Today I had a chance to bless 3 people. I was sitting down and stoning at a coffeeshop table waiting for a "you yuan ren" (the fated one) to sit down beside me. An auntie came to my table shortly afterwards.
And I took 1 hr to explain what is the meaning of "zhu fu" (blessing) to her. Her language wasn't really fantastic so she totally didn't understand around 10 out of 12 blessings, and she didn't know what is "qi dao" (pray) as well. I had to explain to her in simpler terms. She was extremely skeptical to a point she didn dare to write her name, she was so surprised that a stranger wants to bless her without any strings attached.
Later she shared she had a friend who also believes in Jesus. I told her that Jesus wants to bless her despite that she believes in other gods. She was really glad to hear that.
Guess what, she took my handphone number at the back to buy 4D/Toto. I told her if she gets a little prize out of that, remember to contact me, and tell more friends to come to get the blessings and know Jesus. =)
I'm praying that God will do a miracle and let her win a prize in lottery, so that she would really see the big great Blessor, Jesus.
Charles
Saturday, July 28, 2007
Wai Mun's Faith Story
As my part of my learning for the 100K, I wanted God to make my heart grow bigger to love people. God taught me a valuable lesson on loving people on Thursday. After the encouragement by Pastor Khong to press in blessing each day, I was convicted to spend the whole Thursday blessing everyone I met with the 100K.
The 1st person I approached was the cab driver who drove me to Catholic High. I was rejected. The 2nd person I asked was the cleaning lady at the school. Again, I was rejected. Third person I asked was the cab driver who drove me to Chung Cheng High. The result : rejected. On the way back from Chung Cheng High to my office, I asked another cab driver. And I was rejected again.
Honestly, being rejected for four consecitive times don't feel good. Yet after reflecting with God, I started to gain a deeper understanding of Love as protrayed in 1 Cor 13. Love that is patient, kind, does not envy, does not boast, not self-seeking, not easily angered, keeps no record of wrongs, does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth, always protects, trusts, hopes and perseveres. Love that never fails.
I thank God He is using these rejections to build a greater capacity in me to love by learning to accept the rejection and continue blessings. At the same time, God is reminding me that in all the things I do, I must do it out of love. At times, I can get so busy with so many things that I miss out on loving people and enjoying their relationship.
Praise God that in His grace, I can change =)
Wai Mun
The 1st person I approached was the cab driver who drove me to Catholic High. I was rejected. The 2nd person I asked was the cleaning lady at the school. Again, I was rejected. Third person I asked was the cab driver who drove me to Chung Cheng High. The result : rejected. On the way back from Chung Cheng High to my office, I asked another cab driver. And I was rejected again.
Honestly, being rejected for four consecitive times don't feel good. Yet after reflecting with God, I started to gain a deeper understanding of Love as protrayed in 1 Cor 13. Love that is patient, kind, does not envy, does not boast, not self-seeking, not easily angered, keeps no record of wrongs, does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth, always protects, trusts, hopes and perseveres. Love that never fails.
I thank God He is using these rejections to build a greater capacity in me to love by learning to accept the rejection and continue blessings. At the same time, God is reminding me that in all the things I do, I must do it out of love. At times, I can get so busy with so many things that I miss out on loving people and enjoying their relationship.
Praise God that in His grace, I can change =)
Wai Mun
Friday, July 27, 2007
Charles' Faith Story
I realised that the spiritual atmosphere of NUS has changed after we've gone there to pray every week. Somehow I receive a lot of smiles along the corridors of NUS engineering block and I feel that people are getting more open to receive blessings. A single trip to NUS was sufficient enough to bless 4 people along the way, and it was unplanned and totally coincidental.
I met 2 of my CSC (community service club) ex-councillors at Engine Canteen and they were very willing to allow me to bless them, and they ticked the blessing cards and thanked me profusely. The intern student I was working with was also pleased to allow me to bless her. Another Chemical Engineering girl whom I always just knew by face, smiled at me and I took that as (yes she wants blessings too), and I went over to bless her as well.
I felt this 100k experience made me draw nearer to my NUS chemical engineering people and opened a door for me to know them better and bless them in the future. Along the way I made new friends, and felt my oikos grew larger than before - more opportunities to bless in the future. And it gave me a greater heart for them as I see them ticking the blessings, they really had needs that I can bless them =)
Even prebeliever friends are encouraging me to pray, by suggesting to me how to pray and even telling me not to give up praying. I had one friend that I blessed, and she told me to pray in bus and everywhere I go, so that I can pray for more people. Haha. I'm so blessed by my blessees as well.
