(no subject)
"The closest thing to love is suffering."
Hello, friends!
It's been a while, I know, which makes things actually harder on me when I do finally blog because I don't know where to begin. But I will certainly do my best.
Tonight I attended my first Discipleship meeting at St. Andrew's in Pasadena. I had been invited by Fr. Matt from St. Irenaeus since I first talked with him back in October. Through him I met some amazing people around my age and older, who are also seeking to deepen their relationship with God. We got to pray with each other and share/explore our faith together. It's absolutely beautiful. Thanks, God.
Anyway, I'm so thankful to God for blessing me with these opportunities to unveil my love for Him and come to recognize Him through others who are embarking on the same journey. He has truly answered my prayers.
Ever since I began a new chapter in my life - the nursing school chapter at MSMC - it has been quite the challenge! I was taken away from my spiritual families. I had to learn to sacrifice my time for school. I was faced with more temptations and thrown into an environment filled with people that did not value having a spiritual relationship with God. Stress was constantly on the rise and draining my patience. This list goes on and on...I've become jaded. I'm in a funk, and it's difficult for me to admit.
Anyway, my new friend, Joseph, had mentioned that quote I posted at the top, and it really struck me for some reason. To me, this simple phrase just puts everything into proper perspective and reminded me of the beauty in the struggle, the blessings in the brokenness. As much as I have learned this lesson over and over, the value of it never fades. Not one bit. In fact, another phrase that was mentioned tonight just now comes to mind, "We must decrease ourselves, and increase God." Perhaps the reason why this comes to mind at this moment is because it offers in one sentence, the way or the key to understanding the former quote. You are interesting, Lord!
So, where am I now? I gave a very, very brief (and vague and one-sided) view of where I was/am these past few years, and now I just finished with how I have been slowly transforming (or at least, beginning to transform) more recently and up to this evening. This leads me to ask myself - "What's next?" I can only say, "I don't know." And I am okay with that. In fact, are we not called to follow with faith, hope and love through trusting in God? Well, I aim to do that, Lord. In my little "Yes"-es each minute of my day, may I be sensitive to You.
Lord, refill me again. I have shut myself from you, and because of this, have nothing left to give to those I so desire to serve in Your Name. I am weak now and beaten. But as low as I feel, I rest in assurance that in Your Perfection, Your Grace, Your Divinity, Your Love, will I be lifted and carried by You to finish this journey.
Thanks be to God for allowing me to pray with others tonight and to feel His Spirit through them, through the prayer we had lifted up. I especially thank Him for instilling that sense of calmness and serenity as we prayed and as I recognized, by His Grace, the intentions, joys, burdens, pains, worry, etc., that needed to be offered to God. I realize again that when one part of the Body of Christ suffers, the whole Body of Christ suffers. We are only as strong as our weakest brother or sister. We must reach out always, and we must always receive, as well. It is not about treating the symptoms, but diagnosing and treating the disease. I am a nurse, but God is my doctor. I've realized that we can't quite just do this on our own. We need to help and work with each other, but most especially with God, which reaffirms the importance of helping our weak brothers and sisters. It's about communion with God, communion as His Body.
Okay - so on a different note (and before I close this entry), I just want to mention how excited I am to be going to the Philippines next week!!!!!!!!!! Thanks be to God for this wonderful opportunity!!!!!!!! Lord, I offer this to you. Please pray for a safe trip and stay for me and all of my relatives who are traveling. I'm getting sleepy, so I'll take it as a hint to end things right here.
Good night, friends.
Love and God bless always :)
P.S. I have a question!!!!!!!!! My friend was asked this by a stranger he ran into at school, "If you stood before God, and He was in the form of the Tree of Life, complete with fruit and extensive branches covered in leaves, what would you do????" Well...what would you do? Post a reply with your answer!
Hello, friends!
It's been a while, I know, which makes things actually harder on me when I do finally blog because I don't know where to begin. But I will certainly do my best.
Tonight I attended my first Discipleship meeting at St. Andrew's in Pasadena. I had been invited by Fr. Matt from St. Irenaeus since I first talked with him back in October. Through him I met some amazing people around my age and older, who are also seeking to deepen their relationship with God. We got to pray with each other and share/explore our faith together. It's absolutely beautiful. Thanks, God.
Anyway, I'm so thankful to God for blessing me with these opportunities to unveil my love for Him and come to recognize Him through others who are embarking on the same journey. He has truly answered my prayers.
Ever since I began a new chapter in my life - the nursing school chapter at MSMC - it has been quite the challenge! I was taken away from my spiritual families. I had to learn to sacrifice my time for school. I was faced with more temptations and thrown into an environment filled with people that did not value having a spiritual relationship with God. Stress was constantly on the rise and draining my patience. This list goes on and on...I've become jaded. I'm in a funk, and it's difficult for me to admit.
Anyway, my new friend, Joseph, had mentioned that quote I posted at the top, and it really struck me for some reason. To me, this simple phrase just puts everything into proper perspective and reminded me of the beauty in the struggle, the blessings in the brokenness. As much as I have learned this lesson over and over, the value of it never fades. Not one bit. In fact, another phrase that was mentioned tonight just now comes to mind, "We must decrease ourselves, and increase God." Perhaps the reason why this comes to mind at this moment is because it offers in one sentence, the way or the key to understanding the former quote. You are interesting, Lord!
So, where am I now? I gave a very, very brief (and vague and one-sided) view of where I was/am these past few years, and now I just finished with how I have been slowly transforming (or at least, beginning to transform) more recently and up to this evening. This leads me to ask myself - "What's next?" I can only say, "I don't know." And I am okay with that. In fact, are we not called to follow with faith, hope and love through trusting in God? Well, I aim to do that, Lord. In my little "Yes"-es each minute of my day, may I be sensitive to You.
Lord, refill me again. I have shut myself from you, and because of this, have nothing left to give to those I so desire to serve in Your Name. I am weak now and beaten. But as low as I feel, I rest in assurance that in Your Perfection, Your Grace, Your Divinity, Your Love, will I be lifted and carried by You to finish this journey.
Thanks be to God for allowing me to pray with others tonight and to feel His Spirit through them, through the prayer we had lifted up. I especially thank Him for instilling that sense of calmness and serenity as we prayed and as I recognized, by His Grace, the intentions, joys, burdens, pains, worry, etc., that needed to be offered to God. I realize again that when one part of the Body of Christ suffers, the whole Body of Christ suffers. We are only as strong as our weakest brother or sister. We must reach out always, and we must always receive, as well. It is not about treating the symptoms, but diagnosing and treating the disease. I am a nurse, but God is my doctor. I've realized that we can't quite just do this on our own. We need to help and work with each other, but most especially with God, which reaffirms the importance of helping our weak brothers and sisters. It's about communion with God, communion as His Body.
Okay - so on a different note (and before I close this entry), I just want to mention how excited I am to be going to the Philippines next week!!!!!!!!!! Thanks be to God for this wonderful opportunity!!!!!!!! Lord, I offer this to you. Please pray for a safe trip and stay for me and all of my relatives who are traveling. I'm getting sleepy, so I'll take it as a hint to end things right here.
Good night, friends.
Love and God bless always :)
P.S. I have a question!!!!!!!!! My friend was asked this by a stranger he ran into at school, "If you stood before God, and He was in the form of the Tree of Life, complete with fruit and extensive branches covered in leaves, what would you do????" Well...what would you do? Post a reply with your answer!