Bye 2015!!

So this is goodbye to the last day of 2015.. A few more hours before 2016 starts! Thank you Lord!!!!!‪#‎iamBBM‬ ‪#‎deogloria‬ ‪#‎thankyouLord‬ ‪#‎happy‬ ‪#‎pinaSMILE‬ ‪#‎prayersANSWERED‬ ‪#‎greatGOD‬

God's gift: T-A-L-E-N-T-S

The Parable of the Talents:

Jesus told His disciples this parable, “It will be as when a man who was going on a journey called in his servants and entrusted his possessions to them. To one he gave five talents; to another, two; to a third, one — to each according to his ability. Then he went away. Immediately the one who received five talents went and traded with them, and made another five. Likewise, the one who received two made another two. But the man who received one went off and dug a hole in the ground and buried his master’s money. … The one who had received five talents came forward bringing the additional five. He said, ‘Master, you gave me five talents. See, I have made five more.’ His master said to him, ‘Well done, my good and faithful servant. Since you were faithful in small matters, I will give you great responsibilities. Come, share your master’s joy.’… Then the one who had received the one talent came forward and said, ‘Master, I knew you were a demanding person, harvesting where you did not plant and gathering where you did not scatter; so out of fear I went off and buried your talent in the ground. Here it is back.’ His master said to him in reply, ‘You wicked, lazy servant! So you knew that I harvest where I did not plant and gather where I did not scatter? Should you not then have put my money in the bank so that I could have got it back with interest on my return? Now then! Take the talent from him and give it to the one with ten. For to everyone who has, more will be given and he will grow rich; but from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away. And throw this useless servant into the darkness outside, where there will be wailing and grinding of teeth.’ Matthew 25:14-30 -----------------------------------------------------------

Based from the parable, God has blessed us with so many different and unique talents. The talents are God's gift to us and using them for His glory is our gift to God. We may not be aware of it but definitely He never allows our pocket/hands to be empty. We just have to discover it for us to find out. If we don't put our talents to good use then God has the authority to take it away from us and give it to someone who wisely uses it for the greater good.

Talents can be in many forms - a hobby, a skill/ability, a gift worth sharing, a treasure, can be related to money/finances and having that talent means opportunity, growth, maturity, business, pressure, increasing responsibility and prone to challenges. Knowing how to use your talent is an A+ because you only give God more reasons to continue blessing you and in return you can bless others more with your blessings. And then, everybody will do it and the cycle goes on. Amazingly WOW! Isn't God so great? AMEN to that!

As privileged sons and daughters of God, He is teaching us the right way to use these talents. He gave meaning that represents our attitude as stewards of these T-A-L-E-N-T-S.

T - Thankful (the more we say thank you Lord, the more God will generously bless us with more)

A - Available / Appreciate (find time to share and appreciate the gift because it's the perfect gift to the giver of gifts)

L - Love (without love, it's not meaningful. Love should be our fuel to share the gifts we have to others.)

E - Encourage / Endure ( Continue to encourage others and give them a push when things get rough)

N - Never ending grace (the more we share, we more we are blessed beyond measure)

T - Time, talent & treasure (sharing yourself through 3Ts)

S - Service, sacrifice, surrender (offering yourself for the good of many, denying yourself of your needs, putting the interest of others above you and lifting it all to God when the burden is too much)

Your unique gifts and talents... 

Do you know them?

Are you using them?

Let's take time to ponder and realize that we are blessed beyond measure.

God bless you! Take care.

#DeoGloria #iamBBM #thankyouLORD

10 Ways You’re Making Your Life Harder Than It Has To Be

http://thoughtcatalog.com/tim-hoch/2014/06/10-ways-youre-making-your-life-harder-than-it-has-to-be/

Tim Hoch

Alex Dram

1. You ascribe intent.

Another driver cut you off. Your friend never texted you back. Your co-worker went to lunch without you. Everyone can find a reason to be offended on a steady basis. So what caused you to be offended? You assigned bad intent to these otherwise innocuous actions. You took it as a personal affront, a slap in the face.

Happy people do not do this. They don’t take things personally. They don’t ascribe intent to the unintentional actions of others.

2. You’re the star of your own movie.

It is little wonder that you believe the world revolves around you. After all, you have been at the very center of every experience you have ever had.
You are the star of your own movie. You wrote the script. You know how you want it to unfold. You even know how you want it to end.
Unfortunately you forgot to give your script to anyone else. As a result, people are unaware of the role they are supposed to play. Then, when they screw up their lines, or fail to fall in love with you or don’t give you a promotion, your movie is ruined.
Lose your script. Let someone else star once in awhile. Welcome new characters. Embrace plot twists.

3. You fast forward to apocalypse.

I have a bad habit of fast forwarding everything to its worst possible outcome and being pleasantly surprised when the result is marginally better than utter disaster or jail time. My mind unnecessarily wrestles with events that aren’t even remotely likely. My sore throat is cancer. My lost driver’s license fell into the hands of an al-Qaeda operative who will wipe out my savings account.
Negativity only breeds more negativity. It is a happiness riptide. It will carry you away from shore and if you don’t swim away from it, will pull you under.

