The musings of a wandergeselle about faith, literature, music, dancing, culture, food, travels, art, fashion, photography, life experiences, and everything in-between from journée to journée.
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.
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:
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.
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)
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! ❤
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.
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. ❤
That is how we, Filipinos, greet one another in our native language especially with people whom we haven’t seen for a long time. I must admit it’s been awhile since my last blog post here, but I have a valid reason why this post never made it to my consistent #everyFridayblogpost for 3 consecutive Fridays now. Today, as of writing, it’s actually a Saturday and around 12 midnight to be exact. 😀
So hear ye, hear ye, my beloved readers. Thou shall not cover thy ears for my words will but gently pierce.
Alright, alright. Enough with the never-ending intros, Tin. lol Nope, I am not messing around with you but this is my way of setting up the mood for this article – personal, casual, light, and a journal.
So, let’s start, shall we?
If there is but one thing we all have a hard time managing in this ever-present and modern world aside from time, it is this – priorities. If there is also one of us here who never had a dilemma how to manage priorities, do shoot me an email. I’d really love to learn how you did it.
I have always been a “doer.” When I plan, I set goals. When I set goals, I make sure I am working on achieving these goals. These goals vary from short-term such as paying the bills on Thursday, etc., to long-term goals i.e. career planning, business ventures, and a whole lot of things in between. In other words, I am a multitasker.
Currently, I have so many things going on even though the past weeks were already the busiest. This includes adjusting to our new home since hubby and I recently transferred. If you can imagine all the packing and unpacking that went on and still going on, I’m sure you’ll understand. 😉 I got the hang of it, though. I believe this is the toil of man, to never fully rest until we all reach the end of our timelines in this world.
For the past two weeks, I spent it with my families – the last week of May with my biological family (Ginete family) and the 1st week of June with my in-laws (Rome family). Those weeks were hectic to the point that my Dad, who spent 78 years of his existence in the province, admitted that the city life is so fast-paced time just flies when they’re here. I can’t contest this, it’s quintessentially true. 🙂
This is, in fact, the very reason why I’d love to go back home in the province and stay there for good. This is pretty ironic to someone like me who loves doing a lot of things. I love the laidback atmosphere in the province not because I am lazy. It’s because I enjoy solitude as it calms and eases my mind.
Right now, my mind is a huge mess. I often wondered how I can manage to come up with an article while trying to balance everything. I am always prone to falling into this bad habit of workaholism. I have to constantly remind myself I won’t be able to achieve much when my body and my mind fail me.
Breathe. Take some time off. Pause.
The laidback lifestyle in the province gives us that opportunity. As a writer, there can be so many things in your head and writing them off seems like a never “good enough” solution. But praise God for the comfort of our sound-proof room now, even the drilling noise from a nearby construction site is lessened to just a whisper. *wink* I am grateful to God and my family for this great opportunity to live in a new home. 🙂
A deeper contemplation is what every writer needs. It is from the deepest recesses of our souls that the beauty of words is revealed. That is why I love midnights. I love staying awake in the wee hours of the morning. Everything is quiet. All I hear are my thoughts – loud and clear. It helps me to discern, to block distractions, and to fish those thoughts out one by one until they’re all carefully laid out.
Just like priorities.
You need to handpick them one by one so you can align them accordingly. Balance is achieved once you know what are the priorities that are particularly urgent and what are not.
So how did I manage the past week’s schedule? Maintaining balance is the key. But first, come up with what should be on top of your list and stick to it.
Here’s how mine looks:
God
Husband
Family
Career
Ministry
Image copyright: blogos.org
A word of caution here, though. Don’t confuse God and Ministry as something interchangeable. God being the top priority means your personal relationship with Him a.k.a. devotion and prayer time. The ministry is God’s calling for you how to serve His people. In my case, it is this blog.
So this, my friends, is the reason why I was hibernating from WordPress. I need to serve our families’ needs first. But I am just grateful how God orchestrated all the events that took place so beautifully and perfectly because I honored what matters to Him first.
Here’s how the events played out:
Nothing too fancy and as simple as air conditioning units installed right after my parents arrived (they won’t survive the summer heat in the metro).
Hubby and I also gave them a wedding anniversary gift in the form of Mom’s cataract surgery for a pretty discounted price (hubby’s work privileges). They are now both cataract-free and with 20/20 vision.
We were also able to spend a meaningful time with my father-in-law who’s a seafarer. Their ship passed by and stayed in the Philippines exactly the week when my sister-in-law will graduate in college.
Actually, a whole lot more of surprises took place and I can only attest that indeed, with God, nothing is impossible especially to those who believe. 🙂
Here are some of the photos with the fam bam:
(with the Ginete Family)
(with the Rome Family)
I prioritized our families over my career and yet God made a way for me to stay true to my commitment. As much as the workaholic in me would like to check emails and draft articles while on vacation, the place where my Dad-in-law’s ship was docked had no signal for mobile internet.
So, I prayed to God that if this is how He wishes things to be, may He prepare me once I get back and find out I was laid off from my job. 😀 Yes, I missed meeting the 2-article minimum for every week because I was able to write none for the entire week.
But as you all know, God is good all the time. I came back after the vacation and my employment contract is still intact and no memo came through the email. 😀 I am also grateful for my job now because I had the time to run errands for my family and attend to their needs especially with my aging parents.
