SEASON 6 EPISODE 1: FIRST HALF OF 2010

Here's a quick snapshot of the last 6 months of activity in 2010 (just in case you all were wondering whether this blog had turned dormant...)

(1) Professional life

I started a new job as an in-house lawyer in one of the power generation companies here in Singapore and was on probation for 6 months. I have finally completed it and have been confirmed with effect from today (4 July 2010). 6 months may be long, but I must say that it has been an event-filled period. Learnt alot of things, both legal and about the energy industry! I thank my God for this provision of place of work, superiors and colleagues!

(2) Christian ministry

Each Sunday is busy with getting my church choir ready for service. Thank God for committed singers and that through them, the worship service is enriched and the congregation is ministered by it.

I have also moved out from the cell group I wrote about in my last post because I feel it is time to do so (a time to plant and a time to uproot - Eccl 3:2 was the verse that moved me to do what I did) and move on. It is also new beginning for the cell as the new leaders take their places.

What is the planting bit? Well, nothing concrete now but I am in talks with an external parachurch organisation who are considering to start a marketplace ministry.

That's briefly what has happened on these 2 areas of my life this past half a year!

SEASON 5 EPISODE 6: SUCCESS!

Just returned from a weekend away with my fellow Brothers And Sisters In Christ at the BB/GB Campsite in Sembawang.

The idea of a Retreat was mooted quite late in the year (just 2 to 3 months ago). But, thanks be to God! Everything fell into place very nicely, from start to end, and the programme ran without any hiccups.

The objectives of the Retreat were met. With new leaders now, a direction, an identity and a programme, we look forward to an enriching and fulfilling 2010!

Soli Deo Gloria!

SEASON 5 EPISODE 5: What a Year it has been and what a year is going to be!

I wonder whether anyone who have been reading my blog (to which I thank you for your readership) have been wondering what had happened since since July 2009.

No, I have not forgotten that I have a blog. No, my life has not reached a plateau (on the contrary, there have been many peaks and troughs since July 2009 - which I will elaborate later) and no, I have not forgotten these moments.

What I want to do in this entry is to pen down bite-size snippets of the significant moments since July 2009 and of the entire year.

(1) Professional

I have changed jobs and will be starting my new job in January 2010. I will be returning to legal work and this time, it will be at an energy power station situated on the northern part of the island. How I got this job is truly amazing and I attribute all this to God. It is not only His faithfulness that saw me through this job-hunt. But, it is also in His grace and mercy that this employer looked upon me with favour.

2009 has been a rough year on this front. But, I have learnt a great deal about myself as I moved through the 2 jobs. I pray now that at this new job in 2010 (and beyond), it will be a year of rooting and progress in order that I may establish my track record, bloom and grow in the mind and spirit. LORD, establish the works of my hands!

(2) Spiritual

This year, I have been active in the church in both learning and service.

(a) Learning: Christian Believer

The 30-week Christian Believer course where I learnt Christian theology opened my eyes into the richness of the faith I belong to. These theological concepts are the building blocks of any Christian and I say that every one (especially people my age) should consider equipping ourselves with some working knowledge of theology, especially in times like this.

(b) Learning: Alpha

The 13-week Alpha Course has also provided me an opportunity to revisit the basics of the Christian faith, get to hear how people's lives have been changed through the course and be exposed to people who have questions about the faith.

(c) Service: Young Adults cell group

The LORD has indeed blessed this cell group in leads and bounds this year with new members. These new members have given this cell a different mix compared to what it was before. But, what I want to especially thank the LORD for is the people within this cell. Praise the LORD for hearts of service, enthusiasm and passion! I look forward to our Retreat next weekend where we will rest in the company of the LORD and others, reassess our position both individually and as a body corporate and make ready ourselves for 2010!

I pray that each and every one of the members will rise up and wise up to be young men and women of the living God in the church and society so that they may "shine like stars" in this world.

(3) Personal

This year has been a year of learning about who I am as a person, how I can position myself with all the training and experience in the past. All this has given me a newfound confidence and I look forward to engaging and rooting myself in the new job. Praise be to God for these experiences.

With a job to look forward to and grow in and the prospect of obtaining my driving licence in the first quarter of 2010, I also pray to cultivate good working relationships with all I work and serve with.

I believe with God's help, all this is possible and I can really do "all things through Him that gives me strength."

Thanks be to God! Amen!

SEASON 5 EPISODE 4: 1 YEAR HAS ZIPPED BY...

It has been exactly 4 months since I last updated this blog and now just over a year since I returned from London. Indeed, 1 year has zipped by and this entry is really taking stock of things.

I must say that time has passed by so quickly that I cannot recall very much what had happened since my return to Singapore from London on 5 July 2008.