4. You have unrealistic and/or uncommunicated expectations.

Among their many shortcomings

of your family and friends is the harsh reality that they cannot read your mind or anticipate your whims.
Did your boyfriend forget the six and a half month anniversary of your first movie date? Did your girlfriend refuse to call at an appointed hour? Did your friend fail to fawn over your tribal tattoo?
Unmet expectations will be at the root of most of your unhappiness in life. Minimize your expectations, maximize your joy.

5. You are waiting for a sign.

I have a friend who won’t make a decision without receiving a “sign.” I suppose she is waiting on a trumpeted announcement from God. She is constantly paralyzed by a divinity that is either heavily obscured or frustratingly tardy. I’m not disavowing that fate or a higher power plays a role in our lives. I’m just saying that it is better to help shape fate than be governed by it.

6. You don’t take risks.

Two words: Live boldly. Every single time you are offered a choice that involves greater risk, take it. You will lose on many of them but when you add them up at the end of your life you’ll be glad you did.

7. You constantly compare your life to others.

A few years ago I was invited to a nice party at a big warehouse downtown. I was enjoying the smooth jazz, box wine and crustless sandwiches. What more could a guy want? Later in the evening I noticed a steady parade of well-heeled people slide past and disappear into another room. I peeked and saw a large party with beautiful revelers dancing and carrying on like Bacchus. Suddenly my gig wasn’t as fun as it had been all because it didn’t appear to measure up to the party next door- a party I didn’t even know existed until just moments before.
I do this frequently. Those people are having more fun. Mary has a bigger boat. Craig gets all the lucky breaks. Ted has more money. John is better looking.
Stop it.
Always remember what Teddy Roosevelt said: “Comparison is the thief of joy.”

8. You let other people steal from you.

If you had a million dollars in cash under your mattress, you would check it regularly and take precautions to insure it is safe. The one possession you have that is more important than money is time. But you don’t do anything to protect it. In fact you willingly give it to thieves. Selfish people, egotistical people, negative people, people who won’t shut up. Treat your time like Fort Knox. Guard it closely and give it only to those who deserve and respect it.

9. You can’t/won’t let go.

These are getting a little harder aren’t they? That’s because sometimes you have to work at happiness. Some hurdles are too difficult to clear by simply adjusting your point of view or adopting a positive mindset.
Do you need to forgive someone? Do you need to turn your back on a failed relationship? Do you need to come to terms with the death of a loved one?
Life is full of loss. But, in a sense, real happiness would not be possible without it.  It helps us appreciate and savor the things that really matter. It helps us grow. It can help us help others grow.

Closure is a word for people who have never really suffered. There’s no such thing. Just try to “manage” your loss. Put it in perspective. You will always have some regret and doubt about your loss. You may always second guess yourself. If only you had said this, or tried that.
You’re not alone. Find someone who understands and talk to that person. Reach out for support. If all else fails, try #10 below.

10. You don’t give back.

One way to deal with loss is to immerse yourself in doing good. Volunteer. Get involved in life.
It doesn’t even have to be a big, structured thing. Say a kind word. Encourage someone. Pay a visit to someone who is alone. Get away from your self-absorption.
When it comes down to it, there are two types of people in this world. There are givers and there are takers. Givers are happy. Takers are miserable. What are you?

Journey of Faith

Do not believe me unless I do the works of my Father. But if I do them, even though you do not believe me, believe the works, that you may know and understand that the Father is in me, and I in the Father.

Reflected from the verse taken from John 10:31-42

The first thing that came to my mind after hearing the gospel was little faith but more of doubt. We live in a world that questions our being, our race, our religion, our morals and our good deeds. We also experience being questioned when it comes to faith and how we practice our beliefs. Some people don’t understand even if we explain it to them. We are blessed to experience freedom and to be saved from the punishment of our sins. We are not here on earth for nothing because we have a purpose to fulfill and that we are destined for greatness.

Why is it difficult to believe even after seeing the works of God?

Why really is it hard? God already worked through us and still we continue to doubt His presence? Why? Hmmmmmm.. I guess we are looking for big things to happen like a major major miracle to take place in our life similar to the Jesus feeds the 5 thousand, healing leprosy, allowing the blind to see, letting the deaf to hear, the crippled to be able to walk or when He raised the dead. When we witness those kind of events in the world we live in today, I guess it just shows how little our faith is. Our faith is easily tested in what we see. We believe in the "to see is to believe principle and that hinder us from believing in God through His simple works. Through that doubt will always overpower the little faith that we have.

Another reason would be when we are controlled by our fears that held us captive to believe the reality which is the real truth that's already in front of us. We refuse to believe because we are following the standards of this world rather than of God's based on the teachings in the Bible. We choose to please others but in reality, we can never please anybody anyway and it's only God whom we can only please.

