Category: Words of Wisdom

Are You Facing a Challenge in Your Relationships?

Loving Broken People

We cannot exempt ourselves from the world

while we are in the world,

and while we are in it

it is our lot to love broken men.

Yet how can we do it

when we ourselves are broken,

and need to be assured

that we are loved

that we are accepted

for being the broken people that we are.

We cannot love a person

with an all accepting, transcending and encompassing love

without being hurt somewhat,

without being disappointed,

without being failed

of our expectations.

We cannot love

without being broken,

yet we cannot continue in love

without being stronger

than our brokenness.

It is only in Jesus

where we can find healing and strength

so as to continue in this love,

so as to continue suffering again and again

yet rise again and again

in a love that is far above

any expectations,

in a love that does not retreat

from any hurt

or any frustration,

but in a love that dares to dare

in a love that dares to dream

in a love

that never ever fails!

Problems in our relationships are often caused by unmet expectations. Wouldn’t it be wonderful if we could all love unconditionally as God loves us? But we are not yet perfect, and so are our loved ones. Our relationships must always be filled with acceptance, forgiveness and understanding in order to survive the many tests it will encounter along the way.

How To Give Unconditional Love

Have you ever wondered how only God can love us unconditionally? Because only God is perfect and need nothing from us. If He will love us, we can be certain that it’s not because He wants anything back.

We can’t love like that. Our love, however good is still conditional. We want something in return because we are not perfect, and we try to get from others what we lack.

That is the reason Jesus gave us two commandments, why we needed to love God first. In truth, it is a command to allow God to love us, to be so embraced and ensured that we couldn’t ask for anything more. In that way only can we love others truly as God has loved us.

That kind of love is therefore not waiting for any condition or reward. That love is also not boastful, self righteous or looking down upon another person because it knows that whatever love it can give has come not from itself but from God, like the moon reflecting only the light cast upon it by the sun.

It is hence our first duty to seek God’s love, to know, to believe, to feel, to be enveloped in the Light of God’s marvelous compassion. All else that follows are but mere expressions of our gratitude for the priceless gift we have received.

Whenever I feel injured or angry against another, it is most likely because I felt unloved at that time and the solution is not to continue seeking it from the person concerned but from God Himself.

Relationships Are Fragile

Relationships are fragile. The reason why we often hurt more the ones who love us most is because we do not realize this.

We take for granted the people who are always there for us and we care not to be as careful with their feelings as we are with people we hardly know.

A careless word. A negligent irrespectful act. We often think we can get away with anything when we are with the people who love us.

While it is true that they will extend to us their utmost understanding, it is also true that they are but human beings after all.

They get hurt. And they get hurt the most by the people they love the most.

Relationships are fragile. It is far easier to protect it and to take care of it rather than to mend it when it is already broken into a million shattered parts.

Must we spend our precious time trying to gather the broken pieces? Or should we rather spend our moments checking our tongues, saying words of encouragement, holding the hands of the people who truly matter to us?

Relationships are fragile. They are gifts to be cherished and protected and taken care of as much as we take care of our own hearts.

Is Your Relationship Based On a Checklist?

There are many relationships today founded only upon a checklist. Each partner qualifies like an applicant qualifying for a job interview.

He is witty. Check.

She is kind. Check.

He is rich enough. Check.

She is sexy enough. Check.

But what happens when you mistakenly check qualities you should have crossed out? What if both partners fraudulently misrepresented themselves? Or what happens when people change?

Ooops! The prince had just become a frog.

Ooops! The princess had just become a witch.

Where is your relationship founded? Is it based on a mere checklist you could easily crumple and tear apart?

Choose a good foundation.

Choose LOVE.

When People Hurt You, Does It Mean They Don’t Love You?

When people hurt you, does it mean they don’t love you?
Does it mean they don’t really care at all?
Take heart and wallow not yet in misery.

For the words which have pierced you the most,
words which may have even come
from the people you loved the most,
were not the only words said about you.
Those were probably not the only words
they’ve said about you;
not the only words they wanted to say;
and maybe, just maybe,
not the words they should have said
had they only known how to say
what they truly mean to say.

Relationships thrive not only because there are people willing to give, but because there are people who are willing to joyfully receive the love that is being given them.

