a whole new you - kerygmafamilya whole new you a financial revolution is happening — don’t be...

No. 315 Vol. 28 SEPTEMBER 2016

Inspiring You to Live a Fantastic Life

A Whole New Yousoul care 101:

divine remedies for a healthy mind,

heart and spirit

learn 10 life hacks to wholeness

restoring god’s original design

bottomless: bo sanchez’s 50th birthday celebration

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A Whole New You

A FinAnciAl Revolution is HAppening —Don’t Be leFt BeHinD!

For 18 years, bestselling author and spiritual leader Bo Sanchez has taken on a controversial journey that has gained him a few enemies. He helps good people become rich. Some religious critics have called him nasty names for his work.

But this work has freed thousands of people trapped in poverty, debt, greed and misery. They’re now enjoying financial freedom, generosity

and abundance.

Join him in this exciting journey. Join the financial revolution that’s taking place right now. Read his newest book, How Good People Like You Can Become Rich and learn how you can earn more. Follow these liberating principles and change your financial

destiny — and the destinies of the people you love. Make it happen!

www.kerygmabooks.comPUBLICATIONS, INC.

www.kerygmabooks.com

You’re Weird and You Know It.So many people today don’t like themselves.

They’re ashamed of many parts of their life. And they’re actually very nasty to themselves. They neglect their own needs. They’re addicted to toxic stress every day (which is slow suicide). They don’t respect their limits, and they stay forever in poisonous relationships.

In this life-changing book, bestselling author and spiritual leader Bo Sanchez offers the solution: Give yourself permission to be you. Embrace your past, your pains, your

personality, and your purpose. Through this book, you’ll learn to relax more, love yourself more, and find your place in the world.

www.kerygmabooks.com

NOVEMBER 17-20SMX CONVENTION CENTERMALL OF ASIA ARENA

1 0 Y E A R S O F M O V I N G L I V E S A H E A D

This Kerygma Conference 2016, our hope is to give to you what God has intended for you to receive in this inspirational learning event.

The best speakers, the best motivators, and the best leaders will move forward to give you God’s message for your life.

It will be an amazing place to come together and celebrate your destiny with Him.

It’s time to think forward, move forward, and pay it forward.

It’s time to live forward to that place God has promised for your life.

KCON2016 Full Page Ad EDITED.pdf 1 7/14/16 1:18 PM

My friend Ces is almost 30.

Yet to this day, she still feels like a little girl who tries to earn the praise of her parents. She feels that being her best is simply not good enough.

Ces told me that the only time her parents praised her was when she graduated cum laude in college. But before and after that, not once did they

praise her.Today, shackled by the burden of low self-worth, Ces keeps trying to prove herself to

other people. It’s creating havoc in her relationships. It’s sabotaging her success. Despite her external success, there is so much emptiness in her. Without knowing it, she’s desperate for praise, affirmation and love. And when you’re emotionally desperate for love, you rarely get love.

Here’s what we should remember: The people you love need your praise. The literal meaning of the word “blessing” is “to bow down.” When I bow down

in front of someone, I give that person value. I say to him, “You’re important.” And the easiest way to do that is through praise.

When you praise the people that you love, you’re actually blessing them.Here’s my advice: Praise the members of your family at least once a day.Husbands, make it a habit to praise your wife.Let’s say she is fixing herself in the mirror or closing the last button

of her blouse and you happen to pass by. Stop and say, “You’re so beautiful.”

Or your wife prepared your meal and you take your first bite. Stop and say, “This is delicious!” Then hold her hand, look into her eyes and say, “I thank God I married you.”

Wives, make it a habit to praise your husband.When I come home from work, many times, my wife

would wrap her arms around me and tell me, “You’re a great husband. You’re a great father. And I’m the luckiest girl in the world.”

I receive praise from thousands of people — my readers, my audience, my listeners. But for some reason, I still look for my wife to affirm me.

Some people say, “I don’t have to praise my family because they already know that I appreciate them.”

That’s not true. You need to say it. Praise someone today!

It may just help heal their heart and spirit.

May your dreams come true,

The Boss

Kerygma SEPTEMBER 2016 1

Praise Someone Today

Mailroom

CONNECT WITH US!E-MAIL: [email protected]

OR SEND TO: The Editor, 60 Chicago St., Cubao, Quezon City

Website: www.kerygmabooks.comLandline: 725-9999, 470-4091, 881-3082

Mobile: 0923-378-4941

kerygmabooks

FOR SUBSCRIPTION-RELATED CONCERNS:E-mail: [email protected]

Mobile: 0922-814-7031 (Sarah Discutido)Landline: 725-9999 locals 101 to 108

Kerygma SEPTEMBER 20162

Thank you, Kerygma, for always inspiring and teaching us how to live our lives. I am personally blessed with both the practical and spiritual learnings that I get here.I was once depressed but eventually, I found strength through the pages of your magazine. I realize that some people undergo more trials than I do, but they manage through God’s grace. Thanks, Kerygma!

More power! God bless!

Frida del MontePasig City

I am a regular reader of Kerygma and I appreciate the stories that you feature, plus the holistic teachings. I learned to prioritize my relationship with my family. Bro. Bo inspires me to become more loving, selfless and Christ-centered. His humility speaks a lot. God bless, Bo and the Kerygma team always!

Joy AlmonteQuezon City

Just BreatheLiving by Grace

3

One day, I got an email from a friend. He confessed that he had been living an openly gay lifestyle for the past four years. He had been attending a gay

church and had been having a sexual relationship with no less than his pastor. He confessed that he attended that church even after receiving advice that what they were teaching was not biblical. But he said he went because for the first time in his life, he was accepted and loved, understood inside and out.

But the time came when his pastor broke up with him because he was seeing someone else. My friend was devastated and his eyes were opened. He left that church and is now part of a non-denominational, biblical church.

I wept as I read his email. I wept because I felt his pain. And I wept because of the triumph of God’s grace.

I realized that the Church needs to be a home for us — a place where we can go back to after a life of dissipation, after we’ve blown away our inheritance and are tired of eating pig fodder. It has to be a place where we know we can return unashamed after we’ve wasted ourselves on the world only to come back disappointed with its empty promises. Church has to be a place where we can go back, no questions asked except, “Kumain ka na ba?” (“Have you eaten?”)

My musings brought me back to a time when I was a member of another

What to Expect:

It’s the ‘ber months again and if you’re smart about your Christmas shopping, you might want to start ticking off your list early. For your single friends, get them my latest

book, While You’re Waiting: Add Color to Your Single Life. Not only

will they learn practical tips on waiting and dating, they’ll get

to unleash their creative side too as they color away at inspiring designs included in the book. Order now at www.kerygmabooks.com or call +632-7259999. Available also in

bookstores nationwide.

By Rissa Singson-Kawpeng

A Longing for Home

household not my own. I lived among people who shared the same love for Jesus and the same mission burning in our hearts. It was my home and family for years, decades even. But when I reached a crisis in my faith, I didn’t feel like I was welcome there if I wasn’t my “perfect” self. There was no place for a broken version of me. The welcome and acceptance was conditional.

So it’s no wonder to me why our Feasts are popping up like Pokemon Go all over the planet. Recently, Bo Sanchez shared with me a private message he got from one of our attendees. He’s a transgender who had turned his back on religion but has now returned to the Lord because of the love and acceptance that welcomed him at The Feast. It was a place where he didn’t feel any condemnation for who he was.

When our churches and communities are like this, then we won’t be afraid of people going out our doors, venturing elsewhere, and trying out other things here and there. We won’t be afraid because we

know that tonight, or maybe tomorrow or a day in the future, they’ll return.

They’ll long for home. And they’ll remember where they

found unconditional love.

So then you are no longer strangers and sojourners, but you are fellow citizens with the holy ones and members of the household of God… (Ephesians 2:19)

E-mail me at [email protected] or follow me on Facebook.

Where do you run when you’re hurting or afraid?

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About Our Cover Model

My name is Chichi. For the last 20 years or so, I’ve tried to teach people to live simply, eat healthy, and heal themselves using traditional healing practices. I’m not a doctor. I’m not a nurse or a nutritionist. I don’t have expensive equipment or medicine. I’ve never taken any paramedic

course. But just the same, I am a healer. And I help people heal naturally.

Where did my healer’s “degree” come from? Well, for the past 20 years I have been reading, exploring and trying alternative health practices — from our own local Filipino healing practices to traditional Chinese medicine and to Ayurvedic medical customs. For the most part of these 20 years, I lived among farmers and fisherfolk — in homes far from hospitals and doctors — where getting sick meant going to a local albularyo (herb doctor) to be healed. It was while living in these communities that I learned traditional healing practices.

As I grew older, I learned that what we put inside our bodies is important. I learned that my kitchen is important. I learned that providing the nutrients my body needs, as well as healing from sickness, is possible through what I eat. Often, people are thoughtless about what they eat because they are focused on their career, having a successful family life, or they just want to enjoy life. (Thus the YOLO philosophy: You Only Live Once.) They believe this is what will bring them happiness. But it is precisely because you want to be successful and happy that you need to take care of your health! You want to be successful, happy, blessed and healthy, all the way into your old age.

Learning how to take charge of our personal health and well-being (and that of our loved ones) is a challenging pursuit. It is not just a trend that will lose its appeal over time. It is part of living. If we want to live fruitful and happy lives filled with love and good relationships, we will strive to achieve optimum health.

Keep a proper perspective when striving to maintain healthy habits. It should help you become healthier and not cause you to worry too much over little details. Get the bigger picture. And keeping yourself and your family healthy will be a happy, fulfilling and loving adventure.

Chichi Barba is the administrator of the 52 Healing Habits Program and the Happy Healing Club of Bo Sanchez.

When she is not busy healing others, Chichi is a researcher, documenter and web content creator for various non-government organizations and private companies.

For any inquiries, e-mail Chichi at [email protected].

Excerpt from Chichi Barba’s book, Eat Well, Get Well. Available at www.kerygmabooks.com.

September 2016

THE BO FILES1 THE BOSS Praise Someone

Today48 POINT OF CONTACT

DEPARTMENTS2 MAILrOOM4 ABOUT OUr COVEr MODEL6 DAILY PAUSE8 NEw YOU9 rEAL STUFF10 KFAM INSIDEr BOttomless: A “Small” Party

for a Great Cause12 SPECIAL FEATUrE From A Broken Family to a

Builder of Homes 14 DEAr K17 FEAST SNAPSHOTS The Stronger Velocity19 IT HAPPENED Challenge Accepted47 ONE LAST STOrY Living Beyond the Verdict

COLUMNS3 JUST BrEATHE A Longing for

Home37 HEALTH & HOME Walk Your

Way to Wellness40 wEALTH & wISDOM “Help!

My daughter is so into branded stuff!”

41 SEASONS How My Pulse Beats

43 CATHOLIC SOUL Reality Show45 K PrEACHEr Say No to a Life

of Regrets

SPECIAL SECTION23 INTrO TO THE TEACHINg SErIES

A Whole New You26 TEACHINg Take Care of Your

Body29 TESTIMONY Journey to

Healing31 TEACHINg Soul Care

101:Divine Remedies for a Healthy Mind, Heart and Spirit

34 TEACHINg 10 Life Hacks to Wholeness

38 SPECIAL FEATUrE MIBF 2016

chairman of the board and CEO BO SANCHEZ • president HERMIE R. MORELOS • vice-president for corporate services WENG CEQUEÑA • assistant vice-president for production RISSA KAWPENG • production manager TESS V. ATIENZA • sales director JOSEPH MARTINEZ • marketing manager KRISTINE MUTUC • digital operations KARREN RENZ SEÑA

Kerygma. A Greek word meaning “Proclamation of the Gospel.” It is a Catholic inspirational magazine. It aims to be an evangelistic tool for all nations, providing Scriptural, practical and orthodox teachings to Catholics, particularly those in the Catholic Renewal, as an alternative to present-day magazines. It is also committed to fostering the renewal and unity of the whole Christian people. Philippine copyright Shepherd’s Voice Publications, Inc. 2016. No part of this magazine may be reproduced without permission. Published monthly by Shepherd’s Voice Publications, Inc., whose editorial and business offices are located at 60 Chicago St., Cubao, 1109 Quezon City. Tel.: (632) 725-9999, 411-7874, 725-1190, 470-4091 and 881-3082 (Production Department). Fax: 727-5615. E-mail: [email protected]. Website: www.kerygmabooks.com

founder and publisher BO SANCHEZ • editor-in-chief RISSA SINGSON KAWPENG • managing editor TESS V. ATIENZA • asst. managing editor MAYMAY R. SALVOSA • creative director MIKE CORTES • asst. layout artist LEAH KIM RECTO • graphics director REY DE GUZMAN • staff writers MARJORIE DUTERTE, KRIZELLE TALLADEN • contributing writers RUDY MALLARI, DIDOY LUBATON, LELLA SANTIAGO, ALVIN FABELLA • photographer DANIEL SORIANO • columnists JEREMIAH PAUL HERNANDEZ, EDGARDO C. DE VERA, ROSE FRES FAUSTO, MARTIN FAUSTO • production asst. ANGIE ESPUERTA

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2 3“It is good to never forget that

mercy is not an abstract word, but it is a way of life: A person

can either be merciful or unmerciful; it is a lifestyle.”

