A couple of Sundays ago, we cancelled all of the services at Victory Fort due to typhoon Frank.

One of the major reasons why made that decision was because we got calls mainly from our volunteers that many of them couldn't make it to serve either because their area was flooded or they couldn't leave their children at home while they go volunteer at church.  The more spiritual move was to actually stay home with their family than go to church and serve.  Yes, you heard me right - we'd rather have our volunteers stay home with their families than go to church and serve at that particular context.

Fifty-two weekends in the year, they usually sacrifice time, effort, resources and literally themselves to make our worship services as excellent as they are.  From ushering to technical team, kids ministry to music ministry, admin support to communications, they would serve week in and week out.

Thus, without the volunteers, the weekend services couldn't run.  What is a hospital without the nurses and the doctors?  They are the vital and crucial members of the team that make a church what it is.

Just wanted to say a note of thanks to the hundreds of volunteers that make church run.  It truly is a body and everyone is a critical part of it.

The body is a unit, though it is made up of many parts; and though all its parts are many, they form one body. So it is with Christ.  1Corinthians 12:12

- Just came out of hospital today.  Had an appendectomy last Wed.  What an ordeal.  Thanks for those who prayed and visited.

- Heard leadership group last Thursday was super cool.  Congrats to won the chocolates in the Spot The Diff game.  It's been awesome the past 2 weeks.  We're going thru Common Care Counseling Module.  Thanks Carlos for covering for me.

- Bittersweet stuff in the office.  Robert H. moving to Pioneer and LA "chicken pox" Mumar moving to QC.  I just know God's doing something in Victory.  Both churches is going to explode to the next level. 

- Excited to see our baby.

- My wife is a superwoman.

- Welcome home to the People's Champion.  Makes me want to be a boxer one day.

- See you guys this weekend.

* I am pumped up for our upcoming series in Victory Fort - OUTRAGEOUS SAYINGS OF JESUS.  I am just so glad we serve an OUTRAGEOUS GOD - His ways are outrgeous, His miracles are outrageous...  He is way bigger than anything we can think of. 

* Renovating a house is hard work.  We are moving to the house where Jenn grew up as a teen (St. Ignatius).  So we're buying tiles, wood, paint and all that fun stuff.  Just so glad Arnel and Rola are helping us.  Such a big blessing.  We hope to move mid-August before Jenn gives birth.

* Victory Weekend is always exciting.  We are currently having Victory Weekend for Women.  We had one for the Men last week.  You can almost see their faces change overnight.  Obviously, discipleship is for a lifetime but getting set free from patterns of the past and sinful habits unloads people and you can literally see it in their faces.  Better than botox and facelifts.  Jenn shared a message about the Cross.  Powerful!  She's such a great teacher.

* Baby getting bigger in Jenn's tummy.  2 months to go and we'll see our baby boy.  We're super excited.  Back to diapers kami. I'm just so amazed with my wife.  With the renovation, victory weekends, being pregnant, running the household, etc., I'm just so convinced that I am married to a super woman.  Glad I married her.

*Kids are enjoying school (VCS).  Talking about facelifts, their school recently got one.  Not just the campus but the whole curriculum.  They actually have Mad Science for their science class - everyday!  They also have Tech4kids, Robotics, Buzan Mind Mapping.  I wish I was in grade school again.  Kudos to Wallace, Sheryl and Joyce!

When I was growing up, I was often asked, "What do you want to be when you grow up?  Who do you want to become?"

So standard questions from kids became some of my answers.  First I wanted to be a pilot.  Then I wanted to become a doctor.  When I got older, I wanted to be a professional basketball player.

This influenced my thinking that what you do determines who I am.

The French existentialist philosopher, Jean-Paul Sartre explained it as "existence precedes essence."  He declares that that we create our essence, our meaning in life after existing, that we create ourselves as opposed to external forces creating us.

In short, what you do determines who you are.

This is the exact opposite of what God says.  The Bible says that because we are created in His image and likeness, therefore, we behave as God's kids.

As Paul says in Acts 17:28, ‘For in him we live and move and have our being.’

Today, I don't do things to become somebody.  I do things because I am somebody (in Christ).

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Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, in our likeness, and let them rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock, over all the earth, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.”  Genesis 1:26

Everyone knows how to cut, paste and crop these days - my kids included.  I was cropping our family picture this morning for my Power Point presentation because I was getting ready for a seminar (Teaching With Impact) I was going to teach in Sacred Heart Academy in Pasig.

