They both grew up in church and were aware of each other\u2019s existence. But they were not friends.<\/p>\n
Cornelius Wang, then a leader of a teen group at Church of Singapore (Marine Parade), knew of Amanda Lim as the outgoing and \u201chigh profile\u201d worship leader in church.<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/saltandlight.sg\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/WhatsApp-Image-2026-03-24-at-9.20.56-PM.jpeg\")
<\/p>\nCornelius (second from left, back row) with his church friends.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/saltandlight.sg\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/WhatsApp-Image-2026-03-24-at-9.20.35-PM.jpeg\")
<\/p>\nAmanda (second from left) growing up in church.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
It was in June 2018 that their paths crossed. Amanda joined their church\u2019s annual Bible camp at the very last minute \u2013 someone else had dropped out and she was asked if she would like to go.<\/p>\n
She agreed, and was made assistant leader to Cornelius, who was the lead facilitator to a teen group at the camp.<\/p>\n
Their first meeting at the camp was awkward. Amanda was late and Cornelius was seated right at the end of a large table filled with teenagers. They both had to stretch out their hands to greet each other across the table and introduce themselves.\u00a0<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/saltandlight.sg\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/WhatsApp-Image-2026-03-24-at-9.21.25-PM.jpeg\")
<\/p>\nAmanda (far left) and Cornelius (centre) with other young adults at the annual bible camp.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
During the camp, Cornelius and Amanda spent a lot of time hanging out with each other, together with a small group of other young adults.<\/p>\n
First impressions\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n\u201cI found her bubbly and talkative,\u201d said Cornelius, now 33. \u201cI knew that she had a heart condition, but that was about it.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/saltandlight.sg\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/Compassion_Salt-and-Light-mRec_72dpi.jpg\")
<\/a><\/div>\nAmanda, on the other hand, found Cornelius introverted, but noticed that he liked to tease her from time to time.<\/p>\n
Once, she and a friend were having a conversation about the way to do quiet time. The friend said that it usually took him half an hour. Out of nowhere, Cornelius piped in to say that quiet time for him could last up to two hours, as he would pray, worship and read the Bible during that time.<\/p>\n
\u201cI was like, \u2018Serious or not?\u2019\u201d laughed Amanda, now 32. \u201cBut it impressed me and he caught my attention.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
After the church camp, that group of young adults persuaded Cornelius to join a young adult cell group. Although he had been leading a group of teenagers, he did not belong to a cell group of peers.<\/p>\n
He decided to join Amanda\u2019s cell group since he already knew several people there.<\/p>\n
Amanda, being a core member of the group and having interacted with him during the camp, was tasked to \u201cfollow up\u201d with Cornelius, the new member.<\/p>\n
As such, she began texting and talking with him frequently. They both loved to talk about God and worship, and they soon discovered a shared passion for playing the guitar.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Cornelius recalled: \u201cShe conversed well and I found her attractive because our values aligned. But I did not have plans to ask her out because I had just gotten to know her not too long ago.\u201d<\/p>\n
Unbeknownst to him, Amanda had taken a liking to him because he was godly.<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/saltandlight.sg\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/WhatsApp-Image-2026-03-24-at-9.21.53-PM.jpeg\")
<\/p>\nAmanda (in red) and Cornelius (next to her) hanging out with their cell group mates.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
As time wore on, Cornelius began to suspect that Amanda was interested in him \u2013 she would text him daily even when he didn\u2019t follow up on some conversations.\u00a0<\/p>\n
One night in October 2018, Cornelius was on lying on his bed pondering this when he suddenly heard God speak.<\/p>\n
\u201cI have the best for you\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n\u201cDo you believe that I have the best for you?\u201d God asked him. It came in the form of a thought that was impressed upon his heart.<\/p>\n
\u201cYes, I believe. I want Your best for me. I know You will not shortchange me,\u201d Cornelius responded.<\/p>\n
A week or two later, Cornelius was at home when he felt God prompting him about Amanda even when he was not thinking about her.<\/p>\n
Unsure whether it was truly from God or from his own thoughts, he ignored the prompting.<\/p>\n
The next night, Cornelius was in bed when he felt a strong urge to get up to pray about his friendship with Amanda.<\/p>\n
\u201cI tried ignoring it and told God that I really wanted to sleep. But somehow I couldn\u2019t, so I knelt down and prayed,\u201d he told Salt&Light.<\/p>\n
\u201cI talked to God about how I wanted His best for me. I said that He would have known that Amanda and I have been texting quite a bit. I asked Him to lead me and committed my ways to Him.\u201d<\/p>\n
It was only after he prayed that peace came and he fell asleep.<\/p>\n
Two days later, Cornelius was playing his guitar when he felt God remind him about Amanda.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe impression was so strong and clear that I felt I had to tell my mother about it. I believed that God was pointing Amanda out to me,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
He told his mother what he sensed from the Lord. However, she had some concerns and did not seem supportive.<\/p>\n
A progressively fatal disease\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\nIt was known among the members of their church that Amanda\u2019s older sister had died at the age of seven, from the same heart condition.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The sisters and their father suffer from a condition called Primary Pulmonary Hypertension. It affects the pulmonary arteries and capillaries and leads to fatigue, breathing difficulties and eventually, heart failure.<\/p>\n
When Amanda was diagnosed with the same condition in 2017, her doctor told her that she likely only had about 10 more years to live. The condition is hereditary and their father has a mild form of it.<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/saltandlight.sg\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/WhatsApp-Image-2026-03-29-at-8.30.27-PM.jpeg\")
<\/p>\nAmanda with her older sister.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\u201cI knew Amanda\u2019s condition was aggressive but I didn\u2019t know how bad it could get. She looked healthy and could walk on her own, albeit more slowly than other people. Her father is also still living with it. So, I didn\u2019t think much about her medical condition,\u201d said Cornelius.<\/p>\n
Given his mother\u2019s hesitation, Cornelius felt that there was no rush to pursue Amanda. He decided to remain friends with her, and prayed for God to change his mother\u2019s mind should God really intend for him to take things further with Amanda.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, the pair continued texting every day. It eventually came to a point when Cornelius felt he needed to meet up with Amanda. When Cornelius finally asked her point blank why she was so consistent in texting him, she refused to say much.<\/p>\n
\u201cI thought about my illness and felt maybe it would not be fair to Cornelius if I confessed my feelings,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
Towards the end of their conversation, Cornelius told Amanda that he found her attractive. Unable to contain her feelings any longer, she told him she felt the same way.<\/p>\n
However, they parted from the meeting with the decision to remain as friends. Cornelius told Amanda about his mother\u2019s hesitation and also that he felt they had not known each other very long.<\/p>\n
So they continued texting daily, but did not date.<\/p>\n
A strong prompting\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\nOn the morning of December 21, 2018, Cornelius woke up and went about his usual morning routine \u2013 a time of worship, prayer and reading the Bible.<\/p>\n
While he was praying, he experienced a strong prompting from God about Amanda, both in his mind and in his spirit.<\/p>\n
