Showing posts with label testimony. Show all posts
Showing posts with label testimony. Show all posts

Then Sings My Soul: Lord, Have Mercy

LATE ENTRY
Click the title of the song to view the YouTube video.

I do not know Charles Billingsley and his song , Lord, Have Mercy, but this phrase was what I uttered again and again when I picked up my daughter from the foot of our 7step stairs. Have mercy, Lord, have mercy!

ST and her nanny were still singing past midnight when I passed by the nanny's room. Jessa explained that our girl would not like to drink her milk or sleep without her mama beside her. My hubby slept ahead beside our little boy, while I opted to work overtime on the video presentation for ZT's dedication that Sunday. I was instructing Jessa from the sala to convince ST to drink her milk, but before I finished, ST sneaked out and ran towards the dark staircase. She got thrilled when the door opened and ran away from Jessa who was then holding the can of Gain and a water-filled, feeding bottle. I remember her calling my name before her frail body tumbled down like a rag doll. The vintage point from where I was seated was directly facing the stairs. I could have picked her up before she landed the marble floor, but my knees buckled and was unmoved by denial and fear. It was a face to face with possible unrepairable damages, or worse, a permanent loss. And, I was very afraid.

Is this really happening? Aaaaaaaahhh... Jessa screamed; I screamed; my husband who heard the commotion screamed. We were all screaming as if the house was on fire! ST, who finally landed with her head first, screamed the loudest. God was so good to have given me the strength to pick her up at once, but to see the blood oozing from her mouth scared out the remaining strength in me. I saw how her head bounced from step to step, dragging her arms from the side. It was difficult to let go of the memory. The awful fall caused two, huge lumps on her forehead, and one at the left, and another one at the back. I was distraught at the sight of her swollen face. My little darling cried out in pain while I applied on the 3 ice cubes which my right hand held tightly until we reached the ER. My husband prayed for a taxi on his way to the Subdivision's gate, and we were blessed with the best driver who drove really fast and safely to the hospital. He even went against the flow in his hazard lights until we reached the closest U-turn towards the hospital's avenue.

The whole time we were in the taxi, MP and I were praying aloud. Lord, have mercy on our daughter! I tried to calm down, to ask her if she's ok, but when she said "painful... I'm sorry", I broke down again. I remember not feeling anything with my right palm while holding the ice cubes. My eyes were filled with tears; my mind was filled with prayers. Oh Lord, have mercy!

A comic relief came to the rescue though. Still on the road to the hospital, I asked...
"Can you see me?"
"I cannot see! I cannot see, Mama!"
"Are you sure? Look at me, baby. "
"I cannot look! Aaah, painful!"
"Baby, look at Mama. Be brave! Be brave!"
"I cannot brave! I cannot brave!"
I felt like laughing, but I embraced her instead. I praised God that her eyesight was fine, but I praised Him more that her thoughts were coherent. She answered the way she would under ordinary circumstance.

We felt the Lord's favor following us. The CT scan and the chest xray's initial results were negative for fracture. The doctor recommended that she stays in the hospital for observation, but there was no room available yet. After a few minutes, MP returned with a good news that a suite is vacant, and apparently, it was the same room where ST and ZT spent last April when they were stricken with Pneumonia. Our medical card can only subsidize the first 24 hours of the suite, after which, we have to transfer to the maximum allowable room rate which is a regular private. We were lined 7th in the private room reservation, and had a vacancy only in the late afternoon of Monday. We were grateful. We expected to pay for the excess of the remaining hours plus the additional xray for ST's forehead when the doctor felt a dent on both wounds. But, to our surprise, the card covered everything except for the nebulizer kit, cold pack and hot bag. All in all we only paid Php190 out of the Php18,000 total hospital bill. Jehovah Jireh & Rophei did it again! God answers the cries of His children. God's mercy endures forever!

Time and time again, we experience the hand of God carrying us through inevitable trials, proving to us that the only way to go is through letting go and letting God. ST's life is so precious to me and my hubby, but we have to remind ourselves that she is God's precious one, too. She is safest in the hallow of His hands.

For more inspirational entries, visit Amy Wyatt of Signs, Miracles and Wonders.

What a mighty God we serve!


P/S
Charles Billingsley really ministered to me with his soothing and beckoning voice.
Take time to listen to Kyrie: Lord, Have Mercy.


