As Jen and I adjust to these situations I reflect on how to respond.  These past days have challenged us to find a deeper faith, or to trust in me, complain, murmur and nothing really changes.  I am learning to grow in trust and faith in God, who I say I believe and trust in.  Would we fly in an airplane that was never tested?  Or ride in a roller coaster?  That too was never tested?  I think not.  So, why do I resist things that I cannot control?  When tests come to increase my faith and belief?  Or let it like a fire make me better?  More refined like silver or gold?  I admit I do not respond like a great Christ-like person right away, but I gradually come around to Abba's way of love and thinking in my life.

Last week I was forced to spend money which I did not agree with, and it caused tensions between Jen and I.  However, I determined to give light in dark places and be life to dead places.  So, as I walked out this situation, I told many about Jesus and by the grace of the Lord led 3-5 people to Jesus!  I might not have ever met these people except for having to spend money I did not agree to do.  

In this Covid-19 virus, I realized that people in my faith and church are scared and so are people who do not have my faith.  Determined to start asking people are they scared? Yes, not only of this virus but a loss of work, money, paying off bills and food, more so, here in the Philippines than in America.  I then ask people if I may pray?  When they say “yes” like the two ladies at the bank counter yesterday, I ask the God of time-space, love, and life to release His son's kingdom of peace, health and hope.  I see life and hope come back into these people as they think "wow others do care about me and my heart fears"! 

Because of some restrictions (“social distancing”) being implemented by our government here in the Philippines, our church planting has been put on hold until normal movement and travel is allowed.  In the past two weeks, our team has seen many people healed and touched by the Lord in San Miguel.  Thank you for your prayers! 

We have a team of 14 people who want to learn and grow in their faith.  I am slowly learning how to speak Tagalog but really need a teacher.  I am coming to understand the culture of how things are done in the Philippines.  I am thankful for the love and grace of the Filipino people for I seem to step on toes many times, but the society as a whole is full of grace and mercy. 

Visited our front-liners at the Barangay Hall Checkpoint

This is the Covid-19 Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ) Front-liners booth.  They are on 24/7 duty. We took the opportunity to bless and pray for them as they play a vital role in the proper implementation of ECQ rules in our area.

March 14, 2020

- Celebrating my 45th birthday with my husband for the first time is such a joy!  

I thank God for the chance to smile, and laugh, for another chance to feel pleasure and pain when necessary, and for a great chance to be with my husband (for the first time), my sons and Lj (Gaius’ girlfriend) to celebrate my birthday again.

Thank You Lord for teaching me to number my days, and helping me apply wisdom in every area of my life.  I realize that without God, life would’ve been a constant mess but thanks to God for many daily chances and for all the beautiful deeds that have happened according to His chances in my life, it’s another chance to celebrate!

The left photo shows a plate 1  with Egg omelette with bitter gourd ("tortang ampalaya"), plate 2 has fried native eggplants and fried "

Tuyo", a

 salted dried 

fish

 (usually herring); this is also known as stockfish in some countries.

This is our small garden which we plan on growing fruits and vegetables

Cleaning up...and reorganizing our living room for more comfortable place of bonding time with our sons.

Yes, I am a "Work At Home" wife and mom :) 

Many times in our lives we are losing hope specially in the middle of pains, sufferings, betrayals and such hardships. But allow me to share with you the secret weapon which God lead me through when I was in that very situation

Lamentations 3, Jeremiah (also known as the “weeping Prophet”), shared his very experience of hardships. The discouraging part of his experience is found in Lamentations 3:17, he wrote “I have been deprived of peace, I have forgotten what prosperity is.”, and most of us feel the same way when we are into struggles wherein we tend to give up.

With all these struggles, allow me to share with you the things which Jeremiah did and we should do too! RECALL GOD’S GOODNESS (verses 22-23), God’s steadfast love and mercy which endures forever, and His faithfulness is great that our mind can not phantom! Just as the little children’s hope is steadfast, so is the hope we should have as believers. Ang pag-asa na ito ay magliliyab sa ating kaluluwa kung uumpisahan natin maniwala at manampalataya. The full potential of our hope for the future is realized as we stand at the cross and connect with it.

His love endures! So gaano tayo kamahal ni Lord? Ganito...1 Peter 3:18 says, “Christ also suffered. He died once for the sins of us all guilty sinners, although He himself was innocent of any sin at anythime, that He might bring us safety home to God. But though His body died, His spirit lived on.”

We all should know that God is not happy to see His children suffer (Lamentations 3:33) “For He does not willingly bring affliction or grief on the children of men”. More often, it is our choice to be hurt and stay hurting

 but God provides a way of escape through our friends who love God! When Job is being tested his 3 friends (Eliphaz, Bildad and Zophar) share his anguish. Nakibahagi sila sa kanyang dalamhati, and Bildad told Job, “And so He (God) will make you happy and give you something to smile about” (Job 8:21). Kaya kung ikaw ay may pinagdadaanan mas maiging lumapit ka sa mga taong nagmamahal din kay Lord hindi sa mga bagay o impluwensiya ng mundo. God knows everything (Lamentations 3:35-36). He works all things together for good of those who love Him (read Romans 8:28-29).

Ramdam at alam ng Dios ang inyong pinagdaraanan kaya panghawakan mo ang Kanyang pangako sa Deuteronomy 28:8 “Igagawad sa iyo ng Panginoon ang Kanyang pagpapala sa iyong mga kamalig, at sa lahat ng pagpatungan mo ng iyong kamay at pagpapalain ka Niya sa lupain na ibibigay sa iyo ng Panginoon mong Dios”. Nung ako ay nasa sitwasyon mo, ako ay nagpatirapa sa aking kwarto at sinambit ang mga katagang “Lord, nararamdaman mo ba ang nararamdaman ko? Nakikita mo ba ang mga luha ko? Hanggang kailan ito? Iparamdam mo sa akin!”. Nung gabing iyon ako ay nanaginip na ako ay nasa tuktok ng napakagandang bundok, abot-kamay ko ang ulap at ito ay nilalaro ko. Hindi ko nakikita ang nasa paligid kaya ako ay tumingala sa langit at mula sa kalangitan ay bumagsak ang isang napakalaking luha at niyanig ang bundok na kinatatayuan ko NGUNIT HINDI AKO NATINAG! Nung kinabukasan ay pinasyalan ako ng aking leader upang kumustahin, dahil sa kanya ko lahat kinukwento ang nararamdaman ko at ang sabi niya sa akin, “Jennifer, pinakita na sa iyo ng Dios ang iyong tagumpay sa iyong pinagdadaanan bastat patuloy ka lang na manalig sa Kanya.” At iniwan niya sa akin ang pangako ni Lord sa Isaiah 1:19, “ If you are willing and obedient, you will eat the good things of the land”. Kaya heto ako ngayon ninanam-nam ang tagumpay na ipinangako ng Dios

LEARN TO WAIT PATIENTLY (verse 26) - there is hope in waiting patiently. James 1:3 says that “For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow”

My prayer to everyone reading this note “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit” (Romans 15:15).

God bless you exceedingly and abundantly!

Note: You may message me if you need some advise or prayers

Jennifer Schultz

Also a BIG thank you to those who sent us feedback on our praise letter :)

Again, we do pray for you…so send us your requests and we will pray more specifically for you.

In Christ,

Wendell and Jennifer Schultz

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Wendell and Jennifer SchultzZoe Perissos MinistryDonate Page: www.WorldOutreach.org/692Email: [email protected]Website: https://zoeperissosministry.com/Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/ZoePerissosMinistry/Twitter: https://twitter.com/zoeperissos2014Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/zoeperissosministry/