ICF Turns 11...

 August 18, 2013, 4:00 P.M, Venue 88, Mabuhay Road, General Santos City, Philippines : IMMANUEL CHRISTIAN FELLOWSHIP 11TH ANNIVERSARY
It has been months of preparation. Everyone is looking forward and so excited with this big event. And now the day has come with God's abundant blessings everything falls into place and indeed it was a great Success!!! 
Thanksgiving is a time when the world gets to see just how blessed and how workable the Christian system is. The emphasis is not on giving or buying, but on being thankful and expressing that appreciation to God and to one another.

Immanuel Christian Fellowship-Gensan is a Christ-centered, family-based church. We exist to glorify God and advance His Kingdom. To gather with God's people in united adoration of the Father is as necessary to the Christian life as prayer.

We are honored for Capt. Gerry Gambala who is one of the prominent figures alongside Navy Capt. and now Senator Antonio Trillanes IV, during the failed Oakwood Mutiny on July 27, 2003, as the event guest speaker. It is truly amazing how the Lord works in people's lives. The price to pay for the mutiny was huge...prison...life sentence! But with God's grace, his life is now being used by the Lord to pierce through the hearts of multitude and impart the message that there is hope and fulfillment in the Lord...no matter what! I thank Bro. Gerry for sharing his life and mission in life to the ICF Family. At this point in time he continues to spread the Word of God through the Military Ministry. Really God has changed this man from a rebel soldier to a soldier of GOD.

All the effort, time, talents and provisions are highly appreciated. God knows how big our hearts is be in service with his ministry and Church. Indeed having this family-based church is more than enough of all the  blessings God has given us. Coming up with this post inspire me to share how Proud I am to be part of this great Family. Now, I know inspite of what is happening in my life, the lost that I have was filled by all my brothers and sisters in this church. Thanks to Pastor Josiah Tan and Mam Mary Gay Tan for being there always, both of you are gifts of person from God that help me a better person and strong enough to face life challenges. 

Let me share as what Pastor Josiah Tan quoted via mobile in his status, "To GOD b d Glory!!! 11th years ago on d 3rd Sunday of August 2002, officially IMMANUEL CHRISTIAN FELLOWSHIP of GENSAN, was organized n had there 1st Worship Celebration in Maruz Subd. Mabuhay Rd. San Isidro, GSC, with Rev. Joanie Sumagaysay as der 1st Pastor till of May 31,2004. On June 2004 till present, I became der Pastor together w/ my wife n Kaye, serving d Immanuel Family! GOD s doin great things in d Ministry n I thank GOD for d Leaders He used in Advancing His Kingdom... Thank u Lord for all d Great n Amazing Things u done w/ d ICF. It will b a Year of Abundance!!! Happy 11th Church Anniversary..."

ALL ABOUT ICF

Three Sunday Worship Celebrations

We give importance to the next generation so we also have 2 KIDS Church Celebrations and Sunday School classess at 8:00 A.M. and 10:00 A.M

The iConnect, our Youth Group Fellowship, meets at 2:00 P.M. every Saturday.

Small groups for men, women, and yuppies take place during the week.

We also meet up every Wednesday for the Prayer Meeting at 7:00 P.M

Immanuel Institute every Saturday at 7:30 P.M. Be in learning and in knowledge as what the Bible says.

The perfection of Christian character depends wholly upon the grace and strength found alone in God. Being a Christian is more than just an instantaneous conversion - it is a daily process whereby you grow to be more and more like Christ. The Word of God well understood and religiously obeyed is the shortest route to spiritual perfection. And we must not select a few favorite passages to the exclusion of others. Nothing less than a whole Bible can make a whole Christian.

THIS IS ALL ABOUT YOU LORD! WE BRING BACK ALL THE GLORY AND PRAISE TO OUR GOD ALMIGHTY! 

"From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work."-Ephesians 4:16

When Your FAITH is Tested

Just when things couldn't possibly get worse, they do. Just when we set our expectations in life, the unexpected happens. Whether storms in life come out of nowhere, or we saw them coming all along, we struggle to hold on to our faith. When we have no strength to carry on, when disappointment and discouragement take hold of us, we find that our only way through it all depends upon our faith. We find our faith being tested as we endure suffering that may be physical, mental, social, financial, or all of them combined.

