Omer of Manna

I've been going through the prayer journals I've kept since 1st year of med school recently (I call them my 'Omers of Manna') - dog-earred notebooks, in which I've scribbled quiet-time pennings, thoughts and reflections on God's Word, convictions, my raves and rants (Obviously I do that more often than you thought! ~more so in my written journals), letters to the Lord, prayers for people, song inspirations, encouraging text messages from close brothers and sisters in Christ, etc. Sometimes, I put in photographs or little momentos (postcards, pictures hand-drawn by close friends) to thank God for the beautiful life He's given me to live.

I start a new one everytime the season changes.

Just started a new one a few days ago - and hence the reviewing of past journals.

What a progress of thought/spiritual maturity!:P I used to be really childish, I think. (I cringed to read some of the stuff I wrote - caught myself wondering if I'd think or react to circumstances the same way as I did, today. I honestly think God was there while I re-read my journals - how He must have smiled, amused. Super embarrassing la. Yet, God must have been so merciful and kind to listen to it all - throughout the years! Even the tantrums.) The year in which I must have grown the most - was 2007.

It was when the Lord brought into my life 3 amazing brothers (we started off as classmates, CF-mates and library-mates) - who eventually became some of my closest friends back then. It was also through these, I learned to love, forgive and live.

One is a pastor's son who taught me alot from Spurgeon's writings and his dad's sermons - he also very kindly and sacrificially came to my place at 8.45am every Sunday morning to fetch me to church for 9am services, even during our exam periods. It always meant that he had to leave his house at 8.30am. We'd give one another morning calls on Sundays, coz we are the type of people who just can't wake up in the mornings, after late nights! He's really funny. But when he's serious, he is very, very serious.

Another one (whom I affectionately call tai lo), I got to know because we were both posted to Kubang Pasu (Kedah) for a 3-week rural posting, on the same team. He's the best asst.team editor I've ever had so far. He made my work so much easier even on the nights we were up til' 4am doing work. I don't know how we became such good friends, but we did. He eventually became my partner-in-ministry (guitarist) when I served as WC in the college Christian Fellowship. Indeed he's seen me, stuck with me and prayed for me throughout my various emotional roller-coasters. Was elated everytime I was happy (he'd celebrate with me by taking me out to Mackers!:P) and gave me a shoulder to cry on whenever I was down. Having seen him grow in his own walk with God was a beautiful testimony I still hold on to. Now I really miss him alot.

The third guy (Lyd you know him too!) - is a man after God's own heart, with the quietest and gentlest spirit I had ever known. He was really excellent in his studies - and yet, he encouraged me in the way he seemed to draw others to Christ, by just being a quiet example to everyone. Whenever he served God, he gave his very best...

Ok, that was a trip down memory-lane. I digressed.

I like it that writing the OM brought me so much closer to God. It was through this past-time, I learned to pray and pour out my heart thoroughly to Him, especially when spoken words fail me. (they always do, btw).

It was also great to back-track and remember God's faithfulness to me in every season. Financial provisions for med school, healing, amazing friends, my covenant sisters in Singapore, comfort for heartaches, exam wilderness-es, life-directions, etc. I've indeed come so far from where I began, by His grace alone - and I'm so glad that many parts of this journey have been captured and recorded into these dog-earred notebooks!

I pray that I'll never stop writing.