Reporting Fernand Yim

Call Center Interview Questions and Tips (Part One)

2012-01-25T00:12:00.002-05:00

I'll sign a new contract later today. I can't say I am very happy but I know that I am grateful. It's quite different this time and all I am praying for is that everything will be a lot better this time. Then a thought struck me and I decided to re-post an old article which first appeared in Team Call Center.

This might be the most challenging article I am writing for this blog! Yet indeed, when I was starting to apply for a call center job not so long ago, the availability of a list of most probably asked call center interview questions was something which I knew back then would be of a great help, especially for call center virgins like I was before (people who have no call center job experience yet). I gathered as much information as I could find from online, newspapers, magazines, and from my training with Verbal Advantage, too. Surprisingly, I got so many of them which I needed to categorize them by the most likely answers needed to hear or to know by the interviewer.

According to Kyle Gianan, my former trainer in Verbal Advantage, more often than not, interviews in call center recruitment process start with: Tell me something about yourself. Your answer for this should run for 1-2 minutes. It is your chance to sell yourself to the recruiter by banking on your qualifications and skills. This will also mark the start where they will be assessing your oral English communication skill which is the primarily important skill you should have to pursue a call center career (especially for voiced accounts). You can perfect this part by doing a pre-interview practice, and better if you had written a script which you should have memorized already by the day of the interview.

What to write in the tell-me-something script? Kyle advised to do it in the following order, if applicable: personal background, family background, educational attainment, work experience, seminars/trainings, skills, and hobbies. You can also change the order as needed, or if appropriate, you can add another item. You should close the script with a positive ending like, “If you will hire me, I want to start as soon as possible.” This line expresses your eagerness and interest to work in their company which will add to your points of getting hired.

When answering the following questions, use the power of positive scripting. Believe me that it really works! You can say something not-so-good using positive scripting which, more often than not, will lessen the gravity of its negativity, or if it’s really your day, it could transform the negativity of your answer into a positive one. It is all like playing a court game where you need to win the case by your own words.

One more thing, though. Be confident and make them feel you mean every word you say. Interviews are simple marketing game wherein you are selling yourself. Just think of the prize: a job. Now here is the first part of my list of questions that are most likely asked in an interview.

Questions for Qualifications

The list below is likely to be asked to call center virgins, although some of them can still be asked to someone who has already a call center experience.

1. Do you like talking to different people and personalities?

People who want to work in call center should be capable of dealing with different types of people. Every caller is different from other callers, given that they are calling for the same issue. In this question, your answer should be yes. It is better if you can relate a successful or fine situation where you had talked with a group of people of different personalities.

2. Have you sold anything over the phone?

In call center industry, every work or account is involved with selling, whether it is a sales account or not. For sales accounts, obviously you need to have competitive selling skill to get hired. For non-sales accounts, selling is still part of the job because you need to sell satisfying customer service. In this question, if your answer is yes, you need to support your answer with experiences you had before in selling over the phone. Your selling experiences are not limited to previous call center experience for a sales account. You can also include situations like taking an order over the phone for a fast-food business and the like in which you were able to convince the customer to add a dessert or an item.

If your answer is no, that is no problem. This is where you can use positive scripting. Instead of saying no, give a situation where you had closed a sale. You can say, “I was able to close an important sale before which was not over the phone but the impact it had for the store I was working with was amazing.” And you can add more details to explicate your positive selling experience.

3. Can you speak other languages other than English?

Other than English, there are call center companies which cater to other non-English countries. If your answer is yes, that is a plus but not a requirement unless it is specified on the job posting.

4. Have you ever been in a situation that involved problem solving?

There is no other answer for this question but a yes. The challenge here is for you to impress the recruiter by relating an actual situation in your life where you had used your problem-solving skill well. Call center job is, more often than not, about problem solving.

5. What are your strengths and weaknesses?

This is a tricky question. You can cite a long list of your strengths as long as they are related to a call center job. How about your weaknesses? What can you say that will not lose your points? Always remember that it is foolish to answer a no to this question. Be real. Everyone has their weakness. If you would say no, or that you cannot think of a certain weakness on the spot, it will only make you sound as if you are lying or worse, you will get a minus in oral communication skill. What you can do is you can settle for safe answers like not work-related items. For example, you can say, “Smoking is my weakness. Every time I see a stick, I feel like wanting to smoke right away.” For girls, you can say shopping as your weakness.

Another way to answer this question is by using the power of positive scripting. You can make a positive trait to sound like a negative one and still, it will have a more positive impact. How is that? That is simple. Instead of just saying that you are hard-working, you can say this, “I am too hard-working that sometimes I don’t have time left to have a night life.” This is a very smart answer for it does not only help you to provide an answer to the question instead of just saying a no but, it has also added a point to your score. Just be creative and yet honest.

6. How do you handle pressure?

A work in a call center is in the midst of a very challenging environment. They are many stats you need to achieve while you maintain the quality of your calls. You think of so many things at the same time because there are also deadlines you need to consider. So it is really important for the recruiter to know if you can work under pressure effectively. Of course, this question needs a yes for an answer. To make your answer more convincing, support it with actual experiences you had in the past.

Qualifications are still in question in the following list, but this time it is more likely to be asked to someone who already had a call center experience.

1. What can you contribute to the company, knowing the basics of being a call center agent?

Tell about your previous job, what you do and what you have learned. It is wise for you to bank your answer on your experience as a call center agent before. Like you can say that there will be no problem for you to work on night shift and holidays. There will be no culture-shock issue. If they will hire you, you can say that you can help first-timers in training and nesting. There are many other good answers to this question, just be creative.

2. How do you handle an irate caller?

What I was told by my previous trainers is this, don’t take it personally. Callers are not mad at you but to the company. Keep a polite attitude. Try to know the reason why the caller is irate in the first place. Get clues from the words the caller is saying. Look for alternatives. Do not promise anything that cannot be delivered for it will only aggravate the issue. Lastly, as much as possible, end the conversation on a positive note.

3. Why we should hire you?

Basically you need to tell your qualifications for the job. I remember when I applied for agent post for directory assistance and was asked with this very same question, my mind had a quick recall of the video they had in the lobby which was being played over and over again. Prior to the interview, I was memorizing as much as I could all the information about the company posted in the lobby as well as what was being said in the video. The video was saying this, “We don’t just hire agents, we change lives.” So I answered the question with this, “You should hire me because I believe you guys that you can change lives. Change mine.” Then I added my other qualifications for the job. I don’t know what was with my answer but I could remember the smile on the face of the recruiter that day and I got the job.

It will be a great pleasure to me if the provided answers and tips above can help you as guidelines to answer your interviews. But don’t limit yourself with them, be creative and try to personalize your answers. I always advise to prepare a script and practice a mock interview to increase your chances of getting hired.

There is more to this list under different categories. I will have them posted here real soon.

Grasping Faith

2012-01-19T04:37:00.001-05:00

____________________

Last week, I started my job hunting. Actually I just did it on Monday and Tuesday last week. After that I stopped, waited for calls, text messages, and email messages—and I received nothing.

I should not worry but I still worried. I thought of Mama and Papa and Psyche. I also thought of Nicalyn, Jojo, Calvin, Alex, and RonRon. I thought of many promises I heard as the year 2011 ended and 2012 began—promises I said to myself. It was as if I had to hear the actual words to oblige some faith that these promises are going to happen this year.

There are three things in my list under major importance category.

1. The promised house.

2. The better job.

3. The realization of being a published writer.

The promised house — the promised house is for my parents and younger siblings. My heart was broken in a million painful pieces when my family was forced to leave the house in Calamba, while I was going through medication because of kidney stones miles away from them, helpless. God has promised that we will all eat together in a festive meal as one whole family. I long to get home and find everyone in there wearing happy faces. When I go to the kitchen, Mama will be there cooking something. When I go upstairs I will find Jojo writing his new personal book. Calvin will be in the other room, studying a new worship song on keyboard. Alex will be with him reading something. Psyche and RonRon will be in the living room watching TV while Nicalyn is asleep on the sofa. Papa will arrive later from work with a box of pizza. Chris will be calling us on the phone to tell something great that has happened in her school.

The better job — the travel time from home (San Pablo City) to work and vice versa was killing me. Plus the fact that Gracia and I were hardly seeing each other. And the nature of the work was adding to my unwanted depression. So I had to resign and hoped for the best. I prayed for better job which I defined as something near that I don’t need to take a total of six hours travel time. Something that is done during the day, Monday thru Friday. Something I could learn more from. Something that could offer a career growth for me. Something that has better salary so that I would not miss sending my share for my siblings’ allowance, for the pay for the house, and for Gracia and me.

The realization of being a published writer — I am happy that I have finished writing the first seven chapters for The Dreamwalker’s. Just seven more or so chapters and my first novel will be ready for publishers.

Last week, Gracia’s Japanese boss talked to her and asked if I already have a job. Hesitantly, Gracia told him that I am still applying—in other words, still jobless. The Japanese boss offered the opening post for customer service in their company that they need this month. Gracia told the Japanese boss that I don’t know Autocad and the nature of the business. The Japanese boss said that they could teach me. It sounds like great news. Imagine, Gracia and I will be going to the office together and will be going home together. I also know that all people in the office are great and nice.

When our emotions finally calm down, we consider some important things. First of all the salary. It would not be enough to support my brothers and Psyche. There is also no room for career growth unless I would get transferred to Sales. But for Sales, they need someone who knows how to drive. It feels so unfair for someone who is looking for a career, not a job. We also have considered that the Financial Manager is our Ninang and the President of the company is our Ninong. We don’t want to hear anyone saying that we are using our connections or whatever. We don’t but it was the Japanese boss who approached Gracia—which we wished he didn’t. That is complicated to explain.

This coming Friday will mark my two-month of being a househusband. Not proud of it, okay? Well, that was really part of the plan for my career hunting to start in the second week of January. So technically, I have been looking for a career for only ten days.

But Jojo just paid me a visit last Sunday and I was only able to give him half of his allowance. There was nothing more I could give for Alex and Calvin. The thought of it gave me more pressure.

And about The Dreamwalker’s? I still have no message from my writer-friend Alex, not even a word from Nicalyn.

All of this resulted to my longer stay inside our room, getting bad, feeling ill of everything. Until late this afternoon, I gave in and cried like a child to God. In tears, God gave me a new hope and a new faith. I don’t know what will happen tomorrow but I give that to the LORD. He knows better, way better, than me.

Thank You, Abba.

When A Flower Dies...

2012-01-14T09:00:00.000-05:00

Reaching That Cookie Jar

2012-01-12T05:56:00.000-05:00

Can you remember those days when you were only a child and you wanted desperately to reach something beyond your limit? Maybe a cookie jar or a toy of an older sibling. Now that many years have passed by, we have changed so much. So do our wants in life. Cookie jars are no longer in our list. Maybe you are now longing to mend a broken relationship. Maybe it is a dream job you are hoping to get this year. Or maybe it is a simple as seeing the person you love.

In my case, my cookie jar has transformed to this: a small dream that began innocently when I was a kid which now has become a part of me. I still feel like a kid struggling so much to reach my cookie jar. I always wanted to become a published writer. This is why I love reading almost everything. This is why I submitted a funny childhood story to Funny Komiks when I was only eight. This is why I learned to keep a diary. This is why I joined the school paper in high school. This is why I joined a songwriting contest in college. This is why I started blogging.

Many times before, I decided to give up this dream. But there seems to be a small voice that constantly bugging me around wherever I go. And last year, at the most crucial time of our lives where the storms were just starting to subside, I had to do it—I resigned from my work, risking it all, and give it another chance.

So far everything looks okay. I am getting good feedback. Even though there was one who said not-so-good thing about it. But all in all, everything seems going great. However, today I felt so sad. I felt so down. I wanted to oblige myself to hold on for the future because God has something great in store for me. I wanted to believe that.

When I was cleaning some old stuff, I read some old entries in my last diary telling my series of depression and how God had listened to me all the time and how He saved me from it. I felt relieved instantly. But here I am again, feeling the weight of getting there. I feel like a woman in labor, enduring all the pains and anticipation and despair all at the same time. I just hope that in the end, it is gonna be a healthy baby.

In Mark 5:21-34, there was a woman who suffered a continuous blood flow. Under Jewish law, a woman’s blood flow caused her to be unclean. And so did those she touched. For twelve years, she never felt a warm human touch. This could be her cookie jar. Imagine her sadness and depression. Perhaps she kept herself away from people for those many years. But when she heard about Jesus’s visit, she dared to go through the crowd. If I just touch his clothes, I will be healed…, and after she touched His clothes, she got healed that instant. Jesus told her, “Daughter, your faith has healed you…” I admire this woman for her huge faith in Jesus.

I know we are all blessed because we belong in this generation which is under God’s grace because of what Jesus did on the cross. I just smile to myself, feeling silly for having such a little faith. I thank God for reminding me—again—that He is with me always and forever.

So you get up and reconcile that broken relationship, get that dream job, or go for it and see the one you love. Get that cookie jar. After that, give thanks to the LORD.

Your Top Five Priority Things?

2012-01-10T22:25:00.000-05:00

I have seen so many blogs before but there is one that I love visiting every time I go online. I love all the pictures which seem to tell their own stories. Even the articles and those little caption and verses are very powerful and inspiring. Right away, I added this blog in my Daily Reads for easy visiting.