Doubt over weighs the little faith that we have. Although we have seen still we allow questions to disrupt our thinking. We are blinded and distracted by our thoughts, by social media, by false judgment and by the things we hear around us. We have heard the words of God yet we try harder to close our hearts from listening to Him. We harden our hearts and we still choose to do what we think is right (but to others it's already unjustly). We are highly influenced with the latest trends, the gadgets, the popular things and even the immoral doings. The world is changing and satan is taking advantage of our weaknesses and he keeps on tempting us for our visions and goals to be cloudy and it gives us more worries. He's giving us reasons to doubt even if we are already praying.

The only way to defeat doubt is through our strong faith and the belief that He will answer our prayers no matter how impossible they may be. We will be tested but we should place our complete trust and total surrender to God that He will take care of everything for us. We should be deeply rooted in Him knowing that apart from Him we are nothing. We should maintain a constant prayer life and relationship with Him because that's where we'll grow as a person and where we'll learn more from. We can be ready for anything because we know God is in us and believe that He has plans for us, a future full of hope. Let's live our life purposefully and meaningfully. Let's make God happy through the works of our hands by bringing back the glory that God alone deserves! Let’s conquer this victory with our faith by being faithful to the one who is faithful and who never failed us. This journey of faith is not going to be an easy task because obstacles of doubt will always be there to challenge us but in the end it will be worth it. We will win because God is in our side. 

AMEN! PRAISE GOD!

Losing to gain a stronger faith

Session 1: Journey of a lifetime (Reflecting the passion of Jesus)
Sharer 3: (Jesus is stripped off His garments)

 

SFC National Conference held in St. Mary's Church RAK, UAE
May 16, 2014

Saying YES to the Lord is a lifelong journey with the Almighty.

I am Sarah Lauren Lim, an SFC from Dubai and a beloved daughter of God. I first said YES to the Lord during my Youth camp last 2005 in Capiz and after that my life was never the same again. My journey with God in the UAE started last August 2011 when I was asked by Papa if I wanted to go to Dubai because He said there's YFC there, I then replied "Yes I will go for mission there." I arrived in Dubai last October 8, 2011 and believe it or not the document I had with me was a birth certificate. I was blessed to be taken care of by Tita Bel and Tito Danny Abutas. Everything was provided to me - visa, CV, college authenticated documents and I found a job and was grateful since my documents arrived nearly before my visa expired. I joined SFC last 2012 after receiving my residence visa. I worked in the nursery as an assistant teacher/nurse and was taking care of kids. I loved my job but the people I was surrounded with had problems of their own and it was a struggle for me to get along with them.  

2013 came and a few months before the end of contract, I started applying online. We had a CLP last September and I was called to become a facilitator. I was blessed to handle 4 angels namely, Annie, Collete, Cristina and Maikie. I am also blessed to attend the MEC and learned that I am God’s beloved. November came and I had an interview at Ate Jhang's company who was offering thrice the salary, with an accessible place in Warba, good benefits and 2 days off. She coached me before interview and I passed. A week later I had an offer letter. Before signing, I was asked and then they told me that they will put it on hold until I get my high school documents ready since they can't issue a visa because I need to join them after 2 weeks. In my mind I was thinking how can it be possible? My province was badly hit by Yolanda. I cried as I went home and I couldn’t hide it because I felt being stripped off what I thought was for me. I spoke to my parents and siblings. I simply prayed "Lord please have your way in me."

 It was baptism week of the CLP and the denial was the reason I was struggling with. I know I have to overcome this. During the service team prayer, I shared the experience and I said "I may have lost the opportunity but I gained a stronger faith." I had to let go because God has something better in store for me. I believe God is in control. He wants me to be still knowing He is God and that I have to trust Him. "Lord may your will be done."

  The CLP was a success. My angels have graduated and are now SFC members. I send a non-renewal letter. We agreed to have my visa cancelled early January. I kept applying online and had several interviews. After Christmas, December 26^th I received a phone call from our PRO. I was threatened that if I don't sign the cancellation then it will be my problem. I was shattered because it stated that I have a 6 months labor ban and that I have received the money from them. He said that it's a usual procedure. I signed and I felt something was wrong yet I tried to smile. When I went home, I cried in secret and it was very painful since I didn’t want them to know. I felt being stripped off my freedom by being forced to sign. And so because of my obedience and fear, I signed and allowed them to hurt me. Still thank you Lord for allowing my family and friends to comfort me and for understanding my situation.

