This term has been such a busy and exhausting term. I have been so caught up with the activities in school and in my academics. I believe the enemy has been using all these to pull me down and pull me away from my Father... Yes, God has been calling me back to church to grow in Him, to be nurtured in my faith, and to serve soon... There has been so many affirmations from God... but I was not able to go back because something always comes up. Indeed, it is a spiritual battle. Now, I have made a commitment, I am going to act now. I am no longer going to put it off. Because the time to go back to church is now. I have to make that first step or else it would never come. I love God and He is my First Love. I have to make that stand to follow Him and choose Him above everything else. I know that there are certain parts of my life that I was withholding from Him. I thought I was giving it to Him, but slowly as I drifted away from the church... I ended up losing my grip on God. I was neglecting Him and my relationship with Him. I got too caught up with this world, it's expectations, and all the things that I have to do. I got too BUSY (Being Under Satan's Yoke). But I had enough! God wants me back. God is calling me HOME. Last night, in my devotion, I was convicted by God to about this. I was informed by my sister in Christ that we were going to have our small group today. God opened up this opportunity for me to make that first step to go back, to listen to Him once again, to be nurtured in my faith, and to do His will. Today, my last project for the term ended. In line with my commitment to go back to Church. I have decided to set my priorities straight. God is my priority. Therefore, I must align my priorities to His will. May His PERFECT WILL be done! AMEN! May His will be my will! AMEN! Recently, I got a lot of offers from different organizations to run for the coming batch elections (from both parties), as well as high positions in organizations. However, I turned them all down. WHY? because they are no longer what God wants for me. They are no longer in line with His will. Yes, in the past, God used the opportunities of high position in organizations, projects, and other academic or extra curricular activities for His Divine Will. However, that is not what He wants NOW. I am ready LORD, to commit myself once again to YOU. I am ready to lay down everything before You. I am ready please prepare me for whatever plans You have for me. I want to surrender every aspect of myself to You. "There is no greater joy Lord than being with YOU. My soul is restored. My heart is renewed. Yes, there is no greater joy LORD than being with You." (excerpt from a song that suddenly came to mind). Even my lovelife Lord. I am laying it down. Today, the LORD convicted me. He made me come to the focus group in order to convict me and to affirm something to me. He wants me to surrender this aspect of my life to HIM. He wants me to lay it all down, and to completely TRUST HIM. The LORD says I have to wait, to be patient upon HIM, and to trust Him... to have FAITH. He affirmed it.. HE wants me to WAIT!
During our focus group discussion, I learned a lot from our focus group leader. Thank God for blessing us with our leader. He used our leader to convict me, and to affirm that He wants me to wait.
The following are my notes from the discussion:
The topic is about "Love in terms of Waiting"
There are five ways to show our love to someone - Touch, Words, Gifts, Service, and Time. We were asked to pick two of these based on how we show our love to someone. I chose time and words. I chose time because I strongly believe that your personal time is the greatest gift you can give to someone. Personally, when someone is important to me, and I love that someone, I give that person my time. I also chose words, particularly words through writing, texting or typing. This is because I am more of a writer than a speaker nevertheless I use both to encourage people to show them I care or that I love them. After that, we were told to choose two of the ways once again on how we want to be shown love. Once again, I chose time and words. I chose time because for me, if the person really loves me, he/she would sacrifice his personal time which could never be replaced just for my sake. Time is precious, more precious than any other gifts. For me time is also quite related to service. When you give your time to someone, there is already an action upon it. I chose words once again, because I felt cared for and loved whenever someone encourages me, and tells me I am loved, that I am cared for... :) And yes, the LORD does show His love for us through HIS WORD. :)
1 Corinthians 13:4-7
Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.
It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.
Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.
It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
Question: When is the right time for us to go into a relationship?
Ans: When we finally understand God's purpose for us.
In the case of Adam, his purpose was to name all the plants and animals. When God's purpose for him was fulfilled, God gave him Eve.
Love is patient. God wants us to appreciate the present through patience and trust.
There are 3 simple truths that can help us correct the wrong attitudes in our relationships:
Number 1: The right thing at the wrong time is still the wrong thing.
