When I was still a child, my dream was to become a seaman. I still remembered that I had the most unique dream in our classroom because I’m the only one who had that dream. Since I dreamt of becoming a seaman, I pursued it. It was the end of the school year 2014 when I joined the Youth Camp. At first, I was very hesitant because I’m a college student and the others were still very young, but my parents pushed me to attend the camp so I didn’t have a choice.

After the youth camp, I became an active member in our province in Palawan. I still remembered that even if I don’t have the company to join in the activities, I was still excited because I can always feel God’s presence in each activity. After a year of being an active member in Palawan, I transferred to Iloilo to pursue my dream because my family experienced financial struggles. In my new area, I found a home away from home because of the community. I still served the Lord while pursuing my dream.

During my third year in college, one of my ates in the community asked me to pray and discern about becoming a mission volunteer and at the same time, I received one of the stepping stones to my reach my dream. I’ve passed the examination in a shipping company. During that time, I told myself “Lord this is it! I’m going to be a seaman now.” But as I continued to pursue my dream, God was slowly revealing His own dream for me. I feel bothered pursuing my personal dream during our shipboard training so I decided to pray the Novena of St. Therese, the child of Jesus, because that was the name of the ship that we are riding that time. I prayed to God if where was He really leading me, if it is for my personal dream or for the mission. And God said “Yes, you are for the mission.” I was very afraid because it was also the moment that I needed to decide between my dream and God’s dream for me. During our exit interview, I felt that my prayers were not enough after all the affirmations I received from the Lord. I even asked myself, “Lord is that really you?” So, I decided to go home to pray more. It was Sunday morning when our family attended the mass and the mass presider was a missionary priest.

During the homily, my mother said “Alam mo ba na siya yung pari na nagging dahilan kung bakit kami pumayag na mag misyonaro ka.” It was very random but I believed that it was the Holy Spirit who talked to my mother that moment. It was an affirmation to my journey with God that it is always Him who talks, and not me. That when the Lord already said YES, no matter what circumstances you are in, the calling of the Lord shall prevail.

Right now, I am joyfully serving the Lord as a mission worker here in Guimaras Island, and YES, I may not be able to pursue my own personal dream but I am fulfilling the dream the Lord has called me to be. Because God’s dream is always better than our own personal dream. 

The post Eyes On Him appeared first on CFC Youth for Christ.

My journey with the Lord started 9 years ago when I became a Youth for Christ. Since then, my whole life has been dedicated into serving Him. Through my growing involvement in this community, I have been a witness of how the Lord really works. 

I was a graduating student in college when I was constantly encouraged to become a full-time pastoral worker. The seed of desire to become a full-time pastoral worker that has long been planted was slowly growing. It was in the year 2018 that I’ve decided to undergo the training for mission volunteer because I wanted to purify my heart and have a deeper discernment as to why being a full-time pastoral worker was striking to me. May of 2018 came for our initial interview. After the interview, I often felt confused between my own voice versus the Lord’s voice, whether it was my own desires for happiness and fulfillment alone or it was truly the Lord’s desires for me. The calling was not yet clear to me. Since that moment, I started to immerse myself in the presence of the Lord. I prayed a lot. My prayers were persistent. And I always asked the Lord if my desire to become a full-time pastoral worker is aligned with His will. It was also that time that I started to be doubtful if it’s really for me. I felt insecure of my capabilities and skills and I was afraid that it won’t be enough for the mission. 

It became even more difficult for me. My mother forced me to apply in the corporate world, even though she knew that I was undergoing the training as a missionary. She pushed me to have a practical mindset. And yes, it triggered me not to continue in the missionary life because our family’s status and mostly, of financial instability. Torn between continuing as a missionary or to proceed in corporate world, I didn’t give up. I continued to pray believing to trust His process. 

