May 2024 – Fresh Start Daily

Joseph

May 17, 2024 KC Comments 0 Comment

“Now when they had departed, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream, saying, ‘Arise, take the young Child and His mother, flee to Egypt, and stay there until I bring you word; for Herod will seek the young Child to destroy Him. When he arose, he took the young Child and His mother by night and departed for Egypt…” Matthew 2:13-14

“Now when Herod was dead, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt, saying, ‘Arise, take the young Child and His mother, and go to the land of Israel, for those who sought the young Child’s life are dead. Then he arose, took the young Child and His mother, and came into the land of Israel.” Matthew 2:19-21

“But when he heard that Archelaus was reigning over Judea instead of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there. And being warned by God in a dream, he turned aside into the region of Galilee. And he came and dwelt in a city called Nazareth…” Matthew 2:22-23

We can see Joseph’s character in this story. He was obedient to God. Wherever and whenever God told him to go, he went without questioning. In chapter 1, we see how he honored Mary despite what he learned about her.

“Now the birth of Jesus Christ was as follows: After His mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Spirit. Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not wanting to make her a public example, was minded to put her away secretly.” vv. 18-19

Joseph learned that Mary was pregnant but he didn’t know that Mary was pregnant because of the Holy Spirit. The word “betrothed” means engaged to be married. They were engaged. It must have hurt him deeply to know that Mary, his fiancée, got pregnant while they were planning (or preparing?) for the wedding. It says in verse 19 that he wanted to put her away.

Despite the pain, however, he showed how much of a gentleman he was. He did not want to destroy Mary’s reputation. Yes, he wanted to put her away, but he wanted to put her away “secretly”. He still protected Mary.

“But while he thought about these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, ‘Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take to you Mary your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit. And she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name JESUS, for He will save His people from their sins.'” Matthew 1:20-21

“Then Joseph, being aroused from sleep, did as the angel of the Lord commanded him and took to him his wife, and did not know her till she had brought forth her firstborn Son. And he called His name JESUS.” Matthew 1:24-25

What a beautiful soul Joseph was. He was obedient to God. He obeyed God’s command to take Mary. He obeyed to go to Egypt from Bethlehem, then to Israel. Because of his obedience, the prophecy that Jesus would be called a Nazarene was fulfilled (v. 23).

Three Wise Men

May 15, 2024 KC Comments 0 Comment

My devotion today helped me see the three wise men from a different perspective. I used to see them as just the three kings who followed the star and brought gifts to Jesus. When I was young, we called them the three magi or the three kings. Today I learned that they were actually astrologers/astronomers/philosophers.

“In later centuries down to New Testament times, the term [magoi] loosely covered a wide variety of men interested in dreams, astrology, magic, books thought to contain mysterious references to the future, and the like.” (Carson) enduringword.com

“Whatever it was, it is significant that God met them in their own medium: He guided the astronomers by a star. This was also in fulfillment of Numbers 24:17: A Star shall come out of Jacob; a Scepter shall rise out of Israel. This was widely regarded by ancient Jewish scholars as a Messianic prediction.” enduringword.com

They saw the star and followed it. The star led them to Jesus. It must have stopped appearing because they went to Herod the king in Jerusalem. However, even that reroute, I believe, is part of God’s plan. They were able to get more information from Herod the king and we see the latter’s wickedness.

“Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, saying, ‘Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we have seen His star in the East and have come to worship Him.” Matthew 2:1-2

“His star” — The star was the star of Jesus Christ. What they saw was the star of Jesus Himself and it guided them. Then the star re-appeared after meeting Herod.

“When they heard the king, they departed; and behold, the star which they had seen in the East went before them, till it came and stood over where the young Child was.” Matthew 2:9

It’s amazing how the Lord guided them to where Jesus was exactly.

