The Giving Frame

Does Santa make us selfish? Maybe it’s time to redefine Santa. It’s not just about Santa. Perhaps we should also start living in the frame of giving. We, adults, should teach kids what generosity is all about. The words we use will always influence others especially kids.

Jesus is the best example of a great giver. He didn’t ask for anything after all the things and miracles He did. We should be like Jesus, selfless (selfless with wisdom).  And because Christmas day is fast approaching, we should be reminded that Christmas is not about receiving, it’s all about giving. Jesus was born to save us (still it’s all about US). Jesus died on the cross to save us (still it’s all about US). He gave His life for us, for the sake of many. It is significant reminder that we should never forget to give. Also, be a cheerful giver because giving cheerfully makes us feel good inside and out.

As what Deuteronomy 16:17 said Every man shall give as he is able, according to the blessing of the LORD your God which he has given you. Let us all learn how to give because our God is able. He has blessed us with all the blessings so that we can share it and have fellowship with each other. Let’s make this season about THEM and not all about ME. Think of ways on how this holiday could brighten up someone else’s life and at the same time be an encouragement to you.

Now, what will your Christmas be? Will it be about getting or receiving?

The Meaning of Life (by 3rd Graders)

Don’t let someone else’s opinion of you become your reality.

Live your dreams.

You are who you are.

You are unique.

You are fearfully and wonderfully made.

“Success: It’s not always what you see”

I write a lot. I love to write all my thoughts, insights and feelings even while walking, listening to music or patiently waiting for my bus to move forward due to heavy traffic jam.

But one Sunday morning, God gave me a chance to speak up and share what’s on my heart. Actually, I never imagined myself to preach. I am afraid of so many things. I fear to stand in front of other people.  Well, aside from death that’s the thing that I fear the most. However, He knew that I am BORN for this. We are all born to share His word not just through writing but also declaring who He is; for the world needs to recognize Him. I spoke during our Sunday Service for almost an hour. Isn’t that amazing? His love casts out fear. I was able to finish it with His grace and faithfulness. Now, to You be all the glory.

“When you find yourself wavering in faith, judge Him faithful and be at rest. He cannot fail you and will do as His Word has promised.” Ptr. Joseph Prince

Romans 10:15
New Living Translation (NLT)
15 And how will anyone go and tell them without being sent? That is why the Scriptures say, “How beautiful are the feet of messengers who bring good news!”

Oooh… And now, I can finally say, “I have beautiful feet”.

God don’t want the message to be heard by those who were just there during our service. So, I’m writing this post to share what God wants to in store for His beloved children.

“Success: It’s not always what you see”

I started my message with this: Success: It’s not always what you see.

There are times in our life that other people thought we are successful with so many things yet, the truth is; we are still longing for something that can fill a part of who we are. Being successful is not defined with what you are able to achieve but how you actually reach it and how you undergo the process. If we know that we are satisfied and we endure the process with joy, then that is a “Good success”.

Joseph The Dreamer

He is one of the distinct characters in the Bible. He has a very strong and unique character. The book (Genesis 37, 39-47) has this significantly beautiful story line about Joseph that captivates the heart.

Who is Joseph?

1. Son of Jacob (Israel)  and Rachel
2. 11^th son of Jacob
3. Rachel’s firstborn

The Robe

 

3 Now Israel loved Joseph more than any of his other sons, because he had been born to him in his old age; and he made an ornate[a] robe for him. Genesis 37:3

Why of all the sons of Israel he gave the robe to Joseph? Maybe, Israel (Jacob) is his son to Rachel whom he loved so much. The chapters on how Jacob waited and sacrificed a lot to win Rachel proved his unconditional love for her.

The robe that Jacob did for Joseph is a prophetic sign of royalty. Joseph is born to become a royalty.

 

Lesson #1 from the life of Joseph

There are things that are destined to be yours even if you don’t seek or ask for it. You are born for something even before time began. You are born for greatness.

The Failures and Successes

 

⁵ Joseph had a dream, and when he told it to his brothers, they hated him all the more. ⁶ He said to them, “Listen to this dream I had: ⁷ We were binding sheaves of grain out in the field when suddenly my sheaf rose and stood upright, while your sheaves gathered around mine and bowed down to it.”

