How the Tornado Strengthened My Son's Faith

Contrary to my recent post about ordinary weekends, last weekend was anything BUT ordinary. 
 

My husband and I were on our way home when my 8-year old son called my husband's mobile phone.  His opening line was "Mom! So grabe what happened to us!" I was not alarmed. At least not yet. I just asked "Why? what happened to you?"   Then he said "Well, I was playing Wii in the room and the TV suddenly shut down. I went out of the room and checked the big window [from our hall].  Then I saw a tornado coming towards our house!"  I was a little concerned but I thought 'it could not have been a tornado!' So I prodded further and asked "Who were you with and what did you do?" Then he said "I was with Dawn (my 5-year old daughter) and we called Yaya". Then the three of us hid behind the door of your room because the roof of the basketball court behind us was already flying into the tornado." Okay. That got my attention. And it made me want to be home with my children as fast as I can.

To my knowledge, it is the first time a tornado in this scale has ever hit Manila. Seeing the uprooted trees and fallen posts outside our house was surreal. I could not believe this happened in our city. Floods are frequent and we even prepare ourselves for possible earthquakes. But a tornado is not in the list of natural disasters that we worry about in Manila. The videos that were recorded look like clips from a movie. It was unbelievable.

The tornado has definitely hit Manila big time. But in our own little world, the big tornado was also a big God encounter for our little boy.  You see, a few nights ago while we were having our family Bible study, Troy told us that sometimes he wonders whether God is indeed real. He said it's not always easy for him to believe because he cannot see God. Dennis and I assured him that we understood his concerns. We explained that this is where faith comes in. We told him how answered prayers are God's ways of showing us that He is real. Our son did not look convinced but he said okay. Then we prayed together and Troy prayed that God will help him believe. It's an ironic prayer but isn't that the same prayer uttered by the father of the little sick boy in the book of Mark? "Lord, help me overcome my unbelief"

Then last weekend's tornado happened. That same night, as we were about to sleep, we stayed in bed talking about the tornado. Dawn said "It's the worst day ever!". Then Troy said "You know, Dawn, it's the worst day ever but it's also the happiest day ever!". So I asked him why he said that. He said "Because, mom, Dawn and I could have been hurt by the tornado but we weren't. That makes this the happiest day ever, right?" And I said "You're actually right! Okay, so let's just call this the happiest day ever then".  Then he said "You know, when I saw the tornado coming towards our house. I was thinking the glass in our window will not be strong enough to protect us. But I was not so afraid. I felt that God was like a force field there protecting us."  And right there and then, my son encountered our God, His protector.
 

That night, the tornado cut through the power lines so we did not have electricity. When we got home, my daughter asked if we can pray for the electricity to be restored.  In our prayer, my son said "Lord, please please restore our electricity even while we are praying". I had to do a double prayer to ask God to please please answer his prayer so that he won't be disappointed. But our prayer concluded and the electricity did not come back.

Before we slept, my son prayed his usual bedtime prayer. He thanked God for protecting our family and prayed that nobody got hurt. Then, to my surprise, he thanked God for restoring the electricity.  After he prayed, I asked why he thanked God for restoring the electricity when it clearly hasn't happened yet. Then he said "It's okay. I know God heard us and He will bring back the electricity later". I hugged and kissed him. And tears filled my eyes. I knew God has awakened the faith of our little boy.

 

The tornado last weekend may have uprooted our trees, destroyed our roof, and cut off our electricity. But we will not allow it to destroy our faith. As Genesis 50:20 says "You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives."

Amen. Thank you, Lord

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Thank God in Faith

Two years ago, Dens and I have decided that since we're spending a lot of time studying the Bible with our friends, why not schedule a weekly Bible study with our kids too. (Check out this old post about our Bible study routine here).  We are not so rigid with our routine and usually forego the opening prayer and just do a closing prayer before we sleep. But what we try to always incorporate is our thanksgiving time.

 

During our recent Bible studies, I have seen some improvement in how the kids share their praises.  Up until last year, it was almost always 'I thank God for my family' or 'I thank God for papa/mommy' which are not bad things to thank God for, but they were very general praises. We have been encouraging them to be more specific with their thanksgiving by also being specific with ours. For example I would say 'I thank God I was able to spend time watching Peppa Pig with Troy this morning on our way to school. I super enjoyed laughing so hard together on the funny parts'. And these days they would also share more specific things like 'I thank God I was able to score a goal during soccer practice today' or 'I thank God I was able to eat ice cream with sprinkles yesterday. 

