The Reason I Live is Christ

Pay close attention to yourself and to your teaching; persevere in these things, for as you do this you will ensure salvation both for yourself and for those who hear you. (1 Tim 4:16)

Monday, December 25
The Word Became Flesh

On the left we have a clear understanding of the significance of this blessed day. yet to many who do not understand the terms, here is a more layman explanation of it.

The God who created us and the world, left His heavenly place to live among us. God became flesh like us as Jesus Christ. He came down in order for us to have a relationship with Him once again, because He loves us. He did that by dying in our place.

God is not biased. He loves every single person and offers this gift to all. He does not force us to love Him, but allows us to choose so that we can love Him meaningfully. Like any other gifts you have received this blessed day, you can't claim it for yourself until you reach out and take it. God stretches out this gift before you this day. Will you accept it?

***
-=Too High A Price=-

I thank God that I have been entrusted to share His amazing good news, just as all who knows God. After TCS i was sharing a cab with my bro and joshua. I sat in front and engaged into a conversation with the driver. Within minutes, we were talking about Christmas. I spare no time to bring through why Christ must come and what He did when he showed interest in knowing the reason we Christians celebrate Christmas. By God's help i managed to do it in chinese! Definitely a first for me.

God reminded me of a song We are the Body. it was to remind me how we as representatives of God do not reach out in love, do not love them as He did. He paid too high a price for us to pick and choose. What are you doing to share His love today?

-=P3ng=- | 2:13 pm

Sunday, December 24
An Unexpected Learning Experience

Coming back from Thailand, i actually though to myself i've learnt much and so now focus on the Christmas Switch. Little did i expect that God wanted to teach me much through the process of preparing for this event.

The process drew out many of my flaws. The setting of being tired, exhausted day after day with tons of things to take note, do and prepare, i was mentally strained. I found many of my actions and speech to be unpleasing and unacceptable. I should be an encouragement and help others along, but instead i reflected if i had been a burden, adding unneeded stress to people when i spoke without thinking.

My judging eyes and my forgetfulness are some of the other flaws. At the end of each day as i spend time praying, the Lord spoke with a lesson for me to learn each time. When i serve God, my heart/ intention must be pure. For God will know whenever my heart has hidden agendas, and then i will be unable to serve properly because it is for the wrong reasons.

I'm thankful that despite my flaws, God still guided me through. I'm thankful that i managed to have good fellowship with the feng shan boys and brought the good news of Jesus Christ across. Pray that they will see God's love as we did.

-=P3ng=- | 11:30 am

Tuesday, December 19
Christmas is in the Air

It's going to be Christmas soon. The season of Advent is coming to an end. I agree that for some years, the Christmas feeling is stronger. It feels more like Christmas this year compared to last year cos I am celebrating it as a civillian! haha. Actually, the feeling is stronger because of the Christmas related events that we are organising. 2 years ago there was The Different Christmas and Celebrate Christmas in Orchard where we actually performed a dance in Orchard. I'm thankful this year we get to organise The Christmas Switch. There's also carolling and for the 1st time after years, Christmas eve is on a sunday. so we now have a sunday with no morning service =p

But in reality, how 'strong' the feeling of Christmas is dependent on what it means to you, and how important it is to you. Christmas for the non-believers is just a time of present exchange, time of love and sharing. But beyond all that they could not see the true joy we see. That in the fullness of time, God left His heavenly realm and set foot on earth, to restore the relationship that was lost. Christmas should always be important because it reminds us of the day Christ came.

-=P3ng=- | 9:59 am

Thursday, December 14
The Trip and Me

It's my 2nd time going to Thailand for mission trip. The 1st time was 2 years ago before entering army. Little did I expect God will call me to lead the team. As team leader, the whole trip was a total different experience for me. It was always more than just about me. I had to keep in mind what's next, be prepared to organise last minute programs for the schools and churches we visited, look after the welfare of the team, PR with the Thai pastors and teachers, many more.

From this trip, 2 characteristics of God are clearly shown. He provides. I've learnt to be appreciative of what God has given us, to trust and depend on Him to provide us with what we need to do His work. God provided me countless advices from both Romans and Ivy. Their advices and guidance made up any lack of experience I had though I learnt that experience is not everything as it might cause you to depend on yourself instead of God. In my uncertain and unknown situation, I was brought to depend on God wholly, and trust in His guidance in making decisions daily. I realised God speaks to us more often than we realises. Almost everytime we know what to do when we have to make a choice and that is wisdom from God.

