Coming Home

5–8 minutes

“I praise You because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Your works are wonderful, I know that full well.” Psalms 139:14

Yesterday, I celebrated my birthday wholeheartedly — maybe for the first time ever. I celebrated the day God intentionally chose for me to enter this world. Even now, as I write this, I can’t help but smile at the gratefulness, joy, and peace that filled my heart.

But it wasn’t always like this.

Making a Choice to Heal

When I started my inner healing journey in 2023, this was the very verse God asked me to sit with. During one session, JL (a transformation group member) shared a vision:
“I see a prison cell opened, and out of it, a birthday cake.”

My pastor then asked, “Do you celebrate your birthday?”
I could only respond with tears.

For years, I told myself birthdays were “just another day.” That it didn’t matter whether anyone celebrated me. I even grew tired when family and friends asked me for a birthday meal. I found it a chore. Through inner healing, I realised this came from a deep lack of self-worth — I struggled to value myself the way God valued me. Recognising this and bringing it before God has been transformative and freeing.

“You will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” — John 8:32
 “So if the Son sets you free, you are free indeed.” — John 8:36

To everyone who asked and cared — I am sorry. I have repented, and I’m now genuinely grateful for your hearts.

A God Who Never Gives Up

Before inner healing, my faith journey looked very different.

I’ve been a Christian for 32 years, but I was backslidden for about 20 of them. It is easy to be on fire for Jesus while in school, but once I started working and got caught up in the world, my relationship with Him too started to fade. Losing intimacy with God doesn’t happen overnight; it happens slowly, when other priorities begin to take His place. Those priorities aren’t necessarily wrong, but they become detrimental when they start to take priority over God.

Yet even in my wandering, God never stopped loving me. You simply cannot outrun His love. I’m forever grateful that He rescued me from the darkness that I belatedly realised that I was sinking into. When you have tasted His light, you recognise the dark. For months, maybe years, I silently cried out to Him, wanting to return but not knowing how. Yet in His mercy, He gently paved the way back to Him.

“If a man has a hundred sheep and one gets lost… won’t he leave the ninety-nine to search for the one until he finds it?” — Luke 15:4–6

The Day God Invited Me ‘Home’

In 2023, my best friend B invited me and J (we are childhood friends!) to witness her water baptism. She too had begun a renewed journey with God in the same year and wanted to profess her love through this act of faith. When worship began, the very first song overwhelmed me. “This is home” dropped into my spirit, and tears filled my eyes. I didn’t share about this encounter with God.

Six weeks later, I decided to visit Thrive. That service changed everything. I cried and cried, not quietly, but deeply. I was embarrassed at first, wondering what people must be thinking.  But that’s the beauty of our church, a place free of judgment, where God’s work in each of us is honoured. It is a place where crying is safe, where emotions are welcomed, and where healing begins

In God’s presence, I came undone. At “home,” I finally let myself go. Years of pent-up emotions began to unravel. Since then, I’ve cried buckets of tears – of grief, abandonment, rejection and disappointment  — and God has faithfully healed layer after layer. My heart is slowly but surely becoming who He intended it to be.

Restoring my Relationship with Mum and a New Found Relationship with God the Father

Growing up in a single-parent home wasn’t easy for any of us. After a short-lived marriage, my mum had to raise my older brother and me on her own. There were countless painful moments, and beneath it all, we were each hurting in our own ways.

Today, I hold no resentment for the harsh words or actions of the past, only understanding. We were all just trying to cope with the weight of what life had handed us. And through this inner healing journey, God has been gently restoring places in my heart that I didn’t even realise were wounded. 

One of the greatest gifts God has given me is the revelation that He is my Heavenly Father. I am not fatherless — I am deeply loved. I bring my Daddy God delight and joy, and I like to think of myself now as Daddy God’s girl.

With this healing, I am earnestly praying for my family to encounter God’s love in a real and personal way, that they too may experience the freedom and healing that only Jesus can bring.

