Before I became a believer, my life could be compared to a rollercoaster. My early-years memory is filled with the weight of my sister having brain cancer. The emotional stress and financial havoc that a decade-long crisis brought to our family took its toll. My dad became severely alcoholic, and we often got into verbal arguments. This unrestrained battery from my dad made me drift away from my family; in college, I spent most of my time at school. I joined a fraternity and was exposed to impurities in a carefree environment. There I discovered the violent and cruel world of men, characterized by rumbles, bar fights, and machismo activities.

When I started working, my earthly desires and way of life took a turn for worse. My typical weekday ended at around 2:00am, after going out to bars and gimmick places. On weekends, I never went home earlier than 5:00am and partied till I was dead drunk. Sex and experimentation with different drugs made up my mix of immorality.

All of these evil things were part of my life, and I thought it was normal, okay. My then-girlfriend left for Switzerland to study, and I was left behind with the promise that we would marry when she came back. Due to my loneliness, I accepted some fraternity batchmates’ invitation to attend bible study at CCF in 1998. It provided a temporary respite from my sadness, but I remained stagnant. No matter how hard I tried, I just couldn’t fully turn from my sinful ways.

I got the break of my professional career when I was became head of a multinational company’s brand department. I was on top of the world; I thought I had everything! Great job, many friends, material things, parties and gimmicks, a girlfriend I was going to marry. That was my plan, and it was all set.

But we all know that man`s plan is nothing compared to the plan our loving Father has laid out for us.

Romans 8:28 says, “And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, and to those who are called to His purpose.” Just as a master gardener prunes the plant, cuts away dead branches, and plucks out withered leaves, Jesus, our gardener, went to work in my life. And boy, did the pruning come.

My first wake-up call happened in 1999, when my dad developed cancer of the nose. A few months passed, and I got the news from my girlfriend that she was no longer coming back to the Philippines. She was breaking off our relationship and cancelling our marriage plans. Then, one Wednesday after bible study in CCF, I went to a nearby restaurant to eat dinner with some friends. When it was time to go home, I found that my car had been stolen, with several personal possessions inside. The next year, some scheming individuals at my company carried out a plot to get me out of my position; they falsified checks that I supposedly received as kickbacks. I was cleared after months of investigation, but the stigma of being implicated in such a crime affected how others viewed me at work.

So, my dad had cancer, I lost the love of my life, I lost the material possession I cherished most, and I almost lost my job. At this point, I said, I want to change my life and know more about the Lord. And as part of His grand plan, God introduced me to Pastor JP Masakayan.

I attended Pastor JP’s bible study classes with vigor and a remorseful heart. I came to know Christ through the Urdaneta D-Group, and then I started to change my ways. Suddenly, my penchant for bars and gimmick places left me. My friends and officemates were shocked. The party boy was now a home boy. I spent more quality time with my parents and became more generous and more loving to them. I stopped getting drunk, quit smoking, stayed clean from all drugs, and stopped my emotional outbursts and cursing. I was able to invite both my parents to join me in CCF.

But the pruning and faith-stretching situation continued. A couple of years ago, on Christmas Day, my mom suffered a stroke and had severe seizure right in front of me, while we were having our Noche Buena (Christmas feast). I thought we were going to lose her; she stopped breathing and was turning blue. On Christmas Day! By God’s grace, I was able to rush her to a nearby hospital. While my mom was recuperating in the semi-ICU, my dad had a similar life-threatening attack, just five days later. For a couple of weeks, both my parents were in the hospital.

Still more pruning followed. A few years ago, I was stripped of my department head position in my company. They took away my corner office and gave me a desk. It was an exercise in humility, and it also paved the way for me to reexamine my priorities. It allowed me the privilege of being active in numerous ministries at church. I was blessed with the opportunity to teach God’s Word and with more time for my D-12 and D-Group. As I grow in Christ, the Holy Spirit burdens me to give more of my time, talents and finances for His Kingdom.

Involvement with the building fund is one of the areas in my life for which I have been praying. God impressed on me an amount that I was going to commit. But for some time, I never got over the hump of pledging it. Then one day, over breakfast, Mom shared with me that she had committed to a five-digit pledge for the building fund, and she planned to fulfill it in a year. I was floored! My 65-year old mom, with no income, no job, and no savings was, by faith, pledging that amount. So, the very next day after, I pledged a six-digit amount, payable in 2 years, also by faith.

A couple of weeks later, someone in my D-12 invited me to invest in the stock market. I invested with the promise that with whatever amount it might earn, I would give it to the building fund. By God’s amazing power and grace — trust me; I am no stock expert — the stock I bought went through the roof. The amount of my two-year pledge, God provided in two months! And, there was a bonus. The amount I pledged, He doubled in my earnings on that investment. May take home pa!

I said, “I want to give more.”

Last year, during the Ad Congress in Subic, I won ₱50k in a game sponsored by GMA-7. But my company said that there might be a conflict of interest, because my work entails approving media budgets. They wanted me to return the ₱50K. I told GMA-7 about my company’s decision, and they were surprised. They said, their accounting books on the event were already closed. I was in a dilemma. My company wanted me to return the money to the sponsored corporation that did not want to take it back. So I said, why I don’t just give it to CCF, as a contribution to the building fund project? Both companies said yes.

Praise God! It’s been an honor and a privilege to serve and to give. Proverbs 16:3 says, “Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and your plans will succeed.” I ask for your prayers, that I will continue to burn with passion for service and that I put Jesus at the forefront of everything in my life.

My name is Ickhoy, and I’m BIG for God! To God be the glory!

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Would you like to know God, too?