“I know your deeds. See, I have placed before you an open door that no one can shut. I know that you have little strength, yet you have kept my word and have not denied my name.” Revelation 3:8 NIV

Couple of years ago, I was asked to sing for the invocation in a company event however there were two words that I must avoid – God and Jesus. It was in respect of different religious beliefs of some guests and bosses who were attending. My heart was troubled because I knew I was stuck to sing at the same time I knew I had to take a stand for Jesus, even in this simple way.

In my prayer I was like, “Lord, you know my heart. I don’t want to deny you and You know that I love you. Please help me. Give me wisdom. I want to honor you but at the same time I want to be a good witness by respecting the authorities for you said, submit to authority (Everyone must submit to governing authorities. For all authority comes from God, and those in positions of authority have been placed there by God…So you must submit to them, not only to avoid punishment, but also to keep a clear conscience. Romans 13:1 and 5). Ayoko ng eksena Lord. Gusto ko peaceful lang. Please help me.” (Something like that)

The Song

I was supposed to pick the song but I can’t think of anything that would fit the requirement. And to my surprise, they gave me this song. And when I read the lyrics, I was dumbfounded. I realized that even if I don’t mention God and Jesus, the lyrics points to Jesus and what He did for us. By God’s grace, I remembered the songs which talks about God but used other names and/or attributes of God. So we (together with the other guys who played the instruments) used ROCK for God (Psalm 18:2) and YOU for Jesus.

The Encouragement

Although my mates and I were practicing the song, I know that it’s not an easy place to be at. In my mind, I want to speak Jesus because He’s too good not to be glorified in every way. On the other hand, I want to be a good witness by respecting the authority. I know that I must honor God but I also know that I can’t force my belief to them (Romans 14).

The day before I sing, I met with some of the ministry people for a practice. I was once again amazed because I am not really someone who can be picked in songs like this but eventually my name was suddenly remembered by Ate Lyz. So as close in prayer for the practice, I asked them to include my concern. After the prayer, Ate Lyz shared of how she was reminded of Revelation 3:8 in my situation. She, together with the others in the team, encouraged me to pursue it and allow God to reveal Himself to me.

The Event
Hours before the event, I got to catch up with the event’s host and saw the script. I noticed that it included a short prayer prior to me singing. The host explained that due to the recent calamity, the organizers decided to add a short prayer dedicating to the victims to be read. But what surprised me was the prayer ended with the phrase “In Jesus’ name.” Wow! All along we were careful not to mention the name of Jesus and God in the song during practice but there I was reading an approved script with the name of Jesus in it! To my joy, I asked permission from the host and the organizer in charge if I could just say the prayer prior to us singing – in my mind, so that the audience can resonate that it was Jesus in our song – and I was allowed too! Indeed, God made a way for me to glorify Him and He honoured my desire to proclaim His name.

Here’s the pic courtesy of a friend:

The Reward
Being saved is only by grace and I know that as I follow Christ, He is my reward. But with God’s goodness and perhaps a sense of humor, it felt that He still rewarded me for my step of faith. You see, I’m not lucky with raffle draws. I can only recall one occasion that I won – but it wasn’t raffle but BINGO game and oh another out of obedience from the Lord too. Come the raffle drawn a month after, I won the raffle – first place! An 21′ Devant LED TV!
Indeed, God works amazingly. I won a TV just when our old second hand TV from surplus shop was about to burst. Truly, He is God who is who He claims He is! All glory and honor be to Him!

So blessed!

I'm just soo blessed and honored be finlly serving my own dgroup. Lord, you are amazing! You wwalked me through.

To You Who Keep On Popping Up Without Any Hint Of Possibility

Hi there!

     I realized I have not come across your page or even you in my thoughts. But I find it weird that whenever I decide to be single, your face, name and even your father's name shows up from nowhere. No. I'm over it. I've resolved the fact that there's no way that you and I will be a possibility.

      I know you but you don't know me. And I will never make any move to talk to you or meet you. I want God to make wonders in my love story whoever he may be and since I find you ideal for my list it will not be fair if I make a move to at least initiate the talk (at least for me).

      You are too good for me. Although I know God knows how to give good gifts to His child, you are unbelievably an answered prayer if indeed you are.

       I may not be the woman that you had been praying for. You may have someone else in your heart or prayers. But it's none of my business. Still, I am avoiding the thought of you for my own good too. I want to be pure in my thoughts if God willing my godly husband comes -- whether it's you or not. I want him, whoever he is, to have my thoughts and prayer.