“I have come that they may have life, and have it abundantly.” — John 10:10
 “As for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.” — Joshua 24:15

A Faithful God… who loves me dearly

God has done so much in my life that it would take pages to recount it all — and yet I know there is still more to come. 

“ being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 1:6)

Time and again, He has shown up for me. And now, looking back, I realise He was always there – watching over me, protecting me, and patiently waiting for me to return, even in the years when I didn’t recognise His presence.

Through this journey, He has taught me that I don’t have to carry everything alone or fix every problem by myself. He is gently undoing my old belief that I must always be strong, independent, and self-sufficient. And more than anything, He has shown me that I am worthy of being loved and cared for by Him, and by the people He has lovingly placed around me.

I’ve read and heard this for years, but only now am I truly beginning to grasp this truth. Having Jesus doesn’t mean life will be free of storms; it means I can have peace in the midst of them. I can rest in that peace because of who God is — His unchanging character and His unwavering love for me. I can trust my Daddy God, who watches over me every single day.

Life taught me to be independent.
Jesus taught me to depend on Him.

My prayer is that as you read this part of my testimony, it has encouraged you in your own journey. May you know that God sees you, He hears you, and He has never taken His eyes off you. And if you feel even the slightest stirring in your heart, you can simply pray:

“God, I know You are real. I know You love me, and that Jesus died on the cross for my sins so that I may be set free. Come into my heart once again. Be my Saviour, be my Lord. In Your most precious name, Amen.”

If your heart is ready, He’s waiting for you.
Come home.

– Serene Toh

Beyond the False Peaks

3–5 minutes

During one of my travels, I was hiking up a small hill, and halfway through the hike, I started to struggle with the intensity of the workout, taking more breaks in between to catch my breath. As it was my first time on that route, I had little to no idea how difficult it would be, and I began to doubt whether I would be able to complete it. To my delight, I soon saw a group of tourists taking photos at an area that looked like the peak of the climb I was on. The group of us went over to bask in the satisfaction of completing the hike, took our time to enjoy the sights and captured some photos of that moment.

However, when it was time to make the descent, I realized there was no clear path down. We had to follow the group of tourists along a trail that was off the beaten track and heavily covered in bushes. To protect ourselves from the thorns, we wrapped ourselves in the jackets we had taken off earlier due to the heat. The last part of the climb involved sliding down a steep set of drains. To sum up my series of poor decisions, we eventually realized we had never actually reached the peak, and we were now 1.5km away from the start point ☹.

This experience reminded me of my walk with Christ. Sometimes, when the road gets hard and obstacles appear, I start to question if I can continue going or whether I should have even started the hike in the first place. The world offers many “false peaks” that seem like success or fulfillment and there are temptations at times to be drawn towards those moments. Just as I mistook the tourists’ photo spot for the summit, we may mistake worldly achievements or temporary pleasure for the ultimate goal. They may give us a momentary sense of accomplishment, but instead they can lead us away from the real path which God has set out for us.

There are times when taking these detours makes it harder to return to where God wants us to be. When I followed the wrong trail down, I found myself in an even more difficult situation and I ended up feeling more exhausted than before. On top of that, there was also the huge sense of disappointment when we realise that we would have already reached the actual peak had we stayed the course. In the same way, straying from God’s ways can lead us into unnecessary struggles and pains.

But the good news is that God’s way is marked with clear signs – His Word, His promises and the guidance of the Holy Spirit. Although things may not be going our way at this moment, I firmly believe that as long as we keep our eyes on Him, we will avoid unnecessary hardship. Yes, there might be growing pains as we journey along with Christ in our lives, but we will eventually be able to see what He has in store for us – things which are more beautiful and satisfying than anything the world could offer.

When we finally reached the actual summit, the view was breathtaking, and it was far more majestic than the false peak I had settled for earlier. I realised that if I had simply followed the signs along the way, I would have avoided the detour and reached the actual destination without the extra struggle.

