Cup of Thoughts

Anything worth talking over a cup of coffee.

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Confessions of a Miss No Perfect

It’s been a while since I last wrote something for this blog. The last one posted wasn’t even authored by me so you can tell how much I’ve been slacking off in this whole writing thing. Anyway, I’m back for now and I have nothing but a confession to make. I’ve been wanting to share this one for some time already but I just never got around to doing it. But I’m here now and well, here it goes:

I’m not perfect.

Okay, fine. That’s nothing new because everyone knows that no human being is perfect. The Word even says, “Indeed, we all make many mistakes. For if we could control our tongues, we would be perfect and could also control ourselves in every other way.” (James 3:2) But the past few months had me thinking so much of what it means to be “not perfect.”

First of all, being imperfect is not an excuse to keep on failing or sinning.

“Well then, should we keep on sinning so that God can show us more and more of his wonderful grace? Of course not! Since we have died to sin, how can we continue to live in it?” (Romans 6:1,2)

Sometimes we have this thinking that being imperfect means we’ll never be able to get things right in our life so why make an effort? If I fail, God’s grace will be there. But grace isn’t a license to sin. It’s supposed to move us to remember what Jesus did on the cross for us. 

Being imperfect means having a humble heart.

We usually say sorry when we do something wrong against someone. But sometimes it’s not easy, right? It’s because it takes a humble heart to ask for forgiveness. It takes letting go of pride and admitting our mistakes. 

I’ve had some failures in my life and sometimes I tend to just keep it to myself rather than laying it down before God. But I realized that it was pride that was holding me back to repent. To ask for forgiveness is to humble down and recognize my need of Jesus my Savior every single day.

Being imperfect strips us the right to judge or look down on others.

I think many can relate with me on this. Oftentimes, we are so quick to pick on the imperfections of others that we forget we are no better. It’s true that we need to check the speck in our own eye first before checking others (Matthew 7:5). Small or big sin, we are all a bunch of sinners looking at the same Cross. Let’s extend to others the same kind of love and grace that God has given us no matter who they are and what they have done. 

Being imperfect means I will make mistakes.

I go to church on Sunday. I serve two ministries, Kids Church and Tech. I do discipleship and small groups. I read my bible. I pray. I am a Christian, a follower of Christ, but I’m not perfect at all. At some point, I fail. In certain circumstances, I fall short. It’s not easy, that’s why I rely on the grace that God has given—the amazing grace that saved a wretched like me.

2 Corinthians 12:9 says, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness. Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me.”

Yes, I am not perfect. But here’s the truth though: Jesus sacrificed himself on the cross so that we may be made perfect before God. “By one offering he hath perfected forever them that are sanctified.” (Hebrews 10:14) 

Christ's people are perfected now in the sense that God puts away all our sin (9:26), forgives them, and never brings them to mind again as a ground of condemnation. In this sense we stand before him perfect. When he looks on us he does not impute any of our sins against us, past, present or future. He does not count our sins against us. (Desiring God)

And so, this is where I will end. I am perfect, not because of what I do, but because of what Jesus did for me.

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5 Truths That Single Moms Should Know

Being a mother is hard, but being a single mother must be harder. Actually, I have no idea what it’s like to be in a single mom’s shoes but I’m certain that there are some truths out there that they essentially need to know especially since the world view of single motherhood almost always has a negative attachment to it. So, to help me out on this one, I asked my good friend Demi, who is also my sister in Christ, to share on some of the truths that every single mom should know.

Hey there! This is Demi and I’m single mom to an adorable and lovely 4-year old girl. Before I could even get started on things that you should know, I’d just like to share a little bit about myself. I was 19 when I got pregnant out of wedlock. During those times, I was really confused, doubtful and scared—scared of how people would see me, how my family would react, the judgments that I may get. It was a very rough stage of my life. People were surprised, critical, and it seemed like all the hate and negativity in this world—ALL OF IT—were pushing me to the ground.

These negative things made me bitter towards my situation. I yearned to escape from my reality. I went out with my "barkada", spent many nights binge drinking, and even wasted my time hanging out when I could have spent them with my daughter. I cannot deny that I had temporary happiness with these things, but that's what they are, TEMPORARY. Then I noticed problems were piling up and I didn't know where they came from because I was focused on the wrong things. I was lost. My relationships were damaged.

But before things got even messier, God sent me a blessing through a friend who I used to share vices with before.  I learned she became a follower of Christ and that’s when she started sharing the Good News to me. She reminded me how God loves me that He sent His One and Only Son to die for me. I began to feel God's presence in my life when I started going back to church, hearing His Word and wholeheartedly seeking Him in my quiet times. Slowly, my views in life brightened.

When I surrendered my life to Jesus, my perspective on motherhood changed. The hardest trial that I thought was became the biggest blessing in my life. But don't get me wrong, I still have my challenges. But with Christ, I gained a new life. I gained confidence that no matter what comes up in my life, I know that through Jesus I can handle it and I am not alone on this parenting thing.

Anyway, single mommies, here are five things that I learned in my motherhood season and I thought should share some of them to you:

1. There is forgiveness.

I needed God's forgiveness. Just like any other relationships, when we wrong someone, in order for the relationship to be restored we should seek their forgiveness. Forgiveness of our sins is always available if we place our faith in Jesus Christ as our Savior. We can't earn it, we can't pay for it, and all we can do is receive it.  Sometimes we have doubts on whether God's grace is as simple as that. 

These doubts are product of our shame, we are so ashamed of our doings that it's hard to accept the simplicity of God's forgiveness. I started declaring by faith that I am redeemed from sin, guilt and condemnation. I am free to love God and myself. I believe we must get these truths into our spirit before we will experience them. Faith comes first and then manifestation. :) Our shame may be great, but God is always greater. God is loving and merciful to forgive us of our sins.

2. We have a new identity in Christ.

“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come; the old has gone, the new is here!” (2 Corinthians 5:17)

When condemnation creeps in, I always think about this verse as a reminder that God has already redeemed me. Yes, I can't change my past, but my God is a God of second chances. My past does not and will not define me. We can't erase our mistakes but we can be redeemed through Jesus Christ. We can stop believing the lie that what other people think matters. I used to listen to the lies of the enemy and other people’s criticism and I end up being in bondage. 

