Looking back on 2006

The year's comng to an end, in fact its the last day of 2006 and I thought I'll just blog about the year gone by.Yup

Well, like I've said during friday Uth worship, this year has been a really challenging year for me. Stepping into 2006, the O level years was something I really dreaded. Why? I don't have the exact answer, expectations to meet, facing unseen but known pressure? But I all know is Jesus led me all the way. Looking back at the year, definitely, I couldn't have done it myself. Definitely not my own abilities or talents or anything at all, if not, I wouldn't be alive typing this now.

Thinking back, I am just SO amazed of how God led me through everything.
Sports day- He showed Himself strong and bonded 4GY together despite difficulties.
Gym Nationals- As I posted earlier, He comforted, He lifted, He made all things beautiful in His time.
Dramafest- He answered my prayers way beyond my imagination, we prayed as a class.
Uth camp- Totally blew me away.
Decision(s) made- Through ups and downs, He was always there for me.

Want to take this time to thank God for 3 people who have really been such an encouragement and blessing to me through the year.
Cheryl- Thank you and thank God for you, always so willing to listen, always there for me. Thank you so much for all your encouragement and just your testimony really bless and encourages my heart, tremendously. :)
Daph- Thank God for you, really. Always so encouraging, with all the smses and tags. Thank you for every single encouragement, every prayer uttered for me, every joke you said to make me laugh, every smile on your face that brightens up my day. Thank you so much. :)
Kenneth- Thank you and thank God for you. You're a special blessing to me and many others. Thanks for being there, always there to listen and encourage. Thanks for everything. :)

Of course, many others have been a blessing to me as well but I can't type everyone's name down cause this will be an ultra long post then! But anyway, to everyone who's reading this blog, thank you and thank God for each one of you. Thank God for bringing you into my life, allowing me to know you. Yes, you. Each and everyone of you. Thank you for every greeting you said to me, every word you said that encouraged my heart, every smile that brought joy to me. Thank you everyone.

Oh yeah, want to thank God for 4GY '06, a special class in my heart. All the times we went through- competitions, tests, scoldings, winning prizes, taking part in dramafest and all, not forgetting O levels and even to the seeemingly mundane thing, sitting together as a class through all the lessons. Precious moments which I will always remember. How we fought hard as a class, how we stood as one no matter what happened. Even though I don't know how I got the name 'Ou xiang' and all, but I just want to say that everyone of you are so special to me, thank God for each one of you being in the same class for 2 years, going through thick and thin together. Here's wishing every single 4GY-ian all the best for the years ahead! Keep striving, never give in!

Through this year, there were many trials and I thank God for every trial that I went through, because I know that each one was specially tailored by my Master for me, to make me stronger, for the best of me.

In summary, one thing that I learnt this year is, brokeness. Remembered a phrase I saw somewhere, the way up is the way down..a broken and contrite heart is the best place where God can work. I fell many times this year, my lowest point included, but that's when I saw how weak and pathetic I was, friends will fail me, I will fail myself. They did, and I did. But God never did and never will. Before I end off, just want to thank God for breaking me more and more each time, though I've still a long long way to go, God has helped me to see and realize that without God, I am nothing.

Really. Without God, I am nothing, absolutely nothing.

Lord, thank you so much for Your goodness and mercy towards me, looking beyond my weakness and finding purest gold in this weak, incapable, sinful, one who grieves You so much. Lord, there's so much I want to say and thank You for, but words just can't describe it. Lord, You are SO good. Lord, lead me onward as a pilgrim, bound for heaven, never to roam, till I see my heavenly home.

To all reading this (including myself), life is a race. Remember its not a sprint but a marathon. Consistency is what that matters. When it's all been said and done, there's only one thing that matters- Everyday of your life, was it lived for self, others or God?

Lord, help us.

Life on earth- a vapour

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pc5SdTV6rYk

Wanted to upload this video but didnt know how to, so I'll just put up the link. It's a meaningful and thought-provoking video, about When Its All Been Said and Done, do take some time to watch it if you can.

