So many many things in my mind lately. Cluttered and too many things running around. Let’s catch some of them and place them in words.

1) Weirdly, NUS says that my application is still in “Application Processing” mode even though almost all of my friends already know of their admission decision into NUS. Maybe they are rejecting me because I told them that I am retracting the NUS Double Degree application (Business & Engin. combined). NTU gave me a spot in the NTU-Georgia Tech program even though I told them that I am retracting my application after they asked me to submit more supporting documents. I got lazy, told them I am withdrawing NTU application, and got accepted. The irony.

The thing is, going to Berkeley ain’t cheap. Half a million ringgit of cash splashed, and I might not even get a high paying job upon graduation, especially if I fail to secure a job in the US and have to come back home to Malaysia. The cost does not justify potential earnings.  I am entertaining the thought of just going to Singapore and get that dumb piece of paper called a degree. On the other hand, job aside, Berkeley might expose one to lots of new stuff and give a wholely different experience that might come useful, in some way, maybe in starting a tech venture. So yeah. A gamble indeed.

2) YEAH this pisses me off a lot. Drivers who fail to signal when switching lanes or cutting into your lane. I might be driving a small car, but please signal la when cutting in. At least when you signal, I know and will most of the time let you through as a reward for your courtesy to signal. DON’T BARGE IN LIKE THAT. (Volvo, BMW tai sai ar) Or I’ll HONK =)

Malaysian drivers.

OH yeah there was this joke my colleague related to me. So one day a listener called Mix FM and told the DJ, “Penang drivers are really terrible la.” Another called in and said (obviously a Penang lang) “Where got, in KL the drivers are also like that what. Bad driving.”

Killer statement by yet another caller, “You know why KL got bad drivers or not. They all come from Penang and drive in KL.”

3) Hmmm in my job, I have been going to a lot of places, including the abodes of wealthier people to do some maintainance. I don’t know, but it feels weird. Big houses, big and nice cars, luxuries that I see, makes me wonder whether this is really what I want to own. If I had a lot of cash, would I self-gratify, indulge in all these nothings and be arrogant and think that I’ve got it all? It’s very easy to do that if you are rich. So dangerous to be trapped like that. Live like a king and all, think that one is so big and awesome. Yeah when I drive in my Kancil I will go “ooooo, wahhh, niceeee” at the Toyotas and Hondas and BMWs etc etc., thinking of when I can have enough cash to get a Toyota etc., but is this really the objective of it all? Materials and all. Many of us would like that.  But if a man were really to be judged by the abundance of his possessions, then there can be only one winner in this world, i.e. Warren Buffet at the current moment. Judging by this, the rest might as well be losers. Of course, this cannot be the case.

Being a Christian complicates matters. On one hand, it is OK to be rich, but be generous givers. On the other hand, “It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.” (Note: Hard, but not impossible. More discussion on Bible verses about wealth and riches in a later post.) My say is that it is perfectly fine to be wealthy, though many Christians today advocate self-denial and living “poorly” since they say that the Bible says things like “No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money.” But the world screams money and wealth, and if Christiany means that one has to beg in the streets, who would want to become a Christian? The truth is, Jesus’s disciples were very wealthy people. I’ll elaborate in another post.

Even in church, sometimes people give testimonies announcing that God has blessed them financially (yes that’s good and praise the Lord for that) but I don’t really agree with the part that they go on saying that they have recently bought a Mercedes [fill in latest model here] (this is the part that feels wrong to me) as proof that they have been financially blessed. Big deal ah saying you got a Mercedes? A car is a car. What is a Mercedes for if not to flaunt and show off? Sigh. I don’t know. It’s not that I am against people with big cars, but then again who am I to judge anyway? I am not God. But all I want to say in this paragraph is that when someone drives a big car, says he drives a big car etc., my perception of that person, justified or not, points toward arrogance and self-importance. This is the perception I get, to be brutally frank.

