The recent news of the Tsunamis hitting many parts of Asia.. has caught
everyone's attention.
Everywhere I went I hear people talking about this tragedy... 23,000
people dead.. and the numbers are rising!
It has distressed everyone ... the scene of a Sri Lankan women carrying
and crying over her dead son is stucked in my mind...
I heard on the radio yesterday of a listener who sent in a text message
that went something like that.. 'this disaster came just when we
thought we were going to end the year 2004 peacefully... hearing about
all that's going on.. I feel so small...'
I couldn't agree with her sentiments. I too feel small.
We're so tiny... what could we really do, if and when the tall waves
come and sweeps over us?
It is only by His mercy that we've been spared...
On the contrary, God is big... And this situation is not beyond him.
And yes, He's still in control... altho' as human beings, with our
limited minds, we might need to grapple with his sovereignty over this
tragedy.
Tuesday, December 28, 2004
Friday, December 24, 2004
"In this fast-paced culture, the people who have the farthest reaching influence, who make the longest lasting impact, are those who are intimately aware of their personal calling. These leaders recognize they are to spend their lives in pursuits that make eternal investments." (fr Soul Retreat for Leaders. p.8)
This season, I've been taking time to consider my personal calling... to engage in what I call 'think time'.
I've been reminded again and again (by different people and circumstances) that I need to be thinking thru (and clarifying) my mission, vision and values.
I pray this holiday season, as we're reminded our Saviour's immense love for us, we're also reviewing and recalling back God's call in our lives. If it requires, get away for some 'think time'... alone with yourself and God!
This season, I've been taking time to consider my personal calling... to engage in what I call 'think time'.
I've been reminded again and again (by different people and circumstances) that I need to be thinking thru (and clarifying) my mission, vision and values.
I pray this holiday season, as we're reminded our Saviour's immense love for us, we're also reviewing and recalling back God's call in our lives. If it requires, get away for some 'think time'... alone with yourself and God!
Monday, December 20, 2004
It's His show anyway...
Last nite at an Anniversary party we attended as a family, I chatted with a friend... She related to me about how her daughter has just finished presenting some song item at church.
She, at first, felt it did come out the way she had expected... but then she recalled to her mom that the day earlier Simon had shared in the 'Attitudes of a Music Minister' class* that we need to be reminded that it's God agenda we're submitting to. It's His show... so we can relax and trust Him.
I was warmly encouraged to hear that the class I just had taught only 3 days earlier had already been 'put into practice'. Praise God!
(*I was invited to Bethesda Katong Church, my previous church, last Friday to teach at their Youth Music Camp; I had actually gone straight from Genting, Malaysia to the church.. phew!)
She, at first, felt it did come out the way she had expected... but then she recalled to her mom that the day earlier Simon had shared in the 'Attitudes of a Music Minister' class* that we need to be reminded that it's God agenda we're submitting to. It's His show... so we can relax and trust Him.
I was warmly encouraged to hear that the class I just had taught only 3 days earlier had already been 'put into practice'. Praise God!
(*I was invited to Bethesda Katong Church, my previous church, last Friday to teach at their Youth Music Camp; I had actually gone straight from Genting, Malaysia to the church.. phew!)
Saturday, December 18, 2004
Back fr holiday...
We're back... after a almost 6-hour drive (including a 'accidental' slight detour to Kuala Lumpur city.. and a 30min jam at the checkpoint) Phew!
Needless to say... the kids had a ball. The adults, well.. did ok too! Lil and I enjoyed having extended time with the kids.. seeing them happy. But it was, in some ways tiring for us too.. ;-)
However, It was still quite an enjoyable time overall.
Hope the pics would speak for itself
Needless to say... the kids had a ball. The adults, well.. did ok too! Lil and I enjoyed having extended time with the kids.. seeing them happy. But it was, in some ways tiring for us too.. ;-)
However, It was still quite an enjoyable time overall.