But the truth of God's Word made me free when I started to believe it. In Isaiah 53:3 it says there that Jesus was also despised and rejected, but He never seemed to let it bother Him. I am sure He felt pain too when He was rejected, but He did not let it prevent Him from fulfilling His purpose. 

Remember that no one can define us, but our Father in heaven. Listen only to what God says about you! :)

3. We can have a clean slate.

"Come now, let's settle this,” says the Lord. I will make them as white as snow. Though they are red like crimson, I will make them as white as wool." Isaiah 1:18

I like this verse because it shows God's grace and mercy. It tells us about the love that He has for us, that no matter how stained we think we are or how the world sees our sins, Jesus paid for it all. Every sexual sin we've ever committed was charged to Jesus. Jesus died so we could be free. But His grace is not an excuse to sin. Sin still offends God. When we surrender our life to Jesus wholeheartedly, we are no longer a slave to sin. CONFESS and REPENT, then we can be again as white as snow and wool in His eyes. God will pardon all that is in your past and look upon you with the same grace and favor as if you had never displeased Him. 

4. What you are doing as a Mama matters. It's so easy to get discouraged and feel defeated with our situation. I get it, I know the feeling. Sometimes you feel you wish you had someone else's life, you feel that what you're doing doesn't matter or you're not making any progress. You're stuck, you get frustrated that you wish you can just escape reality. Yes, I have those moments too. That's why I need to be intentional with my quiet time with Jesus. When the stress and insecurities creep in, I find rest in God. Only by God's grace that I get to embrace this season.

Motherhood is precious and you have to cherish your time with your kids. You will never be more loved and needed as you are right now. Your child needs you and he/she is looking at you. I find joy whenever Amber gets good grades in her class or when learns something new. It makes me feel proud that my being a mom to her played a part in that. But of course, I only get to do this single parenting thing with God's grace. Find joy in your situation! :)

5. We need to go back to our first Love. Before you fall in love again, you have to fall in love with Jesus first. I used to seek love and attention in all the wrong places. At first, it felt really good but in the long run I still end up getting hurt and empty. I remember what our Pastor said before, "If we don't find God as our ultimate pleasure, then you are going to look for it from something else."

You see, when we put our dependence and expectations to people, you give them the power to control your emotions, your happiness and your decisions. And when the time comes that he disappoints you or lets you down, it will hurt you really, really bad. 

No person can ever meet the kind of love we want. Human love has limits, God’s does not. You know that longing in your heart that you can't put into words? That is your soul’s desire for God's love. :) And the good news is that, God is just waiting for you. He longs to give you the love that changes everything. 

I can now claim His wonderful and undeserving promises, not just for me but for my daughter as well. Unlike people, God does not lie and disappoints, He is a Man of His Words and He has promised that anybody who believes and loves Him, He will provide and be faithful. I am a single Mom. It's the season of life that I am in. God is working on me and it's not the end of my story. It's just a part of my journey and my testimony. :)

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When It’s Your BFF’s Birthday

After what seemed like a long dragging week of adjusting to my new job (and still one more day to go), I finally had the chance to get out of the house and what better way to de-stress than to meet up with the best friend to celebrate her 24th birthday last 5th of August!

 I’ve missed this perky girl so much! We live in the same city but busyness seems to put a long distance between us. We’ve been so busy with work and everything in between that we barely see each other. 

Nonetheless, the friendship we share remains the same even after 11 years. And I couldn’t be more thankful to God for blessing me a friend like her--funny, sweet, kind, perky, bubbly, and most of all, a woman of faith. Thinking about all of these things reminds me of that verse in Proverbs.

It’s true when they say that we should choose our friends wisely because they can either build us up or bring us to ruin. And of course, we want the former! One serving of a desirable kind of friend please! 

Stormie Omartian describes in her book “The Power of a Praying Woman” what it means to be a “desirable friend”:

1. A desirable friend tells you the truth in love.

Proverbs 27:6 “ Wounds from a friend can be trusted, but an enemy multiplies kisses.” 

2. A desirable friend gives you sound advice.

Proverbs 27:9 “ Oil and perfume make the heart glad, and the sweetness of a friend comes from his earnest counsel.”

3. A desirable friend refines you.

Proverbs 27:17 “ As iron sharpens iron, so a friend sharpens a friend.”

4. A desirable friend helps you grow in wisdom.

Proverbs 13:20 “Walk with the wise and become wise, for a companion of fools suffers harm.”

5. A desirable friend stays close to you. 

Proverbs 18:24 “ One who has unreliable friends soon comes to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.”

6. A desirable friend is a help in time of trouble.

Ecclesiastes 4:9,10 “Two are better than one because they have a good return for their labor. For if either of them falls, the one will lift up his companion. But woe to the one who falls when there is not another to lift him up.“

So, are you the desirable friend? If you’re thinking not really, then you can always pray about it. Do you have a desirable friend? If that’s a nod, then rejoice! But if that’s a no right there, ask God today to send one your way. 

Don’t worry though, you’ve got that one best Friend who will love you and be there for you every single moment of your life--and his name is Jesus. <3

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Top 5 Books That Every Woman Should Read

Did you know that reading can add wisdom in your life? Of course, it will depend on the kind of material or book that you will be reading. 

There are some books that are solely for entertainment and some educational. Then there are those are just totally nonsense and you don’t know how such book even got published. And then there are those books with contents that will really provide wisdom and guidance.

If you want to gain wisdom, read books that will give you one. It doesn’t matter if you’re a bookworm or you’ve never read a book in your life. If you pursue wisdom, “she will protect you…she will watch over you.” (Proverbs 4:6)

Anyway, I’m an avid reader myself and I thought I should share some of the books that really opened my mind wider and made my heart fuller. Here are top 5 books that you should definitely read on your free time:

1. Emotional Purity by Heather Arnel Paulsen

“Emotional Purity: An Affair of the Heart delves into the multi-layered issues of emotional intimacy. Through personal examples, modern day parables and Scripture, this book reveals the importance for Christian singles to strive towards emotional purity.” (Goodreads)

2. Too Busy Not To Pray: Slowing Down To Be With God by Bill Hybels

“ This book challenges you to take time to pray, to listen to God, to respond to what God is saying to you, and to overcome prayer barriers.” (Goodreads) 

3. What Women Don’t Know (And Men Don’t Tell You): The Unspoken Rules Of Finding Lasting Love by Michelle McKinney Hammond and Joel A. Brooks Jr. 

