14th SFC Middle East Conference: Personal Testimonies

 

How did the Lord bless you through the 14th SFC Middle East Conference?

“By embracing me during worship and telling me that He loves me soooo much and He whispered to me that more blessings and answered prayers await me. And it's true! He really answered 1 of my prayers by granting my vacation leave in the midst of our busy schedule and work load! Nothing is impossible to God. He is really a great God!” - Sis Jeanette Erispe, SFC UAE

“God blessed me abundantly during and after SFC MEC. God gave me the opportunity to be closer to him through Lectio Divina. I felt the peace and awesome love while listening to God's endearing messages. God bless the 2012 SFC MEC Team!” – Sis Tess Elegado, SFC UAE

“The gift of new friends, which I know that could last a lifetime. A great prayer, while molding myself to be an "ideal girl" for the right one. And lastly, the unfailing faith that keeps me stronger each and everyday while serving HIM.” – Hekyo Ybanez , SFC UAE

“Service… which really for me does not feel like it. It was tiring but what's more important is I was a part of this victory for God's greater glory. It’s also been a source of inspiration and joy to be with brothers and sisters from the Middle East. From the moment it started and even during the preps I can feel it in heart. From the opening worship to the talks, the speakers and the sharers-- everything has been touched by God. This is the best and most special MEC I ever experienced! I dunno why” – Sis Violy Ceniza, SFC UAE

“This 14th SFC MEC started my conversations with Papa God thru journaling. Thank you and Praise God for leading me to my workshop 'Conversations Within'”- Sis Chat Pascua, SFC UAE

“I'm blessed to be reminded again of how God works in my life through these years. This calling to serve is a great blessing from God. MEC is a venue of God to gather and send off His servants - and that is the SFC.” – Sis Azalea Lazaleta-Gusto, SFC UAE

I got a company bonus. Gift of reconciliation with my best friend. God showed me a glimpse of hope that the land/lot I am dreaming for my family will be owned by us before the year ends. Thank You, praise God!” – Sis Verna Moralita, SFC UAE

“MEC blessed me through music.” - Bro Ronald Bacus, SF UAE

“I can relate to the story of Sis E-say of Abu Dhabi, I was shocked about her story when she was in prisoned and how the way she faced the trials. We almost have the same story when I lost a huge amount of money of our company, God never left me. During that incident, I was not yet an SFC member, I only held on to my faith and I prayed to God. When I was being interrogated by the police, at the back of my mind, I was praying to God and surrendering to Him everything.  And yes true enough, God showed to me HIS love.”- Bro Rico Gamboa, SFCUAE

“He revealed His plan for me and made me believe. Blessed with His grace, He moved me to obey.” –  Sis Alain Magbojos, SFC UAE

“Before the MEC, God started to shower His blessings to me, since I can't afford to pay the registration fee, through some good souls, they paid my registration fee... Thank you, praise God” – Bro Edison Agcaoili, SFC UAE

“He blessed me by affirming that despite the struggles that have happened in my life, He never abandoned me. He held my hand in every step of the way and communicated through the Conversations Within workshop.” - Vida Ken Bautista, SFC UAE

“The 'Blessed' MEC is very special to me. It was my first MEC serving behind the scenes, grateful being part of the technical service team. This year's MEC made me appreciate my work, my profession more than ever. Truly, God is in command if we use our talents to glorify Him.” – Sis Jen Constante, SFC UAE

“The Lord blessed me thru SFC MEC because He affirmed me of how deep and high His love for me. Do not fear and just have a total trust on Him, He will take care of the rest! God bless.” – Sis Virley Briones, SFC UAE

“The Lord has blessed me by letting me let go of all the unnecessary baggage in my life for He knows that something better is waiting for me. He has provided well for me and my family and indeed, He gave me such wonderful friends who I can be myself with and trust with all my heart.” - Sis Shiela Oller, SFC UAE

“Attending MEC alone is already a blessing! What more of the talks, the workshops, the praisefest and the affirmations of how great our God is thru the speakers and the sharers? Another experience with the Lord worth to cherish for…and am looking forward for the coming blessings and surprises the Lord is preparing to shower upon me!” – Sis Kristin Suazo, SFC UAE

“The Lord God showed me His faithfulness and love for us.” Bro James Fernandez, SFC Qatar

“The Lord showed me how blessed I am because He loves me. That I need to be connected with Him in order for His grace to continue to flow over me” - Dexter Carreon, SFC Qatar

“To be closer to God, to have a personal relationship with our Creator is more than enough to face our daily life struggles rather than to be far away from Him. During the conference, I realized how God is so great and how deep is His love for us. Share the blessings to others as well and stay blessed as God wants us to be...” - Eunice Racelis, SFC UAE

“It allowed me to discover more of what I can give that I couldn't imagine. I am blessed with His empowering love.” – Sis Ella Armendez, SFC UAE

“The Lord has had blessed me thru SFC MEC with a forgiving heart and mind because soon after the event I was able to forgive a friend and her family whom I had turf war with since 2007. The joy brought by that forgiveness is so liberating that I can't thank God enough for it.” - Bro. Gerard Abejuela, SFC Qatar

"MEC blessings are countless and overflowing. The most precious for me is to realize how the Lord blesses me daily with small and big things. These are the graces and blessings that we often forget but we can't live without it; abundance starts when we realize how blessed we are!"- Bro Albert Bandoy, SFC Qatar