\u201cUsually, what happens is when I pray about what I am burdened for, it lifts and I can carry on with my morning devotion. But after praying about Amanda, the prompting was still so strong that I could not focus on reading the Bible,\u201d said Cornelius.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt was clear to me that God was pushing us forward and we needed to take it to the next level,\u201d he told Salt&Light.<\/p>\n
Cornelius told his mother about the strong prompting he received from the Lord and how he could not ignore it this time.<\/p>\n
Despite her reservations, his mother accepted his decision.<\/p>\n
On the same day, Cornelius texted Amanda to ask if she would seriously consider dating him. The text took Amanda by surprise.<\/p>\n
\u201cI did not expect it because I also had reservations about my own illness. But I was also happy. I told him I would pray about it,\u201d she recalled.<\/p>\n
When she prayed, she felt \u201csettled\u201d and had a sense of \u201cpeace\u201d, so she agreed that they would start dating.<\/p>\n
\n\u201cIf you feel that you are of marriageable age and you want to start a family soon, I am not suitable for you.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
Their first date was a picnic outing at Singapore Botanic Gardens, near Amanda\u2019s home.<\/p>\n
Cornelius prepared grapes and potato chips to snack as they sat on the green lawn. He also created a bouquet of chrysanthemums to present to Amanda.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt was very sweet, but I found the flowers ugly because it was a bunch of chrysanthemums wrapped in purple-coloured paper,\u201d recalled Amanda with a laugh.<\/p>\n
At the end of their first date when Cornelius sent her home, reality started sinking in for Amanda. They had talked about her illness before, but she felt that she had to broach it again.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf you feel that you are of marriageable age and you want to start a family soon, I am not suitable for you,\u201d Amanda told him upfront. Having Primary Pulmonary Hypertension meant that she could not have children because pregnancy would be too stressful for her heart and lungs. She also knew that she was dying and had limited time left.<\/p>\n
Cornelius was undeterred. Without missing a beat, he answered her earnestly: \u201cIf God wants to heal you, He can heal you. If God wants to give us children, He can.\u201d<\/p>\n
To some, his answer might have come across as glib and a Christian clich\u00e9, but Cornelius was speaking from the heart.<\/p>\n
A journey of repentance and rebirth<\/span><\/h2>\nJust the year before in 2017, Cornelius had his own spiritual \u201crebirth\u201d experience with God. While doing an exchange programme overseas, he found himself entangled with a fellow classmate and falling into sexual sin.<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/saltandlight.sg\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/WhatsApp-Image-2026-03-29-at-8.28.52-PM.jpeg\")
<\/p>\nCornelius travelling in Iceland while on an exchange programme overseas.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\u201cI continued with it even when I returned to Singapore. But I knew God was trying to win my heart back,\u201d said Cornelius.<\/p>\n
After a few months, he decided to repent before God and put an end to the relationship.<\/p>\n
\u201cGod met me powerfully when I repented. He poured out His love for me and I began to experience the magnitude of His love for me and His delight in me,\u201d he told Salt&Light.<\/em><\/p>\nHaving experienced a glimpse of the Father\u2019s love and Spirit being poured out into him, his morning devotion time with God was never the same again. Every morning from then on, he pursued God wholeheartedly, thirsting for a deeper measure of intimacy with the Lord.<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/saltandlight.sg\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/WhatsApp-Image-2026-03-29-at-8.55.31-PM.jpeg\")
<\/p>\nWhat Cornelius\u2019 quiet time with the Lord looks like every morning.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
Knowing that he had heard God clearly regarding Amanda being \u201cthe best\u201d for him, Cornelius did not waver in his decision to pursue her, despite her having a severe medical condition.<\/p>\n
When Amanda heard Cornelius\u2019 response, she felt his conviction and was greatly moved.<\/p>\n
\u201cI was surprised at how easy Cornelius took it. I thought my illness would be a barrier. Cornelius is clearly a good and godly man who knows God and fears Him. Wondering what was this unusual journey that God was taking both of us on, I accepted his pursuit,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
Over the next two weeks, they went for a few more dates in nature spots such as walking around the quarry in Bukit Timah.<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/saltandlight.sg\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/WhatsApp-Image-2026-03-24-at-9.23.49-PM.jpeg\")
<\/p>\nBoth of them enjoyed going on dates at nature spots in Singapore.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
By the end of the two weeks, Amanda sensed that God wanted her to fully disclose the nature of her past relationships to Cornelius. It was not easy for her to confess, neither was it easy for Cornelius to hear.<\/p>\n
As he wrestled with her disclosure, silence fell between them. They did not continue texting each other for two days.<\/p>\n
\u201cI thought that\u2019s it \u2013 I only get to enjoy two weeks of dating before we break up. But God spoke to me about how He will make a way even when I felt stuck,\u201d Amanda recalled.<\/p>\n
As Cornelius sat before the Lord with a troubled heart, God gave him a renewed perspective.<\/p>\n
\u201cHaving experienced God\u2019s love and forgiveness towards myself, I knew He wanted me to extend the same to Amanda,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cBesides, if He told me that Amanda is \u2018the best\u2019 for me, then He would already have known about her past and factored all of these in,\u201d he reasoned.<\/p>\n
Cornelius broke the silence between them and asked to meet. When they met at the common area below her apartment, Amanda braced herself for a breakup.<\/p>\n
Instead, Cornelius told her that he forgave her for what she had done in the past and also asked for her forgiveness for his own trespasses.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt was surreal. The Lord had really blessed me with a godly man who was willing to accept me as I was. I chose to receive it instead of pushing him away,\u201d Amanda told Salt&Light.<\/p>\n
With these obstacles out of the way, they got together as a couple that day: January 10, 2019.<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/saltandlight.sg\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/WhatsApp-Image-2026-03-24-at-9.23.49-PM-2.jpeg\")
<\/p>\nAmanda and Cornelius got together on January 10, 2019.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
After two months of dating bliss, Amanda was filled with so much joy that she found herself asking God one night if she could marry Cornelius.<\/p>\n
\u201cI don\u2019t take that for granted seeing how my past relationships did not work out and also because of my major illness,\u201d said Amanda.<\/p>\n
An answered prayer\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\nShortly after, Cornelius\u2019 mother began to broach the topic of him having to move out after marriage. Cornelius began looking out for a suitable Built-To-Order (BTO) flat and planning his proposal.<\/p>\n
On 21 December 2019, Cornelius proposed to Amanda at her home with a heart-shaped diamond ring. The date was significant to Cornelius as it was one year after he felt God strongly prompting him about Amanda.<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/saltandlight.sg\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/WhatsApp-Image-2026-03-24-at-9.24.26-PM.jpeg\")
<\/p>\nCornelius pulled off a successful proposal at Amanda\u2019s home.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
At that time, Amanda could still walk on her own, but she needed to pause and take breaks along the way. On some outings, Cornelius would carry her bag.<\/p>\n
After their engagement, COVID took the world by storm.<\/p>\n
The couple had to jump through various hoops in preparation for their wedding in order to abide by the laws and measures then. Yet the biggest obstacle they had to face had nothing to do with COVID measures.<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/saltandlight.sg\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/WhatsApp-Image-2026-03-24-at-9.24.36-PM.jpeg\")
<\/p>\nA gathering of both Amanda\u2019s and Cornelius\u2019 families.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
Two weeks before their wedding in August 2020, Amanda\u2019s health took a turn for the worse.<\/p>\n
\n\u201cWe don\u2019t have to get married. Else, you will have to watch me waste away.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