“Faith is born and reborn from a life-giving encounter with

Jesus, from experiencing how His mercy illumines every

situation in our lives.”

“Jesus knows us, He really loves us, and He wants to free our

hearts from the burden of fear and pride.”

“We would do well to let our encounter with the Lord’s

tenderness enkindle joy in our hearts: a joy greater than sadness,

a joy that even withstands pain and in turn becomes peace.”

“As Christians we are called to strengthen the fraternal

communion among us, so as to bear witness to the Gospel

of Christ and to be a leaven of a more just and united society.”

“Dear young people, may faith have a place and may it give

meaning to your life.”

“Once it is locked up in the archives of history, faith loses

its power to transform, its living beauty, its positive openness to

all.”

“The grace that acts in us does not seek sensationalism. It works by patiently modelling our heart

on the Heart of the Lord.”

“Fear paralyzes us, it always paralyzes us; it makes us close

in on ourselves, closed to God’s surprises.”

“God has chosen us, loved us, called us and forgiven us.”

“Great things have happened in our personal love story

with Him, and these must be treasured in our minds and

hearts.”

“Faith is also hope for your future and a light for life’s

journey.”

“We are called above all to build and rebuild paths of communion, tirelessly creating bridges of unity

and working to overcome our divisions.”

“Concrete love is the Christian’s visiting card; any other way of presenting ourselves could be

misleading and even unhelpful, for it is by our love for one another that everyone will know that we are His

disciples (cf. John 13:35).”

“May believers always set an example, cooperating with one another in

mutual respect and a spirit of dialogue, knowing that ‘the only rivalry possible

among the Lord’s disciples is to see who can offer the greater love!’ (John Paul II,

Homily, 27 September 2001)”

Daily Pause with Pope Francis


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“Mercy has eyes to see, ears to hear, hands to lift up again.”

“People who pass by, who move on in life without noticing the

needs of others, without seeing many spiritual and material needs,

are people who pass by without living.”

“Remember well: Those who do not live to serve, do not serve to

live.”

“Entrusting ourselves to God’s will in fact means remitting

ourselves to His infinite mercy.”

“Before going to bed, I say this short prayer: ‘Lord, if You will, You can make me clean!’ And I pray five

‘Our Fathers’, one for each of Jesus’ wounds, because Jesus has cleansed

us with His wounds. If I do this, you can do it too.”

“Jesus teaches us not to be afraid to touch the poor and the

excluded, because He is in them.”

“Prayer enables grace to open a way out from closure to

openness, from fear to courage, from sadness to joy.”

“What is the Lord asking us to build today in our lives, and

even more importantly, upon what is He calling us to build

our lives?”

“We need societies of greater justice, where each individual

can lead a dignified life and, above all, be fairly remunerated

for his or her work.”

“We would do well to read the Word of God and in silent prayer,

to open our hearts to His love.”

“When He calls — and I say this especially to you, young people

— do not be afraid; tell Him, ‘Yes!’ ”

“By making room for Jesus, we become capable of radiating His

love.”

“God dwells wherever there is love, shown especially by courageous and compassionate care for the

weak and the poor.”

“We need Christians who do not allow themselves to be overcome

by weariness or discouraged by adversity, but instead are available,

open and ready to serve.”

“Despite our own failings and the injuries done to us, we must not

become self-centred but open our hearts in sincerity and trust to the Lord, to ‘the God who is ever near,

loving and good.’ ”


6 Simple HackS for

productivity

New YouTips for Personal Development

In our busy lives, juggling work and other life activities, we think that we should push ourselves harder and work even longer. But these six simple productivity hacks will prove that we just need to work smarter to accomplish our goals. Try one or all of these tricks and witness the improvement. 1. Eat frogs. No, you don’t need to go to a

riverbank, catch a frog and make it into adobo. This just means that in your to-do list for the day, start with the most difficult and the least enjoyable task. If you’re able to accomplish this task first or “eat the frog” right away, then you’ll be free to enjoy the easy tasks next.

2. Never touch things twice. From the words themselves, as soon as you get to a task, focus on it, act on it, delegate it if you must, and then delete it in the list if it’s done. Having the mindset of dealing with it again for a second time is a big waste of time.

Quick Health TipTurmeric, or locally known as luyang dilaw, is famous for being one of the ingredients in making curry. But aside from that, it also contains curcumin, a powerful treatment for inflammatory bowel disease, and also an effective antioxidant that relieves rheumatoid arthritis and prevents cancer cell growth. Curcumin and vitamin B6 present in turmeric can also prevent cardiovascular diseases like heart attack, stroke and blood vessel damage. Moreover, turmeric is a good source of iron, manganese, dietary fiber and potassium.

Source: http://www.whfoods.com/

turmeric

3. Fight the tyranny of the urgent. In connection to number 2, fighting the tyranny of the urgent means that you should be able to handle urgent matters that might get in the way of the important things. The best thing to do is to delete or delegate.

4. Say no. Bo Sanchez once said, “Learn to say no… so you can say a bigger yes to life!” It’s very important to know when it’s time to decline an offer to do a task as it will affect your mood and your productivity. A research from the University of California in San Francisco reports that the more difficult it is for you to say no, the more likely you will become stressed, burned out, and even depressed. So, friend, don’t be afraid to say no.

5. Check e-mail on a schedule. In relation to not touching things twice and fighting the tyranny of the urgent, stick only to a certain schedule when you’ll check e-mails. Social media must be minimized and only be checked during break, unless it’s part of work.

6. Avoid multitasking. Some people are just so good at this! But multitasking is really a productivity killer. A research from Stanford University shows that doing one thing at a time is more productive than multitasking. If people are regularly bombarded with several streams of electronic information, they find it hard to pay attention, remember information or switch from one task to another. Our brains can naturally focus on just one thing at a time.

Source: http://www.entrepreneur.com.ph


volunteer group organizeS baptiSm for Street kidS

Real Stuff

Saints-at-a-GlanceSt. Grimonia Feast Day: September 7

Born in Ireland in the fourth century, Grimonia was the daughter of a pagan chieftain. Her father wanted her to marry but she converted to Christianity when she was 12 years old. Her father got angry and imprisoned her. Grimonia was able to escape and went to France where she lived as a hermit in a forest and vowed to live a chaste life. She was happiest then. Unfortunately, some of her father’s men found her and when she still refused to follow his father, they beheaded her. A chapel was built over her grave which became a site of miracles.

Sources:http://catholicsaints.info/saint-grimonia-of-picardy/http://www.catholic.org/saints/saint.php?saint_id=226

Who would have thought that a teenage Vietnamese refugee in the 1970s would now be a dedicated bishop of a predominantly Catholic diocese in Australia?

Bishop Vincent Long Van Nguyen, O.F.M. Con. is the fourth Catholic bishop of the Parramatta Diocese. His installation Mass was held on June 16, 2016 at St. Patrick’s Cathedral.

Nguyen entered St. Paul’s Minor Seminary in the Diocese of Xuan Loc. During the war in 1975, the communist leaders forcefully evicted all seminarians from the seminary building and converted it into army barracks.

At 18 years old, Nguyen escaped with hundreds of other refugees to an unknown destination. After a long time at sea, they ran out of food, water and fuel. They were saved when the boat drifted close to an oil rig and they housed in a refugee camp on the Malaysian coast.

After one year, Nguyen moved to Australia and despite all the challenges, entered the Order of Friars Conventual, and was ordained a priest in December 1989. He became the Australian superior of the Friar Conventuals in 2005 and served assistant general in Rome from 2008 to 2011. In May 2011, Pope Benedict XVI appointed him as auxiliary bishop of Melbourne.

Bishop Nguyen currently serves as the Australian bishops’ delegate for Migrants and Refugees and also their chair of the Catholic Social Justice Council.

On June 25, 2016, 14 children and babies from street families in Montalban, Novaliches, Quezon City were baptized by Tulay ng Kabataan (TNK) director Fr. Matthieu Dauchez at the Shrine of Mary, Queen of Peace, more popularly called EDSA Shrine.

TNK is a foundation that aims to help kids out of the streets and into homes, give them formal education, and eventually, enable them to become citizens contributing to the society. Included in their goals is to offer baptism at least twice a year.

According to Thierry D’Arcangues, a TNK French volunteer, the families on the streets don’t have anything except God, that’s why they organize the encounter with the Lord. He also explained that most of the time, those families don’t go to the church for baptism because they don’t have money to celebrate after.

Present in the baptism rites in June were the children’s parents, relatives, friends as well as other French volunteers like TNK communications manager Elise Cruse; TNK human resources manager Charles Cruse; and John Paul Mercado, overall head of TNK’s six street educators’ teams fielded throughout NCR.

For more information on how to help TNK, you may contact (+63 2) 435 59 12 or e-mail [email protected].

Source: http://www.cbcpnews.com/

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By Krizelle R. TalladenPhotos By John Cortes, Charles Oraiz and Cherrielyn Bansale

A ‘Small’ Party for a Great Cause


B o Sanchez, founder and leader of the Light of Jesus (LOJ) Family, celebrated his 50th birthday through a free event entitled “BOttomless” on the evening of July 11, 2016. The surprise program was made possible through the preparation of Bo’s family and friends, with the help of the different ministries of LOJ. Admittedly, Bo knew there was

a small birthday celebration. He just didn’t expect that the small celebration would be at the Smart Araneta Coliseum — with thousands of LOJ members from all over the Philippines excited to celebrate with him.

BOttomless Fun“BOttomless” highlighted the significant areas of Bo’s life — his love for Jesus, for service, for the poor, for financial literacy, and for his family and friends.

Creative song and dance numbers were performed by various groups including The Feast Dance Ministry; Four Priests in the City, composed of Fr. Joel Jason, Fr. Rey Pascual, Fr. Allan Samonte and Fr. Steve Zabala; representatives from Catholic Filipino Academy who delivered a speech choir presentation on some fun facts about Bo; The Masterminds, Bo’s group of business and financial mentors, who showcased their version of “If I Were a Rich Man” from the musicale Fiddler on the Roof; and the Feast builders who danced to the tune of boy band songs and recent dance crazes. The builders raised the roof of the coliseum.

Celebrity performers also graced the event. Comedy queen Ai Ai delas Alas rendered an entertaining Abba medley while Top Suzara serenaded the crowd with his acoustic set.

Betty Roxas-Chua, Bo’s good friend and godmother, a board member of Shepherd’s Voice Radio and Television (SVRTV) and a supporter of LOJ’s mercy ministries, expressed her birthday message for Bo onstage. She shared how generous Bo is — even when nobody sees. Analyn Docog of Anawim gave an emotional testimony on how Bo showed up in the province in the midst of their extreme poverty. He brought her and her siblings to Manila, and supported them like a parent. To date, their family lives well, thanks to the compassion that Bo extended to them.

BOttomless GenerosityAfter Analyn’s sharing, Bo was invited onstage where Weng Cequeña, VP for Corporate Affairs of Shepherd’s Voice Publications, handed him a check of P1,000,000 — the total amount collected from Feasts all over the world. Servants and attendees who wished to give Bo a gift contributed at least P50 which they put in a secret birthday envelope. Proceeds were donated to the different mercy ministries of LOJ.

BOttomless Love Video clips narrating and describing Bo’s journey were also played, as well as birthday messages from Sis. Aida Manongdo, the one who prophesied that he would be preaching God’s Word; LOJ elders including SVP and SVRTV President Hermie Morelos and LOJ Feast Provincial Overseer Carl Fontanilla; members of Truly Rich Club; noted personalities such as Archbishop of Manila Cardinal Chito Tagle, Gary Valenciano, Karen Davila, Bernadette Sembrano-Aguinaldo, and Coach Joel Banal. The Lighthouse Family, which includes all the employees of SVRTV, Shepherd’s Voice Publications (SVP), Kerygma Family, and LOJ Admin Office, also prepared a fun music video for Bo.

The Kerygma 5 composed of Adrian Panganiban, Jon Escoto, Arun Gogna, Obet Cabrillas and Alvin Barcelona also performed their hilarious rendition of James Taylor’s “You’ve Got a Friend” and gave comedic yet meaningful messages to Bo. Moreover, the younger Sanchezes sang together The Lord’s Prayer in Swahili. Bo’s wife, Marowe Sanchez, and eldest son, Benedict, went onstage, honored Bo, and delivered their heartfelt messages to him. Francis, their youngest son, sang one of Bo’s compositions to open the worship.

BOttomless GratitudeTowards the end of the event, Bo Sanchez gave his thanksgiving message and blessing to everyone in the coliseum. He claimed that the love they gave him would be returned to them by God multiplied over.

Bo’s short talk mainly revolved in the big message: “You are anointed.” Just like him who used to be a porn addict and an approval addict but was changed and healed by the love of God, he claimed that despite our sins and weaknesses, we can be God’s instrument of healing and love to the world.

Having heard his message, the whole coliseum praised and worshipped God in one voice, with the songs Bo Sanchez himself composed many years ago.

That night, people gave so much love to a great leader and friend, that they left the place not empty-handed, but receiving God’s bottomless love.

