A Hand to Hold

Have you ever felt like you want to give up and be in a far place so you could escape everything and everyone? I just have the same feeling.  It feels like giving up is easier than fighting. It feels like hiding is the best escape to the problem. But we both know, it doesn't help at all.

This is the season of my life where I could feel the pressure underneath. I had a hard time sleeping at night peacefully. I fell asleep crying. I cried mercy and favor to God. I’m asking God to take me away from this situation. But I was rebuked by the thoughts that I have. Didn't Jesus tell us to take heart? He has overcome the world. Didn't the Lord promise that He will never leave us not forsake us? Didn't the Lord plan to prosper us and not to harm us? How could we feel so powerless and hopeless? I appreciate how Apostle Paul answered this. (As if He’s talking to me when he said it.) We felt like we were doomed to die and saw how powerless we were to help ourselves, but that was good, for then we put everything into the hands of God, who alone could save us. (2 Corinthians 1:9 LB)

This painful season is also the season where I depend of God and not on anything else.

When nobody cares, I know God does.  (1 Peter 5:17)

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Things I'm thankful for about my job

It's been a year since I left the accounting industry and tried what's consultancy services could offer. And as I reminisce the past year, I listed down what makes me grateful about the career I chose: 

Taken during my first day in APPTech, Oct22013

1. Field work - when I s tarted working in 2011, I know in my heart I'm not the 8-hr office girl type. I got bored staying in one place. Its an answered prayer for me to have a job where I was able to travel while working and be with the places I've never 
been.  

2. Meeting New People - Or should I say meeting big time business professionals. Because of my 
 job, I met a lot of people who were not just an ordinary employees of the company but the owner
 itself or someone equivalent. Some of them become my mentors and so I can 
dial their number if I need help and vice versa.
3. Decision Making - I am overwhelmed every time the manager, or any officers of our 
clients ask my opinion or resolution over the the issues they've encountered. It feels 
like my decisions are relevant to them and that’s wow.  
4. Cool Colleagues - I need to be honest that one of the major reasons why I love where I am now is 
that, I am surrounded with people who push me to become better than I was
yesterday. Our dev team who taught me to become detailed in discussing an issue. Our  very own service team help me a lot in the implementation. And I am glad that green  jokes are not part of the any conversations in our office. That’s rare.  
5. Continues Learning - Above all things, this is why am happy and contented with  where I am. I can still recall my interview day when I was asked why I want to be part  of the company. The very first I said was “I want to learn more”. My work isn't routinary. It challenged me everyday. As I meet new people in different places, I was
able to learn from them. I know that they are bigger, smarter, richer than I am. But I am truly inspired by how John Maxwell discuss the importance of people ahead of me  “The best place to learn is where others are ahead of you”  

 If something needs to be done, do it right as you would if the Lord we're standing by your side. If you don't have time to do it right the first time., how will you have time to redo it?-Dr. Lucio Tan 

To God be the Glory!! 

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And I'm dealing with

Its really hard for me to admit what I'm dealing with myself right now. While being prideful and selfish is easy to acknowledge, I'm having a hard time admitting that I am insecure. 

I seldom talked to God for the past days, acting like a rebellious daughter and being so 

jealous about everyone around me. I knew myself very well that I always see the brighter 

side of all things. But with what's happening now, I'm almost freaked out because I am left behind.

Left behind. I guess that what's make  me feel insecure. Its when the world turns so fast and I was there at the bottom. Its when everyone is becoming busy and I'm just waiting for them to pick me up so I can fit in. Its when I can't catch up things because everyone is in the top. 

I know that these things were just lies created inside my mind. Some might sound true. 

Some are pure lies.  And it becomes  bigger than what actually it was until I woke up being 

consumed by it. Wrong move. But no matter how I defined it as big as I thought it was, I  know one thing is sure. My God, who created the heaven and earth, is much 

bigger than all my insecurities combined.

I am known for being optimistic. People around me  admire me for being positive at all time. Little did they know, I am swallowed by my negativity most of the time. But I keep what's 

written in Philippians 4:17 in my heart "whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, what ever is lovely if anything is excellent or praiseworthy think about such thing". 

 

Thinking I'm left behind is just a lie. God, who said He Has a great plan for me, plans to 

prosper me and not to harm me is a faithful God. Who is always true to all His promises. 

And I believe, where I am today is still part of his plan for me. Whether I'm least or I'm on 

number one.  

This is what I'm dealing with myself now. And dealing with my insecurities isn't an over night process. I could feel secured today and might feel be insecure again tomorrow. But it makes me glad that I'm not doing this alone because God is at work changing me glory to glory. 

And there comes grace. 

