Marianne Mencias knows what it is like to be doing things while your heart is somewhere else. She worked in the corporate world for six years (at Unilab) but an indistinct emptiness lingered as she felt a tug towards becoming a professional Life’s Skill Trainer.  She has always been passionate about Purpose and she knew she was called to help others find theirs.

She finally gave up her secure, rewarding job to pursue this calling and in December 2013, wrote her book What is Your Life’s Masterpiece? which became a bestseller.

Marianne has been asked to speak in different countries, provinces, major corporations, schools, small groups. She is an engaging, fun, interesting, relatable speaker who makes you feel connected while delivering biblical truths and godly values. At the Soul Spa event held at Sikat Studio last September 2, she shared about:

The importance of knowing your Purpose:

1. simplifies decision-making
2. clarifies direction and goal
3. allows you to identify what things are aligned with your purpose (by asking, “What is pleasing to You, God?) so that you can see which things to say yes or no to.
4. matures you, allowing you to go beyond transactional and superficial.

Traps to Avoid in Pursuing God’s Purpose for Your Life:

1. People-pleasing (fear of man prevailing over the fear of God)
2. Envy

Marianne pointed out that each person has a unique thumbprint, voice print, and heartbeat. This represents  the uniqueness of each person’s significance and precious irreplaceable mark. Knowing this should remove envy from the equation when people realize that “There is only one me. I have a unique message and purpose that all the God-appointed details about me (even the attributes or experiences I don’t like) point towards.”

1. Thumbprint – unique work entrusted to you. Even though you have similar talents or interests as others, your particular makeup, personality, experiences will still be different; therefore, the manifestation will still be different.
2. Voice Print – each person has a unique message to give to the world.
3. Heartbeat – you are passionate for something unique that God wants you to share.

Marianne seeks to help you find, keep at, and serve people with your passion—those things you love to do even without getting paid— because ” Your Sweet Spot” will lead you to your unique contribution to the world… eventually your masterpiece.

She also got vulnerable even while staying humorous, sharing about her journey. One of her mentors told her, “Higher level, Higher devil,” meaning that the higher you go up in life with a higher influence for the higher good, the higher is the devil’s interest to stumble you and pull you down.”

“The more I became closer and more dependent on God every moment of my life, the more I let go of things that do not please Him. And ever since I surrendered more to Him, I was blown away by how He made my dream come true,” -Marianne Mencias

I wanted to share with you this chat I had with this very inspiring lady:

Your book What is Your Life’s Masterpiece? must be one of your life’s masterpieces.  You are helping others find their lives’ masterpieces and live to their full potential. What inspired you to write this book? I remember one very vivid moment when I was in NLEX where I was reflecting about our country and about my life. I was thinking to myself, why are there people who are so miserable and those who are extremely happy and fulfilled with their lives? Then I asked myself, how can I best love and serve this country given who God made me to be? My answer was to write a book, interview extremely successful people doing what they do best and love most, and help bridge the gap so that I can help guide more people to discover, live, and contribute their purpose.

Can you share what you wanted to accomplish through this book? I wanted our country to move towards becoming all it has been designed to be and for this to happen, people have to be in their right best places. I want to help as many Filipinos as I can to live their unique purpose and to be able to really serve in ways that they are designed and really be joyful while doing so. Through this book, I also wanted to speak about purpose to schools, organizations, and companies.

How did the book’s purpose become clear to you? For some divine and weird reason, purpose is a topic I have a great passion for. I’m so inclined to learn and converse about it. I honored that unique passion and connected it to my gifts as a person— writing, speaking, and connecting with people. I always asked for the Holy Spirit’s help, every step of the way!

In what ways does God encourage you by the results of your book?  Have people come up to you to tell you the book’s impact on them? To my delight and surprise, God has allowed me to give close to 350 motivational talks in various companies and schools and also launch my book in countries like Florida US, Singapore, Hongkong, Sydney Australia and Toronto, Canada. It’s surreal. I believe that when you are doing what you’re called to do, doors will open and you’ll know for sure it is God at work because you can’t make it happen on your own.

What is your favorite feedback from readers? Somebody constantly calls me, “life-changer.” Because he says the book changed his life. He used to be unemployed and now he is moving towards becoming his best version through his new work and his everyday choices. I also loved the fact that people include it in their Top 10 All-time Favourite Books. I’ve seen them post it in social media. My heart flies and flutters. Also when people say it’s the very first book they read and finished. ❤

In the process of book writing, how did you select the people that you featured in your book? I wrote down names from different fields because I wanted the book to inspire people with differing interests. And I kid you not, these people were brought to my path effortlessly. I approached people who didn’t respond, those who did but eventually became very busy. But these people I feel were specifically handpicked as they were brought to me in ways I couldn’t have planned myself…Divine intervention. And then it made more and more sense why they were the ones in the book, the more I share their lives in my talks.Once you selected them, was it easy to reach them? Were they all eager to share? What challenges did you encounter?  We would schedule interviews— some direct, some through their assistants. Sit down. I will transcribe the talk, juice out the most salient points and relevant wisdom I got from them, do some clarification for some details.  Well, some have very limited time to be interviewed due to their extremely busy schedule. I would say they were all generous in sharing.

