Dear brothers and sisters in BCBP,
As a start let me share to you Tatang Manolet Siojo’s paraphrase of 1 Thessalonians 5:12-14 in relation to our service for the Lord by saying :
For raising us up with your love,
For correcting us when it was necessary,
For being patient with our shortcomings,
For cheering us up when were fainthearted
For supporting us when we were at our weakest,
For always seeking our good
And for just simply being present ”
Thank you very, very much. One of the real joys at this time of year, is the opportunity to say thank you and wish all of you a Merry Christmas and the very best for the New Year to come. Likewise, it is an opportunity to thank the Lord for all the blessings, guidance and protection he has endowed to us and our family.
My close friend and Chapter Head of Cebu South always reminded me that service in the BCBP is always an easy task. So, we always look at it as a blessing and not as a burden, which is partly true. For me, service in the BCBP is a joy, a challenge and even an opportunity of given back to God the gifts and talents that He has given me in my life.
As I was reflecting on the three years of service as your Regional Council Director for Cebu Region, I came to realize that the Lord was always at my side despite my faults and shortcomings in my service, particularly during the times that I was doubting my faith in Him. Knowing that I was very busy with my work and on our finances, He guided me to schedule my time effectively between my service and family, and even on how to effectively manage my finances. He is so good that everytime I experienced some hurts and frustrations in relation to my service, he always guided to me to look up to His message on Col 3:23 when He says, “Whatever you do, work at it with all of your heart, as though you were working for the Lord and not for men.”
In every service that I have accepted in the community, I learned to enjoy it and follow the words of Fr. Herb. He says “In the Lord’s service, we don’t have to wear the shoes of those ahead of us. We simply are keepers of the vision that the Lord has entrusted to us; and all that is expected of us is to keep that vision alive.” Simply put, all I have to do is “do the best I can in my service.”
As my service as your RCD come to an end this December 31, 2014,I always take courage in saying and learn to accept that “in the bcbp we can always rest from a particular service but never really retire from being a servant.”
So, I would like to take this opportunity to my thanks and gratitude to all of you, but most of all to the Chapter Heads of my Region who have given me their all-out support in the activities that we have planned, carried out and accomplished in doing our best to spread the words of Christ in the Market Place. Again a million thanks, Merry Christmas and a Prosperous New Year to all of you.
God Bless.
– Boy, Nena, Lee Lord and Lovey Lady Villanueva
Source: Kaigsuonan
