A Purpose-driven Trip

Being an OFW was not easy thing to do.

You have to brave every obstacle that comes into your life, battling it alone, since you are far away from your family. You have to really manage what you have in order to send money home and fill in those balikbayan boxes.

Vacation… It’s another annual leave! Yehey! This could be the days that an OFW, like me, looks forward to, because they can see their love ones again and spend time with them. But there’s a catch! We have only a limited time.

But what are my plans?

For me, I am blessed to be given this chance to go home for a vacation, even though it was just 8 months since I had my first vacation.

Taking you back on my first trip back home, it was during the most festive and happiest season for the entire year, Christmas and New Year! Not only I am able to spend the holidays with my family and relatives, I was able to spend some time with some friends whom I was not able to see for a year and a half.

So why a purpose-driven trip?

Towards the day of my 2^nd trip back home, the usual pre-trip jitters arrive like preparing your hand over at work, which is not easy at all though you have prepared everything. Also, there are some last minute shopping and activities.

Before I leave work, someone said something to me, and it’s about the happiness I feel at work. Yes, I must admit that I am not happy anymore at work because of a plenty of reasons. With that thought on my mind, I decided to make this trip a purpose-driven one.

While the day of my flight comes near, there’s one question that swims on my mind, “WHY?” I felt like I am looking for something, not someone, but something that would make me feel I’m fine. So I decided to have a purpose-driven trip to answer my WHY.

It was a 28-day vacation. Thinking the number of days I have, I can’t help but to ask for extension, as what most OFWs are asking for, so that they could more days with their families.

I’m trying to squeeze in my schedule to meet some friends from church and former colleagues. To think that I’m party responsible for organizing a birthday party of my niece, I really need to carefully budget my time, without sacrificing my time for my family. So I have prepared beforehand a calendar as well as a list of people I wanted to visit.

Gladly, I was able to meet most of them, though there are still other people from that list whom I was not able to see. I feel so blessed meeting my mentors, former colleagues in Makati, and some very close friends from church, in spite of our their busy schedules and my limited time for the vacation.

From those small talks, I was able to partly answer my WHY, why I am here on my present situation/ season. I was refreshed by the words and the time they shared. It’s nice to see their faces and smiles.

To answer my WHY before starting this trip, here’s a rundown of my take home from this vacation.

• Seize every moment as much as possible.

I had a very limited time back home for this 2^nd vacation. But within those 28 days, I was able to meet some close friends, mentors and former colleagues and I was reminded what I am fighting for, on why I am running this race, and why I am in this particular season. I wish I had to spend more time with them.

•  Be specific in your prayers

I had a chance to talk to the man who helped me to be closer to God. We haven’t met each other for almost two years. But this time, I made sure that I could meet him. It’s so refreshing. We were able to catch up. As we part ways, one thought stayed on my mind and that I be specific with your prayers.

I definitely miss those moments I had with my parents, siblings as well as those closest friends whom I really treasure.

As I am thinking of a take home from this blog, as I said on the early parts of this blog that I was reminded why I am running this race that God has given me, including the moment when I first encountered God on that 7PM youth service at Victory Ubelt.

I was reminded of the four words I used, or should I say the four things that help me to win the battles I had: perseverance, faith, hope and excellence.

• ·         Persevering not ceasing

In this part of my life, there are times that I really want to end everything and give up because I feel that it’s a dead end. Despite if the challenges I had face, responsibilities to fulfill and those seemingly hard tasks, I chose to continue and persevere, instead of quitting.

• ·         Faith not Doubt; Hope not despair

I was this type of guy who easily gives up when things are not going the way I wanted

to. I wanted to quickest way out of the current situation. I have faith in God, and trust

Him that He is working in my life.  

 Excellence comes when you have the three (perseverance, faith and hope.)

This season, where I am now, isn’t that easy. But everything comes with a purpose, a purpose that would make you not to give up, but a purpose for you to persevere and to stand strong, a purpose to build your faith and learn to trust everything to Him. It was His hands who have been working in my life since the day I started knowing Him.

