I Will See You Again

It was dark on the way to the mountainside, but even darker are the hearts of whose feet that follow Him as Their master lays his final words, hours before his arrest. Light does shine the brightest in the darkest of places. In the midst of grief, a ounce of light, a promise from the One who matters, "I will see you again."

John 16:22, "I will see you again, and your heart will rejoice, and no one will take your joy away from you."

This promise echoes hope today in the darkest times in our life. "I will see you again." A postcard from the past that bursts with eager anticipation. It takes us higher to see that life does not end in defeat, even mediocre contentment, for the one who follows him devotedly. On that day, on that day, oh what a joy! Because at long last we have finished the great amazing race, we have kept the faith. I couldn't even picture that moment when we finally see him. There won't be a dry eye, tears shed only because of unspeakable joy. The Celebration then has just begun.

John 16:33, "In the world you have tribulation, but take courage, I have overcome the world."

We are overcomers, conquerors, victors in Christ!


"There Will Come A Day" by Faith Hill

There's a better place where our Father waits
And every tear He'll wipe away
The darkness will be gone, the weak shall be strong
Hold on to your faith!

There will come a day
The song will ring out down those golden streets
The voices of earth with the angels singing
Every knee will bow, sin will have no trace in the glory of His amazing grace

There will come a day!

Starstruck

It was quite a very interesting and rare night for us tonight. Netty and I went to the premier of the evangelistic movie Rebound this evening at Victory Christian Fellowship in Robinsons Galleria. I was given complimentary tickets because I made the movie website (please check it out). Anyway, as we went down the basement parking, I had a hard time looking for one until I found a guy hurrying to his car, so I put my flashers on. And imagine our surprise when we recognized who it was... it was Piolo Pascual! Perhaps he was came from the evening service of VCF. Netty was like sayang we didn't get a chance to see him longer. And I was like, "I just took the place of Piolo's car..." (insert starstruck Anime eyes, hehe). After that episode, we went to the cinema, we found some friends who were already on the queue and took our seats. And then Gary Valenciano and family show up and took the seats in front of us. As in naistarstruck kame. I could literally just stretch out my hand and call his attention. They were there to support his son Gabriel because he's the lead of the movie. Ala lang, just wanted to share ... starstruck siguro. And praise God because these guys people of great influence in media have come to know Christ and more and more people from that field are getting to know Him.

The Gospel According to Jackie Chan

I was watching Late Night with Conan today and he had Jackie Chan on the show. I thought this was gonna be good. Conan introduces him and as he enters from the curtains and everyone just cheered on him. Conan comments that there’s something about Jackie Chan that his presence always lights up any room. And indeed I was smiling and laughing watching the interview because he’s fun-loving, animated and very positive person. He truly lights up every room. Positive—He’s happiness infectious, that every person that he connects with is charged up with that energy. I thought if only we could be more like that. That in every person we try to connect with we leave a trace of God’s radiance and goodness—because we are mere reflectors of His glory. Just as salt that influences the food it touches and a light that influences any room. We are agents to influence any dire, gloomy or apathetic situation. We reflect that Light. A Light that is more infectious than raw positive thinking and meditation, it’s His radiance, Him who came to bring people Life—a life that is full, happy and complete. Are we putting that Light to good use?

You're here to be light, bringing out the God-colors in the world. God is not a secret to be kept. We're going public with this, as public as a city on a hill. If I make you light-bearers, you don't think I'm going to hide you under a bucket, do you? I'm putting you on a light stand. Now that I've put you there on a hilltop, on a light stand—shine! Keep open house; be generous with your lives. By opening up to others, you'll prompt people to open up with God, this generous Father in heaven. – Jesus, Matthew 5:14-16 (The Message)

Day in the Life: Long Day

It's been a long day today. Today is my campus ministry day. Surprisingly woke up at 7AM by myself (snaps for me) and started preparing for my campus visit in CCM. Took a quick shower and tricycle my way to LRT.

I arrived at CCM around 10AM and our smallgroup is already waiting for me. It was a great first smallgroup meeting this semester. Had a great time catching up and sharing and encouraging one another. Netty followed around 11AM. By 12 noon we went to CEU to visit a youth of mine to catch up on each other's lives over lunch. I haven't seen her for quite a while so Netty and I were so happy to see her telling her that she was "blooming" which was not bola but true. Around 2PM, we were to meet Ate Merla in a student center in Morayta. I figured it should be in United Baptist Church, because they had a large youth center. I was glad to find out that the Doulos (Ship) Team was holding a booksale in the student center. And this time majority of the books were inspirational and cheaper. We met Ate Merla with her friends there. Turns out that that was not the student center they were using but the one over the FEU side. After buying some books, we headed there to spend sometime to catch up with friends. By 4PM, we went back to CCM with the intention to get to know new students and share faith with them which turned out pretty well.

