My Sweet Spot

Neon

ethelmagalong — Mon, 14 Nov 2011 13:32:45 +0000

It’s been a year since we started our youth event, Neon. In Neon, we encounter students from different walks of life. We meet students who are insecure, broken, hurting, apathetic, students who do not have any vision in life.

Neon is like a hub for mostly high school students. But Neon is more than just a hang out place. It is where we expect every student to have an amazing encounter with God. As we meet with them every week, we share to them the truth that only Jesus can satisfy their craving for genuine love.

I always look forward to Friday nights. I am expectant of a miracle. I am hopeful to hear stories of changed lives. It may take some time, but I trust in the power of the Holy Spirit for each single student in Neon to know Christ and find his or her purpose in Him.

We are believing for young men and women to stand strong in their relationship with Christ and that they will resist temptation. It’s our heart’s desire for every student to be an influence and make an impact to their families and campuses. Nothing is impossible.

We will continue to pray and fight for these students and tell them about God’s grandest plan for them. And nothing can stop us.

“But tell to the generation to come the praises of the LORD, And His strength and His wondrous works that He has done… That they should put their hope in God And not forget the works of God, But keep His commandments.” Psalm 78:4, 7

Some high school students

Small group (men)

Small group (women)

Ptr. Bojo preaching during ‘Erased’ youth series

Ptr. Joash preaching during ‘Superhero vs Villains’ youth series

Neon Band

His Definition (HD) – Neon Dance Group

Students in Neon

Check out our website:

http://neongreenhills.com/

Hanging On

ethelmagalong — Mon, 29 Aug 2011 00:00:00 +0000

“I will meditate on Your precepts and fix my eyes on Your ways. I will delight in Your statutes; I will not forget Your Word.” – Psalm 119:15-16 ESV

Go to the Word. Spend a delightful moment with God.

Hear what He has to say. Discover the Truth that brings hope to your life.

Find the treasure as you take deeper in the Word.

And when you found it, hang on to it and never let it go…

Hanging On by Britt Nicole

Just One Story

ethelmagalong — Mon, 22 Aug 2011 17:19:56 +0000

Lou Mary, a third year Information Technology student from PUP San Juan, attended the Ignite campus conference last May. The conference was a life-changing experience for her. She was so fired up that she wanted to start a life group in her campus.

Lou Mary is just new in church and we both don’t know each other. I got contacts with her through Ptr. Joash who is also a campus missionary. I started to text her, call her and finally, we set a time to meet.

We decided to meet at McDonald’s, Wilson which is actually a few blocks away from her campus. That’s where she goes after her class and that’s where she hangs out with her friends. I was so excited to meet her knowing that I would also meet more students from PUP San Juan.

On my way there, I was praying and thanking God for that day and claiming for an open door in that campus. As I walked in McDo, I was surprised to see around 10 students who were waiting for me! Big smiles greeted me when I approached them. Lou started to introduce them one by one. I had to remember their names ‘cause they kept on asking me what their names are. They are so cheerful and so friendly. It was as if we’ve known each other for so long. I really had an amazing time getting to know each one of them.

Later I found out that Lou is their class president and she invited all of them to join a life group. Obviously, she has a great influence in the class. During that time, Lou had to fly to South Korea because she was chosen to represent her school for a 4-week Leadership Training. Her classmates are still eager to meet up with me even if Lou had to leave.

Met up with them again the following week and from then on, we’re meeting for a life group every Thursday afternoon with Ptr. Joash and our volunteers. The first ever life group in PUP San Juan is birthed!

After a month, Lou came back and she was surprised that more of her classmates have joined us. More and more students are being added in the life group every week! Currently, we have around 20 students who are going through the One2One. We’re also grateful to have people who volunteered to disciple these students.

I am always moved every time I see a student giving his/her life to Jesus. Overwhelming. Indeed, God works powerfully in the lives of the students. He can use even Just One student to saturate the whole campus.

If we’re faithful to disciple even just one person, raise up just one leader, I believe God will entrust us with more people to disciple and more leaders to raise up. And this is all for His glory.

I believe it’s just the start of God’s mighty work. We’re so excited to witness more lives of students being changed by the Gospel of Christ in PUP San Juan!

Come build with us!

With Lou Mary

PUP Life Group! =)

First week of One2One

With Lou and Jasmine

Cluster groups at McDo!

The Gospel tells me…

ethelmagalong — Mon, 25 Jul 2011 17:12:02 +0000

The Gospel tells me…

As a child of God…

I am forgiven. I am redeemed. I am already free! My past, present and future sins are already cancelled because of Jesus’ work at the cross. Jesus loves me fully and unconditionally. I don’t need to do anything to gain God’s favor because I already favored by God.

