Trust and Faith in God

by: Ruby Ann J. Puzon

One fine day, my personal friends introduced me into a trust game where they had to cover my eyes with a piece of clothing making sure that I can see nothing. It is like a dictator game where one will give instruction and then I follow. I took the challenge. The only thing for me to do is to listen to what the voice will say. Who guided me? I don’t know. What I know is that I gave my full trusts that I will not be harm and that they will take care of me during the course of the game. I was scared and fearful of what will happen but I know I am blessed to have good friends so I am safe. After the game, I later found out… Ha! The surprise of my life.
 

This story reminds me of how I trust my Lord. Humbly I say that I belong to the lucky few who have outdone all the challenges in life and at the end, received a beautiful reward. My trust and faith in the Lord had been tested for number of times. Just like this game, I was blindfolded with the situation I thought I cannot outshine. God is testing my trust and He promised to be with me always. It came to the point where all my trials are more hurtful, cruel and very upsetting. I know if I put my trust and faith to my Lord, I am very optimistic that when the blindfold will be removed, I will get the greatest surprise of my life.

Proverbs 3:5-6 said:

⁵ Trust in the Lord with all your heart
    and lean not on your own understanding;
⁶ in all your ways submit to him,
    and he will make your paths straight.^[a]

Through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Holy Week Reflection

by: Ruby Ann J. Puzon

As I reflect back on my life‘s journey for the span of 12,410 days and counting I’ve had…

…countless blessing
…number of friends came and go
…answered prayers
…wish came true
…loving parents and sibling
…wonderful family
…nice job
…expectations met
…became a blessing to others
 And a fulfilled life…

What more am I asking for?

This question came to me while sitting in the four corners of my office and busy meeting deadlines. Omg! I even forget about thanking HIM this morning that I still woke up to fulfill my purpose.  Sometimes I feel I do not deserve all the things listed above but still I had it.  It was given to me as a prize and surprise. Like a normal human being, I had a “not-so-good-in-short-bad-days” more often and still made to manage it and lasted the day. I never realized that He did it on purpose. That’s Him. He did it for me to realize that there is always HIM beside me, to comfort me and to make sure that things can be better if I believe. So stupid though, I came to believe that I did it myself but in reality He did it for me, not me for me. It’s normal to feel good about yourself because you pass the day’s challenge but how could I forget the fact that I am just an instrument.  

Although I didn’t have a royal life nor came from a wealthy family but I have other things that some people do not have, Faith! God said “So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.Isaiah 41:10.

I am not perfect, I also had an inconvenient experiences, problems difficult to solve, tiresome day, difficult people to handle, unreasonable situation to pass through, very impossible situations, unavoidable devil people to deal with, high expectations to meet, pass through dark tunnels of life, had been down and out and experienced a lot of frustrations and misfortunes…all these things I’ve conquered because of Him. God said “Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or discouraged”.1 Chronicles 22:13. I can’t believe I pass through it. Sometimes I questioned God, but who am I to complain? I wasn’t made to carry a cross-like wood three times taller than me, mocked by people, yelled by people saying hurtful things, walked barefooted  for number of steps…without water, under the heat of the sun, unclothed and with a wire of thorns over the head. I have no right to question God.

When there are problems God said…”Rise up; this matter is in your hands. We will support you, so take courage and do it." Ezra 10:4. Sometimes there are problems that I think was so big but I never realized that it is the smallest problem I even encountered compared to HIM who died for me.  That was so selfish of me! I never even realized that problems are blessings and it was intended for me to realize that I was loved by God. I wasn’t asked to do things that He did for people, just by loving him and serving him that’s the thing that He asked. How could I never do it?

In this year’s holy week celebration, let us all reflect, pray and thank God for what HE did for us. Let us not forget to ask pardon and forgiveness for the sins that we committed, for the people who we hurt and continue to have hurt, for thinking bad about other person, for being so prejudicial, for being selfish and for not fulfilling God’s purpose. I ask you to pray with me, for world peace, for healing a broken relationship may it be country to country, family to family, friends to friends, and people to loved ones. Let us all spread the good news saying… "The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters. He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever."Psalm 23

This holy week celebration, I will start by asking sorry and pardon for my shortcomings, for the people who I have hurt (intentionally and unintentionally)…. I also forgive you for hurting my feelings….as I say Glory be to the father unto the Son unto the Holy Spirit. Amen.


