do you look ahead to this year? I’d be happy to hear from you. 

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I send one article a week exclusively to this mailing list before it’s posted on this site and anywhere else.

There’s no spam. Just honest, useful content to help walk toward a joyful life. Why not join us?

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Great Battles Are Won From Daily Practise And Preparation

I’m not sure if it’s just me, or it’s a common thing for humans to overemphasise “bigness”. 
Big goals, big dreams, big victories, big improvements, big endings. 

I’m primarily a big picture person. I get excited over the vision I see in my mind and can be pretty driven to wanna get to the end game. Maybe that’s why I haven’t taken a great liking to artistic things like painting. It requires me to patiently, one brush at a time, one stroke at a time, inch to the completed picture I have in mind. 

In the pursuit of the big somethings, the known goals; I often forget that the process is the bridge to whatever that I’m pursuing. 

Read the entire Bible in one year, one day at a time.
Change toxic or unhealthy thoughts pattern, one thought, one day at a time. 
Stop being a complainer, one grateful attitude at a time. 

I celebrate success when I hit what I wanna achieve. 
But what about those little steps, those brush strokes that’ll eventually complete the picture?
What about those small battles, fought daily?
The small winnings that add up to a big victory?

When I read about David & Goliath from the Bible, I used to be wowed by how a small, shepherd boy brought down, literally, a giant whom other more equipped soldiers dare not fight. With one stone, a single shot from his slingshot—David hit the giant in between the eye, and the giant came toppling down. David became an instant hero. Wasn’t that a great show of how an underdog won the battle?

But the Holy Spirit revealed something else to me. 

As a shepherd, David had hours and years of practice aiming at and hitting lions and bears with his slingshot to protect his sheep from being attacked. Big and vicious beasts. It wasn’t his debut when he faced Goliath the giant. It wasn’t his maiden shot either in using the slingshot. 
David was prepared.

He had gone through the process, the little steps every day; sometimes failing, sometimes winning, but he keeps going on faithfully. God was preparing him to face the giant without him knowing it. 

We don’t go looking around for giants to fight. But those giants will come. Whatever giants that might come, be it in the form of adversities or opportunities, it’s in how we live our day-to-day that will prepare us for what’s ahead in the future. 

Preparedness is paying attention to what’s in our hands, as mundane and routine as it sometimes can be. 

Preparedness is being diligent with our daily work, whether a student, homemaker, or office worker. For we’ll never know when and how the dots will connect if we first don’t draw those dots one-by-one. 

For me, preparedness can be in faithfully writing and sharing even when I think there’s no audience reading. 

Preparedness is respecting our transition or even incubation period. It’s unsettling when we see no sight of shore after the end of a season, and we just wanna move on to a new season. But perhaps, we are not ready for a new season? So, pay attention to what’s happening now, what’s needed to be done now, and do it faithfully. 

Preparedness is the daily time with God in prayer, reading His words from the Bible, and quietening our hearts to hear him. For there will always be times where what was deposited in our hearts will be needed—to intercede, to forgive, to pray, to go into a battle. 

Preparedness is in getting better every day; when we choose not to ruminate on those unhealthy thoughts and replace them with whatever that is true, gracious, beautiful. 

Don’t look down on our daily processes and battles. 

“David said, “I’ve been a shepherd, tending sheep for my father. Whenever a lion or bear came and took a lamb from the flock, I’d go after it, knock it down, and rescue the lamb. If it turned on me, I’d grab it by the throat, wring its neck, and kill it. Lion or bear, it made no difference—I killed it. And I’ll do the same to this Philistine who is taunting the troops of God-Alive. GOD, who delivered me from the teeth of the lion and the claws of the bear, will deliver me from this Philistine.” Saul said, “Go. And GOD help you!”
‭‭1 Samuel‬ ‭17:34-37‬ ‭MSG‬‬


*Image credit: By Majumwo – Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0

Preparedness in and through God, in knowing who God is—gives confidence in a battle. 

May we fight the good fight—being wise, being diligent, being faithful with what God has currently placed in our hands.

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The ending and beginning of a season

Seven months after I’ve ended my five years of full-time ministry in the church, something new is about to begin. My transition, or rather, the incubation period of “something’s gonna happen, but I don’t know what” is coming to an end.

I’m gonna start work in a Christian nonprofit organisation soon. Back to full-time ministry.

It is unexpected.

I certainly wasn’t going around looking for it. Nope. Because even though I was waiting expectantly on the Lord on my what’s next, I’ve absolutely crossed off: employment. You see, all through my working life, I was hardly the “employed” type following to the beat of others. I like to chart my own course. I thrive in a blank canvas environment where I can start and create businesses.

