God's Perfect Timing

I have been here in the Philippines for three months now and God has been doing such amazing things in my life. I have so many testimonies to share but I have just been so busy lately. Also, I had been writing on a new blog called "Kat's Philppine Adventure" :) So make sure to check that out.

One thing that I want to share is about God's perfect timing. He really taught me a lesson, and even though I know the concept of God's perfect timing, I had never really experienced it so bluntly before. I had visited my aunt's house when I first arrived and I had shared with her the vision of the Orphanage that the F.I.S.H.E.R.S. Ministries would be building and the mission trip I was going to take part in as well as some of the things God has been doing in my life. Immediately, she started telling me about her religious experiences and how much she was seeking God but was failing. Of course, I had offered for her to come to church with me and even to do a bible study with her, she was very excited about it. She even went as far as telling me that perhaps I was here in the Philippines for her to get to know God better.

So after the mission trip I would text her to come to service with me and every time I did she would reply with a different excuse. She would either say that she was out of town or that she had left her phone at home so she wasn't able to reply, etc. Deep inside, I know that she had been sincerely excited about coming with me to service but I had a feeling that someone had discouraged her about going. I kept texting her anyway, because I knew that she was desperate for God.

One day, I had had enough. It had been several weeks of me inviting her and I didn't want to be a nag. So I invited her one last time. I even said on the text that it would be my last time asking her. To my surprise she actually decided to go. When I went to our meeting place, I was surprised to see that she had brought her son along with her. She said that he would be attending with us because he happened to be in town and staying with her.

During the service, I would look at them through the corner of my eye to see if they were okay or if they felt out of place. During the end of the service where the Pastor offers to pray the prayer of salvation to those who had not yet been saved, I prayed fervently to God. I didn't know heir situation, but I knew what their solution was. I asked God for even just one of them, even just one! To my amazement, my aunt's son raised his hand. I felt like I was struck with awe! God's timing is truly perfect!

To think that out of frustration I had told my aunt, it would be the last time I would be inviting her to church with me. The time that I did, it so happened that her son would be coming with her. Her son that found out the Truth, her son that found out there was an emptiness that was inside of him that only God can fill. Her son was saved! In God's great orchestration of the things that happen in our lives, how small is our way of thinking? I was sure taught a lesson! Even though I know my aunt still needs God in her life, it wasn't God's time for her, but it was God's timing for her son.

"For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the LORD. As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts. "- Isaiah 55:8-9

The Season of Christmas

Christmas is definitely a season for many occasions. It's a season for giving, a season for spending time with family and friends, a season for reaching out to those who you wouldn't normally reach out to, and most importantly it's a season to celebrate the birth of our savior, Jesus Christ.

To me, the season of Christmas had always been hard. For some reason, it made me feel extra lonely especially when I didn't have a significant other to share it with. I had felt that the build up of Christmas was so big and it never happens the way you expect it to. When the day after Christmas would come, it was just depressing that it was all over, just like that. Outside, it would be terribly cold and the skies would be full of grey clouds. It's as if reality comes crashing down. I know that a lot of people have also felt this way. A lot of people feel this way all year-round and not just during Christmas. Like there is something missing in their lives and there is an emptiness in their heart. The sense of being lost and the doom of hopelessness are never far behind. I know someone who can fill that emptiness, who can give you a purpose in life, who gives eternal hope and whose promises are always unfailing.

I learned in Church the other day the secret to having a great Christmas. Actually, it's the secret to having a great life, and it shouldn't be a secret at all! God said in His word that His children are the light and salt of the earth. His great commission for us to have a purpose driven life can be found in Matthew 28:19-20 "Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."

Step one to having a great Christmas is to hear the good news of Jesus Christ. The good news that heaven is a free gift, it is not earned or deserved. Jesus paid the price for us because we could never live up to actually deserving a place in heaven, it is impossible because no matter what we do we keep on sinning. Because God is merciful, He doesn't want to punish us, but He is also just and must punish our sins. That's where Jesus comes in because only He can pay the penalty for our sins. Jesus is 100% God and 100% man. All it takes for us is faith, not knowledge in theology or temporary faith, but saving faith which is trusting in Jesus Christ alone.

John 3:16 says "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life." Step two is believing that it's for YOU, you are part of the world that He created. God knows who you are, he knew your name before you were born. His promises ring true for you personally, not just for the other people around you. Pastor John said "Jesus didn't come just for the good people, because there aren't any!"

Step three is to receive. receive the free gift that God is offering you. Receive eternity in heaven by receiving His son, Jesus into your life. Let Him rule it for His hands are more capable than our own. How do we receive His gift? Prayer. A prayer like this one:

Heavenly Father, I come to you in the name of your son, Jesus. I know that I am a sinner, and I cannot save myself. Please forgive me for all of my sins and for the life that I have led. I confess that Jesus is Lord! I believe that Jesus died on the cross for my salvation and rose again to make it as if I never sinned. I receive Jesus as my personal Lord and savior and pray that he will be Lord over my life. In the mighty name of your son Jesus Christ, AMEN.

