Author: Arvin Amo

Last weekend was Mountain Region’s Regional Youth Conference (MAY 9-10) with the theme of “Believe (John 20:28).” It’s been 2 years since I last served at RYC. The weekend was honestly a milestone for this region, more than 300 youth participated (I think this year had the biggest turnout so far). For me, amidst the challenges, I felt very blessed to serve at this RYC.
As one of the Promotions & Documentation Head, I definitely got scared at first. I didn’t know where to start. I served in this committee before but only as a member. Thankfully my counterpart knew how to make graphics for promotions and she took that role (I was the one posting on the social media accounts). Other challenges included finding our committee members because neither of us serves in YCOM, coming up with promo schedules, etc. I am not really the best techie person so it added an extra challenge for me. But God provides, equips. Eventually, our committee team formed, promo graphics were posted, committee meetings were ongoing, etc. Going into RYC, I was really nervous. I just didn’t know how the weekend would play out despite having the documentation schedule, if we’ll have enough cameras/SD cards, if people will actually take photos/videos, etc. There were a lot of uncertainties. The first day of RYC was definitely a challenge but praise God we got through. We were able to post pictures of session speakers, etc and the team really served their best. Despite setbacks, challenges, difficulties, I thank my team for serving with me especially my counterpart.
Another highlight of the weekend was leading the closing praisefest. Why? I was asked to lead worship at RYC before, 3 years ago (I think), but I rejected it. I felt like I wasn’t ready. I did feel some regret after so I said to myself that the next time I’ll be asked I’ll have no more hesitation and say YES! I had an inkling that they would ask me and so they did. For the exhortation, I was asked to share a moment in my life when I felt doubt. Right away I knew that I had to share what happened last year (the doubt of my service role which eventually led me to step down). As days became closer to RYC and especially moments right before, I was really REALLY really REALLY nervous. But I knew I had to let go of everything so that I can truly worship and praise Him. Surprisingly, with God’s spirit I was able to move around, jump while leading everyone. When I worship, I always like to move. Praisefest ended with “Live For You” which is ONE of my most favourite Liveloud songs. Overall it was such a great/powerful experience being in the stage leading everyone.
This RYC couldn’t have come at a better time when I’m still coping with what happened last year. One thing that I heard a lot this weekend was “God meets you at your doubts.” He did, He met me when I still didn’t know what to do. Though I’m struggling right now especially with the setback (mentioned 2 posts ago), I have full trust and I firmly believe that He will take me where He needs me to be and that He will always take care of me, of my doubts/failures, etc. During our RYC recollection, I realized that my experiences were similar in some ways to St. Thomas when he doubted Jesus. Being able to reflect on St. Thomas and my experiences gave me so much hope for the future. As long as I point myself to God, nothing can ever destroy me. God’s timing is always perfect, He allowed me to go back to CFC Youth and serve at the right time in my life. I just hope that this RYC will continue to inspire me even more in developing a deeper relationship with Him.

Big S/O to the event heads and PFO team for their tireless dedication, support and for really being accountable to each committee. The RYC Committee Meetings we had were long but looking back, those meetings were the backbone of the proper executions during RYC.

Thank you God for always loving us, me. Thank you for anointing us, me and calling us to serve You. I hope and pray that I’ll always choose and seek ways to love You.

Man, truly praise God only for parents!!!! There are really no other people who can understand, accept and AFFIRM of what you’re going through other than them. Yesterday, I received a challenge (I mentioned in my previous post). I was really really scared of how I am going to say this challenge to them. On the way home from work earlier, I was telling myself that if only I don’t have to tell them so that they wouldn’t feel bad about themselves, so that they won’t blame themselves, so that they don’t have to go through the heartaches. My parents already have so much in their hands so I was really really scared of telling them. But you know that brothers and sisters, ahhhhh parents are truly God’s blessings like no matter what we have done they are always there willing to accept you and remind you that you are their son/daughter and therefore they will always love you. I think that this setback is a blessing in disguise because this is the first time I have opened up to my parents in such a long time. Yeah, I told them about applying to MV but I haven’t really told them my future goals and such. I’m hoping that this situation will be the beginning. It’s very hard for me, even to my parents, to share because I am very reserved, secretive person in that even my friends don’t know what’s going in my life (the deeeeeeep stuff). Even though I didn’t want to tell my parents, I felt like I had to as an obligation to them as their son.

