Just last week was thinking how hard it is for a new artist in the Philippines to penetrate the big time television networks in our country. I have reached out to multiple friends in the media to ask if they know someone from these networks and perhaps have my kids' band A.K.A. guest in one of their shows to no avail. All of them said they will try, but after waiting for a few days that turned into weeks, then months, I understood that it's never gonna happen. So I wanted to come up with a plan on how I can make A.K.A. more popular so that a major record label can discover their gifts and invest in their musical career But no matter how hard I think, I cannot conjure a solid and feasible plan that would be within my budget as their manager. And so, as what I normally do, I turned to prayers. I told God what I want for A.K.A. and asked for His help and intervention. Before I went to bed I imagined how the next day was going to be and I believed that God will do something new for A.K.A. the next day. Well, that didn't happen. The day passed as usual. But I didn't lose hope. Before I went to bed that night, I imagined the same thing, God will do something new and fabulous for A.K.A. the next day. I woke up at 4:30 am, did my usual routine of prayers, listening to inspirational talks or worship songs in youtube, then doing tai chi then my daily readings. At around 7:00 am I'm done and ready to work. The first thing I do, I open facebook. I send messages to friends who are celebrating their birthdays.Then, I visit their timeline to see if they are A.K.A.likers, if not, I will send them a personal message asking them to like my kids' page at www.facebook.com/AKARockBand then I will read my messages, and friend requests. This is what I do everyday, not knowing that on that day God was ready to give me what I asked for. Mid-afternoon, I got 2 messages. One friend celebrating his birthday is actually a researcher for Abscbn's Rated K and he visited my kids' page like I asked him to and now he's asking if they can feature the band in their show! The other message was an invitation for me to be interviewed for GMA7's Startalk, and of course I will not accept it if they will not feature my kids' band. Wow! 2 top rating TV Shows in 2 major networks in the Philippines at the same time! I actually cried after confirming the invitations because once again, I experienced God the Miracle Maker in action! Hallelujah!
Thursday, January 22, 2015
God in action
Just last week was thinking how hard it is for a new artist in the Philippines to penetrate the big time television networks in our country. I have reached out to multiple friends in the media to ask if they know someone from these networks and perhaps have my kids' band A.K.A. guest in one of their shows to no avail. All of them said they will try, but after waiting for a few days that turned into weeks, then months, I understood that it's never gonna happen. So I wanted to come up with a plan on how I can make A.K.A. more popular so that a major record label can discover their gifts and invest in their musical career But no matter how hard I think, I cannot conjure a solid and feasible plan that would be within my budget as their manager. And so, as what I normally do, I turned to prayers. I told God what I want for A.K.A. and asked for His help and intervention. Before I went to bed I imagined how the next day was going to be and I believed that God will do something new for A.K.A. the next day. Well, that didn't happen. The day passed as usual. But I didn't lose hope. Before I went to bed that night, I imagined the same thing, God will do something new and fabulous for A.K.A. the next day. I woke up at 4:30 am, did my usual routine of prayers, listening to inspirational talks or worship songs in youtube, then doing tai chi then my daily readings. At around 7:00 am I'm done and ready to work. The first thing I do, I open facebook. I send messages to friends who are celebrating their birthdays.Then, I visit their timeline to see if they are A.K.A.likers, if not, I will send them a personal message asking them to like my kids' page at www.facebook.com/AKARockBand then I will read my messages, and friend requests. This is what I do everyday, not knowing that on that day God was ready to give me what I asked for. Mid-afternoon, I got 2 messages. One friend celebrating his birthday is actually a researcher for Abscbn's Rated K and he visited my kids' page like I asked him to and now he's asking if they can feature the band in their show! The other message was an invitation for me to be interviewed for GMA7's Startalk, and of course I will not accept it if they will not feature my kids' band. Wow! 2 top rating TV Shows in 2 major networks in the Philippines at the same time! I actually cried after confirming the invitations because once again, I experienced God the Miracle Maker in action! Hallelujah!
Saturday, January 17, 2015
Dream Big Dreams
Today, when I woke up at 4:30 am, I was feeling confused and lost. I recently left a job I loved which was the only source of income I have to venture into a different industry in line with my kids' dreams and I don't know where to begin. I feel as though my life is on hold, like, I froze everything while I think of how I should go about well, everything! I prayed asking God to please bless me with wisdom today to see where He wants me to be. And to understand if my decisions were correct. I prayed for His guidance and I asked Him to show me something new today. I am taking a major leap and honestly, it's scaring the hell out of me. After checking facebook, I started my daily devotional readings and this is God's answer to me...