 

Last Wednesday, during our Bible study, Dens shared how happy he was that he was able to have a half-day date with Dawn that day. They went to the grocery together, ate ice cream, and checked out some new cars in a showroom. Then during Dawn's time to share, she said "I thank God for my super fun date with papa and I also thank God for the super fun date I will have with mommy" When I heard this, I reiterated my promise to schedule a date with her and we started talking about what we wanted to do on our date. But more importantly, I realized how Dawn thanked the Lord for something that has yet to happen.

 

Isn't that what faith is all about? Trusting the Lord means thanking God in faith for things that have yet to happen.  So long as we are praying in line with God's promises in the Bible, then we can already thank God in advance. God never breaks his promises and we can rest in the assurance that when He says He has a great plan for our life, He really does! When He asks us to trust Him, it means that we can REALLY trust Him. He will not fail us.

 

Matthew 18:3 says "And he said: "Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven." The truth is, we almost always overthink God's promises. Logic tells us that miracles are impossible in this day and age, but God says BELIEVE. How about we try having childlike faith instead and see where that faith brings us? I challenge you to study God's word and claim His promises. Then thank Him in faith for the wonderful future that He has in store for you.

 

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Circle Maker Series: Experiencing the Breakthrough

I want to close our Circle Maker Series by sharing a story about breaking the sound barrier as shared in the Circle Maker book.

 

photo source

In the world of aviation, the sound barrier was once considered the unbreakable barrier. Many engineers believed that Mach 1 (the speed of sound) represented an impenetrable wall of air, and dozens of pilots who died trying to break the barrier solidified that belief. At low speeds, the shock waves are a non-factor, but as an aircraft reaches higher speeds, new aerodynamics is introduced.  When a plane approaches the speed of sound (or Mach 1), shock waves increase and cause the pilots to lose control. The buildup of air pressure in front of the aircraft causes a wave drag.  And because the air on top of the wing is traveling faster than air on the bottom, it basically results in a catastrophic nosedive.  The British, among others, put a hold on their attempt to break the sound barrier when their prototype self-destructed at Mach .94

But that did not keep a young American pilot named Chuck Yeager from attempting the impossible. On October 14, 1947, a four-engine B29 took off from the California desert.  As his plane hit Mach .965, the speed indicator went haywire. At Mach .995, the g-force blurred his vision and turned his stomach. Then, just as it seemed as if the plane would disintegrate, there was a loud sonic boom followed by an almost instantaneous and eerie silence. As the plane crossed the sound  barrier, 761 miles per hour, the air pressure shifted from the front of the plane to the back.  The shock waves that had buffeted the cockpit turned into a sea of glass.  Yeager reached Mach 1.07 before cutting his engines and coming back down to earth. The unbreakable barrier had been broken.

Just as there is the sound barrier, there is also the faith barrier. That is the point where we have seemingly reached a wall in our spiritual journey. The point when we start to feel that our prayers are not going anywhere. Breaking the faith barrier often times feels like breaking the sound barrier.  Difficult to almost impossible. 

If we want to experience supernatural breakthroughs, we need to pray through. It may often feel like we are about to lose control and things are falling apart, but that is when we need to press further and pray harder. If you allow disappointments and doubts to stop you from praying through, then we experience a nosedive in our spiritual journey and our dreams end there.

If you want to experience a Supernatural breakthrough, you need to pray through

Do not give up. If there is one thing that we need to remember from the Circle Maker series is that giving up on prayer should never be an option. You never know when you're just a prayer away from the promise. 
 

Just like the story of Chuck Yeager, we need to wait for that ‘Sonic Boom’ experience in our spirits.  It may be the moment when the Lord answers your prayer or the moment when we have peace knowing that our prayers are in the Lord’s hands and will be answered in His perfect time. That is the moment when your frustrations turn into quiet confidence.  That is when we know we have experienced a breakthrough.

 

As we enter the holiday season, remember that the best gift that you can give yourself is the gift of hope. Prayer develops our faith, and with faith comes a renewed sense of hope. Never give up on the Lord, because He will never give up on you.

 

Romans 12:12 "Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer"

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Circle Maker Series: Step Into Your Next Miracle

 Are you still waiting for that miracle you have been praying for? Let me fill you in on a little secret I discovered recently. Some miracles require a step of faith. 

