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Sat, 07 Jul 2012 22:42:24 +0800

A skeptical attitude can help us get to the truth

Sat, 30 Jun 2012 02:05:56 +0800

I’m glad that Thomas was a skeptic. That’s because I, too, am a skeptic. It’s not that I don’t believe in God or Jesus. It’s just that I can’t believe in anything unbelievable. And I’d like to think that Thomas represented me, and those like me, when he doubted.

In churches where people easily believe, skeptics may sit quietly…unnoticed. In those rare occasions when they express skepticism, they are often rebuked: “Why can’t you just have more faith?” People give them a certain look—the one that says, “What’s wrong with you?” But is there really something wrong with them?

My attitude toward skeptics is generally positive. I think it’s safe to believe a skeptic’s words than those of a person that easily accepts what she hears or reads. Why? A skeptic would normally get the facts straight first before sharing any information, while the one who easily believes may spread something that’s really nothing but a rumor.

I thank the Lord for giving you the courage to write this post!

I felt guilty when I look back at the first 3 years of my renewed relationship with the Lord but now I am learning to forgive myself for being like Thomas in those years.

For 3 yrs, I would not allow myself to undergo a process in the church because I thought it was unnecessary and at that time, I am still on the process of observing and doubting, not believing in everything I am told until it is the Lord through the Holy Spirit in me who will tell me to do and to be, I will not believe and agree just for the sake of pleasing my fellow believers. God said to do things to please Him and not to please men. I would be displeasing God in doing something just for the sake of compliance with tradition and laws (like the pharisees that criticized Jesus for not behaving according to the laws at that time).

Now I am full of joy that that 3 yrs of “doubting and not believing and agreeing” in everything I hear has a reason! Truly, all things worked for my own good; there’s no doubt I love the Lord, but, I have doubts with fellow believers around me.

I can imagine myself being a hypocrite or a fake if I easily agreed in everything I heard and yet deep within my heart, I could not agree to the accuracy of what I am hearing from my fellows since I hold on to the Lord’s words that “whoever believes” in Him shall be saved. I believed in Jesus as my savior but I did not believe that I would be surely saved because of a certain process. I was lost and confused at that time and I listened to the inner voice that told me, “don’t do anything that you’re not at peace with.” For 3 yrs, I did not deny that inner voice until finally, the Lord Himself spoke to me through a college classmate! I pondered on her very simple explanation and little by little, my doubt was gone! Had I heard that earlier from my fellows, I could have believed them right away…but God has reason and a plan and it was for my good. Thank u God!

That’s why I want you to know that I was blessed with this post especially when you said “one of my greatest challenges is not making believers out of skeptics but making skeptics out of believers” for you are lovingly allowing truth to enter a doubter’s heart by trusting that God has His own personal way (of dealing with the doubter by revealing the truth Himself or by using an instrument) rather than telling the doubter that there’s something wrong with him.

Stay blessed and keep on blessing others with your wisdom.

"Be Like a Daredevil I know that this can be extremely overwhelming. But for the Church of Jesus..."

Sat, 30 Jun 2012 00:08:42 +0800

“

Be Like a Daredevil

I know that this can be extremely overwhelming. But for the Church of Jesus Christ to be the agent of change, we’ve got to do something different and right. We should not be content with just business as usual. Jesus changed the world because, despite what people might do to him, he was willing to make it happen. The disciples put their lives at risk as well when they began to follow Jesus and committed themselves to him and his vision.

To follow Jesus is to live dangerously because it involves loving people, including those that are not like us. If we truly care, we must be willing to take the risk of loving others despite the possibility that the same people we care about might, for example, criticize us for our theology, ostracize us for our methodology, label us liberals for our “heresies,” or, for our “dangerous” ideas, call us crazies!

The world may crucify us for following Jesus. But even if it does, that won’t be the end of us. For as Jesus said, “Because I live, you also will live” (John 14:19b). Perhaps we should take those words of Jesus not just literally. The reason is because the sweetness of such life that has been promised to us for the future can, in the here and now, let us already enjoy life despite the fact that the path we tread may be lined with peril and strife.

But we couldn’t be too pessimistic about the world. Very recently, daredevil Nik Wallenda walked the high-wire walk above the thundering waters of the Niagara Falls and across the U.S. and Canadian border. When a Canadian customs agent asked about what his purpose was for his “trip,” he said, “To inspire people all over the world.” And inspire them he did!

There might have been some jealous guys that wanted Wallenda to fall and fail, but as expressed through their cheers, spectators really wished him well. And because he was determined to walk across, he disciplined and trained himself to get focused. As a result, he gave the world a spectacle that made us all feel wonderful!

As Wallenda inspired the world, I believe we, too, can. Therefore, with the power of God in Christ given to us through the Holy Spirit, let us follow Jesus and walk the dangerous walk. And as we do, “Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God” (Hebrews 12:2, NIV 1984).

