Kerygma Magazine 20140101

Inspiring You to Live a Fantastic Life
No. 284 Vol. 24 January 2014
OVERHAUL
The Power to
Change Your Life
Is in Your Hands
The Real Key to Success:

To Do It!
Do You Have Patterns
of Success?
By Bo Sanchez
Former Squatter Is Now
a Property Developer
Failing Forward: How a Wife
Survived Her Failed Marriage
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What are you feeding

your soul this year?
Just as you eat fruits and vegetables to keep your body healthy and strong, you also
need to nourish your soul every day with Gods Word!
Read life-giving Scriptures through Companion and receive bite-sized
spiritual teaching and guidance on the daily readings written by a priest.
Journey with fellow Catholics through their Bible
reflections in Didache and Gabay, and learn
valuable lessons that you can apply for your own
faith walk with the Lord. Receive hope, love and encouragement
from their stories and soak in Gods faithfulness to keep His
promises for your life. Be inspired every day!
Partake of Sabbath and be nourished with
enlightening reflections from Catholic priests on the living Word of
God. Allow the Lord to speak, counsel and give wisdom for you to live
a happy, fulfilling life.
Nourish your soul daily with Gods Word and soak in His love and care.
SVP Devotionals. Its food for your soul.
OrDer TODay!
Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that proceeds out of the
mouth of God. Matthew 4:4
ShepherdS Voice publicationS, inc.

60 Chicago St., Cubao, Quezon City
Tel. Nos. 411-7874 / 725-9999 loc. 101 to 108
www.shepherdsvoice.com.ph
always teach people that if you want to know who youll

be 10 years from now, list down the five people you spend
the most time today. Write down their strengths, their
weaknesses, their passions, even their incomes average
them and thats who youll be 10 years from now.
Why does that happen?Because of the power of
patterns.
The first persons who influenced you are your parents.Thats
why the Bible talks about the reality of generational sin in Exodus
34:7.It says, I lay the sins of the parents upon their children and
grandchildren; the entire family is affected even children in the
third and fourth generations.
How does this generational sin work?
For example, when the husband is unfaithful to his wife, the
children see his example.Living with a father who is unfaithful will
influence them to repeat the same sin in their own lives.(I didnt say
define them.Just influence them.)
Do all children follow the sins of their parents?Of course
not.Its still a personal choice.But they do have very bad models.
But what if the father hides his sin from his children?Will they
still be affected?I dont believe one can hide it.Were spiritual
beings.Deep down, subconsciously, they know it.
But heres the Good News: You can cut the effect of generational
sin.
What are the sins of your fathers and mothers?
Decide to cut the curse of generational sin in your life today.It
should stop in your generation.You can decide to stop passing
onto your children the sin you inherited from your parents and
grandparents.
Come to God now and seek His power.He will transform what
was meant to curse your family into a blessing.
How?Follow Jesus.
I was talking to a man whose mother was hopelessly addicted
to gambling.She would lie to him, steal from him, and steal from
other people so that she could gamble in a casino.He felt so bad
that his mother was like this.I told him, You see the condition of
your mother as a curse to you and your family.But trust in God
that even this awful situation will turn out to be a blessing for your
future.I dont know how.But this part of your history will prepare
you for your greater destiny.
My friend is following Jesus with his whole heart.I believe he
has cut the generational sin in his family.
What generational sin do you find in your family?
Transform them into a blessing.
By Bo Sanchez
The
Boss
May your dreams come true,
DO YOU WANT TO SUCCEED?
WORK ON YOUR
PATTERNS
JANUARY 2014 KERYGMA
Mail
room
Thank You, DEAR Teachers!

By Mitzi Camonias
God is really amazing for using your magazine as a guiding

light to our decisions. It really touches our lives. Just this
morning, I have already decided that I will end my service
in our parish because serving in our community, where I
felt God most, and serving in our parish at the same time
really exhaust me. But upon reading Fr. Rudys advice in
Dear K, I agree that we must pass the joy we receive in our
community to our parish. Thank you so much to all of you
for being our inspiration.
Love
Via text
I started reading Kerygma when my aunt let me read it.
Even if I am only 11 years old, my hobby is to read your
magazine. It inspires me a lot. More power!
Anne Jullierie Ramos
Via text
Thank you, Kerygma! I always read this inspirational
magazine every morning. It gives me strength to face a
new and wonderful day. May God bless you all!
Beth
Ateneo de Naga
I started reading Kerygma last August when I accidentally
saw it while cleaning the apartment and I got curious.
While reading it, I felt inspired, like I got closer to God.
After that, I felt relieved, relaxed and happy. And now Im
going to read the September 2013 issue. I just want to
thank you for this magazine.
God bless and more issues to come to inspire us.
Charlene Medina
Baguio City
We Want to hear from you!

Send your message via email to editsvp@
shepherdsvoice.com.ph, through text to 0923-3784941, or by snail mail to The Editor at 60
Chicago St., Cubao, Quezon City,
Philippines 1109.
You can also reach us through
Kerygma Family. Simply log on to
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Or like our
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there.
For subscription-related concerns, text or call Sarah
Discutido at 0922-814-7031 or email subscription@
shepherdsvoice.com.ph.
2
KERYGMA JANUARY 2014
Every year, Shepherds Voice Publications holds a oneday seminar for Catholic private school directors, principal
administrators, and teachers from Metro Manila and nearby
provinces. The annual seminar aims to help in strengthening
Religion as a core curriculum in Catholic schools. It also aims to
deepen the day-to-day spirituality of the coordinators/teachers of
Christian Living/Religion.
The theme of this years seminar, held last September 16, is
Overcome: How to Turn Your Stumbling Blocks into Stepping
Stones. St. Pedro Poveda College, a subscriber school located in
Ortigas, offered the use of its gym for the event.
Ms. Rissa Kawpeng, editor-in-chief of Kerygma, led the worship
together with The Feast Alabang Music Ministry, specifically the
Saturday Feast Alabang Music Team, under the headship of Joseph
Martinez, SVPs sales and marketing manager.
Speakers were George Gabriel, editor-in-chief of FiSH
magazine, who talked about the first step in turning stumbling
blocks into stepping stones which is to trust that everything will
work out for your good; Rissa Kawpeng, who affirmed that every
failure teaches a lesson of victory; Jay Yogawin, associate Feast
builder of The Feast Alabang, who talked about finishing the race
and winning the prize.
Bo Sanchez and Arun Gogna graced the event with brief but
very encouraging talks.
Highlight of the event was the awarding of plaques to loyal
school subscribers for the last five, 10 and 15 years.
SVP thanks the events sponsors and partners who generously
provided for the lunch and snacks of the participants. They are
Mekeni Food Corporation, Tamayos Catering, Gardenia Bakeries
Philippines, Pepsi-Cola Products Phils., Inc., Sweet Home Bakeshop,
Crown Supply Corporation, St. Pedro Poveda College, for allowing
us to use their gymnasium for the event; and last but not least, Mr.
Mon Toledo, SVP distributor, for the sound system.
Once again, thank you, dear teachers! We look forward to
seeing you again next year!
Living by
Grace
Just
Breathe
By Rissa Singson-Kawpeng
Can God Set a Table in the Wilderness?
Rissas outfit courtesy of Ensemble.
Trust God to find creative ways

to provide for you
or many years, I worked full-time for a ministry, earning

minimum wage. We didnt have annual increases and the only
time our pay increased was when the government raised the
base pay. My sister paid her driver more than what I was earning,
but I didnt care. I was happy serving the Lord and He provided
for my needs way beyond what my salary could afford.
My take-home pay may have been small but I often traveled here and
abroad because of service.
I didnt have money to buy a car but there was always one I could use
whenever I needed to go somewhere.
I didnt have health insurance, but when I needed an operation,
someone footed the bill.
Yes, I learned early on in life that I cant confine Gods blessings to my
salary. Thats just one of the many ways He provides for me.
I love the story of Elijah in 1 Kings 17. There was a drought in the land
that lasted a few years, just as God had said. But He didnt forsake His
servant. While the rest of the land suffered, the Lord instructed Elijah to
hide east of the Jordan River. There, he could drink water from a brook.
God also sent ravens to bring breakfast and supper for the prophet every
single day for more than a year.
When the brook ran dry, God instructed Elijah to move on to Zarephath
where He directed a widow to provide for him. Really, the Lord could have
chosen someone more suitable, someone with more means. Instead He
picked a penniless woman to feed His servant.
But thats our God. As the song goes, He can make a way where there
seems to be no way.
I remember my dads stories of how God provided for them when they
built their house. (I wasnt born yet.) He and mom counted up all their
money, including the ones they loaned from the bank. No matter how they
computed and budgeted the salary that would come in, it never amounted
to the cost of the construction. They cut down every conceivable expense.
Still, the money wasnt enough. But they went on with the construction as
they uttered the Pinoys favorite and oft-abused prayer: Bahala na.
As expected, the money ran out and the house was still unfinished.
My dad and mom were sitting on the unpolished stairs at the construction
site, wracking their brains on how to raise the money to finish their home,
when an American couple walked in. They had been driving around the
village to look for a house to rent. How much will you rent out this house?
asked the foreigner.
Its not for rent, Dad replied, Besides, we dont even have the money
to finish it.
The couple wandered about the house,

checking out the different rooms.
Then they returned to my parents. How much
do houses rent for in this place? the American asked.
Around P750 a month, I heard, Dad replied.
(Yup, those were the days when a few hundred
pesos could get you a more than decent roof over
your head!)
Unfazed, the foreigner continued, What if I pay
you three months rent in advance? Will you be able
to finish the house?
Dad and Mom looked at each other and had a
light bulb moment.
With P2,250, they were able to grind the floor,
paint the entire house, and finish the construction.
That house was rented out ever since, providing
a steady income stream for the family until the day it
was sold over 40 years later.
We can never limit the infinite ways that the
Lord can supply our needs. This year, open yourself
to His providence. Because He can use the most
unlikely ways to deliver His abundance right to your
doorstep.
Is God able to prepare a feast in the desert?
(Psalm 78:19)
Email me at justbreatherissa@gmail.com, subscribe
to my Facebook updates, or visit my website www.
rissasingsonkawpeng.com.
What to Expect This Month:

Keep your spirit fed with inspiring books all
year round! Join The Fantastic Life Club,
where you can get Bo Sanchezs newest
books in e-book format for as much as 60
percent off. Log on to www.shepherdsvoice.
com.ph and sign up now!
Hi,
Im Sarah!
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Changed address?
Defective copy?
For all subscription-related concerns
Call
Sarah
725-9999 local 105 411-7874 726-9918 0922-8147031
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ABOUT OUR COVER MODEL

