What a CHRIST BOUND experience!
Traveling North from San Carlos City, Pangasinan to Dagupan City to San Fernandano City, La Union to San Juan, La Union to Laoag City to Bacarra, Ilocos Norte to Pagudpud, Ilocos Norte made my body so exhausting, but my heart wanted more. It was longing for the destination.
The journey of life is not easy even a life of a 25-year old missionary like me. It is not a bed of roses. There is no exceptions from the challenges of the world. So my Christ Bound experience reminded me of these.
PAGUDPUD. Pagudpud, Ilocos Norte is the venue of the conference. If you simplify the word, Pagudpud, it will be "pagud" or "pagod". Pagod means tired. Are we tired with our lives? Are we tired of our works? of our family responsibilities? of our relationships? of ourselves? Pagod na ako.
If we're tired and weary, let us go back to God who is the Source of Comfort. He understands us, He knows what we are going through. Just like our fathers here on earth, He will comfort us, embrace us because He loves us. He cares for us.
PRAY. LISTEN. GO. Ready. Get Set. Go. We cannot just go on our lives with the go signals that we thought are the right signs. Most of the times, we are too much self-focused, career oriented. We are too passionate and we want to just go and go without asking the Lord, "What do you want for my life?" We, most of the times, forget to ask Him, ask His guidance. Akala natin, alam na natin lahat. Akala natin, 'yun na ang tama. But where is the Lord on our journey? Isinama ba natin?
It's about time to ask the Lord's guidance where He wants to lead us. Listen to Him more. Listen to His loud voice. Know that His plans are always greater than ours. And once we allow Him to control our lives, we'll never lose our life's direction.
STOP. The road sign STOP tell us to stop because we are already heading a wrong destination, or stop because we are too fast and we forget the value of the journey itself.
Take U-TURN if we lose the sight of direction. Whenever we take a sinful path, let's go back. Ask the Lord's forgiveness and reconcile with Him. He is just waiting.
Traveling North was never easy, but it was the journey that was life-filled. It was full of life's lessons and God's graces.
Truly going to the NORTH direction means going up, going to the True Source of Life who is Jesus Christ.
CHRIST BOUND.
