a New Year, New Semester

Happy new year everyone!! I know it's 26 days late, but hey, its still January right? There's the Chinese new year coming up anyway.

Welcome back to UTP, your second home, haha! It really is, since you'll spent a huge portion of your year over here. It's time that we got down with our books, our studies and maybe even getting active again in the clubs or events we've joined.

With a whole new year in front of us, there's a whole lot to do, and whole lot to look forward to. A new year always signifies another timeline in your life where its time to grow again, not just a year older, but to learn more from the experiences of your life.

Of course, as we want to grow, we've got to do the stuff that makes us grow! Also, I'm sure you'll want to make this year somewhat different than last year. If not, what's the point of living this year?!?

Pause for a moment and think about this, "What's going to be your part in history this year, and what are you going to do about it?" I think we all want to make some sort of impact somewhere, whether in our own lives or other people, so its good to take the time and find out what we want to do.

I just want to encourage everyone to be excited for what God is going to do in your life this year as well! Every day that you live is a gift from Him so be thankful that we've had this much time to spend under His love and grace. Deepen your relationship with him this year, reading the bible and praying for yourself and each other. Expect God to happen and God will do something good with your life this year.

As we begin to get busy once again, never forget God is always by your side, he will never leave or forsake you (Hebrews 13:5 & Deuteronomy 31:6). Be joyful that you belong to a loving Father who is mighty and strong to help you in everything that you do. Here's one verse I'd like to leave with you guys:

Phillipians 4:13

"I can do everything through Him who gives me strength."

Be strong and courageous, for God is with you! Have an awesome year ahead. =)

P/S: Amity Glow will be meeting soon, this Friday, we'll let you know once we have more details (time, venue, etc.). See you there!

Merry Christmas~

A few days ago, very unfortunately my mum’s car’s steering column faced some problems, producing a horrible-somewhat-scary noise whenever she turns at a junction. Instead of going to town, we took the turn to the mechanic’s place. Great, no more walking-around-town+shopping, in the end have to spend 2 hours at the mechanic’s place. Aduh, and the mechanic’s place is like, very far from town and there is nothing there except some mamak stalls. =.= So, we sat and waited for the mechanic to do his magic, while counting the cars that drove by and comment on their driving skills xD Then my mum suggested that we go read newspaper, borrow the mechanic’s mandarin newspaper… Nothing to do, then, ok lo…. It was a Sin Chew Jit Poh newspaper (if I am not mistaken). I flip flip flip, just glanced through, after a while I feel bored d… >< Then my mum threw me another section of the paper, it’s like the Star Magazine kinda section, a lot of forum and articles one… I just opened and flip like I did…until one particular page, I just stopped.

Blink blink.

There are two pages specially dedicated to testimonies about God! (The two pages were there cuz Christmas is near) I am surprised cuz, I mean, it is a national newspaper, wah can write these somewhat ‘religion-related’ things meh? Lol!

There were 6 testimonies, given by different Chinese families around Malaysia who has experienced God and blessed. Some testified about God’s miraculous healing, God’s blessing in their academic achievement, there were a few that testified how God has changed the attitude and character of family members after they all come to know Christ.

From the testimonies, I realized, most of them start from just one person in the family, mostly just like you and me. That one person first comes to know God, either through stubborn friends and neighbours who keeps inviting xD, or relatives who insist in bringing him/her to church, or cell groups in secondary school or university. When they go to church, slowly their parents and siblings join in too, and as years pass by, one by one their family members come to accept Jesus as their Lord and Saviour, got baptized and now experiencing changes in their attitude and even serving God in different ministries! I am really amazed, especially the part where ALL their family members come to know God! That has been my seems-like-very-hard-to-achieve wish, but hey, God can make it happen, He did for other families, why not mine?

I feel, very, wow-ed… To be truthful, being a Christian for almost 3 years, when I go home, I didn’t push myself to keep pestering my mum to let me join church when I am back at home. She always gives a lot of excuses and says hurtful things that put out my fire for God. In UTP, ah I have freedom mar, I go church or lead care group she wouldn’t know, can’t care less also cuz I am so far away. But back at home, I practically ditch all that and just stay at home because I got scared of offending my mum and eventually gave up in asking her if I can go church. That was for the first two years.

This time, I am blessed cuz my mum finally allowed me to go church! Hallelujah! Of course I will have to keep praying and keep asking her so that she will continue to let me go for the rest of the weeks until I am back in UTP and join Hope Ipoh pulak haha… But still, I feel happy cuz it is a start and I made it anyway! God showed me, if I don’t attend church and show good character in front of my family they won’t be convinced that Christ has transforming power. They won’t be able to see my lifestyle as a Christian, they probably won’t take me and my faith seriously if I don’t attend church. Suddenly, going to church while being at home has more meaning than ever! Ah Thank God for His grace.

