Lord, may I always remember that the wisest and the strongest are not always the greatest in your sight, that the richest are not always the most precious, and that the most beautiful are not always the most loved.

May I remember , too, that everything I have is yours, and at any moment, you could take them all away. Let me therefore not boast of my health, of my youth, of my standing before men, for everything can take a sudden turn and I know not what could happen in the days to come.

Protect my heart also from self-righteousness. May I remember that those who suffer now aren’t being cursed or punished, and their plight does not in any way indicate how holy they are in God’s sight. May I be reminded that even the greatest sinners today may repent and become the holiest saints tomorrow, and that those who seem righteous now may turn their backs on God when trials come.

Let me always be humble, Lord, like a little child, not by virtue of pretense, but by simply knowing the truth. And this is the truth, that every good blessing comes from you, O God, and apart from you, I will surely wither and die.

Are You Praying For a Blessing?

Are you praying for a blessing in life? Does it seem too impossible to be answered? Why do some prayers take so long to be answered, while some get answered instantly? How do you pray a prayer that makes miracles come true?

Why Can’t We Receive Our Blessings?

What keeps a person from
receiving a gift,
a very precious
and significant gift?

Given the chance to accept such a gift,

a brand new car perhaps

a beautiful house and lot

a precious jewel,

how many among us would refuse

something totally for free?

Following are some of the things I thought would prevent us from receiving the blessings/ gifts the good Lord has meant us all to receive:

1. Hostility/ doubt towards the giver

It doesn’t matter sometimes how beautiful or precious a gift is as long as we do not approve of the giver. Who would ever receive a gift from someone she doesn’t trust? From someone with a vested interest perhaps? From someone scary? From a monster?!

We are unable to receive many gifts because we do not approve of the giver.

2. Feeling of unworthiness

Even if we believe in the giver, we oftentimes refuse our gifts because we do not believe ourselves worthy of them. We think we do not deserve a new car because we have not studied well, we do not deserve to be forgiven because we have been so bad in the past.

But have you ever considered what the giver is giving the gift for? Maybe it has nothing to do after all with what we did or did not do. Maybe it is being given just because the giver would be happy to see us receive the blessing. Maybe it is because of his generosity. Maybe it is because of his unconditional love.

3. So much focus on other things as not to see what is being given

How do you receive a gift you do not even notice? If we are so busy doing something else, talking to this and that person, taking care of this and that, worrying, fretting, anxiously thinking of our fears, would we ever have the time to even think someone’s waiting for us, intending to give us something beautiful?

4. Lack of confidence to be able to use the gift

If we do not know how to operate a personal computer, not even having the slightest interest to learn, would it matter at all that someone’s giving us a top of the line PC, complete with accessories, software and technical assistance?

If we think we’d have no use nor skill for something, we may refuse something being given us.

5. Ignorance on the nature and worth of what is being given

Our ignorance on the nature of the gift being given us hinders us from receiving it with open arms. Instead of gratitude, we have doubt. Instead of excitement, we have apathy and we don’t care whether we receive the blessing or not at all.

6. Ignorance of one’s needs that can be fully satisfied by the gift

If we do not know ourselves and our needs, we may not be aware of what good the blessing before us is going to give us. An abundant feast may have been set before our eyes, yet if we do not even know we’re hungry, it wouldn’t satisfy us a bit. We may even look for other things we think we need.

7. Comparing one’s gift to the gift given to others

How many times have we refused our blessings because we deem it lesser than the gifts we saw given to other people? Our blessings may be the best for us, yet oftentimes, we look at bigger packages given to another. We know not that inside the small package is a precious jewel waiting to be revealed if only we’d have opened our hands to receive it rather than whine about how small it is compared to what our neighbors have received.

Have you found your blessings yet? Have you prayed and received not the answer? Reflect for a moment and consider, you may have refused the very blessings God has placed before you all the while.

If There Is Abundance Around, Why Can’t We Receive It?

We’ve heard how life seemed so abundant in all things, in sunshine, in water, in the air we breathe. Everything is there for the taking, and the only thing left for us is to claim them. Yet how is it the many of us still lack in many things, particularly in material wealth? If the earth never lacks in water, why is it that we never seem to have even a small drop of it at times?

If water could be compared to the blessings we receive, and if the said blessings should be in abundance, we ask why some people receive more of it than some of us do. And so we look at lakes far wider than the rest, or oceans far deeper and clearer, or waterfalls stronger and more majestic than many. And then we look at creeks and small trickles of water, of canals that lay stagnant and could not deliver such a powerful flow.