Coming back to the office, I thought about how people try to 'crop God'.  Cropping God? 
People try to reduce God into 'managable sizes' so they can pull Him out of their pockets whenever they need Him - from JPEG images to items.

But He is above and beyond that.  In fact, we wouldn't want a God we can manage.  When circumstances overtake us, we want Someone who is much bigger than our situation. 

And this same BIG God tells us to call Him our Father.  What a privilege...  Imagine the Creator of this vast universe, the Maker of Heaven and Earth, the One who spoke the planets into existence gives us the privilege of calling Him Father.  Big Wow.

As we celebrate Father's day this Sunday, may we appreciate our Heavenly Father who is bigger than anything we can imagine.

“For my thoughts are not your thoughts,
        neither are your ways my ways,”
                declares the LORD.  Isaiah 55:8
 “As the heavens are higher than the earth,
        so are my ways higher than your ways
        and my thoughts than your thoughts.  Isaiah 55:9

While I was listening to a podcast of this guy, I was reminded of the time we spent a year in St. Petersburg. (our pics here)

He said that the issue is not the size of your faith but the object of your faith.

There's a river in St. Petersburg called the Neva River.  It freezes over during winter time.  My wife, Jenn, and our only child at that time, Nathan wanted to try to walk over the river.  (Our feeble attempt to walk on water.)

It took us a while to get on the ice because we weren't too sure if it could hold us.

I thought about that...

I could convince myself by using faith coupled with positive thinking.  "I won't go through... I won't go through... I won't go through."  But if the ice is only 2 inches think, I would definitely go through.

On the other hand, I could be ginormously anxious but still jump in.  And if the ice is 2 feet thick, it will hold me up.

The lesson?  It's not the SIZE of your faith but the OBJECT of your faith that matters.  Your faith can be as little as the mustard seed, but if it's hinged on God, then watch out for the ride of your life.

“Have faith in God,” Jesus answered.  Mark 11:22

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PS. Joseph Bonifacio will speak this weekend at the 5 and 7 pm services for our Father's Day Message.  He will speak on the perspective of a son.  He downloaded his message to me the other day and it was awesome!  You guys need to hear it.  See you this weekend.

Just a quick update...

Last week, I blogged about how God has been so faithful... that He truly is a God of miracles. (click here for the blog)

An hour ago, we just got back from the clinic to get an ultrasound.

And...

And...

And...

Unquestionably, the sonologist says that it's a BOY. 
There's this thing that distinguishes boys from girls.

Anyway, that's it.  So the Punzalan legacy continues.

I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.  (Psalms 139:14)

PS. Picture attached is Nathan's when he was 4 months old.

PPS. Any suggestion for names?

Some of the names that were brought up are Rafael (God who heals), Matthew, Brandon (feeling Amerikano)... and the weirdest that came up was SHAMONIX.  Don't know where that came from.

Almost 2 months ago, my wife (who is 4 months pregnant at that time) had an ultrasound of our baby.  The sonologist came back to us saying that they found 2 cysts in the baby's brain (choroid plexus area).  I cannot begin to explain to you the horror of hearing the news. 

Trying to put up a strong and faith-filled front for my wife and kids, I came back to God asking for strength.  Unbelief started to set in and before I knew it, I had been listing down the "what if's".  What if the baby has...  What if the baby's disability becomes... What if the baby doesn't...

Can I be real honest?  It wasn't the easiest thing to go through. 

But I was to preach a message that coming Sunday, the beginning of our LEAD series at Victory Fort.  Our one point was "MOVE IN FAITH, NOT IN FEAR!" (David and Goliath episode)

God has a great sense of humor.  I like that about Him.  He was wanting to test run the message first to me before I even share it.  Man, that was tough. 

It was like Him saying, "Get up from that sulking, get off your rear end and live the truth of my word."

By His grace, Jenn and I did just that.

Last Wednesday, after being told to wait 6 weeks (our 40 days of waiting) before getting another full congenital scan, we visited the doctor and got the scan.

The sonologist, our OB and another doctor couldn't quite explain it...

"The cysts are just not there anymore!"

And to be super sure, they checked the limbs, kidneys, spine, brain, heart, etc. because if the cysts were still there (and they were big), they would've majorly affected our baby's growth and development.  What were the findings?  The baby's perfect!  No problems at all.

God is indeed a God of miracles.

Those who prayed and fasted with us, thanks so much for standing with us.  We really appreciate our spiritual family.

