Desperate for a Christian friend

Yesterday, my youngest sister, Jen, was filing me in on her recent trip to Baguio (yes, her first time!) 

Invariably, the topic changed to God about how He has been so generous with us. We never tire of discussing happily how we have been playing church all our lives until God finally got our attention, our real attention.  


It was just me two years ago but God is so awesome to keep to yourself so I began to engage this young sissie of mine and lifted her up to God especially during our church's 7 days of prayer and fasting.  And now she's growing deeper in Christ. 


I looked at how I discipled her and thought to myself, it would be hard for our ate who lives abroad to hear too about this Jesus that saves and transforms lives since I am far from her. 


But of course I was looking at it the wrong way.  It's not me who will change my ate. It's God. I am only tasked to push against the rock, but only God can move it. 


I didn't realize that right away but I kept praying for her anyway. My specific prayer was that God would send Christian friends to my ate and to her husband who lives in Europe so that both of them would be encouraged to pursue God... that somehow having Christian friends they would be exposed to a lifestyle where there is a God and He is active even in the most mundane detail in their lives.


More than a year later, I never heard any excited news from my ate about meeting Christian friends.  There's a flat mate and a staffer at her work but neither was introducing Jesus to her. And I want a Christian friend for her!  I have been growing deeper in Christ through my small group that's why I was adamant in my prayer that ate will find one too.


In January of this year, I BBM'd my ate to join the annual prayer and fasting. I didn't expect her to agree but she did.  At the end of the 7-Day Fasting, my ate inundated my blackberry with messages about how amazing God is. Anyone can easily say how amazing God is especially if there's an answered prayer but then often it's the answered prayer that's amazing and not God. 


But when my ate sent a long message about how awesome Jesus is to take our sins and put them on Himself and take off His righteousness and put it on us, now that's the encounter!  It didn't sink in right away but when it did I found myself down on my knees in worship. What did?


Well, if you were reading the entire blog you would've noticed that what I specifically asked was for God to send Christian friends to my sissie so that she will hear about this Jesus.


Guess what? God didn't.  He didn't send even one Christian friend.




Because He sent Himself instead. 






Sooo amazing!!! 






Jesus is indeed in the business of healing lives, opening eyes and revealing Himself--the Only exceeding joy.

A letter to Sheloi, my new friend. My broken, new friend.

Hi, Sheloi.

Thank you for your message.

I want to make a point, Sheloi. But first I want to show you some pictures. I am so excited about these sculptures that I want to share it with you! Come, see!

Beautiful, aren't they? There are more in the website of its sculptor: http://www.kylochua.asia/


Check out that site when you have time. That guy sure have a way with clay. He's such an awesome sculptor!



Anyway...


"Pathetic and broken hearted ex girlfriend, ugly and a loser"


Those are the words you used to describe yourself in your message to me.  Sure, maybe other people would agree with your chosen adjectives. They would look at you and feel "awa."  Or they would shake their heads at you.  But when you walked down the street to Coffeebean where jhapi and I were waiting for you, when you poured out all the tears and hurts in your heart, I couldn't find the pathetic and broken-hearted ugly and a loser ex-girlfriend. I just couldn't find it. 

What I saw in you instead is this:

A lump of clay.

A lump of clay who feels lied to, used and then thrown away. A lump of clay trampled by the thief whose aim is to steal the life in you.  You are being victimized right now as I type this.  Yes, there's that kind of thief. That thief is not a fiction. It's real.

You don't believe me? God said it Himself. Look,

"The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy."

- John 10:10

I believe the devil is not done with you yet. He's probably still furiously making plans to destroy you. First, to torture you with memories. Then fill you with lies that you were never good enough--that you are replaceable by a prettier girl and that no one will ever pick up that used up rag doll. Anymore. Ever.  Then the devil will fill you with anger and bitterness and hopelessness. Until you will be what the devil plans you to be: 

Stolen from.

Killed. 

And destroyed. 

God said it Himself that that's what the devil intends to do.  But the good news is His word didn't end there. Want to hear the rest of His word in that verse? You probably already know it, but c'mon! I've read it too many times and yet I want to read it over and over again because it tasted so sweet in the soul.  Here it goes,

"...I came so they can have real and eternal life, more and better life than they ever dreamed of."

