I Part Seas

I just came from a very meaningful weekend leadership retreat in Tagaytay. It was quite an experience to sit there with potential servant leaders of our apostolate but it was even more heartening to know that I am with people who are or will be instruments of God's influence to a lot of other people the Singles Apostolate touch base with.

Ang astig.

I was sent an invite to join the "I'm No Moses" Seminar several weeks back but I only confirmed a couple of days prior to it. I have reservations about it really, not knowing what to expect. Plus the fact that I have lots of things supposedly planned for this weekend that I have to clear up first, I needed something to justify my participation.

Eto yung makulet na part.

It was a Tuesday (or Wednesday?) morning. Ilang araw na lang bago yung seminar at kelangan ko na ayusin lahat if I am to confirm AND in fact I need to know IF I will confirm, to start with. I needed a sign.

Nagluluto mom ko ng breakfast and, as usual, she has the FM radio turned on (tuned in to any station, just to have an ambient sound). That morning, she was tuned in dito sa isang jologs na FM station. Alam mo na yan, yung station that plays equally jologs songs and has DJ's that will pass as hosts for comedy pubs with flying colors.

I was brushing my teeth then when out of their usual playlist, may Christian song na tumugtog. I was like "huh?". It was totally out of the blue for them to play such song. I specifically paid attention to the lines "still You hear me when I'm calling..." and so I thought "Onga naman, minsan lang Niya ko tawagin pero kung ako naman, halos palagi ko Siyang kinailangan and He din't fail me."

So ayun, taking it as a sign, I confirmed my attendance to Shep Ali and Ther of the Teaching Team that day.

*****

Ia, Laurie, I-am-Sam, Pam, Obi
We're the 9th batch to attend the "I'm No Moses" Seminar. The Teaching Team of the Singles Apostolate of St. James the Great Renewal Movement regularly conducts this to budding servant leaders of the community. I'm totally elated that they consider me as one, totally in awe that God named me into it.

I'm No Mo Batch 9 Attendance: Paul, Len, Obi, Gian, Mike, Kris, Bianca, Sam, Laurie, Pam, Jan, Ia, Del, Karmi, Aweng, Zsa

It has been a very humbling and enlightening experience to join this retreat. Ang daming realizations at sobrang enjoy! For me, it's God's way of refueling my desire to serve. Just when I needed it most, He called me to join I'm No Mo to keep the high up in me. I'm still lost in words to fully describe how I feel right now.

Basta, ang galing!

So super thanks kay Bro... our Lord God for the opportunity to serve you!

Thanks to the Teaching Team, St. James the Great Renewal Movement, and the rest of the people behind the 9th I'm No Mo! I can't thank you enough for organizing the seminar.

Salamat sa Angels' Hills! Parang wala kami sa AH... ansasarap ng pagkain, for a change! Haha! Sana ganun ulet sa August... ahaha!

Mark, idol, special shout out to you. You're the man. Thanks sa lahat! Sigaw ka lang "summon Obi!" pag kelangan mo ng tulong sa Fellowship or whatever I can help you with for the community.

Syempre, thanks mucho sa lahat ng co-participants ko! It has been a very fun and memorable event with you guys. Angas.

*****

Share ko lang 'to... because I'm better off writing than talking.

Anyway, leadership was never an alien concept to me. I organize mountaineering climbs. I interact with peers in airsoft games. I coordinate with crewmates when sailing. I am a team lead of eight at work. AND I have a whole slew more of kabibohan in life that in one way or another I was called on to "step up".

I've never had any problems that I can't handle when dealing with these endeavors. But of course, it's because I am either conditioned into it OR the talents required for it are in me all along.

It's so totally different in the apostolate.

I was always called on to do things I've never truly been accustomed to do in my life. I'm even called on to do things that I don't really do outside the community!

Now, when I look back at what I've done for the apostolate, especially for my class (SE14), I realized that I was never really truly equipped to do what I should but, alam mo yun... we made it through. The class made it through.

