I'm letting go.

What I cannot do, God can.
Monday, September 22, 2008

Before I start my really long (I'm bursting to share) testimony, I just want to shout DANCERS YOU GUYS ARE SO AMAZING!

Before the Performance

Shauna warned us that when we serve God, spiritual warfare will come. satan knows our weaknesses and he will prevent us from doing God's works. She told us to be aware. I reflected on my weaknesses. I know what the evil one will do. I prayed fervently to God; asking Him to remove everything that will distract me, anything that will make me lose focus on worshipping Him.

God answered.

My desire for this "performance" was to make no mistake. That is not because I want to look beautiful in front of man, but because for the past few performances, I made mistakes. I told God that I really want to dance a perfect dance for Him. All those practices week after week, seem to go down to waste when I fumbled during the actual performance. I wish I wouldn't feel the tinge of regret after the item. In addition, I don't want to be a form of distraction to the congregation, to my fellow dancers and to myself! After one fumble, I will be so torn inside! It totally ruined my experience with God. For the first time, I feel that God is speaking to me (hearing God is one of the toughest things for me, 'cause I wonder if they are just my own thoughts); WHAT I CANNOT DO, GOD CAN.

We (Meiyi, Shauna and I) prayed for the dancers to feel joy when they dance.

During the Performance

Guess what? The kids, for the first time, were smiling so radiantly! I wanted to cry when I saw them. The tambourines rang brightly, so synchronised that there weren't any stray "noise".

God answered.

I was totally unaware of the audience. I really felt that God was the only one watching.

After the Performance

I didn't make any mistakes. I know that in the eyes of man, I may not be a good dancer. I totally don't look good dancing. But God IS pleased. I felt such immense joy in my heart. I haven't felt such joy for a long time.

Everytime we come forth to serve Him, we really should abandon all our burdens and worries and give ourselves wholly to Him. I did not recap the steps before the dance and trusted completely in Him. He never fails me. God never disappoints. I truly learn the meaning of letting go, the meaning of trusting God wholeheartedly and I experienced God like I've never did before.

Better late than never. Spending more time worshipping God than tuning the steps was the right move.

I just want to take this time to thank Shauna; for teaching me a lot during our preparation for this and Candice; for having breakfast, carrying my dress, doing my makeup for me. (:

All glory and honor be to God!

P.S. My sister, Priscilla said that the song (For the Sake of the Call) is nice. My brother's first time experiencing Church service. He enjoyed "performances" put up today. I'm really really happy! (:

On 1:30 AM, a child of God speaks.
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Music and Worship Dedication Sunday
Sunday, September 21, 2008

Dance Ministry dedicates their service to God today. (:

Two beautiful ladies. (:

Candice and May E.

Shocked Ryan.

Patricia and Teresa.

Cass and Annette.

The Jazz Dancers.

Again!

The brothers; Joel and Timothy.

I'm not really pulling her hair. (innocent face)
That's Josephine. My favorite kid dancer actually.
Don't be fooled by the attention I pay to Joel.
HAHAH.
Josephine is the real sweetie pie.

Sarah and Josephine.
serving God at such a tender age!

the FLAGS.

you guys are totally fantabulous.

I was beaming at the side because of you!

When they started beating their tambourines, they were so synchronized!
I was amazed and tears were like at the back of my eyes.
They were all smiling for the first time!
You know, they don't really smile much during practices.

I held back as I didnt want to spoil my beautifully-drawn eyeliner. HAH!
I told myself I want to dance beautifully, just like them. (:

Finally, our turn!
shall share more in my testimony. (:

BEAUTIFUL!

Dance Ministry.

We stand united.

Oh, random. I like the effect at the back. HAHAH!

Enjoy the pictures! (:

love, cass

On 9:35 PM, a child of God speaks.
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Sunday, June 01, 2008

Friday, Saturday, Sunday, Dance Workshop

flag twirling! the skin in between my fingers hurt for days after that. but it was really fun and satisfying! :)

EVA! :)

during drama. i was the house! :)

the merlion and piece of meat.

