Home At Last!

"And I will provide a place for my people and will plant them so that they can have a home of their own and no longer be disturbed."  1 Chronicles 17 

This was the verse God gave me two years ago when I was crying to Him for a new place to stay. Back then we had house leaks, micro-insects, and strangers in and out our gated compound. 

We started our house hunt with a wish list on hand: a two/three bedroom, not-so-old gated house, in a safe neighborhood, within the city, within  our budget, and owned by a kind family.

For months, we browsed rentals sites and had personal visits but  we can’t seem to find that perfect one. Twice or thrice  we were ready to compromise our list, but there was just no peace.  We know we shouldn’t settle for less. “If it’s from Him, it should bring Him much praise!”

One day, I saw in our church FB page that a parent in our kids ministry wanted to go through discipleship.  I felt the Lord calling me to do it and so I obeyed.  Before we ended our first meeting, I mentioned that we were praying for a house.  “Very timely”, she said, because her husband’s friend was looking for a trustworthy family to stay in their lower unit.  Within the week, we were already face to face with the owner and this beautiful house. 

It’s one thing to believe that God will answer your prayer to the last dot of your wishlist, but it’s more amazing to experience His blessings overflow! Details like: airconditioned rooms, tasteful fixtures, range hoods, a separate dirty kitchen, bed frames  - - things we haven’t even  imagined asking. Even the bigger rental issue was resolved with Tris’ timely promotion and a discount from the kind owners.  And do you know who are our neighbors here? Pastors and missionaries! Because just across the street is the home of Cebu Graduate School of Theology and Baptist Theological College.  How’s that for a community?

It’s been two months since we moved in and we still can’t grasp the thought that we’re really here. We just know there is nothing in us to deserve this blessing.  And He is the biggest blessing in all these! 

Thank you everyone for praying with us and for sharing our joy!!  Praise God!

2013 Ministry Preview

A. MINISTRIES WITH WINDSONG

TUNE UP CEBU (May 31-June1)

WORSHIP SEMINAR with DR. STAN MOORE (October 14)

 GCoMM Skype Meetings

Coordinated Trainings   

for Linden School and 

GCF’s Instruments of Praise

B. MINISTRIES WITH CROSS POINTE

Kids BS @ Medellin, NorthCebu  (March)

Brigada Eskwela @ Carreta Elem  (May 14)

PRAISE VBS (Apr 15-20)

Weekly Bible Class at Singapore School Cebu  (June-March)

Relief Repacking for Tacloban (Nov-Dec)

Give a Gift @ Calape Bohol (December 18)

Goodbye Windsong

“Wait… What?!! Why?”

Yes, I had that reaction too.  After 17 years, I never thought I’d still be pulled out from this beloved family. It was my place of sanity, my haven of rest. So what happened? 

Backstory: I was in Manila for a Windsong event when the Bohol earthquake happened.  You can imagine how I wished I was home with Tris and the kids instead. Three weeks later, typhoon Yolanda came. Our church’s vision to Serve Others was soooo fired up. We just can’t get over the fact that we were spared from those two big hits. And being closest to give help, we  literally saw God’s blessings flowed through the church. It was really overwhelmingly beautiful.

Before leaving for Christmas break, our pastor talked to me for an invitation. He asked me to be our church’s Ministry Coordinator/Admin Person. That’s on top of being the Kids Ministry Director. You’d guess my first reaction: Yes, I laughed.  I readily told him I was the wrong person for church math. He clarified we have a bookkeeper, although the records would still fall under me.  He said in light of where God is leading the church, they were hoping I could join the team and help them in the ministry admin side.  For some reason, something clicked in my heart. It was something in his many sentences that reminded me of Kuya Roy’s script to me before I joined Windsong as a music missionary: “This is where God is leading us, and it will happen with or without us.”  My heart stopped.  I knew I had to prayerfully consider.

As always, God answers those who earnestly seeks His will. In three weeks time, He clearly confirmed His call through His word via my personal devotions, my dad’s preaching last December, even Kuya Roy’s WS retreat material! And when I asked my leaders, Tris and kuya Roy, they both gave me their blessings.  It was unmistakeably His direction.  He made it clear that I am in Cebu ‘for such a time as this.’

So yes, I tearfully said goodbye to Windsong Ministries on the last night of our retreat.   I will, of course, still help in the transition and whenever they’ll be here in the South.   But I will sure miss the friendship, the Tuesday Skype devotions, and our meetings!  Thank you Windsong for the joy of serving God with you. And for everyone who supported me in prayer and in giving , thank you so much for walking with me in this beautiful faith journey! I really praise God for all of you. HAPPY NEW YEAR!!