Lleinycake's Xanga

2007 Reflections and 2008

Mon, 31 Dec 2007 13:47:24 GMT

I managed to not write any entries in 2007 other than the one I wrote on January 1. =P

******2007******

1) Joy – God has been good to me. He restores my heart with true joy, and constantly reminds me to find joy in Him. I feel that the “transparent block” between God and me is shrinking. Praise God for all the people He has placed in my life as I continue to grow in this area:

- Chinatown Women Prayer Group – who show me how powerful prayers in the Spirit are

- Mike – never gives up on encouraging me.

- CCBC – my second family

- Hope Christian – an angel at my workplace

- My family – who witness my growth, and become more accepting to me moving to NYC

- My friends in HK or from CMU – my prayer warriors

2) Guitar – I failed in this. Too lazy to practice. =P However, did make improvements in playing the jimbay.

3) Dance for God – God answers prayers.

I attended the Word in Motion Urban Dance Festival in LA in June. It was amazing and truly inspiring. I prayed for God’s provision of another fellow dancer of God, and He brought Shirley Wang into my life. We hung out at Cosi, shared our visions about dance ministry (which are pretty much in line with each other’s), prayed for each other, and danced together at CCBC’s coffeehouse.

In October, I met this group of young people who attend Vineyard Fellowship in Flushing. For 2 months, we worked on a step dance and a HipHop dance together for a Christmas outreach in Flushing Mall on 12/22. They did great and reminded me how joyful it is to dance for God even when practices are tough.

The Men’s Fellowship and one of our Sunday School students from CCBC also did a dance at the Christmas Program. Message was – “True meaning of Christmas is not about presents, stockings, santa claus, nor toys… but spending time with family and friends in the presence of God”.

4) Calling home

Most of the week I did call 2-3 times a week. But there were times when I was less consistent about this. Really need to spend more time talking to my Grandma.

Good thing is that every time my parents and I talk, conversations are having more quality. We cherish the moments where we can talk, and spend less time arguing about little stuff. They see that I’ve matured a lot during my time in NYC, and they understand better what kind of person I am. They have been trusting me more in my decisions about life. I hope that they’ll see that all these are from Jesus.

5) Others

Went to CCBC Retreat the past weekend. It was great!!! I love my brothers and sisters in this Church. I have faith that God is doing great things through us and will continue to lead us to the right direction.

In the first worship session, as I was praying, I felt that God was talking to me, reminding to stop focusing on little frustrations in my life, and to start looking at the bigger plans He has for me and the people around me. Yea... I have been pretty selfish lately, always being discontent with things in my life. But they are so tiny when compared to God’s Kingdom.

My desire: to enjoy life to the fullest through Christ Jesus.

******2008******

1) Joy (persevere!)

2) Call home (especially Grandma) more frequently

3) Be a better and more supportive girlfriend. Pray more for Mike’s ministries and career when we do not get to spend time together, but cherish and enjoy the moments when we get to be together.

4) Build up a dance worship team in NYC with the empowerment from the Spirit

5) Guitar (don’t give up!)

Guess what… I think the next time I write will be a year from now. =P

2006-2007

Mon, 01 Jan 2007 14:13:07 GMT

Happy New Year everyone!
It's so warm and fuzzy to see everyone typing up there "2006 reviews" and "2007 resolutions". I feel that it's the time of the year where no matter how lazy we are, we will use our brain for the last time in the old year, and the first time in the new year, to ponder upon what's going on in our lives.. and not just striving forward non-stop aimlessly.

Okay... so I'm gonna do that too here:

******2006******
1) Being challenged by God with the issue of joy. Through this struggle, I have seen God strengthening my faith and reminding me that He is the ONLY source of joy, and He puts that in my heart, not in people, things, or circumstances. Though going through the ups and downs was really painful, I do find myself being closer to God now. At this point, I feel that the transparent block (this is the analogy I always use for this issue) being God and me is finally moving away little by litte. There is hope.

