Hello PMA Friends and Family,
Well…once again God has divinely arranged this trip beyond my expectations. It is so humbling to be on the receiving end of His grace and peace. Keith Krell, the pastor and author of the Revelation study that Henry and I just finished, says “we must know God’s grace first; then we can know His peace.” I believe this is so true because, with every step of faith I take in my walk with the Lord, I experience another degree of God’s grace and peace as I watch Him orchestrate His will in my life.
Sunday morning, as I was thinking about home…missing Kim and Ashley…dwelling on missing Cody’s first fight in adult men’s division in an AOK tournament (Congratulations Cody…I am very proud of you!)…wishing I was going to be there to help Jacob and Cody build a fence for a friend…missing my friends…my students…my cat (you name it, I missed it)…God put on my spirit this scripture:
Mark 10:29-31 – Jesus said, "Mark my words, no one who sacrifices house, brothers, sisters, mother, father, children, land—whatever—because of me and the Message will lose out. They'll get it all back, but multiplied many times in homes, brothers, sisters, mothers, children, and land—but also in troubles. And then the bonus of eternal life! (The Message)
WOW…a promise like that sounds like a win/win to me! God has a way of encouraging us in His Word. While I still missed everyone, it did help me get back to focus on the right thing.
I am here in Cebu for a very specific objective that God has called me for, so I took care of business and didn’t get around much to see the country. What I did find out from my travel guide is that Cebu is a long and narrow island located centrally in a group of islands that form the Visayas, which is central of the three main Philippine island groups. It is geographically unique because of its size, stretching 122 miles long and nowhere exceeding 20 miles across. The island has a population of 3 million. In comparison, Galveston has a population of approximately 57,000 which gives me something to relate to to get a better understanding of its size. Cebuano is the native tongue, but Filipino is commonly understood and spoken. And thanks to God that English is widely used throughout the island. For the most part, I had no problems with communication and, when I did, it was one of those “iron sharpens iron” moments where Henry came through for me. From experience, I can tell you that the food was good, though I wasn’t very adventuresome. I had one traditional Filipino meal and other than that the list consisted of pizza (which made the list twice), mauhi mauhi (also twice), burger, burrito, pasta (a couple of times), and some fasting. Getting around was mostly done by cab and walking, but the streets are filled with colorful “jeepneys” (little buses that remind me of the Art Car Parade in Houston) available for a minimal fare. The U.S. dollar exchanges for 45 pesos which makes for a great deal for us. I also learned that Cebu is known for making world class guitars. I saw some really nice ones and they were very cheap (I would love for my son, Jacob, to see them).
Now for some history on the island (the short version)…I found a couple of interesting personal connections with the following things. The Spanish explorer Ferdinand Magellan lead a contingent that arrived April 7, 1521 on Cebu island (April 7 just happens to be my birthday). This date is widely considered to be the beginnings of the Philippines. They celebrated with a mass that was lead be Magellan’s chaplain, Father Pedro Valderrama, and a crucifix was planted and still remains there to this day. The crucifix has come to be known as “Magellan’s Cross,” a monument which is synonymous with the island of Cebu. According to Henry, this was the first arrival of Christianity to the Philippines and, a week after their arrival, 800 natives were converted to the faith after witnessing a miracle of some kind. Magellan’s leadership was known as fair and generous and he led the natives to bring their idols for a mass burning.
Throughout my trip I was looking for the opportunity to bless others with the donations given to me by Polizzi Financial and Faith for All Nations Church, so I asked Henry where I could find some hungry moms and kids to take out for a meal. So…just what the doctor ordered…Sunday evening, he took me “uptown” (that’s what he called it) where we found a group of women and children around the corner of Magellan’s Cross and beside the church. We talked to a few mothers and their kids and, before we knew it, we were surrounded by 54 women and children – ranging in age from a few months (with their mothers holding them) to teenagers. I was totally blessed with the opportunity to take 54 hungry mommas and little children to dinner at Jolbee’s (which is basically equivalent to McDonald’s). The managers brought us in the back way and gave us the whole upstairs section. They each ate a burger, fries, a drink, and ice cream for dessert! This was exactly what God had put on my heart to do with the gift that was given to me and it was so amazing how He made the way for it to happen. What a blessing! I’ve never seen such appreciation and love shown in return. I let them know to thank Jesus for the gift and told them how much Jesus loves them. I know God is overjoyed and smiling down on my sponsors.