Definitely.

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What I’ve learned from playing Clash of Clans

I attended the kick off meeting for my new client last day. As we went along the meeting, the owner of the business (he’s running a family business in retailing industry) mentioned that, he learned a lot of strategies from playing an online game Clash of Clans, which I used to play. 

Im not a 24/7 player of any games, specially the one that can only be played using an android phone 

because I dont own one. But my colleagues influenced me to play COC and now Im hooked. 

There are things changed after I started playing COC, like the number of hours I read a book 

diminished because I spent more time playing than reading, it eats my time, but there are a lot of lessons I learned from playing. 

The Defense and Resources - tips from my co-players: Protect your defense first, before protecting 

your resource. I dont know how it makes me feel ironic about it. Because the only way I could have my defense is through the resources I have. So If I protect first my defense, and neglect my resources, I couldn’t have produced my defense. I guess what’s they’re trying to say is to maximize my 

resources, and once it is established, I should protect my defense so I will not be easily attacked. How could we relate that in real life? Know and value your source. The source of your strength, your joy, your passion, your great love; God. And then protect your standard in life because that will make you strong when the enemy attacks. 

The Troops - I remember my conversation with my brother when he asked me why he could not get 

the ununsed/undefeated troops back after the battle. During my first match, I asked the same question. I couldn’t get any answers except for the joke that once we've let go of something, we couldn't 

never have it back. Funny as it is. You've invested time, effort, money to some people in your life, you let them go. And as much as you want them back, you cant. And you move on. But the good thing about letting them go, you learned to do better next time. 

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There's No Short---------------Cut to Success

For the past 3 days, again, my patience has been tested. I admit I get easily irritated. Ask me questions 4 times in a row, and my eyebrows will draw a mountain. Mention a name I dont wanna hear, and I'll frown.

I've already mentioned here that I was not born a "people person". I seldom initiate greeting other people, whether an old or a new found friend. But people change, the kind I person I hate, is becoming I am. I was moved to change and it became my heart to be with people, talk to other people, know their needs, serve them, (of course with the love the Lord.) And help them.

Yeng Remulla said in his book "Start Something" that when we find the job that we've always wanted, the job that we've always dreamed of, with the F-I-T. The Job that fulfills us. Generate an income, and develops our talent, there we will feel the sweet spot. I guess, I'm on my sweet spot now.

Part of my so called job-being an Application Consultant, is to help the client to walk through in their business processes. (Btw, our company is selling SAP Business One, an Accounting system for SME) Communicating with the clients is one the things I've love about my job. That is something I cant explain. In the end of each day, I could always say, I am fulfilled with what I do.


Back to the last 3 days. As much as I love talking to other people, I honestly hate it when I failed to communicate with them because Im so occupied with the challenges Im facing. I've been updating and locating errors, and correct them. (It's challenging. I failed a lot uploading Payments from DTW) And in the back of my mind, I am complaining how could I finish doing those things without everyone's help. I was reminded of what Pastor Dennis Sy said, "If you want to succeed, help other people succeed first"


But I have another lesson learned from DTW.
The pain in failure is nothing compared to the joy of success. 

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Shoot that Goal!

I  wont count myself an avid fan of basketball. But I had a crazy childhood fantasy of marrying a basketball player. (crazy right?) And when all my friends on facebook post about the San Mig, Rain or Shine, or the Meralco Bolts standing, I can’t relate. The only basketball game I could  watch is what’s in Anime Series.  The only team I could cheer, SHOHOKU.

If I have time to watch the anime every morning, I love watching with my siblings. It’s a quality time with them.  Just like we had today. But today is more than a quality time.

As we all watched the series, there’s a certain line I remember all throughout, because one of the players in the shohoku team repeatedly said. “”We will be the number one team in Japan”. The former MVP, Mitsui. He showed a good leadership. Driven with a goal. And he inspired his teammates to have the attitude that he has.

Good leadership.  Everyone wants to possess that. But not everyone is willing to pay the price. When everything gets tough, who rants first? When other people criticize the team, who continue to reach the goal? When the vision is out of sight, who is willing to create a new one?

Just like the player in the basketball in shohuku team, a goal oriented is an attitude of a good leader. He makes his move with a goal in mind. Whether to win the game, to be number one, to become an MVP. To be the top salesman. To become the CPA Topnotcher. To become a better person.  To become a millioner. To run your business well.

Leaders couldn’t be called leaders unless he has followers. And good leadership isn’t about the goals that he sets for himself but for the others. It’s when the goal is about the team to be recognized. To lay down his life serving other. And  to produce a leader greater than he is.