Can you write a bullet list of Marianne Mencias’s Pointers for Aspiring Authors?

• Find a topic your heart is really yearning to write about.
• Create the intention of why you want to write the book and how it’ll help others. This was a sustainable motivation for me.
• Carve out time to write everyday. I wrote 5-7AM for straight 3 months.
• Ask the Holy Spirit to help you.
• Enroll in courses for writing- I enrolled in the one by Bo Sanchez but there are several others – Sha Nacino, Ardy Roberto- these are all anointed courses I believe.

I saw a video of you being interviewed for Solar (Btw, you look like a Bb. Pilipinas there) and conducting a talk for Epic.  You are very direct in sharing biblical principles. At what age did you grasp biblical truths? I started devotionals back in 2011 after attending a retreat. I was heartbroken then. And I remembered telling God I will commit my life to Him and make it a daily habit to start with His word. Best decision ever.

Were you always bold to share them?  Sharing about God feels like second nature to me, like it is embedded in me. It’s not always easy to share about it, and some companies will really ask me to not talk a lot about it, so I share more about godly values. I try to do everything prayerfully and God equips me with the necessary courage to share what I need to.

How come you don’t come across as preachy even while preaching God’s word? Wow. Thank you for this. I share about my own stories. I speak from the heart. I choose authenticity. And authenticity really connects.

Are your talks all faith-based? Mostly. But when I get a request for non-sectarian groups, I talk more about values of love, service which all point to God still.

Where did you get your training for speaking and writing? Back when I was young, I already loved to write poems. Speaking came as a surprise. I guess the more I explored things that were interesting to me- the more I got attuned to it. I was in Training in my previous work. And when you already know your gifts, growing it has to be embedded in your everyday life, in whatever way possible. It’s our job as faithful stewards. I’m reminding myself, too, as I tell you.

Who were/ are your role models? Bo Sanchez has guided me all these years, both directly and indirectly. Anthony Pangilinan is another dear mentor. There are many others who guide me spiritually, mentally, relationally.

How do you encourage to pursue his/her passion someone who thinks he/she is already too old to come up with his/her life’s masterpiece?  It’s all in the mind. There are far too many stories of people in their ripe old age pursuing and making their dreams happen (case in point: Colonel Sanders, age 65 for KFC) Perhaps there is still a dream brewing in your heart, just take the next few steps that are clear in front of you. The pain of never trying would always haunt us most than trying and failing. Think of all the people you will inspire and help as your pursue your dreams.  Those regrets aren’t worth it.

You are a Life’s Skill Trainer; what can someone expect from getting you to train them? How can people ask you to be theirs? My life has been changed by motivational talks I’ve applied. So others can expect the same thing. But without the Holy Spirit’s help, I believe it is impossible.  I do one-on-ones, small groups, and I’ve spoken to as many as 4000 people.   I am also an accredited Gallup Strengths Coach plus I have so many other tools in helping people find their unique calling.   They can email me: marianne.mencias@gmail.com

Why do you say ‘without the Holy Spirit’s help, it’s impossible’? The whole process of writing my book is Holy Spirit-driven.  Before I write, I pray. Before I speak to an audience, I ask for the Holy Spirit’s help. I am sure this is why the book is now in its 4th printing and I’ve been giving non-stop talks not just in the Philippines but also in Singapore, HK, Sydney, US and Canada. 

That’s awesome, Marianne!!!  

How is God revealing to you your life’s masterpiece? It’s a moment by moment conversation. Many times I’ve failed, but I know His love for us never changes… He never moves. We are the ones who move. I just have to keep on accepting His unconditional love and do my best where I am…and always ask Him to keep me on my toes especially when the lures of the enemy come knocking, and to always see and love myself and others the way He does. I always win in life when I choose that.

What is your favorite bible verse? No eye has seen, no ear has heard and no mind has imagined what God has prepared for those who love Him. 1 Corinthians 2:9

Where is your book available?

Fully Booked http://www.kerygmabooks.com/shop/product/masterpiece/

They can order straight from me too: marianne.mencias@gmail.com

Do you have any upcoming scheduled talks? Yes. I do!

• Sept 16 Soul Spa:Loving Yourself as God Loves You + Fulfilling your Soul Dreams + Basic Watercolor Painting Session in CBTL (Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf) Fort. You can email soulspaworkshop@gmail.com for more details!
• Oct 2 at CYP Retreat for young professionals Email me for details, so I can forward to organizers.
•  Oct 4      7-10PM Soul Spa (Modern Retreat): Love Yourself and Spark Your Soul Dreams Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf BGC
•  Oct 6       1-5PM Being You: Discovering Yourself Through Your Strengths at Aruga Residences (Beside Powerplant Mall)
• And exclusive for companies, I conduct the Strengths Finders Workshop.

Is there anything else you feel God wants you to share?

Start with letting Him love you.

Then day by day, seek His heart more in all you do.

The more I know Him, the more I fall in love with His truths.

I pray the same for you and your loved ones, and your dreams.