 

Allow me to explain. Remember the Israelites? They have been walking around for 40 years and have not reached their destination. When they finally reached the land that the Lord has promised them, there was a problem. A huge wall protected it. God tasked them to take a step of faith. Circle the wall for seven days. After they obeyed, the miracle happened. The wall fell and they were able to conquer the land. But you know what? They already had some practice as far as stepping into a miracle is concerned.

 

Joshua 3:11-16

 

Look, the Ark of the Covenant, which belongs to the Lord of the whole earth, will lead across the Jordan River. Now choose twelve men from the tribes of Israel, one from each tribe.  The priests will carry the Ark of the Lord, the Lord of all the earth. As soon as their feet touch the water, the flow of water will be cut off upstream, and the river will stand up like a wall."

 

So the people left their camp to cross the Jordan, and the priests who were carrying the Ark of the Covenent went ahead of them.  It was the harvest season, and the Jordan was overflowing its banks. But as soon as the feet of the priests who were carrying the Ark touched the water at the river's edge, the water above that point began backing up a great distance away at a town called Adam, which is near Zarethan.  And the water below that point flowed on to the Dead Sea until the riverbed was dry.  Then all the people crossed over near the town of Jericho.

 

Now let's focus on the Lord's instruction in verse 13. He asked that the priests get their feet wet in order for the water to part. Don't we often want it to happen the other way around? "Lord, part the waters first before I will step in!" We lack the courage to obey before the Lord shows us a clear way.

 

God required a step of faith from the priests. A lot of times, He also requires the same from us before our miracle happens. Have you been asking for a friend's healing? Well, pray over that person. Take a step of faith. What has the Lord been prompting you to do lately? Listen carefully and obey. It is often our unwillingness to take a step of faith that prevents us from reaching the miracle we have been asking for.

 

The Israelites were just a river away from the promised land. Had the priests not taken that step of faith, they will not have been able to conquer God's blessing.

 

Here's something from the book that I want to share with you. "Some people spend their entire lives on the eastern shore of the Jordan waiting for God to part the river while God waits for them to get their feet wet. We're so close to the dream, so close to the promise, so close to the miracle. But we aren't willing to get our feet wet"

 

Think about it. What has God been asking you to do? Are you willing to get your feet wet? Are you willing to take that step of faith? Obey.  You may only be a step away into your next miracle.

 

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How My Daughter Stopped to Thumbsuck

Dawn practically came out of the womb with her thumb in her mouth.  She loved to thumbsuck!  When she was less than a year old, most of our friends who see her thumbsuck would always tell me that babies who thumbsuck are 'good babies'. While it may be an old folklore, I guess it also stemmed from the fact that they are easily soothed and therefore cry less.

When Dawn turned two and the habit continued, I started to get a little concerned. I read some articles and got tips from friends whose children overcame this habit. From putting vinegar or chili on her thumb (both of which i did not dare try) to putting a band-aid around her finger. The latter, of course, did not work because she can easily remove it.

Three years later and we were still thumbsucking. I got more concerned because her thumb was developing marks and her teeth were already being pushed forward. I tried negotiating with her and even offering to give her prizes if she can go overnight without thumbsucking (i know it's not the best parenting trick but i was desperate). All of which did not work.

When January 2015 rolled in, I made a list of my faith goals for this year. Similar to when i prayed for Troy's leg healing in 2013.  Among other goals was for Dawn to stop this bad habit.  I knew it was impossible to curb this habit without the Lord's help. 

When Dawn was about to turn four in February, she went to visit her dentist, who also happens to be my sister-in-law.  When she came home, she told me that her aunt explained what will happen to her teeth when she thumbsucked.  So I explained that her aunt was right and how she might get crooked teeth if she does not stop. Then she asked how crooked teeth looked like. So i pulled up some google images of crooked teeth to show her and she was horrified! And you know what, she stopped thumbsucking that very night! I could not believe it. God answered my faith goal in just one month!

Four years of my own efforts proved useless compared to one powerful prayer lifted in faith. The Lord does amazing things. It's been three months now and we're 99% thumbsuck-free. I say 99% because Dawn sometimes forget so we need to constantly remind her. She would usually quickly remove her thumb and say sorry.

What is your parenting struggle now? I still have a long list but I can rest in the assurance that my God is bigger than my struggles. What a great comfort for us parents that we can lean on a mighty Father who loves our kids even more than we do. Whatever it is that you're struggling with, lift it up to the Lord. He is just a prayer away.

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Five Tips for Your First Run #NikeWeRunManila

Last Saturday I finally did my first 10k! Read about my journey towards this milestone first if you haven't. Running a 10k was part of my faith goals this year and I can't believe I was able to accomplish it before the half of the year. Praise God for the strength and determination He has given me. 

