Quote from Gani Custodio on March 15, 2025, 11:35 pm

1. Have I been prioritizing my Ligaya services...?
   Totoo po yun nabanggit nyo na parang full time ministry when we served in LNP, also juggling the different roles we have as a working laborer, father, husband, and brother. I tried as much as I can to balance it well but in reality most of time, talagang iniisip ang mga serbisyo at gawain sa LNP.
   One thing I kept in mind is what I once heard from one of my leaders before that it will be more of a disservice when we say YES but we can't deliver.
2. I need to lessen spending time on my socmed exposure and my "me" time when I watch action/espionage genre movies, sabi ko nga this is my way of relaxing after a day's work in the office. Thus, I need to start replacing these times with reading like these FIRESIDE CHAT materials which can further equip me to serve our brothers and sisters.
   Physically? I am still overweight and not at my ideal weight at my age thus I really need to discipline my body. Kasi kung marami ng sakit at complications sa katawan, it will inhibit us in serving God through our community or outside community.
3. Will schedule this discussion

Quote from Alex Filamor on March 16, 2025, 11:01 am

1. Priority and Focus is my approach to my service in the community. I ensure that those already planned way ahead are being prioritized. Ung mga unexpected or urgent service na kailangan gawin minsan ang hirap mag decide, maybe because it makes me adjust (which I admit work in progress on that area). Presssure ba mag serve as Ligaya? hehehe ... Masaya mag serve kay Lord 👍.
2. In the area of patience and understanding, I believe the Lord is teaching me to be more disciplined as I serve our brothers and sisters. The overall well-being of myself is very important, keeping myself mentally, emotionally, and physically fit to be able to serve the community well. 
   • Lessen the time on digital platforms like socmed, watching movie. I will decide on a specific day or time to do those 🙏
   • I will enhance further my spiritual being to be more equipped on my service by reading meaningful books like life of the saints.
3. I will discuss with my Pastoral Leader regarding this.

Quote from Jordan Echague on March 17, 2025, 3:53 pm

Quote from Eddie on March 6, 2025, 2:57 pm

Chapter 7 of The Normal Christian Worker by Watchman Nee emphasizes the importance of diligence in serving the Lord, warning against laziness and procrastination. He urges Christian workers to discipline their bodies, master their natural tendencies for ease, and be always ready for action when called upon. True service requires perseverance, a willingness to sacrifice personal comfort, and a commitment to make the most of every opportunity for God’s work.

I am aware that the service we are called to do in Ligaya entails a lot of our time and attention, and that sometimes it feels like this is a full-time ministry as if we had no other commitments and obligations elsewhere.  Yet, the truth is, we have to juggle our service in Ligaya in between our full-time professional work, and managing our homes, and also, literally, taking care of our bodies for physical and mental endurance. 

I think that it is providential that we are tackling this chapter right as Lent begins.  I want you to read this chapter in the context of the spirit of Lent, particularly the spirit of fasting and of dying to ourselves.  Hopefully these reflection guides will help you appreciate the lesson of Watchman Nee, and become an even stronger, more effective and more fruitful servant of the Lord.

REFLECTION GUIDES

1. Have I been prioritizing my Ligaya service responsibilities according to God’s will, or am I allowing guilt or pressure to dictate my commitments?  
    
2. In what areas of my life is God calling me to greater discipline and diligence in terms of preparing myself (a) mentally, (b) emotionally, and/or (c) physically for all the responsibilities that He has called me to in my service in Ligaya?
   • State your answer in terms (a) what you need to stop doing; and (b) what you need to start doing.

3. Please share and discuss the above items with your Pastoral Leader, or your District Coordinator (whoever is now pastoring you.)

Chapter 7 discusses how we, as Christians, are supposed to take care of our bodies in order to serve God at our fullest capacity. And though it may seem straightforward that we can efficiently do God's work if we are in top top shape, there is still much to digest in the points Watchman Nee makes. 

For one, discipline involves a lot of doing things in moderation. Watchman talks of moderating our intake of food, of not indulging in our bodily cravings, of even depriving ourselves of sleep should we be asked to serve. This is quite easy to say but very difficult to do. But the goal of the imperishable crown not only intrigues but inspires me to work heavily on my personal order to achieve the discipline that the Lord requires.

