40 Stories of Passion

Photo: SVP

God defines success in a radically different way than the world defines it. 

For Him, success may not necessarily mean material wealth or political power.

 In it's essence, success means being faithful to love. - Bo Sanchez

I came across my old journal the other day and found some notes I've written from this book.
Here are the 40 inspiring quotes from 40 inspiring people. Find out who they are and be inspired by their stories.

1. “My faith in God. I held on to Him because I had nothing left.”
2. I can survive losing everything for as long as the Lord is with me.
3.  Given Riches At Christ’s Expense
4. When you want to earn, if you have the passion and love for what you do, hard work is no longer a sacrifice. It will become joy. What’s important is you love what you’re doing.
5. Today is Friday but Sunday is coming. I've learned that the sun will shine tomorrow no matter how dark the night is right now.
6. Counseling is all about empathy. That’s what heals others. And because I've been through pain in the past, I can feel the pain of others.
7. I try to love everybody. I see in them Jesus, my Beloved whom I desire to love more and more. That is my strength
8. Live a simple lifestyle. Avoid stress. Don’t have too much worries. Pray.
9. It’s such a joy to serve. It feels good.
10. If you want to succeed, make people more important than things.
11. If you see the poor as your family, you won’t give charity. You will love them. And when the Filipino loves, he’ll give his all –not just charity.
12. In the name of obedience, I said yes. That is the Christian life.
13. I’m very happy! Especially when I see people coming back to His love. I’m reminded that I am a vessel of His love.
14. All around me, there are so many opportunities to serve, aside from my job.
15. I realize that God has really called me to sing for Him & for His people. So my dream is that one day, I’ll be singing in front of the Lord – in heaven.
16. I believe this is what God wants me to do. So I do it with passion. It transcends whether I will succeed or not. Because it’s not about me, it’s about Him.
17. I answered his call, and today I have found what I was looking for.
18. I realized that life is much more than a great job and a big house. Life is so unpredictable and so short. So I decided to do what I wanted to do now.
19. I’m just a channel of His Spirit doing what He wants me to do. Since the Lord has been faithful. Once he tapped you for a mission, there’s no turning back.
20. While I have the opportunity to love, I will love, because life is so fragile.
21. I saw a vision. It was Jesus wearing a crown of thorns with blood all over His face. He was looking at me – loving me. He just kept looking at me, and I knew what He wanted me to do. He wanted me to surrender all my resentments, all my anger, all the range within me. Today, I can easily forgive people.
22. Through the years, I've also learned that when you serve Him, He equips you with all you need.
23. We sacrificed. We lived simply.
24. I’m a husband first, a father second and a leader third. If I keep those three in order, I’ll be successful as husband, father and leader.
25. My parents loved me despite everything. I want to be blessed so I can be a blessing to others.
26. He answered my prayer according to His will.
27. We should give the best for God. My work is a lesson in faith. Try to serve one person at a time.
28. He knew what I needed, and so he gave her to me – a woman who deeply loves the Lord.
29. And as for my work, I believe that God is my real boss. So I need to do it with excellence.
30. From seeing God as a Punishing Judge, I now see Him as a Best Friend and a Merciful Saviour. How can I be afraid?
31. Deep in my heard, I wanted to bring young people to God.
32. That’s why I’m here on earth loving God is the meaning of my life.
33. Isn't it amazing how God works?
34. At the end of each day, I want to sleep soundly, having offered my work well done to my Creator.
35. Perhaps one day, He will still heal me. But even if He doesn't, I've surrendered my  life to Him. I will continue to trust Him.
36. We are who we are now because of the miracles He gives us every day.
37. I try to use every opportunity God has given me to encourage.
38. I enjoy my ministry more than my work.
39. When you give charity because you love, you don’t feel that pain. You only feel the joy of giving to someone you love.
40. I had many years of deep pain, but through it all, I always felt God’s nearness.

He Looks Beyond Our Doubt

Photo Credit: Jem Arabes

God looks beyond your doubts and sees your heart. -Joel Osteen

Listening to Joel Osteen's talk every morning has been a part of my daily routine. I'd like to share another inspiring blog on having doubts. May this article bless you today. 

