jiali in mannheim

Jiali's back in Singapore

2009-07-20T21:33:00.000-07:00

Ever since I have reached Germany, my mum has been faithfully summarizing the sermons in FCBC for me every Sunday.

I told myself, if I have girls next time that go for exchange, that is what I want to do for them too. because 1) it keeps them in touch with what is happening in church (which in this span of 6 months, those emails helped) 2) it helps them in their spiritual growth

and so since Mum came back from the states this week and did not manage to go to church, I decided to summarize this for her.

and so I decided to put it up on my blog too because I know Elaine reads this :)

Pastor talked about Daniel 4: Standing Tall in Turbulent Times: God and God Alone

We tend to be very proud people. But if you are proud, God is able to humble you. Humility has no form, it is not about what you say. but it is about recognizing God and God alone governs.

inferiority complex is also pride.

Many times, we think that our own drive for life can make things happen. We are often very wrong. PRIDE is very much Idolatry. If we do not recognize God is in control, then we will not know humility

We must be humble because
1) God alone governs- He alone is in control
2) God alone is gracious- He alone is compassionate.

Why is God against pride? So that when we humble ourselves, we can enjoy the grace of God.

1 Peter 5:5 ... God is opposed to the proud, but gives grace to the humble.

Refering to Daniel 4, why did God give the vision to the evil King? and not to a holy prophet? Because God was also reaching out to the evil king. God loves the evil king too. (a side note: King Nebuchadnezzar was also the king who built one of the ancient wonders in the world- The hanging gardens of babylon)

and only until the King recognizes that God and God alone reigns, he was able to enjoy God's fullness and blessings.

³⁴ At the end of that time, I, Nebuchadnezzar, raised my eyes toward heaven, and my sanity was restored. Then I praised the Most High; I honored and glorified him who lives forever.
His dominion is an eternal dominion;
his kingdom endures from generation to generation.

³⁵ All the peoples of the earth
are regarded as nothing.
He does as he pleases
with the powers of heaven
and the peoples of the earth.
No one can hold back his hand
or say to him: "What have you done?"

³⁶ At the same time that my sanity was restored, my honor and splendor were returned to me for the glory of my kingdom. My advisers and nobles sought me out, and I was restored to my throne and became even greater than before. ³⁷ Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and exalt and glorify the King of heaven, because everything he does is right and all his ways are just. And those who walk in pride he is able to humble.

this sermon, is simple, yet profound. hope it blesses my readers! :)

2009-06-06T02:46:00.000-07:00

Surrender.

my emotions, fears and thoughts.

I fear too much about how people and leaders think about me.
I am afraid of being left out.

Submission, is still a hard word to chew.

2009-06-02T08:46:00.000-07:00

hahaha :) to a person i miss very much.

I hope all these photos don't scare my blog readers off.

heee.

2009-06-02T04:07:00.000-07:00

2009-06-02T04:03:00.000-07:00

Sometimes, we like to bargain with God

" God, if i do this and this, would you give me good results?"
"God. if i do this and this, would you give me a good husband?"

often. I know this is wrong. But subconsciously, i do it. I try to be good, do my quiet time, so at the end of the day, i know God will honour me and bless me.

but recently i realised that by having this kind of mindset, i am yearning for more of God's blessings than God in my life.

and how can we ever bargain with God, if our life was exchanged with blood.

But now this is the word of the Lord, the word of your creator, O Jacob, of him who fashioned you, Israel: Have no fear: for I have paid your ransom; I have called you by name and you are my own.

2009-05-27T16:25:00.000-07:00

haha hello all to counterpart and everyone,
d
thank you for all your comforting comments but i have a good news to share!