Dad had one of his worst gout attacks while they’re here and seeing him crippled because of pain was too painful to watch too. It’s a good thing the practical side of me focused on what needs to be done and never focus on my emotions.
Ah yes, this is how empaths are. I believe most empaths are writers. Writers love seclusion every now and then and so are empaths. Being in a crowd often means absorbing so many emotions and it can completely bear us down. Writing helps unload those emotions when they become too heavy.
So, my family came third. God and my husband remained on the top 2. Right now, I am back to my daily grind writing articles for an ad agency. Another opportunity for a long-term project also came along plus an invitation to write articles for a faith-based website catering to an international audience. There are actually more pending collaborations with Christian writers up on the list from across the globe. These are opportunities that I am grateful for and I know God has a purpose behind them all. I believe 2018 is the year for fellowship with Christian writers from any part of the world.
Oh, and I believe this article falls in the long-form journalism category. 😀 The article runs through approximately 1,607 words. lol This can go on and on but sleep beckons, I must succumb. Hubby and I binge-watch movies yesterday since it’s a holiday. 😉
Regarding long-form writing, I was able to research a great deal about it last night out of curiosity. If you will ask me how I encountered the word, it just popped up out of the blue. I’m sure I’ve heard it somewhere and my brain recollected it just last night. I believe this is a “tugging” about a personal project I felt I needed to work on sometime in the future. Only God knows when but I already have hints.
This, I believe, can wait. The ministry requires more waiting time because it follows God’s timeline and not mine. Thus, it is the last in my priorities. God will take control of it first, I am just on the receiving end to act out when He instructed.
Personally, some events are stalled when it comes to ministry work because God is still in the process of orchestrating everything until it is completely perfect to be revealed and executed – the birth of testimonies. Just like how this blog came alive.
To end this article, when you manage your priorities, your 2nd, 3rd, or 4th priorities may differ from mine but please keep the top spot reserved consistently for only One – God. The following verse will answer your question “why.” 🙂
“But seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness and all these things will be added unto you.” – Matthew 6:33
How do you manage your priorities? I would like to hear your experiences too. ❤
I made it a habit to share a testimony every time we are in a different season. I have noticed every year God takes us to different places around the metro and mingle with different people. Through these instances, I have learned how to be grateful in any and every given situation though honestly, I used to have this fear of getting out of my comfort zone. I guess when God calls you out, He will also give you the courage and prepare you for what’s in store for you in every season. 🙂
“I am not saying this out of need, for I have learned to be content regardless of my circumstances.” – Philippians 4:11
The season before this, we got to appreciate how it is to live simply, minimalist style. We both got comfortable with it and had an idea how it felt to live life with God being the primary source of everything – total reliance on Him. You may read more about this in my next article.
So when this new season presented the opposite, I asked my hubby, “Should we dress the part?” 🙂
I meant that in a figurative and literal sense. I can dress the part but is it really what my heart wants?
I remembered this one incident at the mall and I was going through different shades of my ever favorite Wacoal brassiere design. Yep, I invest in it. No explanation needed for this one but basically, I love the support it gives.
So while I was checking out this bra and then another one, I noticed a saleslady hovering around. Because I don’t like that awkward feeling of someone following me around, I tried to engage her in a conversation. I went on by asking the bra size, color, other designs, etc.
The first thing that she did was scrutinized me (quickly) from head to foot with a smirk and questioning look. Ah yes, I know that look well enough of sales clerks. That look which says, “By your looks, you don’t have money to pay for it.” 😀
I’ve read this one article about it (What To Do When People Mistake You For Being Poor When You’re Truly Rich) and I couldn’t help but agree although not much with how the article ended. I won’t waste millions just because my ego was blasted right out front but that’s because I just don’t have millions to waste away. lol But seriously, the id is one of the causes of some of the unwise things humans do, unfortunately. 😀
Anyway, going back to that brassiere sales clerk, she did entertain my queries but half-heartedly. The best part is when I did tell her I’m going to buy it, she asked again (just to make sure perhaps?) if I will buy it. I just held my tongue from making a crisp retort that goes like, “Of course I am going to buy it because I NEED it.” Yep, with the emphasis on NEED. lol I’ve been buying and wearing Wacoal bras since I was in college (2002) even if they cost 2k each. Being the practical me, you may find this unusual of me. But it’s never about the price nor the brand but the quality I’m after. I have to have all the support I needed. 🙂
But no, I see her as a darling salesclerk who is made in the likeness of God even if she treated me (harassed rather. lol) that way. I just simply said “yes” with a smile but no, I am not killing her in my thoughts. I already “killed” that initial response right away before it can even creep deeper into my heart – how to kill temptation, the temptation to be irritated or angry.
So can you guess what I was wearing that day? Well, your guess may be right – my usual “pambahay” (house clothes) look with matching “madungis” (soiled) slippers. Yep, going to the mall. lol I look no more than a beggar without the stains on the clothes though and with the “artistahin” skin as some would call it.
Just to inform you all, I have that skin not because of glutathione or any whitening products but because I am a homebody and a remote worker so I don’t get much sunlight. Also, my dad is one-fourth Japanese he doesn’t even have hair on his legs. Pretty flawless for a man, eh? 😀
So again I asked, should I be really dressing the part? Must I succumb to man’s stereotyping that when you are rich, you should dress with all the bling bling? Or that when you have a big house, you should only eat good food a la banquet or a feast? Or that when you have money, dress up in tags?