I might have screwed up some but God did not fail to provide and correct things and do miracles when I least expected it. I realized, hindi ka Niya tatawagin para sa isang bagay kung hindi mo kakayaning gampanan yung role na iyon. And just as how Moses was called into ministry, just let it be. God will always have His way of doing the rest, of equipping you of just what you'll need to do things for Him. Yun ang astig na part dun.

Yes, I can proudly say "I'm Moses" now... and I'm ready for my burning bush, Lord God.

Can I request for my magic staff to be fine-tuned to part Manila floods? Haha!

*****
Who Am I
by: Casting Crowns

Who am I?
That the Lord of all the earth,
Would care to know my name,
Would care to feel my hurt.
Who am I?
That the bright and morning star,
Would choose to light the way,
For my ever wandering heart.

Not because of who I am,
But because of what you've done.
Not because of what I've done,
But because of who you are.

I am a flower quickly fading,
Here today and gone tomorrow,
A wave tossed in the ocean,
A vapor in the wind.
Still you hear me when I'm calling,
Lord, you catch me when I'm falling,
And you've told me who I am.
I am yours.
I am yours.

Who am I?
That the eyes that see my sin
Would look on me with love
And watch me rise again.
Who am I?
That the voice that calmed the sea,
Would call out through the rain,
And calm the storm in me.

Not because of who I am,
But because of what you've done.
Not because of what I've done,
But because of who you are.

I am a flower quickly fading,
Here today and gone tomorrow,
A wave tossed in the ocean,
A vapor in the wind.
Still you hear me when I'm calling,
Lord, you catch me when I'm falling,
And you've told me who I am.
I am yours.

Not because of who I am,
But because of what you've done.
Not because of what I've done,
But because of who you are.

I am a flower quickly fading,
Here today and gone tomorrow,
A wave tossed in the ocean,
A vapor in the wind.
Still you hear me when I'm calling,
Lord, you catch me when I'm falling,
And you've told me who I am.
I am yours.
I am yours.

I am yours.

Whom shall I fear?
Whom shall I fear?
Cause I am yours.
I am yours.

I Part Seas

I just came from a very meaningful weekend leadership retreat in Tagaytay. It was quite an experience to sit there with potential servant leaders of our apostolate but it was even more heartening to know that I am with people who are or will be instruments of God's influence to a lot of other people the Singles Apostolate touch base with.

Ang astig.

I was sent an invite to join the "I'm No Moses" Seminar several weeks back but I only confirmed a couple of days prior to it. I have reservations about it really, not knowing what to expect. Plus the fact that I have lots of things supposedly planned for this weekend that I have to clear up first, I needed something to justify my participation.

Eto yung makulet na part.

It was a Tuesday (or Wednesday?) morning. Ilang araw na lang bago yung seminar at kelangan ko na ayusin lahat if I am to confirm AND in fact I need to know IF I will confirm, to start with. I needed a sign.

Nagluluto mom ko ng breakfast and, as usual, she has the FM radio turned on (tuned in to any station, just to have an ambient sound). That morning, she was tuned in dito sa isang jologs na FM station. Alam mo na yan, yung station that plays equally jologs songs and has DJ's that will pass as hosts for comedy pubs with flying colors.

I was brushing my teeth then when out of their usual playlist, may Christian song na tumugtog. I was like "huh?". It was totally out of the blue for them to play such song. I specifically paid attention to the lines "still You hear me when I'm calling..." and so I thought "Onga naman, minsan lang Niya ko tawagin pero kung ako naman, halos palagi ko Siyang kinailangan and He din't fail me."

So ayun, taking it as a sign, I confirmed my attendance to Shep Ali and Ther of the Teaching Team that day.

*****

Ia, Laurie, I-am-Sam, Pam, Obi
We're the 9th batch to attend the "I'm No Moses" Seminar. The Teaching Team of the Singles Apostolate of St. James the Great Renewal Movement regularly conducts this to budding servant leaders of the community. I'm totally elated that they consider me as one, totally in awe that God named me into it.

