Tenacious, Enduring

Sunrise over Quezon City, Metro Manila

November 28, 2014

... I know whom I have believed,

and am convinced that He is able to guard

what I have entrusted to Him until that day.

- 2 Timothy 1:12

The LORD's loving kindnesses are not consumed,

so His compassions do not fail.

They are new every morning.

Great is Your faithfulness!

The LORD is my portion, says my inner being,

therefor I shall hope in Him.

- Lamentations 3:22-24

(One New Man Bible)

You will never perish 
when you fall into the abyss of God's lovingkindness.

- Ralph Davis

O Love That Wilt Not Let Me Go

by George Mattheson

O Love that wilt not let me go

I rest my weary soul in Thee

I give Thee back the life I owe

That in Thine ocean depths its flow

May richer, fuller be

O Light that foll'west all my way

I yield my flick'ring torch to Thee

My heart restores its borrowed ray

That in Thy sunshine's blaze its day

May brighter, fairer be

O Joy that seekest me through pain

I cannot close my heart to Thee

I trace the rainbow through the rain

And feel the promise is not vain

That morn shall tearless be

O Cross that liftest up my head

I dare not ask to fly from Thee

I lay in dust life's glory dead

And from the ground there blossoms red

Life that shall endless be

It was in my third year as a university student that I finally understood what it meant to turn the reins of my life over to Jesus Christ.

I was 20 years old when He became the Lord of my heart.

Born into a family that believed in God, I grew up with a desire to do what was right in His eyes. I endeavored to live a life that pleased God, doing my religious duties faithfully, and trying to love Him in the best way I knew how.

However, try as I might, I couldn't go very far into the week without feeling I had failed, and would have to start all over again. It was actually a religion of self-effort. I never really felt I was good enough in God's eyes. 

In that context, my new-found faith came as a breath of fresh air.

So liberating, so freeing was this relationship, I hungered and longed to know my Lord more each day.

I would wake up early and read the Bible each morning before going to school. There were weekly small groups at the back of the main library where we studied Scripture passages in-depth. Saturday afternoons my friends and I would meet for mentorship lessons under a woman named Melba whom I deeply admired for her intense love for the Lord.

You shall seek Me and find me, if You seek Me with all your heart. 
- Jeremiah 29:13

God was faithful. The more I sought Him, the more I found Him. He revealed nuggets of golden truths to me, bit by bit.

Each new facet of God's character that I discovered and personally experienced gave me a deeper appreciation of the kind of God He really was.

Indeed, God had called me to a relationship of grace, not a religion of self-effort.

Under the law, I could only fall short. Under grace, I was enabled and empowered to do right.

Augustine of Hippo writes, Grace is given not because we have done good works, but in order that we may be able to do them.

Paul states it so beautifully: 

For by grace you have been saved through faith,

and that not of yourselves;

it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.

For we are His workmanship,

created in Christ Jesus for good works,

which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.

- Ephesians 2:8-10

I was understanding what being set free by God's grace truly meant!

Sunday mornings I would look forward to the vibrant worship services at the Diliman Bible Church. We would sing the hymns at the top of our voices and in my case, often with tears rolling down my cheeks.

One of the first hymns that deeply ministered to this hungry soul was the one I posted above, O Love That Wilt Not Let Me Go. It was written in the 1800s by a blind pastor, George Mattheson, in a moment of divine inspiration. Overwhelmed by God's love for Him, he found himself writing the lines with Someone dictating every word to him. He says the whole poem was completed in five minutes. The hymn stands today as it was originally given to him, without any editing done on it.

He is Love that will not let go, 

Light that shines on my path, 

Joy that seeks me in my pain, 

and Cross that lifts me up from the ash heap!

I listen to this hymn often, it is probably my top favorite of all the hymns I know. (Video below)

As the month of January ends, this song could very well sum up what the past four weeks have been like.

In an earlier blog post, I wrote of how the year 2015 started with a bit of inner struggle for me. 

Looking back, I now realize the conflict I experienced was rooted in my desire to do what is right. 

