Third of four parts
• Basil Valdez
“In my search for God Almighty, it wasn’t I who found Him, but He who found me.
“In my daily prayers, He strengthens my faith as He answers my call in His own time.
“In every performance that I present, He is there to listen to the songs that I sing for His greater glory.
“Through the joys and sorrows, tears and laughter of people around me, He is there to inspire me to love even more.
“And as I stand still and become silent before Him, He is always there to let me know that He is God and that He is alive.”
• Pilar Pilapil
“You know that there is God because, in the first place, you were created by God, born to know and accept Him with all your heart so that you may hear His voice to lead you towards the right path and fulfill His purpose in your life.”
• Alya Honasan, journalist (Philippine Daily Inquirer contributor)
“I’ve been taught about God growing up, and took His presence for granted. When I grew older and became an adult, I thought I saw Him most in answered prayers for little things. As my faith matured, as I guess it does when we all experience pain and loss, I realized there truly was a God when He carried me through my most difficult times.
“When I lost a loved one, experienced illness or the depths of depression, I knew I was being carried by a power beyond my own. I buried my mother last March 4, and even now, He is giving me the strength to go on and celebrate her life.”
• Dr. Roland dela Eva, sleep specialist and pediatric pulmonologist
“I was raised in a Catholic and very prayerful family. My elementary and college days were spent in Catholic schools as well. My background has molded me to be a strong believer that God exists; that there is a Supreme Being who is omnipotent and can hear my plea.
“My personal experiences have strengthened this belief particularly when I had pancreatic cancer. Every good thing that happened in my favor was not coincidental but an answered prayer.
“Believing in something or someone that I cannot see is called faith and I consider myself fortunate that I am one of the many who have been gifted with enormously.”
• Loida Teopaco, PAL senior in-flight training and development specialist
“I grew up in a house with religious parents who loved to pray. As a child, I’d often hear that there was a God. However, not just any God but One who is all-good, all-knowing and all-powerful. It is because of my faith that I know that God exists. “And through prayers, I know that He is listening. Sometimes, He tells me things that I don’t like, but then I find peace because I remember that His plan is good, better than any plan I could ever create.
“By God’s grace, I am able to believe in a God that I can’t see...for now.” (To be concluded in tomorrow’s issue.)
(E-mail reactions at rickylophilstar@gmail.com. For more updates, photos and videos, visit www.philstar.com/funfare or follow me on Instagram @therealrickylo.)