One Step At a Time

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But My servant Caleb,
because he has a different spirit in him
and has followed Me fully,
I will bring into the land where he went, 
and his descendants shall inherit it.
- Numbers 14:24




... but the people who know their God shall be strong,
and carry out great exploits.
- Daniel 11:32

My grandson Full of Hope (Mighty Warrior) turned five years old on November 13. 

This little man brings so much delight to my heart. He has been given excellent parenting by his mother and father, and at this young age, the positive results of his upbringing are evident.

Before I give my birthday blessing for him, I want to share one of my favorite stories in the Old Testament.

Within the exodus story of the Israelites from Egypt to Canaan is an account of one courageous man that has really inspired me. It is the story of Caleb.

After the Israelites left Egypt, Moses sent out twelve spies to search out the land of Canaan to give him first hand information about the situation there. Caleb and Joshua were among them. 

Forty days later, the spies returned, bringing with them some samples of the produce of the land, such as figs, pomegranates, and a cluster of grapes so large two men were needed to carry it between them on a pole.

They were also ready with their report. Ten of the search party gave a discouraging report about the land and its inhabitants. Yes, the land was desirable, a land "flowing with milk and honey," but they found the walled cities formidable and the people, like giants. Intimidated, the ten spies said they felt like grasshoppers compared to the sons of Anak.

Joshua and Caleb, however, saw things from a different perspective. 

God describes Caleb as a man having a different spirit in him. Indeed, this was evident in the way he and Joshua presented their observations of the land.

When the people began to murmur and complain after the negative report of the ten spies...

Caleb quieted the people before Moses, and said,

"Let us go up at once and take possession,

for we are well able to overcome it."

- Numbers 13:30

Men of deep and exceptional faith, Joshua and Caleb were one in urging the Israelites to go immediately to the promised land: 

If the LORD delights in us,

then He will bring us into this land

and give it to us,

'a land which flows with milk and honey.'

Only do not rebel against the LORD,

nor fear the people of the land,

for they are our bread;

their protection has departed from them,

and the LORD is with us.

Do not fear them.

- Numbers 14:8, 9

Such beautiful faith filled words! But they fell on deaf ears.

One important principle of faith is found in Matthew 9:29 -

According to your faith let it be to you.

The cowardly, faint-hearted Israelites chose to put their faith in the bad report of the ten spies. They looked back on the shallow security of their Egyptian slavery instead of the promise that was within their reach. All they needed to do was to believe in it.

Having no deep abiding faith to strengthen their hearts, they allowed the negative report of the ten spies to determine their actions. Having given unbelief the upper hand, there was no room in their hearts to believe the encouraging account from Caleb and Joshua, and even sought to stone them to death.

According to their faith, the Israelites never saw Canaan. Instead, they spent forty years wandering in the desert wilderness, when the Promised Land was a mere two-week journey from where they started out. 

A land flowing with milk and honey was waiting for them, but because they preferred the memory of their lowly existence as slaves in a land that could never have been theirs, they remained that way until their last breath.

There is no room for unbelief in God's plan. All who left Egypt, except Joshua and Caleb, passed away in the wilderness. Unbelief had to be purged out before a new generation of Israelites could be allowed to enter the Promised Land.

Joshua and Caleb, who believed that they could take possession of the land, were commissioned by God to lead the young generation of Israelites into Canaan.

As a reward for their faith, God promised that they and their children would enter and possess the land.

Under the able leadership of Joshua, the young generation of Israelites conquered Canaan. 

They accomplished what they believed they could.

According to your faith be it done to you.

Forty-five years after the twelve spies returned from surveying the promised land,  when this new generation had already conquered most of Canaan, Caleb said to Joshua: 

You know the word which the LORD said to Moses the man of God concerning you and me in Kadesh Barnea. I was forty years old when Moses the servant of the Lord sent me from Kadesh Barnea to spy out the land, and I brought back word to him as it was in my heart. Nevertheless my brethren who went up with me made the heart of the people melt, but I wholly followed the LORD my God. So Moses swore on that day, saying, "Surely the land where your foot has trodden shall be your inheritance and your children's forever, because you have wholly followed the Lord my God."

