Vince Licerio – Page 13 – True North Missionaries Journal

Prep

Lord, allow me to simply be empty only to be filled by You. You know the ways of where I am going, and only you know the reasons to why these things happen.

It is good to praise the Lord and make music to Your name, O Most high, proclaiming your love in the morning and Your faithfulness at night; to the music of the ten-stringed lyre and the melody of the harp. For you make me glad by Your deeds Lord; I sing for joy at what Your hands have done. How great are Your works, Lord, how profound are Your thoughts. Senseless people do not know, fools do not understand, that though the wicked spring out like grass, and evildoers flourish, they will be destroyed forever. Psalm 92:1-7

Cristi Crux Est Mea Lux

Reminders

“The effective prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much.” -James 5:16

I find it hard sometimes to simply type what goes on my mind sometimes. But at least one thing is for certain, most especially with this verse I’ve been reflecting on is this:

Praise God that He hears our every word, every thought. Without prayer, honestly just think to yourself, how could you live life without it?

Common Answer: I couldn’t imagine it. (Continues with non-existent daily prayer)

Its a nice reminder. I myself have a common daily prayer time. But I feel as if God is trying to tell us something ALL the time. So what’s next? The answer though simple, needs to be done now.

Replace ___________ with prayer.

Lord, I am listening. I offer my life to You, take over.

Cristi Crux Est Mea Lux

In Warfare…

In warfare, the greatest honor belongs not to the ones who survive, but to those that give the supreme sacrifice of their lives.

I thought about this for a long while. Looking for a deeper meaning. Truth is, there isn’t. There was a man named Jesus Christ who has done exactly that. He did it for us. Just like Him, we aim to hopefully grow into our roles as servants, and do exactly as he did. How many of us can say we are willing to lay our lives down, not just for the Lord, but for His people? Makes you think.

My God, I humbly set aside my own concerns for the struggles of those who need You the most. You are present always, Your grace is sufficient. Allow me to love everyone around me. Allow me to further pour out my overflowing cup, to those that are yet to be filled by You. Lord, I offer my life to You, take over.

Christi Crux Est Mea Lux

7 Last Words

“For I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us” (Romans 8:18)

Since I was in the Philippines, I wasn’t able to have a reflection on a YCOM Pacific video that I took part into making with the rest of the YCOM crew. So above is the link, give it a watch before reading the rest of this!

First off, Praise God.

The talents, treasures, and amount of prayer that went into this video is really uplifting. It literally took months to just come up with its concept, and have what seemed like endless nights that went to recording the poets, to traveling across the Pacific region to all its various parishes.

With that said, I think the anchor verse used for this video says it all.

We were all definitely tested. Whether it was how were we gonna get to the places we needed to go, waiting on certain things to happen so we can even begin, to even the small things as to just having to spend countless days straight of standing to film and just be around the same people all the time.

But as it says in Romans, our sufferings were definitely not worth comparing to the glory that would come. It really didn’t matter how many views we could generate with this video..because if at least one person could see the works of Christ in us, then that alone would be enough. That we as servants in YCOM, are continuing to inspire through the inspiration of Christ and His Holy family that they give to us. Anything more, are just a part of His infinite blessings.

Thank you to the dancers and poets that committed there time and energy into fulfilling what God has had planned for the YCOM program.

Thank you to the YCOM servants that committed time, energy, talents, to take on such a heavy project. It was quite the journey, but we got it done.

and Thank You. Holy Mighty One, Holy Immortal One, for forever giving us the blessings of each other and the blessings to live this life to the fullest with our faith forward.

O Lord, you have given me endless opporunities to find out more about You, through the people you let me cross paths with. Allow me to listen. Listen to whatever it is you want me to proclaim. Lord, I offer my life to You, take over.

“..And how can they hear, if the Message is not proclaimed?” (Romans 10:14)

Christi Crux Est Mea Lux

Embraced by Your Love

“You’ve forgiven me. Here I am, embraced by Your love”

I missed my last 2 reflection days. But here’s a quick share instead.

Why? Because I was blessed with the opportunity to experience the International Leaders Conference and Global Leaders Summit that just wrapped up in Manila. But any who, since I’ve landed back in the True North, the top question I’ve been asked,

“What was your favorite part of ILC?”

Well, lets work around some of the words and allow me to share with you,

“At what moment, did Jesus Christ really reveal Himself to me?”

Here is a picture of me and my God-sister.

This is Kelsey of Metro Manila East Sector B. We’ve never met before. I believe the only family I have left in the Philippines. The only contact we’ve ever had was though my God-mother and my parents trying to finally get us to meet.

So this is how the story goes, I was really worried at first. I had no idea if we could even communicate due to the language barrier, I had no idea what she looked like. For some reason, I was very nervous, I had no idea why and I really asked God to help me try to find her out of the 7777 participants. The week went on, and I couldn’t find her during the Pre-ILC events, and even ILC weekend had happened and I couldn’t find her. Of course, I didn’t let it interfere with my ILC experience, but I remember after the last Praise-fest, it crept in the back of my mind, that I missed an opportunity to be connected with family. I searched everywhere after, but nothing. But I guess that’s when God affirmed me that though the timing seemed impossible, He made it possible.

