Term 2 Week 1

After Promises Camp, it was the new year, and the new school term would start again on Monday! I was excited to journey in this new term with God, believing that He would led me in new friendships, new learning, and that He is doing a great work in this year ahead.

One of my worries was the Cambodia OCSP that me and a few others were leading. We only got news that we were leading it later in December, and there were concerns about whether everyone can commit, about what the preparation for the OCSP will be like, what leading a group of students for the first time will be like? Beyond the just doing a community service project, this OCSP had meaning to me. The 2 previous runs of it were initiated mainly by Hope people, and last year they even went to the same village that me and my mission team went in May. I'm excited to go back to Cambodia to meet the friends and people there, and also to do this whole OCSP with a spirit of excellence and love, that new friendships will be form, and more will come to know God's love. Do pray for me and the OCSP, the leadership team has not been confirmed, and all the leaders including me are inexperienced. But let this be a great work and may you lead each step of the way God :)

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On the eve of the new term, I planned to recuperate at home, to spend quality time with God, to blog, to exercise.. But right after my morning QT, Ernest spontaneously asked me out for lunch, followed by a spontaneous invite to play mahjong with Nicholas, Maisie and their friend. It was a great and enjoyable time! I didn't get to blog and exercise in the end, but it felt great to let God lead me to where to go, who to meet, what to do. And at night, I texted Tjun Sern, we had not talked for a while and praise God, he is keen to visit Hope again! Today, he just said yes, so me and Ernest will be lunching and going to service with him. Thank you Jesus.

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Monday, I met with the SMU Year 1 brothers to lunch in school. Pei Da said he could not make it, but thank God we all managed to gather together as we kick off this new school term! Brothers let's spur and encourage one another as we journey with God and go through SMU :)

My first class was Marketing, I met this dude called Delfin, it's pretty cool cuz we were both year 1 biz and we knew we wanted to pursue Marketing. I then had Creative Thinking (Yes! Can lepak and have fun LOL). And it's also cool that me and Alicia are in the same class. I first met Alicia when Freshman Teambuilding Orientation ended, then we were in the same Stats class in term 1. She also joined for Ravi Zacharias' sharing, and it's great to be in the same Creative Thinking class now.

After class, me and Ming Quan met with PD to have "dinner", and planned to celebrate PD's 22nd together with a surprise with the rest of SALG. PD was surprised but kind of expressionless cuz he was shag, which was really funny! We ended up having a Déjà vu of last year's celebration for him. We ate at Nihon Mura again, and then took an almost identical photo outside Cathay! Also bumped into Amos, and it's really cool that we wore matching clothes haha.

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Tuesday came, and I was have lunch together with my LG right during the first week of school! Me and PD were preassigned to the same Financial Accounting class, which is really amazing since we were preassigned to the same Business Law class last term, and preassigned in the same OG during orientation. 

 

My school has a toastmaster club, and they held a visiting session and I just heard of it today, but really thank God that I went for it today, was just thinking of checking it out and Dominic(who's the ex-president of the club and in Hope) also say just go see. Just before the session, I was surprised when our LG spontaneously gathered at HQ because we rarely see each other together at HQ. They also wanted to dinner so I thought I'll just eat with them because I treasure the time with them. But after they encouraged me to just go for the toastmaster session, I went and I really thank God I did.

At the session, my heart went Bump Bump Bump Bump, and I had a really good cardio workout through the session. When I got arrowed to talk, I kept pausing and did not know what to say, but somehow, as I spoke I was no longer nervous and could converse more naturally.

The most blessed thing was to meet with brother Hai Xiang who was also visiting Toastmasters. When talked and exchanged numbers. As the session went on, he noted that my WhatsApp status was "Loved by the King" and he asked about it. I shared with him that I was loved by Jesus, who is God and my King. He asked me about the Church I go to, even invited me to a Church. I then found out that he came from China to study in SMU, and was exploring to know God and find the meaning of life. I got to share my journey to know God with him and also took train home all the way to Serangoon with him. He is keen to come to Hope, and I really pray that he may come to know God and come to Hope soon.

