Matthew 7:7-8 (New International Version)

⁷ “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. ⁸ For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.

The BIG 3

September 29, 2012, Saturday, the big day we all have been waiting for.

It’s DESTINY SoMA’s 3rd Year Anniversary. God is so Faithful.

Tatlong taon ng pagpapala, tatlong taon ng pagmamahal mula sa isang Dakila. We’re blessed with good looking and God fearing leaders. I am very thankful that I am part of this family. I learned a lot from them.

Noon, naalala ko, gustong gusto ko talaga na sa ELBi lang ako. It was my desire to stay there. I looked for opportunities but God had His own plans. I left ELBi and followed His desires for me. At first, it wasn’t easy. New faces, new leaders, new set up. Sobrang laki ng mga pagbabago. I missed the place where I first met the Lord. But His love never fails. Now, I’m so honored to be part of this family.

Greater things are yet to come. Student movement will soon be established. We will be occupying the cities from the South and beyond. In Jesus’ Name. I’m so excited for this.

I’m looking forward for more years of serving the Lord.

When Life Ain’t Easy, There’s Love

Anim na buwan. Anim na buwan na ako sa trabahong ito. I can’t believe that, really. Days were running so fast. Hindi ko na namalayan. I think it’s because I love what I’m doing. I love being here. I thank God for this once in a lifetime opportunity.
But before I got here, drama is my best friend. I cried to God almost every night. I asked Him for a way-out, but He trapped me instead. Oo, I admit. Mahirap kapag hindi mo naman talaga gusto ang ginagawa mo. Gugustuhin mo na lang tumakas.

Kidding aside, life wasn’t easy then but His love overshadowed all my pains.

Sige. Sasabihin ko na dito ang lahat. I think the moment I accepted my first job, it is pressure that pushed me to that. Kaya di dapat padadala sa pressure. Noong una nageenjoy ako, hanggang sa narealize ko na hindi naman yun ang gusto kong gawin. Ilang buwan pa lang naghahanap na ako ng another job. Pero buti na lang nag-eexist pa din ang work ethics. I stood up and went on. I conquered life but it wasn’t easy.
Few months later, my prayers were answered. I got a new job. Para akong nabunutan ng tinik. At eto ako ngayon. Masasabi kong self fulfilling ang ginagawa ko. Hindi man kasing dami ng benefits na natatanggap ko dati. Wala man akong insurance. Di man ganung kalaki ang bonus. At least, I love what I’m doing.
Though, I’m still praying that someday God will lead me to a profession blessed with benefits, experience, God-fearing colleagues and most of all, a career that will be an impact to the nations of the world.

The Guy Who Must Not Be Named

If there’s a girl who must be named, well, here’s the boy who must not be named (for now). Ask me and I’ll tell you why.

I was with my colleague that time. We both attended an activity in one of the prestigious universities in the Philippines. It was also my colleague’s alma mater. We sat on the seats reserved for us. I was very excited because that was my first time to step on its ground. Few minutes later, the program already started. There was this man who stunned me. He held the microphone and started to welcome the participants. He was one of the masters of the ceremony. I was really astonished with his voice, its coldness, rhythm and pleasant pronunciation of words. What a voice, really! No more words came out of my mouth. It sounded like music to my ears.

Then, the program went on. I forgot him and his adorable voice.

Right after the forum, my colleague and I tried to approach one of the guest speakers, (who’s actually the former director of our organization). It wasn’t easy to get in touch with her so we decided to wait for a moment. The fact that it was my colleague’s alma mater, he just mingled with his friends, classmates and teachers. Then the man with an adorable voice entered the circle. To my surprise, he was my colleague’s block mate and closest friend. He was eventually introduced to me. After hi-s and hellos, we (my colleague, the man with the adorable voice and I) left the hall and went to the socials area.  We were eating on the same table. We laughed, and shared stories. Until, the man with the adorable voice shared the sweet love story of my colleague. Hahaha! My colleague left the two of us for he couldn’t take listening to it. Oh “men, as usual”. The man-with-the-adorable-voice continued. He was such a funny guy and a gentleman too. I felt so comfortable listening to him. We laughed and laughed as if we’re close friends. He shared his dreams, his passions and plans. Well, like some other guys, he experienced the tragedy of love, and he’s currently waiting for the right one. He asked things about me and I shared the same matters.  I learned more about him when his friends came. They were also fun to be with. It was  indeed a splendid day! I never thought that I’ll be able to talk to the man who stunned me, the man who caught my attention. Oh, was that love at first heard?  But wait, there’s more. Though he must not be named, let’s just call him Mr. Flynn Rider. He really looked like Flynn (a character in the movie Tangled). Imagine Flynn and you’ll see his face.