“Don’t judge the book by its cover.”
This is an adage which I have come to know since I was a kid but I cannot assume everyone knows it. If only I can educate people that it is not always the looks that define who you are and where you’ve come from. It’s been a social stigma that’s been ongoing for centuries and sadly, it has now become the norm and the reason why a lot of people are faking it.
So I was thinking of an experiment. I’ll dress up like a house help like I always would and if they stop me at the gate, I’ll just say, “I’m a helper, a different kind of helper.” 😀 On second thoughts though, I really don’t like to embarass these people when they find out who I am. It kind of gets awkward when they are like bowing to you now and greeting you with the “Maam” and all because they found out who you are and it’s their way of apologizing. 😀
One of the things I hate is this – entitlement. You can read more of my sentiments about it here: The Silent Millionaire. As much as I’d like for everyone to be treated fairly and with equality, I know there is no way to bridge that social barrier except through God, Himself.
Should I still dress the part? No, I’ll stick to what I already got used to because that is me and that is who God wants me to be. ❤
Have you ever been in situations where you felt like you should also be dressing the part? I’d like to know your experience too. 🙂
A journeyman by God’s will,
P.S.
As for my husband, hmmm, he can wear what he likes. But he is even worse than I am. lol He wears shirts even with holes in it, wears them inside out, and doesn’t give a care. Or mismatched socks! Oh my geez whiz. No wonder we matched. Haha 😀
This article is in response to the latest news regarding a student from a certain university (I’ll be discreet with the names as a respect to the student and the school) who bashed her professor online after receiving negative remarks on her research paper. Though it earned multiple varying responses, I believe there is a purpose why it needed to happen.
Some pointed it out as the professor’s fault. They say it’s a sort of projection wherein you place your insecurities on others and make them take the blame. As critics, there is this danger of falling into the same trap that you, yourself, tried so hard to avoid. You also have to meet the standards you try to implement so you’ll be credible enough to criticize others based on those standards. If you correct someone because of faulty grammar, for example, make sure you’re also grammatically correct all the time.
As this bible verse goes,
“Do not judge, or you too will be judged.” – Matthew 7:1
This is difficult to follow especially if you’re in a situation where it is part of your job to criticize other people’s work just like a teacher. I believe any position in any profession requires that you give a critical feedback.
I guess this is the part where I will be giving my advice to students in any academe that every teacher’s feedback is not for the purpose of shaming or belittling you but to teach and prepare you to what you will encounter when you graduate from the academe and start living in the real world.
You’ll face a lot of those criticisms every single day of your life when you go out there.
Image Copyright: Huffington Post
Here’s one way to deal with criticism in light of outputs and deliverables. Put yourself in your critic’s shoes first, understand where the person is coming from, and don’t take the comments personally.
Instead, review your work and ask yourself these questions:
1. What did I do wrong?
2. How can I do what my professor/boss asked me to do?
3. How can I improve my output so it’ll meet the standards of the teacher/school or boss/company?
Always think of criticism as a way to make yourself better, not just academically or professionally, but holistically.
For the latter, this is the question to ask yourself: how did I respond in those moments?
This is where I will come in as a Christian and why I wrote this article: Sentimental: Who Am I? back in 2016.
Think of it this way. Let’s say we have this rat experiment and we’re going to study how it behaves given a stimulus. The stimulus is a piece of cheese. If we put poison on the cheese, most likely the rat can’t discern it. Instead of avoiding it, he will react otherwise. He’ll eat it because vermins lack what humans have – the ability to rationally think and discern. So if the rat eats the poisoned cheese, most likely he’ll die – because he lacks discernment. This is the consequence.
If we are to apply it to humans and let’s assume criticism is the stimulus, how do you think a human should react? When you react to criticism negatively, it’s literally poison to your body. How? Being angry, distraught, depressed and all release so much cortisol (stress hormone) in your body which can actually kill you in the long run. The only way to avoid that poison is to use discernment. How? By discerning how you will react to the stimulus – criticism. You cannot avoid criticism, that’s a given. But you can avoid feeling negatively when you receive them.
Well, you might say, “Tin, that is so hard and impossible to do.” Yes, it takes a lot of discipline to change your perspective on criticism but you have to do it. How can you start?
First, you have to be very receptive and always carry that teachable heart. I used to have this very stubborn and adamant attitude which can be traced back to my having an ODD (oppositional defiant disorder) and God changed that in a pretty painful way wherein I still suffer the consequences of it now. But it’s also one critical moment that made me to who I am now. I’ll share more of this in my next article.
In my work now, I receive a lot of critical feedback having 4 to 5 people who edit my output to the point that I even got to hear our CEO’s feedback (jitters! lol). How did I receive it? I consider it a privilege to receive a feedback from our CEO regardless if her feedback re my work is all negative or on red marks or she’d reject my entire output altogether as junk.
I may not know her personally, but I look up to her (I admire girl bosses) because I know she won’t be a CEO if she isn’t qualified and if she doesn’t have all the experience in the industry. God placed her there for a good reason and I actually would love to know what she has to say and what I can learn from her regardless of her background, age, etc.
Next, when receiving criticism or any kind of feedback, have an open mind. Don’t let your emotions intervene right away. If you’re in the middle of work when you got that feedback and you know what you’re going to read isn’t good, take a break first. Get a breather for like a minute or two, get water or coffee, go to the comfort room, wash your hands, do something else to clear your head, then come back and read the feedback.
