Use of Singapore CPF Medisave for treatment of Bipolar Disorder in Singapore (The Straits Times, ST)

Medisave Singapore - Bipolar Disorder

Use of Medisave for treatment of bipolar disorder in Singapore

Dear Friends,

Thanks for stopping by!

I have been very busy lately and not able to post or visit much. It's so good to be back again and count my blessings with all of you!

♥  Thank God for giving me much grace and strength in these recent weeks when I am busy with work, family and serving in church. Thank God for giving me simple peace and joy in Him daily.

♥ Thank God that Medisave has been approved for use in treatment of Bipolar Disorder in Singapore! This was reported recently in The Straits Times (ST) Singapore newspaper, 18 March 2011. This is indeed helpful to some patients as treatment for bipolar disorder is long term.

Here is a copy of the newspaper article (Click at the image to see a larger version). It is also available online here.

Medisave (Chinese: 保健储蓄) is a national medical savings account system for Singaporeans. The system allows Singaporeans to put aside part of their income into a Medisave account to meet future personal or immediate family's hospitalization, day surgery and for certain outpatient expenses. This Medisave is part of every employee's contribution to the Singapore Central Provident Fund (CPF) every month.

Thank God that now Medisave can be used to pay part of the outpatient treatment of bipolar disorder patients. It was reported that more people are being diagnosed with bipolar disorder, affirming the recent move by the Health Ministry (MOH) to free up Medisave funds to cover their outpatient treatment bills.

♥ Thank God that I can serve the Lord through this bipolar disorder blog and help to contribute a little bit towards the awareness of bipolar disorder in Singapore, and share some resources available on treatment of bipolar disorder.

Thank God that through this blog, the reporter from The Straits Times (ST) Singapore, Miss Poon Chian Hui kindly approached me for an interview regarding this report on the approval of the usage of Medisave for the outpatients treatment of bipolar disorder. 

Thank God that through the interview I have the opportunity to share some of my concerns regarding bipolar disorder in Singapore. It is sad that there is still a lot of ignorance, misunderstanding and terrible stigma associated with bipolar disorder and depression in Singapore. Like others with this neurological condition, I too feel that much can be done to raise awareness of this condition so that more compassion and understanding can be extended to us. I suggested in the interview that employers could be urged not to discriminate against mental patients. I also suggested that employers be offered financial perks if they allow extended time off, or shorter and flexible working hours for employees with mental illnesses. Hopefully in future, there will be more acceptance and help for this condition and other mental health condition in Singapore.

♥ Previously I was also interviewed by Straits Times Singapore regarding Bipolar Blog in Singapore on how blogging helped me to cope with Bipolar Disorder. I posted about it here. Thank God that the article has helped some of my readers.

♥ I thank God for all of you, for your prayers and encouragements. Thanks for stopping by!

Take care and have a blessed week!

Warm regards,
Nancie

My brother took this lovely picture in New Zealand.

GOD, grant me the Serenity to accept the things I cannot change,
Courage to change the things I can,
and Wisdom to know the difference.

Though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow.... Isaiah 1:18

White as snow...

My friend, Jennifer, took this lovely picture.

Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool. Isaiah 1:18

Dear Friends,

Thanks for stopping by!

Do you still remember Madam TAM, the 83 years old elderly lady, whom I shared with you sometime back? Thank you for your prayers for her.

♥  Thank and praise God that she has just been baptised last Lord's day evening in my church!

Madam TAM being baptised by my Pastor

Madam TAM first came to my church's evening service about 5 years ago when my church went tracting in our church's neighbourhood. She was among one of those who stays in a one-room flat, a  small rental apartment usually stayed by destitute and poor elderly people. Ever since then she attended my church evening services on and off, whenever she can.

Madam TAM has been very sickly over the last 2 years with severe heart failure and she went through many trials with her health and difficult family situations. She also suffered from geriatric depression and was suicidal at one point of time.

God in His mercies led my church to closer contact with her over the last 2 years and He gave her many opportunities to hear the Gospel and to know His love and kindness in many wonderful ways. She found comfort in His love and His presence with her. She nearly died of heart failure in 4 hospitalizations in early 2009 and she nearly died of heart failure again in early this month (February 2011) but God graciously preserved her life once again.

In our Lord's mercies and faithfulness He has led her to put her complete trust in Him over the years and to testify of her faith through baptism. Praise Him!

Although Madam TAM does not know many deep doctrine or remember them, she has simple child like faith. She is thankful to God for His goodness and mercies to her. She prays and asks the Lord to be with her especially when she goes out and to bring her safely home. It is heartening to hear her thanking our Lord and knowing sensibly that our Lord has protected her and provided for her. Please continue to pray that she will grow in her knowledge, faith and love for our Lord. May our Lord also increase her peace, joy and comfort daily.  

God's goodness and mercies to Madam TAM is an encouragement to me and my brethren as we serve God at home, work, church, reaching out to lost souls and our beloved ones. May it be your encouragement too as you serve our Lord.

♥  I thank God that He gives me the joy and opportunities to serve Him in little ways like these in visiting the sick and elderly, despite my bipolar condition. It gives me a reason to wake up every morning, a sense of usefulness to know that I can be used by God as an instrument to contribute to the well-being of others and be useful in God's kingdom despite my many limitations and failures.

