Identity with Fiona

There are few things that I love about the internet more than getting the unique opportunity to see
a glimpse of God’s grace and goodness in one’s life through his/her blogs. This is the reason why
I’m thankful to have stumbled upon Chelsea’s blogsite one day.

Chelsea, like what I said in my first email I ever sent you, you have a gift for words and your love
for God is so evident in your writing. You are a true encourager and inspiration to many. Thank you
for the opportunity to write for you over here today! :)

Across the ocean on the other side of the world where Chelsea lives is where I am currently writing
these words down. I’m Fiona Alvero, a blogger (http://www.fionamaealvero.com/), an event coordinator and a follower of Jesus.

I was born and raised in a small town north of the Philippines where I spent most of my fondest
childhood and teenage years. I moved to the city of Manila - where I still currently resides today - at
sixteen to go to college and get a degree in Communications with the hopes of pursuing a career in
writing or journalism someday.

This picture, I feel, says a lot of me and what I do as an event coordinator

It was also in college where I met Jesus as a first year student. My life since then had a whole new
meaning. I began to understand my true purpose and calling in life. While I kept writing as
something that I love to do, God placed in my heart the burning passion for the youth and later on
felt the call of God to go full-time in campus ministry.

And so that was exactly what happened after I graduated college when God opened the door for
me to serve in the campus ministry of the church I’m part of. I was tasked to be in charge of the
communication needs of the ministry while coordinating few events on the side at the same time
and never for a second it felt like a job to me because I was thoroughly enjoying everything about
it.

Later on, as God is faithful to grow our campus ministry, there was a time where we felt the
pressing need to separate the two functions I was doing and treat it as two different job functions
for two different people to do because the load of work was already big for me to do. That meant I
will either be tasked to solely focus on doing communications or coordinating events.

And of course, as someone who built herself around the fact that communications is something I’ve
always desired to do and I know I can do well, I was praying and hoping they’d entrust that job
function to me. But I was given the other position instead.

I didn’t take it well, to be honest. It was hard for me because I felt so insecure thinking that I wasn’t
good or competent enough with my talents and skills in communications. I was so hurt and
disheartened by that transition to say the least.! !

Why it became hard and painful for me was because I didn’t realize until it was taken away from
me that all along I’ve been using my job, my talents and skills as the basis of my identity. So when I
didn’t get the communications position, it hit me right to the core of my being. Because I’ve allowed
it to define who I am. Have you ever had any of those?! !

Cause I realize over time, it could be other things for many of us. That thing that we make as the
basis of our identity. Actually, if we will not be careful enough to check our hearts, it could be
anything - family, finances, beauty, relationships, power, media, health, economic status, trends,
words that people say about us.

Sadly, these things are all temporary things that will certainly change over time. And the tendency
for us is that if this is what we will allow to define who we are, we will always end up trying to
measure up.

Looking back today, I will never be grateful enough that God has placed me in a situation that
though painful for me to go through, it was worth it because it allowed me to realize and learn
many things in life. One being that it opened my eyes to see how blessed I am to have godly
leaders in the ministry who have been so gracious in guiding me during that transition period and
who have always been there believing in my potentials as an event coordinator more than I believe
in myself.

Mostly, I am thankful for it because God used that transition as an avenue for Him to teach me an
important lesson in life and it’s this:

The only time we will feel secure of who we are is when we place our identity on something that is
constant. On something that will never change. On something that is eternal.

And you know what I’ve learned that is to be for you and me? It’s the love of Christ.

The Bible says in Romans 5:8, “But God demonstrated His own love for us in this: while we were
still sinners, Christ died for us.”

It’s mind-blowing for me to think that when we were still at our worst as sinners, God has already
chosen to love us. It means that whether we mess up today or we do good tomorrow, God’s love
for you and me will never change.

There is nothing we can do for Him to love us more or love us less because He has already loved
us enough when He sent His son Jesus to die on the cross for us.

You are eternally loved by a good and holy God.

Let that sink in for a while.

Cause that, my friend, is the truth of who you are. :)