How I Met my DGroup

Kids, this is the story of how I met my DGroup.

at Pinto Art Museum,  Antipolo

You all know how I started attending B1GFridays. If not, you can read it here: "My Friday Nights are Booked!" and to cut the long story short, I met them there. However, it was not easy at all! You see, I attended B1GFridays with two intentions:
One, to listen and learn more about God and two, to meet new people. That is why for three consecutive Fridays, I sat on three different tables - of course with three different facilitators and breakout members. The registration gives different table numbers every time, though I did not really follow the first three ones assigned to me. I said to myself, my assigned tables are different anyways. Lol. I think I didn't mind re-telling my story over and over again of why I was there and my struggle in knowing my way to the Lord - to new people every time! I am not quite sure if my story got stuck in their minds as I remembered that I always cry whenever I told my 'struggle stories' before. Before the third session ended, I bid goodbye to the breakout as I usually do and I said that I will be joining a different table the following week. It was simple... or so I thought.

This was my very first table photo that was posted in the B1G Ministry FB Page.
Would you believe I don't have photos from my first two tables?!

But the fourth Friday came and when I registered, surprisingly I got the same table! Czar, who is the facilitator for Table 32, said that I could choose a different table if I like but when Ela came, she said she got a different table number yet she insisted on being on Table 32 - hers was still on random but why not mine? Anyway, it dawned on me that it was God's way to make me still and redirect my focus onto Him and not just table-hopping. God has a humor, indeed. I sat still with Table 32 and it became constant. Every Friday night, I sat with the same table meeting new friends but four of us stayed always. Czar invited us to be an official DGroup and we definitely had no doubts with the group chemistry despite the short time being together!

33 Do not be misled: “Bad company corrupts good character.” 1 Corinthians 15:33 NIV

Being with these ladies are so fun and they are making my journey to know the Lord easier than expected. The group taught me accountability and so much more I could ever think of. Character-building doesn't happen overnight and these girls are relentless in giving me the life lessons I need. Czar also always check if I am still disciplined in following my committed spiritual disciplines like prayer, quiet time and Bible-reading. Well aside from the seriousness of Bible talk and group sharing, my DGroup LOVES to eat! We bond over food and laughter! Seriously! We sometimes go home at 2 in the morning because of all the eating, massages, catching up, putting God's words in our life and more eating - and I love it! They are the kind of friends who I am not worried of misleading me in life.

9 Two are better than one because they have a good return for their labor: 10 If either of them falls down, one can help the other up. But pity anyone who falls and has no one to help them up. Ecclesiastes 4:9-10 NIV

I am blessed to have these girls in my life and I know there's no mistake in allowing them to modify my life and my lifestyle. These ladies always root for me, always giving me the nudge that I need whenever I second-guessed myself, and always encouraging me to be the best they believe I could be. They are always there whenever I need help on anything and whenever I doubt my decision-making. I learned how to ask for my next steps in life - making sure I seek God's glory in everything I do and or I will do. I hold unto their life lessons because I know I can learn from every word of it. I learned to trust and uphold accountability like they are my own sisters. I trust God's plans for me being in this group.

My DGroup does not only guide me. They are literally with me as I walk with the Spirit. We enjoy the same journey and I am overwhelmed with the love and care I am receiving from them. They truly are a blessing to me. I hope I am giving back the blessing they deserve from me - A reality check! They celebrated with Me and Ela as we finished the True Life Retreat and publicly accepting Jesus as our Lord and personal Saviour thru baptism.

(L-R) Czar, Me, Ela and Flo

I realized that as I continue meeting with them, know them deeper, I am also learning to know myself more and deeper. I highly appreciate Czar, our DGroup mommy/sister, who always give time to us as a group and individually. She loves visiting us on our workplace and even giving us a date one by one! Talking about commitment, right? God is using her perfectly to touch 3 (and more) ladies' lives in order to be a Proverbs 31 woman and ultimately share the goal of being Christ-like. I am lucky and blessed to have her always on my side who I can always make "kulit" to read my piece before I submit to Chronicle and to answer all my questions and doubts. Czar, if you are reading this, thank you and I do love you. As for my other DGroup Sisters Ela and Flo, I love you girls and thank you for the laughter! Even though Ela is now abroad, I appreciate the time you ladies are giving me, treating me like a real sister and always being there as my cheerleaders. Let's continue growing and serving one another as we all walk with the Spirit. I hope and pray that our DGroup would be bigger and I really don't mind having more sisters like you ladies! This appreciation post is all for you. ♥

12 My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. 13 Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. 14 You are my friends if you do what I command. 15 I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you. John 15:12-15 NIV