peace . love . joy

Young Methodist Leaders Conference 070907~090907 - Holiday Inn, Batam - Unlimited Power

before we left for the conference in Batam, we from Faith were told to again (same as last year) write down our objectives for the conference. and from experience, what we wrote were always answered. so this is serious, man. pray and seek God before you write down what you intend to write.

i wrote three things:
one. for proof once again that my God exists. been feeling dry and overcome with sadness. too much of an emotional roller coaster for my liking =(
two. to be taught how to bridge my studies (sociology) and my faith. sociology probes into practically every sphere of life, and my faith pervades every nook and cranny of my life. i need to find out how to do both. because i believe God led me to do sociology. and i believe it was not meant to make me lose faith.
three. for strength to carry what i'll learn in the conference across the sea back to singapore. for strength to never forget what i'll learn there.

in other words, the main aim for me was to be encouraged and (God willing) be encouraging to others as well.

want to know something?

God answered all my prayers.

Yu is a friend of mine. granted we are not close, but we are still friends. well, more like acquaintences. we happened to be in the same mentor group (we were divided into groups at the conference, for discussions, and to get to know others from other methodist churches in singapore).

now we were all given a little blue card on the first day, and on them, we each had a verse and a short message. you see, we were each prayed for by name before the conference and the person who prayed for us wrote a passage and a short message that he\she felt God wanted us to remember, or to speak to us with. Yu felt that her message was very confrontational. and wondered if it meant that she was not following God's plan and purpose thus far. so she prayed about it, but heard nothing from God. Yu started feeling upset and uncertain. all this she shared with me over dinner on the first night.

around 5.30 am the next morning, when i was spending quality time with God on the balcony of my room, God spoke to me. He told me that the message in Yu's card was not of the past, but of the future. that something might happen and He wanted her to know which course of action to take. to remind her. that i can understand. but then, God went on to say that He also wanted me to tell her that He loved her. now that was kinda mind-boggling. where's the connection? i dont see one. so i was kinda bewildered.

anyhow, during lunch when we were seated in our mentor groups, Yu sat beside me. as i ate, i was wondering if i should tell her now what God said. but as usual, i was hesitant. so i said to God, "God, if You really want me to tell her now, let her talk to me first." straight after that, (i didnt even get to say "amen"!) Yu turned to me and asked me a question (something about the food, i think). man~! so i asked her how she felt now. to which she replied that now she felt worthless, having not heard from God. she felt like God didnt love her and stuff. you can imagine how i felt~! in my mind, i was like "God, You are brilliant, You know that?!" so i told her. i told her that He said the message mightn't be referring to the past, but a future decision that she would have to make. and the God loved her. you should have seen her face! relief and happiness just made her..glow!

on the 2nd night, Rev. Edmund De Souza asked us to stack the chairs against the walls and stand. then He asked us to pray. boy, you should have been there. no words can accurately describe. God was there. He was SO there. as we stood to pray (being prayed for individually by mentors and pastors, and friends, and praying on our own, and praying for others), i felt myself swaying, i think i was tired. i dont know, but i prayed to God that He wont make me fall (you know, when the Spirit comes upon people, some may fall - "slain by the Spirit", some may cry uncontrollably, some laugh, some speak in tongues..). i just refused to fall. God reminded me that though i'm praying on my own, noone praying for me and noone behind me to catch me if i fall, if i fall, i will not be harmed. being the person that i am, i still refused to fall and let go. so He said, "well, there are some things i want to tell you, but i can tell you only if you are on the ground." dont aske me what that meant. i dont know. but i hypothesize it might be because then i'll be totally focussed on Him, no worrying about standing or balancing or swaying. so i said okay, i'll kneel. so i knelt on the ground, my face to the ground, resting on the top of my hands, palms to the ground and said "what do you want to tell me, Lord?"

i started crying.

really crying. i didnt feel sad, and i didnt feel moody, i didnt feel happy. i felt peace - like this was exactly where i was meant to be at that point in time. but i just cried.

God waited til i calmed down some what to sniffles and quiet tears. then He spoke. in essence, this is what He said:
"well done, you've taken part in My Will, you have spoken My Words to Yu, despite being the quiet and hesitant person you are. well done =]
how do you feel now that you've taken this step of faith and be knitted into My Will? good, huh? =]
so now you know how it feels to consciously do it, do it again! dont be afraid!
now look, all your objectives I have answered."
to which He proceeded to explain one after the other:
"is this not proof that I exist? you are speaking with Me, and I have worked through you here in this conference.
sociology is the study of human organisation and disorganisation. to understand how they organise themselves. use this knowledge to understand the workings of the church. use it for your ministry. use it for your future ministry - you know where I am sending you.
strength I give you. opportunities I will provide for you to remember and exercise what you have learnt.
also, you have been encouraged, and you have encouraged in return"
then He opened the memory of speaking with Yu and seeing her face.

gosh!

then i prayed. well, prayed through my crying, for other people that i know by name and face.

amanda, one of my 3 roomies prayed for me. it was very touching and very amazing what she prayed for. it was amazing that she even prayed for me! (i just got to know her but the day before!)

hannah and i went forward to pray for our mentor, Pastor Reuben =]
His testimony is very powerful. when you listen, you can hear God's knitting sticks clicking and clacking away =]
very encouraging and all you can do is just sit in awe at how God works and how God simply is..

it was awesome, this conference. really awesome.

to hear God's people sing praises to Him with all the voice they have, pushing their vocal chords to the max
to speak with God's people and feel the passion and understand the struggles they face, encouraging them and being encouraged in return
to feel the wind on your face when you meet with God in the early morning when the sun has yet to rise
to see hands being raised in surrender and in awe of God
to smell the good food during breakfast, lunch and dinner - mmm-mmm =]
to be reminded of our purpose and what really matters, a refreshing look

it was awesome. really awesome.

note: i've begun spending quality time with God again every morning around 7.20 til 8 am just before school starts on monday and tuesday, and around 7 til 7.35 am on wednesday (cos school starts at 9 am). yesterday, no school! so i spent time with God at around 7.15 til 8 am =D

in parting, i'd like to share with you this song a church-mate wrote for the conference this year. may it be a blessing to you as it was a blessing to me.

UNLIMITED POWER
Written by Jonas Chow, 31 January 2007

Where can I go from Your presence Father
For You are everywhere
Where can I hide but in the shadow of Your wings
Near to Your heart there I’ll dwell
What can I do, Lord, apart from You
It’s not by my might but by Your Spirit
Your Holy Spirit

You are the source of unlimited power
You are the One who makes all things new
You are the vine we are the branches
And Lord, we abide in You
Lord, we abide in You

Holy Spirit fall on us anew (Our beloved Saviour)
We abide in You (Blessed Redeemer)
Holy Spirit fall on us anew (Source of every power)
We abide in You



Put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, and patince, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which you were indeed called in one body. And be thankful.

~ Colossians 3:12-15

top : SQ, Shaun, ShuoXian, Joseph, Pastor Reuben

bottom : YunLing, Hannah, Gracia, ShiYing, me

missing =p : WeeTeck, Josh