Buhay Estudyante

by Ilai

Inaantok ka pa pero narinig mo na ang alarm. How you love the sound of it, right?

Mabilisang almusal, ligo at pagsuot ng planstadong uniform. Nyay! Buhay Estudyante!

Bukod sa required haircut, color-coded notes, hingian ng one-whole, one-half, one-fourth, classmates na humahalik sa kisame ang energy, at pimples dahil sa sleepless nights, ano pa kaya ang mga bagay na binabaka ng mga believers na estudyante?

Here goes the testimonies we gathered from elementary, high school & college students.

Ma-dramang music please!

Joy

Hayys. 2016 na. Ang daming nangyari noong 2015 no? Maraming challenges at struggles. Lalo na sa pagiging studyante. Ako rin, lahat tayo, walang exempted. Marami tayong tanong sa puso't isip natin na walang nakakaalam. Yung feeling na parang ayaw mo na magtiwala sa Lord masyadong kumplikado ang mga nangyayari. Nanghihina ka at gustong gusto mo ng sumuko sa laban na    kinakaharap mo. Ganoon din ang nangyari sakin. Mapapa-hallelujah ka sa daming problema. Pero, alam mo, napagtatagumpayan ko yon. May naalala kasi akong verse. "I can do all thing through Christ who strengthens me.-Phil. 4:13". Ayun pala! Si Lord ang nagbibigay sa atin ng lakas. Kaya ano pa bang kinakatakot natin? Nandyan si Lord kahit ano pa mang pinagdaraanan natin. 2016 na, ready ka na ba sa mga surprises Niya? C'mon and let's face 2016 with our MARVELOUS GOD!

Kamille

Part of a student's life is building friendship with other people. The   very first friend I had in college was also a believer in Christ. We shared the same interests and found ourselves comfortable with one another. As a result, we started to become more familiar with the each other's characters and got even closer as friends. One day I observed something was odd with my friend. At first, I tried to ignore it. But each moment I looked at her, I could feel the heaviness in her heart. She would just say "Okay lang ako." This bothered me very much because she was obviously not okay. My role as a friend was supposedly to comfort and to encourage her even if she would not state the exact problem. However, I almost hated her for that instead, and even tried to get away from her. During those times, God would constantly remind me about being loving and patient with one another. One particular verse that really hit me was in Phil. 2:4. It says, "Don't look out only for your own interest, but take an interest in others, too." In His grace and mercy, He corrected me not only to care about myself, but also others. That time, she needed someone who could pray and encourage her. But I was too preoccupied about the displeasure I felt toward her actions that I became inconsiderate of my friend. I knew the Lord was not happy with my behavior so I asked God to forgive my selfishness that reached to a point of hating her. After then, I realized that God was teaching me to be compassionate and be sensitive of the people around so that He could use me anytime as an instrument to uplift anyone in need of hope. The desire of God for every believer is to become a light and a blessing to all people by expressing His love through us.

Sancai

Noong English subject namin sinabi ang mga grades. Sinabi isa-isa habang hinintay ko yung pangalan ko. Nabigla ako nang sinabing 77 ang grades ko, halos mapaiyak ako sa school. Una ko agad na tinanungan si Lord. “Bakit ganun kababa Lord?” Mamaya nag speaking-in- tongues ako ng pabulong. Naglalakad ako pauwi at nag pi-pray ako na sana nagkamali si Ma’am ng pagcompute ng grades namin. Bago ako matulog pinagdarasal ko pa rin yong grades ko na mabago. Kinabukasan ng gabi nagyaya si Shalem pumunta ng church, sabi ko, ‘sige’. Pagkatapos ng gawain sabi ni ate Maricar na pray muna daw kami, pumayag ako. Pinagpray ko ulit yong grades na nagkamali lang si Ma’am. Noong English class na naming, may dala si Ma’am ng maraming papel. Sabi nya “Class, kaya pala mababa yung grades nyo kasi hindi ko na sama sa pagcompute yong Periodic test nyo”. Nakangiti ako kasi tumaas yong grades ko, 83 pataas na!. Noong oras na yon, punong puno ng kagalakan ang puso ko at walang sawang pagpapasalamat sa Diyos. Sabi nga sa Luke 1:37 "WITH GOD NOTHING IS IMPOSSIBLE".

