Happiest Mother's Day!

An Elisabeth Elliot extract for my Nanay this Mother’s Day.

I am standing in faith, confident of God’s best for her as He is faithful to bring to completion the good work He has started! (Philippians 1:6) 

As only her Father can.

May you also stand in faith for your mothers, today and always, for she is yours and she is His!

Happy Mother’s Day, Nanay Let..and to all moms out there. ♪♫•*¨*•.¸¸♥ ¸¸.•*¨*•♫♪...

 

Words that truly bless

The other day while I was leafing through my journal pages, I came across words of blessing I wrote down a few months back to memorize. Among my many loves are the verses along Numbers 6:24-26, which I purposefully speak to my mom, my friends, and everyone in my sphere. You, too, can speak them to your family and friends, and believe that the Lord delights to bless those who are His! (Psalm 149:4) 

"The Lord bless you and keep you 

The Lord make His face shine upon you and be gracious to you, 

The Lord turn His face toward you and give you peace."

[P.S. Up next: my episode with 5-year-old Rachel and how the Lord graciously used the 3-word phrase to speak to her heart. I'll post it before the month's out - here's to keeping my fingers crossed I won't be snowed under :) Bless! ♥] 

'tis the season to be...

Although I was tempted to say a smattering of random things about the chocolate (one of everybody's lifelong loves :), all I ever want to echo is this: "God is the greatest romance expert who ever lived." May you find Him this "season of love" and that your heart will declare first to Jesus: "I found Him whom my soul loveth." (Song of Songs 3:4).

Here's a quote to ponder:

If you allow your life to be prepared properly for an earthly spouse, did you know that by course and by natural process, you are preparing in an intimate and ever-deepening relationship with the living God? (- from Made Excellent for Marriage by Eric Ludy)

It was seriously amazing to think about :) Bless! ♥

An Atheist Writes:

I am currently delving into the pages of K.P Yohannan's Revolution in World Missions and I can say never has there been any book that awakened me so much as this. Last night's pages were absolutely a staple to my very soul, and I would like to share the words that jumped out to me in conviction. I pray they will speak to your heart: 

C.T. Studd, the famous British athlete and founder of Worldwide Evangelization Crusade, was one who gave up all his achievements in this life for Christ’s sake. He was challenged to his commitment by an article written by an atheist. That article in part said:

If I firmly believed, as millions say they do, that the knowledge and practice of religion in this life influences destiny in another, then religion would mean everything to me.

I would cast away earthly enjoyments as dross, earthly cares as follies, and earthly thoughts and feelings as vanity. Religion would be my first waking thought and my last image before sleep sank me into unconsciousness. I should labor in its cause alone.

I would take thought for the morrow of eternity alone. I would esteem one soul gained for heaven worth a life of suffering.

Earthly consequences would never stay my hand, or seal my lips. Earth, its joys and its griefs, would occupy no moment of my thoughts. I would strive to look upon eternity alone, and on the immortal souls around me, soon to be everlastingly happy or everlastingly miserable.

I would go forth to the world and preach to in season and out of season, and my text would be: “What shall it profit a man if he gain the whole world and lose his own soul?”

•*¨*•.¸¸     •*¨*•.¸¸     •*¨*•.¸¸     •*¨*•.¸¸     

(Taken from: Revolution in World Missions by K.P. Yohannan, pages 92-93

You can find a free PDF download here, or order a free copy here to be sent to your home. 

Here are a few more soul-stirring books for you to read, if you'd like to see..Bless! ♥)

Courageous + other movie recommendations

I saw Courageous last night and I am in awe of what God can accomplish in the human heart. Other men might think this commitment is nonsense, but no, it's only because in every generation, God sets apart certain men and women who will walk down the narrow road for His glory. Two thumbs-up for this movie! ("Lord, I don't know if i can ask this, but would you tell her i did my side of the dance?') ♥ 

Amazing Grace

One of my top 3 faves. I'd recommend this any time of the day, if you ask me :) 

And below are a few others I truly love, and would love to watch when the next long holiday comes: 

Blood Diamond. I have watched this a few times and yet, what an utterly compelling movie! [civil war in Sierra Leone, children used as soldiers (military use of children) - there are still 200,000 child soldiers in Africa until now.] 

Like Dandelion Dust

Facing the Giants 

(you can watch the trailer here) 

Left Behind 

End of Spear 

If you love Elisabeth Elliot's insight and books, this movie is a must-see! 

(Operation Auca, an impacting testimony of God's victory)

Chariots of Fire, which I'm sure many of you have already seen. I'm excited! 

And of course, Anne of Green Gables! I could watch this for hours on end! :) 

[Please note, these are just my recommendations. I highly encourage you to seek the Lord's approval in any and every movie you watch. Pray and ask the Holy Spirit to convict you if you should watch a particular movie or not. As our time, our eyes, our ears are not our own, let's always honor the Lord in our me-time. Bless!♥] 

Deliciously Good!

It is my pleasure to share with you all this humble recipe that I put together and am currently snacking on. Forgive me for being subjective, but it is now my favorite simple joy of all time, hands down. It was born last year, when I was racking my brain trying to think of a fast, easy, and absolutely healthy bite. I introduced it to my mom last Christmas and since it was my own creation, it wasn’t named yet. Funnily enough, we decided to officially call it 'Pidada à la mode', our laughable equation of the main ingredient's local name, I guess with a French twist..♥ 

 

Here you go :) 

Camote tops (sweet potato tops)

washed clean, the amount depending on how much you love to munch on it)

3-4 bell peppers/sweet peppers, halved or cut into quarters

               (local name: ‘pidada’) /pi-dä-d/

(red bell peppers have more vitamins and nutrients)

A small bunch of scallions/spring onions, diced 

Tuna flakes in vegetable oil

Lots of pepper, freshly ground

Pour the tuna flakes with its oil in a pan. When it starts to boil on the sides, add the bell pepper slices. They should be lightly cooked. Next, add the freshly ground pepper evenly by stirring a little each time you add. Finally, add the scallions and the camote tops. When they start to wilt (and a bit crunchy when eaten), remove from heat. Eat as a snack or as a rice topping. Enjoy!

[This can also be microwaved. I put together the tuna, bell pepper, and the ground pepper in one short minute burst. Then I add the scallions and the camote tops and give them a 1-2 minute spin. Since microwaves tend to heat food unevenly, I divide this time into 1 minute intervals to make sure the scallions and tops are not wilted.] 

Honoring the future in the now

These stand-out verses are so much more impacting when taken on a more personal note: "Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem (your future spouse) better than himself. Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of (your future spouse). Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus." - (Philippians 2:3-5) 

How profound yet so sweetly clear this is. ♥ I can actually learn (from my ultimate Teacher) to remove my self - my own whims and self-centered agenda, and lay them down at the foot of the Cross. And how sweet and humbling the Lord's equation is in teaching us that as we esteem other people and practice selfless and outward living now, it trains our very hearts to esteem our future spouse. I believe honoring and esteeming my future spouse will not happen magically; rather, it calls for my sheer obedience to the Lord who is the Giver of all good things (James 1:17). Everything that I do now can either invest or take away from my future relationship. Isn't it that I ought to bring him good, not harm, all the days of my life? (Prov. 31:12). ♥