first time here=)
tis post is wat i saw in my EL-classblog so i also wan post here=)

TWO SEEDS
Two seeds lay side by side in the fertile soil.
The first seed said, "I want to grow! I want to send my roots deep into the soil beneath me, and thrust my sprouts through the earth's crust above me ... I want to unfurl my tender buds like banners to announce the arrival of spring ... I want to feel the warmth of the sun on my face and the blessing of the morning dew on my petals!"And so she grew...
The second seed said, "Hmmmm. If I send my roots into the ground below, I don't know what I will encounter in the dark. If I push my way through the hard soil above me I may damage my delicate sprouts ... what if I let my buds open and a snail tries to eat them? And if I were to open my blossoms, a small child may pull me from the ground. No, it is much better for me to wait until it is safe."And so she waited...A yard hen scratching around in the early spring ground for food found the waiting seed and promptly ate it.
Lesson: Seize the day

Live your life as a coffee bean would
No one says that life is a bed of roses. We all know that it comes with its fair share of trials and tribulations.

However, our focus need not just be on the problems.

Solutions are at hand on most occasions, but are not necessarily always easy to find. Tackling these situations armed with a positive mindset is by far the best recommended course of action.
Exhibiting a dejected aura is a sure-fire path to grief - akin to admitting defeat when the battle has not even begun.

Personally,I cannot fathom why there are people out there who prefer to see the glass as half-empty rather than half-full. These are the same types who are already anxiously waiting for the worst before anything happens to them.

I am reminded a story told to me by a colleague recently about a young woman who went to her mother and told her how hard her life was and that she wasn't sure if she was going to make it through. She was tired of struggling and was on the verge of giving up. Her mother took her to the kitchen, filled three pots with water and placed each on a high fame.

She then placed carrots into the first, eggs into the second and ground coffee beans in the third. After twenty minutes of silence and just watching the contents boil, she turned off the burners.

She fished the carrots and eggs out and placed them into separate bowls. She then ladled the coffee into a large mug. The mother handed the first bowl to her daugher and asked her to feel the carrots, She did and noted they were soft. The mother then asked her daughter to take an egg and break it. She did and, after peeling off the shell, handed her mother a hard-boiled egg.

Finally, the mother then asked her to sip the coffee. The daughter smiled as she tasted its rich flavour and then asked: "What does it mean, mother?"

Her mother explained that each of these objects had undergone the same "trial" - being boiled in water. Each reacted differently. The carrot went in strong, hard and relenting, but come out softened and weak. The fagile egg, with its liquid interior, become hardened after the ordeal.

The ground coffee beans, however, were unique. After they were steeped in the boiling water, they started to change the consistency of the liquid. She then went on to ask her daughter: "When adversity knocks on your door, how do you respond? Are you a carrot, an egg, or a coffee bean?"

You may want to ponder these questions: Am I the carrot that seems strong, but who, with pain and affliction, wilts, becomes soft and loses my strength? Or am I the egg that starts with a malleable heart and a fluid spirit, but after a death, break-up or a financial crisis, becomes somewhat hardened? Or am I like the coffee bean? The bean actually changes the boiling water, the very circumstances that bring it pain. It releases its fragrant aroma and flavour within those adverse conditions.

If you are like the bean, then when things are at their worst, you get better and change the situation around you. When the hour is at its darkest, you elevate yourself positively to a whole new level.

I'd like to encourage you to take a tip from this story: go forth and live life like a coffee bean!

hope u all enjoy=)
-Yenping^^

Yeah. A brand new year 2009 is coming very very soon, in hours time. & It's time to say Goodbye 2008 & HELLO 2009!

And I really pray hard that it'll also be a year, that everyone'll serve Him even more & a year
that our group will really grow BIG BIG time, phsically( :D ) & spiritually(!)

Besides that, I really hope to bond greater relationship with you girls! You all also must FAMILY together ok! heehee. :D

Let's pray hard that whenever we feel very far from God, we must tell our shepherds so that they'll help us to get back on track. yeah.

And I'm so excited about the East Chalet, where we can Family together! Yup.
See you all later!
Irene Loves You, So do God! :D

hey!
today qianjin asked me what my dream for God is.
it really set me thinking.
i mean all of us can serve God step by step, but dreaming big for God gives you not only motivation but also a direction.
yeah!
i wanna share my dream for God!
both in terms of music and ministry.
ok in terms of music, i did dream of having the church choir being so good that we can hold concerts[like libera!!] where people come and listen to us sing and convert. using our singing skills as an instrument to bring people from around the world to the Kingdom of God.
initially, i had a dream of being a support singer and then a worship leader, i want it really bad. i remembered flo went to help me ask the support singing lao da why i'm not in support singing yet. the lao da told her that actually i can be in le, but then i have to help out in the choir. this really affected me alot, i was like huh?! because of choir i'm held back.
then while i'm in india, God spoke to me that support singing may not be what's best now. God placed in me a new dream - one day having to lead the choir. i mean i still wanna be a worship leader, but i would really want to lead the church choir one day!
so cool!
and also i wanna be a drummer for God!
yay!

and also, one day, i wanna plant church, hopefully italy.
haha! and lead a church there.

i mean, our dreams for God may not be what God planned.
as long as its inclined to the Word of God, go ahead!
if its not what God wants for you, He will simply close the door.
yeahh!
so dream big man!

what is YOUR dream for God?

