Levi Velasco, Author

What are you thankful for? Is it your job, family, friends, things you’ve accumulated or your status in life? Are you also grateful for tragedies in your life like sickness, financial meltdown, divorce, fractured relationships or a wayward child?

God is the basis of my thanksgiving. I am grateful for Him who created me, saved me through His Son and gave me meaning and purpose in life to do His will. Because I have totally placed my life into God’s hands and He is able to sustain it no matter what, I have the capacity to give thanks in the good times and the bad. I am confident that in all seasons of life, God continues to work His plan. So whether I am up or down, successful or failing, strong or weak, loved or unloved – in all things I will give thanks . . . to God.

Levi Velasco, Author

On Sunday, November 20th, as we were getting ready for worship service, I heard a song on WMBI (Chicago) entitled The Basics of Life sung by 4Him. Memories of family concerts in the Pacific Northwest came cascading back like a flood. I thought, as I reminisced, it was apropos 25 years ago, but moreso today. Read the lyrics while listening to the song.

We’ve turned the page, for a new day has dawned

We’ve re-arranged what is right and what’s wrong

Somehow we’ve drifted so far from the truth

That we can’t get back home

Where are the virtues that once gave us light

Where are the morals that governed our lives

Someday we all will awake and look back just to find what we’ve lost

Chorus

We need to get back to the basics of life

A heart that is pure, and a love that is blind

A faith that is fervently grounded in Christ

The hope that endures for all times

These are the basics, we need to get back

To the basics of life

The newest rage is to reason it out

Just meditate And you can overcome every doubt

After all man is a God, they say God is no longer alive

But I still believe in the old rugged cross

And I still believe there is hope for the lost

And I know the rock of all ages will stand through changes of time (to chorus)

Bridge

We’ve let the darkness invade us too long

We’ve got to turn the tide, oh

And we need the passion that burned long ago

To come and open our eyes

There’s no room for compromise (chorus)

Levi Velasco, Author

As newly-landed immigrants in the US we settled in the land of Lincoln in 1984. Being a new Chicagoan I immediately was drawn to rooting for the Cubs, Bulls and Bears (no offense Sox fans). I remained loyal to these teams even though we had moved away from the area and lived in other cities that had their share of professional sports teams. Our return to Chicago in 2003 rekindled my passion in cheering for these, my sports teams.

I’m sure most of you know by now that the Cubs, after a 108-year wait, finally won another World Series Championship. There a few spiritual illustrations I wanted to point out concerning the Cubs’ feat:

Redemption. There were several times when the Cubs were on the verge of losing Game 7 of the World Series. The team was dogged by defensive miscues, most egregious were two by Javier Baez (one of the youngest) and two by Dave Ross (“Grandpa Ross” to his teammates). Feeling they both let their team down, both Baez and Ross redeemed themselves and each hit the ball out of the park soon after their errors.

Brotherhood. They were their brothers’ keeper. It was evident all throughout the season that the Cubs team cared for each other. There were no prima donna tantrums or evidences of the blame game. This was true in Game 7 of the World Series as well – team members encouraged each other when the going got tough. “We picked each other up,” Javier Baez shared.

Perseverance. Down 3-1 in the World Series, this Cubs team never gave up. Winning three straight games, with two in enemy territory, was a tall order for this very young team. But each rose to the occasion, buckled down, and the Cubbies were able to grind-out back-to-back-to-back wins.

Long-Suffering. The fans, that is. I’ve seen Cubs games on TV and at Wrigley Field (especially in the 80s) when the Cubs weren’t that good. These Chicago Cubs fans never booed them. It’s as if to say, we enjoy watching you play more than “the W” (the win). And so it went for 108 long years, suffering but never wavering in their loyalty to the Cubs.

Trusting God’s Timing. Many fans and Cubs players themselves were unsure of the outcome of the game. There were several times when the Cubs felt assured they’d end their 108-year championship drought, only to be discouraged as the Cleveland Indians fought their way back to contend for the win. Then the rain came, and a 15-minute delay ensued. What now? Jason Heyward, right outfielder, gathered the team and gave an inspirational talk ending it with: “I don’t know how it’s going to happen, how we’re going to do it, but let’s go out and try to get a W.” And win they did! Heyward said that “it was the best rain delay of all time.” The rain ended the drought . . . as it should. The answer? It was in the rain.

I’m sure you can come up with a few more of these parallels, but what is certain is that real life is rife with the manifestations of theology and the stories of characters from the Bible.

On October 20, 2016, Typhoon Lawin (Haima) hit the Philippines and made landfall on the northeastern province of Cagayan with sustained winds of 140 mph (225 kph). It was the strongest typhoon to visit the country since Haiyan (Yolanda) in 2013. Hardest hit provinces include Cagayan, Isabela, Apayao, Abra and Ilocos Norte (northwest).

PhilRADS, a GLINTS global partner, is in the thick of providing disaster relief in the areas struck by this latest typhoon. Staff and volunteers are presently distributing relief supplies of nutritious food to 1,000 families in the provinces of Cagayan and Ilocos Norte.

