Strong Tower

You are my strong tower
A shelter over me
Beautiful and mighty
Everlasting King
You are my strong tower
Fortress when I'm weak
Your name is true and holy
And Your face is all I see

-Kutless-

God Will Bring Everything To Completion

Been thinking about my dreams lately. Dreams that are kept in my heart all these while. Dreams that waiting to be fulfilled.

Been questioning God a lot as well. Have you forgotten about these dreams? Are these dreams align to Your heartbeat? Will they ever come true? *speechless*

WAIT. The answer has been WAIT.

"For how long?' I asked God.

WAIT. Just WAIT. *speechless*

But God decided to say something else last Sunday during service.

Altar call made. I was already standing in the front row and prayed the congregation will respond.

A dear sister came up and prayed for me, "There will be hardwork and toils if you are building something but God will bring everything to completion! He will not leave it hanging. Every dream that you think you sacrifice is not a sacrifice. God will give it back to you. He will bring everything to completion." *eyes lit up*...and *tears rolled down*

I am holding on to Your Word and Promise, O Lord!

I wonder...

Walk in Faith

"I have never walked on water
felt the waves beneath my feet but
at Your word Lord, I'll receive
Your faith to walk on oceans deep"
(Here In My Life - Hillsong Australia)

Faith is the substance of things hoped for,
the evidence of things not seen.
(Hebrews 11:1)

Enduring thru...

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.

Hebrews 12:1

Dear Lord, I don't know how long this will take me.

The road seems long, endless.

But grant me a persevering spirit, an enduring spirit to finish a good race!

What do I want?

I want to...

Cry.
Quit.
Hide.
Run away.
Sleep (but I can’t).
Hear what You are saying.
See the big picture.
Live in faith not fear.

Have divine exchange.
Let go and let You do Your thing.
Be obedient.
Do things right.
Please You.
Put a smile on Your face.
Finish the race well.
Hear You say, “Well done good and faithful servant.”

Daddy, help me!

Life is like...

Life is like a box of chocolate - Forest Gump
I know some beg to differ.
A friend says, "Life is like a box of assorted chocolates"
While some others say "Life is like a stage of play, and we are all actors and actresses"

As for me, I would say...Life is like "cherry-looking chili".
You'll never know how hot and spicy the chili is until you actually tried it.
The same goes for life.
We'll never know how hot and exciting life is until we truly live it out!
And I mean LIVE IT OUT LOUD!
Live life to the fullest, live it right, live it well, make the most of every opportunity, make our lives count...ultimately Making God Famous!



The guys were tricked by Pr. Seria to try out the the home grown 'cherry' on the very last day of our mission trip at Sarawak. I was told...it's VERY SPICY!! *I still couldn't believe they actually fall for it...haha*

How Strong Is My Heart?

Went to watched Terminator: Salvation yesterday. And couple of hours before I hit the cineplex, someone commented that it is rather surprising to know that I'm going for Terminator and that it is not my type of show. Hmm.....to a certain extend, yes, I agree. I prefer movies that will move my heart, be it cry or laugh! And so...Terminator...oh well, it was all about machines, machines and machines everywhere. It wasn't exactly that nice watching machines but I must confess I really like the 'motorbikes' (can't remember exactly what it is called in the show). Ohh....and I think Christian Bale is better off as John Connor than Batman ;)

There were many lessons and principles that one can draw from the show, besides the fact that John Connor saved the world from the machines. But there was a statement made by John Connor towards the end of the show which tug at the string of my heart...."the strength of human is in the heart." Hmm.....I think the statement is rather true. If one's heart is strong, then he/she can do lots of stuff that will impact society in a positive way. But if one's heart is weak, then he/she will not be motivated to do anything. And more often than not, our hearts are not strong enough to carry us through the not-so-nice circumstances in life. The bad decisions that we made because we followed our hearts, emotional hang-ups that caused us to feel like failures.... Recently, a friend shared a little about the emotional struggle that he is going through. Something that we as human can never run away from because we are made to relate with one another. And a lot of times, our emotions are the things that will zap up all our energy. Definitely not a very nice thing to go through.

I wonder...

How strong is my heart today?

What is my heart telling me to do?

Is my heart telling me to do the right thing, the God-thing?

Is my heart beating together with God's?

Psalm 73:26 "my flesh and my HEART may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forevermore"


I don't think we can ever rely on our own strength to go through the journey of life athough some might differ in their opinion. The strength of human is in the heart (which will fail), but the strength of human's heart is in the Lord!

Trust 102?

It has been 3 weeks...and the messages on Sundays, the devotional materials, even song that a friend sent to me are talking about TRUST! God must be saying something, right?

It is a though I'm undergoing a course called "Trust 101" and the lecturer is none other than God, Himself. I don't think I will ever complete this course, though I would love to pass with a distinction. =)

Have I not trusted enough that I need to retake this course? Or could it be that He trust me enough to bring me to Level 2, Trust 102? I wonder....

Dormant? Year of Possibilities!!!!!!!

