May Lovelife na... SA WAKAS!

Matagal na rin ang nakalipas mula ng ako ay huling sumulat dito sa aking blogsite. Marami siguro ang nainip sa tila naudlot na pagkwekwento ko kung paanong ang Diyos ay nagsimulang magsulat ng aking lovestory... Naks! SA WAKAS! May lovelife na for the first time in history... hehe Muli ang aking paumanhin sa mga nagbabasa, naging busy lang sa aking lovelife... sorry na... at para naman makabawi sa matagal ninyong paghihintay, ay eto na ang aking pagbabalik.

God is faithful! I can testify on that. Way back in 2002, I received a confirmation from the Lord that I will get married. I waited... and waited... and waited.. and waited... hahaha! It seemed sooooooooo long that sometimes I almost gave up. Yup, I was on the verge of accepting that I'll be single all my life, my only prayer then was that God will sustain me and give me joy kahit na mag-isa lang akong haharap sa aking future. But still, I have my faith on Him, for I know that the One who promised is faithful indeed! One time, I listed down my requirements of the One I am asking from God and here goes my requirements' list:

1. Born-again Christian
2. Loves me
3. Sincere
4. Faithful
5. Loves his family
6. Confident
7. Happy person
8. Financially capable to support a family
9. Has dreams in life
10. Responsible
11. Respects me and is proud of me

It was sometime June 2008, nang itanong sa akin ng isang kasamahan sa church kung ano daw ba ang qualification na magugustuhan ko, at ipinakita ko sa kanya ang listahan ko. Ang listahan na yan ay naka-save lang naman kasi sa aking cellphone kaya napakadaling i-access at ipakita kung sino man ang magtanong. :)

Naalala ko ang sabi niya, "Ay, wala kang makikitang ganyan.. masyadong perfect yan." Somehow, nagtanong ako sa sarili ko kung napakataas nga ng aking standards at kailangan ko nga ba siyang babaan? Ngunit, ako'y nananatili sa aking pananampalataya na kayang ipagkaloob sa akin yan ng Diyos ko. May bahagi sa aking listahan na non-negotiables at negotiables, siyempre. Naalala ko rin ang panalangin ko ng gabing iyon, sinabi ko sa Lord, "Lord ipakita mo nga po sa taong iyon na may kaya kang ibigay sa akin na ganyan ang qualities. Kasi hindi ako papayag na hindi Mo po kayang gawin na ipagkaloob ang pangako Mo sa akin."

Lumipas ang ilang buwan at ako'y nagpatuloy lamang sa aking usual na gawain.. trabaho, bahay, church, liwaliw sa Palawan... at nang sumunod na buwan, mukhang may maliit na intro isinulat ang Lord... yan ang isusulat ko sa susunod na mga panahon. Kung paanong nagsimula ang Lord sa pagsulat ng aking lovestory.

P.S. May boyfriend na nga pala ako ngayon mula sa Lord... Ang pangalan niya ay Allen Paul Rubian Gloria...

Run To You

Last November 3, I celebrated my 10th spiritual birthday. It was in 1998 that I truly accepted Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior. I was at the same time entering the leadership at our church that time.

I remembered that as I was praying about my commitment, the Lord asked me, "Will you still continue serving me, even during this difficult times?" I was forced to resign then from my work and by January the following I have no more job. That was a very painful experience for me. It was my first job and I failed.

I told the Lord that I will serve Him still even at the difficult times of my life. I just want to obey. I will trust in Him.

After 5 months, my brother told me that someone from Insular Life was calling me. I said to him, "Why would they call? I didn't buy any insurance. And I don't even apply for a job there." But anyway, I called and the person I talked to, told me that they were trying to contact me for almost two months. He even asked my cousin on how to get to Bulacan, just so to get in touch with me. There was a job opening for a programmer and he thought that I can fill it in.