 The greater the struggle but far bigger is the victory that waits. I was heartbroken yet I tried to accept wholeheartedly that in God there’s justice and I trust His plan for me. I nearly finished my contract but they cancelled me 1 month earlier and that’s the reason why I have a 6 month labor ban. Everybody wondered why and advised me to report the incident because it’s not fair. Despite what happened, I was happy to have a skype new year with my family and we were complete virtually. I celebrated my 25^th birthday and was blessed to witness the miracle garden. I was ready for whatever God has prepared for me whether it’s a new work here or considering going home since I want my family to be complete. I wanted to see Mama whom I haven’t seen for 9 years since she worked in US and she went home last year for good. I prayed and asked for God’s guidance. During weekdays I would apply for work and attend interviews but on weekends it was time for service. I continued to serve God and I would still be positive whenever I encounter such negative experiences.

 January 2014 was full of hope, affirmation and unexpected surprises. My high school documents arrived late but the opportunity is no longer there. The job application became difficult for me since I was rejected every time because of the ban. The job offer is often lower than the previous job. I received my back pay and finally I had my passport with me. I exited in Kish Island, stayed there for 5 days then I got 2 months tourist visa. I’ve got nearly empty NOL card load, housing rent to pay and then realized I wasn’t financially prepared as I was running out of resources but God in His generosity provided all of those. I would attend the teachings, regular upper/lower household and also a CLP of a different chapter so I can de-stress myself since I am pressured and worried about my status.

 God places his burden to those who can carry its weight. February was the most difficult month for me because for the first time I was deeply hurt more than the pain that I felt when I heard about my ban. It was during the Parish Festival, when I met him who became my inspiration and I thought He was the one that I was waiting for. I was motivated but then he just left. OUCH! I was heartbroken again and I found myself no longer interested to find a job. I found myself giving up and wanting to go home. There I was trying to stand up, trying to push myself and telling myself to keep going. I felt weak, alone and hopeless. I would encounter sending mails and receiving no reply from them. It was depressing yet I held on to God’s promise. I was also fooled in a skype interview wherein I applied for the post of a private nurse but they posted it in findyourmaids.com without me knowing. I was embarrassed. I received calls from different nationalities and I considered working as a nanny but God said through the song “Jesus I believe in you and I would go to the ends of the earth..” That song pierced me and it was a reminder to never give up on God and He has better plans ahead.

 All the unwanted feelings were kept within. I was misunderstood by those who didn’t know what I was going through because I kept quiet. Still I managed to smile, remained strong, hopeful and determined that God will bless my hearts desires in time and by His grace my attitude towards the situation started to change. I have felt being emptied little by little and things became clear to me. I had experienced rejection, being abandoned, hopeless, lost, worried for my future and heard negative feedbacks against me. I held on to God. My prayer time became my strength and He was my comforter. He allowed me to go through it all to realize what I desire. He stripped off the unnecessary things for Him to give what I deserved. God is good for He has provided and has blessed me abundantly. Never was I hungry, homeless or ran out of load for blessings just continued to pour unexpectedly.

 God never ends in defeat. March became a new hope for me as I was surrendering it all to God. When I thought it was the end, God assured me it was only a bend. Two weeks before my visa expires, I had an interview at JLT then a week later started a 1 day training. I passed my papers the next day and signed the offer letter. I couldn't believe what I was experiencing since this is the moment that I have been waiting for. After all that I have been through, here is what God has prepared for me all this time - freezone visa, better pay, Christian boss who's very kind, only girl in the office doing admin work, peaceful environment, accessible workplace via metro, good timing and 2 days off. Truly God's delays are not denials. All the bad experiences I had was nothing compared to the glory He has revealed to me now. I finally understood why. Praise God!

 April was a great month for me. I exited at Kish as employment visa then started working. The medical and visa is being processed. Things are falling into their right places and my prayers have been answered beyond expectation. I realized God's purpose on why He has allowed me to go through those things. He wanted me to let go, to accept, to wait, to be patient, to understand, to love, to hope, to forgive, to trust Him even if it didn't make sense, to be good even if they are not and He needed my faith to be stronger. God has molded me to become a better and kinder person that I can still be nice to the people who have hurt me. I have become a witness of how He has transformed me during those trying moments. He truly is a great and awesome God!

 As I reflected with Jesus' passion and how he was stripped off His garments, I realized that God slowly stripped me not with my garments but of things, persons and circumstances. He wants me to detach myself from those things that hinder me from following Him. God wants me to be empty so He can fill me, to be stripped off for me to gain and to experience pain for me to be strong. God never deprived me because when I thought I have lost a lot, it is where He was generous enough to pour down His blessings. Indeed I am blessed beyond measure #iamBBM. Thank you Lord.

 May became an awesome and fulfilling month. I got my first pay, labor card, residence visa, emirates ID and even a medical insurance. And now that I am staying here, God is calling me to serve Him. He wants me to go out for mission. He keeps whispering "You have a mission to fulfill." Praise God I was able to experience my first mission in Dibba, then in KFC and I am looking forward for more. Looking back to what my father has asked me, I say "Yes Lord, I have a mission to fulfill and I will never forget the reason why I'm here." So that explains why I only had my birth certificate. In my mind, it was mission that I desired and not work but then God is gracious to bless me both. Thank you Lord for your amazing grace and wonderful journey. I am blessed to grow up in YFC and now proud to be in SFC. Lord you have made things beautiful in time and you are the best thing that has happened to me. I know and I believe that this year you will unite my family who has been incomplete for 9 years. Greater things are yet to come. Bless my talents that I may glorify you that will inspire and evangelize others. I am ready to go. Send me Lord for I don't know where but lead me there. Lord may your will be done and in your name, I hope, I trust and I claim, Amen.

