The view from the top

“But they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.” – Isaiah 40:31 ESV

Early on in my stroke recovery, an influencer from our church, a doctor, usually sent me an inspirational SMS, and the verse above was one of my favorite. She usually ends her message with a ‘Soar High’ note which uplifted my mood after reading it. In one instance, she gave me info on where to view online worship. As far as I can remember, she had given me a note scribbled at the back of the prescription pad for my kids’ medicine. It contained a website address and some inspirational resources. Online worship was not yet mainstream at that time during pre-Covid days. I owe her a lot for equipping me and developing in me a resilient mind.

A change in perspective

A year after I suffered a stroke, I prayed to God to deliver me from my difficult circumstance, considering my impairment in my balance and swallowing. However, God responded in a different direction, not the way I would expect. It’s a sudden shift of perspective for me. It was hard, but I thanked God I was not overwhelmed. Rather than overthinking my circumstance, I’d believe instead of what I have – a loving family, good friends, meaningful experiences, and a mighty God who is more significant than my fears.

I usually play ‘mental hike’ in my mind to cope up with my sanity. Mountain climbing is second nature to me. It can be attributed to our environment when we were young. Our place then was surrounded by hills and mountains wherein me and my siblings used to play around. It’s good that I got a copy of the video of our hike to Mount Pulag, PH way back in 2013, and I watched it on my faint screen routinely to escape boredom. As I recall, the view from the top was so surreal. Indeed, the tiredness from a day’s hike will immediately dissipate once you reach the peak. It was a pleasant experience at the top.

Glimmer of hope

An opportunity came unexpectedly after an internet provider planted a post beside our house and left a leaflet at our gate. They told us that their services would then be available in a month. That was not the one for which my wife applied for a connection at that time. We were swayed to switch because of its availability. And fortunately, it became a convergence of blessings for us, and we leveraged from it. While my kids were attending their online classes, I upskilled myself, nurturing a skill innate in me that is woven into my DNA, and it was into the creative side.   It sounds unusual, absurd, and it doesn’t make sense.  It was a start from scratch! It departed from the work I am usually doing for the past two decades, which was more analytical and number crunching.  Like a parable of talent, that God-given gift gave us a living and made us thrive during the pandemic. It all started with one job, and it led me to another until I was serving three clients – offshore.  All I can say is it’s a miracle ‘coz these opportunities just fell suddenly in my lap,  without my input.  The surge of blessings scared me a lot. I was so astonished and perplexed but thankful about the blessings that we continue to receive daily. Indeed, God provides, and He revives. He is faithful to His promise that He never leaves us and never forsakes us. He continues to write grace in my story.

At present, I can now say that God granted my prayers, and they came into reality. That was three years after my daring prayer. This is it, pansit! My senses are returning back to normal. It was a chiseling and humbling experience for me. Healing takes a process. I learned that recovery was not just resting the body but also renewing the mind and uplifting the spirit. Although I’d gone through a difficult ordeal during my healing as if I’d hit rock bottom, I thank God that my recovery went well as if heaven broke loose. I learned to wait and trust Him during my trying times. His timing is always perfect.

I do not know what the future may bring to my family and me. But one thing that I am confident and sure, God is with us.

Post Script: Mount Pulag was the highest peak in the Luzon island in PH, 2,928 meters above sea level. Per Wikipedia, it is the 26th-highest peak of an island on Earth. The view from the top is extraordinary, as captured by Bong Bajo in 2013 and shared on YouTube. You can watch the fantastic video here.