"Dream big dreams"
As he slept, (Jacob) dreamed of a stairway that reached from the earth up to heaven. And he saw the angels of God going up and down the stairway. - Gen. 28:12
"I will instruct you and teach you in the way which you should go; I will counsel you with My eye upon you." - Psalm 32:8
"Instead, we are God's accomplishment, created in Christ Jesus to do good things. God planned for these good things to be the way that we live our lives." - Ephesians 2:10
After reading these, I felt more calm. I know that God is telling me to leave everything to Him. He pre-planned my destiny, He alone knows where I am headed. I must not be scared. I may not know everything, I may not see things happening right now, but it doesn't mean that NOTHING is happening. Because somewhere, in an area my human eye cannot see, God is rearranging things to accommodate my dream. And someday soon, an angel of God will come and open a new door for me. After all, I am a child of God and my Father is in control, what do I have to fear? My work is to trust and to obey.
Dare to dream great dreams... but dream with God. You will see how He will make your dreams come true... Those dreams He knows are the best for you. There is no limit to the goals you can attain, the success you can achieve... your possibilities and potentials are as endless as your dreams... when you dream with God. - Source: D. Crowe & Maribi M. Garcia
"Dream big dreams"
As he slept, (Jacob) dreamed of a stairway that reached from the earth up to heaven. And he saw the angels of God going up and down the stairway. - Gen. 28:12
"I will instruct you and teach you in the way which you should go; I will counsel you with My eye upon you." - Psalm 32:8
"Instead, we are God's accomplishment, created in Christ Jesus to do good things. God planned for these good things to be the way that we live our lives." - Ephesians 2:10
After reading these, I felt more calm. I know that God is telling me to leave everything to Him. He pre-planned my destiny, He alone knows where I am headed. I must not be scared. I may not know everything, I may not see things happening right now, but it doesn't mean that NOTHING is happening. Because somewhere, in an area my human eye cannot see, God is rearranging things to accommodate my dream. And someday soon, an angel of God will come and open a new door for me. After all, I am a child of God and my Father is in control, what do I have to fear? My work is to trust and to obey.
Dare to dream great dreams... but dream with God. You will see how He will make your dreams come true... Those dreams He knows are the best for you. There is no limit to the goals you can attain, the success you can achieve... your possibilities and potentials are as endless as your dreams... when you dream with God. - Source: D. Crowe & Maribi M. Garcia
Friday, January 16, 2015
When you lose the capacity to dream, you lose the capacity to love
"When you lose the capacity to dream, you lose the capacity to love" - Pope Francis
Very true words. I love my daughter more than anything in the world and because of her, I learned how to dream. When I was younger, my only dream was to meet my Prince, get married and live happily ever after :) But I didn't choose wisely. I married early, based on emotions and did not even think if the person I'm marrying has the same dreams as I have. When my marriage failed, life went on. I was kept busy by work and surviving. Years past, I became older and tired. My life was routine with work and sleep. I was just waiting for my time to die because I thought since my youth passed, I no longer have anything exciting to look forward to. Then one day, I got sick. Very, very, sick. My routine had to change. I had to stop working, stay home, and be with my children 24 hours a day. I was very surprised to learn that they are all very musical. I was even more surprised to learn that my daughter writes songs. And not just any songs, but beautiful songs, with wonderful melodies and lyrics. She told me that music is what she wants to do. She doesn't want to be an Architect, or an Engineer, but she wants to write songs and sing. She wants to be like Taylor Swift her idol. she wants to travel the world with her music, she wants to win a Grammy Award! I became excited. For the first time in a very long time, I found a purpose, a reason to live. I have to help my daughter realize her dreams. I have to support her. I became stronger, determined, passionate. I share in my daughter's dream. It is not just her dream alone, it is our dream. I got my whole family excited and dreaming with us. All this because I love my daughter. Because I love her, I found back my capacity to dream. My colorless life is now again filled with color and challenges and excitement. All these because I loved.
Prayer:
Dear Lord, thank you for the gift of dreams. I surrender all of our dreams to You. We can do nothing without You Lord. Bless us, lead us, enlighten us, make our dreams come true. I know that You have a perpetual plan for everything, and I surrender to Your Will Lord. You said "Ask and you shall receive" so here I am now asking in Jesus' name please make our dreams come true.