A ‘Small’ Party for a Great Cause


By Michael Pascual as told to Alvin Fabella

Special Feature

FRom A bRoKeN FAmIlY to A bUIlDeR oF Homes

Michael with Francis Macatulad, Head of Direct Marketing, Volunteer Program, and ReStore Michael found his purpose — to help build houses for families.


i came from a broken family. One might even say that it’s complicated. I have five other step and half siblings because my parents separated and remarried. I was born in the Philippines but

we moved to the U.S. when I was only five years old. My mother raised me but I also got support from my father. I witnessed my mother’s sacrifices as a single parent. Because of this, I longed to help troubled youth and less fortunate families.

The Desire to HelpDuring college, I volunteered for Habitat in Des Moines, Iowa a few times between 2009 and 2010. Habitat for Humanity International (HFH), or Habitat, is a global non-profit organization which provides suitable and economical home to families. I enjoyed volunteer work so much that I wanted a career that would allow me to serve the less fortunate. In May 2010, I graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology.

I applied and got accepted at the AmeriCorps which was an affiliate of Heartland Habitat for Humanity. One of my roles was to develop relationships with donors and partners for their second ReStore branch. ReStore is HFH’s home improvement donation center that sells new or donated furniture and home accessories at below-market values. The goal of ReStore is to generate funds to support the mission of HFH in building better homes for the less fortunate.

In 2011, I moved to HFH Greater San Francisco (GSF), became the assistant manager and helped open Habitat GSF’s first ReStore. Through team effort, Habitat GSF ReStore became one of the top performing ReStore branches in the U.S.

Bound for MoreI went to the Philippines in 2014 to visit my family and take some time off. However, I found myself falling in love with the people and the food. I wanted to immerse myself back into the culture so I stayed. This might be God’s way of revealing His plans for me.

I applied in the resource development of Habitat Philippines. I was surprised to hear that they were looking for a ReStore Manager because they wanted to open the first ReStore in the Philippines and in Asia. Since I helped open the first ReStore in San Francisco, I knew that I would fit their requirement. Maybe it was God’s guiding hand that led me to Habitat Philippines. I expressed my interest in the position.

I was hired in May 2014 and joined in the preparations of the first ReStore in the Philippines.

Challenged but BlessedIn the Philippines, the concept of donating items is still new. Good thing, the Filipinos are more than willing to donate their pre-loved items for a good cause. Also, Filipinos love bargains and since ReStore offers quality and affordable items with proceeds helping build more homes, the ReStore concept would be a win-win situation for both the donor and the bargain shoppers.

We opened ReStore Philippines in September 2015 after several months of planning and preparation. I work with a group of hardworking people who are determined to spread the word about our mission. Our focus is to raise funds to build homes for poverty stricken communities in the Philippines.

Through God’s grace and the support

of donors and customers, we are able to restore hope to those who need it, share God’s love and help transform the lives of Filipino families. And all one has to do is to donate or shop for a piece of furniture or home accessory.

Your Brokenness Restores OthersReStore provides an opportunity for those who can’t afford new items to acquire quality items at discounted values. ReStore also helps the environment by recycling and reusing.

I am still amazed on how I ended up working in the first ReStore in Asia. God used my “brokenness” to plant the seed of volunteerism in my heart. I felt restored when I committed to my service with Habitat. I knew I was giving my time, talent and passion to an organization devoted to helping others.

This September, ReStore Philippines celebrates its first anniversary! Help us strengthen our efforts to bring people together by building homes, communities and hope. You can help restore lives by just donating, shopping or volunteering at ReStore. Help us spread the word and fulfill our vision where everyone has a decent place to live.

ReStore is located in Las Piñas, along Alabang-Zapote Road between DBP Village and Shell gas station. It is open from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesdays to Sundays. Visit www.restore.habitat.org.ph or like us on FB at HFHPReStore.


Dear Troubled Lady,God’s peace be with you. I totally agree with you to stop your relationship with your suitor

from progressing any further. I’m glad that you are using your head and are not blinded by your attraction to him.

Be firm about not going out with him anymore. Make him realize that you are firm in your decision that you can’t be more than friends. And even as friends, be cautious in dealing with him. He might misconstrue some of your actions that show concern towards him or his child. I suggest you cut clean.

If you are afraid that he might take his life, I suggest that you confide to his family or friends that you are staying away from him. Mention what he told you about his threat to kill himself so they can keep an eye on him. Pray for him too that he may be enlightened.

God bless you.Reng

I am 25 years old, with a stable career as an accountant and a happy family. I have a suitor who is seven years older than me, and he has a son out of wedlock. I used to like him, that’s why we became very close. In fact, I was the one who initiated our closeness. But eventually, I saw his temper and mood swings and it frightened me. He admits to having a depressive tendency. Even my parents saw through him and they don’t want him for me. They can accept his child but not the way that he made fun of me when we invited him for a family dinner. He tends to be proud and disrespectful to me and to my family as well. When I told him that we’re better off as friends, he threatened to take his life.

How can I help him? How should I keep my distance from him?

Troubled Lady

How do i deal witH a Suicidal Suitor?

Dear K

Reng Morelos gave up her corporate job years ago to become a full-time wife and mom. She supports her husband, Hermie, in his ministry as one of the leaders of the Light of Jesus Family. She has been with LOJ since 1981 and once handled the single sisters of the community.


Dear Striving Mom,I affirm you in your dedication to your children’s welfare. Having a child with

special needs is a big challenge for any family, and I understand the attention you are showering him.

Your daughter is at her puberty or pre-teen phase. She is establishing her sense of competence and confidence, and she is exploring the world around her. She seeks your affirmation, attention, approval and affection.

Assess the quality and consistency of your attention to her. Does she know when it’s her time with mom and dad? Do you affirm her for her efforts and accomplishments — big or small? It is common for families such as yours to give excuses for the special needs of the other child — without realizing that your frequent reference to your son’s needs (such as “You have to understand your brother...” and “He is special...”) creates unhealthy feelings with your girl instead of building the siblings’ bond. Jealousy is a sign of lack of assurance.

Spend more time with her. Take her out on regular dates. Refrain from making her brother’s condition as an excuse at her expense. Affirm her when she shows love and effort to understand the family’s needs. Always be positive parents to her.

Address this concern now to make her feel secure and connected to the family. Make it your goal to build her self-worth, as well as her brother’s, and build the family’s bond. May God be your center,

Ichel

I am a mother of two kids and my elder child aged 14 has autism. Because of his condition, my husband and I give him special attention.

However, we noticed that our 10-year-old daughter is getting jealous of her brother. She tries to do her brother’s activities so that we can give her the same appreciation and time. She even mentioned once that we only care for our son, but I’d like to believe that we don’t lack spending time with her, too.

How do we explain to her the situation? How do we balance our time with our kids? Hope you can help us.

Striving Mom

my daugHter iS jealouS of Her brotHer

E-mail your questions to [email protected]. Or if you need to talk to someone, call (632) 726-4709 or 726-6728 to contact a Light of Jesus Pastoral Care Center counselor. Pastoral counseling by telephone is 24 hours from Monday to Friday, and 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturdays. Face-to-face pastoral counseling is by appointment. For correspondence pastoral counseling, e-mail [email protected] or go to www.kerygmafamily.com.

Or Call (632) 725-9999

Michele S. Alignay is a registered guidance counselor and is currently taking up her Ph.D. in Family Studies at Miriam College. For 12 years, she worked as a guidance counselor handling grade school children for premier exclusive schools. Today, she is an associate counselor at the Love Institute and also holds consultancy and counseling work for schools on guidance and child-parenting programs. Michele is happily married and a fulfilled mom to two growing children.


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r ain poured relentlessly outside SM Manila on July 8, 2016. Classes were suspended in all levels in most schools. In social media sites, The

Feast Manila (TFM) faithful waited if “Velocity,” the Feast Manila’s seventh anniversary, would push through.

One message from Obet Cabrillas or Daddy O, Feast Manila builder, eased all concerns. He said, “My Feast Manila Family, I love you! Today is our seventh anniversary and, like every important family event, it needs to be celebrated. We will worship. From this moment and the whole day (and our whole life) through, let’s storm heaven with prayers for the storm to pass. I propose we push through! And watch His velocity create miracles.”

Thus, “Velocity” pushed through. And God proved once again that His power is stronger than any storm.

Himig, Pag-ibig, Astig “‘A 1:30 p.m. session? Who would go there?’ But look at us now, we’re full to capacity. There’s already a long line outside for the next session,” said Fr. Toto Cerada, SDB in his homily, capturing one of the surprises that day. When TFM announced that there will be three sessions for the anniversary

celebration, some thought the first session would only serve as a dry run. But to everyone’s amazement, each session was jampacked. Over 3,000 attendees flocked to experience God’s velocity, with an overflow of more than a hundred others who didn’t make it inside due to the mall’s security measures. Daddy O went to them and preached God’s Word outside Cinema 4.

Jessica Coralde, long-time servant of Feast Manila, delivered a heartfelt spoken word. She chronicled TFM’s seven-year journey and how it continues to live out its launching line, Himig (music), Pag-ibig (love), Astig (thug-like). TFM is known for its explosive praise and worship, a home where the broken heart gets healed, and the fatherly love of Daddy O, who used to be a dreaded fraternity member but now uses his strength to love the youth.

Eyes on the PrizeWith the anniversary’s marathon theme, Daddy O anchored his talk in 1 Corinthians 9:24, “Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize.”

He shared that through the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit — wisdom, understanding, counsel, fortitude, piety, knowledge, and fear of the Lord — we can run God’s race with love and excellence. He encouraged the Feast Manila attendees

Feast Snapshots

to bring love to their families and loved ones.

Afterwards, the TFM Worship Team led the crowd in spirit-filled worship.

Storm of SurprisesDaddy O announced that starting July 15, TFM will have three sessions: 3:00, 5:30, and 8 p.m. The announcement excited the congregation, because for weeks prior to the anniversary, many attendees already experienced lining up for hours just to get inside the venue.

In addition to the already overflowing blessings, the TFM Events Head Philip Sumera proposed to his girlfriend, fellow worship leader and TFM Singles Missions Head, Saly Go. The proposal concluded the celebration with an even higher and joyful atmosphere.

Ready, Set, GrowJust like Daddy O’s message, “ready, get set, grow,” Feast Manila has long been ready and set to be a growing family that embraces and welcomes the lost children of God.

Despite all the storms that it went through, figuratively and literally, TFM continues to spread love and shine God’s light. Then, now, and for the many more years to come, His love spreads with the greatest velocity.

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here I was, taking care of my father who was fighting for his

life in the ICU, yet creditors kept calling to hound me. I was being pressured to pay several personal loans that had ballooned to P7 million because of the interest. I told them I was in the hospital due to a family emergency but they didn’t believe me. They weren’t content with filing estafa cases against me —they even resorted to all sorts of threats.

It Happened

Challenge Accepted

T

By Dan Villanueva as told to Lella M. SantiagoPhotos by Erica Nicolasura

Dan continues to hold on to God’s promises even in his lowest moments.


Piled on top of my need to pay off my debts was to fund my father’s hospitalization and his regular dialysis. I remember crying while in line at the PCSO and the DSWD office to claim government assistance.

This was my rock bottom. For two years, I had not been receiving a salary from the company I co-owned with some friends. It was hardest on me because among the partners, I was the only one who was a breadwinner. I had to raise my brother’s two children aside from caring for my parents. I got personal loans to fund a lifestyle that was based on a six-digit salary. When I suddenly lost my income, it took a while for me to adjust. I used my credit cards and took out one loan after another.

My debts piled up. Several estafa cases were also filed against me for issuing unfunded checks.

A Hard ClimbI grew up in a family that was financially challenged. My father was a laborer and my mother, a plain housewife. If not for a government scholarship grant, I wouldn’t have finished college. Having raised four children before me, my parents’ resources had run dry. But that struggle made me a better, stronger person. I learned to work for my success.

Hard work and good job ethics helped me to rise quickly in my career. I became a manager at age 25. Before I resigned from my last job in a call center, I was a senior operations manager, one step away from being a vice president. I was so focused on my job that I collapsed at the office from lack of sleep. The doctor said if I wanted to live, I should unload some of my work.

Perfectly timed was my friends’ invitation to join their BPO business as managing director. They felt my corporate background and connections would help their flagging company. We did well for about six years. We were earning six-digit salaries. At its peak, our company had 400 employees. We had to hire a lot of people to mobilize nation-wide projects. It was big-time for us, so when we failed, we failed big-time, too.

The Downhill RollWe lost several accounts when new companies offered more competitive prices. We couldn’t match their prices because we were maintaining competent people and had to pay them a good salary. Then we lost a major account which was about 50 percent of our business. We couldn’t let go of the company because our employees depended on us. There were still collections but the high cost of running the business took its toll. We, the directors, had to shell out personal funds and give up our salaries. Since we are all servants of a Catholic community, Christus Vincit, we felt helping our employees keep their jobs was also our apostolate. Thus, our people never felt the pinch.

But I did. It wasn’t just a pinch but a knock-out punch. To survive, I grabbed every loan offered to me and maxed out my credit cards. It led to my staggering P7-million debt and several

Dan joyfully testifies about God’s goodness and generosity.


court cases. Every morning, I received calls from lawyers. I was served subpoenas left and right. There were several times I was tempted to just give up on the company and jump off our building.

To top it all, my father was diagnosed with chronic kidney disease. He had dialysis twice to thrice a week. If he missed a cycle, he could become comatose in 48 hours. He was in and out of the ICU. There were times when his SSS coverage was not enough and I had to look for funds elsewhere. My support group could only give me money to tide over my hunger. It was a good thing that I was spiritually buffered. Aside from being a member of my community, I was already attending The Feast.