So far, I got very inspired by her post entitled, Unexpected Loss. It really did touch my heart and she had made me reconsidered so many things in my life. I somehow felt obliged to review my priority list.

If you would take away only five things with you, what would they be?

The Life Of A Leaf

2012-01-03T05:18:00.000-05:00

Where is Jesus when it’s Christmas?

2011-12-19T04:00:00.001-05:00

Geez, it’s Christmas again! I am seeing houses and trees covered with Christmas lights. The malls are too crowded to go there to relax recently. People are happy. Christmas songs are being played almost everywhere! But what really is it for us that we feel different when it’s Christmas?

I hate to say it but I hate when Santa Claus and his images covering the whole city. Even in our local malls, I am seeing more of Santa Claus than the Savior who came to save us thousand years ago.

So, I decided to look for Jesus in details. We know that God is in details. I tried hard but I only had a limited place to check to look for it. You may want to make your own version. But here, I want to share what I found.

It reads J-E-S-U-S.

Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: The virgin will be with child and will give a birth to a son, and will call Him Immanuel. —Isaiah 7:14

…An angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because He will save His people from their sins.” —Matthew 1:20-21

As we celebrate this season, let us not forget the very reason why we have Christmas in the first place. Thank You, Jesus.

__________________________________________________________________________________

1. An empty bench in Community Hospital, San Pablo City

2. Belt holder in dressing room, SM department store

3. Man-made lake, Intramuros, Manila

4. Left over wood, at our backyard

5. Simple chandelier in Community Hospital, San Pablo City

God In Details

2011-12-15T22:17:00.000-05:00

First Day

In the beginning when God created the heavens and the earth, the earth was a formless void and darkness covered the face of the deep, while a wind from God swept over the face of the waters. Then God said, "Let there be light"; and there was light. And God saw that the light was good; and God separated the light from the darkness. God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And there was evening and there was morning, the first day. (Genesis 1:1-2, 3-5)

Second Day

And God said, "Let there be a dome in the midst of the waters, and let it separate the waters from the waters." So God made the dome and separated the waters that were under the dome from the waters that were above the dome. And it was so. God called the dome Sky. And there was evening and there was morning, the second day. (Genesis 1:6-8)

Third Day

And God said, "Let the waters under the sky be gathered together into one place, and let the dry land appear." And it was so.God called the dry land Earth, and the waters that were gathered together he called Seas. And God saw that it was good. Then God said, "Let the earth put forth vegetation: plants yielding seed, and fruit trees of every kind on earth that bear fruit with the seed in it." And it was so. The earth brought forth vegetation: plants yielding seed of every kind, and trees of every kind bearing fruit with the seed in it. And God saw that it was good. And there wa s evening and there was morning, the third day. (Genesis 1:9-13)

Fourth Day

And God said, "Let there be lights in the dome of the sky to separate the day from the night; and let them be for signs and for seasons and for days and years,and let them be lights in the dome of the sky to give light upon the earth." And it was so. God made the two great lights-- the greater light to rule the day and the lesser light to rule the night-- and the stars. God set them in the dome of the sky to give light upon the earth, to rule over the day and over the night, and to separate the light from the darkness. And God saw that it was good. And there was evening and there was morning, the fourth day. (Genesis 1:14-19)

Fifth Day

And God said, "Let the waters bring forth swarms of living creatures, and let birds fly above the earth across the dome of the sky." So God created the great sea monsters and every living creature that moves, of every kind, with which the waters swarm, and every winged bird of every kind. And God saw that it was good. God blessed them, saying, "Be fruitful and multiply and fill the waters in the seas, and let birds multiply on the earth." And there was evening and there was morning, the fifth day. (Genesis 1:20-23)

Sixth Day

And God said, "Let the earth bring forth living creatures of every kind: cattle and creeping things and wild animals of the earth of every kind." And it was so.God made the wild animals of the earth of every kind, and the cattle of every kind, and everything that creeps upon the ground of every kind. And God saw that it was good. So God created humankind in God's image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them. (Genesis 1:24-25, 27)

Seventh Day

And on the seventh day God finished the work that he had done, and he rested on the seventh day from all the work that he had done. So God blessed the seventh day and hallowed it, because on it God rested from all the work that he had done in creation. (Genesis 2:2-3)

Random Poetry

2011-12-15T00:05:00.000-05:00

Stained Glass

Want a peek into the future

See if fame is captured in my hands, hear?

Feeling sick, there is no cure

Can’t see, I can’t see, when would it get any clearer?

Bum Life

Now I have time to slouch and send text messages

I can sleep anytime, anywhere I’m pleased

Watch TV until there is no more to see

Oh how I miss this, felt like been dead in ages!

Bride of the Earth

Soil. Trees. Birds. Dreams.

I grew up with them.

Been watching seasons, come and go

But my life just started in ‘I do’.

Bride of the Sky

Been in the air for quite so long

Counting raindrops, chasing after rainbows

Thought that was all about my song

Until you came along, what else there’s to know?

Versus

One word. Two words. Until they’re three.

Still not satisfied, I decided to flee

Delete them from one to three

Empty space, where then would I be?

Moon Lady

Been watching you in your sleep

Been wondering what’s in your dreams

When you wake up, would you look for me?

Or would you turn around for another sleep?

Red Flame

It hurts. Do you know what that means?

It’s over. Have we even started yet?

Let go. Have you ever been mine ever since?

Move on. Where would I go when you’re the only place I know, get?

Confidence in the LORD

2011-12-14T00:32:00.000-05:00

The LORD will be your confidence. Proverbs 3:26

As a weird person, I do weird things. That’s given, ha-ha! I remember when I was in my second year in college, I woke up one morning and didn’t like my hair. It was not a simple bad hair day to me. It was irritating that I ended up cutting my hair in front of a mirror. The first two cuts were ugly. So I tried some more and did more bad cuts. In other words, from bad hair day, I had to deal with the world with the ugliest hairstyle anyone could have. I looked so stupid that I didn’t want to go out until my hair grew back.

However, the bad news did not end there. That day was also our defense in one of our major subjects. And I was the leader. I had to go in front of the class and present the business plan and deal with the objections from the other teams and make sure to win the business proposal.

Heck, I didn’t want to do that! I could not stand the thought of getting the class happy and giggling seeing my hair. I couldn’t wear a cap either for it was not allowed inside the room. Then Gracia approached me and gave me a little note of encouragement. It made me smile and it did help me to stand and defend our team. The ending was successful.

It was really inspiring that someone like Gracia cares so much about me that she was always there to cheer me up. God is a lot better than that. God is always present and is with you wherever you go. And knowing that God is with you, who can go against you, right?

That same encouragement Joshua received from God after Moses died and the leadership among Israelites was given to him. Joshua was considerably young and I could imagine his worry how to lead those people who used to listen to Moses.

“Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.” Joshua 1:9

And God did not just encourage Joshua but He also helped Joshua to lead the Israelites. As a proof that Joshua was the next chosen leader, just like how the Red Sea was divided in time of Moses, God also did the same thing when they crossed the divided Jordan River as a proof that He was with Joshua.

How great to know that God is that concerned in everything we do! He would not just give you a note of encouragement but He will also give you that godly confidence in your work. In such a great awe of Him, we just want to do things to give Him glory as an act of worship.

I Married My Ex-Girlfriend

2011-12-12T23:13:00.000-05:00

Haven't you read," he replied, "that at the beginning the Creator 'made them male and female,' and said, 'For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh'? So they are no longer two, but one. Therefore what God has joined together, let man not separate." Matthew 19:4-6

Joy In Giving

2011-12-12T02:38:00.000-05:00

It has been three weeks now and I have not finished anything yet. I have not finished The Dreamwalker’s Soul Mate. But you know what? Few little ideas are already there for the next book, isn’t that amazing? Also, I have edited the first five chapters and they are getting better and better. There are some things about Soul Mate which I still need to work on with. Still I know everything is showing good signs. If you want to check the first chapter, kindly click here. I would love to hear from you. Just message me on facebook. Thank you in advance.

On the other hand, I enjoyed so much the last Sunday service at church. Even though, it was the second time that Gracia and I arrived late at church! It was really embarrassing to enter the room where everyone was already seated and Pastor Ernie was already preaching God’s grace. I don’t give excuses to that but I hope next week, we’ll get there on time.

I thought the message would be about Christmas. Anyway it was still good. Not because of our pastor but because of God using him to tell us the message. It was about tithing or giving, kind of controversial in some churches. It really breaks my heart to hear churches getting split because of money issue. Personally God has been great in my life that there are no words to express His greatness in my life. Just like what was mentioned in the Sunday service, giving is grace.

In Old Testament, tithing was like taxes that people were obliged to give. It was because if they did not give the tenth of their products, they would be cursed. That was kind of scary to know. I am so glad that I was born into a generation blessed by Jesus Christ. In our time, we should celebrate and be thankful that our Lord Jesus Christ had paid the tithes on the cross.

So now, giving is grace. We are not required to give but if we find it in our hearts that we want to give, we go and give. If you have something to give but you feel like holding back, you better do not give. The LORD looks in the heart of the giver. So if you can give more than anyone could give but if you are feeling obliged, that’s not healthy. Talk to God about it and pray to help you give with a pure heart. Remember, God appreciates and blesses a cheerful giver.

Happy giving, everyone!

Hezekiah’s Prayer

2011-12-08T23:23:00.001-05:00

While processing my clearance in Convergys, I had to stay in San Pedro with my relatives where also Mama, Papa, Psyche, and Nikka Lynn are staying for the meantime.

For the past couple of Sundays, our church was into healing miracles by God. We had witnessed and heard great healing real-life stories and discovered more of the grace of God in our lives. We learned that healing was not just spiritually, but God is also concerned about our physical healing.

My sister Nikka Lynn was one of those who had exercised the healing grace of God and had first-hand experience on healing people. So the first morning of my stay in San Pedro, I casually asked for her to pray for Nanay, my mother in law, for complete healing because she just had an operation last October.

I was totally expecting a quick YES from her that she would just do that but instead, to my surprise, she rebuked me right there while drinking our morning cups of coffee. She would definitely pray for Nanay but she explained that we all Christians already have the grace from God to act as His hands to heal people.

We tend to forget this and we quickly search out for people who would pray for healing for the people who need them. This is also the common mistakes that many Christians tend to do so believing that Pastors have more healing power versus regular attendees to Sunday services. We tend to forget that it is not the Pastors who do the healing but God. It’s never been about us but the immeasurable grace of God upon His people. We are placed in that situation by God where healing is needed, therefore, God wants us to do it and act as His healing hands.

We sometimes worry about what if it did not work? Again, it is not about us but Him, our Almighty God who is in charge. If it did not work for the first time, pray again, do it again, until the person gets healed.

She secured a prayer for Nanay as part of the Intercessor Ministry but she also reminded me that I could also command healing on Nanay by the grace of God.

Then I read the following story of Hezekiah and it did inspire me more on how great God is to us. It is just awesome to know that God is also concerned about our physical healing, health, and prayers that He listens and He cares.

Hezekiah became ill and was at the point of death. Isaiah went to him and said that the LORD said Hezekiah was going to die. Upon hearing this, Hezekiah prayed to the LORD, “Remember, O LORD, how I have walked before You faithfully and with wholehearted devotion, and have done what is good in Your eyes.” And Hezekiah wept bitterly. Then the LORD replied through Isaiah, “I have heard your prayer and seen your tears; I will add fifteen years to your life.” From Isaiah 38:1-5 NIV.

__________________________________________________________________________________

If this article has touched you or helped you or if you have any kind comment to say, please feel free to leave a comment and share how God works in many awesome ways in your life. Thank you!

Tribute to Team May

2011-12-03T02:14:00.000-05:00

Missing you...

Many had come but only few had made a difference.

All seemed too impossible and didn't make sense,

Yet you believed and it's beautiful since we became friends.

__________________________________________________

Swimming

2011-12-01T22:58:00.000-05:00

_____________________________________________

There Is No Goodbye with Hachicko

How can I let you go?

And forget all about you?

Can I keep a part of you?

Have it in me until I see you?

If you wish to really go,

Can you do it tomorrow?

Keep us one more night before you go

Or else, I have to wait for you.

Jabez’s Prayer

2011-11-30T20:30:00.000-05:00

Have you felt in your life that you were under a curse? Maybe curse is such a strong term to use here. How about something about your life you feel so powerless to change? It could be in your family, in your circle of friends, in your work, or in your life as a whole?

Could it be as simple as planning to lose weight since last year but you never get started yet? Could it be a not-so-good attitude you want to change like your spending attitude? Or is it about your identity in the community you belong to that you want a change?

Could it be your height, you status in the society, your grades at school, your work, the color of your skin, your clothes? Have you reached the point where you wish to be someone else, or you feel like becoming a totally different person, still you but different?

You know what, there was someone in the Bible who was cursed by his own mother right the very moment he was born into the world. His mother named him PAIN. So every time he was called by his mother, his family, and his friends, it was like a reconfirmation of the curse. Thus, his life was a pain.

Jabez was more honorable than his brothers. His mother had named him Jabez, saying, “I gave birth to him in pain.” (1 Chronicles 4:9 NIV)

But in spite of his situation, he never stopped worshipping the true God, giving his full trust in the LORD. One day he said a powerful prayer.

Jabez cried out to the God of Israel, “Oh, that You would bless me and enlarge my territory! Let Your hand be with me, and keep me from harm so that I will be free from pain.” (1 Chronicles 4:10a NIV)

And because he had been faithful to the LORD and because God was so gracious, God listened to his prayer. And you know what happened next?