Number 3: Any season of singleness is a gift from God.
There was this blind man by the name of Bob Edens. He was 51 years old. For five decades, he was blind until a surgeon tried an experimental surgery on his eyes. After the surgery, he opened his eyes and then he could see. He was astounded by everything he saw. He never realized that yellow was so yellow. But his favorite color was red. He never realized how round the moon was. He was amazed by what he saw.
Like Bob Edens, many people today are blinded. They fail to see the great things in life. However, these people have an inner desire to see things differently, to see change happen.
So what is our role?
Our role is not the surgeon. In the story, there was a gap. The surgeon used the scalpel and all those other tools to conduct surgery on Bob Edens. In the same way, we are the tools of the SURGEON (God). God wants to use us, but we have to choose for ourselves to allow God to use us. And what better time for us to be used by God... as singles.
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During our focus group discussion, I learned a lot from our focus group leader. Thank God for blessing us with our leader. He used our leader to convict me, and to affirm that He wants me to wait.
The following are my notes from the discussion:
The topic is about "Love in terms of Waiting"
There are five ways to show our love to someone - Touch, Words, Gifts, Service, and Time. We were asked to pick two of these based on how we show our love to someone. I chose time and words. I chose time because I strongly believe that your personal time is the greatest gift you can give to someone. Personally, when someone is important to me, and I love that someone, I give that person my time. I also chose words, particularly words through writing, texting or typing. This is because I am more of a writer than a speaker nevertheless I use both to encourage people to show them I care or that I love them. After that, we were told to choose two of the ways once again on how we want to be shown love. Once again, I chose time and words. I chose time because for me, if the person really loves me, he/she would sacrifice his personal time which could never be replaced just for my sake. Time is precious, more precious than any other gifts. For me time is also quite related to service. When you give your time to someone, there is already an action upon it. I chose words once again, because I felt cared for and loved whenever someone encourages me, and tells me I am loved, that I am cared for... :) And yes, the LORD does show His love for us through HIS WORD. :)
1 Corinthians 13:4-7
Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.
It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.
Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.
It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
Question: When is the right time for us to go into a relationship?
Ans: When we finally understand God's purpose for us.
In the case of Adam, his purpose was to name all the plants and animals. When God's purpose for him was fulfilled, God gave him Eve.
Love is patient. God wants us to appreciate the present through patience and trust.
There are 3 simple truths that can help us correct the wrong attitudes in our relationships:
Number 1: The right thing at the wrong time is still the wrong thing.
- Right now we don't appreciate delayed gratification. ex. plagiarism (cut and paste bec. I don't want to take time to read and paraphrase; instant noodles; pre-marital sex; e-mails, etc.)
- The youth right now is corrupted by the enemy.
- Biblical: Ecclesiastes 3:1-8
- "There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven:
a time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to uproot,
a time to kill and a time to heal, a time to tear down and a time to build,
a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance,
a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them, a time to embrace and a time to refrain,
a time to search and a time to give up, a time to keep and a time to throw away,
a time to tear and a time to mend, a time to be silent and a time to speak,
a time to love and a time to hate, a time for war and a time for peace. " - The youth have forgotten the essence of this verse... There is a time for everything.
- Each season yields a unique treasure.
- Just like in school, each semester has its own emphasis and focus that we must learn first so that we can use them in the next terms to come.
- You don't have to rush. You have to be prepared. You have to go through a process. Be patient.
- Don't get burned with the passion, with the fire.
- The story of the two bananas.
- in the story there are two bananas on the tree, one ripe, and one unripe. The bananas were taken both away from the tree. The ripe one was ripened while attached to the tree that is why is was sweet and delicious. However, the unripe banana that was taken from the tree was forced to ripe away from tree. As a result, it was not as good as the ripe banana. Instead, it tasted bland.
- The bananas can be compared to love. There is a time for everything.
- God has many wonderful experiences that He wants to give us.
- Unfortunately, we spoil good things by taking the them at the wrong time. An example is relationships.
