God is awesome!

Let us not forget Him even as we go about our daily routines.
everyday, shall we put on the crown
and bring glory to His name!

My Hope Singapore!

Christmas with Crestere

Date: 19th December 2008

Time: 2pm - 6pm

Venue: Amabel's place (5 to 10 mins walk from Bishan MRT station)

Committee

Carols - Alyssa

Games - Amabel & Crystal

Food - Anissa & Charlene

Admin / Log (decor, $, etc) - Amelia & Andrea

Lets be praying for this Christmas! :)

The Word and I :)

Hey hey hey! Yea a lil' revival to this blog! :) Some updates for xiaowen to read, and for you girls who weren't at service or cell. I shall try to keep this short, cos I figured out no one will read if its too long..!

Basically today's sermon was about "The Word and I".
1) Blessing is found in obedience to God's word - Don't be self-deceived
2) Blessing is found in complete obedience to His precepts - Don't be selective
3) Blessing is found in putting God's word in our hear - Don't be superficial

Its a choice whether we want to live according to the word and obey the word (obey God), or merely choose it to just be a head knowledge which we do not apply. God gives us the freedom to choose, no one else can decide for us, not even God. So whats your choice this day?

And in cell group we shared about what we hope to see through the cluster camp from 12th-15th June. They're simple things, such as obedience, encountering God, focusing on the word more, experiencing Him in a different way, growing closer to God and to the cell etc.. They are simple, yet difficult. Simple things are always thought to be the easiest, yet it takes more discipline and delibrate effort to get them done. Do not let this camp be a one-time off event, but let it be a life transforming experience.

A challenge to all of us this week: Lets use BICEPS to aid us in our quiet time! (like what andrea says, we'll all get spiritual biceps soon!)

Belief to Embrace

Items for Prayer

Command to Obey

Example to Follow

Promise to Claim

Sins to Avoid

Apply BICEPS to at least one verse from the psalm we are reading for the day. It just takes a short 5 minutes :) Lets come back to share next week! And lets be memorising the word together and be praying for one another!


Loves, lijuan :)

Amabel's Birthday Celebration

Hey you guys...

I know this is quite overdue already. Hehe...well, you know what they always say, better late than never. haha...

~Bel Bel~

My EverEver After.

Hey! What ever happened to not letting this blog die, huh Andrea?! LOL!

Firstly, all the best to all those getting back their results some times next week :) I'm sure by God's grace we all conquered the O's much better than we expected. Because by faith we exceed our own strength.

Secondly, I just want to share my thanksgivings. Thank you Alyssa and Xiao Wen, for at this time of me being all paranoid and all, praying for me and just being for me, no matter how ridiculous I sound whenever I freak out about the results. Which is alot, fyi. And Alyssa for being my "support group", for all this time, being such an awesome sister in Christ that I can always count on. Thank God for me making the decision to go for YA yesterday, and from learning so many valuable lessons from the kids.

I think what's missing in this cell group sometimes is mutual trust. Maybe this is only the case for me, but you realise my "support group" is only Alyssa and maybe Xiao Wen. Maybe it's just what has happened to me that makes me want to draw away from people and not allowing people to reach out for me or me reaching out to people either. But together as a cell, let's be sensitive to everyone, be each other's support group! :)

Starting your fashion, wear your heart on your sleeve

Sometimes you reach what's real just by making believe

Unafraid, unashamed

There is joy to be claimed in this world

You even might wind up being glad to be you

Let's be there for each other 24/7, and not just every sunday.

♥♥♥♥♥♥♥

kim

Get Ready for 2008 =)

Hey girls! With everyone everywhere all over the world, cell group has been small in December! Nevertheless, January is coming again! So looking forward to seeing all of you again in the brand new year ahead! =)

Watch the recordings if you missed service! you NEED to watch it to catch the church's heartbeat for this Year of Sabbath ;) Just like what Pastor Khong shared today, let us all start 2008 by reading 1 psalm a day, and we'll all come together during cell to share what we've learnt/ what God has spoken to us through the psalms we read over the week! Yup so start on 1st Jan, read Psalm 1!

We are strongly encouraged to spend some time with the Lord, partake our spiritual food (reading the bible) before we start eating for the day! So, we can all start by reading the daily psalm when we get up first thing in the morning, before we eat our breakfast! You might ask, what about Psalm 119! Its soooooo long!! Just read as much as you want, can stop halfway and continue when you're on the bus on your way to school! =) Hmm.. See the bigger picture now? Well, reading the Psalms first thing in the morning is something to guide us to spend time with God at the beginning of the day before anything else! Be it 5 minutes, 10 minutes, half an hour, one hour.. just spend some time thanking God for the new day, for His new love each morning!

We're going to spend the 1st quarter of the year truly learning and experiencing delighting in the Lord, make every effort to deepen your walk with God! Pray for a theme-verse for 2008! I've already got mine! We'll all come together to share our verses and about the Psalms during cell yea? Yup so, start reading Psalms!

