Thinking Aloud

As the year draws to a close, I’d like to take the opportunity to thank you, for journeying with me.

After sending my previous newsletter ”I Wish You Enough“, it was very encouraging to hear from many of you, who took time to notice the “small things” and appreciate “special people”. Here’s what some of you had to say:

• “This is a beautiful letter and just in line with what God is teaching us!”  
• “This is really well done and very precious. Thank you for sharing it.”
• “What a wonderful God He is that He looks even at details and small things, and cares even for us.”  
• “Indeed God is not ever frustrated by things!” 
• “A very simple, creative yet action-packed newsletter. I am encouraged by what you wrote, and it is a ministry to me.” 
• “It’s so beautiful and refreshing to read. Thanks for your authentic sharing.”
• “A good message to remind us the importance of keeping in touch.”
• “God has spoken to me through this article. You stayed blessed.” 
• “I really enjoyed reading your news and am very encouraged especially by this latest newsletter. The family is going through tough times and I am experiencing tough love and do feel dissapointed with myself and sometimes with God!!! However the second paragraph under “Small Things” has lifted my spirits up, and I want to believe that our GOD IS FAITHFUL AND GREAT and He is not DISAPPOINT-ABLE!”
  

The past few months continue to be a season of transition. The pace may be considered “slow” by some standards but I was reminded it’s “always just right” by God’s. There were a couple of months when the number of online responses fell by 50% and I asked those in the e-mentors Facebook group to pray… then a thought struck me. Here’s what was posted:

The “God-paced” time allowed me to spend more time with my dad, work on my support, help some friends and focus on people I was writing to regularly through e-mentoring.

A book, “Searching For Heaven On Earth” by David Jeremiah, a timely gift last Christmas, has been very helpful for me personally and in ministering to others. A chapter titled “A God Who Can’t Be Used” offered some helpful perspectives:

• “God has a plan, even if it is soaked in layers of mystery, it is a good plan, a trustworthy plan.”
• “We give Him the burden, not the blame. There is a difference.”
• “Life without boundaries is chaos, and when we treat God as if He is not in control and not loving, we cut Him down to our size through a petty approach. When we wander outside of the boundaries, we invite chaos into our lives.”
• “We see every fire God allows but none that He prevents. So when we philosophise about His character based on our limited observations, we speak from ignorance.”

May the Lord help us, as we look back on 2011 to see His goodness; and look forward to the new year with hope, that He’s “fighting fire” for us when we choose to live within His loving boundaries.

‎”The heart of ministry should be relational, even if the mode of ministry happens to be online.”
- Quote from 3 Social Media Tips

P.S. A special “Thank You” to those who have been faithfully praying and giving from your heart. To those who just started or are considering to give, your step of faith encourages me. If you are prompted by the Lord to give towards my ministry or find out more about e-mentoring, please get in touch!

Serving with you,
Lay Kuan

“I wish you enough.” An interesting phrase, don’t you think? I read it in a book, Beyond Half Time by Bob Buford. A group of senior staff, meeting monthly, are using it as we journey together. We have not come to this later chapter but I read ahead.

“Sometimes small things, unexpected things, surprising things can make a difference in our lives.”

Bob’s friend shared in an email with him about an encounter he had with a mother and daughter who were sharing their last moments at the airport. The pair hugged and expressed their love for each other, then said mutually: “I wish you enough.” After the daughter left, the mother spoke with Bob’s friend.

She was getting really old and felt that this would probably be the last they’ll see each other alive. The friend was curious and asked the mother about the meaning of the words “I wish you enough.” To which, she said, it’s wanting the other person to have a life filled with just enough good things to sustain them and went on to recite this from memory:

I wish you enough sun to keep your attitude bright
I wish you enough rain to appreciate the sun more
I wish you enough happiness to keep your spirit alive
I wish you enough pain so that the smallest joys in life appear much bigger
I wish you enough gain to satisfy your wanting
I wish you enough loss to appreciate all that you possess
I wish you enough hellos to get you through the final good-bye

“…it takes a minute to find a special person, an hour to appreciate them, a day to love them, but then an entire life to forget them.”

