Forgiving someone who has hurt you is never easy. It’s already hard to forgive when it’s a friend or someone outside the family — but what if it’s your own family?

Someone you see every day, live with, or share the same blood with?  

The struggle is real. They say the people you love the most are the ones who can hurt you the deepest. 

So, what can you do when forgiving a family member feels impossible? Here are some simple tips that might help you take the first step toward forgiveness:  

1. Acknowledge the pain they caused

Sometimes, people try to excuse the hurtful actions of family members just because they’re family. You might hear things like, “Don’t take it to heart,” or “Just ignore it.” But ignoring the pain doesn’t make it go away — it only hides it until one day it might explode.

The first step to healing is to admit that you are hurt. When you’re honest about your feelings, you open your heart for God to heal you and help you forgive.

The Bible says, “The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit” (Psalm 34:18). God sees your pain. Talk to Him and let Him lighten the burden in your heart.  

2. Ask God to help you forgive

After admitting your pain, the next step is to ask God to help you forgive. Forgiveness is not easy, and we cannot always do it on our own. But God can give you the strength you need.

Just pray and be honest with God. Tell Him you want to forgive, but you’re struggling. God honors a humble heart, and He will help you. Remember, we are also called to forgive others because God has forgiven us (Luke 6:36).

3. Talk to the family member who hurt you

Good communication is important in any relationship, especially with family. If a family member hurt you, it’s important to have an honest conversation with them — not to attack, but to share how their actions affected you and to help heal the relationship.  

It might be hard, but it’s a way of showing love because, as the Bible says, “love covers over many sins” (1 Peter 4:8).  

When you speak, be honest but gentle, and be willing to listen to what they have to say. Humbling yourself to talk and listen shows that you care about keeping the relationship strong. 

4. Let go and let God

After talking to them, remember that you cannot control how they will respond. Your part is to be honest, loving, and forgiving. If they apologize and want to make things right, thank God!  

But if they don’t respond the way you hope, don’t lose heart. Let go and let God handle the rest.

Pray for them and trust that God has a plan for both of you. “For it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose” (Philippians 2:13).  

If you want to learn more about forgiving a family member and be inspired by a story of forgiveness, don’t miss CBN Asia Holy Week Special “Preso,” starring Gerard Pizarras this Good Friday, April 18, 5:30 PM on GMA. 

What does it really mean to be a leader and lead like Jesus?

According to Vocabulary.com, “A leader is the one in charge, the person who convinces other people to follow.” 

Most definitions of a leader describe them as the head, the first, a ruler, a manager, or a decision-maker. In summary, a leader holds the highest authority in a specific group.

But what does the Bible say about leadership?

Matthew 20:26 (CEV) states, “But don’t act like them. If you want to be great, you must be the servant of all the others.”

Did you notice the difference? The world defines a leader as someone with the highest authority, while the Word of God says that a leader must be a servant to all.

One key quality of a leader is humility to serve. And this principle comes from the greatest leader of all time—Jesus. He didn’t just teach servant leadership; He modeled it Himself.

If you want to be a leader, here are three practical ways to lead like Jesus, based on a Beyond Small Talk episode with Jericho Arceo, Paul Herrera, and Peter Kairuz.

Lead Like Jesus – Step #1: Know yourself

First, you need to understand who you are. Here are some questions to help you with that.

• What are your strengths and weaknesses?

• Why do you want to lead?

• What causes do you stand for?

• How can you serve the people?

• What do you still need to learn?

• Do you have a vision for the people you want to serve?

Leadership should not stem from selfish ambition or a desire for power—it should come from a genuine desire to serve others.

Paul emphasized, “I always believe that knowing yourself is winning half the battle. Sometimes, the reason it’s hard to lead others—even ourselves—is that we don’t truly know who we are. We don’t know our purpose, our identity, or where we’re headed. But once you do, leading becomes much easier.”

Lead Like Jesus – Step #2: Know the people you want to lead

The key here is understanding them on a personal level. These questions might help you accomplish this step:

• What generation do they belong to?

• What issues and problems are they facing?

• How open are they to change?

• What changes do they want to see?

