Lessons today from God and the amazing blessing of watching how God transforms a life

Saturday, 10:29pm – North Fairview, Philippines
Today Jesus taught me about:

• How God wants us to treat the poor
• Protecting the unity of the Church
• How God transforms our lives to free us from our old lives of sin
• We will learn from God our whole lives, in every single aspect and situation he has us in

Today I spent time with Alain in his hometown of Fairview. I’m blown away by how God changes people’s lives. I am thankful to the Lord of being able to watch and be with a brother in his time of need. We are on our 21st day and chapter of Purpose Driven Life and I have to say this book from pastor Rick Warren has been guiding us to God’s Word and giving insight of his will and purpose in general for our lives. I have seen it open up Alain to refocus and reevaluate all the things in his life from relationships at work, home and in Church.


People's homes off of the main highway, Commonwealth Ave. On my way to Fairview city

The day started with meeting Alain at SM Fairview (the big mall in North Fairview city). I almost threw up from motion sickness on these air-conditioned buses. I had to get off near Philcoa and I reflected on the community that we didn’t go to today that we usually spend time at every Saturday. I wondered if I could go there myself. It’s true that if you have help with another person, you get more return for your work. So I have prayed to Jesus on what I am to learn about the day being postponed for next week’s events.


With Barangay Arboretum kids at saturday's outreach. Alex on my left, his first time there

I arrived at SM Fairview right at the same time as Alain did and he was able to reflect on the morning as he was not able to meet up with his morning appointment with a pastor because the pastor was sick. We prayed for the pastor and discussed the events this morning up until our lunch at Wham! Burgers (good burgers by the way for cheap). As we finished, 2 little girls came up to us, probably ages 5 and 7, holding a piece of paper with some writing. They held out their hand gesturing to ask for money. We hesitated and I asked them if they wanted my half-drank Fit n’ Right juice. They said yes and Alain gave them 10 pesos.

I asked Alain what he felt about that incident and it brought up past thoughts of how my attitude used to be about the poor. I had no care for them, I would only give when I felt like it, and often I second guessed if it was helping them or enabling them to remain in a begging condition. I suggested we go into God’s Word and read some verses in the Bible from looking at the index of my Life Application Study Bible that my brother Jin Kim had blessed me with back in June of 2008. This has been my armor, my helmet, my shield and my sword; all of my protection against remaining in darkness of my old life of loss and confusion.

Ephesians 6:13-17
“13Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. 14Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, 15and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. 16In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. 17Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.”

Thank you Lord for your word.

Verses about giving us insight to help the poor were: Proverbs 14:31, Amos 5:12, and Galatians 2:10. God blesses us with the opportunity to help the poor and needy when they come to ask and they ask us exactly how we can help. The least we can do is to give the little we have. Better yet, love with your heart openly the way God intends and give cheerfully and with joy knowing you are obeying and loving God when you do so.


Mother sleeping with child off of Aurora Blvd near Katipunan Ave in Quezon City

I was quickly comparing to what we gave them: we gave them a measly 20 cents (USD conversion) and a drink I half drank and didn’t like. I pray that we can always give without hesitation and always give our best, since our best is not ours to begin with and we should give gracefully (where recipient receives an unmerited gift) as God gives to us gracefully with us allowing to be forgiven of our sins and having eternal life through faith in Jesus Christ even though we sin, constantly. I pray to Jesus that our hearts can open up to how he wants us to be with everyone, especially those in need regardless if they are poor or rich in wealth. I’m also really concerned for those that are poor in spirit.

Alain and I praised God for this lesson and then went to Wendy’s to read our chapter on Protecting the unity of the Church. I asked that Alain lead and I can see there is a different dynamic when someone moves from listening to being the one that shared by leading. They receive more insights and get to direct the flow of the conversation. I know God was moving in Alain’s heart as he felt convicted to show his appreciation to those that have helped him thus far. Alain shared that we must always thank and help our leaders as they have great responsibilities for the entire congregation. I pray all of the believers in the world can seek unity and building of the imperfect church. We are all sinners and created differently. By our nature there will be issues. But with God’s help and guidance, and us open to his will for our lives, he will be loved and served. Thank you Lord.

Continuing to reflect on the day after watching Street Fighter: The Legend of Chun-Li (terrible movie) and then having merienda (snack) at Alain’s house, the Holy Spirit lead us that we will be learning throughout our entire lives in every single moment and experience that God has us in. There is hope, there is joy, there is peace, there is strength and there is excitement knowing that God has his best interests in us, for us, and with us. Thank you Father for your love. God, please guide as how to serve, grow and love you.

