Category Archives: Advocacy

More About Oyango Ridge: A Story Of Family History And Agenda | Part 2

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Before I share this, I’d like to say that oftentimes God makes me cry in awe. Seriously. 🙂 You may find out why below. (This will be a long post, but a very interesting one.)

More Updates from Oyango Ridge

If you have been following my blog posts as of late, you’ll notice they are all about the current season that God brought my family in – developing a piece of property. You may read these articles to know the full story:

“Business Plans: Still Tilling And Waiting On God’s Ways”

“An Ode To My Grandpa”

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Daddybels in action. 😉

In my recent article about the property, I did mention that what I needed as of the moment is a mentor who will guide us not just when it comes to the business aspect of the project, but someone whose values and goals are aligned with us – God-centered. I did mention I found one in the likes of Bro. Bo Sanchez. I only found one, but God said you need more.

Isn’t it amazing how God leads us to the right people when we clearly ask Him with all our hearts what we need because we want to fulfill His will more than anything?

It takes such great faith to ask God, though. Why? Because it involves waiting on God and trusting Him completely, where He will lead you. And yes, you’re in this blind spot where you just can’t see what is about to unfold. But even with the blindfold, you still trust your guide completely.

Just Like Abraham

I’ll be honest here, though. I haven’t been much of a very faithful follower. And last Sunday’s preaching by Pastor Will Murrell about Abraham and his somewhat wavering faith just made me realize how similar Abraham and I are when God called him out to go to the promised land.

I admit I also came to the point wherein, like Abraham, seeing there’s a famine in the promised land, resorted to doing things his way, or like what he did to Sarah. I also came to that point wherein I got tired and became too impatient with waiting for God’s instructions that my faith slowly waned, and I’m back to doing things my way.

The by-product? I just became frustrated to the point that I would ask my husband why can’t God give me what I want and what I need when I’ve done my best and everything that I could. It is only now that I realized I wasn’t doing things God’s way. And God would consistently pull me back towards the right path because He knows I am being led astray. He knows that my heart is not in its right place.

When God Leads

I understand why I had to pass up career opportunities that I would’ve loved to pursue on full throttle now. But I also saw how God gave me career opportunities that will allow me to fulfill the tasks I need to do. And now I know why the Spirit would give me this desire and when to act on it, like selecting dates that I have no idea why I selected that particular month or day.

I did mention in my previous article that I felt this need to be in our hometown and help our parents start with the family project. The Spirit led me to the month of September because it is my Mom and maternal grandmother’s birth month. So I previously selected their birth week – September 7-14.

But then an opportunity came where I needed to move the dates much later. I already had an inclination to change it even before the opportunity came, but I just have no valid reason why. So this opportunity sealed my decision to go home on September 16 instead.

When God Intervenes

Here’s what really happened. My brother knows we’re going home, but doesn’t exactly know when. When he called last Tuesday, he asked me what our targeted date was to go to our hometown. After telling him, he just said that it is perfect because there is a seminar on farming that we can attend about making it profitable, but guided by biblical principles.

When I heard this, you just can’t imagine the hearts in my eyes. Literally, I felt my heart go out to my eyes. lol But what is even more fascinating? It was scheduled the day before we leave for our 1-week visit to our hometown. I know now why God delayed all the site developments in our proposed timeline. Because God is not yet done preparing my siblings for this season. The opportunities to acquire knowledge and resources are all here, which my parents currently don’t have access to.

I also found other free e-learning courses offered by accredited organizations that award a certificate upon completion. Yes, this is what we will be doing at this stage – equipping, as my brother told me.

I only prayed for one mentor, and yet He gave us more than what we needed. Why? When I looked at the link that my brother shared with me, our goals are similar, even with our chosen Bible verse. But do take note that I already chose our running verse for the business even before I saw their site. 😀

“Then the LORD God took the man and put him into the garden of Eden to cultivate it and keep it.” – Genesis 2:15

Mission, Vision, and Values

I know it is not a coincidence because I don’t believe in luck or coincidences. There are no such things in the Bible except for God’s plans and His will. When I was developing the website on 8/8/2018, I already laid out specifics on the content that we plan to incorporate on our website. I told my siblings that the website can serve as our concrete guide for the project’s goals.

When I was piecing the website together, I told myself (or God?) that these are very ambitious plans. From the training camp to the retreat center to the foundation, and even the wildlife sanctuary. I changed it to a wildlife sanctuary from a wildlife park because I’d like to make it a safe haven for all the animals who seek shelter there ever since. I have been an animal lover since birth. I even cry when I see chickens or pigs being slaughtered because we have to eat them. 😀

For the social enterprise part, Semilya Sa Kinabuhi and Oyango Ridge share the same goals – helping the new generation appreciate agricultural awareness. I believe with all the man-made structures being built everywhere, God is already calling out to us to preserve what is God-made.

Faith and Fate Intertwined

I am hopeful there will be a fruitful partnership between Semilya sa Kinabuhi and Oyango Ridge – they cater to Mindanao and us, the Southern Luzon. And I know this will expand to greater lengths. Why? There is now an ongoing construction of the international airport in Legazpi, a 3-hour ride from our place. Also, we heard that a new subdivision will be developed near Oyango Ridge.

We can envision how the entire community will benefit from agribusiness and farming. We plan to sell seedlings to small-time farmers so they can also contribute to the local food movement and lower the market price of the goods. The more the supply, the lower the prices, but the product quality is better.

And also, when there is an abundance of supply, we can share it with neighboring communities. We will never know, time will come, it won’t be impossible to ship these products abroad through the international airport in Legazpi City. My target? Send them to drought and war-afflicted countries where food is scarce. Some of the countries that came to my mind are Africa and Iraq.

You’ll probably say, “Tin, your products are perishable goods, they won’t last long, and might not even reach their destination.” That’s not a problem. In my previous work, I was able to research homesteading, and this includes canning. Canning is a way of preserving vegetables to extend their shelf life.

You can even do it by using a pressure cooker if you plan to can foods for personal consumption. But you will most likely say, “How easy will it be to transport these goods without being held by militants or any groups who are causing the uprising in those countries?”

The solution is to send these goodies along with neutral entities who are conducting humanitarian services. Who are they? Red Cross, UN, WHO, and I know there are a lot more of them. Or better yet, through our very own missionaries. Partner with them and you’ll be assured your products will be used according to your intended purpose – feed and help people.

Counterattack Lies with Hope and Prayers (Lots of Them)

Oftentimes, this is where the enemy usually comes in. You have this great plan for you and a lot of people, and the enemy will counterattack it with lies. Lies that say you can’t do it because of this and that and so on and so forth. And the only way to silence him is this – “with God, nothing is impossible, so go back to wherever you came from.” 😀

This is what I sometimes encounter. Those little voices in your head that say you’re incapable of such things. You lack a lot of things. You cannot achieve that. And a whole lot more of restraining lies. Well, I must admit that at some point it even came close to convincing me to totally forget about everything and turn my back on my destiny, if ever it is my destiny or purpose.

But then, God is forever faithful. He knows I am weak and prone to these enemies’ lies, and He gave me enough reasons to pursue what He tasked me to do. I am also stubborn by nature, and sometimes I tell God directly that I don’t want to do things His way because I don’t want to, and I just can’t make what He asks from me happen.

But here’s what God will answer me back with, “Is there anything too big and too difficult for me? You are not alone because I am with you. Emmanuel.” This is the very reason why He sent Jesus into this world in the first place – to be with us. And assure us that God is with us, He is even willing to sacrifice His Son to suffer on our behalf, just to prove that His presence is watching over us. Obedience is what He requires, and trust.

