At the beginning of each year, in observance of the tradition that is the fullfilment of a prophecy that the Lord has spoken of very clearly in November 2003 at the annual gathering of The Couples for Christ International Council, the SFC community gathers as one and in prayer, worship and thanksgiving offer their 'FIRST FRUITS' of the year.
As a testament on just how bountiful God's grace and blessings are, three of our members have come forth with their affirmations:
Bro. JM Comia: The Gift of Family
Whenever I am asked to speak about my family, it is always my pleasure to proclaim how grateful and blessed I am for the gift of family.
Apart from the gift of life, the gift of family is one of the greatest blessing I received from God.
The grace that I received from being part of this community is that – it changed my perception on how I see life. I became more grateful and thankful for all the blessings that I am receiving. It may be an answered prayer or a challenge which might test my faith and values in life. My family is the reason why I became part and still actively serving in CFC community.
As I always share, the reason of my success is not because that I am good in everything that I am doing, but because God is generous and faithful in answering the prayers of my family for me.
In every challenge that my family will encounter, I know God created us and put us together as one family to be the victors of life. And no matter what happens, our family will always rise from every struggle because my family is rooted from the love of Christ.
In many ways, it maybe big or small things – My family is indeed my God’s gift. They are my inspiration, my confidants and my source of strength.
Sis. Jen Palen: The Gift of Relationship
I’ve been into a long term relationship before. We were high school lovers and were together until we started working but to make the story short, it didn’t work out.
Hindi ginawa ang “ BREAK UP” para masaktan at lumuha, ginawa ito para ilayo ka sa maling tao na akala mo tama” so I told myself he is not the right one for me. During those single years I was on a desperate search for true love. I was convinced that if I could only find the right guy- the knight in shining armor that “most of the ladies” dreamed of – I would finally be happy and fulfilled. Despite my fairy tale ideals, dating around was not the romantic experience I’ve always imagined it to be. In a desperate attempt to find the man of my dreams, I gave myself emotionally to some guys. I knew that something wasn’t right in this area of my life. I hadn’t crossed certain physical lines, but I still felt guilty and impure. I was giving away far more of my heart, mind, time and emotions than I knew was right. I felt dirty, used and miserable.
I wondered why GOD kept allowing me to get my heart broken again and again. Little did I know what amazing, beautiful, life-altering plans my Creator has for me –if only I would entrust the pen to HIM and let HIM write my story.
When I finally made the difficult decision to surrender my life completely to JESUS CHRIST, I was truly in an awe of what happened. I joined SFC 5 years ago I graduated July 2012, though my journey was not easy, there were a lot of struggles in the aspect of career, family, finances, spirituality and of course struggles in love life, still I remain faithful to what the LORD has promised me. Joining the community taught me a lot, since joining I experienced such beauty and romance when GOD is at the center of my life. GOD’s pattern might seem anything but “perfect”. But following His pattern requires SACRIFICE, TOTAL SURRENDER, and PATIENCE. Before we can truly grasp the perfection of His ways, he must first exchange our desires for His desires. Yet once He becomes our focal point, we begin to truly take delight in the heavenly brilliance of His pattern.
GOD has written a beautiful love story for us ni Bro. Karl Nuñez (Langga) and had guided each steps of our relationship. In those 2 years together being in a relationship and counting, we recognized that our relationship had truly grown more beautiful and amazing in spite of the struggles, such as: we have different perspective, experiences, outlooks in life, attitudes etc. So what is our secret? It is because we are in the same community, same faith, or have some kind of special gift? Or having a supernatural ability to be perfectly sensitive? Do we have an easy, stress free relationship? The answer is a BIG NO, we are not specially gifted. Our life has been far from easy or perfect. The secret to our relationship has nothing to do with our own abilities or special circumstances. The reason that our relationship has only grown stronger with time is because we have learned to continually point each other to JESUS CHRIST.
Just a little story of our journey, we are just like the typical Boyfriend and Girlfriend, we fight, we argue but at the end of the day we always prevail the love and understanding to each other. If may time that I feel disappointed or we have misunderstanding what I did during our prayer kinokonsenya ko na lang sya at ngsusumbong ako ky LORD at naririnig nya yun. And mind you my brothers and sisters yes we have that you called “third party”, Yes right third party, who’s being with us all the way in this journey at si LORD yun. We never neglect praying every night kahit na galing sya or ako ng household we always do our prayer time together. And we always support each other sa mga services at activities ng community. Actually may schedule kami sa date namin, during Wednesday (Novena time) at Sunday (Attending mass) at yung Friday is for SFC day. At kung namimilit daw akong makipag date sa knya sa ibang araw (Gwapo nya ehhh) ahahah pumapayag nman sya pag wala lang activity, meetings or household.
GOD’s way of building a relationship is really in perfect timing. The beauty of His amazing pattern is truly beyond compared. So for this, we are very blessed to receive one of the greatest promised gift this year. Receiving the joyful matrimony of marriage. Karljenwedding is so soon (March 13, 2017).
Remember that choosing GOD’s way always leads to victory and joy, even if the outcome is different from what we always hoped for. We struggle a lot, we made mistakes but when you leave the pen in GOD’s hands, allow him to redeem this area of your life and let him write your love story.
I am Sis Jennifer Palen and telling you that truly, GOD is faithful.