My mum wrote a letter on my behalf to NUS, telling them that I am very sad (is true). and so they helped me send a second appeal and THANK GOD, i got back the money! this is really something to celebrate about! it is a miracle really!! YAYS

There are things that I learnt through this incident

1) We cannot take things for granted.
it is not about the money. but we cannot take things that God has bless us with for granted. We cannot take His grace for granted

2) There are many more things, like life and love and health and your love one, that money cannot buy. that's what my taiwan friend told us. that the real things in life that money can't buy, are the most precious things in life. and i want to thank God especially for my mummy who helped me so much!

and some other important key takeaways from this exchange

contentment is very important. I think i am often so uncontented with what I have, and always comparing the experiences of others to what I have. and often i can become so miserable, only seeing the things that I don't have.

But when I really look back at all the experiences that I have, I realised that there is actually NO ROOM for comparison. and taking it for granted yet again, i am actually so blessed and loved by God, family and friends.

and now i am going home soon. BOO HOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO.

and still..

2009-05-20T13:47:00.000-07:00

I have many lingering thoughts.

through Auckland and exchange, I realise there is one way to be popular.

Drinking and partying. people get very friendly when they party. They will get many friends and be the envy of many.

Sometimes I wonder why i have so little "ang moh" friends on exchange. is it because I didn't try hard enough? and that I should be sociable since the world is like that. because if i don't, i might lose out on many things.

then again a soft voice comes to me again and again. that I am loved for who I am. and He is proud of me. and that people may not understand, but its okay, He sees it.

2009-05-20T13:41:00.001-07:00

Desert Song

Verse 1:
This is my prayer in the desert
And all that's within me feels dry
This is my prayer in the hunger in me
My God is a God who provides

Verse 2:
And this is my prayer in the fire
In weakness or trial or pain
There is a faith proved
Of more worth than gold
So refine me Lord through the flames

Chorus:
And I will bring praise
I will bring praise
No weapon forged against me shall remain

I will rejoice
I will declare
God is my victory and He is here

Verse 3:
And this is my prayer in the battle
And triumph is still on it's way
I am a conqueror and co-heir with Christ
So firm on His promise I'll stand

Bridge:
All of my life
In every season
You are still God
I have a reason to sing
I have a reason to worship

Verse 4:
This is my prayer in the harvest
When favor and providence flow
I know I'm filled to be empited again
The seed I've recieved I will sow

In such a time like this, I asked myself if I am still able to sing this song.

After 6 months, NUS sent me a email, saying they want to take back the NASA award. What rights do they have to take it back once they have given out? it is a screwed up system.

But through it all, I know the Lord is teaching me. but its reasons that i still have not really understood. but i thank God for the closest people, mummy especially, who stood by me, just to hear me cry.

So i wonder why God allow this to happen? For me to pray more? or is it a punishment of some form?
I don't think He'd love me any lesser though. so why.
perhaps to know all these belong to Him in the first place. and if all these belongs to Him in the first place, no one can take them away.

I will still praise YOU through this desert.

2009-05-19T14:48:00.001-07:00

I wonder if some ugly things about me is showing.

When I was in Auckland, I felt that I couldn't clique with my seniors but at the end of the day, I actually found them pretty nice people

O lord. I surrender it all to you. Knowing that God, you love me. and I don't have to be someone that I am not.

2009-05-14T14:30:00.001-07:00

oh man where has jiali khoo disappeared to for 1 entire month?

Magnificent Scotland

Yes my dear mummy came. like i have mentioned.

Then it was Barcelona, Croatia, Berlin, Amsterdam.

Amsterdam was a huge surprise for me. Even though it was a place with "coffee shops" (drugstores) and red light district, I saw the Holland that I was looking for.

Thanks to Ziyun. and Charlene too. I am really happy and thank God for them because they have been such a blessing to me in Amsterdam.

I did not know they stayed with Ziyun's family (uncle and auntie) and so I got a shock when Ziyun said " You know I live with my uncle right?" then i was like "huh?!"

so yes, i went to the rural areas (20 mins away from amsterdam city) and stayed in a house, met singaporean couple with their family, and they cooked meals that reminded me of home. I told them I missed chicken rice, and TAH DAH, there was chicken rice for dinner on the 2nd day.

