Isaiah 59:1 even for families

November visitors

The arm of the Lord is not too short to save

nor His ears too dull to hear. (Isaiah 59:1)

I thank God for the time we had with my mom (nana, as my nieces call her) and almost-7-year-old niece Niley.  I pray that what my mom has seen and heard while with us and all the Christian brothers and sisters we have here in Guadalajara will grow in her life and take root in her.  May her eyes be completely opened to what pleases the Lord God; that her heart continue to be softened and receiving of God's true saving sharp Word - that she too might be saved and receive a warm welcome by God when she stands infront of His grand majestic presence.  I pray the same for my niece Niley. As she learns about God at her Catholic school (plus the repulsive traditions that come with Catholicism), I pray that the Lord God and His truth alone will be the only thing that truly takes her captive and she too might be saved.  I love them so dearly and want them all to come to the knowledge of God's Truth.  But I know that God loves them so much more than I ever could, and wants them to be saved more than I could ever imagine!

niece Niley & uncle Nick 

Well, we got to do a little horse-back riding in Lago de Chapala on their first day with us.  Niley loves riding horses.  She rode her first horse at such a young age at a Farmer's Market back in Santa Rosa, CA.  She was SO excited, that she didn't even need to rest or take a little nap after arriving at 6:30AM!  She went with me to the little street market to get some veggies and fruits for the week, while my mom (nana) definitely had to rest up a bit before our little afternoon trip to Chapala.

I love it when Nick and I get to ride horses together!

she loves her uncle Nick!

It's true that disciplining and being disciplined are two things that do not feel good at the moment. One looks like the bad guy and the one being disciplined…well, let's just say we all know it's not the greatest feeling to have at the moment.  However, discipline is love - just as the Bible says: those that God loves, He disciplines.  Praise God! There have been many times in the past that I remember when Niley got some discipline from her uncle Nick.  And sure, there were pouty faces from her, and of course the one disciplining does not like the feeling of having to do so either.  Despite those moments, Niley always comes back and wants to be with her uncle, with hugs and smiles! :)

saw a gorgeous sunset sky just before our dinner arrived

we took them to the Guadalajara Zoo on their 2nd day

And saw some cool animals...

we fed giraffes with carrots as they came to our Safari truck!

a 1-month old white lion named, Tauito :)

And then my mom and Niley got to meet all our JESUS friends & family!

 Friday Thanksgiving dinner at our house with our JESUS outreach team & friends

Uncle Nick made his 3rd Turkey! :)

Food & Gospel Outreach at a park infront of a public hospital
JESUS is the ONLY WAY to be redeemed
the only way to God the Father in peace

And last but not the least: the night before our November visitors flew back to California, as our usual Saturday afternoon/evening activity, we went out to the streets to share the beckoning message of the Lord Jesus, and this time brought some home-made burritos and cinnamon drink.  My mom and niece came with us.  Since Niley loves to to sing, we put her in charge of the tambourines and sing along with us.  I pray that one day all she will want to sing are songs honoring to the Lord. 

she learned the Spanish version of How Great Is Our God

and one of my favorite songs - Come On, My Soul.

friends and sisters in Christ: Gracie (on flute) & Mari

Rosalind and her voice for the Lord!

Normally, you will find us at the downtown plazas preaching God's Word.  This past Saturday, we decided to visit this little park infront of a public hospital.  Families of the sick in the hospital stay at this park because they are not allowed to stay with their sick loved ones inside the hospital.  Only one person gets to visit the sick family at a time, so they take turns.  We've done this kind of outreach last year on Christmas day, and there are quite a lot of families out there along with drunks and homeless people too.  PRAY for a harvest in this little park.

For a little more on this Thanksgiving Food & Gospel Outreach, go to our ministry blog or simply click on the link.

November visitors: mom & niece

Family…

That's the closest unit one could have.  

You share so many same beliefs and traditions, and make so many memories together. Through thick & thin, through bad times & good times, through sadness & joy, through trials & successes.  Your life could easily revolve on family. Your focus and loyalty can easily belong to family.  I had all that and much more with my family.  

And then God found me.

