Author: Vince Licerio

If one gives answer before hearing, it is folly and shame

Proverbs 18:13

 

I’ve always saw myself as someone who would always have my own sense of “living loud”. All my life, I have found an interest in speaking. Even in elementary school I always entered the “Speech Arts” Competitions happening around all the province. I love to speak. I’m not gonna lie, sometimes even when I observe some of the FTPW’s, they’re so calm! Such a light voice but with a presence of a wide open heart. I always wondered why I find that in them.

So, these last few weeks have been a bit of a challenge. I really found myself at the edge of achieving a sense of humility and that if I failed in that I would fall ever so quickly to the biggest sense of pride. 

Long story short, it was the first time I really had argued with someone in the longest time. Though I kept my composure, I was my usual self. Loud as a lion. Full of energy in the way I spoke, trying so desperately to have that energy be reciprocated as if everything I said was right.

Long story short, as much as I was quick to respond back, even with a heart of good intentions…I was told that it was more intimidating that I let my mouth be an instrument of pride. That I let my mouth be as loud as a lion, but I wasn’t living loud with a heart of a brother.

I immediately was told by the Lord,

“Listen. Live loud in faith. Live loud in action. Let me do the speaking.”

ANYWAYS, back to the whole observation of the calm posture that I’ve been able to observe in our beautiful FTPW’s…I can see why.

It really does help having a calming heart. If anything, we’ve been taught to hear that the Lord speaks in the silence of our hearts…not much through our own mouths. Imagine how much more fruitful conversations would be if we took the time to seek the Lord in the listening we do with others.

I’m not broken about this. In fact, if it wasn’t for having that argument, I would have never found out that the Lord never wanted me to be as loud as a lion, but to have the fearless, courageous, loyal and faithful heart of one. 

Thank You Lord for the 24 years of my life. May I do nothing, but allow You to work in my every thought, desire, and every little detail in my soul. May I continue to learn to listen. To speak only of You. To allow who I cross in my service, to see the victory of Your cross in their lives. 

Deo Gloria. 

 

It feels great to be blogging again. With that said, I really do feel the Lord is calling me to live simple, so I can focus on Him even more.

SO..TNC Happened. I was called to be the Logistics head…I’ve never done it before in my life for ANY event…Crazy eh? OH, it was just the anniversary of our community being in Canada…(I’m not gonna lie, I was stressed here and there).

And yeah…to just kinda wrap things short because there was so much going on during TNC itself, lets just say, I was tested alot. Patience, perseverance, humility, EVERYTHING. I was tested in EVERYTHING. Even in my faith, conviction in service etc etc.

So here comes the reflection portion.

Praise God for this experience. I think being so physically and mentally tired really allowed the Lord to speak to me the entire conference,  before, during AND after. Just that feeling of being so vulnerable, so tired, I was able to see how much more I can rely on the Lord in all things. All my decision making, my prayer time, pressure moments.

And yeah, I made it. WE made it. As a community, a family, as Catholics…this conference was really a testimony of all the glory going to the Lord. How much the Lord has worked as we as missionaries answered His call. Thank You Lord.

Big shout outs to the Logistics team, my counterpart for that conference, the FTPW’s that helped us get through, and thank You Lord, Mama Mary, all the angels and saints.

Yeah, this community is nothing short of beautiful. CFC-Youth, I’m excited for the next 20. Let’s continue to let the Lord work.

Deo Gloria

So, just to keep things short and sweet, I had the opportunity to go on mission 10 hours North to Prince George to conduct a youth camp…boy was it providential especially after pondering on it up to today.

The Family Ministries was always been a blessing to where ever it is able to flourish. But I myself was not convicted completely yet just because of my own curiosity/ignorance/pride etc etc.

Anyways, after this camp, after seeing the activeness of young couples for Christ and new Youth for Christ…at the end of the camp, the Lord really revealed something to me.

He answered why we are the way we are as a family ministry, youth ministry etc etc.

and He made me ask myself, “Who am I to say that God doesn’t work through _______” could be the games, the prayovers, the worships etc etc…its true. Just like  St. Thomas, the answer was in front of Him the whole time. The Lord works to reveal Himself in every little thing.

I am convicted that God’s plans for me is to serve the youth through the Family Ministry of CFC. Praise God! The Lord is great!

 

Deo Gloria

It’s been a few weeks. But trust me, I have a few blogs lined up for this week to catch up on. What can I say, since my last post (Before MV Shout) a lot was going on…since MV Shout, so much more has been going on in my Faith journey.

“…And behold, you shall be silent and unable to speak until the day when these things take place, because you did not believe my words, which will be fulfilled in their proper time.”
-Luke 1:20

I remember right after our MV Shout, I was really uplifted, just ready to serve the Lord. I was sure of the path that I wanted to take in this following week. Boy, did the Lord have plans for me. You know how it is. The Lord giveth, the Lord Taketh away. That’s exactly what He did with what I wanted.

Allow me to let me share with you a very personal experience and encounter with the Lord.

Literally a few days after MV Shout, I really took it upon myself to go out with a friend of mine and just chill, have dinner. Here’s the thing. I was so excited with my own selfish desires again, completely forgetting to rely on the Lord in just being able to keep my head straight; to be emotionally chaste with the intentions of just being friends.

