10 reasons why NS was for my benefit

On 10 Oct 10 (10/10/10), coming to 4 years after I completed my national service (NS) on 5 Nov 06, here are 10 reasons why NS was for my benefit - not all to do with NS in and of itself.

1. NS gave me the opportunity to meet people from different backgrounds.

2. NS gave me the experience of working in a uniformed organisation, something which will come in handy as I start work with the Singapore Prison Service.

3. NS gave me the experience of working as a junior officer in a uniformed organisation.

4. NS led me to start this blog on 29 Sep 05, 400 days to my operationally ready date (ORD).

5. I became a Christian during my NS days (I think).

6. In any case, I was baptised during my NS days.

7. NS taught me to trust in God, especially through Romans 8:28, 1 Corinthians 10:13 and 2 Corinthians 12:7-10.

8. NS meant that I would stay with my family in Singapore in 2005 and 2006, in the years immediately after my father passed away in 2004.

9. NS meant that I would go to York in 2007, which in hindsight was exactly the right time for me to go to York.

10. NS, and the news that my application for Masters funding was unsuccessful, meant that I would return to Singapore for good in 2010. I'm gradually seeing God's hand in this.

Given a choice, I would probably not have chosen to do NS. But God had other plans. Better plans. To take a verse out of context, 'surely it was for my benefit that I suffered such anguish!' (Isaiah 38:17, NIV)