2009! Such a beautiful and amazing year. There were some hurts, but oh, God has redeemed them so. Not just healed, but redeemed. And I find that every crack is but an opportunity for His light to seep into our shattered hearts... And the joys - yes, the joys - far, far, far outweighs the hurts. I see the sweetness of God's grace so deep like never before. I see how God has used me so much this year, even in spite of my increasing feelings of brokenness and inadequacies, to bless so many more people, in so many more areas of life. Be it the children's ministry, or the community work, or helping friends with their job searches... be it this or that... and reconciliation for some friendships. It was difficult confronting, and talking things face to face... it hurt a lot... but it was so necessary. Deeply grateful to my dear bros who helped me through these times.

And even deeper praises to God... for a covenant friendship, and for a dear neighbour, and for so many deeper things to thank God for. For the prophecies... for the things that happened... What I experienced in 2008 spilled over into 2009... and so many testimonies. Too many to count. God is just so good to a sinner like me!

But I think the most beautiful thing of all was the joy of experiencing God so much more intimately this year. And every year, I find Him bigger and bigger... *deep sweet sigh* And through this, I learn to enjoy a much deeper and sweeter rest in Him. And a greater restfulness in all my ministry, shepherding and so on. That I really don't have to do anything to earn His favour. On the contrary, it is because He has transformed my heart, that I so want to do things because of Him.

And I saw just how much God shepherded Jonathan, my sheep. It was such a joy to see God Himself guide Jon in the very areas that I had been praying for Jon. And delight, because the very insights that Jon shared with me were the things that I had been meaning to help him grow in... which gave me a deeper understanding and appreciation that Christ is indeed the great Shepherd of our souls. I see how God works so readily in Jon's life in response to my prayers for Jon. =D Jesus truly is the Good Shepherd! I am just an overseer, whom God has assigned me for a very short while... may God bring to completion the good work He has begun in Jon! :)

Oh, the wonder of redemption. That every tear in your eye, every tear in your page, is but a token to be exchanged into His beautiful hands, to be clasped, embraced and magically transformed into a precious seed of joy. First the sorrow, then the rejoicing. First the mourning, then the dancing. First the dying, then the resurrection. First the suffering, then the glory.

Isaiah 65
17 "Behold, I will create
new heavens and a new earth.
The former things will not be remembered,
nor will they come to mind.
18 But be glad and rejoice forever
in what I will create,
for I will create Jerusalem to be a delight
and its people a joy.

19 I will rejoice over Jerusalem
and take delight in my people;
the sound of weeping and of crying
will be heard in it no more.

See the praises of our Saviour
Rise to open skies
With the dawning of redemption
Your glory shall now arise...

=D