Can we now see it better? Can we now see how water (life’s blessings) can be so abundant, and how at the same time, we seem to have so little of it?

If we want to have more of it, like a big lake perhaps, it’s up to us to dig more deeper and to ALLOW more of the water to pass through, to flow and to come in. The bigger the space we carve, the more water there will be, the more share of blessings we can have in the infinite abundance of life!

Why God Doesn’t Give Us Our Desires

“You must rest, O soul, to receive your heart’s desire.”
-Streams in the Desert

Sometimes, God doesn’t give us the things we want
because He knows the things we truly desire,
desires that we may not even be aware of
because we do not truly know ourselves.

We cannot truly know ourselves unless we really choose to, and we cannot discover our true desires
unless we let go of the things we think we want,
things borne not out of love,
but out of fear, anger or other things
other than what our heart is yearning for.

Had God immediately given us our requests,
our joy wouldn’t have had a chance to be complete
because we would have settled for the “Second best”.

But God allows us instead these momentary frustrations
so that we can discover little by little
what it is we truly desire.

When I Asked For a ROSE

It was January 31, 2000, and Valentines Day seem so near. I was praying to God when I suddenly felt so sad. I felt so lonely. I knew that dreaded day would soon be coming when girls would soon be receiving flowers from their special someone, when they would all go about proudly carrying those flowers, certain of the sincere love of those that offered them. I haven’t got any lover though. So no flowers for me, no bouquet, not even a single red rose.

It was a bit embarrassing, but I knew the Lord knew my heart and there was no point in hiding anything. I remained true to my feelings, and I asked God for something I’ve never asked before. I’ve asked Him to send me a rose, just one. I don’t know how it could possibly happen, but I prayed, like a daughter asking something from her dear father. I prayed for a single red rose. I prayed for a small expression of love, a small sign that I am loved, and that I am special as well.

It was a heartfelt prayer, though I never really thought much of it the day after. I guess it was enough for me that I uttered it, and that the Lord heard me. It was already upon God’s hands whether to grant the prayer of silly girls like me.

So I went through my activities for the day, attending a seminar in the morning, and meeting my bestfriend afterwards in the afternoon. My friend and I strolled at a mall for a while, and then proceeded to pick up our materials for our upcoming training in Puerto Galera. After picking them up, we tried to find a ride back home. We found it difficult though, and found ourselves trying to find alternative routes.

On our way to EDSA, we chanced upon the Manila Seedling Bank, which we had seen many times before from the outside. A bit curious, we decided to look inside. We were amazed to see such a variety of plants wherever we proceeded. We certainly didn’t expect so much there. But it turned out there was even an exhibit at that time from many skilled participants all over the country!

There were plants of all shapes and sizes, of common and rare varieties. There were beautiful flowers everywhere: gerberas, orchids, sunflowers, yellowbells, roses of all colors! Their scent enthralls the senses, their soft and vividly colored petals can’t help but delight the eyes. The presentation was just terrific, and it really felt like we’ve just entered an enchanted garden, far from the harsh activities of men, protected by fairies and elves that guard them night and day.

And suddenly, right in the middle of that garden, I remembered my prayer. My prayer for a single red rose. And I realized, right there and then, that that prayer had been granted far beyond how I expected it to be answered. For right before my eyes lay not just a flower, not just a rose, not just a red rose, not just a bouquet of roses, but hundreds of flowers flourishing, blooming, glorifying the God that answers all of our prayers.

I’ve only asked for a small emblem of care, but what I received is a mountain of flowers testifying God’s immeasurable love for me. I felt so happy. I felt so special and blessed. I believed then that no other girl was able to receive as much that Valentine’s Day. No other man could have given as much. But the One who did was the One who loved me, the One who loved me enough to answer that silly prayer for a single lonely rose.

Who Are Blessed?

I’ve often heard people saying “I’m truly blessed”, or “God blessed me.”

Does that mean other people weren’t blessed?

If God causes the sun to shine both on the good and the bad, will He withhold His blessings to some and give it only to a few?

Who are we to say that some people are less fortunate than us?

I believe that God pours His blessings upon us all… always.

And maybe, when we say that we are blessed, it is only like saying we have finally found the faith to receive what God is giving us. Finally, we have recognized God’s goodness, and for that, we say that we are blessed!