I asked the Lord, “If it’s really Your will for me to become a full-time pastoral worker, then please tell my mother.” So, I prayed harder. And the Lord made His way. My mother allowed me to pursue on my missionary life and so much unexpected blessings came. Still, I was bombarded with anxious feelings and I was not confident enough with myself. I was looking for a clearer answer. And a time came when we were attending mass and the gospel was: Christ is always in our midst inviting us to touch Him and believe Him. Trust the Lord and do not be afraid. But the Lord didn’t end there. His voice was clear and loud, saying, “In every moment of doubts, continue to give the Lord your yes and He will reveal His greater plan.” I felt like crying because I knew it was the Lord speaking to me. After that, I surrendered. It all boils down to obedience and I said yes. I became a Fulltime Pastoral Worker because He has chosen me and called me. Who am I to answer “no”? 

Now, it has been a year since I became a Fulltime Pastoral Worker, a living witness that God is very generous and a God of clarity despite the challenges and uncertain moments that I’ve experienced. I’ve never expected that God would lead me in the missionary life. A life that I could only dream of before; all because of God’s grace. In all of the things that have happened, God molded me to trust Him more which gave me all the more reason to fall on my knees in surrender. Despite having these challenges, sufferings and tribulations, they are nothing compared to the joy of being a missionary. I have come to realize that surrendering and sacrificing for the Lord makes the journey more fruitful and meaningful. Finally, I realized that it is always a journey with the Lord. So, when God calls, just say yes. Because it is not us, but it is the Lord. And it’s always with Him, for Him and in Him. 

The post It is the Lord appeared first on CFC Youth for Christ.

In the eyes of the world, I had the ideal life. I was cared for and loved by the people around me. My parents were and still are great providers. We had what we needed, and my older siblings and I went to good schools and all 3 of us are degree holders, my brother is now an OFW as nurse, and my sister is now a professor as well, and had just recently earned her PhD. But this meant they were away a lot. Because of this, I dreamt of big things just to be noticed. At a young age, I wanted to be in the military, a chef, and finally a Psychologist, at one point, I even wanted to be a medical doctor. I wanted to do so many things, I wanted to BE many things. I got blinded with the desire of pleasing everyone, I didn’t recognize what God wanted for me. I felt the pressure of achieving the same success my family did. They are all so accomplished; I just wanted to be like them. So, when I was in college, after being active in YFC for 2 years, I decided to be inactive. 

I focused my time on being student with no extra curriculars. I already had it planned, to finish my undergrad, get a job, take the Board exam for Psychometricians, take up my masters in Clinical Psychology, and take the board exam for Psychologists, and then pursue my post-graduate studies in my dream school, just like one of my professors in college. I already had this checklist in mind. With this, in 2016, I got a job as an office clerk to try and save up for my masters, and at the same time, I reviewed for my board exam. Unfortunately, I was asked to resign because my direct superior didn’t want for me to be caught up in an issue that our office was facing, and so I did. During this time, I was asked by my cousin to be part of the Provincial Music Ministry for our annual Project Worship. I agreed, but I was hesitant because I didn’t own a guitar, but my cousin assured me that one of our generous coordinators would lend me one. But a week before our practice started, my brother came home and gave me an acoustic guitar. This has been one of my affirmations in the journey the Lord had paved for me, but was still unaware where He wants me. IN 2017, My parents decided to fund my masters, because by God’s grace I passed my board exams. I was now studying at my dream school, pursuing my masters with Clinical Psychology as a major.  

As I was studying my masters, I also became more active in YFC. the Lord allowed me more opportunities to serve. After a while, I felt that I was called to be in mission, but still, unaware to what extent, so I decided to train to be a Mission Volunteer while studying my masters. But something was off, I was studying my dream course in my dream school, yet I could not understand where the Lord was taking me. With this I prayed and asked Him for me to desire what He wanted for me. It was a fateful night during the evening worship of the ICON in Ilocos Norte when the Lord answered me and called me to pursue Him as much as He pursued me. I decided to put my masters on hold, and after 2 years of discernment, I finally took the plunge and decided to train to be a missionary. It was not what I planned to be in my life. Growing up, I just wanted to be like everyone else, but this journey made me realize that He wanted me to be something more. It was in seeking Christ that I found true joy. It was in seeking God’s will that I truly found my purpose. By His grace, God led me to the best job in the world. Though the road ahead may still be filled with uncertainty, I am confident that just as the Lord led me to becoming a Fulltime Pastoral Worker, He will with me as I journey to places that lay beyond my horizons. 