Charles
I met 2 of my CSC (community service club) ex-councillors at Engine Canteen and they were very willing to allow me to bless them, and they ticked the blessing cards and thanked me profusely. The intern student I was working with was also pleased to allow me to bless her. Another Chemical Engineering girl whom I always just knew by face, smiled at me and I took that as (yes she wants blessings too), and I went over to bless her as well.
I felt this 100k experience made me draw nearer to my NUS chemical engineering people and opened a door for me to know them better and bless them in the future. Along the way I made new friends, and felt my oikos grew larger than before - more opportunities to bless in the future. And it gave me a greater heart for them as I see them ticking the blessings, they really had needs that I can bless them =)
Even prebeliever friends are encouraging me to pray, by suggesting to me how to pray and even telling me not to give up praying. I had one friend that I blessed, and she told me to pray in bus and everywhere I go, so that I can pray for more people. Haha. I'm so blessed by my blessees as well.
Charles
Thursday, July 26, 2007
Stephen's Faith Story
On Monday morning an ex-master lab mate called me during my work meeting, I told him to call back later. Surprisingly, in the afternoon he came to my office and looked for me for a chat. He was one of my best buddies during my master years and we usually had meals and discussed problems together. He was the one that I was reaching out to during those years. After we graduated, he headed to Hong Kong for PhD studies.
That afternoon when we had a good chat, he told me he encountered problems to pursue PhD in Hong Kong. The disagreement comes between MOE bond and the numbers of years of PhD he needed to complete has forced him to terminate the PhD study half-way after 3 years. He was quite disappointed with the situation. Now he came back to Singapore to a find job to settle and try to re-plan his career and life direction.
He also shared that there are so much uncertainties for the future, and he sees the need to find a source of life to depend on. I quickly took out the 100k blessing card to share with him our God could answer the prayers if we are to trust him. He ticked almost all except last 2 columns. I told him he can consider Jesus as his source of life as He promised eternal life and hope for those who believed him. Although he said would consider, I still pray for him to accept Jesus besides other needs.
3 days after that, he messaged me saying he would like to follow me to church this Sunday, I cried Hallelujah! God is in work! I pray that he will be touched by God's love when he comes to the service and find that Jesus is his source of life.
Let us keep him in prayer, his name is Albert Lim.
Stephen
That afternoon when we had a good chat, he told me he encountered problems to pursue PhD in Hong Kong. The disagreement comes between MOE bond and the numbers of years of PhD he needed to complete has forced him to terminate the PhD study half-way after 3 years. He was quite disappointed with the situation. Now he came back to Singapore to a find job to settle and try to re-plan his career and life direction.
He also shared that there are so much uncertainties for the future, and he sees the need to find a source of life to depend on. I quickly took out the 100k blessing card to share with him our God could answer the prayers if we are to trust him. He ticked almost all except last 2 columns. I told him he can consider Jesus as his source of life as He promised eternal life and hope for those who believed him. Although he said would consider, I still pray for him to accept Jesus besides other needs.
3 days after that, he messaged me saying he would like to follow me to church this Sunday, I cried Hallelujah! God is in work! I pray that he will be touched by God's love when he comes to the service and find that Jesus is his source of life.
Let us keep him in prayer, his name is Albert Lim.
Stephen
Tuesday, July 24, 2007
Blessing 15...A Colleague
In my heart, I believe that the workplace or rather, school that I'm in, I need to pray for transformation. And I believe that it's already happening.
There's this colleague in my school, JY. He's only on practicum teaching in the school at the moment. The thing is, he's a course-mate of mine in NUS. We both used to be in Electrical Engineering. Isn't that amazing how he is with me now in the same school during the period of 100K Blessings?
Yesterday, I prayed that there'll be a chance for me to talk to him alone. On that same day, God gave me open doors. I saw him alone, and I intentionally asked him out for lunch in the school canteen.
I fellowshipped with him and we chatted about online games. Finally, I popped the question about 100K. He's quite surprised, and he was quite receptive. He filled up the card, and I prayed for him on the spot. As simple as that.
I found out that he stays near Expo. I would surely invite him for our service one day. And furthermore, he used to attend a church before going NS.