Once again, let us walk the dangerous walk and let us fix your eyes on Jesus for, who knows, the world might just be moved!

”

Not everyone had the chance to know their biological...

Sat, 12 May 2012 17:51:16 +0800

Not everyone had the chance to know their biological mother.

Not everyone had the chance to grow up with their biological mother.

But God definitely showered the earth with men and women to mother the motherless.

Happy mom’s day to all !!!

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Fri, 11 May 2012 18:48:05 +0800

Recovering from a heart bypass operation

Wed, 18 Apr 2012 00:00:00 +0800

April 18, 2012

Dear G,

I pray that you surrender to God.

You’ve always been trying it your way and you’ve seen the results. How about completely letting God take over? Die to yourself, let God control you - so you may finally see clearly.

How? Get closer to Him by knowing Him thru the bible and others who know Him. He will reveal Himself to you in ways that we do not know or expect. He wants to Have a closer relationship with you. We think we’re close to Him but no, and it pains Him to see we’re hurting because we tend to forget Him and His teachings. Sometimes we cannot obey His instructions since it’s easier to obey ourselves.

God already revealed why this happened to me. I thought I’m clean and that I was just dragged into a mess because I am considerate and nice to you but God’s message is different. He hit the rewind button. He reminded me of all the things that had happened since I was a kid. He showed me the time when I accepted Him as my savior. That time I accepted Him…but I did not die to myself completely. I only gave up sins in my life that wont hurt too much and then I just let some stay.

I let some sins stay in my life; sins of pride, unforgiving spirit and vindication. I was declaring my submission to God but there were times my heart is telling me I can never forgive those who hurt me especially my mom. In my heart, I felt grudges towards friends who betrayed me, ex-boyfriends, some relatives and co-workers. Most of the time, I forget that I need to forgive them.

I was loving God with an impure heart full of bitterness due to resentments toward those who have offended me. I said I forgave them whenever the occasion called for it but inside me where no one can see or hear, I despised them.

I was bitter…but God wants something else in me. He wants me to have a better heart.

All along, I thought I got a normal christian heart that desires to do good and refuse evil - but God knew better. He wants my heart to be better not bitter until I can have the best one that He once gave when I was an innocent child. For sure, it was a heart that does not have pride and unforgiving attitude.

It was like God had opened my heart in front of my eyes and I saw how unhealthy it has become because I kept within it the wrongs people have done to me. All their past transgressions were all hidden safe in it. Opening my heart further, I saw a tiny image of me, still crying as the victim of all their bullying and wickedness. I also saw someone beside this tiny ‘me’, a stranger who seemed nice. He was sympathizing with my pain telling me I did not deserve to be hurt because I did not do no harm so they should pay for what they have done. He consoles me by telling me that I will feel better when they finally suffer, accept guilt and pay the price of hurting me.

I saw how my heart has become. I thought I was already Ok for God’s kingdom but I was wrong. I thought, I was allies with God because I don’t step on anybody, don’t con people, I do what is orderly and I shun what’s not allowed.

I thought I was the right girl for the right guy three (3) years ago but I was wrong again. I was not and will not be the right girl for any right guy because I still have the wrong heart. A heart that has hidden animosity and resentments towards people. I thought I knew better…

For the manipulations and deceptions you may have done, intentionally or unintentionally, I am now thanking you. At this point, I can no longer hate you. I can no longer be hating people forever until they pay.

Because of you, I saw what God wants me to see. I am experiencing what he wants me to experience. Seeing my own heart, it was hard and tough but about to explode at the same time. Thought my heart was fine but because of you, I saw it was not, due to bondage of sins I could not give up. I thought I did not have these sins anymore but God does not lie, I saw it. Pride, unforgiveness and cursing filled this innermost part of my heart. I thought I was mature enough to let bygones be bygones but the condition of my heart tell otherwise.

Because of what happened, it was like a miracle that I now desire to reach out to them and tell them that I have forgiven them and most importantly, I want to say sorry as well. It was like a miracle. I don’t know how my heart was transformed but I can tell myself and anyone who knows me that if one day, mine and my offenders’ path ever cross, I will no longer give them the vindictive look nor the cold shoulder I thought they deserve.

I was hating and hurting, but this time, God’s vision was revealed. God has done a major bypass operation. I questioned God why He allowed this to happen after all these times that I preserved my heart solo flight in case a deserving guy will come along…but now I understand why.

If it was just me, I don’t think I could ever forgive you like the rest of my offenders. I don’t feel I could ever forgive them. I justify by thinking that God will understand my resentments. Now I believe otherwise, nothing is impossible when I let God do the work.

