Love Covers

The Sheltering Tree (Serengeti)

by Lorne Resnick

photo source

Love is very patient and kind,
never jealous or envious,
never boastful or proud,
never haughty or selfish or rude.
Love does not demand its own way.
It is not irritable or touchy.
It does not hold grudges
and will hardly even notice
when others do it wrong.
It is never glad about injustice,
but rejoices whenever truth wins out.

If you love someone, you will be loyal to him
no matter what the cost.

You will always believe in him,
always expect the best of him,
and always stand your ground in defending him.

All the special gifts of God will someday come to an end,
but love goes on forever.

1 Corinthians 13:4-8 Living Bible

Above all, keep loving one another earnestly,
since love covers a multitude of sins.

1 Peter 4:8 ESV


Children, let us not love with word,
nor with tongue,
but in deed and in truth.

- 1 John 3:18

Love covers.

This thought was on my mind as I woke up this morning.

Love is gentle.

Love accepts... understands... trusts.

Love is more than just a warm, fuzzy feeling.

It is a decision, a tough choice that one makes.


When Ernie passed away two years ago, what I missed the most about him was the way his love protected me.

It was a very strong kind of love, a love willing to understand and accept me as I was.

It was also a love that was humble; it gave him a willingness to change that he might become a better person.

In my husband's love, I saw God's love in action.

In him, I saw love as a sheltering tree.

May this kind of love be passed on to the generations after me.



Today, my grandson Elijah turns 4 months old. I give this prayer blessing of love to him:

Elijah,

As you turn four months old today, I speak to your heart that you are old enough to understand and appreciate the meaning of the love that is being showered on you by your father and mother, and everyone else who takes part in bringing you up.

I speak to your young heart, that you will receive this love in a positive way - not in a grasping and demanding sort of way... but in a way that it feeds and nourishes your spirit.

Perfect love casts out fear.

I declare and I decree today that the love that is poured into you will always be a reflection of the love of your heavenly Father for you. And it will fill your heart with security, and drive out any fear in your heart that will hinder you from being who God created you to be.

You will grow up secure in the love of your God, as you daily, moment by moment, receive a huge deposit of love from the people who surround your life.

I believe that you will grow up patient, and kind... because you have been nurtured in love.

You will know the kind of love that is not easily offended.

You will grow up with your eyes focused on seeing the good in others... you will not become a fault finder, because "love is not irritable, or touchy, does not hold grudges, and hardly notices when others do it wrong."

Yes, I declare that your heart will be softened and tenderized by love - not the self-centered kind of love that smothers and stifles, but true love that frees and releases you to your full potential.

Father, I pray for my grandson, thank you that the love that is deposited into his spirit will enable him to have a love that covers, a love that overlooks another person's wrongs.

Not that he will gloss over sins, nor will he condone them... but he will not allow sin to fester in his own life, and neither will he be an agent of sin in another. Rather, I pray that love will flow out of his heart in such a way that it waters, and gives life to others.

These are my words of blessing for you, my dear Full of Hope and Mighty Warrior, as you turn four months old today.

Love always,

Nana

Joshua 6: Walls

Carcassonne

by Sean Munson

photo source






And it came to pass, when Joshua was by Jericho,
that he lifted his eyes and looked,
and behold, a Man stood opposite him
with His sword drawn in His hand.
And Joshua went to Him and said to Him,
"Are You for us or for our adversaries?"

So He said, "No, but as Commander of the army of the Lord
I have now come."

And Joshua fell on his face to the earth and worshiped,
and said to Him, "What does my Lord say to His servant?"

Then the Commander of the Lord's army said to Joshua,
"Take your sandal off your foot,
for the place where you stand is holy."

And Joshua did so.

...And the Lord said to Joshua:
"See! I have given Jericho into your hand,
its king, and the mighty men of valor.
You shall march around the city, all you men of war;
you shall go all around the city once.
This you shall do six days.

And seven priests shall bear seven trumpets of rams' horns
before the ark. But the seventh day
you shall march around the city seven times,
and the priests shall blow the trumpets.

...when you hear the sound of the trumpets...
all the people shall shout with a great shout;
then the wall of the city will fall down flat.
And the people shall go up every man straight before him."

- Joshua 5:13-15, 6:2-5

Jericho was a highly fortified city.

The first wall was twenty feet high and six feet thick.

There was a second wall - thirty feet high and twelve feet thick.

Formidable.

Impossible.

Insurmountable.

These must have been the thoughts going on in Joshua's mind as he stood before the walls of Jericho.

This is a familiar story to many of us. But I don't want it to be just another Biblical account that I remember well.

What is our response when we are facing walls that seem impossible to overcome?

The Jericho wall story taught me two important responses:

- the obedience of faith
- the obedience of silence


The Obedience of Faith

Lately God has been etching deep into my heart these words from Hebrews 4:2

For indeed the gospel was preached to us as well as to them;
but the word which they heard did not profit them,
not being mixed with faith in those who heard it.

If I want the WORD that I hear to prove profitable or beneficial to me, there is a faith response required.

It cannot be emphasized enough: the words written in the Bible are spirit, truth, and life.

Truth is truth... whether we believe in it or not, truth does not change.

God is the Creator of the entire universe, and is Sovereign over all, whether we acknowledge Him as such, or not.