From this, I realised that we have to pray for God to give open doors for us to bless people. And when we see these open doors, we need to act in faith. It's 100% man and 100% God.
There's this colleague in my school, JY. He's only on practicum teaching in the school at the moment. The thing is, he's a course-mate of mine in NUS. We both used to be in Electrical Engineering. Isn't that amazing how he is with me now in the same school during the period of 100K Blessings?
Yesterday, I prayed that there'll be a chance for me to talk to him alone. On that same day, God gave me open doors. I saw him alone, and I intentionally asked him out for lunch in the school canteen.
I fellowshipped with him and we chatted about online games. Finally, I popped the question about 100K. He's quite surprised, and he was quite receptive. He filled up the card, and I prayed for him on the spot. As simple as that.
I found out that he stays near Expo. I would surely invite him for our service one day. And furthermore, he used to attend a church before going NS.
From this, I realised that we have to pray for God to give open doors for us to bless people. And when we see these open doors, we need to act in faith. It's 100% man and 100% God.
Elkan's Faith Story 2
I had a chance to bless another of my former NUS classmates.
She just quitted teaching (she was the one whose grades are similar to mine, but she got into teaching when we graduated while my application was "lost" in the process), and started a new job. She was sharing how she felt aimless and purposeless in this new job and felt like a robot doing admin work.
I took the opportunity to ask her about the 100k, because I sense she needed direction in her life. She was surprised when she heard that our mutual NUS friend whom I had prayed for, had prayer partially answered when her boyfriend proposed to her after I prayed for blessing in relationships for her. She immediated asked for it.
Not only was she receptive, she even asked her boyfriend to receive prayers for breakthroughs in his PHD thesis project! In fact, towards the end, she said she felt lighter and not so burdened after receiving the prayers!
Praise God for the openness!
She just quitted teaching (she was the one whose grades are similar to mine, but she got into teaching when we graduated while my application was "lost" in the process), and started a new job. She was sharing how she felt aimless and purposeless in this new job and felt like a robot doing admin work.
I took the opportunity to ask her about the 100k, because I sense she needed direction in her life. She was surprised when she heard that our mutual NUS friend whom I had prayed for, had prayer partially answered when her boyfriend proposed to her after I prayed for blessing in relationships for her. She immediated asked for it.
Not only was she receptive, she even asked her boyfriend to receive prayers for breakthroughs in his PHD thesis project! In fact, towards the end, she said she felt lighter and not so burdened after receiving the prayers!
Praise God for the openness!
Monday, July 16, 2007
Blessing to the Elderly
Today's 40 Day Fast & Pray is about honouring and praying for the elderly in Singapore. As I was praying about it just now, God led me to the "Parable of the Workers in the Vineyard" Matthew 20:1-16.
God brought me to the sentence "Because no one has hired us." The elderly are lost. They find no sense of belonging to all the idols that they might have worshipped in the past. Many of them are just waiting to die, especially those without family.
But there is hope! Our God is a God that cares for them. That's why he said, "You also go and work in my vineyard."
During the 100K Campaign, let's not forget about the elderly among us. It can be the elderly in your house, it can be the elderly at Toa Payoh, or it can be any elderly that you meet on the streets.
Today, I had met an elderly couple in the hospital. (Dawn had already blessed the wife before.) The husband was diagnosed with lung cancer, terminal stage.
The two of us went to bless the couple with our company. We visited them. And we fellowshipped with them, talking about many things, getting to know them.
Finally, we went on to pray for the husband. I didn't use the card. I just prayed for him to be healed, and he and his household will enjoy the peace of the Lord. The couple was really glad that someone bothered to pray for them and bless them.
I made a decision in my heart.
I'm going to proclaim that the Kingdom of God is near tomorrow when I go visit him again. I believe that he will receive Jesus into his life. I claim it in Jesus' name. Amen!
"For the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire men to work in his vineyard. He agreed to pay them a denarius for the day and sent them into his vineyard.
"About the third hour he went out and saw others standing in the marketplace doing nothing. He told them, 'You also go and work in my vineyard, and I will pay you whatever is right.' So they went.
"He went out again about the sixth hour and the ninth hour and did the same thing. 6About the eleventh hour he went out and found still others standing around. He asked them, 'Why have you been standing here all day long doing nothing?'
" 'Because no one has hired us,' they answered.
