Grace. Mercy. Love.

Food for Thought...

2009-03-20T09:39:00.000-07:00

Since the blog is at the verge of dying soon (weird people even started to post weird comments at the cbox...) I might as well post some thought provoking posts... This is a paragraph send to me by Pastor Mike, and I thought it's a good one to share with you guys, though I don't know how many people are still visiting this site. I think it actually made me reflect about my own life and how sometimes I brush off people whom I regarded as 'not worth it'... And it made me thought hard.

Not Breaking the Bruised Reeds

Some of us tend to do away with things that are slightly damaged. Instead of repairing them we say: "Well, I don't have time to fix it, I might as well throw it in the garbage can and buy a new one." Often we also treat people this way. We say: "Well, he has a problem with drinking; well, she is quite depressed; well, they have mismanaged their business...we'd better not take the risk of working with them." When we dismiss people out of hand because of their apparent woundedness, we stunt their lives by ignoring their gifts, which are often buried in their wounds.

We all are bruised reeds, whether our bruises are visible or not. The compassionate life is the life in which we believe that strength is hidden in weakness and that true community is a fellowship of the weak.

-Bread for the Journey-

Cg this Friday (6/2/09) & Discipleship Conference

2009-02-04T07:30:00.000-08:00

Hello everyone near and far,

It's been a long time since we had cg meeting (the last one only 5 ppl turn out)... So looking forward to this week's cg when most ppl are back. Well except for sem 4 ppl...

Ice Breaker - Will be confirmed soon
Worship - Jui Jien
Word - Pui Fun

Venue - B-13-4 (Kay Teck's Place)
Time - 8pm

___________________________________________________________________

Discipleship Conference (20th to 22nd Feb)

I'm sure those of you who're around in KL and attended celebration these few weeks who have heard about this conference. Pastor Mike and allthe leaders are really pushing for all cg members to sign up for this.

There will be no cg on the 20th (friday night) and the during the conference there will some sort of follow up activity for the coming journalling sermon from Senior Pastor Daniel (He will share about journalling this weekend). Hence it's a very important conference to attend.

Please please sign up for this conference. The speaker is Rev Edmund Chan from Covenant Evangelical Free Church in Singapore. He will be sharing alot with us regarding scriptures, understanding the big picture behind the scriptures and also importance of theology. It is very useful for us so we can learn to read the Bible better. It's only RM20 to sign up (before 15th Feb), when conferences like this tend to be priced at hundreds. WHERE ELSE CAN YOU GET A DEAL LIKE THIS??!!!

Sign up by this week k... Or else expect me to chase behind you to sign up ;)

Ps : Oh yeah, one more thing... Those of you who haven't answer me about the medical camp, please get back to me asap. I need to hand in the list of volunteers' names soon.

Volunteers for Medical Camp?

2009-01-19T09:15:00.000-08:00

Hi peeps. There will be a medical camp (not camping type of camp, but an event organised to provide free medical service to the poor residents... I also dunno why called a camp...) organised by Rotary Club and DUMC's Jumble Station and PJS2 cg.

Details :

Date - 1st March 2009 (Sunday)

Time - 9am to 4pm

Venue - Angsana Flats, Subang Mewah, USJ 1.

They need volunteers from all medical professions (doctors, pharmacists, nurses, dentist etc). I know we're not qualified but we can do alot of basic things like taking BP, blood glucose, oral examinations and so on. Even if we're not doing all those we can do other admin/logistic work. I'm now at the process of communicating with someone from the PJS2 cg. I will put up more info once I know better.

I'm signing up as volunteer. I encourage all of you to take the sunday time off to help out. It's such a good opportunity for us to learn and also help people at the same time. No one would be a better volunteer than us who are in healthcare profession.

Please please let me know if you want to volunteer. I don't know the dateline but try to decide soon.

greeting from manchester

2009-01-04T09:59:00.000-08:00

hey people,lily sent us a christmas card and im going to type everything here. sorry for the late inform .as you know,i was having eos 3 last week.

here it goes.

dearest christine,pui fun, juejian,evelyn,sabrina,kay teck,adam,david,sue wen and everyone else in the cell group!(sorry if i missed anyone else!)

how are you all? i hope everything is going on smoothly there. have a blessed christmas and a happy new year!

for those having exams,'jia you' okay?your holidays will come soon ! =) missing you all!!

god bless,

Lily.

lily is so sweet

Singing Christmas Carols At Pantai Hospital

2008-12-18T19:20:00.000-08:00

Hello everyone. How's life?

Referring to the above title, Pantai Hospital (the one in Bangsar, near Kerinchi Putra LRT station) needs 10 carollers on the 23rd Dec, 11am-2pm. Basically this Christmas Carolling is to liven up the spirits of the patients in conjuction with the festive season. They want to bring some cheer to the wards =)

Volunteers/Carollers need to arrange their transportation there on their own. If you're interested, please contact me, Pui Fun by sms.

And there will be no cg meeting tonight ya. Study break for all you exam-goers =)

God bless and Blessed Christmas!

2008-12-11T06:50:00.000-08:00

Hi peeps!! Tomorrow we're having cg meeting after so long =) Details are as follows :

Ice Breaker - Pui Fun
Worship - Kay Teck
Word - David

Venue - B1-16-3
Time - 8pm

See you guys then =) Blessed Christmas ahead!!

Run to Win

2008-11-29T23:34:00.000-08:00

Hi hi peeps!! This is the much promised article from Cru.comm. I'm putting this article here on the blog is for the benefit for all to read. So please please take note of the copyright bla bla... Must mention who is the writer k...

When you make following Christ your consuming desire, your life will change in extraordinary ways.

When I was a student at Wheaton College in the early 1940's, I ran track. At that time, the world’s indoor mile champion, Gil Dodds, worked out with us. I can still remember when he came over while I was stretching my legs and slapped me on the bottom, saying, “Come on, Howie, let’s go around.” It was the first time we had met.

While going around the track, I found myself four or five paces in front of Gil, running as fast as I could and thinking, “If you’re going to be the world’s indoor mile champion, you ought to run a little faster.”

When we finished the first lap, he slapped me across the bottom again and said, “Come on, only three more laps to go.” I thought I was going to die. I hadn’t understood that he was planning to go around again.

I have followed Christ now for 56 years, and I have found that becoming a disciple of Christ is not like running a 100-yard dash. Christian discipleship is a marathon that spans an entire lifetime. You determine your success in this race not merely by your entrance but by your endurance; not by whether you finish the first lap ahead, but by whether you finish the whole race.

We tend to think that living the Christian life is a dream, rather than a discipline. But there’s a war on. The bullets are real, and the casualties are high. Like running a race, following Christ involves discipline, as well as endurance. The apostle Paul learned this secret, and he tells us about it in 1 Corinthians 9:24-27:

“Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but only one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may win. And everyone who competes in the games exercises self-control in all things. They then do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we are imperishable. Therefore, I run in such a way, as not without aim; I box in such a way, as not beating the air; but I buffet my body and make it my slave, lest possibly, after I have preached to others, I myself should be disqualified.”

Paul exhorts us to run to win. Everyone in a track meet runs, but only one wins. As disciples we all run, and we can all win. Paul did not run to gain salvation, but to gain rewards from service. He did not fear losing his salvation but losing his sense of accomplishing what he was called to do.

Because Paul says in this passage that he spent all of his life summoning others to the race, how tragic if, at the end of the race, he should be disqualified. And the fact that he was a great missionary leader, a brilliant theologian, a writer of many of the letters that comprise our New Testament, did not exempt him from the possibility of being disqualified.

Like Paul, in order to run to win we must develop a winner’s mentality. We must understand that Christ is the One calling us to this race. The “winner’s mentality” is simply the confidence that we can do all things through Christ who strengthens us.

From 1976 to 1984, I was the chaplain for the Dallas Cowboys, where I learned incredible lessons at the hands of a number of coaches in the National Football League. Mike Ditka, Dan Reeves, Joe Gibbs, Tom Landry, and others, have said to me before a game, “Howie, I’m scared to death of this one. My team is going to play not to lose.” They tell me playing halfheartedly not to lose, instead of playing wholeheartedly to win, is the fastest way to defeat. And in the Christian life, halfhearted efforts instead of wholehearted obedience leads to defeat.

I know of only two kinds of Christians: Those who say, “I can,” and those who say, “I can’t.” They’re both right. Our view of who Christ is determines which group we belong to. Do we view Him as being weak and distant, or do we believe that He has made His power readily available to us? We can’t run this race in our own strength, but we can through the strength that Christ gives us.

Winning is not determined until the end of the race. We may run those first few laps well, exhibiting traits of a disciple of Christ during those early stages of the Christian life, and maybe even into the mid years. But as we grow older in our faith, we tend to seek a rocking chair in which to sink our weary bones at the very time we ought to be most active for the Savior. Paul tells us to continue to run to win; there is no place in the Christian life for a retirement mentality.

In verse 25, Paul compares becoming a disciple to participating in the Isthmian Games, then held every two years and second only in prominence to the Olympics. Each athlete had to undergo strict training involving a rigorous diet, disciplined habits and the supervision of a judge who could disqualify a competitor at any point. To compete in these ancient games, no halfhearted effort would do.

Likewise, becoming a follower of Christ involves self-denial. Sometimes we may have to deny ourselves the good things, so that we may choose the better things. Athletes who expect to win have to train diligently. The only place where success comes before work, is in the dictionary.

Paul compares himself to the runner and to the boxer. As a runner, he concentrates on effort. As a boxer, he conserves energy. The phrase he uses, “beating the air,” describes a man in the ring who has sustained a severe blow to the head. The boxer is still going through the motions as a result of his training, but he’s not landing any blows. That’s what you call activity without accomplishment.

Paul wants every blow to count for the Savior. When we read the Book of Acts, we see that the pagans stayed up all night asking, “How in the world are we going to control this thing?” Today the Christians stay up at night, biting their nails, asking, “How in the world are we going to relate to this kind of society?” So Paul says, “I beat my body black and blue. I make any sacrifice. I make it my slave.”

Becoming Christ’s disciple always comes back to living a disciplined life. I ran across a fascinating piece about Audubon, the great naturalist, who was willing to undergo discomfort in order to learn the world of birds. His biographer writes:

“He counted his physical comforts as nothing compared with the success of his work. He’d rise at midnight, night after night, to go out into the swamps to study the habits of certain night hawks. He crouched motionless for hours in the dark and fog, feeling himself well rewarded if after weeks of waiting, he had secured one additional fact about a single bird.”

During one summer he went day after day to the bayous of New Orleans to observe a shy water fowl. He would have to stand almost to his neck in nearly stagnant water, scarcely breathing while countless poisonous moccasin snakes swam past his face ....

“‘It was not pleasant,’ he said as his face glowed with enthusiasm. ‘But what of that. I have a picture of a bird.’”

If Audubon could do that for the picture of a bird, what can we do to further the kingdom of God?

Paul’s instructions are clear to us. But what about the implementation? What does running to win mean for the Christian community in the last decade of the 20th century? First, we must become distinctively different. We’ve got to make sure that the world does not squeeze us into its mold. The more we become like our culture, the less we are going to influence people for Christ.

We need to become more radical. How many times does the Bible tell us to quit living like the pagans? It’s God’s will that we should be holy, not happy; that we should avoid sexual immorality; that each of us learn how to control his own body in a way that’s holy and honorable, not in passionate lust like those who do not know God, and like some of those who say they do.

If you want to be the most distinctive human being on planet earth, ask God to keep you clean. You will be a breed apart in your generation. During my last year with the Cowboys, we saw about ten people come to Christ, and every single one of them because of the quality marriage that middle linebacker Bob Breunig (now retired) has with his wife, Mary. Our society needs people who will provide another role model, an alternate lifestyle.

Second, you will have to be more disciplined and less defensive. One of my great concerns for the Church is that too many of us are too sensitive to criticism. If you like to be liked, you are never going to run to win. Being criticized is an occupational hazard in becoming a disciple.

Do you know what bothers me most about America? Evangelical Christians just aren’t that significant. When you begin to make an impact on your community, whatever the ministry, you can be sure you will be criticized. The devil will let loose everything he has on you, in the form of criticism from others.

Third, make becoming a disciple the overriding purpose of your life. Quit spending so much time on secondary activities that matter so little. Life is like a coin: You can spend it any way you want, but you can only spend it once.

Live like a disciple of Christ.

Run to win.

Go for the gold.

Live and die with total fulfillment because you’ve invested your life in a cause that will outlast you.

By Howard Hendricks (Available from Cru.Comm)

Cg meeting 28/11/2008

2008-11-27T07:00:00.000-08:00

Heya ppl!! It's been such a LOOOOONNGG time since I last update the blog. So now I better buckle up and start some activity here or else we can prepare to attend the blog's funeral. Anyways, this week's cg details are as follows :

Ice Breaker - Olivier

Worship Leader - Kay Teck

Word - Pui Fun

Venue - C1-12-4

Time - 8pm

I think the sem 3s are having their study break am I right?? Ok all sem 3s and sem 5s must GAMBATE!! By the way I think the Pharmacy students' results is out already. Hope all is well for our pharmacy friends =)

See you all tomorrow!!

Cell meeting (17/10)

2008-10-16T08:34:00.000-07:00

Aloha!! Hope everyone of you having a great week!! We shall be meeting tomorrow night for cg =)

Ice Breaker - Christine
Worship - Kay Teck
Word - David

Venue - B1-16-3
Time - 8pm

I would also like to encourage you all to register for the upcoming Worship conference at Dream Center. Transportation can be arranged. I know it's tough but trust me this is gonna be a really good conference. The target audience in fact, are the youths.

Date : 14-16 Nov
Registration fee : RM20 before 2nd Nov
RM25 after 2nd Nov
RM30 after 11th Nov
Speaker : Glen Peckiam (from Desperation Band)

Let me know if you want to sign up kay... Ok see you guys tomorrow.

Cherokee Indians :)

2008-10-15T02:49:00.000-07:00

hey there..i got this story in an email some time ago...ter-think of it so just want to share it with you all..i hope it will be an encouragement to all of us (:

The legend of the Cherokee Indian youth's rite of Passage

His father takes him into the forest, blindfolds him and leaves him alone. He is required to sit on a stump the whole night and not remove the blindfold until the rays of the morning sun shine through it. He cannot cry out for help to anyone. Once he survives the night, he is a MAN.

He cannot tell the other boys of this experience, because each lad must come into manhood on his own. The boy is naturally terrified. He can hear all kinds of noises. Wild beasts must surely be all around him. Maybe even some human might do him harm. the wind blew the grass and earth, and shook his stump,but he sat stoically, never removing the blindfold. It would be the only way he could become a man!