(1) JULY to DECEMBER 2008

This part was spent re-integrating with my family, friends and church. I was also "finding my feet" then and wondering whether I will be heading back to England to complete my legal training and qualifying there anytime soon.

During that period, I went through 2 internships at law firms and ended the year with a post-Christmas vacation to Ho Chi Minh City with my family.

On a church front, I went back to my cell group and re-integrated myself with them. By that time, my cell group had gone through quite a big makeover in terms of members. There were a couple of "new-comers" and the highlight was that we, together as a cell had some fun over food and fellowship in Bintan from 14 to 16 November 2008. It was a great time there.

(2) JANUARY TO MARCH 2009

The new year began with a new job where I did legal work at a communications agency. It was an experience of my life in this firm because not only did I get to have a taste of what it is like to be a lawyer, I got to also see a different side to life in the workplace, albeit in a negative sense. I left after 2 months and the month of March was a time of in-between jobs. Despite the negative nature of the experience, I give thanks to God for allowing this to happen and taking me out when it reached the point of no return.

Durign this period, I got myself started on "Christian Believer", a 30-week course investigating the classic doctrines of the Christian faith. This was held in church. I also busied myself with the affairs of a workings of a ministry in my church.

(3) APRIL to JULY 2009

The LORD provided me a job in the company where I did my internship in 7 years ago and I began on 6 April 2009. Thanks be to God for that. I am still involved in the legal profession, but from a technological viewpoint - which I believe will be the means of legal practice in the future.

Apart from workplace, the other place I spend most of my time is in church.

I continued to attend cell meetings on Saturday afternoons where I occasionally lead Bible Study sessions. I also had the privilege to provide emotional and spiritual support to a cell mate of mine whom I will always treat her as my younger sister (or mei2). I smile at being able to play bigger brother to a younger sister (largely because I don't have a biological sister in my household). I give thanks to God for bringing her into my life and it is my prayer that she will grow in the faith and be in favour with God and man.

I spend my weekends in the activities of the church. This range from cell group and occasional dinner fellowships on Saturdays, playing the organ for worship services on Sundays or attending worship service with my cell mates followed by fellowship over lunch.

As one can see, many things have happened since I returned from London and I give thanks to God for leading me through these events, both ups and downs, bringing people into my life and sustaining me through these periods.

For now, I look forward to positive developments in my job, the provision of opportunities to deepen my faith and relationship with God and build deeper friendships with my cell group mates.

SEASON 5 EPISODE 3: A NEW CHAPTER BEGINS...

In the last episode, I wrote about the discipline of “waiting” in 2 areas of my life: (1) Career and (2) Relationships. It is still status quo for (2) and still waiting.

For (1), since that last entry, the period of waiting involved making applications for jobs in various places: from law firms to MNCs and even registering interest in a conversion programme to be an Arts Manager.

However, through very unusual means and circumstances, the LORD chartered a direction for me that I never expected at all. I was offered a job at my first workplace (where I did my Industrial Attachment during my polytechnic days in 2002) yesterday just after having lunch with one of my bosses the day before!

At this point, all I will say is that the career prospects are good and it is in line with what I personally want to do in a couple of years time. I am still involved in the legal profession, only from a different angle and I believe my legal training gives me the edge to understand the workings and challenges lawyers face in running their practices. More will come as I get into the grind of things.

I have accepted the position today and will begin on 1 April 2009.

This acceptance is the apex of a series of events that began last Sunday where, during second breakfast after church, I found that the place I enjoyed my working life was at my poly internship firm. This is evidence of the maxim that the LORD’s timing is always the best. When the time is ripe, all things will fall into place. If not anything else, I take comfort in this and look forward to that perfect timing for (2) as well. Till then, I will just leave things as it is and build the friendship through amongst other things, Christian service and fellowship.

This new chapter is an illustration and affirmation of Romans 8:28:

“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.”

God never fails to surprise us (and at times, make us laugh).

Another eventful moment in the season of Lent 2009!

SOLI DEO GLORIA!

SEASON 5 EPISODE 2: LENT 2009 & THE MONTH OF MARCH

The season of Lent this year has already been very eventful. Just within the first week of that season, many life-altering things have happened.

The first is on Ash Wednesday last Wednesday, the beginning of Lent where I believed there was another buzzword for me for the season. That word is “Wait” and I want to quote a couple of passages from Bishop Dr Robert Solomon’s in his article “Waiting on God” that was published in the March 2009’s issue of the Methodist Message:

“We must note that the LORD Himself chose to see time in a kairos (God’s special moments) rather than a chronos (chronological) way. Often He would say that His time had not yet come, meaning that He waited for the right opportune time, never rushing into it. And when it came, He noted it and fulfilled His purposed. Jesus often waited in His life and ministry. He waited 30 years for His opportune time.”