Your financial gifts will help PhilRADS to help many more families who have been displaced by this super-typhoon. Click here to donate.

Survivors waiting their turn to receive food supplies

Volunteers distribute disaster relief goods

Happy recipients of relief food supplies

Levi Velasco, Author

A Normal Day

. . . was what commuters felt as they began their day as a normal routine. And then BAM! The commuter train they were riding didn’t slow down as it approached the Hoboken, New Jersey station. The NJ Transit No. 1614 hit the bumper guard rail at the end of the line and smashed through the terminal. Some on board the train described the ensuing moments in what seemed to be a very bumpy ride. As of this writing there have already been over a 100 injuries and one death reported.

This illustrates the uncertainties we face on a daily basis. A normal day can turn tragic in a matter of seconds. Hundreds of people, those who were in the commuter train and those who were in the station, will forever be impacted by this one single event. At this juncture, questions about mortality are entertained . . . but only for a brief moment.

But now that your attention is on mortality even for a brief moment, think about where you will spend eternity if this was the day your life was taken. Don’t let this not-so-normal-day turn tragic by denying the free gift of eternal life. The Lord Jesus Christ offers this to those who desire to spend eternity with Him. Don’t let it be a normal day again until you settle once and for all your eternal destination.

Call 1-800-NEEDHIM or click here.

Levi Velasco, Author

When it rains it pours. We tend to equate this saying in the negative. Experiencing a string of three to four mishaps within a relatively short amount of time, we say, when it rains it pours. Such was my feeling in recent days. Within a period of two weeks we had to replace a microwave, our air conditioning (AC) unit quit and the garage door broke and wouldn’t open.

But as a child of God, born of His Spirit through His Son (John 1:12 [read the whole chapter for context]), I know He knows what I am going through at all times. I completely trust that my Father is able to provide for my every need, so I need not be perplexed with the daily travails of life I encounter as His son (but He understands when I get anxious from time to time).

Rain 1 – The Microwave

We live in a small townhouse having limited space in our kitchen/dining area. The decision to replace the microwave was more out of practicality, but it needed to be done. We gave away our huge microwave (circa 2003) and replaced it with a smaller one that could really fit on our kitchen counter.

Rain 2- The AC Unit

I did a good thing by having our furnace and AC compressor tuned up. It was a good deal or so I thought. A technician from HVAC Services (not its real name) came and did his thing, cleaned both units and recommended some parts be changed to which he included a quote. Hmm . . . I thought, wow, this is high.

Being the good shopper that I am, I immediately called a friend from Integrity Heating and Cooling (its real name) and asked for a pricing quote which definitely came out lower. I had done my homework and scheduled a tech from Integrity to do the job on September 6th. However, the AC unit all of a sudden quit a couple of days before the scheduled appointment – two of the hottest days this summer in Chicago!

Rafael (tech) came on the 6th, and it didn’t take a whole lot of time for him to replace the parts on the AC and furnace units, but the AC still wouldn’t work. His assessment? The fan motor on the compressor failed. I had a decision to make but being that it was one of the hottest days of summer, it was a no-brainer and had Rafael replace the motor. After finishing, Rafael, with sweat pouring down his face, said it was done. Ah, cool air once again came through the vents. (Rafael commented later that the reason why the fan motor failed was the tech who earlier tuned up the AC unit either made a mistake or intentionally reversed the polarity of the fan motor wiring. Only the Lord knows.)

Rain 3 – The Garage Door

Now, the garage door. It wouldn’t even budge as I tried to lift it Saturday night (09/10). I asked our neighbor, Craig, if he wouldn’t mind helping me figure out what was wrong. He came over, checked out the garage door, and then came back with rope. What on earth was he thinking? 🙂 Anyway, he looped the rope on the handle of the garage door and said, lift! It was heavy but it did open. Craig looked up and declared, “Your torsion spring is broken.” I looked, and it was easy to see it had split in half.

I prayed, “What do I do now?” The Lord reminded me of Miguel, so I called him and said, I have an emergency and need your help. He is REALLY a busy man. But he replied, the earliest he could come was Tuesday (09/13). Upon arriving, Miguel took one look at the door, and he lifted it with one hand. Amazing.

The challenge now was to find a store nearby that had the specific torsion spring for our garage door. Smartphones and Google to the rescue. Menards had it, so off we went, bought the spring, and Miguel replaced it. While he was on the ladder he commented, “Oh, you have an electric garage door opener.” I said, yeah, but it doesn’t work. I had attached the opener a few years back but the screw that was supposed to lift the door wouldn’t turn. Miguel says, “I’ll take a look at it after I’m done with this.”

It took awhile to adjust the spring until the tension was just right. After Miguel made the final adjustments, he asked me where the switch to the door opener was. I pressed it, and I heard a whirring sound. I asked, is it working? Miguel said, “Yeah, it’s working.” He attached the arm to the door and tried it again. Hallelujah, it worked. We programmed the remotes and we were done for the day.

Let it Rain!

