I've wanted to blog for the past few days about the readings because there are some real eye-openers in there, but it looks like you'll all just have to get your own copy of
The Purpose-Driven Life: What on Earth Am I Here For? (
Rick Warren).
The road goes ever on and on...
"
God works through different people in different ways, but it is the same God who achieves his purposes through them all. (1 Corinthians 12:6)
Things have been pretty busy this week with:
changing my program [from Network Professional to Computer Systems Networking Technology],
finalizing my schedule [4-5 times now],
practicing for Christene's debut [learning guitar accompaniment], and
meeting new people in my program, with my screwed-up schedule
[it has courses from across the first four(!) semesters of my new program].
Been having fun so far today. Had my first class/lab in Network Service & Support (basically, a network troubleshooting course). It's a 4th semester course -- I didn't even have my hard drive with me, and wonder if I'd get to learn anything, or be of any use/help to a group. I ended up helping my group and another group because I've already learned this kind of stuff from learning off of my brothers, and helping family and friends troubleshoot this kind of stuff.
Just looking at the lab, I thought, "I've done this so many times at home!" Even though i could have done everybody's stuff on my own, I enjoyed helping my group understand the concepts. I enjoyed working out the problems. I enjoyed being able to fix something that -- by all accounts -- should be working.
In short, I was just glad that I could help.
But that's always the case for me, no matter the topic. School stuff (especially group labs and projects) work [beyond my normal duties (when I
had work)], YFC activities...
Oh, the YFC activities... I don't know which kind of service I love more:
[these are just from my head, i guess]
Up-front service, like playing guitar, facilitating at camps, doing a talk.
Relational-level service, like being a household head and relating with people 1-to-1 or in small groups so that each person can grow.
Background service, like event planning, meeting and co-ordinating with the parents.
Each level of service has it's own perks and challenges, but
it's all service, because it's for God's glory, not our own.
up-front service...
I joined YFC when I was turning 13 years old, March 1996. After my camp, all I ever wanted to do was to be one of those speakers at a camp. I didn't really know that there was so much more that was in store for my life.
I didn't know that I would be chosen to have Chico's job at my camp -- as a facilitator, March 1998. I never really asked for it, but I accepted it, not knowing that I might be playing a part in the future of one person's life, or even the future of YFC for that matter.
There was this one guy in my discussion group. The shy, tallish kid with the deep, mumbling voice and the trademark smile becomes resident loudmouth and funny-man (no offence intended!), keeping the trademark smile. We now know him as Kris "Smiley" Alvarez, Chapter Head of East 3.
There was another guy I remember from that group. The shy, short kid with the always-cracking voice and a talent for the piano grows in many dimensions: he has a growth spurt, his voice deepens, he develops confidence to play piano for large groups, but keeps the trademark voice-crack. We know him as Raymond Nuqui, Chapter Head of the newly-formed East 4.
I'm sure there will be other people willing to answer the call of service.
In essence, I'm a part of YFC history.
God allowed me to be a part of that.
I didn't know that I would learn guitar. I always had an interest in music, but my musical career ended when I gave my trumpet back to my elementary school after graduation. One day in December 2000, I told my parents that i wanted to learn how to play the guitar. A few days later, they bought me a nice one from CostCo (yes, they sell guitars!). Learning guitar through a couple of friends who were also learning how to play, through self-study, and through the agony of developing my first callouses, i was able to play my first YFC song -- Victory to Our King -- with a steady rhythm in less than 3 weeks.
Since then, I've had the privelege to play for all kinds of assemblies and camps. Not to mention that I also developed interest in the music and poetry of John Mayer.
It's been the same since September 2002. My parents bought me a bass guitar for my birthday. The service is still there, just with a different instrument.
God gave me a musical gift. All I can do is give it back to him, and use it so that others can come joyfully in worship to him.
While I've was priveleged to do a sharing here and there, I was given the opportunity to do Talk #1 for the November 2001 camp (five years in the making). Of course, had I done the talk 5 years before then, I wouldn't have had the benefit of life experience, let alone the years of school presentation and speaking-to-people-you-don't-know experience.
It was God's plan for me to wait those 5 years before I accomplished my original goal. In those 5 years, I had learned that to be patient, as God prepared me for that.
relational service...
I had no idea what kind of challenges were ahead when I became a household head. In fact, I still have challenges to deal with, as many household head have (or do, or still do). I'm guilty of not serving God by not doing all of my calls. I'm guilty of not caring for my members at some time or another. I'm guilty of giving up the privelege of serving as a household head entirely before.
I've always wanted to bring this up at meetings, but never knew how to. Everyone is guilty of it at some time, but who will own up to it? Who will admit it? Even after admitting to it, will we be able to encourage eachother to at least make our calls, or will we all feel worse in the end? Will pride get in the way? Will admitting our weaknesses only serve to divide us?
After a long talk with the Duques... It's called doing God's
work for a reason.
It's hard work! But when you recognize the
real why (why you're doing it), the
real who (who it's all for)...
things change.
"
Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples." -- Jesus (John 13:35)
Some of my most meaningful 1-to-1 friendships have been a product of YFC. It simply provides a venue for these great friendships to begin and grow. Many people have helped me get to where I am today (just being
alive, for one thing). But for me, relating with people in YFC was
never about "What can I
get from them?" (although I'm ever-thankful when he uses people to give me something). It's always been "What can I
do for them? How can I
serve them?" As the Great Commission is to "spread the Good News," bringing people closer to God through these 1-on-1 friendships is the least I could do to repay Jesus for the price of our freedom.
My most meaningful 1-to-1 friendship is my relationship with
Jackie. Although no other woman has shared much of my joy and pain, my love is
godly; that is, it is
from God, and
cannot exist without God. There have been times when I have wanted to give up, because I feel that there is no hope. But when I leave it in God's hands, he blesses us with more days for us to learn more about God together, to grow together,
experience life together.
On my deathbed (a long-time from now, God-willing), if nothing I ever did really mattered to anyone,
I'll know that my sole purpose was to love her.
background service...
I've always known how important background service can be; that is, those meeting(s) that leaders have when it comes time to plan a YFC event (no matter how big or small). Only more recently have I discovered the joy of planning these things -- for God's glory. Things like planning a general outline of events for the next few months, or getting down to the specifics of a chapter event, or being a part a camp service team.
My most recent and most extensive background service so far has been Scavenger Haunt, October 2003. I don't even know why I miss it so much. Maybe because the whole thing went so
well. All our roles were defined, the team was set, the co-ordination of the event itself was seamless -- the setup and atmosphere, the rides to the house, the "traffic control," the food. The way each service team member contributed using their specific talents, the way people engrossed themselves into the "storyline." The way we worshipped, guests included.
The way people said they wanted to join YFC because of that event. It all went so
well -- for God's glory.
God gave me a unique SHAPE:
[from Day 30]
S piritual Gifts
H eart
A bilities
P ersonality
E xperience
My unique SHAPE has God's purposes in mind.
Why did God create
your SHAPE?
{more to come in the next few days.}