The same is true in our spiritual walk:

  • His timing is perfect, even when it feels slow.
  • His ways lead to lasting joy, not temporary satisfaction.

And Proverbs 3:5-6 gives us the assurance:

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to Him, and He will make your paths straight.”

So, let’s keep walking faithfully, even when the climb is steep and the destination feels far. It’s okay to pause, breathe and find comfort in God and in the community which He has placed us in. However, let’s resist the temptation to settle for less or take the “easy way out.” The peak God is leading us to will be worth every step — because His view is always better.

– Chadd Lim

The Boxing Ring – Fixing your Eyes on the Prize

6–9 minutes

The Sufferings

Consider it nothing but joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you fall into various trials. Be assured that the testing of your faith [through experience] produces endurance [leading to spiritual maturity, and inner peace]. And let endurance have its perfect result and do a thorough work, so that you may be perfect and completely developed [in your faith], lacking in nothing. (James 1: 2 – 4, AMP)

Recent months, James 1: 2 – 4, stood out to me. Not a great verse in human eyes, for who wants to be tested and falling into various trials, but what stood out as an encouragement to me was:

  • Joy

The oxymoron of having joy in the midst of storms, is not an easy feat. It’s not reliant on just feelings, but knowing that God is in control, God is able, God is strong, God is good, God is loving, God is kind, God is our protector, God is sovereign, God provides, God loves us. It’s the knowing of who God truly is, and fixing our eyes on His true character that we are able to have joy and rejoice in Him, to continually praise Him even through our trials. 

  • Endurance

Endurance is a word that used to be a bane of my life. When I was in NCC (youth army uniformed group), it was training and scolding all day. Running, push-ups, marching and drills under the scorching sun. Each time we were made to hold in push-up positions, with our hands on the oven-baked tiles, the seniors would ask us to ‘Endure’. Over time, I equated the word ‘Endure’ to punishment, with sadistic masters taking pleasure in seeing someone else suffer. 

With this tainted lens, I applied the same understanding to the things of God. In the past, when the Bible mentioned ‘Endurance’, I used my wrong perspective and viewed God as a sadist, who delights in suffering. It was until I recognised this wrong equation / wrong belief system which I have held onto and renounced it, that I started to see things from the right perspective. Truly, how can a good God be a sadist? It does not add up. Either God is a sadist or God is good. One of these statements must be true. Thankfully, the latter one stands true. The truth has indeed set me free. 

With a renewed mind, I learnt that in God’s eyes, endurance is supposed to lead us to spiritual maturity and inner peace. God wants to give us good things! He wants to move us from being a child to being a son / daughter of God. He wants to give us an inheritance, His gifts, His blessings of peace. It’s unlike what the world’s endurance would give us. 

In other translations, endurance is akin to perseverance and patience. Oh, what great patience is being developed in us during trials – when we have to be patient to wait for God to move, even though we are anxious within or even want to use our own strength to orchestrate things. When we have to be patient with other people’s idiosyncrasies, be patient when our neighbour is annoying and frustrating. When we wait upon the Lord to vindicate us when we are hurt. When we need to have a lens of faith that God will truly show up and deliver us from our situation. When we need to have faith that God hears our cries, and will act on our behalf. When we need to have faith in God’s goodness and character despite what we see. When we need to cling on to His peace in the midst of storms. When we need to have patience when things don’t go our way or even southward but still have faith that God is in control. Looks like faith and patience really go hand-in-hand.

  • Perfect, complete, lacking in nothing

I don’t think we’ll ever be perfect until we see Jesus face to face. But since God says ‘Be holy, because I am holy.’, He truly wants us to become like Him. Every trial and every suffering is a moulding season, for us to shed a little bit of our old self. That anger that snaps so readily. That pride that rears its head every now and then. That jealousy, that selfish ambition, that evil of every kind. That wilfulness, that controlling spirit, that fear and worry, that work of the flesh. You name it, you have it. All the ugly little things, even those that may even be wrapped up beautifully under the disguise of good intentions. All our little plans. God is stripping them away with the furnace fire. The refiner’s fire. So that indeed, we may be mature, perfect, complete, lacking in nothing. 