Proverbs 27:17 says “you use steel to sharpen steel, and one friend sharpens another” (The Message). Well…Henry and I have experienced two weeks of building a friendship in Christ and in Balintawak. At times, I have felt like I was being sharpened with steel when he hit me! We have trained no less than 4 hours a day for the last 12 days (some days for 6 hours). The last 8 days of our training took place in my hotel room and was interwoven with reading the lessons in the Revelation study. What a great way to stay alert, stretch out, and let go of stress. As the saying goes, “repetition is the mother of mastery.” I was given the opportunity to do the drills, forms, and stick fighting many, many times (so I guess I’m on my way to masteryJ). I have been humbled and built up by my training in Balintawak and have been pleasantly surprised by the bonus of training in Shaolin concepts and exercises. I look forward to sharing these lessons with my students upon my return. The Tat Kun Tao (“Touch Fist Way/Knowledge”) forms are also an important link that I will enjoy introducing into the Premier Martial Arts training methods. I know that Master Robles and Mr. Van Over will love the boxing and inside fighting concepts (as I do). So for the Martial Arts side of this Grandmaster Adventure…I would say “mission accomplished.”
Have you heard the joke about the optimist and and pessimist twins? Well…in case you haven’t, here goes…
A family had twin boys whose only resemblance to each other was their looks. If one felt it was too hot, the other thought it was too cold. If one said the TV was too loud, the other said the volume needed to be turned up. Opposite in every way, one was an eternal optimist, the other a doom & gloom pessimist.Just to see what would happen, on the twins' birthday their father loaded the pessimist's room with every imaginable toy and game. The optimist's room he loaded with horse manure.That night the father passed by the pessimist's room and found him sitting amid his new gifts crying bitterly. "Why are you crying?" the father asked. "Because my friends will be jealous, I'll have to read all these instructions before I can do anything with this stuff, I'll constantly need batteries, and my toys will eventually get broken," answered the pessimist twin.Passing the optimist twin's room, the father found him dancing for joy in the pile of manure. "What are you so happy about?" he asked. To which his optimist twin replied, "With this much manure, there's got to be a pony in here somewhere!"
Yes…God makes us all different! I tend to be like the eternal optimist, for I am always looking for the pony in people and in situations (in spite of all the @#$%...oopsJ)! Zig Ziglar calls this being a “good finder.” My nature is to see the positive, the pure, and the praiseworthy and I realized this is how I see God and Christianity too for the most part. I look at God as a loving Father who filled the void that was in me and freed me from my bad habits. While I am aware of His wrath and I have a healthy fear of Him, my study of Revelation has brought the wrath side of God to light for me like never before. God has given me an assignment to be a voice for him in the Martial Arts and I have been growing in this mission since 1979. I love sharing His Word and helping others to know Him and His love. But, I gotta tell you…God has a side of Him that I don’t ever want to see anyone stand before, unprepared to answer the questions that He has for us. I don’t want to mislead anyone into thinking that it all comes without us doing our part to get the Word out and to be there for one another. I love the saying, “if time is short and hell is hot, we need to be telling others about Jesus!” It’s true that Jesus is the gentle Lamb patiently waiting for us to accept Him and not wanting anyone to be left behind. But Revelations brings to light the side of Jesus who is a roaring Lion who will judge the world. Bob Dylan had a song waaaaaay back in the day called “You Gotta Serve Somebody” and I think the lyrics are timeless…”It may be the Devil, it may be the Lord, but you gotta serve somebody!”
