Author Archives: Christine Lailani

Oppression Of The Enemy: Standing Firm With Faith Intact

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While writing this, I have a full-blown skin allergy attack. I woke up 2 days ago with red, itchy patches on my skin without any clue what might have triggered them. Nothing was new in my routine nor in my diet, and neither am I too stressed to have another episode.

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Though the swelling subsided after I took an antihistamine and applied topical medication, a few red patches would come out in other parts of my body every now and then. Some of them are big enough to cover a specific area i.e. entire legs, entire arms, and entire neck.

This isn’t new.

I have been diagnosed with eczema or atopic dermatitis since I was in college. Exposure to allergens such as dust, pollens, poultry, and certain types of seafood are among the triggers. Stress is also another factor.

We have a history of asthma in the family. So it was no longer a surprise when during the most stressful point of my college life (finishing the thesis), I had a major eczema breakout. Let’s just say this is one of the “thorns in my flesh” – a form of oppression.

This isn’t new either.

Every day we face oppression. Some might feel they are being oppressed by the government and by certain organizations. Others experience oppression at home through relational conflicts with parents, siblings, children, relatives, friends, coworkers, or a spouse.

There are those who have financial constraints as oppression, while others are oppressed because of depression, anxiety disorder, fear, guilt, shame, addiction, and other illnesses. Calamities and tragedies are also other forms of oppression wherein all human efforts tend to be futile in terms of being saved (literally and figuratively).

What Really Is Oppression?

I work from home, and I socialize during the weekends i.e. go to church, date my husband, meet friends, etc. Because of the nCoV breakout and my skin allergy attack, I had to stay at home to limit the chances of me acquiring the virus. This, in itself, is oppression.

As much as I’d like to worship God along with fellow believers in church, I had to seek comfort in the confines of our home. Thank God though our church has live streaming of its services.

We all know that being cut off and out of sync with fellow believers will make you more prone to the attacks of the enemy. One of my Bible study group leaders compare it to that of burning coal. Once you remove one from the rest, its fire will die out.

“A person standing alone can be attacked and defeated, but two can stand back-to-back and conquer. Three are even better, for a triple-braided cord is not easily broken.” – Ecclesiastes 4:12

The same goes for us. Once we have remained lukewarm in our faith, the enemy’s oppression will get stronger and weaken our spirits making us vulnerable to temptations and sinning. Also, the testing of our faith will be even more challenging.

Learning From Job

Do you still remember what happened to Job? He went through severe testing and trials and was reduced to a mere mortal deemed powerless against the forces of the enemy. And yet, God proved the enemy wrong. In the end, the faithful servant was rewarded for his unflinching faith in God and God alone.

“My health may fail, and my spirit may grow weak, but God remains the strength of my heart; He is mine forever.” – Psalm 73:26

“The LORD is my rock, my fortress, and my deliverer. My God is my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.” – Psalm 18:2

“I will see Him for myself; my eyes will behold Him, and not as a stranger. How my heart yearns within me!” – Job 19:27

It is my prayer that in every trial and in every season of our lives, we will continue to rise above every oppression of the enemy. As long as we are breathing, we never back down trusting that God is greater than he who is in this world.

We have been called to fight the good fight of faith. That has always been our mission. Thus, we declare and we fight for it.

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Photo courtesy of Unsplash

Having said that, we can expect persecution at its worst, all types of it – emotionally, physically, mentally, financially, and spiritually. The bigger the purpose and work God has for us, the stronger the opposition. Because satan doesn’t like us preaching the Word of God at all. He will send out his army to prevent us from doing so as God’s servants.

We have to keep in mind that prior to Judgement Day, there will be great persecution among the followers of Christ. So we need to be READY and EQUIPPED.

How To Fight Wearing The Armor Of God

  1. Ask God what are the battles you need to fight for, what are the battles you need to let go and let God fight them for you, and what are the battles you need to fight together with Him.
  2. Seek for His protection and His wisdom DAILY through prayers.
  3. Claim the victory of salvation through the Cross.
  4. And lastly, wear God’s armor as you fight the evil forces of this world.

The Armor of God

10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power. 11 Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. 12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.

13 Therefore put on the FULL ARMOR OF GOD, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. 14 Stand firm then, with the BELT OF TRUTH buckled around your waist, with the BREASTPLATE OF RIGHTEOUSNESS in place, 15 and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the GOSPEL OF PEACE.

16 In addition to all this, take up the SHIELD OF FAITH, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. 17 Take the HELMET OF SALVATION and the SWORD OF THE SPIRIT, which is the WORD OF GOD. 

18 And PRAY IN THE SPIRIT on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people.

– Ephesians 6:10-18

For God can be trusted to keep this promise:

“But in that coming day, no weapon turned against you will succeed. You will silence every voice raised up to accuse you. These benefits are enjoyed by the servants of the LORD; their vindication will come from me. I, the LORD, have spoken!” – Isaiah 54:17

Always fighting the good fight of FAITH,

 

 Read more: Jesus Speaks About The Future

 

God’s EK: What It Means To Live By Faith And Not By Sight

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I am writing this in the vernacular because of its local context. If I still have enough time today (I will do the laundry and clean the house 😀 ), I’ll write an English translation. 😊

What It Means To Live By Faith And Not By Sight

Ngayon ko lang lubusang naintindihan ang konsepto behind this mantra. Faith is about claiming the beautiful promises of God not when everything around us is doing well, but when everything else seems to go wrong.