Finally, after a horrific night the sun appeared and he removed his blindfold. It was then that he discovered his father sitting on the stump next to him. He had been at watch the entire night, protecting his son from harm. We, too, are never alone. Even when we don't know it, our Heavenly Father is watching over us, sitting on the stump beside us.

When trouble comes, all we have to do is reach out to Him.

So, just because you can't see God, doesn't mean He is not there. 'For we walk by faith, not by sight'.

Tuhan merekat nuan semoa! :P

Cg Meeting Tonite

2008-10-10T00:40:00.000-07:00

*First off, I'm absolutely sorry for such a late update!!*

Today we're having cg meeting and we'll be doing some light-hearted discussion (not really Bible Study) about world issues.

To be specific, we'll be talking about Euthanasia, or Mercy Killing as some put it. Since a large number of us are in health care profession, I believe it is important for us to explore the concepts behind this and how we as Christian health care provider should respond to it.

Hope to see you all there and be free to share any thoughts then!!

Ice Breaker - Mark Saw
Worship - Christine Wong
Discussion Lead - Pui Fun

Venue - B-4-8
Time - 8pm

2008-10-01T20:49:00.000-07:00

Harlow!! How's everyone?? Hope you're having a good time with your holidays =)

For this week, we will not be having cg meeting. I repeat, NO MEETING THIS FRIDAY...

HOWEVER, church celebration is on as usual yeah this weekend... So see you guys this saturday =)

Cg Meet (26/9/08)

2008-09-25T08:29:00.000-07:00

HELLO!

How's everyone feeling? Hope you guys have a blessed week... We will have cg tomorrow and the details are :

Ice Breaker - Li Yann
Worship - Jui Jien
Word - Pui Fun

Venue - B-7-3
Time - 8pm

As you all know tomorrow will be the last of the 'gossip' series... Hahaha I know, it's like we've been *gossiping* for weeks... So it should be a good end *ahem I hope so*...

See you there!!

Congre Week

2008-09-17T08:46:00.001-07:00

Hey people,

Just to let you all know that this friday we won't be having cg as it is congre week. Pastor Mike will be talking about "Christian Discipleship" and it is a really important topic for us.

Venue - Hall 3 of DC

Time - 8pm

Iwould like to rally you guys to go for it. However I heard that this friday is also the IMU CUP finals... Which means all those who are involved in cheerleading would not be able to go for congre. The rest, I hope you all can come. Try to arrange transport for yourself (discuss amongst yourselves)... Sorry to say but I won't be able to pick you guys up coz I'm on duty this friday. If you need transport and you can't find anyone, then sms me I will try my best.

Cg meeting @ David's...

2008-09-11T07:57:00.000-07:00

Hi everyone!! Orientation has finished and I guess the juniors have settled down. Now tomorrow we're having cg meeting, so remember to invite them to come and join us!!

Ice Breaker - Kay Teck

Worship - David

Word - Pui Fun

Venue - B1-16-3

Time - 8pm

See you guys then!! =)

2008-09-04T04:36:00.000-07:00

Harlow everybody,

To those who're in Manchester and Liverpool, how's everything?? Hope God has been blessing your time there... Post some pics once in a while yeah... Keep the the rest of us here updated about yourself k...

To those who are in Seremban, heard that this was a "speech-ful" week... Anyway do come back and visit us (and bring back some of the seniors also!!! Richard said wanted to visit us but has never make contact with me sigh...)

This week cg meeting details are as follows :

Ice Breakers - Christine

Worship - Evelyn

Word - Pui Fun

Venue - B-13-4 (Kay Teck's)

Time - 8pm

Ok gotta go now... See you all there tmr!! God bless =)

2008-08-27T19:34:00.000-07:00

Hi peeps,

We're having cg meeting tomorrow night (29th Aug)... The details are as follows :

Ice breaker - Sue Wen
Worship - To be confirmed (Most likely Greg)
Word - Pui Fun

Venue - B-4-8 ( Christine's place!!)
Time - 8pm

Hope to see you all there!! I know some of you may not be able to attend because of the junior's Orientation, but for those who are able to come do try to make it!! God bless =)

Gotta go, Bmed lectures in 15 mins... Now who told me Bmed was relaxing??!!

Cg meet (22/8/08)

2008-08-19T01:30:00.001-07:00

Hello ppl,

FINALLY!! We're having cg meeting this friday (22/8/08)!! After sooo long with so many events taking place...

The details are as follows :

Ice Breaker - To be confirmed
Worship - David Goh
Word - Pui Fun

Venue - B1-16-3 (NOTE THE CHANGE!!! It's David's place ya...)
Time - 8pm

Please spread the word around k... Thanks and see you guys on friday!!

Happy Birthday Sarah!!!

2008-08-09T07:11:00.000-07:00

Looking through these pics made me feel emo...

The infamous "family portrait"...

Everyone together...

Sarah with the macho men of our cg...

Sarah with the cute gals of our cg...

Sarah, we all miss you!! Hope everything is fine for you over there in Sydney... Happy Birthday from our cg!! Take care and we all love you... And God loves you too!!

lily's farewell + belated birthday :)

2008-08-07T08:04:00.001-07:00

hey ppl,

decided to try uploading the pics again and it worked this time:)

evelyn, kiryu n troy working hard at decorating the cake :)

halfway there......
.....and ta-da!!finally it's done..:)

lighting the candles with love...

playing the stick-n-leaf game...looks quite simple but can get quite 'kan chiong' at times :P

we were building our zoo...:)

i'm sure some of you are wondering why was it lily's farewell and belated birthday celebration but there are no pictures of her...hmm...im so sorry lily. i was taking video when the guys brought in the cake and when we sang the birthday song. so i didn't manage to take any pictures. so so sorry..

anyway lily, it's great having you as part of our cg family:) will remember the times where you help us girls counter the guys...hehe...

thank you very much for your words of encouragement. we'll surely remember your laughter and your sister's giggle too...lol...

oh ya, and thank you so much for all the jellies that you made for all our parties:)...very sedap:)

thank you..and we love you lily:) continue to be a blessing to the people around you ya:) have a great journey ahead!

Whose Dream?

2008-07-27T03:15:00.000-07:00

Hi peeps,

Presenting...

I'm sure you guys have already bought the tickets for the production. If not, it's not too late... Just inform me vis sms asap (latest by tuesday) and I will try to get it for you. I heard that most of us campus goers can identify with the story line, so it's going to be an exciting production. Buy more tickets and bring your friends, especially your non-believer friends.

*Ps : I'm going on friday and Jui Jien is not around on friday. So there won't be any cg this week. Take note that saturday the time for the play is at night 8.30pm, so those of you who are going to church by bus can stay back for the play after celebration...*

Btw, those of you who took pictures last friday, can you post it up here?? Thanks...

Passion Concert @ Sunway Convention Center, 3rd of Aug

2008-07-18T00:02:00.000-07:00

Heya ppl,

This post is to remind you all who are interested in going for the concert as noted in the title to confirm with me asap preferably by tonight during congre/sms/call if you want to buy the tickets from CYZ. Like I've mentioned earlier that CYZ has already reserved 100 tickets for ourselves.

Just to let you all know that the organisers of the concert has already sold out all the tickets so the only other way you can get the tickets if you haven't got it, is through CYZ.

So do let me know soon k... Rather urgent!

Tata...

Passion Quest, Sex and Sensibility and Passion Consert

2008-07-15T22:58:00.000-07:00

Hi peeps,

How's everybody?? I know our cell hasn't been meeting for quite some time now, so I wonder how's everyone... Hope everything is well with all of ya.

This week I really wanted to have cell, but according to the CYZ calendar, we're having Youth Congregation this friday(18th July), as most of you might have known sine I sms you guys (btw, quite a number of you haven't reply me yet... Pls help me becoz I really need the number in order for me to arrange transport... ) So we can't have cell meeting but I'm sure we'll get to meet each other soon.

Just to let you know what's gonna happened this friday... And also the following friday.

Intro first (a short excerpt from the leaders above...):

I am absolutely sure 90% of us have heard about the Passion Movement in the United States of America. If you need me to indulge you, it is the team that runs the Passion Camps and also the same team behind the One Day albums. Common songs that we sing are 'This Is the Air I Breathe', 'Óne Day' and etc. Some of the famous song writers that have been birthed out of this movement are Matt Redman, Chris Tomlin and Charlie Hall. So now you get the drift? ;) Alternatively you can log on to www.268generation. com/ for more details.

The Passion is coming to Sunway Convention Centre on 3rd Aug 2008 for the first time, and we are going there!! =) Anyway, as a lead up to that Concert, CYZ is doing Passion Quest. We want more than hype that lasts only a short time, and we all concert goers probably know what I am talking about.

Passion Quest has been developed with the desire to instill positive influence in the lives of students to discover more about life. We want you to bring your cellies and their mates to come and join us in the quest for THE passion of our lives. Let me challenge you to think about it as not just another CYZ event, rather, think about it as one of the platforms we have been looking for to challenge ourselves and our mates to life out of the box. There is more to life than primary school - secondary school - tertiary education - work - getting married - getting promoted - buying a whole lot of possessions - becoming a parent - becoming a grandparent. I'm not saying that this eventual events are not godly or that we cannot do anything else even as we walk through this process, but I'm just challenging us to pass that stage and think about what we have been preaching to ourselves and to our students - to think and live out of the box. Let's give ourselves an avenue to explore. =) Oh, we are doing activities if you need to know. =) It's gonna be more than fun!!! So take note that this Passion Quest is taking place on 18th of July at DC room 102, 8pm.

Sex and Sensibility - hmmmm....the oldies would have probably sat through this many times and heard the man a dozen times. YES, we are heading to SIB to hear Pr Victor Wong share with us the fun and factual things about erm....sex lah!! This is all happening on the 25th July 2008, more information about time and exact location when you come for Passion Quest next week!!

So peeps, isn't all these interesting??!! Would really love to see you all there k... In response to the above please please let me know if you're coming, and if you need/can provide transport to the rest who are also interested... You can help me just by simply letting me know via sms or even reply here, so that I don't have to do last minute planning. Really appreciate that...

As for the Sex and Sensibility talk in SIB, I need to know the number of you who are interested in going. If I'm not mistaken, transport can be arranged but I dare not promise. However if you're interested, just let me know first. We can work something out. If the total number from CYZ is not sufficient enough, we may have Passion Quest 2 in DC instead.

Also those of you who are interested to go for Passion Concert on 3rd August (6pm-10pm)at Sunway Convention Center, we have reserved 100 tickets for our CYZ. Please let me know if you want the tickets, so I can reserved for you. It's priced at RM20 per ticket. Take note that with booking, payment need to follow as well. I'll need your names, age, contact no, email add and institution. Once again the dateline is this friday morning. After that, sorry you gotta buy it yourself from somewhere else.

So there are 3 things you guys need to do for me:
1) Reply to me regarding this friday's youth congregation/Passion Quest
2) Reply to me regarding Sex and Sensibility talk in SIB (25th July)
3) Let me know if you want me to help you reserve Passion Concert tickets and submit your details as mentioned above.

Ok? I know it's a rather long mail but it's necessary. Please please reply to me k... It's rather expensive for me to keep smsing/calling each of you. Thanks and God bless!!

NO CG but there is OLR this weekend...

2008-07-08T05:03:00.000-07:00

Hi.

We won't be having CG again this friday, 11 July, as Pui Fun and I will not be around.

However, there is this 'One Life Revolution' exhibition going on in church. Admission if FREE. It started today and it'll be on until Sunday. On Sat and Sun, it's from 10 am to 10 pm. So we're suggesting that we go to church earlier and go for this exhibition before Celebration starts. Maybe can ask the bus to come at 3 instead of 3.30? What do you all think?

I myself am not very sure of what this OLR is about but i managed to get some information from Pui Fun since she's voluntering these few days. It's actually an exhibition to create awareness about AIDS. It's not the normal type of exhibition where you walk around look at pictures, facts, and figures and people come talk to you. The exhibition is done in a maze-like thing where you'll walk in it, look at the pictures, while listening to a naration using an MP3 player (have to be returned at the end ya...hehe).

There are 3 maze with 3 different true stories. They are about 3 children whose lives have been affected by HIV/AIDS. So, it is kind of like you putting yourself in the child's shoe, experiencing what he/she has experienced as a victim. Each maze will take you about 20 mins to complete. If u wish to go through the other 2 maze, just line up and wait for your turn again. All the three maze will end at a consultation clinic where you'll get a stamp.

As most of us are in the health care profession, i think this would be a good experience. Even if we're not, it'll still benefit us.

I need to get response from all of you (especially those taking the bus from Vista) on whether you are interested in going or not, by TOMORROW. Say maybe by 5 pm? We need to arrange for the bus to come if many are interested to go.

NO cg this fri, 4th July

2008-07-03T04:11:00.000-07:00

hello ppl,

this is my first time blogging...haha...so not IT savvy rite...

anyways, just want to let you all know that there is NO cg this fri, 4th July because a lot of ppl cannot make it.

Desert Song

2008-07-02T07:49:00.001-07:00

Although I go to Hillsong for services and connect group, there are some parts of Hillsong I may not completely agree with. Sometimes there's a lot of hype and a lot of style but query substance.

But I think this video really humbles me. This is just a great song with a real story that displays God's beauty and glory. :)

This is my prayer in the desert
when all that's within me feels dry
this is my prayer in my hunger and need
My God is the God who provides

This is my prayer in the fire
In weakness or trial or pain
There is a faith proved of more worth than gold
So refine me Lord through the flame

I will bring praise, I will bring praise
No weapon formed against me shall remain
I will rejoice, I will declare
God is my victory and He is here

This is my prayer in the battle
When triumph is still on it's way
I am a conquerer and co-heir with Christ
So firm on His promise I'll stand

I will bring praise I will bring praise
No weapon formed against me shall remain
I will rejoice i will declare
God is my victory and He is here

All of my life
In every season
You are still God
I have a reason to sing
I have a reason to worship

I am encouraged

2008-06-20T23:37:00.000-07:00

by what Kenneth wrote on his facebook profile

I'm a 3rd year medical student in University of Manchester.

What do I do as a med student? I clerk pts for senior docs, examine them, scrub in theatre ( if ihad a chance), sit on a corner in a clinic, n bombarded with questions in tutorials... sounds boring huh?

What enlightens me is this: I listen not only the symptoms that pts presents, but also how other issues mushroomed out from the ground after rain when they are sick... I show empathy for their circumstances, yet give thanks to the One above for His greatness and goodness in life...

In clinic, ppl came with many reasons... Many would anxiously know whats the blood test has shown, or complaining the long waiting list, or complain about the side effect of the drug... At the other end of the spectrum, ppl are just tired out the chronic circumstances that they had put themselves in, some came with suicidal thoughts, n some even would beg the doc to save their lives...