Love you girls! =)

Juan

hey! for those going for the muar retreat, here's a list of things for what to bring.=)

Things to bring for MUAR retreat.

1) 3 days of clothing/undergarments.
2) toiletries (toothbrush, toothpaste, shampoo, shower foam, facial wash, etc)
3) Bible
4) Notebook
5) Stationery
6) Jacket
7) Umbrella/raincoat
8) Slippers
9) towel
10) waterbottle
11) camera (optional)
12) handphone charger (optional)
13) personal medication
14) Pillow (optional)
15) Insect repellent
16) Games (optional)
17) 30RM-50Rm

Anissa's Crazy Birthday!

this is a looooong overdued post, but oh well.. here you go!





Crestere is WELL KNOWN for CRAZY BIRTHDAY surprises and celebrations! (and definitely for accidental leaking of plans too =/)

Look at anissa's shocked face! Guess what we did to her??

We went to her place and hide by the fences of the swimming pool and... *BOO!* popped up with this "WE LOVE ANISSA" banner! Her parents are super cool, co-ordinated with us to plan this lil' surprise =) AND we threw her into the pool! After much struggle of course, and she actually bite amelia's shirt in the midst of it! (Yucks imaging the saliva.... haha nah just joking no saliva la!) Too hectic too hilarious to capture the scene though!

And a sweet idea of cooking food which forms up her name =) Apple juice, Nachos, Ice cream, Salad, Sphagatti, Anissa's cake! (she has a special cake cos she don't eat chocolates, neither does she eat candies, but weirdly she eats sweet stuff! means.. what?)

And.. The Lovely US! =)

It's me again! Jux wana share wad I learnt=)

Was meditating on this verse:

Gal 2:21---'I do not set aside the grace of God, for if righteousness could be gained through the law, Christ died for nothing!"

One thing that struck me was that it is through grace that we are saved, and not through obeying the law...If jux by obeying the law we can be saved, then indeed Christ died for nothing.

The next thing I thought of was, being a Christian is really having a relationship with God...and not a religion...The reason God saved us was to have a relationship with us, to reconcile with us..and not for us to obey His set of laws..

Of course, this doesnt mean we dun obey His laws and do what we like...but we choose to obey Him becos we do not wana hurt Him..=)

Thank God for His grace for us =)

tink abt your relationshp with God. Is it a relationship? Sometimes I feel like I may be treating God as an authority, rather than a Friend, a Father...but God jux wana be there for us and be our friend..Let's have a relationship with God like how we have a relationship with our loved ones and friends=)

guest appearance by Nick Vujicic

cell update for 2nd dec!

look at the title!yea, Nick visited us!For those who're not around and missed his message for us, go to the link below for the video streaming ya?=)
http://www.fcbc.org.sg/faith_sermons.asp

A few things we can learnt from this man of God:
1) God is more interested in changing our hearts than in changing our circumstances
2) we have a plan for our lives, but God has a greater plan (Jer 29:11)
3) God can use ur circumstances to raise or encourage others, even if it mean jux one person
4) sometimes we may feel e lack of something, but God is able to use that lack to bless others (how nick's lack of limbs enabled God to use him)
5) you may tink that u have a certain weakness, but God can turn that weakness into a strength
6) we're made complete in God's love=)

and many many more!!Watch the video streaming and catch his spirit as he speaks=)

ponder abt these 2 questions that we shared in cell:
1) Write down something/a situation that you want to have/to happen but you did not have/did not happen
2) Think abt how God can use that thing/situation (meaning ur lack of that thing/situation) to bless the people around you

a bit chim?if chim then ask those who went for cell or ask me or lijuan..haha

we celebrated Delphne's 17th bday too!can get her to show ur the pics=)

feel free to share ur prayer requests or thanksgiving here!=)

Gal 6:2---"Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ"

---xiaowen---

Hey!my deepest apologies for the late 'cell report' for 25th nov!

okie those going muar retreat are:
Crystal
Kimberly
Andrea
Li Juan
Xiao Woon

we're implementing this thing called bible devotion sharing! everyone is to share something you learnt through reading God's word through the week=) not too hard!=)



---xiaowen---

in the past, i often ask myself why i have such a brother. why m i not born later than my brother. why am i not born into other families... i hate the fact that i have to give into my brother juz because he was younger than me. i dislike my parents for being unreasonable.

however, now i truely understand it all.
i began to realise that god was working in me and my brother.
shaping him into someone more understanding and loving and me into a patient and better sister.
my brother and i now get along very well wif few quarrels along the way which get us closer in relationship.
i cant thank god enough for putting me into this family, giving me wonderful parents and brother and letting me come out of my mum's stomach first. hahs.

i wonder if you ever have the same thinking as i have in the past. but juz wanna say that it takes great affinity for us to meet our parents and siblings to even be in a family. it only happens once on earth and really do treasure each and every one of them. they may be a pain at times but the best people in the world that noes you will always be ur family.

be thankful!
- charlene :)

p.s (i cant go for youth services for like a very long time. but please still keep me post on everything that is happening in the cell. i will miss you guys so much. dun forget me ya? hahs. thanks so much :))

SAWADIKAH!!!

