Thankful Thursday

Today's theme at Iris blog is RESCUE and the song "My redeemer lives" goes right into my head.

"I know He rescued my soul
His blood has covered my sin
I believe..I believe
My shame His taken away
My pain is healed in his name
I believe..I believe...

We were all rescued by God and He rescued me so many times. I still remember so vividly how he rescued me from nearly being an alcohol addict. I was so far away from HIM and yet He reached me out and hold my hand and lifted me up. Am so grateful for that.

I just pray that He will do the same with all my family members, that they will turn their eyes also to JESUS our Great Rescuer..Great Redeemer!

Just last Sunday, He rescued me again, I was so mad and lost all my patience and I don't want to go to church for a while but HE kept on whispering to me.."I love you and I forgive you"..

What a wonderful God we have!!! Praise HIM!

Look Beyond

Source : www.joelosteen.com

TODAY'S SCRIPTURE

"…Lift up now your eyes and look from the place where you are, northward and southward and eastward and westward;"
(Genesis 13:14, AMP)

TODAY'S WORD from Joel and Victoria

God has a place of victory in store for you today! You may be facing challenges. You may look around you and see impossible circumstances. In the natural, it may look like things won’t ever change, but God is saying today, “Quit looking at your circumstances and look up! Lift up your eyes of faith and look beyond where you are because there is victory as far as the eye can see!

Your enemies may have some power today, but remember, our God is All Powerful! There’s no foe that can stand against Him. Those things you are facing are temporary, but God Almighty is eternal. He’s the God who flung the stars into space. He’s the God who spoke the world into existence. When He said, “Let there be light,” light came at 186,000 miles per second. That’s power and that’s the God we serve.

I encourage you to stand strong today. Keep believing because He is working behind the scenes on your behalf. As you lift your eyes to Him, as you focus on His goodness, He will guide you and direct you in the path of victory in every area of your life!

A PRAYER FOR TODAY

Heavenly Father, today I choose to lift up my eyes of faith toward You. Thank You for surrounding me with Your goodness and mercy. Thank You for believing in me and for preparing a good future for me. Fill my heart with Your peace and confidence as I continue to trust You in every area of my life. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Cleansing Day

The Fishnets ministry in cooperation with LJBC church and the government of Meyacauayan, Bulacan has just concluded its first Cleansing Day in Brgy. Pandayan, Meycauayan, Bulacan last Saturday August 22, 2009. It was held in Pandayan Elementary School and more than a hundred indigent kids were served. Praise God!!

Cleansing day is a ministry where we target urban poor kids as recipients of health teaching program, along with this we also provide physical check up, dental check up, hair lice treatment, wound treatment, free hair cut, nail clipping and at the end we give them a complete health kit with toothbrush, toothpaste, bath soap, shampoo, band aids, comb, cotton buds and a face towel. We also serve them a healthy snack and the most important thing was that we were able to pray for each kid.

We would like to thank those who supported us in this ministry. On Saturday we will have the cleansing day in Alabang and if you would like to support you are most welcome, we need dentists well not as far as orange nj dentist but those who lives nearby can volunteer because we only have one dentist available and it is always a long day for her. We need a lot of volunteers actually.

We are looking forward to another successful cleansing day this Saturday!! Please do pray for this ministry. Thanks!

Thankful Thursday

This week God showed us again how much He care for us, sometimes we have thoughts that maybe God is so busy to be thinking of the small stuff we need but He is not and He will never be too busy for you.

As I have said on my previous posts, we have already moved and we don't have bed in our new place, we left the one we had at the mission's house because it was not ours. So we planned on buying and I said let us pray and ask God for the provision, hubby looked around for bed frames and saw that it didn't come cheap. We kept on praying.

Last Sunday, our friends (missionary couple) whose going home for schooling after two years of serving here in the Philippines visited our new place and offered us their bed frame. God is really good!!

And last Tuesday morning, I wake up with a text message in my cellphone saying we got money in Western Union. Friends from abroad sent it out without our knowing. God is so amazing. As I am writing my heart is crying over the goodness and the faithfulness of the Lord we serve.

