The Lost iPhone

Last April, right before I was about to go up on stage to lead the closing praisefest for the 20th International Leaders Conference (ILC) of CFC-Youth For Christ, I asked a fellow missionary of mine to hold onto my iphone because I did not like the idea of having a few things with me going up.

Right after the praisefest when all the missionaries came up the stage to announce the venue for next year’s ILC. The brother holding onto my phone tapped me and asked me if I had the phone with me. I said no because I was on-stage and haven’t talked to him since that time. He told me that he may have lost my iPhone. I just told him that it was okay.

Two things came to me at that moment.

One, I was at peace with the detachment with the phone. If anybody knows me, is that I like my gadgets. And I do take care of them and don’t want anything to happen to them. Losing them would have been a nightmare. But at that moment, in fact even up to now, I am not fearful of losing my phone. I have found something greater which I am afraid to lose, God.

Two, Saint Anthony de Padua. Saint Anthony though known to many as the saint for finding lost things, has been a saint that I haven’t been acquainted to. I only know him from the conversations I have with friends who bring him up as a saint they pray to when they lose their house keys or car keys. At that moment when my friend told me that he lost my phone, at the back of my mind I shot a prayer to Saint Anthony and asked him if he can work his thing and get me my iphone back. But I never really gave it another thought simply because I was already surrendered to the fact that my phone was lost.

When everyone already started to make their way home, I was making my way back to the quarters where all of the missionaries stayed, a sister-missionary pulled me aside and asked if I lost an iPhone. It was weird because I did not tell anybody that I lost my phone. And I told her, yes, and she asked if my phone was white and had a huge crack (another story), and I told her yes. She suddenly smiled and said her Coordinator found an iPhone, in fact my iPhone, and was trying hard to return it to the owner.

In a few hours my phone was returned to me. Looking back on that event, I would have totally understood if my iPhone was “God’s answer” to someone’s prayer. They might have needed the money if they sold it. It was in a venue filled with 9000+ people and with the event closing, more people came in and that would have been the end of that. Again counting the number of people present there, it would also have been easy to step on my phone and break it some more rendering it useless. But counting the number of possibilities that made the return of my phone impossible, it still came back onto my hands. A miracle yes. A little nudge from above that someone is also looking out for me.

Since then I’ve had a special affinity for Saint Anthony, and he has never failed ever since I started to ask for his help. The day I lost my phone was the same day I gained an awesome friend.

I have also started to pray for bigger things that are lost in my life. Knowing Saint Anthony, he’s looking out for me so that I may enjoy the same thing he is enjoying now, communion with God.

Saint Anthony de Padua, pray for those who are lost that they may find the One that they have always looked for. Saint Anthony de Padua, pray for us.

Faith and obedience

I wanna share with you what points struck out during Mountain SFC Precon.  Before the session it started with worship.  I was reflecting on the readings to help me get a sense of what to exhort during afternoon worship.  It lead me to see the life of Peter and how his obedience and faith led to his escape in prison (well and other times of his trials).  Peter had many encounters with the Lord pushing his faith, through denying him and asking him if he loves.  Peter truly recognized the Lord and it was through his obedience and faith that led him closer to our Lord.

During the session it was said to us, “Obedience springs from faith and trust, to have faith requires us to love God” “Obedience comes from us surrendering our will to the will of his” “We are called to have a relationship with God” lastly, “How can I not say yes to the Lord’s call when he has given me many blessings in my life.”

The last thing he said really hit me, because now it just all makes sense, like Peter, how could he not say no to the Lord’s work for him when he has blessed him so much.  The Lord has done so many great things for me and at times I’ve failed to see that.  What he give to us he wants us to give to others.  Everyone is attracted to relationships that’s why we are always drawn to stay with the group and that’s what God wants is to stay with him.  Our faith makes us love, and we learn to abide in his love, and this is where he takes over, from us taking on his will.

