MY PERSONAL TESTIMONY

Fulfilling My Destiny ...

God’s Purposes for my Life

It was back in 1989 when I first prayed for an immigrant visa application to Canada not only because I wanted to be a Canadian but because of my intense desire to be together as a family and serve God. I thought at that point if God would not provide a job for my husband in the Philippines then I should accept our present predicament; and the only alternative left for us so that we can be together as a family was to go abroad. With this in mind, I actually wrote three options in my prayer journal : get a family status in Jeddah where my husband worked, go to USA where my siblings are , apply for an immigrant visa to Canada with a question mark. The last one was the most unlikely thing to happen because my husband and I already made some attempts to apply for an immigrant visa before but this whole idea was very vague to us and we didn't even take the matter seriously. But this time, it's another story I even wrote that prayer in my 1989 prayer journal.So in the year 2000 when I inquired from the Lord if it is His will to pursue an application for an independent immigrant visa in Canada and serve Him there as a family? He gave me the assurance and confidence to pursue on ...

After inquiring, praying, walking with Him and waiting, God granted that prayer. We landed here in Canada last April 28th 2003. Yes, our desire to be together as a family was the key to motivation but it was really the determination and commitment that God gave us to pursue our purposes in life - our destiny. It enabled us to do and attain the success that we sought. This is truly a big favor from the Lord because we came here as a family. Most people believe Canada is a land of uprightness flowing with milk and honey but this I still have to find out. We believe this is God’s calling- to fulfill His purposes in our individual lives and as a family- OUR DESTINY.

Before coming here and leaving our home country I prepared my heart to the changes that I will face. I settled in my heart that if this the Lord's will and obviously it is, then I must accept everything that comes along with it. I should accept the fact that I will grow old here and to be candid about it or even go home to the Lord while here. I have to adapt to a new culture and lifestyle. I will certainly leave my friends and develop new ones. And of course I may not be able to practice my profession here as a chemist or as an educator all at once. I struggled with so many thoughts but the more I thought about them, the more I struggled. I surrendered everything to God.I know I can never fulfill God's purpose in life if I carry too many baggages. I have to let go, keep our goal before us, press on and not lose heart.

It is always humbling but God -glorifying to be reminded how He made it happen, how He prepared us and orchestrated everything on our behalf for His purposes and for His glory.

Someone may ask but how do we know God’s plans and purposes in our lives? What is our destiny and how do we get there? Are there really steps to get into or out of a situation? Yes everywhere we go and everything we do require steps to get there. It is not just a product but it is also actually a process and the Bible is very clear about this.Life on earth is a journey and as we walk, let us review the road map and rehearse the steps that we might reach our final destiny. The things and activities that make an effect to our eternal destiny are called the WALKS OF FAITH for without faith it is impossible to please GOD.

This is a testimony of God’s goodness and faithfulness. It is my prayer that whatever is your situation at this point, I hope and pray that God will speak to you through this.

Is it not fate but destiny. FATE implies an inevitable and usually an adverse outcome DESTINY Implies something foreordained and often suggests a great or noble course or end . Daestiny in simple terms, is God's purpose for your life. It is our appointed or ordained future. Destiny is what God has predetermined you to be and to become, in His divine will.( David Wilkerson)

DIN@NIAGARA

DIN@NIAGARA
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DAN@NIAGARA

DAN@NIAGARA
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DANICA@NIAGARA

DANICA@NIAGARA
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NIAGARA

NIAGARA
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Danica now

Danica now
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Din now

Din now
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Don now!

Don now!
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APRIL 2004

APRIL 2004
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APRIL 2004

APRIL 2004
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roasakids

roasakids
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Starting Over...

Colossians 1
16 For by Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities-- all things have been created through Him and for Him.

If I'm starting over again then help me Lord to start it right. If my life is really about living for YOU and nor for myself then I ought to start it right.

Life can be meaningless and everything will just be vanity without YOU LORD .

May this not be an emotional hype or an intellectual assent but a strong conviction with real life experiences and purposes.

YES LORD HELP ME TO START OVER AGAIN ...

DIANE NOW!

DIANE
Originally uploaded by momeden1.

DANICA now!

Danica now!
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APRIL 2004

APRIL 2004
Originally uploaded by momeden1.

CELEBRATING MY 40TH!

MY FIRST MONTHS ....

This was one of my personal accounts during the first months of our stay here in Canada.
We arrived during spring and we missed the snow in winter. God is so good I know we will really have a hard time if we arrived in winter. The weather is so good during spring at about 15-20 degree Celsius. It is a little bit cooler than Baguio I guess. Now its summer and it sometimes becomes very hot at 35 degrees. The sun sets at 9:30 in the evening. We sometimes have rain showers which make the weather cooler. Next month is already fall and I’m excited to see the leaves turn into gold. Winter is soon coming and I’m a little afraid but excited to see real snow. I was really homesick during the first week. New people … new environment... I have gone to other countries but I didn’t feel this way. This could be due to the fact that I’m still going back to the Philippines but this time it’s another story. I might not be able to go back not in a few months or in a few years and definitely not in the near future.

