Emmanuel | Restoration

My name is Emmanuel Roxas. I was born in the squatters of the Philippines to a low-income family. Growing up, my mother worked non-stop to provide for us while my father struggled with alcohol and drug abuse. I never had a positive role model or proper supervision as a kid. Because of this, I was free to do anything I wanted and would always end up doing things that could have ended my life. I ran into the streets, once causing me to be run over by a Jeepney. I would sling around a box full of rocks just for fun. I literally walked off of a roof, thinking I could fly.

When I was being supervised, my father would hit me, throw things at me, and verbally abuse me as a form of "discipline." My living situation there was definitely not setting me up for success, but in 1998 things started taking a turn.

My grandfather had been working for more than a decade to get us to America. When I was 10, he succeeded! I had never traveled before, knew nothing about America, and didn't speak English, but things were definitely better. It took me two years, but I eventually learned English, made friends and gained positive influence through school and extended family. My grandpa straightened me out in a healthier way, while my older cousin taught me morals and planted seeds in me.

My family was Catholic, and when I had questions about faith, I was always told to be quiet and listen. In high school, my cousin, a Christian, started pointing me to the answers to my questions. I was drawn more to Christianity and finally committed my life to God when my first child was born in 2010. Unfortunately, after a few years, the world started getting in the way of my spiritual growth. I went through a divorce, lost custody of my first child, and started living the "bachelor" lifestyle. Even in that dark season, God didn't give up on me.

About a year into my "bachelor" phase, I started feeling convicted in the back of my mind, but I ignored it. Then I met a "bachelorette" who was anti-church and could potentially be a terrible influence on me. I now know that God had other plans. The conviction I felt grew and grew until it was difficult to ignore, but I had formed a relationship with the "bachelorette." I was brought up going to church. She said "No" and did not seem like she was willing to budge with her answer, but I had decided I needed to turn my life back to God for my daughter.

I started attending church every week, asking her to come with me. Asking turned into suggesting, and suggesting turned into persuading. Persuading turned into pulling the covers off her, pulling her out of bed, and telling her she had 30 minutes to get ready. To my surprise, my efforts paid off. After only a couple months of attending church, the "bachelorette" committed her life to God and started transforming into my now Godly wife.

Through our marriage, we have had too many ups and downs to count, but now everything brings us closer together and, more importantly, to God. We have somehow ended up with seven soon-to-be children who love church and God. Even in the hardest times of our lives, we still see God working in and around us.

The man I am today is nowhere near the man I was on track to be. The world and the enemy had set me up for failure, kicking me down many times, but God has better plans for me and helped me continue to grow in Him.

If my old self, in the Philippines or even in my "bachelor" phase, could see me now, he wouldn't even recognize me. He would probably hate me! I am walking proof that God can and will use anyone and everyone, regardless of their lifestyle choices, the amount of money they have, or the trauma they carry around.

I am very grateful to the Holy Spirit for guiding me out of the darkness and into the light of Jesus.