Last Aug. 9, 2008, the St. Paul University Surigao had the first Graduate School Recollection (taking up my masters degree) held at the SPUS High School site. The recollection day was a blessing for me that weekend. I was supposed to conduct an orientation for our new employees at work that day but thanks to God, it was rescheduled.

Days before the recollection I was feeling all so tired, crying my heart out…so many schedules ahead of me, so many surprised responsibilities, both work and community... I was about to explode.I wanted to fly out of Surigao….I really needed a break. Indeed, I was given a break, though I wasn’t able to fly out of Surigao but God allowed me to have time with Him that Saturday. I was able to listen to talks given by the Sisters, spent Holy Hour, had a good confession and attended Mass. A great vacation indeed!

Here’s a share of my one day vacation with God… “Building One’s Prayer Life”

On Prayer

Our very goal why we pray is that we want to get closer to God, to pray unceasingly, every moment of our lives.

Prayer is not a matter of intelligence.

Do experience feelings of emptiness, frustrations or loss of direction in life?

Do you hunger for a greater sense of the Lord’s presence in your life?

Do you desire to know God in a deeper way?

-How much do we love God?

-Is God first in our priorities?

-Will you compromise? “If one Sunday, you were on your way to Church…then suddenly a man comes up to you and tells you “I will give you here 1 million pesos, just don’t go to mass today.”

Do you want to serve Him better and more completely but don’t feel you have time, energy, and opportunity?

Do you need more time with Him in prayer?

Preparation for a degree (taking up masters, doctorate, etc.) is plain vain empty without God in it. We must always consult God’s will for us.

God wants you to long for His presence. Let us not settle for what’s temporary.

He wants you to find fulfillment in Him and nothing else. What for you is the source of fulfillment in life?

-We must distinguish want and need.

-So many wants and “created needs” will never satisfy us anything.

He wants us to walk closely with Him.

He wants you to increase in faith and acknowledge His word.

He wants you to put all your hopes and dreams in His hands and look to Him all your needs.

When you do, He will open the storehouse of blessings upon your life.

Pray- “pecori” Latin

“to entreat or ask”

it simply means “please”

The true essence of prayer is focusing on God with a pure and repentant heart. We need to touch God with our hearts by becoming so preoccupied with Him and nothing else.

Prayer is an art which only the Holy Spirit can teach us. Pray for prayer. Pray until you can really pray. Prayer is a gift. “A lot of kneeling will keep you in good standing.”

Prayer may not change things for you, but it sure changes your perspective towards things.

Conversion is a matter of grace.

You cannot change any one. Not necessarily anything will change, instead you will be graced to understand and you will be given a deeper understanding that will allow you to change your perspective.

Reflect on the event, what have you done to have contributed to that event, why it happened in the first place?

It is very destructive or harmful when you know not how to forgive.

Why do we pray?

Prayer is a holy occupation.

The job of every Christian is to pray:

• duty and privilege
• right and responsibility
• leads us to onesness with God
• not a routine exercise
• pray always: in good time and in bad times
• pray about anything and everything

What are our motives in praying?

• to get blessings and favors
• pass on my problems to God
• last resort in times of trouble
• to get God do things my way or to get me do things His way

- God answers: NO, YES or WAIT

- NO: When it will not be good for our salvation. Let’s not dictate God because there’s so much wisdom in God’s decisions.

• Conversion and transformation
• Love of God (the noblest prayer concern)- praying without conditions
• Build intimacy with God

Prayer is a relationship between God and you. We cannot build relationship with someone we do not like.

Prayer is an act of faith.

Talking to God and listening to Him when He speaks.

HOW TO PRAY

• No hard and fast rules of prayer
• No technical procedure to follow
• Focus on your gaze and attention on God loving you
• Handle distractions properly
• Feel the air as if it is the touch of God and breathe the air of God.
• Put yourself in the Holy presence of God

2 MISTAKES WE OFTEN MAKE

* Not pray at all for whatever reasons

* To merely repeat the words if a prayer without thought or feeling, so it’s essentially the same mistake of not praying at all.

