7 Sept 2014 by Kim Yung-
Loo Ann grew up in the state of Malacca, with a big family of many siblings. Growing up, she did not have much knowledge about Christianity as her family was brought up with Buddhist beliefs. It was only when she moved out of her parents’ house and moved to Melbourne that she got to know the Lord.
A Series of Confusion which led to Revelation
While in Melbourne, 18 year old Loo Ann lived with her already married sister and her family; she recalled how her sister would make it compulsory to attend the church together on Sundays during her stay with her.
“I remember how I would sit right at the back. I wouldn’t sit with them as a family,” shared Loo Ann.
After numerous mundane Sundays, there was one particular Sunday at church that was unlike the others. The message preached that particular day somehow touched the core of Loo Ann’s heart which brought her to a stream of tears. Although she did not understand why at that time, everyone knew that the Holy Spirit was upon her; and when the altar call was made she found herself making her way to the front.
“On that day itself, I received the baptism of the Holy Spirit,” she said.
After a peculiar series of events, her sister and her family stopped going to church and so did Loo Ann. When she began studying in university where she pursued a double degree in Computer Science and Accountancy, she stayed with her brother and worked part-time in a Chinese restaurant. During this time, one of her friends would often try to encourage her to attend Church, where she would respectfully reject the offer. When she heard an Easter camp was coming up she was also hesitant to attend. The day before the camp, an overwhelming feeling of uneasiness swept over her. She could not explain it.
“I just felt like I just had to go for the camp, and because I could not get rid of that feeling I called my friend and said that I would go if it’s okay” she shared.
“At that camp the Lord really touched me, the message was very much about Moses and the burning bush and that encounter with God. From that day onwards I really gave my life to the Lord,” said Loo Ann.
From there, she built a strong foundation of faith by getting involved in Overseas Christian Fellowship and the navigators Bible study. All this happened in about a span of two years from the time she moved to Melbourne. Loo Ann and a bunch of her university friends even got involved in a church that was to kick off; it was called Hope of God. There, they served by doing little things such as helping to set up the chairs, cooking lunch, serving in the children’s ministry and more. When the Church wanted to build an outreach in the City Centre, it was her and her friends that helped pioneer it!
A New Season
While in university, it was prophesied that she would have a ministry in Malaysia. Loo Ann was about 22 years old when she graduated; she had a tough decision to make because it was time for her visa to expire and she did not want to leave Melbourne.
“I went to enrol in a Bible school but I could not get my visa extended no matter how hard the school tried. Finally the school team told me, ‘I think the Lord wants you to go home.’ I went home very disappointed,” shared Loo Ann.
The pastors over in Melbourne because they knew Pastor Jeremiah of New Life Church, wrote her a reference letter to attend one particular church in Malaysia because they knew she would be well taken care of there. There, she became part of the initial group that started the youth ministry in that small church while she simultaneously began her life in the corporate world in I.T. (Information Technology). At the beginning, she really struggled with the working life and serving God at the same time. The time was tiring but somehow her focus kept her going in the youth ministry.
Do Not be Discouraged!
She met her husband Kenneth in that same youth ministry and he proposed to her soon after. As we all know, nothing in life is without troubles and it wasn’t always smooth sailing. Loo Ann was diagnosed with Endometriosis before she got married. It really hit her hard.
“I was having severe pain! They thought I was having appendicitis and proceeded with operation. When they cut me up they found that the appendix was fine. So the doctor looked around and found a 10 centimetre blood cyst in my ovary” she said.
They immediately proceeded to remove the cyst and they told her that she would have trouble conceiving. This incident discouraged her but she continued strong with her faith in God!
Trust in the Lord with all your heart,
and do not lean on your own understanding.
6 In all your ways acknowledge him,
and he will make straight your paths.
7 Be not wise in your own eyes;
fear the Lord, and turn away from evil. (Proverbs 3:5-7)
Miraculously just a month into her marriage, she gave birth to a baby girl!
“The Lord is good!” she shared.
In the second year into her marriage, she was head hunted and offered a job in San Francisco, she however turned it down because she felt that the Lord wanted her to be in Malaysia. Her growing family caused her to quit her corporate job and explored teaching, contract work, and pursued many other things as she moved forward.
During her and her family’s growth, she soon gave birth to a son! As a family, they continued to loyally serve the Lord. Loo Ann shared that she would leave her job because of difficulties of juggling family life, but it never once crossed her and her husband’s mind to cut down on ministry.
“We had determined that we would always serve God as a family, that nothing would distract us. That became like a guide for us,” she shared.
The Power of the Word
During her time of pursuing contract work, she experienced the uneasiness of an unconducive working environment which allowed employees to smoke while working. She prayed hard to quickly finish the job that was estimated to finish in three months.
“The Lord gave me so many insights in my job,” she shared. Through prayer and persistence she managed to finish it in a span of three weeks!
After she was done however, the constant smell of smoke that surrounded her continued to affect her even after she left. Her sinus continuously got worse to the point that she could not stay in air-conditioning or even sleep at night without having at least three pillows under her head. This stayed on with her for many years from before she was even pregnant with her son.
“It got so bad that it came to a point where she told the Lord, ‘They told me that there is no cure but that I can go for operation. I will not go for operation but I will confess every day the scripture that says ‘By your stripes I am healed’ (Isaiah 53:5),” she said.
Every day she would confess this portion of scripture!
“One day all of a sudden, it just happened that I was having less difficulty breathing and over the course of time, I gradually did not have any problems breathing anymore. This was just by confession!” shared Loo Ann.
So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. (Isaiah 41:10)
The Lord is Good
Through her experiences in life and faithfulness to the Lord she received, the Lord’s favour into her life.
“Our first focus is serving Him, so we never had problems with work and all that. The Lord always provided,” she shared.
In the year 2007, her husband Kenneth was ordained a Pastor and then following that, she and her husband were approached by New Life Church to take over New Life in Puchong as pastors. In the year 2008, they took over and they have been serving there as pastors ever since!
In the year 2012, they felt that the Lord wanted them to resign from where they were in the corporate world. From there they started their own business in Engineering.
“The Lord has been good. Having our business has helped us manage our time better. We are very much a husband and wife team in Church and in our business,” she shared.
Through her years of walking with the Lord she shared, “I have learnt that I mustn’t separate secular from the sacred. My initial years of working life I remember really struggling having to work and serve the Lord. I think the real problem was compartmentalizing, that ministry was God and work was work.
“That was the reason why there was strife and struggle. I realised that our life is ministry itself, that our life is a service to God. Over the years I’ve learnt that, as long I learn to live out my life in Christ, doesn’t matter whether it is work, family, or ministry; they are all one because I am one with the Lord” shared Loo Ann encouragingly for all to know.”
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