Dolly de los Reyes

It is easy to shout our praise and thanksgiving to God when we are at the peak of our success. Not a single effort is exerted for our joy comes directly from our jubilant heart. It might be foolish for many a man to still be thankful despite one's trials. "Why should I when my soul suffers from wretchedness and emptiness?" one might ask. The lamentation goes on. Jesus himself tells us of this wonderful passage in 1 Thessalonians 5:18: Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus ( New International Version (©2011) . He did not say "most," nor did he say "some" circumstances. The word " all" here encompasses the tragedies and the victories, the weeping and the merriment. It speaks of the parched desert and of the abundance of rain. It thrives in all the seasons of our life. There is not a single exception. There wouldn't be questions as to why we should be gratified during moments of happiness. T...

I Forgive You Dear Wayne, My life has been swept into a storm the moment you said, “It’s enough.” I thought I was okay then. I thought it was just nothing . I thought I could live without ever calling your name or without ever waiting for your calls day in and day out. It was just, let’s say, nothing really well-thought of. And then it happened. What great pain! I was so mad, devastated, hated being with you, cursed the moment you fell in love with me, and considered my life a waste. It was all because of you! And then it came to pass. I decided to just leave you at peace. But I was wrong; I was still hurting when I said I have forgiven you. I was never at peace. I was never complete. Shortly after, Jesus came into the picture, told me it’s enough, and that my crying has to stop. I saw Him smiling at me, with outstretched hand He embraced me, and with a big heart He gave me His peace. Love then slowly came back, and I have started to live again. I have forgiven you, for all the pain...

Call it ironic. Yes. It is a scratch-in-the-head-what-happened-to-you-scenario. Experience the joy of letting go. Does this sound rather proverbial or a little out-of-this-world statement? Well, it must be for most of us humanoids. Seriously, what does joy have to do with letting go? Nah. That is just too idealistic, you might say. I respect you for that. But here’s the truth we can’t escape. People live their lives differently, and we each have our own share of turbulence and awakenings. We move, we breathe, and we eat, drink, and work. We all are busy bees in this ever giant hive. As we live and grow, emotions grow as well. As boarders of this planet, we all have to live with whatever means we can. So we live, laugh, and love. And so as the inevitable stalking our every move. Catastrophe creeps in the unknown alcoves of our fate; after having surfaced, it crawls its way towards the center of one’s soul. That’s when choices have to be made. They call it black-and-white; men call i...

March 30, 2013 – It was my special day then. After a series of birthday celebrations from one set of friends to another, my fellow young single ladies and I decided to follow the mob – and off we went to the movie house for the exciting romantic sequel of Sarah Geronimo and John Lloyd Cruz’s “It Takes a Man and a Woman.” I remember myself being so curious of the story line. I kept asking myself: What is it this time? I eventually resigned and anxiously waited for the big twist. If being able to cry during the movie is equated with its high quality, then I would gladly give it two thumbs up. But then again, we don’t measure it through the amount of tears we shed. Love, trust, pain, and forgiveness have inhabited my mind since then. Love , for one, is bathed with mystery. It can break all impossibilities. It can bring you to the heights of human emotions that only those who are capable of loving can experience. It is enveloped with magic, with sweet promises, and with the laudable whisp...

“I love you, and it is out of love I allow certain situations and events to happen, to show you that without Me you are nothing. I allow these events to happen to keep you near Me and lean on Me. I want you to trust Me.” - Jesus’ message to Vassula Ryden dated Jan. 30, 1990 (from the book True Life in GOD) I have been hibernating in my self-made cocoon for the past two weeks! But instead of relaxing, I am feeding myself with God’s words, chewing every bit of it. I bought a book titled True Life in God 4 years ago. I just happened to catch a glimpse of it inside National Bookstore. Curiosity kicked in, and half an hour later, I was heading my way to the cashier. I remember being so “in love” with Jesus at that time. Smiles…smiles…smiles. Fast-forward… I fell in love afterwards, turned my back to God (I was too focused on that man that it only hit me recently how I had chosen him over God), and got hit so low that I remained flat on the ground for quite some time. So here I am now,...

"Would you like to go with me to The Feast?" asked my boss. "I would love to, Ma'am," I answered with a smile. Those lines marked the start of a beautiful friendship. That happened 3 years ago. In short, this mentor-mentee relationship has already taken root through those years. I used to call her Mom for all the right reasons. She was an answered prayer. She paved the way to my dreams. She cleared my path to spirituality. She eased the tension built by the people around. Gradually, she had become a Mother to me. Yes, because she deserves to become one. Inch by inch, she made her way to my heart. When triumphs follow me, she rejoices with me. When the battlefield nears me, she is always there to tag along, not to fight with me but to storm the heaven with her prayers. When tears just fall from my eyes, she is a comfort and a solace. When darkness threatens to blind me, she serves as the lighthouse to guide me through. When life is all but challenges, she pa...

Between now and tomorrow lie uncertainties, and that is where life’s paradox dwells. We are taught to work hard for something we want done. We start to believe that there is a somewhere where all dreams meet as one. We heed the signs that seem to lead us to that one destination. We ignore the hindrances to keep focused. There is nothing stopping us to move forward. And then we give our partial best in any area of our life. We live, laugh, and love to experience that momentary bliss. That is NOW. But tomorrow doesn’t come in quickly. In between the two is a small crack, a gap, where countless heavings and sighings are witnessed. This is that one instance when doubt suddenly crowds our hopeful minds. When we suddenly realize that we are not equipped enough for the battle that awaits us. It is when life’s crossroads are met. The end of the tunnel is seen, but the only thread of hope we are clinging into is as dark as a starless night. Negativities creep in and consume most of the powe...