Bishop Solomon goes on to say:

“The spiritual discipline of waiting is not a passive act of hopeless surrender to fate, but an active commitment and consecration to the living God, who shapes us according to His purposes and into the image of His Son. While we wait for God, something happens in us – we become strengthened, the spiritual sinews of our souls become exercised and we grow in grace...

Often the discipline of waiting is exercised through prayer. Prayer slows us down; it teaches us to reject the urge to go our own way, to trust in our own strength or smartness, to take things into our own hands. Prayer helps us to wait.”

Wait for what? Well, this year, there are 2 aspects of my life I believe the LORD wants me to wait on Him and be patient.

The first is in my career. It was on Ash Wednesday itself that the thoughts of leaving the job came to mind through a chat with my mother. She sensed that I was not happy where I was. Well, on Saturday, the opportunity arose to tell my boss how I felt about the situation.

I was glad that both employer and employee believed that it was a “job mis-match” and I felt a burden being lifted at being at peace. I also believe that the departure from the job was a kairos moment. It happened so quickly that I immediately packed up my things. What’s next? Well, for now, it is just a break and re-assessing my goals. I truet that the LORD will provide the next step.

The second is in the area of relationships. While I am more or less certain that I might have met “my match”, through all that has been said and done, it is not the time to proceed further. I shall be patient and wait on the LORD to reveal that kairos moment.

While waiting, from what has already happened, I think what is needed of me is to build relationships with others and be a friend to others around me. The most important thing is that I pray for the strength to remain patient and like the parable of the growing seed in Mark 4:26-29, allow the seed of friendship to grow “all by itself”, take comfort that the seed is growing though I "do not know how" it does and I look to the day where I can “put the sickle to it because the harvest has come” (v29).

To round it all off, I saw a double rainbow on the way back home from work. The second rainbow might not be very clear from the photo, but if you look a little more carefully, you will see the faint shades of it. I managed to capture that moment with a photo from my mobile phone.

A very pretty sight, don't you think?

The saying goes that your wishes will come true when you see a rainbow. In this case, it is a double rainbow! But, while I am hoping that the desires of my heart will be granted, I trust the LORD will provide - in His time and in His special way.

What is required of me? Following Bishop Solomon's advice: pray because it helps us to wait.

SOLI DEO GLORIA!

SEASON 5 EPISODE 1: A NEW YEAR, A NEW SEASON!

It has been a long while since I last updated this blog. This is because I was going through a period of “wandering in the wilderness”. In my last blog entry, I mentioned that I went for an interview in a law firm – I never got that job.

Since then, I spent the rest of 2008 thinking through life and where the LORD wanted me to be. It was not the best of times because I wanted some form of certainty and a direction.

To “make things worse”, there were developments in my other spheres of life, most notably the desire to be more active in church. But, I could not really commit myself to that if I was to be called back to London!

Despite all this happenings, I made use of the time available to gain some experience as an intern in a large Singapore law firm and on looking back, I believe I was there for a reason: to stand in the gap for the pupils were still away completing the PLC for the months of October and November. I ended my internship on Christmas Eve.

This period of time was not the most exciting of times. There were so many unanswered questions and I wondered how much longer I have to wait until I see the end of the tunnel. It was mentally and emotionally frustrating. But, things took a turn somewhere in November 2008.

It began with one of those ventilating sessions with my parents where I was brought back to revisit the reason for heading to London and in particular, Westminster University to do the LPC. That reason was very specific, to read the Entertainment and Media Law elective.

(For those who know me, you would recall that I wanted to be an entertainment lawyer. Well, I lost that focus as well during this period of “wandering in the wilderness.”)

I gave that some thought and after much reflection, I realised that ultimately, entertainment and media was still my pet area and that spurred me to do the next step: what am I going to do after my internship at this law firm?

Well, at the LORD's appointed time, I did some random surfing on the web at the appointed website and stumbled upon a job as an “in-house legal advisor for a communications agency.” The advertisement was only posted the day before I chanced upon it.

As they dealt with movies and entertainment, I decided to give it shot and submitted my CV to someone whom I thought I knew from past connections.

The next day, this person called me and the first thing he said was: “do you remember me?”J True enough, it was that same person I worked with in a performance 2 to 3 years ago and the rest is history!

I got the job and started in 2009. I give thanks to God for providing and fulfilling the immediate need – gainful employment, the beginning of a career in my desired industry and a direction in life. With this, I can now commit myself to be more active in church and to build relationships with my fellow brothers and sisters. Alas, a new year, a new season!

Thanks be to God!

