By Josephine Lim
Wishing all of you a Happier, Lovelier, and Marvellous New Year! I am fully aware my email was long overdue. Too many things happened in the past two months and of course mostly were good and forever will I cherish in my heart. God is good!
It has been a week since I came back from another Europe tour. Flew in to Berlin and travelled to Dresden, Prague, Vienna, Bratislava and finally Budapest. Let me share with all of you about my recent trip and how God proved Himself faithful with amazing turn of events.
My flight to Berlin was changed and delayed from 2.15pm to 4.30pm due to bad weather. This means Charlotte who had arrived much earlier would have to wait longer for me that we decided she should proceed to check in to the hotel. For sure, I would miss the tour briefing, possibly missed my dinner with the rest of the team, and not sure whether it was safe to travel to hotel alone by cab, etc. Although unhappy but in my heart I know all things happened for a reason and will be for my good and best interest (Romans 8:28). According to one pastor, when the enemy throws lemon at you, God will turn it to lemonade for you. Just trust in His goodness.
For half an hour before landing in Berlin, I saw the most beautiful night skyline ever. The whole city was so Christmassy with beautifully lighted and decorated buildings, streets, rivers, etc. I knew this was what the Lord wanted me to see. What a beautiful sight! I could hear “wow!” uttered by passengers who looked out the window. It almost put me to tears how good God is to me.
Still desperate to get to my hotel as soon as possible, I was the first to emerge from the arrival hall and walked straight to the first cab in line and the driver quickly loaded my luggage into the boot before asking me where I wanted to go. Then I realised, he couldn’t speak English! Too late, luggage already in the boot but he was very determined. He handed me Berlin’s map book hoping I would point him to my hotel. Although there was a great tendency to get impatient but I decided to give him a chance, patiently flipping through the book and to my amazement I was able to point the location from the map although it’s in German. He nodded his head and off we went. Throughout the journey, I was praying in my heart and hoping he knows the way and it would not cost me more than €30 to get to my hotel based on the fare estimation printed on our tour leaflet. I could see that he drove fast and confident, I hope it’s a good sign (I whispered in my heart).
On the way to hotel, I received an sms from Charlotte that we were not being assigned to the same room by our tour agent so I got to sort it out when I check in as they had all left for dinner. Finally, I arrived at my hotel and the cab fare was €21 and of course I gladly tipped him too and he was very grateful. Straightaway got my rooming sorted with the receptionist who was very helpful and thank God Charlotte’s supposed roommate had not arrived. Going on a tour, rooming is such a big issue as we want to share room with people we know or who doesn’t smoke or drink too much or come back odd hours apart from not snoring. Sorry, no offence to any snorers. Then I proceeded for my dinner just across the street and met up with Charlotte and the rest.
After dinner, our tour manager guided us on a walk through Berlin. During this time I got to know Yuka a Japanese lady who is working in Boston, we somehow bonded. Upon our return to hotel that night, in the lift to our room, Yuka told us she was still waiting for her roommate and we asked her who and she showed us the paper with my last name next to hers. We laughed in the lift and explained to her. When we arrived in Prague, the rooming had not amended and so Yuka and I became roommates for the rest of the trip. God is good and I was truly blessed to have Charlotte as my roommate in Berlin for three nights and Yuka for the rest of the tour as they were both excellent roommates. We shared the same interest and went places together with Kellie and Alisa whom we met on this trip.
During a visit to Gendenkstatte Memorial Museum, a former Concentration Camp during the Holocaust, the ground was covered with icy snow. I slipped and fell on my bump near to my spine and slightly injured my right palm and two fingers. Thanks to Yuka’s Antibacterial Moist Wipes and at the same time I was also praying for the bleeding to stop. Later I told the girls about it and they were worried but praise God the bleeding stopped after half an hour. The next day, I experienced pain on both my knees. They were stiff and I was limping. I was still very determined to go as many places as possible and kept taking pictures. The girls were very understanding, they slowed down for me and sometimes I would take a while to snap a picture from a nice angle and they patiently waited for me that I felt guilty and walked faster so I could catch up with them.
The next day on the way to Prague we made a stop in Dresden, a girl in our group got a fall just in front of me since we were far behind the group. I held her up by her underarm while another girl lifted her legs. Yes, a limping girl with an injured back and recovering hand still could help another as we couldn’t just watch. Thank God, the other girl was around to help otherwise I wouldn’t be able to lift her up all by myself. We also experienced a (mini) sandstorm, tiny rocks carried by the wind were hitting hard against us that I had to turn my back against the wind to shield my face. My right hand which was not covered with glove at the time suffered minor cuts. Yes, my right hand again!
