Let the Esthers Arise, For Such A Time As This

I wrote this in my pro-life blog for youth. Please pray with us because a population control bill is being pushed in our country.

Esther was a teenager whom God used to save the lives of her people. Not just a generation, but all the Jews in Persia.

Like a fictional genie would, the king asked Esther what she wanted, even half the kingdom was offered to her. But she chose to ask for the king to spare her people from annihilation.

She would have kept quiet if they were to be made slaves and not killed. But they were marked for death, for annihilation.

Haman even promised to put money in the Royal Treasury to carry his evil plan out.

If Esther had chickened out and chosen to keep quiet, some of that money from Haman would have been hers, as she was a queen. And she and her family would have perished.

God had a plan and a purpose to save the Israelites, and He could have used anyone to deliver the Jews in Persia. Esther was not indispensable in His plan. But Esther chose to participate with God in His plan and purpose.

God has a plan and a purpose to save the unborn generation and future generations. Will we participate with God or keep quiet? Esther chose to participate with God.

As a result, the king gave her Haman's estate and she herself wrote the decree that overturned Haman's death decree.

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The Book of Esther in the Bible tells of the story of Esther (a.k.a. Hadassah), a Jewish teenager, who was an orphan. It was her Uncle Mordecai who took care of her.

The search for a new queen of Persia led Esther to the king's palace where she became Queen of Persia.

One day an evil man named Haman wanted all the Jews killed because he hated Mordecai. So he tricked the king into signing a death decree for all the Jews by saying there were treacherous disobedient people who needed to be killed.

When the decree was released, Mordecai and all the Jews began mourning and wailing. Esther, in her confinement in the Palace, did not know about this until she sent a messenger to find out why Mordecai had been mourning.

Mordecai sent Esther a copy of Haman's death decree for the Jews. He also told her that Haman had promised to put big money in the royal treasury for the destruction of the Jews. He urged Esther to go into the king's presence to beg for mercy and plead with him for her people.

Now Esther knew that one cannot go into the King's presence uninvited, under penalty of death, unless the king extended his golden scepter. She had this told to Mordecai. She feared for her life, because it had been 30 days since the king called her.

Mordecai sent a straightforward message to Esther: ""Do not think that because you are in the king's house you alone of all the Jews will escape. For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place, but you and your father's family will perish. And who knows but that you have come to royal position for such a time as this?"

Her Uncle Mordecai's words were enough for Esther to make her decision. She decided to go to the king, even though it was against the law. She had this told to Mordecai: "Go, gather together all the Jews who are in Susa, and fast for me. Do not eat or drink for three days, night or day. I and my maids will fast as you do. When this is done, I will go to the king, even though it is against the law. And if I perish, I perish."

So Esther, under penalty of death, approached the king of Persia. But he held out his scepter for her and her life was spared. Having a strategy in mind, she asked the king and Haman, the king's right-hand man to a banquet, which was followed by a second banquet.

At the second banquet, the king asked Esther what her request was. He even asked her if she would like to have half the kingdom, and he would give it. But Esther didn't ask for riches and land and jewels. She told the king, "If I have found favor with you, O king, and if it pleases your majesty, grant me my life-- this is my petition. And spare my people-- this is my request. For I and my people have been sold for destruction and slaughter and annihilation. If we had merely been sold as male and female slaves, I would have kept quiet, because no such distress would justify disturbing the king."

The king asked her, who would do such a thing? That is when Esther pointed out that the one who had decreed it was Haman.

The king got so angry. And so Haman's fate was decided.

But Esther did not stop there. The death decree for the Jews had been issued and was still set to be carried out.

Esther risked her life once again and approached the king once more, under penalty of death. This time she pleaded with the king, falling at his feet and weeping. She begged him to put an end to the death decree of Haman. She said, "If it pleases the king, and if he regards me with favor and thinks it the right thing to do, and if he is pleased with me, let an order be written overruling the dispatches that Haman son of Hammedatha, the Agagite, devised and wrote to destroy the Jews in all the king's provinces. For how can I bear to see disaster fall on my people? How can I bear to see the destruction of my family?"