Are You a Generous Receiver?

Have you ever bought a special gift, worked hard just to get it, and then only to be refused by the person you were giving it to? Felt bad didn’t it?

Receiving gifts. Sometimes, it is not our ability to give something in return, but our ability to receive the gifts given us that counts.

Our relationships are greatly enhanced when we become not only generous givers, but generous receivers as well, people who accept gifts gladly, thankfully, wholeheartedly, with the kind of smile you’ll never forget.

Receiving opens up a great channel, it allows love to flow. It recognizes the love of the giver, and it also shows how you think of yourself.

Are you the kind of person who always thinks he or she doesn’t deserve the gift given him/her? What is it that you deserve? Are you thinking of remuneration or payment? Then that is not a gift anymore but a fee or a salary.

Gifts are freely given, whose only reason and purpose is love. It has served its end when it is also received in love. Don’t you think you deserve love? Only those who value and love themselves can fully realize a fruitful relationship with other people. It is only they who are also capable of giving of themselves for the sake of love alone.

Are you a generous receiver?

How Do You Know You Are Loved?

My friend,
you are dearly loved.
Even when you don’t feel it
sometimes;
Even when people fail to tell you
just how much you mean to
them;
Even when people don’t express it
the way you want them to.

How do you know you are loved? Below are some of the things worth exploring:

1. GET A HUG

Nothing can compare to the warmth
generated by a hug.
No person feels as secure, as
intimate, as needed, as loved, as
someone being hugged.

At times I forget the nicest things said
about me, but I cannot forget those
times I have been hugged.
For surely, it brushes away our fears
and turns our tears into waterfalls of
grace.

Don’t be ashamed to ask for it from
those whom you know has great
concern for you.
Oftentimes, people really want to give
it away, but are just afraid to offer it.
Such people would be more than
willing to give to you that loving
embrace if only you will ask.
So why not ask?

A sweet smile,
a warm embrace,
a hand to hold;
small things,
precious things,
joyful moments,
for the one who receives,
and the one who lovingly gives them

2. GIVE OTHERS THE CHANCE TO CARE FOR YOU.

We are so wrapped up
in our independence,
in our pride,
in our self-sufficiency.
We have built a wall around us
to protect ourselves from pain.
But in doing so,
we have starved ourselves
from the love and concern
of those who truly care for us.
The wall we have built
has kept us from
receiving the attention and care
for which our inner selves
have long been screaming for.

Let others care for you.
Ask help when you need it,
and gratefully accept help given you.

Ask your mother to cook your favorite
recipe.
Ask your friends to come over for a
pajama party.
Ask your officemates to help you for a
work you find too difficult to do.
Ask your churchmates to pray for you.
Ask the kids to help you with the
house chores.
Ask your husband for that kiss you’ve
been missing for so long.
Ask and admit your needs.
Ask and it shall be given you!

3. FORGIVE; DON’T EXPECT PEOPLE TO BE PERFECT.

In order to feel loved,
we must learn the value of
forgiveness.
Remember that no matter how deeply
people may care for us, there will be
times when the very people who love
us would be the same people who
would let us down.
But even that does not change
the fact that we are loved.
Mistakes, weaknesses and momentary
hurts must not waste a lifetime of
caring and sincere devotion for one
another.

There is so much
to love
in each other,
but we are so often blinded
by little moons,
which eclipse
the entire SUNS
of our beings!

Life is not perfect,
but that does not mean
we can never find happiness.
Life is difficult,
but that does not mean
it can never be beautiful!
My friend, do something
for yourself and
for the people who love you:
Believe that you are loved!
TRUST.
Have faith!
Cling on to this truth and fight for it!

It may have been easier
had we only understood
why people failed us,
why people hurt us,
why people acted in ways
we never expected them to.
It may have been easier,
but there are some things
we just couldn’t do.

We cannot peek into their hearts
to see how much sorrow
they are trying to bear.
We cannot sink into their thoughts
to know what struggles
they are going through.
We cannot demand that
they explain themselves to us
and do what we want them to do.

We can only be a bit kinder
than we are supposed to be.
We can only be a bit braver
than we think we ought to be.
In times when we cannot understand,
may we learn to trust.
May we learn to be still
and have faith.