If that was the first time you prayed this prayer and you prayed it truly and sincerely, congratulations! Welcome to the family of God! Please, do not just leave it at that, find a local church where you can be rooted. A bible believing, Christian church. If you have prayed this prayer before, step four is reaching out and giving the best gift possible to those around you, Jesus Christ!

This season can also be a season for new beginnings - to be born again and have a new life. So let us celebrate Christmas, the birth of our savior, not only during this season but during every season.

Reminiscing on 2005

Well, it's the Christmas season and the end of the year is coming up fast! I am a little anxious about this new year because I will be leaving for the Philippines on January 1st, new years day. I am excited and a little nervous at the same time because I will be staying for six months, or maybe more. I will be doing a lot of different things such as two mission trips and to help with the Christian non-profit organization I am working with called F.I.S.H.E.R.S. International Ministries (F.I.S.H.E.R.S. stands for - Faith In Sharing His Eternal Radiant Salvation). We are building an orphanage there to be called Babyanne's Mansion. As well, my boyfriend just left for the Philippines a little over a month ago indefinitely and I certainly cannot wait to be with him again.

Thinking of all the things I will be doing in the new year, all the changes that are going to happen, I can't help but reminisce about the last new year and my faith in God that the year 2005 was going to be a special one. Indeed, it was. Last year, I just had this feeling that God was going to do so many things in my life in 2005 and I was excited. You see, it wasn't until last year around November that my eyes were truly opened to His truth and that is when He started really working on my mind and my heart. Here are a few of the firsts of 2005:

• It was the first time I got involved with my very own church, Victory Christian Centre by joining the Connect Class and then the Worship Team Choir.
• First time I started this blog... Which I never thought I would ever do.
• The first time I joined the F.I.S.H.E.R.S.' "Soulvivor" which is a mental and physical game (a cross between Survivor and Amazing Race) which spans two days - I would never usually join anything competitive. I came in fourth and am proud of it!
• First time I sang on mic at church - this was of course a big deal to me.
• First time I became a leader and director, I am one of the leaders and a director for F.I.S.H.E.R.S. Int. Ministries.
• First time I led a congregation in worshipping our Lord of Lords - what an honor and privilege!
• First time I ever facilitated a Bible Study - this was nerve racking for me.
• As I mentioned earlier, my boyfriend left for the Philippines indefinitely which I think could be a first step towards moving on and creating a beautiful future for us (I know it's still a long way to go and will be hard, but through Christ I can do anything).
• I finished my program at school this year, I had my last final two weeks ago. Woohoo!

There were so many other amazing things that happened to me this year that I cannot remember at the moment. It just goes to show how much God will bless you with when you just step out of faith and say "yes". Get out of your comfort zone and give whatever it is you have to give such as your talent, time or treasure and to give it in a way that will glorify Him. After all, none of it is really ours, God entrusted it to us so we can share it with others and be a blessing to the nations.

"Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much, and whoever is dishonest with very little will also be dishonest with much. So if you have not been trustworthy in handling worldly wealth, who will trust you with true riches? And if you have not been trustworthy with someone else's property, who will give you property of your own? " Luke 16:10-12

** To learn more about F.I.S.H.E.R.S. International Ministries and Babyanne's Mansion, please visit www.fishersministries.com

To Receive and Believe

My favorite verse for the last couple of weeks has definitely been John 1:10-12 which is as follows:

"He was in the world, and though the world was made through Him, the world did not recognize Him. He came to that which was His own, but His own did not receive Him. Yet to all who received Him, to those who believed in His name, He gave the right to become children of God."

That verse was probably one of the first bible verses I had ever read. When I first started becoming serious about God's word I had started by reading the book of John. It didn't hit me the first time I read it but as I saw it again several weeks ago I couldn't help but stop and be in awe. It was truly enlightening.

Can you just imagine creating something so magnificent, something you thought so long and hard about because you wanted to make it perfect? Well, imagine that you were able to create that something and you were so proud of it. It's sort of like what God went through when he made this universe. Just imagine every intricate detail there is, from a little atom to a galaxy! God created it, he thought of every detail, every blade of grass on this Earth to every hair on top of your head. He knew your name before you were born and even before He created this world!

Well, when God sent His only son, Jesus to Earth, he was degraded, spat upon, insulted, persecuted and even crucified. The One who created the Earth, the One who knew every detail, the One who loved (He is love), rejected! If I were God, I would have just given up on Earth. I would have just destroyed this world out of anger and hurt. Thank goodness, our God is good! He is just! His perfect plans are above what we could ever think of!

"As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts." - Isaiah 55:9

"Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will." - Romans 12:2

"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life." John 3:16

Despite our unworthiness, despite the way we behave and treated His one and only son, God still loves us. He said - to those who believed in His name, He gave the right to become children of God. When we accept Jesus into our lives and we are born again, God welcomes us into His family. Truly God, I am in awe of You!

