The Fig Trees

I looked again at a couple of fig trees in the backyard. I couldn’t help but compare. They were bought few years ago, same time, and were planted the same time. No special nurturing done except we water both and try to avoid using any pesticides.

fig tree laden with fruits

barren fig tree

 “This is enough!” my friend’s mother sort of complained because she thought I had been giving her so many figs.

“Are you saving some for yourself?” she added.

“Of course, Ms. K.! I love them and I truly have more than enough!” I replied as I insisted in putting a bag filled with newly-washed figs on her hands.

“Anyway, do you remember when you gave me so much few years ago from your fig trees? And now that the birds eat them before you even get a hand on some, I’m only paying back what you did to me. I want you to know I appreciated and enjoyed those figs you shared with me.”

Her hands grabbed hold of the see-through bag and she smiled, admitting defeat with my insistence. I knew she was that type of person who would enjoy simple things like that.

picking the fig

But there was that tree. It looked so barren. It was not neglected but I wondered why it never gave us fruits. They were on the same soil. They were cared for the same. No bias!

A thought flooded my mind about Jesus cursing a fig tree to die. Expecting for it to have fruits, it had none! (Observing our own fig tree, the fruits come out first and are green that they sort of blend in with the green leaves). Jesus must have expected the fig tree with green leaves to have fruits. How disappointing that it had none!  (Mark 11:12-14, 20-21)

Anyone can claim they are Christians. But without putting our faith to work, it will never produce any fruit like that barren fig tree. However, if our faith is real, it always has the best potential to ask God to help us bear fruit for His Kingdom..

sweet figs

 Lord, help us draw nearer to You. Knowing that a life apart from You will make us produce nothing. Help us to walk closer with You and at the same time, give us the convictions in our hearts to truly know that we are sure that we are walking in the same direction You are walking on. Help us not to get distracted by many things of this world. Help us to focus on You alone.

Increase our faith Lord as we all go through different trials. Through these storms in our lives, help us get rid of things that do not belong to You. Help us to be holy for You are a Holy God. Empower us Lord with Your Spirit so we may leave each day remaining in our lives to glorify only You in everything that we do. Please protect us Lord against our spiritual enemies and give us Your gift of discernment. Only by Your grace we are able to produce fruits that are pleasing to You. Thank You Lord for Your love and grace. In Jesus' Name. Amen.

Friends, thank you all for your encouragement and prayers. I truly appreciate each and everyone of you. May the Lord bless you all and guide you in everything that you do. Your faith always blesses mine. To God be the glory!

Bringing Charges

I let a sip of water touched my parched mouth as I waited anxiously for a phone call scheduled at 1:00 in the afternoon specifically. I reviewed a mountain of paper works in front of me over and over. The more anxious I got when I scanned every piece. I glanced at the clock on top of the mantel. I had a few seconds to go. It was not easy to refresh the memory as I re-lived all the events, all the lies spoken to me, all the accusations that had no basis, all the intimidation and all the plans that had no purpose but to worry me and forced me to resign.

“How could I relate the events that occurred in a span of 8 months to only a few minutes as that phone call would only take a few minutes to an hour?”

I searched for His advice in the midst of this chaos. He was always the only One Who knew how to calm my fears and worries. He was the only One Who knew the deepest part of my heart and knew it all.

The truth of the words cried out before God thousands of years ago were mimicked by mine:

pic may be blurry but not the truth in His Word

“No one can oppose You because You have the power to do what You want. You asked why I talk so much when I know so little. I have talked about things that are far beyond my understanding.”

– Job 42:2-3 (CEV)

The anticipated phone call came. I made the person on the other line confused at one time as it was difficult to relate the events that took for so long in such a restricted amount of time with him. He understood. He heard it all.

“Go ahead and send me all the papers from your work,” was his last statement.

I sought advice countless times with the Advocate Who knew everything that had transpired. Though my desire to pursue in bringing charges against some powerful people was not the ultimate desire, I had to. I did not want them to do what they had done and continue to do with those who seemed to be powerless in their sight.

They took my silence as ignorance and lack of knowledge. They were puzzled as I returned their harsh words and evil plots with kindness and respect. They did not know that during those times they wounded me severely, I was being cared for by His pierced hands. I was being comforted by His unconditional love. I was being strengthened by His power and might. My tears He wiped. The unseen motives, He gave me discernment.

They were quick to bring charges against me. They did so many things that gave me little room to decide and subtly, wanted to force me to quit my job. They said so many words that were unfounded. But their plans would not go that far. They change my job status that benefited me more. I have more control now with my schedule the way I want to, when I want to, not the way they forced me to move to another shift and gave me a hard time every time. But even in those perilous times, I never said anything. I did the expected work with the best of my strength. I did it because He helped me and sustained me with His power and grace. They did not know that.

They brought charges against me who had not done anything. I worked well with all of my co-workers. I never slept at the job. I never complained when work assignments were given to me even if they were not expected to be what I should be doing. I always arrived on time. I was never on discipline.

It will be a long process. But I am the one to turn the table now. I am bringing charges against them. I pray they have good reasons for everything they said and all the plans they created. In all of this, I pray their hearts will turn to God for help.