In all of life’s challenges and uncertainities, God is present and He brings special persons and small things along the way to remind us that He’s thinking of us. Did we notice?

1)  Make a short list of the special people in your life. What makes them so special to you?
What “small things” might you do to express your gratitude for their roles in your life?
2) Make a list of the “small things” you have received from others over the past several weeks.
What effect did each of those small things have on you?

Special People besides my dear family members…
- Ministry partners who give and pray (who do so on a regular basis, especially those who started from the very beginning).
You really do make a difference. Thank you for your faithfulness!
- E-mentor volunteeers for coming alongside with your time and heart to minister to a needy world.
And those who write back who encourage me by their faith and heart to bless even in their own time of need.
- A friend who says “I miss you!”

Small Things
- A hand-made card from my art teacher.
- A posting on the Facebook page I created for church by my pastor (finally)… and an SMS on a day I needed prayer.
- Hopefully… some replies to my news update to let me know how you are doing.

Maybe life is not going the way you expect and you feel disappointed with God… with yourself. I had written this sentence “God is not disappointed in you“ to someone via e-mentoring, and he replied asking how did I know that? Truly there is nothing that we can ever do to make God love us more or love us less. God is not disappoint-able!

“I am the One who works out everything according to my plan. My hopes and expectations are never unfulfilled.”
Ephesians 1:11

I wish you enough…

>>> Download the PDF version of this page: PurpleClick Jun 2011

This is the special song item for Good Friday’s service at Lutheran Church of Our Redeemer.
What a beautiful picture of how Jesus took our place on the cross. May the words minister to you.

HIS ROBES FOR MINE (Chris Anderson)

His robes for mine: O wonderful exchange!
Clothed in my sin, Christ suffered ‘neath God’s rage.
Draped in His righteousness, I’m justified.
In Christ I live, for in my place He died.

Chorus:
I cling to Christ, and marvel at the cost:
Jesus forsaken, God estranged from God.
Bought by such love, my life is not my own.
My praise – my all – shall be for Christ alone.

His robes for mine, what cause have I for dread?
God’s daunting Law Christ mastered in my stead.
Faultless I stand with righteous works not mine,
Saved by my Lord’s vicarious death and life.

His robes for mine: God’s justice is appeased.
Jesus is crushed, and thus the Father’s pleased.
Christ drank God’s wrath on sin, then cried, “‘Tis done!”
Sin’s wage is paid, propitiation won.

His robes for mine: Such anguish none can know.
Christ, God’s beloved, condemned as though His foe.
He, as though I, accursed and left alone;
I, as though He, embraced and welcomed home!

Two thirds of the year gone by…
Here’s an update on what’s been happening for me:

Lutheran Church of Our Redeemer (LCOR) Choir

I have been singing with my sister’s church on various occasions, and the latest is for their Jubilee Year’s celebration dinner, which was held on Sat, 21 Aug 2010. We sang two songs, Sing Your Praise To The Lord as well as My Favourite Things, with the latter’s lyrics changed to reflect what LCOR members love about their church family.

Discover the Poet in You – Design & Poem

I did the layout design for fellow staff Wilson Lau’s 2nd poem book entitled Discover the Poet in You, which was launched on 19 Sep 2010. The new book introduces 9 types of poems and seeks to inspire us to write our own poems. You can contact me if you would like to get a copy of the book @$18 each, or three books @$50.

It was only natural that I took up the challenge to pen a poem myself. It’s on a subject that is close to my heart in terms of my ministry. Here’s my Acrostic poem, E-MENTORS:

E-mentoring
I made a request to share with Crusade’s Ops Hub office staff because I felt that among them would be some who can volunteer as an e-mentor. Thank God for the 5 persons who have indicated interest out of the 30 who attended the sharing on 27 Aug 2010.

A tale of two teens…
In my Jul 2009 newsletter, I shared about a 15-year-old girl who encouraged me as I was asking God for current stories of how He was at work in this ministry. She asked then, “Are online volunteers very busy? I’d like to volunteer too, when I have learnt more about being a Christian!”