My Rock - 2 Samuel 22:3

"So the last will be first, and the first will be last" Matthew 20:16

In the Bible, that phrase "So the last will be first, and the first will be last" can be found in numerous Chapters. It can be found as stated on the title of this entry in Matthew 20:16 it can also be found in Matthew 19:30, Mark 10:31 and Luke 13:30. I have read it over and over again and I never realized what it really meant. Well, I can now say that I do know what it means. It's always exciting when He reveals things to me.

At work we have a cleaning lady who just started, she is also Filipino so we started talking right away. She is such a humble person when you speak with her, always thankful when you offer her anything and always friendly and never complained. All day she takes care of the garbage, cleans the glass windows (and there is a lot of glass to clean in the office) scrubs the room clean from floor to ceiling. One day I had offered her some treats for her children and she hugged me so tightly out of thankfulness. Right there under my nose was someone God has blessed and is using so mightily.

The contractor who had arranged for her to work for us told me shortly after that they both went to the same church and that she had the gift of Prophetic Dance. Of course, I had no idea what that was, he explained that when the congregation is worshiping and she feels led to dance, she dances and whenever she dances, people would prophesy! Wow! This meek little woman who was so shy and quiet dancing in front of hundreds of people!?! It just goes to show how God picks his anointed. He doesn't pick you because you are strong, beautiful, a good speaker or even confident! He picks you because he picks you! He said in His word that He will not give us something we can't handle. I also was told of how she was so nervous the first time she danced in front of the congregation, she was shaking! She has no dancing talent at all, she cannot even line dance... And yet God called her to dance. What obedience to step out of your comfort zone and do as He says.

It also says in God's word "If they obey and serve Him, they will spend the rest of their days in prosperity and their years in contentment." Job 36:11. Now I know what you are thinking, obviously there doesn't look like much prosperity going on in her life. I believe that in that passage it means prosperity in the Kingdom of God. In case you didn't know, everything we have here is temporal, everything material we cannot bring into heaven so we cannot define prosperity by how much money, cars, clothes or material things we have. We won't be spending our eternity with those things. "Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal." Matthew 6:19-20. But I know she will be so blessed in the Kingdom as He promises in His word.

I know that that woman is so blessed. She is amazing! She told me the other day how she had to clean a toilet and it had all sorts of disgusting elements which I will not mention, and yet she goes on. She does everything with the Glory of God. She knows God is on her side no matter what.

"Jesus said, The greatest among you will be your servant. For whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted." Matthew 23:11-12

Without Him I Can Do Nothing

Yesterday was the first day I sang on the mic at church for Praise & Worship. I was so nervous because I felt so intimidated and insecure. I was unsure of the lyrics and I just started doubting myself so much. It's not like I have never sang in front of a crowd before or had never been on stage, but for some reason I just felt like it was a big responsibility to be up there. It is a big responsibility, I am part of the team that is responsible in setting the mood for worship for the congregation. That is huge to me, it's really doing something for God, even if I am not leading the worship, and no matter what that is, I would always want to do my best for Him.

While I was feeling nervous it reminded me of how much I could never do without God in my life. I realize how much of a coward I really am, but with God I can do anything. It says in His word "I can do everything through him who gives me strength." - Philippians 4:13. If I allow and ask for His strength He will sustain me with His powerful courage. It is so easy for the enemy to whisper in my ear about lies of how I will fail especially when I am about to do something for God. I have to remind myself that God will never give me anything I cannot handle. What a glorious God who entrusts us with his work.

Pastor Helen once talked about being pregnant with a dream. I can say that it was a huge desire in my heart to sing on the mic during Praise and Worship, and like Pastor Helen had said, when our dream or goal is coming to completion that is when we want to give up. Just like a woman who goes into labor who was pregnant for 9 months dreaming of the day that she could hold her baby in her arms. Doubt starts to cloud her mind and when she finally goes into labor and the pain strikes she wants to give up. It's the same with our own dreams sometimes. Often when I have to sing for something, I practice and practice and the day of the performance I am racked with insecurities and doubt in my ability no matter how hard I practiced. I am tempted to back out of the whole engagement and start thinking of excuses to cancel. But when I start praying and just ask God to give me strength and to bless me, boy, does He pull through!

God's goodness and lavish love just makes me want to sing forever. I want to declare His glory and greatness to the ends of the earth with the voice He blessed me with. When I sing to Him it is a personal moment, no one else is looking or listening. Yet when we sing during Praise & Worship although it is still a personal moment for each individual present we are all singing with one voice declaring His majesty! We are so blessed to be able to have that opportunity! To worship our God at the top of our lungs! It is my prayer today that we all will take every chance we get to sing undignified to Him. To forget about what we look like or what we sounds like when we sing and just let it be about worshipping Him, for He is the only one who would deserve such praises. I also pray that we remember how much we couldn't do without Him. We wouldn't even be able to breathe without Him. He is the giver of everything that is good. Praise the Lord for He is good and His love endures forever!