Inside Mae

  Minsan, ang akala nating "hadlang" ay isa palang masusing paggabay. Noong bago ako mag-kolehiyo, isang araw bago ang entrance exam sa aking dream school, hinarangan ako ng takot ng aking mga magulang dahil sa layo ng biyahe. Masakit man noong una, tinanggap ko ito at nagtapos "with flying colors" dito lang sa Quezon City. Doon ko natutunan na  ang husay ay hindi nakadepende sa distansya ng paaralan, kundi sa tibay ng iyong determinasyon. Ngayon, muli akong hinamon ng isang bagong "redirection." Bagaman napatunayan ko ang aking kakayahan at nakapasok sa isa sa mga prestihiyosong Big Schools sa Metro Manila, kailangan ko itong bitawan. Hindi dahil sa kulang ako, kundi dahil mas kailangan ako ng aking anak at ng aking munting pamilya sa pagkakataong ito. Natutuhan ko na: •  Validated Skills, Noble Choices:  Ang pagkakatanggap sa akin sa isang malaking institusyon ay sapat nang patunay na mahusay ako sa aking larangan. Pero ang pagpili sa pamilya ay isang ma...

I’m still trying to process the fact that I officially finished my first 5KM at the RunasOnePH:Hope in Motion event.  Honestly? There were so many moments leading up to this where I genuinely thought I couldn't do it. I had all these doubts playing on loop in my head, telling me I wasn't a runner or that 5 kilometers was just too far for me. But standing there in UP Diliman, surrounded by everyone else, something shifted. The Academic Oval felt longer than usual, and there were parts of the run where my lungs were burning and I just wanted to stop and walk. But I kept pushing. I kept telling myself to just get to the next tree, the next corner, the next kilometer. When I finally saw the finish line, it wasn't just about the distance anymore. It was about the fact that I didn't give up on myself.  I proved my own doubts wrong. I went from thinking I couldn't make it to wearing a finisher’s medal. I’m tired and sore, but I’ve never felt more capable. I conquered 5KM, ...

  Iba talaga ang Panginoon kapag Siya na ang kumilos at nagbigay ng blessing. Minsan, nakaplano na ang lahat sa isip natin, alam na natin kung ano ang gusto nating mangyari at kung kailan natin ito inaasahan. Pero kapag ang Diyos na ang nagbukas ng pinto, doon natin mapagtatanto na  Sadyang higit pa sa sapat ang Kanyang ibinibigay. Sabi nga, "He provides not just what we want, but what we truly need." Minsan, humihingi tayo ng pira-piraso, pero ang ibinibigay Niya ay buo at umaapaw. Kapag ang Panginoon ang nagbigay, hindi ito huli at hindi rin ito maaga. Dumarating ito sa sandaling handa na ang ating puso na tanggapin at ingatan ang biyayang iyon. Ang blessing na galing sa mundo ay madalas may kalakip na pag-aalala, pero ang blessing mula sa Itaas ay nagbibigay ng katahimikan sa loob. Alam mong galing ito sa Kanya dahil hindi mo kailangang magmadali o mapagod nang husto para makuha ito. Higit sa materyal na bagay, ang bawat blessing ay isang paalala na nakikinig Siya, nakikit...

In the frantic pace of modern life, we often find ourselves overwhelmed by a chaotic juggling act—attempting to manage careers, relationships, personal aspirations, and anxieties all at once. We approach life like a puzzle where we try to force the pieces together, only to find that the edges never quite align.  By prioritizing our spiritual health, we gain the clarity to discern between what is essential and what is trivial. Relationships are nurtured with greater patience, work is approached with a sense of stewardship rather than desperate ambition, and our personal failures are met with grace rather than crushing despair. Just as a musical composition requires a steady rhythm to hold disparate notes together, a life requires a central principle to provide coherence. When we commit to placing God first, we are essentially inviting an organizing intelligence into our chaos. The pieces of our lives begin to fit together not because we have exerted enough force to make them stay, b...

  While it may seem like a simple sentiment, it carries a weight that spans the entirety of human experience, acting as both an anchor and a compass. To explore the depth of this goodness is to ecognize a benevolent presence that shapes our lives. His Grace is consistent. The goodness of the divine is often most visible in the "ordinary" miracles that we tend to overlook. It is found in the intricate design of the universe that sustains life. This isn't just a passive goodness; it is an active, sustaining force. When people say God is good, they are often acknowledging a sense of "grace"—the receiving of opportunity that feels far greater than what one could have earned on their own. It is the realization that there is a source of light that persists even when the world feels dim. Perhaps the most profound dimension of this goodness is that it does not disappear during hardship. In fact, for many, the goodness of God becomes most tangible in the "valleys...

