Still surprised with the surprise

The surprise actually comes the moment you unveil that carefully-wrapped gift. But it does not end there. You keep the gift and you discover that there’s much more value to it that outlasts the initial feeling of excitement than when you received it.

I had the common feeling of fear and uncertainty as the Lord had been nudging me to follow the direction He has prepared for me. Then February 12, 2011 was beautifully Mark-ed. Now I am enjoying that road where I walk hand in hand with Mark. All credits go to the Greatest Matchmaker of all. We’re already near to celebrating our first year of being in a relationship together. Indeed, our Father gives good gifts. Mark is such a big blessing for me.

Here are some of the reasons why:

His natural sense of humor and childlikeness make my life sunnier. I add a great deal of investment on the laugh bank every time he’s around.

I see how his life reflects Jesus’ love, grace and forgiveness when I do things that I should be sorry about. He doesn’t make a big deal out of a petty misunderstanding (which I had to continually learn especially when we’re still starting) but gets the lesson for us afterwards.

He helps me grow maturely, I believe. He wouldn’t want to tolerate my childishness but nevertheless gives room for me to grow and he understands the way I am.

He is really patient with me (or with others J)

He’s such a gentleman in every way

He keeps a kind and humble heart despite the criticisms around.

His passion and love for the Lord is insulating that I also desire to be a wholehearted servant of God as well.

I can go on with the list. He’s not Mr. Perfect, though. I understand the flaws that each human being possesses and our tendencies to not live the pleasing life that the Lord has intended for his children. There were times that he failed to listen to me and he kept talking when I just wanted him to simply listen to my rantings. There were times that I burden him with my selfishness when he just wanted me to understand that we still have other responsibilities.

On our own, we may lose track of what we initially intended for this relationship to become. But our confidence lies on the Lord who led us together and to Him Whom we trust to always go before us, Who will always be with us, so we should not be afraid and discouraged (Deut. 31:8).

Prayers Answered

It’s been halfway through this year and by the grace of God, He has given me the opportunity to see how he’s been answering my prayers, using no other than myself.

Once I heard that the greatest answer to prayer is receiving what you have asked for (with the right motive and attitude), but remembering that in the instance of “not yet receiving what you’ve asked for,” one must rest on the fact that God alone is enough. Prayer is not actually asking for something and expecting a reply from the one to whom you’ve sent your prayer to. It is an avenue of communing with the Lord and establishing your relationship with the heavenly Father. And knowing Him more and more through the discipline of prayer is also a spiritual breakthrough.

“This is the confidence that we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us.

And if we know that he hears us – whatever we ask – we know that we have what we asked of him.”

– John 5:14-15 

I’ve been resting on the fact that “God alone is enough,” but without so much expectation on how He would answer my silent prayers. Sometimes, God’s answers to our prayers also depend on how we live out our faith. I asked for a courageous heart and what I realized are situations requiring me to make sound and “courageous” decisions—those that require commitment and follow through on my part. So He is enough but you also have your part to play in the realization of your prayers.

                During our church’s Prayer and Fasting Week on the second week of January this year, I prayed and fasted for three things. This time, I also prayed for an expectant heart and resolved to work with God hand-on-hand with those matters. I know my tendencies and that is to easily give up and stare blankly on an unreached goal. So with that I was also asking that He would help me overcome myself. I asked the Lord to set my motives right and lifted to him all the frustrations I had… with myself.

“Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid and terrified because of them,

for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.”

–Deuteronomy 31:6 

I adhered on that verse and simply amazing things happened within the course of five months. I am now involved in a local Christian church in Antipolo and have started being involved with the youth ministry. One Saturday night in June, while I was with my parents, I was able to share with them the Four Spiritual Laws and both of them accepted Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior through prayer. “Witnessing is taking the initiative to share the Gospel in the power of the Holy Spirit and leaving the result to God.” On February 12, I gave my commitment to this man of love and purity until the day we’re married and even after.

God isn’t slow in fulfilling His promises. He has His wise time table. Most of the time, it is us who delay the blessings that are supposed to be ours earlier on but did not because we stepped back and refused to immediately obey. We reap the results of our decisions… and indecisions although there is God’s prompting. But so, in His goodness, in spite of our delay, “he makes all things work to those who love Him, which are called according to His purposes.”

Trapik

Nakaranas ka na ng mabagal na trapik sa kalsada? Nakasakay ka sa jeep, ang alam mong dapat isang oras lang na byahe, naging isa't kalahati, dalawa, dalawa't kalahating oras na. Nananakit na ang puwitan mo, nangangalay na ang mga paa, nakatulog ka na at paggising ay parang halos isang metro pa lang ang itinakbo ng sinasakyan mo. Maiinis ka? Mangangarap na sana'y wala ka sa kinalalagyan mong yon? Iisipin na sana'y di ka na umalis at nanatili na lang sa kung nasan ka kanina? Siguro magkakandahaba ang leeg mo sa pagtanaw sa unahan. Di mo naman makikita kasi nahaharangan pa ng ibang mga sasakyan. Maghihintay ka na lang. Gagawa ng sariling mapagkakaabalahan. Alam mong aandar din yan. Pero minsan iniisip mo ring bakit hindi na lang lakarin at gumawa ng sarili mong daan.

May mga pagkakataon sa buhay na parang tengga ka na sa trapik. O may pakiramdam na naabutan na ng pulang ilaw sa stoplight. Walang magawa, hindi naman makababa sa sinasakyan. Hindi alam kung ano ba talagang nagpatigil sa unahan. Basta dun ka lang.

Pero matapos ang paghihintay, uusad din yan. Sa panahong hindi tayo ang may hawak. Luluwag din ang daan sa harap, mabubuhay ang pag-asang makakarating din kayo sa destinasyon nyo. Nakikita ng Diyos ang pinagsimulan ng lahat hanggang sa pupuntahan mo. Pinadadaan lang nya tayo marahil sa trapik para matuto tayong pagtiwalaan Siya. Alam mong wala ka namang magagawa sa sarili mo. Mapapagod ka lang kung magpupumilit ka sa isang bagay na wala pa. Di mo kasi hawak ang manibela. Ang mga delays ay ginagamit Nya rin para magkaroon tayo ng panahon na mas maintindihan ang kalooban Nya sa pagkakataon na kasalukuyang nasa harap natin.

(December 4, 2010. Sabado)

Oct. 17, 2010

When she thought she had learned to run forward, overcoming the frustrations and pointless expectations of yesterday, how weak of her to keep looking back at that someone who should have been running with her along the way.

Sneak Peek

Link

Check out the new titles written by Pinoy authors to be unveiled during the Manila International Book Fair!

Waiting requires patience

"Waiting requires patience -- a willingness to calmly accept what we have or have not, where we are or where we wish we were, whomever we live or work with.

"To want what we don't have is impatience, for one thing, and it is to mistrust God. Is He not in complete control of all circumstances, events, and conditions? If some are beyond His control, He is not God.

"A spirit of resistance cannot wait on God. I believe it is this spirit which is the reason for some of our greatest suffering."

-Elisabeth Elliot, an excerpt from Keep a Quiet Heart (Waiting, page 134)

anong mas nakakatakot buksan--ang pinto ng isang madilim na bahay na hindi mo alam kung anong iyong madadatnan, o ang toilet bowl sa isang public cr na nakatakip at hindi mo alam kung anong laman?