Only those who are strong
can truly love fully.
Strive to be strong.
Forgive when others are weak.

4. NOURISH YOUR RELATIONSHIPS

Everything that is of great worth
should be properly cared for.
Plants left untended wither;
Houses left abandoned end in ruin;
Copper left unpolished tarnish;
Friendships left unattended die.

If anything is of much value,
spend time and effort
to care for it.
And nothing is of greater importance
than our bond
with the people we love.

Though we are important to people,
we should also let these people know
how important they are in our lives.
Only in giving do we truly receive.
Only in loving can we ensure
to keep the channels of
intimacy and affection open.
Express the love you have within you.
Let its joy overflow!
For what is love if we cannot share its
warmth with someone else?

It is useless
to tell your brother
how much
God loves him,
unless
you are willing
to extend your hands,
and be
the manifestation
of the love
you are talking about!

Take time to call your mother
every now and then.
Write a letter to a friend
you have not heard from in
years.
Treat your partner to dinner
and reminisce the old days.
Schedule an outdoor activity for
people you don’t see everyday.
Hold a class reunion after 20 years.

Nourish your relationships.
Spend time while it is yours to give.
What you intend to do
need not be costly.
It need not even require a whole day
from you.
You can choose to spend your minute
in full and undivided attention
for someone
in order to reap a blessing
that will last for a lifetime.

We take care of our clothes,
We take care of our car,
We take care of our muscles,
We take care of our garden,
We take care of our dogs,
We take care of our hair,
We take care of our jobs,
We take care of our shoes,
We take care of our computers,
We even take care of our nails.
Shouldn’t we also take care
of our relationships?

5. UNDERSTAND THAT THERE ARE DIFFERENT PERSONS,
AS WELL AS DIFFERENT SEASONS

People are different.
What is true to us
may not be true to some.
What is trash to many
may be a treasure to few.
Who can therefore judge another?
Not one has lived a day
within a body other than his
own!

How do we know then whether
we are loved or not?
Through the words people say?

Some people are just not good
with words.

Through the hugs we receive?

Some people are just not
touch persons.

Through the gifts given us?

Some people just don’t know
what gifts to buy.

(Some people just don’t have
the money!)

How do we know then?

My friend,
sometimes we just know it!

At other times,
we don’t even know…

I used to think my father doesn’t love me. And I grew up believing there is nothing I can ever do to please him. While other kids would happily play games with their dads, I couldn’t even hug mine.

Until this day, I couldn’t remember a single moment that I ever saw him smile at me. He was just a strict father. A breadwinner. The man who wouldn’t even let me out of the house to play with other kids.

That was all I knew, at least, until he died. Until his wake where his officemates told me just how proud he
was of me. The man who wouldn’t even talk to me has talked much about me! Proudly!

Later, I also learned that even his over protectiveness was a sign of his deep concern for me. Growing up without getting the kind of attention he yearned from his parents, his strictness was after all, a sign of his great love for me. I didn’t know it. I didn’t know how much I was loved!

Each one is unique.
Each has his own way of
expressing the love
he holds within himself.
In the same way,
each season is distinct.
And the same people who love us
will not always love us
in the same way.

There will be seasons of spring.
Such is the yearning of every heart
that loves.
A season of affection
pouring down like showers
in springtime.
A season of intimacy and
intense attachment
with each other.
It is the season of lovebirds,
Of young love budding out of
nowhere,
Of friends taking sudden interest
in each other’s lives,
Of mothers and babies enjoying
moments of quiet embrace.
Such is spring.
Such is the season to be savored
and saved, to be cherished
and lived as though
it would never come to an end.

There will be seasons of summer.
Of adventures and events
which leave us
both breathless and thankful,
both tired and excited with the ride.
Enjoy your summer.
Enjoy the many activities,
which shall strengthen your
bond.

Yet in all these,
there shall also be
autumn and winter.
There shall be moments of silence,
and there shall be moments of biting
cold.
How we desire to forego such
seasons.
How we yearn to go back in
summertime,
and how we miss the magic of spring!
Yet even in such moments,
even in such seasons,
we can find that we are loved.

