posted by ser @ 2:05 AM   0 Comments

Matt emailed the cells about a paper he wrote in bible college on the topic of the image of God. Matt's sharing led me think about God's love and learnt a few things about His love in the process!

what i learn is that God created us in His image and likeness and that He predestined for us to conform to His image and likeness, way back in Genesis, right from the beginning where He made man and woman.
if you read Genesis again, u'll discover how much God loves his creation, Adam and Eve! even after they sin, God's love for them never decreased, but he is unable to commune with them like before. and man is unable to commune with God so personally and freely like before bcos of sin. :(


Yet God's love for us never once wavered or stopped bcos of that. God continues to love his people through the OT times, but now sacrifices and offerings were necessary before man could commune with God. even then, that communion was quite limited.


Still, God never gives up his love on man.


In the NT times, we see God sending his son, Jesus as the sinless sacrifice, to die to redeem us from the penalty and dominion of sin.

when we believe in God, God gives his holy spirit to us to reside in us. we now have God in us!


God loves us very much, much more than u and i can ever imagine.


God loves you.


it is a simple 3 words, but they mean more than you can ever know. They are the best words to say to anyone, and is for anyone, and everyone.


wow.. can u see the weight and immeasurability and power whenever you hear "God loves you" and whenever you say to yourself, "God loves me" ?


it is simple yet profound. loving and powerful words.


you're loved by God. :)


i pray all of us will realise we've never been unloved by God, and we'll all begin to live in the light of that truth, and continue to shine as His beloved child.


may you begin to see God's love in a deeper way this week! :)

posted by ser @ 10:00 PM   0 Comments

posted by ser @ 11:53 PM   0 Comments

excerpts from the book which i like and agree with..... :)


"Many young men could qualify as your Mr Right,but you get to choose which one you want to commit to."


"Feelings are fickle, but love is not a feeling. Love is a commitment. So if you want to know if you really love a particular guy, ask yourself, Am I really commited to this person? If not or if your commitment is conditional, then you don't love him. If you are committed to loving that person unconditionally, even on the days that you find it difficult, then yes, it's love."


"Rest assured that a guy loves you if his love passes the test of time, and he consistently treats you with dignity, respects your boundaries, protects you, trusts you, and always wants the best for you. "


"While you're single, won't you take advantage of every possible opportunity to bask in the incomparable love of Jesus Christ?"


That's right !!! :)

posted by ser @ 11:27 PM   0 Comments

couldnt get to sleep, so i began to pick up this book again to read... i have so many unfinished books to read, books i've read halfway but never finished.. really terrible.. so was glad i started reading this book again that i bought sometime last year. this book is a non-fiction book titled "Engaging the soul of youth culture" by Walt Mueller, a Christian writer. I like the way he writes, and the things he talks about are really so true of youth culture today. the chapter i read now is on postmodernism. Note his last paragraph which grabbed my attention.



"There are a lot of people wandering aimlessly in our world. They're asking questions about how to get home. I doubt they'll find their own way into the church. Instead, the church--one that listens to them and understand their postmodern worldview and how it's shaped their lives--must go to them."



I dont know Mueller but i thank him for pointing that out, and for that sobering reminder and urgent call for us Christians to reach out! its true, if the church don't reach out with God's truth, who will? Satan will be more than willing to do so, but he will only distorts God's truth.


ok, that will be my food for thought for the next few days! will go sleep now! goodnite!

posted by ser @ 3:13 AM   0 Comments

i was on leave yest.. and other than packing my room which took me like close to 4hours, and 5-6 bags of unwanted stuff, i went strolling with mummy from our house to zion food centre near Great world city.

mummy suggested walking.. and i chose the route. haha.. the walk took us 40 minutes. hmmm...not bad for my mum who doesnt run and exercise regularly.. haaa.. she recenly developed interest in exercising bcos her doc told her to exercise 3 times a week or else take medicine. of cos mum doesnt want to take medicine, so she told the doc she will exercise. lol. like that also can ah?! she was told to exercise bcos her cholesterol is on the high side...


well, when the walk ended she asked me so when is the next walk? haha i almost fainted hearing that...! bcos i dunno when is the next time i'll be free i told her...hmmm.. not that i always take leave too like yest.. so ya kinda dunno what to tell her cos cant promise anything.. if promise already then never do she will get angry also.... haiz.. so i din tell her when. but i was thinking to myself, i'd try to go with her during my off days and maybe weekends. i need to make mum priority i guess. :)


but it was a good walk! for me who hadnt been able to go jogging regularly! and for mum who's starting her exercise regime!


time for more walks and jogs, and a healthy body! :)


ps: yes by now, you should have guessed.. i cant sleep again.. and thats why i'm blogging..feeling warm too..