I LOVE THE DOUGHNUTS SHAUNA'S FOREVER BUYING FOR US! :)

drawn like the rivers are drawn to the sea
there's no turning back, for the water cannot help but flow
once we hear the Saviour's call, we'll follow wherever He leads
because of the love He has shown
and because He has called us to go
we will answer....

we will abandon it all for the sake of the call
no other reason at all for the sake of the call
wholly devoted to live and to die

not for the sake of a creed or a cause
not for a dream or a promise
simply because it is Jesus who called
and if we believe we'll obey

For The Sake Of the Call by Steven Curtis Chapman

even though it's only this part of the song that we were dancing to, it took four gruelling of jazz ballet to properly learn the steps. even then, the tempo was difficult to catch, and the moves stretched my body in a way that i never had imagined, even in my dreams. the warm-up session was the toughest one i've EVER been to in my life. she made us go down in positions that we never thought could ever be accomplished. but we did it. this song felt so liberating and surrendering that it refreshed my mind, body and soul. i just danced my heart out for God, and i felt so lifted. :) that saturday, i experienced what it meant to truely abandon it all. hahaha. too bad i kinda forgot the steps already. but it felt so good dancing again. i don't think it's just the dance. but the fact that i could be up there dancing those moves. moves that look awkward and weird on me, but felt so right. :)

as sure as gold is precious and the honey sweet,
so you love this city and you love these streets.
every child out playing by their own front door
every baby laying on the bedroom floor.

every dreamer dreaming in her dead-end job
every driver diving through the rush hour mob
i feel it in my spirit, feel it in my bones
you're going to send revival, bring them all back home

i can hear that thunder in the distance
like a train on the edge of town
i can feel the brooding of Your Spirit
"lay your burdens down, lay your burdens down."

Revival by Unknown (HAHA!)

the warm-ups itself was already extremely painful, cause everyone was sore from jazz ballet the day before. the worst about this was body restriction, and i can't do it! i was soooo discouraged. on top of that, i brought the wrong shoes. i brought ballet shoes instead of sneakers; which is completely wrong for hip-hop. the moves were so different than the normal ones that we usually do with shauna or nigel that i really felt SO distressed. i actually cried at the end, cause i really couldn't cope. the whole thing was just too fast, and i feel like i'm the only one not being able to catch the steps. then suddenly this cloud of insecurity came over me, and i felt really bad. like what my mum's constantly reminding me that i never had any dance background, apart from one year of ballet when i was four. that's why i'm a bad dancer. it just. made me feel so sad. you know when you can't dance? you just can't. no amount of practice will make you good. that's how i felt lar. but i didn't wanna cry in front of all the dancers, so i blinked my tears away and tried to stop them from falling. i left church feeling very unmotivated. then i was reminded that when you start dancing for God, a lot more obsticles will come your way, cause when we worship God, satan is not happy. which is why he will do anything in his power to stop us dancing for God. like missing church service, or even feeling so depressed and demoralized, like how i was feeling.

thank God for mummy. who's really like a really good friend that i can trust my life to. talking to her in the car made me feel a whole lot better.

CLASSIC JOKES
everyone held hands and concentrated. everyone's supposed to say the alaphabets in alaphabetical order from A-Z. if more than one person says a certain letter at the same time, we'll have to start all over again.
"A!"
"B!"
silence.
"C!"
"D."
"E!!"
silenceeee.
"F."
"G-"
"H."
silenceeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee.
cass (a university student), "L."
silence. EVERYONE bursts out laughing.

ahh, good times, good times. :)

cass demanded that i posted this up. it was on my blog the way it is; which is that way. it's not really encouraging, but it's my reflections! :) i hope somehow those who felt discouraged know that you aren't alone. that there's people with you.

when i went home and thought about the entire dance worship, i remembered how shantelle talked about facing our giants, and how satan will always make things difficult for us. somehow, let's just remember that what's inside us - God - is bigger than anything else okay! :)

let me end with this verse that i hope encourages us:
"We are pressed on every side by troubles, but we are not crushed and broken. We are perplexed, but we don't give up and quit. We are hunted down, but God never abandons us. We get knocked down, but we get up again and keep going."
- 2 Corinthians 4:8-9

how i found this verse was really quite amazing. i actually came upon it during sermon in cca one day (i'm in Campus Crusade for Christ). after that, i went home and flipped through my school diary. my school diary (fairfield school diary. i bought one for personal use this year. =D) has a bible verse on the top left hand corner for every start of the week to serve as an excouragement. and i came across the exact same verse! hahaa.

okay, i feel that i have spoken a whole lot of crap. haha.

love,
annette!:)

On 2:17 PM, a child of God speaks.
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Dance Workshop Footage
Saturday, May 31, 2008

Even as the testimonies/reflections are coming in, let me post some pictures to mark down the wonderful time we had. I encourage everyone to write their reflections as it really makes one sit down and think through about the experience, instead of letting it pass us by without seeming to leave any trace in our lives.

Dancers are indeed united when we congregate together. But let us not neglect our spiritual aspect. During the study of Ephesians, I came across the verse:

Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day.

II Corinthians 4:16

In order to be renewed day by day, we need to spend time with Christ. It is then that the Holy Spirit that is dwelling in us can be strengthened and awakened. Just that 2 hours on Saturdays and another 2 hours on Sundays. It doesn't cut back your time for your work! (: Hope to see everyone of you next week!