Tag: Life

Daily Ponder: A purpose and a mission

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It’s been seven months away from home, here I am in a foreign land, my temporary home maybe for the next five to 10 years. I choose a life which for the many is never easy, what is a normal to me might just be a trauma and too stressful, on the uncertainties it may bring.

Here I am starting life all over again. Too often I am ask what I missed the most? Or Do I miss my home country?

To be honest, I don’t miss my country what I miss are the people who showed so much love and care. I miss them and I remember them well. Thank God for technology, I sincerely feel they are so near though far away.

I have a purpose and a mission to fulfill, two things that keeps me grounded to why I am doing what I am doing. A purpose and a mission enough to make me leave my comfort zone and dearest friends.

It is easy to quit with things are going tough! when uncertainties are piling up and you may feel there no-where to go nor run. I remind myself of my purpose and my mission, For God’s glory and honor, In obedience I will go.

Feeling vs. Facts

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Daily Ponder: #021

Life can be filled and met with frustrations and struggles. I don’t know what challenges you are experiencing, the depth nor darkness you might feel you are in. It is my prayer that this thought today would be of help.

Your feelings are valid! It is real! I remind myself this and recognize my humanity. Never invalidate that. We need to pay attention to what are our emotions is saying to us. It is an invitation to ourselves for a self talk. Permit yourself to feel and experience that moment, don’t be afraid, explore and discover this emotions.

However…. Yes…. However..

We also need to come to terms to a greater reality and a greater truth. We can’t afford to be stock in a pit of emotions. We can’t let is as well over rule us. We need to see beyond the feeling and labels we attach in it. We need to seek a bigger perspective, a way out of ourselves, or of our own world. Seeking a different perspective and a different voice. You don’t need to rush in it nor force yourself.

We need the brutal facts! It can go against our egos, pride and arrogance. Brutal facts are coming to terms that we can be very wrong, that we magnified something so little we made it into a monster. You may not want to hear it, you may not want to recognize it, but you know deep inside you will come to it one day.

I respect space and phase, I remind myself that actually. Moving to facts takes phasing, some takes slowly, some takes it faster. May you enjoy the learning, may you be merciful towards yourself, may you be forgiving and accepting towards your shortcomings. Permit yourself the time you need. What matters is you are moving to the grater truth and greater facts.

There is a hope, a future and a life. There is healing and growth. There is a light in every darkness. You are not hopeless. You are valued. You have a purpose. You are a blessing to humanity.

My appreciation as a newbie in Spartan Race.

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Me and my friends participated the sprint race category at the spartan race held at Alviera, Porac,Pampanga last October 27, 2019. This was my first time to ever join an obstacle course challenge, which consisted of 5 KM and 20 Obstacles. This race category is perfect for benginners and thank God my friends choose this.

I thought I came prepared, I had 3 months of endurance training prior to this event, but the moment we where lining up for the registration under the scorching heat of the sun it was already draining the life out of me. It turns out I didn’t have the endurance for the weather and scorching heat has always been a weakness for me. On the 3rd obstacle of the race I felt my body was shocked with the heat. Asking myself, where did all my preparations went? Though I did prepare, I can now say I was under prepared to what came that day.

Disappointment hit me, when I failed the monkey bars while my teammates made it well and I had to do my first 30 burpees in return, causing my team to wait, I have observed that my body was constantly catching breath after that, heavily breathing even as I slowly walked towards the next obstacle station, that was the Atlas Stone Carry, this was just a 6Okg stone ball, this was frustrating for me as I couldn’t lift it up. I felt life was coming out of me, while my teammates made it through, I was taking time and felt I was delaying them. But my teammates was very supportive and encouraging, they help me lift it up, assisted all through until I’m done with the atlas carry.

It was a humbling experience and the most physically exhausting challenge I ever had in life in so far, I wouldn’t have survived it if not without my teammates who helped and gave so much encouragement during the most difficult and struggling obstacles. During the sandbag and bucket carry, I had to stop several times and just catch up some air, spartan racers who would pass by me, utterred simple yet very encouraging words. Those words of kindness help me kept going but quitting was not an option. This race made me appreciate so much teamwork and life made more meaningful because of others.

Though making it through the Spartan race with a medal can be a bragging right. The medal reminded me more of undeserved grace. For now I will push harder and will continue to challenge my own limits as I prepare for Spartan Race 2020. Thankful to God above all else for this experience.

Will your future be thankful from your decisions today?

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We are, who we are today because of the decisions we made in the past. If you are physically fit today, it’s because you decided to commit to being fit. Maybe the best question we can ask ourselves today is “Years from now, will I be grateful for the decisions I made today?”

We have been given the power of choice everyday, you have been given the wonderful ability and privilege of embracing life changing decisions. It starts with a decision in the heart and mind to believe and step out in faith.

Let me share my story with you.

More than 10 years ago, during 2009 prayer and fasting week, I prayed and believed for the impossible to happen in my life and that was to go back to college and get a degree. During that time, I was working as a call center agent and helping provide for my family in the province. The financial challenges in my family drove me to give up the dream of a college degree and accept the weight of being the breadwinner.

