Happy Silver + 1

Happy Silver plus One!!!!! Thank you Lord for the super duper many blessings that you showered upon me, my family, friends, community and those around me. Thank you for a wonderful year and for many more years in this life. Thank you for a year added to mine for me to be better, stronger, wiser and fiercer. Thank you for the unending grace and love that you never fail to make me feel. I am so blessed and loved. Truly I am God's beloved, favored, treasured, beautiful and special in His eyes. Thank you soooo very much.. Happy birthday to me. Good nytieeeee!
January 3, 2015 - Happy Silver plus One! 

Quiz: I am Job!

What Bible Character Are You?

You got: Job

Bad things happen to good people. You know that better than anyone. Sometimes life seems like a series of struggles so focused on you that you start to wonder if someone upstairs has it in for you. It is true that God gives us as much as we can take, and it sometimes feels like you are a beast of burden. As with Job, with you, it will all make sense at the end. Keep the faith! (From: http://quizsocial.com/what-bible-character-are-you/ )

        For what I have learned when I was young, Job was a righteous man. He was blessed greatly by God because of his faithfulness. Then satan tempted God to check the faithfulness of Job. At first he gave him suffering and then he took away his riches, then his family and gave him sickness. In the end, Job remained faithful and never blamed God. In return for his faithfulness amidst trials, God rewarded him beyond what he lost.

Job: Faith under trial!

        I can’t imagine being in the shoes of Job. He had everything and then slowly it was taken away from him. It is hard to be faithful during trial and suffering. In my case I would have felt hopeless and will choose to die than endure the pain and keep living. The one thing I admire for Job was the unbreakable faith he had for God. Despite the pain and sorrows he held on to God saying he was unworthy. He never blamed God and he allowed satan to test his faith and he conquered.

        Whenever I struggle, I can’t help but complain, be worried or afraid, doubt and somehow my faith is shaken. Trials are tests that I have to pass and overcome. At times, I always fail, I feel unworthy and hopeless yet God assures me to continue being faithful just as how faithful He is. His comforting embrace is always there to ease my pain and comfort me as I struggle. In this journey the storms come and go to make us learn by shaking us that makes our faith become stronger. Without these we can never know who we are, what our purpose is, how we will do and why it happened. Once the trial is over and when God sees our faithfulness, He will bless us like how He did with Job. Faithful and generous is He and truly He’ll shower us the blessings beyond measure.

What is the posture of our heart during struggles?

Keep the faith. God is in control. He is with us always. 

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!

BLESSINGS vs STRUGGLES

Write all your blessings and your struggles. 2:45 pm; February 1, 2014
Kish Island, Iran

BLESSINGS

Life. Complete family (provided, safe, healthy, love). Education (Grade/High school/College). Achievements and awards during school years. Profession (BSN). Licensed (RN). House (Home). Relatives. Friends. Barkada – Blupz. Co-workers. Extended families. Born in Capiz (Capizena). Proud Ilongga. Guardian (Manang Evelyn and Joy V.) Relationships (Past/present). Friendship. Able to support. CFC Youth for Christ. Mission in different areas. Service in High School Based. Attended conferences, trainings, household and fellowships. CFC Kids for Christ. ROCK. New families in the ministry. CFC Singles for Christ. Household! Going to Dubai. Finding work. Stress and pressure. Growth and maturity. Independence. Going home in Pinas July 2013. First vacation after 1 year 20 months. Reconciled with Ex-BF. Meeting new friends and family in CFC/SFC/YFC/KFC. Discerning for mission. Longing and praying for a relationship (4G). True love waits. Blessed. Providence from God. Safety. Good health. Favored. Problems. Self improvement. Anger management. Forgiveness. Stable prayer time. Experiences.

STRUGGLES

  Financial crisis due to job hunting. Homesick (envy since we're almost complete). 6 months ban, early cancellation, bad company, poor benefits, low gratuity than the expected, fooled via phone 3x, force signature asap, heart broken, falsely treated, discriminated, not paid justly, increased work load etc. Mistakes of the past relationships. Worries. Fears. Struggles. Job hunting. Exit in Kish. Fear for the future. Still single unlike siblings who already have. Anger feelings (overcoming)

 + + +
 

The blessings will always be doubled/tripled than the struggles/stressors. Bad things happen but they don't last long. The lesson learned is that overcoming/fighting the struggles leads us to realizing that we are still blessed beyond measure. Things/situations happen for a reason. We should be reminded that being blessed is also being grateful and thankful because we have something. God never leaves us empty handed and He is generous enough to give us all we need even our wants.

 

The Lord's blessing enriches and struggle adds nothing to it.

Proverbs 10:22

 

Blessings are worth sharing because it fulfills it's purpose when given to others. Blessings are meant to be shared that is why God blessed us more so that we can in return bless others too. It's like a ripple effect because the act of kindness goes on without end. Being stressed is normal and it's a way of coping or adapting but you have to fight it or else you might have no control over it. Over-stress is not healthy and can lead you to serious sickness in the future. Find reasons to be blessed instead of complaining you're stressed. So the next time you're stressed believe that you are more blessed than you ever know. I'm am more blessed than stressed!

 

Deo Gloria

3 candles for Easter

3 candles with different meanings.

 

·         Son of God.

·         Jesus has risen!

·         My Savior King

·         Jesus is Lord!

·         God’s beloved son.

·         Thank you Jesus!

·         I love you!

·         King of Majesty.

·         Behold and Ponder.

·         You are everything!

·         Mighty to save.

·         Hope. Faith. Love.

·         You’re my strength.

·         Save my soul!

·         Forgive me Father!

