Finishing up 2010!

We are just 9 days away from Christmas and a mere 15 days away from the new year!! I'm terrible at up keeping this blog (as you can see the last post was in May) but I thought since the end of the year was coming, I wanted to take some time to just reflect and give glory to God for all the things that He has done in 2010! And to update everyone on what's been happening this second half of the year (: Here's my tree for christmas!



17th December will mark exactly 1 year since I got home from spending 10 months in Timor and God has just been amazing! It was definitely a struggle in the beginning trying to get used to everything and jumping back on to lead the best youth ministry in the world! I had my struggles and difficulties with many challenges and testings that came in every direction, but God is so good to have sustained me and the R5/6's youth ministry that is still alive, kicking AND GROWING! Here's a latest picture of just some of the wonderful youths I get to lead in R5/6 in our recent outing to Universal Studios in November! (:


If you haven't met this God I'm talking about, YOU HAVE TO!! (: No one loves me like He does, no one cares about me like He does, no one knows me like He does and no one has died for me like He has (: I mean, what a God!!

One of the most exciting things that happened this year was attending my very first Edge Conference! Well, we started this conference in 2009 but I was in East Timor so I missed it. But this year, I had the opportunity to serve in the conference working on Programmes. It was pretty insane because I didn't know what to expect and it was right before my exam period! But when you serve alongside a God that will not disappoint, you are sure to know that everything's going to work out just fine! (: Here are some shots (some I took from Conference Photographer - Jacky Woo) and from my own stash!


The theme for the conference!


Best opening I've seen! Here the drummers (James, Joshua & Sam) are getting ready to blow our minds with their mad drumming!


The countless of young lives touched and transformed at the conference!


Worshipping God!


One of the speakers - Ps Jude Fouquier, Powerful man of God!


Another fantastic speaker - Ps Henry Seeley of Planetshakers! He led worship on the last night too (:


Here's the committee I worked with throughout the conference, what a great bunch!

The highlight of the conference for me was on the last night as I was worshipping. One of my friends tapped me to say that Ps Jeremy wanted to see us at the soundboard and my first thought was, "Oh no, what trouble are we going to get into!" because he called all the committee members together. Then as we gathered, his first words were, "I want you guys to stop singing for a second." And i thought, "Oh man, we can't even sing?!" HAHA but!! He said, "I want you guys to stop singing for a second and look at all the young people who are lifting their hands worshipping God. This is what it's all about. All the time, work and effort - This is what it's all about." WOW, that was probably the que for my tear ducts to open its floodgates. I couldn't stop crying just in awe of what God was speaking to me. Sometimes, when you have given so much to the ministry, thoughts like "is it really worth it", "why am i trying so hard", "why do i sacrifice so much" etc. would come and haunt you. And this year, I had to make a very difficult decision to give up something that I really wanted to do and it has been the biggest struggle trying to come to terms with it. But as I stood there that night and looked at the hundreds of young people lifting up their hands to worship, tears started streaming down my eyes because I knew - IT WAS WORTH IT. The assurance and peace in my heart, knowing that no lucrative job opportunity or brilliant exam results would replace that kind of contentment and satisfaction I felt serving in God's Kingdom. That the more I poured into His Kingdom, the more God poured into me! I am so blessed to be doing what I am doing in His Kingdom!

Tomorrow, we will hold a youth encounter where our young people will commit 2 days to consecrating and encountering the living God! Next tuesday, I preach for the first time in my life at a youth camp with Agape Baptist Church (I know, "OH MY WORD.") and in the same week, christmas net outreaches will take place all over the city. I have an action packed life! (: Never a dull day!

The past months have been challenging - from my Thyroid scare, to an insanely tough school semester, to my grandfather's sudden passing, to making very difficult decisions and even right now, my Grandma is in the hospital in critical condition (we are believing for a complete healing, pray with us!!). But I have SO much to thank God for! (: To praise Him in the good times, and to praise Him even in the bad times! WHAT A YEAR! I have learnt so much in this one year and I know I am a changed person because of what God is doing in my life (: Looking forward to a greater year ahead in my life, family and ministry in 2011! (: In the meantime, Merry Christmas everyone! (:

The Underdog

 

Just yesterday, Lee Dewyze was declared winner of American Idol! (Good choice America, his eyes are like woww.. okay that's not the point here) And really, what made me so happy was that no one really thought he would win because he did so badly in the performance round. Everyone thought Crystal was definitely going to win given alll her amazing comments from the judges compared to Lee's. But the underdog won! Woo!!

Well for many of these young people, they would think they are not doing much and not making any difference. Maybe in school they are not scoring the highest marks and are not the popular ones whom everyone adores but here's what is so cool! God roots for the underdog! Or at least that's what the world would call them.

But you see, that's not how God works. God doesnt see them the way others see them and because God is the authority of their lives, He can take a seemingly insignificant life and propel it to a level that would be mind-blowing! The Bible says, "So the last will be first, and the first will be last. Matthew 20:16" - How cool is that!! Just thinking about what God has in store for these young people just makes me so excited!! All of them are stars in God's eyes! What a privilege to lead future champions for Jesus!!

