Winners of Our Double Book Giveaway Revealed!

Kayo and I are very thankful to everyone who joined our book giveaway! It was enriching to read all your insights and see the many different great lessons being part of a family can teach us — lessons that shape us and make us into who we are.

As an expression of our appreciation to those of you who joined, I have compiled your entries and responded to each of them below. I’m sure we can all learn something very valuable from one another.

We also thank Fully Booked for letting us hold this blog giveaway and for sharing these wonderful books with us!

And of course, lest I forget, listed at the end of this post are the names of the three winners we’ve selected! So read on…

TONI TUI
The most important thing I learned about having a family of my own is how you have to fuel yourself with love before you can nurture others. I’ve experienced just giving and giving, which I thought was noble and correct, but over time learned that I have to love myself first. How can I take good care of my family if I couldn’t take good care of myself? I may be a Mom and a wife but I’m also ME. It took many years before I learned that, but it’s worth it. 

Hi Toni! I completely understand what you said, and I am still learning that balance! Being married and eventually, having my own children, have made making time for myself more and more difficult. But just like you, I’m realizing the importance of taking good care of myself. Because if I don’t, I’m not the only one who will suffer. Thank you so much for sharing this! God bless you and your family!

TERESA
Having my own family has taught me a lot of things but the most important thing that I learned is Self-ACCEPTANCE. From being single for 30 yrs of my life to being a wife and suddenly a MOM! My world started moving 360 degrees. Everything was new to me and I was clueless on how to handle everything at the same time, until I was able to accept that my life is really different now and my responsibilities are much wider. I learned to accept that it’s okay to make mistakes for it will eventually teach you to improve your life and it will help to make your family strong.

Oh the art of acceptance! I can so relate with you. One of the things I learned from having a family is that it keeps evolving, things change all the time — children grow up, marriage has its ups and downs — and so as a mother and wife, I will have to adapt and evolve just as much and accept that it will always be the case. And as you said, having that mindset and disposition will make the family stronger. Thank you so much for sharing this! May you keep receiving the grace and strength you need to be accepting of the different things life brings your family’s way.

KRISTINE
Never, Never, Ever sacrifice your family!

I’ve seen many families suffer because a member, usually a parent, puts other things, like careers or habits, first. Once one falls into it, it can take years, sometimes a lifetime to heal and get things right. And usually, it’s just a series of many small wrong decisions that lead to it. I guess avoiding sacrificing the family is really being careful to make the right decisions, specially the seemingly trivial ones like always saying I love you or making Sundays family play day or putting down the phone to listen to what your child has to say. Thank you for this short, but profound entry, Kristine. God bless your family!

LAUREN SAKUMA
Being in a family & having a family of my own not only taught me the importance of communication but to respect each other’s unique individuality as well.

Those times I failed to communicate with my husband were the dullest and driest times of my married life and sometimes it was because I simply didn’t feel like it or was afraid of expressing my feelings. I have learned it is just not worth it. I also see how respect of one anothers’ individuality brings ease to family life. My kids are very different from each other, my husband and I have many similarities but we also have many differences too. So if I keep trying to make everybody do or see things my way, and believe me I have, it will just be a very stressful way to live. So yes, I totally agree with you. Thank you so much for sharing this!

BITUIN
Having my own family taught me that it’s more important and effective to show your values through your actions rather than talking about it when teaching them to your child.

Some days, I tell my children to learn to wait patiently countless times and realize, have not been very patient myself. It explains why they don’t really listen. They don’t see it in me. It is indeed crucial to be mindful that I “practice what I preach”. Thank you for your insight. May your actions keep speaking love to your family!

KAITY BATO
I believe the most important lesson I’ve learned in having my own family is how to LOVE. It may sound cliche. But we all know that everything starts from LOVE. If we learn how to love, then we learn how to care. Since I love my kids so much, I’ve become more responsible with my decisions and choices. Since I love my husband, I learned how to respect his “me” time and how I can better serve him. Above all, I was able to appreciate and love MYSELF even more.

I don’t think we can ever over emphasize the importance of love. Yes it may sound cliche but as the great apostle Paul wrote, “It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails.” Love is our weapon to overcome all obstacles! Thank you for your wonderful insight! May love always rule in your home.

CAMILLE QUIAMBAO
Other people may leave you, but your family would stay

It takes a lot of grace to stick it out with a person or a group of people your entire life. It can be very challenging. I’ve only been married for five years and it hasn’t been a breeze at all. However, no matter how hard it gets, I really cannot imagine life without my husband and children. So I’m thankful for the grace to ride the waves of life together with them. I’m learning that it is a decision we make every day. Thank you for your sharing! May your family’s bond be strong and unshakeable!

