Seen A/Prof Terence Chua for 'Missed Beats'

The weather in Singapore can be quite unpredictable at times. Nevertheless, each day is a gift of God, whether it is blazing hot or raining like cats and dogs. God is still good! In fact, He is perfectly good! That's what God is like regardless of what sad or bad news life may bring.

The frequent 'missed beats' caused me not to take life for granted again. Each day and night as I take my pulse, there were times when flashes of thoughts would come, "What if I do not get up tomorrow?" And when I open my eyes to see a new tomorrow, my heart rejoices to know that God has granted me another new day to see His goodness in a new way.

Today, I saw Dr.Terence Chua at the National Heart Centre, SGH. He is a very pleasant man who Dr. William Hwang, my transplant physician refered me to. He assured me that my ECG looks normal. In any case, he is putting me on Ambulatory ECG (Holter Monitoring) on 19May. Holter Monitoring is a test where the ECG is continously monitored for 24-48 hours. Hence, any abnormal rhythms will be captured if present. This test is useful for detecting transient rhythm disorders of the heart which are not detected at the time when a single ECG like the one I had is done.

I also saw my Orthopaedic Oncologist after seeing the Cardiologist. The slight pain on my left shoulder kept me awake several times last night. A few XRays were done and it seems that there were no new lytic lesions were found except for a few tiny old, residual ones which are not of real concern.

Thank God for these expert doctors that God has placed me in. They've helped put our hearts at ease although our primary hope and sourse of healing is in the name of the one who raised Jesus from the dead.

Thank you for praying!
david

Picture of Bobby Michaels - departed 31.03.2009

Bobby Michaels website - http://www.bobbymichaels.com

Another friend has just left - Bobby Michaels

This is a prayer request for the family of a great brother in Christ, bobby Michaels who just passed away in Bangkok after a massive heart attack.

Bobby, as many of us know him, is a great christian artiste who had ministered powerfully through his music. Personally, the song, "My Redeemer is faithful and true" had greatly ministered to me during the course of my illness. He had also been ministering in Cambodia as a missionary, bring many medical as well as christian musicians into the land as they distribute rice to the poor there.

My family and I last met Bobby and his wife, Lee when they were here to minister last year. Bobby had a great, beautiful voice and we had been specially blessed by his warmth, friendship and love. I was very honoured to have his permission to use the sound tracks for the above-mentioned all-time favourite song of many . Not only did he offer to record the tracks for me, Bobby refused to accept the royalty fees for using his tracks. What a man of God with a great heart for God and for people! I have not seen many christian artiste who are famous like him serving God with such simplicity and purity of heart. Above all, his heart for the poor is what touches me and he personally went to the mission field to bring rice to those who need it in Cambodia. I thank God for him, for teaching me to focus on living my life for what's really important to God. Thank you, Bobby!

"Lord Jesus,
May your comfort and strength be upon Lee, his wife and children as the mourn the loss of his departure into your glorious presence. Thank you, that You are indeed our faithful and true Redeemer that is so evident in this brother's life. May you bless their hearts to be filled with joy to know that Bobby had blessed the hearts of countless people, young and old, rich and poor throughout this entire world, including Whee Ling, Joshua and mine. That they have a great husband and father who loved God and people deeply. Fill their hearts with hope as they look forward to their reunion when You, our blessed hope and glory come again for us on that day.

We pray this, in Jesus' most precious name!
Amen.

Missed Heart Beats

Sorry for the late update after my last medical appointment on Monday, 30 March. Appreciate those of you who enquired. We are very blessed to have many caring people surrounding us who support us in so many ways.

All is well, except for my recent heart rhythm that was a little irregular. There are missed beats now and then. Had an ECG done in the hospital but it was normal. An appointment has been made to see the cardiologist on the 14th of April.


Times like this make me think again. It makes me ponder about life again and again. Being relatively quite well except for periodic bouts of flu that hit me badly can suck one into the mundane without intentionally living for the master with a focused heart.

Times like this also make me think about my own mortality. That life is unpredictable. Everyday, we hear about people departing from this world suddenly or slowly through illnesses and other means. I am sure many of us read about the young, Singaporean doctor who took his own life recently. The family of a little 4 year old boy who has brain tumour that I have been praying for has been told that they have done all they could for him. Another woman, who was teaching in the kindergarden who Josh was died in Feb shortly after discovering she had end stage cancer of the pancreas, leaving her husband and children in shock.

You may think I sound very melancholic. Frankly, I am not. For I have wrestled with this issue eversince my illness. To me, death is about living. I live today as if I am going tomorrow - for the Lord. I must admit that there were times I felt as if I may not wake up the next day (Like how the missed heart made me thought for a moment how I may never see my family again). And when I do, I always give thanks for another new day to taste His grace, experience His love and feel His heart for the world in order to live my life fully to fulfill His divine purpose in my life no matter how mundane life is.

In the Starits times today (Sat, 4 April 2009), there are 7 pages (Part D1-7) on "Going Gently into the night" - a special report on death and dying. It is interestly to read about the different perspectives of people on this. It is so good to be reminded by the Holy Spirit that as children of the most high God, our hope is in the name of the one who raised Jesus from the dead!!

Anyway, I like what the late Shin Na, a breast cancer patient who passed on in January 2009 commented as mentioned in page D7, "Keep in mind that cancer patients go through phases." Having hope is one thing, having to deal with the raw feelings that come with renewed faith is another. Although I do not agree with her perspective on point 3 where she said God didn't promise He's going to heal anyone, Shin Na's tips on what to avoid when talking to a cancer patient was a good reminder to people who care for the sick but sometimes can say wrong things no matter how good their intentions can be. Therefore, a visitor to a sick person no matter who you are (esp. church leaders and particularly pastors!) must be careful not to be adverse advisers. Your visit can either break instead of build his/her faith. Believe me, in my 41/2 years a s a cancer patient, I have seen too many adverse advisers!! The best thing you can offer is to pray instead of preach, leaving the presence of the Lord to touch and build up the confidence of the one being prayed for to believe in the ONE who is always willing to heal. (Luke 5:12-16)

Am thankful for every new breadth!
david

Medical appointment

Hi,
David will be having his medical appointment today, his last was 6 weeks ago. Please pray that his result continue to be good. He was having ulcers and some bleeding in his mouth, not sure if it has anything to do with the GVHD (Graft vs Host Disease) flaring up again. Pray that he has complete healing and wholeness in Jesus name. Am reminded again that His grace is sufficient for us (2 Cor 12:9). Praise the Lord for His amazing grace!

God bless,
Whee Ling

Award - A Comfirmation of What God impressed in Apr 2006

Thank you all for all the blessings and congratulatory notes for the award I received in SGH. It was a joyful moment for my family. More importantly, it was a confirmation of a Rhema word that our God who still speaks in this era impressed upon me on April 21st 2006.

in my journal, I recorded that God used 1Cor. 4:9 to impress upon me then, that He will "Display me" just like the way he displayed Paul through his suffering. I had kept that in my heart and had only shared that impression with Whee Ling. Since then, there were several opportunities for us to honor the Lord through our testimony when we did a CNA programme called "Stems of Life". Another one was a video recording for the Singapore Cord Blood Bank,KK hospital. "Mind Your Body" also featured us in June 2008 and now the award in SGH. In all these, we feel very honored that we can shine for the Lord through our journey.

We also want to thank you for standing in the gap for us these 4 and a half years. Your prayers have invoked the presence of God and we've found strength to cope and conquer each challenge in our fight. Thank you so much!

Please continue to pray for complete healing. The Lord has done so much for us and we believe that this year will be another year of seeing the miracles and marvellous works of the Lord in our lives.

All Glory to the Lord!
David

Inspirational Patient Award - SGH Publication

Article in Outram Now, March issue

Inspirational Patient Award Ceremony - photos 2

Inspirational Patient Award ceremony - photos

David was also featured at CNA News at 10pm on 19.02.2009 and the Radio broadcast was in the morning at 9am on 938Live by Claire Hwang. A transcript of the broadcast was featured on the 938Live website. Here is the copy of it.

Updated: 19th February 2009, 0900 hrs
Rising above their crises

Very often, patients are the ones in need of solace and motivation.
In a twist of events, a group of patients turned the tables to become the ones who inspire and motivate healthcare staff with their indomitable spirit.