@itsmetimmm

With Gusto!

definition: Gusto with vigorous enjoyment (syn: ZEST), individual taste 

I often get jokingly made fun of for my “raw enthusiasm”. Expressing too much raw excitement, or too much, “all-out”, Joy.  I really don’t mind.  I truly believe that Joy opens us up to experience Miracles in the seemingly mundane things, repels emo thoughts, re-energizes, and re-affirms how creative our God is.  He is one for loving Surprises!

I recently came home from an un-scheduled, and sporadic visit to Montreal over long weekend. A baby shower/honouring session, three real talks with my mother and/or sister, and a buffet dinner with the family later, I am amazed about how the Lord is, and has continued working His own mission in my immediate and extended family  The challenges are different and very real, but so are their demeanours, which have visibly become are more joyful and hopeful. An tangible affirmation of the reality that, If you take care of the things He cares for, He will take care of the things you care for. 

Back into the busyness of my Mission Area, I am affirmed today by the notion that as I get busy, He is too. In fact, the Lord has already been up way earlier in the morning, so early that that specific hour doesn’t exist, (haa #Godabovetime), weaving, with eagerness, His own mysterious plans in my life. He’s got it in the palm of His hands. With that in mind, Lord, that I may do my mission today with the same gusto! 

 

 

 

 

The Power of Believing

I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. – Philippians 4:13

Remember Man of Steel? Clark Kent having to cope up with his own identity converse with her mother saying, “What’s wrong with me Mom?” She replied, ‘There is nothing wrong with you son, everything about you is beautiful.” Clark grows in confidence because someone believes in him and was able to fulfill his role.

It takes only one person to believe to make someone do the impossible. The bible is also filled with stories of men and women inspiring one another. Joseph did the impossible (protecting and raising a family in a very difficult and challenging situations), because aside from believing in God, Mary believed in him. Joseph being fully aware of Mary’s full support led them with confidence.

It just takes one look, one pat at the back, one voice of affirmation to give someone a boost of confidence. No doubt why we have so much confidence when we are with God, just one look, one pat at the back, one voice of affirmation from Him make us do all things. God believes in us! He believes in our capabilities and this gives us confidence to do all things for Him.

So when we ask it ourselves, “What’s wrong with me Lord?” He will answer from the Song of Songs 4:7, “Everything about you is beautiful, and there is nothing at all wrong with you.”

Captivated

“You have captured me today…Jesus.
You completed all my days…ohooh!”

This line from the beautiful song “I Know” truly strikes a chord in my heart.
Praise God for the Gift of Music  🙂

Our Lord Jesus Christ, the lover of my heart and soul, the lover of our heart and soul, the one who loves me the most, the one who loves us the most, never ceases to pursue all our hearts. (Until we give our ultimate YES, our complete surrender).
He is SO in LOVE with us.
Through the grace of our Eternal Father, His love for us was made known through His Son our Lord Jesus Christ. These few lines from the song enlightens my heart each and every time. I am in awe for the love that I given to me by someone who is so much greater than myself. “How can Jesus love me this much?” When most of often than not, I fall short in my capability of fully loving Him with all my heart. That even with the things of the world, I allow my self to be given temporary satisfaction.

But time and time again, our Lord God is so faithful to me, to us. He never ceases in loving us. NEVER. He never abandons us. He never will. With His bountiful mercy, He renews us each morning and reminds us that we are worthy of His love and there is nothing, absolutely nothing that we can do for our loving Father to love us any less. In the Holy Eucharist, God allows us to witness the greatest of all miracles, where He offers Himself each and every time for our consumption so that we may be consumed by His love: Body and Blood, Soul and Divinity, we are infinitely blessed; the great mercy available for us each day, each and every moment of our lives. At Mass, we are truly in His most Holy Presence. With the Holy Angels and the Saints and our dearest Mother Mary, Heaven and Earth meet at His Great Mercy.

With someone who never ceases to show His love every single minute and moment of our lives, The Holy One who is not even asking for anything back, the one who can TRULY love, how can we not be CAPTIVATED.

