Remembering my 26th Birthday

It's Monday and I am puzzled what to write. Thoughts are coming in from all over but some topics would take so much time to write down.

As I was cleaning up my mailbox I stumbled upon some old emails from JAG (Jaja's Accountability Group). It was a trail of email that Cristine, one of our members, sent me after the celebration of my 26th Birthday. Well I'm turning 28 this year and I thought it would be nice to remember what they said about me almost two years ago.

JAG meets every Tuesday. Yeah, we're back to our Tuesday Sessions. It's hard to keep up but God has been faithful and patient through the years.

So, the topic was "WHO IS ATE JAJA FOR YOU?" Let's hear what the girls said about me...buckle up!

CHRISTINE
Ate Jaja for me is someone who helped me fan myself into flame (kahit hindi man blue flame). You have been one of the few people who have shown me how much better my life is right now when I sought the Lord. That amidst all the things happening around me, if I just put the Lord beside all the trials and pains, they are all nothing. For my God is an almighty, infinite and all-sufficient God. You have inspired me to seek the Lord more and more, and to learn to offer my life for Him wholeheartedly. When I saw the line “Acts20:24” below your name in your email signature, I looked it up, and then I said to the Lord, Lord, I pray that I can learn to say that also, with all my heart, and all my soul. Alam kong malayo pa ako dito. Marami pa akong trials na pagdadaanan in order for this to take root in my heart. Mahirap man tanggapin, pero weak pa din ako. But I continually pray for it. And with people like you around me to inspire me, and the Lord to bless me, I know makakarating din ako, not because of my efforts, but because of the Lord’s goodness…

You are one of God’s significant instruments in the renewal of my faith and relationship with Him. hulog ka ng langit, ate ja. Pero, minsan naiisip ko, bakit ka kaya hinulog? Hehehe… joke lang. peace tayo…

Thank you, Lord, for Ate Jaja’s life…

SHAI
Ate Jaja is more than a friend and a mentor.... she unfolds my spiritual eyes in discovering the significance and the real meaning of Christian life. Her passionate love and concern for the perishing souls continuously mold my charcter in serving others.

SASAH
Shining God’s light, in shades of yellow, a person who loves life and lives her life loving the giver of that life. My manang, my ate, my dear sister, my travel companion, my dream witness, my taga-batok when need be, my text-mate at odd hours of the night, my booster and my trail-blazer. The person God has brought in my life as an answer to one of my prayers. J This is Jaja for me!

MHYTCH
ATE JAJA... "MOMSY" this is how I used to call her kc mukha ciang nanay =) hehehe joke... nde... kaya cia ang momsy ng buhay ko kc she's like a real mother to me.. my spiritual mother!!! tulad ng isang ina.. wla ciang sawa ng kakasaway sa mga pasaway niang mga anak ( isa na ko dun pero pumapangalawa lng kay bes )... Pero I really appreciate lahat ng mga pag-aaruga, pagkalinga at pagmamahal nia bilang MOMSY ko sa akin. Especially nung mga panahon na inaatake ako ng katigasan ng ulo.. nde cia nagsawa sa akin kahit sobrang kulit at tigas ng ulo ko. Tulad ng isang ina.. ang lakas niang makaramdam pag nanghihina ang kanyang mga anak.. at ciempre to the rescue cia agad at pinapakain kmi ng Word of God!!! And pagnagshare cia ng word sa amin..it's like God speaking thru her, sobrang tamang tama at bullseye tlaga. Actually, words are not enough to describe who she really is in my life at alam nia un. Nagkakaintindihan na kmi.. mga kilos pa lng..mga tingin at ngiti pa lang alam na nmin ang ibig sabihin. Basta ate ja kahit milya milya pa ang layo ko sa inyong lahat.. nde un magiging hindrance sa God-given relationship natin...TANDAAN MO YAN>> Nde na ako mabubura sa buhay mo..at d ka na mabubura sa buhay ko.... I LOVE U SO MUCH =) alam kong alam mo yan. (tma na bumabaha na ng luha d2 sa UAE...natabunan na ng luha ko ung mga buhangin d2)

MISTY
Well, I must admit she has been one great influence in my life.. A mentor..a friend..a mom..sometimes enemy na rin ( pag parehas kaming sinumpong nang pagiging maldita.)

Super higpit mang embrace- parang ayaw ka nang pakawalan..kumusta nman un?

But despite our conflicts especially with the decisions that I made, we were able to settle them (salamat sa Bonfire ng Caliraya! )at minsan naman kindatan lang, okay na kami..at lagot kami kay God- palo at bogbog ang aabutin namin! Tsk.tskk!

Padangat ako niyan kahit pasaway ako..palangga ko rin sya kahit mas pasaway sya! Peace Ore! =P

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There! My apologies to some Tagalog words but they meant so much to me because they were heart-felt.

As I close, I am reminded of the verse in 1 Thessalonians 5:11 that says "Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing."

Looking forward to my birthday celebration this year!