Volume 14 / Issue 52 / 2017
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EDITORIAL
To Start a Relationship with Jesus Christ Admit you have sinned. “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” Romans 3:23 Believe in Jesus. “For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish; but have eternal life.” John 3:16b
(L-R) Johnson, Patrick, Evelyn, and Kim
MOMS EDITORIAL STAFF Chief Editor Kimberly Snider Editor, MOMS Evelyn Damian Distribution Johnson Li Cover & Layout Patrick Tan
Confess and leave your sin behind. Stop sinning. “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just, and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.” 1 John 1:9
Thank you for your financial help!
To continue growing in your relationship with Christ, fellowship with other believers, read the Bible and pray!
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Eliseo See
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Leticia Valdez
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Friends in Solano, Nueva Viscaya
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Friends in Clark, Pampanga
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Friends in Malate, Manila
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Friends in Cubao, Quezon City
May the Lord bless you! We need a little help from our friends...
MOMS has no subscription price; it is supported completely through contributions. We distribute 58,000 copies each quarter for free. To help support this publication, send cash or check made payable to: Asia Pacific Media Ministries FAO MOMS. To make a direct deposit, use our BPI, C/A #24310042-27. All contributions are used entirely for the outreach of this publication. Thank you! Published quarterly by Asia Pacific Media Ministries. Unit 2608 Raffles Corporate Center, Emerald Avenue, Ortigas Center, 1605 Pasig City, Philippines. Telephone: 914-9767. E-mail: moms@apmedia.org. Reproduction of photos and articles is prohibited without permission. 2
MOMS MAGAZINE
From My Heart Dear Readers,
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e like to think that we can start the new year with a list of resolutions. We excitedly make our list and then, we make every effort to fulfill each resolution. Sadly, after a few tries, we often give up, and go back to our former habits. This year, I want to encourage you to keep trying! Start with achievable goals and most of all, start by being anchored to Jesus more firmly than you have been in the past. He can be our strength when we are weak, our hope when we are discouraged. I hope you will find the articles in this issue helpful and inspiring as we start strong this new year. God bless you. Evelyn Damian, Editor
Table of Contents EDITORIAL
From My Heart 3 CHIKA-CHIKA
The Crossy Path to Spiritual Growth 4 WISE CHOICES
Being Positive: How to Change Your Perspective 6 Saving Money–Now or Never 7 MAKE A DIFFERENCE
Changing Direction 8 FIGURATIVELY SPEAKING
Feeling Great, Looking Good 12 ANSWERS TO YOUR QUESTIONS
I want to change... 14 3
CHIKA-CHIKA
The Crossy Path to Spiritual Growth Maria Rikka M. Ocena
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n one game I installed on my android phone, the goal is to make the chicken cross the busy highway as far as you can without it getting hit by a car or a train. It’s quite addicting once you get your groove on and have beaten your previous score. I was playing one night when I began to question the point of the game. Where will the road end? Why is the chicken crossing the highway? What is the real reward after I cross this long and busy lane? There are times when I feel I am like that chicken, starting a task with enthusiasm, with a list of goals, only to end up back where I started. I make sure not to be hit by a car, but my goals are forgotten and resolutions broken. Goals are hard to keep. Statistics show that at best, only 46% of New Year’s resolutions are still kept six months into the year. We lose interest so quickly because we set our goals too high.
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Perhaps, like most people, we are aiming for the external things, a change in our physical appearance, or a new job. Maybe it’s time to shift our goals a bit and focus on what truly matters. If we want to kick start our 2017, we’ve got to work on the internal. We need to sit down with God and set some spiritual goals that will impact our hearts internally and our world on the outside. Here is how to make sure you set meaningful and achievable goals. Be intentional about having time with God. Set the best place and time to meet with God and meditate on His words and commune with Him in prayer. Our days are busy and demand our time. For this reason, we must be intentional in our desire to grow deeper by scheduling our devotion time. Treat it as sacred before the Lord. Whether it means eliminating or lessening non-essential things in your day to set this schedule, go ahead and do it!
