---------------------------------------------------------
In July 2010, I was interviewed for a job as a chef in Australia. The interview went really well and the employer was quite impressed with how I presented myself. I was expecting to hear from the employer within a month's time. Two months passed and still nothing. So I thought that the employer probably changed his mind or maybe picked another candidate over me. I then started to search for other jobs. I also prayed to God and asked
Him to help me and to lead the way. Our Rev. Pastor Zuriel Bernardino also prayed for me each time we met. Thankfully, the Lord answered our prayers, I was presented with two offers in October 2010. One was for a Shangri-La property in Singapore as a Sous Chef and another was as Executive Chef for a 4-star property in Cebu, Philippines. Again, I prayed to God and asked Him to lead the way because I was quite confused on which one to choose. One was offering a supervisor position in a world class property with a great opportunity and a standard compensation package in a country with high living standards. Another was offering the top kitchen position in a local 4-star property with an estimated compensation comparable to what was being offered in Singapore. I was contemplating and was weighing out the positive and negative aspects of both. Choosing Singapore will surely provide me with great and incomparable experience but I will have to deal with less savings and being away from my family. On the other hand, staying in the Philippines will enable me to save more and provide better for my family but not have a world class luxury experience. I tried to delay both employers in order to buy more time for me to make the right decision. At the course of this decision-making process, I learned from the Cebu employer that the salary being offered was cut down by 30%. With this news, it was quite rhetorical to ask which one I should choose, I instantly had a decision. Unfortunately, when I contacted the Singapore employer, they informed me that they have already dropped my application because they have waited too long. At that point, I had no choice but to go for Cebu. It was during this time when God began to work in His mysterious ways again. A day before I was suppose to call the Cebu employer and inform them that I was taking the job offer, I received a call from the Australian employer from July. He was in Manila and would like to meet with me to discuss further the job he was offering. He explained that he was out of contact after July because his father just passed. When I met with him, he presented me with the compensation package together with the benefits. We signed the contract immediately and he asked me to prepare my documents in order to start the processing of my visa. The Lord not only provided me with a great experience ahead but the compensation offered was more than what I expected, more than what I need to support my family. And a bonus to all of that is the option to eventually file for Australian residency and bring my family to live with me. Again, the Lord has shown us that when there seems to be no other way, He is there to make a way for us. This circumstance reminds me of the song by Don Moen, God Will Make A Way. The Lord works in ways we cannot see and is always there to guide us. All glory to God! Amen.
---------------------------------------------------------
Given by: Aaron Consul
On: Heroes Worship Service, April 17, 2010
Note: Testimony below was not edited (it's already awesome as is)
I started mountaineering when I was in my 3rd year at UST during 2003. I can say that it was “love at first climb”. Since then, I’ve climb several mountains on an average of once a year. The latest was last week when I climbed the highest mountain in Luzon, Mt. Pulag.
It was my 2nd time climbing Mt. Pulag. Like every mountain climb, it was a whole new different experience - different set of people I climbed with, different trail and route, and not forgetting the unpredictable weather we always experience in every mountain.
Mountaineering is an exciting and adventurous hobby but also a challenging one. Every climb, there should be at least 1-2 months preparation on the logistics, mountain gears and other stuff, and most importantly, on one’s physical fitness. During the climb itself, you are literally being pushed to your limit. As you go reaching the top of the mountain, everything becomes heavier as the trail ahead seems never-ending. However, at the end of the day, you will forget all the hardship and sacrifice you’ve gone thru when you finally reach the top.
The reasons why I love this hobby are the challenge, adventure, and the front row seat to nature’s beauty it offers. But most of all, it is where I always feel God in a special and intimate way. Climbing a mountain is somehow similar to my life lately. As most of you know, just last January, I had one of my biggest setbacks and most painful heartbreak ever. I knew I was smoothly climbing my mountain with ease and confidence, but suddenly, the next thing I knew was that I stumbled and fell hard. Yes, the Lord helped me get back to my feet but after that fall, it wasn’t that easy continuing the climb anymore. Every step became really painful and hard. Everything ahead, especially the top, became blurry and distant. It was indeed a period in my life that I became unsure, as if nothing made sense. However, through all the pain and hardships I’ve gone through, God did not leave me. He cried and struggled with me during that most difficult part of the trail. And now, as I stand here in front of you guys, I just want to share not only my mountaineering hobby but also my first hand experience of God’s amazing and exceeding grace. Without Him, I would have not been able to make it here on top. Indeed, everything you do for the Lord is not in vain. All the bad things you had in the past, all the heartbreaks and sacrifices are all worth it. Everything makes sense when you see things in His perspective. And as we all conquer a particular mountain in our lives, the not so good news is there will always be another mountain to climb, but the good news is that God will always be there on all our climbs.
To God be the glory.Photo links (try)
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=5290204&op=1&view=all&subj=119810098042702&aid=-1&auser=0&oid=119810098042702&id=193223866517
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=5290205&op=1&view=all&subj=119810098042702&aid=-1&auser=0&oid=119810098042702&id=193223866517
