When we look back in our walk with Christ, it is easier to see and understand why He has placed us in the places He did, why He has brought certain people and situations, why he permitted trials and challenges and also why He uprooted us to new places, jobs, friendships and/or relationships.

There is always a lesson in every season and though we may not always get the clarity we want at the time we want; I count it as a blessing and protection from the Lord as His ways are higher than ours (Isaiah 55: 8).When we encounter challenges and trials, our solutions are always grounded in men’s wisdom which is foolishness to the Lord (1 Corinthians 3: 19 – 20).

As we reflect at this end of year, I could testify and see how God has assisted and directed good outcomes of my trials faithfully and pruning what is not required. If the thought of the upcoming new year still bears uncertainty for you, let Psalm 111 be your faithful reminder of the Lord’s heart for us.
The Lord also promises to never leave and forsake us (Deuteronomy 31:8).

With the promise of God’s presence and help, we can move to 2025 with confidence and faith for the Lord goes before us. Let us rejoice for the Lord is faithful and good.
 
Isaiah 55: 8
For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, said the Lord”

1 Corinthians 3: 19 - 20
For the wisdom of this world is foolishness in God’s sight. As it is written: “He catches the wise in their craftiness”[ and again, “The Lord knows that the thoughts of the wise are futile.”
​
Psalm 111: 3 - 5
Great are the works of the Lord; they are pondered by all who delight in them. Glorious and majestic are his deeds, and his righteousness endures forever. He has caused his wonders to be remembered; the Lord is gracious and compassionate. He provides food for those who fear him; he remembers his covenant forever.

- Irene Soon

Recently I had a discussion with a lady. We talked about how we could recognize Jesus if he comes back during our lifetime. Will we confuse Him with others who claim they are the Savior? Can we tell who is Jesus?
 
I am not sure I can boldly say I could recognise Jesus with all the noise of the modern world but I rest my assurance that He will help me to recognise Him; that He will speak to me and He will not let me lost in the crowd because Jesus loves me. He knows me by name.
 
There are times I get overwhelmed with the noise from the world and I tell myself I might be chasing after the wind when I’m trying to be kind or wanting to shine His hope in this broken world. Ephesian 6 however, reminds me to pray in perseverance. Our hope is, when we are unable to approach the throne of grace and pray in perseverance, the Lord will help us. Just like how I believe the Lord will cause me to recognise Him if He were to return in my lifetime, I believe He too will enable me to pray in perseverance. I’m unable to do it with my own strength but I cast this need unto the Lord and He will strengthen me.

The Lord, He is our helper. Let Him help you.

Psalm 28: 7 - 8
The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in him, and he helps me. My heart leaps for joy, and with my song I praise him. The Lord is the strength of his people, a fortress of salvation for his anointed one.

Ephesians 6: 18
And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people.

 - Jenni Wang

I have ever read that the saddest human words is “if only”.

​The writer believes that many are trapped by regrets and they beat themselves up by lamenting on the mistakes made and spend their life saying, “if only…”, “if only I tried harder”, “if only I was truthful”, “if only I made time…” What if instead of saying “if only”, we choose to say, “I will”.
“I will try harder next time,”
“I will be truthful”,
“I will make time” and so on.

Notice the hopeful anticipation that arises with the change of words and perspective.
The Bible speaks of “A wholesome tongue and a tree of life but perverseness in it breaks the spirit” – Proverbs 15: 4 NKJV. “Death and life are in the power of tongue and hose who love it will eat its fruit” – Proverbs 18: 21.

These scriptures confirm that our words bring life and death into our space, into our world and into our atmospheres so instead of speaking defeat and speaking our regrets and mistakes, let us  start speaking of an active resolute action; changing our perspectives therefore, no perverseness will break our spirits and no death will reign in our atmospheres.

- Irene Soon 

Recently, a dear colleague of mine passed away.

A woman in her late 60’s passed quietly on her bed without struggle and pain as we were told. The funeral director began her commemoration by asking guests what is the first word that comes to mind when we think of Pam, my mind quietly whispered, “kindness” and like an echo, the funeral director voiced it audibly, “kindness.”

Pam’s kindness will leave a lasting mark of a gentle soul that touches each one of us who came to know her and it will certainly be a legacy we aim to replicate when life feels unkind. Kindness is often misconstrued as a weakness, softness, a vulnerability that may be misused by people around us when in truth, anyone who shows kindness are the ones with profound strength; a strength to forgive, a strength to accept and a strength to heal from hurt with courage.

Christ’s very essence is goodness. He emanates mercies and kindness and He offers us fresh new grace every morning to begin again. “Let us be kind to one another, tender hearted, forgiving one another as God in Christ forgave you (Ephesians 4: 32 ESV)”. Even if you struggle to offer a solace of kindness, the Lord will not condemn. The Bible speaks of kindness as one of the fruits of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22), ask for the Lord’s strength and dear friends, I believe He will enable you to bear the fruit of kindness. Let us trust His process, amen.
 
Galatians 5: 22 – 23 NLT
But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things!

Ephesians 4: 32 ESV
Let us be kind to one another, tender hearted, forgiving one another as God in Christ forgave you.
 