LP: AKO (o parte ko)

Theme: ME (or a part of me)
This is the baptistry located on the stage of our Worship Hall in our church, Capitol City Baptist Church. I was not baptized here, but most of our church members were immersed here after declaring their faith on and alliance to the Lord Jesus Christ. I posted this because my faith to God is not just a part of me but the core of me. Without my renewed life in Christ, everything I have now are just earth-bound. My life, my family, my relationships, and my few earthly possessions will not have eternal meaning if not for the new life I have in Christ. I love this part of our church. The empty cross reminds me that my Lord is a resurrected God, and very much involved in my daily life. Whenever I stand in front of it to sing, pray, listen to the Word through our pastor or partake of the communion elements, the sight never fails to give me peace and assurance that He is near. His presence silence any turmoil within. Jesus' cross was definitely unsmoothened or unshaped not like the one hanging on our baptistry, but this symbol helps me jump-start my imagination of Jesus of the Bible.
Thank you for the cross, the mighty cross
That God Himself should die for such as I
And everyday we're changed
Into your image more and more
Yes, by the cross we've truly been transformed

"...the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are saved it is the power of God." 1 Corinthians 1:18
Litratong Pinoy [Filipino Pictures]
This is a Philippines-based meme on the net for all Filipino photography enthusiasts and "wannabes" like me. I am excited to join the rest of the professionals and the avid members in their Tuesday participation. Here is my courageous, first post however late it is. Special thanks to my friend Roselle of REFLEXES for the encouragement.

-------------------o0o-------------------

Theme: AKO (o parte ko)
Ito ang baptistry na nakaluklok sa entablado ng Worship Hall ng aming simbahan, Capitol City Baptist Church. Hindi ako nabinyagan dito, ngunit karamihan sa aming mga miyembro ay dito nilublob makatapos nilang ihayag ang kanilang pananampalataya at pakikisapi sa Dios Jesus Kristo. Ito ang aking napili pagkat and aking pananampalataya sa Dios ay hindi lamang isa sa mga bahagi ng aking pagkatao, bagkos ay aking kabuuan. Kung hindi dahil sa aking binagong buhay kay Kristo, lahat ng mayroon ako ay pahanggang dito lamang sa mundo. Ang buhay ko, pamilya, mga relasyon at maging ang kaunting panlupang ari-arian ay walang eternal na kahulugan kung di dahil sa aking bagong buhay kay Kristo.
Mahal sa akin ang parte ng simbahan na ito. Ang krus na walang laman ay nagpapa-alala sa akin na ang Dios ko ay buhay at nananatiling buhay sa aking pang-araw-araw na buhay. Kapag ako ay natatayo kaharap itong entablado upang umawit, manalangin, makinig sa Salita sa pamamagitan ng aming pastor o tuwing tatanggap ng mga elemonto ng komunyon, nagkakaroon ako ng kapayapaan at napapa-alalahanang nandito't kampiling ko Siya. Ang Kanyang presensya ay nagdudulot ng katahimikan sa aking kalooban. Ang tunay na krus ni Jesus ay hindi man nakatam o na-ihugis ng maganda gaya ng nakasabit sa aming baptistry, ngunit ang simbolong ito ay nakakatulong sa aking imahinasyon sa Jesus ng Biblia.
Salamat O Jesus sa Iyong krus
At Ikaw na Dios ay namatay para sa'kin
At ang lahat ng araw ko'y
Hinuhubog sa wangis Mo
Dahil sa krus, ako'y tunay na nagbago.

"...ang mensahe ng krus ay kahangalan sa kanilang patungo sa kamatayan, ngunit sa mga ligtas ito ay kapangyarihan sa Diyos." 1 Corinto 1:18
Litratong Pinoy [LP]
Ang Litratong Pinoy ay isang meme sa net mula sa bansang Pilipinas para sa lahat ng mga Pilipinong nahihilig sa potograpiya at mga "wannabes" na gaya ko. ako ay excited na makasama ang lahat ng mga propesyonal at mga masusugit na myembro sa kada Martes na paglahok. Ito ang aking unang matapang na pag-post, kahit medyo huli na. Isang natatanging pasasalamat kay Roselle ng REFLEXES sa kanyang encouragement.

At The Well: Testimony On Having A Vision

It's a wet, good morning here in the Philippines! Thank you very much, my sisters, for praying with us. Thanks especially to Denise, Amydeanne, Laurie Anne, Michele and Tracy Berta for taking the time to encourage me at the well. The rain is still pouring, but my kids are not coughing like dawgs, although my daughter ST, will have to take antibiotics. ZT's cough is hard, but the doctor did not hear anything through the stethoscope. That is a praise item! Thank God they do not have to be admitted in the hospital for something worse. We had that experience early this year when they were admitted together due to pneumonia. Also, their nanny's happy new year cough is getting better now. Filipinos greet a coughing person with a happy new year especially if it sounds anything like a fire cracker... that hard! We make fun of everything here in a non-offensive way just to keep things light. When the weather is this gloomy and everybody's sick, it is best to have some humor around. Thank you for keeping us in your prayers.