As a daughter/sister…

His grace transforms and changes me. His generous love compels me to love my family unconditionally. Because of Christ finished work on the cross, me and my family can experience peace, healing and provision.

As a friend…

My identity is in Christ and not on my friends. I live not to be like my friends but to be like Jesus. Jesus gave His life for me and He desires also for my friends to experience fullness of life in Him.

As a campus missionary…

I don’t need to perform, nothing to prove, nothing to boast, no one to please but only Jesus. I can love and reach out to the students and young people in the campuses only because of His overflowing love and grace for me.

As a single woman…

I am secure in Christ. Jesus alone can satisfy me. Jesus alone can fill all my needs, my desires, and my longings. I can trust in Christ’s perfect love and perfect time. In Christ, I am complete. With Christ, I have everything!

The message of the gospel transforms me, changes me, and overwhelms me. I am grateful that I no longer have to live up to my filthy rags but by His grace, I await a glorious inheritance in Christ Jesus. It’s not about me, it has never been about me but it’s always about Jesus, what He did on the cross and what He is doing now.

What a liberating moment…Thank You Jesus! =)

Galatians 2:20

“I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who livesin me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me. “

Pray and See

ethelmagalong — Mon, 11 Jul 2011 17:43:41 +0000

An author says, “praying for others is a magnificent act of love.” It’s easy to pray for people that you know or for people that you love. But sometimes, it takes more effort to pray for someone you don’t really know or someone you don’t really interact with; even difficult to pray for your enemies.

We have to understand that the starting point of prayer is what we learn about God in the person of Jesus.

The life of Jesus clearly conveys that He wants all people everywhere to experience God’s love. He went to the crowd, teaching them about the message of God’s love and healing every disease and every sickness. He didn’t see them as hopeless and wasted people but see them as people who are hurt, confused, desperate souls who are in need His love and care.

Matthew 9:35-36 And Jesus went throughout all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom and healing every disease and every affliction. When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.

Prayer does so much more to us. When we pray…

…We are being filled with love and compassion.

For some people, love does not come naturally. We easily judge and get irritated when these people are around — a neighbor who is a drug addict, a sibling who is an irresponsible bum, a rebellious friend, an annoying classmate, a strict teacher, a corrupt politician. We need prayer to place us in the field of God’s love and be filled with compassion. Nothing spurs compassion in us through prayer.

Prayer allows us to see others the way God sees them. We begin to see them through Jesus’ eyes. When we pray, God opens our eyes so that we can see that person as God does, then dispense His love and grace towards those people.

…It changes our attitude toward them and affects our relationship with them.

Something happens when we start praying for other people. Once we catch the glimpse of another person through the eyes of God, our attitude toward them changes. We are being tinged by His grace to treat them well and find ways to help them. As we experience His grace, we can’t help but share it with others.

God’s will for you and the people around you is to experience the love of Jesus. Your prayer widens the orbit of God’s blazing love because His love extends that far.

Who can you pray for right now?

Summer Blockbuster: Ignite 2011!

ethelmagalong — Mon, 27 Jun 2011 10:00:48 +0000

Ignite 2011 was indeed a blockbuster!

It was an amazing sight to see more than 7,000 students worshiping and praising Jesus! Our youth from Victory Greenhills were all pumped up about this huge campus conference that they experienced for the first time. My heart melted as some of the high school students shared their stories about their Ignite experience. It wasn’t about the conference but it was about Jesus that becomes real to them and drives them to pursue a deeper relationship with Him. There’s so much passion in them to share the gospel to their classmates and friends in the campus knowing that the Spirit of God is with them.

We’re in faith that these students will continue to be on fire for God as they go back to their campuses this school year. Pray with us as we continue to reach the next generation for Jesus!

The battle is not in the astrodome but in the campuses. We all cry out, EVERY NATION, EVERY CAMPUS!

Looking forward to a fruitful school year ahead!

“For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God…For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline.:” 1 Timothy 1:6-7

Young people! Keep that fire ablaze!

Let’s rock for Jesus!

It only takes a spark to start a fire!

Keep those Ignite IDs =)

Neon people’s experience in Ignite was Epic!

Awesome experience with God in Ignite!

Every Nation. Every Campus.

Ignite 2011: The LifeBox Campus Conference is the biggest gathering of students from all over the Philippines.

Check this out http://ignite.ph/

Listen to podcast http://ignite.ph/podcasts/

Summer Blockbuster: 4.12 Call of Duty Youth Camp!

ethelmagalong — Fri, 24 Jun 2011 15:50:54 +0000

Youth camp was once again a hit ! It was a summer experience that we’ll never forget. More students than ever came to the camp this year. It was a 3-day full of fun team building activities, intense games, meaningful group discussions and powerful time of worship. The students were challenged to set an example and stand for Jesus based on 1 Timothy 4:12.

“Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith and in purity.”

