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This particular Christmas of 2007 was probably one the least spent on in terms of money as far as I could remember. Not by choice but by circumstance… and yet, it was THE best Christmas we, as a family, have ever had!
It gave us an opportunity to truly focus our hearts and minds to the true essence of this season… to reflect on the sole reason why we all celebrate this joyous occasion. We went to our around 6pm and had our Christmas Mass there. Wonderful presentation! The 1st and 2nd “readings” were performed… not just read aloud. The Gospel and all the other parts of the mass were spectacularly executed…! I’ll bet nowhere else in the metro could have probably topped the Christmas mass Elim prepared for us dwellers and family.
It provided for an air of hope and love for the coming of the Savior that evening. The choir (music ministry) and their instruments (complete with timpani, strings… the works!) helped lift the spirits of everyone in the Auditorium… it gave me goosebumps all throughout the event.
And even though we didn’t really have much… it seemed as if there was actually more for all of us! More gifts under the tree… blessings of food… provisions from the Lord who is never late.
Indeed… only when we are truly empty can the Lord our God fill us up entirely. That is what exactly happened this Christmas… everything was made unto good once we surrendered everything to Him.
A little before Christmas eve, we went back to our center since we were invited to celebrate with close friends and dwellers. We had our “Noche Buena” (Midnight Dinner) there and a small program was prepared to the delight of everyone who attended.
Christmas never felt this good. Christmas never had such real and deep meaning to me till this year when I renewed my faith.
I have a whole lot to be thankful for… and it’s all because of the Lord. This new found personal relationship I have with Him has made me truly realize what is and isn’t important in life… what aspects of my life should take a backseat and which He desires that I put more importance to.
We may all know the Nativity story wherein Jesus was born in a manger during this most glorious night… and though I may have celebrated Christmas every single year of my entire existence… only this year has Christmas been truly born in my heart for Christ to rule and reign absolutely over my life.
May you experience the same revelations that the Lord has opened up to me…
May you develop a deep and personal relationship with our God… the kind of relationship that Jesus has so very much longed for from us…
And may everyone realize that the Christmas spirit is experienced not just in December, but each and everyday by those who truly embrace the Lord’s unconditional love.
May Christmas happen in your hearts now and for all eternity.
“Glory to God in the highest, and on Earth peace to men on whom his favor rests.”
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Fellowship and Community, to me, can be likened to an intense blazing fire… while it’s people are the flame’s embers. It is vital that we, the members of community, stay within that fire… it is what keeps our hearts burning for God.
No one can maintain such an intense zeal all by his/her lonesome… a person needs to belong to a fellowship… a group of individuals gathered for the same purpose.
You feed off of one another… you share experiences… you lift each other up.
Take away an ember from the fire and the ember’s glow diminishes slowly… similar to a person taken away from community and fellowship for long stretches of time.
In order to maintain that zeal and enthusiasm, one needs to be part of active community worship and service.
I thank the Lord that I found my family at . My KG (Koinonia Group) buddies in “Disciple 1″ have always been there for me as we all have for one another. I always look forward to our gatherings and actively participate in sharing and discussions. It brings me great great joy to praise and worship the Lord every day!
I enjoy prayer time… I love talking about God… I look forward to Sunday Mass every week. It’s the most wonderful feeling I have ever experienced.
Looking back now, I seem to wonder how I survived not belonging and actively participating in any community in the past.
All I know now is that, I am never going back to my old life…
I found God… in a very personal way… and boy, does it feel great!
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I’ve been inspired so much recently as I have been attending Team Revival and Koinonia Group sessions. So inspired in fact that I have easily completed 2 new compositions which I am giving to my community. What better way to help and give back than by helping inspire others and bringing them closer to God by means of music.
I have always written songs for other record companies… secular material… but never did I really put my heart into creating music for my Lord and Savior… until now.
I felt this sense of overflowing and overwhelming love and inspiration which I haven’t experienced before… and so, I spent time considerable time praying, asking the Lord for guidance as I created these musical works.
I ended up finishing 2 contrasting songs. Both professing love and faith but in different approaches.
The first one sings of thanksgiving. Written in tagalog, the song is entitled, “Munting Awit” (in English, “Little Song”). The melody is easy to follow. A song that could probably be used during worship.
The second is upbeat and free-flowing. Entitled, “From Now On”, It talks about discovering God and the transformation it has brought about after living a meaningless life of worldly matters. Very contemporary in arrangement and melody. Something a non-practicing Christian-Catholic could easily pickup and listen to.
I thank my community, , their elders and facilitators, for all the guidance and spiritual sustenance they have provided… I yearn more and more to know my Savior and to offer everything I have and all that I am.
The more I surrender… the more I am filled up.
To God be the Glory.
