Favored

A word was spoken and declared over me this year: this will be a year of positive changes and unceasing favor. Holding on to this declaration with optimism and an expectant heart, I changed my perspective; shifting my view to a certain degree where I'd be able to see at least a glimpse of what God is doing in and through me. "[Not in your own strength] for it is God Who is all the while effectually at work in you [energizing and creating in you the power and desire], both to will and to work for His good pleasure and satisfaction and delight," (Philippians 2:13, AMP). And behold! It's just the end of the first quarter of 2013, and I'm already filled, no, overflowing with good things and happenings and wisdom and changes. The more that I look to Him and indulge myself in His beauty and love, the more that I understand that His desire is purely to bless and prosper me with both tangible and intangible things, even with the desire and the will to live as His son. "Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God," (Hebrews 12:2, NIV). And it doesn't even stop there. I was deployed to different places, and was sent to meet different people so that I'd be able to see the essence of all the great things that's been happening in and around me. He wants me to enable others to have the same favor and joy (or even more!) as what I am experiencing, for them to see what reality really is -- Him, Jesus. Favor at the workplace, in school, in relationships (family and friends), and a lot of extras (JPIA Idol, professional networks, Palawan, financial, physical, etc.). Oh there are more to look forward to for the next 3 quarters, excluding His surprises for me! Haha! My life is such a testimony of how good my God is. Let my life, despite of my imperfections, be a mirror of His goodness alone. Amen.

"There is more to come! Fasten your seatbelt! Were you not told that there is a quick work that's happening? You are now stepping in to a blazing firestorm of His great works, not as an spectator, but a partaker. Get ready for a harvest you won't be able to bear yourself, Christian. Great, great things are coming! Keep the fire burning!"

NOTE:
I'd like to take this opportunity to thank all the people who has blessed me so much during my Palawan Holy Week getaway. To Sir Renren, Sir Adrian, Rodel, Nelson and Bogart for keeping me alive for the last 4 days of my stay there. BALDOGs is the BEST! Haha! I really can't thank you enough guys. I'm absolutely overwhelmed by the care and love, plus the fun and the bond we had. Speechless. To Life Church Manila headed by Kuya Ryan and the other primaries, to Pastor Ancho of the entire Life Church community and his family, to all the new friends that I met during that week, to the other disciples, everyone I was with in Palawan, my deepest, sincerest thanks to all of you. Indeed, one of the most blessed week I've had. :D

Manuel, 2012 (Roaring Forward)

Another year has ended, and there comes another that offers a fresh start. The past years were full of transformations – from the simplest to the most complex, and now finding its way back to simplicity and calmness.

2011 was my year of application of all that I’ve learned – the things that was added to my knowledge and personality. 2012 came as an extension, but furthermore, it served to be a year of realizations. Sweet as it may sound, but realizations didn’t come as pleasurable as mere learning as that of 2010. It involved a lot of wrong choices, wrong perspectives, wrong steps, wrong timings, even wrong persons. But as what I always say, everything has a brighter side. Not because I am a die-hard optimist, but because that is reality. And as I say goodbye to the year of heartaches and disappointments, I say “HAHA” for I am still here, alive and kicking and more equipped facing 2013. I say “enough!” to self-inflicted destructions, even those caused by others. This year I struggled to gain control over myself, but ended up being controlled by my ambitions and desires. And so, this year, it may be a struggle again, but this time it is to give back the control to Him who knows best. The year will be a better year – opportunities, friendship, more wisdom, right happenings. My spirit roars for genuine joy, for love, and for a closer relationship with Him, my Guide. Hurrah! Christian is on his way closer to where he should be! Amen. 

“Yes, no one promised a smooth-sailing journey, but you can hold on to His promise that the destination is a land of milk and honey. No worries! You committed mistakes yet you learned. You made wrong choices yet the road back to the right path is still left wide open. Take courage! Rest in His peace. Keep it burning, Christian.”

Morning (updated)

"When Wisdom is needed, you just have to relax and open your eyes. You'll be amazed that what you're looking for is just right in front of your face."