Karissa, a 3rd year high school student from St. Paul University, shared her breakthrough during the camp. According to her, she’s just an ordinary, unpopular, shy type student in school. But after hearing the gospel message intently and being filled with the spirit, there is this burning passion in her that makes her want to share Jesus to her friends in school. The gospel really makes sense to her.

There are many more God encounters for these students to experience. It’s amazing how God is changing lives!

I always love youth camp!

Chillin’ out after the game =)

Go and take a plunge!

Flag-making activity: These students are really creative.

Morning devotions with the group.

Worship. Awesome God!

Go Karissa! Share the gospel!

So blessed to work with my campus missionary friends – Ptr. Bojo & Ptr. Joash

It was a blast! My only regret….we didn’t have a group photo!!! =P

Pray: Young Generation

ethelmagalong — Sun, 13 Feb 2011 01:05:18 +0000

I’m looking forward to another great year serving Jesus in the campus. First few weeks of 2011, I’ve already seen God do amazing things!

At Victory, we hold a 7-day Prayer and Fasting every beginning of the year to set time to focus on God, hear afresh from God and worship God togetheras a church.

In one of the prayer meetings during the 7-day Prayer and Fasting, we took time to pray for the next generation. It was a delight to see how the church community values the young people by praying for them.

It was also a beautiful picture to see captured hearts of young men and women praying for one another, as they believe God for breakthroughs to happen in their lives and in their campuses.

Avram, a high school student from Ateneo, shared a powerful story on how God changed him and how he passionately shares the love of Jesus to his classmates.

Pray with us, as we believe for more high school students like Avram who will come to know God for themselves, that they will see that God’s ways are best, and that they will discover a sense of purpose for their lives.

“Each generation has a responsibility to serve God’s purpose for their time in history (Acts 13:36) and pass on the knowledge of God to the next generation (Psalm 71:18)”.

Unchangeable

ethelmagalong — Thu, 30 Dec 2010 19:30:54 +0000

Year 2010 is coming to a close. Time flies really fast. With all the dramas, the moments, the good and the not so good experiences in my life, I must say, It has been a great year. Only by His grace that I could stand strong as this year ends.

As the brand new year comes, there’s so much more to look forward to. Stepping into a new season and experiencing new things in life could be thrilling or could be uncomfortable.

Every year, a lot of changes happen. As human beings, we change in many ways. We add or lose weight. We develop in our skills. We grow in grace. We mature in character. We increase in our knowledge. We increase in strength. Some changes are for the better but some are for the worse. Some have resolved to improve for the better, that’s why there’s a list of some good–some unrealistic new year’s resolution.

We expect a difficult situation to change and for things to turn in our favor. At times our changes are critical. We lose our focus and get sidetracked along the way. When life hangs in the balance, we sometimes lose our perspective of God. Nothing is more evident about the nature of things than that they change.

Our understanding and our attitude toward God can change. But one thing for sure, we cannot change God. If changes are to be made, they must be made in us. God does not change. He cannot get better. He does not need to improve. No such weakness exists in God. His perfection makes Him worthy of our praise.

God is unchangeable.

I’m grateful that we have God who stands true to His Word and remains faithful to all His promises. His love for us through His Son, Jesus, is constant and everlasting. God will never stop being God. He rules. He reigns. He is sovereign. He is powerful.

As we face this year and the years ahead, we have this confidence in the God who is the same yesterday, today and forever.

Thank You Jesus!

Cheers to a great year ahead!

Malachi 3:6

“I the Lord do not change…”

Psalm 145: 13

“The Lord is faithful to all His promises and loving to all He has made. “

Psalm 93:1-2, 5

“The Lord reigns, he is robed in majesty;

the Lord is robed in majesty and is armed with strength.

The world is firmly established; it cannot be moved.

Your throne was established long ago; you are from all eternity.

…Your statutes stand firm, holiness adorns your house for endless days, O Lord.”

Restless

ethelmagalong — Thu, 30 Dec 2010 19:23:55 +0000

Here’s a beautiful song by Audrey Assad.

My song of the year. =)

Thank You Jesus that I could find rest in You.

Still my heart, hold me close, let me hear Your still small voice…I am restless ’til I rest in You…

RESTLESS

You dwell in the songs that we are singing
Rising to the Heavens
Rising to Your heart
Our praises filling up the spaces
In between our frailty and everything You are
You are the keeper of my heart

And I’m restless
I’m restless
‘Til I rest in You
(Oh God I wanna rest in You)

Oh speak now for my soul is listening
Say that You have saved me
Whisper in the dark
‘Cause I know You’re more than my salvation
Without You I am hopeless
Tell me who You are
You are the keeper of my heart

Still my heart
Hold me close
Let me hear a still small voice
Let it grow
Let it rise
Into a shout
Into a cry

I am restless until I rest in You