He provided good health and recovery. I was the only one who fell sick throughout the trip. I had a terrible stomache and it drained my energy the whole morning. Thank God He healed me through A-Chan Pinpaa who was a qualified nurse. She gave me some ginger medicine and i was ok by noon.

He provided Rosanna. This trip we are grateful to have Rosanna to join us for almost the whole trip. She was the answer to the language barrier. Thank God because without her, the gospel skit, the testimonies could not have been as effectively delivered to the thai students and church members we visited. She was also a very fun person to serve the Lord with. I'm glad we can be an encouragement to her as she is to us.

He provided Frode. A Missionary. A Pastor. He is from Norway. You won't believe if i told you how he ended up in Ubon Thailand. It was his birthday (8th Dec) and his wife gave him a ticket to thailand as his present while she stayed back and look after their 4 children. He had been working as a missionary in Ubon for quite a few years already, so this visit is just to see how the church there are doing. We first met him at the church and immediately on the spot we needed him to help us translate testimonies. He followed us to a school for 2 days and there he helped. He was more than a translator, he was an encouragement to us. When we heard about how while we were teaching english, he was talking to the thai teachers and passing them booklets about Christ. As what he said, we wouldn't know what God has done that day until it bears fruit. But God is working. After we parted on the day before his birthday, we wondered when we will see him again. Perhaps next time will be in heaven. =) This is God that in His sovereignty brings His people together to serve Him like that. It made me totally awed just thinking about it.

He guides. These 2 words are written on the mission trip dog tag i made this year. Leading a team like that for the 1st time, i needed guidance. And God really guided me. I was able to discern, able to remain clear on the objectives the team set out to do, and mindful of the things needed to be done. God granted me wisdom to manage the team. Much of which came through the other leaders. I did not always make the best decision but i'm glad many suggestions came along the way and we changed accordingly.

What about me? The only personal goal that i didn't achieve was serving God with joy. Most of the time i allowed the burden of the work and the worries to flood my thoughts that i forget i should be serving with joy and enjoying the moment.

Usualy when we hear others encouraging people to do mission work, they will use the verse the harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. A person who has not seen the harvest field will not see the urgent need for workers until he see it for himself. I have. And i really hope to do more next year if i can go back.

-=P3ng=- | 9:11 pm

Wednesday, December 13
I'm Back!

This is just to inform you that WE ARE BACK!!! WHOO~ It has been a great experience for all 12 of us. I'm thankful that you all have been praying for us. The Lord is indeed great. He can be seen throughout the trip, guiding us, providing us, sustaining us. it was very tiring as a leader, but i'm thankful to have grown closer to the Lord. We'll consolidate and hope to share with you about the trip soon. Thanks again for praying. Love to share with you all what God has done through us. Glory be to God alone.

-=P3ng=- | 8:29 pm

Friday, December 1
Youth Thailand Mission Trip 2006

To make things easier and save time, i shall copy my support letter here.

Dear ,

I am delighted and pleased to inform you that by God’s grace, our youth team will be going on a mission trip to Thailand again this year. Our team of 12 people will be departing from Singapore on 1st Dec and return on 13th Dec (13 days).

During this trip, we will be visiting primary & secondary schools in a village in Ubon, and participating in their English camps where we will teach the students simple English through lessons and games. At the end of the program, we will lead them in a time of celebration with songs, dances, skits and testimonies. We will also minister to the Thai youths in Ubon’s youth hostel where we will be staying. It will be a night of gathering to tell them about God. By God’s providence, we have also been given the opportunity to visit 2 high schools in Bangkok to do a program with them. It is also encouraging to know that all the Lutheran Churches in Ubon wants us to visit them upon knowing that we are going this year.

Our objectives for this trip are to encourage our youths to do engage themselves in the mission field, and also to cultivate godly attitudes and behaviors through the experiences from this trip. In addition, we seek to bring God’s love to the young people in Thailand (Ubon & Bangkok) through the programs and the lessons we have prepared and also observe for any greater opportunities for follow up work to be done.

We have begun our preparations for the trip and would like you to pray for us as we rehearse for our performances and prepare our English lessons for the Thai youths. Pray also that the Lord will keep us healthy until the end of the trip. Most importantly pray that through this mission trip, all of us will grow deeper in love with God.

We hope that you’ll be able to support and join us in doing God’s work through prayer and also, financially. We are required to raise a total of S$450 for each member. Each member will be responsible for their own airfare, so the amount that is raised will be strictly for accommodation and any other expenses incurred during our 13 days in Thailand.

