Hey girl.

While having a serious conversation with one of my guy friends today, I was shamelessly and blatantly classified into something I never thought I really was.

"You're really a girl. Like a girl-GIRL."

Though this was not the point of the conversation, this was what struck me rather profoundly. Being a person who grew up hating on dresses, loving Formula 1, basketball, and whatever sport my parents could throw me in, I considered myself the least of the girliest of girls. My rather girly wardrobe aside, I have a love for independence, and annoyance for frailties, so I never thought I'd really strike as someone absolutely girly.

What's that? A girl. A woman. A female.

Born with a helpmate's heart. Born with bride's heart. Born with a heart meant to patiently wait for her groom. Born be clothed with strength and dignity, and to laugh at the days to come.

I always forget about that!

Let us always remember our place, ladies.

We are not meant to stand up and fight for ourselves. We are more precious than rubies. We are worth fighting for!

Be still, hold on to His promises, and God will take care of you!


Always love,
Ella

What is, forever?

Since it's a Monday, tonight is our "Friday night," as we usually take our exams on this day every week. Watched the hit Filipino movie, "Bride for Rent," with several of my closest friends tonight. And the movie talked mostly about well, love (Didn't see that coming now did you. Lol).

Don't worry I won't drop any spoilers. But I'll only mention how they talked about, forever. About how forever starts by simply allowing yourself to love someone. It got me to think about how that word means to me. As corny as it sounds, forever has actually already been written in my heart, and this is what it does to me.

1. Lets me live, without the compulsive feeling of "YOLO." - "You only live once," they say. But forever means you live not just on this life, but also after it! The YOLO mentality makes you want to do reckless things, do things that make you temporarily satisfied, mostly without considering the effects of them to others and yourself.

2. Makes me want to find what I need to accomplish in this life. Cause I don't want to go to the next without knowing what I was on earth for. - Do I want to die without fulfilling my real purpose on earth? No I don't. Neither do you, I believe. Nothing beats the feeling and knowledge that you're doing what you're supposed to do. Even if you have to give up comfort, security, and even people close to you; once you're in the right track, everything seems worth it.

Once you have the concept of eternity, you really don't care about the temporary things on this earth.

3. Reminds me that, it is not about me. - It's easy to live a life of thinking of just ME, ME, ME, and I'm guilty of that. "I'm hungry." "I'm craving for this." "I'm too tired." "This person hurt me. I want revenge." "This makes me happy so I should just do it." "This hospital is too hot and too toxic, I don't want to be here anymore!" Once eternity is engraved in your heart, you realize that you're not living your life for yourself. You're living it to honor the One who holds eternity in His hands. You're living it to share His love to other people, and it brings you unspeakable joy and fulfillment no matter uncomfortable it may initially seem.

So you ask, how did this "forever" set in my heart? It's by allowing myself to know and follow Jesus, how He died on the cross for me so that I could live with Him in paradise, forever. He saved me from a forever of death and suffering, so that I could be with Him for all eternity. I've known Him for 17 years now, but the feeling is still the same, and I know Him more than ever before. I want to know Him even more! ♡

I speak of this in love, cause nothing has made me feel more loved and safe than this. This is the love that I want to pattern my love to my own future partner. After all, this is the greatest love story of all time. This is one love that will last forever.

What's your definition of forever?

PS. I personally (well, all of us in our group) liked the movie. For a person who is a big skeptic about Filipino movies, this is one major thing to get from me. ;)

NMAT that.

I can't believe it's been 3 years since I took the National Medical Aptitude Test (NMAT) in 2010.

To those who aren't familiar of the term, it is the official national test for college students and graduates who are looking to get into medical schools in the Philippines. Your score will determine what schools you can apply to, and it can help with your application.

I know this is a little bit too late, but I have something to say about NMAT for all who are going to take it today... Don't worry, just take it, do your best, and again... Don't worry. Whatever your score may be, God will allow you to take up medicine if He wants you to, and your score will be enough for the school that He has in mind, just for you.

When the scores were about to be released, I was terrified to death, because I had only one school in mind. It was at that moment when I wished I actually reviewed for the test cause I didn't really take it seriously. In spite of all that, I was bestowed with a score that allowed me to apply to that one school. And I am grateful that they thought I was good enough to accept into the WVSU-COM family.

Chin up. God already sees your desire to serve His people through becoming a doctor. Trust Him and His ways, no matter what your score may be.

...Oh, and your NMAT score is not necessarily relative to your performance in medical school. Your score may be 99+ but it will take diligence, perseverance, patience, a strong gut, high threshold for pain, and a great set of insane medical school friends to make it. Hahaha

Just a quick rewind, about half of us (my pre-med classmates and I) took the NMAT in Cebu, just cause we felt like it. Hahaha (All of us proceeded to medical school. Taj, Kristine, Crezyl, Grazelle, Sharmay, Mechiel, and Celine continued at our alma mater, La Salle Bacolod; Julius went to UERM in Quezon City; Angelo went to OLFU in Valenzuela City, and I'm blessed to be in WVSU, Iloilo City.)

Ayala Center Cebu

Casa Verde! And my tacky rebonded hair. Lolz

Right after taking the exam at USC.

For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. -- Jeremiah 29:11