Resting & picture time at FRIM

Canopy walk at FRIM

Wei!! Time to get up and continue our climb ah!!!

FISHING TRIP - 2004

Mr. Khor, whom I knew in my fishing trip was fishing next to me in the fishing boat. We got a chance to chit chat while fishing. Then, we discussed about Christianity & he told me about his own views about religion etc. As the conversation went on...he asked me to ask my God to let us get many fishes since we had been fishing for quite long and yet can hardly get fishes.

Well, since he requested, I said a very short prayer & asked God to bless us with many fishes.

As time went on, we still got very few fishes but... we continued to fish.

At the end of the fishing trip, the captain of the fishing boat distributed back those fishes that we caught to the owner who caught the fishes. To a lot of people's surprise, I got the MOST fishes in that fishing trip!!! Out of so many good and experienced men, I got the most fishes! And if I not mistaken, Mr. Khor got the 2nd most fishes! Wow! What can I say? I can only say that when God is moving, even me (inexperienced and with lousy fishing techniques - as mentioned by Mr. Khor himself) can also get the most fishes!! And so many more fishes than all other people. Isn't God amazing??

Girls trying to pose in front of camera !!

Climbing trip at Bukit Melawati, KL (August 2005)

CASSETTE - MAY 2005

Karen lent me a cassette (about the topic on "healing") for me to listen at home. But, I was too busy during that time and didn't have the time to listen to it.

A few days later, she wanted it back because she got to return it to her friend's friend. So, I tried to look for the cassette in my office but I couldn't find it. I tried to look for it in my room but still I couldn't find it (As far as I remembered, my room was the only place I have put). I even looked at the plastic bag which was below my table and I couldn't find it!

So, I told Karen during FGB service - that I lost it and will try to buy it back for her. She said that was not her cassette. Also, it is very troublesome for me to purchase it back because I needed to buy it from a certain place only and also I needed to buy the whole set of it even though I only lost one of the cassettes (because it came in one whole set). After hearing that, I told her I will go back home and search one more time!

So, during the service, I started to worry and I prayed to God :"God, please help me to find the cassette because it is not good to loose somebody's belonging and it is so troublesome to purchase it back! Where have I put the cassette? "

I went back home that night and while I was in my room, I was doing something in my room and suddenly something on the plastic bag (which is under my table - the one that I have looked and searched the night before) caught my eyes.. there on the plastic bag - LAID THE BRIGHT PINK COLOURED CASSETTE !! How could it be? It was just lying on top of the plastic bag?! I looked at the plastic bag before the other day and no cassette was found there. Out of a sudden it appeared lying on top of it somemore??!!

I asked every single person in my house whether anyone took my cassette away before and put it back there these 2 days? They said NO!! ABSOLUTELY NO!! Ok. Why should they lie to me right? So, my conclusion is that somehow, I didn't know how... but God finally let me find the BRIGHT PINK COLOURED CASSETTE just like that!! I am speechless and do not know how to explain... but will only say... WOW!!! Thank God for helping me to find it in such an extraordinary way!!!

Welcome KL people to Bako National Park!!!

Bako National Park - Beach (May 2005)

Hei!! This room doesn't look like Red Box woh!!

POEM

This is the poem that I wrote at the close of the Purpose
Driven Life Campaign (PDL) together with my other testimony
that I have shared on that saturday night in YAF:-


YOU MADE ME REALISED

LORD,
GUIDE ME WITH YOUR MIGHTY HANDS,
PUTTING EACH PIECES OF "JIGSAW PUZZLE"
OF MY LIFE IN PLACE.
NO LONGER DO I WANT TO STRUGGLE,
MAKING A PICTURE OUT OF MY OWN STRENGTH.
NO LONGER DO I WANT TO FEAR WHAT LIES AHEAD.

AS I SURRENDER TO YOU,
I KNOW YOU SHALL BE IN CONTROL.
YOU SHALL CATCH HOLD OF ME FROM BELOW.
AMAZING THINGS ARE YET TO COME.