“Drawing on both male and female perspectives, this book deals with the hard issues and questions you and other women ponder as you consider how to obtain lasting love. What Women Don't Know (and Men Don't Tell You) will help you adjust your desires, redefine what you are attracted to, set your values in order, and determine your goals—freeing you at last to pursue the loving relationship you desire.” (Goodreads)

4. What To Do Until Love Finds You by Michelle McKinney Hammond

“In "What to Do Until Love Finds You," Michelle offers women practical, godly advice on how to: handle sexual temptations regardless of past experience, release expectations and embrace life to know God's purpose.” (Goodreads)

5. Captivating: Unveiling the Mystery Of A Woman’s Soul by John and Stasi Eldredge 

“The message of "Captivating" is this: Your heart matters more than anything else in all creation. The desires you had as a little girl and the longings you still feel are telling you of the life God created you to live. He offers to rescue your heart and release you to live as a fully alive and feminine woman. A woman who is truly captivating.” (Goodreads)

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Ladies, Don’t Give It All Just Yet!

Being in a relationship with someone is a beautiful thing. But if we don’t accompany it with wisdom, it may lead us to making wrong decisions and may even become the cause of our own downfall. That is why, ladies, unless you are married to the person you are in a relationship with, don’t give it all just yet!

This does not mean that you give love and care halfheartedly. It only means that since you are still not tied together by marriage, it’s important that you put boundaries in your relationship. There are certain couple privileges that can only be attained within the bounds of marriage. Let’s not try to make our own rules.

Get to know each other better

The stage that you are in is basically the time to get to know each other better. 

That’s the time you stir up each other with nothing other than conversations about interests, goals, dreams and life stories. 

If you have just known each other, it’s the perfect time to catch up on the big and small things that has happened in your life. 

It’s the time you spend getting to know each other’s family and friends.

It’s the time of discovering each other’s strengths and weaknesses, as well as random things that you could think of saying or joking about.

Personally, I think this stage is just a wonderful one. It’s in these times that you create moments together as singles.

Respecting each other’s privacy

Just because you are in a relationship, doesn’t mean that you have to share everything and constantly be together. A lot of relationships end up down the drain because of “suffocation” or too much control that it sometimes end up being unhealthy. It’s best to respect each other’s privacy while you are both single as it promotes more love and trust with each other.

WIFE, submit yourself to your husband.

I hope you noticed the emphasis on the word wife right there. Sometimes we tend to be that woman who gives it all. We tend to be that woman who plays a role that we are not even called to do yet. Unless he has already put a ring on it, don’t be a wife. Save it for the real thing.

By the way, this whole submission thing to your husband is pretty controversial so that’s going to be another whole new post if ever I do get to it (although I don’t think it will be any time soon since I’m not a wife yet!).

Seek individually.

In the past, I thought Christian singles who are in a relationship should pray together about their relationship. While there is absolutely nothing wrong about that (and I still believe you should pray together), I realize that it leans toward more on the married couples. 

While we are still in the process of waiting for God’s perfect timing, it is best to seek God individually. It is best to hear more from what God has to say. Just because you are already in a relationship, doesn’t mean you should stop seeking Him about it. No. All the more that you should seek.

Saving the best for the right time.

In every relationship, touch is essential. In fact, touch is therapeutic. But while we show love by our touch, it’s important to remember to never cross the line or better yet, don’t even think of going there. 

There are certain things that we need to save for marriage and yes, I’m talking about sex. The world calls “saving yourself” for marriage old-fashioned but the Word says otherwise. This is not about the pride of being a virgin on the night of your honeymoon. It’s about honoring God with your body, obeying Him because you love Him. When you wait for the right time, you reap its rewards. There is glory in waiting! #trueLovewaits

Do you think this is way too ideal? Well, I think so too. But by the grace of God, this is possible. It is possible to to put up these boundaries in our relationship. It is possible to love and respect your partner by God’s standards. It is possible to remain pure while waiting. It is possible not to give it all just yet!

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The Guy Who Loves You More But Loves You Second

Although I’ve heard it several times already, it was only when I read Maricar and Richard Poon’s post that convinced me that a man should love woman more than woman loves the man. It may sound selfish or unequal to some of you but that may only be true if you look it that way. As a woman who is wired or designed to be pursued relentlessly, I couldn’t agree more with the Poons’ write-up.

I’m actually grateful Coco had shown me so much care and love throughout the one year that has already passed by. It’s not perfect but I could see clearly (and like really clearly!) how genuine he is with his intentions towards me. In my own judgement, his continuous pursuit and consistent display of love and affection matches that “man who loves his woman more”.

This does not mean that I love him less. God knows my heart. It’s actually kinda like this analogy—women are like flowers. When you give tender, love and care, as well as attention, no doubt it would bloom into a very beautiful one. In the same way, a woman blooms when she knows she is a man’s important priority. 

As a result, the woman will nag less, offer support and even admire her man more. And in turn the man will also love her more. A beautiful cycle, don’t you think? I myself can testify to this.

But here’s the catch: I want to be his second love only, with God as his first.

You see, when a man loves God above all else, he will be able to love others better. 

When he makes God the leader of his manhood, he will take the challenge of what it means to be a real man.

He will not resort to violence and have self-control because he knows his actions are accountable to God.

It will be easy for him to show respect and value purity.

He will not play games or have wrong intentions for the relationship. 

He will be humble in his ways because he knows pride brings disgrace but with humility comes wisdom.

He will lead you closer to God by reading the Bible and also taking time to pray for you.

He will uphold integrity and good leadership not only in his family but also in his work or field of expertise. 

He will have long-term goals for the future including marriage and starting a family, as well as take responsibility or man up for everything that comes his way.

He is strong because his strength comes from God and he is fearless because his refuge is his Creator. 

 And he knows that all of these things are possible not on his own but only by the grace of God.

And so, I don’t mind being a second love just as long God comes first. You can never really go wrong with a man of strong faith.

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Vgroup Series: Why Toni G Is Attracting The Young Ladies (The Marks of a Real Disciple)

I love leading a Victory group with students. Their youthful disposition makes me feel like I’m of the same age with them. Anyway, three weeks ago, we met up at McDo just to talk about our topic that day which was “The Marks of a Real Disciple”. Before we started, I asked them a relevant question:

“If there is one celebrity or famous person whose life you’d like to live, who would it be?”

