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Last night and this morning, I already claimed God's favor about my NBI appointment today. I didn't know what it will be,
but I know God will give me a favor and I opened my heart widely to receive it.
God showed me much favor today. I went to renew my NBI clearance in Robinson's. I reached there around 9:20AM. I was quite
surprise to see 200 to 300 people falling in line. Most of them were there as early as 6AM and the extension office is opened
at 10. I had to go to the last person in line. I was another addition to the hundreds of people who will be renewing their
document.
I befriended a woman who was falling in line next to me. We had a wonderful chit-chat. Her husband was also renewing his
NBI to fly to Ireland.
Few minutes later, there was a man who was staring at me and signaling me through his eyes to come to him. I wondered
what it was. I suspected it was a "fixer" and just wanting to get money from me and make my transaction fast. I
did not go with him because of my suspicion. I prefer to wait and sacrifice to stand for hours than having fixers get money
from me. However, I saw that the woman's husband went with the man. About 10 minutes after, the woman's husband and the man
went back to where we were standing. My friend's husband told me that the man was in-charge of the document renewal and he
wanted to help so that I no longer have to stand so long and wait for my turn to get my renewal. I was very surprise. I made
it clear with him if he was asking an amount of money to pay the favor he gives, but he said that I will only pay the exact
amount of the document. My friend's husband accompanied me with the man. He was leading me on the floor where their extension
office is located. He said that he wanted to help so that I no longer have to wait so much longer standing (I was almost on
the tail end of the line).
When I reached the venue, I paid (got the OR), they took a picture of me and their system automatically checked my record
in their database. I was surprised to know that someone has the same name as mine in their record. It's been a while since
I had my NBI clearance (2001). The man told me to go to their main office and instructed me what to do. He said that my record
will be verified in Manila for a week or two. When I reached their main office, the throng of people there was much worse
than the renewal venue. I chit chatted with a few people and found out that I was not the only one who have the case wherein
someone has the same name as mine. I started to feel at peace. I handed my old NBI copy and OR for verification to the in-charge
and was instructed to go to window 2 for picture taking. They said to follow-up my clearance after a week. (NBI Cebu Phone
Number: 254-6444)
There was a young lady I talked with in the main office who also had the same case as mine. She told me that she was also
renewing at Robinson's the other week and it was already in the middle of the afternoon when she finished the transaction
and to think that she'd been there falling in line with other applicants so early in the morning.
I was thinking, if that man didn't approach me and offered me help, I would be standing in the line for hours and would
skipped my whole day at work. Probably, like the young lady I talked with, I'd be finished in the afternoon, and be dismayed
to find out that I had to go to the main office to do another process of verification. But with God's favor, I was only able
to do it less than half a day, and had another extra hour to do the things I needed to do my whole half day. I was not late
at work, I had lunch with my co-worker, but was physically exhausted walking under the heat of the sun and standing in minutes.
However I am quite overwhelmed of the work of God's hands in my appointments today. It's amazing.
Everyday, I always expect for God's favor. There are so many instances God showed it to me whether in a form of little
or big things. This attitude of favor expectancy of mine started when I heard the audio teaching of Pastor Joel Osteen entitled
"Your Best Life Now" (thanks to my fiance who sent it to me). He said that everyday, we should always expect God's
favor enthusiastically for giving is one of God's nature. God finds pleasure in blessing His children.
Before my day starts, I already claimed the favors God has in stored for me for the day even before He gave it. And yes
indeed, He never fails to shower me with favor upon favor every rising of the sun, just like what happened today.
Truly, I am God's beloved child. Truly, I am highly favored by my generous ever-loving Father. To my Almighty God, be
the glory!!! [Written: April 8, 2008)
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