And now, behold, the LORD has kept me alive, as He said, these forty-five years, ever since the LORD spoke this word to Moses while Israel wandered in the wilderness; and now, here I am this day, eighty-five years old. As yet I am as strong this day as on the day that Moses sent me; just as my strength was then, no now is my strength for war, both for going out and coming in.

Now therefore,, give me this mountain of which the LORD spoke in that day; for you heard in that day how the Anakim were there and the cities were great and fortified. It may be that the LORD will be with me, and I shall be able to drive them out as the LORD said.

And  Joshua blessed him, and gave Hebron to Caleb the son of Jephunneh as an inheritance. Hebron therefore became the inheritance of Caleb the son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite to this day, because he wholly followed the LORD God of Israel. And the name of Hebron formerly was Kirjath Arba (Arba was the greatest man among the Anakim). 

Then the land had rest from war.

The faith lesson found in that story never ceases to astound me.

Caleb was as strong at 85 years of age as he was when he was 40 years old. He believed he could conquer the land, God gave him the strength to do it.

And he asked Joshua to give him a mountain, for he wanted to fight the sons of Anak, the giants that the ten spies were so afraid of.

Caleb got his mountain, and he got the victory.


Here is my blessing for my grandson:

My dearest Full of Hope, my Mighty Warrior,

I bless your heart today with a heart like Caleb's.

You will be fearless, courageous, and strong... possessing a different spirit just like Caleb did.

In the midst of  negative circumstances, I declare that your spiritual eyes will see what heaven sees, and you will not speak from what your physical eyes see, but from what the eyes of your heart perceive.

I pray that as you grow up your faith will grow even stronger. But faith only grows with each step of obedience that we take.

Therefore, dearest grandson, I pray that your obedience will be consistent. 

Just as Daniel says, 

.. but the people who know their God shall be strong,
and carry out great exploits.

I decree and declare that you will do great exploits for the Kingdom of God... you will ask God for mountains to climb and giants to slay... and you will receive your mountain, and you will overcome.

And because of your obedience, the land of your heart will have rest from war.

Great will be your peace within, and without.

Father let these blessings come true in this young boy's life...

Love always,

Nana

A song for my grandson:

Hope that Doesn't Disappoint

Autumn

view from my bedroom window this morning

November 12, 2013

Return to your fortress,

you prisoners of hope;

even now I announce that I will restore

twice as much to you.

- Zechariah 9:12

But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength;

they shall mount up with wings as eagles;

they shall run, and not be weary;

and they shall walk, and not faint.

- Isaiah 40:31

There, having been justified by faith,

we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,

through whom also we have access by faith

into this grace in which we stand,

and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.

And not only that,

but we also glory in tribulations,

knowing that tribulation produces perseverance;

and perseverance, character;

and character, hope.

Now hope does not disappoint,

because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts

by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.

- Romans 5:1-5

If the world hates you,

keep in mind that it hated Me first.

If you belonged to the world,

it would love you as its own.

- John 15:18

It's been about ten weeks since I arrived here in the USA. 

During the long flight from Manila and layovers at several airports on my way here, I had enough time to ponder on this new journey I was embarking on. 

Our life is never really lived at the mere physical level, whether we are aware of it or not. 

This life is always about the spiritual.  

What happens externally gives an indication of what is going on internally. 

Thus, making a physical "location statement" from time to time helps me be aware of where I am spiritually.

Every choice I make affects me at the spiritual level.

It has taken me years before I finally understood this, but living my life as a spiritual being has helped me go through my daily circumstances with peace and acceptance.

I also believe that my life story did not begin only when I was conceived in my mother's womb; there are many events dating from the past that contribute to who I am.

Somewhere in the past, choices and investments were made that have contributed to my spiritual DNA and given shape to the person I am today. 

What the psalmist wrote in Psalm 139:16 has spoken to me countless times before:

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.

