[01-06-2017] Discerning Truth

I do not have a lot of friends because I am actually hard to deal with. I have a frank and strong attitude towards other people but I believe that I am a good friend in my own simple ways. I can be a good friend but a bad enemy.

            I have friends in college and I had created a great bond with them because I consider them not just friends but sisters at heart. We’ve been together since first year college until we graduated. We had our review for the board examination and when it was a week before the examination, I was bombarded with the truth.

            A friend talked to me and told me that she doesn’t like me. She told me that I am overacting, moody and jealous. She told me a lot of negative things but it was too difficult to comprehend at that time, things were running into my head. It lasted for almost 30 minutes and when she stopped talking, I stood up and walked, she held my hand and from that moment, I wanted to break down and cry but I did not.

            Until now, I am still attached unto that time because I wasn’t able to ask her if she actually treated me as a friend, but I am afraid to ask and know the truth. It took her almost four years to tell me the truth. It made a mark in my existence and in my life. Thus, I have trust issues with people around me because of that event.

            Telling the truth is difficult because it takes a lot of guts and power to do so because we can never tell if how much pain we can cause to a person. I believe that from the very start, we must show who we are and what we truly feel to a person. We should reveal to them all the things that we need to hear.

            Let us not wait for that person to hear the truth from others; it is best when it is from our own mouth so that we can be sure to tell everything that we feel towards him/her. Being honest is complex but telling the truth can help us understand better of what’s in front of us. 

[01-05-2017] The First Witnesses

             When I started working in a service-oriented company; I have met a lot of people from all walks of life. I got a chance to talk and mingle with them and during that time, was I also able to see some differences to how people react or behave in certain instances.

            Some “rich” and “educated” people tend to be more impatient for their queue to be called; some of them cut others and some of them raise their voices when talking with the front liners. However, those who are average or below average know how to wait and calmly talk with us. It shows that some people tend to boast themselves just because they have more.

            It is important to treat people equally because we are all God’s creation. Despite the difference in status or income level, we are still His. We should give respect not because they need it but because it is what they deserve and whatever measure we use to others, will be measured back to us. If we disrespect others; we are also disrespecting ourselves. But if we throw kindness to them; they will throw us back the same kindness that we gave.

            When Jesus was born, God chose the shepherds to be his first visitors at the manger. And when Jesus died and risen from the dead, He showed himself to a woman who was once possessed by demons. It shows that God did not send His only begotten son here on earth for the rich – but most especially for the “poor”, “uneducated”, “uncultured” and “uncouth”.

            God reaches to us in ways that we cannot see; He puts people in our lives to help us acknowledge the different personalities of human creation and to equally give respect and appreciation. And most of all, to help us learn that God created man and woman with His great love and we should offer the same love to people around us by being Christ’s witnesses of salvation. 

[01-04-2017] Dead or Alive?

When I was in fourth year college around October, our department head decided to have an examination to determine if we should continue our major or not; for the last semester. It was against our will to think that it will be our last and studying our major for almost four years should be reason enough for us to graduate as Accountancy student; but they still had the exam. Sadly, I failed.

At that time, I rebelled to God because I prayed for it fervently and asked Him to help me with the exam but He did not (I thought). I got drunk almost every night and did not go home until morning. My mom and dad worried about me but I did not mind because all I thought about was that I am hurting badly and it’s all because of God.

But one day, a friend of mine asked me to come with her to her uncle’s home and join a devotional. I hesitated but she persisted that I needed it. So, I did. And from that day forward, I was quickened back to God and realised that I made a great mistake of blaming Him for whatever is happening in my life. I was once dead but am now alive with Him.

It was a life-changing experience for me that altered my whole-being. I started to go back to Church and worship Him. If trouble and problem comes, I earnestly pray to Him and when it does not happen according to what I want, it is okay because I know that His solutions are better than mine. I began to realise His presence in my life and I am grateful and thankful that even if I was separated from Him, I was born again through his mercy and unfailing love.

Until today, I will never forget that by receiving Jesus as my saviour and allowing him to touch my heart and empowering Him to avoid doing false acts against His will; I am renewed through Christ and the Holy Spirit.