I finished the race in 1 hour and 19 minutes. I'm very happy with my time considering it's my first 10k. I will definitely join more 10k runs this year and improve my time before moving to longer races.

We got to the race area in Filinvest around 6:30pm and had dinner at the nearby McDonald's. Our goal was to stop eating two hours before the race to avoid running on a full stomach. While I am no expert, I'd like to share a few things that I learned throughout my personal training for this 10k.

10,000 Women

1. Hydration is Key
 

Remember what happened to me when I ran my first 5k in the gym? I almost fainted because of heat and dehydration. I realized later on that I need to drink as much as I can before the run. We usually only remember to drink after exercising when we're already exhausted. On race day, I always stop drinking an hour to an hour and a half before gun start. This way i can avoid toilet breaks during the run that will just add to my time. 

2. Be Consistent in your Training

 
When I started running I could barely run 1k continuously. I persevered by consistently running two to three times a week in the gym. I increased my distance every two weeks to avoid injuries. Strength training, they say, is also very important. I stopped doing yoga last January but intend to practice again next month to build up on my strength.

Fireworks before gun start

3. Entertain Yourself

Fatigue aside, a lot of times i stop running because I get bored. Especially when you're training on the treadmill or running the same route regularly, there will be no new sights to see and after a while it will get boring. Personally, I enjoy listening to podcast and music when I run. I know a lot of professional runners say it's better not to listen to anything and be aware of your surroundings. I admire people who can do that but it's really not for me. I need to be entertained and forget the time while I am running. Of course you need to make sure you are running on a safe path and not have your music too loud that you do not hear incoming cars.

I always ensure I download the songs and podcast prior to my run to avoid internet connection problems during the race. When i run on the treadmill, I also enjoy watching light movies or fun TV show like Ellen DeGeneres or Friends to while away the time. 

4. Practice with your Gears

I will share about the gears that I use for running in my succeeding posts. From running shoes to hydration bottles. It is important for you to use them during your practice to get comfortable with it. Don't attempt to change running shoes prior to the race. Run with the shoes that you trained with. 

5. Set a Goal

This is going to be your motivation. My goal this year was to run a 10k in less than 1 hour and 30minutes. I was able to beat my time but next run I am aiming for less than an hour. That's going to be my new target. As they say, you do not necessarily have to race against other runners. You always race against your own personal best.

And that's it. Have fun and maybe i'll see you in the next race!

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Sacrificial Love

I have been sick the past week. I stayed in bed for four whole days and it was just awful most of the time. I say most of the time because I have to admit - this forced rest can be good for me sometimes. I slept for hours guilt-free and spent my waking hours watching the kids play on one side of the room, catching up on the telenovelas that i've missed and reading my Bible. But the stomach cramps and the endless throwing up was just a pain (literally and figuratively).

During those 4 days, I saw how my two little kids went out of their way to take care of me. My 5-year old diligently got me water, answered phone calls, and fetched things for me from all over the house since i can barely stand most of the time. My 2-year old is a little too small for chores but she did something that also melted my heart. If you have been reading this blog the past week, you would have read about my clingy little girl whose daily plea was to stick with me. On Day 3 of my house arrest, my daughter contacted fever. Since we knew my immune system was down, we didn't want to risk contaminating each other with whatever virus each of us had.  After waking up from her nap and discovering her high temperature, my daughter called me from her brother's room. This was how our conversation went.

Me: Hello?
Dawn: Hello, Mom?
Me: Hi Dawnie!
Dawn: Mom, i have fever so i can't go to your room.
Me: Aww...okay anak.
Dawn:  I'll just drink medicine so that i will feel better, okay?
Me: Okay
Dawn (almost in tears): I miss you, Mommy!

If you know my daughter, you will know how much of a sacrifice this was for her. When she woke up middle of that night (usually to breastfeed), i went to her bed. Then i told her i cannot feed her tonight. She just said 'Embrace only, Mommy'.  And embrace her i did. In tears.

Looking at all the things my two kids did for me during my 4-day confinement made all those days sacrificing my own enjoyment for them oh-so-worth it.  As young as they are, they understood the meaning of sacrificial love.

This made me think of a lot of Christians these days. A lot of us go through life without appreciating the sacrifice that Jesus Christ did on the cross for us. We know it happened. We know what it was for. But the level of appreciation it commands just isn't there.  I have been reading the book of Matthew the past weeks and it was just a wonderful eye opener for me. I cannot imagine how God would sacrifice His own son to die a harsh death just so people who have yet to know and love Him will be saved. Such unconditional, extravagant, sacrificial love.

