Author: Candy

Random Thoughts

The Day 1 of HOLD Conference just ended and these are just some of the reminders  of the Lord:

  • You cannot doubt the power of the Holy Spirit
  • If we do our best, strive for the best and exert all efforts to the work that the Lord has entrusted to us then He will definitely make our plan perfect.
  • The way we live our lives reflects our relationship with the Lord.
  • Trusting other people is recognizing God in their lives.
  • Teamwork doesn’t have any “I”
  • All for Love is All for God.
  • Longing for love is Longing for God
  • Talent is useless of there is no time to spare for it.
  • The enemy refused to believe that the Victory has been won.

Delay doesn’t necessarily mean Damage.

I was already in the airport at 2:10pm for my flight at 4pm. I dropped off my bag then went through the security then to my pre-departure gate area. While waiting, I worked on some stuff in my laptop and realized that one of the things that I was supposed to email was in my checked-in baggage. So I just worked on the HOLD Conference Tech Script.

After an hour of waiting we started boarding. We were all in the plane and the pilot advised us that they received lightning warning so we were asked to wait. After 30mins, we were still waiting, then 45mins, then an hour, then an hour and half, to 2 hours then 2 hours and half and eventually on the third hour we were informed that our flight was cancelled. So we alighted the plane, waited for another hour to get our baggage. One by one we went to the check-in counter to rebook our flights, get our accommodation, meal subsidies, and confirm transportation to the hotel and back to the airport the next day.

I got to the hotel around 10:15, had dinner then slept around 12:15am. I woke up at 5am to prepare, had breakfast then left the hotel to the airport at 6am.We boarded at 7:20am, took off a little past 8am, got in Toronto at 3:25pm, boarded for Ottawa at 4pm and here I am in Ottawa now.

I am physically tired and stressed out but there is a different kind of comfort I realized in this journey. The Lord reminded me that these are all in His hands. His message to me is that He knows what He is doing. He wants me to find Him in the process.

In this journey, the delay is not really about the damage. It is about seeing the Lord in every situation, believing that He is beside us.

I am more thankful that I got here safely and peacefully because of what happened.

 

Candy

Philippians 1:29

Am I foolish>

“Then the kingdom of heaven shall be compared to ten maidens who took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom. Five of them were foolish, and five were wise. For when the foolish took their lamps, they took no oil with them; but the wise took flasks of oil with their lamps.  As the bridegroom was delayed, they all slumbered and slept. But at midnight there was a cry, `Behold, the bridegroom! Come out to meet him.’ Then all those maidens rose and trimmed their lamps. And the foolish said to the wise, `Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.’ But the wise replied, `Perhaps there will not be enough for us and for you; go rather to the dealers and buy for yourselves.’ And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the marriage feast; and the door was shut. Afterward the other maidens came also, saying, `Lord, lord, open to us.’ But he replied, `Truly, I say to you, I do not know you.’ Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour. Matthew 25: 1-13

 

After reading this gospel I really feel sorry for the 5 maidens who were not able to make it. They were even called foolish. At first I thought it was too much as a label. Looking deeper, I realized that this actually holds true to all the aspects of our lives. We become foolish/ we are foolish when we are not preparing for His coming, when we forget about God.

“Lord of wisdom and knowledge, praise to your name for ever. Lord teach me to be more loving and patient. May I be humble enough to follow all your commands, faithful in your promises and enduring to other demands that life may bring. May I choose to understand everyone and every opportunity in front of me. So that when You find me, You will know me.”

 

Candy

Philippians 1:29

Best Wine

Until now, I still can’t get over with the victory that happened in the conference. Everything in it is a notch higher than last year. Even though I’ve seen, listened and experienced the conference in Philippines, the effect and impact here in Western Canada is still grand and intense. I told myself that once again the Lord exceeded my expectations. He overcame the worries I had and went beyond my idea of victory.

