Members of the Iglesia Ni Cristo (Church Of Christ) in the Local Congregation of Batasan Hills 1, Ecclesiastical District of Quezon City were blessed to be able to attend a solemn gathering officiated by the Executive Minister, Brother Eduardo V. Manalo. The worship service brought renewed strength and inspiration to the brethren, bolstering their faith in God.

From the Bible, the Executive Minister emphasized the importance of leading a righteous way of life by adhering to God’s teachings. He reminded the brethren to stay focused on the right path and maintain their obedience to God’s words as they traverse this world that is filled with temptations. He taught them to not let the wickedness of the world sway them and to continue upholding their God-given duties.

“The biblical reminders preached by our Presiding Elder uplifted our spirits, instilling hope and fostering a strong faith in God to help us persevere through difficult times,” said Sister Gerri Anna Baja, a finance officer and KADIWA local officer, whose mother was diagnosed with cancer in 2016 and passed away in 2023. She recalled regarding her harrowing experience, “It was painful, but it helped make our family even more united and our bond with each other stronger. Most importantly, we became closer to God because we relied on our prayers to Him for solace and comfort.”

Losing a parent is indeed saddening and difficult, yet Sister Anna was able to persevere through grief by relying on prayers to God. She also draws strength from the support of friends, family, and relatives. She shared, “God gives me a positive outlook in life with His holy words. I promise to continue fulfilling my Church duties and to actively participate in Church activities launched by the Church Administration.” She remains committed to attending worship services, for she firmly believes that by devotedly attending these holy gatherings, God has been providing her with everything she needs to confront life’s challenges.

Another insight that Sister Anna reflected on is how true Christian parents pass on their faith to their children and grandchildren, as mentioned by the Executive Minister in his homily. She expressed, “Before my mother passed away, she had instilled the true faith in me and my siblings. This faith serves as our anchor, enabling us to stay in the right path, remain in our conviction, and feel even more inspired to fulfill our Church responsibilities.”

Similarly resilient is Brother Jose Coñesco, a deacon, who faced and overcame challenges while remaining devoted to worshiping God. Brother Jose suffered from an illness which lasted for a year, hampering his mobility and requiring him to be assisted when going places. He was also not able to work during this challenging time. He recalled, “I didn’t know where to get our daily needs. I didn’t know how we could cope.” Despite all these, he never lost faith that the Almighty Father will provide him with strength, guidance, and support to help him carry on.

When the Executive Minister reminded the brethren to always place their trust in the Father, especially in times of difficulties, Brother Jose reminisced how he remained steadfast in his faith in God. He shared, “Whenever I feel lost and don’t know what to do, I pause for a while and pray. I’ve done that countless times already—I gather my family and we pray.” Despite his condition, he always attends worship services to glorify God. He also firmly believed in the greatness of God’s healing power through the anointing of oil for the sick.

The Church Administration never grows tired of motivating the Church members to be prayerful and to continue relying on God. Brother Jose said, “Because of God’s immeasurable mercy, our prayers were answered. I believe that it was God Who provided for our daily needs and for my medication. Eventually, I recovered from my illness, resumed my livelihood as a tricycle driver as if I never got sick, and I continued fulfilling my Church duties diligently.”

The Executive Minister also pointed out in his preaching that true Christians patiently wait for God to answer their prayers. Instead of measuring how long it takes for God to respond, Church Of Christ members are taught to reflect on how many times He has rescued them from dangers and how many times He has made them feel secure. This is what Sister Eden De Jesus, a choir member, clearly remembered from the preaching of Brother Eduardo Manalo.

Sister Eden faced numerous challenges during the pandemic. She was tested positive for Covid-19 four times, one of which happened while she was giving birth to her youngest son. Sister Eden narrated, “It was difficult for me, as a mother, to be separated from my newborn baby. I was in the isolation room, and my baby was kept away from me. He was placed in the intensive care unit after medical personnel discovered that I had tested positive. I kept on praying to God for my baby’s safety.”

With the ordeal she went through, Sister Eden chose to entrust everything to God. She continued, “My husband and I encouraged each other and prayed always to strengthen our faith. We begged God to help us overcome that trial and not fall into depression or hopelessness, not just for myself but also for my family.” Even during those challenging moments, she remained grateful to God that she was cleared of any symptoms despite being tested as Covid-positive.

Surely enough, Sister Eden’s prayers had not been in vain. Her family, including her newborn son and two older sons, did not contract the virus. They are thankful to God for His protection. To this day, her faith remains firm and unwavering, as she believes that God has performed miracles in her life for as many times as she could remember. “I learned from Brother Eduardo Manalo’s Bible-based preaching that we, God’s chosen ones, should never be sad or distressed when there are many trials in our life. We should always remember that this world is not our true home; we are mere sojourners here. Our true home is with God and His Son, Jesus Christ, there in the Holy City, where we will dwell on the day of our salvation.”