These thoughts are shared openly here, without any intention of sounding dogmatic or self-righteous.

As a record of my faith journey, this blog is written with the humble desire that in more ways than one, this woman's life may be a signpost that will help show the way and lead others closer to God.


The Word that I hear, the Word that I read and study, requires a response. God's WORD has to be met with a response of faith in my heart if I want them to feed and nourish my spirit.


For many years, I was unaware that I was receiving the Word of God mostly with my mind, as mere information.

There was intellectual assent, resulting in belief.

Somewhere along the way I realized that merely believing could not produce lasting change. If I wanted transformation, there had to be a response of faith as well.

A response of faith means that I am willing to receive the words not only in my mind but also in my heart, then act accordingly.

That is the only way that the words of the Bible become life-giving to anyone.




At Gilgal Joshua circumcised the Israelite men, and three days later, he led them in observing the Passover meal.

These two important acts of obedience clearly demonstrated that they had received the word of God and mixed it with a response of faith.

The Israelites were about to launch a major military campaign and were in great need of encouragement. They needed to be assured of God's provision, protection, and power.

The response of obedience was crucial.

God waits for the circumcision and the Passover to take place before revealing Himself to Joshua as the Commander of the Army of the Lord, the Lord of Hosts.

God reveals Himself to Joshua as Jehovah Sabaoth, the name God uses when He goes to war. It is His battle name.


There are things God requires of us, especially when we are about to enter enemy territory.

What is our protection and our assurance in the face of overwhelming odds?

I believe it is the response of faith, resulting in humility and obedience, that God is waiting for before He reveals the secret strategies that will help us win the battle.

In effect, God says to Joshua: I'm your Commander in Chief, I am ready to go to war, and I am about to reveal the battle strategies to you. Are you ready to do as I say?

Joshua had a choice - to respond with his head, or to respond with his heart.

Choosing the response of faith, he bows before the Lord, and obeys when the Lord tells him to take the sandals off his feet, for the ground on which he stands is holy.


Awe fills my heart as I read this story.

The sandals we wear touch the ground on which we walk and symbolizes the sphere of our authority and the extent of our territory.

There is something about taking off our shoes before the Lord.

It is an act of humility, a sign of submission, relinquishing what we think belongs to us... laying down our claims to what we have acquired, even by our hard work... our achievements... our accomplishments... the relationships we hold dear.


In my heart is this desire to do as Joshua did. To bow, and to take off my shoes.

To lay down my claims and turn everything over to God.

It is not that easy. To respond in faith is never easy.

But it is the only way to victory.


After Joshua took his sandals off, God revealed to Joshua that Jericho is already given into his hand.

Given into Joshua's hand. When I think of the concerns that are weighing my heart down these days, these words come as a much-needed encouragement.


We will always face walls in our lives. Walls that seem formidable and insurmountable.

But there are instructions to be followed, and a response of faith is required.

Will I believe? Will I obey? Am I willing?



The Obedience of Silence

The battle plans that Joshua received were quite unconventional. Go around the city once every day for six days without saying any word. The priests were to carry the ark, and seven priests with rams' horns were to go before the ark. All the people were to follow them.

These are strange plans indeed. But what I hear in my heart is important.

Am I willing to do as God says?

Often the defeat in our lives are brought about by the words we speak... or write.

This is a good and timely reminder for me. To choose carefully the words that come out of my mouth, or my hand.

Silence is a powerful weapon for spiritual warfare. We reveal and disclose too much to the enemy by what comes out of our mouths. When we talk too much, the enemy knows where we are weak, and targets those weak spots to defeat us and render us powerless before his evil schemes.

He is well able to recognize the men and women who are standing on God's authority in their lives.

We give ourselves away by our words.

Life and death is in the power of the tongue. And Joshua understood this as God gave him the battle strategy of maintaining silence before a formidable wall.


There is a time to speak, and a time to keep silent.


A few days ago, I wanted to call a loved one to tell her I was aware of what she was going through, and that I was praying for her. Suddenly, this thought came to my heart:

What is your motive in calling her? That plan is not from Me. There is no need to tell her what you know. Just pray.

These past days, every time I had the urge to share this important prayer request with a few close friends, I heard the same voice telling me: Keep that to yourself. I don't want anyone else to know what is happening. If you happened to know, it is only that you may begin to intercede, and in maintaining silence, you are preparing the ground for My victory to come.

Sometimes we need to share what is going on. There are times when we are required to keep our mouths shut.

I have been reading this Bible account the past weeks, and have been asking God to teach me how these words can be met with faith in my heart.


There is a time to speak, but there is a time to keep silent.


Over the years, I have seen myself fail in the area of my speech. Often unintentionally. But more out of habit... speaking out of turn...

being too quick with a witty reply... to speak my mind... to react in self-defense

At times, wanting to impress... to flaunt...

Or most of the time, just plain and simple disobedience - ignoring the gentle whisper in my heart.


These past months I have come to know better. Still there are many lessons to learn in this area.

To always let my words be guided by the Lord...

To be a woman who chooses not to react, but rather, to respond...


God told Joshua that there was a precise moment to shout - and then the walls will fall down, and the promised victory will come.


That is also what I desire... that I will know the moment to shout, and in doing so, pave the way for victory.