MOMS MAGAZINE
“Having a view of how your future looks with the Lord will give you the patience to tread the Christian walk with joy and perseverance.� Be intentional in attending church services and growth groups. Take time to write your thoughts down and list prayer items and victories. Do not default to your old spiritual mode, rather seek to always engage and connect with God. Be SMART. Choose a tangible way to live out a message you receive from the Lord. Be SPECIFIC about what you want to do. Have a goal that is MEASURABLE, ATTAINABLE, REALISTIC, and TIMEBOUND. Be accountable. Find a friend for accountability. It is important to choose a friend who knows you and understands your desire to grow and develop a meaningful spiritual walk. Someone who will
pray for and with you. Your accountability partner will be your constant cheerleader and will steadfastly motivate you to succeed. They will challenge you to live out the word of God even when it may seem impossible and they count every blessing with you no matter how small. Focus on the end result. Your reference point is never your past, never your present, but always the future that God has stored for you. Challenging yourself to be more like Christ each day will be difficult. There will be days when you will feel incapable and discouraged. It may slow you down, but you should never stop. Having a view of how your future looks with the Lord will give you the patience to tread the Christian walk with joy and perseverance. Unlike the game where you do not know if you will get a reward or not, choosing to deepen your spiritual life will give you not only external rewards but eternal significance. Setting goals for spiritual growth is a great way to strengthen your faith in the Lord and live a meaningful, rewarding, purposefilled life.
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WISE CHOICES
Being Positive: How to Change Your Perspective by Garry C. Galvez
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ne commonly posted goal on social media, especially at the start of the year, is the resolution to live more and be a better person. What does that look like for you?
perspective could encourage us to appreciate Mondays. If we see them as a great opportunity for our children to learn, or a new week in which to improve ourselves, we can face them with a good attitude.
Some people opt for an outward change. Lots of women aim to improve their physical look by adopting “operation balik beauty.” They post pictures on social media sites while they are in the gym, sculpting their bodies. Still others post the result of long hours of hair regimens. I recall, the last time my wife went to a beauty salon. Her hair treatment got us 4 hours of waiting in which I ended up getting a haircut, too. But, unfortunately, a simple haircut cannot change our perspective about life. There is no instant recipe for change of perspective.
A change of perspective can change frustrations into possibilities for growth. Public transportation is never fun in the Philippines. But, seeing unfamiliar faces heading the same direction, while riding the infamous Light Rail Transit, makes commuting a worthwhile experience. For the last 3 months, I have been taking the LRT to the office. One morning, the train suddenly stopped between two stations. You can imagine the reactions of the passengers. Some checked their watches; others took out their phones and started calling or texting. Most of the passengers became furious. Fortunately, I could stare out the window at some of the billboards, and one particular advertisement made me pause. The ad had a black background with a white lettering and read: “Need directions? –God” Was this a coincidence? While the others were frantic because of our present condition on the train, I found solace by looking at the problem in a new way.
A change of perspective means a change in how we see the world, how we process what is happening to us. A change of perspective can make us see negative situations as positive ones. I recently saw a picture on Facebook, which shows a woman lying with her face on the ground with a caption, “Monday na naman!” This tells me that there are those who see Mondays as pressure-ful instead of being pleasurable. When I was in high school, I recall my mother scolding me for being late, telling me, “Ano ba yan, Lunes na Lunes!” Those words summarized all the pressures and struggles that have to be faced every Monday. Perhaps a change of 6
Our perspective in life determines the path we will tread; it determines whether we will be angry or content. If our perspective includes our faith in God, then any day is an opportunity to keep a good perspective.
