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[myspiritsong]

“Waiting is not just to remain in place, in readiness or expectation of something. Like a restaurant waiter, if we have the perspective of serving God and putting Him first, He will renew our strength by giving us the wind of His powerful strength to soar upon.

While the world emphasises being powerful in ourselves and admiring people who have influential worldly power, the Christian paradox is that by recognising our weakness, we will find that God’s grace is sufficient and His power is made perfect in our weaknesses. (2 Corinthians 12:9)”

[myspiritsong]

23/12/2020

“I realised that the stakes were far greater, far more immense and cosmic than merely any satisfaction with a wheelchair and its unpleasant baggage. I shifted my focus to God. His glory was at stake, and that made my satisfaction in Him (not satisfaction with ‘the way things were’) the real issue. It was no longer a matter of being content with His plan for my life; it was a matter of finding Him utterly and supremely the source of all contentment. This, must to my delight, would give Him the greatest glory.” -- Joni Eareckson Tada

[myspiritsong]

23/12/2020

“It might have been a mistake, but we don’t regret trying. Our lives are full of successes and failures. To us, that’s better than ‘playing it safe’ by doing nothing. I’m sure we have made ten times as many mistakes by failing to act when we should have. So today, do something. We will all make mistakes. Err on the side of action.” - Francis Chan, You and me forever

[myspiritsong]

3/12/2020

“You must ask God what He thinks of you, and you must stay with the question until you have an answer.” - John Eldredge, Wild at Heart

[myspiritsong]

16/11/2020

“The beloved love. Love embraced becomes love extended. It is the natural outworking of being loved by God... our affection burns off the fuel of truth. If we want to feel loved, then we must begin with knowing that we truly are loved.” -- Ben Stuart, Single, Dating, Engaged, Married: Navigating Life and Love in the Modern Age

[myspiritsong]

27/9/2020

“Love is the only way to grasp another human being in the innermost core of his personality. No one can become fully aware of the very essence of another human being unless he loves him. By his love he is enabled to see the essential traits and features in the beloved person; and even more, he sees that which is potential in him, which is not yet actualized but yet ought to be actualized. Furthermore, by his love, the loving person enables the beloved person to actualize these potentialities. By making him aware of what he can be and of what he should become, he makes these potentialities come true.” ― Viktor E. Frankl, Man's Search for Meaning

[myspiritsong]

[myspiritsong]

18/8/2020

“How soon do you think I could begin painting?" it asked.

The Spirit broke into laughter. "Don't you see you'll never paint at all if that's what you're thinking about?" he said.

"What do you mean?" asked the Ghost.

"Why, if you are interested in the country only for the sake of painting it, you'll never learn to see the country."

"But that's just how a real artist is interested in the country."

"No. You're forgetting," said the Spirit. "That was not how you began. Light itself was your first love: you loved paint only as a means of telling about light.”

Excerpt From

The Great Divorce (C.S Lewis)

-

I like creative design, prints and illustration. I realized I do not like these things in and of themselves, because my love for these things stem from a love for something greater, and these are just a means for me to translate my admiration for That into something that is tangible and can be seen.

Perhaps the only way to perform great work is to have a love for something deeper and greater as the foundation of the work that we do.

[myspiritsong]

7/5/2020

I haven’t posted here in a while! I thought I should do so now, since that I have more time on my hands.

This space was meant for me to quickly jot down my thoughts when I have an epiphany or sorts... you know, like a eureka moment, haha.

I’ve been reading quite a bit these days, and one book that I really liked was Becoming by Michelle Obama. Passionate people really fuel my passion.

Some quotes that really tugged at my heartstrings and resonated with me:

“This may be a fundamental problem with caring a lot about what others think: It can put you on the established path - the my-isn’t-that-impressive path - and keep you there for a long time. Maybe it stops you from swerving, from ever even considering a swerve, because what you risk losing in terms of other people’s high regard can feel too costly.” 

“They weren’t striving for perfect, but managed somehow to be always excellent...”

“I wanted to live with the hair-tossing, independent-career-woman zest of Mary Tyler Moore, and at the time I gravitated toward the stabilising, self-sacrificing, seemingly bland normalcy of being a wife and a mother. I wanted to have a work life and a home life, but with some promise that one would never fully squelch the other. I hoped to be exactly like my own mother and at the same time nothing like her at all. It was an odd and confounding thing to ponder. Could I have everything? Would I have everything? I have no idea.”

“But no matter how it panned out, I knew I’d at least done something good for myself in speaking up bout my needs. There was power, I felt, in just saying it out loud.”

“Regardless of what I chose to do, I knew I was bound to disappoint someone.”

[myspiritsong]

25/1/2020

In this wildly written narrative that is beyond all my human understanding, I am well treasured and loved by the One who died for me.

And so I want to be part of this narrative. I am richly blessed, highly favoured and deeply loved.

It’s going to be an exciting ride ahead.

[myspiritsong]

1/1/2020

Of Transition & Choice.

I’ve always not been good at change, because uncertainty frightens me. But change is necessary - for one, it causes me to walk into deeper waters and greater trust; and two, it helps me to grow and mature into a more sensible human being.

I needed this transition in the coming year. Without the transition I would stagnate... which is far more undesirable. I want to trust that He is the God of abundance, that while “forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 3:13-14).

