"The Power of Self-Worth..."

The Power of Self-Worth...

When it seems like everybody has gone to bed at night and it's just me that is wide awake; that's when I am in tune with my thoughts. I try to discard thoughts perpetuated by prior stirrings like what I just read or heard. I just want the grace of God in control of my heart & soul especially when I'm writing. And let His presence wraps around my thoughts...

There are many things I want to write; I want to share. But sometimes what I think is not as important as what God wants to unveil in me: my self worth not only as a woman, a mom, a teacher, a daughter, a friend, a sister, a writer but as a recipient of His grace, mercy & love.

After all everything that I was, I am and my tomorrows come solely from him. I've always known that I wouldn't be near happy, content or fulfilled if I lead my life on my own without my faith of a supreme God. I guess, how I view myself , my perspective about me or my self-esteem had a lot influence of how I was brought up in a  big family of 9 siblings, mom and dad. And being the 4th child, I consider that now to be a good juxtaposition.

I remember that there was a Bible at home. Although it wasn't read to us, I know its presence there was symbolic. I just wish that I dared to read it. And I finally did at my freshman year in college. That was the first time I read it" from cover to cover." Funny to think about it now because my only reason in reading at that time was to somehow be converted from Catholicism to something more...
I even ended up going to a dormitory where the nuns enforced curfew; be at the residence not later than 8pm, seven days a week. That was why maybe, I transferred to a Bible School dormitory as my board and lodging while I still commuted to a university for a year, at least.

Who would ever know that all these easy transitions in my spiritual journey will prove to be a prelude to something I would have to call an emissary to my life? On thing that I take pride was my in-between achievements in my college years. Two of my English professors had always been so attuned and believed in me. One of them even got me a volunteer job on the nearby radio station where I did some public service announcements periodically. I was so consumed with the activities I was involved in at the university. I was a member of the University G-Clef; the Theater Guild, the Bowling tournament and I was the student governor for the Arts and Sciences department. Whenever there was a school rally, I was there, too holding a signpost for a radical change in the school system.
Oh, I was busy, content and felt needed to help others with what I can. I may have had lived frugally, but that gave me my sense of better tomorrows.

So early on, I already have established how I want to be perceived...and that continued into my first five years of teaching. The same achievements in line with what is expected of me. I never really did any illegal drugs or smoke  and drink alcohol/liquor. I could have had been easily astray or fallen hard because temptations were within my reach. Somehow I already made a decision that I'm not going to intoxicate my body. And I'm still doing it with that admonition that my body is God's temple. Although I'm not strong in other aspects of life, my views of myself since I was nine years old is a hierarchy. It didn't come easy...At times I was chasing for" silver bullets" to problems that only God can deliver me from.

I believe that in my journey of finding what makes me tick; what really moves me and what gives me joy, happiness and what makes me alive and well is the truth that God has bestowed upon me: the power of self-worth that stems from His grace.

Thanks for reading...You guys, take care always!

"The Operative Word..."

What's Your  Operative  Word Today?

After reading a guest post from Alece Ronzino,( the founder of OneWord 365), I immediately signed up for a tribe of which identifies one word that would be my operative word in my writing or in my goals. That's the way I interpreted it.

The response was overwhelming as it showed by the number of comments and the word each shared that will be conveyed on his/her/their platform. Words like; focus, gratitude, hope, peace, organize, bold, explore, fearless, and etc.
All of these entries tell me that everyone wants to be more proactive in a deeper breath of life. And for every soul involved, I say "kudos" to them for celebrating a word.

It's so funny that the first word that popped to mind is the word heartwriter.  After submitting it I actually had a change of heart. Would I want a word that I have been exhibiting in my writing or want a word that would revolutionize or more like would catapult me and my passion higher and deeper?

Could have I chosen a word that connotes a derivative action verb that will serve as directional, reinforcer and motivator? What about an adjective that would describe the totality of what you want to achieve or pursue like fearless, bold, beautiful, breathless? Or could have I chosen nouns to represent what I believe like hope, love, trust, and faith?

I actually wanted to pick a word that would stand tall even when it's all alone. A word that would extend its meaning in hierarchy; that every time it is presented to the naked eyes, the pulsation of your heart remembers everything that is worthy, beautiful and breathtaking. A word that would create a storm of soul stirrings. A word that would make you "praise everything that has breathe." A word that would make you fall in love again...and again to the same person of your heart.

What would be that word? I also thought that may be the word dimensional is worth sharing. I rationalize it as  multi-faceted qualities; something symbolic and worth-investing for. I guess, I wanted to be dimensional not to an extent but one that is confidently extending its essence and purpose. But since I did not put it out there, means it's not the word for me for this season because I'm still in recovery to maintaining a renewed mind.

