Unlocking Your Hidden Potential

Christmas '08

This is a very late post for Christmas, but it's better than not posting at all hehe ☺

Here are some pictures from our Christmas Party last December '08 @ Balaring Beach. We spent the day cooking bbq, swimming, gift giving, playing charades and enjoying our fellowship.
The first picture was during the house blessing of Semic Family

check attendance:

pie, jepoy, janjan, dave, kenoy, bboy, cute, kring, michelle, jade, sha, pol, kit

Shiloh Christian Fellowship Barotac Viejo 21st Church Anniversary

Last September 20, 2008, the Shiloh Family joined our church in Barotac Viejo to celebrate our 21st Anniversary of God's faithfulness.

We are thankful that God sustained us for the past years, though we faced trials and difficulties in our walk with God, He never left us and He made us conquerors. The church has started 21 years ago and is still growing and continuing to serve God and fulfilling what He has commissioned us. This year's theme is "Standing Firm on God's Eternal Word."

The Music Team led the Call to Worship with the song "I Stand in awe of You".

Scripture reading was lead by Vivian, reading from the Book of Psalms and followed by an opening prayer by Jeff.

"A Christian always has a story to tell," a story of how God changed lives and how God worked mysteriously in each one of us. Michelle shared her testimony of how God became her personal Lord and Savior. She narrated how she became a child of God and how God helped her get through life's hurdles and how God gave her the strength to endure the problems faced by their family. Most were teary-eyed or even cried with Michelle as she testified God's greatness in her life.

Our Pastor, Rev. Gunder Malan, welcomed the visitors from other Shiloh Churches. Pastors from other Shiloh Churches are there to join our celebration, some are from the other side of Iloilo like Miag-ao and Tigbauan, while others are from the Island of Guimaras. The Young People of Barotac Viejo gave a special number, singing the song "Who Am I" by Casting Crowns and interpreted into dance by Kristi and Lauren.

Praise&Worship was led by Glorry Mae together with the music team, Aaron on guitar, Edbarr on bass, Jeff on drums and Lauren on keyboards. The Awesome presence of the Lord filled the place, it was a great moment -- praising and thanking God for all His blessings. The speaker for the celebration is Bishop Oscar F. Sta. Lucia, the founder of Shiloh Christian Fellowship. Pastor Oscar talked about why we should stand firm on God's eternal word.

After the service everybody enjoyed a sumptuous lunch and everyone's fellowship.

The anniversary celebration was a success and we will continue to praise and thank God for His abundant blessings and goodness to our church. All Glory and Praises be to God!

*photos courtesy of Ruel

Cherished Friends

God must have known there would be times
We'd need a word of cheer
Someone to praise a triumph
Or brush away a tear.



He must have known we'd need to share
The joy of "little things"
In order to appreciate
The happiness life brings.



I think he knew our troubled hearts
Would sometimes throb with pain
At trials and misfortunes
Or some goals we can't attain.



He knew we'd need the comfort
Of an understanding heart
To give us strength and courage
To make a fresh, new start.



He knew we'd need companionship
Unselfish...lasting...true,
And so God answered the heart's great need
With CHERISHED FRIENDS....like you..

We are more than Conquerors!

Romans 8: 28-39

28And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. 29For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. 30And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified.

31What, then, shall we say in response to this? If God is for us, who can be against us? 32He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? 33Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. 34Who is he that condemns? Christ Jesus, who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. 35Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? 36As it is written:
"For your sake we face death all day long;
we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered." 37No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, 39neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Tell the world!!!

Here's a great song from Hillsong United!
If you want God to use your life, tell the whole world about Him!

A Penny

Several years ago, a friend of mine and her husband were invited to spend the weekend at the husband's employer's home. My friend, Arlene, was nervous about the weekend. The boss was very wealthy, with a fine home on the waterway, and cars costing more than her house.

The first day and evening went well, and Arlene was delighted to have this rare glimpse into how the very wealthy live. The husband's employer was quite generous as a host, and took them to the finest restaurants. Arlene knew she would never have the opportunity to indulge in this kind of extravagance again, so was enjoying herself immensely.

As the three of them were about to enter an exclusive restaurant that evening, the boss was walking slightly ahead of Arlene and her husband.

He stopped suddenly, looking down on the pavement for a long, silent moment. Arlene wondered if she was supposed to pass him. There was nothing on the ground except a single darkened penny that someone had dropped, and a few cigarette butts.

Still silent, the man reached down and picked up the penny. He held it up and smiled, then put it in his pocket as if he had found a great treasure. How absurd! What need did this man have for a single penny? Why would he even take the time to stop and pick it up? Throughout dinner, the entire scene nagged at her.

Finally, she could stand it no longer. She causally mentioned that her daughter once had a coin collection, and asked if the penny he had found had been of some value.

A smile crept across the man's face as he reached into his pocket for the penny and held it out for her to see. She had seen many pennies before! What was the point of this?

"Look at it." He said. "Read what it says."

She read the words "United States of America."

"No, not that; read further."

"One cent?"

"No, keep reading."

"In God we Trust?"

"Yes!"

"And?"

"And if I trust in God, the name of God is holy, even on a coin. Whenever I find a coin I see that inscription. It is written on every single United States coin, but we never seem to notice it! God drops a message right in front of me telling me to trust Him? Who am I to pass it by? When I see a coin, I pray, I stop to see if my trust IS in God at that moment. I pick the coin up as a response to God; that I do trust in Him. For a short time, at least, I cherish it as if it were gold. I think it is God's way of starting a conversation with me. Lucky for me, God is patient and pennies are plentiful!

When I was out shopping today, I found a penny on the sidewalk. I stopped and picked it up, and realized that I had been worrying and fretting in my mind about things I cannot change. I read the words, "In God We Trust," and had to laugh. Yes, God, I get the message. It seems that I have been finding an inordinate number of pennies in the last few months, but then, pennies are plentiful!

And, God is patient...

Have a blessed day!!

The best mathematical equation I have ever seen:

1 cross + 3 nails -------- 4 given

--->author unknown