In the Sweet Embrace of God

God is my sunshine!

2011-07-23T07:35:00.000-07:00

I have been feeling down lately ... but God in His great love always patiently deals with me. I was busy trying to get myself out of these gloomy days I'm having when all around me God has been showing me how much He loves me. It's not that I haven't noticed it. It's just that I took it for granted. It's like having rainy days inside my head when in reality I'm surrounded by the warm rays of sunshine. I believe this happens to most of us who at times feel sad or depressed.

It's funny how we humans fall into the pattern of forgetting the most important things that makes life worth living for. First, to know that God tremendously loves us and is always with us. Second, to know that there are people in our lives who dearly loves us like our family and friends. Third, to know that there's beauty and wonder behind God's purposes and awesome works in your life. Fourth, to see the beauty in all things God has created within you and all around you.

It's often said that happiness is a choice. True. However, I find that when you're feeling depressed, it is so difficult to make the choice to be happy. Unless you change your attitude, you cannot see the good sides of life. This happens only if something or somebody helps us back into thinking positive thoughts. That's why I think we need to be reminded always of the four things I mentioned above for us to feel blessed and happy.

It's been days that I have been praying for this feelings of gladness to come into my heart. It felt like it was a long agony...I felt empty...I felt worthless... until the Lord made me feel His loving embrace... He enveloped me with His presence ... and reminded me how much He loves me ... suddenly, I'm renewed again... I felt special and joyful. God finally grant me the grace to open my heart and filled it with His love and kindness. The experience was very refreshing! I wouldn't hesitate to go through it over and over again knowing that in every trials or sufferings, God would be there to see me through. God never fails. Now, isn't it great to have a God who greatly loves us?

Praise God forever and ever!

"I patiently waited, Lord, for you to hear my prayer. You listened and pulled me from a lonely pit full of mud and mire. You let me stand on a rock with my feet firm, and you gave me a new song, a song of praise to you. Many will see this, and they will honor and trust you, the Lord God." - Psalm 40:1-3 (CEV)

"Jesus, I need you in my everyday life ... you are my everything." -vienace

I dedicate this song to my Jesus..."JESUS, MY EVERYTHING" by Matt Maher:

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I thank God for my Mommy who keeps up with my personality ... thank you Mommy for always being there when I needed to hear your voice through the phone (i miss you)... for being patient with all of us.... for loving us ... For everything that you've done and been doing, thank you Mommy. I love you very much! I hope you won't get tired of us.

I thank God for my siblings who puts up with my shortcomings and mood swings.... thank you Joy for taking good care of me when I needed to be cared for... thank you to my brother and Tine for understanding... thank you guys for loving me. I love you all!

I thank God for using my dearest sister Malou Jacinto to inspire me to write again. I love you sis! You're always a great blessing to me. Thank you for the kind words ... and for reminding me of God's love and tender mercy.

Rise up ! It's Easter!

2011-04-24T00:18:00.000-07:00

God tremendously love us! That is what we should always remember … especially when we experience sufferings or trials. Amidst our difficulties, God is actually doing something behind the scene. He never leaves us. He’s always there for us … loving us every single moment of our lives. When you feel like giving up, don’t forget Jesus’ sufferings and crucifixion. He gave up His life and emptied Himself out of love for us.

Let us ask ourselves the question - “who am I that the Lord cares and loves me?” He gave us life to enjoy the blessings He is giving us and embraces us with such great love that He died for our sins.

God knows what we are going through … He would never abandon us … though at that very hour you would feel so alone, He is there. Quietly rearranging things for our own good. When we make mistakes, He turns everything around and turns it all to a great blessing.

After every hardships, comes the beautiful realization that God has always been there to catch us when we fall and stumble. When we falter, He reaches out His arms to help us stand up again and lifts us up on a pedestal to show us the beauty of what He has done in us. We just have to look with eyes of faith … then we shall see and behold His almighty works! He’s actually turning your life into a great masterpiece!