When Prayers and Legacy Pay OffAt the Feast Alabang, we were given a six-month tithing challenge. I struggled with dropping my last transport fare money into the love offering (LO) basket, but give it I did. To be honest, when I gave my tithes, I didn’t think the Lord would solve my problem. When I served at The Feast, I felt He gave me the grace to just want to give. But part of the tithing challenge was to test the Lord in return with a prayer petition. In my Novena to God’s Love booklet, I wrote that my P7-million debt be paid in one year. But I told Him I would accept whatever grace He gives. The Lord was not to be outgiven. Instead of one year, my debt was paid in two months!

The grace began to flow when I bumped into my former boss. He was part-owner of the company where I became a manager. Apparently, he felt I made a big contribution to the company and that I was a man of integrity and character.

He said while other people who left did not have good things to say about the company, I, on the other hand, helped them to be where they are now. That was my legacy.

After several meetings, he expressed his desire to help our company. Our businesses complemented each other: They offered products, we offered services. As he helped our company get back on its feet, he realized I needed help more. For me to work well, I had to deal with the harassment from cases filed by my creditors. I had been too embarrassed to ask for his help but he offered to solve my problem.

Initially, he planned to talk to all my creditors and ask for discounts and easier terms. He assured them I would pay, which was true, as I did not run from my creditors nor change my number to evade their calls. The creditors agreed because they saw my sincerity. But to my surprise, he paid the banks little by little and just asked me to issue him checks (which he knew were unfunded) to keep a record of what he had paid. To this day, we have not talked about payment terms and interests. He knows I’m still building up my capacity to pay.

His former employees who heard my story could not believe what he did. They know he has a good heart but he is careful with money. He himself could not fully explain why he did it. It was clearly God’s grace in action.

Because of that grace, my father died happy, knowing my problem had been solved. He was worried because sometimes he would receive the calls from creditors and be harassed by sheriffs. This was a blessing I had to share. So even if we had just buried him one Wednesday morning, I made sure I was present that night at The Feast Festival to give my scheduled LO exhortation. The first thing I wanted to do was to worship God who had been so good to me.

Secure in God’s ProvisionThe experience has tripled my faith.

Today, when I’m faced with difficult situations, I just look back at those times when I had a mountain of debts and financial needs for my father’s medication. I’d tell myself, “If the Lord solved that problem, there’s nothing He cannot do for me.”


Join Me in a “Receive Your Miracle”

10-Day Pilgrimage to the Holy Land

February 10 to 20, 2017Special Bonus:

You’ll Also Join a Feast Right in the Old City of Jerusalem!

Hi!

I know a lot of people who travel often. I know a lot of people who take lots of holidays and vacations in different parts of the world — Hong Kong, Bangkok, US,

Europe — but they never consider taking a holy pilgrimage to Israel.Friend, why not take a trip to the Holy Land and experience profound spiritual blessing?

I’m leading a holy pilgrimage to Israel on February 10, 2017. And I’d love you to join me. You can walk where Jesus walked. We’ll go to Bethlehem, where Jesus was born, Galilee, where Jesus preached Calvary where Jesus was crucified — and so many other incredible places. The first time I was in Israel was when I was 16 years old.

Since then, I’ve gone back over and over again. It’s always a joy to see the actual places that you read in the Bible. It’s like the Bible coming alive — in technicolor — before your eyes. I’ll be bringing with me a friend priest.

He’ll celebrate Mass with us every day. I’ll also be bringing with me my fellow leaders.

It’ll be a ball!We’ll have lots of fun, I can assure you.Even now, I’m praying for all those who’ll go with me (I call them pilgrims). May God give my pilgrims a deeper spiritual

connection!May the Lord inspire my pilgrims to new directions in their life. May my pilgrims discover their mission and embrace it more

fully, through this pilgrimage. I see a pilgrimage as a long holy retreat.

Except that instead of staying in one place, we’re constantly moving. We’re moving towards God.If you want to join me and be my pilgrim, e-mail Beckie at [email protected] now. Once the details of

the pilgrimage are set, we’ll e-mail the details to you. See you soon!


Bo Sanchez

PS. Muslims go to Mecca at least once in their lifetime. I think Christians can take a pilgrimage once in their lifetime too. I’m personally inviting you to join me to Israel on February 10, 2017. For details, e-mail Beckie at [email protected] now.

PS2. Why Do I Call It “Receive Your Miracle” Pilgrimage? Because that’s my earnest prayer for you. That as you seek God in the Pilgrimage, your heart will open wider to receive His great miracle for your life. For details, e-mail Beckie at [email protected] now.

Special SectionIntroduction

By Bo Sanchez

Every day, I feel people’s pain.

I’m a preacher. I go around the world, meeting the spiritual needs of people. But they aren’t just sick in their souls. They are sick in their bodies, too. And like a flood of pain, they tell me: “Bo, I’ve got breast cancer.”

“I’m having dialysis, please pray for my damaged kidneys.”“I have arthritis and the pain is unbearable, I can’t sleep.”“I inject insulin twice a day.”“Two of my arteries are blocked; I’m scheduled for an angioplasty next week.”“Can you pray for me, Brother Bo? I’ve got liver cancer.”But that’s not all.

A Whole New YouRestoring God’s Original Design

Join Me in a “Receive Your Miracle”

10-Day Pilgrimage to the Holy Land

February 10 to 20, 2017Special Bonus:

You’ll Also Join a Feast Right in the Old City of Jerusalem!

Hi!

I know a lot of people who travel often. I know a lot of people who take lots of holidays and vacations in different parts of the world — Hong Kong, Bangkok, US,

Europe — but they never consider taking a holy pilgrimage to Israel.Friend, why not take a trip to the Holy Land and experience profound spiritual blessing?

I’m leading a holy pilgrimage to Israel on February 10, 2017. And I’d love you to join me. You can walk where Jesus walked. We’ll go to Bethlehem, where Jesus was born, Galilee, where Jesus preached Calvary where Jesus was crucified — and so many other incredible places. The first time I was in Israel was when I was 16 years old.

Since then, I’ve gone back over and over again. It’s always a joy to see the actual places that you read in the Bible. It’s like the Bible coming alive — in technicolor — before your eyes. I’ll be bringing with me a friend priest.

He’ll celebrate Mass with us every day. I’ll also be bringing with me my fellow leaders.

It’ll be a ball!We’ll have lots of fun, I can assure you.Even now, I’m praying for all those who’ll go with me (I call them pilgrims). May God give my pilgrims a deeper spiritual

connection!May the Lord inspire my pilgrims to new directions in their life. May my pilgrims discover their mission and embrace it more

fully, through this pilgrimage. I see a pilgrimage as a long holy retreat.

Except that instead of staying in one place, we’re constantly moving. We’re moving towards God.If you want to join me and be my pilgrim, e-mail Beckie at [email protected] now. Once the details of

the pilgrimage are set, we’ll e-mail the details to you. See you soon!


Bo Sanchez

PS. Muslims go to Mecca at least once in their lifetime. I think Christians can take a pilgrimage once in their lifetime too. I’m personally inviting you to join me to Israel on February 10, 2017. For details, e-mail Beckie at [email protected] now.

PS2. Why Do I Call It “Receive Your Miracle” Pilgrimage? Because that’s my earnest prayer for you. That as you seek God in the Pilgrimage, your heart will open wider to receive His great miracle for your life. For details, e-mail Beckie at [email protected] now.


Are You a Walking Time Bomb?Do you know what pains me more?

I know that a lot of people appear healthy on the outside but are like walking time bombs on the inside. They appear OK as though everything is normal, but actually, cancer cells are already multiplying rapidly in their bodies. Or their bones are wasting away with osteoporosis. (And milk can make you worse, not better.) Or their blood vessels are almost blocked up. Or their colon is now covered with toxic gunk.

When someone says, “My doctor discovered a cancerous tumor in my body,” that person thinks that the cancer just “popped out” on that day or that week or that month. Actually, it has been building up for many years. Because that person — for decades — has been living a cancer-producing lifestyle.

This doesn’t have to happen to you. You can learn to live a health-producing lifestyle instead.


What Is the Root Cause of 90 Percent of All Diseases?Here’s something that bothers me a lot: People are very ignorant about how they themselves are creating their own cancer, or arthritis, or heart disease, or allergies.

According to research, as much as 85 percent of our diseases today are lifestyle diseases. What does that mean?

We can cure them naturally.Read carefully. I believe that the root

cause of 90 percent of all our diseases is the massive amounts of toxins in our bodies right now. I believe that there’s a gigantic mountain of physical, emotional and spiritual junk in our systems — and sadly, it’s still growing bigger and bigger every day. Our bodies have become one heaping garbage dump. (If you’re a Filipino, imagine pictures of Payatas or the former Smokey Mountain. That’s your body.)

Most expensive drugs and medical treatments are short-term solutions. They’re Band-Aids. They don’t heal you. But they’re “marketed” as such. So they lull you into thinking your problem is solved when actually, it was just covered up.

Here’s the good news: You can stop the ticking time bomb in your body. You can reverse the progress of the diseases by using the natural power of your body to heal itself.

How?

Stop Making Your Body a Garbage DumpStep One: Reject all incoming garbage. We’ll learn about that in this issue. Instead of walking towards terminal disease, your body makes an about-face and starts walking towards vibrant health.

Step Two: Cleanse your inner body from decades-long garbage that has accumulated every day. Listen to my logic. Do you take a shower every day? If you give your outer body a bath daily, you should also bathe your inner body daily. You can learn about it here, too.

I pray that this issue will change the direction of your health — body, heart and spirit.


Special Section

TBy Rudy Mallari

here are a lot of three-word sayings that remind us of how to live life. Here are some of them: Believe in yourself. Live the moment. Keep it simple. Live, laugh, love. Nothing is impossible. See, hear, speak (no evil). And the last is what I like the most: Stop, look, listen.

Three-word sayings are easy to remember. It’s easy to follow. That’s why we take that formula and apply it to improve our bodily health.

When we mention our body, we think of the physical one, and that’s correct. But our humanity has another side. Genesis 1:27 says, “God created us in His own image.” In John 2:24, it is written: “God is a spirit.” So if we are made according to God’s image, then it follows that we have spirit as well. We live in physical body with spirit.

We are made by God as a complex, fully integrated and interdependent being. The common mistake in today’s conventional medicine is healing the physical aspect only. It does not address our whole being: body, soul and spirit.

When you buy a new car, there’s a manual with a detailed maintenance schedule. Violate what the manufacturer recommends and your car won’t last long.

It’s the same way with our body. And the basic, three-word formula in caring for our body is this: Rest, fast and

exercise.Let’s take a look at each point.

Take Care of Your Body


RestAs defined by Webster, rest means “repose, sleep; specifically a bodily state characterized by minimal functional and metabolic activities, a state of motionless and inactivity, peace of mind and spirit, free of anxieties.”

Even God rested on the seventh day. All of us need to rest, too. We all need a Sabbath.

History teaches us what lack of rest can do. During the French revolution, the French experimented with a 10-day work cycle. Before long, horses and mules died at an alarming rate. They investigated it and decided to return to a seven-day work cycle. The seven-day concept was God’s principle to obtain physical welfare, health and good life.

God created night and day, and evenings are made for us to rest. Sleep is an absolute and undeniable necessity of life. Sleep disturbances set up a vicious cycle of pain, fatigue and emotional distress that make sleep even more unlikely. Inadequate sleep leads to bowel disorders. It can also increase skin and muscle sensitivity to stimuli which causes more pain and distress.

Some researchers believe that one minute of sleep before midnight is equivalent to four minutes of sleep after midnight. Sleep does wonders for your digestion and overall health.

But rest is not only about getting a good night’s sleep. You can also spend some regular quality time in silence every day or go on a vacation (even a staycation) once in a while.

And of course, the best rest is when we pray and surrender to God everything that keeps us busy and makes us tired.

FastOur digestive system works all the time, even when we are sleeping. When we eat a lot during dinner, our digestive system works overtime. It also needs rest. The Bible calls it fasting. Fasting is the Creator’s high-powered spiritual tool for receiving breakthrough in our body, soul and spirit. Just like our computer and cell phone, our body needs to reboot as well and fasting accomplishes this.

Fasting is one’s willingness to abstain from or

reduce taking food or drinks for a certain period. We usually hear this term during Lent, when believers are invited to fast in communion with Christ’s suffering.

Here are some biblically-based fasts:1. Esther Fast. It is a form of fasting from all foods and

liquid for three days as stated in Esther 4:16.2. Daniel 10-Day Fast. Daniel 1:12 introduces a fasting

from meat and wine for 10 days. Only vegetables and water are eaten and taken during this period.

3. Daniel 21-Day Water Fasting. In Daniel 10, Daniel shared that he fasted from any savory food, meat and wine for three weeks. In medical version, only water is recommended while doing this fast.

4. Moses and Jesus 40-Day Fast. This is an absolute fasting for 40 days — which means refraining from drinking water, too. That’s what Moses and Jesus did, as written in Exodus 34:28 and Luke 4:2, respectively.

Today, we need to consult our doctor before we go into extended fasting.


Check out the following recommended ways to fast for a healthier you.

