FROM ASHES TO HOPE
In August, Pastor Beatrice had her first fireside chat with Marilyn Chew. Since then, we are calling this series of informal and very personal conversations ‘Be Heard’. It captures two persons who pause in the midst of life to catch up and go beyond the usual updates. They can be found in busy cafes, in quiet corridors or on a home couch. ‘Be Heard’ emphasizes the importance of creating touch points where we connect with another person on a human and spiritual level.
In our second instalment, we invited Yannie Yong for an intimate chat and she shared some personal thoughts exclusively for BeInReach. Have a listen to her conversation with Pastor Beatrice.
No one can prepare us sufficiently for these surprise storms. We all process loss in different ways. We do what we can to manage some semblance of normalcy, while at the same time, find ourselves needing new ways to connect with God. For Yannie, it was replaying a sermon CD in her car rather than facing happy faces in a church setting. There is no ‘method’ to process grief (though there are identifiable stages of grief) and the danger is to measure our faith on the basis of how quickly we recover. Yannie found her own rhythm in processing her loss of normalcy when she lost the most important person in her life. Her story is inspirational and instructive on the importance of being human – not super human or super spiritual. And through it, discovering a tender God who shows up even in eccentric ways.
Reflection
Has your life turned out to be different from what you expected? Do you find yourself thrown into an existence that is best described as ‘surviving each day’? Is the present an abyss between the past and the future that seems unreachable because you can’t look past what is directly before you? Our advice is to stay connected to God – no matter how faint your cries to Him, how feeble your grip on Him, and even if you are unable to find words to describe how you are feeling. You are still a precious ‘oak of righteousness’ to showcase for His glory and His splendor.
Prayer
Lord, You are near to all who call on You and to all who call on you in truth. Today I choose not to be silent about what’s going on in my life and I no longer desire to suffer alone. Lord, I pray that You will surround me with Your divine peace, and carry me in Your amazing grace. Let me be strengthened by Your power for me to overcome every challenge in Jesus’ Name. Amen.