My rough idea for my what’s next was more geared towards focusing on using my writing to encourage people (myself included!) to walk towards a joyful life through HopeMail and this website, Knowing God—Finding Hope. Also, taking on communications and copywriting projects as my income-producing work.

My idea was: logical, practical, in line with my gifts, desires, purpose. Therefore, it’s logical that the idea should materialise, right?

Nope. No sirree. Negative. Nah-ah.

Somehow my paths have converged into this soon-to-be new season. A new beginning.

A friend from a nonprofit organisation asked if I’m ready to explore working with them. Two years ago, the same question was asked, and I said no. This time, I said yes to finding out more about the opportunity, provided that it’s on a non-employment basis as I wanted the flexibility of time and location. But it turns out that the role needed someone to be a full-time employee.

I had wrestled through the decision-making process. Prayed, sought wise counsel, used logical thinking, connected dots, and prayed a lot more. Not serene, calm prayers, mind you. More like an urgent call, God! God! Are You sure? Am I making this up?! Back to ministry again? And employment? God, you know my natural bent is not suitable to be constricted to rigid rules and such. I thought the past five years with the church was a (once-in-a-lifetime) “miracle” and I’m done. Now? Again? What?! Are You sure?

I’m not sure if I drove God or the people I’ve sought counsel with crazy, for I went round in circles with my thoughts and (in)decision.

I was almost whiny, like a kid. That’s when it hits me. Has God ever short-changed me when I took a leap of faith and joined the church office? Wasn’t I blessed (even through tough lessons) beyond my imagination? Haven’t I grown in my relationship with Christ?

Also, this upcoming season may not happen if not for my past five years in the church—because I wouldn’t have the chance to prepare for it.

And it hits me when I knew I’d contradicted myself. When I earnestly told God on 31st December that I wanna surrender my life to Him, meaning, I would listen to Him and follow. Because I love Him. And He knows what’s best for me. He loves me. He is God of all.

But then, I acted like this kid who’ve been invited, but unwilling to give up her little sandbox for what’s more significant.

“Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us,” Ephesians 3:20 NIV

This verse appeared to me, one, two, three, four, five, six, seven times (yes, I’ve kept count) during the entire decision-making process. I don’t know for sure if it’s God patiently telling me this: hey, quit clutching on what you think it’s good, for I’m gonna give you something great. Now, if you can just let go and trust in Me.

Still. I was too chicken to leap as I wanted a 100% assurance that I’m hearing correctly from God to go ahead with this new season.

Finally. I can’t take this sitting on the fence any more. Furthermore, the people I’d sought counsel with, and circumstances all stacked to a yes. Most importantly, I do not wanna risk being defiant to God. So, I lept.

It’s the only way to know for sure. To quiet down my pesky, anxious, worried voice. Just like how I did with the church ministry. For when God invites His followers to His work, often some life adjustments are needed. And adjustments are uncomfortable. Sometimes, it doesn’t seem to be logical or practical in my finite human understanding too.

This period of wrestling with the decision also brought to attention how my heart has strayed from the centrality of Christ. His sovereignty. How my heart has been cluttered with worries and wants. How unrested my soul was.

And I’m sorry. I’m sorry for muddling that fine line between my dreams and God’s plan. FOMO (fear of missing n out), I had. Fearfully clutching to my own dreams and goals because letting them go to God may mean that they might not be realised.

As I’ve mentioned earlier, I’m just like a kid not wanting to get out of the sandbox when God is saying; there is more, get out of that box (or get out of the boat, like Peter in the Bible). When I too wanted the ”there is more of God”, but I’d mistakenly turned it into a logical arithmetic exercise. I’d temporarily lost sight of how mighty, wise, and all-knowing God is. And of my desire to wanna follow Christ.

I didn’t hear what Jesus said:

“And He said to them, “ Follow Me [as My disciples, accepting Me as your Master and Teacher and walking the same path of life that I walk], and I will make you fishers of men.”

And I guess I didn’t do this either:

“Immediately they left their nets and followed Him [becoming His disciples, believing and trusting in Him and following His example].”
Matthew 4:19-20 AMP (Emphasis mine)

But I’m a lifelong learner. Learning to tune, to recalibrate, to become more and more aware of the rhythm of someone walking closely with Christ. Learning to identify the beginning and end seasons of life. To accept and live with the season. To prepare and make room for a new season to begin. Following to the beat of His drum, not mine.

