Our contract already ended in the apartment building and decided not to renew it anymore for the 30 sqm, one bedroom space we are renting. So we prayed for new one within the same vicinity and most especially with a secured garage within our budget.

God is truly faithful! Hubby took a turn in a different street within the village rather than our usual route going out and spotted a 'House-For-Rent' sign. Returning from our errand, we came back to the place to inquire. The last thing we did before going out of the car is to pray "God, hanggang Php x,000 lang po yung budget namin. May your will be done. Amen."

It was a newly renovated up and down house with garage. A floor area of 65 sqm at the ground floor and the same upstairs with veranda. The price is a little over the budget but we negotiated and the landlord agreed to the amount we prayed for. Hallelujah!!!

Two-weeks later we already moved and our used to be all-cramp-up furniture can now breath. So much so that there are still a lot of space but I am holding off to any plans on buying new ones. Thank you, Lord for the smooth transition.

So my hubby did his SOP for security and functionality which I truly appreciate, talagang man of the house yan! Sobra kong bless to have partnership with him, for me na walang alam sa maintenance ng bahay. Kabit ng double locks, sabitan at curtain rods.

But after he was done, it was my turn to prettify our space making it cozy and homey for that wifey touch. So started researching for ideas and dami kong natutuhan sa contemporary home decor. 

Php 100.00 Throwpillow from Robinsons Department Store

Owl Figurines from Robinsons Department Store
Scented Candle from SM Home

St. Louise Curtain from Puregold Supermarket

I still have a lot of DIY projects in mind but for now, eto muna! I don't want to go overboard but it is making me excited but I am keeping in mind to be a wise spender.

Carpet Rug from SM Home
Chevron Throwpillow Cases from Robinsons Department Store

If you notice, there is a verse under the clock. It is a wall decal but I will blog about it the next time for details. 

We can now invite others for smallgroup (Bible study group) in our home. But more than the place, it is truly a vision for me. In our first night, we prayed our thanksgiving and was surprised that hubby mentioned that the place is suitable to grow a family.

I was overjoyed to hear it. You see, in my personal quiet time, I am seeking God for His will for us to have a child. Especially for me to have a healthy body to carry a baby and to be at rest in His promises. Talaga naman when I saw the second floor, it is suitable for us couple with a crib next to it.

Isaiah 54:2-3 

Enlarge your house; build an addition. Spread out your home, and spare no expense! For you will soon be bursting at the seams. Your descendants will occupy other nations and resettle the ruined cities.

Some of you may have realized by now that I have a sweet tooth. So when my cousin-in-law informed me that she has finally perfected her recipe of homemade, no bake cheesecake and now ready to throw samples my way, we scheduled a meet up so I could critique her creations...as if!!!

 

 

Okay, before any of you raise eyebrow and accuse me of loving my own, first off let me introduce you to the queen.

 

Quincy Borja-Castro is a graduate of B.S. Hotel and Restaurant Management. She has worked in several hotels in the metro. Although fate has brought her to a career in BPO, she continues to whip out her magic in the kitchen. Thus, the birth of iLuvCakes_Q. Yeah, with a Q as in parang banana que or kung jejemon ka cakes q (pronounced as cakes ko). But kidding aside, "Q" obviously stands for her name.

 

 

Funny how sometimes the lack of resources actually leads to innovation. Quincy admittedly has no oven at home. But her usual cravings for sweet pushed her to think out of the box. Hence, dubbing her sweet treats as 'No Bake Cheesecake'.

 

 

But quality is at the top of her list, using mostly imported ingredients but still making it affordable. For only Php 30-35 you already have a cupcake-sized cheesecake to tickle your taste buds. Together with her supportive hubby, Randy, the duo offers FREE delivery within Caloocan, Manila and Makati area with a minimum order of 6 pieces.

 



 

We tried out their banoffee, white chocolate and our personal favorite, blueberry. Other flavors include mango, lemon, cookies and cream. Upcoming concoctions are strawberry, peach and dolce de leche.

 

 

So the verdict... Y-U-M-M-Y!!! The cream is light and just the right amount of sweet. So be careful because you might over indulge once you start digging in.

 

The business is still in its infancy and trial stage. But to get first dibs, like them on Instagram @iLuvCakes_Q, hashtag #Qcakes. You may also make arrangements through the contacts below. She even caters to special request such as less sugar for those on a diet or diabetics.

 

 

QuincyDavid_14@yahoo.com

0905-417-8426

0937-221-1261

 

Viber

0923-144-5584

 

It was a blessing in disguise that I did not score any getaway deals for the long weekend last week (Chinese New Year) so instead I was able to focus on a couple of my personal projects at home. One of which is to try out juicing for a change.