If you’re going to read it and you know you’re not emotionally prepared i.e. you’re tense, you’re in a hurry, you’re in the middle of a task, most likely you will respond negatively. Why? Because you’re not in the right state to process your emotions while reading. When you don’t process your emotions right, always, you’ll mishandle the situation.
For the students, before letting any negative thought about your teacher and the feedback fill your mind, re-read your work and the feedback multiple times. Don’t react right away like how can she say this, how can she do this to me, this is too harsh for me, etc.
Honestly, when the same incident happened to me back in college along with all the red ballpen marks on my research paper, I felt like my whole life was shattered. I felt miserable. I vented it all out to my Mom and she comforted me by giving me other options to choose from. I wasn’t a Christian yet back then but I believe I was silently praying for God’s help from a distant heart. 😀
But no, those criticisms are not the end of your dreams or your life. It will break you but you have to be firm. You need it for more of those disappointments and failures you’ll encounter later on in life. Resiliency is the key. Nobody is perfect and everyone goes through that. You’re not the only one and you’re not among the selected few who gets to experience it. Nobody is exempted.
Take it as a CHALLENGE. Prove to your critics you can be better, you can improve, and you can meet those standards. But even after trying you still failed, then look for other options just like what we did back in college. Maybe God doesn’t want you to be there and He has other better plans for you. Now, in this case, it is all between you and God already. You need to ask Him what He wants you to do.
In my case, my previous research adviser came from a different department and they have a different approach when writing their dissertations. The way we did it obviously did not meet not just her standards, but the criteria set by the department as a whole.
We presented our dilemma with our department chair at that time because there’s no way we can pass the course since it’s not from our concentration. It’s as if we’re trying to learn everything from scratch. It’s a good thing she gave us an option which was our window of opportunity and yes, our hope to graduate and have that bachelor’s degree. That option though required we have to wait another year before we can work on our thesis because the thesis adviser from our concentration is on sabbatical leave.
In our university, you can only extend 2 years (undergraduate programs) to finish all your academic requirements. We already used up 2nd sem of our 4th year for that thesis course and got a conditional grade which means we have to retake the subject. Waiting for a year means letting two semesters pass by (5th year, 1st semester and 5th year, 2nd semester).
Again, we were only given 2 years as an extension under the MRR (maximum residency rule). This left me with one very critical situation, the last year (6th year) is my make or break moment. I only have a year to complete my thesis otherwise the college/university has no other choice but to kick us out, be college dropouts or transfer schools.
That very last sem was a very trying but life-changing moment. An office staff from the college secretary’s office sat down with me, discussed my predicament, and laid out the college’s terms and if I am in agreement with it.
I can only thank God for giving me the right adviser this time, the right resources for my research topic, and the courage to fight it all out no matter how difficult it is. It’s like you dread every day that passes by because it means your lifeline in the university is also decreasing and your chances of being kicked out are getting higher.
God loves you and He is always with you.
Yes, I have proven this from that crucial moment of my life as an undergraduate student because all the rest of us who were in that difficult ordeal made it through and got our diplomas. ❤
If I did have hangups over this before, I no longer have them now. I already let this all out when I had my water and Holy Spirit baptism back in 2013 when I got saved and became a born-again Christian. It’s enough to change my perspective on everything in my past, let go of the guilt, and forgive everyone including myself. I know you can do it too. 🙂
If you’re going through a similar situation like what I went through, I hope these verses will encourage you and help you understand how it is to obey God and trust Him with humility in everything:
“Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which is from God. The authorities that exist have been appointed by God.” – Romans 13:1
“Do nothing out of selfish ambition or empty pride, but in humility consider others better than yourselves.” – Philippians 2:3
If you’re also a critic, then these verses might also help you deal with a situation like this:
“Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into Christ Himself, who is the head.” – Ephesians 4:15
“Don’t use foul or abusive language. Let everything you say be good and helpful, so that your words will be an encouragement to those who hear them.” – Ephesians 4:29
Always remember that we can never change or prevent the awful circumstances that will come along nor choose the persons we will meet. But we were given the freedom to choose how we will respond in those circumstances.
Did you go through the same ordeal? How did you manage all the criticisms you received? I’d love to hear your thoughts and stories how you overcame them.
With much love and always fighting for faith,
P.S.
Here’s a screenshot of our CEO’s response just in case you’re wondering how it went:
I can only thank God for the grace in helping me come up with an output that more or less meets my boss’ standards. I am actually doing it for God because this is my key verse when doing something as an act of service:
“Do to others whatever you would like them to do to you. This is the essence of all that is taught in the law and the prophets.” – Matthew 7:12
The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’ – Matthew 25:40
But whether I get a negative or a positive feedback, I’d still be grateful. Why? I already went through the same ordeal back in college and I came out alive. All future circumstances similar to that one will no longer break me, I know how to deal with it better this time. Yes, I owe it all to that college experience for giving me this resilient and humble attitude. And of course, faith. Also, we all need a rebuke every now and then. The bible has this to say when it comes to that,
“My son, do not make light of the Lord’s discipline, or lose heart when He rebukes you. For the Lord disciplines the one He loves, and He chastises everyone He receives as a son.”
