Indeed today 5th July, there's so many things to rejoice about!!

First of all, wanna wish Weikang a happy joyous 17th birthday! Yeah its your first birthday in church, I hope you feel touched by the love and the smashing of cake by your own beloved shepherd hahaha I really thank God for a soft heart you have for Jesus and a strong desire to know Him! The things you are going through now is very real. I believe God wants to show you that He will be more real than anything else. He will help you overcome the problems you face and even use you to become a shepherd. Trust God for big things yea, thank God for ya!!

The CLM was cool. There was no teaching but the testimonies really encouraged! I think both of the testimony sharers are not afraid to share their 'down' sides, they were very frank. I believe God wants to inspire hope to everybody. Like what Jasmine said, I fully agree with not letting tertiary ministry be just a passing route for members of the church. There should be a long term training and growing going on then people graduate and plant church. We are not going to be members forever because someday we hope to play a part in God's drama of the world!!

The video being played on the missions of Africa by Hope Pictures really inspires me. I am humbled by the Hope Bangkok RL who is being used by God to do such a great work in Africa. He said something like "the people there were very poor and in poverty but on the spiritual side, it is in contrary. They were very open to God." I never doubted the quality of churches being planted by Hope Bangkok... I saw their spirit in Bangkok, they never have fancy tricks or gimmicks to build church or start groups. Whatever they do, they do to their best in making it a biblical church. If you teach biblically and expositorily, I think we have a higher chance to send most or all of them to heaven and they last while they are on earth too... hahaha, I wanna start praying for Africa too...

And last thing is thanks guys for staying late to wait for me... really appreciate that. You guys are the bunch of people I really wanna spend birthdays with because all of you matter alot.

Thank God for people who walked up to me for their words of affirmation and encouragement. I will really strive to grow in relationship with God more and be a Spirit-filled person this coming year. This brings back the idea of "anointing" which I've been pondering about every qt in camp for the past week!! I really wanna be anointed! (not just on my email address) Anointing is something I haven't fully grasp or fully experienced I guess. Anointing comes from God so our relationship with God is very important (Thanks Joy for reaffirming this truth to me) and that includes our regular quiet time and prayer life. How much we pray is how much we depend on God. That is where God's strength is made perfect in our weaknesses too... Then we'll all be Whoo, anointed!

Anointing is God's enablement, through the Holy Spirit, to do works of God. It will not be our works, but God at work in us, then through us His work is being done! Amen.

Anointing really makes a difference. That's why two person, both can do the same things yet see different results. Why? One has anointing which allows God to carry him to do and complete God's work. The other will make many futile efforts with his own strength. I would say in Hope church, there are already many anointed people. Peter Truong, Pastor David Chen, Pastor PN, Dr Joseph and many more whom I don't even know their names! In this movement, it is really possible to see Great Commission fulfilled when anointing flows down, when biblical churches are being built and will eventually multiply everywhere!! That's the kind of church I long to build for Christ' return... Ohhh so excited. I wanna love You more Father, help me to keep me in your ways always.

oh, one more little nugget of good news. there is this very famous person in youth last time who had made a great impact in her school but eventually left somehow. I don't know her personally but I prayed for her before. Today amazingly saw her outside Nexus, I suppose is to go to service. Let's not be stingy with prayers because you never know how God works in the future! It's a pity when leaders leave because they are already agents of change and pioneering spirit is in them and they have followers etc. When people leave, the Kingdom will get affected. I hope not only this person but more and more who have left will come back. It requires humility and courage to come back ya know. But we'd like to help those who fall to stand up once more! Come back stronger and with a better perspective, clearer vision too. There are quite a few examples of people who have left and came back stronger too...

Let's really grow NYP strong and never stop growing ok. I'm sure we can do it with all of you guys in prayer, in deed and in spirit :)