According to 1 John 3:1 “See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him.”
But unfortunately, a lot of people go through life without knowing that they are children of God and unaware of His great love. For much of his life, journalist Jiggy Manicad has had a relationship with God, but it was not until recently when this relationship deepened and he truly understood what it meant to be a child of God and experienced His love. In an episode of PLUS Talks on Plus Network, Jiggy Manicad, who has been a journalist for over 23 years, shares his life’s journey and how it allowed him to form a deeper relationship with the Lord.
Manicad, who is also a public affairs program host, TV producer, and an agriculture advocate, shares that he had a tough life from his childhood until he started working as a journalist. He started out as a writer for GMA, which he discovered was all-around work that also involved work as a production assistant, editing, camera work, and even driving. He got his start as a reporter when the department didn’t have anyone else to deploy on the field. From there, he became a regular employee and a news reporter, handling several programs in the news and public affairs department.
Manicad shares that for journalists, there are no days off, and that as long as there is a story that needs to be reported, they are expected to go to work. While investing and reporting on some of the most important news stories in the country, they are also expected to set aside their emotions and stay professional at all times. No matter what happens, journalists are expected to get the story. He reveals that some of the most memorable coverages and experiences that he has had includes reporting about a fellow Filipino’s ascent to Mount Everest, his coverage of Super Typhoon Yolanda, and a chopper crash that he survived, which he considers a miracle.
Regarding his relationship with God, he shares that before, he usually went to church and prayed, and the Lord granted the things that he asked for. However, he was also reliant on his own strength and understanding, and he sometimes doesn’t pray for things that he thinks he could do on his own. But now, he says that the opposite is true for him. He still does the same amount of work, but the Lord is his priority. He acknowledges that God’s Will reigns supreme and understands that as a child of God, he can always call and rely on the Lord. Now, he thanks the Lord even for simply waking up every day.
Reflecting on his life, Manicad says that his childhood and his work as a journalist were challenging, especially when it comes to making ends meet at the start of his career. But he believes that all that hardship was part of his journey towards a better life, not just materially, but also spiritually towards a life where he has experienced the Lord. In all his years as a journalist, he came to know the Lord better and as his relationship deepened, he is now sharing it to others and is something that he wants to be part of his legacy to leave to his children.
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