Last night i had my preaching test...and i just truly truly feel so so so so blessed that throughout the journey i felt the homely family love, and support...and i really really feel so thankful and truly, truly..words cannot express how grateful i feel right now....
Previously, my preaching test was suppose to be next tuesday, but because i have to go back to hometown, so it was shifted to the earlier session, which was yesterday...i only got to know it the friday before..meaning i only had about 3 to 4 days to prepare as i had just finished my finals on the wednesday before...
so as i was preparing the sermon, i felt really really pressured...i felt like i couldn't give my best because everything was in such a hurry...so i kept preparing and preparing and feeling pressured from time to time...until God hit me on saturday night...He asked me..."hey, are you preparing for the preaching test itself, or preparing for me to speak through you?"...and that really struck me and immediately i stopped everything and began to pray...
i knew then, my heart was only concern about doing well and about being able to score good marks and nothing else....moreover i always thought that the preaching test is a test....and it is bound to be treated as a test...however that night, God said...no hazel...preparing a sermon for a test, and preparing a sermon with an expectancy to impact people's life is different...whether in the end we did impact or not is another issue, but what matters most then was the attitude in preparing the sermon. Because every sermon and preaching of God's word are bound to be done to bring Him glory. Whether it is for the church or merely a test, it is equally important. it is not meant to be prepared for the sake of passing a test. Therefore to harvest a right attitude is very important...
well, that night after talking to God, instantly the pointers for my sermon began flowing out like water. In fact i wrote TWO sermons..hallelujah! the power and wisdom from God...but this cos me confusion as i don't know which to choose. Alot of people suggested that i preached on a sermon which is able to generalize to everyone...but people like jeff, kent, audrey insisted that i should preach on a sermon which is personal to me...so in the end i told myself...i will let my cell leader discern, what she says...goes...so in the end, shirley called me and say she felt that i should preach on the sermon which i have personalized....and so yah..rite after that i begin editing and producing it....
during the test, i was really really nervous...signs of nervousness were even very obvious to everyone...ahhaha...i didn't even follow the sermon i have written because i couldn't keep track with where i was...haha...however, in the end, everything went on well, and i was deeply encouraged by everyone who supported me and give me positive remarks after i have delivered the message...:) thank you so much
and truly, it is not so much on how well i preached, but rather...the journey that had made me realised a lot of things, i know know i am in the care of one great big family who never cease to support me, love me, and push me forward with encouraging words...and truly i feel really blessed being able to go through this preaching test...because not only i learn alot during the test, but i also learn alot throughout the journey of preparing it...
and i so i would like to take the opportunity to thank a few people who has really encouraged me till the very end in this blog...:
KENT, for calling me late at night even when you are truly truly tired...it really shows how much you are willing to go the extra mile to help me...and to guide me and support me..thank you so much...feel really encouraged...
JEFF, for taking your time off to read my sermons, suggesting where to cut, what to do and how can i enhance it and make it better from time to time...i really thank you alot...and also for your constant encouragement...really helps me alot...thank you so much
AUDREY, BEN, PATRICK, PHOEBE, SHINTA, HANA, RANDALL, EDWIN, JIMMY, LORDSON and those i might have forgotten to mention...thank you for your prayers and support...truly feel very very blessed...
SIEW MIN and KENLO...for coming all the way to see me preach (wonder if it is to support or to get some tips eh?...hahaha...but its ok...i feel encouraged)...the fact that you guys come all the way really make me feel so supported...
SANDY, ELVIS, LAVERNE, HAZEL HOR, GINA, CALVIN, KAR WAI and all whom i didn't mention...thank you for sitting through and supporting me, giving me encouraging and positive words even after i have preached...HAZEL HOR, GINA, CALVIN, and KAR WAI you guys did very very very well....your preachings were really powerful...it is an honor to take this test together with all of you...SANDY, thank you for being so sweet, sitting in the middle nodding and nodding as i preached regulating my nervousness..hehe, ELVIS being so productive, thank you for telling me all the do's and don'ts even after the test in order to help me to improve for the future...hee
ESTEE, in taiping...who stayed up till so late...or rather early in the morning to help me with the editings of the sermon...truly feel really thankful...even tho it wasn't used, but i promise i will use it and put it into good use..ya? thank u soo much
PASTOR DALBIR AND AUNTY LAI PHING back in taiping...for constantly praying, sending encouraging words, and also eagerly sms-ing to ask how it went...thank you so much....your support really make me feel so loved...
HUNTER, my great ge ge....thanks for being a brother who always support and telling me that i can do it even when i doubt if i could...
CHARIS, my best friend and my english teacher...for being so willing to look through and check for grammar or spelling errors before presenting it..that night i am glad i called you...felt so nice talking so much after such a long long time...
my cousins, REON and ARIEL...thank you for your prayers and your support also...
SHIRLEY BOON....for taking your time to read and edit my sermon for me...for wanting to rehearse with me (unfortunately i couldn't make it in time to church), and discerning which sermon more suitable for me to preach, encouraging me and supporting me throughout the journey....
MOST IMPORTANTLY, GOD...for giving me the opportunity to join this training, to gain experience and learn to be my best from time to time...and for giving me such a great family that supports me...making this journey a meaningful one...
and truly indeed, i feel very very very very very much supported and at home :) love you guys.
mwah to all...heee =) God bless always.
p/s: in case you thought of this, those names above are not in any particular order according to importance (means wherever your names are it doesn't make you more or less important...jus random placing)...so ya....everyone is equally important to me...and i just want to clarify this, in case you guys were wondering, what orders are they arranged according to...=P
