Faith - Eternal Life Assembly

Honouring Our Pastors – Lives of Faith & Obedience

Joyce Tham — Sat, 26 Sep 2026 08:44:38 +0000

The Call to Abandon My Nets

God’s calling came when I was 20 years old and still studying in Polytechnic.

After winning the top prize in an international competition, I was offered promising career opportunities that could offer a significant career edge – the temptation was real!

Yet through Scripture and worship songs, God kept drawing my heart back to His call upon my life.

Like the disciples leaving their nets to follow Jesus, I learned that obedience sometimes involves sacrifice.

With no ministry blueprint, I declined all the opportunities. I wanted to obey God.

Front-row Seat to the Supernatural

Long before my ministry calling, I had front-row seats to the supernatural.

Growing up, my dad regularly opened our home to church members seeking prayer for healing and deliverance. Some would begin manifesting the moment they saw him and had to be carried into our house. They would take them into a room for prayer and deliverance.

Meanwhile, I would be in the next room trying to do my homework. All efforts to soundproof my room failed – I could hear everything.

Whenever my dad returned from his overseas crusade ministry trips, he would constantly show me videos and testimonies of healing.

Looking back, I realise those were formative years when God was exposing me to a world of ministry that would become a significant part of my calling.

In time, I, too, began witnessing healings for the people I had prayed for!

The Lonely Road of Obedience

Calling can be exciting. Obedience can be lonely.

In my 20s, while many conversations with friends revolved around careers, relationships, and starting families, I found myself returning from missions trips talking about healings, bombings, and moments of God’s protection from danger. I often felt like the oddball, unable to fit in and relate well with my peers.

After graduating from Bible school, I joined a church as a full-time staff and thought, “Finally! I’m stepping into everything that God has been calling me to!”

Instead, the first four years became my most difficult years in ministry.

I was moved from one department to another, struggling to find my main area of ministry. I felt unwanted and wondered whether there was really a place for me.

The future was a blur. The wait felt like forever.

But one thing remained clear: God had called me.

So I stayed. I served. And I kept obedient.

Into Deeper Waters

A significant turning point came when some church members and I accompanied my dad on his overseas healing ministry trips.

What we witnessed changed us.

We saw many people encountering God through healing and giving their lives to Jesus! We were so inspired that we wanted to begin a similar ministry in Singapore. That was the birth of Healing Room!

Initially based in my previous church, the ministry grew steadily and expanded to two locations!

Then, another unexpected call of obedience came.

I sensed God leading me out of the security of full-time church employment to serve the wider Body of Christ.

It was frightening.

Leaving church employment meant giving up my stable salary and stepping into a ministry that would need to raise its financial support.

Still, I trusted God. I resigned. And Jesus Heal Me was formed.

Stepping Out in Faith

In the early days of the ministry, I began writing to churches and organisations, sharing the vision and inviting people to partner with us.

God surprised me! Within the first month, enough funds came in to cover an entire year’s salary, including surplus!

God is faithful to provide where He leads.

What began as a mustard seed faith has grown beyond what I could have envisioned. Today, Jesus Heal Me serves churches across denominations and nations through healing services, gospel crusades, ministry training, and equipping believers to pray for the sick. All glory to God!

Multiplication

Yet, what gives me the greatest joy is not ministry growth but the multiplication of impact.

My heart leaps whenever those whom I have coached begin praying for the sick themselves and return with testimonies of healing. Some have gone on to equip their own church members and mission teams.

Equipped Jesus Heal Me team members praying and ministering to others

Ministry is no longer one person’s impact but multiplied through equipping. It is my greatest privilege to play a part in multiplying Kingdom impact!

When Healing Doesn’t Happen

Healing ministry also means learning to live with unanswered questions.

While we celebrate every testimony, there are also those who experience the pain of unanswered healing.

One lady on our team was known for praying for cancer patients—even while battling cancer herself. People she prayed for subsequently reported improvements in their cancer markers, and some reported that their tumours had disappeared.

Yet her own healing did not come. After three years of battling cancer, she went home to be with the Lord.

Before she passed away, I asked her if she was ever angry with God. Her answer stayed with me:

“When they are happy, I am happy.”

Those words taught me something profound about ministry.

We do not serve God to earn “healing merits” or be guaranteed a problem-free life.

We serve Him simply because we love Him, and it is our privilege to participate in His work.

