The one around Scandinavia.

Beautiful Leanna at Arlanda Airport, Sweden

20th May - 30th May.

After DTS many things change. Even holidays. Nothing can be seen as a 'normality' anymore since ordinary is overrated: the truth that life is so much more IS the ordinary. As God could and would use the ordinary and make it extraordinary.

A family trip would normally be just a family trip: food, photos, sights and all that. Yet this time round heading out, I knew it would be different. And so I tried to keep asking as much as I could, of: 

"How would you use me here, Lord?"

And how interesting such incidents happened.

First, on a cruise from Helsingor, Denmark, to Oslo, Norway. It was the buffet dinner and we were being served by 2 ladies. Somehow one of the young ladies (Thilde) came to mind, and I found it strange and started asking God if there was anything for her. I started to feel perhaps there were things He wanted to tell her, yet I checked to get confirmation. So before we left, I went up to her and talked to her and realised that she wasn't a believer, yet, I knew I should continue, so I spoke to her, and she allowed me to pray for her. My heart was beating so fast, but it's such an adventure always. 

Lom Stave Church

Next, it was in Norway. At the Lom Stave church. We visited this church on a Sunday. And after taking photos around it, like the one on the right, I went into the church, but realised we couldn't enter the chapel unless we paid. And at the counter was this girl (Rannei), and I felt I should talk to her. And as we chatted, found out that she's a Lutheran but haven't been going to church. So I asked God again what He has for her. She allowed me to pray for her, and as we prayed, I shared what I got for her, and then that was it. I felt relieved, as if I've done what I should have, and it was a really good feeling too.

And with this, my mind went on to think that perhaps it was one person in each nation, and so when we were in Sweden, I was quite on the alert, but somehow nothing very compelling, and as we headed to the airport, I felt perhaps there was nothing left and I would go home. Then, as my brother and mother went to a counter to get tax refund sorted out, I sat on a bench beside a mother and her daughter. The daughter was such a beautiful little girl, and I so wanted to take a picture of her, but I was afraid that it might be inappropriate. Then out of nothing, the little girl turned to me and she started to give me such a big smile, and I smiled back, and she laughed. And it happened a few times. I then started to talk to her mum and we chatted for a bit and found out that she was pregnant with another baby! As my mum and brother returned, and we were about to leave, I felt to pray for her and her family, especially her unborn baby. So we prayed, and thereafter found out that they were Lutherans too. 

So, its such a memorable trip. Not only did I get to experience the beauty of each nation, He also given me opportunities of praying and blessing one in each nation. Just this alone brings much joy and amazement again of how real God is, and how His love knows no boundaries, and not limited to a particular nation. 

So, holidays can have so much more depth and excitement, if we realise that God doesn't take holidays, and even on our holidays He wants to do so much more, through us too! :)

The one about the trend.

Marching to...?

19th May.

Through the conversations that I have had recently, I felt led to ask 2 friends to stop what they are doing, or rather, to quit, and come back to God.

And this begets the question of then, how long have we been functioning without God?

It seems like everything can be run in an 'auto' mode: work, family, worship, church, relationships. And if there aren't pit-stops to just draw some perspective of how much of God is in it, then we'll just keep going. But where to?

So, when we stop and ask Him again, where we are, and to where do we belong to, would we then, have the courage and faith to be obedient? Or we just grudgingly accept we have gone wrong, and fall back into something routine, something familiar, something safe.

But WITHOUT God?

I don't know, but for me, I shudder thinking to be where God doesn't want me to be, and to do all by my own strength, my own wisdom, and my own plans. I'll gladly trade it all to work on His terms, and that means His strength, His wisdom and His plans.

I'll rather have something non-routine, something unfamiliar, something 'un-safe', but WITH God.

The one with my nephew J.

Jayden: 12 days old. Winking.

19th May.

We visited my cousin, who delivered on 8th May. When we got there, we met and saw him, the little one. I looked at him and spoke to him, and as my mum carried him, he kept looking at me. My mum remarked,"It seems like you know one another!" And under my breath, I said,"So it was you we prayed for (during the lunar new year)", as I stroked his hands. It was surreal, to carry that life that God sustained. I remember being led to pray for my cousin, and baby, at a family gathering in Feb, and now he is out. He is so precious.