Looking deeper at the conference the events that happened before, after and everything in between, it is a story of Wedding at Cana. Everyone was the servants and the guests. The wedding was the marriage of the participants and the Lord – there was an exchange of vows in session 3. The running out of wine was when we surrendered everything to the Lord – “No longer I but Christ in Me” and “This heart belongs to you, Jesus.”  The praisefest then was the miracle unfolding before our eyes, the water into wine experience started. By the end of the conference we were empowered and zealous. We become the best version of ourselves – not just good but best wine. We are called to serve this wine – to let everyone taste the best wine.

 

“Lord, thank you for transforming me to be the best wine. It is all because of you. Lord teach me to serve so other people will taste your greatness.”

 

Candy

Philippians 1:29

Exchange of Hearts

Whenever I go to adoration I always ask the Lord to reveal Himself in ways that I can easily recognize Him. I believe that with His presence there, as adorer there will be an additional personal manifestation of the Lord that is very intimate between the two of us. I believe also that the more I go to adoration, the more my relationship with Him progresses.

When we go to adoration, we go to the Lord with our hearts open. We approach Him with honest, open and real hearts. We expose ourselves to the Lord in the adoration. It is where the meeting of our heart and the heart of the Lord. What the Lord wants to happen when we are in front of Him in the Blessed Sacrament is an exchange of hearts. I give to Jesus my imperfect, wounded heart, He replaces it with His heart full of joy, love, mercy, compassion, patience and hope. That’s why in when I go out after adoration, my heart is different from when I entered. My heart is just so ready to love, full of zeal and ready to conquer the world for Him. During adoration, the renewal of hearts happen. In adoration, He heals our hearts. In adoration He sees our hearts – the joy, the laughters, the aches, and the tears. In adoration, He touches and kisses our hearts so our hearts are transformed to be His heart. We expose ourselves to Him because He first exposed Himself. The adoration is where the divine heart consumes the human heart.

Candy

Philippians 1:29

Sin City

I am in Las Vegas right now for the SFC Conference. Las Vegas is known as the Sin City. It’s as if when you are in Vegas, you sin.

The other night, we get to drive through the strip. All the structures and the designs of the building are very nice. The whole city is covered with lights. There are a lot of people walking, it feels like there is a street party everyday. As we were driving along, I started asking myself. What made this city sin city?

I realized that it is the people that made it sinful. Our actions, intentions, posture and thoughts. The city and what it can give is the temptation. The decision is still in us. We cannot be dictated to sin. We will not tolerate anything that is not of God. What is essential is that each of us should be firm on what the Lord is asking us to do. The conference verse then is very fitting “Do whatever He tells you.”

Series of Stress, Series of Victory

I remember the feeling during the last day of June I did not want the month to end. I know that when July comes it will be the start of my 2 stressful months – CFC Conference, SFC Conference, and CFC-Youth Conference. I was doubtful and unsure how everything will work out.

Now, 2 weeks after the CFC Conference. I still can remember the hectic days before the conference and even the pressure on the day of. After the conference, I personally believe that the Lord allowed me to claim the victory that He set before me. It was a fulfillment of a promise. I believe I learned a lot not just form the talks but mostly from the service among the fellowship between SFC and CFC-Youth service team members. It was like seeing the future of the smooth transition and harmonious relationship of the 2 ministries.

Now here in Calgary, preparing for the CFC-Youth Conference I am moving to the next hectic days of it. As I am going through the process right now, I just know that it is the same twist and turn journey as the CFC Conference. Going through the process will lead me to eventually give up everything so that all I have is nothing and when I have nothing the Lord will be able to reside in me, consume me and fill me to the brim. I will be reminded again that this is all for the Lord and of the Lord.

“Dear God of power, wisdom and might! We praise and thank you for the gift of service. Thank you for calling me to be part of the family ministries of Couples for Christ. This community has been the avenue of my expression of loving You through my service to our brothers and sisters. Lord, teach me hold on to Your promises, may I endure and enjoy the journey and most of all be able to witness Your victory. May I just focus on you so I will always be on-track with You.”

 

 

Candy Subang

Philippians 1:29