MOMS MAGAZINE
Saving Money–Now or Never Evie Francisco
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e all agree! It’s wise to save money. The great challenge, however, is how to start and how to sustain the habit of saving. Many years ago, I heard a testimony at a financial seminar. Someone started a business from her small savings. I was challenged to take the first step of saving for initial capital to start my first business. From my small salary, I started to set aside Php200 every payday until I was able to save Php2,000. I used that to buy an initial stock of apparel that I sold to friends and contacts. I ventured into T-shirt printing as well, using the income I had earned from the apparel business. This was possible by taking baby steps in savings. You can do it, too! S–Start small. Regardless of your current financial status it is important to start saving and keep saving. Open a separate savings account where you religiously put the amount you set aside to save. Continue saving this amount until you can increase it. How much should you start with? That is up to you--maybe as little as Php100, Php500 or Php1,000. Never mind if it seems insignificant at first. Just start...and continue! A-Adopt a budget. A budget is a plan. It forces you to operate within an orderly structure. Stability happens when there is order. Budget your expenditures within your income, not within your needs or wants. Determine how much total income you are generating monthly. Then, list your basic needs and assign an amount to each. From that budget, set aside a small amount and put that into
your savings account; do not even consider spending it, no matter what. V-Validate every expense item, all offers, sales or investments. Impulsive buying has no place in achieving financial stability. Department stores, malls and credit card companies are all experts at enticing people to make impulsive decisions to buy now. Always ask first, why now? When someone approaches me to buy or invest in something, I discuss it first with my closest friends and allow them to show me the pros and cons of the offer. I always postpone any financial decision that will impact future commitment. Remember your budget should be able to handle all your financial decisions, including emergencies. Review your past expenditures to improve your ability to make better financial decisions. I-Increase your sources of income. There are only two ways to Continued on page 13 7
MAKE A DIFFERENCE
The story of Katrina Bermas as told to Evelyn Damian
Katrina Bermas has been married to Mariano for 19 years. They have 3 children ages 17, 16, and 7. She tells her story of how God worked and changed her and her family’s life.
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ife was not easy for Katrina when she moved to Manila to join her husband, Mariano. He took a job in the city as a security guard to save money so he could process his papers to work abroad. Unfortunately, his plans didn’t work out. When Katrina became pregnant with their first child, she had to live with her husband’s sister so they could save money. It was very hard for Katrina. She felt the burden they imposed on her sister-inlaw and she begged her husband to find a room they could rent. Finally, her husband relented. Katrina says, “Lumipat kami sa isang room sa Cubao. Doon kami tumira hanggang makapanganak ako. Lumipat kami sa mas malaking bahay nang maipanganak ko ‘yung second child namin. Maayos ang pagsasama namin ni Mar. Mabait siya, masipag at may kusa. “Magkaiba kami ng religion ni Mar. Noong boyfriend ko pa lang siya, nag-share ako sa kanya about my faith in Jesus.
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Nagalit siya. Sabi niya, “Ano’ng tingin mo sa akin, demonyo?” Sabi ko, “Hindi pero kasi kapag mahal mo ang tao, gusto mo i-share ang magaganda mong experience kay Lord.” Pero hindi siya kumbinsido kaya tumigil na ako. Nag-pray na lang ako na si Lord na ang bahala mag-touch sa heart niya. Bago kami ikinasal, sinabi ni Mar na hindi nya ako pipigilang magpunta sa church ko at sinabi ko rin sa kanya na hindi ko siya pipigilang pumunta sa church niya. “Sa isang conservative evangelical church ako nagsisimba that time pero pasaway daw ako kasi hindi ako sumusunod sa dress code ‘nung church. Kahit ganun, serious ako sa faith ko. Sinusubukan kong magshare kay Mar tungkol sa church kahit hindi siya sumasama sa akin. “After many years, lumipat kami ng tirahan. Nagtayo kami ng tindahan. Nagkaroon ako ng mga friends doon. Naging ugali namin ang maglabas ng upuan at magkwentuhan sa harap ng tindahan. Marami akong naoobserbahan at naririnig tungkol sa buhay ng mga kapitbahay. Ilang beses akong nasangkot sa gulo dahil sa tsismis. Sabi ko raw ganun o ganito. Hiyang-hiya ako sa mga nangyari. Pakiramdam ko pinag-uusapan ako ng lahat. Sobrang nagulo ang isip ko. ‘Yun ang time na may nag-invite sa akin pumunta sa isang church. Actually,
Photo from Katrina Bermas Katrina and Mar with their children
naghahanap na din ako noon ng bagong church kaya sumama ako. Narinig ko ‘yung message ng pastor at nagustuhan ko ‘yun. Dun na ako nagsisimba regularly. Maraming binago si Lord sa buhay ko mula noon. Naging active ako sa volunteer works sa church. Hindi na ako nakikipagkwentuhan sa labas. “Yung mga anak ko, sumasama sa akin pero sumasama din sila sa Papa nila at sa kapatid ko na ibang church din ang pinupuntahan. “Isang araw, madaming tanong ‘yung anak ko tungkol sa mga paniniwala ng ibang church na pinupuntahan nila, pati ako na-confuse noon kaya nag-pray talaga ako kay God na ipakita sa akin ang way para madala ko sila sa church na pinupuntahan ko. Palagi kong niyayaya si Mar na sumama sa akin. Noong pumayag siya, merong kundisyon. Magsisimba muna kami sa church niya, at pagkatapos sa church ko naman. Mga 4-5 years namin ‘yun ginawa. Sabi niya give and take daw kami hanggang siya na mismo ang nagsabing, “Tama na nga itong ginagawa natin, dun na rin ako magsisimba sa church nyo.” Tuwang-tuwa ako. Fifteen years ko ring ipinag-pray ‘yun! Kailangan lang pala talaga magpatuloy sa pag-pray and pag-wait hanggang sa ibigay ang request mo. “Makalipas ang ilang panahon, kinausap ako ni Mar. Sabi niya kailangan na naming mag-focus sa kabuhayan namin dahil hindi daw palaging ganun ang buhay namin. Every Sunday kasi, sarado ang tindahan dahil nagpupunta kami sa church at dahil din sa volunteer work ko. Naisip ni Mar na mas mabuting magbukas ng store kahit Sunday.