• Drink water only. Eliminate caffeine, alcohol and carbonated sodas.

• Refrain from eating junk food, fast food meals, pasteurized dairy products, commercial breakfast and pork.

• Practice “monofasting,” or eating one type of food only.

• One-day partial fasting from dinner to dinner.

While some people think that fasting is only another form of dieting, it has more benefits than just slimming one’s body.

Fasting produces the following results:

1. The body feels much better after once-a-week fasting and/or partial-day fasting.

2. The body heals while it fasts. It undergoes an important regenerative process during our nightly break from activity and eating.

3. Fasting speeds up metabolism. Since fasting allows our digestive system to rest, it can do its metabolic function more efficiently.

4. Fasting helps ward off acne and can clear the skin. Since the body takes a break from the digestion process, it focuses on other actions such as detoxification.

5. Aside from the physical benefits, fasting also gives us the opportunity to detoxify our spirit. We can devote more of our attention and energy to God since we are not occupied with our bodily needs.

After fasting, our stomach literally shrinks. We need to eat gradually to let it adjust. To break a longer fast, start eating broths and non-acidic liquids such as raw vegetables juices, vegetables, fruits and raw cultured dairy on the first day. Then slowly work

your way back to regular diet over a period of two to four days, depending on the length of your fast.

Fasting doesn’t have to be a Lenten practice only. Since our digestive system is one of the most energy-consuming systems in our body, let’s help our body rest and recover by fasting once in a while, or even regularly.

Perhaps our spirit needs it, too.

ExerciseHebrew 12:11-12 says, “Therefore, strengthen your feeble arms and weak knees. ‘Make level paths for your feet,’ so that the lame may not be disabled, but rather healed.”

God created us to move. He never created us to just sit around and wait to die. He wants us to live joyfully, overcome obstacle, play and work.

What happens when we don’t exercise? Our body will accumulate fat and our muscles, joints and internal organs will break down.

The Bible shows that those who walk everywhere , trailed their animals and herds, live in tent or rugged shelters, hunt wild animal for food, daily cultivate their land and take only intermittent period of rest live longer than our modern-day man.

What can you do if you haven’t started an exercise regimen?Moderate exercise. Walking is an ancient activity of the human race. Adam

and Eve just walked in the garden.1. Brisk two-kilometer walk, with long stride and vigorous arm movement.

Everyday walking increases enzymes and metabolic activity of the body. It also increases calorie burning for up to 12 hours after you exercise. Tips:

• Park away from your office. This will force you to walk.• Take the stairs.• Ride a bicycle.

2. Functional FitnessFunctional fitness is a holistic exercise. Functional training focuses on improving the strength of the body core — your abdomen and lower back, which houses many of most important organs.

3. Deep-Breathing Exercise• Deep breathing increases the fat-burning metabolism of our body

and boosts our brain with doses of oxygen.• Breathing exercise expands and strengthens your lungs. Deep

breathing massages and moves the soft internal organs inside your rib cage, allowing your lymph system to rid itself of collected toxins and prevents it from collecting even more.

4. Rebounding Exercise This uses a mini-trampoline to jog, jump, hop, twist or step-walk in place.

• You exercise for hours without getting tired. This is a good way to burn calories and lose weight.

• This is better than cycling, running, or jogging with lesser incident of injuries.

• Rebounding is very good for the lymphatic system, circulatory system and spine, while sparing your joints and ligaments from exertion.

Don’t wait until your body complains. Rest, fast and exercise.It does not take much to maintain the body that God gave us.


It was in September 2014 when I experienced excruciating pain in my abdomen and I finally decided to have a check-up with a doctor. When she read my ultrasound results, she asked me to sit down in a relaxed manner with my mom beside me.

She explained later that there was a cyst that’s already bigger than my uterus at 6.5 centimeters and she had to do a hysterectomy. She interviewed me about my state of life and asked if it was OK with me to take out my reproductive organs.

Even if I thought I would not be able to bear a child, taking out my reproductive system sounded threatening to me and my body. I didn’t want any kind of major intervention with my body functions. I’m conscious about keeping fit, and surgery was the last thing I would agree to.

My mom and I held each other tight all the way home until we separated ways. When I dropped her off, I went straight to the adoration chapel and cried (I’m sure I even bawled). I just sat there in the Lord’s presence, gathering some strength to face life.

An Alternative RouteAround that time, I was planning to join a pilgrimage to the Holy Land scheduled for February 2015. I asked consideration from the organizers if I could delay my confirmation, citing the medical problem as a reason. They allowed me some time.

After consulting some friends who do not know each other, all four of them directed me to Dra. Edna Lao, an integrative-alternative doctor who referred me to her cousin, Dr. Bryan Virtusio.

When I visited Dr. Bryan, he asked me to give this approach a chance for one month, and gave me a program to follow — a diet and herbal supplements. But being a medical doctor himself, he said if it doesn’t work, he would recommend that the surgery push through.

Journey to HealingBy Marla Escobar

Special SectionTestimonial

Marla (right) with Bob, a sister from Ligaya ng Panginoon, during a pilgrimage in Petra, Jordan.


I followed the diet to the letter which was basically, as Bo Sanchez encourages, “fruitify” your breakfast and “veggify” your meals. If I had to eat meat, I just went as far as organic or free-range chicken and for fish those with scales except the cultured bangus and tilapia. I also went home to my grandma’s small resort in Iloilo and rested there.

When I returned to my doctor a month later, the size of my cyst shrank to 3.2 centimeters, a little more than half of its original size. My doctor was happy and he encouraged me to carry on. So I did. He said the more effective way is still to sleep well and continue my exercises, including taking in the sunshine before nine in the morning.

In the meantime, the deadline for deciding on the pilgrimage was fast approaching. I kept hesitating since I was not sure if I would survive with my diet in a faraway place. I was assured by the main organizer, Aly Placino, that they could arrange for it in the hotels and airlines and it should not stop me from going.

Taking that as an affirmation in my discernment, I decided to give my yes to the Lord.

A Tour of FaithOff we went on our journey on February 1.

Vegetarian meals were served for me on the plane. And on our first meal in the hotel, the fare was lo — a vegetable buffet!

Even their street food was composed of dates, almonds, pistachio nuts and sycamore nuts which were so good! There were no chips and other junk food there.

On the third day, we visited the place where Mary walked to visit her cousin Elizabeth. We gathered to worship the Lord with a few songs. Surprisingly, one of the sisters named Tetel Fernandez shared a prophecy. It was an assurance from the Lord that “if there are sisters here who are having problems with their reproductive system, the Lord assures you of your

healing.” I held on to that promise and took it to heart.

Destination: HealingWhen I arrived back home, I rushed to set an appointment with my obstetrician. We checked the ultrasound result and the doctor said there was no cyst — or at least she couldn’t see one. She asked me what I was taking and I answered, nothing really. I said I just went natural. I felt a chuckle there as I know how some of them think but she was surprised as well.

I was excited to rejoice and tell my friends about it.After a few months, I had myself checked again and my

original doctor found a small cyst, far from what it was before, affirming me that there will be no need for surgery.

One of my doctor friends said, “Every doctor wants his patient to change his or her lifestyle. If they see the patient trying very hard to make that change, they are confident they can manage and will need minimal supervision.”

Instead of becoming real sad, I decided I should still rejoice and accept it as “ a thorn in the flesh,” as it will constantly remind me to be conscious of my health, my diet, my sleep, my stress management, and ultimately, my reliance on the Lord. As the psalmist declares, “ The Lord is my shepherd, and I shall lack nothing” (Psalm 23:1).

And through Him, I’ve arrived at my dream destination: healing.

Taking the Greater MileToday, I continue my journey to promote consciousness in living our lives to the fullest by coupling it with a healthy lifestyle.

May we all take care of our temporal, physical bodies so we can work for the betterment of the lives of many toward our eternal destination.

Marla (leftmost last row) in the Holy Land with friends from Ligaya ng Panginoon.

A natural athlete, Marla finishes the World Vision 10k fun run.

Marla with her travel buddies in Marlboro County in Batanes.

Marla (first from right) with her Ligaya sisters at Bethlehem.


D

By Marjorie Duterte

onna is gone,” a friend texted me one morning while I was out of town. The news hit me like a bucket of ice-cold water flowing through my body. She was only 42 years old. A few months later, I received a message on Facebook from another friend saying, “RIP, Erick.” He was only 38.How can my brother and sister in Christ die so

young? After getting over the shock and grief, I realized how short life is. It reminded me of my own mortality. I also realized that we could make our lives even shorter by making unhealthy choices in life.

In this day and age, the number one killer is not heart attack. No, it is only the effect.

A paper published by Rosenman in 1996 revealed a shocking phenomenon. More than half of the new cases of heart disease did not have the normal risk factors associated with it such as diabetes, high blood cholesterol, poor diet and smoking. What was present in their lives though was a modern epidemic called stress.

“Stress makes you believe that everything has to happen right now,” a Facebook poster said, capturing the sentiment of this generation. Sadly, a highly stressful lifestyle is a guaranteed road to an early death. Many people get sick because they suffer from too much stress.

Stress, however, has its roots. To be healthy, we need to address the underlying issues that cause us to be stressed.

In this article, we will tackle the common sources of stress that disturb our heart, mind and spirit.

But first, some good news! If there is a problem, there must be a solution.

Sometimes it is easier to heal the body because there are fruits and herbs to heal it. But what of the soul?

What is God’s antidote for our emotional, mental and spiritual ills, for our pain that no one sees?

A certain man in the Bible shows us the way.

Only Say the WordWhen Jesus had entered Capernaum, a centurion came to him, asking for help. “Lord,” he said, “my servant lies at home paralyzed, suffering terribly.”

Jesus said to him, “Shall I come and heal him?”The centurion replied, “Lord, I do not deserve to

have you come under my roof. But just say the word, and my servant will be healed.”

And Jesus said to the centurion, “You may go; as you have believed, let it be done for you.” And at that very hour [his] servant was healed” (Matthew 8:5-10,13).

Great was the faith of this Roman centurion, but even greater is the power of the Word of God.

Do you remember where we also say the centurion’s answer?

“Lord, I am not worthy that you should enter under my roof, but only say the word and my soul shall be healed.”


Special SectionSpecial Section

Soul Care 101:Divine Remedies for a

Healthy Mind, Heart and Spirit

His immortal words have become our faith response before we receive Holy Communion. There is healing in our souls when we receive the precious Body and Blood of Jesus Christ.

We are also healed when we receive the Word of God into our hearts and minds and believe that what He says is trustworthy.

We must eat and drink from the medicine God gives for the health of our souls — His Word and His body and blood in Holy Communion.

It is also good to fast and avoid the following sources of stress that affects the health of our mind, heart and spirit.

Fear and WorryDuring the Gulf War of 1991, many people died during the first day of battle. Something ticked, but it wasn’t the bombs. Fifty-eight percent of deaths resulted from heart attacks. Fear and anxiety killed them.

Their cousin, worry, is a slow but steady life-stealer, too.Imagine holding a glass filled with water on your right

hand for an hour. After a while your arm will hurt. Now, imagine holding the glass the whole day while you do all your tasks, if you can do them at all. The glass is your mind and the water in the glass are your worries. When you carry them with you all day long, it gives you unnecessary burdens and wastes your energy away.

Worry used to be my friend. There was a time when anxious thoughts would plague me in the mornings, such that I would be late for work. It would paralyze me and keep me stuck just thinking about them. In the middle of the day, it would stop me from doing productive things because I worried a lot.

I realized that these self-destructive thoughts robbed me of my happiness. What helped me overcome my worries was filling my mind with God’s truth and promises in His Word.

Worry does not change things, it robs us of our dreams and of all that God wants us to be. Thankfully, God saved me from those very unproductive thoughts. “He has not given us a spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind” (2 Timothy 1:7).

In the Bible, there are 366 verses that counsel us not to fear. Jesus said, “Do not worry about your life… Look at the birds of the air, they do not sow, nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not worth much more than they? And who of you by being worried can add a single hour to his life?” (Matthew 6:25-27)

The antidote to our worries and fears are faith and trust in God’s love for us. Instead of feeding our fears, we must feed our faith instead. God will keep you in perfect peace when your mind is focused on Him.

Jesus through St. Faustina reminds us, “Do not fear. My grace will be with you.” He always grants graces to those who give Him their complete trust.

Let go of your worries and let God take care of it. Be assured that everything will happen in God’s perfect time. Instead of meditating on your worries, meditate on positive


things as St. Paul counsels: “Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is gracious, if there is any excellence and if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things” (Philippians 4:8).

ANGERDid you know that the chance of having a heart attack doubles within two hours after an angry outburst?

Another study reveals that within the same time, furious people have a higher risk of getting a stroke from a blood clot to the brain. Think of an aneurysm rupturing. You surely don’t want that.

Getting mad for prolonged periods also hurts your lungs. A group of Harvard University scientists studied 670 men over eight years using a hostility scale scoring method and found that the rise in stress hormones associated with anger, inflames the lung airways, increasing their risk to respiratory diseases even when they are not smokers.

A University of Michigan study also revealed that couples who repress their anger have a shorter life span than those who express their anger in a healthy way.

In his bestselling book Heart Detox, Bo Sanchez suggests that you give yourself the Gift of the Gap when you are angry. Pause and take time to think things through and process your feelings.

