Thanksgiving Testimony for the Storybook!

Yup, finally submitted the entry for the First-Time Writers and Illustrators thingy.

=) Thanks so much to all you guys who have prayed for, and/or encouraged us through this time.

Here's a twitterish narrative of the exciting story behind the story. Jack Bauer, eat thy heart out.

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24 (MINUTES)
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Prologue

It was amazing. I looked at the clock go by, and I knew I couldn't reach the Book Council's office before 545 pm.

So I prayed, and then called the office to ask whether there is any way to submit the entry later.

And the lady on the other line said yes. She told me, "Just pass your manuscript to the Geylang Community Library staff. They'll help pass your manuscript to us next Monday. But... no guarantee that they will surely pass to us. Because they're not affiliated to us - they're just doing us a favour."

Thank God! Deadline extension haha...

Then I rushed down to Geylang Library. I was supposed to watch a movie with Weizhu, but he told me that the book is more important than the movie. He said that he will meet me at the library to accompany me.

Gosh. Was very, very touched when he said that. =) Thank God for Weizhu.

The clock showed 8.35 pm. I dashed madly out of the house, having even left behind my half-finished dinner on my computer table! Saw a taxi on the other side of the road, silently thanked God, jumped into the cab and said to the taxi-driver, "Uncle, Geylang Community Library please!"

He paused for a while, looking rather confused.

Then he asked me again, "Where to?"

Gritting my teeth, I said more slowly, "Uncle, Gey-lang Com-mun-ity Lai-ber-ree."

He turned to me and said, "You know what it looks like? I don't know where it is!"

Stunned.

For a moment I wondered whether to bail out of the cab. But I looked up the address instead, and snapped, "Geylang East Ave 1 - please."

He said, "Ah. Ok." and turned back to his driving.

Then, we got stuck at a red light intersection.

Waited for 2 minutes.

Then, drove off again... to yet another red light intersection. And yet another red light intersection.

By now, I was starting to see red already.

But prayed, "Search me O God, and know my heart... test me and know my ANXIOUS thoughts... help me God, to be patient whatever happens. Because I am so anxious. Will I be able to reach the library before 9?"

And then, my phone buzzed. It was 8.40 pm. Weizhu called me to tell me that the library was going to close in about half an hour's time.

It was Anxiety DEFCON 2, man.

Through it all, I sat back and wondered why were there so many red lights in a row? Was God trying to show me something? Maybe it's how I treat others when I am very anxious. So He could be training me to grow in patience, kindness and gentleness, even when I am extremely anxious.

With that in mind, I apologised to the taxi driver for my earlier frustration. I think he said it's ok, but he was quite surprised anyway.

Funnily enough, it was green light for the next intersection.

At about 8.50 pm, the taxi driver stopped at the next intersection. Suddenly, he asked me, "I think we can go down to Kallang from here. That should be better."

So off we went down that lane.

He sped, he zoomed, he drifted... as best as he could in a congested road.

Then he went off into a remote lane and picked up speed. Before I knew it, the cab reached the library. It was just before 9 pm.

And I saw Weizhu standing at the library entrance, waiting for me. And the entrance was still open.

Wow. Thank God so much. I really didn't expect to reach the library so fast! As we walked into the library, Weizhu said, "Thank God you managed to reach here on time! I'm amazed you managed to reach here so fast... I was praying that the taxi driver wouldn't get lost!"

I turned to him, and said, "You were praying for me? When? Because the taxi driver didn't know how to get here in the first place!"

Weizhu said, "Really? Well, let's settle your submission first."

And the next amazing thing happened. I went up to the library counter with my manuscript and envelope in hand. Before I could say anything else, the lady looked at me and asked, "Are you the one the Book Council people told us would be coming?"

o_O whoa. I half-expected her to follow up with, "... or should we expect someone else?"

But I just replied, "Eh... yes, I am."

"Ok. Don't worry. Just pass to us... take your time and relax. It's ok!"

And when I laid my envelope on the table, she passed me a scotch-tape dispenser, and sweetly said, "You might want to seal your envelope with this tape, just in case."

WOW. I was so surprised by all this royal treatment, 'cos the Book Council people had just told me that I was to pass to the librarians on duty. And I had never expected them to ask the librarians to keep a lookout for me.

It really looks like God's hand is so behind all this. The amazingly-fast taxi ride, the open library, the Book Council people telling the librarians to wait and look out for me, the tape dispenser too...

And later on, I asked Weizhu, "Bro, I'm just wondering... at what time did you pray for me and the taxi driver not to get lost?"

"Hmm... I think it was just a little bit before nine."

"Wow. Because, just a little bit before nine, the taxi driver suddenly asked me whether I want to go the Kallang route, and he somehow went through all the shortcuts, the ulu lanes, as though as he knew the place very well."

Wow. =) Thank You so much, Papa, for Your grace and mercy and kindness too. There have been so many coincidences, ups and downs with this project.

And yet, I see how You have miraculously provided in one way or another, such that we were able to finish all the essential things. Honestly, both of us wondered whether we could ever finish this manuscript. And yet, somehow, one way or another, Huili managed to do all the illustrations, and I managed to do all the writing and printing.

Thank God that we chose to trust in Him, and exercise faith to receive His grace, even when all seemed lost last week.

It's so true. We really can do all things through Christ who gives us strength. YES AND AMEN! =)

Ok! It's done now. Now... is the waiting period. If everything goes well... then by one month's time, we'll know whether our manuscript has made it through to the next stage.

*butterflies in stomach* But if God is for us... who can be against us? Thank God for His indescribable grace!