I need rhythm.

Just like that one verr difficult hump I had to get over to learn "River Flows in You," I've got another rhythmic challenge to face in "One" by Mr. Patrick Urgino on the keys.



Good news though! Sure, I'm rhythmically challenged when it comes to musical instruments, but I got a little bit of rhythm when it comes to the faith. Life will give me one rhythmic pattern, and I'll give it a different one that corresponds with it beautifully. Yeeeeee. I'm gonna show you that although my faith is tested, I will not conform to this age and I will no longer be ashamed when I get a little creative.


You're like...What the heck is she talking about?
I don't know either, don't ask :3

Well first off, I carry a Bible in my bag. The bag I take to school, to work, etc. Since I start school at 9, I come to school at 8:30 and have my devotional on the staircase, while the other students are in their first period. Anywho, just know that I use it. Haha.

So in Psychology I volunteered for this activity where me and another girl bring a purse of things we normally carry. The contents of each purse are listed and people have to write about what kind of person the owner of the bag is based on the list. So yesterday, when she told us we had to use our bags, I had a feeling that we were gonna do this activity. So out of shame, I took out the Bible from my bag and placed it under my Calculus book. We went outside and my teacher was explaining what the activity was (and I was right!!!) and she said something along the lines of: "If you have anything embarrassing (she was talking about female necessities), make sure you take it out before we present it to the class."

WHAT A BUMMER! So I found myself asking Am I really embarrassed about carrying a Bible around? I was disappointed in myself, but it seems as if God gave me a chance to redeem myself, because we were given a day to prepare. Today, our teacher showed the class what I had in my purse. When she pulled out the Bible, I told myself I would keep my head held high (There would be no sinking in seats or hiding behind desks). I got a few comments like "Why do you carry a Bible around?" and a lot of snickers and teasing when they found my abstinence cards ._. [Side note: I HATE when people look through my wallet. arghh! I didn't even know she was gonna look through it!]

But I learned something verr important: It's one thing to proclaim the faith to those who are familiar with it. But how do you find courage to proclaim it to everyone else?


I found my sense of rhythm today. I don't want to be ashamed of my God. I want to be courageous. At times, I'll be working against the tides of today's culture. But I hope more people find the funky rhythm inspiring. That more people find the beauty in the counter-culture.

I believe

I believe that nothing can outweigh
the advantage of knowing Jesus Christ.
The advantage of knowing Christ Jesus, my Lord.

What can be better than a love like this? I don't know. I always feel like I can do more for Him. The challenges or frustrations can never compare to the joy I receive from serving or ministering to others. I applaud those who served this past weekend at the Beaumont retreat, I congratulate the participants who committed their lives to Christ. Wow. You guys still have MUCH MORE in store for you. National Gathering is in a week or so, and I know that I'll be BLOWN AWAY. AHHHHHHH! Lifeteen's starting up again at our church and I know that it's gonna be a great program. Long story short, I'm PUMPED!

"No longer I, but Christ"

Galatians 2:19-20

"For through the law I died to the law, that I might live for God. I have been crucified with Christ; yet I live, no longer I, but Christ lives in me; insofar as I now live in the flesh, I live by faith in the Son of God who has loved me and given himself up for me."

Who are we living for? Many times in our lives, we are given the opportunity to do something for God. We just tend to be selfish. We want to do our own things, even those things that prevent us from becoming more like Christ. But Paul, who once lived for the law (even persecuted early Christians), chose Christ instead and encourages us to take up our crosses and live for God. What does it mean to take up our crosses? One word: Counter-culture. We, as followers of Christ, as ambassadors for the Truth, have been set apart by God. And so, we are challenged to live not by the norm of today's society, but for the Truth in Christ Jesus. It means sacrifice on our part. It means saying "No longer I, but Christ"; that His ways are higher and again having that faith to believe that we don't need any our selfish desires, but just Him. When we let go, and embrace him that's where we find TRUE HAPPINESS. Seriously, why would Paul turn his whole life around, write all these letters in the new Testament if he wasn't inspired by Jesus and the faith, if he wasn't happy? So again I ask you: Who are we living for?

G'night world!

Moving Forward

I hear a lot of people talking about hope. We may hope for a good future, but faith is way beyond it. Faith is more than simply belief and more than just hope. Faith is certainty and assurance based on what Jesus has done for us.

