I don’t remember the feelings I had when I was a little girl celebrating her birthday, was I really happy? Prolly yes, because of the parties my parents throws for me… 🙂 Here’s one of those little celebrations. I’m surely blessed by great parents who wants to give their daughter the best of the best when they were little. Thank you, Papa and Mommy =)
(This was taken 20 years ago… :D)
So I should say, it runs in my system that I should blow candles on my birthdays, spend some money to treat friends, and party all day long because “Hey, it’s my day!”
When I was 18 years old, as a debutante, I forced my parents to throw a BIG party for me. (They were kind of hesitant and wants a small dinner instead) What I didn’t know a year later my dad died and we became penniless.
My 18th Birthday. My last dance with my father.
To summarize it all, my mother’s faith in GOD is so strong that HE indeed took us out of the pit. How marvelous, how gracious and how awesome HE IS! Psalm 68:5 (ESV) “A Father to the fatherless and protector of widows is God in His holy habitation”. If you want to hear my mother’s testimony, on how she fed us 5 kids all the way to finish college, she’d be glad to share it with you… Just call me and I’ll let her talk =)
My arrogant personality then took a major place, I was in dire need of showing off since everyone thought of me as the black sheep (–yikes, I’ve labeled myself that believing the enemy’s lie). Back in college again… I threw parties, smoke cigs, get drunk… You know the usual thing you see on TV. I love the attention. I really did. How can I not? With a sad and longing heart, it’s a great way to escape.
These were taken from my parties I threw… (not proud!)
I looked happy in the outside, but it was seriously killing me inside.
From my previous blogs… You can rely on how Christ Jesus saved me, and I owe it all to HIM!!! Anyway, after being saved, I threw another birthday celebration that year — my first beginning as a Christian, I was celebrating the fact that I am now a somewhat new follower of Jesus (on which on the contrary I still felt the longing and still having a hard time struggling what the whole truth is..) You can check my two previous posts from my 27th Birthday Celebration When I Turned 27 this year and Post Birthday Celebrations 2011
Last year, I didn’t celebrate my birthday with a happy heart, I was almost walking out of faith then. Yet in the midst of uncertainties God always use people to make you shine on your day.
Taken at Heat, Edsa Shangri-la with Barkada 🙂
So anyway, here’s my BIGGEST TESTIMONY ever in my entire life. God is very very much faithful even if we aren’t. God is a father to those who are in need of one. God is so beautiful that I cannot imagine how life will be without Him in it.
From my recent blog – My Birthday Wish, I shared that all I want is for HIM to be glorified. “Thy will be done”. More of HIM, less of me. My story for His glory. And yes, this year He just did so wonderful even before my birthday week started, His promises started to show up… Every adversities became blessings… Every doubts became real. I celebrated my birthday as a day on which I honored HIM for creating me as His daughter. “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see GOD” Matthew 5:8 Indeed, I see HIM. Not within the human form of course that would mean I am dead, but as true seekers, God will show himself in ways you couldn’t even imagined. Gaaaah. I wish I can interpret it in layman’s term, but for now, please just use your imagination. =))
Happiest 29th Birthday to ME!
I celebrated my birthday and the days ahead with so much peace within, with so much happiness, with so much love to give to others, with so much — Beauty to offer. I surrendered everything, and in His perfect ways He lay it all down one by one. Isn’t too wonderful? So surprising? So here are some of the wonderful celebrations with family and friends that GOD has been glorified!!! =)
August 24, 2013… 🙂
Aren’t they too sweet?
Also wanna give credit to Florence, Kriscia and Aron…
They both sang on the wee hours of my birthday,
so overwhelming =)
some of my friends and even my mom just made it extra special =)
Dinner with Barkada (Izakaya Kikufuji)
Here’s my favorite — UNI!!!!
(This made me miss Hong Kong!!! :p)
Spicy Tuna — gaaah. SUPER LOVE IT!
Sorry, I wasn’t able to take food pics was busy absorbing my happiness that night ❤❤❤
I love this TWG Raspberry Cakes with Macaroons!!!
