Hello friends! Last week, we heard about Jimmy achieving his life goals one by one. But after his previous marriage, will he be able to build a stronger relationship with his new wife, Tricia? And what about his bankruptcy? Will he finally free himself from his debts? All praise God, with Jesus as his guide, those are no longer untouchable dreams.

Most of us dream or have dreamt of our partners in life. While true love is not a myth, it however takes a tremendous amount of work. Making sure that our partner feels loved requires commitment, understanding and effective communication.

With this in mind, Jimmy decided to learn what his wife and him could do to keep their relationship strong. They practised Gary Chapman’s concept of the five Love Languages—the different ways various people best show and receive love from others. Jimmy learnt to understand love via Dr Chapman’s book. By reading them, he discovered his unique love languages and learnt practical steps to build a lasting and loving marriage.

After working hard and saving diligently for five years with his wife, they finally bought a three-bedroom condominium for their family. Jimmy had also set up an alternative career plan that required no paper qualifications—one that was unique and focused on his strengths.

Jimmy worked on being uniquely unique— that is, how he could make himself stand out despite not having a degree. Indeed, a university degree is now quite common and it takes more effort to stand out.

During one of his motivational talks in a large multi-national company, someone asked him a question: “With Singapore being such a meritocratic society, how did someone like you who dropped out of school and became a bankrupt become who you are today? What’s your secret?”

To answer his question, Jimmy asked what was the minimum qualification required for a decent job?

“A degree,” he answered.

Next, Jimmy asked the floor for a show of hands. “Who in the audience had a university degree,” he asked. Almost everyone in the room did!

Then Jimmy asked, “How unique is the person beside you—is he or she commonly unique, or uniquely unique?” That got people thinking.

Dear friends, most people these days have paper qualifications. But if you increase your value to your colleagues and your company, you will eventually become uniquely unique—regardless of your formal education. You can do this by going the extra mile to help others.

Your actions and reactions define you. They can either bring you closer or further away from your goals. Jimmy was tired of being kicked around and determined to be so valuable that a company would fight to keep him instead of him fighting to stay.

Jimmy made it a point to stand out from everyone else by working on his personality and good attitude. He found out that if people spoke well about you in the office, you would be considered for opportunities.

So dear friends, be sincere in serving others at work. By doing so, you will make yourself almost indispensable. Be hardworking so people can depend on you to deliver.

You will know that you have made progress when you are invited for social events and people are disappointed when you cannot make it. This is the secret to promotions and monetary rewards.

I started to build brand trust and credibility by performing to my best ability and delivering my work on time. A smile with a kind word is the fastest way to make a connection.

You may think that it is important to know the key decision makers in the office. To Jimmy, others can also boost your image—even if they don’t make those decisions. For example, there was a time Jimmy was planning a big delivery to a key customer. However, one of the elderly delivery workers, Uncle Tan, fell ill. Jimmy went down to the warehouse and found out that Uncle Tan had diarrhoea.

Instead of being angry, Jimmy told Uncle Tan to have a good rest. Then, Jimmy drove to Boon Lay Shopping Centre to buy porridge. He had learnt that porridge is a natural cure for diarrhoea.

When Jimmy delivered the porridge to Uncle Tan, Uncle Tan was so touched that he started to tear up. He was expecting Jimmy to scold him for the delay! Indeed, with Jesus’ love, it helps us show more love towards other people.

During Jimmy’s company Dinner and Dance that year, many people came up to toast Jimmy. Jimmy later found out that Uncle Tan had told everyone about Jimmy’s kind behavior.

Jimmy’s experience reminds us that by connecting with people on an emotional level, you can boost your image and be known as someone who both does good work and cares for others.

In life, everything you say and do leaves a mark—either black or white.

Jimmy also applied this theory outside the office; he had a neighbour who would always ignore him. Despite this, Jimmy would greet his neighbour cheerfully without fail every day. One day, a few months later, the man asked, “Is your name Jimmy?”

The neighbor was so impressed that Jimmy never gave up wishing him good morning. They remain friends to this day!

On the other hand, Jimmy was aware that a few black marks could cancel out all the white marks and good credit he had achieved. To this day Jimmy works hard to collect as many “white marks” as he can— for as long as he can and the best he can. Every night before Jimmy goes to sleep, he tracks and records his “white marks”.

Over time, being helpful became a habit and people started to thank Jimmy. He felt appreciated and grateful. These were feelings that he had never experienced before, and he felt motivated to do more.

Jimmy also got promoted very quickly. Within six years, he was made a Senior Marketing Manager at his company—a publicly listed group with over 1,000 staff. This goes to show that academic qualifications may open doors for one, but how far one really goes depends on how many white marks he leaves behind! Jimmy applied this mentality to everyone he met – his suppliers, customers and colleagues. He wanted people to remember him. The tougher they were, the harder he worked.

When he was in sales, Jimmy would treat the most unlikely prospects exceedingly well knowing that he would eventually win them over with his goodwill. In his mind, Jimmy was serving his future customers! True enough, he eventually converted them into customers; they even wrote letters to his managers praising Jimmy for good service.

Through sheer determination, Jimmy found himself reversing his bad fortune and achieving his career dreams.

By 2007 Jimmy’s life was back in order. His bankruptcy was the only ’black mark’ left. By this time, Jimmy had become a regular churchgoer thanks to Tricia, who shared her Christian faith with him. She told Jimmy that he did not have to understand why everything happened to him. Jimmy just need to know that God loves him. She challenged Jimmy to make three wishes and leave them in God’s hands.

Jimmy listened to Tricia and did exactly that. He asked God to give him a new family, a steady career and to discharge him from bankruptcy.

18 November 2007 was the day of Jimmy’s baptism. As part of the church system, he had to share his testimony on stage. As Jimmy waited for his turn, the incredible reality of how God had worked in and through his life began to hit him; Jimmy suddenly felt overwhelmed with gratitude and thanksgiving . He prayed to Jesus.

I remember feeling a great sense of peace and an uncanny feeling of reassurance after I said that prayer. As I finished, it was my turn to share my testimony before going through the waters of baptism.

Jimmy told the church about how God had fulfilled his first two wishes. However, now he was surrendering the third to the Lord. “Jesus, I’m going to hand over this bankruptcy to you now,” he said.

Well, did his wish come true? My dear friends, God provides more than we could ever imagine!

Just a week later, Jimmy received a call from his mother. She told Jimmy anxiously that there was a government letter for him delivered to their house. The only government letters delivered in the past had contained bad news, hence her worry.

Jimmy immediately rushed over to receive the letter.

The letter had read: “I am pleased to inform you that you have been discharged from bankruptcy pursuant to an Order of Court dated 16 November 2007.”

Talk about a miracle! Jimmy looked at the date of discharge; it was on Friday and 17 November had been a Saturday. He had been discharged a day before his baptism!

God had already been at work behind the scenes. He knew my heart, and His timing could not have been more perfect. He gave me more than I could ever imagine or ask for.

In nine short years, Jimmy has achieved what he had set out to do in his ’Mission Impossible’ chart. He was a broken man when he wrote that. Now, his life is fulfilled. Nothing is impossible with the Lord.

Jimmy now knows that faith makes things possible and that God helps those who help themselves. There is some truth in it as God’s help is more likely to be effective if we do our part to help ourselves. He can do miracles, but we have to give our best as well for what we truly want.

We sincerely congratulate Jimmy for achieving all his missions. Praise be to God for leading Jimmy back to Him. But now that all his life goals have come true, how would Jimmy continue the journey of his growing faith with God? Come and listen to his story next Thursday. Stay tuned and good bye!