In the midst of that desire, two voices were speaking: 

the former master's accusing voice which said You are falling short... you are not good enough; 

and the Father's gentle voice saying, You are loved and accepted unconditionally.

Hearing the Father's voice has reassured me. His unconditional love sets us free from the heavy yoke of religious dos and don'ts. 

At the start of the year, I had asked God to help me move forward in my walk for 2015.

How I need His help...

to be intentional without being moralistic or dogmatic about it,

to approach His throne of grace not as a duty but as a delight,

to pray without explanations,

to offer up, not worn-out, empty cliches... but heartfelt words, coming from a heart of quiet rest. 
(See Quiet Rest)

In our pursuit of righteousness, how easy it is to fall into the trap of performance orientation, living the way the Pharisees did.

This world has trained us to define ourselves in terms of performance or acquisition or physical attributes. 

Father God, on the other hand, is faithful in setting us free from such traps. He wants to make it clear He is the God who issues the call to draw near and to come up higher.

He draws us closer to His heart.

My part is to heed the call. 

And to respond.

It is not about me, or how well I can jump through the hoops.

It is all about Him.

At every turn, at every level, He wants me to know and experience His love that will never let me go.

He is the One who gives me the hunger and the desire to obey Him. 

I love what John Piper has to say about this:

A tremendous stability comes into your life when you let the Bible define who you are in relation to God rather than letting the world define who you are in relation to things... To know where you've come from in relation to God, and where you are heading in relation to God, and where you stand now in relation to God, will make you a free agent. Sustained by the Faithfulness of God

When I let God define who I am in relation to who He is, I become a free agent.

So as this month ends, Abba Father reminds me of who I am, a free agent, walking in the path of grace. 

He reveals a deeper facet of His character to me: His tenacious, enduring love.

His love is steadfast, unchanging, and faithful to the end.

Faithfulness. It's part and parcel of who He is. 

As Pastor Joe taught us, God is faithful to His people, to His character, to His plans, and to His promises.

The Sovereign God cannot be untrue to His own heart. He is true to His covenant. He is a Promise Keeper.

He will not easily let go of me.

In fact, He won't. Ever.

One of the highlights of this month was when I was invited to the 29th founding anniversary of our church school, the Christian Academy of Bacolod.

In September 2004, more than ten years ago, I said good-bye to this ministry where I served God faithfully for eighteen years, fifteen as its principal. In many ways, I still look back to those years as the best years of my life.

Last Thursday I attended an official function for the first time since I left, to celebrate with them, as they reached another milestone, God's faithfulness for all these twenty-nine years.

What a delight it was to watch the students perform in the different areas of their gifts and talents! How far the school has gone since its humble beginnings. At some points, I had to verbally praise God for what He has done and how He has enabled these young men and women to accomplish much.

Below are a few photos I took:

 Pastor Joe: God is faithful to His character.

 Small Ensemble

Dramatic Dialogue: Hannah and Penina 

Instrumental Duet 

Male Trio

 Storytelling: The Story of Punchinello 
(from You are Special, by Max Luado)

 Punchinello always got dull, gray dot stickers

Punchinello meets Lucia, a Wemmick girl who had no marks. 

The stickers didn't stick to her! 

Punchinello meets Eli, his maker. 

The stickers only stick if they matter to you, Eli said.

"All that matters is what I think. And I think you are pretty special."

 Famous Speech: I Have a Dream

 Piano Solo

Large Ensemble

I was so proud of all these students, so eloquent, passionate... giving their best for their Master.

At the end of the program, I was so surprised when Pastor Joe and I were given tokens in appreciation of the part we had in the church school's history.

Mixed emotions welled up within me as I stood in front, with a bouquet of beautiful flowers in my hands.

For the truth is that all these ten years since God spoke to me that my season at the school had come to an end, I had not gone back. I put those years behind me as part of my past season.

There are many things on my heart that cannot be openly shared... but in a way, during the years that I believe God enabled me to give my best to this ministry, the message I got from certain significant persons was that I deserved nothing but dull gray dots, like Punchinello.