What did the king do? He told Esther to write a new decree in the king's name in behalf of the Jews.

So here we have an ORPHAN, risking her life twice to approach a king, writing a decree to overrule a death decree because she could not bear to see the annihilation and destruction of her people.

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Right now in our country we have a death decree on future generations being tackled in Congress. It is called the Reproductive Health and Population Development Bill. Foreign finance institutions have promised to put big money in the Philippine treasury if the Bill becomes law.

Let the Esthers arise in this generation, who will not care if they will not have half the Kingdom, who will pray and fast and risk their lives for the Lord, for the unborn generation whom the Lord loves, for their children and for future generations. Let the Esthers speak up, write and issue decrees to overturn the death decrees on their generation.

"Down the Road of Bittersweet" by Karl Kohlhase / Nina's Story

Watch the very, very touching slideshow/music video of this song about parents receiving the news that their baby had congenital problems and how they trust God to walk with them "down the road of bittersweet". when you click on the link, the song will begin to play:

http://www.k4communications.com/karl/bittersweet.html

Lyrics:

We had some good news and some bad news on a cold November morn
The test confirmed that we were parents, but there was something more
Our little boy had complications, and we were frightened as could be
But we decided to go walking down the road of bittersweet

The next nine months we grew together, somehow closer than before
And our faith began to blossom into something more
We would hold each other close and pray, then cry ourselves to sleep
We knew that God was walking with us down the road of bittersweet

Jesus, take my hand and walk beside me
And make my footsteps firm beneath my feet
I know You’ve gone this way before so guide me
I’m not alone as I go walking down the road of bittersweet

The room was filled with apprehension on the day that he was born
But when I took him in my arms I knew there was so much more
There was a bond of love between us, and I was never more complete
I never knew I’d find such blessing down the road of bittersweet

The doctor said we may not have much time before we’d have to part
So I treasure every moment deep within my heart
Soon we’ll have a little angel, praying for our family
I’m just glad I got to meet him down the road of bittersweet

Jesus, take my hand and walk beside me
And make my footsteps firm beneath my feet
I know You’ve gone this way before so guide me
I’m not alone as I go walking down the road
I’m not alone as I go walking down the road
I’m not alone as I go walking down the road of bittersweet

Words & Music by Karl Kohlhase

© 2006 karl kohlhase

Written for Prenatal Partners For Life

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I am writing this post in response to my older sister Aileen's tag in her blog. In other countries, congenital malformations are reasons for abortion. Here in this video are parents who CHOSE LIFE for their little babies. My own sister(my younger sister) had a baby with severe congenital malformations incompatible with life, several years ago. They found out during the fifth month that Nina, my niece, had a genetic disease due to an extra chromosome. They had a routine ultrasound, and just like the people in the song, they found out there was something wrong with her heartbeat, it was too weak. After an amniocentesis, they learned of the diagnosis. Nina had several heart malformations that made her heartbeat weak. It broke their hearts. They were in the U.S. and the doctor had to suggest abortion or "termination of the pregnancy" as they called it, by law. Terribly heartbroken, they called us in the Philippines. I remember telling my sister back then, "you know, as long as Nina is in your tummy, she will live because her circulation is through the placenta, through the umbilical cord". MY SISTER AND BROTHER -IN-LAW CHOSE TO HAVE NINA and she carried Nina to term, up to 9 months. They reasoned that if my niece will live while she was in the womb, they will shower her with love all those 9 months in the womb. Their OBGYN doctor in the U.S. fully supported their decision to keep the baby .And the OBGYN was one of those who was crying along with them when my niece was born. At 9 months my niece was born, but she only lived for 1 1/2 hours. BUT SHE WAS WORTH IT ALL.

My sister has one beautiful baby in heaven, and after Nina's passing away, she now has three more beautiful kids on earth.