On commitment, learning it from God

Friday, 12:30pm – Mandaluyong City, Philippines
The past 5 days I’ve just been going around and meeting with people. Last Monday I was able to meet with Alex to talk about some things he was going through. Every night I am able to meet with Alain to continue our journey through the Purpose Driven Life by pastor Rick Warren. It’s such a great book and I see how an understanding of God and love continues to grow. It’s a blessing to see Alain continue to grow his relationship with Jesus at the same time.


Surfing in County Line, California

I was supposed to go with a friend surfing in an area here called La Union. I didn’t have any extra funds to go there but I already have a commitment to my friend and brother Alain to meet with him everyday for 40 days. I commit to this with such a joy as I get to have close and authentic fellowship with a brother and we are growing together with the Lord. I commit to this with such a joy because I’m doing it with Jesus for Jesus so that we can understand the teachings in the Bible and how he wants us to be and what we are to do for our lives for him.

I have been tested on this and seen people in my life tested on commitment. We learn about commitment from God in how he continues to work on our hearts even though we are fickle with our faithfulness. He continues to love us even though we continue to sin and get caught up with the things of this world. He’s committed to us as I see more and more of how he moves in people’s hearts to make a difference in people’s lives, to help them in their trials, to help carry their burdens in their suffering, and to encourage them to learn more about the Holy Spirit, Jesus, God, and his Word.

Thank you God for all you do for us. Thank you God for saving me.

The Lord visited me, amazing experience with the Holy Spirit

Sunday, 1:24am – Mandaluyong City, Philippines
The Lord was with me for 30 minutes right now, anointing me with something of some kind. His presence and feeling in and on my heart, as if I couldn’t breathe but I kept saying I thank him for coming and giving me his presence and whatever it is. I got the impression that people that he has connected me with will feel his presence differently and more now. In the height of the experience, I began praying for a lot of different people to be saved: Jed, Jonar, Rex, Rhett, Dad, Mom, nieces, nephews, Nick, Paul, James, PJ, Red, Astrid, Cian, Jeff, Baldomeros, Moina’s family, Vivi, and some others.

I was completely crying. At one point, when God touched my heart, I cringed on my side, overwhelmed, and couldn’t breathe but I didn’t want him to stop. I continued just to say thank you and I was aware trying to describe the situation while praying and speaking to Moina on the phone. At the end, God gave me a complete peace. I was giving thanks and praise calmly and then my heart started to grow heavy recounting the events on walking home tonight and seeing a whole neighborhood celebrating some homosexuals dancing and people drinking alcohol on the street. The street was dark and I immediately imagined how that particular moment could have been like the times thousands of years ago.

God always has Moina witness these things as I recount to her the days events. She was there when I surrendered my life to Jesus on June 8, 2008 and she was there when the Holy Sprit came in April of 2008. Now she had witnessed on February 22, 2009 the visiting from God of some sort. I kept telling her how amazing it feels and that there’s no way to describe what happened. No one can understand the gist of how God just came to me so they will just see it by how they experience God through the love that he puts in my heart and interactions with others.

I talked to brother Rocky to describe the event and he mentioned it may have been a refreshing from the previous day of being overwhelmed and deceit of the Devil of having too much on my plate, from addressing wedding questions, figuring out how to mediate between Lei from Metro Ministries and Bimbo and Zandro not able to attend their promotion dinner, discipling people in the States in the morning and then coming back from discipling Alain. I prayed to God that I never grow weary of following him and that I am given discernment and grace to continue the desires of his life of mine to glorify his name and serve his purpose. I will pray for understanding and discernment for tonight’s event.

Thank you Lord for coming to me, thank you for this experience and I pray you reveal what I am to do or to continue to do. Thank you Jesus, my brother, my savior, my redeemer, my high priest, my protector. All glory to you God, in Jesus name I pray. Amen

The Lord came to me in my dream and spoke to me this morning

Wednesday, 6:59am – Mandaluyong City, Philippines
Thank you Jesus for coming to me Lord. I love you God. In your mighty name and for all your glory I pray, Amen.

God came to me and spoke to me. As if face to face, while I slept. So intimate and close as brothers and friends do when they want to tell you something important. All night tonight God was trying to give me visions but I did not understand them. I pray for understanding and wisdom for the purpose of those. But before I woke or while half asleep, I had a short conversation with Jesus. I asked him, “Father, can you tell me more about resurrection? What does it mean? And what happens? How will we know?”