John 10:10, The Message

That's Jesus talking!!! 

So take heart, Sheloi.  Sure, the devil was allowed to go this far to hurt you but only because Jesus knows what He's about to do next in your life. 

See, the word 'NEXT'? I highlighted, "bolded" and underlined it. There's too much promise in that word that I couldn't emphasize it enough!

Aren't you excited, Lump Of Clay???

Yes, you are the lump of clay. 

So, Ms. Lump of Clay, I want you to meet this Potter. This Potter who is more involved in your life than anyone else. This Potter who knew you even before He created you. This Potter who loves you more than you can possibly ever understand.  

Soar, sheloi!!! God wants you to soar. He doesn't want you imprisoned and shackled. 

He wants you free!

The devil tried to destroy you but you know what? No matter how the devil tries to destroy you, know this...even better write this truth in your heart: the lump of clay is in the Master's hands. Firmly in the Master's hands.

God sees you right now the way a potter sees a lump of clay. He is filled with numerous thoughts about you and is probably excited right now to mold you again, more beautiful than ever before and then fill you with life.

I hope to see you again in the future, my new friend. Because I, too, am very excited to see what God is about to do in your life! :) 

All the best, Sheloi! 

And oh, remember the pictures of the beautiful sculptures in the beginning of this blog?

I told you, I was trying to make a point. (Wink!)

P.S.


Imagine God singing this to you. ♥♥♥


Fly by Julianne


♫♪ Oh my if you could only see what I see
see a man full of endless possilibilty...


I wanna see you fly
Don't let anybody else or anything clip your wings
Just soar
Created to be great, you were made for something more...


I want you to be bold
I want you to be strong
and conquer, conquer


If you could only see yourself through My eyes
I see a man who's loved and worth every sacrifice


The promise land is just around the bend
let the wind take your wings and bring you home ♫♪


(Deut 31:6, Eph 2:10)

Something wonderful, so so wonderful happened!

Ever felt like something wonderful happened, so wonderful, you're wondering why everyone else didn't stop from doing their day-to-day routines? That's what I felt kanina. 

Today, I took one step of faith.  Oh, don't be bored. Read on. The story was so shameful, so terrible, so appalling, so revolting. (Like that won't get your attention, hehe.)  But don't forget, in Christ, all stories are victorious!

I finally spoke to pastor Dennis today about that story in the past which most of my soul sisters know. Instead of my heart pounding to relive the past, the terrible past, it was my head pounding... clearly the enemy does not like God's plans, plans to free me. So as usual the enemy gave its 100% to sabotage this day. First, the confusion on the time to meet. Second, my headache.

But the Holy Spirit was upon us. Pastor Dennis and I were able to make the meeting and everything we discussed went straight to my heart. 

So much for introduction hehe. I just woke up lang kasi today at 5pm. The lyrics I posted below was singing in my head as I opened my eyes a few minutes ago (I posted the video on my wall). I just can't contain the excitement so I wanna tell you guys na kagad. 

Kanina as I talked with pastor, while my head was pounding, my heart was jumping naman from one emotion to another: humbled, confident, I cried, I laughed, I was afraid (as Pastor made me realize the gravity of that past), then I was unafraid (as Pastor reminded me of God's word that in Christ Jesus there's no condemnation), I am happy, I am inspired, I am forgiven, I AM FREE!!!

Ohmygosh. Three biggies in this time of my life: one SUPER BIGGIE down! My heart is so so so shouting, "my God absolutely deserves to be praised!!!"

I can't wait for God as He brings one plan after another into completion. 

I can't can't can't can't can't contain these praises for God in my heart!!!

I am so excited to share it with you guys!!! 

The complete story though is too good for a facebook note. God is so glorified in this story that I don't want to use a simple facebook note. So I am going to meet you all and tell it to you personally. 

When I woke up kanina, this lyrics was ringing in my head, out of nowhere it was ringing in my head:

Through You the battle's won

Through You I'm not afraid

Through You the price is paid

Through You there's victory

Because of you my heart sings I AM FREE YES I AM FREE

I am free to run

I am free to dance

I am free to LIVE FOR YOU

I AM FREE!!!

See you guys soon! I'll see you all to tell you the story.