The Purpose Driven Church Conference and Seminar

Rick Warren, author of the "The Purpose Driven Life" and "The Purpose Driven Church"will be coming to Singapore in July. He will be conducting the following:

2-day Conference; The Purpose Driven Church
Venue: Newton Life Church (200 Leng Kee Road)
Dates: 6 July 06 & 7 July 06
Time: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Cost: S$120 (inclusive of seminar notes, tea breaks and lunches)
Closing date: 28 June 06


Seminar: The Stewardship of Affluence and Influence
Venue: Trinity Christian Centre (21 Adam Road)
Date: 7 July 06
Time: 7 p.m. to 10 p.m.
Cost: S$20 (reg by 28 June 06 and receive complimentary "Daily Inspiration")/ S$25 (on site registration)

I believe they are very good conference and seminar. I will try to attend if I can take leave from work (which I am not entitled as I am still new in the company).

Hope to see you there.:)

My Calling

I was somewhat disappointed with the unfair/unethical practices in the education industry by many 'players' and decided that it's time for a change. I left a few months ago, after being in it for about 10 years, for a totally different career I felt would be more meaningful and challenging. I went into headhunting... making many new contacts/friends while catching up with many old ones. I enjoyed my work very much though its reward may be slow... like growing a tree.

I never expect myself to go back to the education industry again, at least not so soon. But I guess God still wants me to be in it after all my years of trainings and experience in the education line. There are many things I can do to affect lives in this industry... it seems to be my calling. I could see it happening from my first day of work last week in my new capacity.

What one of my colleagues said to me has deeply carved on my mind. He said, "We are here for a season. God puts us here to fulfill a purpose. When we have finished our task it would be time to move on."

Yes, God has put me in this new job for a purpose. I will touch lives, I will change systems and policies, I will bring order and stability, and then move on when the time comes. I will do all these by God's strength and wisdom, not mine own.

I am beginning to see changes and is feeling very excited about them. Yet I know there will be many challenges and many resistance to change. But if this work is of God, He will sees to it that all resistance will fall.

As I ponder on my colleague's statement, I suddenly felt it could also apply to my relationship with people. God has allowed me to come into close contact with certain people... some just touch and go, some stay for a longer time, perhaps one or two may stay till we leave this earth. These are no coincidence. God has a purpose for me to be in their lives and they in mine. When that purpose has been fulfilled, it may be time for me to move on.

Ah, am I being too philosophical or introspective now? I have some time to myself today... so there I go again. :) Oh, my devotion tonight is also linked to my thoughts.

Work Place Challenges

My new job is getting more and more challenging. By now, I am a week old with my present company. I have been leaving my office at about 8 or 9 p.m. nightly without dinner. I am beginning to feel the strain physically, but I know I will not give up that easily. There are many things waiting for me to do. I will do them with God's grace and strength. I want to touch lives...

My Trip Update

Hey friends, so sorry to have been silent for a while at my blog. Finally, I am back to SG from MY. I was too busy to update my blog after I came back.

Just a quick update on my last whole week experience...


Monday:

- I only had about 4 hours of sleep the night before as I had to wake up at about 5.30 a.m. today.
- Reached Port Dickson, Tiara Beach Resort, at about 2.30 p.m. but was only able to check into our rooms at about 5.30 p.m. as the resort couldn't cater to such a big crowd (900+ people).
- The rooms were below standard, like '1 star' hotel though we were told it's a '4 stars' hotel???
- Toilets in the common areas were dirty and flushing is a problem
- The food for our dinner was below standard too... in fact what we had during our charity mission trips are far much better. Not only that, there were so many uninvited 'guests' (houseflies) at our dinner tables and at the food serving areas... more than in mission trip.
- Next, there was a power failure in the convention hall where we assembled for our meeting. Imagine about 900+ people gathering in the dark and without air-cond. We really had a 'hot' fellowship'. :P


Tuesday:
- Breakfast, hmn... I think it's better to eat at home (you know what I mean?).
- After the complaints made by our organizing committee to the resort management, there was a slight improvement for our lunch. But it's still below the standard of what we expected for the amount we paid. We paid more than what we paid for at Gentling Awana.


- Still no air-cond in the convention hall, but our meeting still went on as per normal. Anyway, our programme made us ignored the shortcomings of the resort.


Wednesday:
- Food had improved a little but hygiene got from bad to worse. The toilets couldn't be flushed, more houseflies, and some of our members got diarrhea.
- Some of us decided to eat out instead.
- The only comfort I had was the "hotspot" the resort provided. Yet its own business center staff didn't know how to use it or its availability till I persisted and asked the reception staff, who directed me to the IT staff.


Thursday:
- End of our church retreat. Some of us drove to KL during lunch time, while the rest went back to their home towns.
- Our conclusion for Tiara Beach Resort? We won't go there again unless there is a significant change in its resort management.


- Reached KL about 2 p.m. Free and easy time after checking into a 4-stars hotel. What a great change in the environment. So clean and cozy.
- I was quite tired, but I still went to shop a little near the place we stayed.


Friday:
- Breakfast was very good... making up for what we missed at Tiara Beach Resort. :D
- We went shopping at Lot 10 the whole day after breakfast. I bought lots of new clothes for my coming new jobs... sales on, cheap and good.:)
- Met up with a few of our Malaysian friends for supper.
- Another tiring day passed by.


Saturday:
- We when to shop the whole day at One Utama after breakfast. Managed to buy my ideal handbags there. :)
- Continued shopping at BBP in the evening and managed to buy my shoes there.
- My legs were so tired by then... we decided to go for legs massage nearby. Feeling better after that.


Sunday:
- We started our journey home after breakfast. Stopped by at Malacca for lunch cum shopping and then to JB for dinner.
- Reached home at about 10.30 p.m.



My Reflections:

I was hoping to get some spiritual recharging during the church retreat, but I guess the many shortcomings in the resort had somehow robbed me of my objective. *sigh*

The only thing I appreciated about the resort is its "hotspot". Perhaps another good thing about the resort would be that it makes going for mission trips not as fearful as one might think, comparatively. :)

Though I might not have learnt much spiritually as I expected, this retreat did help me break away form my intensity of work... I stopped dreaming about my work during the retreat. I have also learnt to sleep early, at about 11 p.m., as I had to wake up at 7 a.m. daily. This new sleep time habit is important for me as I will be starting on another new job tomorrow, where I have to wake up at 7 a.m. daily.

I know I had disappointed someone who wanted to meet me so much while I was in KL. I hope he will understand and doesn't take it as a rejection. This person is a great friend of mine, yet it's not time for us to meet... but I don't know how to explain it to him. I just feel very sorry. :(

I need to refocus my life again as I start on my new job. I will do my best...