The best part was Ziyun's uncle and auntie were really nice. They brought me to see Vollerdam and some fishing town, ate fresh and good fish and chips, and to see windmills and cheese. There were many ah tiongs, but tt's beside the point. (you can see them in the photograph!)

I really had fun. :D It was good to catch up with the friends that are still close to your heart.

and more than that, i met someone that I dearly missed.

yes yes, its Eleta. :) We had a splendid time doing the walking tour.

and many more things. like just sitting over pizza and catching up, eating croissants, having all our heart-to-heart, going to the red light district, shopping for stroopwaffles.

It is really God's grace that we can meet this time. so thank you jesus.

2009-04-19T14:37:00.000-07:00

Spring have arrived beautifully.

I used to see people dressed in thick coats and mufflers. Now, they are in T-shirts and berms and short mini skirts.

It is refreshing though. Coming back from Spring break made me saw a different Mannheim. One that is more cheerful and joyous.

There are some things God is showing me about myself recently.

1) I am a perfectionist. And when I am not careful about it, I can anger people rather easily.

2) I can be rather hard on myself. Sometimes, I clearly know it is not my fault, but I keep thinking it is my fault and feel bad about it and become emo.

3) I was very adventurous and book a overnight bus from Berlin to Amsterdam ALONE, in the end i got scolded by 2 people and I decided to take a train instead.

I realized God is very graceful and gracious. He knows that I am young and bound to make mistakes, so He allows me to learn. He also send people in my life to protect me fiercely. And I thank God for them.

************************************************************************8

I have taken some time to listen to the online sermons. I call them webcasts.

and somehow really, i feel that the entire spiritual atmosphere in fcbc is changing. there is something new and glorious, ready to burst out. A new level of faith i think. and somehow suddenly, i look forward to go back to church.

Faith is acting on the person of God.
- Everything I do must be on the basis that God exists. I pray that God will teach me even in exchange, to be generous, to love my neighbours.

Faith is acting on the power of God
-God's world is a world of supernatural, of seeing the invisible, of a reality greater than that.
- We are operating things in a natural world, but be driven by the reality of the supernatural
- so that we will not work by logic, but by faith, tapping on the supernatural
- do not be block by the successes, but grow ten times more than that. YOU DO NOT RETURN TO WHERE YOU ARE, YOU GO BEYOND TT.
- I sense from the holy spirit that i am often hindered by a series of success and high faith journeys that i went through w God before, and i sense that the holy spirit telling me I need to go beyond this. all these are not enough. its sin to think that it is enough.

Faith is acting on the purpose of God
- who you marry, what you do, the school tt you are in, are shaped by the dream. seeing this dream in your heart: faith. :)

2009-04-14T03:09:00.000-07:00

For those who do not know, my mum and aunt came over last last Friday to spend Easter with me. It is really a blessing to my heart because I really miss my mum a lot. And sometimes, it takes for you to be away from home, to know how much nothing really beats home. I wish I could hide in her luggage to go back Singapore hoho.

Her coming was also a gift from the Lord, to allow me to know this good Friday, that He died for me and still loves me a lot. And in this year of transformation where all of you back home are so busy with so many things, I sense that the Lord also brought me to Germany because He knows my heart.

If I was going to continue to stay in Singapore, I would have been very pressurized by exams and church and friends. So it was really good for me to be away from all these. My mum says I am a much happier person too. But I know if I am not careful enough, I could be easily away from God as well. because people believe that it is lonely overseas, but exchange is different, you are busy constantly and almost every day. it is not easy to grow in the Lord.

We went to Ireland and Scotland. It was beautiful really.

DELIRIOUS MY SOUL SINGS
Open my eyes to see
The wonderful mystery of love
Falling into you
I’m drawn to the gravity of love

We’re standing still in a moment of eternity
Where worlds collide and I feel the breath of heaven over me

My soul sings x3
How I love you / oh I love you

Open the page and see
The wonderful history of love
I start and end with you
I’m pulled to the gravity of love

This was a beautiful song that we played over and over again as we drove through Scotland,the place where Delirious wrote this song

Will upload the photos soon! off to Barcelona.

