Spiritual family of Hope Church Singapore

Dear Siewling,
Thank you shepherd! For sharing with me so much about God, always reminding me to live this life with Him, reassuring me of His promises and guiding me to grow and becoming the person God intended me to be. Thank God for you! Thank you for looking out for me, worrying about my growth and how I am doing. Thank you for your effort in helping me to become closer to God. Joanne once said that our shepherds will reflect some characteristics of God to us, and through you, I have learnt that God is our friend. He is not just a almighty God who is high up there and do not come down from his throne, He is our best friend who listens to what we have to say, he understand what we are going through although we can't express it clearly, he cares for what we care for. I am really blessed to have you as a shepherd and I pray for all the best to you, in your career, school, family and all that you do. God bless you.


Dear Jey,
Thank God for your lead in the group. Thanks for always refreshing and cheering us up, it's really a blessing to have you with us. Thank you for ministering to us in testimonies, not being afraid to share your testimonies and also shared how you felt, what could have been done better, what you have learnt. It is really encouraging that we are able to learnt from what you went through, and also really encouraged to share my own testimonies too. Thank you for all the prayers and ministering yo us in worship in the Lg, always trying to help us be closer to God. Thank you for your service to this LG. I pray that as you continue to submit your life to God, He will anoint you, provide you the wisdom the do what He wants you to do. I also pray that he'll protect you from spiritual attacks and He'll send helpers to you in this field, so that you can share the burden God placed in your heart. May He continue to watch over you and bless you mightily.


Dear Shirley,
Thank you for your presence in the LG. Thank you for your sharing spirit, like whenever we go somewhere nice to eat, you'll always let us have a taste of your share. Thank you for being so gentle in sharing of teachings and testimonies, I think that this gentleness of yours had really shown me how God treat us. As if we are very fragile, He is careful, treat us preciously and lovingly. Thank you for being a big sister to us, always looking out for us, and caring for us. I pray that god will continue yo guide and lead you, and that you will live in the presence of Him each and every day.


Dear Andriette Pei Qi,
Thank God for you! Really thankful to be in the same LG as you again. =] Thank you for your sweet spirit and serving the people around you with love, I am always very encouraged by you who gives the best to honour God with your life. Thank you for all the blessings and prayers that you have given us and thank you for sharing your life with us. I pray that every night when you go to bed, God will recharge your energy and heal you. You will be a new creation every morning. God bless you mightily. The Lg and God love you and all the best with what you do.


Dear Robin,
Thank you for your presence in the Lg. I am really encouraged by your giving and sharing spirit, and your servanthood to The Lord and His people. Although we are not close personally, it is a blessing to have you with us. Great to be serving the same God as you and I pray for all the best to you.


Dear Joanne
I remember that last essay I wrote to you... Lol. Very scared to remember what I wrote, and i know that I would be very paiseh if I know. = =
Thank god for you. Always. For investing so much of your time and love in the foundations of my spiritual walk with god, even when you have to take care of so many people and handle your own worries too. I will be forever grateful.
Thank you for your shepherding sessions. For your constant and persistent questions that made me know more about myself and that got me thinking what should I do with my life and what is the important things to me. Thank you for being patient with me when I had took my own sweet time in answering you.
Thanks for showing me by example, the way a shepherd should care for their sheep and the way a disciple should act. Thank god for the change in shepherds, although I was pretty upset about it, but now I know that it is within god's plan to make me dependent on him. Thank god for putting you in my life.
I pray that even more than you have influenced me, god will use you to touch a lot more lives, become even brighter than you are and show the world our god is good. I pray for the best for you.
Very glad from the bottom of my heart to have known you.
Thank you so much.

Above all things, there is God's Love

This afternoon as I was on my way to church, I walked pass a lifegroup who were having a dispute on the road side. I overheard their conversation. It went something like "if you are not serious about the lifegroup then get out."

Throughout service, I was praying for this lifegroup that may God be the center of their group. Let God be the glue so that they can become a strong lifegroup and as a group, go out there and impact lives of other people around them. We are called a life group because we share life together, because we do life together. No matter how much wrong someone had done to you, we should love one another because love covers a multitude of sins. God shall be our judge, and let us not condemn one another. Sinners, who are we to judge other sinners? Let us be filled with God's love, and be sensitive to his still small voice and not focusing on our thoughts, our views, our feelings. Be so close to god that whatever we are thinking is what God is thinking too. For so long, God has been persistent, God has been passionate, God has been patient. We should not, under any circumstances give up on any of our brothers and sisters because God never gave up on us. Instead, we should pray.