In an email on 4 Jul this year, she wrote: “I’m sorry I haven’t replied to your e-mail even after such a long time. It’s been a really stressful term and I’ve been having some problems and a lot of problems in my relationship with Jesus, which really stinks. I’ve turned away from Him and turned back to Him so many times I lost count and even now I’m undecided. ”

A 15-year-old boy wrote in on 20 Sep 2009 and asked “How can I pray to receive Christ?”. I shared this story in my Oct 2009 newsletter.  This is what he wrote in a Facebook message to me regarding e-mentoring, on 18 Aug 2010: “Do you have any guys around my age? I wish to interact with him, tell him what I have  learnt for close to a year. I used to interact with you, now is my turn to spread the gospel to others! ”

How things can change and progress with time! I’m praying for these two young people as their journey with God continues… May the Lord be gracious to preserve their faith in Him.

Visit the e-mentors community blog to read other stories, like Loss of a Loved One.

Monthly Support Needs
It has come to a point in time when I need to raise more financial support to cover my monthly needs. Please pray for me as I put in the effort to do so. I trust that God will supply all our needs in every way. Thank God for some responses that have come in from some individuals whom I started to approach from last month.

THANK YOU… for your partnership and prayers.

P.S. If you would like to support me in my ministry, please kindly drop me an email at laykuan@sccc.org.sg

>>> Download the PDF version of this page: PurpleClick Oct 2010

From New Year to Mid Year… that’s a huge leap!

“New Year, New Blogs“, my 1st newsletter of 2010, was intended to be followed up with a second segment, but things just snowballed and well, half the year has now gone by.

In the past few months, I was on a number of days of MC (falling sick, not recovering fully and falling sick again) in the midst of attending 3 developmental courses, and preparing to share on 3 occasions.
I have also just completed some of the design on CreaComm’s ministry newsletter MGC (Making The Gospel Click). Download the PDF for a read.

Thank God for His sustaining grace to put things in place and greatly strengthen me when I was feeling weak.
Here’s a glimpse of the 3 sessions, sharing about online ministry:

- At IED@SG 2010…

This is the 2nd year that we have organised this event in conjunction with Internet Evangelism Day on the last weekend of April. Different churches, ministries and organisations were represented even in the smaller turnout this time. There was great interaction during (the catered) lunch together and when we got into “action circles” for small group sharing.

As a result from this, a few of us have met to brainstorm ideas for our church websites and/or Facebook pages, with the goal of  reaching out  beyond the church. Please pray for wisdom, vision and resonance, as we develop and try out ways to use new media.

- At SOLEAD (School of Leadership)…

This is the 1st time an e-mentoring session has been conducted for our new staff training, Solead. The class was very attentive and a few of them commented that they found it interesting. During the training, there was a “hands-on” section and the 9 of them started responding to actual mails, beginning a 10-week challenge as e-mentors.

One question in the reply templates asks the visitor how he/she actually found the website. Here are replies from some contacts:

“When I was updating my Friendster site I saw a message above my profile telling about God. I click it and I found your site. I prayed and things just turn out amazingly!”

“Actually I was just browsing my mobile since I was connected to wi-fi in our house. Then as I was browsing I just noticed your website on the top. So I don’t hesitate to open and read.”

“I saw the banner at www.dictionary.com, so I click to check it out.”

I am constantly amazed how God is prompting people,  to “stumble” on our websites!  He prepares hearts to be willing, and ready to send in a response. This is also a testimony of the “rise” of the mobile sites where people are accessing the internet from their smart phones. Praise God for the wonderful work He is doing!

- At LENG KWANG BAPTIST…

Since the beginning of the year, I have been exploring the “Page” and “Group” functions of Facebook, (this was the intended 2nd “segment”, which could have been entitled “New Page, New Group” ). It was to see how to help my church have an online presence, in the (waiting) “absence” of a church website.

I had the opportunity to share more about this and my e-mentoring ministry in church to fellow LKers (I have same initials and similar-sounding name as my church… ).  It is my desire to see greater awareness and participation, to explore and use these platforms as a natural extension of living life and being a witness.