As for me, Im just trying to become a better person, a better healer..

2008-06-18T09:40:00.001-07:00

Hi everyone,

This post is to let you know that we won't be having cg for this friday. So please take note.

Will update when we have a meeting.

refer Mt 12 : 28... Keep-going-on...

Cg Meeting (13/6/2008)

2008-06-10T22:53:00.000-07:00

Hello all you peeps!!

Here is a quick reminder of our friday cg meet (13/6/2008) :

Ice Breaker - Sabrina
Worship - Kay Teck
Word - Pui Fun

Venue - B2-9-3
Time - 8pm

To the rest of the "comrades", keep on fighting!! May God continue to strengthen us during this time!!

No cell meeting this friday (6/6/08)

2008-06-03T19:32:00.000-07:00

Hello everyone!!

As you all know the sem 5s had their matching results out last friday. Lily is going to Manchester and Troy is going to Liverpool. Kiryu is heading to the Land Down Under, specifically Melbourne. *And I'll be heading to Brisbane in 2 years time.. teeheehee...*

So yeah, just want to thank God for the results...

And from this week onwards we'll be having cg fortnightly until we finish our EOSes... This is to give more time for studies as our exam approaches.

So this week we won't be having cell meeting. Pls take note. Cell will resume the following week yeah.

*Gambate for revision!!*

Sermon Video for CG (30/5/2008)

2008-05-28T21:31:00.000-07:00

Heiya everyone!!

This week we're doing something different for cell... Some of you might have known that we're going to watch a dvd which is a sermon video for cell. It's by Pastor Louie Giglio, together with Chris Tomlin from Passion worship band.

I've watched this video before and it's very very inspiring. Pastor Louie talks about God's existence through science (astronomy and biology) and I think it's rather interesting for us, no? I would like to ask you to invite your friends to come over and watch this. This is a very good sermon. We won't be having worship but just ice breakers prior to the sermon video.

Sab has offered to prepared some drinks and we're probably gonna get a bit of pizzas for refreshments after the dvd. (PS : Refreshments, not DINNER... So eat first ya...) My dear kind batchmate Angelene has offered her place for us to watch coz we needed a dvd player!!) So a MILLION THANKS ANGELENE!!!

Venue - B1-14-2
Time - 8pm sharp

Hope to see many of you coming and pray for God to bring more people to come and watch the video. I know it may be tough since now is the time for EOSes but just pray by divine appointment people will come...

See you!!

CG meeting (23/5/2008)

2008-05-21T07:16:00.000-07:00

Hi ppl!! This week we're having cg as normal. The details are as follows :

Worship - David
Ice breaker - Sue Wen
Word - Pui Fun

Venue - B2-9-3
Time - 8pm

Just want to thank God for all the ppl who just finished their EOSes!! Now it's time for you guys to enjoy and let your hair down! It's much deserved rest after all the hard work =)

Where will you be?

2008-05-19T07:23:00.000-07:00

Hi to the cg that I love :)

Just wanted to share something.
I went to a CMDFA (Christian Medical and Dental Fellowship of Australia) State dinner last Saturday.

The main speaker was an Iranian asylum seeker. He came from a rich family in Iran and when he was growing up, his father had connections with the Shah of Iran. He was also sent to the US to study and was studying commerce in the University of Columbia (or something like that..haha I don't know if I remember his uni correctly). He was a very devout Muslim who prayed 5 days a week and fasted an extra day before and after Ramadan.

But then in 1979, the Islamic Revolution took over. Everything they had were confiscated. He had to start from scratch all over again. As he grew older he also felt he did not really understand what Islam was about. Although he prayed 5 times a day, he found himself thinking of his daily activities; planning what to eat where to go instead of understanding what he was chanting.

Over the next few years he built a successful business but was once again confiscated. He then started a bookshop but the religious police kept on visiting him and finally he was thrown in jail and tortured. He was then sentenced to jail by the court but was released on bail.

His family decided to smuggle him out of Iran because he might be imprisoned indefinitely.
He reached Jakarta, but then the smugglers stole his money and fake passport. He said that he was left stranded in a foreign land where he did not know the language and could not go to the authorities because he had no passport.

He stayed in Indonesia for 5 years, moving from village to village every 2 months to escape detention. He was tired of such a life and embarked on a journey via Torres Strait to one of the pacific islands of Australia. He said that he went on horseback and walked.

When he reached Australian soil, he turned himself in and then was flown to detention in Sydney.
There he spent 5 years; not sure whether he would be deported back to Iran to face execution or be allowed to stay. He described the detention centre where inmates would not be called by name but by number and where they were constantly reminded they were not wanted by Australia. There was nothing to do and they were isolated from the community.

Yet, yet.....he said that God had a plan in it all!
It was in detention where he was invited to join a bible study group by some Iranians (because he could translate as his english was good).
It was in detention he met God. It was because he was in detention for 5 years, he managed to complete 11 bible study courses by correspondence. And it was because of detention he met his wife, a former Buddhist but now Christian who was an asylum seeker from China.

He also shared that although he did not know God before, He was there guiding him all along. Where God protected him as he traveled in the jungle and that God could have sent him to any other detention centre in Australia, but he was flown to Sydney. Also that he could have been killed in Iran.

He is now in bible school and last year started a church for asylum seekers in Sydney. They now have 40 members, all ex Muslim in the short period of a few months.

**************************************************************************

I guess the message that hit me was that no matter where we are, God is there in the details.
To be honest, my 1st year in Sydney was challenging; not really academically but because of family and personal turmoil.
Although I knew 110% that God has placed me in Sydney specifically, I could not comprehend how God would allow such suffering even though I was in the centre of His will.

Yet...I am so reminded by what the speaker said.
That for him, even in detention (almost like prison)...he still acknowledged God and His purposes for his life. That God has a plan, a plan not to harm but a plan to prosper us, to give us a hope and a future. (Jeremiah 29:11)

Even as the sem5s are gearing up for matching or Seremban or even non sem5s...there are many unanswered questions in life. Uncertainties. Even our own "detentions" that we feel trapped by God in. Where we cannot understand the ways of God.

But I pray (esp for myself) that we will be reminded that God is the God of love and the God who only longs for the best for us. That no matter where we are or will end up in, He has a plan, and a good one :)

ATTN : Volunteers needed!!

2008-05-19T01:48:00.000-07:00

Hey peeps, this is really interesting and I believe that as people who are in healthcare line, all the more we should gather ourselves and lend a helping hand.

I'm not sure if you guys remember that I've asked for volunteers for the World Vision Exhibition for HIV/AIDS which was held in Monash Universitiy sometime ago, but they are having it again and this time it's in our very own DREAM CENTER!! It's gonna be held from 5th of July (this is the volunteers training day) until 13th of July. As far as I know, there'll be one more training on 28th of June but volunteers are required to come for one only. Looking at our exam schedule, I think most of us will go for the 5th of July instead.

Below is an attachment I received regarding the programme and I really hope that we all can volunteer as a whole cg. I will bring a copy of the conference schedule and volunteer form to cg this friday so meanwhile you guys take time to think about it (actually no need lah, it's right after exam and what better way to wind down then to serve the community??!!)

Dear Friends

World Vision Malaysia is continuing its interactive HIV/ Aids exhibition “One Life Revolution” in Malaysia at Dream Centre from 8 to 13 July 2008. This exhibition allows participants to walk in the shoes of children who endured extraordinary hardship due to HIV / Aids and trafficking.

HIV/Aids is on the rise in Malaysia. It is taking its toll not just among intravenous drug users, but women and children as well. We need to raise the awareness of parents and youths in order to combat this together. ** (See statistics from UNDP below)

HOW CAN I HELP?

BE A VOLUNTEER
We need at least 15 volunteers for every 5 hour slot to enable OLR to run smoothly. You can either rally a group and volunteer together or volunteer as an individual by filling in the volunteer form and emailing it to World Vision at janna_chang@wvi.org

You will also need to attend one of the volunteer trainings on the 28 June or 5 July from 9 am to 12 noon at Dream Centre. Please indicate which date you prefer on the volunteer form.

BRING A BAND
While the visitors are waiting to go into the exhibition, we want to share with them a message of hope and love through music and songs. We hope to be able to get a band to play for every of the slots we are open, to play twice during that time for a period of 40 mins each. Bands need to bring their own musical instruments and amps. We will supply the drums. Practice will be the evening before your slot. You will be permitted to bring your albums for sale and we encourage you to donate those proceeds to a World Vision cause. Those interested, please fill in your details in the OLR Band Form and email it to sophy.lim@dumc.com.my and we will get back to you.

SPREAD THE WORD
Tell others about OLR. Share the learning. Impact and save lives. Your action today can help many from today onwards. HIV/Aids not only destroy the lives of the victims. It destroys families and makes children orphans.

Thank you for your partnership! Together we can reduce the impact of HIV/Aids in the future and make Malaysia a better and safer place for the next generation.

Margaret Loy

Community Excel Services (CES)*

If you guys have any questions, feel free to ask me this friday and I will try to answer you.

No cg for this week.

2008-05-13T08:44:00.000-07:00

Hello again peeps!! This week has really been a stressful week for me, and I believe so for most of us who are having exams very very soon... Sigh... Endless exams...

Anyway back to serious business. This week we won't be having cg becoz me and jui jien won't be around. And we also have venue issues as well becoz most of our housemates are having exams, if not ourselves. So we'll take a break for this week.

And all the best for Sem 5s and Sem 3s for CNS and Haemato/GI exams, and Sem 2s for EOS... When all seems hopeless, look to Him!! *Have been telling myself this repeatingly...*

God's rainbow

2008-05-08T07:31:00.000-07:00

Family.

Cg update

2008-05-07T10:11:00.000-07:00

Hi everyone! Hope the week has been good to you all... As our exams comes nearer and nearer, let's just continue to keep everyone in prayer.

This week cg (9/5/2008) :

Icebreakers - Olivier
Worship - Troy
Word - Pui Fun

Venue - C1-12-4 (Take note : It's changed again, this time to Sabrina's place. Gotta accomodate our housemates who are having exams in a week's time.)
Time - 8pm

See you all on friday and don't be late! God bless =)

Cg meet (2/5/2008)

2008-04-29T10:56:00.000-07:00

HELLO!!

Cg this friday (2/5/2008) :

VENUE - B-2-4 (Notice the change, it's at B-tower)
TIME - 8pm (SHARP...)

Ice Breaker - Sabrina
Worship - Kay Teck
Word - Pui Fun

I know quite a number of us are facing very very major exams soon, so let's keep each other in prayer and may the Lord continue to strengthen all of us through this time.

See you all this friday!

Cg outing

2008-04-22T06:34:00.000-07:00

Hello everyone!! Just to let all of you know that we're having a cg outing this friday (25/4/2008)instead of the normal cg... Please meet outside IMU by 6pm and try to be punctual ya...

If I'm not mistaken we're going to Sunway Pyramid to have dinner. So yeap, in order to make it easier for the drivers (so as to not get caught in a jam) we want to leave early since the sem 5s lectures ending at 5.45pm.

Please confirm your attendence asap to Eugene. If you don't have his number then pls sms me.

Ok see you guys then. Have a blessed week.

CG meet (11/4/2008)

2008-04-10T07:34:00.000-07:00

Hey people!!

We're having cg tomorrow (friday) as usual yeah...

Ice Breakers - Eugene
Worship - Troy
Word - Pui Fun

Venue - B2-9-3
Time - 8pm

Tomorrow the group will be slightly smaller than usual because a number of our members are going for the CF camp. Nevertheless we can all still have fun!!

Please take note : Next week friday (18/4/2008) will be CYZ congregation week. So we won't be having cg. The congregation will be in Dream Center instead, starting at 8pm. I will be on duty for worship that week so you guys have to try to arrange your own transport there k...

Please please try to make time to go, because fellowhipping shouldn't be limited just to our cg alone. We can make a lot of new friends in the cyz. And please confirm your attendance because I need a rough estimate of number for refreshments ya...

Thanks and God bless ya all!!

Cg meet (4/4/2008)

2008-04-02T03:50:00.000-07:00

Aloha!!

This week we're having cg as usual. The details are as follows...

Ice Breaker - Christine
Worship - David
Word - Jui Jien

Venue - B2-9-3
Time - 8pm

I know it's a bit too late but I just wanna ask if anyone of you have anything to say regarding the recent Easter Sunrise celebration aka Dinner we had in church, fell free to post yeah. You may wanna share your thoughts here, if God spoke to you through erm... The rainbow...

*Which I didn't really see coz I was busy looking for our table and I'm so sorry to make you guys walk ONE BIG round to the table...*

Anyway, God is really great coz on our side, we actually finished until the very last meal before the rain came down. Talk about good timing from Him...

Ok see you guys on friday!

This is classic

2008-03-28T05:54:00.000-07:00

Troy!
So "sweet" :)

Welcoming Party

2008-03-20T08:46:00.000-07:00

Aloha!!

Peeps, you all know we'll be having our Welcoming Party tomorrow at B-7-3 at 8pm yeah... But all cg members bringing food and drinks are to be at Jui Jien's place by 7.30pm for preparation. PLEASE PLEASE call up David and double check with him the amount and variety of food that you're bringing. We want all our guests to be well fed but we don't want to waste food as well.

Tomorrow we won't be doing worship or word as well, because we want to make everyone comfortable at the gathering. We will start with an ice breaker game and then proceed to food after saying grace.

Take the time to build friendships with the juniors and make them feel welcomed. If you think that someone is open-minded and ready to hear the gospel, then by all means share with them but please do it tactfully and with consideration. I want to stress that evangelism is not the main event here.

At the end of the party, before everyone goes I'll explain a little about our cg and what we do and to encourage them to join us. We will then give out the souvenirs together with our contact card.

As I have to leave early, please take care of the matters after I go. Help Jui Jien to clean up the place first yeah.

Let us think through properly the reason we have this party. We're not cencerned with eating and merry-making only, but we want to establish relationships so that we can help make a difference in these people's lives. PLEASE PLEASE PRAY together with me because we need God's power to work here. We can't do His work without asking for His help. Pray for people to come and also that the time of fellowship will be fruitful. Pray for smooth journey for all those who need to travel.

Lastly I hope that we'll have a blast of time tomorrow night!! Adieu!!

Christine : Do ensure that every guest is given the welcoming slip and remember to get it back from them after they fill it. You can get somebody to help you out. Remember to get the pens ready!!

HELPERS Needed!!

2008-03-12T22:03:00.000-07:00

Attention all!! Pastor Mike needs 10 helpers (guys only) to help set-up 300 tables and 3000 chairs for the Dedication Dinner on Sunday 23 March afternoon from 1:30pm onwards. Loads of carrying to do. And maybe some other stuff too.