⁸ His brothers said to him, “Do you intend to reign over us? Will you actually rule us?” And they hated him all the more because of his dream and what he had said.

⁹ Then he had another dream, and he told it to his brothers. “Listen,” he said, “I had another dream, and this time the sun and moon and eleven stars were bowing down to me.”

²⁵ As they sat down to eat their meal, they looked up and saw a caravan of Ishmaelites coming from Gilead. Their camels were loaded with spices, balm and myrrh, and they were on their way to take them down to Egypt.

²⁶ Judah said to his brothers, “What will we gain if we kill our brother and cover up his blood? ²⁷ Come, let’s sell him to the Ishmaelites and not lay our hands on him; after all, he is our brother, our own flesh and blood.” His brothers agreed.

²⁸ So when the Midianite merchants came by, his brothers pulled Joseph up out of the cistern and sold him for twenty shekels^[b] of silver to the Ishmaelites, who took him to Egypt.

Joseph brothers were jealous of him. They plotted to kill Joseph but they just sold him to Midianite merchants.

But…

² The Lord was with Joseph so that he prospered, and he lived in the house of his Egyptian master. ³ When his master saw that the Lord was with him and that the Lord gave him success in everything he did, ⁴ Joseph found favor in his eyes and became his attendant. Potiphar put him in charge of his household, and he entrusted to his care everything he owned. ⁵ From the time he put him in charge of his household and of all that he owned, the Lord blessed the household of the Egyptian because of Joseph. The blessing of the Lord was on everything Potiphar had, both in the house and in the field. ⁶ So Potiphar left everything he had in Joseph’s care; with Joseph in charge, he did not concern himself with anything except the food he ate.

Lesson #2 from the life of Joseph

2. The lowest points in our life are actually launching pads to God’s greatest promotion.

I suddenly remembered Nick Vujicic. Nicholas James “Nick” Vujicic is a Serbian Australian evangelist and motivational speaker born with tetra-amelia syndrome, a rare disorder characterized by the absence of all four limbs. His situation didn’t stop him to live his life to the fullest. He said, “If I fail, I try again, and again, and again. If YOU fail, are you going to try again? The human spirit can handle much worse than we realize. It matters HOW you are going to FINISH. Are you going to finish strong?” Without thinking of his condition, he was still able to learn a lot of things that some of the normal person can’t do (e.g. golf, swimming, surfing). Woah!

Potiphar’s wife plotted to put Joseph in prison…

¹³ When she saw that he had left his cloak in her hand and had run out of the house, ¹⁴ she called her household servants. “Look,” she said to them, “this Hebrew has been brought to us to make sport of us! He came in here to sleep with me, but I screamed. ¹⁵ When he heard me scream for help, he left his cloak beside me and ran out of the house.”

Joseph was then put into prison…

But while Joseph was there in the prison, ²¹ the Lord was with him; he showed him kindness and granted him favor in the eyes of the prison warden. ²² So the warden put Joseph in charge of all those held in the prison, and he was made responsible for all that was done there. ²³ The warden paid no attention to anything under Joseph’s care, because the Lord was with Joseph and gave him success in whatever he did.

Lesson #3 from the life of Joseph

God is a god of “unexpected” surprises and unmerited favors.

While in prison, Joseph interpreted the dreams of the cupbearer and the baker. After interpreting the dream of the cupbearer, he asked the latter not to forget him and put him out of prison after.

²³ The chief cupbearer, however, did not remember Joseph; he forgot him.

 

Lesson #4 from the life of Joseph

Our present circumstances will tell who we are and who we become.

 

Joseph interpreted the dream of the Pharaoh

³⁹ Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Since God has made all this known to you, there is no one so discerning and wise as you. ⁴⁰ You shall be in charge of my palace, and all my people are to submit to your orders. Only with respect to the throne will I be greater than you.”

⁴¹ So Pharaoh said to Joseph, “I hereby put you in charge of the whole land of Egypt.”⁴² Then Pharaoh took his signet ring * from his finger and put it on Joseph’s finger. He dressed him in robes of fine linen and put a gold chain around his neck. ⁴³ He had him ride in a chariot as his second-in-command, and people shouted before him, “Make way!”Thus he put him in charge of the whole land of Egypt.