Goal Orriented.  Secured.  Are few characteristics of a good leader. If you want to become one, start setting goals not only for yourself but for the whole team aswell. 

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Generosity

Cultivate generosity in you life. Here's how:

1. Be Grateful with whatever you have

It's hard for a person to be generous when he is not satisfied with what he has. Generosity rises out of contentment and doesn't come with acquiring more. If you're not content with little, you wont be content with a lot. And if you're not generous with little, you wont suddenly change if you become wealthy.

2. Put People First

The measure of a leader is not  the number of people who serves him, but the number of people he serves. Generosity requires putting others first. If you do that, become much easier. 

3. Don't Allow the Desires of Possessions to Control You

More and more people are becoming enslaved to the desire to acquire. If you want to be in charge with your heart, don't allow possessions to take charge of you. 

4. Regard Monet as a Resource 

The only way to really win with money is to loosely-- and be generous with it to accomplish things of value. 

5. Develop the habit of Giving 

The only way to maintain an attitude of generosity is to make it your habit to give-your time, attention, money and resources. If you're enslaved by greed, you can not lead. 

An excerpt from John Maxwell's Book The 21 Indespensable Qualities of A leader

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What you shouldn't do in Facebook.

Facebook nowadays is more than a mean of communication. From it's chat box where you can chat all your online friends, you can also play games in Facebook, you can see historical activities with your friends, you can save pictures,  advertise your business, spread various information, and Facebook, sometimes, becomes your diary.


I've read a lot of  articles about what we shouldn't post in Facebook. And I have my own version of what to post and not to post in facebook:


1. Mobile Number - Facebook requires my contact number upon signing in, and since everyone is using facebook, and everyone can access my profile, Ive customized who can view my mobile number. I actually set it to "only me". And even when I changed my number, I didn't plag it  to all my facebook friends. (Please find time to look at your contact number settings before you go to number 2)

2. Liking Contests - I know how it feels to desperately asked everyone to like any photos for contests purposes. Tell you, been there done that. That's why, when anyone asks me to like their links, or photos for a contest, I immediately like it. So please,  when someone asks you for a lil favor to like a photo, please do so. It's means a lot.  It  only requires  a second or two.

3. Comments - I am now being particular with the comments Im giving to my friends. Because words can encourage or discourage someone, I am asking myself first if my comment will encourage him, if it glorifies God, or it will just a nonsense  word.

4. Rants - When I started in facebook, way back 2008, What I only saw people posting was songs they used to listen to and places they want to visit, but now facebook turns to a site where I can see men changing Display Picture with their half naked body, people who rants about their friends, their relatives, their lovelife, and they think its all right because it's their facebook and if you don't want them in your facebook time line, and you can unfriend them anytime. But you dont want to do that because they are your friends. Really? Kidding aside, If you have a problem, before posting it to facebook, pray for it first, I believe that is more helpful than bragging it to everyone. Because not all your friends care, but God does (1 Peter 5:17)

5. Reason - There were times when I decided to deactivate my facebook because I dont wanna see updates, or any stressful posts from facebook. But, because my purpose is to glorify God in everything I do, I decided to stay in facebookfor God's glory.  And I decided to post inspiring quotes, motivational messages, and God's words.




I know we have a lot of reasons why we open our facebooks everyday, I hope you're using your time and your facebook very well.

Happy facebooking!!!

Add me up! https://www.facebook.com/mahjakoto




Disclaimer: This is a paid blog post.
Jesus paid my sin on the cross. And I am now living all my life for Him.
This is all for His glory.

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Love is patient......

I thought I am a patient person. Because I can wait for someone for a couple of hours. Because I can do other thing while waiting. I define patience as the number of hours you can wait. Love is patient for me means you will wait until the right time comes. But I was wrong.

I asked God for patience and He put me to the situation where I was surrounded with people I don't know how to get along with. They're sometimes friendly, sometimes irritating, sometimes demanding. 

But today. God showed me what is patience:

To be patient means to keep on doing what is right.

To be patient means to be humble.

To be patient means to smile even if what you really want is to cry.  

To be patient means to understand the incomprehensible

To be patient means to do everything with love. 

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What else you cannot do?

David. Everybody thinks he is just a small shepherd. What he can only do is to feed the sheep. But facing the giant; Goliath, is another story.

David, on the other hand, thinks he can do more than feeding the sheep. He thinks he can do greater things because God has appointed him. He believes he can face anything because God is with him.

Giant.  It may not be like the literal David and Goliath story found in the bible ( 1 Samuel 17) but you’re facing giants now. Maybe it’s something big that frightens you. Something big that everyone thinks you cannot face.  