There is a divine plan for my life, a story unfolding.

However, it also requires my active participation in this plan, somewhat like an interactive program where I can input my own responses and choices. I am not a mere pawn in God's scheme of things; He has a plan for my life... a story that has been written before I was even born. 

At the same time, I am an active contributor to my own life story, and in that sense the story is also being written right this very moment.

I make choices, choices that determine how I live. God has a plan, but I can be a willing and obedient partner with Him in this plan... because I am not a robot or a puppet, but a being with a free will. God respects my choices and will not violate my will. 

He does not ram His plan down my throat, even if He knows it is the best plan for me.

He guides, He leads, He opens opportunities.

I am free to choose the path on which I want to travel, although God in His divine providence, sends warnings and even hindrances, when I am really on my way to grave danger.

For the most part, it is really up to me whether I want to live for the temporal -- making choices that gratify my earthbound and physical desires... or to live for the eternal -- and make choices that contribute to my spiritual growth and maturation.

It goes without saying that the physical component of my life is essential to my fulfilling the eternal, divine purposes of my Creator for me.

We have jobs, buy groceries, cook our meals, eat good food, do the laundry, mow the lawn. We pay our bills, and plan ahead for contingencies. That is good stewardship.

But, the physical side of me is not the master... it is the servant. 

The physical requirements of living in this world does not dictate to me how I should live my life for eternity.

There is a much higher, supernatural dimension to life that is the basis of what I believe.

What I believe determines how I live... the choices I make... the words I speak.

And this is what I believe: that I was not created to live forever here on earth. I was created to live in heaven. 

Earth is only a shadow, a dim reflection of the beauty that heaven is.

If I live my life on earth with this heavenly perspective, investing my time, efforts, and resources in my "treasures in heaven bank account," as Craig Hill, the senior leader of Family Foundations International, calls it... then I actually begin living in heaven right here on earth.

Even the adversities, injustices, and reversals we encounter serve a higher purpose.

Forgiving someone who has wronged or disappointed us becomes a privilege, not a duty.

We can live in the midst of uncertainties with genuine joy.

The physical serves the spiritual.

As I look around me, it is obvious that this world is on its way to self-destruction. But that doesn't fill my heart with fear or dread, for I know who holds my life in His hands. I have a vital relationship with a supernatural Being, Almighty God Himself, who sits on the throne and knows all the answers.

The belief that "heaven helps those who help themselves" is a deadly mindset that leads to eternal doom. If this were true, what about the case of the widow of Zarephath?

For indeed there are times when we have done our best, and still all our physical resources will run out. We have to put our trust in a Power higher than ourselves. 

I believe that there are no ifs and buts to genuine faith in God.

The widow of Zarephath thought all she depended on to live were a handful of flour and a little oil, and that when all she had was exhausted, she and her son would surely die.

That is living on a purely physical plane.

Unknown to the widow, she was about to be elevated to the level of the supernatural... way beyond her human comprehension. And she saw for herself how the meager supply of flour and oil never ran out... and she and her son never got hungry.

I am learning to look at life from the vantage point of that widow.

On the plane coming here, I had an experience of God's peace when I surrendered this new journey to Him, telling Him that this trip may not have been on my original agenda for this year, but I was willing to submit to His higher agenda for me in this season.

I have to remind myself of what He spoke to me as this year was just starting:

You are leaving your season of grief and loss, and entering into a season of replacement.

I translate that into words of Scripture that I have come to know by heart, and personalize them to fit my present situation. I take it to mean that God is saying these specific words of promise to me:

I will repay you for all the years that the locust has eaten.

You will proclaim the year of My favor... and the day of My vengeance.

That you may comfort all who mourn...

That you may console those who grieve in Zion...

I am giving you beauty for ashes, 

the oil of joy instead of mourning

the garment of praise instead of the spirit of heaviness...

because I want you to be among those who are called "trees of righteousness," the planting of the Lord, that I may be glorified.

This specific word has such an impact on my heart, so powerful I cannot describe the hope that surges up from deep within.

