Writing 2007

Wow time flies like a blink of an eye and we are looking at the end (or rather the beginning of 2008) already. What have we achieved this year? What did we fall short off? What did we make use off? Maybe what we have experienced…

Been trying to blog about things, but somehow, nothing came out. Blank screen, blank mind. Lets see what have I been up to for the past year. I was wondering and praying hard to God for a new job. I sent out almost 50 resumes and applications, none replied. If memory serves me right I think I only got one reply and one interview. I was really hopping that one of the colleges would return my call. I was looking at lecturing or teaching. None did… But from the help of my aunt, I finally got a new job.

The first few months on the job were at a blur, don’t think I really did anything as the field was so new for me. For those of you who dint know I worked for an advertising agency as an Account Executive (NO not real accounts its client servicing). I really learned a lot and my contacts grew tremendously, printers, suppliers, builders, designers, media, etc. I worked from 1st January till about September. Work got a little bored after a while as the company I worked for went through some hard time in terms of business. I had a promise that I would at least work till end of the year (because it was really stale and boring to go to work everyday and have nothing to work on.

I looked to God to provide me with the direction that I painstakingly needed. Advertising – my dream field, I have studies and inspired to work in turned out to be not what I sincerely wanted my life to be. The hours at the office is good, don’t get me wrong, I am not a lazy person. But it’s the backstabbing, lies, and plain unfair competition that really got me. Maybe I am naive, but I do not want to come to a point were I have lost even my simple conscience. In the short time in the field, I saw educated people act like spoilt kids, bad mannered and plain childish. Sometimes I feel that they give a bad name to the “educated”. But hey that’s my two cents.

In one warm August morning (Malaysia is always warm). I got a call from one of the local university. They had an opening for a lecturing job! I want for 4 interviews and finally they accepted me! Wow! I thought to myself, how great is God, I was worried on where would I go if I left my company and He “took” me by hand to this new place. My future (at least for now) is secured. I am enjoying my job tremendously. So yeah I am working now as a LECTURER!!!

That’s all for work for now, next 2007 brought me back to the lessons that God had thought me throughout the years. Relying in Him in all that I do, why? He got me a dream job for starters! Now I am faced with a more complicated situation. As you should know that I am involved with The Boys’ Brigade Ministry and I am attached to 2nd Subang Jaya Company (BB2SJ). Few of my leaders have begun to question their efforts and their role in the ministry. It was truly a hard time for them. They had to carry their burden and also the company’s burden. Sometimes I wonder how they are doing now, spiritually, mentally and physically. I can’t imagine myself in their situation, with family, work, studies, church, friends, and BB, they really do not have anytime to spend alone or just chill.

I think the act of merely taking for granted the people around us is something that most of us do. Nagging of parents, friends, teachers, bosses etc. its like we expect them to be there no matter what until they are gone, we regret. As leaders, we accept the fact that what ever we do, they will hate us and what we are doing is for their own good. We also accept the fact that almost none will say thank you. But the small fantasy of someone walking up to you when you’re old saying thank you for investing in my life drives me on. I see how much burden the world can put upon the youth today, peer pressure to be cool, studies, relationships, friends, class politics, church politics, family problems, finances, the list goes on. The youth today is no more naïve, innocent, cheerful and in peace. The world is slowly robbing their “youth” from them, working them to enter the world of reality earlier and earlier.

That’s 2007 for me. It has been an eventful year for me, had some hard aches, falls, smiles, lessons and peace. But the Christmas play at The Acts Church (my home church). Thought me this:

“We can’t control what God places upon our lives, but we have the control over how we go through them”

“What man intended for evil, God intended for good”

God will place some stones, waves or even holes in our path, but how we get through them is our choice. When we see others placing evil upon our lives, in God’s plan it is good. As we seek God more, we see His plan more. What we can’t see does not mean its not there. Life will always bring upon to you challenges after challenges, and at times you feel like giving up, remember its not in God’s nature to temp or be evil, it’s Man that is temps and is evil.

If He is for us, who can be against us?

Be Sure Be Stedfast
Lieutenant Timothy Chan
BB2SJ