I wasn't looking for praise or acclamation.

All I wanted was a relationship of grace... but got rejection and disapproval instead. 

This isn't said with rancor or judgment, not even disappointment. I share my feelings with a tinge of sadness.

See these related stories:

Lord of the Breakthrough

Brand New Power Lines


And so I closed that chapter of my life story, and never really bothered to open it again.

It was beautiful, fulfilling, and truly meaningful. But for the past ten years, I kept those chapters of my life shut tight.

As I listened to the story of the Wemmicks I realized that there were a few dull gray stickers on me. God was telling me, The stickers only stick if you let them.

I am just so happy I went back. I sensed the Father whispering, Daughter, the school is in good hands. I always finish what I begin.

It was good to meet the current principal, and the new teachers.

What warmed my heart the most was to see some of the teachers and staff who had served faithfully with me during my years as ministry head of the school.

I could never have done it alone. We were a team, and I had tremendous support from all of them. They made my work easy. It was a delight serving with them.

The school has gone a long way, despite the rough road it has been on. And it is indeed a tribute to the grace and faithfulness of God.


I say good-bye to this beautiful month.

January, thank you for through you I have experienced once again God's tenacious hold on me. 

Were it not for Your grace... where would I be? 

Were It Not For Grace... that is my story, and my song.

Thank You Abba for Your faithfulness. Thank You for Your grace!

Here are some of the songs I have been singing in the January chapter of my 2015 story:

O Love That Wilt Not Let Me Go (performing artist: David Phelps)

Were It Not For Grace (performing artist: Larnelle Harris)
songwriters: David Ross Hamilton and Phill McHugh

Time measured out my days, life carried me along
In my soul I yearned to follow God but knew I'd never be so strong

I looked hard at this world to learn how Heaven could be gained
Just to end where I began, where human effort is all in vain

Were it not for grace, I can tell you where I'd be
Wandering down some pointless road to nowhere
With my salvation up to me, I know how that would go
The battles I would face forever running but losing the race
Were it not for grace

So here is all my praise expressed with all my heart
Offered to the Friend who took my place and ran a course I could not start
And when He saw in full just how much His love would cost
He still went the final mile between me and Heaven so I would not be lost

Were it not for grace, I can tell you where I'd be
Wandering down some pointless road to nowhere
With my salvation up to me and I know how that would go
The battles I would face forever running but losing the race
Were it not for grace

Forever running but losing this race
Were it not for grace

Faithful God (performing artist: Laura Story)



Your Faithfulness (performing artist: Brian Doerksen)

I don't know what this day will bring
Will it be disappointing, filled with longed for things?
I don't know what tomorrow holds
Still I know, I can trust Your faithfulness

I don't know if these clouds mean rain
If they do, will they pour down blessing or pain?
I don't know what the future holds
Still I know, I can trust Your faithfulness

Certain as the rivers reach the sea
Certain as the sunrise in the east
I can rest in Your faithfulness
Surer than a mother's tender love
Surer than the stars still shine above
I can rest in Your faithfulness

I don't know how or when I'll die
Will it be a thief, or will I have a chance to say goodbye?
No, I don't know how much time is left
But in the end, I will know Your faithfulness

When darkness overwhelms my soul
When thoughts and storms of doubt
Still I trust, You are always faithful
Always faithful

Certain as the rivers reach the sea
Certain as the sunrise in the east
I can rest in Your faithfulness
Surer than a mother's tender love
Surer than the stars still shine above
I can rest in Your faithfulness
I can rest in Your faithfulness

I don't know what this day will bring
Will it be disappointing, filled with longed for things?
I don't know what tomorrow holds
Still I know, I can trust Your faithfulness

But What About You?

Who do you say I am?

image source

When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, He asked His disciples, "Who do people say the Son of Man is?"

They replied, "Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets."

"But what about you?" He asked. "Who do you say I am?"

Simon Peter answered, "You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God."