From Mid Year on… the mails keep coming!

It is a joy to see God continue to work in people’s hearts through the ministry of e-mentoring. There were 2 days in the month of May when more than 30 mails were received within one day!
Here are some actual comments just in the past couple of months:

“Is there really a God?”

“I love God. I want to make changes to my life.”

“I wish not to commit more sins because I can’t follow Jesus anymore if I commit sins, right?”

“My parents forbid me to go to church and said that I can only choose my religion when I’m 18 so I was wondering how do I pray at home?”

“I want to accept Christ but do not know how? I read the bible but when I attend church, I do not have the courage to step forward when they announced to welcome new comers. I supposed I have not know more about Jesus yet.”

Yes… the mails keep coming and the need for online missionaries increases proportionately. Would you like to prayerfully consider coming alongside and volunteering as an e-mentor?

I would love to hear from you!

Blessings,
Lay Kuan

“You have multiplied, O LORD my God,
your wondrous deeds and your thoughts toward us;
none can compare with you!
I will proclaim and tell of them, yet they are more than can be told.”
Psalm 40:5 ESV

>>> Download the PDF version of this page: PurpleClick Jul’10

Without His Cross
By: Joseph M. Martin

Without His tears, there is no comfort
Without His death, there is no life
Without His blood, there is no pardon
Without His cross, there is no crown

Without His shame, there is no glory
Without His grief, there is no joy
Without His stripes, there is no healing
Without His cross, there is no crown

Lamb of God, You bring salvation
And with Your grace, our hearts are sealed
Lord, with Your tears of love, You bathed our sorrows
In Your eyes we stand revealed

Without His tears, there is no comfort
Without His death, there is no life
Without His blood, there is no pardon
Without His cross, there is no crown
Continue reading

* Last post of our 21-day challenge!

Thank you so much for sharing this journey with me. We’ve shared, learned, prayed, and grown together.

On this final day, I simply want to pray for your story…

Lord,
Thank You being the Author of our lives.
And thank You for the woman who is reading these words.

I imagine her, leaning toward a computer screen or peering into a cell phone.
I wish I could be there with her, to wrap my arms around her in a hug of celebration and declare, “We did it!”

I’m so glad that You are there… in each moment, every word of her story.
You know what is happening now, both the happy and the hard.

So I pray You will surround her with all she needs.Write every line of her life with love, sweet Jesus. Hold her close to You when she aches, give her joy that overflows when she is happy.

In every scene, every moment be near to her heart.
And bless her story, Lord. Bless all who share it with her too.

We have just begun to see all You have in store.
We wait with anticipation to see what You will do…
and we surrender our stories to You.
Amen.

And now I’ve got some fun surprises for you as a little “thank you”!

First, I hope all of you have thought about your Story Statements. I kept trying to think of another formula to add to the one we did. But I really think it’s just about you and Jesus having a conversation to see what else might need to be said.

And after you do, I’ve got a surprise for you! I asked my friend Mandy, who is fabulous and creative (and is allowed to use a hot glue gun, unlike me), if she would design bookmarks for all of us so we can remember this journey. She will personalize one with your Story Statement!

Here’s mine…

(front & back)

So go see Mandy and find out more!

Also, this series was focused on our present and future. Many of you asked how to record your pasts so that your story could be a legacy for your children.

I shared your desire with our friends at Thomas Nelson. They’re releasing a new book called Reflections from a Mother’s Heart: Your Life Story in Your Words.

Y’all it has not even in stores yet! But because they think a lot of you, I have a copy to give you! Just leave a comment before midnight on Friday to enter. They’re also providing a giveaway on (in)courage today!

Will you help me show our appreciation by visiting their new site, Blessing and Truth?

And speaking of giveaways, I’ll announce the winner of the $50 gift certificate to DaySpring and (in)courage tomorrow when we kick off our next series, OUT of INsecurity! (We’ve done a lot of giveaways lately. Hope you don’t mind–I just love sharing!)

We began this challenge with one word and I’m going to end it with the same…

Woo-hoo!