The doctors said she was deteriorating significantly faster than they expected and asked her to join a new clinical trial study. As part of the study, she would receive a new drug but she had to be prepared for its side effects. \u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n
Doubts of whether they ought to go ahead with the marriage assailed Amanda.<\/p>\n
\u201cThough Cornelius has always consistently shown his love and commitment to me, I realised I still had the power to say no, to not sign the marriage papers,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
Tearfully, Amanda broke the latest bad news about her health to Cornelius.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe don\u2019t have to get married. Else, you will have to watch me waste away,\u201d she told him.<\/p>\n
Still \u201cGod\u2019s best\u201d for him<\/span><\/h2>\nDespite the bad medical report, Cornelius was clear about what he had to do.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe circumstances don\u2019t change what God has been saying to me, and the consistent way in which He has been leading us. If the latest medical report does not catch God off guard, then I will not doubt that Amanda is still God\u2019s \u2018best\u2019 for me,\u201d Cornelius said.<\/p>\n
He replied firmly to Amanda: \u201cI cannot force you to marry me, I only can urge you to marry me. I don\u2019t fully know the implications of us going ahead, but I want to go ahead with this.\u201d<\/p>\n
In the face of his resoluteness, Amanda acceded.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt felt right to continue on this journey that God has been taking us on. Whenever He takes me home, He takes me but I want to make my life count while I am here,\u201d she told Salt&Light.<\/p>\n
On August 8, 2020, Cornelius and Amanda had their wedding at a rooftop restaurant on the 40th floor of the CapitaGreen building.<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/saltandlight.sg\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/WhatsApp-Image-2026-03-29-at-8.01.17-PM.jpeg\")
<\/p>\nThe happy couple on their wedding day.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
The day before the wedding Amanda still wondered if they would really get married.<\/p>\n
The plan was for Cornelius to move into her parents\u2019 home while they waited for their own flat, and she was due to further her studies \u2013 Master of Arts in Ministry \u2013 at a Bible college next.\u00a0<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/saltandlight.sg\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/WhatsApp-Image-2026-03-29-at-8.05.25-PM.jpeg\")
<\/p>\nThe couple saying their vows in front of their loved ones in the midst of a raging Covid-19 pandemic.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
As they said their vows in front of their loved ones under a bright sky, the pair knew that the God who brought them together would also be the same God who would see them through the uncertain days ahead.<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n
Little did Cornelius know that Amanda would soon be wheelchair-bound, needing constant oxygen support and that they would have to take an air ambulance to the US so she could be placed on the waiting list for a lung transplant which would cost a few million dollars. While waiting for a donor, Amanda had planned to take another new trial drug that was only available overseas at a cost of SGD19,000 a jab, to be injected once every three weeks.
<\/em><\/p>\nRead Part 2 of their story here<\/a>. <\/em><\/p>\nRELATED STORIES:\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n\n
<\/a><\/div>\nAmanda, on the other hand, found Cornelius introverted, but noticed that he liked to tease her from time to time.<\/p>\n
Once, she and a friend were having a conversation about the way to do quiet time. The friend said that it usually took him half an hour. Out of nowhere, Cornelius piped in to say that quiet time for him could last up to two hours, as he would pray, worship and read the Bible during that time.<\/p>\n
\u201cI was like, \u2018Serious or not?\u2019\u201d laughed Amanda, now 32. \u201cBut it impressed me and he caught my attention.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
After the church camp, that group of young adults persuaded Cornelius to join a young adult cell group. Although he had been leading a group of teenagers, he did not belong to a cell group of peers.<\/p>\n
He decided to join Amanda\u2019s cell group since he already knew several people there.<\/p>\n
Amanda, being a core member of the group and having interacted with him during the camp, was tasked to \u201cfollow up\u201d with Cornelius, the new member.<\/p>\n
As such, she began texting and talking with him frequently. They both loved to talk about God and worship, and they soon discovered a shared passion for playing the guitar.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Cornelius recalled: \u201cShe conversed well and I found her attractive because our values aligned. But I did not have plans to ask her out because I had just gotten to know her not too long ago.\u201d<\/p>\n
Unbeknownst to him, Amanda had taken a liking to him because he was godly.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\nAmanda (in red) and Cornelius (next to her) hanging out with their cell group mates.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
As time wore on, Cornelius began to suspect that Amanda was interested in him \u2013 she would text him daily even when he didn\u2019t follow up on some conversations.\u00a0<\/p>\n
One night in October 2018, Cornelius was on lying on his bed pondering this when he suddenly heard God speak.<\/p>\n
\u201cI have the best for you\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n\u201cDo you believe that I have the best for you?\u201d God asked him. It came in the form of a thought that was impressed upon his heart.<\/p>\n
\u201cYes, I believe. I want Your best for me. I know You will not shortchange me,\u201d Cornelius responded.<\/p>\n
A week or two later, Cornelius was at home when he felt God prompting him about Amanda even when he was not thinking about her.<\/p>\n
Unsure whether it was truly from God or from his own thoughts, he ignored the prompting.<\/p>\n
The next night, Cornelius was in bed when he felt a strong urge to get up to pray about his friendship with Amanda.<\/p>\n
\u201cI tried ignoring it and told God that I really wanted to sleep. But somehow I couldn\u2019t, so I knelt down and prayed,\u201d he told Salt&Light.<\/p>\n
\u201cI talked to God about how I wanted His best for me. I said that He would have known that Amanda and I have been texting quite a bit. I asked Him to lead me and committed my ways to Him.\u201d<\/p>\n
It was only after he prayed that peace came and he fell asleep.<\/p>\n
Two days later, Cornelius was playing his guitar when he felt God remind him about Amanda.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe impression was so strong and clear that I felt I had to tell my mother about it. I believed that God was pointing Amanda out to me,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
He told his mother what he sensed from the Lord. However, she had some concerns and did not seem supportive.<\/p>\n
A progressively fatal disease\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\nIt was known among the members of their church that Amanda\u2019s older sister had died at the age of seven, from the same heart condition.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The sisters and their father suffer from a condition called Primary Pulmonary Hypertension. It affects the pulmonary arteries and capillaries and leads to fatigue, breathing difficulties and eventually, heart failure.<\/p>\n
When Amanda was diagnosed with the same condition in 2017, her doctor told her that she likely only had about 10 more years to live. The condition is hereditary and their father has a mild form of it.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\nAmanda with her older sister.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\u201cI knew Amanda\u2019s condition was aggressive but I didn\u2019t know how bad it could get. She looked healthy and could walk on her own, albeit more slowly than other people. Her father is also still living with it. So, I didn\u2019t think much about her medical condition,\u201d said Cornelius.<\/p>\n
Given his mother\u2019s hesitation, Cornelius felt that there was no rush to pursue Amanda. He decided to remain friends with her, and prayed for God to change his mother\u2019s mind should God really intend for him to take things further with Amanda.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, the pair continued texting every day. It eventually came to a point when Cornelius felt he needed to meet up with Amanda. When Cornelius finally asked her point blank why she was so consistent in texting him, she refused to say much.<\/p>\n