Jesus replied, "Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by flesh and blood, but by my Father in heaven. And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven."  - Matthew 16:13-19

These past days I have been re-thinking my life of faith.

It's been forty years since I gave my heart back to Jesus Christ, opened the door for Him to come in... and to sit on the throne of my life as Savior, Redeemer, King.

Last Saturday, I heard a man speak about the many wrong ways we have been taught to get to know God. He spoke for only an hour, and yet, I feel that my faith was somewhat shaken.

His words left me with many questions.

Well, sometimes we need to hear honest words that will stir us from our complacency.

It's not really that my faith has not been tested all these years... but we can become so comfortable in what we believe, and not be aware that our present circumstances require our faith to be upgraded.

God is unfathomable, and therefore it makes sense that my faith in Him must also be growing deeper.

When it comes to faith, we cannot remain stagnant. We need to be moving up higher, constantly.

I think that is where I am at this point.

How I appreciate the way Abba Father comes in so quietly... like the gentle rains that have been falling over the city these past two days. He doesn't come barging in... He knows He is welcome, like an old friend who can come anytime, unannounced. 

I hear His still, small voice asking me the very question He asked Peter a long time ago.

But what about you... who do you say that I am?

He's asked me this very question a few times before. And each time He does, I know it is yet another invitation to go deeper.

Who do you say that I am?

It is a question of authority; the answer to that question determines who I consider to be the true authority in my life.

Forty years ago, I made the crucial faith declaration that Jesus was the Lord of my life.

But that was only the beginning of a life of inner adjustments - some major, some minor... but each one life changing. Each step of decision to obey, and to say "yes" to Him, brought me closer to His heart. Still, there were many more changes required of me.

The initial offer to make Him the Lord of my life is followed by more calls to go up higher.

Always... always... the invitation to follow Him to the next level was never given as a demand or an imposition. Even though He was Lord, and He was King... Father, Son, and Holy Spirit never "lorded" it over me.

I had the freedom to heed the call, or to disregard it. 

The choice was always mine to make.

Having chosen Him as my Lord means I have chosen Him as my authority.

Having Him as my authority simplifies matters, because what we believe about God determines the way we live.

I so want to live right, making the right choices, listening to no other voice but God's... to lead and guide me.

So, I need to recognize His voice above all others.

A moment by moment obedience to Him is a must.

Let's face it. Daily, many important decisions are made in our life, depending on our authority.

The way I regard my time. My money. My relationships.

My ambitions. My attitudes.

Will I hold on to pride and unforgiveness?

Pretend to be who I am not?

Refuse to admit I had been wrong?

Will I cut corners, cheat, take the easy way out, just because no one is looking? 

But the truth is, we never live our lives in a vacuum. There is always One who knows.

Someday, whether we believe in Him fully as Lord, or just as someone we know with our intellects, from a safe distance, there will come a day of reckoning.

Who do people say the Son of Man is?

Jesus begins by asking His apostles a non-threatening question. Who do people say...

And the apostles felt safe. They replied, "Some say John the Baptist, others say Elijah, and still others, Jeremiah, or one of the prophets."

Then Jesus zeroes in on His main point.

But what about you, who do you say I am?

Of course it had to be Peter. He had always been the rash one, the one quick with words.

Unabashed, unashamed, he comes to the front with his great confession, a powerful declaration.

You are the Messiah, the Son of the Living God.

You are HaMashiach... the Anointed One... the Messiah we have been waiting for.

The Messiah is what the Jews have been hoping for. The answer to all their questions.

Peter believes the claims of Jesus without batting an eyelash.  The very claims that made the religious leaders of that time send Jesus to the cross.

Peter remembers the days before Jesus died when Jesus claimed He was the Son of God.

Peter learned this truth the hard way... and he will never forget.

Google images

He went to Nazareth, where He had been brought up, and on the Sabbath day He went into the synagogue as was His custom. He stood up to read, and the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was handed to Him. Unrolling it, He found the place where it is written:

"The Spirit of the Lord is on me,

because He has anointed me

to proclaim good news to the poor.