SEASON 4 EPISODE 7: THE CONVICTION

I went for a job interview yesterday afternoon for a dispute resolution paralegal in an international law firm based in Millenia Tower in the City. The circumstances that led to this interview are quite unique:

(1) I was never asked to see the recruiter for an interview- the one who put up the advertisement. This is different from the other recruiters who called me for an initial profiling session;

(2) all communication was done through email or telephone call; and

(3) interestingly, this position was not published on the law firm's careers page on their website.

One might what this has to do with the title of this episode. It has lots to do with the title and this is the link:

During the interview, I felt that I spoke with confidence and answered the questions with heartfelt sincerity. This confidence stems from an internal conviction that grew over time - the conviction that I am called to be a lawyer and that I will eventually qualify.

When all things seem to be gloomy, one's confidence and belief can be shaken. It was the same for me. This happened while I was in London where all my applications for training contracts and paralegal positions were unsuccessful. It was a dampener but despite all this, I stood up and completed the LPC successfully.

On my return home, I had the privilege of being an intern at an international law firm. During that period, I asked myself whether I was on the right track and wondered why is the route to becoming a solicitor so difficult. I wondered whether I should have done a general business degree or even be an accountant.

It was one night that I pulled out one of my journals which recorded some of the many circumstances that led me to pick up law. There were many circumstances that led me into the study of law, one of which was the exposure to law during my polytechnic days.

But, in one of my entries, I recorded that one of my lecturers informed me that the same law module will not be offered to subsequent batches of Business IT students because of a change of curriculum and the introduction of the cross-disciplinary module system. This document was a memory-jolting one!

I am unaware as to whether what my lecturer said really happened. But if it did, then the timing of everything could not be any better than this. If I had entered the course a year later, I would not be where I am right now. A year earlier, there will be no such course because I was the course's pioneer batch of graduates. Therefore, the feeling of been on the wrong track is purely academic because there is no alternate history for me! That means I am on the right track!

I even recalled that my heart was certain that I was to go ahead with my law studies, even though my then girlfriend discouraged me from doing so. In the process, I made a few sacrifices, one of which was to take myself out of the polytechnic Choir which I was quite active then. I also ended my relationship with her sometime then because of irreconciable differences.

So, putting all this together, I can say that my route to becoming a solicitor was a challenging one and it is through all this that have made me more capable to handle challenges. This is how I began my "speech" before the interviewers yesterday and I now await news from the recruiter.

I have been trained as a lawyer and even though the thought of doing business, finance or even accounting have crossed my mind, I have dismissed it because that is not what I am supposed to do.

My calling is indeed to be a lawyer and I look to the day where I will get my license to practice. I believe that even though nothing tangible seems to be emerging, the God of the Bible, the Creator of heaven and earth is working in the background and that we take heart that in all things, God will work for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose (Romans 8:28).

SOLI DEO GLORIA!

SEASON 4 EPISODE 6: THE TRANSIT

It has been two weeks since the end of my internship and since then, I have been sending out my CV to legal recruitment agencies for profiling, attending interviews and most importantly, enjoying the retreat from the hustle and bustle of the working life.

During this period, I was largely on my own, walking around my "haunts" on the island, sipping coffee at coffee joints with my latest toy - a 80GB iPod Classic - and book in hand. I have also ransacked my family's library of books for good theological classics to read and chew on.

I think it is appropriate to share some thoughts about a personal project of mine, which is to document my own thoguths on the Christian faith. The contents will largely be my own personal thoughts, but like all lawyers, I will look back on what others have said before (ie the great theologians of the past). I am also looking at incorporating philosophy - both Western and Eastern philosophy into this. It may cause some "disturbance in the force", but ultimately, I want to put forth my own case for the faith - like an advocate will do before he presents his case before the court of law.

Over the years, through all my experiences in life, there has been a growing desire to know the word "Christianity", a word that I have been indicating as my religion on application forms I have been filling up of late at those legal recruitment agencies. This seed was sown during the days with my ex-girlfriend many years ago. This is one of the many positive results of this failed relationship and it is this that I will always thank the LORD for. This seed germinated and grew during my law studies - especially in my final year where I had to do Jurisprudence (ie the philosophy of law) in order to graduate. It has been growing since then but the next significant point was when I was in London. My library of books which I built up in my own room during my nine months (and the occasions where I led Bible Study over there) caused much exponential growth. Now back in Singapore, all this growth culminates (in some sense) in this life-long project of mine and what better time for the launch than in this transitory period, while waiting for my next flight in the journey of life.

But, I don't think I can do this alone. As it is a life-long project, I am praying for the LORD to provide the appropriate companion to come alongside me to assist, guide and inspire.

I guess this can keep my mind occupied during this transitory period. I am praying this period will not be too long and that I can be gainfully employed again! I have been "out of action" for 2 weeks now and am eager to return to the working world. How long, O LORD do I have to wait?

