Outing sa Outrigger - sanctifying!

Isn't the place gorgeous? It is definitely a good sight! This is where we had our company team outing last April 21, 2007.

But I wasn't able to really appreciate its beauty because I was so caught up with the preparation and other details for the outing.

It was almost 2 month preparation. At first, I wanted to take part on this only for extra curricular activities at work. I believe this will somehow add value to my performance form.



But it is more that performance evaluation. I learned so many things.

Even if it is a secular work, I shouldn't lose sight of God! I should depend on God for every little issue ... for every little detail. I should do it with the strength that God is providing me so that in everything God is glorified.

I felt like something was missing... I felt like I could have done more for the glory of God. But no... and my cell servant was right in saying that I felt this way because I didn't enjoy God as I do and finish this task.

But God is so good to me. Even if I wasn't faithful. He is always faithful... He always is.

I know that there were details in the outing that was provided by God ... even if I wasn't asking for it.

So... this was sanctifying. That is glorifying to God.

I believe as my cell servant exhorted me, nothing is wasted with God. Romans 8:28.




Praise God also for His mercy in all the activities we had. He has preserved me! HE kept me and all of us safe.


Kayak


Pedal Boat


For free!!!!


The boat is sinking!!!!


I've tried both - wonderful experience. I just don't have picture of myself though.


Only by God's grace that I could truly enjoy this day!!! Praise God for this has been more than an outing.

Prayer Retreat 2007

It is good that our church has this every start of the year (sorry for posting this one late). This is not some superstitious beliefs. It is a good practice - to seek God at the start of the year - His will, direction and confirmation about certain things. It's like consecration of the first days of your new year to the Lord. He is worthy!

We bring books and of course our Bibles. I brought my John MacArthur Study Bible and 2 books, Hidden Smile of God and Life is a vapor, both by John Piper. We usually have 4 plenaries/sessions.

During prayer retreat, except for the scheduled 4 plenaries, we are given much free time and should use it to read books, seek God's word and pray... and pray ... and pray.

I came to prayer retreat with the prayer that God would renew my heart for Him. I pray to have my commitment and passion to know Him to get deeper. For me, I had this prayer because I could see that I’ve been growing slowly. And so, this was my prayer.

Throughout the duration of the retreat, God was specifying action points in different areas of my life.

Let me share 3 things:

1. I shouldn’t let anything or anyone even my family or friends hinder me from fully obeying the Lord. I think this has its application already early this year. First is a friend and second is a brother. To both situation, I felt much rejection and devalued. The enemy really knows how to attack me. Security in relationship is one of my weak spots! But God has taught me to let go, die to myself (my own feelings of rejection remembering that He, too, was rejected) and trusting Him that it will be for my sanctification and greater glory in my life. With this, I shouldn’t let them or anything hinder me from stepping out of my comfort zone to full obedience; to renounce fear of the unknown.

2. I should make prayer a lifestyle.

3. I should be motivated to serve the Lord – the holy ambition to honor the Lord; to be motivated by fear and love of the Lord. This start with a simple carrying out of spiritual disciplines like Quiet Time. God got my attention on my lack of pursuit of QT. I do have QT but if I miss it in the morning, it’s like it is not an issue (I miss it, then I miss it, I’ll have it tomorrow). There will be times when we really would miss our QT but the issue is the heart. What I am trying to say is that if I miss my QT, I should not feel comfortable or ok with it.



Through book of Leviticus, I was rebuked! How can I live during the Old Testament times when preparing the offerings (burnt, grain, peace, sin, trespass) require much time and I don’t have time for QT? So, I must strive to have my QT each day. If I don’t have it, it MUST BE A BIG DEAL.

FINE CHINA IS FOR SINGLE WOMEN, TOO

By Lydia Brownback


I remember when I was still in college, my CCC discipler told me that when I get her age, which was late 20s to early 30s, longing for marriage would really be intense. Really? I couldn't understand it before... until now.

The world that I am living in right now views singleness for women as a lonely life and generally, a very undesirable way to go on with life. Movies, television programs, advertisements and billboards deceive me into thinking that marriage is what will complete me and that I should do every thing I can to prevent the misery of being single forever.