"He said to them, 'You also go and work in my vineyard.' "
God brought me to the sentence "Because no one has hired us." The elderly are lost. They find no sense of belonging to all the idols that they might have worshipped in the past. Many of them are just waiting to die, especially those without family.
But there is hope! Our God is a God that cares for them. That's why he said, "You also go and work in my vineyard."
During the 100K Campaign, let's not forget about the elderly among us. It can be the elderly in your house, it can be the elderly at Toa Payoh, or it can be any elderly that you meet on the streets.
Today, I had met an elderly couple in the hospital. (Dawn had already blessed the wife before.) The husband was diagnosed with lung cancer, terminal stage.
The two of us went to bless the couple with our company. We visited them. And we fellowshipped with them, talking about many things, getting to know them.
Finally, we went on to pray for the husband. I didn't use the card. I just prayed for him to be healed, and he and his household will enjoy the peace of the Lord. The couple was really glad that someone bothered to pray for them and bless them.
I made a decision in my heart.
I'm going to proclaim that the Kingdom of God is near tomorrow when I go visit him again. I believe that he will receive Jesus into his life. I claim it in Jesus' name. Amen!
Elkan's MSN 100K Story
Praise God!
I had to chance to bless a NUS classmate through MSN!
What happened is that before the 100K started, I listed down 14 names of my close friends and relatives, making a resolution to intentionally bless them by first starting to pray for them. I also made a point to arrange class gathering with them before the 100K started.
I know some of them have been reading my blog regularly, and we sort of linked each other. Little did I know God can use a little gesture and dedication on my part to share my thoughts through my blog. What I wrote certainly had sown seeds!
I was VERY SURPRISED to see her tagline on MSN
Matthew 5:41 "If someone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles."
It came from my blog post about the 100K, something that God had impressed upon my heart.
I knew she had read it, and her heart was prepared, and so over MSN, I shared with her the meaning and context of the verse, the 12 blessings and prayed for her. She was very open and grateful to receive it.
I challenged her to give me a specific sign that she will know God had answered her prayers. She mentioned that she wanted God to open doors to an affordable flat that's near MRT!
I am so encouraged that I am determined to ask God so that she will know God is a God who answers prayers!
I had to chance to bless a NUS classmate through MSN!
What happened is that before the 100K started, I listed down 14 names of my close friends and relatives, making a resolution to intentionally bless them by first starting to pray for them. I also made a point to arrange class gathering with them before the 100K started.
I know some of them have been reading my blog regularly, and we sort of linked each other. Little did I know God can use a little gesture and dedication on my part to share my thoughts through my blog. What I wrote certainly had sown seeds!
I was VERY SURPRISED to see her tagline on MSN
Matthew 5:41 "If someone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles."
It came from my blog post about the 100K, something that God had impressed upon my heart.
I knew she had read it, and her heart was prepared, and so over MSN, I shared with her the meaning and context of the verse, the 12 blessings and prayed for her. She was very open and grateful to receive it.
I challenged her to give me a specific sign that she will know God had answered her prayers. She mentioned that she wanted God to open doors to an affordable flat that's near MRT!
I am so encouraged that I am determined to ask God so that she will know God is a God who answers prayers!
Darren's Blessings (& Rejections)
Honestly, I'm a very stressed up person, so when the 100k started, there were times I feared and was stress. Usually, I would hang out with my friends in a group, not one to one. This is makes it very hard to bless them.
Yesterday morning, I was at Outram MRT station, I bumped into one of my schoolmates. It was definitly a prayer answered by God as I seldom see her there. In the train we chatted and I tried to bless her. Then she told me someone had already asked her. Priase God for that but I was quite a embarrassed then as I'm a very shy person.
Another incident happened in the afternoon when my group of classmates were walking around school after a heavy lunch with our personal tutor. Suddenly, one of my classmate wanted to rest and told us to move on. Grabbing this opportunity, I sat down with him and we chatted as usual. Then when I felt it was time, I presented the 100k to him. He rejected it and said that he is a free thinker. I explained that this is just a blessing for anyone, even though if you are a free thinker. Unfortunately, he declined. Eventually, I did not bless any schoolmates that day.
From this 2 incidents, I processed with God and felt him comforting me that though I had not gain the 2 people to bless, I experienced rejection. This is important and necessary if we want to follow the ways of Jesus. With rejections, I'm stronger in God. With rejections, fear is taken away as our hearts and spirits are conditioned for such things. In the sense that we would not be easily discouraged if such things happen again as God has healed us before.
