"I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do everything through him who gives me strength."Philippians 4:12-13 (NIV)

Has God ever hurt your feelings? I'll be honest, sometimes I'll read those verses from Philippians listed above and think to myself, "This is a tough pill to swallow."
Content in any and every situation?
Really?
A few years ago my daughter was a state champion gymnast. To see her do gymnastics was like looking at God smile. She was beautiful, graceful, and captivating to watch.
Then one night while practicing for one of the largest tournaments she'd ever competed in, she fell. It was a move she'd done hundreds of times with the greatest of ease. But this time something went terribly wrong and that one mistake ended her gymnastic dreams.
We spent a year going from doctor to doctor only to be told she'd never be able to support the weight of her body on her injured shoulder again.
I'll be honest, this was a tough pill to swallow. Watching a 14 year-old girl wrestle with the fact that her dreams were stripped from her doesn't exactly lend itself to feelings of contentment. Now, I know in the grand scheme of life, people face much worse situations. But in her world, this was huge.
It was so tempting to want to wallow in the "why" questions and tell God He'd hurt our feelings.
Why did this happen?
Why didn't You stop this God?
Why weren't my prayers answered?
Have you ever been there? Have you ever had a big situation in your life where you just couldn't process why God would allow this to happen? Or maybe even a small annoyance like losing your keys or having a flat tire on a morning you really needed to be somewhere.
It's so tempting to wallow in the why.
Asking why is perfectly normal. Asking why isn't unspiritual. However, if asking this question pushes us farther from God rather than drawing us closer to Him, it is the wrong question.
If asking the why question doesn't offer hope, "What" will?

The what question.
In other words: "Now that this is my reality, what am I supposed to do with it?"

Philippians 4:8, "Finally brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable-if anything is excellent or praiseworthy-think about such things" (NIV).

I like to call this verse "directions on where to park my mind."
And that's exactly what Ashley has had to do with her dashed gymnastics dreams. Instead of wallowing in why did this happen, I've had to help her say:
This is my reality, now what am I going to do with it?
What can I learn from this?
What part of this is for my protection?
What other opportunities could God be providing?
What maturity could God be building into me?
Switching from the why to the what questions paves the road to parking our minds in a much better place.
Is it always easy? Nope.
But is it a way to find a perspective beyond situations where we feel God has allowed something in our lives we don't understand and we absolutely don't like? Yes. I pray this helps you today.

'Just received this message from a friend thru email amd I was bless...,that's why I posted it, in the hope that you may be bless likewise...

Have a blessed day!

Verse-Meal:
Phil. 4:12-13

Bro. Eddie...A Re-post from his site

The Man

WHO IS BROTHER EDDIE C. VILLANUEVA?
Brother Eddie C. Villanueva is one of the nation’s leading church leaders who has touched the lives of many Filipinos here and abroad as Spiritual Director and President of Jesus Is Lord (JIL) Church and Chairman of the nation-wide Philippines for Jesus Movement (PJM).

Beyond spiritual commitments
But Bro. Eddie is beyond his spiritual preoccupations. Apart from being a deeply spiritual man with strong moral convictions and high ethical principles, he is most of all a Filipino who loves his country and his people and a man who is committed to leading the transformation of the Philippines into a prosperous and respectable nation through the Bagong Pilipinas, Bagong Pilipino Movement which he also heads.

•Humble But Illustrious Beginning

•Academic Achiever

•Recipient of Various Citations

•Multimedia practitioner

•Our Roadmap to Bagong Pilipinas, Bagong Pilipino

SUBOK ANG KATAUHAN (Character)

“Bro. Eddie is not beholden to any political power, to any economic-business power, to any smuggling syndicate, gambling syndicate, drug syndicate. Bro. Eddie is not beholden to anyone except to God and to the Filipino people.”

• Buong pusong nagmamahal sa Diyos at Bayan
• Tapat sa kanyang asawa at pamilya
• 1996 Ulirang Ama Awardee
• Tatlumpu’t isang (31) taong naglingkod sa simbahan nang may integridad
• May paninindigang ipaglaban ang tama at totoo, maging sa gitna ng mga banta sa kanyang buhay
• May prinsipyong hindi nabibili. Student leader pa lamang, sinuhulan ng blank check ng isang mayamang negosyante upang itigil ang pagkampi sa mga manggagawa ngunit ito’y kanyang tinutulan at sa halip ay lalo lamang naglingkod sa maliliit.

