Thankful Thursday

I thank the Lord for giving me our five senses and that I am able to use them the way God designed them to.

I also thank God for His divine provision. He is faithful to do what He had promised. Our job is to OBEY.

Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this," says the LORD Almighty, 'and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it." Malachi 3:10

For more Thankful Thursday, visit Iris over at Grace Alone. Have a happy weekend ahead y'all. God bless! =D

Am I Healed?

A dear blogger friend asked me this question:

You keep saying you know you are already healed. Do you mean that you don't have any lupus symptoms anymore or do you mean that you will be healed when you get your new body in the next world?

This is what I wrote her (Slightly edited):

I was diagnosed to have drug induced lupus at 2001. I had butterfly rashes around my eyes and cheeks. I thought that wasn't serious. I said to myself, "Well, that's why I'm taking these meds to drive it away." Then I got married and got pregnant. I lost our first baby. My doctor was baffled how and why the baby died when she was monitoring my pregnancy closely. Then she asked me to take these battery of lab tests. She said "Let's hope and pray that it's not APAS." My husband and I didn't know anything about that acronym or that sickness at all. She explained it to us and of course I did a little research on that too. I told my husband at the same time convincing myself that "No, of course I don't have that." But sadly, my lab tests came out positive. I was devastated. I had treatment for six months until I was given the go-signal by my immunologist that we can get pregnant again. I had another lab test done. It says my lupus was active although the level wasn't high, it proved that it wasn't just drug induced but it was actually lupus, the real thing. I was taking meds and shots everyday for treatment. I got really mad at God when I lost our second baby. I said that wasn't fair!

That was four years ago. I was praying, my husband's praying, my spiritual family were all praying for my healing. I don't have symptoms now.

I believe it is God's will for us to be healed of whatever kind of sicknesses and diseases. God wanted us to be whole not just on the afterlife but here, right now. I ask myself this question - do I believe that God will and can heal me while I'm still here on Earth? My answer is YES. And so I live my life believing that I'm already healed. Do I know for sure that I am healed? My answer is YES and NO. YES, because I know my God. He is my healer and our great physician. NO, because I have yet to get pregnant again and I haven't had any lab test done in years.

I cling on to God's promise that I will bear my husband children. I refuse to live in fear. It's not denying the sickness or pretending it didn't exist. I just chose to focus on what God can and will do for me as His child. If I believe God can heal people (He did it to others and He can certainly do it to me too because God is no respecter of persons) then I have to live a healed life. If my doctor tells me to take meds, I don't see why not because God can also use meds and doctors to heal me. But that wouldn't change my perspective of healing. I'd still believe that God had already healed me and manifestation is at hand.

Prayers we utter in faith are very powerful, that I believe. We may not see any manifestation yet but believe in your heart that it is God's will for you to be healed. I was once told that instead of talking about your problem, why not talk about how mighty and powerful your God is and that He can turn things around for you SUDDENLY.

It's not easy and people think we're in denial but you know, we need not please others just to look NORMAL in their eyes. It makes a whole lot of difference when we please GOD because He can and will certainly make us NORMAL inside and out.

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Never give up on God and He will amaze you. My question is this:

Do you have faith that God can and will heal you right here right now?

...According to your faith will it be done to you." Matthew 9:29

Thankful Thursday

This week I thank God for:

• His Word which was imparted to me yesterday by Mel, a very good (blogger) friend of mine. I believe this is God's promise for my life.
  

The Lord will surely comfort Zion and will look with compassion on all her ruins; He will make her deserts like Eden, her wastelands like the garden of the Lord. Joy and gladness will be found in her, thanksgiving and the sound of singing." Isaiah 51:3

• Encouraging me to not give up because nothing is impossible with Him. I got the message from Daystar TV when I turned it on sometime around midnight. Joni Lamb said these words - There is no relationship that God can't heal. Here's a link to that show.
  

Ronda Davis' Story

• His financial provision. God is truly faithful. He does provide.
  

For more Thankful Thursday, visit Iris over at Grace Alone. Have a happy weekend ahead y'all. God bless! =D

God Reminded Me...

