by Paola Galope
Boracay, a tourist spot in the Philippines. I look back at my childhood, I realize my greatest desire wasn’t success—it was acceptance.
Growing up, I constantly compared myself with my older sister. She seemed prettier, smarter, and always experienced the “firsts” I longed for. Whether those comparisons were intentional or simply how I perceived them, they shaped the way I viewed myself.
My parents loved me deeply but were very strict. Over time, I believed opening up to them would not change anything, so I learned to hide things and lie to avoid disappointing them or to get what I wanted.
When I was eleven, our family came to know Jesus. We faithfully attended church, and my parents made costly decisions because they wanted to honor God. Looking back, I am grateful because they planted seeds of faith in my life.
Yet although I knew about Jesus, my heart remained divided. I loved the approval of people more than the approval of God. My worth became tied to how others saw me. I craved attention, became jealous of others, and even harmed myself whenever I felt rejected or believed I wasn’t enough.
As I entered adulthood and began working, I finally received the attention I had long desired. Instead of finding my identity in Christ, I pursued acceptance from people.
I entered relationships that dishonored God, surrounded myself with unhealthy influences, engaged in sexual immorality with my then-boyfriend, now my husband, and lied and hurt others in my desperate search for love and acceptance.
Although I occasionally prayed and attended church, my relationship with God remained distant. The weight of my sin grew heavier, and I believed I had gone too far for God to forgive me. Shame became a prison. Instead of running to God, I ran from Him.
Many Christian friends assumed I was doing well spiritually. I looked like a Christian on the outside while feeling completely lost on the inside. I was too ashamed to admit how far I had drifted.
Then in 2025, God met me through Matthew 7:21-23, where Jesus said, “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven,” and later, “I never knew you.”
Those words pierced my heart.
For years I had lived for people’s approval, but God showed me that the only approval that truly matters is His. I didn’t want merely to know about Jesus anymore—I wanted to truly know Him and be known by Him.
Broken before the Lord, I repented, confessed my sins, and surrendered my life completely to Christ. I prayed that Jesus would no longer simply be part of my life but Lord over every area of it.
From that day, everything began to change.
Reading God’s Word became a delight rather than an obligation. I spent hours studying Scripture, listening to biblical teaching, and growing in my relationship with Christ.
Eventually, God showed me that following Him was never meant to be done alone. I returned to Christ’s Commission Fellowship (CCF), where I had once attended years earlier, and joined a discipleship group (DGroup) led by Sister Beth B. Raquel.
Through that community, I found accountability, encouragement, genuine friendships, and sisters in Christ who continually point me back to Jesus.
Wanting to publicly declare the decision I had already made in my heart, I attended the True Life Retreat at CCF East Ortigas and was baptized on May 2, 2026. This time, baptism became a meaningful declaration that my old life had been buried with Christ and that I desired to walk in newness of life under His lordship.
Today, I continue to grow through daily quiet time, Sunday worship, my DGroup and Global Leadership Center’s (GLC) classes. By God’s grace, I am about to complete GLC Level 1, and I pray that one day He will allow me to disciple other women—not because I have arrived, but because I want them to experience the same grace that rescued me.
My story is far from perfect. I still need God’s grace every day. But my life now has a different direction. For most of my life, I longed for the approval of people. Today, my greatest desire is to hear my Savior say,
“Well done, good and faithful servant.” Galatians 1:10 has become the theme of my life: “For am I now seeking the approval of man, or of God? Or am I trying to please man? If I were still trying to please man, I would not be a servant of Christ.”
My prayer is no longer that people would know my name or approve of me. My prayer is that I would know Christ more deeply, be known by Him, and faithfully live for His glory alone.
PAOLA GALOPE is a follower of Jesus Christ, wife, mother, and entrepreneur who desires to glorify God and share His saving grace and faithfulness through her life.
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