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Did my final business team presentation this morning from 7.30 am to 9.30 am to the worldwide management team. The culmination of 2 months of hard work, 2 weeks of sleeping 4-5 hrs and working 7 am - 7 pm, followed by teleconferences from 9 pm - 12 mn.
Thank God for his favor that all went well.
In meetings like this, presenting to worldwide VPs can be a tricky affair. The quality of the content and presentation is one thing, steering clear of political minefields so that you don't get shot to pieces is another. And anticipating difficult questions by them during the presentation takes special "anointing" - I mean some of these folks just love to scrutinize your slides to find fault.... I had a hard time during the preliminary review 2 weeks back ( ....got chewed up, though quite unfairly, IMHO). But I learned.
Tough...and stressful; but before this meeting, I asked God for victory, afterall it is still the YOV! And I wanted to claim it even for my work, my final presentation.
And I believe God has answered my prayer. Definitely one of the best presentations I have given. The fielded questions I anticipated and could answer to their satisfaction...and avoided the minefields. But more importantly, God granted me favor with the audience, my boss and my supporting team. It went as well as I could have hoped for. And at the end, I received this short congratulatory mesage from my boss in USA:
"Wee Hiang,
Great job today. Your presentation was crisp and on the mark.
Thanks for all your efforts."
I thank God for everything. It has been a good learning experience. Still work to do to help my boss prepare for his important review meeting with his bosses next week. But the worst is over, for me at least. Now I need time to unwind a little, and spend time with loved ones and family. Look forward to catching up with the spiritual family too. Thanks for keeping me in prayer throughout this time!
Let love and faithfulness never leave you;
bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart.
Then you will win favor and a good name in the sight of God and man.
Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding;
in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.
(Proverbs 3:3-6)
Friday, August 24, 2007
Thursday, August 16, 2007
Not by Might, Nor by Power...
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This has to be my longest break from blogging. Work has been crazy as I head into the 2 weeks of business planning cycle proper...planning and forecasting for the next 4 years. I think I have been working 12 - 18 hr each day for the last 2 weeks...it is getting that bad.
At least I can see the light at the end of the tunnel.....this will be over in 2 weeks' time.
But as I look at myself throught this most hectic and stressful period, I think I have grown....by the His grace. I still managed to live a pretty "normal" life outside of the working hours, with family, kids...somehow managed to paint the kids' room on National Day. Still made time for ministry, cell group....even got my part of the 100k done, in the midst of the crazy schedules. And not once during this time did I lose my temper or got overcome by stress. Quite amazing...
A year or 2 ago, I don't think I would have managed it as well. Again reminded of the faithfulness of God when He promised me during the 144 retreat that I will be victorious through this period, 100K and all, because it is:
'Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit,' says the LORD Almighty. (Zech 4:6)
The worst may not be over yet, but somehow I can face the challenges with even greater confidence, knowing that He has blessed me and will watch over me, not to mention blessing me with a wonderful family and loved ones who support and stand by me.
I give thanks for all these blessings, for the increased capacity to overcome. Indeed, I can do all things through Him who strengthens me. (Philippians 4:13); and in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us (Romans 8:37).
Need to continue to claim these promises in this Year of Victory!
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This has to be my longest break from blogging. Work has been crazy as I head into the 2 weeks of business planning cycle proper...planning and forecasting for the next 4 years. I think I have been working 12 - 18 hr each day for the last 2 weeks...it is getting that bad.
At least I can see the light at the end of the tunnel.....this will be over in 2 weeks' time.
But as I look at myself throught this most hectic and stressful period, I think I have grown....by the His grace. I still managed to live a pretty "normal" life outside of the working hours, with family, kids...somehow managed to paint the kids' room on National Day. Still made time for ministry, cell group....even got my part of the 100k done, in the midst of the crazy schedules. And not once during this time did I lose my temper or got overcome by stress. Quite amazing...
A year or 2 ago, I don't think I would have managed it as well. Again reminded of the faithfulness of God when He promised me during the 144 retreat that I will be victorious through this period, 100K and all, because it is:
'Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit,' says the LORD Almighty. (Zech 4:6)
The worst may not be over yet, but somehow I can face the challenges with even greater confidence, knowing that He has blessed me and will watch over me, not to mention blessing me with a wonderful family and loved ones who support and stand by me.
I give thanks for all these blessings, for the increased capacity to overcome. Indeed, I can do all things through Him who strengthens me. (Philippians 4:13); and in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us (Romans 8:37).
Need to continue to claim these promises in this Year of Victory!
_
Monday, August 6, 2007
Winning...Together!
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I am tired. I am in the midst of my business planning cycle which means meetings almost every morning and night. Not to mention the "intenstity" of the 100K. I am looking forward to a long good rest, or at least to get the 100K over and done with earlier so that I can focus on my work to get that done too so that I can slow down and get a good long rest.
So I must confess that there was a little "grumbling" in my heart when SP gave the call for the church to give the final push to go give 5 more blessings.