Trust With No Limits

Amazing is our God, isn’t it? I don’t see the bigger picture, but God allowed me to take a sneak peek at it because most probably He knows I oftentimes doubt myself and Him. And I am too fearful, much too fearful. I needed lots of convincing and assurances just to break through my stubbornness and unwillingness to accept and do my part.

I know you have a part, too, that is why you got to read this. It may not be a farm, and it could be something else, but I know for sure He has plans for you, too. A big one, and yes, say “yes” too. His even bigger plans won’t happen if the body of Christ lacks the leg or the arm or the head. We may be the arm, but we need the head or the leg, so together we can do what He wants us to do as the body of Christ. Yes, we would like to partner with you in this endeavor once it becomes operational in whatever form it may be – prayers, volunteering, or paid work, business affiliates, etc.

I am just extremely glad and grateful when, just at the time I was about to feel unmotivated, lower my expectations, and start losing hope, here He is with so many surprises that will prove the Lord is faithful with all His promises. And He’s never early nor late but always right on time. 🙂

P.S.

We know now why this is a family calling – all of us in the family loves gardening as a hobby. This is my second sister and bro-in-law’s harvest from their garden in Norway. 😀

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Because urban living deprives me of a spacious lawn, I have grown mine in pots. I propagated these ivys which my brother gave me. 🙂

He and my sis-in-law have their own set of potted plants, too. My eldest sister also has hers in their place. And my 3rd sister was able to successfully grow some vegetables in our hometown, too. I also believe it isn’t a coincidence that my Mom’s name is Eden. Yes, the Garden of Eden, indeed. 😉

If you’re curious what’s in my Mom’s garden when it comes to flowering plants, you may check out these links:

“MAY The Flowers Be With You”

“Flora And Fauna – Explored”

Read More: “More About Oyango Ridge: A Story Of Family History and Agenda | Part 1”

Business Plans: Still Tilling And Waiting On God’s Ways

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Thank God yet again for the grace to finish all the tasks set for today. 🙂 First off, I am only running a free domain for this blog so when I finally worked on our family project’s official website, I didn’t expect there’s A LOT to learn. 😀

I am all passionate when it comes to learning though. So I can say I’ve enjoyed every minute I spent putting it together from logo-making to choosing the layout to content organizing. We’re only using the premium plan because I told my siblings I just needed to make my way around building a professional website. When the family project’s fully operational, I plan to upgrade it to the business plan if God wills it.

The entire web designing/developing took me three days to set up. The website’s already live but it still is under construction. You may take a peek though if you’re curious. 😉

I’ll be sharing the developments here on my personal blog first then migrate them there later on. If you’re wondering what this family project is all about, you can check out this article but it’s written in the vernacular. Don’t worry, you can still read it by clicking “Google Translate” which you can find at the sidebar of this site (desktop view) and at the lower portion of the site (mobile view). I just hope Google will do a fine work of translating it exactly as what the gist of the story is all about. 😉

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Business Aspects

Now let’s get down to business, technically. 😀 For the technical aspects of the land, it is a 13.5-hectare property divided into two. One half belongs to my Aunt (Mom’s sister) and the other half to my Mom. The opportunity already came to tell my Aunt who’s living in the U.S. about the project. She shared to me a video about a discovery of one consumer on a lettuce that’s made of plastic. I told my Aunt all the more we should pursue organic farming on our property for healthier products.

Organic Farming

Speaking of organic farming, I asked Dad what are the other crops aside from coconut and rice suitable to plant at the farm. I already conducted my research on the consistent top-selling agricultural products for the last 3-4 consecutive years. These products are high-selling due to a high demand. Currently, it’s the same demand (and a dilemma) in our town – the lack of options when it comes to vegetables.

Dad said the majority of the vegetables sold in our local public market came from Manila. This means these vegetables are sold at a relatively high price because it will include the careful packaging, handling, and delivery fees. It takes 17 hours to travel by land from Manila to our town. So by the time it reaches our town, you can expect the vegetables are all in poor condition and of low quality but sold at an expensive price.

I shared with Dad this will be the goal of the project, to supply the demands in our town and sell our products for a fraction of the usual market price but still meet the targeted ROI. How can we achieve that? It’s definitely going to be a trial and error. Release a couple of products in the market and then monitor the generated income on a monthly basis and see if there’s a consistency in the demand and a need to up the supply. If there are higher purchases, it means the market price we have set is fair enough for the consumers. But, easier said than done always. 😉

Down to Early Stages

My siblings and I already have this urge that time is of the essence. The earlier we start, the sooner we can make these plans materialize. But when I asked my Dad how long it’ll take for all the paperwork to be processed for the titling of all his land possessions (current status) including the Oyango Ridge, he said, “Just relax.” lol 😀 This is needed for transferring ownership of land possessions to heirs.

Okay, I get it now. I believe this is why the Bible stated receiving the inheritance at an older age. Why? With older age comes greater wisdom brought by experiences. Even if we think we know it all how to run and manage the company smoothly and successfully, nothing still beats experience as the best teacher.

This is where our parents come in. They don’t make decisions based on impulse and act hastily but make them through guided wisdom. That’s what I am learning now, too. I believe the spiritual gift of the family is more on the gift of prophecy. Mom calls it as foresight. She saw it from our late grandpa who would always act on something when the timing is right. That action will then fulfill an even greater purpose and will only have relevance several years after just like now.

I could still remember my Mom a few years back when she sat me and my sister down to have this “serious” talk about the last will and testament and how the properties will be divided among me and my siblings. My sister and I laughed it off telling her it is still too early to do it, they’re still young and they won’t die yet. Mom was furious and said, “Why are you taking all of these as a joke? This is not a laughing matter because we will never know when the inevitable (dying) will happen. So you all listen because this is a serious topic.” 😀

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I believe during that time my Mom already received the prophecy, the foresight. Mom already felt it in her heart that 4 years after, here we are, siblings, actively pursuing our interest to utilize the property. We never got to hear from her that time though how exactly the land will be divided among her 5 children because she reiterated about why the land is important to them and to the family instead. But I believe Mom and Dad prepared what needs to be prepared already.

This is what I am praying for in this endeavor. I pray that may we all be guided by Godly wisdom in pursuing this purpose that God has set in our hearts. May our families have undivided interests and will continue to seek the greater good of everyone. This is actually what I am grateful for now – the active participation of all my siblings to make this project come true. Now, it’s all about waiting for God’s perfect time to execute them one by one and His grace to resolve all challenges we meet along the way.

Challenges and Setbacks

We’ve already had some setbacks and cited several challenges during the business planning. I broke them down into several categories depending on a particular area of the land. We plan to utilize only half of the farm (Mom’s share) and we will still consult with my Aunt’s family what their plans are on their portion of the land. For now, a little portion of the property is being utilized for copra production. We don’t have an estimate yet about the total number of coconut trees (hubby and I were tasked to count and mark them all down one by one on our next visit next month) but we can gather a truckload of produce every 45 days. We already have a team of farmers (I call them our “coco” heroes. 😉 ) helping us with the entire production.

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At this point, Mom would like to buy a truck and we can’t see the advantage yet of acquiring one as early as now but I do have hints. Dad is also managing other land assets which are now being utilized as rice fields. They are located in different parts of the town and I think my Mom believes we can cut down on transport fees if we own the truck instead of hiring one to transport all of our produce.

Yes, I know Mom can see the picture pretty clearly already. For us, it’s all a scattered plan. But for her, it’s already one solid project. When Mom decides on something, it usually turns out for the greater good because she’s a very good planner. This is probably the result of having foresight as I mentioned earlier. I am praying I’ll have the same spiritual gift. Mom’s wisdom, come on to me now. 😀

Seriously though, I am praying for God’s wisdom, grace, provision, and timing over all the challenges in this early stage of the project’s development such as what I’ll discuss below.

