Synopsis:Listen to the heartwarming story of a pair of siblings, Lai Seng & Evon and how God brought reconciliation to their fragmented family.
Lai Seng:
Hey Evon, check out this photo!
Evon:
Oh yes, I was your cute younger sister. And… I think that day we fought over who could eat the snacks.
Lai Seng:
Why were we always fighting? Wow, we’ve come so far since then, haven’t we…
And hey… look there! That’s you 2 years back! You won an award for being one of the top advisors in your company.
Evon:
Yeah, and Lai Seng, that was a poster of you on the SMU wall!
Lai Seng:
Yes, in uni, my life looked really great on the outside, but that was not actually the case.
Hi everyone, today it’s Easter, it’s a time when we remember how our lives were changed by God. Everyone has a story, and today, we just wanted to share ours.
I used to look like I had it all, but there was little I had on the inside. I wanted to be someone people all looked up to.
I worked hard and secured a scholarship that paid for all my university fees. In SMU, I was on the Dean’s List for 4 consecutive semesters with a GPA of 3.88/4.
I also became the president of the SMU chamber choir. Actually, that was how I got featured on the SMU wall! Doing well was great, but all the success couldn’t fill the emptiness in my heart.
Watching too many Taiwanese dramas in my childhood made me think that getting into a relationship was the answer! So, I got into relationships. But once the emotional high of the relationship passed, I felt empty again.
Evon:
I wanted to look like I had it all too. From the moment I entered the workforce, I pushed myself hard. I quickly gained recognition from my bosses and was entrusted with large projects involving big clients. I also splurged on expensive bags and overseas trips. I lived the “credit card advertisement” lifestyle, yet those were all just a facade. There was a huge void in my heart. I turned to clubbing and drinking to drown out the purposelessness I felt. One morning, I got home after a whole night of clubbing and puking from an overdose of alcohol. I asked myself – is this really the way to live my life?
Lai Seng:
Not surprisingly, my relationship with Evon at home was HORRIBLE. If I said something she didn’t like she would SCREAM at me! It was the same with our mum too – once, she was very down but we didn’t care. We were strangers living under the same roof.
All this started to change when my friend invited me to HOGC in university. During my first visit, there was such tangible joy and peace in the atmosphere. If God was the reason behind everything I felt that day, then I decided that I couldn’t let this opportunity pass. I wanted to know Him more. So that day, I recommitted my life to Jesus!
Evon:
Lai Seng began to change at home. He was so much more joyful and… he was speaking in a gentle and loving tone to me! Whoa! So when he invited me to church, I thought “Why not?”
This was my first time in church! That day, I too felt the strong sense of love in my heart. I knew it was God. So, I became a Christian too!One reason why I grew to love church so much was because of the people. I used to be very skeptical when people were kind to me. So when the people in church were so nice, I thought that they wanted something in return. But they loved me without any agenda! They soon became my truest friends.
Lai Seng:
In God and church, I realised there was a different way to live my life! Once, I was going through a rough season. Then in service, Pastor Lia must have seen the concern on my face. She then laid hands on me and prayed. I was so moved…Another time, Pastor Lynette after a long weekend, met me and advised me in detail about my life. I was so moved; I saw through their lives, that life was not just about ourselves, but always living for others. Soon, like them, I found my purpose in leading others closer to God…As I grew in my character, I started to lead a group of university students. When I talk to them and guide them in their walks with God, my heart goes out to them. Seeing them reminded me of my old self…Nothing fills my heart more than seeing them encounter God and discovering God’s purposes for their lives!
Evon:
God also replaced my insecure thoughts with faith! Once, God spoke to me through the verse Deuteronomy 31:8. It says, “The Lord himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.” Whenever insecure thoughts creep into my mind… Instead of drinking, I pray. I didn’t need to prove anything to anyone, because God loves and accepts me the way I am.
This was one of the most significant moments I had in church. Pastor How and Pastor Lia met a few of us to find out about our lives! Pastors had tears of joy in their eyes when they told us how moved they were that God changed our lives…I was so touched seeing the amount of love they had for all of us.
Lai Seng:
God’s love started to flow into our family. Things at home went from cold wars to warm and loving words exchanged among us. I felt so much love and compassion for them, especially for my mum. I brought her out for meals when she was sad and she became visibly happier!
Soon, I invited my mum to church and we were so happy when she agreed! I remember so vividly the service… that day, she too became a Christian. Both of us couldn’t stop tearing.
Oh yes, I also fell in love here, got together with an amazing girl, Persis! And.. a few months ago, I proposed! She said YES! Yeah!
Evon:
Between us, we have grown from strangers to best friends. Aww! I never imagined that our fragmented family would become a warm home. It is here where friends become family, and family become friends. Today, we want to thank God. Our lives were all about chasing success and attaining the ‘perfect life’. Yet even with all those achievements, we were lost and empty. But now our hearts are full of purpose and joy. We dream to bring the love of God to all around us! Before we end, we just want to say something to everyone watching online…This Easter, if you don’t know God yet, open up your hearts to Him. Take a step of faith and we believe that your life will never be the same again!