James Paolo Paguio, our cover model this
month, is a person who loves to use his Godgiven talents to serve Him and to inspire and
empower His people. At The Feast* Alabang,
he uses his good speaking voice as a lector and
commentator. At work, he is a trainer under the
training group of Toyota Motor Philippines. On
the side, he also does hosting jobs.
James is an industrial engineering graduate
from De La Salle University (Dasmarias
Campus). He dreams of becoming a successful
entrepreneur someday, and not just to benefit
himself and his family but more so, to honor
and glorify God by helping those who are
in need. He also wants to be an educator
and motivational speaker to uplift people
emotionally and spiritually.
*The Feast is the weekly gathering of the Light of
Jesus Family in different venues. Check out www.
lightfam.com for schedules and venues or call
725-9999.
THE BO FILES
1 The Boss
DO YOU WANT TO
SUCCEED?
WORK ON YOUR
PATTERNS
40 Point of Contact
Whats
Inside
COLUMNS
3 Just Breathe
Can God Set a Table
in the Wilderness?
33 Seasons
WOMEN AT MIDLIFE:
REINVENTING AND
REDEFINING THE SELF
35 Faith @ Work
REAL MEN KEEP THEIR
PROMISES
January 2014
37 K Preacher
START, FINISH, START
AGAIN
DEPARTMENTS
SPECIAL SECTION
2 Mailroom
6 New You
7 Real Stuff
8 In the News:
CBCP, Church Groups Launch
Anti-Trafficking Movement
9 Nine-Year Era for New
Evangelization
10 Dear K
12 KFam Insider
13 Feast Snapshots
15 It Happened: FROM SQUATTER
TO PROPERTY DEVELOPER
39 One Last Story: A SUCCESSFUL
HUNDRED STEPS
19 OVERHAUL: The Power to

Change Your Life Is in Your
Hands
20 LET NO ONE FOOL YOU:
THE REAL KEY TO
SUCCESS IS... TO DO IT!
26 DO YOU HAVE PATTERNS
OF SUCCESS?
TESTIMONIES
24 FAILING FORWARD
30 REDEEMING TIME
founder and publisher BO SANCHEZ editor-in-chief RISSA SINGSON-KAWPENG managing editor TESS V. ATIENZA creative director MIKE CORTES graphics director REY DE
GUZMAN assistant layout designer LEAH KIM RECTO staff writer MARJORIE ANN DUTERTE contributing writers JUDITH CONCEPCION, BELLA ESTRELLA,OSY ERICA, REY
ORTEGA photographer DANIEL A. SORIANO columnists BISHOP TED BACANI JR., EARNEST L. TAN, OBET CABRILLAS, JON ESCOTO
chairman of the board and CEO BO SANCHEZ president and COO GIL CASTRO RAMISCAL vice-president for administration and finance WENG CEQUEA assistant vice-president
for production RISSA SINGSON-KAWPENG sales and marketing manager JOSEPH MARTINEZ
Kerygma. A Greek word meaning Proclamation of the Gospel. It is a Catholic inspirational magazine. It aims to be an evangelistic tool to all nations, providing Scriptural,
practical and orthodox teachings to Catholics, particularly those in the Catholic Renewal, as an alternative to present-day magazines. It is also committed to fostering
the renewal and unity of the whole Christian people. Philippine copyright Shepherds Voice Publications, Inc. 2014. No part of this magazine may be reproduced without
permission. Kerygma is published monthly by Shepherds Voice Publications, Inc., whose editorial and business offices are located at 60 Chicago St., Cubao, 1109 Quezon
City. Tel. Nos.: (632) 725-9999, 411-7874, 725-1190. Fax: 727-5615 Email: editsvp@shepherdsvoice.com.ph. Website: www.shepherdsvoice.com.ph
New
You
Tips for
HOW TO KEEP YOUR

NEW YEARS RESOLUTIONS
personal
development
HOW TO MANAGE
YOUR TIME
ant to achieve your most important goals

this year? Here are some valuable tips on
how you can manage your time efficiently
for a more productive you:
1. Identify your long-term (at least five years)

and short-term (six months to a year) vision.
Your big vision will be accomplished by taking
small steps, actions consistently done over
time.
2. Take the first 30 minutes of the day to plan
your day. Each day, list the six most important
things you can do to move forward with your
goals. These actions should be simple, small
and measurable.
3. Schedule two hours each day to turn off
your gadgets. Keep this time and use it to
create time blocks for high-priority thoughts,
conversations and actions. For example, from 6
a.m. to 8 a.m., resolve to do some exercise.
4. Schedule a time to answer email or return
calls. Take five minutes before every call and
task to decide what result you want to attain.
Then take five minutes after the call to review
whether your desired result was achieved. How
do you put whats missing in your next call or
activity?
Tip: Repeat Positive Actions.

The key to making change stick is a 40-day practice of repeating new
behavior. This repetition will allow you to truly make your desired change
last. Neurobiological studies show that 40 days of repeating new behavior
reprograms your brain by reversing neural pathways.
Sources: http://www.entrepreneur.com
Pineapple
ired of making New Years resolutions year in and year out? Try these
tips to fulfill them this 2014.
1. Just show up. The key to successfully create a new habit is to just show
up. If your goal is to be healthy through a sports program, the secret is
to show up where youre supposed to be and the rest will follow.
2. Go on a digital diet. Take a break from your phone or computer at least
once a day. During this break, take a walk, write in your journal, or dance
around your house.
3. Take yourself on a date. A powerful habit to create early in the year is
to commit to a genuine me time by taking yourself on a date. You can
prepare a nice meal for yourself, spend a few hours in a museum, or walk
through the park while listening to music.
4. Eat mindfully. Try to keep it simple and let go of an unhealthy eating
habit. For example, kick off drinking coffee or soda. Small shifts create
powerful change.
5: Unleash your creative side. Creative hobbies will take you out of your
daily patterns and recharge your spirit. Pledge to engage in a creative
project as often as possible. Youll find that time spent in creativity
heightens your happiness and gives you more energy for the other
areas of your life.
Source: http://www.positivelypositive.com
Quick Health Tip
ineapple contains a natural enzyme called bromelain, which

breaks down protein and helps aid digestion. Bromelain may
also help prevent blood clots, inhibit growth of cancer cells, and
speed up the healing of wounds. Rich in Vitamin C, it boosts our immune
system and prevents recurrent infections, colds and flu. Pineapple is also
an excellent source of manganese for antioxidant defense and of thiamin
(vitamin B1) for energy production.
Source: http://www.whfoods.com
Real
Stuff
A Prayer for Everyone
all your Mother. She hasnt heard from you in decades, says a
funny but wise saying found on a T-shirt logo. When was the
last time you prayed the rosary?
The rosarium was the term used for a collection of devotional
readings in the Middle Ages. But 300 years earlier, the poor person
has been known to pray on knotted strings as his form of devotion.
At a time when few people were literate, mostly monks, many
Christians wanted to share in the prayer of the monks who recited
150 Pater Nosters (Our Fathers), saying the rosary was as good as
chanting 150 palms as the monks did.
The rosary incorporates the highlights of Scripture, doctrine
and liturgy in an entirely accessible prayer form that the humblest
person can learn. Cardinal John Henry Newman said that the rosary
provides us with a way of holding in our hands all that we believe
and its a whole lot easier to put a rosary in our pockets than The
Catechism of the Catholic Church.
The most-repeated prayer of the rosary is the Hail Mary, which is
part Scripture: Hail Mary, full of grace! The Lord is with thee. Blessed
art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb (Luke
1:28, 42). It is also part supplication: Holy Mary, Mother of God,
pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death.
Reclaiming the rosary goes hand in hand with a restoration of
Marys rightful role in our Catholic faith. Mama Mary models our
Christian vocation and shows us how discipleship is done. Shes the
one who assures us that saying yes to God completely is possible.
Blessed Pope John Paul II recommended it as a prayer for peace.
In turning our eyes to Jesus and Mary, we might regain the ability
to look one another in the eye, the Pope said in Rosarium Virginis
Mariae. In which case, praying the rosary isnt only what traditional
Catholics do. Its what all Catholics might want to do more.
Entrepreneurs Reported
to Be Healthier
ccording to a study, entrepreneurs in the United

States are healthier than employees. Entrepreneurs
are less likely than other workers to report having
ever been diagnosed with chronic health problems such
as high cholesterol, high blood pressure and diabetes. And
they are less likely to be obese compared to other workers.
It is an amazing insight given that this group creates jobs,
launches new products, and innovates.
These findings were based on interviews made with
273,175 American adults as part of the Gallup Healthways
Well-Being Index survey. Of the number, 6,896 were
defined as entrepreneurs.
The differences between entrepreneurs and other
workers in obesity and in chronic disease rating were
found to be the same after controlling other factors such
as age, gender, race, ethnicity, region, income, education,
marital status, and weekly hours worked. This means that
there is something else about being an entrepreneur that
relates to having better health.
Entrepreneurs reported to have better health habits.
Compared to workers, they exercise frequently (60 percent
vs. 54 percent) and eat fruits and vegetables regularly.
Gallup says that it may be that the discipline and
energy needed for entrepreneurs to start and run their
own businesses may also drive them to exercise and eat
fruits and vegetables regularly. Self-employed adults have
the ability to set their own schedules and may have more
flexibility to exercise and plan healthy meals than those
who work for an employer.
Source: http://www.gallup.com
Source: http://www.vocationnetwork.org
St. Victorian of Asan

Born and Died: Not known 560 AD
Saints-at-a-Glance
t. Victorian was a native of Italy who founded monasteries and hospices

before settling briefly in France and later in northeast Spain. After living as a
hermit, he became abbot of the monastery of Asan. St. Victorian was known
for his devotion to the Blessed Sacrament.
He built a chapel adjoining his hermitage, far off from every loud noise in
the world, according to one biographer. In this [chapel], more frequently and
fervently, he poured forth his prayers before that indescribable sacrament of divine
goodness, and commended to God the health of the whole Church; and in this holy
exercise he consumed almost the whole day. His feast day is on January 12.
Source: http://www.catholic.org
In the
News
By Rey Ortega
CBCP, Church Groups Launch

Anti-Trafficking Movement
multi-sectoral gathering against human trafficking,

dubbed Freedom Forum, was launched at the Christ
Commission Fellowship Center in Pasig on September 5,
2013.
More than 600 people, including bishops, priests and
pastors, leaders of church organizations, and delegates
from government agencies, attended the forum. The Light of Jesus
Family was likewise represented in the forum.
At the forefront of the movement are the Catholic Bishops
Conference of the Philippines, National Council of Churches in the
Philippines, Philippine Council of Evangelical Churches, International
Justice Mission, the National Bureau of Investigation, and various civic
and church-based organizations nationwide.
The movement was organized in response to the alarming rise of
human trafficking in the Philippines, where records show that eight
out of 10 victims are women and children.
These victims end up in prostitution houses, forced labor gangs in
factories and farms, sex tourism destinations, and in the households of
unscrupulous employers here and abroad, especially the Middle East.
A very recent development is Pinay tourists being employed as
drug mules. Some of them had been caught and executed in China,
Malaysia and other Asian countries.
United Nations records reveal that human trafficking is now a
US$32-billion industry, ranking second only to drug trafficking and
illicit arms trade that fuels wars and insurrections worldwide.
In the Philippines, authorities believe there are at least 25,000
street children who are very vulnerable to syndicates engaged in
prostitution, robbery, professional begging, escort service, and fodder
for foreign pedophiles who target the Philippines regularly.
Unfortunately, government response is rather weak, as
government representatives to the Freedom Forum admitted. A
glaring example is the fact that for the whole year

