one very praiseworthy year later...(the thank you post)

Yeah, I know I should have posted this on February 1. But well, this is better posted later than never.

February 1, 2008: The day that pretty much set in motion my "one year of NO regrets". Yes, seriously. That day was really one in which God's hand was at work in my life. Who'd think that slipping in the SJ building and coming up against a door would be so...providential. And deciding to knock on that door and ask "Can I join the prayer meeting?" was one of the biggest leaps of faith I could have taken then.

5 people who somehow made all the difference in the first few minutes: Ate Oche, Ate Regz, Mira, Gayle, and Ayanne. If it hadn't been for the 5 of you, I do not know if I would have stayed in that room in SJ. If I would have stayed for the prayer meeting. You guys just welcomed me even if you did not know me. Thank you.

Especially to Ate Oche, Mira, and Gayle---we never had a lower hh during that part of the school year, but having sisters like you helped turn things around for me. I really felt God's love through the three of you.

Thanks so much to everyone else I got to know after...

-To Kuya Niki for basically being my big brother all the way and dealing with all of my neuroses and occasional lack of faith.

-To Kuya Marco, Kuya Tino, and Ate Ynah for being more than just my kuyas and my ate, for knowing how to let me see God's love in everything. I know I'm sometimes problematic, but your patience with me has convinced me that yes, love is something still real in this world.

-To Kuya Arven, Ate Tinay, Ate Issa, Ate Drei, Kuya Darwin, Ate Melai, Kuya Leo, Kuya Mark, Ate Marj, Kuya Teddy, and Kuya Rocky for being my role models, source of moral support, and inspirations to make the best of what God has given me.

-To Dave, for being the best partner I could ask for in leading a household, and for being such an inspiring brother to us all. You're one of the biggest blessings in my YFC life now.

-To Dan, Karl, Rodz, James, Earl, Francis, Ron, RJ, Drew, Josh, Charles, and Pao, for being Proof of God's Integrity in your own ways, for being such amazing brothers, for the many laugh trips, food trips, bonding times, and great memories.

-To AJ and Ate Carmel, for all of the sisterly love, the inside jokes, the many sharings, and the things we went through over the year. You both inspire me in different ways.

-To Ate Olivia, Moti, Nelly, Lara, Francine, and Tin for the bonding in and out of the tambayan, the food trips, photo trips, random conversations and being more than just ka-YFCs. You're like family too (pero di pa kayo nagpa-ampon sa amin, ahahaha)

-To Rhea, Jeff, Philip, Patrick, Anna, Geom, Eka, Paul, Fer, Paolo, Arianne, Kim, and Jed for being among my simple joys, among my reasons for being an ate, among my reasons to keep standing firm in the faith, for the many things you have all taught me.

Three hundred sixty-eight days later...I can't believe what God has given me. Many trials and heartbreaks, true, but so many more blessings and opportunities. I did let go of a lot of people in my life, but I learned to appreciate some people in my family again, and I gained a whole group of friends who are like family to me. I felt God's love in 2008 more than in any other year so far. I used to think that 2004 (the year I was 15) was my best year. But 2008 was just the best and 2009 promises to be better.

After all of this, may God be praised!