While in Prague, oh, beautiful Prague, I couldn’t help but got carried away by its beauty and charm. After our visit to the third synagogue, whilst walking towards the square I suddenly realised I had lost my camera. With my stiff knee, all of a sudden I was running ahead of the girls retracing my way. The girls helped sieved through my bag first and checked to make sure it was not in my jumper. Discouraging thoughts flooded my mind because the people in Prague don’t speak English and had been advised by our tour manager to be very careful with our belongings. The sight of a girl walking on a limp before she lost her camera transformed to a girl who ran like rabbit in search of her missing item brought smile to the girls although they were with me on this search and were hoping I could find my camera. I kept apologizing to them but they said they couldn’t leave me alone at this time. We went back to the third synagogue, souvenir shop, the lavatory, cemetery and the second synagogue bearing in mind it was a huge search and all the while I was praying in my heart, “Lord, help me! Work a miracle for me. I know you are good and you love me. I need you! You’ve got to help me!”
I talked to a few people asking for lost & found department and about my camera but there were communication barrier. When the fearful thought of giving up came, I decided to pursue all options and still not gave up the fact that my God is a miraculous God and He loves me that I should continue trusting Him stirred inside me to try for one last time by asking the man at the ticket counter of the second synagogue who was busy at the time by motion and described to him slowly. He opened his counter’s door and motioned wait and showed us my camera. Excitement overwhelmed my heart that Charlotte who was with me at the time was so happy too that I kept thanking the man at the counter. Tears of joy flowed down my cheeks and I thanked Charlotte for being there sharing my sorrow and joy. Kellie and Yuka who were waiting outside said to me, “Josephine, you are very lucky”. I replied, “I know I’m blessed! God is so good! It’s indeed a miracle!” I prayed for God’s blessings to be upon whoever that found my camera and handed it in. I wanted to give the girls a treat as I was like the woman in the Bible who found the missing coin and invited her whole village for a feast.
Throughout the trip, I could see how God sent Charlotte, Yuka, Kellie, Alisa and other tourists to help me in one way or another. I dropped my camera pouch and gloves that there would always be someone to pick it up and handed it to me. I am indeed highly favoured, deeply loved and greatly blessed! In the end, I didn’t lose any of my belongings but came back blessed and refreshed. The girls had been amazing navigators leading the way, while I was blessed to be able to tag along and enjoyed the blessing. I was honoured by their kindness and patience towards me. They're wonderful company to me.
On our return flight, Charlotte had been an amazing friend like a sister to me helped carry my luggage to check in, put my hand-carry bags into the cabin and brought down my luggage from the rotating reclaim area. Not forgetting, we were also being blessed with a free ride to the airport too! Thanks, Charlotte!
Upon arrival into Heathrow Airport in London, I thought of renewing my monthly travel pass before price increase turned out to be not being properly updated onto my oyster card by the Heathrow Express customer service that I realised only when my pay-as-you-go ran out of credit. So, I got to travel all the way to Paddington last Tuesday on my workday and explained in length convinced them it was their customer service’s mistake. After praying and waited patiently for their help, somehow by the grace of God, the men at the counter with their manager secured the refund for me through phone and the manager asked me to wait for him to run back to his office to give me two complimentary first class Heathrow Express tickets. Isn’t God good?
To be honest, without all the mishaps I wouldn’t have realised how blessed and loved I am. In life, we might find ourselves in the midst of unfortunate circumstances but know that sorrow and pain are just a moment but great rejoicing is coming your way when you don’t give up trusting and hoping, still believing in God’s goodness, faithfulness, promises and love for you. Whatever you are facing at the moment, choose to trust Him and He surely has better plans for you, your family, relationships, church, career and nation. I’m aware of what is happening in Malaysia and the persecution you are facing. God is still in control and good shall surely overcome evil. Our nation is going through transition at the moment, it’s like the beginning of labour pain but let not our hearts be troubled neither let it be afraid (John 4:27), all of you will be protected.
Psalms 91: 14-16
“Because he loves Me,“ says the Lord, “I will rescue him; I will protect him, for he acknowledges My Name. He will call upon me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble, I will deliver him and honour him. With long life will I satisfy him and show him My salvation.”
Do read the whole passage of Psalms 91 which has always been a great encouragement and foundation of my faith in God.
A big THANK YOU to Charlotte, Kellie, Yuka and Alisa! Love you girls!
Praise be to God for He is Good, His loves endures forever! His faithfulness continues through all generations. (Psalms 100:5)
Each time when I called upon Him, He has never failed to respond and to help me be it ideas, solutions, creativity, provision or whatever the circumstances might be. He has never failed to impress! The same I pray you will experience and you shall be blessed much more in every area of your life from now and forevermore!
Beautiful songs to share:
At the cross: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eOY0mjjmx8Y
In Your Hands: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OyKbqVCtONA&feature=related
This is how we overcome: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z2GUB433INc
Jesus you are my best friend: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hFEHzHV8MJs&feature=related#
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