Henry and I succeeded in reading the entire 31 Lesson study on Revelation. In our study, I learned that Revelation is the only book of the Bible that promises us a blessing for reading, hearing, and heeding its contents. We are a people built to love and thrive for reward, so this got my attention. This means that Revelation should be thoroughly read and applied and I’ve determined in my heart that I will return to this great book many times. I want to share this book with anyone who will listen. While I am still learning, I know that the Holy Spirit will provide the key to unlock the book of Revelation and continue to lead me divinely. So…on the spiritual side of this Grandmaster Adventure…I would say “mission accomplished.” Plus, the soul of a leader here in Cebu has been saved and will be ready and willing to be used to lead his community to Christ…”major bonus points”!!
This trip would not have been possible without the generous donations provided by my sponsors, Polizzi Financial Services and Faith for All Nations Church. If you are ever in need of an accountant or a church home, I pray that you will bless them with your support. I have to also thank my awesome wife and children. A Christian parent’s greatest joy is stated in 3 John 1:4 – “I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth.” I might add my students, friends, and family to this too! To Master Falco and my second to none staff…You Rock! To my fellow Premier Martial Arts school owners and our great president, Mr. Van Over… thanks for sharing the vision and allowing me to be a part of raising the standard through Premier Martial Arts. We are making an impact on the Martial Arts world and we’ve only just begun! To all my friends and family…keep the faith and keep on keeping on!
God’s Love and Peace,
Al Garza
P.S. As I celebrate another successful adventure, I invite you to join me and be part of Jesus’ “Party Starters Club.” Here are the details in Michael English’s song “Start a Party”…
Starting my day, with big preparationsGoing out strong, with great expectationI want the world, To know that my Jesus lives
I have a clue, that my reputationCould show that God's love, has an open invitationI won’t miss the chance, that someone might call His name
I wanna to start a partyUp in heavenAnd get those angels dancin'For a new heartbeatIt's a righteous celebrationSingin' hallelujahI wanna start a party
Angels rejoice, and the demons all trembleWhen a lost one is found, all of heaven assemblesIf we each do our part, This party could last for years
Great Stuff…huh!!! J
Faith for All Nations Church
Pastors Carter & Laura Ware
http://www.faithforallnations.org/
171 Gulf Fwy South
League City, TX 77573
(281) 316-2332
Al Garza’s
2047 W. Main C-9
Well…once again God has divinely arranged this trip beyond my expectations. It is so humbling to be on the receiving end of His grace and peace. Keith Krell, the pastor and author of the Revelation study that Henry and I just finished, says “we must know God’s grace first; then we can know His peace.” I believe this is so true because, with every step of faith I take in my walk with the Lord, I experience another degree of God’s grace and peace as I watch Him orchestrate His will in my life.
Sunday morning, as I was thinking about home…missing Kim and Ashley…dwelling on missing Cody’s first fight in adult men’s division in an AOK tournament (Congratulations Cody…I am very proud of you!)…wishing I was going to be there to help Jacob and Cody build a fence for a friend…missing my friends…my students…my cat (you name it, I missed it)…God put on my spirit this scripture:
Mark 10:29-31 – Jesus said, "Mark my words, no one who sacrifices house, brothers, sisters, mother, father, children, land—whatever—because of me and the Message will lose out. They'll get it all back, but multiplied many times in homes, brothers, sisters, mothers, children, and land—but also in troubles. And then the bonus of eternal life! (The Message)
WOW…a promise like that sounds like a win/win to me! God has a way of encouraging us in His Word. While I still missed everyone, it did help me get back to focus on the right thing.
I am here in Cebu for a very specific objective that God has called me for, so I took care of business and didn’t get around much to see the country. What I did find out from my travel guide is that Cebu is a long and narrow island located centrally in a group of islands that form the Visayas, which is central of the three main Philippine island groups. It is geographically unique because of its size, stretching 122 miles long and nowhere exceeding 20 miles across. The island has a population of 3 million. In comparison, Galveston has a population of approximately 57,000 which gives me something to relate to to get a better understanding of its size. Cebuano is the native tongue, but Filipino is commonly understood and spoken. And thanks to God that English is widely used throughout the island. For the most part, I had no problems with communication and, when I did, it was one of those “iron sharpens iron” moments where Henry came through for me. From experience, I can tell you that the food was good, though I wasn’t very adventuresome. I had one traditional Filipino meal and other than that the list consisted of pizza (which made the list twice), mauhi mauhi (also twice), burger, burrito, pasta (a couple of times), and some fasting. Getting around was mostly done by cab and walking, but the streets are filled with colorful “jeepneys” (little buses that remind me of the Art Car Parade in Houston) available for a minimal fare. The U.S. dollar exchanges for 45 pesos which makes for a great deal for us. I also learned that Cebu is known for making world class guitars. I saw some really nice ones and they were very cheap (I would love for my son, Jacob, to see them).