Everything changed when God found me. I started questioning all sorts of beliefs I was taught by my family.  Traditions and habits and core structures of being a family were shaken, tested, and compared if they aligned with what God has to say in the Bible. It was hard. It was like World War III, as I used to refer to those times of battling within myself and questioning my mom with all sorts of questions and doubts, wanting answers if all I did as a child and as a young adult for the sake of God were truly pleasing to God.  I found that so many were just based off of traditions of men, of the world - not of God.  I went through a year of asking who am I.  I felt very torn. I loved my family. I enjoyed doing the fun things we did together.  I tolerated certain things within our family unit for the sake of keeping everyone together and happy.  But in all honesty, we weren't truly happy, and we weren't really together.  So many fights, so many arguing, yelling, bitterness, hate, and guilt. Gossiping and quarrels even existed among the cousins and uncles and aunts over matters of no eternal value.  We all needed Jesus.

And then God found me! 
I praise God that He found me.  Now, I pray for the rest of our families to be found. First, they need to repent and agree with God's Living Word - sharper than any double-edged sword.

My mom and almost 7-year-old social butterfly chatterbox niece are coming to visit us here in Guadalajara, Mexico for the first time since we moved down here back in 2008.  I am excited to have them visit this place, and see what we do.  At the same time, I have this longing in me, wishing so badly that my mom were truly saved.  It's quite difficult having to explain what you do for the Lord and why you do such things to someone who has not had that amazing and gracious revelation of who the Lord is (even though they might think they do).  I love my mom so much.  But I know that God loves her even much more than I could ever imagine!  So I pray.  I stand in faith that Isaiah 59:1 will be true for my mom.   And my little precious funny niece, well…I am super excited to have her visit.  She grew up in my mom's house, where I used to live.  She holds a special dear place in my heart.  I pray for her too -- that the Lord God may have a way into her life.  Please join me in praying for their visit this week.  They will be spending Thanksgiving with us, and will get to join us as we feed many hungry and lonely and broken-hearted people in front of an old public hospital on Saturday afternoon after Thanksgiving.

prayer for my brother

While reading through the book "The Cross & the Switchblade" by David Wilkerson, I was reminded of my now-25-year old younger brother (Nichole, whom I address as Col, but others call him Nico).  It's not like he was ever in such horrible gangs like the boys in New York that the late Reverend David Wilkerson got to assist and point to Jesus….but wait, I think he could have been.  Actually, I don't know all the details and history of my brother's dealings with gangs.  But I do know that he had been involved with certain gang(s) and had gone to jail/juvenile hall a couple of times or so for fights and all that.  I do know, and can see the lasting effects and consequences of such destructive influences in a life.  It is absolutely un-necessary!  And it rips apart the life of the one who got involved, and the lives around that life.  It completely kills and destroys.  It keeps one captive to the chains of the devil.  In fact, the author of the book describes the devil (whose goal is to kill and destroy) as behind the needle and the narcotics of a drug addict, the mastermind of gang-hood.


As I was reading through the book, I thought of my brother.  He's now back in the Philippines (where we were born and lived and grew up).  He's now a father of 3 daughters - and sadly, separated from his first 2 daughters, uninvolved in their lives.  I see in him rebellion against the Lord.  I see in him selfishness and lack of love and consideration for others, but himself.  But then again, how can one truly and sincerely and altruistically love others if he himself/she herself does not even love God? (Romans 1:18-32).  And please don't say that you love God, but yet your life does not reflect that you do love God.  The Lord Jesus says in the Bible: 

If you love me, you will obey me (John 14:23-24).

Well, anyway. I was reminded of my brother a lot while reading through the book, and my heart was hurting for him, crying out to the Lord to please save him.  I was remembering the promise in the Bible found in Isaiah 59:1  

The arm of the Lord is not too short to save; 

nor His ears too dull to hear.

I stand in this promise for my brother, and for all.  Although in my eyes he has gone so far from the Lord's embrace and has gone too deep into sin and pride, it is amazing to be reminded of the scripture above.  

Below is a video I had made back in August 2008 with tears rolling down my eyes (in fervent prayer for my brother).  I made it thinking it would simply be a funny memory-lane video gift for him for his birthday.  In the process of making it, the song from Casting Crowns called "Prayer for a Friend" came to my mind.  I ended up using this song in the video, which then changed the original funny idea to a fervent prayer for a lost brother.  

Please join me in praying for my lost brother - that he would come to a place and time in his life of true repentance and conviction, and realization of his need of a Savior to save him from the path he is on that leads to destruction and eternal condemnation in hell, completely separated from God's love and mercy forever, in agony and in pain and in hunger…and all that is for forever.  I really would not want that for him nor for anyone, because I would not want that for myself.   And when you pray, remember that we have only one mediator and intercessor: he is JESUS CHRIST, to whom the Father God listens and with whom He is pleased (1 Timothy 2:5).