Come Alive (Dry Bones)

Come Alive (Dry Bones)
Lauren Daigle

Through the eyes of men it seems there's so much we have lost
As we look down the road where all the prodigals have walked
One by one the enemy has whispered lies
And led them off as slaves

But we know that you are god yours is the victory
We know there is more to come
That we may not yet see
So with the faith you've given us
We'll step into the valley unafraid, yeah

As we call out to dry bones come alive, come alive
We call out to dead hearts come alive, come alive
Up out of the ashes let us see an army rise
We call out to dry bones, come alive

God of endless mercy god of unrelenting love
Rescue every daughter bring us back the wayward son
And by your spirit breathe upon them show the world that you alone can save
You alone can save

As we call out to dry…

in times of silence...

It was a long journey of soul searching and meeting both ends of daily living, I find my self wandering before God, I have lost for His greatness and rely on my own, not thinking how great He is. I was not focus on the price He made for me because I was focus on my own. On the first month of the year I was saying goodbye to an acquaintance that I thought would last for a career that was not meant for me. Struggles left and right yet still finding inner power that once was evident before me when I was with Him, still I know how He cares for me throughout the journey, I know he is still the lover of my soul, yet I can't give back to Him, still I know he is there for me no matter what, that's why I take him for granted but I really miss him a lot I miss my God yet I don't know how to serve him. Now striving to learn to be with you again, Lord help me!

The thrills of Balikbayan Box

Opening a "Balik-bayan" box give us all a thrill, especially if it comes from your loved-one, you are expecting something beautiful and wonderful items along with your spirit on a joyful mode and no one can steal that from you... that moment of excitement! I had always been thankful to my Sister Rose's generosity for us in giving gifts and most importantly reviving in us the thrills of opening the Balik-bayan box!

Balik-bayan box has always been apart of our family, a tradition established by my father from Saudi with love, a legacy that my father imprinted in our heart.  I have always been a fan of him not only because he's my father but also without any degree he keeps his family from starving to death, he keeps his hardworking spirit and go to unfamiliar place to work there.  Time and existence is my father's investment to keep going in life there in a hot-weather place in middle east.  But the Lord is so good he bless my father so that my father is also a blessing not only to his immediate family but to other as well, like relatives, neighbors and family friends.  My father is not around anymore yet his spirit live in us.  From my father to my mother in Kuwait, then my three eldest sister's in Japan and now in my own family.

But the thrills of excitement is also the tears of absence obviously because of missing your loved-one. I remember our pastor said that it is the stigma of an Overseas Filipino Worker family the thrills and tears, the two opposite extreme feeling yet embrace by the same virtue.

Kudos to all the OFW and their family! God bless you more than you ever imagine!

Love at first Light

Singapore's National Day Parade Theme Song "Love at first Light"

The very thing I will never forget about Singapore is their love of music.  Singapore & I are really connected in this area, I remember watching their daily TV drama in the afternoon entitled "A Song to Remember", a journey of different folks in a different walk of life that comes together in a temporary hiding place where they share same struggle and victory in life.  

Lyrics of this song

First light, rolls across my peaceful isle. 

Mornings, I wake up refreshed, renewed. 

Ready to meet the bright new day, so much to look forward to..

Daylight, the city has stirred to life. 

Your smiles put a spring in my step. 

There's a feeling that binds us once and all. 

Different stories, shared memories.

CHORUS: 

I know my cities lively ways, warm sunny days. 

Sights and sounds special taste that add up to this place. 

I know my friends my closest ties. 

Now, I finally realized when it feels this right, 

you know that it's Love At First Light.

Night falls, stars twinkling on the bay. 

My dreams can take flight if I dare. 

There's a feeling that binds us once and all. 

We look forward to a brighter day...

