“So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”
Isaiah 41:10
Blog
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“Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good. His love endures forever.”
Psalm 136:1
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I have seen something else under the sun: The race is not to the swift or the battle to the strong, nor does food come to the wise or wealth to the brilliant or favor to the learned; but time and chance happen to them all.
Ecclesiastes 9:11
When we view life as a race, we have this tendency to compete and win at all cost, sometimes even forgetting our values and trampling on other people’s worth just to emerge as winners, successful or powerful people. God gave us a life to travel along with Him, to journey and enjoy each moment. When we race through life, we do not stop and smell flowers. That is contrary to what life is about. Learn to slow down, to enjoy each moment, to rest in His love and to trust in His purpose. Learn to trust the journey. ☺
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But I will sing of your strength, in the morning I will sing of your love; for you are my fortress, my refuge in times of trouble.
Psalm 59:16
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Lettering & Water Colours
Doodling on my notebooks during classes or meetings had been an act out of boredom. I have always thought that I am made to read or write or both. And that was what I have been gladly pursuing. However, we have such a generous God. As I was not contented with just reading and I have been struggling with writing as I often find myself on dead ends or literally no ending, a new journey opened up for me.
So I expanded my horizons and started exploring lettering second half of last year. There were moments where I felt like I’m getting nowhere, and whenever I compare my work to those amazing works of people I follow on Instagram I sometimes get frustrated. But since lettering relaxes me, I pushed on. Later on, I worked with water colours, which at first I was hesitant to try because I felt it was messy and I’m not really artistic, I couldn’t draw properly, all the excuses thinkable. But I love colours and so I dived in the water colour adventure and it was soooo satisfying! Even when I couldn’t draw an identifiable stuff, just spreading those colors all over the paper was like a massage! ((:
I still have that “I will publish a book” in my list. I scrapped everything from the first draft of the book and restarted on it again few months back. But at times that I do not feel any inspiration or idea that I can add to it, I take comfort in the stuff that I can do and that relaxes me. You can say it’s like trying to feel useful and productive, maybe. (: And I found that lettering is like sharing about stuff of my interest in a lively, colourful and simple way. With that, I am adding another category to this wordpress of mine DJLetters where I will share my lettering journey/blog. Or you can follow me @djletters on Instagram where I do post more often. (:
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BLEST ARE THE MERCIFUL
Truly, God, in His Mercy, takes care and provides for His flock. For me to be able to join the recent World Youth Day in Krakow is a miracle in itself. He has converted the ‘yes’ into a possibility. I had my reservations going into this trip – with all the chaos going on in most parts of Europe, then as we were nearing our departure via Turkish Airlines, there was bombing in the airport followed by a failed coup less than a week before we leave. The trials never stopped there but with the loving mercy of our Lord, He has went ahead and prepared a way for us.
St. Stephen’s Cathedral, Litomerice, Czech Republic. Everything that comes into our lives is a moment of encounter with God.
From the homily by Fr. Bert during the Eucharistic celebration last July 25, 2016 at the St. Stephen’s Cathedral in Litomerice, Czech Republic.
It’s not only in the extravagant events or in the ‘fireworks display moment of our lives’ that we encounter God but also in the little moments and sometimes, for us, trivial events that He is there, nudging us, knocking in our hearts, presenting Himself to be recognized by our soul. And it is easy to be distracted and to not see God in the midst of the noise and the activities, with the world presenting you with so much diversions, with sceneries and oh the potatoes. When we were reminded that (more…)
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These are the Moments
Lent. Easter. Missions. Election.
Each moment went by, and I’m left to ponder on what I took from each one. Have I been repentant enough during Lent? Was I victorious in Easter? Have I given enough in our Sunday missions? Did I vote wisely in the election? What’s next?
Sometimes, we go through life watching moments pass us by. We live in the moment yet we forget afterwards. And I do not want that. I want to always have something to go back to and remind me of how it was, whether it was good or bad. If it was bad, it’s a reminder to change and make it better the next time around. If it was good, it’s a reminder of victory, a motivation to do better and an encouragement in times of doubt.
I hope we go through life aware and alive, not living like zombies going from one gesture to another, moment to moment, without investing anything and taking anything from it. Whether we grieve or celebrate, falter or winning, may we always see God’s goodness and faithfulness in every moment we go through. After all, our lives are made of these moments.
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Easter
Winter is over, spring has come
The flowers bloom
There’s an empty tomb
Crossing over death, He’s done
From cross to grave
He defeated death
Lent is over, Easter has come
Alleluia, He’s risen
Christ is truly risen!22:51 03.30.16 ©
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Merciful Father
Whenever I reflect on God’s Mercy, I cannot help but be amazed of the love that He has for His disobedient and stubborn people. I see how unworthy I am of such love and how faithful He is for keeping His covenant in spite of all that the other party, we, does. Seeing this love always drives me to tears and gratitude and makes me see that all other things matter less in this world.
One parable commonly told is that of the prodigal son, in other texts it is entitled the parable of the Merciful Father and rightly so. Often the focus is on the son who (more…)
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Hello 2016!
It’s been a quiet second half of 2015 for me here at wordpress. A lot has happened towards the end of 2015, all in God’s timing and grace.
I started learning and practicing brush calligraphy or modern calligraphy with the discovery of using those amazing brush pens. And it was truly a grace and a gift that I can use that new hobby and passion in lettering/writing to share the good news to people via my instagram account @djletters. The instagram account started off as my “shop” account which later turned into my lettering account. (: Hope to see you there! My shop account: @shop_pixiesnstardust
Then at work, what I have been praying for, God delivered in His own time and His own ways. Never had I imagined that it could end like this but it ended really amazing and beautiful. Truly, His thoughts and His ways are not ours and He knows BEST – taking care of each sheep in His flock, not letting a sparrow fall without His knowing. TRULY AMAZING FATHER! (: I may be out of job in a few days but He has secured me for the days to come and opened new doors and ways for me. As the reading from Isaiah today greeted me declared:
See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland. – Isaiah 43:19 NIV
Now I’ll be getting more free time than I used to and I am praying that I will be able to use them properly – for the fundraising for World Youth Day this coming July, for practicing and using my passions – lettering & writing – for His glory and for earning income and for the important matters in life. Truly 2015 has pushed me, led me and shown me how to walk by faith and not by sight and I pray that He will sustain me to do that this year as well. Prayers and desires in my heart I lift up to the Lord and though some of them seem impossible, I hold on to His faithfulness and His great ability to work in the impossibles of my life.
HAVE A WONDERFUL AND BLESSED 2016 EVERYONE!!!
Pixies & Stardust 