Another thing, God did answer my prayer even though that were simple. He provided a situation where I would be alone with my 2 schoolmates and thus, giving me a chance to bless them. Thank God I managed to bless my mom when I got home that night. Though there are still 15 more people and so on to bless next few weeks, I believe God has given me a good preparation from this.
Yesterday morning, I was at Outram MRT station, I bumped into one of my schoolmates. It was definitly a prayer answered by God as I seldom see her there. In the train we chatted and I tried to bless her. Then she told me someone had already asked her. Priase God for that but I was quite a embarrassed then as I'm a very shy person.
Another incident happened in the afternoon when my group of classmates were walking around school after a heavy lunch with our personal tutor. Suddenly, one of my classmate wanted to rest and told us to move on. Grabbing this opportunity, I sat down with him and we chatted as usual. Then when I felt it was time, I presented the 100k to him. He rejected it and said that he is a free thinker. I explained that this is just a blessing for anyone, even though if you are a free thinker. Unfortunately, he declined. Eventually, I did not bless any schoolmates that day.
From this 2 incidents, I processed with God and felt him comforting me that though I had not gain the 2 people to bless, I experienced rejection. This is important and necessary if we want to follow the ways of Jesus. With rejections, I'm stronger in God. With rejections, fear is taken away as our hearts and spirits are conditioned for such things. In the sense that we would not be easily discouraged if such things happen again as God has healed us before.
Another thing, God did answer my prayer even though that were simple. He provided a situation where I would be alone with my 2 schoolmates and thus, giving me a chance to bless them. Thank God I managed to bless my mom when I got home that night. Though there are still 15 more people and so on to bless next few weeks, I believe God has given me a good preparation from this.
Thursday, July 12, 2007
Blessing 5... A Student from China
Last night, I went back to NUS together with my brothers to look for NUS students to bless. Junhao and I were in the same group. We walked all the way to NUS Sports Recreation Centre. Along the way, we tried to bless someone with an apple, but was rejected.
We then bought two H2O drinks from Cheers and pressed on. At the track, Junhao managed to bless a PhD student from India with a drink. And he even prayed for him, and it's really amazing how open he was.
I went around looking for someone else to bless. I tried giving the H2O drink to a student playing basketball, but was rejected. I tried giving the drink again to a chef working at a nearby restaurant, but was rejected again.
Argh.. today, I had been rejected 3 times. But I know that God still loves me. Hence, I pressed on.
All of a sudden, I found someone behind me. I turned around and saw a guy. I stopped him and introduced myself to him. It turned out that he's from China and is studying at NUS right now. Year 4 Electrical Engineering (same as me).
I talked to him and blessed him with a drink. He accepted it and even allowed me to pray for him on the spot. He told me that he even went to a church before. I was like so amazed that God is really working among the foreign students in Singapore.
Singapore will be a place of blessings for the nations. I believe it.
"It is more blessed to give than to receive."
We then bought two H2O drinks from Cheers and pressed on. At the track, Junhao managed to bless a PhD student from India with a drink. And he even prayed for him, and it's really amazing how open he was.
I went around looking for someone else to bless. I tried giving the H2O drink to a student playing basketball, but was rejected. I tried giving the drink again to a chef working at a nearby restaurant, but was rejected again.
Argh.. today, I had been rejected 3 times. But I know that God still loves me. Hence, I pressed on.
All of a sudden, I found someone behind me. I turned around and saw a guy. I stopped him and introduced myself to him. It turned out that he's from China and is studying at NUS right now. Year 4 Electrical Engineering (same as me).
I talked to him and blessed him with a drink. He accepted it and even allowed me to pray for him on the spot. He told me that he even went to a church before. I was like so amazed that God is really working among the foreign students in Singapore.
Singapore will be a place of blessings for the nations. I believe it.
"It is more blessed to give than to receive."
Stephen's Blessing
Today I went down to a friend’s house to visit and dinner at his home; I was actually blessed by this friend instead. Not only I had free dinner at his house, but also received backpack and sleeping bag (used for my Shanghai Trip), return of blender and jacket (he borrowed from me last time) and some DVD.
When I started to offer him a prayer blessing in return, he hesitated as he is Buddhist. I told him that I just want to see God working miracles in his life as he was quite worried about his future. And then he agreed.
