faithfulness

When God Makes a Promise

July 1, 2020

Even in this time of crisis, God is faithful to fulfill His promise. No matter how impossible our prayers may seem, His grace and love for us will always see us through. As we continue to prepare for the midyear fast, here is a powerful story of salvation and healing.

I had been praying for my parents’ salvation for two straight years. It was my faith goal in the 2020 January prayer and fasting. I had always dreamed of seeing them experience God like never before, just like how I did when I came to know Him through my husband.

Knowing God is a gift, and having the chance to worship Him along with my husband and four children is a blessing that I had always hoped to share with my parents. It seemed impossible at that time, but I kept on praying and believing that someday, they would see God’s hand at work in their lives. I also held on to a promise and a vision that God had impressed in my heart in one of our conferences in church. I knew He would come through for us.

In March, my father had a stroke. It was his second stroke in five years. In April, it was followed by yet another one—his third, which could have been fatal. After that episode, I felt God nudging me to have the courage to preach the gospel to my parents, especially to my father.

On the day I was scheduled to visit my father in the hospital, I prayed and sought God for wisdom. I was uneasy and afraid of what his reaction would be—and even hesitated at the last moment—but God kept me strong. Though I doubted myself, God faithfully gave me the courage and grace to share His word.

As early as six in the morning, I was already in my father’s hospital room. I talked to him and asked him to join me in our online morning worship and prayer. After that, I preached the gospel to Him and we prayed the prayer of salvation. Before I knew it, he was already in tears. He asked God for forgiveness and received Jesus as his Lord and Savior. Seeing him come to God brought indescribable joy and gratitude in my heart.

Because of my father’s newfound relationship with God, he grew stronger every day—not just spiritually, but also physically. Even though it was already his third stroke, there was never a need for him to be transferred to the intensive care unit. He slowly regained his strength and is currently on his way to full recovery. Even his doctors and therapists could hardly believe that he escaped a fatal stroke.

What happened to my father somehow led my mother to come to God and know Him in a deeper way as well. She began attending online worship services with us and soon gave her life to Christ. My long-ago dream of seeing my entire family—not just my husband and kids, but even my parents—worship God has finally happened because of God’s grace. Truly, there is nothing impossible with Him!

My father’s healing from his sickness is unexplainable, but his and my mother’s newfound relationship with God is an even greater miracle. We know that God has a purpose for everything and my parents believe that my father’s second chance at life is a gift that he can use to know God more and worship Him.

And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. Romans 8:28

Anna Leah Valerio is one of our Victory group leaders in Victory Meycauayan. She, her parents, husband, and four children are continually growing in their walk with God.

Grace That Heals

June 26, 2020

Sometimes, God heals in ways we don’t expect. As we prepare for the midyear fast, let us be encouraged and inspired by this amazing testimony of God’s healing, faithfulness, and grace.

My husband and I got married in 2017. I got pregnant a year later but had an early miscarriage. We prayed for a baby, and in 2019, I learned that I was pregnant again. We were so happy, and everything was going well with my pregnancy—until I reached my sixth month. As I entered my third trimester, I developed pregnancy-induced hypertension that eventually led to preeclampsia, a pregnancy complication characterized by high blood pressure.

According to my doctor, my condition could cause serious health problems to me and my baby, and it could be fatal. I was immediately admitted to the hospital during our 2019 midyear prayer and fasting for an emergency delivery via C-section. My baby was only 29 weeks old at that time.

I stayed in the hospital for a week, while my daughter, Quinn, stayed in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) for four months. Though I visited her every day, each moment that she was there broke my heart. Seeing her grow but experience different complications brought me through a roller-coaster ride of emotions.

While in the NICU, Quinn developed mild pneumonia and had a bacterial infection. She also had anemia, which meant that she needed a total of seven blood transfusions throughout her hospitalization. Though she managed to overcome those, she later developed an inguinal hernia, which left an internal opening on both sides of her groin. According to her doctor, this type of hernia does not close spontaneously. She needed to undergo surgery once her weight reached 2.5 kilograms to prevent her internal organs from being dislodged.

Though difficult, it was a blessing that we received so much encouragement from Quinn’s doctor despite her condition. I remained hopeful amid everything that was happening and eventually built relationships with the other moms and doctors in that unit. We would pray together each day and be reminded of how mindful God is to us. Even in the area of finances, God also miraculously provided for us. He used our families and the people in our church community to help us with our running bill, which we had to pay on a weekly basis.

When Quinn was finally discharged from the hospital in November 2019, we sought God for wisdom. After seeking Him in prayer for weeks, we made a decision to let her go through the operation once she reached the required weight. It was one of our faith goals in the 2020 January prayer and fasting. We prayed for provision and a successful operation—but we also never stopped believing God for miraculous healing.

