Not So Long, Good Bye, Summer.

     just woke up from a nap....again. The thought of school ebbs both my physical and mental energy. :( I'm really not ready to let go of this summer. </3 There's just so much to keep. Earth-shaking revelations, days well-spent with people closest to my heart, once in a life time experience, tests of faith and character and all the roller coaster circumstances that continue to lead me closer to Jesus, etc...

      Thank You so much for my TRANSCENDENT summer, Lord. It's beyond the limits of an ordinary experience.You never fail me to show me how awesome and interesting life is with You. It's about time I go back to reality of being a ......student. I may not like it and I don't know what's in store for me this upcoming school year, but remind me that You are with me everywhere. 

     Give me the strength and courage to walk in faith and remind me of your Majesty even when life gets so busy. I am already expectant that there'll be more adventures and tests that will test my true character. I pray for patience. Patience to endure whatever hardships I am yet to experience. I also pray for protection. Protection from spiritual attacks and that I may acknowledge You in all that I do in my daily life, because Your Word says :  “In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths.”  (Proverbs 3:6). 

I lift up everything to You, Father. 

 MARCH 2013:

Grandma's 80th Birthday

Food Trip with Cousins

Sleep over with Auntie Susie and cousins

 

Kinect Nights 

Grandma's 80th Birthday

Joy ride w/ Cousins

Trip to the North and Southside 

APRIL: 

Lunch with the Four.

Daily view at our place in the province.

 

Sunset bonding w/ cousins. 

 THE TREE!!! ...

where I spent most of my quiet

 time for the month of April.

View at my uncle's place.

MAY:

 Beach with Achi & Myles.

(Thank You so much guys for visting me by water

all the way to the province!!). 

Appreciate it very much.

Paolo Avelino at the Larena Fiesta

PBA Legends Showdown at Larena

 Ogie Alcasid, Rachel Alejandro,

Jessa Zaragosa and Dingdong Avanzado for LP

 The campaign bus.

 Uncles with other LP Candidates

 & Celebrity Guests

 LIFE-CHANGING EXPERIENCE. UNFORGETTABLE!! :)

GDC HIGHLIGHTS (Video) 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1PdzZiQRudQ

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R4X8d53jU4w

 Roomies in Manila <3

With the Singles Ministry :)
(c) Ate Cicil 

With some of the CCF-Cebu friends.

Grandpa's Death Anniversary

Almost-complete Villa family photo :)

Grandpa's Death Anniversary Night.

Country Club with the Sheeps! :)

we got to pray for each other as we enjoyed this view.

Basically, spent most days for the month of May with ya guys.. :))

(Forever blessed and thankful for this friendship.

I wouldn't be where I am today w/o you, guys! 

Love you so much, sheeps!!)  

JUNE:

FOUR Reunion 

Sorry for the unorganized photos and thoughts... Hahahaha I'm not so sure what i'm doing here. Honestly too lazy for blogs but yeah.. :) Trying this one out. We'll see how "far" I can survive posting. :)

#LoveYouJesus

Just A Bad Day, Not A Bad Life.

Think life is BAD? … Think again.

Before anything else, I’d like to share a bit of what inspired me to post this “subject of matter”. I was really blessed by last night’s bible and life sharing led by Brother Jerry of CCF-Manila. To be honest, I’m a sucker at organizing thoughts most especially when I think I have so much to say (it obviously gets harder when I don’t have much to say lol). But the good news is, there were a lot of not only good points but also “food for the soul” and life-changing revelations as I spent my time talking with Bro. Jerry. But due to my overly overwhelmed (yes, I had to emphasize the over and notice the redundancy. lol) and ...“hyperness”  (there is no such word but...yeah I like to use the word) feeling after the sharing last night, I couldn’t accumulate every detail that was on the powerpoint (still asking for the ppt copy and will soon share it with you, countrymen). So, I’m sharing some of the things that I’ve learned from last night’s sharing and those things I’ve already heard from the past but still struck me and continue to challenge the way I live. Pardon me, guise (for unorganized thoughts and grammatical errors). Really not a pro.