Adrian

Nung grade 3 pa ako nung uwian namin ang tagal ni Mama dumating para sunduin ako pero nag dasal ako nang mataimtim at pagkatapos ko magdasal    dumating si Mama. Nagulat ako kakadasal ko lang nuon at noong nakita ko si Mama, sinabi ko na lang, “Salamat po Lord”.

Ang bilis talaga ni Lord no? Mabilis pa sa favorite superhero mo!

Oo, kahit pa kay Batman!

Shalem

Sabi nga nila mahirap daw maging highschool di naman ako naniwala noon kasi di ko pa nararanasan.....yon iyong time na dumating na ko sa highschool dun na ko naniwala kasi nararanasan ko na habang patagal ng patagal, maraming gastos, project, kadalasan mapupuyat pa dahil sa mga HW at projects hanggang sa tumatagal dumating sa time na gusto ko nang sumuko dahil nga masyado na kong nahihirapan napapabayaan ko na ang kalusugan ko dahil sa puyat......pag-uwi ko galing sa school nag pray ako sa kwarto, umiyak ako ng tahimik sinabi ko kay Lord, “Lord tulungan Mo ko sa mga pangangailangan ko di ko na kaya, Lord suko na ko....”. Iniyak ko ng iniyak hanggang sa naisip ko bakit ako susuko eh nandyan naman si Lord para sakin, alam ko tinutulungan Nya ko sa mga ginagawa ko. Hindi ko lang ramdam hanggang sa i-declare ko na “I TRUST YOU LORD!!! I KNOW YOU WILL HELP ME IN EVERYTHING I DO!!!!

I LOVE YOU LORD!! Doon ko lang po na realize na mali na sumuko tayo na dpat lumaban tayo para kay Lord! AMEN!

Jix

As a student, school and church are always interfering. You can’t do great in school and expect the same on the latter. At least that’s what I’ve thought. I’m part of the church mission then that went to Mindanao to train youths like us. It’s a 5-day mission. All was set, and I was very excited. Then the announcement of our qualifying exam came: May 5. As an accountancy student we always have that test to know if we are still qualified to continue, and if we fail we’ll have to shift to another course. We’re supposed to come back on May 4, so it was still a good thing that the dates wouldn’t collide. But I have to sacrifice all the review classes that I have to attend and do it myself, while in the mission, with the little time I have. To cut the story short, that mission is one of the best and most rewarding experience I’ve ever had. Our departure came and still weary from that tiresome journey, I took the exam early the next morning. I prayed. I prayed hard. I did my part to review and cast the rest of my worries to God, but I thought I didn’t do enough. A few weeks after, the result was posted and from what I’m expected my name was not there. Dismayed, I still thanked the Lord. But my expectation is not the same with the God I served, because the second part of the result came and my name was already there. I passed! You can’t do great in both school and church because it’s the Lord whom you should credit from all your doings.

Marielle

Ang testimony ko yung high school pa ako,3rd year. Binagsak ako ng teacher ko sa PE dahil hindi niya ako bet. Kaya pagka 4th year ko may back subject ako mahirap kasi dapat 8 lang yung subjects na dagdagan pa ng isa. Sakit sa ulo ang abot ko noon. At isama mo pa ang hiya kasi 4th year kana tapos kaklase mo 3rdyear pero sa isa lang na subject. Na stress talaga ako kasi dalawa ang PE ko, tapos hate ko pa ang physical activity. Buti nalang may ginawa si Lord na himala, yung teacher ko sa back subject sabi niya na hindi na daw ako papasok sa kanya bibigyan lang daw niya ako ng grade kasi alam ko na daw ang lahat ng topic nila, mag-exam na lang daw ako 1st grading to 4th grading. Umuwi ako sa bahay sinabi ko ky mama, nag thank you talaga ako kay Lord ng sobra. Kahit hindi ko ipinagdasal pero ginawa Niya. Alam talaga ni Lord kapag na hihirapan ka na.

There is no greater feeling than knowing that Jesus has got my back.

Minsan hindi lang libro, exam at HW ang pinabalanse nila, pati personal na buhay at mga pagsubok. Sabi nga ni Joy ay 'mapapa-hallelujah ka'.

