Speechless

Finally see You face to face, my God
How I've longed for this moment
How I've waited all my life
There is nothing else I want
Apart from being with You

I want to walk through time
With You by my side
Through Your temple courts
Walking through Your halls
As I marvel in all creation now
The works of Your hand
And I'm speechless Lord
You have made me speechless Lord

I see the universe before me
How I longed to touch
The stars You made
The comets' breeze
A secret place I go now
A place to bow my head and pray
And worship You
Through the ages more and more
- © Jonathan Chia 2007

This song has been in my head for a couple of weeks already, and I've finally managed to write it out early this morning as I got inspired to take out my classical guitar and play a song. Then I remembered this line I wrote 2 weeks ago. About walking through time with God. The rest of the lyrics just came out as I started to strum G, and overall, took about an hour or so. It's quite simple, just using 3 chords. Yet to try on my acoustic, so might have to modify the chords later on. Gven the state of my strings on my classical, this might be a likely case. Overall, I like it a lot.

And the Lord has been good for the last couple of days. Managed to get the "cold room" in the student's lounge in school when I arrived yesterday and today in the afternoon. With the rest of the school and lounge being packed to the brim with people mugging for exams, it's a blessing. Though I'll have to endure the climate of the room (not nicknamed cold room for nothing), it's an enclosed environment, a room by itself. With the guitar cupboard here as well, I can also work on the song later on in the day when I take breaks from revision without worrying about disturbing other people.

Ok, time to hit my books now. Most probably I'll be staying till 9 or so. A lot more reading to go, and there's 20 days left before soci. Will need your prayers, my dear readers. Thanks in advance ü

"The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in him, and I am helped. My heart leaps for joy, and I will give thanks to him in song." Psalm 28:7

Wanted: study partner

• Looking for a study partner for exams
• Duration of contract: Almost everyday for 8 weeks, minimum 8 hours a day
• Must be disciplined
• Must know me
• Studying either at SIM, or National Library opposite Bugis Junction. Town or East area also acceptable
• Knowledge of business & management, sociology, and banking & finance a plus
• Humour an advantage
• Attractive remuneration in the form of academic discourses and debates. Possible meal treat(s) in September subject to review of exam results
• Males/females welcome to apply
• Interested applicants to sms or write into comments section under this post

Ok, I'm not kidding about needing a study partner. I don't think I can study alone. Not for this period of time anyway. Need someone to help me stay very focused on my subjects. Hope to find one or two people whom I can study with. My attempt to study IBM earlier in the afternoon was so-so. Need to buck up. Hope to finish half of IBM and review them by the end of this week.

Recently, been feeling the urge the drop everything and head down to a beach to reflect on the Word of God. Was thinking of heading to Sentosa one day soon for some quiet. There are still things that are unsettled in my heart, which I'm praying for. And I think, once they are settled, I'll be able to focus more on God and on my studies.

Feel myself rediscovering the joy of worship. Listening to 2 songs from Hillsong of late: Blessed as well as Sing Of Your Great Love (anyone knows which album this came from?) Love the guitar intro of the latter. My guess is it's from a Taylor 7 or 8 series, since I know Hillsong use Taylors, going by the Blessed dvd. Which is making me think about a Taylor more everyday, haha. Need to save up more. I declare myself officially BROKE until I get my new guitar! Too bad I can't really play much these days, cos the only time I can play nowadays is at night, which my parents don't really like (try strumming in a room that's next to your parents' and not sound proofed at 2am in the morning). Hope it'll change soon. Time to study for a bit, then sleep.

"Hear my voice when I call, O LORD; be merciful to me and answer me. My heart says of you, 'Seek his face!' Your face, LORD, I will seek." Psalm 27:7-8

I Felt You Near

A sadness in my eyes
Troubled thoughts infinitely wide
Dazed living in lonesome company
Time passing by so slowly

Then I felt Your presence near
Filling my heart with Your love
A lifetime of peace and joy
The promise of Your Word
I felt You near
- 26th March 2007

First wrote this last week, and wanted to post it up here around then, but just got too tired at night to even blog for the last couple of weeks. So trying to make up for it now. Nothing much has changed since the last post. Still a rollercoaster emotionally, and am trying to make sure I stay up for the rest of the sem, till after exams at least. Time is running out, so have to make full use of what I have left to do the best I can. Thanks to Kemin for some advice on studying earlier during lunch. Made me realise something I overlooked all the while, which is to regularly review what I've studied through the mindmaps I'm doing at the moment. Gonna be a long night while I attempt to close up PBF for the week and open up IBM for the coming week. And not forgetting Soci as well. A lot more to go...

Now am trying to save up to get a new guitar. Have my eye on a Taylor 6 series or GS at the moment. Like the figure of maple, especially quilted maple, and I kinda like the sound of the maple GS on the introductory video on the Taylor website. 4 figures, won't be cheap or easy to raise (considering what I'm getting and my lack of time to work). So am praying for guidance on this first of all. Want to move on from the sound of my current baby, so I want something more... always a neverending quest for the sound that you want, from a guitarist point of view. This I learned from the guys over at guitar4christ.com. And from playing Josh's 710, heh. Hope to be inspired from the sound of the guitar to write some songs, especially for worship, and to play for cell (a bit sick of the tone of Eevon's yamaha F310 at the moment, oops). It's kinda funny that one can feel God's presence most strongly when one is broken. But God works for the best of each of His children. And I admit, I've been neglecting what I was supposed to do in the first 2 months of the year. Focus was on something else rather than on God for that period in my life. For now, I have to continue to hold onto Him and let His comfort, peace and unspeakable joy reign in my heart. For the joy of the Lord is my strength. And I know His strength can carry me through all circumstances in my life. Right now, it's my studies. Last chances at IBM and Soci, so can't afford to waste this opportunity.

"Blessed are those who dwell in your house; they are ever praising you. Blessed are those whose strength is in you, who have set their hearts on pilgrimage. O LORD Almighty, blessed is the man who trusts in you." Psalm 84:4-5, 12