These Scripture passages nourished my spirit this morning:

Because of the LORD’s great love we are not consumed,
for his compassions never fail.
They are new every morning;
great is your faithfulness.

I say to myself, “The LORD is my portion;
therefore I will wait for him.”

The LORD is good to those whose hope is in him,
to the one who seeks him;
it is good to wait quietly
for the salvation of the LORD.

- Lamentations 3:22-26



For God alone my soul waits in silence;
from him comes my salvation.

- Psalm 62:1

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

A Way Out of the Drift

Dettifoss, Iceland

A Fresh Touch of His Power

photo source

Let us know, let us press on to know the Lord;
his going forth is sure as the dawn;

He will come to us as the showers,
as the spring rains that water the earth.

- Hosea 6:3

Love the Lord your God with all your heart,
with all your soul,
with all your mind,
and with all your strength.

- Mark 12:30

I have been hungering for God.

Longing for a fresh touch... a new power... a new beginning.

Yes, I have been reading His word, and doing His work. But I am ready for more. I am ready to move on.

And my God knows... that deep at the core of my being I am feeling a deep dissatisfaction within myself.


At one point or another in our lives, we come face to face with this truth - that we were all designed for something more.

And somehow I know and understand that the great lasting eternal satisfaction that my heart longs for is not going to come in this life - it will happen only in eternity, when I reach heaven's shores.

This explains our longing for something deeper, something more. We are all wired for eternity. It is the destination that we all long for.

However, I also know that eternity begins right here, where I am. Because eternal life is a progression, a moving up from one level of glory to another.

Eternal life in Heaven is accessed by a door, the door of death... but the road leading to that door is right here on earth.

And there are many times that God wants to give us a glimpse of heaven, a preview of what is to come - that we may be encouraged to keep walking on this journey where the enemy seeks to distract us, lead us astray, blind us to the eternal beauty and lasting joy that awaits us.

And if we're not careful, we could very well be on a wrong road and never be aware of it. Cause there are many effective counterfeits along the way, or our senses for the real could be deadened, and we may never even realize we have been going the wrong way, until we reach the end.

And by then it's too late.


God knew that in my seeking Him these past days... weeks... months, I have longed for something more, something deeper.

This longing doesn't really end, because the journey keeps leading us higher, nearer His heart.

And God is just so wise and so good that He responds to the longing of our hearts, if these longings are our obedient responses to His call to draw nearer.

God the Father knows.

He is not deceived or mocked by our false religiosity... the spiritual masks that we put on for others to see... the Christanized language that we have practiced and know very well to speak.

He recognizes the heart that truly seeks and hungers and longs for Him.


I have been on this blog for three years already, and those of you who have been reading my life as shared on this network know the deep desires of my heart - to know Him more, and to honor Him with my thoughts, words, actions, and the choices I make.

I desire to live an intentional life of seeking Him, and honoring Him above all.

And yet... even our best intentions are often not good enough.

God allows this so that we never reach the point where we have it all together. Something will happen, something will go wrong.

The roof will leak, the paint will peel off... the washing machine will bog down.

Sickness will strike. A child will go wayward. The garden will overgrow and the weeds will appear.

Many other things... a husband will die and leave you in the middle of life... to go on alone.

Your best friend will move to a faraway country, and there will be no one to take her place. Because a best friend happens only once in a lifetime, there will never be another one like her.

The relationship that I thought I had with God begins to lose its flavor... and I find myself longing for something more.



It all boils down to relationships, really.

We relate to others at different levels. The more important the relationship, the more willing we are to give of ourselves.

I believe that a meaningful relationship will never reach a plateau, or be at a standstill...we will always be moving forward... or upward.


But times are changing, and so is the nature of relationships.

We are seeing before our eyes the phenomenon of the facebook generation. I have no doubt that it has its merits... but in this social network, only seven percent, the verbal component, of the communication process is used. The more important 93%, the relational aspect, is missing.

Emoticons can hardly take the place of one's tone of voice or even the look in one's eyes.

And yet it's amazing how people have bought into this medium of relating to one another.

It's convenient, and it's fast. Information at the click of a mouse.

It's easy to touch and go, have a peek, speed read and skim over the words, then move on. There is not enough time, and there are many other "friends" to visit... so one can't stay long enough to really see what's going on in another person's life.

It's also easy to deal with an offending visitor - simply click "unfriend" or "block" or "delete" - change the settings of your life, so to speak.

Whether in cyberspace or in real life... there isn't much difference anymore.

In fact, cyberspace "friendships" seem to be an indicator of what is happening in face to face relationships.

It requires too much effort to go deep... to nurture the relationship... to understand what went wrong.

Why bother?

Few are willing to take the time.


On the other hand, one can choose to make a difference... aim for depth and authenticity, and in doing so, discover others who will not settle for mere surface level relationships.


I realize that this is true of God as well.

Deep calls to deep.

God knows those who are really ready for a heart to heart relationship with Him. He is paying attention. He draws near to those who call out to Him for something more.

His mercies are new every morning, and each morning, He issues a fresh call for us to come out of the shallows and discover the joys of relating to Him at a deeper level.

God is always willing to take the time.

---0---

We were running late Sunday morning when Worshiper, Chosen One, their baby, and I entered the our church sanctuary.

I had a prayer in my heart, asking God to meet me at my point of need.

Lord I want to know You more!

