Plano ko o Plano ni Lord?

May mga bagay tayong ipinapanalangin at hinihingi na ibigay sa atin ng Diyos. Madalas kapag nagiging hobby na ang paghingi sa Diyos ay napapalitan ang pangalan nya mula sa PANGINOON sa PENGENOON. Sa tuwing humihingi ako ng pabor mula sa Tatay ko sa langit, lagi kong sinasabi itong mga salitang ito, "kung will mo po ito sa akin". Maingat ako na wag maging tagahingi lang, pero taga sunod din ng nais ng Diyos sa buhay ko.

Pero ano ang masasabi mo sa larawan na ito:

Para sa akin, ang nais iparating nito ay may karapatan kang humiling sa Panginoon at sabay na maniwala sa plano at mga pangako Niya sa buhay mo. Nais ng Lord na maging prosperous ka, hindi habang buhay na maghirap. Kaya nanalangin ka para magka trabaho. Hindi naman madamot si Lord e, ibibigay nya talaga ito sa iyo.

Nitong nakaraang buwan, humingi ng tulong ang Daddy ko sa akin. Kung pwede daw ba akong magtrabaho para matulungan sila ni Mommy sa mga gastusin sa bahay at para masuportahan ko na din ang pangangailangan ko. Syempre, kanino pa ba ako tatakbo para humingi ng tulong, edi kay Lord!

Nag try akong mag apply sa iba't ibang company, yung ibang ni-reject ako at yung iba tinanggihan ko. (choosy e!)

Hinahanap ko yung "will" ng Diyos na trabaho para sa akin. Yung tatanggapin ako sa kabila ng nais kong magpatuloy sa pag-aaral at yung may medyo mataas na compensation. Ilang gabi ko itong idinulog sa Panginoon, gusto kong maging assured na yun nga ang will Nya para sa akin.

Makalipas ang ilang araw buhat ng manalangin ako, may isang Manpower agency ang nag train sa akin for free para mai-refer ako sa mga call center companies na associated nila. So matapos ang ilang araw ng training, pinag-apply nila ako sa teleperformance.

During the first day, I was praying that if its God's will for me, makakapasa ako. Alam ko ang risk sa industry na ito, aware din ako sa mga bad views sa call center. Lapitin kasi ito ng mga vices. Habang naghihintay ako ng resulta ng exam ko, may nakausap akong lalaki na dati nang call center agent. Sinabi ko na Comm Research ang course ko at tinanong ko sya kung ano yung dahilan ng paninigarilyo at madaming vices (e.i, alcohol, drugs, caffeine, etc) ng mga call center agents. Isa ang malinaw na nakita kong sagot niya, "PEER PRESSURE". Dati syang nurse at nag shift ng career dahil sa walang pera sa pagiging nurse, puro kawang gawa nalang daw. Sabi nya, hindi naman daw sya naninigarilyo before, pero dahil sa mga kasama nya natuto sya. Ang argument nya ay "15mins lang ang break nyo, ano naman ang magagawa mo sa 15 mins kundi mag yosi at mag kape. Yan talaga ang ka-partner ng mga call center agents!" Naisip ko tuloy, "Am I in the right place Lord?"

Pagkatapos kong pagbulay-bulayan ang sagot ni Kuya, naisip kong malaki ang epekto ng "PEERS". Sa call center, malakas ang "influence". Then, naalala ko ang litratong ito: 

Maaring nais ng Diyos na magsilbi akong LIWANAG sa lugar na ito. Hindi malabong kumilos ang Diyos sa mga taong nalululon sa kape, sigarilyo at alak. God wants to infiltrate the darkness, kaya kelangan nyang mag deploy ng LIGHT AGENTS sa darkness!

Naisip ko yan bago ako ma-cut off. Ang sabi sa akin, come back tomorrow for final interview. Bigla akong napaisip..... gusto mo po ba akong mag work sa call center Lord?

