Research has proven that it takes 21 days to start a habit.
Any activity done in 21 days will serve as a start of a change in lifestyle, an addition to regular routine for a man's daily life.
Now, 21 Days of 530, simply put, is the formation of a habit of starting the day at 5:30 am for 21 days with two main objectives:
- To seek God while the world is still asleep along with its concerns and demands;
- To create a healthy, productive, lifestyle that pursues excellence.
This is a huge challenge for me for I am a huge sleepyhead. I need to set an alarm in order to wake up at 10am which is still.....early for me. YET every now and then, we all need to step up in faith and dig deeper to the Word so I counted myself in.
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DAY 1: FAILURE
July 2, 2012
I woke up at 5:30, read Luke, did not understand any of it.
Found myself sinking to my bed again until 7am. Stared in space for a minute, then slept again. Finally awake at 9 am & focused on re-answering my Purple Book.
Then I was (again) late for my 3pm class. Got my brain drained until 9pm. Got home limply and slept as soon I reached the bed.
Nap time: 0
Lesson learned: Sleep early.
Application: Sleep earlier.
DAY 2: ALMOST SUCCESSFUL
July 3, 2012
I am almost proud of myself that I almost succeeded today. Woke up at 5:17am to PING! Ate Marge but I fell asleep again. Finally awake at 7am. T'was 2 hours earlier than yesterday and it already made my heart leap. Thank youuu Jesus for making me improve day by day. Today is also the first day of the fast :)
God's presence is so tangible this morning that I lost my appetite to eat anything at all.
I dived into the entire book of Ecclesiastes which as usual, pierced into my heart, and continued reading the beautiful book, "Jesus, Lover of a Woman's Soul".
I am also so stoked for as I am typing this I already finished doing my personal laundry, delivering 5 bags of clothes to the laundry shop, and cleaning my entire room including the bath. Hihi.
Now I'm all set for a manipedi bond with Pau and sleepover later with more women. <3
Nap time: 1 hr
Lesson learned: God has made everything beautiful in His time.
Application: Enough with the questions. Do not dwell in the past. Instead, be faithful to the God who is in control.
DAY 3: BOND HANGOVER
July 4, 2012
Happy Independence USA! HAHA. Whatever.
I had A LOT of grammar errors in this post that I saw just now. :|
Anyway, I am as random as this post today probably because half of me is still bonding with LJ, Pau and Ate KL.
We watched To Save a Life, a nice Christian movie then we talked a lot. It so happened that instead of waiting for 5:30 am, we sought God together while the world is finally asleep not still asleep. Hehehe.
Slept at roughly 2am which made it difficult for me to be up at 5:30. I was up by 9 and went straight to my Purple Book and some of Philippians. Then a bit of chat and counsel from my beloved leader, then homework. Now I'm getting prepped for my 3-9 class. =)
Btw, get well soon Aden! *flying pat on the back*
Nap time: 0
Lesson Learned: Always, always, consider others better than yourselves.
Application: Always, always, consider everyone else better than me. Enough with being competitive in any aspect of my life.
(Being competitive is different from being excellent Hihi)
DAY 4: OVERWHELM
July 5, 2012
GUESS WHO'S UP BY 5:30!!! Hahaha.
After a persistent prayer and 4 hours of sleep, God DID wake me up at 5:30 <3
This is a very amazing morning for me because the first revelation is in!
The thought came upon me yesterday while I was in my 7pm class. I was sulking because I am not part of the current batch of T4V. I felt so bored and left out. Then after my class I ate with Mon and Amiel, then otw home I felt extremely bored with my life again. Then around 12am God gave me Matthew 22:33-36 saying that my eyes should be the lamp of my body and it should be of light.
I found myself searching for every translation possible for I was too confused. According to The Message version,I should be wide-eyed, seeing things in faith. Lord, ano nga?
Then, amazingly after staying up until past 1 (I watched another Christian film huhu ang ganda 7 Days in Utopia), God woke me up with this revelation as a morning present: God does not want me to CONTENTED with where I am WITH HIM right now.
He opened my eyes to see that the desire for T4V that I had burned into something greater, something more than just participating in a church event. It became a desire, a spiritual hunger for more of Jesus. He doesn't want me to be satisfied with our relationship right now and I should seek Him more, love Him more than I did the day before.
I dived into Hebrews and I was just overwhelmed. His Word just affirmed the revelation.
Hebrews 4:8-9 (GNT)
"If Joshua had given the people the rest that God had promised, God would not have spoken later about another day. As it is, however, there still remains for God's people a rest like God's resting on the seventh day."
Hebrews 6:3 (GNT)
"Let us go forward! And this is what we will do, if God allows."
Hebrews 6:11 (NKJV)
"And we desire that each one of you show the same diligence to the full assurance of hope until the end."
I did the only response possible - Worship.
So it was six in the morning when I knelt down to God, worshipped in Spirit, in tears because of His overwhelming love. Huhuhuhu SOBRA NYA TAYONG LOVE
Haaaay I so love this day. It's truly more than the thought of accomplishing the 5:30 goal. It's about taking time to humble down before the King of Kings first thing in the morning!