I’m very thankful that God has allowed me to go on a mission trip once again. This is my second time going and I am grateful that God gave me an opportunity to serve Him by leading this team. As I have just finished my NS, I wanted to use this break before going to University next year to explore possible future career paths. I see this opportunity as God’s way for me to explore my gifts and abilities through different ways of serving Him. I also seek to be aware of all opportunities to reveal and share God’s love to others and I believe this trip will allow me to share His love to the Thai people and also to remind me how I should continue to share His love to my friends in Singapore.

Please pray for me and my team, that we will serve God with a joyous heart, sharing God’s love with joy to the Thai youths. Pray that God will help us overcome any obstacles throughout this preparation period, and for the trip itself. Pray for Thai youths that they will have open hearts to receive the gospel.

Your help and support are greatly appreciated.

Ang Peng Siang
Team Leader
Thailand Youth Mission Trip 06

Yea so please pray for me and my team... We will back soon.... till then.. peace out!

-=P3ng=- | 3:14 pm

Facing Myself

Before the Hong Kong trip, i saw it as a hinderance, why must it be just before my Thailand Mission trip, especially being the leader of the trip, i have many things to oversee and ensure. But i never knew God had it all planned out. He used the Hong Kong trip to prepare me. Just as how I've shared during a devotion that we need to allow God to prepare us; that throughout this period of practice and preparation, we need to draw near to God.

I was totally surprised at how this Hong Kong trip prepared me. First was the experience of going overseas. It was quite a long time since i've went overseas with my family or friends. The countless custom checks, the things to note, to remember will end up helpful in a way. being in a foreign country not knowing their 1st language can be very irritating. Thank God that at least i still knew how to speak mandrian, so it wasn't that bad. (I don't know Cantonese!)

next was how this trip nurtured patience for me. I was able to see myself in my parents. As in, i see qualities and character that i inherit from my parents. both good and bad. i find it very hard to accept their lack of confidence in me, their over-worrying of too many insignificant things, inflexiblity, and their stubborness at times. Haha, it's actually quite interesting to see that it is natural for my parents and my uncle and aunts(siblings of my parents, not the in-laws) possess this indian chef character. So everywhere we go, we have them discussing. I, on the other hand, usually play and chat with my cousins. But my point is that it felt weird having to "face myself" when i had to tolerate my parents. I was very quick to snap at my parents and was rude at many times when they were unreasonable or worrying too much. because i am like them, i was indirectly scolding myself. It brought me to think how i have not been a living testimony for God, how i have not been matured as i should be, that i had to be lectured by my uncle on patience. It humbled me, reminded me how i have not loved my parents. It also caused me to think how i should not behave, to trust the Lord that i need not worrying about too many insignificant things but to be mindful of the things that truly mattered.

last was how i was prepared to share the gospel. I was presented with quite a few opportunities. but somehow i allowed it to slip and when i looked for opportunities, there was none left. i was not prepared "out of season" when one of my uncle challenged me with his many reasons why Christianity is false. All i did was to defend with all the knowledge i know. however, even though i was aware that he is not going listen what i had to say but kept attacking me with controvesies and saying many things in general, i realised my mistake of keeping it in the intellectual catagory too late. When i realised that the conversation is going no where, i wanted to drive it to find ways to bring the gospel in, yet there was no time. After that i prayed to God, throught the quiet time, God told me i should ask him deeper personal questions instead of dwelling on how i know God is true. Thing like purpose and what's after death, science and human intellect cannot answer. however, i did not approach him the next day simply because i find it uncomfortable to talk to him again. I knew i should, but i didn't.

I was not prepared "in season" too. I knew my aunt's friend (he came to tag along) was interested even though he was a free thinker. I spent a night reading through the chinese way to share the gospel because he is from china and not really understand english. however, i insisted on using a method i've learnt to share the gospl that i miss the chance to talk to him about Christ. he asked why a human being becomes God after dying on the cross. i actually deflected and say i'll explain later at the hotel. but i never found the chance.

Amazing how so many things can happen over the past 5 days. I shall not blog on what i did during the trip, because it was mainly just shopping.. haha (in case u are wondering, that 3rd picture is taken at macau tower. There's this sky walk thing where u can walk around the edge of the tower which is suppose to be about 80 plus storey high. And praise God we actually was in time to see the sun set.. cool eh?)

-=P3ng=- | 2:32 pm