Arriving in San Pablo

Well we have arrived in San Pablo after a full day yesterday. We checked out of the resort at one o'clock and then got on the bus at three to make our way back to Manila. We stopped for supper along the way and finally arrived at New Hope at a little after nine pm. Josiah and I were both feeling under the weather and a bit homesick yesterday which made the day feel even longer than it was. Before getting ready for bed we said our goodbyes to the team in Manila and I could feel the weight of the emotions building inside of me. I love the people here. I love their hearts, their generosity, the way in which they serve the least as though they are the greatest. They prefer everyone above themselves and I know that I can, and have, learned a tremendous amount from the people in there. My heart grieves leaving them behind.

I had the opportunity to share some of the material I have taught with men's fraternity (a program that I used to facilitate that teaches biblical masculinity) and the teen boys there received it very well. I had them gather in groups afterwards to discuss and pray with each other which I'm told was very well received. It was great for me to revisit the material from that course. It brought me back to the reason why I had looked into it in the first place: to learn what it means to be a father to a son, but also a son to a heavenly Father. I took the group to Proverbs 17:6 that says "Grandchildren are the crown of the aged, and the glory of children is their fathers." This has been a revelational passage in my life. It made me realize the amount of influence fathers have in their son's lives and inspired me to be a better father knowing that my kids look up to me with such unreserved admiration and trust. Because of that scripture, I have journeyed a path that has inspired me as a father to bring my son to the Philippines to share the love of our heavenly Father in whatever small ways we can with as much love in our hearts as we can offer.
But, it seems that the Lord isn't done with my personal journey yet. As I have been digging into the material again it seems I can feel his pull on my heart telling me that I need to fully embrace my sonship in him. Even now, as I write these words, I can feel the tug on my heart pulling me towards abandoning my reserved nature and to boast in him, giving him my full confidence, saying with my life that my dad is the best dad, because he really is my glory. My prayer is that I can inspire others to do the same with their lives. Most of all, I hope that I can inspire my own children to boast in their heavenly Father in full confidence of their role as His sons and daughters. As we enter the second phase of our trip here in San Pablo, I do so fully anticipating my Father to continue the work he has begun in my heart.