He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners

and recovery of sight for the blind,

to set the oppressed free,

to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor."

Then He rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant and sat down. The eyes of everyone in the synagogue were fastened on Him. He began by saying to them, "Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing."  - Luke 4:16-19

Peter knows that what HaMashiach promises He will deliver.

In his powerful declaration of faith, Peter was saying that he believes everything that Jesus lived... and died for.


Good news to the poor.

Admitting one's poverty, not in any financial sense... but a humble admission of nothingness, helplessness, and worthlessness without Him.

Therefore, no longer being quick to form opinions and conclusions about events and persons... for that is a sure way of making myself a god in my own eyes.

To assume, rather, a position of poverty, a position of trust, saying, Father, I entrust this situation... this person... to You.

Trust in the LORD with all your heart

and lean not on your own understanding.

In all your ways submit to Him,

and He will make your paths straight.

- Proverbs 3:5, 6

Freedom for prisoners.

We may not be literal prisoners... but we could be in bondage to many other things. Like greed. Or fear. Or pride. Self effort. Financial security. A life of pretense, and window dressing.

So Yeshua HaMashiach comes to fill that emptiness in our hearts that we never could, on our own. He alone is able to give us true worth and eternal security.


Recovery of sight.

It has been said that our greatest blindness is blindness to the truth.... the Truth of who God is.

Throughout the ages, the enemy of our soul, satan the deceiver, has side-blinded us... making us believe half truths, distorted truths, about God.

And when we are blind to the whole truth, we are blind to true hope, as well as to lasting joy.

Jesus our Messiah has come to show us the whole truth... that we may have a deep and abiding sense of joy and hope which our life circumstances could never steal from us.


Set the oppressed free.

Oppression comes in many forms. We could go through life oppressed by false guilt, self blame, perfectionism, a fault finding spirit, an intense self-focus.

Or live our days haunted by the seeming consequences of wrong choices we have made in the past.

Many ask, Is there a way out?

The answer is Yes!

Jesus as Messiah is the One who redeems us from our past failures. It is He who promises to restore to us the years that the locusts have eaten.

Looking at the claims of Jesus as Messiah, I would be a fool not to take His word for it.

When Jesus says that He has come to proclaim the year of His favor over me... who am I not to come running to Him with my declaration and confession, just as Peter did?

What about you? Who do you say that I am?

Jesus asks us point blank... Never mind about the others. What about you?

Our response to faith is always personal. 

At the end of the day... at the end of this life... all that really matters is this: What Jesus means to me in the everyday circumstances and daily routines of my life.

Peter asserts, You are the Messiah, the son of the Living God.

It was the very answer Jesus was waiting for.

And Jesus exclaims, Blessed are you Simon Bar-Jonah... for his confession has not come from intellectual reasoning, but from revelation.

Peter's declaration flowed from the spirit of revelation.

We tend to analyze the circumstances of our lives and put them in neat, little categories. In doing that, it is easy to second guess God's purposes, going ahead of Him, hindering Him from revealing fresh truth to us.

God would rather have us flow with His spirit, waiting for Him to reveal His heart to us.

Living that way, our faith is always alert and active. Our heart is open to receive new things from Him.

At the point of faith, Peter is reminded of what his name means. Jesus says, you are no longer Simon ("little stone"), but Peter ("rock").

It is at such crucial moments of our lives, when we refuse to believe what our physical eyes can see but choose instead to hold on to faith, and to see with the eyes of our spiritual understanding, that God reveals to us our real name, and true identity.

Jesus reminds Peter of who he really is in heaven's eyes.

You are a rock.



One of the spiritual lessons that have made a deep impact on me is that we become what we confess.

God is always wanting to reveal to us our true identity.

Our true identity is linked to our true confession of who God is.

The past years, I have learned how important it is not to confess my limitations or to focus on the hindrances and difficulties confronting me.

It is not living in denial of reality, as some would say. I am aware of my physical circumstances.

Nevertheless, for every limitation that I see, there is a corresponding spiritual freedom that God offers.