Abba Father continues to speak:

Do not fear, for you will not be ashamed...

Neither will you be disgraced...

You will not be humiliated...

For you will forget the shame of your youth...

And will not remember the reproach of your widowhood anymore...

FOR YOUR MAKER IS YOUR HUSBAND,

THE LORD OF HOSTS IS HIS NAME

AND YOUR REDEEMER IS THE HOLY ONE OF ISRAEL...

HE IS CALLED THE GOD OF THE WHOLE EARTH.

So, this life is not about how well I can fend for myself.

It is how well I can trust Him in the midst of my circumstances.

Because if I will be honest... every joy that this life has to offer is short-lived.

The new car loses its novelty. The washing machine breaks down. The new laptop is soon outmoded. The money eventually runs out. My body becomes sick. A relationship in which I had invested and believed disappoints me in the end. 

Life lived on the purely physical plane soon becomes meaningless and boring. 

And tiring. 

Because to sustain my "joy" at living on this plane, I constantly have to look for something more.

But my life story being written and lived out in partnership with the One writing it brings so much meaning and joy that doesn't get depleted with every new disappointment that I face.

It is not what I want... but what He wants.

My opinion of practically anything here on earth is not the final say on the matter. I could very well be wrong. I need not position myself as the final arbiter and judge of people's motives and characters, as well as of the current world events and personal circumstances confronting me on a daily basis.

I can bend, adjust, and accept what changes there are to the way I thought my life was supposed to be.

Life's disappointments may catch me off guard momentarily... but it can turn out to be a beautiful surprise after all!

A door of hope stands open before me, and I have entered that door. This new journey I have embarked on ... is a continuation of the story that God has written long before I was born. 

A few days ago, my country was hit by catastrophic storm Haiyan whose fury and power have been described as "off the charts." 

This too, is part of my life story. What affects my land and people affects me. We stand as one nation under our flag. 

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Never before has anything of this magnitude happened to us. In the face of such a calamity, my humble opinion is that no amount of preparation could have been good enough. 

Tacloban, capital of Leyte, once a beautiful quiet coastal city...

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 reduced to ruins by monster storm Haiyan

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Entire communities, beautiful coastal areas and fishing villages, washed away in six islands where the super typhoon made landfall. In the island of Leyte, the capital city of Tacloban was said to be 95 percent destroyed by two bodies of water powerfully surging inland on top of the 235 kph winds mercilessly battering down the island for at least four hours.

And they say this storm was fast moving. It could have been much worse.

As more news reach us of the widespread devastation that Haiyan/Yolanda left in its wake, we as a nation have two choices before us: to look up in hope, living out our inner nobility, or to wring our hands in fear and despair, and go the path that hopeless mortals take.

My heart breaks for my countrymen. A deep compassion is stirred up within me. If I were back in my own homeland, I would not have second thoughts about joining a mercy team to offer what little help I could -- be it as a relief volunteer, or as a grief counselor lending a compassionate embrace to someone so emotionally wounded and bruised.

Nevertheless I am aware that as mere humans, we can only do so much.

Our ultimate help is in the name of the Lord.

Being so far away from home, I have spent sleepless nights crying before my God Whom I know to be merciful and wise beyond human comprehension, 

...praying in a language the Spirit alone understands because human words at this point cannot express what I feel, 

...asking Abba Father to come draw near my people, and open their eyes to the true nobility that is in them, no matter what their present circumstances may say.

This storm is definitely not a chance event. Destructive as it may have been, Abba Father was not asleep in the boat while the fierce winds blew. 

We all know that out of the ashes and ruins will rise something glorious and eternally beautiful.

But for now, my countrymen do not need to hear any religious platitudes.

More than 10,000 are believed to have died. Those who survived are not really better off, in a manner of speaking.

Grieving the loss of loved ones and homes, the stench of decomposing bodies around them is inescapable.  

More than mere words, they need something more tangible... food, clothing, drinking water, a roof above their heads. 

They need bathrooms for their personal necessities. They haven't had a decent bath, much less, a decent meal, in days.