TV Series, Milk Tea and Me

It's been a while since I've written any blog intended to a special event in my life. I stopped writing for some unknown reason. My last and posted blog entry? I cannot remember... Anyways, this blog will be my comeback, my first written anecdote of what happened to me this past couple of months. It's been almost a year since I left Philippines to try to venture on a career as a hotelier. And throughout those months, I kept myself busy, at times, with watching my favorite TV series. Milk tea has been and will always be my comfort drink where ever I go. I even tried to make my own concoction but it wouldn't be of the standards of Chatime or even Pappa Roti. I do usually drink one glass before sleeping to help me make relax. Sounds weird right? Despite of the not so busy schedule, I still manage to go out with some friends, but most of the time alone. I just roam around the mall, visit my favorite shops and at times, spend a couple of minutes visiting the bookstore. With all those hype on TV series and mill tea, the question is, where am I? Am I just another face in the crowd of expatriates here in UAE? I am writing this blog to celebrate one glorious gift I receive from our Creator, the gift of another year to continue on the journey of a lifetime and also share some of the things i experienced here in Abu Dhabi. I will be celebrating my 24th birthday. My first birthday away from my loved ones, churchmates, former officemates and friends. It has been a tough year for me. I had to make the toughest decision of my life, and that is to leave my present career to try and pursue the life of a hotelier. It was a roller coaster ride of emotions, expectations, joy, trials, and hope. A ride wherein i was tested to such limits that I was the verge of breaking down several times. But God did nit leave me alone. He gave me the best people who will help me regardless of the distance. 1. Getting out of my comfort zone The shifting of work environment was not that easy. From a government employee to a hotelier, both have its pros and cons. I am used to have regular and fixed schedules when I was in my former job. But now, as a hotelier, we have to be placed in different work schedules to cover up the 24-hour operation of the hotel. The office type environment has been my comfort zone for more than 2 years. It was hard to leave thinking of the experiences, the joy of having such wonderful family there and some of perks I had like traveling for work. Challenging myself to take on the life of a hotelier was the bravest and toughest decision I had. During my first few months as a hotelier, I was still adjusting. In fact, I miss my old workplace, especially that messy table! The transition was tough. But the God did not abandoned me. He gave me the best people whom taught me some of life's lessons, guided me while I was starting my life here and people who encouraged me on my lowest point. 2. Battles and challenges We all have our own battles. Most of them may be tough. But it is our own strategy that will help us to make it through. My strategy? There was no definite plan or tactic. What I had was the faith that helps me I can make it through each hurdle. That faith in God, though have been tested, helped me to win each single battle I faced. 3. What lies ahead I know that God holds our future. There are times that I feel weary because of some invisible circumstance. There are some points that I almost give up. I just let myself breathe and to let go of the burden. Then, I let myself to recover and to turn what happened as something to remind me that it's just temporary and good things will come to those who wait. The journey is just beginning. What happened to me in the past year was just another chapter of the journey that God plans for me. Now, that I am turning a year older, it will be different. I won't be the same person again. I've learned from my mistakes. I want to be the best version of myself. I want to leave you with this: This lines where taken from a dialogue in one of the episodes of Glee's final season: "Have you seen a guy shooting a bow and arrow? The power is created by the bending of the bow. The more the bow bends, the more potential energy is created. Life's challenges are just the bending of the bow. Think about it, the bigger the challenge, the more the bow bends, the more potential you create do something more amazing. All you have to do is just to find a purpose. Find the arrow that you're gonna put in that bow." -Will Scheuster to Rachel Berry Challenges will always be a part of our life. It may be just a tiny challenge or even a tough one. Use every challenge as much as possible to fuel your purpose or passion. Don't let the challenges ruin you. Don't let fear control your future and always remember that God will never leave you. He is with you all the time.

An Expat's Life

February 27, 2014

This is the day I took my first international flight going to Abu Dhabi.

I cannot remember what I felt during that day. It was really mix of excitement, fear, uncertainty and whatever comes in between. My knees are actually shaking when I was going down the car and walking towards the airport. What added to this unexplainable feeling is having your parents with you in that very moment. It was the first time that I will be separated from them.

It is almost 8 months after that day, here I am striving to be the best version of myself. Standing for what I believe is true, holding on to my dream for a better life, doing my best and being grateful of what I have while working along the way to get what I want.

The journey here in the foreign land would not be possible without the people who supported me thru various aspects in life (physical, financial, emotional and spiritual).

I thought that being and working in a foreign land, or an expat, is easy. At first I had a hard time adjusting. But as each month pass by, experience taught me different things that contributed to my growth as a young professional and as a person.

At this point, in the course of writing this blog, I decided to pause and to think what I have learned so far.

1.            Distance and time is not an issue.
   
   
   No matter how far it may seem and the 4-hour time difference, the people who matters in your life are ready to be there.
   Philippines is ahead of 4 hours compared to Abu Dhabi. Thanks to technology, it made me closer to my family and treasured friends even though we are more than 8,000 miles apart. I can still send a message anytime and felt like I am just in a province. But I admit that there are times that I still miss them.

     2.      Sense of importance

All of these things that happened to me here in Abu Dhabi are all firsthand experiences. But I see to it that every decision that I make here is a win-win situation for me and for the people around me. I put others first then myself.

Having set my foot on a foreign land, makes me wonder what is in store for me and for the people who matters to me. There are times that I still cannot believe that I am here, living in a foreign land, enjoying what life has to offer here…

There will be moments in our life that may derail us from achieving God’s plan for us. Yes, I admit that a lot of things happened to me here that made me heading to the wrong path. But I see to it that these experiences will help me and teach me to be a better man, according to God’s will.