Claire Huang speaks to two such patients to find out how they rose above their personal crises.

When Madam Rahmah Anes was diagnosed with Stage 3 breast cancer in 2005, she was devastated.
The fact that she came from a conservative background, and her husband wasn't supportive of her decision to undergo a mastectomy didn't help.
But the 49-year-old soldiered on.
In fact, the mother of three has been a volunteer at the Singapore General Hospital's support group for breast cancer patients for three years already.
And she finds joy in doing so.
"I just volunteer with my heart because I want (to) let them know after diagnosis then you go operation, how you (would) feel and we've to share with them."
Madam Rahmah explains that it was through the support group that she realised she was still quite fortunate.
"Yes, after I joined this support group, it helped me a lot...Because once we meet the patients, sometimes (even though) we think we're worse, we see other people more worse than us. So that encouraged me to do this continuously."

Like Madam Rahmah, Mr David Ong is also a fighter.
The 48-year-old suffers from myeloma which is a type of blood cancer that impairs the body's ability to fight off infections and eventually causes bone destruction.

Faced with such adversity, Mr Ong still managed to keep his outlook positive.
In fact the part-time pastor visits cancer patients or their caregivers, to share his personal experience.
"Having gone through this journey of pain and suffering, I know that there are many people out there who need that ray of hope and encouragement. And what I've been through is just a little milestone ahead of these people and if I can bring a little hope and encouragement to the hearts of these people, I think I would have lived my life more intentionally and purposefully."

And Mr Ong's actions inspired everyone around him, including his doctor.
Dr William Hwang on Mr Ong.
"David has never been about himself. It's always, even when he is hospitalised, he's always looking out for the patients in the same room as him, he's always looking out for the nurses, is always concerned about the staff, he's always asking about people around him and how he can be in some way, a blessing to people."

Madam Rahmah and Mr Ong are two of the three outstanding winners of the inaugural SGH Inspirational Patient Award.
They are among some ten winners who were chosen out of 50 nominations.
With 900,000 patient encounters every year, SGH hopes the courage of these winners can help other patients look beyond their own illnesses and inspire others.

All glory to God!

Hi,
Just wanted to share apiece of good news with you:
David will be receiving an award today as one of the Top 10 most inspiring patients, an event organized by Singapore General Hospital.

The award giving ceremony will be at noon today and I was told there would be media coverage. The radio station 98.5Live interviewed him too, so do tune in if possible.

That's all for now, more coverage later. :)

Please pray that all that David say, do and think will be acceptable in God's sight and draw people nearer to our Loving Father. It is indeed God's favor to be honored in such a manner but more importantly, I know it is David's heart to want to seize every opportunity to be a witness of God's goodness and lovingkindness and be a blessing to others. Pray that God's will be done and may the name of Jesus be highly exalted.

Thanks & God bless,
Whee Ling

David's parents' birthday celebration

Simple Lunar Birthday Celebration

S

Celebrations

Happy Chinese New Year to all!

Today is the last day of the 15-day CNY celebration. Today is also David’s Chinese birthday according to the lunar calendar. (Blessed Birthday!!!) Isn’t it nice to be able to celebrate 2 birthdays in a year? Josh for one loved that very much.

I am thankful for every remembrance of God’s grace in allowing us to celebrate every special occasion as a family. Jan and Feb are busy months for us with many birthdays of loved ones to celebrate in addition to the CNY. We had just celebrated both my parents-in-law’s birthday last sat and because David's birthday is also in Feb, he got to have 2 ang pows from each of them - what a double blessings indeed. More important than the ang pows, I am sure the time of celebration adds to those wonderful memories of God's goodness and blessings in our lives.

Keep counting your blessings. "Praise be to the Lord, to God our Savior, who daily loads us with benefits." Psalm 68:19

God bless,
Whee Ling

To go or not to go

Tonight is Chinese New Year Eve. Most chinese families will be having their traditional family reunion dinners. I was at my in-laws having the reunion dinner and was deciding if I should go to a memorial wake of a friend's mother who had just passed on.

Finally, I made up my mind to go. I remembered years ago when my grandmother passed away just before the chinese new year, very few came and it was a very quiet lunar new year for us as we were mourning. So the Spirit of God prompted me to be there for the family.

There were indeed very few at the wake. I also discovered that my friend's father had not only lost his beloved wife, he had lost his brother several days ago suddenly due to a heart attack. As I sat there worshipping the Lord through one of the most famous songs that most of us know (What a friend we have in Jesus), my heart felt so ministered that Jesus knows the pain and understands best the situations in our lives, including this.

As I sat there, I gave thanks for bringing me through another Christmas, another new year, another chinese new year, and another day. Life is indeed unpreditable. We can never be sure when it will be taken away. Just read the newspapers and you will certainly understand what I mean.

It's been almost 4 and half years since Sept 2004. The first time I attended a wake of a fellow cancer friend left me fearful of when my turn would be. My eyes have seen so many I've known in the course of my illness depart one by one. By the grace of God, I'm still fighting this battle with more healing, but more importantly, with more understanding of His Sovereign hand in my life. Like i've always said, "I live today as if I'm going tommorrow." Therefore, I try to live with more passion in living for Jesus today for we know not what will happen tommorrow.

I pray that going around this chinese new year during the visitations will make me feel the burden and compassion for those who still need to experience the love of our Saviour who holds the keys to life and death.

Have a blessed lunar new year!
david

1st Check up 2009

My apologies for not having updated since Dec 22. How time flies! Hope you've had a blessed Christmas and New Year in spite of the downturn. Our great God and King will watch over us. I love Psalm 112 - it reminds me not to be shaken or afraid of bad news because our father in heaven when we decide to place our total trust in Him.

Today I had my first medical review in 2009. The monthly intravenous injection of Zometa was given to strengthen my bones. Dr William Hwang noticed a bony structure protruding from my right upper gum and was concerned. Referred me to the dental surgeon but thank God that it wasn't osteonecrosis, a side effect of the i/v zometa.

Appreciate your constant prayers for us,
david

Faith of a little child

Christmas is just around the corner. Tonight, I was at a friend's place to deliver some christmas gifts. And here's a great gift I received:

My heart was greatly encouraged when a 4-year old son came to pray for me after his father (Dr.Melvyn Tan, the doctor who found 3 fractures on my ribs that led to the discovery of my illness) prompted him to speak healing upon me. With so much faith and simplicity of his heart, Lucas prayed with alllllllll his heart and asked Jesus to heal me in the Lord's mighty name. And what astonished me totally was that he asked God to take away all the cancer cells! His father actually told me that Lucas doesn't know about my condition. God must have given him the word of knowledge and utterance. It reminds me that sometimes the faith of little children can move mountains as much as they can move hearts. My heart was moved, and I believe, God has moved the mountain in my body!

david

Here's something a friend sent - Jesus is Better than Santa!

Santa lives at the North Pole.
JESUS is everywhere.

Santa rides in a sleigh
JESUS rides on the wind and walks on the water.

Santa comes but once a year
JESUS is an ever present help.

Santa fills your stockings with goodies
JESUS supplies all your needs.

Santa comes down your chimney uninvited
JESUS stands at your door and knocks... And then enters your heart.

You have to stand in line to see Santa
JESUS is as close as the mention of His name.

Santa lets you sit on his lap
JESUS lets you rest in His arms.

Santa doesn't know your name, all he can say is "Hi little boy or girl, What's your name?"

JESUS knew our name before we did. Not only does He know our name, He knows our address too. He knows our history and future and He even knows how many hairs are on our heads.

Santa has a belly like a bowl full of jelly
JESUS has a heart full of love.

All Santa can offer is HO HO HO
JESUS offers health, help and hope.

Santa says "You better not cry"
JESUS says "Cast all your cares on me for I care for you.

Santa's little helpers make toys
JESUS makes new life, mends wounded hearts, repairs broken homes and builds mansions.

Santa may make you chuckle but
JESUS gives you joy that is your strength.

While Santa puts gifts under your tree
JESUS became our gift and died on the tree.

It's obvious there is really no acomparison.
We need to remember WHO Christmas is all about.

We need to put Christ back in Christmas.
Jesus is still the reason for the season.

May the Lord Bless and Watch over you and your loved ones
this Christmas 2008. And may He prosper and bless the work of your hands in the New Year!