• What are their weaknesses?

• Where do they excel?

• What do they value the most?

• What do they dislike?

Peter emphasized, “You have to understand them. That’s important.”

Knowing your people helps you understand how to lead them effectively. It’s difficult to lead people who don’t trust you. That’s why getting to know them on a deeper level can make or break your leadership. A good leader recognizes the unmet needs of their people and helps equip them to address those needs.

Most importantly, listen to them—so they know that you genuinely care.

Lead Like Jesus – Step #3: Surround yourself with the right people

Jericho shared, “For me, the people in my circle matter. I need to surround myself with those who are wiser and smarter so I can learn from them.”

Similarly, Peter added, “If you want to be wise, surround yourself with the wise.”

With that in mind, to grow as a leader, you must be around people who are more experienced or accomplished than you. Their wisdom—gained from years of trial and error—can help you avoid making the same mistakes.

After all, people often say, “Experience is the best teacher.” However, sometimes, learning from others’ experiences is even better than going through them yourself.

Peter put it this way: “Listen to older people’s advice. Not because they are always right, but because they have made more mistakes. Let’s learn from them so we don’t have to go through the same struggles.”

So, are you ready to be a servant-leader?

Indeed, it’s rare to find people who sincerely want to serve others. That’s why it’s admirable to hear it from those who genuinely mean it.

If you’re one of them, let this be a reminder that leadership comes with challenges. Even Jesus was betrayed and denied by some of His own disciples. This, in turn, shows that the road ahead won’t always be easy or smooth.

That’s why it’s always important to abide in God and lean on His word when making decisions. The Holy Spirit will be with you to guide and help you, too.

Ultimately, more than just the desire to serve, lead because God is calling you to do so. Because in the end, man’s ultimate goal is not to seek people’s approval but to hear the Lord say:

“Well done, my good and faithful servant. You have been faithful in handling this small amount, so now I will give you many more responsibilities. Let’s celebrate together!” (Matthew 25:23, NLT)

Do you want to know more about God? Start your journey here. 

Beauty is subjective. Everyone has their own definition of what it means to be beautiful, and this definition changes over time.

How about you? How do you define beauty?

In Western countries, being thin and tall, and having light or tanned skin, is considered beautiful. It is widely known that in South Korea, having fairer skin is considered “yeppeuda” (beautiful). But here are some beauty standards around the world that you rarely hear about because they receive less representation in the media:

• For the Maori people of New Zealand, facial tattoos—especially on the chin—are considered beautiful. 
• Kayan women in Myanmar believe that the longer the neck, the more beautiful a woman is. 
• In Mauritania, Africa, women are encouraged to gain weight because, in their culture, that is a sign of beauty. 

How about in the Philippines? What are the common beauty standards you know?

The world has different definitions of beauty, and each person has their own preferences. Some find morena (tan-skinned) women more attractive, while others prefer fair-skinned people.

This only proves that everyone can be beautiful, but you cannot be beautiful to everyone.

Aside from that, people change. As time goes by, their opinions, beliefs, and principles change, too.

But there is Someone who is unchanging—He is the same yesterday, today, and forever. He is the Lord of lords and the King of kings—Jesus.

Wouldn’t it be wise to understand what is beautiful in His sight and conform to that?

Here are three biblical truths that can help you focus on what truly matters—the kind of beauty that lasts for eternity.

Biblical Beauty #1: A woman who fears the Lord

“Charm can be misleading, and beauty is vain and so quickly fades, but this virtuous woman lives in the wonder, awe, and fear of the Lord. She will be praised throughout eternity.” (Proverbs 31:30, TPT)

Why should a woman who fears the Lord be praised?

If you have read the entire chapter of Proverbs 31, you will see that more than half of it describes the characteristics of an ideal, godly woman. Upon reflecting on it, you will understand why a woman who fears the Lord is worthy of praise.

Here are some of her qualities:

• “She is clothed with strength and dignity.” (Proverbs 31:25)
• “She speaks with wisdom.” (Proverbs 31:26)
• “She takes good care of her family and is never lazy.” (Proverbs 31:27)

The good news is you can be like her too.