♥ I thank God for all of you, for your prayers and encouragements. You are in my thoughts and prayers too.

Take care and have a blessed week!

Warm regards,
Nancie

My bipolar disorder blog featured in a newspaper in Singapore, The Straits Times (The Sunday Times)

I took this picture at Changi Beach, Singapore

My brother took this picture in New Zealand.

Fear not... When thou passest through the waters,
I will be with thee
Isaiah 43:1,2

My grace is sufficient for thee:
for my strength is made perfect in weakness.
2 Corinthians 12:9

Dear Friends,

Thanks for stopping by! Thank God for seeing us through almost a month in this new year.

Several months ago a reporter from a local newspaper here in Singapore, the Straits Times,  approached me for an interview regarding this blog on Bipolar Disorder - More Than Conquerors: (http://www.lifewithbipolardisorder.blogspot.com/). She was writing on how blogging help people cope with chronic illnesses and asked if I could share my story so that it can help others.

This interview was published a few days ago in The Sunday Times, 23 January 2011, Lifestyle section, page 9, and thank God for several readers in Singapore who wrote to let me know they appreciate my sharing of my own experiences plus the resources available. They themselves or their loved ones too suffer from bipolar disorder.

Click at the picture to see a larger version

♥  I thank God that I can testified of His goodness and mercies to me through this blog. He is the One Who sustains me daily and enable me to cope and live a useful life for Him. Thank God that He is with us through all the changing scenes in life and He is working all things for His glory and our good. He promised that His grace is sufficient for us. He is my greatest comfort, peace and strength daily.

♥  I thank God for my family, my Church brethren and friends who love and accept me, pray for me and support me in my time of need. I am thankful to God for the joy and privilege of being acquainted with several people who are also suffering from bipolar, depression and other chronic illnesses and to be able to pray, support, encourage and learn from one another. I thank God for everyone of you, my dear blogging friends, and for your prayers and encouragements. They mean a lot to me. You have made a great difference in my life and used by God to encourage me and show me His love by your friendship and encouraging notes. You are in my thoughts and prayers too.

I thank God that I am in a community of people who love God and love me, who accepts me in my illness and weaknesses, and continue to extend their love and friendship to me. To the Lord and to all of you I owe a debt I cannot repay.

Thank you once again for all your prayers as I seek to walk with our Lord and serve Him within these limitations. Through your support, prayers and encouragements, God makes blogging therapeutic to me. It not only allows me to share my thoughts and feelings, and journal them as a form of reminder of God's goodness, it also encourages me through your friendships, prayers and encouragements. I am encouraged whenever I remember that there are people who care and are praying for me, and I am not alone.

♥  I am thankful to God that besides my personal sanctification and leading me to know more of His love, grace and mercies daily, He has opened a door of usefulness for me even through this condition and this blog. Since this blog was started in 2008, several readers from different parts of the world have also written to me to share their experiences and to let me know how the resources shared on my blog have helped them.

♥  May God be glorified through this blog. May He continue to use it to help others and their loved ones who are suffering in these ways and in need. Hope our Lord will lead some to come to find peace and comfort in the Lord too.

To God be the glory. Take care.

In His blessed care,
Nancie

Books on depression and bipolar disorder : (1) Broken Mind by Steve and Robyn Bloem and(2) A Firm Place to Stand by Marja Bergen

God's presence and help in trials

- 2 Real Life Testimonies

I took this picture at East Coast Beach, Singapore

God is our refuge and strength.... 
Psalm 46:1

...for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. 
Hebrews 13:5

Dear Friends,

Thanks for stopping by!

♥  Thank God that after the interview regarding my this blog on Bipolar Disorder - More Than Conquerors: (http://www.lifewithbipolardisorder.blogspot.com/) was published in a local newspaper here in Singapore ie. The Sunday Times, 23 January 2011, several readers in Singapore have written to let me know they appreciate my sharing of my own experiences plus the resources available. They themselves or their loved ones too suffer from depression or bipolar disorder. You can read this interview here : interview

♥   I thank God that I can testified of His goodness and mercies to me through this blog. He is the One Who sustains me daily and enable me to cope and live a useful life for Him.

♥   Thank God that He is with us through all the changing scenes in life and He is working all things for His glory and our good. No matter what we go through, what illness, failures, difficulties, trials or tribulations, He promised that His grace is sufficient for us. He is my greatest comfort, peace and strength daily. May He be yours too!

♥ Thank God for providing various coping means for me so that I can cope better and live a more stable, useful and meaningful life.

♥ Thank God for 2 books that have been used by God to help me in understanding depression, bipolar disorder, and how faith in God can gives peace and hope. Thank God for these 2 real life testimonies of how God has helped 2 Christian to cope with the difficult struggles in their life with depression and bipolar disorder. I would like to introduce these books to you and I highly recommend that you read these books as you will be greatly encouraged by them.

(1) BROKEN MINDS - book on depression by Steve Bloem and Robyn Bloem

The first book is Broken Minds by Steve and Robyn Bloem.

