Walter Left a Piece of Him in Me

                                    

Last night, I’ve watched the “Secret Life of Walter Mitty”. I never expected that the film would be that beautiful, in a way that it had left a piece of it in me.

Zoning out. I’ve realized that great things will not be yours unless you stop from daydreaming about them and start making them real on your own. If you want to be great, you have to feel it right beneath your skin, you have to taste it, the very detail of it and you have to see it with your naked eyes, seeing the whole perspective of it, the whole beauty of it. Greatness should be real, not just a daydream.

Taking all the risks. Great things are not usually found above the surface of life, most of the times, they are beneath it, they are beyond the walls of what human eyes can see and what human mind can conceive. If you want to experience them, you have to break all the boundaries of shallowness and go and get them. There will be risks ahead of you, yes, sometimes they may hurt you or discourage you, but no way that it will outweigh the price of perseverance in achieving them. So just move forward, follow all the clues and you’ll be surprised what’s ahead of you at the end of the day.

Experiencing great things is for yourself not for other people. God has awesome plans for all His children and His will is that they should be discovered and lived to the fullest. Great things are there to be chased by you, for your own growth and satisfaction, not for others. You are here to live the life God has planned for you, to enjoy it and not to experience it just to please other people, wherein you can boast, “hey I have done it, I have experienced it, how about you?” Live your life by learning everyday, not pleasing everyone in every second of your life.

Make it real, take all the risks and live everything to the fullest.

Open Letter to My Mentor

This letter was written out of an outburst of love and passion to thank the person behind the success and victory of many lives including me. I believe that words are not enough to express all the feelings, but let me just try it thru this letter. 

Hi Ate Dhal,

I remembered that day when Pastor Jhun told me, right after I surrendered my life to Jesus, “Umattend ka sa youth fellowship, hanapin mo si dhal.” I became curious when he told me that, I mean, I already knew you, being the student of Nanay, but why I had to find you.

There, the day of the fellowship has arrived and just like what Pastor Jhun told me, yes, I did find you and acquainted myself to you. Since then, I made myself closed with you, asked questions about faith, spirituality and even random concerns of my random world. I was amazed then, not solely because of your spiritual brilliance, but because of your character towards a person like me – stubborn, childish and impatient newbie. I could still remember those Sunday mornings when I arrived at the church with down-face veneer and there you were greeting me with full enthusiasm but did not receive anything but empty HIs and HELLOs. 

But you did not stop. You continued to be good to me despite of my unpredictable, moody and annoying attitude.

In the church, when I’m in a bad mood and keep myself in a single corner, you would always sit with me and asked me if I am okay, and would always give me your best cheer, “Okay lang yan, tara ‘dun”. Even if I pushed you away, you did not leave me, you were there, no matter what. Maybe, you had your moments that you got annoyed with me, but thank you I never felt it, you never let me to feel it.  Now, I never thought that I will do the same thing with my disciples, but thank you because I’ve got the best example how to respond to these situations. Thank you.

You were also the one who believed in me, that I could inspire others just like you and I could serve the Lord regardless of who I am and where I’ve been through. I remembered that day when you asked me if I could lead the Sunday School for the youth, knowing that I’m only new. Thank you for trusting me. Now, I’m not just speaking in a youth group, I’m preaching to the whole church, and it’s because of you. So, thank you.

You also opened the door for me in serving the Lord thru music. Even though I treated you and Kuya Aaron badly because I could not get the right chords and rhythm in guitar, you did not quit on me. You still believed in me that I could do it, that I could be a better music minister for the Lord. Now, who would have thought, I’m leading the whole gang, and it’s because of you. Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you for not leaving me even though I have caused you a lot of troubles, heartaches and head pains. Thank you for loving me whoever I am and constantly reminding me how beautiful I am the way I am. Thank you for your patience even though you all have the reasons to treat me adversely. Thank you for opening your life to me and making me a part of it. Thank you for always believing me that I can change.  Thank you.

Things might change years after I have written this letter, I might be busy with my own family, with my own enlarged ministry, and you as well, but one thing will remain, you will still be my ATE and MENTOR whom I can talk to of anything and everything over a cup of Nesquik J

I thank God for giving you in my life. I love you Ate Dhal.

Your Caleb,

Jhessa J

P.S.

Now, I know why Pastor Jhun told me to find you. J

My Feb Playlist

Feeling tired? Bored? Or downhearted? Maybe you want to listen to these heart-felt songs which made an impact to me for the past few days. 

             1.   You’ve Got A Friend Covered by James Carter

                   This has been my theme song for my friends, family and my amazing mentor for the past few days. This  brought  cries and                                           laughter to all of us because we were able to look back on the good memories we  have for each other. 

              2.      Strength of My Life by Planetshakers

                This became the vitamin song of our church. Everyone were strengthened and uplifted by this anointed song.

              3.       Beautiful Saviour by Planetshakers

                                                                     When I heard this song, I was just left in awe. 

          4.     Come to Jesus by Planetshakers

                          The intro of this song is so soothing, just brings comfort and calmness in you. But more than that, this song conveys that                                                                        no  matter what, Jesus accepts and loves you.

            5.       When You Walk Into the Room by Bethel Church

                         This is an awesome song. It just says that everything is changed when Jesus walk into the room, into your family, into your                                                                                        church and into your life.

Podcast Experience

First time kong makinig ng podcast. I'm not really a fan kasi nga visual akong tao. Pero dahil ni-recommend siya ng amazing kong friend na itago na lang natin sa pangalang "Merengge", napilitan akong makinig na din. 