of 2012, only 1,200 human trafficking victims were
rescued by the police and the Department of Social
Welfare and Development. The number of unrescued
victims cannot be estimated.
It was observed during the Forum that there
are more than a dozen laws enacted by Congress
to prevent and penalize human trafficking.
Church leaders lamented the fact that forceful
implementation of these laws is rather wanting.
Recently created to address the situation was the
Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking (IACAT). The
government had mandated the creation of IACATs in
all city, provincial and municipal government levels.
Many local government units still have to comply
as of September 2013, while those already existing
could barely show any concrete achievement.
As a culminating activity of the Freedom Forum,
Bishop Broderick Pabillo of CBCP, Bishop Efraim
Tendero of PCEC, and Reverend Rex Reyes Jr. of NCCP,
symbolically signed the Declaration of Solidarity
to formalize the launching of Philippine Inter-Faith
Movement Against Human Trafficking.
The Declaration was also signed by Atty. Andrew
Sawchenko, national director of International
Justice Mission; Sr. Michaela Gotangco, chair of
Association of Major Religious Superiors of the Phils;
and representatives of the Department of Justice,
National Bureau of Investigation, Overseas Workers
Welfare Administration, and several non-government
organizations.
Toward
the Great
Jubilee
2021
By Tess V. Atienza
2014: WELCOME The YEAR OF THE Laity!
Nine-Year Era for New Evangelization
n March 16, 1521, Magellan came to the Philippines and

charisms of the Holy Spirit among the laity and
introduced Christianity to our beloved land. The first Mass
make them co-agents of evangelization.
was celebrated in Limasawa Island on Easter Sunday,
The Light of Jesus Family, through its founder,
March 31 of the
Bo Sanchez, has been
same year.
tasked to focus
So on 2021,
on
wounded
NECESSARY
just seven short years from now,
families and to
The centrality of
INGREDIENTS FOR NEW
we will be celebrating 500 years
transform them
the Eucharist
EVANGELIZATION
of Christianity, a year of great
into wounded
jubilee for the Church in the
healers. Three
The grace that radiates
Philippines.
specific points
from the Eucharist
The
Catholic
of concern are:
has to accompany all
evangelizing efforts.
B i s h o p s
families that are
The necessity of
Conference of the
broken
because
prayer
Philippines has
one or both parents
As the Holy Spirit is
announced that
are working abroad;
the main agent of
we shall embark
couples
who are living
evangelization, we need
on a nine-year
together
without
the benefit
to listen to Him through
era
of
new
of
marriage;
couples
who are
prayer and follow His
leading.
evangelization.
married
in
civil
rites
only.
The necessity of
This started on
In response to this,
conversion
October 21, 2012
Kerygma will be devoting
The most effective and
and will culminate on
a column every month to
credible evangelizer is one
March 16, 2021.
address the concerns of
who has had a deep metanoia
wounded families.
a total conversion after
The Role of Light of Jesus in the
Together,
lets
encountering Jesus in his
Year of the Laity
cooperate
with
the
Holy
own life.
The incoming president of the
Spirit as He renews the face
CBCP, Bishop Socrates Villegas, has assigned various lay
of the earth.
communities to come up with programs to activate the
2013
Integral Faith
Formation
2013
DIFFERENT THEMES FOR EACH YEAR
Laity
The Poor
The Eucharist
and the Family
The Parish
as a
Communion of
Communities
2014
2015
2016
2017
Clergy and
Religious
2018
2021
Youth
Ecumenism
and InterReligious
Dialogue
2019
2020
Missio ad
gentes
(Missionaries
to the world)
2021
Dear
K
Which Is More Reverent:
To Sit or Stand During

Consecration?
I usually accompany my aging mother to Mass. She has a
bad back and finds it hard to kneel during the consecration.
What she does is remain standing during the parts of the
Mass where we have to kneel.
A few months back, I felt very hurt when some Mass
goers, especially those behind us, looked at my mom as if
she had committed a very grave sin when she did not kneel
at the consecration.
I have asked a few friends which would be more
reverent to remain standing or to sit down? But I did not
get any clear answer.
What is really the stand of the Church on this? Thank
you very much.
Dianne
Dear Dianne,
It was unfortunate that some Mass goers did not
show more understanding when they saw an elderly
lady remaining standing during consecration. As good
Christians, one could expect that they realized why your
mother was unable to kneel. But even some Christians
can be quite un-Christian at times.
On the other hand, we also have to understand
those who were seated behind you because they were
not able to see the elevated Host and Chalice during
consecration.
If we go back in the history of the Church, kneeling
was introduced rather late. In the first few centuries, the
faithful were standing throughout the Mass. It was a
sign of being redeemed and one with the Risen Christ.
(In some old basilicas in Rome, there were until recently
no chairs or benches to kneel on.) Chairs and benches
were introduced only later so that the faithful would be
more comfortable when listening to the readings and
homilies.
For your mother, therefore, it
would be best to sit down during
times when others kneel. She
would not obstruct the view and
people would surely understand
why your mother does not kneel.
God bless you and your dear
mother.
Fr. Rudy Horst, SVD
When Fr. Rudy Horst came to the Philippines in 1984, he was first
assigned to the Immaculate Conception Parish in Cubao. It was where
he came in contact with the still young Light of Jesus Family. In 1990,
he moved to Christ the King Mission Seminary, where he now serves
as head spiritual director of the seminarians and teaches Religious
Education. He also teaches Holy Scriptures at the Maryhill School of
Theology and the Divine Word School of Theology in Tagaytay.
Email your questions to editsvp@shepherdsvoice.com.ph. Or if you need to talk to someone, call (632)
726-4709 or 726-6728 to contact a Light of Jesus Pastoral Care Center counselor. Pastoral counseling
by telephone is 24 hours from Monday to Friday, and 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturdays. Face-to-face
pastoral counseling is by appointment. For correspondence pastoral counseling, email lojcounseling@
yahoo.com or go to www.kerygmafamily.com.
Or Call
(632) 725-9999
Pregnant? Confused? Abortion is not the answer. Contact Grace to Be Born at 0917-816-4700
or email reylindo.ortega@gmail.com. You may also contact Pro-life Philippines at (632) 733-7027.
10 KERYGMA JANUARY 2014
I Want to Resign But Cant

Because of Debts
Ive been in this job that is far from what I studied, and
earning a minimum income for the past two years. Ive
been applying for a new job but so far Ive not been lucky.
I dont know how to lift myself up from my debts if
nobody would give me a better paying job, especially
one thats related to my degree, which is accounting. Im
behind in experience, and I know thats the reason Im not
being accepted by the companies where I applied.
I cant resign from my current job because I have
monthly payments to meet. Even if my parents dont say
it, they have high expectations of me after I passed the
CPA Board exam. I know they are disappointed of what
Ive become. I cant even contribute to the schooling of my
two siblings in college. It pains that I cant do anything. I
feel so helpless, down and depressed lately.
Please counsel me.
Feeling Rejected
Dear Feeling Rejected,

Shalom! Gods peace be with you.
I can glean from your letter how affected you are
with the current situation you are in. Allow me to help
you think through your concerns.
First, regarding your concern about landing a job
related to your course. It is very important that you gain
confidence in yourself. Prospective employers will see
this when you go for an interview. The fact that you are
a Board-passer is already something to your advantage.
Not every one who takes the CPA Board exam passes.
This should help boost your confidence, so keep this in
mind.
However, be willing to start at the bottom since, as
you said, you are behind in experience in your field.
Then, from there, you can slowly build a career in the
Accounting field.
Second, your concern regarding debts and the
monthly payments you need to make. Review where
your salary goes. What are your spending habits like?
Are you living beyond your means? Come up with a
reasonable budget based on your income and slowly
get yourself out of debt.
You can also try having a sideline. You can try
approaching small companies and offer your services as
a retainer by handling their books of accounts. You can
eventually add this to your resume as an accountant.
Hopefully, this will help you get the
job that you desire and allow you
as well to meet your obligations.
Praying that Gods peace may
reign in your heart.
Reng Morelos
Reng Morelos gave up her corporate job years ago to become a full-time
wife and mom. She supports her husband, Hermie, in his ministry as one
of the leaders of the Light of Jesus Family. She has been with LOJ since
1981 and once handled the single sisters of the community.
JANUARY 2014 KERYGMA 11
K Fam
Insider
By Rey Ortega
GOD SAVED THIS BABY NOT ONCE BUT TWICE
awawang sanggol yan! Mukhang di niya talaga

kapalaran ang mabuhay pa. (What an unfortunate
baby! Seems he is not really fated to live.)
And so it would seem to fatalistic persons who
came to know the journey of the infant, before and
after he was born. After all, the events that happened
to his mother and to him seemed to indicate that the baby is not
destined to live a full life.
Minyang (not her real name) grew up in a dirt-poor village in
the northern part of the Philippines. Her father used to work as a
wet market laborer in Quezon City, hiring himself out to any vendor
who needed his services.
Her mother works then and now as a stay-in
laundrywoman in a middle-class family in their town. Her husbands
and her weekly earnings supported their eight children.
None of the eight kids managed to finish even high school.
Two of the elder children got married while still in their teens and
left the family to live in the houses of their spouses.
Minyang was able to reach second year high school, walking
daily to the nearest school about three kilometers from their house.
Her grades were consistently low, always on the brink of failing, as
she was not intellectually inclined to serious studies.
She had some attitude problems, too. Rebellious, prone to
hanging out with her barkada (gang), often going home late at
night, she hated being corrected by her parents and elder siblings
whenever she misbehaved.
So it did not come as a surprise to her friends when, one day,
Minyang discovered that she was pregnant. She was barely 16 years
old then. She and her boyfriend decided to abort her pregnancy.
She tried various means of abortion. When her attempts failed, her
boyfriend suddenly disappeared.
Minyangs solution was to run away from her family and to
work as a househelp in Makati. But when her employer discovered
that she was pregnant, they dismissed her promptly.
Roaming the streets of Makati aimlessly, she chanced upon the
office of Pregnancy Support Services of Asia (PSSA) in Don Bosco,
Makati. The PSSA staff gave her counseling and convinced her to
seek shelter in Grace to Be Born, one of Bo Sanchezs ministries
dedicated to saving the unborn from abortion and providing
temporary residential care to unwed pregnant mothers in crisis.
The PSSA staff brought her to Grace shelter in March 2013
and, two months later, Minyang gave birth to a baby boy whom
she named, ironically, after the angel that announced to

Mama Mary that she will conceive a Son.
Then one evening, when everybody was asleep,
Minyang ran away from the Grace shelter, completely
abandoning her baby, Gabriel.
Hence the rather unkind remarks of some mothers
about the hapless baby not fated to live. The baby
suffered rejection not once but twice when he was
nearly aborted by his mother and then later abandoned.
When the Grace shelter staff discovered what had
happened, they immediately contacted Minyangs
parents in the province. Assured by the parents that,
yes, they were willing to accept and take care of their
grandson, the Grace staff sighed a collective prayer of
thanks.
And so, on a rainy day in August, the ministry servants
brought Gabriel to his grandparents in the province.
Throughout the trip, Gabriel was very quiet. Not once did
he cry or make any fuss. His guardian angel must have
worked double time that day.
A baby twice rejected?
Nope. The Grace to Be Born servants would rather
think that God, in His loving mercy, twice saved baby
Gabriel.
After all, every baby is a sign that, despite all the
drudgery and sinfulness of humanity, there is still hope
for mankind.
Baby Gabriel is one such sign that God has not given
up on our sinfulness.
Before I formed you in the womb, I knew you; and before
you were born, I consecrated you. Jeremiah 1:5
Abortion is an assault on the Creators right to bring
eternal persons into existence. John Piper
Grace to Be Born is located at 53 Dr. Sixto Ave.,

