What Are You Most Thankful for this Year?

We had a small party in our Victory group to end the year and celebrate Christmas. I wanted to make our last meeting for this year quite different than usual so as part of this small celebration, we had an activity where we listed down three things that we are most thankful for this year and then we shared it to the group after.

It was fun to see that everyone enjoyed making their lists and they even did it very creatively. When it was sharing time, it was very encouraging to hear some of the things these girls are thankful for. Let me share to you some of it.

Fae wrote "Victory" on her #3 spot. This girl was introduced to me just this month because she needs to finish a 15-hour church work requirement in her Theology class.

She said that she felt the warmth of the crowd when she first attended Night LIFE and as a shy person that she is, she was surprised at herself for being able to comfortably share her heart to the people whom she just barely knew. And even on her first time in church, she made a decision to continue on attending even after she completes her requirements in her Theology class.

Bea is thankful for the church for helping her find strength. :) Blessed by this girl for always being excited and eager to attend Victory group.

Gaea is the only UP student in the group and we're blessed to have UP represented! :)

Aside from passing UPCAT and being a Dean's Lister on her first year in UP (bigatin! haha), Gaea is thankful for being part of a Victory group. This girl, when she misses a meeting, would ask either me or Brenda about the lesson/topic we tackled for that day. Blessed by her willingness to learn.

Christine, on the other hand, is the only Ateneo student in our group and we are thankful for having an Ateneo representative around. Hehe.

Christine wrote "Ateneo" on her list. Comes with being a student from Ateneo are other many simple things that she's thankful for. One would be being able to join a Victory group. ;)

Brenda is thankful for being part of a church. She said that it keeps her encouraged.

I'm blessed by this girl for her compassion and heart for the lost. She always tries to invite her friends and blockmates to come with her in our Victory group and I've seen lives touched because of her heart for the people to know Christ. It was her who brought/invited most of the girls in this group.

Nothing but privilege. It is a privilege to know these girls, to share my life to them, to see them gain new friends, to hear their stories, to learn from them, to see them grow in their love for Christ. And that's one of the things I am most thankful for this year.

Looking forward to share my 2011 with these pretty, smart and lovable ladies. In behalf of our Victory Group, MERRY CHRISTMAS AND A BLESSED NEW YEAR! :)

Victory Group 2010

(L-R) Christine, Gaea, Brenda, Bea, Fiona

Fae, Yna, Gwyneth, Camille, Eri

You? What are the things you most thankful for this year? :)

DAY 134 12.23.10 3:43pm

It's Their Problem, Not Mine!

Part of making disciples is counseling. When I started leading a small group, different girls with different issues have asked me for counsel. So much so that when I walk into Starbucks for any reason, my senses would always associate the aroma of coffee with serious talk or counseling time.

Oftentimes, their issues and concerns involve circumstances that I haven't experienced yet first hand. But of course, whey they come to you and ask for godly counsel, you wouldn't tell that person "Sorry, I haven't experienced that yet. Try to read your Bible and ask God nalang." No, we respond, we help them go through it, we make them realize, we ask questions, point them to the truth and pray for a repentant heart if it's causing them to sin.

When they come to us, their problems become our problems. What makes them awake at night, makes us awake too - sometimes even, we are the ones left with lesser sleep. And if you think about it, it's their problems and issues anyway, so why bother?

I don't know about you but I've already come to a point where I wanted to not bother, to live my own life, leave them alone and just watch them to struggle or to sin. Ahh, makes life easier. It's their problem anyway!

But this occured to me: if Jesus were in my shoe, that's probably not what He is going to do. Far off. "When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd." Matthew 9:36 says Jesus had compassion. I've learned that we should always choose to respond the way Jesus would.

And every time I want to get tired of helping people to deal with their sins or problems, I remind myself of the people who I also run to when I have problems, who have let me disturb them even during wee hours. Did they stop bothering to help me? No. Never.

Much more than that, God has never gotten tired of me and my problems. Jesus even went out of His comfort zone and die on the cross just so I - no, we - could be saved from sins. Talk about sacrifice and compassion.

Don't get tired. See people with compassion just like Jesus. Someday soon, you will see the fruit of your patience.

