Gani

I didn’t know I was lost

 

My name is Isagani, and I’m originally from the Philippines. I grew up in a church there that is pretty

much like the Church of England, but lots of its practices are similar to that of Roman Catholics.

 

I grew up in hardship. It was tough, yet it prepared me for today’s life, and best of all it brought me

closer to God. That’s what I thought, anyway, when I was young...

​

I thought that going to mass, doing processions, attending ceremonies at Christmas, and other religious activities, brought a person close to God. They don’t. Little did I know that I was lost: that I am a sinner who needs a Saviour.

I was one of the popular students in high school. In our senior years, that led to drunkenness, a bit of drugs, girls, gangs, and all kinds of misbehaviour. I’ve done some terrible things that make me cringe even to this day.

When I went to university things started to change as I began to take life more seriously. But the real change was when a persistent friend kept dragging me to some Bible studies that took place on campus. I started reading the Bible and learnt that salvation is not through good works but by God’s grace, a gift of his undeserved kindness, through faith in the Lord Jesus.

​

So in July 1991, I surrendered my life to Jesus, turned away from my wrong lifestyle, and accepted him as my Lord and Saviour. Since then I have experienced the peace of God through the Holy Spirit with the assurance of salvation and hope for the future. It’s not plain sailing though. My friends kept their distance from me when I turned away from my old ways. I accepted the challenges of taking that narrow path but I’m holding on to the promises of Christ. That’s all I need to keep going because for me there is no more turning back.