Lesson #5 from the life of Joseph

Do not expect God to do all your expectations. Expect God to do the unexpected. Expect to see good success beyond your present circumstances. Stop looking at your failures and stop allowing them to discourage you. 

 “Dream. Believe. Survive… and be Victorious”

Colonel Harland Sanders was 65 years old when he Launched Kentucky Fried Chicken. It starts with him dropping out of school in the sixth grade, not because he was lazy, but because he had to take care of his younger brothers. He got a social security check for only $105 and was mad. Instead of complaining he did something about it. He thought restaurant owners would love his fried chicken recipe, use it, sales would increase, and he’d get a percentage of it. He drove around the country knocking on doors, sleeping in his car, wearing his white suit.

Do you know how many times people said no till he got one yes? 1009 times! (http://www.biography.com/people/colonel-harland-sanders)

Joseph revealed himself

⁴ Then Joseph said to his brothers, “Come close to me.” When they had done so, he said, “I am your brother Joseph, the one you sold into Egypt! ⁵ And now, do not be distressed and do not be angry with yourselves for selling me here, because it was to save lives that God sent me ahead of you.

⁸ “So then, it was not you who sent me here, but God. He made me father to Pharaoh, lord of his entire household and ruler of all Egypt. ⁹ Now hurry back to my father and say to him, ‘This is what your son Joseph says: God has made me lord of all Egypt. Come down to me; don’t delay. ¹⁰ You shall live in the region of Goshen and be near me—you, your children and grand children, your flocks and herds, and all you have. ¹¹ I will provide for you there, because five years of famine are still to come.

¹ So Joseph settled his father and his brothers in Egypt and gave them property in the best part of the land, the district of Rameses, as Pharaoh directed. Gen. 47:11 (which is the Land of Goshen, the land of provision, blessing and protection)

Lesson #6 from the life of Joseph

Forgive. Forgive. Forgive…, Forget and Move on.

Our life does not go in a linear way. It is like an electrocardiograph; the moment it goes to a straight line, it means we’re dead. Therefore, let us be thankful that our life goes up and down then up like the ECG, it means God is working in our lives and we are breathing and living a life full of surprises and excitement.

Lesson #7 from the life of Joseph

“…though a righteous man falls seven times, he rises again…” Proverbs 24:16, NIV

Thus, we should…

It’s More Fun in the Philippines: Cavinti, Laguna’s Underground River and Caves Complex

Philippines is a country blessed with majestic natural resources and wonderful destinations. One of the newly discovered destinations in Laguna proved that summer is more fun in the Philippines.

Tourists are now flocking to witness the underground river and cave complex in Brgy. Paowin, Cavinti, Laguna which was opened to public last March 30, 2013.

The local government requires visitors to secure necessary permits for them to monitor the number of people visiting the cave and prevent unauthorized entry. For those who are interested to experience the world class beauty of Cavinti’s Underground River and Caves Complex, you may drop by at Cavinti’s Municipal office or send an email to lgucavinti@gmail.com for booking ahead of time and for issuance of entry permit. Walk in visitors are not guaranteed to be entertained. You may also visit their Facebook page from time to time for updates or announcements.Watch this video to pre-experience the beauty of Cavinti.

What to bring (other than your personal hygiene)?

1. Flash lights or portable emergency lights (there is total darkness inside the cave)
2. Trail foods
3. Towel (or face towels)
4. Permit
5. Valid ID (for confirmation purposes only)
6. Extra clothes

Be at your best trekking attire. Make sure to use your trekking slippers or rubber shoes. Some areas inside the cave are wet and muddy. Be very cautious and always watch your steps. (I wore my slippers inside the cave. Guess what happened next? 😀 )

How to get there?