 I was once asked by a friend, says  "What was the difference between my life before and my life now as a believer?" She's pointing out with regards to trials and test of faith happening in my life now and then. I answered her, "Looking back where I was before, I have all what I got but the happiness, peace and contentment that I have now is all I got and still choose to be with my choice now." Every problem and troubling situation believers face in this life is allowed by God  for a specific purpose. We may be tested with trials and tribulations in life, when you focus on the fear and the "what if's", then you draw that energy to you. Like attracts like. Sit with your fear. Acknowledge it. Then take away it's power by filling your heart with love and abundance. Every day we must make choices that test our faith.  Do we make the easy choice of passing by the person in need, or do we take the narrow gate of helping the person who can never repay us?
Sometimes when difficult things come into our lives, we wonder why. Though we must be willing to trust and obey even if we don’t know why or aren't given that answer for some time, we do need to distinguish between tempting and testing. The testing of our faith is part of the refining process that continues within the Christian throughout his earthly sojourn. When we first become Christians, we are like babies, who need to be nurtured and strengthened until we become spiritually mature, fully equipped to do every good work.
The test of faith is the devil trying to steal your faith. The devil wants you to believe something other than God's Word. When my faith is tested, the Lord will help me pass the test. Start with the existence of God. Not in a general, abstract sense, but in the sense that you believe He exists in this situation. In my pain, God is!  In my loneliness, God is!  In my grief, insecurity or rejection, God is. 
I think there is a problem in always thinking of the “testing of our faith” in this way.  Yes, God is still in the business of doing truly supernatural things, but that’s not how life is day to day.  It’s also important to realize that many times we put our faith in some good outcome we want, but not something that God has actually promised.  If we put our faith in a supernatural outcome that God hasn't promised to us (that new job, a healed loved one, an answered prayer), what happens when the job doesn't come, or when the loved one dies, or the prayer you have been asking for was not answered? Even in the great faith chapter in Hebrews, it speaks of people being tortured, dying, and even “not receiving what was promised.”

I have gone into a lot of test of faith, if I only have a faith with no foundation and God is not with me... I don't know where am I now. People see me happy, but behind that is a woman of strength who have gone a lot of rough roads in life. No regrets! Those test have made me a better person and a new one. I am fortunate that God has given me the chance to experience and feel how I was loved by Him unconditionally. 
I am happy with my life now...so whatever I may encounter in the coming days, or a storm is passing through my life, it could be worse but I know it will get better. Stay strong, focus on what you can do, not what you cannot. Knowing by faith that God will not fail you.

"For when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be strong in character and ready for anything." - James 1:3-4

Being a Parent

Motherhood is a choice you make everyday to put someone else's happiness and well-being ahead of your own to teach the hard lessons to do the right thing even when you're not sure what the right thing is... and to forgive yourself over and over again for doing everything wrong.
Being a parent means putting your selfish wants behind you and sacrificing everything you love for your child! A parent means praying your children will grow, while wishing they could stay little forever. Part of being a parent means keeping a smile on your face regardless of how much you may be falling apart inside. 
Regardless of how fantabulous you are at child-rearing, every mother, single or not, worries about their children. Am I raising them right? Am I teaching them the things they need to know to do well in the world? Am I a good mom? Do not ask that your kids live up to your expectations.  Let your kids be who they are, and your expectations will be in breathless pursuit. If you think that being a great parent requires a limitless amount of patience, you are wrong. You need more than that. Raising a family is difficult enough. But it's even more difficult for single parents struggling to make ends meet. They don't need more obstacles. They need more opportunities. Don't handicap your children by making their lives easy. Nothing you do for children is ever wasted. They seem not to notice us, hovering, averting our eyes, and they seldom offer thanks, but what we do for them is never wasted.  

They need your presence far more than any gifts you might buy for them. Children need quality time. You have to avail yourself to them as much as possible. 
I know its hard being a single mother but I'd rather do it by myself than with someone who doesn't want to. Our attitude towards what has happened to us in life is the important thing to recognize. Once hopeless, my life is now hope-full, but it did not happen overnight. The last of human freedoms, to choose one's attitude in any given set of circumstances, is to choose one's own way. 
Remember to pray always and seek the guidance of God who so loves you and your precious children. Note that before God you and your children are the apple of His eyes.
My promise to my Kids: I am not your friend. I am your Mother. I will stalk you, flip out on you, lecture you, drive you insane, be your worst nightmare & hunt you down like a bloodhound when needed because I LOVE YOU! When you understand that, I will know you are a responsible adult. You will never find someone who loves, prays, cares and worries about you more than I do!

"Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it." - Proverbs 22:6

Up to singing again...

August is here. My first post for this month. I guess this is a long overdue, I should have my first post the first day of the month, but I got mood swings that I couldn't  come out of something to post. But I need to keep this page going, so let me share what I'm up to for the past few days. I'm into singing again!!! Whoaa!! But not in the sense of solo singing, 'coz I don't have that much talent of singing on stage. I was glad that I have joined group singing in preparation for our church Thanksgiving Anniversary this month. Indeed I enjoy it and at the same time waking up those sleeping vocal chords once again.  It has been 15 years since the last time I joined a Music Ministry. I love singing, I love music, and Thank God music loves me too. 

Who would say that my type of music is rock? Well that was before. Remembering Sebastian Bach not Johann but of Skid Row, Mark Slaughter, Motley Crue, Guns n' Roses, Nirvana, Kirk Hammet and a lot from rock music. I almost remember getting in love with Sebastian Bach, that was crazy of me and now I couldn't imagine having that thought again. My renewal was blessing to me, such a grace that with me alone, I can't do it but with God's grace I was transformed. And now I loved singing for the Lord. 