Grabe. 'Yun lang ang nasabi ko after almost 2 weeks na pakikinig ko ng podcast ng Destiny Church - Manila. After listening to one of their preaching podcasts, nag-popost agad ako sa FB ng mga tumatak na quotable quotes sa akin. Because I couldn't  contain the amazing feeling, it overflowed. Kaya heto, napa-blog na din tuloy ako ng di oras. 

Here are some of my favorite quotable quotes (yung ilan ay non-verbatim) from the podcasts I've been addicted to:

      1. WEEK OF FIRE (DAY 1-5)

"Madami ng luha ang nailuha ko sa'yo, ngayon pa ba kita bibitawan? Dito ka lang (*gigil mode*), Bakuran na 'to! - Ps Zhaleen Panlilio

"Primary 12 ka, Seryosohin Mo!" – Ps Carlo Panlilio

"Planetshakers yung pakinggan mo, hindi kung ano-ano!" - Ps Zhaleen Panlilio

"Sayang ka naman,ang tali-talino mo tapos mag-papastor ka lang? Yun na nga po eh, mag-papastor ako kasi matalino ako" – Ps Zhaleen Panlilio

“No matter what, STAY!” – Ps Zhaleen Panlilio

“Don’t be shallow, don’t be superficial, maging Seryoso ka!” – Ps Carlo Panlilio

“When you worship the Lord, just get lost in His presence.” – Ps Carlo Panlilio

“You should not just know God, you should have experience Him.” – Ps  Carlo Panlilio

“Kung ano ang tubo, siya ang lalim.” – Ps Carlo Panlilio

      2. OVERCOMING REJECTIONS - Ps Zhaleen Panlilio

     “Lahat ang saya-saya, lahat nag-tatawanan, ikaw andun sa isang sulok, nag-tetext, or          nag-pepretend na magtext para lang maka-disconnect.”

     “Wala namang nagyayari, masaya naman ang lahat, ikaw iniisip mo hindi okay, mukang       galit sila sayo pero hindi naman. Masyado kang matalino, nag-aanalyze kahit wala               namang dapat i-analyze”

     "You tolerate even the unrightful things because you are afraid that when you make a            stand for what is right, people will abandon you."  

     "Pinapaligiran ka na ng friends at family mo, pinipili mo pa din na ma-disconnect,                  nagiging relationally retarded ka tuloy."

     3. EQUIPPED TO LOVE – Ps Carlo Panlilio

    “One of the things that exposes a person’s heart is correction; and if we can't handle it          well, we may forfeit the opportunity of becoming a better person.”

    “Ang tunay na ugali ng tao ay makikita hindi kapag masaya siya kundi kapag nako-                correct  siya.”

     “Don’t be sad, just change.” – Ps Rich Witmer

     4. HOW TO BE RELIABLE - Ps Zhaleen Panlilio

     “Help your leader to be a better leader.”

     “Be involved, always participate.”

     “Always be reliable, no matter what.”

     “You have to see your workplace as your promise land.”

     “Wag kang paasa, wag kang indian! Kapag sinabi mo, tuparin mo.”

     5. I AM A CHAMPION - Ps Zhaleen Panlilio

      “Don’t give up, darating din ang shining moment mo.”

      “Always beat yourself so that you won’t commit sin.”

THE GAME-CHANGERS

"And even if you push them away, they will keep running to you and embrace your wholeness regardless of what it is. Even if you do not reciprocate their good works and kindheartedness, they will still keep doing it."

How far can you go for love? How limitless is your limitless and how boundless is your boundless for love?

Martyrs, this is what they call to those who keep doing good to others even though they are not receiving anything, but hatred and anger. Saints, some call them saints because they believe that only the holy ones can express goodness and not being reciprocated.  Stupids, mostly they call them stupids because they believe that no normal person will continuously love and not being loved back.

But I call them differently. I call them the GAME-CHANGERS.

Nowadays, when you give apples, you will receive apples as well. I mean, when you show kindness to others, you will be treated with kindness. When you give generously, you will receive generously. And when you demonstrate love, you will be loved. But then, if you show no care, you will not be cared of too, if you do not appreciate, you will not be appreciated and if you keep resenting, you will always feel hated.

But there are these people, rare people, who are different from them. They react differently and they connect unusually. They are the people who cannot be dictated by what other people say or what this world commands. They do not base their actions on what the circumstances give to them nor what other people show to them. They have their own standards and beliefs apart from what this world has.  They are the ones who try to change the status quo for its betterment.

These people are unstoppable. They cannot be stopped from doing good and walking in love whatever the world throws to them. Even you surround them of bitterness and rages, they won’t cease in loving you, they will keep loving you. And even if you push them away, they will keep running to you and embrace your wholeness regardless of what it is. Even if you do not reciprocate their good works and kindheartedness, they will still keep doing it. Reciprocation is not a big deal for them.

They do not feel tired in doing all these things because it is their natural, they are designed for these. They know their purpose life. They do not live just for themselves, they are here breathing for others. They are ought to love others especially those who are in trouble so that they may love themselves. They are light who will lead people back to their hope just like how it led the wise men to the greatest hope of this mankind.

Well, they are not perfect and they do not want to be. .They are not people-pleasers who do nice things just to seek attention or satisfy their own egos. They think, yes, you cannot please everyone, but that does not mean that you cannot walk in love and be good. Pleasing is different from loving. Their affection is unconditional, not asking for any complementation or anything. 

They will love even if there is no reason to love and they will do good even if they do not feel the cause of doing it.