Lacking in what? Lacking not in the fruits of the Spirit – Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Goodness, Faithfulness, Gentleness and Self-control. 

God wants us to be whole and holy like Him!

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The Inheritance

Be sober [well balanced and self-disciplined], be alert and cautious at all times. That enemy of yours, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion [fiercely hungry], seeking someone to devour. But resist him, be firm in your faith [against his attack – rooted, established, immovable], knowing that the same experiences of suffering are being experienced by your brothers and sisters throughout the world. [You do not suffer alone.] After you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace [who imparts blessing and favour], who called you to His own eternal glory in Christ, will Himself complete, confirm, strengthen, and establish you [making you what you ought to be].
(1 Peter 5 : 8 – 10, AMP)

I love how these verses sum up my journey with the Lord thus far.

Truly, from an infant, when I was hopelessly unaware of the works of the enemy, to me learning how to be sober physically and spiritually, being cautious and alert. And now, learning how to withstand the attacks of the enemy, resisting him and being firm in my faith in God. 

These verses re-emphasises the correlation of suffering with the inheritance of God’s glory – where we are complete, perfect, lacking in nothing. Not lacking in knowing who He is. Not lacking in having Him in our lives 24/7. Not lacking in the assurance that we are known by God. Not lacking in becoming who we ought to be. Not lacking in fervent love for His people and desire to make Him known.

God’s glory is even greater than God’s presence. Let us soak in His presence and behold His glory. His glory can only manifest in holiness. Let’s be clean and pure vessels, ready to be carriers of His glory. To God be the glory!

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Read Part 1 of Xiao Yun’s story where she sets the scene for the spiritual battles every believer will eventually face. It’s raw. It’s real. And it’s a reminder that we are not alone in the fight.

About the author:
Xiao Yun started her spiritual walk as a teen, fervent for the Lord. But as she went into her twenties, she started walking down a slippery slope. One that was tainted by worldly ways, lured by temptations and leading an ungodly lifestyle.

When God brought her back to His kingdom, it wasn’t all smooth sailing.  Thoughts of doubts, fears and guilts of past mistakes still lingered. She easily bought into the lies of the enemies and often felt defeated, struggling much to live out a victorious Christian life. 

At times, she would also pick fights with people to vent her frustrations, being in contention with those in His family. Little did she know that while she was busy fighting in the flesh, all this time, the enemy was prowling around like a lion, ready to devour her. She was being attacked spiritually, yet in her naïveté she even tried to run away from any form of spiritual engagement, assuming that if she didn’t poke the bear, the bear would be asleep and wouldn’t come near her.

Thankfully, God didn’t design her to have an ostrich mentality and trained her up to be a fighter. And not just a fighter, but one who becomes more like Him.

The Boxing Ring – Fighting the Unseen Spiritual War

6–9 minutes

The Boxing Ring (2018)

*BANG!*

I fell with my nose flat on the mat. I guessed I concussed from an unknown attack.

What was that? I asked myself. I stood up and tumbled down.

The punch was real. And the bruise was there. I ain’t no fighter, I raised the flag.

The pain lingered on for days. I was afraid to pick a fight again. Yet something was raging, was raging in me. I wanted to win, but just can’t, it seems.

Then I realised I was in a boxing ring.

My spirit was low and I couldn’t hold (it). I pleaded to the Lord, not to kick me out of the team. All I wanted was to be a seat warmer, watching the rest, safely from a corner.

But the Lord came and said to me, “I’ll be your coach. You ain’t gonna sit, cause you’re made to be a mighty warrior, a victory for Me.”

Humbly I bowed, yet ecstatic within. How could I possibly be made for the boxing ring?