As I walked in my spirit sensed that there was something different in the atmosphere.

Pastor Marc Petersen had already begun his message, and the words I heard struck me. I listened intently to what was being said.

He was talking about the nation of Israel that had drifted away from the Lord.

He was talking about their love that was as transient as the morning mist...

The Lord cries out, "Oh Ephraim... Oh Judah... what can I do with you? For your love is like a morning mist, like the early dew that disappears."

Israel had become unfaithful, she had turned her eyes to other lovers.

You become like whatever you put your eyes on.

At one point or another we have all been like Israel... we have turned our eyes away from God... and we find ourselves caught in a riptide...

You and I have experienced what it is to be swept away.

How do you stop the drift when you're caught in one?

What is the cure for morning mist love?

God brings pain into our lives that we may turn our eyes back on Him. He so values the fact that we return to Him so He allows pain to bring us back to Him.

God uses the difficulty not to punish, but to get us back on track with Him.

When you're caught in a riptide, there's no stopping it. But God has given us a way out of the drift.

He invites us to return to Him as our first love.

...to turn our eyes back on Him.

...to put our eyes on the word of God.

...to draw near to Him that He may draw near to us.


I didn't think I was caught in a drift... but I suppose, in a way I was. For my eyes were blurry at this point and Pastor Marc's words sunk deep into my heart, speaking as if I were the only person in the room:

In life when you put your eyes on the word of God, and you let it thrill you... you start to make decisions based on the word of God, it stops the drift.

The drift is having no place to go, it’s not really knowing what you’re for – but the word adds parameters to your life, it frames your life with reality so that as you’re living your life and you know the word of God and you start making good choices, the word of God starts to show you your destiny.

You start to choose that destiny and you go against the drift and you start to live the way Jesus has called you to live.

Jesus conquered the force of death!

There is a power flowing out of heaven for us!

That power is for us!

James says – draw near to God and He will draw near to you.

He draws near and He says:

“I will pour resurrection power into you so that where you had no life before you’ll have life.

In the very core of your being you’ll have life.”

Toward the end of his message, Pastor Marc asked anyone who wanted to have a taste, a fresh touch, of the resurrection power of the Lord to come to the front.

I stepped out from where I was sitting and came almost running to the front. I had no doubt God was calling me.

It was a message God spoke in answer to the cry of my heart.


A Way Out of the Drift by Marc Petersen




You are Merciful to Me by Ian Smith

Yielding

Who is wise and understanding among you?
Let them show it by their good life,
by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom.

...the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure;
then peace-loving, considerate, submissive,
full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere.

Peacemakers who sow in peace reap a harvest of righteousness.

- James 3:13, 17, 18




Jesus answered and said:
"...learn from Me,
for I am gentle and lowly in heart,
and you will find rest for your souls.
For My yoke is easy
and my burden is light."

-Matthew 11:28, 29, 30

For thus says the High and Lofty One
Who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy:

"I dwell in the high and holy place,
With him who has a contrite and humble spirit,
To revive the spirit of the humble,
And to revive the heart of the contrite ones."

- Isaiah 57:15

Today another month comes to an end and I have named it "YIELDING."

Yield is one of my many favorite words, so full and so rich in meaning.

The American Heritage Dictionary lists this as one of its many definitions for the word:

To give forth by or as if by a natural process, especially by cultivation.

To yield means to submit, or to surrender.

Yielding requires grace because it does not come naturally to anyone. Our human nature rebels at the thought of giving way.

Self will not easily give up its right to rule and sit on the throne rightfully reserved for God alone.

Self wants to go full steam ahead, with its own plans and ideas, pushing... shoving to get to the top... on its own terms... at its own time.


To yield, on the other hand, is to be willing to wait patiently.


The Latin word patior comes to mind.

It was through my favorite author Henri Nouwen that I became acquainted with this beautiful word. It means "to endure, to submit, to acquiesce."

It is the origin or root of the word "to permit."

To give permission... to give way... to say Yes... to allow.


February was such a month for me.

I didn't plan it that way, because in the first place, I really didn't have any plan for this month.

January was planned for... but February was not.

After having been away from home for nearly the whole month of January, I was scheduled to return to Bacolod two days after the month ended.

But a week before my scheduled flight, I sensed strongly that I was to cancel it, and buy a new return ticket for February 7.

Thankful to have a few more days to be with my daughter... in my heart I heard a resounding Yes!

Going online to book my ticket, I was surprised to discover that the flight for that day would only cost me six hundred seventy pesos! That's roughly US$15... a real bargain!

On my way to the airport on February 7, my friend Rosemarie called asking if I could return to Manila that weekend for a special day of prayer.

At the pre-departure lounge, while waiting to board my flight, my friend Buddy asked me if I could participate in an Ancient Paths seminar that our team was doing for Compassion, Philippines on the third weekend of February.

Again, in my heart I heard a loud Yes! to these requests.

In a previous post, I wrote that there was no struggle to make a sudden decision to return to Manila, just within four days of arriving back home.

There was a sense that things were happening the way God wanted them to, and I was to be a willing participant to what was on His heart.



Upon my arrival, there were some domestic concerns that began to weigh heavily on my heart. A part of me wanted to take things into my hands, to be the "problem solver" as in days gone by. And as much as I wanted to make things work for my loved ones, I had to accept that I didn't hold the answers to the difficult situation they were facing. Reluctantly I had to give way... yes, to yield and be willing to let go.

