We are in God's hands.

The Year 2016 is coming to an end. Soon it will be 2017. God has blessed us in the past and we are confident, He will continue to do so in years to come. I'm in... His hands!

1.
I shall not fear though darkened clouds may gather round me;
The God I serve is one who cares and understands.
Although the storms I face would threaten to confound me,
Of this I am assured: I'm in his hands.
Chorus
I'm in his hands, I'm in his hands;
Whate'er the future holds
I'm in his hands,
The days I cannot see
Have all been planned for me;
His way is best, you see;
I'm in his hands.
2.
What though I cannot know the way that lies before me?
I still can trust and freely follow his commands;
My faith is firm since it is he that watches o'er me;
Of this I'm confident: I'm in his hands.
3.
In days gone by my Lord has always proved sufficient,
When I have yielded to the law of love's demands;
Why should I doubt that he would evermore be present
To make his will my own? I'm in his hands!
Stanley E. Ditmer

God is with us

How good to know that God is with us still.

We must have tested well, His patient love,

Our waywardness, our protestations shrill

Must long have wearied angel hosts above.

We do not merit God’s great constancy,

So much He does, and gives, yet we reject,

His views by right should be hostility

And yet we still remain, His own elect.

He then is with us, with us every day,

In patience, wisdom, strength and gentle grace,

Is with us in our work and in our play,

And puts the light of heaven on our face.

 
Immanuel, that praise laden name,

At once our hope, reality and claim.   Commissioner Harry Read

 

An Unusual Christmas Gift

 
Corps Treasurer Ng Fook Kum was a real trophy of grace. The seed of the gospel was first sown in his heart many years ago before the war when a young Lieutenant, Lim Siok Chin sold him a copy of The War Cry. He read it, put the paper away and gave no further thought to it.

Years later, after the war, he saw a group of people singing, testifying and preaching at an open air meeting at Dhoby Ghaut (so named because Indian laundry men used to wash clothes by the river). He remembered reading The War Cry.

 When the open air meeting ended, he accepted the invitation and followed the Salvationists to their hall Temporary Hall at 30 Oxley Road. He enjoyed the meetings and later was wonderfully converted.

Thus began a life of great adventure for Christ. He became a salvationist, then local officer – first as Corps Sergeant Major and later, Treasurer till he was promoted to Glory. Every Saturday, Ng Fook Kum, armed with a bundle of papers, The War Cry, could be seen selling them to the queues of people outside the Cathay, Rex and Capitol Theatres. In those days, cinema goers had to line up for their tickets. There was no television and not many theatres then.

He was very active at the Central Corps (church) where we were appointed pastors 1970- 1974 and again in retirement for three months in 1997.
He brought his whole family to the Army and they, too, became salvationists. In December 1970, he was seriously ill and was admitted to the Singapore General Hospital. As the CO (pastor), I suggested to the band and comrades of the Corps that we should visit our Treasurer and sing carols to him. He himself had been a faithful caroler for many years. In those days we used to go caroling for two weeks before Christmas. There was no kettling then like we have today.

Permission had to be sought, so I wrote to the Chief Medical Officer requesting permission for the band to play in the hospital compound adjacent to the ward. What little faith I had! I dared not ask permission to sing carols in the ward. I waited several days but there was no reply. We thought then we would just visit the hospital to pray with him anyway.

Mrs Ng, his wife happened to visit the hospital and met Professor Freda Paul, whose father, Reverend Paul, a retired Methodist pastor, was in the next bed. Dr Freda Paul asked Mrs Ng if it would be possible for the Army band to play and sing carols in the ward.

Mrs Ng wasted no time to contact me. On Sunday afternoon, the band and carolers visited the hospital. On arrival, we were met by the Sister in charge of the Ward and escorted right to the bedside of Treasurer Ng and Reverend Paul! The band played, others sang, we read the Scriptures and prayed for the two men. Later on we were provided with refreshments by courtesy of the Hospital!

The next morning the reply came from the Chief Medical Officer, expressing regret that permission could not be granted for us to sing in the compound of the Hospital. Never mind, we had already done it – not in the compound but inside the ward!

I believe the Lord’s hand was in this. Who could have thought of a more wonderful Christmas gift – a delayed letter!

God works in His own time as He has eternity in His hands. Delays are not necessarily denials.

But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons. And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, “Abba! Father!” So you are no longer a slave, but a son, and if a son, then an heir through God. Galatians 4: 4-7"

Second Anniversary of our move to Changi

To-day 16th December 2016. Exactly two years ago, we moved from Praisehaven in the west of Singapore to Peacehaven in the East! We have occupied this lovely unit on the rooftop of Peacehaven Nursing Home. We call it our Penthouse with a lovely garden.
 
When my wife and I retired in 1997, we first stayed with our son and family at Choa Chu Kang, till the unit at Hillview Park was ready - it was a very small unit, but lovely surroundings.

Then when Praisehaven was ready, we moved to a unit at The Salvation Army Praisehaven on the fourth floor. We were not far from our children and grandchildren.

Visiting our youngest special daughter, Dora Poh Chin at Peacehaven Nursing Home was no problem when I could still drive and a vehible was available. Later we had to depend on public transport it was difficult. The journey plus waiting time takes two hours each way. As we aged, we are more restricted in our movements.

Anyway the grandchildren are all grown up - two are married, and the youngest grandson is old enough to look after himself, we decided to move to our present unit.

We believe it has been God's plan. Our children and grandchildren visit us regularly. God has indeed been very good to us. We are well supported by the staff of Peacehaven Nursing Home. When we have to visit the Polyclinic or Hospital, one of the off duty nurses or caregivers would accompany us to give support. We both use walking sticks, but embarking and disembarking from vehicles pose a challenge. God has His lovely angels caring for us.

"For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." Jeremiah 29:11

Praying for each other.

We've been living in our present unit above the Peacehaven Nursing Home for almost two years. We are not residents of the Home. We have a wonderful ministry here with the residents and nurses, particularly the Indonesians as they live in the hostel attached to the Home. Twice a week they meet at our home for fellowship, devotion, singing and supper. We take a break during the month of December. We shall recommence our fellowship next month, January 2017

On Friday evening, three girls turned up at our home to say farewell. It was their last day in Singapore. We spent some time together, read the Bible and I prayed with them like we always do when visitors drop in our home. 

Then one of the nurses, Mentari  gave us a pleasant surprise when she said, "we want to pray for you Opa and Oma." She prayed a beautiful prayer in Indonesian asking the Lord to bless Opa and Oma (grandpa and grandma) abundantly and to grant us good health." What a thoughtful and good salvationist from Palu!  How touching to have one of them praying for us.

God bless the three girls as they return to their homeland this morning. We have been blessed by the nurses and care givers serving at Peacehaven Nursing Home. This morning while I saw to housework, one of the 'off duty' Indonesian nurses Ester accompanied my wife to Changi Hospital. God surrounds us with His ministering angels!