Victorious Day!

The old is gone!

[Water Baptism today]

Couple's Testimony

We all love those testimony on how God answers our prayers and here is ours just right before our wedding in 2009.

My-then-boyfriend and I agreed that the long wait is over. Yeap, it was a mature decision on both parties minus the kneeling-down-marriage proposal scene. It was the year of our 12th year anniversary and the year we have agreed, as young adults, to graduate from our boyfriend-girlfriend relationship to finally seal the deal and vow to take each other for the rest of our lives. We aimed for a big wedding! We felt that we owe it to ourselves to have a grand wedding since it was freaking 12 years of togetherness and everyone seems to be waiting for it! Besides we can afford a mid-scale celebration because both of us are earning enough to save for something more festive. However, it was also the year of recession...

Just imagine the day my fiance, had to face me and be the bearer of bad news that despite his skills at work their office had to let go half of their personnel because they could no longer afford it and he was included. Will there be any more wedding to look forward to after such news?

Of course! 


After recovering from the bad news, we as a couple went back to the drawing board and we started to take on a new mantra -- "by faith" in God this will happen. I would remember the first time I showed the projected expenses to my groom, I already revised it cutting all expenses into something sensible still his highblood shoots up. Worries filled his mind being a firm believer that the man should be the provider for his family. I felt sorry for him and reminded him that those things on the list doesn't really matter because at the end of the day all I really wanted was to be one with him. So as much as we wanted to share the event to all the people who became part of our love story, we kept it simple and intimate but maintaining the class and elegance our money could afford.


But what a wonderful sight to see that God actually use this momentous event to move people and become a channel of his blessings to us. We didn't asked much, we asked only what we needed but people wanted to be involved! It was such amazing sight to see unfold. It was September when we all hit by Ondoy, tragic as it is for all but it was also the que for the blessing to come in right in time for us in giving our reservations to our suppliers. I got my Christmas bonus early as the government mandated the companies to release it to help out people from the last storm. One of our principal sponsor in abroad send out a generous amount of money covering the whole reception expenses. Another sponsor taking the tab for the groom's ensemble, another one providing the bride's transpo, churchmate guests chipping in for the wedding cake, my brother lending his talents for a creative wedding souvenir, his brother adding lechon to our menu. What else could we asked, more than the basic has been taken cared off. If that wasn't enough, it was also this time that my fiance got a new job!

Memories of 6th December, 2009

Soon, our Dec 6 wedding came despite the knowledge of some colleagues... it was one of the happiest and blessed day of our life together. To see the people come together and be witness of our union as husband and wife under God's blessing.

Old Ways

As we wrap up our One 2 One tomorrow night, I was asked to reflect on this:

Life before Christ and life now that I am with Christ

Thought that it will also be nice to share it with you, to show you how God has changed me. 

My yearbook grad in highschool describes me as headstrong -- back then this is so true! I don't have neutral grounds for myself. My yes is totally YES and my no is definitely NO. It became more evident when I started going out with a nice guy and it became an issue that paggusto ko kahit parang imposible, nagagawan ko ng paraan pero pag-ayaw ko indi na ko mapilit. One of which is turning him down every time he invites me to go to church with him. 

I like to read and write. I even became editor-in-chief of the school organ. And because I know how to use words, I also know how to use them to hurt other people. My parents would say that I'm pilosopo or bagay kang mag-abogado. That's how decisive I am and I own up to being a bratinella. It was so easy for me to be one as I grew up in the height of our family business. I don't smoke and don't drink simply because I was too afraid to the possibility of what else I could do with the influence of alcohol. I can pretty much loosen up without it so I was always hesitant to try 'em out cause I don't want to go out of my wits. So I always feel superior over others because of this choice. I thought I was pretty mature for my age and was doing my own thing as I graduated at the top of my class but the problem is I don't listen. I was very adamant in seeking advice of those older than me. I would thought they are always talking crap and just using their age for power tripping.

When I began college, the seed deep down inside my heart to seek God started to sprout but I'm not yet aware of it. I became aloof to people and didn't like to make new friends. An achiever that I was, I became more frustrated and disappointed with myself not getting honors at the end of each semester. Somehow I was unfocused all through out my college years, losing my identity because for the past 15 years I labeled my very own self as intelligent since I always end at the top of the class with very little effort. Studying is natural to me - I read, I write, I'm good at memorizing. I passed college alright having good grades with my major subject but I was beating myself up for not living up to the academic standards I have set out for myself. Then series of mishap seem to happen when I started working: our business going down, me being sexually harassed by a relative, not getting my dream job, losing all our asset including the house I grew up in. Year after year, my heart hardens from all the disappointments. As my sole defense to toughen for the next year, I psyche myself to fight harder. I'm not going give up, no way!

But when my mom died due to kidney disease, it started to become clear to me. It did not happen overnight but that was the catalyst of the real change in my life. I started looking for the real answers. Amidst the not too-perfect-to-my-standard life, God actually placed people in stand by that would help me find Him. Parang chess kung iisipin, pinuwesto Nya na yung mga piyesa Nya, nag-iintay na lang mag-mate at talo na ko! Hahaha :) When I started searching for Him, indi ako nahirapan. I didn't look far. He gave me a man, who was with me all throughout these years reminding me to go to church. 