DAY 112 12.01.2010 8:33pm

Don't Just Pass it On

Second semester has begun and it's a bittersweet. This is going to be my last as a college student.

This semester I hope to shift my focus (ministry speaking) from leading small groups to training and empowering potential leaders; from overseeing Night LIFE to mentoring someone to oversee it. The time has come to pass it on to someone. The worst thing that I could do is let go of my small group or my job as a volunteer in Night LIFE right before graduation and entrust it to the people next in line unprepared.

Recently, I came across Maria Ressa's statement on leaving ABS-CBN as the chief of news and current affairs. Her contract expires in January of 2011 but she will no longer wait for January 2011 to leave, rather she chose to go on a terminal leave starting November 15. I loved her reason behind it, "It’s time for me to move on, but it’s important we transition properly and prepare our organization – and its new leader – for the challenges ahead."

As leaders, it is also our job to prepare the next leader. We don't have to wait until they take over and become leaders themselves to teach and mentor them what to do, we can actually start it as early as now. That's why it's called preparation in the first place. Preparation happens before, not during.

I hope and pray that I will be able to prepare the next leaders and encourage them NOT to be like me but rather to see them do greater than what I've done.

This semester is going to be exciting!

DAY 85 11.04.10 2:10am

Planting Seeds

I always believe that I wouldn't be where I am today if not for the people who have sowed seeds in my heart and took time to pray for me with or without my knowing.

One of my disciplers is Ate Ruby. She is my first small group leader and the one who shared One2One with me. I remember attending her small group before in Kalayaan Dorm in UP Diliman. I was in first year college then.

Being the only Miriam College student in that group, I am grateful that she chose to keep me and mentor me still. Knowing that someone didn't give up on me, took time and gave so much effort just so I would have a relationship with Jesus keeps me encouraged to do the same.

Just the other day, I asked her what encourages her to make disciples and to mentor people and why despite all the hardships, she still chooses to continue. She is so generous enough to give us some encouraging words. Read on and enjoy. :)

***

What happens when after long days, months and years of labors and hard work, not even a single sprout appeared? After all the love has been given, not a bit of it was returned? After all the hundreds of texts that have been sent, not a single reply was received? What happens?

It will always be encouraging to plant, to labor, to persevere and to continue whenever our eyes could see glimpse of the bud, the flower and the fruit of what we have invested.

But what happens now when the fig tree has not blossomed? The vines have no fruit? The olive failed to produce? The field yielded no food? The flock was cut from the fold? And the stall has no more herds?

Are we to give up loving? Are we to despise the people who rejected us? Or are we to stop believing and obeying the commandment He has given us, which is to go and make disciples?

Along the way of making disciples, there will be times when we will experience drought, when there seems no fruit in the land we are tilling. There will be times of rejection, when people will say no right before our face. And there will be times when the love that we have given will not be reciprocated. How did I know? Because not only have I seen it but I have experienced it first hand.

But never have I lose hope. Yes, a lot of times I almost have given up - give up on encouraging, give up on giving and loving but thank God who always reminds me that my labors are not in vain. Many times have I cried before God, cried because there is no fruit in the land, cried because a voice is telling me that all I have invested has gone to nothing. But right there and then, God would remind me of the lives He has allowed me to mentor before, lives who once have received the seed and were forever changed. Lives who once have accepted the seed, were filled and now are continuing the work of planting the same seed that has been planted in them. What a domino effect! Right there and then I am amazed. Amazed of how the seed has grown, how it withstood all the storms of life and how it is multiplying now. Right there and then I have resolved, though years of labors give no sight of fruit never will I give up, never will I stop reaching out.

I will continue to plant, I will persist on giving and loving for He has said my labors are not in vain. Time will come, when I will see all the fruits of what I have planted. My job is to plant and wait, it will be Jesus who will grow the seed. Once Jesus grows seeds, their leaves will not wither, nor their fruit will fail, but they will bear fresh fruit every month, because the water for them flows from the sanctuary of the Living God.

