Directive

What’s your excuse for not serving the Lord?

So what’s your excuse?

(lifted from Rick Warren’s The Purpose-Driven Life)

I write for exactly ten magazines which cater to different audiences and cover different topics (from health, lifestyle, travel, sports, business to food). I have interviewed known personalities and celebrities and quite suprisingly, have even become friends with them. In fact, they sometimes greet me on television during their shows (thanks, Regine T.).

But the thing is, something is still amiss. I couldn’t put my finger on it. Sure, I enjoy writing for these magazines and enthusiastic about meeting people of different races and backgrounds, but is that all there is to it? Am I just writing for my own satisfaction? Am I so selfish and self-centered that all I could think about is seeing my name on that piece of paper?

That is, until I was invited to join one of the church’s newest ministry, the magazine ministry. Aptly named as TURN, the magazine encourages new believers, or even old ones, to turn to God whenever they are at difficult crossroads in their life, hence the title TURN.

I am very much excited about this magazine, and I can’t wait for the first issue to come out March next year. For the first time in my life, I realized that God gave me this talent for a purpose - to serve Him alone and not to serve myself. I am nothing without Him.

God has many plans for this ministry, and we lift up the success of this magazine to Him alone. I have finally found my home right here on earth, right in the arms of My Father.

If you are at a crossroad in your life right now, and when everything and everyone is against you, there is only one thing left to do: TURN to Him for comfort and solace.

(Grab a copy of this magazine. Available in selected bookstores, and of course, at CCF.)

ENDNOTE: I contemplated applying before at FHM since I need money badly. However, my love for God overtook these thoughts. God’s love is more important than anything else. I don’t want to compromise my beliefs, just to be part of a magazine which showcases naked women.

A couple of days after I got back from Subic and after being baptized, I suddenly woke up in the middle of the night. I still am not sure if this was a dream or not. But one thing is certain - when I woke up, I couldn’t breath and I couldn’t move. It felt like someone was on top of me, crushing and pressing me until my breath lodged out of my throat.

And then I saw him.

Someone was really on top of me - a dark shape, sort of like a shadow, pressing down on me. I couldn’t see his face, but I did feel him, a disgusting and revolting image of a pair of hands and feet.

Just as sudden as the image appeared, it vanished immediately. And I fell asleep then.

I told what happened to my Discipleship Group Leader, Ikoy, and he asked me, "What did you do?"

I could have prayed, but I didn’t have time. I didn’t feel afraid because I didn’t have time. It happened for only half of a second, and I didn’t have time to think, lest felt anything. That was what I told Ikoy.

And then he replied "The Holy Siprit within you is strong, Excel. Keep up the faith."

Ikoy was right. God and the Holy Spirit were there.

I could feel His presence. He got rid of the devil, even without me saying or thinking it. He really does love me.

"And when he had called unto His twelve disciples, He gave them
power against unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all
manner of sickness and all manner of disease." Matthew 10:1

I have always known that God protects me and take cares of me, but for some reason, I just kept on ignoring all these little details, until recently. Now I know for certain that He not only protects me, He truly does love me. The smallest details of my life, He carves and designs.

Let me just list some of the instances wherein God is ever so present in my life.

1) I was ten years old then. One of the ropes of the mosquito net hovering above me was placed underneath a glass statue of His mother. During the night, the glass statue fell and hit my forehead above my eye. It could have hit my eye but instead God veered it away!

2) I was on my way home from work. I was dizzy and about to faint. I was also about to cross one of the most dangerous and darkest highways in the metropolis. I crossed and was about to faint when someone held my arm. It was a stranger and he told me he saw me wobbling - at the darkest of night without any light at all? Talk about God’s power!

3) New Year’s Eve. I was in the comfort room. As i finished doing my business and had a foot on the door, about to leave the comfort room, there was a loud bang from outside. Down came the lightbulb above my head! If I had been there even for just a second, I could have been seriously wounded but God did protect me.

4) MRT station. I was about to go to work.I felt dizzy and I prayed to God for help. When I left the station, I kept on nudging someone to stay out of my way since I wanted to lean on the wall. Lo and behold, it was one of my officemates! Truly, God did bring me some help!

5) This happened recently. I was crossing a wide street. The cars were slow moving when out of the blue, a van behind them was zigzagging its way to the front! I couldn’t move and I didn’t know if I should stay on my spot, back away or just run for my life since the van wasn’t on any lane! But then, I heard God telling me, "Takbo na Excel!" So I ran forward, unmindful of the other cars. I was shaking after it happened!

See what God can do? There are still other instances in my life that God has a hand in, but I just included the most unforgettable incidents.

Just focus on Him, and everything will follow through!

I never had so much fun crying and praising the Lord!

It was such a comforting feeling and  a wonderful one that God really has plans for each and everyone of us.

So, I went to Subic, and I’m glad I did. I tell you, going there was the best decision I ever made! The BEST! God is really good!

As Psalm 37:4 says, "Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart." Truly, He really does give each and everyone of us what we desire if we just seek and love Him alone.

I first started working at Boma Pacific Corporation sometime in May. I was earning twice as much as my previous job, and the pay was great indeed. I was able to help my family with their financial problems, and I was able to save money in my bank account. Plus, I have the money to spend!

And it was precisely what happened. Ian, brother, friend, tol, dude, salamat talaga…..

I desire to know you God and I thank you.

Was there? Was there a time when the Philippines was at its finest?

I don’t remember, but then again, I probably wasn’t born yet, and to think that I’m old enough to marry! It’s quite frustrating, humiliating, to even dream of seeing the Philippines in a different sort of light - where money is not a problem, where crimes and violent are not abound, where graft and corruption are not prevalent.

But then again, I should hope that when I’m old enough to be a grandparent, my grandchildren should see that ray of light, to see a change in everything.

It would be a pleasure to see the Philippines at its finest. If I’m not dead yet.

Grammatical errors, no sentence structuring, no parralelism, lame beginning, anti-climactic, weak characters…..

GIVE ME A BREAK!

Writing isn’t about all that. Writing is about experience.  It’s your positive (or negative) outlook in life. It’s the way you smell a rose in the middle of a crowded street, savoring in its fragrance despite horns blaring in your ears. It’s the way you sink your teeth into the corn on a cob, with every taste and crunch still lingering in your mouth. It’s the way you hold a blanket in your arms, each thread getting caught in the body of your shirt, and you still don’t care.

It’s about the senses….

Writing is about senses. It’s about experience. It’s about feelings.

So whoever said that writing has rules must love, must be loved, must be rejected, must fail, must succeed, must laugh, must cry, must get angry, must be humiliated, must experience first before saying anything…..

GIVE ME A BREAK!