After a long day's work (with all the sun and smoke, we look and smelled un-fresh already), we went to Glorietta to have dinner and catch a movie (One More Chance :). On the way there, Netty surprised me with a WordSearch book, that I wanted to buy when we were in Doulos (It was so sweeet of her). Arriving there we discovered that the queue to the move was so long since it was 1st day of showing so we figured to just have dinner and coffee. We were able to see Netty's friends (Christian, Daniel, Claire and Jen) and shared a dinner at World Chicken. They went off to see Beowulf and Netty and I went to Starbucks to have coffee. She's eagerly collecting this years Starbucks planner :) It was my first time this season to have a hot cup of Peppermint Mocha which was very exciting. Then we took the word search book and had a little competition on answering the most hidden words. It was a quality time moment :) After coffee I took her home and stayed a little longer watching PBB. Arrived home at 11:30PM blessed and thankful.

Blessed and Thankful that ...

1. I received a new project after a friend of the Rebound Movie staff saw the site. Thankful for the projects He's sending me.
2. I am able to connect with students and young people and being able to minister to them.
3. Thankful for the company of Netty. A real encourager and encouragement, equally passionate about young people and full of grace even after a whole day's work.

Please pray with us as we continue to minister to the students of CCM.

2nd Semester @ CCM

2nd semester is here again. Today Netty and I went to CCM to visit our Bible study group and do some evangelism survey. There aren't alot of students yet just a handful. We were able to know a few students from Computer Science college. And we were able to see our Bible study group. We're meeting again, this time Wednesdays at 10AM. We'll be there the whole day Wednesdays. Before we left, rain came pouring down really hard. We stayed at SM Manila for a while. Then proceed to accompany Netty to the FX station. It's like highschool all over again (Pahatid hatid sa sakayan, kasi bawal sa house hehe). I'm really blessed to have Netty in my life and it's an added reward that I could do ministry with her. Our bible study group of 4th years students from Political Science will soon enter the working world. Thankful that all of them passed their thesis and two pairs of thesis partners from our group got the top 2 highest thesis grades. Praying that this semester will be fruitful for all of us in CCM. :)

Day in the life: Glorietta After

• It's back to school for me here at ASCM. I'm enrolled to two subjects whose professors "hindi ko masakyan." One subject perhaps the better one is Counselling with Dr. Zonia Tappeiner, but she's still not in 'til next week. Mondays and Tuesdays are my school days.
• Finally I got to see Netty after 8 days. We saw Rendition. Good movie.
• Sad to discover that Jolibee's Amazing Aloha is phased out again. Do only few people really appreciate Amazing Aloha??
• Happy to see that finally Starbucks' Christmas Blends are back! (My favorite is peppermint mocha)
• It's my first time to visit Glorietta after the explosion that killed 11 people and injured scores. Glorietta 2 is still closed. The stalls on the hallway that goes through Landmark is closed on one side. Even though the mall is trying to pull in its patrons through sales and Christmas decors the shadow of that sad Friday afternoon looms. There were only few people around. Shops close earlier. And the security check-ups take longer. It's a gloomy feeling altogether, and it's Christmas season. "Lord, teach us to number our days aright" (Ps. 90:12).

Compassion Wanted

Jonah 4:11, "Should I not have compassion on Nineveh, the great city in which there are more than 120,000 persons who do not know the difference between their right and left hand, as well as many animals?"

This was God's answer to Jonah, after he proclaimed God's judgment to the wicked Assyrian capital city of Niniveh. But because the whole city repented, God relented its destruction. And this made Jonah really, really disappointed.

"Was not this what I said while I was still in my own country? Therefore in order to forestall this I fled to Tarshish, for I knew that You are a gracious and compassionate God, slow to anger and abundant in lovingkindness, and one who relents concerning calamity." (Jonah 4:2)

Many times we let the comforts of religiosity make our faith stale and stagnant rather than letting it flow, expressed to ripple off. We forget the compassion rendered upon us by the Lord "while we were yet sinners". We readily label the supposed less closer to God to a point of disgusting self-righteousness. But our lack of compassion and genuine concern just reveals that we are no more enlightened and transformed than them. We fail to see that more than statistics they are victims in need of a Savior like we were once.

John 3:17, "For God did not send the Son to judge the world, but the world might be saved through Him."

Lord, may I reflect your compassion for the hurting, the blind, and the weary. Fan the flame of compassion and the burden for the lost, the students and the young people. Let it grow stronger. Search me and mold me.