“Isang araw, madaming tanong ‘yung anak ko tungkol sa mga paniniwala ng ibang church na pinupuntahan nila, pati ako na-confuse noon kaya nagpray talaga ako kay God na ipakita sa akin ang way...”
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Katrina being interviewed by Evelyn
Continued from previous page
“Seven years ang tanda ng asawa ko sa akin. Masunurin ako sa kanya kasi ayoko ng broken family. Siya rin ayaw ng broken family. When it comes to making decisions, dati nanghihingi ako ng signs pero hindi pala tama. Na-learn ko sa church group discussion na huwag umasa sa sign. Kasi minsan meron kang makikita na sign at akala mo ‘yun na, nun pala meron pa sa kabila at saka kapag sinusunod ko ‘yung sign, parang me mali pa rin. Kung minsan naman inuunahan ko ang Lord sa sagot nya. Kaya ngayon, nagpre-pray na lang ako, nakikinig sa guidance Niya. Alam ko kapag ibinigay ni Lord, may purpose Siya. “Sumunod ako kay Mar. Sabi ko sa kanya, “Alam mo ba, ‘yung mga hindrances sa pagsamba natin kay Lord, tinatanggal Niya.” Sabi nya naman, “Hindi, bline-bless tayo ni Lord kaya malakas ang kita ng store.” Sabi ko, “Sige kung ganyan ang gusto mo, hindi na ako magsisimba para kasing inaagawan natin ng oras si Lord pero pagdating ng panahon, ikaw ang mananagot kay Lord sa hindi ko pagsimba.” Gusto kong ipakita kay Mar ‘yung resulta ng decision nya. Hindi na rin siya nagpunta sa church. 10
“Okay naman nung umpisa pero dumating ‘yung time na humina ‘yung store namin at nagsara kami. Nag-uumpisa kami ng ibang negosyo pero nagsasara din. Finally, na-realize ito ni Mar at nag-decide siya na bumalik kami sa church. Masayang-masaya ako noon. ‘Yung times na hindi kami nagpupunta sa church, lagi kaming nagkakasakit. Ngayon okay na kami, smooth na ang takbo ng buhay namin. Kung dati madalas akong nakaistambay sa labas ng bahay ngayon, alam na ng mga kapitbahay ko ang pinagkakaabalahan ko, alam na nila na sa church ako nagpupunta. Meron na din akong mga na-invite na pumunta doon. “Early this year, nagkaroon kami ng bagong pagsubok. Na-pull out si Mar sa establishment na kung saan matagal na siyang security guard. Ang dahilan, matanda na raw siya at nagpapalit na sila ng empleyado. Naging reliever na lang siya. Nagalit siya sa nangyari at hindi na siya pumasok. Idenemanda nya ang management. Pinayuhan ko siyang mag-resign na lang at huwag na magdemanda pero galit na galit siya kaya itinuloy pa rin niya ang demanda.
