Talking to yourself is sometimes healthy

Goodbye year 2011 and hello year 2012! It was quite a "roller coaster ride" for me on the year that was, and I heard this one quote from the radio, "The unreflected life is not worth living." Or something like it. And I'm not sure who said this but it got a point... hehe. :) So after some reflections, I came up with a letter I addressed to myself. I realized that talking to yourself is sometimes healthy! ;)

Image from oranges-world.com

Dearest Mitch,

Another year have passed, and here is another year for you to live out. I know 2011 was a year full of trials and testing in your life. It may not have been one of the best of your years but I know you can always be grateful to God for the year that was. Several days ago, you reflected upon your life on year 2011. It was kind of a surprise because you didn't expect that it will turn out like this! :) But then it's your prayer that God will take you deeper and make you more Christlike. To be more Christlike, a man should go through pruning, refining and molding and in this he will be going through tests and trials because only through these his character will be developed for the better.

You reflected that 2011 was like your year of "purification". God made you check your heart and your motives many times this year. Many of your wrong mindsets were changed and you had a lot of "renewing of mind" episodes. It was also a year of big changes and big decisions in your life concerning work and your walk with God. There were a lot of times when you doubted God, too. There were times when you felt like you're not contented with just His Word because you already want to see concrete results in what you are doing. You are yearning and crying for your promised harvest that doesn't look near to you. You even entertained fear in your mind and be clouded with worries of what would be the future like. In the end you still chose to hold on to God's Word. The Word that you thought is "not enough" is still the One that makes you go on and makes you sufficient. It's still living by faith and not by sight or by your feelings. Always ask God to boost your faith and eliminate your doubts because whenever you doubt Him, you are hurting Him.

And you're also super grateful to God that He blessed you with many friends and a vibrant spiritual family! Surely they are your "fire throwers" when your flame for God is losing its fire! You are thankful for your Victory Group and for the times when you bond with them, study the Word with them or just sharing your life with them. You're also thankful for Kids Church wherein you can be refreshed with the kids or with your co-volunteers and teachers, who also turned out to be your friends. :) Thank God because He entrusted you to be a part of the Kids Church Creative team, that even it can be so tiring the joy is still there because there are people whom He also put to be in the team that you became friends with. And you know you are using the gifts you have from God to serve others so it may bring glory to Him.

Be more thankful to God because He uses you to bless people even at times you are broke! Haha! ;D He also entrusted beautiful people for you to guide with their walk with God. You know that you prayed and waited for them and God gave them to you this 2011. Never get tired of discipling them and meeting them in your Victory Group even though you don't feel like doing it hehe. ;) He also put you in Arellano University to be part of His work in campuses -- Change the campus. Change the world! Again He blessed you with beautiful people that you became friends with! :)

TRULY, IT'S NOT ABOUT YOU AND IT'S ALL ABOUT HIM! Imagine what your life be like if you're apart from Him? A life without purpose and lasting joy!

Never forget to be always thankful with your old friends and family! You can always bond with your Burgeon friends, or spend an evening with your "Tumblr" mates and talk about anything under the sun haha! :D Be in the mall with the Petshap, go out for dinner with your Varsi Kada or hang-out with your HS dabarkads! :D And your family who are loving, caring and who always guide you is something you can always be thankful to God! :) Being part of a godly family is always a blessing from the Lord! :)
 
Also don't forget that though 2011 has been a "crazy" year for you, it's also been a year of breakthroughs for you in the ministry where God had put you. And remember that those God loves He disciplines. He disciplines out of His love for you and because He's taking you as His daughter.

Be thankful for the year that was and expectant for the new year. God said that He have good plans for your life and His best will for you to choose. God is the Rock on which you stand and you know that He's unshakeable. Though you may not know what the future holds, you know who holds the future -- it is your loving and perfect Father God in Heaven! :)

                                                                          Love,
                                                                          Yourself

PS. And about that one prayer that you've been praying for a time now, which you almost quit on believing for may times... Just continue to pray and believe for God to do awesome things. God is working on the background, and he's just out there. :)