God’s love – Page 2 – True North Missionaries Journal

Loving in mistakes

Last Monday, I went to London drugs to purchase my 1-zone bus ticket, it was $21. I gave the girl $25 and she gave me a change of $19. Without counting I just held it in my hand then I realized she gave me more. I was already away from the counter so I went back and returned the $15.

I was just trying to imagine how she would feel after doing her inventory. I’m not sure if she made a mistake to other customers as well but still covering a certain amount to balance the inventory is not pleasant. I could tell her mind was on something else.

While walking to the train station, I was telling myself that that is so hard, instead of getting paid, she ends up paying for her mistake. She has to face it and be accountable for it or she can be fired for a series or repetitive mistakes if it was. She can apologize and be sorry for it but that doesn’t assure her of her job.

Is there anyone who wants to cover for someone else’s mistake after saying sorry? Is there anyone who wants to pay/ take on the accountability? Why would someone be so kind to do that? Why will someone still keep on giving infinite chances after a repetitive mistake or series of mistakes as long as there is a sincere apology?

“Lord thank you so much for paying for my sins. Thank you for waiting for my apology for my repentance. Thank you for your infinite chances whenever I fall.Thank You for loving me unconditionally. Teach me again and again Lord to focus on you. Place me in situations and opportunities that will make me choose you. Lord I pray that you will be glorified in every step of my way.”

Candy

Philippians 1:29

Home.

With the amount of times that I’ve had to travel within an eighteen month time frame, most people would assume that I no longer suffer from homesickness. The past three trips (2009, 2012, 2013a) have been by myself; the shortest trip lasting 8 weeks and the longest lasting 6 months. Most people base their judgement on my social media posts and are probably thinking, “Dang, she is living the life.”

Well, reality check: I still suffer from homesickness. I still feel somewhat lost even though I’ve revisited Place A, B and C more than a handful of times. I still feel out of place in a room full of old friends and the nausea that accompanies displacement is very much real.

All those things still exist. Even now. Even when my family is here with me. We all haven’t been together in a very, very long time. Dad’s had to work out of town for the past 2 years and my brother’s had to live away at Waterloo ever since he started his Undergrad. And me, well…..I’ve been traveling to PH.

A few days into our family trip here, I was still feeling so bothered. My temper kept getting the best of me. I grew impatient and volatile. I couldn’t understand it. Shouldn’t my family have cushioned the hypothetical “emotional blow” that always hit me during my trips? Shouldn’t the weird jumble of emotions have stopped because I was with my loved ones? The anger and frustration drained me so much that one night, I decided to just leave the group. The innermost depths of me was craving for something. I didn’t know what that something was, but what I did know was that going to God wouldn’t leave me any more desolate than I already was. So I looked for a church.

I ended up at Sto. Rosario. I got through confession. I kneeled at the Adoration Chapel. I sat through Mass and received Holy Eucharist. And you know what? For the first time I felt good. Not just ice-cream-on-a-hot-sunny-day good, but ‘passing my final exam with flying colours and making the honour roll’ kinda good. I was a fish out of water that suddenly found my way back to the water. I could breathe again.

As I contemplated at the Adoration Chapel I was reminded of a promise I made to Him during the SFC precon praisefest. It just so happened to my birthday too. I told God that I was willing to finally give Him the one part of me that I hadn’t let go of yet- a very specific piece of my heart that was put on reserve. I didn’t have the strength to fight that fourteen year battle any more. It took me that long to surrender. That day He said to me, “Exodus 14:14, my beloved. Do not forget. I will fight for you, you need only to be still.

In the presence of the Eucharist and in front of the altar, I felt God whisper me to me, “Therese, my dearest Therese. You silly stubborn girl. Remember what you offered at the foot of my cross weeks ago? Remember that you promised me you’d finally give that last piece to me? Home is where the heart is and yours just so happens to be with me. It’s safe. It’s in my hands now. I’m happy that you finally found your back. My child, right now at this very moment …you are home. I’ve been waiting.”

All the puzzle pieces fit.
It all made sense.
I felt this sudden rush of peace, of final certainty.

Everything in this world is temporary. Even my family. But God, God is infinite. God is timeless, boundless and endless. I am made to stand in His presence, to bask in the love that is always present in His house.

Father, I’m coming home.
Amen.

Extremely Favoured

Thirty minutes after my shift ended today, I walked into my director’s office with a heavy cloud looming over me, and no it wasn’t the one outside that’s been causing all this crazy rain here in the GTA. Approximately 23 days from today I will be hopping on a plane (again) but this time with my family.

I was sure that I’d be coming home with bad news today- that our upcoming family trip would cost me my job. We will be gone all of July which means that I’ll be missing out on my service for the Eastern True North Conference. Since I didn’t feel too comfortable with that, I started a novena for the Western True North Conference in Calgary that’s happening Mid-Aug. I’d be back just in time for that. I don’t know how it would be possible financially, but God has provided for me under worse conditions before. It doesn’t hurt to ask.