Kapasigan, Pasig City. For inquiries, contact Rey
Ortega at 0922-859-7035 or email him at reylindo.
ortega@gmail.com. Donations are most welcome
and may be deposited to Grace to Be Borns Banco
de Oro S/A No. 397-005-9687.
Feast
Snapshots
Text by Osy Erica

Photos by Mark Domingo
ONE IS NOT
Bigger, Better Feast Bicutan
ENOUGH
eptember 7, 2013 saw Feast

Bicutan growing bigger and
better from one session
to two sessions in just a few
months. Truly, one session is not
enough to contain all the love
and blessings God has in store for all His
children this side of the South.
Worship
leader
Lyra
Isidoro
congratulated the assembly as everyone
became part of that momentous event.
Growth was the central theme of the
session as Feast Bicutan builder Velden
Lim emphasized the importance of
growth over goals. Each of us were made
to grow others by growing ourselves first,
and growth can only be realized with
change.
Velden dared the crowd to desire
change rather than disregard it, delay
it, or drive it away. The enemy of great
is not bad or worst but good. It was a
call to be content with what we have but
never with what we can give and share
with others. For as we grow, we become
prepared for the better things that will
come our way and equipped to bless the
world.
So accept change and welcome
growth. Start with your spiritual life
by heading over to the growing Feast
Bicutan, where better things come and
will continue to come.
Feast Bicutan happens every Saturday, 5:30

p.m. and 7:30 p.m., at Cinema 1, SM Bicutan,
Paraaque City.
Maves testifies to the fact that, with

faith and hope in God, coupled with
hard work and perseverance, one can
overcome even the biggest obstacles
and succeed in life.
It
Happened
From Squatter to Property Developer

And how she dreamed big, worked hard, and trusted in her big God
By Maves Angeles
As told to Bella Estrella
Photos by Ces Arcilla
n a span of 20 years, my family has moved from one

house to another not five times, not 10 times,
but 15 times.
But today, full of faith in the power of God,
coupled with hard work, patience and perseverance,
we live comfortably in a decent home we now call
our own.
Whats more, I am now a property developer.
God has turned our hardships into harvest, our lack to
abundance.
No Permanent Address
My father was a construction worker from Mindoro. Then he
became a street vendor, selling his art paintings. My mother,
from Leyte, was a house helper in a plush subdivision in Makati.
When they got married, my mother stayed home while my father
sold his paintings on the streets.
I am the only girl and the youngest in a brood of four. Our
fathers earnings were just enough for our basic needs. My
brothers and I had to sell plastic bags and other stuff in the public
market. Id often hear my father say, I will try to sell something
Maves with her parents, who inspired her to work hard.
first, whenever Id ask him to buy me anything. Usually, hed be

able to buy what I wanted after a month, but not always. To watch
TV, we would peep through a hole in our neighbors house.
At the young age of five, I had always lived in fear that our
house would be demolished anytime, that a demolition team
with clubs and truncheons would arrive and force us to vacate
our home. My parents, as well as our neighbors, were always
ready to form barricades with their home-made guns, bombs
or pillbox to resist demolition.
It hurt to know that the houses we lived in were not our own
and could never be ours. We were called NPAs, or people with
no permanent address.
We repeatedly went through packing our belongings,
unpacking them in another house, making friends with new
neighbors, only to leave, transfer to another house, and meet
new friends again after a little more than a year. We went
through that cycle for two decades.
The death of my two brothers the eldest from a

motorcycle accident and my third brother from leukemia
added to the anxieties in my heart during our years of
hardship.
My Dream
Despite the sorry lot in life that I was born into, I continued
to dream that one day, we will be delivered from poverty.
I resolved to myself, I will not marry until we have
bought our own house. I will let my parents experience the
good life.
I worked hard in school. My parents could not afford
to send me to a private university, but I studied in a state
university, the Polytechnic University of the Philippines,
where I finished B.S. Economics in 2002.
Doors of Opportunity
God must have heard my prayers for a better life for me
and my family.
A few months after my college graduation, doors
to the real estate world opened. I immediately grabbed
the opportunity and was surprised that I liked selling
properties.
I did it simultaneously with my first job in the foreign
exchange department of an investment company. Later,
while having a full-time job in a flower delivery company, I
did real estate selling on weekends. I did not immediately
make my first sale. It took about a year before I was able to
sell a farm, then a house and lot. Then I began selling two
to three properties every year. But by Gods grace, coupled
with hard work and perseverance, I eventually succeeded
as a real estate agent. For a year, I also worked as a
supervisor in a big and well-known real estate company
that developed urban properties.
After five years, I got my first big commission of
P300,000 equivalent to my salary for one and a half years.
That prompted me to leave my full time job and focus on
real estate.
And so it happened. At the age of 27, after five years
of selling real estate, I was able to help my parents buy our
own townhouse in Cavite.
At long last, I was able to sleep in peace, on my own
bed, without fear of demolition squads and landlords
forcing us to leave. No need to pay any rent, and never
again to be kicked out from our home.
In 2008, with the help of my surviving brother, I put up
my own real estate company, Happy Homes Realty. With
that, I could not ask for anything more. God has granted
my prayers and, indeed, He has delivered us out of poverty.
God Blessed My Love Life
I was already happy and satisfied with what I got my
dream house and my own business. But God was far from
finished in blessing me.
Christian was my dream guy. We were best friends
since we were sophomores at the Pateros National High
School. We were always together. He knew that I had a
crush on him, but he didnt entertain the idea. To him, I was
a best friend and nothing more.
We went to different universities for college, graduated, and became

busy with our own careers, seeing each other only occasionally. Little did I
know that he was beginning to miss me and our good times together. And as
more years passed, he realized that he could not afford to lose me.
And so, after 13 long years of being best friends, my dream guy finally
courted me. It took him that long to realize that I was his dream girl, too!
God Doubled My Riches
Ever since Christian became my best friend, and later my boyfriend, I was
happy whenever we were together. I have always loved him through all those
years.
Never did I ask him about the financial standing of his family because it
did not matter to me at all. Neither did he tell me anything about it. When I
was much younger, my father often told me, Do not marry a rich man because
we are poor. If you marry someone rich, his family will only look down on
us.
After one year of being in a romantic relationship, Christian and I tied the
knot in October 2009 at the Our Lady of Remedies Parish Church in Malate,
Manila. But shortly before our wedding, I learned that Christian inherited from
his parents an ancestral home that sits on a 3,000-square-meter property in
Manila and another 1,000-square-meter property nearby.
And that 1,000 square meter property is what I am now developing into
residential housing units with trusted business partners and the full support
of my husband and brother-in-law.
God doubled my riches. He blessed me financially, and when it was time
for me to say I do, he gave me a husband who is truly rich both in love and
in finances.
Together in Spirit
I joined the Legion of Mary when my family moved to Pembo, Makati. We did
block rosaries there. Christian, for his part, invited me to attend a big Born
Again Christian group where he enjoyed the preaching and the sharings.
In
2008,
Arlene
Batislaong, our good friend
and neighbor in Pembo,
invited us to attend The
Feast at the Valle Verde
Country Club where she
was serving. It was a
blessing because, through
The Feast, Christian and I
are now together practicing
the same faith.
Today, we serve at The
Feast PICC in the Couples
Ministry, which aims to
promote great relationships
with the Lord and happy
marriages. Christian was
also recently anointed as
a lay minister of the Holy
Eucharist at The Feast.
I believe that Matthew
6:33 contains the secret of
our success. It says, Seek
first the Kingdom of God
and His righteousness,
and all these things will be
Maves with Christian, her husband and best
added unto you. To remind
friend forever.
One of the projects of Maves realty company.
myself of this truth, I have this posted in

my room and in every house where we
transferred to remind myself to always put
God first. I did it in our times of difficulties,
never losing trust in Him, and God proved to
be faithful.
Reaching Out to Others
My trust in Gods promise has borne rich
blessings, not only for myself and my family,
but also for many others. I have shared my
story to 10,000 people at The Feast PICC. Ive
also gone to Cebu to speak in front of 3,000
people.
As a platinum member of Bo Sanchezs
Truly Rich Club, I contribute articles on real
estate for the Wealth Circles newsletter.
Today, I help people achieve their own
dreams through my real estate coaching site
www.myrealestatemaven.com. A friend of
mine read my articles and encouraged me
to inspire fellow Filipinos abroad. My first
stint outside the country will be in Qatar
this year, where I will speak in front of 300
Overseas Filipino Workers on how real estate
can help them fulfill their dreams of having
an abundant life.
I am a living testimony that God can
do great things in our life, no matter how
difficult our past may have been. In His
perfect time, all my dreams came true, and I
believe the same will happen to anyone who
puts God above all things in his life.
Introduction
Special
Section
By Bo Sanchez
Overhaul!
The Power to Change Your Life

Is in Your Hands
ve often encountered people who promise to change their life, who make long lists
of resolutions every time a new year starts. Sadly, when I meet the same people a
few months later, they have not started to move an inch toward their goals.
Why? Because they wait for the perfect conditions before they pursue them.
Thats not the right framework, though.
Whatever your situation is, you can start the change by doing just that:
Start now.
Start small.
And start again!
Special
Section
by
By Bo
Bo Sanchez
Sanchez
LET NO ONE FOOL YOU:
THE REAL KEY TO