Greetings crestereians,

We sound like some new fairy-like species. haha. Okay back to serious stuff. Before I left, I had a chance to ask auntie elieen, my mom's cell group leader what that "giant" was, also known as Nephilim. They are indeed a hybreed of angels and man. In Gensis 6:4, we know that the angels disguised themselves into the likeness of man. Which know from Jude 6. We also know from Gensis 6:4 that they slept with the daughters of man and then the daughters of man concieved children to these angels. The act was considered imoral in the sight of god and for it says in Gensis 6:3 - And the LORD said, My spirit shall not always strive with man, for that he also is flesh: yet his days shall be an hundred and twenty years. Gensis 6:5 - And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.

Yup.. as for stuff like why did the angels sleep with the daughters of man, I think that they may just be fallen angels. After all, angels are the sons of god and becoming fallen angels doesn't make them otherwise. And questions like how can angels have children with man? Well, I guess it's a supernatural thing and cannot be explained. Like how Jesus was conceived in Mary, it was a supernatural miracle. Likewise, I think it is the same for Nephilims to exist. And sometimes, It seems to us that god must have been very angry with mankind or remorseful to have made mankind to have flooded the whole earth and killed so many. But I think, one of the reasons he choose to do so may just be this, that the sin man and angels created had added to the fact that sin was widespread amongst mankind. God must have been very hurt to see both the sons of god- angels and mankind both sinning against god. And as such, he choose to make such an extreme decision, to flood the earth.
Also, it says in the bible, Gensis 6:4 - There were giants in the earth in those days; and also after that, when the sons of God came in unto the daughters of men, and they bore children to them, the same became mighty men which were of old, men of renown. The Nephilims might have been a superior race compared to mankind? And had supernatural abilities? And took over the earth? Who knows. Maybe thats another reason why god decided to have the flood.

Reference: Gensis 6

6:1 And it came to pass, when men began to multiply on the face of the earth, and daughters were born unto them,
6:2 That the sons of God saw the daughters of men that they were fair; and they took them wives of all which they chose.

6:3 And the LORD said, My spirit shall not always strive with man, for that he also is flesh: yet his days shall be an hundred and twenty years.

6:4 There were giants in the earth in those days; and also after that, when the sons of God came in unto the daughters of men, and they bare children to them, the same became mighty men which were of old, men of renown.

6:5 And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.

6:6 And it repented the LORD that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart. 6:7 And the LORD said, I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth; both man, and beast, and the creeping thing, and the fowls of the air; for it repenteth me that I have made them. 6:8 But Noah found grace in the eyes of the LORD. 6:9 These are the generations of Noah: Noah was a just man and perfect in his generations, and Noah walked with God. 6:10 And Noah begat three sons, Shem, Ham, and Japheth. 6:11 The earth also was corrupt before God, and the earth was filled with violence. 6:12 And God looked upon the earth, and, behold, it was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted his way upon the earth. 6:13 And God said unto Noah, The end of all flesh is come before me; for the earth is filled with violence through them; and, behold, I will destroy them with the earth. Yup. And this week, I thank god for the wonderful time I had in thailand. I thank god I have conquered many many of my fears. Like, riding an All-Terrian-Vehicle and doing flying fox from the 56th story of a hotel. =) So how was del's birthday celebration? And, the desaru trip is for only those above 16 of age? I'll attach pictures tomorrow and maybe a vedio. =) How come im the only one blogging??? DONT LET THIS BLOG DIE!!! BLOG TODAY!!! - Lots of love, Andrea. =)

Choir Duty for December

Yes its Livingstones' turn to be on choir duty again! Practices should be on Thursday nights (if i'm not wrong, let me double check again). As of now we have the following sign-up:

2nd (practice on 29th): Anissa, Amelia

9th (practice on 6th): Crystal, Isabel, Gen

16th (practice on 13th): Crystal, Isabel, Gen, Kim

23rd (practice on 20th): Amabel, Isabel, Gen, Kim, Andrea

30th (practice on 27th): Amabel, Isabel, Gen, Kim, Andrea


Anyone else interested, same thing, sms/email me, or tag in the tagboard! Yup i've yet to fill my name in too! Hee..

-juan =)

Annual Prayer Retreat & Worship Encounter

Hey girls, here's the details for the upcoming Muar retreat! Not much of a scheduled programme, but its gonna be a great time just immersing in the presence of the Lord, with thanksgiving for this Year of Victory! And definitely to prepare our hearts for the Year of Sabbath ahead too =)

18th - 20th December (20th is Hari Raya, public holiday!)

~$80 ($20 for accomodation, $30 for transport, $30 for food)

16 years old and above (with exceptions)

I know many of you are going away for holidays etc, so those who can confirm that they are going, sms/email me, or tag in the tagboard! By 30th nov!

-juan =)