Our team gathered at Alabang South Station where we hired a van up to Sta. Cruz. Our travel time from Alabang to Sta. Cruz was about 2-3 hours. From Sta. Cruz to Cavinti, we traveled for approximately an hour by riding a jeepney. Since it rained for the last few days and the soil was very slippery and muddy, we were advised to ride a tractor. It took us almost an hour and a half of bumpy and rough ride with challenging ups and downs. The tractor didn’t manage to pass through the slippery soil as it only took us up to approximately 13kms. We decided to walk for about 5Kms from where we left our tractor up to the camp site. Note: Check the weather before visiting the site. It might be very hard for your vehicle to pass through the soil especially after rain. When your vehicles get stuck, you will have to experience the long walk to reach the road. There are also few houses alongside the road that you may seek for help.

When we reached the camp site, the tour guides assisted us and discussed all the do’s and don’ts inside the cave. After the briefing, we walked for almost 30 minutes to get to the caves’ entrance. PS: Please follow the rules and regulations for the treasure’s sake.

Budget

We were 22 in the team so we shared on the expenses. Here’s the breakdown of my personal expenses:

P90.00 /pax– Van from Alabang to Sta. Cruz (approximately P1, 000.00 per van)

P37.00/pax- Jeep from Sta. Cruz to Cavinti (approx. 900 per jeep)

P10.00/pax- Entrance Fee

P50.00- Donation

P50.00/pax- Jeep from Cavinti to Calamba, Crossing

P45.00/pax- Bus from Calamba to Alabang

P282.00- TOTAL (or approx. P300.00 only and you’ll have a world class and unforgettable experience)

What to expect?

I’ll let the photos speak for themselves. It was indeed a breathtaking experience. IT’S MORE FUN IN THE PHILIPPINES. 

Our Journey

What makes you HAPPY?

Hey! Instead of weeping all day in your bed, remembering all the sad stuff, taking all the bitterness, why don’t you just get up, smile and think of all those things that make you happy? Every day is another day. God wants you to be happy. He wants you to be delighted. The Bible says, “⁷ Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you.” 1 Peter 5:7

Be more than happy because God is with you all the time. His love never fails.

Make a list of the things that make you happy and be very thankful of that stuff.

Join me. Let’s do HAPPINESS 101: Make a list of things (person, food, and others) that make you happy.

MY HAPPINESS 101 LIST

Food. DQ Ice cream and Filipino flavored sorbetes. J Co, Dunkin or Krispy Kreme Doughnuts. Jollibee fried chicken.  Spaghetti. Burger. Blue berry cheesecake. French fries. Apples. Strawberries. Bananas. Mangoes. Steak. Vegetables. Banoffee. Contis’ pastries.  Jamba Juice.  Milk tea (Gongcha). 3 in 1 or brewed coffee. Energen (banana flavor). Pizza Kariman. Fried noodles. Milk and chocolate drinks. KFC Halo-halo krushers. my parent’s favorite recipe (sinigang, adobo, kaldereta, menudo, dinuguan). noodles with egg. Kwek-kwek. UPLB’s chocomilk. Barbecue. Siomai. Razon’s special halo-halo. Sisig. Proven. Pizza. Chocolates… and a lot more of food.

YUPI ELBI. Mariang Banga, Marya Fountain, Forestry, CHE, Destiny Center, IRRI, Freedom Park, Main Library, Carabao Park. FOREHA.

Worship. Praise. Preaching. Prophetic arts. SOD 07 Batch mates. Little/Big brothers and sisters. Sunday Services. Soaking.

Crush. Yes! Crush! I am happy when I’m with you. I am more than happy when you smile back.

Music. Serenades please. Updharma Down. Rez Toledo (aka Someday Dream). Sugarfree. Ebe Dancel. Urban Dub. Parokya ni Edgar. Mymp. Christian Bautista. Sarah Geronimo.  Eraserheads. Taylor Swift. Bethel Music. Francis M. Jason Mraz. Kari Jobe. Chris Quilala. Bruno Mars. Gary V. US. Jayesslee. Silent Sanctuary. Rocksteddy. Lady Antebellum. Chris Tomlin. Jason Upton. Jaci Velasquez. Kutless. Hillsongs. Destiny one. 33 Miles. Hawk Nelson. Lincoln Brewster. Westlife. Britney Spears. Mandy Moore. Joe Brooks. Backstreet boys… and all other great singers and their songs.