SUCCESS IS...
TO DO IT!
ve been helping people change their lives for more than 30 years.
And Ive realized that one of the most common reasons people dont change
is because they wait for the perfect condition to come.
But thats a recipe for staying the same.
One November morning, an overweight guy told, I really want to get healthy.
I want to start walking one solid hour every morning.
Great, I told him, when will you start?
I just need to buy a new pair of rubber shoes, he beamed, and Im good to go. I
want to walk with those with hi-tech rubber shoes with air cushions in their soles. Once I
buy that, Im ready to conquer the streets. Boy, am I excited!
When I checked him out the next month, he said, Oh, Bo, its the Christmas season.
Im just super busy now. You know, with all the shopping and late-night parties. But I
promise you, Bo, when Christmas is over, Ill really get to it. Nothing is going to stop me
from my morning exercise!
In the middle of January, I bumped into him again. He said, Ive not been able to
start yet. Gosh, theres a huge backlog in the office. Let me clear that off first. And Ill jump
into my exercise program right away.
When I talked to him in April, he said, Summer is crazy, Bo. My kids are taking
painting and music classes, and I have to drive them to all these classes every day. After
the insanity of summer is over, Im really going to start walking every morning. You just
wait. Ill be burning the road. Ill be sweating like a horse. Ill be losing pounds.
When June rolled in, he said, The kids are back in school. Let me just settle them,
buy their books, their uniforms, their notebooks, and Ill reeeeeeeeally start my exercise
program in the morning. I mean, I cant wait to walk on the road. The moment I start, I
wont stop. Thats me. Thats my personality. I dont want to start anything half-baked.
When I checked on him in October, he said, Oh, Bo, Christmas season is starting early
this year. Let me just let the Christmas season pass by and Ill reeeeeeeeeally get started
on my morning walk
This man will never start.
Do you want to know if youll succeed in life or not?
Simply ask this question: Will you excuse or execute?
Just Do It
Let me ask you: What change have you been postponing in your life? What new move have you
been delaying because the conditions arent perfect?
Perhaps you want to change your spiritual life.
Or you want to change your financial life.
Or you want to change your family life.
I urge you: Start now!
Just do it wasnt invented by Nike.
Over 2,000 years ago, Jesus said the same thing:
What do you think? There was a man who had two sons. He went to the first and said, Son,
go and work today in the vineyard. I will not, he answered, but later he changed his mind
and went. Then the father went to the other son and said the same thing. He answered, I will,
sir, but he did not go. Which of the two did what his father wanted?
Matthew 21:28-31
At the end of the day, intentions mean nothing without execution.
THE THREE PRINCIPLES OF EXECUTION
Do you want to succeed in your life? Execute.
For me, execution means three things:
1. Start now.
2. Start small.
3. Start again.
1. Start Now
One day, I was walking in a mall when a man approached me.
He said, Bo, Im a big fan. I read your books. I watch your TV
show. What I really want to do is attend The Feast.
I said, Youre very welcome. Come!
He said, Even when The Feast was at Camp Aguinaldo,
I already wanted to attend it. (Note: Thats what we call our
weekly spiritual gathering.)
Huh? We were in Camp Aguinaldo centuries ago.
He said, And when you moved to Valle Verde, I wanted
to attend there. And then you moved to PICC, I wanted to join
there, too. But I never was able to attend
Why not? I asked.
Im just fixing something in my life, Bo. Theres something
Im repairing in my life. Once thats fixed, Ill start joining you
every Sunday.
I told him, Dont fix it on your own. Just come to The
Feast as you are, and let you and God fix together what needs
to be fixed.
Dont wait for a perfect condition before you execute.
My Awful Book
I remember the first book I ever wrote in my life. I was 20 years
old. The book was entitled When My Brook Runs Dry.
Honestly, it was awful.
When I read it now, I cringe.
I feel so ashamed. I want to
dig a hole in the ground
and hide my head. My
grammar was shameful.
My use of adjectives
and adverbs was utterly
deplorable.
I never reprinted it.
Oh,
there
have
been attempts. Some of
my friends insisted that I
republish the book, telling
me that theyll even pay for
its reprinting. I want you to
know theyre no longer my
friends.
Just kidding.
But no matter how
terrible that book is, that
was how my writing
ministry started. Today,
I have written more
than 30 bestselling
books. And I wouldnt
be writing my 36th book
now if I didnt write my
first awful book.
Its the same with
Kerygma magazine.
In
1990,
we
launched Kerygma.
Do you know what
topic I wrote for our first issue? Hell. It was very readerfriendly.
But because of that crazy start, we have eight
periodicals today blessing the world with Gods love.
And Kerygma remains the widest read inspirational
magazine in the country.
Do you see a pattern? First things can be awful. But
they open the path for the future.
Get Over the First Tabo
A few decades ago, most Filipinos didnt use showers.
The shower spout was a dcor. Reason: the weak water
pressure all over the city.
So we used the dipper or tabo.
We also didnt have water heaters.
I remember the ordeals of cold mornings. When I
took a bath, the first tabo of water was the most difficult.
After that, it was more bearable.
My friend had this great idea. He told me, Because
the first tabo is the coldest, I simply throw it away (I
have very weird friends.)
Havent you noticed? When we take a bath, we just
start.
We dont hold the tabo and wait for the water to get
warm.
We simply grit our teeth and pour the first tabo of
water on our bodies and scream, Brrrrrrrrrr!
Do you have a project? A dream? A plan?
Just start.
Real Artists Ship
The late Apple founder, Steve Jobs, said, Real artists ship.
Artists are notorious for not delivering their
masterpieces on time. Because theyre not in the mood,
or theyre not satisfied with their work, or theyre still
perfecting this or that detail. Artists are known for
creating beautiful designs and concepts in their minds
but they fail to deliver to the customer on time.
But Steve Jobs said, Then youre not a real artist.
Because real artists ship real products to real customers.
One of the reasons why artists dont ship? Insecurity.
Were afraid of what other people will say if they spot this
or that error.
But let me twist Steve Jobs famous line: Real artists
serve.
If youre after serving others instead of your ego,
youll bring out your product to the world and let it bless
others even if it isnt perfect.
2. Start Small
Dont wait for big things before you start. In other words,
catch small fish before big fish.
I know of a man who everyone calls Mr. Billionaire.
Not because hes a billionaire, but because he always
talks about the billion peso deals hes making.
One day, he tells me, Bo, Im talking with some
Japanese billionaires. Theyre buying a prime property of
200 hectares for a malunggay plantation. Wow.
On another day, he tells me, Im brokering a deal with the

Koreans. They want to invest 100 billion pesos to start a herbal
company. Amazing.
On another day, he tells me, Im talking with the people of
San Miguel for a possible power plant in Mindanao.
Theyre very impressive projects. And after each conversation,
hell always tell me, Bo, once this deal is finished, Ill donate P25
million to your ministry.
But sadly, Ive been talking to the guy for 13 years, and not a
single deal has been done.
In the meantime, his friends tell me, Bo, can you pray for our
pal? Hes always broke. Hes renting a run-down apartment and
he cant even pay for it.
Whats wrong with him? Hes not starting small. Hes trying
to catch big fish before small fish.
Before Steven Spielberg made E.T, Jaws, and Jurassic Park, he
started as a 12-year-old kid making amateur movies about their
familys camping trip.
Before Manny Paquiao fought de la Hoya and Marquez, he
fought struggling boxers like himself and lost many times.
Start small.
Heres why: When you start, youll always make many
mistakes. If you start small, you make small mistakes. But if you
start big, youll make big mistakes. Thats very costly and painful.
This even applies in ministry.
Jesus said, But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit
comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and
in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth (Acts 1:8).
God will use you in Jerusalem first. Later, Hell expand your
impact to the entire province of Judea and Samaria. After that,
the entire world.
Finally
Heres the key to success: Dont stop moving.

When you start and fail, start again.
The old formula for success was Ready, Aim,
Fire.
Today, were realizing that the real formula for
success is Ready, Aim, Fire, Aim, Fire, Aim, Fire
In other words, dont aim for perfect execution
but persistent execution.
Dont Bury Your Dreams
I usually do my morning walk around our village.
But one day, I decided to take my morning
walk in the cemetery beside our village. I love going
there because its very quiet. And even if you run
and make noise, the homeowners dont complain.
While walking, I realized I was surrounded by
thousands of tombs. But I wasnt only surrounded
by dead people; I was also surrounded by the tombs
of dead dreams. Books that were never written.
Songs that were not sung. Friendships that were
not kindled. Businesses that were not launched.
Ministries that were not started.
Because people didnt execute.
Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with
all your might, for in the realm of the dead,
where you are going, there is neither working
nor planning nor knowledge nor wisdom.
Ecclesiastes 9:10
Friend, dont let your dreams die with you.
Email me at bosanchez@kerygmafamily.com.
3. Start Again
I heard this inspiring story from Les Brown.
One day, two guys were retrenched. And they went looking
for new job, but the economy was so bad, there were no job
openings.
One guy got discouraged, watched TV, drank beer, became
toxic with his wife, and talked negative with his other negative
unemployed friends, with topics such as
How the economy is going to the dogs.
How the rich are robbing us blind.
How politicians are destroying the country.
But the second guy kept applying. But no matter what he
did, he was still rejected. The most common reason they told him
was, Youre overqualified for the job.
But he never gave up. He kept knocking on doors.
One day, in desperation, he said to one of the bosses he
was talking to, Look, you dont have to pay me. I just want to be
useful.
The boss said, OK, but dont expect me to pay you.
He came to work every day. He was the first guy to come in
and the last guy to leave even if he wasnt paid.
Four weeks later, the top manager quit. The owners looked
for a replacement. And they remembered that they had this
volunteer working in their office. They hired him and that
man now runs the company.
BOS ACTION STEPS

1. What are your dreams?
Create images for your
dreams by making a
dream board. Post it on
your bedroom or office
wall, where you can see it
every day.
2. Identify small steps that
you can do each day/week
to reach your dreams.
3. Pray about your dreams
every day.
Special
Section
Testimony
FAILING FORWARD
By Rolina Aluba Bontia
As told to Judith Concepcion
y mother handed me a creased and

slightly torn sheet of paper that she
found inside my fathers toolbox. It
contained drawings that I made when
I was in third grade. I was giving some
paper money to my parents, and
underneath those images I had written my ambitions
in life: to finish school, to work, and to help my parents.
As I grew up, I added a few more to those dreams:
to get married at the age of 30 to a man whos
responsible and hardworking like my father; to have
four or five kids; and to have a home filled with love,
attention, understanding and laughter.
In trying to make those dreams a reality, my life
took a detour, causing me and my loved ones many
tears and heartaches.
Her failed marriage did not deter Rolina from drawing closer to God
and serving Him.
Shattered Dreams and Broken Hearts

I came from a poor family. Being the eldest among
four siblings, my family expected much from me. As a
responsible and loving daughter, I took it upon myself to
help augment my fathers income by working as a nanny
and doing ironing jobs for some of our neighbors as early
as 12 years old. Though I was granted a full scholarship in
college, I still had to work though for my daily expenses
and other requirements at school.
All was going well with college life until I got pregnant
on my last semester. Scared to go home, I stowed away
with my boyfriend for more than a month before I went
home to my parents in the province. Understandably, my
family was very disappointed and angry with me. Though I
was able to graduate with honors before I gave birth, I felt
that I failed them as a daughter.
My boyfriend wanted me to abort the baby but I
refused. That was when he began to turn cold and distant.
Later, he started hurting me physically and emotionally
even if I was pregnant.
At his fathers insistence, we got married in church
two months after giving birth to our son. We were later
blessed with a daughter and another son. All the while, we
lived with my in-laws and worked in their family-owned
businesses. Fortunately, I was still able to give financial
support to my parents.
My husband hurt me often even with the slightest

provocation. Whenever he hurt me, I just kept silent or locked
myself inside the toilet and cried when the kids were around. He
also hurt my eldest son emotionally and a few times physically.
My children then became scared of their father. I kept my
pathetic situation from my family until I couldnt take it anymore
and confessed it to my father.
My self-confidence and self-respect plummeted. All I could
feel was self-pity. I kept blaming myself for the mess I got myself
into. At that point in my life, I lost my faith in marriage.
My husband and I separated. I also tendered my resignation
from his dads company. But through the pleadings of my in-laws,
I went back after three months. Nothing changed. My husband
continued to hurt me emotionally. He brought his female friends
at home, without minding how I would feel. Its as if I didnt exist.
Escape to Freedom
One day, I ran away from my in-laws house, bringing with me
my three children. Three months after we left, my husband and
his bodyguards went to my best friends house, where we were
staying for a short vacation, and forcibly took my two younger
children (the eldest was able to hide). I fought to protect my kids
but I only got hurt. Two days later, I filed a writ of habeas corpus.
He had no choice but to surrender my kids because they were
both below seven years old.
I thought everything would be smooth sailing. Almost two
years later, I was at work when my husband took my kids out,
with my fathers permission, allegedly to buy them dinner. But
he never brought them back home. I filed a case again to get my
children back.
It was pure torture to be separated from my children. Seeing
them during court hearings and not able to hold them was
excruciating. I wanted to give up on the case because I pitied
my children, but my lawyer was insistent. What kept me going
were prayers.
One day, for reasons to their advantage, my in-laws allowed
me to meet my children twice a week. My kids and I enjoyed this
privilege for some time until I found an opportunity to take my
children away from their guards. We temporarily took refuge in
the house of a friend living in another province.
After a week, we celebrated Christmas with my family at
my grandfathers house in another province. I was thinking it
could be the last Christmas we would spend with my children as
I planned to return them to their father.
I felt like a criminal, guilty of violating the court order that
the custody of the kids must be with the father while the case
was ongoing. I knew that what I did would be detrimental to the
case. And so I braced myself to lose the case.
Before the year ended, the decision came out. I won and my
kids were officially mine again!
Wake-up Call
Almost every day of my life, I missed my husband. I loved
him very much he was my life. I continued to pray for his
transformation because I still wanted to save our marriage. I also
knew that what God has joined together, no man shall separate.
I thought my prayers were answered when, in 2007, my
husband frequented my parents house where my children
and I were staying. He even slept there often and was