The post Seeing Beyond the Crowd appeared first on CFC Youth for Christ.

I can still recall the three-year-old me dancing to “Tell the World of His Love” every after Sunday masses with my siblings, my father serving as a lay minister, and my mother as a choir member. Every year I am excited for Easter because I will be one of the angels to shower the Risen Christ and Mama Mary bougainvillea petals. Every year I count the days before May 1st because the daily afternoon catechism and flower offering to Mama Mary starts. 

I am grateful that I grew up always being in the parish. Thanks to my parents, I grew up understanding the importance of serving the Lord. All those years that I serve in the parish, I learned about God and our faith. I know details about the life of Jesus, of Mary and saints. And slowly as I mature, my relationship with God also matures. But I never thought our relationship can be deeper than that. 

Being in the community of Couples for Christ, paved way for a deeper relationship between me and God. From the households, assemblies, retreats, conferences, all those gatherings taught me how can I be more personal with God in my prayers, in my life. Then eventually, I started wondering how it is to become a missionary. I kept this thought to myself for years because I have a dream to become an engineer. I have a dream of helping my family financially and I choose to proclaim that ANCOP really answered the cry of the poor after graduating as one of their scholars. Plus, I never stopped serving in the parish, more so I invited fellow YFC to also serve the church as well. And this has been my escape from God, knowing that I have been serving the Him all the days of my life. 

But when God calls, even we ignore Him many times, He will never get tired of calling us until we respond to Him. For a few years, I worked in a multi-national company as an engineer and God tried to disturb my desire many times in different ways. Yet, I still ignored Him until I can’t take it anymore and openly prayed to God that He will just let me help my youngest sibling graduate and I’ll be ready to discuss becoming a missionary with Him. 

Lo and behold, in the year my youngest sibling will graduate, that is also the year that I fully transitioned to Singles for Christ. What I knew then is that I will continue serving the Lord. To where and how, that is what I need to clarify with God. I desire to become a fulltime missionary for Youth for Christ but being in the parish and a Singles for Christ is also a way of serving the Lord. 

But God, with our deepened relationship throughout the years, revealed to me His promise through a song I’ve been singing for so long, “For I have seen, and touched Him risen, to all the world will I proclaim His majesty, with joy I sing to tell His story, that in our hearts may live His memory.” He made it clear to me through this song and through my prayers that what I will share to the world especially to the young people is His greatness in my life, being one with the Catholic church. That all the things taught to me since I was little will be shared to more young people.  

I miss serving in the parish and I have been praying to which parish ministry will I involve myself being assigned to a different diocese. But one thing is for sure, and this is what my parents imparted to me. That from the day I was born, until the day I die, I will serve the Lord. Wherever I am called, I will always be one with the Catholic church.   

The post Always Home appeared first on CFC Youth for Christ.

My FTPW calling started in the year 2012 when I attended my 2nd YFC Conference in Canada. The Ates and Kuyas shared their stories and as I listened to them, I felt something good that encouraged and inspired me. That was when the Lord planted the seeds. God has been faithful in my life and I desired to be able to stand on a stage and share my story.

At that time, my plan was to go to university. I was discerning which course to take. Growing up, I always wanted to help out other people. I wanted to take care of them especially the elderly and sick, this led me to try nursing like my mom. While I was discerning about this, at the back of my mind, I also knew I desired to be a FTPW.

