It's been a year...

Christmas is just around the corner and yes, it's just been a year since my series blogs about the "challenges" we've faced last year.

God is good, His mercy endures forever!

We've seen the delivering hand of God work in our lives. This doesn't mean that all our problems are gone; in fact, we're facing great challenges still. But we know God moves and loves us so much, He'll never leave nor forsake us.

Please continue to pray for Joann. We believe and hold fast to the promises of God that she is disease free. She's scheduled for some tests/procedures this January for a small 6mm mass found on her other breast; we're praying that this is benign and that it would resolve by God's hand alone. Aside from this, she's also facing some challenges at work (which is actually stressing her more than her physical condition).

GOD IS FAITHFUL and mighty to save! When we face these things, we just remember that God already sent the answer to our prayers 2000 years ago thru the birth of the baby Jesus...our Deliverer, our Saviour, our KING!

BATTLE MODE. LET'S GET IN ON!!!

"For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms." - Ephesians 6:12

O Yeah. It's definitely On.

Few months back till now, we've been through what my wife and i could say is probably the most difficult time of our lives. And we're still on the process of walking through this "wilderness" experience. In fact, from time to time, there are more "problems" that we encounter, more specifically for my wife, in terms of her professional life. If there is a moment in our lives we DESPERATELY NEED GOD, THIS IS IT!

Although our situation hasn't dramatically improved YET(but we know it's coming, just a matter of God's timing) in terms of PHYSICAL manifestation, a lot has changed IN OUR HEARTS. For one, we've come to experience TRUE PEACE and JOY that GOD alone can provide. Yes, in Christ we have peace. And although this world brings us trouble, praise be to God for we can take heart that Jesus has overcome the world! And yes, the joy of the Lord is indeed our strength!

However, having peace and joy from God in midst of "problems" doesn't mean though that we LET the problem STAY.

It is God's will for His people to be in good health. Why then do Christians get sick? Only God knows. The same way only God knows why not all people are saved although it is His desire that none should perish.

We know from God's word that disease doesn't come from God but from the devil. Our heavenly Father desires to give us every good and perfect gift, and illness is not one of them. Now, our God MAY allow the occurrence of disease FOR HIS PURPOSE. But once the purpose of God has been accomplished, there's no reason for the disease to STAY. And if we know that something is from the devil, we now RESIST it and FIGHT it.

Our struggle now is beyond human cells, beyond tissues, beyond flesh and blood. It is AGAINST the spiritual forces of darkness. Proof? My wife and i decided last year that it's time for me to serve the Lord again through the worship team. The very month i was scheduled to talk to our Pastor regarding this was the same month my wife was diagnosed. This is definitely an offensive against us.

Of course, through the process, we have humbly come to accept that God allowed it for His purpose, as iron sharpens iron, so is He sharpening us. In all things, God can make it work for the good of those who love Him, those who have been called according to His purpose.

By God's grace i am leading worship again in our church. But more than this, i praise God for we (my wife and i) are PRAYING again like we've never prayed before. We are READING HIS WORD again like starved children stuffing their mouths with a feast before them. We are WORSHIPPING HIM again in a daily basis and staying in His presence. O man, it's just like we've been born again AGAIN!

But now we recognize that although God ALLOWED it, it didn't originate from Him. Like when Job suffered, it was ALLOWED by God, but it came from the devil. And after Job humbled himself before God and repented and prayed, his sufferings CEASED.

Knowing this, do we put on a defensive stance? Will we guard against enemy attacks? Of course, but more than this, we have to turn the tables around. We now go for the offensive, while keeping our vitals defended.

As for me and my house, WE WILL SERVE THE LORD! This is our offense. To take an active part in the advancement of the Kingdom of God.

From time to time, the devil tries to throw fear, accusations, false testimonies against us. But we LAY HOLD on the promises of God. The lone offensive weapon in God's armor is the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. To be on the offensive is to declare God's word and CLAIM IT!

We are now possessing. We are taking back what is ours. We are claiming our rights as adopted children of God. We belong to Jesus, bought by His precious blood. The devil has no authority over us. No power over us. We will not be afraid. God is leading us into battle, and GOD HAS ALREADY GIVEN US THE VICTORY!!!

Let me remind you, yes, you who are reading this; we are in a battle whether we like it or not. Do you belong to God's team destined for victory? Or to the other team destined for damnation. There's no middle ground. You have to take a side. The battle is on.


"Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God." - Ephesians 6:14-17

Message from God

God is truly moving among His people...

My last post was about our first breakthrough for this year, about the miracle we received regarding Joann's diagnosis. Much has happened after that, which seems to overturn the previous turn of events...

After we received the good news 2 weeks ago about the disease being IN SITU, we decided to offer up a praise and thanksgiving offering to God. I asked our pastor if i could go back to the worship team and lead the worship as thanksgiving to God. He graciously agreed and i was scheduled the coming sunday.

The day after our pastor and i talked, the 1st pathologist (who read the diagnosis as invasive) called me up. He said he learned i sought 2nd and 3rd opinions who both diagnosed IN SITU. He took the remaining tissue samples, mounted them in slides and he wanted to show me what he saw.

He showed me that there is really invasion, much clearer seen in this new set of slides, and that there is even invasion seen into a blood vessel. Long story short, Joann and I were once again stunned at this development. I took the new set of slides and the old set of slides and sent them to UP-PGH for further analysis and testing. We're expecting results this week, which would very well determine the need for chemotherapy.

I can't describe how dissappointed we were. It's like going through the process all over again. In my minute limited mind, i can't understand what was happening. We already graciously accepted the diagnosis before, even prepared for chemo already. Then the diagnosis was turned and chemo was no longer needed. We already sent testimony to God's goodness and power. And then this...is God taking back the miracle? Is He taking back our breakthrough?