I took the exam the next day and they told me to call after the Holy Week for the results. I passed the exam! Yahoo! Then came the panel interview with the 3 bosses... After the interview, me job offer agad! Hehe...

Everything that followed is history. After 3 months of probationary period, I was regularized! After 6 months, I got promoted to analyst/programmer position. After a year, another promotion for a systems analyst I and systems analyst II after another year. After 3 years, (medyo matagal...hehehe) my promotion as a senior systems analyst came.

God had been faithful to me through all the seasons of my life. I can and will always run to Him at all circumstances... whether on sad times... or on good times... He proved His faithfulness. I can always depend on Him just as you can also depend on Him. He loves you as much as He loves me.

As part of my celebration and thanksgiving unto Him who remained faithful, I did a special number presentation in our church last November 10. I may not have the most beautiful voice (nanginginig pa nga at nasisintunado...), but I want to share this song... May it minister to you just as it has ministered to me.

P.S. Thanks to Pepito for playing the guitar and at the same time sa pagback-up. :)

RUN TO YOU - Twila Paris

Faster now than ever, I run to You
Now I know You better, I run to You
I am a little older now, You know it's true
Maybe a little wiser, too, I run to You

And I can see deeper than I did before
I do believe, never have I been so sure
That I need You every minute, every day
That I need You more than I could ever say

Ooh, I run to You
Ooh, what else would I do?
I run to You, ooh,
I run to You Ooh

Even on the sad days, I run to You
Even on the good days, too, I run to You
Even before all else fails, You know it's true
You are the wind in my sails, I run to You

And I can see deeper than I did before
I do believe, never have I been so sure
That I need You every footstep, all the way
That I need You so much more than I can say

On Wings Like Eagles

Most birds fly by flapping their wings. But not eagles. They are built for soaring, not flapping; that allows them to travel much farther on
less energy. It seems that God built into our planet invisible columns of hot air called thermals which rise up here and there from the earth's surface. Eagles know where to find thermals. They fly into these invisible updrafts, stretch out their wings, and are lifted higher and higher into the sky as though ascending on an elevator. They may rise as high as 14,000 feet, so high they cannot be seen from earth with the naked eye.

When they reach those heights, they emerge from the updraft, their wings will spread, and they soar this way and that way, downward and sideward, traveling for miles with very little exertion of strength.

It is a perfect picture. God himself is an invisible, uplifting thermal current. When we claim His promises and trust His Word, we are
spreading out the wings of faith and are caught up to a higher plane. We mount up with wings like eagles. We run without growing weary. We walk and do not faint.

The strength we need for holy, effective, victorious living comes not from frantically flapping through the air like sparrows in distress, but from gliding in the currents of God's grace. (From This Verse, Isaiah Ornithology, April 30)

Today, I was at the office at 7:30AM and left at 6PM. Yes, siree! I've worked overtime. I'm having trouble trying to find out why the accounting transactions I loaded to the system was not processed. I haven't fixed it. I still have not found it.

Ayoko na, masakit na ulo ko. Naiiyak na nga ako kanina. Kinakausap ko na yun computer ko, ayaw naman sumagot! Wah! (Normal ba sa linya ng mga programmer o analyst ang kausapin minsan ang computer na walang malay? Maybe... malay mo sumagot at sabihin sa iyo ang mali mo.. o di ba? hehehe)

Napagod ako! Daig ko pa ang tumakbo sa marathon sa Olympics. Mas nakakapagod kaya ang magtrabaho maghapon and at the end of the day... di ka pa rin tapos. Naubos na ata ang butter cookies na baon ko, nakailang inom na rin ako ng tubig, ngunit wala pa rin nangyari. Nakailang beses na rin akong dumungaw sa bintana at baka nandoon ang kasagutan. Nakailang sabi ba ako ng, "Lord, please ipakita mo po sa akin ang error..." Pero di ko pa rin nakita.