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Technical aspects:

  • Secure a permanent perimeter fence on the entire property.
  • Establish water and electric supply.
  • Facilitate road improvements.
  • Hire a farm help to live at the farm 24/7 just to make sure there are no security breaches or trespassers.

Organic Farming (as per Dad’s advice):

  • Needs to conduct soil analysis to determine the soil type.
  • The soil is made of clay, not perfect for planting any kind of crops.
  • There is an option to plant crops, but the soil analysis will determine the proportion of fertilizers needed for the crops to produce a higher yield.
  • Due to the climate change, the farming calendar has also shifted.
  • The soil analysis will be conducted at the regional office of the Department of Agriculture (3 hrs travel time).

Marketing:

  • Identify the clientele.
  • Select the suitable marketing channels.
  • In-depth study of the ratio of supply and demand.
  • Packaging, handling, and transport measures.
  • Analyze if the ROI in all selected crops including palay and copra is feasible enough to sustain the project’s operations.

That is just stage 1 and we haven’t even started yet because it’s rainy season already. We need dry land for dredging to set up a water source and determine how deep it should go. The same goes for establishing electricity and making road improvements.

Also, Mom suggested there must be a farm help first to make sure no one will tamper with any of the equipment or construction materials brought inside the farm. But, we are still screening the best applicant who is willing, who is reliable, and whom we can trust.

The farm help will be receiving a regular income though with all the mandated government benefits and a monthly allowance of 1 sack of rice. Methinks that is already a suitable offer I am even willing to grab it, myself. But well, I am tied to other obligations for now. 😀

The reason why I am sharing these developments is to provide information about pursuing a business in the agricultural sector on a wider scale. I also wish to hear insights from you, my beloved readers, if you know anything about agribusiness. This season requires I have a mentor who shares the same passion and business goals that we have. I already found one and I am praying for God’s perfect time to conduct a business meeting/fellowship with him. 🙂

He’s none other than Bro. Bo Sanchez. It was only last month when I got to read one of his books and the book was like sitting on my siblings’ bookshelves for decades already. But God’s timing made it possible that I get to read it now at just the right season I’m in. I can relate to all of the experiences and insights he shared even the one which he calls as the “happy poverty.” I’ll touch more on that in the article scheduled two Fridays from now. But what captivated me most was Anawim. More of this, too, in said article.

Next Friday, I’ll be sharing a detailed history of the property and why the desire in our hearts to pursue this family project. But to set things straight, this is not for us because we’re all pursuing our chosen careers. To end this article, I’d like to write down this prayer because I know this endeavor isn’t something that can be done overnight. It’ll require so much from us in all aspects (spiritual, emotional, mental, physical, & financial) and at this point, we would like to ask for your prayers, too. ❤

“Lord, may Your will be done for You, alone, direct our steps. We are seeking for your guiding light in every step of the way and may you give us protection from anything that the enemy will strike against us. I am praying that in this season, on this particular journey, may Your name be glorified through all the testimonies in our lives.”

Verse of the day (as of 8/11/2018):

“For I am about to do something new. See, I have already begun! Do you not see it? I will make a pathway through the wilderness. I will create rivers in the dry wasteland.” – Isaiah 43:19

Placing everything in faith and in prayer,

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Read more: The Christian From Bicol

P.S.

I am trying to post this asap before the clock strikes 12 midnight because this is supposedly an #everyFridayblogpost. 😀 But I had so little time to rest in between tasks because I also cooked “lechon paksiw” for our dinner. My rest time is my only writing time so I got to write this only now. Do leave a comment if you’d like to know the recipe for this popular Filipino dish. 😉

Yes You Can: How To Cultivate Your Talents And Skills

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We have all been gifted with different spiritual gifts which make us all unique and special. As they say, there are no two people in this world who are ever alike. Not even twins.

Discovering what are the talents that we have been gifted with will lead us to our passion. What is it that we love doing and we love to do regardless of whether we’ll be compensated for it or not?

Once we have discovered what we’re passionate about, the next step is to cultivate it. We have to hone all the skills needed to support our passion, so to speak. It will be a waste to never use any special skills we have probably just waiting to be discovered.

For the next few paragraphs, I want to share some key points when it comes to learning a new skill or improving current skills. In my case, it is writing, but the points below are all applicable in any field or area of specialization.

Using Talents and Skills to Fuel Your Passion

1. Render Services

This will come naturally. When we love what we do, we do things on our own accord. Sometimes, there’s even no need for a motivation. It’s always the self who will dictate how the entire process will flow until we accomplish the kind of finished output we desire.

Try to look for platforms where you can share your talents. In my case, for example, God gave me the opportunity to write for a faith-based website (Daily PS) and I get to read what other Christian writers are writing, too.

2. Collaborate with a Community (Same Interests)

The social media is the best network to look for like-minded individuals. LinkedIn Learning, for one, has the “Career Advice” feature where you can ask other people their viewpoints and who have the same interests as you.

It also offers so many courses on a wide range of specializations (you may try it free for 1 week). I was able to finish the course on content marketing and I was surprised that they also provide a certificate upon course completion. Public forums also offer fresh and new insights to add to your learning experience.

3. Explore All Learning Platforms

Speaking of learning, there are so many platforms to learn from out there. It is not just limited to the world wide web. It extends to the streets, your home, your workplace, your friend’s house, and anywhere actually. Coming up with a newer and better output because we learned something new is too much of a good opportunity to pass up.

In some cases, you will need to pay for learning some new concepts. But in my experience, you’ll always get your money’s worth. Currently, I am exploring all about learning business processes, marketing, and management in preparation for a new season (daunting but having faith in Him) that God is slowly ushering me and my siblings in.

LinkedIn Company Profile

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I was able to learn about making a professional logo this time, too. It’s a bit challenging but very much achievable. I am also developing a new website for the family project to build our online presence but I will be needing help with the graphic designing. For the latter, I’ll just ask my 3rd sister. She’s the Creative Director because she’s the most creative in the family – awesome artistic ideas. 😉

All 5 of us, siblings, are members of the board and ze parents are the CEOs. Our beloved Momma CEO has quite a benchmark when it comes to standards so we need intensive planning for the business model.

The progress is slow and there have been delays in our proposed timeline for developments due to weather conditions. But it’s fine since we are still in the process of finalizing all the paperwork. We’ll wait for God’s timing since it’s always perfect, anyway. 😉

On a different note, I can already see why God brought all 5 of us in our respective passions and careers for future roles – Managing Director, Finance Director, Operations Director, Creative Director, and Marketing Director (I presume this is me – uhm, scarrryyy. lol).

I’m also now in complete agreement with this article from Harvard Business Review entitled “How Family Business Owners Should Bring The Next Generation Into The Company.”

And the Bible asserts the same idea:

“An inheritance obtained too early in life is not a blessing in the end.” – Proverbs 20:21

With all these things I am doing including my other freelance jobs, I need to make sure my writing (my primary passion) won’t be compromised so I created my personal editorial calendar and a log sheet for tasks in preparation for the new website. I didn’t know I have already saved enough drafted articles for my blog and Daily PS good until the 1st quarter of the year 2019. 😀

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*Trivia:

Every time you have a sudden thought/s in mind whether you’re doing something, somewhere, write it down either on a piece of paper or type it on your phone. I write the title first then the gist of the thoughts in bullet form after. You’ll never run out of topics to write about, I promise. 😉

By the way, I’ll be sharing a series of articles how to do all that I have mentioned above (a la workshop) but it’s scheduled for next year. I have to make sure I am providing you nothing but the best info out there so it needs extensive preparation. 😀

4. Create an “Areas to Improve On” List

When we subject ourselves to constant rediscovery, it will be easier to pinpoint where are our weak spots. Our biological composition reserves that room for improvement. Because it is in our nature to be flawed.