Irene Soon

There is one morning not so distant in my memory; the warmth and peace it brought is what I would not forget. That one early morning, I opened the front door of the house and was greeted by nature’s silence, no sound of chirping birds nor moving vehicles, just the stillness of nature, the air and the rhythm of my own breathing.

A few snowflakes fell out of the grey overcast sky, adding to the sense of stillness and awe, the world is still sleeping and I stood there feeling grateful of the gift of life .

It was the very first morning of a new year, silent and still. Hope poised and expectations awaits for what the new year may bring yet what matters was the moment of stillness it gave, deafening yet assuring.

I’d like to imagine it was silent and still when God created the world and through those moments, He populated the world and created all the nature wonders. It was in the moment of quietness and stillness, He created and spoke. It was in times such as this, I could hear the stillness of God’s voice speaking, words of assurance for the new year. Peace and warmth followed after each word and I could feel the fullness of joy.

What a wonderful assurance to know that the grace I felt that morning is available, new and fresh to us every morning like the dew of rain on a parched land. The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases, let the Lord be your very reward; your portion. His love and mercy will be your shield and comfort everyday, put your hope in Him in this new year.

​Lamentations 3:22-24
The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. “The Lord is my portion,” says my soul, “therefore I will hope in him.
​
- Irene Soon 

“Aslan,” said Lucy, “You are bigger!”
“That is because you are older, little one, “answered Aslan.
“Not because you are?”
“I’m not but every year you grow, you will find me bigger.”

In a fictional story of Prince Caspian, the writer C.S Lewis wrote the dialogue of Aslan the Lion with Lucy that reveals the simple beauty of God’s grace; it meets every believer at where they are at. It is a meaningful portrayal of our relationship with Christ in which as we grow in the likeness of Christ; seeking Him, His omnipotence. presence and importance in our lives will grow as well.

Does the Lord seem bigger to you when you walk through your valleys or trials? If it isn’t so, you will feel the prompting of the Holy Spirit within you to behold Christ; to pray, to worship and seek the Lord’s presence. The grace of the Lord finds you as you take every step towards Him, no matter how feeble it may be, the Lord is your strength.
​
Behold the Lord and find Him bigger than all your fears and trials. Let His presence and omnipotence be magnified as we continue to grow in the knowledge and likeness of Him.

Psalm 145: 14 – 17 NIV
The LORD upholds all who fall and lifts up all who are bowed down. The eyes of all look to You, and You give them their food at the proper time. You open Your hand and satisfy the desires of every living thing. The Lord is righteous in all His ways, gracious in all His works

- Irene Soon 

Struggle after struggle and God brought into light how much I tried to depend on my own strength. There are times when it is too difficult to pray, but He gently reminds me of His love that always draws me back to Him in prayers.  As our family continues to go through some crisis, I went through restless sleepless nights, thinking when my family will trust and depend on God completely.

As a prayer coordinator, there are many issues that burdens my heart, the country I constantly pray for, my family, my health, praying to go the mission field and to spread the good news of the Lord. To think about it, I’m a fool if I don’t surrender all these burdens that I can’t control the outcome of, to the Lord. His love is vast as the ocean and overflowing like a river in my life. I am reminded that He is God and when I fall again and again, He will pick me up and reminds me that even if I can’t, He can.

When I am full of concerns, He tells me not to be afraid. Even when the trials and tribulations come to my life and my own foolishness make me forget who He is, He always reminds me to go back to Him and to learn to trust Him more and more. I am a lifelong learner of how trustworthy God is and I am learning to trust Him more and more.

May we continue to strengthen our prayer life and remember that when we can’t see any result, it does not mean the Lord is not working. Have faith, trust in Him and the Lord will carry you in all seasons of trials. 

Isaiah 12: 2 NIV
Surely God is my salvation; I will trust and not be afraid. The Lord, the Lord himself, is my strength and my defense; he has become my salvation.

- Jenni Wang

The hot water that would soften a potato could harden an egg as well as the same sunshine that gives warmth during winter could easily harden the clay. Although in our earthly life, we can’t choose circumstances that can happen to us, God wants our struggles to strengthen us and nurture the perseverance within us.

​His promises in the Bible encourages us to defend our faith in a living God than to give in to fear that the Lord has the power to conquer for us.

Paul writes, “We can rejoice too.. (Romans 5: 3). Paul spoke of a freedom to choose and if he who has gone through many trials and sufferings with imprisonment could still heed us to rejoice, we too can choose to rejoice during trials. We can because we have the confidence that the Lord is working His purposes in our lives for our good and we are never alone as we have the Holy Spirits within us. So, let us rejoice!
​
Romans 5: 3 – 5 NLT
We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance. And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation.  And this hope will not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love.

- John W.

​Over the past few months, our family has gone through many transitions and through it all, we now must go through season of grieving. Friends and families have helped with prayers and practical helps yet this is another season that I’m still learning to accept and comprehend. I am learning to trust God who knows the best and though it is difficult, I will learn to trust.​ 

Psalm 139: 7 - 10 Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence? If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there. even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast.

The verse above has always been a reminder for me that besides Him, I have no one else who fully understand our situation and despite our failure and brokenness, He embraces us in all our brokenness. God accepts us as who we are even when we reject Him in our sadness, anger or confusion. The Lord understands, He knows you better than anyone else including yourself and He will strengthen you in all seasons.

- Jenni Wang