15th Singles for Christ International Leaders’ Conference
Expo Filipino, Clark Field Pampanga
February 15-17, 2008
@HOME
Singles in God’s Heart
It’s my first conference since I’ve been in the community, and I swear, it won’t be my last!
It was everything I needed and it’s an affirmation of God’s love and power. I can’t help but share the experience that I had. It was overwhelming, something I’ve never had before.
Sidh and I arrived on Friday night, and sad to say, the praisefest has already ended. Not much has happened. After the talk show, which was really fun, I decided to just rest. There were activities outside – party, acoustic night, movies, etc – but I was too tired to enjoy.
The following day, Saturday, we woke up at 3am and headed to the shower area. After taking a bath, we went back to sleep. We woke up [again] at around 6am to attend the mass. Then, we had breakfast. And the best part of every SFC event – worship. After singing our praises to the Almighty, we had the first session, followed by the second. The third session was on Saturday night, and the fourth was on Sunday.
Every session was awesome, powerful, significant, and most importantly, worthwhile sharing.
Session 1: At Home in God’s Heart [Tito Melo]
Home is a place close to our heart. It is where we can be our true selves and know we will be loved for who we are. Home is where we find refuge from the worries and cares of the world. It is a personal part of ourselves that reveals who we are.
1 John 4:16 says, “And we have known and believed the love that God has for us. God is love, and he who abides in love abides in God, and God in Him.”
What kind of love does God offer? Unfailing. Unconditional. The kind of love we cannot grasp.
The safest place to be is in God’s hands, under His care.
God expresses His love to us in very human ways: His healing touch, His guiding hand, and His warm embrace.
And having experienced this kind of love, what must our response be?
Ephesians 5:2 states, “And walk in love, as Christ also has loved us and given Himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling aroma.”
And according to 1 John 4:11, “Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.”
Tito Melo mentioned about the “power hug.” It’s a quick hug to brighten up someone else’s day. Studies have shown that hugging reduces stress. And personally, I love hugs. I prefer hugs than kisses. The warmth of a hug touches the soul, soothes the heart, and eases every pain. That’s what we’re asked to give others: a hug of encouragement, of comfort, of genuine love.
Because we’re at home in God’s heart and in God’s love, we must in turn, be God’s touching hand to others.
Session 2: Journeying Home [Tita Sam]
Our journey home begins with loving ourselves, simply because God made us and therefore we must be beautiful and lovable. He created us because He wants to love us and He has planned a wonderful purpose for our existence.
We were asked to close our eyes and think of the happiest place we’ve been to. And guess what? Most of us thought of home.
These are the things I would never forget about Tita Sam’s talk.
*We cannot change what we are in nature, but we can enhance it. A person who is not good inside would never look good outside. Inner beauty is all that matters.
*If we measure our self-worth based on the standards of this world, we will never be satisfied.
*Only God can complete you. The all-time favorite line from the movie Jerry Maguire, “you complete me”, will never be true. It’s more appropriate to say, “you compliment me.” First and foremost, you must already be complete before you give yourself to someone.
Matthew 10:29-31 say, “Are not two sparrows sold for a copper coin? And not one of them falls to the ground apart from your Father’s will. But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Do not fear therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows.”
We are more important than the sparrows, and God cares for us more than he does for the sparrows.
*Choose well and pray about whom to love and how to love.
1 John 4:9 says, “In this the love of God was manifested toward us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him.”
*Forgive yourself. [Need I say more? I’ve done this already, and it liberated me. Truly, forgiving myself was the first step to achieve peace.]
*Prayer is the answer. If you want answers, talk to God.
*See life and see yourself as God sees you. Never undermine your worth.
Workshop: Is it You God… Or Is It Me?
How do we recognize the voice of God?
Believe that God reveals Himself to us [because He wants to create a relationship with us].
-God is always present.
Revelation 3:20-21 say, “Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me. To him who overcomes I will grant to sit with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne.”
-God wants to have union with us.
