p a s t o ♛ e j

Finally, I get to post the shots at last Yuppies' Night, 2nd of April, at McDonald's-JP Laurel. I only had twelve trying-to-be-smart snaps of the activity. We were asked to go paparazzi-mode and get shots of each other on the condition that no face is taken. Steal photos on body parts or accessories only. I tried to get the highlight of select yuppies for me to remember them easily when asked to identify the owner. Barely two weeks now, I could no longer recall who these celebrities were. That was a chaotic night!

If that's you somewhere, just lemme know. I' have a secret to tell you. Yeah, exclusive for these photo owners. By the way, Lalai won the activity by fourteen whopping identified shots in a minute! My shutterbug of a sister!

Last night is another fizzle time with my girls in church. We had to plan the twelfth day of our conquest season. After the hodgepodge of thoughts (yeah, we're like that--much of the planning time is jesting over the juicy parts of our lives), Langga and I were into another wave of spontaneity. We gushed over things big and small, but the bulk of yesternight's tattle was sharing about how our settled ministry-focused lives were again poked.

Always the articulate speaker, she sliced recent moments of having an array of job offers enough to address the rants of relatives knowing her to be all out in the ministry. But she was firm enough to say that her heart is decided to only move when she hears from God. I find her truly committed but I admit I also see in her eyes the desire of a genuine nurse eager to be back in action with those in medical uniforms. It must be tough when you know you have the edge in the field but you feel ripped the same when you're not doing what God calls you to do. Well, seeing other young people come to BCC in their hospital uniforms must have triggered the few times she entertains the idea.

In the realm of openness and encouragement, we managed to cross the drama of the night. We knew we just want to be responsible in generating more resource for our dear selves that we would be able to bless others around us. And as of this writing, we just finished our first business meeting with Dion. We were in our imaginary medical scrub top--busily working out to create a balance of things. Really, it is time to take the first step to healing the disease of the uneven.

Since being in the youth pastoral team in Buhangin Community Center, I have been blessed to eat out a lot more than stress myself with planning. Well, it’s more converse than what I just said, but it feels more of the fun side now than tough. It’s true, building rapport has changed much of our leadership strength. And, tonight, our meeting at Coffee Cat was more of unloading and listening to one another. I had always been friends with Micah since way back when, but now I could really testify more of the evident strength of God in her life. What seem to tear her apart has always been powerless by the sustaining grace God freely affords her. And there was Val, Indai, Ombeng. These guys rock. They are all working people (Now, I am, too! ) yet they lavish so much time for the work of God. I am blessed. We meet the Yuppies (young professionals at church) monthly, but the youth only know so much about the core leaders they look up or pass by–stars in their own right, for the yuppies, a secret team star of five edges.

Girls will be girls. Eagurlz will be Eagurlz!
I can never end thanking God for giving me [you] girls: faithful, available, with initiative, teachable, humble and powerful girls... To borrow a line from a friend, yes, [gratitude is lame].

Through you, I have never been the same...
I have become
appreciative;
malambing;
prayerful;
thoughtful;
observant;
diligent;
thrifty;
generous;
strong;
faithful;
careful;
wise;
humble;
understanding;
patient;
sharp;
responsible;

and so the rest of the things I need to grow.
(uy, the list is not absolute... I still have to grow more!)

What would Rej be [now] without you girls and your girls?
---



Seeing you soar despite the odds encourages me and confirms my calling to pastor young women... The Hannah-Tears of heartfelt prayers now become Silent Tears of rejoicing. I would not care to have a spiritual enlargement of the heart, as I dare to capture God's dreams through you...

You did not complain last week.
You cry when I open up a burden.
You carry your loads.
You passionately take up your crosses.
You consider all tests as the purest form of joy.
You grow with me as I grow with you.
You rise more than you fall.
You speak without pretensions.
You serve with all your heart.
You do hard things with delight.
You labor and give birth with pleasure.
And oh, you love me like I'm really a good mother.



Your girls bring [true joy]. My, am I a happy mother?!

Sifting sand and shifting hands--natural phenomena in the G12 Vision.