I remember being so excited, looking forward to every second of that day. There was so much to talk about, to catch up on…then the morning of came, and BOOM. I couldn’t hear out of my left ear at all..

I tried everything in the last few hours before our scheduled time to meet, but nothing worked. Even my right ear was starting to go fuzzy. The entire time, it was hard to keep a conversation. It was hard to listen to whatever this person was saying. I was dreading it…as the day went on, I was asking the Lord why…out of all these days, why today. The Lord decided to really teach me a lesson in humility…Heck, this day I planned for just the two of us ended up to 4 of us… (BUT Praise God for you guys if you read this. It really really did reveal something to me)

Okay, so all this happened…that sucks…what could you possibly get out of this?

Though my plans didn’t fall through, the Lord’s voice fell on my own deaf ears. I remember going home, so distraught, only to finally find personal prayer time and the Lord telling me, “Really appreciate the value of who you are with because I reside in them. You’ve been wondering why it seems like I’m not speaking to you..so you yearn, but it was really you not listening to the very truth you did not want to hear and accept. I have plans for you, but only will they flourish if you let me into your heart. No one else for now.”

There it was. My last post I was yearning to find something…but all this time, I just wasn’t listening. So the Lord did what He needed to do, and I’m happy He did so. Vocation can wait. I have all the time in the world to pray for that. Mission is now.

Praise God. I’ve been tying myself down with getting caught up in my vocation that I forgot my vocation right now is the calling to love EVERYBODY, and not just one person at this point.

So, there it is. Not gonna lie, I was really uncomfortable finding the words to explain this experience. OH, I went to the doctor and got the medication and all that stuff. I can hear again. But boy, how coincidental   providential that was.

Oh man. Pray for me! I surely will do so for you! The Lord is great.

Deo Gloria

 

I am affirmed and convicted of the calling the Lord has given every Mission Volunteer.

That the calling to give it all, and give it our all is what the Lord has planned for me.

This MV Shout has once again confirmed the overwhelming presence of the Lord in my life. That the Lord was teaching me this weekend that He continues to call, even in silence…even in the quietest moments. How beautiful it was to find peace, yet in all the loudness and joy of every worship, every prayer, there was an even more overwhelming peace.

I have so much to say about this weekend, but there is literally, SO MUCH. Schedule a one on one with me if you’d like!

Lord, I offer you my life. Take over.

Deo Gloria

Alright, so this past few weeks of being able to reflect on service, RYC, family, personal life, vocation etc etc…this is definitely something that I have never felt before…well I have but not to this intensity where it affects my day and can really change a lot.

I have a desperate, DESPERATE yearning to find something…

I don’t know what it is…To be honest, I was desperately trying to ask the Lord for whatever it is He wants me to ask for…I couldn’t figure it out. I tried. I felt distracted. Yet, everyday I’ve been trying and trying and trying to find what I’m looking for…figure out what’s missing. I love my service, I love my family, what else is there?

All I know is…I’m seeking. There are a lot of things I can pin point, but it feels as if what the Lord wants me to look for is SO MUCH MORE…I feel disheartened that its taking me so long to find what my heart is yearning for.

Pray for me. Maybe this coincidence in having this need to seek is His providence in this upcoming MV SHOUT tomorrow.  I don’t know. Somethings just missing. My hearts always been emptied for the service of the Lord and others, maybe this time He wants me to fill my heart with something that will fulfill me for a long time. Who knows…I just..REALLY REALLY want to know what it is or find it.

Lord, at the times I’ve been disheartened and impatient with You, please allow me to persevere. I don’t know what it is You want me to find, but allow me to remain joyful in the journey along the way. I need You so much…Open my eyes. Open my heart. May my pride and insecurities not get in the way of choosing to love You. No matter how much it hurts. Jesus, King of Mercy, I trust in You.

Amen

Deo Gloria

 

I had a long week. I’m sure all of the MV’s and FTPW’s had long weeks. Praise the Lord regardless.

I have a lot of catching up to do…with my household, emails, TNC, RYC, etc etc. Things were getting overwhelming, but praise God the Lord has instilled into me more patience than what I thought I had.

The Lord shook me the other day. I got to catch up with a friend who I haven’t been able to see for a few months even (If you read this, SORRY). It was pretty late and I should have been sleeping but I really felt the Lord tugging at me to take this opportunity to see Him through my friend.

So we talked and praise the Lord for all the struggles, and commotion going on in this persons life. Then it hit me…

We should take more time/chances into catching up with the people we care for. Its easy to say there are a lot of people we care for, but actually taking the time out of your busy schedule is another thing. If you believe Christ resides in them, then take the time to share with them that Christ resides in You. Even if it is a quick 30 minutes. Heck, the more prayers you can add to your daily prayers.

Its easy to forget the loneliness that some of our members feel...heck, I was one of them at one point but its harder to forget the moment you realized you had countless opportunities to love them.

Lets take care of ALL our friendships, families, households etc.

Praying for you all. Pray for me please!

Deo Gloria