..Oh give thanks unto the Lord for He is good and His mercy endureth forever!!

let us know what you are thankful for too. Head on to Iris blog and be blessed!

loving our new home!

We are now settled only because it was an extended weekend for us yesterday. I texted my boss and asked if I could stay home because as I have written before we're moving and we finally did last Friday night. So the new home was mess for three days and yesterday we finally managed to clean and fixed most of the stuff. We already have curtains, did some painting for the kitchen cabinet and it looks good now,

I am so happy..the feeling of going home to a HOME is very new to me and I am loving it!

The only downside is that because it is now a real home, we are enjoying eating together and Carmel and I are planning of learning and cooking new dishes. I know it won't be long till the husband offer me some appetite suppressants or else we will both gain a lot of weight in a matter of time.

But really, though it is not yet fully furnished and there are still adjustments and arranging to be done. I am enjoying it. I realized now how much I miss a quiet place.

Thankful Thursday

Hello!! Guess what? I am so excited to write this Thankful Thursday post today..Why? because finally we are moving!!

We found a new place which is not very far from the church, it's a two bedroom house and we will be sharing with a dear friend of ours they are also a missionary couple.

We've been living in the mission's center since we got married (3 years now) and husband being the full time church worker has been living there for almost 8 years already, we learned a lot of things there, we were nurtured spiritually, we were trained, our Pastor used to refer to it as our military base camp. It was there that I learned a lot about relationship. Imagine living with three families around (although we have separate rooms) plus more single missionaries. It was tough but it was also a blessing.

It was time for us to step up.

Now that we are finally moving on, help us pray for provision for rent and utilities. This is indeed a step of faith for us and I know God will never leave us as we take this new chapter of our life, of our faith.

Praise HIM for HE is so good!!!

For more thankful souls visit Iris's page.

Choose Faith Instead of Fear

TODAY'S SCRIPTURE
"This is my command–be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the Lord your God is with you wherever you go"
(Joshua 1:9, NLT).

TODAY'S WORD from Joel and Victoria
Did you know that fear works just like faith but in the opposite direction? In the same way that faith opens the door for God to work in our lives; fear opens the door for the enemy to work in our lives.

The Bible says that fear has torment. Fear has no mercy. If you act on fear instead of acting on faith, it will keep you depressed, miserable and lonely. And so many people today are missing out on God's joy, peace, and victory because they keep giving in to fear. They feed fear by what they watch on TV or at the movies. Don't let that be you! Romans tells us that faith comes by hearing the Word of God. The more you fill your heart and mind with God's Word, the stronger you will be to stand against the powers of darkness. Choose faith instead of fear by choosing God's Word.
Remember, the power that is in you is greater than the power of fear. When thoughts come that say, "You're not able", choose faith by saying, "I can do all things through Christ!" Choose faith today so you can overcome fear and live in the freedom God has in store for you!

A PRAYER FOR TODAY
Heavenly Father, I receive Your Word today which is life, health, and strength to me. I choose to close the door on fear by guarding what I say, what I listen to, and what I dwell on. Fill me with Your love and faith, and I meditate on Your Word. In Jesus Name, AMEN!

source : devotional email from www.joelosteen.com

Lovely Blog Award

Rita of Following 31 gave this lovely blog award to me. I feel honored and is so grateful. Thanks sister!

Now I would like to pass this to Denise of Shortybears place, not only is her blog lovely but she herself I know is lovely. You deserve this award!

Discovering My Ministry

I am back to teaching Class 301 which is “Discovering my Ministry” by Rick Warren. It is a series of discipleship our church uses for each and every member.

And being back to teaching that gave me time to reflect also about the ministries I am in now.

Is this what God really wants? Am I Shaped for this? Am I happy? Am I fruitful?

And again the realization that ministry means to serve using whatever God has given you.

Talents, time, money, strength and many more.

I actually wanted to say no to this teaching class but I am happy I did not. God spoke to me during the first session and I know he will minister to me to while teaching this.