SUBOK ANG KAKAYAHAN (Competence)

“We want a man who is righteous and a man who fears God above all. We want a man who cannot be blinded by power and selfish ambition. We need a man whose passion is driven by his convictions. We need a man who cannot be bought. There is such a man who dared to stand against all odds, a man who cannot be bought. The man is Bro.Eddie Villanueva.” –Sultan Ismael Kiram II, May 2004

• Naging outstanding student leader, best debater, at academic scholar sa kanyang apat na taon sa kolehiyo.
• Nagturo ng Economics at Finance sa Polytechnic Univesity of the Philippines (PUP) kung saan din sya nagtapos ng Bachelor of Science major in Economics and minor in Finance.
• Siyam na taong nanungkulan bilang miyembro ng Board of Regents ng PUP kung saan kanyang ibinigay ang buong sweldo sa PUP scholarship fund at hanggang ngayon ay may personal scholars.
• May anim (6) na Doctoral Degrees, kabilang ang Doctor in Education Management, Philosophy in Humanity, at Divinity.
• Mahusay na tagapangasiwa, mula sa 15 estudyante noong 1978 ay napamunuan ang Jesus Is Lord Movement na isa na ngayong multi-national organization na nasa 44 na mga bansa sa mundo
• Upang magtaguyod ng mahusay na edukasyon sa mga kabataan, itinatag ang eskwelahan ng JIL Colleges Foundation sa Bocaue, Bulacan na may 30 sangay na ngayon sa iba’t ibang probinsya ng Pilipinas.
• Numero unong rekumendado ng Personnel Management Association of the Philippines(PMAP) bilang Pangulo ng Pilipinas noong 2004.
• Nag-aral ng abogasya sa University of the Philippines at nahinto lamang nang makulong sa pakikipaglaban para sa demokrasya noong 1970s dahil sa Martial Law

SUBOK ANG KATAPANGAN (Courage)

”Natatakot sila pag si Bro. Eddie ang naging pangulo, walang tatakbuhan ang mga nagpahirap sa sambayang Pilipino.”

• Dalawang beses nabaril dahil sa pakikipaglaban para sa karapatan ng mga manggagawa, magsasaka, at mangingisda sa Bulacan.
• Dalawang beses nakulong noong Martial Law sa pakikipaglaban para sa demokrasya.
• Humarap sa maraming death threats at assassination attempts dahil sa pagkampi sa mga manggagawa, magsasaka, mangingisda, naapi at maliliit.
• Dahil sa pagpapakulong sa nagsabwatang huwes, piskal, mga pulis at mga abugado ng negosyanteng nangamkan ng lupa ng maliliit na magsasaka sa Bulacan, siya at ang kanyang pamilya’y pinasabugan ng granada ngunit lahat sila’y himalang nakaligtas
• Lumaban sa ospital na tumangging tanggapin at gamutin ang agaw-buhay na maysakit na walang perang pang deposito.

SUBOK ANG MALASAKIT SA KAPWA (Compassion)

“Ipapahayag natin tama na sobra na ang inhustisya, ang kurapsyon, ang kahirapan ng lahing Pilipino! Sobra na ang kahihiyan na inaabot ng mga kababayan natin sa ibang bansa. Panahon na para magkaisa ang sambayanang Pilipino at ibangon natin ang bansang Pilipinas!”

• Nagtayo ng isang bahaytuluyan na mahigit 20 taon nang kumukupkop ng mga problemadong OFW sa Hongkong at nanindigan din laban sa wage cut ng mga OFW doon.
• Nanguna sa pagpapalaya ng walong Pilipina mula sa prostitusyon sa Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia.
• Nagtawag ng re-trial para kay Flor Contemplacion, isang Filipina domestic helper na binitay sa Singapore noong 1995.
• Nagsulong ng suporta para kay Sarah Balabagan upang mapalaya sa tiyak na kamatayan sa United Arab Emirates noon 1996.
• Tumulong sa Sumilao farmers sa pag-angkin ng kanilang benepisyo sa ilalim ng Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program.
• Bagamat estudyante pa lamang, naipakulong ang nagsabwatang huwes, piskal, mga pulis, at mga abugado ng negosyanteng nangamkam ng lupa ng ilang maliliit na magsasaka sa Bulacan.
• Isa sa mga nakipaglaban upang maigawad sa PUP ang 20 ektaryang lupang kinatitirikan ngayon ng eskwelahan sa Sta.Mesa, Manila para magamit ng mahihirap na estudyante

Friends....
Do not be swayed....
Don't Bet your Vote....
Just Vote and Vote Wisely...
Have a blessed day!

Verse-Meal:
Eph. 1:18

"I pray also that the eyes of your heart maybe enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you"

A Video Link...

I don't usually post a video link co'z I want to express my thoughts and emotions in my way of words,..,And from this.., I, somehow, feel accomplished and relieved. 'Dunno why?....... But this one is sooo nice, soo true and convincing!!, that I feel compelled to share it in my blog.

Very REVEALING, Very TOUCHING and so PERSUASIVE that one soul could possibly become instantly transformed.

This video seems to come with great pressures of conviction, filled with facts and substances that can deliver a big blow to a wandering mind (like me!) and could produced a sweeping force to one's thought in the direction, pointing to a decision for a better and freeing choice.

So indulge and decide my friends.... Follow the link and watch

PULONG PAG-ASA [HQ]

To the gifted and wandering mind that produced this presentation, Mr Educier Tulio III....My respects and salutes to your beautiful piece. Keep on keeping on....for the cause!

Have a blessed day!

Verse Meal:
Exodus 18:21
"But select capable men from all the people--men who fear God, trustworthy men who hate dishonest gain--and appoint them as officials over thousands, hundreds, fifties and tens."