Pray following the leading of the Holy Spirit from your innermost heart. The Holy Spirit will intercede on our behalf. (Romans 8:26-27)

We will feel spontaneous lightness, fire within (strong desire)

ATTITUDES AND DISPOSITION IN PRAYER

- openness

- reverence

- patience

- humility

- surrender

Have faith and trust that you’ll eventually be able to discern that whisper from God.

It is not religion that will determine if we go to heaven…..it is our faith.

1. Pray

2. Go to bed on time.

3. Get up on time so you can start the day unrushed.

4. Say No, to projects that won't fit into your time schedule, or that will compromise your mental health.

5. Delegate tasks to capable others.

6. Simplify and unclutter your life.

7. Less is more. (Although one is often not enough, two are often too many.)

8. Allow extra time to do things and to get to places.

9. Pace yourself. Spread out big changes and difficult projects over time; don't lump the hard things all together.

10. Take one day at a time.

11. Separate worries from concerns. If a situation is a concern, find out what God would have you to do and let go of the anxiety. If you can't do anything about a situation, forget it.

12. Live within your budget; don't use credit cards for ordinary purchases.

13. Have backups; an extra car key in your wallet, an extra house key buried in the garden, extra stamps, etc.,

14. K.M.S. (Keep Mouth Shut). This single piece of advice can prevent an enormous amount of trouble.

15. Do something for the Kid in You everyday.

16. Carry a Bible with you to read while waiting in line.

17. Get enough exercise.

18. Eat right.

19. Get organized so everything has its place.

20. While driving, listen to a tape that can help improve your quality of life.

21. Write thoughts and inspirations down.

22. Every day, find time to be alone.

23. Having problems? Talk to God on the spot. Try to nip small problems in the bud. Don't wait until it's time to go to bed to try and pray.

24. Make friends with Godly people.

25. Keep a folder of favorite scriptures on hand.

26. Remember that the shortest bridge between despair and hope is often a good "Thank you, Jesus!"

27. Laugh.

28. Laugh some more!

29. Take your work seriously, but yourself not at all.

30. Develop a forgiving attitude (most people are doing the best they can).

31. Be kind to unkind people (they probably need it the most).

32. Sit on your ego.

33. Talk less; listen more.

34. Slow down.

35. Remind yourself that you are not the general manager of the universe.

36. Every night before bed, think of one thing you're grateful for that you've never been grateful for before.

GOD HAS A WAY OF TURNING THINGS AROUND FOR YOU.

"If God is for us, who can be against us?" (Romans 8:31)

Have A Blessed Day Every Day SFC!

> I was so in a hurry to grow up back then…now there’s no turning back.

> I never always get what I wanted but I made sure I get what I want which sometimes resulted to my frustrations.

> It doesn’t matter how good you look together as a couple or how handsome/pretty your partner is, physical features have nothing to do with how well you'll get along if your values and discipline don’t match.

> On moments of decision>>Everything’s a choice….God will eventually just bless the choices you’ve made.

> It’s not healthy to have ‘self-pity’ sessions…..It’ll suck out half of your confidence.

> Our health is our wealth. It’s our stepping stone to fulfill our plans. So eat right, sleep right and exercise right.

> Beauty comes from within. It’s not what type of soap you use on your face or what things you apply on that will make you beautiful…it’s deeper than that. “Beauty only gets attention, but personality captures the heart.”

> Feelings can be deceiving….so jumping to conclusions can be very harmful to the heart.

> Don’t limit yourself to someone or something when you know you still can’t handle it.

> I shouldn’t try to impress someone just for them to like me, because when I do, I will have to keep that image for the rest of my life and it’s hard to pretend to be somebody else.

> I may not be that close to perfection like other people do, but who cares? It’s not them whom I live for anyway.

> It’s important that I know and love myself and I know how I look like inside and out and that I’m worth it in God’s eyes…This is me.. “If you can’t handle my worst, then you don’t deserve my best.”