It wasn't easy for me to remove the label "Savior" from my forehead, but in the end I realized there was no other way.


Indeed the month of February has been a month of yielding...

of saying yes... to God's invitation to join Him in what He is doing...

of waiting patiently... and not demanding that things work out the way I want them to....


Yes, this has also been a month of giving myself permission...

to see the imperfect situations around me...

to suffer and endure because much as I wanted to provide the answers, I had to admit that I wasn't the remedy for certain difficult circumstances...

to believe that sometimes, the solution lies outside of my capabilities...

to take things in stride because God is sovereign and has His own answers coming in His own time.


Others have called it by different names:

relinquishment... abandonment... surrender.


I simply call it obedience... not my will, but Yours be done, Lord.


How beautiful the words of Henri Nouwen are about this very thing that I am talking about:

The word patience comes from the Latin verb patior, which means "to suffer."

Waiting patiently is suffering through the present moment, tasting it to the full, and letting the seeds that are sown in the ground on which we stand grow into strong plants.

Waiting patiently always means paying attention to what is happening right before our eyes and seeing there the first rays of God's glorious coming.

"Patience, Waiting, God, Hope"
in Bread for the Journey

Yielding...

Indeed this name is so appropriate for this month. The farmer waits patiently for the season of harvest.

Nevertheless, while waiting the farmer waters and cultivates.

There are times when nothing seems to be happening. Yet, after a season of waiting comes the yield.

Yield signifies a bountiful harvest, simple abundance.


The words of Jesus in Matthew 11 as paraphrased by Eugene Peterson in The Message sums it all up for me:

Learn the unforced rhythms of grace.
I won't lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you.
Keep company with me and you'll learn to live freely and lightly.

Below are a few of this month's highlights in pictures:

FEBRUARY 7

Blog Anniversary!
Crown of Beauty turned 3 years old this month!

photo source

FEBRUARY 11
My sister in law Sue celebrated the 20th year of her presidency at the university that she heads.

Pastor Joe Ascalon prays for Sue and her husband Vito during a special Thanksgiving service to mark the occasion. It was a solemn event, and we all came wearing our special native costumes.

My other sister in law, Leila, with her husband Jay (at the university gym where the Thanksgiving service was held).

In the evening, Sue hosted a dinner at their home for people close to her heart.

me, Miriam, and Ann

Sue with her best friend Lynn, daughter Tisha, and another friend Baby

"My life story is more beautiful and meaningful because you are in it," I told Sue during the tribute I gave for her that evening.

Sue: "I did not just fill my cup... I filled it to overflowing."

FEBRUARY 12

Back in Manila for a day of prayer with dear friends.

A menorah embroidered towel over the communion bread and wine.

FEBRUARY 18-19

An Ancient Paths seminar for Compassion, Philippines at a lovely retreat center by the sea.

Glorious sunset




FEBRUARY 19

My BFF (best friend forever) Melanie who resides in the US arrived, and look what special gifts she brought me for Christmas and for my birthday:

Melanie knows I am a bookworm. And she knows the authors I love.




FEBRUARY 22

Celebrating Buddy's birthday with the Family Foundations national ministry team.

Front row: William, Buddy, Raffi and daughter Sofia
Back row: Ruby, Tata, Pat, Trudi, Honey Grace and me




And here are some scenes from my February garden:

Lantana buds about to open

More lantana shots - amazing colors in just one plant!

My dog Sammy, she loves to rest her head on the iron fence while I water the plants early in the morning.

I took this shot early this morning. On the last day of February, after a whole month of no rains, it finally rained again!

Even my cactus plant was rejoicing!

Thank you, dear Father, for a lovely month during which I learned to listen... to wait... and to yield to your gentle nudges.

It is good to wait for You, Lord... to learn humility... and to grow in wisdom and in grace.

I have a long way to go, dear Lord... but thank you for Your patience with me, for not giving up on me.

Thank you dear Jesus for showing me how to do it... Your way!

"Wisdom"

my favorite wooden sculpture, a gift from my friend Trudi...

Creator and Redeemer King

photo source

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?

- Isaiah 43:18, 19

But now, this is what the LORD says—
he who created you, Jacob,
he who formed you, Israel:
“Do not fear, for I have redeemed you;
I have summoned you by name; you are mine.
When you pass through the waters,
I will be with you;
and when you pass through the rivers,
they will not sweep over you.
When you walk through the fire,
you will not be burned;
the flames will not set you ablaze.
For I am the LORD your God,
the Holy One of Israel, your Savior;

- Isaiah 43:1-3

Because of the unfathomable and unsearchable nature of God, He has revealed Himself under many different names throughout the ages.


When I was a college freshman, I came to understand what it means to turn the reins of my life over to Him as my Lord and King, the Sovereign Ruler over my life.


Through the years I have come to know Him more...

as my Father in heaven...

my Prince of Peace in the midst of the storm...

the guiding Light and the Lampstand in the dark moments of my life...

the Lord of the Breakthrough...

the Provider who is always more than enough.