Our labors are never in vain, one seed, one soul at a time. We will never know how far that seed would go unless we start sowing the seeds of love God has once sowed in our hearts. We give because He has given all, we reach out because He initiated to reach out to us and we love because He first loved us.

How can we get weary and lose sight of the big picture if we would fix our very eyes on Jesus who first did all these things for us. Anyway this is about Him.

Ate Ruby and I during her visit in QC last April 2010

Rubyruth Marie Garobo is an Economics graduate in University of the Philippines Diliman and is now currently working in Palawan State University as a professor.

I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God made it grow. So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow. - 1 Corinthians 3:6-7

DAY 62 10.12.10 8:57pm

Why Reach Out to Your Campus?

The month of September has gone by like a whirlwind. It was during this month that the demands of my academics were at its peak. Each day was a tough fight that even finding time to sleep was a battle.

I'm sure you can relate.

Yet with all the demands that we get as students and with our busy schedules, why do some students still carve out time to do One2One, lead a Victory Group, share the Gospel or volunteer in a youth service? I guess the more important question would be, why do some students take time to reach out to their campus?

You've probably heard a lot from me already and for sure you'll hear more soon. So I thought it would be nice to hear from some of the students from the three major campuses in Quezon City.

So here it is, enjoy and be encouraged! :)


Steph Gabriel

A few months ago, if you ask me who am I and what do I do, I could answer in a heartbeat--I’m Stephanie Gabriel, libero for the Ateneo Women’s Volleyball Team. I have this clear definition of who I am, and it’s something that I really hold on to. I think everyone is like that. We always try to define who we are because apart from that identity, we think we can’t make sense of life. The problem is, because change is inevitable in this world, we keep holding on to an identity that is temporary. That is why people keep on searching. I, for one, have been searching. As I feel my own definition slip away, something in my heart seems to slowly come to clarity. Somewhere along the way, I wanted to say I have finally found it, but I know it has been there all along, waiting for acknowledgement. It’s an identity, and what makes all the difference is that it is constant.

I am Somebody’s creation. That alone already gives me a path. And every step I take, it is ever clearer. I have been a “Christian” all my life. I grew up in a Christian community, studied in a Christian school. But it never made sense to me until a few months back. I am basically new to this. But because it made so much sense, my heart overflows. I just have to tell someone. I have to reach out. Not because I need to, but because I could not contain it. For out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks. I know how it feels to be lost and constantly searching. But I also just came to know that there is rest. You can’t deny who you truly are. It will come out, no matter what. But why wait until you are weary? I guess it’s true that the more you know, the more you are responsible. But what amuses me is that because it’s Jesus, reaching out is not a matter of responsibility, but of love.

Stephanie Gabriel is a graduate from Ateneo de Manila University and currently taking up her Master's Degree at the Ateneo School of Business. She is the libero for the Ateneo Woman's Volleyball Team.

Patrick Diaz

Why reach out?

When you enter into a relationship with God, you will feel that it is something so wonderful you couldn't just keep it to yourself. When something good happens to you, you want to tell your friends about it. But when the best thing that could ever happen to you, happens to you, you COULDN'T NOT tell it to the world. A genuine relationship with God, and the countless perks that with it overflow: nothing could get better than that.

Knowing about the sacrifice of Jesus which is good for everyone but seeing that not everyone knows about it just pushes you to preach it to them. Being with your friends everyday and seeing them not sure of what or who they are living for, or from whom to draw comfort and strength when they need it, or where they will go after their life in this earth, you couldn't just sit back and relax and not tell them about Jesus.

Truth is, one doesn't get any material reward for doing this. In fact, reaching out and engaging people could cost you a lot of money, time, and energy. It requires you to get out of your comfort zone, get into many awkward moments of sharing the Word, feel people try to avoid you and think you are weird for what you do. But what keeps one encouraged and fired up is knowing that it is not him who saves the people but Jesus, and he is merely Jesus' instrument. This is also the reason why difficult and seemingly impossible cases become possible. Why Sauls could turn to Pauls. And why we could keep the faith even when people don't reply to our texts or attend our Victory groups.