What I am claiming now is that the life after this world is something to look forward to. And I am claiming it with excitement. ‘Yung tipong parang first time mong pumunta ng EK at wala kang idea anong meron doon. Pero maraming nagsasabi sa’yo na sobrang masaya daw doon at sobrang mage-enjoy ka.

Aside from that, hindi ka lang mag-isa ang mage-enjoy. May mga kasama ka. Na-imagine mo ba kayo ng mga barkada mo noong highschool? Magkakahawak-kamay. Magkaka-akbay. Nagtitilian at naglulundagan. Dahil punong-puno kayo ng excitement na malaman what is waiting for you doon sa pupuntahan nyo.

Imagine that scene. That is what it’s like to enter God’s EK. At itawag natin syang “Eternal Kingdom.” 😉👍

Always looking forward to entering God’s EK,

P.S.

Sa mga nangangamba na baka ‘di papasukin sa entrance, hindi pa naman huli ang lahat. Pwede pang pumila at bumili ng ticket.

Nakatatak sa ticket ay JESUS: Surrender/Salvation/Altar Call. Make-claim nyo sya sa hospital for sinners, the church. For FREE. 😊

Jesus Speaks About The Future: LUKE 21

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With all that is happening around the world, the only thing that matters is what Jesus has to say about the future. Worries, doubts, and anxieties are on the rise, and most of us are seeking Godly wisdom all the more each and every single day and asking for discernment about the things that we should all know.

About The Future: What It Holds

Last night, I was conducting research on the looming food crisis that the entire world may experience 3 decades from now. I found one article from the New York Times, which stated this:

“The report, prepared by more than 100 experts from 52 countries and released in summary form in Geneva on Thursday, found that the window to address the threat is closing rapidly. A half-billion people already live in places turning into desert, and soil is being lost between 10 and 100 times faster than it is forming, according to the report.

Climate change will make those threats even worse, as floods, drought, storms and other types of extreme weather threaten to disrupt, and over time shrink, the global food supply. Already, more than 10 percent of the world’s population remains undernourished, and some authors of the report warned in interviews that food shortages could lead to an increase in cross-border migration.

A particular danger is that food crises could develop on several continents at once, said Cynthia Rosenzweig, a senior research scientist at the NASA Goddard Institute for Space Studies and one of the lead authors of the report. “The potential risk of multi-breadbasket failure is increasing,” she said. “All of these things are happening at the same time.”

I’ll be sharing more about this topic in my upcoming articles. But just a heads up, I have been sharing opportunities in the local agribusiness sector on social media. They include the recent programs that the Department of Agriculture launched to entice millennials to venture into farming.

‘No Money In Farming’

As expected, this was received with mixed reactions. A majority of social media users, however, are against the idea with only one reason rising above their comments – there is no money in agriculture. I felt it in my heart to disagree since money is no longer the main concern here. It is about sustaining this world and its inhabitants in the coming decades.

Countless research conducted by different agencies all over the world all boils down to one result – earth’s resources are depleting at an alarming rate. I believe it already signals the time to shift our focus if we want to leave behind a better world for future generations to live in.

Farming As A Profession

Farming, according to studies, is a declining profession, and yet I believe it will become a career superior to all other jobs in the coming decades. Why? Its by-product involves food, which is an essential commodity and included in the 3 basic needs required for mankind to survive – food, clothing, and shelter.

Let’s just put it this way. Even if we have millions of money, if there’s no food available to consume, our millions will be worthless and useless. This issue of declining food supplies is not a minor problem. It affects everyone on a global scale. I searched for “global food crisis” and one word stood out – “famine.”

What The Bible Says About Famines

I continued my search by typing “famine” and included the word “Bible” along with it. One of the results that popped up and caught my attention was LUKE 21. I ended up reading the entire chapter, and I’ll share the verses here as well.

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This chapter pretty much sums up everything that the world is going through now. Here’s how we can interpret some of the things mentioned in the Bible to what is currently happening around us:

EARTHQUAKES: volcanic eruptions, tsunamis

FAMINE: climate change, drought, super typhoons, food shortage

PLAGUE: sars, mers, corona virus

WAR – ongoing armed conflicts: Afghanistan Conflict, Mexican Drug War, Yemeni Crisis, Kurdish-Turkish Conflict, Somali Civil War, Iraq Conflict (Source: Wikipedia)

Luke 21:21 also has a personal calling, and I interpreted it as one of the reasons why I have this strong desire to go back to the province and live there. Each day I would claim the country lifestyle for me and my husband and our families. It is also the answer to the global food crisis that will take place decades from now since the city is just getting too congested day by day.

“Then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains, let those in the city get out, and let those in the country not enter the city.” – Luke 21:21

This verse that stood out after hubby and I witnessed a perfect rainbow also seems to have a deeper meaning now:

And yet farming is not enough as a solution. It needs to be traditional farming that will limit the carbon released and any other environmental footprint we leave in the atmosphere. Indeed, the “farm-to-table” concept is just what we all need – go back to how things started similar to the Garden of Eden. The only difference is that there’s no hard labor in the Garden of Eden.

But the question still remains, “Is it already too late?”

Wisdom To Give Hope

It is my prayer that by reading this chapter about the future, everyone will be given hope that salvation, per se, is not about being kept alive from the dangers that are about to come.

As Jesus had said it, Himself, this world and the heavens will disappear. And yet, He also assures us that there is nothing to fear because salvation, which is life in eternity with our God, will be given to those who believe in Him.