SEASON 4 EPISODE 5: WHAT AN ADVENTURE!

Today marks the end of my four-week internship at the Singapore office of an international law firm. Well, I leave that place with fond memories and I believe I have thorougly enjoyed myself. The people, the tasks given and the exposure, these will be remembered.

While there's no opening for either an extension or a permanent position, I am not disappointed because I know that this internship will add some weight and "colour" to my CV. I can say that I have worked in an international law firm, experienced the "high-end" work that they do and confirm my position that I am on the right track.

During this internship, I have asked myself why I chose to be a lawyer and why this path to be one. What if I had chosen to do a general business degree and find a comfortable job. Well, in one of my journal entries written during the days of my internship and all that, I was informed by my liaision officer for my SIP that the legal module that I took (which sparked off the interest in law) will not be a compulsory module for the subsequent batches on the Business IT course. This is because of the change in the structure of curriculum.

If this really happened, then I can only say that if I had entered the course later, I would not be where I am now. Hence, there is no alternate history for me and this shows that I am on the right track. So, this gives me the confidence to continue threading on this journey to be a lawyer.

Thanks be to God for the experience and all that has happened. I now take a back seat, scan the field for the next opportunity and take it - even if it is to return to London to work.

This episode has been an adventure and I come out of it happy, at peace and confident.

SEASON 4 EPISODE 4: TAKING STOCK

In the previous episode, I gave my initial impressions of the English firm as an intern.

Three weeks have since passed and I must say that I have learnt alot, seen alot and read alot. I have undertaken quite a variety of tasks from the different departments. This ranged from conducting research on the oil and gas industry in Indonesia, Australia and the African countries to proof-reading transactional documents. I even had to conduct research on the private equity houses and the various investment banks. What an eye-opener!

I am still in the midst of taking stock on all these experiences. There's still another week to go and I look forward to it.

SEASON 4 EPISODE 3: HUMBLY THANKFUL

I write this episode with a humbly thankful heart. Why? Well, by His grace and mercy, the LORD provided a 4-week internship in the Singapore office of an English law firm and I have completed my first week.



On my first day, I believed I entered an entirely different realm! Those are only, in my honest opinion, the best words to describe it. One can only fully understand what I am saying when one is in the firm. It may only be the first day, but by the fact that I already have such comments, it is quite telling!



I believe that things will heat up and get more interesting in the coming days. Therefore, it is all the more that I continue to disregard all my pride, humbly perform all tasks to the best of my ability and giving thanks to the LORD each day. I am also of the opinion that through this, He will show me first-hand what it REALLY means to be humble. It is a terribly difficult thing to do if we rely solely on our own human strength.



Well, this is not the first humbling experience I had thus far, but I can say that this reinforces the meaning of my Chinese name "敬善", when translated means "respectfully submitting to what is good". These characters were decided upon by my late paternal grandfather after thoughtful study into the life of King Josiah in the Old Testament of the Christian Bible.



Even though my grandfather is no longer around to tell me directly why he chose those characters, it will serve as a constant reminder of what I need to do which is neatly summarised in my life verse, Micah 6:8 (ie to seek justice, love mercy and walk humbly with my God), These are the things that are good - which the LORD has shown through His Son, Jesus Christ.

SEASON 4 EPISODE 2: This is your Captain speaking...

I write this episode with a joyful heart, praising the LORD for what He has done.

At 11pm last night, I was informed that my results for the LPC electives have been released. So, I went to check and braced myself for the moment of truth. When I saw the results, I was thrilled to find that I had scored Distinctions in my Corporate Finance and Private Acquisitions and a Commendation in Entertainment & Media! With the addition of 3 Commendations for my Core subjects in February, I am pleased to announce that I HAVE SUCCESSFULLY COMPLETED THE LPC AT FIRST ATTEMPT with a total of 4 Commendations and 2 Distinctions and a clean sweep of the Skills and Pervasives! I believe this will act as a positive counter to the 2:2 LLB I obtained on the London External.

There was a moment of shock and disbelief that I had scored Distinctions in the 2 modules which I did not have much confidence in doing well for!! However, my heart sank a bit when I found out I obtained a Commendation for the module that made me choose Westminster - Entertainment and Media. Well, now having known these grades, I would like to know why I have been given those grades and I have requested for the feedback sheets to be mailed to me.

What are my thoughts on this? Well, I look at these results as a signpost in the direction of corporate law and acquisitions. In that sense, it is a confirmation of what the LORD impressed upon my heart to choose these electives last November. All thanks and praise to the LORD of my salvation!

The release of the results also marks the moment for me to "activate" the next step - which is to touch base with the contacts whom I know here in Singapore and in London. As always, the LORD, the ever faithful captain of the ship of life will steer it to the next destination. So, as the LORD says over the PA: "This is Your captain speaking...", may my ears and heart be attentive to listen out for Him.