Yet he did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God, being fully persuaded that God had power to do what he had promised.  (Romans 4:20-21)

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PS.  Saw our youngest, Ryan's, video again declaring 'faith broda'.  If you want to be encouraged, click here.

God has been making our "Finding Jonah" series in Victory Fort super fresh.  He's been giving lots of fresh insights.  Don't you just love the Word?  When you think you know all that there is to know about a particular subject in Scripture, God slaps you in the face with something new.

This particular week, we are tackling Jonah chapter 2 that we've entitled "IN TOO DEEP".  Jonah is now in the belly of the fish. 
God said 'Go', Jonah said 'No'. 
Now he's in deep trouble.  Pardon the pun.

We've said that the main character of the book is not the fish; neither is it Jonah, nor the people of Nineveh.  It is about a God who is in relentless pursuit of His people.

Yes, God is in RELENTLESS pursuit of His people.

Aren't you glad that God never gives up on us?  He didn't give up on Jonah and neither will He give up on us (unless we are the ones who gives up on Him).

All this time, Jonah was in an endless downward spiral towards the deep.

To the roots of the mountains I sank down; the earth beneath barred me in forever.  (Jonah 2:6a)

But watch the second part of verse 6...

But you brought my life up from the pit, O LORD my God. (Jonah 2:6b)

God comes in and intervenes.
Jonah was done for... BUT GOD... lifts him up from the pit.

You may be able to identify with Jonah.

I was on my way to a life of destruction, BUT GOD...
My marriage was about to fall apart, BUT GOD...
I was told I have cancer, BUT GOD...
My son was heading towards a path of rebellion, BUT GOD...

Aren't you thankful for the "BUT GOD..." moments?

He truly is in a RELENTLESS pursuit of His people.

See you this weekend.

I am so thankful for the stewardship God has given us as a church - to reach and train the next generation of world changers.

These past 2 weeks have been all about the next generation.

- It started with Vacation Bible Camp in the heart of the Philippine Army Camp.  We saw children of Army Soldiers come and join us by learning God's Word and singing songs of worship to the King of All Kings, General of All Generals, President of All Presidents - JESUS.

- Then we had our Pre-teen Camp for 10-12 year olds we've dubbed as Camp Equip (click here to see more photos).  It was an equipping time for the young ones.  We taught them how to share the Gospel using Evangelism Explosion, the Bridge and Wordless Book but using friendship bracelets.  Afterwhich, we went to Victory Los Banos where they shared the Gospel to some of the kids from Los Banos.  Several of the kids told me that this was their highlight.  It was interesting to hear that it wasn't the games, nor the swimming, but the practicum (sharing the gospel) was their highlight in all of the camp.

We also gave an altar call to those who felt like God was calling them into full time ministry in some capacity in the future.  A couple of dozens raised their hands and I just know that God was sealing some destinies that particualr moment.

- Then today, we go to the last day of Campus Harvest 2008.  Seeing 4000 plus young people jump up and down, raise their hands in worship and listen to God's call to go back to their campuses to advance His kingdom just give me goose bumps.

One of the highlights for me was to see Mark Muleta, a 14 year old speak in front of 4000 people about 'not being too young to be used by God.'  He talked about the small group he started when he was 11 years old.  Since then, he has been able to raise 5 small group leaders who help him disciple 80 other kids.  That is simply phenomenal.

Kudos to Pastor LA and the rest of the team for putting this together.  All the hard work and labor put in this is unspeakable.  But the fruits of this conference is simply unfathomable.  Many of our FUTURE missionaries, businessmen, educators, senators and maybe even president of the Philippines were in that basketball arena.

Again, I am just so glad for the stewardship God has given us as a church family to reach the next generation.  I am thankful to God for our leaders who keep harping this call starting from Pastor Steve Murrell himself that we need to keep going back to the call God has placed before us.

I am just so glad to be part of this team - Team Victory.

I am just so pumped up about what God is doing these days through our kids ministry volunteers.  I just came back this morning from the Vacation Bible Camp we are doing with children of soliders and officers in the Philippine Army.

I was so moved by the 70 plus volunteers that danced, sang, served, taught, loved the kids these past couple of days.  I realize the hours upon hours of hard work that was put into all these.

Did I say I was pumped up?  Oh yeah...  Why?  Because we are literally touching this nation's future - future soldiers, colonels, generals and maybe even the next president of the Philippines.

Too lofty a dream?  Why not?  Libre lang naman mangarap, di ba? 





The Venue
















The kids coming in the venue 1st day...















Kenya booth...

















China booth...
















Mexico booth...

















Stop over...












