It's begun....Crossroad journey

I've finally started packing and am 1 step closer to going home to KL end of April. Today is the first day of April...Was just December when I decided to take this trip home and to go on a journey of faith. Back then, I thought...lots of time left. 4 months! Now, it's just around the corner. Time flies indeed!

As I was packing, it was really memories overload! Came across SO MANY things that reminded me of events and incidents and people in my life over the last 8 + years that I have been here in Melbourne. A little too much nostalgia for me to handle in one day...Little notes, photos, books, sermon notes, little encouragement cards, MEMORIES littered almost everywhere as I packed and tidied up my stuff...Pangs of good and bad memories flooded my mind. Have you ever felt those moments when you know that you are at a Crossroad in life. About to turn from a little lane into the highway, but which highway. Either way will lead you full speed in seperate directions. You wait and wait and wait to decide which way to take...then suddenly, something pushes you in one direction. You do not know where this direction will take you...you do not know what lies ahead in this highway that you have been kinda shoved onto. And your heart panics and becomes anxious. What if I had taken a wrong turning? But, as I drive, I see something that reminds me of the greatest Map and Compass I have in my life...I see a RAINBOW!!! And I am reminded of the "promises of God" in my life...

"I will NEVER leave you nor forsake you"..."ALL things work for the good of those who love Him (Romans 8:28)"..."Do not be afraid. For I am with you"...""For I know the plans I have for you", declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you," declares the LORD (Jeremiah 29:11-14)"...

Reading Jeremiah 29:11-14 again, I learn something new about this powerful verse that we always use to claim God's goodness over our life...There is something more to it that I did not realise immediately before, when I was a younger Christian. Israel was in exile in Babylon. And they would have wondered why they were in such a situation and would have tried to resist this situation and perhaps thought of running away from Babylon's capture. But God spoke to them and told them to settle down as it will be a long period that the Israelites will be there before God will bring them back to Jerusalem. And He surely will. But in the mean time, the Israelites need to trust that even as exiles in Babylon, they were in the "good plan" of God...And when God's timing comes, then the Israelites will call upon God and God will answer them and bring them back to Jerusalem. But until that time comes, they are to live and be faithful in Babylon...even to seek for the prosperity of Babylon - "...seek the peace and prosperity of the city to which I have carried you into exile. Pray to the LORD for it, because if it prospers, you too will prosper (Jer 29:7)." The people were in exile and will surely leave Babylon one day. Why did God speak to them to seek peace and prosperity for Babylon? Because God works for the good of those who love Him and this is not circumstancial. God ALWAYS works for the good of His children. He does not stop doing so even when we may disobey him, as did the Israelite exiles as recorded in Jeremiah, or when we take wrong turns, or when we are in a place that doesn't seem like the perfect situation, God is still there for us and wants to bless our life. Hence, He encouraged them to seek peace and prosperity even in Babylon...to settle down and not be anxious or unsettled, as it will not do them any good. The Israelites, however, did have to learn from their disobedience...being exiled to Babylon was a result of their own disobedience. Yet, God was assuring them that it was not permanent. God is always wanting to restore us to His plans...to bring us back to the best plan that He wants for us.

Promises of God

"God may not have promised skies always blue

Flowers strewn pathways all our lives through

God may not have promised sun without rain,

Joy without sorrow, peace without pain.

But God has promised strength for the day,

Rest for the labourer, light on the way,

Grace for the trial, help from above,

Unfailing sympathy and undying love..."

I remember when I first came to Melbourne and the expectations I had ... God's taken those expectations and turned them 180 degrees! As I return today, there is a new found dream that wouldn't have been possible without God. I wish I could post a photo of me from long long time ago when I first came here but my hard drives just got killed and I will need to dig through all my CD collections to find those old photos - if there are any left. My advice to you...backup on a spare hard drive and backup on DVD and backup on your computer...sigh!

Back to packing......tidying.....dusting......remembering......

May 2001...

21st Birthday...6 August 2001...

Memories of old church van...many happy moments in those vans...Keith and Chew up their usual no good...

1999...hahahaha! When I first joined CCM...Jane and Pei Sze's house...the ministry house of those days...

Still 1999...Jet Kie. We were like 2 peas in a pod in church in those days. She was the closest friend...Jet's sister.

1999 October...Photo with Phylice. My housemate for 2 years! She's getting married soon...Thank God for our friendship till today.

2004...Chairing Hope Anniversary with Eric. Was first time chairing major event...fun but very nervous.

Dec 2002...Hope Sports Day. Almost a yr since meeting Chin...

Of course cannot leave out the classic! 2002 convention in Phillip Island, Melbourne...Was an amazing convention.
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