- jade

i guess most of us heard about zhou chu ming's illness.
some illness that will detiorate his strength day by day.
and doctors said it's INCURABLE no matter what, but it can be treated.
zhou chu ming already knew his illness a few years ago?
he's a christian. i bet he surely sought help from his church people before he announced the illness?
but never been cured.
because God's plan is always perfect amen?!
maybe God's plan was to let the whole of singapore to know zhou chu ming's illness,and then suddenly heal his sickness miraculously.
or maybe something else that we couldn't comphrehend.
yeah!
God will do something in singapore before He comes back!
AMEN!


- ida

hey really wanna thank all of you for getting the book Travelling Light for me! its awesome and i learnt alot!
wanna share with you all something i really learned which i think is very applicable for all of us!
yay learn new things!
lol! anyway..

i remember there's one night before sleeping, i asked my sister whether she thinks alot when she sleeps, like lie on the bed then cannot fall asleep because you're thinking that kind. then Cher was like "no, don't have, i wanna sleep jiu very fast sleep de"
i got rather frustrated because i always have problems trying to fall asleep because i think alot.
i usually do alot thinking before i sleep. and my thoughts will keep me awake until i slowly doze off. there's even once when my thoughts kept me awake till 5am before i managed to fall asleep.
maybe i worry too much.
i don't believe i'm the only one who worries alot.
we worry about things of the future like "tomorrow cg first time leading games, what if i screw up or the game is boring" or "shucks! what if i get tongue tied while leading Sermon D tomorrow", "what if my visitors pangseh for tomorrow service" "what if my sheep don't listen to me" and the list goes on. what if what if what if, how how how.
and often these worries steal our rest and strength away.

Matthew 6:34[NIV]
Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

[MSG]
34"Give your entire attention to what God is doing right now, and don't get worked up about what may or may not happen tomorrow. God will help you deal with whatever hard things come up when the time comes

God will give us the answer and the solution "when the time comes"
The KEY is to: Meet today's problems with today's strength. don't start tackling tomorrow's problems until tomorrow. you don't have tomorrow's strength yet, God gave you enough for today.

so stop worrying and trust God! God will tell us what to do when the time comes.
worrying doesn't solve anything, it only makes you more stress and tired. and the more stress you are, the more you will screw up.
yeah!

- jade

heyo!
i think this is really cool!
this morning i woke up, and i got a word saying:
Monday at 16.04, something will happen. God will do something!
whoa!
i'm not sure if this is from God or from myself but, i'm having faith that it is from God.
Faith is the Key, that's what candace reminded me when i shared this to her.
yeah man
i've set my alarm at 4.04pm tomorrow.
waiting in expectancy!

- jade

heyo people!
every year, people set new year resolutions, be it believers or non-believers.
its good to set because at least you know what you're aiming for the year too come, and not just lead the year aimlessly.
yeah so have you set yours? i have.
so happy!
ok, behold.

1. CL by end Feb: focus on growing now, some time to get back on track with the ministry stuff when i reach singapore, and find people.
2. Discipleship: teaching and leadership skills
3. Obedience: in all aspects. followed by courage and intergrity when needed.
4. Reliance on God fully and alone.
5. Go for Missions.
6. Master drumming skills and join musicians ministry.

yay!
- love jade

yay! i can blog now :D
hehe. anyway people. i had blog some of the camp pictures, can go see. (:
hmm im gonna blog about my learnings now!

there's quite alot. and i believed that God had spoken to each and every one of you.
whatever He spoke to us, lets really dont be a listener, but a do-er ok!
hehe.
as for myself, I HAD REALLY ENJOYED MYSELF DURING THE CAMP!
it is really really a super cool and fruitful camp this time. though sometimes we may feel tired during the camp, like after some runnings and still have teachings etc, but if we really depend on God, i tell you, HE WILL REALLY REFRESH US!!
That happen to me too! during the camo right, there were like 3 times during worship and teachings, i super super tired, really. i doze off a few times.
then i really prayed to God in my heart that He will really take away my tiredness cos i really wanna hear something from Him, if i miss out some teachings or worship, wha, i really regret i tell you, but thank God! that He really answered my prayers.
and if He never answer right, but it's ok. cont to have faith, maybe it is a testing from God. (:

yeah, now i wanna share about the school and xmas services.
hee
Maybe now eastview and junyuan seems to be small, but we are all strong! with that, we really can complete it very very soon. but we must really have faith to the fullest, not just partially, that God is going to do something in our schools.
God spoke to me that He will not let us being the ones whose schools are not complete, He will realy grow us.
we must all have faith, really. cos it pleases God!
God can do everything himself, but He wanna use us, work with us, so that we can be able to grow more stronger!
beside that, we also have to step out of our comfort zone. it is really very difficult sometimes, but we cannot also serve God according to our desires or mood. if it is like that, then high chance we cannot sense God.

