Take it from Shaina Cua.
Growing up, Shaina struggled with low self-esteem and an inferiority complex as people bullied her for the way she looked. Whenever she heard insults, writing was her outlet. That’s how she pours out her feelings.
Like Shaina, have you ever lost confidence in yourself because of what others say? How did you cope?
She coped through writing. In college, Shaina enjoyed writing as a hobby and though others saw her talent, she couldn’t fully realize and embrace it.
Until people started praising her posts on social media, and even suggested she write more—maybe even a book. Encouraged by their feedback, Shaina decided to begin writing her book during the pandemic.
She prayed and found inspiration in the story of Esther in the Bible. God allowed her to see the connection between faith and mental health.
Shaina approached a publishing company after she completed her manuscript in 2020. After a year of waiting, she received approval for her book proposal. However, her manuscript was too long. When asked to reduce the word count from 50,000 to 20,000, she refused, saying she wouldn’t compromise her book.
During Shaina’s moments of doubt and discouragement, God intervened and brought hope.
Her father encouraged her to watch The 700 Club Asia, where she saw a story about an author who successfully published her book during the pandemic.
This story inspired Shaina and gave her hope for her own book to be published despite challenges. Instead of worrying, she entrusted her concerns to God through prayer, seeking His will to prevail.
“I trust and rely on God because His ways and timing are perfect,” she said.
Two weeks later, the publisher proposed to trim down the words to 35,000 to 40,000 which Shaina willfully complied.
Last year, her book titled, “Chosen” was published and launched at Rockwell. After being invited to the Manila International Book Fair, her book has since sold almost 2,000 copies, reaching readers in the Philippines, US, and Canada.
If God is also touching your heart to use your talents and skills, even if there are discouraging circumstances, do not lose hope. God is in control! Nothing is impossible when your heart is aligned to His.
He will make it happen in His perfect time.
“God can turn impossibilities into possibilities,” Shaina declared. May this truth resonate with your own hopes and dreams, too.
Stories like Shaina’s inspire others. To support more uplifting stories like hers, consider partnering with The 700 Club Asia through giving. Together, we can bring hope and comfort to more lives.