Something to think about while eating alone, or while riding a jeep on your way somewhere, or perhaps while staring at nowhere.

Romans 12:3-8

For those who wonder what their role really is in a society as big as what we do have (like me), this is worth meditating on.

I've been kinda having this feeling that I'm not really playing an important role in every societies and circles that I'm in. I mean, like, even if I vanish away, they won't really notice, simply because there's a lot of other people who can do a lot, as in A LOT better than I do. And it made me struggle to look for and try things that I feel would give me a sense of self-importance, like a better role (pushing myself to take a difficult degree, looking for a good job, trying to earn a lot, trying to look good all the time, etc.), or look for another circle where I think I would fit in (struggling to find a relationship, trying to get into other social networks, simply containing myself in a box, etc.). At the end of the day, it just left me bothered, worried, and restless. Little did I notice that I do actually have an important role that I have already been playing. This morning before I went to bed again, I opened the Bible app on my phone and that verse came out. I read it of course, and made me realize that, the role that I have to play has something to do with the talents and gifts and things that I'm capable of doing, and those things that I really enjoy. For example, all this time I've been learning and enjoying public speaking; I was engaged to student leadership; for the last 4 years I've been exposed to different cultures and sets of people in different places; I do enjoy psychology (well, not the memorization part, but the part where you analyze the mind and behavior of people); I haven't really had a perfect chance to get into any relationships yet. With all that, it made me think that I may not really be to become a great student leader (I aimed to become the president of an organization so badly, but didn't happen), or become a good lover yet (just met someone, but it just won't work its way to getting there), or becoming a good student, or maybe becoming someone I think is really cool in front of everyone (have been trying to impress and please everyone, but ended up being disappointed). Maybe my role really is, just becoming a friend -- to my family, to my friends, to my work and schoolmates, and to all that I'm yet to meet. Maybe I am to pursue the role to provide moral support and guidance to people. That maybe is the reason why I learned the things that I know, like cultural diversity - to know more of how different people think, a bit of psychology - to connect it with their behaviors and tendencies, public speaking - to be able to send the message properly to people, the Gospel - to know what to say and what principles to share, leadership - to know how to guide them. Maybe my role really isn't the kind where all people will see me do great things, but merely doing important stuff at the background. Not my kind of stuff really (because I know I'm the "pasikat" type), but cool enough, that is something that I have already been enjoying doing, only that I oversee it. And maybe, in the future, I maybe doing some other stuff still, but that role will be my guide on what path to take, socially and professionally.

Now, I'm not really saying this to brag, or maybe humiliate myself, but more of, if there is someone who has the same issues like this (which I do not know if it is something common or not), maybe it would help to start focusing on the things that He gave you, and the trainings that He's been giving you in life, for you to know what you really are going to pursue during your entire existence. I'm pretty sure you've heard of the teaching that our purpose in life is to give glory and praise to Him, but giving glory and praise is not limited to the ways of the "religious". That is one way, but don't forget that He is artistic enough to create different ways. As a matter of fact, He is setting us to be unique from one another. You can do that as a preacher, a teacher, a business man, a painter, or whatever. The only common denominator is, you do your role established on this 2 most important reasons: because you love your neighbor, and you love Him.

I am not a Painter

I don't why, I don't know what went wrong, but I really am a loser when it comes to visual arts. Maybe because I'm colorblind, or maybe I just really can't. Haha But this time, I'm gonna try my luck. This time I'll be talking about, weird enough, paintings. 

I was reading a Yahoo! article about the great Mona Lisa, and I remembered how it's been one of, if not the, most controversial paintings ever. The smile (which they're not even sure if it really is), the missing eyebrows, the eyes, and all that. Even the emotion, and the purpose of the painting itself. All that running in my mind, my imagination started to play around with me and started visualizing how the painting might have been done -- from the canvas fabric, then outline, then the paint and the colors until it gets the image seen. And then, with the progression and the complexity of doing such, I came to realize that for the past how many years that I've been breathing, I actually have been painting my own portrait.