When Jesus rose from the dead, He appeared to Mary and Martha at the garden

tomb first. He said, “Go tell my disciples.” Word quickly got out that Jesus was alive. Everyone was so excited! There was great joy among all the disciples—all of them except Thomas, that is. Thomas said, “Hey, wait a minute guys, I’m a believer. I love Jesus. I know He promised that He would come back to life. Yes, I understand those women said that they’ve seen Him. But unless I see Him with my own eyes, unless I feel the nail prints in His hands, unless I touch the scars in His side, I’m not going to believe.”

Now Thomas spent as much time with Jesus as the other believers. You might say he “grew up in church.” In other words, he knew all the Scriptures. He knew all the right answers. Deep down he wanted to believe, but his mind was filled with doubts.

A few days later, the disciples were gathered together when all of the sudden, Jesus came walking through the door. At first they thought it was a ghost, but they soon recognized that it was Jesus. What’s interesting is that Jesus didn’t go over to Peter and say, “Hello.” He didn’t go over to Matthew and give him a big hug. He didn’t go over to John and say, “Hey! I’m back. It’s great to see you.” No, Jesus headed straight toward Thomas. He didn’t go out of His way to show Himself to the people who had the most faith; instead, He went right over to the one disciple who had the most doubt. Jesus looked Thomas in the eyes and said, “Thomas, I’ve heard what you’ve said about Me. I’ve heard you don’t believe. You have questions. You have doubts. And you know what Thomas? That’s okay. That’s why I’ve come to you first. Go ahead and feel the nail prints in My hands. Touch the scars on My side. I want to assure you of this, Thomas, I’m a faithful God, and I will do what I have promised.”

Today, know that your doubts don’t drive God away. He doesn’t write us off and close the door. In fact, God is so merciful that those doubts can actually draw Him to us! He loves us so much; He’ll do whatever it takes to reveal Himself to us. When we go through things we don’t understand, God doesn’t expect us to be superhuman. He just wants us to keep looking for Him. He wants us to keep the door of our hearts open. See, Thomas was open. He wanted the truth, and he wanted to find it out for himself.

Today, know that it doesn’t matter if you have doubts; it doesn’t matter if you have questions because God looks beyond your doubts and sees your heart. He is faithful. He loves you so much and wants to assure you just like He did for Thomas. Keep looking for Him today and know that He will reveal Himself to you!

…I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief! (Mark 9:24, NIV).

Source: http://kennardgroup.wordpress.com/2011/04/24/he-looks-beyond-our-doubt-joel-victoria-osteen/

The Tale of Three Trees

 He wants you to know that He loves you more than you can imagine and He can turn your dashed dreams into something beautiful. - Joel Osteen

Excerpt from the book "Your Best Life Now" by Joel Osteen

 

I recently read a retelling of the timeless story The Tale of Three Trees. This fictitious children's book relates the lofty aspirations of an olive tree, an oak tree and a pine tree. Each of these trees had a great dream to become something special in life. The olive tree dreamed of becoming a finely crafted treasure chest. It wanted to hold gold, silver, and precious jewels. One day a woodsman chose the one olive tree, out of all the trees in the forest, and cut it down. The olive tree was so thrilled. But as the craftsmen began working on him, the tree realized they weren't making him into a beautiful treasure chest; they were making him into a manger to hold food for dirty, smelly animals. Heartbroken, his dreams were shattered. He felt worthless and demeaned.

Similarly the oak tree dreamed of becoming part of a huge ship that would carry important kings across the ocean. When the woodsman cut down the oak, he was so excited. But as time went on, he realized the craftsmen weren't making him into a huge ship. They were making him into a tiny fishing boat. He was so discouraged, so disappointed.

The pine tree lived on top of a high mountain. Its only dream was to always stand tall and remind people of God's great creation. But in a split second, a bolt of lightning sent it tumbling to the ground, destroying it's dreams. The woodsman came and picked it up and carried it off to the scrap pile.

All three of these trees felt they had lost their value and their worth; they were so discouraged, so disappointed. Not one of their dreams had come to pass. But God had other plans for these trees. Many years later, Mary and Joseph couldn't find any place to give birth to their little baby boy. They finally found a stable, and when Jesus was born they placed Him in a manger made from---you guessed it---the olive tree. The olive tree had wanted to hold precious jewels, but God had better plans, and it now held the greatest treasure of all time, the Son of God.

