Why share our lives to you?

That’s the question I’ve been asking ever since I felt the calling to share our lives more in this way—blogging. I’ve said NO to this invitation by some friends because of my long list of excuses and insecurities.

But here.we.are.now. Hi. 🙂 And here are the reasons. As you read this, I pray you’d also think about your own dream, or fear, or challenges in your life right now, and end up encouraged.

1. Because of my DESIRE.

I look up to and learn from many people who generously share with me their knowledge, wisdom and encounters with God about family life and I’m so grateful for them. They’ve helped me know the Lord and his love for us.

For a few years now, I’ve had the desire to do the same to others through writing. Not that I’m great at it (naku po paki PM na lang mga typo at wrong grammar ko please? 😅♥️) but it’s where I think I can share the message even to those whom I do not personally know. I began dreaming of a cozy, welcoming place...like a nice living room... where I can just invite people who wants to listen, to come and share with them stories of fun, warmth, challenges and victories with the goal of inspiring women to choose LEADERSHIP, INTEGRITY, FAITH and EXCELLENCE (LIFE) in Christ. Borrowed that acronym from a youth org I love ✌🏻

2. Because of my WEAKNESSES.

But as with any dream/goal, here are the doubts, insecurities and play-safe mindsets.

• I’m definitely not a writer!

• My grammar won’t pass.

• No significant number of people will read it. (What number IS significant btw?)

• What if I run out? Pang umpisa lang.

• I have no photoshoots or beautifully set-up surroundings

• I have no time to create regularly

• I don’t know how to set up/run a website

• What if I get bashed for some beliefs

• Maybe later when my kids are older

• Leave it to those who are already great at it (this one gets me daily!)

• I am alone.

• I’m not cool. Okay this one’s no big deal but hits me sometimes 😅

These thoughts are hard to fight on my own and there are days I felt exactly that—alone. So for many years I didn’t pursue and that’s the easiest thing. Keep dreaming while asleep, right?

Till one day, during my thinking time (my washing dishes time), the Lord reminded me...

“But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." 2 Corinthians 12:9a ESV

And made me realize that it’s not a good and perfect self or life I must share ‘cos I surely don’t have that. But it’s my selfish, coward, disobedient, sinner being that He’s gracefully changing by His power day by day. It made total sense to me to speak about THAT power.

3. Because of their SUPPORT.

This slashes the lie that I’m alone.

I often told them I’m not good enough and worst thought is that “eh kayo lang magbabasa nun kasi love nyo ako.” These people helped me to pursue blogging through various means of support and sadly...I didn’t value their support enough. Laging “aside from you who else?” And one day the Lord rebuked me and said how dare I belittle His beloved? He meant that for the people i didn’t count. I was faced with the questions: so sino ang importante? At para kanino nga ba ulit itong gagawin ko? Who’s approval am I after?

What a shame. Hindi pa nga nag-uumpisa maling mali na agad yung puso!

I realized I have devalued those who believe in me and didn’t allow myself to be pulled up by their support and faith. All that has changed after the Lord corrected me and turned my eyes to Him and to those whom He has sent to help me have courage and obey.

And I can’t let this page be done without acknowledging them here. (You can skip this part OR read it and be inspired to BE LIKE THEM to your own friend. ♥️)

• Rouie. Okay maybe husbands shouldn’t be counted cos you’re one flesh. But shoutout to him for being my Top supporter. Always made me feel I’m better than anyone out there. Sinong hindi lalakas ang loob? Always produced whatever thing I needed to shorten my excuses list. I don’t know anyone who empowers as good as he does to people.

• Jonai. Sponsored my domain name and subscription years ago saying in case I want to do blogging, eh resdy na! The name would be saved for me already. She should get the bestest best friend award, yes?

• Eca, emily, eugiene, darla, madel, sarah, dana, armie, kia, grace and few other ka-victory group ladies. Mga taga encourage at taga negate ng lies.

• Carla Bonifacio -

4. Because of my Sender and His Message

As my desire never faded but got even stronger year by year, my cowardly, prideful and doubtful self acted like Gideon and asked for multiple confirmations from the Lord whether to push or not. I’m totally not a risk taker. I’m the sigurista type. Sinong nanay ang may hands that have so much free time? 😅 I need His leading if I’d put in so much effort into this.

And I know we can always go to Him and ask for directions. He is faithful to give us assurances we need to empower us. Ang galing lang... kasi I indeed received many. 😭 The only one I’d share today is the Word I believe He gave me during the latest Prayer & Fasting season I joined in.

It is from 2 Corinthians 3:2-3:

You yourselves are our letter of recommendation, written on our hearts, to be known and read by all. 3 And you show that you are a letter from Christ delivered by us, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts.

Nope, this verse doesn’t mean we all go writing! 😅 It’s about a lifestyle that proves that Christ lives...in you!

But after reading this verse in my season of seeking, parang scene sa movies... everything faded into a blurred background and these words seemed to have floated, turned bold and got enlarged. I knew then that this was my GO signal. That I’ll be pursuing one of His purposes for me. That my insecurities and fears remain the same but they got casted aside. Also, the verse “perfect love drives out fear” totally made sense again.

I got infused with courage that it is He who’s sending me out as His love letter, to speak of that message of love that He has for an imperfect, insecure, sinner like me. That in my weaknesses His strength will be found and I’m excited to share that with you. This is my most important WHY. I hope I do it well.

If you have read up to this point and felt you have the DESIRE, the FEARS, and at least one SUPPORTER, for something you’d been wanting to pursue, but in need of the most important “WHY?” that would reveal God’s purpose, I encourage you to believe in the Lord, the One who’s authored your life. He is your Sender, your Giver, your Lover. Ask of Him anything you need. Pursue Him who has the power to make our gifts/talent/heart/passion become a great blessing to ourselves and many others. ♥️

Love, Carmen