\u201cI thought about my illness and felt maybe it would not be fair to Cornelius if I confessed my feelings,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
Towards the end of their conversation, Cornelius told Amanda that he found her attractive. Unable to contain her feelings any longer, she told him she felt the same way.<\/p>\n
However, they parted from the meeting with the decision to remain as friends. Cornelius told Amanda about his mother\u2019s hesitation and also that he felt they had not known each other very long.<\/p>\n
So they continued texting daily, but did not date.<\/p>\n
A strong prompting\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\nOn the morning of December 21, 2018, Cornelius woke up and went about his usual morning routine \u2013 a time of worship, prayer and reading the Bible.<\/p>\n
While he was praying, he experienced a strong prompting from God about Amanda, both in his mind and in his spirit.<\/p>\n
\u201cUsually, what happens is when I pray about what I am burdened for, it lifts and I can carry on with my morning devotion. But after praying about Amanda, the prompting was still so strong that I could not focus on reading the Bible,\u201d said Cornelius.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt was clear to me that God was pushing us forward and we needed to take it to the next level,\u201d he told Salt&Light.<\/p>\n
Cornelius told his mother about the strong prompting he received from the Lord and how he could not ignore it this time.<\/p>\n
Despite her reservations, his mother accepted his decision.<\/p>\n
On the same day, Cornelius texted Amanda to ask if she would seriously consider dating him. The text took Amanda by surprise.<\/p>\n
\u201cI did not expect it because I also had reservations about my own illness. But I was also happy. I told him I would pray about it,\u201d she recalled.<\/p>\n
When she prayed, she felt \u201csettled\u201d and had a sense of \u201cpeace\u201d, so she agreed that they would start dating.<\/p>\n
\n\u201cIf you feel that you are of marriageable age and you want to start a family soon, I am not suitable for you.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
Their first date was a picnic outing at Singapore Botanic Gardens, near Amanda\u2019s home.<\/p>\n
Cornelius prepared grapes and potato chips to snack as they sat on the green lawn. He also created a bouquet of chrysanthemums to present to Amanda.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt was very sweet, but I found the flowers ugly because it was a bunch of chrysanthemums wrapped in purple-coloured paper,\u201d recalled Amanda with a laugh.<\/p>\n
At the end of their first date when Cornelius sent her home, reality started sinking in for Amanda. They had talked about her illness before, but she felt that she had to broach it again.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf you feel that you are of marriageable age and you want to start a family soon, I am not suitable for you,\u201d Amanda told him upfront. Having Primary Pulmonary Hypertension meant that she could not have children because pregnancy would be too stressful for her heart and lungs. She also knew that she was dying and had limited time left.<\/p>\n
Cornelius was undeterred. Without missing a beat, he answered her earnestly: \u201cIf God wants to heal you, He can heal you. If God wants to give us children, He can.\u201d<\/p>\n
To some, his answer might have come across as glib and a Christian clich\u00e9, but Cornelius was speaking from the heart.<\/p>\n
A journey of repentance and rebirth<\/span><\/h2>\nJust the year before in 2017, Cornelius had his own spiritual \u201crebirth\u201d experience with God. While doing an exchange programme overseas, he found himself entangled with a fellow classmate and falling into sexual sin.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\nCornelius travelling in Iceland while on an exchange programme overseas.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\u201cI continued with it even when I returned to Singapore. But I knew God was trying to win my heart back,\u201d said Cornelius.<\/p>\n
After a few months, he decided to repent before God and put an end to the relationship.<\/p>\n
\u201cGod met me powerfully when I repented. He poured out His love for me and I began to experience the magnitude of His love for me and His delight in me,\u201d he told Salt&Light.<\/em><\/p>\nHaving experienced a glimpse of the Father\u2019s love and Spirit being poured out into him, his morning devotion time with God was never the same again. Every morning from then on, he pursued God wholeheartedly, thirsting for a deeper measure of intimacy with the Lord.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\nWhat Cornelius\u2019 quiet time with the Lord looks like every morning.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
Knowing that he had heard God clearly regarding Amanda being \u201cthe best\u201d for him, Cornelius did not waver in his decision to pursue her, despite her having a severe medical condition.<\/p>\n
When Amanda heard Cornelius\u2019 response, she felt his conviction and was greatly moved.<\/p>\n
\u201cI was surprised at how easy Cornelius took it. I thought my illness would be a barrier. Cornelius is clearly a good and godly man who knows God and fears Him. Wondering what was this unusual journey that God was taking both of us on, I accepted his pursuit,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
Over the next two weeks, they went for a few more dates in nature spots such as walking around the quarry in Bukit Timah.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\nBoth of them enjoyed going on dates at nature spots in Singapore.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
By the end of the two weeks, Amanda sensed that God wanted her to fully disclose the nature of her past relationships to Cornelius. It was not easy for her to confess, neither was it easy for Cornelius to hear.<\/p>\n
As he wrestled with her disclosure, silence fell between them. They did not continue texting each other for two days.<\/p>\n
\u201cI thought that\u2019s it \u2013 I only get to enjoy two weeks of dating before we break up. But God spoke to me about how He will make a way even when I felt stuck,\u201d Amanda recalled.<\/p>\n
As Cornelius sat before the Lord with a troubled heart, God gave him a renewed perspective.<\/p>\n
\u201cHaving experienced God\u2019s love and forgiveness towards myself, I knew He wanted me to extend the same to Amanda,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cBesides, if He told me that Amanda is \u2018the best\u2019 for me, then He would already have known about her past and factored all of these in,\u201d he reasoned.<\/p>\n
Cornelius broke the silence between them and asked to meet. When they met at the common area below her apartment, Amanda braced herself for a breakup.<\/p>\n
Instead, Cornelius told her that he forgave her for what she had done in the past and also asked for her forgiveness for his own trespasses.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt was surreal. The Lord had really blessed me with a godly man who was willing to accept me as I was. I chose to receive it instead of pushing him away,\u201d Amanda told Salt&Light.<\/p>\n
With these obstacles out of the way, they got together as a couple that day: January 10, 2019.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\nAmanda and Cornelius got together on January 10, 2019.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
After two months of dating bliss, Amanda was filled with so much joy that she found herself asking God one night if she could marry Cornelius.<\/p>\n
\u201cI don\u2019t take that for granted seeing how my past relationships did not work out and also because of my major illness,\u201d said Amanda.<\/p>\n
An answered prayer\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\nShortly after, Cornelius\u2019 mother began to broach the topic of him having to move out after marriage. Cornelius began looking out for a suitable Built-To-Order (BTO) flat and planning his proposal.<\/p>\n
On 21 December 2019, Cornelius proposed to Amanda at her home with a heart-shaped diamond ring. The date was significant to Cornelius as it was one year after he felt God strongly prompting him about Amanda.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\nCornelius pulled off a successful proposal at Amanda\u2019s home.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
At that time, Amanda could still walk on her own, but she needed to pause and take breaks along the way. On some outings, Cornelius would carry her bag.<\/p>\n
After their engagement, COVID took the world by storm.<\/p>\n
The couple had to jump through various hoops in preparation for their wedding in order to abide by the laws and measures then. Yet the biggest obstacle they had to face had nothing to do with COVID measures.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\nA gathering of both Amanda\u2019s and Cornelius\u2019 families.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
