Thus you shall say to the house of Jacob,
and tell the children of Israel:
'You have seen what I did to the Egyptians,
and how I bore you on eagles' wings
and brought you to Myself.'
- Exodus 19:3
It was September 3, my second day in Baguio City. I woke up early, ready to meet with God in this beautiful place.
It was a chilly morning!
As eight of us gathered in the living room, we all felt the gentle presence of the Holy Spirit.
It was a presence so sweet, so unobtrusive, so quiet.
So freeing, so welcoming!
Somehow you feel warm inside, like being wrapped in the arms of Someone Who loves you unconditionally... just as you are...without any demands.
I felt I was loved for who I was...
This world's love isn't like that at all!
Macky started strumming his guitar, as he waited for the Lord to reveal the songs that were on His heart.
The Exodus 19 passage came up so gently on my heart...
What a beautiful morning of encountering the gentle presence of God!
This is what I sensed God saying to me as I meditated on the passage:
The message spoke so much hope and freedom to my heart.
One of the songs that ministered to our hearts that morning was the song "Still."
Hide me now
Under Your wings
Cover me
Within Your mighty hand
When the oceans rise and thunders roar
I will soar with You above the storm
Father you are king over the flood
I will be still
Know You are God.
Find rest my soul
In Christ alone
Know His power
In quietness and trust
When the oceans rise and thunders roar
I will soar with You above the storm
Father you are king over the flood
I will be still
Know You are God.
Below are some pictures that I took on my second day in Baguio.
Camp John Hay Clubhouse
About to eat breakfast!
Left to Right: Rosemarie, Mary, Karel, Tina, Macky, Merlyn and Donna
This is a favorite Filipino breakfast fare: Champorado, which is special "sticky" rice boiled with native chocolate
Shredded tuyo (dried salted fish, fried then shredded into flakes)
A bowl of champorado with fresh coconut milk (to make coconut milk, you grate the coconut, put the grated coconut in a clean cotton cloth, squeeze the cloth to extract the coconut milk). This is so yummy! Cow's or goat's milk can also be used instead of coconut milk.
A delicacy called patupat. This is sticky rice placed inside small baskets made of coconut palm fronds, then cooked in a pot of boiling sugar cane juice.
This is how a patupat looks inside, cut up in bite sized portions.
Fresh asters inside our cottage
Sharing time after breakfast - that's Rosemarie on the sofa. I loved the multicolored lamps!
Close up photo of a tiny weed
Dearest Father,
Truly You see my the circumstances of my life from Your perspective. You invite me to look at my life journey from the standpoint of heaven. You want me to see it through Your eyes of love.
Your love doesn't impose demands. Your grace abounds in my life!
You do not expect anything in return. You free me to be me, therefore I am not weighed down by guilt because You love without any strings attached. Your love woos me to love You back.
You willingly wait, like the prodigal father... waiting for his two lost sons to come home.
And when I do return, You welcome me with open arms, no conditions, no questions asked.
Thank you for drawing me close once again.
You want me to also look at the journey of my loved ones that way.
Loving them the way you love them. Believing in the work that You are doing in them, instead of focusing on their imperfections and weaknesses.
Waiting, believing, hoping...setting them free!
To everything there is a time, and a season!
and tell the children of Israel:
'You have seen what I did to the Egyptians,
and how I bore you on eagles' wings
and brought you to Myself.'
- Exodus 19:3
It was September 3, my second day in Baguio City. I woke up early, ready to meet with God in this beautiful place.
It was a chilly morning!
As eight of us gathered in the living room, we all felt the gentle presence of the Holy Spirit.
It was a presence so sweet, so unobtrusive, so quiet.
So freeing, so welcoming!
Somehow you feel warm inside, like being wrapped in the arms of Someone Who loves you unconditionally... just as you are...without any demands.
I felt I was loved for who I was...
This world's love isn't like that at all!
--0--
Macky started strumming his guitar, as he waited for the Lord to reveal the songs that were on His heart.
The Exodus 19 passage came up so gently on my heart...