…And God granted his request. —1 Chronicles 4:9-10b NIV

That was awesome. God is awesome. So whatever situation you are in right now, remember there is nothing God cannot do for you. He even gave His Son to save you and me from sin and death. There are only two things we need to do on our part. 1. Accept Jesus Christ as our God and personal Savior by surrendering all you are to Him. 2. Have a relationship with Him. And God will do the rest. God bless you.

Photo by Edison Suelto

__________________________________________________________________________________

If this article has touched you or helped you or if you have any kind comment to say, please feel free to leave a comment and share how God works in many awesome ways in your life. Thank you!

Longganisang Lucban

2011-11-29T06:16:00.000-05:00

Lucban, Quezon

Palmeras, San Pablo City

2011-11-29T05:49:00.000-05:00

Forever Begins With You

2011-11-29T05:47:00.000-05:00

Forever Begins With You

Day and night

I want you in my sight.

Velvet skies,

In deep blue seas

No one I found sweeter than you.

All angels in heavens

Get jealous of you.

Right here with you

All my dreams are coming true.

Can’t thank God enough for having you

In my life and in all days of forever,

And today forever begins with you.

_____________________________________________________

Green Leaves, Sampaloc Lake

Orange Leaves, Sampaloc Lake

Self Portrait

2011-11-27T23:26:00.000-05:00

I am conventional like most of us but I’m too anxious.

I’m exceptional in some ways.

I, too, cannot explain.

I am far from perfect.

I have flaws and imperfections inside and out, but I’ve never allowed those flaws to stop me from pursuing my dreams.

I do not wish to be any one else just to please and to be accepted by those closed-minded and judgmental beings.

I refuse to be paralyzed by what other people may think of me.

I am an optimist; I choose to see opportunities and not obstacles.

I despise complexities.

I strongly believe that life should be purposeful, simple and controllable.

Hatred, jealousy, prejudice make existence exhausting.

I condemn any form of injustice and discrimination; yes, I’m an innate humanist and activist.

I am hopelessly romantic, well, all girls are, regardless of how a bit masculine I am.

But most of all, I am wonderfully created by and for His purpose.

I am a Christian.

I am me.

I am Gracia.

____________________________________________________________

Self Portrait (In pink background)

Self Portrait (In yellow background)

Friends In Ayala, Makati

2011-11-27T23:18:00.000-05:00

I’m your friend right from the start.

I’m your friend today with all my heart.

I’m your friend tomorrow until death do us part.

And if there is life after death,

I’m your friend until my last breath.

-Divina Gracia Sumang

______________________________________________________________

Intramuros, Philippines

2011-11-27T23:15:00.000-05:00

Lovers On Field

2011-11-27T23:07:00.000-05:00

“You and I,” she said slowly, saying each word with care, “are a pair of scissors.”

“A pair of scissors…” I replied, unsure of what she meant.

“Alone, we’re knives. Sharp and nasty, made to hurt others. But together, we are scissors. Better, safer, more useful. But more than that, we are our missing halves. And whatever comes between us, we destroy.”

“I like that,” I told her.

“You don’t think it’s creepy?” she asked tentatively.

“No, it’s not creepy. Because I love you.”

—From Vince’s Life The Wedding by Vince O. Teves

Published by Summit Media

______________________________________

Lovers On Field (In blue pencil)

Lovers On Field (In pink pencil)

Malayan Girl Portrait

2011-11-27T23:03:00.000-05:00

But I’m like the stones. Dumb. As in, can’t speak.

-Carolyn Coman, Many Stones

________________________________________

Malayan Girl Portrait (In Pale Pink)

Malayan Girl Portrait (In red ink and pale yellow background)

Lost

2011-11-27T21:55:00.000-05:00

Lost

For my Wife

Was lost at the age of three

When world was an immense chest of treasures to discover

Just learning my ABC’s, my one-two-three

Just learning to say my name

Just learning that life was but a game

What if I did not come back?

What if I was not found?

What if my few memories were lost with me?

What if false memories had replaced them?

What if…and what if?

Would it be like I had you yesterday and tomorrow there would be no memory of you?

For sure I would forget you but would you forget me?

How long would you search for me?

When would you decide to stop hoping to find me?

Would I go with you if you found me?

Would you…and would I?

Thank God it did not take one whole day for you to find me

The possibilities were so intolerably unending.

____________________________________________________________________________

Lost with Tears (In pencil)

Lost with Tears (Colored)

Lost with Balloon (In pencil)

Lost with Balloon (Colored)

How to Fight Sin

2011-11-27T21:43:00.001-05:00

“…And God is faithful; He will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, He will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.” 1 Corinthians 10:13 NIV

all for love by hillsong

This following story is quite famous as far as I am concerned. However, I still feel like sharing it here because of the lesson I learned from it.

There was a monkey who promised to God that he would not eat bananas of any kind anymore. After the declaration of his promise, he decided to continue living life as it was.

Until one time during one of his journeys, he found a basketful of delicious-looking bananas. Just like any other normal warm-blooded monkeys, he felt his heart skipped a beat in excitement but shook his head right away denying the presence of a former favorite meal right before his eyes. “I made a promise. I am not gonna eat these delicious-looking bananas.” After saying this, he forced a step forward. However, the sight of the delicious-looking bananas with that bright yellow skin which must be covering the sweet and creamy fruit meat inside it was too awesome to let go just like that. He thought if it was great to the sight, the smell must be that great, too! The praying monkey talked to God, “My Lord, can I go near it? I promise not to eat it. I just want to smell them, please?” Then he went near to the basket of well-ripen bananas. He smelled them and he was right, the bananas were great to his smell. He could even smell the sweetness of the fruit meat inside.

Another idea crossed his mind and he felt he wanted to feel the bananas against the palm of his hands. Thus he said another request which to touch the delicious-looking bananas. And surely it did feel great to touch. He even smelled some more until he could not control it anymore and said another prayer. “My Lord, I will just peel them but I won’t eat them. I promise!” After that, he was so quick at peeling them and to his great pleasure, he was right! The fruit meat inside looked so sweet and creamy. Surely it would taste really good! The praying monkey who made a promise not to eat bananas anymore suddenly found himself chomping off a basket full of well-ripen bananas.

I find the story funny the first time it was told to me with that animated act from a friend from church. This story is an illustration how oftentimes we Christians fall to sin. Just like the monkey above, he met an object of temptation along the way and right that very moment, he had a chance to take a different route as fast as he could, knowing that he was weak and could not stand longer next to the object of sin. But he did not. Instead, he took another look at the basket of bananas, giving sin a stronger opportunity to grow fast.

And sin would not stop until it gets accomplished and so the wrong desire along with it grows stronger as we entertain the object of the sin longer. This what Joseph well understood in Genesis 39:12 that he ran out of the house away from Potiphar’s wife, the object of sin in the story. Therefore, he was successful fighting not to fall into sin. This happened because the grace of God was upon him which enabled him to run away from sin.

Here I learned that being tempted is not a sin itself. When we encounter an object of sin, we always have two options: to linger there until we give in to the sin or to run away as we continue asking for the grace of God to enable us fight the sin.

Two thousand years ago, a great man who was also God died on the cross to win the victory for us. That is the victory over death and sin. Before He ascended to heaven, He gave us the authority and power to overcome evil. He even assured us that He would be with us always wherever we are, wherever we go. All we need to do is to accept His gift of eternal life by believing in Him as our personal savior and Lord. He was, and is, the Lord Jesus Christ.

The grace of God is beyond all understanding. There is no special place or time to claim the gift of eternal life in Jesus Christ but now, wherever you are. Tell God that you want Him to be your personal savior and God. Believe in what Jesus did for you. And ask Him to enable you to see His glorious will every moment of your life. That would be the start of the greatest and the most beautiful relationship you could ever have.

I pray with all my heart for God to touch your heart and open your eyes to the truth. God bless you!

—————————————————————————————————————————

If this article has touched you or helped you or if you have any kind comment to say, please feel free to leave a comment and share how God works in many awesome ways in your life. Thank you!

Carried In The Arms Of Love

2011-11-27T21:24:00.000-05:00

There are so much words I'd like to say. But the right manner to finally say them? That's another story.

Going up is never easy.

Many times I have to look stupid before I reach the top.

Saying goodbye always puts pain in my heart.

O, how I hate the process of letting go.

I wish I could stop myself from leaving you and you from leaving me.

I wish we could stay together, right here forever.

I am so willing to give my everything just so to keep you.

I wanna mimic Casper, "Can I keep you?"

You see, I have nothing if I don't have you.

Does it sound like a line in a song?

Anyway, I am speaking with my heart.

When we thought it was finally over, underneath the pain, a new story unfolds.

_________________________________________________________________

Hubby and Wifey (In pencil, blue-green)

Hubby and Wifey (In pencil)

Hubby and Wifey (In pencil, pink background)

Ten of the Most Influential People in my Life

2011-11-23T01:00:00.006-05:00

I believe that we don’t meet great people for nothing. We got to meet them and enjoy each company for some time until the day we have to part ways. When that day comes, there is always something you could take away with you that you could keep with you and realize somehow that person had influences on you.

I want to take this chance to thank all the great people who had positive influences on me. True it is that education does not stop when you graduate from school. As long as we breathe, we continue learning. And I feel so greatly blessed that I was given a chance to meet a set of great people apart from my family whom I would always look up to.

1. Mrs. Evangelina R. Lindo

Ever since I stepped into a school ground, I was always shy. I never saw myself as a leader. I always took the assistant role. Or sometimes I became one of those ‘unsung heroes’. And I was okay with that—for some time until someone made me realize and see my potentials.

I was so scared to join our high school newspaper team because I didn’t believe in myself. Until one magical day, Mrs. Lindo entered in our classroom telling us how valuable the newspapers the school published for students after seeing lots of immature students making paper planes out of them. Impressed by her strong attitude combined with an aura of exceptional intelligence, I felt mesmerized and made my way for the very first time in joining the campus paper and I made it. She was always there cheering for me and encouraging me with her powerful words. I enjoyed it so much until I became the Associate Editor, next in line to the Editor in Chief. She made me realize that my passion in writing.

However, I admired her the most during those remaining months of her life as our English teacher. She had breast cancer. I saw her lose her hair and cover her head with a colorful fisherman hut. I heard her lose her strong voice in a middle of a classroom discussion. I captured a memory of her hiding her tears from us every time she lost her voice. But she was determined to share herself with us in the remaining days of her life.

She was so strong despite of losing everything in her life. She remained as an inspiration to us and she never lost her faith. Up to this day, she would always be a hero in our class. Thank you, Ma’am Lindo.

2. Francis Catalan

Teletech has always a special place in my heart for they were the ones who first believed in me after I graduated from college. I felt like a toddler when I joined the corporate world of call center industry. I used to struggle speaking in front of a group of people. I used to stutter a lot. And thanks to Francis who did not just become an English Trainer and Speech Coach to us but he also was a friend to us. He went extra mile taking care of us as he prepared us to the real job. When we felt quitting, he was there spending time to talk to us and I would never forget the wisdom he shared with me personally which he earned from his life’s tests.

3. Edward S. Sarmiento

Eduard was my very first supervisor but he rarely acted as the ‘conceptual’ supervisor to me. He was also very supportive and he always understood. He was so cool and he told me once that working in call center was like going to school that we always learn new things with the benefit of getting paid in what we do. I thank you, Don.

4. Roja Abejo-Bacsal

Roja has a special skill in making complicated things easy to us in training. She always makes work as much fun as possible. There was never a dull moment when Roja was around. She was such a great trainer and I always feel excited seeing her again and listen to what the mysterious ‘Book of Wisdom’ has to say. Thank you, Roja.

5. Agatha

I am always thankful to Sykes for everything. But I am more thankful for meeting such a great leader in the person of Ms. Ags. She was so amazing and very dedicated to her work. She was so professional in everything she does. She is also very down-to-earth that she always hangs around with us on the production floor. I never felt that she was the boss of our bosses on the floor. She was so funny and we could share jokes with her. She knew everybody’s schedule. She never stopped appreciating what we do. She knew our full names and also our nicknames. She was awesome.

6. Carl Cordero

Carl was the best in teaching grammar. Aside from naming one of the stars in the galaxy as Bomba Star (This is serious. He named one of the stars in the universe.), his intelligence was exceptional. The hardest lessons to understand in English Grammar that even the English teachers sometimes find it hard to explain, he could explain it in such a speed that so easy to grasp that we always felt amazed before him. We only had a week with him but it was one of the most unforgettable learning weeks in our lives. The class was never boring in Carl’s class.

7. Boom Ignacio

Ask everyone from Convergys Alabang and they would tell you that Boom is the best trainer there. She knows what she is saying. The hardest account I ever had she made it so easy to understand for us. Our class was never boring and she was effortlessly funny and we always look up to her. She is very talkative which I like so much about her. She never runs out of stories to tell. On the first day of the class, she introduced herself by telling how she prepared the 7th birthday of her only daughter. Boom is an entertainer with oozing great attitude. And she always does what is right and that was the last advice she gave us before we joined the production floor.

8. Khedalyn Vargas

OM Kheds was not just beautiful but she was also very hands-on when it comes to helping all the agents on the floor. She was very approachable and she was always willing to stop whatever she is doing just to listen to whatever you have to say. She always smiles at you and she is really great in encouraging anyone who is down. The best about her is that she fights for her agents. You would never feel alone in her cluster. She is always part of finding solutions for every agent’s problems, whether it is personal or work-related. For this I am very thankful.

