Reminiscent of the rising sun, a new beginning is again set for me as I continue to serve the Singles For Christ community in Abu Dhabi, UAE. I was bequeathed headship of SFC Abu Dhabi's online newsletter Manus Dei.
It was a blessed privilege that I know is another way for me to learn, serve and humble myself. When I was asked to head Manus Dei– I wasn’t able to say yes right away… I am grateful and love being part of the team but the thought of heading the team seems daunting, will I be able to handle it?
“may all your dreams come true”
- Bo Sanchez
When I was in High School, I remembered collecting newsletters distributed freely by the school district office. I looked forward every Monday to get a copy and read every page. It sparked in me the desire to write but since I had no one to ask on how to go about my submissions – add to the fact that I was not that confident in my compositions, I just contented myself in reading and collecting the newsletters - wishing that my school had its own publication and dreaming that one day I would get the opportunity to be part of something similar.
College brought me a little closer to that dream. I was delighted to learn that the college ran its own newsletter. I submitted articles for screening but wasn’t able to make it into the elite writers pool. It saddened me but I continued to (anonymously) submit articles and poems, none of which made it into publication thus the urge to write was set aside as I was thrown into the world of numbers - choosing business and finance as my major despite my college assessment test result showing I am more inclined in communication arts.
When I joined SFC what started as a one-time desire to share about how I was touched by the teachings of the Christian Life Program became the avenue for me to serve. I was tapped to be an official staff of Manus Dei. It was overwhelming – I had apprehensions on writing with a given deadline but the Lord’s outpouring of messages and inspiration is such that I am able to submit all my assigned articles within the given time frame. My love for Manus Dei grew alongside my growth as an SFC, and soon I too dabbled in layout design despite having no prior knowledge about Photoshop.
Now as I look back at the previous issues of Manus Dei, my worry and self-doubt about saying Yes to its headship has ebbed away - the Lord’s guidance thru the many contributors and lay out artist is very much evident in each page. I doesn’t matter that you think you cannot even string two proper sentences together, it doesn’t matter if you can only write in tagalog; it does not matter if you think you are not artistic enough, what matters is opening your heart to receive the opportunity to praise and glorify our Lord thru the work He has set you out to do and He will surely equip you.
The Lord truly is faithful. He has answered my dreams in His most perfect time. It did not come in the way I had wished for but rather in a much more splendid way that I could ever have imagined – truly His plans are bigger than our dreams and with this I am humbled for it is another blessing to be able to offer more of what He has given me.
And for all of this May God be Praised!
... today while busy in the kitchen, my mind wandered back to the fact that a previous big opportunity that seemed to be a sure thing slipped my grasp...