And for that brothers and sisters, Deo Gloria! May God be praised!  

Working Visa!

PRAISE GOD! :)
05/06/14

 

Salamat Lord. Hindi ko to deserve pero still binigay mo. Siksik, liglig at umaapaw. Ang galing mo talaga! Never mo ko iniwan at pinabayaan. Nag struggle man ako since November until April pero sulit naman yun. All the pain, silence, failed attempts and experiences was worth it all for I remained still and confident knowing you are in control. The 6 month labor ban, unsure future and all the impossible things became possible. You have answered my prayers in the way I least expected them.

You have fulfilled your purpose and plan for me and here I am still standing strong. Now I understand Lord. Thank you for allowing those things to happen. I may have lost a lot of opportunities, people and things but I have gained a stronger faith, a better perspective and a good heart. Lord you are so amazing. Your time is always perfect. This is the biggest and best blessing you have given me and for that I'll declare to the world how great you are. You are gracious Lord. You have been with me in times that I didn't understand.

Thank you for your guidance and for pushing me to the limits. Thank you for your providence, grace, love and mercy that never failed me. Thank you Lord. I am lost for words because it is overwhelming. You have done so much and blessed me beyond measure. Lord you have done your part and now it's my turn to give back the glory that you deserve. Send me Lord I dunno where but please lead me there. May God be praised! Thank you for the support, understanding, prayers and love! Victory is indeed ours.

#tearyeyed #finally #laborcard #residencevisa #3yearscontract #deogloria #answeredprayers #mission #greatGod #iamBBM #blessed #journeybeyond #sfc #thankyou

Just SMILE.

Just SMILE - SEEING MIRACLES IN LIFE EVERYDAY

 

Just smile and make them wonder why. I may not have a perfect teeth but I can definitely smile whether good or bad things are happening to me. Smile has become my coping mechanism. Smile has become my strength and inspiration to conquer my fears. I smile because God has given me many reasons to rejoice rather than frown. Smiling makes me beautiful. Smiling is contagious. Smiling makes me & others happy. Smiling is a sweet gesture of love and concern. A smile is a legacy worth sharing and it’s free of charge. So smile because it means SEEING MIRACLES IN LIFE EVERYDAY! Also smiling can make someone fall in love with you. So SMILE! LIFE is only lived once. Enjoy! Be blessed. Share your smiles to those who doesn’t have and glorify God in return.

 

 #smile #miracles #life #deogloria #happy #blessed #iamBBM

 

Lessons learned from Kish Island

I wrote this post before I left Iran (about 2 months ago) but because of the busy schedule I have and things have been doing, I wasn't able to post it. So here I am sharing to the whole world the amazing experience through the realizations I have staying there. Better late than never hihihi!

This is my 2nd time to visit Kish Island after 2 years since I got my first job in Dubai, UAE. I can't believe that time flies so fast and here I am again exiting for change of visa from cancelled to tourist. This happened last January 27 until February 1, 2014. I stayed for 5 days as I wait for the issuance of visa.

We were in an island wherein most of us have been there for quite a while and there was nothing for us to do. We decided to go to places together, talk about random things/situations, had an experience to attend a bible study and we usually ate our meals together. We had fun because we enjoyed our stay there.

I have learned 10 things during my 5 day stay there........

1. Build RELATIONSHIPS through FRIENDSHIP with other people because no man is an island..

2. Sharing your burdens with others. In return, listening to their stories and learning from their mistakes.

3. No worries, less stress. Enjoy life. Relax. Take it easy. God is in control.

4. Try to learn something new. 

5. Be open to various possibilities. Get ready for the (unexpected) surprises from God.

6. Enjoy and savor your simple joys.

7. Overcoming fears and surrendering to God.

8. Waiting takes time. Great things come through patience.

9. Being distant is hard and communication is important to maintain relationships. Trust is essential.

10. Letting go of bad experiences, unwanted feelings and burdens then allowing God's love 

and forgiveness to heal you and take over. (Letting go and letting God)

At some point we were lonely because we felt isolated from the world but it was a chance for us to reflect and realize the importance of time for others, the presence of our loved ones and our time for our own self. Busy as we are with the priorities we have, we usually fail to realize that we are blessed. Sometimes we take for granted the persons whom we loved and the time we spent with them is almost too little.

Going to Kish was like a retreat for me since I don't spend my time wisely because I'm too busy with some things. I am happy and proud because meeting people, listening to them and journeying with them there was a bonus. I had fun and I didn't regret going there. God taught me to build and strengthen relationships and that I will put in to practice with His grace in time.