2009-03-31T15:46:00.000-07:00

Times of Refreshing
Here in your presence
No greater blessing
than being with YOU.
MY soul is restored
My mind is renewed
There's no greater joy than being with you.

3 months more, and i have to face the fear of going home. As much i miss home, i know how much obstacles are there waiting for me at home.

no time to blog because its exam. SO i will definitely blog before i disappear for the very very long easter break.

OH MUMMY I MISS YOU SO MUCH!

2009-03-24T13:55:00.000-07:00

Today, God also wants to remove your heart of stone. A stony heart is hard, impenetrable and cold, just like the stony ground Jesus taught us. Its affections and passions are unyielding, frozen and not attuned to God. It’s slow to act on words that God speaks to you, and it’s stubborn and inflexible, making it difficult for Him to make impressions on your life, thus your life remains hard and impenitent.

God says He can replace it with His heart of flesh. It’s a soft and tender heart - one that loves and fears Him; a spiritual and sanctified heart submissive to His will, flexible and obedient to Christ’s commands. It’s sensitive to sin and danger - a penitent heart. It’s also receptive to God’s impressions, where His laws are written and where Christ Himself is formed daily. There is Godly fear, and faith, hope, love, and every other grace abounds. This new heart feels and enjoys whatever circumstances you are in. It can feel love towards God and love for all men, and will be a proper and fitting place for the living God to dwell in.

- Senior Pastor Nina Khong

2009-03-13T18:41:00.000-07:00

Live at Jason Mraz! The ticket costs 35 Euros and it was the first concert I ever watched ! Besides Planetshakers and all which I don't really consider them concerts.

Jason Mraz reminds me of my neighbour Angus Sham.

Anyway, he has powerful showmanship and his music and all was amazing! hehe. was a goooooooooooooooood experience. :)

I went over to Stuttgart over the weekend with Eunice and Peiwen. and we visited Joshua Chong! and this was what he cooked for us. reminds me of my ah ma's cooking.

and we had fun visiting Schloss (castles) and this very beautiful nature park which has many deers!

hehe doing my devotion at the beautiful park. (hehe char does that sound familiar) nah. just jk!

Spring is coming!

And cheers to roomies. and ah bangs and ah lians.

and I really want to thank God especially for someone that I met at the church that I visited. He was like an angel sent by the LORD.

This man works for Bosch and he is in some high ranking position. He goes to Singapore frequently for work trips and will be going again soon. Also, he would like to come fcbc the next time he comes to Singapore. Even though he's quite high up there, he was very very humble and even invited me for lunch with the family some other time. His wife was also very hospitable. Its really amazing how God provides people along the way and help make this exchange a even more beautiful one.

off to ski-ing tomorrow!

love, jiali

2009-03-12T05:05:00.000-07:00

There are countless times that I forget the power of prayer.

"The greatest people on this earth are those who pray. I don't mean people who talk about prayer, nor people who believe in prayer, nor those who can explain prayer beautifully. I mean people who put in time on their knees in prayer. The prevailing prayer of faith is the power on earth that employs the power of heaven."

Right People, Right Place, Right Plan
Jetezen Franklin

2009-03-11T14:09:00.001-07:00

So after Paris and Munich,

it was beautiful and enchanting Venice.

P.S to daniel this is yet another glam picture of me wahahah

This is the second time to Venice. The first time I went was when I was 15, and realised how blessed I was to see Venice when I was only 15.

Nothing really changed though. The church still look the same, the things are just as expensive. And the accommodation was good but a little scary with the hair (haha right Bern?)

to Mummy, this was the 15 euros coat that I bought. IT WAS A GOOD BARGAIN and okay i know that there is a recession back home.

People have been asking me how's life here, so I should stop blogging about my trips, but about my daily life here.