Reflection Guide:

1. I have a great desire to serve community and the Lord. But I'm also asked to take a big role in my family's business, and also to be present & active in the lives of my daughters. Right now, there is a call for me to balance all three roles and Watchman's message to me is to take care of myself so that I can be highly productive. I think that I may be giving less attention to my service as compared to before as I have a lot more on my plate. But as I continue to work on how I can efficiently work as a father, a professional, and as a servant in LNP, I know that the life I will live will require losing a lot of unnecessary activities in order to prioritize service. To answer your question, I'm not allowing guilt or pressure to dictate my commitments but I am still working on balancing all my roles at the moment.
2. I need to be mentally and emotionally stronger. A lot of the stresses I experience comes from thoughts and anxieties stemming from a weak spirit. In prayer and reflection, the Lord can grant me the grace to be stronger in this area. I need to stop trying to control situations and accept that the Lord is in control of everything. All I have to do is to allow Him to work through us and by His Spirit. My first step is to acknowledge my weaknesses and offer it to the Lord. 
3. Yes, I will schedule a discussion with my Pastoral Leader on this.

Quote from MarYo Galvez on March 20, 2025, 8:11 am

1. I have been blessed to have a work arrangement that can let me juggle my main three main roles - mission (as a development worker), family (as driver hubby, dad, son) and God (as SL). Mabuti ang Diyos!

2. STOP: Getting ahead in every activity and everyone else (co-servants)? Part of the process of serving is to see others grow, appreciate being with other B/S in maneuvering through the challenges and joys of being called, completing the service with assessment session and gratitude to the Lord for seeing the service through. Sa kagustuhang maaccomplish agad ang tasks/roles, nafafastrack lahat ng nasa taas. I have to remind myself that life of a disciple / servant is a marathon and maraming natunton (or nagawa).

START: Yun na nga. Dahil sa pagiging active, sabi ng PL ko "phase YO self Mario." Kaya magpapa-facial muna ako. Seriously, I think this is call for me to respect the availability and own phasing of brothers and sisters when it comes to serving. Sabi ni Lord - kilalanin sila, intindihin sila, samahan sila sa lakbay ng mabungang pagsisilbi.

NOTE: I will share these realizations with my PL.

Quote from Alan Santos on March 20, 2025, 5:37 pm

1. Have I been prioritizing my Ligaya service responsibilities according to God’s will, or am I allowing guilt or pressure to dictate my commitments?

 I must admit that during my journey with the Lord, the pleasures of this world have at times, taken priority over my service responsibilities in Ligaya and at times. my family. Ever since my retirement and now with more responsibilities as a Senior Leader, it is now clear to me that serving the Lord and running the race should and must take priority over all other things, trusting that in all things our Lord will provide and take care of what I and my family needs.

Ligaya now takes priority.

2. In what areas of my life is God calling me to greater discipline and diligence in terms of preparing myself (a) mentally, (b) emotionally, and/or (c) physically for all the responsibilities that He has called me to in my service in Ligaya?

State your answer in terms (a) what you need to stop doing; and (b) what you need to start doing or keep doing.

1. Mentally
   1. Being too critical of others, take away any negative thoughts which may bring uncalled-for judgements.
   2. Accept our brothers and sisters for who they are, always think that they are better or they know more than you.
2. Emotionally
   1. Being impatient, expecting too much from others
   2. Respect and understanding of our brothers and sisters

• Physically
  1. Smoking, yes smoking! Eating too much sweets or just eating too much in general
  2. Regular exercise, sleep earlier, annual check-ups.

3. Will share and discuss the above items with my District Coordinator.

Quote from James Labayo on March 24, 2025, 3:52 pm

I think that my service and how/when I perform them is according to His will for me. There are 3 identified areas in my life that I prioritize – my family, my work and community. I have different roles within these God-given areas hence, all should be anchored in Him. For example, I am a brother, pastoral leader and senior leader in Ligaya. Generally, all my actions align to these roles. There should be balance of order among the roles and the areas. Another thing I watch out for is its relevance to my other roles. If it negatively affects the other roles/areas, then it does not follow the design of God in my life. When that happens, I approach God, myself, my leaders, my spouse and children.   

