Category: Letters for 2015

Letter #7: Letter to My Local Church

mari anjeliLeave a comment

Dear Church,

We are crossing over. Many seasons have come and gone and now we are again at that point of crossing over.

I am amazed at what God is doing here. It really all just boils down to faith, hope, and love. Faith in Him and His faithfulness. Hope that keeps on finding the silver lining in every cloud, hope that keeps on waiting for the rainbow after every storm. Love for God, love for people, and love in all the things we do. We don’t know what will happen after all these, but as long as faith, hope, and love remains, we’ll be so much more than okay.

Let us enjoy the season we are in right now. Let us enjoy this sense of newness, this excitement, this childlike expectancy in our hearts. For behold, the God of wonders is moving. He is moving in the hearts of the broken. He is moving in the hearts of the proud. He is moving in us. He is moving through us.

Let’s enter the promised land!

Letter #6: Letter to that Special Someone

mari anjeli3 Comments

Hello love, how do you do?
I think I’m somewhat missing you
But don’t you worry ’cause I’ll be alright
‘Cause you’re the one who makes me smile at night
And in the morning and the evening and the afternoon
So let’s just chill, relax, we’ll see each other soon
And be together, together, again

(Mari Anjeli, LDR Story)

Here we are, living out this LDR Story. Here we are, connected by the Internet, by cellphone lines, by thoughts and prayers — attempting to bridge the gap. I’m not going to complain any longer. I am grateful for what we have.

Being grateful does wonders. Being grateful and looking forward – these, along with lots of heart-rending prayers are my secrets. They are some of my keys to staying strong. Because when there are too many miles, too many minutes, too many days, too many weeks, too many months between us, it’s far too easy to either be numb or weak. But I choose to be neither.

I look forward to moments your name pops up on screen. To moments my blue Nokia phone buzzes, may it be in the middle of the day or night (as it often does). I look forward to hearing your voice – hyped up at times, crazed out some others, but my favorite is when it’s slow and relaxed. Most of all, I look forward to moments when I’m physically next to you, when we’re holding hands, when all these times we are apart become distant memories we have used to teach us, to strengthen us.

I know we’ll be able to see this through. By the grace of God, we will see this through.

Letter #5: Letter to My Brother

mari anjeli2 Comments

Dear Balong,

Wassup ketcup? And I don’t mean Ash Ketchum. I know you get the Pokemon reference right there. This letter won’t be mushy or anything like that. I would just like to tell you how proud I am that I have a younger brother who is taking up his PhD right now while teaching (and playing Farmville 2) on the side.

Keep doing what you’re doing. Keep running. Keep getting your body, your mind, your spirit into shape. Get some more stamps on that passport. Eat more good food and just jog it off later.

Hay, we are growing up. I can’t believe we’re teasing (and ranting) about wedding plans already (oops, Mom and Dad might read that). But we’ve come so far from those two little squimples doing foot wrestling on the Armidale couch.

Keep in touch, continue to let me know what’s going on in your life. Though it’s only by a year-and-a-half, know that I’ll always be your proud big sistah.

So. Bye for now,

Ate Mari

Letter #4: Letter to My Parents

mari anjeliLeave a comment

Dear Mama and Papa,

Yey! In a few more days, I’ll be seeing you again! In less than a week, your little girl is coming home again.

I’m looking forward to eating like there’s no tomorrow and then trying to burn it all off jogging the following day. What nice resto have you discovered this time? Is Ma still dancing-slash-exercising to the tune of “The Fox”? I saw a book adaptation of it at the book fair the other day. They illustrated the different lines — “Dog goes woof”, “Cat goes meow”. Too bad I didn’t buy it. I only had budget for four books. That was already the fifth. Oh well. Next time, then.

I hope my room is already okay. I hope there are no more r-a-t-s scurrying about.

Well, regardless of the state of my room, I’m excited to see you all again! Thank you for making good use of my roaming number. Your sms messages never fail to put a smile on my face. Now we will see each other beyond text!

Just a few days more!

Until then,

Your Dofter

Letter #3: Letter to My Dreams

mari anjeliLeave a comment

Dear Dreams,

Oh there you guys are again. Did you miss me? I didn’t realize it, but I sure did miss you.

I missed this. Writing feverishly as I transcribe the dialogue in my head onto paper. Not being able to keep still because I’ve got a million and one story ideas running through my mind. Wishing I had a 25th hour to use so that I could sit down and write them all out.

I’m back in the groove again. I hope this groove does not wear out. Give me that gift of consistency, give me the perseverance to smash all writer’s blocks that may come my way, grant me a spirit that will enable me to finish all these and finish them well.

Because at the end of the day, I’d love to do more of these and I’d love to be able to do it well.

Stay with me, my dreams. Stay with me and inspire me all the more.

Letter #2: Letter to Myself

mari anjeliLeave a comment

Dear Me,

Everything is awesome. Things are really starting to look up this year. Though pain and brokenness still continue to swirl all around, you have to know that there’s beauty in it, a purpose behind all of it. You can also do something to help ease or in a way heal it.

Have compassion. Empathize. You have in you a light, a song that can bring joy in times of darkness. Don’t be afraid, don’t be too comfortable, don’t be too insensitive that you won’t even think of stepping out.

Everything is awesome. I am so glad that things have been starting to look up in your life. You are starting to get your breakthroughs. Now go and help others get theirs.

Rooting for you,

Myself and I

Letter #1: Letter to God

mari anjeli2 Comments

Are you there God? It’s me, Anjeli.

2015 is here. The first month is already about to end. Soon it will be February and then it will be March. Then April. Then May. Then December once again.

The days are long, but the years are short, they say. In a way, I want this year to be over. 2016 can’t come quickly enough. But in another way, I don’t want 2015 to end.

This year began with an explosion of emotions. It wasn’t quite the bang I was expecting, Lord. But I know, through it all, You are good.

You’ve brought this wayward heart back home again. You’ve brought it back to its first love.

You. It will always be You, Lord.

I’m grateful for life. I am grateful for love. I am grateful for another year you have given me to live out, to enjoy. I’m grateful for yet another opportunity to pour out and love all the more. So, as this year pushes on, let me not forget all that You have taught me this past month. Let me walk with You closely. Let me love You deeply. Grant me a greater revelation of Your love. So that I may love others as You love me, too.

Thank You, Lord. I love You.