URTI

Hi,
thank you all for praying for me. I recovered fast from the vomitting. However, two days later, a bout of upper respiratory tract infection hit me badly. The past week had been exhausting physically, being bed-ridden for most of the time. The course of anibiotics helped me tremenduously and I am once again up and about after just a few days.

Looking back, it is such a blessing as I remembered I would be sick for several weeks whenever I caught an infection. For that, I am deeply thankful for the Lord's hand upon my life. Praise the name of the Lord!

A christian brother who had been diagnosed with colon cancer recently shared with me this wonderful verse few days ago. It is from Proverbs 14:30, "A heart at peace gives life to the body."

Life is full of stresses. While a little of it is needed to keep us going, too much of it apparently releases free radicals that are harmful to our bodies as many research scientists say. But the word of our great God promises that when our heart is at peace, it gives life to our bodies! What a God we can turn to for peace when our hearts need to be at peace in this troubled world!

May the peace of God be with you at his Christmas season!

david

David is much better now

So thankful that David is much better now, though he is still having a little churning in his stomach. Praise the Lord for his quick recovery!

He might have caught the gastric flu bug. Good thing he did not develop any fever. He was much better after some medication and did not need to go to the hospital at all.

Thank you so much for praying.

Prayers move mountains. Please continue to pray for all who needs a touch from the Lord. I have just gotten news of a friend who was diagnosed with tongue cancer. Please pray with us for healing miracles, so many friends needed that. Oh how we need the Lord!

God bless,
Whee Ling

Food poisoning?

Hi,
Had wanted to update and give thanks for the recent Malacca trip but instead am now posting for a prayer request for David.

This morning, after he and Josh fetch me to work, he complained he felt unwell. I had a early morning video conference (from 6am) at my office with my boss and US colleagues. David deliberately woke up early to send me to work so I would not be anxious about being late and the hassle of taking taxi so early in the morning. I was really grateful for his thoughtfulness and love yet at the same time I was quite concerned about him not getting enough rest. Even Josh was up early and readily accompanied us.

I later learned that David was unwell and even vomited in the afternoon.
He vomited again just now. Not sure if he had food poisoning or.... As I recalled, we stopped over at an organic farm near Kluang on the way back to Singapore for lunch. There were lots of house flies so it could be something contaminated which he might have consumed. Then again, we could not be sure, the rest of us seemed fine. Anyway, covet your prayers for him. Praying that the Lord heals him and build up his immunity and restore him to perfect health after a good night rest tonight. Please also pray for him as he prepares to share a message at his good friend's church at the end of the year. May the Lord protect him physically, spiritually and in every aspect as he seeks to be a blessing to the Lord and others.

"Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess." (Hebrews10:23)

Thanks for praying for our Malacca trip. We are thankful for the safe journey and the enjoyable time despite the bad traffic jam on the way up last Saturday. What makes the trip enjoyable is none other than the sweet fellowship with friends who travelled together on the trip. Will share more next time.

Thanks & God bless,
Whee Ling

Eye check @SNEC

Yesterday, I had my eyes seen by the eye specialist as I could not read for more long. My eyes get very tired and blurred occasionally. The opthalmologist has assured me that my eyes are normal in spite of the fact that the medications for my myeloma may have long term effects such as cataract although the eyes are dry. So, for all these good reports, I am deeply thankful although I wish I have more energy to do more. Yet, in spite of how I feel, it is really incredible how the Lord has enabled me to be in health.


As Christmas draws near, it is time to take stock and count each and every blessing from our good God again, lest we forget His benefits as Psalm 103 reminds us. As I took out my diary to count them, one great blessing is this - I had NOT been hospitalised for the whole of 2008 except for the month of March when I had a bout of bad chest infection. Praise the name of the Lord!

Josh and I had been reading the book of 1John together. We had also memorised 1John2:6 by putting the verse on the dashboard of our family car as a reminder to walk a life of obedience. Do pray that our family will love, fear and serve Jesus all the days of our lives.

david
"Whoever claims to live in Him must walk as Jesus did." 1 John 2:6

Full skeletal X-rays tomorrow

Hi,
Sorry for not updating the blog for such a long time. I was busy with work and had not even take a day off to spend some time with the family during this school holiday. It is hard to imagine, almost 2 weeks have passed since the beginning of the school holiday. David had been kept busy too spending time with Josh, bringing him on MRT train rides, playing football with him, swimming and even inviting Josh's friends and cousins over to play. Well, thank God there is still one more month to go before the holiday ends and we have planned to go to Malacca for a short break with some friends next weekend. Please pray for journey mercy and a blessed time.

David shared about his last medical checkup and I am so thankful that there are no M cells in the blood tests. He has been scheduled to do a full skeletal test tomorrow morning (appointment at 8am). Covet your prayers for him that all be well and that he be in excellent health. Praise the Lord who knows our every thought and cares about what we are going through. He so graciously reminded me in the daily devotion time that "My promises never fail." in 1 Kings 8:56 "Blessed be the Lord, that hath given rest unto his people Israel, according to all that He promised: there hath not failed one word of all His good promise." Am reminded to depend on His promises, stand upon them, trust them, and live them. "If God be for us, who can be against us?"

May we walk according to God's promises each and every day.

Please continue to pray for XinXin too and please refer to her blog for updates. Join us also to pray for our friend's sister-in-law who is still in coma, (thank God her recent lung infection has cleared) and all those who needs healing and strength in their battle with cancer. The Lord says that the battle is His and victory is ours. Praise the name of Jesus forevermore!

Thanks & God bless,
Whee Ling

School Holidays have just begun....

The exams are over and we want to thank you for praying for Josh. He did well. Also, he was at a swimming competition last weekend and his team came in third for 200m freestyle relay unexpectedly. As for the individual events, he made significant improvements on his personal best times for the freestyle and butterfly events. Thank God that swimming regularly has helped him to keep fit and healthy.

The school holidays have just begun......Josh is all excited as he has many plans - from playing soccer to basketball; taking long MRT and bus rides and even has plans to invite some of his friends over for 'party'.

As for me, my next appointment with Dr.William Hwang is on Thursday, 20 Nov. The spinal pain has decreased but occasionally, I get pain on certain parts of my ribs. I am currently seeing my doctor every 3 weeks for my regular check ups and intravenous Zometa for healing of my bones. It all seems to be in control and we are believing God for continous and complete healing in spite of the pain. Guess I am reminded to continue to exercise my faith regardless of the presenting facts. Our God is big and surely there is no mountain that he cannot remove.

blessings,
david.
Psalm 119:116, "Sustain me according to your promise, and I will live."

David's spinal pain

David's scheduled doctor visit was supposed to be in 2 weeks' time but becasue he experienced more spinal pain early this week, he is going for a medical review today. Covet your prayers for him.

He had a chance to share his testimony last sunday with another church. It was good to hear him declaring his faith in the Lord again and again. May the Lord continue to grant him strength, mercy and grace. Our Redeemer is faithful and true!

Thanks & God bless,
Whee Ling
Whee Ling

Joshua - Exams

Whee Ling and I would value your prayers very much for Josh as he sits for his English papers tomorrow (23.10.08) and Maths will be on Friday.

He has been very co-operative and obedient. He is very cheerful and playful as well.

We really thank God for such a lovely and precious gift in Joshua.

Thanks for praying with us!
david

Isaiah 26:3 God will give peace to those whose minds are always thinking about Him

4 Years / Medical Appointment Today

Dear all,
I was sitting at the main lobby at National Cancer Centre this afternoon while waiting for a new doctor friend who is an oncologist there.

While waiting, my eyes were roving to and fro, observing the people from all walks of life that were coming in and out of the centre. But the ones that attracted me were the cancer patients. Many came in on wheelchairs, while others came with tubes hanging from their noses or other places. My heart went out to them as I teared with thankgiving in my heart to the Lord of grace for having brought me thus far in my journey.

It's been slightly more than four years (The Olympics have come and gone)since the time I started battling this illness with the strength and comfort of the Lord. And with friends and loved ones in our families of origin that stood with us all these years. Whee Ling, Josh and I are eternally grateful to people near and far who have surrounded us with their love and prayers.

Your prayers and support in every way have touched us and God, through your fervent prayers, have sustained me, bringing different phases of healing to me in spite of the many high drama moments and challenges along the journey. Let me take this time to appreciate you once again for all that you've been and done for us.

