Come As You Are

I didn't know what to write lately. Probably I'm waiting for an inspiration. I came across my song composition and I thought it would be interesting to post it here. The title is "come as you are". This song talks about God's invitation for us to come to Him. He welcomes us just as we are! This was our theme song in IXTHUS GENERATION (our youth movement) when we used to meet regularly. I hope this will help you be drawn closer to God and enjoy his forgiveness and grace once more. But more than that I pray that you will be a door for others to come to the loving arms of our God. God alone can bring real joy to our soul.

oOo

Come As You Are

Though I don’t know

Where I’m going now

Life seemed so far

To where I desire

Unsure if I’m still welcome

To enjoy Your precious time

 chorus

Come as you are

A voice of welcome in Your arms

Though I haven’t lived Your way

You’ve never drove me away

Come as you are

I need not pretend I’m good

I just have to let You mold

My whole life into Your call

  

I may never be

Others want me to be

The world may hate me

Because of my faith

I’m sure I’m still welcome

To enjoy Your precious time

 

Bridge:

Take all of me

And let me be

A door for them

To come to You

A Startling Reality

I was watching my favorite TV show when my housemate arrived in a state of sorrow. I didn't pay much attention because I was trying to relax and enjoy the show. After all, whatever he might be going through, I'm sure we could talk about it tomorrow.

However, his first statement was so startling; "naa kuy nalabyan nadung-gaban nga bata kuy, diha lang sa gawas. Nagtawag naku ug 911" (I passed by a child who was stabbed outside. I already called 911). He then continued to describe the incident with deep dismay and sympathy for the innocent child's deadly condition. I looked at him and I started to listen.

Upon hearing the siren of 911 coming, he went outside to see how things were going. When he saw the crowd of people coming and the police who were rescuing, he then went home with a tone of sadness in his voice and a trace of disappointment in his face. 

I felt guilty that I didn't show the full intensity of my concern and care for what he was sharing. So I offered him a cup of coffee and I had a chance to let him share his feeling and reflection on what he had just seen. We ended up realizing that both of us were fearful of not knowing what to do when faced with a fatal situation like that. Not that we are not willing to help, but we just don't know how to help. However I commend him for his genuine initiative to call 911 for the rescue. He could have just shrug his shoulders and wish for others to do it.

It saddened us to reflect on the reality of what's happening outside our own safe world. What we have seen portrayed on the movies before, what we've read and heard on the headlines everyday had taken place right before the eyes of my housemate 10 steps away from home.

We didn't have a chance to follow up on the child's condition. We only hope and  pray that he can still recover. However, the incident had given us a new sense of mission to start  in deliberately engaging on what's beyond our comfort zone. It made us realized that truly, it's not just enough to talk and pray for blessings and protection.We need to begin to act upon our christian profession-to show love in action!

I may have missed to completely enjoy my favorite show tonight, but I'm glad that I didn't miss the opportunity to show love to my own housemate. A cup of coffee, a listening ear and an open heart-these are what it take for a start!

Surrendering to the Perfect Matchmaker

I had heard one person commented that men find their confidence by the number of women they have persuaded to say "yes" to a relationship while women find their confidence by the number of men they have turned down with a strong "no".

Though that's not entirely true, I had seen the painful bruise and injuries it inflicted to those who had taken love and relationship carelessly. In fact I had my own share of pain and failures in my past relationships. 

However, I'm amazed on how the Lord spared me from the danger of my own endeavor.  I thought I was strong enough to stand for what is right and to treat women right. I thought I was man enough to know how to love and to receive love. I thought I was wise enough to decide for the right time and the right one. But I realized that I was too proud to admit that I was not ready. I felt too good to be corrected until He took away what I had invested and made my heart restless.

I came to the Lord empty-handed. I felt my life was pounded. I had nothing left for me to be still proud of. I had nothing to offer Him than a heart that's surrendered. Oh what good it was to hear that that's all He ever wanted. He quietly wanted me to leave a totally surrendered life specifically in the aspect of love and relationship.

The new seeds of trust for God and for myself had started to grow. All I ever wanted was to keep it grow. All I ever desired was to be satisfied with His love. In fact, I had come to the point that I was willing to stay single if God wanted me to be. Nevertheless I had great confidence that He will be the one to work out things for me and to bring the best and right woman for me.

Thankfully, God did honor my confidence in Him. He graciously gifted me with an inside and out beautiful woman, who loves me in return.   We both had seen the traces of God's hands in bringing us together and we believe that we will continue to see His hands moving for us to be together forever. We both can testify too how the Lord would greatly reward those who live their lives in total surrender to our perfect Matchmaker.

If you want to boost your confidence level, remember that you can't get it from a any woman or any man. if you attempt to get it from them , you might regret how sad your love story may end. There's only one who can make your life better, there's only one who can make your heart happier, there's only one who can make your paths clearer to a relationship that's purer, lovelier and life-booster. He is our perfect matchmaker! Come now to Him in total surrender.

The Art of Letting Go

People come and people go! This is a universal reality about people. No matter how much we want them to stay, no matter how much we love to continue the play, no matter how hardly we pray, we can never block their way.

It is not always easy to accept this reality. We always want to keep people especially those we love. There's always a sobering pain when our close friends, our family and dear ones would be away from us. But believe me, those are normal emotions resulting from our developed attachment to the person.

Attachment is so powerful that even if your relationship didn't have a happy ending, you would still treasure the happy beginning. In your mind you know that the person is not worth keeping but in your heart you still want to enjoy the feeling. However, there should be a time of releasing. We must learn to let go of the pain, let go of the person if necessary and start believing, moving and embracing a new beginning.