       I am writing this because I should be writing something else when your name suddenly appeared as I typed something to search in youtube. And for some reason my heart skipped a beat. Sigh. I should be typing about my victory (which I really hope I can share next time).

      I pray that you will soon find what you had been praying for. That God grant the desires of your heart and that you continue to be faithful in your walk with God and glorify Him. I pray that if you are not for me that I won't see you until I get married (even your photos or your name or similar name as yours). I pray that if you re not for me that God will guard my heart and mind and not to think of you. But if you are otherwise, I pray that God will guide me to be a woman who loves Him more than you and who will seek Him. That I will be pleasing to God all the days of my life. That God will protect you from any harm and temptations and that you remain faithful in your walk. In Jesus'mighty name. Amen.


Thanks,

** I don't even know why I am writing this but I wrote it anyway.

DELIVERANCE

Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.  And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. 

 Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.                                                                                                                                                        Philippians 4:6-8

                                                                             

Wait a minute

There's something about wedding that amuses me. Probably the preparation before the big day, how these couples came up with the idea, their reason for this and that, their wedding concept and theme and of course come the big day their vows. Medyo usisera lang ang peg pero nahihiwagan pa rin ako kung paanong nangyayari yung ganun. I guess, aside from it's God's doing I'll only know when I experience it myself. That is if God willing, I will. :)

Years ago, I looked forward to it. That moment when you are just so in love with another person and you just talk about plans yaddha yaddha. Growing up with fairy tales where there are pincesses and princes getting married and live ever after, there's an excitement that makes one look forward to experiencing her own ever after. I don't know about others but I used to have that excitement until I started listening to couples who take their marriage seriously. Seriously, it's not something that I had considered.

I'd been praying to God to be married because I want to have my own and raise god-fearing offspring together with my godly husband. But when I processed my prayer request from years ago, I asked myself, am I really ready to be married? Am I ready? Am I?

Am I ready to...

• submit to a man and do the duties of a godly woman?

Shocks! Submission palang di ko na matapos isulat ang kasunod. Lord, wait lang.

When comfort doesn't go along with change

It had been days of sad news, if not for most of my friends in facebook, at least for me. Loved ones passing. Rumors spreading around causing people to speculate and out of fear or readiness decides if not planning to update their resumes. And when you're part of the situation most of the time you find it difficult to say something, well, hopeful. (And when I thought I can find one, my favorite team Ginebra lost. Oh well, that's another story.)

It's never easy, really. I had the opportunity to experience both which made me a better person. I had the role of providing comfort in my calls everyday whenever things do not go their way or there's nothing that I can really do for them. There were times that I couldn't find the right words to say and most of the time the trick is just to listen and let them vent. You realized that all these people need is someone to listen. Then when you thought listening is difficult thing to do, wait til you experience it first hand - much more difficult, "and more".

About this time last year, I was hopeful. Very hopeful and expectant. I thought, what could go wrong with what I had planned? I mean, I prayed about it - a LOT. I fasted and prayed for it. I worked hard for it. I have a supportive supervisors and friends. What could possibly go wrong with my promotion that was just a month to go? You see, I had established my call flow, followed my supervisor's coaching and there's nothing wrong about my desire! In my mind, once I get that "rank" there are more doors of opportunity for me. I can really define a "career" and climbing up the ladder like most people aspire. There's nothing wrong with what I planned, with what I wanted.


The things that went wrong

Plan. Focus. But there's something that I didn't forsee -- CHANGE. CHANGES. Which I was not ready. I didn't plan to be ready for it. As the month that I look forward to unfolded, my supervior had to be replaced by another since she was tasked to train new hires while the replacement can only stay for a month or two to take another job. New boss meant  I need to adapt to another coaching style. As I was about to, our team had to be dissolved and would be distributed to other teams.  I was given to a team where I have a slim chance of getting the morning shift to die for (I work in a BPO company where our account bids shifts based on your team's attendance). What about morning shift Lord? What about the ministries? What about our band's gig? Series of unfavorable events led me to ask God, "What about this and that Lord?"

As I process the situation, I thought I still have one left, THAT "rank" that I was praying about. Maybe because He took me out of my comfort zone, He would give me this to cheer me up. Hehe! But to my surprise, the adjustments that were made didn't go my way. All of the changes went against my stats. I found myself sighing one night as a went home from mid shift. "Lord, when it rains it pours and now it floods."