While I answered Kate Middleton (for no significant reason except she’s a royalty), the girls shared the same answer which was Toni Gonzaga. 

Her wedding day was quite viral that time (watch their official wedding video here) and their reasons for choosing her was quite reasonable. They said she was a woman of faith who is so admirable in her own ways. Her strong conviction about purity was something attractive and worth following. Toni may not be perfect but I couldn’t agree more with them. She really lived up to the standards of God of how a woman should be in the matters of preserving her body for her future husband only. Young girls are really attracted to Toni’s story in the hopes of also finding a man who will respect her, honor her, love her and wait for her until the right time comes.

Jesus is also something like that. The difference is that he did more than just attract crowds. He made disciples. His display of genuine love for others really attracted people to follow Him. In fact, when He said “Follow me”, fishermen immediately stopped at what they were doing and followed Jesus.

Moreover, He commanded His disciples to make disciples, not just in Israel, but in all the earth. Jesus taught them exactly how to make disciples: by baptizing and teaching full obedience to God’s Word. As a disciple of Jesus, are you living the life that marks you a real one?

Here are three things that will tell you so:

A disciple obey God’s Word.

The first mark of a real disciple is obedience to God’s Words, or the teachings of Christ.

A disciple loves others.

The second proof of discipleship is love.

A disciple bears much fruit.

We’re not talking about oranges and apples here. We’re talking about the fruits of the Spirit which is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control (Galatians 5:22,23). When we bear these kind of fruits, it will show in how we live our lives in every aspect. For example, if you used to be so impatient about everything, being a disciple of Jesus teaches you to be patient.

May we constantly ask God to help us obey His Word, love others sincerely and plant the fruits of the Spirit into our hearts so that we may please Him all the days of our life and be called into His Kingdom as a real disciple of Jesus.

(Hey there! If you want to be part of a Victory Group, you are more than welcome. And no, you don’t necessarily need to be a Victory attendee to join. You know where to reach me!)

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Who Will Protect Us?

“Somebody got kidnapped again.”

“What? Is that real?”

“Yes.”

I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. It was only a week ago when a 17-year old girl got abducted and then raped in a scandalous motel. And then the other week, I heard about a Medicine student kidnapped and rumors said that she was also raped. In another week, my friend’s dad got killed with gunshots while the last month, the daughter of our church member got abducted (and thankfully, safely returned). Not to mention the many modus operandi of stealing, fraud, scam and deceiving people.

With all these heinous crimes happening, everyone is being extra vigilant, careful and even suspicious. It seems like there’s just no telling when a danger can happen, when a crime can take place or worst, when a life can end. It’s like we can no longer wear our backpacks peacefully in fear of someone going through it while you’re walking or maybe go for a run alone because someone just might pull off a  “Taken” moves on you.

The depth of understanding why people do such horrible things to others is so deep and incomprehensible. I for one wonder so much why they need to do it. But reality hits me that we live in a world where good and evil coexists.

“We know that we are of God, and the whole world is under the sway of the evil one.” 1 John 5:19

But here’s one important thing that we need to remember: Our heavenly Father looks out for us and protects us from danger far more than we realize. But then it’s something that we should not take for granted. It’s something we must pray often.

“Part of being protected by God has something to do with obeying Him and living in His will. When we don’t do either of those things, we come out from under the umbrella of His covering.” (Power of A Praying Woman, Stormie Omartian)

I can still vividly remember those days when we were still young and my mom would drive us to school. Before we make our travel, she would lead us in prayer for protection. She specifically taught us this prayer:

 Lord, cover us with Your precious blood. 

In Jesus’ name, amen.

 Even until now, I still pray the same prayer, believing God’s hand protecting me wherever I may go or whenever I feel afraid.

There is power in the name of Jesus

One time, I was watching this TV program showing real-life videos caught on camera or CCTV. There was this one particular video that really amazed me. It was a video of an old woman tending a convenient store. She was alone at the counter that time when suddenly a masked man approached and pointed a gun (or a knife, can’t remember) at her. Of course, the old lady was petrified. But in her fear, she stood still and shouted the name of Jesus at the man. “In Jesus’ name! In Jesus’ name!” You wouldn’t believe what the man did next. It looked like he was scared and ran off with nothing!

Amazing isn’t it? It wasn’t magic but power of personal faith, hope and love.

“And behold, they shrieked and screamed, What have You to do with us, Jesus, Son of God? Have You come to torment us before the appointed time?” Matthew 8:29 (AMP)

The devils trembled at the presence of Jesus. They still tremble at the name of Jesus. The power is not in saying the words, but it’s in comprehending and believing, that Jesus is the finished work on the cross, which fulfilled God’s plan of redemption and salvation which has brought victory over sin, death and defeated all principalities and power. (Philippians 2:9-10) 

Whenever you feel scared or you are in danger, call out the name of Jesus. Call unto him in faith.

We need to keep on praying

In hazardous moments, when your future is hanging in the balance, you want the confidence of knowing you have been communicating with your heavenly Father all along and He has His eyes on you. Such moments entail instant answered prayers. But in order to be certain that takes place, you must be praying every day. Surely, God is your place of safety you can run to, but it helps if you are running to Him on a daily basis.

When we have our eyes on God, He keeps an eye on us.

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VGroup Series: The Good, Pleasing and Perfect Will

Last Thursday, my plan of leading a Victory Group among some Psychology graduates that I know finally pushed through. What a joy and privilege to be able to share to them about our topic that day—the nature of God’s will. Oftentimes, we speak so much about the will of God in our lives to take place. When we go on a job interview or when we have to make big decisions, we pray that God’s will be done. But when things don’t go our way, do we still continue to submit to His will? Or are we the type that easily gets disheartened and just ditch the “Your kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven”?

I’ve always wanted to be a flight attendant. I don’t know why but I guess it has a lot to do with my fondness of going places. I really thought that was God’s will in my life. I thought it was a dream He had planted in my heart so I was confident that maybe if I apply, I’ll get in.

 Last 2013, I flew all the way to Manila for a dual purpose—to attend the youth conference Ignite 2013 and try my chances of working as a flight attendant. I was pretty excited and prayed to God for favor. Unfortunately, I think you know how this story ends. I didn’t get it, obviously, as I’m nowhere near flying every day. The will that I thought was for me was not for me! I was a bit bummed out but at the same time, just thankful for what God was telling in my heart instead.