I'm not settling  for the word heartwriter as my second best. That is where lies the fiber of my content in writing. How I wish I could give you the word that gives breath, width and everlasting love. Only God's Word can move mountains... I'm just His sheep.

But anyway I can never cease to dream for that word; I can still dream a new one, can't I?

Lastly, "Keep your heart with all  diligence; for from it flow, For out of it spring the issues of life."
NKJV, Proverb 4:23

God Bless. Till tomorrow

"The Stronghold of My Life..."

"God is our dependable stronghold"

The Lord is my light and my salvation, whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life, of whom shall I be afraid?... One thing I ask of the Lord, this is what I seek; that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord and to seek Him on His temple. For in the day of trouble he will keep me safe in His dwelling; He will hide me in the shelter of His tabernacle and set me high upon a rock...Hear my voice when I call, O Lord; be merciful to me and answer me. My heart says of you, "Seek His face!" Your face, Lord, I will seek. Psalm 27-1, 4-5, 7-8 NIV

As we are already in the second week of the New Year (2014) Many of us are still running our race to commit to doing whatever resolutions we made for the year. The most popular resolutions perhaps on everybody's list are wiser planning on their finances; (living within their means/under your means) a leaner /healthier body; and I bet, having better relationships with family, friendships and to ourselves...

On the other hand, some may have already "fallen out of the wagon" maintaining their stance on their resolutions. I know it's hard but if you're not going to persevere and endure for your own cause and get tempted to the clutches of the ordinary, familiarity and the same scenario of your old life, then you're really stuck.
Why don't you challenge yourself to do things differently, for a change?" Make a "truce" with yourself that nothing else will keep you from doing better at life this time. Surround yourself with people that are more fierce and committed at resolving new goals. Dare to be tough and be different; you owe that to yourself. Read/listen other people's testimonies on how they went above their circumstances and became victors not victims.

Just envision yourself to have lost the desired pounds you've set to accomplish within months; that my friends is one to celebrate. When you're healthier, it's less medications that you take or you can toss them out; less visit to the doctor's office; and you gain more stamina in combatting almost anything. These are just of the few tangible rewards of a healthier you. The most important thing is that you have broken the yoke of making excuses for yourself...

And when you feel better about yourself, other areas of your life also begin to take root like in your finances and your relationships with others especially with your family. I only have one mantra on spending money: never use your credit cards as a substitute for solving your problems. Delayed gratification is always noteworthy. Buying some things you don't need or things you can live without is a better choice than having financial issues that will lead to depression; causing your relationships to suffer because of unwise purchases. We're all guilty of misspending but it's different when spending becomes an addiction. And when you're addicted, you're wired-off so dependently it's a big mess.

Oh well, we have a God of second chances...And if you dig deeper into your hearts, you'll discover that the best resolution one can make this year without a doubt I hope is the prayer of getting more understanding of how fearfully and wonderfully we are made by God. Once, we get it, there's no telling of the wisdom and His grace will be in the overflow...Then you'll know that He's with you when you're running your race, your battles, the joys of believing out of fear...

God Bless...Till tomorrow

"On Fasting..."

Fasting is Deliverance...

"Fasting is disconnecting yourself to the world; Praying is connecting yourself to God."~ Jentezen Franklin
I'm celebrating with my "Fast." Today marks the 7th day of it. My withdrawals from fasting get  easier to contain now. I know I can't do it on my own capacity if my fasting is not supported with praying; both of which are dependent of each other.

Since I haven't plugging-in with social networking; not mall/store shopping ; and even not listening or humming songs but K-Love & Air One radio stations, my hope in doing all of these with the Holy Spirit guiding me is to come out and live out the veracity of His Word; the Bible.

When you fast & pray earnestly, reading His Word and listening to a host of TBN preachers like Charles Stanley, David Jeremiah, Jentezen Franklin, James Merritt, Jack Graham, Bayless Conley, John Bradshaw and of course Joyce Meyer and John Hagee especially on Sundays and after dinner from Monday -Friday is nothing but gaining new revelations on how to cement your walk with God. That alone I think is a personal breakthrough and a joy that springs forth due to a paradigm shift.

Many would not attempt to fast, pray, read the Bible daily and steering clear from worldly stuff. And that's a very legitimate reason if you're a non-believer or not a Christian. But if you believe in Trinity, the message of the Cross, and the Holy Bible as the Word of God, I believe that 'Fasting" corporately as a church should be our first line of attack embarking on our New Year's resolutions.