So perfectionism isn’t our goal but expressionism. We improve ourselves to express ourselves better. And not because we want to be validated and recognized. You just have to own your work and be proud that you’ve helped others one way or the other. 😉

To end this short (my idea of short) post, the best part about cultivating our talents and skills is actually that 3-in-1 package of fun, an attitude of servitude, and fulfillment we experience while doing a certain project. We don’t see it as a task, a duty, an obligation, or anything else. We see it as a product of something we love.

In fact, the by-product speaks so much of love as much as it speaks of our identity and individuality. In my case, my identity lies in being a Christian, in loving God, and in writing my love for God. So my audience (that’s you, love!) gets to feel that kind of love that I have, too.

Hmmm, let’s be honest here though, do you really feel the love? 😃 Don’t worry if you don’t, but I hope this will suffice:

“I love you so much for reading this and I pray you get to share the love, too.” ❤

“God has given each of you a gift from His great variety of spiritual gifts. Use them well to serve one another.” – 1 Peter 4:10

Writing to you with love,

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For more related articles, you may read:

“Good Stewards Of God’s Gift”

“In Season: What Is An Altar Call?”

“9 Things You Need To Know If You Want To Be A Writer”

Relationships & Marriages: Don’t Settle Just Because | 5 Wrong Reasons

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Relationships and marriages always have one key component – settling down. I don’t know of anyone who got into a relationship without plans of getting married. Do take note though that I refer to marriage here as the legal union between a man and a woman. I am not, in any way, in agreement with cohabiting. If you can’t have a church wedding first (like me and my Mom by choice), then by all means, have a civil wedding. 🙂

A Church Wedding vs A Civil Wedding

My husband and I would still love to have a church wedding someday. We are targeting to have it on our 25th wedding anniversary. I can already imagine how emotional it will be. Why? This church wedding will be our gift to God for keeping us together until we reach our 25th year and the years to come.

Though we believe in a God who provides anything especially when it comes to finances, we felt it in our hearts to have the church wedding a bit later. We attended the marriage preparation seminar conducted by our local church, though. I highly encourage engaged couples to do this. It is such a big help to prepare you for the married life in a God-centered way.

Keep in mind that a civil wedding doesn’t make your marriage less holy. My parents’ marriage is a testimony of this and how they brought us up. We all grew up as God-fearing children who knew God well enough beyond all the religious rituals and practices. I believe a good marriage goes beyond lavish weddings but most of all, it should be about honoring God by honoring your marriage and your vows until death does both of you part no matter what. 🙂

In 5 years’ time, my parents will be celebrating their Golden (50th) Wedding Anniversary. I can only thank God for the grace and for my parents’ efforts to stay committed to their wedding vows regardless if they had a civil or a church wedding.

Marrying By Faith is More Important

When I got married, I knew what I was getting into. It is a covenant that you cannot get out of whenever you feel like it. I asked God for guidance if this is a season that He wanted for me. I never had doubts about whether I should marry my husband or not. When I received God’s wisdom over my decision to marry, I had no regrets even when months later after the wedding, hubby and I got into stormy and rough seas. But because I have faith, because of God’s grace, and because I married my husband for the right reasons, here we are close to our 3rd year wedding anniversary (that’s next month!). Still a young couple, though. 😀

So ladies (I chose you just because I am also a daughter of Christ), here are the wrong reasons for wanting to settle down:

5 Wrong Reasons Why You Should Settle Down

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1. Never settle for comfort and convenience.

It’s a temptation for single ladies to get into the season of married life thinking they now have a partner in life who can help them with everything and be their best friend. Yes, it is true but it also means doing your part of the deal and making sacrifices, too, if needed. There is sometimes this misconception or “the fairytale complex” that after the prince married the princess, it’s all happily ever after between the two.

The truth is, a marriage will bring you so much discomfort as much as it brings you so much comfort. It’s not always a happily ever after. It could be a sober ever after every now and then or an exciting ever after or a boring ever after. We can never confine marriage with just one emotion because just like life, it’s a mix of everything. Forget that fairytale, it’s ideal but not real.

2. Never settle out of peer pressure or for validation.

Ah, yes. This is one of the most pressing (but wrong) reasons when settling down. I’m sure you’ve heard statements such as:

“This is my 5th time to be a bridesmaid, when will I become the bride?”

“All my girlfriends in our batch are married except for me.”

“My best friend got married already, I think I should do the same.”

“I think nobody loves me enough that’s why I am still single.”

“Nobody asked me out on a date, I think I’m the ugliest girl in the world.”

Whooosh! Wave them all away! They are all deceptions and lies that the enemy is planting in your heart. Do not fall for that trap. You are as lovely as you are now. You are worthy to be loved. You deserve to have the right man in God’s perfect time. The solution? Be still and wait. God might still be busy preparing you for this season.

3. Never settle for the sake of “leveling up” or “singlehood” is starting to become a bore.

This is common with women who always ask, “What’s next?” 😀 The very root problem of this goes back to discontentment. When you are not satisfied with what you have, you’re always hungry for more. Believe me, it can be a vicious cycle (used to be my stronghold). What you need is to enjoy the “now.” Ask God for leading where He will take you. Always be in tune with what He wants you to do. Be in step with God in all of your plans.

When you do this, you’ll be amazed by the different seasons that God can usher you in that are both exciting and frightening and yet fulfilling in the end. And you were only vying for one? Nah, God wanted you to have the best experiences in this life! Why? It is through these experiences that God will test your faith so you can build your character and be ready and equipped with everything lacking nothing (James 1:4).

4. Never settle for money.

For arranged marriages, this is common. It is a sad fact to know that some marriages are based on preserving business partnerships. If you’re reading this and you’re going through the same dilemma, ask God what He wants you to do. Remember, life is not over for you. This season might be where you’ll have the greatest learning yet. Seek His will all the more why He put you in this season. Then, see things from His perspective.

God knows you’re going to go through it and He knows that you can handle the situation. He won’t give you this situation if you can’t carry it on your own. But even if you can’t, know that God is on your side to help you out each and every step of the way. And lastly, money can’t buy you happiness. It never does and it never will no matter how wealthy you are. It’s always a weak foundation of any marriage, it will and it will crumble.

5. Never settle because looks captivated you.

The rule of thumb is to let your heart be captured by another heart, too, and not with the looks. 😉 This adage is always true to the core no wonder it became an adage: “Looks can be deceiving.” Go for attitude always before looks. But here’s what you must remember, too. In your courting days, both you and your partner will be putting your best foot forward so it might be an all show of positive attitudes. And yet, even if you’ve become best friends now and you’ve grown quite comfortable with each other, you still can’t show him your underwear and point out they’re “baconized” already you need to buy a new one, right? 😀

Seriously, the “getting to know” stage will only get deeper once you get married. I can attest to this because my husband and I weren’t really best friends when we met and became a couple. So, the first 3 years of our married life became the “getting to know” stage for us. It can be a rollercoaster for the first few years but I can assure you it will get better in time. You’ll soon learn to love each other better including those things that used to tick you off. And you’ll only notice how handsome your husband is once married because you get to stare at him most of the time. 😀

 

My last piece of advice when it comes to relationships and marriages is this: if you plan on settling down, marry for the right reason – because of love. And yet, always keep in mind too that love is not purely about feelings and emotions. It is a mixture of decisions, sacrifices, disappointments, failures, triumphs, accomplishments, forgiveness…every act and emotion (good ones) you can think of, that is love (1 Corinthians 13). No wonder it is the greatest of all. 🙂

“But anyone who does not love does not know God, for God is love.” – 1 John 4:8

“Three things will last forever–faith, hope, and love–and the greatest of these is love.” – 1 Corinthians 13:13

Still feeling unsure where God is taking you next when it comes to relationships and marriages? Do drop me a comment or a message, I’ll pray for you. ❤

Thankfully married,

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How I Made A Deal With The Lord

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Before you get the impression that I had a bargaining moment with the Lord, it is not what you think it is. But do read ahead and find out. 😀

A Bargain, Not

Before anything else, let’s settle this thought – God can never be bargained. How He decides things to happen in our lives requires only a small percentage of our free will. That is, if we are more of His follower and would like to obey His will more than following our plans.