(Repeat Chorus)

My Palawan Getaway

In my lonely days of being away from my children, I almost started to have an emotional breakdown. For the very first time of my children's life I was physically detached from them. But I thought God is so good that He help me how to learn to be alone and cope with it. I was too indulge in every details of my children's life and I know that this is the time to not focus on them anymore, I have to freely allowed them to experienced what life has to offer. During those days, God gave me an opportunity to see His wonderful creation, through the company of the Woman of Worth Ministry, this is a group who minister the women in our church, who are not only focus on bible study alone but the total welfare of woman. I love this group, even though we are in different age bracket, each and everyone has it's own story to tell the only common in us is that we love God. In short, I was given the opportunity to travel in Coron, Palawan. This is a very memorable experience of my life since it is packed with so many first things in my life. This is my first time to travel through a passenger ship, my first time to board on what they called RORO, my first time to sleep on board with big waves ahead of our ship. My first time to do an island hoping, so many islands big and small, each has it's own distinct shapes and beauty, makes me see the wonder of God's nature not only in picture but actually experiencing it. My first time to swim in a 15-30 ft. lake, but of course with life jacket. My first time to feel and see corals down-under and see so many fishes I swim with. My first time to see a real white beach and with fantastic clear water. First time I see a hot spring overflowing throughout the sea. The experience is so overwhelming that I can't even describe the feeling. This Island is a manifestation of how God's love the Philippines. I can say that my Coron, Palawan getaway is a superb experience, I will never forget this stunning beauty of nature, a memory worth to keep. My heart now is full of joy!

On Children by Kahlil Gibran

Your children are not your children.
They are the sons and daughters of Life's longing for itself.
They come through you but not from you,
And though they are with you yet they belong not to you.

You may give them your love but not your thoughts,
For they have their own thoughts.
You may house their bodies but not their souls,
For their souls dwell in the house of tomorrow,
which you cannot visit, not even in your dreams.
You may strive to be like them,
but seek not to make them like you.
For life goes not backward nor tarries with yesterday.

You are the bows from which your children
as living arrows are sent forth.
The archer sees the mark upon the path of the infinite,
and He bends you with His might
that His arrows may go swift and far.
Let your bending in the archer's hand be for gladness;
For even as He loves the arrow that flies,
so He loves also the bow that is stable.

Audience of ONE

Everybody look for man's applause because it gives them the sense of pride, they try to be rich to gain respect and fame. But these are chasing after the wind according to Solomon a servant of GOD. We can not please everybody, it can only make you sad and weary, because people around us is never ever be satisfied in everything we do because no man can fill that satisfaction only GOD can. Instead of pleasing man, please God, it's a worthy thing to do beside it is our main duty in life, this is the very reason why we live here on Earth.

I would like to share with you a song that says it all...

(Lyrics with video link)

"AUDIENCE OF ONE"

I

It's such a strong temptation
to live for man's applause
But I don't want to buy into the lie
'cause I know that's not a worthy cause

So to keep things in perspective,
I hung a sign up on the wall.
The sign is nothing special,
but it really says it all.


CHORUS

And the sign says
I'll be content to serve an audience of ONE
Only His approval counts
when all is said and done.

And this is my prayer,
when the race is finally run,
I want to hear "Well done"
from the audience of ONE.


II

When the drive for recognition
starts to get the best of me
All I've got to do is look around
at the people serving selflessly.

And they don't serve for glory,
and they're not keeping score
There's a sign that's written on their hearts,
a sign I've seen before.

(Repeat Chorus)

(Bridge)

In the not-too-distant future
when the crowds all fade away
I'll stand alone before my Lord
and this is what I long to say.

I'm overjoyed
to serve an audience of One
It's what I've been created for
ever since day one

And this is my song,
as I bow before Your throne
I love to hear "Well done"
from the audience of One

So this will be my prayer,
'till the race is finally run,
I want to hear "Well done"
I long to hear "Well done",

I want to hear "Well done"
from the audience of One.
Ohhh...

Audience of ONE!

(...then fade...)



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Here's the link
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