 

Steve Bloem, author of Broken Minds,

a book on the problem of depression

Visit Steve's Blog at : http://sbloemreflections.blogspot.com/

Here is an excerpt of a review on this book "Broken Minds" by David Gregson. This article is in the public domain.

BROKEN MINDS - THE PROBLEM OF DEPRESSION
David Gregson reflects on a recent book by Steve and Robyn Bloem 

In 1985, American Steve Bloem was about to make a final visit ‘with a view’ to what seemed a very suitable and attractive church in Florida. He had a wife and a young family and had successfullypassed through Bible seminary.

Up until then, Steve had been blessed with a joyful, stable personality and had coped well with the pressures of life. In 1985, however, he entered the dark tunnel of severe clinical depression — whichtook him and his wife Robyn by complete surprise.

Since then, Steve has endured further episodes of mental illness. He confesses readily that he is now a man of God ‘on pills’ and will be for the rest of his life.

Sadly, Steve and Robyn have had to contend with the tragic misconceptions about mental illness that are prevalent in evangelical circles, both in the USA and UK. That is why Steve and Robyn Bloem have jointly written a new book entitled "Broken Minds" to try to dispel the myths that seriously hinder Christians who suffer from depression.

Can Christians get depressed?
The symptoms of Steve’s illness were gloomy mornings, endless walks around the neighbourhood, poor concentration, disordered sleep patterns, loss of appetite, stomach complaints, feelings of worthlessness, intense sadness and even suicidal thoughts.

When eventually Steve suspected that he might be suffering from depression, he fought against the very idea. He writes, ‘As a born-again believer and a trained theologian, I did not want to entrust myself to a system where I would be vulnerable to mistreatment or psychological brainwashing. A deeper reason was that I had been taught that depression was for wimps. Surely if Christians walked with God, they would not get depressed’.

Steve was further bemused when well-meaning people said that his condition was due to his inability to handle stress or the consequence of anger turned inwards. Even Robyn at first thought that her husband was showing uncharacteristic signs of weakness and self-centredness. She, however, came to
see that she too had been the victim of evangelical ignorance and misunderstanding regarding mental illness.

After years of witnessing Steve’s struggles and supporting him through all his pain, she was able to write, ‘Diseases from the neck downward are acceptable, but start talking about the mind and the defences go up’. She realised that among Christians there was a real misunderstanding of depression
and that a dreadful stigma had grown up around it. She had become convinced of the reality of mental illness, not so much by scientific studies as by her husband’s suffering.

Chemical imbalance
It is generally accepted in the medical field that clinical depression is due to an imbalance in the chemistry of the brain. Neurotransmitters are chemical substances that carry electrical impulses from one nerve cell to another within the brain.

They are released from one cell (the sender) and travel to the next cell (the receiver), where it is either absorbed or returned to the sender. The best understanding of clinical depression is that there are not enough neurotransmitters to ferry these messages across all the gaps.

This deficiency leads to a change in the person’s mood, thinking and behaviour. Serotonin and noradrenaline are two neurotransmitters that increase brain activity and improve mood.

Antidepressant drugs help the brain to retain more of these substances and so stabilise the mental condition.

At the present time, an estimated 121 million people suffer from serious depression throughout the world. It is one of the leading causes of disability and we should not be surprised to find Christians among the sufferers.

Spurgeon’s afflictions

One noteworthy example was Charles Haddon Spurgeon. It is well known that he had gout but the authors of Broken Minds suggest that he might also have been a victim of post-traumatic stress disorder (after a stampede in one of his services led to seven deaths) and seasonal affective disorder (SAD, due to a deficiency of light during the winter months).

He said in one of his sermons, ‘When the great wind blew at the time of the fall, a slate blew off everybody’s house; and some are more affected than others, so that they take the black view of all things’.

On another occasion he said, ‘The worst cloud of all, I think, is depression of spirit that is accompanied with the loss of the light of God’s countenance. Sickness, poverty, slander — none of these is comparable to depression’. He then quoted Proverbs 18:14: ‘The spirit of a man will sustain him in sickness but who can bear a broken spirit?’..... read full review

Broken Minds by Steve & Robyn Bloem is published by Kregel Publishers at £9.50 (ISBN: 0-8254-2118-7)

Buy this book: Broken Minds by Steve Bloem and Robyn Bloem

♥ A second book that I have found very encouraging is "A Firm Place to Stand" by Marja Bergen.

(2) A Firm Place to Stand by Marja Bergen - Finding meaning in a life with Bipolar Disorder

 Marja Bergen, author of A Firm Place to Stand, 

a book on finding meaning in a life with bipolar disorder

Visit Marja's blog at : http://marjabergen.blogspot.com/

Here is a review on this book: "A Firm Place to Stand":

"A Firm Place to Stand is a must-read for Christians who struggle with mental health challenges and the faith communities who minister to them.

For too long, society has misunderstood and feared individuals who live with mood disorders. This book dispels the lingering stigma attached to mental health conditions and encourages people to lovingly welcome the sufferers into congregations by understanding them better and supporting them in practical ways.

Most importantly, for the sufferers themselves, A Firm Place to Stand shows that it is possible to have a mental disorder yet be close to God and derive strong support from a growing relationship with Christ.

