24 June 2013 - The start of a new journey

The end of my holidays. Hello work! Thank God for the past 2.5mths of travelling, working..

Started off with orientation in the morning (: Then settled down at my lovely desk before my supervisor brought me out for lunch. my buddy was on leave. 

Met Lynn! She's just a few cubicles away from mine (: 

The pantry is just behind my cubicle! 

Thank God for really nice colleagues and the working environment is welcoming and open too!

The free mrt travel started today but there wasn't much of a difference when i boarded at 7.45am. 

The security guard in the building is so sweet too! when she was registering my ID she called me darling. 

Great weather, great start to my working life!

The Lord is GOOD! 

Another Year is dawning..

One of my favourite hymns sung at watchnight every year (: 

Another year is dawning, dear Father, let it be
In working or in waiting, another year with Thee.
Another year of progress, another year of praise,
Another year of proving Thy presence all the days.

Another year of mercies, of faithfulness and grace,
Another year of gladness in the shining of Thy face;
Another year of leaning upon Thy loving breast;
Another year of trusting, of quiet, happy rest.

Another year of service, of witness for Thy love,

Another year of training for holier work above.
Another year is dawning, dear Father, let it be
On earth, or else in Heaven, another year for Thee.

Saying goodbye to unforgettable 2012..welcoming 2013!

2012 has been one the best years of my life, after 2005.

God gave me the opportunity to go on a 6 mth exchange to Budapest. I'm truly thankful for the various experiences - studying, making new friends from all over the world, finding a church/bible study, travelling!!! Looking back, i'm amazed at how i managed to live independently and planned for my travels. God provides and sustains!

I came back early August and was swamped with new and challenging responsibilities. Taking on the role as Peer Helper coordinate took up a lot of my time and energy but i'm thankful for a fun-loving and cooperative team. We made major changes to the structure which we will be executing in 2013. Our wellness centre is also undergoing major construction and is set to be ready by April 2013.
This sem was mentally draining especially in the first few weeks of school. Think i was quite stressed in week 2 and 3 and was still adjusting back to life in SMU. But things got better and crunch time came after break week again! In my 4 years in SMU, this is the first sem i managed to go overseas!! Went to Malacca with the PHCs for recee trip.
This was a different sem - didn't step into the library much. I was in school everyday. Took a horror mod which i didn't know what was happening but God prevailed and i did better than expected!
I decided to sign up for a Campus Mission Trip with campus crusade for Christ to Kaohsiung. We started planning from break week! On top of that, i was involved in the planning of SS camp(as a mentor).
For both, many things were uncertain but we planned and prayed for God's will to be done.
Going to Kaohsiung for campus mission definitely placed me out of my comfort zone. Speaking in Mandarin was a REAL challenge. But God turned my weakness into a strength as students showed interest in listening to me and my broken Singaporean chinese. I've learnt to cast out all fear and anxieties and to lean wholly on God.

Thank God for sustaining my family and that my bro still has his job as there was a scare in Oct. Still praying for my father who needs to rely on the Lord more and set his eyes on things that are eternal.
For all that has happened in 2012, all glory to God! (:

My prayer for 2013: To continue trusting God for His plans for me, that my joy will not be dependent on circumstances but knowing that joy comes from the Lord. To be more prayerful and be a guide to my sunday school students.

                                                       Closest friends made in Budapest!

                                                          Peer Helpers Coordinators

                                                                                  YAF!

                                                     My Taiwan Mission Trip team!

                                                                          Family (:

Psalm 28:7 "The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusted in him, and I am helped: therefore my heart greatly rejoiceth; and with my song will I praise him."

Be Strong In the Lord

Chanced upon a blog post from Rachel's Blog (in 2008)..a song of encouragement to me even as I await to take my final paper which falls during SS camp..

Be Strong in the Lord

Be strong in the Lord, and be of good courage;
Your mighty Defender is always the same.
Mount up with wings, as the eagle ascending;
Victory is sure when you call on His name.

Be strong, be strong, be strong in the Lord;
And be of good courage, for He is your guide. 
Be strong, be strong, be strong in the Lord;
And rejoice for the victory is yours.

So put on the armor the Lord has provided,
And place your defense in His unfailing care. 
Trust Him for He will be with you in battle,
Lighting your path to avoid every snare.

