I’ve been trying to write something down about my experiences in Australia for the longest time. Everytime I try to get down to writing something, something happens either to make me too busy to write or to get me down so that I can’t write. As expected something did happen today that made me feel unwilling to write but this was one of my lessons that I have learnt in Australia – to be happy in times of blessings and not to let the sad things affect me too much. I guess that this must be the peace of God which passes all understanding. I thank God that He has taught me much in the 11 months in Sydney and continues to teach me even till today.
What can I say, this year was a mix of happiness and sadness. I came not expecting much from this one year but a year of learning to be independent and also to have time to reflect on the rather difficult situation in which I left Singapore. However, God’s hand has always been seen even in guiding me to come to Sydney. I never intended to come to Australia for my fellowship and much less intended to do breast surgery. However our plans are not God’s plans and as in His usual way, he showed me who is boss by thwarting my plans that I had so carefully planned out! Anyhow, I found myself in Australia, highly unprepared (despite the fact that I had 1 month of paid leave before coming to Sydney)
It is in unfamiliar circumstances that you really see the hand of God at work because in a sense there is no other way to deal with the situation than to trust. Often in familiar surroundings, we try to manipulate the circumstances to our liking but in a foreign and unfamiliar place, we have no control. Faith is indeed in action during this time. And God is most real in these circumstance from finding an apartment to supplying a car to buying and fixing furniture, in all the small circumstances in life, you learn to just trust that God will help you make the decisions –there is no one there for you ; you are on your own.
It was under these circumstances that the circumstances suddenly hit me one night. You are alone in a foreign country and you have one year here – what are you doing here? Why are you here? (Apart from the obvious fact that you have to work here to earn your keep!) And that was when I asked God to guide me and tell me what I can do for Him; to tell him to use me in whatever way that he wanted.
And use me he did (beware those who challenge the Lord – He will reply and take you up on your challgenge) ! But first he equipped me. Thank to God for the great teaching in Sydney, I think that you are really blessed and everyone should take advantages of the great biblical teaching in Sydney. From BSF (Bible Study Fellowship ) to SMBC evening classes to Moore seminars, I was sucking it all up. I really enjoyed the exposure to all the different forms of teaching. And something I really enjoyed was the Katoomba Women’s convention and the ENGAGE convention which I attended while I was in Sydney. I can only pray that God will help me use the learning that I had got in the time there to His good use back in Singapore.
Some of you may have heard this story before but I will tell it again. I met another colleague from China one day and invited her along with me to a trip to the Blue Mountains, it was a truly fruitful trip as I had not only made a new friend but I had created the link between her and God and that started our journey to discover the Bible. The initial exposure and encouragement I got from her acceptance to the gospel gave me the courage to ask others and be more open about speaking about my faith. I believe that once we make the first decision to be used by Him, God will give us opportunities to work for him and he will bring more opportunities in our path. It was a tiring affair for me but I do not regret it one bit.
God has blessed me with friendships and relationships to last a lifetime. In the one year that I spent in Sydney, I have made more friends than in the last 5 years for my life. More importantly, I have made friendships that will last and I hope to keep up the correspondences and continue to encourage you and work with you to advance God’s kingdom. To all those at cornerstone, I miss you!
I do not know where the Lord will lead me but if I have learnt one thing this year, it is that our plans are not His; and who knows where he will lead me ?.... perhaps back to Sydney one day…May God continue to work in His people.
What can I say, this year was a mix of happiness and sadness. I came not expecting much from this one year but a year of learning to be independent and also to have time to reflect on the rather difficult situation in which I left Singapore. However, God’s hand has always been seen even in guiding me to come to Sydney. I never intended to come to Australia for my fellowship and much less intended to do breast surgery. However our plans are not God’s plans and as in His usual way, he showed me who is boss by thwarting my plans that I had so carefully planned out! Anyhow, I found myself in Australia, highly unprepared (despite the fact that I had 1 month of paid leave before coming to Sydney)
It is in unfamiliar circumstances that you really see the hand of God at work because in a sense there is no other way to deal with the situation than to trust. Often in familiar surroundings, we try to manipulate the circumstances to our liking but in a foreign and unfamiliar place, we have no control. Faith is indeed in action during this time. And God is most real in these circumstance from finding an apartment to supplying a car to buying and fixing furniture, in all the small circumstances in life, you learn to just trust that God will help you make the decisions –there is no one there for you ; you are on your own.
It was under these circumstances that the circumstances suddenly hit me one night. You are alone in a foreign country and you have one year here – what are you doing here? Why are you here? (Apart from the obvious fact that you have to work here to earn your keep!) And that was when I asked God to guide me and tell me what I can do for Him; to tell him to use me in whatever way that he wanted.
And use me he did (beware those who challenge the Lord – He will reply and take you up on your challgenge) ! But first he equipped me. Thank to God for the great teaching in Sydney, I think that you are really blessed and everyone should take advantages of the great biblical teaching in Sydney. From BSF (Bible Study Fellowship ) to SMBC evening classes to Moore seminars, I was sucking it all up. I really enjoyed the exposure to all the different forms of teaching. And something I really enjoyed was the Katoomba Women’s convention and the ENGAGE convention which I attended while I was in Sydney. I can only pray that God will help me use the learning that I had got in the time there to His good use back in Singapore.
Some of you may have heard this story before but I will tell it again. I met another colleague from China one day and invited her along with me to a trip to the Blue Mountains, it was a truly fruitful trip as I had not only made a new friend but I had created the link between her and God and that started our journey to discover the Bible. The initial exposure and encouragement I got from her acceptance to the gospel gave me the courage to ask others and be more open about speaking about my faith. I believe that once we make the first decision to be used by Him, God will give us opportunities to work for him and he will bring more opportunities in our path. It was a tiring affair for me but I do not regret it one bit.
God has blessed me with friendships and relationships to last a lifetime. In the one year that I spent in Sydney, I have made more friends than in the last 5 years for my life. More importantly, I have made friendships that will last and I hope to keep up the correspondences and continue to encourage you and work with you to advance God’s kingdom. To all those at cornerstone, I miss you!
I do not know where the Lord will lead me but if I have learnt one thing this year, it is that our plans are not His; and who knows where he will lead me ?.... perhaps back to Sydney one day…May God continue to work in His people.