- Just because something is good, it doesn't mean we should pursue it right now.
- Girls love to shop. Sometimes when girls try on some clothes in shops, they find that the fit is so right, that it seems made for you, but when you look at the price tag, you find the price to be very expensive, far too expensive for your budget.
- Relationships can be compared to shopping.
- You can only achieve intimacy if you are ready for it because intimacy COSTS commitment.
- Right now we are in our walk with God as singles. Yet there are even situations wherein we stagger with our commitment with Him.
- If we cannot totally commit to our relationship with God, how much more to other people.
- Right now we must focus on Jesus. Surrender every aspect and area of our lives to God.
- When you focus on Him, He will be able to give you breakthroughs and He will be able to provide you with lots of bonuses.
- Right now God wants us to appreciate the men in our lives. He wants us to appreciate the friendships so that we would be able to appreciate the husband he would give us in the future.
- God wants us to just enjoy our relationship with Him. He wants to develop us holistically.
- For one thing, you can't go into a relationship with so many insecurities.
Number 3: Any season of singleness is a gift from God.
- 1 Corinthians 7: 32-35
- I would like you to be free from concern. An unmarried man is concerned about the Lord's affairs--how he can please the Lord.
But a married man is concerned about the affairs of this world--how he can please his wife--
and his interests are divided. An unmarried woman or virgin is concerned about the Lord's affairs: Her aim is to be devoted to the Lord in both body and spirit. But a married woman is concerned about the affairs of this world--how she can please her husband.
I am saying this for your own good, not to restrict you, but that you may live in a right way in undivided devotion to the Lord.
- For now, God wants our undivided devotion to Him.
- Singleness is a gift.
- Jesus created this opportunity of singleness so that it would be a time for Him to nurture growth in us without distractions.
- As singles, we must make the most of our singlehood.
- Question: Do you really trust Him when it comes to this area?
- Waiting for God's timing really requires patience both now and in the future.
- Right now, God is preparing us.
- In Time Magazine, there was this article published regarding the Marshmallow test conducted by scientists on four year old kids. There was this isolated room. In the room there was a marshmallow. Each kid was taken one at a time to the room. Each of them were told that after 20 mins, they would be given two marshmallows if they would wait and not eat the single marshmallow. After the proctor left, some of the kids immediately ate the marshmallow. Some waited for a while but ate it when they couldn't wait anymore. However, there were some kids who did wait. Some used diversions such as covering their faces, looking away, or dancing. Some even fell asleep. Years passed, the kids became high school students. The scientists followed up these kids. They found out that the kids who waited grew up to be more successful, more confident, outgoing, adventurous, and positive thinkers. On the other hand, the kids who couldn't wait turned out to be lonelier, out of place, and more negative.
- Right now, we should develop our character to delay instant gratification.
- Like those kids, we go through the same internal struggles.
- But God promises something better as we take the unique experience of singleness.
- Just have faith and be patient. God knows best.
- Let's commit to enjoy our singlehood now and have faith in God.
- Jeremiah 29:11
- "For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD , "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."
- We are in our relationship with our Father which is the best relationship.
- Like the dust that undergoes a process inside the oyster, that turns into a pearl, God is molding in us a beautiful pearl.
- REMEMBER: You are worth waiting for!
- The heart is like a glass, it is fragile. God would only give it to someone HE trusts.
There was this blind man by the name of Bob Edens. He was 51 years old. For five decades, he was blind until a surgeon tried an experimental surgery on his eyes. After the surgery, he opened his eyes and then he could see. He was astounded by everything he saw. He never realized that yellow was so yellow. But his favorite color was red. He never realized how round the moon was. He was amazed by what he saw.
Like Bob Edens, many people today are blinded. They fail to see the great things in life. However, these people have an inner desire to see things differently, to see change happen.
So what is our role?
Our role is not the surgeon. In the story, there was a gap. The surgeon used the scalpel and all those other tools to conduct surgery on Bob Edens. In the same way, we are the tools of the SURGEON (God). God wants to use us, but we have to choose for ourselves to allow God to use us. And what better time for us to be used by God... as singles.
