I have seen the Lord



Early Easter Sunday morning, I awoke at the sound of fireworks in our parish. In my country, we have a tradition called “salubong” where an angel unveils Mother Mary’s face and encounters her Resurrected Son at dawn.  

My ears strained for more like church bells and the choir singing but there was a deafening  silence after the “salubong”. The thought excited me, perhaps Jesus wanted to surprise me.



I greeted the Lord and spent time with Him in the Scriptures, He immediately brought me to read Aaron’s page where he talked about facing death. 
http://www.aaronoutward.com/2011/04/why-leukemia-was-best-thing-to-happen.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+AaronOutward+%28Aaron+Outward%29&utm_content=FaceBook

 It was a good reflection that stayed with me the whole day.
We celebrated the Easter Mass at 10 and my family spent time in the mall. Towards the end of the day, I watched Korina’s rated K episode of the “Our Father”.  It featured sundry stories of faith and hope that usually came after an experience of an uphill situation in one’s life.

Aaron wrote in his page that we don’t need an illness to change, we could change even without it. I agree but I suppose that  we all need a STRONG experience of God in our lives in order to fully recognize Him (not necessarily an illness,as it may take other forms)...

A particular conversion story struck me and it was his question that reverberated the whole Holy Week. “Why?” “Why me?”… I don’t have a ready answer for that question… but later on as we reread our hiSTORY then we are able to see the light.

He grew up without parents. The  street was his home. He scavenged for food and slept on a small piece of carton at night for many years. Filthy and unrecognizable, this man soon started stealing which led him to kill. He stayed in prison at a young age and bullied the other prisoners around. He was the “king” until he got sick with TB...



He met God in his sufferings and vowed to serve Him. 
It was on His 27th birthday that he received news of his release, “Happy Birthday… from Jesus” was written on his cake.

His ministry soon took place in the form of preaching. He visits prisons, shares the Good News to them and how he has experienced transformation during his prison term.

God never fails to amaze me with His great love for us.

I encourage you to ask “WHY?”…”Why me?”…then please, please share your story…




“I have seen the Lord, and this is what He said to me…”-Jn 20,18 


and we're never the same after that...


Comments

  1. JIMApril 27, 2011 at 6:29 AM

    I love reading anything you write..You have great style.. I am very happy for you that you have seen the lord. You have a wonderful soul


    http://jpweddingphotograpy.blogspot.com/2011/04/day-dreaming-with-lovin-spoonbills.html

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  2. fantasy in practicalityApril 27, 2011 at 11:06 AM

    i am a strong believer of the POWER that governs all the energy circles of the galaxy. we devote ourselves to HIM in conscious and sub-conscious state, sometimes we realize and sometimes we don't.

    i see HIM very close to me whenever i am at my lowest. HE gives me the ladder of patience to exercise step by step and i recover each time with clarity, to the top.

    i see HIM very close to me when i am happy. i find his blessing dancing round my soul to rejoice the beauty of life.

    your post is the first i read and all i can say, i find HIM more close to me.

    thank you soul sis for sharing HIS love.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Panther GOODYApril 27, 2011 at 11:32 AM

    I believe in GOD and I also believe in the many miracles that occur everyday. I have experienced amny of them and therefore know that I am truly blessed. I don't know what my life would be like if I didn't have that faith. Thanks for reminding me.

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  4. Jessica MApril 27, 2011 at 11:40 AM

    For sure God can use the high and low places that our lives experience being in to draw us closer to the reality of Him and His love. Some of our conversion stories can be more dramatic than others. Some have stared death in the face and have lived to tell the tale, attributing their survival to God's beautiful grace and mercy.

    Others, like Brother Lawrence who taught us much about a continual conversation and prayer with God, can have more subtle conversion stories. "While gazing at a winter tree stripped of its leaves, he suddenly realized it would shortly be renewed and spring forth with flowers and fruit, and the same was possible for him."http://www.inlightimes.com/archives/1998/12/mysticism.htm

    God is a God of diversity and it's beautiful how He speaks to the hearts of His people through all different ways, ushering in their souls, beckoning them into His embrace.

    Loved your thoughts and reflections. You have such a beautiful and profound faith :)

    ~blessings

    ReplyDelete
  5. MotifsApril 27, 2011 at 12:42 PM

    Melissa,I had started to think that there is no God,after meeting you,reading your posts,my belief has once again taken a form..I love you sweetheart,for showing me the way..and now I will say,that "YES I HAVE SEEN THE LORD"...Through my dear sister, MELISSA.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Harshal PatelApril 27, 2011 at 1:20 PM

    Melissa I agree with you. If we think that God is everywhere where we are then he will.If we believes in god truely and deeply.After waking up in the morning I always prefer to pray GOD first and then my parents who also are the GOD for me.Prayer is nothing but the food of our soul and as we need to it live healthy then we have to give our soul too.......

    ReplyDelete
  7. DebraApril 27, 2011 at 2:19 PM

    Melissa, my husband and I had a prison ministry several years ago. Here I met a man who seemed more like a saint than most of the run-of-the-mill “good” folks you see daily. While I sang, tears ran down his face, he was so moved by the Holy Spirit. Later we corresponded via mail. Come to find out he’d experienced a true conversion while in prison. Today he’s a free man and pastor of a church. Stories of redemption are miracles indeed!

    ReplyDelete
  8. RimlyApril 27, 2011 at 2:24 PM

    God is in all of us. It doesn't always take an illness or something tragic for us to see the Lord. He is here in everyday things. Everyday of our life is a miracle. Mellisa I just love your writing. Your goodness reflects in all that you do or think. God bless you dear friend.

    ReplyDelete
  9. BikramApril 27, 2011 at 6:23 PM

    This comment has been removed by the author.

    ReplyDelete
  10. BikramApril 27, 2011 at 6:23 PM

    Happy easter.. I beleive that if you are true to yourself and others then thats wht GOD wants .. and we all have god inside us ...

    Bikram's

    ReplyDelete
  11. Nelmitravel - Nelieta MishchenkoApril 28, 2011 at 12:13 AM

    It is a wonderful story about the young man who found God, Melissa! There are so many people in the world who still need to find Him!

    http://nelietatravellingadventures.blogspot.com

    ReplyDelete
  12. AlfandiApril 28, 2011 at 2:14 AM

    A beautiful experience..also I love the way you write and combine with visual arts..you are very talented..

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  13. AaronApril 30, 2011 at 10:46 AM

    Melissa,
    First I am honoured my post touched you enough to quote me and mention. Second, what a wonderful post. Sorry I was a little slow and getting to read it..as we were discussing I have been a little behind this week.
    I think the strong experience is only needed to open our eyes and awaken our senses to what is around us...I wonder if someone was to really take a step back and examine their lives based on the reflections of those that went through a difficult/Strong experience if they would require one for themselves as well or if they could realize the beauty around them without it?
    what do you think?

    ReplyDelete
  14. benMay 1, 2011 at 10:03 AM

    Wow it seems like melissa u enjoyed easter a lot ..great to hear this .. Nice post ..

    ReplyDelete

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