I still struggle with unanswered questions, but they do not dismiss the testimonies of God’s power. I will continue walking with people through the miracles and the mysteries.

Finding Our Spiritual Family

As the ministry grew, my wife, Serene, and I discovered that God was restoring our need for belonging.

My frequent travels made it difficult for me to remain rooted in a small group, while Serene yearned for a community where she could simply be herself. That often came with the unspoken expectations of being “the pastor’s wife.”

Things worsened when the pandemic hit. We both longed for a church where we could serve, worship, build friendships, and simply belong.

After leaving my previous church, we found our spiritual home at Eternal Life Assembly.

There, Serene and I found genuine friendships. Serene also serves joyfully on the Missions Committee.

Ps Matthew and his wife, Serene, with friends made in Eternal Life Assembly

Knowing that Serene is loved, supported, and thriving brings me tremendous peace, especially as ministry continues to take me to different churches and nations.

God has faithfully met our needs as we remained obedient to Him.

One ‘Yes’ At a Time

Looking back, I realise that God’s calling was never about chasing extraordinary moments, but about consistently saying “yes” to Him, one step of obedience at a time.

I used to think calling was primarily about discovering what God wanted me to do. Over the years, I have learnt that

calling is just as much about who God is shaping us to be as it is about obeying Him.

Perhaps, the greatest lesson this journey has taught me is this: we rarely receive the whole roadmap when God calls. Usually, His call is an invitation to respond in trust and obedience — an ongoing relationship!

I have never regretted saying “yes” to God. Two decades since the Lord called me, I am still learning to respond the same way.

One “yes” at a time.

October is pastors’ appreciation month! As we honour our pastors, remember that behind every sermon preached, every prayer offered, and every life impacted are many unseen moments of obedience.

Let’s take a moment to thank our pastors for their dedication and faithful service to God and to us. What are some ways you can express your appreciation to them?
Is God calling you into an area of work or ministry? Who is He shaping you to be? Pray and speak to trusted believers or church leaders for guidance and accountability.

The post Honouring Our Pastors – Lives of Faith & Obedience first appeared on Eternal Life Assembly.

Shaped by God, Sustained by Grace: No longer “the girl with a chronic illness”, but God’s beloved daughter

Michelle Chiang — Sat, 25 Jul 2026 04:00:00 +0000

It began with increased thirst and urination, constant fatigue, and frequent cravings for sweet drinks. Then one day, I fell very ill, and my mother rushed me to the hospital. The doctor told her that I was in diabetic ketoacidosis – a life-threatening complication from Type 1 diabetes.

Had I gone to the hospital a day late, I would have died!

At eight years old, I did not understand what having Type 1 diabetes meant, nor expected needles, insulin, and medication to become my daily companions.

Besides pain, the injections also left scars on my abdomen and thighs, to the extent that my body was not absorbing the insulin well at one point, due to the build-up of scar tissue. The insulin pump would also malfunction because it could sense that it was unable to deliver insulin into my body.

While other children could freely enjoy ice cream, cakes, and sugary treats, I could only look at them longingly through the shop display windows.

There were activities such as swimming that I had to avoid too. School camp was out because my teachers did not allow it. I almost could not join the ultimate frisbee team because the teacher-in-charge was concerned about my condition.

Gradually, the burden of living with diabetes took over. Shame crept in as my lifestyle was different from my peers’. Fear of being seen as weak and fragile lowered my self-esteem. All the missed opportunities and the challenges my friends never had to think about made me resentful.

“The girl with a chronic illness” became an identity I gave myself.

As years passed, new worries emerged. Would I become a burden to my parents? Would anyone be willing to marry me? Could I have children, and would they inherit my condition? The future felt uncertain and discouraging, prompting countless cries to

God: “Why me?”

God did not answer my question.

In His time, He revealed His grace in the midst of my struggles.

Managing diabetes is something that cannot simply be put on hold. Any malfunctioning device or an unexpected change in blood sugar levels demands immediate attention. In those anxious moments, God gently reminded me to lift my eyes from my circumstances to Him.

One such occasion came during a school elective in India. The buttons on the insulin pump were stuck, and the pump could not work. That was my only pump for the trip, and the nearest help centre was at least two hours away. Panic set in.

My friends and my family in Singapore prayed for me fervently. God answered!

He gave my friends, who were trawling the Internet, the solution to fix the buttons. By His grace, I survived!

