jenlee's week 10
hey folks!
lots of thanksgiving this week...
1. All of my first round of assignments (papers and presentations) except one have been graded and I want to praise God for favour! I've done well, achieving the highest grade. I really thank God because I know that He has enabled me to succeed despite the challenges of academic reading and writing. In my journalism and communications research, my teacher asked if my literature review could be put on the course website as an example of good work. Glory to God! Please pray that I will continue to do my best and not be complacent - I have two more papers and one group presentation coming up the next week!
2. For last Friday's lifegroup, we screened the movie The Passion of the Christ. We were encouraged to invite friends and on the way to school on Thursday, I felt prompted to invite the guy sitting next to me on the bus. I was a little reluctant because he seemed like the quiet sort and was wearing tinted glasses so I couldn't gauge his expression with certainty. I told God: Lord, if You really want me to invite him, can you give me a little nudge through the devotion material that I'm reading? (I didn't have a chance to read Bible at home that morning because I woke up late)
As it turned out, the devotion had not one, not two, but THREE mentions of reaching out to others. First in the reflection section: "Having peace with God propels us to go and share His peace with others", then in the application section: "Ask God to enable you to preach peace to those who are near and to those who are far away" and finally in the prayer section: "Help me to share this good news with others".
Well, with such clear signs, I knew I had to proceed to talk to the guy so I just prayed for an opening. I had the idea to just talk to my housemate, who was sitting in front of me, telling her: "Eh Van, did you know today is Earth Day? Happy Earth Day!" I felt a little lame doing that because I've already told her that, but it worked to get the guy's attention - he looked over and we started talking!
His name is Yu Liang, he's a physics PhD student from China - we spoke about his research, about movies, about environmental issues, family etc...He has a wife and young son here in Brisbane. As we left the bus, I wrote him my contact details at the back of the invitation for the movie and he agreed to keep in touch. Over email, i learnt that his english name is Matthew and he chose it because it's from the bible - he's interested in philosophy, in particular the bible and buddha! He suggested that we meet up on weekends to exchange views since I'm a Christian. Isn't it amazing when God opens doors?
He was actually going to come for the movie, but because he didn't confirm it with me beforehand (he doesn't carry a mobile), i missed him at the bus stop where he was waiting. But it just goes to show that people can be so willing to come for evangelistic events, if we would only just ask. I'm going to invite him to bring his kid to my church this sunday because we're having a Kids For Christ open house. Pls pray he and his wife will come, and that I will be able to share with him what I believe.
3. On Sunday, I misplaced my diary at some point during or after service. It was a bit distressing because I have my prepaid transport card and a couple of other important documents in there. I asked my lifegroup members to pray that it would be found. Praise the Lord it was found and returned to the church office :) Please pray I will be more careful with my things. I have resolved to carry less things / have a bigger bag so that things don't fall out :) I was using a pretty shallow bag that had no zips or anything.
4. Finally, I want to thank God for an amazing revelation that came about through Facebook. I had reposted an invitation to a Yum Cha outing that I was considering to go and a friend commented on it. His friend, who works as a nurse in a hospital in Singapore, saw his comment and recognised me as a patient from two years ago when I was admitted during a manic phase of my bipolar condition. She messaged me saying she was glad that I was doing well. I wrote her back to ask what she remembered about me since I have an idea to write a book about my experience.
Her reply blew me away:
"Hi Jen! I definitely remember you cos your admission really left a deep impact in me! I remember you sobbing and scared so I sang 'Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus' to try calm you down when we were alone and I was amazed when you started singing it too. That's how I knew you were Christian, and I knew you were in good hands of our Lord."
Reading that just brought brought tears to my eyes to know that God sent someone to minister to me through that song...just on sunday, in my service here, we had sung that song and on monday, I get the message from the nurse. isn't that amazing?
Indeed, He is so faithful, even in our darkest times, when i was incoherent and out of it, He was always there... I do recall someone praying over me, saying "keep the faith" - maybe it was that nurse...
The friend she knows is the guy i went diving with a few weeks ago. what a small small world...and if not for that posting about the Yum Cha outing (which i didn't even end up going in the end), the nurse would not have messaged me and I wouldn't have known about how tenderly God cared for me when i had my breakdown...
I see God's hand all over this...All praise to Him :)
I share this in the hope that it will encourage those of you who may feel all alone in your dark times. He is there. He is always there. and He loves you.
As King David said in 2 Samuel 22:29 "You are my lamp, O LORD;
the LORD turns my darkness into light."
I especially appreciate how it says "my" darkness. God knows the particular darkness that we each go through..and no matter how we feel no one can understand, God does. May the light of Jesus' love shine in your heart today and always - amen.
In-Christ,
jenlee
lots of thanksgiving this week...