The movers - Gepay, Crickette (our children's church director) and Ruth Hernandez.  You ladies are awesome!












Lenny and Joy have been such jewels to the ministry.














Col. Felix's wife herself, who worked 15 years as chief purser of Cathay Pacific was our 'chief travel guide'.  Salamat po, Ma'am.











I was particularly enthused to see the next generation passing the baton to yet the next generation after them...  Celina Manaois, Michelle Abello, Benedict Manaois (in the butete suit or whatever it is), Sam Cobangbang and Christine Saavedra.  You guys rock!









Same with these guys - Danjo dela Sierra, Hannah dela Sierra and King















And the biggest kid of all - Allan Santiago!  Bro, you're the best.


And to all the volunteers who I didn't get the chance to take a picture of, A BIG THANK YOU!!! 

You guys are a dream team! 

A couple of weeks back, I wrote a blog  - "When God Says No..."

The question for me this week is "What if God Says Go...?"

"But I don't feel like it..."
"But it doesn't make sense..."
"But you can't forgive just like that!!!..."
"But...but...but..."

We can come up with our 'buts'...  Some have big ones, some have negligable ones, while some have ones that stink.  However, our "buts" won't prevail.  He is sovereign.

As we embark on our new series, "Finding Jonah", this week in many of our Victory churches in the Metro, we are going to study the life of a runaway prophet who was called to speak to a group of people he didn't like (a grave understatement).

While studying it, there were a couple of lessons I gathered...

1. You can run but you can't win.

Jonah wanted to run away from what God wanted him to do.  He tried... very hard... like travelling 2500 miles the opposite direction, but ultimately God prevailed on him.

It's virtually impossible to run from God.  We can try, but we all know who will win.  The Bible says that a man plans his course but it's the Lord's plan that will prevail.

2. You can always find a boat sailing the wrong direction.

Jonah didn't try very hard to run away from God.  His escape route was readily available.

When we try to go the opposite of God's plan, it's not hard to find ways to do so.  For some darn reason, the enemy will always try to make it easy to step away from Him.  Though it will be a fight to stay in the center of His will, His grace will often be overwhelmingly available.

3. Your worst nightmare may exactly be what you need at the moment.

Jonah became dinner.  The Bible says that "God provided a great fish" (Jonah 1:17).  Provided?  Jonah's nightmare was a provision from God?  That really doesn't make sense, it seems.

But what he got was what he exactly needed.

To many of us, the things we go through may not necessarily be the most ideal but probably the most beneficial.

Remember God knows what's best.  His ways are higher than ours.

See you this weekend.







 

I heard about the story of a new dad who was left with the baby all day while mom went shopping for some unmaternity clothes. When she returned she went to check on the baby. The smell was overpowering. She found the disposable diaper full and leaking. She was furious!

She confronted her husband, "Didn't you bother to check the baby's diaper all day?"

The new dad responded, "Well, the box says it's good for up to eight pounds!"

This clearly explains why we need moms in the house.

Because this Sunday is Mother's Day, we will celebrate it with a couple of roses.

As we often do, we will honor moms by giving roses and pray for them - they are the modern heroes of today.  Joey Bautista of Mulatto will serenade the moms with a special song.

Secondly, we will have a special message during the 5 and 7 pm Victory Fort services from a mom who has lived out her faith both in the workplace and the homefront - Donita Rose Villarama.

See you this weekend!  Happy Mom's Day to all the moms... especially to my loving wife, the best mom in the world!

Our current series at Victory Fort entitled "LEAD" has simply been revolutionary.  We have been learning leadership lessons from the life of David.  We've looked at David and Goliath, David and Saul, and David and Nathan.  These would be available in podcast version in our website.  This coming Sunday, we'll gather lessons from David and Solomon.

David wanted to build a temple for God.  His intentions were absolutely noble. 
“Here I am, living in a palace of cedar, while the ark of God remains in a tent.” (2 Samuel 7:2) 
While it was such a good idea, God sends Nathan to tell David that it wasn't His plan for him to build it but his son, Solomon will.  

A few lessons I got from this story:

1. When God says 'no', it's not a rejection but a redirection.

David wanted to build God's house but God said 'no'.  

Last weekend was a blast.

1. We had our annual "Me and My Dad Camp".  We had about 130 dads that came plus their kids.  One dad brought 4 of his kids.  He has become my hero since. 

We did fun and crazy stuff from making our own kites, war games, egg relay, sack race, tug o' war, roasting marshmallows/hotdogs... For pics, click here.