In her sincere and candid style, Marja Bergen reflects on her forty-two years with bipolar disorder, showing how faith in God can help a person with a serious illness turn weakness into strength. She describes how God transformed her from an insecure, withdrawn person into a leader, an activist, and the founder of Living Room, the growing Christian support group for people with mood disorders."

Buy this book: A Firm Place to Stand by Marja Bergen

♥  Thanks for stopping by. Thank God for all of you, your prayers and encouragements. I hope you have a great week! Take care.


Warm regards,
Nancie

Other articles on :

Depression and the Christian

• 1. The Crisis
• 2. The Complexity
• 3. The Condition (Signs and Symptoms)
• 4. The Causes
• 5. The Cures
• 6. The Carers
• Spiritual depression
• Videos and resources on depression

Real Life Testimonies of Depression, Bipolar Disorder (manic-depressive illness), Stress, Burnout

• Bipolar disorder - Finding meaning in a life with bipolar disorder
• Depression - Broken mind
• Depression - Shedding Light on the Darkness of Depression
• Depression - When your husband struggles with depression
• Stress and burnout - Stress and Burnout in the Ministry

More resources about:

• Resources for Depression, Bipolar Disorder (Manic-Depressive Illness) and others
• Mental Health in Singapore, Depression, Bipolar Disorder, and Special Needs people
  

Therapeutic hobbies : Nature walks and Photography - Seeing God in the beauties of His creations in nature

Dear Friends,

How are you? Thank you for stopping by.

Thank God it is Thursday! I am reminded to give thanks to God.

♥ Today I am feeling a bit down. Not sure whether it is because I have been too busy and stressed up with a new freelance work assignments plus some visitations of the sick and elderly. Thank God for reminding me that He loves me and there are many things I can be thankful for daily. As I write this thankful post, I am beginning to feel a little better. I need to remember to count my blessings daily!

♥ Thank God for giving me an opportunity to go for a walk recently. I am often too busy to remember to slow down, relax and re-charge my batteries. I need to make time and effort to consciously take a break and spend time in nature. I love to go for walks in the nature park. Nature always remind me of what a great God we serve, He loves us dearly and is with us each day. He takes care of the lilies and feed the sparrow, we are of more values than many sparrow to Him. So today I thank God for the nature walk that refreshed me and help me to connect with God once again and remember His love and care.

♥ I thank God for giving me the joy of photography and of capture something of the beauties of His creations as reminders to me always of His majesty and love. Here are some pictures I took at Hort Park, Singapore. Hope you like them :)

To read more Thankful Thursday visit Laurie. Thank you for stopping by. Take care and have a blessed day!

Warm Regards,
Nancie

18 March 2010

More than Conquerors through Him Who loved us in this year and for ever more...

My brother took this picture in New Zealand.

...in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. Romans 8:37

Dear Friends,

Thanks for stopping by! Thank God for seeing us through another year. I wish you a very Happy and Blessed New Year in advance.

♥  I thank God for His goodness and mercies to me in this year. I have experienced God's abundant love and mercies in many wonderful ways that I don't know how to describe with Words! This year has been a very challenging year for me in health, work, some family matters and as I serve our Lord in my various callings. I thank God for His many grace and mercies as He has seen me through all the ups and downs in this year and works all things for His glory and my good.

♥ I thank God that we are more than conquerors through Him Who loves us! No matter what we go through, His grace is sufficient for us. He is faithful and full of loving kindness. I praise and thank Him for His graciousness to me despite my many failings. I know I shall continue to praise and thank Him in the year ahead because His compassion fails not and His mercies are new every morning. And He is the same yesterday, today and for ever! May this be your blessed experience too! May you too continue to be more than a conqueror through Him Who loves you!

♥ I thank God for restoring Madam TAM whom I shared with you previously. She is 83 years old and attends my church's evening service whenever she can. She has heart failure and recently suffered a fall. She was hospitalised for 2 months. Thank God that she is well enough to return home now though still recovering. May God continue to be merciful to her soul that she may know more and more of His love, mercies and comfort as she waits upon Him. Thank you very much for your prayers for her! Please continue to pray that she may truly know the comfort and mercies of God in her evening years, and be enabled to put her complete trust in Him as her Saviour and Lord and experience the peace that passes all understanding which He alone can gives.

♥ I thank God for using various physical illnesses eg vertigo, asthma, cold and flu, knee pain and chronic fatigue, to help me to slow down and rest in Him from time to time. With bipolar disorder, whenever I am well, I am a little hypomanic. I am more creative and tend to do many things and take on more and more projects unknowingly, which then will lead to burn out and relapse of clinical depression. Thank God for using various physical illness to help me to slow down and pace myself so that I was preserved from relapse of clinical depression and able to walk with Him and serve Him in little ways. I thank God that His grace is sufficient for me and He hears and answers prayers in many wonderful ways.

♥ I thank God for the beauties of His creations and the joy He has given me in enjoying them and taking photographs of them. I thank God for giving me the joy too in making homemade gifts using these photographs. I have been making Free Calendars 2011, Free Homemade Bookmarks and Free Homemade Cards. Do feel free to download the above calendar 2011 and also the following 12 monthly 2011 Calendars with encouraging Bible verses.