"While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal" 2Cor 4:18

Ups and downs, highs and lows, even right now but ultimately

"Whom have I in heaven but thee? and there is none upon earth that I desire beside thee. My flesh and my heart faileth: but God is my strength of my heart, and my portion for ever." Psalms 73:25,26

Uth camp 2006- Run the Race

Am always speechless when I think about how much God has blessed this camp, not that there's nothing to say, there's just too much to say, but I'll try to pen it down.

Run the race camp has been a learning journey for me from the day we started preparing for this camp once the grouping of the leaders were out. Being in winter, was a huge blessing. Preparation started with numerous prayer meetings as well as getting friends to sign up and the sorting out of team members. That's when the 'challenge' of inviting friends began. Only managed to ask my classmates about camp after the O levels and so it was quite a mad rush but even then, I thank God that He showed Himself strong, and brought Meiyi in. To be honest, I was doubting that Meiyi could come for the camp initially due to the apparent situation but thats when I learnt my first lesson, whatever is impossible with man, is possible with God.

Another lesson that I learnt was a result of the reshuffling of team members. I was quite afraid when I saw the team members and because of that I trusted God in everything cause I knew I couldn't do anything but then when the reshuffling came about, the team seemed to me as 'easier' and I got complacent and starting thinking that it will be an easy job, God knew that and He prevented that. God showed me that I must decrease so that He can increase as I got to know about somethings about the team just before the camp. It was then that I realized I had become complacent, thinking that I could do it in my own strength but I was wrong, upon being aware of certain things, I became afraid that I couldn't do it and that's when I learnt to trust God with everything again, knowing that I will definitely crumble if I tried on my own. But one thing that always confort me was that God likes to use the weak to achieve great things for Him and only when we know we can't do it and we're nothing then can God really use us. When we feel helpless and useless, that's the time when God comes in, and use this empty vessel to do His work and greater things can be achieved because it's not about self, it's about HIM.

Even though God is King, He is our brother and friend as well, always so encouraging.. God knows me better than I know myself. Quite a few times throughout the camp, without myself realizing, I was feeling discouraged and somehow each time before I know it, God sends someone with a word of encouragement that makes my day and keeps me going.. God is soooo...good

One song that really touched my heart is "When its all been said and done"

When its all been said and done

There is just one thing that matters

Did I do my best to live for truth

Did I live my life for You

When its all been said and done
All my treasures will mean nothing
Only what I’ve done for love’s reward
Will stand the test of time

Lord Your mercy is so great
That You look beyond our weakness
And find purest gold in miry clay
Making sinners into saints

I will always sing your praise
Here on earth and ever after
For You’ve shown me
Heaven’s my true Home
When its all been said and done
You’re my life when life is gone

When its all been said and done
There is just one thing that matters
Did I do my best to live for truth
Did I live my life for You
Lord I’ll live my life for You

Jesus has done it all, when everything has been said and done, what really matters? Not status, not reputation, not popularity, not anything but a life that was lived for Jesus.

Was thinking through the theme of this year Uth camp, Run the race.. Life itself is a race. Everyday we're running a race, whether it is for ourself or for someone else, whether we're running after the world or running after God, everyone has a race to run and as people have said, Christianity is like a race, not a sprint but a marathon, it's not how fast we run that matters, its how FAR you run for God that matters..

Lord, ignite a fire in me that will never die out till I see my heavenly home, make me a stranger to this world and all of its treasures. I just want to be able to go through each day and say that Lord, I've lived this day for you and at the end of this one life, Lord, I've given my best to you, Lord, I've lived this life for you. Help me Lord, to run this race of life for you, with no turning back. Amen.

New template

Wow..it has sure been long since i last posted..haha..wanted to post but wanted to change my blogskin to a full screen one even more badly and so I did but now I have no time to post.

Oh well, i will post the next time my hand touches the computer, till then, cya!

Btw, apologies for the tagboard, 'koped' it from somewhere and being really lousy at blogs, i don't know how to delete the tags so just tag it. Yup :)