In all things we ought to give thanks. Lowly hearted as we were, we decided that i continue to offer a sacrifice of praise and lead worship the coming sunday. A great struggle indeed, but God's grace is sufficient.

After much prayer, and asking God for anointing, strength, faith, peace and grace...i submitted my line-up of songs, practiced last saturday, and praised and worshipped yesterday, sunday. Truly in God's presence darkness flees, for in the time we praise and worship God, there is no fear, there is no worry, there is no darkness.

After the 3 services, i prepared to go home. A caucasian man i don't know and never seen before walked up to me at the lobby and told me that he received a message from God to tell me. He wrote it down as it was not really a "short message." As he began to read, my knees shook. He read as follows:

"You are a man of God and My delight is in you. As you have studied and examined my word you have discovered a treasure that has become a way of life for you. The persecution that has happened to you has been allowed for My purpose - just as iron sharpens iron, so am I sharpening you.

Be lead by My Spirit and develop the spiritual relationship I desire for your ways and your life are in Spirit and truth. Don't judge and you won't be judged.

There is another dimension of worship I will lead you into as you seek Me and especially the empowering and enabling that My Spirit brings.

Be not concerned about family members who are not walking with Me, surrender and give them to Me and I will open their hearts to respond and receive My engrafted word."

After he read this to me, he introduced himself as John Cochrane, a national of New Zealand and his filipina wife. They have a ministry in sorsogon, a christian run orphanage.

I thank God for His message, which really encouraged me, my wife, my whole family. I wanted to ask John "so did God tell you up to when this persecution will last??" but i guess that's up to God alone. It is enough for me that "it has been ALLOWED for HIS PURPOSE!" and that His delight is in me.

As we wait for the results, it could be that it is invasive and that chemo treatment would be needed. Or God can make it purely In Situ and that no more chemo is required. Although we continue to pray our heart's desire that it is In Situ, we just trust God now. He alone knows what is best. May His will be done.

God be praised! We still face mountains. Sometimes, God removes the mountains in front of us. But more often, God simply gives us the strength to climb and overcome!

Our First 2010 Miracle! First Breakthrough!

"He moves in ways we cannot see, He will make a way for me..."

There is truly sunshine after the rain. If you've read my previous posts, you'd know what my wife and our entire family went through this November-December of 2009. The biggest blow was the diagnosis of my wife with breast cancer.

After my wife's surgery, histopath biopsy results was read as Invasive Ductal Cancer, associated with extensive Ductal Carcinoma In Situ. In fact,the pathologist commented that 80-90% of the 5x5cm mass was Carcinoma In Situ, and that only a small portion was invasive. As such, the stage was stage IIa. If it was purely In Situ, it would be stage 0.

Now, for non-medical peeps, when we say "IN SITU" it means the cancer is CONTAINED and carries a better prognosis than INVASIVE cancer. After surgery, invasive cancer needs chemotherapy, In Situ does not.

So after a lot of tears shed, Joann and I have submitted to the will of God and had peace and joy in our hearts. We prepared for her chemotherapy, which was supposed to be started today, January 8. Part of the preparation entailed sending out the histopath slides for receptor testing (estrogen ER, progesterone PR and HER2) receptors that would influence what type of chemo drugs would be used. We consulted with an oncologist already and prepared ourselves for the possible side effects, such as hair loss, etc.

What would be better was to have ER positive PR positive and HER2 negative results, which is relatively easier and cheaper to treat.
As such, as I called up the lab for results, it came out exactly the opposite/ ER and PR negative, and HER2 positive. This would require a more toxic chemotherapy regimen, and an extra drug, Herceptin, which would cost around Php 90,000.00 per vial. It would have to be given every week for 1 year.

Still, in all things we praised God, and gave thanks to Him, and committed to Him our future.

I went to the lab to get the official result, As I read the result, it stated ER negative, PR negative and HER2 positive. But after HER2 positive, this was written...(IN SITU). I was a little baffled. What we needed was the HER2 status of the invasive part, not the In Situ part.

So I called up the pathologist, who, i didn't know at the time, was a previous president of the society of pathologists. I asked him what was the HER2 status of the invasive cancer was. He told me "I didn't see any invasive portion. It was all In Situ."

My ears popped up. Long story short, I sent him additional slides for review, and still he gave an official report )just this wednesday) DUCTAL CARCINOMA IN SITU.

Joann and I were stirred up. Could this be true? If this was true, she WOULDN'T NEED CHEMO TX at all.

To settle our anxiety, we sent the slides to a 3rd pathologist, also a senior and respected doctor in the medical community. As I drove to the pathologist today, I prayed to God "Lord, let it be that whatever reading this 3rd pathologist says, be the true reading. Whether it be invasive or In Situ. But our hearts desire o Father, let it be In SItu!"

Long story short, I gave the slides (all 25 of them) to the pathologist this morning. I saw him browse through the slides. One by one he looked at them. He looked at me. He told me, "all I see is In Situ. I'll give you an official result tomorrow but to me it's In Situ."

Hallelujah! Praise God! Praise Him! Praise His most holy Name!

I'll be talking to the oncologist later, but all medical guideline show there is no need for chemotherapy for Carcinoma In Situ. The surgery done was enough management. All we need to do is close monitoring.

God STILL answers prayers. He STILL moves mountains. He STILL parts the waters of the seas. He STILL does the impossible.

This is our first miracle for the year. This is our first breakthrough. And we are expecting more from our Great and Almighty God!