My follow-up with Dr William was good. The spinal lesions seem to be in good control with the use of Thalidomide and will be closely monitored. The immuno-suppressants and prophylatic antibiotics are taken off now, so I am no longer on steriods and anti-bacterials for a month or so now without any complications. For all these, we are thankful. Though the waiting seems prolonged, God has indeed given me prolonged life as many of the cancer friends I've made in the last four years have departed. There were times I feared the worst, shaking my faith now and then. But Psalm 27 constantly reminded me not to faint/lose heart and courage but to declare my confidence in Who God is by waiting patiently in order to see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. Well, thank God for each step of progress!

Do pray for Josh as the exams are here. He had his English and Chinese oral exams today. His English Composition and Chinese Listening Comprehension will be on 14 & 15 Oct respectively. Whee Ling & I covet your prayers for him to study for the glory of God. To us, that is the most important thing, to have God in all he does.

Whee Ling is very busy with great responsibilities at work. When she gets home, she has to guide Josh in his chinese, a subject I can't help proficiently. Do pray for God's strength upon her.

Finally, the audio version of my book is out in MP3 format/CD. It is beyond my imagination how this could be birthed if not for the encouragement of some who spurred us on to produce it so that many can listen to our testimony in audio form.

Thanks for standing with us!

To God be the Glory!

David

Josh and his cousins

David's last medical review

David's last review was last Thur. Normal routine check up showed all is well. Thank God! He is now only on Thalidomide. All antibotics and immuno-suppressant have been removed. Praise the Lord for the progress in his recovery. Thanks to all who have been praying for him all these while.

Do continue to pray for all whom you know who needs a touch from the Lord, for those who needs a miracle. More importantly, may we desire the Giver more than the gift. As a friend in US once shared with me the revelation she received from the preaching of her church minister, that we need Jesus more than the miracles, more the answers to our prayers. This is what she shared:
"Our sermon text for today was John’s account of Jesus feeding the multitudes with the loaves and the fish (in John 6:1-15), and our minister suggested that the answer to the question in the text about where they should buy bread for the people was indeed that Jesus is himself the bread of life (and therefore can quench hunger forever rather than for just a few hours like the bread). Based on this, our minister suggested that perhaps the miracles we seek aren’t really the answer to our prayers….and instead, that Jesus is the answer, and that Jesus doesn’t give us what we want but instead what we need. For me, this provided an interesting new understanding of the story of the loaves and the fish."

May we be blessed as we abide in our Lord Jesus, "giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified us to share in the inheritance of the saints in the kingdom of light. For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.
He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him. He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy." (Colossians 1:12-18)

All honour, praise and glory be to the name of Jesus Christ, Son of the Living God!

Have a blessed weekend!
Whee Ling

Josh - doing his homework

It has been a while since I last posted pictures in our blog. I like this photo of Josh very much. Took it while he was doing his homework.

"How great are Your works, O LORD!Your thoughts are very deep." Psalm 92:5

Thank God

If you had followed Xinxin's blog, you would be thanking God that she is doing very well now and the possible crisis in ward 76 due to the chicken pox scare is over. So thankful for the answered prayers. Surely He cares for us like no other.

David is going for his next medical appointment this afternoon. Please continue to pray for good result and that his condition has improved so much his medication could be significantly reduced. He is still having headaches and aches in his spinal area.

"...Lord, teach us to pray... (Luke 11:1)"

Thanks & God bless,
Whee Ling

A call to pray

I received the email below from Emily this evening. It is an urgent prayer request for children at KKH ward 76, especially XinXin and Jeremy.

"Dear Friends, Just heard news from Joy that a nurse from Ward 76 who was doing night duties on Tuesday was diagnosed with chicken pox. As Jeremy was at Ward 76 most of the time on Wed when he was warded for MRI, he might be at risk too. Xinxin and all the other cancer patients that were warded recently have all been called back to inject or take some antibotics. Chicken pox and measles can be very dangerous if a cancer patient contracted it when their immunity is low. Hence, please pray for all these children especially XinXin and Jeremy. Emily"

Let us intercede and pray for protection and special covering upon the children. "Our God is our refuge and strength, A very present help in trouble" (Psalm 46:1).

Let us pray Psalm 61 together on behalf of the children, substituting "my" with "their" (or their names), in Jesus name. Amen!

"Hear our cries, O God;
Attend to our prayers.
From the end of the earth we will cry to You.
When their (the children and their parents') hearts are overwhelmed;
Lead them to the rock that is higher than them.
For You have been a shelter for them,
And a strong tower from the enemy.
They will abide in Your tabernacle
They will trust in the shelter of Your wings.

For You, O God, have heard their vows;
You have given them the heritage of those who fear Your name.
You will prolong their lives.
Their years as many generations.
They shall abide before God forever.
Oh perpare mercy and truth, which may preserve them!

So, Iwe will sing praise to Your name forever.
That we may daily perform our vows." (Psalm 61)

Thanks & God bless,
Whee Ling

His grace is sufficient

"My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." 2 Corinthians 12:9.

That was the key message of my sharing at Dawn Community Church last Sunday. I have been praying for the Lord to show me exactly what He would like me to share. I could have shared about His unfailing love, faithfulness, miracles, answered prayers, support from His family of believers, His grace and mercies…and after much prayer, the answer from the Lord was “My grace is sufficient.” Indeed, the Lord has been gracious and merciful to us and His is all we need and His grace is sufficient.

Knowing His grace is sufficient helped me to be thankful, to be content, to be certain that "He is our very present help in time of trouble" (Psalm 46:1) and to experience His peace that surpasses understanding.

Thank you for praying for me for my sharing last Sunday. I was really gald the Lord could use me to encourage others in sharing about His words of truth and His acts of love. Truly His word brings life and light and it is not by might, not by power but by the Spirit of God. All glory and honor be unto Jesus our Lord!

I was pleasantly surprised when 2 dear sisters-in-Christ blessed me after the sharing by praying Psalm 16 over me and even sang the beautiful song "I will run to you".

May the lyrics of this song bless you as it had blessed me.

"I will run to you

Your eye is on teh sparrow
And Your hand, it comforts me
From the ends of the earth
To the depth of my heart
Let Your mercy and strength be seen

You call me to Your purpose
As angels understand
For Your glory
May You draw all men
As Your love and grace demands

And I will run to You
To Your words of truth
Not by might, not by power
But by the spirit of God
Yes I will run the race
Till I see Your face
O let me live in the glory of Your grace"

Be blessed,
Whee Ling

Sharing at Tecman

Dear all,
Thank you all for praying for me. I had a wonderful time. Whenever there is an open ddor for us to share, Whee Ling and I try to live our lives to declare His goodness and greatness.

Two friends that I have not met in a long time came to hear me knowing that I would be there. I am thankful for such support from friends even though we've not met for so long. It makes me feel so blessed to know that there are friends everywhere standing with us, not just in prayer but also physical support such as this. That's the goodness of God in our lives. And it makes our lives so purposeful, not only as we continue to place our confidence in the Shepherd of our lives for complete healing, but also as we proclaim the name of our great Shepherd everywhere to everybody whenever there is an opportunity.

Do remember to pray for Whee Ling as she shares her own journey at Dawn Community Church from a Caregiver's perspective.

thx,
David

Talk by David

Greetings in the name of the Lord!

Thank you for visiting our blog and for those who have so kindly encouraged us by posting your comments on how our blog has, by God's grace, been helpful.

Some of our friends and family members have received an email blast from Tecman bookstore on David's talk tomorrow. For those who have not, I have attached the details below:

"Talk given by Pastor David Ong
Author for the Book Title: "Talking The Walk"

on 30 August 2008
from 3.00 - 4.00 pm

* Seats are limited..
Reserve yours through email
by Monday 25 August 2008 "

Please pray for David as he prepares for this talk. Pray that he will be used by the Lord to bless those who will be there and His name be glorified. :)

Please also pray for me as I will be sharing about God's grace and mercy on Sunday. Pray that the Lord will anoint me and that His Holy Spirit will guide me while I testify of His goodness and give glory to His name in the gathering of His people.