Two weeks before their wedding in August 2020, Amanda\u2019s health took a turn for the worse.<\/p>\n
\n\u201cWe don\u2019t have to get married. Else, you will have to watch me waste away.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
The doctors said she was deteriorating significantly faster than they expected and asked her to join a new clinical trial study. As part of the study, she would receive a new drug but she had to be prepared for its side effects. \u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n
Doubts of whether they ought to go ahead with the marriage assailed Amanda.<\/p>\n
\u201cThough Cornelius has always consistently shown his love and commitment to me, I realised I still had the power to say no, to not sign the marriage papers,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
Tearfully, Amanda broke the latest bad news about her health to Cornelius.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe don\u2019t have to get married. Else, you will have to watch me waste away,\u201d she told him.<\/p>\n
Still \u201cGod\u2019s best\u201d for him<\/span><\/h2>\nDespite the bad medical report, Cornelius was clear about what he had to do.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe circumstances don\u2019t change what God has been saying to me, and the consistent way in which He has been leading us. If the latest medical report does not catch God off guard, then I will not doubt that Amanda is still God\u2019s \u2018best\u2019 for me,\u201d Cornelius said.<\/p>\n
He replied firmly to Amanda: \u201cI cannot force you to marry me, I only can urge you to marry me. I don\u2019t fully know the implications of us going ahead, but I want to go ahead with this.\u201d<\/p>\n
In the face of his resoluteness, Amanda acceded.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt felt right to continue on this journey that God has been taking us on. Whenever He takes me home, He takes me but I want to make my life count while I am here,\u201d she told Salt&Light.<\/p>\n
On August 8, 2020, Cornelius and Amanda had their wedding at a rooftop restaurant on the 40th floor of the CapitaGreen building.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\nThe happy couple on their wedding day.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
The day before the wedding Amanda still wondered if they would really get married.<\/p>\n
The plan was for Cornelius to move into her parents\u2019 home while they waited for their own flat, and she was due to further her studies \u2013 Master of Arts in Ministry \u2013 at a Bible college next.\u00a0<\/p>\n
<\/p>\nThe couple saying their vows in front of their loved ones in the midst of a raging Covid-19 pandemic.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
As they said their vows in front of their loved ones under a bright sky, the pair knew that the God who brought them together would also be the same God who would see them through the uncertain days ahead.<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n
Little did Cornelius know that Amanda would soon be wheelchair-bound, needing constant oxygen support and that they would have to take an air ambulance to the US so she could be placed on the waiting list for a lung transplant which would cost a few million dollars. While waiting for a donor, Amanda had planned to take another new trial drug that was only available overseas at a cost of SGD19,000 a jab, to be injected once every three weeks.
<\/em><\/p>\nRead Part 2 of their story here<\/a>. <\/em><\/p>\nRELATED STORIES:\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n\n
It was known among the members of their church that Amanda\u2019s older sister had died at the age of seven, from the same heart condition.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The sisters and their father suffer from a condition called Primary Pulmonary Hypertension. It affects the pulmonary arteries and capillaries and leads to fatigue, breathing difficulties and eventually, heart failure.<\/p>\n
When Amanda was diagnosed with the same condition in 2017, her doctor told her that she likely only had about 10 more years to live. The condition is hereditary and their father has a mild form of it.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\nAmanda with her older sister.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\u201cI knew Amanda\u2019s condition was aggressive but I didn\u2019t know how bad it could get. She looked healthy and could walk on her own, albeit more slowly than other people. Her father is also still living with it. So, I didn\u2019t think much about her medical condition,\u201d said Cornelius.<\/p>\n
Given his mother\u2019s hesitation, Cornelius felt that there was no rush to pursue Amanda. He decided to remain friends with her, and prayed for God to change his mother\u2019s mind should God really intend for him to take things further with Amanda.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, the pair continued texting every day. It eventually came to a point when Cornelius felt he needed to meet up with Amanda. When Cornelius finally asked her point blank why she was so consistent in texting him, she refused to say much.<\/p>\n
\u201cI thought about my illness and felt maybe it would not be fair to Cornelius if I confessed my feelings,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
Towards the end of their conversation, Cornelius told Amanda that he found her attractive. Unable to contain her feelings any longer, she told him she felt the same way.<\/p>\n
However, they parted from the meeting with the decision to remain as friends. Cornelius told Amanda about his mother\u2019s hesitation and also that he felt they had not known each other very long.<\/p>\n
So they continued texting daily, but did not date.<\/p>\n
A strong prompting\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\nOn the morning of December 21, 2018, Cornelius woke up and went about his usual morning routine \u2013 a time of worship, prayer and reading the Bible.<\/p>\n
While he was praying, he experienced a strong prompting from God about Amanda, both in his mind and in his spirit.<\/p>\n
\u201cUsually, what happens is when I pray about what I am burdened for, it lifts and I can carry on with my morning devotion. But after praying about Amanda, the prompting was still so strong that I could not focus on reading the Bible,\u201d said Cornelius.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt was clear to me that God was pushing us forward and we needed to take it to the next level,\u201d he told Salt&Light.<\/p>\n
Cornelius told his mother about the strong prompting he received from the Lord and how he could not ignore it this time.<\/p>\n
Despite her reservations, his mother accepted his decision.<\/p>\n
On the same day, Cornelius texted Amanda to ask if she would seriously consider dating him. The text took Amanda by surprise.<\/p>\n
\u201cI did not expect it because I also had reservations about my own illness. But I was also happy. I told him I would pray about it,\u201d she recalled.<\/p>\n
When she prayed, she felt \u201csettled\u201d and had a sense of \u201cpeace\u201d, so she agreed that they would start dating.<\/p>\n
\n\u201cIf you feel that you are of marriageable age and you want to start a family soon, I am not suitable for you.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
Their first date was a picnic outing at Singapore Botanic Gardens, near Amanda\u2019s home.<\/p>\n
Cornelius prepared grapes and potato chips to snack as they sat on the green lawn. He also created a bouquet of chrysanthemums to present to Amanda.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt was very sweet, but I found the flowers ugly because it was a bunch of chrysanthemums wrapped in purple-coloured paper,\u201d recalled Amanda with a laugh.<\/p>\n
At the end of their first date when Cornelius sent her home, reality started sinking in for Amanda. They had talked about her illness before, but she felt that she had to broach it again.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf you feel that you are of marriageable age and you want to start a family soon, I am not suitable for you,\u201d Amanda told him upfront. Having Primary Pulmonary Hypertension meant that she could not have children because pregnancy would be too stressful for her heart and lungs. She also knew that she was dying and had limited time left.<\/p>\n
Cornelius was undeterred. Without missing a beat, he answered her earnestly: \u201cIf God wants to heal you, He can heal you. If God wants to give us children, He can.\u201d<\/p>\n
To some, his answer might have come across as glib and a Christian clich\u00e9, but Cornelius was speaking from the heart.<\/p>\n
