Im sorry if we have not been writing for sometime.  John and I took some needed quiet sessions and looked backed and thank God for everything that took place in 2015.

2015 was some kind of flavor. It was a mix of everything salty, bitter and sweet.  There were a lot of lessons learned. We learned from the mistakes we made. We learned to love even if it hurts deeply. We learned how to let go of some desires for a greater purpose. We learned more about what it is to walk by faith.  It was not the widest of roads because business was not as great but the narrow road was a beautiful journey as well.  2015 was filled with changes and transitions and all I can say it was a good stretch for John and I. They were all not planned but  as I put it “God planned it, but I wasn’t listening when he sent the memo.”

But I am so glad that God made 2015 the way it was.  Since that year entailed a lot of changes, that meant – that we were always out of our comfort zones.  There were many ”for the first time” moment for us.

  • It was my first time to homeschool a high school student.IMG_7957
  • First time to plant a community church with no church planting background.IMG_7979
  • First time for any of our blog entry to be part a book.20150901_182237
  • First time for us to produce a Christian Worship Festival: HelloWorship.IMG_4615
  • First time to travel to date our 2 girls (Jazz and Sabrina) in Australia.IMG_4820
  • First time to road trip as a family to Ilocos Region.IMG_5984
  • First time to go to Taiwan and it was on a Chinese New Year.20150223_144310
  • First time to make radical business move which includes redirection and downsizing.
  • First time to have our kids join us speak in a family retreat for Compassion Philippines. IMG_0650
  • First time to be heart broken for breaking people’s hearts because God changed our direction and path.
  • First time to be in 2 reunions: My mom side: The Asensio and when my dad passed away, the Lopez –Diaz side.IMG_5432IMG_6363
  • First time to be on National TV for 3 different shows.asap20

When you allow God to take you on a journey that requires a lot of first times, Don’t be afraid. Get out of your boat and walk on water with Jesus. Your greatest asset is to know “nothing” so that God can take credit for everything.  When you don’t know anything, you are teachable and you have a humble spirit. Every small learning is a victory even if its just learning how sing and dance for the kids of Revelation Church.

I also realized that God made you walk on certain paths before – so that all the things you learned then, can have greater impact to the new adventures you will partake now.   Honestly I think John and I are just crazy. Everything we learned in marketing and events are now actively used in the church.  From Street Parties, to house to house flyering, to workshops and apprentices, partnerships and sponsorships, to making our own little department store.  So I thank God for all the first times.  Even making mistakes have its first time.  The important thing about it is that you choose to learn from it.  We are definitely not perfect people and many times along the way – we too make mistakes. I thank God for all of the failures we made that God allowed us to learn.  It makes you broken enough to hang on to the Lord and and allows you to appreciate what you have and best of all change for the better.

Now fast track to 2016…  On our first week of January, God gave us some first again:

  1. God gave me the desire to pray for people by doing morning prayer walk in my neighborhood. Talk about free exercise since we have decided to take let go of our gym membership)
  2. John for the first time officiated his very first wedding. ( He does not only shoot wedding, he can now marry his couples too!) IMG_9148
  3. We consolidated all our businesses into one and its main goal is to serve Revelation Church.

Im sure there will be more first and for that I’m excited to walk with God to learn from the Master himself.

There is always a first time. If God tells you to try something you have never done before – crazy as it may be – I encourage to go for it!   As God said to Joshua said, “be strong and courageous.” With God in your life, the future is not only bright, it is secure. So don’t be afraid to follow God, I can guarantee a life lived to the fullest.