On the other note, hubby and I are planning (wishing) to have at least two weeks holiday before I formally transfer to the new company. I wish I could spend those two weeks in our province with my mother and father. It is not as grand as Florida vacations but the time I will be spending with my parents is priceless. I just want to spend time with them.

Watching the funeral and necrological service for our late President who was a mom to five children made me want to have more time with my parents before it is too late.

About Disputes & Quarrels

"Pride only breeds quarrels, but wisdom is found in those who take advice" (Proverbs 13:10)

"Without wood a fire goes out; without gossip a quarrel dies down." (Proverbs 26:20)

"He who loves a quarrel loves sin; he who builds a high gate invites destruction." (Proverbs 17:19)

"A hot-tempered (person) stirs up dissension, but a patient (person) calms a quarrel" (Proverbs 15:18)

"Don't have anything to do with foolish and stupid arguments, because you know they produce quarrels. And the Lord's servant must not quarrel; instead, he must be kind to everyone, able to teach, not resentful. Those who oppose him, he must gently instruct, in the hope that God will grant them repentance leading them to a knowledge of the truth, and that they will come to their senses and escape from the trap of the devil, who has taken them captive to do his will" (2 Timothy 2: 23-26)

"What causes fights and quarrels among you? Don't they come from your desires that battle within you? You want something but don't get it. You kill and covet, but you cannot have what you want. You quarrel and fight.. . Anyone, then, who knows the good he ought to do and doesn't do it, sins." (James 4: 1 - 2, 17)

"You are still worldly. For since there is jealousy and quarreling among you, are you not worldly?" (1 Corinthians 3:3)

"I want men everywhere to lift up holy hands in prayer, without anger or disputing." (1 Timothy 2: 8)

Shortlist for the “nice gift” to husband

His birthday is coming so soon! And although I know it would be very fine even without a gift for me, I would still want to give him something that would surprise him and make him happy. After all he deserves the best! So I made a shortlist, kind of my wish list for him.

1. Ipod –it’s still first on the list because he doesn’t only want it but he needs it.
2. A new phone – Our cellular phones are both old and both need replacement especially his which is already 6 years old.
3. A new pair of black pants- for the church services
4. Hard drive – he’s been insisting for this since our computer broke down.

I am still praying I can buy him Item #1 but again with or without a gift for me he will still be special!

None but Jesus

NONE BUT JESUS
by : Hillsong

In the quiet, in the stillness
I know that you are God
In the secret of your presence
I know there I am restored
When you call I won't refuse
Each new day, again I'll choose

There is no one else for me
None but Jesus
Crucified to set me free
Now I live to bring Him praise

In the chaos, in confusion
I know you're sovereign still
In the moment of my weakness
You give me grace to do your will
When you call I won't delay
This my song through all my days

There is no one else for me
None but Jesus
Crucified to set me free
Now I live to bring Him praise

I am yours and you are mine...

All my delight is in you Lord
All of my hope
All of my strength
All my delight is in you Lord
Forevermore

Ministry Visitors from UK

Our visitors (missionaries) from UK arrived yesterday and they will be here for one month. It’s good to have them and share with them the Philippine culture, the ministries and experience God together thru these ministries. They are staying in our church, their room I’m sure is beyond compare to what they have back home, it’s just a bed and a wardrobe cabinet and a table as small as tv stand but I do pray they will enjoy their time here.

I guess I’ll be more, I don’t know how to say this, well a good friend of mine who work with the ministry had to rest for a while and she’s a big part of the ministry so I guess part of her job will be given to me. I just hope she’ll recover soon and find in her heart to be with us again.

So I have quite problems with the schedules now but I’m sure we can work it out.

The two major activities (CLEANSING DAY) will push through as scheduled.

Orientation will be tomorrow and they’ll be reporting to International Teams office also. I already asked someone to do that in the absence of my friend.

FISHNETS ministry as new as it is needs a lot of prayer, so I hope it is not too much for me to ask you to please do pray for us.