Fear can never be our answer to escape the tragedies that will befall on us. They are inevitable, and they are bound to happen. But what God is asking from us is to be BRAVE and STRONG enough to face these trials until the time comes when we see Him face to face.

My Latest Convo With God

Just a few nights ago, I was having this unusual conversation with God. In fact, my prayer nights aren’t all the same. I pray about different things each night although there are particular prayer points that always pop up on some nights.

Sometimes I only pray a one-liner. Sometimes my prayer takes about an hour. These quiet times vary depending on how I felt and what I went through during the day. But oftentimes, they are all typical conversations you would have with an ordinary person.

My Prayer Life

How do I pray? No, I don’t usually utter my prayer. They are all just thoughts. Because my mind “talks” faster than my tongue. 😀

I also do this when I am about to sleep and when everything else around me is quiet. I could remember this one prayer night when I was seated on the bed, and my husband was sleeping soundly beside me.

I didn’t notice that my husband stirred and was startled when he saw me gazing towards the window, seated with my legs crossed, and with palms open. He asked me if I am okay. That was the time when we were just a newly married couple.

I think he was terrified I was doing “voodoo” or something on him. lol So I assured him that I was just praying. I can actually pray anywhere in the house with nobody disrupting me. But the thing is, I also pray over my husband each night. To be able to do this, I need to be beside him during my quiet time.

Eager Like A Child

Going back to the latest convo with God, I actually told Him I would love to see Him face to face. I am excited about how He would look like. My imagination was going out of bounds.

Will He be like a strong force of wind or blinding light? Will He be wearing golden robes flowing around? Will He be tall, small, huge, without a face, or with a face? And these questions just seem to go on and on.

Then later on, after realizing I might be asking too much, I just settle with I just want to hear His voice. Would it be a loud booming voice like a rumble of thunder? Or will it be a soft whisper?

When You Seek Him With All Your Heart

Sometimes I come to a point that I desperately ask God to answer and reveal Himself to me like how we expect humans to answer – hear a voice loud and clear with words that you can fully make out.

And when this doesn’t happen, I would just sigh with resignation knowing that God never acts in ways that we always imagine. But the never-ending questions of mine won’t stop there.

I’d still ask Him why it can’t be that way. I would realize then again that what I am insisting is my way and never about God’s ways. This is what I would tell Him in the end,

“Okay, Lord. That is all that I just want to say tonight. I just want to let you know what is going on in my mind and in my heart. I know you already know what they are even before I come before you and pray.

But somehow, when I let them be known to you by praying, the act, itself, gives me a comforting feeling. That there is this special dimension I am entering every time I have this quiet time with you, a very special place where I can just be myself and think about a lot of things so differently than how I think during the day.”

When Prayer Is The Only Weapon You Have

And this is the part where I will end this article. Because the Bible verse that created such a strong impact on me was Luke 21:36. God knows how much fear we would have to go through in this world as we face troubles of all kinds. And the first thing He said was to “PRAY.”

Are you afraid for your spouse, your children, your parents, your friends, and all the people you care about? PRAY. Are you going through extreme trials now? PRAY. Are you afraid of what will happen to this world decades or centuries from now? PRAY. 

These are the only things that God asked us to do when judgment day comes – PRAY and be STRONG. Why? It only means leaving everything else in His hands because HE IS IN CONTROL, and that He SAVES those who BELIEVES in His Name. ❤

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Believing that God is always MIGHTY to SAVE,

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P.S. Here’s the song that’s been running on my head for the past weeks now. I’m sharing this here because I want you to know that you are a Child of God, and God has CHOSEN you. ❤

Claim it because you have nothing to lose but MORE TO GAIN when you declare it. 🙂

Volcanoes Are Created By God So We Can Marvel At Its Beauty And Submit To His Power

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I am writing this article in light of the ongoing relief efforts for the Taal volcano eruption that happened last January 12, 2020.

You may send your donations (in cash and in-kind) through this link: http://victoryfort.org/taalrelief/.

Thank you so much for any help you could provide, and let’s continue praying for all the affected residents and communities in the area.

***Donations will be accepted until January 26, 2020.

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My husband and I took advantage of Mt. Mayon’s unhidden splendor by capturing a selfie with her. We were on our way to my hometown last December 22, 2019 (my birthday) for the holidays. 🙂

I will be writing two versions of this article – in the vernacular and in English for the convenience of all local and international readers. ❤

The Beauty of Mt. Mayon and Yet One of Nature’s Most Destructible Weapons

Filipino Version

Sabi ko kay Brian, ang hometown ko sa Bicol ay nakakaranas ng sobrang lakas na mga bagyo tuwing Disyembre simula noong bata pa ako. 2 hrs away din kami sa Mt. Mayon, the #1 most active volcano sa buong bansa, at ang Mt. Bulusan ay 30 minutes away lang din. Nakaranas din kami ng matinding ash fall noong tumuga ito. Ngayon, ito ay nananatiling nasa Alert Level 1 simula noong Mayo 5, 2019 samantalang ang Mt. Mayon ay nasa Alert Level 2 simula pa noong March 29, 2018.

Nasa coastal area din kami o malapit sa baybaying dagat na pwedeng makaranas ng tsunami o storm surge at dahil maraming bulkan sa Bicol ang active, madalas din ang lindol. Through these calamities, iisa lang pinatunayan ng Dios, He still reigns supreme – not our government officials, not Science, not man.