Action-Based But More on Faith

It’s been written in the Scriptures that “faith without deeds is dead” (James 2:14-26). Yes, this is true but it can also be tricky depending on how we will receive it. If you are more of a solution-based or output-based planner (like me), the danger here is knowing when to stop doing what you’re doing and allowing God to take control.

Overdoing things by sheer free will can lead to self-sufficiency which, as we all know, is not what faith is all about. It is actually the opposite – God-dependency. Our pastors have stressed this idea well enough in their lectures and messages that depending on our own strength and capabilities can lead us further away from God. It might even lead us to totally forget God thinking where and what do we need Him for.

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What the Deal is All About

Now, let’s go back to the deal. The deal I was referring to is more of an agreement – me agreeing to God’s terms and me laying down specific terms for His approval (discerning whether they are part of His instructions or not).

If you’ve been constantly reading through my blog posts for some time now, I did mention about shifting seasons again and again. They all started right when I became a Christian. Maybe next time I’ll make a sort of a timeline in table form to better showcase the highlights of each year. They will prove that a Christian’s journey starting from the day he was born again until today is never like a plateau but a series of valleys.

I cannot tell if this is God’s way of making sure my faith will never remain lukewarm (considered a sin, btw). But I can tell that these seasons requested my full dependency on Him. I’m just amazed when I look back from everything that happened and where I am now. They were mere surprises that I never even imagined.

I have never felt so fulfilled, so content, and so assured of doing things for God as I do now. I guess this is the by-product of constantly seeking God’s purpose in my life and obeying Him completely. And spiritually, I can attest that I have grown so much since 2013. 🙂

Here are more examples of personal experiences that will showcase how I made a deal with the Lord:

1. Be Ready to Make Sacrifices

This is all about God slowly removing anything that is worldly in you and around you. I sacrificed a lot of things that I know would’ve made me “great” in the eyes of the world satisfying its demands and standards. It was difficult to “not conform to the patterns of this world” (Romans 12:12) but believe me, once you have made your stand, saying “no” to ALL worldly desires and temptations is now waaaaay easier.

What sacrifices can God be calling you out to do? Is it worldly success? Is it worldly achievement? Is it acquiring great wealth? Are they material possessions? Is it addiction or idolatry? Are they extramarital affairs? Is it workaholism?

2. Be Guided in Your Endeavors

This will come in the form of a family project that is not-for-profit. When Pastor Patrick shared last Sunday about us not being able to see some of the promises of the Lord come to fruition, I felt as if the message just hit something straight in my heart. He went on by mentioning about the generations before Joseph (Abraham-Isaac-Jacob) and how God used each generation until Joseph to complete the promise (the promised land) which none of them ever witnessed in their lifetime.

So this family project is about utilizing a land that’s been passed on to us from our ancestors. It was acquired first by my great grandpa who was also one of the pioneers and first pastor of the Protestant church in our town. Next, it was inherited by my grandfather who exemplified nothing but a man who’s all fired up in faith. The land has now been handed to our parents, then, we are next in line.

In all 3 generations, only a teeny weeny tiny portion of the land was being utilized for productive use. But now, all 5 of us siblings have this desire in our hearts to utilize it on a wider scale. I know that this desire did not come out of our own selfish ambitions to earn great wealth. We don’t need it, but we’re not rich. Having God, alone, is enough to satisfy us.

Instead, it is something that our forefathers have passed on to us that ties us to this land. It may not be similar to the Bible’s promised land, but then again, only God knows how He intended to use it to fulfill His plans.

All we know is we need to work on this. BUT here’s the part where I can relate to Pastor’s preaching – we may not be able to see how God’s promise over this land come to fruition. It is only in our generation wherein we have decided to utilize it on full throttle. We don’t even know what will happen to it after my siblings and I die or will our (future) kids or nieces and nephews and grandkids will have the same desire as we and our forefathers have.

BUT then again, as Pastor Patrick continued, all the generations before Joseph including himself claimed God’s promise BY FAITH even if they don’t know what is that promise and what will exactly happen. Yes, on behalf of my siblings, I am claiming BY FAITH that God did not place this desire in our hearts to work on this project out of nothing. We believe it will serve God’s purpose in the end whether it’s next year, after a decade, or after a century – only God knows when.

3. Be Specific with Career Choices

Now, this brings us to my career choices. This is the part where I became specific with my prayers to the Lord. Why? Let’s admit it. When you are planning projects, it will require time. Also, a career for me is not just about earning money. But more importantly, it’s about using my abilities, skills, and talents to serve and help others. Thus, I became specific with the Lord in my prayer over career opportunities. It went on like this:

“Lord, I want to have a career that will support me and my husband’s basic needs. And yet, with this desire to do all these things in my heart, I can only pray that I will be able to fulfill them all through Your guidance and Your grace. I am seeking for Your will in all the tasks I am set out to do, discernment on how I should do all of them, until when I should do them, or if these tasks are part of Your will.

I pray for opportunities that will help me accomplish all of the following:

  • maximize my gift in writing (either as a career or as a ministry)
  • use my license as an English teacher (I still love to help students in whatever way it may be)
  • how to plan the project so it will materialize
  • show me ways how can this project help others
  • my priorities will not be compromised (hubby time, family time, quiet time, etc.)”

4. Be Constant in Realigning Priorities

Speaking of priorities, I made a conscious effort to keep the top 3 in my list of priorities as constant – God, spouse, and family. They cannot be interchanged no matter what. All three should be in that order in everything. Why God should be on top? Let’s just say God is our CEO. He decides on everything and He instructs what should be done. Without a CEO in the company, the company won’t run. Or it may run, but it will be in complete chaos. Accomplishing tasks will be impossible in this state. In fact, we won’t accomplish anything at all.

5. Be Available 24/7 in Connecting with God

Connecting with God, therefore, is IMPORTANT – this is how we deal with Him and find out if our terms are aligned with His. How would we know what God requires of us if we’re so busy and don’t have the time to listen to what He says? Connecting with Him every single moment of our every day lives is the key. Always be in tune with the Spirit as we do day-to-day activities. Watch out for the signs but always carry a discerning heart. As much as we would like to take the enemy out of the picture, he’s always lurking around in the form of temptations and weaknesses.

 

Getting into a deal with God is never about the word “me” but the word “Him.” We don’t get to choose what’s in it for us but more about what God can get out of it. But do not be dismayed, God is a loving God. He will not put us through a task or a mission, how difficult or easy it may be, without preparing us. May we rest ourselves in His assurance that:

“…in all things, God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose.” – Romans 8:28

And also this,

“I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.” – John 15:5

Are you also in the habit of making a deal with the Lord always? If you are, I’d love to hear how it turned out.