God (who is love) knows no hopeless or helpless situations

Taken and written at Kish Island, Iran
(February 1, 2014)

God (who is love) knows no hopeless or helpless situations..

There are times we get stuck in a struggle that paralyzes us to do something and perhaps move on. Yes, it's hard to face the struggles with a heavy heart knowing that you're alone and at times hopeless nor helpless. Sometimes we forget that God has been with us through the tough times. We seem to think we can do it our selves but we can't. God is always there and He knows no hopeless or helpless situations. It is because He is God and we are not. His ways are higher and better than ours. His love surpasses all things even impossible ones. He can change our sadness to an irreplaceable joy. He is the God of all great things and the only God of all human beings.

So if you're struggling right now, remember that you are in His presence. No battle that was lost for He always wins. No sorrow that he can't take away. No pain that He can't heal. No problem that He can't solve. And no struggle that He can't overcome. For as long as we hold on to Him, rest assured that we are in good hands for He has great plans. In His presence we can find peace, joy, trust, completeness, love, faith and unending hope. All we can simply do is trust Him even if it doesn't make sense. We should surrender to Him and allow His will to be done for God knows what He is doing and He never fails to work things out for us. Continue to trust and believe in Him because He knows no hopeless or helpless situations. All is well! May God be praised! Deo Gloria! :)

Kish Island 2014

A memorable 5 day stay at Fanoos Hotel in Kish Island, Iran. The wait was worth it and God indeed answers prayers unexpectedly. The pictures in the album speaks a thousand words. It may be filled with selfies of mine but it's something that I call a memory worth remembering.. Call it vain but I call it experience worth sharing.
May God be glorified!

I learned a lot of things being in this beautiful island. God allowed me to appreciate the beauty of the surroundings by being disconnected to the social media world. I became selfless instead of being selfish. I realized that no man is an island. I learned to build friendships and strengthen them through bondings, kulitan and food trips. I had a chance to go on a Kish tour to explore the history of the place. I had fun being with the people whom I just met recently and their presence created a big impact on me. I learned to share my burdens and in turn listen to the experiences of other people. It is nice to relax in a quiet place wherein you can do things like the simple joys because I was able to draw, read a book and even played guitar via tab. Also we had a chance to attend a fellowship despite having different religion but still worshiped the same God! I was able to let go of unnecessary feelings and allowed God to take over. The amazing gift to surrender and trusting Him even if it didn't make sense. It took me 5 days there. At first it was hard but then it became meaningful. It was an experience and a struggle that I had to overcome with God's grace. It wasn't easy but it was worth it. Thank you Lord for setting me free. Thank you for all the blessings you've given me! Thank you Lord! Praise God! I love you! ♥ 
Trusting, claiming, believing, loving, hoping and being like Christ,
~~Sarah ♥

January 28-February 1, 2014
Kish Island, Iran

Me after 3 years

A walk to remember:

After the workshop talk, we were given a paper to write our dream after 3 years and our prayer to God..

Dear God,
Thank you for the life, for the family, for the CFC community, for work and for everything. Father you know the status of my heart. I am afraid to love. I choose to love those who only treats me good. Lord may I choose to love you more and to love like Jesus did and to suffer like Him Lord. I surrender myself to you Lord. Have your way. Let it be done. Lord ikaw na po bahala!

In Jesus' name, AMEN!

(prayer and desire during the MEC 2013)
BELOVED
October 26, 2013
Al Ain, United Arab Emirates

DREAMS, DESIRES and BLESSINGS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

FAMILY >>> Complete family!!!!!!!!! To be reunited after 10 years! Celebrate events together like the old days. Bonding! To be home in Pinas. Meet up with friends, barkadas, school mates and YFC families..

CAREER >>> Better job, pay, benefits, insurance, flexible leave and air fare! Find a new career in the office. To be better and to always improve!!

SERVICE >>> Higher calling of service, discernment (MV/FTPW), constant prayer time and be Mission Ready!

4G >>> LOVE TO LOVE<3 God's greatest and gorgeous gift! :) I believe in TRUE LOVE WAITS. I am so excited to meet Him in God's time. I'd be happy to be in a relationship with Him.. then if it's time, then marriage and hopefully have our own Christian Family wherein we can serve God together as CFC! Wow ever! <3

HOUSEHOLD >>> to be able to evangelize souls for God and lead them closer to Him. Thank you for blessing me with 4 angels! <3

ME >>> a Better ME (improved, good, loving, understanding, sweet, happy, waiting...) A love to love! <3 Become a SERVANT OF GOD! To be in complete surrender to His will. 3Ts (Time, talent and treasure) for God's greater glory!

Lord God please bless the desires of my heart. May they be in accordance to your will and plan for my life! Lord I entrust my future in You for you know what's best for me. :))))))) 

Ikaw na po bahala!

In your name, I trust! AMEN! <3

Bye 2013!