Think about it. For what the Lord has done for us, how much have we been willing to sacrifice for Him? That 10 minutes of your day to read your Bible and morning devotion? That 5 minutes of prayer time before going to bed? Skipping that telenovela once a week for prayer meeting? Or even the 'humiliation' of raising our hands when we worship Him in church. Remember, the humiliation that Jesus went through for us goes way beyond just raising those hands up.

John 3:16 says "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son. That whosoever believes in Him will not perish but have everlasting life"

On this day of love, i pray that our appreciation of God's sacrifice goes beyond words. May our actions reflect the gratitude in our hearts. He deserves all honor, glory and praise. Thank you, Lord. We love you!

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Do You Know How to Delegate?

Last weekend i found myself in a Strategic Planning seminar. The points that were raised were mostly applicable to organizations - whether it's a business, a church or other non-profit organizations. But when the speaker started talking about delegating, it struck me as a parenting lesson.

Are we, as parents, confident enough to delegate responsibilites to our children? It easier when our children are already adults. We endorse business decisions and other important responsibilities to them. But how about the younger ones? I gues the question we should ask ourselves is "how early should we start delgating responsibilites?"

When we were discussing delation during the seminar, the speaker explained that when we delegate, we must allow for a certain level of risk. But what is important is that the risks associated with the task is calculated. This means that you can easily recoup most of the damage should something go wrong. Likewise, the responsibilites that we delegate to our children should also be calculated based on their age. We give them responsibilites but make sure that it is age appropriate. More importantly, we should also ensure that the consequences of failure will not be life threatening. 

One of the things that Dens and i have recently talked about is allowing our kids to commute in the future. Dens is convinved that he does not want our kids to grow up dependent on private transportation. I agree with Dens 100 percent.  But there is a struggle within this paranoid mommy to allow for them to commute at such a young age.  Perhaps when they're 30?  Okay fine, 25?  I feel like allowing them to commute at a young age is like sending them off to war unprepared.  Dens started to commute when he was in gradeschool and i cannot imagine doing the same for my kids.  I told him maybe the first time Troy or Dawn will take the jeep, i will be trailing behind in our car. Dens didn't find it very funny. Maybe because he knew i was serious.

It's never easy to let go.  When we hold on to these parental responsibilites, our children will grow up in a very sheltered environment that will not allow them to thrive in the real world. It's important that we start delegating small responsibilities to them while they're young. It really does not have to be something big right away. For example, my 2-year old daughter is tasked to always pack her things away after she plays. She also helps me fix things at home and is always reminded to close the door after herself each time she leaves a room.  With my 5-year old, we often remind him to try to do things himself first before asking for help. When we watch movies in our TV room, he has learned to get water by himself.  Most of the time he would even get water for everyone else while he is at it.  Sometimes, other friends and family members would get anxious when they see Troy holding the pitcher because he might drop it and make a mess. For me, that's quite all right. Yes, he may spill the water sometimes but that's part of learning. In fact, he already knows to clean up after himself should that happen...in which case it becomes another teaching opportunity.  Again, the risk involved in the given responsibility is not life threatening so that is fine.

Maybe in a couple of years, i will be braver and allow my children to take the jeep. Until then, we will continue to train them at home and win these small battles. Maybe next time we will be ready for the war.

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Of Soccer Dreams and Faith Goals

Remember one of  my old blog posts about Troy's flat-foot? (Read about it here). Because of it, the ortho-pedia that we met a few years ago told us that Troy should not participate in any sport that involves a lot of running.

Last year when we visited Troy's school, he saw some older kids playing soccer. He told me afterwards that when he grows up, he also wants to play soccer like them. I said 'why not?'.  I know that medically it may seem difficult for Troy to truly be good at soccer because of his foot. But i also believe that God is greater than any medical limitation. For all I know, maybe God introduced us to Dr Kong so that we can start correcting Troy's foot problems early on!

Ever since Troy told me his dream to play soccer, i've added it to my list of faith goals. This concept was shared with me by one of my friends. Unlike the regular goals that we set for ourselves, faith goals are those that are impossible to achieve with our current resources. It is a goal that can only be achieved through faith in the Lord.

I know that Troy's heart's desires may still change. Maybe just six months from now he'd like to play basketball or baseball instead. But either way, i would like him to have the option to play the sport that he loves. This world may give us limitations but we pray to a God who is limitless! Wonderful, isn't it?