This situation brought me think back to our MV meeting last Monday where the topic was on family led by Kuya Gelo. He asked us how is your family, what are some victories/struggles and then he asked us what are your plans for your family and how does this translate into your passion for service. I said that there are times especially during vacations that I wish I wasn’t with my parents because of differences in what I want to do and where I want to go versus theirs. But I also mentioned that I hope in the future that I’ll always have respect and love for them no matter what. I’m not a perfect son, there are hurtful words/phrases said, hurtful actions done and hurtful thoughts but with this setback I was truly reminded of the importance of family, of my parents. They say that who you are outside home reflects to who you are inside the home. To my friends, I am not that open. A brother/friend had to repeatedly tell me that “how I am supposed to be your friend if you’re not telling me your problems.” Through this experience, I just hope that I can start to truly embrace the role that God has given me in my family. My family’s not perfect and for most times I blamed them for how I act in our family but I know that they are/will always be my no.1 supporters, fans of my life, that they will always be there for me. As I shared to my parents this setback, both of them really affirmed me. My dad kept saying “you are good boy, you’re doing good. The best is yet to come, son…” My mom said that “don’t worry about us, you’re my child. I’m here, just always be open to us.” That’s what I really needed to hear to be at least relieved from the pain, heartache. I am truly sorry for all I’ve done against my parents, for neglecting them. I hope that this situation will truly transform, strengthen my relationship with them. I know with them by my side, I will be stronger.

Ahhhhhhhhh, truly PRAISE GOD for parents!!!!!!!! <3

Yesterday (May 30) I received (to put it in a good light) a challenge, a struggle. It’s funny because there has been some kind of trend that I observed these past few years while serving in CFC Youth. I remembered that after I served at a camp (the second time), I found out that I failed a midterm exam. This time, I served at a camp last weekend (which was such a different empowering experience) and yesterday, I was notified of such “challenge.” For both situations (especially for the first one), it really made me question why God is giving me these struggles after serving Him, when He is supposed to reward me. I know this sounds like very un-humbling but I expected a little bit of reward. For the first situation, I don’t remember what I said or what I did after I found out but for the second one, I saw this coming (a little bit). Still, it breaks my heart. I know it sucks right now and as much as it’s challenging to trust and believe in the Lord, I know that He does have a purpose on why this happened. I know He’s trying to teach me a lesson. I can only hope and pray that feelings aside I’ll truly be able to accept this wholeheartedly, learn from it and continue to live. It’s funny I mentioned feelings aside because I tend to be a very emotional person these days, not just being “emo” but also putting down myself too much, beating myself emotionally. I can only hope that the Lord will heal me and will give light to all these. Praise God for the people around me especially my parents! I know I can get through this setback with their help and guidance.

As I’m writing this, I am being brought upon to the last weekend’s camp’s verse “When I fall, I shall RISE.” (Micah 7:8). Wow, The Lord is truly funny and amazing. Maybe He was already preparing me for this moment. He probably knew that I would experience this that’s why the camp and the verse happened. I can only cling to Him and pray that these heartaches will go away so that it can give way to new things, to rekindle the fire and purpose in me. I know that after writing this, I’m still going to feel sad/angry at myself, etc. but I know whatever I’ve done, that nothing can stop the Lord from loving me, from reaching out to me. Ahh, the “Reaching” song, so applicable right now. It’s tough but I know that no matter what, He will be always be greater than my problems, my failures.

A while ago, I was at the rehearsal for a family friend’s daughter’s confirmation. I am one of her godparents. When I asked to be one, I said yes but I didn’t realize the blessing and privilege to be part of someone’s confirmation since this is my first time. As the rehearsal progressed, we practiced singing different songs and one of them I heard for the first time said “God has chosen us.” I got drawn to it. Everytime I’m drawn to something, the wheels of my mind start turning (over thinker life, haha). I realized that He chose me to be a godparent for this girl through the blessing of the girl’s parent. It also made me realize about my CFCYouth service and MV Program. See, for the past weeks, I have been busy with school that I neglected CFCYouth service (RYC, camp stuff) and MV things (my blog). I struggle with time management, a lot.

