Gift of a new day

Thank you Lord for the gift of sunset (and sunrise). Indeed everyday is a reminder to be hopeful despite the good and bad situations that we encounter. You assure us that there's always something to look forward to in the next day. You are God and we are not! smile emoticon ♡ ‪#‎iamBBM‬ ‪#‎DeoGloria‬‪#‎belovedChild‬

31 days to 26th

A year has nearly flown by since I had a 31 days post before my 25th last 2013. So now, I can't believe that here I am doing the same before I turn 26th next year, 31 days later.

It's just overwhelming how 2014 has been a great year for me - with all the ups and downs plus the humor, heartbreak and horror.. Thank you Lord for allowing me to come this far. You have blessed me with so much that all I can say is "Thank You!"

So now, the clock is ticking. 31 days before I bid goodbye to being a silver girl. I need to prepare myself for this since I never had the chance to do the "birthday for a cause" thing which I planned last year. I hope it all goes well. Whatever it may be, I trust in you!

Lord may your will be done. Thank you so much!

Proud Lefty!

August 13 is the International Left-Handers day! I didn't know that they celebrated this. I only found out about it last week. Being a lefty became a struggle at first but as I embraced it, I began to slowly discover the uniqueness and amazing talent it has revealed to me.

As I grew up I had a hard time dealing with situations because I was left handed. It's challenging to write using a right handed chair and my side or back hurts from trying to adjust with the chair. We rarely have left handed chairs and whenever we have one it's gives me relief. I always have pen marks on my left hand as a result of writing. Whenever I write something I always have a different penmanship and I don't have a permanent one. Weird? My handwriting is difficult to read when I'm in a hurry but if I want it to be read I have to write very slowly and beautifully. Whenever I write, it would be different than how the right handers do or it's in a reverse way because somehow it's connected with the brain and perception.

Whenever I see something and when I try to copy it, it's in reverse. I also notice when I'm learning to dance I have a hard time doing the moves correctly. Before I struggled with directions especially east and west. I am often confused with left and right sides or maybe my brain is telling me otherwise. When eating whichever utensil I pick up first would be ok with me since I can use them reversely. Before I didn't like the subject arts because I also have a hard time expressing myself. I didn't know that being a lefty was a challenging part of growing up. Honestly I find it weird and hard to explain but maybe that's how left handers think. I hope so!?

Few years later, I was able to appreciate the gift of being a lefty. I am amazed at the uniqueness and the ability I can do. I have started loving arts and I learned how to draw. It started in high school when I was influenced by my classmates who loved drawing. Also there's an anime show that was popular and I became an addict of the Japanese culture - origin of Anime and Manga. I have exposed myself to colors, painting, drawing, solving math and even dancing which I hated.

In college, I realize I was capable of doing more but then due to busy schedules I was unable to do what I loved to do when I was in high school. Despite that I was able to discover a new talent which was photography, videography and learning how to edit using photoshop. I loved reading/looking at colorful pictures in books/sites. I also started to learn the guitar and I have enjoyed it. I had a meaningful college life with full of colors, fun and tears. Nothing compares to the fullness of life that I have discovered being a YFC.

Years past and I found myself working in Dubai. My art skills were challenged and I enjoyed working in the nursery. I loved preparing crafts, acting as teacher, taking care of kids and my drawing skills were rekindled. I learned doodling plus adobe editing. I had several projects and I have fun. I am attracted to quizzes/games with colors expecially the rubiks cube. A lot has changed and looking back made me realize how being a lefty is a blessing. So far I am proud of who I became to be because God has blessed and given me with so much. Whatever I have now is all thanks to His grace, love and providence. And I want to thank God for creating me uniquely and I'm a proud lefty! :)

Deo Gloria

Last October 2013, I was privileged to attend the YFC Middle East Leaders Summit not as a participant but as a stage runner. I feel blessed because I never expected that I would be called to serve Him there. Oh how I missed being in the YFC community because it was where my journey started. The experience I had was more of a throwback of the memories I had in the past and it was God's sweet reminder of how great He has been through the years. The event was "Deo Gloria" which means Glory be to God in the Highest and was inspired by the verse taken from 1 Peter 5:1-11. It was attended by YFC leaders and couple coordinators coming from different countries in the Middle East. Indeed, God really works wonderfully despite the distance, hindrance and even our past experiences.

During the last session, Kuya Ernie, FTW of YFC, talked about the realities that the youth of today experience. We become confused, persuaded, afraid and sometimes those things hinder us from glorifying God. The session was an eye opener. "How do we bring glory to God?" He simply said by obeying the will of God and becoming a witness of His greatness because it is no longer I who live but Christ who lives in me (Galatians 2:20). God is in me, in you and in everyone. Let us allow our own self for God to work through us and that's more than enough to bring Him glory. He is the King of all the Kings and the Lord of all the Lords! Being glorified in our own self is nothing for God alone deserves all the glory because He is praiseworthy.

There are many ways to bring glory to God and it can be through our families, studies, talents, service, career, struggle, community, relationships, church, and by living our life that's pleasing to Him. Worship is also a way of glorifying Him because we are able to praise, pray, sing and express our true self to Him without fear. I found out the reason behind the strumming of guitar before the worship. And it is to awaken/stir the Spirit in us (that sometimes sleep). We also raise our hands, we dance, we shout, we may cry, we open our arms wide, we kneel and we jump for joy because it's a piece of Heaven for us and how amazing it is to know that the Spirit is really working in our lives. Now it's clear why we feel hyped up because the Spirit is alive in us like a fire burning.

Bringing glory to God is not easy but it's going to be worth it. It's challenging but life changing. God teaches us not to be afraid because He is with us and that He will never fail us. He pushes us to go on mission, to evangelize, to spread the word of truth, to go out of our comfort zones, to serve, to become His instrument of peace, to become a source of love, to imitate Christ and to live a life by glorifying Him.

And the God of all grace, who called you to His eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will He Himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast. To Him be the power forever and ever. Amen.
-1 Peter 5:11

How are you going to bring back the glory that God deserves?

DEO GLORIA!

May God be praised!

Miracle Garden escapade

Extended birthday celebration at the famous "Dubai Miracle Garden".. I guess they named it Miracle garden because it is a miracle to plant and nourish flowers/trees/grass in the desert where there's scarcity with water and limited or sometimes no rain... :) It's amazing how God works in the lives of the people with creative minds, ideas and hands to be able to make a great art/scenery such as these! So cool and it will make you say "WOW"! I wonder how it took them to build, recreate, design and maintain it. :) So lovely and it only opens during winter wherein it's cold. Some of the flowers are starting to wither and better go there to witness and see God's wonderful creation! :) Don't wait til it's too late!

Thank you Lord! Thank you so much! <3 :)

Happy and Blessed! Thank you Tita Belle, Tito Danny, Paolo and Kiko! :)