SOLI DEO GLORIA!

SEASON 4 EPISODE 1: Back home

Greetings to all readers from my home country in Singapore!

It has been just over a week since I returned from London and have been spending this week adjusting to the climate, the environment and all! The other thing is to enjoy the comforts of having my entire family in the house. This is because my brother has returned from Perth for his 2-week mid-term break and will be leaving in a week's time.

As I now enter this new week, I brace myself for the release of my elective examination results on Thursday. These results will determine my overall performance on the LPC, so these are important!

The common question I have been asked by many this week is how long I will be in Singapore for and the answer I give is that I do not know. It can be as short as it can be or as long as it can be. I am sure something will crystallise once my results are released on Thursday. A job opportunity over there in London? That's something I am praying for and when that comes around, I will respond and head back.

In the meantime, I am now, amongst other things catching up on the reading of books that I bought before leaving for London. I am also penning down reflections as I mull over cetain personal issues and setting things right. The penning down of reflections is something I grew into while in London...

Do miss London and all the people whom I have gotten to know. There are lots of things I can do while in London and if I had a choice of whether to stay or go, I would choose the latter. Living overseas either shapes or breaks you and for me, I believe it is the former.

The one thing that I lack is a companion to share these experiences with, someone who commits herself to following me around, which includes travelling to England and staying there for a couple of years. In that sense, my ideal companion is a Rebekah as in Genesis 24. I trust that the LORD knows who is best and will provide at the appointed moment.

Thanks be to GOD!

SEASON 3 EPISODE 24: EPILOGUE

This epilogue is written on the final full day in London. I will be booking out of my hall tomorrow morning at about 7am to head for the LCF Summer Term Prayer Breakfast en route to Heathrow Terminal 4.

I have been spending the past few days packing, preparing to get my cartons taken away and meeting up with a couple of people. I have also been asked to lead worship at Sanctuary later tonight and have been preparing for that. It is a privilege and honour to be able to lead God's people into His presence.

Before all this, I have a lunch appointment to go to, to check-in online for my flight tomorrow and buying a gift for a friend. Indeed, it has all come down to this final day wherein I will bid farewell to this place I called home for the past 10 months and 12.5 hours later, I will be back in my home country to be greeted and welcomed by my family.

So, as mentioned in Episode 24, I will write a reflective entry to round up Season 3 and these will be my reflections:

I came to London in September 2007 without the faintest idea of what I will be expecting apart from doing the LPC. I knew I had to also look at training contract applications and spent the entire duration of the course doing that too.

To top it all, I was also involved in Christian service at All Souls Church during my SWOT days and a musician. I also got to know the Lawyers' Christian Fellowship to which I have made some good Christian friends. Lastly, there was Sanctuary at Methodist Central Hall where I served as a musician/singer. All these exposure and experiences have helped me shape my character, moulded my own perspective on being a Chrisitian lawyer and most importantly, created a growing desire for a deeper knowledge of the Christian faith. I believe my ministry is not confined to just music, but also that of preaching.

Indeed, this is THE one thing I want to thank the LORD for - even though I may not have secured any training contract. I would not have gotten all these experiences if I elected to stay in Singapore.

The LORD has also provided a one-time opportunity to gain some work experience in a London law firm for 3 weeks and to earn some extra money - that literally being, my first fruits! I set aside 10% of this amount to be given in gratitude to God for this provisions.

Indeed, this is a day of thanksgiving for all He has done in my entire time here in London. I will definitely miss this wonderful place and the people who have crossed my path. As I head back to Singapore tomorrow afternoon, I go back to be with my family and friends and wait upon the LORD.

The journey hence continues and I pray that I will be in tune with the LORD to discern the next mission. This could range from settling the affairs of the heart to providing a job opportunity back here. When He calls, I will obey and respond- even if it does not follow what my heart humanly desires.

So, just like a James Bond movie where the opening scenes usually show 007 completing a previsou mission before heading back to MI6 to receive his next mission from M.

The same goes for me. Season 3 concludes and I return to Singapore to receive my next mission.

SOLI DEO GLORIA!

SEASON 3 EPISODE 23: WRAPPING UP AND BOWING OUT

It is finally over! The course that I began 9 months ago wrapped up for me at 5pm last Friday when we were told to "put our pens down and stop writing".

So, now to bow out of London and head home to Singapore. This means packing, arranging with the shipping company to take my things away and enjoying the rest of my time here before I fly out at or around 12.15pm on Friday, 4th July.

I have a couple of lunch appointments on Tuesday and Thursday this coming week, attending my final cell group on Wednesday evening and the final Sanctuary meeting on Thursday evening. I also have some shopping to do for my family and friends.