As for Joshua, he is well. Thank God, he rarely falls sick nowadays and even the occasional cough or sore throat gets healed quickly. Really thankful that his immunity has built up. While I share about my son, I have been thinking and praying for Xinxin. Please continue to pray for this little girl. Her child-like faith that she will be healed and her mummy's steadfastness in her young faith in our Lord Jesus is simply amazing. I know the Lord watches over them. I like the Amplified Bible version of Psalm 121:5 below:
"The Lord is your keeper; the Lord is your shade on your right hand [the side not carrying a shield].(A) "Psalm 121:5 (Amplified Bible)

Yes, the Lord is our shade and shield and no weapon formed against us shall prosper.
"no weapon forged against you will prevail, and you will refute every tongue that accuses you. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, and this is their vindication from me," declares the LORD. Isaiah 54:17 (NIV)

So, in Jesus name, I pray that we His children will rejoice in His protection and provision.

God bless,
Whee Ling

Big God small problem

"Big God, small problem; small God, big problem" - a pastor reminded us 2 Sundays ago.

How big is our God? Of course, how big He is is not dependent on our understanding of who He is. He is the Almighty God and it is a fact that He is big, so big our finite minds fail to comprehen His greatness even when the bible in Isaiah 66:1 states " Thus says the LORD: “ Heaven is My throne, And earth is My footstool."

When faced with the question "how big is your God?", it is not to discuss how big He really is but rather how do we relate to Him, how we view our problems and whether we trust Him totally to be who He is and what He promises to do. I am glad I was reminded again of who He is and what He is able to and willing to do. It is important at a time when I heard about the news of yet another young lady who went to be with the Lord. She suffered from lukemia and had a relapse a few years after her transplant.

I resolve not to wonder about the outcome of David's condition and worry about his need for more drugs and having more frequent medical reviews then before but to continue to trust and pray. David didn't share much with me about how he is feeling other than being tired. Please pray for him to be uplifted in his spirit and our family to continue to look to the Lord and be filled with thanksgiving offering praises to the Lord, that the joy of the Lord be our strength.

Please pray for Xinxin, the litte girl who has neuroblastoma--a very rare childhood cancer. She is not responding very well to her chemotherapy. Please pray that the doctors and her parents know what is the best treatment options and most importantly, command the aggressive tumour to be gone in Jesus name!

May we learn to allow our Big God to solve all our small problems and may we give Him the praises and adoration He rightfully deserves!

In His time, He makes all things beautiful.
Whee Ling

X-ray result

According to David, he is supposed to continue his medication and see Dr William in 2 weeks time. The result is not indicative of any worsening or improvement of his condition, whether there are active growing myeloma cells. He said if viewed from the time of total remission, it is not so good but if viewed from 4 years ago, much improvement has taken place... I don't really know what to make out of the comment. Dr William said to wait and see. Arrangement will be made for another BMA later.

Well, guess we just have to continue to give thanks, pray and trust the Lord.
"My Son, attend to my words, incline your ear to my sayings. Let them not depart from your eyes; keep them in the midst of your heart. For they are life unto those that find them, and health to all their flesh." (Proverbs 4:20-22)

Thanks & God bless,
Whee Ling

Faith shaken...Faith strengthens

Faith shaken...

I could not fully understand what went through David's mind or the emotions he experienced when he received news last Friday that Linfei, his friend whom he called "little brother" from China has passed away. This dear brother-in-Christ, suffered much from lukemia and had numerous transplants. He was a very gentle, patient and kind young man - only 31 years old and well liked by the nurses and all who knew him. He was also quite young in his faith. We had prayed for healing and we encouraged him to look to the Lord and find strength in Him. David often visited him whenever he went to the hospital and assured him of God's love and presence. Why didn't the Lord heal him? I found myself thinking about this and trying to seek an answer from the Lord.



From the bible, we learned that God is able to heal and is willing to heal. As David shared in his book and from other books on healing and even messages we have heard in church, we know the reason or rather accepted the fact that healing sometimes does not happen the way we expect it because of numerous factors, and it all boils down to His sovereign will. Yet, I was perturbed. I know God has no favourites. Linfei is as precious to Him as David is. As it is written in the bible "But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name." (John 1:12). Surely He is a loving Father who loves all His children. I am sure some wondered why He didn't heal Linfei and some others...



Faith strengthens....

As if hearing my doubts, the Lord reminded me of the 11th hour worker in the parable Jesus told His disciples in Matthew 20:1-16. I recalled that a pastor had preached this passage at my grandma's funeral that those of us who remain, while some have gone on before us, are so because we still have work to do on earth. As Paul shared in Philippians 1:21-25 "For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain...", if I may parapharse it as it is much better to be with the Lord yet for the sake of the gospel, it is necessary to work...". Yes, things happened and is happening the way it is because of His higher purpose. It is now not difficult for me to see that David still has work to do and surely many would continue to be blessed by him, he has so much love for the Lord and for people. For this His divine purpose, I am so thankful and grateful for I am among those most richly blessed by him.



Last Sunday, we visited PMC at Pasir Ris and the pastor delivered a very good message on "Divine Healing". I am constantly amazed how the Lord would answer my prayers and clear my doubts. The message was so timely! We were reminded to have faith and that "without faith it is impossible to please God.." (Hebrews 11:6). This jolted my memory on the miracle Jesus did to heal the blind man Bartimaeus (Mark 10:46-52, Luke 18:35-43). We heard this passage preached for 3 consecutively sundays when we visited 3 different churches earlier this year. Surely the Lord is telling us something. To me, I was touched with v51 "And Jesus said.."What do you want Me to do for you?" and "..your faith has made you well."" The pastor ended last Sunday's message with the exhortation to live in faith so that Jesus marvels at our faith and not the lack of it.

David had his full body X-ray taken last Fri and will be going for his review tomorrow afternoon. He started to cough, probably because he was very exhausted running around last weekend to help in Linfei's funeral and also to help care for Linfei's parents. Please pray that the Lord will comfort the bereaved family and bring healing to David. Whatever the outcome of the medical result tomorrow, as the Psalmist said in Psalm 112:7 "He will have no fear of bad news; his heart is steadfast, trusting in the Lord...in the end he will look in triumph on his foes." The Lord has promised, He is able to heal and will heal. Thanks be to our Lord Jesus Christ, our Saviour and Redeemer who is faithful and true!

My heartfelt thanks to all who pray with and for us tirelessly. May you be blessed as you trust in Him, rejoicng in His love and presence, in Jesus name!

Shalom,
Whee Ling

David's medication

Dear all,
After David's last medical review, he was advised to increase his intake of thalidomide after he complained of aches in his spine. It is now every alternate days instead of once every 3 days and he is also scheduled for an X-ray tomorrow. His medical appointment is also now 2 weeks apart instead of 3. Due to the thalidomide, he is often very very tired but other than that, thank God he has not experienced any numbness like before. We are also thankful that his blood tests and other markers are negative of any active disease. Please continue to pray that tomorrow's X-ray result be good and that he continues to be in full remission. The dreadful thought of "what if he suffers a relapse" kept creeping back and it takes great effort to renew my mind and continue to trust God and "hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful" (Hebrews 10:23).

A dear sister-in-Christ whom we got to know in the church David shared his message last Sunday, blessed us as she shared Psalm 84 with us after hearing our story. I take comfort in the lovely truth of God's word once again:
"For the LORD God is a sun and shield; the LORD bestows favor and honor; no good thing does he withhold from those whose walk is blameless.
O LORD Almighty, blessed is the man who trusts in you."Psalm 84:11,12

I would also like to share a story which touched me when I read it in a friend's email as she updated her sister-in-law Sharon's condition. (Sharon is in coma, please join us to pray for her to be awaken and fully healed so she could be home with her husband and 2 young kids again). I am sure many would be encouraged by this:

"Malachi 3:3 He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver.This verse puzzled some women in a Bible study and they wondered what this statement meant about the character and nature of God.One of the women offered to find out the process of refining silver and get back to the group at their next Bible Study.That week, the woman called a silversmith and made an appointment to watch him at work. She didn't mention anything about the reason for her interest beyond her curiosity about the process of refining silver.As she watched the silversmith, he held a piece of silver over the fire and let it heat up. He explained that in refining silver, one needed to hold the silver in the middle of the fire where the flames were hottest as to burn away all the impurities.The woman thought about God holding us in such a hot spot; then she thought again about the verse that says:'He sits as a refiner and purifier of silver.'She asked the silversmith if it was true that he had to sit there in front of the fire the whole time the silver was being refined.The man answered that yes, he not only had to sit there holding the silver, but he had to keep his eyes on the silver the entire time it was in the fire. If the silver was left a moment too long in the flames, it would be destroyed.The woman was silent for a moment. Then she asked the silversmith, 'How do you know when the silver is fully refined?' He smiled at her and answered, 'Oh, that's easy -- when I see my image in it'When going through difficult times, remember God has His eye on you and will keep watching you and that you are being "polished" so that the Lord can see His image in you."