Even in everyday situations, God has reminded me of His care and of how real He is. There were times when only high-sugar or high-carbohydrate food was available. I would then have to administer more insulin to curb my blood sugars from spiking after meals. But there is no guarantee that my blood sugar would remain stable. Yet on many occasions, my readings had remained stable or risen only slightly. Medical science cannot fully explain this, but

truly, it is God’s gracious hand at work, even in the smallest details.

Experiences like these remind me that God is in control, even when life feels uncertain.

Over time, the condition I once resented became the very means through which

God taught me dependence

not on medication but on Him. Through every challenge, He has faithfully sustained me.

Spending time reading His Word, praying and growing in my relationship with Him led me to know who I am in Christ and to reconcile with my condition.

Yes, living with diabetes requires sacrifices, but they pale in comparison to Christ’s sacrifice for all who would believe in Him.

That truth has given me hope, purpose and strength to persevere.

“But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness. Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.”

2 Corinthians 12:9-10

As God continued to shape my heart,

He showed me that my identity is not defined by my illness or my limitations. I am a deeply loved daughter of the Most High King.

Indeed, the fears I carried were largely unfounded. New friends did not see me as “The girl with a chronic illness”. They accepted me for who I am. The truth that my identity is firmly rooted in God’s love freed me from the insecurity that had held me captive.

It gave me a new purpose – to live for God’s glory and serve Him faithfully.

Today, I embrace life with gratitude. Rather than dwelling on what I cannot do, I choose to focus on what God has enabled me to do through His strength. His love has given me the confidence to move forward with hope.

Years ago, a pastor prayed over me,

“God is going to turn your infirmities into inspiration for people”.

At that time, I could not imagine how that would happen. Looking back, God’s hand is evident throughout my journey with Type 1 diabetes. More than a story of living with a chronic illness, it is a testimony of God’s sustaining grace, unwavering faithfulness, and overflowing love.

His grace is unending, His love is overflowing, His mercies are new every morning.

Reflections:

“My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.”

2 Corinthians 12:9

Bring your “Why?” to God. Trust that even when He does not answer your questions, His grace will sustain you.
Let God shape you. Allow Him to use your struggles to transform you.
Look for God’s faithfulness every day. Recognise and thank God for His constant presence and provision, even in life’s ordinary moments.

The post Shaped by God, Sustained by Grace: No longer “the girl with a chronic illness”, but God’s beloved daughter first appeared on Eternal Life Assembly.

When Faith Was Blurry – a 2,800 degree prayer

Philip Sng — Sat, 25 Oct 2025 03:55:00 +0000

The Early Years

At three years old, Naomi’s parents took her for an eye check-up and discovered that she was severely myopic as a toddler, with 1,500 degrees of short-sightedness in each eye!

Her parents then realised why she often avoided bright, moving images, and she would always walk away from these light sources. She also showed no interest in watching television.

From that time on, after the eye check-up, Naomi wore thick, heavy glasses that became a defining part of her early life.

Naomi’s childhood was different from other children’s. She dreaded the yearly eye check-ups, with the painful eye drops and intimidating bright lights.

At ten, when her classmates enjoyed swimming lessons, she could not join them because she was too young to wear contact lenses at the time.

During physical education lessons in school, she would avoid ball games and often ran far away from any ball, constantly fearing that the ball would shatter her thick glasses.

Academically, Naomi’s parents lowered their expectations, hoping she could pass every subject without further straining her eyes, including passing over the opportunity to study Higher Chinese.

At twelve years old, Naomi’s eye retina had become overly stretched, and she underwent freeze-treatment surgery to prevent tear and detachment, spending a month after her Primary School Leaving Examination (PSLE) to recover from surgery.

Around that time, she learned about lens implant, a reversible procedure that could drastically improve vision. However, the high cost of the implant, at S$20,000, was far beyond her family’s means, and the idea was shelved indefinitely.

In Naomi’s growing-up years, she accepted that possessing blurred, imperfect vision was her reality.

She thanked God daily that she could still see and function, despite this eyesight limitation.

A Prayer

During a routine eye check-up in October 2022, Naomi’s doctor gave her the sobering news that her retina is weakening and she may lose her vision over time.

That day, Naomi was gripped with fear after receiving this sad piece of news. She chose to persevere in her faith in God and shared the doctor’s diagnosis with a few close friends. One of them, Si Qin, sent her this message:

“Just leave it to God. Pray for Him to restore and renew your retina, that He will give you a new pair of eyes when you wake up.”

