Witnessing in University of the East

After going through a traffic all the way to Uni-belt area from my place in Antipolo, I was glad to be with my fellow SLM staff in the campus, reaching out to the students to help build spiritual movements. My buddy was Kuya Jason. We had a good interaction on SLM and NST for about 30 minutes. Then from our place, we saw a group of students who seem to be waiting for their next class. Before going here, I prayed to God for this opportunity and so it came as an answer to my prayer.

Praise God for this opportunity to share who Jesus Christ is to the three students of University of the East. Hazel said that she is already a christian, Melvin and Jason were polite enough to accommodate me as I initiated a conversation with them, introducing myself and how the message of the booklet has been meaningful to me. I used my GodTools App in sharing about the Four Spiritual Laws as I was standing and facing the three of them (Melvin and Jason were sitting while Hazel was standing next to them), holding their Four Spiritual Laws booklet.

When we reached the page about the two circles, they pointed that their life is represented by the right circle, one after the other. So I simply said, as I would always do, "okay, let me continue sharing this booklet so that you will know how to share it with others or your friends. You will also know what is involved in going from the left circle to the right circle," and added, "you will know how a self-directed person became a christ-directed one."

As we reached the page on prayer to receive Christ, I asked them, "Have you ever committed your life to Christ in this way?" There was silence as I was led to ask another question that has the same meaning to the previous one, "Have you prayed this prayer to receive Jesus into your life?"  

Hazel said yes. Melvin said yes. Jason was a little bit doubtful but eventually said yes. 

Then I asked, "may I know when and how?" 

Hazel simply said, "I go to ----church (I can't remember the church she mentioned, but it was Evangelical according to her). Melvin said, "I have prayed through a booklet before. Several times." Jason said, "To let you know, I'm open. I'm open to know God. I believe that there's God, but I'm also open to what Science says." Back in my mind, it's impressed that they are all lost. I prayed while I continued asking some clarifying questions. 

Kuya Jason slipped in to our interaction by asking Jason, "What do you mean, open to Science?" "I want to know more about God and at the same time, I would like to know the answers to this life that Science has", he replied. Our conversation led to a clarification that he is not ready to receive Christ. 

"I respect that view, bro. But, let me say this. God holds the answer to life's questions as we put our trust in Him through Jesus."

I decided this time to focus on Jason.  You would guess what I did next. I proceeded with saying, "I will show you what will happen if you do invite Christ into your life." And narrated all those benefits such as:

1. Christ will come into your life (Rev 3:20)

2. Your sins will be forgiven (Col. 1:14; 2:13)

3. You will become a child of God (John 1:12)

4. You will receive eternal life (John 5:24)

Then I asked, "Now that you know these truths, would you invite Jesus into your heart?"

Jason said," I'm still not ready. I need time as I'm also open to know more what Science has to say."

The time did not permit us to interact more 'cause they had to go to their class and so I thanked them for their time and gave my FB Account for them to reach me anytime. I was supposed to explore some more with Hazel and Melvin by going through the assurance of salvation section of the 4SL that might lead us to a clearer understanding of how it is to have a personal relationship with Jesus, but I was caught focusing on the "lost heart" of Jason.

Please pray for them as the Spirit leads you . 

At Kennedy Space Center

We had a great bonding time with the global leaders the whole afternoon yesterday. As we toured in and around the NASA, we reflected about "anything impossible with God?", leadership & team. 

My personal reflection was:

Nothing is impossible with God to accomplish a vision through a team of people committed to help one another. For the astronauts to fly to the moon, it takes years of design, processing, testing and re-designing of a space aircraft for them to fly to the space or moon. It takes thousands of engineers to work together- collaborate, engage and do the job well as one. It takes hundreds of people to operate the systems, making sure that they are in sync with one another. Leadership has to be shared. The astronauts going to space or to the moon are known as the face of the project, but it's the whole thousands of people who do the job for them to reach that far. It feels like the whole team of thousands of people who work together flies to the space or to the moon because of this success of teamwork. 

