FAMILY

What is the fastest way to isolate and break down a person? Break up their family.

WHY? 

Because it is the one place on this earth where TRUE love should exist.

You know what bothers me a lot? Knowing that I live in a country where the divorce rate is ONE out of TWO marriages (Department of Justice, Child Support Initiative, Evaluation Report, 1997). That means that when you get married in Canada, you only have a 50% chance of staying with your partner. WHAT. THE. HECK.


Which means I'm going to fight against it by getting married in another country! Hahaha.


But all jokes aside, here are more disturbing facts about the divorce rates in Canada:

• almost 75% of Canadian divorces are being initiated by women
• one yr after separation or divorce, 50% of children of divorced or separated families never see their fathers again
• risk of divorce increases greatly after each successive marriage (75% for 2nd, and about 85% for 3rd marriages)
• 75% of divorced men remarry while 65% of divorced women remarry

What is happening to this world? The importance of exchanging vows and making promises til death do they part have obviously deteriorated. Is that why a lot of people walk around so empty? Breaking the sanctity of marriage can really suck the life out of a family that was once so rooted in faith, love and hope. No wonder people have ridiculous commitment issues here in North America. No wonder less couples want to bother getting married.

For the youth of today:

It's not always about Y-O-U

"I don't know if I can go because I don't have the money..."

is a phrase that I've been hearing so much of lately in regards to events and/or conferences. It's a question that spurs on a mini investigation. A lot of questions run through my head such as:

• How badly do you really wanna go?
• Did you know about this event beforehand?
• How long ago were you informed about the event?
• If so, did you financially prepare yourself for it?
• Did you bother trying to save?
• Have you gone on any other trips lately? Where? How much did you pay for it?
• Do you think you prioritized that more than this?

I do keep in mind that sometimes there are things that happen which are beyond our control. But even then, something can always be done. The most important question that comes to mind really is: HAVE YOU PRAYED ABOUT IT?


Sometimes, well actually all the time, 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.

I keep repeating this over and over again, but honestly CLAIM YOUR PRAYERS. CLAIM THAT HE IS THE ALMIGHTY. Know that no matter what your situation is, He will provide. Let Him. Because doubting our Lord's ability to do so is like shutting the door in His face when he knocks.

I can attest to all these things because the Lord provided for me in the Philippines for 6 months despite the fact that I was unemployed. Not only that, he is allowing for me to go on a States-Winnipeg roadtrip in two days. I am able to attend the Canadian YFC national conference not just by myself but with my family. Monday was the last day to reg for the SFC nat'l con in Ottawa (in August). I really didn't want to push it but I just kept it in my prayers everyday and you know what? He's allowing me to attend that too! ALL WITHOUT A JOB.

How is this possible?
Because my God makes it very much possible.

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. This is an everyday occurrence.

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. Let Him romance you.  He will never force something on you. Seriously He's just waiting for you to open yourself up. Only then will He begin to do wonders for you.

"Trust in the LORD with all your heart; and lean not unto your own understanding."

-Proverbs 3:5

Baby, welcome home.

Airplanes suddenly became so interesting to me during this trip. Since I've never stayed more than 3wks in one place for a 6 month period, I just had to learn to love em. My flight yesterday was 23hrs, 10mins in total. I usually get so antsy/panicky that I only use up 6hrs in total for sleeping, but this time it was different. I felt at peace and so calm. I slept through more than half of it and the hours that I spent awake I enjoyed (yum Korean air food and a very lovely old Korean woman seat mate).

A lot of people have seen me cry within the past 72 hrs. Most of the time it's not because I'll miss them (I know I'll be back sooner than later). It's because I've been fearing my return to Canada; how will I integrate the new me into an old life? Yes I left behind a lot of baggage in the Phils. but I also had more to come back to in Toronto. But God is so good that he made sure I would get all the affirmations I needed to believe that as challenging as it will be to be back, I am more than capable of dealing with my skeletons in the closet.

Now the picture above isn't the greatest quality nor is it an artsy-fartsy shot, but it served as the answer to my question.

Moments of profound grace.


The wing of that plane and where it appears in the picture is where God fits into my life. There is the me that hid in darkness, confusion, fear and doubt, but with the Lord now in the centre of my life rest assured I can sigh a big breathe of relief- MORNING IS COMING. No matter how dark I feel my past was and how much ugliness was left behind there is hope that YES, he has purified and cleansed me during this trip. Just as the day is breaking in the sky one day all of it will be filled with light.The plane's wings didn't completely separate the contrasting night/day sky- see how on the far left side, some of the morning is spilling into the night? Beautiful.


There is nothing for me to fear. I always repeat in my blogs and in person that whenever we pray or light up our petitions we shouldn't just ask for it. Instead we should CLAIM that indeed those prayers are already answered. In this way, we show our Lord how great our faith is in Him that even though we don't see the answers yet, they are already there. This world is full of truths that are rooted in faith, love and hope. Do not be blinded by the small lies that cover these truths like dust settling on a dark wooden table. Take a cloth and wipe it away. Use your faith in him and uncover the victories you are meant to discover.


A truth that he allowed me to discover upon arriving back home:
You are precious. You are divine. You are MINE.


Claim what He has already won right?
Me.
I am claiming me.

Look at me, looking at you.

It's so easy to put your best foot forward. To put on a show and flash all your best cards. It's easy to figure out what people like and to give them what they want. But how long can that act last? It's like walking sideways, only ever showing that part of you. Parts but never the whole. 

I have a hard time looking people in the eye when I'm talking. Something about it scares the hell out of me. During one conversation I decided to just give it a try, and the person on the other end was just looking back at me- and I mean REALLY looking at me. They were looking at my face so intently, and it almost felt like they were studying it- flaws and all. 

Allowing yourself to be vulnerable in front of someone else is one of the most precious and most profound moment two people can share. That moment lasted no longer than 30 seconds at most, but it was enough to coax out a REAL genuine smile out of me. I felt a kind of peace in my heart that I have never experienced before. 

We spend so much time hiding our fears, our insecurities, our bad habits in fear that they cheapen our value and make us less of a person. Similarly to how girls spend ridiculous amount of money on make up to hide every flaw, every imperfection, every blemish. Skeletons in the closet. 

Being vulnerable is the highest form of friendship upgrades.

You owe it to yourself to experience life face to face. It's easier to get to where you need to be, when you can actually see where you're going. 

Don't spend your life walking sideways.