Life To The Fullest
"I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full." – John 10:10b (NIV)
What is worth celebrating in life today? A better job or a promotion, a brand new car, a newly acquired house or condo unit, or a promising business venture perhaps?
While the world is filled with offers and promises of a better life and so forth, God often directs us to focus and invest on things that really matter. In John 10:10b, Jesus wants us to acknowledge and appreciate what we have–our lives–and living it to the full.
On August 16, 2014, hundreds of disciples from the Metro Manila Christian Church and nearby provincial churches gathered at the SMX SM Aura for a 4-hour seminar and workshop on health, marriage, and family. It was an outpour of both enlightenment and encouragement as speakers from here and abroad readily shared their hearts and their lives to the hundreds of participants who attended the seminar/workshop.
CELEBRATING HEALTH (Dr. Romy Paredes)
The bottomline of all diseases. According to Dr. Romy Paredes, author of "Integrative Medicine" and "Health Made Incredibly Simple," the root cause of all illnesses boil down to 'toxicity' and 'deficiency'. If you want to be at the driver's seat of your own health, you ought to treat the root cause and not the symptoms, that is, through detoxification and nourishment. Dr. Paredes shared that our bodies are equipped with immune systems that can heal any and every kind of disease. But what keeps them from functioning properly could be related to stress and/or heart issues, which should be resolved and eliminated.
Guarding your heart. Quoting from Proverbs 4:20, Dr. Paredes encouraged the participants to deal with their heart issues urgently and imbibe love, forgiveness, letting go, selflessness, and generosity. He attests that love brings transformation. He also noted that the deepest healing is spiritual.
Healthy habits and 8 famous doctors. Dr. Paredes' colleague shared two powerful and healthy habits that could bring amazing transformation: (i) 'pure calamansi' habit – drinking pure freshly squeezed calamansi concentrate (starting with 4 pieces, then 8 until you reach 28 pieces) every morning on an empty stomach is good for detoxification and nourishment; and (ii) fruit breakfast – having a fruit platter for breakfast at least one hour after drinking the pure calamansi concentrate lowers cholesterol and controls/maintains your weight.
CELEBRATING MARRIAGE (Jerry and Erlyn Sugarman)
Being married for 36 years, elder and women’s ministry leader Jerry and Erlyn Sugarman from the Los Angeles Church of Christ gave us a glimpse on how they kept their marriage strong and in great shape despite their personal differences.
Respect and submission. Erlyn shared how important respect and submission are for every husband. Each other’s flaws are meant to bring out the best in every married couple. She encouraged the women participants to be convinced that God made their husbands perfect for them. If the armor of their knights lack luster, they should be willing to polish them. Besides, it takes a willing and respectful follower/wife to have a powerful and leading husband.
Initiative and leadership. As for the husbands, Jerry encouraged the men to learn to initiate and rise above their wives. They ought to share their convictions and what they have learned to their wives. Husbands should also initiate and lead the way in evangelizing other people and in making worship to God more meaningful (e.g. setting up of family altars).
CELEBRATING FAMILY (Bruce and Robyn Williams)
Bruce and Robyn Williams, also from the Los Angeles Church of Christ, have been married for 42 years. All their three children are now disciples of Jesus Christ and are happily married. But it was not always a 'happily-ever-after' scenario a couple of years back. They shared how unconditional love continued to pull their family closer despite tough times. They also shared how to raise godly children early on.
Shaping your children’s views. How children view God relies on their parents, on how each parent introduce God to them. Bruce and Robyn believed that it is the responsibility of parents to teach their children how to live godly lives. This takes influencing them on their views towards (i) God; (ii) God’s words; (iii) conflict, forgiveness, and reconciliation; and (iv) repentance, as early as possible.
The value of unconditional love. Robyn wore her heart on her sleeves as she shared how she understood the value of unconditional love after her youngest son, Jason, started drifting away from God. However, Bruce’ persistence and unconditional love to Jason, being with him whatever happens, in good times and in bad, brought his son not only closer to him but more importantly to God. After 5 long years of reaching out to him, Jason got restored and eventually married an awesome woman of God.