The Youth Can (Test)

I’m excited to write this blog, not only because it touches the very calling God has set me out to do but more so because I want to inspire (the) YOUth to continuously challenge the prevailing norm and be set apart for what they have been made for. The fact that a youth challenged me to do this, all the more made this really exciting - thank you Fiona, it’s a privilege to be featured in your site.

I believe in the youth for two very simple reasons: God believed in me and someone has invested her/his life in my growth when I was young. That may sound cliché to some but try telling it to a youth who has not experienced any of it and see how it will impact their lives.

When I was young I was unwanted, a family of seven children and six daughters doesn’t necessarily need another daughter most especially when the reason for having one more child was in the hope of having a boy. That was my life story - I was consistently out there proving there’s a reason for my existence in a family I felt I was not needed.

Until I came to UPLB, there I met a group of young, radical men and women who welcomed me gladly without knowing who I was and who I can be - that was refreshing! That same year I met Jesus and I found Life Himself - its like I’ve been searching for this in my entire existence and there He was just waiting for me to accept Him. My life was literally transformed - from a nobody to having a whole identity.

God walked me thru a life of purpose and passion. He gave me leaders who without any ounce of pretense would tell me: “Babes, you can do greater things than all the leaders you are looking up to right now.” For me that was revolutionary - that time, I was young, inexperienced and got nothing to prove for myself, their words were like a pump of adrenaline to my soul and it gave me the needed boost to step out, dream big dreams and go out to live a faith-filled life.

So this blog goes out to the young people in the house, I'm not just here to encourage you or tell you “good things” but I’m here to share a truth that I hope would penetrate your body, soul and spirit:

"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." - 1 Timothy 4:12

I did not invent this but God made sure that on the book of Truth you will get to see this and believe that the God of the universe believes in YOU(th).

✔Don’t let anyone look down on you! - now that sounds like a great don’t from the Bible.

✔Don’t allow people, or circumstances, or challenges dictate what your future will be - ask God about it and you’ll have the biggest surprise of your life.

✔Don’t be swayed by what the world is screaming at you to do - rather scream back at it, be radical, stand out; redefine coolness according to the standards of the Bible.

✔Do the impossible, defy the culture, challenge other young people, excel, live life beyond its boundaries.

I have seen it before, children in Vacation bible school praying for their parents and they get healed, students inspiring change in their campuses - challenging activism - redefining the student government. There are also a lot of young men and women fighting the battle of purity amidst intense criticism. I want you to know right now that you are never alone in doing this. There’s a young boy I met who was able to lead his whole family to Christ. All over the Philippines there are students ranking top of their class without sacrificing their integrity. The list goes on - whether its something personal as believing for their own emotional healing to something as grand as leading thousands of young people to a purposeful life - it's real and it's happening, the only question is are you one of these young people?

I want to challenge you today to stand up for your generation, be the one who would cry out to God to redeem the labels so many people has tagged you with. Make a difference today - ask the Holy Spirit to infused you with an audacious faith to reach out to your generation. It’s never too late and you are never alone.

Last truth I want to share and this is something Jesus said:

"I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these." - John 14:12

You will do greater! You will be a voice in this generation! Yes the youth can!