Last Sunday, I preached in our church Victory Greenhills about celebration. My message has three points:

1) We can Celebrate in Good Times.

2) We can Celebrate when there is No Occassion.

3) We can Celebrate in Bad Times.

It is the third point that I want to write about in this post.

I am so amazed with the faith of the Roberto family. This is a family who celebrates even in Bad Times; to make it more precise…even in the worst of times.

Tingting has been fighting Lupus for the longest time, yet her faith and fighting spirit is indomitable. Together with her husband Ardy, and their son Joshy, the family holds on to God as their source of strength. When a love one is in a life or death situation, things start to clear up. Tears make our eyesight clearer — then the most important things in our life shine as never before.

Decorating Tingting’s ICU room for Christmas

How can anyone celebrate at a time like this? 

Day #33 at Asian Hospital and Ting’s first day out of the ICU!! Whooohoo! God is good.  On our way to recovery!

Please pray that Tingting takes well to her rehab and starts standing and walking again. Her eyesight has been affected too by the past seizures, so please pray that her vision returns even better than before (but not 20/20 or else she’ll see that I’m not that super handsome after all, as she’s been telling the single nurses that they need to find and pray for a husband like me 

She’s been laughing more too and I praise God for answering our prayers.

Thank You Lord for giving life back to my Swato! Just a week or two ago, I thought you were calling her to Your home. And now she’s back! I praise You Lord! Thank You so much!  

How often do we ignore or take for granted our love ones and the blessings of God in our life. Remember that there are many who had it worst but are doing better; and there are those who had it better but are doing worse.

I love this verse about taking every day as a day that God can bless us with, even in the worst of times.

Lamentations 3:22-23

“The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases;
his mercies never come to an end;
they are new every morning;

great is your faithfulness.”

When there is nothing to be happy about, God supplies joy. 

The apostle Paul says in Phillipians 4,

Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

The PEACE which transcends all understanding…an inner quality that is indescribable. Even in the midst of trials, challenges, or obstacles, you have DECIDED that you will trust in God.

Here is a fascinating post by Ardy that made me cry:

Yes, Lord, I – C – U! I see You in the midst of the dreariness and darkness and the smell of sickness and death (so far three of our neighbors have died) in this place. There is joy and happiness to be found here.

He gave a new definition of the dreaded ICU into I- C- U! I SEE YOU — GOD! How can anyone celebrate in bad times? It is when you see God in any situation and trust Him. 

Romans 8:28

28 And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.

There is no way we can know in this life time why these things are happening, but rest assured, God has a purpose in everything.

Our prayers and love go to the Roberto family – Tingting, Ardy, and Josh. You are living examples of Great Faith in a Great God.

Read Ardy’s post: http://www.facebook.com/ardyroberto?fref=ts