It’s still a long road to travel. I might be in a different way than what I planned, but I believe that where I am walking now is a detour where God leads me to something great, something far more than I could ever imagine.

Yes, I still haven’t found what I am looking for. But the constant run towards my dreams fuels my desire to strike whilst the iron is hot and I am excited for what God has planned for me.

Plus One

(My 20th Birthday Blog)

20 years of existence…

20 years full of happiness and sorrow, battles and triumphs…

With those years, I’ve encountered a lot from the peaks and valleys of life. I’m glad that during those 20 years, I’ve learned a lot of things.

Now that I’ve come at this stage, I must leave things, things that hinder me from becoming a man that God wants me to be.

            I know that from this day until the rest of the year, things will be much greater, bigger challenges, more intense battle to conquer, and more people to say hello. But one thing is for sure, God is leading me to the way He planned for me.

            We cannot please everybody, that’s one lesson that I’ve learned from the season that came to me recently. I’ve met different kinds of people, to the nicest to the extremes. This made to be intimidated sometimes. I can’t express myself fully. But this happened for a purpose.

PAST teaches us for a better present, and PRESENT prepares us for a great FUTURE.

            The experiences we had from the past can be used to improve ourselves, for the better and for the people who believes in us. I’m very thankful that God has surrounded me with people who are always there, ready to be with me when I needed them most.

MY PARENTS AND SIBLINGS
            They have been my inspiration for striving for the best. They have been with me through tough times, and comfort me when I’m on my worst, making me smile and laugh when suddenly the world is taking over me.

MY MENTORS
            To my professors, leader, pastors at Victory, Ubelt Staffs, and to all leaders who have imparted their knowledge, who had given me such great nuggets of wisdom, who lend their time to listen to the stories I know that God had made, and for everything that we have shared together, whether material or not, a big thanks to you. I’m very thankful that God has lead me to the path I’m walking right now. Maybe, without you by my side, I’ll be going elsewhere.

But amidst of all these things, GOD is still the core.

In choosing God, He will take you to more challenges, to strengthen you up. Challenges are made not for a person to give up, but to persevere and finish the race with faith. He’s not using these challenges to make us farther from Him, He uses it to make us inch by inch closer to Him. After finishing these challenges in our lives, lots of things will come into realization.

This year will be a year of breakthroughs…

What made me to come at this point in my life? It’s GOD. He is my strength. He’s the reason behind of what’s happening in my life. I believe that God has prepared a way for us, and for us to get there? Just trust Him!

Looking forward to another year, a God-filled year!

11.11.11

(A blog I constructed 2 years ago)

This is a special day. Not only because of the unique arrangement, but for a simple reason. I’ll be celebrating my 3^rd month at work. Very simple right? However, literally simple, looking beyond, it means a lot for me.

Let me tell you the reason why I am so grateful for 11.11.11

Working in the Department of Trade and Industry as Administrative Aide in their Human Resources Department may seem so far from what course I have taken up during college. From a Hotel and Restaurant Management student to a young professional working in a filed of Human Resource Management, many have been asking me why did I entered the job that is not related to your course.

My answer?

Though I wasn’t working in a field or establishment that caters to the hospitality industry, I consider this job as a stepping stone for a better career in the future.

There's a deeper reason why did I accepted the job.

Right after graduation, I wanted to work already to help my family to earn a living. Deciding upon my own, I passed to several establishments, here and abroad. I had an interview for a coffeeshop, attended the initial screening, but at the end of the day, I received the verdict. I didn’t make it. It was so sad because I have studied the company and its products. Moving on, I decided to pass my resume at DTI due to my mother’s influence that I should try it.

I was able to have my exams and initial interview at DTI. I was waiting for their call for the next step. During this time of waiting, I was so bored and decided to find more opportunities. One day, a casual dining restaurant called me for an initial screening (interview and exams). I was surprised that during that day, everything was moving. I was already for medical requirements at the restaurant. But behind all this things that happened during that day, the position offered to me was not the position that I’ve applied for.

I have to choose between DTI and the restaurant… Praying hard every night, I decided to go with DTI. It was my parent’s decision. I don’t actually want to work there.

Now that it’s almost 3 months since I started working at DTI, I’m enjoying the work in a manner that cannot be explained with just a couple of words. I don’t exactly what describes what I’m feeling right now, but I’m sure that it was God who’s in the works.

With all those hazy things that surrounded my mind during the transition from being a student going to a young professional, I can say that every obstacle is worth it. I’ve learned a couple of things during this particular journey in my life:

Everything comes with a purpose. It came to you not to make you suffer, but to develop perseverance. After surpassing those tests, you character grows and hope is present. And He will not disappoint you until His promises are fulfilled. (Romans 5:3-5)

Rough Road

It’s been a couple of days since I’ve written a blog entry. Busy schedules, lots of works and responsibilities, and duties to attend are, perhaps, some of the factors that hinder me from writing and sharing my stories.