The Secret to Mountain-moving FAITH!

A child is having a seizure, he foams at the mouth and gnashes his teeth, he is thrown to the ground and lays as rigid as a rock. Meanwhile, the disciples of Jesus gather around him, praying, laying their hands and shouting words of affirmation, trying to cast away the evil spirit that has possessed the child. Still, the child rolled around, foaming at the mouth. The disciples couldn’t drive away the malady. After all the miracles they’ve seen through Jesus, after all the miracles they have performed themselves, they stand defeated and confused.

Just then, Jesus arrives and is quickly approached by the boy’s father, asking for the healing of his son. Jesus asks the man if he believes. The man answers, “I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!” Jesus commanded the spirit to depart, and at once, the boy was healed!

After the crowd had left, the disciples asked Jesus why they couldn’t drive out the evil spirit. Jesus replied, “This kind can come out only by prayer.”

But wasn’t it prayer that the disciples uttered when they tried to heal the boy? Why didn’t it work? Did they not have enough faith? And why was their faith lacking? What prayer finally drove out the spirit away? It isn’t just the prayer of Jesus, but the prayer of the father’s child when he proclaimed that he believed!

But what’s the difference between his prayer and the prayer of the disciples? Shouldn’t the disciples know more of faith than the suffering father did?

The disciples may have had more experience in their work, but when they came across a difficult case, they themselves started to doubt. And when their hearts were gripped by fear and worry, there was nothing within them that urged them to persevere in their work. They lost their faith, and then they lost their hope, and they had nothing more.

But the father of the child, though he admittedly lacked also in faith had something more. Something that urged him to persevere. Something that urged him to come to Jesus and to try once again. He couldn’t just give up. He couldn’t bear the sight of his very own son suffering that way. No, he will do everything he can so he can save the boy he loves so much.

And alas, through the hands of Jesus, his son had been saved. Through the hands of Jesus, his prayer had been answered. His was the only prayer that prevailed, the only one who was able to overcome his unbelief. And what prompted him? It was his unquestionable love for his son. It was love.

If I speak in tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophesy and can fathom all mysteries and knowledge, and if I have faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing… Love never fails. (1 Cor. 13:1-2,8)

Secret to Answered Prayers

What is the secret to answered prayers? Will God answer my prayers?

The Bible has a very simple guide on how we should pray:

Verily I say unto you, If ye have faith, and doubt not… ye shall say unto this mountain, Be thou taken up and cast into the sea, it shall be done. – Matthew 21:21

And when we look back at all the prayers that Jesus had answered, honesty and simplicity in those prayers were very much evident.

And behold, there came a leper and worshiped him saying, Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst make me clean. And he stretched forth his hand, and touched him, saying, I will; be thou made clean. And straightway his leprosy was cleansed. -Matthew 8:2-3

And as Jesus passed by from thence, two blind men followed him, crying out, saying Have mercy on us, thou son of David. And when he was come into the house, the blind men came to him, Believe ye that I am able to do this? They say unto him, Yea, Lord. Then touched he their eyes, saying, According to your faith be it done unto you. And their eyes were opened. – Matthew 9:27-30

Such simple and straightforward prayers, and yet these prayers were often the prayers that Jesus praised for their faith.

Why then do some of our prayers seem to remain unanswered until now? What have we failed to understand? What is the kind of prayer God always hears and answers?

I’ve listed THREE easy guidelines that have helped me tremendously in my own prayers. They’re so simple and easy to remember, and they have guided me through much of my prayer life.

Three things we need in our prayers:

1. To KNOW what we want

What is it that we truly want? Are the concerns that escape our lips in prayer truly the things we desire? We are to remember that prayer isn’t about mere words no matter how beautiful or how well composed they seem to be. Prayer is that which comes from our hearts, the things we lift up towards heaven when we close our eyes and kneel before the One who hears the voice within us. For all we know, the things we say are just the opposite of the things we really want. For all we know, we have not yet come to discover the things we truly desire.

Do we still remember the blind man whom Jesus healed?

And Jesus stood, and commanded him to be brought unto him: and when he was come near, he asked him, What wilt thou that I should do unto thee? And he said, Lord, that I may receive my sight. And Jesus said unto him, Receive thy sight; thy faith hath made thee whole. And immediately he received his sight, and followed him, glorifying God: and all the people, when they saw it, gave praise unto God.

