FAMILY LIFE MINISTRY

Lead your family to the Lord.

I know it's not easy, but let's pray for this. By God's grace, it can happen. As a husband, lead your family with love. As a wife, be a helpmate who submits with wisdom. Children do not learn everything on their own; we, as parents, must install every good thing in them. Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right.

Pray together. Communicate. Read and study the Bible together. Be a good role model to our children especially in faith, purity, words, love, and discipline. 

Family is our first ministry. May the Lord God be the center of our family. May He strengthen us as we walk together, aligning our will with God's will. 

If you are not part of a Christian small group yet, be part of it. Let's journey together. 

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MY STORY

I grew up knowing God because my mom brought me to church when I was a kindergarten. I grew up attending Sunday School, praying and reading the Bible every Sunday (sadly, only every Sunday). 

One time, during a praise and worship, nagkaroon ako ng personal encounter kay God. Walang Sunday School that time. So, I decided to sit beside my mom. I wondered bakit nakataas ang kamay nila, may nakapikit, may umiiyak. Ano kaya iyon? I was listening to the music, read the lyrics on the screen, then sumabay na ako sa awitin. I closed my eyes at ninamnam ko ang lyrics ng song... "I extol you. Lord, I extol you." Binibigkas ko ito like I was telling it to God, although I don't know the meaning of extol. After singing the praise and worship songs, there was a joy in my heart. I believe it is God's presence letting me know na ito ang gusto ng Diyos... ang iworship ko Siya. When I got home, I immediately looked the word "extol" in the dictionary. It is synonymous with "exalt".

When I was in fifth grade, we temporarily moved in Quezon City. Isang beses lang kami nakajoin sa church noon. We wanted sana, kaso malayo na sa amin. 

When we finally moved in Cavite, doon na kami nagkaroon ng pagkakataon maconnect sa malapit na Christian church. Very remarkable ang time na I received Jesus as my Lord and Savior when I was 12 years old. From that moment, naging personal ang relationship ko sa Kaniya at I let Him to take control of my life. I want His will to be done, not mine.. Firm at maingat ako na Siya ang masusunod. 

I can still remember one of my happy moments with my brother, when we both cleaning up our church building preparing it for Sunday worship. Kasama namin ang mga friends namin na young people din sa church. We cleaned, played and prayed together. Kahit walang snacks, masaya lang kami na magkakasama. I saw the sincerity of my brother when he was really serious while we were praying. I missed that moment. 

One day, may event sa bahay. Hindi ko na maalala kung ano iyon, but my brother and I wrote a greeting card for mama. And she replied stating, "Pagpray natin ang papa mo at si Ome para madala din natin sila sa church." Pinabasa ko iyon sa aking kapatid, and we agreed na ipagpepray namin iyon. 

Hindi ko na maalala ang mga gabi na pinagpray ko si Papa. Nagpapasalamat ako sa Diyos dahil dumating ang time na binigay Niya din ang matagal na prayer namin ni Mama. Praise God! Salamat po, Lord. Papa joined us sa church and minahal Niya ang Lord. 

Growing up, kahit ang bunso namin ay nakakasama na din sa Sunday School. Pero, dahil bata pa din ako that time, di ko masyadong napapansin ang spiritual needs ng mga kapatid ko. I feel sorry about that. Dumating ang highschool, di na namin nakakasama ang first brother ko sa church. Sobrang lungkot.. I believe may magagawa sana parents ko nun.. pero siguro nga mahirap ng pilitin ang kabataan. Piangpepray ko na lang din siya. Then, I started to read my Bible na every night. Katabi ko si Ome at Tita ko. I read the Bible with them and we pray together. 

I continued my walk with God. Nakasama ko pa si Ome sa tambourine dance ministry. Then dumating ang time nasa Music Team na siya. Nagpatuloy naman ako sa Children's Ministry. Nakagraduate. Nagkawork. Nagkaboyfriend. Nagkaasawa. Nagkapamilya. It was not an easy journey, pero malaki ang pasasalamat ko dahil anjan ang Lord at nakilala ko Siya. Siya ang naging sandalan ko, kalakasan ko, kapayapaan ko, pag-asa ko. 

