Thanksgiving « Garden of Delight

Tag Archives: Thanksgiving

H1N1 influenza?

Visited the family doctor this morning for the blood test result. Thank God that it was positive without any flu virus so I can re-start my preparation for my 2nd mission in East Timor! I was suspected to have been infected with H1N1 influenza 2 weeks ago because of flu-like symptoms that improved but then returned with fever and worse cough.

As the incubation period of the flu can be between 1 to 7 days. I have been advised to watch out for persistent fever & cough after the 10-day anti-biotic. The persistent fever & cough are symptoms of penumonia which I must seek immediate medical treatment. In view of the inadequate medical resources in Timor, church leaders advised that I should delay my return to Timor, to go only when I have fully recovered. So I cancelled the flight & spent the next 2 weeks resting & fighting the virus with anti-biotic & loads of prayer (from many many faithful intercessors, thank YOU all!).

As I looked back, God showed me His grace & purpose in many ways:

I was prompted by the Holy Spirit to visit a family doctor whom I had avoided for a long time due to his criticism of my faith some years back. But God has opened his heart to share his struggles and I was able to share Jesus’ love with him during these 3 consultations. I pray God’s peace into this doctor’s heart so he can turn back to God for healing, restoration, hope & love;
I was able to attend the Love Timor’s District Anchors’ Consultation when I walked away greatly inspired & encouraged by what God is doing in Timor;
I was given divine appointment with my ex-staff to help her discern God’s direction for her career;
I was given more time to take care of logistics;
I was given time to be vaccinated against H1N1; and
I was able to spend more time with family & share my faith more!

And God has also enabled the airline to keep my ticket open. Once I produced the doctor’s letter that certified I was unfit to travel on Mar 1, I am now able to change the date of departure at no penalty cost! How awesome is that when the flight was cancelled less than 24 hours before take-off!!!

For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”

- Jeremiah 29:11

In His Love,

Lydia

10 Mar 2011

Singapore

Categories Prayer, Reflections
Author Lydia W

My Divine Valentine

14 Feb

A Valentine may bring you chocolate, but God provides you with something even sweeter, His Word.

How sweet are your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth!

- Psalm 119:103

I am reminded of God’s love for me on this day, the very first valentine day when God sent His son to die for my sins on that Calvary cross! I Hope you will enjoy this Valentine Day’s message from DaySpring e-card below, have a blessed Valentine Day!

DaySpring E-Cards.

Categories Reflections
Author Lydia W

Map to God

7 Feb

source: http://www.mapsofworld.com/world-maps/world-map-for-kids.html

As much as the Bible is a book of truths, it is also a map to God. As Christians, we study & debate the map yet too often fail to make the journey

- Francis Frangipane

I can never appreciate the beauty & awe of the rainbow until I see it myself. No matter how well it has been photographed or described by the most charismatic story-teller, it is just not the same to be up close & personal. This is the same for me to truly know God. I need to experience God to grasp how wide, how long, how high & how deep is His love for me.

And I thank God for taking me on a expressway since I know Him 6 years ago. Some major events during this journey has opened my heart to see God’s grace at work in me & other people.

Year 0 => One-to-one discipleship for faith foundation building

Year 1 => Baptism.

Holy Land Bible Study Tour

Year 2 => Missions trip to Central Asia.

Begin bible study with BSF.

Year 3 => Begin Missions Candidate Training.

Praying & preparing for OneLife.OneYear missions initiative

Year 4 => Missions trip to East Timor.

Committed to OneLife.OneYear East Timor missions

Year 5 => Left commercial employment.

Joined OneLife.OneYear East Timor missions

Year 6 => Completed OneLife.OneYear East Timor missions.

Missions trip to Yunan, China.

Partnered EEFC in leading missions team to East Timor

Year 7 => Commiting 2nd year at East Timor missions (solo without a team)

It has not been plain sailing. The journey has been saddened by grief & hurt. My heart ached from abandonment, betrayal, disappointment, unjustly accusations, lost friendships. When I am down in the valleys & suffering, God stays with me. He comforts me & restores me in His LOVE. He has never left me nor forsaken me (Heb 13:5). I will never be able to bound back on my own. I regain my strength from His abiding Word. I can stand on my feet again!

God has allowed so much trials to happen not that He enjoys seeing me in pain but because He is preparing me for something He has planned even before I was born. I do not know when God will connect all the loose ends in my life so everything makes sense. Even if He does, I may not even know it. But this is not important. I only know that He is FAITHFUL & I trust that He will deliver His promise. This is good enough for me.

Therefore, it is my prayer that every Christian will take that leap of faith to encounter God, to allow God to restore those defective parts, to be whole again. Let us not contend ourselves with studying the facts of God but pro-actively seeking the face of God. Let us not be satisfied with a religion about Christ, without the reality of Christ but to experience His power & presence. It is only then can we truly say, “I know God. This is too good to keep it to myself. I want to tell the whole world. I want to go where God is sending me. I want to be God’s ambassador of LOVE!!!”

Because of His Grace,

Lydia

Singapore. 7.2.11

(PS: Reflection upon reading “The Shelter of the Most High” by Francis Frangipane)

Categories Reflections
Author Lydia W

Mestra Eskola

27 Jun

“Ita hakarak mai eskola no ajuda hau atu hanorin ingles?”