Should I thank destiny for what happened that day? That I couldn’t tell. Let’s see if we’ll meet each other again. God knows the right prince for His princess.

I’ll wait for His time. I’ll wait until He says so.

True Love Waits.

Truly yours,

Rapunzel

Lessons from the ‘World’s Ugliest Woman’: ‘Stop Staring and Start Learning’

By Lylah M. Alphonse, Senior Editor, Yahoo! Shine | Secrets to Your Success (9/14/2012)

When she was in high school, Lizzie Velasquez was dubbed “The World’s Ugliest Woman” in an 8-second-long YouTube video. Born with a medical condition so rare that just two other people in the world are thought to have it, Velasquez has no adipose tissue and cannot create muscle, store energy, or gain weight. She has zero percent body fat and weighs just 60 pounds.

In the comments on YouTube, viewers called her “it” and “monster” and encouraged her to kill herself. Instead, Velasquez set four goals: To become a motivational speaker, to publish a book, to graduate college, and to build a family and a career for herself.

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Now 23 years old, she’s been a motivational speaker for seven years and has given more than 200 workshops on embracing uniqueness, dealing with bullies, and overcoming obstacles. She’s a senior majoring in Communications at Texas State University in San Marcos, where she lives with her best friend. Her first book, “Lizzie Beautiful,” came out in 2010 and her second, “Be Beautiful, Be You,” was published earlier this month.

“The stares are what I’m really dealing with in public right now,” she told Dr. Drew Pinsky in an interview on CNN’s Headline News this week. “But I think I’m getting to the point where… instead of sitting by and watching people judge me, I’m starting to want to go up to these people and introduce myself or give them my card and say, ‘Hi, I’m Lizzie. Maybe you should stop staring and start learning’.”

Velasquez was born in San Antonio, Texas; she was four weeks premature and weighed just 2 pounds, 10 ounces. “They told us they had no idea how she could have survived,” her mother, Rita, 45, told the Daily Mail. “We had to buy doll’s clothes from the toy store because baby clothes were too big.” Doctors warned Rita and her husband, Lupe, that their oldest child would never be able to walk or talk, let alone live a normal life. (Her two younger siblings were not affected by the syndrome.)

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Instead, she has thrived. Her internal organs, brain, and bones developed normally, though her body is tiny. Since she has no fatty tissue in which to store nutrients, she has to eat every 15 to 20 minutes to have enough energy to get through the day. One brown eye started clouding over when she was 4 years old, and now she’s blind in that eye and has only limited sight in the other.

“Some days life doesn’t make sense,” she writes in “Be Beautiful, Be You.” “You just have to change what you can, ask for help and pray about the rest.”

She notes her triumphs and posts inspirational messages on Tumblr, and says that she’s learned to embrace the things that make her unique. Instead of trying to retaliate against people who have made her feel badly, she sets goals for herself and pushes herself to succeed in spite of the haters. She’s even reclaimed YouTube, video blogging about everything from bullying to hair-styling tips to staying positive.

“I feel really glad that I don’t look like the celebrities out there that are so beautiful,” she told Dr. Drew. “There’s a lot of stereotypes attached to that.” Not looking like a supermodel “gives people the opportunity to know you personally,” she explains. “If they’re willing to take that extra step they’ll get to know the person you really are.”

Of course, the horrible comments left on that old YouTube video stung (the video has since been removed, but Velasquez says she read every single comment). Now, she says, she understands that they’re “just words.”

“I’m human, and of course these things are going to hurt,” she said. “Their judgements of me isn’t who I am, and I’m not going to let these things define me.”

“I didn’t sink down to their level,” she said in a follow-up video on YouTube last year. “Instead, I got my revenge through my accomplishments and determination. In the battle between the ‘World’s Ugliest Woman’ video vs. me, I think I won.”

P.U.S.H.

During my childhood days, though I never asked for my pocket money or even my snacks, my parents would definitely give something for me before going to school. Those times, I didn’t know how or where to spend the money. And so, I just kept and saved them. Until one day, I saw my friends playing with their “brick games” (Tetris on FB for some nowadays) and I decided to buy one for myself. Oh well, I also undergone that process of “i-want-to-have-that-too” stage. I enjoyed my Brick game’s company for a year. Same thing happened when I bought my first ever game board-the Scrabble and other stuff.  But, there were also times that I used to beg for a thing and cry just to convince my parents to give it to me. Here’s the catch, they would definitely grant my wish.

