On Hope, Faith and Love..: "What To Say And Do In These Perilous Times"

On Hope, Faith and Love..: "What To Say And Do In These Perilous Times": It's Testing Times--for sure. I have just now reconciled with the facts that how we navigate our lives from hereon will be different, ...

"What To Say And Do In These Perilous Times"

It's Testing Times--for sure. I have just now reconciled with the facts that how we navigate
our lives from hereon will be different, challenging, and solitary. You may be adept to adjusting
to these set of rules that the government bestows upon us, good citizens of the USA, but let me tell you something: this coronavirus has caused me fear, dread, apprehension and discouragement to a point where I experience panic attacks that I never imagined I would be.
Going in public places especially to the grocery stores with masks and sometimes with gloves
is suffocating. I don't care how expensive or elaborate your mask is. Wearing it annihilates a considerable part of all of my faculty. It is insane to be covering your face and hands with gloves when you're not even sick. So many myths yet to be discovered about this virus and the truth
about its potency to kill is obscure. Their operative word is "evolving."

My nephew in New York died of complications of this virus. I'm not going to magnify the power of this virus nor diminish its grievous effect to many people. I just couldn't wrap around my brain how it is being aggrandized in so many facets of our lives where you're left more confused, perplexed, and disturbed. And they're doing an Academy Award performance bringing us news that saps, withers and annihilates our good energy. As I said the death of my nephew stunned me, the whole family to oblivion. He was only thirty and just finally discovered what made him tick.
He loved photography. I've never seen his work of art but I believe his mother, my sister when she said, Chris had a very keen eye on capturing people's emotions. Besides, being an educator had helped him also enhanced his Art. When they found him not breathing early morning of March 26 in the living room, my brother-in-law tried to do CPR with my other younger nephew, taking turns while my sister was probably already dying in agony with what she was witnessing.
Oh, the hell that they went through is indescribable. It took nearly five weeks before they could give Chris a proper burial. Only ten people attended for that was the rule then. I couldn't imagine how much pain my sister Remy must have been going through. We were just praying that God's presence enveloped her being. Because that's what God does. My sister, my other nephew were both tested positive of the coronavirus. My brother-in-law wasn't? Through it all, they survived the pangs of this virus.  God will never leave you nor forsake you. It was Chris's appointed time to meet the Savior face to face and tells him, "Welcome to your eternal home, good and faithful servant." Angels were rejoicing while here on earth we grieve for such a time as this but what follows afterward is a sheer joy that culminates God can call us home anytime so whether it is a portion of this virus that sent you to heaven or a merciless act that led you to the heaven's door, we don't lose our hearts...we do the right thing. We hope we pray, we lift up each other and know that God is still on the throne...
Thus, we trust the sovereignty of God, his faithfulness, and his will for our lives. We may not understand it but remember we're finite and he is infinite. His ways are higher; his thoughts are higher...we'll know everything then when we get this right, the so-called Life...

As for me, I can't wait for my freedom to walk in the park again where I don't have to look over my shoulder and the 6ft. distancing be obsolete and abandoned; where shaking hands and hugging necks are still the best communicators of how you care about People!
It's about 1:04 am. Central time.Good Night, Good Morning...
God Be Praised!

" Great Is Thy Faithfulness..."

 The Sound of Good Music is found in Sonlife Broadcasting Center. Their Praise and Worship Team is one that moves the heart that is cold and dry. They don't compromise the choices of songs they render each time. All of their musicians are beautifully crafting their instruments like they're waiting on the trump of God...
SBN is my primary source of getting the information I need personally and spiritually. If you want deeper insights on the knowledge of the Word of God, they have programs that run 24/7 like the Message of the Cross, Insight, Frances, and Friends, Crossfire Youth Ministry, The story behind the Song and Study in the Word and of course, The Family Worship Center.
I don't usually stay more than a year or two on one Christian tv station/channel but there's something truly very special about Sonlife Broadcasting Center. I've been listening to them for almost a decade now.
Their music is phenomenal or maybe the right word to describe their music is anointing. It empowers you to worship in spirit and in truth. 
I do listen to preachers and gospel singers on other Christian channels but my heart always follows SBN. 