(Photo from Ensogo) I am using the one in the right but bought it at SM Dept.

As you know, I have been praying for divine health for this year and asking God to give me the wisdom and discipline to be a steward of this body so I could do the good works He has prepared for me. Two weeks ago nga pala, I got my cholesterol test result from the doctor and ayun top honor ang lola nyo sa pagiging high scorer. All the more I wanted to do a juice fast to jump start a healthy eating habit and to my surprise, some of my FB contacts got curious when I posted this photo of my practice juice recipe.

Masarap pala sya kahit walang sugar. The next day I was determined to drink different juice concoctions and by God's grace I did!!! The day turned out to be colorful to say the least.

So I continued for the rest of the week with at least one full meal a day. Mostly, I would eat Tuna Sandwich with Cheese using Gardenia Wheat Raisin bread during lunch then fruits afterwards. Some days I had rice with Century tuna or roasted chicken minus the skin. I also drink Banaba Tea during the evenings. I was surprised how my cravings for junk food went away. I still crave for sweets but they are manageable. So I take half a bar of this Goya Dark Chocolate every other day. They say dark chox are better the milk chocolates.

The big question is: did I lose weight? Well... it is too soon to weigh but I did went down a few centimeters in some body parts. Besides NOT to crave for red meat and softdrinks the whole week is already unbelievable to me. I don't feel sluggish and lethargic so I might add few light exercises to my routine. However, this blog post might inspire you on the before and after result of juicing.

My Combinations

2 Pears

1 Ponkan

3 Tomatoes

-----

2 Apples

1 Ponkan

1 Carrot

0.5 Cucumber 

-----

2 Pears

1 Ponkan

Asparagus

-------

2 Apples

1 Ponkan

Celery

--------

This one is a smoothie with the use of a blender

2 Slice Mangoes

3 Bananas

1 Cup Malunggay Leaves

1 Tray Ice Cubes

I am no health professional and expert so I am not claiming that any of this will work for you. I've done my fair share of research and consultation. So I hope when you decide you are ready, you will also equip yourself with enough information. Happy juicing!

Our congregation just finished our 5-day prayer and fasting. It is not an obligatory act but encouraged to re-align ourselves at the start of the year to seek God's will in our lives. Now, before you raise your eyebrows in the idea of fasting, you may be interested to read through the practical guide and also the devotionals here.

"Consecrate yourselves, for tomorrow the LORD

will do amazing things among you."

Joshua 3:5

First off, let me clarify that I am not sharing this to you to receive attention towards me surviving the week but on the contrary, the experience is actually the most humbling act I have done so far -- to fully rely on God for my daily energy in every moment of each day. 

I was introduced to the spiritual discipline of fasting in 2011 in VCF. Even back then, it made a lot of sense but  I wasn't mature enough in my Christian walk to be part of it. Since then a seed was planted in my heart to come to that point, every year I would pray to God for me to be able to partake in it and finally this year, I did.

It wasn't just skipping meals for me: it was my personal battle. As I shared to you in past posts, I don't have any vices nor did I tried those even when I was young, wild and "free". But food...it was my road block -- finding comfort in it during my emotional highs and lows. Getting immediate gratification every time I indulge in my favorite sweets. Simply put, it was the idol in my life. Idolatry is putting something else before God. 

But as early as last month I already wrote down my number one Faith Goal for 2014 which is Divine Health. For the passed few years, I am chained to sub-clinical hypothyroidism which led me to gaining weight exponentially. It hindered me to live my life to the full. 

I humbly asked the Lord during this time for breakthrough and I am expectant! Ready to fight and even before this year ends, I will claim that my prayer requests had come to passed. But please, do not be misled that the Lord will answer my prayer because I fasted. Definitely not by my own works or anything else I did, could and would do. But it is according to His grace and for He is faithful in His promises.

I pray that you who are reading this will experience an encounter with the Lord this year through the guidance of the Holy Spirit bringing you to a point of thanks giving. In Jesus name, Amen.

Started reading 21-Day Devotional Plan "Made To Crave"

Attended Day 5 Prayer Meeting at Victory Alabang

Right after we broke our fast, I redeemed my Starbucks 2014 Planner. Just in time for me to write down the rest of my faith goals and armed myself to note down my breakthroughs for this year.

I could not sleep last Saturday, I think I doze off at around 2am. So come Sunday morning, hubby woke me up with a slight nudge and motioned for us to jog. I shook may head to answer no but he insisted...

I knew in my heart of hearts that deep down inside I knew he was right and I had to submit to him. I have been praying for divine health this 2014 (freedom from subclinical hypothyroidism and return to normal weight) and this is one of the many adjustments in my lifestyle that I just have to do.