How do we work together to see success in our mission? 

Travel in the Sky!

After a 24 hour travel in the sky, I arrived safely at our hotel. Having checked in at the lobby, I immediately headed to my room for a Power Sleep. Thanks to my jetlag medicine. 

I woke up at 3am for my "quiet time" and FaceTime with family. Lord, help us have your mind and heart during this time of meeting with the leadership teams from different areas globally. 

"I love you, daddy!"

What a beautiful feeling a father could have to hear his children say these words, "I love you, daddy!" These words become an automatic reply of Ardi when I embrace him and say, "I...love...you...Ardi!" 

At age 2, I consider it the most adorable stage to lavish him with kisses and hugs, just like what I have experienced with Dana. This is the moment of my fatherhood that I feel so much delighted gazing at his enthusiastic movements & an ever smiling face. I so much love his responses. So cute! So adorable! 

At this stage, Ardi learns to read the alphabet, distinguish the sounds of the letters, some colors, shapes, objects and imitate his dad's snores. He is a servant boy. Whenever I'm about to leave the house, he would hand me my shoes and return my pair of slippers to its place. He is into organizing and arranging his toys. He also loves to play cooking with his Ate Dana. Our bonding is through his building blocks and puzzles. He is so excited every time he climbs at my back and sit on my shoulder with his hands around my forehead. 

Today, as a family, we met a ministry partner in SM Aura. We had a surprise gift from her buy buying anything we need at the National Bookstore. What a treat! We got those items we wanted so far. Ardi had his Funny Bricks and was so excited to assemble them with the help of mommy.

When we took a taxi going home, he preferred to sit on my lap until he was able to sleep. He was so clingy to me. Maybe because he knows that I am leaving on the following day and be away for about a week. I will surely miss them but I'm looking forward to be back soon and feel their tight, welcoming embrace. 

Daddy Nalds! Daddy Nwalds!

That's how my kids call me . Daddy Nalds by Dana. Daddy Nwalds by Ardi . I love to hear them call me this way, anyway.

On June 15, the world will celebrate the Father's Day. By this time, you could see a lot of posters and flyers with "Father's Day" greetings and promos. You would see a line that says, "You Are The World's #1 Dad!" 

However, on June 15, I will not be with my family. I will be traveling to Orlando, Florida for our Global Conference. I will surely miss them. But fatherhood can't be separated by distance. I'm thankful to God for good memories I have with my kids as I desire to be a "perfect" father to them, though it's far to reach and I will surely never reach it. It's all by His grace that I can father my kids well. And it takes a daily surrender of my heart to Him so that I will continue to reflect a Father's Love to them. This journey is indeed full of learning. 

This afternoon, after our ASEO team prayer time, I had a "date" with my 5 years old daughter, Dana. How did it go? Well, because I don't have a car this week, we walked from our house to the gate of the subdivision, holding hands. From there, we took a tricycle ride going to SM Masinag. She accompanied me for a bank transaction, going through a standing-long line. My daughter's wish every time we go out is as simple as buying a P7 chocolate ice cream in cone. Then she whispered to me a box of doughnut. So we went straight to Dunkin Doughnut and proceeded to the food-court. I had my usual fresh lumpia merienda when I'm at the food-court. That's my friendly diet. As we sat, we just had our cute conversation with her update about a next door friend Abby, her schooling next week and Ardi's naughty actions towards her. She expressed, "sana family date din ulit," though we are always going out as a family every week. That was one of the intimate "dates" I had with Dana. We have lots of good memories as "father and daughter." 

         Our date this afternoon.

    Photo taken by Dana this afternoon.

