Like a Lion {David Crowder band}

Verse:
Let love explode and bring the dead to life
A love so bold
To see a revolution somehow.
Let love explode and bring the dead to life
A love so bold
To bring a revolution somehow

Pre- chorus
Now I’m lost in your freedom
This world I’ll overcome.

Chorus:
My God is not dead
He’s surely alive
He’s living on the inside
Roaring like a lion

Verse 2:
Let hope arise and make the darkness hide
My faith is dead
I need a resurrection somehow

Bridge:
Let Heaven roar and fire fall
Come shake the ground
With the sound of revival

Here’s sharing with you guys one of my favorite songs that we sing in church.  It’s safe to say that this is one of my “theme songs” of my life in this season. 🙂 Enjoy!  OUR GOD IS ALIVE.  HE’S LIVING ON THE INSIDE ROARING LIKE A LION! Isn’t that just awesome and oh so mind-blowing!? 🙂

I could listen to this song for hours and sing this song over my nation whenever I’m so tempted to wallow in self-pity and hopeless just by looking at the social realities that “accost” me whenever I go out into the streets.

The teenagers who are strong but choose to beg in the streets.  Those two young high school students who flagrantly disobey traffic rules and walk across the flyover inspite of the speeding jeepneys and cars without a care.  The conductor and the jeepney driver who obey traffic rules only when the traffic enforcer is there and when he’s not around, ignore the traffic signs and lights.  When I see these things, despair floods my heart. Why? When we were in college, my sister and I were convinced that the traffic behavior and attitudes of a nation reflect its culture and how we look at authority, submission and obedience.  This was confirmed when a study came out about this.

But God…as always, without fail, tells me “don’t look at the physical.  Call out things that are not as though they are.  Set your eyes on heavenly things.”

Thank God for His Word or else I would have said things that would have put another nail on the coffin called “Philippines” but I refuse to dwell on what I see and believe that this nation has hope and that one day – soon – God is going to visit my beloved Philippines and turn it upside down, right side up.  I am hoping, believing and praying.  We need a love that is so bold that it will bring a revolution in this nation. Yes, I’m seeing trickles of change in the land now but I’m praying for a revolution that will bring radical change in the roots of our culture, our thoughts and our identity as a people.

A Dayspring Fan

Ever since I stumbled on the Dayspring website more than 5 to 6 years ago, I have been hooked.  I love how they spread God’s love and promises in different types of media!

One new discovery for me, though, is Dayspring’s products that go beyond e-cards.  I can spend quite a long time just looking through their very wide range of choices from wall art to planners to bags and mugs.

I’d like to share two products that spoke volumes to me when I came across them tonight.  Timely reminders that God IS A GOD WHO KEEPS HIS WORD. 😉

Via Dayspring Wall Art

Via Dayspring Wall Art {Blessed series}

walking alone…

WITH GOD is still the BEST than walking with the throng without Him.

9.11.11 {faith}

MUCH-NEEDED BITS & PIECES from Nap’s preaching tonight

1.  The weapon that was forged by the enemy for your destruction will be your weapon of choice to fight ’til you have the victory.  David started using Goliath’s sword to fight his battles at a time when he was running from Saul.  From then on, he used that sword whenever he would fight.

2.  This is the beginning of a new season where we will stop mourning over what we have lost and start expecting for what God has in store for us.

from Rich Howell's pinterest

3.  If you know of people who are fighting a battle or are wearing heavy, long faces, it only means that they’re up for a promotion.  Breakthrough only comes after a fight.

4.  2 Words for today:  LEVEL UP!

5.  ALONE:  Daniel in the lions’ den, Joseph in prison, Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane…They were alone with God during the very moment when they were on their way to victory.  (1 Samuel 21)

SELAH.

*Nap talked about declaring God’s word and promises over our lives even if our emotions may not feel like it.  I was teary-eyed listening to him.  Earlier that afternoon, I had felt like a hypocrite as my feelings were not exactly aligned to the word of God.  After the worship, he released words of encouragement and one went like this “it’s not being hypocritical if you speak God’s word over your life even if you may not feel like it because you’re standing on something – His Word.”  You declare it until you see it come to pass; until it becomes real in your life.

Good thing God gave me a few passages from His word before the service that breathed hope into my weary soul. The verses He gave were the only reasons I could dance, sing and shout out my praise and worship to Him.  I was worshiping by faith because everything inside of me was screaming otherwise.