9. Jhoanna Regalado

My time with Ms. Jo was short-lived when another account opened in Convergys. But that did not stop her support and great leadership to me. Just one short conversation with her, it was full of wisdom and she was very sincere in everything she says. She was very approachable and down-to-earth. She was also very funny and she really cares about us, her apprentices.

10. May Penacuba

The best Team Leader I ever had was TL May. She was scary when something wrong was done but she has this inexplicable grace that you could hate her so much but by the end of the day, she could make you realize the lessons to learn from the mistakes and make you a one-step-ahead better person. She is so sweet and very calm. Even when she is angry, she is still sweet that she has to say some strong words to make you feel that she is actually angry. Well, she was never angry at the person but at the mistake which has been committed. There is always something new to learn from TL May. I admired everything she did for the team. She knows everyone’s potentials and she is also concerned about you as a person and of our career growth. She was very nurturing and fun to be with. She could laugh at the corniest joke. She was also very hands-on. She was always there when you need her. She was fast and awesome in multi-tasking. Nothing stops her at all, laughs!

Wherever the road of life may take me, I pray to God that all the things I had learned from these great people would make me a great leader, too, someday. To you all, thank you and don’t stop being great. God bless you all.

Recurring by Cherie

2011-11-22T01:51:00.001-05:00

"Me" Conversation 101

by Cherie Hernandez on Saturday, November 12, 2011 at 10:44am

Bygone memories have their meticulous ways of sneaking in every single day of our lives. Cliche, I know. Sometimes it makes me wonder so much that I wanted to play Oprah or Ellen and ask the million-dollar question "Don't you ever get tired of being in and out the same place over and over again?". Is it me? Or is it just me? If I could only answer me back without stopping to think if my response is valid or not.

So here goes me- on with my so-called private conversation... After a moment of meditation, it made me realize it's not me, at all. It's history. She is undoubtedly admirable- most perseverant of all. Who would be patient enough into pursuing something, that I think is pretty much the same every single time she tries? (Well, maybe a little twist or two, if that even matters.) I was a little curious but I guess, she kind of knows that when she says goodbye, it really isn't how it is because at any other day, she'll eventually still say hello again. There, we get a little fooled by her. Tsk.. Then of course, need I say more? The cycle goes on...

Conversation continues... This time, I wanted to bring up the dreaded sub-topic- whether it is deliberate or not when she makes her way and boom- her famous "yeah it's me again" pops in!History is so just makulit!

You would agree if I say there are scenes in our real-life motion picture which we would not want to let rolling or perhaps never rewind (if not rolling it is impossible). So what now? Why do they keep knocking on our doors everytime we just want to move on? (long silence)....

I attempted to answer me. Maybe sometimes, when we think we have finally moved on, that's when we realize there is some part in us which fears to face reality. I mean it's pretty normal for humans to just single out those happy days and relive every moment of them. Who would want to remember the cries? The lonely days? The sad chapters in our lives? Humans as we are, we ideally want a life on a bed of roses.

This is me realizing now. I so hate to break it to us all but sometimes, bad memories should not just be buried inside. They are like manure deposits, stinky but makes the soil healthy. Bad memories, bad experiences - they are meant to teach us lessons. Stuff that we don't learn from books or anything taught to us in theory but from the pain we personally felt and the feelings we intimately knew. They are meant to cultivate the spirited souls in us.

Some things in the past may haunt us. But I guess that's how it is. History repeats itself. And by this i say, maybe when history rewinds, God works.

Written by Cherie Hernandez on Saturday, November 12, 2011 at 10:44am

Dieting According to Your Blood Type

2011-11-20T19:46:00.001-05:00

12“Please test your servants for ten days: Give us nothing but vegetables to eat and water to drink. 13 Then compare our appearance with that of the young men who eat the royal food, and treat your servants in accordance with what you see.” 14 So he agreed to this and tested them for ten days.

15 At the end of the ten days they looked healthier and better nourished than any of the young men who ate the royal food.16 So the guard took away their choice food and the wine they were to drink and gave them vegetables instead.-Daniel 1:12-16

How many times have you told to yourself that you want to lose weight, that you want to be fit? This is the very same question which crossed my mind one morning when I struggled fixing my shoelace. I felt my heart was getting suffocated when I tried to reach for my feet. I was like catching my breath every time I do my shoelace. I also noticed the bulging stomach which used to be flat before. I find it ugly and not healthy. And for the nth time I did make the same old promise I told myself before, “I’m gonna lose weight by the end of this year.”

This time I feel more serious about it. I want to feel good and healthy which is not wrong. When I talked to my friend Jeremy from the office who used to be obese but now he looks like competing for Mr. Muscleman, he told me a set of strong words which pinched my heart and forced me to agree that truth hurts. He said, “In losing weight, It’s all discipline.” Quite a challenge, huh?

So there, I started doing my afternoon exercise (Or sometimes in the morning, depending on my schedule) for at least thirty minutes every other day. So far so good. The real challenge there is my diet. It is because if I really want to be fit again, I don’t just sweat out fats but I also need to watch out what I eat. Eating and exercise go along with each other if you really want to lose weight which makes sense, right?

And my wife Gracia found something in a research. Don’t you know that our blood type is an important factor which contributes to a more effective diet program? If you really want to lose weight effectively, you need to get a diet depending on your blood type.

For Type O people, their diet should be more on meat for high protein which includes seafood, red meat, broccoli, etc. In the list of foods to avoid includes wheat, beans, corn, cabbage, etc. So if you are Type O, eating wheat bread in replacement of a cup of rice sounds inappropriate.

If you are Type B, it is more of a balanced diet which means you can eat meat (except for chicken), dairy, and vegetables. Foods to avoid include corn, peanuts, seeds, wheat, etc.

If your blood type is AB, it is mixed diet in control. You can almost eat everything but you must avoid red meat, beans, seeds, corn, etc.

And if you are like me, Type A, we should follow a vegetarian diet which is such a challenge to me, laughs! So I should say goodbye to meat, dairy foods, and wheat bread. Sigh on that. But if I really want to achieve something on this losing-weight program, I have to learn to not just exercise physically but also to exercise discipline, too.

So there that now you know, what do we have for dinner? Happy eating!

Source: Dr. Lam

Take Flight by Kynikos

2011-11-09T01:36:00.003-05:00

I started writing even before I learned how to use a pencil or a marker. But my passion for blogging and seeing myself being published online for free (Thanks to Blogger and the whole team) is something I owe it to my old friend Alexis who introduced me to blogverse. I am telling you that I enjoy every part of it. Even though I don't have many readers, laughs!

And as a show of gratitude, I dared to copy and paste one of Alexis's poems. Oh, did I tell you that she is such a poet herself?

Here is one of her works.

THURSDAY, JUNE 23, 2011

Take flight

"It wouldn't hurt to take a risk

It wouldn't hurt to try

Things may not go as planned

But at least you know why"

Speak with every wise men

And they will rub this to your soul

That's because they never touched the ground

Occupied with matters profound

But she knows very differently

Not everyone can fly

That falling would not hurt,

Now that's a huge lie.

My Undas 2011 Experience (How to Cook Biko)

2011-11-01T22:26:00.001-04:00

In my life, I had never appreciated Biko as much as I have appreciated it today. I am proud of the local delicacies in our country and we have so many of them! To my surprise, there are some which I still didn’t know like Tamales until today. But Biko is so famous that it is available all year round.

On traditional occasions like All Saints Day and Christmas when Filipino families usually hold reunions, we serve Filipino delicacies. This is one of the many things so Filipino which I wish to remain for the rest of time. It serves as a means of bonding. In fact, there are many Filipino traits surface as we do the cooking of Filipino foods. I made myself a short list below.

True Filipinos are:

1. Very helpful. It shows the bayanihan in which everyone participates and wants to be of help to anyone expecting nothing in return. It also shows how true Filipinos share in the hardships of their loved ones and friends.

2. Fond of storytelling. It is also the time where everyone shares about their lives and someone else’s life, laughs!

3. Very polite. I so love hearing younger people saying po and opo to grownups. I also still prefer pagmamano as a show of respect than kisses on the cheeks.

4. So patient. As we help each other, we are so patient in doing things whether alone or in a group.

5. Very happy. We can smile even at the time of troubles. It shows our strong determination and hope that everything will be okay. It shows our faith in God who never fails in rescuing us in every trying time.

Going back to Biko, before I enjoyed eating Biko but my appreciation was kind of casual. But today, I am changed man! Laughs! I didn’t know that cooking Biko requires a lot of patience and strength! The ingredients are so simple which include but are not limited to malagkit na bigas, coconut milk, condensed milk, sugar, vanilla, and cheese. It took us almost two hours mixing it in kawa. What made it so special to me was that we did not use the modern gas stove but the green charcoal.

My patience and strength were put on a great test. There were a couple of times that I felt like my strength was literally drained out and I always felt relieved whenever Kuya Dennis took his turn, laughs!

But, what a joy I felt the moment the Biko finally cooked in its perfect sweet taste. I felt so proud of it and as expected, it was a best-seller!

Will Work For Jesus

2011-10-24T22:51:00.000-04:00

Are you working with much focus on temporal things? Many people work because their focus is on earthly things alone. But Jesus Christ said, "Do not work for food that spoils; instead, work for the food that lasts for eternal life." (John 6:27, Good News Bible) That food is none other than the Jesus Christ Himself the Bread of Life. Whatever we do let's do everything for Jesus Christ. Remember, we cannot bring our money, positions, nor electronic gadgets in heaven. Let's use what we have for Jesus Christ so we can win more souls for Him. - Jun Div*

*******

This month of October, another cleansing had happened to me as if God was doing a general cleaning in my body and in my life. God is awesome in every way. I still worry about the same things but this time, the next minutes I would just laugh at it as God guided me to His comfort and assurance.

My career goals before this year ends is to transfer to a more suitable job for me. My current work had affected my health for the past year. Thank God that nothing was so serious, just close to serious, laughs! If I didn't see my doctor on time, I might suffer for something unthinkable. But God was so great that He never let that to happen.

Somehow I felt that the type of work I have since day one after college is not worthy enough to risk my health. Don't get me wrong. I am thankful to this career which taught me so much and had let me know great leaders and great friends. I just know that it's about time to turn a new leaf in my life.

Now I am confident that God is with us in every detail of everything in my life. All I pray for that His will in my life, in my health, in our families, in my relationships, in my current work and future career, and in our faith, be done tremendously that it shakes all of me.

I happened to visit the facebook page of my mentor Pastor Jun, who taught me about Holy Trinity and who answered all my questions about Bible and my faith, and I found the above mini-sermon which was like a reminder to me. I decided about sharing it here with you. God bless us all.

*From Pastor Jun

God Has A Gift For You!

2011-10-20T06:11:00.002-04:00

I am currently experiencing inexplicable joy and transformation in my life now. And I feel the urgency for those people I care about who refuse to know the truth. And then I found this note from a good friend Cherie Hernandez on her facebook note who also shares the same faith God enabled us to have. Glory to Him, the King of kings.

Blessed Friday

by Cherie Hernandez on Thursday, April 21, 2011 at 10:42am

I accepted Christ as my Savior when I was in elementary for the reason of not wanting to go to hell but wanting to see Heaven, the paradise. Since then, I started getting to know more about my Saviour. It's a little funny because I had many questions and doubts as a young Christian so I accepted Christ again, for the right reasons this time, back when I was in highschool. That was after the 1999 Summer Bible Camp at Nasuli. Admittedly, it's no easy being a Christian; it's not beds of roses nor is it roads of crystals. I am not perfect nor sinless and if the Lord would look at my heart, it's gonna be blacker than black for sure. But this one thing is what I'm so blessed and grateful for - God doesn't have to look at my black heart anymore because Jesus Himself has covered it. This is the very reason why we commemmorate the death of Jesus at the calvary, where He was nailed to die on the cross at Golgotha. He is God's gift to us (John 3:16). There is no need for us to let ourselves be nailed at the cross, too, nor climb the highest mountains, nor starve ourselves to death because Jesus already paid our sins for us. The gift is right there waiting to be accepted; sweet and painless. We would sometimes wonder why God did it. What's in it for Him? Truth is only God Himself knows. But the bigger question is what's in it for us? Answer is it's "salvation" (Romans 6:23). The world is getting more and more chaotic and it is not our permanent abode. But by God's grace, we may find peace. There are mansions waiting in Heaven; there's a wonderful paradise God is preparing (John 14:2). Don't we all want to be there someday? Don't we all want to be saved? (Acts 16:31). The gift is only waiting to be grabbed by us. Do not wait for the eleventh hour... Blessed Friday!

Toting up Alfie’s Story: Conversations (From MNIFY)

2011-10-18T23:34:00.000-04:00

The following was written in November 2009. Thought of sharing.

Conversation 1

I am impressed to see Alfie happy today. He even was making jokes of his situation. He even imagined what might be the conversation with the doctor later today.

Alfie: First of all, I would like you to know I don’t feel pain any part of my body. I feel so okay.

Doctor: O-kay, so…why are you here?

Alfie: Yes, I feel okay but of course I might not be okay that is why I am here. Would you think I would be here for no reason at all?

Doctor: Of course not.