It will be that way for many more days to come.

They have been severely physically and emotionally battered. When the shock wears off, they face a more painful reality.

Those whose homes were left standing are in grave danger of mob rule; lawlessness is the name of the game in areas where the local government is no longer able to function. 

Policemen in uniform also lie dead on the streets littered with debris. Soldiers' barracks were washed off to sea, and several of them have not been accounted for.

On another island a huge power barge slammed inland and sprung an oil leak -- threatening the once beautiful pristine shores and waters of that place.

It is clearly not an easy task our government is facing.

We are truly grateful as a people, the response from the rest of the world is swift. But even this will be short lived.

Our ultimate help is in the name of the Lord alone. 

And as I read between the lines of this story, I see HOPE written in big, bold letters.

I have no doubt Abba Father will come and rescue... provide a way of healing and restoration.

It is a national cleansing, so to speak. Exposing our nation's faulty foundations, redeeming the twisted mindset and conscience that we have come to embrace as a people.

Abba Father is renewing the core of our belief system, for there is a prophetic destiny that is on its way to being fulfilled. 

But there is a price to pay. 

Are we willing to pay the high cost of pain and sacrifice... willing to humble ourselves... to seek the heart of God... and align ourselves with His purposes for us?  

Maybe it is easier said than done, but may Abba Father help me as I say, "Yes, I am willing."

Let me sow seeds of hope that will impact this nation's destiny. 

Of this I am sure: the Philippines will rise again - in honor and dignity.

I close my ears to the deceiving voices of the enemy that say otherwise.

"For a mere moment I have forsaken you,

But with great mercies I will gather you.

With a little wrath I hid my face from you for a moment;

But with everlasting kindness I will have mercy on you,"

says the LORD, your Redeemer.

- Isaiah 54:8

Today my second grandson, Andre Elijah, whom I have named Full of Hope (and also named Mighty Warrior by my blog friend Stephanie), celebrates his third birthday.

Inspired by the recent events affecting our nation today, here is my birthday blessing and faith declaration for this precious boy.

Full of Hope looking so grown up at his third birthday party

Three years ago today you came into this world, dear Full of Hope.

I still remember the circumstances of your birth. We were trusting God to intervene in your behalf. 

You were battling for your life, for you had to be resuscitated when you came out of your mother's womb, and pneumonia had set in.

Those were days and nights of kneeling before God's throne, and I was sure of only one thing that God Himself had spoken to me as my friend Trudi and I were praying together, waiting for your arrival: that God does all things well.

"I do all things well." Those were God's assuring words for me when I had no idea what was going to happen at your birth.

And today, that promise has never been forgotten by me, dear grandson.

Abba Father led me to choose a name for you. "He shall be named Elijah." But I said nothing about this to your parents. I treasured it in my heart.

I had just arrived from Manila, a few days before your birth. Your Papa and I were having a quiet meal together when he said, "Mom, my wife and I have already decided on a name for the baby. She wants to name him Andre, and I have chosen Elijah for his second name."

I remember leaping from my chair and hugging your father with joy. Even if I had never mentioned it to him, God spoke it to his heart as well.

You will also be called "Full of Hope" - because that is what you are. 

And "Mighty Warrior" - because you do not easily give up in the face of seeming defeat.

As we were waiting for you to recover in the neonatal ICU, your mom would hold you close to her heart, and speak life to your little body. And I would also look at you through the glass, so tiny, so fragile... "You will live and fulfill your destiny, Full of Hope. You will live from the standpoint of victory, Mighty Warrior."

Today, your third birthday, I speak the same things to you. As your name implies... you will be a bringer of hope to everyone you encounter.

You will look at the seeming rock bottoms and dead ends of life, and yet you will not see despair, but hope shining in the darkness.

Forerunner and Full of Hope

In the midst of the desperation around us today, the devastation and the ruin... I speak to your little heart that you will be in touch with your true nobility as a child of the King.

Your heart will be filled with faith even in the face of an impossible situation. For with God nothing is impossible.

