Gloria!

Walking into CVS on College Ave. & El Cajon Blvd. by campus there was an elderly black woman, with missing teeth on a motorized scooter. She looked frail and her clothes were tattered, yet she had this warming presence about her. As I approach the doors, she gives me a big grin, saying "Hi". I say hello back and she asks me for some change to buy food for her and her grandson. I tell her I will be back with some food. After I make my purchase in the CVS, I come back outside. I give her a Gatorade, telling her to stay refreshed and hydrated on a crazy, hot day like today. I also give her sweet n' salty chex mix, telling her to stay "sweet & salty" haha. I tell her she has a beautiful smile and to keep smiling because it's Christ who truly provides. I walk back to the car (one of the few times I've been able to drive this summer!) and write down something for Gloria:

Dear Gloria,

Keep Smiling!! :)

"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life." - John 3:16

Jesus provides our every need.

Love,
Charlie

I walked back and gave this note to her.

I started rejoicing on the drive back to a coffee shop. Freestyling over a beat, praying for Gloria. Glory, glory, glory to our God. It reminded me of the classic Christmas hymn name "Gloria in excelsis Deo":
    "Glory to God in the highest,

and on earth peace to people of good will.

We praise you,

we bless you,

we adore you,

we glorify you,

we give you thanks for your great glory,

Lord God, heavenly King,

O God, almighty Father.

Lord Jesus Christ, Only Begotten Son,

Lord God, Lamb of God, Son of the Father,

you take away the sins of the world, have mercy on us;

you take away the sins of the world, receive our prayer.

you are seated at the right hand of the Father, have mercy on us.

For you alone are the Holy One, you alone are the Lord, you alone are the Most High,

Jesus Christ, with the Holy Spirit, in the glory of God the Father. Amen"

Gloria!!!!!

FCA Camp: The Heart of my Summer

Ladies and gentlemen, friends and family, dudes and girls:

Man, I cannot even begin to tell you how stoked I am for the upcoming weeks. I would describe the upcoming two and a half weeks as the heart of my summer. If you have been following along with me in this journey in Cali, you know I have encountered some discouragement along the way, some rough patches in really seeking God in why I am over here. As mentioned before, I really am one who feels the need to always be doing something with people--hanging out, going places...this summer God has taught me to:

“Be still, and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!” -Psalm 46:10

I have learned a lot about myself and God is showing me that I am truly nothing without Him. I need to rely on Him for true joy. People will fail me, just as I will fail others. God never will. 

Through the office work, I have helped in preparing for camp to take place by answering e-mails/phone calls from kids and their parents, coaches, and staff to make sure everything is organized for camp. I also have contributed in helping my supervisor, Brian, out with updated our housing list. Since we are expecting over 600 high school student athletes, you can imagine how much housing we will need on top of that with supporting staff, coaches, and huddle leaders. This has been a great experience seeing how things are run from an administrative point of view and has helped in honing my skills in organization and the more technical side--something you all may know needs improvement ;) just look at my Malibu back home for instance--everything and anything is piled in heaps in that vehicle I tell ya.

Anyways, a huddle leader is basically like a camp counselor. We have huddle leaders who are currently college athletes who truly love Jesus and are assigned a group of high-schoolers to their respective sport to minister to and invest in their lives for the week; making sure they go to their practices and worship, along with eating with them during meals and leading them through activities and Bible studies. I am going to be a basketball huddle leader for this week and will be leaving next Tuesday to get there early. That Wednesday starts huddle leader training--meeting all the other huddle leaders and getting prepared for what will take place at camp. I am so stoked to invest in the lives of the boys I will be assigned to and lead them through what I'm most passionate about--my faith and basketball. Please pray for me as I prepare even now--that I would be ready spiritually, physically, mentally, emotionally to lead...that God would use all of me--every ounce of me--all for Him. I'm excited to meet fellow college athletes on fire for Christ, for the opportunity to train in Pauley Pavillion where the great John Wooden coached, and for what God is going to do in the lives of these kids coming to camp-many of whom do not know Christ as their personal Savior. I will also be serving at the UC Davis camp in northern Cali  from July 12-18 being a lacrosse huddle leader there. I am also stoked to see what God will be doing at this camp as well!

It's all about Jesus. Pure and simple. 

