The China Project

If you have been following my blog, you would have probably noticed how passionate I am about traveling. My view of traveling is summed up in one of my entries (link). I said,

Traveling is more than just booking a flight, grabbing that backpack and all the travel items that go with it. It is tastier than trying new food and braver than jumping off the cliff.

I believe traveling is a journey for the soul. It is a phenomenal opportunity to walk, fly, run and swim the world we live in. It lets us discover God's awesomeness in each person we meet and in each place we go to. It generously allows us to rediscover ourselves during the process. It sends us back home with a grateful heart and desire to do it again. It leaves us in awe making us grateful for life and the air we breathe. It humbles us to see the dominion of God's grace over all the earth and beyond and how they all work together in harmony. 

And above all, just like what it continuously does to any traveler, it shows us how little we are yet equally reminds us of how precious we really are. 

I have been blessed to have been given opportunities to travel. I make it a point to be able to do some traveling - no matter how short or long, near or far, at least once every two months. While some of you spend much on new apparels, or after-work drinking, my friends and I travel. The money I earn isn't much. It's just enough to pay the rent, the bills, the needs, and a little bit of travel if I know how to save well. All the international travels I got to do (except the Malaysia trip last November) were all business trips, which I am very grateful for. If it was just from my meager income, am not sure if I will be able to travel outside the country.

Last year, I was able to do 15 travels, which beat my goal by notches. Part of my bucket list (link) is to travel to China. I haven't. I adore this country. I think it has one of the most interesting and colorful cultures in the whole world. I have been praying for it. I know my God can provide. I have faith, however, faith without action is dead. You gotta help me travel to China! I want to spend a week in China this year. My friends and I have already booked a one-way trip. Step one, done! What's next? Save and earn money for my accommodation, return flight, tourist visa, and other expenses I'd like to share with my friends.

Here's the game plan:

A. SAVE. - Cut on other expenses like buying things I DO NOT need and save money.

    Two ways to do this: 

    Coin Bank - Got this with a group of friends over a year ago but have not been able to use it. When I got     this, I did say, I'd use it to save for China. Looks like it will happen and it should. Everyday, I drop all the     P5 and P10 coins I have in my wallet.

    SAVE Challenge with Friends - It is so much easier and fun to save when you do it with friends. We         came up with a good plan to do this. A plan that doesn't put too much pressure on saving and will not           make us feel we are depriving ourselves of the good things but will surely make us harvest fruits in the           future.


B. EARN - If I will just rely on my savings, I may not be able to make it. I gotta earn. With the help of friends, I will sell whatever I can sell - food, sandwich, travel bags, great finds, old and new items, whatever I can sell. If you buy any of it and as long as you see this photo below, it's going to the China Project and you are helping a whole lot. I thank you in advance. Please? Help me travel to China.

C. YOU FUND MY TRAVEL. If you are feeling generous today and you would like to support my zest for travel adventures. Feel free to support me. I have a Chinabank savings account and I can give you the details. Email this blog through myembry@gmail.com.

D. PRAY FOR AND WITH ME. Nothing beats prayer. The Bible says if there are two or more people gathered in His name, He will be there. Join my faith. Help me realize a dream.

If ever I die before the set travel, the funds shall still go to its purpose. There's six of us. :) Rest assured that all of you will be recognized. I will, also, regularly update you of the progress of this project.

Thank you and God bless your generosity.

Love is a Verb, Here in my Room

Image not mine.

It's the first day of the new year. Hearts are brimming with happiness. There's something about the noise of the new year's eve celebration that brings healing to all kinds of pains, be it temporary or for good. It does bring one important thing - HOPE. 

It is that time of the season again when people start to come up with all kinds of new year's resolutions - lose weight, save more, start afresh. You've tried it, we all have. We also know that after a week or two (or less), most of us lose focus. Most of the time, none of these ever come to pass. 

BUT just because that's what happens most of the time doesn't mean we take the action for granted. We all wish and pray for a thing or two to happen this new year and along with it are our action plans. Some of us loudly tell of it through our social networking sites. Some share it with family and/or friends. Some are happy sharing it with just one person. Some keep it in their hearts, quietly, deeply, and passionately. Inside each of these individuals is HOPE.

I don't have a list of the things I want to do this year, just like I don't last year but it was a great year. Every little thing I wanted for 2013, I got. I  hope and know that, with God's grace, 2014 will give more. I have a faith goal that go with it. It is summed up by a line from a song by Incubus - 

Love is a verb here in my room.

I want LOVE to be an action word in my life - to love God, family, friends, animals, the environment, and the whole world, in all possible ways I can.When you love, you do what's right and what's good. You don't hurt and you think of yourself less. This year, I will LOVE and, with God's grace, I will have the capacity to love the whole world because He first loved me.

If you read this entry again, you will notice that there are only three things we need to make things happen - Love, Faith and Hope. Even the Bible says that all things will come to pass and only those three will remain.

Read related entry from this link.