God wants to reveal to us our true identity.
-Our true identity is based on our relationship with God.
1 John 3:11 says, “For this is the message that you heard from the beginning, that we should love one another”
God wants to heal us, to remove the blocks to his revelations.
-blocks could include fears, troubles, anger, etc
-two main blocks to God’s revelation within our hearts: sin & unforgiveness
-forgiveness is divine; by the power of God
-as we forgive, we experience healing
We need the power of the Holy Spirit.
-seven Isaiah gifts
Session 3: Home (Bitter)Sweet Home [Tita Joy Katigbak]
Our decision to see ourselves as God sees us empowers us to love others. Love, however, is not without its hurts and pains, and this is a reality we gear ourselves up for.
Love, in God’s definition, may cause us pain, grief, and sufferings, but will assure us to eternal happiness.
Anything worthwhile takes time, takes pain. But emotional pain has its own share of benefits. It teaches us humility and endurance. It helps us learn lessons from our mistakes.
Trials lead to patience. Patience leads to merit. Merit leads to hope.
Pain is real.
Are you LOST?
L-eague of single men and women
O-n call to do God’s will but
S-piritually and emotionally unstable and
T-remendously in pain
Am I LOST? Yes, I once have been. But I’m healing now. And as I always say, I’m getting better every day. ^_^
Jesus wants to strengthen us. He cares about our hurts.
Forgiveness is the key to healing. Forgiveness is a deliberate choice. It is an act of will. You should not wait for the pain to go away before you decide to forgive. It should come to our mind before it can come to our heart. Forgiveness is saying, “I am setting you free.” Forgiveness is required. It’s something we need to do. [Enough said. I tell you, the whole of Saturday, God had but one message for me: FORGIVE. And I listened to Him.]
Healing is a continuous process. And yes, I’m still undergoing that process.
Hand over to God all the broken pieces of your life. Experience GROWTH.
G-o to God daily in prayer.
R-ead God’s word daily.
O-bey (even when it’s difficult, even when it’s out of our comfort zones).
W-itness.
H-oly Spirit: to control and guide us daily.
From the Homily of the Bishop of Pampanga
*In order for you to climb the mountain, you must pass through the meandering road of nothingness.
*When you are in full communion with God, you can’t help but be beautiful.
Session 4: Lead Them Home [Tito Taffy Ledesma]
Having experienced God’s love and healing in our lives, and having made our home in His heart, we realize that we will never experience the fullness of His love if we do not live as a disciple of Christ to others. We now take on the mission of allowing others be at home in the love of God. We lead them to experience His welcoming, intimate, and personal love.
We may be the only Bible a person can ever read. Be a living testimony. Grab every opportunity to evangelize and win souls for the Lord. Reach out to the poor (in spirit, and in material possessions) and the blind (by false ideologies, prejudices, etc).
We are known because we are Disciples of Christ. Let us be ever enduring fishers of men.
Our battle cry: LOVE DEEPLY. LIVE FULLY.
I remember Tita Joy said in her talk that loving entails getting hurt. And while it’s true that true love shouldn’t hurt, pain is something inevitable. But love anyway. The real measure of love is the amount of pain you were able to endure. She said, if we feel that something is lacking in our lives, we should try love. And I realized this: I’m loving too much then. I’ve had more than enough share of pains and sufferings. Therefore, my life is already overloaded. Nothing is missing; in fact, the cup of my life is already overflowing. And Kuya Pip told me to be thankful. Consider the pains as blessings…
“I’m so blessed, I can’t contain it.. so much, I got to give it away.”
The ILC has been truly a great experience for me. And it’s something I look forward to next year. For all that had happened in my 3-day sort-of retreat, I am more determined to be the best me, the best for God.
I AM HOME. I’M BACK INTO GOD’S LOVE. AND I’M LEADING OTHERS HOME AS WELL. INDEED, THERE’S NO BETTER PLACE THAN HOME.
I AM SINGLE…
… SINGLE IN GOD’S HEART!
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