With my experience in "Fasting," in the previous years, it's worth replenishing your body from the toxic, residual "messes" of our own making. We're still human after all. We all sin and when we do repeatedly for the same offense most likely (because God always allow us to go to the same battle until we really got and learn from it).Many of us settle from staying or keeping an addiction (whatever form that is) because we think God will always forgives us and we give the Lord different excuses as to why until now we're not delivered. Why can't we just accept the fact that we are proud, arrogant and stubborn so we can at least establish some grounds. From there, we can begin to glean something of importance, of value and live a life of meaning. But before that, we should be willing to do something different above what is expected of us.

For the last three years, I've been at the bottom of the barrel; been in the valley for too long. I've been hanging out for something I thought my past life was real and can have a part two or a sequel to once-revered relationship that happened three decades ago. And all this time, I've missed out on my full blessings and the prophetic vision that was laid on my spiritual life .I had allowed the devil to play games with me; putting seeds of myths on my mind that I accepted them to be true. But there's no need to glorify his dirty tricks now. I'm here now with the new mindset: to always align my heart's desires, passions and dreams with God's will for my life. It's never too late to have a clean slate by doing fasting. And I know that during fasting the atmospheric presence of God intensifies; helping and guiding you pull away from things and people; entanglements, that are keeping you distant from Him.

This is a season I give to God...and I'm depending solely on His Grace to give me the help, the direction, steps, strength in my home, in my talk and in my walk...

"There's no person so deep in sin that can't be washed by the blood of Jesus Christ; that we, sinners can be forgiven even the most defrayed of human hearts.

Thanks for reading and you take care always...Till tomorrow

God Bless

"When Timing is not Right..."

"When Timing Is Not Right..."

Timing is important on God's perspective; however, we don't see it that way especially when we've been praying for something or for someone to come into fruition. Waiting becomes a temptation to create your own answer. So, we failed to wait on God's timing and over time or very shortly, we suffer the consequences of our disobedience, rebellion and arrogance to His Word.

I've known from elders and heard from a few people while growing up in a quaint barrio that our prayers can be answered by God immediately; wait awhile or can't be answered at all. And in my personal experiences, I've gotten all these kind of responses. Having been raised in a Catholic church and graduated in a Catholic high school, my thoughts were framed or draped on its beliefs and religious practices. But when I went to college, it's no brainer that there was a growing propensity within me that wanted to almost explode. And being away from home had given me opportunities to explore religious beliefs or even cults. I felt like a nomad attending to different religious activities outside the university. Those meetings didn't settle with me that was why I never joined as a member. I was just there for the taking. I thought I had a gift for discernment...

At 17 as a college Freshman majoring in Mass Communications, what do I know and I didn't know what to expect. I didn't have the right armor of God's word to protect me from false preachings and from the devil's schemes and from those who were wearing cloaks to lure you to be like them. Although I wasn't a prayer warrior back then and didn't even realize the importance of praying, I've always known that God loves me and that truth of it has followed me wherever I am.
Through it all; the adventure, the exploration and my journey to find who God really is in my primetime was premature, not ripened.
You know why, because I wasn't praying directly to God. I didn't have the Holy Spirit to guide me. I didn't have a personal relationship with the Lord until very later on in my life. It's true that I was born- again Christian, also at 17. I still remember that mid-afternoon when a pastor immersed my head in the river and I thought that was strange and yet the pastor ended up saying something to me like prophesying for great things on my life. Although I didn't have the full understanding of that representation of water baptism, I felt peace, a dash of joy... So I waited for the full blessings to come around. I'm still waiting for the one prayer God never has shown me favor.

Could it be that this prayer of mine falls under the category of prayers that can't be answered? Is it still worth waiting or abandon it totally and just let God be the throne of all my heart's desires. I may not see His reasons and as a better Christian now, I should have a concrete inkling, too. It's hard to take courage to trust. You have to know how to really pray with pure/good intentions so we may be illuminated with God's working and preparing His will and provisions into our life,

In Isaiah 40:31 says, : "But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall not mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk and not faint."

Thank you for reading...

Happy Sabbath & till tomorrow. Take care always.

"The Presence of God is Your True Prosperity..."

"The presence of God in your life is your true prosperity and success...~Creflo Dollar

The life of Joseph as written in the book of Genesis chapters 39-50 exemplifies the Lord's presence in his prosperity as" he found grace in the Egyptian master whom Joseph served. "And his master saw that the Lord was with him, and that the Lord made all that he did to prosper in his hand. He made Joseph overseer over his house, and all that he had he put into his hand."