Going into university trying to get into Nursing was a challenge. It took a few years and as those years passed, I couldn’t help but ask God “What are you calling me for? I thought you wanted me to take care of people. Why can’t I get into this program?”  This is when the Lord revealed to me that I was too focused on the entitlement of Nursing. I thought it was the only way for me to achieve the desire to take care of people. That was when I was able to recognize that the Lord had a different plan for me. I needed to let go of the fears and uncertainties of the future and trust that He was preparing me for something greater than I could imagine. That surrender led me to discover my calling to be a Nursing Assistant.

However, the desire to be a FTPW became stronger as time passed by and I knew I had to take action. In 2017, after finishing my Nursing Assistant course, MVA Program opened again and I took this as an opportunity to actively discern for the program. However, I felt like I was stuck because in order for me to enter into the program I had to be invited by FTPW. I remember asking God “Is this a joke Lord, I’m obeying your call but why does it feel like You are not allowing me to go?” Then one night, as I attended a mass with my family, our local FTPW was there too. He encouraged me to pray for the program. I believe that was God’s timing and an affirmation of what He is calling me to do. So, I applied and entered the program.

The journey for the program of MVA wasn’t easy. There were a lot of questions, fears, uncertainties, and doubts. I would ask myself “Am I really called for this?” In 2018, the Lord called me to go for FTPW training, this was His reassurance to me that all that had happened was meant for me to be able to say yes to this calling. It was a moment full of graces and I was affirmed that this was a personal call from Him. As my life verse always reminds me from Isaiah 41:10 “Do not fear, for I am with you”. I was called to surrender everything to answer a call He graciously gave to me. It started from a dream, a desire, and in the end, a response to a call. God has been so gracious He has been there in the beginning and until now.

It has been 1 year since I became a FTPW, and I can only describe it as a year full of blessings and graces from Him. The mission has allowed me to recognize my strengths and weaknesses and I know that there will always be new challenges and struggles to face. All I need to do is continue to surrender to Him and He will always equip me with His grace. He continues to remind me that there is always a perfect timing for everything, that He will always place us where we are meant to be. He doesn’t look into our past but our future, a future full of hope knowing as we choose Him every day, that we will one day be closer to Him in heaven. For every moment we choose to be with Him is a perfect time as long as we are willing to trust in Him and His plans for us.

The post GOD’S PERFECT TIMING appeared first on CFC Youth for Christ.

It all started with a joke, when my friends and I was having a conversation that we want to go on mission as fulltime worker without having the full knowledge about it. And from that joke, it became my dream until I found out that it is also God’s dream for me.

Before, I said, I cannot see myself raising hands and worshiping the Lord like what I saw in the other sect and in the CFC community, but now I will say, I cannot see myself not worshiping the Lord and giving back all the glory to Him.

 I came from a religious family where my parents are leaders in CFC, they introduced me the rosary, some of the saints and regularly attending mass. The notion back then was, if you are son/daughter of the CFC leader, you are next in line to become a leader in the community. I don’t want it, but for me I don’t have a choice, so I said yes. I became a leader and because of the fear of failing my leaders, my parents, my coordinators, I became selfish in doing the mission that led me to a wrong way of leading my members. Because of my prayer time where I embraced it since it is introduced to me, I realized my wrong way of leading my co-YFC. I’m ashamed in the Lord that led me not to go on mission, I make a lot of escape and denial in His calling. But because of the love of the Lord, He kept pursuing me to the next level of service, He used my couple coordinator to check me and to encourage me to accept the calling the Lord has planned for me. So again, I said yes.

My journey as youth head back then is not perfect, I failed, I commit sin, even having a double life. That situation erased my desire to serve God fulltime because I feel unworthy. But with the help of prayer time, the Lord showed me the answer, He allowed me to understand why I need to experience that and affirmed me that even though I don’t have a choice to become a leader back then, it was His choice for me.

The journey continues, I was still faithful in my prayer time. The fruit of becoming faithful in prayer time was revealed to me. Every time I’m facing hard times, I received the answer or the message of the Lord immediately from that I claimed that I am God’s favorite.

Until I realized that it is not me who is faithful to Him, but it is Him who is faithful to me, that despite of my short comings, He continued to bless me in His special way and He still chose me. It opened my heart again to desire Him more to embrace humility, to deny myself to do more for God, less of me and more for others.