When it rains it pours, but God’s provision is ever-present even before the rain stops. A couple of weeks ago we were surprised to receive a check from our mortgage bank. It was an overpayment to our escrow account. The amount from the bank covered the repairs on the AC, garage door, and even the purchase of our small microwave.

Not only did He provide the funds to cover all three needs but also allowed quality time with friends who showed love through their acts of kindness. Expressions of love are great but deeds borne out of love are powerful! Trust Him fully, even through the rain.

Levi Velasco, Author

“We don’t send Filipinos to the Philippines as missionaries,” was the common mantra of mission leaders when Diane and I were applying to a number of agencies in the late 1980s.

Several reasons were expressed, but I couldn’t put my finger on what was really being said. Because in my mind I reasoned, what could be better than sending people who already knew the language, well-versed in the culture and possessed a long list of contacts, both in ministry and the target audience?

Recalling a decades-old exchange with a mission leader, I once again posed this question: “Would you consider Diane and me to apply to your missions agency for the Philippines?”

I heard the oft-repeated reply: “We don’t send Filipinos to the Philippines as missionaries.”

So I asked why. The response was predictable: it’s not really missions if you don’t have to learn the language, how would the local pastor react to you, we can send you to Colombia but not to the Philippines, etcetera, etcetera.

I pried more deeply, “But didn’t you deploy a Filipino to be a missionary in the Philippines with your agency?”

He answered, “Oh, he’s married to an American.”

I responded, “But so am I.”

The quick retort was, “Oh, a natural-born American.”

To which I quickly countered with “Diane was born and raised in New York; does that count?”

He bobbed and weaved, back-pedaled like a cornered pugilist. His countenance changed colors in a matter of seconds, and in my heart, I knew right there and then that the real reason why I couldn’t be considered to become an American missionary to my native land, was that I didn’t have the right shade of skin.

After receiving my degree from the Moody Bible Institute (1988), and realizing our missions dreams had to be put on hold, I sent 30 ministry resumés east of Chicago (where Diane’s extended family lived) and one to the West Coast. Yup, you guessed it right; we landed in the Pacific Northwest. The irony of this church assignment in Western Washington was that during the interview process, the district missions consultant of the denomination asked me, “Young man, do you have a burden for your home country?” I was floored. I didn’t even have to initiate inquiring about missions to the Philippines. Surrendering our dreams to God, He made it abundantly clear that this was His purview, and that we only needed to trust His sovereignty over our lives. He knew we needed to learn more of Him and life lessons to prepare us for the rigors of being missionaries.

In God’s timing and wisdom He paved the way for us to return to the Philippines as missionaries. Our time, though only a four-year term (1994-1998), was fruitful as we envisioned and implemented a plan to plant a church in Manila society. To God be the glory, great things He has done.

Levi Velasco, Author

For so many years we had dreamed of visiting Israel. Our daughters, Serene and Vida, have been strong advocates of Jewish people and Israel, and when our friends discover we’d never been there, they have this surprised look in their eyes sometimes expressing disbelief.  🙂  Having birthday and anniversary milestones this year, and with the urging and encouragement of Vida, we prayed the Lord would grant us the desire of visiting The Land. We figured, what better way to celebrate our 40 years of marriage and both our 60 years of life on earth than to sojourn in the Land where Yeshua walked and is still walking in the lives of those who follow Him. And God answered our prayer!

We landed in Tel Aviv August 5th where we were met by our hosts who immediately drove us to their home in Jerusalem. It was appropriate that we had Shabbat dinner on our first evening in Israel. They took us everywhere, driving south to Arad, the Dead Sea and Masada; north to Caesarea on the Mediterranean coast, northeast to the sea of Galilee, Tiberias and Capernaum and many sites in and around Jerusalem. On our own we made our way north to Haifa, and then back to Tel Aviv. We are so grateful for David and Margalit for being such gracious hosts.

                  Fountain of Tears in Arad                                                     Atop Masada

                 Amphitheater in Caesarea                                                         Sea of Galilee

This was our first international trip that was meant to be totally a vacation (made possible through the generosity of friends and relatives)! Those of you who know us well are probably smiling as you read this, knowing that ministry work is our lifeblood! Thus, when a young couple in Israel became interested in the work of GLINTS, we knew we’d be doing some recruitment work! Additionally, I was given the opportunity to preach to a Filipino congregation in Haifa mostly composed of caregivers. Majority of these courageous women care for Holocaust survivors. But one lady shared with us she has been caring for her young patient with cerebral palsy for 16 years!

                  Overlooking the city of Haifa                                    Dinner at a Druze restaurant

There were so many God-sightings during our trip. He arranged for us to see friends from Chicago who are now living and/or studying in Tel Aviv. And what a privilege to meet new friends who’ve spent most or all their lives in Ha’Aretz!

          With David and Jamie in Jerusalem                 Celebrating Diane’s birthday in Tel Aviv

  With Jamie, another Chicago connection                         Meeting Vida’s friend, Ivri

                               Our ascent to Masada via cable car