A Love Letter

Hi everyone,

Firstly, thank you for the absolutely gorgeous Mother's Day flowers! It was unexpected and I'm truly touched and blessed to work with all of you folks! Now I feel the extra pressure for me to set an even better example for wam people? Ha ha ha...Or is it a conspiracy?

On a more serious note, I want to remind everyone that when we come together for rehearsals, especially Fridays, it's really a worship session and not just a practice. Perhaps, different leaders have different expectations and working styles. But if there are 2 practices...Tuesday should be working out the more technical aspects so that when Friday comes, we can focus on the dynamics, flow and 'feel' of the whole song sequence. So, I can understand when musicians talk 'taugeh', the singers/choir do tend to 'switch off' and get distracted with other things. Admittedly, I'm equally guilty of mucking around too much at times...pai se...:0( But when it comes to honouring and worshipping God...then definitely..don't play play! (And sorry for being a bit short-fused for those who felt Mama-Jac's wrath...for those who didn't...wah...quite thick-skinned hor??? Ha ha ha ha..just kidding!)

Just as I shared with the team this morning on 1 Samuel 3...it's possible for us to minister before the Lord as Samuel did...and yet not know Him intimately or recognise His voice...until that turning point when we learn to recognise God's voice, know His presence and follow His leading. That's when the real appointing and anointing comes! It is my prayer and desire for all of us to draw closer and nearer to God each day...and as we do so...continue to strive for excellence in our giftings!

It's a privilege to serve God with all of you!

Jac.

This Song In My Heart

This song has been playing in my head for the past few days for some strange reason. It's even stranger that I can recall the lyrics (well..I hope most of it anyway?) and melody after more than a decade. A guy named Edmund Wong wrote it for an OCF camp in Adelaide in 1991 (I think?). Very meaningful words indeed...a declaration of faith and prayer...

You placed my soul

By rivers of life

My stronghold in You

My confident trust

No valley shall dry

No mountain shall move

My heart from loving You

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Make me a rock to stand for You

Your Kingdom come on earth in me

Faithful and true unto Thy Name

Founded in love eternally

You Alone Are Worthy of Praise

I will give thanks to the Lord my God

I will sing of Your grace

I will worship with all of my heart

For You alone are worthy of praise

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For Your faithfulness

And never failing love

Touches me more than any word

Though Your majesty

Reaches far beyond the heavens

Yet You came to rescue me

Holy Spirit Rain Down

Holy Spirit rain down

Set my heart on fire

Teach me to pray and to obey

I want to walk with You everyday

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Holy Spirit rain down

Set me free to worship

I want to praise, my hands I will raise

I want to give my life to You

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For my heart and my soul

Already belong to You my Lord

Spirit come take control

Day and night I cry to You

Ms. Husky Voice

The period of real testing came when my voice disappeared overnight! It was fine on Wednesday and then, by Thursday morning...Wham! Gone!...and I could only croak like a frog (or worse?). It was a rather strange phenomenon because I didn't have a sore throat or flu then. At first, I thought it was only a temporary setback and I would regain my voice soon enough. But as days...then weeks wore on...I was seriously wondering whether it's actually permanent change to being Ms. Husky Voice??!!

Besides being handy while making prank calls to friends, there's really nothing very good about having a husky voice. Some people say it's sexy...hmmm...I doubt they'll call it that if they are the ones going through the agony?? I eventually ended up drowning my sorrows with tons of "liang cha", honey lemon, coconut juice, water chestnut...but at last!...all that failed to revive my voice. It was probably...very likely...conclusively sabotaged by the junk food that remained part of my staple diet...ha ha ha!

So after being in this sad and sorry state for TWO months, all I can say is...Thank God the ordeal is finally over! And I hope NEVER to lose my voice this badly again...

Salvation Story

Heaven and the earth

Could not contain Him

Abba Father is His Name

For He first loved me

Before I ever knew

That someday He would be my friend

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The universe is His canopy

And He paints the sky on His canvas

So I will bow before the King of kings

Surrender my life to Him

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Maker of all things

He sent His only Son

To take away my sin and shame

On the cross He took my place

And this is how I know

That someday I will be with Him