My life verse reminded me how faithful God in my life and that is also my battle cry  “If anyone wishes to come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me” –Luke 9:23 encountering this verse brings my life hashtag #RoadToHoliness

The calling of the Lord to become FTPW is becoming louder and clearer so I did an active discernment for it. It took me 3 years for the leap of faith, first year of discernment I am afraid for my future because I had a lot of dreams. In my second year, my parents don’t want me to go on that path. And in third year, I am not ready because I am not equipped. Along the way I am shaken because there’s a work offered to me that is to become  guidance coordinator in school where I am working also my professor when I took units in education offered me to become a Sped teacher if I passed the LET. Those are my dream jobs.

But I don’t have regrets in that delays and not choosing the offer because I found myself coming closer to God and surrendering everything to Him, there’s a lot of realizations and from the no’s of my parents to their yes in supporting me to become FTPW is  an affirmation that God is calling me, because their decision is important to me and I said to God during my prayer time that if He is really calling me to go on mission, He will talk to my parents and praise God for the Yes of my parents. In that discernment, the Lord spoke to me saying “Do not be afraid” until He keeps on affirming me in the series of events by adding “Do not be afraid, I am with you”. His affirmation and messages during my prayer time brought me to my leap of faith.

During my training as a fulltime worker my ates and kuyas asked me why I want to go on mission and my answer is I want to remain Holy because as long as I am in this community, I am reminded that I am for Christ.

And now as a FTPW, everything is not easy, but I keep holding on to His promise as my journey verse said “For I know well the plans I have in mind for you, says the Lord, plans for your welfare, not for woe! Plan to give you a future full of hope.” – Jeremiah 29:11.

So everything that happened and will happen to me in this journey whether it cause me sadness or happiness, brokenness or hope, I will continue to serve with gladness for what is happening to me and who am I right now is part of my Yes because those Yeses changes me, bring me closer to God and desires me to remain in this road to holiness.

The post Part of my Yes appeared first on CFC Youth for Christ.

The post Greater than More appeared first on CFC Youth for Christ.

“I know the plans I have for you, plans to prosper and not to harm. Plans for a future full of hope.” Sounds familiar? I bet you heard this a lot. Let me tell you about the story of my plan versus God’s plan. Ever since I was a child all I wanted to become was someone successful in her own field. Someone that could be recognized by people because of how smart and hardworking she was. I wanted to be a woman who always plans ahead. I always wanted assurance. I wanted to find my niche and quickly get to the top as soon as possible.

I was working on my ‘plan’ already when I felt that the Lord was shaking and calling me. I tried to ignore that call once again and insisted to myself that I am where I was supposed to be and told everyone of how big my dream was. I was making my own plans, started to take control of my own life and made decisions based on what I think was logical and practical. I kept telling the Lord in my prayers that I am unfit for what He was asking me to do and that what I am doing that time was what I really wanted to do. During prayer times, I would highlight to Him, why I thought I cannot be a missionary. I am not from a family of devout Catholics, I only know about sacraments through school teachings and don’t even know what it stands for. I am not for a second humble, I always boast and low-key uplifts myself in front of other people, subtle fishing for their compliments. I don’t even know how I am going to defend my faith. It’s just I think I know I have faith but I still don’t know how to live it. So then again, I told the Lord, I can serve Him through other ways even if He was saying that this is how He wants me to serve Him.

After graduating, I started to feel more anxious and confused at the same time. Whenever I’m talking to my leaders and members during households and one-on-ones, I felt confused on what I really wanted to do in my life even if everything was actually going the way I planned it. I started to feel that specific hunger for something I didn’t know. But then, it was just a simple verse, my life verse, which was found on the first talk of the YFC-Youth camp that the Lord reminded me and called me lovingly again. This time with a voice louder and clearer, I was already crying as I surrendered to Him. I remembered praying and asking Him to make me more obedient and patient for the things He was asking me to do because I know He understands how stubborn and prideful I am. I remember feeling that sense of calmness and serenity when I just trusted the Lord to take control.