I only have school from Monday to Wednesday till Easter. And then May, i will have classes almost everyday. Mannheim works by bloc seminars, especially for marketing modules. So I will only have many classes from April onwards. For now, I am taking some extra side courses such as German Grammar and Communication. So yes, I do speak a little Deutsch. I want to be more fluent in it though.

and to bud nuans karmen and the rest of my nus friends, ruth tan win hands down. my Corporate Finance lecturer here is quite horrible.

On the contrary, coming here has improved my Chinese! haha because we got to know a nice Taiwan guy and SMU students who speak mostly Chinese. One of them even asked my friend if "Jiali was atas" because her chinese has a weird slang to it. HAHA. ALL the years of higher chinese has gone to waste.

And just yesterday, we had a dumpling day because some girls from China decided to teach us how to make dumplings. It was so so so good. On the other days, we also have rice and some other good chinese food like spring onion chicken, chicken soup, bak kut teh etc. :)

On a more serious note, I was just thinking about the plans God has for me here. One month. And in this one month, I hear God sometimes, but not everytime. And I know though I am learning things, there were times where I lost focus. as much as I want to be a blessing, I am often overwhelmed by my own circumstances here and can become selfish too.

But I told God that I want to be generous. and I want to be a blessing. I want to know what are His plans for me here, because I know I did not just come here to eat, study and travel (haha)

And so, in order to be more focus on the Lord, I know that it needs me to be more intentional, so i told myself that I want to learn to be intentional in thanking God.

so just to start off a little, i want to thank God today for the good breakfast this morning, Pancakes with honey and sausages and egg. The taiwan friend, GB, taught us how to prepare the breakfast :)

My cell blessed me with this song when I skype with them last week, and I am thankful, because I knew that it came timely. it came as a reminder, that I cannot survive without God's love.

and it reminded me, to want and desire to grow in intimacy with the lord. So I am finding my focus back.

How could I live without You
How could I survive
Without Your love
Without Your touch
You're the One that heals me
And cleanses my heart
And sets me free

Now i come right before You
With my hands lifted up
With my heart humbly bowed
At Your work on the cross
As You hang there and die
You were paying the price
For my life, For my life

For Your love is higher than the heavens
Deeper than the seas
And all I want is You in my life
Noone else can satisfy my soul
Can make me feel this way
Only You Lord, only You

2009-03-03T11:43:00.000-08:00

You're in a better place, I've heard a thousand times
And at least a thousand times I've rejoiced for you
But the reason why I'm broken, the reason why I cry
Is how long must I wait to be with you

I close my eyes and I see your face
If home's where my heart is then I'm out of place
Lord, won't you give me strength to make it through somehow
I've never been more homesick than now

Help me Lord cause I don't understand your ways
The reason why I wonder if I'll ever know
But, even if you showed me, the hurt would be the same
Cause I'm still here so far away from home

I close my eyes and I see your face
If home's where my heart is then I'm out of place
Lord, won't you give me strength to make it through somehow
I've never been more homesick than now

In Christ, there are no goodbye
And in Christ, there is no end
So I'll hold onto Jesus with all that I have
To see you again
To see you again

And I close my eyes and I see your face
If home's where my heart is then I'm out of place
Lord, won't you give me strength to make it through somehow
Won't you give me strength to make it through somehow
Won't you give me strength to make it through somehow

I've never been more homesick than now

2009-02-26T03:31:00.000-08:00

to my best friend in life. and gave me the chance to be where i am today.

i MISS YOU JENNY LOW.

2009-02-26T02:42:00.000-08:00

HELLO BUD I MISS YOU. WHERE ARE YOU? SKYPE WITH ME SOON OKAY!!

Light of the world

2009-02-25T14:45:00.000-08:00

I love this picture.

