Sweet Blessings

Our church's 3rd Mission Conference and 14th Church Anniversary has been a success! I'm glad God guided us throughout the celebration. We have not uploaded the pictures yet so I would postpone the post regarding the event until I collect all the necessary pictures to share. :D

As for now, I would love to share a favorite song of mine. I got it from a good friend I just met during the conference who is from another church. Thanks to her!

I HAVE BEEN BLESSED

When he walks among us all that he does
All of his mercy and all of his love
If the pen of a writer can write everyday
Even this world could never contain
How I've been blessed

The warmth in the winter and the flowers in spring
The laughter in summer and the changing of leaves
There's food on my table, a good place to sleep
Clothes on my back and shoes on my feet
Oh I have been blessed

I have been blessed God's so good to me
Precious are his thought of you and me
No way I could count them there's not enough time
So I'll just thank Him for being so kind
God has been good, so good
I have been blessed

Father and mother who nurtured and raised
Sister and brother and the memories we've made
Our pastor to lead us this altar to pray
Stripes that can heal and a blood that can save
Oh how I've been blessed

Arms that will raise and the voice that can talk
Hand that can touch and legs that can walk
Ears that can listen eyes that can see
Oh I've got to praise him as long as I breathe
I have been blessed

He's my shoulder to lean on when I am down
The rock where he leads me when I'm overwhelmed
The place where he hides me under his wings
He's not just a song, he's the reason I sing
I have been blessed


Truly, we are blessed. God has been faithful to us everyday. From the moment we open our eyes when we wake up till we lay down our heads to sleep at night, he has always been watching over us. Everything we experience, no matter how big or small, is a part of the lesson He wants us to understand and follow. He continues to mold us, train us, so that we would grow in the image of Christ. No matter how hard the times are, I feel relieved whenever I think that He's always there. He can give me strength. He can help me in times of trouble. I am so glad for over million of people who are doomed to hell, I am one of those Jesus saved in the cross of Calvary.

So, I can proudly and thankfully say:

I have been blessed!

Last Worry

Whoa! At last...it's almost over. Summer vacation is fast approaching. Today, I'm going to pass my last requirement for our subject 'Rizal and other Heroes'. By the way, Rizal is our national hero. This subject includes his personal life, his works, his history, anything about him. The other part would be about the other heroes who made a great impact and contribution to our country's independence. We studied how they gave their lives for the country. (Hopefully, they had accepted the Lord Jesus Christ as their Savior.) We had our final exam last Friday. So with my other subjects. The only requirements I need to pass are the three articles.

And...I'll have my vacation!!!(after my organization's meeting tomorrow)

Why am I so excited? Not that I hate studying or what. I'm just plainly looking forward to the activities that I will do this vacation. The TSC club, the one I created, will start its activities this vacation. I already have a few members. I just need a little more and everything would be fine. Not only that, I would be able to focus more in the ministry. I hope this would be a great vacation. I keep praying and praying for the success of these two months. So please pray for me. I would deeply appreciate if you do. Thanks a lot!

My Heart's Desire

It was Sunday, March 19, when I first had interest with art. I chose sketching and painting first, but I seemed more interested with painting, particularly acrylic painting, so I decided to check it out. Ohh, I have a valid reason. During the last days of our semester, I asked a friend of mine to help me make a literally 'big book', with a size of a 1/2 illustration board. We did it for more or less a week and during those days, I enjoyed painting a lot. That was the first time I painted.

Cover page of our literally 'big book'

Before, I just appreciated paintings as paintings. I  appreciated their beauty, analyzed the meaning or symbolism of the work of art, researched in different sites and libraries for any detail about the painting and the painter, and that was it. I thought I would never be able to paint well. But when I had the chance, I had a fiery heart with doing this stuff once again. Soon, I realized this is already one of my dreams. I would try painting myself, and if it works, I will continue.

No one has seen me done such work of art before, so when they found out I'm starting to have interest with this hobby, they won't believe. Somehow, when I hear them, I felt I couldn't yet a part of me says, "Why not? It's worth to try." I won't lose anything if I do. (Well, except from the money I would spend buying paint and brush.) Who knows? This might one of God's given gifts to me which I haven't realized yet.

I knew there is something about me I haven't discovered yet. Whatever it is, I want to know and I want to use. That is why I told myself, I would give it a try.

Last night, I was surfing the net, but I didn't focus much with updating my accounts in different sites. Instead, I found myself searching for different landscapes in acrylic painting. The first scene that interested me was the view of trees, and a forest perhaps. Lately, I have seen a contemporary Japanese art of a moon. I thought the moon was beautiful. So I thought, perhaps this would be my first goal.

