Before I moved to America, I worked at a hotel in my home country. It was a demanding job—so much so that it was rare for me to leave work on time. My shifts often stretched far beyond what I had originally expected.

One morning, after a long night shift, I was ready to go home. But something in my heart nudged me to visit the church before heading back. I knew I’d be late, but I felt compelled to go. When I arrived, the service was almost over—just about 10 minutes left.

I stood outside, unsure if I should enter. A wave of disappointment washed over me. I thought my prayers wouldn’t be heard because I had missed most of the service. Feeling defeated, I chose not to go in. Instead, I walked to a nearby restaurant to grab some lunch.

While waiting for my food, a calm whisper stirred in my heart:
“You don’t need to go inside the church for Me to hear your prayers.”

Those words hit me deeply. It was as if a weight had been lifted from my shoulders. The worry that had consumed me slowly began to fade.

After lunch, I went home and allowed myself to rest. I placed my worries in God’s hands and gave myself permission to let go of the stress. That night, I slept better than I had in weeks. My heart was at peace, and I woke up with a renewed sense of trust.

That experience taught me something so valuable:
God is always listening.
We don’t have to be in a specific place or follow a certain ritual for our prayers to be heard. Sometimes, all it takes is a quiet moment of faith and surrender.

Me in Cebu, 2014