2) Revolve - co-leading our church's dance team with Gabby and Judith has been so much fun, love, tears, sweat, blessings, etc... I feel that Revolve being tenderly nurtured by the Spirit, and is now beautifully blooming despite the attacks from the devil. Biggest highlight will be the miracle that happened during the Live Album Recording in May, where God saved us from being electrocuted when we were dancing in the "rain & waterfall" (water curtain got triggered off on stage) onstage.

3) Missions trip to Beijing and Inner Mongolia - God loves China. Being able to interact with the orphans, middle school students, and college students there, remind me how blessed I have always been. The plane ride from Beijing back to HK, where we met and prayed for/with the group of HK students who were just traumatized by a traffic accident was a faith booster. We are missionaries wherever we are, not just during missions trip.

4) New York City - so yea, I'm here now... semi-permanently I guess. But I just wanna say... Wow!!! God, you really made it happen!!!!

5) Relationships - so.. the moving to NYC did cause some complications with my relationship with my family and Mike.... Parents-wise, we got into more fights (oops!) but at the end of the day, we got to understand each other more, and I also see forgiveness (both sides) coming along with the understanding.... Sibling-wise, this year is definitely the year I've had the most real conversations with my older brother... he's an awesome smart bro. I love him and I know he loves me too. I'm really touched by how much he's done to help me get settled down here in NYC.... Grandma-wise, it's really sad to leave her in HK... please pray for her joy, health, and abiding in Christ, and for my self-discipline and calling her and praying for her... Mike-wise... we experienced some really really bad times in 2006... but God is good. He teaches me the big lesson of relying on Him more than anyone else, and He's the only Rock that we could build our relationship upon.

6) Work - transferred from HK to NYC. Thank God for all the coworkers I have met in HK, the personal relationships He's allowed me to build there, and mostly for the two sisters in Christ I've know through work, Cheris and Bertha. Encouraged. Have also met a super nice boss here in NYC. Work hours have changed from 8:30-??? to 6:30-6:30, which is not bad. Met Hope in the NY office. She is an answer to my prayer: a female Christian co-worker.

******2007******
1) Joy
2) Guitar
3) Dance for God
4) Call home at least 3 times a week (trying to do it everyday!)
5) ?? always leaving a buffer for God's sudden "firedrills"

Thank you for reading to this point and for caring about what's been going on in my life.

Have a blessed 2007!

He Who Began - The Bauers

Thu, 16 Nov 2006 03:58:12 GMT

All the fruits of your labors
don't seem like much
You're tired of trying
And so close to giving up
but don't, please don't

CHORUS:
He who began a good work in you
He is the One who'll see it through
So press on, 'til the day
you'll see it made complete

Wanna change your direction
Tired of beatin' this drum
Feel you don't have what it takes
But the gifts you've been given
are no mistake
if you'll just wait in faith

REPEAT CHORUS

BRIDGE:
In these times, when the winds are howling
The clouds turn dark and the seas swell
Take heart, you've got a friend in Jesus
who'll help you finish well

REPEAT CHORUS

Friday, November 03, 2006

Fri, 03 Nov 2006 23:14:11 GMT

I am in New York.
My Mom is here too... for a month or so, will try to spend more time with her while she's here.
Hopefully can find an apartment soon..... rent is $$$$$$$$$
($_$)"

hehe... =D

It's coming true... sooo true...

Wed, 18 Oct 2006 12:05:27 GMT

I have got my US work visa.
I have shipped 16 boxes of things over.
I have got my October 30 plane ticket to NYC, a one-way ticket.
I have been informed about where I am going to stay.
I have cleared my HK tax.
I have talked to US PWC on US tax.
I have bought some more winter clothes.

Am I in a dream? Or is it a dream come true?
Am I really leaving HK and going to NYC for good?

WOW!