I’m so grateful my barkada has taste! =))
(That day was also a battle with the enemy,
yet I chose not to make him win,
because my left gum was sore,
so you can see how chubby my face was :p)
Gift giving time!!!
OOTD : H&M thank you =))
You know what I realized was the fact that as you grow older,
the material things don’t really matter anymore,
what matters is how much you are willing to give wholeheartedly.
Anyway, I’m very much grateful to my barkada for all their love!!!
I surely am a PRINCESS OF GOD! Daughter of the KING!
(PS: I did get a Life Application Study Bible from them,
can you see how God works? His will not mine =D)
So happy we’re complete!!!
These are the people God sent me since grade school…
Blessing and to be a blessing!
(If you look closer, you would have seen some of them from my first picture posted here :P)
Dinner with Family
(Modern Shanghai)
Three sets of 小龍包!!!
It’s all enough for me though,
but of course not for my family :p
Some of the food there.
As a food critic (LOL)
I don’t find their best sellers that special.
But of course I am very much grateful for the blessings!!!!
I’d give their food 3/5
Service 2/5 (Needs a lot of patience!)
Family pic!!!
“There was a restoration
between my family.”
Yes, God is so faithful!
all the service ambassadors stopped to what they’re doing and sang to me. I was overwhelmed!!!!
To God be glorified!!
Lunch with officemates.
It was a duty in the office
that the birthday celebrant will treat the rest.
So here’s mine.
Pizza, Amber’s Palabok and Pichi-Pichi.
And did you know how awesome that day was?
I got the SHAKEYS PIZZA ALL FOR FREE. =)
Look how God surprises such things?
I wasn’t even aware they were late, it was their good customer service who informed me about it.
Dinner with Victory Group
(Kokoro Ramenya)
Tantanmien… ❤ My favorite ramen.
Some of the orders 🙂
My birthday cake! ☺
“Where there is no guidance, a people falls, but in an abundance of counselors there is safety. (Proverbs 11:14 ESV)”
Dinner with College Friends
(Grace Park)
It was a night of… God’s wonderful presence, especially the fact that it has been a year since we seriously get together…
Baked Chicharon.
Muscovado Beef (best seller and yes indeed!!!! Must-try!)
Chicken Parmegian
Truffle Pasta! Gaaaah ❤
Fish for the day: Apahap!
*I just need to be a food blogger here.
I am extremely recommending Grace Park to everyone who loves to eat yet who are health conscious! Golly, their food were amazing! Great job, Margarita Fores!*
College, it surely a come and go friendship, yet sometimes you just need to take a leap of faith on those people you believe…
It was very emotional for me that night as I made my speech.
I just knew in my heart I needed to take courage on what I’ve said.
Well, all I can say is that,
God is a God who restore brokenness.
He reveals, He heals.
I’m very glad that some of us are now walking towards the Truth – Christ Jesus.
“We met, we did all the craziest things together. We paused for a while and then our paths crossed again and now we’re taking the same journey — in Christ alone.” – Eliza ☺
I also asked God for financial breakthroughs, to teach me how to handle expenses on my own and be my financial adviser, asked for provision.. And my dear friends, I stand by my testimony — HE DID. God is indeed alive!
“You didn’t choose me. I chose you. I appointed you to go and produce lasting fruit, so that the Father will give you whatever you ask for, using my name. (John 15:16 NLT)”
And LASTLY.. You know when people say there’s a difference in you, that glow… That meaningful radiant… I guess it’s true indeed. When you have peace in you, the inner beauty shines. Sad to say Belo and Calayan failed on this part, because surgery cannot even attain it. The SECRET?!
Yes ladies and gentlemen, JESUS CHRIST is the only answer.
Jesus told him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me. (John 14:6 NLT)
There’s so much more I want to share though, if only I can summarize it all in one word… Yet I couldn’t… I suggest, you take His call, ask Him to come, let Him and the best part of it all… He loves you in spite and despite of who you are.
*My story for His glory*
With much love,
Katrina
Her Captivating Fate 
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