I had also my "high-tempered" moments with her. One of those was when Divine was convincing her to take her medicine syrup for her stomach pain because of high acidity. She didn't want to take it despite her mom convincing her, explaining all the benefits she could get. I was impatient at that time. I scolded her at the top of my voice and forced her to drink her medicine.  Because she closed her mouth, unwilling to take it, it spilled over her neck down to her shirt. I was angry towards her and brought her to the CR, forcing her to drink the medicine. She was crying out loud and with a convicting words she repeatedly said,"Daddy, why are you doing this to me? I'm your daughter. God doesn't like that." My heart was like pierced by a sharp sword, but I chose to be firm commanding her to drink her syrup, opening her mouth and pouring in the medicine that still flowed out from her unwilling mouth. I left her at the CR. Divine came in to gently talk to her, explaining that she should obey her dad and take the medicine for her complete healing. When all these peak of emotions came down, with Dana's spirit okay, I came to her and asked for forgiveness for what I did wrong to her - shouting at her, hurting her mouth when I forced her to open it and hurting her feelings as well. I hugged her and she hugged me back. She said, "I forgive you, daddy." That was a dramatic moment between her and me.

I surrendered my heart to God to give me a more understanding, patient, loving heart towards my children. 

This journey of fatherhood reminds me of how much loving our Father in heaven truly is. 

For this is the way God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. -John 3:16

As much as I care for my children, thinking on how to provide the best for them- food, clothing, a home to cherish love for one another, love for God above all, good education and many to mention- our Father God knows our every need, even those we haven't expressed to Him. 

Remember this message in Matthew 6?

25 "Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink, or about your body, what you will wear. Isn't there more to life than food and more to the body than clothing?

26 Look at the birds in the sky: They do not sow, or reap, or gather into barns, yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Aren't you more valuable than they are?

27 And which of you by worrying can add even one hour to his life?

28 Why do you worry about clothing? Think about how the flowers of the field grow; they do not work or spin.

29 Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his glory was clothed like one of these!

30 And if this is how God clothes the wild grass, which is here today and tomorrow is tossed into the fire to heat the oven, won't he clothe you even more, you people of little faith?

31 So then, don't worry saying, 'What will we eat?' or 'What will we drink?' or 'What will we wear?'

32 For the unconverted pursue these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them.

33 But above all pursue his kingdom and righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.

34 So then, do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Today has enough trouble of its own.

May this Father's Day celebration remind us of our Heavenly Father who knows about and provides for our every need. 

Aventure with Greeny!

When Divine & I were newly married, we prayed for a car. Many of our friends in the ministry advised us to have one for convenience & mobility, especially with the nature of our ministry & the pollution in this Metro Manila. Whenever we're in the malls, we would see and inquire on car promos with payment schemes. We kept praying then.

Dana soon arrived. As an expectant father, I would want to give the best for my wife and the child on her womb. I would see myself driving and bringing them to the clinic for immunization, follow up check ups, going out of this urbanized city and take a deep breath in the green lash nature of nearby provinces. I would see myself bringing my family in some occasions that Divine and I are attending like family retreats, church and campus ministry functions. 

Then came a very moment. A couple fellow missionaries were leaving for good to US, asking us to buy their car. Thank God for the wisdom in saving up resources that's an answer also to our prayer. With a friendly payment scheme of 50% down payment and the remaining 50% payable in 10 months, we were able to own a second-hand car. I call him Greeny. But the irony of it all, I didn't know how to drive yet. So I enrolled in a driving school and finished the actual driving lesson in 5 days for a total of 10 hours. But I sensed that I'm still not confident in my driving. I needed to gain more confidence as I got to know more about the road culture - how the drivers respond to one another, how to give way and "have-a-feel" with them on the road. 

Anyway, after a month of perseverance and rist-taking, I finally was able to drive alone in the main roads. My first long distance driving was going to Pangasinan for a team retreat. That was a thrilling experience, learning how to maneuver along the curves, ups and downs of the high-ways. It wasn't easy. I forced myself to take the risk because of the need for my family and the people God called me to serve in the ministry. I remember those times when I was going to campus or any appointment, I would check first if the parking space in our apartment was not crowded with cars and if there were nobody parking close to the gate. I was hesitant to bother our neighbor, so I would decide to just commute, leaving my car behind. As I kept driving, I learned to love it and I keep learning even when emergencies arise. 

