My thoughts on waiting

If there's one thing that I may consider a pet peeve, it is waiting. I'm easily annoyed / irritated when waiting especially in situations like I'm running late or really starving and the queue to ride a cab / train / jeepney or to buy food is really looooooong. Longer than my patience!hahaha Waiting can be a challenge because most of the time I want things to happen in my own way and time - now, not later. But it's not always the case because people will get ahead of me in line and things don't happen accordingly with my set time. Boom Asar!hahaha Reality comes in that I have to wait for my turn and for things to happen in its perfect time. It can be frustrasting and disappointing but having the right view on waiting can drastically change my attitude and response during this process.

How should we view waiting?

Waiting isn't actually a bad thing if only accompanied with positive thoughts. The time spent in waiting is a time well spent because we can actually learn valuable life lessons, build our characters and test our faith during this season. The longer we wait for something or someone, the more we appreciate and value it when it finally arrives. As we wait, patience, endurance, steadfastness and perseverance were developed, which brings growth in our characters. Also, it is during waiting that we can show our faithfulness in the Lord. God allows us to experience delays so that He can form our characters & prepare us for the things that we've been praying and waiting for.

How should we respond during waiting?

Our usual response during waiting is either we make shortcuts or become passive. Shortcuts is a quick fix we do just to cut the waiting time short while passivity  is when we do nothing at all. I'm guilty having done one of these in the past. :p Both are easy response but not always the best response during waiting.

Rushing things will only make things fall apart but if we're waiting patiently upon the Lord, things will fall into place. However, it doesn't mean that waiting is spent sitting around and passively waiting for things to happen. It helps to wait actively by doing something positive like improving ourselves, learning a new skill, finding a new hobby, building meaningful relationships with family and friends, serving others or doing worthwhile things while waiting. Most of the time, we're hesitant to wait because we're afraid we might end up waiting in vain. Waaah, I can hear that reggae song playing in my head.hahaha But trusting God as we wait even if we don't know His ways and time is waiting with simple faith.  Our act of waiting must be done patiently, actively, and eagerly with faith.

Just like a mother anticipating the birth of her child, we should wait with great expectation and with heart full of hope that something great lies ahead of us.

If you happens to be in a waiting period like I do, maybe you're a single person waiting for "the one", a married couple waiting for a child, an employee waiting for a promotion, a business person waiting for financial breakthrough, a sick person waiting for healing or a person just waiting in queue, let's not give up and keep on waiting until our time has come. Yes, waiting takes time but it's never a waste of time. As the new year approaches, let's all stay hopeful and expectant that greater things will come and God will break through for us.

Habakuk 2:3

Wide and Deep

Bagasbas Beach in Camarines Norte

God's love is like the ocean. It is wide and long and high and deep (ephesians 3:18). I don't know what you're going through today. Some of you may have relationship trouble, emotional battle, sickness or disease, financial difficulty or even work related problem but I want to encourage you that God's love is bigger than any of these trials and tribulations. He can and He will deliver you from it because He loves us so. God can turn things around for you just put your trust in Him. Nothing is too hard for Christ. Keep on! Don't give up! For the love of God is unfailing just like a vast and endless ocean.

Uncertainty

Uncertainty according to Merriam Webster is the quality or state of being uncertain. Something that is doubtful or unknown. To say that something is uncertain there must be doubt, reservation, skepticism, and riskiness.

I guess you'll agree with me that as much as we want to be sure of things, uncertainties of life are inevitable. It is and will always be present in life. To be honest, I don't like uncertainties. Really. Maybe because it makes me uncomfortable and it pushes me to risk at some point. Risks that most of us wants to avoid.  I haven't met a person who is ecstatic to face uncertainties in life or who will take risk in a heart beat. Sure, some people are risk takers than others. But if we all have a choice, we'll definitely go for something that has certainty, guaranty and security. I guess, it's in our nature to live life in the most certain, secure and safe way.

However, life is not always as easy as we want it to be. Sometimes, in order to achieve something greater or something amazing, life will requires us to face uncertainties and risks first.

If we think about it, going through life is comparable to climbing mountains. Uncertainties of life are just like the uncertain trails along the way, challenges as the roadblocks and in the same way that going to the rockies is risky, life will also have those risky moments as well. But the uncertainties & risks will all be worth it, if what awaits us is the amazing view from the top or  what we gain out of life are experiences and lessons of greater value. 