Looking at my current state of being, I could say I am okay with mental and emotional. My physical state is the one I need to work on specifically on health. At 50 plus years, I need to stop neglecting it and start taking care of it. This may be second nature to some but for me it is definitely not. Some of the things I need to force myself into are regular exercise, diet, maintenance medicines, doctor visits and other related activities. I pray that the Lord motivates me further in this area.

I will work with my PL on the abovementioned issues.

 

Quote from Gary Mercado on March 24, 2025, 8:48 pm

Chapter 7 deals with disciplining one’s body for God’s purpose. Definitely easier said than done. In as much as it is simply a task to discipline or put order into one’s life, it becomes doubly hard in deciding priorities to the discipline we need. It is easier to put priority into concrete goals such as work, provision, family, leisure and many worldly pursuits. Though we constantly seek God’s will there is always the tendency to find it vague and uncertain in our minds as compared to other things. I know constancy in prayer is a way to achieve clarity and certainty. Prayer requires discipline and prioritization as well. 

Despite being a senior leader, it is still difficult to prioritize Ligaya activities over other responsibilities and obligations. However, I believe that gradually, over time, experience and relationship building, I have developed more commitment to giving priority to Ligaya. Certainly, I experience less apprehensions and resistance, believing more that I am one with this community. Though guilt and pressure is still somewhat a driving force, it is so much less than before. Seeking the Holy Spirit for guidance and directions is always comforting.

Clearly, deliberate and focused prayer is the key to unlock this potential. The process will reveal God’s will and intention for oneself. I believe that having a job/work that is fulfilling, service oriented and from which others are reliant on, is both a blessing and a challenge. Discerning between 2 good things is always more challenging. Balancing requires much discipline. What am I supposed to do? 1. Pray intentionally and purposefully seek God’s will 2. Be sensitive and conscious about balancing between these two good things 3. Avoid over working 4. Include God in my schedule. 

 

Quote from Johnny Yu on March 29, 2025, 10:50 pm

Doing service for brothers and sisters is always according to God's will.  However, because of other roles that we have in life, things get complicated.  In my case, normally it's the workload that gets in the way.  However, I think our way of life is a very good discipline, as it keeps things in order, particularly scheduling.  Now, when I'm pressured with work and at the same having to attend meetings like Men's group or service meeting, is a result of pressure or guilt is sometimes difficult to assess or determine.  

Taking care (or not taking care) of our body for physical and mental endurance can also be a factor that will test our discipline and focus on our service.  This can be a reason for procrastination and a danger.  Admittedly, this is often use as a reason to relax from service.

God's call for me has always been the same, which is to spend more time with Him, thru prayers, reflection, scripture reading.  This subject of discipline is very relevant but the most difficult thing to do, especially when other roles and responsibilities in life are actively in play.  

I easily get tired nowadays (age catching up as well) and not much physical movement due to office work.  I should try to do some exercise to enhance my physical energy.  I should minimize time in relaxation thru tv/movie and get more sleeping time.

 

Quote from Gary Cabalde on March 31, 2025, 11:40 pm

1. Have I been prioritizing my Ligaya service responsibilities according to God’s will, or am I allowing guilt or pressure to dictate my commitments?  Admittedly, i am inconsistent on my service to LNP as mentioned to my PL. I fell short on the area of leading the evangelisation mission of the district. I succumbed to the stress and pressure of my daily responsibilities that at times, the mission to evangelise and be faithful on my other responsibilities became a burden. But i have to endure this and live to my commitment to God through LNP. Just like in marriage, there were highs and lows in the relationship but to become unfaithful to my spouse is never an option, i must remain faithful as i promised the Lord when i got married. The same commitment i must carry in LNP, in its way of life and its mission to bring Christ to many
    
2. In what areas of my life is God calling me to greater discipline and diligence in terms of preparing myself (a) mentally, (b) emotionally, and/or (c) physically for all the responsibilities that He has called me to in my service in Ligaya?
   • State your answer in terms (a) what you need to stop doing; and (b) what you need to start doing. I sense that God wants me to intensify my time with Him through prayers. I tried spending more time with Him in the morning and in the evening (beyond the 15 min usual time frame) but i sense that i am missing the mark in my prayer time. I can do this if i stop my procrastination as i easily get distracted with many things like socmed, television, work, etc that when i was about to start my prayer time, i would feel tired already and thus affecting my quality time of prayer.
3. I do agree about the topic in discipling our body for the service of the Lord. Noticeably in myself, whenever i would get invitation to give a testimony/talk, i would hesitate to do it for various reasons but eventually i would say yes still, i would not have the energy to do the preparation with passion. But the moment i "force" myself, the rhythm will simply flow naturally....Talagang kailangan magprepare ng maayos and the Spirit of God will flow in me and inspire me to give the testimony in the end.