[01-03-2017] Stand, Don't Fight!

            I am born and raised in a Catholic family with Catholic beliefs and traditions. We go to Church on Sundays and hear the mass together as one family. We pray graces before our meal and before going to bed. We have Santo Nino at home to keep us all away from harm. We have a lot of fiestas for our different Saints. That is our faith..

            But when I reached college, I joined a Christian family in their praise and worship, especially during my review at Iloilo City; my Mom was disappointed because she firmly believes that we are Catholic and we should stay as Catholics until the end. I followed.

            I always told myself that my religion will not save me but my belief and worship to God; and my relationship with the Almighty is the most important thing than what Church I go to. But to be honest, having been able to praise in Catholic and Born Again made my faith to God stronger.

            When I encounter people bash God and saying awful things about faith; I do not get angry, instead I listen to what they have to say then think about it. I keep myself silent not because I am afraid but because I respect his own belief. I do not have to say anything but I firmly grip to my own belief and I pray to God that in some ways, may that person encounter God in the most unexpected event to change him and his beliefs.

            I stand to my own faith and trust to God but listen to other people’s belief to their own system. I do not have to change the person; but rather, to change my attitude to the situation. If I argue with the person whose beliefs are different from mine, what will it benefit me? Nothing, it might just create chaos.

But if I pray to God for serenity in me, it helps me to clear my mind and to also show to that person that I am God’s planter and I live not to disagree but to understand.

[01-02-2016] How Can I Help You?

           “Ask and you shall receive”, that is from Matthew 7:7; and I held unto that for a very long time. I asked favour from God a lot of times; I mean, countless times. From the simplest things like food and to the most crucial and that is to wake up the next morning.

            During my first year college days, around September, I got really busy with pageant that I do not have time to study my lessons and sadly, it was examination week. The day of the examination came and I struggled too much with my major subject because I wasn’t able to answer any of it, I cried. And so, I asked God to help me pass my major examination the next time, and fortunately, I passed with flying colours.

            During our review, I always prayed to pass my board examination; that I want this because it will make everyone proud of me, but it still boils down to, “Your will be done Lord”. Unfortunately, I failed the examination but because of the event, my friends and my family still showered me praises and supported me. I did not pass the exam but I made them proud because I accepted the result and went on with life.

            Some prayer requests are not granted by God not because we don’t deserve it but because God is preparing something even better than what we asked for. At first, we feel disappointed but if look real closely; we will see that God is moving our life in unexpected twists and turns. The denial of our request helps us grow, be mature and be more prayerful to God.

            Even if I find it hard to look for the exact words to express my prayers, I know that God already knows what my heart desires and he is already preparing me for whatever the result may be. If things don’t go according to plan, I accept it, because I know that God is just busy writing the best story for me and no matter how hard we pray, if God says wait, it means, He has something better in mind.

[01-01-2017] One More Year

Nowadays, I got used to my life with all the gadgets and appliances that make life more convenient than ever. Everywhere I go I always have my techies with me because I want to – not because I need to. It seems like I am not truly living if I do not have all these with me.

If I reach to my bag, I can have access to a lot of things like face powder, lipstick, gums, keys, especially money. These things make my life really stable and fun but I do not worship these things because they are meant to be used and not to be loved.

Some people forget about the more important things in life like going to Church. They spend more time facing the computer and surfing the internet for the whole day. They prefer reading scandalous magazines or watching pornography than reading the Bible. They tend to spend more time with their friends while drinking, than being at home with the family and doing a devotional.

A lot of things tend to get our attention away from God and allowing the devil to overcome us. We allow ourselves to be controlled by our manly desires and our technological advancement that we forget our own God who truly created us.

God is the maker of heaven and earth. From the book of Genesis, we can read a truly wonderful art exhibition where we get to meet the real artist from the very beginning until now.

Yes, we can continue to have all of our gadgets and money to make our life more convenient, but life is not forget the one true Maker of us all and all that we have now. Without him, we are nothing. We will not have this earth where we live without him. We are not living if he did not create us.

May we worship our God this year and give our 2017 to Him only.