I Just Turned 18!

November 12, 2009 was my 18th birthday. Those who knew me surely said with surprise, "WHAT?" I should have been born in 1991! How come I have a 16 year-old son already?

The year was 2003 when a pastor who was spiritually commissioning us into the business world prayed over me. I will never forget his words: "Lord, guard the heart of this girl in Jesus' name, amen!" Girl? My 34th birthday was upcoming then and he said girl! I sought the Lord in prayer and meditation on His Word before it dawned on me that in the sight of God, I am a girl. In Christ Jesus, I am a princess!

Forward to today, I felt in my heart to inform my friends and families that I'm 18 now. My text brigade follows the same format as my Facebook post on November 12 which reads,

TODAY is my 18Th birthday (walay mopalag ha-that is. no one argues :D)! I thank God for all of you my loved ones, relatives, friends, and co-workers in the kingdom of God who have touched my life significantly and help me grow to be a better person. Thank you also for allowing me (or accepting me, as the case may be) to be a part of your life. God bless you more and I trust His purpose in your life and mine will prevail.

Peter and Virgie Bruderer , my chocolatey friends from Switzerland commented,

Wow! what a nice age? So you can do now what you want, you're at legal age. I think you must have to celebrate your bday with your adults friends no under age allowed.

Benson Masangcay, a businessman owner of RPM Realty told me how unusual it was to receive such birthday announcement from a normal Filipino celebrant and so decided with his wife Rodelyn to sponsor a simple party for the debutante in the office. Of course, to usher me in the corporate world, we also had a productive meeting that day.

Edna Barce, a top sales producer of CDORealty website under RPM Realty exclaimed, "So you are now a lady!!!" Now, I understand the tug in my heart when I woke up that day-the little princess is now a lady.

Now, every good lady is entitled to her own special core of trusted friends and advisers. No better core TEAM of royal blood than Vivian Socorro Vestil, Antonette Remedios Mondigo, Mequesa Chan, Abegail Saab, and Marissa Costales! With these wonderful ladies, my birthday lunch was definitely sumptuous complete with spiritually, socially, morally relevant discussions on a project to strengthen and unite families through a gift of home. At that time though, Ms. Remie was still on a plane to Cagayan de Oro- you know how it is with royalty: travel here and there. Through it all, Jong Guimare, a young thespian prince of God was hanging on every essence of the banter over food while an innocent observer was trying to make sense of what is happening before her. Get the beautiful picture?

The simple prayer breath of my long time friend Elvy Egama- Oliver, fit to be given a gold reward, was granted that day. Her prayer was, amen, my dearest friend! hope your "debut" went s-o-o-o-o well... IT DID.