Concerning the topic of being serious, there were many believers who had started out this relationship with God not seriously. I am one. There are people who came to test God, but God prevails, and they now acknowledged God as their savior. There are people who come to church to socialize because of friends, or because they are told to come. But ultimately, I believe that God wants His beloved people to be close to Him. Ultimately, God has a plan for them to somehow be directed towards the way of God so that they can come to a true relationship with Christ, to experience God for themselves in His timings. To know our God is really a good God.

I was asking God, why did He show this to me. It affected me quite badly, I was stunned the rest of my journey to church. Then God helped me to reflect on my lifegroup.

God placed us in the same group with a plan in mind. You are not randomly assembled, God put in a lot of thoughts in it. Coincidence is God's way of staying anonymous. And I love my lifegroup, thank God for them.
A lifegroup do life together, we are accountable for one another's life and walk with God. We strengthen one another, we love one another, we pray for one another. When a LG is facing troubles or when a member is facing difficulties, we pray. To let God be the glue for us and let not the devils succeed in breaking our spirits.

When we gather and pray, the devils will flee. How often should I pray? Once a week? Once a day? Nope. God says every time you think of it, you pray. Be it before a meal, during your shower, or when you are about to sleep. Be it for a worry, for a blessing, or healing, when it comes to your mind you pray. It could be a silent prayer in your heart, but don't worry because He hears your prayers. Let us follow God's way, and not do church with our plans but His alone. Love His people His way.

The chain is only as strong as it's weakest link. The church is only as strong as it's weakest member and weakest lifegroup. A strong lifegroup grows, bear fruits and multiply.
Let us honor God with our lives and treat other people the way you know that Jesus would treat them.

God bless His church and His people. And let God help us to become the persons He intended us to be when He brought us into the world.

2nd February 2013

RE: I love Saturdays

Our church had a new sermon series this month.
It's called 'The Jesus, I never knew'.
It is such an amazing and insightful series.
Had really learnt so much of the characteristics of Jesus,
and was convicted once again that God is good.

Is Jesus Rude?
Is Jesus Divisive?
Is Jesus Violent?
You can download the audio online sermons from this link and hear for yourself.
A little bit of insights to see what God sees and becoming little Christ,
then spread his glory to all of the world.
God is good.


And the past week, there were 2 worship songs that is stuck in my head.
The Alabaster Jar


and Till I see you

Have a wonderful spirit filled time with God.



After service, we went out for a very yummy dinner.
=] at Steakout.

It's in Bras Besar, the ground level of Victoria Hotel.
Been there a few times, and it is as awesome as always.




I have ordered a Sirloin steak with red wine sauce, medium.
With onion rings and garlic spaghetti.
Their garlic spaghetti is delicious!
But I find their onion rings a bit too doughy, and a bit too crispy.
The sound it makes while eating this is very unladylike,
shouldn't eat this if you are trying to impression someone with your good manners.
hahaha...


I've got a shaky hand here, but you can still see the beautiful pink blush of the cut.
My friend got a medium steak too but his was a little redder and bloodier.


John's plate. He took the picture. (Just saying)


Another one of my friend, Ken ordered a T-bone steak, medium rare.


After I took my take of his food, he shook his head at me and got my phone to take his take.

What's with guys and thinking that they have to have the overview of the entire plate????

His feedback after the meal.
I wasn't sure what's the problem here,
but he said the the steak wasn't thaw properly
and thus, the meat around the bone is still uncooked.
But I still think it is awesomely delicious anyways.


Ken being sisterly.


It's great to have good company and good food. =]
They have chicken, duck steak and pasta in their menu as well.

We have a friend in our group whose a vegetarian, they whipped out a vegetarian spaghetti for him.
Really thoughtful of them, but it seems like it wasn't very nice. (My friend didn't finish them.)

Of course, the rest of us cleared our plates.


After that, we went for desserts in Bugis. Just a few streets down.

Choosing what to eat is serious business.


Really thank God for this wonderful people in the LG. =]

And I really like fellowshiping with them on Saturday nights. =]

God is Love.

Heard this from a guest speaker some time ago.
And it really fills me with pride and joy, that I am a child of God.

And God Said, “No”

 By: Claudia Minden Weisz

 I asked God to take away my pride,

 And God said, “No.”

 He said it is not for Him to take away,

 but for me to give up.

 I asked God to make my handicapped child whole,

 And God said, “No.”

 He said her spirit is whole,

 Her body is only temporary.

 I asked God to grant me patience,

 And God said, “No.”