I was again reminded by God to TRUST HIM. He reminded me that He has my life, my future and my family at the palm of His hand. He reminded me that He hears my prayers. He reminded me of how mighty and great my God is. That nothing is impossible with Him. That I can rest in Him knowing that He knows me by name, He knows the desires of my heart and He is my Rewarder.

Then Moses said to him, "If your Presence does not go with us, do not send us up from here. How will anyone know that you are pleased with me and with your people unless you go with us? What else will distinguish me and your people from all the other people on the face of the earth?"

And the LORD said to Moses, "I will do the very thing you have asked, because I am pleased with you and I know you by name."

Exodus 33:15-17 (NIV, emphasis mine)

It's not always easy not to worry. But when it does shows its fangs we should consciously remind ourselves that God is in control. Because He really is.

Thankful Thursday

This week I thank God for:

• His leading. I know I'm on the right track because He confirms it. Thank you, Father, for your guidance.

• Friends. I'm blessed with great friends in church and in the world of blogging. I wouldn't have probably made it this far if it weren't for YOU!

• My (birth) family. I fondly call my mom, dad and siblings that. I'm blessed to have my (birth) family's support in everything I do.

• My husband. He may not be aware of it but he taught me to be strong and to fix my eyes on Jesus now more than ever.
  

• My life. It's not perfect but I love the life God gave me. Here's a picture of myself taken last Tuesday on my birthday.
  

For more Thankful Thursday, visit Iris over at Grace Alone. Have a happy weekend ahead y'all. God bless! =D

Finding Pia

Last Saturday was the end of our first semester and I'm already looking forward to second semester. For some who don't know, I enrolled myself in a leadership training in our church last May. It's a two-year course and I'll be graduating on 2010. It's funny how God "pushed" me into this a few months back. There were three instances in my life that happened just recently when I tried to run away from God's will. And this was one of them. Best illustration I could think of was Jonah. As it turned out, it was one of the best decision I've made in my life. My relationship with God grew deeper.

Many are the plans in a man's heart, but it is the LORD's purpose that prevails." Proverbs 19:21

Also last Saturday, my friends and I were asked to observe how things were being done at Kid's church. Children were calling me "Teacher Pia". I kinda like the sound of that. This too was something I tried to run away from, but guess what, God caught up with me again. See, I firmly believe now that we can try and try to run to Tarshish (our will) until we get tired, but a whale (God's way) will always swallow us up and spit us in Nineveh (God's will). It always happens. I used to wrestle with God a lot, but I never won. Stubborn me!

Anyway, tomorrow is a special day... at least it is for me. It's my birthday!

Thankful Thursday

I missed last week's Thankful Thursday. I'm glad I was able to join in this week.

Last week was like a roller coaster ride for me. One day everything was steady and peaceful, the following day was like hell. My emotion was so erratic that it caused me a great deal of stress. But in spite of my life's jumble, God had been faithful to His promise that He, Himself, will go before me and will be with me; He will never leave me nor forsake me. I need not be afraid; I need not be discouraged (Deuteronomy 31:8). I thank the Lord for friends who left me a message saying they were praying for me.

Today, I'm feeling a lot better and things seem to be stable around me. I thank the Lord for this renewed peace.

I thank the Lord for the little things He allowed me to enjoy like a relaxing whole body massage and a few grocery items both of which were compliments of a friend.

I thank the Lord for my church mates who covered me in prayer and never left me during a spiritual warfare that happened in our house last Monday.

I thank the Lord for His divine provision which helped me make both ends meet. A dear blogger friend blessed me with $75 through my Paypal account with a note that said "just because..." God is truly amazing!

I thank the Lord for my mom's lab test results which were all good.

I thank the Lord Almighty for my life and everything that's happening in it whether good or bad.

With this, I leave you with my heart's prayer (song by Christy Nockels... Hosanna)

Heal my heart and make it clean
Open up my eyes to the things unseen
Show me how to love
Like you have loved me
Break my heart for what breaks yours
Everything I am
For Your kingdom's cause
As I walk from earth into eternity

For more Thankful Thursday, visit Iris over at Sting My Heart. Have a happy weekend ahead y'all. God bless! =D

Taking A Bloggy Break