A journey of repentance and rebirth<\/span><\/h2>\nJust the year before in 2017, Cornelius had his own spiritual \u201crebirth\u201d experience with God. While doing an exchange programme overseas, he found himself entangled with a fellow classmate and falling into sexual sin.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\nCornelius travelling in Iceland while on an exchange programme overseas.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\u201cI continued with it even when I returned to Singapore. But I knew God was trying to win my heart back,\u201d said Cornelius.<\/p>\n
After a few months, he decided to repent before God and put an end to the relationship.<\/p>\n
\u201cGod met me powerfully when I repented. He poured out His love for me and I began to experience the magnitude of His love for me and His delight in me,\u201d he told Salt&Light.<\/em><\/p>\nHaving experienced a glimpse of the Father\u2019s love and Spirit being poured out into him, his morning devotion time with God was never the same again. Every morning from then on, he pursued God wholeheartedly, thirsting for a deeper measure of intimacy with the Lord.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\nWhat Cornelius\u2019 quiet time with the Lord looks like every morning.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
Knowing that he had heard God clearly regarding Amanda being \u201cthe best\u201d for him, Cornelius did not waver in his decision to pursue her, despite her having a severe medical condition.<\/p>\n
When Amanda heard Cornelius\u2019 response, she felt his conviction and was greatly moved.<\/p>\n
\u201cI was surprised at how easy Cornelius took it. I thought my illness would be a barrier. Cornelius is clearly a good and godly man who knows God and fears Him. Wondering what was this unusual journey that God was taking both of us on, I accepted his pursuit,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
Over the next two weeks, they went for a few more dates in nature spots such as walking around the quarry in Bukit Timah.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\nBoth of them enjoyed going on dates at nature spots in Singapore.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
By the end of the two weeks, Amanda sensed that God wanted her to fully disclose the nature of her past relationships to Cornelius. It was not easy for her to confess, neither was it easy for Cornelius to hear.<\/p>\n
As he wrestled with her disclosure, silence fell between them. They did not continue texting each other for two days.<\/p>\n
\u201cI thought that\u2019s it \u2013 I only get to enjoy two weeks of dating before we break up. But God spoke to me about how He will make a way even when I felt stuck,\u201d Amanda recalled.<\/p>\n
As Cornelius sat before the Lord with a troubled heart, God gave him a renewed perspective.<\/p>\n
\u201cHaving experienced God\u2019s love and forgiveness towards myself, I knew He wanted me to extend the same to Amanda,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cBesides, if He told me that Amanda is \u2018the best\u2019 for me, then He would already have known about her past and factored all of these in,\u201d he reasoned.<\/p>\n
Cornelius broke the silence between them and asked to meet. When they met at the common area below her apartment, Amanda braced herself for a breakup.<\/p>\n
Instead, Cornelius told her that he forgave her for what she had done in the past and also asked for her forgiveness for his own trespasses.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt was surreal. The Lord had really blessed me with a godly man who was willing to accept me as I was. I chose to receive it instead of pushing him away,\u201d Amanda told Salt&Light.<\/p>\n
With these obstacles out of the way, they got together as a couple that day: January 10, 2019.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\nAmanda and Cornelius got together on January 10, 2019.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
After two months of dating bliss, Amanda was filled with so much joy that she found herself asking God one night if she could marry Cornelius.<\/p>\n
\u201cI don\u2019t take that for granted seeing how my past relationships did not work out and also because of my major illness,\u201d said Amanda.<\/p>\n
An answered prayer\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\nShortly after, Cornelius\u2019 mother began to broach the topic of him having to move out after marriage. Cornelius began looking out for a suitable Built-To-Order (BTO) flat and planning his proposal.<\/p>\n
On 21 December 2019, Cornelius proposed to Amanda at her home with a heart-shaped diamond ring. The date was significant to Cornelius as it was one year after he felt God strongly prompting him about Amanda.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\nCornelius pulled off a successful proposal at Amanda\u2019s home.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
At that time, Amanda could still walk on her own, but she needed to pause and take breaks along the way. On some outings, Cornelius would carry her bag.<\/p>\n
After their engagement, COVID took the world by storm.<\/p>\n
The couple had to jump through various hoops in preparation for their wedding in order to abide by the laws and measures then. Yet the biggest obstacle they had to face had nothing to do with COVID measures.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\nA gathering of both Amanda\u2019s and Cornelius\u2019 families.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
Two weeks before their wedding in August 2020, Amanda\u2019s health took a turn for the worse.<\/p>\n
\n\u201cWe don\u2019t have to get married. Else, you will have to watch me waste away.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
The doctors said she was deteriorating significantly faster than they expected and asked her to join a new clinical trial study. As part of the study, she would receive a new drug but she had to be prepared for its side effects. \u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n
Doubts of whether they ought to go ahead with the marriage assailed Amanda.<\/p>\n
\u201cThough Cornelius has always consistently shown his love and commitment to me, I realised I still had the power to say no, to not sign the marriage papers,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
Tearfully, Amanda broke the latest bad news about her health to Cornelius.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe don\u2019t have to get married. Else, you will have to watch me waste away,\u201d she told him.<\/p>\n
Still \u201cGod\u2019s best\u201d for him<\/span><\/h2>\nDespite the bad medical report, Cornelius was clear about what he had to do.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe circumstances don\u2019t change what God has been saying to me, and the consistent way in which He has been leading us. If the latest medical report does not catch God off guard, then I will not doubt that Amanda is still God\u2019s \u2018best\u2019 for me,\u201d Cornelius said.<\/p>\n
He replied firmly to Amanda: \u201cI cannot force you to marry me, I only can urge you to marry me. I don\u2019t fully know the implications of us going ahead, but I want to go ahead with this.\u201d<\/p>\n
In the face of his resoluteness, Amanda acceded.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt felt right to continue on this journey that God has been taking us on. Whenever He takes me home, He takes me but I want to make my life count while I am here,\u201d she told Salt&Light.<\/p>\n
On August 8, 2020, Cornelius and Amanda had their wedding at a rooftop restaurant on the 40th floor of the CapitaGreen building.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\nThe happy couple on their wedding day.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
The day before the wedding Amanda still wondered if they would really get married.<\/p>\n
The plan was for Cornelius to move into her parents\u2019 home while they waited for their own flat, and she was due to further her studies \u2013 Master of Arts in Ministry \u2013 at a Bible college next.\u00a0<\/p>\n
<\/p>\nThe couple saying their vows in front of their loved ones in the midst of a raging Covid-19 pandemic.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
As they said their vows in front of their loved ones under a bright sky, the pair knew that the God who brought them together would also be the same God who would see them through the uncertain days ahead.<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n
Little did Cornelius know that Amanda would soon be wheelchair-bound, needing constant oxygen support and that they would have to take an air ambulance to the US so she could be placed on the waiting list for a lung transplant which would cost a few million dollars. While waiting for a donor, Amanda had planned to take another new trial drug that was only available overseas at a cost of SGD19,000 a jab, to be injected once every three weeks.