In our pro-life ministry, I have had several opportunities to share (with my sister's permission, of course) Nina's story. Many have been blessed and touched by Nina's story, and I pray young people will never think of abortion as an option when they hear it. And more often than not, listeners are moved to tears as I share her story. Nina's story is a story I went through as an aunt, and I want to say I am proud of my sister and brother-in-law, and of Nina.

Every Trial is an opportunity to trust God

Once my 7 year old son Brian asked me with much sadness in his voice," Mommy, why isn't God healing me?" He has some allergies and he has colds several times a year. He asked me this because he had colds again.

With the Lord's leading I answered, "Don't say that,anak(my child). God is going to heal you. God always answers prayers when we pray according to His will. Every sickness is an opportunity to pray to God and ask Him for healing. And we will experience God's healing in time and we will rejoice and praise Him when that happens. Every sickness is an opportunity for God to show His healing power in our lives."

That conversation taught me a valuable lesson.

'Cause the very next day my doctor told me her diagnosis of the chronic illness she suspected I had. As I felt the world cave in around me, the Lord spoke to me the very words I spoke to my son the night before---every sickness is an opportunity to trust God for healing.

I said, "Lord, you didn't make me sick but you allowed it to happen for a reason. If this is going to break me to bring me closer to you, I welcome it. If You allowed it, you will also give me the grace to stand up under it."

That was a little less 9 months ago. I am nearing the end of my medication regimen for the chronic illness.

Indeed I have seen the healing power of God in my life and I rejoice as I receive this healing from the Lord.

The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.

By God's grace I am now beginning to understand, even in my limited, finite understanding, the depth, width, and height of the love of Jesus Christ for me. God has brought me even closer to Him after this illness. Now I understand God's grace even more through what I have experienced. Thank You Lord Jesus!

God is bigger than anything. His wisdom is far above anything on this earth. His loving kindness reaches to the heavens.

There is no one like God.

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I wrote this on September 25, 2006. By October I was completely healed. God is faithful even in times of sickness. Even if we get sick, and even if we will die of our sickness, God is faithful. Sickness cannot separate us from the love of the Lord Jesus. We always have hope whatever situation we are in because the Lord Jesus rose from the dead and conquered sin and death. We always have hope because God does not change and His love for us is so deep, so wide, and so high, more than we could ever comprehend.

P.S. My son's colds don't occur that often anymore, praise God! He knows that God answers prayers!

In Recession or in Prosperity, I Can Do All Things Through Christ Who Gives Me Strength.

A pastor-friend, whose sons are my kids' schoolmates, shared yesterday with our breakfast club group that when one preaches on giving (tithes and offerings), the verses used must be studied in context or within the context of the verses before and after and with the teachings of the Bible.

For example, he said, the verse "for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap"(Galatians 6:7) is not about giving but is about doing deeds that "sow to the flesh" which reaps corruption or deeds that "sow to the Spirit" and reaping life everlasting. But the verse "Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously"(2 Cor 9:6) is really about giving.

While reading the Bible, I began looking at Philippians 4. The Apostle Paul had some words for the Philippians concerning their giving physical support to him. Philippians 4:14-19 were about Paul telling the Philippians how their gifts had helped him and that he was not asking for more from them but encouraging them that God considers their gifts as a fragrant offering. And Paul declares that God will supply all their needs according to His glorious riches.

As I was reading through Philippians 4:10-20, the Lord showed me that the context of our favorite memory verse, "I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me" (Philippians 4:13), was in the context of the Paul describing his economic situation. He said " I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances... I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want.... I can do everything through him who gives me strength."