I declare that you will be an agent of hope, a speaker of truth, wherever you go.

You will be schooled early in life to make choices that develop perseverance and patience.

The world defines hope as something desired but not certain.

But Abba Father points us to a different kind of hope... hope in Him as a promise keeper, hope in Him as a trustworthy God.

Hope that is certain, because He who made the promise is dependable.

Who hopes for what they already have?

But if we hope for what we do not yet have,

we wait for it patiently.

- Romans 8:24-25

Live your life in light of God's hope, because God's hope doesn't disappoint!

Arise and fulfill your destiny, little one.

Blessings abound as you enter your third year of life!

Much love,

Nana

At Full of Hope's third birthday party, with Aunt God-given, Uncle First Born, cousin Forerunner, mom Chosen One, maternal grandma Nanay Po, and dad Worshiper

Hidden Strength

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This is what the Sovereign Lord,

the Holy One of Israel, says:

"In repentance and rest is your salvation,

in quietness and trust is your strength..."

- Isaiah 30:15

The word of the Lord came to me, saying:
"Before I formed you in the womb I knew you
Before you were born I set you apart
I appointed you as a prophet to the nations...."

Then the Lord reached out His hand
and touched my mouth, and said to me:
"I have put my words in your mouth.
See today I appoint you over nations and kingdoms
to uproot them and tear down,
to destroy and overthrow,
to build and to plant."

- Jeremiah 1:4-5, 9-10

Today is my second grandson's birthday. His given name is Andre Elijah, but I have conferred the spiritual name Full of Hope and Mighty Warrior upon him.

He was born two years ago under difficult circumstances. After hours of dry labor, his mother Chosen One gave birth to him by C-section.

He had to be resuscitated, and was immediately placed in an incubator upon birth.

Full of Hope, a few minutes after he was born

Hours later, his pediatrician ran a series of tests on him which confirmed that the newborn baby had pneumonia. He was confined in the NICU for the next eleven days under the care of two neonatal specialists.


It was not an easy time for our family, but we held on to hope.

Eleven days later, asleep in his own bed, completely healed

Today Full of Hope is an energetic and talkative little boy, a constant reminder of the goodness and faithfulness of God.

The enemy tried to steal his destiny, but God had other plans. It is good to remember, and never forget what God has done in your life.

I am praying for you today, dear grandson. My prayer is that you will grow up to be a young man of noble character.

Humble.

Being worthy of esteem and respect.

May you develop a wisdom and maturity beyond your years.

Sensible, and full of discernment.

These are the character traits of nobility, one born with royal blood.

You will grow up to be a man who is "quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to become angry."

You will not be easily offended, but rather know how to overlook an offense.

You will choose which battles are worth fighting.


You will not sweat the small stuff.

Rather, you will know instinctively what your kingdom priorities are.

You will reserve your energies for greater things.

Your speech will be gracious and well chosen, not coarse.

Your manners will be refined and gentle.

You will conduct your affairs with integrity, never greedy for selfish gain.

You will not compromise your convictions, and will not be afraid to stand up for the truth.

Your character will be molded and shaped as that of a prince who has been well trained in the courts of the King.

At an early age, your heart will be ready to call Jesus your Lord, Savior, and King.

Hidden strength, that is what I am declaring for you today.

Grow in stature, in wisdom, and in favor with God and man.

This is my prayer for you today, your second birthday. Grow up in the fear of the Lord, and fulfill your destiny, my dear grandson.

New Wineskins

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And no one pours new wine into old wineskins.
Otherwise, the new wine will burst the skins;
the wine will run out and the wineskins will be ruined.
No, new wine must be poured into new wineskins. - Luke 5:37-38

Whenever the Holy Spirit fills people with "new wine," the structure or organization in which they function must change. Old wineskins rip. New wineskins must be used to hold the additional life and power of God.... The time for God to move is at hand. Therefore, we should expect our present wineskins to rip.

- taken from The Complete Wineskin by Harold R. Eberly

A wineskin is a bag made of the skin of an animal, such as a goat, and is used for holding and dispensing wine.