 You see, the youth conference that I joined revealed so much to me about what I want to do. I was excited to go back to my city and do what he has called each and everyone of us to do. Sure, I didn’t get my dream career but I wanted to trust God more than my rejections. I want to lean on to His promise of a “good, pleasing and perfect will” for me.

The rejection I received could have turned me into fearful, unbelieving person. I could have turned a bitter heart on God for not giving me what I want but I have to remember that He has the right and authority to invoke His will here on hearth.

 Because we are not God, we do not have the right or authority to demand our will be done. We are here to pray and work so that His will is established here on earth as in heaven. When we fully understand the nature of God’s will in our lives, we will no longer be afraid to submit to His will. Remember this: the GOOD, PLEASING, AND PERFECT will.  

(Hey there! If you want to be part of a Victory Group, you are more than welcome. And no, you don’t necessarily need to be a Victory attendee to join. You know where to reach me!) 

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How To Make That Travel Happen

Last weekend, I was privileged enough to tag along a short trip to Camiguin with Coco and his fellow entrepreneurs. It was my first time in that beautiful pear-shaped volcanic island so imagine my enthusiasm and excitement despite the blazing summer heat and the very long drive. 

While we were on this trip, I thought about the times when I was just dreaming about going to places. I don’t even know where I got the tremendous love for traveling since we never really had a lot of family vacations back then. But here I am now, craving, wanting to set foot in places that I’ve never been before.

But if you’re like me, traveling isn’t an easy feat. Obviously, it entails the most important element of all—cash, lots of it if possible. The farther the destination, the bigger the money you’ll need. And unless you come from a wealthy family, a multimillionaire or simply just have a fat bank account, traveling takes a lot of work. 

Not everybody have it all easy and I am no exception to that. I work at least 8 hours a day just to earn and fund my dreams of going places. But I’m blessed to say that even though I am not financially fat, I am still able to somehow pursue wayfaring. I never really thought I’d have the privilege because let’s admit it, travel is seriously expensive! And even until now I still wonder how other people do it. Are they just really that rich? Do they have high-paying jobs? Is someone paying their trips for them? How?

Well, whatever their answers may be, here are some of the ways that I know of (other than family trips or being funded by parents) that can make that travel happen:

The stable cash flow

My current job is my main source of income. This is basically where I get money for all of my needs and wants, traveling included. I’m actually a tad bit conscious with how I spend my money and I don’t like making one time big expenses. That’s usually what hinders me from spending for travels. But that will lead us to number 2.

Just do it!

Don’t even let the issue of money be the reason not to experience traveling. Just as long you have the budget for it (please don’t borrow money just for pleasure purposes), then go for it! 

The wisdom of budgeting

When traveling, the first thing you need to consider is the budget. How much are you allocating for that trip? What are the specific expenses? Do some research on the fares, accommodations, food and other necessary things. Be wise with your finances especially if it’s a shoestring budget trip. 

The power of credit card

Okay, first of all, such great power comes with great responsibility. I personally think one should only own a credit card if you are wise with its usage. My sister and I make use of the credit card in booking our plane tickets or reserving a hotel room. This means that we don’t need to bring out cash right then and there especially if we don’t have it on hand yet. We get at least a month to save up to pay for the bill. When we went to Singapore last year, the credit card was really handy. It basically made our first international trip together possible!

The more,the merrier!

Group travel with friends, colleagues, or relatives can make the whole travel experience be less expensive. That’s because you get to divide the cost of the travel elements like the accommodation, food, transportation and others. So for instance, if your hotel room costs 3,500 per night and there are like 4 of you in the group, you can equally divide for the payment, leaving you with a charge of only 875! So as much as possible, go in groups because aside from “the more, the merrier”, it can also be “the more, the lesser you pay”. 

The privilege of incentive trips

I don’t get to enjoy this one but Coco does. In fact, our Camiguin trip was actually an incentive trip from their networking company. Because I was just a tag-along, I had to pay for that trip while they didn’t even have to shell out a single peso! (Thankfully though, Coco paid the half for me.) They have had international trips as well like Singapore, Hong Kong, Dubai and others—everything paid by the company. Nothing is better than all-expense paid trip! 

Dual purpose trip

Last February, I was able to visit Laguna not primarily for leisure but for a conference organized by Victory. We basically went there for the conference but the venue was a bonus because we stayed at Caliraya Recreational Park which was nothing short of beautiful! For a price of around 3 thousand, we were able to enjoy a scenic place, some adventure rides, comfortable rooms, chilly weather and we were even very, and I mean very, well fed! A great deal of dual purpose.

The good old piggy bank

Of course, nothing beats the old habit of saving up for something you want. I’m not really good at this department but I try to set aside a certain amount when I know I have something planned up the next month or the next year. I think a great way to motivate you to save up for a travel is to book a flight or hotel room ahead. When you have already made such commitment, there’s no turning back anymore. You just have to save up for an upcoming trip.

So far, those are the things that I know that will really let you make that travel happen and not just remain as a plan or a dream. If you have parents or someone sponsoring your trip, then be thankful. But if you’re like me, you just have to make it happen!

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Forevermore: Where Did Alex Go Wrong?

With the hype of Forevermore still lingering on, I thought I should share something about Alex’s (played by Erich Gonzales) downfall.

Honestly, I only started watching the most talked TV show two weeks before its finale. I wasn’t really there to witness the whole Xander-Agnes love story. I only got interested when I found out Erich (a favorite local actress of mine) was playing a role as “Alex”, the perky, jolly and without any doubt very confident veterinarian. She met Xander when he was at his lowest point and Alex acted like some sort of lifesaver trying to make him smile or laugh with her very…well, not so sophisticated jokes.

Don’t get me wrong. Alex was lovable. Her positive disposition was highly infectious. She was kind, radiant and caring (especially to animals of all sorts). She could easily blend in with people. If she were real, any man would love her as she is. So how could Xander just leave her like that? 

This is where Alex might have gone wrong.

There was this one episode, if you remember, when she willingly admitted that it was her who made a first move on Xander. It was her asking him out on a date and it was her chasing after him. To simply put, she was “courting” him. Now, I have nothing against that. I mean, who am I to judge? But ladies, we need to remember that we were not designed to pursue men because it’s supposed to go the other way around. It’s so important for you to realize what the Designer intended when He created you.