Hope the pics would speak for itself
Monday, December 13, 2004
Going on holiday...
Tomorrow.. we drive up north, as a family, to Bt. Tinggi Resort and
then Genting Highlands. It's a long-awaited break! And I'm lookin' fwd
to it. Though I'm not sure how the kids will take the 5-6 hours car
ride! But Lil and I are trusting God for a refreshing time together as
a family.
Do pray for safe travels.. as this time of the year it's quite rainy
and wet.
Will share some pictures when we return!
then Genting Highlands. It's a long-awaited break! And I'm lookin' fwd
to it. Though I'm not sure how the kids will take the 5-6 hours car
ride! But Lil and I are trusting God for a refreshing time together as
a family.
Do pray for safe travels.. as this time of the year it's quite rainy
and wet.
Will share some pictures when we return!
Saturday, December 11, 2004
Imparting knowledge...
This past week ForeRunner had the opportunity to conduct a course on 'Music for Evangelism' for about 25 students.
It was part of a larger student conference called Metamorphosis organized by our Campus Ministry - http://campus.sccc.org.sg/
I taught a class on Communcation Fundamentals, which is a really fun one to teach. =)
It was part of a larger student conference called Metamorphosis organized by our Campus Ministry - http://campus.sccc.org.sg/
I taught a class on Communcation Fundamentals, which is a really fun one to teach. =)
Tuesday, December 07, 2004
Monday, December 06, 2004
Harvest in Toa Payoh
Last nite, 7Days performed to about 300 people from the Toa Payoh
community. It was an outdoor event.. and praise God the weather was
beautiful! Our host shared with us that the turnout was more than
expected. I really felt God honored their faith in trusting Him for
this event. As a result, the youth ministry (who planned this) was
greatly emboldened in their faith to see God work in this way. Many
'aunties and uncles' (the heartlanders) showed up and thoroughly
enjoyed the message.
Ten people made decisions for Christ last night, with many more wanting
to know about a personal relationship with Jesus. PTL!
I had a conversation after the concert with a girl from China, and
another from Malaysia. A friend who had just received Christ recently
invited them. I encouraged them to continue in their search for truth,
and told that they can trust Jesus. When I left, I saw them still
chatting, continuing in their discussing about faith issues... it put a
smile on my face =)
community. It was an outdoor event.. and praise God the weather was
beautiful! Our host shared with us that the turnout was more than
expected. I really felt God honored their faith in trusting Him for
this event. As a result, the youth ministry (who planned this) was
greatly emboldened in their faith to see God work in this way. Many
'aunties and uncles' (the heartlanders) showed up and thoroughly
enjoyed the message.
Ten people made decisions for Christ last night, with many more wanting
to know about a personal relationship with Jesus. PTL!
I had a conversation after the concert with a girl from China, and
another from Malaysia. A friend who had just received Christ recently
invited them. I encouraged them to continue in their search for truth,
and told that they can trust Jesus. When I left, I saw them still
chatting, continuing in their discussing about faith issues... it put a
smile on my face =)
Tuesday, November 30, 2004
Pray for Pat- 'our gospel bearer'
Please pray for Pat (the guy on the left), who will be giving his testimony and delivering the message this Saturday's 7Days gig at Toa Payoh Methodist Church.
He is still recovering from a nasty bout of viral infection that he caught while overseas last week.
Pray that he would regain his strength and voice, and have the energy and ability to share God's love boldly.
btw, this is pic of us eating Chinese pears... delicious! at our recent trip there.
He is still recovering from a nasty bout of viral infection that he caught while overseas last week.
Pray that he would regain his strength and voice, and have the energy and ability to share God's love boldly.
btw, this is pic of us eating Chinese pears... delicious! at our recent trip there.
Monday, November 29, 2004
'RECIPE' the name of the Lord!
Joshua today sang a song he learned from SunBeam - our children's church in Covenant EFC.