Here is a promo video for the upcoming UCLA Camp:

An example of what goes on at UCLA Camp:

UCLA and UC Davis Description:

Monterey. Brothers.

Last weekend, I was so blessed to be able to see my brother in Monterey and experience his inaugural weekend to kick off being stationed there for a year. I am so proud and blessed to call Andrew William my brother and best friend. He is the wisest, unique, intelligent, funny, genuine dude I know . Though we may fight at times, we are the most real with each other and love each other no matter what. My relationship with my brother shows me just a glimpse of what Christ's love is like to us. Christ loves me unconditionally, there is nothing I can do to attain His love but to just accept it. The fact that my brother and I can love each other through anything is such a blessing to me in this life.

We were able to walk around downtown and talk to this guy named Joe. We just talked it up and Andy even played his harmonica. After giving him bananas and sharing the Gospel with him, he said he was ordained as a minister and now living out in the streets of Monterey. If nothing else, I know he appreciated the fellowship and two bros sharing the love of Christ.

Shout out to Andy--the man who knows so much, who does his thing without worrying what anyone thinks about him, who has got his head on his shoulders--knowing confidently right from wrong--and living in a way to glorify God truly.

This ending scene of the movie "Warrior" describes how thankful I feel about the relationship I have with my brother...it says it all:

pray for Ken

Pray for Ken. As I was at Balboa Park yesterday, I knew I wanted to get a long run in (my Saturdays have been long run days as I train for the Detroit Free Press Marathon). But honestly I felt something more needed to be done. As you may know, I have been trying to carry around with me tracts-little Gospels of John. I knew I had one in my backpack...and something just didn't seem right--I needed to get the Word of God to someone. People were doing their thing-touring, going for a stroll, playing volleyball, celebrating grad parties...As I was walking down the path, I ran across a man who had his head down, shoes off with white fuzzy slippers beside, sitting on a bench on the side of the path. It was at that moment, I knew God wanted me to talk to this man. I said, "Hey man-how are you doing today?" It took a couple seconds for him to register that someone was actually talking to him then he proceeded to look up. As I was preparing to get the tract out of my backpack and extra craisins I had...he asked if I had any candy. I said I had these craisins and gave them to him and asked him if he wanted a fruit punch or berry Advocare energy drink..he took the fruit punch. We joked about how it was much healthier than the 5 Hour Energy shot. We ended up talking for about ten good minutes. I noticed people passing by, turning away...yet the conversation that took place is something I will always remember.

This man told me his name was Ken and just came back from Mexico. I kept digging in, asking him questions to get to know him better. He told me he didn't know where his family is and was looking for them but some were in jail and elsewhere. Throughout this all, I noticed the stench--probably from lack of affording a place to shower--it reminded me of serving the gypsy community in Romania on the trash dumps last summer--that God came for those who are literally broken and need help. I complimented him on his hairstyle, telling him that I'm Filipino and can't grow dreads but would love to. The conversation turned into me telling him how Jesus changed my life and I can look to Him no matter what crap happens in my life...He will never fail us. I gave him the tract and he promised he'd read it. I saw he had on a wristband that said God loves him...I asked him about it and I know there is a desire there to serve God. I asked if there was anything I could pray for him for and he said "restoration" and something like peace. He just wanted to die sober. I prayed for him on the spot and told him I'd continue to pray for him. I asked if it was cool to take his picture so I could be intentional in remebering to pray for him...so now I ask you all to pray for Ken and remember him. Pray thay God wouls use His Word even now to speak to him and change Ken's life..showing how much He loves Ken. Pray for the homeless, pray for the fatherless--as we reflect today on Father's Day.

Pray for the man in the wheelchair on the trolley...pray for the single mom selling cookies at the trolley staion with her daughter..pray for the girl working at the coffee shop in downtown San Diego who iss entering her freshman year at San Diego State University: As I got my iced coffee on the beautiful day yesterday was after my long run, I went here to do some devos downtown and relax. We had a good conversation when I bought the coffee and she made a darn good oatmeal/peanut butter/fruit thing, along with my incredible Hawaiian iced coffee. Anyways, I felt lead to give her a tract, as our conversation before took place about college and how she honestly thought she'd go crazy--I said I could relate and appreciate the honesty because my freshman year I went to parties as well and wanted that craziness. I was so glad I had an extra tract in my backpack, so before I left, I wrote a personal note in it and when leaving, told her how great the coffee was and gave her the tract, saying how much it helped me thriugh the craziness of college...encouraging her to use this as a life GPS as college can get rough.

