ajoyforlife.com Blog

I’m thankful to begin 2011 as the new Computer/Music Teacher for Pre-K thru 8th Grade at Summit Christian Academy. Only the Living God of the Bible could’ve arranged my passion for music and joy of teaching computer skills to be used simultaneously at this precise time of my life. At a place where I can teach and train the next generation to glorify God with their musical gifts. As well as teaching technical skills that prepare them to make an impact in the future of technology.

The Lord began this work in me twenty years ago. This is why I joyfully say:
I serve an Amazing and Mighty God! All Praise, Honor, and Glory belong to Him!!

“You Inspire the songs within me, as my songs of Love to You, Loving You brings out the very best in me” – from “Loving You” written by Julie-Ann Aguhob

BLESSED NEW YEAR TO ALL OF YOU!!

2010 was a whirlwind of new experiences orchestrated by God. I’m so glad that I followed His leading and tried many new things in order to discover and learn what fits best in this time of my life. Best lesson learned: GOD is Good ALL The Time!!

January, I filmed my first commercial for Abundant Living Medical Center that aired at Fox for nine weeks during American Idol. February, I enjoyed performing “The Man I Love”, “I Hate Men”, and “Time Heals Everything” for the first time with Fantastical Theatricals’ Cabaretta “2×2: A Musical Celebration of The Power of the Heart”. In March, I musically collaborated for the first time with Claire Vance, a wonderful woman dearly loved for her enchanting piano arrangements of the best loved popular songs of all-time.

Claire has become my new musical advisor and collaborator, as well as my friend and confident. Amazingly, the Lord arranged her move into my family’s neighborhood a few years ago and therefore I only have to walk a few steps to her front door for rehearsals. We met at an event hosted by my mother because she also happens to serve as the staff pianist at my parent’s church. Coincidence? I don’t think so. We share a passion for excercising our musical gifts to glorify God the Father who is our Creator, Savior, and Lord. Our first collaboration included musical theater selections by Bernstein, Rodgers and Hart, and Sondheim that we performed for the Lexington Federated Music Club.

I traveled to out-of-town auditions the first few months of 2010, as well as participated in local theatre auditions but they didn’t result in many opportunities except for performing once again with University of Kentucky Opera’s annual production of “It’s A Grand Night For Singing” in June. And then I was cast in the premiere performance of the operetta “With Such Friends” music by Tom Schnauber, libretto by Jeff Duncan in which I created the role of Agafya Nikiforovna. This would be the fourth character I’ve created and debuted in my lifetime. I enjoyed the musical and vocal challenge of creating the role and artistically exploring ways to portray my character. This premiere produced by Bluegrass Opera was a success.

The summer months of July and August were busy with rehearsals for “With Such Friends” and my next musical collaborations with Claire Vance. I was simultaneously working on the program for “Amazing Grace Nights” at Grace Baptist in Lexington KY as well as our program at Wesley Village in Wilmore KY. These opportunities came about due to God’s orchestration of events and acquiantances that came together at exactly the right time. When God sets things in motion, He is never early or late.

My debut performance at “Amazing Grace Nights” included my first performance of “The Prayer” popularized by Celine Dion and Andrea Bocelli, and “You Raise Me Up” popularized by Josh Grobin. I also shared my testimony of being inspired by God to write the song “Loving You” and premiered the new arrangement by Claire Vance. At our Wesley Village debut, we performed the songs above and included Claire’s arrangement of songs from “The Greatest Generation”. These performances were musically and personally fulfilling that I look forward to more opportunites to present similar programs that entertain and inspire others.

On the week of my birthday, the Lord led me to a Job Fair and Open House where I was offered temporary work as a Licensed Health Insurance Agent responsible for educating and/or advise MediCare beneficiaries on MediCare Part D Prescription Drug Plans and enrolling them into a new plan that meets their prescription drug needs and fits their financial situation. This work has been very fulfilling and I also gained 38 additional state licenses across the US. I’m looking forward to what the Lord has in store for me once my contract ends.

In mid-December I thoroughly enjoyed performing my fourth collaboration with Claire for the residents of Wesley Village. I was able to sing, act, and dance in the program that we created called “Celebrate Christmas”. This was tremendous fun and I hope to do more of this kind of program in 2011. And lastly, I sang “O Holy Night” at the Christmas Eve service at Anchor Baptist Church where the Lord used me to move and touch the hearts of the congregation with the significance of Jesus Christ birth. And then I enjoyed a white Christmas with my family in Lexington KY.