To download and print these Free Big Monthly Calendar 2011 with encouraging quotes:

1) Click at the picture to see a bigger image. Put your cursor on the picture, right click and choose "save as" and save into your computer

2) Go to the folder where you saved the picture and double click at the picture. Then print from there.

3) Or you can open any word processor program such as Microsoft Word or OpenOffice and insert the picture into it. Then you can format the size, etc, and print from there.

I made this monthly 2011 Calendar using the pictures my brother took in New Zealand. There are 12 pieces for the 12 months. Feel free to download and make these calendars as gifts. To download all the 12 months, click here.

I made this monthly 2011 Calendar using the pictures I took at Singapore Botanic Garden. There are 12 pieces for the 12 months. Feel free to download and make these calendars as gifts. To download all the 12 months, click here.

You can also download other Free Calendars 2011, Homemade Bookmarks and Homemade Cards with colorful pictures and encouraging quotes.

♥  I thank God for my family, my church, my friends and everyone of you, my dear blogging friends, and for your prayers and encouragements. They mean a lot to me and I thank God for every one of you. You have made a great difference in my life and used by God to encourage me and show me His love by your friendship and encouraging notes. You are in my thoughts and prayers too.

Thank you for stopping by. Take care and have a blessed day and Blessed New Year ahead!

Warm Regards,

Nancie

30 December 2010

Thank God for His unchanging love - Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and today, and for ever.....

Dear Friends,

Thanks for stopping by.

Amy posted a Calendar for December 2010 for her Word-Filled Wednesday Post. It is my joy to share this 2011 Calendar with you for my Word-Filled Wednesday Post. Please feel free to download this 2011 Calendar and print it for your use or give to your family and friends. I took this picture at Sentosa Island, Singapore. This is one of my favourite Bible verse. Thank God that our Lord Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever. His love and mercies are enduring and unchanging and this is my greatest comfort through all the changing scenes in life!

Jesus Christ the same yesterday, today, and for ever. 

Hebrews 13:8

To download and print this Free Big A4 Calendar 2011 January to December with encouraging Bible quotes:

1) Click at the picture to see a bigger image. Put your cursor on the picture, right click and choose "save as" and save into your computer

2) Go to the folder where you saved the picture and double click at the picture. Then print from there.

3) Or you can open any word processor program such as Microsoft Word or OpenOffice and insert the picture into it. Then you can format the size, etc, and print from there.

To download more Calendars 2011 in 1 page, click here.

For more Word-Filled-Wednesday, visit here.

♥ Thank God for seeing us through almost another year! It is December now and soon we will enter into 2011.  It's been a while since I was able to post a picture and Bible verses on Word-Filled-Wednesday and to count my blessings and thank God together with you on Thankful Thursday. It's so good to be back!

♥ I thank God for strengthening me and restoring me from some illnesses. I have been rather sick over the last 1 month and so have been unable to blog. But thank God that I am better now and it is so good to be back! I missed all of you so much. Hope to catch up with you by and by.

♥ I thank God for the beauties of His creations and the joy He has given me in enjoying them and taking photographs of them. I thank God for giving me the joy too in making homemade gifts using these photographs. I have been making Homemade Calendars 2011, Bookmarks and Cards. Do feel free to download the above calendar 2011 and also the following 12 monthly 2011 Calendars with encouraging Bible verses.

To download and print these Free Big Monthly Calendar 2011 with encouraging quotes:

1) Click at the picture to see a bigger image. Put your cursor on the picture, right click and choose "save as" and save into your computer

2) Go to the folder where you saved the picture and double click at the picture. Then print from there.

3) Or you can open any word processor program such as Microsoft Word or OpenOffice and insert the picture into it. Then you can format the size, etc, and print from there.

I made this monthly 2011 Calendar using the pictures I took at Sentosa Island, Singapore. There are 12 pieces for the 12 months. Feel free to download and make these calendars as gifts. To download all the 12 months, click here.

I made this monthly 2011 Calendar using the pictures my brother took in New Zealand. There are 12 pieces for the 12 months. Feel free to download and make these calendars as gifts. To download all the 12 months, click here.

You can also download other Free Calendars 2011, Homemade Bookmarks and Homemade Cards with colorful pictures and encouraging quotes.

♥ I thank God for my family, my church, my friends and everyone of you, my dear blogging friends, and for your prayers and encouragements. They mean a lot to me and I thank God for every one of you. You have made a great difference in my life and used by God to encourage me and show me His love by your friendship and encouraging notes. You are in my thoughts and prayers too.

Thank you for stopping by. Take care and have a blessed day!

Warm Regards,

Nancie

For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain..... In memory of a departed brother-in-Christ (WFW and TT)

This picture is taken by my friend at Saipan.

This picture and verse reminded me of the purpose of our life here and the blessed hope we have for all eternity. I post this in remembrance of a dear brother-in-Christ that just went home to be with our Lord recently. Please read my sharing below...

Dear Friends,

Thanks for stopping by! Thank God for His goodness to us daily.