Oh yes! My blog has been lying dormant for who knows since when. Everytime something interesting happened in my life, I wanted to write. Yes, I really wanted to write BUT.... *grin* And when I read other people's blogs, I was totally inspired and I wanted to write BUT... *grin*.... BUT everytime when I wanted to put it into action...my brain just refuses to cooperate. Just as my blog has been lying dormant, I was reminded of some of the dreams/ passions that have been lying dormant in me. God plays a big part in fulfilling those dreams, but there are also those that I've not seriously pursue, or may have forgotten about them... *grins*

The church (http://www.gatewaycity.com.my/) had an awesome Watchnite Service on the 31st Dec 2008. Everyone was encouraged to give a creative offering, ranging from cooking some delicacies for the supper cum fellowship time, to dancing, to presenting a multimedia, to singing, to anything you can think of. Almost everyone in the church took part. Best watchnite ever!

We, as a church and as individuals, kicked off Year 2009 as the YEAR OF POSSIBILITIES. Pr. Edward challenged us to be bold! Bold to claim our promises!! Bold to speak to the mountain, and let it be removed!! My question is...."how bold can I or do I want to be?" A lot of times, I think it's a matter of how much I want to step out of my comfort zone and make things happen, or rather to allow God to make things happen in my life.

I want to believe, step out and claim all the possibilities for my dreams!

Gateway Watchnite Service 2008

Faith Journey

Last March, I had an awesome privilege to be part of 16,000 women in the Hillsong Color Conference. I've never thought I could be there again in Sydney for such a huge conference. My last time there was for Hillsong Conference, well many many years ago. Both trips were a gift from the Heavenly Father! But this recent trip was truly a step of faith. I didn't have any cent to begin with. Sis helped booked the flight ticket...by faith! Prayer wasn't as intense until after CNY. That's when we had to pay the tour agency. Frankly, I was very worried about where the money would come from. I've even contemplated forgoing the conference fee, reimburse Edlina who had generously paid for me and another friend. This journey of faith seemed so out of mind. I remembered my conversation with dad and how he seemed a lil upset with our actions. He actually said this "You guys are crazy already to do such a thing!" and then, he shook his head. I couldn't explain my actions then. I wanted so much to tell him that actually "I'm very fearful, and I really do not know where the money would come from but I feel that God is teaching me to trust in Him. I think God can provide qua!" Sigh.... Part of me was like, "It's ok Penny, God is in control!", and the other part was like, "But God...when? When will you show forth your miracle?" All I can cling on to was His promise in Matthew 7:7 and also a little plaque thing that was on my parents door that says "Trust in the Lord". The wordings had never been so OBVIOUS in the house till that very point!

To cut the long story short, prayers upon prayers, and those sleepless nights and God who kept reassuring me of His provision....He certainly STEPPED IN and provided miraculously. I went to draw out money from ATM machine and found extra cash in my account....who else but God who moved the hearts of His people to give generously! This is truly God's grace in action. I experienced His unmerited favor.

God's fingerprints were definitely on my whole Australian trip. Food, accommodation and transportation were all almost taken care of by friends! It's truly amazing how God put everything in place for sis and I. To God be the glory!

A Must Share!

It's been months since my last post. I've been wanting to post on the amazing journeys that I've had the past months but then....yes, then I keep procrastinating and hence, there was no updates. =) My humble apology to those who have been dropping by and found nothing.

But I do owe myself at least 3 interesting posts....journey of faith to Australia, sweet victory in Penang Floorball League and last but not least the addition to the family, Prince Ashton! I will definitely share...just wait....

But this very post is something I felt in my spirit that I must share! MUST! It has been a pretty nerve wrecking week. I felt so overpowered by enormous tasks ahead of me and the concerns surrounding me....personal life, church and work! It was as though everything has been dropped into the blender and it is just a matter of time before everything explodes! There are just many things that is beyond my control. And basically I have 2 choices, to hold on to the pressures and fear of the unknown or just learning to let go and let God!

Charles R. Swindoll in his devotional book, "Growing Strong in the Seasons of Life" mentioned that it requires maturity to just let go, turn lose and release the squeeze. And for that very moment, I felt so immature as I just wanted so much to hold on to all that I can. But what truly sparked me is this...

"We are often hindered from giving up our treasures out of fear for their safety. But wait. Everything is SAFE which is COMMITTED to our GOD. In fact nothing is really safe which is not so committed. No child. No job. No romance. No friend. No future. No dream."

And he went on to give the example of Abraham being asked to offer his son, Isaac (read Genesis 22: 1-18) and how God, the Jehovah Jireh provided the ram when Abraham obeyed God.

But then as I post this and as I learn to just surrender, I know that everything is safe in His hands. And I am constantly walking in His fields of grace, dwelling in His wonderful favor.

* God showed His favor this week as He held back depressing news concerning work and also a client's satisfaction over the arrangement done! What else can I say but that God is in control and that His favor was upon me and the situations I'm in!! ;) All glory to God!!