This is my stand on riches and wealth: 1) Being rich is not wrong. God needs money for His works too.  2) Tithes and offerings are obligatory and mandatory. God commands us to render to God the things that are God’s. 3) Be a generous giver. One must give in order to receive! But give not to receive but to serve others and shower love on others, especially the needy. 4) Don’t love money, and don’t let money be your God. Now who can say, “I wish to be poor”? The fact is that we all wish that we can have financial freedom, be rich, and not be in lack financially. But how will you live your life once you have all these things? I think how you live your life when you are rich it is more important than having the riches itself. After all, this fact remains: we enter the world with nothing, and we depart with nothing.

The question I challenge all readers to ponder: How will you live your life when you are wealthy? Never forget that it is God who gave the power to get wealth. Give more to those in need? Flaunt it all to fulfill one’s material desires? It’s your choice.

4) Makes me think, I’ve applied to 8 scholarships, only one replied so far, i.e. Shell. Never intended to go into Oil and Gas, so ended up not going for the interview, plus the bond would be unbearable for person like me. Guess I shouldn’t complain about not getting scholarship since I am so choosy. But you get the point. Easier to win a lottery today than to get a scholarship, no matter how good you THINK you are.

[see what months of no intense studying and exams can do to one’s brain. my recent blog posts are proof that the gap period before starting intensive further studies makes me think a lot, some might say too much. but it’s good. sets the priorities right.]

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Some things cannot be rushed.

Infatuation or not infatuation? Perhaps I’ll give a few years to tell the difference. But things will be very different then. Oh, how hard it is to embrace the notion of keeping my eyes on God and serving Him wholeheartedly, everything for Him, doing God’s will at the current moment in my life, instead of dwelling in uncertain hopes and desires that plagues the mind. But today was something lifted. This burden. Maybe now I can give God my 100% attention. As long as I don’t entertain those thoughts. My naive mind.

Sorry this post is going to be boring as I am uninspired to write at the moment… but just one piece of news:

ERN SHEONG WILL BE GETTING BAPTIZED TOMORROW!!!!

I remember many years ago seeing people get baptized in church and I wondered whether I would ever come to that stage in my walk with Christ. Fast forward years later and now I am getting baptized tomorrow! It means that I will be dedicating my life to living for Christ.

I want to thank many people, especially the City Harvest members in Singapore and KL who have helped me through so far, as well as a few close friends who have helped me get back on track in this Christian walk, and provided me with so much care and guidance to make me feel supported and encouraged. Not to mention my mum who whole-heartedly approved my decision to get baptized.

OK so Ern Sheong has gotten himself rid of that sales job with iZZi Wireless Broadband which required him to work all weekend and practically 9 hours a day in a shopping center trying to sell people one thousand ringgit broadband packages. (I actually got a promotion to booth supervisor, but when I realised that the basic pay did not change and the working hours were still that gruelling, I quit anyway =P)

Well I was enjoying my days off after 31st of March (the day I quit) and spent my days hanging out or sleeping late and getting up even later. Nothing in store for me. No plans to do anything. But then before the week was up my mum obtained for me an internship with her friend’s company, i.e. a telco company in Malaysia (no not Telekom, much smaller private company called Telshine Telecommunication) (Somehow it’s weird how things are always planned nicely before me. It just comes. I did not even have to search for both of the jobs I landed since coming back from Singapore. I have to thank God for that.)

I started my job on the 7th of April, and for the past week I have been following an engineer around the entire Klang Valley changing the gateway number for the dialer used to connect to the call server at Telshine (discounted call service). I went to the semiconductor factory StatsChipPac in Shah Alam, Gardenia in Shah Alam, Transwater Api in Bandar Sri Damansara, Aker Solutions at Wisma Hong Leong … bla bla bla so so many companies and so so many factories that I cannot remember anymore. But of course, the pay is lousy. But I can claim petrol and make money out of the petrol allowance! XD

This week I expect to be be driving out on my own to meet clients and do the required maintainance since I have learnt how to deal with most of the troubleshooting needed to fix faulty dialers and how to reprogramme the gateway via plugging in a handset.

