Q: Since writing your first piece,

1. How has your new year resolutions been coming along so far?

2. What are some curveball that have been thrown at you, how have you managed to resolve these challenges?

3. Have you made any progress in your resolutions?

A: P.S. Thanks for your questions anon!

1. My new year’s resolutions aren’t going too badly. However, to be honest, the whole global climate being affected by the virus has come to affect my resolutions – as it might have with everyone! (And it’s also something no one was really anticipating when looking forward to 2020 LOL)

2. One example of a curveball thrown at me recently was the announcement of the extended circuit-breaker period. Because I’m into sports, some of my resolutions were definitely fitness-centred and it’s a lot harder to meet my goals if I don’t have access to gym equipment. Plus, beyond sports, I totally empathize with others when they’re bummed out with the cancellation of events in general, e.g. with A or B divs, school trips, and not meeting up with your friends over the holidays. :(

   However, this quote lifted my spirits when the extended circuit breaker was announced: “Staying positive doesn’t mean being happy all the time, it means that even on the hard days you know there are better ones coming”. Further, knowing that there are no good or bad emotions (just emotions), gave me the time to be okay with being “sian”, knowing that such feelings will pass. I mention this as it was a step toward resolving my personal goal of “meeting my resolutions”. Even though it wasn’t one of my explicit goals, I knew that learning about myself and how to healthily cope with different situations is important in growing up. So, knowing that I needed time to be sad before getting over it (regulating my emotions), looking toward the positives and brainstorming solutions to my challenges ended up helping!

   Practically, I started focusing on other aspects of fitness because I’ve lost my stamina HAHA so I started planning for runs. Weights-wise, I use things like rice bags, which honestly aren’t the best but I shall improvise, adapt and overcome with what I have (amiright).

   Regarding my other resolutions, I would say I am taking small steps toward meeting them. There are days where I lose motivation and I enter a low-key existential crisis about my current state of affairs, but ultimately knowing that God is in control of everything and that I’m still extremely blessed to be in Singapore and safe at home helps put things into perspective.

3. Lastly, all this extra time makes me want to use it wisely. During this season, I hope to look beyond myself and see what I can do for the world. This sounds really broad and perhaps impractical, but I think spending more time learning about others and knowing about the potential areas of help they require would be good for me.

   Adapting to things takes time and everyone’s pace is different, but I’m hoping everyone is keeping healthy and learning lots about the unpredictability of life – and knowing where to turn to (God, friends, family) when things get a little rough.

   ~ kthksbye

Q: When I read the Bible, i don’t understand alot of stuff!

1. Is there a routine of quiet time that you recommend?

2. Does quiet time mean i probably shouldn’t read from external sources?

Also really enjoying this segment! Thanks for keeping this up!

A:  Yes, the bible is definitely quite confusing a lot of the time!

1. A recommended routine is pretty much laid out in the practical tips section of the Dear Noah letter! Steps 3 and 4 don’t have to be done in a day. You can choose to pick up on reading one day and reflecting on the same passage the next. It might also help to write down all your reflections. Having a physical copy of the text is also easier for highlighting keywords and making annotations.

2. I want to emphasize again that it’s God that gives understanding through the Spirit, so always remember to pray to Him for help! Of course, that doesn’t mean that we ditch all external sources! I think it’s good to have some guidance sometimes where someone has already done the hard work and that work helps you to see what they have discovered. External sources can also provide some extra context and links to other passages that will help with your understanding, and even some ideas to help kick-start your learning in applying the passage to your daily life.

   Be careful about the material you choose though. Sometimes, devotional material may not be linked with the passage - this material might be motivational and even sound in its teaching, but it directs you away from the passage, rather than helping you understand it better and subsequently apply it. Make sure your focus is always the passage.Keep a critical eye on what you’re reading in the material, using the passage as a measure. Ask yourself, “Is this really what the passage is saying?”, especially given its
   wider context.

   I do want to encourage everyone to pick a book in the bible and try reading it without external sources, instead of receiving "digested content". If it is your first time trying this, you could start with one of the 4 gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke or John)! We tend to underestimate how much understanding God can give us with the Word and the Spirit. Of course, being equipped with some bible reading tools (e.g. repeated words) will also be of great help here. Poke your DGLs for suggestions.

   John Piper also lays some of them out in this article: https://www.desiringgod.org/articles/how-to-read-the-bible-for-yourself