> It’s nice that sometimes we think of things in other perspective…it gives us a chance to check on things….at least it only shows our weakness and makes us realize the human being inside us. It touches our humility and vulnerability.

> No one can make you change; only you alone can. It’s a CHOICE paired with CONVICTION.

> Sometimes we get judged by our friends – it will hurt – but then we judge too. It’s a difference of situation sometimes, opinions or experience even. What matters is in the end you’ll still be there for each other.

> One day I'll quit my job, get fired or whatever.... I just know it will be ok in the end because I have my God.

Things I’ve learned on staying motivated and sticking to my goal:

BE DEDICATED: If you really want to do something, you’ll need to be really dedicated in obtaining it.

FIND A ROLE MODEL TO INSPIRE YOU: “If she/he can do it, so can I!”

LOVE YOURSELF FIRST!: When it comes to relationships, think of yourself first.

BE OPEN: Be adventurous, try new things. Don’t limit yourself or your life to one person. Explore opportunities and be inspired.

DO WHAT FEELS RIGHT.: If you feel like wearing something, wear it. Don’t be self conscious. Make the effort to be super beautiful because you’ll never know who you might meet when you step out.

PRAY: At all times! Even when the event is not so religiously related...pray....even a simple taebo session needs to start with a prayer...hehe...

A TIME TO WAIT (June 18, 2008)

Woke up this morning well modulated…after a night’s first taebo session at home. Thanks to BabySan…Hahaha…It’s been quite a long time since I last exercised. It helped, I was able to sleep well, and woke up earlier this time.

What’s more great is the In His Steps readings for the day more specifically the sharing title “A Time to Wait”…Wala lang…I got struck with the guide question “Are you in the season of waiting? How are you handling the wait?” Striking because I’m currently single and available? Hehehe…I really pondered on the question. I decided to answer it later on after I finished my prayer time.

So, let me blog out my sentiments then. Hmmm…Hehe…Am I in the season of waiting? Yes I am. It’s been a long time since I was last single. I honestly asked God for this time to come. It’s not that I don’t want to be in a relationship…I guess I just got tired of the fast turnover rate? Hehehe….Yup, having brought up in a semi-liberated place, I was very much exposed to early dating, early relationships, early maturity, break ups here and there…etc.etc.etc. Which resulted to early motherhood? Haha…But no regrets! It’s never too late… It taught me to be patient (a virtue I never had before? Hehe). Why do I say so? Maybe because before I was so much in a hurry to grow up….I honor those peeps who wear the slogan “NBSB” (No Boyfriend Since Birth)…Well, motherhood requires a lot of patience believe me. Hehe…Also, I learned to be more loving and forgiving (It’s not easy to forgive an ex (or exes to be exact?) who cheated on you just like that but been there, done that! hehe).

So how am I handling the wait? So far, so good! One year na akong single…yehay! and still waiting…hehe…It’s really an achievement. Kung alam nyo lang. Hehe..It’s not that hard naman pala…It’s alright that walang magsasabi sayo na “I love you” or “I miss you” or “Kumain ka na ba?” It’s alright na walang magsusundo sayo after work, or invite you to dinner for a nice chat. It’s alright na wala kang kapartner when everyone else has…I have my friends! Mas masaya…LOL.

I learned it’s alright to be alone sometimes. I learned that being single gives you opportunities to explore yourself more, to get to know other people more (esp. probable prospects?haha), to widen your perspectives and to prepare yourself for the one God has prepared for you. But how would I know that he’s the one God has prepared for me? Well, one thing’s for sure, it’s gunna be a long, discerning, head cracking, heart aching, prayerful experience….but it will all be summed up to one thing- THE CHOICE.

For now, I’m happy with my choice. Though it can be nerve-breaking sometimes (sa daming nanglilgaw….modesty aside…ahem…hehe…sino ba talaga Lord?LOL) Basta, remember the NON-NEGOTIABLE girls? Hehehe…. Let’s enjoy our Season of Waiting singles! True Love Waits!!! Yeah!

“God will surely come to those who wait for Him in faith.”