Life becomes harder and harder now. Our child is growing up (soon to be adolescent). My parents are growing old. My brothers have their own lives... I have nephews and nieces. There are times na my heart is breaking. I just don't know what to do. What I can share is the only hope I have, and that is JESUS. My dream for my whole family is that we will live and serve God only kahit saan man kami dalhin ng Lord. Lumalaki na din ang mga pamangkin ko, and they will have their own decisions na din. My only prayer is that they will choose and act with godly wisdom. 

Sa lahat ng naranasan ko sa family: binigay ng mga magulang ko ang pagmamahal at disiplina na alam nila para mahalin lang kami at turuan kaming magkakapatid; Nagsikap sila para mabuhay kami at makapagtapos sa pag-aaral; Tumawag sila ng tao para manatili sa bahay at makatuwang namin para di kami mahirapan sa gawaing bahay; Nakita ko ang magandang halimbawa nila na tinularan ko din, at kahit ang mga flaws nila na nagbigay sa akin ng mabuting aral na "we can be better", " let's choose to be better".

I realize how important it is to bring and lead our children to the Lord. Iyon ang klase ng pamilya na pinangarap ko.. ang pamilya na sumusunod sa Lord. 

Sa aming mag-asawa, ako ang unang nagkaroon ng faith sa Lord. Noong nagliligawan palang kami, I thought di siya ang taong pakakasalan ko. But still, God gave him to me, and He gave me to him. Noong mag-asawa na kami, di ko alam paano ko imamanage ang lahat at kahit ang emotions ko. Hindi madaling mag-asawa kapag hindi ka pa handa or hindi ka hinanda. Marriage seminar and counseling na according to God's principles are very important. After marriage, ganun pa din dapat. Mayroon pa din talaga space for that... like couples group para may continuous discipleship. Mahirap ang walang mentor, kay please have at least one. 

The husband and the wife must help each other to bring themselves to God. Minsan ang husband ang magdadala sa wife. Minsan ang wife naman ang magdadala sa husband. Then, eventually (hopefully).both the husband (dad) and wife (mom) can lead their children sa Lord habang bata ang mga ito. Don't wait kapag highschool na.. may sarili na silang desisyon nun.. Di na basta mapipilit. Kaya habang bata pa, isama lang sa simbahan. Bitbitin. Akayin. Ipanalangin. And we pray and hope na paglaki nila, when they make their own decisions already, si God pa din ang pipiliin nila na UNA sa buhay nila. 

HOW DO WE LEAD OUR CHILD TO GOD? 

We communicate daily. 

We pray pagkagising sa umaga, bago kumain, bago umalis ng bahay, bago matulog, o kahit kailan when we feel like talking to God. 

We bought him his own Bibles (nun toddler siya, nun primary siya at now na preteens na siya). 

We read and study the Bible together.

 Mayroon din kaming binabasa na other devotional books or Christian literatures. 

We bring him to Kids Church. 

We memorize the books of the Bible and Scriptures together. 

Kapag may prayer night, sinasama naman siya. 

Kahit sa ibang activities ng church, sinasama namin siya. We allow him na maexpose especially sa mission. 

I read parenting books that can help me. 

I communicate with his dad about what we do and sa mga nangyayari sa amin kasi kami ang madalas na magkasama. 

Etc. 

I know na this is different for every home. We actually chose to homeschool our child to instill the values that we want for him. But, I realize na we really cannot give him 100% na need niya. My lapses din kami. We really need God in every aspects ng life natin, from our personal relationship with God up to leading our children to have an intimate relationship with God din. Only God can give 100℅ of our need and even more than that. Kaya nagtitiwala na lang kami sa Lord. What important is we obey God faithfully sa pinapagawa Niya to help our children know God. And let us just trust God on the results. 

Prayer:

Thank you, Lord, for helping us sa family. Thank you for your everlasting and unfailing love that embraces us. Always unite us as one in You. We love you. We honor you. Ingatan mo po ang aking mga magulang, mga kapatid, in laws, mga pamangkin and the rest of our family all over the world. Please cover us with your blood. Give us hope. Enlighten our minds. Remind us of your love. Block every work of the enemy that will steal the joy of our salvation and destroy our faith. Protect us and give us wisdom. We will be prosperous. We.will be peaceful and joyful in your presence. We will be excellent in everything we do as family for your glory alone. Bless the people we lead. May they see your light in us and praise you in heaven. I decalare that all of us will give our quality time to lead our children to you. Thank you, Lord, for your grace. In.Jesus' name. Amen