Eto naman ang kay Abbie

Nag te-thank you po ako kay Lord sa ginagawa niya sa aking mabuti at nagpapasalamat din po ako sa ginawa niya sa buhay ko at naging mapagpala po ang ginawa ni Lord nung nag balik klase kasi po dinagdagan niya po ang talino namin at hindi niya po ako pinabayaan araw araw. Nag te-thank you at hindi niya po ako pinabayaan araw araw. Nag te-thank you rin po kasi po nung exam tinulungan Niya po ako. At ginagawa Niya po ang lahat para sa akin at sa pamilya ko.

I think students are more than students! They don't only wage war against deadlines, typhoons and flame-belching teachers, but on top of that, meron pang mga emotional struggles na kasabay nilang idini-deal sa kani-kanilang butihing paaralan.

She continues, "...nung pasukan po namin mas naging close friend ko po yong mga friend ni kuya at hanggang ngayon ay patuloy pa rin po silang mabuti sa amin at nung Banquet nga po naging blessed day po talaga sa akin ang araw na yon dahil po sa ginawa ni Lord at naranasan ko po si Lord at si kuya."

Eto naman. 

Paano kung kinakaylangan mo mag-ibang bayan? Of course learning a new language is fun, but certainly not easy. Let's see the advantage of language skills to help other people in need

Aaron Jheys

Noong ako ay nasa school dito sa Germany, gusto kong itapon ang aking tirang baon nang nakakita ako ng isang taong gutom na gutom. Ako'y lumapit at siya ay aking tinanong ang aking sinabi "bakit po kayo nandito nasaan po ba ang iyong pamilya" in German at ang kanyang sinabi "siya ay inabandona ng kanyang pamilya" in German.

"Nagugutom po ba kayo?"

"Oo ilang araw na akong hindi kumakain nag hahanap na lang ako ng pagkain sa basurahan o nanghihingi ng pagkain”, ang kanyang sagot.

Kaya aking binigay ang aking tirang baon at siya ay umiyak sa sobrang tuwa at niyakap nya ako ng mahigpit at ang kanyang sinabi, "Maraming salamat Diyos ko sana gabayan Nyo po itong batang ito".  Habang siya ay umiiyak at ako ay umalis at nakita ko syang tuwang tuwa.

Nakatingin sya sa langit, ako man din ay tuwang tuwa at ako'y nag pasalamat sa Diyos at nawa siya ay gabayan sa lahat ng panganib.

Angel

I can still remember that when I was in high school, I was so excited to enter college. I expected a lot of struggles to face but not to this extent. There are so many sleepless nights, too much stress and improper diet. However, those problems are nothing compared to the spiritual problem that I encountered. I had a very limited time for devotion and this made me exhausted. I easily get tired even if I'm not doing so much things and I easily get irritated. I already know that the root of that problem is my spiritual life. My spirit was starving because I spend so much time doing other things that are related to my studies and I forgot my priority- time for God. But there was a time when I realized that it's not the right thing to do. I should reset my focus and remember my first love. After that realization, little by little, I am able to get up and restore my strength through Christ who strengthens me. To God be the glory!

Pao

Being a believer in Christ while in college is not a simple responsibility. There are a lot of struggles. I need to manage my time in doing homework, projects, and reports while serving the Lord at the same time. It takes a lot of effort and energy to do both things. There are many times that my honesty is being tested while taking examinations. Of course on those times I was tempted to cheat. But I don’t do the right thing at all times. There were times, I compromised. But one amazing day, when I was going to school and I really have to review my past lessons because we have an exam, I felt that the Lord was telling me to read my bible. That time, I really have to review! So what should I do? Then I heard from the back of my mind "But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and His righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. -Matthew 6:33". Then I followed what my conviction told me to do. When I got into our room and the paper for our examination was in front of me, I started to pray. The amazing thing was that I answered all the questions in a short period of time. It was like a message that was popping in my mind continuously. I was so amazed because our past lesson kept flashing back in my head so quickly. The result? I got a high score! Praise God! God is faithful when we prioritize Him. But faith without action is dead. Let's do what God tells us to do and He will do the rest. :)

Student life is a paradise- somehow. You meet strangers and made them your friends-for-life. You get educated and made into a learned-man. You get to know yourself more. You get daily baon for free. You get to be exempted from washing dishes because of HW. You get to be sikat in the class. Sometimes. But above all else, as a believer, ask yourself: Have I made a difference in my class? Did I influence them or have they influenced me more? Did I make myself excellent in the eyes of my teachers? Parents? Classmates? in the eyes of God?

School life isn't forever! Make the most of it, not for yourself, but for the Great God who created you!