Now, what about you? What is your faith goal?

Hebrews 11:1
"Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see"

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The Gift of Heaven

Troy and I had a pretty unusual conversation the other day.

We were watching TV in our bedroom when he suddenly asked me what hell is like. So I told him it's not a nice place. I went on to describe it based on what I know from the Bible but not in so much detail. I told him the worst part about being in hell is that you are not with the Lord. Then he said "I don't want to go to hell, mommy"  I told him he doesn't have to be afraid. I quickly reminded him of how he has already accepted Jesus into his heart (read about that here).  Then he asked  "Am I going to heaven when I'm really really really old already?"  I felt that he is too young to fully grasp the concept of mortality so I didn't want to complicate things. I just said yes.

After that, he went back to watching TV but I saw that he was tearing up. I asked if he was crying. Then he looked at me and said "mommy, i don't want to go to heaven."  This caught me offguard so I asked him what's wrong. He started to cry some more and said "I only want to stay here in the yellow house (that's what we call our house) with you and papa!" Then i started to cry. I told him not to worry about that since we will all be together in heaven when the day comes. That's the gift of eternal life.

I've always heard of 'eternal life' but I honestly didn't really appreciate the concept of living forever.  When I was young, I remember I accepted the Lord just because I didn't want to go to hell. Now that I think about it, heaven is truly a gift, isn't it? It's God's gift for us to live forever in a beautiful place with Him and our saved loved ones.

The more I think about it, the more I am amazed at God's thoughtfulness. He thought of me and all other mothers out there who dread the earthly separation that this life eventually brings. He gave us the option to have our children in heaven with us forever - we just need to share God's wonderful love with them.

Thank you, Lord, for thinking of me and my family. You continue to amaze me! I love you!

Pray with your kids and ask Jesus to come into your hearts and be the Lord of your lives. It's very simple.

Here are some FAQs about salvation http://www.kidsbibleinfo.com/article/131/topics/s/salvation.

Please feel free to leave me a note in the comments section if you have any question. You can include your mobile number or email address and I will be in touch. This is the best gift you can share with your family.

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Weekend Reminder: Have Fun!

Here is a little reminder before you go off the weekend.

We lose the joy of living in the present when we worry about the future

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Jesus in My Heart

The most amazing thing happened last night. My 4-year old son accepted Jesus into his heart as his Lord and Savior. I couldn't be happier!

Several weeks ago, Dennis and I have been talking about sharing the gospel to Troy. We were not sure if he's too young to understand but we tried anyway. I told him that we are all sinners and how Jesus died to save us from our sins. Later on, I asked if he wanted to ask Jesus to come into his heart. He said 'uhm...can we just ask Jesus to come into my room?' ...uh, okay...so that didn't really work. I tried explaining further but he was already distracted.

On most nights, Dens would tell one Bible story to him before bedtime. Sometimes he'd be interested and would ask a lot of questions but there would be nights when he would ask for a different story about superheroes. So we were not really sure how he was taking all these in.

For the past months, I have been worrying so much about where to send Troy to school next year. Throughout my 'journey to the big school', i have learned so many things about parenting and teaching our child about Christ. I learned that his environment (i.e. school, church) may influence him but it is not a sure-fire way to salvation.

That was an eye opener for me.

I wanted assurance that my children will come to know Christ and grow spiritually. I realized that I cannot be passive about it by simply praying that he will be saved. We, as parents, are accountable to God for our childrens' salvation. We need to take that responsibility seriously.

Last night after Troy prayed his bedtime prayer with me, he asked me if Jesus is already in his heart. I responded by asking if he wanted to ask Jesus to come into his heart. And he said yes. So i said 'Do you want to pray with mommy?' He nodded and i asked him to close his eyes and repeat after me. I prayed the sinner's prayer and he carefully repeated every word that i said. I know that some words like 'Savior' and 'Sin' are still too deep for him to fully comprehend but he sincerely prayed with me nonetheless. We prayed that God will help him continue to be a good boy and help him grow in Him. After we prayed, i hugged him and told him how happy I am that he accepted Jesus into his heart. He was also very happy and told even Dens what he did when his father arrived home from prayer meeting. He said 'Papa, you know Jesus is already in my heart!' I was so happy I wanted to cry!

Our task doesn't stop there. Now we will need to guide him to be the kind of person God wants him to be. I pray that Dens and I will be good stewards of this wonderful blessing that our Lord has given us.

We love you, Troy!

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