GOD MAKES HIMSELF KNOWN IN EXTRAORDINARY WAYS (Part 1)
In our Christian walk, there would be a time when and how God would reveal Himself that would totally change your life. It happens when you least expect it, but the intensity of how He reveals Himself would leave someone speechless and in great awe. How you perceive God in your life should not be something taken lightly. When you believe that He can do the impossible in your life then there’s no doubt that it will happen very soon. For God is alive and almighty and there is nothing too difficult for Him. In 2017, Sister Leriz Tancio Principio was led by God to International Teams Philippines, a mission-sending organization. Her friend invited her to attend the IT fellowship, but she was reluctant because she thought it was just an ordinary organization and her husband who is working overseas might dislike the idea. When Sis Leriz prayed, God gave her the word “My presence will go with you, and I will give you rest” which is found in Exodus 33:14. Therefore, Sister Leriz decided to join IT’s Thursday fellowship. At that time, there was no worship team and when Pastor Gani Sison, IT Executive Director, asked for volunteers, most of her friends pointed to her. She willingly led the worship team and it was such a great honor to usher the people of God into His presence. Also, it felt like a seal of approval from God that she should join the IT family. After the fellowship, she excitedly shared the news to her husband about her experience having felt the same spirit with ITeams Philippines, which is a God-ordained organization. She continued to attend the Thursday fellowship in IT and would often be requested to lead the worship and it was a great joy for her. Then, later on, she signed up for the training and experienced cross-cultural missions through IT where she witnessed how God provided for her travel expenses. She didn’t have the budget nor any savings to use in going on short-term mission trips because the money sent by her husband who’s working abroad was just enough for her family and her children’s education. As you know, going abroad would cost a lot of money. After praying to God and seeking His will in her life, Sis Leriz received news from an old colleague that the house she sold years ago when she was a realtor made profits and she received a huge amount, enough for her to go to different countries! What impeccable timing! Therefore, she was able to go to Malaysia, Singapore, Taiwan, and Japan through IT mission trips. She remembered telling the Lord that she has nothing but if the Lord wills it, she can go on missions by His provision, and that’s exactly what happened. Sister Leriz was about to experience another extraordinary way of God to make Himself known to her. She signed up to go on missions to Canada after she sought the Lord’s will. She dreaded the cold weather but if it is something that she needs to do she doesn't want to disobey God. She didn’t have a visa yet and she was still working on the documents she might need. Once again, while she was attending the IT fellowship, Pastor Gani prophesied to her “you’ll have a visa for three years!” Upon hearing it, Sis Leriz’s heart was ready to go but there was still a financial matter she has to consider. She would need a lot of money to go to Canada, which she didn’t have. However, it was God who called her so God made a way for her to earn a living. Sister Leriz is a pharmacist by profession and one of the biggest companies in that certain field hired her. She was given a huge responsibility to manage the four departments. Every department had some problems she had to deal with. The Lord was with Sis Leriz and with His help, she was able to fix the problem in every department in three months and it created a great impact on the entire company. Her boss saw her remarkable performance at work, and he was very pleased with her. He gave her four times the amount of her supposed salary. Sister Leriz was so overwhelmed and she didn’t expect that the huge amount of money she needed to go to Canada would be provided very quickly. She didn’t have to borrow money from others and the people who were unsupportive of her faith were astounded to see how the Lord worked in her life. After Sis Leriz, settled all her responsibilities at work and after having everything she needed to go to Canada she embarked on an adventure that she never had imagined before but was made possible when she put her trust in God. Sister Leriz victoriously made it to Canada because of God’s impeccable timing in providing for her needs. He is a master of timing. You could even say He is the master of dramatic timing, but not for the sake of drama. He does it for our sake—for our faith. His timing allows us to practice faith, and it provides us a foundation for faith. The story has just begun. More unexplainable series of events in Sister Leriz’s life and her family will unfold as they continue to entrust their lives to God. Psalm 32:8 I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with my loving eye on you.
(Written by: Venus Jablo)
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