Hmm.. The title of this post is intriguing huh? Let me tell you this event that made me "daring" and challenged you to be "daring" too.
This year, I wanted to spend the holy week in a different way that I'm still trying to figure out how back then. So when Jes, a friend of mine invited me and Ked to a camp, I didn't think twice.
I thought this camp was all about talking and sharing just like what we do on a retreat during my High school days. But I was wrong. Gosh, this camp really made me dirty! Hey, don’t think of anything bad, I am talking about being literally dirty. Read this and think of who wouldn’t get dirty: I was dipped on the pool with all the glory of my jeans, run back and forth with all the soils at my feet, done tasks with the messiness of my hair, exercised in a very "swimming" and "stretchy" way, stumbled many times in front of many people, and the most remarkable is I crawled on a mud to find paper clips! Whew! But let me tell you, that experience was once in a lifetime. Yes, granted that I am dirty but everybody’s dirty too so that made it a lot of fun. We laugh, we smile at pictures, and it’s fantastic! Everybody’s energy was overflowing that pulls you in that big ball of enjoyment, happiness, and excitement.
Now, let me introduce to you this camp that I am talking about. It is entitled "Knowing". It is jam-packed with action games, treasured sessions, heartfelt devotions and wonderful sharing’s. The sessions are all about Knowing God, Knowing God's love, Knowing your potentials, Knowing your Importance, and Knowing your enemy. This is truly a soul opening experience.
I thought I knew God because I attended Sunday school when I was young, I go to church with my family every Sunday, I read the bible, I pray the rosary, but then what I do is not important anymore. What's important is Accepting Him as my personal God and Saviour, Being naked in my wrong doings and mistakes, Allowing him to plant seeds of goodness, and giving my life to Him.
Throughout this Growth Experience (I’m still a baby on receiving God’s love and this is a big milestone for me), we were given a manual that has the schedule of activities, the devotions, and the notes where you can write your thoughts. I partnered mine with a notebook, a pen, bottled water, and the Bible that’s been my best friend since then. BTW, we have the cutest ID ever! It’s a head band. I love it!
In the whole duration of the camp, we were assigned to a certain group and we were bounded in that group in anything we do. I'm happy with my group because all of them seem very nice. They are gentle, caring, and respectful.
LESSON LEARNED:
As we grow up, we learn that the world is not a perfect place. We find that things don’t always go our way, that sometimes we get hurt, and that we do fail. But what I learned in this camp is, just because life has its disappointments doesn’t’ mean we should give up on being happy especially now that we have God.
Ayra’s 5 Step to Living, Loving, and Knowing God’s Plan for our Life:
1. Forget the Past. Past is one of the heaviest burdens a person can bear. So let it go! Leave behind those old mistakes, regrets, and frustrations--there's nothing you can do about them, anyway. Once you clear out the closet of your past, you'll find you have more space to enjoy what you have in the present.
2. Have Great Friends. Ate Dhang our session adviser, told us to choose our friends. Do not let ourselves be surrounded by people who uses bad words, who influences us to lie to our parents, and who make us feel bad about ourselves. It's time to look for friends elsewhere. Surround yourself with people whom you can respect, who are positive and honest, and can make you laugh and feel good about who you are.
3. Set Goals for Yourself and Make them Happen. It's easier to get out of bed in the morning when you've got goals to achieve because you'll have a sense of purpose and direction. In my case, my goal is to wake up in the morning, read the Love Letter (Bible), and write a letter to God. So far, I haven't miss a day yet and I'm proud of it because ever since I did it, turns out my day would always turn out better than yesterday.
4. Ask for Help. When trouble is there, be brave enough to share your troubles with those close to you, and be humble enough to ask for their help when you need it. According to Kuya Renz, "wala namang dalawang bata na nag-aalagaan sa sarili nila" (There are no two babies that takes care of each other). We need help; always need help. And if you have nowhere to go to, Hey, God is up there, excited to hear you talk to Him.
5.Spread the Love. You have received God, experience His love, and now its your turn to be daring. Daring means being bold, courageous, and fearless. Be daring in sharing and proving, the power of the love of God. Always include the phrases "Lord, I dedicate to You this day" in your prayers and I tell you my friend, you can't get mad at other people easily because Jesus never hates anyone. Plus, your problems become smaller and easier to handle when you're thinking about other people.