 He said that patience is a by-product of tribulation,

 it isn’t granted, it’s earned.

 I asked God to give me happiness,

 And God said, “No.”

 He said He gives blessings,

 Happiness is up to me.

 I asked God to spare me pain,

 And God said, “No.”

 He said, “Suffering draws you apart from worldly

 cares and brings you closer to Me.”

 I asked God to make my spirit grow,

 And God said, “No.”

 He said I must grow on my own,

 but He will prune me to make me fruitful.

 I asked God if He loved me,

 And God said, “Yes.”

 He gave me His only Son who died for me,

 and I will be in Heaven someday because I believe.

 I asked God to help me love others,

 as much as He loves me.

 And God said,

 “Ah, finally you have the idea.”

This is who God, our Father, is.
God is love.
He always wants the best for us.
And the truth is, He is the best.


God bless you, who have yet to know who God truly is.
You have to experience Him yourself.
Because no matter how much you read or heard others testimonies,
you will never know how overwhelming His love is until you see it for yourself.

And God says, those who seek shall find.
If you seek God, He'll reveal Himself to you.


God bless all my brothers and sisters in Christ.
For this is a tough journey.
Consistent battling with our sinful nature and the worldly temptations.

 Mark 13:13
 All men will hate you because of me, but he who stands firm to the end will be saved.

I love Saturdays

My church have a few services each week.

Because there's too many people and, 

although we just moved to a new and much bigger place, 

the auditorium is too small a space, can't fit everyone in.

The group I'm in is the young adults group, 

our service is scheduled on Saturday evenings.

And there is no better time to come together and worship God!

Even if sometimes we have to reject some invitations from prebelieving friends,

miss out on fun events that you want to go.

But there is nothing better than putting God as the priority and come to Him.

=]

Another reason why it is such good timing is that after service, it's party time.

Together with this bunch of awesome life buddies, we would always go try out new places, chill out.

We share our lives with one another, we do our lives together, we are a lifegroup.

It has always been a great and fulfilling time with them, growing and learning together.

So last Saturday, we went to somewhere we have yet to go before.

Singapore Food Trail.

Why haven't I been there before??? 

It is right under the Singapore flyers.

We walked over from promenade MRT Station.

Then we finally reached there, Singapore Food Trail, Old school style.

Great ambiance. There's air con, no kidding.

GREAT FOOD! It's like a gathering of the best and traditional food from all over the island.

Bah Kut Teh (Highly recommended by my friend)

The sweet garlic, spice and pepper pork ribs soup with their best condiment partner, 

chili padi in dark soy sauce. 

You eat this with white rice, but I like to add some dark soy sauce in the rice.

Awesome! 

I'm drooling as I'm writing this.

Also, if you are not the shy type, and if you can't get enough of the flavorful soup,

You can go back to the vendor to get a refill of soup.

There are some side dishes for Bah Kut Teh too. The braised pig's trotter looks so good.

Another dish that is recommended by my friend, Satay Bee Hoon.

Not my cup of tea but my friend said it's nice. 

Though I like the cuttlefish which is tender and soft.

My all time favourite anywhere I go, Oyster Omelette.

It is mainly eat as a side dish, together with their special tangy chili that compliments the fresh oysters. 

Singapore's pride: Chicken rice. They have their special chili sauce too, which is usually heavy on garlic.

Hokien mee, Usually fried with seafood.

You can't really see from here but they are probably hidden inside somewhere. 

Fried Kway Teow. Another flavorful dish.  

After the heaty meal, sugar cane drink cools you down immediately.

I find it over priced, so if you mind that a lot, bring your own water.

As desserts, they have Ice Ka Chang Ball.

Nowadays, you rarely find them in the ball shape, which made it extra special and extra traditional.

I saw that they have black/white carrot cake too.

Which looks delicious, but I was too full with my Bah Kut Teh.

Will be trying that the next time I go. ^^

Great price. Considering that it is at a tourist attraction area, 

and people don't mind paying the price for good food.

Great company. =]

It's my first time there and I am simply blown away.

Will definitely bring friends there.

A great place to eat, but it will be quite troublesome if the group is too big like ours.

Since we have to find seats for all of us, and if you are not aggressive enough, 

you most probably lose it to our hungry-for-good-food-and-don't-like-waiting locals.

After dinner, we had a surprise birthday celebration for a brother.

In the cave that is in the park right beside where we ate, it's too dark.

Saturday is a great day.

God bless you,

have a fruitful day everyday.

=]

Here's my LG, family in Christ.
There are some missing but here's the most of us. =]