Naomi thankfully responded with “Amen,” but silently wondered in her heart, “Is that even possible?”

The Decline

In the early part of 2024, Naomi’s vision began to worsen rapidly. She did not tell anyone. The prospect of losing her sight began to change everything for her.

Having experienced miraculous healings from God in the past, she believed God would heal her eyes. She prayed fervently, in her room, at the church altar, asking God to restore her sight so she could continue serving effectively in church ministry.

Instead of improving, her vision continued to deteriorate.

In June 2025, Naomi travelled alone to the United States for the first time. She could barely read the information signs at customs check counters and prayed her way through the process, leaning on God’s grace.

Two months later, she travelled to China on another work trip. Again, she could not see the information on customs check counters, but God provided a staff escort who accompanied her from the airport to the hotel.

During a meeting with a client in a brightly lit room, she was almost blinded by her eye floaters and blurred vision. Naomi was overwhelmed, physically and emotionally.

By September 2025, her eyes could no longer function normally. With much apprehension, she went to see her optometrist. After a lengthy thirty-minute check, she looked at Naomi tearfully and said,

“Your eye myopia is now 2,800 degrees. I can’t help you anymore. You need to consult your doctor immediately.”

Naomi broke down and cried.

Her optometrist said to her, “We will pray. Let’s believe in God’s miracle.”

Naomi’s doctor appointment was six days away. It was the longest six days of her life.

The fear of losing her vision completely terrified her, and every night, she was kept awake. She prayed fervently and sought out her close friends and churchmates to pray for her.

She prepared herself mentally and emotionally for the eventual outcome of the doctor’s visit.

The Turnaround

With bad news from her optometrist, Naomi was uncertain about what to expect from the doctor’s visit.

On the day of her medical appointment, her doctor said, “Miss Ng, you have mature eye cataracts and will require surgery as soon as possible to implant new lenses.”

Naomi was stunned. “Cataracts at thirty-eight years old?”

The doctor continued, “After surgery, you will be able to see clearly again—without glasses or contact lenses.”

She was unsure if she had heard the doctor correctly. “Did he say that she wasn’t going blind but she would be able to see clearly again?”

Naomi left the clinic overwhelmed with gratitude and joy. God has heard and answered her prayers, not in her timing, but in His.

God’s delay is not his denial. While she thought He was silent, He was preparing a healing experience beyond what she could fathom, not just to restore her eyesight, but to provide for the costs of the procedure completely.

What was considered out of reach when she was a child, is now covered under Medisave and company insurance.

When Naomi shared the good news with her close friend Si Qin, she reminded her of what she told her in 2022: “God will give you a new pair of eyes.”

Indeed, He did.

The Second Miracle

As part of pre-surgery checks, Naomi needed to undergo a retina scan, which revealed two blood clots. Due to early detection, these clots were treated in time. Indeed, God is all-knowing, abounding in His mercy and grace towards her.

Due to Naomi’s extremely high eye myopia and irregular retinal shape, her cataract surgery carried a higher risk.

Her doctor assured her, “Trust in His sovereignty. We live by faith, not by sight. Worrying is not of God—it’s a sin. Let’s pray.” These God-moments continually assured her of God’s abiding presence.

Naomi’s surgery was a success.

A New Vision

Today, every morning when Naomi opens her eyes, she can see her world vividly – sharper colours, clearer details. She no longer needed to depend on spectacle glasses or contact lenses. It is an experience that she has never savoured before.

To her, life has become cheerful and bright. Although she still needs to use reading glasses and can see floaters in her vision, she is deeply grateful to God for healing her blurred vision and giving her a new set of eyes to see His creation in all its beauty.

Naomi can now truly say: “I once was blind, but now I see.”

God has given her not just physical sight, but a new vision and zest for life.

Reflections:

What is an impossible 2,800 degree fear that stands before you today?

Impossibility vs Provision: : “God’s delay is not His denial” What does this mean for you today?
Faith in doubt: Faith isn’t the absence of doubt, but trusting God right in the middle of it.
A New Vision for Life: Do you need new eyes to see today what God sees for your life today? Ask Him to show you.

The post When Faith Was Blurry – a 2,800 degree prayer first appeared on Eternal Life Assembly.