the promised land

I’ve been to the Promised Land…
“And I have promised to bring you… a land flowing with milk and honey.” Exodus 3:17
Or so that’s what they tell me – Palawan is the land flowing with milk and honey… Perhaps in some ways, it is like the Promised Land, where the people live in freedom to praise their Lord. Every other street has a huge sign directing people to church, and people are also proud to wear their faith on their T-shirts. Even tricycles display Scripture verses on the front. Local artists are proud to tell the world that they are Christians and the newspapers have daily Bible readings for the people to follow.
It may seem quite subtle, but to me, it feels like a bit of a release being able to share so freely. It’s really amazing.
After going through training, I feel that I’ve learnt so much, especially spiritually. I’ve picked up courage in sharing His Word and sometimes I see people next to me and think if I were to share with them how I’d start. God is truly amazing.
So at the end of my trip, I gave a testimony in church and I was really nervous but it was also great to share all that God had done for me. And at the end of it, I sung one of my favourite songs – how could I ask for more.

How could I ask for more

There’s nothing like the warmth
Of a summer afternoon
Waking to the sunlight
Being cradled by the moon
Catching fireflies at night
Building castles in the sand
Kissing momma’s face goodnight
Holding daddy’s hand
Thank you Lord
How could I ask for more

Running barefoot through the grass
A little hide-and-go-seek
Being so in love
That you can hardly eat
Dancing in the dark
When there’s no one else around
Being bundled ‘neath the covers
Watching snow fall to the ground
Thank you Lord
How could I ask for more

So many things I thought would bring me happiness
Some dreams that are realities today
Such an irony the things that mean the most to me
Are the memories that I’ve made along the way

So if there’s anything I’ve learnt
From this journey I’m on
Simple truths will keep you going
Simple love will keep you strong
Cos there are questions without answers
And flames that never die
And heartaches we go through
Are often blessings in disguise
So thank you Lord
Thank you Lord
How could I ask for more

The Cost of Following Jesus
“I have become an alien in a foreign land.” Exodus 2:22
Another matter on my mind was that of being away from home. I know my parents always wish that I would spend more time at home but today I realised that when we are called by God to go, there is no stopping us.
As it writes in Luke 9:61-62
Still another said, “I will follow you Lord, but first let me go back and say goodbye to my family.”
Jesus replied, “No one who puts his hand to the plough and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God.”
I know that if I want to follow Jesus, there’s no turning back. I have to pay the cost; I have to give up my family. But God always gives back.
I’ve never been quite interested in short-term mission trips. I’d always wanted to stay in a place for a long time and do God’s work there. As of now, I don’t know where but amidst my flood of thoughts, God gave me this word “IN THIS LAND I WILL DWELL.”
Wherever I go, I’m covered in prayer by my family at home, and he’s given me a spiritual family in the land that I’m in.
Just as Moses left Egypt and resided in Midian, so I too will find a home in another land.
I don’t know where I will go or where this place is, but I know now that I’m meant to leave my home and go to wherever God calls me. Maybe that’s why the Ten Commandments and the story of Moses has been my favourite since I was 4 years old – someday I will have my Exodus and become an alien in a foreign land.
TO THE END, LORD, TO THE VERY END.

Stripped
“Naked I came from my mother’s womb and naked I will depart.” Job 1:21a
In coming here, I find that I was pushed to my limits – physically, spiritually, mentally and emotionally. Honestly it was the most challenging trip of my life, such that I even began to question and wanted to go home. This year I have Scriptures as my resolutions or commandments to live by for 2007. One of them is Phil 4:12 “I know what it is to be in need and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want.” And leaving Singapore to live as a missionary seems as though I would be in want. Even I believed it for awhile compared to what I enjoyed, but later realised that I am not at all in want and never have been. I have never had lack of food, water and shelter. Even though I have less, I still live in abundance. When we were in Malia, we sat there enjoying canned food and rice, but the children barely had any food and we even shared our rice with them, which was all they had. Even staying out in Amas, I lived in a beautiful house covered with a blanket of stars at night. There was more than enough food on the table, we didn’t even need to fetch water because we were one of the rare few with a faucet, plus there was electricity. And as the Lord has promised good to me, in Psalm 23:1, “I shall never be in want.”


Moving mountains
“I tell you the truth, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.” Matthew 17:20
I’ve never climbed a mountain, and at 890m above sea level, it sounded daunting. But having never done it, I didn’t know what to expect either. Even now, I can’t say if it was easier or more difficult than I expected. I can’t say that I climbed a mountain either. It wasn’t a mountain to me, because I just concentrated taking one step after another. That was all that mattered. And I thank God for giving me spiritual eyes to see. Even looking back at my journey over the past year, there’s never been leaps and bounds, they’re little steps. And when I slipped on the mountain, there was always a friend to pick me up, just as when I faced trials, God has always been there to pick me up. I’ve always been one to plan my life months ahead. Even now, as I pray for where God wants to send me, the things I pray for are still many years away. I think too much about the future. But He’s shown me that it’s just the next step there and then that really matters and if we just keep focussed on him, He will lead us there. So I’ve finally learnt to take things one step at a time and trust in Jesus now.
We joked about how the mountain didn’t move, but perhaps my mountain did move. I didn’t see it as a mountain – my mountain was indeed gone! I just didn’t quite realise it.
Of course, the other reason for my wonderful trip was also my wonderful friends, who always looked out for me, took care of me, and best of all, laughed with me. They were there to catch me when I slipped and to extend a hand when I needed it.
The one thing I have really been dwelling on is the word that God gave to me – “In this land I will dwell,” and the next day he gave me the verse Exodus 2:22. God always has perfect timing, so maybe he gave me this verse at this time for a particular reason. Honestly, I don’t know but one thing I do know, God will reveal his purpose in His time.
I love the song In Me by Casting Crowns and now I really know the meaning of it. If someone needed help, I’d go in a heartbeat and climb up again. And I’d do it again and again. Now I know in my heart for sure that if God called me to the hardest of places, I’d go. There’s nothing stopping me now.
So through my time there, God has opened my eyes to see the needs of the people, the power of prayer, the hearts of missionaries, the dedication of his servants, the steadfastness of his soldiers, the faith of his anointed, the love of friends, the joy of fellowship, the beauty of creation and the abundance of his blessings.
Indeed, how could I ask for more?