Ministry > YMI
How Taking Up the Cross Became A Daily Affair
Eons ago, my would-be-mentor gave me a little card when she first invited me to join my church’s youth ministry leadership team. I do not recall what she wrote, but the quote on the card remains etched in my memory, some fifteen years on. It said, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me.” (Luke 9:23)
How I Managed Doubt In My Life
When I was in primary school, I used to stammer. This speech impediment hampered my conversations with friends, teachers, and parents, leaving me with feelings of inadequacy.
I Can’t Stop Sinning: What Should I Do?
I’ve just joined a squash club and I’m starting to think it was a mistake. For one, the membership, courts, new shoes, racquet, and balls are expensive. Secondly, every game reduces me to a sweaty mess—surely it must be unhealthy to sweat that much in one 40-minute window.
Ant-Man: Good Things Come in Small Packages
On paper, Marvel’s twelfth instalment, Ant-Man stands no chance against the other Marvel heavyweights. There’s nothing revolutionary about its bug suits, its advanced technology, or its shrinking powers. Yet, it manages to beat the bad guy on the big screen—by reducing its hero to a speck. Ant-Man, clearly, is no small (ahem) proof that good things come in small packages.
What Carrying the Cross Really Means
As a Christian, I know it is important to attend church on Sundays, as God has commanded us in his Word: “And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another” (Hebrews 10:24-25).
Working Out An Imperfect Marriage
It should have been the perfect marriage. After all, God Himself had indicated that they were meant to be together. But even with such an auspicious beginning, the union of Isaac and Rebekah did not work out perfectly.
When We Lose Sight of God in Our Relationships
Recently, I was able to enjoy a work-free weekend and got to spend time with my boyfriend, Asiri. As a couple, we have our ups and downs, but by God’s grace, we have been able to work through our problems.
My letter to “Sin”
Dear Sin, You keep on knocking on the door, tempting me in every way you can. I have broken my bondage with you, I have chosen to let you go; yet you keep coming back.
The Day I Googled the Weight of a Cloud
Have you ever wondered how much a cloud weighs? It’s a strange question, I know, but it’s something that came to mind one Sunday as I was taking in one of my favorite sights from the window by my bedside—a blue sky dotted with puffy, snow-white clouds.
What I’ve learned from Minions
Some time ago, I went to the cinema with my friends to watch the antics of a bunch of cute, little pill-shaped yellow beings in blue jumpsuits. It was the movie Minions, a story about how these incompetent yet irresistible creatures met and entered the service of Gru, the reluctant hero of the Despicable Me franchise.
Poem: What is Life All About?
Dreaming, unfettered and free,
I recalled my daily existence.
From days past to life’s sunset,
Memories mingled with regrets,
Is this all that I can expect?
When Others Called me Fat
When I was studying in China, there were many occasions when sales assistants would just ignore me whenever I walked into shops or boutiques around my university.
Why I’m Dying to The Beauty Ideal
Growing up, I was no beauty queen. I had a mouthful of braces to realign my Bugs Bunny-esque teeth, and I wore wire rimmed glasses to correct my short sightedness. To complement my already awkward features, I had short—and often frizzy—hair. Best of all, weekend activities spent under the hot, tropical sun had given me an ugly tan.
Should We Love Ourselves?
“You really beat yourself up too much. I bet you’re the only one who felt you did a lousy job,” I said to my friend. She had just told me about her stressful experience acting with a stellar cast of veteran actors in her most recent show—which included an embarrassing case of stage fright on opening night.
5 Ways to Live for Yourself
What’s all this about “denying yourself” and “living for others”? Look, I know we can’t decide when we were born and when we will die, but come on, I have every right to decide how I should live. This life belongs to me.