♥ Thanks for your prayers and encouragements! I missed all of you so much and it is so good to be back to post a picture and Bible verses on Word-Filled-Wednesday and to count my blessings and thank God together with you on Thankful Thursday!

♥ Thank God for strengthening me day by day and I am much better now. I do still experience a little dizziness every now and then especially when I am tired but the intensity has lessened and so I am more functional. I am still learning to pace myself and everyday is a challenge. Recently, besides weakening health some unforseen circumstances cropped up and thank God for helping me to cope.

♥ Thank God for restoring me from a bout of very bad throat infection and cough which triggered off my asthma. The Lord is good and has given me much peace and simple joy in Him as I wait upon Him. I had to take a break from usual activities. Thank God that I am feeling so much better now. There were very bad haze in Singapore recently due to forest fire in our neighbouring country, Indonesia. This has been bad for my asthma and I had to stay indoor most of the time. Thank God that the haze is clearing and my asthma is stabilising.

♥ Thank God for His goodness and mercies to one of my brother-in-Christ who was just called home to be with Him recently. I have known this brother and his wife for almost 20 years and greatly saddened by his sudden home-going. But I am comforted that God is in total control and His timing is the best for us. While we are here, we labour for Him for the extension of His Kingdom and when our work ordained by Him here is completed, He will then take us home to enjoy our eternal rest and unending worship and fellowship with Him. It is at that time that we shall enjoy too the fullness of His love. What a blessed hope!

Thank God for enabling my brother-in-Christ to maintain a very good testimony for Him, by His grace, at home, at work, in church and in the University where he just graduated with a Master Degree. They all have such high regards for him and loved him and missed him very much. He was a teacher for 10 years and almost 400 students wrote notes of condolences on Facebook even students who did not know him but have seen him before in school. He left such a deep impression in their heart and many of them wrote that they will never forget him and his contributions to the school and the difference he made in their life.

Shortly just before he was called home, he shared with his beloved wife when they were talking about the behaviour of some people who fear death, who live in fear as if there is no hope. He told her, “A true believer should not fear death, because he knows that it is better to depart and to be with the Lord, and to die is gain.”

From this conversation, we are greatly comforted because we know he was ready to die, even though it had to be so sudden. This conversation is God's token of mercy to her family and to my church, to assure us that our dear brother was not afraid, and was ready for the Lord to take him home. His work on earth is done, but the Lord still has work for us to do. Saying goodbye is always hard. But one day when our work on this earth is done, the Lord will take us home too and we shall all meet again never to say goodbye.

For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain. Philippians 1:21


I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me. Galatians 2:20

Therefore we are always confident, knowing that, whilst we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord: (For we walk by faith, not by sight:) We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord. Wherefore we labour, that, whether present or absent, we may be accepted of him. 2 Corinthians 5:7-9

...thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord. 1 Corinthians 15 : 57-58

Here is a very touching video his students did for him with the following encouraging words in between the pictures:

"He always love us, more than he love himself
He always make us happy when we're sad

He enjoy life to the fullest, yet never neglect us
Teaching us everything in life and making us a better person

He'll give chances when we make mistakes
Allowing us to learn from the mistakes we've made

His life make all our lifes a better life
Paving the path of our life, never letting us walk alone

We love you
We miss you"

♥ I thank God for my family, my church, my friends and everyone of you, my dear blogging friends, and for your prayers and encouragements. They mean a lot to me and I thank God for every one of you. You have made a great difference in my life and used by God to encourage me and show me His love by your friendship and encouraging notes. You are in my thoughts and prayers too.

For more Word-Filled-Wednesday, visit here.

To read more Thankful Thursday, visit here.

Thank you for stopping by. Take care and have a blessed day!

Warm Regards,

Nancie

You are never alone... nothing is going to happen today that God and you can't handle together

Dear Friends,

Thanks for stopping by! Thank God for His goodness to us daily.

♥ Thanks for your prayers for me. Thank God for strengthening me day by day and I am much better now. I do still experience a little dizziness daily every now and then but the intensity has lessened and so I am more functional. I am getting use to it and am thankful to God for protecting me from falls and restoring me. Thank you so much for all your prayers and encouragements!

♥ Thank God in the past month of slowing down and recuperation He enables me to spend more time in reading His Words, prayers and also reading other books. God's Words brings me great comfort and through every difficulty He enables me to understand a little better His love, His sovereignty, His goodness and mercies.

♥ I thank God for enabling me to rediscover the joy of prayers, in communion with God and praising Him. I am learning the joy of resting in our Lord and being assured of His love and mercies no matter what we go through in this life.

Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.
1 Peter 5:7

♥ I thank God too for helping me to rediscover the importance of praying for one another. We all go through various ups and downs in this life and sometimes as much as we want to help one another, there are at times very little we can do for one another. We may not always understand why God allows our loved ones and brethren to go through certain trials in their life but we have no doubt at all of His love and His promise that He works all things for His glory and our good. And we have the privilege to bring all our cares to God in prayers and commit ourselves and our loved ones and friends into His mighty hands for with Him all things are possible. He will most assuredly deliver our loved ones and friends in His time or sustain them in the trials of their life and working all things for their good. Thank God for always hearing our prayers and working His ways for us, sometimes not what we desire but always His best for us.