“When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceedingly great joy. And when they had come into the house, they saw the young Child with Mary His mother, and fell down and worshiped Him. And when they had opened their treasures, they presented gifts to Him: gold, frankincense, and myrrh.” Matthew 2:10-11

“…and behold, the star which they had seen in the Easy went before them, till it came and stood over where the young Child was.” v. 9

“The words came to rest mean literally ‘came and stood’, and can mean only that the star itself moved to guide the Magi.” (France) enduringword.com

The wise men also gave presents to Jesus. They did not come unprepared. Of course their worship is the most important but because they knew they were going to see the King, they did not come empty-handed.

“When they worshipped, it was to give something – not empty-handed adoration.” enduringword.com

They traveled far not only to see Jesus but to worship Him. They even brought gifts for Him. Though they knew that they were going to see a Child, they persevered to see Him. They followed the star no matter what the cost.

They were expecting a Savior and they recognized young Jesus as the King of the Jews and they were joyful. They even “fell down and worshiped Him”.

Unlike the chief priests and scribes who knew where Jesus Christ was to be born, they didn’t bother coming to Him.

“And when he (Herod the king) had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he inquired of them where the Christ was to be born. So they said to him, ‘In Bethlehem of Judea…” Matthew 2:4-5

Herod, who was jealous of the King of the Jews, wanted Jesus dead. Be ordered the wise men to look for Jesus and report back to him so he could “come and worship Him also”. It was a lie. Jesus was a threat to him because he didn’t want to surrender his kingship, his position and power.

“Then, being divinely warned in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed for their own country another way.” v. 12

They obeyed the warning they received through their dream. They returned to their home country and did not report back to Herod.

We see a wonderful pattern: “Those who look for Jesus will see Him: those who truly see Him will worship Him: those who worship Him will consecrate their substance to Him.” Spurgeon

Thoughtful Gifts From My Husband

May 12, 2024 KC Comments 0 Comment

My husband already left for the U.S. this evening. Before we parted at the airport, he said that he has a letter for me and he put it in (yes, inside) the fridge. He said he also wrote in my Bible (the Bible he gave me for our first wedding anniversary).

He first gave me the Morning and Evening devotional by Charles H. Spurgeon. He reads from four different devotionals and I told him that I like Morning and Evening. I didn’t know that he took note of that comment of mine.

Also, last month, I asked him if the journaling Bible (single column journaling Bible with a leather cover) that I showed him is available in the U.S. and he said that most of them are in ESV. I didn’t ask him to buy one for me but he remembered it. I was ecstatic when he gave me a journaling Bible in the New King James version. I could not contain my happiness. I was like a kid with her favorite toy when I received it. He said, “Look at you getting so excited over a gift.”

I really want to buy a journaling Bible but the ones available here in the Philippines are in ESV. I like writing and drawing in my Bible. I like highlighting, too. I write commentaries, prayers, notes, etc. I still love my old NKJV Bible but there’s no more space to write and draw. Haha. Anyway, now I don’t have to buy anymore. ❤️ I can already start my 3rd round of Bible reading. I know some people read the entire Bible once a year but I like to savor the Word.

Lelan is sweet. He remembers things that are important to me. I feel like my gifts for him are blah compared to his gifts for me. He doesn’t mind the cost of and the exhaustion from traveling from the U.S. to the Philippines and vice versa several times a year just for us to be together.

When I was still single, I asked God for someone who would cross the oceans for me and Lelan is exactly that person. He doesn’t mind the distance and the stress that comes with our temporary long-distance relationship. I asked that from God because for me, if a guy will travel far for me, it means that his intention is pure. It means that he believes I’m worth the distance and effort.

He is a gift from the Lord. He is an answered prayer. He is not perfect but he is trying his best to be pleasing to the Lord. (I’m not perfect either.) Lelan loves the Lord and he likes to obey His Word (the Holy Bible) and I respect him for that.

God gave him to me not because I deserve a good and godly man but because God is good. We serve a wonderful, awesome God! I miss my husband already… Airport goodbyes are the hardest.

The Morning and Evening devotional by Charles Spurgeon

I don’t mind sharing my husband’s first official letter for me.

