FaithBook

Jasmine  B. Suiza /  Oct 14, 2018 Have you ever found yourself checking your cellphone for every notification sound from facebook, messenger and viber? A ko, oo. With every bell, honk or knock, we can reach out to our family, acquiantances - and even the world. Growing up with an OFW father, I remembered waiting for my Papa's voice tape, wherein he has to compress 8 months worth of stories and experiences... Not to mention the unending bilin like "Jasmine mag-aral kang mabuti." or "Magpakabait ka kay Mama." Fast forward to 2018, Papa and Mama can talk and see each other everyday through facebook messenger - all thanks to technology. With just a click, everything becomes faster and easier. Need to watch shows or movies? No need to rent VHS or betamax - there's youtube. Need to go somewhere? Book and buy your tickets online. You and I may be connected through the power of technology. But, are we still rooted

Jasmine B. Suiza Naranasan mo na bang ma-reject? Ma-shutdown? Maiwan? Hindi ka normal kung palaging pabor sa'yo ang buhay. Life may sometimes be unfair. Yung ginawa mo naman ang best mo, pero tila palagi ka pa ring, gaya ng sabi ng kanta: "...Luhaan, sugatan, di mapakinabangan..." Masakit. Sa tuwing mararanasan ko ang rejection, nagbabalik ako sa pagtatanong. "Saan ba ako nagkamali?" "May ginawa nga ba akong tama?" "Lord, bakit?" There are facts of life that are far beyond our human hearts and minds to comprehend. Kahit paulit-ulit kong intindihin ay hindi ko makuha ang sagot. Whenever I start to dwell on painful events, I remind myself about the Lord's message through Romans 8:18: "The pain that you've been feeling, can't compare to the joy that's coming." For sure, God's plans are FAR BETTER than our plans. We just have to surrender our doubts, f

by Kerygma Books *This excerpt is taken from  You Can Be Happy Again  by  Edwin S. Soriano . Gratitude does not change circumstances. It changes the person. Two people can find themselves in the same situation. One can complain about the traffic, the heat, the time lost, the hunger, etc. The other can be grateful for his transportation, for good weather, for time to read a good book, for having friends to commute with, and a family to share dinner with. They are going through the same situation but having a different experience of it. The difference? Gratitude. Science shows that gratitude affects your brain at the biological level. Some antidepressants boost the neurotransmitter dopamine. But so does gratitude and it has no side effects. Gratitude towards people increases activity in social dopamine circuits, which makes social interactions more enjoyable. Just thinking of things you are grateful for also increases serotonin production. Gratitude likewis

Jasmine B. Suiza As I welcome the new year, I find time to sit down, reflect and write my thoughts about the past year. This way, I am reminded of all the moments - may they be good or bad - and how Jesus helped me through it all. The year 2017 was full of unexpected plot twists, answered prayers and new beginnings. With this, friends, I would like to share with you My Top 17 Greatest Blessings of 2017 as a way of spreading optimism, faith and hope :) 1. Regular confession As a Catholic, I am aware of the gift called the Sacrament of Reconciliation, but I must admit that I sometimes find it hard to confess my sins and repent from my wrongdoings. I sometimes have this mentality that "I sin every day, why confess?" or "Our God is merciful, He will love me even if I am a sinner." . This thinking led me to more venial sins, and somehow blinded my perception of this sacrament. My misconception was changed during one of the formation talks that I heard