Be strong! Keep the faith. Hold on tight unto God. For every suffering, we die a little bit inside us … we surrender to the will of God … we let go … then we wake up to a new day … little by little we realize that we are born into a new strong person that we are … a new creation molded specially by the loving hands of God!

And so, we experience easter everytime we have gone through a great affliction … we rise again and face up to new challenges with the hope and faith that God is there for us to the end!

Today we recall the rising of Jesus Christ from death to life. It is a simple message that tells us all these things whatever we are going through, shall pass and in the end we shall triumph in Him and with Him!

HAPPY EASTER to everyone!

^8″ For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— ⁹not by works, so that no one can boast.” - Ephesians 2:8-9
¹⁶” For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” - John 3:16

I share this song to everyone to remind them how great the love God has for us …

WHO AM I BY CASTING CROWNS

Who am I, that the Lord of all the earth
Would care to know my name
Would care to feel my hurt
Who am I, that the Bright and Morning Star
Would choose to light the way
For my ever wandering heart

Not because of who I am
But because of what You’ve done
Not because of what I’ve done
But because of who You are

I am a flower quickly fading
Here today and gone tomorrow
A wave tossed in the ocean
Vapor in the wind
Still You hear me when I’m calling
Lord, You catch me when I’m falling
And You’ve told me who I am
I am Yours, I am Yours

Who am I, that the eyes that see my sin
Would look on me with love and watch me rise again
Who am I, that the voice that calmed the sea
Would call out through the rain
And calm the storm in me

Not because of who I am
But because of what You’ve done
Not because of what I’ve done
But because of who You are

I am Yours
Whom shall I fear
Whom shall I fear
‘Cause I am Yours
I am Yours

… from the inside out …

2011-04-19T20:13:00.000-07:00

The Lord is so patient with me …

… when I make mistakes, He’s the first one to understand me … when I stumble and falter, He’s the first one to pick me up and to hold me steady … when I feel weak, He strengthens me … whenever I fail, He gives me hope to try again… when tears of sadness ran down my cheeks, He fills my heart with inexplicable joy … when I feel my heart broken, He’s there with a love to keep it whole again … when all my dreams have been shattered, He’s the one to pick up the pieces and to put them all back together in one piece … when my flaws infuriate the people around me, He’s always there to accept me with an open arms … when I feel lonely and it feels like the world seems so cruel to me, He embraces me with His gentle presence … when I feel unloved, His tremendous love envelops my whole being …

Through all the difficulties of life, GOD has always been and is always there to comfort me … I know and I’m sure that even if all the people in my life gives up on me, He never will! That’s how patient God is in dealing with us and our frailties or shortcomings!

Everyday God puts up with all our imperfections … His love is so unfathomable!

I feel so lucky and so blessed to have a GOD who enormously loves me!

Don’t you feel the same way too?

I'm dedicating the song, "From the Inside Out" to our Almighty God ...Praise God forever and ever!

I'll take care of you ...

2011-04-16T03:48:00.000-07:00

I was I think around nine or ten years old then… I was feeling depressed. It felt like nobody loved me. I don’t want to be a burden to anybody and so I prayed to God about how I feel. I told God,“Lord, this world is so cruel. I don’t want to be in this world anymore. I know that all you want us to learn in this world is to love. Yet people neglect this and are so insensitive. I know how to love and I know that in time most of these people are just going to abuse my love. These people don’t know how to love and so I don’t want to be in this world, Lord. Lord, please take me now. I’d rather be with you than be in this world. Lord, I would close my eyes and trust that You’d take me with You.” So, I cried myself to sleep hoping that when I wake up I would be in God’s embrace in heaven. On the contrary, when I wake up I was still in this world. I cried and asked God, “why not take me Lord?” Then in a flow of thoughts, a somewhat whisper told me, “Go and turn on the radio. The first song you’ll hear is God’s reply to your prayer.” So, I took the radio and turned it on. I heard the song, “I’ll take care of you”. I listened to the lyrics and was consoled.