It's Official!

Wow, finally managed to get this running and going! (: I kinda decided to start blogging again and I know it's all pinky and girly, but it's MY blog, so I get to choose how it looks :p If you are looking for the most updated scoop on the people around me, you'll find it here! BUT it is purely for the glory and honor of my Lord Jesus Christ (:

Just had the most amazing 2 weeks and I feel like I am falling in love with Jesus so much more. Bad things still happened and not everything went my way but I have never felt so much joy in my heart before (: God is just doing amazing things in the youth ministry and in my own personal life and I am crazy excited for what is going to take place! If you haven't personally known this God i'm speaking about, you've got to!!

The Good News!!
He laid down His life for you by dying on the cross so that you can find life in Jesus to its fullest! (: He rose again on the 3rd day and today, He can be living in your heart! Well, not in some weird way like you need to feed Him or talk to your heart when you talk to Him but it's like having your best friend there 24/7! I have never looked back the day I decided I was putting my life in His hands and have no plans on turning back to my life before. I have experienced love that no man can give, joy that no pill can administer and hope that gives me faith to take one step further! Talk to me more about this, ask Jesus to come into your life so He can cleanse you of your sins and you can accept Him as your personal Lord and savior! (: Go to a church near you or you can always come to my amazing one! :p [www.theedge.org.sg]

I had a whole bunch of other things to say about my awesome leaders, ATCEM classes the last 2 weeks, the prophetic meetings and just what God is doing in my heart but I'll save you all the words by ending off with this - God is going to do a new and radical work in this nation, it's a new season that we are entering to and I am just excited typing about it!
So GET READY, DON'T BE LEFT OUT and DON'T MISS OUT! It'll blow your mind!! (:

Love,
Gladys (:

A New Chapter!

Thank you (:

In the midst of reviving this blog! Keep checking back for updates, in the meantime, thanks for bearing with all the mismatched pictures and colors! ;p

you'll never forget where you left a big part of your heart at

It's been 2 months now and I've been trying hard to adjust back. Friendships and relationships change, Families change, Schools change, Your perspectives and attitudes change, even Church changes, Ministries have changed. You try and grapple to find a way to place yourself in all of the changes.

But you go off to a country like that and you come back also changed, the country changed you, the experiences changed you, the people you meet changed you (: I realized today how much of my heart is still for them and with them.

Been doing research for a final essay paper I am doing on East Timor so I've been looking up tons of sources that would help me in understanding better this very young nation. I chanced upon a video called "Answered By Fire" about a policeman's view during Timor's struggle for independence. And just watching like the first 8 minutes of it have pulled out so much emotion from me - Looking at the scenes that I used to go past daily, listening to them speak in Tetum, seeing the rawness of this infant country. And then to think WOW, I was there for 10 months living in this very same place. Put down everything I was used to and loved and moved to another country. And still, I am not the best person to speak like that because there are many who have lived there for 8 years or more and I was just there for a mere 10 months.

I saw the full movie in Timor using a projector that we borrowed from the church and projected it on our white wall. But coming back and seeing it again, it's insane. Reminds me too of the things that God did in that place and His love for the people there (:

Anyone interested in this movie, this is the link:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?playnext=1&playnext_from=TL&videos=J9zRfMNO6yI&v=xPsHbN5EILg

Because words alone will not be enough...

We took our English classes out to the beach and this particular girl made me cry so hard when I left because she lost her father and was just telling me how her uncle was taken to the jail for violence. That was when I really felt "Compassion" in it's purest form. My heart was so broken for her. She is such an amazing and brilliant girl!

A group of girls that would always play around us when we visited on of our contacts in Lahane, Dili (:

Amazing view taken from the car on the way to a place called Com in Lautem, this is apparently the best place to be at for this view (: The sea glitters in the sun, very beautiful!

I've posted sth about her before, the girl on the left is Akoko, who eats ALOT. And she is one of my fav kids because I love how she loves me :D She is always the dirtiest but loves to touch my face, my bag, my hair, EVERYTHING! Everyone else always scolds her, "Akoko!! NOOO, go bathe first! You see she is so clean!" But she hates it when they ask her to go take her bath because she prefers to be in her dirty self and run around without a care in the world (:

I would sit here and talk to some ladies here while their children run around with no shoes on because the whole place is their home (: (Maubara, Liqiscia)

Wanted to get some pens at a local kiosk in a mountainous district called Latefoho and I chanced upon a young boy with a really cute self-made "crown" that kinda reminded me of Jesus' Crown of Thorns that He had to wear :|

We were up on a high mountain where it was a little chilly and I saw this boy who was helping to sell these donated clothes to earn money for his family. I love the smile on his face (:

Well, I still can't believe I was there. What an honor it is that I got to do this and be in a culture and country that is STARKLY different from my own - to learn from them, to love them and to gladly leave a big part of my heart with them - Of this strange Singaporean Chinese christian girl who wanted to be their friend... (:

"Look at the nations and watch— and be utterly amazed.
For I am going to do something in your days that you would not believe, even if you were told."

Habukkuk 1:5