 "The name of the LORD is a strong tower; the righteous run to it and are safe."
Proverbs 18:10

Have a blessed Holy Week...

Until then….

365 Happy days!

by: Ruby Ann J Puzon

For the last 525,600 minutes of embracing the challenges and changes while taking chance of the unknown and on what life has to offer, my heart is overjoyed knowing that the moon and the stars are in my favour.

I smiled from ear to ear while praising God for all the wonderful blessings He has given me.  A life full of challenges is meant to be lived with so much hope and optimism that everything will fall into its proper place, in time.

Happy 365 days work anniversary to me in CMZ! Happy to have known nearly 600 individuals for the past 365 days in my new and exciting career journey.

Excited for the next 365 days and more 525,600 minutes of embracing life and surprises!  Life is beautiful.

Glory to God in the highest!

Lasang Secret Adventure - Misamis Oriental

by: Ruby Ann J Puzon

August 21, 2009, a declared national holiday in commemoration of the death of Senator Benigno "Ninoy" Aquino, when the group had thought of going to an exciting place and I am talking about Lasang Secret Adventure in Initao, Misamis Oriental. 

It was a newly developed place, it was open to public a week ago, a project by the local government of Misamis Oriental initiated by Congressman Oscar Moreno. Lasang is what we called "Virgin forest", it is located at Initao, Misamis Oriental, a national highway linking Cagayan de Oro City and Iligan City. 

It was indeed a very much paid off experience where we were able to climb up a high spiral stairs (I wasn't able to count how many steps but it was too high), high enough that you would not want to look down to see where you started because when you do that will make you vomit to death (not for those who are not afraid of heights)...very high though!..we were able to experience walking on a hanging bridge and finally an exciting one, a ride using a zip line to exit. Just make sure your blood pressure is okay before going to Lasang Adventure.

After our lasang adventure, we crossed the road to another adventure which is a protected landscape and seascape area. There you will find a more than a hundred year old trees, a very huge trees. It is a protected forest. I would say thumbs up to the local government unit of Misamis Oriental for taking good care of its environment that me and my officemates were able to take advantage of it and were able to witness God's perfect creation. We were able to visit one cave, although we did not finish it because we were too scared but thank you to the very accommodating gentlemen guide for that good experience. 

Meanwhile, inside that protected forest area, you will see a very deep blue sea in which you would want to dive in and wear your snorkeling gear. The scenery was very calming and nature lovers will for sure love the place. In fact, that area is almost always the venue for pre-nuptial photography. 

To further our adventure, we went to a goat farm at Naawan, Misamis Oriental. That goat farm in Naawan is run by the local government. There you can find really large goats (not a native one), they can be able to get a 2 liters of goats milk every day per goat, that is how big it is...take note the goats were as high as me...amazing!

I wonder when and where will be my next adventure, hmmm until then, enjoy! 

It’s Him

by: Ruby Ann J. Puzon

I am truly blessed that God has given me a wonderful gift I couldn’t even imagine. I never expected this to come. I had no hopes that this would come my way, ever! I had to leave it all to God. To live my life the way God wants me to be. Everything happens for a reason. I had to move on and to live life depending on the Will of the Wind. I have had a not-so-pleasant-heart-experiences that I guess made me a better person and to learn that life is not the way I wanted it to happen. I have no right to ask when sorrows come. In a movie with Mandy Moore she utters “ I have no reason to be angry with God” and so am I. In the gateway of my heart, I even put a sign: NO TRESSPASSING. I said: I would never ever trust and love again and that all people are the same. But it proved me wrong. Yeah. I guess I was just closed-hearted that I labeled all people just the same. 

One day, a God’s gift was delivered, it was delivered to me not in a box-with-a-ribbon-with-a-card thing that says for Ruby but in a simple-lacking-decoration-no- embellishment therefore plain in appearance box that anybody would not in a hurry to open it. As time passes by, I was curious to open it, to risk my life and to try to see what’s inside. And wallah! It was what I’m waiting for. Finally, it was a box full of hearts. And from those hearts I found a heart that completes the missing piece in me. It’s Him. On bended knee, I thank God that after three years of being quiet, closing all the doors and the windows I saw the sky and this special Star that is radiantly so willing to shine for me forever. I almost gave up, but when I am about to give up, it comes…Finally I met the right one. I am so grateful for the gift. I thought that maybe God wants me to meet few wrong people to meet the right one. Now I am falling in love and so ready to die for that love.

kỉ niệm tháng! anh mai mai yeu em! 