Ah, and I am back at the well. I've been visiting Natalie's entry, but my "wind" to write did not come until I woke up this morning to pray. God nudged me to share about my first pregnancy experience. That was the time when I received a vision from the Lord and I chose to act out in faith. This is a bit out of the topic on family vision at our well, but I hope my story will serve its purpose even to just one person. Shalom!

----------------------------------------

WISDOM'S WIND AND PRAYER'S PEACE


My daughter's two names mean "wisdom" in Greek and "a direct petition or short, sharp cry of a distressed heart sung out in supplication" in Hebrew. A few seconds after I read the positive sign on the pregnancy kit, a powerpoint presentation-like vision came to me. It flashed wisdom and prayer. Right there and then I felt that strong nudge to seriously consider these two words in naming our firstborn.

We were just a month-old, married couple when ST was carefully formed in my womb. We learned of her existence when I was two months delayed. My hubby was thrilled! I was nervous. Thank God for the vision which helped me accept the pregnancy. It was a rollercoaster ride alright; but now that I have her, after all the pains I went through, I wholeheartedly say the ride was all worth it!

THREATENED ABORTION

I almost lost her from excessive bleeding during the 4th month. I remember MP and I were watching the late Sunday replay of the 2005 NBA finals on the local TV station when I had the painful lower abdominal cramp. I went to the bathroom to see what gushed out of me, and I almost fainted at the sight of blood. It was a little past midnight when we got the strength to rush to a hospital. But to get a cab, we had to walk few blocks away from our apartment. It was like a staggered walk to Golgotha minus the mocking and whipping. Well, it was my fault. I insisted to go with MP and did not want to be left alone. Fear was written all over me. Alas! The OB's verdict was a month-long complete bed rest. For a sociable and outgoing person that I was, this was worst than a house-arrest! I was not allowed to sit, stand or walk. I'm just so blessed that my husband was there with me all the way. If mine was a walk to Golgotha, his was a daily crucifixion! He had to wake up early morning to cook a meal good for breakfast and lunch, and to bathe and clothe me before going off for work. He made sure I had enough water (when Maynilad could not deliver) for the whole day. He did the washing of the dishes every night, the weekend laundry and house-cleaning, and even the cutting of my toenails since I was not also allowed to bend, not even to carry things or move around. My boy-next-door looking hubby successfully matched the demand for sacrifice and hardwork for the love of me and the baby. How else could he have succeeded but through divine grace. After a month, I was asked to remain slow and continue with the meds.

MY PRESENT COMFORT

God used my baby's names to comfort me during the whole term of my perilous pregnancy. I remember what my Ninang Ellen, a faithful intercessor and mentor in prayer said. "Prayer should be a non-stop belief on God's power. And after uttering your petitions, you must decide to embrace His peace." That is true dependence. If not for the peace I embrace in every prayer, I could have succumbed to depression. I cannot even begin to think where that would have led me. Family and church friends were very helpful through prayer and fellowship. We were just cautious not to laugh too much or do anything that may induce contractions. In other words, no prolonged LOL's!

Before we knew of ST, I was into a deep study on the books of James and Psalms. According to the Bible scholars, James is the New Testament's wisdom book while Proverbs is the Old Testament's. I think God meant for me to learn about wisdom for the circumstance that was to come. "Even before this valley, He has gone before me in triumph." A profound thought like that would need wisdom to understand. He preceded me! Like a wind, He passed through me, and went ahead of me to where I was going. Then, He met me again just when I needed a second wind.

WHAT'S IN A NAME?

Names are very important to us. We want our kids to see themselves destined for greatness by the names they bear. I am glad my husband and I were spared from asking around or buying Naming books just to have the right pick. Although I also spared some time researching for the appropriate foreign translations just so my daughter would not end up being called "Wisper" (a hypothetical nickname if I combine the two English words). Since the Bible was originally written in Greek and Hebrew, we thought it best to search Greco or Jewish terms that sounded feminine enough for a name.

OUR BUBBLY ST

ST, now a two year old pre-nursery pupil, is a strong headed girl, very opinionated and talkative, sometimes to the degree of being boisterous. She likes to sing, dance, and read aloud (or, should I say, "pretend to read') on top of her lungs, on top of any platform - a chair, a stool, a bed, even a table! She is so adorable! Someday, if she sings or delivers elocution before an audience of a hundred or more, I think she may pull it off for simply performing without the aid of a microphone. But, more than the possible glam she may gain from being a natural performer, I pray God will make her a wise and prayerful woman who would bless others with God's wind and peace.

----------------------------------------
Wisdom's Wind, Prayer's Peace
Posted at REALITIES by Colored Heart
Tuesday, July 8, 2008