I even met a BMT-mate who was in my platoon, and he was in toastmasters too. He was the most bullied and was autistic, and still is, but I was in awed when he first started presenting impromptuly. I'm glad that he found this place in SMU where there are people that help him and do not put him down or reject him just because he may not communicate or understand the way people do. I haven't got to talk to him, but am trying to get his number or will talk to him again.

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Wednesday came, and I had Management Communication class. Me and Sharmaine were in the same class! She's a junior in SALG and visited Hope for sometime too. I have not got to talk to her much. But I believe that it's not coincidence that God placed us in the same class and even in the same randomized project group too.

I don't know why but I really felt prompted that I would bump into Prof Rani, and I really did right after class! I have not seen her ever since Leadership Teambuilding class ended on week 12 last semester. She shared with me about some stuff that's been happening recently, about how God blessed her and asked me to continue to pray for her. It was a really short talk but it felt like God arranged it.

At night, I met with Hai Xiang (the brother I met at Toastmasters) for dinner. It was a little bit awkward, but we enjoyed the time of sharing. He also asked me questions about the Bible and about God! He wanted to hang out more and may be free to visit Hope this coming Saturday :)

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Thursday was my Business-Government-Society class and LG day. It turns out that me and Hong Xuan, are in the same class and project group again. Me, him and PD were in the same Business Law project group previously, and he also joined my LG for an MLG. In the middle of class, the prof saw my nametent and exclaimed "Joel Isaiah. Wow, your name is very prophetic." I was stunned. Last semester, Prof Rani also said the exact same line to me when I first attended her class. It turns out my prof was a Christian and I can tell he is someone that rationalizes and really pursue the truth. Really excited for future weeks in this class :)

It's been a while since we had a normal LG, and it was really refreshing! You Yue just came back from UK and it was his first LG with us in a while. I'm thankful for this spiritual family who took most of the LG time to hear me and Shing Chun's concern for the OCSP. We also recapped about camp, look further into the book of Nehemiah, and want to claim as Nehemiah did that "I am doing a great work, and I cannot come down".

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TGIF it's Friday! And it's the day that I have no classes :) After not meeting my tutee Wei Qin for a long while, we finally found a day and met today. I taught him for almost an extra hour again. It was already 9+ then. But we continued to talk, with him sharing about his concern for his studies and future, and about the hurts and bullying he experienced. As we talked more, I shared with him a lot about God's love, about sin and about Jesus. He shared that he did go to Churches. He lost faith but he believes there is God. I prayed for him and it was midnight by then. In the right time, I pray God will draw him closer and also minister to his hurts and the bullying in school that he is facing. Looking forward to our future tuition and maybe to him coming to Hope too.

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Saturday came and we had Project Sparkle! We cleaned Uncle Lim's house and talked to him. He is a Buddhist, but we prayed and blessed him. He thinks Christians are very good, I pray that he may come to know God too.

The SMU guys had a Gender-Focused-Group gathering, where we BBQ-ed grass-fed steaks and had much more delicious food as we talked and play cards. Really thank God for Bojie and Asril, for planning, preparing, hosting and executing all these! I also got to talk more with Henry where we shared our new year aspirations. Henry is Dominic's friend, that I happened to meet and fellowship a few times with last year. He is still exploring the Christian faith, and he is keen to join me for the Cambodia OCSP :)

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Sunday! And yes I'm finally nearing the end of the post. It's 3:16 am already haha! I got to recuperate at home today. Got to learn to manage my finance recording better, start my day with God, finish my Financial Accounting homework, and finally exercised again. I sinned today, but God continued to ravish me with His love and grace. 2016 - Christ is enough, no turning back.

I also really wanna thank God, because today my friend Tjun Sern confirmed that he is coming next Saturday for lunch and Uni service! Hai Xiang may come as well. You Yue's friend is also coming on Saturday. And Alicia suddenly initiated to catch up. We could not find a time to meet neither tomorrow, nor Wednesday. When she asked if Thursday was good, I invited her for dinner and LG. And praise God, she is coming on Thursday! She is scared that LG will be awkward, but I pray that she may feel welcomed and that God may continue to draw her to Him.

