Was that what He wanted? Not an intercessory team. Not a cheerleading squad. Just, friends. Who would be with Him. Who would tarry with Him. To tarry is to stay longer than intended. And we did that a lot with Jesus. When the people had dispersed, we tarried. When the religious leaders had left, we tarried. When the miracles were done, the crowds fed, the sermons spoken, we tarried. We stayed longer than intended. Where else could we go? Only He had the words of life.

But tonight, far from the cacophony of the crowds, the chaos of ministry, was that what He wanted from us? To simply remain with Him? To watch with Him?

But how do you be a friend to a man… of sorrows?

The word “witness” in Greek is martys, which describes “those who after his example have proved the strength and genuineness of their faith in Christ by undergoing a violent death”. While not every believer is appointed to undergo a violent death, we are called to die daily (Matt. 16:24-26).

I believe God is raising up a generation who will make this cry their life verse, who will count all things as loss for the sake of knowing Jesus, who would lose their lives that they might gain Him. Even unto death.

Catch me up in your story
All my life for your glory
Put me anywhere, just put your glory in me
I'll serve anywhere, just let me see your beauty

On Pentecost Sunday 2015, a company of lovesick worshippers from across the nations of South East Asia gathered in the upper room of PenHOP for the live album recording of “Here in the Waiting”. I was so blessed to stand amongst this family.

I hate packing. Almost as much as I hate ironing. And that’s quite a lot :) Budget airline baggage restrictions haven’t made the process any easier. The only resulting good is that I can now instinctively tell when something weighs 15kgs, without a scale! Inasmuch as packing will remain a chore until the day they have professional packers [note to self: find out if there are such things as professional packers], it is a necessary step in preparation for a trip. And we all know that anything worth anything is worth preparing for. 

Growing up we used to joke that we should never pray for more patience because God would form it in us by making us wait. In an age where videos can be uploaded, viewed and shared globally in minutes, text messages can be sent, received and replied to in seconds, and Instagram-followers can find out what’s for dinner before your family members in the adjacent room, many in my generation would consider the archaic art of waiting an unfortunate annoyance to eliminate, rather than a valuable process to embrace. The irony of a millennial releasing an album centered on waiting is not lost on me.