So help me, Lord. (and pray like mad.)

 

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My husband’s cancer—one year down the road

A year has passed since my husband was diagnosed with stage three lymphoma. The haematologist said that my husband can opt to “watch and wait” and not proceed with chemotherapy unless the symptoms of the disease change.

We have lived an almost normal life for the past year, but are bluntly reminded of reality whenever we go to the hospital for his medical checkup. Like this trip—I was seated beside my husband at the Cancer Centre of the hospital as we waited to see the TCM (Traditional Chinese Medicine) doctor. We were surrounded by different people: middle-age, elderly, some are alone, some came with families. But all of them have one thing in common—cancer.

For me, a wife of a husband with lymphoma, a daughter with a biological father, mother, stepfather with cancers, and friends too; I have been in and out of the hospital environment, especially the cancer ward since 2010.

I have the cancer-patient image blazed into my memory cells. Bald, skin-and-bones scrawny. Their expressions, sometimes downcast, solemn, even fearful. Occasionally brave, with a smile.

In the cold of the air-conditioned waiting room, the whites of the hospital wall, the bending of the heads of people looking at their phones, the blank looking-into-the-distance expressions—I often wonder, what’s on their mind?

Maybe my husband heard my thought.

“I wanna do what I want while I still can,” said my husband out of the blue as we sat down for our cafeteria lunch, post-appointment with the TCM doctor.

I looked up from my meal to him, paused for a few seconds and declared,”You know, just now when I stepped out of the cold hospital to get some fresh air and sunshine, I looked up to the blue skies, and this thought came into my mind: we need to change our lifestyle.”

It’s not that we are living a dangerous lifestyle. I think we are above average concerning taking care of our health, with our food and exercises. But I just felt these words in my mind…we need to have:
More sun
More light
More openness
More happiness
More space
More hope
More energy
More smiles
More love
More prayer
More dependence on God
More letting go

It has been a very tough two years for us. Dealing with cancer of self and others, illnesses, caregiving, hospitals, death, family crisis, work crisis, work, etc. If anything, to me, these two years is an accelerated course in maturity.

Though it has taken an emotional toll on us; we’ve pulled through by the grace of God and prayer. Thank God our marriage relationship strengthened through the trials as we each formed a pillar of support for each other. We’ve pulled through too, through love being given to others and received from others. Love—soften all the blows of life.

Perhaps we’ll tweak “I wanna do what I want while I still can” to “I wanna do what I need to do while I still can”.

We’ll go on living with a renewed vision of being even more intentional with our lives.
To serve people.
To do some of the things we like that make our souls very pleased and happy, like travelling. (Double yay!)
To look at the bigger picture—life on earth is merely a journey as we are pilgrims on the way to eternity with God.
To manage or remove unhelpful external circumstances when we can; to learn to let go when we can’t.
To forgive ongoing, recurring hurts from people. (This is still tough for me.)
To learn how to de-stress.
To adopt the mindset of less is more; living a simpler life.

And because we can trust in an all-knowing, all-powerful, all-present Almighty God—to keep learning and practising living with these golden words:
Instead of worrying, pray.
and
Let it go.

 

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It’s the last quarter of the year (time to reflect)

It’s October, the start to the last quarter of the year. I usually don’t wear my year-end reflection uniform (I made that up) until Dec or even January! Because I’m usually “too busy”, which is just another egoistic way to describe misaligned priorities.

This year, I’m half a year jobless (though I would seriously call my writing for HopeMail a job that doesn’t pay my bills), so I’m less swept by pressing schedules and have a head start to get my reflective mode on till the end of the year.

I’d like to pause here and invite you to join me in using this reflective moment of the year to ask ourselves this question: how did we live our days this year?

If we could name a theme to our year, what would it be? If our immediate response would be the word “busy”—can that be an invitation to look deeper—what is it that we have been primarily busy about? And why? Did it connect with the bigger picture of life?

The overarching theme I’ve set at the beginning of the year is: soul harmony through rest. I know, poetic sounding, right?

Did that—soul harmony, happened?
Yes and no.

Yes: Because I was intentional in making space to read God’s words, pray more regularly, and schedule periodical silent retreats. I’ve had moments and brief periods of time where I truly felt rested, perhaps more than my previous years.

No: Because I had more time this year during my period of not working; I think more, and the clutters from my heart surfaced more than before.

I’ve cleared loads of clutter from my physical and digital space. It’s the spiritual clutter that’s more difficult to remove. Not so straightforward.

The struggles got my heart’s attention in whether I’ve placed God as the Lord of my life. And how did I live it out in the days of the year.

