Why Share Our Lives To You?

Why share our lives to you?

That’s the question I’ve been asking for some years now, ever since I felt the calling to share our about our lives more in this way—blogging. 🙈 I’ve said 'NO' to this many times 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 dreams, or fears, or challenges in your life right now, and end up encouraged.

1.) Because of my Desire.

Tarlac 2017 | eto talaga and woke up like this. It was during this morning talk in front of our hotel room while having our quiet time that I interrupted Rouie to share to him extensively my desire to blog and all my fears and doubts.

Our parents, Rouie & I, and our big families have taught us so much about life that' we'll forever be grateful for. Aside from them, God has added to our lives so many people who generously share with us their knowledge, wisdom and encounters with God about family life and I’m so grateful for them as well--our Spiritual families. Among them are our mentors and disciplers. We also have people whom we learn from just by watching their lives from afar... or on screen. All of them have helped me to know the Lord and his love for us.

For a few years now, I’ve had the desire to do the same--to help people know the Lord--through writing. NOT THAT I'M GREAT AT IT (naku po paki chat na lang mga typo at wrong grammar ko please? 😅♥️) but it’s where I think I can share the message passionately and joyfully even to those whom I do not personally know. I'd let the skill catch up na lang hehe. I began dreaming of a cozy, welcoming place...like a nice virtual living room... where I can just invite people who want to listen, to come and share with them stories of fun, warmth, mistakes, challenges and victories with the goal of inspiring women (maybe even men) to choose LEADERSHIP, INTEGRITY, FAITH and EXCELLENCE (L.I.F.E.) in Christ upon themselves and their own families.

(Btw, I borrowed that acronym from a youth ministry that I love. Hi po, ENC! 👋🏻)

Ever since I began having a personal relationship with Jesus, I've always wanted others to hear of God's grace in our lives--us who are nobodies whom He has accepted, blessed and loved. Because He is the source of all the amzaing grace He has for you as well. And I'd love for you to hear more and more about that loving grace.

2. Because of my Weakness

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 of 2 Corinthians 12:9a . . .

“But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness."

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 debunks 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 the courage to obey.

And I can’t let this page be done without acknowledging them here as my added way of giving my warmest "Thank You!".
(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, Patsy (Eunice), Grace, Judith, Carmen Licud, and my wives & singles ka-victory group "GC ka Soho" ladies. Mga taga encourage at taga negate ng lies. I've come to realize that even if I share these pages just to them and no one else, they are so, so worth it.

Carla Bonifacio. This amazing woman whom I look up to about many areas in life generously blessed me with her time and wisdom for mentoring me a few times, both 1 on 1 and in a big group, about how we can use our own platforms to speak of God's grace working in us.

These acts of generosity and support encouraged me greatly that none of what I would do in here is out of my own abilities and strength, but by God's power given to me through many ways and many people. And that I should honor Him and them for that!

4.) Because of my Sender and His Message

Apart from the Lord I have no good thing. He is the reason for my being, the Author of what my life is for. So as my desire to speak about Him in this way never faded, instead, 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 through or not. I’m totally not a risk taker eh. I’m the sigurista type. Sinong nanay ang may hands that have so much free time para sa mga ganitong creative work?? Busy tayo diba! 😅I know I badly needed my Lord's leading if I’d put in so much effort into this. Magkaka mala-maleta eyebags pa tayo sa mga ganito eh.

But it is true that we can go to Him and ask for directions. He is faithful to give us the assurances we need to empower us. Ang He did give me many. 😭 The only one I’d share with you 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 😅, but if you like, too, go! 😊)

It’s about a lifestyle that proves that Christ now lives...in the imperfect you!

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 one of my GO signals. And it's the final push I needed to step out of the boat in faith. That I’ll now be pursuing one of His purposes for me. That my insecurities and fears remain the same but they got casted aside. The verse “perfect love drives out fear” totally made sense to me again. I got infused with courage and been given the REASON WHY I'LL BE DOING THIS, 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. And if you'd consider...maybe, like YOU, too. That in our weaknesses His strength will be found and I’m excited to share all of that with you.

Now I've said all of that NOT as a backing or license to speak BUT SO THAT IF YOU have read all the way up to this point and felt that you, too, have the DESIRE, the FEARS, and at least one SUPPORTER, for something you’ve been wanting to pursue, but in need of the most important “WHY?” that would reveal one of God’s purposes for your life, it is my goal to 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. I would love to pray with you and it is my hope to connect you to someone who would share to you more about His love--the answer to our most important "WHYs".♥️

Love,

Chat me here!

carmen.datugutierrez@gmail.com