Brothers and sisters, if you are the one and only at home like me, pray continually and challenge yourself to act boldly. God will do his good work. We are that one seed that God planted in our family. So let us be the salt and light~ On the other hand, if you are not the one and only at home, be a bold and ridiculously stubborn neighbour and friend too! Haha, invite your peers to church, cell group, church celebrations, you never know what wonders God can bring!

James 2:24-26 “You see that a person is justified by what he does and not by faith alone. In the same way, was not even Rahab the prostitute considered righteous for what she did when she gave lodging to the spies and sent them off in a different direction? As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead.”


People, let amity glow now!

Merry Christmas~!!! :D

Merry Christmas~

A few days ago, very unfortunately my mum’s car’s steering column faced some problems, producing a horrible-somewhat-scary noise whenever she turns at a junction. Instead of going to town, we took the turn to the mechanic’s place. Great, no more walking-around-town+shopping, in the end have to spend 2 hours at the mechanic’s place. Aduh, and the mechanic’s place is like, very far from town and there is nothing there except some mamak stalls. =.= So, we sat and waited for the mechanic to do his magic, while counting the cars that drove by and comment on their driving skills xD Then my mum suggested that we go read newspaper, borrow the mechanic’s mandarin newspaper… Nothing to do, then, ok lo…. It was a Sin Chew Jit Poh newspaper (if I am not mistaken). I flip flip flip, just glanced through, after a while I feel bored d… >< Then my mum threw me another section of the paper, it’s like the Star Magazine kinda section, a lot of forum and articles one… I just opened and flip like I did…until one particular page, I just stopped.

Blink blink.

There are two pages specially dedicated to testimonies about God! (The two pages were there cuz Christmas is near) I am surprised cuz, I mean, it is a national newspaper, wah can write these somewhat ‘religion-related’ things meh? Lol!

There were 6 testimonies, given by different Chinese families around Malaysia who has experienced God and blessed. Some testified about God’s miraculous healing, God’s blessing in their academic achievement, there were a few that testified how God has changed the attitude and character of family members after they all come to know Christ.

From the testimonies, I realized, most of them start from just one person in the family, mostly just like you and me. That one person first comes to know God, either through stubborn friends and neighbours who keeps inviting xD, or relatives who insist in bringing him/her to church, or cell groups in secondary school or university. When they go to church, slowly their parents and siblings join in too, and as years pass by, one by one their family members come to accept Jesus as their Lord and Saviour, got baptized and now experiencing changes in their attitude and even serving God in different ministries! I am really amazed, especially the part where ALL their family members come to know God! That has been my seems-like-very-hard-to-achieve wish, but hey, God can make it happen, He did for other families, why not mine?

I feel, very, wow-ed… To be truthful, being a Christian for almost 3 years, when I go home, I didn’t push myself to keep pestering my mum to let me join church when I am back at home. She always gives a lot of excuses and says hurtful things that put out my fire for God. In UTP, ah I have freedom mar, I go church or lead care group she wouldn’t know, can’t care less also cuz I am so far away. But back at home, I practically ditch all that and just stay at home because I got scared of offending my mum and eventually gave up in asking her if I can go church. That was for the first two years.

This time, I am blessed cuz my mum finally allowed me to go church! Hallelujah! Of course I will have to keep praying and keep asking her so that she will continue to let me go for the rest of the weeks until I am back in UTP and join Hope Ipoh pulak haha… But still, I feel happy cuz it is a start and I made it anyway! God showed me, if I don’t attend church and show good character in front of my family they won’t be convinced that Christ has transforming power. They won’t be able to see my lifestyle as a Christian, they probably won’t take me and my faith seriously if I don’t attend church. Suddenly, going to church while being at home has more meaning than ever! Ah Thank God for His grace. 

Brothers and sisters, if you are the one and only at home like me, pray continually and challenge yourself to act boldly. God will do his good work. We are that one seed that God planted in our family. So let us be the salt and light~  On the other hand, if you are not the one and only at home, be a bold and ridiculously stubborn neighbour and friend too! Haha, invite your peers to church, cell group, church celebrations, you never know what wonders God can bring!

James 2:24-26 “You see that a person is justified by what he does and not by faith alone. In the same way, was not even Rahab the prostitute considered righteous for what she did when she gave lodging to the spies and sent them off in a different direction? As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead.”


People, let amity glow now!

Merry Christmas~!!! :D

Attennnn-tion!

To privates Belden, Mellissa and Daphnee, hope you charge up during this break. Go through the prep manuals that I gave each of you, discipline yourself and meditate on the Word. I also know that private Daphnee has some personal duty that she has to attend to, which will bring her back to the war field earlier, so fellow comrades please continue to keep her in prayer and keep in touch through radio and telegram.