Endure suffering as discipline; God is treating you as sons. For what son is not disciplined by his father?… – Hebrews 12:5-7
Disclaimer: Being a mobile gamer requires INTENSIVE DISCIPLINE – strictly during FREE time only and once all tasks are done. 😀
Hi there, Friday readers! 🙂
I already made an article draft a few days back to be posted supposedly today. But I thought I’ll just post it next Friday. Meanwhile, I am feeling giddy today to share the new updates on the mobile game apps I am currently hooked on aside from my usual hobbies. Thus, the birth of this article.
Thank God too I finished early today with work and with our meeting. I intentionally woke up around 7:45am which is too unusual for a nocturnal being like me. I also usually sleep at around 2am then wake up at 9 or 10am. But then again, I have to finish my tasks early so I can write this a.k.a. discipline. 😉
Nope, just to set the record straight, I am no online game addict. In fact, I used to detest it. Why? I had this pretty awful experience back in college wherein I totally got addicted to StarCraft. One semestral break, my older sisters allowed me to play it with no time limits – classes are over. Can you guess what happened? I played all day long until night time and woke up too early the next day which went on for several days. You know what happened next? I experienced blacking out literally while going to my sister’s bedroom. Yep, lack of sleep. 😀
It’s the worst feeling to not see anything at all but you can still feel your limbs, you can move around, and I was still walking! Yes, just like a zombie. When my 3rd sister saw me, she probably wondered why I was walking aimlessly and she asked me if I’m okay. I told her that I’m okay but I remembered stopping for a moment (because I can’t see anything), then I leaned on the wall with my back against it. That was before I slumped to the floor. lol
Ah yes, the first and only experience I’ve had so far of blacking out. When I told my sisters a few hours later what really happened, they agreed to only one solution – have a time off from playing it. Nope, they didn’t ban me from playing it – just exercise discipline. 🙂
Alright, so much for my disclaimer it already filled up half of my article. lol 😀
Ocean Is Home and Legacy Review
So on with my review for Ocean Is Home and Legacy. My review will be divided into two parts, what I liked about the game and what I don’t like about it. I’ll start with Ocean Is Home since it’s the first mobile game I played after the “blackout” incident – 16 years after. 😀
1. Ocean Is Home: Survival Island
I already gave a brief description of this game in one of my previous articles. I also shared some screenshots of it on my Instagram account. But this one will be a detailed review.
What I like about the game….
you can now have your own pet, a Rottweiler, when you build the doghouse (the dog comes along with it)
the dog has two tasks: follow you around or walk around
there is a new, bigger island (I spent around 2-3 hrs trying to discover what’s in it)
there are now zombies and monsters (the old version only has Steve as your enemy)
they now have a boat which you can use to travel to the other island
absolutely digging the graphics, the ocean almost looked real!
the loot packages are just the right amount
the new update fixed the controls of the boat for easy maneuvering
more guns! (they now have the Dragunov which is perfect for shooting the zombies from a tower)
more options for building materials (loved their CAD concept of it)
the bunkers aren’t open yet but I take it this is how they keep your excitement going
What I don’t like….
Well, not really “not like” but sort of a bit challenging to the point that some tasks are impossible to achieve. I love challenges though because we all learn from it one way or the other. Or let’s just say I haven’t discovered the proper technique to get my way around it yet. Here they are:
killing a deer, boar, and bear is so difficult it requires a lot of ammo and I still wasn’t able to kill one. lol (poor me, I need those animal skins to try the tanning rack and make my leather clothes)
the set of coins now cost more compared to the previous version (pretty understandable, this is how they earn to make the game better)
if you use the vehicle, you need to stack up on car parts which you can create if you have enormous supplies of rubber, plastic, etc. (you can buy them or build one but it will take you a long time)
new update releases take quite some time (they add a lot of new features that’s why it takes them that long, so all the long wait is still worth it)
All in all, I gave it 5 stars in Google Play. If you love to build and design, you love working on your own, you love to discover new things, you love to strategize and improvise, or just all in for an adventure, and very patient, this game is the perfect one for you. 😉
This is the newest mobile game I am currently interested in. Well, I sort of got intrigued how hubby (a true-blue RPGamer) does it with Lineage. 😀 We found out both Legacy and Lineage have the same game controls, concept, and even similar characters.
This is the first role-playing game I played and since I enjoy working alone, I was pretty much comfortable without a guild. But lo and behold, hubby was intrigued too so he joined in. He noticed I easily leveled up in my BR (Battle Rating) because I maximize the use of single player arenas. lol He urged me to put up a guild and be the leader. When he told me that, of course, you know my answer – NO. lol
How can I lead a team when I never even played an RPG game before in my entire human life?! hahaha 😀 Well, I made a deal with him instead. We will put up a guild on one condition – he will be the leader. We will just use my BR to acquire more points during guild wars but he will lead all the guild members to battle.