  Most people view "freedom" as the ability to do whatever they want and whenever they want. But without discipline, that "freedom" usually turns into being a slave to our impulses. We often treat  discipline  like a dirty word. We associate it with rigid schedules, grueling workouts, and saying "no" to the things we enjoy. In our minds, discipline is the cage, and freedom is the wide-open field where we do whatever we feel like in the moment. But if we look closer, the opposite is true. The person who lacks the discipline to manage their finances is never free from debt. The person who lacks the discipline to care for their body is never free from lethargy.  True freedom isn't the absence of structure; it’s the result of it. We are all dual-natured. There is the  Future You , who wants to be successful and healthy, and the  Present You , who just wants to scroll through social media and eat a donut. Without discipline, the "Present You" alwa...

  Spending time with God daily acts as a spiritual recalibration. Throughout the day, we are bombarded by various influences—social media, professional demands, and personal anxieties—that can easily knock us off balance. Without a daily return to the source of our faith, it is easy to become reactionary, driven by fear or the need for validation. However, when we start or end our day in the presence of the divine, we are reminded of our inherent worth and our true purpose. This practice cultivates a spirit of gratitude and humility, shifting our focus from what we lack to the abundance of grace available to us. It provides a sanctuary where we can be completely honest about our struggles, laying down our burdens and receiving a renewed sense of hope.   The importance of talking to God every day manifests in the fruit it produces in our outward lives. By making God a daily priority, we don't just survive the day; we move through it with a divine intentionality that transf...

We often live our lives facing a daunting architecture of "High Walls"—the towering expectations built by society, family, and most often, ourselves. These walls represent the pressure to be a constant source of strength for others. We look at these heights and feel that if we don't reach the top, we have failed. This pressure creates a persistent anxiety:  What if what I have to give is not enough? The most radical thing we can do in the face of these expectations is to admit a simple truth: We are limited.  We are not infinite wells; we are vessels with specific capacities. The Reality of the Vessel:  To acknowledge our limits isn't an admission of weakness; it is an act of honesty. Just as a lamp cannot shine without oil, we cannot provide for others if we have drained our own soul to the point of emptiness. "When you catch fire to keep others warm, eventually you are nothing but ash." If we lose our peace in the pursuit of meeting every expectation, we h...

The way we treat others is usually a reaction to their behavior to us. However, I read a reflection about, "treat people like Jesus died for them". That a person’s value is not earned or subjective, but rather "bought" at an infinite price. In a world obsessed with hierarchy, the CROSS is the ultimate equalizer. When we look at others through this lens, labels like "enemy," "outcast," or "stranger" begin to dissolve. ❤️‍🩹If Jesus deemed someone worthy of His sacrifice, we have no right to deem them unworthy of our kindness. 💖KILL our pride. We cannot look down on someone while acknowledging that we both required the same divine rescue. Jesus did not die for a perfected version of us; He died for people while they were still broke. Treating someone like Jesus died for them means offering grace when they fail. It means realizing that their current mistakes do not erase their eternal value.  So, behind the anger, the addiction, or the po...

  Most of us treat loneliness like an intruder. When the walls feel the silence too loud, our immediate instinct is to flee. This resistance, however, is what transforms simple "aloneness" into "suffering." There is a subtle but monumental shift that occurs when we stop resisting. In the heat of surrender, the "pain" of loneliness begins to melt into the "peace" of solitude. Loneliness implies that something is missing; solitude implies that you are complete as you are. "Then see how the miracle of surrender transmutes deep suffering into deep peace." This peace doesn't come because your external circumstances changed, but because your internal state is no longer at war with reality. You find that the "void" you were afraid of is actually a space of profound stillness. Dealing with loneliness is not about finding someone to fill the gap; it is about realizing there was never a gap to begin with—only a misunderstanding of t...

  Nilalamon na tayo ng makamundong bagay. Pero nasaan ang presensya ng Diyos sa gitna ng mga ito? Handa ba tayo sa pag bisita ng Panginoon sa atin?  Yes we need to make effort for living. But make sure that those efforts may not clout our recognition to the Lord when the time comes that He will arrive. Jesus is inviting us to walk with Him. When we walk with Him, everything will become better. When we love Him, our love for our family and friends become stronger.  If we are aware of the importance of the Lord in our life, everything we do will be done consciously and that His name is being magnified. 