"On Partaking Communion..."

We're on the third Sunday that we can't congregate in Church. Our living rooms have become our sanctuary to have service via Livestream. It's true that the building is not the church. It is we, the people, are the church. Does it feel foreign or awkward having church at home especially you're the only one person in your living room watching your pastor preaching? Absolutely.

My first Sunday service at home was definitely a unique experience. I, too, dressed up like I was going to church. But I really missed human interaction and being surrounded by the atmosphere of praise and worship that is "live" right there on the stage. I can only hear myself clapping alone when I'm touched by the worship team singing my favorite songs...ON the second Sunday morning service, I don't know why I didn't change to my church clothes. That was odd for me to do that. I have always carried the torch of my mom's traditional belief that when you go to church you wear your best dress or outfit to church. And when you have something new, you wear it to church first so it will be blessed and will last longer. I've been doing that ever since in honor of my mom's belief. I actually believed it, too.

It's Palm Sunday. I woke up with a very strong sense of commitment to have a church in my living room. I got a piece of cracker and a mini glass of cranberry juice for the communion prepared. I did partake communion twice. I did first with my Grace church and then with Family Worship Center at Baton Rouge, Louisiana, both via live stream. However, it's not the same.
My heart is screaming for the normal to go back. How long would this quarantine and isolation and social guidelines stay into effect? We don't have a timeline. Only God knows when...

As I pause, this line in the song at FWC at this morning service kind of rubbed off on me..."Take the hand of the man that stilled the water, that calmed the raging sea." When we do, I know that there is no sickness or virus greater than the power of God. I will wait on the Lord; wait for the Lord for He is the answer for healing and deliverance. And we pray for a miracle that next Sunday is going to be a miracle day of a Blessed Hope.
Take good care of yourselves because we're in this great challenge Together. That's the good part and rest assured that God will see us through if we believe and you can take that to he bank of Truth.

"Where To Put Your Faith In The Midst of Coronavirus?"

Today is another great day of hope, faith, and love with the Lord. We proclaim and declare the Truth of His Word; his promises which are YES and AMEN without a tinge of doubt in our soul and not be prompted by our own fear of immortality...Even when everything that we see with our physical eyes is telling us it's a doomsday!

One of the hardest/traumatic/saddest trials Today in somebody's life is losing your child to Coronavirus. For a moment, I thought that since we're Christians and have great faith that, that trademark will exempt us, and that zeal of God's faithfulness in us will always prevail. Still does for He is Holy.

Truth and behold: my sister Remy's son, Chris, my nephew, died of Coronavirus on March 26, nine days ago at their home in New York. My brother-in-law and my other nephew Jeremiah did both CPR on Chris while my sister was witnessing the most unbearable picture of life and death situation which would probably haunt her for the rest of her life.  

You know with all of this social distancing, quarantine rules, shelter in place, wearing a mask, wearing gloves bear nothing when you're trying to save a loved one. As human beings with human hearts, we respond according to the dictates of our hearts. We forget all those protective gear. We just go and do something to save a loved one.

Since my nephew Chris died, we, as a family go the throne of Grace and Mercy of God to pray without ceasing. We can't go fly to New York just like that. Governor Cuomo is changing and adding precautionary rules. If we go, we might be quarantined for 14 days and that is bad. And we will also be contracting the virus and spreading it to others. Either way, it's beyond our power. Also traveling to New York, the epicenter of COVID 19 is highly discouraged.

So, what do you do when even until now my nephew's corpse is still on the waiting list for proper burial. Are you kidding me? Oh, yes! Funeral homes, graveyards, and tombstones are essentials nowadays as far as I know... Liquor stores are also considered essentials and some abortion clinics are still open for business. Conjuring all these premises on my mind drives me insane. Some things don't make sense and don't add up. And it is very frustrating...

