One day in 2012, Beatrice Tesoro (from the family behind Tesoro’s Handicrafts Stores) had the burden to share the love of Jesus and the Word with other young adults but according to Bea, “it seemed hard to follow up with them daily” to help them through their growth and walk.

She then saw how people kept lining up in coffee shops to get planners.  That gave her the idea of  intentionally incorporating faith encouragement through the Word in a planner.  More like-minded persons came alongside her and despite many challenges along the way, they thrust their closed fists forward together in a circle and declared, “Voltes V”! Just kidding.  They formed the team to realize the first Certified Positive Planner in late 2013.

Now on its third year of printing, in its unassuming and simple form, it  is being distributed around the Philippines and the world bringing hope, faith, encouragement, and transformation by helping people get connected with the Living Word while tending to one’s appointments.

It comes with P150 in discount coupons at OMF Lit, P200 discount at PCBS, and more discount coupons for like entities, making its price of P565 easily recoupable!

Bea walks us through some of the features of the planner in this interview:

Among the unique features of this planner are the monthly faith stories of a former Bb. Pilipinas Universe title holder, a sought-after financial consultant, celebrities, Presidents of a Christian Radio Network, a large corporation, and the Pinay Ballers League…

…so I don’t know what I’m doing here alongside these famous people but I’m very blessed to be part of the planner given the undeserved privilege to deliver one of God’s encouraging restoration stories in my life.

The day Sarah Olicia (Bea’s staunch teammate) made an appointment with me for her and Bea to introduce me to the Certified Positive Planner and invite me to share here, I couldn’t help but be moved— okay weep like a tiny leaking waterfall—that God brought these two young women I’ve never met before to find me in my tucked-away newly opened shop in my little corner in Kapitolyo to remind me that He can use me in spite of myself to inspire others’ faith not by what I am or have done but by merely being a witness to what Jesus has done in my life. It was a milestone that seemed to nudge me, “You have been restored, My child. It wasn’t just for you to validate your faith. It’s for you to go and strengthen others’.”

The name “Certified Positive” was chosen by its team to highlight from Romans 8:28 that in All things— in the blessings and trials— God works for the good of those who love Him and are called according to His purpose. Therefore, both blessings and trials can be seen as positive with the filter of God’s Word.

And that’s why we need God’s Word…

May you and people you love be blessed, encouraged, and strengthened by this labor of love of the Certified Positive Team, all who are part of the planner directly or indirectly, and all our faith predecessors who, from their walk or talk, led us to the Word, Jesus Christ.