The God, which David worshiped, is the same God who loves you. His favor is in you. There’s no giant that you cannot defeat.  You’re a conqueror. You need to possess the attitude that David had. He trusted God that He can do everything. If God is with you, then who can be against you? 

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10 things to do today that you won't regret doing

1. Do the first thing first in the morning, pray
2. Smile to the taxi/jeepney driver
3. If you're stuck in the traffic, grab the opportunity to listen to your favorite song, to sleep, or to call a friend. 
4. Say hi to an officemate and appreciate how she/he looks today
5. Do your work with all your heart, as if it's your first day of work.
6. Post your favorite verse/quotation in your facebook and twitter
7. Drop off your phone and read a book.
8. Before you go to bed, list down the things you accomplished today and make sure that you'll do more the next day.
9. Pray before you sleep. Tell God how was your day
10. Do the same next day.

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23 Lessons I learned

I celebrated my 23rd birthday last weekend, and I as listed down the things I'm thankful for, I realized how these lessons help me to  become who I am today.

1. Some promises (from people)  are meant to be forgotten.

2. People will forget the good things you've done for them, but they will remember the bad things you've caused. Do good anyway ( Galatians 6:9)

3. Leave the house early so you can come on time.

4. Talk less. Listen More.

5. You may not be born leader, but you can always be great one.

6. You may not hear affirmation, applause from others for the good works you've done. Its okay, God is always proud of you.

7. Some people are inspired in you. Continue to stand to all for the things you believe in.

8. Your prayers are powerful. Pray unceasingly.

9. Your emotions are just emotions not your life. Do not live with it.

10. Things will not always be what you want it to be. Learn to let go and move on.

11. Your bank account can not love you, you family can.

12. Remember all the people you can count on. But do not forget those who neglected you on your difficult time. Time will come that they'll need you. Help them anyway.

13. Love your mom. She's your first hero.

14. Stay pure for your future husband.  

15. You're inspiring others live. Stay humble.

16. Probably, you'll get tired with what you're doing, always go back with why you're doing those. Glorify God.

17. Your facebook status has something to do with your attitude. Its up to you if you want other people to think who you are.

18. If you think you can change something, then change it. If you can not, accept it.

19. If you'll get disappointed because you didn't get what you wanted, remember you can not get everything you want. Be mature enough to accept it.

20. God is not a gennie. He's a good God. He can not say yes for all your prayers.  It could be no, it could be wait. He knows what's best for you. Trust Him.

21. Everytime you feel so down, eat icecream. It if didn't help. Talk to a friend.

22. Healing starts with acceptance. You're not always strong. Always talk to God.

23. You are secured in God. Don't need to have a room for insecurity

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Because I trusted him......

I was staying in Laguna for the past 3 weeks.

I had a training schedule in Chino Roces Makati. That is quite far from home, that's why I decided to stay with my uncle in Laguna, who drives a public bus from their place to Buendia. I used to travel within 30 mins from Laguna. Sounds impossible. But it is really true. When my uncle said I could be in Makati by 7:30. I believe we can reach Makati even we left home at 6:40. He's the driver, I know he can do it. Im riding with his bus everyday. Except this day.


Today, He has his rest day, so he just accompanied me to the bus terminal and said goodbye. While Im travelling in Skyway ( the fastest way to go to Manila ) I felt uncomfortable. I remembered the skyway accident. I looked araound and prayed. And I realized what makes me feel  comfortable when my uncle is driving. Relationship.

As I was thinking about my uncle and the trust I have with Him, I was reminded of our confidence in our relationship with God. It is because of our relationship with that makes us confident that we are protected. It is becuase of our relationship that makes us trust him more.

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Great things.

We all want to create great things. Great memories. Great endings. Great triumph. But how can we come up with with greater things if we don't start? If you're too busy procastinating? (This is crazy. ) If you have tons of excuses?

In John Maxwell's Invaluable Laws of Growth Book, he said, "If you want to be great, read what great people read, eat what they eat, listen to what they're listening." Be inspired by great people. Sorround yourself by great people.  Then who are the great people anyway?

Those who wrote book. Those who mean what they said. Those who has  goals. Those who has visions. Those who finished what they started. Those who can influence you to become the better version of yourself.

To be great means to start today.

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Our Battle Shield

Everyone of us has their own battle. Some struggles financially, while others are worrying about the future. Some had a hard time finishing school, and others hate being alone. Each of us faces battle everyday. And that battle changes from time to time. Sounds scary? 

When you try to  look back to the problems you encountered for the past few years, it was different from what you're struggling today right? That is because if you're facing THE SAME battle everyday, you will not grow. 

