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HAPPY NEW YEAR N317!!!

Wow, it's a new year already! It's 2008! I'm really really excited for the year ahead, how about you guys? :)

Our blog is getting stagnanttt! Haha let's keep posting and keep encouraging each other with our posts! :D And it was a great night out with you guys yesterday. Sending Eleanor off.. And having dinner together :) I'll miss Eleanor alot alot alot. It'd be different without her. But we all know she's gonna become stronger during this four and a half months, yes? Hee.
Eleanor, the cell wishes you all the best in Finland and keep growing stronger in God even as you are there! :) God will mould you and teach you so many new things there! We will miss you and keep loving you! You must email all of us and update us about your life there kay!

During the past two days, I felt God's love and grace so much. And really as 2007 was coming to an end, I just kept on having a heart of gratitude towards Him. I just kept thanking Him. During the past two days, I was reflecting on how 2007 has been for me. At first, I didn't want to reflect at all. Cos I know I haven't achieved much in 2007. Furthermore, subconsciously I knew I made many wrong decisions in the past year. But finally I mustered the courage to do so. To look at the past. Indeed, the past year was a year full of wrong decisions, many regrets. It wasn't easy. I learnt many things the hard way. Many chances were given to me to change. But I was like a fool just as Pst Tan preached and ended up in big messes. Well, but what has touched my heart so much as I reflected upon all this is the fact that God has never given up on me. It is the fact that after letting Him down so many times, He stil made a way for me. He stil loves me. He didn't get too upset with me. He embraced me all the same. He held me tight like He cared not about the mistakes I've made. He forgave me and gave me strength to forgive myself. He still helped me and. gave me chances.

And during qt, as I looked back at the past year again, I saw a particular time when I was badly hurt, and I saw Jesus with me as I reflected back. He was healing my heart. He was looking over me. He was comforting me. Yet, I clearly remember then and there when I was in that situation, I called out to God and told Him : "God, please let me feel You. I'd feel so much better. All I need is You." But seriously, I don't remember feeling His comfort that much, His presence that much. And I asked God during qt "why didn't I feel you back then?" And He said "If you didn't feel Me, it didn't mean I'm not there" I'm touched by that reply. Many a times in our lives, when we end up in deep valleys, in bad situations, we don't feel God around. It doesn't mean He doesn't care, it doesn't mean He is not real. He is still there, providing us with all we need to overcome our bad times. Why we can't feel Him, it may be just a test? Or maybe He has His own plans and ways :)

During qt, not only did God help me see His goodness and wonder, He brought to me new dreams and hopes for the future. If you want 2008 to be a splendid year with no problems, seriously it is almost fat hope. I believe with all my heart that problems will start arising. We will face stumbling blocks as a cell and in our own lives. But hey, the greater the challenges, the bigger the breakthroughs. And no matter what, greater is He who is in us than He who is in the world, amen? Remember, come what may in 2008, God is always with us! We may reach a time where we will feel dry. But remember, if we keep pressing on, eventually we will touch the hem of his garment. And He will turn to us and say "Well done, good and faithful servant!" And the fact is, He is always there. I believe in the coming year, our cell will breakthrough even further. In numbers, in the area of love and unity.. In 2008, let's not give up at all alright? Let's prepare ourselves for some real challenges and some real growth! :) We will rise up and be overcomers as a cell!

2008 is going to be so eggciting! Mh's wedding. Vera's, Huiwen's, Jane's, Justine's, William's, Alice's and Gwen's Os. Jean and Nick will graduate from their polys. Serene's gonna be usher team IC (:D). Eleanor will find a fin-ish boyfriend (KIDDING), she will be so equipped with new knowledge. New friends are all gonna become MEMBERS. Louisa is going to excel so much in her studies. Huiru is going to be bookstore-ing. n317 will multiply! We will become twenty-over member strong. We will have 60 friends for Easter ;)

Haha that's all for today folks. Have a most blessed year ahead!
Love,
Gwen :)