A Healing Journey

"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD
"plans to prosper you and not to harm you,
plans to give you hope and a future."

- Jeremiah 29:11

Today February 2012 comes to an end.

I name this month Rophe, the Hebrew word for "healer."

I still find it hard to believe how the recent events in my life unfolded the way they did, but I know that someday, in eternity, I will understand the real story behind the scenes.

Six months ago, I entered a season which required my daughter and me to leave a treasured place of comfort, my father’s home... the home where I grew up, where every room is filled with warm and beautiful memories.

I spent long hours in God’s presence, asking Him to show me the way He wants me to go, and specifically, to provide us with a place of His choosing.

In an amazing chain of events, by the end of September, within just four weeks, my daughter and I had packed up, bought all the new stuff that she needed for her new place, and moved into a tiny studio not too far from where we used to live.

I say "amazing" because in September 2011, I was in Manila only on the first and last weeks of the month, and Obedient One was at work on weekdays; she only had the weekends off.

It was officially my daughter’s pad, but I understood that God had an important lesson not only for her, but also for me and the rest of my family.

I gave the place a name: My Rehoboth, Part 1.

In Genesis 26, Rehoboth was the name Isaac gave one of the wells that he dug. It literally means “Room Enough.” The place was tiny, but only in the physical sense. Moving into that place expanded my heart for what God was doing, and my heart was ready.

I therefore looked at this season as a very special season of refining, shaking, sifting, and pruning... for me. I have no doubt that my daughter had her own share of lessons, but that is a story she will have to tell herself. In this season, God was bringing me to a new path. I needed to walk close to Him that my heart may be kept soft and pliable, not hardened or vindictive.

The story of this stage of my spiritual journey is told, though not in specific details, in the blog posts I have written from July 2011 to the start of 2012.

I never expected things to start moving fast, but God was orchestrating everything...It was clear He had a different timetable. And as the spiritual strongman over my family, I knew my role was crucial. Being the spiritual gatekeeper, I wanted to be the trailblazer for a Godly path that my family and the generations after me would walk on.

God honored my prayers.

Yesterday, February 28, my daughter and I had our things packed and ready for our move... back to my father’s home.

I woke up feeling weepy. The tiny pad which I had named My Rehoboth, Part 1 had truly become home to us. Although my home is in Bacolod City, I visit my daughter in Manila so often that this city is a second home to me. Well, as the saying goes, home is where the heart is.

There was a feeling of deep connection to Obedient One's studio although she had only lived here for five months, and I had not even been with her all those months, since I'm around for only a few weeks each time I visit her.

Indeed it had become a place of healing, both for me and my daughter. The tiny cottage opens up to a garden of sorts... a rugged assortment of bushes, fruit trees, vines, potted bougainvilleas, ferns, a vegetable plot... and plenty of green grass. On any given day, there is a gentle breeze. The huge mango tree right beside our cottage gives off a cool moisture.

But once more, the cloud was moving, we had to pull up the pegs, and fold up our tent.

I had just finished my breakfast and the van that my friend Jing had so graciously provided for this move was arriving in a few minutes. As I stood at the kitchen sink, I happened to glanced up and the wall plaque hanging on the wall caught my eye.

“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord...

“Plans for good and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.”

TO GIVE YOU A FUTURE!

A gentle breeze blew through the window. I put down what I was doing, and welcomed the presence of God. Know that I am the God of your present, but I am also the God of your future... I am the God who gives you hope.

Yes, hope... a sense of good things happening.

Here is the prayer that Obedient One and I prayed during breakfast:

Thank You, dear Father for these past six months. Your presence has been real, and You never left us to figure things out on our own. You have guided us, provided for us...

You have given us a sense of peace, comfort, and well being in this place. We thank You Lord for this place, it has been a healing place for us...

You have been with us on our healing journey.

Now, as we say good-bye to this place, and to this month, our hearts are overflowing with thanks for what You have done. We are ready for the next level, dear God.

You are the God of our future... You are the God of hope!

George, my daughter's mini schnauzer

new leaves on the banana trees

moringa

green mangoes

this mango tree gives shade and coolness to our cottage

beautiful weeds

this is my daughter's pad... yes, we do our cooking outside

lovely yellow blossoms on the vine

the landlady's house

four o'clock afternoon flowers

more four o'clock afternoon flowers


lush ground cover

George's stuff - ready for the move