Ablaze!

Last week I was in Subic to be with my brothers and sisters in SFC and celebrate God's love for us. The event was SFC's Metro Manila Conference. Thousands of SFC faithful gathered and celebrated the magnificence of our God. It was a 3-day event that started from Friday July 25 up to Sunday July 27. MMC (Metro Manila Conference) kicked off Friday, though I was not able to attend Friday’s festivities I was told it was amazing capped of by a masquerade ball in the evening. My party and I left for Subic from Manila at 10pm as I was held up at the office to finish some presentations for the following week. As I won't be working during the weekend I had to finish everything before departing for the MMC. I think it was part of God's plan, He knew that my companions and I were all tired already preparing for the weekend conference. You see some of us were participants for the creative competitions. To add to that I was really sick, when I woke up early Friday morning, I was so sick that I could not get up but I had to be at work. I went to the office around 2 in the afternoon. Already late even for a half day's worth of work. Anyway back to my story, amazingly traffic was a breeze except for from pioneer to Shaw, but everything else was a breeze. We stopped at a gas station in NLEX to meet up with our chapter's convoy. Again I would like to say sorry to them, because they had to wait for us for over an hour. I honor you guys! As we were leaving to continue our trip I was remembered my mom and dad’s instruction "Anak be prepared and take care. There's a typhoon is brewing up north". Those words kept on running thru my mind as if it was telling me something other than the obvious. So we drove towards Pampanga then to Subic. We arrived around 2 in the morning in our accommodation in Subic where we were greeted by some of our brothers waiting up to show us to our rooms. We settled down for the evening at around 3am, at this point my body was so heavy already, my fever was still high and I was coughing and sneezing like there was no tomorrow. So I called my GG (God's Gift) and told her what I was feeling, she in turn told me that not to worry everything will be ok and she would pray for my health.

At 6am we all woke up to prepare for the 2nd day of the MMC. As I opened my eyes I knew something was different, I felt better, my fever was gone and I was no longer feeling the heaviness in my body. Though my annoying cough and cold was still there, I was not complaining. Immediately I prayed my morning prayer and thanked God for the blessing. After preparing myself to go to the Subic Bay Exhibition and Convention Center, the venue for the MMC, I went down the lobby to meet up with my chapter. Everybody was in the lobby because it was raining hard outside. True enough the typhoon was there in Subic with us. We waited until the rain abated to get to our cars so we may go to the venue. So we reached the venue at around 8:00 am, just in time for the opening worship. I was thinking, what a way to start the day, praying and singing for the Lord. Such a tremendous feeling of happiness and bliss filled me and my soul. Despite my irritated throat and burning sinus I was singing and praising the lord with all my might and all my heart. The spirit was indeed healing my soul not to feel my ailment and continue to praise and worship.

The day’s event continued, we attended the tongues’ workshop. A very powerful workshop, teaching the ways we can praise the Lord in our own meaningful way. A direct conversation with our Lord that only He and you will be able to understand. During the workshop we were divided into groups to further discuss the meaning and significance of praying in tongues. We shared feelings of doubt, fear and embarrassment when we try to pray in tongues. Then we prayed over each other to take away all our negativity and just give us the strength and inspiration to just let ourselves free, free to worship and praise God the way we are meant to. Inspiring messages were revealed to us as we all prayed together in tongues affirming all our prayers for peace, unity, freedom from the evil one and personal upliftment. A deeper feeling of serenity was what I felt after the workshop. My faith was further reinforced and gave me an unfailing resolve for the word of God.

Well that was just the morning’s event. The day continued to the creative competitions. I decided to watch the bounce competition, a dance competition joined by all the sectors. The room where the competition was to be held was jam-packed it was hard to see the front of the room where the competitors would showcase their talents. Nevertheless I found myself in the front just underneath the judge’s table and I was able to watch the competition with ease. God has indeed blessed his children with extra-ordinary talents. As sector after sector performed, a display of creativity and passion was showcased. Entertaining and wooing the crowd.

After the creative competitions it was now time to prepare for the evening mass followed by another session. Another powerful talk, this time about Jesus. What really stuck in my mind was the sharing of a sister from Makati. She shared how she is battling cancer and how SFC changed her life despite having cancer. Hearing her story had me thinking of how lucky I am that I am healthy and not suffering from any ailment. “Wow” I told myself, she is one strong woman, knowing that she’s dying. But still she stood there in front of thousands and proclaimed that she has surrendered her everything to the Lord. She rejected medical treatment in place of prayers and faith. Though, I do hope that she reconsiders medical treatment for her cancer. It wouldn’t hurt to increase her chances to live. But maybe I am wrong, whatever happens I still will pray for her. After the session another talk followed, a rather unexpected talk. Despite the fact that it was already late and it has been a very long day for all of us, no one would have predicted of the energy about to be shared to us. All the while listening to the talk I thought I was in a religious stand-up comedy act. I’m not saying that the sanctity of the weekend was ruined, whilst it energized everybody and inspired us to listen more and punctuated the evening leading everybody in worship. Now it was time to go back to the hotel and rest for the 3rd and last day of the conference.

Day 3, feeling of restlessness hit me. Now knowing that the MMC is about to close. And my physical sickness is still with me but I no longer am feeling the heaviness that paralleled my cough and cold. So I packed my stuff and prepared to check out of the hotel carrying this feeling with me. I met up with my chapter and again we drove off towards the venue. The day opened up with one more inspiring and powerful worship. I know I have used powerful too much but what can I say it was POWERFUL. Another talk followed, stirring once again our faith and devotion. At this point the conference is on its closing stages with the mass on its way. I had mixed feelings now. Then the mass was at the homily point, listening to the priest made me realize that with the conference coming to a close it’s not the end.. By hearing his words it reminded me of the fact that we are here seeking the kingdom of heaven. Feeling of spiritual highness during conferences should be with us even if we are done with the conference. Now I was enlightened by that day’s Sunday gospel, in seeking the kingdom of heaven we give up everything. All that we have, all that we are we trade to be with Him in His kingdom. Now I know it was just the beginning. I now know the conference was about to close. I no longer feel the restlessness, now replaced by a feeling of exhilaration. Leaving the venue I have this renewed passion for service. I do hope to be able to serve the way the speakers and sharers serve. One day I will. Time to go home, time to go back to the real world. Thinking back my mom and dad was right, a typhoon was indeed brewing up north. It wasn’t the heavy rain and the strong winds that transpired; it was the fire in the hearts of thousands of singles, men and women of the faith. The flame of serving and worshipping the Lord in our hearts was stirred and now we are all ABLAZE!