Help Us Do The Right Thing

I saw the red lights from the brakes lit up as this car moved forward cautiously from our slightly sloped driveway. The night has not woken up yet from its deep slumber.

Few minutes ago, I held the driver of that car’s hands. Feeling the roughness from the hands that worked hard daily, we joined hands in our daily morning prayer. I mumbled as if I had memorized his prayer and synchronized with his utterances. I never failed when these familiar whispers filled the family room’s corners:

“Help us to do the right thing…”

That was my husband. Rough hands that rounded up criminals at the wee hours of each morning.

“Change your prayers,” I remember once telling him (How quick of me to criticize thinking that his prayer was redundant!). Only to give him an apology much later…

It’s because I should have respected his petition. And that is his ultimate request each time. For God to help us do the right thing. Looking around, that’s what’s lacking it seems. People are not choosing to do the right thing.

This morning’s prayer was different. I echoed his petition loudly from my heart and was becoming my heart’s cry, too…

If people from work would do the right thing, I wouldn’t have this battle that I had been in regarding my position for over a year now.

If people from the government would do the right thing, we wouldn’t have difficulty choosing the best candidate to lead this nation or any local and national part of the government knowing each candidate if doing the right thing, will not utter promises that sound empty.

If people from different backgrounds would only do the right thing, we wouldn’t hear about hate crimes.

If people would only do the right thing, there would be happier families, solid marriages, kids growing up with respect and love for God and others.

If people would only do the right thing, we wouldn’t know what ‘bullying’ means. What rape means. What abuse means.

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Overcrowding in every prisons wouldn't be a problem if each of those incarcerated individuals had done one thing: TO DO THE RIGHT THING.

If people choose to do the right thing, the first step is to “pray, seek God’s face and turn from wicked ways” and God promised to hear from heaven and forgive the people’s sins and restore their land.

And with each coming day, I will never get tired whispering in prayers as I join my husband to ask God to help us do the right thing. I dare not ask my husband to change that prayer for that is the daily battles we all  face: our own decision-making. May God increase my sorrow, to hate the sins the way He hates them, and my spirit to strive for the righteousness that He wants because He is a Holy God.

How awesome it would be if my hands get calloused by folding them in prayers incessantly as I ask God to help my family and I to always help us do the right thing. Daily. Even as we are facing huge mountains of trials. And that is my prayer for each and every one of you.

16 Rejoice always, 17 pray continually, 18 give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. – 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 (NIV)

Nerds!

My son was to present yesterday for their French Class regarding the career they were interested in. A little challenging as they needed to speak in French, as understandable. He enjoyed anything with Graphic Design. He currently helps his Graphic Design teacher in teaching other students or classes. He makes shirt designs and prints them himself. He designs logos and had helped a business owner changed his ad in a newspaper using the ad he did himself.

He was well-prepared except the teacher was not able to be there yesterday. So, he had to do it all over again tomorrow, Friday. He wanted to make a lasting impression by wearing a special t-shirt his teacher had given him as a gift for him helping the teacher out in many ways.

It is a dark blue shirt with a golden word printed that says: “Graphic Designer(d)”

my son's t-shirt

His aim was not only to talk about something he loves to do but he wants to show a sample of the t-shirt printing they do in their own class.

“Nerd…”

What’s being good like striving to become a good student is labeled as “nerd” in today’s society. What’s being different by choosing morality vs. evil things is being labeled as “nerds” today. When a person does not go with the flow of the things of this world, it’s being called as “nerd”.

But God is calling us to become “Nerds”…Different…Set apart…

He is calling us believers to become “HOLY!”

¹⁴ As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance. ¹⁵ But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; ¹⁶ for it is written: “Be holy, because I am holy.”

- 1 Peter 1:14-16 (NIV)

“I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.” – Romans 12:1 (ESV)

“Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.” –Romans 12:2 (ESV)

“Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.”

- 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 (ESV)

He Makes A Way

I am feeling bummed out right now after reading an email from work regarding the schedule I gave for my next availability. Let’s just say our spiritual enemies are truly trying their best in any way possible to steal the peace and joy in my heart. If nothing is happening to make my faith waver and if they see contentment in my heart, there has to be another thing or way that comes out that tries to always turn my world upside down.

But…I refuse to listen…This waiting period from God’s hands I know will reveal a much bigger purpose. This is a time of learning to endure, persevere, be strengthened and be drawn to His power and love. There are times when it is hard. It’s not because I don’t believe in Him but because I want to see justice stop some of the people from work abusing their authorities with the way they execute plans: to make themselves prosper more and to make others below them miserable.

I admit I’m tired. I can still be impatient with this battle I had been in for a little over a year now. But no matter what happens, even if I don’t know what the future holds…I trust that God will give me a way here in this desert.