He was referring to the praise and worship songs I left playing on my phone overnight in this letter.

Yehliu Geopark

May 6, 2024 KC Comments 0 Comment

We asked the lady at the bakeshop for directions (to go to Yehliu) and she showed us these:

We asked the ticketing officer for directions and this is what he initially gave us.

However, Lelan and I decided to ask more people and they gave us a different route. So we went back to the ticketing officer for confirmation. This is what he gave us:

Keelung (We were told to take the bus to go to Yehliu Geopark.)

There was a long covered street that offers a variety of snacks and of course, pasalubong!

The Queen’s Head

We packed our bags before heading out this morning so we’d be ready to go to the airport. We had a bit of an adventure going there. Since we went there on our own, we had to ask people for directions. We took the MRT and then the TRA and then the local train and then, finally, the bus. We did it local style and it was nice.

We enjoyed our time in Yehliu. It’s amazing how the rocks were formed by the weathering, marine erosion, and crustal movement. It was late in the afternoon when we arrived but I’m glad God still allowed us to see the beauty there.

We took the taxi to go to the bus station from Yehliu. The bus ride to Taipei only took one and a half hours. It’s half the time of our travel to Yehliu from Taipei. We went to the Main Station (MRT) to distribute the food items and gospel tracts.

Sunday

May 5, 2024 KC Comments 0 Comment

We were picked up by Mr. Micah Lu at 9:10 am at our AirBnB and drove us to church.

The service was in Chinese but one of the members, Josh Chu, helped us understand the message by translating it to us in English.

We joined their lunch fellowship. Since Josh Chu leads the youth group, we were joined by the young people in church. They are all fun to be around. They welcomed us warmly along with their other visitors.

Then Micah Lu drove us back to our AirBnB. My husband learned about Mr. Micah Lu from one of the elders in the church we visited in Malaysia. It’s nice to be connected to people from Christian churches in different parts of the world. God always leads us to the right church. God is so sweet.

We stayed in the AirBnB to rest until 7, then we went to Carrefour to get food items for distribution, and then we went back to our AirBnB to drop the stuff. We headed to Ximending after. I got some fridge magnets and strawberry cake for pasalubong.

I know some people who don’t like the stinky tofu but I like it! It tastes just like the regular fried tofu. It smells awful but it tastes good.

Prepared for tomorrow’s activity… It was not easy to get gospel tracts in Chinese. Thank God kuya Jerry Uy knows someone who could give us–for free!

Zoo Day

May 4, 2024 KC Comments 0 Comment

We left the AirBnB around 10 and had brunch in an Indian restaurant. The food was good. I just wish i didn’t order the lassi because it was very rich. I love lassi. It’s just that what I had was super creamy and heavy and it’s not good to pair with curry which was also rich in flavor. I’m grateful nonetheless. They also gave us free dessert. It was very creative and flavorful. We were instructed to pour the green mixture into the shells before eating. Yum!!!

Then we went to Taipei Zoo. There were a lot of animals that I saw for the first time like penguins, koalas, pumas, otters, sloth, etc. It was sunny during the day but it rained in the afternoon. We went to Taipei 101 after to stroll around and have dinner.

Taipei Zoo

Taipei 101

Shilin Night Market

May 3, 2024 KC Comments 0 Comment

Tanghulu (tomato with plum) — It’s surprisingly delish!

God’s Promise

May 3, 2024 KC Comments 0 Comment

I believe that God will bring into fruition His promises for me and my family. I believe in God and His Word, the Holy Bible. When God says something, He does it. It says in Isaiah 55:11 that the word of God will not return to Him empty.

“So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth; it shall not return to Me void, but it shall accomplish what I please, and it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it.” – Isaiah 55:11

When God says something, He means it. We just have to trust Him. When Abraham believed that God will give him and Sarah a son just as God told them, that belief was accounted to him as righteousness.

“And not being weak in faith, he did not consider his own body, already dead (since he was about a hundred years old), and the deadness of Sarah’s womb.