To put things in perspective, I was just granted a two month leave (MAR-MAY) even though I only started in September of last year. I’m only five weeks back in my classroom and here I was expecting my director to approve another sudden leave of absence. How was I going to explain to her that I needed 2 months….again?

———

I knew I had to call on Mama Mary so I did the rosary during my lunch break hoping that she’d send an extra serving of peace. She gave me that and a spoonful extra. Knowing how I am, I knew I’d find every excuse not to ask permission today. So I walked into the staff room, had a quick convo with God and He reassured me that no matter what the outcome would be, there was already a victory. Even if I was to lose my job, I would still have my family vacation.

In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths || Proverbs 3:6

Brothers & sisters, I walked out of that room not with storm clouds, but with sunshine and a double rainbow. I am extremely and irrevocably favoured by God. Not only did my director tell me that my leave would be approved, she made it very clear to me that she would ignore any talk of resignation. My classroom is secured. AGAIN. My job as a preschool teacher is on reserve.

That’s not all.

I will be receiving paid vacation time, which means that there’s an extra paycheque coming in while I’m gone. That amount is enough for a round trip ticket to Calgary.

“It’s never about whether or not YOU can provide for yourself. Faith is knowing that you have a God who can do wonders for you. Faith is knowing that He is of divine providence. It was never about you to begin with! So the next time you consider whether or not you can go, take your question to God first, and don’t let it just die with you. That’s the beauty about our relationship with the Lord. Sometimes we don’t even do anything yet he still showers us with abundant blessings. He still wants to keep capturing our hearts. He still wants to reach out to us. But first you have to allow yourself to see the ways in which he tries to reach out to you. All he needs is your Yes.” (July 19, 2012)

The Lord hasn’t stopped showing me how extremely favoured and extremely loved I am. He affirmed me just now by allowing me to reread that old blog post. Little did I know that the “yes” I gave 500 days ago would lead me here, walking on a path made wonderfully and beautifully paved straight for me.

Random Thoughts I

While I was seated at a coffee shop waiting for our meeting to start, these random realizations just came:

Being in love is being in Christ.
Living Love is Living Christ
The moment I start to stop caring and become indifferent is the start of not loving, not recognizing God.
Because God is omniscient, Love knows everything.
Because God is omnipotent, Love makes things happen.
Because God is omnipresence, Love resides everywhere.
Forgiveness is an expression of Love.
Love is all-inclusive and complete and when I am a little less in any of 1Corinthians 13, I am not loving.
Waiting for Love is the same as saying Waiting for God – But God is beyond time and space!
God knows when I am scared, embarrassed, unsure, and weak. He knows my limit and he doesn’t stop when I reached my limit He goes beyond it so I will go to Him and not just trust myself.
When I start to trust myself, that’s the start of pushing God away.
The fullness of the cross is Christ.
Love is always full!
First option: Prayer
Prayer is an encounter of God.
Prayer heals. Prayer comforts. Prayer moves.

“Lord God, You are all knowing and excellent in all things. You are full of love in all Your ways. I thank you for all these revelations. Teach me to see you more in every detail of my life. May I always have an expectant posture so I will be reminded of you.”

Candy (Philippians 1:29)

God Loves You

It’s all about God’s Love. Everything we do, everything we are, is Him. It’s important to pray consistently to drink from His Love. It’s important to read scripture every day to know more of His love for us. It’s important to partake in the Sacraments to be completely consumed by His love. God loves us and we must start there before daring to even do anything or be anything. Only when we are convicted of God’s love for us can we fulfill the two greatest commandments to love Him back and to love our neighbour as ourselves.

What I love about my “job” as a full-time pastoral worker is that I only need to focus on those two commandments. Everything else follows. To be a full-time worker is to be completely open to His love so much that all you want to do next is love Him back. We do this concretely by loving His other children, our brothers and sisters, for whatever we do to the least them, we do to Him (Mt. 25).

“God loves you” is something we should never tire of hearing. Every moment we live, in all our joy and suffering, God is saying “I love you”. He holds nothing back from us. Satan wants us to think so, but it is not true. God our Father has given us everything through His Son. We lack nothing because we have Christ.

Imagine if you gave away all that you own, your house, clothes, food, family, friends, everything! Imagine how vulnerable you would be. God has given us everything, He gave us His only Son. He has made himself vulnerable to us and wants us all to Himself. He wants our love and He has done everything to prove that. He is madly in love with us and wants us to know that. We are His bride and wants us to be married to Him for eternity. The reason why no one will no longer be married in Heaven (Mk. 12) is because earthly marriage is only a sign of the one true marriage of Christ and His bride, the Church, which is us!

How great is His love for us!

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

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