In my heart, I must have felt some resentment at having to go the extra mile to make up the numbers for others who have not "delivered". I admit it was a bad thought. Did not take the Lord long to remind me from His word:
21 Then David came to the two hundred men who had been too exhausted to follow him and who were left behind at the Besor Ravine. They came out to meet David and the people with him. As David and his men approached, he greeted them. 22 But all the evil men and troublemakers among David's followers said, "Because they did not go out with us, we will not share with them the plunder we recovered. However, each man may take his wife and children and go."
23 David replied, "No, my brothers, you must not do that with what the LORD has given us. He has protected us and handed over to us the forces that came against us. 24 Who will listen to what you say? The share of the man who stayed with the supplies is to be the same as that of him who went down to the battle. All will share alike." 25 David made this a statute and ordinance for Israel from that day to this. (1Sam 30:21-25)
I am convicted. Don't want to have the thoughts of an "evil man and a troublemaker". Also, I realised such thoughts go against everything that is in accordance to the heart of God: His generosity, grace. Ps YC's message on Matt 20:1-16 illustraes that so well.
I need to be reminded that the number I managed to bless is first and foremost, by His grace. Nothing to do with my ability or giftings. Pride must not come in. Next, I must remember
1 Cor 12:12-26:
12The body is a unit, though it is made up of many parts; and though all its parts are many, they form one body. So it is with Christ. 13For we were all baptized by[c] one Spirit into one body—whether Jews or Greeks, slave or free—and we were all given the one Spirit to drink.
14Now the body is not made up of one part but of many. 15If the foot should say, "Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body," it would not for that reason cease to be part of the body. 16And if the ear should say, "Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body," it would not for that reason cease to be part of the body. 17If the whole body were an eye, where would the sense of hearing be? If the whole body were an ear, where would the sense of smell be? 18But in fact God has arranged the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be. 19If they were all one part, where would the body be? 20As it is, there are many parts, but one body.
21The eye cannot say to the hand, "I don't need you!" And the head cannot say to the feet, "I don't need you!" 22On the contrary, those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, 23and the parts that we think are less honorable we treat with special honor. And the parts that are unpresentable are treated with special modesty, 24while our presentable parts need no special treatment. But God has combined the members of the body and has given greater honor to the parts that lacked it, 25so that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other. 26If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it.
I am tired. I am in the midst of my business planning cycle which means meetings almost every morning and night. Not to mention the "intenstity" of the 100K. I am looking forward to a long good rest, or at least to get the 100K over and done with earlier so that I can focus on my work to get that done too so that I can slow down and get a good long rest.
So I must confess that there was a little "grumbling" in my heart when SP gave the call for the church to give the final push to go give 5 more blessings.
In my heart, I must have felt some resentment at having to go the extra mile to make up the numbers for others who have not "delivered". I admit it was a bad thought. Did not take the Lord long to remind me from His word:
21 Then David came to the two hundred men who had been too exhausted to follow him and who were left behind at the Besor Ravine. They came out to meet David and the people with him. As David and his men approached, he greeted them. 22 But all the evil men and troublemakers among David's followers said, "Because they did not go out with us, we will not share with them the plunder we recovered. However, each man may take his wife and children and go."
23 David replied, "No, my brothers, you must not do that with what the LORD has given us. He has protected us and handed over to us the forces that came against us. 24 Who will listen to what you say? The share of the man who stayed with the supplies is to be the same as that of him who went down to the battle. All will share alike." 25 David made this a statute and ordinance for Israel from that day to this. (1Sam 30:21-25)
I am convicted. Don't want to have the thoughts of an "evil man and a troublemaker". Also, I realised such thoughts go against everything that is in accordance to the heart of God: His generosity, grace. Ps YC's message on Matt 20:1-16 illustraes that so well.
I need to be reminded that the number I managed to bless is first and foremost, by His grace. Nothing to do with my ability or giftings. Pride must not come in. Next, I must remember
1 Cor 12:12-26:
12The body is a unit, though it is made up of many parts; and though all its parts are many, they form one body. So it is with Christ. 13For we were all baptized by[c] one Spirit into one body—whether Jews or Greeks, slave or free—and we were all given the one Spirit to drink.
14Now the body is not made up of one part but of many. 15If the foot should say, "Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body," it would not for that reason cease to be part of the body. 16And if the ear should say, "Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body," it would not for that reason cease to be part of the body. 17If the whole body were an eye, where would the sense of hearing be? If the whole body were an ear, where would the sense of smell be? 18But in fact God has arranged the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be. 19If they were all one part, where would the body be? 20As it is, there are many parts, but one body.
21The eye cannot say to the hand, "I don't need you!" And the head cannot say to the feet, "I don't need you!" 22On the contrary, those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, 23and the parts that we think are less honorable we treat with special honor. And the parts that are unpresentable are treated with special modesty, 24while our presentable parts need no special treatment. But God has combined the members of the body and has given greater honor to the parts that lacked it, 25so that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other. 26If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it.
Need to be reminded again that we are ONE body; we are family. We do this campaign together, and we must win it together. If be God's grace, I am given the strength and opportunities to do more than is required of me, I shall rejoice, that I can contribute and help those in the family who may need some help, so that together, we win this victory for all and for the glory of God.
So, hold me accountable, that in these last 2 days, I will give that final push, blessing as many as I can, exceeding what is required of me, so that the Body of Christ wins....together!
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