today...
Thursday, 24 July 2008
Plan A - Trust God
Zion Food Fest was awesome. Awesome food, people queuing up for one and a half hours just to experience authentic Kuching kolo-mee hand made from scratch, buzzing atmosphere, great music and great entertainment. But I just want to share about the "behind the scenes" of Food Fest and God's awesome-ness beyond words during the organising of the event.We had several months to actually prepare for the event. Organising the Food Fest was a privilege and it was exciting to see everything come together. I worked with an amazing, awesome events team who really helped me put everything together. I really commend Chin Seng who guided me throughout the whole process and Junior for being my back up in everything. He's so quick to think and act on anything I need help with. I really praise God and couldn’t have asked for anyone better to work with. He gave me two awesome brothers to serve with as well as the rest of the events team.
As with any event, there are always last minute problems that sneak their way in. The week before the event, we ran into problems with the food permit. The Vic Park council wanted all the stall holders to cook at the commercial kitchen in Vic Park Leisure Centre which meant that we couldn’t cook from home and bring it to the place. For the past three years we were able to cook from home and bring it to the place but this time was a different story. Maybe it's just my luck! In any way, it was an impossible request with over 20 stalls... and 3 - 4 people from each stall, cooking in one small kitchen.
The whole week I was so stressed about this food permit and wondering how we would work through it. The council man was tough, but I understand that he’s only doing his job. So whatever he says goes.
Before I went through the agonising wait in knowing whether we were allowed to prepare foods from home, I got this in my email:
A breakthrough requires a trial to break through.
It would be nice to simply wake up one day and suddenly be a mature Christian, but in order to grow up in God, we will have to go through trials. There is no other way to grow strong spiritually than to go through trials.
1 Peter 5:10 says, And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast. You may not like trials, but this verse says that when you are going through trials after you have suffered a little while, you will grow to be firmly rooted and grounded (strong, firm and steadfast) in God.
So, learn to be thankful in your trials, because in order to get your breakthrough, you need a trial to break through.
Therefore, don't be discouraged during times of suffering. Know that after you have suffered a little while, God himself will make you strong firm and steadfast.
Friday was “dooms day.” We did our research on other council websites the night before and found that if the event had been a fundraiser or a charity event, then we would be able to prepare from home. So I got Lynn to call the council man again and ask if we could prepare things from home... and the simple answer was no. One word changed it all. The big N-O. But after there was no other avenue to turn to, we simple had to press on and make do with what we had and do it to the best of our ability. I felt at peace after I found out, and I was finally able to stomach my lunch at 3 in the afternoon on Friday after the agonising wait.
After I found out the news that we couldn't prepare food from home, I got this is my email which was so encouraging – God has His ways:
Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him. James 1:12 (New International Version)
Breaking the news to the stall holders was difficult and I heard that some people didn't take it well obviously because it was impossible to expect them to cook and prepare everything on site. But we bear the name of Christ and we want to do everything in our power to do things right by Him, so we must follow the rules stated on the food permit.
We had the kitchen booked from 9am till the end of the event, and me, Chin Seng, Wei Yue and Yan Pin were all on hand helping out everyone cook. I didn’t do so much cooking though, since my cooking skills is just about nil. I did however cook the kitchen towels and boiled them to get all the bacteria out =) We had a roster system in place where UWA people would come in from 9-1pm and Curtin from 1pm-5pm... and you know everything worked out fine. It was difficult, but God paved the way. Impossible task? Not for God and food mission was completed!
Our God is so good, SO good! I thought this food permit issue would cause discouragement for some people and some people might back out but in the end, I believe we all came out of it stronger and with a better sense of self-worth and integrity. In fact, I welcome trials because I know that it's another test for me - another challenge for me to work through. Another chance for me to get to know God better and on a different level. When I face trials, I always ask myself what God wants me to take from this lesson. What am I supposed to learn?
And looking back, God has never failed to teach me a lesson. There is always a lesson to be learnt. The lesson to be learnt is Plan A – Trust God. There is no other substitute. It’s plain and simple that we have to trust Him and put our complete faith in Him that He will see us through. To a certain extent, we have to do something on our part, but when we trust, He delivers and I think there's just something so magical about that. It's the loving relationship between a father and child.
Luke 11:11-13 "Which of you fathers, if your son asks for a fish, will give him a snake instead? Or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!"
I prayed and trusted and my team prayed and trusted and He delivered us. Glory to God! Whatever doesn't kill you will only make you stronger.
today...
@11:04 pm
bye bye~