The crisis of our faith

The crisis of our faith today lies not in threats without but threats within.

Inside the secret corners of our heart, when we think we stand, we fall.

I write this to remind myself too.

This year has been a very fruitful year but yet a most heartbreaking one.

When faith becomes, "God, You will bless me in this, this and that. Because You love me, You will give me this, this and that."

God, You are my Santa Claus.

Honestly that's what I sense all around if God had not brought certain friends in my life to wake me up.

This is not what Jesus died on the cross for.

We even brought this prosperity "Gospel" to developing countries. We think money solves all problems. We are best in giving money, slack in training people to learn to fish for themselves.

It takes so much to empower and enable people in developing countries to create with their hands, work with their brain to get out of the poverty cycle.

Just give money. Easy, saves time and effort, makes us feel good instantaneously.

Pride. Our greatest enemy.

Even to write this takes effort.

To follow Christ is really hard. To invest time and effort in people is tiring because we do get hurt.

To obey God is the hardest because it is contrary to our flesh.

No one warned me it is this hard.

No one prepare me that my heart will break for people who don't even bother, for embryos, for the unborn, for the teens, for the Church, for our nation.

I thank God for exposing me to all these.

Because it is His heart that must take over.

Protect baby Jesus, protect our babies!

25th December is NOT the actual date of birth of our Lord Jesus Christ but hey, He was definitely born one day, 2,000 years ago, in a manger that symbolizes the messy world we live in today.

The birth of Jesus in a stable gives us great comfort. That means you and I who are not rich by the world's standards, are deeply understood by God who knows poverty. Poverty that surpasses material things but of the spirit.

Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. (Matthew 5)

This year, I learnt more about Joseph, Jesus' earthly father and His earthly mother Mary. One saved Jesus from being killed by King Herod, another protected Him in her womb.

And so on that outreach to kids aged 6-14 years old, I told some of them, "You must protect the younger kids and those in the womb, ok?"

Our kids learn to protect the environment since young.
It is time, never too late, to teach them to protect their brothers and sisters. May we be found faithful in speaking up for those in oppression, in protecting the most vulnerable members of our society: our children.

Remember Jesus, remember His beloved! ❤
Go love our family!

Our Daily Bread: Gift of Grace

Lots of people are sharing about how depression caused the death of SHINee's Jonghyun's death.
I shall be thick-skinned to share again and again my story of life and hope against the curse of suicide!

1. Depression need not lead to suicide.

Through sufferings, we can grow and be more resilient. But I will be honest with you. Without God, recovery can be temporal and superficial. Because without God, we would be depending on our limited strength and we would depend on people with equally limited strength.

2. Please DO NOT say that it's courageous to commit suicide. It is MORE courageous to LIVE than to have a premature exit. It is hurting to a family who lost a loved one through the violence of suicide.

3. Depression is not a condition of aliens. It is as common as flu, yet it is real and you can't just snap out of it. God is the Healer, even as medicine gives temporal relief.

4. There's no beauty in melancholy. In my university days, I started being melancholic with a peer. It seemed beautiful to dig deep into the soul. That was the foothold to depression. Beauty is in the light of Jesus Christ.

https://www.facebook.com/ourdailybread/videos/10155675875690673/?hc_ref=ARQOVeuW82-lS0Dzev14_Hn18viK6pcaz4vxiWGs5RWVp1hJlw0NNHfOdjcJUzeh_gg

https://ourdailybread.org/no-one-is-useless/

Conflicting signals from abortion law and pro-family policies

It is comforting to learn that the number of abortions has dropped to a record low of 7,217 last year (Steady decline in abortion numbers; Nov 15).

One factor cited for the decline was the greater use of contraception. However, it has also been reported that many young people are choosing to forgo using condoms while having sex (More young people in Singapore get sexual infections; June 18).

In 2013, women aged between 20 and 39 accounted for 86 per cent of the total number of 9,282 abortions (Abortions fall to 30-year low; July 27, 2014). Over half of the abortions were done on married women while singles accounted for about 40 per cent.

The Government has been zealous in crafting pro-family policies to address the barriers to marriage and parenthood. Yet the law since 1970 that allows babies up till six months of gestation to be aborted sends a conflicting message to society.

Are children truly welcome in our nation?

There is no unwanted child, only challenging circumstances that can be overcome. Children are the source of our hopes and dreams.

They are a gift, not a burden. They teach us what sacrificial love is, when we love them more than we love ourselves.

Surely no woman goes for an abortion feeling empowered. Besides enduring the intrusive abortion procedure with its risks and potential side effects, she suffers the greatest from the loss of her child (Racked by shame and guilt after abortion, she now hopes to help others with new support group; Nov 14).

Studies have shown that men, too, feel depressed, angry and powerless when they have not been consulted about the decision to abort or when the feelings around the decision are ambivalent.

Abortion reinforces male irresponsibility by allowing men to walk away from the consequences of their sexual behaviour, even as women are made to bear these consequences in their own bodies.

In cases where women are abandoned, we should support these mothers who chose life for their children.

http://www.straitstimes.com/forum/letters-in-print/conflicting-signals-from-abortion-law-and-pro-family-policies

Tribute to Mum

19 November would be 23 years since my mum passed away.

Each time I talk about her, tears would threaten to fall and I would pause to catch myself. Death has no more sting but separation is real. It was hardest for me when I came to Christ and I didn't even know if anyone spoke to her about Jesus in the hospital. I will trust God's sovereignty for He had already given me the second best gift after salvation; a mum who modeled sacrificial love to me since I first knew her...

In recent years, I have always wondered how she felt when I was born, fragile as bean curd. Would she have aborted me if technology was so advanced then? Deep in my heart I know she would not, because the responsibility of motherhood was very strong in her. I was her child, that was enough reason to bring me up. I am grateful to my dad too. If not for him, I know it would be impossible for my mum to give me the best care.

I can empathize how it is like to have a child with special needs. It is really tough. But isn't life tough for everyone?

I thank God that even after so many years of her death, all I have are beautiful memories of her. She did not die in vain. God made me a stronger person through her death.

19 years with mum. Short years but so full of love.

Love that was full of tears and joy.

This is love.