Ano ba ang Totoo? (My Life Testimony)

Ano ba ang dapat at tama, at yun ang susundin ko I will never forget the line na sinabi ko sa Panginoon when I was in the middle of searching for the truth.

Lumaki ako nang madaming pangarap at isa na dito ang maging successful singer to make my family and the people around me proud, as well as magantihan ang mga taong minamaliit hindi lamang ako, but also my family. I was made out of wed lock at maagang nag-asawa ang mga magulang ko. My mother's side was very known na kumbaga, mayaman at masagana dahil sa negosyo ng lolo at lola ko, but the impression ng mga tao slightly changed, but it did not stop me to move forward knowing my situation. In fact, mas na-motivate ako.

Bully na na-bubully simula elementary. Madalas sa principal's office at ilang beses nahuli sa mga kalokohan. Yung genius type na kalokohan. Hahaha. Yung tipong akala nila mabait dahil nasa first section noong high school, pero may tinatago pala. Bad influence in sharing the behavior na pinapakita sa Hollywood movies. Hindi maiiwasan sa aking ugali na maging ambisyosa o magmayabang. Madami din kasing naabot ang Hera na yun, pero ang tunay ay patay na siya (Weh? Di nga?). Patay na siya dahil noong October 5, 2014 ay muli siyang isinilang. Paano nangyari iyon?

Noong second year high school ako (2012), ininvite ako ng ka-batch ko na Christian sa church. Dalawang beses lang ako um-attend, at hindi na ulit umulit (I respected her with her belief, but at the same time - mas may point yung tinuturo doon, so I gave it a shot). Fast forward to 2014, nalaman ko yung tungkol sa "The Secret" na ang sabi ay kapag you visualized and believed na matatanggap mo yung iniisip mo, you would. Desperado na akong makamit ang mga pangarap ko and move from that life. Ang sabi pa doon ay, "You have this god particles"

I visualized scenes na sikat na ako, mayaman, may gwapong jowa, etc. I also printed pictures - tatlo yun. The first one is malaki at magandang bahay, pangalawa ay inilagay ko ang sarili ko sa stage in my concert and lastly, pinalitan ko ang subscriber counter sa Youtube channel ko to 1,000,000. Ipinaskil ko lahat ng yan sa wall ng kwarto na tinutulugan ko. Every morning, I looked at it and imagined na these were true! Taas ng pangarap, ano? But as I visualized, noong una - I was enjoying it, but habang tumatagal - hindi ko na macontrol yung thoughts ko. May lumalabas na mga nakakatakot na images (ex. Demonic signs) and pangyayari (ex. Gumuguho yung stage). Natakot din ako mamatay. I felt empty. I felt na there is something missing. Ano ba ang purpose at totoo with life?

So that was the turning point na naging desperate na ako to know what is the truth regarding life. I asked God, "God, hindi ko iisipin ang mga religion (nag-mention ako ng ilang religions), but I want the answer be coming from You.

Ano ba ang dapat at tama, at yun ang susundin ko"

One Sunday morning, nagising ako ng past 7am. Napaka-unusual kasi tanghali naman ako madalas nagigising. Before mag-mulat ang aking mga mata, it was just black. Blank dream lang. Then there was a still small voice na nagsalita in my mind (hindi literal ha, nakakatakot naman kung ganoon. HAHAHA). Ang sabi ay, "Bumangon ka na, magsasaing ka pa" - siyempre, joke lang yun. Para lang magising yung nagbabasa nito. Ang sabi ay, "Itext mo yung Christian friend mo (na ininvite ka noong second year high school ka)". Sa lahat ng tao na pwede kong kausapin o itext, bakit siya na isang Christian ang pinili? Yes, nakakapag-usap naman kami within the span of 2 years since in-invite niya ako before, kaso casual talk lang sa chat at sa tuwing nagkakakita, since same school naman kami, pero yung deep talks talaga - hindi. So I texted her (wala pa akong load noon, kaya free sms ginamit ko. Hahaha) and went to church. The Gospel was explained to me. Noong time na pinapapunta sa unahan ang mga gustong tumanggap, I was guided papunta sa unahan. I repented and accepted Jesus as my personal Lord and Savior. Then, parang hinigop yung lahat ng scary things sa isip ko and I was filled with peace. Truly that Jesus gives us the peace that the world cannot give. Praise God! I did not know the specific bible verses na ini-share sa akin before, but growing up in the faith - I learned na ito yung verses regarding the salvation in Jesus,

"If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved." (Romans 10:9 NIV)

"Jesus said to him, 'I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me." (John 14:6 NKJV)

"God saved you by His grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it." (Ephesians 2:8-9 NLT)

"For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Romans 6:23 NKJV)

Hindi naging madali ang journey ko as a Christian, lalo na't ang buong pamilya ko ay Roman Catholic. Ako ang unang ipinanganak (muli) through Jesus. I am continually praying for my family's spirit to be renewed and yung puso nila maturn into flesh (Ref. Ezekiel 36:26), since nashashare ko na ang Gospel sa kanila. Ang response nalang ang iniintay ko. Praise God, dahil nakakasama ko na ang dalawa kong kapatid (actually, kambal sila).

