"Going Through Others' Words..."

As the rays of sunshine permeate by my window, it beckons my heart to venture today's unspoken desires...I think that the wealth of greater wisdom comes from the earthly beauty of the simplest things in life.

And so this has led my feet to jog & walk for a few miles. Communing with God as I freely pick up my steps does not only give me endorphin but also my way of refueling my energy. That's how I cherish my time alone aside from writing my thoughts before midnight. 

Well, today I stumbled on blogs about practical tips for productive living which is their platform. I don't usually read more than two entries unless it grabbed my attention brilliantly. I ended up reading for two hours and that's a long time without scanning phrases or sentences. There were scattered moments when one of their blogs felt like it was talking to me, addressing & reiterating forceful insights "to fully experience life not just exist."

At first, I was just saturating what I was reading till at one crucial moment when it dawned on me that going through others' words is "fine & dandy but the fact remains for me that: No matter how one's piece of writing has garnered accolades of recognition but just scratching the surface of the truth of the gospel, or its content doesn't derive from Scriptures, reading doesn't go any deeper. It won't stick...Nothing restores except the Word of God. Everything else is entertainment.

Remember, every single problem whether big or small, the solution is found in the Book of Life--The Bible. Experience that for yourself. It is the greatest source of Truth, Joy & Freedom from wrong doctrines & beliefs. Your spiritual miracle is waiting to happen. Only Believe that Jesus is the only Way, the Truth & the Life everlasting.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 

"Happy Birthday Sis..."

Of all the random snapshots I've taken tonight, this one melts my heart...
I thought this was the moment of the entire evening of my sister's 45th birthday.
And I'm so happy I was the one who captured my sister & my mom's affection to each other.

                   
                                Also Happy 23rd wedding anniversary to my sister & 
                               brother-in-law 
                              in New York. Celebrating marriage with such longevity 
                              and keeping it
                              for the long haul is a "together" decision.
                              After all, isn't Family the
                             foundation of all relationships?

 Be a good steward of what you have...                         
                              

"How Long Have You Been Sleeping?"

My blog's title Today may give you different weight of connotations. However; if you've been a regular reader or have visited my blog once or twice, you already know that my blog titles are precursors to my spiritual stance. I don't usually expound the subject; I leave that to your wisdom of understanding...

I could have asked, "How long have you slept while I was gone?" But notice the main verb (slept) which is in the past tense. That means that the act of sleeping could be summarized definitively and numerically. But I chose to ask, "How long have you been sleeping" for this is a question I , too, have to ask myself--an ongoing challenge that many of us fall into because our eyes are still not widely open to the things that are of God. Time after time, we consciously fall asleep spiritually and just go with whatever is easy or easier to manage in our life. There are even the ones that just rather sleep and just let the game of chances take over their lives.

Seriously, at one pivotal point of your life even when you're "hustling and bustling" with your share of life's barriers, your eyes should have been fixed on the One who made it all possible for us to be redeemed and saved by His grace. You see, His grace is limitless. It is beyond our human comprehension and that may be we fall asleep many times in our prayer, in our devotion and in our walk because we think that we're not worthy to receive His grace.

God has always made intercession for us. It is for you and me to seek His heart of wisdom and know that Jesus' death at the Cross; that through His blood, our sins are washed away. His death means eternal salvation to us who believe that he is the resurrected King, the son of God and His Holy Spirit dwells in us--to guide us in every way.

He is still "The Great I Am" who has revealed himself from Genesis to the book of Revelation.
It is the greatest journey to come close knowing the God that gives us the Power to love and  forgive; to dare to go to uncharted territories like the prayer of Jabez and lastly; letting Jesus be the Almighty God in our life. 

For if we sleep longer than we shouldn't have, we'll be missing our great ride that bears eternal security. Please don't let your eyes be deceived for "the things that are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal. (2 Corinthians 4:18)
And "That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man. 

Thy Word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path...Psalm 119:105

Thanks for reading...

"It's All Part of His Grander's Plan..."

How are you going to make up for lost times?

At one time or two, we've thought we're invincible especially when our faculties are on their highest peak like our memory bank, tank or reservoir. Our brain is like a sponge. We don't have to cater to help aids like spell-check; Google or Bing for information; you tube for archives of old song/timeless pieces or "Siri for an immediate relief... The things we want to remember or even people's names that we don't want to think about, they just pop into our minds without triggers. That's the real capacity of our brain cells when we're young.

