Tag Archives: journey

Insights, Reflections

Get married or baby sit!

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Just today, one of the kids in our church asked me if I was a student. So,  I told her that I am already working. Then, she asked me if I am already married. (No escape even from kids!) So, I told her that I’m not yet married. Her follow up question led me to a chuckle. She asked that if I’m not yet married then how come I already have a job. Don’t we love the honest remarks of kids? 🙂 (No sarcasm here. I really do love those kids!)

If you really analyze the question, it’s kinda like – you have a job, it means you are already old, it means you should be married! It makes sense right? (Smart kids! )

As much as a lot of women in my age are already married and have growing family, the other half or probably more in my circle are also still single. I must say it’s great to be surrounded by both!

I love spending time with my married/mommy friends as I learn so much from them – about marriage, motherhood, parenting, etc. Good stuff!  It’s like going to a free seminar with so much freebies that you can take home. And my favorite perk, you get to spend time with their kiddos and enjoy those funny, innocent remarks. To be honest, as I spend time with kids including when I teach during Sunday School, I felt like my patience has increased so much. Being with kids has taught me to be more patient with adults also. 😉  It’s also an honor to be asked by parents to baby sit their kids. I think it’s a privilege to be able to impact even for a little the lives of these little ones.

Being with my single friends is one of my comfort zones. Of course, I belong! 😀 The conversations are different. It’s not about breastfeeding, potty training, Paw Patrol or My Little Pony. It’s about love life, career goals, involvements and weekend plans. Being with my single friends has helped me become more driven as a person. Seriously, we don’t talk about guys all the time. As we share some common struggles, we get strength and encouragement from one another. It also reminds me that being single is truly a blessing. As I see other single women being able to accomplish so much – not for themselves but for other people, I get reminded that if these women are married, then who will be able to accomplish these things?  Until our days of being single is over, we will just have to keep going.

If all or most of your friends are already married, don’t isolate yourself from them. You are one privileged single woman to be able to learn from them! Also, seek new single friends if you don’t have one anymore (though I doubt this is possible *wink*). It’s just great to have someone to share a common journey with and to have someone who also hopes the same for you as she hopes for herself – to be married. Indeed, iron sharpens iron.

To all my married and single friends, you are all great blessings in my life! Thank you!

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Insights

Enough Day Dreaming

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When I was in my younger years, I used to play “pretend” a lot. I pretended to be a teacher or an office girl. As years passed by, my interest for computers grew when my uncle gave us our very first desktop computer. I decided to pursue a degree on computer rather than pursuing my second interest which was journalism. I felt like I got so exhausted with my 5-year degree that I badly wanted it to be done. I didn’t care anymore about my grades, all I wanted was to pass and graduate.

Between the time I was playing pretend to the time I finished university, I rarely dreamed of big things. At some point, I had some dreams which I think were more of imaginations. You know, the kind you just day dream about but you really did not do anything about it. Most of the time, I only thought of what’s real in front of me – to graduate and have a job. That’s it. No long term plans. Nothing.

And then, big change happened. The small city girl had to make the biggest move of her life. I had to live in a city where I never wanted to be. Although looking back now, I’m glad I took that step of faith. (Thank God for that very good job offer!) The circumstances that God allowed to happen between that time and now had taught me to become a dreamer.

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God inspired me to dream not just to have a list I can check for every item I’ve accomplished. God inspired me to dream because I need to live a life that will increase my faith and allow me to experience God each day. He inspired me to dream of bigger things because I need to depend more on Him in doing things I can never do just on my own. God inspired me to dream that I may learn to step out of faith when He asks me to leave my comfort zone. He inspired me to dream that I may never live just for myself but also for other people.

You don’t need to be in a certain place or situation for God to cause you to dream bigger. You could be at the lowest point of your life or at the peak of your career. You just have to own that dream and trust that He will enable you to achieve it.

When God inspires us to dream, we have to act upon it. It’s time we stop day dreaming and allow God to really work in us and through us. When you think things are just so impossible to do, that’s when you can truly see and experience how real God is. He loves impossible. He loves big dreams. Because that is His expertise.

Today, I challenge you to challenge God. I dare you to ask God to increase your faith that He may be able to inspire you to dream, and not just simply dream but to dream big. It will be an exciting journey with God! 🙂 🙂 🙂

Diary of a Princess, Reflections

Waiting is Grace

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I got to answer one of the questions during our small group icebreaker activity.  The question is, “How did I experience God’s grace in my love life?”  I could not give a fit answer as I’m not in a relationship but it reminded me of something very important.