I started out with a plain cloth, and a brush which I wasn't sure how to use. With my small, uncontrollable hands, I started out striking the cloth with the brush, but no color appeared to be there yet. I didn't know that I had to dip the brush first, then do what I have been doing. But even before I did, a gentle hand held mine with a pencil, and started to draw an image which I couldn't really understand because it was done in very fine lines. Years went by, and my hand with the brush, still being guided, then started dipping it in the colors on the board, choosing light colors -- white, light brown. I felt happy and satisfied with what I was seeing. For my young eyes it appeared to be totally pleasant. I realized that I was being guided to draw the first half of my face. More years went on, I felt that my guide's been using light colors. Though I still found it pleasant, I started to think of trying to do it my way that time. Years passed by, and I felt that my hands were strong enough to resist the guidance of that gentle hand. I struggled hard, and finally, I was able to choose my own hue. I took a darker color and tried it, but it didn't appear right. I tried dipping it on the lighter color but it got mixed up with the darker one, and so it started to change the image that I was trying to create. It was then showing a chaotic, dirty cloth. It turned dark, and messy. I tried and tried and tried doing all that I thought will make it better, but no. It only became worse. More years came and it was pure struggle of finding the right color, the right combination. That's when my hand got too tired, too exhausted that it couldn't move the brush anymore. Surprisingly, it started to move again, but it wasn't my effort anymore. Little did I know that the guiding hand was and still is, all the while, on top of my hand waiting for mine to give up for it to guide again. And so, it started moving again, and to my delight, all the darker colors have become the shadows enhancing the image itself, and again, adding lighter colors a clearer picture was made. Another year came, and half of the my face was done, the other half still on process, and at first I found it weird. My left face is all good, but as the guiding hand holds my hand and does the work, I see it painting the right head with like, a crown; though it appears to be a dark crown, not gold nor silver. I see that it has sharp edges too. And I also see red droplets dripping down from it, and the face looks bruised and wounded.

As I look at this almost-done image of mine, I learn more who I really am, how I look like, and how and who I should be. I'm just glad that, first, Someone already did the draft for me. Second, there's been a hand so gentle and artistic to hold my hand and even correct the mistakes that I've done without condemnation. And lastly, that Someone shares his face with mine and makes the portrait a picture of me in and with Him.

Manuel, 2011 (Glancing Back, Smiling Forward)

2008 was my year of transition...


2009's the year of pleasure and consequences...


2010 is the year of discovery of the other side; learning and coping...




2011... 


The year of application. The year of understanding -- knowing who, and how capable I am. Challenges came, yet REST filled my heart and made me stand sturdier and more stable. Temptations were present, but I was kept untouched for I am COVERED. Disappointments tried to eat me -- tried so hard that most of the time I almost gave in, but, His ASSURANCE and LOVE are just too powerful for me to give up. This year, I was enabled to apply all that I've learned from the previous ones. Most of the time I doubted, I trembled. But He never failed to constantly tap my shoulder, lift my head, and say "I've already done it all. Cheer up son! Trust me when I say I've done it all...". Many will say I was not able to get anything this year. As a matter of fact, there was a lot of disappointing events that happened. But what they do not know is, this truly is my year of the MUCH MORE. I learned how to be more trusting, how to keep myself at peace despite of all that's negative, how to share smiles and laughter that brings out hope and optimism, how to be a blessing, how to remember, how to accept... All this I gained not because I'm good, but because even before I got them all, He already made me realize that I already have everything with Him; that all I have to do is to believe more, and for me to believe more I need to know more of who He is by establishing a closer relationship with Him. 


And now, as the year ends, I look back to all the things that had happened -- good and bad. Then, look straight forward to the coming year with a huge smile and a declaration: "There is no stopping in getting better! 2012, greater things we are about to share! I definitely am ready, you should be! haha!"

"Christian, you might have been inconsistent, but He consistently led you back to where you should be. In everything, don't worry! Take courage! For He who started it will surely make it come to pass... Keep the fire burning..."

After months...

So, after a couple of months, here I am again. Reading my blog page truly is a blessing, not because I write good articles, but because He made me write articles that will eventually, just like now, slap my face to wake me up and remind me of the things He has for me.

