The Cathedral

Cathedral of St. Mary and St. John

Yes, I almost got married here.

This Episcoplian church near St. Luke’s QC has a lot of history with me and my family.

As a child, I attended Sunday mass here with my mom, dad and sister. I still have vivid memories during Holy Week and Christmas Eve services.

There was a certain solemnity to this place that brought my commune with the Lord more meaningful.

Perhaps it was the music from the church organ. Or me flipping the hymnal books as I sing. Or me smelling the scent of the incense burning as I offer my prayer. Or me receiving the communion as I sought forgiveness from the Lord.

It was here in this cathedral where my faith was formed and molded. But this same faith grew and took deeper root in another place. A place where I met my husband. A place where I deemed best to marry him since our love story was written there.

I want to go back and visit the Cathedral and immerse myself there again, even just for a day. Maybe, bring along my husband and show him where I met the Lord.

The Holidays Made Me a Monster!

Monster!

You wouldn’t believe I am capable of being that. But I do. I am. And I am not proud of it.

The holidays are supposed to be a joyful season. A time when you spread good cheer to anyone and everyone you meet.

But it also comes with a lot of stress. I am not a Christmas person really. For the sheer reason that it causes me undue tiredness from all the hustle and bustle of the season. And tiredness is the culprit behind me snapping at people.

Just these past few weeks, I am not my usual self. I am easily irritated. I spew words that hurt. I behave so un-Christlike. I knew what I was doing, but it felt so hard to break away and change my behavior.

I had to ask my husband to pray with me and for me. I had to confess my sinful behavior to the Lord and seek His help to change my ways. I couldn’t do it on my own. I felt so trapped and helpless. Only the Lord could transform me again.

Christians fall too. We do not claim to be superbeings that do not sin anymore once we have received Jesus as our Lord and Savior. We only recognize our fallenness and seek God’s grace and forgiveness all the more. Thankfully, Jesus came down on earth precisely to save us from ourselves.

We are all monsters. Whether we admit it or not. We need a God to tame us, break our selves, and restore us to who we were made to be – sons and daughters of the Living, Gracious Heavenly Father.

The holidays did not make me a monster. That is my sinful self crying out to be transformed.

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Would you give yourself up for the Lord and all your monstrous, sinful ways and be ready for a new life in Christ this coming New Year?

If you said yes, you may say this simple prayer:

Lord Jesus, I confess that I have sinned against you and need your forgiveness. Cleanse my heart and wash my sins away with Your most precious blood. Thank you for dying on the cross for my sins. I receive You as my Lord and Savior. Take control of the throne of my life. Make me the person You want me to be. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.

♥️♥️♥️

“This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!”

2 Corithians 5:17 (NLT)

A Blessed, Transformative New Year to all! 🎉

Overcoming Depression: A Glimpse of Death

There is always a light at the end of the tunnel. There is always a God of hope who is ready to embrace those who’ve succumbed to depression.

This is the second part of the story I shared with all of you yesterday at https://thevelveteenleah.wordpress.com/2014/02/19/depression-breaking-the-silence/

Written in poetry form, I penned this after going through what seemed to be an endless experience of agony. It was quite cathartic for me to write out what happened to me back then and the lessons I’ve learned in the process.

Here it is.

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GLIMPSE OF DEATH

By Leah Lyn E. Albano

Tragedy struck in her young life.

Hopeless, desperate, depressed,

She attempted to end all the pain.

Caught unaware that her dreams will be shattered.

Taken by surprise that her life will be put on hold.

She was a soldier caught without her defenses.

Blinded with the sinfulness of her nature,

She hid in her cocoon,

Not speaking a word, holding it all in her heart.

Confused, overwhelmed, frustrated.

No one can paint a smile on her face.

Tears…all tears were flowing from within.

Abyss of depression, the horror of it all!

She was in the valley of the shadow of death.

“Where was God? Why me, Lord?” she asked.

The questions were difficult,

And the answers remained elusive.

She was at the tunnel, waiting for the light to dawn again.

Life, for her, stopped.

But the clock remained ticking.

Her loved ones remained loving her.

Amidst the void she was feeling,

God was miraculously at work.

Angels protected her from dying.

The journey uphill was a difficult struggle.

It was not without much pain and crying,

When she emerged from the deep recesses of her sorrow.

It was not without doubts and much questionings,

When all the anger and bitterness surfaced.

The ugly side of life haunted her to no end.

But the terror of it all had to happen,

For her to fully face her sinfulness,

For her to fully receive God’s grace and mercy.

“Christ died for the real me,

Wounds, bruises, scars and all!”

A declaration of hope … the light is finally seen.

Traversing the road leading her to a glimpse of death

Was no defeat at all.

That death led her to savor the sweet taste of life anew!

January 25, 1998

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Lover of My Soul

At the height of my Christian walk with the Lord was borne out many poems pertaining to my Beloved Christ. His complete work of redemption from sin and eternal damnation makes me ever grateful as I recall His ultimate sacrifice for you and for me.

Here’s one of my poems about the Great I Am.

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LOVER OF MY SOUL
By Leah Lyn E. Albano

You have been the Lover of my soul
The Redeemer whose grace overflows
The Healer whose hands soothe.

You have been the King of my heart
The Prince of Peace calming my mind
The Rose of Sharon stilling my soul

Never will the enemy snatch me from You
For never will you leave me
And never will you forsake me

Stumble and fall, that’s what I do best
But You have always been a Helper to me
You give me wings like eagles so I can soar on high

Disappointments and pain abound in my life
But You have always been by Source of Joy
You give me a cheerful heart in spite of every tear

You are the Great I AM
The God in whose life I owe
The Lord in whose blood I am redeemed

February 24, 2000

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Have you been redeemed by Christ already?

A Faithful Kind of Love

My new acquaintances and friends will not know this about me. I have written a lot of poems in the past, and till this day, I treasure these poems for they speak volumes on how I feel about a certain person, or how I react to life’s circumstances. So I dug up my memoirs, and lo and behold, I found my gems of poetry!

Here’s the first poem I’d like to share with all of you, in keeping with the Valentine season. Surprisingly, I wrote this on February 13, 2002. Wow! That’s 12 years ago already!

So here goes. I hope you will be blessed my dear readers. 🙂

——

A FAITHFUL KIND OF LOVE

By Leah-lyn E. Albano

I have done so many wrongs.

I have fallen many times over.

Each time I look unto His face,

I see His eyes still lovingly looking back at me.

I made a lot of mistakes.

I have failed Him time and again.

Each time I moved my hand away from Him,

He pulls me back and puts His arms around me.

I nurtured unkind thoughts.

I uttered unkind words.

Each time I hide away from His presence,

He calls me by my name and still lovingly years for me.

Who am I to deserve

This faithful kind of love?

What worth do I have

To receive this love so sweet?

His love is higher than the heavens.

Who can reach its heights?

His love is deeper than the seas.

Who can reach its depths?

I have nothing to give

But my whole life to Him.

Yes, a faithful kind love.

That’s what He has given me.

February 13, 2002

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May you all discover and experience God’s faithful kind of love!