I'll take care of you
Don't be sad, don't be blue
I'll never break your heart in two
I'll take care of you
I'll kiss your tears away
I'll end your lonely days
All that I'm really trying to say
Is I'll take care of you

I want you to know that I love you so
I'm proud to tell the world you're mine
I said it before, I'll say it once more
You'll be in my heart 'til the end of time

I'll take care of you
Don't be sad, don't be blue
Just count on me your whole life through
'Cause I'll take care of you

My childhood days in school didn’t turn out good. Neither was my high school nor my college days. My married life was terrible – it was the worst part of my life. Though I have been through such difficulties in life, there were also those happy and memorable times. Through everything that happened in my life God was always there … especially amidst trials.

Looking back at my life now, I could say that God is true to His words. He is always there taking care of me. God never let me down. I thank God for loving me and for not giving up on me.

I am now enjoying this blissful life because of God. God is the very reason for all this happiness and great love that I feel and experience.

I am so happy to say, “Hey, world! It doesn’t matter what you throw at me. I’ve got an almighty God who loves me! And I know no matter what happens, He would always take care of me.

Now isn’t it a relief to know that even if all things fail, you have a God who loves you?

² The LORD is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer;
my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge,
my shield^[a] and the horn^[b] of my salvation, my stronghold. - Psalm 18:2 NIV

Psalm 23 A psalm of David.

¹ The LORD is my shepherd, I lack nothing.
² He makes me lie down in green pastures,
he leads me beside quiet waters,
³ he refreshes my soul.
He guides me along the right paths
   for his name’s sake.
⁴ Even though I walk
   through the darkest valley,^[a]
I will fear no evil,
   for you are with me;
your rod and your staff,
   they comfort me.
⁵ You prepare a table before me
   in the presence of my enemies.
You anoint my head with oil;
   my cup overflows.
⁶ Surely your goodness and love will follow me
   all the days of my life,
and I will dwell in the house of the LORD
   forever.

Everything is beautiful!

2011-04-03T16:52:00.000-07:00

When GOD moves, He makes everything beautiful! I know because that’s how my life is…more than beautiful because GOD is in it! Those people who knew me know what I mean. From darkness to light…God turned my sadness to blissful happiness. From being the world’s ugliest creature to being God’s special child … I admit I have my insecurities but with God on my side, I don’t care what the world says about me. What matters is what He thinks about me. I know He greatly loves me because He died for my sins on the cross. Knowing that SOMEONE up there loves me that much makes a great difference!

I’m writing these to all of you people out there because I want you to realize that God tremendously loves you. You may be in a crisis right now…or you might be struggling over something….No matter how small or big your problem is, remember, you have an almighty God who will take you out of that situation you are in and turn everything into a great blessing. You just have to trust Him. There’s a reason for everything…and God has His reasons and purposes for those things happening in your life. At the moment, you may not understand His reasons or purpose but in time,….in His time, He will make all things beautiful! Wait for the Lord patiently. God knows what’s best for you. You just have to wait for Him to show you what He’s been doing in your life. And when He’s finished, you’ll be amazed of the outcome! Believe me. It’s true! He’s been doing it with my life.

Praise God forever and ever!!!!

EPHESIANS 3:14-21

14 For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, 15 from whom every family [1] in heaven and on earth is named, 16 that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being, 17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love, 18 may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, 19 and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.

20 Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, 21 to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.

Ah, Jesus! My Beloved!