I was back in that situation where I wanted so bad to enroll, yet, the circumstances just wouldn't allow me. And yes, that time I felt a bit fed up and just ended up saying, "This is just tiring,". And what else should I expect? My wrong thinking led me to the wrong place. Yet, one thing that's really sweet is the fact that I know I am not alone. There is this kind of joy that's just in me and it's still making me smile and laugh despite of the things that's visible. Very ironic, at times, say, when I'm in church, I keep on looking for lines or verses which I can use as my mantra to support my way of thinking. Little do I know that I already have lots of it that keeps me standing up until now. "I will never be put to shame,", "He is, all the while, effectually at work in me,", "He is the great RESTORER,", "He sees and hears me,". Now that I'm not enrolled, and am struggling to find the will to find work, these things He wrote in my heart to help me keep focused to where I should be. Even though most of the time I don't know where my destination is, but at least I am sure and convinced and certain that He who moves me does. He sees that I take the wrong road, that I follow the wrong feelings, still, I rejoice that it's not me who's gonna determine my future but He who sets the paths and shortcuts back to the main road when I seem to take the wrong turns. Now, what's left in me is the feeling of just keeping moving forward. My graduation may again be delayed, but then again, "delays are not denials, but a preparation for something BETTER in the future,". I may be recklessly getting in to things I shouldn't be getting in to, yet He restores and He writes things in my heart. He takes control and nothing in the world, specially not me and my actions, can ever stop Him from making His words come to pass. And His Word said, I am His son, and that can never be taken away from me. :D

"You just keep the fire burning Christian. Listen to what it whispers, and just keep the positivity to its peak. He is here, in you, around you... Never doubt that..."

According to a psych test... after a couple of months..

Personality Type (MBTI): ENFJ (extraverted, intuitive, feeling, judging), dubbed as the "Teacher"

Definition: 



    Even more than the other Idealists,Teachers have a natural talent for leading students or trainees toward learning, or as Idealists like to think of it, they are capable of calling forth each learner's potentials. Teachers (around two percent of the population) are able - effortlessly, it seems, and almost endlessly-to dream up fascinating learning activities for their students to engage in. In some Teachers, this ability to fire the imagination can amount to a kind of genius which other types find hard to emulate. But perhaps their greatest strength lies in their belief in their students. Teachers look for the best in their students, and communicate clearly that each one has untold potential, and this confidence can inspire their students to grow and develop more than they ever thought possible.


    In whatever field they choose, Teachers consider people their highest priority, and they instinctively communicate personal concern and a willingness to become involved. Warmly outgoing, and perhaps the most expressive of all the types, Teachers are remarkably good with language, especially when communicating in speech, face to face. And they do not hesitate to speak out and let their feelings be known. Bubbling with enthusiasm, Teachers will voice their passions with dramatic flourish, and can, with practice, become charismatic public speakers. This verbal ability gives Teachers a good deal of influence in groups, and they are often asked to take a leadership role.


    Teachers like things settled and organized, and will schedule their work hours and social engagements well ahead of time -- and they are absolutely trustworthy in honoring these commitments. Valuing as they do interpersonal cooperation and harmonious relations, Teachers are extraordinarily tolerant of others, are easy to get along with, and are usually popular wherever they are.
    
    Teachers are highly sensitive to others, which is to say their intuition tends to be well developed. Certainly their insight into themselves and others is unparalleled. Without a doubt, they know what is going on inside themselves, and they can read other people with uncanny accuracy. Teachers also identify with others quite easily, and will actually find themselves picking up the characteristics, emotions, and beliefs of those around them. Because they slip almost unconsciously into other people's skin in this way, Teachers feel closely connected with those around them, and thus show a sincere interest in the joys and problems of their employees, colleagues, students, clients, and loved ones. (http://www.keirsey.com/4temps/teacher.aspx)






HumanMetrics: http://www.humanmetrics.com/cgi-win/jtypes2.asp
Type description by J.Butt and M.M.Heiss: http://typelogic.com/enfj.html