10th

Ten awesome years and counting! :)

This June marks my 10th year in Nueva Ecija. Here in CLSU, specifically. And what can I say? No one's getting young? Haha.

Hindi biro ang isang dekadang lumipas. Ten years was enough to define a life, a dream, an ambition. Ten years was enough to test the quality of a belief, a principle, a character. It was enough to truly identify what matters and what doesn't.

So, I'd like to celebrate the awesome decade that was by embracing another phase of my warrior journey--moving ahead, higher, deeper and stronger than ever! I'd like to celebrate the journey by looking back with a thankful heart, and looking ahead with so much anticipation. I'm hyped right now to continue this pursuit of what romanticists often say as "meaningful existence", and to never get enticed with something less.

With God, I am in for more!

And to you LORD, who has done immeasurably and beyond what I can ask or imagine; who has done great things; who has freely given more than what is deserved--thank you for the last ten years!

Ten awesome years in CLSU (of studying and working and walking around its beautiful campus which I will never get tired of falling in love with);

ten awesome years in Nueva Ecija (should I declare myself as Novo Ecijano already?);

ten awesome years of working for the Lord in the ministry (of finding meaning and hope and purpose with eternal value);

ten awesome years of being with great and wonderful people who never get tired of my cheesy-ness and tantrums and wild tendencies and hyper-romanticized notion of true love (Lol);

ten awesome years of God's faithfulness in so many ways that I am at a loss for words to describe. I can only say thank You, thank You, thank You!

Cheers to the next awesome years ahead!

That one small dent in the universe

On Saturday, I will give a talk to students about setting priorities and ambitions. I don't feel like I was the right person to preach about these things, considering that I was someone so full of uncertainties about what priorities and ambitions really meant. Especially the worthy ones.

See, I've already wasted many chances to become better, compromising them for lesser things. I've ignored many opportunities to make an impact. I've been so used to my own comfort and with just my personal convenience. I've been at a loss to pursue the things that really matter.

I was so cowardly and unbelieving. And was so dependent with my own limited abilities and with my own limited standards that I felt getting on with everyday life was enough. That by merely existing, I can find a life of my own.

I was so terrified to embrace the fact that ambitions, no matter how small, when they are offered to God and for His glory...can impact eternity.

I was so naive to think that if God wants to accomplish His will, He could find someone else.

But God is relentless. When He calls, He makes it loud and clear.

And now I'm willing to go all the way to be consumed by His purposes. To be willing to spend and be spent for His glory. When the time comes that I get to be frustrated and exhausted, I would remind myself that it is He who enables me. His all-sufficient grace will carry me through.

I believe that when God provides the opportunity, He also supplies the ability.

I'll carry His banner and raise it in places where people can see. This is an ambition that matters. Because I only have one life to live. But I will live fully to make it count.

On Saturday I will give a talk...and it will be my life story.

I'm saying YES!

I'm reviewing some warrior lessons I picked up along the way. And since I'm now getting ready for some greater things in the coming days, having decided to give up a little of my comfort in exchange for something bigger than myself, it pays to go back to the places where it all began.

The following were my notes from the "Unstoppable" conference I co-hosted last year. It was well, unforgettable.

But I'm doing myself a favor. This is a reminder, lest I forget...

There are two things that Pastor Pabs shared from the story of the Israelites at Mount Horeb found in the first chapter of the book of Deuteronomy that I want to reflect upon. If we are to possess our promised land, we should:

a) “Break Camp”. To break camp means we let go of whatever situations that are holding us back from journeying towards our destiny. We must learn to surrender everything that keeps us from our potentials. We must have the willingness to destroy “tents” that keep us from seeing and following God. If something is drawing us away from God, then by all means, break camp! If our comfort prevents us from attempting great things for God, then by all means, break camp!

b) “Advance”. Or simply, move forward. It means going forward not to the direction we think is better, not to the road we think is more comfortable, not to the terrain we feel is safer BUT to the direction where God Himself is leading us. We should learn from the Israelites themselves in their journey for forty years in the wilderness. They almost missed God’s destiny for them just because they refuse to follow God’s leading. We must at all times obey by faith, allowing God to direct our every step.

Truly, God was unstoppable. Now the chase is over.

And I'm saying "YES!"

To the KING, now and for always.

Chasing country roads

Country roads always have that downing effect on me. I don't know what kind of emotions to describe the surging urge to go home every time I look at an image, or walk on one.

There's just this sense of warmth and tangible feeling of serenity that you could actually immerse yourself into. 

Passing by old roads and cobbled streets is in itself an unfolding journey towards self realization. Of course, besides the notion of you're just passing through, philosophizing things is unavoidable for a self-confessed and incurable romanticist like me.

The beauty of walking at country roads lies on its power to usher you into thinking that a journey--in some other place and in some other time--always leads to home.

And that, apart from the journey itself, is the greatest reason to continue walking and getting on with it.