Very true words. I love my daughter more than anything in the world and because of her, I learned how to dream. When I was younger, my only dream was to meet my Prince, get married and live happily ever after :) But I didn't choose wisely. I married early, based on emotions and did not even think if the person I'm marrying has the same dreams as I have. When my marriage failed, life went on. I was kept busy by work and surviving. Years past, I became older and tired. My life was routine with work and sleep. I was just waiting for my time to die because I thought since my youth passed, I no longer have anything exciting to look forward to. Then one day, I got sick. Very, very, sick. My routine had to change. I had to stop working, stay home, and be with my children 24 hours a day. I was very surprised to learn that they are all very musical. I was even more surprised to learn that my daughter writes songs. And not just any songs, but beautiful songs, with wonderful melodies and lyrics. She told me that music is what she wants to do. She doesn't want to be an Architect, or an Engineer, but she wants to write songs and sing. She wants to be like Taylor Swift her idol. she wants to travel the world with her music, she wants to win a Grammy Award! I became excited. For the first time in a very long time, I found a purpose, a reason to live. I have to help my daughter realize her dreams. I have to support her. I became stronger, determined, passionate. I share in my daughter's dream. It is not just her dream alone, it is our dream. I got my whole family excited and dreaming with us. All this because I love my daughter. Because I love her, I found back my capacity to dream. My colorless life is now again filled with color and challenges and excitement. All these because I loved.
Prayer:
Dear Lord, thank you for the gift of dreams. I surrender all of our dreams to You. We can do nothing without You Lord. Bless us, lead us, enlighten us, make our dreams come true. I know that You have a perpetual plan for everything, and I surrender to Your Will Lord. You said "Ask and you shall receive" so here I am now asking in Jesus' name please make our dreams come true.
Thursday, January 8, 2015
Relationship
For I have no one like him, who will be genuinely concerned for your welfare. For they all seek their own interests, not those of Jesus Christ. - Philippians 2: 20-21
I came from a dysfunctional family. My Mom is my greatest fan and critic. She loves me to the bone but, is always critical of what I do. I learned to be on defense mode whenever I talk to her. Even now, our relationship has not improved, in fact, now that we are both older we tend to disagree more. But no matter how many times a day we argue, we just can't be separated. Sometimes, I feel as though she thinks of me as her ATM machine, but I can't throw her away. Not just because of my sense of duty, but if I'll be real honest with myself, I really do love the old witch :) and I'm scared to death of losing her, I don't even want to think about it. Knowing that I feel this way, why can't I stand being with her for 5 minutes without arguing? I guess, being a Christian and claiming to love the Lord, I don't have a valid excuse. So today, I will try harder to tolerate her. Even when I feel as though she is attacking me, I will keep quiet and not argue. I will change my attitude towards her first and let God work His wonders on our relationship. Today, I will; Submit to God, Submit to my Mother (so help me God), Mature in usefulness (Strengthen my faith), Be content in playing 2nd fiddle (Harmony is produced in ministry), Commit to the 4 A's (Anything, Anywhere, Any time, At any cost).
Dear Lord, I want to love you and face you with a pure heart. Please give me the grace to endure so that I can serve you better. Don't put my humility and patience to the test but instead, help me see Your love in everyone around me especially today. You know my dreams, my plans, my capabilities, my strengths, my weaknesses, and my destiny. Help me hear Your voice louder Lord, in every decision I make, every problem I face, and every conversation I have. In Jesus' name I pray, Amen.
I came from a dysfunctional family. My Mom is my greatest fan and critic. She loves me to the bone but, is always critical of what I do. I learned to be on defense mode whenever I talk to her. Even now, our relationship has not improved, in fact, now that we are both older we tend to disagree more. But no matter how many times a day we argue, we just can't be separated. Sometimes, I feel as though she thinks of me as her ATM machine, but I can't throw her away. Not just because of my sense of duty, but if I'll be real honest with myself, I really do love the old witch :) and I'm scared to death of losing her, I don't even want to think about it. Knowing that I feel this way, why can't I stand being with her for 5 minutes without arguing? I guess, being a Christian and claiming to love the Lord, I don't have a valid excuse. So today, I will try harder to tolerate her. Even when I feel as though she is attacking me, I will keep quiet and not argue. I will change my attitude towards her first and let God work His wonders on our relationship. Today, I will; Submit to God, Submit to my Mother (so help me God), Mature in usefulness (Strengthen my faith), Be content in playing 2nd fiddle (Harmony is produced in ministry), Commit to the 4 A's (Anything, Anywhere, Any time, At any cost).
Dear Lord, I want to love you and face you with a pure heart. Please give me the grace to endure so that I can serve you better. Don't put my humility and patience to the test but instead, help me see Your love in everyone around me especially today. You know my dreams, my plans, my capabilities, my strengths, my weaknesses, and my destiny. Help me hear Your voice louder Lord, in every decision I make, every problem I face, and every conversation I have. In Jesus' name I pray, Amen.