Of Doughnuts & Relationships

Have you watched the movie where in the man professed his feelings for a woman by telling her "You complete me"? I think most of us did. That's one of the most romantic movies of all time or so I thought. But is it really true in reality? The mind-set that another person can actually completes us - that is. Honestly, I used to believe that maybe someone out there could make me complete and vice-versa.

Kilig part of Jerry Maguire Movie

Back then, I thought that having someone special in my life could fill up the empty void in me. Void??? What void??? This is the feeling of emptiness that I cannot seem to fathom. Eto yung feeling na "parang may kulang sa buhay ko" na hindi ko mawari kung ano. I wanted so much to quest for the "missing part" that's why it led me to enter (dating) relationships. I thought that being in a (dating)  relationship could be the one I've been searching for, but I was mistaken. When the magic / spark has gone and the kilig and sweetness overload moments were over, the empty void would still be there. The worst part was that "the void" had become even bigger after the relationship ended.

Don't you just love doughnuts?!

The void in me was like a big doughnut hole that no munchkins (smaller doughnuts) could ever fill up. Sorry for the illustration, I was craving for doughnuts while writing this post.haha Seriously though, I am the big doughnut and the munchkins represents other people.
These munchkins regardless of its flavor just couldn't make the doughnut with a hole whole. It just wouldn't exactly fit. I think the same goes with relationships, even if I'd chose to be with the handsomest, the smartest or even the richest guy still he won't be able to complete me. I didn't realize that what I'm seeking for is something that I couldn't get from other people, until that moment came when I've encountered the love of God.

One of my faves! Bavarian!!!

I was looking all over for that missing piece when all I ever needed was God's love to complete me. He is the only one who can provide me with the love, joy, peace, security, confidence, validation,  acceptance and everything else that I'm longing for. He was the one who placed that void in me and He was the only one who could fill it up. The love of God has made me whole - turned me,  a doughnut with a hole into a Bavarian.



Does it mean that I don't have the desire for a committed relationship? No, of course not! Just like you, it's in my core to create relationship with others. I think, we are design to be relational in nature. We need a suitable partner just as it says in God's word. I'd still want to have someone who I could spend my lifetime with. It's just that now my reasons for entering a (dating) relationship have become deeper and mature. As much as I want to share these reasons with you now, I think this blog post is already long enough. Maybe on my future post. ;)


What's more, the relationship I am focusing right now is not like any other relationship. I'm certain that this is the best and the most important relationship that I can have in my lifetime - the one I have with God. The kind of relationship that's worth pursuing and developing. A relationship that continually gives me a vibrant, exciting, victorious and complete life. A complete life that I can share with others as well.

Financial Breakthrough 2014

New Year has always been something that I look forward to maybe because it gives me a new hope for greater things to come and a new chance to become better. For some people, it became a tradition to have new year's resolution. I think there's nothing wrong in making resolutions, themes or lists every new year. It can serve as our guide as we journey through the year. So as I welcome 2014, I also made a list of  the things that I'm believing for this new year.

 

I am believing God for so many breakthroughs this year, one of which is in financial aspect.  Yes,  I am in faith that God will bless the work of my hands and will increase my sources of income this year. But I've realized that I have to do my part too. It says in the bible "When someone has been given much, much will be required in return; and when someone has been entrusted with much, even more will be required". This means that we are held responsible / accountable for the abundance that God will provide. I believe that as I'm claiming my financial breakthrough this year, I should seek wisdom & knowledge on how to properly manage my finances. I must admit that I have to break wrong mindset & habit in terms of handling finances and make self-control, practicality & discipline a lifestyle. So this year, it's just not enough to be expectant of God's blessings and provisions, I must also be committed to live below my means, to take control of my finances, to have a financial plan, to save and invest more & to offer it generously back to God.

I'd like to quote financial expert/blogger Marvin Germo "It is my greatest desire that each one of us would start and end this year strong. This year is unlike any other. Our country is growing and moving forward, its time for all of us to also take our place and move forward. The Grace and Favor of God is with us and for us. We can do all things because He is our strength! With that, its time to dream dreams and turn those dreams into a reality!".

I indeed want to start and finish strong financially this year. I hope you do too. May 2014 bring financial breakthroughs to all of us!