Saturday went to the PIKOM PC Fair at KL Convention Centre and got myself a pair of SonicGear earphones for RM 45 (bad publicity for this company, but sorry have to announce it: Your earphones are lousy!!!). Got home and realised that the sound quality was way inferior to that of the original iPod’s =.=

Then I went to church later part of my Saturday and found out that there was some audition for dancers to perform in a special church musical production.

The weird thing about this was that I signed up for the audition:

ES: Hi, I would like to try out for the dance production.
Girl:  Sure, just fill in your particulars here on this form.

While I was filling up the form…

Girl: So, what kind of dance are you currently in? Hip hop?
ES: er…. uh…. ar…. no experience
Girl: It’s okay just come for the try-outs…

Thanks. Phew.

Sweat.

Sunday I was paid to go to a volunteer training session for the World Congress of IT happening this May. I was even given free lunch and three complimentary tea breaks. (There is such thing as a free lunch!) Well I signed up to volunteer for the event months ago (I blogged about it before) so here I was at the training session for one entire day along with 300 other people. Not bad, rather fun. (Paid RM 80 a day for volunteering, training days included) I was allocated to Sales (aka PR) and was posted at the KL Convention Center IT Exhibition during the conference (May 18-22, 2008). Maybe you guys can visit me there! And owh I was also very fortunate to make some great new friends there at the training… hi Aaron from Monash and Peng from APIIT!

Yeah so came back home, had dinner… and decided to drag my father to the DVD shop (whoops! shhhh. hope the police do not read my blog XD). Bought 6 DVDs and watched Step Up (yeah I know I am slow…) at night. Great movie. Makes me feel like dancing too! =) And the girl’s hot =P

So that sums up my week. Not to mention Cell Group, 2 birthday outings, and well, the sad part earlier in the week at Andrew’s wake. Rest in peace, bro.

OK now back to my “How Dell Does It” book before I retire to bed. I really respect and admire Dell.

Good night people. God Bless.

I want to thank my friends who were willing to come to my church’s Easter drama this weekend. It was a fantastic drama production, and many people were saved during this Easter weekend. Despite the rain, you guys who came on Saturday braved it and came nevertheless! God bless you all.

Well I recently watched a video (above) depicting a skit about a girl who was initially walking closely with Christ and enjoying His presence (thanks Rachel for sharing this video), but later many things came into her life and separated her from Jesus. I call them demons. First was a relationship with a man against the will of God, then it was money and material longings. Then there was drinking and alcoholism. Later on it was influences from the outside world (images of beauty) that made her feel depressed and insecure. Subsequently suicidal temptations arose from this insecurity. All these demons came between her and God. Perhaps this girl was looking for happiness in many forms in this world. But she only ended up with anything but happiness. Her life was in a mess. The demons would not allow her to get back to Christ on the other side. She struggled and struggled to get back on track. But they resisted violently. She wanted those days walking in joy with Jesus again. She longed for peace from God. As she was about to give up in her attempt to seek Jesus, Jesus steps in and protects her from these demons. Jesus overpowers all these demons; the girl regains her strength and revels in the joy of the Lord.

Now as I look upon the friends around me, I realize that many struggle with all kinds of demons in their lives. I have many friends who smoke and just cannot seem to quit the habit. They smoke a pack a day or maybe even more. Many go clubbing and get themselves drunk sometimes. They indulge in physical pleasures. Even games can sometimes be a demon. Many guys are trapped in the habit of playing online games for hours and hours or even for days and days without control. Some decide that happiness can be found by looking for a boyfriend or girlfriend to touch and have physical contact with, even if the relationship is shallow and meaningless. Well, some might not agree with me but all these things cannot bring lasting happiness and I believe so ever so strongly. As illustrated in the skit above, these things come between us and God, separating us from the One who can really provide the antidote to that void in our souls. No matter how hard you try to be happy, as long as you continue to live such a lifestyle full of dmons, you can never attain it. As my pastor says, “You can be sincere (in your pursuit of happiness), but you can be sincerely wrong.” Happiness is attained through a relationship with God the Father and Jesus the Son and the Holy Spirit. Break the bondage and free yourself from the chains of those demons. Call upon and cry out to Jesus! He will come and rescue you!