Baby Steps to Overcoming Financial Struggles - Part 1

If your goal is to learn how to be rich, you might be on the wrong page. If you ask me if I have already mastered the road to financial freedom, the answer is "No, I have not.". Maybe just like you, I thrive every day with my finances. Here are baby steps to get out of the financial freeDOOM.

The tips I'm about to give you may or may not work for you. Some you'd probably raise your eyebrows on. Am not saying you do all of them. Am saying you give them a thought. It has been working for me, maybe it will work for you too.

Do this in order -

1. Give God His.

Tithing is a Biblical concept about giving 10% of your income to God's work. Don't raise that eyebrow yet. Give it a thought.

Below are two Bible verses about it. You may search the net for more.

Make an offering of ten percent, a tithe, of all the produce which grows in your fields year after year. - Deuteronomy 14:22

And my favorite tithe verse of all -

Bring all the tithes into the storehouse,
That there may be food in My house,
And try Me now in this,”
Says the Lord of hosts,
“If I will not open for you the windows of heaven
And pour out for you such blessing
That there will not be room enough to receive it.
- Malachi 3: 10

This is the only time the Lord has invited us to test Him. Tithing is not a show-off of what one can give. God doesn't need our money. He gave us our jobs. He created the heavens and the earth, for crying out loud! But why is He asking for the 10%? It is a test of faith and trust just like when Abraham was asked to sacrifice his son, Isaac. What kind of a father would do that? It was one of the most painful scenes from the Bible but he followed because he trusted God.

God is smart. He knows it will be a big struggle for us to offer Him 10% of our hard-earned money to what? the church? How sure am I it's going where it should go? Can I just give to the poor? 10%? That's already how many cans of milk for my baby? But am saving up for a travel! But I haven't bought myself a new pair of shoes in a long time!

See how hard it is? Tithing is a result of faith. And yes! It is 10%, not 9.9% or less.

Why don't you try it and test God?

2. Pay yourself.

What? Pay ME first? But I have tons of bills to pay! 

Yes! Pay yourself! You work 9 hours a day in a limited budget. You deserve to be paid. You might be the family's bread winner and I think it's noble to be one but you gotta love yourself so you don't burn out or get fed up with what you're doing.

By paying yourself, I don't mean going beyond your means. Giving yourself that promo massage or foot spa is enough. Buy yourself a new underwear or a shirt or a hanky or a pair of socks...then stop. Remember, it has to be within your means!

3. Pay your bills and your needs.

You have to stay alive so manage your utility bills well. If you have extra money now and your electricity isn't due until after the next payday, pay ahead. These companies keep a record and offset early payments from your new bill. Just because it is not due doesn't mean you can't pay it when you can, especially when you know it is something you will continuously use anyway e.g. water, net, electricity etc. (For mortgages, ensure the company doesn't charge pre-payment penalty.)

If you have a credit card and you can, pay off your credit card every month. If you think it's hard, go for the easier - pay more than the minimum. Much better if you ask your credit card company about their payment allocation method and if there is a way that your extra payment goes to the interest. Ask.

Overall, planning is the key. Plan your expenses at home and work it within your means.

4. Pay your friends.

Did you borrow money from your trusted friends? Friends who may also be struggling financially but did not ever have second thoughts lending you money? Pay them. It is your obligation. It is your word. Your financial freedom is best enjoyed when the people around you know you deserve it. Don't flaunt your new Iphone when you haven't even paid the people you are flaunting it to. 

You don't have to pay in full. You can do it slowly. Talk to your friends. They will surely understand. P500 (or less) a month until you pay off everything. Of course, you have to mean it! When you do this, people appreciate your effort. The next time you will need some cash urgently, all of them will lend a hand.

Just because you're friends doesn't mean you don't pay what you owe from them. If that's your mindset, you have a distorted view of the friendship.

5. Pay your other debts.

If you still have old bank debts. Pay it slowly. Coordinate with them to ask for an affordable payment scheme and if they can lower and freeze the interest. I did this with one bank I owe money from and am now halfway. Yay!

6. Share.

Cook for a friend. Donate an old shirt to charity. Share a sandwich. Share a book. Share a candy. Treat your mom to a foot spa. Buy your sister a new hanky. Give the janitor a box of biscuits. Hug your dog or your friend's cat. Not everything is in cash. Yes, blessings come back tenfold.

7. Save.

Most people don't save if there's not much left. Just because you can only save P50 a month, after settling all five above, doesn't mean you will give up the idea. Save within your means. After all the paying, you can save more.

Save in whatever way you can - piggy bank (let go of that idea that it brings bad luck, you get sick because of health issues not because of saving money and having the discipline to do it), open a bank account (deposit whatever you can, be it a small amount), sign up in reputable financial company that will grow your money (you have to think this over a hundred times). No more excuses! Save!

I hope this helps you a bit. Don't rush! Remember, baby steps! We'll get there.

I have more tips for you on the next entry.

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