Back to the title, THINK LIFE IS BAD? …. Think again (That was not the title from last night’s sharing but I’m doing some revisions to state things in a much simpler way). BTW, title last night was about being PROACTIVE in Life.

To start off, Have you even encountered or have heard of the 90-10 Principle by Stephen Covey?

“10% of life is made up of what happens to you...

90% of life is decided by how you react.”

WHAT DOES THIS MEAN?

We really have NO control over the 10% of what happens to us.

The 90% is different.

YOU determine the 90%

HOW?

BY YOUR REACTION…

Situational Examples: 

Reality: 

-Given that you are a father is 10%, the 90% is HOW you father your children.

-Fact is, I am  student (10%) but the 90% is HOW I am as a student.

-I am a Christian (10%), but HOW I live as a Christian is 90%.

(See http://www.slideshare.net/ChamnanNop/stephen-covey-the-9010-principle for complete details and for more specific examples.)

Discouraged? Burden too heavy? Can’t get up? Stuck where you are?

I HIGHLY RECOMMEND you guys to spare a tiny bit of your time and watch these encouraging videos. 

Now, BRACE YOURSELVES for this guy right here who can 101% inspire you to get back up wherever you are in life right now.

Wait… It does not end there. There is this saying...

"Sow a thought and you reap an action; sow an act and you reap a habit; sow a habit and you reap a character; sow a character and you reap a destiny."   ---Emerson, Ralph Waldo

“THINK, SAY, ACT, HABIT, CHARACTER, DESTINY”

Let me give you a concrete example of someone very influential to the world.

Know this guy?

Who is He? 

Abraham Lincoln. 

He was  considered to be one of the 7 Most Bizarrely Unlucky People Who Ever Lived. To give you a glimpse of his story, he was the 16th President of the United States. But he didn't have the much in the way of success; he lost the re-nomination within two years, failed to be appointed Land Officer, was defeated in an election to the Senate and in 1858 was defeated in efforts to be nominated as Vice-President of the US.

Was his home life any better?

Tragedy stalked the family, with three of their four children died young. Second son Eddie died at the age of three, third son Willie at the age of 11 (during his father's Presidency) and youngest boy Tad died at 18. This was after his father's death, and not long before Robert, the first and surviving son, was forced to have his mother declared insane and committed to a sanatorium. Only Robert prospered, finally dying in 1926 after a successful life in business and government.

You'd think he would have given up?

By God’s grace, he didn't. In 1859, he was elected 16th President of the United Sates of America. ((Did some research for the dates roight there.=))

(More of his UNLUCKY STORY on

Link: http://www.theanswerbank.co.uk/History/article/abraham-lincoln-how-unlucky-can-one-president-be/)

AND THE BEST PART IS, THE BEST PART IS, BEST PART IS, BEST PART...

Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation which began the process of FREEDOM FOR AMERICA’S SLAVES. (Short background: Battle between the black and white. The white were the superiors while the black were slaves). Additionally, the Proclamation provided the legal framework for the emancipation of nearly all four million slaves as the Union armies advanced, and committed the Union to ending slavery, which was a controversial decision even in the North. Hearing of the Proclamation, more slaves quickly escaped to Union lines as the Army units moved South. 

As the Union armies advanced through the Confederacy, thousands of slaves were freed each day until nearly all (approximately 4 million, according to the 1860 Census)were freed. 

Abraham Lincoln was a strong supporter of the Thirteenth Amendment that formally ended slavery in the United States.

BOOM!! That’s what you call, GOD’S WILL. But we also have to always remember that God’s Ways are Not Our Ways.

As it may relate to us; there are going to be times when God does something in our lives and we question His motives.  There will be times when we make plans to do something and God instructs us to leave our plans and follow Him.

There are times when we don’t understand why God is allowing certain things to happen. I want to encourage you to trust and be obedient to the Lord because the ways of God are not our ways.

Don’t stress yourself out on trying to understand the ways of God because His ways are past finding out; for the scripture declares it is impossible for us to understand His decisions and His ways! (Romans 11:33).

Although doing things God’s way is hard at times, rest knowing when God ordains something to be so in your life, God will equip you with the tools and resources needed to do and He provides the strength and provisions needed to guide you through.