Please join me in praying:

"But if anyone has the world's goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God's love abide in him? Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth." -1 John 3:17-18

Office Work

As this week winds down, getting things ready for camp is gearing up. Camp is only 3 weeks away! I will be arriving at UCLA on July 3rd for Huddle Leaders Training before camp.

Until then, it's Brian and I in the office, working away at making sure camp is all planned out and ready to go. I am in charge of making sure all the housing is set. I have been in contact with all the staff and coaches that will be serving at camp--and trying to make sure we have every family member they may be bringing accounted for--so we can then relay that information to UCLA Housing. Since we are expecting over 600 campers, we have about 150 staff members/coaches with their families that I need to keep track of and make sure all their paperwork is turned in before camp. This has involved Excel spreadsheets like crazy and emailing like there's no tomorrow. Though this seems like tedious office work--I am constantly reminding myself that this work is crucial to ministry. Coordinating and planning will help make camp run smoother and ultimately as highly organized as possible. Since I am an ENFP (shout out to Meyers Briggs personality--if you haven't taken the test--do it because it's cool seeing how God designed you personality-wise!) I am tapping into a more technical/organizational side. This isn't exactly what I love doing but know it will help keep me versatile, knowing I have the ability and skill set to do a wide-variety of tasks.

I am beginning to realize how incredible this camp will be--due to all the work the staff has put in year round, along with the intentionality of hiring on solid guys and girls who love Jesus as Huddle Leaders--including Staff and Coaches who have incredible experience in the sports world. Please continue to join me in prayer that God will use this camp--through worship, teaching, coaching, huddle leading, playing games/sports, eating--all for His glory and changing lives for His Kingdom.

Here's an example of what just happened at a Relentless FCA 2013 Camp:
http://www.fca.org/2013/06/13/fca-camp-stories-something-only-the-lord-can-explain/#.UbuSHvm1Gb4

I hope you all have a great weekend--I miss the Mitten but am blessed to be enjoying the So Cal.

Much love,
Charlie
#relentless
#Hebrews10:39

more than conquerors

"31 What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? 32 He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? 33 Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. 34 Who then is the one who condemns? No one. Christ Jesus who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. 35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword?36 As it is written:

“For your sake we face death all day long;

    we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.”

37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38 For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, 39 neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord."

-Romans 8:31-39

I know for certain that nothing can separate me from the love of Christ. Nothing.

There have been days where I've been tempted to be discouraged...thoughts of loneliness especially to be honest. To be real: that if I have a wife then I will be truly happy. I long for an incredible marriage where I can just love the heck out of my wife and do everything together--traveling, dining, having fun, doing devos together--everything. Yet it is in these times where I need to direct my focus on the one True Love-Jesus Christ...to not dwell on the past or even the future because I need to focus on what God has for me here and now. My Savior loves me unconditionally. What greater love is there? "Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one's life for one's friends." -John 15:13 So, the One I should be directing all these thoughts towards is Him. Yesterday, after church, I decided to go to the beach to have some alone time with my God. Thankfully one of the dudes from the house let me borrow their Mazda 3 (I was goin crazy, zipping through Cali highways because it was one of the only times I have driven over here) and I went exploring. I came across these incredible cliffs along the side of the ocean. I turned on "Oceans" by Hillsong on my phone and listened to that as I looked out at the waves: 

"Your grace abounds in deepest waters

Your sovereign hand
Will be my guide
Where feet may fail and fear surrounds me
You've never failed and You won't start now

So I will call upon Your name
And keep my eyes above the waves
When oceans rise
My soul will rest in Your embrace
For I am Yours and You are mine

Spirit lead me where my trust is without borders
Let me walk upon the waters
Wherever You would call me
Take me deeper than my feet could ever wander
And my faith will be made stronger
In the presence of my Savior"

After this, I headed over to Torrey Pines National Park and went for a run through the hills by the ocean, listening to worship music. I found so much peace in this. After my run I drove by the shore in the Mazda and watched the sunset over the ocean. This alone time with my Savior showed me what He's been trying to teach me this whole summer so far! That He is enough. He is my first and only True Love. Though I long for that amazing marriage, this should not be my primary focus--but directing that longing towards my Savior first and foremost. He will provide, yet I need to truly be patient, as hard as that it is, and rely on Him for every empty joy I think I need through a woman. I need not desire anyone or anything else in this world, for all I need is Jesus. Amen.