The land of my wounding is the land of my healing. The place of my limitation is the very place of my anointing.

The choice is up to me.

At the point of genuine faith, Jesus comes to remind us who we really are.

Not what the world says we are. Not the labels that others have put on us. But who God created us to be.

The real issue then is, who do I say that He is?

Lord, I know who You are.

You are my Healer. My Provider. My Righteousness. My Peace. My Life.

Our words have the power to create our reality.

We are defined by what we confess.



With Peter's declaration came the promise that the gates of Hades, the gates of Death, will have no power over him and all others who make this similar confession of faith.

The gates of Death will let in hatred... depression... fear... bitterness... discouragement... unbelief.

But where the Messiah, the ultimate Lifegiver has been confessed, Death has no access point.



To Peter was given the keys of the kingdom... the keys that unlock kingdom authority. What he binds on earth is bound in heaven, what he looses on earth is loosed in heaven.

Those keys are ours as well when we confess Christ as our Messiah.

Heaven honors our declarations.

And today, I am humbled anew as Jesus offers me a fresh invitation to believe in Him as my Messiah... at a higher level.

I hear Him calling me to take the untrodden path.

I heed that invitation... and take Him up on His offer of a higher level of faith.

I would be a fool not to.

Could You Be Messiah To Me?
by Filipino composer and singer, Gary Valenciano




The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord
 (as sung by Andy Park, in his album In the Secret)

The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is upon us
Because He has anointed us to preach good news (repeat)

He has sent us to the poor
To bind up the broken-hearted
To bring freedom to the captives
And to release the ones in darkness

This is the year of the favour of the Lord
This is the day of the vengeance of our God
This is the year of the favour of the Lord
This is the day of the vengeance of our God

The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is upon you
Because He has anointed you to preach good news (repeat)

He will comfort all who mourn
He will provide for those who grieve
He will pour out the oil of gladness
Instead of mourning you will praise

This is the year of the favour of the Lord
This is the day of the vengeance of our God
This is the year of the favour of the Lord
This is the day of the vengeance of our God

Narration: 
Jesus, You drank the cup of God's vengeance.
You took on Yourself the punishment that we deserve that we might receive mercy.
As the Father sent You, You are now sending us to show mercy instead of judgment.
Generosity instead of selfishness.
Kindness instead of prejudice.
To bring hope to the hopeless.
Healing to the wounded.
Love to the outcast...

God show Your favor through us, Lord.
That we would be vessels of Your mercy, 
Your kindness, 
Your goodness
Your love...

A Sense of Calling

image source

Write the vision

And make it plain on tablets,

That he may run who reads it.

For this vision is yet for an appointed time;

But at the end it will speak, and it will not lie.

Though it tarries, wait for it;

Because it will surely come,

It will not tarry.

- Habakkuk 2:2,3

To give meaning to life, we all need a quiet center around which our whole life revolves. Then circumstances, concerns, events, random incidents...all fall into place, and we have the inner peace and reassurance that we so desire.

Like the Northern Star, which gives travelers "an eternal reassurance because it is a constant bright source on their journeys"  God is our constant and eternal focal point that guides us in our journey through this imperfect world...

I had lost my way in the fast paced events of the recent months. Below is my story, my feeble attempt to understand the process of how God called me back to Himself as my unchanging focal point... my Polaris...






Soul-searching
So here I am, alone again.

It is only now that I can finally bring a sense of closure to the Christmas season.

I write, hoping to put words to some of my thoughts the best way I can.

The past weeks have been beautiful, externally. But within my heart, I needed to have a sense that the year 2014 is over. Because as it was ending, I felt like I was not yet ready for the new year. As I had mentioned in another blog post, deep inside I had a vague feeling of disconnect.

I need to have a sense of order in my world, especially in my inner world. With the events of the past year going by so fast... and piling up...  it seemed like there wasn't enough time for me to be still and process or evaluate the significance of each event.

What helps me have the sense of order I am looking for is when I can sit in the presence of Father God, and talk to Him about what is happening. The past months I have been unable to do that as much as I would have wanted.

