Overflowing favor!

Connect in Bahay Tuluyan Volunteers

If it were not for God's overflowing favor and provision, the Connect Outreach Program Year 3 for Bahay Tulyan last July 4, 2015, will not be possible. And that is why I'd like to express our overflowing thanksgiving to the Lord for these people whom He used to bless the children of the said center. 

On behalf of the Outreach Planning Team (Alex, Fhang, She, Rose and Clark), a big thank you to the following:

• USANA - c/o Clark and Diane de Guzman for the shampoo and vitamins
• Jollibee Foods Corporation - c/o Jeff Tan for our lunch
• Universal Robina Corporation - c/o Pstr Bj Sebastian for our snacks
• Mark and Sarah Mendoza - for the slippers
• Clark and Diane de Guzman - for the hygiene products and devo kit give away
• Mr. Jessie Balajonda - for the sack of rice
• Connect Growth Groups - for all their financial, time and energy contributions

Sharing few photos:

Social worker, Ms. Tin for a quick briefing.
And notice, may ginawa pang banner ang mga bata where it says "Welcome to Bahay Tuluyan"

Lunch time!
Thank you Jollibee and URC!

Snacks for the kids courtesy of URC. 

Gifts for the kids!

A pair of slippers who made this kid happy and shocked, I guess! Hehe. :)

We hate to say goodbye but we will see ou again next year!

Special thanks also for the support of our church, Greehills Christian Fellowship (GCF Ortigas) -through the Board of Elders, our Senior Pastor Larry Pabiona, Ate Chette King, Pastor Emer Manaloto, Pastor Eugene Geanga, our ministry assistant, Phoebe Guerra- had given us, also to the people who weren't able to join but still gave of their resources Bea, Rose, Lem and Thon and also to those brethren who prayed for and with us for this outreach.  We have an endless thanksgiving because of God's overflowing blessing and favor through all of you! Thank you all so much!

And of course, thank You so much Lord, because ultimately all good gifts come from You!

Thank You dear Lord for allowing us to be usable for the furtherance of Your kingdom. Amen.

See you again next year, Bahay Tuluyan! 

Depressed

Yes, I've been feeling very depressed lately. I lost count na pero ilang weeks na akong walang lumilipas na araw ang hindi ako umiiyak at papasok sa trabaho na namumugto ang mata.

I feel lonely and unappreciated. Most of the time I am criticized, seldom do I get affirmed. I'm thinking yan ang pinang-gagalingan ng issue ko sa ngayon but I'm still not sure.

I want to rest from everything. If I could, I want to stop thinking about all the things I have in mind.

I just feel very tired and really sad.

Praying I'll get through this very soon. 

My Buzz Group Members

Looking at these pictures the other night made me cry... because I miss them! I just realized that even with the 4-day youth camp, bitin pala ang time namin together! And so I'm really praying I could spend more time with these girls, not just only inside our youth growth group meeting every week but also more one-on-one dates with them!

L-R: Cure, Janine, myself, Iris, Arielle and Shane

I lovingly forced them to do my signature pose! Hahaha! :D

Here holding our commitment banner. Mine says "#FaithfullyConsistent."

I can't believe may mga bago akong minamahal sa buhay through them!

I pray that God would find me faithful in walking along side them as they grow in spiritual maturity and Christ-likeness. They are just like a breath of fresh air for me! Mga bata na pampawala ng stress!


Love you girls! :)

#TiisPaMore

And so I came home form work today very tired, not because of heavy work load but because of heavy traffic na inabot ng more than an hour from Estrella-EDSA to our apartment here in Mandaluyong. Sa sobrang kapaguran, I found myself crying habang namamalansta ng damit ni John. I couldn't help but cry kasi how I really wish I could have the time freedom that I've been longing for for the past few months.

Yung tipong hindi ko na kailangang magmadali kapag dating ko from work kasi I need to prepare our dinner, John's things for office and then I would struggle to sleep early because I have work the following day pa. Yung tipong I can sleep ng mga minimum 10hrs everyday since ang laki-laki ng utang kong pahinga sa sarili ko. Yung tipong John and I would have more time together, specially in our quiet time as a couple, more bonding and all. Yung tipong I am just managing a businss wherein hawak ko yung oras ko. Yung tipong dahil well rested ako, I'll have more energy for the ministry that I'm involved with. Yung ganun.  I guess I can say, yun ang pina-pangarap ko ngayon. TIME FREEDOM.