This song “Cry out to Jesus” by Third Day (also thanks again to Rachel for reminding me of this song) really illustrates this well:

To everyone who’s lost someone they love
Long before it was their time
You feel like the days you had were not enough
when you said goodbye

And to all of the people with burdens and pains
Keeping you back from your life
You believe that there’s nothing and there is no one
Who can make it right

Chorus:
There is hope for the helpless
Rest for the weary
And love for the broken heart
There is grace and forgiveness
Mercy and healing
He’ll meet you wherever you are
Cry out to Jesus, Cry out to Jesus

For the marriage that’s struggling just to hang on
They’ve lost all of their faith in love
And they’ve done all they can to make it right again
Still it’s not enough

For the ones who can’t break the addictions and chains
You try to give up but you come back again
Just remember that you’re not alone in your shame
And your suffering

Chorus

When your lonely
And it feels like the whole world is falling on you
You just reach out, you just cry out to Jesus
Cry to Jesus

To the widow who suffers with being alone
Wiping the tears from her eyes
For the children around the world without a home
Say a prayer tonight

Chorus

Jesus is the way, the truth and the life. He died on the cross about 2000 years ago for our sins (ever wondered why this year is 2008?) Indeed, the crucifixion of Jesus Christ was a real historical incident that shook the world at that time. His innocent blood was shed so that you and me, sinners, could be forgiven. He sacrificed Himself so that we, sinners, can approach God and have a relationship with Him. We cannot save ourselves. Only Jesus can.

If you feel drawn to the message in this post, make no mistake about it. God is speaking to you. He wants to know you and He wants to fellowship with you. Say this prayer: “Lord, please forgive me of my sins and I repent of all my past sins. I accept you as the Lord of my life from now onwards. Renew me and transform me into the person that you want me to be. I want to follow Jesus and accept Him as my Saviour. Thank you Jesus for dying on the cross for me. From this point onwards, I am saved! Amen.”

Wham! Just with a short prayer like that, and you are already saved. It is just that simple. No rituals, no idols, no proceedings. Just talk to God aloud. He is a LIVING GOD. He created you and me in a very special way. He loves you very much.

Jesus was crucified, descended into Hell, and on the third day He rose again. Jesus Christ defeated Death.

Blessed Easter everyone!

(If you said the prayer, do keep in contact with me so that I can help you in your walk with Christ and integrate you into a church. The walk with Christ is a very exciting journey.)

An Easter Production proudly brought to you by City Harvest Church Kuala Lumpur.

Come and watch the story of Jesus!

22-23 March 2008
Saturday 5.30 & 7.30 pm
Sunday 9.30 & 11.30 am

Location: City Harvest Church, Subang Jaya (very near Monash University and Sunway College)

Tell me if you are coming! Transportation can be arranged.

Click on the thumbnail below to view the e-flyer:

Friday, March 7th was the day the Singapore A-Level results were released. I came down to Singapore to collect the results, and stayed overnight at my aunt’s place. Saturday, I went to City Harvest Church Singapore @ Jurong West for the 3.30 pm service to meet up with my previous cell group friends (and also to visit CHC Singapore).

As usual, the presence of God was strong there and the worship was electrifying. But this is not why I blogged today.

Somehow, during that very service, by coincidence or by God’s divine plan for me, CHC was publicizing the City Harvest Bible Training Center School of Theology (CHBTC SOT) Advanced Certificate of Theology course, and they even made a video explaining the significance of going to Bible School and the importance of being equipped for God’s ministry. At first, I did not think much of it. (My earlier desire to go to Bible School was met with fierce opposition from my mum, thus I gave in) But as the service proceeded, I felt a very strong (and unmistakable) conviction in my heart that God wanted me to attend SOT. The video shown seemed to speak to me and it increased my desire to attend SOT this year.