Loving Father, I pray that I will always be in Your presence and always seek Your love. I place myself in the womb of our Mother, Mary, the sole place that was perfect to bear Your Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, so that I may also be molded and be purified so that I may live a Holy life. Thank you for loving me, Everlasting Father. I love you.

Have a wonderful day brothers and sisters.
We are infinitely blessed.
God bless us always.

Peace and Love,
Apple
🙂

p.s. When you have time, just give this song a listen. You might have heard it before, it’s a song from WYD. “Jesus Christ, You are my life” Simply beautiful and brings joy to the heart.
🙂

Enjoy!
🙂

Seek and you shall find

There are times when I’m so busy looking for God that I forget the most obvious thing – God is everywhere. He is in everything and in everyone. He is in me.

Our Lord says to stop asking for miracles because your lives are miracles. A true miracle is a child in the womb; a mothers love is a miracle; a forgiving heart is a miracle. Your lives are filled with miracles, but you’re too distracted by material things to see them. Jesus tells you to open your ears to hear his messages and open your hearts to receive His love. Too many people have lost their way and walk the easy road that leads away from God. Jesus says to pray to his mother, and the Blessed Virgin Mary will lead you to God Almighty. The Lord has come to you with messages of love and the promise of eternal happiness, yet you ask for miracles instead. Stop looking to the sky for miracles. Open your heart to God; true miracles occur in the heart.

Segatashya, Our Lady of Kibeho

What We Ought to Do

“Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.” (2 Cor. 3:17)

This verse brings back fond memories of YFC back in the day, when we would sing “where the Spirit of the Lord is there is FREEDOM! (FREEDOM, what what, FREEDOM, oh yeah…).” It makes me reminisce about the community in the past—the good ol’ times—and also causes me to reflect on the community now. I’ve realized that in this community we have and still experience true freedom.

Bl. Pope John Paul II once said that “freedom consists not in doing what we like, but in having the right to do what we ought.” I truly believe this. That freedom is not doing what we like, nor what we must, but it is in doing what we ought. The world constantly barrages us with messages to do what we like when we like. If it feels good, do it. They say this is freedom. However, a serial killer likes to murder people. A drug addict likes to use drugs. An alcoholic likes to drink. Are they free? Rather, I would think they are a slave to their impulses.

I think what separates us from animals is that we have an intelligence and will to discern and know what we ought to do, and do it because it’s morally right. An animal cannot discern the morality of its decisions but we can.

This brings me to my point, that we experience true freedom in the community because it is filled with individuals and a moral compass that is centered in doing what we ought. We are imperfect and full of sinners but we are united in one vision: “families in the Holy Spirit renewing the face of the earth.” And as CFC-Youth, our vision is “young people being and bringing Christ wherever they are.” We are not young people doing whatever we like. We are young people with a common purpose, to be and bring Christ wherever we are. To bring Jesus and to imitate Him, is to truly live a life of freedom.

In our current state it is very difficult because of our tendency to sin. I realize this in my own life, that I am a great sinner and my desires are really out of whack. I am spiritually sick. When our body is physically ill, the doctor gives us a prescription. If we follow it, we will be healthy and be able to experience life to the full. By following the prescription, we follow the path to living a good life. If we don’t follow it, we will be sick and remain sick, even die. Jesus Christ is the heavenly Physician. The Doctor of life. His prescription is His commandments written in our hearts. If we decide not to follow, we will be spiritually sick. This sickness will affect every aspect of our lives. We will even be led to a spiritual death. However, if we follow and keep His commands, we will live and experience life in all its fullness. We will be truly free from sickness and death, and we will be free to love.

“For you were called to freedom, brethren; only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love be servants of one another. For the whole law is fulfilled in one word, ‘You shall love your neighbour as yourself.’ ” —Galatians 5:13–14

This is what we ought to do: love our neighbour as ourself.