It was awesome to see dads not only bond but take time to pray and connect with their kids.  My daughter, Janina, said that she saw her friend in tears when dads took time to pray for their kids.  I asked her why.  She said that her friend was simply touched by the moment of prayer (dads and kids).

I know that memories that were built will definitely last a lifetime.

Kudos to Jeremir Dolores, Jeff Eliscupides, Alfred Albarracin, Lel Jingco, Jojo Mangilad, Dodie Garcia, Jeff Pickrell for making all these possible.  Thank you to Weena for doing a lot of the behind the scenes prep.

2. Seeing our teachers (Glen Quizon, Jimson Uy and Norvic Cheng) rise up to preach to the kids in our weekend services was indeed a great encouragement.  We are definitely raising up men and women who are much better than us.  Kids are going home full of the word.

3. Pastor Sean Morris from Austrailia preached at the 5 and 7 pm services at Victory Fort.  He spoke about "Becoming".  It was powerful.  At the end of his message, my prayer was "Lord, help me to become all that you called me to be."

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BABY UPDATE:

For those who are praying for our baby, thanks so much.  We've been told that several have been praying and fasting for our baby's healing.  We surely appreciate it.

We visited our doctor last Thursday.  She said that we'll need a congenital scan in 6 weeks to confirm the 2 cysts found in the baby's brain.   We are in faith that God will do a miracle from now till then.  Please stand with us in prayer.  We will continue to move in faith not in fear.

Thanks again.

We are going to have about 300 people (dads and kids) in our Me and My Dad camp this coming weekend.  It's always been a fun and refreshing time.  We've been doing this kind of camp for the past 7 years.  We will see new science projects as dads 'try' to cook meals for their kids.

Last year, we had a cool treat (aerobatics show) for the kids and dads.

This year, we'll have another simple but nice one.  What is it?  Secret...  I just know that it will be a blast.

Watch out for a barrage of pics in the next few days from dads and kids who will go to the camp.

If you want a sneak peak of what "Me and My Dad Camp" is, click here to see the video of last year's camp.


He will turn the hearts of the fathers to their children, and the hearts of the children to their fathers...  Malachi 4:6

You can turn a disadvantage to an advantage for the glory of God.

I was listening to a podcast this morning and I heard story about Dr. James Simpson (no relation to Bart), a Scottish who discovered the anasthetic properties of chloroform.  A fascinating man who entered university at age 14 and became a professor of medicine in his 20's.

While performing countless surgeries, he has witnessed the agony and anguish of men and women during the operation, especially the mothers giving birth to children.  He decided to do something about it.  So he discovered the use of chloroform to be able to perform painless surgery and birth giving. 

The first time he was able to use this new discovery to a woman who had all types of complications yet painlessly deliver a baby was so overwhelmed with gratitude, she named her daughter ANESTHESIA.

You and I can face surgery today because one man saw a disadvantage and turned it to an advantage.

And more than this, in his biography, he gives this quote...

"As great a discovery as chloroform was, which anethetized the pain in the physical bodies of people, nothing is so great in my discovery as the love of Christ that has anesthetized the pain in my heart when I lost my own child."

Remember, God can turn a disadvantage to an advantage, a trial to a triumph and a burden to a blessing.

Have a great week ahead.

I was in a children's party one Saturday and an old friend asked me what I was busy with lately.  I told him that I was involved in training the next generation of world changers.

"Oh, you're still in Kids Ministry?  You've been doing that for years!"

He said it in a tone that communicated, "You're still there?  When will you go up the 'church ladder?'"

I went home from that party thinking about that particular conversation.  But as I thought about it more, it only emphasized that that was NOT how I viewed things.

Kids Ministry is not a stepping stone to a 'higher' position so that I can become a youth pastor, then an associate pastor, then a senior associate pastor, then a senior pastor, then bishop and then popehood (or however church hierarchy works)...

That's why I've told our leaders much too often, "If God calls me to do something else, I'm open.  But if this is what God calls me to do for the rest of my life, I'll die with a grin on my face."

Recently, someone put a smile on my face when I read her blog.  These are the kind of stories we get inspired with when we read it.  Click here to read her blog.

To all those who reach and train the next generation of world changers, keep on keeping on... whatever it takes!

One day, my daughter, Janina, asked me a question.

"Dad, how does a compass work?"

"Well, it tells us where north is," I replied.

"Yes, I know that dad," she replies back. "But how does it know where to point? How does it actually work?"

