It's Time To Wake Up

Thanks to sisters Charlotte and Ginger for hosting this warm, encouraging place once a week. Please visit Spiritual Sundays and meet many special friends who gather together, for His glory! Thanks be to God for the unity that comes from His love. Blessings to all of you...




“What happened?” I asked the female diabetic inmate as she was walking in, yawning and rubbing her right eye.

“I had done all the accuchecks [blood sugar checks] with the rest of the group and I noticed you weren’t with them. How are you anyway?”

“Sorry, they didn’t call me. Good morning, Ma'am,” she replied smiling as she had known me from the past accuchecks time. With her tone of voice comfortable to talk to me in that manner, in a friendly way yet without disrespecting me.

“I’m sure they did [referring to the person who handles all the controls in their unit]. I spoke with her and said that she kept calling you but you didn’t come out. You know, I’d still call for you anyway, right? It has to be done before you eat and you need your insulin dose.”

“Sorry again, Ma’am. Thank you for calling for me,” as she grabbed the Accucheck machine and poked her finger.

“11 Another reason for right living is that you know how late it is; time is running out. Wake up, for the coming of our salvation is nearer now than we first believed. 12 The night is almost gone; the day of salvation will soon be here. So don’t live in darkness. Get rid of your evil deeds. Shed them like dirty clothes. Clothe yourself with the armor of right living, as those who live in the light. 13 We should be decent and true in everything we do, so that everyone can approve of our behavior. Don’t participate in wild parties and getting drunk, or in adultery and immoral living, or in fighting and jealousy. 14 But let the Lord Jesus Christ take control of you, and don’t think of ways to indulge your evil desires.” ~ Romans 13:11-14

It’s time to wake up from our deep spiritual sleep!

C 2 8

Many inmates get tattoos to make a statement. It makes them feel they belong to a certain group where they can be identified. Some state power with affiliations to some powerful gangs that run outside and inside the prison walls.

Yesterday, after my time with the Lord, I had gone off for my scheduled eye exam. By God’s grace, everything was the same. Except I still needed to get a pair of new specs as my old one’s coating started peeling. I needed to see!!!

When my loving hubby came home, he accompanied me to Lenscrafters in the mall nearby so I can have a new pair within just a few hours. After measuring everything and finding what I liked, we took a stroll around the mall to kill time as my glasses were being made. By the time we have went up and down the 2-story level, there was still 15 minutes remaining. So, instead of going back to Lenscrafters, we decided to turn to its right corner and saw some stores we haven’t seen before. C28...A store caught our eyes immediately. Looking like a shop for teenagers shirts, we looked closer and saw all the Word printed on their shirts, jeans, stickers, everything! It was a Christian store. The sweet, young lady said that it had been there for 8 years. Yet, we never knew. Why C28? It was taken from Colossians 2:8. So, they had a lot of products sharing the “NOT OF THIS WORLD” messages or “NOTW” for short. And yes, they share the Good News if given an opportunity and she said that some teenagers walked into that store and left...Saved. Glory to God!

As I woke up this morning, C28 was on my mind:

“Don’t let anyone lead you astray with empty philosophy and high-sounding nonsense that come from human thinking and from the evil powers of this world, and not from Christ.” - Colossians 2:8

But let me back up and start from verse 6:

“And now, just as you accepted Christ Jesus as your Lord, you must continue to live in obedience to him.”

Verse 7: “Let your roots grow down into him and draw up nourishment from him, so you will grow in faith, strong and vigorous in the truth you were taught. Let your lives overflow with thanksgiving for all he has done.”

In relation to tattoos and body piercings, it is good to always ask God to bless that particular activity for His purposes [1 Corinthians 10:31 - “so whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God”]. But if there is a room for doubt whether it pleases God, then it’s best not to participate in that kind of activity. [Romans 14:23 - “But if people have doubts about whether they should eat something, they shouldn’t eat it. They would be condemned for not acting in faith before God. If you do anything you believe is not right, you are sinning.”].

Pray for wisdom and ask the Lord to provide pure motives and discernment.

1 Corinthians 10:23 - “You say, ‘I am allowed to do anything’ - but not everything is helpful. You say, ‘I am allowed to do anything’ - but not everything is beneficial.”

Remember that we have a special tattoo when we came to Christ...Our new commitment to God is tattooed [written] on our hearts, not our bodies. ["When you came to Christ, you were circumcised, but not by a physical procedure. It was a spiritual procedure - the cutting away of your sinful nature. For you were buried with Christ when you were baptized. And with him you were raised to a new life because you trusted the mighty power of God, Who raised Christ from the dead." - Colossians 2:11-12].

It Always Brings Me To Tears

This song always brings me to tears. As I do so right now that I am typing my thoughts and worship Him this morning. Lately, the Lord has bringing to mind to "always look up to Him as He was nailed on that cross". Going through trials or not, I know He is reminding me of His faithful and unconditional love. Day after day. Like what He is doing now to me. He is reminding me that He gave His life for me [us] because He loved me [us]first. This morning, I felt like taking a blog break. And seek Him first in everything and surrender everything. I don't know at this time. I know where He wants me to go first. To be at the foot of the cross and "look up" to Him. Let His blood drip over me. Be cleansed. Be healed.

