Isang taon na rin since I was able to blog. My last article in my multiply account was written on Mar 8, 2010. Yun yung araw after ng unilab race ko where I set a personal record.
I continued racing. Pero mga pards, I have not broken that record yet. Maski 5K na race, deins ko matakbo nang tuloy-tuloy. I truly ended my 21 years with a blast, not knowing that the following year is even more explosive.
This article is about how explosive my first year as a young man had been. Sinulat ko tong article na ‘to noong Mar. 16, 2011, a few days before I end my 22nd year. Then the blog will officially exist on my birthday. Kaso my b-day falls on a Sabbath kaya it will open on the 21st.
Dun sa last article ko sa multiply, the last word there is “run.” Run! That’s what I have been doing after my 21st birthday. Not literally, but, I mean, in life. I think that is what life is all about – not about the finish line, but how I will run to the finish line with others, in Christ.
I speak like this hindi para ipagyabang na “I’ve been there, done that.” As we grow old, we realize that we still need to learn a lot. Wala pa’ko sa kahit anong tuktok ng bundok. I just started. But as what I had written in my old blog, I listen and take in words of wisdom that will help me in my life race.
Get wisdom, get understanding;
do not forget my words or turn away from them.
Do not forsake wisdom, and she will protect you;
love her, and she will watch over you.
The beginning of wisdom is this: Get[a] wisdom.
Though it cost all you have, get understanding. Proverbs 4:5-7
Yung pagitan ng araw na sinulat ko yung last article ko and this article, I have earned wounds and battle scars. These are things that kept me from writing. Hardships,talaga, in the first place, are unavoidable.
Don't blame fate when things go wrong—
trouble doesn't come from nowhere.
It's human! Mortals are born and bred for trouble,
as certainly as sparks fly upward. Job 5:6-7
Ika nga ni Pastor Paul Chase, if you want a life without problems, go to heaven. Living a Christian life does not mean a problem-free life.
Having that in mind, ang daling sabihin, pero when you are going through hardships, it is somewhat hard to stand on these things that you “learn.”
But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.” Matthew 7:26-27
I am like this most of the time. I hear the Word, I know it and I thought I learned it even though I don’t practice. Then this is where the Holy Spirit comes – to remind you of the things you “learn” and help you learn them by heart by leading you to situations where you can practice them.
“Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. Matthew 7:24-25
God did not promise a problem-free life. True! But God did not say He will leave you in the middle of a hardship.
“Never will I leave you;
never will I forsake you. Hebrews 13:5
In fact, He promises deliverance. The fact that I am writing again is evidence that I was able to endure through Christ.
Yes, it was a rough year. Had some difficulties in job, family, finances, and even in my Christian life. Lost a loved one recently. I realized that you have not tasted life and its reality until you have lost a loved one. All these na na-experience ko, they humbled me, one way or another. At na-realize ko rin na sobrang kelangan ko si Lord sa buhay ko. Kasi without Him, I’m probably one bitter, depressed emo na walang inisip kung hindi ang sarili niya (like I was before I met the Lord).
However, ang buhay,hindi lang puro trials. With every difficulty, there is victory. So I say now na I had victory in job, family, finances and in my Christian life. Published a coffee table book na ako ang nag-design. Got a raise. Learned real life lessons. And most importantly, got closer to the Lord by knowing Him better.
Ika nga ni Life Runner, “Whatever happens, I will keep running no matter what! =)” It is always my choice – to keep moving on or to stay in the past. Regardless of where I want to go, or where I think I will go, I should keep moving on. This is probably why the Lord wanted me to challenge myself with a race where I should not stop running till I reach the finish line. He’s a genius.
Kasi sa totoo lang, you will never really know kung saan ka liliparin ng tadhana. Only God knows. He is “tadhana.” That is why I am glad I accepted Jesus as my Lord and Savior before I went out. He held me together during a year of full-throttle, super bigatin trials.
Kaya eto, before another crazy round begins, I decided to look back to my starting point , not to dwell on it but rather to remind myself of who I was before the present me. I can say that I have grown a lot, not only physically, but also mentally, emotionally at spiritually rin.
I was reminded that the Lord Jesus was, in fact, my starting point.
I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End. Revelations 22:13
I could not have taken off without Him. Para akong eroplano. Kapag walang gas, hindi aandar. Si Lord yung parang gas. I was the pilot. He was with me when my adventure began and until now, He never left my side. He is my strength and my power. And as I go to another phase of MY earthly life, the Lord Jesus is telling me that He wants to be the sole pilot of my airplane. He wants me to stop controlling my life and to trust Him more than I use to. Pero sa ibang mahaba-habang journal ko na i-eexpound yun.
Face it, we cannot run our race alone. We need family and friends. They are God-given. Kaya we need to cherish them. And I am blessed with such family and friends.
Truly, no man is an island. It is one of the greatest lessons one can learn – that he/she can’t do it on his/her own. The world can really bring us down and is very heavy when it falls on us. We need someone who have overcome the world.
In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I (Jesus) have overcome the world.” John 16:33
Kaya as I end this long prologue (part 1), I encourage you to take a first step closer to God, to your Lord Jesus. He has been there all along. Di mo lang siya napapansin. So, kung okay lang sa’yo, speak this prayer with me…
Father God,
I come before you today, full of questions in my heart. Kilala kita because I hear stuff about you. If not every Sunday, I hear you from people who talk to me or sa mga nababasa ko na articles like this one. I never really know if I should believe the words they say or write about you kasi I never have experienced it. Kaya po Father God, I come before you to say to you that I want to experience this too. I want to know you more. Reveal yourself to me. Sino ka ba talaga, Lord? It is true that I feel tired in life. Hindi po biro yung mga pinagdaanan ko. But how come your people claim that despite the calamities of life, they still find joy in your presence. They keep on running and moving on but yet not bitter and stone-hearted. I want you, Lord, to reveal yourself to me so that I am secure and confident that whatever I face in life, I will overcome and not just overcome, but overcome victoriously. I think I need you Lord. May you show yourself to me.
This I pray in Jesus’ name. Amen.
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