I saw the dates on the flyer: 4th April until 24th August 2008 (5 months). The timing was so good. No clashes with any studies (if I were to go to the US to pursue further studies), and going to SOT was anytime better than my 6-7 day a week job manning a booth at Giant Kelana Jaya working 9 hours a day selling some stupid wireless broadband. I also have enough savings from my previous paychecks to pay for the fees needed to attend the course (SGD 1250) on my own.

Most of all, I wanted to be equipped for God’s marketplace ministry before I leave for university. Not that I would become a Pastor (although if God calls who am I to say no), but I am more geared to be a businessman or entrepreneur who is also preaching the gospel and spreading God’s word around in the realm of business.

Pastor Kong called to the stage two former Bible School graduates and asked them how they were doing. They were actually not in full-time ministry but they were impacting the realm of business in their own way having been equipped by SOT in their earlier years. I believe that I can also serve God in the realm of business or to serve God better in church, but now I do not have any idea of how I can do such a thing without the proper training. Hence I have no doubt that going to SOT will give me a set of tools that I can work with to build God’s kingdom here on earth, while also pursuing my dreams of setting up a business in the future.

At the end of the service, Pastor Kong asked all who felt the calling of God to go to Bible School someday (he didn’t say this year) and to serve Him in ministry, be it full-time or marketplace, to stand up. I don’t know. I just had the urge to stand up. And so I stood with many others. Pastor Kong then asked those who were sitting to stretch out their hands to us and pray for us.

When I reached home from Singapore, I told my parents about it. But the first word that came out from my mum’s mouth was a resounding NO. She cited accommodation problems, and also said that there were many things to be done in Malaysia. What things, mum? What is so good about working until 11 pm daily at Giant KJ? What is left to learn by staying here for the next few more months while waiting for university? You just don’t want me to leave home again right? (I am her only child)

“Assuredly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or parents or brothers or wife or children, for the sake of the kingdom of God, who shall not receive many times more in this present time, and in the age to come eternal life.” (Luke 18: 29-30)

Come on, mum. Please allow your son to discover his destiny and to be prepared for God’s work. I want to embark on an unforgettable adventure of serving God better. And I would love you no less too. I was called. This is not my own personal desire. It is God’s. Please say YES. The deadline is this Friday.

Update: Perhaps the timing is not right. The NO is as strong as ever. I give up trying to convince my parents. Yes, the call was unmistakable, but the timing might not be right now. I will have to wait until after university I suppose. I have to learn to trust God’s timing. May God open up a path for me.

I find that many times I do not bring the things that bother me to the Lord in prayer. I always forget that prayer is the way to connect to God, instantly and intimately.

Today, I sang this song “What a Friend We Have In Jesus” in church and I just teared as I was touched by God’s presence. I had always been carrying my burden “like a little boy carrying a big sack” (quoted from the prophecy spoken to me) and I had always forgot to let God carry the burden for me (through prayer) so that I can travel light and run faster.

Today, I let go of the baggage of fear, disappointment, anxiety/worry and all the things that hinder me:

Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us (Hebrews 12:1, NASB)

How? Make Jesus your friend and take it to the Lord in prayer (lyrics shown below):

What a friend we have in Jesus,
all our sins and griefs to bear!

What a privilege to carry
everything to God in prayer!

O what peace we often forfeit,
O what needless pain we bear,

All because we do not carry
everything to God in prayer.

Have we trials and temptations?
Is there trouble anywhere?

We should never be discouraged;
take it to the Lord in prayer.

Can we find a friend so faithful
who will all our sorrows share?

Jesus knows our every weakness;
take it to the Lord in prayer.

Are we weak and heavy laden,
cumbered with a load of care?

Precious Savior, still our refuge;
take it to the Lord in prayer.

Do thy friends despise, forsake thee?
Take it to the Lord in prayer!

