Mall, MRT and my brother

Another much needed awakening must happen and it has initially taken place in my heart.The traveler in me must be awakened! My youngest brother Alex ushered this awakening in my heart. I really dont like travel especially that part of travel that makes it look like you are a part of the "amazing race contest" whew i hate it! yet silently deep down my heart lies a wonder and a wish for travel. I still find my self amazed by the sceneries of other countries especially those with pines and log cabins, fire places, nature, lakes and of course I silently long to bring my family there with me and our dogs too. All of these are hidden in the wish corner of my heart!

My brother alex who has modeled grace more than i have preached it from the pulpit never gave up on me. Patiently trying to stir the writer and traveler in me. I had fun! My first MRT ride was scary and yet a timely awakening of the real life in this hurried city of manila. Our trip to the Malls gave me a new sense of freedom from my daily grind. and to be with my brother somehow made me feel i still have a family, I deeply admire his colorful life of fun and spiritual depth. I must admit it was learning time for the preacher. Oh boy he can survive this overcrowded Manila, wow that's my brother!

Our long walk from his apartment at UP bliss to the campus of UP dilliman was a wonderful moment between brothers, i offer a silent prayer for him as we hum along songs like "I go to the rock". Our dinner was great the iced tea was super! A day in the mall was truly rewarding, we went to power books spend a unhurried time enjoying life without dead lines. A much needed nap after our search for "go nuts' donuts for my wife and kids i bought my son archie comics im sure he would like it. This time no demands for glee a phlegmatic smile is enough. Slowly learning grace in seeing the differences in personalities.

Then a good movie everybody were watching spider man 3, we chose to watch the "shooter" it was fun. I think we were less than 10 people in that theater, that was nice! Like any other good time and magical moments i has come to an end, alex brought me to the airport and im on my home back to Davao. it's good to be back yet more than anything else it's good to really see whats inside the heart and live it out. It's a real blessing to have a brother who mentored me what grace and full life is all about. Mall, MRT rides and m brother alex, a pleasant awakening a remarkable deposit of precious memories.

A Unique Awakening

it was a series of a unique awakening that happened to me and to the churches that i have been given the privilege to minister to. What makes this unique is that it all started with reluctance in my heart. Remember those moments that you know you can choose, you have been given the ability to choose and yet you feel hostage to the circumstances? That was my initial feeling when we traveled to Dagupan, a duty with initial delight. Indeed God's way is not our ways.

I think some kind of a sacred and quiet awakening started to creep into the predictable life of Dagupan Chinese Baptist chuch when the Holy Spirit stirred a hunger for prayer and a delight to pray once more. Our worship service almost ended by 12nn, it preached with a translator. Pastor Alex Chao's translation of the sermon to chinese was also smooth and light, a sense of liberty was there. God is at work! i didn't felt to give an altar invitation yet the prompting of the Spirit is deep and I extended it- God has touched hearts already so his people responded! it was a deep and quiet awakening of prayer in our hearts. Silently i gave thanks to God for allowing such a remarkable moment as this.

It was not expected that it would be a series of "awakenings" our convention meetings was also remarkably touched by God, no hysteria, no extreme just a deep movement of the Spirit pouring into the lives of empty surrendered vessels. Then our trip to baguio. It was not in the original plan yet the Lord graciously opened the door, my excitement was not just about the beautiful sight of Baguio City, but the prospect of seeing and being there when God once more touch hearts of His people. The Lord granted us another quiet and yet deep kind of awakening during our very simple service held at Baguio Chinese Baptist Church sanctuary, it was remarkable moment of communion with God! Another awakening has started! Silently, i bowed my head in humble thanks for God's touch in my heart. Seeing God's people pray is a wonderful sight to me.