But hearing and singing those lyrics, “God has chosen me,” reminded me that even though I made mistakes, neglected service, even prayer time, The Lord still chooses to love me, to remind me that He cares for me through my family, friends and through His wonderful creation. “God has chosen me,” this also made me reflect on my MV journey so far. He could have chosen someone else, someone who’s better in time management but He chose me (not to brag about it) so I can only respond and trust in Him even more. I’ll always make mistakes, stumble and fall but every single time He will still choose me and come after me because He loves me.

The past two weeks has been very “intense.” Being at the homestretch of my degree, I had my research project paper due, had to prepare for my oral research presentation, a final exam to prepare for and a SFC CLP talk to prepare for all in one week. The SFC CLP talk was only made known to me 2 weeks prior. I could have said no having realized my schedule for the week leading to it but I said yes instead since the brother had discerned for me. The next week after the week of busy-ness, I wrote the last 2 final exams for my degree and now, I’m physically free from school (for now), haha.

Reflecting on the past two weeks, I honestly thought I wouldn’t be able to accomplish those things. I thought I wouldn’t be able to finish my research project and paper. Around February, I had thoughts of giving up because my research was not making progress. I even said to myself that if I can’t finish this research, then I wouldn’t be able to graduate. It even got to a point where I asked myself how I would tell my parents if this happens. See I’m an overly overthinker, haha. One of my weaknesses is thinking without acting. I got really scared, still I didn’t do anything. Prayers and conversations to God were my only actions. It wasn’t around end of March to first week of April when I had to REALLY push myself to finish this project. The Lord already knows my weaknesses and He equipped me by sending people to be instruments of His love. A grad student in the lab where I was doing my research basically helped me with everything up to writing my paper. It was my supervisor who asked him to help me. Honestly without them, I wouldn’t finish this project. God’s love equips. See, aside from overthinking, I also pity myself a lot which leads to inactivity even more. But I have always believed that “God’s love is bigger than my struggles.” The week where I had to finish my paper, wrote a final, prepared for my research presentation and prepared for the SFC CLP talk, I was really stressed. But I realized in a deeper sense that God’s love equips no matter, that it’s not about us, it’s about God who provides, who loves. All these struggles pushed me to “love more” and although I failed, I know that His love will always accept and guide me to recognize Him in every moment in my life. Right now I’m still nervous about graduation because I don’t know if I will pass all my classes and especially my research project but His love is the greatest and so I fully trust in Him no matter what. He always has purpose for everything in my life and I can’t wait to see where He will lead me next.

(http://saltandlighttv.org/blog/tag/cross)

As Catholics, today is very meaningful and humbling day of our faith, of the entire Church. Today is the day we commemorate the tremendous loving sacrifice Jesus, the Son of God, offered to all of us, when He died on the cross as reparation for all of our sins. Today is “Good Friday” because by the bad physical suffering Jesus did, we, the children of God, are bestowed upon a good future, future with God in heaven.

Jesus obeyed His father, allowed Himself to suffer because of His love for us. But have we been obedient? Have I been obedient? I know for a fact that I’m not always obedient. Good Friday is definitely a good time to reflect on our lives, most especially our relationship with the Lord. Have we been keeping up with our prayer time, with our scripture reading, with adoration, etc.? Are we obedient and loving to our parents, siblings, friends, CFC Youth leaders and CC’s, co-workers, etc.? I know I’m not always doing those things above (and many more). I know I have failed. I was born a sinner, all of us but that’s why God send forth His only beloved Son to the world for us to be reminded that there’s hope for eternal happiness and joy.

I once heard a SFC brother say that Jesus is like a coupon, a coupon for redemption. It is true. Jesus is truly the ONLY Way, the Truth and the Life.

“No one comes through the Father except through Me” (John 14:6).

When we’re down, sad, frustrated, angry, or hopeless, remember (and never forget) Jesus’ suffering because by His wounds we are forever healed. By His humility, we are brought to life. By His Cross, our crosses are lifted to God.

So always look to Jesus, ask Him to guide you embrace your crosses daily. “Remember that when the world hates you, know that it hated ME first.” Because all of the rejections we face today, Jesus experienced all of them yet He chose to embrace and forgive all the rejections, temptations and pray to His father.

YOU WANT TO REACH HEAVEN? Let’s pray to increase our dependence to Jesus.