And the chorus goes... 'r-e-c-i-p-e the name of the Lord!' ha ha!!
I guess the Lord does provide all our needs.. including recipes for good food.
Blessed be the name of the Lord!
And the chorus goes... 'r-e-c-i-p-e the name of the Lord!' ha ha!!
I guess the Lord does provide all our needs.. including recipes for good food.
Blessed be the name of the Lord!
Thursday, November 25, 2004
Hello fr Thailand... =)
This is my first ever blog.. while overseas.
We've come to the end our time here in Bangkok.. and will head back to S'pore in 2 hours time. I'm typing now from the computer lounge area in the Crusade's GCTC (Great Commission Trainig Centre)
It's be a really fruitful 3 days!
The staff from Koinonia- Thailand CCC's music ministry has been 'lapping' up the training we've been giving them.
I taught 2 sessions... one on "Philosophy of Music Ministry", the other on "Friendly Fire", and the feedback I got was that it couldn't have come at a better time.
I'm sooo glad we obeyed God to make this trip.
And I thank God for using us to bless and encourage this young, but growing ministry!
It's been a tremendous joy and pleasure to see our friends again (we worked together in June for a TURT- The Ultimate Road Trip 2004, a student music missions project) and to hang out and have fellowship with them.
I'm now really lookin' forward to hold my kids.. and my dear wife in my arms.
I miss them much... =)
Thanks for praying!
Signin' out fr Bangkok, Thailand
We've come to the end our time here in Bangkok.. and will head back to S'pore in 2 hours time. I'm typing now from the computer lounge area in the Crusade's GCTC (Great Commission Trainig Centre)
It's be a really fruitful 3 days!
The staff from Koinonia- Thailand CCC's music ministry has been 'lapping' up the training we've been giving them.
I taught 2 sessions... one on "Philosophy of Music Ministry", the other on "Friendly Fire", and the feedback I got was that it couldn't have come at a better time.
I'm sooo glad we obeyed God to make this trip.
And I thank God for using us to bless and encourage this young, but growing ministry!
It's been a tremendous joy and pleasure to see our friends again (we worked together in June for a TURT- The Ultimate Road Trip 2004, a student music missions project) and to hang out and have fellowship with them.
I'm now really lookin' forward to hold my kids.. and my dear wife in my arms.
I miss them much... =)
Thanks for praying!
Signin' out fr Bangkok, Thailand
Sunday, November 21, 2004
More about KRT-Koinonia Resource Trip...
Some of u wanted a little more info about our trip... and so here it is... =)
Here's the objectives/goals of our Koinonia Resource Trip2004
3 things they need from us:
1. Share what we do (training/curriculum) with our STINTers? (Students who do a 1 or 2-year project with us) and perhaps also how we recruit them etc.
2. Share what we do for our music workshop in META (training curriculum
etc.) They would like to do something similar this December at their Vision Camp
3. Pre-liminary discussion and planning for TURT 2005. (The Ultimate Road Trip- a 6-week project with students, training, rehearsing, and going on the road for an evangelistic concert tour)
4. Our recruitment process etc. how we work w volunteers?
What we hope to achieve fr this trip.
1. Resource. Do consultation, share ideas, strategies etc. and train if
needed.
2. Show tangible moral support as they begin their new music ministry.
Pray for/with them. Encourage Nutti (the music min director). Cast
vision...
3. Maintain this partnership and friendship. 'Recce' and find out what other ways we
can help them get established. Wat other kinds of training they want or
really need.
Here's the objectives/goals of our Koinonia Resource Trip2004
3 things they need from us:
1. Share what we do (training/curriculum) with our STINTers? (Students who do a 1 or 2-year project with us) and perhaps also how we recruit them etc.
2. Share what we do for our music workshop in META (training curriculum
etc.) They would like to do something similar this December at their Vision Camp
3. Pre-liminary discussion and planning for TURT 2005. (The Ultimate Road Trip- a 6-week project with students, training, rehearsing, and going on the road for an evangelistic concert tour)
4. Our recruitment process etc. how we work w volunteers?
What we hope to achieve fr this trip.