Now another reality threat has encompassed us: my sister, my nephew and my brother-in-law are now showing symptoms. Do they go to the emergency now or just do home remedies till they get worse? If you see how many scores of hundreds of people lining up to the emergency hospital, you might just turn around and die at home. 

I wish for a private helicopter to transport all of them here in Texas wherein our city, the death toll is a very low number. I'm wishing a lot right now... I guess it's one of the ways I try to cope. I can't even think straight.

All I know is that in my heart of hearts that the only constant that remains true and real is the fact that we all go on our appointed time whether or not from virus, accident, cancer, rampant shooting or hopelessness in itself. So, as I'm writing this post, I'm not sure what I'm trying to accomplish here. I just know that it is now or never that we seek the Lord for everything and know he is still on the throne. When is the Lord going to intervene? I don't know. He doesn't see a lot of commotion in his churches because the churches were the first ones on their list to be called non-essential and therefore shut down for how long, that is the real battle here.

For real?

I just have this thought swirling in my mind...I imagine almost 10 million babies aborted in the U.S. and we didn't stand for their rights to be borne. Do you think that for one minute that they're not crying from their graves and whosoever among us who voted to put politicians in the Congress and in the House of the representatives that advocated their platform for abortion, for planned parenthood that we are not going to stand on Judgment Day before God?

Think again. Every vote counts come November. You better read every politician's platform and see whether they stand for Biblical principles. Then your right to vote is well executed. And God is pleased for you doing the right thing. 

Be safe and stay healthy physically and spiritually out there. I do stay at home for schools are out since Spring break. I only go out for grocery shopping once a week and just walk my dog on a sunny day down the little creek in my neighborhood. I miss my two sons and my siblings and my 84-year-old mom and my brothers and sisters in CHRIST AT CHURCH. We just communicate now through texts, zoom meetings, and facetime. This is a nightmare but how we respond to this plague says a lot of who is inside us.

"Greater is he that is in me than he that is in the world." 1John 4:4 KJV

 We need all Churches of God open by Easter. I pray. Please pray with me. God is still performing miracles that we don't even see and know. We need the fivefold ministry in operation to lay hands on the sich, to minister to the brokenhearted in person not view their preachings online.
I don't know where the rest of the patrons left upholding our constitutional rights. If we remain dormant, inactive and complacent about the freedoms that were fought for us by our forefathers, what do you think will become of America the great? I think and believe that we are heading to dictatorship, socialist/communist form of government. 
We The People. In God We Trust!
God Bless

"LORD JESUS, We Need You Now More Than Ever..."

 
I pray that you guys are taking good care of yourselves: practice constantly
washing your hands, obey distancing guidelines, and refrain from any form
of idolatry which is worshipping a graven image and also anything that you're
giving your utmost importance other than God.

I'm one of those people that didn't see the gravity of this coronavirus and how it's going to turn our lives upside down. Three weeks ago, I was enjoying my first day of Spring Break. I planned so many small projects to do in the house. Then my water heater needed to be fixed, then my car was towed to the shop for repairs so I relied on my good friend Senaida for a ride to Walmart & HEB for groceries. It was shocking to me that on my first visit to these stores, I saw people squabbling to get bottled water, toilet paper, meat, produce & canned goods. I was stunned and frozen for a moment at the nightmare that was going on before my eyes. Am I oblivious to what's really going on?
I didn't know whether to cry having witnessed people's alarming fear or join them in their madness. I never felt so sad in my life except for that day when I had to put my Cocoa down which I had for 14 wonderful years as my guard dog. Now I'm even sadder of what this different kind of war we're battling with a lot of uncertainty. I don't want to see my mom who's 84 years old doing more adjustments to her life than she already is... What may be the saddest thing this virus is doing to us is the physical distancing of ourselves from our loved ones.

