...

Is it raining, little flower?
Be glad of rain;
Too much sun would wither thee;
'Twill shine again.
The clouds are very black, 'tis true;
But just behind them shines the blue.

Art thou weary, tender heart?
Be glad of pain:
In sorrow sweetest virtues grow,
As flowers in rain.
God watches, and thou wilt have sun,
When clouds their perfect work have done.

Never Let Go

When I woke in the morning and go downstairs and lay on the sofa, I look up and see the clear blue skies outside the window. I could hear birds chirping around enjoying the coolness of the morning. I close my eyes and say, "God, You are God and I will ever praise You." Moments after, I would open my Bible and read God's word and savor God's promises in life and I'll pray and ask God that He would be upon me the whole day.

Fast forward after that, I get dressed and prepare myself. I have an exam in this electric company that I'm applying and I say to God, "Lord, this is it! This will be the job that You have for me and I'll do good". And I go on my way, eyes wide-open and a smiling heart. I don't mind being drenched in sweat and my polo creased as I made my way inside the MRT. I did good in exams and felt I would pass. In my heart, an expectant hope stirs up, "God, be upon me. Send Your favor on me". Hours after, I would go the organization that I'm currently involved with. We have a newsletter to finish and there I was getting started to do all the necessary layout and editing. I would say, 'Bless this newsletter, Lord. I pray that it will touch anyone those who read it." and you would say, "Lord, have favor on me cause I did favor in Yours"

What happens when you the company hasn't called you for the allotted time? I would say, "Lord, please touch the hearts of those in charge of my application, please" and still you waited. Days passed and no call or text came. I start to become anxious and desperate. Each day, I pray that I still trust God and that He will still give my heart's desire but inside, the hope within starts to grow fainter and fainter. And days pass, I feel I don't want to praise God nor even had the enthusiasm to read His words. I felt worried and angry, angry because God does not seem to hear me. One night in my bitterness I cried out, "God! Why are You like that? You make my life so hard! I have faithfully served you. I've been involved in your work, served people along the way. Iit's not fair! Why can't you grant my own request, this simple request?" And tears filled with pity rolled away. And I felt very desperate but God is slowly speaking to my heart, "Have faith, my child! You might not see what I'm doing in in your heart but continue to trust in me"... Such an unseen truth! Easy to say but hard to follow.

The next day, when you wake up, you can still feel the bitterness in Your heart but You've made a decision, "I will not stop praising You! I will still declare Your goodness. For all the things that You've done and for all You're going to do". Everyday, God starts to assure me. As I read the the book of Psalm, I encountered an account about King David in Psalm 71:

Psalm 71:12-16 Amplified
12O God, be not far from me! O my God, make haste to help me!

13Let them be put to shame and consumed who are adversaries to my life; let them be covered with reproach, scorn, and dishonor who seek and require my hurt.

14But I will hope continually, and will praise You yet more and more.

15My mouth shall tell of Your righteous acts and of Your deeds of salvation all the day, for their number is more than I know.

16I will come in the strength and with the mighty acts of the Lord God; I will mention and praise Your righteousness, even Yours alone.

This really spoke to my heart and the bitterness just ebbed away. My friends, I urged you to continue trusting God. In times of trouble, cling to God, never let Him go. Speak to Him in bold honesty what is in Your heart and He will comfort you.

Habakkuk 3:17-18
17Though the fig tree does not blossom and there is no fruit on the vines, [though] the product of the olive fails and the fields yield no food, though the flock is cut off from the fold and there are no cattle in the stalls,
18Yet I will rejoice in the Lord; I will exult in the [victorious] God of my salvation!

All You Need is a Hug

It is primitive
without it you die...

Human touch, so basic, so primitive... without it you die. I recently heard of a story that a baby who hasn't been held with a human died in three months. So in conclusion, we all need a touch, a hug, a pat, a kiss.

Yesterday, I was feeling down... I don't know, so much has happened to me. I've been in a lot of exams and interviews but still haven't got a job. I have challenged myself in any physical activity and felt good about myself doing it but... I knew something was missing, I felt down and lonely and wished someone would take care of me. My brother came into my room and suddenly I just called him to hug him and I felt all right... wow, there must be something magical about a touch... and there is something destructive about the touch when used abusively - physically, sexually, etc.

Children nowadays are devoid of touch. Parents are so far away either physically or emotionally. Today's pace of life leaves the family, so broken and children are longing and longing for their parent's touch. I believe that the increasing number of homosexually struggling men are guys as boys devoid of their father's touch and also women who jumps from one guy to another are also devoid from their father's touch or lesbianism struggling women from a mother's touch... You can often hear them say, "It's not sex that I really want, just another person's warmth through touch."...

Me and my uncanny thoughtsm but think about it... It makes sense. We all need touch.

The Greatest Advice

...Loving them is harder

Don't date because you are desperate.
Don't marry because you are miserable.
Don't have kids because you think your genes are superior.
Don't philander because you think you are irresistible.

Don't associate with people you can't trust.
Don't cheat. Don't lie. Don't pretend.
Don't dictate because you are smarter.
Don't demand because you are stronger.

Don't sleep around because you think you are old enough and know better.
Don't hurt your kids because loving them is harder.
Don't sell yourself, your family, or your ideals. Don't stagnate!

Don't regress.
Don't live in the past. Time can't bring anything or anyone back.
Don't put your life on hold for possibly Mr/Mrs Right.
Don't throw your life away on absolutely Mr Wrong because your biological
clock is ticking.

Learn a new skill.
Find a new friend.
Start a new career.
Sometimes, there is no race to be won, only a price to be paid for some of
life's more hasty decisions.

To terminate your loneliness, reach out to the homeless.
To feed your nurturing instincts, care for the needy.
To fulfill your parenting fantasies, get a puppy.
Don't bring another life into this world for all the wrong reasons.

To make yourself happy, pursue your passions and be the best of what you can
be.
Simplify your life. Take away the clutter.
Get rid of destructive elements: abusive friends, nasty habits, and
dangerous liaisons.
Don't abandon your responsibilities but don't overdose on duty.

Don't live life recklessly without thought and feeling for your family.
Be true to yourself.
Don't commit when you are not ready.
Don't keep others waiting needlessly.

Go on that trip. Don't postpone it.
Say those words. Don't let the moment pass.
Do what you have to, even at society's scorn.

Write poetry.
Love Deeply.
Walk barefoot.
Dance with wild abandon.
Cry at the movies.

Take care of yourself. Don't wait for someone to take care of you.
You light up your life.
You drive yourself to your destination.
No one completes you - except YOU.

It isn't true that life does not get easier with age.
It only gets more challenging.
Don't be afraid. Don't lose your capacity to love.
Pursue your passions.

Live your dreams.
Don't lose faith in God.
Don't grow old. Just grow YOU!

--> by Rick Warren, author of Purpose Driven Life

Post-script: Rick Warren is coming here in Manila this July for a conference in Araneta... will keep you guys posted for details.

All I Need Is You

I'm desperate for You

I need You
Like Water, Like Bread, Like Rain
I need You like mercy
On Heaven's gate
There's a freedom in Your arms
That carries me through
I need You

And I'm desperate for You
You're the reason that I live
You are the song I sing
All I need is You