Feb 2022 DTS updates!

        Hello again my dear friends and family back at home! 💕

    I'm missing you guys so much, especially during festive season like Chinese New Year. This is my first CNY away from home, but thankfully, I have fellow Singaporeans here and could enjoy hotpot as I used to back home. 👏✊ It is just so comforting to find homies here at Cape Town, to gather and encourage fellow kingdom builders in this journey when the going gets hard.

 

Worship at the beach

    Remember Imtiaz, the friend I shared in my previous newsletter? Well, he led worship for the very first time as a Christian, at a public beach?! 😮 and the public was there worshipping with us. That was really out of our comfort zone, and we were both so nervous as we practice. Yet, I’m so glad we press in for love and to just lift him up with our instruments. 

Soccer ministry with the slum children

    We have weekly local outreach at the slums for children aged 9 to 15. Sports have always been a good avenue to build relationships and character. Reenacting bible stories have helped them to better understand who Jesus is and the Heart of a Father. 

Loss can make us more

    The video below was shared during the lecture, and it moves me so much. It speaks of a life of a drug addict whose life is transformed, and how loss can make us more. Would really encourage you to spare some time (~9 mins) to watch it.👇

    Loss precludes recovery, it can transform us or destroy us, but it will never leave us the same. It is therefore not true that we become less through loss unless we allow the loss to make us less, loss can make us more. 

    The war between Ukraine and Russia has brought about many losses. 40 lives were lost on the first day; 30 were soldiers and 10 were civilians. As of now, 137 civilians and military personnel have been killed so far by the Russian invasion. Behind every number are an individual with a family and unlived dreams… 

A Ukrainian father broke down in tears as he gave his daughter a final goodbye as she fled to safety 

    Through the prism of my tears, I have seen a suffering Jesus. Perhaps his sorrow is splendour.

    Instead of getting over my losses; such as losing my rights and privileges, I absorbed these losses into my life, until they became part of who I am. I believe sorrow can take up permanent residence in my soul and enlarged it. Our losses are real, and so is our God; He’s a living God.  

    As Job posits, shall we accept good from God and not trouble?

    And how is God bringing us to our knees before him through setbacks in our lives?

    Many times, one learns the pain of others by suffering one’s own pain, by turning inside oneself, by finding one’s own soul. We may be hard-pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed (2 cor 4:7-11). 

    We usually would follow Christ everywhere, to a party where he turns water into wine. But to the cross? We dig in our heels. The invitation is so frightening individual. It’s an invitation to go alone. 

    Lord, everything in me kicks against going to the foot of the cross where you will root out of me all that is not of you. Help me not to fear the “deaths” it will take for me to be transformed into a free person who loves you and others well.

 Lecture Topic: Fear of the Lord. 

    Pardon me if I write too much, but I have gleaned so much from this topic and would love to share with you guys my thoughts!

    With greater fear of the Lord, there’s lesser fear of man. Fear of man often paralyzes us, silenced us, and made us self-conscious, while fear of the Lord made us God-conscious, gives us boldness and courage and sets us free to please God instead of man. 

    I recall the many times I have chosen to sit on the fence and be quiet because of my fear of man, not speaking up for the things my heart beats for because of my impression of my abilities and of how others see me. I often wished my weaknesses would go away, but I know I can boost in them for His power to rest in me. We can be confident knowing our lord helps us and fight our battles, we just have to rely on Him. 

    We are not dependent on our own abilities, but our confidence is placed in who God says we are.  

       It comes from our faith resting on God’s limitless, almighty power that is always making things together for our good. Even if I may look like a fool in front of men, while they look at the outward appearance, He looks at my heart. For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid (or ashamed), but gives us power, love, and self-control. 

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    One of my South African friends, Dylan, who has been in the mission field for 7 years recently shared with me his journey as a missionary, and I can’t help but cry. There were the fruits and adventure of obedience, of seeing Him moved so evidently, yet there were moments he felt so alone in his journey from the lack of support and checking in from his church and family and having to wrestle with God in this. Despite that, he chooses to obey and stay in His will and course. 

    His story prompted me of the resistance I would face with my family about my faith. I'm still learning to trust in the process of what He’s calling me to. Before defeating the Goliath, David conquered a lion and a bear (1 Samuel 17:34-36), and it's okay if we do not have all the answers now, but we trust in the process, to obey the little things and just serve at where we are. 

    Aside from concerns regarding my family, I realised what's unbearable for me is to fall sick in a foreign land alone. I honestly felt so helpless when that happens. But I wonder what if the cost of discipleship would mean disappointing my parents? What if it means to follow Him to uncomfortable places and at times having to fell ill alone? 

    As I meditate on Hebrews 11, it shows those with a truly biblical faith are trusting God, relying on God when looking to the future, and obeying despite not knowing all of the details. The passage described many examples of this perspective, including Abel, Noah, and Abraham. These men obeyed God, though they could not see all of the twists and turns ahead in their futures. Abraham, in particular, did not live to see the complete fulfilment of God's promises. And yet, Abraham, like the rest, was not limited by an earthly perspective. This part of Hebrews specifically tells us that men like Abraham were "looking forward" to something eternal (Hebrews 11:10). 

 "Abraham was confidently looking forward to a city with eternal foundations, 
a city designed and built by God." - Hebrews 11:10
“If they had been thinking of that land from which they had gone out, 
they would have had the opportunity to return. 
But as it is, they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. 
Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared for them a city." 
- Hebrews 11: 15-16

    These verses make so much sense to me. If men like Abraham were merely looking for some physical territory, they had every opportunity to go back to where they'd started. And yet, they did not. Their reason for waiting faithfully was a trust in God's ultimate plan for them. The faith in God gives us an eternal perspective, rather than a limited physical one. This gives us the confidence to "hold fast" and stand firm despite temporary setbacks or hardships. The model of faith presented by these people, in light of the struggles they faced, inspires us towards a more confident, purposeful faith.

    Are we putting our security in what is certain and safe? Why are we so afraid of making a detour? Will we let Him take the lead even though we are afraid? 

    Lord, I’ll press on and trust You to move in my family and that You will take care of them regardless of where I am. You know the struggles ahead, and You know all my worries and responsibilities... I do feel sorry for not meeting their expectations, for not making them proud, or seemingly not contributing or bringing honour, especially when I see their hard work in fending for the household all these years. I grieved that I might not be able to provide the best for my family, but I pray that they would eventually see You, and know what I am doing would be of eternal value. Bent my heart to Your will for me. My parents may not approve of my faith or the things I do, but I know they will approve of me as their daughter. Prayers do wonders, and I’ll never stop at that.

How you could co-partner with us in His Kingdom!

1. Pray along with us for unity and greater harmony among the teams. There have been many differences cross-culturally, tensions are rising but we are submitting to His Lordship on this.
2. Pray with me for my family in being supportive of what God is calling me into.
3. We ask that you join us in our intercession for Ukraine. 
• God to unite the Christians in Ukraine and encourage them to not lose hope.
• Nations to come together and act, to go beyond verbal stance.
• As the people of Ukraine stepped into the dens of the lion, by faith they will go unharmed, and the Russians would drop their weapon and fall on their knees.
• The refugees (200,000 of them), civilians and soldiers will find comfort and peace.