<\/em><\/p>\nRead Part 2 of their story here<\/a>. <\/em><\/p>\nRELATED STORIES:\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n\n
\u201cIf you feel that you are of marriageable age and you want to start a family soon, I am not suitable for you.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
Their first date was a picnic outing at Singapore Botanic Gardens, near Amanda\u2019s home.<\/p>\n
Cornelius prepared grapes and potato chips to snack as they sat on the green lawn. He also created a bouquet of chrysanthemums to present to Amanda.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt was very sweet, but I found the flowers ugly because it was a bunch of chrysanthemums wrapped in purple-coloured paper,\u201d recalled Amanda with a laugh.<\/p>\n
At the end of their first date when Cornelius sent her home, reality started sinking in for Amanda. They had talked about her illness before, but she felt that she had to broach it again.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf you feel that you are of marriageable age and you want to start a family soon, I am not suitable for you,\u201d Amanda told him upfront. Having Primary Pulmonary Hypertension meant that she could not have children because pregnancy would be too stressful for her heart and lungs. She also knew that she was dying and had limited time left.<\/p>\n
Cornelius was undeterred. Without missing a beat, he answered her earnestly: \u201cIf God wants to heal you, He can heal you. If God wants to give us children, He can.\u201d<\/p>\n
To some, his answer might have come across as glib and a Christian clich\u00e9, but Cornelius was speaking from the heart.<\/p>\n
A journey of repentance and rebirth<\/span><\/h2>\nJust the year before in 2017, Cornelius had his own spiritual \u201crebirth\u201d experience with God. While doing an exchange programme overseas, he found himself entangled with a fellow classmate and falling into sexual sin.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\nCornelius travelling in Iceland while on an exchange programme overseas.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\u201cI continued with it even when I returned to Singapore. But I knew God was trying to win my heart back,\u201d said Cornelius.<\/p>\n
After a few months, he decided to repent before God and put an end to the relationship.<\/p>\n
\u201cGod met me powerfully when I repented. He poured out His love for me and I began to experience the magnitude of His love for me and His delight in me,\u201d he told Salt&Light.<\/em><\/p>\nHaving experienced a glimpse of the Father\u2019s love and Spirit being poured out into him, his morning devotion time with God was never the same again. Every morning from then on, he pursued God wholeheartedly, thirsting for a deeper measure of intimacy with the Lord.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\nWhat Cornelius\u2019 quiet time with the Lord looks like every morning.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
Knowing that he had heard God clearly regarding Amanda being \u201cthe best\u201d for him, Cornelius did not waver in his decision to pursue her, despite her having a severe medical condition.<\/p>\n
When Amanda heard Cornelius\u2019 response, she felt his conviction and was greatly moved.<\/p>\n
\u201cI was surprised at how easy Cornelius took it. I thought my illness would be a barrier. Cornelius is clearly a good and godly man who knows God and fears Him. Wondering what was this unusual journey that God was taking both of us on, I accepted his pursuit,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
Over the next two weeks, they went for a few more dates in nature spots such as walking around the quarry in Bukit Timah.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\nBoth of them enjoyed going on dates at nature spots in Singapore.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
By the end of the two weeks, Amanda sensed that God wanted her to fully disclose the nature of her past relationships to Cornelius. It was not easy for her to confess, neither was it easy for Cornelius to hear.<\/p>\n
As he wrestled with her disclosure, silence fell between them. They did not continue texting each other for two days.<\/p>\n
\u201cI thought that\u2019s it \u2013 I only get to enjoy two weeks of dating before we break up. But God spoke to me about how He will make a way even when I felt stuck,\u201d Amanda recalled.<\/p>\n
As Cornelius sat before the Lord with a troubled heart, God gave him a renewed perspective.<\/p>\n
\u201cHaving experienced God\u2019s love and forgiveness towards myself, I knew He wanted me to extend the same to Amanda,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cBesides, if He told me that Amanda is \u2018the best\u2019 for me, then He would already have known about her past and factored all of these in,\u201d he reasoned.<\/p>\n
Cornelius broke the silence between them and asked to meet. When they met at the common area below her apartment, Amanda braced herself for a breakup.<\/p>\n
Instead, Cornelius told her that he forgave her for what she had done in the past and also asked for her forgiveness for his own trespasses.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt was surreal. The Lord had really blessed me with a godly man who was willing to accept me as I was. I chose to receive it instead of pushing him away,\u201d Amanda told Salt&Light.<\/p>\n
With these obstacles out of the way, they got together as a couple that day: January 10, 2019.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\nAmanda and Cornelius got together on January 10, 2019.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
After two months of dating bliss, Amanda was filled with so much joy that she found herself asking God one night if she could marry Cornelius.<\/p>\n
\u201cI don\u2019t take that for granted seeing how my past relationships did not work out and also because of my major illness,\u201d said Amanda.<\/p>\n
An answered prayer\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\nShortly after, Cornelius\u2019 mother began to broach the topic of him having to move out after marriage. Cornelius began looking out for a suitable Built-To-Order (BTO) flat and planning his proposal.<\/p>\n
On 21 December 2019, Cornelius proposed to Amanda at her home with a heart-shaped diamond ring. The date was significant to Cornelius as it was one year after he felt God strongly prompting him about Amanda.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\nCornelius pulled off a successful proposal at Amanda\u2019s home.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
At that time, Amanda could still walk on her own, but she needed to pause and take breaks along the way. On some outings, Cornelius would carry her bag.<\/p>\n
After their engagement, COVID took the world by storm.<\/p>\n
The couple had to jump through various hoops in preparation for their wedding in order to abide by the laws and measures then. Yet the biggest obstacle they had to face had nothing to do with COVID measures.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\nA gathering of both Amanda\u2019s and Cornelius\u2019 families.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
Two weeks before their wedding in August 2020, Amanda\u2019s health took a turn for the worse.<\/p>\n
\n\u201cWe don\u2019t have to get married. Else, you will have to watch me waste away.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
The doctors said she was deteriorating significantly faster than they expected and asked her to join a new clinical trial study. As part of the study, she would receive a new drug but she had to be prepared for its side effects. \u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n
Doubts of whether they ought to go ahead with the marriage assailed Amanda.<\/p>\n
\u201cThough Cornelius has always consistently shown his love and commitment to me, I realised I still had the power to say no, to not sign the marriage papers,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
Tearfully, Amanda broke the latest bad news about her health to Cornelius.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe don\u2019t have to get married. Else, you will have to watch me waste away,\u201d she told him.<\/p>\n
Still \u201cGod\u2019s best\u201d for him<\/span><\/h2>\nDespite the bad medical report, Cornelius was clear about what he had to do.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe circumstances don\u2019t change what God has been saying to me, and the consistent way in which He has been leading us. If the latest medical report does not catch God off guard, then I will not doubt that Amanda is still God\u2019s \u2018best\u2019 for me,\u201d Cornelius said.<\/p>\n
He replied firmly to Amanda: \u201cI cannot force you to marry me, I only can urge you to marry me. I don\u2019t fully know the implications of us going ahead, but I want to go ahead with this.\u201d<\/p>\n
In the face of his resoluteness, Amanda acceded.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt felt right to continue on this journey that God has been taking us on. Whenever He takes me home, He takes me but I want to make my life count while I am here,\u201d she told Salt&Light.<\/p>\n
On August 8, 2020, Cornelius and Amanda had their wedding at a rooftop restaurant on the 40th floor of the CapitaGreen building.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\nThe happy couple on their wedding day.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
The day before the wedding Amanda still wondered if they would really get married.<\/p>\n
The plan was for Cornelius to move into her parents\u2019 home while they waited for their own flat, and she was due to further her studies \u2013 Master of Arts in Ministry \u2013 at a Bible college next.\u00a0<\/p>\n
<\/p>\nThe couple saying their vows in front of their loved ones in the midst of a raging Covid-19 pandemic.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
As they said their vows in front of their loved ones under a bright sky, the pair knew that the God who brought them together would also be the same God who would see them through the uncertain days ahead.<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n
Little did Cornelius know that Amanda would soon be wheelchair-bound, needing constant oxygen support and that they would have to take an air ambulance to the US so she could be placed on the waiting list for a lung transplant which would cost a few million dollars. While waiting for a donor, Amanda had planned to take another new trial drug that was only available overseas at a cost of SGD19,000 a jab, to be injected once every three weeks.
