Bible Hunting

Recently, I developed the love to read the Bible. To read the word of God. and discover new things about Him.

One of the questions we Christians would encounter in our life would be: Do we believe all the things written in the bible?. When we were asked that question, all of us almost instantaneously answered “YES”. Then the follow-up question came: Who among you have finished reading the bible from cover to cover?. Only two were able to raise their hands and these were our “heads” Jong and Monique, the same people who asked these questions.

Of course, we were speechless. dumb-founded. caught like a kid with his hands inside the cookie jar.

And this happened not so long ago.

I’ve read the Bible. Well, more of, some books of the bible or some chapters and probably verses. But not all of it.

After discovering my purpose in life, what’s next? I wanted to learn more about God and started reading my Bible. I’ve had it since Grade 3 and the cover is already loose. I recently learned that there are different bibles used by different religions. Christians, Catholics and Protestants. I found out that Catholics usually read the New American Bible or anything that was made by the (Thomas Nelson Publishers). And my Bible is the New International Version. No wonder I can’t find Baruch or Tobits there. Well, I’m glad someone told me about this new information. Sorry guys, no one bothered to tell me these things when I was young.

I was now in search of a Bible I could call my own. Something I’d consider very personal and give my commitment to. Not that I wasn’t committed to my NIV bible. I already consider it as one of my treasures because that’s what I used during my growth. It already has a lot of highlighted verses and bookmarks so it would really be hard to part with it.

Everytime I went inside bookstores, I found different bibles of different sizes, color, covers and versions. Mostly, I found Bibles which are NIVs and these books are made up of colorful, attractive coverings that made you want to have it. I even found a Bible which is made up of a Metal Hardcase costing around P1800+. Some with a leather covering and some as big as an album. In the end, I decided to postpone my search because I couldn’t find something that suits my ideal Bible.

When I went home, I found an old book with rugged cover on my table. It was a New American Bible. The one we were required to buy during our High school days. The pages are still intact but the book cover is old and torn up. I thought, maybe I could still re-use it. So I’m planning to fix this Bible and have it bookbind. Im excited as to what or how I would like it to look like. At last, my very own personal NAB. How about you? Do you already have one?

The Batch 2 of Imagine Nation’s Apprentices…

Before we formally ended our PDL sessions every Tuesday, Imagine Nation’s 2nd batch of apprentices had a group picture taking. We were all surprised that we were complete that time so we really had to take this opportunity to have the shoot at the studio with Erron as the photographer.

Those 7 weeks of PDL sessions enriched me spiritually and gave me a push to give myself a fresh start. Though at times, I still fall, I now have the strength to stand up without pitying myself so much over these matters. Everyone in the group was so blessed, each one plans to conduct a session on their own. In fact, Jet already ordered books for his target people.

Now that we’re finished with our PDL sessions, our group was already split into two. Some will be attending the Wednesday meetings at the Studio and others will be attending the Thursday group at CCF. I belong to the former. My heart is still pounding thinking about the results and the split-up.

Meanwhile, Sir Jong and Monique are already conducting their 3rd PDL session and this time with the Wedding Suppliers. They meet at Josiah’s every Tuesday. Now that’s what we call “Working for the Lord”.

Anyway, just to show you guys who I’m with every Tuesday, here’s a picture of our batch.

Top: Jet, Mike, Sir Jong, Me, Derrick, Richard, and Eric

Below: Micah, Heidi, Monique, Gracielle, and Arianne

To each a different story…

There are those times that life hits you with a pan on the face without even a warning.  It sucks hehe..

I was checking my friends on friendster and saw a shout out that they won a P1000 for their photo. I immediately clicked the photo and saw it was a wedding kiss. Then, I tried to view their other pictures so I could be updated on how their family is and how’s their first-born child. It’s been years since we all have seen each other and I noticed we’ve all “matured”. Some have grown vertically and some just flat horizontal. (haha)

Looking at their pictures, I couldn’t help but reminisce those times that we were only grade school and we were classmates. They were a couple already back then. It was just so amazing and I couldn’t believe that these things still happen. It was like looking through a slideshow of a real-life fairy tale. But these things happen to a few lucky people only and I’m just glad I got to see that during my lifetime (even if I didn’t experience that hehe..).

I couldn’t help but to look and re-examine my life and though I couldn’t see girls lining up on my arms via slideshow, I realized, we write our own different stories. It just happened that my first few chapters weren’t about love and relationships. Probably, mine would have been a story of action or comedy. I’m sure its not horror or sci-fi. But in the end,  who knows, maybe I’ll live to see the day these words printed out “…And they lived happily ever after.”