What a wonderful gift from God on my jubilee year!

Winning a trophy at the 19th Cardinal Sin Catholic Book Awards on the same year that I turned into a golden girl is one for the books (pun intended!)!

Why My Victory This Year is Extra Special

This trophy is extra special for many reasons aside from what I just mentioned above.

First, this is the first children’s book that I illustrated. I was so hesitant to do it because I have not done any serious artwork or painting for decades. However, God just pushed me to the point when I had no other choice but to illustrate my children’s story so as to finish it last year in time for Buwan ng Wika and so that we can publish this book and launch it before my eldest child Yanthy becomes an adult.

Second, it’s like God gave Yanthy and me a do-over. When I joined and won a trophy in 2020, there was a pandemic lockdown. Thus, the awarding ceremony was only online. I also won that year when I wrote a memoir on the life of Yanthy titled Yanthy: God’s Little Pianist. This year, my children’s book Ang Batang Pianista ng Aming Parokya, which is also about Yanthy’s life and service in the music ministry, won and we now had a chance to attend the awarding ceremony in person.

Third, this is not an ordinary children’s story. This is based on the real-life story of my eldest son whose life has inspired hundreds of people, at the very least, since he was a little boy.

Fourth, this is my 4th time to win in the Cardinal Sin Catholic Book Awards in the E-Books Category. I have nothing to boast even if this is already my 4th time to win this year. If there’s anything worth boasting, it’s only of the amazing and wonderful things God has done in my life. I previously won for three consecutive years in the e-book category (2018, 2019, and 2020), and this year, after 5 years, by God’s grace, I’ve won again—this time for a children’s book that I also illustrated.

Fifth, it was my first serious attempt at digital art. Back in school, I was more comfortable in using charcoal pencil, watercolor, and oil pastels. But after college, life became filled with work, motherhood, and ministry. Drawing and painting had to take a backseat. Still, God planted in my heart the dream of illustrating my own book. This dream was fulfilled through this book project last year.

It felt surreal as the emcee announced the title of my book as the winner.

I was teary-eyed. In truth, I was about to cry happy tears. I just stopped myself for I didn’t want my mascara to smear and look like I have a black eye in the photos. 😂

But in all seriousness, my heart is overflowing with joy and gratitude to God—my Waymaker, Miracle Worker, Promoter, and ever-present Help in times of need. He is my true Boss because my work is also my ministry.

Winning awards is just icing on the cake. The real gift is the joy, honor, and privilege of serving the Lord with the work of my hands.

Not to us, not to us, oh Lord, but to Your Name be the glory and praise!

I give back all the honor to God! If not for His grace, I would not be able to finish this book and win this award.

4 Lessons On My 4th Win

Winning for the fourth time is not just about another trophy—it’s about the lessons God continues to write in my heart. Here are the four biggest lessons I carry with me:

1. Put your confidence in God and not in men. Initially, I wanted my friend who is an accomplished, award-winning, and popular artist to illustrate my story. But he has been busy with traveling and other projects and Yanthy is already getting older. Yanthy has been asking me when this children’s book would be finished. I also felt in my heart the urgency to finish and launch this book. But who will illustrate it?
2. Follow the lead of the Holy Spirit even when it doesn’t seem logical. His promptings may not always make sense at first, but they are always better than our own. I felt God tug at my heart last year to finally finish the book’s illustrations so we can start sharing Yanthy’s story to other kids by going around parishes and schools. But who can illustrate that fast? We only have a couple of months left. Based on my previous experiences, it takes a lot of time for the author to communicate and pass the vision that she has for her book to an artist. Would it be better and faster if I illustrate my own story instead? I felt that I had to try. I tried a few pages until the pages turned into spreads. Not long after, the entire book’s illustration was already completed. It was an amazing experience!
3. Those who hope in God do not hope in vain. The theme for this year’s competition was about hope because this year is also the Church’s jubilee year and the theme of the Jubilee Year is Pilgrims of Hope. Plus my jubilee year also happened this year. I lived out hope in so many ways in making this book and in joining this competition. I didn’t feel confident becaue I was a first-time book illustrator. I have joined this competition before with my 2 previous children’s books illustrated by different artists and those books didn’t even qualify as Finalists. But I chose to have hope that even with my crude and rusty illustration skills, the judges could see the beauty in my storybook. God once more proved to me that hoping and trusting in Him is the right thing to do.
4. Nothing is impossible with God. If He wills it, He makes a way—even when it feels beyond our abilities. And so it happened. Last Thursday afternoon, to my amazement, God gave me this pleasant surprise of winning again in the E-Books Category of the Cardinal Sin Catholic Book Awards for my latest children’s book. I almost could not believe my ears when I heard it announced. I felt like I was walking on cloud nine as I was motioned to take the center stage and accept my trophy. It was another dream come true!

Truly, as one of my favorite worship songs titled Who You Are by Gateway Worship go, “Everything I want to be is found in You… I can live. I can dream. You are all, all that I need. God of all my dreams, everything I want to be is found in You.”

Special thanks to my husband and kids for being with me today at the awarding ceremony, to all my prayer warriors who prayed for me to win and those who encouraged and supported me while I was illustrating the book. God bless you all for blessing me!

This book is dedicated to Yanthy who has inspired me and many others to serve without counting the cost, to the Church, and to God above all who is the Source of all our talents, treasures and our life.

Find out why this book won when you buy a copy for only P150 from our online shop.