Tiwala sa Kanya – God never wants anyone to perish but is being patient for everyone to repent. He does not send calamities nor create conflicts among men to punish, but for people to know who really is God. Neither is He a cruel God who wants His people to suffer.

No, God isn’t like that. Huwag natin kalimutan na satan, God’s enemy, is also in this world at may kinalaman din sya sa ibang nangyayari sa ating mundo and the main culprit of anything sinful.

God, however, already promised that never again will He destroy mankind gaya ng the Great Flood as a punishment. The rainbow He showed to Noah and to us now is a sign of that covenant. Calamities are only one of God’s ways of turning people back to Him at bumalik-loob sa Kanya.

But only because God loves us so much He doesn’t want us to perish when judgment day comes. It is also a reminder who is still in control of this world regardless if we have the most modern, high-powered warfare in the entire universe or the greatest up-to-date technology that man and Science can ever design.

God will and still remain SUPREME at patuloy Nya tayong ire-remind of that.

English Version

I told my husband that my hometown experiences super typhoons every December ever since I was a kid. We are also located 2 hours away from the #1 most active volcano in the Philippines, Mt. Mayon, and also lauded in the world as the only volcano with the perfect cone. There is also another active volcano near our community, Mt. Bulusan, which is only 30 minutes away. We also experienced extreme ash fall during one of its eruptions. According to PHIVOLCS, it is currently on Alert Level 1 since May 5, 2019, while Mt. Mayon is on Alert Level 2 since March 28, 2018. 

We are also located in a coastal area wherein there are high chances of a storm surge and tsunamis. Since we have two of the 4 most active volcanoes in the country, we also experience frequent earthquakes. And yet through these calamities, God has proven only one thing, He reigns supreme – not our government officials, not Science, and not man. 

Trust in Him – this is what God wants, not wanting anyone to perish but patiently waiting for everyone to repent. He does not send calamities nor create conflicts among men to punish, but for people to know who God truly is. Neither is He a cruel God who wants His people to suffer.

No, God isn’t like that. We mustn’t forget that satan, God’s enemy, is also in this world and is at work. He is also responsible for some of the unfortunate events that took place and the main culprit of anything sinful.

God, however, already promised that never again will He destroy mankind as punishment for our sins such as what happened during the Great Flood. The rainbow He showed to Noah and to us now is a sign of that covenant. Calamities are only one of God’s ways of turning people back to Him. 

But only because God loves us so much He doesn’t want us to perish when judgment day comes. It is also a reminder who is still in control of this world regardless if we have the most modern, high-powered warfare in the entire universe or the greatest up-to-date technology that man and Science can ever design.

God will and still remain SUPREME and He will continue to remind us of that every now and then. We can glorify God’s beautiful creations such as volcanoes, and yet they also remind us to submit to His power.

Always a Christian Bicolana,

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MT. MAYON TRIVIA

1. Trivia 1

“Some people believe that when the volcano is restive and about to erupt, Magayon is being bothered by Pagtuga, while they believe Pangaronon is embracing Magayon when the volcano is calm…

They also believe that Pangaronon is kissing Magayon when clouds meet at the top of the volcano.”

Source: https://news.abs-cbn.com/life/01/18/18/star-crossed-lovers-the-story-of-magayon-and-pangaronon

2. Trivia 2

Mt. Mayon spewed ashes on January 17, 2018, and has been on Alert Level 2 until now.

Source: https://news.abs-cbn.com/life/01/18/18/photo-of-mayon-volcano-sparks-romance-in-social-media-users-hearts

What Are The Benefits Of Living Near A Volcano?

We all know the extent of a disaster caused by volcanic eruptions. It can instantly wipe out a community, kill thousands of people, and destroy countless properties and livestock. Research, however, proved that living near a volcano also provides some benefits. They are as follows:

  • Fertile Soil
  • Minerals & Other Materials For Building Construction
  • Geothermal Energy
  • Tourism

Read more: “More of God’s Beautiful Promises in 2020: A Testimony of His GRACE”

 

 P. S. Thank God for free editing apps such as InShot and Photo Director for making this creative output possible. 👍🏼 🙂

More of God’s Beautiful Promises in 2020: A Testimony of His GRACE

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The night before kami lumuwas papunta ng Maynila galing sa hometown ko sa Bicol after the holidays last January 3, hubby asked me kung magiging successful ang plan namin to have a baby this 2020. Nag-smile lang ako saying na ‘di ko masasagot tanong nya and only God knows.

The next day habang nasa byahe, naisipan namin to grab a quick breakfast sa any Jobee branch (we were craving for Jollibee) na madaanan namin. We finally found one at dahil walang parking slot na available, naisipan namin na mag-drive thru at mag-stop na lang sa tabi ng daan and eat our breakfast.

A Glimpse of His Promise

Pero bago dumating, may naaninag akong 1/4 na rainbow sa kalangitan. Tinuro ko kay Brian and sabi ko may konting rainbow akong nakita. Rainbows always fascinate me because they remind me of God’s awesome wonders.

Ilang meters ahead lang from Jobee may nakita kaming malawak na daan, and we decided to pull over. Habang nilalabas ang mga pagkain, pagtingala ko nakita ko ang rainbow na unti-unting nabubuo sa harap namin until it became a perfect one simula isang dulo hanggang sa kabila. Sa sobrang tuwa, naisipan namin ni Brian na magpa-picture kasama ito.