I remember a vision I had many years back. I saw a picture of multiple doors, one of them a glittery gold door and one of them a mundane wooden door. I chose to open the glittery gold door, which led to an empty space on the other side of the door. When I chose to open the normal-looking wooden door, it led me to an open meadow with a path that seemed to lead to fullness. It was a reminder to me (and may somewhat be some sort of preparation for the future) that sometimes the choices I make may not seem to make sense to the world.

 “Why choose this, when you have something better within reach?” This was a silent question posed to me whenever I explained my decisions to the people around me, though some might nod approvingly. I often doubted myself and the decisions I’ve made, because deep down, the approval of men mattered so much to me. A conflict arises when I know that I would not be a servant of Christ if I were to seek the approval of men rather than that of God (Galatians 1:10). Is it not enough that he approves of me? Somehow it has become innate in me to seek men’s approval more than God’s. It could be an intrinsic thing, or it could be attributed to my growing up years. Nonetheless, the fear of making wrong decisions and the lack of trust in the sovereign God causes me to linger in doubt. However, in the year ahead, I refuse to give in to doubt. I am going to trust that those who trust in him lack no good thing (Psalm 34:10). I know that I have made my decisions in him, and I will not turn back. I will walk confidently in the truth, trusting that he makes all things beautiful in its time. In Christ, I have life, and life to the full, even if everything doesn’t seem to make sense at the present moment.

He is the God of abundance, and He will meet my needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus (Philippians 4:19).

[myspiritsong]

12/12/2019

This year, I had to make a few difficult decisions. In the moments where I am plagued with self-doubt, I’m thankful for the people who have given me their precious gift of presence. I realised I’m not doing life alone and I am well-loved.

In the year ahead, I pray that I’ll love God deeply and serve his people more audaciously, knowing that he will meet all my needs because he loves me... so much so that he sent Jesus to die for me.

This Christmas season, please know that you are not doing life alone and that you are very loved too. ❤️

[myspiritsong]

9/11/2019

Long commutes make me ruminate on life in general. (The regular humming of the train/bus tends to draw one into a thinking mode.)

Thinking back, there had been many major changes in my life in the past few months. As one who doesn’t like change very much, it was very stressful. After some of the major decisions I’ve made, I’d like to think that things took a leap... but I feel that God’s not done with me in this season... no, not just yet. He is still pruning me, removing the broken parts, and doing his restoration work.

“Imagine yourself as a living house. God comes in to rebuild that house. At first, perhaps, you can understand what He is doing. He is getting the drains right and stopping the leaks in the roof and so on; you knew that those jobs needed doing and so you are not surprised. But presently He starts knocking the house about in a way that hurts abominably and does not seem to make any sense. What on earth is He up to? The explanation is that He is building quite a different house from the one you thought of – throwing out a new wing here, putting on an extra floor there, running up towers, making courtyards. You thought you were being made into a decent little cottage: but He is building a palace. He intends to come and live in it Himself.” — C.S. Lewis, Mere Christianity

I can be rest assured that my Maker knows what is best and he is working all things out for my good and for his glory.

[myspiritsong]

24/10/19

How could someone love One that he has never seen? Yet I know for sure, through the mountains tops and valleys low, He has been my pillar of cloud, my constant guide and my tower of refuge. My heart has found a home in him.

I wish to say that my joy is always found in him BUT that’s so far away from the truth. I get depressed at times. I struggle to love vulnerably - the kind of love that Christ displayed on the cross. I don’t have that kind of love that is sacrificial, unassuming, and constantly places others’ needs above one’s own. I struggle to give up my own comfort for the good of those around me. I struggle to love God on some bad days.

So many struggles, and in this season I’ve learnt that God is truly close to the broken-hearted and the contrite. He has always been there - in the moments I doubted and in the moments I wept.

I will continue to trust you, even when I can’t see. Because you are faithful, and will always remain faithful.

[myspiritsong]

23/09/2019

I’ve always loved a good story, because every good story teaches me something new and reminds me that life is so much greater than the little space that I have conceived in my mind.

What defines a good story? Perhaps this is somewhat subjective... for me, a good story contains the full gamut of human emotion, and a good story tells of someone who struggled for a season and eventually has a breakthrough.

I also love to tell a good story, though I don’t have many to share for now. But I like concocting imaginary stories in my mind because it’s just a frivolous and fun thing to do on quiet bus rides.

Tonight I am reminded that God is the Master Weaver, and the Great Story Teller. A life with him is One Great Adventure, as we unravel chapters of our story together, guided by his wisdom. His love and grace underline each and every single chapter, even when the chapter feels long and endless.

Regardless of the struggles that we may be experiencing in this current season, they are not for naught. There is a purpose for every chapter and for every season.

He has made everything beautiful in its time, and he will lead me into the fullness of his joy.

[myspiritsong]

Lights | 31 Aug 2019

When H said there was a “Alice in Wonderland” exhibition at Vivo City, we all went to take a look at it. Though there were throngs of people, the lights did not disappoint. I enjoyed the background music, the sights and the cool evening air, which highlighted the whimsical feels of the exhibition.

(To be honest, I have always found Alice in Wonderland to be a little creepy.)

But what caught my eye were the fairy lights above me - I have always liked fairy lights and the ambience they ooze. I particularly liked fairy lights against the night sky, because they looked like little beads of gold shining through the dark. Many gold beads make a grand picture. I pray I’ll be a little gold bead too - even though I may be small and somewhat inconspicuous on my own, I hope to be part of something greater that I am, to achieve a purpose beyond myself.

[myspiritsong]

12/8/2019

May I always never lose the wonder.