The missionary journey was not just a walk in the park. It was exactly what my training head told me, “Ang misyon ay para sa matitibay ang puso.” Everyday I am always called to discern, to pray and to build relationships. It took off my mask of perfection that I carefully wrapped around myself. It tore down my walls of pride and allowed me to ask for help and apologize when I have to. It made me more trusting of “HIS” bigger plans than my own plans. It allowed me to embrace the weaknesses that I have and developed it to be a kind of strength that I can use to help people.

I often ask myself, what makes a heart so strong, that it can withstand any negativity that tries to penetrate it? It was a difficult question that I always find myself pondering. But I guess the answer was just simple, behind a strong heart is the powerful and unyielding love of God. It was already planted there even before we had the chance to acknowledge it. It renews, empowers and transforms us to be a better version of ourselves.

Yes, I am still afraid. Yes, sometimes I still can have pride within. Yes, there are some of my carefully laden plans that will fail. I would feel anxious and nervous but I believe that God’s plan is just perfect. He already knows what is supposed to happen the moment He called me. He already has bigger plans for me to be able to prosper and live that future full hope. As long as I am centered to Him and listen carefully to His plans everything will work out more than fine.

The post HIS PLAN VERSUS MY PLAN appeared first on CFC Youth for Christ.

I’ve been living this life with constant surrender and hope in the faithfulness of the Lord.

I was a graduating elementary student when my teacher invited me to join a youth camp. I wasn’t hesitant since she was my favorite plus I like sleepovers. The camp was deeply fun and memorable, up to this day, I can still remember its every detail. I thought it all ended there. After a year, I was invited to an activity, and then followed by more activities such as households and assemblies.  Later on, I became a leader. I was very excited in doing the mission – meeting different people and going to different places. Along with that, my parents joined actively in the community too. It was rewarding to see their relationship bloomed and flourished. Though we live in a slum area, I am happy because I have a complete family that I can call my home. The life I’ve been living being a daughter, student, and a missionary all at the same time is both a blessing and a responsibility.

The mission taught me to dream even more for myself and most importantly, for my family. Being the eldest, I wanted us out of the squatter’s area and live in a proper house built in land. Thus, when I was about to finish high school, I wanted to study and get a course in a prestige university in the Philippines where I know I will have so much opportunity, so I could help provide for my family. That was the plan.  I was in third year when my mother vomited an alarming amount of blood. It was found that her congenital heart disease worsened. After the incident, our poor financial status was all the more bombarded with her prescriptions. My mother was suffering for months going back and forth to the hospital. My father drove the tricycle day and night almost 24/7. That time, I was at the peak of my service being one of the core group members in the province. So I served and prayed even more. During that time, I prayed the rosary every night for my mama’s recovery. I even had a bargain in my prayers that “I will continue to serve in the community as long as my mother is healed.”

That didn’t happen. It was deeply heartbreaking, I felt betrayed. I thought that the things I’ve done for the mission is enough for a miracle to happen. On top of that, we were worried not to be able to give my mother a proper burial. Thankfully, the community that we are in helped us with the expenses as well our family friends and relatives. In the face of suffering, life must go on. I was afraid that losing my mother would make our family financially helpless and broken like other incomplete families. With that in mind, I was more determined to finish college in my choice of course and university. Again, that didn’t happen. I was not able to be in the university and course that I want. My father asked me to stay since I still have a younger brother and sister. Moreover, we don’t have the financial stability to support my college outside the province. So despite the bargain I had, I still continued to be in the mission and obeyed to stay and study in Surigao.

