When The Lord Calls, Harden Not Your Heart

My Sister's Email To Me

Hi Bro,

I just want to share a very wonderful experience today, as I woke up, I failed to wake up early hence I was unable to go to work.

I opened your blog in the internet, where there are inspirational reflections and I come to open the song ‘Your Heart Today’ piano-played by a certain Manoling Franciscio, impulse was, I sang with him though it was my first time to hear that song. It moved me, emotionally, and I crave to learn the song immediately. So I played it several times, on and on, and I have it recorded in my portable media player. I want more of it, I searched for chords if there are any in the internet, but to no avail, I somehow was directed to the YouTube website where there are similar songs (spiritual songs). And I clicked on the song with ‘Power of Your Love’ and the video came with lyrics, and I sang all out, it touched me so much, I feel a sudden mixed emotions, I started crying. I realize how much I miss the Lord, I have had a distant relationship with him since I moved here in the Middle East. I miss singing praises, I miss attending to worship gatherings, I just miss Him. But He never failed me, although I’m that distant, His spirit is still very much alive in me, providing me the essentials of living a Christian life and most especially making me realize that He is alive and is here, no matter how things are going in life, God is here.

I feel so refreshed after having received God’s message for me today. I will continue to praise Him….He is my God and in Him I belong.

Thank you bro for posting the song in your blog. I’m sure someone else's heart will be touched by that song's message.

Love & Prayers,
Sis


Our Big Brother's Email to Sis

Dear Sis,

I am glad to know you found time to refresh with the Lord. It is really true, the Lord sometimes calls us in a very special way..just to be with Him in the most serene moments.

I used to experience God calling me through illness so I can spend quiet time with Him away from the very busy work schedules. Sometimes, it will be through my kids having illness and brought to the hospital... there I could spend time to reflect and freshen up spiritually as I volunteered to be the watcher.

My wife and I have just arrived home from the nationwide Student Leadership Conferences in the 3 locations. We were out for nearly 3 weeks. It was a fulfilling experience for us knowing that the Lord gave us the privilege to minister to about 500 students this year. Last year we had about 450 student leaders attending the conference. This is our way of leaving a legacy for the next generation of Christian Leaders.

How are you and your husband? You are always in our prayer list everyday... we do have long list of things and people to be prayed for, as God is entrusting to us new responsibilities and territories.

Wish you all the best things that could happen to your life...with the guidance of our Lord Jesus.

Always,
Big Bro

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When the Lord calls, He breaths His purpose into the spirit and the heart is filled and lives for the call.

[Psalms 95:7-8] For he is our God; and we are the people of his pasture, and the sheep of his hand. Today if you will hear his voice, harden not your heart, as in the provocation, and as in the day of temptation in the wilderness.

Your Heart Today

By Manoling Fanciscio, SJ - Bukas Palad
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Where there is fear, I can allay
Where there is pain, I can heal
Where there are wounds, I can bind
And hunger, I can fill

Refrain:

Lord, grant me courage
Lord, grant me strength
Grant me compassion
That I may be your heart today

Where there is hate, I can confront
Where there are yokes, I can release
Where there are captives, I can free
And anger, I can appease

(Repeat Refrain)

Bridge:

When comes the day I dread
To see a broken world
Compel me from my cell grown cold
That your people I may behold

Where there is fear, I can allay
Where there is pain, I can heal
Where there are wounds, I can bind
And hunger, I can fill

(Repeat Refrain)

And when I’ve done, all that I could
Yet there are hearts, I cannot move
Lord, give me hope
That I may be your heart today

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Dulce sang this song at the funeral rites of the former president Corazon Aquino at Manila Cathedral, August 5, 2009.

Death As A Law of Life

By Frank Mihalic

Around us everyday we see many examples of death bringing forth life. A kernel of corn is buried and it grows into a tall cornstalk. The ice cube dissolves and it cools the water. A match burns itself out to light a fire. Water gets itself dirty to clean you. A battery goes dead giving you music and light. Wood burns itself out to cook your food. A tree dies to give you sago. Animals and plants die to give you your food.

By dying, all these things rise to a higher life. That is what death of a Christian is all about.

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Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his saints. (Psalms 116:15)

A good name is better than precious ointment; and the day of death than the day of one's birth. (Ecclesiastes 7:1)

Better is the end of a thing than its beginning. The patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit. (Ecclesiastes 7:8)

Unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains by itself alone. But if it dies, it bears much fruit. (John 12:24)

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Truly a servant even unto death. Now she is finally free from her earthly tasks after going through the final phase of her purpose on earth.

Memories of her may die with the passing of time, but the impact of the legacy of this reluctant leader will surely live and flourish for generations to come.

In her death, may her dreams for the nation rise from the ashes of people's distrust of leaders, and passed on to flourish in the new hearts and minds of the next generations.