I may not feel and look like I’m there but “It is finished” and “He already has the victory.”  I will trust Him on that.  I will hope against hope that He is faithful to complete and finish what He has started in me.

image via here

P.S.  Just found out that in my NASB version, Ecclesiastes 3:11 reads “He has made everything appropriate in its time.”  a WOW-Now word.

{my Soul Surfer day!}

I don’t know why bad things happen to us sometimes but I have to believe something GOOD is going to come out of this. – Sarah Hill in Soul Surfer in response to Bethany Hamilton’s question on why terrible things happen to us in life. 🙂

{A teenage surfer girl summons the courage to go back into the ocean after losing an arm in a shark attack.}

The line above got me.  Most of the times we subscribe to the adage (consciously or unconsciously) that says” Once bitten, twice shy” and we sometimes let the pain, failures and mistakes in the past define our present and future.  But I dare say that in Christ, all things are made new!

Last weekend, I was a stay-at-home gal as I was down with the flu and a bad case of colds and I decided to watch Soul Surfer.  Good thing I did.  God spoke to me about faith, love and fighting for your destiny.  Walking with God does not assure us a cushioned life but He has promised that He will make ALL things work together for our good. 🙂

So, I’ll go back to the “water” and “surf again”.  🙂 Right, God?! 🙂

But for me, knowing that God loves me and that He has a plan for my life, that no shark can take away and no contest result can shake, is like having solid rock underneath me. Bad things are bound to happen to everyone. That’s life. Here’s my advice: don’t put all your hope and faith into something that could suddenly and easily disappear. And honestly, that’s almost anything. The only thing that will never go away, that will never fail you, is God and your faith in him. – Bethany Hamilton in here

What a loving promise!

Happy Week!!! {faith, hope and trust}

He makes all things beautiful in His time (:

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{pinterest}

{hope@pinterest}

digital favorites

{via pecannoot}

{via crystalin An@pinterest}

{via courtney fitzwater@pinterest}

{via Heisallworthit @ tumblr}

mishmashed thoughts

This would look good with a yellow or green or pink cardigan -- sigh

Just got back from the mall where Mitzil and I spent a good two hours looking for the perfect dress for this Saturday’s Art Exhibit at DC.  Alas, I could not find the dress that could make my heart beat faster.  I’ve started looking for this full-skirted, bustier 1950s style of dress that I could wear with a black bolero since last December to no avail.  Instead, I found what I wanted in a Wedding website here in the internet tonight. 😉  I’ve until tomorrow evening to find that elusive dress. Maybe I’ll find that in my ever dependable and surprising downtown store. *wink!*

It’s a blessing how real, covenant friends allow you to let your hair down and just be.  I am reminded of the line from Proverbs “there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.”  Thank God He connected Mitzil to Happy and me not just spiritually but by affinity now.

Dream BIG. What dream did God give you?

While I was pondering on the previous post about Rebecca St. James getting engaged at 33, I could not help but think about the many dreams I have that I’ve been praying for.  One big dream I have is to see this nation change.  Second, is I’ll say this out loud now ‘coz God’s teaching me to be real with myself these days:  I want to marry that person whom I can fulfill God’s purposes in our generation together.   So this simply means that our purposes would have to be aligned.

I chanced upon this site: Delightfully Engaged 🙂

...as finding the right color board! LOL!

If only finding the right one was as easy...

Sweetly Delightful!!!

What a fresh motif! Soothing!

Like my prayer for my personal life, I’ve always asked God that my life would bring honor to Him even in my mistakes and weaknesses.  Likewise, I want Him to be glorified by every decision and choice I make.

Third, I pray that this country’s educational system would be revolutionized.  That a new generation of teachers who know God would rise up.  And that the public schools and its students would see new school buildings, a wide array (array jud!) of instructional materials and more classrooms and more classrooms!  Imagine that!

faithful and true

He makes everything beautiful in His time*. 🙂

*line from my sister Happy’s email signature

²⁰ Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, ²¹ to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen. – Ephesians 3:20-21

I’m believing God for lots of things and dreams to come to pass this 2011.  First, I’m believing that this nation will change as it turns to and knows God.  I’m believing for a thousand things both big and small, some secret and some worth telling. I’m believing that my co-teachers will know God.  But this I know, my God is faithful.  His promises are yes and amen in Christ Jesus. 🙂

small boy, big faith

My co-teacher’s son was left to Ms. Lyn’s and my care ‘coz it was her level’s Special Day. I picked Josef up from the Kinder classroom and brought him to our room for lunch. The utility guy was probably out stranded in the heavy rain buying his chicken and rice. Josef was telling me about having chicken and rice for lunch and I could tell he was looking forward to it. Thirty minutes had passed and still there was no sign of the chicken and rice. So, the conversation in our classroom went this way…

Ms. Lyn: Teacher Yen, please tell Josef to eat now.
T. Yen: Oh, his chicken and rice are here now?
Ms. Lyn: No, but I saved half of my egg so he can have it for lunch.

