I have always loved listening to piano pieces when I was a kid...but my parents cannot afford to buy me an instrument. When I was in grade 6, my grandfather brought me a Yamaha keyboard from straight from the province. This keyboard was owned by a priest who sold the keyboard to my grandfather. I was so happy at that time, but I do not know how to play the instrument the way pianists are doing.


There was a keyboard tutorial at Diliman Preparatory School (this is where I spent my elementary years) every afternoon. I would always go there and watch a group of elementary and highschool students being taught how to play their keyboard. I got home and told my mom that I would like to enroll in a keyboard tutorial class. However, my mother told me that she cannot afford to enroll me in that class.


I really want to learn how to play the keyboard, but our family income cannot sustain my keyboard lessons. What I did is I listened and listened to songs on the radio and tried to imitate what I heard. I'd spend many hours listening and imitating the songs on the radio..but it did not matter to me. I LOVE WHAT I'M DOING. I was so eager to learn how to play the keyboard that I lose track of time when my fingers start hitting the percussion instrument. By the way, I played with the right finger only at that time hehe..because I do not know how to play with my left hand.. All I did was listen to songs and then play the melody of the song using my right hand.


When I was in third year highschool, my sister brought a chord chart. That was when I learned how to play the chords using my left hand. My eagerness went overdrive as I leared how to play using my 2 hands.. the left hand for the chords and the right hand for the melody. After weeks of practice, I could already play any song in song books that my sister brought home.


Fast forward to 3rd year college. I read this book entitled "The Purpose Driven Life". For 4o days, I have religiously read Rick Warren's book every night before I go to sleep and try to apply what I have read the day after. What struck me the most is "our gifts, talents, and abilities are not given to us by God for our personal fulfillment...He gave us that so that we can use it for His purpose".


And then it hit me. All these years, I have been wanting to play the keyboard for my self satisfaction. But God has given me this gift to use it for his purpose and that is what I should do. With a quick turn around of events, I met this person who have showed me how to have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. Weeks have passed and then I suddenly found myself playing the keyboard during bible studies, and then months later, at our church.


4 years have passed and I still love playing the keyboard. But now, I am not playing just because I like it too..but because I want to play for God who have blessed me with this gift. I use this to worship and praise Him and to show him my gratitude for saving me from the pitfalls of darkness..

I have been reading a book lately about the battle of the mind. I am actually on the 15th chapter at this time, which talks about the renewing of the mind. True to waht it says, our actions are a result of our inner thoughts. Nobody can say that he did a certain thing without thinking about it, right? There is always a corresponding thought to everything that we do - because our minds all always busy. If all you ever think about is negativism, then there's no doubt that your life would be a mess.

Who would want a messed up life? We want our life to change for the better..but if we do not change our way of thinking, then everything else will fail - right before our very eye. Start by thinking positve thoughts, and your life lighten up little by little. Instead of brooding over things, act differently. Share one little act of kindness to every person that you meet. Who knows, the next person that you stumble upon may be the one that will save you from your misery ;)

1. Peace is a gift - you do not earn it

          - there is a huge difference between human peace and God's peace. Why? Becasue human peace is based on circumstances.

2. Peace is an internal thing

Romans 5:1 "Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ"

- When we are out of harmony with God, it causes stress - #1 cause of stress is GUILT

- There's no peace of mind without a clean conscience

- Sress comes when you feel you are facing everything by yourself.

- Hurry aggregates worry. The more hurried you are, the more worried you get.

- Peace is a mindset. It's what you focus on.

How would you know God is with you? BE STILL AND KNOW GOD (Psalm 46:1-10)

        BUT...There's a huge difference between KNOWING ABOUT GOD and KNOWING GOD

Knowing God- based on your personal experience, persoanl interaction and relationship with God.

     - Read the bible

"What matters is not WHO WE ARE,  BUT WHOSE WE ARE"

- Don't lean on our own understanding (Prov 3:5) - don't try to figure out everything