extra nice to us. He probably had a change of heart and
wanted us to become one family again or so I thought.
But after he lost the election, he went back to his usual
self. He couldnt be contacted anymore. I realized it was
all for show. He just used us for his political campaign. I
was devastated.
After a few months, a friend invited me to attend a
prayer gathering of the Bukas Loob sa Diyos Community
where Bo Sanchez was the speaker. In the middle of his
talk, he paused and then said: There is someone among
you here who is praying that her wrecked marriage will
be restored. The Lord is telling you right now that this
person has turned his back on you. It doesnt mean
that God doesnt love you and that you are incomplete
without that person. God has something best for you.
Open up your heart and look around. That message
woke me up to reality.
Without my knowledge, my husband was already
working on our annulment. No hearings ensued. I just
learned that our marriage was finally annulled when
he texted me to check the status of our marriage in the
National Statistics Office.
Rolina may have failed in the past but the lessons she
learned helped her move on confidently with Gods grace.
Moving Forward
I couldnt do anything to correct my past mistakes. Whats
important is that I am using the lessons Ive learned to
push me towards the right direction and lead me to
action. I had failed but I got back up, tried again, and
didnt stay defeated. I have regained my self-confidence
and recognized my worth as a beloved child of God. My
trials helped me grow in faith and determination.
God opened a new path for me. He gave me a
business that provides jobs to the marginalized people
in my province. I am also able to support my spiritual
family, the Light of Jesus.
My children and I are now regular Feast attendees
and happily serving in different ministries. We also
served in the past Kerygma Conferences held in our city.
I may have failed in the past but I chose to fail
forward. And Im now moving towards a better life and
a better me.
Special
Section
By Bo Sanchez
DO YOU HAVE PATTE
SUCCES
ERNS OF
SS?
ace it.
Its easy to be a good boy or good girl once in a
while.
Its easy to love your spouse once in a while.
(Even a drunk, wife-beating husband who maintains
three girlfriends can love his wife once in a while.)
Its easy to eat your veggies once in a while.
Its easy to stop smoking once in a while.
Its easy to come to a prayer meeting (like The Feast) once
in a while.
But if you want massive changes in your life, you have to
do it all the time. The Bible says, And let us not grow weary in
doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give
up (Galatians 6:9).
Success, after all, is all about patterns.
Create Patterns of Success
Do you want to succeed in your life?
If you want success, you need to create patterns of success.
Habits. Rituals. Almost non-thinking, second nature, repeated
behavior.
If you want to be happier in your life, you have to create
patterns of happiness.
If you want to be healthy in your body, you have to create
patterns of health.
If you want more love in your relationships, you have to
create patterns of love.
Heres a fact: According to research, 90 percent of our
behaviors are patterns. Habits. Rituals. Ninety percent!
You Cant Help But Win
Heres the good news: If you create patterns of success, it will
be very difficult not to succeed. You cant help but win. Even if
you tried losing, it wont be easy.
Example? I was reading about Larry Bird.
Larry Bird is in the Guinness Book of World Records as one of
the best shooters in basketball history.
One day, Larry was doing a television commercial.
The director told him, Larry, heres what I want you to do. I
want you to take a shot and miss.
Larry said, Sure!
Lights, camera, action! the production assistant shouts.
Larry takes the ball, throws it into the air, and it goes
straight into the ring. Oops, Larry says, sorry!
Its OK, the director says, miss the shot this time, Larry.
Take 2!
Lights, camera, action! the man with the clapper hollers
again.
Larry grabs the ball, looks up, and shoots and the ball
goes in again. Oh no, he says, I really am very sorry.
Take three! the director shouts again.
Guess what. On the third try, Larry drills it in again.
This is astounding: It took Larry 15 takes before he finally
missed a shot.
Why? Because for the past 30 years, Larry had a pattern of
shooting that ball in. His conscious mind was telling him, Miss
the shot! But his subconscious mind was telling his entire
body, Shoot it in! And most of the time, the subconscious
mind wins.
I read something amazing. For years, after each team practice,

Larry Bird would stay behind. When all the players had left, hed shut
off the lights in the court. And in semi-darkness, hed shoot for 30 more
minutes.
Let me repeat: When you have a pattern of success, itll be very
difficult not to succeed in life.
Focus on Your Magic 20 Percent
And the great thing about success is that it doesnt involve a humungous
list of habits.
Remember the Pareto Principle? Twenty percent of causes produce
80 percent of the results.
So heres how to change your life: Focus on the magic 20 percent of
habits that produce 80 percent of the results you desire.
Ive found this true in my life. If you want to succeed in any area of
your life, it really boils down to three or four habits only in each area.
Let me give you three examples from my life
Marriage Success
To make my wife happy, Ive found out that it comes down to three habits
only. How did I discover these three habits? I deciphered
her love language. (Note: What I am about to explain
is my wifes love language. Your spouse may have a
totally different love language and so youll have
a different list of three habits than mine.)
When I wrote my goal, To be a great husband,
it was such a daunting dream. It seemed gigantic.
But today, I realized that if I just focus on doing three
simple habits, Id be very close to becoming a great
husband.
First, I should date her weekly. If I miss a date
with her (lets say Pope Francis called me up on
our date night for a conference call to consult on
whether to canonize someone), I should replace
that date within that same week.
Second, I should text her when Im away from
home. She says that she wants to feel that I still
think of her, that were still connected even if
were physically apart.
Third, I should compliment her once a day.
I need to tell her, Youre wonderful, or I love
your dress, or You look stunning today.
Ive discovered that if I just do these three
rituals every day, Ill make my wife very happy.
Mababaw ang kaligayahan ng misis ko. (My
wife is easy to please.)
To make her happy, I dont have to give
her elaborate or expensive gifts. In fact, I never
do. Because gifts arent her love language.
(Now you know why Im rich.) For anniversary,
birthday and Christmas gifts, shed rather
receive love letters from me. So thats what I
give her. Even if I write the same thing over and
over again (Im tempted to photocopy them),
she still cries when she reads them.
And I really believe that most of us are the
same we just need three or four rituals to make
us happy.
Even our kids
Parenting Success
In my list of dreams, I wrote down, To be a great
father.
Again, this is such a gigantic dream, its
intimidating.
But I realized that all it takes are three or four
habits.
For example, to succeed as a father to my
youngest son, Francis, Ive whittled it down to three
habits. If I do these three habits, I would succeed in
building a strong bond with him. (Note: I have another
list of habits for my eldest son, Benedict.)
Let me go over them one by one.
First, I should tell bedtime stories to Francis
every night. And recently, I dont read books to him
anymore. I just make up an original story from my
head. And he loves it because he can change
the story midstream. Im hallucinating that by
spending time with my son before bedtime, theres
this possibility that I can shape his last thoughts and
dreams. Who knows? Perhaps the wisdom and values
I gave him linger in his thoughts longer.
Second, I should take a walk with him around
our village every morning. While walking, we talk
about anything he wants to talk about. So we talk
about dinosaurs, dolphins, dinosaurs, killer whales,
dinosaurs, aliens, and uh, did I mention dinosaurs?
But during these walks, Im able to impart again my
love for him.
Third, I should play with him during the day. It
doesnt have to be long. Just a few minutes where I sit
on the floor and we play with his toys together.
If I do these three rituals every day, without a
doubt, I would be able to create a very strong fatherson bond that will last a lifetime.
Financial Success
Do you want to be rich?
I built my wealth by focusing on three habits
only. Not 185 habits. Yes, building wealth is simple.
(Not easy. But simple.) Thats why a lot of people cant
get it. Theyre looking for complicated ways of getting
wealthy.
First, I should develop my core gift and share it
with the world. I need to learn to monetize this core
gift. And I believe that money will flow to me like
the waves of the sea, because thats just how God
designed this cosmos. Give and you shall receive.
Plant and you shall harvest.
Second, I should invest a portion of my income
into the stock market every month buying great
companies. Not trading but investing. This simple
ritual will make me very wealthy over time.
Third, I should tithe. Unless I tithe, I will lose my
hunger for growing my wealth. Tithing is my fire. My
fuel. My inspiration. If I dont tithe, I lose my purpose
to build my wealth.
These are the three rituals that make me rich.
Its these tiny habits that will change your life.
Let me tell you how small things can cause big changes.
What Are Your Broken Windows?
I got fascinated when Michael Levine talked about the Broken Windows
Theory.
He said criminologists first observed the Broken Windows Theory in
1982. They discovered that something as small as a broken window in a
building could start the deterioration of its entire neighborhood. How?
Simple. First, a broken window sends a wrong signal to those who live
there and to those who pass by. People would think that no one cares. Soon,
other windows will be broken. Soon, trespassers will live in the building.
Soon, the building becomes a haven for drug addiction. And soon, real
estate prices of the entire neighborhood plummets.
All because of one broken window.
Friend, you may have broken windows in your life. You may have small
habits that send the wrong signals to you and to others. That youre not an
honest person. That youre not a loving person. That youre not a disciplined
person. Because of these seemingly insignificant habits, your life is in chaos
now.
What are your broken windows? What seemingly insignificant bad
habits can you fix now which will make a huge difference in your life?
Cleaning the Graffiti
Heres the good news.
The opposite is true: Theyve discovered that if you fix one seemingly
insignificant problem, you help solve the bigger problem.
In New York, the head of its subway system decided to do two seemingly
small things: Clean the graffiti in the subways and arrest turnstile jumpers.
(Every day, there were around 170,000 people who didnt pay their subway
tickets.)
Some people criticized the authorities for picking on minor crimes. But
they pressed on.
What happened? Over the years, they saw murder, assaults, robberies
and other violent crimes go down dramatically.
And it all started by cleaning the graffiti on subways.
Let me ask again: What graffiti can you remove from your life? What
good habits can you form to replace the small and seemingly insignificant
bad habits in your life?
Perhaps its coming to The Feast (our spiritual gathering) without fail.
Imagine how that will dramatically change your life this year.
Or perhaps its waking up one hour earlier. Think of how that will
massively transform every day of your life.
Or perhaps complimenting your spouse at least once a day. Imagine
how that will bless your marriage!
Or perhaps its reading a bedtime story to your child every day.
Or perhaps its investing 20 percent of your income for your future.
Or perhaps giving up white lies. (White lies are broken windows.
By telling white lies, you send a wrong message to yourself. That you are
duplicitous. That youre not trustworthy.)
If you fix these broken windows in your life, youll change the direction
of your entire life and the life of your family.
Jesus said, If you are faithful in little things, you will be faithful in large
ones. But if you are dishonest in little things, you wont be honest with
greater responsibilities (Luke 16:10).
Hear me out: Dont be too hard on yourself.