·         Gift of freedom.

·         Lover of life.

·         I trust you!

·         My amazing grace.

·         I believe you!

·         You are here!

·         King of Kings!

·         Lord of all!

·         My redeemer lives!

·         Let all rejoice!

·         Praise you Lord!

·         Blessed joyful Easter!

·         Soli Deo Gloria!

 

Thank you for the new hope, new life, new blessings and new beginnings that you have given us.

Belated Happy Easter! :) Hallelujah!

Jesus Christ Lives!

Happy birthday Ayette!

 My beloved best friend Ayra / Aye / Aying / Miaka / Tomoyo/ Yette / Hersheys and lastly Ayette,

Wow mag amiga na kita sang 2001 pa asta subong nga 2014 na! Imagine? Praise God gd ya! Maayo gd si Lord kay naka abot ang aton pag-ulupod sang tinuig kag maga trese (13) na kita subong!

Kada madumduman ko ang aton updanay sang high school days kung sa diin mga nene pa gd ta, nagahatag sya kasadya kg kalipay sa akon. Mahilig ta mgpapicture kg biskan iba iba aton section, still naga upod ta gyapon. Di ko man malimtan ang textnay kg forward sang quotes since unli ta pirmi. Natandaan ko man aton obsesyon sa anime like Fushigi Yuugi even sa Card Captor Sakura, Inu Yasha, Ghost fighter, Sailor Moon, Ayashi no Ceres kg madamo pa nga iban. Kanami lang balikan pati ang dream naton nga magkadto isa ka adlaw sa Japan. Matabo pa ayhan ina? Kag aton chikkahan about sa crushes, teledramas, food trip, computer sa café,  mga uso, lagawan kg iban pa. Nakakamiss balikan ang Capiz National High School kay didto tanan nag umpisa lalo na ang section naton sang first year kita. 1 Antares di ba? And then nag-abot pa gd ang madamo nga friends plus si Jane. Unforgettable moment pa gd ang aton pag graduate kay birthday mo. WOW CNHS Batch 2005. I can definitely remember 041605.

After graduation, d ko maka decide kung ano kuhaon nga course. Mayo na lng nag suggest sila BSN kg nag-upod pa ta sa section 1D. Grabe nagdali dali ko enroll sadto para lang makaabot kay manug dedline na eh. Also naging masadya aton pag-updanay biskan kisa may tampuhay kita. I know kis-a pasaway man ko kg insensitive. Salamat sa pag comfort sa akon lalo na nga crybaby gd ko sadto hehe I also remember didto na nabuo ang barkadahay ta nga Blupirz kg aton tawganay pa nga Beezst.. Pasensya ka na kung may pagka masabad ko kung kis-a kg permi ko b curious. Blessed man ko na mameet imo family kg makapamyesta sinyo sa Yabton. Heheh Also napaka blessed gd ko kay truly ikaw gid ang nag inspire sa akon kg naging rason kung ngaa gusto ko magjoin sa YFC. Kung nabal-an ko lang sadto pa then tani nag-upod pa gd ta sa community. Pero biskan too late na since mapa Manila ka na that time pero still thankful ko gyapon kay didto ko ng grow, didto ko ngbag-o, didto ko wla ngdepend sa imo but sa kaugalingon ko, didto ko ng learn and didto ko mas na enjoy ang buhay young adult. I won’t be the same kung hindi mo ko gn influence mag join. I remember very well nga nag attend kita youth city kung sa diin wala tulugay and then proceed sa youth camp. Di ko gd to malimtan. It was when my journey sa YFC started. Thank you gd ha.

Natapos naton ang 1^st year then here comes summer of 2006. Nakibot ko sa balita nga hindi ka nag li mg enroll. I remember the moment sa CR sang SACR. Grabe ya! Feeling ko ako ang pinaka last to know pero inexplain mo kg I tried to understand. Nagkadto ka sa Manila pra didto ka ma school. I was sad pero ok lang. I remember nga gbonding ta before ka maglakat and even gnhatud ko sa barko simo. Tama ba? Hehe natandaan ko man nga gnhatagan taka teddy bear..hahah corny pero love ta ka b. and I will miss you gd..

Years have passed and communication ta lang was FS, text, email and call. Until sa ngkitanay ta sa manila kay nag affiliation kami. Then nag graduate ta. Then nag board exam. Then sa pag upod sa MOA kay nag oath taking ka. I miss our manila adventure biskan short and sweet lang pero enjoy sya! Then nag start ka na work sa hospital. I admire you for your dedication sa career even sa pag abroad for your family. I salute you coz of your love for your nanay and siblings even pamangkins. Siguro ang last naton nga kitanay was  March 2011? Or d ko na maremember..  good thing may skype/wechat/facebook kay nakaka istorya ta man ka gyapon biskan layuay na. Mostly LDR kita kag madamo na nag-bago sa aton pero aton friendship is still there.. stronger as the years go by. I can’t believe we made it this far Aye.

Praise God gd. Congrats! Thank you for being with me all through these 13 wonderful years. Salamat sa understanding, guidance, love, correction, advices, encouragement and for blessing me through your prayers of hope. Sana naging good friend ako sa imo biskan pasaway ko hihihi..

Happy happy birthday Ayr. I hope God blesses you the desires that you pray and deserve. Keep the faith. Remember that you are God’s beloved. The Lord loves you so much no matter what you are going through. Be strong. God is always with you all along. Ari man ko di when you need me. I miss you. I love you dear. Take care always. See you soon.. Mwaahhhugs! Enjoy your day!

Lablab,

Sarah / Sakura / Kailyn / SL

 

 

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