This is My Story.

I came to know the Lord at a very young age. 

My mom would always bring me with her every time she goes to church. She would drop me off the Children’s Sunday School room while she attended the Worship Service.  My years attending Sunday School made me very familiar with most of the stories in the bible. I would even join Bible Quiz games because it felt so good to realize how much I know about God and the bible.

Among five siblings I consider myself the most studious. I took my studies seriously, competed in school contests and hang around with the ‘good guys’. On two consecutive years I was even awarded the ‘Model Student of the Year’. Realizing how these achievements made my friends and parents very proud, I have tried my best to live up to such reputation. My life as a child up until my teenage years were mostly about performing well in school, behaving well in church, and bringing pride to my parents. I felt loved, accepted, and valued when I am in my best self. 

But I wasn’t always the ‘model student’ people thought I was. I don’t always win in school contests, I quarrel with my siblings over petty things, I struggled with low self-esteem, and I don’t always pray or read my Bible. That’s why it scared me every time I would come home after losing in a contest. The disappointment in my mother’s eyes gave me more reason to question my self-worth. In my mind I began to doubt whether God loved me too. For sure God must be very disappointed that I could not keep myself consistently good. Eventually I grew tired of the ‘roller coaster’ feeling trying to prove myself to God and please everyone just to feel loved.

Then, one Sunday morning during Sunday School class, our teacher was sharing about how Jesus died at the Cross to save people from their sins. That wasn’t new to me. But he said something I couldn't forget. He told us Jesus died on the cross because he loved everyone- including kids like me. And he loves me WITHOUT ANY CONDITION.  That phrase “without any condition” struck a sensitive chord in my heart it felt like Jesus himself was speaking to me saying, “Dan, I love you as you are. You don’t need to do anything. No need to prove yourself. I love you without any condition.”   

I heard that story told a hundred times in Sunday School. But for the first time that day, it felt so personal! Jesus loved me unconditionally! So, when my Sunday School teacher told our class that if there was anyone who wanted to ask Jesus to be his Savior, all he needed to do was to invite Him. And so I did. On that day, March 13, 1983, that child who was trying to win God's love and trying to prove himself good so God would love him back- that child opened his heart and prayed to invite Jesus into his life. I could even remember telling Jesus that day "Thank you Jesus for loving me without any condition."

Fast forward two years after, I joined my mom in a baptism class. And, together with some other adult believers, we were both baptized in a nearby campus swimming pool sometime August 1985 by our very own church minister- Rev Johnny Danganan.

Growing up as a young Christian, the unconditional love of Jesus remained to be the power and motivation behind all the good things I did in life- but not anymore to win his favor, but to give thanks for his grace.

His unconditional love dealt with my insecurities and feelings of inadequacy. It motivated me to love him more. It also gave me courage to eventually commit my whole life to serving him fulltime.