Movies. Titanic. Book of Eli. Waiting for Forever. Cloudy with a chance of meatballs. Rise of the Guardians. Serendipity. Facing the Giants. Fire Proof. The Proposal. Tangled. Megamind. Despicable me. Happy Feet. City of Angels. Face Off. The Blind Side. 50 First Dates. 3 Idiots. The Stoning of Soraya M. Kate and Leopold. The Wedding Singer. The Notebook. A Walk to Remember. Taare Zameen Par. Forest Gump. One More Chance. Chronicles of Narnia. Crazy Little Thing Called Love and others.

Books. I love to have my own library at home.

Kids.

Life. Travel.

Clothes.

Butterflies. Cats. Puppies. Rabbits.

Writing. Blogging.

Flowers. Notes. Talks with my closest and beloved friends. Dates.

My Family.

Adventure. Hiking. Trekking. Swimming. Coaster rides.

Sunrise. Sunset. Moon. Stars. Shooting star. Aurora Borealis (though I haven’t seen one).

Sleeping.

Fireworks.

Theatre. Musical Plays. Stage Plays. (happy to just watch them on stage)

Nature. The Greens.

And the list goes on.

Finally, YOU (above all).

Thank You for Your love and giving me opportunities to love life and You.

I am MORE THAN HAPPY because I know You’re smiling at me. I’m filled. 

I Will Wait For You- Janette

This is such a great poem. Thanks to Ate Mars for sharing this. ❤

So, here it is…

So it seemed, that it was cool, so cool, for everyone to be in a relationship but me..
So I took matters into my own hands… and ended up with him
Him who displayed the characteristics of a CHEATER, a LIAR, an ABUSER, & a THIEF
So.. why was I surprised when he broke into my heart?
I called 911, but I was cardiac arrested for aiding and abetting,
Cause it was ME who let him in…
Claiming we were “just friends”..
It was already decided for me by the first date, that even if he wasn’t!
I was gonna make him ‘The One’..
You know… I was tired of being alone,
And I simply made up in my mind, that it was about that time so I decided to drag him along for the ride,
Cause I was always the bridesmaid & never the bride..
A virgin in the physical, but mentally just a grown woman on the corner in heat!
Who was tired of the wait!
So I was gonna make him ‘The One’.
He had a… form of Godliness… but not much..
But hey, hey I can change him! So (honey) I’ll TAKE him, I mean he’s close… enough
Ready to sell my aorta for a quarter, not knowing the value of its use to me
Arties so clogged with MY will, it blocked HIS Will from flowing through me
So, I thank Christ that His blood pressure gave this heart an attack,
That flatlined my obscured vision, put me flat on my back
Through my ignorance He sawed,
Through my sternum He sawed & cracked open my chest
TO transplant Psalm 51:10
A new heart & a renewed right spirit within!
So now I fully understand,
Better yet I thoroughly comprehend,
How much I NEED to wait… for You.
See, the bad thing is that I knew he wasn’t you from the beginning..
Cause in the beginning was the Word
And he didn’t even sound or shine like Your Son
Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks,
And all he could whisper was sweet, empty nothings –
Which meant NOTHING.
He couldn’t even pray when I NEEDED him to
Asking him to fast would be absurd!
So forget about being cleansed & washed with water through the Word…
But I know You.. ♥
You were already praying for me
Even never having met me
Let me assure you, I will wait for you.
I will no longer date, socialize or communicate with carbon copies of you
To appease my boredom or to quench my thirstiness I have for attention
And short-lived compliments from ‘sorta kindas’.
You know…. He ‘sort kinda’ right, but ‘sorta kinda’ wrong?
His first name LUKE,
His last name WARM.
I, I won’t settle for false companionship
I won’t lay in the embrace of his arms,
Attempting to find some closeness,
But never feeling so far apart cause, I just wanna be held
Cause ♫”all I gotta do is Say” No!
NO more ‘almost sessions’ of ‘almost coming close’
Passing winks & buying drinks,
I’ma, I’ma, I’ma flirt!♫
Who flirts with the ideology of,
‘Can you just tell me how much I can get away with & still be saved?’
NO more.
I’ll stay in my bed… alone, and write poems, about how I will wait for you
He won’t even come close,
Our fingers won’t even interlock
We won’t even exchange breath
Cause I have thoughts that I’ve ‘saved as’ in a file that God has only equipped you to open.
I will no longer get weighted down,
From so-called friends & family talks,
About the concern for my biological clock
When I serve the Author of Time.
Who is NOT subject to time,
But I’M subject to Him,
He has the ability to STOP, FAST FORWARD, PAUSE, or REWIND at any given time…
So if we could role play,
You would be Abraham & I would be Sara
Or you can be Isaac & I can be Rebecca – a servant’s answered prayer
I am bone of your bone, flesh of your flesh,
Made up of your rib Adam!
And once we meet, like electrons
I will be bound to your nucleus, completely indivisible atom.
We even speak the same math: 1 + 1 + 1 = 3, which really equals 1 if you add Him.
We were all created in His image,
But you have the ability to reflect, project & even detect the Son.
If I were to explain what you looked like,
You would have to look like a star,
A son of the Son..
I would gain energy simply from the light on me.
I would need you , in order to complete my photosynthesis
I await your revelation, but once again from the genesis, I will wait for you ♥

