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| (above pic: Gave welcome remarks during the Singles Conference last year) |
Sharing a few but memorable encounters with Pastor Luis Pantoja:
-I gave him a note, encouraging him after he preached James 1:19 as the message was very timely for me. (Well halos lahat nman ng preaching nya nag-speak tlaga si Lord eh).
-One Sunday morning, before the worship service would start, he would take time to greet the people seated (as many as he could) and since John and I were seating then at the 2nd row from the stage he approached us first. Our relationship then was just starting (can't remember if we were 2 months old then or more) and then Pastor Luis told us (while shaking our hands): "Hello, how are you? You look good together!" And both of us, ni John, said "thank you". Nakaka-bless di ba?!
-One Wednesday morning, after my discipleship with Teacher Carol, she asked me, and I mean, pinilit nya ako, to go to Pastor Luis' office and pray for him and encourage him. Ayoko sana, kasi nahihiya ako dahil hindi naman ako close sa Senior Pastor namin (hehe) pero ikaw ba naman ang kunsenyahin ni T.Carol at sabihan ng: "Sige, pag ikaw ang nangailangan ng encouragement sana hindi ka mawalan ng encouragement from the people" (something to that effect), so kahit hiyang-hiya ako kumatok ako sa office ni Pastor Luis.
When he opened the door (take note: kagagaling ko lang nun sa pagiyak sa aming naging usapan sa discipleship) I greeted him:"Hello po, T.Carol told me to pray for you!" He smiled (oh, i-imagine nyo na yung signature smile nya. Hehe). I also told him: "When I saw you last Sunday, I wanted to hug you. Na-miss po namin kayo dito eh." Kagagaling lang nya nun from Canada, he was away for a couple of months, and so he hugged me and said na natuwa "para na kitang apo"... And then I prayed for him na...at naiyak din ako when I did! I don't know why, siguro emotional mode kasi ako nun. Haha! Tapos after ko magpray he also prayed for me and for the ministry that I'm involved with...
Sobrang nakaka-bless yung moment na yun! And I thank God for giving me that privilege, and for using T.Carol para itulak ako to do so... It was a few months later that I understood why he was in need of a lot of encouragement...
When he opened the door (take note: kagagaling ko lang nun sa pagiyak sa aming naging usapan sa discipleship) I greeted him:"Hello po, T.Carol told me to pray for you!" He smiled (oh, i-imagine nyo na yung signature smile nya. Hehe). I also told him: "When I saw you last Sunday, I wanted to hug you. Na-miss po namin kayo dito eh." Kagagaling lang nya nun from Canada, he was away for a couple of months, and so he hugged me and said na natuwa "para na kitang apo"... And then I prayed for him na...at naiyak din ako when I did! I don't know why, siguro emotional mode kasi ako nun. Haha! Tapos after ko magpray he also prayed for me and for the ministry that I'm involved with...
Sobrang nakaka-bless yung moment na yun! And I thank God for giving me that privilege, and for using T.Carol para itulak ako to do so... It was a few months later that I understood why he was in need of a lot of encouragement...
Ayun.
Nakakamiss sya...
But I'm glad that he is with the Lord now...
And I'm very sure that he was welcomed by the Lord with these words:
"Well done, good and faithful servant!"
