SG's Testimony 22 Oct 06

(Spoken during Sunday services at Hope Church Singapore)

Hi! My name is Soo Guan or Simon, and I am working as an IT Network engineer. Today, I am here to tell you a love story.

The story started many moons ago, when someone gave me a love letter in Junior College 1. The impression I had then was “Wow, someone can love me so much!” But the culture was very foreign to me. So, I said to myself, “I believe in God but I can’t accept His love”

The second encounter I had with this love was about 10 years later, when a friend gave me a Bible for Christmas. After reading the first few chapters, I was very disturbed by the violence documented, including incidents whereby God told the Israelites to kill people. So, again I ran away.

The third time I was touched by His love was Easter 2003. I attended a friend’s church where they put up a drama about the last day of Jesus’ life. I was very touched by it. So began a year of questioning.

I attended church services intermittently, but was only drawn to the sermons and not the praise-worship songs. You see, I am a very rational person. And the first impression I have about Christians’ faith is that it has no place for reason!

During this period, I asked many challenging questions (e.g. in the Old Testament, God stated many laws. How come we are not obeying all of them today? Who decide? Church leaders?). I like to use this opportunity to thank people in my care group then, especially Joel & Evelyn, who explained patiently & bear with my tough questions.

During a tough time in 2004, I was really, really down. I challenged Jesus, “You show me the way you want me to go, and I’ll follow”. The very next day, I attended a friend’s church service where the pastor preached about taming our tongues from the book of James. He mentioned that “many times, when people went forward for altar calls, they were very passionate in front of God. But a few weeks later, all was forgotten.” He reminded us not to promise things to God casually/offhandedly. And when we did, we must honour them. I took it that God was reminding, “Remember what you promise me the day before?”!! So, I promised myself not to take my promise lightly.

From then on, I searched more about His love in my heart rather than in my head. So instead of the conventional method of “Seeing is Believing”, I tried “Believing is Seeing”. I believed that God did something in between, because after 3 months or so, I decided to follow Him. I went for my water baptism in May 2003 as a show of my love for Him publicly. I chose “Simon” as my Christian name, after the only man who carried Jesus’ cross.

I made the choice because someone else chose to love me even before I know Him; because He loved me before I love Him.

Many moons later, I still have tons of unanswered questions. But I believe that He will reveal more to me in His time. I can understand the Bible better, especially when I use both my mind and my heart to unearth the treasures within. When I open my heart, the knowledge will just come. I’ll end this love story with a verse from Matthew 10:38-39, which spoke to me during my search many moons ago:

Anyone who does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me. Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.

I wish you “Happy Cross Carrying”!

Wedding Stuff

SG was house-keeping his computer & came across several good websites on wedding he found last year. So want to share them with people who are planning:


Wedding Photography

Everafter Photography- they do interesting journalistic wedding day photography

Choosing a Wedding Photographer- interesting article on JuzWeddings.com

Choosing a Wedding Photographer- interesting article on JuzWeddings.com

Diamonds

FAQ on Diamonds

Wedding Forums
These can be great source of recommendations, tips and what to look out for. But do take things as 'for info only'.

ido.com.sg- an active forum on all wedding stuff in Singapore

SingaporeBrides.com- good article on photography too

prep2wed.com

bridalsingapore.com- seems to focus on wedding planning

Housing

CPF Resale Transactions Website- a guide on the latest resale flat transactions, down to block number!

Misc

Tecman Gifts

Chinese Calendar- being a Christian, I don't believe in choosing a good date. But we don't want to chose a date (eg. Hungry Ghost Festival) when our guests don't want to come right?

Chinese Bible

SGH Health Screening Centre- you may also want to check out family GPs to see if can provide the same deal at lower prices.

Who's right?

SG met his old friend for lunch. She was sharing why she left her former church. Her dad was giving her lots of pressure before her wedding, wanting her to give up Christainity. Her cell group leader and rest of friends not supportive. They refuse to come to her wedding, most prob 'cos they don't really approve her marrying a non-Christian.

Luckily, her good friend still supports her and allows his cell people to attend her wedding. In fact, she said, "I got more support from my husband than all my so-called Christ brothers & sisters."

Yes, it may be necc to make a stand on not wanting people to marry non-Christians, out of love. But when the storm is blowing so hard for her (so much so that she had to tell her father-in-law to expect her own dad not attending her wedding), isn't it more important to "love thy neighbours", aka stand by your fellow child of God?

Of cos, easier said than done. Esp when one's a leader & people will look up to your action. Maybe that's why her cell leader had to say "No" to her even when my friend asked her to come as a friend, not a church leader.

What can SG do for her? She said, "pray for me". Yes, SG will. And he will get Karen to do so too. In times like this, really remind SG of the song "Blessed Be Your Name" (esp the Bridge), which is based on the Book of Job.

Blessed be You name in the land that is plentiful
Where Your streams of abundance flow Blessed be Your name
And blessed be Your name when I'm found in the desert place
Though I walk through the wilderness Blessed be Your name


Every blessing You pour out I'll turn back to praise
And when the darkness closes in, Lord Still I will say

(Chorus)
Blessed be the name of the Lord
Blessed be Your name
Blessed be the name of the Lord
Blessed be Your glorious name

Blessed be Your name when the sun's shining down on me
When the world's "all as it should be" Blessed be Your name
And blessed be Your name on the road marked with suffering
Though there's pain in the offering Blessed be Your name


(Bridge)
You give and take away
You give and take away
My heart will choose to say
Lord, blessed be Your name

Roller Blading

Haven't went down to East Coast for many moons. Really inspired by this clip from Jeff to go down one of these days...

细水长流

SG met two very old VJC friends while on S2006 duties. Wow, 15 years since we knew one another and about 10 since we last met. Yes, we all got caught up so easily in our job, getting married, etc. And when we look back at the end of life's journet, what really matter? Really reminds me of 梁文福 song:

年少时候，谁没有梦，无意之中，你将心愿透露。
就在你生日的时候，我将小小口琴送，最难忘记，你的笑容。
友情的细水慢慢流，流进了你我的心中。
曾在球场边为你欢呼，你跌伤我背负。
夜里流星飞渡，想象着他日的路途，晚风听着我们壮志无数。

年少时候，谁没有愁，满腔愤概，唯有你能听得懂。
每当我失意的时候，你将那首歌吹奏，琴声悠悠，解我轻忧。
岁月的细水满满流，流到了别离的时候。
轻拍你的肩，听我说朋友不要太惆怅。
霓虹纵然再嚣张，我们的步履有方向，成败不论切莫将昔日遗忘。

多年以后，又再相逢，我们都有了疲倦的笑容。
问一声我的朋友，何时再为我吹奏。是否依旧，是否依旧。
人生的际遇千百种，但有知心长相重。人愿长久，水愿长流，年少时候。

But do we really have to 多年以后，问一声我的朋友，何时再为我吹奏，是否依旧??

The fast pace of Singapore's society is sometimes really scary. So scary that we miss out people relationships seem to matter less & less. Likely for SG, he knows that there's a relationship that he can continue building till the end of life's journey. Yes, like what he shared with Joel, SG is still missing 2 key components in his Christian walk. But it will change. It will. It must. And it will be done.