Note to Learning The Hard Way Contributors

To Those Who Submitted Stories for Learning The Hard Way,

I need to hear from you.  I should be able to get copies to you soon.

Here's the problem:  a few months ago my gmail account was sidejacked.  The gutless maggot poor misguided youth erased all of my emails, so I don't have your contact information.  Some of you have been in contact with me since the hack.  But there are few I haven't had any communication with since they submitted their stories.

Please email me if you contributed a Learning the Hard Way story.  Just re-send a copy of the story you originally sent and I'll let you know if I used in in the book.  Most of the stories I used here on the blog will be in the book.   I think I told most of you whether or not I would use your story when you first wrote.  Anyway, please get in touch with me.

Sneak Preview: Learning the Hard Way Cover

Erwin did an incredible job in designing this cover.  It'll be out any day now--I'm excited!

Kita Kitz@Youth Gig--Love Month Series

I'll be talking about love/purity issues TONIGHT, February 5th and February 12th at Friday Night Youth Gig (6:00 p.m.).   Please come and invite your friends.

Address: 818 N. Reyes Street, Sampaloc, Manila (in front of FEU and beside Mcdonald's Morayta).

February 19th is the Youth Gig Valentine's Banquet, and February 26th is the book launching for Learning the Hard Way. 

Basta LoveLife Podcast, February 4th

This week on the Basta LoveLife Show:

"Help--I'm addicted to cheating."

"Which should you follow: your head or your heart?"

"I've been basted. Should I keep pursuing her anyway?"

Just go to the podcast page (kuyakevin.lybsyn.com) to download or look up Basta LoveLife in iTunes.  This podcast is 100% free.

The Missional Church (Video)

I like this video.

Rejected

Opportunity often comes disguised in the form of misfortune, or temporary defeat. 
-Napoleon Hill.

I heard the above quote yesterday while listening to one of my favorite podcast.  It's so true, and it caused me to think about a post I've been meaning to write.


There are a lot of exciting things happening in my life  and ministry right now.  I'm simply overwhelmed with a sense of gratitude and excitement over what God is doing.   

But most of you are not aware of the process that has led here.  I've been reflecting on the number of times I've experienced rejection or setbacks over the past decade.  These experiences, though painful and/or frustrating, were crucial in bringing me up to this point.  Allow me to share a few:


I earned a Master of Divinity (theological degree) in 2000.  I found a job near the school, so I decided to stick around the city and take a few more classes.  Later that year I learned that a college ministry organization was hiring part-time staff to implement a city-wide campus strategy.  I was really excited about it--my supervisor at my "secular" job told me they would work with me on my schedule if I was hired.  The interview went pretty well, and I eagerly awaited their response.  I thought God was finally opening the door for me to do campus ministry--something I had wanted to do for years.


Rejected--I wasn't offered one of the part-time positions in campus ministry.  I kept looking for other campus ministry positions in the States, but doors just didn't open.  


Fast-forward a few years.  I ended up pursuing campus ministry here in Manila through a missionary organization.  I moved here in July of 2002, an experience that has changed my life forever.  But this new ministry opportunity was not the end of "rejection" experiences.  I'm just getting warmed up.


I got interested in publishing around 2004 or so.  I wanted to make a book out of my personal ministry journal--something that would inspire others to consider becoming missionaries.  I did some research and put together a sample for a professional Christian manuscript service.  Rejected: they told me it just wasn't interesting enough to attract readers.


I had been in the Philippines for a couple of years by this time.  I wanted to see if campus ministry opportunities in the States were an option for me (I was trying to plan ahead for the time when my term with the missionary agency would end).   I sent my resume around, but couldn't get anyone to take me seriously. 

2005 came, and my term with the missionary agency was coming to an end.  Leaving the Philippines just didn't feel right, and I asked the agency for another 2-3 year term.  This was a time in which the organization was cutting back personnel here, so they declined my request.  I ended up raising my own support and coming back as an independently funded missionary.


Fast forward to late 2006.  God was doing wonderful things through our True Love Waits seminars, and I sensed the need to write about relationship/purity issues.  I had written a few posts on this blog, but still wasn't sure exactly where it was going.  I offered to write some articles for a friend of mine who was starting up a new website for youth.  Rejected again--without going into all the details, my friend declined my offer.


I had written several articles by late 2007, and I got up the nerve to mention the possibility of publishing a book.  My blog readers were very encouraging.  Within days (literally) of that post, I experienced a very painful breakup.  Painful as it was, it really helped me in writing some of the chapters about breakups and heartaches.


These are just a few of the "misfortunes or temporary defeats" I've experienced over the past decade.  But let's rewind and think about a few of them:


*I probably never would have come to the Philippines if I had found a campus ministry opening in the States in 2000.


*The same goes for 2004-2005.  If a campus ministry opening had presented itself in the States I may have taken it and missed out on these last four wonderful years of ministry in Manila.

*I may not have developed this blog to the point of publishing a book if my friend had accepted my offer to write for their ministry.

There's a lot more I could say here.  But I want you to think about a Bible verse:

And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.
--Romans 8:28


Guess what--God knows what He's doing!  And sometimes this means allowing His children to experience rejection.  God loves us too much to sabotage His long-term plan with our short-term wants. 

 Have you experienced rejection or setbacks?  Don't give up--God is trying to teach you some valuable lessons and set you up for greater things.

 

Usapang LoveLife@Friday Night Youth Gig

Hey guys,

I'll be talking about love/purity issues on February 5th and February 12th at Friday Night Youth Gig (6:00 p.m.).   Please come and invite your friends.

Address: 818 N. Reyes Street, Sampaloc, Manila (in front of FEU and beside Mcdonald's Morayta).