What a beautiful morning of encountering the gentle presence of God!
This is what I sensed God saying to me as I meditated on the passage:
You have saddled yourself with many do's and don'ts.
You have been weighed down,
you feel you have not been good enough.
You feel you have not measured up.
You feel you have been rejected.
Listen closely. That's not My voice.
That's not My heart for you.
I have borne you on eagles' wings
and brought you to Myself.
Carefully...I have placed you on eagles' wings.
Gently...tenderly... so you won't fall.
I'm lifting off the many weights and burdens
you're thinking of.
You are on eagles' wings--above the earth.
I want you to see the perspective--from the heights.
From My perspective, see your life,
your circumstances.
Then you will see how the enemy has lied to you.
And you will see what I want you to see.
BELIEVE...and live accordingly.
You have been weighed down,
you feel you have not been good enough.
You feel you have not measured up.
You feel you have been rejected.
Listen closely. That's not My voice.
That's not My heart for you.
I have borne you on eagles' wings
and brought you to Myself.
Carefully...I have placed you on eagles' wings.
Gently...tenderly... so you won't fall.
I'm lifting off the many weights and burdens
you're thinking of.
You are on eagles' wings--above the earth.
I want you to see the perspective--from the heights.
From My perspective, see your life,
your circumstances.
Then you will see how the enemy has lied to you.
And you will see what I want you to see.
BELIEVE...and live accordingly.
The message spoke so much hope and freedom to my heart.
One of the songs that ministered to our hearts that morning was the song "Still."
Hide me now
Under Your wings
Cover me
Within Your mighty hand
When the oceans rise and thunders roar
I will soar with You above the storm
Father you are king over the flood
I will be still
Know You are God.
Find rest my soul
In Christ alone
Know His power
In quietness and trust
When the oceans rise and thunders roar
I will soar with You above the storm
Father you are king over the flood
I will be still
Know You are God.
Below are some pictures that I took on my second day in Baguio.
I went out for a walk early Thursday morning and took these shots.
Camp John Hay Clubhouse
When I got back inside the cottage, I noticed this wall decor near the fireplace
Finding a comfortable spot... just before we began our devotional time
About to eat breakfast!Left to Right: Rosemarie, Mary, Karel, Tina, Macky, Merlyn and Donna
This is a favorite Filipino breakfast fare: Champorado, which is special "sticky" rice boiled with native chocolate
Shredded tuyo (dried salted fish, fried then shredded into flakes)
A bowl of champorado with fresh coconut milk (to make coconut milk, you grate the coconut, put the grated coconut in a clean cotton cloth, squeeze the cloth to extract the coconut milk). This is so yummy! Cow's or goat's milk can also be used instead of coconut milk.
A delicacy called patupat. This is sticky rice placed inside small baskets made of coconut palm fronds, then cooked in a pot of boiling sugar cane juice.
This is how a patupat looks inside, cut up in bite sized portions.
Fresh asters inside our cottage
Sharing time after breakfast - that's Rosemarie on the sofa. I loved the multicolored lamps!
In the afternoon, I went out for a walk again. Here are more pictures that I took.
Close up photo of a tiny weed
More flowers!
Dearest Father,
Truly You see my the circumstances of my life from Your perspective. You invite me to look at my life journey from the standpoint of heaven. You want me to see it through Your eyes of love.
Your love doesn't impose demands. Your grace abounds in my life!
You do not expect anything in return. You free me to be me, therefore I am not weighed down by guilt because You love without any strings attached. Your love woos me to love You back.
You willingly wait, like the prodigal father... waiting for his two lost sons to come home.
And when I do return, You welcome me with open arms, no conditions, no questions asked.
Thank you for drawing me close once again.
You want me to also look at the journey of my loved ones that way.
Loving them the way you love them. Believing in the work that You are doing in them, instead of focusing on their imperfections and weaknesses.
Waiting, believing, hoping...setting them free!
To everything there is a time, and a season!
11 comments:
What a wonderful time of renewal! Good friends and devotions with God's presence felt, beautiful surroundings - I'm happy you were blessed with all this.
