Trip to Victory Malate

I had my first church-hopping alone (well,not really alone since I was with one of my classmates when we were elementary) and I attended Victory Malate, which is near the place where I am staying. 

It felt so different from Victory UBelt, I felt it was my first time attending Victory. Haha! Anyway, the topic was about how can we tell if someone really follows Jesus.

The feeling of learning something new was awesome. It really felt like my first time to attend a Youth Service. John 13:33-35 was something I never thought would give an impact when I was listening to the preaching, and it was something I want to share to the mentoring group I will attend on Sunday. 

I got to meet UP Manila Lifebox (even their campus minister! sorry, I don't know much of the campus ministers in UBelt, I just know kuya Cy, our campus minister, haha), and again, it really felt like it was the first time I attended church because I was so shy! haha! but they were very nice and welcome, it was just I was too shy. LOL.

It was one of their members' birthdays,and she sang! Amazing! I feel so blessed today. 

Thank you to UP Manila Lifebox! I will definitely return on the next week! It was great and refreshing!

Lifebox UPM

 

I have been thinking of pursuing Medicine for my higher studies, and I think this would be the Medical school that I will enter. Praying for it. I'm not going to medicine until next year, after the license examinations for Pharmacy.

On Letting Go

I never thought that my leader would say that he thinks I should have another leader.

But then I realized why he told me that. he wanted me to grow with more mentors. i realized I have been only recognizing him as a sole mentor,that's why I have not been growing much as a Christian.

 Seek mentors,lots of them,that you may learn a lot from them and will help you in the walk with God.

I cried a lot when I thought of it,that I would be finding a new leader,but me and my leader right now are on different seasons,which means God has different plans for the both of us,and that means we have to be on separate ways.
Having realized that, I will pray for someone to be my new leader this season. I don't know what will happen to the bond we have with my would-be former leader but I think it's a bit severed. It needs to be restored first.

I had been responding to him in not-so-good ways,and that was the reason why he said I needed a new leader-because he is not being a person of encouragement to me and maybe he isn't the right person to encourage and help me this season. That's why he told me to get a new leader.

It's sad.

 I am on a social media break. No facebook and Twitter for a month until licensure exam results are out.

Birthday Messages for Two

Two special people celebrated their birthdays yesterday at the LifeBox Leaders' Camp in Caliraya. Sadly, I didn't come there. The Camp's schedule had a conflict with my pre-board exams. However, I did send them messages for their birthday, and even went up early as 6AM just to see them before they left for the camp.

Mark is one of those two people. He was the first person I met when I just started attending church. I was quite aloof and distant at first, but I eventually became close with him and now we're good friends. He's younger than me, but I don't mind, we're still brothers in Christ. He's very responsible and dependable, and he really steps up into leadership and loves the campus.

The other one who celebrated his birthday was Jalil. My leader. He's one of God's greatest gifts. My life wouldn't be like this if Jal didn't lead me to God. Jal was my witness. He helped me walk with God. He saw everything- from Day 1 of my attending at church until today. He's someone who saw how God moves in my life, and I will always be thankful to God that He placed Jal in my life.
He has the heart for discipleship, which is something I really want to develop too. It's a process,and how Jal treats the people he's connected to is inspiring.

Right now, those two are in the Leaders' Camp with the others. They'll be going back tomorrow, and it means one thing- a dinner with Jal tomorrow! We haven't talked for a month or two, so we should update each other. :)

And this was my message for the both of them. Happy Birthday!

I'm Staying

I lost some important things last Saturday, when I paid the internet bill.

I lost my wallet. The wallet had my bank card, alumni ID card, and some cash that should be used to pay for the electricity bill. I left it on the payment center when I paid the internet bill and just realized I didn't have the wallet when I was with a friend on the milk tea place. 

But you know, before, when I used to lose things, such as a phone, a bag, I cry so much. I cry because I know it was my fault and I couldn't bring it back. It was because of my carelessness and not being too aware of the place and the situation. I should have been more sensitive. 

What's different with what happened this Saturday was, I kept myself calm (but I was a bit uneasy) and collected, sent my parents the news, and even called my leader. I just thought of greater things- that I should be thankful because I didn't lose my life nor I was harmed- I just lost money and IDs, and that's just about it. I was concerned on how to bring my ATM card back and my alumni ID. Mom called and she said she'll take care of the ATM card, and today I just applied for a new alumni ID card, which would take three weeks to process.

If I have overheard it right, I heard someone in the review class saying 'sinumpa'(cursed). I had my earphones plugged so I couldn't hear it clearly, but I knew people were talking about what happened to me.

Well, to the person who said that, I don't know with you, but no matter how you curse me or say things behind my back or when I'm not aware, I don't mind. If I know that God is with me, who can stand against me? 

I looked on what happened to me on a positive note. God will provide. The wallet loss incident, I just thought of it as one of God's tests. A test of faith. I was reminded that God will provide EVERYTHING we need- provision, favor..anything we can ask for, we just need to obey Him, follow Him, love Him, and He will make everything good for us. God will provide! As said in Hebrews 11, He will never leave our side.

I really don't know what's wrong with people who say things behind my back and tell nasty things and curses and whatnots. I know where I stand, and that's with God. I don't mind them. I know where my security lies, but I still pray for God to move inside their hearts and make them realize what they're doing isn't right. They'll get it one day.

Anyway, this has been a productive day. I applied for a copy of my birth certificate and re-applied for my Alumni ID. All I'm waiting is the ATM card, and everything's fine again. 

It's a trial from God, and I'm choosing to stay in my walk with Him, no matter what the cost.

Accidentally Read Hebrews

I accidentally read the book of Hebrews when I was finished reading the book of James. I stumbled upon Hebrews 13, and some of the verses struck me. 




verse 7: Remember your leaders, who spoke the word of God to you. Consider the outcome of their way of life and imitate their faith.
verse 17: Have confidence in your leaders and submit to their authority, because they keep watch over you as those who must give an account. Do this so that their work will be a joy, not a burden, for that would be of no benefit to you.
verse 24: Greet all your leaders and all the Lord’s people. Those from Italy send you their greetings.



It's about having a good relationship with your leader, and to the people accountable to you. It reminded me of the person who lead me to God, and another person I was reminded was our campus minister. Our campus minister, kuya Cy, told us that we should be open to him and told us that he's just a SMS away. I'm really encouraged to share more to kuya Cy since my leader, Jalil, isn't around. I needed to surround myself with not just one person, but with a few more godly men who would give me godly counsel. Aside from Jal, Kuya Cy is one of those.

I was just reminded that I should be confident in sharing to these accountable people, as they keep watch over me through my walk with God. I shouldn't be hiding anything from them, it's hard to keep things to yourself knowing that God knows what you're hiding, so it's pretty useless to hide.
Have confidence in your leaders. Trust them, because they love you just as Christ loves everyone. Leaders don't bite. They don't judge, they don't condemn. They LISTEN, and godly counsel comes from them.

I'm single because...

I'm single because I want to know God better, and to grow more in my relationship with Him. I know I cannot lead and love a woman if I don't know how to follow God and love Him with all I am. So it's in His time, when I'm ready, He will bring her to me. Meanwhile, I'll focus on my season right now-knowing His will for me