It's not the lack of time... there was really more than enough unstructured time available. The truth is I had allowed myself to be distracted... choosing to do something else instead of spending time at the feet of my Abba to pray and listen to Him.

I have simply shoved the events and concerns around the fringes of my heart, instead of taking them to God and praying about them.

To give meaning to life, we all need a quiet center around which our whole life revolves. Then circumstances, concerns, events, random incidents...all fall into place, and we have the inner peace and reassurance that we so desire.

Like the Northern Star, which gives travelers "an eternal reassurance because it is a constant bright source on their journeys"  God is our eternal focal point that guides us in our journey through this imperfect world.

Polaris (Northern Star)

I have known Abba Father as my Northern Star, but the past months my heart lacked the inner focus I badly needed.

This lack of inner focus, there is a German term for it.

Zerrissenheit.

It literally means, "a state of being fragmented."

But not for long. I don't really want to remain in that place... not when this year promises to be a crucial one in God's prophetic timeline.


Getting Back On Track
I have come before my Father and opened my heart up to Him... acknowledged that He is the quiet center that holds everything together and gives meaning to all that is happening in my life.

I've asked Him for fresh grace and a sense of order in the cluttered areas of my heart...

I've asked Him to pour fresh oil into my lamp... to light my fire again.

And in His mercy, His response is quick.

He has revived my sagging spirit and given me a new determination to get back on track.



This is the reason I have made the effort to write these things down... that he may run who reads it.

Long blog posts are unattractive to most, and I know only a few will probably get to read this far. But aside from it benefiting me as I articulate my thoughts that have been waiting to be put into words, I pray my words will be used by God to minister to another. Someone reading these lines may be in need of encouragement and fresh bread for the long journey.

Abba Father says, Keep believing. My promise is sure.

Father God is the quiet center that gives order to our lives. He holds the answer to our questions, as well as the sense of direction we all need. What's more, He calls us to that higher place close to His heart where He longs to speak truth to counter the many lies that this world would have us believe.

For this vision is yet for an appointed time; 
but at the end it will speak, and it will not lie. 
- Habakkuk 2:3



The vision is being revealed. The call has been given.

The response is yours and mine to make.

It's time to level up and go with the flow of Abba Father's purposes for this new year.

Ride the tide of His favor.

Hear Him calling me to come up higher.

Align with His heart's desires.

Cooperate with what He wants to accomplish through me in 2015.


To anyone who has ears to hear what the Spirit is saying, there is a specific call from God.

May our hearts be passionate for the very things that are on His heart!


A Timely Word
This past week, four beautiful Scripture passages resonate within my spirit:

Do not remember the former things, nor consider the things of old. Behold, I will do a new thing, now it shall spring forth; shall you not know it? I will even make a road in the wilderness and rivers in the desert. - Isaiah 43: 18, 19

For thus says the Lord God, the Holy One of Israel: "In returning and rest you shall be saved; in quietness and confidence shall be your strength." - Isaiah 30:15

Now the Lord had said to Abram, Get out of your country, from your family and from your father's house, to a land that I will show you." - Genesis 12:1

By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to the place which he would receive as an inheritance. and he went out, not knowing where he was going. - Hebrews 11:8

Father does not leave His children in the dark about His purposes.

All we need is to pay close attention when He speaks.

Yes, the Bible is clear about the importance of paying attention. He who has ears, let him hear what the Spirit is saying to the churches.


God calls us to draw near... an invitation too precious to ignore.

And He calls us on many levels.

We hear redemption calling... the call to be saved from the kingdom of darkness into His marvelous light.

But that is only the initial call. There is a call to grow, and mature, to be equipped continually to partner with Him in His kingdom purposes.

There is the call to serve in His army, to do battle with the enemy. To be a watchman on the wall. To be alert... to watch and to pray... to intercede.

There is the call to worship, to minister to the King of kings. This is the kingdom call, probably the most important call... the call to intimacy, responding to the voice of my Bridegroom King in the quiet of the night.