Alfie: Okay. Let me get into it. I have a question. Aside from urine and semen, is there something else, any other liquid that could come out of…our penises?

Doctor: Y-yes.

Alfie: I know you would say that. But could it be something…red and…thick…and I am not just talking here like drops of it but…you know what I mean?

Doctor: Like blood?

Alfie: How did you know that?

Doctor: (Thinking and confused) W-why, am I…guessing it right?

Alfie: Yes! Am I dying? How many more days left? Come on, tell me. I am dying, right? Go ahead and tell it right in front of my face. I am waiting! Say it! I am dying, right? Until when I would live? Tell me, please. (This part, I admit it is so O.A. but it was funny when he was monologuing it before me. I couldn’t help but laugh.)

Doctor: We can’t just jump into any conclusions without any further examination on that.

Conversation 2

Alfie: I think I don’t need to worry at all.

Me: Why?

Alfie: It might be just normal.

Me: Normal? Blood dripping out of your…tool?

Alfie: Correction, it was not simply dripping, it was flushing! Laughs!

Me: Flushing? I know it was a joke. It couldn’t be flushing or else…

Alfie: Or else what? You would think I am just making it up?

Me: No. I was about to say…can I say, yuck?

Alfie: Laughs!

Me: Why are you laughing? Is it that funny for you?

Alfie: I don’t know. But I don’t feel anything wrong about it.

Me: You mean it is just normal to flush bloods out of our…tool…once in our lifetime? Please don’t count me in.

Alfie: No. I was just thinking that my body might be doing a general cleaning.

Me: You know what, Alfie? You need to see your doctor.

Alfie: I know.

Reaction: Err.

Given Grace has been given grace: A tribute | Ernie Aragon, Jr. – Discovering Grace

2011-10-17T04:37:00.002-04:00

Given Grace has been given grace: A tribute | Ernie Aragon, Jr. – Discovering Grace:

'via Blog this'

It easily broke my heart upon hearing the news about Given Grace. I did not know her personally. I did not even know that her family is very close to my Uncles and Aunts, her father is a Ninong to Uncle Jessie who is also a pastor in Everyday With Jesus Christian Ministries Church in Tarlac.

And just like what Pastor Ernie said in his blog (link posted above), there must be a good reason for her parents giving her that name Given Grace. Her life has touched many people and the Gospel was shared. True it is that she had been a given grace to her family and to many others.

I also admire the faith that God has given to her family, especially to her father. Her death was not a waste but it had opened channels for the glory of God be proclaimed.

I remember the inspiring talk I had with Ate Awee Raton-Hibanada during our Victory Weekend in Alabang not so long ago where she shared to me her testimony as Christian. She told that she grew in a very Christian family because her father was also a pastor. One afternoon her father went to a slum area in Manila to share the Gospel and he happened to pass by drunk men who beat her father to death in broad daylight. These men were imprisoned. What was amazing was her faith and of her family. They forgave the men who killed their father. They even shared the Gospel with them. For Jesus stepped down to earth for us sinners, including these men. I admired Ate Awee when she said that what was important was the assurance of salvation which by grace God had given to her father and to their family. Reading her face, I saw peace and I could not help but praise the LORD for such strong faith He had given to this woman and her family. God is really awesome and working in great wonders!

I pray with all my heart for the comfort of the LORD for the family and friends of Given Grace.

“This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.”-Romans 3:22-24

Pencil Apologizes To Its Friend Eraser

2011-10-15T21:30:00.000-04:00

What I like about social sites and blogs is that it becomes a good tool of sharing inspiration with each other. One time I saw this nice story on facebook page of John Christopher Quiambao about the apologizing Pencil to its friend Eraser. I liked it so much that I decided to share it here with you. Originally, John Christopher was dedicating the story to all parents which I feel the same way. But this time, I want to take it up to the next level of parenthood. Let me share you first the story.

Pencil: I'm sorry

Eraser: For what? You didn't do anything wrong.

Pencil: I'm sorry because you get hurt because of me. Whenever I made a mistake, you're always there to erase it. But as you make my mistakes banish, you lose a part of yourself. You get smaller and smaller each time.

Eraser: That's true. But I don't really mind. You see, I was made to do this. I was made to help you whenever you do something wrong. Even though one day, I know I'll be gone and you'll replace me with a new one, I'm actually happy with my job. So please, stop worrying. I hate seeing you sad.

My Mama and Papa have their own imperfections. These imperfections actually made them perfect for me. As I grew up to a young man, they were—are— my erasers. They don’t really erase my mistakes but like an eraser, they gave me a chance to know my mistakes and to correct them if applicable or know not to do them again in the future. Since they also have mistakes which need to be corrected, they also have their own erasers or set of people they look up to and seek for advice.

I also understand that my parents are human, fragile. Not all the times I could follow their examples. And not all the times, they are there for me to be my erasers. Soon I would become an eraser myself for my future kids. I want to become the best eraser I could be. Good thing that our Lord Jesus Christ is always with us as He promised to guide us and be our perfect eraser all times. And He is not like any other common erasers we have in life. He does not get smaller and smaller each time we make mistakes. His grace is sufficient. Although like our parent erasers, He also gets hurt when we sin. But remember, He hates the sin and not us, for there is no condemnation in Jesus Christ. So whenever you make mistakes, confess it to Jesus and let Him erase it for you. And when God forgives, He decides to forget it and look at us with so much love which we will never fathom even if we try.

Children, obey your parents in the LORD, for this is right.—Ephesians 6:1 (Sent by Christina)

Sexual Harassment on the Bus

2011-10-13T21:32:00.000-04:00

I always take the backseat whenever a space is available every time I ride on a bus. It is because most of the time the backseat is more spacious than the other seats. Also I can avoid getting distracted in my sleep or in my daydreaming on the bus whenever there is a new set of passengers hopping in.

What I am going to share here was my most recent bus ride I had just this morning on my way home. I felt so blessed that the bus was clean and what a joy it was for me seeing the backseat good for six people all available to me. As I was enjoying the comfort of the backseat and the perfect air-conditioning, I put on my headset and played worship songs in my cell phone. I was thankful that the previous shift was great and I felt a bit happier with my work experience. Thank God for that.

Then a young man joined me in the backseat. Instead of taking the other end, he sat next to me which I thought strange. I decided to ignore that and just convinced myself that he might not want to be on the side where the sun shines.

I was singing along in my head with my cell phone. I even remembered some funny things and conversations at work and the previous day with my wife. I felt excited when the bus started to run earlier than usual. That meant I could get home much earlier this time.

I closed my eyes and imagined myself singing as part of a worship team at church and it felt so great. The next minutes were kind of alarming because I suddenly felt the hand of the young man seated next to me was moving and searching my side. It was not pick-pocketing or whatever. He was trying to do something pervert! That instant I felt stiff on my seat and started praying.

I was also thinking that maybe he was just scratching his arm or leg and he had a hard time finding his own skin that he was actually touching mine? Err, laughs! My feet were so cold as if competing with the air-conditioning. My heart suddenly had its abnormal beating. I considered transferring seat but I was the first one who got the backseat, right? And my knee felt so weak to even attempt to stand.

And in my head, God was telling me something. He was telling me that He died also for this man and He wanted me to tell that man that Jesus loves him. But oh boy, how would I do that? I was even trembling to try to pick a finger!

As I got more nervous while feeling his fingers getting farther and farther. I told God that if this man reached the you-know-what, that would be my go signal. If that would happen, I would turn and face the man and told him right before his face that Jesus loves him! About the tone and volume of my voice, I could not promise if I could control that. I didn’t care if people would notice or not but I was preparing myself to whatever was going to happen next.

His hand just played there near the you-know-what and I felt like a weak prey next to its predator. He also started pushing his knee and leg against mine. That only made me more nervous. I was not even sure I could avail some courage telling the message of God to him. He was also looking straight to my face as if searching for something.

With all my strength I rummaged into my bag looking for paper and pen. Luckily I found an old index card which had my IntelliCare Account Number, laughs! I had to tear the paper apart and kept my account number. On the other half of the card, I wrote this: Jesus loves you, John 3:16. I told God that was the best I could do for now. I was praying for courage and for the man to accept the slightly crumpled paper. I waited for the time I would be getting off the bus which seemed like forever to me.

When we reached San Pablo City, I excused myself and made my way to the isle and gave him the paper. I told him, “I want you to keep this.” Then I walked my way out of the bus hearing my heartbeat.

I felt so much joy for God using me there on the bus for that man. I don’t care if he just threw the paper away or keep it. The paper is not important but the message of God for him. I prayed that the message burn the evil spirit in him and that would be a start of him seeking God. Oh, God bless him!

Thank You, Father God for your unconditional and awesome love for us.

For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.—John 3:16 (From Ninang Pelagia)

Story Of Saved Alone

2011-10-08T03:06:00.001-04:00

“Praise the Lord, O my soul.” Psalm 146:1

One of my all-time favorite songs was not written during happy moments. It was originally written as a poem of a man who trusted the LORD with all his heart.

When peace, like a river, attendeth my way,
When sorrows like sea billows roll;
Whatever my lot, Thou has taught me to say,
It is well, it is well, with my soul.
It is well, with my soul,
It is well, with my soul,
It is well, it is well, with my soul.
Though Satan should buffet, though trials should come,
Let this blest assurance control,
That Christ has regarded my helpless estate,
And hath shed His own blood for my soul.
It is well, with my soul,
It is well, with my soul,
It is well, it is well, with my soul.
My sin, oh, the bliss of this glorious thought!
My sin, not in part but the whole,
Is nailed to the cross, and I bear it no more,
Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, O my soul!
It is well, with my soul,
It is well, with my soul,
It is well, it is well, with my soul.
And Lord, haste the day when my faith shall be sight,
The clouds be rolled back as a scroll;
The trump shall resound, and the Lord shall descend,
Even so, it is well with my soul.
It is well, with my soul,
It is well, with my soul,
It is well, it is well, with my soul.*

There was a man who was pretty eminent in Chicago in 1860s. He had been a successful lawyer and also a businessman. He loved his wife so much and his family. Everything seemed perfect until in 1871 his only son of five children died at the age of four. Two years later, they lost their business in the Great Chicago Fire which had forced them to file bankruptcy. Then in 1873, they planned to have a vacation in Europe, however, by the last minute, this man had to let his wife and his four daughters sail without him due to an urgent business matter. Few days later, this man had received a telegram from his wife saying, “Saved Alone”. All their four daughters died when the ship they were boarding sank in Atlantic Ocean. Upon hearing the terrible news, he boarded the next ship he could. In that ship, with such great pain in his heart, he wrote the poem It Is Well With My Soul which became a worship song. His name was Horatio Gates Spafford.

After knowing his story, I was moved both emotionally and spiritually. This reminds me that whatever the situations we are in, praises and faith in our true living God should not leave our lips and heart.

One more time, let me share the video by The Isaacs singing It Is Well With My Soul.

*From Bible Study Charts.com

No Worries!

2011-10-08T00:30:00.000-04:00

This is really inspiring! Glory to God.

God’s Deliveries: God Wants Me Become the Best Me

2011-10-06T22:46:00.001-04:00

It’s a race. We are in a race that is more important than life’s goals and dreams. Our situation is becoming more briskly as if we are no longer just jogging but we are now running. We are now running as fast as we could. That is because we want to win this race. And of course, the enemy in the race would not want that to happen. The enemy plays very unfair. That is obvious. The enemy would do everything to stop us from winning the race, especially now that we are close to the finish line.

Paul said in 1 Corinthians 9:24-25 TLB, “In a race everyone runs, but only one person gets first prize. So run your race to win. To win the contest you must deny yourselves many things that would keep you from doing your best. An athlete goes to all this trouble just to win a blue ribbon or a silver cup, but we do it for a heavenly reward that never disappears.”

This morning I woke up alone in our bed. I still have the hangover of my conversation with my brother Jojo last night when he and Papa dropped by before going home in Calamba. I took the chance to know the situation of our family. It was real from Jojo’s eyes that my young brothers, and everyone, are hurting. I know Alex and Calvin would survive all this. But I still worry about Ron. He’s fourteen but still he is our bunso next to Psyche. My brotherly love for my siblings swells with pain and frustrations, especially every time I get a NO when I look for help, or at least some comforting words to assure me that everything is really going to be okay. With my situation now, it hurts more that I feel so powerless to help. They only have until this Sunday before the ‘distribution’ takes place. I really wanted to understand all this. Then God spoke to me in a Bible verse from my friend Nikka Lopez:

“Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding.”—Proverbs 3:5

Spending my everyday thinking why it’s happening would not provide a solution. I have to fight. I am not going to give the enemy a chance to get ahead of me. Enemy was defeated long time ago. This is my race. God wants me to become the BEST ME so that I get my reward waiting for me. God is cheering me up telling me that I could do this! He is my life coach. He knows I am doing better because the enemy is so frustrated that they are working triple-time now, laughs! And God promised that He is with me, with us, always and whom shall I fear?

I am still hurting with what’s going on in our family. But I give highest praises to the LORD for this pain which is keeping me humble and trusting in the LORD. Thank You, Big Daddy.

God’s Deliveries: If Only I Had Listened

2011-10-05T03:18:00.000-04:00

My fear had finally come true. Because of financial issue, my family has to be distributed. For how long? Only God knows. Mama, Nikka Lynn, and Psyche Jean would be in San Pedro. Ron would be with Christina in Bulacan. Jojo would go to a boarding house in Santo Tomas, Batangas. And I don’t have updates about Calvin and Alex.

