Faith Story by Priscilla Tan
I am a dentist and I have two clinics. In the past I would work very hard, through lunch and after office hours. It was not because of the love of money. Rather, it was because of fear. My elder daughter has mild Asperger’s, and I worried for her. I thought I would need to earn more money for her future. I had come from a poor family – my family of 10 siblings stayed in a bamboo house. So, driven by this past fears, I worked extra hard to earn for my family. I know now that this was a lack of trust in God, and I was depending on my own strength and abilities.
During the MCO, I started to pay more attention to my health and began to exercise and eat a more balanced diet. Then I went for a medical check-up. To my surprise, I was told that my bone density showed signs of osteoporosis. I contemplated semi-retirement, and perhaps selling 1 or 2 of my practices. It was also then that I decided to attend Connect Group (CG). We had been attending the Sunday services, sitting at the back. As we moved nearer to the stage, we were spotted by sister Annie as newcomers and she invited us to attend her Connect Group.
The first time we attended CG, I was embarrassed because I could not stop tearing up when I was asked if I had any prayer needs. I believe it was the work of the Holy Spirit then – I was able to by myself and felt no need to appear strong. The members prayed for me, and I now call them my gogo and jiejie in Christ. I am amazed by their faith – they have so much confidence and trust in God, and are perfect examples of empowering one another.
When I attended my first Rhema module on faith foundation, I was turned around. The teacher called first time students to come forward and she prayed prophetically for us. As she prayed, I knew then that God had not left me alone all this time. I also knew that I just needed to release my faith; release it by speaking it aloud, by declaring it, like it says in Luke 17:5,6 (5 And the apostles said to the Lord, “Increase our faith.”6 So the Lord said, “If you have faith as a mustard seed, you can say to this mulberry tree, ‘Be pulled up by the roots and be planted in the sea,’ and it would obey you.)
Another truth I learned is that fear is the opposite of faith. I was so fearful that I could not see God’s promises for me. Now, the fear is gone and replaced by faith in God. I trust Him that He will take care of my family. I don’t need to worry for my daughter.
During the third Rhema module I attended on divine healing, I realised again that I needed to activate my faith, to trust God that healing is His purpose, and that this is for everyone who believes. Jesus died on the cross to bear all our sicknesses. So apart from taking better care of myself by doing some strength training, eating more wholesome foods, I changed from being someone who would google research about my blood reports to someone who reads God’s Word, declare His healing promises. Proverbs 15:13 tells us that a merry heart does good like medicine. A broken spirit dries up the bones. Yes, I had a worrisome heart. But now I have a joyful heart and the joy of the Lord is my strength!
Depending on myself, my own abilities and worrying about many things had stopped me from living what God had intended for me. It was like a force pulling my backwards, preventing me from serving the Lord and giving my best for Him. Thank God, one by one, He revived my faith and my trust in Him.
I have no intention of retiring from work, but I will slow down. After attending True Success Conference, I learned that there is more that I can do in my workplace for God’s glory. I am a workplace minister to bless my staff and the people who come to see me. I am also helping out in the CG, recently giving my testimony to the SkyCommunity students and I have signed up for the ushers/host team. I have started to invite people to Skyline, especially those with health needs. My husband who used to be reluctant to attend services and CG, happily provided gifts for the SkyCommunity students. My daughters decided to give 10% of their angpow money towards Faith Promise Day.
These transformations could only be possible because of God. As a teenager, I had been touched by a revival in a village near Taginambur; when I received the gift of tongues, it was like an electric shock went through my body. I served God when I was single but then focused on my family and my businesses. Through it all, God never forgot me. Many years have passed but God is still interested in my life. Not for a moment had He left me alone.
Now, He reminds me that the latter rain is greater than the former rain. He transforms my life. He is interested in your life too. We can be ministers wherever we are, being a light to bring souls to God. Glory to God.
Priscilla Tan