IT IS YOU WHO HELP ME REALISED,
I SHOULD BE MORE LIKE JESUS.
IT IS YOU WHO HELP ME REALISED,
I SHOULD GROW TO BE A BETTER PERSON.

IN A WORLD FULL OF SINS,
IT IS NOT EASY TO STAND STRONG.
BUT I TRUST THAT YOU WILL NOT GIVE UP ON ME.
HELP ME TO STAND STRONG DESPITE CIRCUMSTANCES.

LORD,
I KNOW YOU LONG TO SEE ME,
TO BE MORE LIKE JESUS,
PLEASING UNTO YOU,
DESERVING A SMILE FROM YOU.

HELP ME TO BE A SHINNING STAR.
HELP ME TO DRAW PEOPLE TO YOU.
BECAUSE THIS IS WHAT YOU HAVE CALLED ME TO DO,
FOR EVERY BREATH THAT I HAVE ON EARTH,
TILL WE MEET AGAIN.


by : Madeline Yee
7/7/2005

Purpose No. 5 (Mission/Evangelism) - PART 3

Chapter 36-40 ( Mission / Evangelism )

I knew before I even read this part of the PDL book, these chapters will speak so true to me. "Mission - service to unbelievers of Christ Jesus."

It all tied back to these few years how God opened so many doors/ opportunities for me to have the heart to share God's good news to people in my workplace and the people around me.

"Telling others how they can have eternal life is the greatest thing you can do for them" (Chapter 36 page 283). I always believe that & I am willing to do it anytime. I really admired Rick Warren's late father (Page 287) - how in his dead bed, he still insisted to "Got to save one more for Jesus!" Oh Lord! I want to be like him too! To have the heart for lost people & the kind of faith he had in the Lord!

Yes, we might face many rejections from people now & then whenever we share about the good news in Christianity, but... we should never give up in sharing the gospel. Many times, I felt tired of doing it especially when my words just fall on hardened hearts of my friends. But, I knew God still want to use me & I am willing to do it for God and for the sake of the people around me. Because I want to see souls get saved! I just pray that the holy spirit will work through me. Please holy spirit... you must do something about it!! I know I should not depend on my strength but depend on your power and strength!

As for Chapter 37 (Page 290), "my life message include my testimonies. Testimonies how Christ has made a difference in my life." Well, I would love to share to you all the experiences I had with God if only you are willing to listen!!!

One morning(also during PDL campaign), this song titled " Won't You Lord"- the chorus of the song : "give us a heart of compassion, in a world without vision, we will make a difference, bringing hope to our land!" kept on ringing on my head. So, on a saturday night I was trying to remember how to sing the whole song correctly & was preparing to ask Pat/Jess the next day (Sunday) to clarify some parts of the tune of the song. The next day on Sunday, when Pastor Dorai was speaking on "Mission/Evengelism", they used this song as the main song for that sunday service!! And later Pastor Dorai shared some of his experiences & his thoughts about evangelism & I could relate so well with him! He has been my favourite speaker all these while. I was too excited to see how God shown himself to me through so many circumstances!!How can I fully describe it to you all, I wondered??

Page 293 - As Jeremiah has mentioned "Your message burns in my heart and bones, and I cannot keep silent." I just cannot keep silent about all the things God has done for me, especially, I want to tell those who still do not know about Christ Jesus! At the end of your life, the judgement day is between you and God. It is not about how other christians behaved etc (even though they have faults themselves) that is going to determine whether you will be saved and go to heaven or not. It is all about whether you have accepted Christ into your life? Repented from your sins & turned away from it? It is nothing to do with other christians. They are accountable themselves to God and YOU ARE ACCOUNTABLE TO GOD ON YOUR OWN.

I wish you well for those who have read my sharing/testimonies & I hope I can be of help to let you see this great & mighty God Amen!