Why did Jesus ask him what he desires? Wasn’t it already obvious that he needed to see? What I can say is this: the prayer, the real desire of the blind man should come from him himself. Jesus wanted him to realize the desire that lies in his own heart, to claim it, to proclaim it, and to believe that it can be done. Because this is the way to authentic prayer. God does not suddenly appear before us and insist on the things we obviously need. What would you say if He suddenly comes to you and says, “Well John, I think you need a new job so you can buy a new shirt because you really look so shabby already, and I can’t bear the sight of you!” Well, won’t it be encroaching upon our God-given will, on the honor He has bestowed upon us as His children? On the right to receive whatever gift we want, not the gifts thrust upon us by force?

We need to seek inside our hearts those desires that have slept there for so long. Unless we do, we do not know what to pray for in the first place, and we end up sending a bunch of mixed and weak signals that do not really know the things it asks for. Have you ever heard someone talking on the phone over a choppy line? Well, was it easy to understand what he was saying? If the person was asking you for something, would you have understood what it was? And having never understood what it was in the first place, would you have given what the person was asking for?

We must uncover the prayers our souls are crying for. And in order to do so, we must learn how to remove all the impurities that conceal our true desires. Know what you want. Be brave enough to face yourself in the mirror and see what it is you’re lacking. Do not content yourself with the outer layer of your problems. Seek the core of your difficulties. It is only then that you will know you are blind. It is only then that you will know you needed to see!

2. To BELIEVE that we can get what we want and that God can answer our prayers.

What is the point of praying if we do not believe our prayers will be answered? What is the point of praying if we do not believe someone hears them and that the one who does can answer them? You might have noticed how people often simply murmur their wishes, hoping some genie might pass by and grant them their wishes if he so desires. Not a very empowering concept, isn’t it?

See if you can relate to the following:

a. We think we do not deserve what we pray for

Having a realistic assessment of ourselves is good. But insisting on our unworthiness as a cause to believe that our prayers should not be granted is another. Remember that God does not force us to receive anything, however wonderful or generous His blessings are. If we do not wish to accept his answers, we are the ones closing our doors and shutting out every good thing God sends out to us.

b. We think God is not good or generous enough to grant us our desires

We may have an idea of a God who never even smiles, a God who gives out all these commandments for us to follow and who watches our every move so He can punish us if we violate any of those laws He has given us. If this is how you see God, it is no wonder that you do not believe your prayers will be answered. In fact, if this is how you see Him, you may never even have the guts to pray to Him at all!

Believe that God is good. Believe that God loves you so much He gave up His glory to be just like you in order to save you. Believe that if He can grant you His One and Only Son, He will not withhold anything from you.

3. To fervently and consistently DESIRE the thing we want.

Sometimes we know what we want, and we believe that God can grant them. But when some sort of delay comes, we start doubting our prayers, and subsequently, God’s generosity to grant what we ask for. A persistent prayer proves how far our faith can go. It proves how much we believe in the things we pray for.

When we fail to pray fervently, the following happens and jeopardizes our prayers:

a. We settle for the initial results we get instead of pursuing what it is we really want

Sometimes, we recognize some things as answers to our prayers. It may be a job, which pays enough, but is not as rewarding as we envisioned it to be; or a boyfriend who seems okay, but one with whom we do not feel truly happy with. Though these answers seem good enough, they do not fully satisfy our desires. And we settle for these things instead of pursuing the true essence of our prayers.

These things may have been answers indeed, but only answers to the broken prayers we prayed when we have not yet uncovered our true desires. They have been sent according to our faith, but that doesn’t mean they are the true answers to our deepest desires. They may only be there to help us dig deeper, to ask ourselves what it is we truly want. If they can satisfy us now, then well and good. But if not, if we can’t pray a prayer of thanksgiving with a heart overflowing in joy and gratitude, then let go of these things. These are not yet the answers you are searching for.

b. We change our minds even before we get the desired results

Sometimes it happens that even before the answer to our prayer arrives, we retract our prayers and ask for something else instead. And after doing so, we change our minds again and ask for another thing, and then another thing, and then another. How do you expect then to get the answers you want? If you keep on changing your mind, you only prove you do not know what it is you really want, and that’s why you cannot persist in your prayers. You just keep on jumping from one prayer to another hoping that you may finally hit the jackpot by randomly guessing on what you really desire to have.