And I will know you… because when you speak I will be reminded of Solomon’s wisdom,
Your ability to lead will remind me of Moses,
Your faith will remind me of Abraham,
Your confidence in God’s Word will remind me of Daniel,
Your inspiration will remind me of Paul,
Your heart for God will remind me of David,
Your attention to detail will remind me of Noah,
Your integrity will remind me of Joseph,
And your ability to abandon your own will, will remind me of the disciples,
But Your ability to love selflessly & unconditionally will remind me of Christ.
But I won’t need to identify you by any special Matthews or any special Marks,
Cause His word will be tatted all over your heart.
And you will know me, and you will find me,
Where… the boldness of Esther meets the warm closeness of Ruth.
Where the hospitality of Lydia is aligned with the submission of Mary,
Which is engulfed in the tears of a praying Hanna.
I will be the one, drenched in Proverbs 31… waiting for you.

But to my Father, my Father who has known me before I was birthed into this earth
Only if you should see fit…
I desire Your will above mine,
So even if you call me to a life of singleness,
My heart is content with YOU – the One who was sent.
YOU are the greatest love story ever told,
The greatest story ever known
You are forever my judge & I’m forever Your witness
And I pray that I’m always found on a mission about my Father’s business
Oh, I will always be Yours!
And I will always wait for You Lord, more than the watchmen wait for the morning…
More than the watchmen wait for the morning… I WILL WAIT ♥

The Bright Side

March has always been a memorable month for me.

March 7-9, 2008 , the dates when I first encountered Him (face to face). It changed my life not just for days but for a lifetime. It transformed me to a new creation who values His love and calling.

But wait there’s more…

Looking on the Brighter Side of PAINS, STRESSES and NEGATIVES

March 2013 has been a roller coaster ride for me.

My mind says,” if I’ll be given a chance to skip a month, that’d be March. “

My heart says, “March is the greatest month ever.”

God has been teaching me a lot in this season of my life. There were ups and downs, bumps and curves, bruises and pains. But I believe  God wants me to realize that it’s time for a new beginning! YES!

First, I had this heart breaking experience. This caused my heart and my whole body to lose all its energy.

We just had our first SOD Encounter! Praise God! Finally! But before we successfully lead those dear students to God, we (I) experienced trials such as: being scolded by their parents to the point that their anger almost fly into rage, asked who we really are, where do we get our money, what is Destiny, and many other interrogations. It wasn’t easy. But again, Praise God for the wisdom and peace!

Dead tired, stressed, body aches…

I felt so down after the camp to the point that I was already out of focus on things. There was this instance that forgot all my important documents (e.g. Diploma, TOR, IDs, etc.) Even if I got home late, tired, (considering that the travel time is almost 2 hours) I still went back to the place where I think I left it. Unfortunately, the store was then closed. I felt so helpless and dizzy. I didn’t know what to do. Those were so important! But God reminded me of His love and His power. He gave me peace and wisdom. The next day, I got off my bed early morning, packed my things, prepared myself and dropped at the store where I possibly left the documents. Whew! Praise God! All of the documents were there. Of course, I thanked the sales man for keeping my things.

