Posts by Liz

When I was still a dreamer

Growing up, I used to dream a lot. I would imagine myself doing great things and accomplishing all my goals. However, there was always a nagging feeling that I didn’t have the power to make it all happen. I envied people who seemed to be able to do whatever they wanted, but I knew deep down that I had limitations.

Despite this, I never gave up hope. I believed that with hard work and determination, anything was possible. But as time went on, I realized that there were some things that were just beyond my control. Life can be unpredictable, and sometimes, things don’t go according to plan. It was during these challenging times that I learned the value of surrendering to a higher power. I started lifting my hopes and dreams to God, trusting that He would guide me on the right path. I learned that there is strength in letting go and trusting in something greater than myself.

The Importance of Placing Your Faith in God

As we enter a new year, many of us make plans and set goals for the future. We envision what we want our lives to look like and work towards achieving those dreams. However, as I reflect on the past year, I realize that sometimes, God has a different plan for us than what we had envisioned. In 2020, I had planned to focus on my career and achieve certain milestones. But as the year progressed, I experienced unexpected challenges and setbacks. I felt frustrated and discouraged, wondering why my plans were not working out as I had hoped. It was during this time that I turned to God for guidance and comfort. Through prayer and reflection, I realized that perhaps my plans were not aligned with His will for my life. I had been so focused on my own desires that I had neglected to consider what God may have in store for me. As difficult as it was to let go of my own plans, I began to trust that God had a different path for me. And as I surrendered control and allowed Him to lead me, I began to see blessings and opportunities that I had never even considered. Looking back, I am grateful for the unexpected twists and turns of the past year. I have learned that while it’s important to plan and set goals, we must also be open to the possibility that God may have different plans for us. And ultimately, His plans are always for our good and His glory. As we enter a new year, I encourage you to set goals and make plans but also to remain open to the possibility that God may have a different path for you. Trust in His plan, even when it doesn’t align with your own, and have faith that He will lead you to where you are meant to be. After all, as the Bible says, “Many are the plans in a person’s heart, but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails.” (Proverbs 19:21)

Always remember, it’s important to recognize that life is not only about this world. Instead of constantly striving to be someone, let’s focus on being God’s people.

This year has been one of the swiftest and most eventful of my life. It’s definitely unforgettable, but even if I try to list everything that’s happened, I don’t think I can. There’s just been so much going on! I’m sure there will be something I forget, but I’ll make sure to share the big and important moments.

Living with the parents

Last year, my family and I made the decision to move into a new house with my parents, who are now in their senior years. We wanted to make sure they were taken care of and that they were always with us. There are definitely good days and bad days, but we trust in God to help us through it all. Occasionally, my parents will go visit my sister to spend time with their grandchildren, and it warms our hearts to see them so happy. We pray that we will continue to have good health so that we can take care of them in the future.

We became Fur parents! 

I guess “parent” is the theme for 2022.

We were blessed with the arrival of our furbabies – Puto, Banina, and Yuuki. It was a wonderful surprise as we weren’t prepared for them, but we believe that it was God’s plan for us to have them. Our ultimate goal is to shower them with all the love and care they deserve, and we pray that they will have a happy and healthy life with us for many years to come.

Election day 

Last year was a challenging time for some individuals, marked by chaos and bitterness. It put friendships and family relationships to the test, often over trivial matters. Sadly, some were hurt without realizing they had inflicted pain on others. These individuals believe they are always right, failing to assess their situations before speaking hurtful words. In such moments, it can be difficult to express oneself as it feels like everyone is poised to attack. However, we persevered with God’s help, not succumbing to the hurtful opinions of others, even from friends or family. This is now behind us. Let us look forward to 2022, knowing that some experiences will linger in our minds and hearts. Yet, we must learn to forgive, as God commands us to do so. He is merciful and just.

Blessings, blessings, and more blessings!

Despite the challenges we faced last year, we were able to remain resilient with the help of God. As we move forward into 2022, let us focus on the many blessings that await us. We are grateful to have resumed attending church and have adapted well to the new normal. If we fall ill, we can draw strength from prayer to aid in our recovery. 

This is 40.

As I turned 40, I felt a huge sense of accomplishment as a woman. It’s tough to live up to society’s expectations of what we should achieve by this age. But, the pandemic has taught me that life is about more than just fleeting successes. Our ultimate goal is to be worthy of God’s salvation and to be brought to the Holy Land when the Lord Jesus returns. If you have a personal relationship with God, then you know that He knows your past, present, and future. Nowadays, I focus on my salvation and preparing for the Holy City instead of chasing temporary things like career success. I’ve learned to stop overthinking and not get too caught up in the opinions of others. My peace of mind is essential to me, and I’ve stopped insisting on what’s right and wrong. Let’s all strive to live a life that pleases God and follow His commandments.

Lessons, lessons, and more lessons!

The year 2022 taught me a valuable lesson about the significance of not reacting to everything. Embracing humility has brought me immense peace. I have realized the importance of cultivating genuine friendships with true friends and being more tolerant and understanding of those who do not fall into that category. Cutting people out of my life is not my first resort anymore; instead, I try to embrace people’s differences. If I sense that my personality clashes with someone else’s, I make a conscious effort to avoid conflict. However, if I cannot avoid it, I trust in God’s wisdom to remove me from the situation because I am committed to avoiding sin. This is based on my personal experience, where God has removed several people from my life due to my own wrongdoing, while for others, He has softened their hearts.

Forever Thankful No Matter What

Looking back on 2022, I realized the importance of self-reflection and living according to God’s will. In today’s world, it can be difficult to remain kind and faithful amidst various temptations. However, our faith in God must remain strong, especially as the world continues to deteriorate. While waiting for the return of Jesus, we must be patient and endure hardships, knowing that it will all be worth it in the end. Reflecting on my year, I experienced both hardships and blessings. During a particularly challenging time, I found comfort in simply allowing God to listen to my tears. I am grateful for all the moments of pain and joy that God has brought into my life, and I pray that He will continue to be with me in the years to come. Before I conclude, I’d like to share one of my favorite Bible verses. Please note that I am not imposing my beliefs on anyone; we all have a personal relationship with God, and my only desire is to be in the holy city with you. Working on ourselves to be better in the eyes of God is a worthy pursuit, regardless of what others may think. As the Bible says, “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”

But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come: For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away.

2 Timothy 3:1-5