Take time to pray

Poem written by Regine Anne Baldomar

I got up early one morning,
And rushed right into the day;
I had so much to accomplish,
I didn’t have time to pray.

Troubles just tumbled about me,
And heavier came each task.
"Why doesn’t God help me?" I wondered.

He answered, "You didn’t ask."

I tried to come into God’s presence;
I used all my keys at the lock.
God gently and lovingly chided,
"Why, child, you didn’t knock."

I wanted to see joy and beauty,
But the day toiled on gray and bleak.
I wondered why God didn’t show me.
He said, "You didn’t seek."

I woke up early this morning,
And paused before entering the day.
I had so much to accomplish
That I had to take time to pray.

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I came across this poem in a newsletter email today. I remember reading this before years ago, and I remember that it encouraged me then.

As I read it again today, I feel encouraged once again. So many times, I find myself guilty of rushing through my day, not taking the time to pray in the morning before entering the day. I take it for granted that I can have everything under my control, as long as I plan it well. It isn't difficult to guess that "troubles just tumbled about me", and how "the day toiled on gray and bleak".

God is loving and merciful, yet He wants us to seek Him because He wants us to have a personal relationship with Him. The Bible tells us to Ask, Seek and Knock in Matthew 7:7-12.

"Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.

For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened.

"Which of you, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake?

If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!

So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets."

This short poem has reminded me that the best way to start my day is not to have the most satisfying breakfast nor the best cup of coffee. The best way to start my day is to seek the Lord by praying and reading His word, and committing the rest of the day into His loving hands.

For it is written, "Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God." Matthew 4:4

My sister, Ida

We had a great time celebrating my sister’s birthday last weekend! It started out from warming up our voices to holding our own personal concert at the karaoke! It has been a long, long time since any of us went for K. I just want to thank God that my sister, Ida accepted Jesus into her life about one or two years ago. I had been praying for her for about close to ten years before that! In Acts 16:30-31, Paul’s and Sila’s reply to the jailer when he asked "Sirs, what must I do to be saved?" was "Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved—you and your household." Be encouraged that salvation is also for your family. So for those who are still praying for the salvation of your family, keep on praying and trust in the Lord’s plan and timing!

Official Launch - extended version

Hi everybody! God has been such a loving, patient and faithful God in 2006. He has blessed me so abundantly, I can hardly contain it! These are just some of the things that happened to me in 2006:

Feb - Found a nice apartment when property was just at about its lowest point (thanks to my great in-laws). Great size, location, layout and price! I love it.

April - Got retrenched (Thank God!) and got married to my wonderful husband (A bigger thanks!)

May to Oct - Spent these few months in Europe with my husband who had been relocated there for about 8 months. I would call it a "sponsored and extended honeymoon".. we went to so many places in Italy, Switzerland, Germany, Austria and France. We truly had an amazing time traveling!

Well, these are just some of the great things that happened to me. And I know of friends who had wonderful things happening to them too! So I was just thinking, we need to share these great accounts with everybody! Thus the creation of "Bless and Blessed", a site especially for remembering what God has done in our lives and to thank Him for it.

For fellow believers in Christ, I hope that this site will encourage you to share and remember the good things in your lives, and more importantly, how the bad things are made good because of our faith in God. If you have a testimony, I strongly urge you to spend a couple of minutes posting it up on this site. Own this site! You never know just who you can truly encourage and bless.

Today shall be the first day that this site is officialy launched. Those of you who are reading this have probably received my invitation to become a part of this site and an author of your own life. I pray that God will use this website for the extension of His kingdom, and to build strong fellowship among His children.

I thank you in advance for being a part of it! Feel free to post comments if you have any feedback, improvement ideas, complaints... :)