I told the Lord, I ain’t gonna win. I fell many times before I even got into the ring. I slipped while on the stairs up, I got frightened by the howling enemies. How could a weakling possibly win?

Then the Lord said, “Get up and fight. For I’ll be the one who plans the fight. I’ll watch your enemy and teach you where to hit. A jab, a punch, an uppercut and a kick. I’m the master coach and the greatest strategist. I’ll help you battle and overcome your greatest fear.”

“It’s ok to lose even in the ring. For who says you will always win. The championship is the goal, and little matches move you closer to become whole.”

“Remember, your real opponent (the devil) is in the boxing ring. Not the little ones you spar with outside the ring. Those are your teammates helping you to win. You gotta know who you’re supposed to win. Don’t get distracted when you’re in the ring, by voices or people, emotions and memories.”

“Put on your gloves and start fighting. When you fail, we go back to training. But know that you are always on the winning team.”

Now, keep moving.

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The Moves (2025)

7 years on, I’m still moving. This time with greater ease. Not that it was any easier, but I think I’ve gotten a little stronger. 

Ask me when I was a young adult if I liked warfare, and my answer would definitely be a flat NO. I didn’t want to go to war, be on the battlefield, I cried to the Lord to put me at the back and last to go outfield, lest I be the first to be killed. Truth is, I feared death, I feared defeat, I feared suffering, I feared pain. I didn’t want to fight. All I wanted was to be at basecamp (or better still, to just stay home), safe and unharmed. I was fearful, afraid, fully incapacitated. 

But God, in His mercy, helped me to grow. He encouraged me and strengthened me, in my faith and my walk with Him. By the grace of God, I learnt and understood a little more on how to fight my battles. Not with brute force, like what I used to do, but by now with the help of the Holy Spirit and the wisdom of God.

Over the past years, I learnt about warfare – not your typical battles, but the spiritual ones. I learnt to put on my full armour of God, and in a particular order:

  • The Belt of Truth

Spiritual victory starts with knowing the truth of God’s word. For it’s the truth that sets us free – from the lies of the enemy and the deceits of the world. 

  • The Breastplate of Righteousness

Not my righteousness, but God’s righteousness – that lets me stand right before God, in His presence.

  • The Boots of the Gospel of Peace

For it’s the peace of God that transcends all understanding that guards my heart and mind in Christ Jesus.  

  • The Shield of Faith

That extinguishes all the fiery darts of the enemy and helps me keep my eyes focused on Him.

  • The Helmet of Salvation

The hope of salvation. For the Lord is my shield, my protector and my deliverer. Taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ and putting on the mindset of God, thinking of things that are true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent and praiseworthy.

  • The Sword of the Spirit

Which is the word of God. This is the only offensive weapon that we have (the rest are defensive) and we need to hold in our dominant hand. To apply the word of God in our situation for there is Power in His WORD. 

  • And to Pray continually

For prayer builds up our spirit man. Be it in words or in tongues, it’s God’s intercession through us and a declaration of delegated authority in us – to bind and tear down the works of the enemies, and to loose and release God’s power and presence, His will and blessings in our situations. 

God equipped me with His weapons and taught me how to use them. He empowered me with the Holy Spirit and filled me with His love. His perfect love drives out all fear. For each time I learn about His great love for me, the fear flees.

He is indeed the one who fights for me. All we need to do is to humble ourselves before Him and partner Him in the storm. Not shrinking nor pulling back, just standing still and moving when He leads, knowing that we’re truly on the winning team. 

I also became more sensitive and keenly alert to the work of the enemy. I smell it coming before it reaches and has a greater ability to identify which spirit is operating. 

Yet, with the increased sensitivity, I also became even more aware of what God is trying to do with each situation. For in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose. It changes my perspective when trials come. Not that I enjoyed trials, in fact I’m someone who has a low threshold of pain, disliked sufferings and feared entering the lion’s den. But I’ve learnt to live out my identity as a child of God, and exercised my authority as a daughter in Christ. 

