What an awesome God!

Me and Remus

It was 25^th of January 2012, I was so busy doing my work. That night I felt so heavy and I was running a slight fever. I thought it is due only to exhaustion.

So I ended up sleeping early. The next morning the fever is getting worse and my throat is swelling up. It was tonsillitis. It is so hard to ingest food! (TT_TT)

In almost 5 days that was my condition. Even as I am taking medications it feels like it isn’t working… Friday came, it was evening and my sister needs to go to work already and my husband is still at work in the office. I was left alone in the house. I was still running a fever by that time; I’m so scared that time. Thinking what if something bad happens to me. And some other negative thoughts run through my mind. I called my husband Remus what time he will be arriving but he still needs to finish some work. I understand him but I still worried. I remembered what my mama says every time that I am sick. “You need to pray to Jesus cause He is the great Healer and comforter” and so I did pray. Yeah after I prayed I become at ease and I felt his comfort.  But I feel that I am still sick.

The next day Saturday evening it feels like I’m craving for Japanese food. But it is already too late for a delivery, or for restaurants to be still open. I felt like I am able to swallow some food already. So I decided that I would go to Market Market the next day, it is located at Mabini Avenue corner McKinley Parkway, Bonifacio Global City Taguig. There I found the food that I wanted and ate. But still my throat is swelling and still hard to swallow.

My husband and I are supposed to go to VCF Pioneer. But since we are already near VCF The Fort and Pioneer is already far from where we are. We decided to have our Sunday Church Service there. Whoa! It was a huge place.

We don’t know where is the service being held so we waited a bit. A lady beside me, show me where I should go. I was surprise cause I am not asking her. She is kind. J  So we got upstairs and went to the assembly hall and waited for the service to start.

Before the praise and worship behind my mind something is telling me to go seek a pastor and ask for a prayer for healing. My husband told me to go after the service. But then, the pastor on the stage I don’t even know what his name is started praying. Then he pauses for a while and suddenly he is asking for other pastors and VG leaders to go to the front and pray for those people that are coming to the front. Maybe he felt or discerned that many souls are asking for healing for themselves, their loved ones or someone that they know who is suffering from any sickness and that moment I know the Holy Spirit is guiding me. I normally wouldn’t go in front or seek others for a prayer. Especially when I don’t even know whom that person is.  But I have a conviction that I had to do it, and so I did.

In front I saw another lady maybe around 30-40. She is smiling at me so I started smiling back and tells her that I need healing for my tonsillitis. That time I had difficulty saying any words cause of my swelling throat. Then we started praying. I believe that God really is in there I can personally feel it. Because that very moment I felt that a very hot energy is flowing from the tips of my head down to my throat then to my whole body. “Whoa! It was really an awesome feeling. “ It is so amazing cause it feels that a big lumps in my throat is just taken out! And I felt so relieved! I tested if I can now speak normally, and I did! I was crying out of overflowing joyfulness. I said thank you to the lady who prayed for me and then went back to my seat. I was so happy I couldn’t contain it so I told my husband what I felt on how God is so awesome!

Afterwards we started singing again. So happy I could sing to my hearts content cause there’s a voice coming out again from my mouth! The pastor told a story about the faith of the centurion. It is in Matthew 8: 5-13.  I love the verse 13. (Then Jesus said to the centurion, “Go! Let it be done just as you believed it would.” And his servant was healed at that moment.) That is exactly what happened to me. I was healed at that very moment! J  After that I thought I had already experienced a great deal but after the series Thrive. Read Romans 8: 1-11. I was so happy attending that church.

Truly God is always in control. It is not an accident that we are in that place at the right time. Jesus is always there to guide us. Showing how He loves us. Wanting to be with each and every one of us. We just need to believe Him and follow Him. How awesome He really is! Right? J

For the podcast here is the link: http://victory.org.ph/resources?series=thrive

Adobong Pusit "Without the Ink"

Here is how I cook the Adobong Pusit, I hope you like it as much as I do. :D

Ingredients:

1/2 Squid "Pusit"
Ginger size of a thumb
1 red onion "rings"
5 cloves of garlic "finely chopped"
1 tsp. pepper
1 siling haba "cut diagonally into 2"
4 pcs. tomatoes "sliced"
4 tbsp. soy sauce
2 tbsp. vinegar
3 tbsp. vegetable oil or palm oil

Procedure:

1. First clean the squid. you have to place it in running water so you could easily clean it. pulling the head from the body first. then scoop out any black ink and the innards of the squid. also take out the plastic backbone of the squid. wash it properly till it's clean. For the head and its tentacles just take out the hard part of it in the center, between it's eyes and wash it clean. set it aside.

2. Slice the onion into rings, crushed the garlic, then chop it finely. Then crushed the ginger and cut the siling haba in half diagonally. Slice the tomatoes discarding the seeds.

3. Heat the casserole, then pour 3 tbsp. of vegetable oil. saute the onions,garlic and ginger. when they are starting to brown for a bit toss the tomatoes and continue sauteing.

4. After the tomatoes are softened mix the squid and saute for about a minute. Then pour some soy sauce and vinegar. mix it all together with the siling haba. Simmer for 15-20 minutes or if you like it to have more sauce stop cooking when the squid is cooked.But if you like it dry cook it until the oil is separating from the sauce.

5. Serve it hot with steamy white rice.

Yield for 4 people.

Ginataang Tilapia

Hello everyone! This fish dish that i cooked is called Ginataang Tilapia. Hope you try it too in the comfort of your own home.

Here is my recipe:

Ingredients:
1 whole red onion "slice"
4 cloves of garlic "Crushed"
1 bell pepper " cut into long strips"
1 tsp. ground black pepper
1 kg. Tilapia
1 bundle of String beans "sitaw" "cut into 2 inches long"
2 cups of coconut milk "Kakang gata"
2 pcs. Siling haba "optional"
Ginger "thumb size"
2 tbsp. Fish Sauce "patis"
rock salt
vegetable oil or palm oil
3 pcs. Banana "Saba" "cut diagonally"

Procedure:
1. Clean the fish Tilapia, remove its scales, innards, fins, gills. Wash it properly.
Hold the fish in its body then shake downward so that its saliva and the slimy thing will go down to its mouth. After it is cleaned, cut a to slit into the fish body side by side then season with rock salt. Then fry it in a non-stick pan with vegetable oil or palm oil. After all tilapia is cooked, set it aside.
2.In a non-stick pan put a little bit of vegetable oil or palm oil enough to fry the bananas "Saba". set it aside when done.
3. In a casserole heat a little bit of oil enough to sauté the onions, garlic and ginger.
4. Pour the 2 cups of coconut milk "kakang gata" in the casserole. Add in the ground black pepper into it. if you would like you dish to be a little bit spicy add in the Siling haba. let it simmer till the liquid is reduce in half.
5. Add the string beans "sitaw" continue simmering it for about 2 minutes.
6. Now we can add the fried tilapia and banana into the casserole. Simmer it for about 3 -5 minutes and we are done.
7. Serve hot with steamy white rice.

yield for 4 people