You might be thinking, “What guys can do, girls can do better!” Well maybe—maybe not. But according to the Bible, roles aren’t based on who is more proficient or able, or whose turn it is, or who wants to have a go at it. We need to understand the roles that have been assigned to us as women.

The Leadership Role

Amongst the various roles appointed to men and women in the Bible, men are appointed the role of LEADERSHIP. This is actually true in the church and in the family. But this does not mean male superiority or greater significance of men. It is simply God’s purpose and assignment of equally valuable roles among spiritually equal beings. Men initiate, women respond. 

Nature of Men

One thing I noticed about some men is that when they want something so bad, they will do anything to get it! In fact, they may never even stop until they finally get what they want. It can be the same when they want to win the heart of the woman they love. They’d put out extra effort and go out the extra mile just to get and hear the sweet sound of “YES”. When they do such pursuit, it means that you are that valuable. You are that worth it. And every woman should be. Girl, you are a Tiffany diamond, remember that! Read more here.

“But men can be so passive! They take too long to make the move. I’d like to put matters in my own hands.”

How many of you had to go through this thought because this one guy just won’t budge? And why isn’t he doing anything anyway? Well, there can be two possible reasons: 

1.) He’s just really shy or waiting for the perfect timing. 2.) He’s just really not into you. 

Assuming you’re in situation 1, you have to remember what love is. 1 Corinthians 13:4 tells us, “Love is patient...”

I know it wasn’t entirely Alex’s fault. Xander, heavily heartbroken, also led her on thinking that entering into another relationship will perhaps fix his shattered heart. Both Xander and Alex had something to do with the demise of their short affair.

Anyway, to end, I just want you to remember this: Proverbs 18:22 “He who finds a wife finds what is good and receives favor from the LORD.” You are to be found. You are to be pursued.

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The Early Morning Habit

I love waking up early to meet a beautiful morning! Unfortunately, I think mornings don’t love me the same since I’ve been having a hard time on getting back to my early bird routine. I used to start my day around 6 in the morning and those were the days when I felt so productive and energized even as I go back to lie down in my bed for the night. I could even squeeze an hour or two of exercise because I had extra time in my hands as a result of starting my day ahead of schedule. 

But if you’re like me who has a very flexible work schedule, waking up early can be difficult. Knowing that I can boss my own time only makes me complacent and unproductive—basic ingredients to a bad habit. 

The benefits of waking up early

There are so many health benefits to getting up even before the sun rises. I’ve googled it up and a long list of articles on the benefits are available for you to read. Meanwhile, here are some of the benefits based on my lifestyle that I am going after:

• Quiet time with God. The peace and serenity at dawn is just so promising. The stillness allows me to connect more with God without any interruptions or things to do. • Breakfast food. I don’t know about you but breakfast has got to be my favorite meal—bacon, eggs, pancakes, waffles, bread, cheese, coffee, and more! I love the image of sipping coffee or tea while watching the sun rising up. • Grind time. When I wake up late, I end up getting lazy the whole day. Waking up before 6am allows me to have more time to squeeze in some physical movements. Plus, the reward of losing weight/getting fit is something I want to gain! • Productivity. I actually have the option to work during the day or all throughout the night. But I find myself less productive when I start my work late. Waking up early means early work=early finish. • Extra time. Starting the day earlier than schedule means I get extra time for stuff that I want to do like blogging, reading, going out for coffee or Victory groups. 

How can I start the early bird habit? I found this article shared in Facebook by Young Pro Movement and I find the tips very practical. Here’s a photo included from the article:

Pancake Recipe

And because I mentioned I love breakfast food, I thought I should share a simple pancake recipe. My boyfriend Coco and I tried it and we love it! 

Pancake Recipe

1 1/2 cups flour

3 tbsp sugar

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp baking soda

1 cup + 2 tbsp milk

4 tbsp melted butter

1 egg

Simply combine the dry ingredients together. Then add the liquids and mix them all together until it becomes a batter. To cook, prepare a pan in low to medium heat and add a bit of oil or you can opt to use butter. Then just pour in the batter until both sides turns brownish. And voila! You got yourself a pancake. Then just add whatever toppings you wish to pair it with. The fun part is that it can be anything you like: chocolate syrup, maple, honey, bacon and egg, blueberry, cream cheese and the list goes on. Experiment and have fun!

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Why Won’t God Answer My Prayers?

Prayer is powerful. Prayer is effective. Prayer is a lifestyle. But how often do you do it? I have to admit it, if there’s one thing that I’d like to grow more in me, my answer would be my prayer life. Sometimes, I go into my room, close the door and indulge in the presence of God by praying and worshiping for about an hour or so. Then there would be those times that I barely even say a word to God because I get caught up by things that make me “busy” or I feel like God isn’t even answering me. How many of you can relate to that? You just stop praying because nothing’s working.

Well, guess what? It’s not God. It’s you.

“What? What did I do?”

I had the same question too and I’m glad I’ve found some probable answers. A month ago, I stumbled upon this book written by Bill Hybels called “Too Busy Not To Pray”. I sure learned a lot about prayer and what it really is but most of all, the chapter that struck me the most was the “Prayer Busters”.

The Prayer Busters

While we shout in thanksgiving for prayers that God answers, we also tend to get upset when God doesn’t. It’s as if no matter how fervently you prayed, it just doesn’t make any difference. And nothing is more devitalizing than a rope of unanswered prayers.

Now the book mentions about three possible hindrances to each unanswered prayer. The two major reasons are: the request may be inappropriate and the timing may be off. But if you have a long list of unanswered prayers, you might want to consider the third category: there may be a problem in the life of the person who is praying. In the book, Bill Hybels called these reasons as the “prayer busters”. Here is an overview of some of the important ones:

1.       Prayerlessness

This is basically the most common cause of unanswered prayers. As James 4:2 says, “You do not have, because you do not ask.” I’m pretty guilty of this. I have a long list of things (talk about faith goals) that I want to ask for from God but if I think about it, I hardly even pray about it at all! So, why isn’t God answering your prayer? Because you haven’t prayed purposefully, fervently, or expectantly.