My dearest friend, I want to encourage you  what the bible tells us about our battle, 

You will not have to fight this battle. Take up your positions; stand firm and see the deliverance the Lord will give you, Judah and Jerusalem. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged. Go out to face them tomorrow, and the Lord will be with you. 2 Chronicles 20:17

Be still, for the Lord will always fight for you. There's no battle that He could not overcome. Jesus said in John 19: 30, "It is finished"

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Inhale. Exhale.

Too many times, when we're rattled with our priorities, when we're hunt by unpaid bills, we usually seek peace of mind. We're wishing to disappear for a while. We're wishing to stop the clock if we could. But does running from it helps? Have time to breathe

And do it again. 

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IF I DO MY BEST, WILL GOD DO THE REST?

This blog is originally posted in Yeng Remulla's Blog 

I grew up hearing this popular saying "Do your best and God will do the rest."

That sounds good, maybe even spiritual. And yes, God is pleased with our faith when we do our best.

But some people can take that statement in the wrong context. They'll do what they can, but won't look hard enough to bring out the best in themselves.

Instead, some people believe the opposite: "Do your rest, and God will do the best." 

You'll see them always resting, passively waiting, living on auto-pilot mode, believing everything will just fall into its place when all they did was try a little.

Saying the right words is easy, but real faith will manifest in your action.

Do your best. Your real best. And yes, if your pursuit is aligned to His will for you, God will do the rest.

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Hide and Seek

Did you love playing hide and seek when you're still young? I believe every child experienced playing that. I, myself enjoyed playing hide and seek.  It's an exciting game. Isn't it? 

But now that you're grown up, have you ever felt like playing the hide and seek? I mean, you're trying to hide to any of your friends, be alone and seek you own self? 

You cant just pushed away you friends, your family, just because you want silence and peace of mind. Remember they're the one who can pray for you and remain to be on your side no matter what. But, if you're just making an excuse that you need sometime to be alone, that you need to find yourself, you will end finding none. What the bible says about finding yourself is that “If your first concern is to look after yourself, you’ll never find yourself. But if you forget about yourself and look to me, you’ll find both yourself and me.” (Matthew 10:39 MSG)


It's not bad to be alone. But your purpose of being alone must be seeking God and finding rest in Him.  

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On building Relationship

Sometimes, we usually associate the word relationship to "boy and girl relationship" and forgot the others. According to my friend, Merriam, Relationship is

1.  the state of being related or interrelated <studied therelationship between the variables>
2. the relation connecting or binding participants in a relationship  
3. state of affairs existing between those having relationsor dealings
4. a romantic or passionate attachment   

Relationship isn't all about that boy and girl relationship, it could be your relationship with your boss, your parents, your friends, and your colleagues. We are born relational being. Meaning, we can easily interact and be attach into someone. They are all saying that communication is very essential to any kind of relationship, well that's proven and tested,but, have you ever asked someone what's the secret in building relationship towards others? 

There will be a lot of things to consider in building relationship, but the very first thing that we need to understand is that, if we want to build a good relationship, we should invest time. We should invest quality time to that person. 

If you want to have a strong bond with your family, invest time with them. Date them, Eat Dinner Together. Attend Church Together. That's why we believe that the family who prays together will stay together right? 

If you want to have a good relationship with your workmates, invest time with them. Eat where they eat. Hang out with them. 

And most of all, if you long to have an intimate relationship with the Lord, invest time with God. Read the bible. Mediate the word of God (Joshua 1:8) Pray. Communicate with God. If you've been praying consistently, pray more. Invest more time in prayer. 

God desires to have an intimacy with us. Build and Invest in your relationship with God. If you have a good relationship with God, every relationship will follow. 

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Don't Look Back

Once you step out of the past it's important you don't keep looking over your shoulder to see if it's following you. That's what Lot's wife did and it's paralyzed her. It will paralyze you too. And it will definitely slow you down in the race. Good runners look forward and keep focused on the goal.

Even if you have never had one bad thing happen to your life, or you have been delivered from every negative memory you ever had, you still need to pray to be free of your past. That's because even  the good things of your past can keep you allowing God to do a new thing now. God is always wanting to take you to a new place in your life, and you will keep Him from doing that if you are hanging on to the way things have always been done. He will never allow us to rest on past success. If we rely on the way things have always been done, we aren't relying on Him. And that's the whole point. 

I guarantee that no matter how old you are, God has something new He wants to do on your life. Ask Him to show you what that is. Tell Him you intend to stay in the race and you don't want to carry any baggage from the past around you. Tell Him you want to run in such a way so that you will obtain the prize (1 Corinthians 9:24)

This is an excerpt from The Power of a Praying Woman, p.246

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