To affinity and beyond

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Ear

It always takes a year, until we feel this kind of fear. Sometimes with a cry, But, sometimes with a tear.

Most of times we swear, But, on some days we just want a hug from a bear

I hope you won’t run to a beer Because to me… you are too dear.

[2affinityandbeyond-blog]

A new partner.

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He loved first

“I am ready, she says. You are not, He says.

I don’t care, she says. I don’t care either, He says.

Together we can do it, she says. Yes, together, He says.

I love you, she says. I loved you first, He says.”

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“I am ready, he says. You are not, she says.

I don’t care, he says. I care, she says.

Together we can do it, he says. No with Him, we can, she says.

I love you, he says. I know I do because He does, she says.”

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I am able to love because I have been loved at any circumstance. Ready or not. Knowing and caring or caring and not knowing. But trusting that together we can brought me to a love and the right relationship despite any circumstance.

Romans 8:38-39: “ 38 For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, 39 neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. “

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This is for you, if you are lost in faith and your purpose in life. Joel Houston’s message before the performance of Oceans:

"God is always calling us further, He’s always calling us deeper. I think sometimes our prayer and our confession is, you know like, "God, I want You to take me deeper, I want to know You more, I want to do more for you."

We always want to do more for God, like that is what God is after. God is not looking for us to do more for Him, He’s actually looking for more of us, more of our heart. And, when He gets more of our heart, more of our attention, more of our affection, more of our trust then He is able to do more through us.

And, I feel like sometimes, you know, if we would understand that God’s grace is not really performance-based. His grace is just there for you, for who you are and that is enough.And, you know the lyrics to the song “Spirit lead me when my trust is without borders, let me walk upon the waters wherever you would call me”, people love that line and that is cool but sometimes we are just not prepared to get out of that comfort zone. We can sing it as much as we like. We are going to prepare for that step.

And, so I encourage everyone, whatever that looks like, it is never what you think it is.

You know, if I think about Peter on the boat – it wouldn’t be a pretty exhilarating thing to jump out there on the sea with Jesus. At the same time, there is probably a whole lot of other things that would be way more awesome in the moment because it was stormy – that was kind of freaking out.

And, I dare say it is never what you think it is.

You maybe want to serve God, you want your people to recognize your ministry, you want to inspire people – but that is not what the step is.

The step is being a faithful husband or a faithful wife or being a faithful child and honoring your parents or it might be just being a great friend, giving out some time to hang out with somebody who needs some time or it might be just serving someone in your community. Or it might be taking an extra piece of your day just to love someone.

It is never what you think it is.

God is so faithful. You know, He always wants us to be in a place where we just feel to deep for ourselves and that is where God comes in – that is where He is at His best – when He is the strength in our weakness – that is when we are weak. So, you know this song, the end goal is actually the last line, I guess maybe other people catch them out. The end goal of this “that may faith will grow stronger in the presence of my Savior" and that is what it is all about.

I think it is no coincidence that you have this account of Peter, walking out the waters to Jesus and, you know in the midst of it taking his eyes of Jesus, loosing his way and finding himself in the embrace of his Savior. And, then you know a couple of chapters later, you have this account in Matthew 16 where it says, “When Jesus arrived in villages of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples a question: ‘What are people saying about who the Son of Man is?’And they replied, some think he is John the Baptizer, some say Elijah, some say Jeremiah or one of the other prophets. But then, he pressed them, “And how about you? Who do you say that I am?” Simon Peter said, “You are the Christ, the Messiah, the Son of the living God.” And, Jesus came back, “God bless you, Simon, son of Jonah! You did not get that answer out of books or from teachers. My Father in heaven, God himself let you in on this secret of who I really am. And now I am going to tell you who you are, really are. You are Peter, a rock. This is the rock on which I will put together my church. A church so expansive with energy that not even the gates of hell will be able to keep it out. And that’s not all. You will have complete and free access to God’s kingdom, keys to open any and every door: no more barriers between heaven and earth, earth and heaven. A yes on earth is yes in heaven. A no on earth is no in heaven.”

And I believe that God does want to take us deeper and He wants us to be reminded of who He is. It is easy in an environment like this. You see, you can be in bible college, you can be in church forever and you know a lot about God and you know who God is for a lot of other people and I believe you would not be here if it would not be for some revelation of Jesus but I think sometimes we have to remind ourselves of who Jesus is to us? Who is Jesus to me personally?