The Good, the Bad and the Ugly

As I bid farewell to 2007, here's the good, the bad and the ugly of 2007!

THE GOOD! (in random order)
1. God's grace and favor upon my life each and every day!
2. Having my inner circle people to inspire and challenge me to get back on track spiritually! =)
3. Mal Fletcher and his book 'Making God Famous' that cause me to be conscious about living my life right so that people would know God
4. The movie 'Evan Almighty' and the lessons learned! (to be nicer to people, be it friends, foe or strangers!)
5. Celebrating birthdays with family... I LOVE MY FAMILY!!!
6. Seeing God's faithfulness upon my sister and her family in their Australia trip
7. Holiday with family in Bukit Tinggi and also Singapore
8. Learning to 'homeschool' my nieces during the holiday at Singapore....personally felt that it was FUN and ENRICHING to myself
9. Participating in Gateway City Youth Convention (GCYC) in Singapore organised and sponsored by Faith Community Baptist Church
10. Experiencing God's provision in receiving a love-gift (3x the amount I actually prayed for!) from I don't know who. prior to my GCYC trip
11. Sports Leadership Camp at Cameron Highlands...learned so much!
12. Sharing the sweet victory when Malaysia beat Australia in Asia Pacific Floorball Championship held in Singapore...it was totally AWESOME!
13. God opening door for us to be involved in floorball in a greater scale
14. Taking part in the IFF Floorball Coaching Seminar...truly an eye opener
15. Floorball trip to Sabah and the development that is taking place
16. Contact Sports being nominated and shortlisted for AYA Dream Malaysia awards
17. Contact Floorball Club emerged 2nd runner-up in Dalat League
18. Starting of Gateway City Church at E-Gate
19. Got my desired jacket from parents for Christmas gift
20. Celebrating Christmas with the family...totally different and meaningful....had dinner, singing carols, sharing of word by our very own family member, Pr. Edward and exchanging of gifts...
21. Sister is pregnant again....and I'm all so excited!!!!! Can't wait for sayang to come out....
22. And many many more that I could have possibly forgotten along the way....

THE BAD?
1. I was down and a bit out of touch spiritually for quite some time
2. I was less compassionate and gracious towards people for quite some time too
3. Financially not being able to support my parents yet
4. Putting on weight! Oops...and I'll lose some soon.... =)
5. My humble car (actually the water pump wire and compressor) was bitten and destroyed TWICE by the unlovable rats....the bad was referring to the rats and not my car!
6. Grandma fell sick and can't walk
7. Got stung by a bee

THE UGLY????
Can't think of any! God has and will make all things beautiful in His perfect timing =) As I looked back at 2007, I can only trace everything and I mean EVERYTHING to God's goodness. Indeed, His love never fails.....

Another hour to go...thank you Lord for 2007....and welcome 2008! Blessed new year to all with lots of love! =)

Oh well....

I know it's been long since my last post. Many things happened these few months. Lots of good memories and interesting events....but was just too lazy to blog. =) Let me see...where do I begin? Hmm......Mum's 60th birthday! It was a great one at Traders Hotel. Ate loads of stuff. Cher and Ed commented the next day that they have not seen me ate so much before. Haha...it's RM64/ pax... it'll be silly not to eat! Will share more about mum's birthday in the next post.

I'm right now waiting for Cher to pick me up for a friend's wedding dinner. I'm all dressed up! Just waiting and putting my time to good use! Oh well...I've been reflecting upon lots of things these past few days. And today itself....just can't help thanking God for all that He has done in my life. For without Him, I wouldn't be where I am today. So I'm taking this time to just pay a special tribute to Him who colors my life.... I truly wanna thank God for....

1. Parents...for their labor of love in bringing me up.
2. Cher and Ed...for their mentoring, their support and guidance.
3. Ko...for his patience towards me. He's the greatest bro!
4. Nieces...the Lynns...they are such a joy! Just looking at them is enough to brighten up my day!
5. Friends....I've to admit I'm not someone who really keeps in touch with friends. But I thank God for giving me friends...friends that have journeyed with me and those who are still walking alongside me.
6. Floorball! I've gained lots from it...mentally, emotionally and physically!
7. Car...yes my humble Kancil...which brings me everywhere and also where I spent most of the time alone, reflecting...
8. My bed, pillows and blanket...I sure miss them when I'm away for trips and camps.
9. My office (right at Pekaka)...sure it's fun having little 'workers' around...they light up my day!
10. Food on the table everyday...it's a sign of God's provision
11. The lovely weather...be it rain or shine...(tho' I'll prefer sunny days)
12. Songs that fill my heart....
13. Entertainment...laughter and jokes....
14. My Nokia 6131...it links me up with ppl...and also the camera and video camera are greatly used to capture my nieces...14. Christmas...a gift from GOD!
15. Christmas...a gift from God!
16...and the list goes on....

There are truly many things to thank God for....and if I were to count them, I'll be writing books on it! =) Perhaps its time we think less of the negative...and begin to thank God for all that He has done and given to us!