Yours sincerely,
Madeline Yee (14 September 2005)

Purpose No.4 (Ministry) - PART 2

Chapter 29-35 (Purpose No. 4 :Ministry) - July 2005

I knew God has been shaping me for his ministry ( his service to believers of Christ Jesus) in the church. As I mentioned in my previous letter : one of the fear that I had in YAF (Young Adults Fellowship) was my direction after YAF. I didn't want to leave YAF since I have been in there for so long and yet I needed to leave when I am over 30 years old (you know lah... I was looking ahead first even though I not yet 30 years old). I began to ask myself where should I go? Go to Home Fellowship? No..because it is more for families. What about other fellowships? No also....Then, I started to look out for other kind of fellowships in my friend's church. But, after a while, I sensed that God was telling me if I were to go to other churches, I needed to start all over again from scratch. I sensed that God did not want me to hop around churches but... stay put in FGA for a purpose.

As all the above was happening, I was put to in charge of facilitating a group of people approaching their 30 in YAF by my leader. Of all the people, why put me in charge of this group? Why need to separate us? And how come the leaders suddenly thought of grouping this group of people out of a sudden? I wondered that time....

Later, I began to felt that God was really trying to use me to do something. Before I started facilitating this group, I also coincidentally met up with 3 different individuals within the same week (just 1 week before facilitation started). I did not purposely asked them out separately but suddenly they asked me out for a drink. These 3 different individuals were not attending any fellowships at the moment and they were approaching 30 / already in their 30s. All these things combined together, I knew God was really working things out.

By the time our group finished reading Chapter 29-35, we were supposed to be discussing about "Ministry" (Purpose No.4) in our discussion group on Saturday night 16 July 2005. And on that day afternoon, some of us were helping out with setting up our YAF ministry booth to prepare for Ministry Fair which would be on 17 July. So happened that Pastor Dennis came to our booth & chatted with us.

Of all the Pastors, he was the Pastor who came to our booth & chatted with us. And mind you, he was the exact Pastor that I needed to meet actually! He sat just right next to me and chatted with all of us on the table (God knew that if Pastor Dennis have not sat next to me.. I might not even had the chance to ask him things). I sensed that he might be the Pastor speaking the next day (Sunday) since he had not spoken during this PDL campaign so far. And I asked him whether he - the speaker for tomorrow? He said yes & I asked thim what topic he was going to speak on? He said topic on "Ministry".

I was wondering whether to ask him how come there is no fellowship for those in their 30s in our church? I grabbed the opportunity & asked him (despite I didn't want to let so many people hear me asking him this question). Pastor Dennis said there is!! I was quite surprised indeed why on earth... nobody knew about it?? He later explained that there was this new PDL group under Uncle Yew Chzon & Linda - leading a few of them in their 30s to 40s. But... it was a very new group & it was very low profile at the moment. Then I related to him about our YAF plan of facilitating a group consisted of those approaching 30s, which was actually under my facilitation at that moment. Then we chatted a bit about how we could combine together, meet up & come out with something & a new ministry. Yes!!! This was what on my mind ... a new ministry instead of under the umbrella of Home Fellowship (which I am sure that is also what God wanted). So, he said he would bring this matter to Pastor Andrew (our YAF pastor). In fact, he already had pre-arranged appointment with Pastor Andrew right on that day itself afterwards to discuss something! Oh that was greeaaat!!! PERRRFECT ARRANGEMENT OF GOD!!! (God was continuing to reveal himself to me by guiding me step by step to pave roads because he knew this was also my concern - concern of what will happen after PDL ended....)

Later on that day itself, I brought up this new Ministry thing to my group while we were discussing about topic on "Ministry". That was the RIGHT TIME to tell my members in my group since they NEVER KNEW the reasons why they has been put under my group instead of other groups. Well, God has planned everything all along & He was making things happenning...

Also, there were a few times when I was reading the PDL book, I really sensed how God was speaking to me. How He dealt with me in my personal walk, how He worked things out through the Holy Spirit in me & made me cried for 2 consecutive mornings when I woke up some time after midnight around 3 am or so :- as He made me realised many things & asked me to be more like christ. I also started to see God's vision for this new ministry/group and I discovered & realised many many things. Hmm..... seems that this time of the day is the best time God wanna teach me and speak to me??? One day, when I was reading the PDL book in the office, I just trembled as if God was really working something through me & wanted to use me. Never have I felt that way before...

something to share... ( 29/6/05) - PART 1

In conjuction with our 40 days purpose driven life campaign and since we are supposed to have read from Chapter 1 to Chapter 21 by this week, here is something that I would like to share to you all on what God has been doing in my life this year...