I am more than a conqueror in Christ Jesus. I am running this marathon of life for Him...along with this literal marathon in October. I hate running. This training has really been cool in learning to love running and enjoying this time worshiping my Holy God--motivated to run for the orphans in Thailand and India. 

Pray for patience, strength, and wisdom.

God Bless,

Charlie

Went to the Hillsong United concert in LA on Friday night--they shared that section of Romans 8 and encouraged the packed house at the Hollywood Bowl to be lights in the broken city of LA. This past weekend I also shared two of my spoken word pieces at a church from the mixtape I am releasing soon. This was an incredible experience. It was a small crowd but I got good feedback and encouragement from older brothers and sisters in Christ in the crowd. I visited Disney Land and stepped into a salsa dancing class (they have a salsa dancing ministry) at the same church after I performed. This was interesting, to say the least, as I did my best but it's tough to salsa! Been checking out different churches--and this one church, The Flood--is going through 2 Timothy 1. It's been a good reminder for me to be thankful to those who have encouraged me in my faith, as well as a way to continue to look for ways to disciple others.

Hillsong United. God's Beauty.

Hillsong concert at the Hollywood bowl with Josh-FCA Area rep-and his crew...there's another Charlie up in here-with a beard!

Torrey Pines Cliffs. God is the definition of Beauty.

hip hop barber shop...sharing the love of Jesus

Please pray for Victor. Victor is a Latino dude who cut my hair at a local barbershop on Sunday. We talked rap and how I love rap with a good message behind it and how much that is lost nowadays. He agreed with me and told me of a rapper who talked about God. I was like man that's dope! And when I paid him for the haircut, I told him to keep the change and told him to take this: a tract--how it talks about Jesus and how He has changed my life. I told him to check it out and he said he would. Praise God. Please pray for his soul--that God would change his heart and have mercy upon Victor and save Him. Also, please continue to pray for those previously mentioned who have in their possession a tract with the Gospel of John. I firmly believe in the power of His Word, as God speaks through it. Amen.

Amazing things happening in FCA

WOW!

As I was a little discouraged today, I saw this video and immediately refocused on what God has called me to do here in California. This shows the growth that has taken place with FCA in the Philippines:

As I served with FCA International last summer in Europe--doing sport ministry in Italy, Romania, Wales, and Olympic Outreach in the projects of Hackney for London 2012--this fires me up even more towards possibly doing FCA in the Philippines. This hits so close to home for me, as I am Flilipino and I consider  all Filipinos family. I cannot put to words how this affects me as I love my heritage and where my roots come from, along with my passion for Jesus and sports. Please pray as I continue to consider doing mission work in my native country.

 I went to a staff meeting yesterday and realized all the work God is doing just in this San Diego region alone. There were 56 Huddles (small groups on High School/College campuses) in 2005. Now, in 2013, there are 114 Huddles. In 2005 there were only 4 staff members covering all the San Diego region. Today, in 2013, there are 13 staff members. I was able to be apart of that staff meeting yesterday and saw the intentionality behind everyone there--they were all on the same page with bringing the saving message of Jesus to middle schoolers, high schoolers, and college athletes alike all through sports. This fired me up, as I realize FCA doesn't have a huge presence in South Eastern Michigan. Shout out to Detroit and my hometown of Troy--I am inspired by the fact that if I set my heart and soul into it and let God do the work--He can transform Detroit into growing the FCA ministry, just like He did here in San Diego. 

Pray for all the staff here, as we all play a different part in making these camps happen. Again, here is a link to what happens at these camps, with this year's theme being Relentless: based on Hebrews 10:39 : "But we are not those who draw back and are destroyed, but those who have faith and obtain life.”  I can see that the staff here wants to lift up Jesus more than anything. They do devos every meeting to make sure their focus is in the right spot, along with doing their best to run excellent sports camps, as they plan for these camps year-round. Their passion is to reach out to youth in the community. Praise God that He has provided over $100,000 in scholarships so kids who may not be able to afford it can come to camp!