Over time, an old wineskin becomes thin and brittle; it loses its elasticity. Thus, when new wine is poured into it, it is not strong enough to withstand the fermentation process. As carbon dioxide builds up inside, the bag is required to expand. But the old wineskin is no longer flexible... sooner or later, it will burst under the pressure of the gas build up.

The new wine spills out, and the bag is destroyed.

For some days now, God has been speaking to me about becoming a new wineskin for the new season I am in.

Many things are required to embrace the new things God is doing. Without the willingness to change, I miss out on many valuable things that my Father in heaven desires to pour into my life.

And I do not want that to happen...

No... I don't want to miss the hour of God's visitation just because my life has been focused on what pleases or satisfies me.

It has been shared on my recent blog posts that God is calling me to live in my Lidia season... a season of openness, a season of humility, a season of being broken before Him. A season of allowing my heart to be made pliable in His hands.

God's brought me to another stripping season, where the things that I have held on to for comfort and security are being taken away... but I'm also in a season of receiving new... and better things.

To be a woman after God's heart, a sifting process is always required that what is unnecessary may be removed, and only what is essential will remain.

How easy it is to be saddled with what doesn't count for eternity!

Let me move on in life, not weighed down by a heart bound up in offense... unforgiveness... a litany of unresolved grudges and resentment, but rather freed up to walk into my new season with readiness to learn and to receive!

God is calling me to freedom! A new wisdom is required, a new perspective, a willingness to go into uncharted territory and deeper waters.

I am entering a season of giving thanks!

The sharing of my journey, both in real life and on cyberspace, is done with discretion and much prayer. I let people enter my world (I do not block anyone from reading my blog entries) knowing that God is the manager of my reputation and the author of my life story!

There really is no separation between what is spiritual and secular. For me, everything is spiritual! It is easy to present a different picture of oneself on cyberspace. But I'd rather be real. Who I am at home, in real life, is who I am on facebook, or on blogger.

Life is so much easier lived in transparency, honesty, and truth. There is no pretending to be who I am not... for after all, the heavenly Father sees everything.

My goal is to live my life before an audience of One.

And so, my life is an "open book."

However, discretion demands that I not throw my precious pearls to be trampled on by those who do not really care or understand. Wisdom dictates that I choose what stories to share and write about.

Sharing also requires a sifting process, because onlookers and bystanders who have no real involvement in my sacred journey will not really understand.

These days I have been judged, labeled, misunderstood.

In my younger days I would have taken great effort to defend and protect myself. But now I am walking down a different road, taking comfort in knowing that God is the manager of my reputation and the author of my story.

My desire as I live out the rest of my days here on earth is to be ever willing to change, to keep growing to my full spiritual potential, and for God the Father be honored and glorified by the choices I make. May my thoughts, words, and actions truly become more and more Christlike with every passing day!

May the wineskin of my heart not be hard and brittle but ever soft, with room to expand as new wine is poured in!


And so, as another month comes to an end, another prayer of blessing for my second grandson Elijah is being offered.




My dear grandson,

This is your eleventh month of life! And I can only pray for you the blessings that I am praying for my self... that my words be not empty and hollow... but sincere and heavy with substance.

In this season, dear one I am praying not only for you, the youngest member of our family - but for all of us, starting with me... down to my two sons, their wives, my daughter, and Forerunner, my other grandson. I also apply this prayer to my future son in law, and all my future grandchildren yet unborn.

Elijah with his father and Aunt Obedient One during a recent trip to Manila

Today I am declaring that as a family, we are becoming new wineskins for the new season God is bringing us to.

In many ways, we each go through our separate journeys. Each of us is in varying stages of growth and maturity, none of us is a finished product. Each one is under construction... until we reach the finished line.

But there is also a sense in which we travel down the road together... sharing our lives, learning from one another.

May we all learn the lessons God is teaching us in this season: to be forgiving and kind, to be willing to let go of hindrances and weights that get in the way of our forward movement.