Embracing the Call

We all have important roles in life... wife, mother, father, friend, minister...

But we only have one identity, the one given by God. A son... a daughter... of the King.

The problem begins when we confuse the roles we do with our identity. The role is only a small part of my life. My identity is what connects me in a vital, life giving way to the kingdom of God.

Years ago I have understood that the kingdom call of God goes beyond the four walls of my church.

This is true in the home front as well. We need to have a sense of calling that is larger than us and goes beyond the four corners of our domestic concerns.

I know this full well. In fact, I am so aware of this call that even if I do love and treasure my family, it is clear to me that the best ministry I can offer is in the area of intercession. Though I am willing to serve them, I can only do so much. I couldn't possibly provide for all their needs, nor could I be the solution to all their problems. God alone can do that.

Increasingly I have come to understand what it means to have a loose hold on my family, giving them the freedom to not have to do things my way. They are free to be their own unique versions of who God created them to be.

I only have one desire for each of them, that God will keep their hearts soft and on fire for Him alone.

It is my ongoing prayer for myself as well... because we can have priorities that do not really give God first place.

A family (or a business, a hobby, a ministry, an illness, for that matter) can easily become an idol, reigning together with God on the throne of our hearts, dictating to us what we can do, or not do, with our time and resources.

In the same way, I dishonor God when I make my ministry the be-all and end-all of my existence.



This 2015, I definitely do not want anybody else sharing the throne reserved for my God and King alone.

Abraham was called of God for an important kingdom task - to be the father of a great nation. He had to leave the comforts of his home and family. He had to separate from Lot before God could give him the covenant promise of a land.

In the same way, I am being called of God anew to go beyond the familiar and the comfortable and follow Him to a place that I have never been before.


Provisions for the Journey
The name I give the month of December, as well as the year 2014, is Provision. For indeed, God has been Jehovah Jireh to me and my family. He has been faithful and true... He has never stopped doing good to me.

In choosing this name, I am reminded of the Biblical circumstances around this beautiful word. At the point when Abraham's faith was tested, and proven that he would put his love for God above his love for his beloved son, a substitute ram was provided.

On the mountain of the Lord it will be provided. - Genesis 22:14

Provision actually comes as a reward for responding to God's call.

With the four blood moons of 2014 and 2015 falling right on the Jewish Feasts of Passover and Tabernacles, there is no doubt that God is doing something extremely important.

I wouldn't want to miss any of it.

As this year starts, I want to live as a woman of faith and obedience, a woman with a sense of calling.

I want to live having God as the constant focal point and center of my life around which everything revolves.

I hear God calling, Seek first My kingdom and My righteousness, and all these things will be added to you (Matthew 6:33).

I hear God saying, Do not be afraid... I am your Shield, and your exceedingly great Reward (Genesis 15:1).

Today, if you will hear His voice,

Do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion.

- Hebrews 3:15

We Are Called
by Steven Fry

We are called

To be a royal priesthood

That will minister to God

Declare the wisdom of His ways

Exalt His character in praise

We are called

To yield unto the Spirit

That He may form in us

The beauty of the life of Jesus

We’re called to bear His presence

And manifest His glory

Called to feel His heart

And know authority

And give to Him

Undying devotion

Our full adoration 

That He may be pleased

And to set our hearts 

On this one endeavor

To worship forever His Majesty

We are called

To heed the Father’s word

And meditate upon

The loveliness of Jesus Christ

And offer praise our sacrifice

Our worship is responding to the revelations

Of His name

Bringing pleasure unto him

Whose heart is broken over sin

We’re called to yield our mind

Our body, soul and spirit

Worship Him the way 

He wants to hear it

My heartfelt songs for the start of this year:

"Our worship is responding to the revelations of His name..."

"Spirit, lead me where my trust is without borders..." 

"From my heart to the heavens Jesus be the center, it's all about You..."

To read Part 1 of this post, click on this link: 
A Beautiful Season


Related posts:
Quiet Rest

Expecting A Surprise