Kumanta na nga ako, "Sometimes the very thing you're looking for is the one thing you can't see.... " O di ba? Tugma ang linya ng kantang "Save The Best For Last"? hehehe... (Naalala ko tuloy, ganito rin ang feeling ko non, nung araw ng defense para sa thesis namin, ngunit wala kaming maipapasa...) Haay! Baka mabaliw ako kaya umuwi na lang muna ako. I am awfully tired. Two months ng ganito ang buhay ko, overtime, overnight! Naisip ko nga, ang gusto ko lang sa mga oras na ito ay isang mahaba at kumpletong tulog. Maybe, I should learn from the eagles...

Maybe I was tired because I'm just flapping my wings and not soaring. God promised and this is what's keeping me on...

Yet those who wait for the LORD will gain new strength;They will mount up with wings like eagles. They will run and not get tired They will walk and not become weary. - Isaiah 40:31 New American Standard Bible (©1995)

"Lord, please renew my strength. You are the Source of Life... You are my strength. Amidst the pressures and tight deadlines, I still believe You are in full control. Show me the right way, help me and give me wisdom. I remembered praying to You, to make me shine... I know this is one of the answers. Help me dear God and hear the prayers of Your servant. Help me soar with You on wings like eagles."

p.s. Oh! I have to finish that project. Btw, it's due on Tuesday... hahaha!

You have a choice...

There was a young girl who dreamed to finish school even at hard times. This girl didn't come from a wealthy clan or family. But she also experienced how it is to live abundantly when her dad was working abroad.

But, after some time her dad had gone home to the Philippines and decided to live and work there for good. Her dad became a driver of a good company. After a year or two, her dad was retrenched from work.

But still this young little girl was able to continue her studies through the help of her loving grandmother. Her grandma paid her tuition fees and gave her Php 1,500.00 every month as her allowance. That amount might have been sufficient. However, if you will remember her dad has no work and that allowance also became her family's source of daily food. At times, when Friday comes she has no more money to even pay for her transportation to go to school. It will be good if her aunt would lend her some money and she will be able to go to school.

She's already in College during those times. 3rd year College. One Friday morning, her mother was sick and they don't have any money. They were not able to borrow money from her aunt, so she will not be able to go to school that day. They have not eaten any breakfast at all. She laid down on their small sofa. Trying to forget how hungry she was, while tears roll down from her eyes, she fell asleep and when she woke up, it was already lunchtime. Still, they have no food at their dining table.

This girl told herself that day, "I won't let this happen again." She then worked as a municipal clerk with the help of her aunt. And because of God's favor and of some people, she was able to continue her studies while working at the same time. She made a letter that promises she will be extending working hours when she has no classes. But she will leave the office a little earlier than 5 o'clock.

Her class would start at around 3 o'clock in the afternoon. But most of the time, she will get out of the office 3 o'clock. She will need to travel at least an hour or two to get to school. Praise God, that everytime her teacher would check the attendance or give a quiz, she was already inside the classroom.

Months went by and her dad was able to find a good paying job. This girl then choose to resign from her work even if she is paid at Php 5,000.00 a month. She continued her studies and she graduated as a Computer Engineering. This girl is the author of this article.

Through the grace of God, if I were to go back at our life then, I can truly say that the Lord is good. In my decision to continue my studies, He held my hands and helped me to change my future.

I may not be rich, but I can say that God blesses us to have food everytime we want to eat.

Why am I writing this? This is my life. And I want to testify on God's goodness in my life. I want to share to everyone how God has changed my future.

My parents were able to finish vocational courses. They were not able to have a good-paying job to sustain all of our needs. Still, I am thankful that they have thought us perseverance and how to live life.

The past does not have to be your prison. You can never change your past, but you still have today and tomorrow in your hands. You have a voice in your future. You can give God the control over your life. You have the choice on what roads you will thread upon.


P.S. Please choose to live your life for God. He will never fail you. I surely know, He never fails me. He can also bless you... in many ways you just can't imagine.

Writing from my heart,

Zha-Zha