I am expectant for a great day! Market by 8am because I want to cook real food already. Purple Book, Visit Aden, then, center to help Creatives, 1pm for Victory Group, 4pm call time for Communications, then first installment for U-Belt's OUTREACH SERIES on our 5pm and 7pm services, breaking of the fast!!! Ahhhh Thank You Lord HEHEHE
Final verse for all of us!
Hebrews 3:7-8a (GNT)
"So then, as the Holy Spirit says, if you hear God's voice today, DO NOT be stubborn.."
What is God telling you today? :)
Nap time: 0...yet
Lesson learned: God's love is unconditional but His promises are conditional. FAITH UP!
Application: Never allow myself to be tengga when it comes to my relationship with Him. Obey! Love!
DAY 5: BAD DREAMS
July 6, 2012
I woke up at exactly 5:30 am and sought God. :)
Nap time: 0
Lesson learned: secret
Application: secret
DAY 6: IT IS OVER
July 7, 2012
I woke up at exactly 5:30 am and sought God. :)
Spent the night with friends at MOA.
I'm tired.
Nap time: 20 mins, during class
Lesson learned: secret
Application: learn to accept the facts.
DAY 7: THE JULY 8 SYNDROME
July 8, 2012
Yes I was up at 5:30. (LJ slept over)
Then, I realized, it's one of those days that I don't want to face so I slept again and got up at 11. LJ and I had breakfast at 3. I was on my bed the whole day I even missed Nepal team's send off and my weekly date with Ate KL. (Sorry po Mahal ko kayo)
Got all emotional with Ptr. Steve Murell's preaching. Hehe. Let Us!
Nap time: 0
Lesson learned: Love is easier said than done.
Application: Love those I don't like. (I should atleast try)
DAY 8: ON THINKING TOO MUCH
July 9, 2012
I convinced myself that I needed a lot of sleep to be happy but I turned out to be wrong. I over-think and it makes me crazy. I did not even go to my Art Class because I just wanted to think.
Nap time: 0
Lesson learned: Enough with being stubborn.
Application: I need to get a hold of myself. Haha. Remind myself always that there's a lot of things to look forward to. I should seek God more than ever because I need it more than everrr.
DAY 9: HAPPY BIRTHDAY ATE MARGE!
July 10, 2012
I was not able to get up at 5:30 because sadly, when my alarm went out I woke up with stuffy nose, a headache, and a persistent cough. Everyone in school is having flu and sore throats so basically I acquired it from class. It's the trend.
I was a bum the entire day. (Definitely my fault) I'm still not getting anywhere. UNTIL, I went to Ate Marge's birthday.
It largely changed the course of my unproductive yet stressful week :) And the best part, I got to learn a lot again from my 'ate's in Christ!
Halavyu Ates!
Nap time: 0
Lesson learned: Do not be stubborn.
Application: Read the Bible.
DAY 10: A HAPPY BIRTHDAY ATE MARGE! HANGOVER
July 11, 2012
I got home a few minutes before 1am so I knew I won't be able to wake up at 5:30 (considering my cold and cough too that just got worse) so I did my quiet time at 1am up to 2am. I loved it. I still managed to cry out to God with the last remains of my energy. :)
It's a very important night to me because
(1) I haven't opened the Bible for 2 days because of over-thinking and this night, Jesus broke the foothold
(2) this night God released me from the burden of having bad dreams :)My dream last night was amazing hihi I was in the dream and God was comforting me with His Word all the way <3
Nap time: 0
Lesson learned: GO BACK TO JESUS (Colossians!)
Application: Be firm in my faith. Stop thinking, start believing. And above all.. LOVE! (At least make an effort to)
DAY 11 - 21: HONESTLY
July 12-22, 2012
Honestly,the last ten days of my 21days are very sad days.
The Lord gave me a very sharp, direct, commandment that I, well, ignored. Hence, a weak week. Emotions flooded, Bible ignored, ahhh what can I expect.
(running in circles again, Bea?)
I entertained my loneliness, faked a smile,and faced everyday relying on myself.
But the Lord is gracious, He did not wait any longer to punish me for my stubbornness.
After a week, He broke my heart, then lead me to right way.
I am on my knees again, for He never gets tired of forgiving.
Here is a poem that I have written a long time ago during a season of weakness and fasting, which God showed me again today:
" I am nothing more than a branch,
seeking for tenderness from the leaves surrounding
I am nothing but a sparrow, oblivious;
to the greatness of the sky hovering above
I am nothing but a speck on the great Blueprint,
so perfectly woven through mankind and spirits;
I am in a world so belittled,
by He who composed all who are, that is
I, then, like a new-born offspring
stare at wonder of this life undeserved;
I was never the center of the tree,
nor the leaves surrounding
I am anxious, anticipating,
bothersome winds have struck my wall
I give a cry to a silly nickel
take by He who created everything
Silly, would a sane man prefer a nickel
should his father leave him a bank
truly, one day it will pass,
until then;
I am but a branch, a child, a sparrow
pruned, corrected, loved"
Lesson learned: I found all I need in Jesus.
Application: Obey the sharp commandment I ignored because I am certain that it will be worth it!
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