Anyway, another afternoon at church. Worship was such a great time of prayer and worship. Praying for one another as the Lord led.

Then dinner with 2 friends. We had a very unplanned conversation, and where the Lord led it, was, very unplanned, but so...nice. Deep yet light. Haha..

This life: to be part of this much of what God has for His people, is so fulfilling, and so encouraging at the same time.

Yet, to constantly stay humble.

The one with the lunch with the sisters.

Sisters, such joy!

17th May.

Ran with pastor. Whole body ached, yet it felt so good. Ha. Had breakfast and chatted. Had brunch thereafter with a sister, and then lunch with 2 more sisters. Was fun, yet also, I felt old at times. haha. Growing up with only brothers, somehow recently, God has brought so many sisters into my life, and not only do we have good 'normal' relationships, but more, somehow, such relationships now involve more depth than before, and sometimes it means saying the tough things...but someone's got to say it right? And many times, it takes more love to say it than to believe it's better for someone else to do it, after prayer and seeking the counsel of the Lord of course.

I guess, with the history of how I viewed and treated women, God could have so easily forbade me any contact with them, yet, He is redeeming this whole portion of my history and allowing me to encourage, edify, and speak into such lives of the sisters around me. Such a privilege. To know that we have such treasures in the church, in the family, we men better buck up and not only protect them and lead them, but more so to love them so much more, til it hurts perhaps.

Tough love, perhaps, is also love that is not easy. Sometimes when we see them stuck, or trapped within a situation, and we are called to not intervene (interrupt) their journey, and see them learn their lesson through, to resist the temptation to come "save the day", or to just allow them their choices and its consequences to bear, is painful, and tough, yet also necessary.

So to bring attention to a piece of veg stuck on the tooth, is perhaps as important as checking if God would like us to back off sometimes, so that He can show forth Himself in tough situations. Regardless, let God be God, and men not think ourselves too much a "superhero", yet not shrink away from our duty to protect, love and lead our dear sisters.

The one with the 2.4km run.

It felt long.

16th May.

Definitely didn't feel good for the run at all. But as I ran, the song "Everlasting God" kept playing in my head so I just ran and worshipped...especially the "strength will rise as we wait upon the Lord". In the end, finished in 10:21, missed Gold timing by 7 seconds. But given my condition today, that was an amazing run already. Thank God for sustaining me through it.

The financial advisor sister texted me and told me she bought a book about inner healing and so much of it spoke to her. So amazing. Will be praying for her, and her friend wants to meet in June. Can't wait!

The one where 3 days have passed.

Days go by too fast.

13th May.

Was so tired, I went to bed at 7+. And I was in bed til the next morning. Rest is so underrated.

14th May.

Morning run again with Pastor, and it's one more run this week before he is on his own. Met an old friend for lunch and got talking. And it just hit me, that even in church, we stay around the safe topics, and conversations. We perhaps don't dare to delve deeper because we ourselves don't want to go that deep ourselves. We have to stop deluding ourselves. Anyway, we had a good conversation.

15th May.

Went to the Gardens by the bay. 2nd time since getting the annual pass. Met D, and we spent the whole day just chilling and chatting. It was good. Haven't spent much time with her since my university days when we would do revision and study in church. It's such a privilege to see her grow so much.

The one with the Parents' day celebration.

As a child, us, all free. But parents watch over.

12th May.

Worship today was for me, so much of God. It was such a pleasure, and privilege to have had the opportunity to lead today. After service, felt led to pray for a lady, and after praying, she asked,"How did you know?"Inside my heart I smiled and wanted to reply,"God knows..He definitely does."She texted me later saying that it was like a timely present. :)

Coming home, I received a text from an aunt. Context is that yesterday, I had a song and verse and felt led to send it to her. So today, during worship, the leader prayed from that verse and opened worship with that same song, and she was so much more encouraged by it! I was so blown away, and so humbled.

Weekend, yet the Lord doesn't stop.

So here is the song, Everlasting God.