On Friday, I will be checking out of my hall at around 7am so that I can attend a Summer Term Prayer Breakfast organised by the Lawyers' Christian Fellowship at Middle Temple at 8am. Once that finishes at 9am, I will then make my way to Heathrow by Tube. I aim to get to Heathrow by 10am or so in order that I can check in and get ready to fly out.

It's a long journey back - about 12.5 hours in the air and when I land, I not only have to forward my body clock by 7 hours, but also brace myself for the tropical Singapore weather (especially since I will be arriving in the morning!).

I definitely have fond memories of this place and I will surely miss all my friends here. I have no idea what the plan is right now - but I do pray that I can return in the near future to advance my career and qualify as an English solicitor.

However, I also return to begin the next phase of my life - which is currently (subject to change) a mixture of personal and professional agendas. So, I have mixed feelings of leaving a place I called home for the last 9 months. The image of heading home excites me because I will be back with my friends and family. But, the image of leaving this country saddens me.

This episode will be the penultimate episode of Season 3. The final episode (Episode 24) will be a reflective episode of my entire time here in London before I board the plane for Singapore. Thereafter, Season 4, location: Singapore

SEASON 3 EPISODE 22 (PART II): THE PEACE

As I named this episode "The Peace", I am reminded of an old worship song that I used to sing in Sunday School many many years ago:

He is my peace, who has broken down every wall

He is my peace, He is my peace!

He is my peace, who has broken down every wall
He is my peace, He is my peace!

Why do I say that? Well, as I prepared for The Move in Part I (see below), I received an email from the large City firm I applied to for a training contract. I was informed that I was not shortlisted for an interview, resulting in the end of the road.

I have been hoping and praying very hard about this application. So, when I got this, one could imagine how devastated I was. I was even reduced to tears for a while.

As I sobbed in my room, I really wished I had a physical shoulder to cry on and a companion with me to comfort me. Apart from the LORD, the only persons I could go back to were my parents. I managed to talk to them over SKYPE and I was very surprised and comforted that my mum was clearly not disappointed with the outcome. She said that as she read my email, it was impressed upon her that the way is very clear (ie to return to the firm I had the God-given opportunity to undergo 3 weeks of work experience back in April).

I took great comfort in that, but I was not entirely convinced that was the way and was advised me to see whether there is a message from the LORD at church on Sunday. More of that later.

But, it is what happened in the course of this week that is of more importance. One of the steps I took, after consulting my parents was to inform one of my lecturers about it who knew about my application and see what would happen.

I approached my lecturer on Tuesday and to my surprise, he did something which I did not think would happen - to call the firm's HR Department on my behalf! From there, he was able to get the firm to send me written feedback on why I was not shortlisted!!

The feedback illustrated not only what went wrong with my application, but also the standard that I had to rise up to in order to get into their firm (or perhaps, any City firm). The negative comments made my heart very heavy and I carried that heavy heart throughout that day. In fact, I also realised that I would not be able to meet that standard because to do so will be going against my own character!

Wednesday morning was perhaps the positive climax of all that had happened. I thought I did not receive a word from the LORD on Sunday that was specific to my situation. But, on my father's advice (who later told me that he believed there was a word for me there), I revisited the notes I took from the sermon on "Food sacrificed to idols" (1 Corinthians 8:1-13). The focus of that sermon was 1 Corinthians 8:1b which read: "Knowledge puffs up, but loves builds up".

I then recalled that as I listened to the sermon, I thought about my profession as a lawyer. We lawyers have special knowledge that the lay man would not have (ie the knowledge of the law). Now, we would like to think that we will be one level higher than the lay man - which often leads to being proud about it. But, as a Christian lawyer, what is our Code of Conduct? We perform our legal duties as a form of service to the community, which is driven by love. My Quiet Time in the Daily Bread that day was my life verse Micah 6:8. Philip Yancey was the writer of the QT and he used this verse to remind us of our obedience to God and our "assigned tasks". To me, I believe my assigned tasks are to complete the LPC exams and to be a lawyer. This is my obedience to the LORD. Once again, the words in Micah 6:8 of "walk humbly with your God" struck me.

Now, what does all this have to do with the City firm? Well, I have been reminded time and time again that my Achilles' heel is this tendency to be arrogant. I believe that will be harder to control if I was working in a prestigious firm and receiving a big pay packet in the City. Instead, I believe the LORD has shown me - through this experience - that I am more suited for a non-flashy environment where I can contribute more, learn more and most importantly, develop the character of being humble. The humility part is also linked to my name and confirms my late grandfather's wisdom when he picked my Chinese name.