But now, we've certainly gotten older. We're working endlessly just to get by....We're inundated with buzzes & nuances of social media. It's harder to hear and think critically when everything we see is a by product of the ever-growing and changing inventions of man.

I feel disconnected despite plausibility of internet and every tablet that is out there that needs upgrading in a scale more often than we think we should is absurd to me... We have so many options. I hate that, that is what our brains are left with to decide--what electronic tablet is out there...We let society dictate how we communicate with other human beings. Gone are those precious & thoughtful ways when we reverence going to the Post Office to drop/mail a letter or a greeting card and how we look forward to hearing somebody's heart sentiments at the end of the telephone line. I don't think it's worth even the commotion that brings to my brain- thinking process to all these texting where the beauty of the whole words are being aborted & abbreviated. So does with Facetime & Skype? Where's the sense of wonder there? Just instant gratification, for all I know. 

The only thing I know that this rightfully serves is how the Word of God is transmitted & shared globally; how its gaining the strength of the only good news I know for sure that is-- Jesus is coming back again. That needs to be known by every soul in all parts of the world. 

Thus, making up for lost--more traditional & thoughtful ways to become more human is letting your heart be a vessel to God's calling on your life. He is the only one who could never fail you...the only Way, the Truth & the Life.It's never too late to accept Him as your personal Savior & Lord. When you do that, you're no longer afraid to die because you know where you're going to spend eternity. Hope & pray that you do trust Him and have a little faith even as little as a mustard seed. 

All in His love that is everlasting, God Bless...Shing

" I Can't Thank You Enough... Lord"

When you can begin to usher your heart to thanksgiving & forgiveness to all that have cost you to linger and away from the will of God, your spiritual healing has begun. No one can know how many times you've wished you've said the right words, done the right moves and lived a victorious life. But even if you did, God has the final word. 

Zechariah 4:6 "Not by might, nor power, but my spirit, saith the Lord of hosts.

Just be thankful and know that you're loved with an everlasting love...And that God is still in control and on the throne.

Have a beautiful Monday

"What's Your Heart's Anguish Today?"

What's your innermost fear that has not been restored by God?
    As we're passing through this earth, we'll have our personal share of journeys of victories & defeat; goodbyes separated by physical death, infidelities & brokenness in one's soul & heart betrayals. And I could immensely relate to the aforementioned dry, cold & in-between seasons of life...

 However; the one that hijacked my stepping into my Promised Land (Canaan of milk & honey) is the fact that the remnants or residues of a wrong mindset still lurk in increments; that is periodically. 
I'm still stuck and that if I rely on my own strength, I'll be coming back with more consuming thoughts. I would be lost if I let "inertia determine where I'm really going."

But I know that slaying my greatest giant is found in God's provision...What I allow to see, think & do depend on how my faith is demonstrated. And we all know that faith comes by hearing the word of God-- every single day.

By accepting our weaknesses and limitations and believing that what Jesus Christ has done & finished at the Cross brings us closer to our Promised Land. There's no confusion of that glorious message of love & redemption at the Cross. I know that no one has ever fully arrived  at the magnitude His promises really encompasses. All I know is that (through reading the Bible and listening to anointed preaching of His Word & praying for spiritual wisdom & joy in all of these) is that, His Word is the only absolute truth that we all can have power to change & influence others by faith with the power & the authority of that name Jesus.

It doesn't matter how big your giant is in your life, just don't let it barricade you to God's outpouring blessings. I really hope that, that is easier said and done.. I should get this right myself...and so can you.
God is the restorer of what you & I need to change...Blessed be the name  of the Lord Jesus.

Have a Blessed, Joyful Sunday

"I Found A Lily In The Valley..."

I

There aren't many songs that speak to your heart anymore. This song certainly
  will give healing to your soul. Whatever it is that you're in that seems insurmountable, "God
  is the lily in your valley that blooms all the time... He is the only One who can give us Peace 
  that passes human understanding."

Thank God for Sonlife Broadcasting Network. The choir, their singers and musicians and the songs they sing are all anointed. They're such a blessing to my soul. I know that the Holy Spirit
lives in their heart and it shows. 

God reigns.

"Remaining Passionate About What You Love..."

I was captivated by the transparency of which this pic evokes. It must be love that is so deep that makes one feels like an eagle soaring without limits; where you could fly without borders and just fly without the risk of falling...It has to be love that conquers all. Agape love.

It's past midnight. Still thundering outside...Rain is pouring out. I'm actually happy about the favorable downpour. Thank you God for the blessing. Just don't  allow my happiness be contingent upon others, but of the joy that comes in knowing that your love never fails...