Few days after, my patience and faith were again tested. My boss asked me to coordinate with our project partner on arranging his flight. I did the assistance and other things needed. But, to my “forgetfulness”, I failed to ask for a copy of his e-ticket. Arrrrrrgh! I was just reminded of it when I received a call from my boss. “What should I do? I don’t even have the number of my contact person. Only our exchange of emails and it’s almost 8:00 pm, Sunday. ” I asked myself.  Then God re-entered the situation. He said “My daughter, trust me, we can handle this.” Oh, how sweet! I revisited my e-mail then. I saw the contact number of my point person’s immediate boss.  I saw a landline and a mobile number.  First, I tried to send a text. Then, I tried calling both numbers.  It was so frustrating that no one’s answering the phone or even sending a text.

Seconds after, God said, “My daughter, it’s all gonna be okay.”

I boldly declared of receiving a text from them at exactly 9:15. Minutes after, I received a text from my point person’s boss. She told me to wait for her colleague’s call in a short while. Then, a girl named Cherie texted me. The message went like this, “Hi. This is Cherie from (anonymous). May I have your email address so I could send it to you?”.  Wow! Amazingly, when I rechecked the text minutes after she asked me, I received the text at around 9:13 pm. And then, it was 9:15 when she informed me that the email was already sent to me. Praises be to God! That was the Power of Declaration.

These are just few of all the unexpected-unwanted things happened to me. Not so good experiences but when we see the bright side, God was there to save me. He was there to shower grace and favor.

God is wonderfully amazing. His love is so sweet.

^“18 Yet what we suffer now is nothing compared

to the glory he will reveal to us later.”

Romans 8:18 (NLT)

Friends, we should praise Him always for He is King. He has everything. When good things happen, let us praise Him. When negative things happen, let us still praise Him anyway. When we are in need, He’ll rush to save us. Let us always see Him in our situation. Let Him work in our midst. Have the peace from Heaven. Let there be clarity in our hearts and in our minds. Let us let our troubles fall behind us. In the end, we will be able to finish the race. Beloved, fight a good fight of FAITH. See the bright side through the eyes of Heaven.

Revival Generation: 10

This is the reason why I so love the word Revival or Revivalist.

March 7-9, 2008, the most unforgettable dates of my life; Encounter 10: Revival Generation. The event that changed me not just for 3 days but for a lifetime. And I will always be proud of this batch. Keep the fire burning. Continue the passion. Go Revival Gen! You know who you are and I miss you guys.

5 years and counting. 😀

To those who wept for us, thank you.
To my dearest ates *Forestry Team* ( te Khristal Marah Alvarez, te Daisy Lakilak, te Diane Mae Virtucio, Francesca Carla Olayer), super thank you and I miss you!
To the worship leaders and ministers, thank you for the harmony of heaven you delivered during our camp.
To those who challenged us, thank you.
To ate Mel Gamboa and te Gian Vega, thank you and kisses for accepting me that day on your group!
To my SOD family, thank you for the precious relationship.

To You God, I love You for forever! Fill me up and more of it. 😀 REVIVAL!

Jeremiah 29: 11 “¹¹ For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”

Confessions: On Super Woman or Darna

I am a super woman wannabe. YES! Pero noong bata pa ako. Hindi ko lang maintindihan kung bakit ngayon ay mukhang nagiging super woman na nga ako.

Lately, I’ve been doing things out of my capacity. Pero ewan, hindi ko maintindihan kung paano ko sila lahat nagagawa. Dahil ba sa napipilitan ako? Hindi naman siguro. Dahil ba sa wala lang akong magawa? Lalong hindi. Dahil ba sa gusto kong mag-paimpress sa tao? Mas lalo namang wala yun sa isip ko.

Ang alam ko lang ginagawa ko ang lahat ng iyon dahil sa “covenant” ko kay Lord. Covenant, isang  bagay na pinanghahawakan nating lahat. Minsan nakakapagod, nakakaubos ng lakas pero hindi ko din alam kung paano pa ako nakakatayo at nakakakilos para gawin ang lahat ng iyon. Kung iisipin mahirap, pero kapag ginagawa na para bang may super powers na bigla na lang pumupumunta sa katawan.