There will be times of
misunderstanding.
There will be times of pain.
A time when we have all the right to
doubt the love we thought was there.
Indeed, there will be times of biting
winter winds.
Yet even the pangs of winter
cannot kill the roots, which
have deeply established itself.
We have only to dig within,
to discover,
to remember,
to know that we are loved.

Your child has disobeyed you and went after the man she chose. Yet it doesn’t mean your child does not cry secretly in sorrow of disappointing you.

Your father has not approved of the career you desire and insisted his own plans instead. Yet it doesn’t mean he sleeps soundly at night and does not yearn to take back the decision he made for you.

Your friend did not accept the apology you made and acted as though she could never accept you again. Yet it doesn’t mean she doesn’t miss you and desire your company once more.

Life does not
disappear
in winter.
Love does not
disappear
as well.
It is embedded
in the innermost part
of our being.
It is deeply rooted
and shall rise again
in spring.

In autumn, when we cannot foresee
spring as clearly as we can in winter,
we have with us the harvest of
summer and spring to see us through.
All the work has been done.
Memories have been made.
We wish it could remain forever
in ways we have been used to,
but another season opens…
Change comes,
and we must yield.

The kids have grown up and now have affairs of their own.
Friends have married, and we terribly miss the adventures shared with them.
Neighbors have gone abroad, and we suddenly have no one to share our secret recipe with.
Lifetime partners have passed away, and we have no idea how to fill the void they have left
in our lives.

Autumn comes and takes away
that, which we hold so dear.
Autumn comes and we are called
to let go once more.
In certain ways,
we let go of a child who has grown up,
we let go of a friend who seeks a new
path in life,
we let go of a loved one who has gone
before us in the next life.
Yet even death does not and cannot
take away the love you have shared
at one point in your life.
TREASURE IT!
It is forever yours!

I remember the great love of my grandparents for one another. For fifty years, they were able to show the world that love can indeed stand the tests of time, that affection for one another need not pass away with age, and that the greatest legacy we can ever leave is love freely and unselfishly given.

I was blessed indeed to be a witness to that love for a few years that I have lived before my grandfather died. And the day he died, my heart was broken. Not only because I would miss my grandfather. Not only because I grieve for my grandmother. But more so because I couldn’t bear to witness the end of such a love.

Through the years however, I’ve learned how I have greatly underestimated the extent and depth of that love, how I have misjudged it; for in truth, it never really came to an end the day my grandfather died.

To this very day, I am still a witness how my grandmother is able to treasure the love they have shared. I am still a witness how love is kept alive in the hearts and minds of those who carry on the radiance of its
warmth.

Autumn can take away many things,
but not the love we have
freely given away.

Each season brings
a new challenge.
But no season
can hinder us
from knowing we are loved.

6. LEARN TO REACH OUT

Not many of us are blessed with a
family who has always been there for
us.
Not many of us have loads of friends
whom we can count on to

to see us through the darkest and loneliest of
days.
But few of us
could ever complain
that we have not been given
any opportunity to reach out
and care for people
within our reach.

We need not look far to find lonely
people.
We need not walk long to brighten
someone else’s day.
We need only to open
our eyes and see.
We need only to open
our hands and reach out.

How many people do you meet
everyday?
Whether you are working at a
business district, a wet market, a
school, a shop, a construction area, a
store, or even at home, there are
always people within your reach.

And sometimes,
all we need
is a smile
to bring a little warmth
in another person’s day.

There might be that grouchy man you always bump into at rush hour.
There might be a little kid asking for a piece of bread.
There might be a boss who just couldn’t open up his heart.
There might be a widower longing for a little chat.
There might be an old aunt yearning for a bit of attention all these years.
There might be an employee feeling a bit left out.
There might be a mother terribly missing her daughter.
There might be a daughter terribly missing her Mom.
There might be a stranger needing a little help.
There might be a neighbor waiting for a smile.
There might be a friend hoping for a chat over a cup of coffee.
There might be a heart longing for another heart.

You may claim to be lonely,
but there are people lonelier than you
are!
You may claim to be poor,
yet you did not take into
account
how much you can still
give away…

Mere surfing over the internet could
give you a pretty good idea how many
lonely people are out there: people
working in a foreign land, people with
disabilities and debilitating diseases
that keep them from going out and
meeting new friends, people who have
been hurt and abandoned by those
they cared for the most.
You could be a light to them.
Your messages can be the warm
hand of a friend they have been
longing for.