God bless!
Whee Ling

Remembering His goodness

God is good all the time! I am thankful, ever grateful to our Lord, our Redeemer who is faithful and true.



I was reminded once again of His great mercies, love and compassion for my family. David was invited by his dear pastor friend to share his testimony at his church on 29Jun. David took on the "assignment" with great enthusiasm and devoted himself much to the preparation, to the extent of working late into the night for several days. He treasured every opportunity to testify about God's goodness in the midst of his pain and suffering. I, on the other hand, was more concerned with the effects of the late nights on his health. How little faith I have... I realized I should trust the Lord and see from His perspective. Surely He will equip and provide strength to David as He always does. Thank you Lord!


When David shared his story, I was surprised how raw those emotions were, as if whatever happened almost 4 years ago just happened yesterday. The memories of the pain, the apprehension, the anxiety, more pain, the anguish, the despair, the hope, the comfort, the encouragement, the love, the support, the friendship, the Divine deliverance, the intimacy with the Lord... Many hearts were touched by David's sharing of God's goodness and love and together we exalt and praise His mighty name!

David had another chance to share his story at another church's married couple ministry on 05Jul. The title is God's slience. He will be sharing at another church this Sunday. Please pray that the Lord will use him to minister to many more people.

Health wise, David is generally well except slight headache and aches in the spinal area. He is due for his medical appointment tomorrow, do continue to pray for complete healing. Please pray also for Joshua. He has abdominal discomfort for the past 2 days and was given medical leave from school today.

"Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need." - Heb. 4:16

Thanks & God bless,

Whee Ling

Article in Mind Your Body - 2

Article in Mind Your Body

Wait on the Lord

"But those who wait on the LORD
Shall renew their strength;
They shall mount up with wings like eagles,
They shall run and not be weary,
They shall walk and not faint." Isaiah 40:31 (NKJ)

Wait on the Lord. What does it mean and how to do it? "Wait" in another bible translation (NIV) is "hope". A preacher once said we do not wait and do nothing but we hope in the Lord and do His will.

We can have hope in the Lord because our Lord Jesus said "in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulations; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world." John 17:33.

As some friends who saw the article in Mind Your Body last Wed 04Jun issue, asked where did I find strength to go through what we had in the last 4 years as David battled with his pain and affliction. I pondered over this and came to the conclusion because we have hope in the Lord. Hope in Christ is absolute. We found (and are still finding) strength and comfort in Him and His words in the bible. Thought I just share this with you and may you find comfort and strength in Him too for He will meet you at your various points of need if you would allow Him to.

Doing His will. God has opened doors to interesting events and activities for us to share His love while David has suspended Shepherds' Point Church for the time being. The article in Mind Your Body enabled more people to know David's story and thanks too for all who visited our blog and encouraged us with your comments. We are glad that many are encouraged and hope more will be blessed to want to know and draw nearer to this loving God, who gave His only begotten Son that whoever believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life.

David had also been busy making audio recording of the narration of his book "Talking the Walk" and it is our desire that more could be blessed in hearing his story especially for those who may be too tired to read. A Chinese translation of the book is also in the works.

Pray with us that we would continue to be used by the Lord to be instrumental to reach out to those who need Him.

We are thankful for all the exciting things God is doing and also very thankful that our family can go for a short break from tomorrow to 17Jun. Covet your prayers for safe journey.

Thanks & God bless,
Whee Ling

"I will be still and know You are God"

Dear all,
A few weeks ago, I had a dream. I dreamt that I was deep in worship singing the song, "Still". It is a very beautiful song by Reuben Morgan.
Here are the lyrics:

Hide me now under Your wings
Cover me within Your mighty hand
When the oceans rise and thunders roar
I will soar with You above the storm
Father You are King over the flood
I will be still and know You are God

Find rest my soul in Christ alone
Know His power in quietness and trust
When the oceans rise and thunders roar
I will soar with You above the storm

Father You are King over the flood
I will be still and know You are God

Beautiful words in a beautiful song indeed! That night, I woke & felt so rested in the Lord's sanctuary.

Some Medical Updates:
It was very disturbing initially when the MRI done in March showed new changes in my spine and right hip. It turned my world upside down again. Tough I tried to be as cool as I could like a duck that seems calm on the surface but is actually very anxious paddling under the water. Again, the Holy Spirit, who is our comfort and counsellor, always turns my heart to the maker of my life to place my complete confidence in Him.

Because of these changes, Dr. William Hwang was rather concerned and did everything he could to manage the problem in consultation with other specialist oncologists . Together they all discussed my situation at length to provide me with the best solution. Thank God for each of these christian doctor friends God put in their respective expertise to! Thank God that after all these discussions, they unanimously agreed that there is no need for chemotherapy or radiotherapy. You know, we believe God had placed the right doctors in our path and we comply with it as they are all christian doctors who recognise that ultimately, God is the main healer and they are just instruments of Dr. Jesus.

Luke was such a doctor in the Bible but He recognised that only God can heal. Beyond medical science and many alternative medicines that we have tried, we always go back to the basic of our faith - that God is in control and must be given the control. This "Relapse" was another call not to play God and pray god will shower more and more of His grace upon us to live for His glory each day - in sickness or in health.

On that night after I got up from the dream at 5am, the Lord turned my eyes to read Psalm 73 where Asaph, the Psalmist had many real life questions for those of us who constantly face the harsh realities in this life. But in Him, there is always a blessed assurance in knowing that He will never fail us nor forsake us. That night, He strengthened me particularly through verses 25-26 bringing to mind a very touching and moving chinese song that many of us would have sung again and again.

Psalm 73:25-26
"Whom have I in heaven but you? And earth has nothing I desire besides you. My heart and my flesh may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever."

Reading Psalm 73 as the song was ringing in my ears, the Lord encouraged me to enter His sanctuary often to renew my perspective, understanding and convictions even tough my circumstances have changed. Sometimes the circumstances can overwhelm me as I get emotionally tired of waiting. But there is a reason for waiting in the presence of the Lord. In waiting in His presence, He renews my strength like that of the eagle to soar again - to look at things through His eyes; To win the fight by focusing on Christ and declaring His reign over this sickness. He is Lord and has overcome everything - even the sting of death!

One night, Whee Ling asked me many questions for which I had no answers. In my heart, I know Jesus is in complete reign but I also asked her to enquire of the Lord. And she did. She fasted and she prayed for several days. Thereafter the Lord led her to read the book of James where James advised us to be patient in suffering like a farmer who patiently waits for the land to yield its valuable crop. (James 5:7-11). The Lord specifically told her to look the outcome of Job's perseverance and how this man of God stood firm and eventually saw what God brought about - that which is good. Praise the Lord!!! See, He does not ignore the prayers of His people but will answer when we ernestly wait upon Him and seek Him.

Through this, our great God gently reminded us that 'everything will work for good for those who love Him' (Romans 8:28) What's important for us is to stand firm, to keep the faith till the end and be found faithful - for He is always faithful and true.

Once I heard a sharing by Joni Eareckson, a paraplegic for 40 years now. Joni encouraged all in affliction of every kind to turn their hearts God-ward to find new strength in His presence.

Indeed, God is the strength of our hearts as we turn our feeble hearts to Him. Only He and He only can raise us up to stand on mountains and walk on stormy seas. By focusing on Jesus, Whee Ling, Josh and I did not sink into the water like Peter did because we learn again and again not to lift our eyes off Him.

Finally, we want to thank God for giving us the opportunity to share and testify of God's goodness and greatness in the Straits Times yesterday. All your sms-es, emails and comments in the blog have encouraged us to be overcomers in the name of the Most High God.

Thank you one and all!
May His name be greatly magnified!

David

Wait and see

God's grace is sufficient for us. Praise God who is merciful and gracious!


