What living life fully means to me

I never thought I would be able to make time for a blog like this. For somebody who needs to work 24-7 to beat deadlines and everything else my work demands of me, time is a rare commodity.

No, don't get me wrong. I love my job and I never for the world will leave it (not unless my colleagues get tired of me, hehe).

It's just that trying to make a difference, not for the entire world (it's just too BIG for a girl who nearly made it to 5 feet), but a difference in the life for even one child - would certainly demand the whole of me: my views, my heart, my time, my life. And I am not even a mother yet - no, far from it.

I work for a ministry who serves children and their families in the poorest communities in the country. I am so blessed to be called to this kind of service. Who wouldn't be when you have the chance to serve God 24-7, have the chance to talk to His people and serve His people and love His people and also get paid for doing so? A job and a ministry - in one.

The monetary compensation for the job is enough for me to stay - me, being the breadwinner in the family. BUT, the greatest blessing of all is the fact that God trusted me enough to put me in a place where I can help change the lives of many. And that, my friends, is more than enough. God is more than enough.

My first years in World Vision were a whirlwind. I had a hard time adjusting, hard time accepting the fact that I could not go home by 5 PM and spend more time for my social life. I rebelled at the thought that I have to work on Saturdays and even Sundays. There were times when I wanted to shout "I want my life back" to the world. My, I was only 24 years old then and was doing the works of "the olds", so to speak. I have to be a teacher, a nurse, a nun, a lawyer, an agriculturist, a secretary, a singer, an auditor, a counselor, a writer, a trainer, and so on... in one - not the titles though, just the works.

I joined the ministry armed with what I know and intent to make changes in the lives of the people - realizing later that it was my life first who will be changed - my views, my lifestyle, my heart.

The girl 4 years ago is no longer the same girl now. Gone were the rebelling ways - the constant need for competition and winning (I was trained to win things being a debater since I was young ).

There are times when I still have to work 24-7 though, when I need to work even on Saturdays and Sundays. But now comes the consciousness of reminding myself that I should work first for the King, and later for His Kingdom.

Yes, my time for my social life is limited but God has shown me how to value things, places and people around me. He has led me to my priorities - my family, my relationship with Him, my friends, and my role in His Kingdom.

He has shown me to value Time and to make the most of my lifetime, to share my life and His love whenever I can and wherever I am.

Thus, this website.

To live life fully for me is to be the best of who you can be - as God willed you to be. Living life fully means finding happiness in the simple things of life, acknowledging one's sinfullness and at the same time being secured in the knowledge that our God is a forgiving and merciful God.

Fullness of life, as described in Isaiah 65, is having a new earth and a new heaven - of living life to old age, of enjoying the fruits of one's labor, of reconciliation and restoring of relationships.

Life as a journey is always a decision of the one taking the journey. We can either cry and cry some more or cry then laugh later. Or we can either be absorbed on our past laurels or move on to build some more.

It's our choice. As somebody puts it, "to be or not to be, that is the question." That question my friends, is for us to answer individually.

May we be able to find the courage to answer the question of the meaning of our existence in this world. More importantly, may we be able to LIVE LIFE FULLY.. as God wants us to be.

Have a reflective and meaningful soul-searching this Holy Week.

Yhen