Light of the world
You stepped down into darkness.
Opened my eyes, let me see.
Beauty that made this heart adore You
Hope of a life spent with You

Here I am to worship,
Here I am to bow down,
Here I am to say that You're my God
You're altogether lovely
Altogether worthy,
Altogether wonderful to me

King of all days
oh, so highly exalted
Glorious in heaven above
Humbly You came
To the earth You created
All for love's sake became poor

Here I am to worship,
Here I am to bow down,
Here I am to say that You're my God
You're altogether lovely
Altogether worthy,
Altogether wonderful to me

I'll never know how much it cost
To see my sin upon that cross
I'll never know how much it cost
To see my sin upon that cross
I'll never know how much it cost
To see my sin upon that cross
I'll never know how much it cost

This was the very song that I heard from Bern's church today. I went again for a Wednesday night service, and surprisingly, there was no sermon because it was the last Wednesday of the month. the entire service is thus worship onto the lord + holy communion.so it was good because everybody just come together to be quiet before Him.

It reminded me of what the Lord was teaching me in Auckland.

" But everything exposed by the light becomes visible, for it is light that makes everything visible"
Ephesians 5:13-14

on what is dark in this world, what is seen by "oh, its just culture" in this world, will be exposed by the LORD in His time.

*****************************************************************************

And oh welcome to Munich, München. :)

The very famous and beautiful Neuschweinstein, which is only 1/3 completed till today.
and on the right, me with 2 beers (haha i only drink 1/2 a cup!)

and kudos to Eunice for the nice and pretty pictures.

Dachau on the other hand, was very informative. A concentration camp from 1930s-1945, it was a camp that was opened by all the victims after the war to warn the world that never should dare be a concentration camp ever again.

Dachau was not a place of "random torture" but it was part of the entire schools of concentration camps that had a system of torture. And when world war II was over, many memorial buildings were built up, some meant for catholics, for christians etc. but this particular statue was built by the victims themselves. it was for every victim, regardless of their religion, or if they were a jew or etc.

it was v interesting indeed.

Travelling can be a very big learning process internally

with love.

2009-02-24T06:51:00.000-08:00

YAY a more flattering picture of her on her request. :D

2009-02-24T06:40:00.000-08:00

I miss home.

today's not a very great day. sometimes, its bad days like these that mould you.

thank you Nuans for being there. haha i love this picture quite a lot.

One day I decided to quit....

One day I decided to quit...
I quit my job, my relationship, my spirituality... I wanted to quit my life.
I went to the woods to have one last talk with God.
"God", I said. "Can you give me one good reason not to quit?"
His answer surprised me...
"Look around", He said. "Do you see the fern and the bamboo?"
"Yes", I replied.
When I planted the fern and the bamboo seeds, I took very good care of them.
I gave them light. I gave them water.
The fern quickly grew from the earth.
Its brilliant green covered the floor.
Yet nothing came from the bamboo seed.
But I did not quit on the bamboo.
In the second year the Fern grew more vibrant and plentiful.
And again, nothing came from the bamboo seed.
But I did not quit on the bamboo. He said.
"In the third year, there was still nothing from the bamboo seed. But I would not quit. In the fourth year, again, there was nothing from the bamboo seed. "I would not quit." He said. "Then in the fifth year a tiny sprout emerged from the earth.

Compared to the fern it was seemingly small and insignificant... But just 6 months later the bamboo rose to over 100 feet tall.

It had spent the five years growing roots.

Those roots made it strong and gave it what it needed to survive. I would not give any of my creations a challenge it could not handle."

He said to me. "Did you know, my child, that all this time you have been struggling, you have actually been growing roots."

"I would not quit on the bamboo. I will never quit on you. " Don't compare yourself to others .." He said. " The bamboo had a different purpose than the fern ... Yet, they both make the forest beautiful."

Your time will come, " God said to me. " You will rise high! " How high should I rise?" I asked.

How high will the bamboo rise?" He asked in return.

"As high as it can? " I questioned.

" Yes. " He said, "Give me glory by rising as high as you can. "

paris on Valentine's day

2009-02-17T07:13:00.000-08:00

Fear of systems and rules have made me afraid. Actually, being a christian is very simple. it is about loving God with a pure conscience and mind.

