RISE Tayo
RISE Tayo: Stories of Filipino Resilience and Calling is a faith-rooted podcast that celebrates the courage, grit, and grace of Filipino immigrants chasing their God-given purpose. Hosted by Blanche DiDomenico, a proud Filipino-American nurse, life coach, and faith-based encourager, this show features heartfelt stories of kababayans who rose from humble beginnings, overcame cultural challenges, and stepped into their calling.
Whether you’re navigating life in a new land, overcoming adversity, or still discovering your purpose, these inspiring testimonies will remind you: You are not alone, and you were born to rise.
Join us every week as we share real stories, powerful reflections, and transformational conversations grounded in faith, Filipino culture, and the RISE framework—Resilience, Impact, Service, and Empowerment.
RISE Tayo
From Pride to Preacher: LGBTQ Transformed by the Love of Jesus
(English and Tagalog language)
In this powerful episode of Rise Tayo, Coach Blanche sits down with Pastor Aris, a Filipino pastor whose story of redemption and transformation will leave you in awe of God’s love.
"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come." 2 Corinthians 5:17 ESV
Growing up in poverty and brokenness, Aris longed for love and acceptance after his father abandoned their family and his mother left to work overseas. Searching for identity and belonging, he was drawn into the LGBTQ lifestyle — but even with popularity, money, and friends, he still felt empty inside.
Then one day, everything changed.
A divine encounter with Jesus Christ transformed his life completely. Aris experienced the tangible love of God, the baptism of the Holy Spirit, and a revelation that set him free — when Jesus said to him, “You are My son.”
For the first time, he understood that being “born again” wasn’t religion — it was an encounter with the living God. As Jesus said:
“Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.” — John 3:3
Now, Pastor Aris boldly preaches the gospel in the streets of the Philippines, even after the recent 6.9-magnitude earthquake in Cebu City, calling the nation to repentance and revival. He currently leads New Creation Spirit-Filled World Wide Church in Bagong Silang, Caloocan City, Manila, where lives are being transformed by the power of the Holy Spirit.
His message is urgent yet full of grace:
“Jesus is coming soon. Repent and come back to Him.”
He reminds us of the truth in Romans 6:23 —
“For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
No matter your past or what you’ve been through, this story proves that no one is beyond the reach of God’s transforming love.
Connect with Pastor Aris: Pastor Aris New Creation on FB, IG and TikTok.
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