I almost gave up but I can't. I just can't.

The days that followed felt like dragging myself to work. I bribed myself just for me to be convinced that I needed to stay. And it was good that I allowed myself to be convinced 'cause I'm gonna be in trouble when the bills come! Everyday, I asked God why? Everyday it hurt because I prayed for it. I prayed for it REAL HARD but I didn't get it. And as it hurt, I kept telling Him,  "Lord, I don't understand why these things are happening. Why things do not seem to go my way but I trust in You. I believe that You are sovereign and You know what's best for me. I don't undertand the "why's" now but I trust in You."

I remember in one of our Sunday services, I was reminded by,

For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened.  Or which one of you, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone?  Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a serpent?  If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him!"
                                                                                    Matthew 7:8-11 ESV

As I process it in my quiet time, I realized it's a better reason for me not to give up than just it pays the bills. Whenever I remember how frustrated and dissappointed I am, I was reminded by this truth, "If I believe that God is good and that He is my Father and that He loves me, will he not give it to me if it will be good for me? And if it's good why will He not give it to me?" Maybe it's not yet time for me. Maybe I am not yet ready. Maybe here. Maybe there. but I was assured by these:

"For my thoughts are not your thoughts, 
 neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord.
For as the heavens are higher than the earth, 
 so are my ways higher than your ways
  and my thoughts than your thoughts."

 Isaiah 55: 8-9 ESV

" For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare[b] and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.  Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will hear you.  You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart.  I will be found by you, declares the Lord, and I will restore your fortunes and gather you from all the nations and all the places where I have driven you, declares the Lord, and I will bring you back to the place from which I sent you into exile. "

 Jeremiah 29:11-14 ESV

With promise such as these, I just can't give up. I just can't update my resume and submit it to other companies when God has not confirmed anything for me than trusting in Him ( Thank God for Baruch's life).

Fast forward and Answer to my "Why's?"

"And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good,[a] for those who areB called according to his purpose."  Romans 8:28 ESV

By God's grace, I was transferred to another team with better chance of getting morning shift, good ol' friends and my mommy Beth and more around August. The supervisors whom I had for the last four years had always been supportive and understanding. And come shift bid, I got back to morning shift (after months of mid shift) which was totally unexpected since we where 4th to pick (God's abundant grace at work!). I had better scores.
I was able to get favorable schedule epecially when I voluntered in our Single' Leadership Conference last November and more. When I look at what He had provided in exchange of what He took from me, I realized I was blessed even more.

When 2014 started, I got transferred to another team and supervisor (Another God's abundant grace at work). I got an all time low VOCM -- the lowest in my team. But this time, I was prepared. I am ready. I am ready not for the change but READY to Trust God for whatever changes that will happen. And as I remind myself to trust God through Jesus who strenthens me, God had encouraged me by this time turning the changes in my favor! And the bonus is I now understood the why's of last year.

If I got the "rank" last year, I may never keep my what I have right now - work schedule, flexibility etc. If He gave it, I could have had the glory for myself but since He didn't, the glory is ALL HIS. I am enjoying more time at home and friends. More time to study His word (By God's grace I attending BSF, which is one of the items I prayed last prayer and fasting week) and God willing to fulfill His purpose for me - to be a servant-leader (By God' grace).


I don't know where you are right now. Maybe you are experiencing CHANGES in your life right now. Maybe you lost someone so dear to you-- a friend or family member. Or lost your job or something important to you. Had broken up with someone just before Valentine' day or you are on a difficult situation where you cannot imagine how this will ever be resolved or stop.  My friend, I have good news for you. God cares for you sooo much that I have to rent a PC just to share this to you because He knows that You need to know He loves you. You need not to know the 'why's right now but ask God to tell you how you can overcome this. He's just a prayer a way.  You may not be able to relate to my post but I know God wants you to know that Jesus is all that You need RIGHT NOW. He can give you not what you want but what you need "and more".

"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort,  who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.  For as we share abundantly in Christ's sufferings, so through Christ we share abundantly in comfort too." 2 Corinthians 1:3-5 ESV

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beautiful distraction

Your familiar face is a beatiful distraction to me. If I will let myself swim in my thoughts, I know I will lose the best that's saved for the right time. It could be you or it could be not.


If it's you, let the burden be on you. If it's not,be burdened by the right one


Lord, you know myheart'sdesire.