One of my favorite names of God is Creator. He created the heavens and the earth, and everything in it... and He created me. He knit me in my mother's womb. He is the one Who put together all the different parts of my body, soul, and spirit, resulting in a unique individual which is me. For me, this is such an awesome realization - that everything that I am was designed and planned by my Creator God. The events of my life are orchestrated by Him to build and shape my character.


But of all the names of God that I have personally experienced, Redeemer is the most meaningful to me.


I love the fact that after God created me He did not leave me alone in this world to fend for myself or figure out on my own how life should go. As Creator, God continues to look after me... providing for my sustenance, my growth, my healing, and my redemption.


Redeemer... is such a precious name of God.


It blows my mind to realize that as Creator, He has to be Redeemer as well... to make sure that there is a way to rebuild and to restore what has been destroyed or stolen!


God is committed to looking after what He has made.


Even my past is not sealed in concrete. The sad and unfortunate things that have happened in my past can still be redeemed by Jesus my Redeemer.

...who redeems your life from the pit

and crowns you with love and compassion - Psalm 103:4

He can give me a new perspective from which to view my past, thereby re-creating it... by giving me a different angle from which to look at it.


I truly believe in what God says in Romans 8:28

And we know that in all things
God works for the good of those who love him,
who have been called according to his purpose.

There is no mess so deep that God's love cannot reach down and undo it.


Circumstances cannot be changed, but our perspective of them can.


A crime cannot be undone, but forgiveness and pardon can be given. We can let go of the anger. The wound can heal.


I have experienced such a freedom in embracing the ongoing redemptive work of Jesus in my life.


For the past ten years I have been involved in the ministry of Family Foundations International. We conduct Ancient Paths seminars which ministers to areas of emotional wounding in our lives, and through prayer ministry, allows people to experience healing breakthroughs in their lives.


Last weekend, our team did an Ancient Paths Level 1 seminar with 30 university students and staff members of Compassion, Philippines.


Compassion is a ministry that aims to give education to Filipino children from pre-school to university level, and release them from the stranglehold of poverty.


My friends Ruby, Buddy, Tata, Trudi and I were privileged to see God at work in the young men and women who were only 17-18 years old, yet were serious in wanting to see God bring change and spiritual renewal into their hearts.


Through the seminar video teaching of Biblical truths by Craig Hill, followed by prayer ministry in small groups, Jesus revealed Himself as Creator, Redeemer, Wounded Healer, and Wonderful Counselor.


There is something so refreshing in ministering to young people.


Below are pictures I took of my small group. Being with them for two days, I felt like my whole being was rejuvenated, and infused with young blood!


Look at these pictures below... they just loved to have their pictures taken... and I ended up joining them in their fun!

Berni, Mark, Mayang, Roge, Jessie, and Jason

The young ones, with me in their midst.

The ministry team waiting for the sun to set, on our first day at the CICM Retreat House.

me, Trudi, Tata and Ruby

Buddy, me, Tata and Ruby

The majestic sunset... it was worth waiting for!

Leafless tree in the middle of the courtyard...

New leaves coming out!

I spent the last hour worshiping God through this beautiful song by Kathryn Scott.


I also took time to pray for each of the young people who were in my small group last weekend.


Dear Berni, Mark, Jessie, Roge, Mayang, and Jason... I have prayed that the spiritual breakthroughs you have received will continue to inspire you and motivate you to keep seeking the heart of God. He is your Creator King, and your Redeemer.


He is the God who makes all things new! As the sun rises and sets each day, He is faithful... His compassion never fails, His mercies are new every morning!

Creator King
Words by:Mary MacLaren
Performed by Kathryn Scott (from the album Satisfy)


You who made the mountains and the sea
Measured out the universe and you made me
Echoes of the voice that called worlds to be
Reach through the ages and now speak to me
You're my Creator King.

You who made the valleys and the skies
Displayed your love on far horizons and before my eyes
You who lit the stars and set the dawn in time
Called them all by name and now You whisper mine
You're my Creator King

And who am I that You are mindful of me
Who am I that you set your love on me
You're my Creator King

You who made the darkness and the light
Sun and moon to watch the day and guard the night
The hand that stretched the heavens like a canopy
Reaches down to cover and watch over me

You're my Creator King...

Joshua 5: Rolling Away the Reproach

"Under Construction"

photo source

At that time the LORD said to Joshua, “Make flint knives for yourself, and circumcise the sons of Israel again the second time.”

So Joshua made flint knives for himself, and circumcised the sons of Israel at the hill of the foreskins.

And this is the reason why Joshua circumcised them: All the people who came out of Egypt who were males, all the men of war, had died in the wilderness on the way, after they had come out of Egypt.

For all the people who came out had been circumcised, but all the people born in the wilderness, on the way as they came out of Egypt, had not been circumcised.

For the children of Israel walked forty years in the wilderness, till all the people who were men of war, who came out of Egypt, were consumed, because they did not obey the voice of the LORD—to whom the LORD swore that He would not show them the land which the LORD had sworn to their fathers that He would give us, “a land flowing with milk and honey.”

Then Joshua circumcised their sons whom He raised up in their place; for they were uncircumcised, because they had not been circumcised on the way.

So it was, when they had finished circumcising all the people, that they stayed in their places in the camp till they were healed.

Then the LORD said to Joshua, “This day I have rolled away the reproach of Egypt from you.”

Therefore the name of the place is called Gilgal to this day.