It has been 6 years already. Driving has been helping me spend time with God alone in my car, listening to a christian radio station 702 DZAS. Driving has been convenient for me to go to any appointments that would really save my time than commuting three times or more before I reach my place. It has been helping me and my loved ones go to places where we could relax and enjoy God's creation. As Greeny gets older, repairs come his way which means another budget to consider. For five years, its maintenance, should I say, was minimal. But just last year, there were series of repairs I had with Greeny that challenges me to tighten my belt. There came even a point wherein I thought of selling him and considering to buy a new one, but the budget doesn't permit. And as I weigh the situation, I resolved with God that I love this car and should He provide for the maintenance, I would love him to still serve my family and friends as long as he can. 

The latest adventure I had with Greeny was just last week. I was driving all the way to our office when I felt like he is heavy to drive and even when I put more pressure on the gas, he still moves slowly. The break is quite becoming hard too. So I stopped near the stop light, in a u-turn slot going UP from Ateneo. When I started the engine, it did not work. So I thought, "here we go again, Lord, please help me." I kept starting the engine, still nothing happened. I remained inside the car and just pressed the hazard sign. Ashamed, I just remained inside my car, so far I was calm, thinking and praying what to do. I called the towing but they were still in Makati and it will take an hour for them to help me and Greeny so I called my mechanic and he immediately responded to go to our location. I remember praying, "Lord, didn't I pray for your protection today? For my car to be okay? I did! Why are you allowing this to happen?" That was me in the middle of a stressful situation, having all those cars around me, changing lanes because of the scene that I created. After about 30 minutes of restarting the engine, it worked! Haha! I was happy to drive it until I reached the office. I called my mechanic to just see me at the office. 

In this journey with Greeny, I am so thankful to God. Indeed, He has been protecting me, my family and all those who ride with us. There were a lot of "what ifs" that entered my mind, but I see the hand of God in those situations. For 6 years, I see God's abiding presence! 

Thank God for Greeny. He is a great help as I (and my family) obey His command to "19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age." - Matthew 28:19-20. 

And like a psalmist, I continue to pray, "Rescue me from my enemies, O Lord ! I run to you for protection." -Psalms 143:9

A Journey on Parenting

It's been our prayer to be good parents to our kids as we desire to be good spouses as well.

As the bible says, "Train a child in the way that he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it." -Proverbs 22:6. We pray that this will
become a reality in our home.

We desire the best for them by being good examples in our walk with God, relating with one another and to others. We want them to experience God's unconditional love as we parent them, helping them walk through the path that leads to godly choices - as early as now and in the future. They are a delight to us and we want them to have good memories with our family and friends during these formative years and beyond. So when our daughter Dana turned 5 years old last Feb. 12, we had a simple, family surprise party in our bedroom. We prepared a "breakfast on bed" for her and her younger brother Ardi. We saw how elated she was with that simple gesture of love & celebration for another year of God's blessing for her life. We also took time to pray for her and Ardi. The celebration did not end there. A month prior to this, we invited some family relatives and friends to a pool birthday party on Feb. 15. Friends came and had fun swimming and playing games with Dana. Of course, Ardi had fun too.

These are our prayer points for Dana as she celebrates 5 years of God's Gift of life:

1. She will grow in fear & love of the Lord.

2. She will be an obedient daughter.

3. She will be a responsible filipino citizen.

4. She will be a woman of Wisdom, Integrity, Truth, Compassion for the lost.

5. She will grow healthy in all aspects of life.

Truly, we have the reason to celebrate life. Life that comes from
Him. Life that will give glory and honor to Him.