Haha typed this right after Christmas but forgot to post... now that audit peak started, there’s a huge contrast in my life. Here goes:
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The past few days had made me so happy. Christmas is the best season! To recap:
20 dec: chorale practice (the most relaxing and therapeutic time of immersing in singing and harmonizing, probably one of the ministries that make me the happiest and not stressed. This year it’s even better with my best friends around!!)
21 dec: caroling at gardens by the bay (succeeded in getting a record in the Singapore book for records for the Largest group of carolers)
22 dec: Christmas exchange with YACG and steamboat with gym gang
23 dec: joce’s baptism (indescribable joy of seeing the fruit of faith blossom)
24 dec: Christmas Eve chorale performance, so much fun!
25 dec: Christmas Day and annual lunch with family
26 dec: USS. Enjoyed the thrills and bonding
27 dec: JB trip 😍 this was by far the most fruitful one! So many things we can do in a day
28 dec: gym at joce place, cooked wraps and went prayer meet at St. James church
29 dec: band practice with the ace team where people are so nice, friendly and accommodating and makes it a joy to serve
30 dec: church and then escape room with bro, biow and aunts! We escaped! Then HTHT with the gym gang till late
31 dec-1jan: staycay and more HTHT, this time with the gals
A record breaking of 13 days of fun and enjoyment, and this community is the absolute best. I really thank the Lord for it.
I had been in church for a long time, actually since I was born... but after many years, still couldn’t find root and a sense of belonging here. My priorities were always on thing that are outside church - studies, work, friends, myself. I would even say that my “faith” was my parents’ faith.
Things changed in about 2016 when I was willing to be mentored by Shien. Through our session I really started to think about faith seriously and read the Bible more regularly. She even invited me to the CG to expand my community and I finally got to know my church people better.
With the community support, I became keen to join other ministries like revival and alpha in 2017.
Revival was phenomenal as it started off very charismatic, I really felt the Holy Spirit in our midst and the experience of God’s love “dropped” from head knowledge down into my heart. It was amazing, I was overwhelmed... I felt my walls being broken and also a fire for God that I never had before. My faith was being built up!
Alpha was also very amazing. I actually participated in the earlier runs of alpha but never managed to complete the series as I would lose interest somehow. But alpha 6 had the the young adults group (which was mainly the CG people whom I was getting close to) so I managed to stay all the way! Shifu also started to teach me and Em drums which was a wonderful experience and I got quite close and attached to them. Playing drums relieves all kinds of stress and is very rewarding when we successfully play a new beat correctly.
At the start of 2018, after being nagged 😂 for really long by shifus to join the worship team in playing contemporary music, Em and I finally agreed to do so. Being classically trained made contemporary style very difficult to grasp for me, however, shifus constantly encouraged us (they are seriously immensely kind), put up with my mistakes and inadequacies, and the fact that they were always physically around was very comforting as well. Thanks to them I was able to develop a new skill for service. Honestly i feel I owe these people too much.
Because I was finally opening myself up to people, I finally felt the sense of belonging in church that I never had before. I also wanted to do more of God’s will, and became more evangelistic this year, inviting more friends to church because I’ve experienced how the joys get multiplied when people join in the family.
God allowed me to experience such grace through His love. The fact that this didn’t come that easily to me makes it feel a lot more precious, and opens my eyes more to people who are struggling and do not have a support group.
I hope 2019 will also be a year where I learn and grow and be a blessing to others. It is going to be difficult considering how crazy work is and my tendencies to crawl back into my shell at times... but I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. Nothing is impossible 😀
