“The more we focus on who we are in Christ, the less it matters who we were in the past, or even what happened to us.” (Joyce Meyer, Beauty for Ashes)
“I came from a broken family. My dad used to be a drug addict before. He always fought with my mom. Every day, they would fight physically. Once, when I got out of school, there was no one at home. I found out that our neighbors complained because they were arguing. When I arrived, I saw mom with a patch on her eye and a swollen face. As a daughter, who’s looking for love, which I never saw in my parents, I had an identity crisis. I became a lesbian and became a part of LGBTQ + advocacy. I’ve been in a lot of relationships since I thought that time, it’s okay to be that way. I thought I could find what I was looking for in a family but with the amount of time I was in, there was always emptiness. I also tried different vices, bars, gambling and cigarettes except for drugs. Whenever I was alone, I felt that something is wrong but it is hard to resist it, especially when you know your family’s difficult situation. It was hard to fight alone.
As the year passed by, nothing has changed in my family. When my dad influenced my mom to be both drug users. My brother also became a drug addict and was put in jail. When he was caught, my parents got separated. When my mom was at home and when I looked at her, I could tell that she’s already depressed. I, as her daughter, wept every time I saw her like that. I knew nothing would change. She couldn’t even talk.
Last year, I decided to leave and live independently. As I was sorting things out, I saw this tract which says, ‘Jesus died to give you life.’ This is why I got Born Again, and why I am here before you. I had a co-worker, who came up to me and he said, “just try to attend when you have time” and I kept it. That moment, I felt that God talked to me and He said, ‘Daughter, go home. I’m still waiting for you.’ And this simple tract did remind me that I am not alone and in every trial, I have gone through. I just didn’t pay attention to Him, because it is all about me. Because of this, I didn’t even leave our house.
Her old Identity
After knowing Christ
Last January, I have started attending ExCEL service.
My mother came home from the province and through text, we found out that she was sick. She has high blood pressure and Diabetes. When she got examined, her sugar level reached 500+ and her blood pressure was at its maximum. Maybe these are the abrupt effects of her illegal drug usage. After that, she texted me. “You are attending ExCEL service, right? I know your brother is attending, too. I would appreciate if you pray for me. That moment, I felt the power of prayer and the power of kneeling, that when you cried to the Lord, that was His response.
Last February, she had her check-up again. The results of her illness changed. From a creatinine level of 500 down to 100 and her BP got normalized. There is no need for hospitalization and no insulin is required. My mother said in the text message that the Lord is good. He also told me “Love maybe I can go home to Cavite because I miss you and I want to attend the ExCEL service.”
True enough to say on what He said in Matthew 19:26, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” and my mother is already here serving as part of the ushering ministry and assisting in the Excel service. Now, my brother and I are both holding back because even when the storm has come, she would say, “I want to serve God. When you surrender everything to God, miracles follow. 
I stand before you because God has changed me. I believe that when you experience the true love of God, it will change you inside and out. In God’s mercy, I have returned to the ministry and am in the choir again.
I encourage everyone that God is capable of changing your life as He has changed one’s life that was once full of hopelessness, of sin and of no clear destination. Then I tell you, all your grievances can be solved because in God, nothing is impossible. Glory to God alone!”