Consider the blind man whom Jesus healed:

And it came to pass, as he drew nigh unto Jericho, a certain blind man sat by the way side begging: and hearing a multitude going by, he inquired what this meant. And they told him that Jesus of Nazareth passeth by. And he cried, saying, Jesus, thou son of David, have mercy on me. And they that went before rebuked him, that he should hold his peace: but he cried out the more a great deal, Thou son of David, have mercy on me. And Jesus stood, and commanded him to be brought unto him: and when he was come near, he asked him, What wilt thou that I should do unto thee? And he said, Lord, that I may receive my sight. And Jesus said unto him, Receive thy sight; thy faith hath made thee whole. And immediately he received his sight, and followed him, glorifying God: and all the people, when they saw it, gave praise unto God. – Luke 18:35-43

Though the people rebuked him, though they urged him to keep quiet, the man continued to cry out to Jesus. He knew his need and he believed that Jesus can grant him the answer to his prayer.

Unlike the blind man, some people nowadays listen more to the people rebuking them than to the inner desires in their hearts. Often, we believe these people, and we allow them to make us believe our prayers can’t be or don’t deserve to be answered.

Don’t listen to these people. Listen to your heart, because somewhere in there, God had planted a sacred seed of desire that will bring you to your happiness, to the destiny He has planned for you all along, if only you will believe.

So go ahead and pray. Pray your deepest, innermost desires. For such is the secret to answered prayers. Believe that God listens and God longs for you to have your prayers answered. Pray fervently, do not give up. For as you might have observed, Jesus never turned down anyone who’s ever asked Him for anything; NOT ONE.

Are You Overflowing With Joy?

There are times in our journey when we are so filled with joy that we can’t help but give joy to others as well. We are like guitar strings that have been plucked, and that resonate that joyful music which inspires other people who hear it. Are you so filled with joy that you overflow? God bless this moment! Treasure it forever in your heart.

Why Not?

You ask me why I’m happy?

I am happy because I have a great inheritance.
My Father is the King of the Universe,
And I am a daughter of royal blood.

My time never runs out
For my time is forever;
Never will I worry of the moment,
For mine are the eternal reaches of time.

My peace surpasses the understanding of the wisest men
For it is a peace that never shatters
With the most troubling shadows of the night.
It is a peace that comes from the spring of letting go,
Completely letting go.

You ask me why I’m happy?
I ask you rather, why not?

A Poem of Joy

Sing me a new song,
and let us dance with glee;
Come paint me a rainbow,
and remind me that I’m free!

Hug me and kiss me,
and let us dance for joy!
Declare this a new day,
in triumphant voice.

For my heart can’t contain
such a feeling of bliss,
For my heart cannot ponder
what has come from abyss.

In the spur of a moment,
in the blink of an eye,
all that’s before us is gladness,
all around is delight!

There’s a shower of blessing,
there’s a pouring of light.
There’s a flooding of flowers,
in a world that is bright.

Had I lived before,,
I have never really lived.
For today is the day,
that I have learned how to live!

I will give of my all,
I will share what is mine.
I will search all the earth
to make love yours and mine.

God has blessed me indeed,
God has blessed you and me,
For once I was blind,
but now I can see!

Free Spirit

I’d like to be free from this body

Be anywhere I wish to be

Zoom

Zap

Zing!

Be everywhere

As light as air

Shifting

Turning

Blazing like fire

Blowing

Roaming

Free willing

Spirit forever changing

Yet always remaining

Wings unwavering

Yet always yielding

Touching

Empowering

Illuminating

Surrendering only to eternal bliss

Soaring Higher

Why should I be afraid to fly?
And why should I be afraid to try?
When I was born to meet the sky;
I was born to meet the sky and fly!

I may fall once,
I may fall twice,
I may fall so many times,
But I will not fall always!
I will try again and again and fly!

Spread your wings now,
Get ready!
Let go of your fears
as you leave the ground.
Be prepared now, steady.
You’re getting better,
You’re flying faster,
You’re soaring higher up the sky!

