DAY ONE

Today is the first day of our 7 days prayer and fasting. I really praise God because my leave from the office also started today which means I'm not that stressed and I will not be needing loads of energy (very timely indeed).

We woke up at 10:00 AM this morning and we started reading from Psalms 23 and Deuteronomy 28 : 1-14. We prayed and we worship until 11:00 AM.

I know it is still not that much, I mean when you are in fasting you should spent more time with the Lord right? but I am thankful we already started.

Bill Bright from his mini book ' 7 basic steps to successful prayer and fasting" mentioned that we should set our OBJECTIVE. Why do you fast? so my husband and I agreed of the reasons why would we fast.

1. For our personal spiritual renewal (revival), spiritual awakening.

2. For God's direction in our lives

3. For the mission trip to Malaysia

4. For our church revival

We committed to just eat one full meal a day and totally give up any meat (pork,chicken and beef). It's not easy because we are used to having three meals a day but I know God will sustain us.

7 days of prayer and fasting

"Consecrate a fast, proclaim a solemn assembly; gather the elders and all the inhabitants of the land to the house of the Lord your God, and cry out to the Lord"
Joel 1: 14

My husband and I finally attended the preparation teaching/seminar for the 7 days of fasting and prayer that our church will conduct next week. This will begin Monday (Feb.22) and will last until Sunday (Feb.28)

The timing of the fasting week is perfect because I'll be off from work then, and when you are fasting you should lessen your physical activities right? And this is the time where we (my husband and I) need to seek God more because of our upcoming mission trip. I feel not doing it at first but after tonight's teaching..I am quite sure God wants me to fast this week. God expects us to fast.

So I'll be writing a post update about it here everyday.And will be posting some teachings and quotes about fasting too. Tomorrow I'll post the reason why we should fast and some health benefits too, I tell you fasting is a natural way to lose weight, no need for phentermine or any weight loss pills but if your motive is to only lose weight then you beat the purpose, because fasting should be more on seeking God and desiring to be closer to Him.

I'll see you all tomorrow. God bless everyone!

Diet pills or slimming tea?

Would you know the best weight loss products available in the market today? What do you take (if you are taking one)

What do you think is more safe?

Diet pills or slimming tea?

because I've given up with diet pills long time ago and it seems that slimming tea is the trend now..I can see loads of advertisement everyday in TV and print ads. Is it safe? have you tried one?

I’m really thinking to try one but am also thinking twice..maybe I should consult the OB first.

How about the slimming juice?

Strong Tower

source : joyfultoons.com

Friday!!

It's Friday!! oops..I stand corrected..7 more minutes before Friday, it's only 11:53 PM.

I'm excited for Friday..why? because it's my last day at the office and will be back after 5 weeks!! That's the most exciting part..my world will experience a change of the routine for 5 weeks :)

Next week will be the start of my leave but we're not leaving to Malaysia till March 1 so that first week will be spent preparing for the mission trip. Raising funds, arranging the itineraries, finalizing things and of course some time to just rest. No time to do any games or read reviews about differin but will have more time communicating with friends :)

I'm excited..I now I've said it so many times before but I really am, I guess the "I'm scared" part will come when it's time for us to go.

But will not be driven out by fear or anything. God will equipped us and most of all HE will be with us. Thanks everyone for wishing us well and praying for us in this trip. God bless you all!!!

Thankful Thursday

This week i want to give thanks to God for giving me and my husband opportunity to serve Him through MISSION

~10 days more to go and we're off to Malaysia.

~Someone who has a very good heart is paying for hubby's ticket.

~ God opened another opportunity to earn (t-shirt printing) please pray we can do this for that 10 days so we can use the money to our Malaysia trip.

~ I thank God for HE has been teaching me a LOT (dying to self) since the preparation of this mission trip. and I know He'll teach me more when I'm already there out in the field.

~ I thank Him for the group of very supporting family and friends He has given me and my husband. They are real treasures. specifically I am thankful for "Michelle" my dear cousin-bestfriend, my angel. She really is one of my major support (financially, spiritually and emotionally) one of the many reason why I don't need any acne cream.


what are you thankful for this week? Please share it with us though Iris' blog. It is always good to give thanks to the LORD for He is good and His mercy endures forever!!!

Malaysia mission Trip -Update

* I already filed my leave of absence from the office, It will officially start on Monday, February 22. with that I will still have the time to do other things at home and other preparation.

