If you were to ask me to describe my 2018 in one word, I wouldn’t be able to give you an answer. It’s not that I couldn’t, it’s just that there are a lot of words to describe it and one word won’t suffice it all. So here’s my 2018 in a nutshell? Well, I’ll try to not say a lot. PROMISE!

1. Marriage Restored– It’s not what you’re thinking. Something must’ve been broken to be restored, right? I am not going to say our marriage was broken because it wasn’t— we just struggled in our differences.

From culture, family dynamics, personality, to unrealistic expectations. We also avoided God for 3 years! So, I’ve built so much resentment in my heart, and it blew out of proportion one day! I didn’t have the means of expressing what I’ve been missing that every time there was an issue, I blamed our own personal weakness, unavailability for God, and experiencing His word coming to life through going to church and fellowship with other believers. After all, HOW CAN WE LOVE, IF WE ARE NOT EXPERIENCING LOVE WHICH CAME FROM THE ULTIMATE SOURCE OF IT? GOD.

This year, I realized that we can’t let our “LOVE CUP” be empty for a long time, or it will take a toll on us and our relationship with our significant others.

2. Re-Energized Faith– Tim and I are back to attending church service every Sunday. We were unchurched and we kind of strayed away from attending church service for three years. The lackadaisical nature in us must be the reason—but regardless, we are blessed to be part of a church planting since March 2018, and now a member of New Day Church pastored by Pastor Justin Kane.

If you want to know more about New Day Church, click the link below:

(https://www.myndchurch.org/)

3. Healing Miracle- You will never be prepared for any kind of diagnosis. My brother Hadrian, my youngest sibling, was diagnosed with Cryptococcal Meningitis around August 2018, a rare form of fungal meningitis that only started with an extreme headache, to chronic sinusitis–then to Meningitis! Cryptococcal Meningitis is a type of meningitis that individual whose immune system is compromised acquire from bird droppings contaminated with the fungus, either airborne or ingestion. 

We weren’t given the assurance of survival and was warned that it was a serious case. We were told we needed money for the treatment and it will take a long time. Video chatting with my family triggered a “fear mode on” in me– what I was seeing in the physical, couldn’t justify the future I was afraid of. I was always scared of what’s going to happen to him— It was like, Mama all over again! It was painful.

After six weeks of treatment, after strangers, friends, and families generosity—- and most especially, PRAYERS and God’s healing hands, He was healed. Praise be to the ultimate Healer of all.

Let end this post with a simple thank you. That even 2018 wasn’t perfect, I am grateful for all the lessons learned, the chances given, and new doors that were opened.