"Jesus' instrument." I'm absolutely sure there's no title I would rather have than that. He loves me so much that He gave His life just so I could be with Him. There's nothing I could do for Him that would match up to what He did for me. So if the most that I could do in this life is to be His instrument, that's what I will do. Because I know that He loves us more than I could possibly imagine, I know it would please Him if I would live my life, trying to lead as many people to their faith in Him.

Also, it's a command from Him which we disciples don't have the option to just politely decline. He said it in His Word, along with a message that He will be with us.

Why the campus?

According to Pastor Manny Carlos, who is one of the founders of Victory QC, the campuses of Miriam, Ateneo and UP compose only about 2% of the college population of the Philippines, but almost all the leaders of this country come from these campuses. This makes the campuses a good and strategic starting point for discipling the nation. I also believe God put me in my campus not just so that I could have good education but also so that He could use me to shine His light here.

Patrick Diaz is a 1st year BS Civil Engineering student at the University of the Philippines, Diliman.


Meg Samelin

"Why do you reach out to your campus?", Fiona asked

I remained silent, letting myself drown into the feeling of being joyfully unexplainable. It was the feeling that topped my answer.

I am fond of calling my past as my "dark years" simply because I haven't seen the light yet, it was when I was lost in the dark because my life didn't have any direction.

After knowing my God, a new life was given to me, a brighter and better life.

Coming to know God did not happen in a blink of an eye, it was a journey Fiona and I started with God. I was in school when we started to talk about Him seriously, something I was not used to but I slowly fell in love with it.

After my life has been changed and I began to see myself as a daughter and follower of Christ, I knew right there and then that I should share what I've felt and the changes I've undergone but most importantly share about God who made it all possible to my fellow students.

I have witnessed and realized that many students strive hard to blend in with the ways and beliefs of the world that they are being led to nowhere, trying to be satisfied with what the world offers and looking for their purpose in life. Little do they know that apart from God we are nothing.

Purpose is known, meaning is given when we are one with Him.

Why do I reach out to my campus? Because God is worth knowing, His word is worth sharing.

Meg-Anne Samelin is a 4th year student in Miriam College taking up AB Communication.

DAY 59 10.09.10 3:30am

Back-to-back-to-back

Three significant events that took place the past few days...

August 27, Friday - Night LIFE

We've just entered a new season in Night LIFE as we are trying to incorporate new things in our youth event. Last Friday was the second time that we ended the word by singing a worship song and it was the first time that we were led by a full-band worship team. We sang the song "You Are God" and "You'll Come." God's presence was there. You see, praise and worship is something new to the students who attend our event so we're on that stage of trying figure out what will work best for them. At the end of the day, whatever format we may come up with, our goal still is to minister. So far, worshiping God after hearing the word works for Night LIFE.


We also invited Ptr. Joseph Bonifacio to speak an encouraging word for us last Friday. He talked about being thirsty for God. It was powerful. After the word, we had our usual "Coffee Talk." It has been a trend in Night LIFE where we don't just only listen to the word but we also take time to share among our groups what we learned. This is my personal favorite because it gives us an opportunity to check our hearts, to think and apply the lessons to our personal situations in life. This is the time where the word gets more personal.


August 28-29, Saturday and Sunday - Campus Victory Weekend


Three girls from Miriam College attended Victory Weekend last Saturday and Sunday. It was refreshing for me and life changing for the three girls. Seeing people die of their old self and living a new life in Christ never gets old. Indeed, if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed. I am excited to see what God can do in and through them. I am also blessed by their heart to reach out to their friends and classmates. I believe that God will use them to shake our campus and I am in faith that they will do greater things than what I've done when I was their age.


August 31, Tuesday - SJE's LSS: Life's Successes and Struggles Event


This is the second time that LifeBox was invited by a student organization to give a talk inside Miriam College. The first one was when David Bonifacio gave a talk on "Value" to Marketing students. This time, Joey Molina gave an inspirational talk to the Entrepreneur students. We didn't stop by just giving a talk but we also encouraged the students to continue on learning from each other by joining a Life Group or more popularly known to Miriam students as Chill. Around 170 students attended the event and a lot of them signed up for Chill. This is a major major breakthrough and I am believing that God will open more doors of opportunities.


