You would have guessed my age if I tell you that I was an avid fan of SpinAWheel hosted by Jeanne Young during the '70s. For some reasons, even if I was barely 10 years old at that time, I would be able to successfully solve some word puzzles then. Because I loved the thrill of unlocking the puzzles, I whispered to myself, "Please wait for me until I grow up, so I could become one of the contestants and win the game, too."

Of course, the show didn't last long. But the saying, "Be careful with what you wish for" came true, for God must have heard my whisper. One day in 2008, after coming home from tutorial sessions, I suddenly saw the Wheel of Fortune commercial being flashed on ABSCBN. I blurred out in excitement, affirming with full of conviction, "Maganda yan! Sasali ako diyan! Mananalo ako diyan!"

I could hear my heart beating so hard and fast in excitement, as I grabbed my phone and registered my name to be one of the contestants. Then I got the call from ABSCBN for audition. We were about a thousand lined up on that day that was trimmed down to 120, then to 30, then to 12. I was losing hope already as 11 have been called and my name wasn't yet. Then the floor manager approached me and asked for my name, and by God's grace, I was the last to be announced as the final contestant for the week. May I just mention that I already started tithing 10% of my tutorial income, which was about Php 2,000 already by the time my stint at the game show came.

On the eve of the Wheel of Fortune, I asked, "Lord, my long wait to be a contestant in this kind of a game show is finally over. What's your message for me?" I was holding my Bible diary then. I know it's not advisable, but I would usually "cut through it" to see God's message for me. To my surprise, He said, "Look at the very back of the hard cover of your Bible diary." So, I followed. Then, I saw Acts 1:8 which says, "You will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you and you will be my witnesses." I was startled so I said, "Lord, I don't understand. What does this verse have to do with my joining the game show tomorrow?"

I never got to understand God's message for me until I was in the actual game already. The first wedge I got was POWER. And even while knowing that there are 26 letters in the alphabet, there was a part where I couldn't remember any letter but God guided me through. He even allowed one contestant to mispronounce a word to my favor. At the last part, I was thinking of another word but yet God twisted my lips to say the correct word.

And true enough, through faith, affirmation, tithing, and action, and by God's most amazing grace and power, I won in the Wheel of Fortune.

Grace Dela Rosa

FB: YEP Group

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