Thank God that I’ve known you, your mom, Che, Venus and everyone else who played a part in this humbling story of how He loves me. Thank you. He definitely used all of you to heal my dying heart. He is doing something in me. A long time ago, when I accepted Him as my savior, He already wanted me to surrender my hurts and let me find comfort in Him.

God does not have to wait anymore.

My Unseen Enemy

Thu, 01 Mar 2012 00:00:00 +0800

I’m scared again.

I hate this feeling.
The feeling I felt when me, mama and papa went to lola’s house one day.
I was 4 then.
That was the day I was wondering why mama has not returned home yet when it was already dark.
The feeling I felt when I was crying asking everyone what’s taking her too long outside.
They said “may pinuntahan lang.”
The feeling I felt when I woke up the next day and she’s still not around.
The feeling of fear that she was lost somewhere but everyone seem not no worry.

I thought it was just a childhood fear.

I was 16 when B shared his dream of going to Cyprus since his uncle is there, the feeling haunted me. I loved him but I was scared of him leaving and I don’t know when he’ll return just like what happened to my mom when I was 4…so I ended it, even if I loved him. I was too scared so I better be the first to leave.

When G boarded that plane for a 3 yrs contract, that scary feeling came again…but this time, I faced the fear by telling myself that I need to overcome this, I should learn to accept that when someone I love leaves for abroad, it doesn’t have to be so scary like what happened when I was 4.

I was made stronger with his constant calls and sometimes he’ll tell me he hopes I could wait…until one time, he was sharing how Dubai looks promising and plans to go there after his stint in Aichi, I felt like it was mama telling me she would arrive for Christmas, my graduation, birthday but she never arrived until I grew tired of hoping and waiting that I did not care anymore if she would come home or not.
When she did, I didn’t care.
When she’s around, no big deal.
She’ll leave again anyway.

So after Aichi, there’s Dubai.
I am not that scared kid anymore but I can’t help it.
He sounded like my mom who never arrived and was always away.
I’m used to living alone
but I die in waiting for something I am not sure of happening.
This can’t work out.

Today, it’s the usual call from A.
He shared some good news.
That good news saddened me.
I was asked if I’m willing to follow him there.
I said “Diko alam, ayoko mag isip.”
I thought “matagal pa naman yun…”
When the call ended, an old enemy came to life.
Yeah, it’s that scary feeling again.
I’m scared again.

A tear or two fell after that call.
It seems that I have to befriend you my enemy.
For you always find your way to my reality.
This time you wont get the best of me.
I am stronger now.

Bakit Ang Mga Pinoy Hindi Tama Sumagot Kahit Maayos Ang Tanong?

Mon, 24 Oct 2011 01:05:39 +0800

antheaelaine:

Kumain ka na?

-Busog pa ko.

Nandiyan ba nanay mo?

-Bakit po?

Anong oras na?

-Maaga pa.

Paano mo ginawa yan?

-Madali lang.

Bakit wala ka kahapon?

-Absent ako.

Saan ka na?

-Papunta na ako! Wait lang. :)

i’ve been LSS-ing on this since Monday. I wanna dance this...

Wed, 13 Apr 2011 14:20:00 +0800

i’ve been LSS-ing on this since Monday.

I wanna dance this song, yaiy!

Lobs, sabi mo magkikita sa hindi malayo sa inyo at hindi malayo...

Sat, 02 Apr 2011 19:22:32 +0800

Lobs, sabi mo magkikita sa hindi malayo sa inyo at hindi malayo sa akin, so sa gitna? :tabz: hehehehe…. meet me halfway, across the sky…

Have yourself a merry little Christmas make the yuletide...

Sat, 18 Dec 2010 00:53:36 +0800

Have yourself a merry little Christmas

make the yuletide gay

from now on our troubles will be miles away…

susmaryosep: anatomycampaign: Jackie Chan as Dolphy in the...

Fri, 19 Nov 2010 00:09:52 +0800

susmaryosep:

anatomycampaign:

Jackie Chan as Dolphy in the latest installment of “The Karate Kid”. Obvs, only Flips will get this one.

Unang tingin ko, akala ko si Dolphy :D

(via mokidoki)

i am watchin it right now and I really thought Jackie Chan looks like Dolphy

WHERE WOULD YOU MOST LIKE TO VISIT ON YOUR PLANET?

Wed, 03 Nov 2010 03:42:13 +0800

anywhere safe, where people are happy and nice.

Where Are You xmas?

Mon, 01 Nov 2010 14:52:00 +0800

Where Are You xmas?

Bubbly

Sun, 24 Oct 2010 14:38:00 +0800

Bubbly

WHERE ARE YOU? How does he laugh? How does he cry? What’s...

Fri, 22 Oct 2010 02:41:00 +0800

WHERE ARE YOU?

How does he laugh?

How does he cry?

What’s the color of his eyes?

Does he even realize i’m here?