Allow your head to cool down by respectfully walking away. Self-control will save your health and your relationships. When you are driving and someone cuts your way, let him go. Think about the people who have been killed in a road rage. It’s not worth it.

Proverbs 29:11 says, “A fool always loses his temper, but a wise man holds it back.” Many have lost their freedom, literally and spiritually, when they gave in to uncontrolled anger. Relationships are broken and lives are lost.

Give yourself the gift of the gap! Pray for grace to understand. God’s remedy to anger is forgiveness. To keep a healthy spirit, choose to forgive others and yourself. It sets you free.

“Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven,” Jesus teaches us in Luke 6:37.

Moreover, receiving God’s forgiveness in the Sacrament of Reconciliation will heal and restore your soul and your peace.

DEPRESSIONWhen winter comes, some people get depressed. The change in weather, when there is more night than day, saps their energy and affects their mood.

In the Philippines, there’s another kind of seasonal affective disorder (SAD) called the night shift. Many call center agents suffer depression because they haven’t seen the sun for a long time. SAD is also common in people who work long hours in office buildings.

Treatment for the SAD often includes phototherapy or exposure to light. Guess what the best source of light is?

When feeling blue, I highly recommend walking in the morning sunshine. Absorb the sun’s gifts of light, warmth

and vitamins. It’s a natural source of joy! Sunlight also penetrates deep into the skin to cleanse the blood and blood vessels. Studies show that people with hardened arteries improved when they bathed under the sun.

According to the World Health Organization, getting anywhere from five to 15 minutes of sunlight on your arms, hands, and face two to three times a week is enough to enjoy the sun’s vitamin D-boosting benefits. Even a few minutes under the noon sunshine can deliver 100,000 lux. When we sit in offices for the best part of the day under artificial lights, we deprive ourselves of nature’s light!

A few years ago, I went through depression. It was hard. What helped me get back on track was practicing extreme self-care. It was the time I learned how to really love myself. One of the things that helped me was writing the things that I was thankful for on my Gratitude Journal. It helped me focus on what was going good in my life. I realized that no matter how bleak or sad the circumstances are, there was always something to be grateful for. While there is life, there is always hope.

God’s remedy for depression is joy. He wants us to be happy and healthy so that we can love. “A joyful heart is good medicine. But a broken spirit dries up the bones,” says Proverbs 17:22.

Dr. Michael Miller of University of Maryland affirms this. He says that besides exercise and eating healthy, we need to laugh a few times a day. Laughter protects the heart.

So friend, cheer up! Let the joy of the Lord be your strength (Nehemiah 8:10). From my own experience, I’ve come to know that God indeed causes all things to work together for the good of those who love Him (Romans 8:28). Hang in there. All shall be well. God’s plans for our future is good (Jeremiah 29:11). “Crying may last for a night. But joy comes in the morning!” (Psalm 30:5).

Indeed, there are many things in this world that can cause us stress, but when your heart, mind and spirit are attuned to God and your trust is in Him, you will be at peace.

Jesus said, “In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”(John 16:33) t


T 10 Life Hacks to Wholeness

Special Section

hink of waking up every day full of zest for life, with so much energy, and you are able to do what you love to do. You are abundant, generous and loving. You have fantastic relationships. You are

able to enjoy all these with a healthy body with no complications, no maintenance medications.

A human being is created to be a whole being — a healthy, happy, holy creation to live fully and abundantly.

But as we live day to day, we get hurt and experience brokenness.

I’m thankful that our body and being are programmed to heal, recover and restore.

The speed of rebuilding ourselves may vary from person to person. But every day is another opportunity to be whole again.

I’d like to share with you 10 Life Hacks to Wholeness:

1. Think WholenessWhat you think becomes your reality.

We’ve heard this many times from different sources. But this is also true with regards to our health and well-being.When you want to be healthy and happy, think of wholeness.Our body, soul and spirit are one. One affects the other.Get a bigger perspective on what it means to be really healthy — in

different aspects of our lives. I believe that to live to our full potential, we have to win in every area of

our lives. This is my concept of wholeness:• Physical health and fitness• Emotional and mental health• A good job or career• Empowering personal goals and passions• Financial health• Good relationships• Healthy community life• Ample rest and recreation• Spiritual health and prayer life

Let’s begin to think that being healthy is not just about being sexy and bodily fit. It’s to have a sharp mind, to be productive every day, to be financially abundant and generous, to have a vibrant community life, to have fantastic relationships, to realize our goals, and with enough time for rest and recreation amidst all these. To be healthy is to be in touch with our Maker; to receive grace and to be grateful for the blessings.

It’s all about balance.And the thing that disrupts our wholeness balance is stress.When any aspect of our life is stressed beyond its capacity to endure,

we feel broken, we feel burned out. It’s a daily decision to achieve this balance. I encourage you to make

By Dr. Didoy Lubaton


10 Life Hacks to Wholeness

small steps every day towards wholeness. Begin with your thoughts. Our thoughts will lead us to action; repeated action leads to habits; habits lead to reality.

2. Live IntentionallyI see people living like zombies, living aimlessly every day, stuck in a life of mediocrity. Start living with a purpose today. Set goals, act on them, and celebrate your winning and your learning. There is so much joy when you wake up every day with a purpose. Even small steps become big leaps when done over time. We only get to live one lifetime.

How do you want to spend the rest of your days?Make every day count. Do it one step at a time. One day at a time.Small repeated actions done consistently over time will give you big

results. There can never be big without the small. Take charge of your calendar. Write down your daily tasks and fill it

with meaningful activities. Choose activities that will bring you one step closer to your goals.

Prioritize what is most important to you. When you do the things you love, you will be happy. When you do the things you love for the sake of the people you love, that’s so much better.

Consider the length of time you spend on any activity. The longer time you spend on something, the more it should lead you to a better and healthier you.

3. Dream AgainMy friend, I encourage you to dream again.

When you stop dreaming, you start dying.I see two kinds of chronically ill patients:· Those who are slowly dying because of their illness;· Those who have rediscovered life again because of their illness.

Have big, lofty, audacious goals. Surround yourself with an environment that fuels your dreams.Spend time with dream believers and avoid dream stealers.Use the power of your dreams to get you out of bed and start moving

into the kind of life that you want. Yes, there could be setbacks in your journey towards your goals, but

you only lose when you give up. As John Maxwell would say: “Sometimes you win, sometimes you learn.”

Every fall is an opportunity to rise up wiser and stronger.Your scars will become your guiding stars to lead you.Start casting again that vision for your life. I believe that when you cast

your vision, God will give you the provision. Even when you shoot for the stars and you fail, at least you still land on the moon. That’s far from just doing nothing.

4. Use Your GiftWhat is it that you are so passionate about?

What do people commend you for?If you are a natural with a certain skill or hobby, that might be your gift. I believe in “flow.” When your passion and your potential align to your

purpose, that’s where health, wealth and abundance flow.Remember to use your gift. An unused gift will eventually get rusty

and spoiled; and it will be taken away from you.Shine with what you’ve got and give light to those in the dark. Your gifts

may save other people’s lives.


You can make this world a better place by using the gifts that have been entrusted to you.

Believe me, where you are most blessed, that’s how you can bless the most.

5. Make PeacePeace is a decision and a process.

It’s a decision because it requires you to consciously let go of the things that you can’t control. Let go and let God. You also need to trust the process. It takes time for natural healing. It takes time to get rid of negative habits. It takes time to forgive and forget.

Make peace with yourself. You are your greatest ally or your greatest enemy. It’s the best gift you can give yourself.

Make peace with others, maybe it’s the only thing that keeps you from your total and holistic healing. Where peace abounds, grace and healing flow. When you are at peace, you’ll have everything that you need. A good indicator if you are at peace is how well you sleep at night. You know that you are on the right track to healing when you feel inner peace.

6. Get FitYour physical body has to cooperate with your healing.

Eat food that your body will thank you for. What you eat is supposed to nourish you, not to toxify your body. Eat more fruits and vegetables for they are rich in vitamins and minerals. Eat more fish and plant protein rather than meat from legged animals. Say no to processed food. Hydrate well. Drink a glass of water hourly.

Increase your activity. Do 10,000 steps daily. You may choose to get into a sport or wellness activities like yoga, dance, or gym classes. The point is to get blood circulating around your body for better metabolism and to use your muscles to remain strong.

Get rid of vices. Yes, it includes smoking and excessive drinking. But it also includes addiction to gadgets and other activities that result to sedentary living.

Develop simple habits like improving your breathing. Get into a good posture. And do stretch breaks in the middle of sitting for a long period of time.

7. PauseI’ve seen a lot of people get sick because their rate of activity is so fast that their rate of recovery cannot follow. When this happens, your body reacts to produce stress symptoms like hyperacidity, migraine, cough and colds, and even develop hypertension and diabetes. Give yourself a break. Eat slower, and take a breather during meals. Avoid diving back into work or activities after eating. Your blood flow needs to be directed to your stomach, intestines, liver and pancreas to digest your food. That’s why you get sleepy after a hearty meal. Allow your body to digest well.

Book that vacation that you’re wishing for. Take time off from your usual routine. Consider it as refreshing your well-being when you change your environment from time to time. After travel and vacation, give yourself some downtime before resuming your work.

Get good sleep, too. Ever wonder why a lot of sickness are rampant nowadays? It’s because we chronically lack sleep. When this happens, our immune system is compromised, our hormone regulation goes haywire, and overall healing gets compromised.

Sleep for seven to eight hours daily. I have patients who have reversed their increased blood sugar and blood pressure by improving their sleeping patterns.

8. Clean UpAh, yes, a cluttered environment reflects a cluttered mind.

We have to physically clean our surroundings and throw away unnecessary things. You’ll have a cleaner and clearer view of your life and what lies ahead of you. Stick to your essentials. Clean up your closets. When you clean up your house and your environment, you also control the breeding ground of pests like cockroaches, rats, flies and mosquitoes. It lowers the incidence of illnesses transmitted by pests like upset stomach, diarrhea, skin diseases, dengue, and others.

9. Find a mentor/coach. You want to be healthy? Hang around with people who practice healthy living. Ask them questions. Do what they do. Read their books. Attend seminars and activities. You’ll grow tremendously in wisdom when someone is helping you out. Understand their best practices and learn from their mistakes. Consider one-on-one mentoring with the people you trust and would like to learn from. I invite you to join the Healer in You Club (www. healerinyou.com/club) and be surrounded by doctors and mentors for a healthier you.

10. SurrenderI always tell my patients that there is purpose in their illness.

Even if all else fails, God never does. If medicine cannot offer any other solution, we believe in miracles. Miracles may not come in physical means; it may come in healing of relationships or being at peace with God and with life.

Sometimes we encounter humbling and desperate crises for us to recognize that we can’t do it alone. Our pride crumbles and we begin to trust a Higher Being than us. Sickness brings us to our knees, and our faith increases. We may not understand why we are going through this. But we know that if God brings us to this, He will bring us through this.

Surrender also means lifting up the white flag, and allowing ourselves to receive love, grace and forgiveness with hands up and arms open. I don’t know everything, but I know a God who created everything. I trust in His divine plan.

I do hope that these 10 life hacks will help you live a healthy, happy and holy life.

We unite in our journey towards wellness and wholeness.Which of these do you think you need to apply

immediately? Which of these do you need to work on? Start today. I greet the wholeness in you!

For health mentoring, e-mail Didoy at [email protected]. Dr. Didoy’s health book will also be available soon at www.kerygmabooks.com.


walk Your way to wellness

J esus, King of mercy, we trust in You.”

As soon as we finish our 3 o’clock prayer, we, the Kerygma staff, get ready

for our 3:05 habit that we call the “one mile walk.” When you work in a community that promotes holistic wellness, you can’t help but think of improving your health. Sometimes we find ourselves guilty and convicted by the health articles that we read, write and promote. Ouch! And since getting fit is a long shot, our team decided to start together by doing the most basic but beneficial exercise: walking.

We play a 10-15 minute video from the Internet and try to follow the workout steps to the best of our kinesthetic skills. (The routines are simple, but our motor ability seems to be complex. Ha, ha!) Initially, every sweat generated a complaint. We easily got tired. We looked forward to the last minute of the video. We rushed to hydrate ourselves as soon as we’re done.

But as weeks passed by, the complaints lessen. Our tolerance strengthen. And our breathing improved. Whoa! There’s indeed power in walking. Let’s take a look at the other advantages of a proper and regular walking exercise:

1. Controls weight. A recent study conducted by scientists from the University of Pittsburgh

showed that obese people who walked briskly every day even just for 30 minutes to one hour can lose their weight. After following average-weight women for 13 years, researchers at Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard University discovered that women who walked for an hour a day and had usual diet were able to keep their weight on a normal level.

2. No pressure, blood pressure. Lawrence Berkeley

National Laboratory revealed in one of their studies that moderate-intensity walking reduces risks of high blood pressure just as jogging does. It helps stimulate some acupressure points at the soles of our feet to regulate blood pressure.

3. Combats sickness. In 2013, a study

published in Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis, and Vascular Biology stated that walkers decreased the risk of having heart disease by at least 4.5 pecent. It also improves mental health and lowers fatigue and lymphoedema. And since walking strengthens our immune system, cancer survivors reduce the risk of recurring cancer.