Helpers will have their dinner paid for. If helper already paid for their ticket, they will be reimbursed.

*No worries about the reimburse part coz I haven't collect from you all yet. So anyone of you wanna save 20 bucks, go for it k. Btw GUYS only ya... Please give me your names asap*

Ps : Which brings me to the next question, please pay 20 bucks to me when you see me on friday, For those not coming, please pay me when you see me in Uni k.. Thanks...

Cg meet (14/3/2008)

2008-03-12T09:50:00.000-07:00

Hello everyone!

Cg is as usual this friday (though I suspect no many will be able to come since most of you are OOs and there's Variety Night)... We'll be wrapping the sweets as souvenirs for the newcomers so those of you who are coming can bring scissors and double sided tape if you have.

Christine, please remember to bring the wrapping papers, sweets and the card you printed. Thanks!!

Worship - Kay Teck
Word - Pui Fun
Ice Breaker - Pui Fun

Venue - B2-9-3
Time - 8pm

God bless!

Cell Meeting (7/3/2008)

2008-03-05T09:00:00.000-08:00

Hello everyone!

Now that i have easier access to internet, I can update the blog more often...
Cell group this friday:

Venue - B2-9-3
Time - 8pm
Ice Breaker - Pui Fun
Worship - Kay Teck
Word - Jui Jien

Please think through what food you want to bring for the Welcoming Party, which will be held on 21st of March. I haven't confirm the venue with Christine yet but we'll set it by this friday. Let David know what food you're bringing and your h/p number. The following friday we'll wrap the sweets for the party souvenir.

Lastly and most importantly, PRAY so the God would bring people in yeah. We can't do God's work without asking His help.

See you all this friday and have a blessed week.

Volunteers needed!!

2008-02-24T17:32:00.000-08:00

Dear people,

World Vision, a global Christian aid and advocacy organization, is organizing a learning experience simply entitled "One Life Revolution", for the first time ever in Malaysia. They have done this elsewhere, and Malaysia is the 10th country in the world to do this.

One Life Revolution is a experiential learning encounter, in which the participant will be taken through a "maze", reliving the experiences of a person suffering from HIV. The experience is multi-sensory.

The first location to host this in Malaysia, is Monash University (viva la Monash!!), from 5-7 March 2008.

They need volunteers desperately. And sad to say, Christians have been slow to respond. World Vision (although they are remaining faith-neutral in this country) would rather have Christian volunteers so that responses to visitors would be more likely Christian in values, rather than merely pragmatic.

If you are able to spare 5 hours on any of those 3 days, please reply me ASAP. The training for the volunteers is happening tomorrow (23rd), at Monash.

(BTW, the group most affected by HIV in Malaysia, is the majority people. Here is an opportunity to be a Samaritan of sorts.)

--
Mike Ngui
District Pastor, Children & Youth District
Damansara Utama Methodist Church

*Ok peeps, I will clarify with Pastor Mike and see if we can serve for 1 or 2 days by shifts... Cause I know most of us are having classes on those days but if we can serve 1 day for 5 hours I think I'll be going... I just want a show of hands to see how many of you are interested...*

Cg meeting (22/2/2008)

2008-02-20T20:10:00.000-08:00

Hi peeps!!

Just a reminder that this friday we're having a cg meeting!!

Time - 8pm
Venue - B-13-4
Word - Pui Fun
Worship - Kay Teck
Ice Breaker - To be confirmed...

We'll be having a discussion regarding the heart of giving in conjuction with our church anniversary gift weekend... Ok be prepared to share ya...

See you guys!!

bus service

2008-02-15T02:15:00.000-08:00

please be informed that the bus service from IMU to DUMC will resume tomorrow (16th February) leaving at 3.30pm from IMU.

please pass the word around.
thanks =)

Let me share with you,

2008-02-04T05:40:00.000-08:00

a excerpt
It hits some of my questions spot on, and so I don't mind typing it all out...
if u guys don't mind reading it of course ;)

No Fixed Formula
Even after spelling out some of what we do wrong in our prayers, however-especially after spelling that out-I must repeat that prayer does not work according to a fixed formula: get your life in order, say the right words, and the desired result will come. If that were true, Job would have avoided much suffering, Paul would have shed his thorn in the flesh, and Jesus would never have gone to Golgotha. Between the two questions "Does God answer prayer?" and "Will God grant my specific prayer for this sick child or this particular injustice?" lies a great pool of mystery.

Charles Edward White, a college professor in the state of Michigan spent several terms as a visiting professor at the University of Jos in Nigeria. While there, he visited a missionary graveyard in a quiet garden beside a chapel on Nigeria's Central Plateau. Most of the graves he noticed were small: two and three-foot mounds to accommodate child-sized coffins. 33 of the 56 graves in fact held the bodies of small children.....

...Two infants lived just one day. Others lived a few years, falling victim to the tropical diseases common in that part of the world. Melvin Louis Goossen was twelve when he and his brother fell off a suspension bridge over a rain swollen creek. Their missionary father, Arthur Goossen dived in the creek to save one son. But when he dived after Melvin, both father and son drowned....

...."The graveyard at Miango tells us something about God and about His grace. It testifies that God is not a jolly grandfather who satisfies our every desire. Certainly those parents wanted their children to live. They plead with God but He denied their request.

The graves also show us that God is not a calculating merchant who withholds his goods until we produce enough good works or faith to buy his help. If anyone had earned credit with God, it would have been these missionaries. They left all to spread the gospel in a hostile environment, But God does not hand out merit pay.

Not only do we learn about God's nature from the Miango graveyard, but we also discover truths about God's grace. God's grace may be free, but it is not cheap. Neither purchasing our salvation nor letting us know the gift was inexpensive.

Beginning with Abel, many of the witnesses to divine grace sealed their words with blood. Jesus asked the Jews which of the prophets was not persecuted? When he first sent out his disciples, he promised them betrayal and death. Then, at the end of his ministry, he promised his followers that as they carried out his word, they would face trouble and hatred.."

"The only way we can understand the graveyard at Miango," White concluded, "is to remember that God also buried his Son on the mission field."

For a missionary couple who stand beside a mound of earth in a garden in Nigeria, no logical explanation of unanswered prayer will suffice. They must place their faith in a God who has yet to fulfill the promise that good will overcome evil, that God's good purpose will, in the end, prevail. To cling to that belief may represent the ultimate rationalization----or the ultimate act of faith.

(pg 230-231, Prayer: Does it make a difference, P. Yancey)

Feedback from last friday's cg

2008-01-30T19:31:00.000-08:00

Ok on behalf of Vera (was asked to post this on our cg mail box, but we don't have one, so I post it here), I'm supposed to ask you guys for some feedback on last friday's session. Please write your comments under this post, thank you.

Overall, did you learn anything?
Was the session too overwhelming?
How else could we improve on last friday's session?

And etc etc that you guys might wanna comment on.

Here is another post I got from Vera to be posted on cg mail.

Hi All,
(Pui Fun, Pls forward to all your CG members. Tks)

I hope I didn't take the Fun out fof CG last Friday. If you are wondering what I was trying to share.. well I have only one message : "Seek God to Discover His Purpose for you, especially in 2008"

For that I have made ref to the Bible, drawn examples and have tried to show you how God aligns all our plans for His purpose. (If you are asking Huh?? or Really ah?? then I have failed somewhere in trying to pass this message to you..)

I have drawn examples of the type of character we need to have to hear God when he speaks and I encourage you to chase after God with the important questions that you need answers to...

As I read and kept pondering about Noah, how he was a righteous man and yet later slipped up because he let his guard down (that was when he got drunk and lay naked - Interesting?? Go read your Bible to find out more)..

I wonder how God felt?? I wonder how Noah felt?? I guess I have to meet God and Noah to ask them..

But this one things I know.. no matter how close we are to God we need to realise that we can easily slip into sin any time.. Why ??... because Satan is waiting for our weak moments to make us slip / fall.. and our Human body is sinful..

So my dear Brother and Sisters Be on Guard.. Learn all the GOOD from the Bible immitate it.. Be alert on what can cause us to slip and don't copy the Bad..

Read on.. what I received as This week's promise..

This week's promise: Obeying God brings Great Joy
Could be as consistent as Noah?
So Noah did everything exactly as God had commanded him..
Genesis 6:22 NLT

A man of consistent obedience

Imagine someone who doesn't pay employees cheap wages event though he enjoys a fancy house and swanky cars. Someone who doesn't indulge in movies full of sultry sex scenes. If you know such a person, you may have found someone seeking consistent obedience to God and his Word.

Noah went against the grain of his generation. As Genesis 6:9 says, "Noah was a righteous man, the only blameless man on earth at the time. He consistently followed God's will and enjoyed a close relationship to him." He stood out from others of his time whose thoughts and actions were "consistently and totally evil." (Genesis 6:5)
Apparently folks had never seen rain fall out of the sky (Gen. 2:5), but Noah obeyed God's instructions: hammering, sawing, and building for 120 years (Gen. 6:3). Noah warned people of God's judgment (2 Pet. 2:5), but even if he had never said a word, his pounding hammer rang a warning of wrath to come. Later, the truth of those words echoed as the ark floated above a world of corpses.

After Noah's family of eight emerged into a washed-out world, he held a thanksgiving service. If God was pained by a world of ungrateful human beings (Gen. 6:6), he must have been consoled by a grateful Noah (Gen. 8:20).

Sadly, the father who was buoyed atop a world of water got drunk on land (Gen. 9:20-27). It only takes one indiscretion to mar a life of righteousness.

A bow with arrows was a principal weapon in ancient warfare. After the world was washed away in Noah's time, God set a (rain) bow in the sky to remind us that we would never again destroy the world by water. Our God is consistently faithful.

from Men of Integrity Devotional Bible with devotionals by the editors of Men of Integrity magazine (Christianity Today, Intl), Tyndale House Publishers (2002), p 13
Content is derived from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation and other publications of Tyndale Publishing House

Happy CNY to all and happy holidays. God bless.

No Cg!

2008-01-28T07:40:00.000-08:00

halo halo! this friday no CG! ok! bye bye

Cg meeting (25/1/2008)

2008-01-23T23:51:00.000-08:00

Hello everyone!!

Just to update you guys about cg meeting this friday (25/1/2008) at B2-9-3, 8pm as usual...

Ice Breaker : David Goh

Worship : Lily Chan

Guitarist : Troy Lim

I would like to ask you guys to prepare to share a Bible verse that speaks to you right now in this moment of your life. It could be your Verse of the Year, or something that has impacted you deeply recently.

Looking forward to see you guys then... God bless...

2008-01-16T04:37:00.000-08:00

I think since the blog started, I've never post any thoughts or any sentimental stuffs (wonder why??... Isn't that why people have blogs?). I'm always telling people about cg meets and annoucements but never something from my heart... Hmmm...

Was just reflecting the other day and thoughts of being cell leader now made me cringed a bit... No idea why... Maybe becoz now I have to make decisions regarding cg most of the time, instead of consulting in Richard or Kenneth like in the past. I mean of course I can still consult Victor, but I can't call him every week before cg to ask him stuffs. It's like the responsibility on me is getting heavier.

And I fear.

Come on now... It's the start of my sem 5 as well! How am I gonna cope with sem 5 and being a cg leader at the same time? Maybe I'm exaggerating the situation, but for a rookie like me, being a cg leader IS a BIG thing. WHat if I'm a terrible leader? Crazy thoughts like leading the group astray haunted me for quite some time when I was an intern. I can't possibly take that kind of responsibility!

And then, there were Kenneth, Richard and Jui Jien who were with me. If we could all do this together, it wouldn't be so intimidating I guess. Along the way, I received alot of encouragement and advice from many different people. My ex-cg leader from pre u, Grace Yong and Elizabeth gave me alot of encouragement. They shared their experiences with me and help me cope with my fears. Of course, I've learnt a lot from Philip, Sarah and Kenneth too. Each previous cg leader actually help shaped me into who I am today. As for Richard, it's been great serving together with you (although you need to brush up you joking skills... hehehe). I really hope and pray that you'll be a good doctor in the future. All the best in Seremban!

The most important figure in this whole picture is none other then God Himself. Maybe I didn't see it then. But now as I look back, His hands has been with me, on me and behind me all the time. It's always like that, isn't it? We don't see God moving at that moment, but when we look back, all we can say is it wouldn't be if it wasn't for Him.

I still remember when a friend of mine once gave me this verse : Don't let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith and in purity - 1 Timothy 4: 12. I have always fear because of my relative young age as a Christian. How could I, a mere Christian for less than 5 years possibly take responsibility as a cg leader? Till today it baffles me... My friend told me then, it's not about the years nor experience, but what has grown in the heart. If God gave me the responsibility, then He will provide the resources that I need.

Because of this verse, I stand today. Out of my comfort zone, taking each step in faith.

Thus I look forward to my new experiences as a cg leader, and I hope and pray that I'll do a good job. I ask all of you to pray for me, and also with me.

thank God for thank God its fridays even though its not a friday

2008-01-13T16:55:00.001-08:00

i was blog surfing last night and saw this post..
tot it was pretty interesting so i decided to put it up here..

this is my family in imu.they are the personsssss i love the most in imu.let me describe each of them one by one(soli,my english sux but it is the heart that does matter right?)

1st row,from the left

1.eugene and lily:this couple really sweet man!at 1st i think they are veli cool.then i found that eugene is actually veli naughty but when it comes to sth serious,he will be very serious.as for lily, she is super sweet and i think she looks like jolin tsai and her taste is good(just look at her clothes then u will get what i meant).(lily,u rmb the time when i did the ice breaking for cg,u chose my name,hah,i felt damn honourable lehh,heh)

2.sarah: oto i dun much chance to know her but i know she is a nice girl.she is soft and the cheese cake she baked (or steamed ?i duno,i know how to eat only =)) is as nice as my mum's.(not so many ppl can bake better cake than my mum k?).i think we are quite fated bcuz she stayed in my current room when she was still studying in imu.i hope i will have the same luck as her--to be able to go to unsw after 2 years(yes,i want to go to UNSW so badly !!!).