Quote from Gary Bogarin on April 7, 2025, 2:59 pm

1. Have I been prioritizing my Ligaya service responsibilities according to God’s will, or am I allowing guilt or pressure to dictate my commitments?  
   - As best as I can, I try to prioritize my Ligaya service responsibilities according to God's will. For me Ligaya service responsibilities include not only service to the community but actually includes my service to my family, my work and the rest of the people I am involved with. God calls us to serve Him wherever He places us. My dilemma is more of managing time in order to accomplish the many tasks I have to do in terms of serving my family, my work, my mwg, my district, etc. I want to maximize the time now I have with my kids who are all growing up too fast. I want to be as involved with their interests like sports but schedules are very difficult to manage. I just don't want my kids to say or think that Ligaya activities are competing with their time with us. Work schedules are easier to work around with but family and community activities on weekends are really difficult to manage. 

 

1. In what areas of my life is God calling me to greater discipline and diligence in terms of preparing myself (a) mentally, (b) emotionally, and/or (c) physically for all the responsibilities that He has called me to in my service in Ligaya?
   • State your answer in terms (a) what you need to stop doing; and (b) what you need to start doing.

• STOP
  • Procrastinating /Wasting Time - spend less with social media; idle time
  • Being judgemental or too critical of others
  • Being inactive or lazy to exercise
• START
  • Being more purposive in activities
  • Be more tolerant, forbearing and understanding
  • lose weight and exercise 

Quote from Noel Lugue on April 9, 2025, 4:23 pm

1. Have I been prioritizing my Ligaya service responsibilities according to God’s will, or am I allowing guilt or pressure to dictate my commitments?  This is a difficult but timely question. In Ligaya , we are trained to obey . To say yes when called for a service. That's what servants do. However, where do you really draw the line between God's call and your yes to service. Often times , I will just say yes to simplify things.  The fruit of this is that , I am losing my time to other things like  one to one with my children, or visiting my 93 year old Dad, or have coffee with my friends who I want to evangelize.  Or losing sleep because I have to do extra curricular things aside from my various services. Not having the time to exercise because sleeping 6 hours is already a luxury.  I guess , I already answered my question. "  a.) By the Fruit you shall know. "   The next one of course is b.) knowing your priorities. WHERE IS GOD CALLING ME AT THIS TIME?  And if I can answer this from the heart, through the leading of the Holy Spirit, I can do 100 % and sacrifice time and tiredness appropriately. 
2. In what areas of my life is God calling me to greater discipline and diligence in terms of preparing myself (a) mentally, (b) emotionally, and/or (c) physically for all the responsibilities that He has called me to in my service in Ligaya?
   • State your answer in terms (a) what you need to stop doing; and (b) what you need to start doing.

NOTE: I interchanged a and b.

a. mentally   

  a. to be  always attuned with God in prayer thru the Holy Spirit          b.Stop being too careful and negative .

b. emotionally                                                                                                                        

  a. Go back to exuding the Joy of Knowing Christ. With hope and gratefulness that comes from recent Victories and healing and the Saving Power of God. ( Lav was healed of Aneurysm).

b. Stop focusing on weakness, limitations , what you have not done.

c. Physically 

a. Decide to exercise . Start with 7 minutes everyday. Be disciplined in taking Meds and doctor sked.

b. Try best to  Avoid sleeping for 5 hours everyday.

