Transformed in Manilla: Mary Jane's Story

Pressured and depressed, Mary Jane lived alone as a fresh college grad in the bustling capital city of Manila, philippines. Cost of living was exorbitant, daily traffic stressful, and she struggled to hold down a job. (Her industry included widespread corruption and required that she lie to keep her job, whIch she wasn’t comfortable doing.)

A Lifeline in Manilla

In Mary Jane’s culture, people look down on you if you’re not working after graduation. Some label you “lazy” or “slow.” The pressure she felt to secure a stable job was pressing.

During this difficult time, Mary Jane found the Revive Our Hearts website and began listening to the daily podcast. These specific truths helped her most during this desert season:

  1. God is my heavenly Father, and He will not leave me or forsake me (Deut. 31:8).

  2. I have everything I need for life and godliness (2 Pet. 1:3).

  3. He who started a good work in me will finish what He started (Phil. 1:6).

As Mary Jane took these biblical principles to heart, she found herself saying “Yes, Lord” in three specific areas.

Surrendering Her Love Story to the Lord

Mary Jane and Ronald had dated since college. She was emotionally at- tached to him, but as she listened to Revive Our Hearts, the Lord convicted her of her unwise choices. She was surrounded by ungodly influences, and the pressure to conform to the culture was so strong.

Mary Jane remembers saying, “Yes Lord,” even if that meant ending her unhealthy relationship with Ronald. She believed the truth she heard on Revive Our Hearts:

God can redeem what is lost and will turn ashes into beauty. He is the Author of the ultimate love story, and He can be trusted with mine.

Mary Jane ended their romantic relationship, although they continued as friends and still attended the same church. Despite her longing for Ronald, Mary Jane trusted God, and He comforted her during this season.

Submitting to Her God-Given Authorities

Mary Jane also said “Yes, Lord” as Nancy shared how God placed authority over us for our good. Mary Jane admittedly grew up hardheaded and with a rebellious attitude toward her father. However, she began to realize through Nancy’s teaching that:

God is my ultimate authority. He has placed lesser authorities over me like my parents, pastors, and my husband for my own good. I must submit to these authorities God has placed over me to show my submission ultimately to Him.

Now—instead of feeling annoyed when her father contacts her with questions about things he doesn’t understand—she lovingly takes each opportunity to serve him.

“With each question I try to answer and explain to him, I want to express my respect and care for him,” Mary Jane says. “The Lord changed my at- titude toward my father and other elderly people around me; He put love and respect in my heart for them.”

Forgiving Her Offenders

Mary Jane also said “Yes, Lord” in the area of forgiveness. In college, she felt a professor didn’t give her fair grades. As a result, she graduated cum laude instead of magna cum laude. However, she learned to not bear grudges after embracing this truth she heard on Revive Our Hearts:

If Jesus has forgiven my sins—and they are many—I have no reason why I can’t forgive others for their lesser sins toward me.

Then . . . and Now

Today Mary Jane’s life looks a lot different than when she was living alone in Manila. She moved back to her hometown and accepted a couple jobs outside her field of study. God brought Mary Jane and Ronald back together, and they married in 2019, three years after college graduation. She then gave birth to a beautiful boy in 2020. She writes,

Before listening to Revive Our Hearts, I was just a Christian living like the rest of the world. But now, by God’s grace, I am striving to please God and to live counter-culturally. There is a lot of freedom knowing I shouldn’t look like “normal” women. I am God’s woman, and that means living by a higher standard: the standard of God’s Word.

Ever since discovering Revive Our Hearts as a college grad, Mary Jane longed to donate to the ministry:

The desire kept burning in me; I asked the Lord for years to enable me to donate as I really believe in the ministry. Just recently, the Lord blessed me with two jobs that pay online, and I was finally able to donate via PayPal.

When asked why she believes so strongly in the ministry of Revive Our Hearts, Mary Jane wrote,

I believe more and more women will be set free by God’s Word when they listen to Revive Our Hearts, just like I did.

May it be so, Lord. May it be so. —P.M.