To apply the verse in my life, I replaced some words with some contemporary terms: "I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances...I know what it is to be in an economic crisis, and I know what it is to have lots of money in the bank... Or: I know what it is to pay 17 pesos per liter of gas(in 1997), and I know what it is to pay 60 pesos per liter of gas(2008)." Yet I will say: "I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want...whether the economy is in recession or not...whether we are paying a loan or not.... I can do everything through him who gives me strength. "

Right now my husband and I are buying a small house. We have a downpayment to pay up to January, and the balance will be paid for by a 10-years-to-pay bank loan. Gas prices in the Philippines are at 60 pesos a liter (it's more expensive than the US, it's around $5.50/gallon, since we do not have our own supply of oil). We are trying to save and lessen our expenses, but I don't feel sorry for myself when I am scrimping. I also don't try to live a luxurious lifestyle. I don't maintain a high standard of living, because it would be harder to live simply when economic problems hit. By the Lord's grace, He has given me a humble heart...He has given me grace to be content and not complain. And by His grace and wisdom, I can say, like Paul. "I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want.... I can do everything through him who gives me strength."

Philippians 4:10-20
10 I rejoice greatly in the Lord that at last you have renewed your concern for me. Indeed, you have been concerned, but you had no opportunity to show it.
11 I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances.
12 I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want.
13 I can do everything through him who gives me strength.
14 Yet it was good of you to share in my troubles.
15 Moreover, as you Philippians know, in the early days of your acquaintance with the gospel, when I set out from Macedonia, not one church shared with me in the matter of giving and receiving, except you only;
16 for even when I was in Thessalonica, you sent me aid again and again when I was in need.
17 Not that I am looking for a gift, but I am looking for what may be credited to your account.
18 I have received full payment and even more; I am amply supplied, now that I have received from Epaphroditus the gifts you sent. They are a fragrant offering, an acceptable sacrifice, pleasing to God.
19 And my God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus.
20 To our God and Father be glory for ever and ever. Amen.

Our Refrigerator Magnet Collection

Souvenir shops exist because of people like me.I always buy souvenirs whenever I go to other provinces in the Philippines or other countries.

When we went to the U.S. for a vacation in 2006, we were able to visit many cities, and of course, I bought souvenirs. I even bought souvenirs when were in-transit at the Honolulu Airport and the Minneapolis Airport.

Our favorite souvenir to collect is the refrigerator magnet. They are lightweight and therefore easy to stash in one's carry-on luggage. We also collect souvenir coffee mugs but sometimes they are too expensive and bulky, so we buy the magnets instead.

Here is our magnet collection that is on the side of our refrigerator. We live in a small townhouse, so the side of the refrigerator faces our dining table. I try to keep the magnets organized but sometimes the kids play with them, making the magnets talk to each other(yep, they have creative imaginations!), lining them up differently, and as a result, inadvertently dropping them. So if you look at the magnets closely, some have chipped edges.

This picture is a little dark, so click on the image to see the names of the cities/places on the magnets. Our favorite verse is not a magnet but it is held up by magnets.

"I feel like a millionaire!" (One Night in the Lap of Luxury)

We are used to staying in inns and hostels and ordinary hotels...so being in a 5-star hotel was a unique experience....as my younger son Brian said as he stepped into the room..."I feel like a millionaire!" Hahaha!

Thanks to my generous sister and brother-in-law, who gave us a gift certificate for Christmas for an overnight stay (weekend) in a Superior Room at the Makati Shangri-la Hotel ,right in the middle of the Central Business District of Metro Manila, we got a taste of luxury. For no apparent reason, we were upgraded to a Deluxe Room on the 27th floor...woohoo! We stayed there June 7 to 8, 2008.

I thank God for the stay at the hotel. But in the midst of all that finery, I always remembered Matthew 6:26-29: "Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life? "And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin.Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these."

Five-star hotels are nothing compared to Solomon's splendor. Yet the Bible says that Solomon's splendor cannot compare to God's provision.

Here are some pictures of the night in the lap of luxury:

Above: Clowning around on the king-sized bed

Above: The one standing up is the son who said "I feel like a millionaire"

Hahaha! A fake magazine cover--just for fun! I sent this photo to
my sister and brother-in-law when I thanked them for their gift.