The Covenant of God

And yet kung gaano sya kabilis lumitaw, ganun din sya kabilis nalusaw. After ilang seconds lang of being complete, unti-unti na syang nawala. It was just the perfect time and the perfect place to witness a perfect rainbow – unang magandang bagay sa pagpasok ng taong 2020.

It was also the first time I saw a full rainbow sa buong buhay ko. While eating at ‘di pa rin maka-get over sa nakita naming full rainbow, ningitian ko si Brian sabay biro ng, “Hon, tinanong mo ako kagabi, ayan na ang sagot ni God sa’yo.” 😁

A Symbol of Hope and New Beginnings

Sa Bible, ang rainbow ay pinakita ni God kay Noah as a sign of His covenant sa Kanyang promises kay Noah and his family. This was after God flooded the Earth (the Great Flood) for 40 days and 40 nights and only Noah and his family tsaka a pair of every creation ni God survived. It is symbolic of a new beginning and a promise of God’s faithfulness sa mga tao.

Albay/Bicol/Region V

Indeed, when we ask God ng kahit ano, He never fails to answer. Minsan hindi talaga ‘yung sagot na gusto natin. But oftentimes it is an assurance na naririnig Nya tayo, and that He is with us always.

We may have our doubts, worries, and fears about what 2020 may bring. Pero sumagot na ang Dios na He will go before us at wala tayong dapat ipangamba. In return, this is what God asks from us – undying faith all the way, all the time. Dahil ganyan din Sya sa atin.

I believe rainbows can only represent 3 things – a sign of God’s peace, promise, and patience. 🙏❤️🙂

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“The rainbow that I have put in the sky will be my sign to you and to every living creature on earth. It will remind you that I will keep this promise forever.” – Genesis 9:12-13

“What’s more, I am with you, and I will protect you wherever you go. One day I will bring you back to this land. I will not leave you until I have finished giving you everything I have promised you.” – Genesis 28:15

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Always claiming God’s beautiful promises every year,

P. S.

Ngayon lang naka-post dahil nag-social media fasting ako from Jan 6-10 as part of the Prayer and Fasting 2020 sa church. 🙏🙂

P. S. 2

‘Yung electric post sa gitna parang itsurang Cross, noh? 👍🏼👍🏼 😁

Hooray To 7 Years With WordPress! ❤

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I’ll graze my blog very quick because I still have work to finish. I just need to share this today. 😊

Thank you, WordPress, for giving me the opportunity to share my life experiences (for free, for now) through your awesome platform. I also got to meet a whole lot of other awesome writers in this community, and their experiences are all worth reading. ❤

Indeed, cheers to more years flying with yah! 🥂

Last but not least, thank You to my “Editorial Manager” up there who gives me the wisdom and instructions on what to write here. All glory to You, my Father. 🙏

 

Forever your regular Christian WordPress writer,

P.S. I really don’t know how to interpret those stats. A spike in those bars means this blog is somehow doing okay, right? 😀 I still don’t have plans on monetizing this though, BUT if God instructs otherwise, I’ll go for it. 👍

Movie Review: Same Kind Of Different As Me

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I’m having a severe rhinitis attack today. As much as I’d like to use a nasal saline spray, my nurse hubby advised me to go natural on remedies. He explained that using too much of it can result in a thinner mucus lining.

The mucus lining protects our respiratory system from viruses that could enter our body through nasal passages. So, here I am trying to make myself feel as comfortable as I can by writing a blog post. 😀

Same Kind Of Different As Me: A Movie Based On A True Story

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Photo credit: imdb.com

For this article, I’ll be doing a review of the movie “Same Kind of Different As Me.” It is an adaptation of the New York Times’ Best-Selling novel based on a true story about faith, hope, love, and friendship.

I don’t want to divulge too many details about the movie just in case you haven’t seen it yet. So, I’ll keep this review short to limit the spoilers. It is already available on Netflix, by the way, since it was released in cinemas back in 2017.

The Characters

The main characters were played by actors Renee Zellwegger (Deborah Hall) and Greg Kinnear (Ron Hall). Greg and Deborah portrayed the typical couple who started out with relational rifts, which became the starting point of the turnaround of events.

Deborah is a wife, mother, and philanthropist, while her husband Greg is a writer and a wealthy international art dealer in Texas. Djimoun Hounsou played the role of Denver who is an ex-con living in a community for the homeless where Deborah volunteers. He is the person whom Deborah would always see in her dreams.

A Special Friendship, A Beautiful Marriage

What I loved about the movie is how the different experiences of each character have intertwined and changed their lives forever. They all have different personalities and yet were all used by God to fulfill a great plan that will benefit not just these 3 characters, but an entire community.

It’s Denver who mostly shared about his faith to the couple and my favorite quotation of his in the movie is this, “Debbie is getting precious in the eyes of God, she also becomes important to Satan.”

Debbie died of cancer at the end of the movie. She left a legacy, however, that changed lives and resulted in a beautiful friendship particularly between her husband and Denver.

She found out she has cancer in its terminal stage already. This sometimes baffles me how a crippling, incurable illness can be diagnosed without the patient even noticing he/she has it.

I believe this has something to do with Denver’s statement I quoted above, and it can also be that God’s purpose for Debbie was already fulfilled. Indeed, it kind of makes you think that our lives are really shorter than we expected.

Do What You Can Do, The Things That God Asked You To Do

Just like Debbie, I don’t intend to wait until the doctor tells me that I have a terminal illness before I start doing things that mattered to me and to God. I won’t wait for that moment before I do the things that I can do now, and the things that God asked me to do now.