I was studying a scientific research done
between two kinds of dieters. The first group of
dieters, when they slip up, beat themselves for
failing. The second group of dieters, when they
slip up, forgive themselves and simply start over.
Research says that the second group of
dieters were more successful in losing weight
than the first group of dieters.
Why? Because when the first dieter eats a
cake, the dieter gets so angry with herself, she
gets so depressed and ends up eating the entire
cake.
Sounds familiar?
Friend, when you fail, smile and stand up
again.
Dont eat the entire cake.
Are you falling into old patterns?
Dont give up. Just move on. Forgive yourself.
Start over.
Remember: God doesnt give up on you.
The Bible said, He who began a good work
in you will carry it on to completion (Philippians
1:6).
God has a habit of finishing what He started.
And from what I know, He never breaks this habit.
He started a great work in you.
Your life may be a mess right now.
Thats OK.
Hes not yet through with you.
Hell finish His beautiful work in you.
Email me at bosanchez@kerygmafamily.com.
BOS ACTION STEPS

1. Look into the different
aspects of your life. What
are your broken windows?
2. What steps can you take to
repair your broken windows?
3. Arrange your daily life to
include those steps.
Accept Slip Ups as Part of the Journey

Warning: Most likely, youll slip up.
In your journey towards changing your life, youll inadvertently fall a
few times.
Special
Section
Testimony
Redeeming
Time
An Anonymous Sharing
ust five more minutes, I tell myself, as I

dismiss the familiar sound of the alarm on
my cell phone.
I still feel tired, I tell myself. I need more
rest, my body aches. I feel sick. I cant get out of
bed, I just want to hide under my blanket and sleep away
my anxieties and fears.
I sleep again.
An hour later, I wake up, alarmed. Oh, no, Im going to be late
again!
I scramble to get ready for the office and skip breakfast again.
I take a bath, but worries on my mind slow me down, and before I
know it, its 8 a.m. I just wear anything thats available in the closet.
Im disappointed with myself.
At the village gate, I scramble for a taxi, just to get to work by
9 a.m. I knew that a cab would cost me so much more than when
I ride a van, if only I had woken up early. But I need to get to the
office on time. Im caught in traffic and I realize that I have no right
to complain; the area is prone to it especially when it rains.
I think of riding the train, but the line is too long. By the time, I
get to the station where I get off, Im exhausted and I havent even
started working yet.
I get to the office an hour late and I feel ashamed. I cant look
at my office mates in the face.
Wake Up!
Its not the first time this has happened. In fact, Ive already gotten
two written warnings for my tardiness. I felt bad about it but I
couldnt help it. I tell myself that Im not a morning person, that Id
rather work on flexible schedule, that I cant control myself, its the
way I am until I got a two-week suspension for my tardiness.
I was shocked and scared. I didnt want to lose my job, the work
that gave meaning to my daily life.
I had to wake up and face myself. This simple but very bad
habit was affecting not only my work but also my entire life.
My inability to manage my time properly made me miss many
opportunities to exercise, or write, and made me waste money
trying to cope with the consequences of my coming in late. Add
to that my physical, mental and emotional stress. It was a small
habit but it made such a big impact on my life. I had to admit
that I was often late because I woke up late and I woke up late
because I slept late.
The Turnaround
The two-week suspension shocked me to the core. I realized I
need to help myself. And so I asked for prayers and help from the
Lord to change this very bad habit.
I told myself that instead of worrying the moment I woke up,
I should start praying. So now I start my mornings by praying
by going to Mass, saying the rosary,

writing on my journal, or reading
the Psalms. I feel better having done
it and realize that it helps me start my
day better by receiving Gods love and
protection. My anxieties, which caused me to
move slow in the mornings, dissolved as I learn to
trust that God is in control of everything and I can
rest in Him.
Praying first thing in the morning helps me a
lot. It helps to know that I am not alone, that the
Lord wants me to be well and to live fully. It gives
me the strength and peace I need for the day. This
good habit replaced my bad habit of wanting to
sleep more because I couldnt face the day. Knowing
God is there the moment I wake up makes me not
dread waking up. Im able to eat breakfast again and
prepare and leave for work earlier.
A New Habit Formed
I also changed my bad habit of sleeping late. I
realized that to wake up early, I have to sleep early.
Going on Facebook or talking on Viber before going
to sleep had to go or be controlled, because just five
more minutes online can extend to long hours until
I sleep way past midnight. Ive decided to put those
hours to say thanks to the Lord for the day and to
rest because nighttime is meant for resting. To wake
up at six in the morning, I need to sleep at 10 p.m.
I realize that if I dont prioritize sleep, Im not
taking care of myself. And if I dont take care of
myself, I wont be able to take care of others and do
my duties effectively.
Jesus woke up before dawn to spend time with
His Father, so He could get power and direction for
the day. His example inspired me to do the same. So
during my two-week suspension, I started going to
Mass and praying the rosary every day.
When I got back to work again, I started being
on time. I had misled myself that I wasnt a morning
person. It was my lack of discipline in disguise a
habit that I needed to change. I realized that for a
bad habit to change it must be replaced by a good
habit.
Prayer is the good habit I am using to combat
the bad habit of worrying and being late, and as a
result, I have been on time at work with Gods grace.
There is joy in being on time it is redeeming
my life.
God in every
stage of
Seasons
your life
By Earnest L. Tan
WOMEN AT MIDLIFE:
REINVENTING AND REDEFINING THE SELF
ometimes, I am watching TV and I just notice tears

streaming down my eyes for no apparent reason.
I look at how my children have all grown up. They
do not seem to need me now.
I often stare at the mirror. Where have all the years
gone?
I am experiencing a number of changes in my body and some
of these are causing me great discomfort.
These comments are common to women approaching
midlife, which is often marked by changes that are of a physical,
psychological or spiritual nature. To the uninformed, these can
be both alarming and threatening. But to the informed, they are
simply invitations to take on an inward journey.
Midlife is natures kindness to give us a second chance to
prepare us to age gracefully. We attain this when we learn to shift
from an ego to a soul phase of our life to be true to our soul
and pursue the
path that fulfills us.
David Richo, a noted author,
introduces the concept of
shifting from Saving to
Losing FACE. To Richo, FACE
stands for Fear, Attachment,
Control and Entitlement.
Midlife invites us to let go of
any of these.
Women
who
have
identified their worth with their
youth and beauty suddenly
confront the truth of aging.
They begin to fear that their
market value is slowly
diminishing. Women at
midlife can learn to embrace
something more intangible
and lasting that of
wisdom and compassion.
Most
Filipino
mothers are attached
to their children. Instead of giving their children wings,

they encourage continuous dependence of their children
on them. To the wise at midlife, the woman contends with
what Dr. Lourdes Carandang describes as the metaphor of
a docking pier one who is constant and stable while
children are sailing away. Every so often, children need to
come back to them for replenishment and mothers continue
to be there for them. Their identity, though, is no longer tied
solely to this role.
Some women take pride in their ability to control their
impulses. They learn to use their head rather than their heart.
In midlife, they find themselves suddenly losing control. The
invitation is to settle their scores with these impulses as
they need to be addressed rather than denied. Only then
can they truly move on from their unfinished businesses.
Women who still hold on to the fairy tale illusion that a
man will come to fulfill their happy endings find themselves
challenged to let go of this entitlement. For some, their
happiness is not centered on the love of a man anymore.
They are content with what their men can offer them. But
they discover a life outside their men. Single women stop
waiting for their prince charming to make them happy. They
find happiness from within. If someone comes along, then
it is a bonus.
Today, women are aging longer. This connotes a second
half of life that is open to many new possibilities. Women
at midlife who learn to lose FACE begin to reinvent and
redefine their sense of self. This frees them to respond more
fully and freely to Gods invitation. When God calls them to
do something greater, what is simply asked of them is to
dispose of themselves for Gods greater glory. Midlife is the
most opportune time to adopt this disposition.
So, women, welcome midlife it could lead you to
endless possibilities!
Earnest L. Tan is a licensed guidance counselor and freelance facilitator
of formation programs along the lines of psycho-spiritual integration
and wellness. He conducts modular classes at the East Asian Pastoral
Institute, and Asian Religious Formation Institute , among others. He
is also a regular co-anchor of Baby Javier-Obien in the Radio Veritas
program, God Will Make a Way. For feedback, email Earnest at
earnest_tan@yahoo.com.

GREENHILLS
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723-7178
A new page each morning. New grace each day.
A timeless calendar you can use year after year.

Bless yourself and your loved ones with this gift for all seasons!
Available in Philippine bookstores and in our local and foreign distribution centers. Also available at The Feast booktables.
For inquiries, call (632) 725-9999

visit www.shepherdvoice.com.ph for online orders.
Faith
@
Work
By Jon Escoto
REAL MEN KEEP THEIR PROMISES
he survey results for the top productivity busters in

the work place (meaning, reasons for productivity dip
in an employee, according to an association of Human
Resources practitioners in America) are rather interesting.
Occupying the third slot is alcoholism (this is not hard to
explain); ranking second is drug addiction (obvious, and no
explanation is necessary). But whats most surprising is whats on the top
spot. Are you ready for this? Its family problems!
ByIllEarnest
L.aTan
Show me a person with family problems and
show you
person
who can be slack in his performance. Show me a person whos got
integrity in his relationships within his family, and what you have is a
person of integrity at work. Real men in family relationships are real
men at work.
Let me share with you this story.
One day, Sheila began to forget
things where she went, what she
said, where she was going, what a
car key was for.
Dan, her husband, heard the
doctor confirm their worst fear:
She had Alzheimers Disease.
Her sickness progressed until
she needed nursing care 24
hours a day, which forced Dan to
transfer her to a home care facility.
But he promised to visit her
every day a genuine promise
never to be broken.
At
3:00
every
afternoon, hed visit her
and spend the afternoon
with her however he
feels.
Then, one
afternoon, she no
longer recognized
him. It was so
painful for Dan
to enter her room.
She would just stare blankly at him.