I have now gone on to call the firm I worked with for 3 weeks in April to ask whether there is any opening for a paralegal. This is my part of the deal and I submit this to the LORD to do His part as I now return to my preparations for exams in peace. I will head off to Sanctuary at Methodist Central Hall with that spirit of thanksgiving because of Jesus, who is my Peace!

Thanks be to God! Amen!

SEASON 3 EPISODE 22 (PART I): THE MOVE

I write this blog entry from my new room across the street from where I was since September 2007.

Yes, my tenancy agreement at Room C02-8 ends tomorrow and I will be in Room B07-6 until 4th July 2008. Well, first up, my new room is not as big as the previous one. See pictures below.

Taken from the door. You can see that I am not exactly very tidy.. :p

Taken from the bed.

The cardboard box contains books and the files on the top shelf are my notes.

As you will probably see, I do have a lot of things to move over (not to mention I bought and brought lots of books on various genres. This is something I accumulated over 9 months but I don't regret it). I am hence grateful to God for providing the opportunity to move out ahead of schedule and it was a smooth one.

I was to move out tomorrow at midday, but a note was shoved through my door at about midday today informing me that my new room is ready and I could start moving my belongings. I spent almost the entire morning packing and the entire afternoon moving them over. There are no lifts, just staircases and it was an entire OMO (one man operation). I thank God it went smoothly and I look forward to having a good rest tonight and ready to shift gear to "revision mode" as I enter the 1-week revision before the exams begin the following week.

This episode is just the first part of what happened to me this week. There will be a Part II. Stay tuned!

SEASON 3 EPISODE 21: ONE MONTH FROM TODAY!

As I look forward to this day, one month later (ie Friday, 4th July 2008), I see myself boarding a plane from Heathrow which heads for Singapore. Yes, 4th July is the day I plan to return home to reunite with family and friends. It has been a quick 9 months since I arrived on 10th September 2007 save for the 2-week Christmas break. Time sure flies.

But, it is my prayer (and for those who know the situation I am in) that when I board the plane, I will board it, fully briefed on what my next "mission" is to be. It is akin to James Bond when M tells him of his next mission. Although, I don't think M will tell James of the dangers that come with the mission. He will be guided by his contacts in the mission field, along with the resources he obtains from Q.

Who and what is the "M" and "Q" in my life? The LORD is like "M" to me and the Bible, the written Word is my "Q". The LORD only knows the full details of the mission and He will reveal the necessary details for me to move. However, unlike James Bond who only uses his "Q Gadgets" to get him out of danger, the written Word is my everything. It is used to get me out of danger, it is used to comfort me when I am down and it is also used to teach me the ways of my "M", my LORD!

I now cast my thoughts to the present time and ask the same question of my "mission field". Well, the mission has been the same all along (ie to get through the LPC) and as I received the result of my last assessment (a Probate assessment) before the exams, I thank the LORD for the"1st attempt clearance" stamp on my LPC passport (an analogy I used in one of my previous episodes) to prepare for and sit the exams.

So, this is the final leg of - what has been - a hectic 9-month journey. I think all of us on the LPC will agree that we all need a good summer break. For me, that break is to pack up my bags and head home. But, I pray that as I pack, I might have a glimpse of what my next mission is to be.

Hear these prayers of your child, O LORD! I believe in You, but help my unbelief. Amen.

SEASON 3 EPISODE 20: EVER RECEIVED A NUDGE FROM GOD?

Yes, the title says it all... Have you ever received a nudge from God? Well, I believe I have in the course of the week.

The nudge came through one of my lecturers in school whom I wrote to sometime back in respect of an application to another City firm for a training contract. Now, how the opportunity arose to apply to this City firm is another story for a more appropriate time.

Since I wrote to my lecturer for advice on this firm, I have submitted the application for a training contract and even arranged to have a tour of the firm. I have since committed the application to the LORD and ask Him to take control of it.

On Tuesday, my lecturer - out of the blue - tapped me on the shoulder and asked me how that application was coming along while I was in school computer lab writing an email. That caught me by surprise and he arranged that I see him after class on Wednesday.

During that conversation after lunch on Wednesday, he gave some thoughtful advice and told me what - I believe - the next step should be in respect of this application.

On the way back home after the conversation, I had this sense within me saying that what he said was a nudge from the LORD saying "this is the next step". I acted upon the advice and performed that next step on Thursday. The effects of that step was rather amazing for me.

I believe that through this, the LORD is showing me that He is working at it and there is no need for me to worry. Thanks be to GOD!

To close, I echo what I believe God is saying to me at the end of my last entry [see Episode 19]: "... Don't you worry now, focus on your exams in the meantime and let me work on it."

In light of what happened this week, this is my response: "Thank you LORD for showing me that you are working on it. The nudge this week has raised my hopes and allayed my fears. You are in charge and I wait upon the next nudge from you. Amen!"