Thank you Lord for a wonderful year of experiences showing me where I can glorify you with the gifts and talents you’ve given me. All praise, honor, and glory belong to You alone. “Without You I’m Lost Completely, You’re the Light who leads the way” from “Loving You” by Julie-Ann Aguhob

Thanks for reading this note, I pray that it encourages you to trust in the Living God and enjoy a fulfilling life orchestrated by His hands to lead and guide you all the days of your life.

2009 was a surprisingly very good year. The Lord intervened in my life and showed me the way I should go. To God be the Glory, Honor, and Praise!

To review my life in 2009 I’d have to begin in December 2008.
I just finished performing in “Once upon a Christmas” at Southland Christian Church and realized, it’s been 7 years since I did a musical and I’ve missed this creative outlet. Missed it so much that I believe it affected my overall well-being.

You see I made a decision to stop pursuing a career in the performing arts over 10 years ago. And my plans were to temporarily live in Lexington KY for 6 months before going abroad. But one Sunday morning in September ’08, I was compelled to respond to the audition announcement for “Once Upon A Christmas”. I thought why not, I don’t have a full-time job right now, might as well use this time creatively. Besides, I didn’t know anybody and it might be a good way to make new friends if I’m cast on the show.

Surprisingly, I was cast in the role of Olivia, an angel sent with a group of three other angels to tell “The Story” of the true meaning of Christmas to a teenage runaway. This production brought so much fulfillment and joy that has been missing in my life for such a long time. The experience also served as a wonderful reminder that I should once again use my creative talents to glorify God by sharing my gifts with others.

In January I was excited for what 2009 could bring and I was willing to do anything. I didn’t have a full-time job and I was disappointed because my plans for moving to Japan to begin a career as an ESL instructor had to be postponed because of financial difficulty. But the Lord faithfully intervened to provide work to cover my basic needs and show me the way I should go.

He orchestrated situations that made it possible for me to begin working as a Standardized Patient (SP) at the University of Kentucky (UK) College of Medicine. I love this work!! because I’m using acting skills to realistically portray patients presenting an illness not only to medical students, but also dental, nursing, and pharmacy students. I also use my teaching skills to evaluate the quality of care I received from the students and provide them feedback in areas where they need to improve. It would be great to do this full-time.

Meanwhile, I am also building my business as an Aflac Independent agent. But it is slow for me right now because I have to constantly motivate myself to go out there and find people whom I can serve as their agent. So in March I was inspired to create a website called www.ajoyforlife.com promoting my music and work as a performer as well as advertise my service as an Aflac agent.

In the beginning of April, I found out about auditions for the 2009 “It’s a Grand Night for Singing” production of UK Opera department. I went to the audition and while I was waiting, I saw the audition flyer for “Once on this Island” saying they were looking for a multi-racial cast. After finishing the “Grand Night” auditions I walked next door to audition for “Once on this Island” even though I knew nothing about it.

In June, I sang the solo number “Mira” at the 2009 “It’s a Grand Night for Singing” and in July I made my debut performance as Mama Euralie in KCTC/Summerfest 2009 production of “Once on this Island” . Both shows were great experiences where I’m thankful to have received critical acclaim.

God’s orchestration also allowed me the opportunity to be a featured artist at “The Gathering” at Southland Christian Church in June where I performed songs from my CD “Simple Song” and my favorite musical theatre songs. June was undoubtedly a very hectic month of performances and rehearsals. And then my 2009 Fall performance series began.

I was very busy juggling rehearsals for two shows opening in September:
“All Aboard for Murder” produced by Bluegrass Mystery Theatre
“Beguiled Again: The Songs of Rodgers and Hart” produced by Actors Guild of Lexington

By October, I was thankful for a break. Then by November I was ready to do another show. Thankfully, I was invited to audition for and was cast in “Hark! A Christmas Cabaret” produced by Main St. Playhouse. But in the midst of rehearsals I grieved the loss of a fellow singer and actress who suddenly died two weeks after her wedding. Lauren performed with me last year in “Once Upon a Christmas” and she was part of the blessing I received from God gently reminding me to share the talents He has given me with the world.

And so I finished a busy and fun year performing around Kentucky by creating a new Facebook page where I can share my work as a performing artist with family, friends, and fans globally. But most importantly, glorifying God by sharing the Joy of Christ through the joy of music and coming back to theatre.

Though I have my own wishes and plans/goals for 2010, I surrender them all to the hand of God. He is the only author qualified to write all the days of my life. I want to be a good steward of His gifts and let “His Word (The Bible) be a Lamp unto my feet and the Light unto my path.”

How is God working in your life right now? I pray that after reading this narrative you are inspired to begin 2010 by allowing God to work in your life. If you have any questions, feel free to comment on this note and I will respond to you.

