"We Died Before We Came."

Oh yes. Another thanksgiving testimony of the power of our God who answers prayer.

Our team had prayed for safe journey mercies before we flew back home. On the approach to Singapore, the plane started circling. That's normal. But the plane then started descending quite fast towards the ground. I sat at a window seat, so I could see the sea rushing up at us.

The plane pulled up suddenly, giving us a short sharp shock in the process. Began to have thoughts about whether we're really going to land in the drink. And remembered my Kenyan missions team in 2008 about our van being flipped over by a drunk driver.

Then the emergency exit lights flickered on. Oh man.

Suddenly the pilot's voice came over the intercom to tell us we're going to land. I was wondering whether he was trying to reassure us.

So asked myself whether if the plane really crashes, am I ready to die? =)

Hee. Prayed really really hard. Thank God, we landed successfully. About two or three times. I leave it to you to figure out what that means!

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Yes, it's an important question to ask ourselves everyday. If you were to die right now, do you know whether you're going to heaven or not? And if you're saved, could you say that you are ready to die without any regrets?

Feel very grateful that God has helped me be ready to die without any regrets. (No, I'm not suicidal lah!) But honestly, I'm ready to die without any regrets, by God's grace, simply because I know I'm doing His will and work, even up to the very end.

It's like what a sister, Eileen, from the NUS ministry, shared with me last year (I'm paraphrasing her): "I don't mind dying, as long as I'm in the middle of doing God's work!"

Yes. If you're not ready to die, then you haven't started living yet!

When I shared this with one of my sisters in church, her eyes opened wide in astonishment, at the very thought of someone actually thinking about dying. But come to think of it, why should a Christian ever be surprised about death? Or shocked? It's our Chinese culture, but we are firstly Christians. This is the way of the cross. Live as long as you can, but always be ready in case the Lord suddenly calls you home! :)

There were some young missionaries who came to a dangerous country. An old Christian asked them, "Aren't you afraid of dying in this place?" To that, the young missionaries answered: "We died before we came."

That quote touches me so much. :')

I want to be a missionary one day too, God willing... and by God's grace, He'll train me up in due time.

He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose. - Jim Elliot, murdered by the very people he tried to reach out to.