Because it is not enough to live your life riding on someone else’s faith because sooner or later you are going to find yourself denying Christ, you are going to find yourself like Peter was, ready to be murdered to his faith. At that moment it is not going to be somebody else’s faith that is going to keep you. It is going to be your own revelation of Jesus.

I challenge every single person here to ask yourself that question:

Jesus, who you are to me? Who do I say you are?

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Something to believe in

I, frustrated writer, scribbling in my notes, did not know how to start and wondered for whom, because my doing seemed unworthy of its deed.

But I read:

"That I may publish with the voice of thanksgiving, and tell of all thy wondrous works." Psalm 26:7 KJV

And, there. I was found by a writing that told me to write about the love I carried because He loved me until death, so strong that He pulled away from the grave, back into life, so that I have something to believe in.

I, frustrated singer, hiding in the shower did not know a tune and wondered for whom, because my doing seemed unworthy of its deed.

But I read:

"I will sing to the LORD as long as I live; I will sing praise to my God while I have my being." Psalm 104:33

And, there. I was found by a voice that told me to sing of the love I carried because He loved me until death, so strong that He pulled away from the grave, back into life, so that I have something to believe in.

I, frustrated speaker, blending into the crowd, did not know how to declare and wondered for whom, because my doing seemed unworthy of its deed;

But I read:

"And I, brethren, when I came to you, came not with excellency of speech or of wisdom, declaring unto you the testimony of God." 1 Corinthians 2:1

And, there. I was found by a whisper so strong that it stirred a powerful storm inside my heart and lit a spark that turned into my own personal burning bush with the love that I carried because He loved me until death, so strong that He pulled away from the grave, back into life, so that I have something to believe in.

Here I am, with something believe in. How about you believe, too? 

[2affinityandbeyond-blog]

Turning point

Hey,

I am back. I might never really have existed in this form but for me this is a real comeback to what I was made to do. I think I will work out that I will stay here and reveal what that is until my life has its next turning point.

I just turned twenty-three. Every year before my birthday comes, something new happens in my life or urges me to do something different.

I put this off too long. A music video has inspired me. 

http://youtu.be/jXDiZRCofqY

My inner warrior has found me.

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Rouse

Am I out of reach?

I am soaring too high?

All I want to be is a light.

A light so bright

To spark that desire to fly

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Faith is to believe the impossible is possible. Love is the drive that keeps you going.

- Pastor Mener Esleta, April 2014

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Virtuoso Love

I still remember that it's either he'd be a writer or a photographer, a poet or a painter, a singer or a musician. Maybe, I'm the latter. And, we're each others Muse. 

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Little by little, I will gather my thoughts. Pray before spitting them out because this is me. Me. I will try and practice until I earn the worth of wasting a few minutes of your life.

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I HAVE BEEN GONE TOO LONG

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Do not worry: Albert Einstein vs. God

"When you look at yourself from a universal standpoint, something inside always reminds or informs you that there are bigger and better things to worry about.” – Albert Einstein"

I think this something inside reminding or informing you is God's voice:

"Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?" - Matthew 6:26

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I recently have developed a habit: I read famous quotations and find the equivalent in the bible. Hmm, is that weird? An example is cited below:

“Two roads diverged in a wood and I – I took the one less traveled by, and that has made all the difference.” – Robert Frost

Then, I had this light bulb moment:

13 “Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. 14 But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.” - Matthew 7:13-14

Robert Frost, may or may not know that he was speaking of God's narrow gate as Jesus tells in the book of Matthew. But as I read it, I knew instantly that for me the road that is less travelled by leads to life. I know it by heart because I want choose it too.

This is just one of many readings that I have related to the scripture.

I came to my own personal theory that mankind, despite of its human nature, still live the word of God. They translate it in their own humane word’s of wisdom, claim it as their own and become "quotable quotes". I find it sort of sad, that the majority bypass God, for as they should know that wisdom comes from Him alone. I have many supporting bible verses for that.

But I know one day, God’s word will prevail. His love story (to us – Jesus), His promises, His goodness, His wisdom – everything is His and will return to Him, not to those in the world.  May it start in my heart.

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People waste their whole lives, wandering around not knowing themselves.

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Remember that you are one of the reasons why I decided to be more positive.

Vanessa Luis, 2013

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We walked by and looked. Took time to see. We cannot stop time but stop the moment and leave kindness. Did you ever?

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“A song puts me in someone else’s shoes or in another time. It can be a time machine or a portal, making you remember how you felt."