Every year on this day, brings me back to my humble beginning as a mum.

Cuddling this tiny 2.3 kg load offered a lifetime of responsibility. I remember beaming with such joy yet so overwhelmed by the tremendous task set ahead of me. The scene of me sitting at the bedside of the maternity home holding this precious life still stays fresh. It was my enrolment into the School of Motherhood - one specialized school so uniquely tailored for every student, offers no certification nor graduation, but guarantees a huge load of work which requires diligence, patience, consistency and love - yes, lots of love! Many hours of sleepless nights, days of toil...AND I gladly willingly stepped into this school. After thirteen years, The Principal Teacher gave me added assignments - he added three more tiny loads, all not more than 2.5 kg as a start but power-packed with promising potentials to be yielded for his glory.

Today I watched my first tiny 2.3kg load transformed into a much bigger size than me, could even lift me up in the air, adorned in her all new attire from top to toe (gifts blessed by wonderful people) got ready for the day. She kissed me and went off with a smile, all ready for the youth conference for the next 3 days.

She is thirteen today! She is clothed with strength and beauty. Her name is Ashlynn.
She is a terrific, tremendous teen. I am proud to call her 'my daughter'.

HAPPY 13th BIRTHDAY, DEAREST ASH!

I hardly could sit in one position. I struggled to find the right angle to sit and sleep. I could hardly breathe properly. Every breath was an effort. The baby was growing. He was pressing down to my pelvic bone. The pain increased with the days. The intense discomfort made my fourth time mummy experience unbearable. But I endured. I would persist till the baby come in full term. He was God's handiwork woven in the fabric of my womb.

We could not stay still any longer. We were challenged to reposition. Repositioning required action. It demanded drastic and radical move. Joshua and the Israelites were commanded to "move out of their position and follow the presence of God." Then only they would know the direction clearly. The book of Joshua is a dangerous book to read. It is filled with intense passion, propelled by faith to release the power to achieve the impossibles. A seed has been planted in our spirit and had been brewing in the secret place for years. The time had come. We embraced it with strength and courage to protect the conception of this spiritual seed. There were shaking off old mindsets to fully understand the seriousness and intensity of God's call and commands. We were stripped bare of our comfort zone to cross over to the unknown. Then only would we see the power of God parting our "Jordan River". Indeed he did.

The physical babe we conceived, Ashton - strong fortress and the spiritual baby, Gateway City Church were God's favour and honour. He weaved both in our physical and spiritual womb at a significant time to amplify the seeds of his faithfulness, love, strength and power. These two are strong reminders of who our God is, and what he can do - he majors in impossibilities! The joy of at the end of the labour pain was guaranteed. My role was to PUSH - till I hear the triumphant cry! The cry of release of the impregnated seeds. To God be the glory!

Today Ashton turns 3. He is a visual reminder of GCC's milestone.

The saga continues...

I sought every person I know who knows the subject.

I devoured every book my hand could lay on.
I was hungry. I was thirsty.
I wanted more. More of him. More of the truth.
There was a deep longing, for the deep calls for the deep.
I gathered some tips and good guidance along the way..."What and how to pray?"
But is it enough? The spiritual intimacy I craved could only be satisfied by the Ultimate Teacher. The Holy Spirit whispered to me, one day, "I will teach you..."
Where have those years gone? Seems like a glimpse.
Now, I am hungry and thirsty more than ever...and am looking to the Ultimate Teacher for his nuggets of wisdom for, God, you teach me wisdom in the inmost place. (Psalm 51:6, NIV)

Friends, who are you looking to for wisdom and teaching? Find your way to his heart and mind.

(Psalm 50:6)

In response to God's call to arise in prayers and intercession, we assumed our gatekeepers' role by watching the 3 - 6 am slot monthly for the last one year, which we hope one day can be more regular. We are still learning in this act and art of seeking his heart and face in this wee hours. As we take baby steps, the Lord himself has been teaching us to yield our spirits to his.

This morning we proclaim his righteousness and his wise judgement over the land, blessing the land with his light and life.

Join us in unity to call down his glorious presence!

My heart longs for my Saviour King.

I asked intently that my eyes will see a new vision of the Cross.

A faint dark scene of Jesus being hung on the cross with his left side facing me. I wonder why this view. The scene is gloomy as he wrestled in his loneliness and pain while the noisy massive crowd looked on, but I couldn't really see them. But I saw him...on the Cross.

My heart is raised towards heaven and my lips broke into worship as I sang this song from Hillsong by Marty Sampson and Raymond Badham:

I purposed in my heart to step and walk in the power of his resurrection.
What is God's message for you this Easter?

Swing by GEMS for more encouragement.

This has been the tag line of the season - from the youngest to the oldest.

The book of Joshua trumpets this call. The charge has been given by God, the Mighty Warrior to the church.
My husband is a sure model of a contemporary Joshua. He preaches it, impart it, rally it, live it.

It is heard from the lips of the young. "Be strong and courageous. We are the Joshua kids."
It has been echoed in the floorball court, amongst the players even out of court.

We remind each other of this strong command when we are shaken.

We enthuse each other with the phrase whenever we meet.

It has been charged into our spirit.

Strength and courage are not two concrete elements we can purchase and possess in our hands. They are two internal elements we earned by walking in the unknown with only one absolute, God!