Friday, January 2, 2015
Pressure
"What do you benefit if you gain the whole world but are yourself lost or destroyed?" - Luke 9:25
Do you feel that life is filled with pressure, pressure, pressure? Do you ever feel like running away, checking out, giving up? Pressure to be. Pressure to do. Pressure to perform. Pressure to produce. And with the pressures come anxiety and stress. I felt that way a few months ago, like I just want to throw everything away, raise both my hands in surrender and give up. I get sick every time it's time for me to go to work. I literally felt like I was dragging my feet to work everyday. I was hospitalized during the holidays and because of that I had the chance to stop and think about stuff. I know for a fact that I am happiest when I am living the life God planned for me, using the personality and talents He gave me. And I am most miserable when I barter a portion of my God-given self for short-term earthly gain. I then realized that due to recent changes in my work environment, I was no longer doing my job "Christian-like". I pressure my people to come to work even when they are not feeling well. I limit their breaks and squeeze every juice I can get out of them. It was just not fun for them and for me anymore. We were not allowed to "chit-chat" with colleagues which made the work place seem like Alcatraz. This is not where I want to be, that was my self-realization. Then I got scared. How can I leave my job that pays me more than the salary of my 3 kids combined? Especially now that my kids' band A.K.A. needs all the financial support they can get from me. We are scheduled to shoot our 2nd music video, which my small production company is producing. We have scheduled concerts which my company is producing! What am I going to do Lord? The Feng Shui experts on TV said that people born on the year of the rooster will experience extreme bad luck this year. Oh wow! What a great way to start the New Year! Then I heard God's voice telling me not to fear and I felt calm, comforted, reassured. What will I fear? I am a child of God. Luck does not control my fate, God does. My Father is in control, what more do I need? Realistically, life is never going to slow down. The pressure is never going to lessen, the stress and anxiety will always be there in one form or another. But God knows the pressure, the stress, the anxiety of earthly life. He has provided a way of escape so that we can endure it... How? By Worshiping Him, when we worship Him in prayer, in our daily routine, in our relationship with other people, we move into a consciousness of His Presence, and the tension begins to unravel, the tautness of the pressure eases, anxieties become meaningless, for we are reminded that He is there.
"Self-regard is not always a bad thing, especially if you're protecting the self God gave you." - Jim Seybert
Do you feel that life is filled with pressure, pressure, pressure? Do you ever feel like running away, checking out, giving up? Pressure to be. Pressure to do. Pressure to perform. Pressure to produce. And with the pressures come anxiety and stress. I felt that way a few months ago, like I just want to throw everything away, raise both my hands in surrender and give up. I get sick every time it's time for me to go to work. I literally felt like I was dragging my feet to work everyday. I was hospitalized during the holidays and because of that I had the chance to stop and think about stuff. I know for a fact that I am happiest when I am living the life God planned for me, using the personality and talents He gave me. And I am most miserable when I barter a portion of my God-given self for short-term earthly gain. I then realized that due to recent changes in my work environment, I was no longer doing my job "Christian-like". I pressure my people to come to work even when they are not feeling well. I limit their breaks and squeeze every juice I can get out of them. It was just not fun for them and for me anymore. We were not allowed to "chit-chat" with colleagues which made the work place seem like Alcatraz. This is not where I want to be, that was my self-realization. Then I got scared. How can I leave my job that pays me more than the salary of my 3 kids combined? Especially now that my kids' band A.K.A. needs all the financial support they can get from me. We are scheduled to shoot our 2nd music video, which my small production company is producing. We have scheduled concerts which my company is producing! What am I going to do Lord? The Feng Shui experts on TV said that people born on the year of the rooster will experience extreme bad luck this year. Oh wow! What a great way to start the New Year! Then I heard God's voice telling me not to fear and I felt calm, comforted, reassured. What will I fear? I am a child of God. Luck does not control my fate, God does. My Father is in control, what more do I need? Realistically, life is never going to slow down. The pressure is never going to lessen, the stress and anxiety will always be there in one form or another. But God knows the pressure, the stress, the anxiety of earthly life. He has provided a way of escape so that we can endure it... How? By Worshiping Him, when we worship Him in prayer, in our daily routine, in our relationship with other people, we move into a consciousness of His Presence, and the tension begins to unravel, the tautness of the pressure eases, anxieties become meaningless, for we are reminded that He is there.
"Self-regard is not always a bad thing, especially if you're protecting the self God gave you." - Jim Seybert
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