Be strong, be strong, be strong in the Lord;
And be of good courage, for He is your guide.
Be strong, be strong, be strong in the Lord;
And rejoice for the victory is yours.

Be strong in the lord, and be of good courage; 
Your mighty Commander will vanquish the foe.
Fear not the battle for the victory is always His;
He will protect you wherever you go. 
Be strong, be strong, be strong in the Lord;
And be of good courage, for He is your guide.
Be strong, be strong, be strong in the Lord;
And rejoice for the victory is yours.

Blogging for the first time as a 21 year old

Today, I decided to read my previous blog posts, from all the way back in 2004 when i was just sec 2. Reading those posts really brings back memories and laughter (seeing how childish i was then) !

God has been good! I'm finally 21 years old, into my 3rd year in Uni and graduating in 2013. And i will step into working life..what next?

Am thankful to God for many things that has happened all these years..how He placed me in different schools and made different friends - some of whom have been really beloved friends of mine till today. In SMU, i must admit its tough but i'm surviving! Ask any other SMU student and see if they sleep before 12am every night and wake up at 6am? It will be rare to find one. But i am proud to be one of them (: (This doesnt mean i slack okay! ahah) Going into SMU has definitely changed my perspectives. Managing expectations, what do i set to achieve in life? are grades everything? are your groupmates just a means to get good grades?

God has showed my that He is able to give me beyond what i expect, though at times i get upset with certain things that happen. In year 1 sem 1, i managed to get into the Namaste IV team despite so many people signing up! God allowed me to forge new friendships and up till today we are still close friends (: In the beginning of this year, I was looking out for summer internships. Applied for a few, went for 3 different interviews..God closed the first 2 doors, BUT He opened a better door for me! And that was an internship i felt that i had the least chance of getting. On top of that, I was able to apply leave and go for church camp in June - something the other 2 companies didn't allow. The experience and friendships forged with my colleagues were simply amazing and God-given. Next, I applied for exchange(Hunagary being my first choice). When i applied, i wasnt confident of securing a space in Hungary because there were only 2 slots. But God prevailed and I gt a space to study in Hungary! I'm sure as time passes, God will continue to show His power and that He is in control of my life.

I have to constantly remind myelf to count my blessings and see what God has done, rather than dwelling on failures and missed opportunities...

Till then...

Jaime

Theme song for year 2011

I decided to stick with the same theme verse and song for the year 2011! (:

Close to Thee
Thou my everlasting Portion, more than friend or life to me,
All along my pilgrim journey, Savior, let me walk with Thee.
Close to Thee, close to Thee, close to Thee, close to Thee,
All along my pilgrim journey, Savior, let me walk with Thee.

Not for ease or worldly pleasure, nor for fame my prayer shall be;
Gladly will I toil and suffer, only let me walk with Thee.
Close to Thee, close to Thee, close to Thee, close to Thee,
Gladly will I toil and suffer, only let me walk with Thee.

Lead me through the vale of shadows, bear me over life’s fitful sea;
Then the gate of life eternal may I enter, Lord, with Thee.
Close to Thee, close to Thee, close to Thee, close to Thee,
Then the gate of life eternal may I enter, Lord, with Thee

Colossians 3:23-24 (King James Version)
23And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men;
24Knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance: for ye serve the Lord Christ.

My work and travel experience!

My work and travel experience!

Did a video on my summer 2010 in the US! will post up on FB in a few days time. Whoever passes my blog within this few days have the privilege of seeing it before the rest!!! (:

Give me your comments because im sending it for competition!

WORK IN US!(:

Finally found time to blog after 3 weeks spent in the US! Time really flies man. Lots of things have happened over these short 3 weeks here! work has been fine so far..was given a lot of hrs the past 3 weeks! God has been my provider ever since i gt my money and camera stolen, losing my HP and IPOD at HK airport. My first paycheck came in, and indeed God has been gd! (:

Made new friends, bumped into both nce and nasty customers. I work at HOT POTATO in cedar point and i practically do everything there! slicing potatoes, frying fries,carrying, washing and handling the cash register!! (:

I finally found time to go to the park and enjoy the last 2 days! (: having loads of funnnnn! shopping at walmart is another joy!

Attending church the past 2 weeks was awesome too! glad to meet christians in the US and have fellowship with them! they are really friendly ppl! (:

But planning my travel after and during work is a hassle....still planning!!

But i know time is gna fly and soon i'll be back in Singapore! (: