“You learn to speak by speaking, to study by studying, to run by running, to work by working, and just so, you learn to love by loving. All those who think to learn in any other way deceive themselves.” -St. Francis de Sales

"I noticed your happiness depends a lot on your friends."

Words you repeat a lot in your heart somehow hit so much harder and seem so much more real when it comes out of the mouth of someone else.

Those words were an affirmation. Almost as if because that now that those words had been spoken into the open and solidified in the air by someone else, it was like they were saying: "it's okay now Gabe, you can start letting go and moving on now, time to change and grow up for the better."

I'd moved on already, but it was only 99%. I guess that 1% was left and guarded by God so that I would realize that I still do need people. I need friends. I don't have to close up to everyone because friends are a huge portion of how God works through us.

We're made to be a community of loving individuals surrounded and inspired by His love.

I remember one of the 3 steps to escape any kind of fatigue, and spiritual fatigue especially for that matter, was to have recourse to outside power. And that does not only include God and His grace, but your family and your friends who He works through many times.

I feel like finally I can just sort of start ending that chapter in my life. I can move on now--fully--and start flowing with whatever God is painting now.

Praise God for God.

All the rights, all the wrongs, and still this life gives me a lot of hope and joy.

All because of Him alone.

Life is blessed right now. And camp preparations are well underway. Angelica and Sean made sick logos! I'm pretty excited. :)

Just keep praying though for focus and guidance and a reminder that it is God Who is leading this camp. All of us are servants.

Praise God for friends man. Honestly, thank You so much for them, they really know how to keep me in check and they always have my back.

Please Lord God, help me to be patient with others and to love and forgive and most especially be humble to those who hurt me.

#pG

Shout out to Mikey Raymundo! One of my best bros straight up. =]

I called, He answered. I cried, He comforted. I suffered, He suffered with me. I lived, He died for me.

With the new school year well underway and a busy month ahead for Surrey 2, preparations for Camp Exchange have begun and already I can see the warfare springing up everywhere.

But that's besides about what I really want to blog about.

Right now, I'm extremely happy.

Things have been turning around for the better ever since I really declared in my heart that I wanted to rebuild my relationship with Christ. I would truly say that things are being rebuilt. I praise Him so much for all His graces and blessings. I've seen Him working His providence in many small things from a text with a bit of a bitter message suddenly not being able to be sent and so allowing me to reconsider my words (and prevent a huge misunderstanding) to gut feelings of asking for a ride home instead of bussing and ending up having a really good one-on-one with one of my household members.

There's so much I could write right now about How awesome things have been and how I've been growing so much, being able to see Him again more and more clearer, and just all this wisdom that has been pouring into my thoughts lately, but I'm dead tired from a long day of school and homework.

So with that, I know Jesus already reads the words, emotions and praises that I want to lift up to Him, and so, a good night to you all.

God bless

PS Just read that my last post (a bit on the opposite end of this post) was just 4 days ago. To me I do see and realize that a lot of my emotions do show up in my writing (I do tend to hide a lot of what I really feel...) and it's a great way for me to reflect on my thoughts and who I am and how I work in my mind. It really shows me the importance of Reason and Emotions and how to harness both for the fruits of faith.

Still working on it for sure. But Praise God either way in my sadness and happiness and in my doubt and in my faith.

School is great so far, a lot of work but I'm willing to put in my all. And it's cool to be seeing everyone again!

Other than that, faith wise.. things have been a bit dry and in the ditch lately to be honest.

It's really tiring.

I keep going forward though. I'm on this road to rebuild my relationship with Him. I pray and hope for God to wake me up and take away my blindness.

Guilty pleasure: I'm about to settle down in my bed with my lap top to watch Michelle Phan on youtube do whatever she's doing while I listen to chill night time music... man she's so pretty... like as a person as well.

And that's what usually gets me so interested in girls. Their personality more so than their looks. Straight up.

Anyway though on a more serious note: I'm healing.

Also had my first shift today at work! It was an awesome experience.

#pG