In his arms he’ll take and shield thee;
thou wilt find a solace there.

(Words: Joseph Scriven, 1855. Music: Charles Converse, 1868.)

This occured during prayer meeting in City Harvest KL last Tuesday. If you are not a Christian, you might think that I am crazy and out of my mind.

Last Tuesday pastor told us to find a partner and pray for the person such that the prayer meets the person’s needs (He wants to train church members to listen to God and speak out, aka prophesying, i.e. speaking truth on other’s lives) He said that we should seek a picture or word and speak to the other person. So I partnered with a guy from Kenya who was currently studying in Sunway College. I never knew him before this, so I could not have known about his situation.

It goes like this, we held hands and prayed before speaking out. He went first. He spoke to me that he saw or visualized an airplane. He related to me that he supposed that I would be flying off from Malaysia in the near future maybe for studies or for other purposes. He told me that God would make me a person of influence and cause me to be successful to shine for Him (I’m not blowing my own trumpet). He said a few other things, but roughly this was it.

I never prophesied to another before. After praying in tongues for a while, I saw no vision, image or word. Nevertheless, I just spoke what came to mind. I told him not to worry and not be afraid of the challenges that is facing him, as Jesus says “Do not worry,” and I prayed that his family might one day be saved. I kinda forgot what else I prayed for him, but it seemed pretty general stuff for me.

After the prayer, I saw tears this Kenyan guy’s eyes. He seemed touched. Pastor asked all of us whether the prayer was really personal and meant for the person being prayed for. He raised up his hand indicating that it was really really accurate, and that he felt that the prayer was meant for him. Really man. I just spoke what came to mind.

As for me, I am actually faced with two options now. US or NUS for my higher education. I use a bus or a car to go to Singapore, but not planes. Perhaps God is telling me that I am US bound now? (I have to get admitted to one of the very competitive universities I applied to first) I raised up my hand too. Caused it concerned me and was about my future.

That aside, my previous cell group leader in Singapore also prophesied for me twice. Hers was different. She spoke in first person the first time. It felt like God was talking to me directly. At first, he told me that He knows that I have been studying very very hard in Singapore staying up for many late nights. (I didn’t tell my cell group leader that!) He told me that He would open doors for me so that I can continue running. And He also told me not to worry and he likened me to a little boy with a large sack to carry. He said that I should give Him the burden so that I can be free of it. I could not stop crying when my cell leader prayed. I felt something lifted from my heart that day in Singapore. A burden disappeared.

My God is a wonderful and mighty God.

I would like to share what my pastor touched on last Sunday in City Harvest KL.

The Law of Navigation from John Maxwell (From the book 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership, which I read many years ago)

To sum it use, we refer to the acrostic PLAN AHEAD.

PREDETERMINE a course of action.
LAY OUT your goals.
ADJUST your priorities.
NOTIFY key personnel.

ALLOW time for acceptance.
HEAD into action.
EXPECT problems.
ALWAYS point to the successes.
DAILY review your plan.

To remember, guys can just do this train of thought. (no no my pastor didn’t go through all this although he did touch on it =))

PREDETERMINE the girl you want to ask out for a date.
LAY OUT your plan for the date. (movie? candlelight dinner? buy her a bouquet of flowers? do you have enough cash?)
ADJUST your schedule and make sure that it fits hers, not yours! What do you expect out of the date? Prioritize.
NOTIFY her (duh!), your parents (if they are cool about it), and perhaps the restaurant.

ALLOW some time for her to get to know you and accept the invitation. DON’T RUSH IT. Haste makes waste.
HEAD to the appointed venue, or pick her up from her home if you can drive.
EXPECT problems! Yes, she may not be able to accept you so quickly. She might reject you outright. She might not like you anyway, etc
ALWAYS point to how beautiful she is on the inside and outside. How you enjoy spending time with her, etc.
DAILY think about her. And pray about it.

Haha.