The Lord helped me to move from being just a child of God to a daughter of God. I’m reminded of the difference between a child vs a daughter. A child is helpless, needy and totally reliant on the Father, in the custody of Him. A daughter, with the attitude of being reliant on the Father, is now able to have wisdom and discernment, knowing the Father’s character, will and heart’s desire and do things that pleases Him. A daughter has been given the power to exercise His gifts and authority. She is sure of her inheritance in Christ. 

So let’s be a son and daughter of God, not just a child!

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Stay tuned as we bring to you Part 2 of Xiao Yun’s story – discover what God revealed to her through the battles fought in the boxing ring.

About the author:
Xiao Yun started her spiritual walk as a teen, fervent for the Lord. But as she went into her twenties, she started walking down a slippery slope. One that was tainted by worldly ways, lured by temptations and leading an ungodly lifestyle.

When God brought her back to His kingdom, it wasn’t all smooth sailing.  Thoughts of doubts, fears and guilts of past mistakes still lingered. She easily bought into the lies of the enemies and often felt defeated, struggling much to live out a victorious Christian life. 

At times, she would also pick fights with people to vent her frustrations, being in contention with those in His family. Little did she know that while she was busy fighting in the flesh, all this time, the enemy was prowling around like a lion, ready to devour her. She was being attacked spiritually, yet in her naïveté she even tried to run away from any form of spiritual engagement, assuming that if she didn’t poke the bear, the bear would be asleep and wouldn’t come near her.

Thankfully, God didn’t design her to have an ostrich mentality and trained her up to be a fighter. And not just a fighter, but one who becomes more like Him.

Not dizzily defeated

2–3 minutes

In mid-November 2024, I experienced a sudden dizzy spell. What I thought would last only a few days or a week turned out to be 5 months even as I’m writing this. Every day was a challenge because there was a constant sensation that I was sitting in a rocking boat. It was so bad that I had to give up driving completely.

I was referred to a neurologist who suggested doing an MRI of the brain. As I waited for the results, thoughts of anxiety and fear filled my mind. “What if the scan showed I had a brain tumour?” “What if I had to go through a major brain operation and I end up in a vegetative state?”

In those moments of anxiousness and fears, I cried out to God. “What makes you think I will fail?” was His reply. That brought assurance, comfort and a reminder once again, that I serve a faithful God who doesn’t fail!

Results came back and it was an all clear! Praise the Lord! As I look back on these past few months of experiencing dizziness in my every day, I wonder how I passed my days.

In 2 Cor 12:9, Paul said “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness”. It was His grace and love that saw and still is seeing me through my days.

In the past few months of living with this condition, I have truly experienced His grace and love. I learnt that God has given me enough strength to get by each day no matter how bad the dizziness gets

Through it all, God has never turned a deaf ear to my cries for help. When it got too overwhelming at times, I would pray a simple “God, help me!” and somehow I would manage to get by my day.

Looking back, I may never know the reason why I have and am still having this dizziness but I saw it as an opportunity for me to increase my dependency and trust in God.

Walking through this experience has given me a glimpse of who He is – a dependable, fail-proof God!

– Bernie Goh

Praising in the Valley

3–4 minutes

“Praise” by Elevation Worship was one of my most listened-to songs in 2024, according to my Spotify Wrapped. Its upbeat melody and meaningful lyrics never fail to lift my mood, especially when sung during Sunday service. The song opens with:

“I’ll praise in the valley

Praise on the mountain (yeah)

I’ll praise when I’m sure

Praise when I’m doubting”

Psalm 42 encourages us to praise God regardless of our circumstances, including setbacks and disappointments we may encounter in life. When I think about praising, the first few things that come to mind are giving thanks to God and singing praises to His name, as His sovereignty reigns in all situations.