Wherever you are,
there will always be people
you can touch.
And the briefness of the encounter
need not hinder us from making a
lasting difference by sharing whatever
small thing we can give

Go ahead!
Touch.
Reach out.
Do random acts of kindness
and don’t expect
anything in return!

But if in any chance
you do get something back;
if in any chance, you realize
you have made another
person happy;
and then you finally realize
that you are loved,
that would be a miracle
we should all be thankful for!

When you realize
you are loved,
could there be any logical reason
you should not love yourself
as much as others have
cared for you?

Other Relationship Related Posts:

A Broken Heart’s Prayer
A Prayer Letting Go
100 Tips in Healing a Broken Heart
Why Is Respect Important in a Relationship?
Why Do I Always Fall In Love With the Wrong Person?
What is the Meaning of a Heartbreak?
Will You Still Love Me Even If I’m Not Perfect?
Why Can’t We Feel that We Are Loved?
Is It Ever a Waste of Time to Love Someone?
Must You Give Up Everything in the Name of Love?
It Takes Two to Make a Relationship Work
Love is Like a Beautiful Painting
What Saying Goodbye Doesn’t Mean
Should You End a Relationship Even if You Still Love Each Other?
How Do I Know If He Really Loves Me?
A Prayer For that Special Someone
Top 12 Quotes and Articles About Love
100 Ways to Say I LOVE YOU – Part 1
100 Ways to Say I LOVE YOU – Part 2

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

What is a desert experience?  Why do we need to undergo such a time of difficulty, suffering and emptiness before we could receive our true calling?

“I am now going to allure her; I will lead her into the desert… There I will give her back her vineyards.” (Hosea 2:14-15, NIV)

Even Jesus needed a desert experience before He started out on His ministry, His true calling.  He needed the desert to give Him what a life of comfort and luxuries could never be able to give.

We need a desert experience:

1. To empty ourselves of our false callings and dreams

A desert experience will test us, it will challenge our beliefs, our values, our dreams.

Imagine a true desert, arid as it is where almost no plant ever grows and few animals ever dare live.  It will not pay respect to all your trivialities.  It will lay bare your true substance.  It will remind you that you are naked, that you have brought nothing with you when you were born, and you will bring nothing back when you die.

In the face of death, what’s left to give importance to?  What really matters anyway?

Away from the desert, you may have fooled yourself into believing that there is no death, that you can squander your time with things that don’t really matter in the end.

The desert asks you, what is it that really matters most to you?  What is the meaning of your life?  If you are to die now, how will you sum up your life?  Was there any difference that you have lived at all?

Most people never come to the realization of their true calling because they haven’t allowed themselves to experience the desert, the emptiness that comes before being filled.

2.To feel what we need most aside from physical bread

In the midst of emptiness and thirst, we are faced with the question, does man live by bread alone?  If we do, then why aren’t we satisfied after merely eating just like the other animals?  Why is it that we desire something more?

What is it that we thirst for?  What is it that truly drives our lives?  Is it the thirst for more and more wealth and comfort?  Is it the thirst for power, to have control over other men?  Are we really going to be happy after we’ve attained such things?

3.  To receive our true calling as our first gift from God

It is only after being emptied that we may receive what God truly wants to give us.  It is only by first recognizing our true hunger that God may be able to give of His bread to satisfy us.

Our dream job, our true calling, is not only a mission God gives us to give to the world, it is first and foremost a gift to us. That is why our calling, our joy and our sorrow all melt into a single converging point.

Hence, if it is a thirst for a fatherly love that you feel, it is this same thirst that God will quench within you.  It is this same gift that God will give you.  Before He tells you to share the same gift with the whole world, He wants you to have it first, for it is your source of joy.

After you have known where your wounds are, God comes to heal you, and that healing balm is the gift you’ve been searching for.  It is first of all a gift for you, a gift you’d want to share to the world in order to fulfill your greatest dream.

What is the driving force behind everything that you do?  Is it fear?  Is it anger?  Is it greed?  Is it doubt?  My friend, there is only one thing that can ever make you happy, and that is LOVE.