a blessed weekend

It's been a long time since I spent my birthday with my family. Since I moved to Manila, I've been celebrating my birthday with different people. As much as I want to spend it with my family, distance just doesn't make it possible. But I'm still grateful that I was able to spend it with people whom I have considered family here in Canada.

Yesterday was our team building activity (with the GCP peeps) and it was a good treat for my birthday. :D We spent the whole day in Victoria which is a ferry ride from Vancouver and did some sight seeing. We went to Butchart Garden, Inner Harbor, Parliament Building, Craigdarroch Castle and Fisherman's Warf. I'm just waiting for our pictures to be uploaded...hehe. I wanted to have a birthday cake but we were not able to get one. Instead, on our way home, we stopped by Krispy Kreme and bought 2 dozens of donuts. When we got home, before my birthday ended, the guys converted the donuts into a sort-of-cake and I got some birthday candles from the stock room.  A birthday song from the guys concluded the day. :D

My 27th year has been one of the most life changing years in my life. And, I can never take any credit for what I have accomplished or given.  All the credit belongs to my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

Starting today, I'll just keep looking UP. Just as the message from the worship service this morning was all about - Jesus was lifted UP on His resurrection. I pray that in my 28th year, I will have a deeper and more intimate relationship with God. That I will continue to walk with Him as I take this journey of re-discovering myself in the eyes of God.

And as you read this, I just want you to know that I praise and thank God that He has put you in my life.

All glory to Jesus Christ, my God and my King!

what are you celebrating for?

This is the only birthday I could recall that I would celebrate it on a holy week. But as much as I want to really enjoy my birthday, I just want to celebrate more on the day after my birthday. The Resurrection Day!


But just a simple fact...Do you know that we actually celebrate Resurrection Day every week? That's the reason why we go to church every Sunday. We celebrate the risen Lord. And this Easter Sunday shouldn't be different on those other Sundays or even on other days.  Or I must say, this holy week should be no different. For me, these days are more like of an opportunity and a blessing that we Christ believers were given (not just because we get a long weekend :)  ).


Why? Because...


When do we really take the time to reflect on the important things in our lives?
When do we really take a rest and just focus on God?
When do we really give thought of our sins and on what Christ did for us?
When do we really read about the death and resurrection of Jesus in the Bible?


It is only during holy week that we see people walking on the street and carrying a heavy wooden cross. I don't judge these people. That's how they want to do it.  They actually serve as a reminder that we all should be carrying our cross though not the physical cross that they have. Not just during holy week, but daily.


And for me, I want to take this holy week too as an opportunity to start anew. There have been so many things in my life which I really don't share much to people but God knows that I just want to change. As Jesus who lives in me had overcome death, what else could He not overcome in my life? 


As I'm turning 27, I am marking this holy week as a door for the life changing days to come. 


I want to leave you with one of Jesus' last words in John 19:30.
    When Jesus had tasted it, he said, “It is finished!” Then he bowed his head and released his spirit.


Jesus completed everything for us in the cross. There is nothing we can do more to add up to that. The only thing we need to do is to respond to what He did for us.  How? By putting our faith and trust in Him that would lead us to repentance and changed life.


 "God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it. For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago." (Eph 2: 8-10)


Have a meaningful Resurrection Sunday everyone!

apathy to evangelism

Have you experienced someone has approached you with a small booklet on gospel sharing?  How about seeing people on the streets with banners in their hands proclaiming about God? 


I had and still do until now.  But my response or reaction to these people today has changed compared to how I respond to them before. You see, I was indifferent to these people. I thought these people and even the people I see in the television sharing about God are all the same, false teachers or evangelists.  So, I didn't give interest. 


But when I started walking seriously with God, my perception has changed. As I learned about evangelism and missions through God's Word and other people, God changed my heart.  (Well, God gave me wisdom too. Not all "evangelists" are genuine.)


Tonight, I was watching a video of volunteer missionaries of Campus Crusade for Christ who were called to share the gospel and love of God to university students in Manila. I felt a prick in my heart knowing how I reacted before when I see students like them who were passionate in sharing the gospel. I never knew how much it took for them to volunteer and go.  And, I never gave them a chance.