I knew praise was something I needed to do, but deep down, there were always questions about my intentions. Was I genuinely praising God purely out of gratitude, or was I just seeking His help in difficult times? This became a personal challenge, as there was a disconnect between my actions and what I truly believed. Thankfully, over the past few months, God has gradually revealed to me what it truly means to praise Him through trials.

One thing I have learned about myself is that as situations become more challenging, I enter a ‘tunnel vision mode,’ where all my thoughts start to revolve solely around my own struggles. This makes it harder for me to have meaningful conversations with others, as my mind becomes weighed down by worries. During that period, I also began to lose sight of what God had done for me in the past and failed to appreciate what He was currently doing in my life.

Through God’s revelation of my own behaviour, I have begun to understand that praise is much more than just singing or giving thanks—it’s also about showing appreciation. Taking the time to acknowledge God’s goodness allows me to shift my focus beyond my struggles and step out of that tunnel vision. It enables me to see that God is still at work, such as by placing people around me to support and encourage me. This is something God has shown me can be done while I am still in the valley; I do not have to wait until the situation is over to show appreciation for what He has done.

I have also learned that God never wants us to lose the joy that comes from knowing Him. Romans 15:13 says: “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” Praising God through all circumstances invites His presence, which brings peace and reassurance, and no situation is too difficult for God to handle. God wants us to rely on Him so that we are not overwhelmed by every challenge, protecting both our peace and well-being. I am beginning to realize that there are times when I try to control every situation so much that it is affecting my mental and physical health. But God has been teaching me that I do not have to carry that burden on my own.

Life will bring about its ups and down, and it’s up to me to learn to rely on God’s strength to overcome every season. God is showing me that it is not only the outcome that matters but also the journey with Him. Through every challenge, He is refining our hearts, moulding our hearts to trust Him more deeply, and reminding us that allowing His presence to work in us is crucial in our walk with Him.

– Chadd Lim

Sitting with Jesus in our grief

2–3 minutes

As the lunar new year comes around (yet again), and the usual humdrum of celebrations causes all things to fade into the noise, I found myself somehow deeply sad and lonely.

Festivities have a way of doing that, beckoning that realisation that something is not quite the way I’ll like them to be. And I find myself grappling yet again with a deep sense of – God, why didn’t things turn out the way I hoped it will, despite my fervent prayers and desperate cries, if you would. Cries that have gone on for years that do not see fulfillment as I hope them to be.

Yet, in this episode of deep sorrow, I was reminded gently by the Holy Spirit – ‘Have you invited Jesus to sit with you in this?’

And almost like a light bulb turned on, I had to admit I hadn’t.

Somewhere in my heart, I had wanted to get through my struggle on my own, and then come back to God to say ‘God, I’m disappointed, but I’m still here. I haven’t left.’

But here is Jesus saying to me: “Let me sit with you in this grief. I feel your pain. I understand you.”

What a revelation to me.

And in that moment I allowed Him in, I experienced a deep sense of being known, feeling understood and not forgotten. His love just swept in – gently, deeply, surely.

In my grief, I was reminded that “Jesus wept” (John 11:35) when Lazarus died.

Many times, I behave like Mary and Martha saying to Jesus: “Lord if you have been here, my brother (the situation that is so dear to my heart) would not have died.” (John 11:21, 32)

Hadn’t I sent word like Mary and Martha did? “Lord the one you love is sick”(John 11:3) Hadn’t I pleaded for Jesus to come through to help in a matter so dear to me and Him? Yet it almost seemed like He didn’t hear it, or chose not to intervene. No wonder the situation died. Or so I felt.

The fact that Jesus came after Lazarus death and wept reminded me that Jesus’ delay had a purpose. And in that suffering and grief we feel, Jesus is there and Jesus knows and Jesus is deeply moved.

The good news is, it doesn’t just end in death. In that grief, Jesus calls forth the resurrection of Lazarus, that those around may believe that the Father sent him. It is for God’s glory so that God’s son may be glorified through it (John 11:4).