Currently, isa ako sa mga Young Professionals ng Jesus New Creation International Church. Kabilang din ako sa Worship Team and isa ako sa mga worship leaders. Minsan, kapag wala talagang makakapag-piano - kapag alam at kaya ko yung kanta - tumutugtog ako, pero mostly sa vocals ako.

My life had never been the same and hindi ko pinagsisisihan na naging desisyon ko ang sumunod kay Jesus. When I asked God of the truth, He pointed at the cross. I was born again in the Spirit when I let Jesus be the replacement for my sins, but He rose again from the dead showing the victory over it. He is alive!

"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new." (2 Corinthians 5:17 NKJV)

Yung dating Hera na mali ang motivation, binago ng Panginoon - at ang love, grace and spirit ni Father God na ang fuel niya ngayon.

Hi, I am Hera. Nalaman ko na ang dapat at tamang gawin sa salita ng Diyos.

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Sa mga nagbabasa nito na gustong malaman ang katotohanan o kaya nama'y first time lamang ito nalaman sa pamamagitan ng aking testimony, God wants you to be saved and have a relationship with Him. Tunay na nagkasala tayo, unconsciously or consciously. Sabi nga sa Ephesians 2:8 na yung mga ginawa nating mabuti ay hindi enough para maligtas at ma-qualify for eternal life with God.

Just think of a person na pumatay - humarap siya sa judge at sinabing, "Madami naman po akong ginawang kabutihan. Tinulungan ko ang magulang ko, nag-donate ako ng malaki at madami pa". Ngunit ang sabi ng judge, "Hindi, pumatay ka pa din. Dapat kang makulong ayon sa batas!"

We know na nagkasala tayo sa Panginoon (Disobeying either all or some of the ten commandments) simula pagkabata - Whether nagsinungaling tayo, nagnakaw, took the name of the Lord in vain (ex. "Oh My God" o kaya nama'y ginamit itong cuss word) or look at a man/woman with lust. Madami tayong pagkukulang sa Kaniya, but God loves us so much na tinanggal Niya ang barrier (which is ang ating mga kasalanan) through Jesus - who died on the cross for us. Binayaran Niya na ang ating mga kasalanan! With that, we are saved and also able to receive ang walang hanggang pagpapala na ipinangako Niya (Ref. Hebrews 9:15).

You just need to repent (magsisi sa lahat ng kasalanan) and accept Jesus as your personal Lord and Savior truly from your heart - letting Him be the King of your life. Referring to Romans 6:23, ang kabayaran ng kasalanan ay kamatayan, ngunit God gave us eternal life for free through Jesus - We are saved through Him! Hindi sa mga santo, hindi sa inuulit-ulit na panalangin at mas lalong hindi sa kung anumang ritwal, but only through Jesus (Ref. John 14:6).

If you are ready to accept Jesus, there is a prayer guide below - pray from your heart and declare with your mouth (Ref. Romans 10:9),

Diyos Ama, Inaamin ko po na ako'y nagkasala sa Inyo simula pagkabata hanggang ngayon. Humihingi po ako ng tawad at tinatalikuran na ito. Kaya Panginoong Hesus, tinatanggap kita bilang aking tagapagligtas at Panginoon ng aking buhay. Naniniwala ako na namatay Ka para sa aming mga kasalanan at nabuhay muli ng ikatlong araw. Isulat Niyo po sa aklat ng buhay ang aking pangalan. Ikaw na po ang maghari sa aking buhay. Maraming salamat po. Sa Pangalan ni Hesus, amen.

If you prayed truly from your heart, congrats kapatid! Isa ka nang anak ng Diyos. Remember this date, for you are already born again not physically, but spiritually. Happy birthday!

I advise na if you have a bible at home, read it. Pray to God and ask Him to give you wisdom or karunungan muna before reading it. Ipapakita pa Niya sa iyo ang iba pang bagay na dapat mong malaman at makikilala mo pa ng lubusan ang Panginoon. If wala kang bible, maaari kang mag-install sa mobile phone mo. I suggest these versions,

• ASND (Ang Salita ng Dios)

• NKJV (New King James Version)

• NLT (New Living Translation)

Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free." (John 8:32 NKJV)