* As you all know, this is gonna be my first mission trip so I'm a bit scared and anxious. Still thinking of what to bring, what will we bee needing that we can't buy there. Do I need to buy medicines, toiletries because I'm sure it will be more expensive to buy there. The current exchange rate of 1RM (Malaysian money) to Php (Philippine Peso) is 13.60. I want to use the money wisely specially if it's money from friends who supported us ( will not buy diet pills either) lol.

* Hubby is currently taking the ACCESS training from International Teams, it started last Monday and will end on Friday. I was supposed to take that training too in preparation of us being missionaries but i still have work this week.

* There is mis communication between the team here and the person in-charge in Kota Kinabalu for the tickets so please pray that everything will be alright. That everyone will be provided tickets.

* We still don't have much funds but as I have said a while ago to a friend, we will not be discouraged by not having enough funds. God is not moved by our needs but He is moved by our faith. He will supply our needs wherever we maybe.

PLEASE KEEP ON PRAYING FOR US.

And if you feel like you wanted to become part of this mission trip and you want to support us, please feel free to email me or send me message. Thanbk you and God bless everyone!

Forgiving

"we can stop forgiving others when Christ stops forgiving us"

And we know that Christ will never stop forgiving us so it only means we shouldn't stop forgiving others too. But how hard exactly it is to forgive when the one you have to forgive is the love of your life? and how many times?

Tonight, I listened to a woman who had suffered so much emotional pain from her husband, and what hurts her most? her husband was a former church leader, a bible reader, missionary supporter, a Christian in all his ways and action except when no one sees him (me think). While listening to her I was saying to myself..oh God I cannot do what she did, I might not even forgive on the first offense, I imagine the hurt and torture of knowing your husband has cheated on you, but this lady has only love for her husband and I hope and pray that someday God will reward her beautiful humble heart. That the husband will find his way home to her heart and shower her with all the love she deserves. I will also remember to pray for her husband, I ma not in the position to judge him and I know if he will only come to the Father, He is ready to forgive him.

And I also pray that our marriage won't suffer as much as theirs, that God will protect us from all the enemies work. And at the same time I thank God once again for I may not have the richest husband in the world, one who gives flower all the time, one who treats at the finest restaurant in town, one who often gives expensive gifts like jewelries or a kymaro body shaper but I thank God I have a husband who fears, honor and serve the Lord the best way he could.

So tonight or today please remember all the married couples you know in your heart and pray for their marriage. It might help.

Thoughts on Motherhood

Last night I spent hours and hours reading a mother’s blog. But that is no ordinary blog. The very first entry I read was the birthing story of her 2nd daughter and from that post you can feel every emotion that comes along with it.

- frustration
- fear
- expectancy
- joy
- pain
- happiness

and a lot more.

You see, her 2nd daughter is special (has down syndrome) but the blog is not about down syndrome, it is about a mother’s life and most of all the MOTHER’s LOVE. Love for life, love for her daughters.

Now, reading that blog all night long made me think and re think and wonder if I will ever have the same experience as her, like all the mothers in the world. Conceiving, coming to full term and finally giving birth. I wonder If I’ll ever be able or capable of that mother’s love, that opportunity to love, nurture, care and be responsible for ones life. To be honest I sometimes lose hope.

I turned 37 last week, we’re on our 4th year wedding anniversary this coming April. I stopped consultation with the OB two years ago, I admit it’s financially and emotionally draining and we don’t have much to drain on the financial side.

Sometimes I ask why can’t I just be pregnant like anybody else. Why everything is too hard for me, too hard to lose weight, to hard to conceive, too hard to exercise (walking is the only exercise I am allowed to) and I can’t even seem to find the diets that works for me.

But I am not giving up, along with my prayers and your prayers, I will still give it a try. I am on the hunt for new OB (one that doesn’t charge too much) since last week. I am decided to be checked just before we go to our mission trip next next week.

So please keep on praying for us. It keeps us strong and hopeful.

Starting my week right

I feel bad that I did not attend church today. I didn't get up from bed until past 2:00 in the afternoon. I wish I fought the feeling of frustration and disappointment and just went on with my normal activity for today which going to church the first priority.

But I do feel a lot better now about that event last night. I know I cannot turn back time and I cannot bring back those pictures but I'm sure I can still have loads of memories to keep in the future.

And hello!! losing pictures is not as bad as not having food in the table, it is not as bad as not being able to feel the warmth love from people around you, not even as bad as having some kind of disease like cancer or Mesothelioma. So wasting a night and almost a day sulking about the loss of the pictures is enough. There are more important things to deal and think about than that.

And another week is about to start..I will choose to start it right.

Have a nice week everyone!!