Then the next day came (which is today)

Matagal akong naghintay sa lobby para matawag ang pangalan ko, nung tinawag ako nagtanong yung interviewer ng mga basic questions for employment. Kabado at tense na tense ako. Ayaw ko din kasing umuwi ng luhaan, patay ako sa nanay ko ang laki na ng nagagastos ko sa pamasahe. After ng maikling question and answer portion, nag exam akong muli pagkatapos 'nun tinawag muli ang pangalan ko at sinabing "PLEASE BE HERE BY 2:30 pm FOR THE JOB OFFERING"

Mabilis pa sa kidlat ang ngiti sa labi ko, umabot nga ata hanggang bunbunan ang ngiti ko. Grabe tong favor ng Diyos, makakapag-aral ako this sem (self supporting ay hindi pala, supported pala ako ni Lord) habang nagta-trabaho (may mission din akong i-win ang mga officemates ko) at makakatulong ako financially sa bahay natin!

Kaya wag mong kwestunin ang mga nangyayari sa iyong buhay ngayon, panget man yan o maganda kasi may DIVINE PLAN si Lord sa iyo. Kulitan mo ang pananalangin at pakikipag usap kay Lord, pramis sumasagot sya!! God bless your aspirations, present and your future! God loves you so much! :)

Wanted: Generous

How generous are you?


In my prayer, I asked the Lord about the double "G": generosity and giving, because I'm having trouble with this area. He knows that my last week's offering was the last bill in my purse, so I told God today that I only have some coins left which means that might be the amount I'll be giving tomorrow.

After that prayer, I opened the Bible in 2 Corinthians 8 and surprisingly, the first 15 verses speaks about generosity! (What a perfect timing!) I read the whole text about generosity and  focused on two verses which suits my situation.

"Out of the most severe trial, their overflowing joy and their extreme poverty welled up in rich generosity" - 2 Corinthians 8:2 

I am actually waiting on God's blessings, because I gave last Sunday and I am holding on His promises I expected that right away I'll be blessed materially. But, something strikes my heart and as if I did something wrong. Suddenly, a question puffs up like a mushroom.

What was really your intention when you put the envelop inside the basket? Were you blessing the Lord because you are expecting something in return? Or were you giving because that is an ACT of your LOVE to God?

An atomic bomb explodes in my heart and formed in an image of mushroom. (OUCH!)
I was selfish. I was not generous, but self-centered. Even I feel like I want to quit reading, God told me to go on.

Paul was referring to the generosity of the Macedonian Churches. Paul was appealing to the Church of Corinthians to take their generosity as an example. The Generosity of the Macedonian Church was out of:

1. Most severe trial.

The word "most" is superlative, which means superiority or highest and the word "severe" means extremely bad or unpleasant; incurable, and lastly the word trial means "act of testing".

Let's think of the most doomed situation in life, poverty, starvation, slavery, natural calamities, economic fluctuation and more. The people in Macedonia (even if my examples were exaggerated) were able to give generously despite of their "most severe trial".

The most in need people are mostly generous. They give not because they have plenty but because they know what it feels to have nothing. So since, this is an act of testing we should give more in times of we have less.


2. Overflowing Joy.

You must be thinking that this people might have gone crazy! Who would be able to have OVERFLOWING JOY in times of pain and hardships?

Actually aside from the Macedonian Church, I know another one. It is the Filipinos. They smile and laugh despite of calamities and hardships in life, not because they are used to it but because they don't focus on the circumstances, they are hopeful. So every time a typhoon will hit their country, they are ready to be waterproof.

The church must be overflowing with joy in times of trials because once more they will able to witness God's miracle and power. So each time you will experience hardships, close your eyes, lift your head and smile on the Big Guy above and say "Bro! Kaw po bahala sa akin ah!"


3. Extreme Poverty.

WHAAAAAAT?!!

Could somebody be generous out of poverty? BIG YES!
This people were not really normal from you expect to see in others. People may think you're crazy because you act not fittingly in their world, but let me remind you this: You may be in this world, but you don't belong here because you are a child of God.

God's child can always be generous despite of severe trials and poverty. Why? Because their father owns everything. Generosity is not always based on material things and money. It is boundless and in every way they could express and give it.


So how are they doing it? How did this people we're able to give generosity and have overflowing joy regardless of these factors?

Here is the answer:

"And now brothers we want you to know about the GRACE that God has given the Macedonian Churches." -2 Corinthians 8:1

The answer is just above the verse we focused on. Same thing, the answer is the Big Guy above. His never ending grace will enable us to be generous. His grace is the inner force that drives the Macedonian Churches to do crazy things for his Glory. So are you ready to be driven by His grace to be generous?

God bless your pocket and wallet! Hehehehe! Let's be generous! :)