He felt peace in his heart and was thankful for my prayer.
I just sense that there are many needs around us and sometimes we are just too busy to take notice of. This 100k blessing will definitely help us grow in compassion for people if we do it with a heart to bless.
Stephen
When I started to offer him a prayer blessing in return, he hesitated as he is Buddhist. I told him that I just want to see God working miracles in his life as he was quite worried about his future. And then he agreed.
He felt peace in his heart and was thankful for my prayer.
I just sense that there are many needs around us and sometimes we are just too busy to take notice of. This 100k blessing will definitely help us grow in compassion for people if we do it with a heart to bless.
Stephen
Wednesday, July 11, 2007
Junhao's Blessing
At the latest report, my cell group has a total of 12 blessings so far in day 3 of the 100K prayers! All my youth have managed to bless at least one friend!
Myself, I started out the first day of school not being able to bless my colleagues. I went down with the school basketball team for their match, and realised that I found it difficult to bless them one on one. A little fear crept in, of being accused by the teachers, of even being a biased teacher as I wanted to bless them one on one, not the whole team at one time. Result: Monday, no students or colleagues blessed.
At home, I made effort to buy dinner for my brother and bless him. I realised actually I seldom talked to him and prayed for him directly...but he received the blessings for health, and was a little bit awkward. Learning point: Make praying for my brother (openly) a habit!
On Tuesday, I blessed many BB boys while in Nanhua. But only filled up the card for one, as a few either didn't want to be prayed for, or we ended up too rushed to talk further. But I'm glad because I felt my own heart change, that I made blessing them (instead of scolding them) part of what I do during the sessions.
For the boy I talked to, he shared with me about some problems in the family, and was quite touched when I prayed for him. I pray God will give him the miracle of peace in the family, and they will come to know the love the God! =D
Junhao
Myself, I started out the first day of school not being able to bless my colleagues. I went down with the school basketball team for their match, and realised that I found it difficult to bless them one on one. A little fear crept in, of being accused by the teachers, of even being a biased teacher as I wanted to bless them one on one, not the whole team at one time. Result: Monday, no students or colleagues blessed.
At home, I made effort to buy dinner for my brother and bless him. I realised actually I seldom talked to him and prayed for him directly...but he received the blessings for health, and was a little bit awkward. Learning point: Make praying for my brother (openly) a habit!
On Tuesday, I blessed many BB boys while in Nanhua. But only filled up the card for one, as a few either didn't want to be prayed for, or we ended up too rushed to talk further. But I'm glad because I felt my own heart change, that I made blessing them (instead of scolding them) part of what I do during the sessions.
For the boy I talked to, he shared with me about some problems in the family, and was quite touched when I prayed for him. I pray God will give him the miracle of peace in the family, and they will come to know the love the God! =D
Junhao
Tuesday, July 10, 2007
Elkan's Blessing
'Today in school, I decided to keep an eye open for someone I can bless to "fulfill my quota". Haha, almost like a financial planner or an MLM marketeer :p
It came almost like a surprise to me, when one of my colleagues, a fellow "school experiencer" (a trainee teacher on the same programme as me), came back into the staff room, very flustered and looking very weary and burdened.
"Have lunch together?"
"Erm. Ok."
Well, inwardly I was feeling quite stand-offish. I havent really talked much to him before this. He doesnt FEEL like the kind of person I would like to be friends with, or hang out with, much less bless. Always looked kind of stucked up or smart aleck-ish.
So over the course of the lunch, we talked. Surprisingly, contrary to my prejudices, I found him to be quite approachable.
I learnt that he was weary because he was juggling many CCA and commitments outside. I offered my 2-cents worth of transitioning to work life and establishing priorities.
Talked about BGR and how he's going to propose to his girlfriend of 5 years. The girl is 2 years older than him (27 this year). Encouraged him to not dilly dally as the girl shouldnt wait much longer biologically.
Also, I told him the dangers of a long courtship. He agreed and revealed that they broke up once because they once mutually felt "the love was gone". I encouraged him that love needs deliberate effort to keep the fire going, and how in my community service I used to work in, we had a family department which runs marriage encounters so that married couples can learn to "woo" each other again.
Then we talked families and how he's working hard to support his family, yet he felt it was only a duty and he cant feel the appreciation or closeness with his parents.
Etc and so on.
We finished lunch and were preparing to go back for our lessons.
Then I got a prompting.
