Sylvester M. ErincoIt was Day 3, Wednesday March 18 2009, when I first experienced the work of the Holy Spirit. It was a baptism of fire, when I felt heat coming from around and it began to touch the back of my neck. It was so hot and it made me weak. But I received it because I knew it was from God. And from the time I received the Holy Spirit, so many other things happened to me. On March 20, as I was worshipping God, God showed me a vision. I saw a house, it was dark at the front, but there was a shining light coming from the back of the house. I asked God what it was. Suddenly, I felt someone holding my hand. I cried so much, because I knew it was God. Jesus was holding me. God has showed me so many visions here at Holy Given, I have never experienced this before. Some of them were the same as Pastor Grace’s and Kuya DK’s. One of them was of a rice field with workers and the top view of the land showing the beautiful sunrise as a sign of a new day. When I was having that vision, I felt as if my chest was going to explode. I kept on shouting and my body was shaking. In the recent vision I had, which was on March 27, 2009, I saw the Pearl of the Orient, which is the Philippines. We were baptised in the ocean that day, and while Ma’am Cindy was singing, I closed my eyes and God showed me the Philippines. I saw an epicentre, a great epicentre and the land was shaking. God showed me the top view of the earth, and a shining light was going out from this nation to the other nations. Then, a volcano erupted and shook the land further, spreading the light from the Philippines even more to the different nations of the world. Christy N. FabillarFirst of all I really give thanks to God because He has given me strength and life to attend the Holy Given School. Since Ma’am Lesley-Anne started preaching the word of God, I have had more and more passion to search the presence of God. When there was an altar call, I felt the Holy Spirit move and God’s presence so strongly. I was not a real Christian before, I was in the darkness and of the world. I did everything that was in this world, and I was a drunkard woman, and really rebellious. But when I remember how I was before and what god has done in my life, I felt that I was not worthy to praise His name because I didn’t feel good enough, especially the way I treated my brothers, sisters and parents. But God touched my life, and He has given me light and revelation. And God loves me. God showed me the right way to walk in His way. I praise the Lord and give praise and adoration to His name. God is an awesome God…God is my Saviour…God is my Counsellor…God is my Redeemer...God is Love…God is good all the time…
Willy Cruz I remember when I was in my younger age and I liked secular dancing. I am a disco-goer and I love parties. Until last Thursday morning on March 26, 2009. After Ma’am Lesley’s prayer during our praise and worship, the Lord spoke to me regarding the importance of dancing. We do not need to just dance when we don’t know the meaning of the dance because there is a type of dancing that may invite the negative spirits. While I was in an indian-sit position, the Lord showed me a different dance like the unique dance of the tribes. He taught me some steps and the meaning of them, so I was dancing in my mind. I was amazed when the worship leader asked us to go in front and offer a dance to the Lord for that was what the Lord said to him. The Lord had also just spoken to me about dancing but I felt shy because I did not know how to dance the tribal dance. Then, somebody got me up and said to offer a dance to the Lord. I felt my body move to dance with steps which I did not know before and those steps were the steps which the Lord showed me just a while ago. I danced with the Lord for a while, and all the time He was telling me the meaning of every step I made. The Lord impressed on my heart that the dance we offer to Him is like our life. What kind of life do we offer to Him? Is our life pleasing to God? Like the kind of dance we offer Him?Adam Diaz
The first time I heard about Holy Given, I said to myself that it was impossible for me to go to Leyte because of my ministry, family and financial situation. I felt that I just could not leave for 6 weeks. But God kept on reminding me and speaking to me through circumstances and people encouraging me to attend. I still thought it was impossible for me because I was not a missionary. As the days went by, I still had no desire to go. I asked my pastor (Pastor Hiram) if he wants me to go, and he said, “Yes.”. I asked God if it is His will, and He said, “I want you to go!” The first day we arrived, I felt God had put Holy Given in Leyte so that I could attend. God provided everything for me financially! In the first session, God messed me up and I felt God move and He spoke to me about my present situation. I cried… and I cried… He broke my heart. Then I started to hear His voice and He opened my eyes and showed me that I am a religious pastor. I need to place myself everyday at the altar and to allow the fullness of His love and glory take over me. I saw the fire of God hitting me. Huge balls of fire refining me and I saw myself sliding on a chariot that ran so fast, I saw my old life falling behind. At this point in time, I can say that I have been a pastor for 8 years but God has given me a “new life in Christ”! A life that is broken, with deep compassion, humble. I was thinking that I have done enough in the ministry but God showed me the big picture of mission, and it’s all about dying to self and giving my whole life to His will. Wherever He takes me, I will go… I know for the coming weeks, God will increase, and I will decrease.
