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Rhae Mae Cabardo
Washington State
Blessed Moments
With Brother Eduardo V. Manalo
2023
Rhae Mae Cabardo: Dearest Brother Eduardo, My name is Sister Rhea Mae Cabardo, but my family and friends call me Meng. I’m the eldest daughter of three children. I Live in Washington State. I’m a choir member, Children’s Worship Service teacher, and KADIWA (youth group) President. I was born in Omaha, Nebraska, but raised all over the world. My father was in the military, and every two to three years, we would move. If there’s one thing that my parents ingrained deep in our hearts and minds, it was “always pray.”
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Now, as I navigate through life as an adult, prayer continues to remain the center of all life’s blessings, decisions, and challenges-A driving force in my life.
Meng: This brings me to this very moment. Because of this guidance that God manifests in your pastoral lessons, I began to pick up the pieces after I received life-shattering news.
Meng: Last year, I found out I have a brain aneurysm. Most people aren’t fortunate to find out until it’s too late. For a while year, I experienced constant panic attacks and debilitating headaches. And I was living in a state of anxiety because of this diagnosis. I had no idea how to control my body, my mind, or my emotions at this point.
Meng: This past January 2023, during a live streaming, you wholeheartedly shared with us this year’s theme: We need to believe in, trust in, and rely on what God can do for us. You explained to us that you were sharing it early, because you knew that we were going to need it. Thank you. You were right. We needed those words. I needed those words. Because you see, the following month, in February, I was tested again. My doctor didn’t sugarcoat the outcome and bluntly said, “There would only be two outcomes of the surgery: either death or you wouldn’t be the same person after the surgery.” I won’t deny that after hearing that, I fell into a moment of depression. There’s a saying, “Control what you can control. And the rest you give to God.” But I no longer had any control, not even of my own body, I didn’t know what to do. I had to give it all to Him. It was at that moment I remembered: Believe in, trust in, and rely on what God can do for us. I fell to my knees and prayed.
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But this prayer was different. I gave it all to God. I call it my “King Hezekiah” moment.
Meng: I asked God to take care of my mind and heart and lead me in my decision. I prayed that if God extended and blessed my life, I may use it in true service to Him and His will. I had a complete mind shift, and my faith grew exponentially.
Meng: Ultimately, I did not have the surgery. However, I continued to get monitored by my doctors, and I was able to get the right medication to control my blood pressure and other underlying factors. I live by this year’s theme: Believe in, trust in, and rely on what God can do for us. I know God will always lead me to the right decision and path,
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[Brother] Eduardo, you always remind us of what God taught us, to give our worries and anxieties to Him.
Meng: I did it, and it has completely changed my life. And it has completely changed my life. It makes this life worth living. I choose life. I choose to live because I want to worship and praise Him, and I want to help and be an effective instrument for God and the Church. Thank you from the bottom of my heart, [Brother] Eduardo. Thank you for showing us genuine care and love. I pray that God continues to bless you and take care of you. You are very special to me and my family. After all that has happened in my life, now when I hear in prayers, “Thank you for my borrowed life and strength,” I truly know what that means.
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Rhae Mae Cabardo
Duvall Washington
Sincerely, Sister Meng Cabardo
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