Stef Celebrates Quarter Life

Our birthdays are feathers in the broad wing of time.

- Jean Paul

We celebrated Stefanie's 25th birthday today with a sumptuous lunch and a beautiful blessing ceremony.

Stef is the only daughter of my dear friends, William and Ruby.


The name Stefanie means Crowned One. Indeed, such a fitting name for this lovely young woman.

Birthdays are a wonderful occasion to receive powerful words of affirmation and faith declarations.

The ceremony began with Stef lighting the menorah, and the candle on her birthday cake.

She then blessed the day she was born, thanking her Creator God for bringing her into this world, and giving her a unique identity and special destiny to fulfill.

All the guests then took turns in releasing special words of blessing for her.


May your life be a living letter, her mother Ruby said.

Three Generations

Stef with mother Ruby and grandmother Cecile

You have been born to parents who have nurtured you and surrounded you with an environment of love. May you have a grateful heart... wise words of blessing from our friend Nikki.

Seated: grandmother Cecile and Stef

Standing: Minerva, me, Vicky, Nikki, Arbee, Mayang, Mylene and Ruby

May you have a life of adventure...were her future sister-in-law Micah's blessings for her.

with elder brother Joey and his girlfriend, Micah

I bless you with a deeper hunger and love for God's word, were words spoken by Butch Yulo for Stef.

Butch Yulo, Raffi Catalan, dad William, and Buddy Cordova

Mayang released to her the blessings of Tabitha, a woman in the Bible who died and was raised back to life after the apostle Peter prayed for her. You have been redeemed from death, and I declare the blessings of Tabitha on you, that you may continue to do good works and kind deeds to fulfill your destiny... Mayang's declaration of faith over Stef.

mom Ruby, me, Maggy Echauz, Stef, Mayang Ledesma

Here are my words of blessing for you, dear Stef.

I bless you with the spirit of an overcomer. Jesus said to the church in Pergamos that to anyone who overcomes, He will give some hidden manna to eat, a white stone, and a new name written on the stone that will be known only to the one who receives it. (Revelation 2:17)

The hidden manna means an unexpected provision, the white stone means an invitation to a wedding feast, and a new name means a special assignment and calling.

May you hunger for a deeper intimacy with the Lord.

I also bless you with the spirit of intercession, which I know you already have. But in this new season of your life, may Abba Father give you a special love for Israel, and stir you to pray passionately for the land that God loves, that the words of Isaiah 62:1 may be true in your life:

For Zion's sake I will not hold my peace,

And for Jerusalem's sake I will not rest,

Until her righteousness goes forth in brightness,

And her salvation as a lamp that burns.

I bless you with the blessing of a new name, as Isaiah 62:2

You shall be called by a new name

Which the mouth of the Lord will name.

May you live up to your name, Stefanie, which means, "Crowned One."

You shall also be a crown of glory

In the hand of the Lord,

And a royal diadem

In the hand of your God.

These words of blessing are so meaningful to me, because they are the very words of blessing I have received from the Lord at a time that I was going through a difficult season in my life.

May these words bring encouragement to your life today, dear Stef!

Your eyes saw my substance, being yet unformed.

And in Your book they all were written,

The days fashioned for me,

When as yet there were none of them.

- Psalm 139:16