Most people measure their happiness in terms of physical pleasure and material possession. Could they win some visible goal which they have set on the horizon, how happy they could be! Lacking this gift or that circumstance, they would be miserable. If happiness is to be so measured, I who cannot hear or see have every reason to sit in a corner with folded hands and weep. If I am happy in spite of my deprivations, if my happiness is so deep that it is a faith, so thoughtful that it becomes a philosophy of life, —if, in short, I am an optimist, my testimony to the creed of optimism is worth hearing. -Helen Keller

We have a skewed vision of what’s beautiful –
we see people who don’t take their relationships seriously
and we envy them
we see them as gods and goddesses to be desired
but we don’t see the way they break other people’s hearts

We have a skewed vision of what’s beautiful –
we see powerful men who assert their strength over others
and we applaud them for their conquests in war
but we don’t see the people they have hurt or killed
or how they chose violence over mercy

What is something beautiful for you?
will rough hands that labored to feed their children do?
will scars borne out of sacrifice to defend one’s beloved do?

There are wrinkles that show wisdom
and meekness that show great strength,
there is a gentleness that far exceeds
violence in power
and there is a silence that tells us more
than boastful voices ever do

How about you?
What is something beautiful for you?

There was nothing beautiful or majestic about his appearance,
nothing to attract us to him.
He was despised and rejected—
a man of sorrows, acquainted with deepest grief.
We turned our backs on him and looked the other way.
He was despised, and we did not care.

Yet it was our weaknesses he carried;
it was our sorrows that weighed him down.
And we thought his troubles were a punishment from God,
a punishment for his own sins!
But he was pierced for our rebellion,
crushed for our sins.
He was beaten so we could be whole.
He was whipped so we could be healed.

-ISAIAH 53:2-5

What does it take to have faith?
a trusting heart?
credibility of the person concerned?
good experience?
a big chance of an event happening?

Why is faith necessary anyways?
couldn’t we just act out of valid proofs?
couldn’t we just value things
that are a hundred percent certain to succeed?

I don’t know either
I can’t say I have all the answers
whoever does?

I just have faith that somehow
things do turn out for the better
and that there is a reason for everything
that happens around us, and within us

There is so much going on
that we can’t understand
but it is either that everything is futile
or that everything makes perfect sense somewhat

It is either this life is
the most tragic event there is
or by faith, this life is
the most beautiful thing that ever took place in time!

And when nothing works
I go back to where I was
to places I had been
and I try to bring back
the happy memories
times when I was
where I was supposed to be.

But sometimes memories are not enough
to feed one’s heart,
for soon I also get tired
of remembering
tired of looking back
tired of not being able
to bring back
the happy days before.

And in my tiredness
all I could do is rest –
one step at a time,
one breath,
one thought,
one heartbeat,
that is all that I could do,
and I guess that’s enough
for a while,
until I get my strength back,
my will,
my meaning,
my life.

There’d be times when you’d say
“Enough is enough,
I’ve really had it now,
why bother trying?”
Yeah, there’d be times you’d get so tired
but still, BEGIN AGAIN.

There’d be times you’d think
you’ve just lost everything
times you’ve risked it all
and got back nothin’
Times like that you’d feel
everything you’ve worked so hard for
were in vain, but BEGIN AGAIN.

Begin again,
try again,
believe again,
love again.

There’d be a second wind,
there’d be another star,
there’d be another hand,
to help you rise again.

Don’t start quitting,
never stop dreaming.
A new tomorrow waits
for those who dare –
to BEGIN AGAIN.

There are times when
I really thought I was doing something good
for someone I love
but then that loved one
misunderstands
and I feel as though every effort
I’ve made were in vain.
Yes, it felt so bad
and it seemed all my works were useless,
but GOD SEES.

How often have we wanted
others to see who we truly are
or what’s really going on
deep down inside,
but try as we might
we are either rejected
or passed by unnoticed
as though we didn’t matter,
as though we weren’t there?

For all such times
and for all such hurts
may we always remember
that though people may fail to see
and may fail to know,
there is One who always knows,
who knows us so intimately.
Everyone else’s eyes may go blind,
but GOD SEES.

1. If The Work Seems At First Impossible

“Every noble work is at first impossible.” – Thomas Carlyle

Not every dream or calling we’re going to have is something that has ever been done before.  We may receive a calling where only a few have ever dared to venture.  But if we are certain of our purpose, must we turn back because of our fears?

Note that the impossibility in this perspective comes more from the outside than from within.  Deep within, you KNOW that you can accomplish your calling. You may even already have a clear idea HOW you’re going to accomplish it.  But then you hear all the many voices around you, voices that seem to say you CAN’T!

Come by a quiet place for a while.  Lock yourself up in a quiet room, and there before God’s Presence, be still.  Listen only to His voice, and then see what the response of your heart will be.  You might well hear your own heart excitedly saying YES!