posted by ser @ 3:01 AM   0 Comments

I met up with my couz, Johnson, finally on Mon for lunch. He is the couz who i dreamt about. I am so glad he agreed to meet up. we were supposed to meet at 1pm but in the end, we only had lunch at 3! haaa.. i waited like close to 1 hour for him and another cousin, Tina. its ok la i dont mind waiting for them, cos its rare i meet them, so ya precious time when with them. in the end, i thought i will be meeting him alone, but turns out that Tina and my sis could make it also! So it was good.. :) happy that all 4 of us cousins could gather and have a meal tog, other than the once a year reunion.


we went to eat sakae sushi tea buffet! haha.. it is always great to eat buffet! :) haa... i'm glad all of them loved it! we had a good time ctaching up and sharing... laughed a lot bcos of tina and johnson who related to us their driving experience; they are young drivers on the road so ya a lot of funny things happen.. lol...


i'm thankful for this time of sharing that we are able to have. i hope that we can meet again more often, and not just during the CNY. its not easy to plan something like that to accomodate everyone's schedule. but i will try to initiate another one! i realise i want to be part of their lives too... and if i want to, i cant be that distant and meet them once a year. talking about this reminds me of another couz Marcus who's serving his NS now.. hmm.. maybe should ask him out too! its quite exciting to think of asking all of them out! a cousins gathering! though we are not really close now, last time maybe slightly closer, i pray all of us will be closer. :)


cheers to closer cousinship! :)

posted by ser @ 2:48 AM   0 Comments

Serene Tan wants more; encouragement than discouragement, happiness than sadness, simplicity than complexity, lighthearted than heavy hearted, love than hate.

posted by ser @ 1:43 AM   0 Comments

i cant sleep. :( must be the white chocolate dream that i drank just now after dinner. could be that my sis is not back yet. could be that i have too many things on my mind now.


emotional health.


my emotional health has been so bad lately. and so unhealthy.


have been trying hard not to think of the fact that i may soon lose my humble abode
have been trying hard not to feel guilty about not visiting grandma as often now
have been trying hard not be worried about my bro's addiction to computer gaming
have been trying to spend more time with my family
have been trying hard not to be distracted at work bcos of cell
have beeen trying hard not to be overly worried about the burdens God has placed in my heart to pray for
still trying to understand why and how in such a short time, u got attached.
have been trying to understand what 2 of my good friends are thinking of. --one is drifting away from the friendship, the other ignores me totally now. i am saddened and i dunno what to do. i think i have a part to play for how these 2 friendship has become..directly or indirectly.. but i am trying my best and i dont want the friendship to turn out this way.. but maybe its all too late.. and i guess i have to accept it. with no expectations comes no disappointment.. is this how i should view this? i wish to believe otherwise... but things betwwen us really is not optimistic nor hopeful. i really want to know, "good friend, am i still your good friend?"


its not hard to see why i am so stressed emotionally....


with all these things happening in my life... i just dunno..i am.. unhappy, worried and sad.
i am still able to do my work..and function la...just that these things blur my rationality.. i cant understand why. i have no answers.. i cant explain.. although i have always pride myself on being the very rational one. too rational most of the time.


yeah i am someone who has always let my mind rule my actions, instead of my heart. i dont believe in the follow your heart thing bcos i know the heart can be deceitful above all things as mentioned in the bible. so i'll follow my mind when it comes to making decisions. esp the major ones. i trust my mind more than my heart. maybe thats why i am such a thinker but when it comes to matters of the heart, i am so unsure and indecisive... haiz. and my emotions always blur my thinking, cant think properly.
but when i start to think rationally and use my mind, the emotions are in a mess.



but yet i know the heart is also important. feelings are important. and i know God has given me a heart. as in a heart heart. the heart is made of flesh, not stone. the heart feels. and i thank God that He has given me a heart to feel. i thank God who made me and gave me a heart.


Proverbs 4:23 says "Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life. "


Matthew 22:36-38 says "Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?" Jesus replied: " 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.'This is the first and greatest commandment."


Philippians 4: 7 says "And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."


i have a heart and i have a mind. how come they can be so divided?


will they ever learn to be congruent?


will my heart follow my mind? bcos my mind doesnt want to follow my heart...


is it just me or is there someone out there who feels the same as me?

posted by ser @ 4:46 AM   0 Comments

i'm so just so encouraged by God the past few days over the weekend, as i attend the YA and adult services in church, and as i read the emails that has been sent by the various cell leaders esp Brenda and Matt. i am encouraged by their God's word through their sharing of scriptures and devotion. and even in my own quiet times with the Lord and during devotion at work, i am encouraged by God. you now the bible just contains so many good things for us... the bible talks so much of God's love, provision and all that He wants for our life. but sadly not many of us Christians take time to read and even claim what God has for us in His word. we lack in our reading of the bible. i myself am so guilty of it. even during the times i read, i read at most a few chapters, without trying to understand what i've read. is it bcos that we treat God's word lightly that we fail to experience what God has in store for us? i wonder.


yet when you really read and understand God's word, you'll know that his word is so true, real and relevant! His word has power. His words has weight. His words has authority. and when you apply His word in your life, you are tranformed! you become a changed person. you see and do things differently. you are no longer conformed to this world, or the expectations of people. you no longer have to live according to your own expectations of notion of a good and comfortable life.


you will start to live the abundant life that Jesus has called and intended for you to live!


talking about this reminds me of the conversation during dinner last night when Jia Liang asked what's the meaning of transformed... yes may i ask you what is the meaning of transformed?


thats what you will become when you come to know Jesus. thats what you'll become when you apply God's word in your life.


and when you begin to understand and apply God's word in your life, you begin to really see God for who He is.


i like Jia's msn statement which is inspired by Matt which is;

" We have reason for this faith because we know who our daddy is."