- Joshua 5:2-9

And the Lord your God will circumcise your heart
and the heart of your descendants,
to love the Lord your God with all your heart
and with all your soul,
that you may live.
- Deuteronomy 30:6



Break up your fallow ground,
and take away the foreskins of your heart...
- Jeremiah 4:3, 4




Therefore circumcise the foreskin of your heart,
and be stiff-necked no longer...
- Deuteronomy 10:16




But he is a Jew who is one inwardly;
and circumcision is that of the heart,
in the Spirit, not in the letter;
whose praise is not from men but from God.
- Romans 2:29

After crossing the Jordan River, the Israelites camped in a place called Gilgal. Here they placed the twelve stones that they picked from the river to serve as a memorial, just as the Lord had instructed.

Gilgal is very important. Not only is it the starting point of the conquest of the land, it is the place where the Israelites put up their very first memorial in Canaan.

I find it significant that God would instruct them to put the twelve stones here, at the outset of their journey. God is very particular about putting up memorials because He knows just how easy it is for us to forget.

The memorial was not just about the crossing over the waters of the mighty Jordan. It was also about the circumcision of all the Israelite males that God required before they entered the land of promise.

Before they could begin to conquer the territory ahead of them, circumcision was required.

Circumcision is an external process but it represented something deeper - the stripping away of the outer layers of our hearts, that we may become more sensitive to God.

This physical process was the symbol of the covenant that God made with Abraham years before. In Genesis 17:7-14 we read of the promise God gives:

And I will establish My covenant between Me and you and your descendants after you in their generations, for an everlasting covenant.... Also I give to you and your descendants after you the land in which you are a stranger, all the land of Canaan, as an everlasting possession....

This is My covenant which you shall keep, between Me and you and your descendants after you: Every male child among you shall be circumcised in the flesh of your foreskins, and it shall be a sign of the covenant between Me and you....

And the uncircumcised male child, who is not circumcised..., that person shall be cut off from his people, he has broken My covenant.

Joshua may have forgotten all about this important symbol, but God has not. The covenant He established with Abraham was that Abraham would be given all the land of Canaan as an everlasting possession, and the symbol of this covenant was the circumcision of every male child in Israel.

God is a covenant keeper. He never breaks, nor does He forget, any of His promises. And I find it so significant that just as the people were about to enter this land of promise, God wants them to remember the covenant.

Circumcision is not painless. How important it was for them to go "under the knife", a symbol of their willingness to keep their end of the covenant.

Circumcision is not so much an external as it is an internal process. We understand that it refers to the circumcision of our hearts, the stripping away of that which hinders and obstructs. God wants us to be very sensitive to Him, that we may follow Him wholeheartedly, without anything blocking, or hindering us from doing so.

The standing stones in Gilgal are indeed a memorial to the purification process that happened there.

What further strikes me is the deeper significance of the place.

The word Gilgal literally means "rolling."

God says to them, "This day I have rolled away the reproach of Egypt from you."

Such tender, beautiful words.

All these years their fathers had lived as slaves in Egypt. This new generation of Israelites were born and raised in the wilderness. They have never known what it means to have a land, and be a people.

In their minds they were tent dwellers, runaway slaves, running away from the land of captivity where their fathers had suffered much under the hands of cruel taskmasters.

In Gilgal God declares that they are no longer slaves of a foreign power. He has removed the stigma and the shame... the reproach of Egypt has been rolled away.

No longer were they in bondage, living in fear of their past captivity. In the symbolic act of circumcision God was renewing His covenant with them - Fear not, you are mine.

In rolling away the reproach of Egypt from them, God was in effect reminding them of the words of the covenant that He had established with Abraham hundreds of years before:

And I will establish My covenant between Me and you and your descendants after you in their generations, for an everlasting covenant.... Also I give to you and your descendants after you the land in which you are a stranger, all the land of Canaan, as an everlasting possession....

The everlasting God... has established an everlasting covenant... and He is giving them a land as an everlasting possession...

God removed from them the victim mindset, the slave mentality.

They were a special people, and they were coming into the Promised Land, a land that will be to them an everlasting possession.

Jeremiah 31 comes to my mind at this time, and I can hear the Lord speaking words of comfort.

I have loved you with an everlasting love...

I have drawn you with cords of compassion...

Again I will build you, and you shall be rebuilt...

I will cause them to walk by the rivers of waters, in a straight way in which they shall not stumble...

For I am a Father to Israel...

They shall come and sing in the height of Zion...

They shall be as a well watered garden...

They shall sorrow no more at all...

I will turn their mourning into joy...

My people shall be satisfied with My goodness...


Gilgal is such a special place, a memorial to their new beginnings as a people. The standing stones here bear witness to what happened on that day.

A reminder to them that as God's chosen people, they are to be set apart, consecrated.

Victory will surely follow, but the message at Gilgal is this: there is no victory without purity.


I need to go back often to Gilgal to remember what happened there. To look at the stone memorial. To remember that I have been bought with a price. No longer a slave.

The reproach has been rolled away. In many ways, Gilgal points to Calvary, where Jesus bore my sin and shame.


And I remember still another place in the Bible where the stone has been rolled away:

He is not here; he has risen, just as he said.
Come and see the place where he lay.
- Matthew 28:6

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Help me Lord, to never forget.