I was sipping the fragrant Maubisse coffee when the Mr C, vice-principal of the primary school asked this question, with a expectant look when we visited his home this morning. He was asking if we would like to help him teach English in the school.

We were pleasantly surprised by his request as we were just having a casual chat & not even talking what we liked to achieve in the next 2 months. This was the family that we were most concerned in terms of damaged relationship & had been praying for open doors to rebuild relationship before we leave in August.

As they lived opposite our temporary abode last year, they had observed much about what happened among the OLOY team members. They had also spent some time with members of the team but had some misconceptions about the reason(s) why the team broke up & left separately.

We were really thankful for their graciousness in not asking why the whole team left & then only 2 of us returned after 7 months. Instead they welcomed us back with open arms & even invited us to help teach English in the primary 6 class of 50 students. They had let the past go & focused on the present. This could only be possible because God is at work!

By day the LORD directs his love,
at night his song is with me—
a prayer to the God of my life.

- Psalm 42:8 (NIV)

As I look forward to be a school teacher (mestra eskola), 3 times a week, I rejoice at God’s goodness throughout the day and night, taking care of my worries & putting joy in my life. Thank YOU Jesus, I love you!

With love from Maubisse,

Lydia

27.6.2010

Categories EnglishClass, OneLife.OneYear
Author Lydia W

Tumbled

10 Jun

This morning when I was at the market, my shoe laces got entangled that I tripped and tumbled to the ground. R was horrified. Everyone was shocked. But no one laughed … & that was good.

A Timorese man came forward to help me up & he looked really worried if I was hurt badly. When I finally stood up after taking time to tie my shoe laces, and said “no problem”, many cheered! And that’s compassion.

I have heard many horrific story that people were robbed when in difficult situation (like this fall on the ground), but God has kept me safe from bad people & serious injury. I only had slight abrasion on my right knee & palms (which I used to break the fall).

There are people around us who are suffering.

Moved with compassion for their pain,

let’s be those who stop to help

– Marvin Williams

I have experienced compassion today from God & the community, I want to be just like the Samaritan in Luke 10:30-37.

With love from Maubisse,

Lydia

10.6.2010

Categories OneLife.OneYear
Author Lydia W

God’s Invitation

5 May

God has invited me to go back to Timor-Leste!!!

It has been 6 months now since my pre-mature return and today, the Church Board has given their blessings for R and me to go back to Maubisse to wrap up the one year short term mission.

The waiting period has not been easy. But I know God is teaching me patience. Many are surprised I could actually hang on until now without getting angry or bitter with God or the Church. I am surprised too. I could never do it without the grace of God. I am thankful God has been very generous to take time to mould me, to shape me and to prepare me for His kingdom works.

Jesus has said in John 4:34 that “My food is to do the will of him who sent me and to finish his work.” As Jesus has obeyed God to go to the cross, I am fulfilling my promise to God that I will go wherever He wants me and to join Him in whatever He is doing.

God is already doing the work as evidenced in the English class for kids when God brought the kids to the door. The Holy Spirit has been working among the people that they have been very friendly and helpful. God has even sent a culture helper whom I met at the hospital when I fractured my right foot! There are so much more to thank God and I am just grateful that He has called me back to Timor after this much needed period of rest and restoration.

Because of His grace,

Lydia

Categories OneLife.OneYear
Author Lydia W

Closure

1 May

Today marks the end of the One Life One Year East Timor 2009 team.

One Body. One Spirit (Eph 4:4)

Scripture passage from Acts 15 on disagreement between Paul and Barnabas set the tone for the closure meeting. In verse 39,

They had such a sharp disagreement that they parted company.

From this passage, we have been encouraged not to feel that we have failed because the team missions has to be terminated prematurely and now the team no longer exists. As careful as we can be in making intentional choices about communication & process, conflicts happnes. More so in a diverse team with different gender, age, maturity and experience. The stress levels go sky high when the team has to work & live together 24/7, in a foreign land with significantly different culture & living conditions.

I have learnt that the risk of sharing personal stories & struggles has created much conflict, misunderstandings and hindrance to team bonding & growth. Cultural fluency (not just of Timor-Leste’s but our very own) can be improved through self-awareness. There is much learning from the richness of diversity as well as team conflicts.

However, we need not despair that reconciliation will never happen under such circumstances. For we continue to explore Paul’s journey in Galatians 2:1 where his relationship with Barnabas has been rebuilt to a comfortable level to travel to Jerusalem together. But this took 14 long years!

So what can I say? God is in control. Throughout the whole ordeal, God did not leave me nor forsake me. When I was in deep anguish & confusion, I cried out to Him & He delivered me (Psalm 59). When I was hurting, He sent angels to comfort me, to encourage me, to support me and to help me in very tangible ways. I can never thank Him enough for His faithfulness (Psalm 91).

Yes, reconciliation is definitely possible when we place our hope in God. It’s only when we surrender to God’s will which includes His timing, He will bring to pass what He promises (Mark 13). But we must be patient. We cannot rush God. We cannot try to take over the driver’s seat with our secret plans. We must keep close to God to hear His heartbeat, to sense what He is doing and then to join Him in whatever He is doing. This is my prayer to the one true living God. Amen.

Because of His Grace,

Lydia