I’ve been writing for about a couple of years. I’m writing these stories because I wanted to share the experience of what God is doing in my life. I can say that life as a follower of God isn’t that easy. There are times that I’m experiencing things and events around me that makes me happy or the other way around. There are times that I can just hardly imagine that this is happening to me, arriving to the point of giving up, losing everything that I had. It’s like riding in a nice car, driving on a rough road. Can you imagine that? A well-maintained car on a rough road? Imagine driving a nice Porsche on a stony road…

Experiencing that ride, many thoughts are circulating in my mind. It’s hard, really hard when this thoughts starts to form in my mind, almost draining me to the last drop, making me very vulnerable to the enemy. Now, this is my present condition. Now I’m in a state of rediscovering the truth, the truth that I’ve encountered during my sophomore year in college, the truth that lies in the Word of God.

It’s hard and painful, a rough road. I have to be strong, be at my best, guided by God in every decision. I don’t want to stay in this particular area of my life. I know this isn’t the one that God wanted me to be.

I’m doing my best efforts to recover my self, both physically and spiritually, and be a man after God’s own heart. I wanted to somebody that stands strong, in spite of what’s happening. I want to be a man of strength and a man who stands and fight for God

Just Turned 21

I just recently turned 21. With that, I said to myself that it’s going to be different this year. As I prepare for what God has planned in my life, there are many things to be changed; things that should be kept and things to be thrown away.

While I was thinking of what subject of my blog for my birthday this year, few things made up my list. Things to be grateful for, events and things to look forward to, and people who helped we to get where I’m standing right now are among the topic on top of my list. These topics were the same topic for the birthday blogs I had before.

In as much as I wanted to write a different birthday blog this time and no matter how hard I think, it really narrow down to the three topics I have mentioned earlier. But don’t worry, I’ll try my best to write a blog, with those three topics, with a different attack and that would not take much of your time.

I remembered one comment from my birthday blog when I was 19. It focused on a part of Psalm 139.

¹³ For you created my inmost being;

you knit me together in my mother’s womb.

¹⁴ I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;

your works are wonderful,

I know that full well.

¹⁵ My frame was not hidden from you

when I was made in the secret place,

when I was woven together in the depths of the earth.

¹⁶ Your eyes saw my unformed body;

all the days ordained for me were written in your book

before one of them came to be.

Psalm 139:13 – 16 (NIV)

I was born with an extra finger on my left hand, particularly on the thumb. Growing with this, some people tease me (way back when I was in elementary). Others said that it would bring me luck. Others would be in shock when they see it. Regarding the ‘luck’ factor, it seems so true when I was growing up.

I was raised to be an achiever. From the moment I entered school, I was consistent on the list of students who exceled academically. And as my journey in the academic world ended last May 2011, I finished with Latin honors.

I was saved when I was a sophomore college student. It was a man named Aries, who introduced God to me. After that encounter, my life was never the same. Though hardships came along the way, it was God’s grace that helped me make it through the test. In times of triumph over battles, God has been my companion.

I feel so blessed when I’m thinking of the things that happened to me, whether good or bad, in the areas of health, finances, academics and career, all happened in God’s perfect timing. I can’t help myself to thank God and praise Him for everything.

In between those events, I’ve met lots of people from different walks of life. All of whom I owe a lot. They have been at my side, as an inspiration, an adviser, a mentor and a friend who motivates challenges and prays with me. Each has been a great part on each season in my life.

Though this was blog was short, I hope that I’ve shared enough.

As I end, I just want to leave with few nuggets I learned since I started walking with God:

As I was thinking of my parting words for this blog, everything flashed back. The time when I first encountered Christ until to this very date, four words came into my mind: Perseverance, Faith, Hope and Excellence. These four words are, for me, key principles that help me to win over battles in different areas of my life.

·         Persevering not ceasing

In spite of your tasks and responsibilities you have, and you see the world as a great hindrance in accomplishing those tasks, would you still continue or just raise the white flag signalling your surrender?

·         Faith not doubt; Hope not despair

When everything does not come your way, or rather when you don’t get what you wanted, would you trust Him that what is happening to you will lead you to a better future? Would you still believe that what’s happening to you will turn out for God’s best?

Excellence comes when you have the three (perseverance, faith and hope). You may not be in a job where you planned after graduation, or in a situation you do not want, remember that God is working something for you. The process may take too long. Never cease, never surrender. God is with you.

I am sorry that my take home might sound arrogant, boastful, or too controversial. I hope and pray that I was able to share something out of my experiences.