As I look outside the window I would realize that Canada now is my new home … my new country. That thought really makes me cry. I may be able to treasure or keep the people I love in my heart and our culture in my home but the moment that I go out the door I have to adapt to a new culture, new people with new customs and traditions … build new relationships and friendship. Yes, almost everything will be definitely NEW…. I really miss the people and the “buhay Pinas”. I know it will really take sometime before I can adjust.

New people and environment really make me so weary. When I was younger new things excite me but not now, I guess. This exhausts me a lot. I have to remember names and new faces.

It's so hard to adjust but I know by God's grace I will. We have gone to countless parties and fellowships I met and was introduced to more than 100 people and have attended about 20 gatherings (dinners, parties, picnics, fellowships … etc..) God has really a way of making everything possible. I know He has a purpose of using us in his vineyard here and He wants to make it quick. Some people were able to adjust in years but God is making it very fast for us. After a month, so many things have changed. We have adapted so swiftly.My children are now all in the ministry. Don is the keyboardist and sometimes the drummer and Dan is the bass guitarist, Ica is a song leader and Din is a Sunday school teacher and the head of the dance ministry ( quite fast for her because this is the first time that the church would have the dance ministry). I really.. Really thank the LORD. This is the LORD’S WORK and we want to really be strengthened and empowered by GOD. It’s not by might nor by strength but by His Spirit or if I may say ….it’s not by our abilities and talents only that we can serve GOD but by the Spirit of God.
At this point Don has a regular job now at UPS United Parcel Service a big courier company. I pray that he can start with his piano tutorial. He can earn extra and use his skills and talents.
Din had a work as a cashier in a Jewish company/supermarket, Highland Farms.
But after a week’s work, the Lord promoted her. She is now an administrative assistant of a Global Learning Systems. This is a very good start for her because it will take sometime before we can get our teaching certificates here and apply for teaching jobs .They sent us the applications already. I myself am also hunting for a right job to earn and to keep myself busy. I’m starting to get bored but I’m also busy helping the church here with paper works, planning, goal setting, mission, vision etc…. I also write and edit our articles for the church’s website. When I arrived here I was praying for a blue collar job. I didn’t really intend to choose any work. I was really willing to accept any job. But God’s dealing is different. Yes it is usually a high paying job here… a job like housekeeping, care giving but God dealt with me in a different way. My children also talked to me, they didn’t want me to have a job like that. They told me to leave it to them- young and still inexperienced. As for me, they said that I should pray for the appropriate job for my age, skills and experience. They didn’t want to see me breaking my bone because we want to earn much.


When it comes to legal matters, this is a land of uprightness. Everything should be done legally. The first thing that we did when we arrived here is to apply for our social insurance and health insurance. The government has a responsibility towards us … now that we are Canadian immigrants. Now that we don’t have jobs yet, we can collect tax refunds or payment from the government the moment we landed here in Canada. And so with the health insurance, we are already entitled with a health insurance automatically in 3 months upon arrival. We can have our family doctor at once and have a regular check –up and other health benefits- for free. The only benefit that we can’t have already is child tax benefit because our children are all above 18 years old. A child can collect as much as 250 dollars a month.
But it breaks my heart to realize that there are some perversions going on here too like the “Same sex marriages”

I applied as a personnel training coordinator in an American firm here (Sam’s club just like Macro) I went through 3 interview sessions. I really thank the Lord for this experience because I realized that I had a good grasp of the English language. And so with Danica, she is at this point on her 3rd interview and I really thank the Lord because she had a good command of the English language which she of course owes to her alma mater. I’m really praying that I can get this job.
I recognize the fact that you can be globally competent if English is your second language.

Canada is a MULTICULTURAL country so racial discrimination here is not that rampant. And you’re not a second class citizen here. The breakfast fellowship we attended to more than two months ago had more than five nationalities Indians, Italians, Trinidadians, Filipinos, Americans, etc There are so many Chinese, Japanese, Koreans, Vietnamese …Asians here. Please write.

Well I miss sharing God’s goodness and faithfulness and praying together with friends but I'm looking looking forward to hearing God’s blessings and His will and purposes happen in our individual lives and families.

I have not seen as many beautiful flowers in my entire life in full bloom like Baguio and now here in Canada. This is now the season where flowers are really blooming. During spring and summer, people here plant and bloom flowers in their gardens and backyards. It’s so amazing how they can find time to plant and bloom flowers in their houses and backyeards and lose them during fall/ autumn. Well you can keep some plants indoors.

We went to a cherry farm and really had a grand time picking cherries then to Niagara Falls. We’re just about 2 hours drive away from Niagara. I was really praising God for this opportunity. I have seen beautiful flowers and different plants even tropical plants like what we have there in Niagara Botanical Garden.

Ngayon ko talaga naramdaman na nasa Canada na ako. Dati sa litrato ko lang nakikita ito pero ngayon ay sa totoong buhay na. Nasa North America na talaga ako .

I can’t believe my own eyes that I can see Niagara and New York as well in real. Only a bridge separates New York and Canada in Niagara. God can do exceedingly far beyond what we ever hoped for or even imagined. Let’s keep holding on to His promises and believe that He can make it happen.

DAD AND MOM

DAD AND MOM
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Rivers of Life

DIANE DANICA AND DAN
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DAD AND MOM

DSC00359.JPG
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