 When it comes to love and affection, I believe every child – including me, wants to feel it from our parents. But how will our parents give that to us if we will not ask them? Though it is their responsibility/obligation in the eyes of man and God, they are still waiting for us to ask of their love. Responsibility is a different thing. Our parents are waiting for us to open up our hearts to them, to share what we feel, to hear our rattles and laughter. They are just waiting for their sons and daughters to ask for what they need. Honestly, there are times that I had this “i-can-do-this-on-my-own-thing”. Well, I can walk, I can think, I can decide for myself, I can…, I can… I forgot that I have my parents to help me get out of the way or cheer me up. I pretend that I am strong and I don’t need them. But, I realized that they can give me more than what I can give to myself. I just have to ask. Other than our parents, I was also reminded that we have Him, we have our Heavenly father. He’s just right there. He listens to us even though we’re not talking to Him. He’s watching us even though we don’t ask Him to do it. He’s talking to us even though we’re not listening. But, He can do even more if we’ll just ask and open our hearts for Him. We just have to learn that He’s around  no matter what. He is our father. And, THERE’S NO BETTER THAN HIM! HE’S THE BEST. We just have to forget our childish ways to see and understand that. 

 “When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me.” 1 Cor. 3:11

 “Keep on asking, and you will be given what you ask for. Keep on looking and you will find, keep on knocking and the door will be opened. For everyone who asks receives. Everyone who seeks, finds. And the door is opened to everyone who knocks.” Matthew 7:7-8

God knows our hearts, our desires, our passion but we should ask for it. He won’t move not until we ask. Prayer is a remarkable tool to talk with God. All of us have the freedom to talk to God. We are so lucky that we don’t have to do rituals to be able to converse with Him. To men you may not always speak of heavenly things, but to God you may. If your prayers are for you, then definitely He will give it to you.Yet do not be dismayed if what you prayed for won’t happen. Hey, there’s a time for everything and He has made everything beautiful in His time! He has beautiful plans for all of us. He’s just got something better in store you.

1There is a time for everything,and a season for every activity under heaven:2a time to be born and a time to die,a time to plant and a time to uproot,3a time to kill and a time to heal,a time to tear down and a time to build,4a time to weep and a time to laugh,a time to mourn and a time to dance,5a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them,a time to embrace and a time to refrain,6a time to search and a time to give up,a time to keep and a time to throw away,7a time to tear and a time to mend,a time to be silent and a time to speak,8a time to love and a time to hate,a time for war and a time for peace…….11He has made everything beautiful in its time. Ecc. 3:1-11

I had a chance to experience His supernatural ways. And to who ever may read this, I’m telling you He shockingly moves in mysterious ways. There are times that what’s happening around us is not what we prayed for. We might feel unloved, hurt and abandoned. But you’ll come to realize that it’s part of your prayer. (magugulat ka nalang!) We must patiently wait for it. He loves us so much that He wants us to prepare for it.  And by asking, we nurture our relationship with our Father. He delights to hear and to answer His children’s prayers. So, never be afraid to pray. And when it happens, you will just want to shout of His name and from the rooftops, proclaim His goodness. 

(Please bear with my grammar. All i want is to share and boast of His love not to impress people, but, still, I welcome constructive criticisms. Thank you!)

“This is the only thing I can do, to write about His goodness, amidst this badness I am going thru. “–FRANCIS MAGALONA  (I really value these words that’s why I am so inspired to write His goodness)

 

Si Friendster

Bigla kong naalala si Friendster. Noong bago pa lamang ako sa mundo ng social networking, siya ang nagpakita ng katotohanang pwdeng maging kaibigan ang mga di mo kilala at yung mga naging kakilala lang ng minsan maliban sa mga tunay na kaibigan.

Ang friendster ang nakasubaybay sa mga kabaduyan at medyo kakikayan ko nung araw. Aaminin ko ke baduy lang ng mga naging profile names ko sa friendster. Baduy na kung baduy pero nakakatuwa pa ding balikan ang alaala ng nakaraan. “JustYANA” ba naman? Saka di lamang naman ako ang naging creative sa pangalan dun. Andami kayang mas emo pa sakin, isama mo pa yung email add nila.

Bago pa malaman ni Facebook ang mga nasa utak ko, nashout out ko na ke Friendster. At saka sinu ba ang makakalimot sa pagandahan ng friendster profile. Yung tipong hahanap ka talaga lalo na yung magpapakita ng kung sino ka o ng paborito mo. Parang ako lang “butterflies” ang motiff. At pipili pa ng cursor na bagay sa background. Bonggang bongga din ang profile kapag may background music. Yung tipong pag viniew mo yung account mo, taob si Youtube at mp3.com. At kapag naman nagview ka ng profile ng iba, magugulat ka na lang na biglang may tutunog sabay sabing “paborito nya kaya to? Ang korni”. Tuwang tuwa din ako noon sa pag fill up ng personal info para madaming pwdeng mabasa sa More about _____. Noong huling beses kong nabasa ang pinaglalagay ko dun natawa ako sa sarili ko. Ang korni ko nga. Baduy. LOLS.