"When the world has fallen out from under me
I'll be found in you, still standing
Every fear and accusation under my feet
When time and space are through
I'll be found in you
When time and space are through
I'll be found in you
When time and space are through
I'll be found in you"

Shadow feet by Brooke Fraser

Paris on Valentine's day :) The amazing people that God has provided.

Xiaohui, you have always been a blessing. gentle to correct, slow to judge. Would like to affirm you how i believe you are a woman after God's own heart.

Where did all the bread go?

Tah dah Counterpart ate them all up!

****************************************************************************

And yes, thank God. Paris was beautiful. I don't think it was that romantic though but the architecture is beautiful. hehe. and there were many love birds around on V DAY!

And of course the family that the lord has provided. who brought me to church

and the church that I visited : Emmanuel International Church. :)

tah dah off now :)

Mannheim thus far.

2009-02-10T03:06:00.000-08:00

Almost 2 weeks since I have been here.Mannheim is not what I really expected it to be.

I had a bit of a hard time trying to adapt the first 2 days. because the language was a problem + the people are not very very friendly + i needed the internet and it took so long to be okay.

But the third day, i had a bit more fun at IKEA! We went shopping for dustbins and pots and extra pillows. Subsequently we met some hostel mates and we cooked and do stuff together. I also went heidelberg to visit Bernie and Paris to see Xiaohui and Auntie Amy and her family. and I really want to thank God for His providence in my life, in Germany, thus far.

Picture above is a picture of my school. (hehe it used to be a castle a very very long time ago)

There are many things I want to thank God for ever since I arrived and here's a summary of it.

1) My friends who came along with me and an exchange buddy provided for SEP students
Without them, it would have been hard to figure out all the registration procedures. Also, the pple at the foreign office in Mannheim refuse to speak English. it is irritating raaar.

2)heidelberg on the very first Sunday. bernie, thank you for bringing me to your church. i think the sermon was a blessing. it was about celebrating what God has done in my life, and even to be specific in remembering. :) also, they sang an english song. guess wad? it was what charmaine bless me with before i left.

"Turn your eyes upon Jesus
Look full in His wonderful face
And the things on earth
will grow strangely dim
In the light of His glory and grace"

3) paris with Aunty Amy. Thank God for the beautiful house and accomodation and the ba zhangs and jap food! shall upload some photos soon!

4) paris with Xiao hui. COUNTERPART, i love you. valentine day was such a blessing with you around :) i like our jumps at the Arc and our expensive meal and all our laughters.

5) paris in an International church on Sunday. I was very blessed by the service, because the pastor preached on a topic that have lingered on my head for sometime.
it was about not focusing on the systems of church and the world. but more than that focusing on my relationship w God. the people were very welcoming and the worship songs were all familiar songs. So it was easier to worship God with the songs. :) And I always have to keep in mind, who is my landowner.

6)For Mannheim. it is a beautiful university. I am just glad to be away from Singapore for awhile. from the stifling systems and regulations. Have also been reading the book fear of the lord.

and God taught me something very interesting thru the book.
"And David became angry because of the Lord's outbreak against Uzzah.. David was afraid of the Lord that day and he said, 'how can the ark of the Lord come to me?"
2 Samuel 6:8-9

David and his leaders and the people of Israel did not lack passion. There had been a great amount of preparation to restore the ark to Israel. Once the ark was repossessed by Israel, the people played music with all their might. so why did God struck dead Uzzah, one of the men that david chose to bring the ark back to Israel?

it is because one can have tremendous zeal for the lord, yet lack knowledge. Zeal and passion not tempered by wisdom and knowledge always lead to trouble. thus it is my responsibility to search out the knowledge of God. (Proverbs 2:1-5)

And also, why did Eli's sons sin against the lord but they were not immediately judge for their behavior, yet uzzah was? because in the case of the sons of Eli, the glory of the lord had departed. but with Uzzah, the glory of the lord was returning. The stronger God's manifested glory, the swifter and more severe his judgement for irreverance.

With this, i shall try to update soon again. Blogging is not really a passion HAHA.