I'm so happy you were able to have this beautiful retreat.
Such a Blessing to encounter God through Bible, prayer, song, meditation, reading, friendship, fellowship, along with some time of solitude, and nature.
Beautiful photographs.
Thanks for sharing these beautiful moments with us.
Love,
Eileen
Lidj,
How can you not be moved by worshiping the Lord in such a beautiful and magnificent place. Such beauty just cries out from God, notice Me. I made these for YOU! So much love and peace just looking through each of these photos confirms for me, that you are surrounded not only by God's beauty but by His Spirit as well.
Rest in this time and be refreshed by the Lords waters!
Love and Hugs ~ Kat
I have enjoyed your posts as you share from your heart.
I am in the position of the Prodigal Parent (again) in my life. Our youngest daughter has turned her back on her husband of 9 months and is in rebellion. It's been a very difficult time and I have gone through the full spectrum of emotions (sadness, anger, disappointment, resentment, bitterness and so on). Recently the Lord brought the Prodigal Son story to my remembrance. I thought I knew that story inside and out.
As the father saw his son off in the distance, he ran to him. I had heard sermons on how the father had been looking for the son. God shared with me though that the father's heart was in the right place otherwise he wouldn't have been looking for him. He had already forgiven the son, dealt with the disappointment and his heart was open to receive his son! God showed what I need to be praying for in my own life. The day WILL come when she too will return and my heart needs to be open to receive her. Only with God's help and the work of the Holy Spirit can that happen!
Blessings to you today sweet lady!
Connie
What a beautiful post. The message was inspiring. The pictures breathtaking. I particularly like the flowers. I enjoy flowers so very much and unusual species fascinate me so. The house is lovely, too. It seems like a special group of people.
Lidj, I could feel your heart in this post. The revelation that God revealing to you about His extreme love and acceptance for you is rolling forth here. What a prayer at the end. I loved it and prayed it for myself as well. The more we soak up His unconditional love, the more we will recognize the enemies lies that try to keep us from that place of intimacy with our Lord. I am so happy that you had a wonderful time and soaked up some Lovin' from God while you were in that beautiful home with those lovely ladies. I hope they all came away with the depth of revelation that you did.
Christy
Thank You for drawing our hearts in as you shared what God had shared with you. Sweet, tender words from a loving Father!
Blessings ~ Lisa
dear crown of beauty
i took a look at these lovely flowers last night.
i have never seen anything like it...all those different shapes.
i must say that my very favourite one was the picture of the little weed.
just imagine, amidst all of those glorious flowers, you took note of that little weed.
how kind and nice and i just wondered how that little weed thought when you took the time to take its wee picture!
well i will say so long for a bit crown of beauty because i have to go through my picture flies to find all my pictures of aunt marion so i can make a cd for her children...
take care and may god continue to bless you.
you are so loved by so many.....love terry
i will be back to comment on the rest of this beautiful post...
oh that eagle so caught my eye!
Wow this is like a step away from Paradise to me. Beautiful place to have a retreat.
Love your photos.
In North East India they also eat sticky rice. They steam it inside a banana leaf.And they have similar salted dried fish. Yummy.
I'm so glad you enjoyed such a wonderful retreat!
And that song... it's one of my favorites. :-)
I wrote such a long lovely letter and the computer decided to have a rest!! bless... so this is a newer shorter version! Eagles wings reminds me of when i was in the philippines having ministry with FFi and I was given the meaning of my name Psalm 103 v3-5so that your youth is renewed like the eagles, wow.. and also my son's name was just as mighty, God has a reason for giving us our names and its mighty.You belong more when you know the biblical meanings to your name, it some how made me feel like i was like an eagle, flying over the mountains and valley's below. your words also reminded me of a song we sang at school along time ago.. hum hum... All things bright and beautiful all creatures great and small, all thing wisa and wonderfull the lord god made them all. inspirational photos Lydj and such a wonderful and blessed place to have a retreat, i would love to go there one day. God bless you love gilly, hopelives.
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