This week has been quite eventful, what with the preparations for the Cedar Fiesta (tomorrow!) and the Chemistry SPA we had on Thursday. I must say it was really a HUGE relief to have finished up the first of 3 Chem SPAs. I have many other important events coming up after the Fiesta like my piano practical exam on 11 March, the various subject tests in the next few weeks, the Bio mock SPAs/real SPAs, the Chem SPA 2 in the holidays as well as my Chinese (Prelim) Oral on Term 2 Week 1. WOW. I seriously just want to get everything over and done with.

I can sense that my stress level is really going to escalate a lot during the next few weeks but I guess this should be pretty normal for us Sec Fours. I will trust in the Lord to get me through all these events and to do well in them.

Oh guess what, during church last Sunday, I heard a testimony from this guy who had just finished taking his O levels last year. He was in the Youth Ministry and he actually served in the sound ministry in both the Youth Ministry and church services. This means that he will have to donate a significant portion of his time on both Saturdays(Youth Ministry) and Sundays(church service) to serving the Lord's ministry.

He showed us his Prelim results and it showed a couple of A2s, some B3s, I think he only had 2 A1s or something. He said that, " I just did what everyone else studying for the O's did, doing exam papers, 10 year series, constant revision, etc." He continued serving until the youth pastor told him and other Sec 4s in the Youth Ministry to stop and concentratie on their studies.

He trusted in the Lord to be his help and his strength, and every morning before his O level exam, he anointed himself with the holy anointing oil(this was a revelation from our Senior Pastor) and prayed that God would give him the wisdom to remember whatever he had studied and to do well in the O levels. All he had wanted was to get into one of the top 5 JCs in Singapore. He remembered our Pastor saying 2009 was going to be ' a year of the free favours of God'. So he trusted in the Lord.

Then, he showed us his O level resuls slip. You won't believe this. I saw with my very own eyes, 9 A1s out of 9 subjects!! Yes he was one of the 12 boys from Catholic High who got 9 A1s. I couldn't believe it. I felt so overwhelmed. Furthermore, the subjects he took mostly mirrored mine. I'm not sure if he was a Triple Science student (probably yes) but he took Chem, Bio, pure Geog, SS/Hist, E Maths, A Maths, EL and all that. It was simple amazing.

I felt as if the Lord was speaking to me, showing me that if I only trusted in Him, He would definitely carry me through my O levels and help me to do very well. It was as if He was saying to me," Yes, attending church cuts into your sleeping time on Sunday mornings and you may feel like you don't have enough rest/sleep or time to do your homework. Just trust in Me, keep coming to church and walk with Me, I will take you far higher than you can ever imagine."

I feel so blessed. Thank you Lord Jesus, for showing me that you are indeed 'the way, the truth and the life.' I can face all the important events coming up with confidence because I know the Lord will take me by the hand and lead me into 'his plans, his plans to give me hope and a future.'

'Call to Me and I will answer you and show you great and mighty things, which you do not know.' (Jeremiah 33:3)

Mandy (: