Right now I’m on a flight bound for Singapore and decided to read a few chapters of the Finding the Abundant Life book! Wanted to jot down a few things as it’s so encouraging and a wonderful way to live life as His Bride!!
The chapter that I really enjoyed today was chapter five, “It’s SO Worth the Wait.”
“For the vision is yet for the appointed time; It hastens toward the goal and it will not fail. Though it tarries, wait for it; For it will certainly come, it will not delay.” Habakkuk 2:3 NASB
That can apply to many different areas of our life and right now I’m thinking about how so many of my friends and extended family are engaged —soon to be married! He showed me how He’s replaced any kind of pain I would have felt (since I am still waiting) with joy for them and a peace or hope for my future!!! I don’t want an “Ishmael” by getting ahead of the Lord and after seeing what He has already done in my life RIGHT NOW, how could I ever lose trust?!! All that I need has already been obtained (I’m in love with Him and it’s forever) so whatever else comes is …added unto me!!
Chapter 4 was lovely too as it reminds us that if we are lacking in anything, we give what we have away!!! So again focusing on this area of my life that hasn’t YET been fulfilled —I get to sow into all my dear friend’s lives!!
I’ve ARRIVED! I’m here in Singapore!
My arrival began with a huge trial—that I later discovered was to prepare for an important meeting where I needed to be at my weakest so He could minister through me. I’d just pulled an all-nighter at the airport (nothing in comparison to what our sweet Sara experienced in Rome) and managed to sleep four hours before making my way to Tina. I specifically asked the Lord to allow me to know her in an “understanding way.” Tina said she found RMI after being in such a state of depression for more than a year where she locked herself in a room, wouldn’t shower for a month or two at a time, and while lying on the floor typed in “Marriage Restoration” and instead of Rejoice Ministries, which had popped up in the past —it was RMI!! She said that she submitted two forms, one to RMI and one to Rejoice—and she only heard back from us!!!
Tina said her life dramatically changed, but then years passed and she became discouraged again. That’s when Tina began tithing again, by sending it through me, so I had a tiny bit of interaction and Tina said she asked God to meet someone from the ministry, before that, specifically to meet ME. And that’s one reason HE sent me to Singapore! Her HH loves her that much!!
After she shared everything with me, I was able to encourage her, letting her know that her testimony is so powerful and to think of how many women she could reach and to never be ashamed! That my personal testimony isn’t as “powerful” as hers is but that’s because it was the Lord’s destiny as I’m the fruits of what my mother already went through and how she overcame ultimately resulted in me being spared.
Now my testimony is to share this with the world and encourage women that they too can impact the lives of their offspring and for future generations to come! Honestly, the moment I said that Tina’s face totally changed like she was no longer wrapped in shame! Something my mom wrote a lot about in her Living Lessons after she traveled around the world.
Then, on my third day, after resting, my day began by meeting another dear bride, Vivian. We met in Chinatown as I thought how nostalgic would that be since my mother told me it’s where she’d taken her during her short stay in Singapore! That was more than twelve years ago making me fourteen at that time!!
Vivian introduced me to the local Chinese porridge and coffee. We huddled around a small table shared by others in a sea of Singaporeans feeling the dense heat of the day. Wouldn’t have traded that experience for the world! What a gem she was to meet!! My mother told me that I would love her and I most definitely did! All smiles and moreover her eyes got teary every time she talked about the influence my mom had on her life. She said it meant so much to speak with a woman who was so real, unafraid to expose herself with what she had gone through and is still going through —to not only survive but thrive! I share this with you because as her daughter it’s pretty profound and makes me so thankful!! The Lord brought restoration to Vivian’s family by restoring relationships, and she is at such a joyful place with the Lord!!!
Vivian shared how she no longer wanted the corporate high-stress job and chasing after money. He was all she wanted. Her life transformed and is now a life to be envied by her female friends (they say this to her) who are still caught in that stressful lifestyle. She said that even though they have big houses and nice cars that they suffer from medical issues. Breast cancer and so forth that she does not have!! To top it off, she does not have any health insurance as she once did working in the corporate world —knowing that she has nothing to fear with HIS protection and provision if anything is needed.
The entire day was left open so that we could spend the day together. Before traveling to Singapore, I read up on places to visit and there was one place, in particular, that wasn’t going to be so easy to get to. Would you believe that Vivian asked if I’d been to Sentosa yet, and if not, that she would drive me there and how she had a season pass for the cable car?! The very place I’d hoped to go! Does the Lord love us or what? “Delight yourself in the Lord; and He will give you the desires of your heart.” Psalm 37:4 NASB
Because of Vivian’s season pass, I got my ticket at half price! And then, when we came around the corner from the ticket counter, we saw a massive line, and she apologized as it was the weekend, but none of that mattered to me! Suddenly about halfway through the queue, we were pulled to the front to ride with a family of four to make up the entire six per compartment!!! Vivian said she’d never witnessed that before and as I just mentioned she comes often having a season pass!!
We made our way to Fort Siloso (a free attraction) and a big part of Singapore’s History of becoming an independent country after WWII. I gained so much understanding and empathy for Singapore and what they underwent after being captured by the Japanese who seized power for three years until the final surrender and end of the World War with the bombing of Hiroshima. Japan had taken over Singapore as their own forcing the younger generation to learn Japanese, changed Singapore’s name and set the clocks to Tokyo time.
The incredible part about it all is how I was JUST in Japan visiting my cousin! And I “just so happened” to be standing in my aunt’s kitchen for the seventy-something year of the atomic bomb where they have a moment of silence to remember. And I knew that my aunt’s grandfather had all died during that fateful day. This was the second time it happened during my stays in Japan. It amazes me how these aren’t coincidences! It’s a way of showing us He’s SO apart of our lives!!!
I’m really looking forward to my next meeting with Vivian and talking more about our HH!!
Now He’s LEAD Sara & Tara along their own routes.
So, once again, be sure to FOLLOW His brides individually until they meet again back in Turkey to continue the LALTour together again!
Sara Tara are on Instagram #LALBride
If you’re one of His brides too— consider meeting to fellowship with them along their Abundant Life Journey. Sara is on her way to Brazil, while Tara is touring Asia: the Philippines, Japan, Singapore—then onto Australia!!
If you are serious about meeting either of our brides, please email:
We can let you know the dates and locations of where they will each be and forward your email on to them.
MINISTRY NOTE: Tara and Sara left Italy, after living in Sicily resting with their HH and doing ministry work—then departed from Rome—to continue on their LALTours alone with Him.
If you’ve just joined following the Encourager blog, it began when Tara met Sara and began traveling, with their first country Athens, Greece!! (Acts 17:16) then flew up to Dublin, Ireland and then traveled north by train to Belfast, Ireland. Belfast is where Erin’s grandfather was born and immigrated from.
After Ireland, they crossed the Irish Sea by ferry and made a short stop in Glasgow before heading to Edinburgh, Scotland.
Then Sara Tara took the train down to London, England where are meeting at least 3 brides who’ve contacted us! One is Adele whose RMT you read last Saturday “Was I Sincere in the Apologies I Made to Him?” They are so excited to finally meet her!
Their first stop on the European continent was PARIS—where they hadn’t even planned to go! Yet He lovingly orchestrated a meeting with two brides in Paris, France and also another bride (and former minister) after traveling through Vienna, Austria. Saturday they were so excited to meet and spend time with Aimée in Slovakia!!
Last Friday our brides were in Venice, Italy then stopped in Florence and Pisa before heading to ROME (their final destination along their LALTour). For the next six weeks, they will rest physically and work from Sicily.
If there is ONE principle we repeat and follow it’s He LEADS ME…
Psalm 23: 1-3—“The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures; He LEADS ME beside quiet waters. He restores my soul.”