It's the last page of this year and in all honesty, I'm very thankful to be closing this chapter of my life and to start on a clean slate again.
I can safely say that this has been the toughest year after a good quarter century..but that really led me to greater growth with the Lord as it was a season where I cried out to Him exceptionally much and continually gave thanks to remind myself of Who I was in Christ.
As I was choosing the visuals to share for this post, I stumbled upon some photos taken in Hong Kong which wasn't published anywhere...so I thought it would be a good opportunity to feature them!
I embarked on many firsts as I took this time to love myself and repeatedly stepped out of my comfort zone. I am truly so blessed to be where I am today by the grace of God. Looking back, some of my highlight reels were:
1. Travelling alone
It was very intimidating initially. I booked my first trip to Switzerland (you can read about some of my travels here!) and wanted to chicken out right before my flight...because flying alone for 15 hours didn't seem that ideal for the extroverted me. It then proved to be a good trip as I made new friends, stepped into new territories, explored many new places on foot and spent quality time with the Lord.
Fast forward a couple of trips to Bangkok and Perth, I found myself checking out air tickets to Seoul and booked an impromptu flight there. Enjoyed myself thoroughly as I soaked in the crisp winter air and managed to visit all the places on my list! It was also the first time I took a train to Busan and almost didn't made it up because of a severely oversized luggage. Carrying a 30kg luggage with a 7kg sling was not funny...till I had to handle it myself.
2. Started cooking
This might come across strange, but I picked up a few dishes like preparing a fish and chinese vegetables. I've also whipped up Western food like baked rice, aglio olio, cabonara and the like! *pats self* For simple fares, it would be an air-fried salmon, chicken or dory fish accompanied with vegetables!
Those who know me long enough would comprehend how domestically crippled I am...so this was actually a major achievement for me.
3. Exercising
With more time, I dedicated it to exercising by making a point to run outdoors at least once a week and heading for gym classes like kick boxing and body combat. I tried attending yoga once because I've been told about how inflexible I was, but I fell asleep in the class. I guess you could tell, I'm not really a yoga or a pilates girl as much as I would like to be!
After a month of travelling and recovering from an injured knee, I'm slowly getting the rhythm of my exercise regime. I feel much healthier with a better diet from cooking and making it a point to take vitamins too.
4. Joined NCC's Genrev Dover Caregroup (CG)
This was one of the highlights of 2017, because it means so much to me. I was invited by Eve, whom I collaborated with for a shoot last year. If you're interested, you can check out some of the visuals here!
Eve has been a huge blessing to me as she prayed over me and was constantly checking on me by feeding me with the Word. One thing she was continuously doing was relentlessly inviting me to join CG and I am so thankful for her persistency! It took months for me to budge...but it was a move I never looked back.
Attending Genrev and CG heighten my spirit to receive and give, as I forged new friendships that were built on Christ. The people there were genuine about you and would do life with you, which is something that I am blessed with and I am so thankful for that!! I'll also be officially joining the Worship team come 2018 so I'm really looking forward to it.
5. Growing with the Lord
My greatest takeaway this year is...........to look to Jesus even in the valleys and know that you are loved. Even though I've been a Christian for more than 7 years, steering to God and looking for Him each time I encounter something was not my first course of action.
I've been taught a very serious lesson that there is no other that is sure and secure, other than my Jesus. I was tested through and through as I fought the battles of not being enough. (You can read about it here!) Knowing my position in Christ was a constant reminder to myself, as I fix my eyes on Him. Be it mountains or valleys, God will be with you and He is for you. That assurance was more than enough, for me.
My sharing and giveaway previously has led to a number of ladies reaching out to me about how insecure they are...and if you have also been through a difficult time, I would like to pray for you. Please drop me an email at shiling@unveiledlust.com!
Of course there were many other precious memories that I keep close to my heart, but in this summation..I would like to extend love to my family - who has been my pillar of support throughout the year, my friends - who offered their time and prayers to me and my Jesus - Who has constantly reminded me of His love.
Thank you for being a part of my 2017 and I declare a year of greater glory, exponential blessings and a fruitful one!