This year—I learnt more of myself as I know God more and more.

The more I looked beneath the symptoms from the problems of my life, and shifted to look at Christ’s character: loving, forgiving, gentle, humble…the more God revealed to me the condition of my heart which is often not pretty. Usually, the problems are not the problem; it’s our response to the problems that is the problem. My pastor used to quote this: the heart of the problem is the problem of the heart. Bingo.

This year—I’m big on digging beneath the surface of me, going beyond yearly action-based goals.

There were a lot of thoughts examination. Why I’m repeatedly triggered from the same thing, the same persons; why I’m easily angered (by the way, if you are often easily angered or irritated, this is a big symptom of something’s not right, and it’s leaking out in the form of anger). I’m still working this through, and I felt like this is just the beginning.

This year—I’m not my usual gung-ho self. The go-getter, get-it-done Type A.

Oh, I still have it in me, that’s for sure. But, I’m learning to be pliable to life as life doesn’t bend to our wishes. I’m far, far away from being this vision I have of how a rested person in Christ looks and feels like. But I’m thankful for the seed of wisdom being nurtured to grow into a person—rested because of her dependency on God.

One of the more prominent lessons I’ve learnt to f-l-o-w with God’s leading is during my transition period; when I left my previous work with no idea of what should I do next. I’m not in my 20s to have this boho spirit, mind you.

After a tug-of-war phase of toggling between doing the logical thing of planning to launch my copywriting business; while keeping an eye for directions from God—I hit the oasis of having peace in my heart with uncertainties rather than chasing over what’s uncertain.

That’s when I had a clear why and direction for my then blog, now, newsletter+ website for the first time in four years. And also that building a copywriting business might not be the best thing for me now. Though I’m pretty sure I can push for a decent business to happen, but it may not be well with my soul to chase for it. I don’t know why. Just doesn’t feel right.

So I learnt to let go of my stubborn bite. I’m learning to channel my bull-dog tenacity away from things that don’t matter in light of eternity (which is A LOT); directing it to be watchful of when I stray away from having Christ as my true north. I discovered that like sheep, despite being shown green pastures, I like to waddle away from my Shepherd. A lot.

This year—I’m learning to simplify. To cull: goals, wants, apps, tools, ways, information, social media.

The world: its stimuli and its good intentions are just getting too much for me.

Take productivity tools for example; I know there are loads of useful apps out there for task-tracking, reminders, planning, note-taking, etc. But that also means I have to keep all those different apps synced to one another. So, I chose to stick to Evernote. One app for almost everything. My grocery list, to-dos, meeting notes, idea dump, prayer journals, sermon notes, travel planning, blog post drafts, and many more. It syncs across all my devices. I love it when I can access what I need wherever I am.

This year—I’m learning to focus on the process towards a goal.

Wanna get fitter, lose or gain 2kg? It’s those three-four times a week of workout that we need to be diligent with. Small things done consistently is powerful. And oh, how I love the word “diligent”. Let everything we do be with diligence. Let diligence be in everything we do. We can’t be “diligent” with our goals, but we can be diligent in our steps, our process, our actions.

This is the year that I dare to, albeit gingerly, stick my head out and called myself a writer.

I remembered the very first time I did that was in August. A newly-met friend asked, “what do I do”. I figured saying “I’m jobless” is not so appealing so I said, “I’m a writer.” “Oh, what do you write about?”, she asked. “Articles that’ll help people find hope in trials and walk towards a joyful life.”, I pitched. That led to both of us, strangers just a few minutes ago, sharing about the pains from our lives. I also had the privilege of praying for her.

This is the year I learnt to say no to many things and be intentional in enlarging the space of my heart for God.

I’m ever thankful to God for this season where I have the blessing of time away from full-time work to sit still, be solitary, be present with and for people, “waste time” with God, pausing long enough for truths to surface within my heart so that they can be dealt with.

Have I lived a good life this year? The ambitious Type A in me might dismiss it saying, “it could have been better, ” followed with a long list of things-to-improve. But I hope my developing Type B will say, “Keep walking with Christ. I’m happy that you have become so aware of your need for Christ in your life—yes, you did well this year.”

Your turn (to reflect).

“How we spend our days is, of course, how we spend our lives.” Annie Dillard

 

Receive the HopeMail newsletter on Sundays.

I send one article a week exclusively to this mailing list before it’s posted on this site and anywhere else.

There’s no spam. Just honest, useful content to help walk toward a joyful life. Why not join us?

Send me HopeMail!