Aside from saving gym money, walking gives us the leisure to enjoy while exercising. “Mallercise” or “mall walking” is one form of indoor walking that is highly advisable for cardiac patients.

Like us, you can do it on a scheduled time of the day or week and witness how walking does wonders to your body. Find people you can do this fun activity with. The key is to be consistent and disciplined as you walk your way to wellness.

Have a great walk!

Sources: http://www.everydayhealth.comhttp://www.active.com

Health & Home

By Maymay R. Salvosa


Manila International Book Fair (MIBF) is open once again. The biggest and longest-running book fair in the country marks its 37th year of showcasing

various printed literatures from different genres: fictional, academic, inspirational, business and many more.

Bookworms come together to stir up the passion for reading. Publishers, authors, professionals and students fill the venue for the latest finds and the next bestsellers.

MIBF 2016 runs from September 14 to 18 at the SMX Convention Center, SM Mall of Asia Complex, 10:00 a.m. - 8:00 p.m.

Shepherd’s Voice Publications (SVP), publisher of Kerygma and other bestselling inspirational books, continues to join MIBF. Check out SVP’s latest offerings at booths 236 to 239.

Here are the new releases of SVP for 2016. Watch out for more until the end of the year.

HOW TO AvOID JERkS AND JERkETTESBo SanchezMany marriages end up broken today. Or they stay together, but are miserable together. Is there a way to make marriage beautiful forever? Bestselling author and international speaker Bo Sanchez believes there is.

In this book, you’ll learn eight red lights that tell you the person you’re dating is a jerk as well as six wrong reasons to push through with the marriage. Plus, for singles out there, three steps to attract the right person in your life.

Bo warns that some of the stuff you’ll learn in this book will be tough. But a little pain today is better than a lot of pain tomorrow.

STATUS: CONFUSED (WHAT TO DO IN YOUR WindAng MOMENTS)

Maymay R. SalvosaNawindang ka na ba?

You know, ‘yung feeling na hindi mo na alam ang gagawin mo sa buhay. Tanong nga ng isang kanta, “Do you know where you’re going to?”

Kung unli-questions na lang ang peg mo araw-araw, tulad ng: “Bakit ba ako naging ako?” “Magshi-shift na ba ako

Special Feature

ng course?” “Maghihintay ba ako, magho-hold on, maglelet-go?”

Kung stuck o confused ka ngayon, o feeling mo you’re at the crossroads, huwag ka nang mag-alala. It’s time to say goodbye to your windang moments dahil ito na ang librong para sa iyo!

Game na! Magtatanong ka. Matatawa ka. Matututo ka. Pramis.

#HUGOT SA TAMANG PANAHONCherry Camille DepanoNaranasan mo na bang maghintay? Ang hirap ‘no? Waiting hurts! Sabi ni Lord, “He has made everything beautiful in its time” (Ecclesiastes 3:11). May saysay ang bawat paghihintay na ganap sa buhay natin. Waiting makes us better people and prepares us to be the best version of ourselves.

Chill ka lang! Darating din ang biyaya, tagumpay at pag-asa.

Read this book in your season of waiting at matututunan mo ang mga mahahalagang bagay tulad ng the art of letting go, loving yourself, ang mga gusto ng mga babae at lalaki, at marami pang iba.

Dreams do come true, in God’s time! Basahin mo ito para makalma ka while waiting.

CLOSERFr. Bob McConaghyYou are known and loved before anyone knew your name. That’s hard to imagine in a world that’s getting more and more connected through technology while fostering virtual,

shallow relationships. We are fast losing our ability to be intimate.

That’s why Fr. Bob McConaghy’s book is timely. He reminds us that God loves us intimately and calls us to draw closer to Him. God wants to spend time with us. And the way to do that is through prayer.

In this book, you will learn to pray even when you don’t feel like it, unleash the redemptive power of suffering, make sense of God’s answer when He seems to be saying no to your prayer, grow your soul even during painful times, appreciate the real presence of Jesus in the Eucharist as you have never done before, and many more truths that will make prayer a joyful and personal experience with the Living Lord.

IMAGINE THIS!Miguel RamirezDiscover yourself in a creative way.

The book is a collection of images, all about yourself. It is a creative toolbox containing symbols that will draw out the answers to your deepest questions: Who am I? How do I move on from my past? How do I make my dreams a reality?

Imagine This! uses your doodles to unleash your subconscious and unlock the chains of insecurity, anger, rejection and fear that have been holding you back in life.

Teaching valuable lessons he

SVP Joins MIBF 2016


has learned in his own journey, Migs is a trustworthy guide in helping you discover the most powerful sketch in the world — You!

Imagine This! is great to use as meeting icebreakers and sharing starters for community gatherings, team building sessions, classroom discussions, and for meaningful conversations with family and friends.

Discovering yourself has never been this creative. It’s time to imagine and doodle your best life!

WHILE YOU’RE WAITINGRissa Singson kawpengYou don’t have to keep your life on hold just because you’re longing to be married. This coloring book for the single person — based on the LittleBook, Oh God, I’m Still Single — will teach you how you can maximize this temporary season of life and squeeze it of all it offers.

Aside from stimulating your creative flair, you’ll also learn dating guidelines as well as spiritual and practical tips to make your single journey a truly blessed experience.

THE HAPPY SOLO kITMirella SantiagoHey, solo parent! Are you on the verge of losing your marbles? Are you a newbie to this journey and still trying to find your way? Or maybe you’re a tired, battle-scarred veteran but still can’t move on?

Many parents will experience being solo at one time or another. It can happen for a short stretch with the wife needing a mom’s timeout or the husband having to go off to work in a land far, far away. It can happen for a longer period until you find that “love is lovelier the second time around” or maybe you can swing it solo for the remainder of your life.

The Happy Solo Kit will help you overcome your grief and anger and help you find your peace, journey from a low self-esteem to a healthy love of self, and conquer your fears

and increase your faith in God who provides, protects and guides you along the way.

#WASAk: Ang Ultimate Manual ng mga Sawi sa Pag-IbigAte PomaKumusta na ang puso mo? Nahihirapan ka bang mag-move on? Feeling mo ba para kang namatayan? Alam kong mahirap, masaklap at nakakalungkot ang nararanasan mo ngayon. May pag-asa, huwag kang susuko!

Ate Poma shares seven ways to help you heal and move on. Maraming mahahalagang tips at panalangin sa libro para tulungan kang maka-move on. Gusto mo na bang lumaya sa sakit ng nawasak mong puso? Promise? Panahon na para lumaya ka. Basahin mo ito ngayon!

HOW GOOD PEOPLE LIkE YOU CAN BECOME RICHBo SanchezA financial revolution is happening — don’t be left behind!

For 18 years, bestselling author and spiritual leader Bo Sanchez has taken on a controversial journey that has gained him a few enemies. He helps good people become rich. Some religious critics have called him nasty names for his work. But this work has freed thousands of people trapped in poverty, debt, greed and misery.

Join the financial revolution that’s taking place right now. Learn how you can earn more. Follow the 4 simple laws of wealth and change your financial destiny — and the destinies of the people you love. Make it happen!

YOU’RE WEIRD: How to Embrace the Broken and Beautiful Parts of Your LifeBo SanchezAre you nasty to yourself?

So many people today don’t like

themselves. They’re ashamed of many parts of their life. And they’re actually very nasty to themselves.They neglect their own needs, are addicted to toxic stress every day (which is slow suicide), don’t respect their limits, and stay forever in poisonous relationships.

In this life-changing book, Bo Sanchez offers the solution: To give yourself permission to be you. To embrace your past, your pains, your personality, and your purpose. Through this book, you’ll learn to relax more, love yourself more, and find your place in the world.

BUT WAIT, THERE’S MORE!We are launching three new books at the MIBF:

YOU CAN BE HAPPY AGAIN by Edwin Soriano SUCCESS BEYOND SUCCESS by Orange Garcia

DEBT DESTROYERS: How We Rose from Our Quagmire of Debt to Financial Freedom by Benj and Fely Santiago

GET BIG DISCOUNTS TOO ON OUR 2017 DEvOTIONAL SETS!

More exciting promos await you! Don’t forget to drop by booths 236 to 239.

See you there!


by Rose Fres Fausto

‘Help! My daughter

is so into branded

stuff!’

I got this question from a reader once:

Hi, FQ Mom. I always read your articles

and I follow you on social media. I wish to ask you what I should do with my daughter who is so into branded items. I fear that her expensive taste will make it difficult for her to achieve financial freedom. Any tips on how to deal with this widespread

phenomenon among teenagers? — Concerned Mom

This was my answer:

Hi, Concerned Mom, You’re right. This penchant for branded items is a widespread phenomenon among teenagers. This reminds me of a conversation I had with a co-parent from my son’s exclusive Chinese-Filipino school back in 1997. We were seated at the parents’ section to witness our son’s preparatory school graduation. She shared with me that she already had sons in high school and went on to say, “I’m happy with their school, except that the boys develop a very expensive taste! My high school

boys wouldn’t be caught wearing Giordano shirts!”Somehow, this conversation stuck with me. In the first

place, I never considered Giordano shirts cheap. I actually like them. They’re value-for-money shirts that we have a few in our closets. Cheap is definitely relative. This information made me resolve that I will raise my sons not to develop an “expensive taste” prematurely.

Over the years, I meet a lot of my sons’ friends and yes, some of them do wear expensive signature items, but I never felt it was a big deal among them. In fact, I know a lot of moms, whose children study in exclusive schools, who actually know the ins and outs of Divisoria where items are sold at much cheaper prices.

As for my sons, they never bothered to check the brands of the shirts and shoes I bought for them. Shopping for clothes and shoes was their least favorite activity then and it was only when they reached their teens that they started to develop interest in brands and a little bit of shopping. Up to now, one of them is still not interested that he even said, “When I become a billionaire, I will just hire a personal shopper!”

If their common schedules allow, they prefer to shop with their dad. They say, “If you’re on a budget, shop with Mama. Otherwise, shop with Papa.” My husband usually computes this way: Price tag divided by three because the boys borrow from each other. If the item is quite pricey, he sometimes justifies, “Divided by four because I intend to use it too!”

We should bear in mind that our children’s propensity to develop an expensive taste lies heavily on how we indulge them. So be careful. I would rather have them develop good taste and this does not always mean expensive. Go to value-for-money shops and have a healthy mix of inexpensive items and a few investment classics, provided you can afford them. And please, refrain from buying knock-offs. Behavioral Economics studies show that buying fake items increases our propensity to cheat! (But that’s for another article.)

Wealth & Wisdom

continued on page 42Kerygma SEPTEMBER 201640

By Martin Fausto

After three years as a marketer of a multinational food and beverage manufacturing company, I decided that it’s time to move on.

Don’t get me wrong. I liked my job. Even after three years, my deciding factors for joining the company were still met: holistic professional training, culture fit, and fair compensation.

So, what nudged me to leave? Let me share with you how I

discerned to live out my dream career.

1. Listen to the Inner voice. It would be convenient to say that I opted a way out due to quarter-life crisis or that I’ve already exceeded two years, the average number of years a millennial stays in a company, but it wasn’t. It was due to an incessant tug in my heart.

A voice in my head got louder five months prior to my departure, telling me it was time to plow a pasture that was more for me. I wanted to do the things that are more meaningful to me. I envisioned it as something I would gladly wake up early for on a Saturday morning and even do it for free!

I tried to answer my mother’s paraphrase of Frederick Buechner’s definition of God’s calling. She says that God’s calling is the intersection of my greatest passion and the world’s greatest needs. So I did my homework. I looked back at instances where I felt I was my best self at work and in school.

2. know your passion. I’ve always known that the “image industry” excited me. Beyond looks (wardrobe and physique), the image industry deals with verbal and non-verbal communication, packaging and delivering a good show. I thoroughly enjoyed performing onstage, organizing programs, creating pitches, watching commercials, looking through ads in the magazine and watching documentaries of remarkable personalities who have boldly left their mark. I encountered some friends and colleagues who struggled to craft and tell their story. Their point of discomfort was something I wanted to ease.

All in all, this act is called branding. It is both an art and science to deliver the message.

3. Find mentors. I explored my options here and abroad with some job interviews and conversations with people I respected, like my parents. They taught me ever since I could remember that as long as I keep doing what I love, the money will follow.

After weeks passed, with prayers made along the way, I asked my parents out for dinner. While enjoying bulgogi and kimchi, I presented my plans. We bounced off ideas and started finishing off each other’s sentences and plates.

So in August 2015, I quit my corporate job to take a step closer to my dream one. With my savings intact and at 25 years old, I put up my own branding firm named Brand’eM. Brand’eM aims to create brands that are as clear as black and white. By having more deliberate branding of ourselves (individuals and companies), I dream to empower people who would greatly affect their immediate circles of influence.

Did I foresee myself becoming an entrepreneur? No.Am I afraid that this will fail? Yes.What am I going to do? Take it one day at a time and keep doing what I love.September 2016 marks the first anniversary of Brand’eM. Today, what I do is closer to my heart’s desires, with how my pulse beats.

E-mail Martin at [email protected].

Seasons

How My Pulse BeatsLeaving the security of a corporate job to pursue what I love


Parents sometimes give in to their children’s plea to buy them luxury items because they themselves patronize these products. Parents should explain that they already earned their keep and are entitled to these perks and it’s best for the kids to wait for the time when they, too, can afford their own. Of course, it does not hurt to give in once in a while like on their graduation or milestone birthdays.