3.this part will be quite scandalous:pui fun and troy.see the pic agn now---can you feel that LOVE IS IN THE AIR???they are the super smart couple,A students,both look like rainie yang,both are skinny,even the taste oso about the same(look at their specs).they like to quarrel but the more they quarrel ,the more we (actualy not we,i dun kacau them=),i dun say anything,i only write something) tease at them,lol!!

ok lah,enuf of bluff,if i dont tell the truth now,pui fun will most probably shout at me or complains that i buly her again when she sees me. they are not te real couple yet lahhh.

actually,pui fun is a nice girl .she is our 'dai ga je' and she works so hard for a better 2ml of our cg.oto she owes says'i veli sienz oledy','it is not funy','dun play play' but we know that she forgives us all the time oto we are very naughty indeed.(pui fun,selfishly,i oso hope that u will get the 1st choice u told me jz nw bcuz tat means i can see you in the coming year agn)

troy is very innocent but talented.he is a genius.dont's look down on him. oto he is vely skinny,ask him how much coke can he drink per night?heh.he looks cute when he says he is angry or pretend to be angry but smile happily.may be tats y he owes kena zhat by us.=)

4.in btwn pui fun and troy,it is chris:he crazy one!!!u will never know how crazy is this guy unless u get to know him urself.he looks innocent?yes,i know but we know there is sth tat we call as 'look can be deceiving'.(ok lah,he is innocent most of the time but when it comes to buly people esp pui fun,ehem ehem,i dun wan continue oledy,i scare i will spoil UR good image)anyway,he really helps me a lot and i know it is very difficult to meet someone who is as nice as YOU(im saying this with my 100% sincere heart,so,dont sabo and buly me agn!!!)

2nd row:from right to left

1.this is our current dai lou richard:this dai lou is not so dai lou bcuz he owes kena zhat or bulied by us.he can tell u guys a lot of jokes but in the end,what happen?heheh,all the family members know then enuf oledy.by the way,he will be going to seremban soon .do take k ya man!oh ya,additional information,he is still single and definitely available!!

2.philip and his gf(soli,i duno ur name):he was the cg dai lou b4 i came to imu .so,i think i cant elaborate too much on him .anyway.10s for asking me if they all got buly me or not(but i think i m the one who buly some of them =) )

3.christine:the girl who loves her family members so much and the love is beyond description .she will definitely cry when u all are leaving.this girl is so looking forward to every friday and saturday now bcuz she likes to spend time with you all.she likes to zhat ppl but most of the time is bcuz of someone triggers her to start it.

4.adam:this one is not my senior but is one of my good friend in imu .his pick up line is 'im bored'.he is originally from sibu but his foochow is damn SUX,hah,i know u dun mind.

p/s:i want to have a cg trip ,the sooner the better,richard,u heard what i say???where is the penang trip??i want to go!!i want to go!i want to go!

<>

read all bout it here..
christine
(christine, see i publicize ur blog for u)

thanks christine on behalf of all of us..
its way too flattering for me to accept..
but thanks loads..
its GREAT to have you as a part of our family..
=)

ps: i din bully u, u bully me got la..
hmphhh..

Talking about failure

2008-01-11T13:35:00.000-08:00

I had lied flat on my bed and starring at the ceiling for 15 minutes and it made me to ponder about one issue that's stuck in my mind. What if I failed my Winter Progress test? Touch wood... Exactly less than 1 week untill exam, and there is so much to read. This time, not only the reading material part, there is more communication skills role to do, aka briefing about how to use a inhaler to pts, or even explaining a procedure to a pt.

As my exam dates are drawing near, my symptoms are worsening: sleepless night ( Initative Insomnia) haha, tachycardia, sweating, extra alert to surroundings, sounds familiar to u guys? So yeah, all these feelings brings me back to my years in IMU. I thought I would not go to UK because I have failed not because I got an F, but not getting an A. So coming back to the present time, I remember that God is always a provider. Even though I didnt get the straight A's to get in to Man U, God is there. Even though I dunno nuts how to make a short concise explaination to pts, God send someone to help me out. Even though, even though...

I'll like to draw your attention to this simple logic: No matter how smart or how knowledgeable you may be, you will never be in control. So what do you do? Cast your worry to God, you do your best, and let God do the rest! Cheers...

Lord You are always here with me

2008-01-03T09:07:00.000-08:00

Back in the days where I was still *cough* young and studying in IMU, this was a favourite song in CF and DUMC. It was a song that really spoke to me; a song I remember loving so much that I wrote down the lyrics and memorized on the LRT one Sat afternoon going down to Plaza Rakyat.

Yet, somehow we always couldn't find the origin of this song or who wrote it. Linda, Su Chuen (if u don't know who they are, it shows how old I am) all couldn't despite trawling the internet.

Two years later, I am no longer in IMU. Many circumstances have changed, difficult moments have shaken me. There seem to be no fast answers nor magic solutions to problems. The night seems to stretch more than days, more than months..going into years.

I must confess that when I heard this song again in DUMC, in our new building, my heart was numb. It seemed so long ago when I last sung this song with real hope.

Yet the song stuck in a forgotten part of my consciousness.
And today, on a whim, I searched for this song, praying that somehow I'll find it, but believing that I won't because I am so used to getting silence or the opposite from God.

Low and behold, somehow, this song is now on the internet!

A small gesture, but so important to my hope starved soul.

I pray that even as we (especially I) journey in this thing call life with its trials and storms, we will remember that God doesn't and has not forgotten us.

G
When the trouble comes
Bm7
I trust in You
Em Bm7
For i know You will lead me through
C G
And i know You are faithful
D
till the end

G D
Lord You are always here with me
Em
There is no changing God in Thee
G Am7
You are the same yesterday
Em D
and today and forevermore
G D
Here on your promises i stand
Em7 C
You hold my future in Your hand
Am7
My solid rock
D
Almighty God
G
I worship you

And when the storms are drawing near
When I'm with You I don't have to fear
You're my shepherd on whom I can depend

Em
Through the day
C D
Through the night
Em7 D
I know You're always be by my side

Cg meet this friday (4/1/2008)

2008-01-02T01:02:00.000-08:00

HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ALL!!!

Sorry peeps I didn't wish you guys earlier on the blog coz I was out of the internet world for the whole week... Another year had passed, and now it's the new begining. Like Pr Daniel said, this will be the year of multiplying. Not just material things, but also the burdens that God put in our hearts. So look out for these!!

We will have a cg meet this friday yeah, same time 8pm at B2-9-3. We will do something very light, for example reflections on the year 2007 and what are our plans or hopes for the year 2008. Not only as individuals, but also the cg as a whole.

Hope to see you all there!! Have a blessed new year!!

Cg on Wednesday

2007-12-17T00:45:00.000-08:00

Hello people!!

I just wonder if we all can have cg this coming wednesday instead of friday? Because thursday is a holiday and I think most people would want to go back their hometown (I for one, needs to go back coz my relatives are coming over from Johore and my mother wants me to go back ).

We'll do something light together, maybe have a dinner at Talipon (yes, sarah your wish is granted...) just before Christmas?? Becoz the we'll be having holiday the following week and won't be meeting each other till next year. So this will be a good way of closing of for the year for our cg.

We'll meet at about 7pm? How about that? Or if you guys have other suggestions? Do let me know yeah... Call me if you want to know anything.

Sucessful Christmas Week Celebration

2007-12-13T00:38:00.000-08:00

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!

I wanna say that our IMU Christmas week celebration was quite a success!! God has certainly bless us well! And so I wanna thank all those who help during the sales of the coupon for the reptile exhibition... And to Eugene, Lily and Chris, you guys did a great job for the Party! Lynn Xuan, you were faithful to go for the mime practices even though your exams were so near, and it's really encouraging.

As for cg this friday, I'm sorry to say that this week we won't be having a cg, but will resume next week. Since it coincides with Friday Night, and Kay Teck is not around, we won't really have a place to have cg (unless anybody wants to offer their place?)...

So that's about it for this week. We'll see each other again next week yeah!

No Cg on Friday (7/12/2007)

2007-12-06T01:07:00.000-08:00

Hey people!! This is just to inform you guys that there will be NO CG TOMMORROW... This week is our church's christmas pruduction week, titled "LOST"... Some of us are going for tommorrow night's performance, while some of us are going on staurday. On top of that, Kay Teck is performing as a choir member for all 3 nights. So I've decided that we won't have cg for tommorrow.

Hope you guys would bring some friends to watch the production!! I'm excited for this "LOST" musical!!

CG (29/11/2007)

2007-11-29T04:50:00.000-08:00

Hi everyone!! This week we're doing sommething different for cg... As some of you know, the Christmas celebration in IMU will take place from 11th to 13th of December. There're quite a number of activities and programmes that have been organised. One of the highlights is the reptile exhibition themed "Jingle in the Jungle" which will take place in IMU on the 11th of Dec.

We're trying to reach out to the community around here in Vista apartments to promote the reptile show, and also to sell the tickets to them. This is a fund raising event to cover the expenses for the FREE CHRISTMAS LUNCH PARTY for everyone in IMU on the 12th of Dec. Some of you might ask, what's the connection between the reptile show and the meaning of christmas? We're trying to tell people the meaning of christmas via a puzzle that visitors have to complete during the show. So we really need people to come!!

I'have decided that we could do this as a cg activity. So tomorrow we're going to promote and sell the tickets to the residents of Vista B2 apartment. We'll meet at my place first B2-9-3 by 8pm. I'll brief you all on what we're going to do then. Do come and support this event yeah!

Ps : I really need the guys to come because we're going house to house and it's safer if there's at least 1 guy in each group.

Time bomb

2007-11-24T16:59:00.000-08:00

Hey ppl,

This week is an awful busy week for me. With SSC (student selective course) topics were out yesterday, as kia-su kampung boy from Borneo ( the ang mo peeps heard before Borneo cause apparently Orang Utans are more well known than Malaysia, yeah its true.... haha) I quickly grabbed the choices.

Other than that, I took a history from a man with chronic asthma ( type A brittle asthma) with complications of Aspergillosis and in his PMH he has testicular teratoma and had spreaded to the kidneys and lungs. PLUS he is MRSA postive. In short, hes dying. As I am reflecting back on the whole history taking session, though I was figuring out how to take a good history on his chronic asthma, he also share with me that he is dying soon. THEN I stopped from jotting things down and went straight to how he felt back then. DING! In Manchester curriculum, they follow the so called Cambrige-Calgary model in history taking and one of the components is ICE (ideas, concerns and expectations). He told me that life is like a time bomb, the clocks starts ticking with every heart beat. With every seconds, cherish it and embrace it purposefully.

Pondering upon this statement, its really easy to get off side track whenever we are busy busy busy like a bumble bee. For me, sometimes its feels like every week is a robotic routine schedule PLUS being a medical student is like down under the food chain in the hospital PLUS PLUS PLUS so much more.I do ponder why I took Medicine at the first place. It is really hard work. Hahaha, ppl said its one of the hardest course and very costly too. PLUS its a life-less career.

Hmmm, God is a creative God after all. In spite of all of it, God shows and speaks to me by the exprience when i take history from patients with many different backgrounds, by showing empathy to them. N above all knowledge that is available in the medical research world, somethings are not curable ( like this man, he went to ICU 3 days ago). God is above everything, including medicine.

So ppl, indeed life is like a time bomb. God is a detonator. N live life for the audience of one.

God bless

CG meeting 23/11/2007

2007-11-22T10:12:00.000-08:00

Hey everyone! How's the week? As usual, we're having cg meeting tomorrow. The details are as follows:

Ice Breaker - Eugene
Worship - Kay Teck
Word - Richard

Venue - B2-9-3
Time - 8pm

Hope to see all of you then!! May God bless everyone!

*Oh yeah, do decide which day u guys prefer to go for the Church Christmas Musical "Lost" k?? Then purchase the tickets this weekend yeah*

Prayer Request

2007-11-19T23:20:00.000-08:00

Hey everyone...

I just wanna ask all of you to keep all the sem 2 students in prayer due to the handphone incident that happened today during their OSPE... Apparently 50 people brought in their handphones while in quarantine ( not sure bout the details though)... I heard that as this is their first time having EOS, they do not know that they have to hand in their handphones even during quarantine before they have the exam.

Pray that the uni would have mercy upon them and the fact that they were caught before they enter for OSPE (according to what I heard this happened to the first group, not the 2nd so there shouldn't be any leakage of questions)... I'm not sure when would the results come out though...

Continue to pray for them yeah... I understand how frustrating it would be coz I was in the same position before...

CG meet (16/11/2007)

2007-11-14T21:58:00.000-08:00

Because of last week's demontration, the bus is unable to come and pick most of us up for church celebration last saturday... So we were unable to meet then... Never mind this week we're having our friday cg as usual.

Ice breaker - Christine (YAY!!)
Worship - Kiryu (YAY no. 2!!)
Word - Pui Fun

Venue - B2-9-3
Time - 8pm

I have some annoucements to make during the cg so do come yeah. And please pray for the sem 2 people (Kay Teck and Michelle) since they will be having exam the following week.

See you all then!! God bless and have a nice weekend...

Bersih

2007-11-12T04:52:00.000-08:00

As a follow up to Ken's post...

Honestly when I saw the pictures and videos online, I was intrigued.
After all, you know la we all Malaysians, we always sit around the mamak talking a lot about politics but if asked to go and berhimpun and if raining some more, we would rather check out the new Pavilion or Gardens at MidValley.

So yea, the turn out was pretty impressive for us "never mind la" Malaysians.

Is this really the start of something different?

But more importantly, am I going to be part of the new change?

I have always been fascinated by autobiographies of those who preserved under persecution. Stories like Corrie Ten Boom were full of drama. How ordinary people risk their lives to hide and save the Jews during World War 2.

Yet, when I reflect back on my life, I know deep down if I were placed in such positions, I probably wouldn't have done the same. True, I would not have supported the Germans either but I'd probably just shut up, keep quiet and be neutral.

Even now, I often just keep quiet when my friends discuss about their own contraception or when the conversation goes about Christians marrying/dating non Christians etc. And I can almost say 100% if I was in KL last Saturday, I'd probably be snoozing in Vista rather than marching.

am I going to be part of the new change?

I hope you get my drift. I end this with a quote I myself need to think about...

The opposite of love is not hate..........

............... it is indifference.

If he did it, where am I? Credits

11 November

2007-11-11T13:27:00.000-08:00

Today, in UK and other commonwealth countries ( eg: Australia, NZ) ppl here observed this day as Remembrance day. Another name are "Poppy day" or "Armistice day". It is a day to commemorate the sacrifices of members of the armed forces and civilians in times especially since World War 1. It is recalled on 11 November to recall the end of World War 1 on the date of 1918.

Well I ask my fellow Ang Mo mates, they said its not only for the sacrifices of World War 1, but including other wars in the world where they gain liberty and freedom in the country for all the sacrifices that their forefathers. I shall not brief for more about the details of the ceremony, you could wikipedia it and check it out.

But I'm disturbed by what happening over half of the globe, Malaysia. It is a day we had a riot. A riot that our ppl are crying and urging for a clean politic and election. Eventhough after 50 years of independence, do we really gain independence? As christians, I urged you to pray for our land.