Sino din ba ang makakalimot sa feeling na excited kang i-click yung who viewed me at yung tatalon ka sa saya kapag viniew ka ng taong espesyal sa’yo.

Nakakamiss din yung palitan ng posts sa wall with pictures na inedit sa glitter.com. , Yung playlist sa profile by mp3-codes.com, at yung mga pictures na may kanya kanyang albums base sa gusto mo.

Sa friendster ko din natutunan ang pagiging aktibo sa mga groups. Yung tipong ginagawa ng blog yung group. Tapos pagdidiskusyunan ng mga miyembro hanggang sa magkaroon ng thread.

Nakakamiss ka old friendster!

Life=Motorcross

I was walking along a footbridge when I saw a motorcross competition from a distance (haha. May pagkasingitera kasi ako minsan kapag may nakikita akong kumpulan ng tao.). People were really excited, amazed at the same time nervous at all the bumps and turns, curves and switchbacks of the motorcross riders (motorcross competition near SM Bicutan). I almost forgot to breath while watching the motors rolling at the hills. Whew! Motorcross riders were taking their lives into risks. I was murmuring to my self just like this “oh no! What are they doing? Do they want to die?!”. And with the fact that I wasn’t able to carry the scene, I just continued my walk.

Then while walking, this occured to me: Life has many similarities to motorcross. (nahahawa na ko ke te krish, lahat hinahanapan ng purpose at reasons). As we follow the track given to us by God, we can be like a motorcross rider. We can encounter tough turns and curves, a smooth stretch but then be prepared for another breath taking turns and grooves. There will also be bumps, bruises as well as crashes along the way which can definitely be life threatening.

At times in our life, there can be crashes but we have to remember that it’s not the matter of times we’ve failed. It’s part of life. BUT, the number of times we keep going, get back, go faster than ever before and finish the track. Remember, persistency is a matter of the heart.

When life’s hurts and crashes hit us, God is a God of second chances. We must be like a motorcross rider;after crashes, the most important thing is to get back on the track as soon as possible and overcome fears.

Our God is a limitless God. He has a lot of fuel to energize us again when we’re weak and help us to get back on the track. Let us give ourselves to God. We will just crash again and again if we finish our track for ourselves, by ourselves. WE NEED THE POWER AND WISDOM OF GOD TO OVERCOME OUR FEARS, OUR BUMPS AND TURNS, OUR BRUISES. God laid an Incredible race for all of us, so let us ENJOY IT. Finish the track and start anew.

SOMA- n. : Body (A Body for Christ)

A letter I wrote for DESTINY SOMA people.  T’was made out of “I don’t know where it came from”. I was just merely doing a lot of things in the office that time. I wanted to ask SOMA to excuse me for our Friday Soaking because of unfinished works. But God poured out wisdom, and He didn’t want me to just ask for an excuse. He gave me words to lay down for hungry brothers and sisters.

So here it is. I just want to share this to you. Hope this will encourage you to do works of God and for God.

Be blessed! And just a reminder, don’t think of excuses to your ministry coz God won’t allow you to do that.

_______________________________

Dear Soma People,

Did you know that “Soma” is the Greek word for body? This is really cool. According to scripture, Matthew 26:26-29, we (soma) are the body (soma) of Christ. Wow! Though, if we literally read the scripture, it refers to the bread. HAHA! But, we are not just readers! We are leaders and lovers of Christ. We read, think and meditate on the word. Let us rephrase Matthew 26:26, “Take and eat; this is my (soma)”. How was that? Amazing! “my soma”. Imagine how Jesus values his body? Okay, let us first imagine how we value our body? This I won’t explain. We all know how we value ourselves, our body.

So if we are the body of Christ, then everything that is in Him, are on us. Glorious!

The blood of Christ is part of His body. Therefore, we are also His living covenant here on Earth (Matthew 26:28) who will go forth, spread the word and become a channel for salvation.New International Version (NIV)
26 While they were eating, Jesus took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to his disciples, saying, “Take and eat; this is my body.”27 Then he took a cup, and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you. 28 This is my blood of the[a] covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. 29 I tell you, I will not drink from this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father’s kingdom.”

GO DESTINY SOMA! Arise and Shine! 😀

Best regards,

<insert my name here>