It requires humility, and a willingness to walk as fellow travelers, having the same goal, and the same destination.

To become a new wineskin for the new wine that God is pouring out in this new season... this is my prayer for you, Elijah, as well as for the rest of our family, starting with me.

Dear Father, my role is so crucial, pour on me a special anointing to carry out my spiritual assignment.



It is easy to become complacent.

But God, You are ever near! You remind me not to slacken my pace, or to loosen my grip on You. You ask me to not give up, but to keep praying until the breakthrough comes! You remind me to never let go of the javelin of authority that You have placed in my hand!

I pray this very thing for you - you may be young... but your spirit is not limited! There is so much spiritual potential in you, my dear grandson.

I declare that you are learning to stand on your God given authority as you grow up!

You are a Samuel... one who remained humble, and pliable, because at a young age he purposed in his heart to follow God all the days of his life.

I decree today that your heart is being prepared for the new wine that God is pouring out into vessels ready and waiting for the glorious return of His son!

It will be soon, Elijah... it will be soon! From the signs of the times, I sense that Jesus is coming back in your generation.

And as we are entering the last days of the end times, may we all be aware of the urgency of the times. There really is no time to lose.

So I am believing for a vertical leap movement - for you, for your parents, for all of us who are responsible to bring you up and serve as godly models for you to follow.

This is my prayer and faith declaration for you on this the eleventh month of your life!

Much love
Nana

I often go to the fresh produce market a few streets away from our house. We ride on a "tricycle" - a motorcyle with a sidecar for passengers. Here I am early in the morning with my two grandsons and my faithful maid, Daku, on our way to buy fresh vegetables. This is Elijah's first tricyle ride ever!

This is what the LORD says—
he who made a way through the sea,
a path through the mighty waters...
"Forget the former things;
do not dwell on the past.
See, I am doing a new thing!
Now it springs up; do you not perceive it?
I am making a way in the wilderness
and streams in the wasteland."

-Isaiah 43:16, 18-19

Elijah, A Prince of Valor

Elijah: Full of Hope, Mighty Warrior





Do you see a man skilled in his work?
He will stand before kings;
He will not stand before obscure men.
- Proverbs 22:29

My grandson Elijah turned ten months old this September. It is another milestone we celebrated as a family.

Below is the special grandmother's blessing I pray over this little boy:



Dear grandson, Elijah...

As you turn ten months old, this is my blessing for you.

Honor.

Valor.

Courage.

These three words stand out in my heart for you today.

You will grow up to be no ordinary man... you will be a prince of valor, schooled in the ways of honor... trained to perform royal duties.

Yes, my dear grandson, you will not serve before obscure men, you will stand before kings.

What will set you apart from common men?

Your heart, dear little one, is what will spell all the difference. You will not be a man with a small heart. You will have a big heart that will be ready to look at another with compassion, and understanding, and selflessness.

You will not be afraid to walk the unbeaten path, rather you will go where the Spirit of the Lord tells you to go.

You will speak words of honor to others, yes, always kind words.

May God give you a depth of vision to see beyond the physical.

Your character will be one of valor... unflinching in the midst of corruption and darkness. You will represent God's kingdom well, dear Elijah.

Your mouth will be a mouthpiece that brings good news, therefore I pray that God will teach you early in life refined speech... the language of kings... the language of royalty.

May you grow up knowing that you are no ordinary child. You are set apart for great things. May you be as a knight on a white stallion... riding into the battle, unafraid... undaunted... strong... confident of your convictions... knowing what you believe in... armed with throne room secrets... sure of victory... determined to win the fight.

This is my prayer for you today, dear grandson, Full of Hope, and Mighty Warrior.

Love always,
Nana

Pictures taken during our family lunch at Balaring, a seaside restaurant located two cities away from Bacolod, to celebrate Elijah's tenth month.

Worshiper, Full of Hope, and Chosen One

This is a picture of our family
(my daughter Obedient One is not in the picture).

My daughters in love, Chosen One and God-given, and their sons, Full of Hope and Forerunner.