T. Yen goes to Josef who’s reading a book by the mat.

T. Yen: Josef, please eat now. Ms. Lyn left some egg for you.
Josef: No, I don’t want to eat. I’ll wait for my chicken and rice.
T. Yen: Do you have a class at 1pm? What if your chicken gets here at 1pm?

Josef doesn’t answer Teacher. He just goes on to read the book. I surmised that he was dead-set on waiting for his chicken, so I let him be. It was probably ten to fifteen minutes after that exchange that the utility guy arrived and brought him his meal. Josef was a happy camper now and Teacher Yen learned a good, very visual, in-my-face lesson about waiting and faith.

Lesson: As I saw him eating his chicken (I had to cut it in strips for him and get him to sit down), God spoke to me so clearly about waiting for what He promised to me. In Josef’s case, his mom had promised him chicken and rice. He was not about to be sidetracked by some half egg and half rice. 🙂 He waited for what his mom had promised even if it was raining so hard. He didn’t even think the heavy rain could stop the guy from bringing his chicken. hahaha what faith!

God then told me to wait for His promise instead of settling for what’s available. Case in point here is that my partner teacher wanted to set me up with a guy from the US who’ll be arriving here on the 18th. I was having second thoughts about waiting (and i mean really waiting) for who God has for me and try to meet up with this guy even if my Mom had already told me “No.”

But seeing the chicken and the rice and the little boy eating it was like God speaking to me in loud volumes. The meal got here just in time (it wasn’t even late) IN SPITE OF THE SUPERDUPER HEAVY RAIN. Okay, Lord, I get it. 🙂

Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will make your paths straight.

Just keep on holding on

Excerpt from Victoria Boyson’s email “Hannah’s Destiny”

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Promise Through the Pain
“In bitterness of soul Hannah wept much and prayed to the Lord” (1 Samuel 1:10).

I have heard people say that God would not do anything to them that would cause them to suffer. They say, “God wants to bless me!” and I say, yes, God does want to bless us, but some of our greatest blessings come out of our greatest pain. If we do not experience the pain, it is more difficult for us to appreciate the blessings we are given. It did not please God to cause Hannah such misery, but He could see the future and He needed Samuel. The only way He could get the promise to her was through the pain.

God does see your struggle and your pain; He hurts with you and weeps with you. He is begging you not to give up, because He can see your future and it is great! “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a future and a hope” (Jeremiah 29:11).

The Lord’s presence remained with all of Israel through Samuel, because Hannah chose not to give up on the dream she had in her heart. She chose to believe that God loved her and saw her as special even when others did not.

If the Lord has given you a dream or a promise of something so wonderful that others cannot receive it, keep it hidden in your heart as a secret treasure, until the moment of its birth. Some things should be kept between you and the Lord. He is jealous for your heart and wants you to Himself. Do not look for acceptance from anyone but Him; hold onto the God who loves you. His will will be done!

Pray this with me:

Dear Father,

Keep alive in me all that You have promised me. Cause all the circumstances that I must walk through to turn me toward You, not away from You. Help me to seek You and Your approval, and not the approval of others.

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This email came at a very opportune time. It was the word of encouragement that I needed. One thing is for sure, God is good and His timing and ways are good. Thank You, Jesus. Help me to hold on and persevere.

where is he, Lord?

There are good days. There are also not-so-good days when the waiting becomes what most of the world calls “stressful.” The stress comes from the reality of being 30 and single and the proverbial biological clock is ticking. I would be a hypocrite if i’d say fear is unfamiliar. There are times when I tell God it’s okay to stay single especially when I take note of the tuition fees in different preschools in the city, when I’m with a married friend buying milk for her son and when I see a pair of shoes. Those are the times that I am grateful I’m still single at 30.

But then, there are times when the desire to raise kids, serve a husband and minister to others together seem to be an attractive option despite the possibility that new pairs of shoes will now come once in a blue moon. So, I told the Lord I can’t really decide what is best for me and, if possible, He will be the one to decide for me on that. Of course, I won’t deny the fact that the desire to marry outweighs the fear of all those expenses I listed above.

So, where art thou, my beloved? Hmm, these are times when my heart tells me that the only thing I need at this time is Jesus. So why does my mind tell me a different thing? Help, Lord.

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Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.—Philippians 4:6-7