The time now is 0300 hrs, 060211. I oughta be readying myself for bed. But I just can't shower and go to sleep like that because I really want to share what a great service day it's been. Just want to pen down my thanks to God for a few things.
1. I had a really great time of praise and worship during service! Praise was amazing because, on a technical level, I believe that Yihui attained new levels of consistency in her playing and Deng positively ROCKED the low end (I'm so proud of what God has done in him!). Worship blew me away. It was a time of willing myself to put aside any distractions, and wrenching my mind back to God, and just kneeling down during worship to signify that intention. When it comes to worship, it's an absolute MUST to have the intention to meet God, and not just get swept along for a spiritual joyride. This is why worship both with and without music can be so good! Altar call was something else. Yushan was fantastic on keys, and really ministered and played to support Pastor Denis well!
2. Pastor Denis Lu. Oh. My. Gosh. I have practically no qualms in stating that it was one of the most incredible sermon-cum-sharings I've ever heard in all my years in Hope. He is the MAN, I've got to tell you this. He gave me a paradigm shift in terms of how I view people struggling with homosexuality, that it's not innate, but it's a temptation like any other, and you can choose NOT to give in to that temptation. I've never struggled with it myself, so I have very, very little understanding of the perspective of such people, but I needed to hear that. It was bravery beyond what I can imagine to do what he did on stage and surely, he has my respect now! I can also identify with having morbid thoughts in the days when I was a kid before I came to know God, around Primary 5 or 6. Above all, spirit touches spirit, and it was evidenced by how responsive and encouraging the people were towards his sharing. I wanted to go shake Pastor Denis' hand right after the service to affirm him and thank him, but he disappeared already. The last time I did this was when Raphael shared about his moment with God when his mum passed away. Heartfelt sharings like these are the ones that stay in people's hearts and minds and really make such a difference in them! =)
3. Naturally, thank God for Joel, Jolene, and their mum and dad of course. The whole MinOps Worship side went to visit and bond at their place after service, and they were hospitable as I could never be. I really enjoyed my time there, mixing with Jolene's lifegroup mates, having dinner, playing with sparklers, playing mahjong, talking to people I've always enjoyed talking to, talking to people I don't know so well (Steph, Rachel, Jolene, Vicky), getting to know about overseas events like Oceania Conference, finding out about Jolene's interest in electric bass... Things like that make me so glad I'm part of this really big friendly (well, mostly anyway~) family of God.
4. Thank God for the nice recorded song-cum-message that Qianjin sent us as a mini-update and greeting. It was so ridiculous, it made us all laugh, it made us appalled, but it gave us a really warm and fuzzy feeling inside to know that our dear lifegroup leader is safe, hale and hearty in the US. I look forward to when he comes back! ^^
People who are genuine for Christ and for each other, and tease but really support each other are such incredible and fantastic blessings in our lives. Thank you so much God, for creating life as it is for us, for without downs, we'll never experience the ups that we do experience. It may be rather late for me to really feel such a sense of belonging, but I'm sincerely grateful to You, God, for this life that you've given to me to lead. I love you God! =)
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