We both shared this one time when Jeanie was going through a difficult time with her Masteral thesis. We lacked finances, her panel was uncooperative, the PUP GS demanded her of a lot of financial burdens, her parents were unsupportive, we almost got ripped off by cell phone shops, she didn't have a source of income at the time, my salary was lowered because I was transferred to morning shift. We wept, we walked long distances because we can't afford a ride, we prayed at the jeep we cried, and she was on the brink of a nervous breakdown. We were ‘living on a prayer’, to quote Bon Jovi.
All seemed lost and it was the day of her defense, her friends Angelica & Gisele came to her aid, her co-teacher Edward landed her money that was payable when able. A friendship between her and her adviser Dr. Pasumbal blossomed. She was the only one who graduated from her batch. She also got the top grade for that thesis. And the thesis had served as a worthy contribution for the cause of women's' liberation from patriarchal chauvinism of a political system that has been dominated by men. And was recognized as a testimony of triumph by both revolutionary and reactionary movements that sought for women's empowerment.
Afterwards everything unfolded unto God's perfect timing:
A PDL seminar was started among the Mascom faculty of PUP, and rifts between her old college professors and her were patched up. The Christians in Adamson were united for the cause of spreading the gospel, thus giving birth to a fellowship in Adamson. Jem, Joan and Charisse responded to the call of the gospel and so did Michelle and Gera as well as others whose name I’ve either forgotten or never knew. Her sister got more serious with her faith that she chose to end her relationship with her INC boyfriend. Her students repented of unspeakable deeds that ranged from materialism, hedonism, sexual bondage and the like. Atheists and agnostic convictions shattered and seeds of doubt from the capacity of the individual self to sought personal salvation were planted. Aga got to look beyond all the burdens that he's carrying now. The good work that God started in Laix when he received Christ became a thirst for him to desire to know God more. Cell groups were started and camaraderie was established between her and Monica. A long awaited reunion between her high school best friend and her was made. The things that we never at the time thought we would give up we yielded up wholeheartedly to God's Lordship and that is our relationship. We may no longer be as intimate as were back then but we are now on fire for Him more than we were ever before in our lives.
It is also worth noting that after the thesis we still made the same amount of money and we have been in more financially tight situations but nevertheless we barely noticed it; God's provision is already sufficient for us and we are glad that we are losing what we own and earn for the purpose of buying Bible's buying meals, coffee, pre-paid loads, transportation and the like so that we'd be able to speak of His great work in us. Nor did we have already replaced the cell phones we lost nor do we make it a point to replace them nor do we constantly mourn over the lost of such things. Not to mention if we are to be deemed as successful in the secular sense of the word we would totally amount to as losers, but nevertheless that is of no merit to us whatever the world may see or think of us right now.
In fact the Spiral Staircase song: 'I Love You More Today Than Yesterday' could now be considered as a song that would describe our present love for the God, who saved us and gave us this new song in our hearts and has seen us through whatever difficulties it were that we've faced and for ultimately revealing to us that Romans 8:28 is indeed something that we could hold unto, when circumstances dwindle to our disadvantage. And all this is indeed a source for us to all the more praise God and declare his awesome purpose from our first halleluiah to our final amen.
This is not yet the end, it is but merely the beginning...
posted by m35b @ Monday, September 20, 2004
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