1. All of my first round of assignments (papers and presentations) except one have been graded and I want to praise God for favour! I've done well, achieving the highest grade. I really thank God because I know that He has enabled me to succeed despite the challenges of academic reading and writing. In my journalism and communications research, my teacher asked if my literature review could be put on the course website as an example of good work. Glory to God! Please pray that I will continue to do my best and not be complacent - I have two more papers and one group presentation coming up the next week!
2. For last Friday's lifegroup, we screened the movie The Passion of the Christ. We were encouraged to invite friends and on the way to school on Thursday, I felt prompted to invite the guy sitting next to me on the bus. I was a little reluctant because he seemed like the quiet sort and was wearing tinted glasses so I couldn't gauge his expression with certainty. I told God: Lord, if You really want me to invite him, can you give me a little nudge through the devotion material that I'm reading? (I didn't have a chance to read Bible at home that morning because I woke up late)
As it turned out, the devotion had not one, not two, but THREE mentions of reaching out to others. First in the reflection section: "Having peace with God propels us to go and share His peace with others", then in the application section: "Ask God to enable you to preach peace to those who are near and to those who are far away" and finally in the prayer section: "Help me to share this good news with others".
Well, with such clear signs, I knew I had to proceed to talk to the guy so I just prayed for an opening. I had the idea to just talk to my housemate, who was sitting in front of me, telling her: "Eh Van, did you know today is Earth Day? Happy Earth Day!" I felt a little lame doing that because I've already told her that, but it worked to get the guy's attention - he looked over and we started talking!
His name is Yu Liang, he's a physics PhD student from China - we spoke about his research, about movies, about environmental issues, family etc...He has a wife and young son here in Brisbane. As we left the bus, I wrote him my contact details at the back of the invitation for the movie and he agreed to keep in touch. Over email, i learnt that his english name is Matthew and he chose it because it's from the bible - he's interested in philosophy, in particular the bible and buddha! He suggested that we meet up on weekends to exchange views since I'm a Christian. Isn't it amazing when God opens doors?
He was actually going to come for the movie, but because he didn't confirm it with me beforehand (he doesn't carry a mobile), i missed him at the bus stop where he was waiting. But it just goes to show that people can be so willing to come for evangelistic events, if we would only just ask. I'm going to invite him to bring his kid to my church this sunday because we're having a Kids For Christ open house. Pls pray he and his wife will come, and that I will be able to share with him what I believe.
3. On Sunday, I misplaced my diary at some point during or after service. It was a bit distressing because I have my prepaid transport card and a couple of other important documents in there. I asked my lifegroup members to pray that it would be found. Praise the Lord it was found and returned to the church office :) Please pray I will be more careful with my things. I have resolved to carry less things / have a bigger bag so that things don't fall out :) I was using a pretty shallow bag that had no zips or anything.
4. Finally, I want to thank God for an amazing revelation that came about through Facebook. I had reposted an invitation to a Yum Cha outing that I was considering to go and a friend commented on it. His friend, who works as a nurse in a hospital in Singapore, saw his comment and recognised me as a patient from two years ago when I was admitted during a manic phase of my bipolar condition. She messaged me saying she was glad that I was doing well. I wrote her back to ask what she remembered about me since I have an idea to write a book about my experience.
Her reply blew me away:
"Hi Jen! I definitely remember you cos your admission really left a deep impact in me! I remember you sobbing and scared so I sang 'Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus' to try calm you down when we were alone and I was amazed when you started singing it too. That's how I knew you were Christian, and I knew you were in good hands of our Lord."
Reading that just brought brought tears to my eyes to know that God sent someone to minister to me through that song...just on sunday, in my service here, we had sung that song and on monday, I get the message from the nurse. isn't that amazing?
Indeed, He is so faithful, even in our darkest times, when i was incoherent and out of it, He was always there... I do recall someone praying over me, saying "keep the faith" - maybe it was that nurse...
The friend she knows is the guy i went diving with a few weeks ago. what a small small world...and if not for that posting about the Yum Cha outing (which i didn't even end up going in the end), the nurse would not have messaged me and I wouldn't have known about how tenderly God cared for me when i had my breakdown...
I see God's hand all over this...All praise to Him :)
I share this in the hope that it will encourage those of you who may feel all alone in your dark times. He is there. He is always there. and He loves you.
As King David said in 2 Samuel 22:29 "You are my lamp, O LORD;
the LORD turns my darkness into light."
I especially appreciate how it says "my" darkness. God knows the particular darkness that we each go through..and no matter how we feel no one can understand, God does. May the light of Jesus' love shine in your heart today and always - amen.
In-Christ,
jenlee
posted by thejenlee at 9:28 AM
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