  2.       Unconfessed sin

One thing that cuts off your communication with God is an unconfessed sin. It says in Isaiah 59:2, “Your iniquities have separated you from your God; your sins have hidden his face from you, so that he will not hear.” I find it similar to when you get upset with someone because that person committed sin against you. Unless that person approaches you with a sincere heart, says sorry and asks for forgiveness, you will never talk to that person, let alone grant any of his/her requests. Right? As Hybels wrote:

God expects us to maintain a strict personal integrity…If you’re tolerating sin in your life, don’t waste your breath praying unless it’s a prayer of confession. Receive the Lord’s forgiveness, and then He will listen when you pour out your heart to Him.

3.       Unresolved relational conflict

 Matthew 5:23-24 says, “If you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to your brother; then come and offer your gift.” This verse alone was enough of an explanation. Sometimes, we forget how much God value relationships. He is after all a very relational God. He wants us to be in close, personal relationship with him and he wants us to carry our relationship with him into our relationships with others. There’s no point in trying to pray if you are still tied up in ongoing conflict with a family member, a coworker, a neighbor, or a friend.

4.       Selfishness

 Out from the selfishness in the heart, we unthinkingly come up with inappropriate requests. James 3:4 says, “When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures.” Think about it, if your prayers were to be publicized, how would you feel about it? “I want to get rich more than my friend”, “I want to get super famous”, “I want all the attention”, “I want to succeed above all others”. Sounds pretty selfish, huh?

5.       Uncaring attitudes

 Proverbs 21:13 says, “If you close your ear to the cry of the poor, you will cry out and not be heard” (NRSV). God wants us to become people who will reflect his character in the world—caring and compassionate to the afflicted. If your ear is open to the suffering, God will keep his ear open to you. 

6.       Inadequate Faith

I can’t imagine having a prayer life without having faith. If you don’t believe that God is able, then there is indeed no use of praying. Have the faith that God will answer you. It may be a no, a yes or a wait. And regardless of his answer, he is sovereign and his plans are far better than what we have for ourselves. So the next time you start praying, plan on seeing a mighty demonstration from God. Mark 11:23 says, “Truly I tell you, if anyone says to this mountain, ‘Go, throw yourself into the sea,’ and does not doubt in their heart but believes that what they say will happen, it will be done for them.” Now, that is faith.

Everything I have written down is just a summary version of what’s in the book. So, I highly suggest you grab a copy of it if you can and remember, God hears. Hope you learned something!

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You’re Lazy and You Know It

It’s been a while since my last blog entry and I think you can tell why—yes, I’m lazy and I know it. I’m actually aware of how lazy I can be but the past few weeks had me thinking twice of the enormousness of my idleness. 

One time I was looking at my favorite pairs of shoes and I can’t help but cringe at how dirty they were already after being used so frequently. Every after use it’s either they’re just outside collecting more dirt or inside on the shoe rack but not even brushed or wiped. I picked up one shoe and examined how grimy it was, but instead of grabbing a rag, I just said under my breath, “Someday, I’m going to clean you.”

By just the word “someday”, I knew my laziness had gone too far already. I’m pretty sure it wouldn’t take me an hour cleaning them up but I resorted to staying in my comfort zone—wearing dirty shoes. And more often than not, when we let laziness get to us, it causes us to be dissatisfied with ourselves and our lives in addition to being unproductive. The bible tells us:

Slothfulness casts into a deep sleep, and an idle person will suffer hunger. [Proverbs 19:15]

A slack hand causes poverty, but the hand of the diligent makes rich. [Proverbs 10:4]

The soul of the sluggard craves and gets nothing, while the soul of the diligent is richly supplied. [Proverbs 13:4]

Apparently, the Bible has a great deal to say about laziness. Proverbs is especially packed with wisdom pertaining to laziness and warnings to the lazy person. This only reminds us that there is no room for laziness in the life of a Christian especially because we are in a big mission of telling others about the gospel.

There was this one time when I was just at home when this person I am doing one2one with spontaneously messaged me. She asked if I was available so that we can continue on to the next chapter. Oh, I was free alright, but I felt a surge of laziness in me because of three main reasons:  1.) I live about 20 minutes away (when commuting) from the city, 2) Public transpo from our house is just exasperating and 3) I’m still in my pjs. Can I just stay home, pretty please?

But deep down inside I knew I was just being plain lazy. And considering this person was most of the time busy, I knew I just had to take the chance of meeting up with her, whatever it takes. An invitation to do one2one only signifies this person’s hunger for more of Jesus. How can I possibly let the moment slip through my fingers just because I’m “feeling” lazy? So, of course, I replied with a “yes, let’s meet” after contemplating.

For we hear that some among you walk in idleness, not busy at work, but busybodies. Now such persons we command and encourage in the Lord Jesus Christ to do their work quietly and to earn their own living. [2Thessalonians 3:11-12 ESV]

Do not neglect to do good and to share what you have, for such sacrifices are pleasing to God. [Hebrews13:16 ESV]

I’m still trying to overcome this prominent laziness in me and I guess one thing I’m ticking off my to-do list is to get back to writing in this tumblog. Hoping I get to keep this up.

So, is there anything that you are really lazy of doing right now? When are you going to do it? How can you possibly deal with it? Whatever it is, try to remember what God thinks about it.

And oh, by the way, I’ve cleaned my shoes. “Someday” isn’t so far away after all.

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I’m Tired Of This Life

These past few days have been a crazy whirlwind of emotions for me and I believe I have my monthly hormonal changes to blame for. Ladies, I think many of you would agree when I say hormones plus what the world is throwing at don’t make a great combination at all. It’s like walking through Jurassic park only you’re the T-rex roaring and chomping on anyone who gets in the way. Of course, that’s just exaggerated but I think you know what I mean here. Can I get a yes?

Anyway, with heightened emotions, I’ve been pressuring myself lately with earning money and it’s silly because I don’t know where this is all coming from. It’s like as if I have kids to feed (although I do have bills to pay) and I felt like I need to earn, earn, earn, get that extra money or else they go hungry. And then there’s the reflecting about the future before gong to sleep or when I'm on my alone time:

“What’s going to happen to me?”

“Where am I going next?”

“What’s in store for me?”

“Is this how life going to be?”

“What am I good at?”

“Why am I so worried?”

Thinking about all these things, I am brought to the entire book of Ecclesiastes. It says in Chapter 1, verse 1-9:

The words of the Teacher,[a] son of David, king in Jerusalem:

2 “Meaningless! Meaningless!”     says the Teacher. “Utterly meaningless!     Everything is meaningless.”