The best part of Joseph's success story for me was not when he finally revealed himself to his brothers who cast him into a pit and sold him to the Ish-me-e-lites for twenty pieces of silver and they brought Joseph into Egypt. For me, it was when the wife of his master cast her eyes upon Joseph, and she said, "Lie with me." But Joseph refused. His response to her was to me was an indication of his understanding of the presence of God in his heart.
In Genesis 39: 9 Joseph said, "There is none greater in this house that I; neither had he kept back any thing from me but thee, because thou art his wife: how then can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God? And Joseph's master put him into the prison "when he heard the words of his wife that Joseph came in unto her to mock her."
"But the Lord was with Joseph, and showed him mercy, and gave him favor in the sight of the keeper of the prison. And the keeper of the prison committed to Joseph's hand all the prisoners that were in the prison; and whatsoever they did there, he was the doer of it. The keeper of the prison looked not to any thing that was under his hand; because the Lord was with him, and that which he did, the Lord made it to prosper.

I believe that in Joseph's heart of hearts, he was committed to follow God's will for his life. He never complained or murmured like the Israelites in the wilderness. Instead, his heart and eyes were fixed to fulfill his destiny bestowed by God. He waited and  he did the best of his time while waiting in prison. Then the time has come to reap his reward: In Genesis 41:42-42 says, "And Pharaoh took off his ring from his hand, and put it upon Joseph's hand, and arrayed him in vestures of fine linen, and put a gold chain about his neck: And he made him to ride in the second chariot which he had; and they cried before him, Bow the knee: and he made him ruler over all the land of Egypt.

You and I may have equated success to much possession we have stored in our house or in our business; the car we drive and the memberships in the social strata we're a part of; or the accolades and academic credentials we have under our belt. Needless to say; these are all signs and representations of comfort and convenience and I don't have any qualms about some people having them. But I just want them to recognize that all of these can be gone in a split of a second. And if you don't have God's presence in your life, you are bound to just accumulating things...lost & unhappy.

Where do you go from here? Is Heaven not in your mind these days? Dr. Franklin Paul Crouch spent all his life spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ when he was alive; touched and helped people all over the world with his genuine crusade for Christ. Being the president and the founder of TBN, he had won his race here on earth. That's success that abounds...

Thank you for reading...
Till tomorrow and good night!

"Your Inner Compass"

Your Inner Compass

The Holy Spirit is your heart's compass. Your divine guide. But here's the "kicker:"
Since he is Holy and perfect, God can't invade a deceitful heart, a manipulative mind and worst; if the Lord sees that you're serving two masters: part of you in the secular humanity and part of you turn to God when you're in need. That means your soul is not right. That you're troubled with many things; That your measure of faith still depends on your surrounding circumstances. Your faith is still encumbered ; a "see-saw" perhaps. In short, you're lost. 

When you're on the mountaintop, you translate this to be God's divine provision which is true because God brings us to a season of exceeding abundance; however; when you're in the valley you experience trials, deep sorrows and even infirmities. And according to your faith, the length of your stay depends on your understanding on how God operates. If you've missed it because of your stubbornness, your full blessings are also curtailed and in halt. You can't trade divine treasures with earthly treasures. If you choose the latter, you'll be miserable and you may need an "endless ladder to reach heaven."

Never grieve the Holy Spirit deliberately. For He will leave you and you're on your own. I know we're not perfect but if we have Him as our true compass, we'll go through life with the evidence of His grace. With that, nothing should shake our faith to a point where we feel disconnected, strayed. I wish I could say that I've never done premature, selfish, arrogant ways but I did. We all did.

Our God is the God of order not confusion. So if He is truly in the throne of your life, every step you make is ordered by him and you delight in his way. (Psalm 37:23)

So how do we preserve and strengthen that compass in us? What my heart says has something to do with compassion, humility and  the joy of knowing and learning more of His Word. The more we immerse ourselves with His Word, we'll be more acquainted of how to overpower the devil's plots and tactics.
I also mentioned compassion because if we're heartless and not be able to feel and do something for others' pain & suffering, then we couldn't call ourselves sons and daughters of the Almighty God. He wants us to freely give our support financially, our time and services and our prayers. After all, everything that we have comes from Him. I don't know why still many people refuse to honor Him with our gifts. If we have the Holy Spirit, to be compassionate to our neighbors and to those in need won't be an issue but a grateful heart. Another one is humility. Oh, that's a "biggie." We all have tendencies to boast. We couldn't wait for other people to compliment our works. Is it necessary for us even to broadcast our fine achievements and accolades because deep inside we all need recognition. Why can't we be humble enough to be quiet like "deep waters?" There's always that sense of urgency waiting to be uplifted. We call that foolish pride.

But all these things that we're so fixated with are just what they are: things that leave us no comfort but more longings for something that will quiet our soul and our mind...We should ask: what should we give back to God for everything he gave and still giving to us? We should be thankful of His blessings; past, present & future. I pray that we all reconcile with the truth of God's promises. He is the only Way, the Truth and the Life...I know you believe that, too.

Thanks for reading and till tomorrow...