Not being able to hug your mom, your children, your relatives, and friends is the ultimate curse this virus did. I'm a very demonstrative person. I like showing my affection to all my loved ones. I don't know why churches need to be shut down. Shouldn't churches remain open for the public to pray now more than ever? Shouldn't pastors, preachers, ministers, priests, and Christians be on their knees praying and praising God and preaching that God is our Rock of Salvation; that this virus is nothing compared to the power of God Almighty. And that we have nothing to fear for he knows everything. He is an omnipotent, omniscient and omnipresent God. That alone my brothers and sisters shall not make us weary and doubtful of his love that endures forever.

There is no happenstance in God's purpose in our lives. On the flip side of this crisis, staying home or working from home is a Blessing. We all stay together in one roof especially to those who are still raising their little children. Now, parents can be home helping their kids with anything--learning to be a real family again where you all guys eat together and have fun.
Now don't be thinking too much of how long this crisis will last. Just focus on how you take care of yourselves the best way you can and pray for healing to all those who have been afflicted by this virus and let's pray for all the health professionals that are really the most vulnerable group exposing themselves to this culprit. Let's also pray for our President Trump, Vice Pres. Pence and their families that God puts a hedge of protection and covering over them and that God gives our President the wisdom that he needs in this perilous times. I know for sure that God put him in that highest office to serve the people but we make it our responsibility also to always pray for them.

Let's not panic. God's Holy Spirit is our best vaccine. Our Trust and Faith should be to what Christ already did and finished at Calvary Cross. He bore all our sicknesses, illnesses and infirmities and nothing can touch us if we believe... We are covered by the Blood of Jesus. "Greater is He that is in me than he that is in the world."
Love you guys with the love of the Lord!

"What"s Your Greatest Fear?"

For the longest time, I was an embodiment of the face of fear. My fears range from all aspects of life. Whether the source is from physical, emotional, social, financial and spiritual, they gravitate in my core existence. There were many crucial times I thought I was going to lose my mind for I couldn't pinpoint or target to cease the very root of such an overwhelming fear. 
At the surface, I was functioning...I go to work. I have integrity for work; always on time and not really have taken many days off. I'm very friendly with everybody and unabashedly enter in a good conversation. I'm not a slob in any circumstance; I keep my home organized and everything that I know should be is in place. I'm keen on organization,  promptness, and honesty and many more. 

I was very fearful then of how this country is turning into a socialist country and that we are arbitrarily annihilating everything that our Constitution stands for. I was very fearful that my sons are still lost in the secular paradigm and they will never know how much God loves them and live right for Him. I was fearful that I may get cancer too because my brother died of it and many other close relatives incidentally. Fears enveloped me the moment I turn on my car's ignition for it may experience a malfunction and I'll be stranded. I had fears people close to me that spreading rumors about me. I was very fearful of such uncertainty of tomorrow or the future. When my faculties start to show the pangs of aging, I was very worried that my health is failing faster despite what I do to keep up with exercise and eating healthy food. I guess fears, even when they're legitimate, have taken a gaping hole in my life. 

How funny that sounds to me now. Now that God's grace has delivered me from all of these fears that none of them ever happened only shows that we do create our own fears. We let fears in control of our life. Oh, what a waste of time! However, I knew deep inside that these fears are not worth keeping when you know and live the Truth of it all. 
As Donnie Swaggart always says," that's a lie from the pit of hell of the devil." satan is the father of all lies. He is the conniving deceiver. Beware, his only desire is to take away your joy, your peace from God, your faith and your praise and worship to Jesus. He'll use every trick to devour you into pieces...If your faith is not anchored to what Jesus has already finished at Calvary Cross to where he took all our sins so we may live with him forever. Only if we believe and make Jesus our personal Savior and Lord, we are saved. That is His infallible Word.

So happy that I've been redeemed...no longer a captive or a slave to my past. I'm a new creation in Christ Jesus. And I say Hallelujah!