^“31 So what should we say about this? If God is for us, no one can defeat us. ³² He did not spare his own Son but gave him for us all. So with Jesus, God will surely give us all things.³³ Who can accuse the people God has chosen? No one, because God is the One who makes them right. ³⁴ Who can say God's people are guilty? No one, because Christ Jesus died, but he was also raised from the dead, and now he is on God's right side, appealing to God for us. ³⁵ Can anything separate us from the love Christ has for us? Can troubles or problems or sufferings or hunger or nakedness or danger or violent death? ³⁶ As it is written in the Scriptures:
    "For you we are in danger of death all the time.
       People think we are worth no more than sheep to be killed." — Psalm 44:22

 ³⁷ But in all these things we are completely victorious through God who showed his love for us. ³⁸ Yes, I am sure that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor ruling spirits, nothing now, nothing in the future, no powers,³⁹ nothing above us, nothing below us, nor anything else in the whole world will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

- Romans 8:31-39 (NCV)

God can also bring a charge against disobedient people. When He does, are you ready for that?

 ^"1 The Lord has an accusation to bring against the people who live in this land. Listen, Israel, to what he says:
   There is no faithfulness or love in the land, and the people do not acknowledge me as God.² They make promises and break them; they lie, murder, steal, and commit adultery. Crimes increase, and there is one murder after another.³ And so the land will dry up, and everything that lives on it will die. All the animals and birds, and even the fish, will die." - Hosea 4:1-3 (GNT)

Yes, Everything Is Good

I felt the soft tap on my left shoulder the same way my husband felt one on his right scapula. It was during the beginning of our fellowship’s worship as the Worship Director paused and gave everyone time to greet each other. Warm “hello’s” and lots of hands met and shook as warm smiles were displayed. The drum kept beating. The piano kept playing soft keys. The guitar kept being strummed.

“How is the S. family?” followed those taps on our shoulders.

While turning my head toward the direction of that person who wanted to know, my mind was being flooded with a sure answer: “Not Good!” Thinking about this huge battle I had been going through from work, it seemed to be the appropriate answer. Nothing else.

Going on 8 months since I faced many people who held high positions from work and who had been trying to oust me in this role as a Correctional Nurse, their plans were still on-going. Stripped of my benefits and usual monthly pay, they were sure they were doing everything right. But I wasn’t sad. I was not scared from the beginning. They could strip everything they wanted to take away and who did I have left but God alone?

I was rather thankful. Through this trial, it reminded me of my own limitations. It challenged me even more to serve the faithful God for Who He was, Who He is and Who is to come. Times that should have drowned me helped me aim to stay afloat.

This trial helped me realize that life here would never be my final destiny. This battle reminded me of His faithful promise that if He could demonstrate His power through my weakness, that truth alone was already a source of power and hope for me. This suffering propelled me to have more courage to face even the severest of this storm that could come. Through this trial, I learned to be stronger. I was taught to persevere.

Yes, through this battle, I learned Who could sympathize better. Who else but Jesus?

“Since He Himself has gone through suffering and temptation, He is able to help me…”

– (Hebrews 2:18, NLT)

I turned my head towards the back part of the Sanctuary. My gaze and that of my husband’s were met by a warm, deeply caring gaze as his face was painted with a wide smile. It was our pastor. He wrapped his right arm on me, his left on my husband’s as they both did the “pat on the backs”. Then, he took a few steps forward toward our son who also hugged him in return.

And I echoed my husband’s and son’s reply with a voice that I wanted him to audibly hear:

“Good!!!”

“ Yes, everything is good!”


In my mind, the more profound truth appeared: "Everything is good...Because God is good to me..."

"² Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. ³ For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. ⁴ So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing.” ~ James 1:2-4 (NLT)

This was a song I penned on December 16, 2005 as my father faced his battle against colon cancer.

Help Me Get Through

We may never understand

Every trial that happens in this lifetime

Lord, You’re always there that I know

Giving us strength when giving up is all I want to do

Chorus:

Oh Lord, please be there for me

Help me get up whenever I fall

Oh Lord, draw me near to You

With this pain, help me get through

My hope comes from knowing You

In my dark moment, You’re the light that shines on me

Lord, You take away all my fears

Giving me the courage to fight all my battles

(Repeat Chorus)

Help me get through…

His Word

I read the long-anticipated email many times. I could not believe that they would make me go to work, starting this Friday. Only as needed. This plan was subtly executed to make me think that they were not getting rid of me. I knew better because what was said and what were done many times said otherwise.

They thought they could always plan things their way. They only selected those who they wanted to be in their team as long as they won’t cause a hindrance to their plans. They were known to intimidate those who didn't want to fight back and chose the easier escape: "they quit." They were doing the same thing with me but I had not done anything wrong. They couldn't go any farther. They seemed to be running out of plans. Because I had not resigned. I chose not to quit. And I chose to fight back. It won't be easy as it would involve exposing these deeds done in the dark. But I heard Him. The Truth. He promised He would be there for me and He had been there with me as I went through this trial. He already granted me His victory.

I read the Word again. My heart wanted to rebel but I had been warned many times to endure, to choose to forgive, to love, to show compassion, and to give revenge into His hands.

Without His Word, nothing else would have sustained me in this period of great battle I was in against some people who had been discriminating me. When they put me on a forced leave, I knew how important it was to even draw myself closer to Him. Through His Word, He healed my broken heart, He soothed my pain, He reminded me of His faithful promises, and He sustained me with all of my needs. What I lacked, He had given me even more.

His Word…Truly the lamp unto our feet…I must trust completely, knowing His ways and thoughts are higher than ours…

Do you trust in Him?