2011-04-03T01:16:00.000-07:00

I can't help myself ... His love overflows in me, through me, all around me ... enveloping me in a sweet embrace ... my heart, mind and soul cannot even contain it! And the least thing I could do is run away with my feelings ... drowning myself in exceeding joy that could never be synonymous to anybody else. Such blissful happiness ... and it can only be felt in loving Him. He is the completeness of my being ... the realization of my full potential. I could never exist without Him. He is the beginning and the end of my life. He's the reason for my living ... the air that I breathe ... the love that beats in my heart ... the strength in my being ... the beautiful music of my soul ... the smile on my face ... the light in my eyes ... oh! how could I find the words that best describe Him? All the words in the world are not enough to express how amazingly awesome He is! All I know is that I'm so blessed to have found Him ... and have fallen in love with Him. My JESUS! May I be forever Yours, faithfully!

²⁷ He answered, “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind’^[a]; and, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’^[b]” - Luke 10:27 NIV

God loves you!

2010-11-29T04:35:00.000-08:00

This is always GOD’s answer to your doubts today and always!

Many of us doubt how much God loves us. Many of us

Ask Jesus… how much do you love me?

And that question has always been answered in so many ways a hundred times or more!

Jesus would always reply," I love you this much." and he stretched his arms to the cross and died for us.

…not only were HIS arms stretched to the cross, HE even embraced our flaws, our imperfections, our needs, our concerns, and our sufferings in whatever form they may be!

It did not stop on the cross. It goes on even after death. HE was risen! Meaning, His love for us goes beyond everything! Even death could not stop Him from showing His love for us.

The moment we give ourselves to GOD, surrendering ourselves to HIS will, we become HIS children. And as we continue to live in accordance to HIS will, we will always be HIS! Letting HIM into your life means complete obedience to His wonderful plan. But that doesn’t mean we have to be puppets! We are given the freedom of choice. The freedom to choose between good and evil. It’s either you want to live a good life and enjoy the rest of the awesome blessings of God for eternity… or live an evil or bad life enjoying the wealth of this world that only lasts a lifetime and then suffer forever after death. This is all up to you.

Now, don’t put to waste what God has done to save you. Don’t take for granted the chances that HE has been giving to save you. Act now! Choose to do that which pleases GOD! HE tremendously loves you that’s why HE has been doing things in your life to remind you that there’s more to life than this world is offering you. WAKE UP! Before it’s too late. It’s your choice whether you want to live a life worth living for or a life of emptiness.

It’s up to us whether we choose the foolishness of this world that will lead us to destruction … or the amazing love of GOD that is at all times waiting for us. Yes! GOD is waiting for us with an open arms! We just have to run to HIM and HE’ll accept us as we are. HIS love would be so great that it would transform us little by little … day by day… until we’re a complete masterpiece of HIS almighty hands. Just think of how great HIS love is that it’s able to make an amazing miracle out of each one of us!

Now, imagine how beautiful everyday would be if we learn how to live a life in Christ.

Just to give you a picture in your mind …

Every morning you wake up with a happy smile on your face. Every person you meet and work with loves you. Every moment’s filled with joyful thoughts, enjoyable conversations, good deeds that have a lingering effect in your heart, blissful happiness that lasts, warm embraces of the people around you, and love that never ends! It does not end there. After a restful night of sleep, comes another day to look forward to… another week … another month … another year …and so on! You’ll experience GOD working out His astonishing plans for you.

So, why wait and waste every moment. Let GOD be the artist of your life! Let HIM paint you a breathtaking picture of your life now!

" For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. " - John 3:16 (New International Version, ©2010)

A Wonderful Realization

2010-11-22T01:35:00.000-08:00

I was drowning myself in fantasy…

Hoping for it to come into reality…

Then, God woke me up in my deep slumber…

When I opened my eyes…

There were no more tears to cry…

My heart was feeling numb of pain.

All I could feel was serenity…

And an infinite joy I could never explain.

The fear of losing what I hold dear in my heart was all gone.

I have given it all up to Him.

The only thing that mattered to me now …

… is what He wanted me to do. - Vienace

" You will experience God’s peace, which is far more wonderful than the human mind can understand. His peace will keep your thoughts and your hearts quiet and at rest as you trust in Christ Jesus." - Philippians 4:7