I know I’m not alone in the journey of waiting and for sure a lot of single women like me would agree that waiting is never easy. In my own season of waiting, I have failed so many times. This is not just in the context of waiting for the “right” person but in all other areas of my life that God had asked me to wait.

Why did I fail? Because I thought that getting ahead of God would not really cause much trouble. Because I thought I will be able to handle it. I thought I could be in control. And because I was foolish, consequences were not just painful but they left scars. And those would not happen, if I waited.

We fail to realize that the purpose why God allows us to wait is because we are not yet ready. Not yet ready of what He wanted to entrust to us. Just like when we were in school, we can’t wait to finish and get a job. But a degree is needed to be able to find a nice paying job. So there must be preparation.

God is actually gracious enough not to let us do or have something we could not handle YET. It is God’s way of protecting us from things that we are not yet ready of. In the time of waiting, He lets us see what truly are in our hearts. He reveals to us our true motives and desires for the things that we ask of Him.  He allows us to also get to know Him more and His will for us. It is a season of pruning, molding, preparing and growing.

So how do I experience God’s grace in my love life? For now, it is through WAITING.

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 I remain confident of this:
    I will see the goodness of the Lord
    in the land of the living.
Wait for the Lord;
    be strong and take heart
    and wait for the Lord.

Psalm 27:13-14

Faith Journey, Reflections

Asking for MORE

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Last year, I asked God to test my faith. Not to give me what I want but to see more of Him. I get to know God more each day when I read the Bible but I wanted more. I wanted to know and experience God more in my own walk with Him. And so, I prayed for Him to take me to a more deep faith.

That’s 5 “more” there…

Just like when Elisha asked Elijah a double portion of his spirit, I asked God for more of Him.

Just rewinding a bit in 2012…

God gave me this burden to consider going for a full time ministry work. It is a privileged joy to be able to serve God fulltime.  However, I also wanted to fulfill my own dreams for myself and for my family. I can’t see my dream getting realized if I’ll go fulltime.

In a retreat that year, we were asked to write something that we want to surrender to the Lord. Right there, God asked me to surrender my plans and dreams to Him, to just totally let go. It broke my heart. As I wrote and committed it to the Lord, I was in tears. I felt like a portion of me was taken away.

After that, I just told God, I have done my part, now do Yours.

Forwarding to 2013…

There were no doors opened for a full time ministry work. God even gave me a better opportunity for growth in my IT career. It was a dream role I never thought I could have. I thought maybe God wanted me to stay after all. I got so energized with my work that somehow I forgot that desire of going full time for a ministry.

Then latter part of the year, a door for a ministry job opened. Work in my company became stressful and “spiritually” exhausting. I applied for the ministry opportunity. I considered resigning.

Not certain if I’ll be accepted for the position, I took a big leap of faith and submitted my resignation. And on my last day at work, I received the news for my ministry application that I was not accepted.

That’s what happened when you asked God to test your faith. Things don’t go your way. But it allowed me to experience God in a very, very, very personal way. Indeed, He wanted me to grow deeper in my faith.

I asked God why He wanted me to resign when He knew that I will not be accepted for that ministry. The response I got from Him – your character, your heart, more important than where you will serve me. The condition of my heart was not pleasing to Him anymore. Disgusting enough that God, full of grace and love had to remove me from something I might not be able to handle.

As I started 2014, I have never been more uncertain with my life. But that’s when deeper faith happens. All I know is that I have a SOVEREIGN GOD who cares for my heart more than what I can bring to Him.

Remember that dream I surrendered in 2012? Years before that, I wanted to apply for a permanent residency in Canada. However, I did not make it to the 2 years of full work experience. I got short of 3 months. I told God that if He really wanted me to apply, He will find another way. Start of 2013, the qualification changed. From 2 years, they only required 1 year. I was qualified. Then, hesitation came. I told God I surrendered this dream to Him already. I’m choosing to go full time.

But God is just amazing. He used someone to push me to apply. Did you ever have that peace that transcends all understanding? I had this sudden peace in me, confirming that I’m doing the right thing. Amazingly, everything went so smooth with my application. And with all the uncertainties I had at the start of the year, I received an email last February. My application for Canada got approved.

