My Top 10 “Thank You” List For 2011

2011 is such a very meaningful, challenging, and blessed year. There were so many things that happened, good or bad, I believe that all those happenings really made an impact in my life and in my Christian walk.

I have so many things to thank for, but I want to narrow it down and here’s my top 10 things and people who I’m thankful for  2011:

10. IGNITE 2011: LifeBox Campus Conference

This 3-day campus conference really ignited my heart to reach out my campus, University of the East – Caloocan. With a set of powerful speakers, including Ptr. Robert Gonzales and Raissa Laurel, that conference really shook me to the point that I can’t wait to enter school again during that time to make disciples. I am now excited for the next IGNITE conference on 2013.

And the unforgettable line during that conference: “God, drugs ka ba? NAKAKA-ADIK KA GOD!!!!!”

9. KIDS Church (Specifically Tweeners)

Through this ministry, I’ve learned a lot of things and skills. I learned how to speak in front of many people through welcoming the kids, sharing the verse for tithes and offering, and my favorite part, being the “game master”. I also learned how to be more patient as I always encounter a lot of unexpected stuffs happening during the whole service.

8. A specific friend of mine

I’m very thankful to that person for being an instrument of God to deal something in me this past several months. Through that person, God made me realize that through the cross, I am secured in all areas of my life. Even though that person did it the “hard way”, I am still thankful for sending that person in my life.

7. My leader

My leader, Ptr. Paul Herrera, taught so many things in me. As my leader, He’s keeping on encouraging, correcting, rebuking, and praying for me. I also learning so many things in him as we do our discipleship coaching together with other LifeBox Caloocan leaders.

6. Youth Ushering Ministry

Before our youth service start every Friday, we are the ones who will set the atmosphere of faith, hope and love. Through this ministry, I learned more how to socialize with other people and I also learned how to handle some situations that will compromise my faith for a minute. And because of that ministry, I’m now starting to love to meet new people and it encourage me a lot to serve more as I see the students saying, “Grabe, nginitian ako nung usher dun! Babalik uli ako dun.”

5. UE – Caloocan LifeBox

As one of the core leaders of UE – Caloocan LifeBox, I’m really thankful seeing that the numbers of students who were giving their lives to Jesus. I remember the days where we started with few people, where there are only three of us are men. Yes, almost all of them are women during that time. And as I saw our growth every semester, I say to God, “Lord, hindi pa ‘to tapos. There’s still more to come, and we will not stop until this campus will be conquered by Your Kingdom.”

4. LifeBox Caloocan

We usually meet each other every Friday youth service. LifeBox Caloocan composed of campuses in CAMANAVA area that has LifeBox. When I see them growing, I say to God, “Lord, if you did that to them, you can also do it to us!” As I see them, it inspires me to go forth and make disciples.

3. Victory Caloocan

Ahhh, my spiritual family. I really like to be with them when I’m happy, sad, discouraged, and frustrated, because these people encouraged me and there are also times, like what my leader is doing to me, they also correcting and rebuking me. And what I really like to them, they pray for me all the time.

2. My family

Even though we’re having misunderstanding, they never left me in times of need. Especially when it comes to my Dad, it really brought me joy when he texted me “I love you” when he left the country after so many years and so many misunderstandings. And until now, I still feel that feeling.

1. JESUS CHRIST

The author and perfecter of my faith, my refuge, my Father, my comforter, my everything. I still remember the time when God found me, and I see the change before and up to this day. Through Him, my future is now secured. Apart from Him, I will never have this top 10 list, because all the things that I received this year are all from Him. Even though this year was tough, He never left me nor forsaken me. It’s all because of Him.

Yes, some of the items that I’ve listed is short, there’s nothing can compare the feeling of being thankful for this year. This video can describe my feeling and this video will say to you that you should be thankful in all circumstances:

How about you? What are your top 10 “thank you” list for 2011?