Every time we enter an event I always follow my husband where he goes. But at one point I totally got separated and I was like, “Where did everybody go?!” When I looked at my husband, he’s so laughing out loud and teased me, “Hon, didn’t you see the map? You always have to look at that so you’ll know where all of us are going.” My answer was this, “Insert gameface on.” lol
Anyway, enough with the “mushy talk” and let’s get on with the review, shall we? 😉
What I like about the game…
like any RPG, leveling up is pretty fast (everything happens too fast also, this requires multi-processing in your brain. lol)
there are so many ways for you to regain your stamina/energy without leaving the game at all (I call it the “side games”)
it’s interactive in a way that sometimes you have no choice but to invite someone to join you in a multiplayer scene if none of your guild members are online (especially if you are targeting awesome prizes)
the design of the character’s wings are absolutely enigmatic
you easily acquire diamonds which you can use to revamp your character’s costume
you can change your character’s name and your country (you have to wait a couple more days to change your country if you have previously selected one)
the controls are easy and you have two modes of fighting, manual or auto fight (for someone who’s a chicken like me, the auto fight mode is perfect)
What I don’t like….
there’s no filter for “trash” talk in the World chat (though you can minimize it, you’ll still see a line or 2)
methinks some of the women characters are over-personified physically
some pet characters look pretty “hell-ish” I don’t use them even if they will bring me a high BR (this is just my personal preference but let’s just assume they are enemies to extinguish 🙂 )
the tasks can be pretty overwhelming if you’re a newbie player
if you have a high sensitivity to light, you might need to lower down the brightness level of your screen as the light flashes during battles can be too bright
Even if I am new to this game, I’d still give it 4 stars. If you are more of an instant-gratification-kinda-gamer, this game will satisfy you since acquiring gems and gaining experience happen real quick. It’s also action-packed and if you love the effect of aurora borealis, the character’s wings have the same kind of effect. It’s actually one of the highlights of my gaming experience with Legacy. 🙂
So that’s my review of the two mobile game apps. Don’t get me wrong though, this is not the only way for me to spend my idle time. I also play the guitar or do artworks if I need some time off on any screen. 😉
How about you? What are your favorite mobile game apps before and now?
For more on hobbies, arts, and crafts, you can check out this article: Asian Ancestry.
Hello, everyone! I am back and I am sooooo excited to be back! I have so many things to post (all saved as drafts on my phone) and yet so little time! 😉
I am actually on bed rest because I caught the flu bug and I’ve been sick for almost two weeks now. I easily get sick but I prefer not to take meds and train my body to boost its own immune system. Anyway, I still want to make good use of my idle time while I still have the free time. Thus, the post. 😀
So, if you’ve been following my blog for quite some time now, I usually don’t have a blog entry in the month of December for 2 reasons – it is my birth month and busy holidays. I also take this time off from social media as my own year-ender fasting in deep retrospect.
Speaking of fasting, I think you all know we also have a week-long fasting in our church at the beginning of every year. So the January blog entry is, for me, VERY spiritual and personal. 🙂
No, I won’t cry a river in this post like I did the past years. But if I do shed a tear, that tear is precious. It speaks volume of the countless blessings and answered prayers I had back in 2017.
Ah yes, the Lord is GOOD! Freedom from the stronghold of the enemy, freedom at its finest, indeed. 🙂
2018 is FREEDOM. 🙂
Yes, the year 2017 fared fairly well for me and my hubby and our families. We did have some setbacks but the year ended with such a pretty awesome bang. What I meant by a “bang” is one major prayer request being answered – restoration of broken relationships through sincere forgiveness. Not mine though, God answered it at the beginning of the year 2017. But this is for people we’ve been praying for.
Thus, I just smiled my widest ever smile when on the first day of our prayer and fasting in church, I randomly saw this after accompanying my sister and bro-in-law at the airport:
God is good all the time, all the time God is good. 🙂
The tangible assurance is there. God is always with us – Emmanuel. This is the reason for the season as they say. Personally though, I celebrate Jesus’ birth every single day. I thank Him every day for the greatest gift I have received from the Father which is salvation. December 25 for me is just a widespread, massive, collaborative celebration of the Savior’s birth worldwide.
Since I got saved back in 2013, I have seen the works of the Lord not just in me but through the people around me and even with the nations. I have learned since that year until now the very essence of Ecclesiastes 3, the joy of patiently waiting on the Lord, the complete trust, and the faith that we have such a great God though what we see around is the complete opposite.
I do not intend to make this post a very long one like my previous January posts. But that is only because I intend to write short posts once a week. The prayer and fasting at the beginning of this year imprinted on me these verses:
“Do not neglect the spiritual gift you received through the prophecy spoken over you when the elders of the church laid their hands on you.” – 1 Timothy 4:14
“Give your complete attention to these matters. Throw yourself into your tasks so that everyone will see your progress.” – 1 Timothy 4: 15
This blog came alive right after I got saved. A very trying circumstance prompted me to make one. I made this first out of a need then, later on, I realized God used that circumstance and turned it around to serve His purpose. This blog now serves as the “megaphone” for my faith.
No, I dare not turn my back from my calling – sharing of faith-based testimonials through this blog. God knows there is a possibility I will because of other priorities. But God demands He remains the #1. Thus, the reminders. 🙂
From me, my hubby and our families, let’s all claim for a fruitful 2018 come what may and cheers to more upcoming posts that will glorify His Name!
“As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.” – Joshua 24:15
The Ginete Family (missing Ate Ayn and her hubby) with our 94-year old maternal grandma. 🙂
The Ginete Family, now reunited with Ate Ayn and her hubby but still missing another sibling and our parents. 😀
The Rome Family missing my Dad-in-law. 🙂
Always remember, our God is ALWAYS WITH US. Seek Him and you will find Him. ❤
“Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing.” – John 15:5
P.S.
My future posts will be written through a mash-up of my native language (Filipino) and English. We have a very rich language and the Spirit also imprinted I use it often. I am sure Google Translator will do a fantastic job of translating them for you all. Or better yet, you can try learning our language too. I say, “yes” to the latter. 😉
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
And so I’m back. ☺ Hi there beloved reader of this post!