Friends, there is nothing more or less that we can do that will make our Lord love us more. He loves us. Period. We have received His gift of forgiveness. But it doesn't stop there. He wants us to look up to Him and be cleansed. Day after day. We need daily repentance. And submit everything to His Lordship.

"And now, dear brothers and sisters, let me say one more thing as I close this letter. Fix your thoughts on what is true and honorable and right. Think about things that are pure and lovely and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise." - Philippians 4:8

Who is true? Honorable? Righteous? Pure? Lovely? Admirable? Excellent? Worthy of praise?

None but Jesus!!! Let us put Jesus into our minds.

O Lord, thank You for reminding me to look up to You on that cross. Like what that song said, You thought of us above all...Help us do the same. To focus our minds and hearts on You. Above all...Thank You for loving us first. Your cross...A plus [+] sign. That's what we get when we start living our lives with You. Everything is a plus. Thank You Lord for Your wisdom. Thank You Lord for Your guidance. Thank You Lord for Your healing. Thank You Lord for all Your provisions. Thank You Lord for Your love and mercy. I love You Lord.

Lord, I want nothing or no one else but You. Use me Lord and let Your will be done for the rest of my life's journey. In Jesus' Name. Amen.

Cancer Had Been Cured

“The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me, because the Lord has anointed me to preach the good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted,to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mourn, and provide for those who grieve in Zion - to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning,and a garment of praise instead a spirit of despair.”
- Isaiah 61:1-3 [NIV]

Cancer…Who doesn’t know cancer? It affects anyone. Anywhere. An awful disease that claimed my loving father’s life back in December 2007. Diagnosed with colon cancer in 2005, it slowly spread and progressed toward devastation. It hurt him. It hurt us. His children. And many others who knew and loved my father.

Grimacing in pain at times, he kept silent. He wanted to show he was strong. He showed he was at peace at the same time. Marked by quiet rests as he laid on his bed, unable to get up anymore. For a little over 2 weeks. As my brothers and I constantly surrounded him. Buying more time to tell him how much we loved him. Feeling a hole growing inside our hearts. The size of our father.

I treasured his hugs and kisses the more. Knowing how much strength it took him to wrap his arm around me. The way he told me he loved me with every precious breath. The way he kissed me on my forehead or cheeks, lifting his weary body just to be able to do so. Same with my grown-up brothers, nestled in his arms, as we each took turn. One softly caressing the wrinkled forehead, as I applied lotion on his weary feet that used to sail many oceans when he was younger.

Laughter filled his house as many teardrops fell. Laughter that echoed in that tiny room filled with his family and friends. They were mostly tears of happiness. As my father loved to joke around. People came in crying. But they left smiling or laughing. Neighbors were often wondering why we all looked happy. Despite the imminent arrival of “Death” at my father’s house.

He said, “Let them wonder. Because for the first time, they would remember a person who passed away with his family and friends laughing and celebrating, instead of mourning.”

Cancer could be prevented. Even cured if diagnosed early. But the etiology has been a mystery.

Except…I have known about a Healer Who loves to heal us all from sins’ cancer. This spiritual cancer had spread so much since a forbidden fruit was eaten at the garden of Eden. But God had an immediate plan. Way before. He sent His miraculous healing. His love. By the death of His own Son. Yes! That was “love” crucified on that wooden cross. Because of His shed blood, He conquered cancer. And other illnesses, known or not known in this world.

We are healed that is…if the cancer-stricken spirit believes what He did and accepts His gift of love and forgiveness.

Love soothes pain. Love mends a broken heart. Love brings along with it: joy, peace and hope. Joy and peace…The ability to celebrate despite the circumstances surrounding a sick and weary soul. And hope that death is not the end of life. It’s only the beginning of an eternal journey. Promised by His love. Jesus’ unconditional love.

Love that my father had received after losing my mother years before him. No wonder! He could smile. He could laugh. He had comfort. He was strong. Despite knowing death would come any minute to end his earthly journey. And as he breathed his last, I knew then that he won his battle. Cancer would never defeat a saved soul. My father was right. I was joyful for his departure, knowing that his destination was what we all longed for. A place of rest. A place where there would be no more pain. No more tears. No more suffering. A place where a mansion was prepared for those who loved the Healer.

“Death has been swallowed up in victory
Where O Death is your victory?
Where O Death is your sting?
~ 1 Corinthians 15:54-55 [NIV]

Something beautiful halted that ugliness. The beauty of love that came from the One and only true Savior. Cancer…After all…was defeated. Cured. Nailed on the cross thousands of years ago…

“Surely he took up our infirmities
and carried our sorrows,
yet we considered him stricken by God,
smitten by him, and afflicted.

“But he was pierced for our transgressions,
he was crushed for our iniquities;
the punishment that brought us peace was upon him,
and by his wounds we are healed.”

~ Isaiah 53:4,5 [NIV]


"Our Father, Who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy Name.
Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven..."