FINAL POINT:

Regardless of what happens as a result of your obedience, know that God’s way is still the best way and living God’s way is much more rewarding than living life the way we want or believe is right.

Remember, you serve a God who’s all knowing, who knows the beginning and the end.  With that in mind, why would God, being so loving and all knowing, steer you the wrong way?

Be encouraged to start living according to God’s purpose for your life.  His ways are not our ways and His way is the best way for our lives. 

Much love, guys! God bless you. 
Comments? Violent reactions?
Feel free to talk to me whether personally or by any means of technology.

iMessage: ericka8villa@yahoo.com
Twitter and WeChat: iEvee123
Instagram: erickavilla


Thanks for your time!! :) 

Life and Bible Sharing

Coffee Bean w/ Bro. Jerry and Ate Mash

06/05/13

         Thank you for visiting my page. I’m really not much of a blogger. Or shall I say, definitely not a blogger but something tells me to at least share some of my food for thought and daily reflections online. Not a pro but I hope this page can encourage, inspire and impact you in any way. For copyright purposes, I hereby acknowledge that I do not own everything I post here. I got some of them from my Life Application Study Bible (New International Version) published by Tyndale House Publishers, Inc. I highly suggest for you, fellow Christians and non-Christians to get this very insightful book.

 1 Peter 4:12-19

New International Version (NIV)

Suffering for Being a Christian


¹² Dear friends, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal that has come on you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. ¹³ But rejoice inasmuch as you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed. ¹⁴ If you are insulted because of the name of Christ, you are blessed, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you. ¹⁵ If you suffer, it should not be as a murderer or thief or any other kind of criminal, or even as a meddler. ¹⁶ However, if you suffer as a Christian, do not be ashamed, but praise God that you bear that name. ¹⁷ For it is time for judgment to begin with God’s household; and if it begins with us, what will the outcome be for those who do not obey the gospel of God? ¹⁸ And,“If it is hard for the righteous to be saved,    what will become of the ungodly and the sinner?” ¹⁹ So then, those who suffer according to God’s will should commit themselves to their faithful Creator and continue to do good.
  
POINTS TO PONDER: 

•  Suffering helps us be like Christ, yet people will do anything to avoid pain. Followers of Christ, however, should be willing and prepare to do God’s will and suffer for it if necessary. We can overcome sin when we focus on Christ and what he wants us to do. 

• Pain and danger reveal our true values. Anyone who suffers for doing good and still faithfully obeys in spite of suffering has made a clean break with sin.

•  People whose lives change radically may experience contempt from his or her old friends. They may be scorned not only because they refuse to participate in certain activities, but also because their priorities have changed and they are now heading in the opposite direction.

•  The basis of salvation is our belief in Jesus (Acts 16:31) but the basis of judgment is how we have lived. All people will be judged: believers for the rewards they will receive; unbelievers for punishment.

•       All will give an account to God, so we must be ready. This may give you a new perspective on your activities and actions today. Are you prepared to explain them to God?

•       We should live expectantly because Christ is coming. Getting ready to meet Christ involves continually growing in love for God and for others.

•       It is important to pray regularly and to reach out to needy people.

•       Your possessions, status, and power will mean nothing in God’s kingdom, but you will spend eternity with other people.

•       INVEST YOUR TIME, MONEY AND TALENTS WHERE THEY WILL MAKE AN ETERNAL DIFFERENCE.

•       Our abilities should be faithfully used in serving others; none are for our own exclusive enjoyment.

•       We can be assured that when we suffer because of our loyalty to Christ, he will be with us all the way.

Everywhere the Bible counsels that we trust God-in good times and bad, during sunny skies and thunderclouds, when we have a pocket full of change and a pocketful of saw dust. How does trust work?

1.   Trust overcomes fear. Genuine trust in God says, “Whatever mess I’m in, my heavenly Father will lead me.”
 2.   Trust overcomes depression. No matter how overwhelming the situation or no matter how low it makes you feel, God can draw you back to the light.
 3.   Trust overcomes hate. When careless or cruel people hurt you, sometimes irreparably, you can hate forever or you can trust God, but you can’t do both. God is always there to steady even the worst situation-always with a promise, always with a hope.