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Phew, finally ended the post, and it's all just about 1 week in school! Things will get busier, so I'm thankful that I got to blog all of these today! Let me continue to abide in you Christ, and may you take me on this amazing journey. It'll be tougher and busier than last semester, but let me say "I am doing a great work, and I will not come down". Amen

Promises Camp 2015

Promises Camp 2015 was amazing, just as what the camp is called. It was all about God's promises. As Zelanie said, what made this camp different was that what God was dropping in our hearts were not just seeds, but they are firm anchors, God's promises that will never fail.

Promises Camp was also amazing because of this spirit of unity among the Hope Uni family. I really felt our hearts to serve one another and seek God together. It was really so amazing when we countdown to worship and praise God as we welcomed the new year together. I also loved how our LG got to spend so much quality and fun time together,we had Sushi Go, devotions and lots of life sharing to each other.

I came to the camp without fasting, and while I set a few objectives, I was excited, not knowing how the camp will be. Through the camp, I did not expect to serve for all the lunch and dinner, from collection to distribution to clearing the rubbish. I enjoyed serving, but fatigue certainly build up. During the Promise of Love session, I was often falling asleep, even during worship. I told God that I do not want to fall asleep, but listen and know His love. Then He reminded me that I had a few chewing gums in my bag. I chewed on it happily, feeling loved and could stay awake for the rest of the session. The testimonies shared were not about material blessings, nor breakthroughs, but really difficulty, valley low moments. Yet, they were so powerful and I teared while Chloe and Tim shared. Indeed, God your love never fails. As I looked back, never once did you leave me, nor forsake me, and you even answered me every single time I was at my low moments. I am loved.

Lol, I just talked about session 3, let's talk about session 1. The Promise of Salvation shared by Pastor Jeff was amazing. If there's one thing, it is to know how bad we were or still are, and how good God really is! Even Paul considered himself the worse of sinners, and pressed on to complete the task and whatever God had for him. Don't tell yourself you are not good enough, it is a fact. I committed a sin today, but God's grace continued to pour over me. I have to repent and move on, and embrace Christ's finished work, God's free gift of salvation. We traffic grace when we truly understand grace.

"Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will." -Romans 12:1-2

The Promise of Power is sure. God has given us the Holy Spirit through us repenting, receiving Christ in our lives and baptizing. And to receive the Holy Spirit empowerment, guidance, strength, to know God more, it is really not about me, but all about God. I am weak, I am not righteous, but I am made righteous, I am empowered, I am led, when I surrender. Holy Spirit, thank you for being with me, and for leading me in the past week. I know I sinned today, but I repent, let me fix my gaze on you Jesus, and I want to come into your presence, and go with you in all I do everyday, in the next week, and the rest of the year ahead.

The Promise of a Secure Future. God has already destined us for our inheritance, He calls us His children, His servant, His co-heirs. For my future, does it really matter to know where my job will be, what house or car I'll get, or who I'll marry? Regardless of where I work, if my heart intention is not to fulfill the greatest commandment and the great commission, I am not seeking after God's will. Father Lord, may you lead me on, whichever class, CCA, OCSP, LG, ministry, work I'm in, let my heart be to serve and honor you God.

Even before camp, I felt that God has been calling me to the inner room, and even more strongly then. I came across a sermon that shared almost the same message as "The Call to the Inner Room" sermon. And I really thank God for bringing me into such a moment with Him during the last night of camp. The call to the inner room, it is not a secret physical location, nor is it the length of my prayer.. But it's the tugging at my heart, to answer the call, to come before God every day, every night, to desire to know God, to surrender, to listen, to worship, to commit my worries and desires. I want to commune with you more God. I'm not perfect, there are times that I do not spend quality time, times when I'm caught up with things. But may you be on my heart each day and each moment God.

I've also made some promises to you God. It includes to have a breakthrough, to take the call of the inner room, to take care of my body as your temple, and to be the vessel of your love to all. Let these come to pass as I put another stone down God.