Now, when I see students like them or people on the streets, I admire them. Because they have the courage to go out and share the gospel to the world. They carried out the mission we all should be doing.


Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” (Matt 28:18-20)


When you bump into one of them, give them a chance. They really don't want to convert you and make you a member of something. They just want to share a good news that is very worthy of your time.


:)

it's not yet the END!!!

       When I checked my Facebook this morning, most of the posts were about the tsunami in Japan. It was waking up in the morning not with a bad dream, but a sad reality. 
       
       I, myself, skipped my reading for today's quiet time and instead opened my Bible to Matthew 24. I just want to be reminded again that the events that have been happening in different parts of the world are bound to happen. 


"You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places. All these are the beginning of birth pains." (Matt 24:6-8)


      The truth is - our prayers can never change the things that were already prophesied.  Instead, let the events that are happening remind us of the things that we should start changing in ourselves. And when we pray, let our prayers be for people to come to know Jesus.  We can never escape all of these events. But, we can always be ready. 


     I know some of us are getting anxious if the end of the world is coming.  Well, we really don't know. But I think... it is not yet coming today or tomorrow.  Why? 


"And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come." (Matt 24:14)


    God is gracious and merciful. Only through His Son, Jesus Christ, that we will truly be saved not from the calamities of this world but from eternal pain and suffering. That's why the world will never end until everyone has heard Jesus' Name. 


    So instead of worrying about the end of the world or about the coming earthquakes or tsunamis, let's start putting our faith in Jesus and allow Him to make us ready.


:)

[Journey on Waiting 1] While I'm waiting...

I dedicate this blog to all my single girlfriends who are waiting for their God's best. :)


As I write this blog, I'll be speaking about waiting in a perspective of a woman.  Well, I can never speak for men. :)


We (meaning single women) have different reasons why we want to wait for the "right person".  It could be because some of us had been from past relationships that didn't work and we just want the next one to be the right and last one. Or, some who haven't been into any relationship would have the same reason as I have - I want to wait on God because He gives the best. 


This verse always remind me of waiting.  This is about the wedding that Jesus attended and He turned the water into wine.  (John 2: 9-10)


When the master of ceremonies tasted the water that was now wine, not knowing where it had come from (though, of course, the servants knew), he called the bridegroom over. “A host always serves the best wine first,” he said. “Then, when everyone has had a lot to drink, he brings out the less expensive wine. But you have kept the best until now!”


The application we can get from this verse is not just on waiting for the right person.  It can be about anything that we are waiting from God. We can taste all the different wines this world has to offer but we must remember that not all wines taste good. Some could just give a bitter or weird taste to our tongue.  That's the best thing about waiting.  God spares us from that bad taste for something that is not even worth it - it's a cheap wine! God always have kept the best wine. And He will serve it when the right time has come. And if it comes from God, anything will be worth it. :)


And then, the next question that would pop up would be - How would you know that he is the one that God has given to you? Well, I can't speak for all because God works in our lives differently. And to be honest, I can never answer that question until that time would come. 


We really don't have to focus on the waiting itself.  Because it will come, short or long wait. Maybe the question that we should be asking to ourselves is - "While I'm waiting, what should I be doing?"  I truly believe that being single is a blessing.  There are just a lot of things we can do more for God, for our family, for our friends and to other people and sometimes, for our selves because we all have the time and resources. 


These are  just some of the things  that I could suggest (some based from my experience, others - things I want to do):
 - serve God through a ministry in a church or through other volunteer organizations
 - be a part of a women's fellowship group
 - join activities for singles like retreats or camps 
 - get a hobby and share it with someone
 - travel and visit relatives or friends or meet people
 - make time for family
 - have a career that you really love
 - of course, make friends with the opposite sex, get to know them (but always remember: Do not awaken love until it so desires - Song of Songs 8:4)


I can just give a very long list on the things that we singles can truly do and enjoy. And you know what, while still single and waiting - how about a deeper relationship with our Creator? That would be the bestest of the best.  And don't ever miss that! :)

xoxoxo