11 Nov 2016 The Lesson of the Valley

I began going up the mountains to hike when I was in college and continued loving the mountains when I started my fitness journey. Jesus likes the mountains, it one of the places where He prays.

Reaching the top and finishing the itinerary are the best parts of the whole experience. The going up and the descends are the hardest. In betweens, we would experience walking in a valley, some valleys that are muddy, some easy, some dark.

These valleys are low points between two hills. I can remember Akiki trail's valley which was one of the darkest and scariest valleys I ever crossed. I conquered this valley and survived the peak of Mount Pulag.

Metaphorically, in one way or another, we go through the valleys of life. The valleys of despair. Valleys of low points. Peter and Paul, great men of God, went through many dark periods of introspection to forced them to think about what is really means to follow Jesus. It is where in these valleys that God gives Himself and it is where Peter experienced the unconditional love of the same Christ that he denied just days before; the same Christ who loves, forgives, and gives grace to Paul who had persecuted the followers of Christ.

In Psalm 23, David said that even though he walk through the valley of the shadow of death, He shall fear no evil for God is with him.

What to do when we go through the valley? Just go through it while we remember His promise that He is with us. What we go through doesn't need validity, it is okay to feel, to think and but in the end of each valley, entrust everything to God. Stay focused on the end goal of the journey, whether it be fitness, spiritual discipline, emotional maturity, or life itself.

04 Nov 2016 New Beginnings

It's been two months since I last blogged. I have not stopped reading and meditating, I just had ample time to do blogging until now that I needed to use the laptop for some flyer-making.

I finished the books of Job, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Nehemiah and now reading the book of Romans. Within the months that passed, I had been doing the business. We started off September with some papers, and October for soft opening. Still a long way to go. I do paperworks, buying stuff, cleaning, refilling, and help Tatay for deliveries. Sometimes I am busy, sometimes I am just lying on the sofa to rest. My sleeping nights were okay because my body is often tired.

I also had writing projects which I wanted to testify here. The day of fireworks explosion in Bulacan, I was supposed to interview the owner of the fireworks store (who, sadly, died). It was providence for us as the meeting was moved, and there were other schedules. I was with Kuya Ding then who told me about everything we have been thankful about. Our lives were spared.

October also was the month of JIL anniv and I was blessed and honored to work for phototeam and MIS.

I have been planning and praying that the business would be protected, and that after a year, I will be able to go back to corporate world. I wanted to also marry as I am not getting any younger. But I don't have a boyfriend now (Wiii) Haha. God will provide. He has always been. Only I need to again and again trust His sovereign power. He is my Father, He is my God.

Writing helps me. I feel okay and I really don't know why. So it is a good thing. I may not be able to write often as before but I wanted to write at my free times.

06 Sept 2016

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.”

Proverbs 3:5-6 NIV

“Beware of turning to evil, which you seem to prefer to affliction.”

Job 36:21 NIV

Stay faithful and trust Him. Rejoice in your suffering. 

01 Sept 2016

I've been reading the Word for as much as I can in a day. I choose to eat them like snacks and meals. Meditating and digesting throughout the day. I take them as loving, caring, and lightly as it is. When Jesus teaches in the New Testament, it gives people peace and not fear. The only times Jesus was a bit harsher was when He pointed out the critical spirits of the Pharisees and when He saw how people disrespected the temple of the Lord. 

In all His teachings, He was compassionate and loving. So when I feel that I am weary and burdened, that means I am not taking His yoke which is easy and light. Jesus is very loving.

““Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.””

Matthew 11:28-30 NIV

http://bible.us/111/mat.11.28-30.niv

30 August 2016

Started off Romans.

Salvation is the gift of eternal life through Christ Jesus.

Grace is a blessing of pardon for all our shortcomings while we are here on earth. 

29 August 2016

Finished the book of Acts. It was Paul's journey from his conversion to His pursuit of sharing the Word of the Lord first to the Jews then to Gentiles. 

God shows His faithfulness to Paul at successes and trials. 

Paul's aim is to finish his race for which God has called him heavenward in Christ Jesus. 

God, in many instances in the book, allows things to happen for our thanksgiving, also prevents things from happening for protection, preservation, all for His glory. 

28 August 2016

“To the pure, all things are pure, but to those who are corrupted and do not believe, nothing is pure. In fact, both their minds and consciences are corrupted.”

Titus 1:15 NIV

God's promise:

“To the faithful you show yourself faithful, to the blameless you show yourself blameless, to the pure you show yourself pure, but to the devious you show yourself shrewd.”

2 Samuel 22:26-27 NIV

Dear Lord, I pray for clean hands and a pure heart. To do good and to see the good in all things. Amen. 

27 August 2016

I was praying when I saw a vision of God's comfort. I hiked through forest, felt very tired, my muscles very sore. I found a brook leading to a river. I heared the sound of many waters. It was so inviting. It was warm. I soaked into it and found comfort.  I swam as long as I have wanted. After I was cleansed, I felt that feeling I use to feel after a long, satisfied swim. I was physically tired but relaxed. It has given me comfort.

26 August 2016

Wrote this on this date:

Alam kong mas matimyas ang panalangin at awit ng pusong sugatan

Salamat din sa panahon ng kapayapaan

Kung saan ang puso ko'y di man sugatan

Iyon ay dahil hindi Mo ako pinabayaan.

Maraming panahon na napakasarap magpuri at umiyak dahil ako'y nasasaktan

May panahon ding ang puso ko'y nasa payapang inaasam.

Salamat sa lahat ng oras

Maging ito ma'y pagsubok o pagpapasakop.

Salamat sa panahon ng kaligayan man o pagdarahop.

Sa lahat ng ito Ikaw ang hahanapin

Sayo lamang ang puso ko'y babaling.

25 August 2016

Paul, who had the right to boast and brag all that he has had said:

“If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. 

If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. 

If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing.”

1 Corinthians 13:1-3 NIV

In all that he has (wisdom, knowledge, gifts, understanding), he considered himself ganining nothing without love. He continued the chapter with what real love is. 

“Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 

It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 

Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.”

1 Corinthians 13:4-7 NIV

Dear Father, I pray for this kind of love to share to everyone. 

24 August 2016

Peter needed to see his own human weakness in order to learn that his strength was inadequate. Peter had yet to learn what Paul learned: When I am weak then I am strong. 2 Cor 12:10

Jesus accepted, loved, and cared for Peter despite his shortcomings, his outrageous acts, his unplanned boldness. 

23 August 2016

Looked at myself today and remembered how much I've changed from that person of too much agitation and anxiety. I am relieved to knowing that His grace has changed me when I couldn't see myself ever getting well from it when it was happening. 

So today I am remembering the height from which I have fallen. (Rev 2:5). His grace has ever been sufficient. His strength has always been there multiplied in my weaknesses. I am grateful.