Now for some history on the island (the short version)…I found a couple of interesting personal connections with the following things. The Spanish explorer Ferdinand Magellan lead a contingent that arrived April 7, 1521 on Cebu island (April 7 just happens to be my birthday). This date is widely considered to be the beginnings of the Philippines. They celebrated with a mass that was lead be Magellan’s chaplain, Father Pedro Valderrama, and a crucifix was planted and still remains there to this day. The crucifix has come to be known as “Magellan’s Cross,” a monument which is synonymous with the island of Cebu. According to Henry, this was the first arrival of Christianity to the Philippines and, a week after their arrival, 800 natives were converted to the faith after witnessing a miracle of some kind. Magellan’s leadership was known as fair and generous and he led the natives to bring their idols for a mass burning.
Throughout my trip I was looking for the opportunity to bless others with the donations given to me by Polizzi Financial and Faith for All Nations Church, so I asked Henry where I could find some hungry moms and kids to take out for a meal. So…just what the doctor ordered…Sunday evening, he took me “uptown” (that’s what he called it) where we found a group of women and children around the corner of Magellan’s Cross and beside the church. We talked to a few mothers and their kids and, before we knew it, we were surrounded by 54 women and children – ranging in age from a few months (with their mothers holding them) to teenagers. I was totally blessed with the opportunity to take 54 hungry mommas and little children to dinner at Jolbee’s (which is basically equivalent to McDonald’s). The managers brought us in the back way and gave us the whole upstairs section. They each ate a burger, fries, a drink, and ice cream for dessert! This was exactly what God had put on my heart to do with the gift that was given to me and it was so amazing how He made the way for it to happen. What a blessing! I’ve never seen such appreciation and love shown in return. I let them know to thank Jesus for the gift and told them how much Jesus loves them. I know God is overjoyed and smiling down on my sponsors.
Proverbs 27:17 says “you use steel to sharpen steel, and one friend sharpens another” (The Message). Well…Henry and I have experienced two weeks of building a friendship in Christ and in Balintawak. At times, I have felt like I was being sharpened with steel when he hit me! We have trained no less than 4 hours a day for the last 12 days (some days for 6 hours). The last 8 days of our training took place in my hotel room and was interwoven with reading the lessons in the Revelation study. What a great way to stay alert, stretch out, and let go of stress. As the saying goes, “repetition is the mother of mastery.” I was given the opportunity to do the drills, forms, and stick fighting many, many times (so I guess I’m on my way to masteryJ). I have been humbled and built up by my training in Balintawak and have been pleasantly surprised by the bonus of training in Shaolin concepts and exercises. I look forward to sharing these lessons with my students upon my return. The Tat Kun Tao (“Touch Fist Way/Knowledge”) forms are also an important link that I will enjoy introducing into the Premier Martial Arts training methods. I know that Master Robles and Mr. Van Over will love the boxing and inside fighting concepts (as I do). So for the Martial Arts side of this Grandmaster Adventure…I would say “mission accomplished.”
Have you heard the joke about the optimist and and pessimist twins? Well…in case you haven’t, here goes…
A family had twin boys whose only resemblance to each other was their looks. If one felt it was too hot, the other thought it was too cold. If one said the TV was too loud, the other said the volume needed to be turned up. Opposite in every way, one was an eternal optimist, the other a doom & gloom pessimist.Just to see what would happen, on the twins' birthday their father loaded the pessimist's room with every imaginable toy and game. The optimist's room he loaded with horse manure.That night the father passed by the pessimist's room and found him sitting amid his new gifts crying bitterly. "Why are you crying?" the father asked. "Because my friends will be jealous, I'll have to read all these instructions before I can do anything with this stuff, I'll constantly need batteries, and my toys will eventually get broken," answered the pessimist twin.Passing the optimist twin's room, the father found him dancing for joy in the pile of manure. "What are you so happy about?" he asked. To which his optimist twin replied, "With this much manure, there's got to be a pony in here somewhere!"
