True North Missionaries Journal

Yesterday I attended an event for a friend in the west end of the city. It was my first time visiting and was surprised with the beauty of the church. It was medium sized, however every inch of the parish was filled with simplicity and peace. The thought occurred to me that it would be the perfect parish to have a wedding. Then I remembered that I WAS there for a wedding. My friend was having her first profession of vows and it was her wedding day.

As her parents walked her down the aisle, joy radiated from her face. It was the same glow you see on a bride’s face at a traditional wedding when she walks towards her future husband. The parish was filled with the same love of family and friends. However, the additional community of her Salesian sisters and support were just as strong. It was a blessing to witness her profession and it reminded me of the importance of vocation. It is our calling that we need to protect and nurture. Our vocation is how we can best express our love to God in this life.

I’ve been hearing a lot from some friends or seeing posts on social media that is very, “Be you”. or “Don’t try to be anyone you’re not.” or “Say and do whatever you feel is right.”

Reflecting on this, digging deep within my own heart (and I am sure yours as well) we are really trying to live a life that reflects Jesus…

So when we say those things like “be you” or “find yourself”..is it a true form of self expression or have we forgotten that we’ve been formed by God, blessed by God, loved by God?..the one who lives within us?

For me, especially on social media maybe we can give the world a bit more context as too who we really are by proclaiming who is really working in our lives to give us the best, to give us the best life and allowed us to be loved by the best. 

Let’s turn those “I’m blessed” or “bless ups” to “Thank you for allowing me to be who I truly am, a child loved by You, when ever and where ever I am.”

Deo Gloria.

Shout outs to Jesus. The person who made the real me and you.

Hello! It’s been so long. I have a lot to post but I’ll start with this for now!

I’m going onto my 3rd month of Full Time Pastoral Work here in the Metro region for CFC-Youth.

I can tell you right now that this has been the best year of my life. So much has happened already and in fact everything I’ve been up to has been the first time I’ve encountered that service role, responsibility, situation etc etc.

When I reflect on it, I already had titled this year as the year I would be receiving so much from the Lord…

Crazy to think that the more that I am willing to give to the Lord, no matter how hard it was, it is in those moments where I have received the most. 

From saying yes to Full Time Missions and living in the Philippines for 3 months, travelling to Singapore for SFC International Conference, to leading program for the first time at any conference, to giving my first talk ever at a conference of any sort, to being an event head for a national leaders summit, to saying yes to the growing Liveloud mission tool and music ministry in Canada, leading a workshop committee and leading my first kids praise at a KFC Family Conference to planning a mission exchange between the US and Canada for the first time…

I’m not listing these things as if I was writing out a resume but I look at these victories and victories to come as a testimony that our yes is so much bigger than ourselves. 

But it wasn’t just saying yes. It was also growing my relationship with the Lord through my prayer time. These opportunities to serve are simply a reminder that in our relationship with Him, He always speaks first and that in order to listen we need to be in conversation with Him. We need to have moments of silence with Him.

We remember those moments to why we joined our Youth Camp, to joining our first CLP, etc etc. We said yes not because of whatever reason/people brought us there, it is because He wanted to start His relationship with us.

So don’t be afraid if it is your “first” time in a new service role or encountering a new situation where your faith will be put out there because again, God uses these times to build our relationship with Him. 

No matter what happens even if it is your “first” time, there will never be a last time that you will be loved by the Lord. Again, when we say yes to what the Lord presents, you will always be guaranteed growth. You will always be loved by Him. There is always something to receive the more you give. 

Protect your prayer time!

Deo Gloria

Earlier today, I had the chance to catch up with friends that I haven’t seen in a while. The four areas we each shared about were livelihood, lifestyle, leadership and love life. Some discussed where they were at or where they still needed to improve upon. However, for two of them it was different. Their current vocations encompassed all four areas. They were mostly balanced in each. I noticed that the ones focusing heavily in one area, were not as at peace as the others.

It seems when you’ve balanced all four areas, that your vocation ties naturally into everything as well. If we neglect one area, another area will likely suffer. For example, if we neglect our personal well being, are health is affected which seeps into other areas such as livelihood or careers. Likewise, if we focus purely on our lifestyle and pursuit of self happiness then our potential love lives and service roles are affected. Even with service, we still need time to recoup and rest so we can be effective when requested to serve in the future. Therefore it is important to continually discern all four areas of our lives and ensure we are maintaining a healthy balance.

I cannot give less to the people I care less and more to those I care more, simply because the command was to ‘Love one another as I have loved you‘.

Honestly, I am not sure if the day comes that I will be able to love like my Creator but what I know is I was made with the capacity to love and I must have the capacity to embrace the cross. For now, what I can do is to intentionally choose God and it is He, whom I gauge what kind of example I will be to the people around me. People are imperfect, they are bound to disappoint but they are undeniably beautiful too. I cannot gauge the kind of a person I will become to the kind of people I am around with. What I can do is to strive hard to improve myself by Heaven’s standard, in the hope that others may see Christ in me.

Yesterday evening I attended a mission teaching. I thought I hadn’t been to the parish where it was held until I arrived at the walkway. I then recognized the entrance and vaguely remembered visiting previously for an assembly 5 years prior. After helping setup the chairs, I went into the hallway where I was hit with déjà vu.

I distinctly remember the nervousness I felt in that very spot the last time I stood in that hallway. It was the first time I was asked to share in front of a large group of young adults and witness my first conference experience.

I remember sharing that this conference was make or break it for me. It was an experience that changed my community life and solidified my choice to serve. It was where God was calling me to be and to stay.

Five years later, I was reaffirmed last night in that same parish. My choice was renewed to serve a mission in evangelization and trust God that I am where I am meant to be.

When I pray for my desires, I pray that it will not turn into feelings, because feelings have the tendency to evaporate and I lose it.

 

The key to answered prayer is desire. When we desire we hunger, when we hunger we find strenght.

 

Lord, let the desires in our hearts that do not belong to you evaporate and help us to always hunger only for the desires that you have planted in our hearts. Amen.