I thank God for allowing me to read this book. It has caused me to value my singleness as the gift that it really is. “Our contentment is of far greater importance to God than our marital status.” (page 5)

The greatest truth behind the giftedness of singleness is the sovereignty of God. There is nothing I can do to change my present status. None of my physical feature or circumstance can keep me single or get me married. “When it's God's timing for marriage, nothing or no one will stand in the way.” (page 12)

What I need is to learn now is contentment ... and true contentment and joy are found exactly where God has placed us at any given time. God will sovereignly direct my steps and place me wherever he wants, and my business is to faithfully obey God... to joyfully obey God and not let depression snatch this joy just because I am single.

Most single women view marriage as the real life. Settling to marriage is equated to getting serious. But marriage life is not a fairy tale. “The process of moving from singleness to marriage is trading in one set of problems for another.” (p. 39) In fact, just looking my life now, I don't think I'm ready for marriage and I don't think there will be a man who will be ready for a wife like me. It's just that singles have the tendency to have an idealized view of marriage. I have to change that.

Honestly, I am also made to realize that contentment is what I need to cultivate because I may not marry... It may not be God's portion for me. Joshua 15-19 teaches us that His priority was not equal portions of land for each tribe...

While reading this book and another single book entitled “Single Issue” , I was made to realize that I may be submitting to God's sovereignty but not joyfully submitting to it. I am sinning because of this, and thus, struggling with depression.

To fight for contentment is also fighting for joy! Discontentment destroys our delight in life and makes us do wrong decisions where time and money are wasted. We will be tempted to jump at anything that might offer a way of escape - idolatry. Remember that there is no safer place than to be in the center of God's will. Apart from God's will, we will live barren lives.

Lydia perfectly quoted Elyse and I also quote, “The truth about the choices we make is plain. We don't consistently choose the Lord because we don't really desire him... and we don't desire him because we're not convinced that that choosing him will result in our happiness.” (page 23) Now, I choose God... I choose what God wants for me even if it means I need to struggle every moment to bring myself in this position of joyfully submitting to God. As single, I am tempted to pray the prayer of most single women - to remove my desire but God is not crushing the desire. He wants us to cling to Him in the midst of it. My cell servant exhorts us to pray and ask God if we are for single or marriage but as for me, it is always uncertain... certainty prevents me from clinging to Him.

My present state is God's will for me to make me more and more beautiful. This is my sanctification. True beauty is aligned with holiness. “... the more holy we become, the more we will desire what God desires fro us.” (page 63). One of the main character I need to deal with is my selfishness. According to the author, this is inherent to every single person. This is very much address in marriage but as a single, this is address as we involve ourselves in the lives of those whom God has placed around us.

I must be thankful by being willing to accept the life he has called me to live right now. This is an act of humility and is glorifying God.

Also, as a single, I must make the most of this life that God has given me. I pray that God would allow me to serve Him in ways that won't be possible if I were married. “Make use of your unique gifts and talents where they best fit within the body of believers in which God has placed you, even it it appears that doing so will limit your options to meet a man.” (page 81)

“Singleness is not an accident... not a misfortune... It is a divine calling.” (page 90) This is a blessed opportunity to experience God as my Father, my Friend and my Husband. I pray to be a single to His glory, cultivating an undivided devotion to Him and living each day joyfully under His grace knowing that He is sovereign over all things.

With Phil and Cindy in Manila

If you won't visit the tourist spots and resorts in the Philippines...I don't think Manila is a place to consider for personal vacation. Manila is a very crowded busy city...

But... it is so sweet of them to visit us all the way from US... and I really appreciate them for doing that.

This is our project team with Phil and Cindy during our welcome lunch for them.

I also had dinner with them with my friends and brother -






Cindy commented that I had good friends - that I chose them very well. They are God's gifts to me.

Also, she said that Meann sounded like me when she made that joke about the jeepney.

This is Cindy's shot of me...



"To Phil and Cindy - thank you so much!!! I will miss you and I will pray for you."

The Hidden Smile of God by John Piper

The book is about the lives of 3 great men of God: John Bunyan, William Cowper and David Brainerd. The major theme in their lives is suffering and their faith in Christ and their passion to live for Christ in the midst of these sufferings. I will be sharing the things I learned from their lives but I will not include their biography here. I suggest that one reads the book or biography of each of these men.