Blessed to Dream Big. Stronger and Wiser to Survive!
All with the grace of God!

2013 has been a great year and time flew so fast!!!!!

I never thought of reaching this far..

I endured tears, stress, bruises and scars..

I learned to let it go, move on and leave it all in the past...

I encountered a lot of things..

It was Happy, sad, and stressful

But mostly all were considered as BLESSINGS!

Yes I lost, was empty, gained but now I'm overflowing and full!

I want to thank the Lord for everything He has done in my life especially for overcoming the year 2013! He revealed a lot of surprises for me, opened doors of opportunities, enhanced me to become better, trained me for the purpose of serving Him, made impossible ways possible for me, allowed me to become more creative and expressive with my art and emotions and He was motivated me to change (in a good way.)

I encountered hurts, tears, disappointments and all other emotions. I became stress, sick, homesick, depressed, hopeless but with God's grace I was able to conquer and survive them all. The experiences weren't easy to go through and I realized that as I journeyed with God, things made sense and I know that He always has a great plan ahead for me/you. The struggles were all test to see how faithful we would be when things are getting rough. Of course I realize that prayer was my weakness and I had to make it constant. God made it known to me that running to Him is the best thing to do and communicating to Him should be constant.

We get stronger, wiser, fiercer, empowered, blessed and happier.. I get to realize my own weakness and even loved my flaws. I get to be verbal about my feelings instead of keeping it all in. I get to be expressive of my emotions and I love the feeling of hugging and kissing. Working with the kids taught me how important it is to express love and being able to smile for it's an act they can easily pick up. I feel so happy with all the changes that came to me. All the negative things I had this year are all in the past and I am ready to welcome the new year with a blast. :)

Thank you for the learning, the pain, the experience, the struggle, the memories and the blessings of 2013. As we welcome 2014, may this year be a year of faith, hope, love, trust, blessing, prosperity, peace and success for all us. May we strive to continue the mission entrusted to us by God. May this year become an evangelistic one so that we can conquer and make His name be known in all the nations!

Happy New Year! Happy 2014!

Happy me! Happy you!

Hugs and Kisses! :)

Love, Sarah Kailyn

Let it go & Let God

I have been so addicted with the song because it reflects what I am going through right now.. I haven't been verbal about the situations that are coming my way. All I know is I can verbalize inspirational and motivational posts no matter what I am going through. I don't mention something negatively. (I usually turn a bad event to a good post with learning actually..) Yes, I don't post negative occurrences but I can definitely transform it to make it challenging, inspirational and always linked to God. (That's what I am proud of.. and I guess it's therapeutic for me and for those who will see it..) That's something I have grown up doing and I hope it works..

>>>>>>>> From the song, I linked it with>>>>>>Let go and let God take over.. :)))))))))))

I experienced being afraid, being isolated, being unable to express myself freely and everybody's opinion mattered to me (which I knew was wrong..) But then I realized I need to let it all go.. All the pains, hurt, cries and all other negative emotions that I have been hiding. I wanted to have a brand new start and before the year ends I wanna leave them all in the past and learn to move on. Yes I have grudges, anger, guilty feelings and depressive moments but I surrendered it all to God. It wasn't easy and I asked for the grace of love, patience, forgiveness, acceptance, hope and more faith so that I could go on further. I needed the time to relax, to think, to plan, to communicate, to de-stress and to seek God more so that I can act fully and freely.

Indeed, God is good. I feel so soooo better now. All the tears and the aches of the past are now a memory, a mirror and a good lesson learned. I became wiser, stronger, fiercer and I feel I can fight again. Of course it won't be possible if not for God and for the support of my family and friends. The decision was not that easy because I had to give up, to admit that I was weak and that I needed help. Things may change, appearances may improve, attitudes may be developed, relationships improved and my prayer time became stronger. I will obey and witness Lord even if it doesn't make sense! Thank you Lord for preparing me, for healing me, for molding me, for making me stronger and fearless. Thank you for you always act during the right time, never early nor too late. Thank you for the never ending love, assurance, mercy, forgiveness, understanding, blessings and for all things great and good in my life. You are a great God! You make things possible. I love you Lord.

SFC FAMILY

Merry Christmas Angels, my dear Household and to our CFC Singles for Christ family and extended families in Christ.. 

May Christ's birth bring us peace, joy, hope, love, faith, trust, light, healing and prosperity in all our good works as we live to evangelize others with God's grace! 








Thank you Jesus for being born in this world and for saving us from our sins. Happy birthday Baby Jesus! Cheeers!    Lalaaaabs! God bless us all! Mwaaaaaaaahhhugs! 
   

My presence is your present!

Merry Christmas!!!!!!! :) 

Happy Birthday Jesus!

I woke up late since I slept late. We celebrated the birthday of Jajah and also the savior, Jesus! Thank you Lord for being born in this world and for saving us!