Yes…God makes us all different! I tend to be like the eternal optimist, for I am always looking for the pony in people and in situations (in spite of all the @#$%...oopsJ)! Zig Ziglar calls this being a “good finder.” My nature is to see the positive, the pure, and the praiseworthy and I realized this is how I see God and Christianity too for the most part. I look at God as a loving Father who filled the void that was in me and freed me from my bad habits. While I am aware of His wrath and I have a healthy fear of Him, my study of Revelation has brought the wrath side of God to light for me like never before. God has given me an assignment to be a voice for him in the Martial Arts and I have been growing in this mission since 1979. I love sharing His Word and helping others to know Him and His love. But, I gotta tell you…God has a side of Him that I don’t ever want to see anyone stand before, unprepared to answer the questions that He has for us. I don’t want to mislead anyone into thinking that it all comes without us doing our part to get the Word out and to be there for one another. I love the saying, “if time is short and hell is hot, we need to be telling others about Jesus!” It’s true that Jesus is the gentle Lamb patiently waiting for us to accept Him and not wanting anyone to be left behind. But Revelations brings to light the side of Jesus who is a roaring Lion who will judge the world. Bob Dylan had a song waaaaaay back in the day called “You Gotta Serve Somebody” and I think the lyrics are timeless…”It may be the Devil, it may be the Lord, but you gotta serve somebody!”
Henry and I succeeded in reading the entire 31 Lesson study on Revelation. In our study, I learned that Revelation is the only book of the Bible that promises us a blessing for reading, hearing, and heeding its contents. We are a people built to love and thrive for reward, so this got my attention. This means that Revelation should be thoroughly read and applied and I’ve determined in my heart that I will return to this great book many times. I want to share this book with anyone who will listen. While I am still learning, I know that the Holy Spirit will provide the key to unlock the book of Revelation and continue to lead me divinely. So…on the spiritual side of this Grandmaster Adventure…I would say “mission accomplished.” Plus, the soul of a leader here in Cebu has been saved and will be ready and willing to be used to lead his community to Christ…”major bonus points”!!
This trip would not have been possible without the generous donations provided by my sponsors, Polizzi Financial Services and Faith for All Nations Church. If you are ever in need of an accountant or a church home, I pray that you will bless them with your support. I have to also thank my awesome wife and children. A Christian parent’s greatest joy is stated in 3 John 1:4 – “I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth.” I might add my students, friends, and family to this too! To Master Falco and my second to none staff…You Rock! To my fellow Premier Martial Arts school owners and our great president, Mr. Van Over… thanks for sharing the vision and allowing me to be a part of raising the standard through Premier Martial Arts. We are making an impact on the Martial Arts world and we’ve only just begun! To all my friends and family…keep the faith and keep on keeping on!
God’s Love and Peace,
Al Garza
P.S. As I celebrate another successful adventure, I invite you to join me and be part of Jesus’ “Party Starters Club.” Here are the details in Michael English’s song “Start a Party”…
Starting my day, with big preparationsGoing out strong, with great expectationI want the world, To know that my Jesus lives
I have a clue, that my reputationCould show that God's love, has an open invitationI won’t miss the chance, that someone might call His name
I wanna to start a partyUp in heavenAnd get those angels dancin'For a new heartbeatIt's a righteous celebrationSingin' hallelujahI wanna start a party
Angels rejoice, and the demons all trembleWhen a lost one is found, all of heaven assemblesIf we each do our part, This party could last for years
Great Stuff…huh!!! J
Faith for All Nations Church
Pastors Carter & Laura Ware
http://www.faithforallnations.org/
171 Gulf Fwy South
League City, TX 77573
(281) 316-2332
Al Garza’s
2047 W. Main C-9
League City, TX 77573
(281) 332-KICK www.algarza.com
(281) 332-KICK www.algarza.com
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