3 What do people gain from all their labors     at which they toil under the sun? 4 Generations come and generations go,     but the earth remains forever. 5 The sun rises and the sun sets,     and hurries back to where it rises. 6 The wind blows to the south     and turns to the north; round and round it goes,     ever returning on its course. 7 All streams flow into the sea,     yet the sea is never full. To the place the streams come from,     there they return again. 8 All things are wearisome,     more than one can say. The eye never has enough of seeing,     nor the ear its fill of hearing. 9 What has been will be again,     what has been done will be done again;     there is nothing new under the sun.

I felt like King David trying to make sense about everything. But as the week ends, I learned a lot from this whirlwind. I learned that it's about turning to God when we're worried because He cares (1 Peter 5:7). It's kneeling down before Him, worshiping in spirit and in truth even in adversities (John 4:24). It's trusting Him that the sufferings we have now is not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us (Romans 8:18). It's finding rest in Him when everything's just so stressful and chaotic (Matthew 11:29). And most of all, it's making Him my strength, my ally in everything I do (Psalm 28:7)

Life isn't going to be easy. It's going to be tiring, draining and even frustrating. But when you have Christ in your life, you can have a storm-proof life wherever you may go. Going through a storm right now? Don't give up, instead, look up. :)

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It Starts In The Family

This is my friend Aisha. Even though we've already parted ways after college, we've made a habit to update each other once in a while through Facebook. And earlier today, she shared to me about how God has been answering her prayers for her family. I was so happy to hear her testimony that it even became more like an eye opener to me about my own prayers for my family.

I think many of us can relate about praying for the salvation of our family members. Aisha is not an exception to that. Ever since she surrendered her life to Jesus Christ last year, she never miss to include her family in her prayers. In fact, during the prayer and fasting week at the beginning of the year, one of her faith goals was for her family to encounter the love of God the same way she had.

It seemed difficult considering her dad is a Muslim and her mom feared that if her father finds out about going to Victory Dumaguete, it's going to cause a lot of conflict. Her two younger siblings were also hesitant about going with her to the service every time she invited them. But that didn't stop her from praying for them.

"Pray without ceasing" 1 Thessalonians 5:17

She was also persistent with her invitations that eventually, her brother Omar finally went with her to the youth service. And on his first visit, he loved and enjoyed it! Imagine how happy Aisha must have felt. And although Omar was shy to mingle with the people at first, it was only a matter of time when he began to warm up to the idea of being discipled. Aisha's sister, Amina, was more of a challenge to tag along because she was very busy with school and just didn't feel like going. But as Aisha continued to pray, God was also working on Amina. It was as if God was knocking gently to the door of her heart, softening it, drawing her close to Him. She started with shy questions about the whole thing that eventually led to "okay, I'll go with you to the youth service."

If the two were my siblings, I probably would not be able to express the joy of having them both plugged to discipleship! The best part is that both Amina and Omar are going to start their one2one sessions already. Isn't God amazing? Isn't He surprising? Aisha, being the eldest, couldn't be more excited for her dear siblings. We used to all live in the same boarding house before and knowing now what God has been doing in their lives is making me excited for them as well!

No doubt, God hears our prayers! Nothing is ever impossible with Him even though it may seem like it to us. Aisha's testimony reminds us that our calling to spread the Good News starts in the family. And even though it may be hard, nothing is ever too hard for God.

As of now, Aisha continues to pray for her family especially for her parents. In God's perfect timing, they too will encounter God. Let us never cease to pray for our family---for mom, dad, ate, kuya, little siblings, tita, tito, cousins, grandparents---because with God nothing is impossible.

 (Aisha, Omar and Amina)

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Dear Brokenhearted

This is probably the last thing you need right now—-another stranger talking about how to mend your broken, crushed, aching heart. Well, I can’t blame you. I know exactly how you feel. I know how sometimes you might think no one truly understands your real feelings, not even your closest friends. It’s as if no matter how much you try to listen to their sympathies, advices and comfort, you’re still feeling emotionally exhausted at the end of the day. And there you are, crying your self to sleep feeling hopeless and tired of the pain killing you inside.

I don’t know why your heart is broken at this moment: Long-time relationship ended? Loss of loved one? Didn’t get what you want? Still hurt by your past? Partner cheated on you? Still love your ex-boy/girlfriend? Complicated relationship? Got into a fight with partner? Whatever it is that’s causing the pain right now, you have every right to feel that way so. We weren’t designed to be devoid of emotions or feelings. Even Jesus’ feelings got hurt in His time.

But how you respond and your actions toward the harrowing circumstance will greatly matter. I understand the need for you to unleash your ball of emotions which is most likely made up of anger, hate, anguish, pain, vulnerability, vengeance and all the other ones you could think of. Your heart could burst up if you carry that around.

But if there’s one thing that I understand about being broken, it’s going back to the One who created you. I mean, if you think about it, if your iPhone gets damaged, the first thing you’d probably do is to go to the Apple store right? They’d know how to fix it because they made it. In the same way, when we need some fixing, we need to go back to God.

There were some that actually asked me, “How did you do it? How did you move on?” I wanted to give them well-defined answers, the ones that will really give them practical ways to move past the hurts. But I couldn’t because I know that during those gloomy days, I could only do one sure thing—-PRAY.

Psalm 34:18 “The Lord is near the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit.”

Remembering that verse every time I feel hurt gives me a security that God is there for me. It's a reminder that my prayers aren’t just going to float up to the ceiling and disappear like a bubble. He hears me and even sees every drop of my tears.

Psalm 116:1,2

“I love the Lord because he hears my voice     and my prayer for mercy. 2 Because he bends down to listen,     I will pray as long as I have breath!

The process of moving on isn't easy. It might even get harder as you continue to walk along. But as you call upon the name of Jesus, you encounter the best comfort you could ever have. You experience gradual healing and transformation, as well as peace that no one else can ever give you. You will find the joy that you've been looking for in Him replacing every ounce of sadness you have inside.

Psalm 30:11,12

11 You turned my wailing into dancing;     you removed my sackcloth and clothed me with joy, 12 that my heart may sing your praises and not be silent.     Lord my God, I will praise you forever.

The truth is, in this world, you're going to go through many heartaches.But always remember that the present sufferings you encounter are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in you (Romans 8:16-18). 

So, brokenhearted one, wipe those tears away and begin to look at life in a new perspective today. Let Jesus take control and know that you will be okay.

(photos not mine)