MIA SISON
Having my own family has taught me to always see things as half glass full rather than half glass empty. There are days when I struggle to breastfeed and attend to my needs as a wife, mother, businesswoman but I always fill my mind and heart with gratitude cause I am living the life that I want – three closely spaced kids, businesses which I can run at my own phase and time, a man who is not just a husband to me but a friend, too.

Thanks for your insight, Mia! I can really relate! Sometimes, I only see the difficulties right in front of me and forget how wonderful everything else around me is. It seems like an easy thing to do but when the load gets too heavy to bear, being thankful is the last thing on my mind! So it’s great to be reminded and from time to time, choose to look at all that’s good instead of just focusing on the negative. May you never lose sight of how beautiful your life is!

KATZ CB
Sharing here my IG entry which I proved further after having and losing my first child: YOU NEVER RUN OUT OF LOVE TO GIVE, THERE’S ALWAYS MORE TO GIVE.

This is beautiful, Katz. It is difficult to comprehend how much love we are capable of producing but we seem to have been wired to love and keep loving. And being married or being in a family does help us keep that cycle of love-giving going. I’m sorry to hear you lost your baby. But gaining this understanding despite of that is so precious. I pray that each day, you and your entire family may just keep growing in love for one another.

DIANNE TUPONG
You can loose your 36-26-36 figure fr the day ypu start conceiving, try to figure out new recipes and love the kitchen you once hate, loose more time for yourself and friends, but it is all worth it. Family is the most important treasure that lasts forever! Sacrificing and giving much attention for their needs, seeing them happy is much more than of a chest of gold as your reward.. 🙂

I know what you mean. Having a family of my own has also changed me in many different ways. It can be surprising to discover how much we are willing to give up for them! And I think that’s just beautiful. Thank you for sharing your insight, Dianne! God bless you and your family!

MARRYL EROJO
We only have ONE chance at life, therefore, we should use our talents, passion, resources and time to cultivate a good life and inspire others to do the same. And maybe by doing so, we may also ENABLE the dreams of others.

This is one of the things we hope to achieve when we put together this blog. We wanted to just keep sharing our passions so we can inspire others. We hope our children will grow up eager to inspire others as well by living their lives fully and deliberately. I love what you wrote. Thank you so much, Marryl! God bless you and your family!

PAT
Being in a family taught me to be selfless, and putting their happiness first before mine because for me, seeing them happy and making them happy is what matters the most.

There are days when it’s difficult for me to put my family’s interests or needs before mine and I act selfish. Those days never end well for me. I realize I’m only really happy when I have served and loved completely, unselfishly. Thank you, Pat! May your home always be a happy place.

MARICEL MEDOZA
Being in a family has taught me to be selfless, to put the needs of my family ahead of mine, to love with all my heart, with question and with no condition.

Being in a family, if we let it, can really be a place where sinners are transformed into saints. These day to day selfless acts of service, I discover, can get really difficult. And my daily prayer is that I learn to love unconditionally too. Thank you for your insight, Maricel! May your family see what a great blessing you are to them every single day!

ILYN LOPEZ
At 24, being in a family though not being physically present with them has taught me to appreciate the joy of being loved and learning to love in return despite the daily challenges.

That is so true. Many of us take our family’s love and care for granted. We don’t always realize how these people play a great part in helping us get through our difficult lives. I think it’s great that you are learning this early, Ilyn. May you and your family, whether physically together or not, always be held closely by your love for one another.

ANNA PLAIDA
The most important lesson that I have learned in having my own family is to free myself from any anger and hatred so that I can embrace and learn more the true meaning of unconditional love. Having my own family I learned how to express love and the importance of open communication with the whole family 

Hi Anna! The first thing you said really spoke to me. It is difficult to love others, much less live with them, if my heart is full of hatred and anger, even envy and resentment. To choose to see others with the eyes of love can be a very difficult decision to make sometimes but an important decision nonetheless. Thank you for sharing your insight, Anna! God bless you and your family!

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CONGRATULATIONS TO…

KAITY BATO

MIA SISON

ANNA PLAIDA

Kindly email your full name and mobile number to nica.garcia@gmail.com. I will send you instruction on how to claim your book! Congratulations again and happy reading! 😀

Kayo selected the winners without ever reading the comments or knowing the commenters’s names. This was our way of: A) doing this giveaway as a couple; and B) making the giveaway as merit based as possible. At the end of the day, it’s all going to be subjective, but by making the selection process blind, we hoped to reduce any partiality that may have come into the mix.

The Secrets of Happy Families: Improve Your Mornings Rethink Family Dinner, Fight Smarter, Go Out and Play and Much More and You Are Not Special and Other Encouragements are available in Fully Booked.