<\/em><\/p>\nRead Part 2 of their story here<\/a>. <\/em><\/p>\nRELATED STORIES:\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n\n
<\/p>\nCornelius travelling in Iceland while on an exchange programme overseas.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\u201cI continued with it even when I returned to Singapore. But I knew God was trying to win my heart back,\u201d said Cornelius.<\/p>\n
After a few months, he decided to repent before God and put an end to the relationship.<\/p>\n
\u201cGod met me powerfully when I repented. He poured out His love for me and I began to experience the magnitude of His love for me and His delight in me,\u201d he told Salt&Light.<\/em><\/p>\n Having experienced a glimpse of the Father\u2019s love and Spirit being poured out into him, his morning devotion time with God was never the same again. Every morning from then on, he pursued God wholeheartedly, thirsting for a deeper measure of intimacy with the Lord.<\/p>\n What Cornelius\u2019 quiet time with the Lord looks like every morning.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Knowing that he had heard God clearly regarding Amanda being \u201cthe best\u201d for him, Cornelius did not waver in his decision to pursue her, despite her having a severe medical condition.<\/p>\n When Amanda heard Cornelius\u2019 response, she felt his conviction and was greatly moved.<\/p>\n \u201cI was surprised at how easy Cornelius took it. I thought my illness would be a barrier. Cornelius is clearly a good and godly man who knows God and fears Him. Wondering what was this unusual journey that God was taking both of us on, I accepted his pursuit,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n Over the next two weeks, they went for a few more dates in nature spots such as walking around the quarry in Bukit Timah.<\/p>\n Both of them enjoyed going on dates at nature spots in Singapore.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n By the end of the two weeks, Amanda sensed that God wanted her to fully disclose the nature of her past relationships to Cornelius. It was not easy for her to confess, neither was it easy for Cornelius to hear.<\/p>\n As he wrestled with her disclosure, silence fell between them. They did not continue texting each other for two days.<\/p>\n \u201cI thought that\u2019s it \u2013 I only get to enjoy two weeks of dating before we break up. But God spoke to me about how He will make a way even when I felt stuck,\u201d Amanda recalled.<\/p>\n As Cornelius sat before the Lord with a troubled heart, God gave him a renewed perspective.<\/p>\n \u201cHaving experienced God\u2019s love and forgiveness towards myself, I knew He wanted me to extend the same to Amanda,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n \u201cBesides, if He told me that Amanda is \u2018the best\u2019 for me, then He would already have known about her past and factored all of these in,\u201d he reasoned.<\/p>\n Cornelius broke the silence between them and asked to meet. When they met at the common area below her apartment, Amanda braced herself for a breakup.<\/p>\n Instead, Cornelius told her that he forgave her for what she had done in the past and also asked for her forgiveness for his own trespasses.<\/p>\n \u201cIt was surreal. The Lord had really blessed me with a godly man who was willing to accept me as I was. I chose to receive it instead of pushing him away,\u201d Amanda told Salt&Light.<\/p>\n With these obstacles out of the way, they got together as a couple that day: January 10, 2019.<\/p>\n Amanda and Cornelius got together on January 10, 2019.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n After two months of dating bliss, Amanda was filled with so much joy that she found herself asking God one night if she could marry Cornelius.<\/p>\n \u201cI don\u2019t take that for granted seeing how my past relationships did not work out and also because of my major illness,\u201d said Amanda.<\/p>\n Shortly after, Cornelius\u2019 mother began to broach the topic of him having to move out after marriage. Cornelius began looking out for a suitable Built-To-Order (BTO) flat and planning his proposal.<\/p>\n On 21 December 2019, Cornelius proposed to Amanda at her home with a heart-shaped diamond ring. The date was significant to Cornelius as it was one year after he felt God strongly prompting him about Amanda.<\/p>\n Cornelius pulled off a successful proposal at Amanda\u2019s home.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n At that time, Amanda could still walk on her own, but she needed to pause and take breaks along the way. On some outings, Cornelius would carry her bag.<\/p>\n After their engagement, COVID took the world by storm.<\/p>\n The couple had to jump through various hoops in preparation for their wedding in order to abide by the laws and measures then. Yet the biggest obstacle they had to face had nothing to do with COVID measures.<\/p>\n A gathering of both Amanda\u2019s and Cornelius\u2019 families.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Two weeks before their wedding in August 2020, Amanda\u2019s health took a turn for the worse.<\/p>\n \u201cWe don\u2019t have to get married. Else, you will have to watch me waste away.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n The doctors said she was deteriorating significantly faster than they expected and asked her to join a new clinical trial study. As part of the study, she would receive a new drug but she had to be prepared for its side effects. \u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n Doubts of whether they ought to go ahead with the marriage assailed Amanda.<\/p>\n \u201cThough Cornelius has always consistently shown his love and commitment to me, I realised I still had the power to say no, to not sign the marriage papers,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n Tearfully, Amanda broke the latest bad news about her health to Cornelius.<\/p>\n \u201cWe don\u2019t have to get married. Else, you will have to watch me waste away,\u201d she told him.<\/p>\n Despite the bad medical report, Cornelius was clear about what he had to do.<\/p>\n \u201cThe circumstances don\u2019t change what God has been saying to me, and the consistent way in which He has been leading us. If the latest medical report does not catch God off guard, then I will not doubt that Amanda is still God\u2019s \u2018best\u2019 for me,\u201d Cornelius said.<\/p>\n He replied firmly to Amanda: \u201cI cannot force you to marry me, I only can urge you to marry me. I don\u2019t fully know the implications of us going ahead, but I want to go ahead with this.\u201d<\/p>\n In the face of his resoluteness, Amanda acceded.<\/p>\n \u201cIt felt right to continue on this journey that God has been taking us on. Whenever He takes me home, He takes me but I want to make my life count while I am here,\u201d she told Salt&Light.<\/p>\n On August 8, 2020, Cornelius and Amanda had their wedding at a rooftop restaurant on the 40th floor of the CapitaGreen building.<\/p>\n The happy couple on their wedding day.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n The day before the wedding Amanda still wondered if they would really get married.<\/p>\n The plan was for Cornelius to move into her parents\u2019 home while they waited for their own flat, and she was due to further her studies \u2013 Master of Arts in Ministry \u2013 at a Bible college next.\u00a0<\/p>\n The couple saying their vows in front of their loved ones in the midst of a raging Covid-19 pandemic.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n As they said their vows in front of their loved ones under a bright sky, the pair knew that the God who brought them together would also be the same God who would see them through the uncertain days ahead.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n Little did Cornelius know that Amanda would soon be wheelchair-bound, needing constant oxygen support and that they would have to take an air ambulance to the US so she could be placed on the waiting list for a lung transplant which would cost a few million dollars. While waiting for a donor, Amanda had planned to take another new trial drug that was only available overseas at a cost of SGD19,000 a jab, to be injected once every three weeks. Read Part 2 of their story here<\/a>. <\/em><\/p>\n RELATED STORIES:\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/p>\n<\/p>\n<\/p>\nAn answered prayer\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n
<\/p>\n<\/p>\nStill \u201cGod\u2019s best\u201d for him<\/span><\/h2>\n
<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
<\/em><\/p>\n\n