♥ Here are some simple Christian bookmarks that I have made to remind myself of the importance of prayers whether it be for myself or my loved ones and friends. We are never alone because the Lord is with us. And when we feel that we can't take it anymore we can take our difficulties to our Lord in prayers and find strength in Him to go through all the challenges we face daily.

Do feel free to download these bookmarks and make them for yourself or your friends. 

To make these Free Christian Bookmarks with Bible verses :

1) Download the picture
- Put your cursor on the picture
- Right Click your mouse
- Saved the .jpg picture into your computer

2) Insert this picture into a Word Processor (such as MicroSoft Word).

3) Use a color printer to print.

4) Cut out the bookmark and laminate it. The bookmark will be more lasting if you laminate it.
 

For more Free Christian Bookmarks Templates:

Various Bible verses , Birthday Prayer , All things for good , God is our refuge and strength , God's Grace , Strength from God, Prayers , With God all things are possible , God holds my tomorrow , Help me to remember, Lord, nothings gonna happen today that you and I can't handle together , The Cross in My Pocket , Whatever our need , When there seems no way out, let God in , You are never alone

♥ I thank God for my family, my church, my friends and everyone of you, my dear blogging friends, and for your prayers and encouragements. They mean a lot to me especially as I wait upon our Lord for restoration.You have made a great difference in my life by your friendship and encouraging notes. I thank God for every one of you. You are in my thoughts and prayers too.

Thank you for stopping by. Take care and have a blessed day!

We know that all things work together for good to them that love God...

I took this picture at Hort Park, Singapore

“We know that all things work together
for good to them that love God.”
- Romans 8:28

Dear Friends,

Thanks for stopping by! Thank God for His goodness to us daily.

♥ Thanks for your prayers for me. I am still experiencing dizziness daily every now and then but so much better now. Thank God for strengthening me day by day and I am more functional this week. I also had a mild asthmatic attack last Sunday due to heavy rain for a few days and extremely cold temperature. I thank God that He sustains me and restore me day by day.

♥ I thank God that He gives me simple joy and peace in Him despite some health issues recently. I am learning to rest in Him and to rejoice in Him no matter what happens. The Lord in His faithfulness has shown me time and again that He is in control and He works all things for His glory and our good. This gives me the courage to press on daily in His grace and strength no matter what happens and through all the changing scenes in life.

♥  I thank God for the encouraging devotional the Lord used to minister to me this morning from CH Spurgeon's Morning and Evening. Spurgeon said:

“We know that all things work together for good to them that love God.” - Romans 8:28

Upon some points a believer is absolutely sure.

He knows, for instance, that God sits in the stern-sheets of the vessel when it rocks most. He believes that an invisible hand is always on the world’s tiller, and that wherever providence may drift, Jehovah steers it. That re-assuring knowledge prepares him for everything.

He looks over the raging waters and sees the spirit of Jesus treading the billows, and he hears a voice saying, “It is I, be not afraid.”

He knows too that God is always wise, and, knowing this, he is confident that there can be no accidents, no mistakes; that nothing can occur which ought not to arise.

He can say, “If I should lose all I have, it is better that I should lose than have, if God so wills: the worst calamity is the wisest and the kindest thing that could befall to me if God ordains it.” “We know that all things work together for good to them that love God.”... continue reading

♥ I thank God for my family, my church, my friends and everyone of you, my dear blogging friends, and for your prayers and encouragements. They mean a lot to me especially as I wait upon our Lord for restoration.You have made a great difference in my life by your friendship and encouraging notes. I thank God for every one of you. You are in my thoughts and prayers too.

Thank you for stopping by. Take care and have a blessed day!

Warm Regards,
Nancie

You are not Alone

Thy mercy, O LORD, is in the heavens; 

and thy faithfulness reacheth unto the clouds. 

Psalm 36:5

Dear Friends,

Thanks for stopping by! Thank God for His goodness to us daily.

♥ Thanks for your prayers for me. I am still experiencing dizziness daily every now and then and vertigo occasionally due to the inner ear infection some weeks back. Thank God that my condition has improved a lot. I have seen the Doctor twice and taken 3 course of medicine.  The Doctor said it may take time to recover and he suggested that I monitor my condition and revert to him should it get worse. Meanwhile, I am to cut down on activities. I am learning to pace myself and to rest in our Lord.

♥ Thank God for keeping me and for His grace as I learn to depend upon Him in various health issues ie asthma, bipolar disorder, vertigo and dizziness. Thank God that these conditions are under control and I am functional though limited. These health issues are thorns in my flesh to keep me dependent upon our Lord, and so I thank God that in His mercies they are drawing me closer to Him as I learn over and over again that His grace is sufficient for me. The Lord is good in all His ways!

♥ Thank God that no matter what thorns are in our flesh or what afflictions and trials we have in this world, we are More Than Conquerors through our Lord Jesus Christ Who loves us and gave His life for us! We can do all things through Him Who strengthens us. Praise Him!