I was born and raised in a loving Christian home in the Philippines. My parents consciously modeled the Christian way of living to my sisters and me. In 1980, I attended a Christian crusade with my friends where I accepted Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior. Then a year later my family and I came to America. As a result, the focus of the first ten years of my Christian walk was not on God but in fitting-in in an American high school as well as adapting the American culture but also being careful not to abandon my Filipino culture and heritage. It was during this time that I discovered that God gave me the gift of singing. After finishing high school and college I wanted to experience life by pursuing a singing career, and then hopefully fall in love with a man who takes good care of me, and my life would be complete.

So I prayed for God to lead me where to go and experience life. God led me to Boston where I decided to pursue my graduate studies in Voice Performance at Boston University. My plan was to finish graduate school and then move to New York City and pursue a singing career. But God had other plans for bringing me to Boston. After I moved to Boston, the Holy Spirit moved me during a fall retreat in 1991. When the main speaker asked “Do you have a heart for God?” I was moved to tears because I realized that even though I professed to be a Christian I didn’t have a heart for God and therefore didn’t love God. Before the weekend was over, I re-affirmed my faith by committing my heart to God. That was the beginning of God working in my heart. And I began to develop my relationship with His Son Jesus Christ and discovering His faithfulness, grace, mercy, and love.

Through the years I’ve learned that God does not always give me what I want but he will always shower me with what I need, which is unconditional love. After finishing graduate school, disappointments in my singing career and broken relationships came into my life. My heart was broken when I recklessly gave it away in the pursuit of a singing career and personal relationships, but God lovingly restored the pieces of my broken heart by showing me that I cannot rely on one person and a career to make my life complete. Throughout my healing process, I experienced True Love that only comes from God. He lovingly spoke to my heart by letting me know that His Love for me is all I need and I experienced tremendous peace.

As I continue to learn more about God by reading His Word as it is written in Bible, a few more heartaches and disappointments have come into my life. In 1997, I stopped pursuing a singing career because I was disappointed that I wasn’t doing enough singing and I questioned why God even gave me a voice? But then surprisingly God orchestrated the events of my life and gave me the opportunity to give a Solo Concert on February 5, 2000. It was during preparations for this concert that God gave me a vision. This vision has now become my purpose and that is: To glorify God by sharing the Joy of Christ through the joy of music and to serve others with the talents and resources God has given me. Though I continue to pray for God to grant me more opportunities to sing, and grant to me a wonderful God-Loving man to love, the good news is I do not have to wait until then for my life to be complete. God’s love for me is everlasting and His True Love is all I need to make me whole.

Music has always been the most instrumental way for God to move and enlighten me with wisdom and knowledge. Sacred songs, hymns, and gospel songs I’ve known since I was a child have come to life as a result of my faith walk. Nothing gives me more pleasure than singing about God and His faithfulness, grace, mercy, and love for me and to all who love Him and genuinely seek to know and understand Him. Now I consider my disappointments and heartbreaks as blessings, because it is during these painful experiences that my relationship with God grows and my love for Him grows deeper. Of course, I do not ask for disappointments nor heartaches, but I do not live in a perfert world. Therefore heartaches and disappointment are a natural part of living on earth. But the hope that I have each day is in knowing that the Lord of my life will never leave me nor forsake me. And I excitedly look forward to the day when I can be in the presence of God himself.

The decision I made to accept Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior many years ago is a lifelong decision. In November 2000 I was baptised as an adult to declare my desire to immerse all of my being into a life wholeheartedly committed to loving God with all my heart, mind, soul and strength all the days of my life. Life without God is not living it’s just existing day to day without purpose, meaning, or joy. I’ve learned that everlasting Joy is present in any life circumstance when the heart is surrendered to God. The Joy of and in my life is God.

Text: Edwin Hatch, 1835-1889
Music: Peter Vantine – arranged 2006
Recorded: October 2006 by Julie-Ann Aguhob
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This hymn set to music by Peter Vantine is the first music that Peter was inspired to compose for my voice and we recorded this song at Vantine Studios. The text written by Edwin Hatch uses “old english” words like: thou, thee, thy, and thine. The first time Peter played this for me, the music sounded ethereal and immediately ushered me into a time of quite reverence and prayer. And so, it is with prayerful intent that I sing this song.
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Breathe on me, Breath of God,
fill me with life anew,
that I may love what thou dost love,
and do what thou wouldst do.

Breathe on me, Breath of God,
until my heart is pure,
until with thee I will one will,
to do and to endure.

Breathe on me, Breath of God,
till I am wholly thine,
till all this earthly part of me
glows with thy fire divine.

Breathe on me, Breath of God,
so shall I never die,
but live with thee the perfect life
of thine eternity