"Yes, it's a good time getting to know him.
What stops you from blessing him?"
Suddenly it struck me that while I can be
1) A patient and approachable person
2) A sympathetic ear or a good shoulder to cry on
3) An unsolicited advisor or problem-solver,
I can be so indifferent in my heart to all the difficulties he is sharing that I didnt offer him the real deal that can truly help him.
Not my presence.
Not my comfort.
Not my intelligence.
But my prayers to God.
So I took the next minute to explain to him the 12 blessings he can ask God for, and told him I will pray for him without strings attached for the next 1 month. He was almost shocked that I would do that.
"But I am a free-thinker. I wont go to church with you..."
"Doesnt matter. I believe God will hear your prayers irregardless."
On reflection, it was especially humbling for me to realise the state of my heart, how I can reduce people in their worth, by judging them through "coloured lens" of misperception.
Matthew 5:41
If someone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles.
So, let me learn to go the extra mile for you. :) I will be refreshed.
Elkan Lam
It came almost like a surprise to me, when one of my colleagues, a fellow "school experiencer" (a trainee teacher on the same programme as me), came back into the staff room, very flustered and looking very weary and burdened.
"Have lunch together?"
"Erm. Ok."
Well, inwardly I was feeling quite stand-offish. I havent really talked much to him before this. He doesnt FEEL like the kind of person I would like to be friends with, or hang out with, much less bless. Always looked kind of stucked up or smart aleck-ish.
So over the course of the lunch, we talked. Surprisingly, contrary to my prejudices, I found him to be quite approachable.
I learnt that he was weary because he was juggling many CCA and commitments outside. I offered my 2-cents worth of transitioning to work life and establishing priorities.
Talked about BGR and how he's going to propose to his girlfriend of 5 years. The girl is 2 years older than him (27 this year). Encouraged him to not dilly dally as the girl shouldnt wait much longer biologically.
Also, I told him the dangers of a long courtship. He agreed and revealed that they broke up once because they once mutually felt "the love was gone". I encouraged him that love needs deliberate effort to keep the fire going, and how in my community service I used to work in, we had a family department which runs marriage encounters so that married couples can learn to "woo" each other again.
Then we talked families and how he's working hard to support his family, yet he felt it was only a duty and he cant feel the appreciation or closeness with his parents.
Etc and so on.
We finished lunch and were preparing to go back for our lessons.
Then I got a prompting.
"Yes, it's a good time getting to know him.
What stops you from blessing him?"
Suddenly it struck me that while I can be
1) A patient and approachable person
2) A sympathetic ear or a good shoulder to cry on
3) An unsolicited advisor or problem-solver,
I can be so indifferent in my heart to all the difficulties he is sharing that I didnt offer him the real deal that can truly help him.
Not my presence.
Not my comfort.
Not my intelligence.
But my prayers to God.
So I took the next minute to explain to him the 12 blessings he can ask God for, and told him I will pray for him without strings attached for the next 1 month. He was almost shocked that I would do that.
"But I am a free-thinker. I wont go to church with you..."
"Doesnt matter. I believe God will hear your prayers irregardless."
On reflection, it was especially humbling for me to realise the state of my heart, how I can reduce people in their worth, by judging them through "coloured lens" of misperception.
Matthew 5:41
If someone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles.
So, let me learn to go the extra mile for you. :) I will be refreshed.
Elkan Lam
Blessing 4... My Colleague Teacher
Today, I spend time having breakfast with my colleague in school. I blessed him with a soya bean drink and otah. I also fellowshipped with him over food. It was a great time talking to him.
I took out the prayer card and asked him if there's anything he wants me to pray for him for. He's really quite open and he ticked a few stuff. Then I got him to fill up the contact details, and he was really quite willing!
From there, I shared abit on my own personal salvation testimony. He also said he experienced brokenness before, just like me. However, it was time for him to go and he promised to share with me next time.
I believed that this has opened up new doors for me to share with him.
"It is more blessed to give than to receive."
I took out the prayer card and asked him if there's anything he wants me to pray for him for. He's really quite open and he ticked a few stuff. Then I got him to fill up the contact details, and he was really quite willing!
From there, I shared abit on my own personal salvation testimony. He also said he experienced brokenness before, just like me. However, it was time for him to go and he promised to share with me next time.
I believed that this has opened up new doors for me to share with him.
"It is more blessed to give than to receive."
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