MOMS MAGAZINE
Photo by Alvin Abad
MAKE A DIFFERENCE
“Even through tough times, merong provision si Lord. Nagtinda ako at siya naman ay naghabal-habal. Nag-apply siya sa isang kumpanya na pumi-pick-up ng pasahero gamit ang kanyang motorcycle. Okay naman ang paghahabal-habal niya pero hindi regular ang income. Noon naman niya natutunan na i-appreciate ‘yung konting blessing na natatanggap namin. Nagpre-pray daw talaga siya kung anong dapat nyang gawain dahil puno ng galit ang puso nya tungkol sa ginawa sa kanya ng kanyang kumpanya. “Nagpre-pray din ako na i-provide ni Lord lahat ng pangangailangan namin. Kung baga, nagpre-pray pa lang ako ngayon kinabukasan nangyayari na tapos sabi ko sa kanya, “Tingnan mo si Lord, gusto ka Niya talaga tulungan, sinasagot Niya agad ‘yung prayer natin.” Ayaw na ayaw kasi ng asawa ko ang nangungutang, lalo na ‘yung hulog-hulugan. Kung minsan hindi maiwasan like nung magkasakit ang anak namin pero sa kapatid ko ako nanghiram at binayaran naman namin agad. Kung minsan walang baon ang mga bata, nagpre-pray ako tapos biglang kakatok sa bahay ang kapatid ko, magbibigay o kaya merong magbabayad ng utang sa akin. Amazing talaga si Lord!
sa mga bata. One Sunday tinamaan siya ng message ng Pastor sa church. Sabi ng Pastor ‘yung mga anak natin, minsan lang sila magiging 5 years old kaya dapat i-treasure natin, kasi pagdating ng panahon, hihiwalay na sila sa atin. Pagkahapunan, sabi ni Mar, “Anak, mag-bonding tayo.” Sabi niya sa akin, “Ngayon ko lang na-feel na hindi ko na sila nakakasama.” Workaholic kasi si Mar at halos hindi na nagde-day off kasi gusto niya laging may pera dahil marami na rin kaming pangangailangan. Dahil sa mga trials na ‘yun, na-realize ko na sa araw-araw pala hindi ko napapansin, may ginagawa si Lord sa buhay namin. Natutunan ko rin ang maghintay para madala ang pamilya ko sa church. Hindi pala dapat pinipilit or go lang ng go. Unti-unting proseso lang at kailangang maghintay. Ngayon, nanalo na ang asawa ko sa lower court sa isinampa niyang demanda. Na reinstate rin siya sa trabaho niya. May bagong trabahong iniaalok sa kanya ang ibang kumpanya. Alam ko ipinagpre-pray niya muna ang decision na gagawin niya.
“May mga times din na pinanghihinaan na ng loob si Mar dahil sa takbo ng kaso niya pero may sagot agad si Lord sa pangangailangan nya. Basta tuloy-tuloy lang ang pagpunta namin sa church kahit ano’ng mangyari. Nakikita ko ang pagbabago ni Mar. Nakikita ko siya mag-pray. Nagbago pati pakikitungo ni Mar sa mga anak namin. Dati parang wala siyang pakiaalam
Photo from Katrina Bermas
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FIGURATIVELY SPEAKING
Feeling Great, Looking Good by Marilyn L. Antonio
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he coming of a new year can bring excitement, hope, and a new outlook on life. For people who consider health as wealth, the new year offers a fresh opportunity to lead a better and healthier life. Proper nutrition and exercise are keys to achieving this goal. A group exercise instructor in a wellknown center in Metro Manila, Marissa Macabasco, underscores the importance of exercise to the body. Exercise strengthens the heart and lungs of a person. It helps lower the risk of diseases such as diabetes and hypertension. Exercise also changes the emotions. “In doing exercise, the body releases hormones called endorphins which interact with the brain and lessen the perception of pain. Another chemical is also released by the body during exercise called serotonin which relieves stress and makes one happy,” Marissa explains. “Exercise also delays aging.” Additionally, when people start exercising they need to be sure they get proper nourishment. “A person who wants to lose weight or wants to be healthy through exercise, must follow the 70/30 ratio. Seventy percent (70%) proper food intake and 30% exercise (or 30 minutes daily walking),”according to Leone A. Soriano, a nutritionist, who works parttime as a gym consultant in nutrition. Melissa B. Eusebio, wife and mother of three teenage sons shares her experience. “Before I changed my lifestyle, I craved rice at every meal. I was fond of eating cakes and sweet stuff even when I 12
Melissa with Alex
