Thanksgiving

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Dear Father Lord,

I thank you for seeing me through the last few days... I thank you:

1. ... for comforting me on last Thursday when I was feeling down. I had been feeling all drained and just wanted to run away from everything. I cried out to you and asked why you allowed so many things and ask you to take some of the struggles away, being all tired... I was feeling all alone when you comforted me with devotion on Thursday from Matthew 10:29-31:
   
   29. Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from the will of your Father. 30. And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. 31. So don't be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.
   reminding me that your eye is on the sparrow and you watches over me
   
   and also from 1 Peter 5:7:
   
   7. Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.
   
   Later, the person who shared, also played the song "His Eyes is on the Sparrow"as a way of concluding her message from Matthew 10:29-31, reminding us that God watches over even the sparrows, let alone us, who are worth more than many sparrows... He cares...
   
   
   
   It was rather surprising that that message was shared, considering that it was a session to welcome some new officers and saying farewell and thank you to a few who served so far. So I had least expected this message. But nonetheless, I thank God for a message which assured me.
   
   
2. ... for sending me friends and colleagues to support me during the difficult period.
   
   
3. ... for giving me rest on Thursday. I was feeling all down and was thinking of applying leave to just be away (despite having very few days of leave left after all the physiotherapy etc). I was on the verge of breaking down in the morning when I went to office to only find my PC not able to start (the first time in my almost 3 years of service). I was thinking "great! of all times, my PC have to go all wrong on me when everything else seems to be going wrong!" And so, I had to cancel my leave. But then, I have later come to realise how you were giving me rest from all that was happening as I stood and chatted with my colleague while he tried to salvage my computer and we caught up a little. That day, I did not get to do work at all because the computer was only repaired nearer the end of the day. But by that time, I had been ministered to by devotion, encouraged by Stitch-Giver, had time to rest and also had an interesting case of a prospective volunteer who only spoke mandarin called to enquire about volunteer and after having struggled to explain to her what volunteer opportunities are available in my limited mandarin, she called back minutes later to affirm me and thank me for taking time to explain so thoroughly, it just made my day. Eventually, I also found how an issue I was facing at work worked itself out. I was initially caught in between a group of students wanting to do interview about our work and 3 parties not being keen to help, but that worked out. Thank God!
   
   
4. ... for watching over the talk with KM about our relationship on Thursday night, after what happened on Wednesday. It was difficult but then things worked out in the end as we shared about our disappointments. In fact, things are back on track again.
   
   
5. ... for watching over my relationship with loved ones these few weeks and helping to restore relationships after all that has happened.
   
   
6. ... for helping to raise a cell member to lead cell on Friday and how he so willingly agreed to do so and how it turned out to be a wonderful session of sharing... I have come to realise how you week after week have guided me again and again in cell. And when I look back, you always seem to know when I won't be in good state to lead cell and when I need help; a few times you have given me rest from cell when I was feeling down and a few times you have raised people to help.
   
   
7. ... for the people you have sent to this cell. As I sat down in cell last week and look at every member, I have come to realise how it is so true that you have blessed different members to this cell with a purpose. This cell is a "happening cell" (as one of my members put it, "happening on the inside"). We are not your regular extroverted cell but then yet, you have placed people to help lift people up, provide the joy it needs, share geneuinely and to be healed by you. I thank you for being so real.
   
   
8. ... for a wonderful time at Festival of Praise last week and how your message have ministered to me to show me how I can never be responsible for others' growth but how I can grow and be an impact for others...
   
   
9. ... for giving me the courage and confidence to talk to my cell members and just enjoy their conpany.
   
   
10. ... for working things out when I was struggling with the decision whether to take up position in my association given my current mental exhaustion and yet wanting to support my association. We had AGM yesterday and there were talk about relieving me from my current position for a second-in-command position, which would mean more stress. I thank God for helping me to speak my mind with my president and for his understanding and how in the end I did not get nominated for that position.