Pero syempre, kapag nagiging tao na uli ako pakiramdam ko lumulutang ang utak ko. Noong isang araw ng sumakay ako sa MRT, syempre bago ka makapasok dapat dumaan ka muna sa gwardya para icheck yung mga dala mo, sa di malamang dahilan, na kung tutuusin ay palagi naman akong sumasakay doon, ay inaabot ko sa gwardiya ang bayad. Mabuti na lamang ay hindi naman kami magkakilala kahit pa pagtawanan nya ako. Nasundan pa ito noong sumakay ako ng bus pauwi. Ganito kasi yan, 21 pesos kasi ang dapat na  pamasahe nang saka ko matanto na ang binibigay ko sa konduktor ay 8 pesos lamang. Napagalitan pa ako. Baka daw jeepney lamang ang sasakyan ko.

Ipagpatawad na lamang nila ang aking kahinaan.

Maliban kasi sa trabaho (na minsan ay di pa tapos, may kasunod na agad * hindi naman ako nagrereklamo doon*) ay may iba’t ibang aktibidad pa ako. Ilang araw na walang tulog, pahinga, stressed sa buhay, pero bakit nakakaya ko pa din lahat? Nakalunok ba ako ng bato? Hindi naman. Dedoo na ako siguro kung oo. Energy drink? Ayaw ko ng ganun. Dahil sa kape? Hindi na nga masyado eh. Marahil ay dahil SA’YO at sa Kanila. Pipiliting kong gumalaw dahil alam kong nariyan Ikaw at sila.

At dahil sa isa akong Super woman o Darna, asahan na natin, saka na ang love life.

Sige, ang totoo wala lang akong maisulat. Ito lang ang pumasok sa isip ko.

Lilipad na si Darna (sa Tagalog), Super Woman (sa Ingles).

Up, up and away!!!

It’s More Fun with Your First Love But.

Bata pa lang ako, fan na ako ni Jollibee. Walang kaarawan ko noon ang lumipas na hindi ako napapakain ng mga magulang ko sa lugar na ito kung saan may pinakamasarap at pinakamasayang manok. Kapag may mga bagong laruan ang Jollibee, pipilitin ko talaga ang nanay ko na ibili ako. Sa sobrang mahal din namin si Jollibee, inuuwi namin ng lola ko yung plastik na baso, kutsara at tinidor na may mukha ni Jollibee sa dulo.

Ewan. May kung anong karisma talaga kay Jollibee na gugustuhin sya ng mga bata. Yung tipong kinikilig-kilig ka pag andyan yung mascot nya. Tatawa ng malakas kapag niyakap ka. At kapag umalis na siya, ay may di mapawing ngiti ang naiiwan sa labi.

Ito lang ang pinagtatakhan ko sa aking kabataan. Wala akong maalala na nagpakuha man lang ako ng litrato sa kanya. Ang alam ko lang nahihiya ako kapag andyan na sya. May saya na di ko maipaliwanag. May kakaibang pakiramdam na nagpapatigil ng mundo ko hanggang sa wala akong magawa kundi ang tingnan sya.

Ngayong nasa sapat na edad na ako kung saan mas madaming bagay na ang aking naiintindihan, unti-unti akong naliwanagan sa aking damdamin.

Kung bakit ko ito pinamagatang ganoon ay dahil… Tama ka. Si Jollibee ang aking First Love… Siya pala. Siya pala yun?

Hanggang ngayon ay may tuwa pa din sa aking damdamin kapag nakikita ko sya. Pero di na tulad noong bata ako dahil ngayon alam ko na ang pinagkaiba ng totoo sa imahinasyon, ng possible at imposible.

At sa ngayon, mayroon na akong Ultimate Love.

It is most fun with your ultimate love than your first love.

Sino si Ultimate Love? Siya ang nagbigay liwanag at nagpabago ng buhay ko.

Siya ang nagbigay ng pagkakataon sa akin para maranasan ang lahat ng ito.

Siya ang nagbigay daan upang mailigtas ako, tayo.

Siya ang nagbigay ng lahat ng meron tayo ngayon.

Siya ay si Hesus.

Siya.

Kay sarap umibig sa tulad Niya.