He did not waver at the promise of God through unbelief, but was strengthened in faith, giving glory to God, and being fully convinced that what He had promised He was also able to perform. And therefore it was accounted to him for righteousness.” Romans 4:19-22

I was just scrolling tonight on my social media and God impressed upon my heart to pray. So I grabbed my Bible and went to the balcony and randomly opened my Bible. Before doing that though, I asked God what His message for me is and to lead me to right passage. I was led to Romans 4 and read the verses 13 to 25. I was led to sing praise and worship songs to the Lord. I was encouraged by the verses I read. I know it’s for me. God wants to assure me that He will deliver His promise. ❤️

It also says in verses 23-25 that that righteousness was not only for Abraham but also for everyone who believes.

“Now it was not written for his sake alone that it was imputed to him, but also for us. It shall be imputed to us who believe in Him who raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead, who was delivered up because of our offenses, and was raised because of our justification.”

The righteousness from God is imputed to us when we believe. It is through FAITH.

“For the promise that he would be the heir of the world was not to Abraham or to his seed through the law, but through the righteousness of faith.” Romans 4:13

“Therefore it is of faith that it might be according to grace, so that the promise might be sure to all the seed, not only to those who are of the law, but also to those who are of the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all (as it is written, ‘I have made you a father of many nations’) in the presence of Him who he believed–God…” Romans 4:16-17a

I was also reminded that when God tells us to do something, we must obey without delay. God is good. Hallelujah! ❤️

More Gala in Taipei

May 3, 2024 KC Comments 0 Comment

I slept from 4:30 p.m. yesterday until 11:30 p.m. Lelan and I chatted for a bit when I woke up then I went back to sleep at half past 12. I woke up again at 7:47 a.m. It feels good that I was able to get enough rest after our lack of sleep on Wednesday night. The temperature today is between 28-29 degrees Celsius.

We headed out for breakfast in a traditional Taiwanese restaurant just near our hotel. We returned to the hotel to pack up our things and get ready.

It’s sad to see air defense shelters around the city.

Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall

Changing of the guards ceremony at 1 p.m. in the Bronze Statue Hall (4th floor).

Exhibition Hall — We visited the galleries on the 3rd and 1st floor.

Lelan saw this restaurant (Liu Shandong Beef Noodles on Huai Ning St.) on Mark Wiens vlog. He wanted us to try it because it’s famous for its beef noodles. We almost gave up looking for it because it’s located in an alleyway. It was not very easy to find. There was a long line of people outside the restaurant when we got there.

This is a huge bowl of noodles! I ordered pure beef noodles soup and Lelan got the beef noodles soup. Verdict? Uhm, okay lang naman. 😅✌🏼 Siguro kasi parehas lang din ng lasa ng beef noodles sa Pinas.

Then we got fish croissants across the street.

We went back to our hotel and moved to an AirBnB near Taipei 101 (Xinyi District). We stayed in Lion Hotel for a night because it’s near the MRT from the airport. Picture muna while waiting for our host. 😆

Look how cute our unit is!

Hello Again, Taipei!

May 2, 2024 KC Comments 0 Comment

We went to the restaurant just outside our hotel for brunch. It’s the restaurant the taxi driver recommended to us the first time we went here (in January). There were soooo many people!

Hello, milky delish donut! We meet again.

I got cranberry vinegar juice. Talaga nga namang vinegar ito. Asim kilig!

Lelan and I sat across this building and enjoyed people-watching.

It’s nice that they have an outdoor thermometer.

I don’t know what this is called but I like the heart-shaped flowers.

Lelan and I didn’t sleep anymore last night. After I packed my things, we already went to the airport around 2 a.m. Our flight was at 6:15 a.m. but we had to be early in the airport to check in our luggage and line up at the immigration. We also had time to meet up with Bartholomew and Ellen at the airport.

We arrived in Taipei at 9 a.m. We went to the hotel just to leave our bags because the check-in starts at 3 p.m. We decided to walk around while waiting.