There is a kind of releasing that keeps life appealing. It is releasing the person who leaves, with our full blessings. It is allowing the person to keep on exploring. It is to keep believing that God will fill both of our hearts' longings and bless both our coming and our going.

After all we all belong to God and He makes it sure that just in time, we are in the right place with the right people. We may hardly pray for people to stay but still God has the final say. 

oOo

This is my reflection when we did a farewell party for Zara, our team mate in the music ministry. 

My Mom Taught me How to Fly

Today, we celebrated mother's day in our church. Four of us were asked to share our reflections on how our mothers have influenced our lives. Below is a copy of my personal reflection.

oOo

I grew up in a mountainous area of Sta. Cruz Davao del Sur. I was raised in a family wherein our lives revolve around church community. Early in life my parents especially my mother have inculcated to me the importance of church, the Bible and faith on God. I believed that my mother's persistence in bringing us to the church has contributed a lot to what I am right now and to my commitment to serve the church.

I also believed that her loving care has touch my life so much that I'm always drawn to people who are caring and that I want my life to be characterized with genuine concern and care for people.

I admire too the inner strength of my mother. She has been through tough times in her relationship with my father, but she remained faithful and strong. We've been through tough times as a family as well, but we always rise up because she refused to give up. She and my father have sacrificed so much so that we could have the education we need- the thing that they were deprived of during their time.

In conclusion, I would say that my mother is like a hen that protects her little chicks from its prey, keep them warm, fed them and teach them to scratch for food and train them to spread their wings so they can fly to their tree of shelter and to where they can explore further.

I thank my mom for teaching me how to fly. If not, I would have not been here.

Happy mothers day everyone!

When Opportunity Knocks

I was in deep sleep when suddenly I was awaken by the sound of the telephone ringing downstairs. I tried to ignore the call because I didn't want to get up from my bed yet. I was also hoping that at least one of my housemates was still around and would answer the phone . But the ringing didn't stop, so I force myself to get up, get down and pick up the phone. I said hello in a monotonous voice but the voice on the other line seems familiar. It was my brother from Cebu City. I was surprised by his call because he didn't even know our house number. I was more worried than excited when I realized that it was him. It wasn't that I didn't want him to call, it was because when he calls, he would either inform me that he is in trouble or he needs me to do  some errands for him. I wasn't ready then to entertain either of my two assumptions. 

However, I was still so polite to ask him how he was and what could I do for him. To that he responded with openness. He started to share his encounter with God last night. He has been asking for my prayer and opinion regarding his job preference. He prayed for a job here in Davao so he could establish his spiritual vitality. God then opened the door for him. However he was still in confusion because he was clouded with big opportunities in Cebu. I told him once that he has to make it sure if those were really opportunities from the Lord. That could be a trap from Satan. In all our previous conversations I made it clear that I can never decide for him. I can only pray that he would hear God's voice, obey God's will, and follow God's direction. 

Amazingly, God did met him last night in his Bible reading. In his tone, he sounded positive, convinced  and confident of God's direction. The confusion was gone because he had his truth encounter. Finally, he would be coming back here in Davao soon. 

As I listened to him, my heart was leaping with joy because in my heart I want my brother to be here. But more than that, I am excited on how the Lord would continue to cause him to hear His voice, believe on His provision and walk in His direction.

My drowsiness then was over. I was ready to face the day with enthusiasm. I think if I didn't force myself to answer the phone I could have missed the chance to hear and share with my brother's reveling of God's goodness. I could have missed the opportunity to receive the amazing reward of  soul-care giving. 

So when your phone rings in the time you less expect it, make your best not to care less. Sometimes opportunities knock not in the time we expect it, not in the place we want it to take place and not through the people we imagine could best give it.

Care for a Wounded Brother

I have been fighting for wellness lately. I hate to be sick but my body could not perform what my will dictates. I have to pamper myself with extra sleep and cancel some appointments. I planned to just stay home today, but the more hours I spent at home the more idle and sickly I became. So I decided that I am going to go out and make my day productive.

Since part of my schedule was to join the live broadcast of "young lives" at DXFE, I went there with great expectancy. It would be another opportunity to exercise soul-care on air. The program is designed to give opportunities for the listeners to share their problems, ask for advices and request for prayers through text messages, web messenger and telephone calls. This is hosted by Pastor Alan Bacus known as "Pastor Love" (Christian version of Dr. Love). He was given that name because the issues raised by the listeners revolve mostly around love and relationships.

There were many interesting and hard issues shared in todays episode. But the one that really moved my heart was the text message of a younger brother who was deeply concerned about his older step brother's traumatic condition. He relayed that when his brother was nine years old, his father was murdered right before his eyes. His brother now is already 24 years old but have not been happy of his existence. He hated life, people and probably God.

I sensed the inner desire of the younger brother to help his older brother but he feels helpless about the situation. He feels the pain and desperation as he sees his brother's traumatic condition. He is seeking, looking and praying for the right solution.

I sounded like I know what the solution is but in the real sense I know it's going to be hard. I wished there were people who helped him process his emotion. I wished there were people who assured him that his reaction was a normal reaction to an abnormal situation. I wished there were people who could have journeyed with him towards wholistic transformation.

I felt the intensity of his pain but I also felt the hope springing up from my heart when I reflected upon the deep love of his younger brother. We could never underestimate the power of one soul caregiver to facilitate healing to a wounded brother. It may not be today, but who knows it could be tomorrow? We just have to keep loving, hoping and believing that our Almighty Soul-care giver is always and forever be our Healer.

I made the right choice to step out from the house today. After all, my little body pain is not worth comparing to the pain of those who listened to us on air today. My day then was totally productive. I would say that I had a soul-care experience on air that left an indelible mark of my existence.