Always in agreement with the Lord,

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P.S. (I’d rather call this a “Praise Script”) 😀

I now am convinced that the tasks that God had set in my heart came from Him and Him alone. He answered almost all of my prayers! 😀

So, here I am writing this, submitted an article for Daily PS (community of Christian writers), helped junior and senior high school students with their school work, did my workout (God requires we have not just a healthy soul but a healthy body, too), cooked a sumptuous dinner for hubby, did other chores, watched a movie together, then researched more for the project. As for the project, all the pertinent info needed is ready. We are only waiting for God’s perfect time when to execute them.

Ah, yes. God is the only One who can give me the GRACE to do all of these, fueled by my life verse, and of course, strict adherence to the schedule a.k.a. DISCIPLINE (holistically). 😉

“For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength.” – Philippians 4:13

7 Good Reasons Why You Should Write Often | Writing Tips

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When it comes to writing tips, you’ll encounter a lot of them on the web. The more results you can gather online through your research, the better. They will help you become more rounded as a writer. Here are some writing hacks I’d like to share with you which you can add to your roster.

7 Writing Tips: Why Writing Often is Better

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1. Writing often builds your vocabulary.

Have you ever had that moment when you were trying to grasp that particular word and you can tell that it’s already at the tip of your tongue? But unfortunately, it just seems to be stuck in there. Ugh. I know that feeling. I oftentimes have that moment and it’s not comforting in any way most especially when you have the best ideas but you can’t put them into words. Tragic, isn’t it?

I have discovered that the remedy to that is to write and write and write so you’ll build your vocabulary. Maximize the use of your Merriam Webster dictionary, Google search, your synonyms, antonyms, anything that can be building blocks for your vocabulary. In no time, you’ll find it easier to share your thoughts because words just come as fluid as they can be.

2. Writing often will help you build a decent portfolio.

This is one of the writing tips I have gathered from my own experience. Did you know that employers also take a look at your blogs when you apply to them as a writer? Your blog articles don’t just come handy when it comes to writing careers, you can also use it to jumpstart your web or graphic designing career. Or why not have both?

The more skilled you are, the higher the chances an employer will hire you. In some cases, your employer might request you create a new sample of your writing but having your blog around can be a good backup.

3. Writing often helps you research more.

When you write, you need ideas. Though writers are very much capable of coming up with their own creative and brilliant ideas, those ideas can be ignited by another idea you read or saw somewhere on the internet. I believe this is what the world wide web and social networking are all about. You learn from what other people post out there.

But take this as a word of caution: not all of what’s on the internet can be classified as true, factual, and reliable. Conducting due diligence accompanied with discernment will help you come up with reliable information.

4. Writing often makes you explore different writing styles.

If you are a budding writer, this will be a common scenario for you. You’re still in the period of testing the waters so to speak. But always remember that another writer’s writing style might not be the same as your own. The best way to find out which style fits you is through your interests and your personality. I’ll delve deeper into this in my future articles.

Ever since I was a kid, I have always loved persuasive writing. It just comes naturally for me and I am more at home with this kind of write-up. But you can always try other writing styles and incorporate them into what you already knew. This is how you learn. And learning is always essential to your growth as a writer.

5. Writing often exercises your critical thinking skills.

Writing requires deep analytics. It is not just about putting words into “paper” but more about how beautifully can you craft a story that after reading your text, a reader ends up refreshed and informed.

In writing, there is a sequence that you need to follow from choosing your topic, writing it, composing the entire piece, to ending the story (with a bang if you can). What separates a good write up from not-so-good ones is delivery. After writing your article, ask yourself with this question: does your article have a solid thought from beginning to end?

6. Writing often means better connectivity with fellow writers.

With all the writing platforms available freely nowadays such as WordPress, connecting with a community of writers isn’t impossible. In fact, it is the best platform to connect with other writers. The good part about this is that you get to learn from what others are posting online, too. You can collaborate with them also, share ideas, or relate with one another.

The past generations predicted that writers will no longer have jobs come year 2000s. Technology made this prediction false, unfortunately. With the rise of everything becoming digital come endless possibilities for the writing industry, too.

7. Writing often helps you advance in your craft.

This last part is more like “practice makes perfect.” The more you enhance what you’re good at and passionate about, you’ll see that the results are getting better, too. Your writing will never be perfect the first time around. It will have a lot of flaws. You’ll need to edit and re-edit your work a hundred times until it’s polished free of errors.

If you want to improve your work, it is a rule of thumb to always compare your previous write-ups with the current ones you wrote. Then from your review, analyze which area you need to improve on. Is it grammar? Is it creativity? Is it delivery?

I can come up with a long list of writing tips but I’ll just share the salient points for now. I hope you picked a nugget or nuggets of wisdom from this piece. But if you have more ideas to share or you need to ask for clarifications, you’re most welcome to do so. Just always remember that if you feel it in your heart that writing is what you’re passionate about, follow your heart. Then, use your mind to come up with masterpieces. 😉

With all these writing tips I’ve shared, are you now ready to advance your way up as a writer? If you’re still hesitant to use your gift in writing, then this bible verse might help boost your confidence:

“Commit your work to the LORD, and your plans will be established.” – Proverbs 16:3

Believing in you as a fellow writer,

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***Photo by Neven Krcmarek on Unsplash

Mid-Year Prayer And Fasting 2018

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In our church, we have a yearly mid-year prayer and fasting where we consecrate to God the things that are done in the early part of the year and the things to be done through the latter part of the year. For this year, the schedule came in timely – July 3-5. I have so many things to be grateful for including answered prayers and realizations I encounter daily. I also have a lot to pray for because I will be going through a lot of seasons again.

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What Transpired

Day 1

It is not a coincidence that July 3rd was the schedule for my first article to go live at Daily PS, a community of Christian writers on WordPress. Here’s the link to the article and I hope this will recharge your spirits:

7 Highly Effective Ways To Avoid Burnout (The Christian Way)

Hubby dear was also scheduled to have his first day of training on this day for a tentative promotion (his 2nd). I am also in the process of seeking for topics to contribute as guest posts for some of my fellow Christian writers here on WordPress such as The Christian Blog Ghana. Do visit their site, their posts are such an insightful read. 🙂

Day 2

After checking out the published article in Daily PS, I opened a new document over Microsoft Word for my next article submission. I was only targeting one topic. But God’s grace allowed I come up not only with 1 but 6! Ah yes, when God calls you for a task, He really will prepare you.

I had to blur it because I can’t spill all the beans just yet. 😉

I also decided to come up with a new blog logo since my old logo, the one with a bible verse in it, is perfect as a site header. For the logo design, I wanted it to be very simple. I chose a laurel wreath as it symbolizes victory. I plan to update my Facebook page’s profile picture to this new one but I am on social media hibernation (part of my prayer and fasting). I also plan to use this logo on all of my blog’s social handles instead of my photo. This blog is about God and not me. 😉

If you also want to learn how to create one, I can help you. You can find more details about this below.

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I am feeling the inclination (tugging of the Spirit yet again) to conduct a free writing and website designing workshop for fellow Christian bloggers and writers who are just starting out or needing to revamp their sites. I am asking for God’s leading that either I host the workshop and invite other Christian writers to share their expertise or I join one. I already shared tips online with one sister in Christ (Hi, Mean! :-D) but I know meeting in person is better. 😉

I have been designing and managing this blog alone through tutorials (I learn from others, too) and it is quite challenging. But nothing is hard when God equips you to do a task. I believe I must thank the Lord for giving me the wisdom in making this website according to how He wishes it to be.

For the writing and web designing workshop, I am targeting an audience starting from teens and up. Yet another workshop I plan to conduct is a free art workshop but this time, for kids. I have always loved art back when I was a kid and I only got to explore so much of it now that I am an adult. 😀

Day 3

I have been conducting research for the past weeks about entrepreneurship and marketing for a not-for-profit project. It’s only during the mid-year prayer and fasting that I finally had a break from all the info overload. Ah yes, the “burnout” article really just came out timely, it’s even perfect for me as a reminder. 😉

Thank God for the grace, I got everything I needed and now ready to consolidate all the data for a better presentation. I still have so much to learn, though. My eldest sister suggested I make a storyboard. I am now working on how to integrate it with Microsoft Powerpoint. The current challenge I have is trimming down all the information and making it into one coherent output.