It’s breaking my heart that it has to happen. It’s very embarrassing that I worry about what other people would say. Obviously there is still pride issue which is making it hard for me to accept the fact that it is happening.

This year has been so difficult for my family that we encountered problems upon problems. It is like a long series of challenges. I had asked why it is happening and when it is going to stop.

Last Sunday in church, my sister Nikka Lynn had assured me that everything was okay. I heard the words but it would not sink in. I was desperate finding a quick way out of this. But the comfort of God was there. It was as if God Himself was assuring me that He knew what He was doing. Something whispered in my head saying that it was just a transition. It has to be done so that my petitions to God would come to happen.

Just like our Lord Jesus Christ on the night of His arrest, He was praying to Father God and asking if there was other way. But Jesus loved us all that He prayed to Father God that His will be done. I would not be able to grasp the totality of the sacrifice of our Lord Jesus Christ on the cross. Jesus, being God Himself, could have chosen to skip the crucifixion and just create a new set of human race in a new world. But He loved us that even if we don’t deserve it, He gave His life to us to save us from the power of death and sin. It is because God is loving and just. He had to do something about sin to command His justice because He is just. He also loves us so much that the story of the cross had to happen.

As part of God’s deliveries, there is another Bible verse from my friend Nikka Lopez which has spoken to me in such power that all I could do is to be thankful.

“If you had responded to my rebuke, I would have poured out my heart to you and made my thoughts known to you.”—Proverbs 1:23

Looking back to the past years and months of my life, I had been ignoring the Words of God in my life. I kept following my own will. And Proverbs 1:23, God is telling me that if only I had listened long time ago, there should have been a better way. I learned that if only I listened to Him more than what I felt like doing myself, I should have avoided the consequences of my wrong decisions.

Well, I feel great that I do not have to worry that much now that I know God is still giving me a chance. So I’ll go with my family in this transition and for sure, if it’s God’s will, before the year ends, my family would be together again in our own house that we could call our own.

God’s Deliveries: Learn From Ants

2011-10-02T07:28:00.000-04:00

Many of us still worry even if God has promised that He is always with us to the very end of the age. We get our strength from God and count on His promises. But still, there are tough times that our faith is put on a test. These challenges would reveal two things: our maturity in faith and the wonders of God in our lives.

Today, I was in my devotion with God when this idea came in my head. I sent my family and friends a text message asking them to send to me the very first Bible verse that would come in their head after reading my request. I am so pleased that many had replied to my request. And because there are so many of them, I had come up with a small series as part of my Blogging Ministry which I would call God’s Deliveries.

The very first I had received was from my friend Nikka Lopez. The Bible verse she sent was Jeremiah 29:11.

“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”

Have you seen a trail of ants perhaps in your house or in your garden? Do you find it amazing that their lives are so simple and yet they know so well about which direction to take? Have you ever considered how patient they are that despite of their small steps, they don’t stop and simply just carry on delivering the tasks assigned to them? No wonder that they get to finish the job entrusted to them.

As I read from Discovery Channel Magazine, many ant species don’t see very well with their compound eyes as compared to humans but they don’t have to. For most ants, the ability to ‘scent’ chemicals and monitor air currents and vibrations—which they do via their antennae—is probably more important. Impressive, right?

In my own words, ants don’t use their eyes to reach their direction and to carry out the tasks given to them. This is why most of the time they go that small line without wandering around. (Take note, most of time. Laughs! It is because we also see those wandering ants sometimes which seem to be lost from the ant’s path, right?)

This lesson is teaching me to close my eyes from the distractions of this mortal world we are all in—that includes our emotions, dreams, and daily issues—and focus on ‘scenting’ the direction from our LORD who knows a lot better than us. It’s not easy because we are not ants but it becomes easy if we let Him to take over who could do this for us. And Jeremiah 29:11 is reminding me the beautiful promises of God and of the confession of my future which is with Him.

There may still be times when I may act like those wondering ants, but in my heart I know that God will pick me up and will take me back to the trail of fellowship so to reach the goal. With this in mind and in heart, I am thankful.

Like That Feeling Of Hangover

2011-09-30T23:00:00.001-04:00

I always long to attend Worship Nights and sing praises for God with fellow believers. I know that worship is not all about emotions. It is about the presence of God who loves us beyond all understanding. I always fail in my life but our God never fails. I always like the hangover feeling after the worship. I understand that worshiping God has so many benefits for us. God empowers us when we worship Him. And glory to God for all the talents He has given to our church all over the world. After each worship, alone or with fellow worshipers, I feel like I am floating and the power of the Spirit of God is so thick and great that it feels like no one could harm me. That is so true. Nothing can be against me in presence of God. How great God is! Am bit sad that now that I have Saturday-Sunday off, our worship night is now scheduled every first Friday of the month. Will continue praying for better schedule.

Sometimes, or more than sometimes, we feel so down and all we want to do is sing praises to God crying out loud to Him, right? And God is amazingly working from within us. The below video by Planetshakers is one of my favorites. It is so powerful that I could feel how God blessed all the worshipers in this video. I always find myself drowned into deep devotion when this song is performed in our church. Thought sharing the video here, The Anthem.

the anthem planetshakers mp3 download

From Dindin San Juan

2011-09-29T21:00:00.002-04:00

The picture below is so beautiful that I could not help but re-post it here for two reasons. One is to share with you the talent of my new friend Dindin San Juan. Two is to make it official our new found friendship. (Although we just met and had less than a day to give our friendship a chance to grow, laughs!) If she approves, I might share more of her works here. Cheers!

You are my precious child and I am committed to protect you and preserve you and to seek your happiness. Call unto Me anytime, anywhere, any place. My throne of grace is open to you.—God

(Jeremiah 33:3, Hebrew 4:16)

Photo by Dindin San Juan, a new friend

Blogging Ministry: Power and Authorization

2011-09-28T21:11:00.000-04:00

I love reading and as much as I can, I also collect some books: brand new, bargains, and even the outdated ones. When I moved with my wife in their house in San Pablo, I only took with me those I really like. One of them is A Cup of Devotion with God by Dan and Dave Davidson.

It is a very small and easy-to-read book that today I happened to read for the nth time. But today I learned something which I would like to share with you here as part of my ministry which is Blogging Ministry. Since I do not have a Small Group in our church and I have not joined an official ministry at church due to my challenging schedule, I decided to get a more personalized version of ministry which is blogging, thus called Blogging Ministry, laughs!

So there, going back to what I was saying, let me share with you what I learned today.

The book was published by ACTS 29 Publishing and that made me curious about what is written in Acts 29. So I got my Bible and opened the book of Acts and flipped right away to the last chapter. And you know what I found out? I felt embarrassed to find out that there is no Acts 29. The book of Acts only has 28 chapters. That was a quite nice trivia to know.

My swelling embarrassment was changed into a smile realizing the possible reason behind the name of the local publishing house. As Jesus commanded all the believers before He ascended back to heaven as recorded in Matthew 28:18-20, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” Perhaps ACTS 29 Publishing has made the same commitment to share the love of God to all readers and part-time readers around the Philippines through publishing, thus the continuation of the book of Acts. Cheers to that!

I also decided to read the last chapter of the book of Acts. In that chapter, Paul had landed on Malta where he and his friends had practiced that authority Lord Jesus Christ had given to all of His followers. The natives of that island thought that Paul was god because of the amazing things there were able to do. He even healed all the sick people there by the power given to him through the Spirit.

This had taught me something. Just as my wife Gracia and I had recently talked about, we always prayed for healing. Especially now that our families are being attacked by the enemy and a couple of us are sick, or have a health challenge. We tended to forget about the authorization which was given to us. When Christ confirmed the victory on the cross, it not only set us free from the power of sins and death but also it had given us the power and authority to obey everything which is commanded to us. This includes the power and authority to expel evil spirits of sickness and pain. There is no magic in there but a great power of God which flows into us. We just need to exercise this power so that it gets better and better, right? So instead of just praying for healing, we decided that it is about time for us to exercise that power and authority and command the spirit of sickness to leave our families. Would you do that, too?

Just got news that my sister-in-law Mariz who just gave birth to a good-looking baby boy named Ezra is going home later today which is opposing to the original advice of the doctor that she had to stay longer in the hospital to heal from Caesarian wounds and other complications. Also baby Ezra who was initially detected to have sepsis is doing a lot better now and for sure, he will finally come home soon.

And I just realized that there are so many opportunities where we could practice this power and authority. You may have the same questions I had, what if the person we were praying for healing or we were laying hands on, did not get healed right away? Would that be such an embarrassment? Would that make the Christian-to-be more discouraged and worse, lose faith in God? Would that be such a heavy burden, just in case?

I could imagine our Lord Jesus Christ smiling at us saying, “Why so little faith? Did I not tell you that surely I am with you always?”

It’s not about us. It’s about the power of God. It’s about Him. We are the hands of God. When we pray for healing, we must not think about what-ifs. God never fails. If the person did not get healed right away, remember to trust in God’s perfect timing. Who knows that maybe God is still fixing some heart issues in that person, right?

We go out in faith and do what needs to be done and the rest of it we leave to the Supreme Power and He knows a lot better than us. So walk in faith, act in faith, and be confident. Exercise that power and authorization! And remember, Jesus is with us always. God is so sweet for He knows how to cheer and to encourage us. What a confidence we have in Him. Good morning to all.

Five Messages from God

2011-09-26T04:18:00.000-04:00

Year 2011 has been so difficult for me and for my family. It has been a challenge to keep writing about happy things when I know deep in me I am not completely happy. I had a series of breakdowns. I tried hard to be brave and to be strong for all who love me but the more I tried, the more I failed.

This past weekend had been an intimate time of my life with God. I cried my soul out to Him, in that prayer I boldly requested God to speak to me clearly for the next couple of days. I told Him to tell it to me and I would listen.

Perhaps I would never understand completely the greatness of God in my life for He always puts me in great awe before His wonders. Glory to Him for He talked to me through people, through His words, and through His miracles. Let me share them with you.

1. …God would not give problems we could not handle.

The next morning I was very anxious about His first message. I went online and tried to look for some good news. I don’t know what happened to me but I dared to send my bosses a brave message via Facebook. And surprisingly, the boss of my boss sent me a quick reply. Her message included the statement above, “…God would not give problems we could not handle.” Although at first it was not obvious to me that God was actually talking to me through her.

God was telling me that He would not allow me to go on my own. He is and will always be in charge of my life. Why can’t my soul take that truth? Why it feels so different? Why I can’t be strong? The next message answered these questions.

2. You are weak because you refuse to be strong.

I had been open to my wife about my feelings. I am so much thankful that she has been so supportive and patient with me. In the middle of my confessions to her, she suddenly said the above line, “You are weak because you refuse to be strong.”

It took me minutes as I absorbed into my heart the words she just said. I even asked her to repeat what she just said. And she said it again. I am weak not because I am really weak but because I refuse to be strong. I realized that it is so true.

I kept telling myself before that it offended me when people come to me and say, “I also have problems but I don’t get as absorbed as you do.” It offends me because it feels like they are belittling my feelings which is to some point is true. But when my wife told me that line, I remember the words of God to Joshua to claim the Promised Land.

“Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.”—Joshua 1:9

God is commanding me to be strong. It is not a request but an order to be strong because He is in control of everything in my life and He holds my future in His hands. He is the source of my strength. It struck me with a realization that I had been refusing all my life to be strong. And as if that was not enough enlightenment to me, the following miracle had touched me so deeply.

3. Php 500.00 bill.

Left alone at home for my wife has school every Saturday, I decided to do little home-keeping at home. I saw the old bag which had molds all over it for it had not been used for a long time. I decided to include that in the next laundry so I took out all the things inside and guess what I found? There was a folded ATM receipt which hid a Php 500.00 bill! I know it’s not a lot of money but it struck me with such awe that I sat there on bed for long minutes as if listening to God as He said:

“…and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first His kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.”—Matthew 6:32, 33

I had to smile at that one as if hearing God telling me, “See, I told you. I am your personal provider.”

4. “When I look back on all those worries, I remember the story of the old man who said on his deathbed that he had had a lot of trouble in his life, most of which had never happened.”—Winston Churchill

That night I told my wife about the Php 500.00 bill and she was as surprised as I was. Then she told me the above quotation by Winston Churchill. She was replying to my worry about coming to work on Monday. I told her that if I would be terminated from work, I would rather file my resignation. And I am telling you it’s not easy to me. You may want to read The True Story to understand what I mean to say here.

Then I was telling her that it was like reminding that I should not worry, right? But it was like a momentary realization which I would lose the next day. There was a pinch of pain as I got reminded of what God had told me many times before:

“Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life…who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?”—Matthew 6:25, 27

5. “May the favor of the LORD our God rest upon us; establish the work of our hands for us—yes, establish the work of our hands.”—Psalm 90:17 NIV

We had a guest speaker at our local church. He was funny and very inspirational. I could feel the tenderness of God as my worries were replaced with hope and insecurity with confidence. So I will go out and exercise the favor of God upon me. Whatever happens on Monday, let the will of God be done in my life.

Why are you downcast, O my soul?

Why so disturbed within me?

Put your hope in God,

for I will yet praise him,

my Savior and my God.—Psalm 42:5 NIV

The Greatest Love Of All

2011-09-22T07:00:00.006-04:00

PERSONAL GOSPEL THOUGHTS:

Ephesians 1:4-6 "For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love he predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will— to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves."