Right before we were getting ready to leave, I went to get water, and then it happened. A quick tap on the shoulder, I turned around and there was 2 people, oh so short, standing right in front of me. Kelsey’s friend, Rayzha (Praise God for you, for recognizing my name), and Kelsey. Even though I had no idea who was who, I immediately knew by God’s grace who my God sister was.

I was filled with such joy. Such happiness. Right away, we exchanged hello’s, gave each other a hug, and I guess that did it for me. That was THE Jesus moment that completed my weekend. Let this be a testimony to God’s work being very existent in my own life. That it was an unexplainable feeling that my God sister was serving the Lord, and that it was through the community of Youth for Christ that we were able to meet.

Part of God’s plan? I think so. Through YFC, I found family. Literally.

And Praise God for her friend Rayzha. Because of her, she reminded me that God can work through all people. I saw Jesus Christ in her, because like Jesus, she was the bridge that connected me and my God-Sister. Praise God for the brothers and sisters in this community.

And there it is. Though long on paper, short and sweet in time.

ILC definitely cleared a lot in my mind. To not only be a witness to the happiness God has brought to the 7777 strong, but to be the recipient of His never ending love, is just something so much GREATER.

I owe a lot to this community…And if that one moment was made possible through the works that God has provided to everyone that was apart of the planning and execution of ILC, imagine what it would be like doing that Full-time…

PS, YCOM must run in the family or something, because from catching up with her, she was serving in YCOM before taking on new responsibilities. PRAISE GOD

Lord, Allow me to be like You. Let my cup overflow. Lord, I offer my life to You, take over.

Christi Crux Est Mea Lux

And the Journey Continues

‘For I know the plans that I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘Plans for welfare and not for calamity to give you a future and hope. -Jeremiah 29:11

It’s most especially hard when you definitely encounter struggle after struggle, only to lead you to the never ending thoughts that are supposed to either stay in the back of your mind, or are not even supposed to be thought about at all. Yet, coincidentally in the midst of all these things happening in my own life, or even yours, Holy week is literally here to help you with these “never ending struggles” and turn them into the sufferings we share with Christ.

Big difference there.

Christ suffered for us. We suffer for Him, our families, our friends, etc etc… BUT never did He ever plan to put something in front of us we cannot handle. At the ultimate price of His life, to save us, we too on this earth must bear our crosses. As simple as that. So as we continue to go through Holy week, keep in mind the beautiful struggle Jesus Christ had went through for us to be here. That just like Him, His bearing of His cross lead to victory. It should be no different with ours.

Although as I write this, I myself am working on being able to accept and bear my own sufferings, this is a start. Though a bit lost, and I can admit I’m a bit of a mess at the moment, just pray for me as I am praying for you. I am embarking on a journey with the rest of Canada to the Philippines for ILC (International Leaders Conference) in 3 days. I’m already so excited to see what I can bring back to my service, my family, my friends, my community, my parish, and overall, have some time with Christ in a place where I have no idea where I will go next.

I am in awe sometimes with how simple God’s plans are to the eye and to the ears, but how complex and how fulfilling it is to the heart.

Lord God,

Allow me to bear the crosses you have called us to carry. Though at times I may fall, or may feel like giving up, grant me the strength to endure the journey that can only lead us closer to You. Closer to the callings that you have prepared for us. Grant me the patience, the understanding, and anything else that we need to see the good in all You do. I love You. I need You.

Lord, I offer my life to You, take over.

Amen

Christi Crux Est Mea Lux

See You Soon

So this is cool…I guess I’ll start with this,

“For if either of them falls, the one will lift up his companion.” –Ecclesiastes 4:10

I work in the restaurant a lot as one of the few chefs that gets to stay in the front and look on to customers eating and conversing amongst each other. Today was different. First time I’ve ever worked a Sunday night, and long story short, a table for one came in. I don’t know what it was that made my heart sink at that moment. Maybe it was the fact she was eating alone while looking around the other packed tables, or maybe it was the idea that she didn’t have much of a smile on her face, or children to take care, or anyone to take care of her. I don’t know, but what I did do, was get out of the kitchen, and be a server for once…End of the story goes, I served her.
They say food is the universal language that everyone can understand. I think that’s changed today. God’s love is much easier to understand and comprehend.

So, where is this going?

As much as I know I am called to lead, the call is stronger to serve. I really do value the members in our community, and with just that little extra push, you really can change those with the heaviest of hearts and the thickest of walls. Let’s step out of our comfort zone and put ourselves in a position not just to be found by God, but by those we encounter at our events, conferences, our even outside the CFC-Youth community, who simply just want someone to talk to, or to simply just know they were never alone and that the God that dwells in us, dwells in them.

So, I served this lady that just wanted to check out our restaurant and try something new. I ended of our conversation as she was leaving with a , “See you Soon”. I don’t know what it was that made my heart be comforted again. Maybe it was the fact that I invited her back and at that moment though she was silent, she smiled, or maybe it was the mere connection of the fact that I used to be like her, until I found this community, and this time I did something about it. That’s the real end of the story. She left, and God showed her to me, to be reminded that there’s work to be done. There is love to be lifted…but it was all only possible that through God, I learned this all.

“Where could I go that I could hide myself from You? Where could I run that You won’t be there waiting for me? Closer to You, I find my heart is drawing near, and I need Your love.”

Long Live Christ the King,

Vince Licerio