My future looks daunting. For one, I don't know where I want to go to college. Secondly, I don't know if I'll ever grow up to meet both my parents' and God's expectations.

I know I've messed up plenty of times, and it's pretty discouraging. I hate feeling like I can never amount to anything near "good enough" and having all the mistakes I've made overshadow all the good things I've done. I hate how I can say "I'll be better," but have a hard time following through with it. How does one overcome such feelings?

I want to keep hoping for a bright future, but that falls under the assumption that we may never get that future we're hoping for. It's time to move forward and understand that my future is held in my Maker's hands. I understand, Alex*. Jesus died for our sake, because He has a greater plan for us. I just have to have faith in His plan for me. I firmly believe that I'll go to the right college ("money ain't the issue"), and more importantly, I'll be the the daughter my parents want me to be and the daughter that God willed me to be.


Reader, if you could pray this prayer with me, I would greatly appreciate it:

Lord God, I know you are an awesome God. I do not know Your ways, but I believe they are greater than any of the most brilliant minds here on earth. Help us understand that there are times where we may fail and falter, but You love us just the same. Help us see that although Your discipline may seem harsh and we do not understand why it's happening to us, You do it because You love us. You want to show us the right path and You want us to learn from our mistakes. Holy Spirit, guide us. Help us live in the Spirit, rather than the flesh. Give us the faith so we may always be confident about our futures. Give us the courage to be willing to change, to conform to Your ways. Give us the wisdom so that we may be more like Jesus. Thank You for always being present in our lives. Amen.

Friend's Devotional

Hey ____. I know I'm putting you on the spot, but what you said hit me.

So my friends and I have a daily devotional, where each of us sends a verse or two to one another and give our explanations. *Thinking of a unisex name to keep it anonymous* How about Alex


Hebrews 12:1-2
Alex wrote:

life is complicated and filled with so much temptation and sin that can blind us from God. Lets throw all that away and focus on God. Now that we're seniors some of us may be confused or uncertain on what to do in the future. I hear a lot of people talking about hope. We may hope for a good future, but faith is way beyond it. Faith is more than simply belief and more than just hope. Faith is certainty and assurance based on what Jesus has done for us. So lets throw away everything that hinders, focus on Jesus, and have faith in Him. For He will give us all a good future. I just want to say today was a great day and I had fun aha, i learned a lot from our bible study and dream center. Thanks guys, may God continue to bless us =) goodnight

Maybe I'll edit later. It's just crazy, how this could come from Alex! You've grown so much Alex, I'm proud to be affiliated with you. XD

Take me to that place.

"Found" by Hillsong

And I've found myself in You Lord
And I've found myself in You

Take me to a place
where I can see you face to face
and all I wanna do,
all I wanna do is worship You.

Kuya Marc, Ninang, Allison, and I sang with the band today (:

God reminded me today that I can be changed through Him. "We can't change. God changes us" I just gotta have the will to say "Lord, heal me." I have to be the one to say Yes Lord, have Your way in me. I think the first step in your transformation is to acknowledge that there are areas in your life that need some help. Then you just lift that area in your life up to God, and He'll take care of the rest. You then realize that you're not the one thinking "Okay, today I'm gonna do better." That's the Holy Spirit encouraging and inspiring you, son.

Mark 7:33-35
He took him off by himself away from the crowd. He put his finger into the man's ears and, spitting, touched his tongue; then he looked up to heaven and groaned, and said to him, "Ephphatha!" (that is, "Be opened!") And (immediately) the man's ears were opened, his speech impediment was removed, and he spoke plainly.

Personal time with Jesus. That's when we can be healed. Not in the busy-ness of today's world. Nor in the presence of the crowd. The best time for me is in the presence of the Eucharist or during Communion. The time when He and I are one and when I'm zeroing in on Jesus. I take Communion, CONFIDENT that He will transform me to be more and more like His son. There's this other song that goes "The same power that conquered the grave LIVES IN ME." It's mind-blowing. You KNOW that anything is possible - change, rejection of temptation, miracles - simply because Christ, who defeated sin and death, lives in YOU.

I'm gonna be better, just you wait and see. I was afraid that my faith would go downhill because these next few months I'm going to be so busy, just like last year. But instead, I'm gonna lift that up to God and watch Him work. I'm going to be better. You can quote me on that.


I've found myself in You, Lord.