The Father replied, “Your whole essence will come into me, you’re entire being, so you will know.” And then a vision as if molecules ascended, it was as if it was a picture of what was to come in the future. I was so humbled that he even came to me. I never had an experience like this, I’ve only had the privilege by the feeling of his presence constantly. Him coming face to face with me, I can’t even remember his face, only that he was there. I quickly felt so amazed, honored and then quickly that I didn’t feel worthy to witness his presence. But he knows exactly what needed to happen for me, in whatever form he chose to appear, and I thank him for this, thank you Lord, thank you Father, thank you God.

I am still in awe. This just happened. The feeling of unworthiness came in realizing how you are in comparison to something you can’t even fathom, that created all of us and this world, everything in it. When you come to understand even a fraction of this, I promise you, you will feel unworthy. God gives us all the grace, no matter how much we can obey and follow his commands. I just feel that he is pleased in what I have been doing, and I pray that I can even do more for him, great things for him, all for him, lead by him.

The least I can do is to follow his commands, both out of obedience and out of such a love for him and joy in following, expressing it now for all to see. I love you God, I love you.

Arboretum plans and issues, Reconciliation and Continued hunger in learning about God and the Bible

Tuesday, 12:57am – Quezon City, Ortigas, Philippines
This is my 3rd day with my friend in going over Pastor Rick Warren’s book The Purpose Driven Life and in stories/verses in the Bible. This book was a great eye-opener when I first started learning about the truth of God and the Christian faith and I pray it helps many more people as well. Going through this book a second time has provided more insight and a deeper understanding of the concepts, God’s character and the will of God for our lives.


Purpose Driven Life book

Earlier today I was able to spend time with brothers to go over plans for Arboretum for future and how to deal with current issues within the community. There were issues before we started there and now that we are more involved with the community, we are starting to see and feel them. It’s such a blessing to be around the heart and drive that Pons, Bimbo and Zandro have in continuing with the work with diligence and level-headedness. For me, I learned not to let emotions or pride get in the way of listening to what the peoples needs are, not to let it effect us in our action or our speech in responding in haste, and to not let these stumbling blocks effect the community as a whole from benefiting from our presence.

My only prayer is that our presence doesn’t add to the issues but helps to resolve them and teach by example of how we can resolve or own personal issues and perseverance through adversity. We will inevitably make mistakes, but with the help of wise counsel, focusing and committing our plans and hearts to the Lord, and with careful preparation and execution, the ministry and outreach will be fruitful with the majority benefiting.

Sharing God’s Word with friends that need it

Saturday, 4:53pm – Mandaluyong City, Philippines


I recently had the blessing to be able to share God’s words in the Bible with a close friend of mine and brother that needs and is looking to understand God and his Word more. I was able to witness how this changes others and I pray that the Holy Spirit continues to guide him in being free in his new life with Jesus Christ.

God is giving me the opportunity to share and teach the word to the others. As I am being discipled by others, I am now able to disciple others. Disciple means to be a student or to follow a teaching. Following God’s words and learning about Jesus, you become a disciple of Jesus. Apart from just gaining knowledge, you truly understand and gain wisdom when you apply that knowledge to your life and can share it with others.

Thank you God for giving me the opportunities to learn and share it with others. I ask and pray that the Holy Spirit guides us all in your Word and your teachings. Be with us always Father to give us strength to follow, clarity to see, and understanding to love. Thank you God, Thank you Jesus, thank you Holy Spirit. In Jesus loving name I pray, Amen.

God’s faithfulness and his will for my life - Answered prayers for people to disciple

Thursday, 4:53pm – Mandaluyong City, Philippines
God answered my prayers of people to disciple and if he wanted me to do it. In my heart is to share God’s word to everyone around me. I get to practice with a friend from the States and now a brother here in the Philippines. I thank the Lord for the blessing of both for me to begin this and also for these brothers to receive his Word. I pray that I don’t add or take anything away, and that I just take the steps on providing the Word but that the Holy Spirit is always there guiding us on what we should go over. I am waiting and praying for when my roommate will be open for me to share the Bible with him on a consistent basis. Please pray that he attends this Sunday’s Victory service for “1 Life to Live”.

I know we will grow understanding more about God and how to apply his commands to our life. I pray God gives us the strength, boldness and discernment on what to apply and when so that we may gain wisdom and impart that wisdom with others.

Thank you Jesus for you life, thank you Holy Spirit for being our Counselor and thank you God for your love in everything.