I gave God a jaw-dropping expression (literally). A face in awe of SOMEONE I can never fathom and describe but very real, very personal.

I’m excited how this year will turn out to be. 2013 has been a very interesting, growing, exciting year for me. This year, I’m just letting God continue to mold me, surprise me, amaze me, change me. After all, that’s just the way HE is – An Extravagant, Loving Father.

Last year, my theme verse was Hebrews 11:1 as God took me to a deeper faith.  “Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.”

I started this year – no job, plans surrendered, and full of uncertainties. I was only holding on to the ONE certainty in my life, my Lord and Savior Jesus.

This is my theme verse for 2014 – Philippians 3:7-8: “But whatever were gains to me I now consider loss for the sake of Christ.What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. “

Please pray for me as I seek God to give me a fresh vision before I leave for Canada. More than a fulfilled dream, this journey has always been about Him. I just want to make sure that when I move, I have a clear vision to remind me of why I went there in the first place.

Thank you to everyone who prayed with me on this journey. (Philippians 1:3 – “I thank my God every time I remember you.”)

In this life, it only takes a faith as small as a mustard seed to believe that God loves you so much and He cares about you that He wants to be involved in all aspects of your life. God will not force you. You have to decide if you want to believe. (And, I hope you do.)

To the only amazing God be all the glory!

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3 Days - Giving it All

[Giving it All] Day 3: God Will Honor You

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Reading: Matthew 26:13

“Truly I tell you, wherever this gospel is preached throughout the world, what she has done will also be told, in memory of her.”

Reflection:

My older sister, Amity passed away eight years ago. She was the person who taught me how to dream big and how to value family more than anyone else. Aside from her laughter and bubbly personality, these are the things I will always remember about her that I can share to people to give her honor.

Same with Jesus, He also honored the woman in the presence of the disciples and other people. Jesus did not just accept the offering of expensive perfume of the woman but He even praised her and promised her a lasting legacy.

People will sometimes not understand when we surrender our life to God. They may think that it doesn’t make any sense. However, God promised, “If we do not lose heart in doing good in due time we will reap if we do not grow weary.” (Galatians 6:9)

What does surrendering our life to God means?

It means that we are letting God take control of our life. We are trusting God our entire future. We are allowing God to transform our mind and hearts that we may see things in His perspective. This simply means, in every action we do, every word we speak, every thought we ponder, every decision we make and every relationship we have – it will not cause us to sin against God, instead it will please God and glorify Him.

But then, this is impossible right as no one is perfect like God? That’s why we need Jesus to be our Lord, our Master, our Savior. God can only honor people to be in heaven if God will see Jesus in our life. While in this lifetime, as you surrender daily to God, He will also honor you in ways you can never imagine. You just have to trust Him for that.

So, what kind of legacy do you want to leave for the next generation to come? How do you want to be remembered? Are you willing to make Jesus the center of your life?

In the gravestone of Amity, we put this verse to show people who would pass by that she never gave up on her dreams, on her own battles, on her faith in God. That’s how we want her to be remembered.

“I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.” (2 Timothy 4:7)

Are you struggling in letting go things in your life that’s hindering you to let God? Hope this prayer will be a start as you desire to make Jesus the center of your life.

Prayer:

Dear God,

Thank You for reminding me today how important it is to have a life centered in Jesus. Teach me Lord to surrender my life to you. Help me to let go of the things and relationships that are drawing me away from you. Help me to trust You in every step of surrender I will make knowing that You always have the best plan for me. May I be able to leave a good legacy of my faith and walk with You to others. I surrender my life to You, Jesus. I accept You as my Lord and my Savior. Thank You for a new life that I will journey with You. This I pray in Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Song:

I Surrender by Hillsong

Diary of a Princess, Reflections

God Is, Even When We Are Not

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My parents taught us about God, going to church every Sunday, praying and other church stuff. I grew up with a knowledge of God. Until 10 years ago, I realized that wasn’t enough. 

As I read God’s Word, I realized that God is not just a “someone” that we have to learn in our Religion subject.  I realized that God is not just present when I go to a church building. I realized that doing church activities is not just what God really wants from me.