1. Resource. Do consultation, share ideas, strategies etc. and train if
needed.
2. Show tangible moral support as they begin their new music ministry.
Pray for/with them. Encourage Nutti (the music min director). Cast
vision...
3. Maintain this partnership and friendship. 'Recce' and find out what other ways we
can help them get established. Wat other kinds of training they want or
really need.
Making Disciples...
Tomorrow, a few of us (fr ForeRunner) are headed to Bangkok, Thailand for 4 days to conduct some training and consultation with 'Koinonia', the music ministry of Thailand Campus Crusade for Christ.
This is a continuation of our partnership with Koinonia to help them 'establish' their music ministry.
In many ways this is 'discipleship' ForeRunner-style.... It is very much in line with our desire to equip, enhance and empower other music ministries to do evangelism through music.
Do pray with us that we'll be a blessing and encouragement to the Thai team! =)
This is a continuation of our partnership with Koinonia to help them 'establish' their music ministry.
In many ways this is 'discipleship' ForeRunner-style.... It is very much in line with our desire to equip, enhance and empower other music ministries to do evangelism through music.
Do pray with us that we'll be a blessing and encouragement to the Thai team! =)
Wednesday, November 17, 2004
The 'coolest' office.. =)
this was where i did all the 'work' ... (at the recent convention) the
only lighted place in our hotel room.. while the kids r sleepin' in the
room with all the lights out. =)
Monday, November 15, 2004
The Great Adventure's greatest blessings...
A recent picture taken (just before bedtime!) when we were attending a convention at Meritus Mandarin Hotel.
Trying out MacJournal
I'm trying out a new software MacJournal.. that's supposedly able to link to my Blog. If this works.. it'd be a cool way to publish some of my entries easily.
Sunday, November 14, 2004
Don't Give up...
Today God spoke in a very clear way to me.. thru the sermon at church..
God is not about to give up on me... so Don't give up on him!
'Give up' (in the original language) has this idea of 'bad thots'...
we begin to thing badly about our own situation, we start to think
wrongly about God's character...
and we also begin to think back...
Our eyes focus on the circumstances, not on God
That's how i've been feelin' of late. My eyes on everything else
(problems, situations, personal challenges, frustrations, lost of
possesions etc. =( and on and on... ) instead of on God.
And when I pray... i'm only asking.. 'get me out of this.. or that...!'
Who is my God? what really is he doing in my life.. during this period
of time...
God is not about to give up on me... so Don't give up on him!
'Give up' (in the original language) has this idea of 'bad thots'...
we begin to thing badly about our own situation, we start to think
wrongly about God's character...
and we also begin to think back...
Our eyes focus on the circumstances, not on God
That's how i've been feelin' of late. My eyes on everything else
(problems, situations, personal challenges, frustrations, lost of
possesions etc. =( and on and on... ) instead of on God.
And when I pray... i'm only asking.. 'get me out of this.. or that...!'
Who is my God? what really is he doing in my life.. during this period
of time...
Wednesday, November 10, 2004
First email-to-Blog!
allo.. jus testing out my very 1st email-to-blog.
hope this will help me post things more timely... =)
hope this will help me post things more timely... =)
God is on the move!
Dear friends and prayer partners,
Hello! It's been more than 3 weeks since our team returned fr East Asia...
(I've chatted and shared personally with many of you about many exciting things that God was doing in-country)
but I thought I should give an overview summary of how God has worked through your prayers.
In our 8 days in two cities, we witnessed about 5000 who attended our concerts..
At our last day, we saw about 700 students coming for our evangelistic concert.
And, in His amazing grace, 521 of them made decisions for Christ!!
We also experienced God's hand of protection everywhere we went.
The owner of one of the theatre threatened to 'pull to plug' if he heard anything he didn't like.
