Month: December 2017

Praise Items for 2017

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It’s the time of the year again to sit down and think about how God has been faithful to me throughout the year. As you may recall, I was a little bit apprehensive to face the new year last January. I was afraid of the things that will unfold in 2017 because the previous year was generally difficult for me and my family. But then God assured me that I need not to be afraid because He is always in control. The word He gave to me as my guide for the whole year was Jeremiah 33. It was a promise of restoration. I particularly claimed His promise in Jeremiah 33:3: “Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and  unsearchable things you do not know.” Indeed, 2017 was a year when I get to know God at a different level. It’s a year of restoration, abundant peace and security. The year has been great for me not only in my personal ministry but also in my family and even in my work. Let me now share to you some the things that God has done for me in 2017:

  1. Birthday Celebration with my family. This year’s celebration  of my birthday was a little extra special because I celebrated it with my parents. I can’t even remember when was the last time I celebrated my birthday with my family. If I recall it right, I think  I was still in high school or even in elementary when we celebrated my birthday as a complete family.  But I don’t resent it because I understand that birthday celebrations  have to be  that way because of our circumstances. I got so used to celebrating my birthday either alone or with my friends that I’ve learned how to make my birthday celebrations more meaningful every year, with or without my family. So this year, God has given me the grace to celebrate it with them. 🙂 Plus, He answered my three specific birthday requests which I will share later.
  2. Free local and international travels. Two of the things I asked from God for  my birthday were free local and international travels. I wasn’t able to travel much in 2016 because I realized that travel isn’t everything. I came to a point where I thought the places I’ve been to looked all the same to me so it’s no longer exciting. Plus, our situation in 2016 would not allow me to stay out of town for a long time. But then I thought maybe I should try traveling again and see if I can look at it in a different perspective. So I ask God to allow me to go to different places in the country and  allow me to travel abroad again this year, and God was gracious to answer my prayer. I’ve been to at least four new provinces (Dipolog, Antique, Baler and Dinapigue, Isabela) and I was able to go back to two of my favorite places in the country (Palawan and Iloilo). God has also allowed me to travel to Thailand for the first time.  All of these travels are for free so I was spared from spending too much on experience. The places I’ve been to this year still all looked the same to me but what makes each place special are the people I get to spend time with during these travels. The journey going to these places are also notable so I praise God  for these experiences.
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    Thailand adventure with Jaki
  3. National Cell Leaders’ Summit (NCLS) 2017. The NCLS was one of the things I’ve been looking forward to in 2017.  Although I’m not sure at first if I will be able to meet the requirement for attending the summit, by faith, I claimed that I will be able to go and see my friends from other ministry areas. True enough God has arranged the circumstances so I would be able to meet the requirements and attend the summit. It was  indeed a refreshing and encouraging time with my brethren from all over the country.  During the summit, God has reminded me to take my commitment to Him seriously and realize the urgency of the Gospel.
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    Reunion with LDI batchmates during the NCLS
  4. New ministry areas and clearer ministry direction. One of the things I prayed to God at the start of the year was to grant me a clearer ministry direction. I was also challenged to ask God where He would want to use me in the advancement of His kingdom. So right after the  NCLS, I was instructed to stay at my place in  Quezon City because He is about to start a ministry in the area. Before the summit, I’ve already decided to move out and transfer to a place nearer to my work place. But few days before we transfer, God challenged me to abandon my plan and told me to stay. It was not an easy decision to stay, but for every argument I present to God, He always have an answer. So even if it’s hard, I have to obey God and chose to stay. Later, I realized it was not a bad decision after all. God has indeed made my personal ministry a little easier for me this year by opening up new ministry opportunities near my workplace.  I also now have an idea where God wants to use. As bonus, He also answered my prayer to open up ministry opportunity in one of the places I’m praying for after my LDI in 2013.
  5. New and Rekindled Friendships. If there’s one thing that made my 2017 a colorful year, it’s the time I spent with my friends  not only from the ministry but also from other circles. I used to complain a few years ago about how having so many circle of friends can also be disadvantageous. So I intentionally distanced myself from old friends and decided to focus in the ministry. I don’t know what happened but I got more social this year. Not the drink and be merry type of social, but more on hanging out with friends to catch up. I’m glad that after four years, I was able to go and hang out with my LDI batchmates from Metro Manila. I also enjoyed every conversation I had with my friends from work every lunch. The new prayer meeting group I joined this year also gave me new opportunities to meet new friends and know more people from church. Lastly, God has also provided me opportunities to spend more time with my old high school and college friends.

These are just some of the things that I want to praise God for.  I still don’t know what to look forward to in 2018 but I trust God that it will be another great year.

Day 22. What fictional character in a movie, TV show, or book do you identify with and why?

Just so you know, I’m not planning to give up on this challenge so….

I’m back!

And because I’m  so excited to share my favorite fictional characters, let’s skip that long introduction and let’s get straight down to business.

I have several characters in mind when it comes to fictional characters that I can identify with. But because I want to make this post short and sweet, I’ll just mention my two most favorite characters. The first one is Stargirl Caraway from the book, Stargirl; and the second one is Anne Shirley of the Anne of Green Gables series.

Stargirl Caraway

She laughed when there was no joke. She danced when there was no music.She had no friends, yet she was the friendliest person in school. In her answers in class, she often spoke of sea horses and stars, but she did not know what a football was…

She was elusive. She was today. She was tomorrow. She was the faintest scent of a cactus flower, the flitting shadow of an elf owl. We did not know what to make of her. In our minds we tried to pin her to a corkboard like a butterfly, but the pin merely went through and away she flew.

I read the book a few years ago and I fell in love with Stargirl’s character right away.  As I’ve said in my book review, I like Stargirl because she’s weird, innocent and carefree.  I can easily relate with her because sometimes, I feel like I’m also living in my own world, and  I don’t care if people will find me weird. Just like her, I also try to act nonchalant but deep inside, I care a lot. She’s misunderstood by most people because she does not conform to the poplular opinion of  the around her.

Anne Shirley

Matthew was not looking at her and would not have seen what she was really like if he had been, but an ordinary observer would have seen this: A child of about eleven, garbed in a very short, very tight, very ugly dress of yellowish-gray wincey. She wore a faded brown sailor hat and beneath the hat, extending down her back, were two braids of very thick, decidedly red hair. Her face was small, white and thin, also much freckled; her mouth was large and so were her eyes, which looked green in some lights and moods and gray in others.

So far, the ordinary observer; an extraordinary observer might have seen that the chin was very pointed and pronounced; that the big eyes were full of spirit and vivacity; that the mouth was sweet-lipped and expressive; that the forehead was broad and full; in short, our discerning extraordinary observer might have concluded that no commonplace soul inhabited the body of this stray woman-child of whom shy Matthew Cuthbert was so ludicrously afraid.

The first time I met Anne Shirley through this description and her conversation with Matthew, I thought she’s amusing and a very talk4ative girl. As the story progress, I found out that she’s indeed amusing and there’s more to her than meets the eye. She’s also a kindred spirit who loves big words, ambitious, and is full of imagination. As you get to know her throughout the story, you’ll discover that she’s one of the fictional character with the most beautiful soul. Despite her sad family background and childhood, she still have this positive outlook in life and can even add life and joy to the people around her. Because of her beautiful character, her life also ended up very well in the end.

I said I can relate with Anne Shirley because I wanted to be like her. I also want to add joy to the people around me and bring positive influence to them.

That’s all for now. 😀