Sifting sand--now in the habit of trying to find the gold ores of faith amidst estuarine rocks--I get to expose the faith--the real one in me! For a moment now, I'm believing for stuff and doing things that I can actually and only fruit in the natural. Sunday, I came home--you got it--to my senses: I was ([was] that's not so long ago) actually living a life not my own--someone not unknown (magulo noh?)--someone presumed extinct--someone expected obsolete--but one I was trying to revive: Rejoice Lagat-in-the-previous-level. Now pebbling in me precious dusts of faith, I am strengthened inside. Our most recent Klosel (my favorite spelling for the Eagurlz's primary close cell, which I'm fond of calling K-Night) was the culprit. Anointed yata yung Jollibee couch! Haha. The girls and I were up for a night of program designing for the next two big events in our ministries (sense of ownership?)--Reload's fourth year anniversary (I will be speaking! And I'm thrilled!); and the presentation of my Twelve's Twelves--the Eagurlz144's Night. We were expecting a night of shaping the skeletons. Seeing my governors in their excitement--I saw just that--ado.

All eyes on me--I said, "Hey! Thanks for the excitement--but can you please verbalize the glitters in your eyes?" However, I still did the wording--Pressure. Positive maybe, still, it's pressure. Most of them committed that they can form their twelves by June fourteenth.

G12 Lessons (by the Eagurlz--haha!):
1. Do things with the right motivation--I remember forming my twelve in December 31, 2007. Past three years in the G12 Vision, I knew in my heart it was my season to build the altar. It wasn't out of pressure because some One-Four-Four gathering was up. It was the year's fruition--the year's offering to the Lord. Twelve. Col3:23.
2. Build a Team of Twelve that will govern the next generation of leaders. Forming the twelve is not about complying the demands of an ambitious leader. It is not rush. It is not an event. It is a preparation for the next level of ministry. It is about catering the coming of the pre-(new-)believers--the next line of twelves--their preparation, heart and capacities will enable the rooming for the next, next line of twelves. Preparation is key.

Feeling the lack of preparation since most of our girls are still in their provinces, I lipped off the movement of the gathering to a new date. (siyempre, mejo hesitant pud ko ato--kay gusto man pud nila dayunon--but I was after the lasting and more effective result--painfully, through waiting--and more waiting--nakaka-relate ba kau?). Sure, the girls would be back at the end of this month; would be having enough finances for our supposed beach-cocktail party; will be staying on the fourteenth--since it's a holiday weekend--nonetheless, the entire heart preparation is not enough. Also, the network will be spearheading the anniversary come June 26th--which will require us extensive precipitation of our ideas, time, labors and (again) finances.

Hmmm...

We were weighing things. Taking them out. And weighing them again. Tough.

Arrive July, we will be starting the next Pre-Encounter (batch 17). August--the presentation of the 144s. September--Sunog Mindanao III. Yes, quite a busy quarter. Mas busy dapat sa prayer ano?

Wazzup this June? Shifting hands! My doce (that night, called themselves "Doc's" short for DOCe, "c" sounds as "k"--feeling doctors na sila--Ako naman daw talaga ung "Gov" kasi ako naman ang part ng primary twelve... But honestly, I like the sound and feeling of mama better... myrej, mrej, or terej... it sounds pamilyang-pamilya... P.Rej evolved recently kasi the network leaders are now called network pastors... pero, parang lumayo yata ako sa mga anak ko! Haaay... name calling! Enough for the detour...)--planned to meet their girls... re-align them with the vision (you know what summer can do! haha); most of them going back to the PEPSOL process.

Then, one of the doc's (can't remember exactly who said it--super maingay kasi kami--brain storming--tsaka feathering !!!) suggested that we start the Pre-Encounter this June since a lot are ready but were not able to join the summer Encounter (kasi umuwi nga *wink*) while waiting for the 3rd Q's Enc naman would be straining na... We'd have an early Encounter this July and meet after a week for a network celebration--which will be the presentation of twelves!

Ang taas ng faith noh? Wow. My girls' feathers now have grown. (from an eagle song)

Wooooh!

They were volunteering for the Pre-Enc teaching loads. We'd be having the Pre-Enc during Conquest Night skeds--5pm/Sundays. (My girls are power preachers, by the way! The Conquest Nights exposed it! Thank you Holy Spirit! You are the Reason.)