God gave us His word for a reason and purpose.


study it, know it and meditate on it!

bcos God does not want you to be ignorant about who He is and what He can do in your life.

God wants you to know Him, and for you to know what He can and will do in your life.


let us come hungry for God's word and desire for more of Him in our lives, for God desires us to know Him, and not just know him, but to know Him intimately.


and this is my prayer for myself and all of you today;


"I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better. I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and his incomparably great power for us who believe." - Eph 1:17-19

posted by ser @ 1:47 PM   0 Comments

brought the students to a halfway house today and a student just broke down and cried after the presentation of drugs abuse. and i was only alerted to it after i heard another student asking her why she was crying. it is a depressing story. cant elaborate much on it but what i wanna say is that as far as i know she has always been a cheerful and cherry girl in class. so when i saw her crying today i was really shocked.


i tried to comfort and talk to her. dunno whether it helped her bcos i'm not good at comforting others. i just pray somehow she felt a little comforted.


only God can bring healing to the deep hurt and pain she is experiencing. and i pray that healing will come for her. that she will find release and freedom, and be the cheerful girl again, inside and out. dear Lord Jesus i pray that you'll comfort her.


"Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God." -2 Corinthians 1:3-4 (New International Version)

posted by ser @ 6:26 PM   0 Comments

not been feeling happy past few days bcos of what's happening lately. Yet i realise i can still choose to love and praise God despite of how bad or lousy i feel. things been really weighing my heart and making me feel low about myself. yet somehow despite all the lousy feelings i have, God seems to be telling me to hang in. and despite all the negativity and unhappiness i feel, somehow it seems that God wants to tell me i dont have to feel this way. yet the heaviness of heart has caused me to wallow in self pity. how sad rite. and i cant seem to move beyond it. :(



there are so many things to thank and praise God for, yet all i have is a heavy heart filled with negativity and pessimism. i really feel quite lousy about myself now. felt so foolish. felt so unloved. BUT i know all these arent true at all! I am loved by an almighty God, a God who loves me with an everlasting love, a love that reaches to the heavens, a love that never leaves nor forsake, a love that causes Him to give His son Jesus, a love that never fails.



dear Lord pls remind me of your unfailing love, that i can once again be captivated and rejoice in the beauty and fullness of Your love. I want to truly praise you for who you are because You deserve to be praised.

posted by ser @ 1:33 AM   0 Comments

was introduced to this song by my sis. this song is by 33Miles which is a Christian band. 33 is the number of years Jesus lived on earth. so cool they named their band like that ya? listening to this song really made me think of holding on when the going gets tough.


and yes when things get tough, sometimes the best thing we can do is to hold on.
keep holding on to God and never let go.
Hold on no matter where the storm will take you.
Hold on bcos u know the Father will never let go of ur hand.
Hold on.


you can listen to it on youtube.


if you're facing difficult times, i hope you'll find strength to hold on and be ministered by this song too. :) hold on ya?

posted by ser @ 12:03 AM   0 Comments

several unsettling things happened at the same time lately and i'm feeling the emotional stress. and when i'm so swamped with work, it doesnt help. :( and i know i cannot bring my emotions to work or ministry...yet i cannot help but is stressed. try to put it aside and concentrate on my work. trying my best to keep myself together. but i know i also cannot carry on like this.
so in my quieter moments on the bus or at home, i'd deal with those emotions and allow myself to let my heart be congruent to my mind. its only in those times i truly let my heart down....


thank God for those times where i have the time to feel and not just think.



and i think dealing with ur emotions but yet not being overly affected by them develops emotional maturity. we all need to learn to deal with our emotions. we need to feel as much as we need to think. we need our hearts as much as we need our minds.



though i feel emotional stressed, i never thought of giving up all that i am doing now. but maybe i need to re-prioritise. i really need to spend more time with family and God. have neglected these 2 at the expense of other things. :( i really need to block out my time now and guard time with family and God, if not my schedule will just be packed with activities soon before i know it!
its scary but its so real! for the next 2 weeks, my schedule is just horrendously packed. with all sorts of things, some necessary, some important, some good.



argh....... i need a blanko... i need space. need wisdom. need to reorganise my time and organiser. need to reorganise my organiser. God help me! :(

posted by ser @ 11:17 PM   0 Comments