Last Sunday’s message on the command for Christians to be humble (1 Peter:5:5-7) actually encourages people to draw more of God for His blessings and purposes.
I now undertand more fully why He seemed to have delayed certain answers to prayers and longings I had wished for earlier in my life.
You see, I started my journalism career at age 11. I was then a grade 5 student and was a regular editorial staff member of the school organ until grade 6. Even at that tender age, I experienced certain privileges not many students have been afforded to, such as seeing your own name published in the school paper and given a “pass” to enter the special gate only teachers were allowed to pass through.
At the same time, I was winning public speaking tilts in in-school as well as in inter-school contests.
By high school, I was editor-in-chief of the school organ and by college, I was a staff member of the school newspaper. I also consistently won not only public speaking contests but other competitions I knew I was excelling in. I finished high school and my ABMass Communications as a state scholar, with honors.
By my senior year in college, I accepted Jesus as my Lord and Saviour. By then, however, my head was all puffed up and I didn’t realize I have loaded my heart, mind and life with more pride than I thought or imagined.
After college, I was invited to join a business and political newspaper published and edited by former Senator Francisco Tatad. I was then receiving double the average minimum wage-earner was taking. For a fresh graduate, that was not bad at all.
I moved from being a print journalist to becoming a writer for an advertising and public relations agency, after my stint in the newspaper. But after just a year, I went back to my first love, which is being a journalist.
I joined People’s Television 4 (now NBN) as a reporter and anchor and then moved to ABC5 (now TV5) as senior reporter and anchor and just before I resigned to be a full time mother, I had my own daily investigative report which I produced and anchored.
While there were many “moldings” which the Lord sent me to finetune my character, my pride seemed slow to dissipate. I thought I had already surrendered my “everything” to God’s lordship, but I was still being delivered from this character flaw. I had to be “deprived” of a lot of opportunities first. For one thing, not once was I assigned to cover in trips “in the West”. That is, all my coverages abroad were confined in Asia. I also applied in a prestigious Journalism school in Hawaii for a scholarship, but for some reason, I failed to get it.
Not until recently did I realize why I never got those “big breaks.” I was too proud that I could get them by MY sheer “wisdom and capability.” If I had gotten them prior to what I have now, I wouldn’t have seen the Lord’s mighty hand cleansing away the cobwebs of my proud heart and distorted overvalue of “my abilities.” Now that I have realized everything I achieved in school and in my career was because of God’s goodness, will and purposes, I have seen that indeed He orchestrated everything that has happened to me.
Just recently, as the Senate Reporter of the Far East Broadcasting Company, I was invited to join a search for 16 journalists worldwide to win a Journalism Fellowship or Scholarship for leadership. This is set to be held in February next year at the Poynter Institute in Florida, USA. Almost reluctantly, I submitted my application. I left the result to God’s mighty hand and good purposes for His own glory.
It was about this time that Ms. Deonna Tan Chi, our Senior Pastor’s wife, invited me to help set up the church’s own magazine. I had willingly said yes and have also committed to help in the church website and CCF school writing requirements.
About two weeks ago, a few days before the organizers of the journalism scholarship were set to announce the winners, I was informed by the director of the organization that I had been chosen to be among the 16 who qualified for the US study. I didn’t know what to feel at that time, it was like winning a lottery perhaps. The grant will answer all my expenses, from visa to accommodation to the tuition requirement.
God, who is the Great Character Corrector, had to ease me of my pride first, before I could be privileged to receive a blessing of this magnitude. All those years of self-proclaimed “I am able and I perform better” had to evaporate into thin air first, before I can be blessed to serve God’s greater purposes.
May the Lord will have His way to use me in the lives of others by serving Him and fulfilling His purposes in my life and in my circle of influence for His own glory! Amen!
was the editor-in-chief for her high school newspaper. In college, she took up Mass Communications, graduating with honors. She was a news anchor for two TV networks and is now a senior correspondent for the Far East Broadcasting Company.
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