And oooohh--what excited them more was the Encounter lessons--they want to teach. I can feel it in their Spirit. And I can confirm in the Spirit, too, that they are ready (and will be preparing more) to minister. So we checked the Encounter lessons and made assignments! (Indeed, we were soaring in faith that Jollibee Night!)

We reviewed the goals--at least 60 Eagurls for the July 10-12, 2009 Encounter. The Take OFF (144's Night) will be a week after--no longer the fancy beach-cocktail party--but a simpler gathering at BCC. We'll be in our pyjamas and pica-pica food nalang while gathered on mattresses (sana may mahiraman kaming air beds! haha...). We'll be listening to Ptr. Merlyn's exhortation after some kantahan, kulitan (sure yan!), games, manicure-pedicure(-kulot?) sessions... SPArty!



Ito pala lahat ung excitement sa mga mata nila... Di rin nila alam... Pero pinabasa din ni Lord sa 'min nung lumalim na ang gabi... Really, sometimes, there are things that thrill us to the gut, but we don't know it...
-until we spend time with God and (xempre time din with His people *wink*);
-until we learn our lessons;
-until we're ready for it.

At a loss for words...

Lord, help us.

We wrote the desires (plans na actually) and laid our hands on them. We were all so passionate in the intercession--abi namo naa lang mi sa BCC! We were at Jollibee! Hahaha. Mabuti nalang, solo namin ung room! Haha.

Until now... I am humbled by my girls' faith and the leading of the Holy Spirit. These are still plans--let God honor it. If He makes shifts again--super okay parin--as long as He's leading the flight.

:>

Eagurlz Take OFF!!!


ps: me at the end of penning this blog:

discussion will be posted not later than Feb13, 2010...

waffles and chocolate ice cream!
K-Night was nothing but fun while
Weng dished out her 23rd birthday treat for us.
we evaluated our:
+52-day prayer chain
+Doce
+Conquest Level (144)
+Bulletin Board
+Reports
+Youth Reload
we really need to do our share
and do them sincerely!
we have decided na...
to fight guilt
and the spirit that keep us away from God's presence...
we have decided to keep running!
itotodo na namin toh!

the meeting ended with our new mother names:
:: amoreh as MAMREH (short for Mama Amoreh)
:: aj as NAYA (short for Nanay Aj)
:: blessy as MISSY (mommy blessy)
:: chem as MYCHEM (mommy chem)
:: jing as MAVIE (mama jenevieve)
:: roxan as MAMUX (mama rox)
:: lalai as MYLAI (mommy lai)
:: laurie anne as MAAN (mama anne)
:: micah as MYKAI (mommy kai)
:: maricor as MICOY (mommy cor/coi)
:: weng as MAWIE (mama weng)
:: vilma as MABING (mama bing)

way to go, mothers of many nations!!!
:-D

One of the most free nights of Reload!
woohoo, God is so amazing in His ways!
super saya talaga!
kawawa ang demonyo!

I AM FREE
Jon Egan/Desperation Band

Intro:
D  G  Bm7  Asus  D

Verse:
D
Through You the blind will see,
D
Through You the mute will sing
G
Through You the dead will rise,
G
Through You all hearts will praise
Bm7
Through You the darkness flees
Asus
Through You my heart screams I am free

Chorus:
      D
I am free to run (I am free to run)
      G
I am free to dance (I am free to dance)
     Bm7                        Asus
I am free to live for You (I am free to live for You)
      D
I am free (I am free)

Last Wednesday, we lost one of our dear brothers in church, Kuya Boy Tampipi. He had been so ill the last six years and it is now time that he rest from all the pain that the unmindful stroke brought him. This afternoon, it was our sad duty to bury him. But left to us, is another set of memories of a brother who fought and lived well to his last breath. He never faltered in faith, at least, that's what I saw. Interments are almost always saddening, but to me--today, to set it apart--is encouraging. I would serve until my breath runs dry!

And I just graduated from School of Leaders III.
Year of the thirds, kaya?
We're going thirty na din sa cell leaders' counting...
And i have to finish my third term requirements sa Masters.
i am meeting 3 significant girls for three possible new cells!
ahaha... things are getting more exciting!