JOICE, THE JOYFUL MYSTERY

I saw this again and wanted to share this Note posted on Facebook by Mr. Ruben Velarde last July 2010. Thanks again, Ben! Really touched and grateful for this! :)

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There is this one lady that I always admire from the distance. She may appear fragile, a delicate lady that you thought you need to protect all your life but once she gets to open her mouth and hear her talk, you know in an instant that she has what it takes to rule the world. A petite lady with a huge personality, she never fails to make her presence felt effortlessly the moment she walks her way amidst the crowd. She smiles like it was only meant for you. She talks with you like you are the only person that matters to her. Whenever she passes, I would always wonder what it’s like to be close to her. What it's like to share intimate secrets with her that you know it will be protected the way she protects herself.

Funny, but I did dare attempt to offer my friendship once. I smiled at her, greeted her yet all I got was a nonchalant smile and probably one that she can hardly remember. Yet that didn’t lessen my admiration for her. Every time that she would pass my way, I would simply follow her with my eyes until she blended with the rest. Then I again would wonder to myself what it’s like to be close to her.

Whenever I pass by her station, I can see her attentively focused and immersed on her work and she never noticed that I would stare at her with unrelenting appreciation. And then again I would wonder to myself what’s like to be close to her.

Probably she knows me by my name all because I figured out in a few call quality issues. But that name does not go with the face that she can recall. Probably she hated me at one instance because an issue associated with me challenged her. I don’t know… all I know is I look up to her like a powerful goddess standing on her pedestal.

Joice… that’s how she is fondly called by all those people familiar to her. Every time I would hear somebody calls her name, I would turn my head and look around where she would be coming from or where she would be heading to. I never fail to admire her from a distance. And then again I would wonder to myself what’s like to be close to her.

a pretty face with a gorgeous smile

The Power Of A Praying Woman

"Prayer is powerful - but do you know how to pray for yourself?

It may seem easier to pray for your spouse, your children, your friends, and your extended family, but God wants to hear your requests for your life too. He loves it when you come to Him for the things you need and ask Him to help you become the woman you have always longed to be."

My friend, Alexie, gave this book last October 2007 as her birthday gift for me. I opened this again last week for my daily devotion. That night, I asked God to open my heart for whatever He wants to tell me before I sleep. A lot of truths were revealed again to me just by reading the first few pages and here's one part which really spoke to me...

And whenever you are disappointed because your needs are not being met, talk to yourself and say, "My soul, wait silently for God alone, for my expectation is from HIM" (Psalm 62:5). Then tell God about all your needs and everything that is in your heart. ...He is just waiting to hear it from you.

I guess it is true that praying for others is easier sometimes, especially when they share specific requests to you. Of course, I do pray for my needs everyday but God is so great for He reminded me that it is better to tell Him every desire of my heart and be specific about it. And that's what He really wants me to do! =)

This book, I recommend to all women who wants to be drawn closer to God and know His plans and purposes for her life as she receives comfort and strength from Him each day. A total of 30 chapters and at the end of each chapter are these 2 very inspiring sections: "My Prayer to God" and "God's Promises To Me".

Be Blessed! :)

Young Women On The Journey

I usually read a story or 2 before going to bed as part of my Daily Devotion/ Quiet Time with God. Most of the stories really touched me as I always ask God to speak to me through the stories I read and Bible verses linked to them.

This book is a compilation of Testimonies of young women & their journey through life. There are a total of 77 stories and I've already read 53 of them. I recommend this book to all ladies (and gentlemen)... Discover the questions that these young women have asked, and find answers for your own.

I'm sharing this passage from one of the stories I recently read from this book. That night, I prayed and asked God to open my heart for whatever HE wants to tell me (as I always do)... and when I started reading, I was overwhelmed and so touched with HIS message...

"I realized that all the success in the world is meaningless if it bears no eternal value. Now I have just one simple desire: to love God and spend my entire life loving Him by ministering to other people, whatever it takes." - Jodi Darcen (one of the contibutors).

Proverbs 31:29 says, "Many women have done excellently, but you surpass them all."


God bless us all! :)