So that when it’s time for us to cross the finish line, we have no regrets, and we die fulfilled. I’ve seen testimonies of dying persons over the internet whose last words were filled with the usual regretful “I should have done this and I should have done that.”

Why Wait if the Time is Now

By learning from these final words, we can also avoid these feelings of regret from taking place in our lives. Let’s use them instead to change how we run our lives now. How?

We can start by asking God what exactly are His plans for us. Even if it means going outside of our comfort zones, we have to obey Him. Debbie, for sure, wasn’t comfortable going to a community that is entirely the opposite of where she lives.

As her husband would remind her at first, the place was dangerous, full of criminals, and dirty. This didn’t stop Debbie though and she still followed what she saw in her dream. I believe her dream was a vision shown to her by God – a prophecy. It is what God was asking her to do.

God Makes Everything Beautiful in His Time

The day before she passed away, Debbie told her husband how things have turned out beautifully. She even got to appreciate the infidelity that her husband committed a few years back.

She said that if it wasn’t for it, then they wouldn’t have been given the chance to reclaim the love they used to have for one another and save their marriage from completely falling apart. I’d personally love to die saying these as my last words.

These are words spoken out of gratitude, peace, and contentment. And I believe it is because of my obedience to God when He asked me to do something that I can proclaim these words and say I was able to live a fulfilled life – a life with purpose and a life with meaning.

A Movie Worth Watching

I believe it is not a coincidence that I was able to watch it yesterday out of the countless movies on Netflix. It could probably be God’s leading that I get to see it so I can share it here on my blog. Because this blog is also the legacy that I will be leaving behind if the time comes for me to go.

Are you also living out the purpose that God has called you out? If yes, are you confident that when the right time has come for you to join Him, you can say with a free spirit that you’re ready?

If not yet, don’t waste any more time. I encourage you to have the courage to pursue what God has called you to do. Just like what Denver said in this movie, “We are all homeless just trying to find our way back home.”

Here are the Bible verses the Spirit has prompted me to share with you and help you discern God’s calling for your life:

“Now, brothers and sisters, about times and dates we do not need to write to you, for you know very well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night.

While people are saying, “Peace and safety,” destruction will come on them suddenly, as labor pains on a pregnant woman, and they will not escape. But you, brothers and sisters, are not in darkness so that this day should surprise you like a thief.

You are all children of the light and children of the day. We do not belong to the night or to the darkness. So then, let us not be like others, who are asleep, but let us be awake and sober.

For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk, get drunk at night. But since we belong to the day, let us be sober, putting on faith and love as a breastplate, and the hope of salvation as a helmet.

For God did not appoint us to suffer wrath but to receive salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ. He died for us so that, whether we are awake or asleep, we may live together with him.

Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing. Now we ask you, brothers and sisters, to acknowledge those who work hard among you, who care for you in the Lord and who admonish you.

Hold them in the highest regard in love because of their work. Live in peace with each other. And we urge you, brothers and sisters, warn those who are idle and disruptive, encourage the disheartened, help the weak, be patient with everyone.

Make sure that nobody pays back wrong for wrong, but always strive to do what is good for each other and for everyone else. Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.

Do not quench the Spirit. Do not treat prophecies with contempt but test them all; hold on to what is good, reject every kind of evil.

May God Himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. The one who calls you is faithful, and He will do it.”

– 1 Thessalonians 5:1‭-‬24 NIV

Living life according to God’s plan,

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P.S. I’ll just be watching the service in church via live stream. I just can’t disrupt it with my constant sneezing every hour when I’m there, can I? 😀

Bible Verses 10/19/2019

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When the scheming enemy strikes you with his attacks, DECLARE this Bible verse boldly:

And if he strikes again and again, CLAIM this verse:

And lastly, PRAY. 🙏🙂

Fighting and praying with you in this spiritual battle,

My Sentiments About Having A Child: Family Life

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My husband and I have been married for almost 5 years now. We don’t have kids for reasons that only God knows. But honestly, in those 5 years, hubby and I never felt burdened by the fact that we were never blessed with kids (yet).

In fact, after we had our respective checkups, we accepted that God has a good plan behind it. These are plans that are beyond our control and yet what they demand from us is to continue seeking His counsel every single day as to what to do.

To receive the bad news that our best chances to have kids is thru IUI is far more bearable to take than accepting some of the people’s sentiments around us about our ordeal. 😀 I thank God for our families though because they treated it as something that we shouldn’t be pressured about at all.

Dealing With Social Stigma

Yes, I’ll be pretty honest. Hubby is not completely open to the idea of me sharing this. But I told him that we have to let people around us know to avoid all those awkward moments during reunions and children’s birthday parties about questions when we are going to have kids.

They would ask us casually and yet I told hubby that we can’t blame them since they don’t know exactly what we’re going through. They don’t know the visits to the doctor for our checkups and about being brave enough to endure the medical instruments inserted and injected here and there. They have no idea about how nervous we are as to what the doctor’s findings are and all the financial expenses involved.

IUI vs IVF

An IUI (intrauterine insemination) is different from IVF (in vitro fertilization) in a way that the IUI works by injecting the semen inside the uterus. Fertilization still occurs inside the uterus, while for IVF, the egg is harvested from the uterus and the fertilization takes place in the laboratory. Once the procedure is a success, the fertilized egg will be inserted back to the uterus.

