Beauty Queen for The King of the Universe

It’s raining blessings for beauty queen, actress, entrepreneur, author, wife and mother, Miriam Quiambao-Roberto. She is one of the anchor hosts of The 700 Club Asia which plays weeknights on GMANewsTV.

She’s currently part of the newest TV series on GMA7, Second Chances, starring Jennylyn Mercado and Raymart Santiago where she plays “Alyssa”. She is also one of the newest anchor hosts for Philippine Realty TV on ANC & TFC. She is a sought-after speaker around the Philippines and abroad along with her husband, author/entrepreneur, Ardy Roberto. But the blessings weren’t always falling on her lap. She went through different seasons of trials which refined her faith.

Last October when I met her the second time at the Hope in the Big C event (for the benefit of Life to the Max Cancer Ministry), in approximately five minutes, she passionately shared her life story with the audience without missing a beat. Laser-focused and courageous, she spoke of how her hope was in Jesus Christ.

It was a blessing to chat and pray with her. She shared that since having come to know the Lord, she tithes her time to Him and as much as possible when her schedule permits, she speaks at churches when she is invited and God is the one who repays. So today’s blessings are no surprise.

When it was her husband, Ardy’s turn to go onstage, there was a wild scream from behind me to cheer him on. When I turned to look, it was Miriam, the amazing wife who unabashedly demonstrated her unwavering support for her husband!

Miriam with her husband, Ardy Roberto, during their wedding

They are partners in life, in business, and in ministry. Just having come back from a ministry trip to Qatar, Miriam willingly agreed to be interviewed for Butterflyinthespring readers…

BUTTERFLYINTHESPRING(BITS): What was the greatest trial of your life?
MIRIAM QUIAMBAO-ROBERTO (MQR): I have gone through many trials in my life——-I experienced quarter life crisis, a divorce, loss of jobs, showbiz controversies, relationship challenges; I was deep in debt, scammed off my life savings, among others… one after another. There were a few times when I even contemplated suicide.

BITS: That’s a lot of serious challenges; how did you overcome all of those?
MQR: I was able to overcome only with God’s grace and a lot of help from my friends. I was grateful that a friend of mine, Anthony Pangilinan, shared with me the saving knowledge of the grace of Jesus Christ’s death on the cross. Another friend, Jessica Guevarra-Everingham, invited me to a bible study. At that study, (Bible group leader and Real Life Foundation Managing Director) Lynn Nawata shared with me God’s word that He has great plans for my life and I discovered that there is hope in Jesus Christ. I held on to that hope and God helped me to overcome my challenges.

BITS: How do you think your life has become better as a result of that trial?
MQR: Life is better now that I am with the Lord because I feel His love, I experience more peace, more joy… my life moving towards the direction of God’s will for me. My heart is completely healed. My relationship with my parents has been restored. My financial life is more stable. He has given me second chances in life, in love, and in my career.

BITS: How would your life have been different if you didn’t go through those trials?
MQR: I would probably still be lost, trying to fill myself with material things and running after one achievement after another and yet experiencing no fulfillment nor satisfaction. Even worse, if God didn’t save me, I would probably be dead by now.

BITS: What were the most important things you learned?
MQR: I learned that I cannot live without God. I learned that I cannot seek joy, love, and identity from things outside of me. Doing so will only lead me to discontent and dissatisfaction. Instead, pursuing God and seeking His will and following His ways bring about joy, love, meaning, and satisfaction in life.

BITS: Who is Jesus to you?
MQR: Jesus is my Healer, my Savior, my Redeemer, my Restorer, my Guide, my Wonderful Counsellor. God is my Provider, my Father, my Nurturer, my Shelter, my Rock, my Strength. He gave me hope when I was hopeless. He gave me direction when I was lost. He sent help when I was helpless. He provided for me when I fell short. He showed me the way when there was none. Everything I am, I owe to Him.

BITS: How did you know that God is real?
MQR: Because He speaks… I feel His presence. I experience His love. I am alive because of Him.

BITS: Was there a worship song that ministered to you during your trialS?
MQR: One song that I really loved singing when I first came to have a personal relationship with The Lord was “Hosanna” by Hillsong. I especially love the lyrics which go:

“Heal my heart and make it clean,
Open up my eyes to the things unseen
Show me how to love like you have loved me.
Break my heart for what break Yours
Everything I am for Your Kingdom’s cause
As I walk from earth into eternity”

BITS: Do you have a life verse?
MQR: Jeremiah 29:11
“‘For I know the plans I have for you,’ says the Lord, ‘Plans to prosper you and not to harm you. Plans to give you a future and a hope.'”

BITS: What word of encouragement would you have for someone who is undergoing trials right now, maybe similar to what you went through?
MQR: There is hope in the Lord. He has great plans for you. Just trust in Him. Pray and seek Him and you will find Him. Jesus is the answer to everything.

BITS: How would you like people to remember you?
MQR: I want to be remembered as the beauty queen who has received the saving grace of Jesus Christ and inspired many to seek the Lord in order to experience salvation, more love, joy, life and peace in Him.

Every bit a beauty queen, and every bit of this beauty queen is for God’s kingdom’s cause.

BITS: What do you think is your life message?
MQR: I have shared it in my book “He Can Catch You When You Fall”. It’s an inspirational story of how God catches people when they fall in life and I have used my story to illustrate how God has done exactly that in my life — He caught me each time I fell only to deliver me, to love me, and to restore every aspect of my life. He loves you and He wants to do the same for you if only you seek Him and do His will.

BITS: Where can people get a copy of your book?
MQR: It’s available at all National Bookstore branches. Just look at the Filipino Biographies section. They also have it at all PCBS branches, Fully Booked, OMF Bookstores, and at My Father’s Bookstore in Westgate Alabang.