Low and behold, God is indeed is in the business of changing lives. I received not just one scholarship but two, from public and private. Thus, it supported my academics and other household expenses too.  Two years after my mother died, we received a notice of demolition of the houses in the squatter’s area including ours. We were puzzled figuring out where to live. Weeks before demolition I was told to apply for a slot to a housing village manage by the City and Couples for Christ. So we filled up the form and one week after, it was approved! We used the money we got from the demolition to repair some damages of the house granted to us. Now we’re living in a house built in land even not yet having a diploma. God didn’t stop there, my relationship with my family got deeper. My father didn’t choose to marry again; he was focused on raising us.  I got very close to my siblings and they even joined the community too!

As I continue saying yes to the will of God, slowly my prayers came true. Remember the bargain that I had? Through the years, I thought God betrayed me for not granting it. But the healing that I wanted for my mother can only be achieved in heaven. I also found out that my mother was advised before not to bear a child since she has health risk. And that make us all three children a miracle. Surprisingly, I slowly loved the course that I got and discover my passion in conserving the environment through it. I graduated top of my class and eventually landed a decent job. I was able to help pay the debts of my father and currently helping in household expenses. 

In answering the constant call and pursuit of the Lord, I finally give in to join the Mission Volunteer’s training bearing in me that the Lord will continue to be faithful in this new journey.

Through all this, I realized that it was not about what I did for the Lord, it is what the Lord has done for me. I will continue to hold onto hope for He is forever faithful (1 Corinthians 1:9).

The post Faithfully Yours appeared first on CFC Youth for Christ.

I grew up in the community. I remember when I was younger, my parents, who were CFC leaders, would always take me to KFC activities, bringing me along to CFC activities, and even teaching me how to play CFC songs so I could play the guitar for their household. At the age of 15, I joined Youth for Christ along with my younger brother. I became active only in the music ministry of our cluster and only attended activities where I was asked to play guitar. This led me to become so visible to my cluster couple coordinators at the time that they asked me to be the head of our cluster. I did not want to say yes but because out of gratitude on how our coordinators took care of us, I said yes.

Being the cluster head, I experienced so many new things. I never knew how hard the reality of being a YFC leader at that time. There were so many times I wanted to quit, I wanted to tell my ates and kuyas and couple coordinators that I don’t want to be a leader anymore. I wanted to go back to being just a member and get away from all the responsibility. What stopped me was meeting my first mentor, a kuya who was also in the music ministry. He was the one who introduced me to having a prayer time and always reminded me that in the service, it is never about me but the Lord working through me. He inspired me to continue serving as a YFC leader and showed me the beauty and blessing of having ates and kuyas who will be there for me in good and bad times, and show me the way to be like Christ.

Over the years, I embraced and enjoyed being a YFC leader. Meeting different people and experiencing so much with the Lord. When I was a graduating student in college, I decided to join the mission volunteer program of YFC Cebu because of how the missionaries at that time inspired me. My plans at that time were set, graduate college, work for awhile, and then pursue law while still serving in the community.

After passing the mission volunteer program, my FTPW kuya asked me to discern on becoming a fulltime pastoral worker like him. It was something that crossed my mind but I never gave much thought. At the same time, I was hired to work in the company for six months, so I told my kuya that I will spend that six months to discern, he told me to pray where is the Lord leading me.

At that time, my shift started in the afternoon, so I decided every morning to pray at the adoration chapel on the way to work. Every time I prayed there, I sincerely asked the Lord on where does He want me to be and what does He want me to do. And every time I prayed that, the Lord will always remind of the times I was loved, guided, and inspired by my ates and kuyas in YFC. Of how I always saw Christ in them the moments they would talk to me or when they would spend time to share their stories. I was confused, I had a plan for my future and did now know what to do. Out of this turmoil, I asked the Lord what was His message for me, and the Lord answered “Love, as you were loved”. To share the same love of Christ I have experienced from my ates and kuyas to my younger brothers and sisters as a missionary.

Looking back, this might not be the life that I planned to have when I was younger, but I firmly believe that being a missionary right now is the best thing that could have happened to me, because this is where the love of the Lord met me. This decision to be His missionary was never about what I sacrificed, but on all that I gain by following the call of the Lord for me.

The post Calling Story appeared first on CFC Youth for Christ.