NB. This is a repost from 2010. I hope you got inspired from this post. Have a nice day! 

You’ve Got To Know When It’s Over

by: Ruby Ann Puzon
 
Let me tell you something. It's not that I'm hateful. It's that I'm faithful and I know whatever God means for me to have He'll gave it to me and if it takes too much sweat then I don't need it. They said stop begging people to stay. You need to know when to let go. Am I talking to myself? No. It's for all. I mean, hey ruby it's easier said than done. Yeah, I admit but the bible says that: " they came out from us that it might be made manifest that they were not for us. For had they been of us, no doubt that they would have continued with us[1 John 2:19]
 
Okay, what I'm trying to say is.
 
When people can walk away from you, let them walk. Your destiny is never tied to anybody that left. But ruby, it's again easier said than done. I know. I know. How could you just let go of the person that means the whole world to you for just like that. I am preferably talking to: just like a blink of an eye or in a one-microsecond fast. BUt you know what? God said: I will not leave you, nor forsake you. I am holding on to that.
 
Hear me when I tell you this! When people can walk away from you let them walk. I don't want you to try to talk to another person in begging to stay with you, loving you, calling you, caring about you, coming to see you, staying attached to you, making a future with you. I mean hang up the phone! wake up!

If you love the person, you have to let go. If he comes back then you were made for each other, if he never then maybe you were never meant for each other. Maybe it is my calling, maybe God wants me to touch people's lives, maybe God uses me as an instrument, maybe God wants the others to realize that there is a good person and hoping that they will be changed through that instrument, maybe God uses me as a sacrificial lamb.
 
People leave you because they are not joined to you. People leave you for many reasons. They have their own reasons. So much reasons that sometimes you do not understand. They have to fulfill their needs, they have to show to the world that they are strong, strong enough to break people's quiet lives, they have to continue to use their masks, the mask of masculinity, the mask of perfect flawless people, the mask of pride and the mask of selfishness. It's their choice ruby, so get over it, okay!
 
Anyway, hey ruby, come on! It means that their part of the story with you is over. And you've got to know that its over okay? How could you be so stupid to hang on to a dream that is never gonna happen, never gonna come true, never gonna be in reality. A story of..." and they live happily ever after.." is not for you, not for me, not this time. You have your own perfect time, God's perfect time. A time for you to enjoy the fruits of your labor.
 
You have to empty and emotional baggage. Just imagine all your worries, all your tears, all your problems and all the people that have hurt you..all inside the back pack. I'm pretty sure that its heavier than you can ever imagine. Heavy that you cannot carry it on your back. It's impossible. This time is for you to unpack and throw away all those unnecessary things in the back pack. So that in everyday life, you can carry it with a smile.
 
If you are holding on to something that doesn't belong to you and was never intended for your life. You have to learn to let go.
 
If you are going astray, if your soul is hungry for the truth, if your soul is dying to death to know what's wrong don't worry, God said: I love you and I will never leave you.
 
If someone can't treat you right, love you back, and see your worth, and you are struggling with your relationship then you have to learn to let go...

For thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory is yours, now and forever. Amen. 

 

Trust God and Surrender to His Will

by: Ruby Ann J Puzon 

Maybe you are asking yourself why you have to go through pains, and you think that you are a failure. Please remember that God has a better plan for you. God did not in a minute or second leave you. You are never left by God. 

God gave you a blessing that He never gave the same to others, that is because you are SPECIAL. Although you have your own dreams and it did not turn out the way you wanted it to happen but I tell you, it’s not too late have another goal and to dream a new dream. Just trust God and surrender. Remember that we are all instruments of God, and HIS and nobody else will prevail.

If you are going through life’s shaky circumstances, if you are experiencing unfavorable events, that is because God loves you so much that He wants you to learn from it and to try harder to surrender and trust HIS will.

---Reflect on what is happening and Have faith.

Do not worry if you feel like you are alone, do not worry if you are thinking what would life be in the future, do not worry about what should happen in the next chapter of your life:

FOR GOD IS ALWAYS THERE TO KEEP you SAFE FROM HARM.

In the bible, we are told that even the birds, even the waterlilies are loved by God. 

Always continue to climb, always continue to dream bigger, always do your best in everything that you do. Remember that what you plant now, you will harvest tomorrow. Continue to be a blessing to others! Have faith. Walk by faith and Live with faith, for God will make a way for everything.

Trust God and surrender to HIS will!

Cheers!