Pero hindi pa pwede sa ngayon. And even though it's a sad reality, I know I have to persevere. I have to continue trusting on the Lord for His plans for our life.

I'm thinking it's my PMS week, kaya siguro nag-e-emo na naman ako.

Oh well, I know I'll get through this by God's unlimited grace. Kaya for now tiis-tiis pa more! 

On waiting and trusting Him

A growth group member shared in our viber group chat a concern she has at work. I said I'll pray for her and reminded her of our lesson last Saturday in Romans 8:28 where it said that in good times or bad, all things are working together for the good-- being made in Christ-likeness, being changed from glory to glory-- of those called to salvation by God, those people who love Him. And while I type those words, I am also speaking to myself. 

I am struggling with the fact that I have to endure being on a 10 am to 7 pm schedule at work. That is the worst schedule that the management could give me because it will basically compromise our (John and I) time together since he works at night. By the time I arrive home, he needs to leave na.  By the time he arrives home in the morning, I need to leave na otherwise I'll be late because of the traffic. And so because of all these factors, I struggle and find myself feeling like I want to resign na talaga, as in if only I could, I'd submit an immediate resignation. BUT it's also clear, given our current financial situation that I cannot afford to quit working as of yet. 

So for now, I am praying that God will allow me to see things in His perspective. Just as His word said, it is certain that this change of schedule did not go about without His approval or just by chance, kasi sabi sa word Nya "all things work together for good" so this is not an exception. I have to accept that every moment as I trust in Him and wait upon His perfect timing when will I be able to leave my job. I have to trust Him because He knows what He is doing with my life. 

Wait for the Lord;
be strong, and let your heart take courage;
wait for the Lord!
-Psalm 27:14

Making memories with him

John and I have been married for 2 years and 8 months today. Wala lang. Hahaha!

Early this evening when he played spotify, the first song that played was "The Way You Look tonight" by Michael Buble. And if you know that song, you know how romantic it is to dance it away with someone you love. Hahaha! And so inaya ko sya sumayaw kami (sway sway ba while hugging each other). Ayaw pa nya kunwari but he obliged din naman ng konti. And that I find really cute and sweet of him. Silly things that we do (or should I say, I do to him. Haha) when we're together. I love it and I will forever cherish having those kind of sweet moments with him.

Before he left for work, I shared to him my quiet time this morning in Psalm 18:25 where David said "To the faithful You show Yourself faithful, to the blameless You show Yourself blameless,..." and how I realized that indeed it's true that when God's children are aligned to God's heart and will and when we obey Him faithfully, kitang kita natin ang pagiging faithful Nya. But when we go against Him and resist and disobey, ang feeling natin kay Lord unfair Sya. And then John said in reply: "May sasabihin ako tungkol dyan bukas."  To which I answered: "Ano iyo?" sumagot uli sya: "Bukas na ba ngayon?"  And then we both laughed! It's just sweet. I find it really sweet!

I love making memories with him. I really am thankful to the Lord He led me to John.

(Que music: ♫ How sweet it is to be loved by you! ♥ )

Looking forward for more and more memories with my hubby dear! 

Physically Tired

I feel so tired and I feel like I owe a debt to myself in terms of quality rest. L

I realized for this month, I’ve been actively involved in the ministry, and I mean more active than the usual… which I enjoyed and I’m grateful to God for, for the opportunities given to me serving Him and His people! From the youth camp on April 30 to May 3, then Connect Agents’ Day on May 16 and then Connect Leaders’ Retreat last weekend, May23-24. Hataw na hataw lang ang peg ko. Hehe. I love it! But I think because of my age (yuck ang tanda ko na!) and because of having to deal with vertigo, I feel very, very tired!

To the point that, I feel like sleeping longer and not go to work. Hahaha! J Pero hindi pwede, dahil sa vertigo ko na umubos ng leaves ko first quarter pa lang ng taon na ito, I cannot afford to file leaves kundi ma-sa-sacrifice ko mga ganap ko sa mga susunod na buwan.

Haaay… What to do?

Lord, allow me to rest in You and kahit na struggle din ang pag enjoy ko sa quiet time ko everyday this week, I pray that You’ll still open my heart and mind to Your word and enable me to obey You wholeheartedly. And sana Lord wala kami pasok on June 12, para maka-rest ako… J