I definitely will miss HK a lot.... all the memories here... I think it'll be a good idea to just spend some time with God and reminisce about all that has happened here... might be a lil emotional.. but this will remind me about how great God has been.

I am amazed by all the things that God has made happen in my life... and I will be amazed by what He will continue to do in my life...

I love you, Lord.

IMPORTANT UPDATES!

Sun, 17 Sep 2006 11:32:40 GMT

Echoing the previous entry.. YEA! I absolutely certainly definitely undoubtfully still dance.... Revolve!
=) Jesus, I love You. Thank You for dancing with us!

Okay.. now... I have an annoucement.

I am moving to New York City for good... 80% confidence that I will be starting my work there on October 30, 2006. My goals for the remaining few weeks in HK as an act of worship:
1) Family
2) Commitments in Revolve
3) Friends
4) Work

So... please call me up! I would love to hang out with you guys in HK before I go!

"In his heart a man plans his course,
but the LORD determines his steps." - Proverbs 16:9

Saturday, July 29, 2006

Sat, 29 Jul 2006 02:40:04 GMT

Do I still dance?

If yea, I want to remember why I dance.

If no, then I just want to move on.

Monday, July 17, 2006

Mon, 17 Jul 2006 21:29:28 GMT

Just got back from NY 2 days ago. Still jet-lagging.

"NYC... What is it about you? "

Many things happened in the last 5 weeks.

Expecting more to follow in the coming year.

Sunday, May 21, 2006

Sun, 21 May 2006 04:23:57 GMT

Singapore Trip number 2 (May 26-31).... please pray that my Pohpoh will make the decision to accept Jesus Christ.

DESPERATION SONG (words and music by Tom Read)

I have prayed so many prayers. I have sung so many songs.

My heart has found its home in You. It's not about me anymore, Oh it's so much more.

Chorus

This is a desperation song. This is a desperation cry.

We are your people called by your name. And we humble ourselves and pray.

Come and heal our land.

Verse 2

Lord let my heart, burn for You. Lord let my soul, yearn for You.

Ignite a fire deep within. And now I'm coming back, I'm coming back for more.

Thursday, April 06, 2006

Thu, 06 Apr 2006 15:07:43 GMT

Thanks for all the prayers!

So... last Saturday, I visited my Grandmother in the hospital in Singapore. As I was sitting next to her, I asked her if she'd got the birthday card that I wrote her last December (in which I wrote my testimony of how I accepted Christ). She said yes, and that she liked it, and had been reading it once in a while..... So yay, she can still read! I was a lil worried before because her brain didn't function very well last time I visited her in Jakarta. But didn't know how to continue the conversation from that point.

Saturday night before I went to bed, I kept thinking that time is running out. Her health is getting weaker and she might go anytime. So I prayed for opportunity and courage to talk to her more on Sunday before I left for the airport at 1pm.

Sunday... went to the hospital. Sat next to her... I prayed for opportunity where I could talk to her alone. God's amazing! I did get a chance to ask her again about the bday card, without having other relatives around joining in. I asked her,"so, what do you think about the content of my card?" She said, "I still need time to decide." That really surprised me because she has been a buddhist for quite a long time already. and last time she said she didn't want to be bound by any religions. In my card, I expressed my view that Christianity gives us freedom, not enslaving us.

Afterwards, we had to stop because my relatives / doctors wanted to talk to her.

Prayed again for another opportunity to talk to her before 1pm. During this time, I just sat next to her watching her eating her Laksa. She liked it.... we were all so glad that she was eating. =)

At around noon or so.... I hold both of her hands and just looked at her in the eyes... she looked back.. and suddenly said," I know your heart... I still haven't decided... you see... our family worships buddha... I still need time to think...." Wow.... She took the initiative to tell me that she would consider.. I didn't even have to ask....

So... yea...... God listens to prayers.. and He's always at work... please continue to pray for her salvation and her health. Thanks!