The whole point of adoption is to treat someone who is not biologically your child as one who is. Some natural parents do it perfectly; some don't; but God surely does. All the while I knew that God loves me as His child. I assumed that He loved Jesus most of all and consequently, though I really didn't say it out loud, that He loved me with a less love than He loved Jesus.

But I was totally blown away with God's love when I read this verse where Jesus says that God...

John 17:23b "...loved them even as you have loved me."

He loves us adopted children EVEN AS He loved His Only Begotten Son Jesus Christ!!! That means He loves us with the same intensity, the same constancy, the same generosity, the same depth AS HE LOVES JESUS!!! WOW!!! Once again I am floored by the love and grace of God. Who else is worthy of all our love, worship and lives? None but Him alone.

Attending the ALL IN series was an amazing journey to me and to my family. It was like every Sunday we looked forward to new revelations of God in our lives. I felt ashamed of my own faith and felt so much thankful to know that we have our Lord Jesus Christ as the Perfecter of our faith. In these series, we cried, we laughed, we were awed, we were renewed, we were filled, we were inspired, we were loved, and we feel like we cannot thank God enough.

Thank you, Big Daddy.

For more of great Biblical insights by Pastor Ernie, please subscribe to Ernie Aragon, Jr. via Facebook.

Lost

2011-09-21T02:04:00.000-04:00

Lost

For my Wife

Was lost at the age of three

When world was an immense chest of treasures to discover

Just learning my ABC’s, my one-two-three

Just learning to say my name

Just learning that life was but a game

What if I did not come back?

What if I was not found?

What if my few memories were lost with me?

What if false memories had replaced them?

What if…and what if?

Would it be like I had you yesterday and tomorrow there would be no memory of you?

For sure I would forget you but would you forget me?

How long would you search for me?

When would you decide to stop hoping to find me?

Would I go with you if you found me?

Would you…and would I?

Thank God it did not take one whole day for you to find me

The possibilities were so intolerably unending.

Art by Divina Gracia S. Agor

Once More...From Facebook

2011-09-17T19:00:00.000-04:00

One of my favorite Facebook accounts I like checking is my friend Ed's. I like checking his pictures and found this photo album about cute and hilarious photos which if you pause for a moment, you will realize that there are grains of truth in these pictures which could touch your heart.

I got inspired and I enjoyed them. I already sent Ed that I would be borrowing them so to share them with you here. Enjoy and if you can leave a comment or two, that is my bonus.

The Conditional Love

So In Love

My Favorite

Saying Something...(From Facebook)

2011-09-16T17:28:00.000-04:00

I saw my friend Ramon posted this on his Facebook notes. I was touched and even surprised by the strange inspiration coming from my own words. Smiles. So there, I decided to share it here...again.

Saying Something...

by Fernand Yim on Saturday, April 2, 2011 at 10:22am

There are so much words I'd like to say. But the right manner to finally say them? That's another story.

Going up is never easy. Many times I have to look stupid before I reach the top. Saying goodbye always puts pain in my heart. O, how I hate the process of letting go. I wish I could stop myself from leaving you and you from leaving me. I wish we could stay together, right here forever. I am so willing to give my everything just so to keep you. I wanna mimic Casper, "Can I keep you?" You see, I have nothing if I don't have you. Does it sound like a line in a song? Anyway, I am speaking with my heart.

When we thought it was finally over, underneath the pain, a new story unfolds.

From http://diary.fernandyim.com/2008/11/just-wanna-say-something.html

Thankfulness and Contentment

2011-09-12T21:46:00.002-04:00

Ants never sleep.

Pigs can’t raise their heads to look at the sky.

Butterflies only live for seven days.

See? You have three more reasons to be thankful today.

Being something always has its ups and downs.

But remember, while you are complaining about your situation, someone may be wishing to be in your place.*

For the millionth time, I am saying that I do not like my job. Forgive me but it’s true. I have decided to stop chanting mind-over-matter making myself believe that I could be happy in a long term view with the kind of job I have. If you’re looking for appreciation with what I have, I am telling you, I have been appreciating this job even before day one. I just don’t like the job. I don’t hate it. I am thankful with this job for I learned so much from it.

In this industry I met a set of great people of different characters. I cried. I got so frustrated. I got super depressed. I hoped. I dreamed. People became my friends, some grew to be my unwanted enemies. I over-slept. I was late for so many times. I hit my score cards. I got scolded. I failed. I was ridiculed like a clown. I made mistakes. I made right decisions. I over-ate. I had battled against LBM while taking calls. I reported to work with high fever. I laughed. I went to places. I shared my corny jokes. I forced people to follow my blog. I got my heart broken. I got my heart fixed. I said a million prayers about this job. I celebrated a couple of Christmases and New Years away from my family. I don’t see my wife that much. I missed a lot of Worship nights. I fell asleep as I began my prayers before I went to sleep. I stood on the bus many times. I hit my head many times against the bus window when I suddenly fell into a sleep as I boarded a bus. I was embarrassed many times. I was caught in traffic half of my working life. So on and so forth.

I have been working for call centers since I stepped out from college holding so many dreams in my hopeful heart that time. Have you felt once in your life that you’re holding two of the most precious things or persons in your hands? One is gripped in your left and the other one is clasped in your right. As you walk on, you have to let go of one of them. Even you know that you would feel so incomplete if one is gone. But you have to. You tried to keep them in your hold but fate wants one to be left behind. It feels like your heart has broken into million of pieces when you finally let go one of them. You know that you could cry all your life but the pain would never go away. You know your heart will never be the same again as it used to be. That’s what I felt when I let go of my dreams.

It took me years before I accepted the fact that my dream was gone. I tried to create a new set of dreams to replace what was lost. But I failed. I realized that my heart was still longing for that dream. I realized that you don’t create your dreams. They are actually part of you, of your being. They cried the same time you cried your first tears when you were born into this world. They grew with you. And the feeling of letting go of them was like killing a part of you. You might try gathering all your faith in a hope that this would never be like this for the rest of your life. But it felt so difficult to hope in a waiting which seems to have no ending. It’s so frustrating.

However, I am thankful that I can still sleep unlike ants. I am thankful that sometimes I oversleep. Ants might die in so much jealous by knowing I am oversleeping! When things get so tough that it feels too much for me to bear, I am thankful that I can raise my head up to the sky and thank Father God for His love and comfort. Pigs would definitely get green-eyed on that one. I might be enduring some pains for over a year or two now but I have more than seven days to live to do something else and try to make things right according to His will. I can’t imagine how butterflies rush everything in their short lives. Would they do things in the following order?

Day one is to appreciate their own beauty and of the others. Get amazed. Day Two is to meet friends and find your wife. Day Three they should get married right away. Day Four they should have kids by this time or else they would not see them grow at all! Day Five the parent butterflies have the whole day to teach their children with small amount of wisdom they accumulated in the first four days of their lives. Day Six is to get depressed knowing that tomorrow is their last day. And Day Seven is to reflect the short lives they have. Asking questions like, did I live my life to the fullest?

That’s quite sad for the butterflies. What is beauty if your life is short? Wow this line sounds like a combination of two different adages. Laughs!

This morning, I sent Mama and Papa a simple text message saying how much I love them. Few simple words but they were sent with all of my soul. Mama replied telling me she loves me and that she is thankful that I am her son. That put tears in my eyes. So what’s my point?

I learned that I put my heart on the wrong source of passion. I let my dreams become my life. I forgot the God who actually made them for me. To some point, I loved my dreams more than the Creator of my dreams. And I am thankful that God has never gotten tired of teaching me lessons of life and faith through the people I love.

At the end of this article, I have one word: Thankful.

Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. 1 Thessalonians 5:18**

* From Jason, September 12 09:21 p.m.

** From the Holy Bible, English Standard Version

Forever Begins With You

2011-09-11T04:26:00.000-04:00

Forever Begins With You
Dedicated to my Wife

Day and night

I want you in my sight.

Velvet skies,

In deep blue seas

No one I found sweeter than you.

All angels in heavens

Get jealous of you.

Right here with you

All my dreams are coming true.

Can’t thank God enough for having you

In my life and in all days of forever,

And today forever begins with you.

unreasonable...

2011-09-02T10:00:00.000-04:00

unreasonable...
By Dimple Quiatchon on Wednesday, December 16, 2009 at 3:23pm

People tend to look for reasons of why certain things happen. They try to evaluate and review the details hoping they would understand why. But sometimes no matter how hard they try to search for explanations, there are things that really just can’t fit in.

People commit themselves with someone usually backed up by love.

But I’ve been wondering why they tend to be hurt in loving but continue doing so.

Why some tend to hurt the people they love, hurting themselves more?

Why someone else has to be hurt before they realize their mistakes?

Why couples break up, though still in love?

And why love hurts so much?

I guess there are things better left unexplained, maybe to lessen the pain.

I guess there are some things that just need to happen.

I guess people just need to hurt other’s feelings for them.

I guess people love being hurt.

Maybe people need to be hurt for no reason at all.

Maybe these are facts.

Facts that show how unreasonable life can get.

Facts that show how painful love can be.

If You’re Gonna Leave

2011-09-01T07:39:00.000-04:00

Days were gone and time has passed

I thought this love will somehow last

I was wrong ‘cause now I can see

You’re no longer someone you sued to be.

Things were no longer like before

Isn’t this love worth-fighting for?

Our love has already come to an end

Heartache is here for me to mend.

If you’re gonna leave, please don’t look back

You know I will be wishing you all the luck

Perhaps things really have to end this way

We would only hurt each other if’ you’ll try to stay.

I’m glad someone like you came along

Such a pity, we haven’t stayed for long

I don’t wanna ask what went wrong

For me you will always be a beautiful song.

I’m gonna miss you and that’s for sure

Along with the love I will always endure

I hope you can find someone better

Someone to stay with you forever.

You will always be happy ‘cause you’re someone so nice

Guess it was too late for me to realize

I was a fool not to let you see

How special you will always be to me.

If you’re gonna leave, better do it now.

Maybe I can get over you somehow

What can I do if you had enough?

Sorry for the times I’ve been so tough.

I love you, even if you are now leaving

Don’t mind me if you will see me crying

It’s just that it hurts seeing you go

But well, how will you ever know?

There’s nothing I can do but to say goodbye

I won’t hold you back, I won’t ask why

You will always be a special memory

Thank you for being a part of me.

Written by Ma. Nina Espiritu on April 7, 2004 11:21 pm

Check: The Prison Door Is Open

2011-08-24T04:01:00.000-04:00

This is very inspiring.

From ELLERSLIE

My 2011 Petitions to the LORD

2011-08-24T03:05:00.000-04:00

“Seek the LORD while he may be found;

call on him while he is near.” Isaiah 55:6 NIV

1. Better health for every member of our families and friends.
2. To pay off all the outstanding financial liabilities we have.
3. A house for my family.
4. Promotions for me, Gracia, and Nikka Lynn.
5. Permanent job for Mama and Papa. Home business is better one.
6. Shoes and clothes for my brothers.
7. A more passionate relationship of our families with God.
8. Success for my writing project (In The Vicinity).
9. Abundant material and non-material blessings for Pitoons, Sumangs, Agors, and Yims.
10. Growth for our local and national churches. Also for those who were sent abroad.
11. For my non-believer relatives and friends to accept Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior.
12. Healthy births for Graciella and Zephaniah.

“Come, all you who are thirsty, come to the waters;
and you who have no money, come, buy and eat!
Come, buy wine and milk without money and without cost.
Why spend money on what is not bread, and your labor on what does not satisfy?
Listen, listen to me, and eat what is good, and your soul may live.
I will make an everlasting covenant with you,
my faithful love promised to David.” Isaiah 55:1-3 NIV

If You Were Only With Me

2011-08-20T22:30:00.000-04:00

If You Were Only With Me

Hours before sunrise I was already on my feet
Waking up my bones from a dreamful sleep
There were still stars shining in heap
There were also giggles in the morning breeze
I tried to read some papers but I did something else
I caught myself picking some songs to sing
Making myself happy with my cup of coffee
There I got my pen and wrote down my dreams
Only then I learned of something this morning
It would all be better if you were only with me.

Written on April 16, 2010

Me Loves You

2011-08-19T22:30:00.000-04:00

Me Loves You

Fernand is me, Gracia is you.
Fernand loves Gracia
So, me loves you.

Me is Fernand, you is Gracia
Then Fernand loves you
Because Gracia is you
And me loves Gracia
So, me loves you.

True it is that,
Me Loves You.

Written on April 15, 2010

I Woke Up Late Today

2011-08-18T22:23:00.000-04:00

I Woke Up Late Today

I woke up late today
Because I wanted longer hours of sleep
Wanted more time to dream
For in my sleep I know no limits
I can travel near and far
And turn everything in favor of me
Make my fantasies as true as it can be
And also in my dream
I can always be with you
Being with you is already a dream come true
Yes, I woke up late today
Because I wanted longer hours with you.

Written on April 15, 2010

Psyche With Alex And Ron

2011-08-16T23:01:00.000-04:00

Identity: Who Am I?

2011-08-12T21:51:00.001-04:00

Are you suffering with self-pity? You feel like everything in your life is a mistake, worse you feel like a mistake yourself? That is difficult.

When I was a kid, I hated my name. Many times I wished I was given a different name. My classmates in elementary had at least two names which easily fascinated me. There was something in my name which seemed to hold the error of my existence. Let me go straight to the point: I am a love child. The kid conceived out of wedlock. The accidental child. The unwanted child. And so on and so forth.

