The Power of Group Prayers

What a hectic week it has been for both the Goh and Ng families. For a start, it has been 2 weeks since we lived together under the same roof and more or less adjusted to one another's different schedules. It has been a challenge indeed for the Gohs especially, since it took them such a short time to get adjusted to a new environment, new neighbourhood, and get to know new neighbours.

Then came Eileen's precious jewel Charis. Jimmy had to be dropped off at our combined home for babysitting while Timothy and Eileen went to the hospital to await for the baby's arrival. The home turned into a mini creche overnight. Not only did we have 5 kids between the two families plus Jimmy, we also had 2 neighbours' kids running in and out of our house for companionship.

A breather came on Thursday when Jimmy had gone home with Tim the evening before and Soon Eng was not working. Together we went off to Ikea and Giant, though it was obvious that Lay Choo's mind was far from enjoying the time off. She was busy calling various hospitals to check if they would take in a walk-in patient for the neurosurgical department. Only SGH would take walk-in cases, and all was fixed for her dad to come to Singapore from Pontian on 2 Jul for the appointment. Then a sudden call from Pontian upset all the plans. Lay Choo's dad called to say he could not walk all of a sudden and needed to come to see a doctor immediately. That very evening he was sent to Singapore by the combined efforts of his two son-in-laws in a relay trip, from Pontian to Woodlands custom, then from Woodlands to TTSH A&E.

In a way, it was merciful of God to inflict the inability to walk on Uncle Liow all of a sudden. TTSH is reputed for its success in neuroscience, and it is a better choice than SGH. If not for the sudden episode, it would have been SGH that Uncle Liow visited next week. As it turned out in the CT scan on Friday, there were two blood clots in his brain and it could have easily caused him to be in coma. A surgery was immediately arranged for Saturday. Thanks to all your prayers and concern, the surgery went well, and when Lay Choo and Soon Eng left the hospital this evening, Uncle Liow was already awake from his anaesthesia and could talk and recognise Lay Choo. What a relief for the family!

I really believe in the power of group prayers. Whenever I'm in need, I would rally all those I know in the group as well as others close to me to pray pray pray, and so far I have had my prayers answered in this way. God is indeed faithful and merciful. Have faith in Him to deliver and deliver He will. Especially when a whole group of disciples gather together to petition to Him. What would it take to lose faith in Him once you've seen the miracles He delivers? I wonder why some Christians could fall away.

Please continue to pray for Lay Choo and her family as her dad is recovering post-surgery and her mum has been staying overnight in the hospital for 2 consecutive nights. She is already 71yo, pray that God will give her the strength to get through this difficult and trying time.

Amen.

I said a heartfelt thanks to God today

Thank God for little tikes who get along with one another despite differences and different upbringing...

Thank God for a sister who can share burdens and troubles with, who understands me and my needs without any words transpired...

Thank God for a holiday chalet where the kids can be entertained and the two adults take a breather from everyday stress...

Thank God for a break for two highly stressed men having their wives and kids away for a holiday so that they can have time to take a break, fellowship and get to know each other better, understand each other's struggles more and discover their common struggles in life...

Thank God for His faithfulness, for He is always here for anyone who trusts and has faith in him...

Thank God for everything.

Why does my child have special needs?

Well, I do complain at times but... this verse helps me alot!

"My thoughts are completely different from yours, says the Lord.
"And my ways are far beyond anything you could imagine.
For just as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts higher than your thoughts

God's reasons are completely different from me.

It's not my responsibility to always understand. But it is my responsiblity to always trust.

It is difficult to see our children suffer because they are different. we suffer with them.
But bible says we are being transformed to become like Jesus when we suffer. Suffering helps us to develop perseverance.

This verse come to my mind:

James 1:4
..perseverance must finish its work so that we may be mature and complete in Christ.

thanks for reading.
veron

Prayer request for H1N1 spread in Melbourne community

Dear sisters,

As many of you already know, Lay Choo's family is due to move into my place for about 3 months starting middle of June. This coincides with Adrian's 2-week business trip to Melbourne.

In the past 2 days, Melbourne's domestic H1N1 cases have doubled by 400 cases, reaching 500+ cases and 4th most severely hit. MOH has blacklisted Melbourne. My greatest worry is not so much for my family but for Lay Choo's. Should anything really happen during Adrian's trip and he gets quarantined, not only our family but Lay Choo's will be involved too. And Soon Eng runs his own business and is the sole breadwinner of the family, if he is quarantined, there will be financial difficulties for their family.

Sisters, please pray for hard for the situation in Melbourne to subside, as well as for Adrian to successfully convince his boss to postpone this trip of his in view of the current situation. I don't want this to implicate Lay Choo's family and get them into financial difficulties.

Thanks for your prayers.

Love,
Carol

Craziness, or more than it meets the eye?

I've gotta be crazy. All my life I've hated plants and swore I'll never have anything to do with them. Those of you who've been to my place would have realized that not only are there no signs of nature in my house, everything is blue in colour. But all these changed last night and this morning when I spent in all $75 at the Pasar Malam buying plants!!!

Well, you could call it peer pressure. After all, I'm surrounded by neighbours who are plant lovers. Only my corridor is empty except for shoe racks and toy cars. But the truth is, I've been thinking about how I could appreciate God more, be more in touch with God, and I thought the best way would be to be in touch with His creations. So I told the kids that the next Pasar Malam that comes along will be when we'll get plants for our corridor. And I fulfilled my promise. Not too tough repotting them really. Perhaps I've inherited my Dad's green hands without knowing it?

Another creation of God's I'd like to be in touch with is fish. Fighting fish in particular. Nathanial spent a couple of nights at Cheng Yong and Ler's and brought home a fighting fish. It's colourful, easy to take care of, lives in a small tank, long enduring life span. I'm planning to get 5 more to put on the TV console. As I watch TV, during advertisements I could look at these colourful yet graceful creatures and marvel at God's creations, learning from them endurance and the mninimalist way of living. How beautiful that would be!

Adrian said this is either a manic episode which will die down in a couple of months at most. But I think there is more to it because I've been thinking about it for a long time without setting out to do it immediately. And as I see clearer and clearer how these are God's creations and what I can learn from them, I believe this could develop into new hobbies of mine. Finally I'll have something active as hobbies. They'll be good for my condition too, so said the occupational therapist. Pray for me, sisters.