love never fails: Life verse: John 15:12

When Christ was born, God was with us

Before He died, He destroyed the temple

Do you know why?

He wants to dwell in us

Let this celebration remind us to cleanse our hearts

that He may be comfortable in His chosen home

If He is still outside the door of your soul

Let Him come in that your spirit may live with Him forevermore

John 14:6

Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.

His coming to the world gave us reason to strive for a purposeful life

He died that we may live a life that is free from sin

He overcame the world and by Him we can do the same

We would not be perfect now but we will be someday in our glorious union with Him

HIS RESURRECTION IS OUR HOPE THAT THERE IS LIFE AFTER DEATH.

All the favors, grace, mercy, love and blessings i received from God are as many as the stars and the sand but there is one gift I treasure the most, the fact that He made Himself known to me. I could not imagine how my life had been if I did not meet Him when I was 18. Do not get me wrong, I heard of God and Jesus since I knew how to talk but it remained just a "knowledge" such us I knew who is the president of USA for years. I grew up not ignorant of the laws and the stories in the Bible just as I as knew what are history and the current events. Somehow, they have influenced my disposition in life. I have to be good because it was the right thing to do but it was not the driving force in me.

By being good, I was obedient to my parents, a responsible student and sibling, into different involvements that facilitates social responsibility BUT i had tantrums too as a typical teenager/youth.

I care about my friends and I love my neighbors. I had a thankful heart and compassion for others because that's what my parents taught me.

During 1st year college, I tried my best to be at the chapel EVERYDAY which caused me to gain friends among the church people (priests and altar boys), we called each other as "kaberks" and we do high fives wherever and whenever we meet inside and outside the church. I explored every church activity that would make me more religious. I had opportunities to dig deeper into the doctrines of my "born" denomination--I've asked about confession, communion, bells, purgatory and etc and the priests consistently answered me that all those were observed because of tradition.

Yes, I became religious over the year but nothing has change in my person. I praise God and say curse with the same mouth. I joined Youth For Christ in school so that I have a body of students to fellowship to and they were all like me, "we are good and religious people". At one point, I became a member of TAWILI which is a charismatic group of the Roman Catholic sect and a regular attendee of KERYGMA headed by Bo Sanchez. I bought all books authored by Bo Sanchez and made them as my official gifts to my friends. That year made me a super Catholic where I know every line to answer back during mass and I can sing very well those few and repeatedly sang songs. Not to miss mentioning that I had bruises in joining the way of the cross procession where we had to walk half kilometer from one station to the next and to kneel down whenever we recite the novenas. I'd say that I did my all to be a devoted Catholic. Despite being one, I explored more of the world too, I tasted hard drinks, went to discos, and even smoked that destroyed my nostrils instantly. I became thirsty too of popularity that is why I actively joined various extra-curricular activities. I won declamation contests, I was a debater representing my batch, an ace to various ball games specially volleyball (swimming is not a ball game but I am best at it too--school level), never left out in crayons, paints and pastels and who would not recruit me for singing, dancing, acting and hosting. Those involvements can be expected from an exploring Jack of All Trades like me.

Before college, I was never in the front row but always behind the shadows of others. My first year in college as they say was my "time to shine" and it happened. A prime year of my life where most people in the campus know me though I was only a first year student. My seniors expected me to be the president when i reach 4th year because of my active involvement in everything without compromising my studies.

HOWEVER, all of their expectations did not materialized because the twist in my life came forth. An event which caused my world to turn upside down and changed the course of my life 180 degrees.

Summer of 2008, I turned 18 and my family's gift to me was Rick Warren's book, Purpose Driven life. After finishing the book, I did a lot of thinking as to what was my purpose in living and I got curious to experience intimacy with the Lord. My ates in YFC could not expound well the idea of Christ in us whether it could be literally felt.

The location of the ATM where i withdraw my allowance was next to Calvary Chapel Bible Fellowship of Iloilo wherein whenever I get my money, I pass by the church and their posted schedule for bible study caught my eye. One of my kaberks-priest was fond of mentioning bible verses in his sermons and that made him my favorite amongst the rest. There was a time when he apologized to us because he sounded like a "protestant preacher" and only then I had an idea that protestant churches are taught like that "flooded with bible verses". My interest to attend a bible study grew until I had the courage to join CCBF one night. I love their style, intelligent way of studying the bible, verse by verse, book by book, and the "family-like" ambiance among the members. I felt welcome, cared for and loved much which made me stay in the fellowship. For months I attended every church service they have except on Sundays where I still went to the RC mass.

I could not exactly recall the date of my first Sunday at CCBF but one thing for sure there was an occasion, there was food (potluck). Hehe pagkain lang pala ang katapat ko noon. Then I continued attending, my eyes was opened to the truth and my life continued to transform.

Romans 10:17

So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

For the rest of my life, I'll cherish the fact that God drawn me to Him and He made me see His true for me, for all of us. I always get teary when I remember how He changed my life, my person, my future, my everything that nothing could lure me away from it, not success, not family,nothing.

With my growing knowledge of His word and constant fellowship, I learned to pray and I develop genuine love for God and for others. Yes, I was almost disowned by my family and suffered so much persecution from them and from the others but the TRUTH had been my stronghold to keep on. It did not matter to me that I was branded "KJ" because i no longer drink, go to disco, read pocketbooks, laugh at green jokes and entertain gossips. My faith in Him was tested by taking away all that I used to value above Him, my family, friends and studies. My family got mad at me that no one bothered to reply to my sms and they ignored answering my calls, they just sent me my allowance (thankful for that one though) and when I went home for vacations, it is as if I'm invisible. I was the talk of the town in our clan and neighborhood. I was not remiss in my studies but my professor summoned me as to why my last year's 1.75 went down as low as 2.75. My friends keep quiet whenever I step in the classroom and I could not relate much anymore to them because I was busy acquainting myself of Christian songs and had no time to listen to secular songs. Somehow I was branded as "lost".

I have decided to follow Jesus;