These back-to-back-to-back events leave me with no words to express how great God is moving in my campus. He loves the youth so much, isn't He? And this is just but a tiny piece of the bigger picture. I believe as we continue to sow seeds in the hearts of the young generation, we will see a great harvest that will not only change our generation but will also make an impact even to the generation after us. Let us not stop preaching the Gospel and discipling the youth! :)

"Do not let anyone look down on you because you are YOUNG. But set an example to the believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith and in purity" - 1 Timothy 4:12 NIV

"Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up." - Galatians 6:9 NIV

DAY 20 08.31.10 11:28pm

I Doubted Meg

I remember the first time Meg attended Youth Service with me. It wasn't actually part of the initial plan but when she learned that some of my friends and I are attending Youth Service, she said she wanted to come too. I remember that day so vividly.

I didn't actually know or even expect that from that day on, a life will be transformed. I didn't invite her at first because I was reluctant that she might not like Youth Service. I didn't reach out to her because I was reluctant she might not be interested. I was reluctant because she seemed like the type who wouldn't bother listening to me when I talk about God. I was reluctant God might not move. But it was all a mistake. I doubted her. I doubted God.

It is a humbling experience to see how God can transform a person's life. It is a humbling experience to see Meg grow in her relationship with God. Every time I see her, I am being reminded that I cannot change a person's heart. Only God can. And that we shouldn't base who we should reach out to on the way people look, on their character, their situation, their problems or even their past because the truth is, no matter what our backgrounds look like, everyone needs God, everyone needs to know Jesus. He died on the cross not for good people or rich ones, but for sinners - meaning everyone of us. So we shouldn't exclude anyone.

Meg gave her life to Christ in that Youth Service. Today her life is a living testimony. She radically turned away from her old life, choosing not to defile herself and not to let the culture define her identity. She is a faithful Victory group leader. She has a heart to reach out to our campus. She is a great writer, an upcoming worship leader, a follower of Jesus, a woman after God's own heart. And as we graduate this school year, I know that she will leave a legacy in our campus.

We will never know what God can do in a person's life. I will be forever amazed.

"But God demonstrates His love for us in this: While we were still sinners Christ died for us." - Romans 5:8

DAY 15 08.26.10 2:29pm

Seeing Growth

One of the girls in my small group texted me this evening with questions about what she read in the book of Genesis. Yesterday she gladly told me that she finally was able to buy a new Bible.

Seeing a person with a heart and eagerness to know His word more is such a privilege. Nothing compares to the joy of seeing your disciple grow. It pays all the hard times. :) I was encouraged to continue on sowing seeds. Surely our labor in the Lord is not in vain (1 Corinthians 15:58).

"You know what? It is hard. Maybe this is why Paul encourages doing the "work" of evangelism. It is work, and a hard work at that. You put your heart out there. You offer grace and acceptance and love to people far from God. You make the phone calls. You extend the hand of friendship. You pick up the phone in the middle of the night. And at the end of the day, you just feel like you've been ripped to shreds. But somehow you hang in there, determined to keep sowing seed. Sure you may be a fool, but you're a special kind of fool. You're the fool who still believes that a tiny green sprout will one day rise up from the dirt.

Someday, friends, there comes a harvest. Someday there is a payoff. Someday sinners become saints. And between now and then, we get to keep spreading the message. We get to keep playing the roles we are meant to play. We get to keep planting seeds, trusting that God will bring the increase. Because in due time - oh, the increase that he brings!"

- Bill Hybels, Just Walk Across the Room

DAY 4 08.15.10 11:27pm

Day One

I will never be a student forever. This was the reality that hit me days ago. Sometimes I'm too consumed of the fact that I'm a student that it makes me feel like I'll be one forever. It's not that I don't anticipate graduation but isn't it that it's too surreal to think that come March I'll be then forever free from the trap of my uniform?

And so yeah, let's make my last two hundred and thirty one days of honoring God and making disciples as a student count starting now. :)

I'll hope you'll join me until the end of March. :D

"Don't let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith and in purity." - 1 Timothy 4:12

DAY 1 08.12.2010 10:49pm