Sis. Mabel Resmenia: The Gift of Finances
I feel a little unworthy of coming here to share on Financial Generosity because my efforts are nothing compared with those who have gone to Mission Exchanges and those who organized charity works like the Soc Dev Ministry. Normally, only those very close to me, like my family and lower household, ang naambunan ko ng blessings. The most concrete act I only have is when I donated online to UNICEF last December, after I told my ka-YFC dati, how I envy him very much for having opportunities to serve sa mga challenging places like Africa and Aleppo. Anyhow am here before you to share God’s Fianancial Generosity to me and how He is involved with my Finances.
By Profession I am an Accountant, but often landed in humble position or salary. Ever since, hindi ko pa na aabot yung sahod na fit for a CPA.
Early in 2007, my father was pushing me to go abroad, and my career path almost ended when I accepted the “promotion” kuno to become the BOD Secretary. During that time, I’m blessed to learn about tithing twice. One, thru COW in SFC … Two, through Haggai Institute. Mas tumatak sa akin yung 2nd. Our generous employer invited them for lengthily discussion & open forum, and they were firm with their talk. Through that, I’ve noted very well that tithes: belongs to the Lord, it is offered where you worship, it is 10% of our gross income. (Btw, during the last Misyong Pilipino these were affirmed by Fr. Dave Conception). Sabi pa ni Lord in Malachi 3:10 “put me to the test, says the Lord of hosts; see if I will not open the windows of heaven for you and pour down for you an overflowing blessing”, so on my 1st salary after narinig ko yung talk, I offered exactly 10% of my pay in the church collection bag, and promptly after that I felt God’s blessings coming in through increment, responses in my job applications, call for exam and interview with Provincial Office, and finally being employed and assigned to a foreign land Papua New Guinea. Wala pang 1 month when all these took place.
The Lord is very kind and on-time because this happened shortly after my father retired from Aramco in KSA. Even though I was 3rd among our siblings, I became the bread winner of the family.
And so the Real World began for me. For almost 7 years, I was looking for a way to get back to SFC, but was not able to. My commitment to tithe only lasted for few months. I was sinning against the Lord, I forgot about Financial Stewardship, sa mga kalokohan ko I learned how to use my credit card at it maximum limit, and I also have Salary Cash Advance using my ATM.
Still, the Lord was faithful to me. (When I 1st shared about this in our Chapter last year, tsaka ko lang actually narealize.) He allowed me to see the beauty of His plan & the effect of my 1st tithe. Bakit nag-umpisa ako sa Papua New Guinea, why I have to pass through and work in Bahrain, and finally reach UAE. Through UAE the Lord allowed me to bring 2 of my siblings and have jobs they wanted. Our father died a week after nakarating yung bunso namin dito, knowing na magiging ok na kami.
I realized that the Lord has prepared me for a Bigger Financial Challenge. And am really thankful He brought me back to SFC last October 2013 when I began tithing again. At 1st , talagang 10%. May times I skipped lalo pag di nababalik ang aking envelope. It became a regular & monthly commitment divided to SFC, Ancop and the Church. Sometimes nagagalaw yung portion ng church most especially if I have spent some other things related to God’s work.
But there came a time na nakiusap talaga ako kay Lord, that I can’t fully commit the 10% na lalo yung para sa church, because of some financial struggles.
That time, I truly regret bakit di ako nag-iipon thus I have to resort to borrowing just so I could fulfill my financial obligations. These struggles gave me a chance to humble myself before the Lord and fully trust in Him. I continued tithing hindi man 10% talaga, medyo masakit sa bulsa but, it’s always number 1 in my budget.
It was a 3-year journey, but with the grace of our Lord, as of October 2016, Debt Free na ako. I’m grateful that all throughout the struggles He made it bearable for me by His great providence, and in between those times nagkaroon din ng increment. I also learned how to avoid paying higher bank charges, and surprisingly nagawa ko pa din makapag-open ng small investments through insurances, and just lately, sa stocks.
I’m supposed to have concrete savings by now, lalo uuwi ako this April or May kaya lang may mga out of budget emergency expenses pa rin na I can’t ignore. As of December, simot pa din ang sahod bago yung next payroll pero at least hindi na negative. The Lord always provides enough lalo if you intend it for helping others. Last October, a sister was asking for help, and am a bit frustrated kasi I thought wala akong magagawa. Matagal pa ang sahod, I have to settle my loan, pupunta ako ng Georgia na walang pocket money, and mag-bbirthday pa ako. Kaya sabi ko kay Lord, grant my long awaited request na sana makuha ko yung aking refund, and I promise you, tutulongan ko si sister. Mabilis po ang naging sagot ni Lord, even my tour and birthday were saved.
There were more instances, that God had amazed me with His bounty amidst persecutions. His grace is unending and overwhelming to describe.
Starting this year, I no longer want to rob the Lord for what is rightfully His. Hindi madali, given na I still have other responsibilities and dreams. But help me to be more trusting in the Lord through your prayers. I have witnessed God’s faithfulness through tithing, and I urge you to try and experience God’s generosity in your life by giving back what is due to Him.
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The day culminated with the Program Summit, wherein the various programs and ministries of our community - the Music Ministry, Mission Exchange, Pastoral Formation Office, Church Integration, ANCOP, Corporate Evangelization, Kids For Christ, Ablaze and Social communication (including Creative Ministry, Technical and Documentation, Social Development and Manus Dei, was presented. The program heads introduced and all were invited to sign up, giving us more reasons to be thankful for yet another opportunity was given to us to use our God given talents for His greater glory.
For all of this may God be Praised!!!
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