I ate lunch with my flatmates and we had such fun. I wasn't able to decide which church to go to but then decided to go to St. Mary's instead. I have plans in my head that I wanted to do that day. I thought of bringing my camera to capture moments of joy as we all celebrate His birthday!

I was up and ready to go to Church past 2 in the afternoon to attend the Holy Eucharist but then decided to leave at 3:30 pm since I didn't want to be late for Jesus' birthday celebration...

So I left and traveled for an hour and arrived just in time. I was a bit distracted during the mass since I saw a lot of adorable kids playing with their fellow friends. I felt so touched with how playful they are hehe.. The parents will then act as referees when they are almost fighting haha.. That moment was also a reminder of how I missed the kids whom I used to take care of.

After receiving the Holy Eucharist, I tried to go inside the church since a lot of people were there so the whole compound was full. I managed to go in and see the Church.. I was so amazed on what I saw. a lot of devotees and families were complete. I felt teary eyed yet I managed to hold it in. Of course the envy and jealousy is there knowing I'm on my own and my family is far away but I know God has reasons why. I captured shots inside the church and was able to capture a family by volunteering to take a picture for them. The idea then came in and that's what I did after 35 minutes.
 

I went outside the church and I was surprised to see this kind of view. Santa's giving out present to the kids. How generous this people are to the kids! God is indeed great and amazing. Seeing happy faces from the kids is a great blessing! For sure they brought more smiles not just to the kids but also to the family as well. May God bless you more!

The spirit of Christmas was everywhere. The cold weather, the expression of love and joy, the giving of gifts and the kindness of everybody was infectious! Christ's presence was indeed a big present to us!

I went to the Christmas tree and I noticed a lot of people taking pictures -selfies, duos and family pictures. I volunteered to take pictures for them for I know how important it is. And I personally was alone that time and I need not take pictures of me for it'll make me miss home more. From 5:30 pm til past 6:10, I volunteered to offer myself to take pictures for them. It was a simple act of kindness I can give to them. I can see them smile and I would greet them Merry Christmas! Of course it gave me a touchy and mushy feeling and somehow I felt sad inside knowing I couldn't do these things but I know God always has something better in store for me and for my family.

A simple act of kindness is something I am proud of doing today and will be doing for the days to come! I read from the post last Friday that said: "Friend, my presence is your present!" Good point and it was from a priest who conducted Simbang Gabi masses in Jebel Ali and He was a guest priest at St. Mary's that time. I wasn't there but I was able to see a status regarding that. I left the church about 6:25 then went to Burjuman metro because I was planning to buy gifts but decided not to since I don't have a job now. I am thankful for today because God has blessed me with a free dinner sponsored by Kuya Jimmy and also I met Christian an SFC from Chapter 2B4. It was the first time that we actually met in person but we communicate via FB. He even gave me Rellenong bangus! Yummm! God is a great God!

Thank you for a wonderful experience during Christmas day! Yeheyy! Merry Christmas! :)

Kaya let's remember that our presence is our present to others!

Be a blessing! Touch a heart! God bless! <3 :)

Journey during the CLP

God has great ways in making you feel extremely loved, blessed, guided, empowered, inspired, gifted, evangelized and molded.

My heart and soul was touched deeply through the service during the CLP! I realized that there's more that's in store for me than what I knew for myself. :) Throughout CLP God moved in ways I never saw and mysteriously yet wonderfully He changed and improved me. I gained confidence that I know with God's grace and with my capability, I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. I became more loving, sweet, expressive, caring, concerned about others and family oriented. I overcomed my fears and gained new strengths. Though I lost somethings yet I gained better things!

I am proud to be called and chosen by God. Yes I doubted and questioned at first but God embraced me and assured me of the plans He has for me. Now I am blessed for saying Yes to the service of being a Facilitator and now a Household Leader in SFC! <3

For it was because of them that I was inspired more to serve and follow God. I became true to myself and never did I pretend to them. I became open and my feelings where real. I never lied and I learned to admit my faults. They are indeed blessings from God for it was because of them that changed me and help me strive to be better and good. It was because of them that I realized the importance of the family, relationship and work. And it was because of them that my service became meaningful in SFC because it was through them that I was sharing my life with and theirs too with me. They created an impact in my heart and therefore I can say that my life will never be the same again!

Thank you to everyone, to the team, to the heads, to the new friends and especially to my Angels! You have made my 3 months CLP journey worth sacrificing for and worth remembering! :) All the sacrifices of leaving the house early and going home late, travelling almost an hour and going back, the tears, the joys and all the mixed emotions are all because I did it for my love for God, for my family, for the community and for myself.. I offer it all to you Lord that may you always be glorified! For all my achievements and for the new found talent in dancing and voice over, Thank youuuuuuuuuu! You made me conquer my fears and I gained confidence to do it.

Truly you are a great God and for everything Lord, I praise you and I thank you! I love you Lord! You are amazing and beyond compare! :))) I am ready to do your will! Have your way Jesus! For this heart belongs to You! <3 <3 <3