More importantly, check your daughter’s motivation in buying signature items. Does she want expensive stuff so she gets the approval of her peers? Is she keeping up with the Joneses? (Oh, I think these days we say keeping up with the Kardashians?) Is there a void that she’s trying to fill in with these luxury items?

I’ve always believed that a healthy self-esteem is the answer to peer pressure on issues like this. If your daughter knows and feels that she is a great person whether she’s in designer jeans or in a local brand that she bought at 50 percent off, she can still strut her stuff with confidence.

I stumbled upon a very interesting experiment that confirms my belief. Sanjay Sood, an Associate Professor at the UCLA Anderson School of Management, conducted an experiment to find out the relationship between self-esteem and product choice.

One group of subjects was made to state reasons why they are good people and recite self-affirmations like: “I’m good.” “I’m smart.” “I’m kind.” Afterwhich, they were asked to make purchase choices on lamps and calculators from two categories : 1) physically attractive but more expensive; and 2) more functional and cheaper but uglier.

The other group of subjects was asked to make the choice between the two categories without the exercise of self-affirmation.

The result was the group that recited self-affirmations chose the functional, cheaper but uglier products. This experiment was also conducted among design-conscious subjects and the results were the same with those of the non-design-conscious subjects.

The experimenters’ hypothesis was, “Choosing beautiful things make people feel good about

themselves.” And the experiment’s results show that beautiful products can be substitutes to self-affirmation. This explains the so-called retail therapy. You shop to make yourself feel good.

So does this mean that people who buy beautiful and expensive things lack self-esteem? And people who buy ugly things have high self-esteem? Not really. It’s not that simplistic, but here’s what we should watch out for. We always hear advertisers say, “Because you deserve the best, the beautiful, the expensive,” we might end up justifying expensive purchases saying, “I work hard, so I deserve this treat!” even if it causes havoc in our budget.

My suggestion: Understand where the motivation is coming from. You know your worth and it should not be equated to your shopping spree. What’s best is to shop in your “cold state” — when you’re not emotionally charged like depressed or feeling awful. This way, you will make more rational decisions. You will not buy things just because they look pretty even if they will break your bank account. On the other hand, you will not buy something just because it’s cheap but because it’s functional and it’s a value-for-money purchase.

So the next time your daughter asks you to shop with her, make sure that both of you are in your cold state — no big issues and sadness to deal with which you will try to mask with shopping. Then do some self-affirmations like, “I’m good, I’m kind, I’m smart, I’m strong, I’m pretty and lovable in anything!” Who knows this might save you big bucks?

To end, here’s my FQ Mom guideline in buying luxury items: Buy luxury only if you can afford to buy at least 10 pieces of it!

Rose Fres Fausto is an investment banker turned full-time homemaker and now a writer and speaker. She wrote two books Raising Pinoy Boys and The Retelling of the Richest Man in Babylon (English and Filipino versions). She’s also a behavioral economist and Gallup-Certified Strengths Coach. Follow her on Facebook and You Tube as FQ Mom, and IG and Twitter as theFQMom. For questions, e-mail [email protected] or [email protected].

continued from page 40...


Among the more popular shows on television today are reality shows. There is one for just about every human occupation. The truth is that most of these

are not at all real. Protagonists who portray the roles are the poorest paid actors in showbiz and are drawn simply at the prospect of being discovered for bigger roles in cinema or any other media production.

The popularity of reality shows is due perhaps to the voyeuristic culture we have become today. Media is so pervasive that just about every human pursuit is a show. We have been so transformed that even today’s nuptials are managed by wedding directors who turn the occasion into something like a big movie or TV production. The wedding guests meanwhile are captive audience treated to a mimicry of a FAMAS Awards Night.

We all know that reality shows are scripted; even documentaries with actual film footage are. No matter how real they may seem to be, these are as transient as how we project ourselves in social media like Facebook. While it is good to touch base with friends and make new ones, there is a tendency among some to script out their activities via status updates, turning personal life into a reality show.

Let’s not forget that there is actually only one, true, Reality Show in life,

and that is our living relationship with the Lord. Ask yourself: Am I living in His friendship? How healthy is that bond?

When God asked Adam in the Garden, “Where are you?” was it because our primeval parent was so good at playing “hide and seek” and had hidden himself so well that the Omniscient, All-knowing, One Triune God did not know where he was? In context, God’s question to Adam was more like, “Where are you in your relationship with Me?” Adam shrunk to cowering shamelessness, terror-stricken in fear at the nakedness of his guilt.

Confronted by God, Adam first blames Eve for his disobedience, then shifts the blame on God for giving her to him as his companion. Eve in turn blames the Devil.

God’s question to Adam has reverberated through the eons of human existence and is likewise addressed to us — to you and me. Where am I in my relationship with the Lord? What is the state of my spiritual health? Do I daily update my spiritual status or am I content with mediocre spirituality?

Jesus restored man to a healthy, loving relationship with the Father through His life, death and resurrection. Thus, the only real concern should be a healthy spirituality that leads to Eternal Reality, rather than the banality of inordinate preoccupation with temporal matters of this transient world.

A few years back , the reality genre of television was parodied by a movie entitled The Truman Show. Actor Jim Carrey played the part of Truman Burbank, the main character who — as the film’s plot unreels — lived all his life in a reality TV show, unaware of any other existence apart from his perceptive real world that was actually just a studio set.

Similarly, we can be like Truman, oblivious to the eternal reality beyond our ken, unless we live a Church-nourished spirituality. Let us stay spiritually healthy, for as Pope St. John Paul II said, “Eternal life begins now.”

E-mail Ed at [email protected].

Catholic Soul

By Edgardo C. de Vera

reality Show


PUBLICATIONS, INC.

For orders, call 725-9999 local 101 to 108or log on to www.kerygmabooks.com

Yo u r U l t i m a te S u r v i v a l G u i d e to S o l o P a r e n t i n g

Hey, solo parent! Are you about to lose your marbles?Do you want to shout at the top of your lungs and

say: Give me a break!Maybe you’re a tired, battle-scarred single parent,

juggling so many things at the same time. Maybe you’re a new single parent, struggling to move on.

Here’s your ultimate survival guide to solo parenting — to help you through the rough patches and bring you from a Pain Point to a Relief Peak with your humor and sanity intact.

The Happy Solo Kit is here to help you:

•Overcomeyourgriefandangerandhelpyoufindyour peace.

•Journeyfromalowself-esteemtoahealthyloveofself.

•ConqueryourfearsandincreaseyourfaithinGodwho provides, protects and guides you along the way.

Hang in there! All shall be well.

HAPPY SOLO KIT long ad.indd 1 6/17/16 4:08 PM

Beep, beeeeeeeeep!” my driver honked to the car in front of us as we coursed through most of the streets of Quezon City. I was riding

an Uber car on my way home, ready to sleep after preaching in Feast Greenhills for two sessions and attending my friend George Gabriel’s concert.

“Why are you driving on a Sunday?” I asked the driver. He explained that he needed to save money because his youngest daughter had a hole in her heart and needed continuous medical attention. He explained that the medicine was costly and Uber made better money than driving for rent-a-car, taxis, and other similar business ventures.

As we chatted, he told me that he just went through the darkest moment of his life when they found out about his daughter’s condition. They were told that she only had three years to live and the quality of her life would slowly deteriorate.

The news crushed him. The doctors said that his daughter might not reach the age of 30 because of her worsening condition.

Not only does he need to work extra for the medicine, but he needs to deal with the emotional distress that this situation brings.

His wife took the news badly. She had a heart attack, and after only a few

hours in the hospital, she passed away. He told me that life is hard because he

doesn’t know how to take care of his two daughters and provide for them. He was almost in tears as he shared this because he admitted that he had many regrets in life.

I mentioned to him that I was getting married soon. With tears in his eyes and a cracking voice, he told me that his biggest regrets were cheating on his wife and not spending enough time with his family. He thought that he was immortal and nothing could harm him. But now, he can’t retrieve the time he lost because of the wrong decisions he made.

He wishes that he had a better relationship with his wife and had happier life with his family. All the pain that he gave his wife is now haunting him 10 times over.

So now he’s doing his best to make up for lost time with his two daughters. I pray that his daughter will be completely healed soon.

I invite you to make quantity time so you can have quality time with people who really matter to you. Be present in their lives, give unconditional love to your family, and if you have dreams that have not begun to pursue, I encourage you to start taking risks in that direction.

Deal with your relational and emotional challenges so you can have more internal peace.

Decide to live your best life today because the God of Heaven and Earth is with you.

JPaul is the builder of Feast Greenhills. He authored the book, A Young Man’s Manual to Success, published by Shepherd’s Voice Publications. Available through www.kerygmabooks.com. Email JPaul at [email protected].

By Jpaul Hernandez

Say No to a Life of regrets

K Preacher


Papillary carcinoma. Stage 4. More or less two years to live.

This was the verdict upon my

life when I was still single in November 1986.

I was crushed inside although I didn’t let anyone see it. I locked myself in my room and cried my heart alone. When I had no more tears left, I accepted my fate and focused on trying to be all right in my remaining years. I thought it was OK for me to die since I didn’t have a family to leave behind.

Bud God had a different plan.

The VerdictI had been suffering from nonstop fevers in the previous months and my nurse cousin noticed a bulge on my lower neck. After two checkups, the results were the same. Abnormal lumps were found on my neck and both doctors advised that these lumps be extracted for biopsy.

After the operation, my boyfriend then was the first one to know about the results and the doctor’s verdict. He didn’t say anything to me. He just said that the doctor advised him not to give me any problems. I was discharged from the hospital after a couple of days and was told to rest at home. I already felt relieved that the operation was over, thanks to the prayers of my fellow brothers and sisters in the Catholic Charismatic community where I belonged.

When it was time to have the stitches removed, I bravely faced the doctor and asked about the results of the biopsy. He told me about my cancer and my minimal chances of survival. My spirit and hope were shattered.

I still decided to follow the doctor’s advice to undergo cobalt treatment for 30 days. I suffered severe body aches, experienced

hair loss, and felt so weak after every treatment that I couldn’t climb stairs and do any household chores. It came to a point when I just stared blankly and hopelessly, and asked myself what to do.

One day, the doctor who assisted in the cobalt treatment said to me, “You know, we doctors also commit mistakes. Who knows? The

diagnosis might be wrong. Only God knows.”

The Change of ViewAfter that conversation, hope filled me. I told myself, he was right — only God knows.

I started to appreciate people and the simple things around me. Every time I went to Mass, every word said came alive, every song sung heartfelt. I was more at peace than when I was still well and working. I was living a mediocre life then despite my seemingly close relationship with God. But through this experience, that closeness became real. I realized that God is more important than any material thing in this world.

Some of my friends noticed this change. They were surprised about my spiritual convictions and how happy I’d become. They thought that people who battle the big C would tend to stop believing in God. But I chose to get closer to Him. It was the best thing I could have done.

Despite my growing faith, I decided not to marry. I pushed my boyfriend away but he insisted to stay. That time, I was engrossed in reading the Bible and I fell in love with the book of Job. I empathized with what Job went through and claimed that God’s promise to Him would also manifest in my life.

The VictoryGod is really a God of surprises.

On February 14, 1987, my boyfriend and I got married. We now have three daughters whom I named after Job’s. It’s 2016 and I’m 56 years old — alive and cancer-free. I still have that scar on my lower neck. But it no longer signifies my cancer. It serves as a reminder of God’s control on how many years He wants me to live.

One last Story


lIvINg beYoND tHe

veRDICtBy Mercedes R. Talladen as told to Krizelle R. Talladen

Point of Contact

SPECIAL INTENTION FOR THIS MONTH:

Dearest God, we thank You for the gift of life. We thank You for our physical and spiritual health. We thank You for being our strength and for making things new for us every single day.

Father, we lift up to You our sick loved ones, especially the people who are battling their illness alone. Lay Your healing hands upon them and may they find comfort and hope in Your love. Use us as Your instruments of compassion. In the powerful name of Jesus, we pray. Amen.

Praying for you,

I PrAY THAT YOU rECEIVE YOUr MIrACLES IN JESUS’ NAME!I PRAY THAT GOD LIFT YOUR TRIALS, heal your diseases, bless your problems and direct you to the path He wants you to take. I pray that God remove your fears and give you the courage to surrender your burdens to Him.

So place your hand over my hand, and let’s pray with trust, together with our prayer team of intercessors praying for you right now…

This page is our Point of Contact, our spiritual connection.Say after me…

In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.

Lord, I surrender to You my worries and anxieties. I surrender to You my needs, my problems, my trials. I place them all in Your big hands. And I open myself to all that You want to give to me. On this day, I say yes to Your love, to Your blessings, to Your healing, to Your miracles. And Lord, specifically, I ask for the following miracles for my life...

I believe that You answer my prayer in the best way possible! And I thank You in advance for the perfect answers to my prayers. I also ask for the special intercession of Mama Mary. I pray all this in the Name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, Amen!

E-mail your prayer requests to me at [email protected] or write to me at Shepherd’s Voice Publications, #60 Chicago St., Cubao, Quezon City, Philippines 1109.

a whole new you - kerygmafamilya whole new you a financial revolution is happening — don’t be...

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