To live upon God that is invisible


To a Christian, suffering is normal and useful element in the life and ministry. To associate this with what I learned from “Idols of the Heart” by Elyse Fitzpatrick, suffering keeps us from building our kingdom on earth. In my case, a kingdom is a life of comfort, free from pain and heartaches, free from urgency and from lack of anything. Suffering humbles us and keeps us from being conceited. Like Jesus, my Master, I will suffer in this life. I praise God for the heartaches I have because it brings me to my knees! This is really the purpose of suffering – that we may be drawn to God and to continue to glorify God by depending and trusting in Him. We may lose everything but not God and we will hold on to Him. “For nothing glorifies God more than maintaining stability and joy when we lose everything but God.” (page 46).

John Bunyan was imprisoned… and I am far from that (well, I don't know in the future) He was not the only one that suffered but even his wife and children and yet, he continued in preaching the word of God. Truly, his love for the Lord who is invisible is much greater than any of his close human relations. Human relations is always a struggle. I have the tendency to idolize an existing relationship - be it a relative or friend. But here, I learned that none should be greater than our love and passion for the Lord.

He died without the comfort of his family and home. But he died holding on to his faith to God who is invisible.


To be faithful despite consistent despair/depression


To a Christian, his life need not be full of events but faithfulness to God in our routines. No matter what we are going through or how we feel, we are called to faithful obedience to God. William Cowper’s life is not very much eventful but with consistent struggle regarding his illness. No matter how many times he may have fallen, he comes back with his soul singing new songs to the Lord. Yes, he didn’t demand for reasons of his situation. “There is mystery in my destruction, and in time, it shall be explained.” (page 99) God does not owe us any reason/account of what happens.


To march towards heaven’s gate


“Oh that I might not loiter on my heavenly journey.” – David Brainerd


“God meant to drive him into the wilderness that he might suffer for his sake and have an incalculable influence on the history of missions.” (forgot to note the page)


David’s life – teaches me that God “can use and does use weak, sick, discouraged, beatdown, lonely, struggling saints” who depend on God and trust him that only through Him, can people like David do amazing things for His glory. Oh the great fruit for afflictions!!!


His life was short! But it isn’t in the length of years lived but how this life was lived for the Lord! “Life is to precious to squander on trivial things.” (forgot to note the page)


These godly men pressed on despite great trials and afflictions. Praise be to God for the footprints they left for me to follow.


Jesus Christ suffered so great … it is but right that I, too, suffer. John 15:20, “No servant is greater than his master. If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also…”


God could withhold rest from our soul, so that through restlessness, I may be tossed to His breast. There must be contentment and sweet resignation to God.


I may not be ready to suffer like them but God will provide me grace in time so that I would exactly do what God wants me to do. Until then, may I be found faithful to God for the little sufferings I go through… and to see these things as God-given opportunities to resemble the attitude of these great men of faith to God’s glory alone! What a great assurance that despite all the afflictions, God will bring me home safely. Amen.

Birthday-Dispida for Jaja

Jaja's celebration of her 18th birthday but take note...she is just 17th. This is because she is moving to Georgia, US for good.

"We will miss you Jaja! May you continue to be faithful to the Lord."

Wounds of the Heart

Have you ever committed a sin and still reaping the consequences of it?

Don't get me wrong! God forgives us because He is faithful and just to cleanse us as we confess our sins and repent from it. But consequences of it could be very damaging in one's spiritual walk.

Yes... I have lots of those but there's one that is very real to me now. I regret the sin and the memories that comes along with it. If I could do something to change it.. If I could rewind it, I would have been guarded and applied the lessons I learned from my love guru - oh the matters of the heart!

I remember my discipler back in College when she said that the reason I wasn't into a relationship yet that time was because I am the type of person that easily falls - and God was preserving me.

God is good because He has not let me fall in this area many times and the situation I had wasn't very deep - God has still preserved me despite my unfaithfulness back in 2001.

I guess this will be forever wound of my heart. Even if the wound is there, I pray that may it be used to break my heart before the Lord and cause me to be humbled... Trusting that all is well with my soul and God is good (Romans 8:28).

I praise God because He knows what I am going through right now and He is embracing me, teaching me to fix my eyes on Him, the author and finisher of my faith...yes, even this wounds are His good, pleasing and perfect will to sanctify me which is of eternal value.