As promised, my next article will be about my “remote working feels.” God gave me the grace to have just a few hours to squeeze this in.
To those who will be reading this for the first time, this is a “sequel article” to my previous articles about remote working, freelancing, telecommuting, and the likes. It was a total career shift for me from the field of education to my first love which is writing. If you will ask me why the shift from being a teacher to a writer, let’s just say classroom management is my waterloo. But I do love teaching. Yet, I love writing more. It was actually one of my prayers to God to give me a career opportunity where I can pursue both my passion for teaching and writing.
The answer?GOD MADE IT POSSIBLE. (Yay!)
How did it happen? I’ll explain later. 😀
This will be my first-hand experience on remote working and if you are already a remote worker like me, maybe you can relate. But if you’re still considering the option to work remotely, this might give you a heads up.
When I wake up, I do my devo first, do household chores, take a bath, then have my breakfast. I sometimes start working on my articles while eating breakfast. Or sometimes, I don’t eat breakfast and start working right away.
2. Weigh your tasks.
This will mean prioritizing what you are going to do for the day. If I need to do errands on that day, for example, I have to assess if that errand will consume more time. If yes, I would need to finish my pending articles first. But if the errand has a time deadline too i.e. banks, bills payments, etc., then I would prepare everything I needed for the article the night before so I wouldn’t have to cram in finishing it the next day.
3. Create a deadline for yourself.
This is, by far, the most difficult. Because if there’s one challenge that any remote worker faces every day, it would be this – procrastination. So yes, beat yourself to that deadline and practice discipline at all times. Even if that bed looks so comfy and the weather is all gloomy and pretty much a bed weather, never forsake work over comfort. 😉
4. Check your productivity.
This will make it possible for you to keep track of your work’s progress. Always make sure you’re getting towards your goals and not falling behind.
5. Always look for online crash courses which could help you advance your skills in your area of expertise.
Ah yes, this, I totally love. And I just discovered this with LinkedIn. Yup! They offer a “free” trial period of their online courses and I haven’t used mine yet. 😀 Let’s just say I am still waiting for that right online course.
6. Continue to challenge yourself to do not just the given tasks but be proactive in what else can you do to help in the betterment of your team’s performance.
Let’s admit it. Your team leader and the rest of your teammates are balancing priorities left and right too. So, it’s not just about getting things done but making sure you are also contributing to your team’s progress.
#1 and #2 are interchangeable depending upon your current needs. For example, in my case, I am currently juggling two jobs as a remote worker. Yes, the answer to my prayers. ☺
But before I get on with the how, the when, and the what, I just want to mention that before I finally got what I prayed for, it required me to seek first and foremost God’s wisdom over my plans. Honestly, I went through several job rejections too. I had a hard time balancing my priorities. I also had to give up my master’s degree. And a whole lot more of struggles left and right.
There were also things which I insisted I will do and I so wanted to have for as long as I put my 100% effort and will-power and yet, God closed those doors a thousand times too. So I finally got it that that door is not the one that God intended for me no matter how much effort and sacrifices I make just to have it. This verse reminded me of that:
“Seek His will in all you do, and He will show you which path to take.” – Proverbs 3:6
So I came to those moments of placidity – a moment of idleness. Those moments where I had my “serious” heart-to-heart talk with my Father.
“What do you want me to do? Where do you want me to go?”
Answers did not come as fast as I’d expected. The enemy played a part in it too by deceiving and tempting me with other opportunities. Sometimes the temptation comes in the form of my own motives.
But it’s a good thing the Scripture is around and the Spirit is greater than he who is in this world. So, God won, of course. 😉
I waited patiently. Always keep in mind that when you seek God’s will in your life, it requires patience. Why patience? Because patience is required for you to have faith. And faith is believing in the things that you do not see. If you aren’t “seeing” any outcome and you don’t have patience, your prayers, sad to say, are useless. Because most likely, you’ll easily give up and move on to your next prayer request.
As they say, believe in the power of your prayers, seek for God’s wisdom and His will over your plans, and lastly, be patient. This, I guess, is the formula in making sure in everything you do, you are assured that you are honoring God with everything.
So let’s now proceed to the job opportunities and I will lay them down one by one according to how each one has played a role in my decision-making.
First, I have a high tolerance for traffic congestion, long lines in the jeepney and taxi stands or walking far just to get to work and to get home. For me, they all require will power. As they say, “if there’s a will, then, there’s a way.” Unfortunately, my body can’t keep up. 😦
The first time I tried going back to the corporate world, my first week at work welcomed me with a cough and flu which went on for about several weeks and I had to take antibiotics for a week because it became severe and it just won’t go away. Another thing, I am a possible candidate for breast cancer. Yup, you can read more about that here in this link: https://thejourneymansmoments.wordpress.com/2016/02/16/the-borrowed-life/.
Last Friday, my husband and I went to this mall in Makati’s business district to buy birthday gifts. When we were about to go home, heavy rains poured, and as expected, the traffic jam was a killer. It was also around rush hour so our usual 15-minute travel coming home was extended to an hour and a half. Pretty saddening, right? Oh, and so exhausting too. While inside the jeepney, I was staring at all the corporate employees and all their haggard, tired, and sullen faces and I was praying silently to God for more options to us working and commuting people.
Better options.