What’s in a name? The meanings of a few and how it can define your life

Ever since I was young, in grade school from what I can remember, I always thought the name of a person was very important. As if someone’s name really represented who they are and what they were destined to be. Being of Filipino descent, growing up in Burbank, California I would experience slight prejudice on occasions. Some people thought I was Chinese, many thought I was of Mexican heritage. But since my name was “Ryan”, an Irish name, it made all the things more confusing. I wanted a different name, a cooler name. I thought “Ryan” was so plain and ordinary. I wanted a name to stand out from the crowd.

Later I came to understand from a book on names that one meaning of “Ryan” was Little King. I used to think, “this is cool” but then again, I was short amongst the other kids and even until now I am still short but when I was growing up, my height was a slight insecurity. I remember wishing I could become taller to see how it would be and how people would treat me. It wouldn’t be until I was 26 years old and started racing motorcycles did I find my height and smaller frame as a competitive advantage. Thank you God for my size.

I just read this morning in the book of Luke that the name John means “The Lord is gracious” and that the name Jesus means “The Lord saves”, both from Hebrew. Reading this I have realized there is a lot in a name. So much that an Angel named Gabriel came to earth to tell a prophet named Zechariah (his name means “God Remembers”) that him and his wife will have a son and they shall name him John. He was given this name. It was and is important. It represents what he was set apart to do for God and the people of this world, to pave the way for the coming of the Messiah, or the “Anointed”, or Jesus. God is gracious and God saves.

We are all given the blessing of life and our particular skills, talents and abilities. We are also given a name from our parents but I expect divinely by God.

I pray we all come to understand what we are set out to do on this earth, so that God can be glorified and all on this earth benefit from the lives we live. Thank you Jesus, in your name I pray. Amen.

Sign from God – he keeps showing me my race number, 48

Sunday, 6:48pm – Mandaluyong City, Philippines (<- it just so happens the time I started this as well) God continues to show me my race number, the #48. Different variations of it, specifically of different combinations I had for racing: 148, 248, 648 and just 48. I am not sure what to do with this yet. I am not trying to look for it but it’s noticeable since of course it was significant. From seeing how God has given me signs before, he definitely wants me to contemplate and look into it further. The only thing I associate this number with is motorcycle racing. Last week a mentor/pastor recently questioned if I thought about going back to racing, stating that it can possibly be a platform to glorify Jesus name.
1:48 - Truck in-dash clock : January 15, 2009

I began racing in 2005 and quickly became passionate and addicted to motorcycle racing and riding. I put all my effort to practice, train, and study to keep on improving and to be superior in competition. From 2006 to 2008 I would win championships and make it to the professional level. Coming to search for God and start a relationship with Jesus changed the course of my life since April of 2008.


148 - Visiting Moina's Grandma in the hospital: January 2, 2009

Today I am in the Philippines, building the foundations of the Christian faith and serving in the poor communities, squatter areas, where economy, social structure, basic necessities and love for God is needed to combat against the sin and evil in this world in individuals and structures in society. Taking a 2-weekend class with Professor Mel Luna of Extra Mile Foundation gave knowledge and insight of the causes of the issues that plague the Barangay Arboretum community that friends and I from Victory Church have been participating and volunteering our time since September of 2008.


1.48 - Eating at a Mediterranean restaurant with Moina: January 2, 2009

Committing my life to Jesus Christ on June 8, 2008 has been a rapid journey of living by the Holy Spirit, being guided by the teaching and word of God in the Bible, and just having faith in the convictions in my heart to connect with various individuals both in California and in the Philippines. The more I read, pray and am obedient, the more I learn and am filled with the joy of following God and having an intimate relationship with him.


648 - playing Solitaire on my Ipod video: December 23, 2008

I have learned to turn away from the old patterns of desires that would never satisfy me. I have found the peace and joy in building and nurturing the relationships I have with friends, family and church family. My eyes have opened to what it means to put others before myself, to serve and love God and to live by faith. I have now come to know that Moina will be my wife and I am still constantly finding God in all that I see and do, everyday and every moment in my life and I praise God and continue to be amazed and wonder how I can show my love back. God will show me. He’s brought me this far, and I’m just waiting to know where to go to next.


48 - Bose advertisment at SM North, The Block: December 5, 2008

I love you God. Thank you, please show me how I can become even closer to you, and share and teach others about you, so they can start or grow their relationship with you as well. In Jesus mighty name I pray, Amen.


048 - Tricycle license plate in Mandaluyong City where I live: November 23, 2008