It's Okay To Lose...Because of Love...

“4 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5 It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no records of wrongs. 6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7 It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.” - 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 [NIV]

We tried to huddle together and avoided the heat of the sun. As my husband and I watched our son hit the tennis ball with his best might. He won the other day against another school. Yesterday, another school came to their school, to play.

It was a good game of exchanging skills learned from their daily practice and hard work. A kind of “hold-your-breath” moments where the game was so close. My son came out, sweating profusely and as he tried to replenish his waning energy with a sport drink, he gave me and my husband a hug and a kiss. He just lost. The opponent a much advanced player than he was.

“It’s okay. You did your best and you had some great shots!” my husband and I reassured him as we returned his gesture. He did. And we all knew it would always be a game of chance. It would always be a win or a lose. But my son knew. No matter what the outcome, his father and I would always be there for him. Because we love him. He was not worried about losing. He was more inspired to learn harder and eager to hear the mistakes he had. So, he could prevent himself from doing the same errors in the coming games ahead.

Like this life’s journey. The ups and downs of life. Where the way of accepting victories or losses matters. Either you’re a good sport or not. But knowing that there is a heavenly Father Who also watches the games we play and always reassures us no matter what the outcome helps us to endure. His faithful love truly changes our attitude in how we view this life’s wins or losses. Knowing how much He loves us all. Love is the greatest thing to have in our lives. All the positive attitudes are a result of it. Because God is love. He is the Author of love. And His kind of love has the power to heal broken hearts. It has the power to go beyond our limitations. It believes. It waits and welcomes no matter how many times you go astray. It always reassures and comforts when we seem to drown in life’s storms. It gives us immense joy knowing that His love accepts us for who we are. Yes, we are also created in His image because of love. Love after all, is truly the most powerful thing here. And we all desire to love and be loved. But we need to know and accept His kind of love before we can honestly love others: an unconditional love.

So, it’s okay to have losses sometimes. Because knowing He’s there with us, we can overcome. And we can strive harder next time a game or more comes. For in Him, we are already winners after all. His love never fails.

If you have some time, this is worth hearing God's outrageous love for all of us:

Actions Speak Louder Than Words

“I’m sorry, I don’t mean to hurt you…,” she uttered on the other end of the line, “But the noodles didn’t taste good. They were kind of stale, I think.”

I barely knew her. We just started talking from work. Learning each other’s cultures and different customs, we hungered for more. Every night, our phones were busy. Learning more. Encouraging each other from the same frustrations we encountered at the hospital where we both worked. We started exchanging foods. I gave her some of the noodles I made. And when I asked her if she liked it, the words above were her answer.

You would think it would hurt the first time I heard that. But I knew then, I found an honest friend. Funny how back in elementary schools, or high schools or college days, how often I would say “this is my best friend.” Not realizing what a “best friend” truly meant. But as I entered many seasons in this life’s journey, going through many friendships, I had learned that it wasn’t having many friends that would make me feel fulfilled nor happy. I could only have one friend and that would mean everything to me. To find that rare friend who would be honest enough to tell me if I had lipstick on my teeth. Or that an outfit didn’t really look good on me. Not that she is being judgmental but knowing that she wants the best for me. That what hurts me hurts her. That what makes me happy makes her smile, too. It’s knowing that whether it’s the ups or downs of life I’m going through, I know she is there with me, never leaving my side. A true friend who cares enough to know if something is bothering me when my face and voice shows sadness or frustrations. A true friend who shared tears with me when I lost my parents. Yes, I know what it means now to say “I found my best friend”…“Actions speak louder than words,” she used to tell me many times. And I know now how true it is! Someone can say “I love you” yet does not show loving actions. Someone will say “I’ll be there for you” but really is nowhere when a crisis comes. Or how someone can easily ask “How are you?” but deep inside is not truly concerned.

That person who told me she didn’t like the noodles I gave is now my best friend. Best friend in this life where I have to weather so many storms, yet, she is there for me. I rejected her once by not acknowledging her extension to make friendships. “Actions speak louder than words.” She never gave up. Until she broke the barrier of mistrust I created in my heart from previous hurtful relationships in my life. Her actions were to continue to believe in me. She kept calling me, brushing off my ignorance. She kept believing that there is goodness in my heart. And if she gave up on my aloofness, I wouldn’t have known how much I would have lost.

God gives us special friends at a special time in our lives. That is another faith marker for me. That He gives us friends to encourage us, comfort us, accepts us no matter what flaws we have and who will believe in us, the way He does.

“Actions speak louder than words…” It’s all actions that Jesus did to prove how much He loves humanity. He spoke about a loving God, walking many miles to let hurting people know. He prayed. He healed. He performed miracles. He carried a heavy cross and gave His life to save us. “Actions speak louder than words.” It’s so easy to profess we are Christians. God demands obedience when we choose to follow Him. “Actions speak louder than words”…Walk the talk!





"17If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in him? 18Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth." ~ 1John 3:17-18 [NIV]

Don't Become A Prey

“No greater mischief can happen to a Christian people than to have God’s Word taken from them and falsified, so that they no longer have it pure and clear. God grant that we and our descendants be not witnesses of such a calamity. Let us not lose the Bible, but with diligence, in fear and invocation of God, read and preach it.” ~ Martin Luther



Many newly-housed inmates, those who were jailed for the first time are facing a tough situation when those inmates who hold power inside the prison, know that they are preys. They will take advantage of the lack of knowledge of these newly-arrived inmates and demand for their money, service or anything they can obtain from them, for their own gain. Despite the tight security, these old timers are still able to get away with their ugly schemes.