It was a relief to us that no conclusive evidence of any active disease was found in David's last review. He was referred to an orthopeadic oncologist to further assess whether he needed to do a biopsy to determine if there are active myeloma cells in his spine.

The orthopeadic oncologist who is also a friend of David, was very encouraging. The recent x-rays he took did not show any worsening of the condition of his spine compared to the x-ray took in 2006. So, instead of going for the high risk biopsy (there is only a 5mm distance from the nerve column), he suggested that we wait and do another test for his review in 4 months time. He even encouraged us not to live under the shadow of the illness. Yes, we are reminded that God is faithful. His promises never fail. So, all will be well.

"Oh give thanks to the Lord, for He is good. For His mercy endures forever." Psalm 107:1

Thanks to all of you who constantly uplifted David in prayers.

God bless,
Whee Ling

Medical Review today

Hi, Today is David's medical review of his last blood and myeloma tests done last week. Covet your prayers that he be cleared of all myeloma.

God is good all the time!

Placing our trust in Christ,
Whee Ling

David is much better now

David did an X-Ray this morning. Praise God there was no fracture but because the problem area (hip bone) was previously treated before, it is unclear if what showed up in the X-Ray is new active disease or old traces of myeloma. Therefore, some more blood tests and full myeloma tests were required. The result would be out next Mon or Thu. We are really thankful to Dr William for making special arrangement to see David today.

Glad to share that David is much better now. The pain has subsided somewhat even without pain killers (pain score around 3 to 4 out from 1 to 10 with 10 being extremely painful). The amazing power of prayer and grace of the Holy One who is merciful and gracious!

Thanks for all the prayer support and encouragement we have received via sms, emails and blog comments.

As we tune in to God in the face of adversity, we often finds many things to be thankful for. David shared that his heart was so touched when during the moment when he experienced the sharp pain last evening while he was fetching Josh and his cousin Arabella home from school, Josh's first reaction was to lay hand on his daddy to pray for healing. Thereafter, he requested for Arabella to help him hold onto his daddy. Our hearts are so blessed to know our son's source of help is Christ the Lord.

Even though we do not know why David has to suffer the sudden pain and wonder what caused it, God never fails to show us that He has a purpose for everything. Today's hospital visit seems like a divine arrangement. After David had his tests at the hospital , he visited some patient friends who are in the wards to pray for them. The Lord even open doors for him to pray for a Muslim friend who just had undergone chemotherapy. He and his wife had read David's book and were encouraged. While David prayed boldly for him, we could see he and his wife were touched by the Holy Spirit who ministered God's love to them. Our God is so loving and readily reaches out to all who call upon Him.

"The Lord is nigh unto all them that call upon Him, to all that call upon Him in truth." Psalm 145:18

Shalom,
Whee Ling

In pain

David had sudden pain at 6:30pm yesterday on Rt femur/same spot where he has pain now and then. We thank God he does not need to go to the A&E last night because the pain score has reduced to around 5. He would be going for an x-ray later today and Dr William will be seeing him. Please pray for relief from pain and for God to heal him from whatever causes the pain. That the pain will go as suddenly as it came and that our Heavenly Father the Great Phyisican would bring forth total restoration, in Jesus name. Amen.

We are really thankful that the previous BMA result showed no myeloma. Praise the Lord!!! However, as there were isolated spinal disease before and Doctor advised to go for another MRI after a month or two. We are trusting God for complete healing for He who promised is faithful.

A dear friend reminded me in Pslam 115 that God is mindful of us. Whatever our trial, we can confidently rest in Him who vindicates His own honor and protects His own servants. So bless the Lord with our inmost being, bless His Holy name! He delights to bless, our Helper our Shield in whom we trust!.

Thanks & God bless,
Whee Ling

BMA tomorrow

Praise the Lord! David's previous medical checkup did not show any problem in his blood result. He was advised to take Thalidomide once in every 3 days because of headaches and sleepiness from the effect of the drug. He has been scheduled to undergo a bone marrow aspiration tomorrow. This is something which he dreads because the pain of having one's bone being drilled is something only those who have gone through understand. Please pray that the Lord will bless him with painless procedure if possible (medically impossible but our God is a God of miracle) and grace to endure all necessary tests.



The battle is not over though victory in Jesus is secured. Last night, David experinced spiritual warfare again. I heard him praying and wishpering the name of Jesus, while he appeared to continue to "struggle", I tried waking him up. He punched the bed and next minute when I asked if he was alright, he said "yes" and continued sleeping. In the morning when he woke up, he thought he heard a loud voice in his spirit saying "pray". Before he slept he was asking God for a word while praying for his dear big brother in Christ (pastor friend) so he gathered it could be a request to pray for this dear brother/friend.



The need to pray could not be over-emphasized and we are so blessed to have Jesus our Lord interceding for us before our Father in heaven. Even though at times we do not know what else to pray or how to pray, His holy spirit helps us by giving us utterance.


May I also request that you pray for a 10 year old boy, Jeremy, who is currently being treated for brain tumour. He is the son of a Emily, a sister in Christ whom I got to know from a common friend. Jeremy is currently undergoing radiotherapy at NCC after having done chemotherapy. Please pray for effective and precise treatment without side effects and ultimate complete healing.

Besides praying for Jeremy, we can also help vote for him in the KFC "Giving In" Contest. I had Emily's permission to share this with you: "Jeremy is one of the 20 finalist in the KFC "Giving In" Contest. The voting starts today till 2 May 08. The photo taken showed him eating a big piece of KFC. That was his first outside meal after 4 months of strict diet and home-cooked food only during his 4 rounds of chemo at KKH. He craved for KFC so badly that he opted to have that for his first outside meal. Now Jeremy is waiting for his radiotherpy treatment to start on 22 Apr. It will last 5-6 weeks and everyday (except PH, weekends) he will need to go to National Cancer Center for treatment. Please show support to him and vote as often as you can. It is a way we can show our support to help him overcome the difficult fighting journey since he was diagnosed with cancerous brain tumor on 7 Dec 07. Please give us your support. You can vote either by SMS to 76565 in the following format: KFC06IC NumberNameAddress(20cents will be charged for each sms) or via the internet which is free but you must go through a one-time registration process. Visit the website at http://www.giveinkfc.com.sg/votenow.asp Click on "Vote for KFC06" and then sign in. It's as easy as ABC. You can vote once a day, everyday till 2 May 08. 3 lucky winners will stand a chance to win a Toshiba 32" LCD TV! The more your vote, the higher your chances!Please give Jeremy your support and his code is KFC06. Please send to as many friends as you can and show your support for a 10 year old boy who is fighting for cancerous brain tumor. He is a very cheerful boy and will be very thankful for your support. Thank you,Emily " She also added: "If we are one of the top 3 finalists, we will donate our prize to our church, for them to redeem airtickets for their missionary trips. Please give us your support!! Vote daily."

"Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus." - Philippians 4:6-7

Thanks & God bless,

Whee Ling

Medical checkup today

Hi all,

David is going for his medical checkup today. Please pray that all be well.

Thanks & God bless,
Whee Ling

Relapse or ...?

Relapse, new cancer cells or remnants undetected previously...?

Whatever it is, the “new marrow changes demonstrated in the mid-thoracic and lower thoracic spine (T3, T4, T5, T9, T10 and T12)." in the last MRI report is not good news. As much as David and I are at peace, renewing our minds with His promises and placing our hope in His goodness and mercies, I do get bothered by doubts and uncertainties at fleeting moments. Occasionally I would be hit by “what if”s? What if he doesn’t get healed? What if he does not live to see his grandchildren as prophesized? What if….? But God is truly good all the time! He encouraged us through His people who wrote emails and cards to us, prayed with and for us and blessings us in many other ways. It is such a heart warming thought to know that prayers were going up from different corners of the world, from US to Australia, to our loving Father the Almighty God for us.

As David shared, this seemingly setback in his health condition, which resulted in him being on cancer treatment again and the temporary suspension of Shepherds’ Point Church ministry, is a battle and it is the Lord’s battle. It is comforting to know that we are not in this battle alone. Most reassuring of all is the knowledge and conviction that our Great High Priest Jesus Christ is interceding before the Father for David. Fyi, David has no problem with thalidomide, no side effects so far. That is an answered prayer. Praise the Lord!