On the third day of our prayer and fasting week, something unexplainable happened. I found comfort and reassurance from God that He would heal Quinn. I was so overwhelmed at that moment; I cried and trusted God as I believed for my daughter’s healing. And though it didn’t happen right away, I didn’t doubt God and continued to hope and believe in what He impressed in my heart.

Months passed by, and Quinn slowly gained weight. When her weight exceeded 2.5 kilograms, we knew that it was time for her to go through surgery, but something in me was telling me otherwise. I knew that God could use the operation to heal her completely, but a part of me was also in faith that she didn’t need to go through it anymore.

In the weeks that followed, it seemed as if the lumps that used to be in her groin were no longer there. In March, we were planning to have her checked, but the enhanced community quarantine was implemented, so there was nothing we could do but wait. While waiting, I struggled to fight the lies in my head as I continued to hold on to God’s promise. I constantly reminded myself of His amazing grace through the lyrics of the song that I always sang to Quinn in the NICU:

The Lord has promised good to me. His word my hope secures.
He will my shield and portion be, as long as life endures.

Finally, on June 13, 2020, we went to the doctor for Quinn’s checkup and immunization. The lumps that served as physical manifestations of the openings in her groin were completely gone! Even the doctor was surprised when she confirmed that Quinn no longer needed surgery. She had been healed—completely!

What happened to Quinn was a miracle that we knew we had to share. It was something that seemed impossible, but God proved Himself faithful. Her name, Quinn Gabrielle, which means “wisdom” and “God is our strength,” holds true. God has given us wisdom to wait and the strength to endure everything we have gone through. It was His amazing grace that was with us all throughout. And it will continue to be with us as we believe God for His beautiful plans to unfold, for Quinn and our entire family.

Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful. Hebrews 10:23

God is able to answer our prayers beyond what we ask or think. As we prepare for the midyear fast on July 7–9, let us all hold fast to His grace and be expectant.

Chams Pagulayan-Malana is one of our campus missionaries in Victory Malate. She and her husband continue to rely on God’s amazing grace as they raise their beautiful daughter, Quinn.

Tithing and God’s Faithfulness

November 13, 2018

Will you trust God to be faithful no matter what? In this article, Adrian—a college student—shares how he obeyed God and experienced His faithfulness in his life.

I was in high school when I first heard the gospel. A campus missionary reached out to me and helped me know God more. It was through him that I began to grow more in my faith.

As I became serious in my walk with God, I heard teachings about tithing and God’s faithfulness. I knew nothing about tithing before, but as I listened more to His Word, I began to understand that it is an act of faith more than anything else.

After receiving Christ in my life, I immediately submitted to His Lordship, even in the area of finances. I know that whatever He blesses me with, I should be a good steward and give Him back a tenth, and even more. Whatever money I receive is—after all—His. It is not mine, to begin with.

As a student who relies heavily on an allowance, it is admittedly hard to be faithful in giving the tithe. But every week, I make it a point to set aside what is rightfully God’s. Even if it is a challenge at times, God always provides and remains faithful to me. He always assures me that He is in control, and He knows how to meet my needs.

When I was in my sophomore year, my father got diagnosed with a chronic kidney disease. He could no longer work to provide for our family and my studies. It was a challenge to be faithful knowing that we were in a trying situation, but when I continued to obey God in spite of what we were going through, He also continued to provide.

Just when I thought that I could no longer finish school, a British couple offered to sponsor my tuition. It was something unexpected; I never thought that something like that would happen. It was amazing how God made a way for me to still go to school in spite of our family’s predicament.

Since then, God has proven to me that He will always remain faithful no matter what. Aside from the couple He is using to help me with my studies, He has also blessed me with a part-time job in an insurance company. Through it, I am able to bless my family as well.

As someone who was reached on campus, I believe that God can use me to be a blessing to other students, too. I am currently a volunteer in Every Nation Campus in San Pedro, discipling and passing on the teachings I learned from my mentors and leaders about God’s love and faithfulness. I will finish school early next year, but my heart to honor God will continue even after I graduate.

Bring the full tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. And thereby put me to the test, says the Lord of hosts, if I will not open the windows of heaven for you and pour down for you a blessing until there is no more need. Malachi 3:10

Tithing allows us to grow in our faith and teaches us to trust God more even in the area of finances. It strengthens our faith and enables us to give our worries to the Lord, believing that He is faithful. Let us continue to honor God and give Him what He deserves—our trust, our devotion, and everything we have.