Together For Good

"And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to {His} purpose."-- Romans 8:28

God's Word. God's Promise...

By heart i know God is faithful...i know He never fails...God has delivered me from so many things... areas in personal life and personal growth with my Savior, my marriage, my husband, my kids, my work, my ministry...to name a few.

Just recently, his promise in Romans 8:28 made real to me again. How? My brother died last October 15, 2005. The sibling next to me...and we're so close not only because he is my only brother but we grew up together since he is just a year younger than i compared to our youngest who has seven years gap from us.

My brother's death in a way took a special part of my life that can never be replenished by anyone or anything in this world. Only by God's comfort that i can stand still and pressed on by the sudden change in the family. Before he died, friday october 14, i was in Cebu for our LSM and he was there too heading for Bohol for a business trip...he wanted to bring me with him to Bohol-- so we could have time together. I haven't seen him since 2003 after he visited me for my birthday (feb 2003) I'd never been to Bohol, so that gave me an excitement too to go aside from the thrill of seeing him again. It was my last day in Cebu so i though it was a perfect time for me. But when i asked my husband if i could go with my brother. He said it would be my call to decide whether to go or not to go but to be honest with his feeling he said he needed me home coz it had been awhile since i'd been gone. His honesty made me decide to go home instead. I told my brother i couldn't go since i need to go home.

Sunday, October 16 2005

After worshipped service...i received the text message of my mother urging me to rush with her to Samar (where my brother resides) coz something happened with my brother. Since my mother couldn't answer my questions... my brother's phone was already unattended...i directly contacted my sister. She couldn't hide things from me so she told me bluntly "KUYA IS DEAD"...just those words in her text message. My world seemed to collapse as i read it. What's so painful was the cause of his death. My brother was brutally murdered. My husband that moment went mixed emotions...grief for my brother and relief for me that i didn't go.

It was my heart's desire for my family to be together again-- my papa, mama, brother dudz, sister mayette and me (my parents have been separated for 13 years...and never spoke with each other from then on)It's always in my prayer list. God granted it at the death of my brother. My parents became friends again...not yet reconciled as couple but i'm not hopeless. God is good and i know it is his desire for couples to be together. God says in Romans 8:28 "And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to {His} purpose."

My brother's death has caused so much pain in our family and i am still grieving of the physical lost. But i heard that Dudz had been a new person...he had accepted Jesus as his personal Savior. He was already serving some ministry in their church. I have hope that before his last breath he had rededicated his life to Jesus. I hope i will see him in heaven. God's word has been constantly comforting me...all throughout our mourning God spoke to me in a miraclous way...and i trust His Word that He had truly sent His worker to my brother so Dudz might rest in His Bosom.

To Dudz... I LOVE YOU and I'LL BE MISSING YOU SO MUCH...