I can’t express this enough. Singing is a very physical activity. You must be energized and excited about what you’re doing or else it lacks passion (and it’s flat!). Singing with energy helps you hit higher notes and helps keep the sound out of the throat. Allow yourself to get excited before singing…and believe what you're singing. Singing should feel like speaking.There should be no pressing, tension, straining, reaching, or grabbing when vocally active. These sensations usually happen when we try to force the sound out of us. If you’re not able to sing something, try to bring it back to speech first. You’d be surprised how easy that high “C” can be when you speak it.

I once read a quote that has stuck with me for years. It was something along the lines of, “that which comes closest to expressing the inexpressible is music.” Music is a form of expression. It’s alive and has a great ability to influence listeners. But that’s only true when you believe what you’re singing. Try to connect to the song through some personal life experience and see how alive the music you’re singing becomes. The joy is actually in the music. It's the music that supports you and tells you what to do. It tells you how to fill the music. You don't have to be shy about feeling the music when you're singing. If you believe in music—the power of music, the music will support you and take you to another dimension. Life is a musical so sing like no one is listening!

Right now, still we're into practicing and I believed on the day of performance, it will be Majestic. We're going to reap the effort, time and talent we are exerting. We are bless as well for having a very good and with a Godly given talented music Teacher. So remember God respects us when we work, but God Loves us when we Sing!

My lips will shout for joy, when I sing praises to you; my soul also, which you have redeemed.

Psalm 71:23

Loss of a Loved one...

Are you one of those people who have loss their loved ones not for a moment

but for a lifetime? Have you ever lost someone you love and wanted one more conversation, one more chance to make up for the time when you thought they would be here forever? If so, then you know you can go your whole life collecting days, and none will outweigh the one you wish you had back. I came to this post which inspires me to write about losing a loved one, what I mean death of a loved one. I just came from a funeral which touches my heart most as I saw someone who cried so hard as the departed person was about to bury down it's pit. The thought came to me, how does it feels after sending someone you loved for the last time, then go back to your place where you can see all the memories of in every corner of your place.I just can't imagined it, but still as I picture it out, my heart breaks. I haven't experience this yet in my life, but I know that my turn of grieving will just come.All of us has one destination, to our God the Father... so we must not be afraid of death. While you still have your gift of life, treasure every moment of it... follow and obey what is written for you to be ready anytime that your borrowed life will come to a point that we have to return it to the rightful owner. 

Every one of us is losing something precious to us. Lost opportunities, lost possibilities, feelings we can never get back again. That’s part of what it means to be alive. Because God is never cruel, there is a reason for all things. We must know the pain of loss; because if we never knew it, we would have no compassion for others, and we would become monsters of self-regard, creatures of unalloyed self-interest. The terrible pain of loss teaches humility to our prideful kind, has the power to soften uncaring hearts, to make a better person of a good one. It’s the emotional suffering you feel when something or someone you love is taken away. The more significant the loss, the more intense the grief will be. You may associate grief with the death of a loved one, which is often the cause of the most intense type of grief but any loss can cause grief. Feeling sad, frightened, or lonely is a normal reaction to loss. Crying doesn't mean you are weak. You don’t need to “protect” your family or friends by putting on a brave front. Showing your true feelings can help them and you.                 

 

When those you love die, the best you can do is honor their spirit for as long as you live. You make a commitment that you're going to take whatever lesson that person was trying to teach you, and you make it true in your own life... it's a positive way to keep their spirit alive in the world, by keeping it alive in yourself. It's only after we've lost everything that we're free to do anything. Although it’s difficult today to see beyond the sorrow, by looking back in memory help comfort you tomorrow. 

Your grief is your own, and no one else can tell you when it’s time to “move on” or “get over it.” Let yourself feel whatever you feel without embarrassment or judgment. It’s okay to be angry, to yell at the heavens, to cry or not to cry. It’s also okay to laugh, to find moments of joy, and to let go when you’re ready. There is no right or wrong time frame for grieving. How long it takes can differ from person to person. Don’t grieve. Anything you lose comes round in another form. Eventually, everything goes away. I guess by now I should know enough about loss to realize that you never really stop missing someone-you just learn to live around the huge gaping hole of their absence.

As ones said "The most beautiful people I've known are those who have known trials, have known struggles, have known loss, and have found their way out of the depths." and as Mahatma Gandhi says  “You don't know who is important to you until you actually lose them.” 

So while we have all the chances in this world to spend more time with people someone we loved, important to us, people part of our life... we must not waste every minute of our time. We never know how much time do we have to stay here on earth, so live...forgive...accept...treasure...spend...value...and loved every moment or chance that you have. Don't wait for the time when you say it's too late...

 “Those who walk uprightly enter into peace; they find rest as they lie in death.” - Isaiah 57:2