Quote from Noel Lugue on April 9, 2025, 4:32 pm

Quote from Gary Cabalde on March 31, 2025, 11:40 pm

1. Have I been prioritizing my Ligaya service responsibilities according to God’s will, or am I allowing guilt or pressure to dictate my commitments?  Admittedly, i am inconsistent on my service to LNP as mentioned to my PL. I fell short on the area of leading the evangelisation mission of the district. I succumbed to the stress and pressure of my daily responsibilities that at times, the mission to evangelise and be faithful on my other responsibilities became a burden. But i have to endure this and live to my commitment to God through LNP. Just like in marriage, there were highs and lows in the relationship but to become unfaithful to my spouse is never an option, i must remain faithful as i promised the Lord when i got married. The same commitment i must carry in LNP, in its way of life and its mission to bring Christ to many
    
2. In what areas of my life is God calling me to greater discipline and diligence in terms of preparing myself (a) mentally, (b) emotionally, and/or (c) physically for all the responsibilities that He has called me to in my service in Ligaya?
   • State your answer in terms (a) what you need to stop doing; and (b) what you need to start doing. I sense that God wants me to intensify my time with Him through prayers. I tried spending more time with Him in the morning and in the evening (beyond the 15 min usual time frame) but i sense that i am missing the mark in my prayer time. I can do this if i stop my procrastination as i easily get distracted with many things like socmed, television, work, etc that when i was about to start my prayer time, i would feel tired already and thus affecting my quality time of prayer.
3. I do agree about the topic in discipling our body for the service of the Lord. Noticeably in myself, whenever i would get invitation to give a testimony/talk, i would hesitate to do it for various reasons but eventually i would say yes still, i would not have the energy to do the preparation with passion. But the moment i "force" myself, the rhythm will simply flow naturally....Talagang kailangan magprepare ng maayos and the Spirit of God will flow in me and inspire me to give the testimony in the end.

I fully agree to your reflection on item number 1. I have similar experience that despite our trying our best , we feel that we still fall short or not doing well the task given to us.  Maybe a comforting word to us servants is that when we reached heaven,  the Lord will not say, Welcome my perfect servant but Welcome Good and faithful Servant. May the Holy Spirit guide us more in our services.

Quote from Dom Hormigos on April 10, 2025, 6:12 am

1. Have I been prioritizing my Ligaya service responsibilities according to God’s will, or am I allowing guilt or pressure to dictate my commitments?>> Serving in Ligaya and Lingkod is challenging throughout the years. Many times the Lord asked me to step up in service. On the earlier years, I doubted myself yet I was humble enough to say yes and the Lord equipped and guided me all throughout my service. Definitely it was very tiring yet I was surrounded by His grace reminding me of His will and promise to be present.

2. In what areas of my life is God calling me to greater discipline and diligence in terms of preparing myself (a) mentally, (b) emotionally, and/or (c) physically for all the responsibilities that He has called me to in my service in Ligaya?

o State your answer in terms (a) what you need to stop doing; and (b) what you need to start doing.

> Mentally: 

a. Probably over thinking when the complexity of the schedule arises. Currently, majority of what I do demands mental strength. Juggling time with my family/baby, pressured work, doing my postgraduate studies and service in Ligaya. 

b. Take a good time to refresh and relax the mind before starting another task in the service. To be reminded that what I do will come from the Lord. 

> Emotionally:

a. To be overly emotional in responding the demand of the service. It is emotional because work itself is already demanding so much. The pressure of being a sales person is so high. The work demands so much to catch up with the challenging situation to recover fast and yet another roadblock arises. Along with the tired body from work, as a new father and the demand of meetings in Ligaya, at some point it was already difficult and being emotional was a common reaction. I still try my best that we the Lord's grace, I trust that He will always be with me and in me.

b. Focus on the Lord's call. Trust in His wisdom and His call.  

> Physically:

a. To avoid days with no clear plans. In this case, it is easy to miss some important schedules and tasks leading to extending time with other activities. Though the other demands like time for family and caring for a growing baby is demanding as well. To be present in all activities is a challenge. Specially in situations where the concerns of work, family and community becomes more complex. All the more, I need to trust in the Lord and requires time management.

b. This year, our baby turned one year old. We have adjusted a bit from lack of sleep and I resigned from my work as I noticed that it is not healthy anymore. With the new job, I am still adjusting but at the same time, we started to join fun run for us to be forced to do physical activities. We have monthly races and thus we are able to do runs within the month to prepare. 

3. Please share and discuss the above items with your Pastoral Leader, or your District Coordinator (whoever is now pastoring you.)