Look at the world around you.  It may seem like an immovable, implacable place.  It is not.  With the slightest push – in just the right place – it can be tipped. – Malcolm Gladwell, The Tipping Point

2.  The Value of Time and of Small Efforts

When transitioning, it is important to realistically assess one’s timeframe towards achieving our goals.  We should have set deadlines for ourselves so as not to continuously put off what needs to be done.  More importantly, we should never underestimate the value of time and what we can do today.  What can we do today?

We often think that for all that we want to get done, we have but very little time to fit it all with the limited time we have.  But this thinking doesn’t help us in any way.  It only overwhelms us, freezing our efforts and sooner or later stops us from doing anything of value with the time we do have.

The truth is that we can do a lot today, not A LOT in terms of thinking about EVERYTHING we need to do, but A LOT in such a way that we can SPREAD all the things we need to do through the timeframe that we do have.

For instance, we may do only so much TODAY, but if we do valuable things today and with every succeeding day, we can do A LOT through a timeframe of TWO YEARS!  That’s 730 days! Imagine if we only spend one hour a day in doing valuable things that contribute to our goals, then we’d have already spent 730 hours by that time.  Start little by little, brick by brick, hour by valuable hour and your little efforts will yield BIG results in due time.

3.  The Persistent Voice of Calling

One of the usual signs of a true calling is its PERSISTENCE. It’s like there is a persistent voice that cannot rest until you listen to it, until you heed it.  It’s that DREAM you’ve had ever since and never seems to vanish no matter how much you try to bury it.

Hence, to most of us, it no longer seemed real, it had just been our SECRET DREAM, that dream we rarely reveal to others for fear of being ridiculed or joked at.

Even then, it doesn’t vanish.  And in times when life seem empty and meaningless, it calls us again, whispering clues as to which doors remain open for us to go to.

When Mother Teresa was called to serve the poorest of the poor, her spiritual advisor urged her to forget about it.  She tried, but she couldn’t ignore the noble task God has planned for her all along.

4.  Providence Will Come!

“Let us more and more insist on raising funds of love, of kindness, of understanding, of peace. Money will come if we seek first the Kingdom of God – the rest will be given.”
-Mother Teresa

Providence comes just at the RIGHT TIME we needed it, not before, and certainly not too late!

When we’re just starting out with our calling, we may fear we’d lack the resources we need in order to accomplish it.    It’s but natural and prudent to think of provisions, but it requires faith to take the first step out of our comfort zones!  How much prudence indeed is necessary?  How much money do we need in order to accomplish our goals?  To some people, it never becomes sufficient.

Wisdom and faith should both play a part in our discernment and actions.  It isn’t enough to be wise, yet many times, it also isn’t enough merely to leap forward without thinking about our plans.

There are times when we do need to step back and wait until we have enough resources.  But there are times when we have to move on and allow God to also work his miracles in our lives.

Mother Teresa didn’t wait to be a millionaire in order to help the poor.  She carried out her mission by helping one person at a time.  Along the way, help arrived.  People came to reach out in service.  Philantrophists gave out generous sums and helped her raise millions to help the poor all over the world!

“My daughter, I assure you of a permanent income on which you will live.  Your duty will be to trust completely in my goodness, and my duty will be to give you all you need.  I am making Myself dependent upon your trust:  if your trust is great, then My generosity will be without limit.” – (Jesus to Sister Faustina, Diary of Divine Mercy)

5.  You Can Always Begin Somewhere

We can’t wait for everything to be perfect before we proceed with our dreams.  We have to begin somewhere, and we CAN!

When we’re really able to seek our true passion, we’d be able to find a channel for expressing it right where we are.  We don’t have to wait until we’re the executive of a big company, or when we become a chef of a big hotel, or a famous singer or celebrity.  We can express our passion NOW.

If you have a passion for singing, you can sing right now right where you are.  You can inspire the people around you.  You can lift your voice to God as though in prayer, offering your most sacred work, your passion.

If you have a passion for writing, you can write right now.  You can contribute a poem to your school or company paper.  You can even blog about it over the internet.  There are countless social media sites you could use in order to reach people.

We wait longer than is necessary.  Along the way, our souls become empty, they die slowly, until the flames of passion vanish from our hearts.  Why allow your soul to die? Begin today, live today, this is the only time we are certain to possess.

“Whatever you do, or dream you can, begin it. Boldness has genius and power and magic in it.” -Goethe