How true it is too with our spiritual condition. We also face a spiritual predator and we can all be potential spiritual preys if we are not knowledgeable. For spiritual deception, we must learn to also fight back in a spiritual way.

“14 But I am not surprised! Even Satan can disguise himself as an angel of light. 15 So it is no wonder his servants can also do it by pretending to be godly ministers. In the end they will get every it of punishment their wicked deeds deserve.” - 2 Corinthians 11:14-15

Not everyone who spoke positively about Jesus is from God. There are also spirituals con artists. Many talked about a Jesus who is a moral example, instead of being the Savior. Theirs is a works kind of religion. Some uses their authority to take advantage of believers, for their own gain.

Paul talked about his credentials to the Corinthians, not to brag about them, but to remind them that his authority came from the Lord and was to be used to serve them [2 Corinthians 4:5 -“We don’t go around preaching about ourselves; we preach Christ Jesus, the Lord. All we say about ourselves is that we are your servants because of what Jesus has done for us."] and help them become mature [2 Corinthians 10:8 - “I may seem to be boasting too much about the authority given to us by the Lord. But this authority is to build you up, not tear you down. And I will not be put to shame by having my work among you destroyed.”]

Let’s continue to read the Word so we can gain knowledge in this spiritual warfare we’re all in as believers of Christ. Don’t fall prey into the hands of spiritual predators…

Psalm 119:89 - “Forever, O Lord, your word stands firm in heaven.”

2 Peter 1:20-21 - “20 Above all, you must understand that no prophecy in Scripture ever came from the prophets themselves 21 or because they wanted to prophesy. It was the Holy Spirit who moved the prophets to speak from God.”

2 Timothy 3:16, 17 - “16 All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It straightens us out and teaches us to do what is right. 17 It is God’s way of preparing us in every way, fully equipped for every good thing God wants us to do.”

Read Ephesians 6 and be reminded that we have the Armor of God to use against our spiritual enemies.

Who Is Like The Lord?

“Buddha never claimed to be God. Moses never claimed to be Jehovah. Mohammed never claimed to be Allah. But Jesus claimed to be the true and living God. Buddha simply said, “I am a teacher in search of the truth.” Jesus said, “I am the truth.” Confucius said, “I never claimed to be holy.” Jesus said, “Who convicts me of sin?” Mohammed said, “Unless God throws his cloak of mercy over me, I have no hope.” Jesus said, “Unless you believe in me, you will die in your sins.” [Author Unknown].”

Three of us, female nurses, were the first to notice the loud commotion. Boom!!! The heavy, metal front door slammed against the wall as it was pushed open by two deputies escorting a young, male inmate at the wee hours of the morning.

“Take this handcuff, off! _____!” as he yelled, with profanities exploding from those young pair of lips. His face and eyes, red with anger…He claimed he needed to see the nurse because he had some rash on his arms. But the deputies alerted that he had been disrespectful ever since they started walking from their units and didn’t want to be handcuffed.

“Where’s the rash?” asked the charge nurse.

“On my arms! I told them already!” with an enraged answer every time.

“I don’t see anything!” replied the charge nurse.

“Well, why don’t you have them remove this handcuff and I’ll show you where the rash is!” he yelled back.

“Oh, no…no…no…They don’t need to…I can see there is no rash and if you think that something appears again, you can put a sick call…But at this time, I can’t do anything because I don’t see anything,” answered the charge nurse….

It doesn’t take a smart person to know that this inmate wanted to hurt someone. Most of all, anyone from staff. He was not under any influence that we knew of. There was no inmate we had seen that was like him in a long time. That man was just being a “smart aleck” wanting to prove something to custody staff.

Mary Magdalene was one of the female followers who was at Jesus’ crucifixion and was on her way that early Sunday morning to anoint Jesus’ dead body. But she discovered an empty tomb. Distraught, she thought someone had taken him away. That morning, she intended to honor and respect him. Mary was healed by Jesus by freeing her from 7 demons. As a response to the freedom she received, she became a faithful follower of Jesus. With her childlike faith, Jesus honored her by showing His resurrected body to her first and giving her the first message of His resurrection.

“Don’t cling to me,” Jesus said, “for I haven’t yet ascended to the Father. But go find my brothers and tell them that I am ascending to my Father and your Father, my God and your God.” - John 20:17

At first, Mary’s grief over Jesus’ death blinded her and she didn’t immediately recognize Jesus. But when Jesus spoke her name, she did. Jesus is near all of us. He is calling your name. Can you, like Mary, regard Jesus as your Lord? Mary saw the empty tomb first before meeting the resurrected Christ. And when she did see him, she was filled with joy and told the disciples. We cannot meet Christ until we believe that He indeed is risen! As you seek for Jesus, empty your life and He is faithful to meet you there. Like what He promised, He will never leave you and will come to you. By the power of the Holy Spirit, the Counselor, He will take that empty place in your heart. Only if you allow Him to.

Who is like the Lord Jesus who can rise from the dead? Jesus’ resurrection became the key to everything in Christianity. That empty tomb meant Christ is alive! He is indeed alive and He is in every believer today. And someday, He will return…

Jesus told a doubting Thomas, “You believe because you have seen me. Blessed are those who haven’t seen me and believe anyway.” -John 20:29

A physical appearance would not make Jesus any more real to us than now. We have the Bible and testimonies of so many believers as proof. There is no one like Jesus…No one like the Lord can ever do what He did.

Inmates Praising the Lord:



Please visit Spiritual Sundays for many, many encouraging posts. God bless you all and Happy Resurrection Sunday to you all! Glory to God!