I was stumped. I didn't know what to say next. I just told her to ask her Kuya Nathan. Because he reads a lot, he usually has an answer to our other kids' questions.

And I was right. Nathan knew the answer.

After this, Janina comes back to me (trying to be really polite and nice) saying,

With all the talk going on with what happened in the recent Bb. Pilipinas pageant, here's the host's (Paolo B.) take (unedited), with his permission ... 

You know me, I don't normally write loooooooonnnnnggggg blogs but there is something in here we can all learn from... read on...

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I have received hundreds of texts, emails, and comments from people asking me my opinion on the recently concluded pageant. Here's my account of what happened and my view on the whole incident:

When I called Janina up to the front I warmed her up just like the rest of the candidates with a simple question to reveal more of their personality and hopefully remove any nervousness. I asked if she felt any pressure considering she had just recently won best in swimsuit and long gown - two major awards, to which she replied without batting an eyelash that she felt no pressure at the moment to which I quipped sincerely "Confident! Please choose a name of a judge!" the whole time thinking to myself we have a winner here. Then it began...

No need transcribing it here since Youtube has over 300,000 hits by now of that fateful incident that will forever etch Janina's name in pageant history. The poor kid was lost in her thoughts amidst the thousands upon thousands of people at the Araneta.

Was she deserving of the crown? Based on the criteria for judging and the process the SGV implemented the answer to that question is an emphatic yes. Beauty of face and figure comprised a total of 80% and remember she won both the long gown and swimsuit competition which leaves us with 20% to be divided evenly between personality and intelligence. Yes for this pageant 10% for intelligence was all that was allotted. So in other words no matter how badly she may have performed in the q and a, she couldnt have lost much considering she had a huge headstart in the scores. There was no back to zero, tabula rasa, clean slate either for any of the candidates in the top ten - it was a total carry over of scores. And in the final deliberation the candidates that ranked 5th and 4th go the 2nd and 1st runner up respectively. Candidate no. 8, an early favorite adorned with many special awards ranked 4th only .4 points behind the no.3 spot so close yet so far away from any of the titles.

So here's the PhP 65,786,981.91 question: What now for Janina? The candidate who gained notoriety by simply being herself, the candidate who was able to eclipse national issues by uttering a few gramatically incorrect phrases and sentences and the candidate who took home one of the coveted crowns? While many ridicule her and brand her undeserving I have but one thing to say: I admire her.

I admire her for not buckling under the pressure and simply giving up and handing me the microphone to go back to her position at the back with the rest of the semifinalists. I admire her for being as blatantly honest as possible. She wasnt pretending to be anything. Standing beside her on stage I could feel the sincerity she had to come up with a satisfactory answer despite the handicap she had in communicating effectively in english.


Did I feel sorry for her? Yes I did....Do I feel sorry for her now? NO...and I'll tell you why...I am so excited to see how God will pull her out of this.

Here is this 17 year old who had simple dreams of being a pageant contestant. At the tender age of 17 she is now experiencing so much persecution, judgment and oppression that adults many years her senior would have difficulty facing. It's so easy for us to say "we would have done better given the chance" but do we know for sure? Do we know what it feels like to be in front of thousands, watched by millions worldwide probably with the pressure knowing if we do well it could be the answer to lift our family out of its current economic state? Do we know what it feels like to be booed endlessly way after the pageant is over and the crown has been given? Do we know what it feels like to be talked about not just behind our backs but right in front of us as people pass judgment left and right with a little snicker or two attached to it? At 17 Janina now knows the truth...life can be cruel...but here's the good news for Janina: No matter how cruel life turns out to be at the moment

GOD IS GOOD PERIOD. One of my favorite verses can sum up what Janina has in store for hr in the very near future:

Rom 8:28

"And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose"

Notice it says in ALL things. Not just in the positive or good or encouraging but in ALL things- the good the bad and the ugly. God has this unbelievable way of turning a losing proposition into a winning opportunity. God can turn what seems to be our darkest day when we can't see any hope anymore into the brightest moment in our lives when He reveals how great He truly is. It's when we believe and trust in God that he does unbelievable things in our lives.

So Janina keep the faith and keep loving God and he will show you how good, pleasing and perfect His will is for you. One day I see you being an inspiration to those who have been measured and weighed yet come short in the eyes of man yet will be living proof
that in the eyes of GOD none of us come short and we are all favored because of His saving Grace. Train hard for the pageant, work on your skills and enhance your talents. I wish you luck on your journey. One day you will make God even more proud. Mabuhay ka Janina San Miguel.