All the bad things that happened to me -- from the academic meltdown to the death of a beloved was to strip me from notion that I am the master of my fate. It was a series of events that I had to go through that I may fully realize that I do not own my life... 

In 2008, I was baptised a few days short to my 27th birthday. It was the best birthday gift ever! Imagine that I graduated highschool in 1998...it took almost 10 years before I gave up my stubborn self!!! See how patient our Lord is!? Kung iba lang siguro yan they would already gave up but He was so patient waiting for me to surrender to Him and acknowledge that He is sovereign over my life. That only through Him I could truly be happy and be successful! Circumstances didn't became alright in an instant but the burden is so much lighter for I have God that I could barely feel the heavy load. But in time, His blessings started pouring in. With His grace and provisions, I am just overwhelmed!

As for the Bratinella Sassy -- I became more calm, graceful with my words and now I just found out how beneficial listening is. At work, I would do my programming codes while instead of listening to mp3s I listen to the past preaching from our church podcast. Before I talk because I want the spotlight but now I listen so I would understand. I listen before speaking to make sure what I would say would be from God that it maybe heard. I'm still chatty at home with my now-husband (kilig!) but we chat on how God is teaching us with our married life. I no longer depend on my own strengths but now I know that I can do all things through Him who strengthens me (Philippians 4:13)

Every Pound

Just came back from an evening jog, I downloaded some old podcast to listen to while I run my laps at Boni High Street. It said that we should honor our God in everything we do. He wants to be part of our whole life -- every aspect of it.

So enough with the excuses already: I'm really too lazy to exercise and to control my cravings. It is so much easier to grab junk food and c'mon [Selecta] ice cream has been accessible more than ever! So it has been very difficult for me not to give in to this weakness. It is mindless munching especially whenever I think in work. It doesn't help pa that other people around me also like to eat. Kahit my biggest loser challenge pa sa team in the office with penalty for Php 100.00 gained.

So silly as it may sound, I've been praying for the Lord to help me with the weight loss battle! Promise... I was hoping to lose the 40 lbs to return to the ideal weight for my height. Not too much for vanity (mga 10% lang for that reason) but moreso that I may have the energy to do God's work. Keep up with the assignments He will send my way. 

As I reflect on the podcast I was listening to - I will honor my God with every pound that I'm gonna lose! This would be my mantra, my battle cry as I work my way to healthier life before I turn 30 this year. Sorry kung mababaw for others but this is a personal struggle that I have been working on since I started to gain weight and I feel that I am working against what He designed me to be with all this extra pounds I have.

I think it would go hand in hand with the spiritual strengthening I am getting from my church. Plus, it is starting to become a thing for me and my hubby as we spend time together doing exercises together instead of just being binge buddies.

Let's do this my Lord!

All Single Ladies

A couple of weeks ago, I was brushing my hair and was praying at the same time (preparing to go to Church for our Saturday Service).

Dear Lord, How come I am the only one married in the circle of ladies I have in my life?

I've been married for more than a year now to my beau of 12 years (since 4th year highschool) and I am starting to wonder how come all my closest lady friends are either NBSB or came out from a bad break up. Then God revealed to me that afternoon that one of my assignment is to share His promises to these ladies. I was a bit shaken to actually receive my assignment while doing such mundane thing in mid-afternoon. Iba talaga si God, parang naiimagine ko lang si Nanay na tinatawag ako at may pinapakuha sa akin bago umalis. Parang ganun lang yung pagkakautos Nya sa akin but with a delighted heart I beam with joy that He revealed His plan to me.

Since then, I prayed to the Lord to give me guidance and open opportunities for me to reach out. That through me, He will use me to send His message to those who need it. And tomorrow is my "first day of work". At dinner, I will meet up with 2 of my office friends to discuss the first 3 Chapters of the book:

Available at OMFLit.com

Hubby and I bought this book as a gift to one of them and I am planning to buy more for the other single lady friends. I'll keep you posted.

-- SAS'Y

Start Anew

I've created blogs before but after awhile I would stop blogging... Most of the time I could no longer gather my thoughts -- my rants, my accomplishment, my failure, my life. Notice the "MY" ? No wonder I run out of things to write. But now I'm writing not to share about myself but the life I am living under Jesus' plan.

He has been good to me despite my shortcomings that I could no longer stop myself from writing about His unwavering love and unmeasurable grace...I OVERFLOW because of this!

I'm not writing to preach, let the preachers do that. I will write so I could share how great our God is that even in our "normal" daily living He is there watching over us (even at times, we don't feel like it).

I don't want to raise debate or doubts either. This is my personal encounter of Jesus, our Savior. My personal account so I will stand steadfast to anyone who might judge or otherwise question the validity of these experiences.

I am not perfect that's for sure but I love Jesus...I want to know Him, build a relationship with Him... and if ever you are reading this, I hope you would also want to know Him too!

Welcome to iOverflow!

-- SAS'Y