" My Mother, A Living Reflection of Who I Am Today..."

I have been posting pictures lately without elaborate long captions. This picture of me and my mom doesn't need wordy description, either. What you see emanates from within...the sentiments are heart-warming.

My life is decorated and painted with so much love & admiration for my mom. She just turned 78 a few days ago. She may have difficulty hearing now but her spiritual ears are of radar frequency. I always have fun whenever we're out together eating at KFC, to the stores and let's not forget praising & praying together to our Almighty God at church every Sunday morning.

I thank God every morning for my mom. She is a prayer warrior. She is a delightful tither. She literally gives 10% off  her income to tithes & offering. I do dig that from her. She's the cornerstone of our family, the catalyst of how and why family solidarity" has kept me on my toes..." so does with the rest of my 7 siblings.

I'm in a good place at heart because of my mom. Like her, I breathe on the stewardship that God has given me as a mother to my two sons. They're the love of my life. They're worth the sacrifice for staying strong as a single mom. My mother has continually shown me that being a mother is a lifetime work not a job. It doesn't matter how old your children are my mother said; they will always be the pure blessings from the inside out...regardless what they become.

 Nurture what is true & important, that is, God's saving grace to your child/children's life. Not knowing His redemptive plan ensues more than a heartache. As good mothers, we continue to rise and pray and hope in faith that they're "covered by the blood of Jesus." Only then, we can be at peace with ourselves through "Him that is greater in us than he that is in the world." And  when we know that our children are in covenant with the Lord, there is nothing greater than knowing they're saved by the grace of God. That's my incessant prayer...

Life is not really that short as the adage puts it... We causally shorten it by honoring the borders of unhealthy diet; many people smoking & drinking excessively. Some of us don't know which battles to pick & fight. Ironically, if only we have followed our God-given intuition, instinct or gut feelings when making life-choices, we would't be in a rut or in a deep hole for so long.Thus, this is how we make our life short--inviting toxic people in our lives and  thoughtlessly caving-in to instant gratification and not setting boundaries. We're forgetting that integrity, chastity, and honesty still play an integral part of our life. And that is good if we could keep it that way. Through it all, my mom has been and will always be there for me. Petite as she is, her heart astounds me.

  Thank God, my mom, for all I know, has always been fierce in discerning what's good for us. And she goes for it without anybody else's permission, but the Lord...

And I love my mom. She still puts me in check--not that I'm opinionated but just a little gullible, perhaps.

Happy, Blessed Mother's Day

"Happy Happy Birthday, Mom..."

         
                         

"A Victory In All Angles..."

@ TGIF...

I was in court along with my other  two sisters Today to show support for my mom fighting for reinstating her grandparent right to her grandson; our nephew. In short, the judge overruled extenuating circumstances and ordered to resume my mom's visitation right.

A lot of prayers had been taken to the altar, our faith & patience had been tested only to be amazed how incredible God's timing as evidence of today's verdict. I, myself was growing weary to a point where I felt our efforts are not bearing any dividend--so to speak. However, nine months of waiting has finally reaped what we sowed in faith--God's way. A victory in every which way, I believe...

Lesson learned: Be joyful while waiting for God's plans to come to fruition. And it does pay to be steadfast in praying: putting one's Faith & Hope to the God of Agape Love.

And To God Be The Glory.

Draw Me, Lord...

A song with  the most consuming plea that only comes from the wellspring of the heart--draw me near, Lord...Break any chain that binds my mind,, my soul & my heart. And only then, that I could begin to worship you, praise you and love you for who you are as the King of Kings and Lord of Lords--my Jehovah Jireh & the healer of my soul.

I've been trying to compose many things but my words were insufficient, lacking the emotions they should carry. As if my mind is curtailed to indecisive  theme--very much unsure of what to share. But on thing that never ceases in my spiritual psyche is the fact that no matter how grueling life can be at times, listening to a song like this makes up for all the differences & shortcomings life's accentuating nature.

After all, good music does  move you from the inside out. It does take you to another level foreign to you. You get lost in a song and God sees it. You're singing to Him in exultation. The best thing one can do in such a time as this...

After all, our deepest longings point to having that closer relationship with Him. Don't we all? 
We don't wanna realize that Jesus Christ is truly the only one who can keep His promise for He is the same yesterday, today & forever. Let that magnitude of truth sink in you, in me and to all that needs a Solid Rock.

Romans 12:2
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 God's will is--his good, pleasing and perfect will.

Thanks for reading and for your patience.