One day, while in a business meeting, Dan was
jolted at 2:30 p.m. He stood to leave, saying he was
going to visit his wife. A concerned friend took him
aside and asked, Youve been doing this for so long.
Dont you feel tired? Dont you feel like giving up?
Havent you lost the feeling of love through all of these
difficult turn of events?
My friend, Dan said, real love is beyond feelings.
You can lose the feeling, but you dont lose true love.
Love is doing things out of love, not out of feelings.
What I feel doesnt matter. What matters is what I do
actions of love amidst what I feel. This is what true love
is all about.
This concerned friend didnt stop. Why do you still
visit your wife every day when she doesnt know you
anymore?
He looked at his friend and smiled, She still is and
will always be my wife. I made a promise. She may not
know me, but I know her. And thats enough for me.
Thats being true to your word.
Thats what keeping promise means.
Love and not feelings.
Just like God.
Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever
is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure,
whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable if
anything is excellent or praiseworthy think
about such things. (Philippians 4:8)
Email Jon at faithatworkjon@gmail.com.
Jon Escoto is one of the Kerygma 5 Preachers and also The Feast
builder of The Feast Bian and Sta. Rosa, Laguna. Concurrently,
he is the dean of the Light of Jesus School of Leadership. He
is the author of How to Find Extraordinary Joy @ Work,
published by Shepherds Voice Publications. Available at www.
shepherdsvoice.com.ph.
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Preacher
By Alvin Barcelona
START, FINISH, START AGAIN.
ou know one reason why many people cant even

start with the many things they want to do?
Its because they havent finished what they
have started before.
Try asking yourself the following questions.
1. Is that faucet in the house still leaking?
2. Is one of your lights still flickering?
3. Is one of your doorknobs still broken?
4. Is your doorbell still not working?
5. Is that chair with a broken leg still unrepaired?
6. Is that report due last year still unsubmitted?
7. Is there something you borrowed from a neighbor
that you havent returned?
8. Is that email from a dear relative still waiting for a
reply?
9. Is that call from a close friend still missed?
10. Is that Sorry or Thank You or I Love You still
unsaid?
Sure, there will always be a leaking faucet, a flickering

light, a broken doorknob, a report to submit, a call to make,
a word to say.
But if these little things accumulate and remain as
unfinished businesses, they become the little reasons
why you cant move on to the bigger things in life.
There are things that you can and should leave
behind, like a bad experience, a tragic loss, or a
failure or mistake. These things you just have to
learn from and accept and then move on!
But there are things that you really need to
repair, rearrange, return, replenish, review, rewind,
remind, remember, re-treat, re-do, and re-live!
You may call them prerequisites, things you
need to go through before you move on to the
next level. Otherwise, theyll continue to pull you
back and keep you from moving forward.
Its learning first the ABCs for you to be able
to read and write.
Its mastering first the four fundamentals of

Mathematics before moving on to Algebra, Trigonometry
or Calculus. Its being responsible first with the things at
hand with the smaller things before getting a shot at
the bigger ones.
Yes, its dreaming big but starting small by finishing
what youre supposed to finish now.
Its giving your best where you are and with what
you have now. Because once you finish and master your
level now, the next higher level will automatically appear
before your eyes.
And you start fulfilling a brand new dream again.
Happy finishing!
Happy beginning!
Happy New Year!
Whoever can be trusted with very little can
also be trusted with much (Luke 16: 10)
Email me at kpreacheralvin@gmail.com.
Alvin Barcelona preaches at The Feast PICC
every Sunday, 3:45 p.m., and at The
Feast Marilao every Saturday, 6:30
p.m., Supima Square, Save More,
Malhacan, Meycauayan, Bulacan.
Bite-sized inspiration. Life-changing truths.

Good things come in small packages.
These little books will help you live a fantastic life!

Great gifts to give yourself and your loved ones.
Grab your copies now!
For orders call 725-9999 local 101 to 108

or log on to www.shepherdsvoice.com.
Remia (a.k.a. Angel) shows

her love and gratefulness to
God through her service.
One
Last
Story
By Remia Toledo
A SUCCESSFUL
HUNDRED STEPS
felt so tired, restless and easily got sick. I was a college

freshman then and I thought I was just stressed out due to
school pressure, or had a viral infection due to climate change.
Eating a small piece of chocolate in less than a minute would
mean a week of high fever, muscle pain, and difficulty in
breathing due to tonsillitis and taking antibiotics for seven
days. That was how precarious my health was back then.
One day, I found it difficult to breathe, so I went to our school
clinic. The doctor found out that I had an irregular heartbeat. He
asked me to take a days rest and, if nothing would change in my
condition the next day, for me to undergo an electrocardiogram
(ECG) test.
I did as ordered, and the ECG result was so bad. It revealed
that I had a rheumatic heart ailment. The doctor prescribed some
medicines for temporary relief but advised me to seek a second
opinion.
The next doctor we went to had the same diagnosis. As he
noted that my condition was getting worse, he referred me to the
Philippine Heart Center for immediate heart operation but my
family refused to let me undergo one.
All the doctors I consulted told me that I had less than a year to
live nine months to be exact if I wouldnt be operated on at the
soonest possible time. I asked the doctor, If I undergo an operation,
what is my chance of survival? The answer I got was, We cannot
assure you as the operation is too risky.
Surrender Amidst Questioning

I pretended to be OK, but each night I cried. There were times when
I questioned God: What kind of God are you?
I slept with tears in my eyes, but each morning I had new hope
and prayed for a miracle. I surrendered everything to God and
hoped that one day He would heal me because He is a merciful God.
I even counted the remaining number of days, weeks and months of
my life according to the diagnosis of the doctors. I went to different
churches known for miraculous cures, and I prayed and cried out as
I surrendered my life to God.
100 Steps Up and Another 100 Going Down

I went to the grotto in Novaliches, Quezon City with a
letter to God and left it at the altar.
On the ninth month, when I was supposed to
die, I went to the hundred steps grotto of Our Lady of
Lourdes in Baguio City and I challenged myself and
tested God how much He loved me. All my friends and
relatives were worried for me that day as I might not be
able to reach the top and die along the way.
Before I took my first step, I told them, If I die
today, I will make sure I am at the 100th step, because
there at the top I can reach for the hand of God. Id be
near to heaven. But if I could go back down here, then
He is giving me back to all of you.
And yes, before the day ended, I reached the 100th
step up and took another hundred steps down. I was
victorious and claimed that God had healed me! I truly
felt the healing.
After that victory, I decided not to go to any doctor
to ask about my health condition. I knew that God had
healed me no doubt about that and He is the
best doctor we could ever have. No prescription, free
of charge, and no followup checkups needed.
After five years, when I visited the doctors and the
nurses who once took care of me, they were all shocked
when they saw me. They thought I was a ghost! I told
them, Hey, Im alive! Touch my skin, touch my face. Im
alive!
From 1998 up to the present, I cannot count
anymore how many nine months God has given me
to enjoy life. I am spoiled with His unconditional love
and I can testify how He embraces me with the gift of
healing.
Now I enjoy life serving at The Feast Media Ministry,
one way of telling the world about Gods glory through
our articles. I love hearing people tell me that I am a
blessing to them.
Each time I celebrate my birthday, I smile and
take a moment of silence to talk to my God to say how
thankful I am to be blessed with the life I have now.
For as long as I shall live, I will testify to His love and
will tell the whole world about His glory!
Point
of
Contact
by Bo Sanchez
I pray that you

receive your
miracles in Jesus
name!
I pray that God lifts your trials, heals your
diseases, blesses your problems, and
directs you to the path He wants you to
take. I pray that God removes your fears
and gives you the courage to surrender
your burdens to Him.
So place your hand over my hand, and
lets pray with trust, together with our prayer
team of intercessors praying for you right
now
This page is our Point of Contact, our spiritual
connection.
Say after me
In the name of the Father, the Son, and
the Holy Spirit.
Lord, I surrender to You my worries and
anxieties. I surrender to You my needs, my
problems, my trials. I place them all in Your
big hands. And I open myself to all that You
want to give to me. On this day, I say yes to
Your love, to Your blessings, to Your healing, to
Your miracles. And Lord, specifically, I ask for
the following miracles for my life...
I believe that You answer my prayers
in the best way possible! And I thank You in
advance for the perfect answers to my prayers.
I also ask for the special intercession of Mama
Mary. I pray all this in the name of the Father,
the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen!
SPECIAL INTENTION FOR THIS MONTH:

Bless the readers of Kerygma, Lord. Its the start of the year and many of them are plotting their
New Years resolutions. Guide them, Lord, with Your Word and with Your Spirit so that they would
know what should truly matter in their lives. Help them to align their lives with Your Word and
give them victory at the end of their days. Amen.
Praying for you,
Email your prayer requests

to me at bosanchez@
kerygmafamily.com or write
to me at Shepherds Voice
Publications, #60 Chicago
St., Cubao, Quezon City,
Philippines 1109.
Relationship blues? Dating woes?

Love Handles: Get a Grip on Finding and Dating Your Lifetime Love has the
answers to the questions burning in your heart.
This book will teach you:

What to do while youre waiting for Gods best.
The science and stages of love and how you can put these to good use in your
relationship.
Simple things you can do daily to meet your One True Love.
Grab your copy now!

It can change your single life forever.
For more information, call 725-9999 local 101 to108
or log on to www.shepherdsvoice.com.ph
Well deliver Gods Word

right to your doorstep!
Call us at (02)725-9999
and well deliver SVP books and magazines to you FOR FREE within
Metro Manila for a minimum purchase of P300.
(For online and provincial orders, mailing fees will apply.)
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Inspiring You to Live a Fantastic Life

No. 284 Vol. 24 January 2014

The Real Key to Success:

What are you feeding

ShepherdS Voice publicationS, inc.

always teach people that if you want to know who youll

May your dreams come true,

DO YOU WANT TO SUCCEED?

JANUARY 2014 KERYGMA

Thank You, DEAR Teachers!

God is really amazing for using your magazine as a guiding

We Want to hear from you!

KERYGMA JANUARY 2014

Can God Set a Table in the Wilderness?

Rissas outfit courtesy of Ensemble.

Trust God to find creative ways

or many years, I worked full-time for a ministry, earning

The couple wandered about the house,

What to Expect This Month:

JANUARY 2014 KERYGMA

For all subscription-related concerns

Subs Concern ad 2013.indd 1

Join the Force. Change the World

im interested in becoming a Kerygma Shepherd. i commit myself to spread Gods Word

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ABOUT OUR COVER MODEL

19 OVERHAUL: The Power to

HOW TO KEEP YOUR

ant to achieve your most important goals

1. Identify your long-term (at least five years)

Tip: Repeat Positive Actions.

Quick Health Tip

ineapple contains a natural enzyme called bromelain, which

KERYGMA JANUARY 2014

A Prayer for Everyone

ccording to a study, entrepreneurs in the United

St. Victorian of Asan

t. Victorian was a native of Italy who founded monasteries and hospices

JANUARY 2014 KERYGMA

CBCP, Church Groups Launch

multi-sectoral gathering against human trafficking,

KERYGMA JANUARY 2014

glaring example is the fact that for the whole year

2014: WELCOME The YEAR OF THE Laity!

Nine-Year Era for New Evangelization

n March 16, 1521, Magellan came to the Philippines and

DIFFERENT THEMES FOR EACH YEAR

JANUARY 2014 KERYGMA

Which Is More Reverent:

To Sit or Stand During

10 KERYGMA JANUARY 2014

I Want to Resign But Cant

Dear Feeling Rejected,

JANUARY 2014 KERYGMA 11

GOD SAVED THIS BABY NOT ONCE BUT TWICE

awawang sanggol yan! Mukhang di niya talaga

12 KERYGMA JANUARY 2014

she named, ironically, after the angel that announced to

Grace to Be Born is located at 53 Dr. Sixto Ave.,

Text by Osy Erica

eptember 7, 2013 saw Feast

Feast Bicutan happens every Saturday, 5:30

JANUARY 2014 KERYGMA 13