To Lieutenant Richard, continue to press on, we wish you all the best in your future endeavours, hope you take down the far away land victoriously, waist buckled with belt of truth, feet fitted with readiness, armed with shield of faith, helmet of salvation and sword of the Spirit. All the best!

To Lieutenant Commander Christon, just so you know, we anticipate your return from the distant war zone. Make good use of the little time left. We await good news from you!

That is all for now.
Thank you for your attention. This is your Commander Yen Pinng speaking.

Cheers.

Small fish, Big dish

Hey guys, it's been awhile since we last updated. We have reached the December flow, marking holidays for we Malaysians. But that does not stop us from connecting :D We just came back from the 14th MNC & GC and back to our respective home sweet home, our cozy cribs and alike. It was an aawwesoaoaoaome experience to remember and they gave a great feeling for 1st timers like me.
Maybe someone can get to that part later cause' right now I could not help it but to share this small testimonial regarding a small event that happened before the MNC. Don't get the title wrong, I just couldn't think of any other way to attract you guys other than a food related title xD

It all started when me and Yik Chieng were done with packing and making our room like it has just been robbed (cleared out to be exact), and it was our turn to move these baggage to the Ministry House. A safe place to store our stuff and it is only just a short distance away from UTP. After placing and loading our stuffs into the good ol'snow van, we set out to make a pit stop at the IRC to drop off a book to be returned. After that is done, we roll our way down through bumpy-slope road of the Chancelor Complex.

It occurred to Yik Chieng to search for something in the front seat's drop-down drawer and he scrambled through the drawer's contents. But since dark was the night, his senses of touch was not able to reach for what he was seeking. Requesting for my assistance in his search, he asked me to look for a key - the key to the Ministry House. I took out my handphone and turned on the light. I scavenged through the many treasures and junks in the compartment, but to my dismay I could not find what a key may have looked like.

I turned to him and asked, "What does it look like?"
The driver replied, "A key with a wooden key chain."
I resumed my search and found a wooden plate, but no key was attached to it. It did not even resemble the familiar key of the Ministry House I remembered.
"This one? Erm, nope. Can't be. Other than that I don't see any other keys."
Yik Chieng, this time I felt a sense of panic in his voice. "What? You sure? Don't scare me, man."
I kept silent, still looking through the opened drawer of the front seat. But my find did not have results to turn this panic around.

Yik Chieng was murmuring words of memories, interpreting that he remembered he had brought back the key and kept it safely - somewhere in the van. But doubts came upon slightly on his memory. 'Could he really have?' Well, he went to Tronoh with Jun Yi before this trip. But might he have dropped it somewhere along the way?

I forward the question to him, "Do you remember where you last put it? Try to retrace back the steps, the places you have been to."
Yik Chieng was deep in thought as flashbacks of the afternoon day scream through his mind. He looked troubled but kept driving. I just kept quiet, keeping my cool. Trying not stir up additional worry.
We were at the guard house by now, near the UTP entrance gates. After getting clearance, Yik Chieng decided to pull over at the bus stop outside to do a quick scan. He checked his seat first and his area. He later asked me to get down to check my seat. I got down to view the inside of the van for any shiny stuff that might reflect the key's image.

Seemed like a bad time to lose the key at this hour of the night when shadows casted much darkness to limit our vision , and when it also had to be our turn to move the stuffs. I also felt alil' bad inside for not helping Yik Chieng moved the stuffs earlier that noon when he was helping others. If not, I would be able to see where he might have put the keys.

So I was thinking, what would people do at a time like this? The answer is - pray. Obvious to some, but I uttered a small prayer in my heart, "Will God help us all." The funny thing that happened was, right after I completed that sentence, Yik Chieng turned around to face me and sigh. But in his hand was something gleaming against the orange glow of the street lamps. He smiled. That's right. It was the Ministry House keys.

I was surprised and waited for Yik Chieng to answer 'where and how you found it'. He said, " It was stuck in between the drawer's right side of the support." Now, how could we have not seen that earlier? xD We got back into the van and made our way to the house to be unlocked. Yik Chieng gave a sigh, "Haiz, I'm so stupid." I could not help it but to smile at the flowing wind coming from my side window. No, I don't think Yik Chieng is stupid. I just thought how this event of panic can turn into a sigh of relief. And that my prayer was answered near instant. Although it may be small occurance, but I just could not help it but to pen this down. That no matter how small a prayer is, God can hear it, receive it and answer it :D

Well, that's all from me for now. Enjoy your holidays guys while you still can. And to those going on internship namely Richard, Vern, Eddy - all the best to you guys! :D

Cycling~

And this was what we did last CG:



Although that was like, two weeks ago, haha, still remember the moments, although no one have bicycle of their own(except brother chee lim), everyone's dedication made the morning-cycling-UTP Block5 CG possible!

Awesome Amity Glow-ers!:D

;)