Nasugbu Visit

Finally after a week's hustle and bustle, I'm nailed to the house. Finishing my message for tomorrow. This week's been surprisingly hectic. I thought finally I will have rest after last weeks nightly seminars at church. But projects have been queueing, thank God, on the downside I'm still adjusting to the abnormal sleeping habits of sleeping late. I feel the work stress has been affecting my body, I'm experiencing problems with my stomach and my eyes. I want to get myself checked up next week.

Tuesday was a break from work when I and Welfert went to Nasugbu to coordinate the cooking team for the camp. We figured it would be easier to get the help of a local church to do the cooking for us instead of bringing a team from Manila. But anyways, it was a rainy-cold trip to Nasugbu. And we're welcomed like VIPs. A taste of local Batangas hospitality. It was such a blessing and a breather for me to witness such dedicated and inspiring ministers of the Lord. Especially Ptra. Carumba who was our contact. She has already grandchildren, but her raw passion for the Lord is evident by her age. It was a blessing listening to her stories back in BBC and Manila Faith, also her ministry stories during Martial Law. It's like saying to me, ministry doesn't start and end with me, we're just all part of God's story in His effort to reconcile men to God through Jesus. Ministry wasn't born yesterday. God has been using people even before I was born and it wouldn't stop when I die (So it's like okay to get some break sometimes! :) Indeed it is not about us. We also met Ptr. Mike Anciado, a young Nth generation pastor of Nasugbu First AG. We visited their newly renovated church. They have this wall of old and new pictures showing the growth of the church. Indeed the trip was a slice of history lesson.

Yesterday's Crazy Schedule and Bombing

Satuday. We just concluded a 15 hour (5 nights) seminar on Carecells. A group of Singaporeans from Trinity Christian Center came down for ministry exposure. They were here last May through Chi Alpha and we also got to know them and build friendship with them. I wrote before the one word that I would describe them is DRIVEN, they are still now. They've never lost their passion, it was a LIFESTYLE. I have learned so much from them.

Looong day yesterday, slept at 3AM because of a project (Subpix posters). 10AM I was already in Robinsons Place Manila for cellgroup consultation with Ptr. Edwin & Ptr. Carmelo. At 12, went to Alva to print the posters I made. This wasn't supposed to be my job (to print my design for the client) but the client is so busy that he cannot do it, so he just paid me for the effort & the gas. While waiting to print, I was in KFC taking my lunch. Then I got a text that Glorietta 2 was bombed. At first I was skeptic, but another text came confirming the incident. And I was going to Makati. 3PM I picked up the posters and head for Makati. Turned on the AM Radio and listened as the tragedy unfold.

It's devastating what fear can do to you. If there's one thing I learned about the incident yesterday is that these people who did this sowed fear to the people. Fear immobilizes you. Nails you that you keep yourself from moving forward. It creates paranoia. Just listening to the reports as it came in, it gave a sense of fear for your safety. I heard someone say that fear is the number one weapon of the devil. He'll keep you frozen to move on. He'll sow thoughs of "what if's" so you won't pursue God's plan altogether. But God didn't give us a spirit of timidity, but the Spirit of boldness, love and a sound mind. Love drives away fear. It's like light vs. darkness. Ptr. Edwin says that light NEVER wrestles with darkness, darkness just flees whenever light comes. That's what love does.

There's a point where you could choose to continue listening and continue to be fearful or just leave it. I mean I already got the facts, and the news just keeps on repeating. So at one point even if it was difficult to switch from the news, I turned on the CD player and played and listened to some God-songs. 4PM I delivered the posters in Makati Avenue. 5PM I picked up Ptr. Edwin and Ptr. Carmelo from Hospicio de San Jose (they visited an orphanage the whole afternoon) and when went to church. After the seminar, I treat them for a Chinese dinner in Ongpin (they've been treating me for a couple of nights). I dropped them in their hotel by 11PM and got home and talked to Netty by Netty tells me I am not Superman. True. Earlier Ptr. Edwin shared that Singaporeans are crazy planners, they do things by the second. I am also like that at times. And I'm trying to start working on my inhumane schedule. After a few hours finally I got a well-deserved sleep.

Day in the Life

Today I was able to finally able to get some good rest after last week's rush of work, ministry and in-betweens. I dozed by 9PM and woke up around 10AM--a gud 13 hours of sleep. But I still feel a bit weak (no energy) I figured this was because I stopped lifting weights. My tummy's getting bigger (again). So I need to get back on a regular routine exercise. Over the weekend I was able to finish a project. But there's more to do for this week. The Singaporeans from Trinity Christian Center are back again and this time they are doing trainings for five evenings (6-9PM) at our church that started tonight. Nice to see Ptr. Edwin and Ptr. Carmelo again. And tonight's seminar about Spiritual Parenting was very meaty and helpful. I need to get back on blogging. But for now, gotta sleep.