Be Still

Photo: Grazel Gorriceta

How good it is to pause!
Lord, I would like to slow down right now.
Why so much commotion?
Why so much frenzy?
I do not know how to stop.
I have forgotten to pray.
Now I close my eyes and
wish to talk to you, Lord.
I wish to open up myself to your universe,
but my eyes cannot bear to stay closed.
I feel a frantic agitation invade my entire body;
it comes and goes, a prisoner of haste.
Lord, I would like to stop right now.
Why such a hurry?
Why such unrest?
I cannot save the world.

I am merely a drop of water
in the immense ocean
of your marvelous creation.
What is really important
is to seek your presence.
What is really important
is to stop from time to time,
and to proclaim your greatness,
your beauty, your splendor, and your love.
What is urgent is to listen to you
and to let you speak within me,
to live in the depth of things
and to take the time to look
constantly for you in the
silence of your mystery.

My heart continues to beat,
but in a different way.
I am doing nothing,
I am not hurrying,
I am simply before you, Lord.
And how good it is to be before you. Amen.

Source: Prayer and Life Workshops

How To Live A Life of Miracles

Photo: SVP

Don't allow your problems to stop you from living a life to the full. - Bo Sanchez

I got this book as freebie in my second year of subscribing Kerygma Magazine. 3 lessons I've learned after reading this book: 1. Everyday is a miracle. 2. I am a miracle. 3. I can be a miracle to others.  


Here are some quotes I've highlighted:

-When people around you curse --turn a deaf ear. Transform their curses to become inner fuel to reach your goals. p54

-God never sees a failure, only a champion in you. p55

-Problems and promises go together. Your problems are standing in front of the promises of God. p60

-If you want success in your life, you have to be vision-oriented, not problem-oriented. p61

-If you want God's promise of abundance to happen in your life, you have to dirty your hands. -p62

-If you want a blessing from God, you don't give up. You do whatever it takes to get it. Do what you have to do one more time but do it in a different way. p65

-When we fail, we automatically think we're losers. No we're not. You can never be a loser because you come from God. 

-When we mess up, God still looks for something good to look at and celebrate that part of us. p66

-Don't allow your problems to stop you from living a life to the full. p69

-No one is a victim unless you allow yourself to be one. Nothing can stop you from living life with joy. p81

-If you want to live a life of miracles, unforgiveness is one thing that must be thrown away. p88

-Forgiveness is, first of all, a gift I give myself. p96

-Wish blessing upon those who hurt you -- and that blessing will comeback to you. p100

-So imagine a gigantic tank of blessings that's filled to the brim. God has given every blessing you need in your life already. That tank has your name on it. It's yours! All you have to do is open the faucet. p102

-Give sacrificially. Not to earn brownie points with God. Not to avoid curses. But because you love. p107

-It isn't the percentage that matters but how much is left after you give. p108

-The happiest people in the world are the givers. p112

8 Ways to Succeed in Your Work and Bless the World - Bo Sanchez

Photo: chicquero.com

1. Get a Champion's Attitude 
- Let your light shine before men, that they may see your good workd, and glorify your
Father which is in Heavean. -Matt 5:16

2. Follow your Gifting
- where are you effective? What do you do that when you do it, you actually bless people?
- Neglect not the gift that is in you. -1 Timothy 4:14

3. Be Totally Dependable
- Lazy hands make a man poor, but diligent hands bring wealth. - Proverbs 10:4

4. Serve your Leader
- be consistent
- be your leader's #1 problem-solver
- don't complain. Offer a solution.
- see Jesus in your boss. Serve him

5. Think Like an Entrepreneur
- understand why you do what you do

6. Build Relationships
- leadership is bringing people with you.

7. Always Innovate
- increase your learning

8. Be a Person of Integrity
-  You show that you are a letter from Christ...-1 Cor 3:3

Source: "Powertalks" How To Bless The World With Your Work" (trulyrichclub)

Remember the Cross

Photo Credit: Flickr (Anosmia)

"I am the Lord who heals you." - Exodus 15:36

I entered the room with a heavy heart .It was silent. There were only few people inside praying.

I decided to sit on a chair beside the wall so no one would notice me. I closed my eyes while taking a deep breath. It was difficult to say a prayer. Then without noticing, I was already crying.

I felt Someone was starting at me. I opened my eyes and I looked at Him. He was also lonely. It was Jesus on the Cross. And while staring at Him, deep in my heart I could hear Him saying,

"My child, remember the Cross? I've been there. I have conquered. I will take care of your friend. I will take care of his healing. And it would be soon."

I continued sobbing but felt relieved.  I knew that the comfort I've felt that moment would be the same comfort He would give to my friend.

I don't know what you are going through right now. Just don't give up. Jesus conquered! And God will be glorified through our trials. Always.

Just remember the Cross. 

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.