While parking Jarvis (our car), we noticed some road closure at Parkway Street near Festival Supermall and soon we realized that this is actually part of Filinvest Alabang campaign of "Carless Sundays" from 5-10am to encourage outdoor fun for people who lives within the vicinity.

A few minutes after, I already found myself walking wearing my Sassa Activewear and Skechers Go Walk Shoes. There were other families there doing their morning exercise as well - some brought their own bikes with them, some opted to rent from the bike rental kios, some jogged and some are like us: walked.

We headed towards the Palms Country Club area and encircled around it. There, you could also find a bike trail. Noticed the elevated rocks in the picture below?

Some wild plants have also grown in the untrimmed lots making the air slightly cool and fresh. It is like being warped to the province in an instant so it was nice.

So see you guys next Sunday? 

Cheers to fitness this 2014!

I must admit, I am the NOT the best person to go to when it comes to finances. 

My background: my parents are hard workers so by the time I was in high school, their efforts have paid off and our several small businesses were at its peak. So basically, I get whatever a normal teenage girl would like to have during those days. However, by the time that I was graduating in college everything went down the drain due to mismanagement. Our house, the cars, the stores and real estate assets ended up being sold to pay out business and personal debts. It was hard to swallow and with the whole family's ego bruised we had to start from ground up. My mom passed away right after the whole ordeal and now my dad who is almost in his 60s do not have any pension to fall back on.

As I moved up in the corporate ladder in the IT industry during my early 20s, I somehow relived the life that I once had when it comes to spending. So even if I was starting to earn more, I still lived from pay check to pay check and at times a week short to the next pay check scavenging a few hundred bucks which I might left off somewhere in the pockets of my bags.

But in 2011, when I accepted Christ as my Lord and Savior. I then realized that He is Lord of all or nothing at all. He reigns over every aspect of my life including my finances. I had no vices whatsoever like smoking, drinking or drugs but when it comes to money it was a struggle for me to control and be discipline. It did not happen overnight but I continue to pray and pray for God to give me the wisdom to handle and be a good steward of His financial provisions. Being a wife who shares the responsibility of budgeting for the family, my heart aims that at the end of it all, the Lord will say "Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master" just like in the Parable of the Talents.

Money in itself is not evil but the LOVE of money is the ROOT of all evil. I am blessed that our church, Victory or VCF, also encourages us to first and foremost give back to the Lord and teaches us not only Biblical but also practical principles on handling finances. Just to mention, recently we finished our Sunday series: It's Not About the Money and you may listen to these podcast for those preaching.

I know God is steering me in direction where I could take hold of this struggle. It is a slow process but through reading the Bible then other financial literature (books, blogs, videos and even seminars), I am starting to gain more knowledge about it. It is actually been going on for a while but I haven't blog about  it because I still feel inadequate to share my experience with you my beloved readers.

However, before 2013 ended, by God's grace I hit my 3rd financial target so I decided that this is a good year-end post to encourage people like me, especially the younger ones, that you do not need to have hundred thousands to start investing and that time is your ally. Around this season as well is when companies are giving out the employee's bonuses so please do pause before buying that latest smartphone or what-have-yous (I am also techie so I understand what you are going through) and think how you could allocate this additional blessings.

My Top 3 Investment Targets to Financial Freedom

1. Build up the Emergency Fund through a bank savings account

2. Start buying stocks through a trusted trader

3. Get a life insurance

So here I am with Bong Landerito, my Financial Adviser from Manulife whom I met through an officemate. Like most of the Filipino families, he has his own fair share of story to tell when it comes to financial struggle. This became his advocacy because of the the things he learned from his own life experience. Very relaxed and easy to talk, just reached out to him through the contacts below. 

Cheers to my new life with Manulife!

Just a reminder, to do your own research. Have time to reflect on your needs and goals. Explore your means and vehicles to build up your asset. Be cautious on get rich quick scheme and do not rush into things even if someone else is pressuring or persuading you to do so. This is your hard-earned money so take as much time as you need to fully understand even the terms in the fine print. 

A good person leaves an inheritance for their children's children, 

but a sinner's wealth is stored up for the righteous.

[NIV] Proverbs 13:22

Sir Chief, Richard Yap

Sources: Some images came from their Facebook Page

Two years ago, God blessed us with Victor, a second hand Mitsubishi Lancer model 1996. It was our first conjugal car and we were thrilled to have it since it was a great testimony how the Lord has provided for financial provisions. But earlier this year, Hubby started to have promptings to pray for a brand new car. So individually we prayed upon it then as a couple then ultimately leading to surrendering it all up to the plans of the Lord in the Worship Night we have attended at our new home church, Victory Alabang.

