Unsinkable

I think we're all familiar with a vessel named RMS Titanic, a passenger liner that struck an iceberg on her maiden voyage from Southampton, England to New York City and sank on April 15, 1912. A total of 1,517 lives were lost that day.

The RMS Titanic was the largest passenger steamship in the world and carried 2,223 people on her first and last journey. Enormous pride was put into building the ship, and experienced engineers used some of the most up-to-date technology and safety features available that time. The great ship was thought to be unsinkable, yet four days into her crossing, she went down...

Enviously Inspiring - by Johanna Tacus

“And I saw that all toil and all achievement spring from one person’s envy of another. This too is meaningless, a chasing after the wind.” -- Ecclesiastes 4:4

When I read this verse, I reflected on my goals and on the general direction of my life. Did I truly want to achieve these things, or was it because I saw someone else do it, and then I wanted to do it too? Which desires can I point out as my own, and which ones were there just because I envied someone else?

For Jesus had Bad Days too

A few hours ago from writing this, I found myself indulging in memories of past hurts and wrongs done to me and so accused God of being unfair. I began questioning why He allowed such things to happen and became impatient as to the rate of my purpose's revelation. I would have gone on and on about it when I remembered something Nick Vujicic said, that “There is a greater purpose for each and every storm in our lives.”

How could I have so easily forgotten when I even wrote about it on a recent post? I soon felt calmness spread through me and asked God to forgive my recent drama - It was a bad case of self pity.

It is Not What God Has Given Us: An Article Inspired by Nick Vujicic

If God gave you a glass filled halfway with water. Would you describe it as half full or half empty? Would you constantly complain that God never gives you more, or would you be thankful for having enough and constantly trust Him to give you your fill?

Jaeson Ma Spruces Up God's Message of Love

With all the garbage the media feeds us. It's refreshing to hear a song that brings us back to the basics and foundations of LOVE.

Inspiring?

Jaeson Ma, the artist behind the song Love, has an equally inspiring story about his transformation...

Jaeson Ma came from a broken home and spent his teenage years in San Jose, California. He did everything that was out there on the streets. Whether it was drugs, partying or fighting.

And although he hasn't completely brushed off Jesus that time, his game plan was to party hard first, then give his life back to Jesus when he gets old... Like ninety nine old! Church for him was a set of rules and rituals, and he wasn't that interested because of all the don't do thats, which he felt would restrict him from being himself.

By the time Jaeson Ma was in high school, he was dealing a lot of drugs and got arrested on several occasions. Yet he was still able to land a good job at a clothing store selling Armani and Valentino suits, where he was in charge of the inventory.

He would then, steal the suits and sell them... And although he made good money with the drugs and the suits, he still felt empty inside.

His lucrative business came to an abrupt halt when the police showed up at his house one day, with a warrant for his arrest.

Before facing the police, Jason Ma had a word with his mother. He asked, “What do you think Jesus would do?”

His mother sighed silently and said, “You know, Jaeson, Jesus would probably turn himself in, to get rid of the sin, so he could start his life over again.”

Those words convicted him. He decided to get things right with God right then and there. Even if he had to go to jail. He decided to turn his life around to Jesus.

He repented, asked for forgiveness from Jesus and his mother, and turned himself in. He also brought with him, all the suits he had left, and turned them over as well.

Over the next six months, with several court appearances, the judge was amazed at Jaeson Ma's honesty and evident change of heart, so he was set free.

As a free man, he diligently sought out God.

He also worked hard to earn a college degree in Business and in Theology.

Now, Jaeson Ma ministers to colleges in over 20 campuses, his family was restored, and he believes in the power of a praying mom.

In his own words, he said, “If you wanna have passion for Jesus, you have ta study His passion for you... How much He loves you, how much He suffered and died for you.”

God really has something beautiful in store for each one of us, no matter how bad our present may be, or no matter how undeserving we think we are.

God bless!

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For more of Jaeson Ma videos, links and bio, you may visit his official website at: http://jaesonma.com/ - I would like to thank my wonderful friend, Candy Gan, for sharing with me this awesome link.

For reference to this article, I used the video on this link.

The Path Back Home - A Christian Testimony

My journey back to the Christian faith was like taking a wrong turn during the rush hour in Manila traffic. It took forever to make a u-turn (or left or right for that matter). And, being the manly driver that I was, I hate to stop and ask for directions. I even ignored the turn signs and kept going straight. Hoping that I'll get to somewhere eventually.

You see, It was around my fourth year in St. Stephen's High School when I decided to become a Christian. But back then, it was purely for friendship and fun. I never really had a personal relationship with the Lord. And it was only a matter of time before I got tired of the faith, and began looking for other means of fulfillment.

Also, what discouraged me most from going to church then, was hearing about politics among Christians in the church, and seeing an elder Christian deliberately encouraging my friend to lie to her parents just so she can be with us. Now, I don't want to be self righteous, because I've had my own share of successful escape missions from parents. But for me, if I can't be discouraged from doing what I am already doing wrong, then what's the point of staying?

It was during the next few years after that, when I became good at being bad. And by that, I mean doing bad and insensitive things. I played around and didn't care if I've hurt anyone's feelings. There was a tiny sense of guilt after each encounter, but I soon learned to ignore it. I was also good at cleaning up the evidence, so I didn't get caught... Well, not until one of my sisters spies on my cellphone and gets to read a surprising little message that I haven't deleted yet, that is. But that's invalid evidence because of the illegal nature of it's acquisition. Hahaha!

I also looked for other faiths in other churches (or temples to put it more correctly). They were attempts to put direction into my life. Because no matter what I did, whatever endeavor I took, I always ended back in square one. Honestly, I don't really believe in tiyanaks1, but I felt like natiyatiyanak ako!2 I was going in circles!

I can honestly say that it sucked to be me that time. I was inviting all the wrong people, and all the wrong circumstances into my life.

It was during a “non-denominational” service as part of a business seminar agenda around 2007 when God called me back. The “non-denominational” service turned out to be a Christian service, and the speaker's message was about God calling out to His children to come back.

I don't know why, but there was a burden in my heart to heed the call. I was already crying the time we got to the closing prayer.

Now, I had a church going girlfriend that time, who, upon hearing the good news, encouraged me to go to church with her during Sundays, and instilled in me that habit.

So anyway, long story short. Girlfriend cheated on me, girlfriend gone, habit stayed, don't want to go to her church, tried other churches, and finally found my way back to St. Stephen's Parish. But don't get me wrong, though... St. Stephen's Parish was not my last choice. It was here where I finally felt most at home with.

And in my walk now, I also figured that it's not really what God gave you, but how you react to what is given to you.

Lastly, think about this: We may have gotten angry with God for giving us hardships, or sending the wrong people or circumstances to us. But if we haven't experienced those wrongs, we wouldn't be closer to the right us now. That's why we're a work in progress.

Be strong in the Lord and thank you!

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1 A small monster that makes you lose your sense of direction

2 I'm losing my sense of direction because of the tiyanak