I'm No Mo Batch 9 Attendance: Paul, Len, Obi, Gian, Mike, Kris, Bianca, Sam, Laurie, Pam, Jan, Ia, Del, Karmi, Aweng, Zsa

It has been a very humbling and enlightening experience to join this retreat. Ang daming realizations at sobrang enjoy! For me, it's God's way of refueling my desire to serve. Just when I needed it most, He called me to join I'm No Mo to keep the high up in me. I'm still lost in words to fully describe how I feel right now.

Basta, ang galing!

So super thanks kay Bro... our Lord God for the opportunity to serve you!

Thanks to the Teaching Team, St. James the Great Renewal Movement, and the rest of the people behind the 9th I'm No Mo! I can't thank you enough for organizing the seminar.

Salamat sa Angels' Hills! Parang wala kami sa AH... ansasarap ng pagkain, for a change! Haha! Sana ganun ulet sa August... ahaha!

Mark, idol, special shout out to you. You're the man. Thanks sa lahat! Sigaw ka lang "summon Obi!" pag kelangan mo ng tulong sa Fellowship or whatever I can help you with for the community.

Syempre, thanks mucho sa lahat ng co-participants ko! It has been a very fun and memorable event with you guys. Angas.

*****

Share ko lang 'to... because I'm better off writing than talking.

Anyway, leadership was never an alien concept to me. I organize mountaineering climbs. I interact with peers in airsoft games. I coordinate with crewmates when sailing. I am a team lead of eight at work. AND I have a whole slew more of kabibohan in life that in one way or another I was called on to "step up".

I've never had any problems that I can't handle when dealing with these endeavors. But of course, it's because I am either conditioned into it OR the talents required for it are in me all along.

It's so totally different in the apostolate.

I was always called on to do things I've never truly been accustomed to do in my life. I'm even called on to do things that I don't really do outside the community!

Now, when I look back at what I've done for the apostolate, especially for my class (SE14), I realized that I was never really truly equipped to do what I should but, alam mo yun... we made it through. The class made it through.

I might have screwed up some but God did not fail to provide and correct things and do miracles when I least expected it. I realized, hindi ka Niya tatawagin para sa isang bagay kung hindi mo kakayaning gampanan yung role na iyon. And just as how Moses was called into ministry, just let it be. God will always have His way of doing the rest, of equipping you of just what you'll need to do things for Him. Yun ang astig na part dun.

Yes, I can proudly say "I'm Moses" now... and I'm ready for my burning bush, Lord God.

Can I request for my magic staff to be fine-tuned to part Manila floods? Haha!

*****
Who Am I
by: Casting Crowns

Who am I?
That the Lord of all the earth,
Would care to know my name,
Would care to feel my hurt.
Who am I?
That the bright and morning star,
Would choose to light the way,
For my ever wandering heart.

Not because of who I am,
But because of what you've done.
Not because of what I've done,
But because of who you are.

I am a flower quickly fading,
Here today and gone tomorrow,
A wave tossed in the ocean,
A vapor in the wind.
Still you hear me when I'm calling,
Lord, you catch me when I'm falling,
And you've told me who I am.
I am yours.
I am yours.

Who am I?
That the eyes that see my sin
Would look on me with love
And watch me rise again.
Who am I?
That the voice that calmed the sea,
Would call out through the rain,
And calm the storm in me.

Not because of who I am,
But because of what you've done.
Not because of what I've done,
But because of who you are.

I am a flower quickly fading,
Here today and gone tomorrow,
A wave tossed in the ocean,
A vapor in the wind.
Still you hear me when I'm calling,
Lord, you catch me when I'm falling,
And you've told me who I am.
I am yours.

Not because of who I am,
But because of what you've done.
Not because of what I've done,
But because of who you are.

I am a flower quickly fading,
Here today and gone tomorrow,
A wave tossed in the ocean,
A vapor in the wind.
Still you hear me when I'm calling,
Lord, you catch me when I'm falling,
And you've told me who I am.
I am yours.
I am yours.

I am yours.

Whom shall I fear?
Whom shall I fear?
Cause I am yours.
I am yours.