To be honest, it wasn't a desire of the flesh to have one, I personally didn't experience sleepless nights over it although I did a few searches for possible options. The only thing that I felt all through out this experience is that He is bringing us to another level of maturity individually and as a couple in terms of decision making and trusting His plans. It also felt like He is preparing for the tools that we will be needing for a 'bigger assignment' and a brand new car would help us to do so. We didn't really need one but His thoughts are higher than our thoughts and His will be done over our life. As His blessing unfolds, we were just right there at the front row seat in full of awe with the Lord's goodness..

Just like the first one, He brought the right people at the right time for us to have a smooth transition. We were able to sell Victor to another couple then one week later we brought home Jarvis. 

It is not about the blessing but ALL ABOUT THE BLESSOR!

Chevrolet Spark 2013
at Freedom Park Aguinaldo Shrine
Kawit Cavite

Yihiiii.... I am so giddy!

Less than a month from our corporate prayer and fasting, God has already answered one of my faith goals-- to work within the same vicinity as hubby, that is in Alabang.

This week was my first in our south office. Praise God and I am already collecting memories from the morning and evening travel time I have with hubby (just like we used to have during college days commuting from Kawit to Manila). That's a good 45 mins - 1 hour additional kulitan in the am and pm. Plus, our south office is way less crowded and relaxed allowing me to focus more on my assignments.

For sure this is just the beginning of my many posts as I discover the area of the south. Here's a few instagram pixies:

Day 1: View from my building

Day 3: Decided to walk to get familiar with the area

SLEX Tollgate - Alabang Exit

At the Passenger Seat with my fave driver

After a year of prayer, humbling and perseverance, gruesome auditionsss (yeap multiple tries) and 10-week music ministry training. I present to you *insert drum roll here* ... my hubby, the latest addition as a drummer to the passionate and excellent Victory Christian Fellowship Musician Volunteers here at the Fort.

All Framed Up!

"I want to share God's goodness in  my life through music and with the talent the Lord has gifted me with. It is giving back to the one who created me", he said when asked for his reason in wanting to be part of the Music Ministry.

Group 5 performs I am Free and More than Amazing

Paolo Valenciano with his groupmates performing first in the Culminating Night

Please partner with us in prayer for provision to buy his very own Electric Drumset. All the honor and glory back to the Lord!

I started with my new employer a couple of weeks ago. I'm already working on a project which I am really thankful for because that means I am already productive. Though I had to wait for almost a week before I got my own desktop and stayed in the conference room (together with other people) before moving to my own cubicle.

View from the conference room, I could see the whole metro and this is just one side of the view.

I'm just appreciative of God's work in my life -- how He brought me to this new opportunity. I know my knowledge and skills can be limited but I know His grace is sufficient and I'm believing He would work in me and through me so that I would thrive this year. I'm aware of the tough rat race out there but He is my source and He said in His word where I end, He begins...

Include me in your prayers for the best days ahead.

Last year, God gifted us a 150K 2nd Hand Mitsubishi Lancer as our first car. He has also instilled in my heart to ask for a house that has 3 bedrooms, 2-car park garage and 100-200 sqm lot for our family. Aside from the money that we still don't have to make a down payment, we are still torn on where to buy one -- in Cavite or Metro Manila. So we are still seeking God's will on the location and provision. And as I wait upon the Lord, I've been searching houses online and I have been eyeing for this model for a while now but I find the monthly amortization for 20 years too high.

Lancaster Estate Cavite - Gabrielle at Manchester Village

So Hubby said a 2-bedroom is enough, I explained to him that I wanted the parents to live with us in their old age and he understood my concern. He suggested to get 2 units of 2-bedroom model, saying at least we have the privacy and we can use the other house eventually for renting or tear down the wall if a must in the future. I kinda like the idea and found this model, also within the same vicinity, but with another developer. The monthly amortization is much lower kahit 2 units pa yung kunin.

The Bible says, Matthew 9:29... "According to your faith will it be done to you" so I am holding on to the promise and look forward to the day that the Lord answers our prayers for a home.

*** 07 February 2012 | Update ***

So I was up late last night and just plotting out the computation for the houses especially considering the monthly amortization over a span of 20-30 years and to my surprise I ended up with the figures below:

3-Bedroom, 2 car park garage, 120 sqm

2 townhouse units

Check out the difference of the Actual Amount due to Interest vs. Total Contract Price (TCP)... it is such an eye opener! It is really best to save first for a while then buy a house in cash... sayang ang 3 million di ba, Lord?

So we are still praying for the Lord for provision and his perfect time for us to acquire a home.

 *** 01 July 2012 | Update ***

We went to Lancaster Estates to view their model houses. See my post here.