Tell me something about yourself. My name is Delsey Garner. I am married to a pastor and we have a teenage son. I was born and raised in Bacolod City, Negros Occidental. I finished my BS in Psychology from West Negros College, now known as STI- West Negros University. I completed a few masters level classes in guidance and counseling while I was working as a college guidance counselor at my colleg ...[Read More]
Starting Over in the Philippines
How to Predict Your Future
Every New Year fortune-tellers and astrologers have a heyday as people try to figure out if they will achieve wealth, health and love in the New Year. But are fortune-tellers reliable?
What Do You Need For Christmas?
I will never forget it: my son screaming as doctors cut his feet open to see how far the cancer had progressed into his body. For me, those minutes were gut-wrenching. Today, the echo of my son’s screams are never far from my mind, even though this event took place two decades ago. A child’s pain hurts their parents beyond belief. Why am I writing about suffering at Christmas time? Isn’t this a se ...[Read More]
Pakikisama: What It Means to Be a Friend in the Philippines
Social acceptance is highly valued in our society. We are branded “KJ,” or “kill joy,” if we decline being a part of a peer group activity. For example, if everyone except you wants to see a movie, but you have responsibilities at home, you have to choose whether or not to neglect your responsibility. It is a hard decision because we Filipinos really care about what others think of us. We even hav ...[Read More]
Buying God’s Favor
Emer used to participate in penitensiya or flagellation during Holy Week, thinking this somehow will absolve his sins. Now, Emer holds on to a better hope.
Daily Time with Jesus
I was sitting at my desk. The phone rang; an emergency in my family. I felt so alone. Belatedly, I remembered I had skipped my devotional time that morning. Since I didn’t spend time with the Lord, I was not sharp spiritually; it was harder to hear God’s voice and it was harder to know what to do, or what to say. Whenever I skip my daily devotional time with the Lord, I regret it. It seems those a ...[Read More]
Singing a New Song: A life story from a former recording artist and radio personality—Maru Cepeda Javier
"God healed me before I became a Christian."
Where Does Courage Come From?
He took a deep breath and they slipped the IV needle into his arm. His face paled and his breathing stepped up, as it always did, when the chemo drugs began to penetrate his system.
Maximizing Parenting
Summer break is a great opportunity for parents to get involved in their children’s lives hands-on. By this, I mean more than just taking your children for a much needed family vacation out-of-town or out-of-country. Sure, kids today get to see the world more; but be careful that they do not just see the beautiful, scenic areas of the world and miss out seeing the real events that shape the world. ...[Read More]
The Crossy Path to Spiritual Growth
(Maria Rikka M. Ocena) In one game I installed on my android phone, the goal is to make the chicken cross the busy highway as far as you can without it getting hit by a car or a train. It’s quite addicting once you get your groove on and have beaten your previous score. I was playing one night when I began to question the point of the game. Where will the road end? Why is the chicken crossing the ...[Read More]