What I Think of "Lurkers"

"Standing on the Outside Looking In"

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There is a time for everything,
and a season for every activity under the heavens:

... a time to be silent and a time to speak.

- Ecclesiastes 3:1, 7




Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart
Be acceptable in Your sight,
O LORD, my strength and my Redeemer.

- Psalm 19:14

This blog has been around for three years already. Honestly, having this blog has served a good purpose: it has helped me understand more of the sacred journey that I'm on, and it has clarified, shed light on the events in my past, as well as in my present.

A plus factor in having a blog are readers who really care about what is going in my life. This has been a big encouragement to me. Their perspective, often shared with me through the comments they leave, or through personal email, has certainly been beneficial. Blog friends who care enough to speak what is on their heart have made blogging more rewarding and interesting, they have added sweetness and spice to the experience.

No blog is an island...

I believe that a blog is a two-way street, thriving on a "give and receive" relationship, a healthy exchange of ideas, a meeting, as well as a linking, of hearts and minds.

But blogging has its merits, as well as its downside.

I have tried to be as honest as this kind of forum can permit me to be. Being too vague or general produces superficial posts - and if this blog will only let people wade and romp about in the shallow waters of my life, then I might as well "close shop."

The choice is mine: blogging has required of me an investment of my time, effort, and spiritual energy.

Which is the real reason why I want to talk about lurkers on this post.

I never knew there was such a thing called "lurking" on the internet. Eventually I did find out what it means, and I was somewhat amused at the definition of the term.

A lurker, in internet jargon, refers to someone who reads or observes an ongoing discussion without participating, as in an internet newsgroup, chatroom, or blog.

The term is quite appropriately used, in my humble opinion.

Dictionary.com defines the verb lurk this way:

1. to lie or wait in concealment, as a person in ambush; remain in or around a place secretly or furtively.

2. to go furtively; slink, steal.

3. to exist unperceived or unsuspected.


Some synonyms for this word are: lurk, skulk, sneak, prowl.

There really are no hard and fast rules on cyberspace.

Facts are being twisted all the time, copyright laws being violated; infringement is a day to day occurrence... identity theft is a real possibility.

So who can effectively act as an internet police to make sure that privacy is safeguarded? No one, really.

However, I am of the firm belief that the internet can be redeemed... used for the glory of God to promote His cause and propagate His message.

That is one main reason I have continued to keep this blog going. I maintain it in the hope that visitors who end up reading the words I have written and viewing the photographs I have taken will be blessed and encouraged. Each time I put up a post I do so believing that someone needs to read what I have written and hoping that anyone visiting my blog will leave refreshed and lifted up.

It would be such a blessing to me if the readers who come would leave even just a line of comment once in a while, just for the connection and personal touch. I'm not concerned about those who come once or twice and never return, I am referring to one or two persons who visit my blog place up to five or six times a day, and after all these months, have never bothered to introduce himself, or herself, to me.

Having said all that, I do need to make myself clear. No one is being blamed for choosing to remain hidden or anonymous. That is a freedom we all are entitled to enjoy.

And having made the decision to go public on a blog, I am well aware of the fact that certain consequences follow. To have "lurkers" on one's little corner of the cyberspace is inevitable.

And I am not really after comments per se. After all, to receive comments is not the reason this blog exists. But to be honest, it warms my heart to know how people feel. A comment box is like some kind of a dialogue box, a venue for giving feedback, a forum that allows conversation to take place.

There is a time to be silent, but there is also a time to stand up and be recognized. I believe due courtesy, even on cyberspace, is still possible.

Surely there must be a reason for the frequent visits. It would be good to know.

The picture above is borrowed from a website that showed up when I googled the phrase, "standing on the outside looking in."

A lurker is like someone who stands outside the window of my home, looks inside, goes around the yard, looks inside another window, observes what is going on... and then leaves without saying a word!

I must admit that sometimes I get a creepy feeling.

But it is a fear that I need to let go of, something that I have to entrust to God.

If people aren't revealing who they are or what they feel, then it has to be the least of my worries. In humility, I need to let go of certain expectations... enjoy what is there, not focus on what isn't there!

I have become friends with a number of wonderful people through my blog. They have shared what is on their heart by initially leaving a comment or two, and in many cases, the friendship has extended already to exchanging letters via email, and even sending gifts through the postal service.

In a place as open as the world wide web, I can only continue to blog with confidence knowing that it is my God who puts a hedge of protection around me.

May every part of this blog be covered by the hand of God. May He station sentinels to protect it from malicious intent. May readers come frequently only because they are drawn to words of life and truth.

In the name of Jesus I break the power of any demonic scheme or demonic assignment over this blog. I declare that this blog is used for the sole purpose of being a redemptive agent in the murky and turbulent waters of our world.

It won't be long, though. Jesus is coming soon. Maranatha!

The thief comes to steal, kill and destroy...
Jeus came that we may have life, and have it abundantly!

I will not be deterred or intimidated. I will continue to write posts with a sense of purpose.

To anyone who happens to land in this place and takes offense at what is written here, I say, "Go in peace."

To all readers, I say:

"You are welcome in this place. May you find it to be a safe place where you are nurtured. May you experience God's healing presence here."

May all visitors to this blog come to have a taste of the abundant life that flows freely from the heart of Jesus!

Thank you for stopping by.

photo source