Who defines B e a u t y for you?

A beautiful woman.

(Source:http://www.presscluboftibet.org/upload/news/2/fa5565455a32082689178b7a763aceed.jpg)

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Elisabeth Elliot’s interaction with a missionary, Gladys Aylward:

Miss Aylward was dissatisfied with her physical appearance. But she made a wonderful discovery. Here’s what happened.

“[Gladys] told how when she was a child she had two great sorrows. One, that while all her friends had beautiful golden hair, hers was black. The other, that while her friends were still growing, she stopped. She was about four feet ten inches tall. But when at last she reached the country to which God had called her to be a missionary,
she stood on the wharf in Shanghai and looked around at the people to whom He had called her.

‘Every single one of them,’ she said, ‘had black hair. And every single one of them had stopped growing when I did.' And I said, ‘Lord God, You know what You’re doing!’”

(Source: Elisabeth Elliot, Let Me Be a Woman (Wheaton, Ill.: Tyndale House, 1976), 32)

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Miss Aylward's last line sent a chuckle down my spine. Heh. So what if Asian women are shorter? =)

Who defined that only women with golden hair and 1.71m height are beautiful? Miss Aylward's surrounding people, the society and the perceived superiority of it. Or maybe Miss Aylward herself. Probably she chose to think or believe that way.

But come on, societal and fashion trends are always changing. Don't let something which is fleeting and capricious dictate how you feel about yourself. See yourself and your beauty through the eyes of the ever constant God "who does not change like shifting shadows" (James 1:17b). =)

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A Dove film (click on image below to view) showcasing how distorted beauty was created by group of professional hair stylists, make-up artists, and photographers in cahoots with computer graphics. A very good review of this can be found here.

"You and all your household will be saved"

Looking at this recent photo of my entire extended family on my mum's side, i am reminded to pray and claim again, that every single one of them will come to know the Lord. Yes the Lord had spoken, in Acts 16:31. =)

Mosaic Music Fest is coming!

It's here again. But i'm not intending to catch much of it due to G12 conference and cashflow constraints. =) Nonetheless there are already a few personalities who have caught my attention through their voices and music, ie. JosÉ GonzÁlez and Rachael Yamagata. It's always a twinkled discovery to learn of beautiful voices from corners of the world, voices which you have never heard of. =)

I want to be an Oak Tree

In accordance to my previous post, i had listened to Ps Khong's latest audio recording of his thoughts on his blog.

And i found out what tree i want to be.

Why an oak tree:

1. It takes a long time to grow but it is a strong tree that can stand alone. Its roots grow deep.

2. This does not mean that that i do not work together with the body of Christ, but that i do not lean on others to survive. I want to be a life that stands alone for God, and with God all the time.

3. And the desire to go deep goes accordance with Colossians 1:9-10 - Going deep in the knowledge of the God's will for my life:
For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you and asking God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all spiritual wisdom and understanding. And we pray this in order that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and may please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God..

The blue statement really sums up the oak tree i want to be.

And i am reminded "the fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge" (Proverbs 1:7a). May this oak tree always be humbled before you, O almighty Lord of mighty love.

Check out my 2007 Jotter (Updated)

Drool at my 2007 jotter. =p Alrights, i think it's very nice ok. Haha. Thanks Esperanza for agreeing with me!

The 3 things God spoke to me on 1st Jan 2007 about its cover:

1. The title "Draw Your Tomorrow"
One thing God and my ahmi Ps Yueh Ping taught me to do in 2006 was to paint a mental picture of what i want to achieve and then claim it in the name of Jesus. My ahmi said, 'Do it in faith, and all darkness will be dispelled'.

What a timely reminder for me to draw my every victorious tomorrow to claim by faith in 2007!

2. The trees
I have always wanted to be a tree. (Did i hear, what tree?)
At the beginining of my serving in ministry, i had told God i want to be a tree - to support, shade and shelter every person God has placed in my path.

Last year, Ps Eugene also painted a picture of us planting trees "...'I will remove the sin of this land in a single day. In that day each of you will invite his neighbor to sit under his vine and fig tree,' declares the LORD Almighty." (Zechariah 3:9b-10) - trees whereby people will recognise as God's covering and righteous blessing and then run to!

3. The bird

The sight of this touched me as i remembered a verse my spiritual daughter Meiqi blessed me with during Christmas last year:

"What shall we say the kingdom of God is like, or what parable shall we use to describe it? It is like a mustard seed, which is the smallest seed you plant in the ground. Yet when planted, it grows and becomes the largest of all garden plants, with such big branches that the birds of the air can perch in its shade." (Mark 4:30-32)

Though it talks about the kingdom of God, but taking it personally, it definitely means growth, enlarging of territories and influence, and blessing more people. =)

I am so excited to carry this jotter through 2007! I am going to use it to record the whispers and exclamations of God to me. To think i bought it in October 2006 in Japan, just for God to affirm my life on the first day of 2007. God definitely has His ways... and plans. =)

Rainbow on my face

I saw one of the biggest Singaporean rainbows in my life on Monday evening as i was travelling along PIE to a wedding dinner.

The sight of it caused my heart to leap in joy. And it was hard not to be playful when your mood is just high on the colours of the world.











I bless each of you to always see the rainbow after every rain in your life. =)

Attacked by Afros on New Year's Eve

I am so thankful for my spiritual family from Ps Roland, Ps Lai Fun and Ps Lily's cluster who so willingly and enthusiastically helped out in the publicity segment at Hall nine the last two Sundays. I'm sure you must have caught those pretties and hunks flaunting their retro stuff at Expo. Thank you guys! You did really well. =)

Also to my good bro whale (the one with the biggest hair and brightest jacket above), your courage and passion for our publicity is greatly appreciated too. Apologies that i just couldnt help giggling at your image. =p Could you guys recognise him? Haha.

Thank God for a wonderful closure to 2006. My heart beats with intense thanksgiving for the year for many things and people. I am all ready for the year of victories and breakout! Let's go deep, look far and ask big together, family! =)