God, more than anyone else, is the most important. How important our family is to us, God is more. How important our friends are to us, God is more. God who created the universe that we can’t even imagine, who designed us in our mother’s womb that we can’t even fathom. This God, who after all, what He really wants is just for us to love Him first before anyone or anything. This God, who is Almighty and Powerful, after all, what He really wants is just for us to know and honor Him. This God, who after all, what He really desires is we go back to Him.

In 1993, my father lost his job in Cebu as the company he was working at that time shut down. I was very young back then, I really didn’t understand what was going on. I just knew then that we would move to Bacolod City as my father found a job in Negros Occidental. God provided for my family – a job, a home, a school. God was faithful even when sometimes we failed to honor Him.

In 1997, we got robbed inside our house. A lot of our relatives from abroad came home because of my grandfather’s funeral. My siblings and I all slept in the living room and it was a good thing no one woke up during that time. God protected us from those men. God was faithful even when we forgot Him at times.

In 2001, the portion of my grandparent’s house where we stayed got burned. The whole second floor were our room and my parent’s room where were turned into ashes. It was a nightmare as I saw the fire rapidly eating the whole floor. But, I was grateful that none of us got hurt. I was glad that my brother who was in my parent’s room sensed the fire and was able to get out. God kept us all safe. God was faithful even when we fail to make time for Him.

In 2006, this was a very painful year for us as a family. My mother was going in and out of the hospital for a month because of family issues that affected her health. Everyone in the family was coping on how to handle such painful family matter. And the most unexpected happened, my sister passed away because of hemorrhagic dengue fever.  During this time, it was only God who could truly see and understand the depth of our pain. God was our comforter. God was faithful even when we neglected Him sometimes.

In 2014, just this month, my father got into an accident which caused him to have his left hipbone dislocated. I was telling God how funny it could be, that if He allowed this to happen why not before I resigned from my work. My HMO could have covered the hospital bills of my father. But, I am grateful that my father is okay and the operations performed to him was just to align his hipbone and a minor surgery for his fractured ankle. This was an unexpected expense for us but God provided for our needs. And I know that He is at work at my father’s life that He allowed this. I’m grateful for this trial in Papa’s life. God is faithful even when we lack faith in Him and doubt Him at times.

These were not just the trials that God allowed to happen in my life, in our lives as a family. There were a lot. But these I highlighted are the ones I can clearly look back and be amazed of  how GOOD God really is. It brings me to tears every time I remember His faithfulness and goodness to our family despite the times that we continue to disobey Him and even ignore Him. He remained faithful and He got us through all of those.

You see, more than our good works, good performance, good looks – God wants a relationship with us through Jesus. Like a father to a child, that’s what He wants from us. Even if we forget Him, He has always been there, waiting for His children to come back, to the point of giving up His Only Son, Jesus. That’s how much God loves us.

Life is difficult.

Life is more difficult without Jesus whom through Him we can go back to God.

“He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things?” – Romans 8:32

“No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.  For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future,nor any powers,  neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” – Romans 8:37-39

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One of the teachers of the law came and heard them debating. Noticing that Jesus had given them a good answer, he asked him, “Of all the commandments, which is the most important?”  

“The most important one,” answered Jesus, “is this: ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than  these.” – Mark 12:28-31

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Diary of a Princess, Insights

Take it Slow

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Since I started working, I felt I’ve become an expert of multitasking. I’m always in a hurry to complete two to three tasks at the same time. I felt like I’m always running out of time.

And as I did this, it somehow influenced even my day to day non-work tasks. I noticed that when I walk with people, I always go ahead of them. When I do my chores at home, I start thinking what to do next when I’m still finishing something. And I noticed, when I do things, I’m always in a fast-paced like I’m being timed.

And now that I’m currently out of work, I still feel like I don’t have enough time to do so many things when I have all the time right now. I want to complete things immediately. I want to accomplish a lot within a week. I want rapid progress in my goals.

No wonder God has been teaching me big time on waiting. I want everything to happen in an instant while God is taking His time in slowing things for me. What can I do?

I made a sort of commitment to myself that while I’m waiting on God for His direction for me, I will learn to slow down on everything. I will do chores in a normal pace, thus, avoiding dropping or breaking things. I will plan out tasks weekly and not kill myself to do all in one day. I will take time to rest, walk slowly, observe things. I read this somewhere, “Take a pause and smell the waffle.”  

I’m excited on how God will change me to be more patient and more trusting.

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