But it was through a class in church back in 2007 that once again reignited that desire. Since then it has been constantly brewing in my heart, a hopeful thought that haunted me for two years. My response to this thought was resistance and saying how could it be possible? Considering the weight of responsibility I felt for my family. Who would support and help my family if I pursue my desire?

At the 2009 prayer and fasting, I said to God, yes I want it, and I want to continue. Started believing in my heart what can be, rather than what cannot. I felt it was God calling me on this and it was Him who put this desire burning in my heart. The one who called me is ultimately faithful and in that I rested.

A month after the prayer and fasting, my mom called me up to share her good news! She was hired to work in Macau as a domestic helper. The month that followed was another answered prayer, my sister’s education in a private school will be fully supported financially by a relative until she graduates. Isn’t that great?

God took off every hindrance, showing that truly nothing is impossible with Him. That year I resigned from work and went back to college as a full time student. The journey wasn’t easy, there was plenty of hurdles along the way, but the very words of God brought sustenance and strength throughout the journey.

Today I am grateful that I had made that decision to respond in faith. I am thankful that God enabled me to move in hope in a seemingly cornered and hopeless situation. This experience enabled me as well to see God in action in my life.

But truly the best decision I ever made was the moment I accepted Jesus Christ in my heart as my Lord and Savior back in 2006. I would not have the faith to believe for the possibilities If I did not embrace his Lorship over all things . I am in Christ, so is my life and all it’s circumtance.

These decisions where acts of faith to a faithful and all powerful God that brought so much joy and gratitude in life. It was not because I made a good decision but because it is God’s character who is ultimately good and faithful.

At the end of the day, we all make faith decisions.

Three things I want to point out;

• Never make life decisions base on personal limitations.

• Pray and trust God in all circumstance.

• Obey and act in faith in accordance to God’s words and promises.

What decisions are seemingly challenging and impossible for you, but will make you thankful in the years to come?

Overcoming Christmas stress? 

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Feeling tossed between tidal waves in the middle of the ocean since my return to Manila a week ago -that’s how I can describe myself, at least in the past few days. Christmas time is an awesome, wonderful time to celebrate and reunite with good old friends, colleagues, and family. However, this “awesome, wonderful time” can also cost us with a lot of things and inconveniences. If we are not watchful, we will unknowingly grow hearts of complaints and grudges because of the many things that are happening around us. And this is not the way it should be!

Below are some points on how we can avoid and overcome this:

IDENTIFYING THE STRESS FACTOR

Stress can be both good and bad. But what is causing the stress within us? When stress begins to surface, it’s important to identify what triggers it by asking ourselves honest questions like:

  • Am I stressed because things are not happening my way?
  • Am I stressed because my travel time went beyond what I expected?
  • Am I stressed because I have so many expenses for all the Christmas parties I need to go to?
  • Am I stressed because I’m not getting the things I want?

And there are a lot of other questions that we can ask ourselves whenever we start getting stressed!

As we examine what triggers stress in us, let us also examine the way we respond to these triggers. Our response reveals a lot about the condition of our hearts before God. It takes humility to be honest before God with how we feel about ourselves and our situation, and to surrender everything unto Him.

GRATITUDE!

Christmas parties! From officemates, to friends, neighborhood, community, family reunions, volunteer group, churchmates, discipleship group and a lot more depending on your involvement. There are just so many parties to go to that sometimes, we come to a point that one party becomes “just another activity.” This is the point when I start thanking God for each group and party, and for the fruitful relationships I have this people. But honestly, I’ve had to let go of some parties, especially those with conflict in schedule and location.

Having a thankful heart for all the people and relationships in this season will help us go above feeling overwhelmed with all the parties and events.

EXPENSE! (BOTH TIME AND MONEY)

Celebrating this season means going through many inconveniences – from heavy traffic jam, to crowded malls, to so much things to buy. Most of the time, exchange gifts are set to a range of amount and parties have prescribed outfits or costumes. When budget starts to run low, expense stress also starts. We have to think smart and organize when it comes to spending. Come to think of it, almost everyone is giving away something this season, both time and gifts. Expense is temporary, but the relationships being built through the time spent and appreciation given to people go a long way. When we start to see people as expenses, we should start checking and recalibrating our hearts also. Examine why we have come to this point.

On the other hand, when we start to magnify God’s goodness, kindness and generosity, and fully understand the expense of our forgiveness and redemption, I am sure the sure our hearts response is gratitude and rejoicing. The expenses we have at this time are nothing compared to God’s expense when He sent His Son to us – the Reason why we are supposed to celebrate (and not fret over) this season.

JESUS IS THE REASON

Let us always go back to the reason of the season. It is not the sale going on the malls, nor the presents we give and get, nor the Christmas parties and bazaars we go to. Neither is it about you and me! Christmas season is always about our LORD JESUS CHRIST, nothing more, nothing less.

Whatever stresses and frustrates you, don’t miss out the very reason for the season, our Lord Jesus. The greatest gift we can have for ourselves is accepting Jesus in our hearts as Lord and Savior.

The greatest gift we can also give to our friends, colleagues, and families, is letting them know the saving knowledge of receiving Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior, trusting in His finished work on the cross for our Salvation and forgiveness of our sins. He has accomplished what we can never accomplish on our own and that is more than enough to keep us rejoicing and celebrating this season.

Have a joyful, stress-free and merry Christmas!