Hi! My name is Charlene M. Manalang. I was born and raised in a Christ-centered family.
At a very young age, my parents introduced me to Jesus. My mom told me classic bible stories of Noah’s ark, Joseph the dreamer, and many more. My dad brought home Christian story books, puzzles and board games all the time for me and my siblings. Mom and Dad also brought me to Sunday school, which I attended every week until I grew too old for it. In 2007, when I was 11 years old, I attended a summer camp, and there I surrendered my life to Jesus. I regularly joined youth fellowships and became part of the youth core team. And I was also part of the Praise and Worship team; singing in Church ever since I was 5 years old.
Remaining faithful and committed to Jesus was easy for me then because my life seemed so perfect. I was a consistent honor-student with tons of friends and admirers; I had an ideal family; was part of a growing church and served fruitful ministries. How could I not love the one Person who constantly showered with me with blessings, joy and peace?
By 2011, God began testing my faith. The church we called home cast out our family. My classmates, friends, and even some of my teachers spread malicious rumours about me. My beloved grandfather and grandmother died. Two weeks after my grandmother died, my uncle was murdered. I started becoming sick of Gastro-Esopahgeal Reflux Disorder (GERD) with extreme episodes of hyperventilation, heartburn, loss of consciousness, severe headaches and severe stomach pains. The episodes of my sickness grew frequent and intense that I was rushed to the hospital at least once a week for my entire junior year in high school. When senior year came, my teachers thought I was too sick to be stressed out by school competitions, so I did not graduate valedictorian. I also didn’t get to study college in my dream school – UP Diliman—despite passing the entrance test.
God slowly took away all the blessings that I thought made my life perfect. I became utterly devastated. Why did He allow bad things to happen to a good Christian like me? I kept asking God why until one sleepless night, I heard a song playing in my head: “God is too wise to be mistaken. God is too good to be unkind. So when you don’t understand, when you don’t see his plan, when you can’t trace his hand, trust His heart.”
I realized that it’s okay not to understand why bad things happen because I have a good God – and He is in control. It’s okay to get sad and cry every once in a while because I have a God who comforts me. It’s okay not to know what will happen next because God has already planned my whole life ahead of me. However, it’s not okay to doubt God. It’s not okay to worry. And it’s not okay to even think that living a Christian life would be easy.
With the help of the Holy Spirit, I was able to see trials, problems, struggles and challenges as God’s expression of love for me and my family; so I trusted Him. He loves us enough to mold us into becoming more like Christ. He trusts us enough to overcome the difficulties in life – all through the Holy Spirit.
During college, I moved from Naga to Manila and joined CCF. I became part of a dgroup and soon after, led my own. My sickness continued and worsened. In my freshman year, I was having attacks so frequently that the staff of the university clinic, Barangay San Antonio Rescue Team, and Medical City already knew me too well. During the same year, I dated a man despite knowing from the very beginning that he wasn’t God’s best for me. I pursued the relationship with this guy thinking that God was calling me to help him, to change him, and to save him from his worldly life.
A few months later, our relationship became unhealthy and displeasing to God. I grew too attached to him to the point that my whole world revolved around him. Because I was too in-love with him, I neglected Jesus’ place in our relationship and in my life. Every fight we had broke me into pieces. I did things I told myself I would never do; drinking, partying, and doing sexually immoral acts to compensate for my depression. I lost myself along the way.
While enjoying worldly pleasures, I served in church and discipled other women. I lived a double life, but the Holy Spirit constantly nudged me so I wouldn’t fully give in to the world. When I returned home to the province for Christmas break of sophomore year, God put me on my knees. He made me see how much I’ve changed – for the worse. I was no longer the perfect daughter my parents thought I was; no longer the pure innocent Church girl my friends thought I was. I wasn’t myself anymore.
God made it clear that it wasn’t my job to change a person because only He can do that. He showed me how unfit I was to help someone else, since I needed help myself. God told me to end the relationship, so early last year, through the power of the Holy Spirit, I broke up with this guy. I was so heartbroken, but I felt so free. By God’s grace, I accepted the situation, learned from it, and moved on in less than two months.
Since then, God has been showering with me blessings so unimaginable. My sickness subsided and I’ve been hospital free since January last year; which is an astounding record for me. God has been using me for his greater glory as I disciple 24 lovely girls. Every week, I serve in Elevate Main through ushering and sharing the gospel to first timers. I also became the head of Elevate Main’s hosting ministry called Engage and recently joined Elevate Main’s music ministry called Exalt. , where I share the gospel to first-timer kids every Sunday. Despite my poor performance in school during that semester, God gave me five flat ones with an average of 1.33. To top it all off, God blessed our family with a new and comfortable home here in Manila.
Matthew 6:33 says, “But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” Truly, if we seek God first, all these things shall be added unto us. However, that doesn’t mean problems will cease to exist, because God uses problems and trials to strengthen our faith in Him.
I ran away from God, but He chased after me. I once thought that a perfect life is defined by the absence of problems, but I now know that a perfect life is defined by the presence of God. I am Charlene Manalang, a woman after God’s own heart.
To the lover of my soul, my Lord and Savior, be all the glory, honor and praise!
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