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“For I am about to do something new. See, I have already begun! Do you not see it? I will make a pathway through the wilderness. I will create rivers in the dry wasteland.” – Isaiah 43:19

Would you please pray for me? I appreciate your visit and encouragement. God bless you all.

Father, at times that I feel so weak and vulnerable to the enemy’s attacks, remind me of the power that comes from You. Thank You for providing us with Your weapons for this battle is not mine but Yours. I ask of You to continue to mold me and draw me ever nearer to You. No matter what happens, I have this hope that never perishes because of what Jesus had done. Thank You Father for Your unconditional love. Please remove any obstacles in my path that hinders me from seeing that way You are providing for me. Please continue to guide me with Your divine wisdom and grant Your gift of discernment. Help me, Oh God to always readily forgive those who hurt me the way You have forgiven me many times.Thank You for Your everlasting kindness. Thank You that because of Your faithful promise, I know that “no weapon turned against me will succeed and that I will silence every voice raised up accusing me(Isa.54:17).” Thank You for Jesus’ righteousness that cover me. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.

The Faces I See...

‘Anxiety’ requested help because he was having trouble breathing and was having chest pain. No! That was not his name. That was what I saw on his face as I heard slight wheezing on his right lung and the inhaler he was allowed to keep did not ease the tightness he felt as he took in some breaths in his unit. I gave him a Med Nebulizer right away as he kept complaining about his chest pain.

“Relax!” I told him.

“Your airway problem is more a priority to me than your chest pain. Try to breathe in as much of that steam if possible.”

“But…”

“Relax! Trust me!”

It was a concern if he was having chest pain. Not that I ignored that complaint because it was also a dangerous situation if he was having true heart problems at the same time. As I was listening to his lung sounds with my stethoscope, I asked him at the same time to point where his chest pain was. He pointed to the far right of his abdominal area. He denied having gallbladder problems that he knew of. Except he had beans for dinner and just had 2 bites.

The breathing treatment helped him right away. The wheezes that I heard were not detected anymore by the sensitive end of my stethoscope. I motioned for him to go inside an Exam Room and requested for him to remove his shirt.

“Oh…I’m embarrassed,” he shyly uttered.

“Why?”

“Because I’m fat and you’re gonna’ see that!”

“Sir, I’m not here to make fun of you. I’m here to help you with any medical problem. If you want to be sure that there is no problem with your heart, EKG is the only way that I can do to determine that.”

He laid on the table as I applied the sticky stuff (leads) and connected the wirings pertaining to those leads. His EKG reading returned normal. He breathed a sigh of relief.

“What’s your last name?” I asked.

“Freeman…”he replied wondering as he knew I already knew since I was holding his chart.

“If you’re a “Free Man”, what are you doing here?”

He didn’t answer. He laughed instead. So hard. I saw ‘Anxiety’ left. It was precious and what I was hoping for. Even for a minute. It mattered to me. Because we were in a place where Anxiety ruled.

“Thank you, Ma’am…I feel so much better…” I gave him his yellow pass as the Infirmary Deputy looked at him and asked him if he was ready to go back to his unit. He calmly received the yellow note and walked away slowly. Without ‘Anxiety’. At least for that moment…


Working behind the prison walls is always hectic. So many faces I encounter. There is ‘Depression’, ‘Fear’, ‘Worry’, ‘Jealousy’, 'Anger', 'Rebellion' and the worst one I see is ‘Pride’. These are the things that cover the inmates and co-workers’ faces. These are the veils that hinder them from seeing clearly. These are the same things that help erect the unseen walls and imprison their hearts and serve as barriers to see the true freedom that Christ offers and brings. Such veils can only be removed by believing and trusting completely in Christ.

You know we’ve been there before. You know we had those faces. We had those veils. “But whenever anyone turns to the Lord, then the veil is taken away. Now, the Lord is the Spirit, and wherever the Spirit of the Lord is, he gives freedom. And all of us have had that veil removed so that we can be mirrors that brightly reflect the glory of the Lord. And as the Spirit of the Lord works within us, we become more and more like him and reflect his glory even more.” (2 Corinthians 3:16-18,NLT)

We have true transformations as our veils are removed. A work in progress that only the Holy Spirit does. The inner change occurs when we continue to follow His leading and knowing more about Jesus. And when we apply what we know about Jesus with the way we live our lives, we become mirrors instead. Mirrors that reflect God’s glory.

“7 The law that brought death was written in words on stone. It came with God's glory, which made Moses' face so bright that the Israelites could not continue to look at it. But that glory later disappeared.8 So surely the new way that brings the Spirit has even more glory.9 If the law that judged people guilty of sin had glory, surely the new way that makes people right with God has much greater glory.10 That old law had glory, but it really loses its glory when it is compared to the much greater glory of this new way.11 If that law which disappeared came with glory, then this new way which continues forever has much greater glory.” – 2 Corinthians 3:7-11 (NCV)