2026 Lent: Journey of Transformation

Verse of the Day “Wait for the Lord; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the Lord!” (Psalm 27:14)   When I look back on my life, I see a journey shaped by grace. I was raised in the Philippines in a joyful and simple home. My parents, both teachers, formed me in different ways—my mother with strength and leadership, my father with humility and generosity. From them, I learned both perseverance and contentment.   As a young doctor, I came to the United States for training. The move was not easy. Later, when I came to Houlton, Maine, I felt alone at first. The quiet fields felt far from everything familiar. I wondered why I was here. But over time, I discovered that people are people everywhere, and this place became home.   My husband, Chet, has been a gift of grace in my life. Our marriage has been sustained by love, trust, respect, and communication. Together, we raised our children and served this community. I returned to medicine when a child in need c...

Verse of the Day “Surely he has borne our infirmities and carried our diseases; yet we accounted him stricken, struck down by God, and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions, crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the punishment that made us whole, and by his bruises we are healed.” — Isaiah 53:4–5   I grew up surrounded by family. My grandmother held us together with strong love, and for a while, life felt full and secure. We moved from Washington, D.C. to Florida, and church became part of my rhythm. Faith was normal.   But slowly, things fell apart. We moved out from my grandmother’s home, and everything changed. My parents were gone working. The house grew chaotic—fighting, hoarding, and pain. I became known as the “fat dog kid” at school. Shame settled deep in me.   When I experienced terrifying sleep paralysis, I was told it was spiritual attack. Fear grew stronger than faith. So, I made a quiet decision: I walked away from God. And honestly, life se...

Verse of the Day “We love because he first loved us.” — 1 John 4:19   I often think of life as a long, winding road. Some stretches were bright and clear. Others were broken and covered in fog. But looking back, I can see this now—God’s grace was reaching for me long before I ever turned back.   I first knew faith as a boy in Storrs, Connecticut. For a few years, the church was alive to me—full of joy, Scripture, and a sense that God was near. My mother made sure we were there. At the time, I didn’t know it, but God was planting something deep.   Then, at fifteen, everything fell apart. My father left. Our family unraveled. We left the church, and I drifted. What started as pain turned into decades of wandering. From fifteen to fifty, I lived without direction. I built a career, but my life felt empty. Two marriages ended. Depression settled in. I had lost my way.   But God had not lost me.   It began quietly. An old Bible in the attic. Another Bible I couldn’t...

Verse of the Day “She broke the jar and poured the perfume on his head.” — Mark 14:3   I was born at home in Houlton, Maine, and grew up in Bridgewater. I was the middle child between two sisters. Life was simple, but good. I remember the farm most. We worked a potato farm, and I loved it. It taught me patience, responsibility, and how to stay with something even when it was hard.   For a while, I thought I would farm on my own. My father and I even talked about what it would take—$25,000. But that door did not open. So I went into the potato business instead. I learned to buy and sell, and over time I started my own work. I worked hard. That’s what I knew.   Then I met Diane. We met in college, in a microbiology class. One ride back to the dorm turned into a life together. Eight months later, we were married. We faced hard seasons, especially financially. There were times of uncertainty. But we stayed. We worked through it together.   Later, I began planting Christ...