Today, I’ve also decided to come up with topics to share on my personal blog that are a little off the ordinary. These topics will be presented in a series to better categorize them and they will be technical with a little bit of faith on the side. This blog is meant to be informative. So any knowledge I can share with you all, it’ll definitely be posted. 🙂

The quotation for this week in my planner also came in timely:

The warrior of light has no “certainties,” he just has a path to follow, a path to which he tries to adapt depending on the season.

– Manual of the Warrior of Light (Paulo Coehlo)

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I have high hopes that all I have mentioned above are plans that will materialize in God’s perfect time. Let’s just say this season is all about planning and preparing.

God is a god of perfect timing, anyway. 😀

Are you a Christian blogger? I would like to ask for your help by sharing your expertise with aspiring Christians writers here on WordPress. Any idea you have how we can share these tips will be highly appreciated. Thank you! ❤

Always waiting on God’s perfect time,

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*Featured image copyright: Free 4K Wallpaper

9 Close Encounters With God: Are They For Real?

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Close encounters are not just limited to unidentified flying objects but unseen objects, too. Have you heard about miracles? How about divine intervention? Does the word “premonition” sound familiar? If we are to look closely at all three questions, they all have one common denominator –a powerful force behind them. For all we know, the unseen object may not be a matter of “what” but “who.” Read along and find out through some of the close encounters I’ve had as a Christian.

9 Close Encounters with God in Our Daily Lives

1. The Slip

Have you ever been in an accident or close to getting into one? I may not be in a serious accident but I experienced slipping my foot while walking on a very steep trail. The trail traverses along the cliff of a mountain and I estimated the deep fall to be about a hundred feet.

How did I escape that fall? It was our local tour guide who instantly grabbed my hand exactly at the moment when I slipped. I was barely holding on to a patch of tall grass to keep me from falling.

What are the chances of her not being able to catch me on time? Most likely it’s 100%. She’s in front of me and she could’ve failed to notice I made the wrong jump and slipped. Every time I remember that moment, I always wonder how that saving moment could be so timely. And yet, all I can think of was a divine intervention.

2. On Top

Being in an elevated spot always reveals the skyline. The skyline is always the best demarcation between the heaven and the earth. It also reveals everything about what is God-made and what is man-made. If you want to have a close encounter with God, try communing with nature.

You’ll get to see God’s wonderful creations in their purest forms. May it be a seascape, a landscape, the mountains, a river, lake, the forest, or even just in your own garden, you can have a close encounter with God.

Have you ever wondered why rainforests are bursting with all forms of life from plant life to animal life? And yet, no one takes care of them. How about in your garden? Did it make you wonder why a seed ever grows to become a plant? Do take a look at some of the stunning photos I took of my nature escapades below. Yes, they are all for real.

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3. In Sickness

Serious illnesses most often take lives. If not, they cripple. How many of us have prayed for ourselves, for our loved ones, and for people we know who are battling with an illness? There are countless instances wherein these prayers were answered in the form of recovery.

But there are also those moments wherein these prayers were unanswered and grief took over because of loss. It’s hard to cope with the idea of losing someone you’ve known all your life and yet miraculously, God heals us too despite all the memories.

4. Through Poverty

I can never forget that moment when I only have about 50 bucks in my wallet and I allowed God to take control of the rest. Have you been in this predicament, too? It can be very challenging most especially since money runs this world.

But, it’s good to know that there is someone else greater who runs not just this world but all of the heavens and the earth. It’s all a matter of trusting Him who can provide you with eternal life, what more, your basic needs. I survived that week because God provided for all my needs.

How?

He can provide you through a lot of channels such as a decent amount of cash you stashed away somewhere and stumbled upon it out of the blue. Yes, at just the right time. Or, there’s this random person at work or through your family who gave you money because they just felt it.

Again, at just the right time. Another is a free meal courtesy of reward points you never knew you had until you checked through your phone and you’re entitled to it. Surprises? Yes, they truly are.

5. A Prophecy

This is a gift. Science can explain it as ESP (extra-sensory perception), the world can define it as premonition, and faith describes it as a prophecy. Though we do not have a mind like God’s, He definitely shared some of His wisdom to us. Is it a wild guess?

Certainly not. In our family, we don’t need text messages to inform one another about doing an errand or letting one another know what one thinks. In most cases, the receiver already got it even before the sender informed that person. How did this happen?

6. With An Advocacy

Having the heart to serve without expecting anything in return exemplifies a Christ-like heart. It is almost as similar to having goosebumps as what people say when you encounter a beggar on the street and you felt as if there’s something about him/her. “What if God was one of us?” as Joan Osborne sings in her song.

“Those who give to the poor will lack nothing, but those who close their eyes to them receive many curses.” – Proverbs 28:27

“Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.” – James 1:27

7. My Loved One

A personal relationship with God is more like your relationship with a loved one. You know all his crazy antics, you’ve seen the good and the bad traits, you’ve shared the best and the worst times, and your relationship is intimate. When situations arise between you and your beloved, you either see your loved one exemplifying how God would’ve acted or it could be you acting just like God. May it be that you or your loved one behaved through Spirit-filled actions?

8. As I Labor

Ever had that moment when you’re sure you will be fired from your career and yet what happened was the opposite? Or that moment when you’re seeing no progress at work but along came new opportunities just when you’re about to give up.

These moments surpass our human understanding because it is only God who sees the toil of man, who rewards the man for his labor, and who sees the hearts, minds, and intentions of every human being.

9. Altar Call

This is definitely not the least but the best way of having close encounters with God. Have you had that moment wherein you’re feeling too sure of yourself that this is what you’ve been wanting to do for the rest of your life? That is definitely God’s calling. When God set it in your heart what His mission is for you, you know there is nothing that can hinder you from doing it. This is how passion came alive.

After listing all these items down, these moments are unexplainable and yet something is at work behind them all – the Spirit. If your soul is in tune with the Spirit, the more aware you will be when these close encounters take place. The personal relationship you have with God is what binds you to the Spirit.

There is no such thing as “coincidence” in the Christian faith nor a word such as “luck.” There are, instead, forces of both good and evil that are at work in every single moment of our lives here on Earth. Thus, it takes a discerning heart, mind, and soul to hear the voice of God and it is only possible when we allow the Spirit to work within ourselves.

Have you had close encounters with God in your life? How can you be in tune with the Spirit always? Do let us know what you think in the comments box below and let’s grow spiritually together. ❤

***Featured image copyright: crosswalk.com

9 Things You Need To Know If You Want To Be A Writer

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Ever since I was a kid, I always try to search for ways how to be a writer. Yes, my favorite subject in class is English and my favorite part of that subject is the after-vacation essay. I always feel giddy when I share through writing how my vacation went. I also loved to join writing contests not to win the prize but to let my stories out. If you’re like me who wanted to pursue writing as a career, here are 9 tips you can consider and follow that dream of yours as a writer.

How to be a Writer: 9 Tips to Think About

1. If you want to be a writer, commute via public transportation every day.

The stories are out on the streets from the woman you helped get inside the crowded train to the guard who greeted you exuberantly with, “Good morning, Ms. Beautiful!” 😀

A whole lot more can happen in a day and every single moment can spark a thought or an idea that may be or may not be related to it. The comforts of your car can’t give you those experiences. Aside from that, you’re too focused on the road while driving you won’t have time to notice everything around you.