I cannot speak for all as we all have our own reasons why we work, why we chose that kind of work as well as our goals and dreams. We’re all different but for me, my decision to be a writer and work remotely certainly falls for only one reason: health.
I am not really the pro-promotion kind of employee as I am aware that promotions are most often equated to heavier responsibilities which require more of your time and more of your effort. It requires you make your career as your #1 priority. However, there are those who were really called to be in higher positions at work. But personally, I do not see myself as one of them. It is not even my main reason why I pursued a master’s degree.
My goal as to why I work is to earn money to provide for our needs and to use the extra money to help those in need also. Now, the latter is part of the reason why I can say that one of my jobs right now answers this. I am a content writer for the Emerging Business team of an e-commerce company. I have never thought about writing business articles or anything related to business.
But I am very eager to learn some business concepts even before I started this job. I have this feeling God is leading me towards this field from opportunities to interests. I cannot see clearly now what His plans are for me in this area, and yet I trust Him that I am right where He wanted me to be. 🙂
I have one guess why it has to be in the field of business. When we say “business,” oftentimes it has something to do with money. Yes, money is the root of all evil, as they say. And yet, it will only be regarded as such if you have the wrong reasons for having it. But if you are using the money to honor, glorify, and expand God’s kingdom, then money, in that sense, cannot be regarded as something evil.
I want to sponsor one or even more scholars in the Real Life Foundation in our church; I want to help send missionaries all over the world; I want to take part in every community outreach/medical mission event; I want to put up my own SpEd school which will cater the needs of Special Education students here in the Philippines; I want to put up a foundation for all the children with special needs who cannot afford to have the therapies; and a whole lot more of other advocacy.
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. 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 volunteering outreach event. What they need is serious mentoring making sure they’ve been given the right opportunities towards 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 consists of persistence, patience, and resilience. And yet faith has taught me too that it is only God who provides EVERYTHING we need and to trust in God alone.
So this, I am guessing, is one of the reasons why I am learning a lot from all my research in business, finances, and entrepreneurship. As much as I hate money when it becomes the root of all evil, I also know I needed it that much to help others. I did tell my husband a few months back that I wanted to take up a business management course. He told me that we are not financially capable for that. So he asked me why. I told him that one day I might have to take over our family business in Bicol along with my other siblings.
My guess again is that this job sort of hit two birds with one stone: I get to do what I love and I get to learn all about business and finances for free from all my research.
So I did mention that I love teaching. I love literature. I graduated with a bachelor’s degree in this field and I have the passion to share knowledge or pass it on to anyone who is willing to learn. The next job opportunity came in the form of an English content specialist for an e-learning platform. This job is project-based and it gives me the opportunity to impart what I learned from the academe to the younger generations and help them achieve their goals as a student through additional learning supplements in the form of lesson plans. Teachers also get to benefit from these lesson plans (calling fellow teachers out there to check it out). 🙂
Now isn’t God amazing? All it took was persistence in prayers, more personal time with Him, more immersion in the Scripture, and complete trust in His leading alongside disappointments, failures, and sacrifices.
As this verse goes on to say:
“Commit your works to the LORD and your plans will be established.” – Proverbs 16:3
Those were the good opportunities. The not-so-good ones came, for example, in the form of a teaching opportunity abroad. I am not saying that working abroad is a bad opportunity. But let’s just say that it isn’t for everyone. I, for one, can’t see myself working abroad if my husband will be left here all alone. I will be going against my marriage oath and commitment to God to be with my spouse AT ALL TIMES. The compensation is far greater than what I’d be earning here but I am also thinking about the collateral damages and the consequences.
This now brings us to priorities. As a wife, the mandate from God when it comes to priorities is God first, second is the spouse, third is family, fourth is the career, and last is the ministry. One of my prayers to God during the whole decision-making process is to help me align my priorities right and balance everything making sure each priority is getting its intended attention, time, and effort. The article below is a favorite of mine as it shares how women can both be successful in their careers and their family lives.
That is now my current prayer – to be able to balance all my priorities well as a wife, as a content writer, as a content specialist, a daughter, a sister, a friend, a sister-in-Christ, including weighing of tasks and managing of time. I know God has brought me in this certain season for a purpose which includes serving Him and others and though I may have a few doubts and worries, He will lead the way for sure. 🙂
As God has promised:
For I know the plans I have for you,” says the LORD. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope. – Jeremiah 29:11
And as my life verse says:
“I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength.” – Philippians 4: 13
P.S.
My special thanks to my family for all the support and to my sisters in Christ for all the prayers. ❤
“Commit your actions to the LORD, and your plans will succeed.” – Proverbs 16:3
Hi, everyone! 🙂 It’s been a while since I’ve written here (details why will be shared in the next article) and good thing I still have some remaining time (before prepping dinner) to compose a “quick” article.
A brother in Christ/friend of mine and I had this business collaboration and I was more than glad to help and do a review of their products. Well, when it comes to shoes and sandals, no girl can ever resist, right? 😉
So he asked me to do an OOTD-sort-of-theme for the sandals and all I promised was photos of the shoes and no whole-body shots (except for one). lol Well, I am getting older and let’s just say the fashionista in me has shifted too to more simple outfits peg. Being a remote worker has a say in it too. This will be explained more in my next article. 🙂
Anyway, I’ll keep this short so you can go ahead and read more about what Liliw Tsinelas Store has in store for you by clicking the link below. ❤
The Journeyman's Moments 