Before I start this blog I would like to say sorry to the people I might have offended intentionally or unintentionally.  I want to say thanks to the whole victory family, GIGI, my exaleron and eximius small group, my small group leaders and people who touched my life very much, you are all to0 many to mention, I love you guys.

Annually, before the year ends or before a new year is about to start, I make it a habit to go out by myself, and go somewhere to reflect on the events that happened in the previous year.  It is like my self evaluation in where I am in my life, what are the accomplishments and what are the things that I need to improve. I do this even when I was not a Christian before.

This year, as I sat beside the river in Marikina, with my very small planner (yes, as unorganized that I am I do have a planner *-*  ) I recalled everything that happened to me.

Come January of this year, I saw that my planner was packed with activities for school, church and personal appointments.  With in this erratic schedule is where God turned my life upside down.  It was during the Church’s annual prayer and fasting that I made it finally my decision to surrender my life to Christ. Little did I know that this one decision is the start of the unexplainable, exciting  journey of my life.

Before 2009 came, I made myself some “Goliaths” that I am planning to beat.  These “goliaths” are my struggles, my concerns, my problems that I am believing to beat before 2009 ends.  Among these goliaths include the Nursing Licensure Examination, unpaid tuition fees, possibility that I would not be able to graduate because of my unpaid fees, breakthroughs in my family and career, and some other stuff.

The first quarter of 2009 happened very quickly. Related learning experience duties, requirements to be passed, reviews, student council activities and its intoxicating student council reports, not to mention seminars  to be attended, a required seminar to accomplish, and all the other senior requirements.  It is with in this quarter of the year where I felt that God is really with me because I managed to get through all these activities with out losing sight of Him.  It is also the date of my ever memorable Victory Weekend.

Second quarter of 2009 through some miracle I was able to graduate and settle some of my fees. I don’t know how it happened and why the university admin suddenly favored me but they do let me graduate and release me to take my boards.

The second quarter of 2009 was also the part of my calendar where in there were less activities.  It is because I was focusing on my review.  It was a step of faith. We don’t have enough money to enroll me in a review center for boards, I have no choice but to do self study and rely completely to the grace of God.  It is also in this season that I became closer to God.  Every review day, even if there are piles of books left to read, God always comes first.  It is also in this season that I met new friends in the lower year.  It is also the time where my batch mates and I encouraged each other.  We even made a group ( God’s ignited Group of Insignis, GIGI for short) where in we can share what we learned in our respected review centers and of course share the words we receive from God.

Come June this year was the board examination.  The details of my experience of the boards could actually make another blog, but to sum it up, I relied to God for peace, and grace.

The 3rd quarter of the year was the waiting period.  We were all waiting for the results of the boards.  This is the start of the well deserved rest we deserve (whew talk about redundancy).  It is also the season of my life where I chose to serve God.

Finally the last quarter of the year is the year of breakthroughs, it is the year where I was equipped and I got to know God all the more.  Training for Victory was an influential part of my life and I’m happy to be a part of it. It is also the season of my life where I can say God is taking me to a new field.  It is also the season in my life where I earnestly sought God for his leading in my life.

To sum this whole long blog up, my top ten breakthroughs of the year are:

10. Graduation (april)

9. Review experience (April-May)

8. Victory at 25 (July)

7. Serving God in every Thribe and Sunday Services.

6.  Opening of Victory Metro East (April) and me joining Victory Greenhills ( September)

5. Prayer Mountain, Ilocos experience ( November – December)

4. Mama, May and Geh’s Victory Weekend

3. Training for Victory experience  (September – December)

2. My Victory Weekend experience (March)

1. Annual Prayer and Fasting ( January)

We have this tendency to look at one thing only,  at one angle at a particular time. As I went through every activity in my life I saw that these isolated events actually were part of God’s big plan.  Try it for yourself, check out all the events that happened at the start of your year.  Include all the good and the unfavorable events that happened in your life. Be honest, try to think what these events are trying to teach you. Look at the big picture.

You’ll be amazed of how far you have gone. Be challenged of how far you still have to go and be excited of the distance you can actually go.

“I can do all things through Christ, because he gives me strength.” (phil4:13 NCV)

As another year approaches, go ahead acknowledge the size of your problems, the truth of the things you still  need to improve, the goals you are aiming to attain.  But one thing you should never forget, that if ever you do have a big problem, you have a bigger God. And my prayer if you still haven’t got God in  your life is that you’ll have an encounter with him and know the real him.  Only in Him will you have the real victory, real change and real breakthroughs in your life.  Establish faith goals and believe that you will get it. Let us all believe and claim for victory and breakthroughs this coming year. Atin ang 2010!!!!

‘Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but not with God; all things are possible with God.” ‘ ( Mark 10:27 NIV)

Thank You Lord!!

P.S. to encourage you, as I evaluate my faith goals this 2009, about 18/22 my goals were fulfilled, the other 2 were replaced for something better and the other 2 I’m hoping to claim this year!