I had shared with Josh about this development and prayed with him for his daddy. Initially I wasn’t sure if I had done the right thing because I thought I should not have burdened my young son. Young as he is, he should be carefree and happy. Well, I reckoned that it is important for him to witness and experience with the family the Lord’s deliverance and the exceeding joy of victory when the enemy is defeated.

Josh did not talk much about his daddy’s illness but through his actions, this has somewhat impacted him and I covet your prayers for him too. He was suddenly afraid of the dark and refused to go to the toilet or rooms by himself. He wanted us to sleep with him in his room and when he woke up finding us not in his room, would come to our room to sleep with us. This had happened a few times last 2 weeks. On a brighter side, he has become very thoughtful and sweet too. When his daddy commented he was thirsty, Josh readily served him a drink without even being asked – this had never happened before. He also wanted to surprise his daddy with a gift on Apr Fool’s day and gave me S$50 (out of his savings of S$51) to buy his daddy a watch. He specifically said he wanted me to buy a Hamilton watch (I don’t know where he learned the brand names of watches from) and of course that is impossible (min price from S$950). I finally bought a simple but elegant looking watch at S$56. He made a really nice little box, decorated it and in his daddy’s words was “kui kui sui sui” (i.e. acted suspiciously) for a while before giving the "surprise" gift to him on 01Apr evening. In order to make sure he is being fair, he added as if as an after thought, that he would buy something for me too when he has saved enough money. I was a more amused than anything by his generosity and thoughtfulness. I assured him I would never be jealous of him loving daddy and no, he does not need to buy me anything.

I couldn’t thank the Lord enough for a wonderful husband and an adorable son!

I asked David about how he felt about the whole thing and also if he believed the prophecy would come true. All he said was “ask the Lord”. Well, that is what I earnestly did. I fasted and prayed for 2 afternoons during lunch time last week. God’s answer did not come immediately but last Sat while doing my devotion reading in the morning, I read the passage in James 5 (NKJ version) and I found comfort and hope again in the verses 10 & 11:
“My brethren, take the prophets, who spoke in the name of the Lord, as an example of suffering and patience. 11 Indeed we count them blessed who endure. You have heard of the perseverance of Job and seen the end intended by the Lord—that the Lord is very compassionate and merciful.”

We know the end the Lord intended for Job was good. To a certain extent, I could draw a parallel on David’s suffering with Job’s. The purpose of this suffering and perseverance is so that the Lord’s name be glorified! That all would know He is very compassionate and merciful! Praise the name of Jesus! Thank you Lord!

If you are reading this and have needs in your life or those whom you are praying for, I hope our sharing would be an encouragement to you and spur you to seek the Lord. Do draw strength from Him and may you find joy, peace and hope in Him. God bless you and feel free to share with us too that we and others may be encouraged.

Hopeful again,
Whee Ling

Faith & Favor

Dear all,
I have a friend whose father was seen an medical oncologist and a Senior Consultant at NCC, SGH. The doctor apparently was not only cold, he gave the family members of patient no comfort or ray of hope at all. They came out from the consultation room feeling so devastated and angry with the attitude of the doctor.

I am very thankful to God for the skillful, personal and professional doctors that He has placed to watch over me. Both Drs. William Hwang (my transplant physician) and Dr. Fong Kam Weng (my Radiologist Oncologist) discussed my situation in great detail and were very thoughtful and caring, doing their best as christian doctors to find the best solution for me. I feel so touched by their genuine concern and acts of kindness towards me.

Having discussed the details, they have decided that there will be no need for radiotherpy for the now.

Many of you heard about the new cancer cells hiding in my spine (although the M-band shows O!) and sent me many warm regards and support in prayer. Your faith gave me faith to believe God to move this new mountain!

Last night, I read these words by Dutch Sheets and Larry Randolph which read, "Faith Will Move Your Mountain, but Favor Causes Others to Move it For you!" I feel so favoured by God that us so many people to stand in the gap for us when we are challenged with another giant in the journey. Your prayers in one voice directed at this enemy of my life is the one stone that God has given to me to fight the battle in the Lord! Indeed, like a friend who emailed us said, "The battle is the Lord's!"

Whee Ling and I are very peaceful (Psalm 119:165 is a great verse!) about it because we know the Lord who has seen us through thus far (almost 4 years as Olympic games is coming), will not fail to see us through this hurdle even though this comes as a bad news. We will not let anything to cause us to stumble. This verse from Psalm 119 is incredible. It assured us that nothing can make the man at peace stumble. When the bad news came, I was a little shocked and shaken again but had to renew my mind immediately and turn the bad news to our good shepherd. The good news is this suffering caused us, directed us to turn God-wards always.

Psalm 119:71 says, "It was good for me to be afflicted so that I might learn your decrees." You may think that I am crazy. I thought the Psalmist was crazy when I read this verse recently. I could not relate to him initially, but as I put myself in his shoes, I understood why. Like the Psalmist, I don't enjoy suffering but I have learnt that every time I suffer, I encounter and experience God deeper and deeper. I turn my disappointment and affliction toward God and He turned my pain into precious moments when I linger and soak in His presence through His word. In His presence, I let His word sustain, comfort and deliver me according to His promise(s), and I will live; I do not let my hopes be dashed. (Psalm 119:116)

To end, let me echo the beautiful and empowering chorus of one of my old time favourite songs from the Continental Singers, "If He carried the weight of the world upon His shoulders, I know my brother that He will carry you through."

What great comfort, courage and confidence we who are His beloved children can hold on to in when we face giants, mountains, storms, enemies, setbacks and even illnesses in our lives - that our Shepherd will see us through!

If Jesus carried the weight of the world upon His shoulders, I know and I know and I know that My Jesus will carry us through!

David

MRI result

"Great peace have they who love your law, and nothing can make them stumble. I wait for you salvation, O Lord, and I follow your commands." Psalm 119:165-166.

David's MRI result is out. His report reveals "there are new marrow changes demonstrated in the mid-thoracic and lower thoracic spine (T3, T4, T5, T9, T10 and T12)." which means there are active disease found in his spine. Dr William discussed with Dr Kam Weng if radiotherapy is needed. For the time being, David would be treated with thalidomide. Hopefully, this will be effective to wipe out all newly discovered active disease. As David's tolerance for thalidomide was not too good the last time, please pray for no discomfort and side effects and that this treatment be so effective that no further treatment is necessary.

Please continue to join us to claim complete healing and restoration for David in the powerful name of Jesus Christ. May we find strength and hope in His promises as we bring our requests with praise and thanksgiving to our Lord.

The battle is the Lord's!

Thanks & God bless,
Whee Ling

David was discharged from hospital

Praise the Lord!!! David was discharged from the hospital yesterday - earlier than expected. :) His MRI yesterday went smoothly and was over in less than 2 hours.

Thanks to all for your prayers and well wishes!

"And we know that all things work together for good to those who God, to those who are the called according to His purpose." Romans 8:28

God bless,
Whee Ling

Witnessing

Praise the Lord! David is getting better and today he has the opportunity to share Christ with fellow patients, nurses and student nurses who tended to him in the hospital. He has the priviledge and great joy of sharing the gospel and leading one student nurse to Jesus Christ this evening. Yes, he is still in the hospital. He will be going for MRI on Sat and so would possibly be discharged only on Sunday, if all goes well.

God has turned what was bad (sickness and sufferings) into something good (salvation). His ways are indeed higher than our ways, and His thoughts higher than our thoughts. Praise the lovely name of Jesus our Lord!

God bless,
Whee Ling

Viral infection

Praise the Lord! Really glad that other than the viral infection, David's blood count and all other indicators are good. His MRI has been brought forward to this Sat instead of end Mar. Do continue to pray for good result and complete restoration soon.

We are really thankful for the prayers and intercession of so many faithful children of God, dear friends who are with us during this time of need. Your support, concern and encouragement have been a great blessing to us.

"Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you ma abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit." Romans 15:13

Thanks & God bless,
Whee Ling

David's platelet is low

Hi,
Doctor said David's platelet is low and there is also some abnormality in his liver - possibly due to the infection. I got a little anxious when I heard this and guess just have to pray and hope God will make everything right again. Thank God his cough is better now. Will update when I have more information. In the meantime, do continue to uphold him in prayers.

May our good Lord heal all who are unwell by His healing grace, in Jesus name.u9

"He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ." Philippians 1:6

God bless,
Whee Ling