When I first read this Rick Warren's book (Title of the book: Purpose Driven Life - What on earth am I for?) for the first time 1 month ago,I realised that God has been doing something to me this year. He was testing and preparing me. Why do I say so?

Near my workplace, we have FGB (Full Gospel Businessmen Fellowship) service every Thursday. So, in January 05, I went to this FGB service and I said a prayer to God during singing session (as many people known it as worship session). I told God that I am submitting my career issues & relationship issues to him. I want to surrender it to him and not to worry about it. And during the message sharing of the speaker on the same day, the speaker shared on "surrendinging to God and let God direct us". I told myself.... Wah God! You are really speaking to me ah!

5 months passed. At the end of May/beginning of June 05, when I looked back, I found out that God has really tested me this half a year. And I realised that what "Rick Warren's book" pg 84 is quite true... "When you decide to surrender things to God, that decision will be tested."
For the last 5 months, I struggled in the area of my career, relationship & my direction in Young Adults Fellowship (YAF). All the fear, worries etc just slowly built up because of the situations & circumstances I was put in( I not able to write out all the circumstances here because it is just too long to write). Until at one point I had enough of all of these and I bear it no more.... I cried out to God in the office toilet when nobody was around & asked Him why he had to let me experience all these. Why I have all the fears & worries? Haven't God tested me enough already these few years? My faith was clearly shaken & fear of what is going to happen just slowly get more intensed. I started to ask God. Poured out my honest feelings, told him all my anger (just like what Chapter 12 - Pg 94 & 95 of Rick Warren have said).

"Bitterness is the greatest barrier to friendship with God. Reveal your resentment & feeling is the 1st step to healing." You can pray like David :" I pour out my complaints before Him & tell him all my troubles. For I am overwhelmed." Express doubt is sometimes the first step towards the next level of intimacy with God.

After I told Pastor Cheryl(our Young Adults Fellowship Pastor) that I agree to facilitate the 40 days purpose driven life campaign, I see things happening. Fear and new circumstances were getting clearer & when I started reading the book & when I read until chapter 8 - 14, it really spoke to me because - that was what I was going through that time.... I cried out to God all my worries etc.

Around 1 week before I started facilitating, I begin to be able to clear off my fear & worries one by one by different occasions. Now I started to see God's plan for me. Which include my direction in YAF, relationship issues etc. God took away my fear, assured me that I can trust in Him again & He started to give me peace & took away my worries. I was able to walk out of it in victory.

One day I woke up early in the morning and could not go back to sleep.When I traced back what had happened, I saw how things just fit into each other, how God was preparing me from early of this year until now- it was amazing and it is God's perfect timing.

He even let me experience the pain & worries that some of my friends of my age & seniors had been going through, even before I started to facilitate for this campaign. The most amazing thing is that I managed to get out of all these fears & worries & see God's plan in my life early June 05 JUST BEFORE I begin to facilitate this 40 days campaign. He knew how can I facilitate my group if I myself cannot overcome my own problems & fears? He was trimming my faith all along.

Now I have renewed my faith in Him & told Him that I really mean it when I said please guide me in my career path, relationship & my future ministry.
I know this is quite a long letter, but I just wanna share to you all that whatever circumstances you are in now, you just need to have faith that God is always watching you through because he already has plans for you ! God loves to test how patient you are & God's timing is not our timing! When you thought the timing is right but God says "NO" , "NOT YET" !

Chapter 28 - there is no shortcut to maturity. You just got to believe God is working in your life even when you don't feel it. Spiritual growth takes time. Be patient with God. God is never in a hurry but always on time. You just got to submit to the one whom have created you if you wanna see amazing things to happen!

Best regards,
Madeline ( 29/6/05 )

p.s: Please look out for more of my testimonies/ experiences in regard to Rick Warren's Purpose No. 4 & Purpose No.5 once you have finished this whole book.