In the same way, Jesus wants to speak forth his resurrection into our grief. Only He can resurrect hope, only He can bring forth life in dead places in our hearts, only He can bring healing into the scarred areas of our lives.

Jesus wants to sit with us in our grief and He wants to take us out of it with His resurrection power. The question is, will we allow Him to? Do we believe His ability to do so? Will we lay down our well-laid out hopes and dreams, and allow Him to write His plans into our lives.

I know I want to, and prayfully you will say yes to Him too!|

– Xiaoqing

A Year of Deepening our Intimacy with God – Knowing Him, Being Known by Him, Making Him Known

Greetings in the name of the Lord this Lunar New Year!

As we step out of 2024, a time of enlargement, stretching, and growing, God is calling us in 2025 into a year of intimacy with Him. It is a time to go deeper in our walk with Him—no longer frolicking in shallow waters, but deepening and strengthening the stakes (Isaiah 54:2) of our relationship with Jesus and becoming robust Christians.

“I want to know Christ—yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death” – Philippians 3:10

You may ask: What might this entail? How can we really know Christ and be known by Him? What does this intimacy in Christ involve?

As we go through this year together, you will realise that none of us are on this journey alone! In this new year, Thrive is excited to introduce a new series of monthly blog contributions from our members. We’ll share testimonies of how God has worked in our lives, reflections on sermons, insights from devotion times, and the ways God has been speaking to us.

We invite you to be a part of our community here at Thrive. It is our hope that these stories and reflections will uplift, encourage, and draw you into a deeper walk with Christ this year. Looking forward to all that God will do!

Xiaoqing
Editor, Thrive Chronicles

Theme of 2024… To GROW and GO

This year, the Lord has given Thrive Church the vision to “Grow and Go”. What does this mean for us as individuals and as a church community?

In the coming weeks, we will hear from various individuals what this theme means to them. To kick off this series, join us as Dr. Cheryl shares her heartfelt thoughts on the call to ‘Go and Grow’!

Isaiah 54:2-4
“Enlarge the place of your tent, stretch your tent curtains wide, do not hold back; lengthen your cords, strengthen your stakes. For you will spread to the right and to the left, your descendants will dispossess nations and settle in their desolate cities.

The theme of the year is to GROW and GO! Looking at these verses at face value, it speaks simply of enlarging our tents – to lengthen the cords and strengthen our stakes so that our tents will have a larger capacity to hold more. This expansion does not stop with us, but our children, and our children to come.

However, if one were to read the verse before this, this message was to a barren woman (54:1). Putting these verses together, God is telling a barren woman to rejoice, because she can expect to not only have children, but to have so many, that she will need to start preparing to expand her tent so that she can hold more.

The skeptics among us might start asking, some aloud, some under their breaths, how is this possible, how can a barren woman expect to have a child, much less descendants? And perhaps, God knew this would be the thoughts of many, as the verses that follow provides reassurance that we can stand on His promises (Isaiah 54:4-6). He brings us back to the Old Testament and reminds of the covenant that He had made with Noah, that “though mountains be shaken, and the hills be removed, yet (His) unfailing love for you will not be shaken nor (His) covenant of peace be removed” (Isaiah 54:10). God continues to speak of His blessings, protection, and peace upon on His children (Isaiah 54:11-17).

In this chapter, God speaks of His promises from before and of His promises to come. God does not tell us in what manner will the barren woman start having children, nor does He tell us how He will be rebuilding our cities. However, what He leaves with us is a couple of instructions – to rejoice and to prepare.

This year, let us focus on these. With joy and gratefulness in our hearts, let us start building on ourselves, both individually and as a church. Let us start strengthening ourselves, physically, emotionally, and most importantly, spiritually. And as we go through the year, surely as the tough gets going, let us not get derailed, and to hang on tight to the promises and reassurance that is in God’s words – that though “the thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full” (John 10:10).

Let us start growing and going!

– Cheryl Lim