Happiness is fleeting, a brief moment where we pause to appreciate life's beauty. It's not a permanent state, but rather a feeling that comes and goes. On the other hand, living is a constant, ongoing process. To find true fulfillment, we must embrace life's journey, with all its joys and challenges. Happiness is not all the time. It’s just a moment of appreciation. What is constant is living Sacrifice is inevitable if we want to achieve our goals. Giving up something we value now can lead to greater rewards in the future. But if we're unwilling to make sacrifices, our dreams may slip away, becoming the very thing we've lost. If you don’t want to sacrifice, what you want to achieve becomes a sacrifice. Our values define who we are, but they're meaningless if our actions don't align with them. When we act inconsistently with our beliefs, we risk losing our sense of self and integrity. Living authentically means staying true to our values, even when it'...

  The idea that God prioritizes obedience over safety can be unsettling, but it's a theme that runs throughout the Bible.  Let's delve deeper into the stories of Job, Jeremiah, and Jesus to explore this concept further. Job, a righteous and blameless man, faced unimaginable suffering when God allowed Satan to test his faith. Despite losing his family, health, and possessions, Job remained obedient to God, refusing to curse Him or turn away from his faith. His obedience in the face of adversity serves as a powerful example of unwavering trust and devotion. Jeremiah, known as the weeping prophet, was called by God to deliver unpopular messages to the people of Judah. His obedience led to persecution, imprisonment, and ridicule, yet he continued to speak God's truth, even when it was unsafe. Jeremiah's story demonstrates that obedience to God's will can require great courage and perseverance.   He calls us to be obedient. By looking at Job, Jeremiah and Jesus...obedien...

Jesus Christ's life and teachings are a powerful example of love. His willingness to sacrifice Himself for the sake of humanity demonstrates the depth of God's love for us, even in our sinful and imperfect state. Jesus's selfless act encourages us to emulate His example, putting the needs of others before our own and loving without expectation of reward or reciprocation. Selflessness is a core value in Christianity, and Jesus's life is the ultimate manifestation of this virtue. He came to Earth not to seek power or glory, but to serve others and bring salvation to all people. Through His ministry, Jesus healed the sick, fed the hungry, and comforted the afflicted, showing us the importance of compassion and kindness towards our fellow human beings. Jesus's humility is another key aspect of His character that we should strive to emulate. Despite being the Son of God, He did not seek to elevate Himself above others. Instead, He humbled Himself, taking on the form of a...

  Loving oneself is important, and it becomes even more essential when we're in a romantic relationship.   When we genuinely care for someone, our love for them can reflect and enhance our own self-worth. In a healthy relationship, both partners support each other's growth and happiness. Loving someone can inspire us to be our best selves, fostering personal growth and self-appreciation.  Conversely, self-love allows us to love others more authentically, without needing validation or losing our identity in the process.

  Every relationship, no matter how strong or loving, will inevitably face a challenging phase where conflicts and emotional struggles arise. This ""toxic phase"" is a natural part of the relationship journey, as it's during this time that unresolved traumas and past experiences begin to surface. These underlying issues can lead to disagreements and emotional exhaustion for both partners, causing the relationship to feel draining and stressful. It's essential to understand that building a healthy relationship takes perseverance. It's not something that can be achieved instantly or mirrored after idealized portrayals in social media. Instead, it involves a process of learning to navigate the complexities of a partnership.  All relationships will go through their "toxic phase", where fights will be inevitable because that's the time where their traumas will spill over in the relationship. It will come to the point that both of them will be em...

  In life, we often face challenges and setbacks that test our resolve and determination. It's easy to feel discouraged and want to give up when things get tough. However, it's in those moments that we must remind ourselves of the importance of perseverance. By never giving up, we not only overcome obstacles but also cultivate a sense of self-respect, pride, and accomplishment that will stay with us forever.  When we persevere through difficult times, we build character and develop inner strength. Each obstacle we overcome makes us stronger and more resilient, preparing us to handle even greater challenges in the future. Giving up may seem like the easier option, but it leads to regret, self-doubt, and a lack of personal growth.

  In a world filled with diverse perspectives and experiences, it's easy to fall into the trap of judging others. We often find ourselves critiquing people's actions, behaviors, and choices, believing we know what's best for them. However, this mindset can lead to negativity, division, and a lack of empathy. Instead of focusing on judging others, we should shift our attention to self-improvement, as it fosters personal growth and promotes a more harmonious society. Judging others can stem from our own insecurities and biases. When we criticize someone, we might be projecting our own flaws or shortcomings onto them. By doing so, we avoid confronting our weaknesses and hinder our ability to learn from our mistakes. On the other hand, self-improvement encourages us to reflect on our actions, acknowledge our errors, and work towards becoming better versions of ourselves. Moreover, judging others can create barriers and damage relationships. When we label people as ""g...