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Photo credit: Pixabay – Pexels

I am not afraid of the physical pain nor am I worried about financial resources. I have faith that if God wills it my husband and I will have kids through any kind of medical procedure, He will provide the means, the courage, and the right time to have it.

Complete Faith All The Way

I just can’t help but admire my husband so much in this season – his courage, his strength, his nonchalance, and his faith. It seems like he displays the character of a devout Christian more than I do. And yet it’s ironic that it is me who claims to have such great faith. 😀

There are some couples going through similar situations such as ours who would get offended when asked by friends and relatives when they’re going to have a baby. Again, we also have to understand that the reason they ask is that they know nothing about our struggles in this journey.

So I told my husband that to break this negative mentality (considered as taboo) when it comes to infertility and the inability to conceive, we have to let those around us be aware of our predicament. Involve them in this difficult season in our marriage by asking them to pray for us and letting them know what exactly we need.

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Photo credit: Andreas Wohlfahrt – Pexels

Sharing to Encourage Others

My husband is partially against this. He said it is too personal. And yet I have a different urge from the Spirit on how to treat the situation. I explained that yes, it is too personal. But God may be using our situation as a testimony of our faith in Him and His saving grace.

And that by sharing our faith in this journey, we could also encourage other couples who are going through the same struggles. Maybe it is through us that they get to know who God is, for one. As typical of my husband, he will concede once he realizes that there is indeed no harm done re a particular intent that I have. 😀 And if he knows I am doing it with the Spirit’s leading.

I pray that all the couples out there who are like us will see this predicament not as a curse but an opportunity to display God’s power. It is also an avenue to show our complete faith and trust in God, alone, that even though we have no assurance as to what will happen, we will still choose to believe in Him. Husbands and wives can also use these trying times to strengthen their bond as a couple even more.

Facing Trials Head-on

This is an unfavorable season that my husband and I cannot avoid. We have to face it head-on with the courage, strength, peace, and wisdom that God gives us. We can’t avoid attending reunions and kids’ birthday parties just so we can avoid being asked the dreaded question.

It also helps us to be open about our situation giving us freedom from any feelings of bitterness, discontentment, insecurity, and hatred because of it. The sooner we accept the fact that God is in control and that what we can only do is to act according to His instructions, the lesser the burden and the more at peace we’ll become.

For those who lost unborn babies and who can never have a baby, it’s almost the same, though the gravity of their situation is even greater. As much as I would like to empathize with them, I know it is not enough. I know I can only offer them prayers that may they still find the courage to continue hoping in God’s beautiful promises despite these heartbreaking moments. ❤

You Have Been Wonderfully Made

To all the couples out there, it is time to break this silence. Because this is what the enemy will use to cripple us through bouts of depression, restlessness, guilt, shame, and unhappiness. Don’t let him make you think of yourself as less than perfect, that something is wrong with the way you were created.

No, don’t believe these lies. Don’t let the enemy win. Don’t let it consume you. We have all been fearfully and wonderfully made in the image of God. God may be perfect, but we are still a work in progress. We are all imperfect. We all lack something. God is not yet done with us and it is only Him who can blot out those imperfections in us when the right time comes.

Be Free

I pray that all the couples out there who are going through similar trials will be released from this stronghold of the enemy. Be free my brothers and sisters, for it is your faith that will heal you and save you from this struggle.

We just always have to remember that God is always with us no matter what. So we must never stop believing that He knows what is good for us in the long run. Trusting Him completely is the key. 🙏

“But we are not of those who shrink back and are destroyed, but of those who have faith and preserve their souls.” – Hebrews 10:39

“Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.” – Hebrews 11:11

“So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.” – 2 Corinthians 4:13

“For we walk by faith, not by sight.” – 2 Corinthians 5:7

A wife waiting contentedly and happily,

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P.S. I’ll just share this song, which my group and I got through draw lots, during our ‘Making Disciples’ class in our church back in 2014.

This post just reminded me about it – being BRAVE enough to break norms by saying what you want to say. 👍🙂

Featured Image: Caleb Oquendo – Pexels

Learning From The Marriage Of Hosea | A 4th Year Wedding Anniversary Special

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Hello, everyone! This has long been overdue because August, for me, was the busiest month. I had to juggle several responsibilities at the same time. I thank the Lord, though, because when September ushered in, I was able to “breathe a little.” Thus, this article. 😉

I am writing this blog post to commemorate our 4th year wedding anniversary last month. Hubby and I celebrated it with a simple dinner and some well-deserved pampering.

I guess that’s what really happens when you’re getting older. Any free time you get, you would rather choose to spend it by resting. 😀 We do hang out, though, with our families and friends every now and then just to maintain balance.

Why Hosea?

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I encountered the story of Hosea in the Love Dare book lent to me by my Victory group leader last year when I was going through tough times in my marriage. I diligently followed every dare in the book, and there were times a dare would move me to tears because I was so convicted.

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How could I not know the right way to respond as a Christian wife in the relational conflicts between me and my husband?

The book just laid bare everything vulnerable, crooked, and imperfect inside me. With them all exposed, however, I was able to deal with the real issues behind some of the conflicts I had with my husband.

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One of them is fear. I was so driven by it that little did I know the enemy is already using it against me and my husband to his advantage and to destroy God’s beautiful promises for us. It’s just timely that this year’s wedding anniversary reminded me once again of our Bible verse during our wedding back in 2015:

“Such love has no fear, because perfect love expels all fear. If we are afraid, it is for fear of punishment, and this shows that we have not fully experienced His perfect love.” – 1 John 4:18

Next, it was lack of faith. While doing the dare, there were instances where I felt a part of me was wrestling against doing it.