2007-11-09T23:39:00.000-08:00

I miss everyone in VcCG~!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

No cg meeting tomorrow

2007-11-08T08:02:00.000-08:00

After reading Sarah's post, I don't really feel like posting about this but I have to... Because I hope Sarah's post would be on the top of the page and not mine...

Anyway this is just to inform you all that there will be no cg meeting tomorrow. Since it's Deepavali and quite a number couldn't make it...

Happy holidays and God bless !!

Check this out! Highly inspiring

2007-11-07T08:44:00.000-08:00

Hi guys.
This is one of our IMU seniors.

He sought to excel despite bad childhood

DAVID YEOW

Dr Vinod Laxmikanth’s fervent belief in God got him through his most painful period in his life. Now he shares his story of hope with the people he comes across.

The product of an unplanned pregnancy, he grew up to see his parents divorce at 13. By 15, he was emotionally scarred. But he persevered in his dream to become a doctor. Today, he is a first year houseman who plans to specialise in paediatrics.

UPON meeting Dr Vinod Laxmikanth, one would not hesitate to use the phrase "tall, dark and handsome".

His friends constantly tease him as being every Indian mother’s perfect son-in-law, and it’s not hard to see why.

An Asean Scholarship holder by the age of 12, he left his home in Terengganu for Singapore, where he was named best athlete and top student at Victoria School for a number of years.

He also held the Singapore national Under-14 record for discus throw.
Confident and charismatic, Vinod soon became the popular guy in school, even gaining the respect of his seniors.

"But for a while, a rumour went around that I was a ‘test-tube baby’. I didn’t get it at first but soon realised that they meant to say that I was a designer baby," said the 25-year-old with a laugh.

In fact, the truth was far from the rumour. "My mother was pregnant with me when she married my father.

"It was an uncommon thing then. So they got married out of duty."

When he learnt that his parents were getting a divorce, Vinod was devastated as he blamed himself for the failure.

"I thought things would have been better if I had not been conceived. If the reason they got together was me, then the divorce wouldn’t have happened if I didn’t exist."

About a year after the divorce, things became worse.

His father, who had remarried, was cold and detached due to marital problems.

"I was left so confused."

His grades started dropping and he became more reserved. It was not long before circumstances forced him to give up medicine in Singapore.

When he was at his lowest point, he accepted a invitation to attend a religious event at the Singapore National Stadium.

Until this day, Vinod said that he does not remember a single word preached then. But Vinod claimed he saw a vision of God being with him at every dark and painful moment in his life.

"I literally felt a heavy weight lifted off me and gained a new confidence that everything will be all right."

Vinod returned to Malaysia in 2000 to stay with his mother in Kuala Lumpur and began to get back in the groove.

He re-sat his A-levels, got straight As and enrolled in the International Medical University, graduating last year.

At the same time, he started going to the Acts church in Subang Jaya, a move he said helped tremendously in his fight to overcome the negativity and abuse he had previously been exposed to.

"I felt God was bringing the right people to me to help with my emotional healing. The right pastor, the right church and the right friends."

Nothing about the University Malaya Medical Centre doctor hints of his troubled childhood.

According to his fiancee, Dr Tan Ling Ling, he sends many a nurse’s heart aflutter and the children in the paediatrics ward love being around him.

"Besides being a people magnet, he also loves to share his story with those willing to listen," she said.

But for Vinod, his reasons for speaking out are simple.

"I can’t help it. How God transformed me from a victim to a victor is the most outstanding thing about my life and I won’t stop talking about it."
-----------------------------------------
I highly recommend you to

Check the video out!

I guess it reminds me that yea, God can transform ashes into beauty.
If I didn't know his whole story and met him somewhere I would have thought that this guy had all of life's perks...a intern job at UMMC, a beautiful fiancee, confident, articulate.

But knowing the complete picture puts things into perspective. That this is just not an inspiring guy, but someone whom God has transformed and also someone who lives out this faith.

And I pray that this would be my life. To rejoice and to give God glory despite life's circumstances.

Cg meeting (2/11/2007)

2007-11-01T23:36:00.000-07:00

Komenazai!! Sorry for the late update for this week's cg... Now the details are as follows :

Time : 8pm
Venus : B2-9-3
Word : Richard
Ice Breaker : Pui Fun
Worship : David Goh (Yay!! First time worship in our cg!!)

Hope to see all of you tonight!! God bless...

Who knows?

2007-10-27T17:46:00.000-07:00

Emm...this might be a little moribund and sad, so my apologies for breaking the mood in this blog.
But I guess this is something that has stuck in my mind; a reminder of how much we are not in control of our lives.

Being the crazy reader that I am, I often read other people's blogs; blogs of people I don't really know in person... :)
I regularly read Caryn (one of our senior's) brother's blog. He's quite famous in IMU cuz he's an imu super senior who made it good in the US and is now working in Mayo Clinic. (www.doctorslife.blogspot.com)
Recently he was blogging about his friend; a fellow Malaysian and ex-IMC (IMU at that time) student who was recently diagnosed with metastatic esophageal cancer.

There was a link from that blog to his friend's blog. And being the reader that I am, I went to his blog. And this guy is who we all long to be; a fellow (specialist) in oncology at age 28 at a famous teaching hospital in the US, in a great relationship, a Christian, someone who is a great example...judging from the posts his friends wrote for him.

Knowing what it's like to have a cancer diagnosis bombshell; I really do feel for this guy.
The hard work we as med students put in, to study hard, to become a specialist. To come out from a university no one has heard about, going to a far country. Furthermore this guy chose a difficult specialty, oncology. Finding the one and settling down in life. Being a good testimony to his patients/friends.

It's weird at times, when the most unexpected things happen to the most unlikely people.

But it also made me realize, gosh how little we can control our destinies after all.
God is good, but also to be feared.

I shouldn't be surprised. 1 of my granduncle's wife passed away this year because of pancreatic cancer. Another of my uncle's wife was diagnosed with bowel cancer (and she's below 40 years old). My own mother. (It's not hereditary as my relatives with cancer are related by marriage....I have my own family history of another cluster of illnesses).

I guess, life is unpredictable.
We better make the most of it.

...

2007-10-25T13:33:00.001-07:00

For all folks thats stressed or sian or no mood of studying, heres something to cheer u guys up.... Though its inappopriate to put it in a CG blog, once again i apologise :>

Well, recognise this???

Well in the game, theres a little thing called the Chicken

This is what I found from a friend's blog:

This is a fried chicken shop He saw in Segamat, Johor.... wahaha!!!

Remembering the old times when I normally go play Dota after mamaking with u guys!

It's Bowling!!

2007-10-25T05:15:00.000-07:00

Hello everyone!! It's near the end of the week again... And hence my weekly notice...

TOMORROW(26/10/2007) CG IS GOING TO HAVE FUN!!!

We are playing bowling at Endah Parade at 9pm =)

However we'll be having dinner together first as a whole cg. Thus we are to gather at Vista B guard house by 7pm...

PLEASE let me know if you're going by tonight... Ok latest by tomorrow noon... Sms me yeah...

Note : BRING YOUR OWN PAIR OF SOCKS!!! Or else you have to buy... And pls keep your nails short if you dun want to break them...

Let's all have fun bonding tomorrow!! God bless everyone...

I am

2007-10-21T14:31:00.000-07:00

I am enourmously touched by the word of God today in church.

When we were worshipping during the praise and worship, one lady came up to the stage and speak prophetic words about trust in God.

Who is God? God is not God's name. God is I am. It says in Exodus 3:13-15

"Then Moses said to God, "Behold, I am going to the sons of Israel, and I shall say to them, `The God of your fathers has sent me to you.' Now they may say to me, `What is His name?' What shall I say to them?"

And God said to Moses, "I AM WHO I AM"; and He said, "Thus you shall say to the sons of Israel, `I AM has sent me to you.'"

And God, furthermore, said to Moses, "Thus you shall say to the sons of Israel, `The Lord, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has sent me to you. This is My name forever, and this is My memorial-name to all generations."

So let God be what He is best for us; being the Provider, the Shelter, the Source of strength, everything... basically!

It reminds me during my days in IMU where we have our anxieties in not only passing exams but possiblys to scores s much A's s possible, trying to rely my own effort to study s my insurance in achieving the best results. N oh yeah, very tempted to skip church during exam weeks!

The thing is the answer is always in front of our face: Let God be who He is! I am blessed that often God tell me the essence of life is in believing in Him: giving me the BEST support system n friendships in KL (i mean u guys....:>) the bread and butter of learning life issues esp in church (DUMC, i miss Ps Dan sermons), and the lame jokes! :>

Peace be with u guys!

IMU

2007-10-20T06:27:00.000-07:00

...reading this and this from IMU juniors encourages me of what's going on.
I am reminded of the things I learnt in IMU.
The great times with U guys; fun eating sprees...(SS2, Williams, Sri Petaling) but also serious discussions. I guess I really appreciate the honesty and openness of the CG.

I hope one fine day, when I'm old and wrinkly...if I have grandchildren, I'd be able to show them this video. :)
& I pray your lives would also be impacted in IMU!

Prayer Advance

2007-10-18T02:25:00.000-07:00

Just received this messagefrom Richard this morning...

There will be a prayer advance this saturday (20/10) and Pr Daniel will be preaching and praying for impartation. They are praying for youth to raise up as prayer warriors.

Time : 8am - 12pm
Lunch provided
Venue : Dream Center

All those of you who are interested do attend it this saturday yeah...

Ps : No cg meet tomorrow...

Cg - 12/10/2007

2007-10-10T10:26:00.000-07:00

Hello to all (including everyone who is not in Malaysia)!! Nice to hear from Kenneth all the way in Manchester!! Like Troy said, come back and visit us!!

OK as for this week's cg, the details are as follow:

Worship - Kiryu Yap
Ice breaker - Mark Saw
Word - Richard Tnew
Venue - B2-9-3
Time - 8.00pm

Let's all come together to worship God and learn more about Him through Word. See you guys then!!

Ps : There will be no cg next friday (19/10/2007)...

Greetings

2007-10-06T16:04:00.000-07:00

Hi ppl,

The first thing I wanna say is : " What!!!! Since Sem 1, I heard about the Dream center and gave 100% support in it and its ready when I leave!" Haha, u guys are blessed to have not only a new building with bigger space, but its DREAM center where dreams come true!

Its been about 1 month plus studying here in Manchester, and I cant say how great is God for me when I have to transit in a another phase in life which normally transition sometimes takes an awful and nasty situations. Its like when u transit in Dubai International Airport and there were so many ppl that theres insufficient seats for transitting passengers that ppl have to sleep or sit on the floor!

Well, its also quite insecure when I have to leave u guys as my close and accountable mates to count on and build each other up other the umbrella of DUMC, and move to a half foreign land and start another new life, with different community and different values....

Despite of all the insecurity, the fears, the loneliness.... I'm settling well because God gave me the wisdom when I choose Manchester as 1st choice.. Manchester somewhat has a HUGE population of Asian ( particularly Chinese), so it is in relative to China Town, so I wouldnt get too home sick or craving for curries and tom yums.... Well, apart from being a vibrant modern city with its old fashioned Industrial era typed of buildings, I am glad that Manchester is a vibrant Christian city with many churches sprout like mushrooms! So within a week, I am attending King's church (http://www.kingschurch-manchester.org/)... Its a good church with strong values, and a pool of Malaysian student communities.

Well, just wanna share this: Transition in life can be quite difficult, but with God nothing is impossible... and everything is H-impossible! Well, its different now that every weekend Im not going DUMC, cause I miss it!

Cg this friday (5/10/2007)

2007-10-01T10:45:00.000-07:00

Updates for the coming cg this friday (5/10/2007) :

Ice Breaker - Olivia
Worship - Lily
Guitarist - Kay Teck
Word - Pui Fun

Venue - B2-9-3
Time - 8pm

OK peeps, see you all this friday ya!! Please try to come on time k, coz it's not nice to let others who come on time to wait for those who are late... We need to get rid of the "Malaysian Time" mindset.

God bless!!

Next CG Meet (21/9)

2007-09-18T21:23:00.000-07:00

Hi everyone!! It's been a great time at the party last friday!! Quite a number of people came and we were so blessed by the Lord!! Let's continue to encourage the newbies to come to our cg k... The pictures of the party are still with Sean (Can you please upload the pics on the blog?? Thank you!!).

The cg line-up for this week :

Ice breaker - Teo Eugene
Worship - Lily Chan (Kay Teck won't be around this week so can you ask Troy to play guitar?)
Word Sharing - Jui Jien
Venue - B2-9-3
Time - 8pm

See you all this friday and God bless!!

CG Welcoming Party, September 2007!

2007-09-17T10:59:00.000-07:00

There is a problem with my connection for the past 4 days. I can't seem to upload more photos. The upload window just seizes up everytime. Will try again this evening.

Until then, enjoy these photos! So sorry for the technical mishaps.

-Sean S.

ATTENTION : Dream Center Information

2007-09-11T09:04:00.000-07:00

A. Dream Centre Guided Tour

Saturday, 15 September 2007

Please meet at Concourse 2

5 time slots available:

a. 2.30 pm

b. 3.00 pm

c. 3.30 pm

d. 4.00 pm

e. 4.30 pm

You may choose to come for any of the slots above. Each tour will last approximately 30 minutes.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

B. Parking during Sunday Celebration

Our traffic marshals will pass you a contact sheet upon entry.

1. Fill in your handphone number on the sheet given.

2. Display it on your dashboard AFTER you have filled it in.

(Please make sure that your sunshade does not cover the paper.)

If you choose to park at Jaya 33 shopping centre, the parking charges on Sunday is RM3.00 per entry. You may enter into Dream Centre (DC) via the Renault premises which leads to DC's rear pedestrian entrance.

The rear pedestrian entrance will be opened at the following times only:

8.30 - 10.30am AND

11.30am - 1.30pm

Please do not double park OUTSIDE DC grounds. Last Sunday, cars were double parked on BOTH sides of the main road which left only ONE lane for traffic flow. A reminder, if you are parking outside, please do not double park.

If you are parking INSIDE DC grounds, please be prepared to stay back at least 30 minutes after celebration ends. FYI, it was 12.40pm by the time traffic was cleared last Sunday. (2 thumbs up for our traffic marshals! They work VERY hard to serve us (rain or shine), so let's give them a pat on the back or a simple smile, or just obey what they tell us to do ;) )

Forwarded from the admin staff...

Friday's Welcoming Party

2007-09-11T07:21:00.000-07:00

Hello peeps!!

A quick update about this coming friday's welcoming party.