so, we gonna invite our friends down for xmas services! there're 3, i dont believed that our schools cant grow! it will grow!
WE MUST CHIONG, REALLY HARD THIS TIME!
this is just the beginning, the schools is just the beginning, we gotta win the world for Jesus! that's the goal we're heading.
let's rise up! sheeps to shepherd, shepherd to CL, CL to UL.....
We'll serve God WHOLEHEARTEDLY! Walk with him everyday, talk to him everyday, include him in everyday of our lives, because he is always longing to hear our voice.
repent to God whenever we know we did something wrong, because we wanna have a new start with Jesus!

YEAH. BLOG YOUR LEARNINGS DOWN. I HAVE SOMEMORE, BUT I LAZY BLOG. HEHE.
SO LONG.

since cher and i are missing heroes camp, we decided to have our own camp.. sort of. haha!
praise and worship and all.
worship was awesome!
God spoke to me and reassured me that His plans are perfect and way better than mine, or anyone else's.

13for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose.
14Do everything without complaining or arguing, 15so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe 16as you hold out^[a] the word of life—in order that I may boast on the day of Christ that I did not run or labor for nothing. 17But even if I am being poured out like a drink offering on the sacrifice and service coming from your faith, I am glad and rejoice with all of you. 18So you too should be glad and rejoice with me.

and He showed me a picture of a box in the middle of a paradise place.
the things around the box is more beautiful than anything we can ever imagine.
and we're in the box.
the box represents our imagination and thoughts - its limited
whereas the things outside the box represents God's plan and thoughts - its way better than ours.
so shouldn't live in our own confined plans anymore, but step out of the box, and experience God's wonders.
yeah!!!

God, i know Your plans are perfect. though i'm missing out camp and many things in singapore, i pray that i will no longer complain and be reluctant because i know You have something much better in store for me. God i pray that i will be obedient to whatever You tell me to do. in Jesus' name, AMEN

- jade

whoa thank God man!
i'm suppose to go the kashmir[some snowy, cold place in another part of india] for holiday during camp period!
if i go mean surely cannot go camp.
yesterday my dad was suppose to book the tickets, then i was praying that cannot book.
true enough, really cannot book!
haha!
and i think this is a new step of courage for me, i was prompted to speak out to my mum about going home to singapore, because she said to me "i wish i came here alone, then i won't have to bother about you two", i was prompted to say "since you wished it so much, send cher and i back to india".
but i chickened out[stupid] cause i was emotionally unstable at the moment, and i missed the chance, so i wrote a note to her.
i think she got it, and got angry and spoke to my dad.
pray she really send us back man!
think cher and i are gonna irritate her until she can't stand it that she has to send us home.
MISSION IRRITATE MOTHER on the go!
haha!

- jade

hey! i'm in mumbai now.
continue to jiayou for cg08 okay everyone? i'll still be sowing on my contacts online and i'll ask them for service whatsoever.
so you all must update me if got any mcg or cg events ok
wahhhh. update in announcements.
i'll still be faithful to this blog, you all must also.
hope to see myself and the group grow!
that easta2 won't be the same anymore!
yeah!!

jiayou easta2!!
i love you all!
and i'm praying for a miracle for me to come home!
wait and see, God will work amen?

- love jade!

isn't this a pretty bell.
ok not the point

as i was worshipping, God dropped me a picture of a bell, something like the picture above.
when the bell stays still, it seems ordinary and plain, but when the bell ringer rings it, it produces a nice, loud sound.
so God is like the bell ringer, and we are like the bell.
by ourselves, we are nothing. but when God choose to use us, we are more than ordinary.
and God wants to assure us that He has chosen to use every single one of us in His plan.
as long as we're willing to let God use us to our full potential, we can be the loudest bell ever!
haha!

jiayou!!
- jade

Numbers is seriously an awesome class!
its like new revelations after revelations!
one thing i really learned in this book is about obedience!
every action has consequence, including disobeying God even in the slightest thing.
though we repent, and we are forgiven, it doesn't mean that we don't have to face the consequence anymore.
an illustration: if a man jumps off a building, but halfway through he repented for his actions, God forgives him for taking his own life, but does that mean he will suddenly fly, no. he will still die, that's his consequence.
and not facing our consequence is also an act of disobedience.
yeah.

there's alot more i learned but if i type it here it'll be too long
but i'll summarise after the last class. haha!
anyway..

LET'S JIAYOU FOR OUR SCHOOLS!
LAST LAP LE!
problems may come but victories will follow!!
what i learnt is:
the most beautiful sunset is when the sky is most cloudy!
problems will come to cloud over the sky, but when it is blown away, it reveals a beautiful sunset!

see!
let's chiong man!!

- jade