Quote from Henry Salim on April 13, 2025, 7:41 am

Have I been prioritizing my Ligaya service responsibilities according to God’s will, or

am I allowing guilt or pressure to dictate my commitments?

I have learned to submit everything in prayer.

Waiting and asking for God’s direction makes it both easy and hard at the same time. Easy, because it is like having a navigational app that gives you directions. This is easy when I fully agree with the directions He give me. It becomes hard when the Lord and I don’t agree. He tells me to go one way and I second guess Him and proposes another way, my way. I play dumb and pretend I donot hear. I ask the Lord to prove that I am hearing Him correctly. All the while, I know in my heart what He wants me to do. I am sure He knows this. He never compels and He allows me to do it my way when I insist. As expected, the results were not as good as I though. Thankfully He is who He is, loving and merciful. Always there, catching me when I fall. Through the years, I have learned the hard way, that His way is always better.

All most all of the time, if not all the time, the reason for this struggle is because of my appetites. I have a tendency to follow only when it is comfortable, convenient, pleasurable. Going thrcugh this chapter reminded me that I should make my body a tool to help me serve the Lord better and not the other way around.

 

In what areas of my life is God calling me to greater discipline and diligence in terms of

preparing myself (a) mentally, (b) emotionally, and/or (c) physically for all the

responsibilities that He has called me to in my service in Ligaya?

I think God is calling me to greater discipline in all three areas. Mentally, I need to ask for grace so I can control my mind from wandering.  I usually am in the right frame of mind but succumb to the deluge of inputs, suggestions and seemingly truths that the world bombards me everyday.  My mental frame of mind affects my emotions which at times is more reactive than proactive. Emotionally hijacked, I end up with negative emotions such as worry, anxiety and anger.

I recognize that a wandering mind and and a reactive emotional state is not where I should be. The void and the confusion it brings pushes me to search for something the fill it up.  We all know that the world is always ready to provide things to do this.  I can identify with St. Paul with what he wrote to the Romans

   15 I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do. 16 And if I do what I do not want to do, I agree that the law is good. 17 As it is, it is no longer I myself who do it, but it is sin living in me.18 For I know that good itself does not dwell in me, that is, in my sinful nature.[a] For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. 19 For I do not do the good I want to do, but the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing. 20 Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it.

Experience tells me that all the I answers I can come up on my own are insufficient at best.  Our teaching tells us the same thing.  I have to pray hard for the grace to act accordingly

 

State your answer in terms (a) what you need to stop doing; and (b) what you

need to start doing

My sense is that I need to pray more.  Praying connects me to the Lord.  The more I hear the Lord the more I am stronger I am better to resist the leadings of the world.  Instead of looking at myself for direction, which tends to be more biased towards the flesh, I should allow the Lord to take the lead.  I can do nothing on my own but everything with the grace of God.

 

Quote from Erick Flores on April 14, 2025, 3:20 am

1. Have I been prioritizing my Ligaya service responsibilities according to God’s will, or am I allowing guilt or pressure to dictate my commitments?

Ligaya taught us well in the areas of planning, scheduling, prioritizing and delegating to be able to serve God and serve our brothers and sisters well. This supports us in saying yes, no or delegate after discerning if the Lord wants us to do in the service and when.

However, demand of time propotionally increase with the increasing responsibiity. Instead of trusting the Lord to give answer in His perfect timing, I sometimes find myself saying “yes” just to please others or “no” to satisfy my craving for convenience.

2. In what areas of my life is God calling me to greater discipline and diligence in terms of preparing myself (a) mentally, (b) emotionally, and/or (c) physically for all the responsibilities that He has called me to in my service in

(a) Mentally
Better discernment in managing my time and committments.

(b) Emotionally
Committed decision making.

(c) Physically
Committment to being physically fit.

3. State your answer in terms (a) what you need to stop doing; and (b) what you need to start doing.
Please share and discuss the above items with your Pastoral Leader, or your District Coordinator (whoever is now pastoring you)

(a)Stop: Saying “yes” without counting the cost.
Start: More prayerful and mindful “yes” in serving.

(b)Stop: Half hearted committments in serving.
Start: Praying more grace to fulfill my committments.

(c)Stop: Making excuses to do exercise.
Start: Consistent schedule of exercising.