Date : 14/9/2007
Time : 7.30pm - 11.00pm (we should prepare by 7pm)
Venue : B-7-3 (TAKE NOTE THAT THIS HAS CHANGED TO JUI JIEN'S PLACE!!)
Ice breakers & Games : Eugene, Chris & Troy
Food Coordinator : Jui Jien & Sing Yee
Ushers & Souvenoir : Pui Fun, Lily, Kiryu & Sean Siew
Photographer : Sean Siew

Notice that we have omitted worship. We shall make non-believers feel welcomed rather than make them feel awkward ya...

Lastly, pray for the event and let's hope that God will bring more people to the event!! See you guys this friday and let's relax!!

Why cg is important

2007-09-08T04:56:00.000-07:00

Haha, thought might as well use my APEC holiday weekend to write this.

I guess many of you only got to know me when I was a semi-senior (sem3?) in IMU.
Let me tell you a secret.. haha.. ;)

When I was doing my SAM in Taylors, I was a really studious "kiasu" student. I was the kind of student who didn't go to church if I had a test on Monday. And I did not attend cell group at all. I felt going to church was enough, and if I was busy, as long as I prayed myself or read the bible a little it would be fine. After all God can hear us no matter where we are right?
I guess at the time, I was also practicing self serving Christianity where I would only want to hear sermons that were only relevant to me and not sermons about the church or community.

Even in my first semester in IMU/DUMC, I did not go to cell group! Haha. I only went once and then didn't go again even though Chris and Victor and some IMU seniors urged me to.
Again, I just didn't see the importance of going to cg. And frankly, during the one time that I went, I felt that we were just wasting time chatting/playing ice breakers and that I didn't really connect well with the people there. I had better things to do; namely..study for EOS 1 (nerd!)

I don't know what came over me in Sem2 but I started going regularly. And from then I got to know people better and started to be more involved. One of the turning points for me was going to Jackie Pullinger's Mission Conference; it changed my outlook...my selfishness and my purpose in life. It's from that conference that I told myself I didn't want to just hear a conference and not do anything..so I randomly (I have a tendency to email/call/sms randomly) called up Pastor Margaret and asked her where I could go and serve the underprivileged. That's when I started going down to Petaling Street on Saturdays.

Looking back, I can't believe I was so stupid to not go for cg earlier. How foolish I was to think that I did not need the support of people. I am also amazed at how God changed me; now I feel that cg cannot be divorced from Christianity. A person can only grow if he/she has the avenue to serve and more importantly, fellow Christians to cry, laugh and share with. Especially in DUMC, if one doesn't go to cg, he/she will be lost in the crowd of 2000+! :)

Of course I'm human too. There were times where I rushed to get word prepared on Friday afternoon or complained when I had to do last minute worship song sheets on Thursday night. Lots of times where I felt anxious and unsatisfied with the word that I was sharing because it was not impactful. Even more times where I felt I wasn't qualified to share because I myself was still struggling and fighting through the battles; eg: how to share about prayer when I myself don't understand or apply prayer properly in my life.

But I do want to say good work to all of you who have taken up the responsibility in running & being part of cg. I've learnt a lot from my failures, and those are lessons I'm thankful God taught me. I hope those who are new will be able to fit in and grow in cg. Don't be a nerd like me, because I really can't remember what I scored for exams but I still remember the experiences God taught me in IMU.

:)

Dream Centre

2007-09-05T21:06:00.000-07:00

-where dreams become reality-

i know..

wowz.

dats how i felt too when i first step into DC.
i'm still wowing..

The Move
-senior pastor Daniel Ho

Firstly, there is a need to focus upon God always, to be ever grateful and thankful to Him because of His gracious and wonderful provision for us as a church. Out of His abundant goodness He has entrusted us to be a steward for the place. What a great priviledge and a grave responsibility! If this first focus upon Him is shifted away, it would be a matter of time before we become enamoured with the place instead of the Person, the Lord Himself, and we would soon degenerate into something unhealthy.

Secondly, we must always keep in mind the purpose for which God has given us the Dream Centre. It is meant to be a platform to reach out, serve the community and to extend the Kingdom of God. The place is meant to be centred on others and God's Kingdom rather than ourselves. As a people of God, we exist for the community and for mission. Once we have lost the right focus, we would have lost the reason for our existence and that of the Dream Centre. May God forbid that this should ever happen.

Thirdly, it requires us to work together in unity; this is what Scripture underlines to us as "make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace" (Ephesians 4:3). Inspite of this wonderful Centre that God is providing for us, we may have differences over all kinds of things; from the carpets to the chairs and the toilets to the temperature. Sometimes these differences can trip us over and we lose sight of the big picture. We must always keep in mind the purpose for which God has given us the Dream Centre and to constantly keep the main thing as the main thing. Otherwise we can get tangled up in our relationships and become useless for God. We must always be aware of the evil one who will always try to divide the Body of Christ and subvert the work of God so that the blessing of a good gift can later become a burden. We must all guard against the deceitefulness of the human heart. (cf. Jeremiah 17:9, 10). Not only must we be right-hearted and pure-hearted to overlook offences and to pull our weight so that we are contributing positively and effectively.

Finally, the pre-move, the move and the post-move and settling-in would require the whole church to be involved. Besides the crutial element of team unity, it requires great teamwork to ensure that the Centre would be set up and maintained well to fulfil its dream. What a joy and priviledge to have our footprints in the preparation of the place. May "The Move" be a God-exalting and faith-building experience for every one of us. May that place be one where multitudes of people in the nation and beyond discover their purpose for living and the incredible destiny that the wonderful Creator God has designed for them. May the Dream Centre be a place where dreams come alive to the glory of God and where shattered dreams can be rebuilt to the honour of His name! Hallelujah!

AMEN!!!

words to ponder: we are the church, not the building..

credits : pictures by Grace Tan

Updates (7/9/2007)

2007-09-03T21:00:00.000-07:00

Hey people!! Now for some updates for this coming cg on friday (7/9/2007)...

Ice breaker - Chris Poi
Worship - Sean Siew, guitarist - Kay Teck
Word Sharing - Pui Fun

Venue : B2-9-3
Time : 8pm

We are going to have a few new comers so do open up and be nice to them k??...=)
See you guys on friday and God bless!!

*Ps : Please pay up the RM5 to me this friday k... Thanks*

IMPORTANT NOTICE!!!

2007-08-30T03:02:00.000-07:00

HELLO PEEPS!! Once again it's me!! Hahaha... (Ok this is super syok sendiri... Still haven't cool down from the M2/07 orientation fever...) I was requested to post a notice about the bus service to Dream Center for the month of SEPTEMBER ONLY.

PLEASE TAKE NOTE :

For the month of SEPTEMBER ONLY, there'll be only ONE CELEBRTION per weekend, which is EVERY SUNDAY 10am at DREAM CENTER. Those of you who are taking the bus service please kindly wait IN FRONT OF IMU by 8.30am EVERY SUNDAY for the month of SEPTEMBER.

In OCTOBER, there'll be 2 celebrations per weekend, one on SATURDAY EVENING, and one on SUNDAY MORNING. By then, the bus will be ferrying students for the SATURDAY celebrations only. Will put up more details later.

I'm so excited about having our very first celebration in DREAM CENTER!! I've seen pictures of the auditorium and only 1 word - AMAZING!!! Indeed, God has provided amazingly for our church. So please invite your friends and family to come this sunday!! Do come early by 9.30am because we're expecting more than 3000 people this sunday. Come early to get seats yeah!!

God bless everybody!!

CG Potbless Welcoming Party (14/9/2007)

2007-08-24T10:14:00.000-07:00

As you all know we're having a CG potbless Welcoming Party for the new intake of students. It'll be tentatively held on 14th of September (Friday) at my place (B2-9-3). The following is a summary of what we've discussed last week regarding this party.

Ice Breaker And Games : Troy, Chris & Eugene
Worship Coordinator : Kay Teck
Food Coordinator : Jui Jien & Sing Yee
Publicity : Richard, Lynn Xuan & Michelle
Ushers & Souvenirs : Pui Fun, Sean, Kiryu & Lily
Photographer : Sean

Events Line Up

7.00pm - All cg members are to come early and start preparing
7.30pm - Arrival and ushering of guests
8.00pm - Icer Breakers
8.15pm - Games
9.00pm - Dinner and interaction (annoucements)
11.00pm - End of party

The purpose of this party is to get to know the new students and also for them to know us better. This would be an opportunity for them to know more about our cg, what we usually do and also about DUMC. Evangelism is not our main priority here but please do so if you find the opportunity arises as you interact with the newbies.

Please pray over this event and ask God to speak to us what He wants us to achieve through this party. Pray that all the planning would go on smoothly and the party would be a success. I shall update further when I have more details.

Please remember to coordinate with Jui Jien and Sing Yee about the food that you want to bring. We don't want to waste food but we have to ensure there's enough too.

That's all for this update. On another note, there'll be no cg meeting next friday (31/8/2007) as it is the National Day and we're planning to go for morning prayer as a whole cg and also the prayer drive to Dream Center.

Do pay up RM5 on the next meeting for the cg fund. Thanks.

Till then, God bless.

Mission rocks

2007-08-23T04:11:00.000-07:00

Hello people!! hows life? really long time never come cg n talk to all of u liao (trust me i really do wanted to come last fri =P chris told me you're gonna celebrate my birthday somemore)

Life for me has been really great, mission trip in cambodia is one of the best times in my life, the experience is truly unforgettable!! i do have so many things to share! let me start 1st with a funny incident in cambodia...

i was riding on a motorcycle driven by my interpretor as we were going to a church to preach, suddenly i was thristy, i reached for the bottle in my bag, opened the lid and was about to drink it. then... PAK! i forgot that i was wearing helmet! lol

ok there are many more funny incidents like dat (i hoped u laughed, when i told my team the loudest one laughing is aunty esther, our very own missionary)

This is a pic of me eating some cow dung, tastes good =)

here is a picture of my missionary team + aunty esther.. we really grew close to one another.. 9 days together ler...

What did i do over there u might ask? Well let me 1st say again that the experience of being used by God directly so so amazing, every morning i would thank God during our group devotion for such an exciting time for such an opportunity to impact lives.

Unlike the other mission teams that went to cambodia, we didn't have any children ministry (which is such a shame cause i do love kids, they taste good =P), home outreach or open preaching. Our goal was mainly to reach out to the youths in baray (where aunty esther stays) and kampot (where Ps kenneth and Yin Meng stays) by conducting the teachings in their youth camp. Let me start 1st with Kampot...

This is their 1st youth camp in Kampot, the youths actually didn't know what it means, they thought its like scouts camping thingy untill Yin Meng had to explain to them. So since its their 1st time, they wasn't as responsive to the teachings we had with them. Around 40 people came and at the end 3 people gave their lives to Jesus, i expected more but Praise God because to God these 3 lives turned to God is worth all our time there!

btw i really adore Kenneth's 2 son - jonathan and daniel. They think i'm troy volten lol

After 2 days we then travelled to Baray through Phnom Penh, straight away that night we had a revival meeting about having a passion for God preached by my team leader. Immediately i see the total change in spiritual atmosphere than that of in Kampot, these 100 youths that came were really hungry for God and the things of God. When the preaching starts all of them were so attentive, the way they listened and responded to the teaching truly put all of us to shame. At the end everyone responded to having a passion for Jesus. Praise God

After the revival meeting, our team had a debriefing, my team leader stressed again that now its time to step up and really be serious about our teaching, because this youths are really receptive they are really like good soil, and if we allow God to use us, the word of God will come and be multiplied 40 50 folds. At this i straight when back and looked through my teaching, i was suppose to pakat with my team leader and do a 2-part teaching of Serving one another in Love which is the theme of the camp. Thank God through His strength and power i believe that the teachings did leave a difference in their lives.

Youth camp in Baray

The camp lasted around 4 days.. seriously i super enjoyed the camp, the youths are so enthu for God but too bad i can't communicate with them =( The major highlight was the last day where they had a youth rally, 100 youth campers actually brought 400 friends to come for it. On that day trucks after trucks, filled with people came into the camp site, it was truly an amazing sight. Btw i dunno y but my team leader placed me in charge of the evangelistic messenge (whats wrong with her man lol), so u can imagine since the night before i was kan chiong spidering, i never felt so nervous before especially when th people start coming in and in and in.

As nervous as i am i prayed to God and said "Lord more than anything, more than praying for good english or fluent speech or good explaination, I pray that you'll use me as Your humble vessel, as Your mouth piece." And although i was still nervous, when i started my sermon i immediately felt the peace of God coming to me, i was able to interact with all of them like i was interacting with a group of friends. And at the end, around 200 people gave their lives to Christ! Praise God!! Looking back, i know that it is not anything that i've done or how good i am, but i'm so priveledge tat God in His mercy chose to use me to bring the good news to the non christians, therefore i really cannot boast about myself, but to boast about how great this God really is!!

After that we had R & R (rest and recreation) and we came back on the 14/8.

I still remember on th 15/8, when i was worshipping God at home and thinking about my experience in cambodia.. tears start flowing down my eyes, i really cannot imagine tat God not only chose all of us to be His children, but trusts us, sinful and stiffed neck people to carry out His will on earth, truly God's love is amazing.

One thing among many things i've learnt through this camp is by looking at the lives of these cambodian youths. Most of us (if not all of us) cannot even imagine what they're going through, i never had to worry about whether there was food to eat tomoro, or that i wouldn't have enough money to further my education, yet from their lives i see the joy of the Lord, i still see totally devotion and submission to Him. And i start to look at our lives, we become bitter and blame God even when facing the smallest inconvenience.

Not only did i see the love of God in their lives, i noticed their deep desire in spite of their hard circumstances, to stand and make a difference for God wherever they are. It causes me to look at myself and ask, am i making a difference in the area God has placed me in? And i've learnt through the teaching i've prepared that to make a difference, it is to start serving and loving the people around you, transforming them 1 by 1 by the love of God.

i believe tat in the same way God sent me to cambodia to reach out to the youths, He sends all of us to our family, to DUMC, to IMU to make a difference for Him. i can still remember the youths singing the song "making a difference" in the cambodia language, such a passion for God and people. Lets catch that passion! start looking for needs of people around You, and start to reach out and share the love of Christ to them today! And we'll make a difference 4 God!

i was the first aider there, openning ceremony. Yin Meng was in pain while i pose 4 tis pic =P

Cg for tommorrow (24/8/02007)

2007-08-23T00:53:00.000-07:00

Hello peeps!!

How's all of you? Tommorrow there'll be cg at my place (B2-9-3) at 8pm as usual. Those who are in charge of ice breakers and worship, please please get ready everything you need. I do not know who is on duty for tommorrow, because the list is with Richard. However I'm sure he would have sms you guys or something to let you know. And those who are on duty (aka worship leader, ice breaker and Word) I suggest that you guys come earlier to my place to prepare (maybe by 7.45pm).

