My Story So Far

You could say one of the most adventurous parts of my life was when I went out of my shell during my high school. It was not at all that easy struggling with
the “nerd” image that labeled me, since I had my glasses since Grade 6 and the fact that I was a very introverted and non-spontaneous person. You would easily describe me as one who would enter a room unnoticed. I got nervous every time I
was in a crowd that I instinctively wanted to hide myself all the time. But that
gradually changed when I was given opportunities to discover what I was good at.

I remember during first year, one of the interests that I was really engrossed with was programming with a computer language with a few classmates of mine. We often hanged out for a while after class in the computer laboratory just to learn a few commands and make out own creations.

One of the greatest contributors to my growth as an individual was my involvement with a Christian fellowship of students. I accepted Christ as a
child who grew up in a pastor’s home and in Sunday School, but I intentionally grew a lot in my faith during this period when I joined a discipleship group. This allowed me to be deeper in faith and love to God and to become involved
first through operating the overhead projector and later as a guitar player and song leader in church and during chapel hours. Later, when the other leaders of the fellowship graduated, I became one of them.

As I became a senior, another opportunity for growth came: I was elected as
student council president. This allowed me to come out of my shell more as I led the student leaders with the help of our teacher-advisers.
I was also with the school paper as a writer and artist until my senior year. I had fun doing the literary section since I enjoyed writing poetry during my spare time. I guess, since I was also into music, this also led to the writing of a few songs out of my poems. One of them was used during a jingle-making contest outside school, and then another in a Christmas caroling contest and then one, which I composed with a classmate, as our graduation song in 1998.

I would never forget it when I was selected to be one of the students who would
speak in front during the graduation day. I admittedly was not part of the honor list, but I was given a chance to do the speech of thanks. It was unthinkable that such a tongue-tied person as me was given such a chance. Throughout my high school, my parents have even been supportive of me emotionally and spiritually. Along with the lessons, there were many God-sent blessings too…especially a person who made it possible for me, my sister and brother to have a scholarship.
Upon graduating high school, I again went through a crisis. I knew I already committed to enter Bible school after high school, but I wanted to take another
course in college first – Computer Science. Plus, my parents also advised that it was practical to do so. So I enrolled in a university in Manila, thinking
that it would push through. But throughout the first year, I was being nagged by the commitment I made to God.
On February of 1999, I heeded the call and made arrangements as I tried to
finish all my requirements for that semester. Then, I enrolled in a Bible school where God allowed me to hone my gifts and use them to help four different churches. It was also there that I met Beng de Guzman, a classmate of mine who became a close friend because of the interests that we shared, especially with our relationship with God. Eventually, I got interested with her and started praying for her…for two years. It was on June 30, 2001 that Beng gave me a “yes.”

There was nothing conventional about having a relationship inside Bible school
but the rules that we observed, such as the “30-minute talk” inside the campus
helped us grow to be better persons. In time, people grew to respect the both of us for keeping the rule. It allowed us to learn that love really is not primarily about feelings only, but it is about being committed no matter what. Feelings are just subject to that commitment. Plus, it was healthy for us to be still in touch with the other friendships we had, since that facilitated a well-balanced social life. In fact, we were invited once on the radio to talk about our convictions on relationships.

On March 2004, Beng and I graduated and got our degree of Bachelor of Theology.

After Bible school, I got a little disillusioned in going on to full-time ministry as a pastor. I arrived at another crossroad of my life. I decided then to avoid being a pastor until such a time when I felt strong and emotionally prepared enough. During a camp, I started praying about two open doors that were in front of me: first there was a job opening at a Christian
publishing company, and then Beng’s church was in need of an adult Sunday School teacher for men. As I prayed, I was led to take the job at the publishing
company as a Training Coordinator, while teaching Sunday School at the church in Caloocan on weekends.
Gradually I saw the ministry of a pastor through my own eyes. While we were preparing for the church’s first spiritual growth campaign on October 2004, I went on a trip to Davao and to Iloilo as part of our seminar-workshops in my
work. It was during that trip that the Lord kept showing me His desire for me to minister to the church full-time.

As soon as we landed in Manila, I started sharing this burden for the church
with my boss and co-workers. The Lord made a way for it to be clearer even as we finished the 40 Days of Purpose campaign. I resigned my job that November and
filed my application to the church. As January 2005 came, I was installed as the church’s pastor.
From then until now, I have learned so much in my relationship and faith in God. I should say that God is always inviting us to join Him in His plan for our
lives. I once saw myself, in a sense, as an “ugly duckling” and I had plans for myself and for my own improvement. I had many plans when I was in high school,
and even those proved to be “good” plans. But when we allow God to take charge
in our lives, he will surprise you with what He has in store for us…the “best.” Whoever we may be, and however we see ourselves, that does not matter to Him because when we let Him into our lives as, He changes everything according to
His measure of beauty. I’m not saying it will be easy when you let God lead you.
But you’ll be sure you’re in for the best. God never disappoints, you know. I’ve seen Him do that to me.

Today, I continue to minister as an assistant pastor in a church in Las Pinas,
with my wife, Beng. I still get nervous when I face people, but I know I am able to be in front of them because God strengthens me. We live in an rented home in
Bacoor. We have not much, but we have enough of God’s abundant provision to live
each day with assurance that a life that’s surrendered to Him is the life worth living.