The sadness of the origin of my birth affected me while growing up. I was not really ignoring the hurt inside but I carried the pain everyday. Since there was not enough attention to it, forgive me but I was only a kid then, it grew as I grew. Until one day, I thought I figured it out: I was a mistake.

The more I thought of it, the more it felt painful. Weird, perhaps, but to some point, wrapping my arms around this pain made me feel human and so I kept the pain in me and it swelled into years of deep depression. I found myself too absorbed by the pain and it was impossible to get out of it. Worse, it drew other pains and that was the start of my Ginger days.

You may be feeling just like what I used to be. Or it could be worse.

But no matter what situation you are in right now, don’t listen to the enemy. He is just deceiving you from discovering your true identity. It is because the Devil is jealous of our identity in Christ.

Even before the beginning, the Devil was desperate to be like God. And because God is all-knowing, the Devil was kicked out of the heaven’s glory.

Then God created man—after God’s image. So if you feel not liking how you look in the mirror, think again. You are created after the image of God. What you see in the mirror is an image of a holy God. That is what God has said and that is what you need to keep in mind. Don’t let the Devil take that truth away from you. God will never create a mistake after His own image. God only creates perfection.

Do you know you are actually chosen by God? (Deuteronomy 7:6-8)

Do you know you belong to a royal family? (1 Peter 2:9, 10)

Do you know that through Jesus Christ you are made holy? (1 Peter 1:15, 16)

So, the next time the idea of being a mistake crosses your mind, pray to Father God to take it away from you. Remind yourself how God identifies you. That is all that matters. Don’t listen to the world but listen to what the Word says.

And now you know your true identity, to develop it better, start a relationship with the One who has set you free.

I am praying for you.

EDSA Dishonors God

2011-08-09T22:55:00.001-04:00

EDSA Dishonors God

In John 14:6 Jesus said, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”

It breaks my heart every time I pass by EDSA and see that huge image of Mary as a tribute by the first EDSA revolution. It makes me remember the story after the Israelites were freed from slavery from Egypt. While Moses accepted the Ten Commandments in Mount Sinai, the Israelites combined all their gold and created a golden calf and worship it together. Instead of giving all the glory to a true living God, they boldly disrespected God by worshiping an image created by their very own hands.

And I read this:

“To whom will you compare me or count me equal?

To whom will you liken me that we may be compared?

Some pour out gold from their bags

and weigh out silver on the scales;

they hire a goldsmith to make it into a god,

and they bow down and worship it.

They lift it to their shoulders and carry it;

they set it up in its place, and there it stands.

From that spot it cannot move.

Though one cries to it, it does not answer;

it cannot save him from his troubles.

“Remember this, fix it in mind,

take it to heart, you rebels.

Remember the former things, those of long ago;

I am God, and there is no other;

I am God, and there is none like me.

Isaiah 46:5-9 NIV

This is very clear. I won’t say much more. May God open the hearts of those who still pray to images and dead saints.

How Little Is Your Faith?

2011-08-03T22:19:00.000-04:00

How Little Is Your Faith?

I feared reporting back to work last night. I think I was hurt so much that being happy away from my wife, or from my family, seemed to be the hardest thing to do. If Ginger Allergy would only be visible to the eyes, people would dread to be next to me for I might have been covered by foul wounds all over! But Ginger Allergy I am talking about here is not physical but more of spiritual. Spiritual wounds hurt terribly more than any uncanny wound there is.

Every time I feel this, I feel so much shame and this shame takes away, or blurs off, wisdom in me and I tend to lose what I have learned through the years. In other words, I tend to walk away. I don’t want to explain when I am being questioned because I cannot confront. I am coward. I am weak.

It is a shame to call myself a disciple of Christ when I let the mortal world to crash me in the darkest pit of Ginger Allergy, showing how little faith is in me. But what can I do if that is how I feel?

Then God speaks: “Do not be afraid. Stand firm and you will see the deliverance the LORD will bring you today… The LORD will fight for you; you need only to be still.” Exodus 14:13-14 NIV.

Then I caught myself crying again. I felt so good that I could not form the right words to express His comfort wrapping around me. True it is that God never gives up on me, never on us. (Praise the LORD for that!) When we are lost, He leaves His flock of sheep to look for the missing one. The whole heaven celebrates when one has returned as if you are the most important being in the heaven and on earth!

It has taught me important lessons. My happiness is not limited to the presence of my wife or of my family. It is found in greatness in solitude—alone with God. There I learn to know more of Him.

Reflecting on the story of Exodus where God delivered the Israelites from slavery in Egypt by performing miracles to miracles, including the splitting of the Red Sea, should that be awesome enough to see right before your very eyes? If I were one of those Israelites that time, there was no way I would doubt the presence of God in my life! Seeing a sea divided miraculously right there in front of you by a mighty hands of God, which was way beyond greatness!

But what Israelites did after that marvelous wonder of God? They easily forgot and kept complaining, showing so little of faith. That was so non-sense, right? Watching the miracle of the Red Sea and doubting the promise of God did not seem to get along.

Back to the present, I realized that God had shown me versions of the Red Sea in my life and still I easily forget them and turn to consoling my pains. Are you like me, so easy to forget the promises of God?

I asked myself a string of whys. It hit me with the truth and it leads me back to the basic. I reviewed my prayer time and my attitude towards prayers. I also checked my Word reading. There I felt so malnourished! But good news is God understands. And so I decided to look for a Prayer Buddy and my wife Gracia and I are now praying together when there is a chance. (We don’t see each other that much, smiles.)

When we come back to Him, before we utter sorry words, He runs to us and tells us how much He loves us! He is too willing to forgive. Hallelujah to You, LORD God!

So for you, if you feel the same way, don’t walk away. He is waiting in love.

(If you have the same story, or other inspiring story which you feel like sharing, please send me a message at fernandyim@yahoo.com. God bless you!)

In The Womb

2011-08-02T22:05:00.000-04:00

In The Womb

They say when a baby is still within the womb, he is very frail and powerless. He has no options but to take in all that have brought to him. All the nutrients, if the mother is health conscious. He has no options of choosing to be healthy or not. It all depends on what the mother eats or does.

Hopefully it is all about the foods but there is so much more than foods. There is more to take in than foods. He also absorbs all the emotions and all the external factors throughout the pregnancy period. This has made me realize that pregnancy is such a delicate process, especially for a life just starting.

Being powerless I thought expires gradually as the baby grows up, learning to stand on his own. Turns out that this world is just an extension of that preliminary womb. We are still babies. We are still frail. Although we can say now that we have the power of choosing unlike in the prelim womb and yet, questions strikes in your head asking, “Am I exercising that power of choice for the past years of my life?” “Was it me who was making the decisions in my life or was I letting someone else, or something else to decide for me?”

You have learned that the more you learn to love, the more you suffer inside. You are getting more people to love and to care for which giving you more reasons to fret mostly all the times. Even if you know now that you have that power to choose to find help and tell someone about the accumulating fears, you feel so weak to even take the first step. You tend to keep it all to yourself until it feels too much to contain. One day you would feel like exploding. But still, you hold back because you might hurt the people you love, you care for. You walk away and well, finally decided to make choices but you end up choosing the wrong ones.

You say you are giving up. You have had enough. You have finally reached the limit. This is it. It is too much to even wait for a day to let emotions subside so logic could work in your head. You didn’t know that tears could still taste so bitter than the last time you could remember.

Then when everything seems churning in chaos and nothing seems making sense, you sit there, almost lifeless and admittedly hopeless. For you it is the darkest time of your life, this is the lowest state you have ever reached so far. And you have two words in your lips: I Quit. But something so powerful and so loving and so pure changing the two words into Help Me.

At first there is silence. It is not like those silences before. This one is empty, almost dead. You cannot tell if it’s cold or just dead. You feel like it’s another round of madness playing on you. The silence seems to linger than it should be. Somehow you are thankful to it because it gives you peace. It is taking you to far places. It takes you back to the far past seeing beautiful memories one more time. You are even surprised that you had them once in the past. Then the silence takes you to the far future. You see dreams coming true. You see happy faces. You see hope. You see all of you eating together at dinner time. Seeing the future puts joy and pain all together at the same time in your heart.

Almost so suddenly there is a Voice calling on you. You feel too weak to respond to the Voice. And you say sorry because you can’t even respond to the Voice. The Voice is so concerned that It seems to give you enough strength and you walk and walk and walk.

The Voice says, “I always love you. I never stop loving you. I want you to come back for I am waiting, always waiting and seeking you when you are lost. It is okay to cry. I care for your tears. I feel them. It hurts that you choose to run away from Me at times you need Me the most. Why so little faith? Did I say I love you and tell me, when did I lie to you? You easily forget all the miracles I chose to show you. I just gave you enough to see and to feel for your own good. Remember, I chose you (John 15:16). I love you so much that I gave My one and only Son for you. In Him, there is no condemnation. Come back to Me and let Me show you I am in charge. I love you, child.”

Then you cry and cry like a baby. You cry and cry no longer out of pain. You cry more and more in surrender and in those tears you express all that words failed to say. You go to sleep and feel a holy arm carries you to a better womb. A womb which is pure and eternal.

Rained, Shaken, Awarded, And Took My First Spot-check!

2011-07-26T00:12:00.000-04:00

Before I left the house last night, I posted this on my facebook: Off to work. And it’s raining…softly.

I was like telling to myself that it was irritating that it was raining when I was about to take my three-hour travel from San Pablo to Alabang! On the other hand, I was thankful that it was not like raining cats and dogs, you know what I mean. It was raining softly that I did not get dripping coming to work. Just... fine.

Lo and behold! I did not know that the previous shift was not another normal day, or night, at work. I knew that I was part of the Employee Recognition which would be held at 3AM. That meant offline, would not be taking calls! Laughs! But what I was anticipating was my $100.00! Laughs! I so need the money. Did not know how to budget my remaining funds until Friday, laughs!

So I was there on my seat, focused on giving my excellent customer service to a customer, cough, laughs! Then all of the sudden, the whole place shook! I mean the whole building was dancing and I was like, oh my, we are on the ninth floor! But like a kid, something in me believed that it was just someone bigger than Jollibee jumping and running right behind me. But when I looked around I found no one. I pressed the mute button then said, “Are we shaking?” And sure we did! The building was really shaking and it was scary especially watching my flat-screen monitor quivering on my station. I felt so dizzy. I think it ran for a minute or two.

Everyone seemed to holding their breath the best that they could as if any moment we would hear the alarm, everyone would be screaming, and we would be racing against each other toward the door! But OM Khedz was so brave that she stood up from her station and assured everyone that everything would be okay. So everyone suddenly learned how to say quick prayers.

To me, my concern was how to end my call. I did not want to run and save my life if the situation got any worse and after doing so, I would end up with failed survey. That would be so unfair! Laughs!

----------†----------

I was running late to the recognition and I accidentally bumped into a pretty girl from the different team. My face turned easily to red when my hand pushed against her, err, breast. Hey, that was pure accident. I tried my very best to pretend that I did not know where my hand landed. Until now, I still feel embarrassed about it.

I was so excited to take my lunch for after that, I would be attending the Recognition on eighth floor. There I seated next to Dhen. She would also be receiving her plaque of appreciation from AT&T. There was free food and I did not know that. I already ate my lunch prior to that so I did not eat. But I didn’t let go of the dessert, laughs! I had two plates of dessert!

Then you know what? The girl I ran accident into was seated right in front of me! We were facing each other across the table. I was like, Am I on a sitcom or something? But I just continued showing no memory of it.

Then the most awaited and the most important part of the day arrived, I was the first one to be called. And, err, they got my first name wrong. They called me Ferdinand. I am not Ferdinand. My beautiful name is Fernand. It’s French, not Spanish. But hey, it was Sarah, the Senior Business Manager, hello! Laughs!

She read the exact message the customer had sent to AT&T saying that she appreciated what I did for her. Honestly I could not remember that call anymore. I knew I was just doing my job and to be appreciated like that, that was amazing and I pray to God to bless that woman. Whoever she is.

I thought I would be asked to say a speech. Though I did not prepare one, I was already composing what to say in my head. To my disappointment, all I did was to stand there with my sheepish smile, laughs! At the back of me were my crossed fingers, laughs! I was telling myself that that was not the right time to faint, laughs! Imagine, I was there with the bosses and all attention was on me. That was so amazing and I thank God for that.

Then Sarah reminded me that there would be $100.00. She was asking if I knew something about that. I almost got tempted to tell her that that was why I was there in the first place, laughs! She said that it would be added in the payroll. I asked her right there if that would be this Friday. I did not know that the microphone was close to my mouth that everyone heard it and easily laughed. I was like, so is this really a sitcom now?

----------†----------

After I happily clicked on the button that said Clock Out, I checked with Tina from A-Bay what would happen tonight. And yo, forgot to say that I was picked to be part of A-Bay. I am happy, nervous, excited, worried, scared, looking forward to it tonight! Hope I could really help.

I met Brian, the transition agent who is assigned to me. He sounds good but a bit nervous. I need to focus of helping him to pass his stats. While assisting him, I was asked by another agent to a spot-check! Spot-check is to make sure that all the issues have been covered and resolved. I was not ready for it yet. But there, with shaky voice, I did it. Wow. That was… fun? We’ll see tonight.