A few years went by and Jesus grew up. One day He needed a boat to cross to the other side of the lake. He didn't choose a large, fancy ship; He chose a small, simple fishing boat made from---you guessed it---the oak tree. The oak tree wanted to carry important kings across the ocean, but God had better plans. The oak now carried The King of kings.

A few more years went by, and one day some Roman soldiers were rummaging around in the pile of scrap wood where the discarded pine tree lay. That pine tree just knew they were coming to cut him up for firewood. But much to its surprise, they cut only two small pieces out of it and formed them into a cross. And it was on this pine tree that Jesus was crucified. That tree is still pointing people to God's love and God's compassion to this day.

The point of the classic story is clear: All three trees thought they had lost their value, that their stories were over, yet they became integral parts of the greatest story ever told.
 

You may feel that your great aspirations have been dashed by the choices you have made or the choices imposed on you by others. You may feel that you are trapped in a rut, but there's hope! God wants to restore your sense of value. David wrote, "God has lifted me out of the horrible pit and He set my feet upon a rock and He put new song in my mouth". God wants to put a new song in your heart; He wants to fill you with hope. He wants you to know that He loves you more than you can imagine and He can turn your dashed dreams into something beautiful.

A Prayer on my 26th

Dear Papa God,

Thank You for...

-another fantastic year of journey with You
-being my Father, my Blesser, my Companion and Life-Partner
-creating the most beautiful me =)
-an amazing relationships with my family and friends
-making me humble
-using me as an instrument to bless other people
-putting the right people in my path
-continuing to prosper "our" business
-a joyful, fulfilled and abundant life
-teaching me to love others through Your perfect love

So now, on my 26th birthday, let me praise You! Because You deserve all the glory!
Thank You Lord!

Yours,
Robz

Concert for Streetkids by Bo Sanchez

Atoy, 9 years old, and his brother Jinggo, 6 (not their real names) used to be experts on several skills.

They were good at criss-crossing the street while eluding speeding cars. They were good at running away from cops who wanted to pick them up for vagrancy.

They were good at looking pitiful and cajoling pedestrians into buying the sampaguita (native Philippine flowers) they sell on the street.

And sell they must.

Or else they starve.

For selling sampaguita was the only thing that kept them and their mother alive. Barely existing, terribly malnourished, but alive nonetheless.

Their mother couldn’t help them. Her tuberculosis was so far advanced she could barely move from their home.

And “home” means a shanty on the sidewalk along West Avenue, Quezon City.

Long abandoned by their father, Atoy and Jinggo got another low blow in life when their mother died on the street.

Jodean Sola, Director of He Cares Foundation, came to their lives just in time. (He Cares is one of the independent ministries being supported by your Kerygma Family. I’ve been working with Jodean for 25 years now.)

Today, Atoy and Jinggo are still being ministered to in He Cares Foundation. And about three hundred other streetchildren.

They need help. They need love. They need your support.

So on September 22, we are holding a fund-raising concert in PICC plenary hall for the benefit of the streetchildren of He Cares Foundation. Your buying a ticket or two will mean full meals for one week for Atoy and Jinggo.

You can ask your friends to also buy concert tickets, so that we’ll have more meals for all other kids of He Cares Foundation for many other weeks.

And as you help these kids, I personally guarantee you an evening of joy.

Because I will be there too—to perform with all my heart (ahem).

And our Kerygma 5 preachers will be singing too. And so will other talented artists who volunteered their time and talents to raise funds for Atoy and Jinggo and many other streetchildren.

To purchase your tickets, email Rem at remlopez@gmail.com or call her up at Tel. 0915-4239248.

Lighthouse - A Ray of Hope
A Benefit Concert of He Cares Foundation
September 22, 2012 - 8pm - PICC Plenary Hall

Performers: Bo Sanchez, Gab Valenciano, Bro. Joe Dean Sola, K5, Ms. Cooky Chua and many more!

May your dreams come true,

Bo Sanchez

PS. If you want to support He Cares and the 10 other independent ministries we’ve partnered with, click here now.
http://www.kerygmafamily.com/modules/subscriber/donations.php

Source: http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10151206807455236&set=a.316550135235.192422.67936175235&type=1&theater