♥ Thank God for His continuing mercies to my 83 years old friend, TAM, in her many difficulties. She is very grateful to our Lord and always never fail to say "Thank the Lord" whenever I speak to her. She is such an encouragement to me and my friends. Please pray that she may continue to know God's mercies and grace.

♥ I thank God for my family, my church, my friends and everyone of you, my dear blogging friends, and for your prayers and encouragements. They mean a lot to me especially as I wait upon our Lord for restoration.You have made a great difference in my life by your friendship and encouraging notes. I thank God for every one of you. You are in my thoughts and prayers too.

♥ Someone sent me the following 2 encouraging poems. Hope they will encourage you too through all the changing scenes in life and as you journey towards the celestial city, running the race that is set before you looking unto our faithful and gracious Lord.

♥ Thank God that He loves us and is with us at all times.

You Are Not Alone

You are not alone - For God is with you.
You are not defenseless - For God is your protector.
You are not inadequate - For God is your sufficiency.
You are not useless - For God has a purpose for your life.
You are not worthless - For God sent His Son to die for you.
You are not without hope - For God has a place prepared for you.
You are not unloved - For God loves you with an everlasting love.
You are not rejected, or abandoned - For God calls you His own.

"....for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper" Hebrews 13:5-6

♥ Thank God for loving us and upholding us.

12 Things God Wants You To Remember

God is for you.
God loves you.
God will guide you.
God will not fail you.
God will be with you.
God will provide for you.
God will bless you.
God will give you rest.
God will strengthen you.
God will answer you.
God will uphold you.
God will keep you.

♥  Thank you for stopping by. Take care and have a blessed day!

To read more Word Filled Wednesday, visit Amy. (Thanks, Peggy, for entering my link into WFW!)

To read more Thankful Thursday, visit Lynn. 

Warm Regards,
Nancie

Jesus Never Fails - Fear not:... When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee:...

 I took this picture at Changi Beach, Singapore

Fear not:... 

When thou passest through the waters,

I will be with thee:...

Isaiah 43:1-2

Dear Friends,

Thanks for stopping by!

♥ I have been unwell this week and tempted to skip today's Thankful Thursday :) But as I rest in the Lord, I am thankful for His goodness daily in sustaining me, strengthening me and giving me His quiet peace and joy. At the end of last week I was experiencing great discomfort and anxieties with difficulties sleeping but thank God for strengthening me and I am feeling better now. So today I thank our Lord for caring for me and He never fails.

♥ I am thankful to God for working things out the 83 years old elderly lady, TAM, whom I shared about on my past TT posts. She has been having many problems at home and was suicidal. I thank and praise God for working things out for her. Through the help of a very kind and compassionate Social Worker who visits her and help her in many ways, she is feeling better now and no longer suicidal. My church has also kindly step in to help her with some financial needs. Thank you for your prayers for her! May she continue to know the love of God and His abundant mercies and peace despite her conditions. God is good!


♥ I thank God for my family, my church, my friends and everyone of you, my dear blogging friends, and for your prayers and encouragements. They mean a lot to me.You have made a great difference in my life by your friendship and encouragements. I thank God for every one of you. May God may your visit here a blessed one too!

To read more Thankful Thursday visit Lynn. 

Thank you for stopping by. Take care and have a blessed day!

Warm Regards,
Nancie

Enjoying God through nature and beauties of His creations

Dear Friends,

Thanks for stopping by!

Thank God for seeing us through another week. It's so good to be reminded on every Thursday to count my blessings and remember to give thanks and praise to God.

♥ Thank God for seeing me through another busy and tiring week, and giving me much joy and strength in Him daily.

♥ I thank God for the beauties of His creations. I thank God for giving me an opportunity and joy of going with my very dear Church Aunty, AR, to East Coast Beach, Singapore recently. AR stays near the Beach and we love to go there together. I particularly love the beach as it always remind me of the majesty of God. What a Great God we serve! He Who creates the beautiful nature around us, loves us and cares for us daily. We can cast all our anxieties upon Him. Whenever I am going through difficult time I like to go to beach and be reminded that God is so powerful and great. He loves me dearly and all my trouble are like just a drop of water in His sea of mercies. He can still all the storms in my life and see me safely through them.

   I took this picture at East Coast Beach, Singapore

Be still, and know that I am God:
Psalm 46:10

♥ I thank God for giving us the gift of creativity and the new technology of photography to capture some of the beauties of His creations. Taking walks in the nature is one of my therapeutic hobbies.  Photography is another of my therapeutic hobbies. It gives me a lot of joy. I love to take pictures of nature, beach, flowers and the beauties of God's creations. Whenever I look back at these photos I will remember with joy the time I spend in nature and just bathing in God's love and the beauties of His creations. It brings such calmness and quietness to my heart.

Here are some photos and video I took of East Coast Beach, Singapore:

A video of East Coast Beach. I love to watch the waves:



♥ I thank God for my family, my church, my friends and everyone of you, my dear blogging friends, and for your prayers and encouragements. They mean a lot to me.You have made a great difference in my life by your friendship and encouragements. I thank God for every one of you. May God may your visit here a blessed one too!

To read more Thankful Thursday visit Iris. 

Thank you for stopping by. Take care and have a blessed day!

Warm Regards,
Nancie