 I have decided. I will try painting a full moon this vacation. I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me! (Philippians 4:13)

I Have Bought You With a Price

This will be my first personal devotion post. I wrote this last year, October 15. I am used to writing my devotions in outline forms ever since though I try to write the usual one as well these days. So please bear with me.

My devotion includes the entire chapter of I Corinthians 6, but 19 and 20 are the key verses. These verses state:

"What? Know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's."


1. I have bought you with a price so that you will go to Heaven. (vv. 9-10)
 
    We are sinners and we can't afford going to Heaven by ourselves no matter how hard we work. We are doomed to hell.


2. I have bought you with a price and washed you in the name of the Lord Jesus. (v.11)

    God sent His Son, to die on the cross for our salvation.

3. I have bought you with a price yet you continue doing what displeases me. (vv.12-18)
  
    God promised we will never go to hell, but we seem to abuse that privilege given.


4. I have bought you with a price so glorify me in your body, which are mine. (vv.19-20)

    God owns is now so we can't possibly disobey him. He bought as not just with any money and luxury, but with the precious blood of His Son.

So this for now, good night!

Way To Modesty

Yesterday was one of the most blessed days of my life. That was the day I appreciated my role as a Christian woman more. I've always been thankful that God created me as a woman and never hated becoming one, but when I read an article of Nancy Rowley in a website, I realized that I should be more thankful and striving to become a woman of virtue. Nancy Rowley, a pastor's wife, wrote an article for their website about what a virtuous woman should be like. I was so inspired by her article and told myself I would do my best to apply these godly principles in my life with God's help. Of course, it is hard as being a virtuous woman takes a life-long process. But just as what her favorite verse in the Bible states, "I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me." I printed it and surprisingly, it took me 39 pages! But it's worth it.

If you want to read the article, click here.

I was so excited to read the article all over again, so as soon as I got home, I hurriedly took my copy out and browsed it. At 5pm, our youth leader had his first bible study about Christian womanhood at home. Another blessing, I thought. That day, he talked about three kinds of women spoken in Proverbs: the foolish woman, the strange woman, and the virtuous woman. I also shared my copy to him and my other sisters in Christ

It is a wonderful blessing that out of the million people living on earth, I am one of the women chosen by God to give glory to Him. I hope to grow more and more matured in my Christian life. To be modest and virtuous is what I aspire.

Verse of the Day: "Who can find a virtuous woman? for her price is far above rubies."
         - Proverbs 31:10

First Post of the Seventeen Year-Old Girl

I'M SEVENTEEN!

And I'm happy to be one. At first, I thought there's nothing special with being seventeen. You see, most teenagers anticipate being 'sweet sixteen' and 'matured eighteen' but I've never someone really appreciating being seventeen. And before my birthday, I was not looking forward to being seventeen but being eighteen next year.

But somehow I realized that this year is actually one of the most essential part of my life. Seventeen. This is the year where I'll have to prepare with becoming a mature lady for the coming special year of my life. And this is very essential because my actions this year will determine what kind of a lady I will be when I turn eighteen, so I guess this will be the 'preparation year' for me and I'm excited about it.

This year, I'll be planning to explore new things and do the adult stuffs I've never tried before so that it may help me in the near future. I want to live my life without having any regrets this time. I want to do my best in everything I do and improve each day for the better. Most especially, I want to be a blessing to others.

By the way, I just turned seven last February 8 (spiritually). And I think that's old enough to act more matured in my Christian life. As a seven-year old child, I want to serve God faithfully. I want to surrender my life completely to Him and please Him every moment of my life.

But I have much to improve. I have much to change yet. And I strongly believe I will never be able to accomplish these things without God guiding me. And He will never be able to guide me if I won't allow Him to do so. Just like what was written in Proverbs 16:1, "The preparations of the heart in man, and the answer of the tongue, is from the Lord."

That's why I decided to create this blog as personal diary so that I would be able to determine how I live my life everyday, to self-introspect on things I had done and had happen to me, to encourage myself to continue whenever I feel like giving up, and to always put in mind the real essence of my existence in this world.

I'll write random stuffs here about myself, my life, my Christian life, and God. And perhaps I would like to share my personal devotions, and experiences (my ups and downs) and hopefully it would encourage you in your Christian life as well.

Well, so much for the intro-post! This is Raquel Mellis. Pleased to meet you!

photo credits to: http://www.lemaze-studio.com