Well, it was really a pleasant cell group with very pleasant people. God’s presence was really strong and the spiritual atmosphere was awesome. I felt integrated to the cell even though it was just my first time going to the cell group in Malaysia. Overall, the members of the cell were really a very friendly bunch. Glad to have met you guys: Sherene (CGL), Jessica, Alison, Joshua, Kevin, Hazel and of course, the guy who brought me there, Min Huei!

Cheers everyone =)

(Realised that many who Googled “City Harvest Church Kuala Lumpur” end up here in this post. If you are looking for the church website of City Harvest Kuala Lumpur, click here, www.chc.org.my)

I am surprised at being able to attend CHCKL the day after I returned from Singapore. It’s like… no time gap at all. Haha, which is good.

Had a hard time finding the place in Subang Jaya, after a lot of wrong turnings my parents and I eventually reached the place. My mum accompanied me to the service, but my dad, who only insists on going to his own church, lingered around outside. (Only he can do such things such as waiting for so long)

It was a good service, nothing alien to me as the culture in CHCKL was almost similar to that of CHC Singapore. I am really proud that this time, everything I saw came from Malaysians and not Singaporeans. Yes, Malaysians are capable of rising up to great things as well. (the government sucks, that’s all) And of course, nothing beats the prospect of being surrounded by fellow Malaysian CHC members as opposed the large Singaporean majority in CHC Singapore. We are a church growing very fast, and I am really glad to be part of CHC family again to carry God’s vision for us.

I am so excited to be back here in City Harvest Kuala Lumpur! So many exciting things happening here, and I want to be back in the House of God to serve and offer my time and effort!

Of course, my mum was a bit uneasy with the service given it’s loud and raucous style of worship and perhaps speaking in tongues etc. but it is OK. I will continue to stay in the church while my mum goes to her preferred church. Sometimes things are better that way. In effect, all three of us (Mum, Dad and I) will be attending three separate churches. Bad or good? Well, it is the best for all of us, at least for now.

Well we had cell group consisting of cell groups E314 and N354 tonight at Ben’s house. It was not unlike other cell group meetings, with praise and worship and all. It has been a good two years of cell group meetings and far from the days when I had to travel all the way to Punggol to attend Hui Zhen’s cell group (one hour journey) during my earlier days in the church.

I hope to be integrated into a cell group in Malaysia fast too. I think that it is absolutely essential for Christians to connect to God and the cell group ensures that the commitment to God remains strong and renewed. Last I checked, the cell group directory recently added a Bandar Utama cell group to the list. CHCKL is indeed spreading its influence (from Subang Jaya), and I’ll be glad to join it in Malaysia.

Today was the first time the English Church service is being held in the Jurong West building after 2 years of absence from the building since the services moved to Singapore Expo. I thought that the service today was simply explosive and full of impact. God’s presence was stronger than ever. It opened with a dance presentation for new visitors to the church (by O’ school dancers) and also featured the church choir singing “What a Friend We Have in Jesus.” Pastor Kong delivered the sermon, and the message sunk into my heart ever deeper. More on the message soon.

I would miss this church. It is one of the very few churches with a vision from God. I will definitely continue to serve and attend City Harvest Church Kuala Lumpur (located in Subang) in the not-too-distant future. Rock on City Harvest Church!

6 and a half more hours to my NTU H3 final exams. Have been studying physics non-stop since Wednesday… never seem to be able to finish every single concept, but oh well, it’s going to be fine i guess.

Saw City Harvest Church’s Emerge Conference and Parade of Schools on GODTV since I wasn’t able to go to church due to the exam.=( Fantastic event! Broadcasted around the globe via GODTV! I’m so proud of City Harvest! Wish I was there; the atmosphere was electric and so dynamic in church, especially with all the performance by various schools and campuses, as well as the special performance. But exams are exams, have to focus =P

Registered for SAT today for the October 2007 test. Taking for the second time after a dismal first try. Its do or die. Do well, and my American Top Uni Dream lives on. Do badly, ahem… let’s not venture there…

OK gtg, can blog too long now… it’s getting late, or rather early in the morning