was dieting. I found it hard to do regular exercise for 30 minutes to one hour every other day,” Melissa says. The turning point for Melissa’s change in her lifestyle was her decision to take a part-time job in a health company that advocates healthy lifestyles. “In that company, we were taught proper eating habits and nutrition and learned tips for good exercise.” Melissa said she was also motivated to change her lifestyle because she knew that God gave her a spirit, a soul and a body. “I wanted to have a balanced Christian life,” she explained. When she wakes up, Melissa drinks 3-4 glasses of water. During breakfast, lunch and dinner, she eats a fist-size helping of fresh fruit first, then a palm size helping of fresh vegetables or half a small bowl of cooked vegetables. Next, she eats a closed fist size of good protein, usually chicken fillet, or lean meat or fish with not more than 3 tablespoons of rice. She avoids oily, fatty, salty and sweet foods as much as possible. When she does eat bread, she eats only 2 small pandesal with homemade tuna spread and lots of lettuce and cucumber. She drinks brewed coffee with less cream and a natural sweetener. Her exercise routine includes daily floor exercise for stretching and warm up,
MOMS MAGAZINE
walking 10 minutes daily, push-ups against the wall. She does Zumba three times a week and alternates it with 100 counts of hula hoops or a 3-minute work out on twister machine. She also does stationery biking for 5-10 minutes occasionally. Melissa’s new lifestyle inspired her husband Alex to change. Alex followed the eating plan that Melissa had followed. It was hard for him to adjust from being a voracious eater into a disciplined one. For the next two months, he was always hungry because of the decrease in carbohydrates. But he stayed with the eating plan until he got used to it. In addition he avoided fried foods and fruits that are high in sugar. For his daily exercises, Alex does brisk walking for 15-20 minutes, 30-50 push-ups, lifts dumb bells every other day and also plays basketball with their three sons whenever he can. Melissa shares, “His great reward was the medical clearance from taking medicines which the doctor gave him after a year of monitoring. In addition, his wardrobe changed from size XL to medium.�
Saving Money, continued
increase your savings. Cut down on your expenses or increase your income. Increasing one`s income could take the form of a promotion with salary increase, an additional job, entrepreneurial endeavors, or adding an income earner in the family. I believe there must be a family discussion about finances so that everyone is aware of the need to operate within the budget. All family members can contribute to meet the budget; those old enough to work can find job opportunities to earn an income that they can share to cover some budgetary items. In my own experience, to increase my savings in a shorter time, I engaged in buy and sell business. Even though I experienced rejections and being swindled, I still managed to increase my income. N-`NO` - Say no when you need to. You just need to say it with grace and courtesy. Choose to stick with your financial plan and avoid buying things on impulse. G-Give according to a plan. You cannot avoid giving assistance to loved ones or others with needs. Set aside a certain amount for this purpose monthly. If you have available funds it is easier to decide when and how much to give. It is unwise to borrow in order to help. If you do, you will end up being the needy person. I implemented a personal system of designating Php500 every month for this purpose. The only time I draw from this fund is when someone with valid reasons asks for my help. Beyond the amount accumulated for this purpose, I honestly and regrettably decline any request since I cannot afford it. S-Strive to be self-reliant. If you are too dependent on your family, partner, company, friends or community, you will not maximize your own growth potential. Being self-reliant will help you achieve personal success and empower you to lift up others. You will not be afraid because you have learned to depend on yourself and on God. 13
ANSWERS TO YOUR QUESTIONS
Just Asking with Peter Banzon
I am not so happy with my life. I feel like I am not growing mentally and spiritually. I do the same thing everyday and make the same mistakes everyday. I want to change but it’s not happening. Please help!
Q:
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hen you feel dry and empty it means something or someone has taken the place of God in your life. Run to God and rekindle your relationship with Him. He alone can transform you. Then the routine of life becomes a daily adventure with God. The Bible says:
A:
“So here’s what I want you to do, God helping you: Take your everyday, ordinary life—your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life—and place it before God as an offering. Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can do for him. Don’t become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. You’ll be changed from the inside out. Readily recognize what he wants from you, and quickly respond to it. Unlike the culture around you, always dragging you down to its level of immaturity, God brings the best out of you, develops well-formed maturity in you.” (Romans 12:1-2 Message Bible)
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