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What I discovered is that I wasn’t humble enough as I claim to be, and there is still pride lurking deep down. I still relied on my own efforts when dealing with tough relational issues instead of trusting God, for one.

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The Love Dare book didn’t just reveal parts of me that I needed to work on, but it also showed me how to better appreciate my spouse and his efforts to make our marriage work. I am sure you are curious by now to find out if it indeed resulted in a more positive and healthy relationship between me and my husband.

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I can say that it did, for the most part, and yet for the majority of the changes, they did not happen overnight. They all required a great deal of discipline in order to see satisfying results. I am just grateful that both my husband and I are willing to work on our marriage regardless of the amount of effort and sacrifice it requires. Yes, we are still a work in progress, and God is definitely not done with us yet.

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When I did the dares in the book, I decided not to wait for my husband to change first before I follow suit. If he does or doesn’t change, that is between him and God. But God’s calling for me is that I change now.

Will I recommend the book?

Definitely.

I am sure any husband or wife out there can relate with every dare in the book 100%, and if you’re going through rough seasons in your marriage, I highly recommend it. It’s also included in the Fireproof movie hubby and I watched a couple of years ago. I already have an idea of what the book was all about, but doing the dares, yourself, is an entirely different case.

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Who is Hosea?

Hosea, in the Bible, is a prophet who was called by God to marry a prostitute. The story revolves around the prophet’s obedience to God in the midst of adultery, which was prevalent in God’s people during those times.

After getting married and having children, Hosea’s wife left him and unfortunately went back to prostitution. This was a very heart-wrenching experience to the prophet. It extremely tore him apart and yet, God asked him to do the most difficult task – ask her to return to him as his wife.

After leaving Hosea and going back to prostitution, Gomer (Hosea’s wife), got herself into undesirable circumstances and was sold as a slave. Hosea, though, still loves her. So, when God instructed Hosea to buy his wife back, he obeyed. He dismissed his own pain as seeing her would probably mean bringing back all the hurt of her leaving him and her sexual promiscuity with different men.

Gomer was full of remorse when Hosea bought her, but he did it on one condition – that she will completely let go of her past sins as a prostitute and repent.

What can we learn from Hosea?

God used the marriage of Hosea to Gomer as a representation of His unending love for His people despite their sinfulness and disobedience. God will continue to make all efforts to bring His people back to Him because that is what He is, He is love.

And there’s just no greater avenue to display the love of God than in a marriage. 1 Corinthians 13 portrays who God is as love, but there are other passages in the Bible that also describe what love ought to be such as loving your enemies and your neighbors as yourself.

The Lesson Of Hosea In A Marriage

When we love our enemies whom we don’t have a close relationship with, we sure can deal with it easily. But in a marriage, it is a tad more difficult and requires greater faith and more grace. To share one roof and sleep beside your enemy is already challenging enough. What more to love whom you disdain every single day?

Yes, there will be times in your marriage wherein you’ll feel you married your worst enemy. Your spouse can be your worst enemy because he/she knows so much about your weaknesses that nobody else does. And yet it doesn’t have to be that way if you choose to see your spouse in a different light.

This is where we can apply the lesson of Hosea’s love story. Just as God will choose to give chances to His people no matter how grave their sins are, then we, too, should do the same. When we were called to be married, God called us to love our spouses just like what Hosea did.

Every Marriage Was Orchestrated By God

I don’t believe in coincidences nor the idea that God does things based on trial and error just like in marriages. I believe that every marriage was orchestrated by God for us to fulfill a certain task. We are the only ones who can determine what these tasks are when we ask God sincerely and devote ourselves to obeying Him and His instructions completely.

Whether our marriages are failing, surviving, or thriving, God has a purpose for it, and this purpose will vary depending on each and every couple. My purpose in my marriage might be different than Hosea’s or any married couple out there. But they all have one goal – to display God’s unending love because that is who He is and that is who He wants us to know and follow.

This is why I don’t judge married couples whether they have God-centered marriages or not for now. Through the story of Hosea, I have surmised that we are not in the position to judge whether a marriage will last or not or decide for a person who he/she must marry. Because every marriage will go through seasons and in these seasons, God will use circumstances to fulfill His greater plans.

It Is A Calling

A marriage is a calling. The choice to marry a person doesn’t merely happen by chance, and it isn’t based on our own free will alone. God also has a hand in it. When I was single, I would read articles on who to marry or what is the type of guy/girl who will fit your personality. And yet reading the story of Hosea changed my perspective on relationships and marriages. It called for an understanding beyond legalism and pre-set doctrines that the world has dictated.

The Bible did state to never be yoked with an unbeliever. My interpretation, however, is that it should be taken with a grain of salt, and it depends on a case-to-case basis. What if the same calling similar to Hosea’s happens now in our generation? As a church, we can only respond to it with prayers. We can never judge because we don’t know what God has planned for a certain couple.

All we know is that it is in a marriage that God calls us to exhibit the greatest of them all – LOVE. We should always remember, too, that no marriage is ever a failure in God’s eyes as long as we seek His counsel on how to run our marriages. 🙂

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Always the goofy husband, when he’s in the mood. lol 😉

Called by God to be a Christian wife in every circumstance,

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