_________________________________

QUESTION:
What’s one thing you’ll take with you from this challenge?

Purpleclick:
Taking part in this challenge has reaffirmed the special and real need for women friendships.
I’m looking forward to life to life sharing in both offline and online communities, using the thoughts and insights that you have shared. Thank you Holley for… being you!

(February 18, 2010 at 02:25AM)

When I began this series, I hoped to end it with lots of answers and a specific plan. There were blanks in my story I wanted filled.

And yet, I stared at the ceiling the other night with many of the same questions going through my mind. What will happen next? What does God want me to do? What about…?”

In the quiet of the night, a whisper came to my heart, wrapped itself around my worries…

You don’t need to know what, you only need to know Who.

Just like that, I realized this journey wasn’t about what I imagined.

Yes, we’re to understand our past, who we are, and where God may wants us to go in the future.

Yet ultimately it’s not about us, it’s about Him.

Our role in the story is to say “yes” to what God asks of us each day.

As we do, our story unfolds as He plans…

word by word, line by line, page by page, all the way to

The End.

* Have you written your Story Statement? We’ll revisit those in the last post of the series tomorrow!

______________________________________

TODAY’S QUESTION:
Catch up on anything you missed in the Rest of Your Story Challenge (click “next” at the bottom of each page).

This isn’t what you think. It’s not about mushy, pie-in-the-sky, singing-in-the-rain romance. (Although there is a little rain as you’ll soon see. And there’s a big surprise for you!)

Nope, this is about a different kind of love, a different kind of story…yours.

But let’s start with the rain first.

One day as I gathered books and stepped into the hall I saw a familiar face wearing a smile and holding an umbrella. My future husband came to walk me through the rain. And my love story came to life.

Years later, during a difficult storm in my life God used that memory to show me that He, too, wanted to walk me through the rain. And my love story came to life.

Almost half a decade of hurt and hope went by. I shared what God had done with other women. It helped heal their hearts too. And my love story came to life.

We’re made for love. And it comes whenever the divine shows up in the ordinary, whether that’s through family, friends, a cause that captures our hearts, or totally unexpected moments.

Lean in and I’ll whisper a secret…

It’s not about happily-ever-after.

It’s about eternity.

God is the Author and He is love. (Hebrews 12:2, 1 John 4:16)

That means we’re all living a love story.

And not just on Valentine’s Day but forever.

Now that’s worth celebrating!

_______________________________________

TODAY’S QUESTION:
Share a love story from your life.
(Remember, it doesn’t have to be a romantic one…just a time when your heart felt real love.)

Purpleclick:
I AM SO LOVED… by my family. Especially my dad, who just helps me know the love of the Father in such tangible ways. I cherish every moment!

(February 15, 2010 at 12:16AM)

As you know by now, I’m a “live from the heart” kind of girl.

That means some days (okay, a lot of days) my emotions try to get the best of me. So I’ve been asking God what to do with all these feelings.

As I prayed and pondered, this little sentence popped into my heart…

Emotions make great messengers and bad bosses.

Emotions aren’t sin. They’re actually really helpful. They tell us what’s going on in our stories. Even Jesus was a “man of sorrows and acquainted with grief.”

So imagine a messenger running up to you (mine has a ponytail, cute t-shirt, and a mocha for me in her hand…thought you’d like to know).

If we listen to what the messenger has to share with us, turn to our Boss and ask, “What should we do about this?” then all is well.

If we turn back to the messenger and our back to the Boss everything changes.

Our emotions speak into our stories.

The Author gets the final say.

p.s. Keep thinking about your Story Statement…we’ll get back to them soon!

_________________________________________

TODAY’S QUESTION:
What are your feelings saying? What’s true?

Purpleclick:
Tears well up easily… especially that time of the month. And they well up most of the time as I’m reading or typing during this challenge. Yes, emotions are not a bad thing… I wish people will not equate being emotional as being incoherent/not objective. I feel deeply… I can’t care less. It takes time to process, with the Author Boss and other close individuals, and I am thankful for their patience and love.

(February 15, 2010 at 12:01AM)