Many fasted and prayed.. and again miraculously, he did not even appear. Nobody makes a threat like that and don't show up.
Exodus 14:14 was the verse God used to encourage us one morning...
"The Lord Himself will fight for you. You won't have to lift a finger in your defense."
If God is for us, who can be against us..?
There were so many other amazing things that happened... but i wanted to keep this mail brief... =)
I want to say a special thanks to you.. for interceding on our behalf. And also for giving sacrificially...
God is on the move in this BIG country, and we're sooo excited and blessed to have witnessed some of His wonder-working during this trip!
Thank you,
Co-labouring with you in the gospel..
Simon
(Lillian and the rest of our tribe! =)
Hello! It's been more than 3 weeks since our team returned fr East Asia...
(I've chatted and shared personally with many of you about many exciting things that God was doing in-country)
but I thought I should give an overview summary of how God has worked through your prayers.
In our 8 days in two cities, we witnessed about 5000 who attended our concerts..
At our last day, we saw about 700 students coming for our evangelistic concert.
And, in His amazing grace, 521 of them made decisions for Christ!!
We also experienced God's hand of protection everywhere we went.
The owner of one of the theatre threatened to 'pull to plug' if he heard anything he didn't like.
Many fasted and prayed.. and again miraculously, he did not even appear. Nobody makes a threat like that and don't show up.
Exodus 14:14 was the verse God used to encourage us one morning...
"The Lord Himself will fight for you. You won't have to lift a finger in your defense."
If God is for us, who can be against us..?
There were so many other amazing things that happened... but i wanted to keep this mail brief... =)
I want to say a special thanks to you.. for interceding on our behalf. And also for giving sacrificially...
God is on the move in this BIG country, and we're sooo excited and blessed to have witnessed some of His wonder-working during this trip!
Thank you,
Co-labouring with you in the gospel..
Simon
(Lillian and the rest of our tribe! =)
Tuesday, October 05, 2004
It's a BOY!!
Dear friends,
yes, it's a BOY!!
and my ForeRunner staff team was actually 'betting' it's a girl... ha ha!
He's 3.57kg...
and we thinkin' of naming him Zachary Noah Seow- 'Remembered by the Lord'
chinese name still pending..
Lil's recovering...
she had bad abdominal pains fr 2:15am yesterday...
apparently it's intestinal hernia.. (don't ask me wat it is)
I think in layman terms it means ur intestines got stuck together.. or in a knot...
and she was 'all tied up' for almost 12 hours... v v v painful! ouch!
that's why we had to do an emergency C-section...
thank God it's resolved.
pray for:
-Lil to recover completely.. and able to breastfeed.
-baby not to develop jaundice
-strength and wisdom as we care for this little one.
Simon
yes, it's a BOY!!
and my ForeRunner staff team was actually 'betting' it's a girl... ha ha!
He's 3.57kg...
and we thinkin' of naming him Zachary Noah Seow- 'Remembered by the Lord'
chinese name still pending..
Lil's recovering...
she had bad abdominal pains fr 2:15am yesterday...
apparently it's intestinal hernia.. (don't ask me wat it is)
I think in layman terms it means ur intestines got stuck together.. or in a knot...
and she was 'all tied up' for almost 12 hours... v v v painful! ouch!
that's why we had to do an emergency C-section...
thank God it's resolved.
pray for:
-Lil to recover completely.. and able to breastfeed.
-baby not to develop jaundice
-strength and wisdom as we care for this little one.
Simon
Saturday, July 03, 2004
Our very 1st Blog!!
Allo... welcome to our very first blog on the WWW!!
this is all so new to us.. but very exciting! hope to give regular updates about wat God is doing in and thru our lives ... thru "The Great Adventure" Blog
this is all so new to us.. but very exciting! hope to give regular updates about wat God is doing in and thru our lives ... thru "The Great Adventure" Blog
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