Ok another annoucement : This was sent by Vera (our zone leader)

Dear All,

There will be no CG on 31Aug. All of you are encouraged to attend the 5.30am prayer meeting followed by a drive to Dream Centre (DC) and a drive to the other Campuses to pray for them. Its going to be very Exciting.. I strongly encourge you all to come and sit together as a CG (since there is not cg). I also sugget we sit right in front on the left hand side. That area has been designated for CYZ and XYZ. I know more often than not the XYZ takes up the whole place ... but hey don't give up sp easily. Morn Payer is different. Come and sit there with me.. somehow there is a special anointing you can catch when you sit there.

Please make this announce at CG this Friday. I hope to have your commitment at CG Leaders, Assistant Leaders and Interns to be at the 530am Prayer Session on Aug 31. I also hope to sit together with all of you.

After all the "Hard Work" I'm opening up my Condo for all of you who come for the Prayer session / Drive to Chill out. For those who are not fasting...Lunch will be provided. I am hoping that we will use this time to get to know each other better. IF you want to go for a swim or play basketball .. bring the necessary equipment and appropriate clothing ya... Let's have some FUN together.

In Life we always want to move forward not backwards... ya...

CGL Pls confirm numbers for the lunch at my condo and reply via email or sms.

I'll bring this up again tommorrow in cg and we'll discuss how our cg's gonna go about this ya... See you all tommorrow.

*Ps : If you haven't read the Bible today, go pick a verse and meditate on it. Or at least read the verse that's on the sidebar of this blog... We need to be firmly rooted in the Word if we were to withstand the challenging times ahead.

This is good

2007-08-20T04:52:00.000-07:00

One thing I really miss about DUMC is the balance the church has; charismatic yet also word based. Not perfect of course; yet learning together in mistakes.

A big church, yet utilizing the size not merely for big buildings, but to set up a drug rehab, a handicapped training centre and most recently, a drop in centre for the underprivileged.
A church that sends & encourages its members to go for missions; Cambodia, Nepal, Thailand & not merely short term missions, but long term workers.

The church is having a 3 week fast and daily 530 am prayer meetings.
Am encouraged my sister is going!

I really miss church back home.

Have a listen to this http://www.filefactory.com/file/dbeaeb/ if you are free.
My sister specially bought the cd, downloaded it over the web so that I can get my dose of sermon from Malaysia.

Really encourage you all to have listen even if u have listened to it in church cuz it is so true.

Traffic Ministry, anyone??

2007-08-18T10:25:00.000-07:00

Hello peeps!! It's the weekend again and how's everyone doing? Hope you all had a great week and let's look forward to the new week.

As you all know, we're moving into Dream Center by 2nd of September. Dream center is a much bigger place, and that means we need more effort to maintain the place. All the ministries are definitely growing bigger because of the move.

Currently the one affected almost immediately is the Traffic Ministry. The need for traffic marshals has increased 4 fold. From the current 12 traffic marshals or so the need for traffic marshals has SHOT UP to 60 due to the nature of Dream Center aka DC(to quote Pr Mike). This is a great opportunity to serve if you're not already in any ministries.

An excerpt from Pr Mike's email :

What is involved in this ministry?

* Time commitment: Approximately 1 hour before and after celebration, on Saturday or Sunday, per fortnight. Usually this would mean that you attend the other celebration, and not the one you serve at.

* Christ-like attitude: Willingness to obey team leader's instructions and to firmly and cheerfully direct drivers to park in the appropriate spots.

* All-weather hardiness: Able to operate in drenching rain or scorching heat. Unafraid to tan a few shades darker.

* Cool gear involved: Get to use genuine walkies, light-stick and other stuff that might be deemed necessary. Here's your chance to wear those knock-out sunglasses you bought (or been wanting to buy)! Sorry...no standard issue sunglasses handed out. You get a chance to indulge yourself (with your own $$) a cool pair of shades of your own choosing and taste! : ) OK, I am looking out for a cool hat to beat the sun. Maybe, a Matrix-trench coat for the cold wintry nights. : ) OK. No trench coats. Maybe a full body Police-grade raincoat. ...maybe.... ..Umbrellas will definitely be provided.

* Opportunity to serve Jesus. OK, Jesus may not have driven a car (He DID drive ... demons out from man and animals, but ....sorry, corny joke!) but He did say, that if you do something to serve even the least, you would have done it to Him (Mt 25:40). So there, ...you can direct Jesus to a parking spot. : )

Peeps if you're not serving in any ministries yet I encourage you to join this. Even if you're in a ministry already you can still serve in this if you have the time. Do go and talk to the members of this ministry eg. Emmanuel, Reuben, Jason, Jun Hwei or Chen Lei about it and find out more. According to Pr Mike both guys and gals can apply. Please let Pr Mike know asap if you're interested. If you need his number sms me. Thanks.

Gift of Pain

2007-08-17T22:27:00.000-07:00

My former roommate in college introduced this book Gift Of Pain to me a couple of years back. She mentioned some snippets from the chapters she read. She told me that every medical student should read this book.

I only got to read the book after I completed my A Levels. I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It depicts the experiences of Dr Paul Brand in his life journey from a child of a missionary in India to becoming a renowned hand surgeon and leprosy expert. He relates many challenges while practising in the poor regions of India.

Read the book review here.

After reading this book, I came to realise the importance of pain in our lives. How ignorant some of us are when we just take pain killers to forget about the pain. Read the book yourself to find out the true gift of pain.

I recommend everyone to read this book. I have the book with me in Vista. I don't mind lending it to anyone. Just alert me. Even my former Malay housemate read that book out of interest. She was actually reading it during our A Levels exam period some more.

Title: Gift of Pain
Author: Dr Paul Brand, Philip Yancey
Publisher: Zondervan

A WORLD WITHOUT PAIN?

Can such a place exist? It not only can—it does. But it’s no utopia. It’s a colony for leprosy patients: a world where people literally feel no pain, and reap horrifying consequences.

His work with leprosy patients in India and the United States convinced Dr. Paul Brand that pain truly is one of God’s great gifts to us. In this inspiring story of his fifty-year career as a healer, Dr. Brand probes the mystery of pain and reveals its importance. As an indicator that lets us know something is wrong, pain has a value that becomes clearest in its absence.

The Gift of Pain looks at what pain is and why we need it. Together, the renowned surgeon and award-winning writer Philip Yancey shed fresh light on a gift that none of us want and none of us can do without.

Reminder!!

2007-08-15T20:52:00.000-07:00

Ok people...
Just a reminder that we're having CG MEETING (friday 17/8) at Kay teck's place (B-13-4) at 8pm!!!
Whoever wants to join us feel free to come!!

Worship : Kay Teck
Ice Breaker : Troy

So be prepared and remember to bring whatever you need for ice breaker and Worship yeah!!See you all!!!

As a cg, let us come before God in fasting and praying for the nation and also for the transition to Dream Centre.

God Bless!!

Facts of the Matter

2007-08-14T22:52:00.000-07:00

Following is this week's Facts of the Matter

Five Defining Disciplines Of Growing Followers Of Christ

1) Consistent Quiet Time: "After he had dismissed them, he went up on a mountain side by himself to pray. When evening came, he was there alone..." (Matthew 14:23) (See Joshua 1:8)

If you don't already have a consistent time alone with God, ("Quiet Time") set aside a few minutes each day and ponder your way through a few verses in the Bible and then say a prayer. Start with a small portion in the New Testament. Underline passages or verses that capture your attention. Memorize verses for strength, courage, usability and faith. One Christian leader suggests that we pray backwards through yesterday step by step, and forward through today. Praying backwards will lead to prayers of thanksgiving and confession, while praying forward will lead to prayers of supplication.

2) Organized Bible Study: "Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a workman who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth. Avoid godless chatter, because those who indulge in it will become more and more ungodly." (2 Timothy 2:15, 16) (See Proverbs 4:23)

Someone once asked Billy Graham, "If you were a pastor of a large church in a principle city what would be your plan of action. To which Graham responded, "One of the first things I would do would be to get a small group of eight or ten or twelve men around me that would meet a few hours a week and pay the price. It would cost them something in time and effort. I would share with them everything I have learned, over a period of years. Then I would actually have twelve ministers who in turn could take eight or ten or twelve more and teach them." (I wonder where he got that idea?) In my years of discipling I have never known a man whose life has been significantly changed apart from regular Bible study.

3) Accountability Group: ".Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective." (James 5:16a) (See Galatians 6:1,2)

Most of our conversation is at the news, sports, and weather level. Few men are accountable. Accountability has the idea of being regularly answerable for the key areas of our lives to responsible people. Here are four areas of accountability:

1) Answerable: To be willing to give an account for the goals you have set and the standards of God's word in your life.
2) Regularly: Consistently examining the different areas of our lives, lest they deteriorate (like an un-kept car).
3) "Key Areas" Include relationships with God, spouse, children, financial decision, career, integrity, and temptation.
4) Qualified People: Look for people who will be transparent, vulnerable, and confidential. Find people of spiritual wisdom and skill.

4) Active Church Involvement: "And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another--and all the more as you see the Day approaching." (Hebrews 10:24, 25) (See Matthew 18:20)

We're talking here not about church attendance, but church involvement, which translates into fellowship, encouragement, and mutual worship of God in a local church.

5) Personal Ministry: "You have heard me teach many things that have been confirmed by many reliable witnesses. Teach these great truths to trustworthy people who are able to pass them on to others." (2 Timothy 2:2) (See I Peter 4:11)

As you practice the four spiritual disciplines above, you will begin to experience a closer, personal love relationship with Christ. It will be out of that overflow that you will naturally want to reach out to others in helping them discover Christ and grow in that relationship with him.

Key ideas drawn from "A Look in the Mirror" by Patrick M. Morley

Facts of the Matter © 2000 - 2006 R. Dwight Hill, author. Unlimited permission to copy without altering text or profiteering is hereby granted subject to inclusion of this copyright notice.

Kenneth's Farewell Part 3 (Final)

2007-08-14T22:24:00.000-07:00

The restaurant... Victor came and joined us much later...

Sing Yee looks cool here... And Kay Teck was.. erm... Dunno...

Totally no comments for this pose...

The main character that night... Take care man in UK!!

Cg picture after the dinner...

There you go... The last bit of the pictures... Enjoy!!

Negaraku

2007-08-14T19:27:00.000-07:00

Well, Im not talking about the youtube scandal "negarakuku".

I cant believe I cried when my flight left the soil of Malaysia when taking off. It's my home and always be my home.

Have you wonder why MAS has always had their airline code as MH? What does it signifies? There isnt any H word written in MALAYSIA, or AIRLINES, or MALAY? hahaaha.... so what does it signify? It had always been a BIG QUESTION mark whenever I travel with MH....

Well, Mr. Idris, the director of MAS ( I must said He had lead MAS to greater heights, a home grown world renowned company) said this: MH = Malaysian Hospitality. It is not merely an airline with a cool airline code, with beautiful young stewardress, But the beauty is this: Its a company that employs 18,000 hosts ( get it, not employees, but hosts) Each one of them: from ground staff, steward, pilot, the engineers and yada yada are trained as hosts.

Enough of promoting MAS, hahaa.... Main point is: we should not only extend our hospitality to foreign tourist, but to our all fellow mates. Black or white. Muslim or non-muslim. Tall or short. Fat or thin.

TO cut it short, this coming 2 weeks is National Day, a day which we commemorate not only independence from colonisation, but we enjoy the previlege of religion independence under the Malaysian Constitution.

PS: CRZ, u look a bit of the thais due to your dark skin, and small eyes. :>

dedications

2007-08-12T00:35:00.000-07:00

feeling a little sentimental this rainy morning..
here's a dedication to those who have left deep footprints in my life..

Sarah Ong
i've never got the opportunity to know you as much as i would like to say i had.. but from the little that i know of you, you've thought me so much.. your life has taught me integrity, to walk the talk and practice what we preach.. you've taught me the meaning of faith.. to leave everything in God's hands and make the best of everything that we have.. to rejoice thru all toils n trials for we know we have the victory in Him who is in us...

Philip Ong
Bro, you were always there with us through it all.. thru fun times, and thru the not so fun times.. you were always there to guide us, to lead us, and to lend a helping hand.. you've always got the right answers and solutions to everything.. i admire your wisdom and your passion for God.. despite it being your final year in uni loaded with assignments, attachments and exams, the CG can always rest assured that you've prepared word and know that it's prepared well with much effort.. you're very much a people person, you speak to the "highs" and stoop to the "lows" ranging from corporate CEOs in suits and mercs to medical students wit weird jargons to the little children running around in church banging into things... but you never lose sense of who you are.. you have taught me responsibility and determination..

Yi Jie
hope you're enjoyin yourself there in kilt'land =) i'm still keeping ur cute little easter egg with me.. thanks for all the jokes and laughters u've brought into our lives.. it is NEVER boring with you around!!how much u've blessed us with the little things dat u've done.. and at the end of it all.. the little deeds are the ones dat matters most..

Joan Gan
hey sis, we're all missing u already... i still look for you everytime we board de bus to church.. i'm too used to having you around ady.. haha.. but guess we cant keep all good things to ourselves huh.. so its time for you to move on n bless other people's lives there in seremban as u've blessed ours.. joan, just wanna say thank you for always being there for us when we needed you.. ur always there to celebrate with us as a friend, to pray with us as a sister, and to teach us as a teacher.. u even made time to teach us CSU in de midst of ur preparations for EoS5.. you always give 110% to all that you do, be it praying, studying or even making sandwiches.. btw.. ur sandwiches were good!! hope to see you round in a years time.. n in de meanwhile.. do visit us from time to time yea... miss ya!!

Kenneth Hiew
sending you back yesterday knowing it might be de last time i'll be seeing you was reli hard for me.. i didn't know how to say goodbye.. i wasnt redy to say goodbye yet.. just wanna say thanks for being a big bro to us all... you were with us all the way and u were always there to encourage us when we're down, to rebuke us when we're wrong and to have fun with us and share lame jokes wit us... you are selfless and always willing to sacrifice and offer a helping hand to all those around you.. you may not remember this.. but during our flood relieve trip to johor, my back was aching from all the shoveling we've done.. and that night u offered me your sleeping bag so that i can use it as a pillow for my back even tho it was freezing cold.. it reli meant a lot to me.. and i will forever remember dat selfless offer and i too wanna do de same for others.. thanks bro..

no matter how far away we're seperated
we can always rejoice in the fact that we've got an eternity to spend as a family in Christ
i thank all of you from the bottom of my heart..
i pray that you'll continue to shine for Jesus and grow in His light..
thank you once again..
for being you..