2. If you want to be a writer, mingle with people from all walks of life and not only the social circle you grew up with or you happen to spend most of your time with.

Talk to that vendor at the market where you always buy your fresh eggs or the barista at your favorite coffee shop. Your conversation need not take an hour, a few chit chats are enough.

You’ll realize how rich and colorful their stories are. Each story is special. If you can imagine them in your head, they’re like vivid images with so many details and colors of different tones, hues, and gradations.

3. If you want to be a writer, you don’t have to take expensive writing courses so you’ll come up with the most interesting pieces.

The old adage in our Literature classes back in college is a pearl of golden wisdom to uphold, “you write not to impress, but to express.” If you’re also born to be a writer, a “writer’s block” is never a problem and it can’t stop you from coming up with an exquisite write up. Why? Everything around you has a story to tell.

4. If you want to be a writer, always write from your heart.

Always remember that you never have to copy any other writer’s style. Find your niche and when you do find it, embrace it. Only then can you make masterpieces that are genuine, sincere, and reflective of who you are. Every writer is special in the same way that your individuality makes you unique from everyone else.

You can also be versatile by exploring different genres. But at the end of the day, always go back to your niche. I encourage you to write in the language that you’re most comfortable with. If you’re comfortable writing in the vernacular, do so. If it is the lingua franca, use it.

5. If you want to be a writer, always have a thirst for learning.

It is your knowledge bank that makes a writer a writer. Without knowledge, you’ll have nothing to write about. Knowledge need not be highfalutin. It can be as mundane as a cat lying languidly in your balcony basking its furry coat under the sun’s prickly heat. Then “boom,” you now have an article entitled, “When Cats Bathe Under The Sun.” 😉 You gain knowledge from anyone, anywhere, and anything. Knowledge is never limited to books alone.

6. If you want to be a writer, you need to be a wide reader.

My Mom never failed to encourage me to be one when I was a kid. Thus, we were surrounded by books while growing up. She is right. Reading is one avenue for you to gain knowledge. Reading also improves your vocabulary. Having a substantial vocabulary also makes it easier for you to process and express your thoughts and ideas. How? Words just flow freely. You always have the right words for every thought.

7. If you want to be a writer, you need to be observant.

Writers are keen on details. Details can make up or break up your story. If you presented them wrongly, you’ll come up with one sloppy article – not worth reading. Nope, I’m not referring to details in a technical way, but details you see around you. What you see is what your brain will process. What your brain will process is what will come out in your writing.

8. If you want to be a writer, keep on writing.

Never lose your focus. If there is any tinge of truth in the saying, “practice makes perfect,” I tell you, there is. Not just a tinge but a myriad of it.

But never plagiarize just for the sake of having something to write about. A copied thought is still plagiarism. But you can somehow make it your own by infusing it with your interests, past experiences you can associate it with, and your own interpretation of the thought.

9. Lastly, if you’re called to be a writer, trust your God-given ability.

He has a purpose why He showered you with that gift. As a writer, you leave an imprint, a legacy that will not just impact your generation but the next generations who will be reading your articles for as long as dear WordPress is alive and kicking. 😀

Writers don’t just leave a legacy, they’re also the greatest editors of themselves. They subject themselves to consistent improvements and rechecks their articles every day until it is polished free of errors. But no, you can’t always make your writing perfect the first time around.

At the end of the day, keep in mind that if you want to be a writer, always think you are writing for an audience of One and always bring God all the glory. Trust Him, He will never fail you. 🙂

From a Christian writer with all the love she can give,

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P.S. (A very long one.) 😀

I very much would love to publish a book, be a published author, and I know I won’t have a hard time achieving that by God’s grace and if it is His will. But my convictions told me that it will defeat my purpose why I am writing if I will publish the book for the sake of making a profit or earning money. If I will make a book out of my faith-based testimonials or anything about God, I will give the book to all my readers for free – the same way that the Bible is free. In the first place, it’s the Bible where I got all the wisdom from the experiences I went through and the reason why I’m writing.

God’s Word is never meant to be exclusive only to those who can purchase your book – it’s meant to be free for all. Always remember to never let money be your sole motivation in using your God-given ability to write. It has to be God and only Him that should be your motivation why you’re writing. Also, God will provide you other ways to finance your writing but never use your writing about God to earn money. If we plan to put God on the pedestal, place Him there without anything latched on to Him – self-glory, money, pride, popularity, etc.

“You shall have no other gods before me.” – Exodus 20:3

If you also want to be a Christian writer, don’t deprive your readers the chance to know God more due to financial constraints. Give them wisdom for free as a way of serving them, as a way of loving others so much you want to give them a source of hope through your writing, as a way of sharing the Word, and as your gift back to God who let you experience salvation for FREE.

“God saved you by His grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God.” – Ephesians 2:8

This is why I have never monetized this faith-based blog even if there were offers to monetize it. All of my ideas and testimonies are free for all to read and share and it will remain that way for as long as I can write. I refuse to even make this a private domain and pay a monthly fee even if I can because I don’t want money to have anything to do with my faith except for tithes.

I may write a book but I’ll give it for free. It is not the price of your book that matters but what’s in it – the story you want to tell. Your story is meant to be shared with everyone. Just like the Bible, there is no limit to where its wisdom can go. It’s the same with your book. Write a story, share it, then leave a legacy worth following through your articles and your readers when they also pass the wisdom to others. 🙂

Are you an aspiring writer? Are you still in a daze how to become a writer? Or have you been writing for years already? Let me know in the comment box below how you’re pursuing your love for writing. I’d pretty much love to hear your story too. ❤

Hope for the Young Generation

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This is an excerpt from my previous article but I added this part a bit later after the article was published. I thought it would be best if I share it separately in another blog post. 🙂

“I cannot do all those if I lack in finances. Volunteering, for me, can only do so much. I want to help in a way that I can see these people slowly reach their dreams and see them aim towards better opportunities in life.

The recent killings of juvenile delinquents here in the Philippines are very alarming. Not only that. These juveniles are rising by the number and are becoming more aggressive. If only the spiritual family can reach out to them before another young life becomes a collateral damage again, the better opportunities for these kids to have another chance in life. Poverty is not reason enough why these kids should resort to crime, robbery, and drugs and vice versa.

Poverty has an end. Education can be a tool for that – financial education, family planning education, livelihood education, and regular schooling. Faith makes it all happen.

If money is the problem, there are foundations willing to provide scholarships to students as long as students meet a certain criteria and fulfill a set of obligations. Just to mention a few, we have in church the Real Life Foundation. World Vision and Operation Blessing also provide that. These kids don’t actually need a one-time outreach event. What they need is serious mentoring making sure they’ve been given the right opportunities toward a better life through empowerment.

I am never a fan of spoon-feeding when it comes to succeeding in life in general. Just the way my parents have taught me, it is all about personal effort which contains persistence, patience, and resilience. And yet faith has taught me too that it is only God who provides EVERYTHING we need and that we should trust in Him alone.”

These kids need faith. They don’t need money per se but who they really need is God in their lives. I know more opportunities will arise in the following years – game changers, radicals, advocates, catalysts of social change, the academe, and businesses will unite toward one common goal with God at the center.

I am believing there is nothing impossible with God. That’s why I am claiming it as early as now and doing the best I can in my own little way to fulfill God’s will not just for my life but for the rest of the world.

Because this is what it really means to be the salt and light in the world and that is our mission here in this world as sons and daughters of God – preach the Gospel and share the love of God.

“So you see, faith by itself isn’t enough. Unless it produces good deeds, it is dead and useless.” – James 2:17

“Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and He will give you everything you need.” – Matthew 6:33