“The whole MEC itself described the whole ME: from talks to sharing to learnings. God proved me once more that He never leaves us at all times. He had assured to take care of my sister Mayjoy when I decided to join MEC first rather than flying back home to see my sister. It was indeed an overflowing joy and gratefulness to know that my sister had traveled almost 3 hours just to pick me from the airport despite of the pains. To God be the Glory.” - Sis Blue Aguillon, SFC Qatar

“For being present in the 14th SFC MEC itself is a blessing for me from the Lord. I learned a lot from the talks and workshops. Lord also increased my faith in Him to persevere for His plan and purpose.” - Bro Yves Montebon, SFC Qatar

Hmmmm...during the SFC MEC. The Lord didn't only bless me during that time, cause I. know I am always blessed. It’s a matter of realizing and seeing those blessings... acknowledging every tiny bit of those blessings. He made me see those blessings, hence I am much more thankful and grateful for everything.”- Bro Mack Cortel, SFC Qatar

“Lord blessed my family, work, my members and especially my soon to be Gods Greatest Gift.. For showering the abundant blessings and graces that pouring upon me. And I'm happy and so much blessed... He is a great God. - Sis Cherrie Cantillana, SFC Qatar

Lord, how have You blessed me, let me count the ways...

With a life that is full of things to appreciate, a family that loves me more than I can ever imagine and think of,
friends who support me without any prejudice,
of the rain, sun and all the wonderful things that surround me.


With Your boundless generosity, not only on material things but spiritual gifts, talents You have entrusted to me to use and to develop, opportunities that You have given me everyday to improve myself and help others, mentors who recognize the skills in me and help me develop and mold myself, 
all the love stored around me and engulfing me in a warm cocoon everyday.


I can go on and on and on and it only leads to one thing:
above all else You've blessed me to bless others!

- Bro. Jason Iammie Jaramillo-Bataller SFC UAE

I am blessed because I have heard the testimonial of a humble woman, Tita Grace Ferrer, on how God loves us and how He blesses us. Thank you for sharing your life to us... the gift of tongue is so AMAZING!! You inspired me! I felt heaven during that moment.

- Bro. Rayzon Cruz III – CLP Participant, SFC UAE (SFC +1)

AND I SHALL BE STILL FOR YOU, MY GOD

"Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God."

Since the renewal of my faith under the guidance of the CFC community, Philippians 4:6 has been a pivotal verse in my ongoing spiritual journey. There is nothing I would not offer in prayer to the Lord. I could have been content with simply saying how much I love Him, but He also continues to bless my life so thoroughly that rare is it for me to run out of praise for His works.

That's not to say that I have no cross of my own to bear. In fact, the weeks leading up to the 2012 SFC Middle East Conference were bombarded with worries and fears. Financial strain was just the tip of the iceberg. My mind, body and spirit were not immune to the strain of holding into place the lineup of dominoes threatening to tip over -- from the agonizing wait for the results of the intensive HR evaluation for permanency at my company, to the struggle between wanting to please my parents and understanding of the feelings that had been transforming the dynamics of a particular personal relationship.

Through His own will I was gifted with the ability to express myself, and it made perfect sense -- bordering on serendipity -- when I discovered the joy of using this very gift to share my life with Him at any given moment. It did not free me from worldly woes, but it empowered me to stand firm against them. With the resulting overflow in my heart, He led me to even greater fulfillment in spreading word of His steadfast love with others. It was this fulfillment that encouraged me to choose the "Proclaim" workshop at the conference. Alas, as always, God's plans for us are even greater than human imagination could ever allow. He decided that it was time I took the next step in my spiritual journey -- this time, not to learn how to talk, but to learn how to listen to Him.

Currently I work as an editor for Corporate Communications at the Emirates Group, but my foundation is laid on my career as a reporter for our school publication back in college. Nonetheless, it had been over half a decade since I had composed anything vaguely resembling a narrative. Before then, I had always done so by gliding my fingers along a computer keyboard as it generally took my weak hands less than three minutes to ache from the effort of manual writing. My anxiety was slight but well-founded as I stepped into the comfortably air-conditioned room seating other brothers and sisters who had shown up for "Conversations within" -- the workshop on using journal writing to reflect on the Holy Scripture.

The message that our speaker shared was generalized, but it resonated on a personal level. To this day I am convinced that this was the case for each of us, for God had handpicked us all for that workshop. I found myself amazed when I put my pen to paper. Touched by the Holy Spirit, my entire being suddenly came ablaze with inspiration. To the end of the session, my pen had kept flying across the pages of my journal, populating white spaces with the seemingly endless flow of words that came out of nowhere. It was the latest turning point in my relationship with God, that I had learnt to silence my restless soul long enough to let His voice ring supreme. Even after writing, no words escaped my lips as I kept busy with drinking in that blessed moment. A trail of tears was all I could manage in reaction to the greatness He had revealed.

I considered that perfect point in time to be the climax of my MEC experience, so I had not expected how so much more of His greatness would be bared not long afterwards. Realization on the personal relationship I had been discerning had dawned on me as the MEC weekend drew to a close with praise and worship. In the days that followed, the Lord surprised me not only with the results of my permanency evaluation, but also with an offer that would leave just enough aside for savings -- wonderful news just in time to add extra cheer to my father's 54th birthday that following weekend! And all He had me do was to listen and rest my faith in the promise He had shared in Ephesians 3:17-19.

"That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith -- that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may have the strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth, and length, and height, and depth; and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you might be filled with all the fullness of God."

And, with that, may God be praised to all the ends of the earth.

-        Sis Ronjoy Bonifacio, SFC UAE