Biblical Beauty #2: The unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit

“Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as elaborate hairstyles and the wearing of gold jewelry or fine clothes. Rather, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God’s sight.” (1 Peter 3:3-4, NIV)

This verse is a beautiful reminder that the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit is of great value in God’s eyes.

Although 1 Peter 3:3-4 is directed towards wives, we can also take this message to heart because Jesus is our bridegroom (Revelation 19:7-9), and the Lord, our Maker, is our husband (Isaiah 54:5).

But what does it mean to have a gentle and quiet spirit?

It does not mean that someone should be silent all the time or act fragile that you cannot even break a plate. This is not to be taken literally.

Notice that the word “spirit”follows “gentle and quiet.” This means it has nothing to do with your personality but rather with the state of your heart and soul.

This verse emphasizes having a gentle heart that is compassionate and a quiet soul that is not anxious but trusts in the Lord’s sovereignty.

The unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit does not rely on outward appearance but is rooted in confidence in God’s perspective.

Biblical Truth #3: Chosen and accepted by the Lord

“But the Lord said to Samuel, ‘Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.’” (1 Samuel 16:7, NIV)

For context, this verse refers to a conversation between God and Samuel about King Saul.

Saul was handsome, tall, and physically appealing—qualities that made him the people’s ideal king. At first glance, even Samuel was impressed by his outward appearance.

But as time passed, Samuel was disappointed because Saul’s heart was not pure before the Lord. Though he had exceptional abilities, his intentions were not right.

That is when God told Samuel that He had rejected Saul as king.

What is the point of being physically attractive if God rejects you? It is far better to be accepted and chosen by the Lord than to base your worth on outward appearance.

This does not mean to say that all attractive people are like King Saul. The point is a person’s heart matters more to God than physical appearance. No external beauty can ever conceal what is truly inside.

All these biblical truths point to one thing: Conform to God’s beauty standard, which never changes—unlike the world’s ever-changing standards.

Because no matter what others say about your appearance, the truth is, even before you were born, “You are fearfully and wonderfully made.” (Psalm 139:14, NIV)

Know how valuable you are by getting to know the One who created you. Start your journey here. 

Thirty years ago, CBN Asia began a journey rooted in faith, hope, and a vision to impact lives for Christ.

From our humble beginnings to the present, we have been incredibly blessed to see countless lives inspired, touched, and transformed. This journey has been filled with powerful moments and milestones, each one a testament to God’s faithfulness and to the steadfast support of partners like you who have walked with us every step of the way.

Join us as we look back and celebrate three decades of God’s amazing work! Watch our anniversary video and witness how, together, we’ve been blessed beyond measure.

When it comes to armed conflicts, it is not about who is right, but who is left.

This rings true for the people who witnessed and survived the siege in Marawi. When the Marawi siege broke out in 2017, hundreds and thousands of families were left wondering how to rebuild their lives.

Amid the massive displacement, damaged properties, and disrupted livelihood and peace, the survivors managed to rise from the rubble with the help of the government and humanitarian organizations, such as CBN Asia’s humanitarian arm, Operation Blessing Foundation Philippines.

For many women in Marawi, sewing became a regular source of income. However, it all came to an abrupt end when the COVID-19 pandemic hit the country last 2020.

Once again, these women and their families were left to face another struggle, reeling from the pandemic’s impact. Some of them were forced to sell food instead, while others struggled to make ends meet.

As the resilient women of Marawi try to restore their livelihoods, Operation Blessing extends support once again!

Ten beneficiaries received sewing materials and equipment—including brand-new edging machines. These machines will help improve product quality and durability, making them more attractive to buyers and possibly, increasing the women’s income.

It has been a long road to recovery, but together, we can help more women and families rebuild their hopes and dreams by reviving their livelihoods.

Join us in this journey. You may make a one-time or monthly gift through cbnasia.com/give, or Operation Blessing’s donation channels. For more information on how you can support, call 09399215543 or 09189067753.

OB Sewing machines for Marawi women (6)

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OB Sewing machines for Marawi women (8)

OB Sewing machines for Marawi women (7)

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OB Sewing machines for Marawi women (3)